《Live Dungeon!》


 Chapter 1, Welcome to Live Dungeon

    <h4>Chapter 1, Wee to Live Dungeon</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    Live Dungeon, the free MMORPG where yers race to reach the lowest floor. Tsutomu Kyoutani, who lives alone in his apartment, is currently trying to create the characters under the same name using his 5ptops.


    He gazed at the 5 screens while simultaneously drinking jello. The first character he selected was a healer. Then came the tank, the attacker, all already having reached the level cap. Lastly, he had created one more character ¨C a magic tank ¨C which would also soon to reach the level cap.


    Since this game is a level-based dungeon crawler, as well as an MMORPG, it is only natural that you will make parties with other yers. About 2 years ago, I made one myself with a guild, a friend, or even aplete stranger, and explored the dungeon.


    However, the trend of the times is cruel. And Live Dungeon, which wasunched around 7 years ago, will cease service in January.


    This was the game that Tsutomu first yed all the way back when he was still in high school when he first got his hands on aputer. For about six years Tsutomu yed this very game, and he found it appropriate to decorate its end. He began to think.


    Capturing the bottom level by himself ¨C Tsutomu used to dream about it quite frequently. However, Live Dungeon is an MMORPG. It is basically aw that nobody should be able to beat the game solo. So, he bought a second-handptop, and borrowed 3 additional ones from university friends and seniors. Point is, for games made 7 years ago, the spec requirements are very low, so there would be no problem with ying on worn outptops.


    [Finished¡­]


    After making sure that thest character¡¯s level has reached the level cap, he threw his empty jello drinks into the trash can. Then, giving it my all, I pped my hand and pointed my finger upwards, doing a victory dance. From this point, he will begin distributing one of the true joys of Live Dungeon around existing games.


    The game has a function that can deliver dungeon clears within the game. The gods who control the dungeon have implemented a feature that allows them to see humans fighting. In addition, the feature has been updated and can be distributed on the inte, and it was a big sess on the forums.


    However, Tsutomu made an effort to distribute it only within the game. This server usually has a BOT that is always on, but that is fine. Even though it was distributed online, it was still obvious that it will be criticized heavily.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get started.¡±


    Pulling himself together, Tsutomu tightened his face and connected each of his characters to the server. With a thank you in advance, he put the required forms in the party chat and applied to the party.


    The roles in a party is divided into three in this game. First being the Tank (Shield), next being the Attacker (Attack), and thest being the Healer (Recovery). Tsutomu is a physical tank, a magic tank, a physical attacker, and a magic attacker, and has evenpleted the game under the recovery role.


    In the dungeon, the environment changes mainly every 10 levels, with the lowest level being the 100th level. There, the final boss, a lone dragon, appears.


    Behind crap specifications there is also a secret dungeon, but it is so hard that one person operating 5 machines can¡¯t clear it, as one would expect. So, his efforts were aimed at clearing all the dungeons on the list.


    The dungeon clearing n was being worked on during all the grinding, but this is the first time for the actual battle. Well, if he fully utilizes his summer vacation, he should be able to do it, he thought as he pressed the Enter key.


    Floors 1 to 10 are the Grasnds. 11 to 20 the Forests. 21 to 30 is the Swamps. From 31 to 40 is the Wilderness. The poison effect in these floors are quite awkward, but it will be manageable by pushing the level¡¯s GORI. The problem are the beaches from the 41st floor to the 50th. In order to defeat the shell club, the boss here, it is necessary to take measures to prevent it from diving into the ground.


    He theorized that cutting it off before it dived would work, but it was difficult to do so by himself, so it was necessary to be a few steps ahead of its movement. There are 3 movement patterns that change ording to the physical strength ratio, and if you knew it, it won¡¯t be fully recovered yet, so you would be able to bring it down easily.


    If you fall from the ravine in floors 51 to 60, you will die immediately. That¡¯s why it¡¯s full of traps and enemy mobs. However, if you give the party the magic of the wind, you can disable them. Tsutomu also made efforts to avoid being noticed by the dragon flying high above the level.


    The boss of the valley is a fire dragon. If you don¡¯t have any flying items, it will just continuously fly above you and breathe fire. But, if you have long range attacks, you can weaken its wings and bring it down closer to the ground, where the battle will be easily won.


    From the 61st floor to the 70th, the terrain is volcanic. A lot of instant death ur on this level, and anti-heat measures are a necessity. It is important to prepare the heat protection equipment. While swimming inva, the bosses sprinkleva, instantly killing you, but they have no problem since they are immune to fire.


    Floors 71 to 80 are the snowy fields. It is not too scary here if you have antifreeze measures, however, there¡¯s a ce called Onimon that has an infinite amount of fish enemies known as the ¡°Setsurou¡±. It is very hard to handle this amount of enemies with only one yer controlling 5 units. It is also the ce where Tsutomu is most in danger.


    When he finally was able to break through, Tsutomu was able to see a clear shot. He could see the end of the game.


    On the 81st to 90th floor, the angels of the gods who created the dungeon, the devil who ims to be an angel, and the angel who fell by the devil and falls to the undead are the main enemy mobs. Countermeasures for confusion and implicit conditions are also essential.


    The boss at the end is an Archangel. Implicit from the condition that magic is disabled in the range of the Holy and Dark attributes, it is mainly known for killing healers, and it usually depends on the skill of the healer to avoid or prevent the boss¡¯ attacks.


    From the 90th floor is the old castle. The entrance door opens by equipping the boss drops from the previous levels, the armor and weapons. Inside the old castlees out all the previous enemy mobs that has appeared thus far.


    The 100th level is like an arena, and if you defeat the lone dragon in it, you clear the dungeon.


    A number of range attack bracelets to cut through the durability of its weapon armor, as weapon armor decreases every time you attack it. The magic resistance is also high and the attacker is killed, but because of the Holy attributes the yer has earned it is easy to pass. Because healers can also participate by attacking the boss, there is by no means a shortage of firepower.


    [A lot happened]


    I dove into the solo dungeon for the first time, and finished admirably. When you die, some events ur in your respawn area as things turn red.


    [Huh? There¡¯s not much good here!]


    No, no, there is actually some good toe out of this. Healer was quite fun since I still remember how to y the role, and both tank and attacker were fun for a few different reasons. Then, there were people apuding in the center of the square.


    [There¡¯s no name tag ¡­ NPC? This guy isn¡¯t supposed toe out until the dungeon is beat though]


    Thinking that, Tsutomu made some gestures on the 5 characters, opening each of their personal chats.


    ¡°Congrats on beating the dungeon solo! Let¡¯s give it to you!¡±


    A hand movement from the NPC apanied the chat. Tsutomu stopped at the thought. I soon came up with a reason alone.


    [Have I found it?]


    Even if a person who seldom ys Live Dungeon were to look at his movements, it may be possible for them to guess that it was a single yer. However, this person had no name tag, and there was only the word BOT when looking at him.


    [Maybe he¡¯s an admin? It¡¯s a rather smart system in that case]


    Even though his feats go unnoticed, Tsutomu wrote about it on the forums, and he was probably receiving a prize from the admins.


    ¡°I received an invitation from God.¡±


    As soon as he epted the item, hisputers began shing energetically.


    [Huh? Did it crash!?]


    At that, Tsutomu¡¯s consciousness was shut down like the turning off of aptop.


    _______________________________________________________________


    A castle that has been lost from the memory of the people. Tsutomu woke up in the arena of the forgotten castle.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ This is¡­!?¡±


    When he gazed at his surroundings, he found it very closely resembles the 100th floor of the Live Dungeon.


    [Is this a dream?]


    Continuing his thoughts, Tsutomu stood up and brushed the dust off his clothes. He looked at himself, only to be surprised to find he was wearing red leather pants. On his upper body was a ck robe with a long chain. He even a cane with a ck crystal and was in brown boots.


    [Wow, my recall rate is so high. I even shoot magic!]


    As he raised his cane and assumed various poses, a roar that echoed all the way to the bottom of his belly thundered. Tsutomu fell, and looked up to the cloudy sky to see what it was.


    At first, small ck objects appeared in the sky far away. It looked like it was getting bigger and faster as it fell to him.


    With his ears closed, hearing more roars like the previous one, Tsutomu stood up to avoid whatever was making the sound. He drove his strenuous legs and ran. Then, something massive came down in the middle of the arena, sting wind in all directions.


    A rotten eye. The body of a festering ancient dragon with some holes in it. Tsutomu was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the creature as hey on the ground shaking.


    [Why can¡¯t I move¡­]


    Even as he shook his teeth, he thought it must have been a dream. Tsutomu was often told that to test whether or not you were in a dream, you could grasp the soil and let it fall from your hands. Feeling the soil stream down from his palm he concluded this was likely not a dream.


    He was dominated by such thoughts. The festering ancient dragon turned its eyeless sockets. Then, while it brought its body closer to the ground, it exhaled towards the floor. A vomiting breath corroding everything it touches. Tsutomu, still unable to move, took the breath head-on with the force of a tsunami.


    As soon as the breath touched him, he began to melt like starch and syrup. In the blink of an eye, his wrist falls down.


    [Ahhhhhhh!!!]


    Pain covers his whole body as though every part was being bitten by arge group of insects. His body fell like he was in a swamp. His face is also hit from the breath and begins to rot, losing sight, hearing and smell. There is only pain.


    That sense of pain began to disappear from Tsutomu.


    The body of Tsutomu became a particle of faint light and disappeared from the arena of the old castle.


    What was left was only the dragon, and the equipment Tsutomu was wearing.

 Chapter 2, Guild Registration

    <h4>Chapter 2, Guild Registration</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Tsutomu fell onto the wooden floor and screamed, much like a crushed frog, in surprise. Loud, unorganized voices entered his ears. And after some time, he found himself in tattered, in, light-brown clothes.


    He checked around his body and was relieved to see that his hands were still there. While he was checking for any other abnormalities, the man beside him grabbed him by the cor and picked him up rather forcefully.


    ¡°Hm, this is the first time you¡¯re respawning after death, isn¡¯t it? Can you stand properly?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    The man was dressed in high-quality indigo clothes, with a gold star affixed to his chest, much like a soldier. As he got picked up by the man, Tsutomu managed to prop himself up with the ck cane that he dropped.


    Tsutomu was around 170cm in height, but after getting on his feet, he found that the man stood at around 190cm. He felt, at that moment, as if he was being interrogated by someone of the police.


    ¡°Hey, you. Where¡¯s your status card?¡±


    ¡°S-status card?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Diver, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Suspiciously, the tall man narrowed his eyes at him, and Tsutomu shrunk away in fear. The man stared at Tsutomu and sighed.


    ¡°This is the Dungeon of the Gods. Everybody has the right to enter¡­ You¡¯re likely an orphan, though. Anyway, where¡¯d you get that cane?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­guess your memory is still a little fuzzy. Anyhow, if you don¡¯t have a status card and you dived into the dungeon with that cane, then people would¡¯ve talked about you. It¡¯s probably not your original equipment. But nobody¡¯s dumb enough to just leave something like this in the ins, which means you probably got this from a treasure chest. What color was it?¡±


    ¡°Uh, it was sparkling and shiny. Almost like it reflected light from the sun.¡±


    Under rapid interrogation, Tsutomu responded without grasping the gravity of the situation. The ck cane Tsutomu held was a high-level cane made from a rare drop from the ancient city on the 90th floor. When Tsutomu described the treasure chest that held the cane, the man¡¯s expression showed hints of excitement.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ the kind that gives out divine gifts! You¡¯re really lucky!¡±


    Tsutomu gave a fake smile when the man sped his shoulder and, finally, he could look around. There were dragonewts with tightly packed red scales on their limbs. There were also beastmen nimbly moving about, all of them with bearing various characteristics from animals. The man that sped his shoulder had ck dog ears on his head and a ck tail wagging to and fro.


    Of course, there were also plenty of regr humans. There were people ogling the receptiondies and people polishing their armour. There were also people inquiring as to where they were around Tsutomu.


    ¡°Sorry. I got a bit too excited. Should we get this item appraised?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sure.¡±


    Tsutomu felt slightly scared due to the curious looks he got, but he kept walking, as if being led by the dog man. While doing so, he looked as far out as he could into the distance. Everything he saw was straight out of fantasy ¨C there were elves with sharp ears and blonde hair, old men the height of grade schoolers, and even people with feathers.


    The buildings were a bit strange too. For the most part, they were wooden structures. However, the ce that Tsutomu came from was now a pitch-ck door, as if cutting a hole through space itself.


    As Tsutomu looked, the ck door opened. Five people wearing simr clothes to him were thrown out and to the floor. Then, just like what happened to him, guards in indigo uniforms escorted them out of the building.


    Catching his eye, there were fantasy-like monitors in midair. In the holographic floating monitor, a party fighting goblins was projected.


    ¡°We¡¯re here. Please enter.¡±


    Before he could respond, he was pushed into a private room. Behind the counter sat a cat girl dressed in indigo, leaning on her elbow in boredom. Then, almost as if waking up, seeing Tsutomu and the dog man, she called out to them almost in admiration.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare for the clever puppy toe here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you either, but appraise this guy for now. I don¡¯t know if it was divine providence, but he managed to get that thing in his dive.¡±


    ¡°Is that a cane? Lemme see!¡±


    The catgirl¡¯s ears stood up erect and her almond-shaped pupils narrowed as she appraised the cane that Tsutomu handed over. ¡°Mumumu,¡± the catgirl recited softly as she channeled magic power into the cane and spoke in shock.


    ¡°This is the most valuable item I have ever appraised.¡±


    ¡°Ooh.¡±


    ¡°Because my skill level isn¡¯t high enough, I could only see the Quickspell (lit. chanting abbreviation) effect; it most likely has more effects than just that. On top of that, its magical power conductivity is at the highest level. Even with just this, it has considerable value. 10rge top quality magic stones¡­ wait, plus 2 extra fire magic stones! That should be the value as of now! Actually, using such a simple appraisal spell on an item of this quality is sacrilegious, so why not make the appraisal fee free of charge?¡±


    ¡°This guy went diving. Don¡¯t you think he has money?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ However, my skill level might increase if I appraise this, hmm¡­ Hey, you! I¡¯m fine if you payter on, but do you mind leaving this with me, For now, one medium-sized medium-quality magic stone should be enough to cover the fee!¡±


    The white-haired catgirl leaned over the counter. Even though she offered to only ept just one medium-sized magic stone, Tsutomu still vaguely disapproved and looked up at the dog man involuntarily. ¡°Hmm,¡± the dog man mumbled and scratched his chin, before crouching a bit to be on eye level with Tsutomu.


    ¡°This person is a degenerate but she¡¯s the best at appraisal. Just one medium-sized stone is an unprecedented fee in her case.¡±


    ¡°There was something unnecessary in there, but oh well! How about it~? Onee-san normally offers appraisals at onerge magic stone~¡±


    ¡°What I can tell you is that even though she said she could wait for the rest of the money, she usually waits for only half a day. In other words, you¡¯d be better off selling it right now.¡±


    ¡°Hey, which side are you on, puppy? I¡¯m guild staff! The same guild as you~! Benefitting the guild should be your top prio~rity!¡±


    The dog man ignored the catgirl even as she pped the counter, and continued to talk.


    ¡°That cane is probably a top-tier item. Maybe if you use it, you could surpass the 50th floor wall, and get great riches and great fame. Do you still want to sell it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Tsutomu thought to himself. This might not just be a dream, but it could be reality. He felt pain that he had never felt before when he was hit by the breath of that Festering Ancient Dragon. And now, there was a dog man staring at him with a serious expression. There was no way that this was a dream.


    If this wasn¡¯t a dream, but rather reality, then he should make a realistic choice. If this was actually a dream, then he couldugh it off. Tsutomu took in a deep breath, and shut his eyes. A few seconds passed, and then opening his narrowed eyes, he calmed down and spoke rationally.


    ¡°I¡¯ll sell it.¡±


    Though the creation process was tough, the cane was not all there was to him. Besides, the cane would be useless without good armour or tools. Gold took precedence.


    ¡°¡­I see. If that¡¯s the choice you pick, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    The dog man looked at the decisive expression on Tsutomu and stood up, telling the catgirl to appraise the item. The catgirl simply said that she was waiting for it, and held on to the cane, her supple white tail swaying as she made her way behind the counter.


    ¡°The appraisal will take a couple of hours, so you should create your status card first. Even if you don¡¯t n to keep diving, it¡¯s useful for storing your gold.¡±


    ¡°Ah, alright. Thank you.¡±


    The two of them left the private room and headed for a busy counter. Tsutomu felt nces as he passed them by from afar. It seemed as though he was bathed in attention and his previouslyid-back expression stiffened.


    Then, they walked towards an empty counter. The dog man ced his hand on the counter and jumped into the opposite side,ughing at Tsutomu¡¯s surprised expression.


    ¡°Well then. Wee to the guild reception of the Dungeon of the Gods. We wee you. Now then, I¡¯ll create your status card. Is that alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The fee will be 100,000 gold, but I¡¯ll cover that first. I¡¯ll subtract it from the sale price of that cane, okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Now then, please ce some bodily fluid on this card.¡±


    The dog man slid a white cutting-board-like object onto the counter and began to rummage below the counter.


    ¡°Body fluid¡­?¡±


    ¡°Basically, blood or saliva or such.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay.¡±


    The dog man came out from below the counter and handed over a thin needle-like object, but Tsutomu dripped the saliva he had umted over the status card on the counter. As that happened, the status card glowed white. The light was not dazzling, but gentle. When it subsided, the dog man wiped the saliva off and looked.


    ¡°Kyotani Tsutomu¡­ Ooh. LUK and MND are the same, huh. ss is White Mage. Pretty decent for a LV 1.¡±


    Tsutomu tightly held the status card with both hands after the dog man evaluated it and passed it to him.


    _______________________________________________________________


    KYOTANI TSUTOMU


    LV 1


    STR (Strength) D-


    DEX (Dexterity) D-


    VIT (Vitality) D-


    AGI (Agility) D-


    MND (Intelligence) D


    LUK (Luck) D


    ss ¨C White Mage


    Skill ¨C Heal


    _______________________________________________________________


    [White mage, huh. That must mean it¡¯s my main ount.]


    ¡°Was it because the one that epted the god¡¯s invitation was my main ount?¡± Tsutomu thought as he ced the card back down.


    ¡°Next time, please entrust this to the receptionist before entering the dungeon. Divers (people who have no status card) will still receive God¡¯s gift, but not God¡¯s rule.¡±


    ¡°Huh? God¡¯s gift? God¡¯s rule?¡±


    ¡°Even if you die within the dungeon, you will be revived at that ck door. However, you will lose everything except your most valuable item. Everything else is trapped inside the dungeon.¡±


    The dog man pointed at the ce Tsutomu fell on as he exined. Tsutomu shuddered, recalling the breath of the Festering Ancient Dragon, but the dog man kept going.


    ¡°There is only one God¡¯s rule ¨C thou shalt not hold malicious intent and kill others.¡±


    ¡°Shall?¡±


    ¡°Basically, don¡¯t murder anyone in the dungeon. If someone kills another person inside the dungeon, they will never be allowed to reenter. Being forsaken by the gods is a fate worse than death. Don¡¯t even try.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    He brought his face closer and Tsutomu shrunk back like when he faced the Festering Ancient Dragon.


    ¡°However, if you don¡¯t register for a status card, the gods won¡¯t recognize you as human. As a diver, you would be treated the same way as any other monster in the dungeon. Even if a diver is killed in the dungeon, God¡¯s rule won¡¯t apply to them.¡±


    ¡°In other words¡­¡±


    ¡°When a diver is murdered, they dissipate into particles like any other monster and there is almost no evidence that they died. There are some idiots who like killing divers too. Starting from next time, please make sure to bring this status card to the receptionist. If you do that, people won¡¯t murder you. Worst case, you¡¯ll be murdered but someone will revive you in there.¡±


    ¡°¡­Understood.¡±


    The dog man seemed satisfied with Tsutomu¡¯s reply and he held on to his status card.


    ¡°That¡¯s all for ountability. Are there any more questions?¡±


    The dog man said as he brushed away a long lock of ck hair. Tsutomu raised his hand after thinking for a while.


    ¡°¡­Is it alright if I ask a few questions?¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°About God¡¯s rule. Is it vited even if the person in question isn¡¯t killed? Such as causing pain or luring monsters towards others?¡±


    ¡°Ooh. You¡¯re so young but your mind is so twisted.¡±


    ¡°Why, thanks,¡± Tsutomu replied as the dog man folded his arms.


    ¡°Unfortunately, as long as there is no death, God¡¯s rule doesn¡¯t apply. In addition, idental attacks with no ill intention do not break the rule. Even if you died like that, God¡¯s rule wouldn¡¯t apply and you¡¯d still respawn at the ck door. However, regarding luring monsters¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, does that trigger the rule?¡±


    The dog man seemed like he had a hard time saying it. He shook his head.


    ¡°Luring monsters doesn¡¯t vite the rule. However, there are some idiots that still do it due to rare drops and don¡¯t think of the consequences.¡±


    ¡°¡­because of that, huh?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    Tsutomu pointed at the floating monitors, and the dog man silently nodded.


    ¡°God uses those items to disy the progress of parties within the dungeon. Basically, they show the parties that are the furthest in the dungeon, or parties inbat. There are about 50 of them being shown at a time here. If they did something like I mentioned¡­¡±


    ¡°They would lose credibility. Nobody would enter those parties on purpose. There would also be punishments.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why people in ns normally don¡¯t fight others. If they did, the n¡¯s reputation would suffer and they¡¯d be expelled. Every n strictly imparts that rule to their members.¡±


    ¡°I see. Is it alright if I ask two more questions?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Tsutomu looked around before speaking in a soft voice.


    ¡°I want to hire escorts or simr, but does that sort of thing exist within the guild? If so, I would like to hire you.¡±


    ¡°Hoho. It¡¯s surprising that someone without a status card knows about that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to infer after seeing that.¡±


    Tsutomu noticed that the guards that dressed in indigo and the individuals that respawned often went around in tandem.


    Those that exited the ck door, with only one weapon or a piece of armour, and the staff guiding them to the outside of the guild. Tsutomu wondered why they would go so far as to guide them to the guild entrance, not to mention guiding them to the reception.


    However, hearing about diver hunting from the dog man, he could guess that public safety here wasn¡¯t good. He could immediately imagine the malicious stares one would geting in here so poorly equipped.


    ¡°Also, if it¡¯s possible, can I have a tutorial of the dungeon, if you get what I mean? I¡¯d be thankful if I learned what to do and what not to do in the dungeon, as well as how to effectively conquer it. It¡¯s because, uh, I¡¯m an orphan so I don¡¯t know much about that.¡±


    ¡°Uh, such systems don¡¯t exist, but since guild staff can personally ept requests, and I understand what you need, I¡¯ll ept.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Onest question.¡±


    ¡°Umu, I¡¯m looking forward to it. I can answer almost anything you ask.¡±


    The dog man pounded his trained chest as Tsutomu asked hisst question.


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m Garm. Best regards, Kyotani Tsutomu-dono.¡±


    ¡°Ah, just Tsutomu is alright.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s narrow eyes narrowed even further and he let loose a smile as he saw Garm radiate a slightly poisonous atmosphere.

 Chapter 3, Lucky Boy

    <h4>Chapter 3, Lucky Boy</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    One month has passed since Tsutomu had requested Garm to teach him defence and knowledge skills. Ever since that day, Tsutomu had begun to see the game¡¯s world in a new light, all the while epting the teachings of Garm.


    It was here that Tsutomu was first introduced to the terrain information system, which could tell whether an area was secure or not, and where the high-quality shops were. The location of the stores were the same, but the in-game interface assumed a third-party standpoint, whereas Tsutomu was now fixed in first-person.


    Garm also taught Tsutomu many other things ranging from generalmon sense to equipment. As a result, one of the high-quality gemstones was stolen in January, as well as the living expenses and the bounty, but Tsutomu did not really worry since with his newly acquired knowledge he had found an easy method of earning money.


    The ck staff that Tsutomu had appraised was recognized as being worth at least 20rge gemstones of the highest quality by the cat people, and after being given the appraisal form, it was proposed by the cat people to have it transported for auction at the guild.


    The final value reached 32 of the highest quality gemstones. One gemstone was collected by the guild as a fee for the auction, but Tsutomu still had more than 30 of the highest quality gemstones at hand. In terms of Gs, that would be around 30 million Gs. If he were to live modestly in this world, such an amount would allow him to survive for around twenty to thirty years.


    However, Tsutomu had not yet given up on returning to the real world. He had no problem with leaving behind his friends as most of their connections were sort of beneficial mutualistic ones, but he really wanted to apologize to his parents. If there was truly no hope of return then that living here would¡¯ve been fine, however, right now he still had an idea.


    Dungeon conquest. He believed that if he could pull it off, he will be able to return. Tsutomu came into this world by receiving an item called the ¡°Invitation from God¡±. This means that there must be some sort of God that manages the entire dungeon. It was then easy to put together.


    It was with the hope of escaping this world that Tsutomu began to think of ways in which he could use the 3 million G.


    The current highest floor people have reached is 59. It seems that this number has not risen for half a year. It was suggested by Garm that the best method was to go to the higher level ns if one was aiming to reach the 100th floor.


    However, Tsutomu also knew of the existence of the so-called ¡°Back Dungeon¡±. Worried that the conquest of the Back Dungeon would also be necessary to return home, he decided it would be better if he made a n himself.


    It would cost 1 million G to establish a n. Although the money wasn¡¯t a problem, he also required 3 party members, including himself, before he could create a n.


    ¡°Good day, lucky boy! Are you being taken by Garm on a walk again?¡±


    ¡°Wow, that equipment is gorgeous! Wanna give me some money?¡±


    ¡°How about you join my party? Oh yeah, but we have to split the loot!¡±


    In the newly constructed guild dining hall, such was the jeering that came to Tsutomu. When Garm, who was sitting beside Tsutomu, gave the adventurers a re, they would quickly click their tongues then turn away.


    As the adventurer said, Tsutomu¡¯s equipment was rather different from a month ago¡¯s. He wore white trousers while wrapped in a pale white robe. A custom-made belt wrapped around the waist carried an elongated container with a green healing potion.


    He carried arge backpack and an expensive magical bag with a defensive functionality. Various equipment and items were also stored in them.


    Tsutomu carried out his efforts to refurbish the equipment using some of his remaining 20 gems, ignoring the advice of Garm.


    The ¡°first-floor treasure chest hunter prodigy¡±. It was spread like wildfire through the guild in the blink of an eye, coupled with the fact that he was identified by the cat person as the one at the auction. Now, if he were to go outside the guild, he would be singled out and jeered at for being exceptionally lucky. The news was able to spread so quickly because of various monitors that God had ced in various ces in the city.


    There were dozens of monitors, broadcasting various people who were in the dungeons. In this town, which was almost medieval with the exception of magic stones, the broadcasts transmitted by God were usually the most enjoyable one to watch and thus garnered plenty of attention.


    There was a ck mage who had a leading position in a n, she¡¯s named Alma. She was rather popr in the city for her looks. She was currently talking casually with some friends about how she, wielding the ck staff she won at the auction, and easily defeated the 60th floor¡¯s dragon boss.


    ¡°I¡¯m really thankful to Lucky Boy! It¡¯s probably thanks to him that I was able to break through the 60th floor¡¯s barrier.¡±


    The statement was broadcast by the highest-ranked guild in the dungeon. Tsutomu¡¯s face was spread throughout the city,bined with newspaper outlets that spun the story in interesting and funny manners, and the useless efforts of the adventurers trying to make lots of G following Tsutomu¡¯s story.


    [This must be how people who win 1st prize at the lottery feel¡­]


    In the guild, he was called ¡°Lucky boy¡±. It was usually the same situation in the city as well. That¡¯s how much they despised Tsutomu, and he was beginning to get tired of it.


    It was indeed rather unfortunate. The guild had been watching Tsutomu for a while, and they felt bad at how even with the efforts he gave, he was given such a title. One of the only ones who stayed by Tsutomu¡¯s side was Garm who had be his party member. Also, Amy, the catkin who kept on spreading rumours about him at the auction was also pulled in to be his party member and was loaned out by the guild for free.


    ¡°Sorry, Tsutomu.¡±


    Tsutomu kept on expressing that he was alright to Garm, who would squeeze his ck doggy ears in frustration every time someone would call Tsutomu Lucky Boy in the guild.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t had exceptional luck, I would still be stuck on the 1st floor looking for party members. The fact that I was able to join a party with you and Amy is a true blessing.¡±


    ¡°From the bottom of the hearts, thank God he didn¡¯t have to stress the names too much! Would¡¯ve been embarrassing!¡±


    Garm then became serious once again. Tsutomu joined Garm in the line at the receptionist¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Even after all that, Amy still isn¡¯t here, huh? We¡¯ve already been waiting for quite a while.¡±


    While staring at the time, Garm clicked his tongue in annoyance. Tsutomu looked around the guild with a bitter smile.


    ¡°Should¡¯ve been here by now. It¡¯s been a week.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell thought it would be a good idea to make a big deal out of this? And it¡¯s disgusting how much they defiled your name just because God gave you a little bit of luck. If you think about it they¡¯re basically angry at God. They¡¯ve already stripped you of your guild positions and made your opinion worthless, and now they¡¯re trying to turn you into some sort of criminal!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Amy, jumping from behind, ced her hand on Garm¡¯s back, and after doing a somersaultnded in front of Garm and Tsutomu.


    ¡°How can act this foolish even if you¡¯re sote!?¡±


    ¡°Unlike a frencer, I actually had some appraisals to do. I was busy with work! Oh, hello Tsutomu! I¡¯m sorry for beingte.¡±


    With his tongue sticking out so much, it was hard for Tsutomu to see any signs of remorse. Appalled, Tsutomu gave the usual response.


    ¡°Apologize by being early next time.¡±


    ¡°OK! Oh, looky. It¡¯s clearer over there. Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    As Amy bolted towards the receptionist, who appeared a young man with an interesting hairdo, Garm muttered hisints under his breath as he and Tsutomu followed closely behind.


    ¡°Hey uncle! Faster, please!¡±


    ¡°Shut up idiot! Give me your saliva!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for troubling you.¡±


    ¡°Oh Garm, it must have been hard for you carrying Amy around everywhere today. Tsutomu as well.¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s smile looked like something that even a dungeon monster would run from. Tsutomu reached out his hand and ced his saliva on the white paper being offered to him. Garm and Amy soon followed suit after him.


    The receptionist took the small slips of paper and inserted them into therge machine equipped with a magic stone behind him. Upon doing so, 3 status cards were brought out and ced on the counter.


    ¡°Wow, spitting, huh? How rude!¡±


    ¡°Is it still bad for Lucky Boy to get hurt?¡±


    The jeering wasing from Tsutomu¡¯s side. On the other line beside them, another party was dying fromughter. Other nearby parties were mocking Tsutomu¡¯s movements.


    The people at the reception desk require that all adventurers submit body fluid in the same manner as when registering for a status card. The main reasons behind this are twofold. Manually managing arge number of status cards takes a considerable amount of time, so a magical rune is used instead, which requires as input some form of bodily fluid. The other is so that it is easier to organize parties.


    And although both blood and saliva are considered as bodily fluids, there is an understanding among adventurers that those who submit saliva are cowards afraid of the needle. Tsutomu knew about this ahead of time thanks to Garm.


    However, cutting himself every time he had to go into the dungeon was painful and felt like a waste. He would only use blood if he wanted to show off to attractive receptionists.


    Tsutomu couldn¡¯t imagine what it would be like to y as a healer in a party with those types of people. Not that he had noints about his current situation, but he still felt really lucky to be in a party with Amy and Garm.


    While Amy was trying to appease the other parties, Tsutomu looked at his status card, which was shifting colors rapidly. It was being raised towards level 9, however, there was no change in his status. Seeing such a high level, Tsutomu¡¯s posture shifted to that of a more self-confident one.


    Garm and Amy¡¯s status cards were blue. The color of one¡¯s status card indicates the person¡¯s highest rank. Tsutomu was yellow-green, which represented the grasnds of the first few levels. Garm and Amy¡¯s represented the beaches of level 41.


    ¡°Those insects are really mad, huh?¡±


    ¡°How many times have I said it before, you don¡¯t have to match me exactly.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be the exact same opinion as those insects?¡±


    Garm ced his status card on the receptionist¡¯s desk.


    ¡°If so, don¡¯tin and shut up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, this little doggy is so obedient! He waits withoutining! He¡¯s so well-behaved that you feel like vomiting!¡±


    ¡°Do I need to punch you for you to get the idea?¡±


    The receptionist let out a heavy sigh, as the 3 submitted their saliva.


    ¡°Look, the party registration has beenpleted. Are the bounties also split into 3 equal parts?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re done updating your status cards, you are wee to leave.¡±


    ¡°Huh? There are not many people lining up anyway. Baldy!¡±


    Amy ran towards the dungeon entrance, with Garm and Tsutomu following right behind her.


    At the dungeon entrance, there were about 5 magical circles set side by side, with around 5 people lining up at each.


    As the parties stepped onto the magical circles, they disappeared apanied with a sh of light. Tsutomu was already familiar with this scene, although at first he used to get scolded by Amy for being afraid of it.


    As soon as their turn came, Tsutomu entered the magical circle immediately, with Amy sping his hand tightly and showing a wide grin.


    ¡°Huh? Does it still work if we¡¯re holding hands?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. If the evil Amy getsunched somewhere else, it¡¯s no problem. But Garm on the other hand¡­¡±


    Tsutomu reached for Garm¡¯s hand while Amy yed with her white cat ears.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! We can have a crash course at the grasnds today. It will be fun!¡±


    ¡°Destination: 1st Floor¡±


    In an instant, the 3 adventurers were reduced to particles of light and disappeared from the guildpletely.

 Chapter 4, Healer

    <h4>Chapter 4, Healer</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    ¡°Huff.¡±


    While experiencing the now familiar feeling of falling down, the threended onto the ground, their hands linked together. This was the first of several times that they would have to experience this. Tsutomu immediately facented on the ground.


    Around them were the guildhall and lime-colored grass that spread out as far as their eye could see. Somehow, this seemed like a nice ce tond in, although Tsutomu could sight the asional monster here and there.


    ¡°Alright then, Amy-san. Search for enemies, please.¡±


    ¡°Okay~¡±


    Amy rushed out of the meadow like the wind, and soon, Tsutomu could no longer see her. Meanwhile, Tsutomu took out a white cane from his bag. Seeing the color of his equipment, one could tell that Tsutomu was a white mage. He then started doing solitary image training.


    (TipToe: image training ¨C ying the actions in your mind to get better at actually doing them.)


    After that, as Garm prepared to move out, Amy came back with ragged breaths.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t any adventurers~ There aren¡¯t any big monsters either~ Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Roger. Well then, let¡¯s start with those goblins over there.¡±


    ¡°Umu, understood!¡±


    Amy, who had just raised her hand and reported, and Garm, who had just finished preparations for moving, were still unarmed and in guild uniform. They might have been there to ensure that death would be a one in ten thousand chance, but mostly they were just there to deter other parties.


    All guild staff members, aside from clerks, are eligible for an exam after they clear the 40th level of the dungeon. After that, if they score high on both a difficult written exam and a practical skill-testing exam, they will be interviewed by the guild chief, and if seen as non-threats, they can be recognized as official members of the guild staff.


    Parties who would go after others guarded by two people in guild uniforms were almost nonexistent. There were the asional people who thought that they were easy pickings due to being unarmed, but they immediately fled after Tsutomu brought out their weapons from his magic bag.


    ¡°Well then, those three things are our objective. I¡¯ll cast Protect.¡±


    As Tsutomu raised his white cane, the white gems in the front-lit up, and everyone was then covered in an ochre color. This was a support skill that hardens the skin of the people the spell was cast on, scaling with the caster¡¯s MND. ¡°Thank you~,¡± Amy said as she took off into a run, with Tsutomu and Garm following shortly after.


    As one of the goblins noticed Amy, she kicked it in the jaw agilely. Garm threw his fist at another goblin that was headed towards him. Tsutomu kept his cane on the ground, as he looked towards thest goblin.


    ¡°Heal.¡±


    Amy wasn¡¯t injured in any way, but Tsutomu healed her for good measure and for practice. As he waved his cane, a green fist-sized projectile came out, and it managed to hit her in the back as she was still moving.


    For the time being, he continued to hit the still-moving Amy, much like a game of target practice. As soon as Amy got bored, Garm stomped on the goblin¡¯s neck with his feet.


    When the goblins died, they became green particles and disappeared without a trace of blood, leaving behind only a few small transparent magic gemstones. Amy brought back a few small pieces of the scrap.


    ¡°Tsutomu, your aim is getting better, huh? When you started out, you healed the goblins!¡±


    ¡°There have been fewer mistakes recently, too. Please take that into ount.¡±


    ¡°The face that Garm was making at that time was really funny too, it was like a dog itching to bite something!¡±


    As Amyughed hysterically and threw Tsutomu the stones, heughed nervously and ced them into the bag. Garm stepped to the side upon remembering that facial expression.


    Garm guided Tsutomu through the dungeon the first time he went in. When he hit the goblin instead of Amy with a heal, the goblin, which was previously weakened, became well. In the game you couldn¡¯t heal enemies, so this came as a surprise.


    After that battle, Garm told him that he should only heal them whenever they regrouped, so Tsutomu continued to think that this was totally different from the game.


    And so, from the next day onwards, Tsutomu did exactly that. He would just look on from behind Amy and the goblins. He would heal them after the battle was over, and Garm would praise him.


    After mundanely repeating this for half a day, Tsutomu returned to the guild and confirmed that his skill level had risen by 5. He also noticed on the bottom of his status card that he had acquired some new skills. A support skill, Protect, and an offensive skill, Air de.


    The next day, Tsutomu was now required to cast Protect before the battle. Garm and Amy dealt with the goblins. Heal was cast after the battle. When Tsutomu asked if it¡¯d be okay if he used Air de, Garm scolded him much like a parent would a child.


    ¡°Tsutomu, your job is to protect beforebat and heal afterbat. Nothing more.¡±


    ¡°Uh, isn¡¯t that a bit wasteful? Once I die, I can just respawn ande back, right? But yeah, it¡¯s not like I want to get hurt, though.¡±


    ¡°White Mages are expected to use support skills before the battle and heal the party afterwards. There¡¯s no problem if you stick to doing that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Tsutomu basically had no real experience in dungeons. So, he then grew rather weary from being coddled by Garm. Garm called out to him in a foreboding manner, and so Tsutomu put on a fake smile and held back his urge to dive into the dungeon.


    After that, he trained for five days, practicing aiming his skills, and focusing and spreading the area of effect. It wasn¡¯t perfect, butbined with the effects of the white cane, he had begun to see some results.


    Afterwards, he watched the top ns in the dungeon explore for about half a day. He then realized that Garm was not in the wrong, and issued an honest apology.


    ¡°Basically, if you get hurt, you can just drink potions after the battle.¡±


    ¡°The cheapest potion is 10¡¯000 G, you know? If you watch carefully, there¡¯re a lot of parties thate back with low HP. Even if your level goes up you won¡¯t be able to consume them. This is why people in the grasnds are stuck there for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Uwah~ Tsutomu, you sure are tough on those insects.¡±


    Parties who haven¡¯t gone past the tenthyer are considered to be insects by the rest of themunity, though the nickname was kind of harsh, Tsutomu remained silent.


    As they were chatting, five more goblins approached them. Tsutomu applied buffs, and then Amy and Garm went after them bare-handed.


    Though Tsutomu wanted to stop getting carried and pull his own weight, he followed Garm¡¯s instructions until he hit level 10.


    Besides, from the start, it was decided that Tsutomu would carry on like this until level 10 ¨C though he did continue to selfishly practice aiming his heals.


    The current mainstream party configuration was four attackers and one healer. This was what most top guilds followed.


    There were tactics in the game that allowed the attackers to kill enemies quickly under the cover of a tank, but it was much harder to pull off here. Thus, Tsutomu was excited to hear about this. However, when he got to actually watching this happen on one of the monitors in the guild, he felt disappointed.


    The basic chain of action was to apply buffs first, then strike. Basically, the injured people would just drink potions to heal, while the healer hid. The only trouble the healer would have would be reviving dead party members at the end of the fight.


    Surprisingly, healers were for the most part disposable. Magical skills depended on one¡¯s MND to be effective, and that¡¯s what healers used to revive and heal.


    When the healer applied buffs, monsters recognized them as a threat and dropped their focus on other members of the party to target the healer with hostility.


    As Tsutomu watched this on the monitor, while sitting on a bench, he quietly asked Garm to exin the situation.


    Garm said that the leading n wanted to go as far as possible, so they would leave recovery to potions, and leave healers to revive in case of unexpected attacks.


    And as long as they were the highest, they¡¯d be disyed on the monitor, so their poprity within the city and the guild would increase.


    When poprity increases, profit would follow. The equipment that the party members are using would skyrocket in value, and it would be advertised in weapon and armor shops.


    The problem was that the rest of the ns tended to blindly follow the top n¡¯s strategies.


    And when the top n wasn¡¯t doing so well, it followed that other ns weren¡¯t too. Their equipment would be mostly destroyed, and they¡¯d have little to no HP left after a dungeon run.


    Healers and pack mules were treated less fairly than everyone else, as they weren¡¯t profitable or popr. Tsutomu saw many in the guild treated as such. It wasn¡¯t a situation he wasfortable with.


    [Healers are neglected even though they¡¯re crucial to a party. I definitely won¡¯t forgive this unfair treatment.]


    Even if game tactics weren¡¯t necessarily going to carry over to real life, and healers were considerably more squishy, it was still unjust to treat them in such a way.


    Above all, Amy and Garm undermined Tsutomu¡¯s opinion of the healer being good. Amy, in particr, had some words to say about the ss.


    ¨CTo begin with, it was time to change that stereotype. Tsutomu was now level 10, and at that level, it was okay for him to be the leader of the party.


    After that, he tried to defeat dozens of goblins and requested they go back to the guild, even after just leveling up.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head back immediately! There¡¯s stuff I want to do when we get back, but do we have time?¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu, you¡¯re in surprisingly good spirits today. Are you thinking of something lewd?¡±


    Garm red at Amy, who was teasing Tsutomu and ying with her hand.


    ¡°Tsutomu wouldn¡¯t lust over you, pervert.¡±


    ¡°If you want to die, you should be more straightforward. Do you want me to kill you as soon as we exit?¡±


    ¡°I doubt you can.¡±


    ¡°Why are you guys like this?¡±


    Amy threw a spare magic stone towards Garm. After trying to break up the fight between her and Garm, he gathered up the mess of stones.

 Chapter 5, Party Line-Up

    <h4>Chapter 5, Party Line-Up</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    The trio of Garm, Tsutomu, and Amy returned to the guild to have their status cards renewed. Now that he had reached level 10, the level of Tsutomu¡¯s heal had risen as well, and it now became ¡°High Heal¡±. Should he raise its level, it would then be able to revive a party member within 3 minutes of their death.


    After he was able to receive confirmation, Tsutomu went straight to the receptionist and requested to withdraw some money.


    ¡°Well, then¡­ here¡¯s one high-quality gem¡­ Oh, please include some cash since this will also include an appraisal certificate.¡±


    ¡°Gotcha.¡±


    Tsutomu submitted his status card on the counter as he talked to the receptionist.


    At the guild, they also have these financial institutions that allow you to store money in a huge custom-made magic bag. Tsutomu really liked the feel it had, so naturally, he used it a lot.


    The service was essential to adventurers, who ran the risk of dying and losing their items. If there were any trouble near the guild, their staff would take care of it.


    You could leave your equipment at the guild so that if you die, you don¡¯t lose as much. Some explorers even choose to deposit most of their equipment, runes, and G at the guild and go out with only one piece of clothing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go out and see how much we can eat. I bet I¡¯ll beat you!¡±


    After seeing Tsutomu receive 100¡¯000 G from the receptionist, Amy was bobbing up and down like a cat who just caught a fish.


    ¡°Yipee! Hooray!¡±


    ¡°¡­ Tsutomu, are you sure?¡±


    In contrast to Amy, who was singing carelessly, Garm looked at Tsutomu seriously and raised his eyebrows. Tsutomu tried to hide his voice so Amy couldn¡¯t hear it.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to discuss the dungeon search we¡¯re doing tomorrow, but for you guys, it might be a little bit stressful, so it¡¯s probably best we sit down and eat while discussing it.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, I guess I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±


    ¡°How about we eat at ¡°The Barell¡¯s Hat¡±?


    ¡°I think Amy¡¯s banned from there. How about ¡°The Fish Diner¡±? It has a reputation among catkin because they cook live fish there.¡±


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Tsutomu gave Garm a thumbs up as they returned to Amy, who seemed upbeat.


    They left the guild in the evening, when the road was really dim, and the lights from the fire runes began to sh. Garm traveled on the cobblestone road without hesitation.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    Amy shook her body in excitement as she saw the big fish mascot on the front of the restaurant.


    ¡°We¡¯re here! It¡¯s usually costly and crowded.¡±


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be many people at this time.¡±


    Following Amy, who was acting like a child, Garm entered the restaurant. Tsutomu followed suit while gazing at the colorful fish they had on disy.


    They were received by a blue fox and a fish-man who was seemingly able to grow limbs.


    When everyone was seated, a tall fisherman came to their table and handed out ss cups while singing. Then, water was created using magic and poured into empty sses. In an attempt to show off, the fisherman danced while distributing the menu.


    Amy ordered how much she saw fit and ryed her order to Garm and Tsutomu. The food was delivered to them almost immediately.


    ck bread shaped like a baguette with a seaweed sd. A small dish of fried fish cooked entirely in a variety of colorful sashimi. And a fish that was so big Tsutomu couldn¡¯t hold it with both arms even if he tried.


    When all the food was almost at the desk, Amy began urging Tsutomu to eat, saying she¡¯ll be the first to win. Tsutomu did not continue the conversation and started daydreaming about having soy sauce on top of the sashimi.


    ¡°Tomorrow will be our party organization, and I think I¡¯ll use Garm as a tank.¡±


    ¡°Tank?¡±


    Amy leaned her head forward while taking arge bite.


    ¡°Well, the tank ys the role of the party shield.¡±


    ¡°Can you protect Tsutomu? It would be a good match for a dog!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Amy spoke while showing a broad smile. Garm, who had been briefed beforehand by Tsutomu, replied quickly.


    ¡°Since Garm¡¯s a knight¡­ can you use any skills that steal the enemy¡¯s energy?¡±


    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t used any in a long time, so I might have forgotten. There¡¯s this one called ¡°Combat Cry¡± that fully counters enemies. I remember there are many others like it as well.¡±


    ¡°You should probably use your skills toplement your normal attacks to draw the enemy¡¯s attention. However, your stats don¡¯t cater to that style. Amy will defeat the monsters one by one with me, and I will slowly heal any injuries you sustain during battle.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Amy, who was busy eating fish, stopped chewing because her name was called.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Amy will have to move around much, and I believe she should only focus on one animal at a time anyway.¡±


    ¡°First of all, we should just beat up the monsters!¡±


    ¡°Yes. Even if Garm can¡¯t defeat those monsters, we¡¯ll get Amy to do it since that will work.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. If it¡¯s me, it will be too easy!¡±


    Sashimi after sashimi, Amy stuffed everything into a fork and pushed it into her mouth. Tsutomu ordered a ss of water and slowly drank it.


    ¡°Garm, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to catch enemy attacks that effectively right now. Remember, it is the most burdensome role, and I think it¡¯s challenging, so thank you.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind if you think it¡¯s for the best.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I might also make mistakes at the start and apply healing skills to the enemy, so we should practice our roles in the grasnds first. I want to reach the swamp eventually.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Garm, who had put a portion of therge fish in the baguette, threw it into his mouth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue the conversation while in the dungeon. Bon app¨¦tit!¡±


    And with that, Tsutomu and Garm joined the feast with Amy.


    _______________________________________________________________


    ¡°Combat Cry!¡±


    Almost the same time as his scream, a red wave came oozing from Garm¡¯s body. The five goblins who were hit by the spell began to struggle. They cried out some insults and began to charge towards Garm. Unlike the previous day, Garm was wearing proper equipment, handling his staff on the right and a silver shield on his left. Tsutomu pped the charing goblins with his hand.


    In the meantime, Amy was ying around with her armor set, when she pierced the neck of a goblin with her sword.


    In front of Tsutomu, the five goblins suddenly turned into gems. Tsutomu ran towards the gems and picked them up hastily, being wary of the surroundings.


    Since he saw no enemies approaching, he continued on and ced the gems inside his magic bag. At present, his party was able to advance to the 9th floor, where they felt the breath of nature amidst the vast grasnds. As he looked up, he saw arge ck gate splitting the space in front of him.


    ¡°Tsutomu? It¡¯s the gate to the 10thyer.¡±


    ¡°Yup. Let¡¯s check it out.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    Garm rushed forwards towards the ck gate. The grass had spread around the ck gate, but the center was devoid of any life, and wooden huts were irregrly erected on the leveled soil. As soon as thest person, Tsutomu, entered, the ck gate closed.


    With that, a crowd of goblins rushed out from the huts carrying clubs and swords. There were also about 50 with bows and arrows. When a few blueish goblins emerged and shouted their battle cry, they all began charging towards Tsutomu.


    ¡°Protect!¡±


    As Tsutomu mmed his white cane towards the ground, cherry-like colors then surrounded the trio. Several goblins were focusing on Tsutomu, and a few others were shooting arrows towards him.


    ¡°Combat Cry!¡±


    The same red wave from a while ago spread around Garm. Most of the goblins began to struggle around him. In a desperate attempt, they continued to fire their arrows.


    Tsutomu turned his staff towards the goblins. An invisible de cut the front of the goblin¡¯s feet as they fall to the floor.


    Then, two pairs of assaults came on the side of the archers. Amy, who was silent until now, threw the charging goblins backward. Amy was cutting through the goblins as if she was cutting grass.


    The goblins who were not affected by their spells jumped towards Garm, who eventually bashed all their skulls in with his silver shield. They were then stabbed and turned into gems.


    However, they were still losing the numbers game. Ten goblins alone were not enough to take down Garm. His silver armor can sustain multiple hits as the goblin chased in pursuit.


    A goblin who wasughing maniacally while raising his club had his head blown off by Garm¡¯s shield, and was shaking violently until dissolving into green particles. Some goblins were taken aback by the sight.


    Garm¡¯s stats were B+. This meant that even the fire dragon¡¯s breath, which was the boss of the valley biome, could not blow him away immediately. In addition, Tsutomu¡¯s ¡°Protect¡± spell stacks on top of this so that the goblin¡¯s blows feel like a massage to him. At one point, he was taking on more than 30 goblins at once.


    Meanwhile, Amy rushed towards their leader, the blue goblin, as soon as she finished off the archers.


    It was a little smarter and stronger than the other goblins, but it quickly died and transformed into a gem after Amy hit it over the head. Amy soon hurried to Garm¡¯s aid.


    As Garm pierced through thest goblin, it transformed into the same gems as the rest. With a squeaky sounding from afar, two ck gates appeared in front of the trio.


    ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s.¡±


    On that day, Tsutomu was able to beat his previous floor record and reached the 21st floor.

 Chapter 6, The Past and Reality

    <h4>Chapter 6, The Past and Reality</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    After four days, Tsutomu¡¯s party had advanced from floor 21 to floor 41.


    ¡°Whoa! The scent of the ocean!¡±


    While Tsutomu was captivated by the scent that he hadn¡¯t smelled in a long time, Amy and Garm were taking in the emerald color of the sea.


    Garm and Amy went on to say that they¡¯d already reached floor 40 at their level, but they didn¡¯t think they could do it that fast with Tsutomu.


    As opposed to the grasnds, the swamps they went through also carried the hazards of abnormal terrain. This meant that Amy and Garm would be more vulnerable to monsters. It was at this point that they thought Tsutomu would start dying and they wouldn¡¯t be able to progress.


    In fact, there were many parties for which the swamp was the extent of their progress. Poor poison control, bottomless pits, poor visibility, and other reasons lead to this. Many an adventurer had fallen to these swamps.


    As such, when Garm had had a bit of a tough time in the swamps, he steadily gathered knowledge on the area and pushed forward up to level 40.


    However, Tsutomu used his prior game knowledge and excess gold to get through the area quickly and easily. He was taken by surprise by the swamp once, and only once.


    Besides, the party lineup they had of tank, attacker, and healer was well-suited for the area. Garm, with his high VIT, would tank hits from as many monsters as possible, Amy would pick them off, and Tsutomu would do his best to support and heal Garm.


    The heals that Tsutomu cast would consistently hit Garm, and never the monsters. Even when poisoned, due to Tsutomu¡¯s healing, status effects could be easily shrugged off. And if Garm used Combat Cry, as Tsutomu suggested, he would draw all the monsters to himself and leave none targeting Tsutomu.


    Rarely, some monsters would ignore Garm and focus on Tsutomu, but this was nothing that Amy and Garm couldn¡¯t handle, if Tsutomu stalled for time using his offensive skills. Ranged attacks from monsters were avoided with ease, and healing was rarely needed for those.


    The tools in the magic bag, along with potions, were adequate, and as such, Amy was able to focus purely on attacking because Garm could defend and draw attention effectively. The party broke through the swamp in two days.


    Even in the wilderness, where undead monsters started appearing, Tsutomu was well-equipped for the situation. They continued to advance steadily.


    Tsutomu was currently at level 20. Garm and Amy, who were at level 40, thought subconsciously that theter floors would challenge Tsutomu, and that he wouldn¡¯t be able to do them. And yet, the impossible was done before their very eyes.


    The highest Amy and Garm had gone was level 49. They both got stuck around the beach floors. Later on, Amy became an appraiser, and Garm became a guild official.


    ¡°Touching this would be fine, right?¡± Tsutomu gestured while pointing to the sea. Garm and Amy felt more at ease.


    ¡°Eh¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Garm-san? Amy-san? Alright, sorry, let¡¯s stop here for today.¡±


    As the three came to an agreement and calmed down, they exited through a ck gate behind them and came back out of a simr gate in the guild.


    ¡°Ah, great work.¡±


    Arriving at the guild gate, Tsutomu was greeted by a gatekeeper dragonewt, who quietly admired him. Most people who came back were respawners in x-colored clothes, so for Tsutomu toe back like this, especially with two guild members, was a big deal.


    ¡°Sorry for bothering the two of you, but I¡¯ll take a rest tomorrow and the day after that. Thanks for doing this for me.¡±


    Tsutomu grabbed a high-quality medium sized magic stone and broke off from the rest. The remaining two people felt a bit disappointed, watching the magic stone go.


    Garm and Amy locked gazes.


    ¡°Hey, this is crazy! A party with three people? Finishing the 40th floor in four days? With me only dying once? It¡¯s seriously unreal! What? When did you get this strong? Hey! Answer me!¡±


    ¡°Calm down¡­¡±


    As Amy came closer to Garm with the tension of lightning, her long white hair brushed against his shoulder. Garm shrunk back, and his ears closed up involuntarily.


    ¡°When did you get deeper into the dungeon? You¡¯ve been gatekeeping for so long!¡±


    ¡°My highest level is the same as yours, and my peak will probably be floor 60¡­ same as you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then maybe I¡¯m the one who got stronger¡­ eh, whatever. It¡¯s pretty unclear.¡±


    Amy got off Garm, leaving him to exhale and fix his dishevelled ck hair.


    ¡°By process of elimination, it¡¯s Tsutomu who did this.¡±


    ¡°Well, the flying heals are great, but potions are more effective, right? Aren¡¯t those potions the most expensive in the forest shop? I haven¡¯t used them, though.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Garm told Amy to shut up. Amy red daggers at him and told him to shut his own mouth.


    ¡°Puppy is amazing.¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, this is stupid! It¡¯s because you¡¯re tanky. Even though so many monsters target you, you don¡¯t die. Even though Tsutomu and the potions help, you¡¯re still doing great!¡±


    ¡°Well, how about you? Have you been poisoned?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, idiot!¡±


    Amy turned around while narrowing her golden eyes. Garm, disheartened by Amy saying this, put his hand on his chin.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s hard to understand. Even though I did have potions, I didn¡¯t use a single one. Tsutomu was the one who healed me.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t Tsutomu¡¯s MND still D+?¡±


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a potion for that. The flying heal is pretty effective.¡±


    ¡°¡­hmm. I use potions though, are you really going to rely fully on Tsutomu?¡±


    As Amy spoke, Garm¡¯s expression darkened, as if he was angry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get so angry. Don¡¯t you think Tsutomu is biting off more than he can chew? Being at the beach at such a low level is unheard of.¡±


    ¡°I guess you should experience it straight up instead of me telling you. Next time we explore the dungeon, you¡¯ll tank.¡±


    Garm pointed at Amy. Amy made a face as though she was in trouble.


    ¡°Tank? I¡¯m not good at that, it¡¯s troublesome.¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu says that the tank is important, though, and all I have going for me is a high VIT. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll allow it, but do it anyway. That way you¡¯ll know what it¡¯s like.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky. I¡¯ll be like you before you know it~!¡±


    Having said that, Amy turned her back to Garm. ¡°Wow, this is great quality!¡± she said, cradling a magic stone in her hands. Garm drooped his shoulders while watching Amy, who was seemingly engrossed in the stone.


    _______________________________________________________________


    A huge monitor stood amid the city square, livestreaming expeditions into the dungeon. Various people, from nobles to beggars, stood there. Stalls were set up. It was like a market.


    There are smaller monitors, too, but the huge monitor was the one that gathered the most attention. The people called it the First Unit. It is unique in the sense that it broadcasts the expedition of the team who has progressed the furthest.


    Tworge monitors also broadcasted the 2nd and 3rd best parties, and mid-sized monitors broadcasted until the 10th best party, on a hierarchical system. There were still people watching these ones, of course, but they never got the attention that the huge monitor got.


    In these circumstances, a man sitting on a bench eats a firm pork skewer. His hair is ck, and he is enthralled by the monitors. His thin eyes are slightly opened, and the tall bridge of his nose is covered in tuna sauce.


    Tsutomu watched the monitors as they broadcasted people going through level 30. He took notes ¨C most people in that area ranged from levels 1 to 30.


    [Poison spider¡¯s string can be burnt with mes] Tsutomu thought.


    Tsutomu¡¯s Live Dungeon knowledge had been a huge boon to him. Enemy weaknesses and attack methods have been more or less the same. Though the maps weren¡¯t entirely simr, they did share somemon points.


    However, some cases existed in which the monsters would act differently from how they did in the game. Such actions threw a wrench in Tsutomu¡¯s ns.


    Even the goblins and kobolds confirmed this and raised the suspicion that game knowledge might not be enough.


    Now since Garm and Amy were excellent at what they did, this wasn¡¯t much of a problem,. However, they were only temporary party members on loan from the guild. The Lucky Boy Tsutomu would have to adapt to this.


    This period of loaning was a liability to both financial assets and time. Tsutomu wanted to use this effectively and spent most of the week researching the dungeon and exploring, with a few holidays.


    Tsutomu, who had just finished his notes, returned to the guild with a gloomy feeling.


    Once entering the guild, he¡¯d hear the usual shouts of ¡°lucky.¡± He¡¯d already gotten used to this, after 17 days, so he went on straight ahead to the guild reception desk.


    While trying to leave the guild after filing the notes he had made, he heard a voice beckoning to him from in front of the ck gate.


    ¡°W-why do I only get the low-tier stones?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s new? That¡¯s what healers get.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s enough to stay at a hotel, too!¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see the share rates in advance, you trash.¡±


    A young teen dressed in brown clothes and three men that looked like adults. Tsutomu sighed and decided that things like the conversation were something that he¡¯d need to fix in the future.


    ¡°And guys! I haven¡¯t recovered my equipment! Please pay it back!¡±


    ¡°Huh? You died, too bad. The party has been dissolved, get lost!¡±


    ¡°Hey, everyone, what are you doing?¡±


    As the guild staff member spoke, the man rubbed his hand and lowered his head.


    ¡°This demon is just looking for cheap rewards. Forget him.¡±


    ¡°Those guys¡­ are jealous!¡±


    ¡°Get out. All of you.¡±


    When the guild staff brought out the paper and needles, the four explorers ced their blood on the paper. The guild staff then brought out the status cards of the four andpared them.


    ¡°The percentage of the rewards is 30% for each attacker and 10% for the healer. You can keep the magic stones you have earned.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The guild official checked the status cards of all the members when the three men and the teen received magic stones. And as the number of magic stones was confirmed, the status cards were returned to the receptionist.


    ¡°Looking at the status card, you can see the number of monsters killed. Comparing that number with the number of magic stones you got, the numbers check out.¡±


    ¡°H-hey, wait! How about my equipment?¡±


    ¡°In the dungeon, objects that don¡¯t touch monsters will disappear naturally if left on the ground or wall for 30 minutes. If you were in battle when you were dead, there is a possibility that they won¡¯t be picked up within that time. You¡¯re responsible for your own equipment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s stupid! Do your job properly! The guild is already receiving tons of money as is!¡±


    ¡°¡­that¡¯s not my job. It¡¯s justmon sense in the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°This is unfair!¡±


    The explorersughed at the young man, left with just scrap stones. The young man sighed while looking back.


    There are surprisingly many people who be adventurers after being inspired by the monitor, without first doing research. Such people are easy for veterans to scam. As such, it is the burden of the guild to stay neutral in disputes like this. The guild wasn¡¯t phnthropic, but Tsutomu thought it was unwise to register for a status card without knowing anything at all either.


    [what a disgusting way to do things¡­]


    Tsutomu, after having overheard the conversation between the insects, headed back to the market below the monitors, thinking about that moment all the while.

 Chapter 7, Observation and Preparation

    <h4>Chapter 7, Observation and Preparation</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    After leaving the guild, Tsutomu headed straight for the gem exchange shop. There was also a shop in the guild. However, he did not like being the only one out of his 2 other party members left in the guild, so he decided to stroll around town.


    Often, you would get better rates at the stores in town whenpared to the ones in guilds anyways. On top of that, it would take quite a while to receive an appraisal from the ones in guilds.


    The cashiers in town usually buy your gems at a higher price and are very willing to negotiate prices, especially on the magic gems. Recently, however, several stores began to lower their rates, meaning that you couldn¡¯t earn as much anymore.


    Because of Tsutomu¡¯s old nickname of ¡°Lucky Boy¡±, Garm taught him that it would be unwise to reveal his identity while in the stores. Otherwise, problems with regards to the negotiations might arise.


    While viewing a sign showing the various gem exchange rates, Tsutomu entered the store rmended to him by Garm. Inside were workers aligning wooden boxes before lifting them up and carrying them to their destination. There was also the cashier station that had a shiny look to it along with some guards standing by.


    The rugged cashier station was made out of white stone, and besides the guard were 2 people. Among them was a little girl, who was sitting in a chair and examining a magnifying ss-like object while having a fist-sized gem appraised. As Tsutomu began to reach for his magic bag from behind him, the girl started to speak to him.


    ¡°Hello. I would like to buy your gems.¡±


    As Tsutomu turned his gaze towards the little girl, he noticed her short, brown hair shaking. As he was about to give a reply, a wooden door beside the cashier opened.


    ¡°Small ones here. Big ones by the counter.¡±


    In contrast to her rather cute outward appearance and voice, she made some awkward movements while struggling to carry arge basket almost as big as her. With a thump, therge bucket was ced in front of Tsutomu.


    Even though she seemed like a dwarf, Tsutomu realized she was still powerful despite her appearance. Tsutomu began to open his magic bag, never really getting tired of the sight of unraveling the many threads that kept it closed.


    From his bag, he took out arge purse which contained his smaller gems. He turned it upside down over a deep wooden basket, transporting all his gems towards it. His gems began to fall from the purse, making a sound reminiscent of the flowing of water. After Tsutomu repeated the action 3 times for each of his purses, he motioned to indicate that he had finished.


    Seeing Tsutomu¡¯s signal, the girl carried the basket into the counter with both her hands. At the same time, Tsutomu began to return his purses to the magic bag, while also bringing out hisrger gems that the basket could not have contained and cing them on the counter where the girl had indicated. As soon as the girl returned to the counter, she began examining the gems, and her eyes widened.


    ¡°Woah, these are really valuable.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably because they came from the 40th floor.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    While showing plenty of excitement, the girl appraised several of therge gems and began transporting it behind the counter. When she got to a strange, purple one, her hands suddenly stopped, and she began to use arge magnifying ss to analyze it.


    ¡°This gem¡­ No wonder they call you ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡±


    As the girl raised her head from the gem, Tsutomu gave her an awkward smile as his cheeks began to sweat. Understanding the situation, the girl broke eye contact with Tsutomu and handed over to him arge wooden board.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll be finished by sunset.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    While Tsutomu pointed at the price, indicating his order, the girl called out to behind the cashier, where a strong-looking, shirtless man extended his hand.


    In the meantime, the girl wrote the price of the item on a piece of paper and pasted it onto a red bag. After which, she removed a seal from the gem and ced it inside the same bag. The bag released a puff of smoke and began to emit a burnt smell. After a while, the girl removed the seal from the bag and blew on it, clearing the smoke and allowing the bag to return back to normal.


    Then, the man came from behind the cashier, carrying two boxes and greeting Tsutomu with a warm smile. The man then ced the boxes in front of the little girl, nodded, and then swiftly returned to from where he came.


    The girl took out the red gem from one of the boxes and ced it inside a red-colored bag. Although the bag, when viewed from afar, did not seem like much, it now contained a very pricey gem.


    When Tsutomu was handed the red bag and told to check the contents, he looked inside it and only saw a tiny portion of the entire gem. Without further investigation, he tied up the bag and left the store.


    The next stop for Tsutomu would be the potion shop. Looking at a map, he identified the nearest store to be the famous ¡°Forest Drugstore¡±. When he reached it, he immediately stepped into its doors.


    The store looked rather clean, even though the smell of medicine oozed out from the inside. A woman was squatting behind the counter while Tsutomu rang a bell. As Tsutomu took out arge bottle from his magic bag, an elderlydy came out from behind the counter holding a cane.


    Thedy¡¯s blonde hair contained small grey patches sttered throughout, and her ears stuck out a little further than most people. She was a wood elf and the founder of the drugstore.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Hello. Would you like some more potion refills?¡±


    The elf ced her hand in a pot, showing a smile as bright as the Sun.


    ¡°Yup. Could I have some blue potions?¡±


    ¡°Another one? I ran out of ingredientsst week. I¡¯ll have to go buy some more.¡±


    The elfughed as though she was being teased. Tsutomu put his hand behind his head awkwardly and asked if there wasn¡¯t anything he could do to help out. The blue potions at this shop were made to restore one¡¯s mental state, apart from tasting sweet. If any materials were needed, Tsutomu was willing to help out.


    The elf looked enthusiastic and smiled happily while waving to Tsutomu, indicating there was no need for that.


    ¡°Young people are so weird¡­ It¡¯s because our warehouse was recently moved. Blue potions don¡¯t sell that fast, silly. Everyone wants green potions nowadays.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably right. ck mages would likely buy them, but white mages would never buy any.¡±


    ¡°Yup. I still can¡¯t believe you chose white mage just because of its appearance, though. I suggest you make a switch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re speaking like an elder!¡±


    As Tsutomu began deceived the elf into thinking he had spent his whole life in the dungeon, she struck her cane in amazement.


    As the green magic gem in her hand began shining thinly, she released her hand from the pot, then ced something resembling arge straw in the pot¡¯s spout.


    The elf put her hand over the pot, and a blue liquid began being poured into the bottle as if being pushed by something underneath it. Soon the bottle was filled with the bubbling, blue liquid. Tsutomu put a cap on the bottle, wrapped it in a green cushion, and put it in his magical bag.


    Tsutomu paid the price using the red gem he had bought earlier, and when the elf saw his payment, she looked up at him and smiled.


    ¡°Thanks as always. You always find some way to help out.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s helping me too.¡±


    When Tsutomu bought the red gem, he was actually doing so as an errand for the old elf, and she agreed to lessen the prices of her potions in return.


    ¡°See you next week. How¡¯s the gem?¡±


    ¡°Great. Next time, I¡¯ll ask you for wind and water gems.¡±


    ¡°I understand, and if you have a blue potion, please notify me.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m tired of making recovery potions anyway.¡±


    Both parties wereughing as they said their goodbyes and Tsutomu left the store.


    As he was walking through the crowd, he noticed one of the food stalls near a monitor that caught his attention. There were many other street food stalls like these too in Japan.


    Although he usually didn¡¯t trust street food, since he was so hungry, he bought some meatballs and thick soup.


    After finishing his meal, Tsutomu got up and began window shopping in the rest of the street food stalls and shops. When he soon got tired of that, he sat down on a bench in front of a medium-sized monitor and took out a notebook and pen from within his magical bag.


    The major ns and parties usually employ firepower and potion tactics, which Tsutomu observed from the monitor. However, he already knew this, it was the mid-tier ns he wanted to see.


    Mid-sized ns have their own unique tactics and partypositions. Over the past 2 weeks, Tsutomu has begun seeing most mid-tier ns running 5 attackers with no healers.


    Among these ns, Tsutomu observed they rarely had many warriors that specialized mainly in defense, as many had dark magicians who used their skills to restrict enemy movement. He even found one party that was functioning properly with a white magician.


    On another monitor, Tsutomu also saw one party that consisted only of women. However, they ran out of anti-poison potions in the swamp of the 20th floor and chose to withdraw. As they evacuated from the swamp, close in pursuit were a few mud slimes.


    Although the mud slimes are a type of monster that is best dealt with magic rather than the shing of a sword, the party¡¯s 2 magicians were already in critical condition. Apparently, they were still aiming for the ck Door even though they were 2 members down.


    With the ck Door already in view, their leader called for an advance as the warrior in their frontlines fell down beside it in awe. The feeling that the door gave and the temporary respite from fighting monsters made her dance in joy even as shey on the floor, although one could already feel that something was going to go wrong.


    The girl tried to get up, but the mud on the floor was really sticky and pulled her back towards the ground. A woman who seemed like the leader of the party knelt down and brought her head close to the stuck warrior.


    After exchanging a few inaudible words, she wiped the warrior¡¯s face with a towel, pulled her up, and retrieved from her a small magic bag, before advancing towards the ck Door in tears.


    The view shifted to the warrior whose face was still covered in some mud. She was smiling as she was talking to the party leader, and as the camera began to zoom in, she looked straight at it and gave a quick wink.


    The focus shifted onto 2 of their party members entering the ck Door and disappearing in a sh of light. After which, only the warrior remained. She exhaled as she began to look for a way to get out of the thick swamp.


    A mud slime began approaching the warrior from behind, following her as she traversed the swamp. However, she eventually could no longer continue, and she fell face first towards the swamp before disappearing in a flurry of particles, with the slime standing where she used to be only moments ago. Then the monitor cut off.


    [Could I even do that? To sacrifice myself like that?]


    Even if you die in the dungeon, you could always be revivedter, so most people just leave any valuable items with a friend.


    She¡¯s a spirit that wasn¡¯t afraid of experiencing pain nor of being sacrificed. After watching their tactics, Tsutomu didn¡¯t really think they were that helpful, although he did learn that a significantponent to a party¡¯s sess lies within its mental capability. It wasn¡¯t mere tapping of a key on a keyboard or the moving a mouse.


    Recovery, aggro management, and situational analysis. All of these became more important than in theputer version of the game, where your movement was restricted tomands given to the character. The asional monster attacks also became much scarier inparison.


    It¡¯s not optimal that you should sacrifice yourself, but he should probably always be prepared. He didn¡¯t think he could do it himself though. After seeing the Sun setting on the horizon, he decided to head towards the bank.


    In the bank, Tsutomu gave a wooden nk, which acted as a receipt, to a dwarf girl who was sitting at the cashier. When she received the wooden nk, she fumbled around for a stone and gave it to Tsutomu.


    ¡°Small ones all have bad quality, so if you have anyints take it elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Yes, then next are the medium andrge ones.¡±


    Saying that, the girl took out some stones from under her desk and arranged them.


    ¡°4 mid-sized ones, and 3 more big ones. Total is 204,000G.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Next are therge ones. Each is worth 400,000G. This purple one is high quality, and it¡¯s colored, so it¡¯s probably worth 1.2 million G.¡±


    ¡°Okay. It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s not colored, I¡¯ll just sell them at the guild anyways.¡±


    As Tsutomu began examining the purple gem, the girl took his palm and began piling up the gems on it.


    ¡°600,000G¡­ 800,000G.¡±


    Tsutomu returned an awkward smile as the girl clenched his fist. He eventually left the bank with about 250 million G.


    After leaving the bank, Tsutomu stayed at a modest inn, spending the rest of his night studying more parties disyed on the monitor.

 Chapter 8, Amy Becomes the Tank

    <h4>Chapter 8, Amy Bes the Tank</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    At the end of the break, Tsutomu felt fairly anxious and angry at the guild at the same time. Coming from the back cafeteria, Lucky Boy passed by therge monitors as usual.


    It was now five minutes before the meeting. As he saw Garm wearing his armor and sitting on the bench on schedule, he spoke to him as he grinned wide.


    ¡°Good morning, Garm-san. How are the preparations?¡±


    ¡°Umu, good morning. The preparations are doing well.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well then, would being tank this time be okay too?¡±


    In the swamp, the tank got damaged a lot, and so Tsutomu wondered if Garm disliked tanking. However, Tsutomu couldn¡¯t exactly weather hits from multiple monsters at once, so there was no choice but to rely on a tank, unfortunately.


    ¡°Hm? Is it just the same thing as before? I can do that, no problem.¡±


    ¡°Really? Thanks for the help!¡±


    ¡°Uh, Tsutomu. There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you before Amy gets here.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Tsutomu sat down beside Garm and tried to hear out his problem.


    ¡°I want Amy to tank for us once, is that okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­Amy, as a tank? You can have tanks with a low VIT stat, I guess, but the beach would be too dangerous if she were to tank¡­ I guess you want to let her learn about tanking, though, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±


    Tsutomu thought about Garm¡¯s proposal. He made up his mind as he looked at the beach through the monitor.


    ¡°Yeah, I wanted to test out some new skills, too, so we can do that. As for where¡­ the swamp should be fine. It¡¯s fairly straightforward for Amy to grasp the ropes in there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you. She seems to have underestimated my role, so I want her to do it herself this time.¡±


    ¡°O-oh. Really?¡±


    Tsutomu heard Garmughing while his ck tail swayed to and fro childishly.


    After that, Garm returned a high-quality medium magic stone over to Tsutomu. As Tsutomu politely declined the stone, they heard a cheerful high voice behind them.


    Amy, running from the guild entrance, stopped abruptly in front of Tsutomu as the swords on her belt swayed in their sheaths.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting! Ah, Tsutomu! Thanks for giving me the magic stone! I went to eat with my friends at Uozumi restaurant! It was delicious, as expected!¡±


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s great. By the way, did Garm tell you?¡±


    ¡°Tell what?¡±


    ¡°About tanking.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    While Garm hid his expression from behind, Amy twisted her neck while narrowing her eyes. Her eyes flew wide open once she realized what she¡¯d done.


    ¡°Since Amy has no skill to draw enemy aggro, she draws attention purely by attacking. This is a different type of tank from Garm, but I think that understanding of the tank will deepen.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is that so? Is it possible?¡±


    ¡°However, the healer is more likely to be targeted if one doesn¡¯t have skills for drawing aggression. As such, in the swamp, Amy¡¯s VIT should be paramount, as well as Garm¡¯s ATK, if Garm is to turn into an attacker, we should be fine.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Amy looked as if she had a question mark on her head, while Garm seemed satisfied.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this just like before.¡±


    ¡°Alright, got it!¡±


    ¡°You say you do, but do you really¡­?¡±


    ¡°Huh!? I doooooo!¡±


    _______________________________________________________________


    As the sun and the sky were blotted out by dark grey clouds, the threended on muddy ground. Around them were overgrown nts with drooping branches.


    As always, the three, who had justnded on the 20th floor, began as usual. Amy scouted ahead. Tsutomu prepared potions and ced them into containers. Garm did some preparatory movements.


    You normally won¡¯t be attacked as soon as you exit the ck gate. Normally you¡¯d have to move 50 meters or so before that happened. In the case of the swamp, it was bad luck that thending point was muddy, but as a side effect, you couldn¡¯t tell when you¡¯d get attacked.


    So immediately after getting out of the guild¡¯s magic circle and the dungeon¡¯s ck gate, they slowly prepared. Amy came back as soon as Tsutomu handed the potion to Garm.


    ¡°The north is a regr swamp area with some bottomless parts. The east and west are the same as here. The south is a swamp area with big aquatic nts. The area is light, and I think there are probably no bottomless swamps there.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go north. Mud slimes, froggers, and bloody bees will make for good practice.¡±


    As Tsutomu changed from leather shoes to thigh boots and handed potions to Amy, she walked behind Garm with her tongue out.


    ¡°Ah. Amy, you¡¯re tanking this time, so please stay in front.¡±


    ¡°Alriiiiiight.¡±


    With Amy in front, the three headed north. As they progressed, the brownish soil increased in darkness, and the muddiness of the area became thicker. At that point, Amy and Garm left their shoes behind and went barefoot.


    Although Tsutomu had bought two more pairs of boots, Amy and Garm were more ustomed to walking barefoot and moved more easily that way. Thus, the boots were kept in the magic bag. Amy jumped slightly in the cool mud, and mud got stuck in her white clothes.


    Tsutomu tried to tell Amy, but Garm had already cautioned her. A little further, a mud slime hid in the mud. A group of froggersying under a tree was just in front of it.


    ¡°Now, Amy. Draw the monsters here¡­ don¡¯t mess up your footing.¡±


    ¡°Understood~¡±


    As Tsutomu raises VIT and AGI using his newfound support skills, Amy rushes forward as if to y barefoot in the mud.


    Amy pulled out the two swords that were in her scabbard and picked out the slime hidden in the swamp. The ck-colored slime tried to absorb the sword stabbed into it from above, but the sword had already been pulled out. The mud slime chased Amy, who went under the froggers.


    The froggers, who looked likerge dogs, had dull greenish skin, and warts everywhere. The froggers, which sometimes spewed poison from their warts, noticed Amy and, using strong hind legs, flew towards her, leaving mud in their wake.


    Amy kicked up the mud on the left to prevent a froggers¡¯ assault. The frogger, which moved its ck eyes, bounced and chased Amy.


    Amy, who retreated somewhere a little less muddy than where the monster was, looked at Tsutomu behind her.


    ¡°Amy, you should counterattack and avoid attacks to draw aggression. Oh, don¡¯t use your skills as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? To this number of enemies!?¡±


    ¡°Using skills when tanking isn¡¯t normally done in practice. I think this will be quite difficult, but you¡¯ll do fine. Protect. Haste.¡±


    Tsutomu shook a white cane, cast a small amount of protection and Haste, and went down. Amy confronts the six froggers as the corner of her mouth twitched.


    Amy checked if the potion that was inserted into the holder wrapped around her waist was still there, narrowly avoiding the front leg of the swinging frogger.


    ¡°Wah~¡±


    Amy, whose feet have be lighter as a result of Tsutomu¡¯s Haste, became ustomed to it, avoiding the froggers¡¯ assault, kicking their hind legs, and their extended tongues one after another.


    After about 30 seconds, the effect of Haste wore off. As Amy began to feel that her legs were once again heavy, a blue mist flew from behind, and her legs became light again.


    ¡°Sorry, that was a bitte!¡±


    Tsutomu shouted from behind apologetically and continued to shake the cane and cast buffs on Amy. Then two of the froggers approached, changing their direction.


    ¡°Amy! Attack the front frogger! Garm will handle the other one!¡±


    At the direction of Tsutomu, Amy put her right sword into the frogger¡¯s cheek. The frogger, which lost its position and shed blood, red at Amy.


    The other frogger flew towards the rear from behind, and Garm countered with a shield. Garm intercepted a frogger of the size of arge dog and pushed it towards Amy.


    ¡°Amy. Please strike once behind the three froggers. And from behind the froggers, four slimes were approaching. There¡¯s a bee to the west too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I was told that it was impossible!¡±


    While desperately following Tsutomu¡¯smands, Amy kicked the ground and avoided the frogger that hit her body. But when she avoided the attack, she shook her two swords and scratched the enemy. While striving not to let her buffs expire, she looked around and surveyed the battle.


    All of the froggers¡¯ assaults, changing their directions, were being countered by Amy and prevented by Garm. As Garm attacked the enemies devilishly, Tsutomu buffed Amy with protection and Haste again, since she couldn¡¯t draw aggro as effectively due to buffs expiring.


    Whether Amy felt trapped because additional slimes were closing in, she cast a skill with her double swords in front of her.


    ¡°Twin Wave sh!¡±


    As Amy swung her double swords while screaming the skill name, the frogger on the receiving end split in half and was converted into a magic stone. And the mud slime approaching from the back was also cut vertically.


    Swinging and shing, using the swords. Through Twin Wave sh, her only long-distance skill, Amy cut through enemies as if dancing. A frogger turned into a magic stone, leaving two, and the four slimes were shredded.


    Meanwhile, two froggers jumped towards Amy at the same time. One that flew like a bullet was handled with her double swords, but she got hit by another one in the arm.


    The frogger¡¯s assault, which was hard to avoid even with Tsutomu¡¯s help, was only able to bruise Amy due to her bonus VIT and protection. Amy pierced the frogger that had been attached to her arm with a double sword in the head, while slowly feeling pain.


    ¡°Amy. Garm has brought an enemy from the west.¡±


    ¡°Haaaaaa!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but please do your best until Garm is satisfied.¡±


    Amy red at Garm who ran from the west, as her bruise was cured with Heal. There were dozens of bloody bees that were each about the size of a human head. Some froggers also followed them from behind. Amy looked up to the heavens and prayed.

 Chapter 9, The Usefulness of a Healer

    <h4>Chapter 9, The Usefulness of a Healer</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    The day¡¯s dungeon expedition began on the swamnds of the 21st floor, ending as soon as they defeated the Queen Spider, the final boss of the swamp area, as they gazed at the web-filled horizon.


    As they were waiting for the particles from the defeated Queen Spider to finally disappear, Amy tried clearing herself from the web that has umted on her body throughout the fight. Meanwhile, Garm was struggling with some web that had gotten stuck onto hisrge tail.


    Tsutomu brought arge, colorless stone towards Amy.


    ¡°What about this one? It¡¯s quite big, maybe 300,000?¡±


    ¡°Well, it looks like it¡¯s bad quality, maybe around 150,000?¡±


    As Amy examined therge gem, which had multiple cracks scattered throughout, she began to reflect on Tsutomu.


    He was a boy who won an enormous amount of treasure, not to mention a small fortune from the ck wand auction. But now, he has taken the job of a white mage. Is that really something one would consider lucky?


    The white mage¡¯s only job is to revive any teammates who have fallen on the front lines, after which they¡¯re as good as dead. All the monsters in their vicinity will immediately turn their attention towards the white mage. Within the time in which the white mage is being targeted by all the monsters, their revived teammate will pick up all his fallen gear and put on his armor.


    Even worse is that all the audience sees watching from the monitors is the white mage dying, so it¡¯s very hard to find any sponsors. In short, white mages don¡¯t earn fame.


    In the old days, Amy was part of a major n and was fairly popr. She pitied white mages for their situations, however, still looked down on them somewhere deep in her heart.


    And although Amy still has the same feeling of pity for Tsutomu as a white mage, she was still being forced to reluctantly act as Tsutomu¡¯s guard as per the guild¡¯s head¡¯s orders. Although, she was admittedly having fun crushing thepetition up until the 40th floors.


    Amy finally began to understand what Garm was saying about this swamp expedition.


    Tsutomu as a healer. Thest time she was an attacker, she didn¡¯t take much damage, so she didn¡¯t realize the importance of having one.


    First, the cost of potions could be greatly reduced. Green potions that could heal you quickly on the front lines are quite sought after, and all the other popr options are usually out of stock.


    Compared to that, the blue potion that restores mental power and stability is mostly used by ck mages. As long as your mental power isn¡¯t exhausted, you won¡¯t die and it will be able to recover naturally. It¡¯s not essential like the green potions, which literally keep you alive, and it¡¯s cheaper since there isn¡¯t much demand.


    Apart from that, the green potions are so expensive that many people think it¡¯s not necessary to drink them to heal small, minute injuries, so some force themselves to keep fighting on the frontlines in order to not waste any money. However, there are also some that believe it is best to retreat periodically in order to consume some potion.


    However, with Tsutomu as a healer, injuries could be healed much more efficiently, and there won¡¯t be any problems with having to retreat in order to drink potions. In the best cases, it can be used to buff people up before taking a monster on so that there will be smaller chance of dying.


    Amy found all their battles so easy with Tsutomu as a healer that the concept of pain began to seem ridiculous to her. Amy felt that Garm also thought the same way.


    During the searcher area, the two had been battling to see who could climb the ranks as quickly as possible. At the time, Amy watched Garm on one of the monitors, and he was at a lower level than her.


    Even when your arm breaks or internal organs rupture, continue to fight the monster. And if you¡¯ve really reached your limit, only then should you use your potions. That¡¯s what Amy learned from Garm.


    ¡°Amy, are your arms okay? Has it cured yet?¡±


    She was a little surprised by Tsutomu¡¯s concern.


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine! It just feels a little sticky, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m a little worried about the pain.¡±


    Amy lowered her eyebrows while fluttering around her tail. Garm came up from behind her and firmly ced his palm on Amy¡¯s head.


    ¡°Amy, tanking is a little hard, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯ll be the first one holding back the monsters and will take the most hits out of everyone else in the party. You¡¯re definitely getting hit a lot more thanst time.¡±


    Tsutomu continued to talk to Amy, who was brushing off Garm¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Since tanks absorb most of the damage, they haveparatively more freedom to attack. Since you take most of the aggro from the monsters, I have the chance to use my skills perfectly. Of course, attackers are a vital role, but tanks are just as useful.¡±


    ¡°Um?¡±


    Seeing Garm getting ufortable from his words, Tsutomu leans forward and tries to conclude.


    ¡°I think you have some ipatible traits with Garm, and I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t have any either. It¡¯s just that I want this party to have a good rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I get it.¡±


    Amy whispered in a small voice, looking down and groaning.


    ¡°No, of course, attackers are also important! If you don¡¯t have enough DPS, you can¡¯t explore the dungeon in the first ce!¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu¡¯s not making sense again. Anyway, let¡¯s go home!¡±


    Garm looked up, proudly raising his chin as Amu began to walk towards the ck Door, feeling strange.


    _______________________________________________________________


    By the next day, Tsutomu¡¯s party had reached the 49th floor. The beaches on the previous floors wereparatively more difficult and required some thinking to get through, so Tsutomu braced himself.


    Most of the monsters lived in the ocean, making them rather troublesome to deal with. Worse still was that they were still tough on the shore even when they were not in water. However, their party had a lot of firepower in Amy¡¯s fire magic, which incinerated their enemies, allowing them to breeze through as though they were still on the 10th floor.


    As they reached the ck Door to the 50th floor, Tsutomu, making sure there were no enemies around, began to heal his teammates, and then waited for his mana to recover.


    ¡°We¡¯vee this far.¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    Amy and Garm looked at the ck Door with wonder. They had lost to the boss, the Beach Shell Club, many times.


    The boss has a habit of diving underground once it takes a few hits, so you have to really predict where it was going to surface next.


    Arge number of potions are required to survive the boss, as well as a ck mage that can provide heavy firepower. Their n, however, didn¡¯t have a ck mage, hence their struggle.


    So, they just had to do as much damage as they could before it went underground, then predict where it was going to surface. However, since the arena was therge beaches before the ck Door, it was very hard to do so.


    Most of the time, when the boss has healed by 80%, you can already count the attacker and healer as dead. As a result, they had to keep chugging potions as fast as possible.


    To them, the boss felt like a big wall. No matter what you did, it always recovered. However, thanks to Tsutomu¡¯s strategies, it became slightly easier.


    ¡°Tsutomu, is there a solution?¡±


    Tsutomu nced at Garm lying on the floor, wiggling his ears looking depressed.


    ¡°As usual, you tank and Amy will be the attacker. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll die immediately unless we get nked. Then Amy has free reign to output damage. Ah, maybe we should aim for their joints.¡±


    ¡°Surely attacks and defenses aren¡¯t a problem, but if the boss is exhausted, it will just go down somewhere. Is there any strategy to counter that?¡±


    ¡°Amy¡¯s firepower alone isn¡¯t enough to take it down, so we¡¯ll retreat for a while. Then, in one of the nests, and I¡¯ll set up a trap. First, though, we should decide where we want to run.¡±


    ¡°What kind of trap.¡±


    Tsutomu began to look at Garm with criticizing eyes.


    ¡°The boss goes back to its nest to recover their armor and strength. You can tell where they¡¯ll go by the color of their shells and how much it peels off. While Amy fights its first stage, I¡¯ll set up a trap in the most likely nest.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that information is final, though. If I choose the wrong nest, we better get ready to retreat.¡±


    The two looked at Tsutomu in disbelief, until they recalled that their highest ranks didn¡¯t reach 50. If you look at levels alone, a 5 person party would be enough to take on the volcanoes, but their status cards were blue.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s do as much as possible, I¡¯ve already recovered.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Amy made some weird faces at Garm, who returned some unkind words. Tsutomu restated the n, then entered the ck Door and took the lead.

 Chapter 10, Shell Crab

    <h4>Chapter 10, Shell Crab</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    Outside the ck gate, a white beach sprawled out, such that it was bright enough to make you squint. There were small pond-like tidal pools, and some tall trees here and there, much like an oasis in the middle of the desert.


    From the sands, tworge front limbs emerged, and the shell crab appeared from below the beach, moving its legs with precision.


    Its shell that glowed and shined in the sun was covered with strong minerals and seashells, and its tworge front ws, differing in size, were jagged like saws. Faced with ws sorge that they could easily hold a whole person, Tsutomu was a little scared, but he held onto the white cane and applied buffs to the other two people.


    As soon as he noticed that he was buffed, the ck-haired person moved quickly. And so, the shell crab began moving sideways, approaching underneath the three.


    ¡°Combat Cry!¡±


    The shell crab swung at Garm with its right w, prompting him to dodge to the side while activating a skill. Sand flew up at the location hit.


    ¡°Enchant: Earth.¡±


    Garm used his longsword with one hand, gathering the magic of the earth to increase the strength of the sword, aiming for one of the crab¡¯s four thin legs. However, it bounced off with a high-pitched sound, and he doesn¡¯t cut through, only discing some minerals.


    The shell crab kept swinging at Garm mindlessly, as he dodged and started his own counterattacks. Amy sprung from behind with her double swords.


    ¡°Rock-breaking de.¡±


    Amy ced two swords into the crab¡¯s back and swung in a frenzy, pulling in and out. Every time she swung, minerals on the crab¡¯s shell turned into powder.


    The shell crab stopped abruptly and turned to face Amy. As she jumped off its back, thin waterlike spines shot out of its back and pierced her shins.


    Water bullets that prate the human body have the potential to be fatal if they hit vital points. While Tsutomu¡¯s Heal wrapped around Amy¡¯s feet, Garm persisted, aiming at the joints of the crab¡¯s narrow legs with his longsword.


    Tsutomu, aiming at the two people who flew away from the shell crab, that was now spinning vigorously, applied protection to Garm, and applied protection and Haste to Amy.


    ¡°Focus more on your movement and lead it to the traps.¡±


    ¡°Roger that.¡±


    Garm responds to Tsutomu¡¯s words, readjusting his shield. Amy already headed toward the shell crab with lightened footsteps from Haste.


    Amy moved away from the swung down right w and stepped into the sand to cut off the crab¡¯s eyestalks. There was a high impact sound as if hitting iron. Amy stopped a little in the air, under the cover of the left w. Before being pinched by the right w, she kicked the left w with one foot and flew backward to reposition in midair. She headed to the shell crab again while running through the sand.


    Garm also stabbed its narrow legs, avoiding the ws that were swung down one after another. The enemy was swept back by his shield, and the previously tight space he could afford grew bigger.


    Amy, flying while being chased by ws, jumped on the ws to run past its front legs and towards its back.


    The back of the shell crab was a ce where its ws couldn¡¯t reach due to its body structure. When its eyestalks moved to try to see Amy, Garm poked the crab¡¯s thin leg joints. Tsutomu released Air des on its narrow legs while paying attention to aggro management and miscasting.


    The shell of one of its narrow legs peeled off. You could now see a thin ck surface underneath. Amy gradually stripped the shell off the crab¡¯s back, removing any carapace and ore.


    The shell crab then made a shrill cry. And soon after Amy got off, she jumped onto the ground. Tsutomu took note of the crab¡¯s action, which he had not seen on the monitors while dodging the flying sand particles.


    The shell crab jumped around so much that you¡¯d wonder how it could fly so far with such thin legs. In anticipation of its momentum disappearing, the shell crab slowly did a half turn in the air, trying to crash into the ground while Amy was on its back.


    Naturally, Amy pierced the crab with her double swords and kicking off the shell and leaving it. Tsutomu grew impatient, and thoughts flooded his head.


    [Isn¡¯t that height fatal? Amy could fall off. Severe fractures could be fixed with high-level heals. Direct aggro to over here for the time being. The crab doesn¡¯t move quickly, even if you heal. Can you protect yourself only relying on Garm? Complete your attack. No potions, no potions, no way to reduce fractures, buffs¡­]


    ¡°Protect!¡±


    While running under Amy, who was recovering in the air, he cast his skills. Attempting to reduce mana savings and increase aggro, he cast the skill with more mana than usual without changing the effect of the spell.


    Amy confirmed that the dark earthen color covered her body while falling, and thennded on the sand from her feet with her long white hair flowing. She moved forward several times to get rid of the shock and stopped. Immediately, Tsutomu took a thin bottle from his belt and opened the lid.


    ¡°How are you!?¡±


    ¡°There don¡¯t seem to be any fractures. Thanks.¡±


    With the thud from thending, dust rose up and flew quite far. Amy wiped the sand off her hair while still on one knee.


    Amy, who gently stowed away the potion that Tsutomu gave, looked at the shell crab and stood up with a shriek of pain.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re clearly hurt.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, isn¡¯t this fine?¡±


    ¡°¡­ please show me your legs if you¡¯re really okay.¡±


    Tsutomu approached Amy, who was on her knees with an expression that wouldn¡¯t tell him if she used the potion. He took off her boots and gently removed her socks so as not to [stimte] as much as possible. Her ankle was purple and bruised.


    Tsutomu ced a potion into the sand after seeing it and made a bitter expression.


    ¡°Heal can¡¯t be used for you because I have to use it for Garm.¡±


    ¡°No, using this much is wasteful¡­ isn¡¯t it better to just heal me after the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a long time, but this really isn¡¯t worth arguing about ¡­ I won¡¯t allow you not to drink it.¡±


    Amy disagreed with Tsutomu and ran off without saying anything, leaving tsutomu unable to tell whether she was guilty or not of something. He looked at the potion in the sand.


    [Normally, the opposite is true]


    Amy was told that people wouldn¡¯t forgive if she used a potion because of an injury that only caused pain when she walked, but Amy had never been told that someone wouldn¡¯t forgive her for not drinking it.


    In the first ce, it was strange to carry potions. Even Amy, who doesn¡¯t know his refusal of this norm, didn¡¯t drink potions that were bought for. As she suspected that she would be billedter, she refrained from using potions worth as much as a medium-quality stone.


    [Even if we don¡¯t get much money, I¡¯ll still have to hand over some stones¡­]


    Amy took a small bottle from the sand and drank the contents. It was a little bitter but not bitter enough to cause nausea. As an elf potion, it eased the pain of both feet while its taste wrapped around the tongue.


    While Amy was recovering with the potion, Garm continued to hesitate to attack the shell crab. While Garm¡¯s breath is constant, the shell crab never slowed down either. Rather, it gained more momentum than before, even with Amy¡¯s double swords in its back.


    Moving its thin legs quickly as if ying the piano, it walked sideways and approached Garm, shaking its ws. Garm was forced to step where he couldn¡¯t movefortably and was deprived of his physical strength.


    If you don¡¯t take the initiative to attack, you won¡¯t be able to hit your opponent. However, Garm¡¯s physical strength was its limit. Fatigue dulled his movement and made his judgment cloudy. Garm moved away from the shell crab while he was attacked due to the feeling that his armor was hot and that he wanted to take it off.


    ¡°Heal. Medic.¡±


    The green spells wrapped around Garm¡¯s body in the sand. Garm¡¯s breath settled down a little with the feeling that his body gradually cooled down.


    Garm stood up, with a longsword in the ground as a pivot, and attacked the shell club. It hit the right w, and the left w attacked Garm. Garm is blown away, parrying the hit with his silver shield.


    Amy, who had now recovered, climbed the shell crab¡¯s back and pierced it with her double swords. The shell crab jumped around in a rampage. Amynded back on the sand as if ying.


    Blue blood overflowed from the ce where the double swords were pulled out. While hitting both ws against the sand, the shell crab quickly moved its eyestalks and screamed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll set up traps. For the time being, please use as many potions as you need.¡±


    ¡°Roger.¡±


    ¡°Alri~ght.¡±


    The two responded to the situation, and Tsutomu turned away from the battlefield. The shell crab, fixated on Tsutomu, tried to pursue him, but Garm used Combat Cry and directed the crab towards at the two others.


    Tsutomu periodically looked back and confirmed that the shell crab isn¡¯t following him. He took signposts out of the magic bag and marked the sand while looking for the shell crab¡¯s nest.


    [The coconut tree and the three rocks. After that, the elevated ground near the seaside, so I should be able to find it soon.]


    While running along the beach and cing signposts, Tsutomu recalled his knowledge from the game. Then he ran for about 15 minutes and found a short and a tall palm tree.


    Then, Tsutomu took out the food of the shell crab. Scattering spotted fish that Amy had caught in the sea, he buried it in the sand. Some fish¡¯s bellies were cut to spread the scent, and the smell of fresh fish filled the area.


    The spotted fish, which makes up most of the shell crab¡¯s diet, is a potion ingredient and is what it uses to recover.


    While injecting needles containing the poison collected from the swamp into some of the fish, the effort went back to where he came from, praying as he did.


    Things brought in from outside the dungeon disappear as particles in about thirty minutes from usage. Therefore, the signposts be particles after thirty minutes and cannot be used.


    So while cing signposts on the way, Tsutomu tried to findndmarks around. He then discovered the three rocks, so signposts were only ced there.


    After that, he wanted to find andmark near the seaside, but he decided to go back for a while due to the limitations the signposts had. Even if this didn¡¯t work, he could still use the remaining ones next time.


    The dungeon often differed in terrain from the game, but it still had simr features. Safe points where monsters don¡¯t go were nearrge trees that can be seen from a distance in the forest. The way to distinguish between regr swamps and bottomless swamps is whether the swamp is dark. Even if the terrain changes, there are constants that don¡¯t change on each level.


    Therefore, the features and knowledge of each level are useful to have. Since the seaside location was mapped out live through the monitor, Tsutomu was relieved that results were showing.


    Tsutomu looked around the seaside on the way back and reces the signposts that have disappeared, leaving only a few holes.


    And so, Tsutomu followed the signposts and returned to the two fighting the shell crab.

 Chapter 11, To Restrict Another

    <h4>Chapter 11, To Restrict Another</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    Once Tsutomu had returned, he saw the Shell Club still brandishing around their pincers. Garm was warding them off on one side using his shield while Amy used her double swords to cut through their legs.


    As their legs were shed through by Amy, their crystal armor began to weaken. Apart from the wound that Amy had made on their back spine, however, there were no other visible wounds, since the Shell Club had sharpened their armor very thoroughly.


    In the distance, Tsutomu caught a glimpse of something that looked like a white sphere amongst the transparent background. The number 9 suddenly appeared behind the sphere, now shaped like an eyeball.


    Tsutomu immediately identified it to be a camera livestreaming the event, as it matched the description given to him by Garm.


    [It¡¯s bothering me]


    Gazing at the vast distance, Tsutomu tried hard to ignore it, but as it began flying around, he became annoyed once again.


    Seemingly hearing his thoughts, the camera turned its gaze directly towards him, before eventually flying out of his sight.


    When he returned eye contact to Amy, she approached Tsutomu hastily.


    ¡°Heal. Protect.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve already used 3 potions.¡±


    Said Amy as Tsutomu activated his 2 skills. Amy bowed her head as an apology.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You guys did well holding out against it.¡±


    ¡°It was mostly Garm, though.¡±


    ¡°You were the one who broke through the armor, right? As well as the one who gave it the wound on its back?¡±


    ¡°Ah, well.¡±


    Amy¡¯s face began to light up as she activated Haste on herself whileughing.


    ¡°Anyway, the trap is finished. If you go into the wrong nest, choose another one. If you still can¡¯t find it, you may consider retreating.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell this all to Garm really quick, so could you switch ces with him for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Saying that, Tsutomu followed after Amy.


    ¡°Garm! Use Haste so you can switch ces with Amy for a bit.¡±


    Unlike protection, which increases your defense, Haste increases your movement speed. The difference with Haste is very noticeable whenpared to without it.


    Garm responded to Tsutomu¡¯s call rather quickly. Bathing in a mana potion, he struck his sword onto the Shell Club, before hastily retreating, flying back towards Tsutomu.


    Amy then headed towards the Shell Club in order to rece Garm, unfortunately sustaining cuts on her narrow legs while attempting to dodge the pincersing at her from both directions.


    Garm, reaching Tsutomu, bowed his head apologetically, before showing him 2 empty bottles.


    ¡°I¡¯ve used up 2 so far, sorry.¡±


    Garm¡¯s head began to sink deeper while squeezing his furry tail in anxiety.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve heard from Amy that you did well on your own.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I don¡¯t mind having this removed from my rewards.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°No, really, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°¡­We don¡¯t have time to discuss the potions right now, we¡¯ll talk about thister.¡±


    Garm, agreeing to Tsutomu¡¯s argument, raised his previously lowered head. Tsutomu continued the conversation, looking very serious.


    ¡°I¡¯veid the trap already. If the nest you enter doesn¡¯t have a trap, look for one that does. If you really can¡¯t find one, maybe it¡¯s time to retreat.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Is its armor gone yet? If we clear it we might even be able to take it down the old fashioned way. We¡¯ll soon run out of Haste so let¡¯s get on the way. If we run out too early, please activate Combat Cry.¡±


    ¡°Would that work?¡±


    ¡°Likely so.¡±


    Their eyes broke eye contact, and Garm rushed back towards the Shell Club. As soon as the blue energy surrounding Garm ran out, he activated his Combat Cry, forcing the Shell Club that was currently attacking Amy to shift targets and begin moving towards him.


    It was throwing its pincers around with such a force that it almost tore Tsutomu¡¯s front hair out. Garm received the pincer with his shield, shoving it away towards the side. The pincers on the left now had a free shot at Garm, but he senses the danger and pulled back in the nick of time as the pincers grabbed at the air.


    Amy sensed that there was an opportunity to get on its back, but she was held back by the threat of another one of its pincers. Whenever she got closer, the pincers would threaten an attack, so she just retreats and fires a water bullet at its back.


    Amy began looking for strategies from her adventurer era while the Shell Club focused on Garm, who was shing his sword at the Shell Club trying to hold it back.


    ¡°Garm!¡±


    Garm turned his head towards Amy¡¯s voice. Amy was waving her hand at him from a nearby tree. Guessing what she wanted to do, Garm began leading the Shell Club towards the tree.


    It followed Garm even more closely. However, it suddenly stopped on the way, rapidly turning its back towards Garm, before firing a water gun at him.


    He probably would have dodged the attack if he still retained his form from 2 years ago, however, trying to think about leading the Shell Club to a specific area dulled his reflexes, and he took the attack headon.


    The water was hot, and even though Garm took a defensive stance, the attack prated it, destroying his armor and hitting his torso.


    The pain in his torso and legs felt like a massive needle had pierced him. His blood began falling onto the hot sand.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Garm did not copse, however. During his time as an adventurer, he had experienced things way worse than this many times.


    Garm continued his way towards Amy, avoiding the swings of the crab¡¯s piercers. On the way, green energy began to envelop his thighs. Tsutomu¡¯s healing spells were beginning to repair his internal organs.


    Silently thanking Tsutomu for the support, he turned back towards the Shell Club, Garm realized that it had stopped moving, and was just standing there quietly.


    Suddenly, its antennas began moving ¨C towards Tsutomu.


    The Shell Club quickly approached Tsutomu, rolling up in the sand like a tank. A shadow began to appear over his head as it began swinging its w.


    Tsutomu threw himself sideways with all his power after spotting the attack. A sand grain from the st hit his cheek as he was doing so. The area of sand which had been struck by the w had been left with arge dent.


    If it hit him, he would most likely die. Tsutomu felt his leg starting to cramp, but the shell club was attacking once more. The wind pressure gave him a sense of sensation and adrenaline.


    ¡°Combat Cry!¡±


    Garm¡¯s voice was heard by Tsutomu, who was sent rolling in the sand due to the wind pressure. Regaining his footing, he was thankful he was no longer being focused on by the Shell Club, and raised his cane and shouted


    ¡°Protect!¡±


    A rather ocher color began swelling around Garm and Amy as Tsutomu shook his head to get rid of the sand particles.


    Tsutomu pulled a mana potion from his mouth. A refreshing mint-like vour filled his mouth.


    Tsutomu felt refreshed as he ced the empty bottle back in his belt. Looking around, he tried to observe the current situation.


    Garm, who was the current target of the Shell Club, climbed up a tree and headed under Amy, who was hiding under some leaves. While using his dexterity to dodge the Shell Club¡¯s attacks, he was able to make it safely.


    After Garm reached Amy, he tried to provoke the Shell Club¡¯s attacks while his back was against the tree. Then, as Garm had hoped, the Shell Club opened its left pincers and tried to attack him.


    Garm wrapped around the back of the tree, using the trunk of the tree as a stepping board, and flew backward. The tree that was grabbed by the pincers broke in half and began to fall as Amy jumped off of it.


    ¡°Rock Destruction!¡±


    Amy screamed the spell¡¯s name and struck two swords she had been carrying into the Shell Club. The swords caused the shell to break, inflicting heavy damage, as the crab¡¯s white insides had just be visible.


    ¡°Reeeeee!¡±


    The Shell Club screamed so loud that it could be heard even by Tsutomu, who was standing a reasonable distance away now. Garm and Amy began to retreat to avoid the Shell Club¡¯s anger.


    It continued to devastate the same area even after they had backed off. Bubbles were flying out of its mouth, its pincers were swinging back and forth, and countless water bullets were being fired. The two left quickly while avoiding the water bullets.


    ¡°I can¡¯t get that close. I¡¯ll avoid it for now, and just put Haste on Garm until it stops.¡±


    Since there were so many water bullets, Tsutomu made sure to keep a Haste spell on Garm. In the meantime, they tried to avoid the water bullets as well as they can while attempting to keep their distance as to not bump into each other.


    Even with Garm¡¯s Combat Cry activated, Haste was still not enough for him.


    He could see the water bullets from a further distance than usual due to his increased agility thanks to Haste. The water bullet is very fast when it starts out and can prate the human body easily, but its damage is significantly reduced the further you get from it.


    When they were a little ways ahead, Tsutomu was struck on his face with several water bullets that fell harmlessly towards the ground, creating a small pool in the sand.


    When the Shell Club¡¯s tantrum had stopped, Tsutomu stopped casting Haste on Garm. As usual, he cast Protect on both of them and drank a mana potion while Garm cast Combat Cry.


    Then, Amy aimed at the Shell Club¡¯s back, where she had previously scarred. Garm focused on the Shell Club as Tsutomu continued his support and recover skills. If Hate was not enough, they would cast Air de.


    The Shell Club expended a lot of its ammo earlier, it now shot water bullets at a lower frequency. Amy was timing her attacks perfectly, and the Shell Club began to stagger on the soft sand. Since Garm wanted to recharge his Hate spell, he signaled to her to reduce the frequency of her attacks.


    The attacks of the Shell Club grew weaker. However, Amy and Tsutomu would still die instantly if they were to be hit by one. Garm was a little stronger, but not by much, so there was still no room to take risks.


    Amy grew a little jealous as she saw Garm attacking the Shell Club while being granted two support skills.


    Garm mmed his legs on the ground as he avoided the attacks of the Shell Club. Thanks to that, the shells of three of its thin legs were destroyed, and its body was almost fully exposed. The three of them focused on the leg and attacked it extensively, shattering the muscle fibres.


    Tsutomu released an Air de towards the leg, tearing more of the Shell Club¡¯s white innards, as Garm attacked it further from another angle.


    ¡°Mystic de!¡±


    At themand of Garm, a long sword wrapped in a mysterious blue appeared. It attacked the Shell Club, causing it to scream and fall backwards.


    Garm was instructed to primarily use skills that fill up his Hate meter, such as Combat Cry, so as to conserve mana. Mystic de is a powerful attack, but not very useful here as it is best to use after the Shell Club had moved back to its nest.


    Tsutomu began thinking at the back of his mind that Garm had risen to the same level as Amy.


    As the Shell Club retreated, it spat a white, viscous liquid that came from one of its broken shells at Garm. The liquid was meant to burn any skin that it came in contact with.


    Since Garm was being given Haste by Tsutomu, he could avoid it easily. More importantly, they knew that that attack was a sign that it was below 50% health.


    ¡°Can I go yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡±


    Amy, who received a GO sign from Tsutomu, jumped out like a cat chasing a mouse, and immediately jumped on the Shell Club¡¯s back with her two swords, widening the previously existing scars. It paused and tried to fire more water bullets, but it had run out of ammo a long time ago.


    It tried to replenish water from a nearby oasis, but was stopped by Tsutomu¡¯s Air de. Apart from that, Amy was sticking on its back, blocking any water bullets froming out with her swords.


    The Shell Club screamed as she digs into its back with the double swords. Amy hung onto the two swords whileughing maniacally as though she were riding an amusement park ride. Tsutomu noticed this unnatural behaviour and reminded himself to keep this in mind when evaluating herter.


    As the battle continued, the Shell Club struck both forceps on the ground and began ploughing through it with white bubblesing from its mouth.


    ¡°Tsutomu! It¡¯s moving!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and its shells are peeling off!¡±


    Garm was screaming while blocking the flying sand with a shield. Tsutomu also continued sending Air des at the Shell Club as Amy jumped off its back and ran towards him.


    The Shell Club jumped up vigorously after another long rampage. While spinning its body like a drill, both of its pincers were stabbed into the ground, digging up the sand in the immediate area and disappearing, producing a rumbling-like sound as it moved through the ground.


    Struggling to breathe, Tsutomu leaned on his cane. Garm and Amy also sheathed both of their swords.


    ¡°If you listen to the sound, it seems to be going in the opposite direction as the trap.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling pretty good. If we find it, I can probably beat it immediately!¡±


    Amy seemed to be excited with her face covered in the Shell Club¡¯s blood.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s check the trap this time. If we can¡¯t check it from a safe distance, we¡¯ll withdraw.¡±


    ¡°No! It obviously went there! We can get a closer look!¡±


    ¡°Amy.¡±


    Garm grabbed Amy¡¯s neck as she fluttered her legs in the air. Amy nced at Garm, causing him to drop her back towards the soft sand.


    ¡°The party leader is Tsutomu. Listen to the instructions.¡±


    ¡°But his instructions might not be correct! Even major n leaders give wrong instructions sometimes! Also, this is his first time on the beach. I¡¯ve been here many times!¡±


    As Amy continued talking, Garm squeezed his arms.


    ¡°Same for me. I also feel like we can finish it off. But still.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely dying right now! We can beat it right away!¡±


    Amy¡¯s eyes looked back towards Garm¡¯s to see that his usual coolness was gone, which was unusual. Perhaps they got too excited thinking they had defeated the Shell Club.


    ¡°Well, we still have 5 healing potions, so even if we retreat, we can immediately try again. We can make a profit with the cursed stone in the wilderness.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we acting a little weak?¡±


    Amy, who currently being rather greedy, immediately refuted Tsutomu. Garm unravelled his arms.


    ¡°Tsutomu¡¯s right. We can even afford 5 more potions.¡±


    ¡°Garm, can¡¯t you see that we¡¯re missing a big chance here?¡±


    ¡°If so, want to ask for God¡¯s assistance again? Worked out well for yourst n.¡±


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s foul!¡±


    Amy opened her eyes wide and jumped up and down furiously, with her long white hair wavering in the air somewhat resembling the shape of a monster. Tsutomu tried to do something to calm Amy down, but eventually withdrew.


    Garm looked a little surprised at Amy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know all the details of your n. But you were basically in the same boat as me. Both of our main problems came from not having an attacker. That made us incapable of climbing the hierarchy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t group us together.¡±


    ¡°The trapping strategy has failed multiple times even with bigger ns, but at least my n never resorted to it. I just looked for the shell club at the request of the gods.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    At the time, rumours were spreading in the guild that only the n chosen by God would find the Shell Club. If you were to stop relying on your own power and focus on the gods, you would seed.


    The two ns copsed after that, without trying any other method.


    ¡°Our luck isn¡¯t high enough to ask the gods.¡±


    ¡°That may be the case before, but now we have our Lucky Boy!¡±


    Amy began tough hysterically.


    Tsutomu¡¯s grip on his cane strengthened, and his eyes closed tightly as though it was sewn together with a thread.


    Garm tried to grab Amy by the chest, while Tsutomu approached from the side with his cane.


    ¡°Amy, haven¡¯t you noticed? This strategy has factored that in as well. I brought my luck up to D+. That¡¯s more than before.¡±


    Tsutomu put his hands on Amy¡¯s shoulders, trying to calm the mood. They looked at each other¡¯s eyes.


    Tsutomu was still smiling the same smile he usually disyed. However, Amy¡¯s eyes turned into those of a small kitten¡¯s as she began to feel a cold sweat.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll leave it to Lucky Boy, but if we don¡¯t do anything soon, the Shell Club will soon recover.¡±


    Tsutomu went back to usual as Garm began to stretch his shoulders. Garm stared at Amy for a moment with no expression before going back to work. Amy continued with an indifferent attitude, not noticing the camera from the sidelines, watching them from afar.

 Chapter 12, Facing The Wall

    <h4>Chapter 12, Facing The Wall</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    After following the signposts for about 20 minutes, Tsutomu stopped at the dense sand dunes. While instructing the two others to lie down, Tsutomu took out binocrs from the magic bag and looked at the distant palm trees.


    ¡°Ah, maybe it¡¯s there.¡±


    Tsutomu hid in the sand and spied with binocrs. He saw the distinct ck thin flesh of the shell crab and ryed this to the others,


    The antennae in question were hidden around the palm trees and looked around, rotating 360 degrees. After the antenna retracted into the ground, the shell crab began to move in the sand. It is a change that couldn¡¯t be detected from a distance, only manifesting as a slight shake in the surface.


    The other two were given binocrs and confirmed it, pressing their arms to their head. Tsutomuughed bitterly, but cast Haste on Amy, who started running after being given instructions. The shell crab came out of the sand when it detected that they were running.


    The exposed white skin of the shell crab that came out of the sand is now dyed ck, and it spouted blue bubbles from its mouth. Its movement was strange, and Garm was about to sh it, looking with a suspicious face.


    Using a longsword to strike the bare legs, blue blood flowed out from the once-white flesh. And Garm stepped sideways, hitting the weaker w.


    In the meantime, Amy jumped onto its back and sliced its bare body. The cloudy blue blood leaked out, overflowed, and stained the two swords.


    The shell crab copsed. Although it tried to stand up with its ws like a cane, Amy struck with her twin swords mercilessly. Gouge. Stab. Garm shed its slender legs many times and finally cut one off.


    The shell crab screamed like a devil and then fell downpletely. Its blue blood overflowed violently. Its antennae convulsed.


    And the shell crab began to shine like a glistening jewel, and light particles radiated from its body.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Amy unintentionally spoke while beholding the shell crab, which started to dissipate. Garm seemed stunned while holding his longsword.


    Amy sent the particles from the shell crab back into the sea. Garm still held his longsword warily. Tsutomu was amazed at the effectiveness of the swamp poison.


    A blue magic stone fell to the ground from the body of the shell crab, which was still radiating light particles. It was arge magic stone that had to be held with both hands. Tsutomu performed a fist pump.


    Then, after making a crumbling sound, ck doors materialized. There were two doors, one that lead to the 51st floor and one that returned to the guild. Tsutomu felt lighter as he looked towards the one on the right.


    ¡°I¡¯m d this went well. Let¡¯s check in on things in the canyon.¡±


    Tsutomu packed the blue magic stone in the magic bag as he shouted with a bright voice. The other two came together with him and went into the ck gate. The three were turned into particles and arrived at the fifty-first level and only the camera that was said to be the eyes of God remained.


    _______________________________________________________________


    Tsutomu gazed upon the canyon, with its impressive V-shaped green mountains and river. He checked if a fall from that height was fatal, and uponnding, immediately returned to the guild. Tsutomu greeted the usual Dragonborn gatekeeper.


    Tsutomu lined up at the reception desk, ignoring the chants of ¡°lucky boy¡± as usual. The insects were there, as per usual, but this time, several investigators belonging to the mid-level ns were watching Tsutomu. As it hase to the point that Tsutomu has be vaguely popr, he put saliva on the paper he was handed to update his status card.


    He handed it back to the bald man at the counter and waited a while.


    ¡°¡­you defeated the Shell Crab, huh?¡±


    The man, who had a stern and serious face, said to Tsutomu. Congrattions, he said, opening his mouth slightly, and then handed the status card, which turned pale brown, to the three.


    ¡°Garm and Amy, you did well, too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Yup¡­¡±


    Garm was happy to see the status card finally change color, and Amy started to burst into tears. Tsutomu received the status card with a smile.


    Tsutomu Kyoutani


    LV 23


    STR£¨attack power£©D


    DEX£¨dexterity£©D+


    VIT£¨constitution£© D


    AGI£¨agility£©D


    MND£¨mental strength£©C-


    LUK£¨luck£©D+


    Job: White Mage


    Skills: Heal | Aura Heal | sh | Air de | Protect | Medic | Haste | Raze | Greater Heal | Area Heal | Holy Wing


    [As soon as you hit level 28, you can learn fly. I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be able to do it at first, so I have to practice. I also have to try the emergency evasion spell.]


    From the fifty-sixth level of the canyon, the nature in the canyon is lost, and it turns into a dry desert canyon. From there, you will not be able to escape instant death from falling using trees or natural cushions, so it is necessary to take measures against the terrain.


    For that reason, there was a spell called fly, and if you used it, you could escape instant death in the game. However, Tsutomu felt bitter at the thought of having to practice using it.


    [I¡¯d like to break the highest level record while the major ns are resting. Is it really that hard?]


    Tsutomu has been known by Lucky Boy for a month. Whether at an inn, outside, or a guild, the name is endless. Most people didn¡¯t know Tsutomu¡¯s actual name due to the newspaper focusing on the photos, but there were only two who knew Lucky Boy¡¯s real name.


    The store clerk referred to him as Lucky Boy, and even when walking along the street, children pointed at him and said Lucky Boy. Unlike paparazzi, they probably said it as a celebrity name, without any ill intention. Lucky boy, lucky boy, lucky boy.


    Tsutomu was fed up every time he was called that. Sometimes he wanted to grab the shoulder of a clerk and shout that his name was Tsutomu Kyoutani.


    However, it seemed stupid to cause amotion about this, so he didn¡¯t show it on the surface. However, Tsutomu was angry about how people saw him. It was shameful to live carrying this name.


    So he wanted a track record that would overshadow it. Although there could be several achievements to overwrite it, Tsutomu chose a straightforward one.


    To be seen on thergest monitor in the guild. That is the path he had chosen.


    If he just appeared on the huge monitor, he could be seen despite not holding the level record. If he went to the second half of the fifties, other than during the times when the major ns dived, he¡¯d often appear. However, he still felt that the name would stick.


    The big ns weren¡¯t actually very good. Normally, they ran away from the Fire Dragon boss. As such, the spectators say that the n that killed the fire dragon was amazing.


    So, Tsutomu aimed for the highest level that the current biggest n has reached. The goal was to set a new record. Anyone who calls Tsutomu Lucky Boy after that would be misguided.


    After hearing Amy¡¯s words, Tsutomu thought that people expected that he was only able to reach the shell crab by chance after breaking through the forties. As soon as he understood that, he devised a n to defeat the Fire Dragon in the canyon.


    Now without a break period, returning his status card, Tsutomu turned away from the reception desk to face Amy and Garm.


    ¡°Today we¡¯ll be splitting up. I¡¯ll grind levels on the beach today.¡±


    ¡°Ah, understood.¡±


    Garm replied, happily shaking his tail. After ncing at Amy, who seemed depressed, he pped her back. Amy, who felt awkward, looked at Garm for a while and then looked at Tsutomu.


    ¡°¡­yes. Uh, Tsutomu? Sorry for before. For calling you Lucky Boy, that is.¡±


    Tsutomu raised up Amy¡¯s head, which had been bowed down.


    ¡°Nah, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°I-is that so? Really? But you looked angry about it, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s smile had slightly dark undertones, though Amy was to see Tsutomu in such a mood. Looking at Amy, Tsutomu turned upward and scratched his head as he recalled something.


    ¡°Oh, Amy, you said you didn¡¯t want to be seen as an insect, right?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°But you still call me Lucky Boy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Amy averted her gaze as if Tsutomu was looking straight into her soul through her eyes. Garm was beside himself,ughing.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I wanted to say.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m super sorry for making you angry! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! Please forgive me! Don¡¯t kick me from the party!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll forgive you because I¡¯ve said what I¡¯ve already wanted to say. I¡¯d like you to stay in the party.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie! I haven¡¯t been forgiven yet! Your face is still scary!¡±


    Amy sat on the ground and pulled Tsutomu¡¯s hem, not letting go. Due to the people who gathered due to Amy¡¯s loud voice, Tsutomu made a suggestion to Amy while pulling her by the face.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I won¡¯t pay you this time.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Tsutomu. First, let¡¯s retire her from being guild staff. Then, let the staff who have taken over the job share her savings together. Then throw her into the valley without equipment.¡±


    Garm said from the side. The suggestion was just like what a vicious policeman would do.


    ¡°Garm. How deep is your grudge against Amy¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how manyints she¡¯s been getting. It¡¯d be a great opportunity to liquidate her assets since there seems to be a lot of dissatisfaction among staff.¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu, please forgive me! I don¡¯t want to be left on the road!¡±


    ¡°Wait, Amy! Don¡¯t pull me!¡±


    ¡°If I leave you, you¡¯ll run away! Don¡¯t take me for granted, Tsutomu!!¡±


    ¡°Wait, hahaha! This looks like a drama! Amy is already fine, so let¡¯s head out! This is getting annoying!¡±


    Tsutomu returned to look at Amy, who was holding onto him like a girlfriend who didn¡¯t want to say goodbye.


    After that, she calmed down by begging to Tsutomu, and Tsutomu¡¯s tea grew cold because of the sheer amount of begging.

 Chapter 13, A Lucky Person’s Ambition

    <h4>Chapter 13, A Lucky Person¡¯s Ambition</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    The next day, Tsutomu awoke only to regret his failure. After shaking off the temptation to return once more to the warmth of the bed and let his consciousness drift off, he was able to fully wake up.


    Tsutomu approached the sink with a longing face. Beside it was container holding water gems. Tsutomu unsealed it and brought one of the gems close to the faucet, which began to take colour and pour water into the sink.


    Tsutomu then cupped water in his hands and threw it at himself, washing his face. After which, he brushed his teeth with his custom-made wooden toothbrush.


    As Tsutomu was preparing to head to the barbershop to cut his now considerably long ck hair, he carelessly dropped some of his papers on a chair. The papers detailed thendscape of the valley as well as some monsters you might see there.


    Feeling a little sleepy from staying uptest night making those papers, Tsutomu slowly removed his pajamas and put on his outside attire.


    Tsutomu left the room with his magic bag on his back and began to head to the inn¡¯s dining room. All around him, he could hear many sounds from the other customers due to the thin walls. He heard someone using the well from outside, and heavy footsteps from the room he had just passed.


    As he arrived at the dining hall, he examined his surroundings. Most customers were either elves or beasts, and they were rarely humans. He then called the attention of a youngdy who had been working hard all morning serving the customers.


    ¡°Hey, sorry, I¡¯d like some breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Are there any additional orders?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    If you are a guest, the inn gives you breakfast free of charge. However, thises with the condition that you don¡¯t get to choose what you eat, which Tsutomu didn¡¯t mind anyway. As he looked around, he began examining the inn¡¯s demographic.


    The inn is usually filled with adventurers and workers, who would be considered middle ss. And since each night at the inn would set you back 10,000G, therge number of customers meant that the inn earned a lot of money.


    The adventurers were usually elves or dwarves. There were also many beast-men and dragon-men amongst them. As Tsutomu looked around, he saw many parties discussing their strategies whilst eating their breakfast, with the beasts swallowingrge quantities of meat at a time.


    He also saw many workers reading the newspaper over breakfast, chatting with others nearby. The newspapers contained plenty of general information, but most of them focus on the dungeon¡¯s most recent news instead.


    In the dungeon, anybody can see the adventurers battling monsters and clearing floors on the broadcasts set up by the god of the dungeon, which functioned basically like a TV in this world.


    Journalists collect information and news about various parties from the broadcasts and publish it in their newspapers. There are manypaniespeting right now, but the biggest is most likely Solit Newspaper. Since it was the first major newspaper to be established, it has a lot of influence and power.


    It was also them that reported on Tsutomu¡¯s luck. As a result, the auction gained poprity, and its price increased, bringing Tsutomu merit. However, he still felt ufortable having them report his story without his permission.


    As Tsutomu snapped out of his deep thought, he realized that bacon eggs and sd were being carried towards him, as well as four slices of bread with butter and jam on top of the-like grill, and barley tea with ice in corn soup. While cutting the fried egg, which has been cooked thoroughly, with a knife and chewing it, Tsutomu spotted one of the major ns in the front of a newspaper from the side of his vision.


    [Looks like they haven¡¯t been active recently]


    This n had recently broken the record for the highest floor and has stated in an interview that due to repairs and preparations, they weren¡¯t able to continue any further. They had taken about 2 weeks to break the record that stood for half a year. The n¡¯s name was Demon Group Komadon.


    The words of Alma, the n¡¯s great red swordsman, were still stuck in Tsutomu¡¯s mind.


    As Tsutomu continued eating his breakfast, he eventually took his eyes off of the Demon Group Komadan.


    After finishing his breakfast, he returned his used kitchenware to the waiters, left his key at the receptionist and left the inn.


    Then, Tsutomu headed straight for the cleaning shop where he has his robes and pants washed every few days.


    When inside the dungeon, clothing can get dirty from many things. Even though the monster¡¯s blood disappears after it is killed, your clothes could still get dirty from their spit.


    There¡¯s also arge amount of dirt and mud in the dungeons. Although most adventurers say they don¡¯t really care about dirt, there¡¯s a point where it piles up too much on your clothing and begins to gross you out.


    Theundry shops that open early in the morning are usually bigger than other buildings. The Shiroishi Laundry building, where Tsutomu frequents, is divided into right and left. On the building on the right,rge amounts of steam are emitted, since that¡¯s where clothes are washed and dried. The building on the left is where customers are attended to and where their clothes and equipment are stored when the queue fills up.


    As Tsutomu opened the door, he was greeted by an old man with a beautiful smile stered across his face.


    ¡°Good morning. I¡¯m here to pick up my equipment.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, Mr. Tsutomu. Over here, please.¡±


    The old man handed over the equipment to Tsutomu. It was covered in a stic film to protect it from dust.


    This type of stic film was harvested from a slime that spawns near the forest. They are used in all sorts of things, such as preventing food from rotting.


    However, when a monster dies, it turns into gems and disappears. So, the people in the dungeon have figured out ways to collect slime bodies.


    One is from treasure chests, which mainly appear when killing monsters, or randomly throughout the dungeon.


    There are various things inside these treasure chests. Materials from monsters, such as slime from the forest slimes, equipment, and gems. However, the chests are pretty rare. In fact, finding a chest would be considered lucky already.


    Even the wooden chests, which are the lowest level, are quite rare. However. Just one chest may be enough to livefortably for one month.


    The rarest chest is the gold chest. It has only been seen once, which caused many people to rush to register as adventurers.


    Another method to harvest slime is to use the outside dungeon instead of the one in thebyrinth city and defeat the monsters there for their materials.


    If the specific dungeon is not under the jurisdiction of the gods, then they will not turn into gems and disappear, but remain as a corpse. There are certain techniques you have to learn first to harvest the slimes¡¯ bodies, but it¡¯s more consistent than treasure chests.


    However, in these dungeons, there are no rules, meaning you can¡¯t be revived if you die there, so white mages and many potions are essential, as well as extreme caution.


    Because you risk your life, few people do this, and as such, demand for monster materials is high, and one can expect high profits when selling them.


    Many of those who go to the outside dungeons only farm really low-level monsters, or are on an expedition for a guild that promisesrge bounty in return.


    The outside dungeons are very rarely explored, and as such begin to overflow with monsters. Because of this, many guilds ask for expeditions to clear the monsters.


    When there is low demand for expeditions, thebyrinth city is usually attacked by monsters once every 6 months. High-level monsters are rare in such attacks, but there is still plenty of damage.


    However, for adventurers, it is safer to attack the monsters in thebyrinth dungeon rather than heading on expeditions. As a result, it is usually those who are popr that would be recruited by the nobles as private soldiers, and hence go on expeditions.


    The monsters¡¯ levels aren¡¯t that high, so thebyrinth city isn¡¯t in much danger during attacks. However, there are towns and cities that are much closer in proximity to the attacks, and the people from these towns tend to dislike those who explore thebyrinth dungeons.


    After paying the fee to the old man, Tsutomu said his farewells and left the store.


    Tsutomu then began to head towards their usual meeting ce and met up with Garm as they saw Amy slowly approaching.


    ¡°Hey! Maybe it¡¯s Amy¡¯s twin sister!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, nice one.¡±


    Amy continued approaching them as Garm had to sp both hands tightly on his mouth to contain hisughter.


    ¡°Hey, after levelling myself up on the beach, I think I¡¯ll practice flying for the valley.¡±


    ¡°Okay, no problem.¡±


    As they began lining up at the receptionist desk, they saw the usual unpopr skinhead man.


    ¡°Hey, you guys, I have a request for coverage.¡±


    ¡°An interview?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s from Solit Newspapers. Come here for now.¡±


    The man walked from behind the wooden counter and began leading them towards the interviewers.


    Tsutomu and Garm nced at each other, exchanging weird faces, as they continued to follow the man.

 Chapter 14, Solit Company

    <h4>Chapter 14, Solit Company</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    As Tsutomu followed the man past the appraisal room, he couldn¡¯t help but feel excited at going somewhere for the first time.


    ¡°Here. Continue where you left off.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After knocking, the receptionist opened the door and invited Tsutomu in. Tsutomu entered discreetly.


    The interior of the room had a desk ced between high-quality sofas and strangely sparking foliage ced on the sides. A woman sitting formally on the sofa turned around and looked at the three who entered with upturned ears.


    She wore a white shirt and ck clothes, much like a suit, and gave off a certain atmosphere. Her big and fluffy tail, ced on the sofa, had a luster much like it was well-maintained.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought three people here. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She sent off the receptionist, who then left the room. While Tsutomu considered whether or not he should sit down, Amy promptly sat on the sofa and started drinking cold tea on the desk. The tanuki-woman turned her gaze on Amy.


    Garm signaled that he would sit in the middle of the couch with his eyes and then sat next to Amy. Tsutomu sat beside him.


    ¡°So, who are you? I¡¯ve heard about someone like you from Solit.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes! Nice to meet you! I¡¯m that person!¡±


    The Hayato woman swayed therge brown tail on the side of the sofa, took out business cards, and ced them on the desk. Tsutomu saw a business card, written on clean white paper.


    ¡°My name is Mille, from Solit~. Nice to meet you~. First of all, congrattions on your breakthrough to the 50th floor.¡±


    Mille bowed while smiling. She bowed, and Tsutomu tried his best to look away from her ample cleavage.


    Amy became engrossed in what Mille was saying and drank some tea.


    ¡°You¡¯rete to this interview, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because the guild kept it confidential. The Solitpany knew that we were in a dungeon, but they couldn¡¯t enter due to the guild.¡±


    ¡°Hm~. So why did youe today?¡±


    ¡°It was because the fight against the shell crab was shown as the 9th rank. So, we were finally epted for this interview.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? You were in the single digits! I didn¡¯t know!¡±


    9th. Tsutomu remembered that camera and made a cup of tea and drank it. He saw Mille, eyes shining while trying to make a strong tea with a deep feeling to it.


    ¡°Yes~! Everyone was impressed when they saw those two due to the mad dog Garm-sama and the dancer Amy-sama have joined you~. They should belong to a n thatpetes in the highest rank. Two aces! They¡¯re together in a party now! It was so great that I didn¡¯t realize you were at the 9th rank.¡±


    ¡°The mad dog¡­?¡±


    Mille¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she tilted her head.


    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t know? Two years ago, we were left for dead by a vicious criminal n-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about those old stories. How about we move on?¡±


    ¡°Awawa! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    When Garm crossed his arms unpleasantly, Mille crumpled the paper she was holding. When Garm removed his gaze, she settled down, put her hands on her plump breasts, and began to take a deep breath.


    ¡°So, Solit is very much excited by the return of you two. The people are delighted.¡±


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t a return.¡±


    ¡°Eh!? Is that so? People have been looking forward to your return. Of course, the rest of Solit and I have been your fans for a long time!¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? Wanna shake hands?¡±


    ¡°Is that okay? Yes, please!¡±


    Mille leaped and grabbed Amy¡¯s extended hand. Elsewhere, Tsutomu pondered how much Amy¡¯s smile resembled a businessman¡¯s.


    [Solit Company, huh?]


    A newspaper article that was one of the reasons why Tsutomu is now called Lucky Boy was written by Solit, the oldest and most influential newspaperpany.


    He didn¡¯t know who wrote it, but Tsutomu did not put much trust in Solit. However, since the person they were facing was acting childlike, Tsutomu only responded with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you~. Now I can boast to my family~. Uh, Garm-sama, if you¡¯re okay¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Maybe next time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright. I¡¯m sorry. Well, I¡¯d like to ask you more in the interview about the beach and whether you will be returning to dungeoneering. I want to take some more photos too~¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. How long will it take?¡±


    Tsutomu red at Mille as if to signal ¡°what the hell are you saying,¡± but Mille immediately responded.


    ¡°About 3 hours. I think it¡¯ll take time to carry in and set up the photographing magic tool.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Three hours. Tsutomu thought about how much experience and magic stones they could earn in that time, and he felt that he wouldn¡¯t be able to get those hours back, sighing internally. Solit had a significant influence in thisbyrinthine city. It wasn¡¯t like Tsutomu could decline the interview.


    Tsutomu asked the two people beside him if being interviewed would be okay.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay with it if you are, Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    After their answers, Tsutomu told Mille, who was smiling like the Buddha, that being interviewed would be okay.


    ¡°I see~. Thank you~. Well then, let¡¯s begin questioning you two~¡±


    Mille¡¯s interviewsted about two hours.


    _______________________________________________________________


    After the interview and photoshoot, Amy was happy, and Garm was a little hungry. While she made final adjustments to the article, Mille whispered in a friendly way to Amy while holding the pen.


    ¡°I definitely rmend Uozumi Restaurant! I¡¯ll introduce you!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    While struggling with Amy, who still felt energetic, Tsutomu stretched his arms forward to relieve the stiffness of his body. A refreshing cracking sound resonated.


    The interview was centered on Garum and Amy. Tsutomu was only able to speak a word or two. Tsutomu, who was turned into a figurine, was relieved at the end of the interview.


    After the interview, it was time to level. Amy suddenly considered grinding at the beach as she tried to reach the level needed to learn to fly.


    ¡°Speaking of the interview, didn¡¯t Tsutomu get interviewed less? Even though he¡¯s the party leader and all.¡±


    For some reason, Amy seemed to be the sensible one. After she recognized Tsutomu¡¯s skill as a healer, her attitude softened, which could cause trouble for him. Mille listened to Amy¡¯s words on Tsutomu.


    Although it was not as obvious as towards the paparazzi, Mille saw a harsh presence in her line of right. Mille lost her gaze as Tsutomu made her ufortable.


    ¡°Yes, but he¡¯s a white mage even if you say he¡¯s party leader. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much to ask.¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk. Mille. Our white mage is a little different from the others, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°And who embarrassed herself by not knowing that?¡±


    ¡°Garm, quiet!¡±


    Garm reacted to Amy¡¯s words as if he was bitten. Mille cast a puzzled look at them.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°His heals. They¡¯re projectiles! Pew!¡±


    Mille continued to listen to Amy¡¯s story with a slightly fuzzy smile, who exined with gestures simr to a child holding a toy car.


    ¡°Even if you are injured while fighting monsters, Tsutomu will heal you immediately! Your buffs will always be applied and will not expire!¡±


    ¡°H-huh.¡±


    ¡°As for Garm, Tsutomu also came up with the idea to use him as a tank! Thanks to that, I can attack more!¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s right~. Tsutomu is amazing~¡±


    Tsutomu had a sinking feeling that these words were sugarcoated. Amy continued to talk, unaware of how Mille felt.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you should interview Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. But there is almost no space for articles anymore. Would it be possible to ask again in the future?¡±


    ¡°Eh!? Then leave out Garm¡¯s part!¡±


    Garm tries to butt into Amy¡¯s speech, while she was innocently pointing at the interview, but he stopped. Mille closed her eyes as if Amy¡¯s offer was embarrassing.


    ¡°¡­To be honest, you can sell Garm-sama¡¯s articles more than Tsutomu articles. Garm-sama is more popr with women and children, so he usually attracts people who don¡¯t buy newspapers. So, removing Garm-sama¡¯s article is a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, why¡¯s he popr?¡±


    ¡°I can see why he¡¯s so popr. He has sharp eyes thatplement his slender height! However, contrary to his appearance, he¡¯s a gentleman! Moreover, the security guards are esteemed due to their role in maintaining security! ¡°


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After listening to Mille and seeing her gaze warmly at him, Garm hid his face with hisrge ck tail. Amy crossed her arms when she listened to Mille¡¯s words.


    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t help sales. Then, can I remove my article?¡±


    ¡°That¡­! It¡¯s ridiculous to scrape Amy-sama¡¯s article!¡±


    In response to Amy¡¯s offer, Mille sped her hands and raised her tail from the side of the sofa. Tsutomu couldn¡¯t see what was going on, so he looked from the side.


    ¡°So the article is fine as it is. We need to go into the dungeon again, so can we wrap this up?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes~. The time¡¯s up~. Thank you~¡±


    After considering the offer about Tsutomu, Mille began to put her paper and pens back into the bag. As Amy looked at Mille, she approached Tsutomu while her mouth bent into a smile.


    ¡°Eh, Tsutomu, what now? If your achievements don¡¯t appear in Solit¡¯s newspaper¡­ we might have to leave the party, wouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    Tsutomu was delighted to hear that, and as he was lower on the perceived socialdder, he was confused about how to respond. Then, he looked at Amy as Garm looked down.


    ¡°Huh. Surely, if you disappear, you¡¯ll have no reason to follow me.¡±


    ¡°¡­wait! Forget that! It was nothing! Nothing!¡±


    ¡°I understand. Even if you disappear, it¡¯s okay to stay in the party.¡±


    Amy brought her hands to her chest as Tsutomu smiled a smile that never changed. Mille, who was listening to the conversation behind her, shouted with a lively voice.


    ¡°Well then, sorry for the trouble. Thank you for your cooperation today. I¡¯ll transfer the money to the guild.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah! Thanks for the hard work, Mille!¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll do my best for Amy-sama¡¯s sake.¡±


    Tsutomu, now free from Mille, rested his back on thefortable sofa. He thought about taking a break today, but jumped up from the sofa to go leveling.


    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s go to the beach.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Aim for the shell crab!¡±


    ¡°Maybe not that far up.¡±


    After trying to hold down Amy¡¯s raised fist, Tsutomu left the drawing room.

 Chapter 15, Restless Insect and Document

    <h4>Chapter 15, Restless Insect and Document</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    After having defeated the shell crab, Tsutomu eventually finished his leveling, reaching as high as level 28, and learned how to fly.


    Impatient and wanting to see how flying would feel like, Tsutomu tried to fly across the ocean, leading to him plummeting from an outstanding height face-first into the water.


    As he surfaced from the water, he began to tell off Amy, who wasughing heartily while flying overhead.


    ¡°Heyo!¡±


    Amy happily screamed as she soared through the air. Tsutomu, getting out of the water, gave Garm the Fly skill.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little difficult still.¡±


    Garm began to fly and was initially very conscious of maintaining his bnce, then he began to look like he was getting used to it. Tsutomu again activated Fly, before eventually turning upside down and plummeting back towards the water.


    Tsutomu continued practicing for a while but still couldn¡¯t get used to it. Each time, he would squeeze the water out of his robes while looking across the horizon, where Amy and Garm were flying happily.


    ¡°You can do it! Just don¡¯t think about it and do it quickly!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t!¡±


    While listening to the advice Amy and Garm had to offer, Tsutomu was finally able to keep a decent bnce while in the air. As he reached into his belt for a blue potion, however, he slipped and began to fall again. Amy burst intoughter, almost losing bnce herself, as Garm returned a frown.


    ¡°Huh, why¡¯s the sky so blue?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, Tsutomu¡¯s gone crazy.¡±


    ¡°Why are you two able to get the hang of it right away? You guys are so good.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a difference in dexterity levels. Amy is B, and I¡¯m a C+, but you¡¯re just a D+.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Since I can¡¯t fly as well as you guys during a fight, I¡¯ll just have to make sure I don¡¯t fall and die. Anyways, there are magic equipment I can use to break my fall. Should we start clearing the valley now? Maybe it¡¯s a good idea to even practice dying.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you should learn how to handle the pain.¡±


    Adventurers should never be afraid of pain or death. Although it¡¯s best to be cautious in the outskirt dungeons, inside the dungeons monitored by the gods, if there is an order that may cause great pain or even death, one mustplete it nheless.


    Tsutomu had even tried jumping off a cliff earlier at Garm¡¯s suggestion. Garm and Amy can easily give up their lives at any time, without worrying about a shock after respawning outside the dungeon. However, this is not the case with Tsutomu.


    He had tried searching for any medicine that could relieve any fear or pain, but his efforts were futile in the end, so he finished up his practice and headed for the guild.


    The 3 returned promptly and uneventfully to the guild, where they split up. At the receptionist¡¯s desk, Tsutomu checked the amount transferred by Solit Newspapers. His ount had been credited with 300,000G.


    Since he only had to stay for 3 hours, he was quite satisfied with the amount of money he made. The water gem from defeating the shell crab was worth just 700,000G. Just from listening to stories and answering questions, he made nearly half what defeating the shell crab gave him.


    He began to consider using interviews as an alternative method to gain ie. It certainly paid well. And you could also get praised a lot even if you speak only 2 or 3 words.


    If you receive sponsorships alongside interviews from bigpanies, you might even be able to buy a n house.


    As Tsutomu tried to leave the guild, 3 unfamiliar men stood in front of him.


    ¡°Hey, is that Lucky Boy?¡±


    Tsutomu was quite surprised since it had been a long time since he¡¯d been bothered about this.


    ¡°What do you want? If you try something here, the guild staff will catch you.¡±


    ¡°As usual. A ssyeback. Typical of an orphan.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have Garm, you should be scared of us.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s chest was grabbed by one of the thugs, although his expression was unchanged since he knew there were severe penalties for causing violence in the guild.


    The thug released Tsutomu, who calmly unfolded his crumpled robes.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re just gonna leave?¡±


    ¡°Better watch out tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Shithead!¡±


    Thugs hade up to him before threatening violence despite Garm¡¯s deterrence. Tsutomu wondered if they were actually going to follow through with their promise for tomorrow, but since he was too tired to think about it, he just went straight to sleep after reaching the inn.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    When Tsutomu awoke, he realized that his door was being banged on from the other side. He left thefort of his slime bed and approached the door with great caution.


    ¡°Tsutomu! You¡¯re awake!¡±


    ¡°Garm? Is that you?¡±


    Tsutomu dropped the baton he had been holding in self-defense and rushed to open the door. He invited Garm in, before rapidly closing it straight after.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? It¡¯s so early in the morning. Are you excited for the valley?¡±


    ¡°Check out this article.¡±


    Garm handed him a crumpled newspaper, which had the 3 members of his party stered on its front page. Tsutomu read it as he rubbed his eyes.


    _______________________________________________________________


    Did Lucky Boy ckmail Amy into joining his party?


    Lucky Boy has a contract with his guild allowing him to receive Amy and Garm as his party members. This was confirmed by the guild¡¯s official documents.


    However, when I interviewed the trio, Amy seemed to be happy and content with Lucky Boy. Suspicious of this, I began to investigate, and that¡¯s when the surprising facts emerged.


    ording to the information I received from an Adventurer, Amy had been scolding Lucky Boy, but he refused to take her advice and brushed her off. This is inplete disagreement with their contract, which says all members must be treated equally.


    After receiving reports from other ns at Solit that Amy had been begging Lucky Boy not to abandon her, and he was simply ignoring her and turning a blind eye, I began to dig deeper. After interviewing about a hundred adventurers, and I was able to discern that Lucky Boy, otherwise known as Kyoutani Tsutomu, is holding ckmail against Amy.


    Solit Newspapers will continue to investigate to discover what knowledge Tsutomu is holding against Amy. Until then, any trivial information will be much appreciated.


    _______________________________________________________________


    Could this be the doing of the thugs he met yesterday? Tsutomu broke into a nervousugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t think it could have been twisted like this. I should have done something in the dungeon instead when I got angry.¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu¡­¡±


    Garm nced once more at the newspaper.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are youughing so much?¡±


    ¡°Well, since there¡¯s nothing else to do butugh.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°For now, we must remove Amy from the part, at least until all this turmoil subsides. If this news gets around, our party will be finished.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah¡±


    ¡°Right now, there¡¯s nothing we can do. Our only hope is to negotiate with Solit and ask them to put up a correction in the next newspaper.¡±


    Tsutomu folded up the newspaper and changed into his everyday clothes. Thinking about it now, he realized that the Mirrul fellow was acting strangely after the interview.


    ¡°So have youe to escort me to the guild?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was ordered by the guild master. There are also a few guards on the way.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll wash my face and be right out.¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu, why are you so calm?¡±


    Garm followed Tsutomu towards the sink.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go immediately towards Solit and begin the negotiations.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t it a little distasteful to do it so soon?¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that. If we don¡¯t show any outrage early on, people might start fully believing in the article.¡±


    Garm grabbed the newspaper with both hands and threw it into the trash bin. Tsutomuughed a little as he cleaned his face with a towel.


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to do that for me.¡±


    ¡°Listen, Tsutomu. I know I was just following orders at the start, and I never thought that you¡¯d grow on me, but when we got through the swamp together, I began to think of you as an equal.¡±


    ¡°Same to you.¡±


    Tsutomu felt weird in the solemn atmosphere and turned towards Garm and gave him a smile.


    ¡°You should be appreciated too, Tsutomu. It was only because of you that we were able to reach more than 50 levels.¡±


    Garm clenched his fists tighter.


    ¡°Tsutomu, you¡¯ve been such a goodpanion thus far. Please, leave it to me. You don¡¯t have to stay so calm. We CAN do something about this.¡±


    [I¡¯m ashamed to say¡­ I don¡¯t think so Garm¡­]


    His friends back in Japan had never shown this much affection towards him, so he felt sort of ufortable. They were always caught up in their own work and interests.


    Tsutomu felt a weird kind of embarrassment that he was able to build this sort of friendship so quickly.


    ¡°I understand your thoughts about this situation, but I have some of my own.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t think we should get angry with them. I¡¯ll talk to Solit without starting any fights. If it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll ask you to do it instead.¡±


    ¡°All right! No problem if that¡¯s the way you want to do it.¡±


    ¡°Well, then. Are you going to the guild?¡±


    The 2 friends smiled at each other andughed merrily as they made their way towards the guild.

 Chapter 16, Bed of Needles

    <h4>Chapter 16, Bed of Needles</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    When he went outside, Tsutomu was given several res, almost as if he was a criminal. Garm stood, and Tsutomu was able to walk without worrying about their lines of sight.


    If you got to the guild early in the morning, there was less paparazzi inside than usual, but they were still all around the monitors. A few of them were able to see them and didn¡¯t particrly notice anything, but Tsutomu was taken to the back of the reception by Garm nheless.


    Further inside the reception room that he was in the day before, there were two stone-faced guards in the same indigo uniform as Garm¡¯s.


    ¡°Tell the guild leader that we¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    The gatekeeper, who saw the gold badge Garm had, opened the door, entering briefly, thening back.


    ¡°Enter.¡±


    A clear, dignified voice said. Garm excused himself as they entered the room.


    As Tsutomu continued, he passed through a long room, almost like a luxurious room in a hotel. The floor was covered in red carpet, and the walls were decorated with several medals. There were also various other magical tools passed down through generations.


    A woman in a blue uniform stood with her back in front of a desk in the room. She gave off a feeling of untouchable sacredness, and Tsutomu stopped as if he was enthralled by a work of art.


    ¡°What are you here for?¡±


    With ming red hair reaching her waist, she turned her a chair around, with hands that had ming red scales, and ced it before Tsutomu. Thin red scales were attached to her gorgeous face as if embodying confidence.


    This dragonewt was Absolute Camille, unparalleled even among her own kind.


    As Tsutomu sat down in fear, Garm also took a seat. Camille waited for the two, then sat down herself.


    ¡°First, let me introduce myself. I am the head of this guild, Absolute Camille. You can call me Camille. Pleased to meet you.¡±


    Camille, with a firm smile, then turned to Tsutomu, asking for him to introduce himself. Tsutomu spoke while cing his hands on his knees to prevent them from shaking.


    ¡°My name is Tsutomu. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°I heard from Garm. You seemed to have broken through to the 50th level at level 20. And I heard from two others that this was thanks to your nning. I hope you will continue to use this guild for the power of your achievements in the future.¡±


    ¡°Pardon me.¡±


    As Camille stopped her train of thought for a moment after hearing Tsutomu, she opened her desk drawer.


    ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s not the only reason I called you. Garm might have shown you this article.¡±


    Camille took a newspaper out of the drawer and ced it on the desk. Camille stood up, grabbing the newspaper with one hand.


    ¡°This guild has deep ties with Solit, and so I should take responsibility for this. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±


    She stood up from the chair, apologized to Tsutomu, and bowed deeply. Tsutomu tried to stand up for a moment after thinking for a moment, but Garm grabbed his shoulder with one hand and pulled him back.


    After looking at Garm, Tsutomu turned forward, and even after a few seconds, Camille did not raise her head. Tsutomu tried to speak as if rushed.


    ¡°It¡¯s only Solit¡¯s fault. There¡¯s no need for the guild to apologize.¡±


    ¡°It was due to the endorsements and bribery of the people. Now, Garm and Amy will be the main subjects of the interview, and the responsibility for that falls on me. You pulled in that golden treasure chest that made a lot of profit for our guild, and you managed to bring Garm and Amy back into action. Please ept my apology. ¡°


    [¡­I wonder if this boss has subordinates.]


    Tsutomu, looking at Garm and the still-bowing Camille, smiled and thought he must be hallucinating.


    ¡°I ept your apology. Please raise your head, since the guild doesn¡¯t owe me anything special.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you very much.¡±


    Atst, Camille lifted her head and took a breath, as if relieved. It wasn¡¯t hard for Tsutomu to get a noble to bow.


    ¡°Now we¡¯re going to deal with Solit, but first we will do our best to modify the content of this article. It will take time, but we¡¯ll be sure to change it. So far, as a given, the problem is with Amy¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, Amy will leave the party until the issue has been settled. I don¡¯t think there¡¯d be any benefit otherwise.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s helpful. But would an alternative party member be convenient?¡±


    Sitting in a chair and putting both her elbows on the desk, Camille pursed her lips as if troubled. The problem was there. An alternative party member would have toe from people under her.


    ¡°¡­Honestly, it¡¯s not likely that we¡¯ll find one. If the guild finds one that is convenient, please introduce them if possible.¡±


    ¡°When ites to Amy¡¯s recement, there¡¯s only a limited number of people that would fit. But there are about two people.¡±


    Tsutomu hadn¡¯t asked the guild to recruit members yet, but he didn¡¯t think it would be possible to get the right people. So, even assuming the worst, Tsutomu reassured Camille.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s only my vice guild leader who could rece Amy. It¡¯s a good opportunity for the vice guild leader to experience my position. I¡¯ll join you in your party instead of Amy.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Contrary to Camille, the head of the guild, who stood up with a cheerful smile, Tsutomu made an expression as if he stopped thinking.


    _______________________________________________________________


    The guild was noisier than usual. The guild head had retired, announcing it in the cafeteria. Tsutomu was with Camille and Garm, sitting around a round table.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve done this. Ahaha.¡±


    ¡°Camille-san.¡±


    ¡°Oi, Garm. Aren¡¯t we equal party members from today? How many times do I have to tell you to drop the honorifics?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say something so unreasonable¡­¡±


    Camille tapped Garm¡¯s back, which caused his dog ears to spasm. Tsutomu started tough.


    The conversation steadily went on, and Camille joined Tsutomu¡¯s party instead of Amy. After that, Tsutomu waited for a person from the security headquarters toe, but instead, a neer in brand new clothes approached tensely.


    When the neer, who had sent a message from the guards¡¯ headquarters to Garm, ryed the message, Garm sighed as if he was amazed. The gist of it was that Amy was invading Solit, and the headquarters were heading to suppress the turmoil, and the guild shouldn¡¯t interfere.


    Therefore, Tsutomu¡¯s ns were postponed. After that, Camille proposed to deepen their unity as a party, and so on.


    ¡°Oh, Camille-san. Can you show me your status card?¡±


    ¡°Drop the formality.¡±


    ¡°As expected, there¡¯s resistance to formality from seniors.¡±


    Camille emitted a kind of presence that no one else had, so much that it seemed that she was trying to be someone she wasn¡¯t. She held her mouth shut lightly.


    ¡°Tsutomu, you¡¯re the party leader, right? The party has nothing to do with seniority. Members follow the leader.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll just make you the party leader.¡±


    ¡°I wrote a contract just in case. It is written here that Tsutomu will be the party leader. If not, then I¡¯ll have to withdraw from the part.¡±


    ¡°¡­ isn¡¯t it possible to ask the deputy guild head about this? This is more painful that when Garm was poisoned.¡±


    When Camille turned to Garm, softly and calmly, Garm looked back and nced at her eyes.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re just hung up over Amy.¡±


    Camille lowered his eyebrows sadly, as Tsutomuughed at the two, who were acting like wolves in a pack.


    ¡°But it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve done this. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not as good as the Red Demon n, but I can still reach the 50th level. My strength should be paramount.¡±


    ¡°No, I think you¡¯ll suffice.¡±


    ¡°That would be nice.¡±


    Tsutomu seemed to be taller by a headpared to the small Camille, but that didn¡¯t matter because there was a 50-level gap in strength between the two. Besides, he thought it would be unpleasant to persistently ask for changes in case the mood turned sour and they¡¯d have to rece Amy¡¯s recement.


    ¡°I understand. Then Camille, can you show me your status card?¡±


    ¡°Ooh! Alright!¡±


    ¡°Alright then, in the future we won¡¯t use honorifics. Is that okay with you, Garm?¡±


    ¡°Ah. Okay.¡±


    Sighing after seeing Camille act so interested while Garm was acting suspicious, Tsutomu saw a beautiful receptionist hand over Camille¡¯s status card.


    Her level was 67 ¨C one level higher than Garm and Amy. Her ss was greatsword user. Tsutomu, reading out her skills, saw an unfamiliar symbol.


    ¡°What is this dragon thing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my unique skill. Using it raises almost all of my stats for a certain amount of time.¡±


    ¡°Unique skill¡­ Hey! That¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a skill that you use instinctively, making you stop thinking hard. It¡¯s a skill that you can¡¯t use indefinitely.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Tsutomu continued to listen to Camille, hearing about skills he¡¯d never heard of. Camille continued to talk in a good mood with her nose raised pridefully.


    ¡°You can also fly, using wings on your back. You also get a breath attack.¡±


    ¡°Wow! So basically, a dragon form?¡±


    ¡°If you could be an actual dragon, you might be able to get past the 60th level. Even if you can fly, you can¡¯t fly as fast or long as a real fire dragon could.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s still a good skill. I¡¯d like to see your dragon form, so let¡¯s dive into the dungeon and move together.¡±


    As Tsutomu said that, Camille was satisfied, and Garm nodded.

 Chapter 17, New Party

    <h4>Chapter 17, New Party</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    The 3-man party led by Tsutomu had since bested the beach¡¯s boss, the Shell Crab. Today Tsutomu was heading into the dungeon to see how Camille fought, so he didn¡¯t intend to go to the higher floors, but he was forced by Camille to go anyway.


    He wondered how there could be a girl that wanted to defeat some of the top floors as he stood before the Shell Crab again. As usual, Garm was the tank and Tsutomu the healer, with Camille as the attacker in ce of Amy.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s have a look.¡±


    ¡°All right, I want Camille to go behind for a sneak attack after Garm casts Combat Cry.¡±


    ¡°Ok, ok! I got it!¡±


    Camille, who was holding a gigantic iron sword that looked too big for her, beganughing courageously as she looked at Garm who was currently taking on the Shell Crab head-on.


    Camille, who was holding the iron swordfortably, approached the Shell Crab from behind. As she was standing right behind it, she struck it with her sword, adjusting her stance as she absorbed the shock from the rebound.


    ¡°That felt really stiff.¡±


    The Shell Crab turned towards Camille, attacking her with its gigantic pincers. She avoided it by rolling to the side, using her remaining momentum to strike the Shell Crab¡¯s side with her sword. A strong winding from the attack shook the battlefield. This time, Camille did not stagger as the Shell Crab fell backward.


    Camille returned in front of the Shell Crab, taking Garm¡¯s ce as its primary target, and began chipping away at its leg armor. Since this wasn¡¯t their first time taking on the Shell Crab, Garm had already learned the most efficient methods of attacking its armor. This time, Garm had permanent haste on him, so it went by quicker.


    Camille stopped for a while and noticed a blue aura transferring from Tsutomu to Garm. After some time, she was given the signal to attack, so she reconvened with Garm.


    ¡°Combat Cry!¡±


    The Shell Crab, who was receiving Garm¡¯s attacks, continued towards Camille without taking her view off of her even once. The Shell Crab, who could recognize the party, went for the source of the greatest damage and most advanced skills, which it thought was Camille since she was the closest match for Amy.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, there¡¯s a mistake in its target percentage. Garm is taking less aggro now.¡±


    ¡°OK!¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Tsutomu switched the bulk of protection towards Camille, encapsting her in the blue aura.


    Garm began attacking the Shell Crab¡¯s legs, while Camille focused on both its legs and its pincers. A light double swordsman like Amy could quickly run behind it and attack it from there, but Camille is a heavy swordsman. In exchange for dealing heavy hits, she couldn¡¯t move as quickly as Amy.


    Her equipment was a standard leather armor, but the difference was her sword as big as her back. Whenever her attacks were spotted by the Shell Crab, it was easy for it to parry the attack with its pincers.


    However, it is undeniable that her attacks caused plenty of damage. The thin legs and armor on its pincers were easily worn down by her strikes.


    The Shell Crab recognized her true potential and began focusing even more on her.


    [Maybe she should weaken her attacks a bit. It¡¯s not good like this.]


    Camille was stillmitted, however, and continued to attack it. Under these circumstances, Garm wouldn¡¯t be able to gain any aggro from the Shell Crab, and it focused on Camille instead. It was obvious that she was about to get hurt.


    Amy started using this tactic since the 20th floor, where she understood that she shouldn¡¯t attack monsters much so as to prevent herself from being attacked.


    However, judging from Camille¡¯s tactics, she had little practical experience on her way to the 49th floor.


    Although Tsutomu was irritated that he was stillparing her to Amy, he always focused on the battle in case anybody needed emergency healing.


    Continuously attacking the Shell Crab has since made her exhausted. Her breath rate gradually increased as more and more drops of sweat fell from her forehead and onto the sandy beach.


    Garm, who was still beingpletely ignored, tried to draw the attention of the Shell Crab through spells like Combat Cry, Warrior Howl, etc., but the Shell Crab was set on destroying Camille as itunched another attack with its pincers.


    The huge mass of the Shell Crab began lunging towards Camille, who avoided it by stepping to the side as to conserve physical energy. From outside her view, another of its pincers approached her.


    Turning around quickly, she tried blocking it with her sword because of herck of a shield, but was instead thrown away by its sheer force.


    Camille, who was caught mid-air with Tsutomu¡¯s protection spell, slowly got up from the sand and got ready to attack again when she heard Tsutomu screaming.


    ¡°High Healing, High Healing, High Healing! Haste!¡±


    An aura came out of his white cane and enveloped Camille. Her numbed hand quickly regained its feeling, and the pain from when she hit the ground disappeared immediately. Camille got up slowly while feeling soothed by the green aura from Tsutomu¡¯s healing.


    For a full recovery, High Healing was only needed once. However, in order to earn the Shell Crab¡¯s aggro, he applied it 3 times to both Camille and Garm alongside haste. The Shell Crab was now focusing on Tsutomu.


    ¡°Air de! Camile, stop attacking, and let Garm take aggro. You can use a blue potion!¡±


    Tsutomu released an air de towards the Shell Crab as he yelled the instructions.


    [They¡¯re both tired. This is my mistake. I should have anticipated this.]


    Since this is their third time, the Shell Crab¡¯s attacks were familiar. However, trying to protect yourself with Tsutomu¡¯s vitality stats is pretty difficult. This was a risky move that he likely wouldn¡¯t have done under normal conditions.


    But he was embarrassed that he was ying as though he was still with Amy. A pincernded on the ground right next to him. The wind that came from its attack made his heart sink as he felt as though it was beckoning him closer towards death. The Shel Club was gross enough from afar, but close up it was absolutely disgusting with its slow-moving mouth and antennas.


    Its pincers seemingly sandwiched the sky above Tsutomu¡¯s head. The sight alone was enough to make him feel a little sick, since just by looking at its pincers, the fear of death is already established deep within you.


    Tsutomu continued avoiding its attacks while also keeping track of the water bullets it was firing. He felt as though every attack he managed to dodge brought his heart closer towards exploding.


    Tsutomu, too, soon began to run out of energy as his breaths doubled in speed and he began to break into a sweat. Thankfully, by this time, Garm had already umted enough of the Shell Crab¡¯s aggro that it eventually switched targets and turned towards Garm.


    Although he was extremely thankful that it had stopped focusing on him, Tsutomu prioritized putting another protection spell on Garm before he would celebrate by regaining his stamina and taking deeper breaths.


    After resting for a bit, Tsutomu tried to control Camille¡¯s haphazard attacks, before turning around and cing an additional haste spell on Garm.


    Garm was currently attracting all of the Shell Crab¡¯s focus, so Camille was able to enter the fight from its nk as it switched targets towards her again, allowing Garm to regain mana. Before Camille bes exhausted again, Garm activates his skills again and gains the Shell Crab¡¯s aggro, allowing Camille to rest.


    They continued this attack cycle religiously, allowing Tsutomu to drop in to speak to Camille.


    ¡°This is good. Let¡¯s use the Dragon spell while its attacking Garm.¡±


    ¡°Oh, leave it to me! I¡¯ll finish this right now.¡±


    Camille stepped forward and opened her mouth confidently, screaming the word dragon. As she had finished, glowing red scales began enveloping her entire body as her eyes reddened and her hair grew even longer.


    Her newly growing red wings also began glowing with a reddish aura, appearing as though it was burning. After her wings had fully formed, she held her sword and struck the back of the Shell Crab.


    The armor on its pincers had already cracked due to Garm¡¯s attacks, so when it was struck, it broke immediately. As the dust settled, Camille spotted the Shell Crab trying to retreat.


    ¡°Power sh!¡±


    Camille took a sturdy stance as she struck the Shell Crab again. The sword hit more of its armor, which cracked immediately, causing it to scream in agony.


    Camille continued her attacks for a while after that. The Shell Crab could no longer keep up with her as it swung its broken pincers around in the air. Camille ended it with a heavy strike towards its back.


    Camille was now going so fast that even Tsutomu couldn¡¯t keep up with her. He couldn¡¯t even apply protection or haste since the auras couldn¡¯t reach her in the first ce.


    After another painful scream, the Shell Crab began tunneling into the ground in a desperate attempt to retreat.


    However, since its pincers were broken, it would take it longer than usual. It continued firing water bullets from its back, buying him some time. However, this would be useless as Camille flew high into the sky before allowing herself to fall down again whilst thrusting her sword through the empty air.


    As shended, the sword pierced the Shell Crab¡¯s back and impaled it towards the ground. The scene was reminiscent of a guillotine execution as the sword slid deeper and deeper into its back.


    ¡°Enchanted me.¡±


    As she spoke, mes began to envelop her whole sword. The Shell Crab began turning into a flurry of particles as it burned from the inside.


    They had now be a n that could defeat the Shell Crab in one try.


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Garm¡¯s cheeks were red, as though he was excited to see her battle. Tsutomu, in fact, was also quite impressed at her speed and firepower.


    Camille¡¯s movement speed and agility while in dragon form was as fast as it could ever be. Even Tsutomu¡¯s support and healing spells can¡¯t reach her, so it would be more difficult for him than with Amy.


    When she was in dragon form, she was so immersed that she couldn¡¯t focus on anything else other than the enemy in front of her. Tsutomu couldn¡¯t help but view this as a sort of madness.


    Should he apply haste to Camille by using all his mana? But then the spell will be too powerful, and he¡¯ll gain all its aggro. It¡¯s no different from the strategy he dismissed earlier. But then what should he do? Tsutomu snapped out of his deep thought as he began collecting the gems from the defeated Shell Crab.


    Camille¡¯s red wings, scales, and long hair began to burn away as soon as the spell was lifted.


    As Tsutomu was collecting the gems, Camille stabbed her sword into the ground and rested on its side.


    ¡°Garm¡¯s high vitality served as a sort of shield. I¡¯ve seen some other parties using that strategy before. Tsutomu¡¯s healing, however¡­ this is the first time I¡¯ve seen anything like it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Camille, Tsutomu¡¯s quite amazing!


    Camille stared at the swinging ck tail as she smiled.


    ¡°But you¡¯ve grown, Garm. You seem to be strategically fighting with Tsutomu¡¯s healing. Looks like you¡¯re no longer a mad dog, huh.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Garm performed an over-exaggerated bow as Camille burst outughing. When they noticed the ck Door appearing, Tsutomu urged them to return to the guild for now.


    ¡°So, what else are you going to do today?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, really. I just wanted to see how well you fight, so I guess we¡¯re done here.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for dragging you all the way here. I¡¯ve heard that parties could break through the Shell Crab with your leadership. I wanted to try it out for myself.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, could we have a meeting sometimeter and check our skills somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Okay, but the guild¡¯s probably looking for me. Is it okay if we have the meeting sometime this evening?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    The trio, who seemed jubnt at the sess of their new party exited through the ck Door as they went their separate ways.

 Chapter 18, Camille’s Expectations

    <h4>Chapter 18, Camille¡¯s Expectations</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    When the three returned to the guild, Camille, the former guild leader, went towards a middle-aged man who was waiting near the ck gate. Tsutomu, who attempted to exit the city for a break, was stopped by Garm.


    ¡°There are guild members that¡¯ll see us. Wait a bit.¡±


    As such, Garm made his way to the reception. The three who had be entangled with each other yesterday all ended up there, as Tsutomu expected.


    ¡°Hey, Lucky Boy¡­ well, I guess you¡¯re a criminal now!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the talk of the town. Must be nice to be so popr!¡±


    ¡°Scum!¡±


    Around that time, there was a sizable amount of people whoughed and pointed their fingers at the party. Tsutomu raised his hand and shook his head at the people whoughed at him as soon as Garm disappeared.


    One of the people grabbed Tsutomu¡¯s chest and smiled sarcastically. Tsutomu took the person¡¯s hands off andughed. The man was taken aback.


    ¡°Wh-!?¡±


    ¡°I think you can¡¯t win against a white mage.¡±


    ¡°¡­ that¡¯s probably ¡¯cause you¡¯re boosted by Garm!¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a bit better than insects who go after people.¡±


    Tsutomu, who red daggers at the man, smiled twistedly. This was a person who took advantage of people dying in parties. This was a person who would trick a neer who didn¡¯t know much to scam them and profit. Tsutomu looked down on him from the bottom of his heart.


    Tsutomu had never been rebellious. The three investigators, who were attacked by him for the first time and were red at maliciously, retreated with defensive instinct.


    Then, when they saw Garm from the reception, they parted from Tsutomu and merged with the crowd. Tsutomu, who stared at the back of the guild expressionlessly, looked at Garm, who had juste back, warmly.


    ¡°You seem to have been caught up in something.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal. How was the city?¡±


    ¡°There seem to be people who were influenced by the article. It would be better not to act alone for a while.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was pretty good back there. Ah, I want to get my luggage.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Garm looked ufortable with all the gazes. Garm whispered something to one of the insect seekers, causing him to lower his gaze.


    Garm mmed his feet as soon as he caught up with Tsutomu. Paparazzi around him who were aware of who Garm was drawn back to avoid trouble.


    ¡°The only insects around here are their mouths. What a shame.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t go anywhere without the sound of insects.¡±


    After Tsutomu said that, Garmughed as he scattered the air around him. While scrambling in and out of the lines of sight of passers-by, the two took their luggage from the inn and checked out at the reception.


    ¡°You may use the guild staff¡¯s dormitory until the article is corrected.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? I¡¯m fine with that, but is it allowed?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine for me to live here in the meantime. Camille-san allowed me. You can use the dorm freely.¡±


    ¡°That helps.¡±


    While carrying luggage that couldn¡¯t fit in the magic bag, the two headed to the guild staff dormitory, which was built in the immediate vicinity of the guild. The dormitory was muchrger than the one used by Tsutomu, and built out of glossy ck stone, its appearance made one hesitant to enter.


    Tsutomu followed Garm, who was surprised and left the luggage in one room of the dormitory. After moving the luggage, they now had a dorm that wasrge enough for the family of three to grow and live.


    The room that Garm told him to use wasrger than the room in the inn, with toilet and bath too. If you became a guild employee, you would be allowed to move in free of charge.


    As Tsutomu acknowledged that the guild had a very high standing, he killed time and cleaned the room by using a magic tool. He opened the window, gathered dust with the broom, and scraped it off outside.


    [Times like this make me grateful I can use skills. It¡¯s great that God invited me to such a ce where I could use magic.]


    Tsutomu could use skills that were on his status card by consuming mental power, but couldn¡¯t use magic, which used magic stones as a medium. To use magic, you needed not only the talent to do so, but the knowledge too. And so, most magic-users were nobles, who had the luxury of both.


    The magical tool that Tsutomu was now using was created as a substitute for magic. By developing a machine with colored magic stones as a core and colorless magic stones as fuel, it could create phenomena simr to magic.


    On the other hand, a skill is something that anyone can use by creating and updating a status card in the dungeon managed by God. Talent, knowledge, and magic stones are not required to exercise skills. All that is needed is MND.


    However, skills are less flexible than magic. For example, as long as you had a magical stone of wind, you could make anything from a gentle breeze to a tornado, from a warm wind to a cold one. But skills couldn¡¯t do that.


    The Air de that Tsutomu had mastered was a skill that shoots a wind de in a straight line, but the de was still a de, no matter how weak. If you tried to use it to remove dust, your room would be full of scratches. In addition, it only shot in a straight line, and you couldn¡¯t change its trajectory. The only thing that could be done was to use mental power to strengthen and weaken the intensity of the de and to specify the direction it would fly.


    Garm told Tsutomu that magic and skills were simr, but in truth different, and should not be put together. In some cases, the people who said that in front of the nobles were executed, so Tsutomu kept in mind to stay away from the nobles.


    The wooden magic tool was wiped with a clean, dry cloth. It was ced on the shelf, wiped the floor and walls with water, dried itself out, and so Tsutomu sat down in a clean room.


    [It¡¯s still noon, huh¡­]


    After cleaning, Tsutomu, somewhat unsatisfied,y down in the room. The lighting in through the window was still shining.


    [I wanna see a live broadcast.]


    In his spare time, he always watched live streams of the dungeon, or just went around the stalls near the giant monitor. However, as soon as the turmoil happened, Tsutomu couldn¡¯t do so.


    [Oh, Camille is new, so I have to rethink my tactics. Like Amy, I¡¯m at a nk since I can¡¯t apply Haste consistently.]


    Lying down on the wooden floor, he brought out documents from the magic bag.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    In the evening, Tsutomu and Garm joined Camille at the guild and headed to a popr bar called Taru no Boushitei. When they arrived at the restaurant, famous for meat dishes that were baked inrge wine barrels and a magical oven tool, they sat down and the three began a dungeon exploration meeting.


    ¡°¡­are you aiming to break the record of highest floor reached?¡±


    Camille asks the endeavor to do it with the clerk who ran without busy after receiving the order. In a noisy shop, Tsutomu shouted a little.


    Camille asked this to Tsutomu as the waiter who received their order went off in a rush. Tsutomu raised his voice a little in the noisy shop.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, your reputation won¡¯t disappear. I was thinking about getting Solit to write an article about it, but it seems impossible.¡±


    ¡°No, no, maybe if we go up to the 59th level, we¡¯ll be shown consistently on the monitor. Then maybe we¡¯ll lose the nicknames?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Is that so?¡±


    Eyes wide, Tsutomu turned to Garm, and Garm nodded.


    ¡°In the first ce, it seems that your battle with the shell crab was projected on the 9th screen, and that seemed to be effective, due to there only being three people. Those who have some knowledge of dungeon capture already have made efforts Will not be called a lucky person. ¡°


    ¡°Hmm. But it seems that Amy said, the Shell Club was able to defeat because of good luck.¡±


    ¡°¡­ There is no example of a shell club dying as soon as it is discovered. You just have to make it seem like you don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Garm? Didn¡¯t I join the party to dispel your reputation as ¡®lucky¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Tsutomu smiled at Garm, who looked like he had forgotten something, and he picked up a small piece of jerky from a pile. Camille lowered her gaze while adjusting her long hair with her hair tie.


    ¡°¡­The shell crab thing might be a littlecking. A three-person party beating the shell crab from a mid-level n is not unheard of, and it could easily be done by three people in a top-level n. right?¡±


    ¡°Surely, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask, Garm. Times change.¡±


    Camille patted Garm¡¯s big shoulder as he was biting into the jerky. He was not very convinced, but Camilleforted him anyway.


    ¡°But if you can break through the 56th floor, which is said to be a wall between the mid-level and the major ns, you will be able to get to a single-digit rank. I think that will resolve it.¡±


    ¡°¡­really? I heard that that would just be running away from facing the fire dragon, so I thought it would be no good.¡±


    By a huge monitor called the first stand by residents of thebyrinth city, Tsutomu often heard such information since he spent most of his free time there. So he thought that his reputation would remain the same unless he beat the fire dragon, which was the boss of the canyon.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t those a n¡¯s standards, though? This is a party, and if it¡¯s a three-person party that does it, it¡¯s definitely going to be a topic ¡­ floor 56 will be the goal of this party. I¡¯ve already reached the 58th floor, and Tsutomu wasn¡¯t as experienced with Garm and Amy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s reasonable.¡±


    Tsutomu said that after the store clerk announced something, and a soup dish in arge bowl was ced on a round table. Meat, carrots, and potatoes were contained in a white soup-like stew. Tsutomu handed it over to the rest.


    Another store clerk, who put bread in the basket in the center, had just left. Even though he seemed to be quite busy, Tsutomu began to put a hard bread in his stew.


    ¡°But don¡¯t you want to defeat the fire dragon? I think we have Camille¡¯s firepower for that.¡±


    Trying to sink bread into the stew with a wooden spoon, Camille opened her mouth after staring at Tsutomu.


    ¡°¡­huh. Are you going to defeat the fire dragon, that the Red Demon Group defeated only after they used your top tier ck wand, with an improvised party?¡±


    ¡°I was originally going to go with Amy, but I think that the chances of being able to beat it increased with you. However, there are three issues.¡±


    Tsutomu, eating a bit of crumbled meat and moderately soft bread, sighed. Camille adjusted her red sses and red at Tsutomu.


    ¡°And those are?¡±


    ¡°The first is simply theck of cooperation between us three. Well, this will solve in time. You don¡¯t seem to think anything about my tactics. Secondly, there is no ck magician or archer in this party, so you can only rely on magical tools. The third is your Dragon form, which isn¡¯t affected by my support skills and recovery skills, so it¡¯s hard to incorporate it into my tactics. I have to think about what to do.¡±


    ¡°¡­nothing about me?¡±


    ¡°Not really, Garm. Isn¡¯t your concern just about getting fireproof equipment and getting used to it?¡±


    As Tsutomu swallowed thick stew, Garm wrapped his head around the confusing situation. Camille, who saw Garm like this, looked at Tsutomu again. A fortunate man who gained tremendous wealth by looting the highest tier treasure chest. After that, he beat the shell crab with the three-man party of him, Garm, and Amy. And now, he was trying to beat the fire dragon, still unsatisfied.


    Her initial train of thought was that he was at least not born in thebyrinth city. Orphans and Camille have been reported to do so, but was someone that could use magic the son of an aristocrat in another country? Or someone who beat a dungeon outside? Some of those guesses came to mind. However, Camille was not interested in Tsutomu¡¯s origin.


    ¡°You seem interesting.¡±


    Camille licked her lips and stared, with reptilian red eyes, and Tsutomu could feel something was up.

 Chapter 19, Reaching Out

    <h4>Chapter 19, Reaching Out</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    After their day off, which Tsutomu had used to watch and analyze other teams on the livestreams, he began to share any knowledge or strategies he learned with the rest of his party.


    Garm previously had little experience with valley raids in the past, so he didn¡¯t have much of an opinion. However, in contrast to Garm, Camille had been able to clear the 58th floor before, so she was able to give plenty of insight. Although most of her information was already known to Tsutomu from his previous experience with the game, he still took down a memo.


    [How many safe zones will we be able to secure]


    The safe zones were areas where monsters would not be able to reach easily. In the forest levels, it were these big trees. In the swamp levels, it would change based on the level, but they were usually found in the caves. Camille continued providing more information, which Tsutomu kept scribbling down.


    From here, the conversation moved on to equipment and potion management. Due to heavy damage towards their equipment sustained in their dungeon raids, about 10% of the party¡¯s total revenue must be set aside for repairs. At this point, Tsutomu cut the conversation about repairs and moved on towards the potion situation.


    Each member of the party will be allowed to use the potions based on their own judgement and will be buying their own supplies. At this, Camille acted a bit shock.


    ¡°Where are we going to be buying our potions, is it still from the forest drugstore?¡±


    ¡°Their stocks have been quite low recently, so I¡¯m afraid it might be a little difficult to buy from there.¡±


    The potions you could get at the forest drugstore is way different from those you get at ordinary tool shops. Unlike the tool shops, the forest drugstore does not heavily dilute their potions with water, which means that each drop of their potions are more potent and you don¡¯t have to drink as much in order to gain a full recovery. Their potions also have a simr taste to tea, which makes it even more popr among adventurers.


    Of course, for these reasons, the potions in the forest drugstore are very expensive. And, since they do not allow other stores to copy their production methods, only a few people can make them at the moment. Using these reasons, Tsutomu decided that they shouldn¡¯t make the forest drugstore their main supplier.


    Although, while Tsutomu was canvassing their list of possible dealers, he knew that they were all inferior to the forest drugstore, even though he had never tasted any other potions. Camille handed him one of their potential mana potion choices to try out, but Tsutomu dismissed it saying it tasted like raw fish rotting in a blender.


    After that, he asked Camille to confirm their regr meeting schedule, Tsutomu shared the equipment repair shop that they would be using and dismissed them.


    Since Camille would be needing 2 days for all the paperwork it takes to hand over her position as guild chief, Tsutomu and Garm had 2 days to rest.


    ¡°Wait, wait,e back here for a bit. Shouldn¡¯t we get something to drink?¡±


    Camille grabbed Tsutomu, who was already prepared to start heading towards the ounting office. As Camille was implying, the wine of the store where they held the meeting was indeed very reputable and affordable.


    ¡°I agree, we should wee our neer to the guild.¡±


    ¡°I just want a few drinks.¡±


    As Tsutomu turned back towards Camille and Garm, he looked rather shocked. Camille was already known to be quite a drinker, but Tsutomu pretended not to notice that Garm had been eyeing the other people around them who were drinking at the time of the meeting. Tsutomu didn¡¯t particrly hate going drinking, so he called a clerk over and ordered some wine.


    Camille had ordered much stronger drinks than Tsutomu, while Garm ordered a safe beer since he and Tsutomu wanted to avoid a hangover even if they weren¡¯t doing anything tomorrow.


    The drinks were created using an array of magical techniques and were instantly transported to their table straight after. While the others began drinking up almost immediately, Tsutomu hesitated a bit. As he began to drink, he began to feel a little queasy but continued to drink anyway. And before he knew it, he had turned unconscious.


    When Tsutomu finally regained consciousness, 2 hours had already passed. He looked around him to see Garm carrying a drunk Camille on his back.


    Although Garm drank quite a lot, his face was still pale white.


    ¡°Garm, I¡¯ll be going shopping tomorrow. Wannae?¡±


    ¡°Alright, sure.¡±


    Apart from going shopping, Tsutomu wanted to tell the employees in the forest drugstore and the equipment repair shop that they would be changing their rest day schedule, and he wanted them to know when they¡¯ll be able toe around and collect their items. Tsutomu thanked Garm for agreeing toe along, as they held a bag towards Camille¡¯s mouth since she had begun vomiting.


    _______________________________________________________________


    The next day, Tsutomu decided he wanted to trade in some gems, so they headed towards the magical dwarf girl¡¯s gem exchange shop. As they entered the store, they saw all the usual employees, whom they greeted before heading towards the clerk¡¯s desk, where there was already a line beginning to form.


    While they were waiting in line, Tsutomu, who was currently hungover, and Garm began collecting gems from their magic bags. Other adventurers in line gave them weird looks, but Tsutomu took no notice of them.


    When it got to their turn and Tsutomu faced the dwarf girl, he was greeted with a stone-cold death stare almost immediately. As Tsutomu requested some of their gems, chills were sent down his spine, and he felt as though she would have attacked him by now if Garm hadn¡¯t been with him.


    ¡°Small ones in here. Big ones here.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t saying anything out of the ordinary in order to maintain professionalism, but her attitude seemed as though she was talking with dirt. Nheless, Tsutomu began segregating his gems into the pots pretending not to mind her attitude.


    While Tsutomu was fumbling around with his magic bag, the dwarf girl beckoned to Garm and brought him out of Tsutomu¡¯s hearing.


    ¡°Garm, you should think twice about who you socialize with. You¡¯ll end up the same as Amy.¡±


    ¡°The article is fake. Don¡¯t be fooled.¡±


    ¡°Really? I checked with the investigator, and everyone else seems to say it¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve indeed had fights while in the guild, but the article twisted it to make it seem worse than it is. Besides, if I had seen any suspicious behavior prohibited by the contract, I would have notified the guild already.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go back, there are too many people here now.¡±


    As they returned, Tsutomu quickly finished up and ced hisst gem on the counter. The dwarf girl gave the wooden receipt to Tsutomu, who hurriedly left the store and began heading towards their next stop.


    They first arrived at the cksmith store which Garm and Camille frequent, before heading towards the cleaning shop. Everywhere Tsutomu went, it seemed that everyone was giving him death stares, and each time Garm kept groaning loudly to disy his annoyance.


    Theirst stop was the forest drugstore. Usually, during the morning, when the store was not open yet, there would be a line of adventurers lining up outside its doors. Then, when they realize that the health potions are all sold out, they would just disperse and go about their other errands. Taking a deep breath, Tsutomu entered the forest drugstore.


    After Tsutomu approached the counter and rang the bell, he heard a familiar screaming as the old elfdy approached with her cane. Although Tsutomu was prepared to be turned away by her, he was greeted with her pleasant smile as before.


    ¡°Oh, Tsutomu? When I read that newspaper article, I was so shocked to know what I know now! It must have been tough outside, then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Well then, it¡¯ll be another mana potion today, I assume?¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s throat trembled at the pleasant reception he had received from the elfdy, and as he watched her prepare the potion, he almost shed a few tears.


    The inn clerk of the inn where he had spent 1 month at kicked him out, saying that the other customers wanted nothing to do with him. He could understand that people wouldn¡¯t want to have their stores reputation ruined. However, it was the people like the old elfdy, who still treated him nicely, that really made his day.


    The elfdy turned around and was shocked to see Tsutomu in such a state, and began stroking his head. At this point, Tsutomu had already burst out crying.


    ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s the real story? Isn¡¯t it obvious if you look at Amy¡¯s expressions?¡±


    ¡°Amy came here?¡±


    ¡°She came here after hearing the sale for blue potions. At that time, I was hearing so many things about you that I didn¡¯t know what to believe.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Anyways thanks for everything.¡±


    After bowing 3 times towards the elfdy, he left the drugstore.


    As they said their goodbyes, Garm began to head towards the gem exchange store, making sure not to be noticed by Tsutomu.

 Chapter 20, To The Valley

    <h4>Chapter 20, To The Valley</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    Tsutomu spent the remaining half of his day and the day after practicing Fly. Slowly but surely, he was able to increase the time he could remain in the air, little by little, eventually falling into the sea each time.


    The next day, they began another exploration into the dungeon. As always, Tsutomu wore his pale white robes and trousers, while Garm, on the other hand, was in silver armor. He had recently switched his shield, upgrading it to a bigger one that would cover his entire body.


    Camille, however, looked like a joke wearing bright red, long-sleeved leather armor while carrying around her gigantic iron sword. However, the back part of her leather armor had been torn when she transformed into a dragon, and her pale-colored skin was exposed. Tsutomu joined the others at the guild, praying that he wouldn¡¯t see any disgusting scales on her back.


    As soon as the 3 teleported to 51st floor, they were greeted by a strong wind. The valley was surrounded by greenery, and you could see thick forests and waterfalls all around.


    While surveying the area around them, Tstuomu took out a health potion.


    ¡°Camille, you go look around for any enemies.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Can you give me Fly?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Fly!¡±


    Tsutomu gripped his cane and gave Camille the power of flight. As she felt a small breeze touching her hair, she began to levitate.


    After seeing her off, he began funneling his potion into a small bottle.


    He ced the remainder of the potion on his belt and hooked it firmly so that it would not fall. After giving the small bottle to Garm, he also began recing his own used mana potions.


    Tsutomu probably should have prepared all this beforehand, but he had heard from the drugstore¡¯s old elfdy that the potions wouldst longer when in the dungeon.


    Potions weren¡¯t just medicines, but they were also magic, in a sense. These magical potions are created using an assortment of magical techniques and tools to seal magic into the potion containers. So, as soon as the bottle¡¯s lid is opened, the magic begins to seep out almost immediately.


    However, in the dungeon, there is an abundance of magical gemsing from the monster¡¯s deaths, and thus more magical density in the atmosphere, dying the deterioration of potions.


    After refilling his mana potion container, Tsutomu secured it on his belt and moved around to see if it would fall off. After that, he activated Fly on himself and began to levitate.


    His speed in the air was the same as his walking speed, but he was now able to maintain his bnce. While he was warming up, Camille came flying back in her dragon form. When she was above them, she broke her momentum and fell down.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found the ck Door already. It¡¯s over there.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s amazing luck.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also memorized its approximate location.¡±


    The adventurers have figured out that the dungeon¡¯s terrain changes every day, however, there were still things like some characteristic terrain, or safe spots and the ck Doors that remainmon. So, if you know the approximate location, things be easier to find.


    Camille got out dragon form, removing her wings and leaving a gaping hole in her back, which was quickly covered by her long hair.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t look at me like that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±


    Feeling a bit shy, Tstuomu handed over a small health potion to Camille, before he gave the order to begin their adventure.


    Garm and Camille walked, while Tsutomu levitated slightly off the ground in order to practice Fly. The road to the ck Door was a long one, and Tsutomu periodically lost bnce and had to be supported by Garm.


    As they were traversing through the mountains, bushes around them began to shake. Tsutomu noticed a few wolves in the area before they blended into the green background. The wolves were approaching the three quickly, causing the grass to vibrate in their wake.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Grass Bandit Wolf. Garm, use Combat Cry while Camille nks their far left.¡±


    While still hovering in the air, Tsutomu activated Protect on both Garm and Camille. As Garm approached head-on, with shield in hand, his Combat Cry gave off bright fiery lights, drawing attention as Camille stayed hidden.


    Three Grass Wolves formed a line and attacked Garm, who struck them down with a short sword he kept on him.


    ¡°Shield Bash!¡±


    Activating the skill, Garm pushed one of his feet forward, before rushing towards one of the wolves. Only colorless gems remained after the wolf¡¯s agonizing screams.


    Camille sword struck one of the wolves that were frightened at the sight of its fallenrades, shattering its bones and turning it into an assortment of gems.


    Tsutomu, scared that there were still wolves lurking around, told Garm to activate his new skill Howl. By striking his shield and then amplifying that sound, Garm would attract the hiding enemies.


    From behind, a wolf was attracted by the sound and jumped at Garm, who spun around and shed it with his sword.


    After they had confirmed there were no other enemies nearby, they collected a colorless phantom gem and continued on.


    After other encounters with Grass Wolves, Red Grizzly Bears, and the Wild Boar, they had reached the 52nd floor rather easily.


    Like the 51st floor, the valley on the 52nd was still surrounded by greenery, except this time its forests felt thicker.


    After replenishing his blue potion, Tsutomu began to feel a slight pain in his ears. He flew over to Garm and held up one of his ears.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your ears hurt?¡±


    ¡°If you keep doing that it will.¡±


    ¡°So it doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Not much.¡±


    Tsutomu began to wonder if the pain was simply from his failure to take into ount the altitude. He had overlooked these simple things since he was so loaded with game knowledge.


    [I wonder what would happen to my ears if I suddenly fly to a high ce.]


    Although he had a vague understanding of why this happens at high altitudes, he tried to bypass it with some clever breathing techniques while waiting for Camille to return. He¡¯d heard stories about people moving to low altitudes too quickly, causing their eardrums to expand rapidly and burst, resulting in a loss of hearing.


    As Tsutomu was experimenting with blowing his nose, he caught a glimpse of Camille flying back from a distance. She shook her head, indicating she hadn¡¯t found the ck Door yet, and returned to Tsutomu.


    ¡°Do you get earaches from time to time?¡±


    ¡°Yup. If you¡¯re new, you get used to the pain eventually.¡±


    ¡°Are there any solutions?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know of any. I¡¯m just used to it.¡±


    They continued the mountainous path with Tsutomu¡¯s pain growing increasingly unbearable.


    ¡°Wait. There are two Horned Deers up ahead.¡±


    ¡°Can we go around it?¡±


    ¡°Killing it¡¯s faster. Come.¡±


    Clutching one of his ears in pain, Tsutomu applied Protect to Camille.


    [Come on already]


    Camille¡¯s sword greeted one of the deer, who went crazy and started running around.


    Garm, on the other hand, was fighting the other deer. As it rammed into him, he noticed that their horns were powerful enough to not break on collision with his shield.


    Their rushes were also powerful. Garm felt that it wasn¡¯t good to receive it head-on, and tried to take it at an angle.


    During this time, Camille had broken her 2nd horn, causing the deer to sit down on the ground, shrieking, as if it were surrendering a war.


    Camille decapitated the neck that was being presented to her, turning the deer into a medium-sized gem before rushing to Garm¡¯s aid.


    The deer trying to break through Garm¡¯s shield was struck on the side of its skull by Camille, turning it into another gem, which they began collecting.


    Starting from the 53rd floor, they would begin seeing a spike in monster difficulty. There would be a humanoid monster the size of an adult, but with the green skin of a goblin.


    They would possess an intelligence that allowed them to use tools and weapons, and, ording to some, even magic. Tsutomu began to brace himself for what was toe on the 53rd floor, while Camille felt this fuzzy feeling of worry on her back.

 Chapter 21, First Flight

    <h4>Chapter 21, First Flight</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    Entering the ck Door hidden behind the waterfall, Tsutomu found himself on the 53rd floor. Since the altitude had loweredpared to the previous floor, his ears had finally stopped ringing.


    ¡°Starting from here, the orcs will being out in whole ns.¡±


    ¡°The birds back there were quite scary. I think Camille will be fine, but you and I should start being more cautious, Garm.¡±


    The valley is home to theserge birds that like to grab people with theirrge ws before bringing them high up in the sky and dropping them. Its universally disliked by adventurers, since they often have to use Fly to deal with it.


    Since Camille is quite adept at aerial maneuvering, she was in little danger; however, there were times where she couldn¡¯t break free easily. Since she had just been sent away by Tsutomu, he was currently crouched nervously on the floor, praying that if a bird came, it would go for Garm instead.


    After preparing his potions, he looked to the sky and noticed Camille, flying in human form. Behind her, he also noticed a spot, which seemed to be growing bigger and bigger. As Camille drew close, the spot was now big enough for Tsutomu to identify what it was. It was a bird.


    Tsutomu turned to Garm and spoke.


    ¡°Practice time.¡±


    Camillended next to them, grinning. The ugly bird circled them from up high, examining the 3, before swooping down on Tsutomu, firmly grasping him on his sides.


    ¡°Tsutomu!¡±


    Garm¡¯s voice soon faded as he was brought up higher by the bird. Tsutomu could no longer move, it was as though he had been tied up with a rope. Moving his eyes around, he tried to be conscious of the situation.


    When Tsutomu finally calmed down, he was greeted by scenery akin to that you would see from a ferris wheel. After letting out a huge roar, the bird sent Tsutomu flying in the opposite direction, falling headfirst.


    [What is this, what is this!]


    Beginning to spin rapidly, Tsutomu could not do anything but panic mid-air. It was as though he was inside a washing machine. Stabilizing a bit, the white cane in his hand came to view. Concentrating, he screamed.


    ¡°Fly!¡±


    Soon after, his body slowly began being lifted by the wind beneath him, but it soon stopped. Although his momentum was slightly slowed down, he would still die at this rate. Tsutomu began to think.


    Under the fear of death, Tsutomu could not concentrate well enough to activate Fly. He tried a few more times, but only feels a slight wind blow from beneath him before stopping again. His momentum was continuously decreasing, but only slightly.


    As the trees became visible, Tsutomu¡¯s consciousness began to fade. However, a few moments before impact, Camille swooped in and saved him.


    Slowly decreasing their momentum, they descended safely towards the ground. Tsutomu scrambled to the ground.


    ¡°Tsutomu, can you even fly? Try it again yourself.¡±


    Tsutomu was shocked at Camille¡¯s face, which was suddenly right next to him. After a while, the wind was able to support his body, and he left Camille¡¯s hold.


    ¡°How is it? It¡¯s just like swimming in the air, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Tsutomu descended again to the ground while trying to conceal his frightened tears from Camille. Camille tapped Tsutomu lightly on the back.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s your first time in the canyons, it¡¯s okay to be afraid. But just make sure you learn from this and be more cautious around the birds next time, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Thanks for helping me.¡±


    From Camille¡¯s face, it was obvious she felt sorry for Tsutomu. He brought herself close to Tsutomu¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Back when I was still in a n, we would do this thing when a cheeky neer woulde. We¡¯d watch them for a while without helping, then we¡¯d help only when they begin crying!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, um, let¡¯s get back to Garm.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s let him experience it too!¡±


    Along with Camille, who had a mean smile on her face, Tsutomu rushed towards Garm, who was delighted to see Tsutomu safe.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Since then, Garm and Tsutomu would be abducted several more times by the giant birds. Garm was able tond safely even on his first time, but he hurt his leg a little bit. Tsutomu, however, kept having to be saved multiple times by Camille.


    Eventually, Tsutomu learned how to use Fly and was able tond safely on his own. Camille said this was because Fly was easier to learn when you¡¯re only going up and down.


    As they were climbing up a narrow mountain road, with Garm at the lead, they heard footsteps from behind them slowly getting louder. Tsutomu nced at the other two, before advancing ahead of them and applying Protect.


    Suddenly, 3 green-skinned orcs leaped out and began rushing towards them. The orcs were a little taller than Garm and were wearing light brown loincloths whilst holding swords and small shields in their hands.


    ¡°Combat Cry.¡±


    The orcs were aggravated by Garm¡¯s red aura and drew in faster, shing at Garm with arms as thick as logs. Garm received the attack with his shield and was forced into the ground.


    Garm fought back, lunging with his sword and piercing halfway through the orc¡¯s arm, but it did not care. After the orc had regained its footing, it stuck out its shoulder and charged again towards Garm, who was able to withstand the attack. From behind it, the other two orcs also began to charge at Garm.


    ¡°Shield Bash!¡±


    Garm quickly pushed away the orc with his shield, before turning around to deal with the other orcs who were rapidly approaching from around him.


    Camille showed up and began to attack the orc on Garm¡¯s right.


    ¡°Power Thrash!¡±


    Camille¡¯srge sword swung down on the orc and cut through it like butter, cutting it into two halves. Particles flew around in a flurry as the orc turned into mere gems.


    As Camille went to fight the orc that Garm had blown away, Garm turned his attention towards thest orc, which was again charging towards him. Instead of deflecting its attack with his shield, he dodged it instead, causing it to fall towards the ground.


    ¡°Shield Slow.¡±


    Garm, saying his skill¡¯s name in a soft voice, threw his shield on the orc. The sharp part of the shield pierced through the orc¡¯s torso, before swiftly returning to Garm¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Holy Wing.¡±


    Tsutomu unleashed his new spell on the orc, which now had a gaping hole in its body. Tworge, white wings began to form in front of Tsutomu. When they were fully formed, they were released by Tsutomu and went rushing at the orc, which died and turned into gems.


    Tsutomu approached the green gems and stooped down, collecting them. At this point, they caught a glimpse of Camille, who was returning after a victorious fight against the remaining orc.


    From Camille¡¯s side, a red demon bear jumped out of the bushes. It stood up, showing its red belly and letting out a huge roar. It was likely taller than the orcs. Camille, however, ignored it and began to run hastily towards Tsutomu and Garm.


    The demon bear got on all fours and began heading towards the 3. Despite its big body, it ran at such a great speed that they wouldn¡¯t be able to outrun it easily. At Tsutomu¡¯s signal, Garm prepared to attack the bear.


    The bear stepped back and opened its mouth wide, releasing a roar that shook the entire forest before engaging Garm in battle. Its cries seemed powerful enough to rival even Garm¡¯s Warrior Howl.


    Garm felt that he couldn¡¯t handle the full force of the charging bear, so he dodged the attack by sidestepping to his right, with the bear grazing the side of his shield. Camille was now urging him to attack the bear, who was momentarily defenseless as it tried to break its momentum. But as Garm moved towards it, it attacked him with its hind legs.


    If Garm were to take the bear¡¯s attacks at its full force, even at his high defense level, he would likely have broken a few bones. Undeterred, Garm gripped his shield tighter and advanced forward yet again.


    During this time, Tsutomu had separated himself slightly from the 2, searching around the area in case any monsters were still lurking. However, the bushes that surrounded the path were quite thick, and Tsutomu soon had to rejoin them, unable to see anything. As Garm continued to dodge the bear¡¯s attacks, Tsutomu continued casting Protect while maintaining a vignt watch for any iing enemies.


    Garm was put on a continuous retreat by the bear¡¯s attacks. Due to the frequency of its attacks, Garm couldn¡¯t see any weaknesses that he would be able to exploit. As soon as he was finished blocking the most recent attack, he began to see the bear¡¯s w closing in on him from his peripheral vision. He nts his feet firmly on the ground and receives the attack with his shield. However, the sheer force of the w was enough to make him copse to the floor.


    Suddenly, while the bear was preparing to deliver the final blow, Garm saw a gigantic sword fly over his head and pierce the bear¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Wooooo!¡±


    Camille drove the sword all the way through the bear¡¯s belly, splitting its body and scattering its organs on the ground and turning it into yet another flurry of particles and gems.


    A nervous silence came over the battleground. As Tsutomu surveyed the area around them, he woefully noticed a pack of wolves beginning to circle around them.


    ¡°Uhh, I wanted to eat lunch already.¡±


    As Tsutomu began giving his instructions to the other two, three other orcs ran into the clearing in front of them.


    ¡°Garm, you deal with both the orcs and the wolves. Camille, I¡¯ll give you Haste to deal with the orcs. If you can, try to take down some wolves as well.¡±


    Garm immediately activates Combat Cry in response to Tsutomu¡¯s instructions, spreading his red aura across the battlefield. On the other side of the clearing, Camille was using haste to deal with one of the orcs.


    Garm was now being attacked by two orcs and four wolves. He would periodically blow away the orcs using his shield, buying him time to attack the wolves.


    The four wolves were now closing the distance, surrounding Garm almost entirely. At this point, Garm¡¯s movement was heavily restricted.


    As the first wolf lunged at Garm, Garm bashed it with hisrge shield, sending it flying towards the bushes. Seeing theirrade¡¯s failure, the other 3 lunged at Garm.


    Garm bashed one wolf with his shield, but the second wolf got through his defense and destroyed his posture and pushed him towards the floor while the final wolf sunk its teeth into his leggings.


    There was initially no problem, since his legs were heavily armored, but eventually one of the wolves began trying to bite into his neck. Garm tried to twist his body sideways while throwing away one of the salivating wolves.


    ¡°Air sh!¡±


    The wolves attacking Garm were blown away almost instantly by the spell. Garm got up immediately and kicked thest wolf off of his leg, causing it to give off a shrill scream.


    Garm turned towards the orcs. He grabbed onto one of its hands, stopping its advance whilst blocking its attack with his shield. Of course, one hand was not enough, and Garm¡¯s feet began to give way to the orc¡¯s force. Breaking off his hold on the orc, he quickly retreated backward.


    Turning around, he noticed a wolf charging to him from his nk. He dodged its attack and pierced its throat with his sword.


    Suddenly, he was struck by a strong blow from behind and was sent flying into the bushes.


    Surveying the battle, Tsutomu clenched his staff.


    [Let¡¯s end it. Protect 20. Haste 40. I don¡¯t care about the aggro.]


    Tsutomu mmed his cane into one of the wolves¡¯ skulls, dodging attacksing from the rest of them while also applying Heal and Protect to Garm.


    The orc attacking Garm had since been in by Camille. Garm stood up quickly, recovering easily thanks to Tsutomu¡¯s healing.


    Garm left thest wolf to Camille and began heading back towards Tsutomu.


    As soon as they confirmed that all the enemies had been defeated, Tsutomu began collecting the gems before he reconvened with the other 2.


    As he finished up the collection, he rejoined Garm and Camille, remembering to stay vignt as he made his way up the mountain path.

 Chapter 22, Request For Aid

    <h4>Chapter 22, Request For Aid</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    After climbing the narrow mountain path and finding the gate to the 54th level, the three decided to take a break. Tsutomu took out tools from the magic bag and prepared them.


    First, he spread the folded mat andid it on the ground. The mat, made of slime, feltfortable to touch, so sitting on it was less tiring than sitting on the hard ground. As Tsutomu told Camille and Garm to rest, they took off their shoes and sat down on the mat.


    Garm took off his silver armor, as his ck inner shirt was drenched with sweat. Camille moved her body around while sitting to enjoy the feel of the mat.


    Tsutomu embedded a magic tool, much like a stove¡¯s fire, into the ground. When a was ced on top and a magic stone was thrown in from the bottom, and a knob was twisted, a small red fire appeared.


    He put a pot on the and warmed the pot, and took a deep te and a t te out of the magic bag. He ced a round bread filled with dried fruits engraved like dice on the t te.


    While gazing at the white and thick stew with ingredients warming up, Tsutomu added a colorless scrap magic stone to the stove to adjust the firepower. He used to pay for food at an inn that made a variety of stews, but now he was sleeping in a dormitory with Garm, so this stew is handmade.


    ¡°¡­Mm, don¡¯t make loud footsteps. There¡¯s two, no, three.?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, are there orcs? What bad luck.¡±


    There are basically no monsters in the vicinity as you exit from the gate, so it is safe. However, very rarely, you may encounter monsters. Tsutomu began to extinguish and store the valuable magic stove.


    ¡°No, those are probably investigators. I can hear them speaking too.¡±


    Garm, with his dog¡¯s ears tilted forward, gets dressed, puts on his armor and gets up. Tsutomu widened his eyes upon hearing Garm¡¯s words.


    ¡°Are they on our side? Are theying closer?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Kukuku. Maybe it will be a battle. We might be mistaken for monsters.¡±


    Tsutomu had seen other parties several times in the dungeon, but they didn¡¯t interfere with each other. Even if they did, it was brief, and they didn¡¯t interact further.


    Adventurers couldn¡¯t join up in the dungeon even if they saw their peers. The ck gate only epted the first party that entered, and once opened, the gate disappeared and relocated to a different location.


    As such, there is no reason to interact with other searchers in the dungeon, so non-interference was rmended. However, if you know the characteristics of the ce where the gate appears, and you are making progress, there¡¯ll bepetition in getting there.


    There was a threat surrounding the parties on the lower floors. Theft of magic stones. By stalking parties and extorting them to get to the gates, people could get into fights, but after the 30th floor, the probability of being watched by the eyes of God increased, so the practice became lessmon on the higher floors.


    Then what kind of purpose did they approach for? Tsutomu, who prepared for the most disgusting monsters that he could imagine, was focused on the sounds of the bushes while holding his staff.


    ¡°Oi. You¡¯re Garm, right?¡±


    A human man came out with a crazy voice. Dressed in armor simr to Garm¡¯s, he carried a bird-like woman. The silver armor dripped with red blood.


    Behind them is an avian woman, with bright blue feathers on her arms. She had horned bird¡¯s legs below her knees, and she looked at Garm with a rxed expression, ying with her blue hair. As Tsutomu saw this, he was shocked.


    Garm crossed his arms. He didn¡¯t know this man.


    ¡°And who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Missil. The leader of the Silver Beast n.¡±


    Tsutomu had heard of the name of the n and had seen them several times as he scouted the valley through the medium-sized monitors. A mid-sized n, where most of the n members are made up of demi-humans. The impression that the fifties were captured by a partyposed of birds was still strong in Tsutomu.


    Garm let his arms rest, being familiar with the n.


    ¡°¡­ What do you need? It¡¯s clear just by looking, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Our healer and baggage have been killed, and we have serious injuries. I want to retreat, but I can¡¯t go back to the first gate. I¡¯ll give you all the magic stones I¡¯ve gotten.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Wait a minute. I¡¯ll get permission from the party leader¡­ Tsutomu. I would like to lend a hand if possible, but what about it?¡±


    Garm, who received a request for help from the brown-headed man named Missil, looked back at Tsutomu. Camille sat down on the mat as he asked, leaving the decision to Tsutomu.


    But Missil had a bitter face with his head down. This was Lucky Boy, who had forced Amy to follow his orders. Garm was pleased to find a friend in these birds, but it had fallen out of his head that Lucky Boy was his party leader.


    Missil spected that Garm, who was deeplypassionate, could not forgive such tyranny even though Amy was a bad friend. Missil also thought that Garm was also weak. If so, it could be exined why Garm was with Tsutomu.


    Then only the guild leader could stop him, but she also sat on the mat with an unfamiliar face. Spections, close to conspiracies, on whether Lucky Boy had the information necessary to get the guild leader to follow him, flew through Missil¡¯s head.


    What did Lucky Boy require? Perhaps he liked women, as with Amy¡¯s case. If he were told to give up the women beside him, Missil would regret making such a request. He put his face down, determined.


    Without knowing what Missil was thinking, Tsutomu decided to take on his request for aid.


    ¡°First of all, let¡¯s treat those behind you. They¡¯re dead, so this will take a toll on my mental strength.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m grateful.¡±


    Raise was a skill that could revive people within three minutes of death, had a much higher mental consumption. A bird-woman with red wings was devoured by a monster, her leather armor dyed red and her internal organs visible.


    Tsutomu had tried to get used to the sight through the monitor, but seeing it in the flesh was a different experience. Hiding his disgust, Tsutomu spoke to Missil.


    ¡°Is this the only injury?¡±


    ¡°Her legs are broken too. Other than that, yes.¡±


    Tsutomu held his staff up over the yellow bird legs, concerning himself over whether or not they would heal.


    ¡°I understand. Well then¡­ you there. Can you roll up your leather armor? Also, return the leg to its normal position.¡±


    The blue birdman that heard Tsutomu¡¯s request rolled up the leather armor and ced her leg back in the normal position. A voice of anguish leaked from her trembling body. Tsutomu, having grasped the full extent of the injury, cast recovery skills.


    ¡°Medic. High Heal.¡±


    After applying Medic to cured the abnormal conditions first, he closed the wounds with High Heal. Tsutomu was relieved that this cured her broken legs as well. For the first time, he had saved a life, but the woman¡¯splexion was still bad, so he tried doing body-wide heals. When the recovery wasplete, a red birdman got Missil¡¯s attention by tapping his shoulder.


    ¡°Huh? That guy isn¡¯t in our guild.¡±


    ¡°This person helped us.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. Thank you¡­¡±


    Missil returned a bitter smile to the red birdman, seeing Tsutomu¡¯s face and hardening his expression. He felt as if he had to be on guard against Tsutomu.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go for lunch now. If you haven¡¯t had lunch yet, you cane join us.¡±


    Camille warmed up the stew by adding magic stones to the magic stove and shook their hands. After looking at each other, the three bowed their heads and asked for lunch.


    The stew, eaten in a forest with a slightly chilly wind, warmed them from the core with a simple taste. Missil, who usually dined in the dungeon with dry bread and dried meat, quickly ate the stew.


    ¡°Delicious. Hot food is good, ain¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Do you want seconds?¡±


    ¡°¡­sorry, is that alright?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m d if you can eat this. Our party members will stay silent.¡±


    As Tsutomu handed a bowl of stew to Missil, Garm put his bowl on the mat, shrugging his shoulders.


    ¡°¡­Tsutomu, this is delicious.¡±


    ¡°Just like the inn¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Can I go for seconds?¡±


    While Tsutomu attended to Garm¡¯s request, Camille got a bowl as well. As such, the two birds were reluctant to decline the offer, and two more pieces of bread were simmered in the stew.


    Missil looked at the three people who were talking with each other and wondered if there was a secret Lucky Boy was hiding from them. However, he thought that it was not good to have those thoughts in a situation like this, so he suppressed them.


    Tsutomu washed the dishes lightly with water, put them carefully in a special bag, and then stored them in the magic bag. Garm also folded up the mat and handed it over.


    ¡°Now, Missil, are you going back to the gate? Where is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just down the mountain. It¡¯s not far away. Leave battling the monsters to us, though we might need your help if there are too many.¡±


    Cooperation could not be taken at face value. Tsutomu smiled and epted the offer, even though he thought they should fight separately.


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll support when I can afford it. It¡¯s basically just casting Protect, so it¡¯s not particrly straining.¡±


    ¡°Ah, please do.¡±


    And so, the three party members and the Silver Beast n descended the mountain. Monsters appeared as soon as they noticed the scent of blood. There were five orcs, each with a weapon. Missil grabbed the kukri hanging from his waist, and the two birdmen went up into the trees.


    Tsutomu cast Protect from behind onto the three. With an ochre-colored aura behind him, Missil concentrated on the orc in front of him, looking back for a moment.


    It was more than 2 meters tall, and strong. If an ordinary person received a punch from it in the face, it would be powerful enough to cause their skull to copse. The orc tried to attack Missil with a club.


    ¡°Fatal des.¡±


    As the skill was named, the kukri blurred. At that moment, the kukri cut through the club, and Missil pierced through the orc¡¯s heart. He twisted the de to widen the wound, and then pulled it out.


    ¡°Feather Dance.¡±


    A birdman who was waiting in the trees, perching with her ws, spread her wings from above, and a lot of dartlike feathersnded on the orc. Missil swung his kukri towards the orc, whose face was covered with its arms so as not to damage its eyes.


    He cut through the tendons of both its legs. As the kukri passed through the neck of the orc as well, its blue blood dyed the grass on the ground. Tsutomu was impressed.


    The kukri sword cut legs and necks. Missil treated the orcs as if they were fish, and the five orcs turned into magic stones.


    ¡°Two Red Grizzlies to the east. One Uliboar to the north. If this keeps up, there might be a Verdant Wolfing too.¡±


    Many omnivorous monsters had been attracted by blood. Tsutomu gave information about where the monsters were while keeping an eye out for the Verdant Wolf. Missil sighed deeply and headed towards the Uliboar. The Red Grizzlies were restrained by the ws of two birdmen flying around.


    The Uliboar fired two earth-colored tusks towards Missil. Avoiding the tusk on the left, Missil knocked the remaining one to the ground.


    The Uliboar¡¯s fangs were dangerous not only at long distances but also at short distances, so stopping them from regrowing was ideal. Missil held the kukri diagonally.


    ¡°Double Attack.¡±


    Double Attack instantly performed a two-stroke attack. It was an easy skill to train for warrior-type jobs. As Missil used this familiar skill, the Uliboar¡¯s cheeks were scraped off. The Uliboar faltered after receiving the attack.


    Missil tried to beat it to death, but a green blur passed him by. The Verdant Wolf.


    Missil rolled back. The wolf¡¯s fangs easily prated the back of his hand, which was protected with hard leather gloves, and the kukri in his hand fell to the ground. The Verdant Wolf shook its head from side to side, rejoicing that it had triumphed over its prey.


    Missil forcibly pushed his hand into the back of the Verdant Wolf¡¯s mouth without screaming. He continued to shove his hand up its throat. Then, when the Verdant Wolf began to feed, it was beaten up with Missil¡¯s left hand.


    The Verdant Wolf fell with a thud. Missil rolled around to avoid the fangs that had been blown out of the earthen soil. The fangs pierced the ground, cutting through the grass.


    Missil¡¯s dominant hand was crushed. Seeing his crushed right hand. He picked up the kukri from the ground with his feet and held it with his left hand. When he approached the Verdant Wolf, still on the ground disoriented, a green sh flew towards Missil¡¯s right hand.


    The pain in his right hand gradually eased, surprising Missil and causing him to stop for a bit, but he pierced the grass wolf¡¯s head with the kukri sword in his left hand. A ssh of light soared with a whisper.


    Missil, who hadpletely restored his right hand and held the kukri in it, went to finish the Uliboar. It seems that the Verdant Wolf went to the Red Grizzlies, but Garm and Camille were there to help. Missil concentrated on the enemy in front of him.


    Immediately after its earthen fangs had regrown, Missil cuts its forelegs with a double attack. The Uliboar put its knees on the ground. Missil jumped over the Uliboar and pierced its torso with the kukri. It stabbed the heart, lifted it up, and tore through it. Then the Uliboar rushed to Missil, but exhausted itself and turned into a small magic stone.


    After confirming that the Red Grizzlies were also defeated, Missil looked at his right hand and then looked at Tsutomu, holding the cane.


    [Was that Heal a projectile? Come to think of it, that Protect was the same too¡­]


    Although there was a risk that the monster will be healed and strengthened in the event of a misfire, Missil felt that the support and recovery skills were useful. In fact, Missil felt that his dominant arm was restored and saved.


    [If you hit a monster with that, you¡¯re done for, but if you don¡¯t miss the shot, it¡¯s practical¡­ Why does nobody else do this?]


    The n called Silver Beast was born to raise orphans to be independent. Missil, who was the leader, was a hardworking man. Not as hard as Tsutomu, who worked even on rest days, but he was also up-to-date with dungeon live broadcasts and newspapers. Even then, he had never seen support or recovery skills.


    Even the slightly famous mid-level n that incorporated two white mages into their party didn¡¯t use skills like this. Missil stopped thinking while craning his neck.


    [Let¡¯s try this out when we get back, maybe.]


    Thinking of the face of a white mage who would be waiting in the guild with x-colored clothes, Missil returned to the ce where the five gathered while collecting the magic stones.

 Chapter 23, Myriad Clans

    <h4>Chapter 23, Myriad ns</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    After their most recent encounters, they were attacked by packs of monsters at least 3 more times, defeating all of them without danger and advancing steadily. Since the only enemies on this level were birds, midway through their journey, Tsutomu suggested flying the rest of the way to more easily deal with them. Missil chose to stay at ground level to chase after the gems that went rolling down the mountain.


    Tsutomu himself seemed to be impressed by Missil, studying him as they continued on. He began to enthusiastically ask him for various information about the valley.


    ¡°Were you also snatched easily by the birds at first?¡±


    As they descended further, Tsutomu began to see the exit of the forest secretly camouged. Missil appeared to be a little anxious at the question, before breaking it off with augh.


    ¡°Haha, the valley became so popr when the mid-tier ns like mine began to make it in, so I died a lot here. How about you, Tsutomu?¡±


    Tsutomu and Missil began to strike up a conversation as they journeyed on, rting and sympathizing with each other until Missil moved towards Camille.


    ¡°You guys are mostly fine, right? This terrain favors birds anyways.¡±


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯ve been injured countless times since we¡¯ve arrived here.¡±


    The red bird woman seemed quite relieved thanks to Tsutomu¡¯s healing spells and was now spreading her wings wider. Tsutomu was still being subjected toints about Missil, but after they had run out of things to whine about Tsutomu brought up something of interest to him.


    ¡°By the way, the Feather Dance skill. Isn¡¯t it going to disappear?¡±


    ¡°No. Although it looks like you¡¯re making the feathers fly, you¡¯re not actually doing it. It¡¯s that kind of skill. It won¡¯t change that quickly.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then does it differ with the real Feather Dance in any way?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you think you know so much since you¡¯re human? We¡¯ve had a lot of practice, that¡¯s all.¡±


    He knew about Feather Dance from his experience in the game. It was a skill that cut off the enemy¡¯s sightline with feathers and lowered their uracy and was usually used as an attack skill.


    ¡°Oh, hey, Mr. Garm. I heard that you¡¯ve helped countless of my friends. Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just what I do, no need to thank me.¡±


    ¡°Would you mind shaking my hand if that¡¯s fine?¡±


    ¡°I would but not right now. We must stay alert for monsters.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    The girl with blue wings was quite embarrassed, turning her face red. Garm stayed attentive and continued the conversation.


    ¡°When we get back to the guild, we¡¯ll receive our shares of the bounty from Missil. Until then, it¡¯s important to stay on guard.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, sure, sure!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do good here.¡±


    The blue bird girl danced in front of Garm as they continued their journey. Garm did not neglect his vignce of the surroundings, even in such a situation.


    They eventually reached the area specified by Missil without encountering any monsters. As the two birdwomen lowered their altitude, the ck Door began to appear.


    Exhaling deeply, Missil pushed the gates open before turning around and facing Tsutomu, bowing generously.


    ¡°Thank you for helping me keep my gear safe. This thank youes from the entire Silver Beast n, and I¡¯ll make sure to reward you more at the guild.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m sure you would have done the same.¡±


    ¡°No. I know most other parties would have abandoned us without any second thoughts.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just how I was taught. I had a great teacher who always emphasized the importance of my values, right Garm?¡±


    Garm turned silent, his ears folded halfway and his tail drooping. Seeing the awkwardness in the situation, Missil tried to break the silence.


    ¡°Garm you¡¯re a great guy. Don¡¯t tire yourself out too much, okay?¡±


    Missil was stroking the heads of the 2 bird-people next to each other. Together with the, he began his descent into the ck Door. Garm epted the kind words in silence. Missil turned back again to Tsutomu to gain his attention.


    ¡°You still going?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll probably keep adventuring until 18:00. I¡¯ve already cleared today¡¯s quota, but I¡¯d like to make it to the 56th floor.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re aiming for the gorge? Well, if there¡¯s anyone who can do it, it¡¯s you.¡±


    Missil nced at Camille resting on her giant sword before turning back to Tsutomu.


    ¡°Wyverns sometime seem to drop the Great Demon Stone. If you can get that, it¡¯ll be worth a lot of money. That¡¯s our goal right now.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re careful with the poison you can probably hunt it efficiently.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re gonna level up. It doesn¡¯t make sense if we farm a stone we can¡¯t even get. Oh, when do you have time to give us our reward?¡±


    ¡°How about 19:00?¡±


    ¡°Alright. Wait around desk 1 at the guild receptionist.¡±


    Tsutomu checked his pocket watch as he confirmed the meeting ce with Missil.


    ¡°Tsutomu, you¡¯re a good guy. I was cautious when I saw the article.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. That means a lot.¡±


    They said their goodbyes before Missil disappeared into the ck Door.


    ¡°Now, are we going to find the 55th floor¡¯s ck Door?¡±


    Tsutomu looked back at Garm and Camille and grinned.


    _______________________________________________________________


    After they had traveled for another 4 and a half hours, the party had cleared the 55th floor and found the ck Door heading to the 56th floor. They all excitedly rushed through it.


    The area they were transported to was not and where you woulde to see lush, green, forests but rather a deadnd. Tsutomu¡¯s skin was exposed to heat as he blocked the intense light with his arms and tried to look around.


    Light brown hills towered around them, and it looked like cliffs were about to copse. The area where the 3 were transported was a little way away from the highest cliff. Tsutomu stared at the cliff before they re-entered the ck Door.


    Deciding to head back to the guild, for now, the 3 arrived in front of the ck Door at the guild feeling as though they were floating.


    The time was 18:30, which was around the time when workers would begin to leave their shifts. Tsutomu lined up at the crowded reception area and collected their unused potions from Garm and Camille. As Tsutomu stored them in his magic bag, he nced over at the guild¡¯s huge TV screen.


    The TV was currently disying one of the major ns flying above the ravines and fighting off a wyvern. Thin wings shone an earth-like green in the Sun as it pped up and down. At the end of its long tail, you could see numerous spikes ready to pierce whoever dared attack it.


    Four attackers cut through the wind and rushed towards the wyvern, aiming for its wings. One was pped by its wings and began to fall to the ground. In the meantime, the other 3 rushed even faster towards the wyvern.


    The attackers just kept on going aggressive without any thought put towards defense as they boldly tried to cut through its wings.


    The final 2 attackers were finally able to pierce the wyvern, killing it. In a sh of light gems began to fall towards the ground. The view switched to their healer who was waiting at the bottom. He picked up some falling equipment before returning to a ck Door, causing the TV to switch channels.


    This was the typical hunting style of the big n known as the Aldlet Crow. They had many members, so they could manage it anyway. There wereprised of many humans and other creatures, all of ranging age groups. They were split up, with one of their divisions in the ravine and around 20 in the swamps.


    Next, the TV switched to a party of 4 light attackers and a healer.


    It was another big n that was expected to defeat the Fire Dragon next to the Red Demon n. The n was headed by a golden wolfman who was said to have unique skills like Camille. They were the Golden Wolves.


    They were a really major n, and recently they had seeded in crushing the eye of one of the fire dragons, which was why they were rising in poprity.


    During the holidays, Tsutomu has gotten the chance to see the Golden Wolves fight on the big screen. They had plenty of spells to help fight against fire dragons, and their countermeasure equipment were not bad. If you go off of this alone, they could likely beat a fire dragon.


    However, they seemed to revolve around the golden wolfman too much. Tsutomu had seen the other members frequently sacrifice themselves in vain for the wolfman, and the potions were unequally distributed towards their leader. When he dies, however, the party swiftly copses. To Tsutomu, it seemed like a one-man army.


    After a few more minutes of spectating, Tsutomu¡¯s turn had arrived, and he looked away from the TV, renewing his status card at the receptionist¡¯s desk.

 Chapter 24, Running Amy

    <h4>Chapter 24, Running Amy</h4>


    Trantor: TipToe


    The day after the Solit interview. Amy was excited to see her article after the wait and got up unusually early to buy a 200g newspaper.


    While humming, she looked through the headline, with the names of all three party members, and skimmed through. Amy¡¯s eyes were more and more focused.


    Amy was furious. She would not allow this attack by Solit, and so she headed towards Solit Headquarters.


    ¡°Eh, Amy-sama? Why are you here alone?¡±


    ¡°You wrote that article, huh? Correct it now!¡±


    The Solit headquarters was arge three-story building. Amy, who knocked some guards unconscious on the first floor, grabbed Mille¡¯s chest on the second floor and shook her. The surrounding employees ran away, scattered.


    ¡°¡­Ah, you¡¯re threatened by that Lucky Boy again! It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll help you!¡±


    ¡°Haa?! What?! Who said that?!¡±


    ¡°Say no more! I¡¯m announcing the truth, so you¡¯re safe now! You¡¯re not going to get bothered by Lucky Boy anymore!¡±


    There was a clear rift between Amy and Tsutomu. Mille was confident that there was something behind the scenes from the interview. Then, the editor-in-chief, who showed disappointment in the content of the article, forced the staff to make revisions.


    The editor-in-chief, looking at the situation disdainfully, was not afraid to help Amy out of evil hands. Mille had a proud face, seeing as Amy would be rescued. Amy left her like that and ran up the Solit headquarters¡¯ stairs.


    ¡°I thought the bottom floors were chaotic, but it turns out you¡¯re the one behind all this.¡±


    On the third floor, there were three guards in ck uniforms waiting for Amy. Among them, a female guard who was familiar with Amy stepped forward.


    The security team, which had been entrusted with maintaining peace by the nobility who controls thebyrinth city, required the ability to pass thirty levels of the dungeon as part of the entrance examination. Since it is assumed that explorers might be inclined tomit crimes, captains of the guard team usually had to patrol levels in the 40-59 range.


    And unlike explorers who fight against monsters, the guards are professionals in dealing with other people. Even if the Red Demon Group, who was at the forefront of dungeon exploration, were tomit a crime, the guard forces would be able to deal with them easily.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already requested support from the headquarters. Give up.¡±


    ¡°If I get the Solit Chief Officer on my side, will you surrender?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do it. Your disposition isn¡¯t gentle enough.¡±


    ¡°No negotiating then. Boost.¡±


    As soon as the words were heard, Amy held a wooden stick in her hands and charged. Three people faced Amy, who raised her AGI with the skill.


    The stick was a magical tool with a rare thunder magic stone embedded in it. Amy avoided a baton swung at her, and she quickly hit the man¡¯s wrist back. The man stopped.


    Batons approached from the left and right. Amy threw the wooden stick and avoided the batons, crouching. With that posture, she tackled the woman down like a whip.


    ¡°Double Attack.¡±


    The skill was a two-handed blow with bare hands. A man fluttered when he was hit on both sides of his head, his ears ringing. Amy came behind the man, sinking a sword into his neck, as his consciousness faded.


    She then kicked another man¡¯s jaw and picked up the dropped batons. The man, who struck his head against the wall, was swearing. All that remained was the female security guard.


    ¡°Why¡­¡±


    The woman had been sent multiple times to catch Amy in the city. She could actually fight with Amy, bare-handed. She is also a 40th-level strategist like Amy and has also received man-to-manbat training. They couldn¡¯t bete in capturing Amy. There was no margin for error now.


    Amy, who turned to the woman in a hurry, hung the batons that the two men dropped on her waist, and narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, as if bored.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t serious. That was practice.¡±


    ¡°P-practice?¡±


    ¡°Ah, whoops. Forget about that.¡±


    Amy approached the woman with her bare hands. She avoided swinging the batons and instead used them to entangle her. As the woman was rendered unable to move, she hit the ground.


    ¡°Let me go!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Amy tightened an arm around the woman¡¯s neck and restrained her knees with the other. As she stunned the woman by constricting an artery, she picked up a wooden stick and tried to go further.


    ¡°Kitty~?¡±


    ¡°¡­ugh.¡±


    As Amy turned towards the catlike voice, there was a man built like an orc, standing well over 2 meters. Even in the ck uniform, his toned body was visible.


    ¡°I was out running this morning when I got a rescue signal from Solit~. It was Amy-chan, wasn¡¯t it~? Let¡¯s go clothes shopping!¡±


    ¡°This is the worst.¡±


    Amy pulled out her double swords and shed mercilessly at the man, who looked like a lump of muscle. The iron de cut through the part of the uniform of his arm, that was raised to prevent an attack on his face, but it did not pierce his body.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Amy doesn¡¯t stop even as the big man seems to pant. The uniform of the big man was peeled off with her sword, as if in a wild dance. However, Amy feels as if she was shing sandbags.


    There¡¯s more to this man than I thought, Amy said to herself, trying to keep cool. This big man was set apart from the other guards, due to his unique skill, ¡°Muscle Body¡±. He put his hand on his chin and twisted his neck.


    ¡°I can¡¯t gauge the situation well, but getting into Solit and doing this ¡­ you could get arrested, you know?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Yes ¡­ your eyes. I know them well.¡±


    The big man activated a magic tool wrapped around his arm and requested support from headquarters, and clenched both fists.


    ¡°Come at me. I can handle you.¡±


    The man took shes on his face while posing fabulously. Amy, annoyed that she could cut only thin skin with a full attack, hit the man¡¯s arm with a baton that was used by the guards. She turned on a switch to release current from the magic stone in the baton.


    ¡°Ah~ A taste of getting my muscles burned in my morning training~!¡±


    Amy got away from the big man who stretched with a cunning expression. Even the best equipment could not defeat this man. Even so, he had no armor, and he had decent equipment at best. Plus, he already called for support and was just biding his time. It was a hopeless situation.


    Amy thought about running away. If she jumped out of the window and dashed with full power, there was a possibility to escape. What to do? In order to concentrate, she opened both her closed eyes and had a realization.


    Amy chose to fight. There was no time to waste. Aim for his eyes. If he lost vision, there was a chance.


    However, even the big man knew that his face was surely protected. His arms and legs could block any swords.


    ¡°Boost. Double Attack. Rock-breaking de.¡±


    Skills were used one after another, and the big man was shed, but the de didn¡¯t cut. After that, Amy decided to try incapacitation techniques, but the big man was skilled enough to avoid them. Time passed by without anyone getting damaged for a while.


    Amy began to breathe heavily, but the big man was still fine. He was immovable. Still, Amy moved her body even as she began tock oxygen.


    ¡°If your weapons were a bit better, I think we¡¯d have lots more fun!¡±


    His right hand gleefully tried to catch Amy, who had slowed down. Amy got entangled and was pulled down to the ground. However, she grabbed his ankle and jumped.


    The big man got up. Amy rushed and threw a baton at his face. She aimed for the big man¡¯s left hand with her twin swords.


    The big man yed with the swords as if they were toy knives. However, Amy, who approached him, kicked him in the crotch. It was a hit on the man¡¯s most important point.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAHN!¡±


    Amy tried to target the eyes of the big man, who was now screaming, but noticed that her right leg did not move. The big man¡¯s legs pinched Amy¡¯s leg like a vise grip.


    ¡°Fufu~n. I~caught~you~. That was a bit too obvious, wasn¡¯t it, Amy-chan?¡±


    It seems that the big man was expecting to get hit in the privates, and swung his hands towards Amy¡¯s head. However, Amy avoided it by bending her upper body greatly and raised her right leg that was still trapped while pulling her arm back with her left hand. The big man was thrown behind Amy.


    However, Amy¡¯s right leg was still caught, and Amy was thrown with him. In midair, she aimed for the man¡¯s eyes with her swords.


    The sword hit the big man¡¯s eyes. However, the legs that held Amy¡¯s right foot didn¡¯t give out. Amy, who fell to the floor with the big man, immediately took out her foot.


    ¡°Blind.¡±


    It was at that time that ck gas, then yellow, entered the fray. The magic skill caused an abnormal condition. Amy¡¯s field of vision was shrouded in darkness. Her body was numb, and she started to suffocate.


    The headquarters that the big man requested had arrived. Most of the people were gathered here in response to the request from the man, who was the head of security, in addition to an additional request for support from Solit.


    The security team immediately restrained Amy, who was still suffering from the status effect, with a rope. As a white mage cast Medic on the big man, he woke up.


    ¡°Ara, seems like I was helped. Thank you! But stop being so forward with me!¡±


    ¡°If you have an urgent request, just say so¡­ Isn¡¯t that Wild Dance Amy?¡±


    ¡°Oh~? Probably, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Maybe it¡¯s about the article. There¡¯s also a possibility that Lucky Boy and Garm are invading as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh~! Dibs on Garm-chan!¡±


    The big man, still with a dagger in his eyes, his weak spot, pulled it out and was healed by the white mage. The big man was delighted by the words of the man in sses talking.


    ¡°We are currently searching for them. Lucky Boy is a white mage. His abilities are unknown. And Garm is troublesome.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had a lot of worktely, so I¡¯m fine!¡±


    ¡°It would be troublesome if the White Mage and Garm were working together. I was investigating the entire area of the building, but with his strength, we would have already noticed Garm. Maybe he¡¯s missing. I will continue to examine this building.¡±


    With those words, Amy regained consciousness. And when she did so, she was transferred to a detention center.


    Surprisingly, Amy was released in about three days. But Solit interpreted Amy¡¯s actions as something forced by Tsutomu and wrote in a tone implying that she was innocent. There were no deaths from the guards, and only that big man was injured. The man was not particrly praised or made noteworthy, aside from being stabbed in the eyes.


    However, she was lectured by the warm-hearted vice guild head. The guild officials¡¯ authority, as well as Tsutomu¡¯s reputation, were further lowered. Some of the security guards and those who have started to seriously think about Solit¡¯s articles wereing out.


    Amy, who listened to the long sermon, tried toe out to apologize to Tsutomu. The deputy guild chief stopped her.


    ¡°Are you going to apologize to him?¡±


    ¡°I have to apologize!¡±


    ¡°Solit will make an article about you apologizing to Tsutomu again. And his reputation will fall again.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Amy, who was pounding on the door, broke down. The deputy guild chief did not break his strict expression.


    ¡°The apology satisfies itself. If you are really sorry, you should not contact Tsutomu until this blows over.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­I also want to tell him about your feelings. So wipe your tears and go out with dignity. That will also help him.¡±


    ¡°Uwaaaaaah!¡±


    The deputy guild chief, breaking his strict expression, gave Amy a towel. A guard on duty stared at Amy crying in the guild chamber. Amy, who came out of the guild chamber as if she had received a gift, wouldn¡¯t leave the guild¡¯s dormitory until something would happen.

 Chapter 25, Skill Image

    <h4>Chapter 25, Skill Image</h4>


    Trantor: Athena13


    After Tsutomu and his party finished updating their status, they waited near the number one counter. It was then when the Silver Beast party that was headed by Missil, appeared. Tsutomu who just exchanged the two floors worth of magic stones went to have dinner with Missil¡¯s party; paid for by Missil.


    All the 4 people in the Silver Beast party were so happy to be able to shake Garm¡¯s hand, looking at that, Missil mumbled. He wasmenting the fact that he was not born as a handsome guy as he gulped the beer in front of him. After that, Camille and Missil, the seniors of the group, grabbed Tsutomu and pulled him in for a long talk.


    The birdmen were looking down at themtely. Some of them were very cold saying that they just wanted to get the power of a n leader or something like that. Both of them were seeking advice from Tsutomu saying something like it was not easy when their father was not around. All the young adventurers around Garm looked at Tsutomu with sympathy.


    After Tsutomu finished answering all the questions, Missil put the jug that he just finished on the rack.


    ¡°Oii Tsutomu!! What the heck with that long range heal of yours?! Teach this old man how to do that too, will you?¡±


    ¡°Eh? The how-to, huh? Well, to be honest, I think anyone can do that if he or she is already used with throwing magic¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu!! Telling other adventurers your secret technique is a taboo!! Give me more beer!!¡±


    ¡°Camille, you really should stop drinking. I don¡¯t want to carry you back to the inn, you know?¡±


    ¡°But you already know my party¡¯s secret technique!! That¡¯s so unfair of you!! So give me some information too!¡±


    As Missil shouted, Tsutomu smiled and tried tough it off. After all, he was in the middle of gathering information from red bird woman when Misil made his prompt request.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind teaching you though. So, do you have any clue on why you are failing?¡±


    ¡°Ohh, are you really going to teach me? Well, I might be able to throw my heal quite far, you see. But it won¡¯t heal anything at all. Compared to that, it¡¯s way better if I start chewing healing grass¡±


    ¡°Eh? Is that so?¡±


    Tsutomu thought that the reason for that failure was because it was not easy to throw magic. Even for Tsutomu, during his training, he spent 2 of the 5 days of his training trying to figure out what to do since the magic vanished when he threw it. He had to try changing his heal into a ball or a boomerang so that he could throw it afar.


    In the end, he found out that imagining it as shooting a bullet worked the best. Not to mention that he could adjust its trajectory too, thus he was currently using that image. But because of that, he could not put extra attention to the strength of the healing. It was true that the healing power increased when he did that in a close range, but since it was not like the healing power fell that fast with distance, Tsutomu did not really mind at all.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t really know. I¡¯ll do some research and tell you if I find anything¡±


    ¡°Ohh, you¡¯re too kind. This old man was just a bit curious, you know?¡±


    Hearing what Tsutomu said, Missil whispered to him. Which to that, Tsutomu just scratched his cheek with his index finger while letting out an emptyugh.


    ¡°We have a monitor anyway, I bet my secret will go out to the public sooner orter. Not to mention that I don¡¯t like how white mages are treated in this era¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re in a harsh era for the mages, after all. In the past, all parties at least had one, you know. I guess this is because of the development of the potion, it¡¯splicated things.¡±


    ¡°Seriously though, it¡¯s really infuriating, it feels like people just throw us away since they don¡¯t need us for healing anymore!!¡±


    Tsutomu shouted those words since he was a bit drunk. As Camille poured more beer in his mug, Tsutomu then took another sip.


    The most basic healing potion made from healing herbs found in the grasnd and forests was not that strong,pared to a healer, the healer¡¯s healing ability was way better. Thus white mages who could heal cut off limbs using high heal or medic to remove debuff were highly valuable.


    But for the debuff, a potion was researched to heal the poison debuff that adventurers often got from the 20th floor or lower. Not to mention, it was not that hard to harvest the required ingredients for that potion. Thus it was faster to remove that debuff by drinking that potion rather than going back to a healer, and so the value of the white mages has decreased.


    But because the undead monsters in the wastnd located on the 30th floor were weak against holy magic, the value of the white mages increased for that level, a bit.


    But the Shell Crab in the beaches on the 40th floor would run back to their nest when they were hurt and came back not too long after that fully healed, thus the dungeon expedition would halt there.


    Out of pure fortune, a n by the name of Aldred Crow managed to defeat the Shell Crabs. The other ns who saw it tried to mimic their sess with no avail. Thus there was an era where people started searching for a way to defeat the Shell Crab without relying on luck.


    People noticed that the destroyed shell would quickly heal back by a white mucus that they secreted, but it was obvious that it was not enough topletely heal their wounds. As they tried to research the reason why they could heal that fast, the result showed that it might be because of a type of healing fish that could rarely be found on the beaches.


    And because of the discovery of that fish, the potion technology received a huge boost. By thebination of that fish and the healing herb found in the forest, people were able to create a potion that was stronger than high heal.


    With the invention of that potion, the healing role mostly shifted from white mages to potions. And so, the Shell Crabs could be quickly defeated with a team of 5 attackers with no healer.


    At first, when these potions were produced, they were expensive due to the demand. Not too long after that, potions with the same power of a high heal started to pop up in the market with a price that even mid sized (middle) ns could buy.


    Eventually, the middle n could still earn money even when they used that potion on a regr basis and the value of white mages fell further down; starting from those than explore above the 40th floor. As the healing role waspletely taken by potions, the white mages who still traveled to the 40th floor and below were white mages who could use Raise to resurrect dead people.


    From there, the value of the white mage continued to fall further. Although they were still useful until the wastnd on the 30th floor, they were rarely employed to go to the lower floor. Then fortunately, due to the flying creatures found in the 50th floor, and the discovery of a type of flying spell of sorts, that allowed mages to fly using a type of wind magic, the value of mages went up; so did white mages by a bit.


    But the mages thought that it was only a matter of time before someone created a magic tool that would allow people to fly. Thus, they started to think of what they could do starting from offense support magic to healing support magic. But in the end, those who were left were white mages who could only use support and resurrection magic.


    These mages would use almost no healing magic at all and used support magic instead to boost the status of the whole party. Then, when the main firepower of the party was killed, their duty was to resurrect that person and buffed him or her up with all the avable support magic and grabbed the attention of the monsters, and when that person came back alive, they would focus on healing that person back to his or her optimal condition as soon as possible.


    Tsutomu understood that job division, but he did not think that it optimized the potency of the white mages. Moreover, even when they sessfully subjugated a dungeon floor, most of the credits would go to the attacker while the white mages would look at them with jealousy from the guild.


    Tsutomu sometimes wondered if the white mages understood the position that they were in. He hopes that most of them thought that it was a bad situation. At the moment, most of the people looked down upon him and ridiculed him since they thought that he could only go to the dungeon because he was piggybacking Garm and Camille.


    Although it was not as bad as Tsutomu, the other mages also suffered from that negative view. Tsutomu questioned whether it was really alright if this continued and was it really that fun being someone else¡¯s stepping stone.


    Tsutomuined a lot about the current condition of the white mages while enjoying his dinner and eventually exited that tavern with the help of some people.


    On the next day, Tsutomu took a medicine to reduce the hangover and went down to the 56th floor. Camille also bought herself a potion to heal her hangover.


    Not like the entrance of the 56th floor, a lush green valley, Tsutomu and the other two went into a narrow barren ravine located in the lowest location on the whole floor, high steep walls enclosed the area as if to discourage anyone from going further.


    ¡°Fly¡±


    As Tsutomu cast fly on Camille to scout the area, he quickly refilled the potions. He then handed over a pouch filled with potions from yesterday to Camille and proceeded to refill his own blue potion. After he listened to Camille¡¯s report, he then cast fly on himself and Garm.


    ¡°This way¡±


    As Camille flew through the sky, Garm and Tsutomu followed behind her. Maybe it was because the battle training against the bird worked well, Tsutomu was able to cast fly better than before. Even if they elerated through the sky, they were able to stay stable. And even if the bnce was disrupted, it would be restored before it could cause a panic.


    As Camille cut through the narrow rocky passages, Garm and Tsutomu followed closely behind her. When they spotted about 30-50 brown goblins above the ground, they would use the surrounding rocks to hide since the goblins would start trying to shoot them down if they were spotted.


    To go to the 59th floor, they had to go through a certain ck gate. Once they got there, Tsutomu would prepare the team for the fight against the fire dragons, which also doubled as a level grinding too. The adventurers had stuck on the 60th floor for thest 6 months, and during that time, only fire mages were able to fight the fire dragon. Because of that, so many tools were developed in order to fight a fire dragon.


    There were a lot of tools or equipment that Tsutomu did not know of, since they did not exist when it was a game. Tsutomu was nning to try all the tools that he brought after exploring the market.


    Just like that, he followed Camille¡¯s instructions to sneak by the goblins while repelling back the birds that asionally attacked them. Then as Camille went first on a turn, she suddenly raised her hand to stop, so Tsutomu and Garm stopped.


    ¡°There¡¯s a herd of lightning sheep ahead. We¡¯re lucky¡±


    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that a ramon?¡±


    ¡°Ramon? Ahh, that rare monster, huh?¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t seen any treasure box since that one. So this might be the time where my luck is back¡±


    ¡°That thing basically takes your lifetime worth of luck though. Kukuku¡±


    Tsutomu smiled back at Camille who giggled silently before peeking out from the cliff and saw a herd of Lightning Sheep grazing on the brown grass on the ground.


    A ck body with white fur. Its horn spiraled upward into the sky. Other than that, they looked just like a herd of normal sheep. And of course, since they stored electricity, their bodyshed out white sparks from time to time.


    There were an extremely small number of monsters who could drop thunder magic stone in the dungeon. There were only two rare monsters that produced this stone: the Electric Slime and the Lightning Sheep. Of course, they could look outside the dungeon, but since the supply was scarce, the thunder magic stone has always been an expensive good.


    Not to mention, those monsters would try to protect each other by living near each other and conducting electricity between the herds. If they sneaked and tried to hunt for them, the Lightning Sheep would let out a strong shock and run away.


    During this time, the ck mages who have a strong AoE attack or an archer who could snipe from distance would work the best. But in the current party, only Tsutomu who could use ranged attack.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea to approach them, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, we might be able to kill one, but we¡¯ll definitely die afterward, I experienced that myself after all¡±


    Camille covered his mouth with her red robe as she remembered that incident and almost burst into augh. Tsutomu folded his hand and thought for a bit before he replied back.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll try to go alone, don¡¯t mad at me if I fail though¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. After all, that thing use to appear right when you don¡¯t have AoE attack¡±


    ¡°Ahh, that desire sensor, huh?¡±


    ¡°Desire sensor?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing¡±


    Camille tilted her head but Tsutomu answered back with that. Then he peeked out the cliff while trying not to make any sound and swing his white wand toward the Lightning Sheep.


    ¡°Holy wing¡±


    He then focused on the image that the red bird woman told him. He imagined wings growing from his back and opened them up. After that, he focused on the wing that he had released, and sharpened every single quill on it as if the wing were slicing the wind apart.


    Although the red bird woman¡¯s exnation was very vague, Tsutomu was able to clearly imagine it and focused his magic power on that wing.


    Its power was clearly on a different levelpared to the wing that he shot at the goblins the other day. The wing he had right now cut through the air and quills rained down from the sky like falling spears on the Lightning Sheep. The chaotic scene was mixed with thunder that roared and sparks fired in a frenzy around the area.


    When Tsutomu finished, a dozen of sheep already turned into magic stones as the rest of the sheep ran away from the area while enveloping themselves in ferocious thunder.


    ¡°¡­Tsutomu!! That was amazing!!¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡±


    Camille flew out from the cliff and patted Tsutomu¡¯s head. Tsutomu, himself, was a bit surprised to see how powerful his holy wing was. Garm was only standing behind him holding himself back from jumping at Tsutomu too.


    They might have not found a treasure box, but they were able to get 7 small lightning magic stones and 8 medium sized lightning magic stones dropped by the Lightning Sheep. Tsutomu looked happy as he picked them up and put them inside his bag.


    It did not take long after that for them to find the ck gate to reach the 57th floor. Tsutomu looked determined to reach the 59th floor that day as he excitedly went through the ck gate.

 Chapter 26, The Cost of Dragonification

    <h4>Chapter 26, The Cost of Dragonification</h4>


    Trantor: invichan


    ¡°Heal, haste.¡±


    Camille healed the bruise on Garm¡¯s nk, which was being hit by a flying orc as she stacked the healing on the brandished sword to cast the haste spell just before the spell¡¯s effect wore off. As he saw dozens of the colorless magic stones scattered about the ground, Tsutomu flew to the sky to watch over the battle.


    Because the game used a third-person¡¯s point of view, it was now easier for Tsutomu to give instructions urately since he could fly. He couldn¡¯t use it if he confronted flying monsters like Wyverns, but if there wasn¡¯t any, he thought it would be better to be a support from the sky.


    Tsutomu realized that they had been fighting for almost an hour after looking at his pocket watch, then heaved a heavy sigh after the swarm of monsters seemed to have finally settled down.


    After hunting the lightning sheep, they obtained a valuable lightning magic stone and immediately found the ck gate. Because luck has turned in his favor, Tsutomu went through the ck gate. On the other side, was a cliff, which was close to a group of orcs. He was at a ce close enough to see the equipment they¡¯re using, such as bows, katana, etc. Soon after, the battle began.


    While the orcs were fightingWyverns and Kanfagaroo, which were monsters that looked like a kangaroo and were good at closebat. After they broke through the group of monsters, because the edge of the cliff was dangerous, they continuously swapped ces as they fought. Afterwards, the group of orcs won, but quickly burst into the fight again, this time, with them. Their quick onught threw Tsutomu into utter confusion.


    Garm received a lot of attacks till the upper half of his silver armor was partially destroyed. There was also a dent on the armor caused by the Wyverns¡¯ splinters piercing into it. The damage on Camille¡¯s equipment wasn¡¯t that bad, but just as her dragonification wore out, she began to look tired and the power of her huge swings seemed to have decreased by a lot.


    Garm and Camille immediately plopped down to the ground when they saw thest orc finally turned into magic stone. Tsutomu swiftly came down from the sky to where they were.


    As it turns out, three people fighting against a herd of monsters was tough. Tsutomu also realized the insufficient members in his party. With this amount of the monsters, Garm alone would never be able to deal with them, so Tsutomu and Camille will have to take care of some of the monsters.


    At the very least, if there was another tank or attacker¡­ Tsutomu grinded his teeth as he imagined if Amy was here. He was confident that they would be able to turn the tables if there was one more person to assist them in the battle. But then, if he enrolled Amy, Camille wouldn¡¯t be here, which wouldn¡¯t change the situation.


    [I wonder if Amy-san is alright¡­]


    Amy embarked on a journey to Solitt¡¯s headquarters by herself in the morning after hearing about that report. Tsutomu also heard from Garm that the guards had been caught. Thus, Amy went to the headquarters by the direction she made by herself and reported there. Tsutomu was so shocked he couldn¡¯tugh.


    Tsutomu was worried that she wouldn¡¯t be able to take the interview until she was released, but judging from Solitt Company report, it seems that they didn¡¯t take Amy to court. The guards reported that there weren¡¯t any censure, and the vice-captain of the guild also reported so. They also said that Amy should be released soon.


    [It must be hard for them too, huh.]


    Tsutomu collected the magic stones as he handed towels to the two who were crouching down to the ground, then recalled about the vice-captain of the guild. The vice-captain¡¯s appearance gave the impression of a tired middle-aged Japanese sry man who was excessively humble. Now that he was suddenly assigned with the duty as a guild¡¯s captain, he¡¯ll naturally busy himself with his clerical work; more than his vice-captain role before.


    Lately, his puffy cheek seemed to be somewhat skinnier. Tsutomu was seized with fear when he thought about how the vice-captain might copse anytime soon. He had entrusted some of the clerical work to his sessor, but there doesn¡¯t seem to be much progress with the revision of the Solitt Company report.


    There were three newspaperpanies which have been granted the privilege to issue newspapers regarding the dungeon to the nobles who ruled the Labyrinth City. Amongst them, Solitt Company was the first to acquire the privilege. Given that the rest of thepany almost didn¡¯t givepliance, they were now under an oligopoly.


    As a result, the benefits of newspaper issues, printing services, town events, etc were enormous and have a great influence on the citizens. They also have a strong connection with adventurers of major ns and popr adventurers. The guilds, which were initially on equal footing with them, could no longer bepared. As Solitt Company¡¯s fame rose, they held more influence aspared to the Guilds.


    Which was why, Solitt Company was the strong one when it came into negotiations to revise the report. Even though there was still Amy¡¯s report for them to check, they won¡¯t turn down the revision about Lucky Boy. Until now, Solitt Company had corrected some of the misprints on the report, but they almost never apologized about the corrections.


    Besides, even if they corrected the report, Solitt Company won¡¯t be able to apologize andpensate for a lucky adventurer who just happened to break through the Shell Crab, not to mention a popr one. The apology created an opportunity for them to take advantage of other newspaperpanies and raise their ranks as the top newspaperpany.


    Tsutomu had received a report from the vice-captain¡¯s guild that the attacking incident involving Amy was currently being investigated. As expected, because he felt sorry for Camille, Tsutomu asked whether they would return her. He even bowed his head to the vice-captain to take care of the problem rather than him solving it himself. Apparently, Camille had done something simr before. [She wasn¡¯t much different from Amy, huh?] thought Tsutomu.


    [Well, if we could hunt down the fire dragon, the negotiations might progress a bit. We don¡¯t want the other newspaperpany to hog the news about three people who defeated the fire dragon and breaking through the Party, either.]


    Tsutomu anticipated that if people heard about the three of them breaking through the fire dragon for the first time, their poprity will surely rise. With that, he wanted to make the hunting of the fire dragon a sess on the first try. To make it happen, they are going to have a meeting to n for the battle. Tsutomu called out to them after they had collected the magic stones.


    ¡°Good work. ¡­Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Camille let the towely on her head. A few wisps of her red, long hair were stuck in her neck soaked in sweat, her breathing still rough. This was the first time Tsutomu saw Camille being exhausted since the long journey. He continued his talk as he concealed his surprise.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ve killed most of the monsters around us. I¡¯d really like to call it a day, but I can¡¯t remember where the ck gate is anymore¡­¡±


    They immediately got into the battle right after they came out of the ck gate, so they¡¯ve moved quite a distance away, making Tsutomu lose sight of the ck gate¡¯s original position.


    ¡°Anyway, wouldn¡¯t it be better for us to search for a safe point first?¡±


    ¡°Aah¡­ That¡¯s right¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look for it in a minute. Garm! I¡¯ll look for the safe point! If you run into any monster, please use the potion inside the bag!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll also¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll look for it alone. After all, we¡¯ve decided about the distribution and characteristics of the safe point in the previous meeting.¡±


    Camille tried to stand up by grasping Tsutomu¡¯s hand after she dropped the magic bag off, but Tsutomu ndished her. Touching her hand, Tsutomu a burning, moist sensation.


    Tsutomu left the spot to Garm who was still rtively healthy. He floated to the air and flew at a quick pace. Then, like a blessing in disguise, he found a cave nearby in the middle of a cliff that closely resembled the feature of a safe point. Because there wasn¡¯t anything else in the shallow cave, Tsutomu immediately returned.


    Garm stood still as he silently folded his arms and carried Tsutomu¡¯s magic bag on his back. Camille was still lying down on the ground. After Tsutomu briefly spoke that he had found the safe point, Garm nodded and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Camille-san¡¯s consciousness is fading.¡±


    ¡°Eh!?¡±


    Still surprised by Garm¡¯s calm voice, Tsutomu looked at Camille who was lying down. Her breathing was much rougher than a moment ago, and her cheeks turned unusually red.


    ¡°Let¡¯s immediately proceed to the safe point!¡±


    ¡°¡­Understood.¡±


    Tsutomu felt a bit ufortable at Garm¡¯s slightly crisp and troubled reply as he carried Camille, who was suffering from an unusual fever. He hurriedly went to the safe point¡¯s cave, then immediatelyid the slime mat on the ground and alsoid Camille down there. Tsutomu rolled the mat by the side of her head and used it as a pillow.


    Camille was so exhausted that she lost her consciousness. Was the abnormal fever and sweating on her body caused by dragonification? Despite Tsutomu¡¯s attempts to recall anything strange when she was on her dragon form, he didn¡¯t see any abnormalities within her. For now, he¡¯ll heal and put a medicine on her first. To cool down her hot body, he used a towel, wooden bucket, and magic tools from his magic bag to create drinking water.


    He ced a colorless magic stone into the magic tool and stored water in the bucket. Then, Tsutomu took out a cylinder-shaped magic tool made of the costly ice magic stone, which he bought because he wanted to have a cold drink, it could only be collected from outside the dungeon. While it was ready for use, Tsutomu dipped the towel into water to make it cool, then loosened her red leather armor a bit and pressed the towel to cool her forehead, neck, armpit, thigh, etc.


    ¡°Garm. Could you fan her?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Garm watched over Tsutomu passing the folding fan as Garm slightly knitted his brows, then fanned Camille. Tsutomu sat in Seiza next to Camille as he checked her temperature. He dipped the towel into water again before recasting the heal and medic spells.


    Tsutomu continued to do so for about 15 minutes as he used blue potions. Camille¡¯s temperature began to return normal and her breathing became even. The relieved Tsutomu wiped Camille who was soaking wet in sweat with a towel.


    ¡°It seems that the fever had gone down. What a relief.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right.¡±


    Garm made an expression like he wanted to say something when he looked at the magic tool Tsutomu was using, but upon seeing Tsutomu¡¯s relieved smile, he loosened his expression. Then, after a little while, Camille began to regain consciousness and flinched.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­Ah.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve woken up. Could you drink the water?¡±


    Tsutomu called out to Camille who had just opened her eyes. He poured the cooled water into a cup and brought it gently to Camille¡¯s lips. As she tilted the cup little by little, she began to slowly drink the water.


    It seems that Camille¡¯s consciousness had gradually be clear, then she slowly opened her eyes. Her strength seems to have recovered too. Tsutomu poured water into the cup again and offered it to Camille.


    ¡°Can you drink it by yourself?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t think so. Sorry, but could you help me drink?¡±


    ¡°Of course, here you go.¡±


    Tsutomu slowly brought the cup closer to Camille¡¯s mouth. She shook her head as she chuckled.


    ¡°Are you going to do it mouth-to-mouth?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°How cold~¡±


    Camille took the cup from Tsutomu who was worried yet lost. She raised her body and began to drink the water slowly.


    ¡°Wha¨C Cover your front, your front!¡±


    ¡°Hm? Ah. Tsutomu was the one who took off my clothes, though?¡±


    As Camille got up, her loosened leather armor came off, revealing her ck innerwear which clearly took the shape of her loose bosom. Camille, who had a change of clothes, smiled mischievously at Tsutomu who was facing backwards.


    ¡°You always have that passionate look when you nced at my back, don¡¯t you? Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve always been wondering what would happen after the wings that grew in your dragon form disappeared.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s a secret.¡±


    With a gulp, Camille drank the water up, then Tsutomu passed a salted candy and another cup of water to her. Camille threw the salted candy into her mouth and rolled it around like it was really delicious. Garm also got one from Tsutomu. After receiving it, he wagged his ck tail to left and right.


    ¡°Anyway, is your condition alright?¡±


    ¡°Yep. I thought I was certainly going to die¨C¡±


    Camille looked around as she crunched the salted candy before she halting her words when she saw several empty bottles on the mat and a cylinder-shaped magic tool that still has ice magic stones within them.


    ¡°Magic tool with ice magic stones¡­¡­ There were even potions¡­¡­ What the hell are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Heh?¡±


    Camille stared at Tsutomu as she narrowed her slit eyes, uttering some words filled with a bit of anger. Tsutomu absentmindedly tidied the items to his magic bag.


    ¡°It¡¯d be good if you just collected the equipment and let me die. It was such a waste, no?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, indeed.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s slow understanding of Camille¡¯s words left him in silence for some while. After all, if he just left her to her fate to collect the equipment and return instead, he didn¡¯t need to waste the ice magic stone and potions.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Garm?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Garm quietly nodded as he watched Tsutomu¡¯s actions. He felt that if he was in Camille¡¯s position, he would think the same. They could be revived anyway, so there¡¯s no need to waste any materials.


    ¡°But Tsutomu would be against it, right? He¡¯d rather go through all this trouble.¡±


    ¡°Seems like you already understood, Garm.¡±


    Seeing Tsutomuughing satisfactorily, Garm slightly raised his lips. Tsutomu eximed happily as he tried to high five Garm, but Garm did not respond in kind and the atmosphere soon became awkward.


    ¡°Uh, well, that¡¯s what I feel.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what are you feeling?¡±


    Camille became calm after seeing Tsutomu talking like he had been deceived. Upon letting out an exaggerated sigh, Tsutomu turned his head upward as he summarized what he was talking about. Then Camille stared at him motionlessly as if to see if they could understand each other¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Ah, I hate it when it hurts. You already know that I hate it when I get stung, right?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Yeah.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s obvious I don¡¯t want to die. You two might be able to die peacefully, but not me. If possible, I don¡¯t want to die again.¡±


    Experiencing a death because of being burned by the corrosive breath of an ancient dragon was a memory that could seize Tsutomu¡¯s nerve just by recalling it. Tsutomu didn¡¯t want to experience the pain of being gulped down by a giant creature and dissolved by stomach acid anymore.


    ¡°Which is why, I didn¡¯t regret spending money to avoid death. If Camille dies, then I¡¯m more likely to die, too. So I want Camille to live as much as she could even if it means I have to spend money. I want her to be my shield.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I the one who¡¯s the shield?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah, sorry. Camille will be my spear, then.¡±


    Tsutomu apologized to Garm who interfered with him midway, then continued talking.


    ¡°Therefore, if Camille dies, I¡¯ll be surrounded with troubles. So it¡¯s alright to spend some money.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the adventurering more suited for this?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, definitely. I¡¯d like to do it if possible. It¡¯d be kind of fun, don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    Despite the likelihood of returning to Japan, Tsutomu couldn¡¯t ignore this. He didn¡¯t dislike the idea of surviving in the dungeon, either. There was also the fact that he didn¡¯t know whether he could die like them. If by any chance he died, it¡¯s not guaranteed that he could be revived, too.


    ¡°Uh, well, that¡¯s what I feel.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Not wanting to die, huh. I¡¯ve casted that kind of feeling away a long time ago.¡±


    How many times has she died before she barely managed to reach level 58? Camille, who had stopped counting from the day she had her hundredth death,ughed at herself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you suffering! If it¡¯s for you, then I don¡¯t mind spending some funds! Would you feel happy if I said that?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Nah, not really. You¡¯d surely used resources for me, but that goes for Garm, too. It¡¯s an invible rule that healers are to treat their party members equally.¡±


    Tsutomu replied as he gazed into the distance, recollecting about the game era when people preferred to touch the sensitive topic of mental health after establishing their own n, even personally cooked meals or make presents to give to their friends.


    Camille: ¡°Kukuku. I see.¡±


    ¡°Ah, could you move already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no problem. I feel much better than before when we went through the gate.¡±


    ¡°Good to hear so. Well then, since our equipment had been broken, let¡¯s immediately retreat.¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu.¡±


    Camille embraced Tsutomu, who had just gotten up from Seiza position, from the front. Camille let go of Tsutomu when he was still flustered.


    ¡°Thank you. For saving me.¡±


    Seeing Camille¡¯s dazzling smile, Tsutomu was a bit taken aback before he responded to her..

 Chapter 27, A Friendly Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 27, A Friendly Meeting</h4>


    Trantor: invichan


    Editor: Svin


    When the three of them stopped searching for the 57th floor and returned, the sky had turned dark by the time they arrived at the guild. Afterwards, they returned to the inn, changed their clothes into casual wear, then gathered in Garm¡¯s room for the meeting.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°¡­Should we buy some food from the stalls?¡±


    Tsutomu got up in response to Camille, who had just entered the room. The trio bought some skewered and boiled food that they all shared and chose what they liked. Tsutomu had several sticks of skewered food topped with sauce, which was a bit expensive. Garm treated himself to some sweet buns sprinkled with walnut. Camille bought a number of raw food, which was a jumble of things the two of them could not identify.


    When they returned to Garm¡¯s room, theyid the food on the floor as Tsutomu unfolded arge piece of paper on the table.


    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s start the meeting with Camille¡¯s problem. I remembered that the duration of your dragonification is fine for one hour from the previous meeting, but what happened today?¡±


    ¡°It was for an hour, was it not?¡±


    ¡°It became a big problem after that¡­ Was that a side effect or something?¡±


    Tsutomu began to write Camille¡¯s issue and some points of improvement on a piece of paper. He listened to what Camille had to say as he pressed his hand on his forehead.


    ¡°Is that so¡­ I wonder whether my body would be able to withstand it if I keep using my dragon form and eventually reach the limit?¡±


    ¡°Oi, you seriously left us confused back then, alright!¡±


    ¡°Wait, let me exin. At that time, I decided that it¡¯d be alright for me to die again, so I used up all my strength. If I didn¡¯t do that, there really wouldn¡¯t be any side effect for one hour.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. I mean, Garm probably thought that I would also copse that time. Heeeh©`.¡±


    Tsutomu turned his head to look at Camille and stared at her with cold eyes. She raised both of her hands into a pose, begging for forgiveness.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re hunting for monsters in the valley, it¡¯d most likely be a series of battles. Moreover, it was a group of Kanfagaroo against the orcs. Even the Wyverns intruded on that battle. I¡¯d rather want to be praised for not giving up than anything else after going through all of that.¡±


    The canyon has a better view than the valley, so the chance of encountering stronger monsters was high. Hence, a series of battles urred. Would they be able to put up with these series of battles? Not to mention, this floor was the ¡®wall¡¯ that separated the middle ns from the big ones.


    ¡°Well, Camille certainly had only known about this strategy for three days, but I think she will pretty much be able to cope with it. Besides, her dragonification was amazing. She could cut the Wyverns in two with a single strike.¡±


    ¡°Right. I¡¯ve done my best.¡±


    ¡°But still, your attacks¡­ They were striking the monsters a bit too much and at random. I know that sometimes it can¡¯t be helped when you are in your dragon form, but you¡¯re not losing your consciousness, right? If so, the attack¡¯s range has to be narrowed down. Avoid taking a hit as much as you can. Please focus on hitting these two parts of the monsters¡¯ head. And like Amy-san, make sure you follow the instructions on when to stop attacking. Please cast aside the perception that it¡¯s wrong to be on standby instead of attacking. Garm would attract the monsters when Camille didn¡¯t attack, so if you were on the defensive for some time, some of the monsters will draw back.¡±


    ¡°Is that so. I understand.¡±


    Looking at Tsutomu who kept on adding more words onto the paper, Camille replied quietly as she repented her faults. But then, Tsutomu raised his lips.


    ¡°But you should somewhat be more confident now, right? With this strategy we¡¯re using.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. It was generally a series of battles. Besides, with that group of Wyvernsing, even a party with five people would most likely be annihted. But we were able to break through it with just three.¡±


    ¡°This strategy has the advantages of making steady progress in battles.¡±


    After listening to Tsutomu¡¯s words, Garm took his eyes off Camille who was digging into the skewered food, then had Tsutomu to list down his problems and points of improvements. After he finished writing lots of long sentences, Tsutomu turned around and looked at Garm.


    Garm, who was currently chewing a sweet bun with walnut on his mouth, immediately gulped down the bun, then waited for Tsutomu to say the word.


    ¡°It seems that Garm doesn¡¯t make any conspicuous mistakes. You often had to put up with that number of monsters by yourself, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problem for you to earn Aggro. It seems that your Combat Cry has been under controltely, and the result is that it no longer attracts a swarm of monsters.¡±


    Tsutomu felt tedious upon looking at the paper he had written down about Garm, so he began to tap his pen.


    ¡°You were being hit numerous times, but since you¡¯ve been able to break through the monsters, that means you still have enough strength in reserve. And not receiving any of the Wyvern¡¯s poison is certainly amazing. It gives us a sense of stability.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so nice to Garm, huh?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sulk at me.¡±


    Camille, who was drinking the mysterious raw food from the paper bowl in one gulp, turned away from Tsutomu. Tsutomu thought about how Camille¡¯s stomach could dissolve that weird thing she just ate as he began to move his pen again.


    ¡°This is a bit trivial, but there are two problems about you. First is the use of tools. Garm, you¡¯ve once been hesitant about drinking potions even after being shot, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    As he watched the battle¡¯s situation from the sky, Tsutomu noticed that Garm reached out to the potion after blowing the enemies off using his Shield Bash, but then he hesitated and pulled his hand back before receiving a High Kick from Kanfagaroo.


    ¡°Well, if I were to drink potions, my Aggro control might go out of control. But I can use it at my own discretion up to three bottles. Or rather, I¡¯ll not use it because it cost so much.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Roger that.¡±


    Tsutomu had a considerable amount of money in his purse because of the earnings in the dungeon so far and the bribe sent by Solitt Company. Because of that, he didn¡¯t want Garm to feel reluctant using the tools and copsed after.


    ¡°Next, I thought that Garm would have probably be unconscious after some more attacks, but it¡¯s probably better to consider the Tank¡¯s standing position.¡±


    ¡°¡­Standing position?¡±


    ¡°Ah©`, right. I think it¡¯d be better to exin it with a picture.¡±


    Tsutomu drew two stickmen with ¡®Ga¡¯ and ¡®Ca¡¯ written on their heads along with a simplified version of the Wyvern. Then, he sketched the Wyvern¡¯s splinter tail as if it was flying towards the stickmen.


    ¡°This is Garm. And this is Camille. So, the Wyvern¡¯s splinter tail is flying towards Garm. Garm would obviously dodge the tail or counter the damage using his shield, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°But if Camille is behind Garm, you have no choice but to counter, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°In short, if we could position it so that Camille wouldn¡¯t get hit, Garm would have more options to dodge the attack. Well, I¡¯ve only observed about this once, and I¡¯ve probably been a little aware about it since we have this party structure.¡±


    Garm and Amy were cautious so as to avoid getting any of their allies attacked by Shell Crab¡¯s water bullets. So Tsutomu thought that they probably wanted to avoid involving the attacker and healer in attacks aimed at the tank instinctively.


    ¡°Well then, please pay more attention to the positions next time. You might think that it is something ordinary, but you¡¯ll feel that it¡¯s actually different from what you thought once you practiced and understand it yourself.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Garm nodded as Tsutomu spoke while jotting down on the paper. When he finished writing about the two, Tsutomu moved the pen to the nk part left in the middle of the paper.


    ¡°As for me, I¡¯ll try to improve the time I need to cast the supporting and recovery skills while using Fly. And then, applying supporting skills in Camille¡¯s dragon form mustn¡¯t be half-done. That method seems to be no good.¡±


    Tsutomu listed his own problems as he scratched the pen on the paper. The style of providing support and recovery while observing the situation from above using Fly was obviously easier and more efficient than before. Since he could avoid monsters which could use skills to bring him down from the sky, Tsutomu could reduce the time he needed to apply Heal and Protect, making it easier for him to grasp the battle¡¯s progress in the same way as in the game.


    But because Tsutomu still wasn¡¯t used to applying skill as he used Fly, there were times when he was uncertain about other¡¯s movements. Moreover, there were asions where his mana dropped drastically. He needed to be in form, in order to cast either Protect or Haste. Any drop would result in obscurity with the effective time of the skills and ends in confusion.


    And then, regarding applying support and recovery skills on Camille¡¯s dragon form. The method of maneuvering in the air and making it into an air shot was hard. Tsutomu had, so far, fired the recovery and supporting skills that could not catch up with Camille¡¯s speed.


    Therefore, Tsutomu needed to imagine that he was shooting a bullet instead of the usual ball image. Tsutomu realized this when he practiced casting the skills with that image. This way, he¡¯d be able to cope with the speed that could be followed by Camille¡¯s eyes.


    However, a lot of problems arose if Tsutomu was to cast the recovery and supporting skills using that bullet shooting method. Firstly, there was the possibility of shooting the monsters by mistake. Unlike the usual firing skill, shooting skill couldn¡¯t be recklessly shot, because even if the shot was just slightly off, it threatened to recover the monsters instead.


    Besides, it was uncertain whether the bullet shot¡¯s image was small or whether it would resemble a gunshot. Not to mention, the recovery effect of Heal was only about 20-30% up to now. Additionally, Protect, Haste, and some other skills¡¯ effects would onlyst for a few seconds. Attackers were less likely to receive hits when they were under recovery, but it was still fatal if the supporting skills were interrupted in the process.


    Protect was a support skill that hardened the skin of the person the spell was casted on, and it helped to reduce pain. So, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem if this skill was interrupted, but Haste was a skill which would grant an increase in a person¡¯s movement speed, making them more agile. So, if it was frequently interrupted, it would drag the Attacker down.


    Furthermore, if Tsutomu casted Haste on Camille in her dragon form, her speed would increase, making it difficult for him to keep applying the skills even with the shooting method. Tsutomu had a hunch that it would perhaps be out of his league.


    ¡°That should be all from me. Does Garm and Camille have any requests for me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Garm pondered over Tsutomu¡¯s question as he slurped the soup upon finishing the sweet bun. Then, Camille, who was holding the skewered food with both hands, started to talk.


    ¡°Like what Tsutomu said about using support skills while I¡¯m in my dragon form. I wonder if it¡¯s okay if I said I wanted you to stop using Haste on me, because it changed my movement¡¯s speed? To begin with, I already got enough enhancement just by changing into dragon form. So there¡¯s no need to cast more support skills on me, right?¡±


    ¡°I see. Hm, but I¡¯d still like to cast Haste on you if possible. Ah, by the way, if Haste isn¡¯t interrupted midway, would your movement speed be alright?¡±


    ¡°It would be useful if it isn¡¯t, but if it¡¯s interrupted then there¡¯s nothing we can do. Moreover, my condition should be quite stable even without my dragonification. I think Tsutomu had done enough for us.¡±


    After praising Tsutomu, Camille heartily bites the stiff tendon on the skewered food off. Garm agreed by responding with a grunt. But Tsutomu¡¯s expression stayed the same.


    ¡°Oh. How about applying Haste as much as you can before I turn into my dragon form?¡±


    ¡°Even if I used up all my mana to cast Haste, the effectiveness would onlyst for around five more minutes. And that might mean I¡¯ll umte the monsters¡¯ Aggro all at once. I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be good if we do that.¡±


    ¡°Ungh. I see. Sorry. It¡¯s amazing how Tsutomu could consider even the simplest thing.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I could use various people¡¯s opinions as a reference, so please keep telling more. There are definitely things that I¡¯ve overlooked or the ones I¡¯ve never thought about.¡±


    Camille knitted her eyebrows in response to Tsutomu¡¯s words. And then Garm, who had been pondering for some while, began to voice his opinion.


    ¡°It¡¯s about healing as you fly. If possible, I wanted you to focus the healing on my left hand, which is holding the big shield¡­probably.¡±


    ¡°Ho-oh. May I know the reason?¡±


    ¡°¡­The other hand had to parry many attacks, but the one with the big shield often had to stop the blow. So the left arm might particrly be numb and the tendons might be injured, too.¡±


    ¡°Ah©`, I see. I understood. I¡¯ll take note and improve on that part.¡±


    In the game, there wasn¡¯t any concept of recovering body parts, so Tsutomu took note of it while feeling convinced of the reason.


    ¡°Ah, well then, Garm. If you need recovery, just shout ¡®Heal¡¯ and I¡¯ll fly to your ce. There might be times when there were injuries which couldn¡¯t be clearly seen and I might decide by myself that you¡¯re fine when you¡¯re actually not.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    This time, Camille suddenly raised her hand.


    ¡°I want to eat Pot-au-feu again. The soup was also very delicious, but the vor was too thick. I like it being lightly seasoned like the Pot-au-feu.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll consider it.¡±


    Garm silently stared at Camille, who leaned her body forward and proposed about the food. Tsutomu breathed a sigh and thought about how the soup from the stalls was no good, as he took note about the first thing he would do in the morning was to buy some ingredients.

 Chapter 28, Setting Up the Skill

    <h4>Chapter 28, Setting Up the Skill</h4>


    Trantor: invichan


    Editor: Svin


    Next day. In the morning, Tsutomu bought a substitute for Garm¡¯s damaged equipment, some anti-heat measures, and heat protection equipment to fight the fire dragon. Then, they began to invade the 57th floor ording to the strategies they had made in the previous meeting.


    Basically, the first thing they had to do was to discover the ck Gate without being found by the monsters as they followed Camille¡¯s lead to advance through the valley.


    The orcs would asionally shoot arrows, but other than that, they surpassed the enemies without a hitch and discovered the ck Gate. They defeated the Wyverns in the following 58th floor with ease and immediately proceeded to the 59th floor.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯re here.¡±


    Camille, who had stepped her foot on the 59th floor, muttered with a serious look. Camille once said that she might regret it if she took over the guild¡¯s leader position from her husband upon challenging the fire dragon, which was why they purposely stopped after opening the gate to the 59th floor.


    Three years had passed since Camille had been sick, in which her husband preceded her as the guild leader. It was a good thing that her husband stepped in since Camille wasn¡¯t a dexterous woman. Although she has the skills as an adventurer and a personality to stand before others, she wasn¡¯t really good at negotiations orplicated clerical work. When a problem arose, it was the vice-captain who had to back her up.


    This was why Solittpany, the most influential newspaperpany, could pressure the guild. They were wondering if it was her or the vice-captain who was more suitable to be a guild leader.


    Actually, Camille herself had also begun to wonder if the vice-captain was more suitable to be the guild leader. Even though he was kind of a feeble man, he was skillful with his work. Plus, he could handle social rtionships and negotiations easily. Considering this an opportunity, Camille temporarily handed over the position of a guild leader to the vice-captain. If this turned out well, then that¡¯s good, but if it doesn¡¯t, she¡¯ll change it back.


    It doesn¡¯t matter to Camille even if her husband had to entrust the guild back to her to keep her status. She could just die a martyr and be a receptionistter.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve reached our goal for now.¡±


    Tsutomu thought that it would take them until evening to reach here, but the time showed that it was only around three P.M. Tsutomu felt delighted because they finally arrived at the 59th floor earlier than nned thanks to Camille. Then, he put the Magic Bag down.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s practice using the anti-heat measures and heat protection equipment for this floor before fighting the fire dragon. Not that there are many of them, though.¡±


    Tsutomu rummaged through the Magic Bag and took out a transparent cylindrical bottle, iron mallet, and some red-colored fireproof equipment made of clothes.


    Dozens of insects with round, grey shells were kept inside the bottle. They were monsters living outside the dungeon called Bursting Insect, which would explode and radiate when they were on the brink of death. The ones inside the bottle were young ones.


    The bottle will light up when it was shaken well enough to kill the insects, then it¡¯ll explode and radiate. It was a popr tool simr to sh Bang which light was used to distract the fire dragon¡¯s sight when fighting it. This radiating bottle was the easiest to use to temporarily cken out the dragon¡¯s eyes.


    When the dragon¡¯s eyes were ckened out, they¡¯ll use the iron mallet to break the green crystal on the dragon¡¯s forehead, which has the size of a fist. Doing so will prevent the fire dragon from flying freely in the sky.


    The red fire dragon had a body length which could be boasted for being able to step on and crush people with ease. It was impossible for the dragon to lift its body and fly in the sky with that mighty length just by using its wings, so it certainly needed another force. Its source was from the crystal on the dragon¡¯s forehead.


    The fire dragon drew the force of the wind from that crystal, just like the Fly spell that Tsutomu used. The powerful wing could only control the force, so if that force was gone, the flying ability would also vanish. But if it doesn¡¯t, then it¡¯d be able to glide through the sky.


    ¡°Alright, here you go. The size should fit you guys.¡±


    Tsutomu handed over the red hooded robe to them, the surface felt rough. The two of them also received some equipment for defense.


    ¡°These fire attires are made of red thread, huh. How much does it cost?¡±


    ¡°About five pieces ofrge magic stones. Seems like it was on high demand, so it was quite expensive.¡±


    ¡°¡­I heard that the current market price is three pieces of stones, though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. We could still afford it.¡±


    The fire dragon¡¯s breath was a scorching hot breath which could sweep away a wide area. Its preparation time was short and couldunch many attacks. Even if they could read its movements, it might be unavoidable ¨C depending on their location when it attacks. Due to that, Tsutomu bought these fire attires regardless of the expense.


    If one gets directly hit by the overwhelming amount of heat from the fire dragon¡¯s breath, they¡¯ll instantly die if they were wearing normal equipment, even if their vitality was B-. However, if they were using the fire attires made of red fire dog¡¯s skin woven with the red spider¡¯s thread, even someone with D+ vitality like Tsutomu couldpletely withstand the breath.


    The apprentice young boy at the store¡¯s reception desk thought that no one would be able to buy things from their store since they were currently overpriced. Tsutomu could still remember the boy¡¯s astonished face when he took out fifteen pieces ofrge magic stones of the best quality and specified the size. He¡¯s exaggerating a bit so that he could make them seem to be worth more, but the size was actually almost the same as what the market had.


    ¡°If the fire dragon¡¯s breath ising towards you and you can¡¯t avoid it, you should cover your body with the hood and turn to your back. If you do so, you should be able to resist. Nevertheless, if the dragon scratches the robe with its nails, it will immediately get torn, so please be careful.¡±


    Tsutomu imitated the dragon¡¯s movements as he practiced and informed the two about the precautions. Although the movements were simple, the trio repeated the movements many times until it was imbued to their bodies.


    ¡°The fire dragon¡¯s preparation before breathing out fire is noticeable. It will draw in a deep breath, and the throat will start showing faint signs of shining. This is its basic movements. There are some more of its attacks which we need to be cautious of, but I¡¯ll talk about it when we return. For now, we need to be more cautious of the breath, so whenever I shout ¡®breath¡¯ during battle, please do the movements I¡¯ve told you before.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Breath!¡±


    The three of them immediately covered themselves with the hood and crouched on the spot. Tsutomu lifted his face, feeling surprised by their reaction speed.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯d be troubling if the robe got torn, so please take care of it.¡±


    These fire attires made of red thread have good fire resistance, but they were prone to attacks, which was why Tsutomu kept the equipment in the Magic Bag until they challenged the fire dragon. Then, he picked out the radiating bottle.


    ¡°When you hear me shouting ¡®I¡¯ll throw the radiating bottle now!¡¯, please close your eyes. The bottle will explode three secondster.¡±


    In the game, a radiating sword also existed, in which the Attacker used to strike the dragon again and again after throwing the radiating bottle to make it feel frightened. So it was only natural that Tsutomu tried to put that into practice, but he confirmed that it wouldn¡¯t work in this world upon observing it once.


    The fire dragon has some bits of intelligence, so once they used the radiating bottle, it would hardly fall for it the second time. Hence, the radiating sword from the game couldn¡¯t be used here. He was quite taken aback, but it might be usefulter, so he bought a dozen of it and used some for the practices.


    ¡°We¡¯ll also practice using the radiating bottle at the start of the battle. When you hear me shouting ¡®I¡¯ll throw the radiating bottle now!¡¯, please close your eyes.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a waste?¡±


    ¡°One shot would cost 20000 gold, it seems. Well, I still have this much, though.¡±


    ¡°You made an expression like you¡¯re an overnight millionaire.¡±


    Tsutomu retorted in response to Garm¡¯s dumbfounded look by making a pose of rubbing his thumb over the tip of his index finger, signifying money. Camille¡¯s eyes also shine with astonishment.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s make the best use of what we had decided on yesterday¡¯s meeting to level up while also taking measures on how to fight the fire dragon. Ah, Camille. I have a few things I wanted to try out while you¡¯re using your dragon form, so please prepare yourself before I¡¯ll cast Haste, alright?¡±


    ¡°Oi, oi, you¡¯re still not giving up on that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give up if this didn¡¯t turn out well! Please!¡±


    ¡°Whatever. Suit yourself.¡±


    Tsutomu sped his hands together, begging for forgiveness to Camille. She gave Tsutomu a bitter smile as she pulled out the big sword that stabbed into the ground, then began searching for the enemies after Tsutomu applied Fly on her.


    Since the Wyverns were currently flying in the sky, Tsutomu stayed on the ground and watched over the battle. Garm tried to attract the attention of five orcs and two wyverns. This standing position was to keep Tsutomu and Camille from getting stabbed by the flying splinters.


    Camille kept her dragon form and stayed in the air, though she was actually really eager to chop the wyvern¡¯s wings off with herrge sword. But Camille mustn¡¯t kill the wyvern without cause, since it will run about freely in the sky to avoid her big sword as it shrieks with a threatened voice, and attract other monsters.


    Wyverns didn¡¯t spit scorching hot breath like the fire dragon, but it could fly freely in the sky with its flexible wings simr to the bats. If there was an opening, it would try to stab people using its tail¡¯s splinter, which has trickles of paralysis poison. Those who were unfamiliar with airbat would get hit by the splinters, then being gnawed right after they were unable to move.


    The wyverns swung its tail like a snake, shooting splinters to people. It tried to block Camille¡¯s surroundings first so that she couldn¡¯t escape. Then it tried to tear off her face by attacking from the front using its bird-like ws. Camille stopped its attack using her sword, then snapped sideways.


    Camille, who had been pursuing the enemy, pierced the sword to the wyvern¡¯s nk which stance had been knocked down. The wyvern¡¯s blood gushed out to Camille¡¯s right arm.


    ¡°Enchanted me.¡±


    Camille¡¯s special attack was to pierce through the enemy¡¯s body with her sword, then scorching its insides. Upon piercing through, she released her grip to the big sword, leaving the sword stuck into the wyvern¡¯s body which was now struggling in pain. Camille pped her wings and immediately parted from it. Lastly, the sword thrusted from its splinter tail to its wings.


    Another wyvern gliding in the sky noticed Camille and approached her, trying to attack her with its splinter. After confirming that, she took in a deep breath. Then, a small, red scale that stuck on her throat glowed, after that, a vigorous me wrapped the wyvern and its splinters. The wyvern¡¯s body waspletely wrapped in mes, then it began falling to the ground while making weak shrieks.


    Camille stabbed her big, ming sword to its belly as it fell down, then she retrieved the sword back with a snatch from the wyvern which has begun to turn into particles. Keeping herself flying low, Camille shed the orcs which were aiming at Garm diagonally from its back. Following that, she turned around and blew three orcs away on their belly with her sword. Camille immediately stopped moving her sword as the orcs tumbled and turned into particles.


    ¡°Ooh, I wonder if she noticed it herself? What a great movement. Heal.¡±


    Tsutomu aimed the spell to Garm¡¯s left arm, then took a nce at Camille, who was currently chasing the orcs. Then, he began applying Fly on himself and flew to the air, ying his role as a support.


    Like usual, Camille¡¯s movements were out of the ordinary. Garm could control his mana. Same goes to controlling aggros gained from the monsters. There was definitely some kind of control over the mana of any kind of skills. Tsutomu had even checked the duration of his supporting skills. In addition to that, it was impossible for the current Tsutomu to keep applying his support skills to every of Camille¡¯s movements for each seconds.


    [Since I can¡¯t apply the skills directly¡­]


    When Tsutomu swung the staff, a blue aura emerged in the direction Camille was heading.


    [I could set it up like this.]


    Tsutomu tried to put the set up of the skills he had juste up with at midnight into practice. If he did it like this, unlike the shooting method, it wasn¡¯t much different from the flying skills, so Tsutomu guessed that the duration was probably not that short.


    Upon stepping into the blue aura, Camille¡¯s speed increased even more. She was so fast that Tsutomu¡¯s eyes could barely catch up with her. The orcs definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to fight Camille with that extreme speed of hers, thus Camille attacked its arms with a single blow. Then its foot with another blow. The orc, whose body has been scraped off, died and turned into magic stones.


    The Haste skill was uninterrupted until the orcs were annihted. The duration was a bit shorter than the flying skill. Tsutomu reckoned that this skillsted about forty seconds earlier whenpared to the usual Haste.


    [Setting up the skill like this might be quite usefulter], thought Tsutomu as his lips broke into a smile. The effective time of the skill wasn¡¯t bad at all. If he kept it up, it¡¯ll affect camille¡¯s fire power by strengthening it more, and the amount of times Tsutomu had to cast the skill will also decrease.


    While Tsutomu was still busy grinning, the Kanfagaroo hopped and approached him. Contrary to its cute face, this monster, which has an appearance simr to Kangaroo, could attack adventurers with martial arts, which would break a person¡¯s neck with ease.


    It hasn¡¯t been confirmed whether it carried a baby on the pouch in its stomach, but seldomly, the magic stones that could be obtained from that pouch had a good level of purity and were sold at a high price. But unlike the outside of the dungeon, one has to put their hand inside the pouch during the battle to check if there were any stones. Even if there were any, it was a herculean task to search in the Kanfagaroo¡¯s stomach when these monsters excell at closebat.


    Out of nine of them, Garm gained seven aggros, and Camille began to challenge the other two. Since Camille has started to move, Tsutomu set up Haste to the direction she moved just like before.


    ¡°Ah©`¡±


    But then, Camille suddenly changed her direction to avoid Kanfagaroo¡¯s charge. Thus, Kanfagaroo stepped on the Haste spell which has been set up before. Just as it was about to move, its pace quickened.


    Since Kanfagaroo¡¯s movements had be faster, its martial arts, which had originally been keen,nded straight on Camille¡¯s chest that she coughed violently. Another Kanfagaroo performed a High Kick on her face. Camille made an expression like her body had just snapped. Then, Kanfagaroo use its striking feet to graze Camille¡¯s face.


    ¡°Protect. Heal. I¡¯m really sorry, Camille©`!¡±


    After mainly healing Garm¡¯s left hand as he casted Protect, Tsutomu apologized to Camille with all his might.


    Back to Camille who got injured because the Haste spell was interrupted and she got knocked down by Kanfagaroo. Although she was still conscious, Camille was still under the effect of dragonification, thus her fighting instinct was still stirred up. She red at Tsutomu, who had mistakenly applied Haste to Kanfagaroo instead of her. Being red by that pair of eyes, which has slightly narrow pupils like reptiles, Tsutomu cowered with fright like a frog which was being red by a snake.


    Despite being terribly afraid, Tsutomu attempted to cast Haste again, though he was seized with the fear that he might fail again like before. This time, Haste was being set up sessfully, it immediately made contact with Camille. After receiving Haste, Camille has defeated the remaining Kanfagaroo in the twinkling of an eye.


    Then, Camille also killed each of the Kanfagaroo which had gathered around Garm. The series of battles came to an end after they killed all the Kanfagaroo. This time, Tsutomu took a deep breath, feeling d that he didn¡¯t fail, then cured Garm¡¯s woundpletely with High Heal.


    After removing her dragonification, Camille stabbed herrge sword to the ground and approached Tsutomu first. She quickened her steps as she drew near Tsutomu, who was slowly stepping backwards. Finally, Tsutomu turned back and ran away with all his might.


    ¡°Haaah!? Tsutomu! Why are you running away!¡±


    ¡°No! You¡¯re really scary, you know! I said I¡¯m really sorry for my mistakeeeeee!¡±


    ¡°T-that re was an ident! I¡¯ve exined before that my fighting instinct became more stimted when I turned into my dragon form, right!? I did that unconsciously!¡±


    ¡°Nonono! Th, that was really scary! Impossible, impossible, impossible! Please don¡¯te any closer©`!¡±


    Even though Tsutomu tried to run away with all his might, Camille rapidly chased him down and approached Tsutomu, who had instantly lost. Then, upon grabbing the back of Tsutomu¡¯s clothes, Camille pulled him down to the ground.


    Garm was quite shocked to see that set up skill he had never seen before, but then proceeded to collect the magic stones which had fallen down to the ground and he had gotten ¡®friendly¡¯ with. Though, he still took a gaze at Tsutomu, who had been caught by Camille and had her sat on top of his back.

 Chapter 29, Camille’s Confidence

    <h4>Chapter 29, Camille¡¯s Confidence</h4>


    Trantor: invichan


    Editor: Svin


    After that, they continued exploring the 59th floor. Tsutomu would asionally shout ¡®Breath!¡¯ during the exploration or battles to test their movements.


    ¡°Breath!¡±


    Tsutomu suddenly shouted the word while he was using Fly to explore the floor. The two put up a defense at about the same speed as Tsutomu. Tsutomu rallied himself as he put on a dry smile while still floating in the air.


    ¡°We have probably grown ustomed to it. It feels good.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to do this until we get into the real battle.¡±


    ¡°To put it bluntly, it seems that we do the practice only for fun, don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, that was only a joke, alright?¡±


    Tsutomu hurriedly replied to Garm, who looked at him with a straight face. Camille, who looked over them from behind, made a broad grin.


    ¡°Oh, there are orcs here. Six of them. It seems that one uses a bow, three uses canes, and two uses swords.¡±


    Tsutomu checked the weaponpositions with the binocrs. By peeping through it, the orcs were visible from a distance. The three approached the orcs from the sky. When the orcs noticed them, their pigs-like snout quivered, creating an audacious voice as they raised their weapons.


    ¡°I¡¯ll throw the radiating bottle now!¡±


    Meanwhile, Garm and Camille closed their eyes in response to Tsutomu¡¯s voice. Tsutomu shook the bottle with all his strength while closing one of his eyes, then threw it at the orcs.


    While being thrown, faint light began toe out of the bottle. In an instant, it gradually shone brighter until the whole ce was covered in white. Even though Tsutomu had closed his eyes, the amount of light was blinding. The orcs, which were being exposed defenselessly to the dazzling light, made a bewildered voice and covered their face with one hand.


    Seizing the opportunity, Garm and Camille raised their weapons to the six orcs. The orcs, which have temporarily lost their sight, can¡¯t keep up with the two and immediately turned into magic stones.


    Tsutomu gathered the magic stones. Two of them were transparent, small magic stones, and the other four were medium ones. Their qualities weren¡¯t that good, but the total amount should be around 30000 gold. A radiating bottle cost 200000 gold each. Given that, he lost 170000 gold. But since Tsutomu treated it as a necessary expense, he looked at the broken bottle calmly.


    [Right. We got enough time to attack before it exploded. Seems like I need not hurry.]


    How much should it be stimted until the Bursting Insect exploded? After confirming about how long it took to explode upon using six bottles of radiating bottles, Tsutomu instilled that intuition of timing he had made into his mind as he put the magic stones into the Magic Bag.


    After that, the trio drifted away before another monster was lured by the radiating bottle¡¯s light. A short while upon taking their leave by flying at low-altitude, Tsutomu checked his pocket watch. Evening will soone, so the trio went back to the first ck Gate and returned to the guild.


    The three appeared at the other side of the ck Gate in front of the guild and immediately lined up at the reception desk to submit their saliva. Garm was level 63. Camille was 69. Tsutomu¡¯s level had risen to 35. Garm¡¯s vitality changed from B+ to A-. Meanwhile, Tsutomu had nothing but his luck levelled up.


    Tsutomu also learned new skills, Air ze and Barrier. The offensive skill, Air ze, was an upgrade of Air de. It has the power to cut through the wind just like Air de, but its effectiveness and range was much higher and wider.


    As the name implied, Barrier was a skill that allowed the user to set up an invisible barrier, which was an essential for a white mage in the game. The standard move was to attach Barrier to a Tank, which would grant the ally a barrier that could withstand a number of attacks ording to the amount of mana applied to the spell.


    However, in this world, barriers were often used as a wall rather than attaching it to people. Judging from the way others used Barrier on the monitor, it was often casted in a dome shape for his allies to rest.


    Tsutomu wanted to try covering Garm¡¯s whole body with it just like what he did in the game, but not a single person has done it before. Tsutomu was quite enthusiastic about trying out the final adjustments tomorrow, but it was time for the three to disperse and return.


    ¡°Tsutomu-san. May I take some of your time?¡±


    The vice-captain of the guild, a middle-aged man with visible dark circles under his eyes, called out to Tsutomu from behind. His kind-looking face clearly seemed exhausted.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m free right now, after all. ¡­Are you alright, though?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I was taking a nap some time ago, so my face might look a bit weird. Well, I have something to discuss with you. Pleasee this way.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Oh, should I also bring Garm and Camille along?¡±


    ¡°¡­If possible, only Tsutomu-san alone, please.¡±


    The vice-captain made a troubled face upon taking a nce at Garm. After Tsutomu said goodbye to Garm and Camille, he went back to the back of the reception desk with the vice-captain.


    After showing him into the parlor, the vice-captain invited him to sit on the sofa. Tsutomu sat on the soft sofa after gazing at the decorative nt, which was being casted with rays of faint light.


    The vice-captain of the guild sat on the sofa quietly and gazed at Tsutomu with a serious look.


    ¡°I wanted to discuss with you about Amy.¡±


    ¡°About Amy-san? Has anything happened? Ah, thank you.¡±


    A beautiful reception woman came into the parlor after knocking on the door, then she arranged teacups for them. Tsutomu moved the tea cup to the right side of the table and bowed his head slightly to the reception woman.


    ¡°She had been released from the guards this noon.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is that so. That was quick, huh.¡±


    Tsutomu responded to the vice-captain¡¯s words while seeing the reception woman off, who left the room with a cheerful smile. Then, Tsutomu lowered his head, wearing a look like he was holding his heart.


    ¡°This incident caused by the Solitt Company has blotted your reputation again. I have told Amy to refrain from doing such careless acts. Once again, please ept my sincerest apologies.¡±


    ¡°No, no, you¡¯ve apologized too many times already, it¡¯s alright already. Moreover, I suppose Amy-sanunched an attack in the morning right after the morning newspaper was out, right? She did it impulsively, so no one would be able to stop her for doing so.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m responsible for the carelessness of my guild members. I haven¡¯t given her enough coaching.¡±


    The vice-captain remonstrated against what Tsutomu had said and bowed his head again.


    ¡°Well, I could question Amy-san about thatter when I talk to her next time. Uh, besides, it¡¯s not a big deal if you want to say that this problem is troubling you. Things had been really bad since the start, so I believe it couldn¡¯t get any worse.¡±


    Solitt Company had proimed that from now on, there wouldn¡¯t be any more articles about the incidents of Amy¡¯s attack. But Tsutomu, who had originally gained the nickname Lucky Boy thanks to their cooked up report, didn¡¯t care about the certainty of the articles they¡¯ll publishter anymore.


    As he sipped the tea, Tsutomu smiled at the vice-captain, who lifted his head while wearing a sorrowful expression.


    ¡°I can see that you¡¯ve worked your fingers to the bone just to support me. I¡¯m the one who should apologize instead. To begin with, this wouldn¡¯t have happened if Amy-san apologized to the guild.¡±


    ¡°No, no! This whole dispute happened because of the guild¡¯s carelessness. Amy received favorable treatment because she has excellent skills. Because I¡¯m not that strong, I was unable to coach her. Moreover, regarding themotion about Lucky Boy, it happened because people were spreading rumors about the ck Cane¡¯s origin. I¡¯m really sorry for causing so much trouble to Tsutomu-san.¡±


    The vice-captain bowed his head in a servile manner again and again. Seeing him doing so, Tsutomu got the feeling of talking to a Japanese person again after a long time and felt a bit relieved. Incidentally, Tsutomu thought that the vice-captain might have experienced the same thing as himself (getting summoned into the game), so he tried to say a few particrly Japanese words, but the vice-captain didn¡¯t show any reaction.


    Sure enough, just like what the vice-captain said, the consequence was unsavory. So far from having Solitt Company to correct the article, the situation turned even worse instead. But then, rather thancking guidance, it was Amy¡¯s irresistible impulses to make thepany correct the article that caused this mor. Thus, Tsutomu felt that the vice-captain wasn¡¯t at fault.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I have considered several things regarding Solitt Company. If I could put up with it for two or three more days, it¡¯d be easier to negotiate.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you very much. But still, I¡¯ll certainly clear your name once Amy¡¯s case is settled. I don¡¯t believe it myself¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. I¡¯ve heard from Camille that your negotiations skills are amazing.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you for your thoughtfulness.¡±


    Despite not believing Tsutomu¡¯s words, the vice-captain expressed his gratitude with a slightly lowered voice. After they finished talking, Tsutomu left the parlor.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Next day after the discussion with the vice-captain of the guild was over. They held a meeting in Garm¡¯s room for a little while. The three were preparing the final adjustment before invading the fire dragon on the 59th floor tomorrow morning.


    Tsutomu struggled to learn the newly acquired support skill and how to handle Barrier.


    In order to use the Barrier like in the game, Tsutomu had to consciously deploy the barrier so that it could exactly fit Garm¡¯s body. Once attached, it could maintain its shape until it broke. But Tsutomu didn¡¯t exactly know how to dispel the barrier. He only knew how to apply it on Garm.


    [This is no good.]


    It took about three minutes for Tsutomu to cast Barrier and for it to directlye in contact with the ally. It was nearly impossible for the current Tsutomu to skip that process.


    If the skill came in contact with the ally¡¯s body and they stood still, Barrier could be applied for three minutes just like in the game. However, Tsutomu thought about how it might not be useful to invade the fire dragon. Even if it was applied before they pass through the ck Gate, all types of skills will be removed when they pass through it. So it was inevitable that the skills had to be applied after they went through the ck Gate.


    It was approximately only one minute before the fire dragon would make its appearance. Even if it appearedte, he still wouldn¡¯t have enough time. Because of that, Tsutomu decided to use the Barrier as a resting ce just like any other white mages. Tsutomu breathed a heavy sigh when he thought about how the barrier was originally going to be included as a battle strategy.


    ¡°I have no idea where to stay after this. How about you, Tsutomu? I had a thought of wanting to learn from other major ns.¡±


    ¡°Oh well, since this is the major n we¡¯re talking about, I understand that I would seldom get into reckless troubles if I join one. But when the number of people increased, it meant more troubles arose, too¡­¡±


    Tsutomu recalled the time when he was a n leader back then in the game. He was able to manage a lot of things while there were only a few people and enjoyed his days as a part of the n. But as soon as the number increased by just one more, a problem child had stepped into the n.


    She was someone who filled the n chat with either about women¡¯s cosmetics or family affairs, acting as a leader of an unauthorized party to those who acted all innocent but actually not, or those who have no manners at all. This created the skillful and unskillful sides inside the n. Some of the adventurers asked Tsutomu as a n leader to warn these troublemakers.


    Managing and running a n with a lot of members was a difficult thing to do even in the game. Tsutomu sympathized these major ns with arge number of people in it, thinking about how terrible it would be if what happened in the game became a reality.


    Camille began to change the topic upon seeing Tsutomu¡¯s lifeless eyes.


    ¡°But it felt amazing when Haste was casted even during my dragonification¡­ I feel like I could easily take down even the fire dragon now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it certainly is. It increased your speed greatly. In fact, I think it would make defeating the fire dragon a lot easier.¡±


    Haste was a skill which could raise Camille¡¯s agility in addition to her increased status in dragon form. Camille often boasted about how she could fight even the 80th floor¡¯s boss with that status.


    The failure rate of Haste that Tsutomu set-up was decreasing steadily, and now, he almost made no mistake anymore. Although he sometimes made mistakes when dealing with arge number of monsters, Tsutomu had a hunch that he would almost make no mistake here since their opponent was the fire dragon alone.


    Camille¡¯s fire power has increased further now that she has grown ustomed to Haste when she was in her dragonification. Instead, Tsutomu muttered to himself. [Her fire power¡¯s condition right now is better so she should be fine by herself, no?]. Lately, he discovered that Medic could cure Camille¡¯s abnormality, and it could also forcibly cancel her dragonification to suppress her fire power.


    ¡°Leave it to me. This big sword will send that fire dragon and the like to the ground.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty reliable, huh?¡±


    After getting used to fighting the wyverns in her dragon form while being applied with Haste, Camille could easily knock enemies down as if they were gnats. That gave her an adequate amount of confidence and even a tiny bit of pride.


    Tsutomu took his eyes off Camille and proceeded to shift his gaze on therge shield Garm carried.


    ¡°Garm doesn¡¯t seem to have any problem using the shield. It looks like you¡¯re an expert already.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It had grown quite dull, but looks like it was more or less repaired now.¡±


    Garm used to use arge shield a lot in the early days before he went into the dungeon. But after joining a n with supreme fire power, he switched to arm shield and longsword. Basically, the fighting style was that he had to avoid monster¡¯s attacks and sustain the damage using the arm shield.


    However, after knowing a role called as Tank, he thought that it would be better to equip arge shield to carry out that role, and he had grown ustomed to arge shield from the 50th floor. As a result, the sense of stability in the party increased thanks to him changing into arge shield.


    His mobility was reducedpared to when he used an arm shield, but it was coupled with his now A- vitality; an achievement he could boast of. He could also parry some powerful blows that he could only avoid until now. Besides, it was all thanks to Protect that increased his vitality even more. Even if he got injured, Tsutomu will immediately cast Heal, so he could parry the monsters¡¯ attack with relief.


    [How should Garm carry out his role as a Tank? He had been trying out various trial and error in training grounds and the dungeon to see if he could attract more powerful enemies to attack him. His control of Combat Cry, a skill which fueled enemies¡¯ hostility, has increased. It is to the point where I don¡¯t need to use that many skills anymore.] Tsutomu thought.


    Moreover, Tsutomu was entrusted to bear a great task of being a trustworthy healer. Since Tsutomu was originally an ordinary person, a group of monsters still made him flinch at times. Come to think of it, other adventurers from Garm¡¯s previous party would be surrounded and attacked with this unimaginable amount of monsters since they didn¡¯t have enough grit. But Garm could do it easily and indifferently without showing any fear.


    Flying Heal was a skill that could support Protect, another skill which almost never ran out until now. Tsutomu could also cast Air de as a support when there were monsters that Garm couldn¡¯t parry. In addition to that, he also gives expensive potions to Garm without any hesitation to use.


    Garm began to take pride in his role as Tank that instead of taking damage for his party member, he¡¯ll stop the enemies¡¯ attack. He¡¯ll rely on Tsutomu to back him up and recover his wounds. Garm felt that he could entrust his back to Tsutomu with ease.


    Also, Tsutomu had to improve his Fly skill which he used to watch over the battle situation as he flew in the sky and the set-up skill. He had also improved the way he applied the skill when Camille was in her dragon form. He had also practiced with his party to use the anti-heat measures and equipment to fight the fire dragon.


    Camille possessed a tremendous amount of fire power because Haste was applied on her dragon form. As for Garm, he felt more stable when Protect took effect since it increased his vitality to A. Tsutomu was convinced that the two of them would be able to bring the fire dragon down safely.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s return earlier and have a meeting to discuss the battle¡¯s strategies. We¡¯ll challenge the fire dragon tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Garm nodded while wearing his usual expression. On the other hand, Camille had excitement written all over her face. Tsutomu felt relieved after seeing their reactions. Then, the three left the 59th floor during daytime.

 Chapter 30 The Information Collector’s Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 30 The Information Collector¡¯s Eyes</h4>


    Trantor: invichan


    Editor: Svin


    First of all, it was a major n with an overwhelming number of members which noticed the disaster caused by the three-person party, an information collecting n called Aldlet Crow.


    Unlike any other ns, Aldlet Crow had also recruited many people other than adventurers. They have clerks who manage and stock their equipment, plus writing financial reports of their profit and loss. They also have information collectors who will gather information by checking the monitors. Besides, they¡¯ll also gather some useful information about items¡¯ prices from the town. This was the only n which offered many kinds of services, ranging from special equipment shops to prostitution.


    But recently, they only collected gold and didn¡¯t challenge the fire dragon, resulting in a decline of their poprity from the public. A few years ago, they became known as the first n to break through Shell Crab. But after that, they didn¡¯t make any particrly outstanding result and were now being ridiculed as a n with its number of members as their sole saving grace.


    However, this Aldlet Crow n was actually sharpening their nails in secret by recruiting a great number of adventurers from every kind of races and jobs while incorporating useful information and tactics practiced by middle ns. Thus, Tsutomu¡¯s Flying Heal and battle tactics were one of the useful pieces of information they could get.


    After entering the swamp terrain beyond the 20th floor, Tsutomu and friends¡¯ three-person party would sometimes appear on the mid-sized monitors. At first, it was only focused on Garm and Amy. ¡®Boisterous Dance¡¯ Amy and ¡®Mad Dog¡¯ Garm had be the guild¡¯s members, but they were still in active service. The information collector man wrote down in detail about how the two of them wielded their swords, used their skills, and much more.


    But then, after he witnessed Tsutomu¡¯s Flying Heal, the man began to pay more attention to Tsutomu. A middle n called Wings of the White Fencers has two white mages specialized in recovery and attacking in their party. The man recalled that the n had used Flying Heal for a while to explore the potential of white mages.


    Later, Flying Heal was deemed as impractical and discarded. Nevertheless, Tsutomu¡¯s Flying Heal was a big deal in the collector¡¯s eyes. Amy¡¯s upper arm, which was attacked by the queen spider¡¯s fangs, was recovered as soon as Flying Heal was applied.


    The information collector man noticed the usefulness of Flying Heal and began to keep his eyes on Tsutomu. Soon after, he tried to have a white mage adventurer under the tenth army in Aldlet Crow attempt to use Flying Heal.


    Contrary to what he expected, it worked fine until they had to fly. The amount of the recovery ability was so small that it was simply impractical. In order to find the reason why, the collector waited until Tsutomu passed through a few floors of the dungeon and paid more attention to Tsutomu¡¯s movements and the tools he used.


    The white cane Tsutomu used didn¡¯t have the same efficiency like the ck cane he obtained from the Red Demon n. It was a bit expensive, but anyone would be able to afford it. The Flying Heal¡¯s ability wasn¡¯t due to the tool. After that, the man focused more on Tsutomu¡¯s movements, but he still couldn¡¯t figure out the reason. Not to mention, Tsutomu had a change of party when he practiced Flying Heal, making the man who couldn¡¯t make much progress in his investigation to droop his head low.


    He can¡¯t get the tenth army¡¯s white mage to cast the same Flying Heal like Tsutomu¡¯s, but he was at least able to get them to learn about support skills like Protect and Haste. Since they haven¡¯t practiced much, the uracy when they applied the skill was not as good as Tsutomu, and the effective time was shorter than the ones he casted. But then again, he felt relieved that the information he reported about some other skills, which were much more useful than Heal was not wasted.


    Still, the recovery ability of Heal and High Heal didn¡¯t improve at all even when they had practiced repeatedly. Even when the maximum amount of mana had been used, the recovery ability was only effective like some medicinal herbs in the meadow. Moreover, if the white mage did that, they¡¯ll soon attract monsters and get killed right there.


    [It seems that he¡¯s using some kind of unique skills¡­ If that¡¯s the case, I should get more information from other adventurers. What exactly was different between our mage¡¯s skills and his?]


    The information collector man began to rack his brain and continued to observe the party after Amy left and Camille joined. And then, Garm mostly took charge of attacking monsters by using skills such as Combat Cry to gain aggro. He also began to pay attention to how Camille used the strategy of attacking freely.


    [¡­I see. So Garm who has high vitality was the one who parried the monsters¡¯ attack while being constantly strengthened by Flying Protect. In the meantime, the guild leader had exterminated all the monsters at once.]


    From what the onlookers saw on the monitor, Garm didn¡¯t seem to mind taking on a lot of monsters, making his poprity rise rapidly. Moreover, the scene when Camille used her big sword to cut the monster down made the crowd¡¯s cheers grow louder. On the other hand, the man was observing that screen with a frozen heart.


    [With that amount of monsters, no matter how strong Garm is, he¡¯ll die if he doesn¡¯t have time to drink potion. But he¡¯s being backed up relentlessly by Tsutomu¡¯s Heal and Protect¡­ The monsters will focus their attacks on someone with high vitality, so it might be difficult for that one person if Flying Heal wasn¡¯t applied on them¡­]


    If one kept attracting monsters to them alone like Garm, they wouldn¡¯t have time to drink the potion. It was obvious that the person who attracted the monsters would immediately die because the mages couldn¡¯t cast the imitated Flying Heal.


    [But if there are two people who have high vitality and they take the monsters¡¯ attack one after the other, they¡¯ll lessen each other¡¯s burden. Besides, if the Healer recovered one person at a time in turns, will the potion¡¯s consumption be reduced? This party configuration is worth trying.]


    The man promptly gave the idea of the strategies to the party with the white mage who had learnt the supporting flying skills. Then, they tried practicing the strategies until Tsutomu and his teammates finally arrived at the 59th floor, but they didn¡¯t seem to make any remarkable results.


    The n¡¯s party structure seemed to prioritize attacking to earn aggro from monsters. But, the existence of Heal aggro seemed to still be unknown for now.


    The monsters would aim at the person who attacked them the most. They were aiming either the strongest one or the weakest one, theirmon sense was only up to that degree. So, Heal aggro was still unclear. There wasn¡¯t anyone in the party who could roughly measure the amount of aggro and control it, so that Healers and Attackers didn¡¯t gain aggro from the monsters.


    For that reason, it was impossible for them to immediately bnce the roles of Tank, Healer, and Attacker like Tsutomu¡¯s party.


    But there was this skill called Combat Cry which could make knights and fighters earn aggro as the white mage casted supporting flying skill to them. Thanks to the man¡¯s guidance, the Healer and Tank¡¯s ¡®soil¡¯ had been nurtured. Since the information collector man had understood about how to use the skills to earn hate, he informed them about these to the party.


    Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t that easy to apply on Attackers. After all, the Attackers kept on attacking as they pleased like always. At any rate, they can¡¯t change their habit of attacking the monsters rapidly and killing it, which has been ingrained in their body.


    Of course, it was also because the Tank couldn¡¯t just earn aggro without any reason. The Attacker will eventually be targeted and the Tank will be casted aside just like before, leaving only four people to fight.


    It was the day Tsutomu challenged the fire dragon that the man coincidentally instructed and suggested these tactics to the n¡¯s party ¨C though, it did not turn out well.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The three of them gathered in the guild at eight o¡¯clock in the morning. Garm¡¯s appeared more stiffened than ever since he wore a supplementary heavy armor with magic water stones geared up as a cooling function and attached on his back. In contrast, Camille¡¯s appearance hasn¡¯t changed in particr. Tsutomu carried the magic bag crammed with a lot of spare equipment and potions on his back, then he called out to them.


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Morning.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hey. Morning.¡±


    Tsutomu saw Garm moving his dog ear, probably because he was so nervous that he became restless. But then, he still moved to the vacant reception desk. So, Tsutomu thought he should be okay. Garm updated his status card with the receptionist man while wearing his empty and frightening look as usual. Then, he went back to the party of three people.


    ¡°Ah, we¡¯ll confront the fire dragon today. Please watch us if you have time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? Don¡¯t piss yourselfter, alright?¡±


    ¡°Tell me how it wentter, Garm.¡±


    ¡°Kuhaha! Ain¡¯t that nice? You sure have the guts! Well, best of luck to you. Don¡¯t wear pricey equipment.¡±


    Tsutomu bowed his head to the Uncle Skinhead receptionist who gave him such advice. Then, he headed towards the magic circle.


    ¡°I¡¯m nervous. But I don¡¯t want to die unless I¡¯ve cleared a round, so let¡¯s movefortably.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Tsutomu pped Garm¡¯s back and pointed to Camille.


    ¡°Straighten yourself out, please. Take a look at Camille. She is making an expression like she is going on a pic.¡±


    ¡°I was so excited that I had difficulty falling asleepst night.¡±


    ¡°We can stop here if you won¡¯t be able to exert enough power due tock of sleep.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ There is no way we can stop here¡­¡±


    Camille, who fixed the sword she carried on her back, responded to him with a smile. Everything would be over if the Tank copsed, so Tsutomu tried to ease Garm up by saying these words while feeling concerned about him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move to the 59th floor.¡±


    Upon saying those words, the trio¡¯s body turned into particles as they were transferred to the 59th floor.


    The sunshine casted a bright light on the red slope and the light reflected on them, as if to wee the three. After looking around the area surrounded by rocks, Tsutomu casted Fly to the three of them and left the searching to Camille like usual.


    Tsutomu transferred the potion to small bottles and sat across Garm, who began to stretch both of his legs.


    ¡°Just fight like we usually do and we¡¯ll be able to defeat the dragon. It¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve told me that a lot of times since yesterday.¡±


    After he finished stretching, Garm ced the potion into his waist, then he turned his face away as if he was sulking. Tsutomu thoughtlessly stabbed Garm by uttering a few theoretical words, since that Tank had said many bashful things at the meeting to discuss how to confront the fire dragon yesterday.


    ¡°The dragon is just a tiny bitrger than that wyvern. Just a tiny, little bit, you know?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I had a hunch that it¡¯d be quite different. Tsutomu is a strange one. Even me who was nicknamed a madman think that challenging the fire dragon is a ridiculous thing to do.¡±


    ¡°Well, we could only see the opponent¡¯s level, after all. Ah, but wouldn¡¯t that be perfect for the madman and mad dog?¡±


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s obvious that I¡¯m not a mad dog right now. I¡¯m more like a watchdog who is guarding the madman right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hmmm?¡±


    Tsutomu knitted his brows at Garm, who rested his hands on his waist upon saying that sarcastically.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t piss yourself after seeing the fire dragon. We can¡¯t use excitement urination as an excuse.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what exactly is excitement urination, but I can¡¯t make any promise of not peeing myself. In fact, most parties which challenged the fire dragon for the first time would have at least one of the members to piss themselves.¡±


    ¡°Eh, really? These people will definitely be nicknamed ¡®wetter¡¯. Poor guys.¡±


    Garm and Tsutomu had a friendly chat for a while to clear their tiny bit of nervousness away. And just when they were starting to worry about Camille, she had returned.


    Tsutomu listened to Camille exining about the surrounding terrain as he handed the potion to her, causing her to smile.


    ¡°I found the ck gate. There¡¯s a corner nearby after going straight to the north from here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great. We don¡¯t have much time, so let¡¯s do warm up fights three times before heading towards the ck gate.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Camille made an expression like a child who was about to go to buy toys as she quickly grabbed the potion and put it in her waist. Then, she went ahead to the ck gate by gliding through the air.


    They defeated the orcs and wyvern smoothly as they practiced the final check of the radiating bottle, breath, the defense position, etc. Garm was a bit stiff at first, but he gradually grew ustomed to it and began to move like usual. Camille was attacking more fiercely than usual, but on the contrary, she was worried whether she would be able to exert the best of her fire power.


    ¡°Breath!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    Tsutomu tried to break the ice by saying that, but it was obvious that everyone went silent instead, so he apologized in the end. Camille bursted outughing when she saw Tsutomu apologizing, probably because she was in high spirits.


    [Garm already seems to be alright. Camille is quite in high spirits. Well, if she¡¯s overdoing it, I could just use Medic to cancel her dragonification.]


    As Tsutomu checked on the two¡¯s condition, he applied Protect on Garm and set Haste up in the direction Camille was moving. Camille had been aware of the set up Haste and immediately stepped on it without waiting, so even if Tsutomu missed a bit, she would ount for it.


    Thus, after they defeated the group of Kanfagaroo, the ck gate appeared by their sight. After asking Camille to check the surrounding whether there were any remaining monsters and Tsutomu¡¯s mana had recovered, they decided to open the ck gate.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said these a lot of times yesterday, but I¡¯ll confirm them for onest time.¡±


    Tsutomu began to briefly exin about the strategies of fighting the fire dragon as he held a sandwich in his hand, which served as a light meal.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make the first move by applying buffs and support skills; Protect, Haste, and Fly. After I finished doing so, the fire dragon woulde out from the top of the cliff and approach us and usually spit out Breath. Following that, I¡¯ll throw the radiating bottles and we¡¯ll defend ourselves from its Breath using the fire attires made of red threads as we crouched down. When the fire dragon¡¯s sight is blinded by the light, Camille will destroy the crystal on its forehead using an iron mallet. Soon after the fire dragon falls into the ground, we¡¯ll continue fighting like usual.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve stated this yesterday, but you¡¯ll only throw the radiating bottle once, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. So please ignore it if I shouted ¡®Radiating bottle!¡¯ for the second time.¡±


    Tsutomu answered Camille¡¯s question as he adjusted the radiating bottle¡¯s position so that it could be taken out of the Magic Bag immediately.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this would happen, but in the unlikely event that the radiating bottle failed to operate well, I¡¯ll have Camille take the lead. And if the dragon doesn¡¯t spit Breath by then, I¡¯ll wait for the next one.¡±


    ¡°You seem to be really confident, huh.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just going to throw it before my eyes like I usually do. It¡¯s going to be really scary, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll make any mistake with it.¡±


    Tsutomu imagined the scene that would be projected in the monitor was the fire dragon getting startled by the radiating bottle and losing its sight for a moment, then the bottle exploded before it came back to its senses. But Tsutomu had gotten used to the pressure when he mistakenly casted the flying skills that strengthen and recover the enemies instead.


    ¡°It¡¯s important to keep Garm alive. If you get seriously injured, please use the potion immediately. Because in the worst case scenario, you get killed, the aggro will immediately shift to us and we will get wiped out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Garm nodded as he double checked the potion in his waist.


    ¡°Camille will turn into your dragon form like usual. If you want to stop yourself from attacking, just tell me and I¡¯ll cast Medic to you. You could do whatever you want until that timees. But only tell me to cast Medic on you only if you¡¯re certain you want to stop the attack.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Leave it to me.¡±


    Camille seemed unable to wait any longer, thus she held her huge sword on her back and unsheathed it as she replied. Tsutomu, however, felt a tiny bit of uneasiness seizing him as he reminded her about what she needed to be cautious of.


    ¡°You need not to kill the dragon quickly. Take note of the time before you decided to kill it. It¡¯s useless to attack hastily.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Well, since it¡¯s Camille, things will be okay. Alright then, since it¡¯ll take quite a while before my mana recovered, let¡¯s hydrate ourselves. Eat this banana, it¡¯s good for digestion.¡±


    Tsutomu threw the sks and bananas to the two, then he took out fire attires made of red strings from the Magic Bag and put it on. After that, he sorted the things inside the Magic Bag again. There were radiating bottles, iron mallet, green potions, and blue potions.


    Tsutomu¡¯s Magic Bag was a high ss one, so it¡¯d immediately appear just by thinking about it. But then, Tsutomu had to repeatedly confirm the ce where he could make it appear safely even when in time of emergency without panicking.


    Now that his mana has been fully restored, Tsutomu turned around to take a look at the two of his teammates who were currently putting on the fire attire. Garm had a straight face, while Camille¡¯s eyes were lightened up and zing.


    ¡°Alright then, shall we go?¡±


    Tsutomu quietly opened the ck gate to the 60th floor.

 Chapter 31, The Fire Dragon’s Roar

    <h4>Chapter 31, The Fire Dragon¡¯s Roar</h4>


    Trantor: invichan


    Editor: Svin


    Tsutomu and friendsnded on a vast, shallow basin-like terrain. The trio could see arge cliff that was splitted open because an axe stabbed through it in the distance, and valleys of various sizes were surrounding them.


    ¡°Fly, Protect, Haste.¡±


    Tsutomu swung his white cane and applied the supporting skills to himself and hisrades. Garm and Camille unsheathed their weapons from their back and held the weapons with both of their hands. Soon after, something red jumped out of therge cliff¡¯s valley.


    In an instant, it made a loud roar which reverberated into the sky. The ground shook and a lot of pebbles shattered, while some rolled down from the cliffs due to the strength of the roar.


    Garm and Camille¡¯s body immediately stiffened as if the roar stabbed right into their hearts. Their bodies tremble, and they fall into the illusion that their mouths suddenly be dry.


    The overwhelmingly strong creature pped its huge wings and reigned over the sky. It was the fire dragon which roared in anger when someone entered its territory. Camille was unable to move the sword she had prepared to use in advance. The dragon made her realize how small she was.


    Camille was called ¡®The Goddess of Dragonewt¡¯ because of her simrities with a dragon, but she was just something diminutive before the fire dragon¡¯s eyes. Now, even her knees shook so much she might copse. Her arms turned cold and trembled.


    Camille held the yearning and challenging desires while she first saw the red dragon on the monitor, since she was the Dragonewt. But now that she was confronting the fire dragon by herself, she realized that it was a mistake. [Impossible. There¡¯s no way I could get close to that creature. No one would be able to win against that dragon. And there are only three of us!]


    While Camille was seized with panic, Garm was in a great dismay that his body froze. He had the fear of being the weak person who was about to fight an enemy much stronger than him. His instinctive feeling made him unable to do anything but stood still.


    ¡°Ah, the dragon is going to use its Breath. Please prepare yourselves©`¡±


    Tsutomu instructed the two with his usual voice. Even though he was directly faced with the ancient fire dragon¡¯s roar, it was only harsh on the healer¡¯s ears.


    Then, Tsutomu noticed his tworades who stood still and froze in ce. He tapped on their shoulders, but they gave no response. When the fire dragon lifted its slender neck, it noticed the three. Then, it began to move its wings as it made an offensive stance.


    Tsutomu firmly grabbed Garm¡¯s ck tail which suddenly jutted out of the fire attires.


    ¡°Gah!?¡±


    Garm jumped up in response to his tail being grasped by Tsutomu. He looked at Tsutomu with confusion written all over his face. Tsutomu looked back at Garm with a surprised look.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be nervous and move now. It¡¯lle soon, you know?¡±


    Garm couldn¡¯t calm down upon being ¡®instructed¡¯ by Tsutomu¡¯s scornful re. He gazed at the fire dragon gliding through the air as it wiggled its body like a snake. Then, Garm moved his seemingly frozen hand to cover himself using the fire attires¡¯ hood and twirled his tail inside it. Next, Tsutomu poked the still motionless Camille¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Camille?¡±


    ¡°¡­This is impossible. We won¡¯t be able to win.¡±


    She seemed to have spilled these words absentmindedly as she sank down weakly to the ground. Tsutomu was flustered when he saw Camille, who was usually full of confidence, suddenly turned into a scared town girl.


    ¡°Eh? Wait, what happened to you? You¡¯re certainly not that type of person, right!?¡±


    ¡°¡­We won¡¯t be able to do this with just three people.¡±


    ¡°Ehhh!? Please at least give it a try! Don¡¯t you feel like some kind of a warrior when you do this!?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Since Camille was a ¡®half-baked Goddess of Dragonewt¡¯, her heart had already been in distress when she instinctively realized that she would not be able to win against the fire dragon. [There are only the three of us. I won¡¯t be able to defeat the fire dragon by myself. Moreover, there¡¯s no way that Garm alone could hold that monster down.] These words were all jumbled together inside Camille¡¯s heart.


    Even though Tsutomu had shook her shoulder, she didn¡¯t give any reactions. Thus, Tsutomu quietly let go of his hand from Camille¡¯s shoulder.


    [This is unexpected. She has never been this timid before.]


    Tsutomu never imagined that Camille, who had always been brimming with confidence, would be this frightened. He immediately wrapped Camille, who was still crouching down with the fire attires.


    The fire dragon hade down from the sky as its throat glowed red. Tsutomu took out the radiating bottle from the Magic Bag as he eximed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll throw the radiating bottle now! Breath!¡±


    Tsutomu stood before the approaching fire dragon, which almost breathed out the me from its mouth. Then, he shook the radiating bottle as much as he could and threw it at the dragon. The fire dragon spit out zing fire which seemed like it could burn the ground into ashes.


    Tsutomu promptly turned his body around and kept himself wrapped in the long-sleeved fire attires and sustained the Breath while holding Camille, protecting her properly from the Breath.


    The sound of Breath cut through the air. Tsutomu¡¯s back felt a bit hot. And he could also feel the blinding light when he turned around as he closed his eyes. Breath finally stopped after Tsutomu resisted it for nearly ten seconds.


    The radiating bottle sessfully exploded before the fire dragon¡¯s eyes. After the fire dragon¡¯s eyes had been temporarily blinded by it, it pped its wings and stayed in the sky as it moved its long neck left and right and stayed on alert even though it closed its eyes.


    Looking at the still crouching and unmoving Camille, Tsutomu decided to take out the iron mallet from the Magic Bag and approached the fire dragon by himself.


    Tsutomu approached the fire dragon, whose body was slender overall. It has a long tail and neck like that of a snake. It has four legs, each with three ck nails. Small, red scales were attached evenly on its slender body. Tsutomu swiftly approached the fire dragon¡¯s face.


    Its wide mouth looked like it could swallow a person entirely. Realizing that it was about to spurt Breath again, Tsutomu went past the fire dragon and froze its spine, then he discovered a small crystal on its forehead. Tsutomu built up the power on the iron mallet he was holding with his right hand.


    However, it was quite difficult to aim for the head because it kept on swaying back and forth. Tsutomu decided to prepare himself by climbing on its head and breaking the crystal rather than approaching it directly as seen on the monitor. If he failed to break the crystal while Camille was still unable to move, the fire dragon will keep flying in the sky freely and bepletely untouchable.


    Tsutomu casted Haste on himself again as he made up his mind. Then he swiftly headed towards the fire dragon¡¯s forehead.


    Hended on the dragon¡¯s forehead on his knee. Tsutomu promptly lifted the iron mallet with one of his hands and swung it down. When the iron mallet hit the center of the crystal, the fire dragon¡¯s loud roar struck Tsutomu. Tsutomu lost his bnce upon sustaining the loud noise. He jumped to the dragon¡¯s back as he was being blown away from the dragon¡¯s forehead.


    Then, the fire dragon turned to its back and opened its wide mouth as it snarled. Its mouth was filled with sharp teeth that seemed to be able to smash rocks into pieces easily, and they gave a ¡®warm wee¡¯ to Tsutomu. Tsutomu swung his white cane towards the dragon¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Air ze!¡±


    Tsutomu casted Air ze with the strongest force to its mouth. He immediately prepared to slip back to the ground after making a shallow cut on the fire dragon¡¯s mouth and making it flinch.


    While grazing its greasy body, Tsutomu went away from the crystal as he waited for the fire dragon to glide towards the ground. As he covered his ears and staggering on his feet, hended on the ground clumsily and sprained his ankle as a result.


    ¡°Ugh!!¡±


    Tsutomu let out a shriek of agony and rolled down to the ground. He was unable to get up and his senses became weakened temporarily even though he could still hear his surroundings.


    ¡°Warrior Howl.¡±


    Garm struck using hisrge shield. The dragon, which already had the crystal on its forehead smashedpletely and lost its ability to fly. The fire dragon was lured by the sound of Warrior Howl and shifted its sight towards Garm.


    Tsutomu shook his head after the buzzing in his ears was finally gone, then casted Heal on his ankle which got hurt when hended. After that, he rushed over to Camille, who hadn¡¯t recovered. There wasn¡¯t any abnormality status for being in dismay in the game, but this was simr to when Camille went frantic because of dragonification. Tsutomu casted Medic on her just to be sure.


    Soon after, even though he wasn¡¯t sure whether the spell worked, Tsutomu felt that Camille¡¯s eyes had begun to have its vitality again. He tried to speak with her in a cheerful voice.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, I am.¡±


    Camille picked up therge sword she dropped, her foot shook like a fawn when she stood up. She wasn¡¯t in the condition suited to fight. Tsutomu supported Camille on her shoulder as she forced herself to get up, then tried to calm her down again.


    ¡°Protect. Well, you don¡¯t look alright at all. For now, let¡¯s guard against Breath and observe for a while.¡±


    ¡°Um, I¨C¡±


    ¡°I want to do some warming up. I won¡¯t be able to follow you if you suddenly transformed into your dragon form.¡±


    Upon saying so, Tsutomu put the fire attires on Camille, then casted Protect on Garm. He smiled, trying to put Camille, whose lips keep quivering, at ease. Then he approached Garm, who had floated in the air using Fly and stood in the opposite position.


    Camille couldn¡¯t resist the feeling of dismay she experienced after a long while. And yet, she found it hard to trust her twopanions. These thoughts ovepped with each other and made her body hardened like a stone.


    Even though Garm had been seized by fear at first and stiffened as a result, he ced his trust on Tsutomu. Which was why, even though he was exposed before the fire dragon¡¯s eyes, his body didn¡¯t stiffen because of fear anymore.


    The fire dragon stood with its two (back) legs and made its long tail into a whip. Garm sustained its attack using hisrge shield with both of his hands, but he couldn¡¯t withstand it and was sent flying. Perhaps it was because Garm was scraped with the rocky ground that he wasn¡¯t knocked out.


    ¡°Shield Slow.¡±


    Garm threw therge shield. The shield hit the fire dragon¡¯s left hind leg, then it turned back easily to Garm¡¯s hand. The dragon came towards Garm and prepared to exhale Breath.


    ¡°Breath!¡±


    Tsutomu shouted simultaneously as the fire dragon fired a scorching hot breath from its mouth. Garm turned around as he protected himself using the fire attires. The me struck Garm as if it¡¯s burning him.


    The fire dragon continued to exhale the me for about fifteen seconds. It was halted when the dragon did something like biting off the me. The fire dragon expected that the intruder would have turned into ashes and devastated, but it seemed that things were going contrary to that.


    ¡°Combat Cry!¡±


    A red fighting spirit came out of Garm as he turned around and pped the fire attires he wore. The red light shrouded the dragon¡¯s feet. As a result, a loud and enraged shriek emerged from the fire dragon.


    ¡°Heal.¡±


    Tsutomu restored Garm¡¯s whole body using Heal from a distance. The fire dragon with its feet fixed to the ground approached Garm by crawling. Its ck nails, which were attached on four of its feet, scratched the solid ground.


    Garm recalled that Tsutomu warned him not to directly receive the shing or snapping of its nails. He sustained the shing when the dragon swung its forefoot and its sharp nails approaching him using hisrge shield.


    Garm was blown away like a pebble being kicked by a person. His iron shoes scraped the ground and made a loud noise. After he rolled around, Garm tried to regain his posture, then confronted the fire dragon again.


    The dragon struck him using its whip-like tail and kept scratching the ground using its forefoot. Garm parried all the attacks using itsrge shield and kept getting blown away repeatedly. However, he never fell down. After being blown away, he always regained his posture and immediately went to confront the fire dragon again and again.


    Garm got blown away numerous times. Then, the fire dragon let out a roar of fury because of the little human who had the nerve to keep on confronting it. The dragon swung its forefoot, wanting to shatter the human into pieces, but the little human avoided its stomping.


    Tsutomu kept on casting Heal and Protect to Garm. If the dragon shifts its gaze to Tsutomu, Garm will use Shield Slow, Combat Cry, and some other skills to attract its attention.


    They keep repeating that pattern for some while. Garm avoided the dragon which snarled at him by ducking its long neck and flinging it like a spear. He resisted against the raging me of Breath by covering himself using the fire attires as Tsutomu shouted Breath.


    After repeating the actions for about ten minutes, Tsutomu took out a water bottle from the Magic Bag. Then, he approached Garm and applied a skill from the sky.


    ¡°Barrier.¡±


    A transparent, wall-shaped Barrier stretched out and intervened between Garm and the fire dragon. The dragon flinched because of the barrier that appeared out of nowhere. But if the dragon attacked the Barrier, it¡¯ll be destroyed just by a blow.


    But then, if they could prevent it from attacking, Garm could have some time to take a breath. Tsutomu gave Garm water after they got some distance away from the fire dragon. Noticing that Garm¡¯s breath was getting irregr, Tsutomu applied Medic on Garm.


    The fire dragon broke the Barrier like a piece of paper by shing it using its nails. Garm threw the water bottle back to Tsutomu, then he patted Tsutomu¡¯s shoulder as if encouraging him before facing the fire dragon again.


    [It¡¯s alright. Garm won¡¯t copse under this condition. I¡¯ll have to keep up with the recovery skills.]


    Garm had fulfilled his role as a Tank. Unless Garm or Tsutomu make mistakes, they won¡¯t be defeated. But they won¡¯t be able to win, either. Garm alone didn¡¯t have enough fire power, and if Tsutomu shifted into offense, it¡¯d be more difficult to control the aggro, and they¡¯ll have to consume more blue potions. They can¡¯t win without an Attacker.


    Tsutomu shifted his attention to Camille. She was flying over him while holding herrge sword. She felt reassured upon seeing the two fighting against the fire dragon for several minutes.


    ¡°Camille! Are you alright now!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I let you see such a cowardly side of mine.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Ah, seems like you¡¯re not sleep deprived anymore?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes!¡±


    Camille bowed her head in response to Tsutomu, who gave her a spiteful smile. She replied with her voice full of confidence like usual. Tsutomu felt relieved seeing her energetic eyes. With this, they held all the cards. Now that they¡¯ll continue the match, Tsutomu red at the fire dragon like a hunter.

 Chapter 32, Dragon Form Unleashed

    <h4>Chapter 32, Dragon Form Unleashed</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    [I¡¯m getting hungry¡­]


    The team had been fighting the Fire Dragon for three hours since Camille¡¯s return; now Tsutomu remembered that he hadn¡¯t gotten to eat anything. It was thanks to the team beingposed of Garm the unbreakable Tank and an Attacker who responded well to his directions that Tsutomu had enough breathing room for such mundane thoughts.


    Camille, possessing the ability of flight under the << Fly >> spell¡¯s effect, readied her greatsword while observing the Fire Dragon¡¯s behavior from the air. Garm had started getting used to taking on the Dragon¡¯s attacks, which enabled him to conserve his energy; as such, he had yet to show signs of fatigue. Although he had gotten his arm fractured at one point when a tailwhip had sent him flying into a wall, he was otherwise fine and perfectly functional.


    Tsutomu chugged down about a half-bottle of Blue Potion, then cast Barrier for Garm so that thetter could catch his breath. Although his force of will was high enough to give him decent natural recovery, he still had to take a half-bottle drink of Blue Potion every hour.


    Tsutomu took out a canteen and a salted candy from his Magic Bag and passed them to Garm. While Garm drank, Tsutomu lightly wiped dry the former¡¯s sweat-drenched head with a towel, then fanned him.


    The Fire Dragon tackled the Barrier, shattering it. Tsutomu cast << Medic >> and retreated; in sequence, Garm used his Warrior Howl to draw the Fire Dragon¡¯s aggro.


    Garm essentially was taking all of the Dragons¡¯ attacks with this tower shield, only dodging its stomps and bites, while also striking its front legs with his sword whenever the asional chance arose. Camille, taking orders from Tsutomu¡¯s hand signs, approached the Fire Dragon from the air and attempted to cut off its tail with her greatsword.


    The Fire Dragon¡¯s tail whip had been the most disruptive among its attacks. Tsutomu had deemed it too dangerous after seeing Garm getting hit by it once, which was why he had told Camille to try and chop it off. The base of the tail was too thickly scaled to be easily wounded, but they had been getting attacked consistently over the past two hours; those ganoid scales were in fact getting weaker.


    If Camille were to assume her Dragon Form, she might have even lopped the tail off already, but she was unable to use it now. She appeared to still fear the Fire Dragon, and as a result, was unable to activate her ability.


    Tsutomu was disappointed, after all that practicing, to find that he still couldn¡¯t reliably ce down pick-up << Haste >> ¡ª and to add insult to injury, strategies involving the Dragon Form¡¯s usage were now not an option. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to me Camille, though, what with her being so apologetic; instead, he smiled and assured her that things would work out just fine.


    After all, the team had originally nned to get through this same Fire Dragon with Amy, their original Attacker. With that in mind, Tsutomu changed his mind with a positive outlook; even without the Dragon Form ability, the team¡¯s firepower had still increased.


    Camille, being told as such by Tsutomu, gritted her teeth in self-shame. She felt that,pared to the other two, she was a disappointment. That was all she could think about while she kept on attacking the Dragon¡¯s tail.


    Thanks to Garm¡¯s efforts to attract the Fire Dragon up to now, she had yet to be targeted with a full-force attack. Although the Dragon did attack her with its tail and hind legs, its eyes were almost always fixed onto Garm. Whenever it tried to avert its sight to Tsutomu or Camille, Garm would promptly draw its aggro back.


    These were her friends ¡ª Camille had never known that it would be so reassuring to have them.


    The other day, they had had to fight their way through four consecutive waves of monsters. Camille had thought that the party would be spent by the third wave, so she had activated her Dragon Form, unleashing her full power without considering the consequences. However, Garm had drawn the monster army¡¯s aggro efficiently, and never copsed no matter how many hits he had taken. Tsutomu had kept up all the while with his support skills; whenever she or Garm took a hit, he would heal them up not even a secondter. In the end, they had made it through all four waves without anyone dying once; Camille¡¯s expectations, albeit a negative one, had been betrayed.


    From when she had first entered the Dungeon to now, Camille had never had such reliable friends. She had previously thought of her friends as those who followed her as she pressed onward.


    Until now, there had never been anyone who couldpare to her in Dragon Form. She had always taken the lead, cutting the way open for her friends to follow. That was the case with her husband, too.


    She had achieved greater prestige than anyone else, and as a result, had be intoxicated. She would share it all with her party and n members, but never had she been able to make it a true sharing; she was the n¡¯s heart and its ace Attacker, but the difference in power had isted herself from others. Her friends had always followed her, but none she had been able to fully rely on.


    After the four-wave battle, it had struck with Camille that this team could be the one.


    Then again, despite that feeling, she had found herself unable to trust them as soon as the Fire Dragon appeared before her. She had trembled like a rabbit, thinking there was no way the Fire Dragon could possibly be defeated; the two others, however, had kept their calm and went up against the monster. Furthermore, they had even helped her out of her faint-heartedness.


    She couldn¡¯t use her Dragon Form ¡ª Despite Camille telling Tsutomu so, thetter had hand-waved it, saying it was all right. And he would be right; they had been able to keep up with the Fire Dragon for a long time now. She was relieved, but at the same time, miserable and frustrated at her own shorings.


    By now, Garm had been blown away by the Fire Dragon dozens of times, and at one point had suffered a severe injury from its tail attack. Still, he showed no sign of giving out, standing against the powerful Dragon as firmly as ever.


    The same went for Tsutomu; he had taken over the role of striking the Fire Dragon¡¯s crystal and had had no difficulties with it thus far, while also keeping an eye on the monster¡¯s every movement and keeping up with his support skills. Camille knew that she herself was the one dragging the team down ¡ª that, she could not let stand any longer.


    Her friends had always been behind her, but now, they were running right by her side.


    She told herself that, if this was how it must be, then she must not stop.


    ¡°<< Dragon Form >>¡­¡±


    Red photons radiated from the scales on Camille¡¯s body. Not faint light like before ¡ª this time it was as intense as the sun.


    Her red hair and eyes were dyed a deep crimson. Wings sprouted off her back; the intensity of it made her appear more powerful than ever before.


    ¡°AAAAAHHHHH!!!¡±


    Camille shouted, as if to unleash all the strength she had hidden in her body, and swung her greatsword down at the Fire Dragon¡¯s tail.


    The sword smashed through the cracked scales. The Fire Dragon was prompted by the sudden, crippling impact to turn around. By now, however, Camille was no longer frightened by the Dragon¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°<< POWERRRRR SLASH >>!!¡±


    Wielding her greatsword two-handed, she brandished it and swung down once again, unleashing a shockwave around her upon impact. This time the de went through, tearing its way right past the flesh, and in the end, struck the ground.


    Its tail was beautifully severed. The Fire Dragon flinched from the first severe pain it had ever felt. It writhed on the ground, as if trying to crawl away.


    ¡°<< Medic >>. ¡­Garm! Draw aggro now!¡±


    ¡°<< Combat Cry >>.¡±


    The Dragon, bleeding profusely from the stub of its tail, seared the wound with its own fire breath. Its muffled cry of pain echoing through the air, its golden eyes turned bloodshot with rage.


    Now it recognized that the little creatures in its opposition were very much capable of harming it.


    Camille had garnered a great deal of aggro from her cutting of the Fire Dragon¡¯s tail. Once she stopped moving, Tsutomu shot a << Medic >> at her; thetter had considered it troublesome if she were to generate more aggro, and had decided to dispel her transformation. Garm then followed, directing his << Combat Cry >> at the Fire Dragon¡­ but the enemy¡¯s hostility was still on Camille.


    Moreover, Camille proceeded to side-step away from the << Medic >> shot. Tsutomu, startled, tried to shoot her another << Medi >>c; this time she waved back at him.


    [¡­She¡¯s in control?]


    The Dragon Form raised all of its users¡¯ statistic ratings except for LUK, but in exchange, put them in an unstable mental state ¡ª ording to Camille¡¯s exnation, that was the effect of the skill, and Tsutomu had already confirmed that to be the case with his own two eyes. Previously, Camille had never been conscious enough in her Dragon Form to respond to his words.


    But now, she was gesturing in the distance, as if to say that there was nothing to worry about. Then the Fire Dragon, its tail wound now closed, stood up on its two hind legs and started biting the wind, hoping to catch Camille out of the air.


    Even though the crystal on its forehead had been broken and its flying ability had been reduced, that didn¡¯t mean the Fire Dragon waspletely grounded. It climbed up a cliff with its ws and jumped off, getting itself airborne and going after Camille.


    Camille avoided the iing attacks, swooping down to the ground instead. The Fire Dragon followed right behind her, spreading its wings and gliding down.


    ¡°<< Combat Cry >>. << Warrior Howl >>. << Shield Throw >>.¡±


    Garm chugged down a half-bottle of Blue Potion, having been permitted by Tsutomu to do so, and proceeded to unleash a red energy wave from his body at the Fire Dragon. Then he made his shield vibrate by mming it onto his armor ¡ª and while it was still vibrating, threw it right at the Fire Dragon¡¯s face.


    The shield, ringing under the effect of Warrior Howl, hit a horn on the Fire Dragon¡¯s head, disrupting its sense of hearing. Having pulled off multiple mentally-taxing moves at once, Garm started to feel weary, but the effect of the Blue Potion worked to cancel it out.


    ¡°Breath iing!¡±


    The Fire Dragon inhaled, unleashed its breath at the ground, and thennded. Garm blocked the breath with his fire-resistant coat, but the wind pressure from the Dragon¡¯snding caused the coat to flip up, causing some of the fire to hit his body.


    But Garm¡¯s VIT, counting Protect¡¯s enhancement, had the rating of A; even though he was taking direct damage, he still managed to withstand the fire well enough to keep moving. Disregarding the burns on his own face, Garm put on his hood again and held up his tower shield.


    ¡°<< Heal >>.¡±


    His burns were then promptly treated by Tsutomu¡¯s << Heal >>. The Fire Dragon, having lost most of its tail, seemed to have difficulty keeping bnce walking on its two hind legs. Its eyes were finally glued onto Garm once again.


    Tsutomu cast Protect for Garm and then approached Camille, who still maintained her Dragon Form as she descended to the ground. Noticing Tsutomu, Camille greeted him with a smile.


    ¡°Hello? Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    ¡°What, you messing with me now? Of course I can hear you just fine.¡±


    ¡°I mean, you¡¯re still in Dragon Form, right? How are you able to speak?¡±


    ¡°Beats me. But it¡¯s good this way, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Could this be a mid-battle evolution¡­?¡±


    [She really doese from abat-oriented race,] Tsutomu thought to himself as he moved to a position where he could see Garm. Camille, seeming quite happy for herself, repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fists.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s probably thanks to you two. I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What are you on about?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Anyway, I¡¯d like to hurry and test out this power! I can keep going like this, right!? RIGHT!?¡±


    ¡°<< Medic >>.¡±


    ¡°AHHHH!!¡±


    Tsutomu, seeing how overly excited Camille was getting while proposing such a dangerous n, cast << Medic >> on her. The dispelling effect disengaged the Dragon Form, just as it had before; Camille¡¯s red scales ceased their glow, and her wings turned ck before fading away.


    ¡°Come on¡­ You¡¯re such a party pooper.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, though¡­ what were you thinking, suddenly using Dragon Form and going straight at the tail like that? That really spooked me, you know. Almost gave me a heart attack¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you praise me a little more?¡±


    Peeved, Camille stuck her greatsword into the ground; Tsutomu, keeping a sidelong nce on Garm, produced a lowkey-sadistic look and proceeded to say,


    ¡°I would have done that if you hadn¡¯t chickened out at the beginning¡­ and wet yourself.¡±


    ¡°What the ¡ª I¡¯ll admit that I was scared, but I DID NOT wet myself! Look!¡±


    Camille pulled up the edges of her leather pants; Tsutomu ignored her and shot << Heal >> at Garm¡±s left arm. Camille still persistent, Tsutomu nodded to pacify her and proceeded to give her his next orders.


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to use Dragon Form again in about three minutes ¡ª and aim for the wings then. Also, that new form of yours might have been achieved by ident, so if you¡¯re in control, please wave to me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Understood.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Your pants¡­ aren¡¯t they totally wet?¡±


    ¡°Sweat! It¡¯s sweat!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, whatever you say!¡±


    Panicking upon Tsutomu¡¯s remark, Camille pulled up her pants again. Tsutomu carefully moved away from her and approached Garm, getting ready to support him the best he could.

 Chapter 33, Return of the Mad Dog

    <h4>Chapter 33, Return of the Mad Dog</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    Three hours had passed since Camille had sessfully gained control over the Dragon Form. Her mind clear and focused, she was now able to step on the << Haste >> pick-ups as they popped up, tremendously increasing her speed and firepower efficiency.


    In these past hours, the Fire Dragon had gotten its wings riddled with holes and its face sliced open from its left eye down to its mouth. A few of its ck ws had been broken, and ayer of flesh had been blown off its nk. Driven berserk by its injuries, the Fire Dragon now unleashed its attacks repeatedly and indiscriminately.


    Tsutomu and Camille could guard against its breath attacks with their Red-thread Fire Coats, but Garms¡¯s coat was tattered and filled with holes from him taking hits and dodging around. Although the fire breaths were not fatal, Garm would suffer burns every time he was hit, and Tsutomu would have to hurry and heal him.


    And the breath was but one attack from the Dragon¡¯s arsenal; it frequently attempted to crush the three under its gargantuan body, and also relentlessly shed them with its remaining ck ws, each easily able to shatter boulders. The most troublesome was its bite, telegraphed by its neck squeezing in then streaking out like an arrow; not only was it fast, it was so powerful that even Garm would likely die instantly if he were to be caught. To top them all off, now that it¡¯s attacks were indiscriminate, the three could not afford to let their guards down.


    Camille, in Dragon Form, stepped on Tsutomu¡¯s << Haste >> pick-up before approaching the berserk, tattered Fire Dragon. She tried sneaking in from the direction of its crushed eye and going for its neck with her greatsword, but got caught when the Dragon noticed her on the way.


    The Fire Dragon was now extremely wary of attacks targeting it faced, so destroying its other eye would be quite difficult. Moreover, Camille¡¯s movements had been gradually growing sluggish, perhaps due to her repeated uses of the Dragon Form. Having just taken a heavy blow, she was now receiving treatment from Tsutomu.


    It had already been eight hours overall since they hade to the fifty-ninthyer and started fighting the Fire Dragon. Even Tsutomu, who hadn¡¯t moved much, had built up quite a bit of fatigue.


    And Garm, who had been working alone as a Tank, was not in good shape. Despite having Heal and Medic, eight straight hours ofbat had greatly dulled his concentration. It was evident in the increased number of hits he was taking.


    He had already switched out his busted equipment three times, but now his tower shield looked like it was on the verge of breaking again. Although Tsutomu had prepared plenty of spares, he would need to put up a Barrier each time they had to be reced.


    Having expected the Fire Dragon battle to be a long one, Tsutomu regrly put up a << Barrier >> every thirty minutes to allow Garm at least a ten-second break, keeping thetter¡¯s load down. He would also use << Medic >> and other situational support skills on these asions, but not to the extent that would generate excess aggro.


    Despite taking in Tsutomu¡¯s << Heals >> and << Medics >>, one did not simply cure mental stress. Although << Medic >> cured status effects, and there did exist a status effect called ¡®Fatigue,¡¯ << Medic >> shots couldn¡¯t simply cure one¡¯s fatigue that had umted over the past eight hours.


    Moreover, it had already been two hours past the six-hour window in which the team had nned to finish the job. Camille¡¯s initial setback had cost them too much time, further burdening Garm. Now, Tsutomu regretted that he had curbed the team¡¯s overall firepower a bit too much; he had thought that if Camille were to be attacked by the Fire Dragon, she would break down again.


    Eight hours of exposure to the Fire Dragon¡¯s attacks had greatly drained away Garm¡¯s physical and mental conditions; he had already gone far past his limits.


    [This isn¡¯t looking good,] Tsutomu thought to himself, though he didn¡¯t let it show on his face as he shot a << Protect >> for Garm. The Fire Dragon stayed stubborn as ever, while Garm was just about out of steam; Tsutomu was utterly bewildered by the unexpected turn of events.


    Tsutomu had tried doing some calctions as he had always done in the original video game, subtracting Camille¡¯s attack power from the Fire Dragon¡¯s life force. Initial setbacks had thrown the estimates out of whack, but Camille¡¯s firepower ended up being more than enough to make up for it after she had regained her Dragon Form.


    And ording to the calctions, the Fire Dragon must have been almostpletely exhausted by now, but it still showed no signs of giving out; it was as if it had an unlimited supply of stamina. It had bled again and again over the course of the fight, and each time, it desperately seared its wounds with its own fire. That was what had kept its blood loss to a minimum, in turn preventing its energy from being exhausted.


    It was obvious that the Dragon was weakening, though; its breathing had grown extremely faint at this point. Since its movements had not slowed down much, however, the team could not afford to let their guard down. Considering Tsutomu¡¯s VIT rating, he certainly would be gravely injured by a single hit no matter which of the Dragon¡¯s attack it was, so he had to be especially careful.


    As much as he would like to finish off the Fire Dragon as soon as possible ¡ª for the sake of the team¡¯s hard-working Tank ¡ª it still was uncertain whether an all-out-attack would be enough to bring it down. Thinking numerically, Tsutomu had absolute confidence that it would; the uncertainty came from how alive and active the Fire Dragon still seemed.


    Tsutomu was at a loss here; should they keep up the same strategy, or have everyone go full offensive? First thinking he would ask the two others for their opinions, he cast << Protect >> on Garm. But then¡­


    Tsutomu turned pale, his eyes pried wide. Garm suddenly copsed, dropping his shortsword and crashing right onto the ground.


    He had neglected to watch his footing for a second, and as a result, tripped over a gash in the ground ¡ª a gash previously caused by the shes of the Fire Dragon¡¯s ck ws.


    ¡°GARM!!¡±


    A gigantic foot-shaped shadow loomed over Garm.


    It was the Fire Dragon¡¯s front foot ¡ª it stomped down, erasing Garm¡¯s figure under its massive size and sinking in a hole in the earth.


    As soon as the Fire Dragon raised its foot, Tsutomu waved his staff.


    ¡°<< Heal >>! Camille! Attack its front leg! << Heal >>!¡±


    While the Dragon had its foot up, Tsutomu shot << Heal >> bullets at Garm¡­ But then it stomped down again. And again, and again, each time letting out a deadly cry, as if it was exerting all the energy it could muster. Tsutomu kept on shooting Heal at Garm in between each of the three stomps.


    Camille, under Tsutomu¡¯s direction, spread her wings and closed in on the Fire Dragon, prompting it to raise its front foot in a frenzy. She streaked her greatsword across as she passed the leg, drawing blood from its forefoot.


    The Fire Dragon flinched and screamed. Tsutomu rushed to peer into the newly-stomped hole in the ground, checking to make sure that no particles had dispersed from it. Garm was right there, covering his head with his tower shield.


    After confirming that the Fire Dragon had turned its hostility onto Camille instead, Tsutomu set up a << Haste >> pick-up in the direction she was heading.


    ¡°Camille!¡¡Focus on dodging it!¡¡Don¡¯t die!¡±


    After giving his instruction, Tsutomu used << Fly >> and descended down the hole to get Garm.


    Garm was coughing up a lot of blood. Tsutomu, deducing that Garm¡¯s organs had probably been crushed, put his hands on thetter¡¯s abdomen and cast << High Heal >>. Then, he pulled out the Green Potion bottle from his belt, uncorked it, and had Garm chug it down.


    Garm¡¯s recoverypleted a few momentster. He pulled his arms out of the ground, then slowly unstuck the rest of his body.


    ¡°A-are you all right?¡± Tsutomu asked, nervous from the sight of the state he was in.


    In response, Garm coughed violently, puking out more blood, staining his silver armor a deep red, and then spat out a broken tooth.


    ¡°I think we should switch to an all-out offensive. You don¡¯t have to push yourself to Tank anymore.¡±


    While Tsutomu suggested to him so, Garm bent his left arm ¡ª which had been bent the wrong way ¡ª back into shape, and he did the same with the dislocated fingers on his left hand. Tsutomu cringed away from the painful, cracking sounds.


    Garm then reached for a potion on his belt, but saw that even the impact-resistant bottles had been broken, its contents leaked onto the ground. Tsutomu offered Garm a Green Potion from his own belt; thetter readily epted, immediately chugging half of it down. He then handed it back to Tsutomu and proceeded to spin his arms and wriggle his fingers around, re-calibrating his senses.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get going,¡± Tsutomu said before casting << Fly >> for both himself and Garm.


    But then, when he was about to ascend, Garm grabbed him by the shoulder, pinning him down with greater strength than << Fly¡¯s >> lifting power.


    ¡°Why would I need to stop Tanking now?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Let me see this through to the end.¡±


    Tsutomu almost screamed upon seeing the ghastly look in Garm¡¯s eyes. Garm then released his hand from Tsutomu¡¯s shoulder and proceeded to ascend, blood dripping from his armor all the while.


    ¡°I¡¯m wide awake now. You can leave the Tanking to me.¡±


    ¡°O-okay¡­¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll leave my back to you.¡±


    As soon as he finished saying that, Garm leaped up and exerted the most willpower he could into his << Combat Cry >>, enveloping the Fire Dragon with provocative energy as it chased after Camille.


    ¡°COME ON!!¡± Garm shouted, his voice slightly gurgling as if he still had some blood in his throat.


    In response, the Fire Dragon broke its attention from Camille, turning instead to Garm and raising its voice in opposition.


    The Dragon was certain that it had stepped on him. Now, it wondered how he was still alive.


    Confused, it then alternated its line of sight between Camille and Tsutomu, thetter of whom had just climbed out of the stomp hole; that moment, the pointy end of Garm¡¯s tower shield pierced into its crushed eye, as if to gouge it out. The shield, still vibrating under the effect of << Warrior Howl >>, vehemently shook the Dragon¡¯s head.


    ¡°You¡¯re up against me!¡±


    As his tower shield returned, Garm caught it with his left hand. His mouth crooked in twisted amusement, producing the look of a hound cornering his prey.


    The Dragon was disturbed; the tiny, insignificant creature in front of it was now intimidating in its eyes. Itnded on all-fours and charged at Garm.


    Camille, who had been doing her best dodging the Fire Dragon¡¯s attacks in mid-air,nded beside Tsutomu. Although she hadn¡¯t been under fire for long, she was sweating profusely.


    ¡°Garm sure is amazing, isn¡¯t he? Well, I did think he was already quite strong to begin with, but¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the best Tank we could ever ask for.¡±


    Tsutomu pointed his chin and puffed up his chest slightly, to which Camille gave a dry smile before turning back to Garm, observing thetter as he drew the Fire Dragon¡¯s aggro.


    ¡°You are amazing, too, of course!¡±


    ¡°Why, thank you¡­ << Protect >>.¡±


    Tsutomu measured the effect duration of << Protect >> as he spoke; once it was up, he shot another an earthy-yellow energy ball at Garm.


    ¡°Thanks to Garm¡¯s efforts, I think we¡¯ll be able to win this without casualty. We¡¯ll keep up the same strategy¡­ Just don¡¯t go in recklessly expecting your next hit to take it down just because it looks weak, all right? I¡¯m really going to lose my temper if you do that.¡±


    ¡°As if. I really don¡¯t think I can take on that monster alone, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, good. Looks like you¡¯re perfectly fine. Let¡¯s get going, then ¡ª and please be careful not to build up too much aggro.¡±


    ¡°I got this!¡±


    Camille held up her greatsword and flew away; Tsutomu ced a << Haste >> pick-up in the direction she was headed. In a burst of speed, Camille shed at the Fire Dragon¡¯s hind legs.


    For another thirty minutes, Garm baited the Fire Dragon, Camille attacked without generating excessive aggro, and Tsutomu kept on shooting his support and recovery skills.


    Now the Fire Dragon was finally in a near-death state, all its four legs limping on the ground. Tsutomu waved his hand, signaling Camille as she flew in from above.


    ¡°¡­Go!¡±


    ¡°<< Helm Splitter >>!¡±


    Camille, in her Dragon Form, covered her greatsword with blue energy, descended, then swung down on the Fire Dragon¡¯s long neck.


    The Dragon¡¯s head fell down to the ground, severed. Itnded in front of Tsutomu, its tongue sticking out.


    Red particles dispersed from the Fire Dragon¡¯s body. Then came a cracking sound¡­ as the ck Gate emerged to greet the three.


    ¡°¡­All right!¡±


    Tsutomu pumped up his fists, then turned to his side and raised both his hands to Garm, who had dropped his tower shield to the ground. Garm, knowing what Tsutomu wanted, cracked a smile.


    ¡°OH YEAH!!¡±


    This time, Tsutomu and Garm properly high-fived¡­ and then they both were tackled down by Camille, who had thrown her greatsword away and rushed in to hug them.

 Chapter 34, The Spectators’ Delight and the Cat’s Flip Side

    <h4>Chapter 34, The Spectators¡¯ Delight and the Cat¡¯s Flip Side</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    Eight o¡¯clock in the morning, the rush hour in which an endless stream of workers headed to their respective workces¡­ Monitor #1, the massive size of which allowed one to see it even from a distance, was projecting live footage of Tsutomu¡¯s party of three exploring the Dungeon¡¯s fifty-ninthyer.


    Several years prior, the n Camille had led was considered outstanding even among all the major ns; their endeavors had given her a good understanding of the sub-sixtiethyers¡¯youts, enabling the current team to quickly find the ck Gates. Her tall and slender body was a figure the town¡¯s maidens strove to achieve, but unfitting of her appearance, she wielded her giant greatsword with ease, knocking out monsters left and right. She had always been a crowd puller ¡ª and her poprity, both past and present, garnered a great number of supporters.


    Garm the Mad Dog had be quite a hot topictely, too; he had not copsed once no matter how many monsters he took on. Whenever he appeared on the Monitors, the town¡¯s women and girls would totally fawn over him.


    Tsutomu, unlike the other two, only waved his staff from the back row, shooting recovery and support skills while giving out orders; he was seen by the crowd as the pompous and authoritative one. That, coupled with Solit Company¡¯s article, only served to tarnish the spectators¡¯ opinions on him.


    Most of the spectators thought it was all Garm and Camille¡¯s work that had brought the team to the fifty-ninthyer. Although some of them had their eyes on Tsutomu, curious about his skill shots, their opinion on him had been negative from the onset due to Solit Company¡¯s recent article. As such, they refrained from openly giving Tsutomu credit for his performance.


    Still, some among the crowd had been spectating via these monitors for years, thus possessing far more knowledge than themon explorer. These so-called Dungeon Maniacs had at least some appreciation towards Tsutomu¡¯s role.


    Usually, the Valleys and Canyons of the sub-sixtiethyers were challenged by parties of five, the maximum number allowed. The Valleys were no big deal, but in the Canyons of the fifty-sixthyer onward, explorers would be faced with many multi-wave monster attacks; even the famous five-man parties of mid-tier ns would often be wiped out here.


    It was already quite noteworthy that this party of three had been able to make their way through the Canyons, reaching the fifty-ninthyer. No matter how resilient Camille and Garm were, some deaths would be expected among the party members if Tsutomu were to be weak in performing his part. However, none of the three had been shown dying even once thus far.


    And that was because of how Tsutomu directed the shots of his three skills ¡ª the earthy-yellow << Protect >>, the blue << Haste >>, and the green << Heal >>. Each of the energy masses appeared from his staff and made their way to Garm and Camille without fail. His uracy and precision with his skill shots, despite being out of the two others¡¯ sights as they were upied with fighting monsters, earned him admiration among the Dungeon Maniacs.


    Time passed without incident; now it was past nine. Most workers had already gone to their workces by now, so most of the people keeping an eye on Monitor #1 were the women, the children, nearby beggars, and a few workers who happened to be on break. All were surprised to see the party of three enter the ck Gate to the sixtiethyer. None of them had expected the team to challenge the Fire Dragon immediately.


    ¡°Huh? They went in¡­¡±


    ¡°This should be the team¡¯s first run, right? They¡¯re probably just taking a look.¡±


    ¡°Nah, they would¡¯ve taken in cheap equipment if they were doing that. Just look at Camille¡¯s greatsword ¡ª it¡¯s the real deal.¡±


    ¡°Eh, they probably want to see how their real weapons would hold up.¡±


    ¡°You know what? I bet my lunch they¡¯ll die to the first fire breath.¡±


    ¡°Same, man. Same.¡±


    ¡°I bet second breath, then. They¡¯ve got Fire Coats, so I guess at least one will still be alive.¡±


    ¡°What? Garm can take three, for sure. Ready your wallets to buy me lunch, y¡¯all.¡±


    ¡°The roar will probably kill them all anyway.¡±


    The Dungeon Maniacs chatted among themselves, greatly anticipating what happened next. The women clutched their agape mouths in amazement, while the children excitedly raised their hands whenever they saw the Fire Dragon. The crowd around Monitor #1 started getting louder and louder, their attention glued to the party of three as they dispersed into light particles and entered the ck Gate.


    The only n that had been tackling the Fire Dragontely was the Golden Tune, the one led by the Golden Wolfman. Ealdred Crow, the n with the most registered members, had only been hunting Wyverns in recent times. Scarlet Devil Squad, the n of only ten members despite being one of the major ns, was still working hard to make up for the enormous deficit they had incurred from their previous Fire Dragon hunt.


    As such, the audience had not been seeing the Fire Dragon be pitted against anyone other than the Golden Tune. Everyone kept their eyes on Monitor #1 with great excitement ¡ª especially the people on the front row ¡ª despite mostly expecting the fight to be over in a defeat soon. Some of them had been disinterested due to Tsutomu¡¯s bad reputation, but now they changed their minds, curiously looking at the monitor.


    After entering the sixtiethyer, Tsutomu proceeded to apply with support skills; right when he was done, the Fire Dragon leaped out of the canyon, its long, slender body iling like a serpent. It then roared; the magnitude of its intimidation was sure to terrify all of those who heard it for the first time. Even the spectators were affected; some of the women and children screamed. Most others, on the other hand, uttered their amazement as if they were watching fireworks.


    In most cases, ns going up against the Fire Dragon for the first time were frozen in ce by the roar, and subsequently burned down by the breath. The crowd kept their eyes on the three explorers on the monitor, expecting that to also be the case for this party.


    Camille and Garm trembled, their faces pale; Tsutomu, on the other hand, simply covered one ear and looked with annoyance at the Fire Dragon. He then proceeded to pull Garm¡¯s tail and p Camille¡¯s cheeks, bringing them back to their senses.


    ¡°That little shit! Did he just pull Garm¡¯s tail!?¡±


    The women went crazy with their reactions, prompting the Dungeon Maniacs to give them the stink-eye; it was that moment when the Fire Dragon¡¯s breath engulfed the team of three. And at the same time, the light of a sh Bottle turned Monitor #1¡¯s live footage white. The audience, dazzled by the intense sh, was prompted to briefly close their eyes.


    While the Fire Dragon¡¯s eyes were still disabled, Tsutomu hopped onto its forehead and smashed its crystal. With the teamsting longer than they had expected, spectators started getting more and more excited. The Dungeon Maniacs, witnessing Tsutomu¡¯s usage of the sh Bottle and subsequent smashing of the crystal, were utterly astonished; his process had been so smooth that it was unbelievable for someone fighting the Dragon for the first time.


    Camille had yet to recover; the two others let her sit aside and went to confront the Fire Dragon themselves. The crowd cheered in admiration as Garm Tanked the Fire Dragon¡¯s attacks alone. While Garm was being knocked around, however, it was Tsutomu who kept supporting him with skills; this gradually pulled the spectators¡¯ attention to thetter.


    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s that flying green thing?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know, either.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so sparkly!¡±


    One child among the crowd asked her mother, and thedy dodged the question, not knowing what to answer.


    The battle dragged on; Garm withstood the Fire Dragon¡¯s assault for approximately forty minutes before Camille regained her strength,pleting the Attacker-Tank-Healer line-up. Then they fought for two more hours straight.


    ¡°For real¡­?¡±


    The Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯stest Fire Dragon attempt had taken up three hours. This party of three hadsted almost as long thus far, and moreover, none among them had died even once; such excellent performance had pulled the attention of everyone in the vicinity to Monitor #1. Some called their friends over to watch together; eventually, the streets were filled with more and more peopleing to check out what was up.


    The Security Team, noticing the congestions, began to patrol the crowd in order to keep the spectators¡¯ lines orderly and to avoid any trouble. The stallholders, seeing it as the high time for profit, poured their specialty sweet-and-spicy sauces onto their heated griddles, filling their stalls¡¯ vicinities with appetizing smells. Lured in by the smell, one person in the area after another bought meat and vegetable skewers for themselves.


    The time was now almost noon, or in other words, lunchtime; those among the crowd around Monitor #1 were starting to feel their stomachs rumble. The flooded to the nearby food stalls and vendors, then hurried back to keep on watching, mugs of freshly-squeezed orange juice and ale in their hands.


    Garm was attracting the Fire Dragon¡¯s attention, while Camille attacked it; those were what one would expect, but the crowd grew more and more intrigued by how Tsutomu shot and directed his skills.


    ¡°That Garm, man. He hasn¡¯t been drinking any potions at all, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Probably because the Lucky Boy¡¯s been healing him. You know, those << Heal >> balls he¡¯s been shooting off?¡±


    ¡°And isn¡¯t that << Protect >>? The brown-ish one.¡±


    From the audience¡¯s perspective, it was quite an unusual sight that not a single bottle of Green Potion had been consumed thus far in such a long battle. It had beenmon knowledge, especially from witnessing major ns¡¯ strategies, that arge quantity of Green Potions was needed in order to stand a chance against the Fire Dragon. The Golden Tune and the Scarlet Devil Squad, both of which had sessfully defeated the Fire Dragon before, have had to consume arge supply of Green and Blue Potions in order to achieve their victories.


    But that was not the case for this party of three ¡ª only Tsutomu had been consuming anything thus far, albeit quite sparingly; he only drank half a Blue Potion once an hour. His consumption rate was clearly lower than those of the other ns.


    Additionally, their vulnerability windows during their healing phases were nothingpared to the other ns, too. Normally, one would be open to attacks while drinking a Potion, often resulting in deaths if they happened to be targeted during that time. However, Garm was getting healed as he fought on; his concentration was fully on the Fire Dragon, producing no such openings.


    Healers of major ns¡¯ parties would only apply support skills at the beginning of a battle, then stay hidden to keep themselves alive until their teams needed them for a << Raise >>. But unlike them, this party¡¯s Healer never hid himself. Without fear of the adversary, he constantly unleashed his healing and support skills for his friends.


    That usually would draw the Fire Dragon¡¯s hostility toward the Healer, but Garm had been using his aggro-generating skills to keep the Dragon¡¯s attention on him. Camille, exploiting all the openings she could, had been inflicting wound after wound onto the Fire Dragon. Although she had asionally umted too much aggro and found herself under fire as a result, the team¡¯s aggro management had been so good that Tsutomu had never been targeted once.


    Then came the moment Camille gained her shiny new << Dragon Form >> and proceeded to unleash a << Power sh >>, severing the Fire Dragon¡¯s tail. The audience erupted in excitement.


    ¡°Dude! They might actually take it down!¡±


    ¡°Nah, no way.¡±


    ¡°None of them have even died once, though! That¡¯s freaking awesome!¡±


    ¡°The two others, sure, but the Lucky Boy¡¯s only been shooting stuff in the back, you know.¡±


    ¡°What? They haven¡¯t even used a Green Potion, you know. That¡¯s gotta be because he¡¯s been shooting his Heals, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh, really?¡±


    Some among the spectators, other than the Dungeon Maniacs, were starting to realize the value of Tsutomu¡¯s role. Workers on lunch breake out looking to just grab a bite, but upon seeing all the wild enthusiasm around Monitor #1, they talked to those on the edges of the spectators¡¯ crowd.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? The crowd looks really hype today¡­ wait, is that the Fire Dragon!? The Golden is at it again?¡±


    ¡°Nope, it¡¯s the Lucky Boy¡¯s party. They¡¯ve been going at it since nine o¡¯clock!¡±


    ¡°What!? You gotta be shitting me!¡±


    ¡°I mean, just look at them! See?¡±


    ¡°What the hell, it really is those three! Why¡¯d they have to go in now!? Do it at night so I can keep watching, damn it!¡±


    ¡°Heh, gotta go to work, huh? Too bad, man ¡ª you¡¯re missing out big time.¡±


    ¡°Damn it! ¡­I¡¯ll just grab a bite at the stall here. Hey, kid! How much for one of those!?¡±


    The workers gathered around the nearby boy selling spit-roast skewers, then stood watching Monitor #1 from afar, each of them with a skewer in one hand. Camille in her new << Dragon Form >>, Garm Tanking the Fire Dragon¡¯s attacks all by himself¡­ and Tsutomu directing his three-colored skills ¡ª it was their first time seeing that.


    The party of three fought for another forty minutes without any among them copsing. Eventually, the workers went back to work with looks of regret on their faces. Some among them had to be dragged away by their colleagues ¡ª those were secretly Dungeon Maniacs.


    Although the technology to take ck-and-white photographs had been recovered from some of the Dungeon¡¯s treasure chests, the magical tool to record the Monitors¡¯ broadcasts had yet to be developed. One could only watch the footage live ¡ª once it was over, it was gone for good.


    Therefore, if one wanted to be noticed by a crowd, they would prefer to walk into a major battle on Sunday when most workers got a day off, or at six o¡¯clock in the afternoon, after which day workers ended their shifts. Tsutomu did not care when it came to whether he was being watched, however; the workers had no choice but to head back to work in gloomy spirits.


    From then on, the party of three kept fighting for another four hours and a half. It was unprecedented how long this Fire Dragon battle had dragged on, yet the crowd never lost interest as they kept flocking to Monitor #1. The Security Teams had the eyes of a dead fish as they regted the ever-growing crowd, keeping the traffic in order.


    ¡°How many hours have they been fighting now¡­?¡±


    ¡°Huh, what¡¯s that? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    For the spectators who were used to seeing short battles and strategies involving the use of Potions for bursts of firepower, the long-term strategy of stabilizing the battle situation and dragging on the fight waspletely out of this world. At this point the Fire Dragon went berserk, gravely wounding Garm with its indiscriminate attacks ¡ª then it alsonded a hit on Camille, putting thetter on the verge of copsing. Still, Tsutomu¡¯s skill shots and directions to his members kept the party intact.


    The Fire Dragon had gotten a lot of holes in its wings, one side of its face had been cut, and it had lost one eye. The crowd¡¯s anticipation was high; they started to think that the team might actually defeat the Fire Dragon at this rate. A mere party of three ¡ª one that had never fought the Fire Dragon before ¡ª had cornered the dreadful creature to this extent.


    ¡­But then, Garm reached his limit and fell. The Dragon proceeded to crush him underfoot, first prompting waves of shrieks from the women, then disappointed sighs from the rest of the spectators. He had been stomped by the Dragon three times ¡ª there was no way he could have survived.


    But survive he did; shortly after Tsutomu jumped down the footprint hole, Garm emerged from it, dripping all over with his own blood. The spectators were agape with surprise. Garm proceeded to throw his tower shield at the Fire Dragon¡¯s face, stabbing its eye¡­ Then, he grinned and bared his fangs at his adversary; the crowd ¡ª particrly the women ¡ª cheered him on, their voices resounding through the vicinity of Monitor #1.


    In the end, Camille lopped the Fire Dragon¡¯s head off, causing its body to start dispersing into particles. The za was filled with the crowd¡¯s cheering ¡ª it was as if an explosion had just urred.


    ¡°Yoooo! They actually did it!¡±


    ¡°Hey, for real!? They¡¯re incredible! And the Lucky Boy, man!¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha! Dude! That¡¯s so awesome!¡±


    The crowd raised their hands; people swayed in waves. Although they weren¡¯t as excited as the Scart Devil Squad¡¯s run, as that team had taken timing into consideration so that the day workers could watch them all the way through, this degree of excitement was still extraordinary.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s just those two doing all the hard work anyway!¡±


    But in the midst of such loud cheers, one bugger of an explorer dared to speak abominably; that prompted a surge of cold stares from the surrounding Dungeon Maniacs onto him.


    ¡°¡­Dude, you¡¯re embarrassing yourself.¡±


    ¡°You seriously saying that after seeing THAT? Man, you sure you¡¯re not blind?¡±


    ¡°W-what the hell, guys!? Damn it! It¡¯s all thanks to the powers of his teammates! I could have taken it down too if I went with someone that strong!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn, there he goes again¡­¡±


    The Dungeon Maniacs looked down with pity on the obnoxious bugger as he screamed on. The stares of the spectators around him were also cold. The Fire Dragon had previously gone undefeated until the Scarlet Devil Squad had imed the first victory half a year after its discovery. The man, iming he could have done that, had instantly branded himself as theughingstock.


    ¡°Damn it! Don¡¯t look at me like that! DAMN IT!!!¡±


    The explorer, unable to stand the stares from the opposing crowd, started throwing a tantrum and was promptly taken away by the Security Team on patrol. While other simr argument-starters could be seen being escorted away by the Security Team, the spectators kept their eyes on the party of three, who were now joking among themselves in the aftermath of their victory.


    ¡°Lucky Boy sure does awesome work. If only he hadn¡¯t done that to Amy¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s got power, I¡¯ll give you that. Sill not forgivin¡¯ him for what he did to Amy, though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that he¡¯s threatening Garm and Camille with their weaknesses as well, but¡­ is that true? It really doesn¡¯t look that way to me.¡±


    Seeing how the three were having so much fun among themselves, some among the audience started questioning the integrity of Solit Company¡¯s report.


    ¡°Nah, the case with Amy is definitely real. I heard that from an explorer friend of hers, you know.¡±


    ¡°Right. In fact, it¡¯s the Lucky Boy who ordered Amy to walk into Solit Company like that, too.¡±


    ¡°Well, as long as they¡¯re strong, right? It¡¯s pretty interesting, this party. Won with just three members, and on the first try? Now that¡¯s awesome.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s forcing Amy to do whatever he says, you know? I¡¯m so jea¨C I mean, that¡¯s unforgivable!¡±


    ¡°But killing the Fire Dragon with just three members, man¡­ You see those flying magic shots? That¡¯s gotta be their secret to winning this.¡±


    ¡°Funny¡­ I¡¯m sure people would be fine is he was a straight-up womanizer like the Golden Wolfman, too¡­ But threatening people with their weaknesses and forcing them to do his bidding ¡ª that¡¯s a big nope from me.¡±


    The crowd spectators kept on talking among themselves, maintaining their discussions of what the party of three had just aplished for quite a while.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Rewinding back to three hours since Tsutomu¡¯s party started fighting the Fire Dragon¡­ Excitement was at an all-time high around the Guild¡¯s Monitor #1. The crowd¡¯s noise was so loud that it reached the Guild Dormitory, piquing Amy¡¯s curiosity, and in turn resulting in hering to take a look herself.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Shown on the Monitor was live footage of Garm, Camille, and Tsutomu challenging the Fire Dragon. Amy asked a Guild Staff Member ¡ª one who was neglecting his post toe watch the show ¡ª for details, and learned that the three had been fighting the Fire Dragon for more than three hours now.


    Garm attracted the Dragon¡¯s attention. Camille attacked. Tsutomu healed, supported, and gave directions to the former two. Amy watched the scene unfold with an irritated look on her face.


    [The Guild Master is attacking too much. Didn¡¯t she hear Tsutomu¡¯s orders? Yeah, that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about ¡ª now the Fire Dragon is on her. That¡¯s what she gets for not listening.]


    Amy had begun to understand the role of an Attacker from learning and performing Tsutomu¡¯s strategies while they were going through from the twentieth to the fiftiethyer. She was frustrated by how Camille¡¯s attacking patterns were so unorganized and reckless.


    [Tsutomu is trying to shoot << Haste >> for her, so why is she going as fast as she can? He¡¯d have such an easier time if only she¡¯d slow down a bit. Gah! So annoying!]


    Amy, thinking with frustration how she would have fared much better by doing this-and-that, went into the Dining Hall and took a seat. A fellow Guild Staff Member, seeing her like that, pulled a dry smile and offered her some apple juice.


    Briefly surprised by that at first, Amy painted herself an innocent smile and epted it, then proceeded to chug it down while keeping an eye on the three fighting the Fire Dragon¡­ And then she groaned again, frustrated by how the party¡¯sposition looked from the outside.


    [I wanna be in the Guild Master¡¯s ce right about now¡­ Seriously! I¡¯d be able to fit in better with Tsutomu, and the pupper would have been working way more efficiently, too! Ugh¡­]


    Seeing one sloppy disy of coordination from the Guild Master after another, Amy looked at the Monitor in annoyance. The cat ears on the top of her head stood straight up, and her thin tail wagged around in displeasure.


    [¡­Garm¡¯s toughness is really going to waste right now. Well, he¡¯s pretty much got all of the Fire Dragon¡¯s on him, so that¡¯s at least good.]


    Amy thought to herself upon seeing how Garm still showed no signs of copsing despite being blown away by the Fire Dragon¡¯s tail. The footage then shifted its focus to Tsutomu, waving his staff and giving out orders while flying in the air.


    ¡°Camille! Stop for a bit afternding three more hits! Garm, do you need healing!?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine!¡±


    ¡°Gotcha! I¡¯ve got ten minutes until the next Barrier! Keep it up!¡±


    While he said that, he shot a << Protect >> at Garm. Tsutomu then pulled Camille aside and talked to her about some things. Amy watched on, thinking how his voice sounded so stern when heard through the monitor while munching on some piping-hot fried potatoes that another Staff Member had treated her to.


    [Huh, so that¡¯s what his healing shots look like from afar¡­ Wait, since when did he get so¡­ buddy-buddy with Garm?]


    Tsutomu waved his staff once more, shooting << Protect >> and << Heal >> to Garm in quick session, then muttered to himself the remaining effect time of << Haste >> before generating a << Haste >> pick-up for Camille when that time was almost up. Casting a support skill while its previous effect still lingered would override itpletely, wasting the remaining effect time and resulting in more casts overall, which in turn resulted in generating excessive aggro from the Fire Dragon. Therefore, Tsutomu made it a point to cast skills for them just before their effects were about to expire.


    [He¡¯s gotten so good at controlling his << Fly >>, too. He used to fall into the sea all the time.]


    When Tsutomu had started out, he would often lose control and almost drown from the seawater weighing down his white robes ¡ª and would be helped up by Amy time and time again. Now thetter was impressed by how he could now even cast his support skills while flying around.


    Then, after Camille started using her << Dragon Form >> again, the Fire Dragon started sustaining visible injuries on its body. Its long tail was cut off, its wings were punctured, and one of its golden eyes was crushed.


    [She¡¯s still taking action without thinking things through, but¡­ the Guild Master is strong, that¡¯s for sure. And she¡¯s getting better at matching up with Tsutomu, too.]


    Amy stared at Monitor #1 as if she was eating into it¡­ while munching on the various appetizer tes that had been served to her by the other Guild Staff Members ¡ª it was almost as if they had been paying her tribute. She was confident that her ability to match up with Tsutomu¡¯s actions exceeded Camille¡¯s. But then again, she knew that she could not perform superhuman-level moves like Camille could while using her << Dragon Form >>.


    [They might actually win this¡­ Hah¡­]


    Amy was now convinced that they could take down the Fire Dragon eventually, considering how the team had been holding up, and assuming that no major change in advantage happened from this point on. With that, she heaved a deep sigh.


    [I don¡¯t see myself ever pulling off the Guild Master¡¯s crazy moves, really¡­ Maybe it was better in the end that they had gone in with her instead. Maybe I¡¯m just not strong enough.]


    Amy trembled out of disappointment toward herself; she hadn¡¯t gotten to see Camille¡¯s disaster of a start during the first half-hour or so. And now, the fight had dragged on for seven hours; the team still couldn¡¯t defeat the Fire Dragon even with Camille¡¯s power. Amy, made to realize herck of ability upon seeing all that, clenched her fists in frustration.


    When Garm fell and was crushed underfoot repeatedly by the Fire Dragon, Amy couldn¡¯t help but stand right up from her seat¡­ But then he came out of the hole,pletely healed and mentally unfazed by what he had just been through. Seeing that, Amy promptly sat down again, dumbfounded.


    Eventually, the three seeded in defeating the Fire Dragon, and were now joking among themselves; Amy, looking on as they did, noticed a drop of water falling from her eyes. She promptly wiped it off and trudged her way back to the Guild Dormitory.

 Chapter 35, Change of Attitude

    <h4>Chapter 35, Change of Attitude</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    The three who had defeated the Fire Dragon, were all down on the ground from Camille¡¯s celebratory tackle-hug. They looked at each other with a grin on each of their faces before standing up. They stood around bantering among themselves for a while; eventually, the God Eye broadcasting footage to Monitor #1 descended from high up, approaching them.


    Tsutomu made a V-sign to the God Eye. Camille leaned on Tsutomu from behind; Garm cracked a smile while wagging his ck-furred tail, and also crouched down to match Tsutomu¡¯s shoulder height.


    Tsutomu lightly nudged Camille away before he copsed under her¡­ leaning strength, then looked up at the red particles rising from the Fire Dragon¡¯s body. Then, he opened the Magic Bag on his back ¡ª so wide that it looked like he was spreading a carpet ¡ª and collected the Red Large Magic Stone that the Dragon had dropped.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s head to the sixty-firstyer and get ourselves back to town.¡±


    Camille, whose excitement finally subsided, gasped for some air before following Tsutomu as he opened the ck Gate. After the Boss of ayer was defeated, two ck Gates would appear; one leading one to the nextyer, and the other taking one back to the Guild. They could head back to the Guild immediately ande back to advance onward without having to fight the Layer Boss again, but Tsutomu wanted to step into the sixty-firstyer before heading back, just in case.


    Once back at the Guild, the three found themselves wrapped in joyous cheering. Tsutomu was so taken aback by the overwhelming apuse that he almost fell over, but Garm held him up. Camille was unfazed and took it in stride, having been ustomed to receiving praise for her exploits.


    Though still daunted by the explorers all around him, Tsutomu headed to the reception counter. With the explorers near the counter made way for him, he saw the face of the beautiful receptionistdy for the first time in a while¡­ since she¡¯d usually be blocked out by all the people lining up for her. The receptionistdy smiled at Tsutomu; thetter thanked her before approaching the same receptionist man whom he had consulted before he set off¡­ leaving the receptionistdy¡¯s smile a little bit strained.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯d also like to update my Status Card, please.¡±


    ¡°You got it. But man, you¡¯ve really done it, Tsutomu! It¡¯s been so long since I got surprised by anything!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Garm and Camille, really.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey! Don¡¯t be so modest! You¡¯re in a party of three ¡ª everyone ys their part!¡±


    The receptionist man with the scary face tapped Tsutomu on the shoulder before passing him a piece of paper; thetter took it, applied his saliva to it, then handed it back. Once the Status Card was done updating, the Deputy Guild Master, who had been standing behind the receptionist man, bowed to Tsutomu.


    ¡°Congrattions on your sess, Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m d we were able to get it all done in one go. Do you think this will make the negotiations a little easier, sir?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Earlier this evening, some Solit Company negotiators hurried to visit us at the Guild, actually¡­ They usually acted all high and mightly, but today they already had their head down by the time they arrived. I¡¯d thought I would need to depend on your intimidation factor, Mister Tsutomu, but it went without incident ¡ª that sure took a load off my chest.¡±


    Seeing from the Deputy Guild Master¡¯s face how he seemed to have regained some weight and enthusiasm, Tsutomu chuckled.


    ¡°It definitely was worth our efforts, sir. So, how have the negotiations been so far?¡±


    ¡°For the time being, they¡¯ve made themitment to revise the article, at the very least. They¡¯d like to make a formal apology to you as well, Mister Tsutomu; do you happen to have some free time in your schedule anytime soon?¡±


    ¡°I see, I see. Thank you, sir. As for when we¡¯ll be free¡­ I still don¡¯t know, I¡¯m afraid. We¡¯d like to ask Amy about her ns before deciding on a date.¡±


    ¡°Very well, then¡­ If I were to be honest, I think the negotiations would have gone on much longer if not for your sessful Fire Dragon hunt, Mister Tsutomu. To think the three of you would actually defeat it¡­ I simply don¡¯t know what would be appropriate for expressing our thanks to you all.¡±


    The Deputy Guild Master started sounding apologetic, his voice shaking so much that one would think he was weeping; Tsutomu promptly interrupted him.


    ¡°Oh, no, please don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯d originally nned to defeat the Fire Dragon ourselves sooner orter anyway, and our careless courses of action did have a part in causing this uproar. Besides, you¡¯ve already gotten them to revise the article, didn¡¯t you?¡¡That¡¯s more than enough for me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±


    The Deputy Guild Master raised his head; Tsutomu smiled, then proceeded to ask his question, looking as if he had just remembered to,


    ¡°Oh, speaking of which, do you happen to know where Amy is?¡±


    ¡°She has has been confined to the Guild Dormitory¡¯s vicinity until all this turmoil is resolved. Her room number is¨C¡°


    Once Tsutomu noted the number down, the Deputy Guild Master bowed to express his thanks once again; the former promptly stopped him.


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu. I know this is quite selfish of me, but could you please hear out this one request of mine?¡±


    ¡°Yes? What is it, sir?¡±


    ¡°¡­This is about Amy, you see. As you know, she had infiltrated the Solit Company of her own ord and further tarnished your reputation. But she¡¯s¡­ She¡¯s an honest girl at heart. Her immaturity may have led her to act without thinking things through, but in approaching Solit Company, she had not intended to discredit you, Mister Tsutomu. So¡­ if possible, please don¡¯t be too harsh on her. As the Deputy Guild Master, I am willing to take at least part of the me in her stead. Please, I beg of you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mm-hm¡­ Oh, how old is she, by the way?¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly, she will be turning eighteen this year.¡±


    ¡°A JK, huh¡­ She¡¯s younger than I¡¯d thought¡­¡±


    (Svin: JK means joshi k¨­sei. An abbreviation for female highschool student.)


    Tsutomu was somewhat surprised to hear Amy¡¯s real age; he had thought she was somewhere between twenty and twenty-two. He turned back to the Deputy Guild Master, who expressed confusion at the word ¡®JK,¡¯ and proceeded to say,


    ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t me her, then. Well, not that I¡¯d nned to me anything on her in the first ce, but it¡¯s only reasonable for someone that young to make mistakes¡­ more often than not.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°Also, many thanks for your help with the negotiations, sir. As for the interview with Solit Company, I¡¯ll let you know the date and time after matching up our schedule with Amy. I reckon I can get back to you within the week. []¡±


    ¡°Yes; thank you for all your hard work. Please, do get some rest while you¡¯re able.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t suppose I can, unfortunately¡­¡±


    Tsutomu said and looked at Camille¡¯s as she waited behind him; the Deputy Guild Master shook his head with a sympathetic expression.


    ¡°By the way¡­ what about you, Garm? How old are you, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember much from when I was little, but I think I¡¯m in the early twenties now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. You should be around my age, then.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Camille, upon hearing Tsutomu¡¯sst statement, who had looked cheerful up until now, opened her eyes wide and froze over¡­ then revived a few momentster and tapped Tsutomu on his shoulder.


    ¡°W-wait, Tsutomu, how old are you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? I¡¯ll be turning twenty-twoter this year.¡±


    ¡°What!? You¡¯re kidding!¡±


    ¡°No, why would I do that? Besides, I wouldn¡¯t have been drinking if I was underage¡­ wait, no, nevermind thatst part.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d always thought you were the same age as Amy¡­ Sorry for that, Tsutomu.¡±


    Garm sounded somewhat apologetic, prompting Tsutomu to say that he didn¡¯t mind at all. Behind them, Camille proceeded to mumble some things to herself.


    Later that night, after celebrating their victory over the Fire Dragon, Tsutomu and Garm returned to the Guild Dormitory¡­ while also holding up Camille, who had gotten quite drunk. Tsutomu took a bath in the provided hot tub, and proceeded to crash onto his bed, instantly falling asleep.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The next morning¡­ Amidst the refreshing chirping of birds, Tsutomu let out yawn after yawn while checking out Solit Company¡¯s morning newspaper. He was curious as to how Solit Company would cover his team¡¯s story immediately following their victory. He had wanted to bring Garm along as well, but thetter looked to be sleeping quitefortably, so he had left him alone.


    Although Tsutomu knew that Solit Company would not continue fabricating their news about him, what with them having already expressed their desire to apologize, he still checked their morning issue just in case. Around him, other people who hade to buy newspapers wereparing him to the pictures in the papers.


    The front page of Solit¡¯s issue showed a ck-and-white picture of Tsutomu¡¯s party of three fighting the Fire Dragon. Tsutomu scanned through the text, and saw that it was a safe article that only provided general details of the battle¡¯s course; once that was out of the way, he turned to look at the newspapers of two other publications.


    Neither of the two publications had photo-taking Magic Tools in their possessions, their articles were apanied by beautiful original illustrations, and both bodies of text sang praises of the first party of three to sessfully defeat the Fire Dragon. Tsutomu thought that these articles, which includedmentary from the Dungeon Maniacs, had more substantial content than that of Solit¡¯s newspaper, which had been written so as to not offend anyone.


    [Well, duh¡­ Makes sense that they couldn¡¯t write much after all that negative coverage on me.]


    Tsutomu had never bought any of Solit Company¡¯s newspapers, but he had taken nces the issues others had bought, and had been able to verify their contents to some extent. Remembering all that, he had a dark smile stered onto his face as he asked to buy today¡¯s newspapers of two other smaller publications instead, and then headed back to the Dormitory.


    Today was Saturday, a day in which most people were off work, and also in which explorers replenished their supplies. The first thing Tsutomu had to do was go over the party¡¯s profit and loss from the Fire Dragon battle. He went into his room and opened up his Magic Bag.


    Potions used¡­ Four sets of Garm¡¯s equipment destroyed¡­ Broken Potion bottles¡­ sh Bottles¡­ Two Fire Coats tattered¡­ Nimbly jotting along with a quill pen on a piece of paper, Tsutomu wrote down the costs of repairs and cleaning of their equipment, totaling up the estimated expenditures incurred from the Fire Dragon hunt.


    The red Large Magic Stone the Fire Dragon had dropped could definitely be sold at a high price. It was a precious Fire Magic Stone, not to mention, its immense size and excellent quality. It was fairly rare, rtively speaking, so he knew for sure that its market price was quite good. Tsutomu didn¡¯t believe that its price alone would be high enough to make up for all the losses, however.


    ¡°Even with the Lightning Magic Stone sales included, we might still be in the red¡­¡±


    Tsutomu muttered to himself, then stood up to leave his room, intending to go sell the Magic Stones immediately. Putting on his order-made leather shoes, he headed to the Magic Stone Exchange.


    As usual, the Dwarf girl was in the middle of appraising a Magic Stone with a magnifying ss. Once she saw Tsutomu, the tense expression on her face promptly changed to a smile.


    ¡°Wee! Magic Stone trading, right!? I¡¯ll be right with you in a second!¡±


    Seeing how cheerful the girl was now as she rushed to the back room ¡ª apletely different attitude from the other day ¡ª Tsutomu couldn¡¯t help but chuckle¡­ and promptly put his hand over his mouth to hide it. The guard standing by the counter, expressionless as ever, bowed to him.


    ¡°Apologies on her behalf if she¡¯d offended you.¡±


    Tsutomu forced himself to stopughing, coughing to clear his throat and proceeding to say,


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind at all; we have someone just like her in my party, so I¡¯ve gotten used to it.¡±


    The guard raised his head and resumed his watch, holding up the spear in his hand again.


    ¡°I see. Truth be told, I¡¯ve also seen your exploits live on Monitor #1. Now it¡¯s clear to me that you¡¯re not all luck, for what that¡¯s worth.¡±


    ¡°Much appreciated.¡±


    Just as Tsutomu replied to the boorish, expressionless guard, the girl came back holding arge tub of water. Tsutomu untied the bag that contained the colorless Magic Stone Scraps and Small Magic Stones, and proceeded to pour them all into the tub. Each of them made a plopping sound as they fell into the water in session.


    Then he put his Magic Bag on the counter and unfolded its opening. The girl looked on, her eyes sparkling as Tsutomu took out the Magic Stones inside; thetter looked to be having a hard time getting each of them out.


    First the few Large Magic Stones that had dropped from the Wyverns in the Canyons, then the Small and Medium Lightning Magic Stones; the girl reached for them as if she intended to steal them away.


    ¡°Lightning Magic Stones! I knew you¡¯d bring in the good stuff, Lucky Boy!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Tsutomu, slightly ticked off by herst two words, retracted his smile; the girl, seeing that, identally dropped the Lightning Magic Stones in her hand down to herp.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry¨C yeowch!!¡±


    ¡°Y-you all right there?¡±


    ¡°Ngh¡­ Owowow¡­¡±


    The girl had tried to bow in apology, and ended up banging her head on the iron table. She held her forehead, seeming to have hit it with considerable force; once Tsutomu expressed his worry, the girl immediately looked up again.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll be fine. But nevermind that! You got any more of those Lightning Magic Stones!?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah¡­¡±


    The girl¡¯s forehead had turned visibly red from the knock that she had just taken. Tsutomu took out a total of fifteen Lightning Magic Stones and ced them on the counter. The girl looked at those Magic Stones as if they were a mountain of treasures; her eyes have practically turned into G symbols.


    ¡°W-whoa¡­¡±


    ¡°And here¡¯s thest one.¡±


    While the girl was carefully carrying the Lightning Magic Stones to the back room, Tsutomu retrieved the red Large Magic Stone from the Magic Bag, rolling it out with both hands. The girl was enchanted by the size of it alone.


    ¡°Whoa¡­ it¡¯s HUGE! So THIS is what the real thing looks like!¡±


    ¡°Try to give me a better offer than the Guild this time, all right? I¡¯ll be getting them appraised over there as well, so¡­¡±


    ¡°You got it!¡±


    The girl held up the Large Fire Magic Stone and patted it as if it were her own child. Seeing that, Tsutomu pulled a dry smile before taking the signed wooden board as proof of the transaction; done here for now, he proceeded to the Forest Apothecary.

 Chapter 36, One After Another

    <h4>Chapter 36, One After Another</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    Tsutomu went inside the Forest Apothecary and rang the bell at the counter. The old Elfdy walked out with her staff to wee him¡­ and upon seeing that it was Tsutomu, she broke into a grin.


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°My my¡­ look who¡¯s here! How has life been treating you, mister hotshot newbie, hmm?¡±


    The olddy, holding in her hand the newspaper issue in which the Dungeon Maniacs¡¯mentary on yesterday¡¯s battle had been printed, smiled happily. Tsutomu himself cracked a hearty smile and shot her a V-sign, then put his Magic Bag down on the floor.


    ¡°Boy, oh boy, do you have any idea how loud this morning has been over here? And you know, I¡¯ve been watching you from inside the shop as well ¡ª Garm and Camille were amazing, of course, but so were you, Tsutomu! The skill shots you sent flying around? Those were awesome!¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    Tsutomu smiles bashfully; he felt as if thedy was praising him as if he were her own child ¡ª and she kept singing him praises even after she sat down. Tsutomu kept on listening to her, albeit reluctantly and humbly. After a certain point, the olddy stopped and sighed.


    ¡°¡­I do feel sorry for Amy, though. If it weren¡¯t for that fiasco, she would have gotten to go fight the Fire Dragon with you all, too.¡±


    ¡°So do I. We n to take her with us next time, of course.¡±


    ¡°My, my¡­ what a nice young man you are!¡±


    The olddy, seeming surprised by Tsutomu¡¯s im, leaned her back on her chair. Tsutomu, not quite understanding what she meant to say, cracked a littleugh, thinking it to be the appropriate reaction for the time being.


    ¡°All right, then¡­ do you have the usual Blue Potions in stock?¡±


    ¡°Well, about that ¡ª thanks to you using them back there, the Blue Potions were all sold out just now. All of them.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡±


    Although he had somewhat expected this, Tsutomu still dropped his shoulders in disappointment. Since he had been seen using the Blue Potion throughout the Fire Dragon battle, he did have a hunch that people would rush to buy some for themselves.


    Now he regretted not stocking up within yesterday; he had gotten carried away with his victory. But then, the olddy let out a witch-like mischievousugh and ducked behind the counter, and lifted out arge bottle filled with Blue Potion.


    ¡°Check this out ¡ª I¡¯ve saved up your share! I charge you the usual price just this time, Tsutomu. Heh heh heh!¡±


    ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s one scary grin¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you in action with my own two eyes, Tsutomu ¡ª right then, I knew that people woulde to buy it up, so I raised the price in advance. Boy, I sure got me some nice profit yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Good for you.¡±


    ¡°Well, not that I need all that much money, though. My apprentice¡¯s finally been getting better, so I don¡¯t have to work myself as muchtely.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ you have an apprentice? Maybe I should be one, too, after I retire from being an Explorer.¡±


    Tsutomu cracked a joke, at which the olddy rolled her eyes for a second, thenughed back.


    ¡°I can only teach potion-making to Elves, unfortunately. I sure would wee you with open arms if you were one, too¡­ First, you¡¯d have to work hard on brewing for a hundred and fifty years¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s too bad. Oh, here¡¯s the money¡­ and the Fire and Wind Magic Stones.¡±


    300,000 G in cash and 500,000 G¡¯s worth of Magic Stones ¡ª after handing them over, Tsutomu began wrapping up the bottle with a Slime wrapper. While the olddy epted the payment, she lowered her eyebrows apologetically.


    ¡°Just so we¡¯re on the same page, you¡¯ll be paying the new price next time for the Blue Potions, all right? And since demand is through the roof right now, the stock will probably run out if you don¡¯t line up for it early in the morning, so keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°Geh¡­ That¡¯s fair, I guess.¡±


    Not only the major ns, but also the resellers would be lining up first thing in the morning themselves for Forest Apothecary potions; Tsutomu himself would have to be up early, too, if he were to get what he needed. Tsutomu, after putting the bottle into his Magic Bag, knit his brows at the thought of how much of a hassle it must be; the olddy looked up at him.


    ¡°And, well, it¡¯s also about time for my apprentice to graduate. The potions¡¯ healing properties will be a few levels lower than mine, but the recipes are still the same. We¡¯ll be able to produce more potions than the other shops. You¡¯ll have to make do with what you can get in the meantime, all right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll use it with care. Thank you very much ¡ª I really mean it.¡±


    ¡°Always d to be of help, Tsutomu. You and me, we¡¯re friends!¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. I¡¯ll be in your care from now on, too.¡±


    Even after he had started being called the Lucky Boy, even after Solit Company¡¯s fabricated article made the rounds, the old Elfdy had been one of the few whose attitudes toward Tsutomu never changed. It could be said that her kindness had saved him.


    Swearing to himself that he would drop by from time to time even if the olddy couldn¡¯t make potions anymore, Tsutomu bowed deeply before leaving the Forest Apothecary.


    Then, needing recements for some shock-resistant potion bottles, he proceeded to the ssware store and made an order for five of them.


    Since potions, especially those from the Forest Apothecary, were quite valuable, Tsutomu absolutely hated the possibility of wasting them; as such, he was very particr about their containers, so as to not lose their contents during battle. Since normal bottles would break rtively easily upon impact, he bargained with the crafter for the shock-resistant ones; in the end, he paid a fairly hefty price for them to be made to his liking.


    The small bottles would need some monster materials and the appropriate crafting skills, though, and it would take seven days to process the materials if they were to be purchased from the market today. As such, Tsutomu also bought some mediocre bottles off the shelf to use in the meantime. The n was to put potions from ces other than the ones from the Forest Apothecary in them.


    Afterward, Tsutomu went looking for a ce where he could get the Red-thread Fire Coats repaired, as they had been torn quite badly from receiving the Fire Dragon¡¯s attacks. The Volcanoyers were up next; although they could loot some high-tier equipment from dropped treasure chests there, the team would need to make do with the Fire Coats until then.


    The ce Tsutomu ended up choosing was a shop that dealt mainly in sturdy clothing and leather armor for Explorers, the same one he had purchased the coats from. When he went in, he was immediately apologized to by the shop¡¯s owner, a plump Dwarf man. He had been out to get some materials appraised back when Tsutomu purchased the coats. Tsutomu had paid the apprentice boy fifteen Large Magic Stones ¡ª a ripoff, as apparent when the boyter pocketed six of them for himself. Noticing the boy act suspiciously, the shop owner Dwarf had questioned him and learned of what had happened.


    The boy in question, brought along from the back room, seemed to have been scolded and beaten quite badly by the shop owner; his face was so bruised that one might think the shape of his skull had been changed, and so swollen that one might he had been stung by a swarm of bees. Seeing him apologizing in tears, Tsutomu could not help but feel sorry for him.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right ¡ª here, use this to pay for your clinic visit.¡±


    Tsutomu consoled the crying boy and shoved one highest-quality Medium Magic Stone into his hands. In the case that his bones had been broken, the fractures must be re-aligned properly before he could be healed. In turn, he would have to pay a visit to a skilled healer with extensive knowledge of the human anatomy; otherwise, he would run the risk of making the internal injuries even worse.


    Wounds suffered in the Dungeon, even the worst of the worst ones, would be mended right up when one returned to the Guild, but the same didn¡¯t apply to the outside world. Tsutomu had studied biology as an elective toward his liberal arts degree at the university, so his knowledge about the human body was above average, but of course, he had no experience in dealing with broken bones.


    Although Tsutomu deduced that none of the boy¡¯s bones had been broken, he suggested thetter to seek medical attention just to be sure. And although the shop owner refrained from admitting that he had mismanaged his apprentice, he didn¡¯t deny that he had punished him too harshly, either.


    And despite having been ripped off, Tsutomu didn¡¯t consider that to be much of a loss, since those six Large Magic Stones had been within the spending budget for their preparations at the time. He felt more hurt toward the boy¡¯s injuries that he had been toward the lost funds, even.


    Tsutomu asked the shop owner not to punish the boy any further, paid the money in advance for the Fire Coats¡¯ repairs, then quickly left the shop. He proceeded to the cksmith¡¯s ce to have Garm¡¯s broken equipment salvaged before selling the scraps, ordered some new sets, and also had his own clothes cleaned up.


    It was now quite a bit into the afternoon; while waiting for things to be done, Tsutomu bought from grilled food skewers from a stall, eating them while watching over Monitors #1 to #10. The screens¡¯ footages were in the order of the explorers¡¯yer progresses; the Scarlet Devil Squad had been shown on Monitor #1 for some time now.


    Two among the team were Alma, the ck Mage who had purchased the staff that Tsutomu had auctioned off, and a man with the nickname of ¡®Crimson Spellder,¡¯ a Swordfighter with a preference for fire-elemental skills. These two acted as the cores of the party of five as they investigated the sixty-firstyer¡¯s Volcano biome. Tsutomu¡¯s party of three had been the talk of the town following the Fire Dragon battle, so the Scarlet Devil Squad had felt forced to resume their suspended activities to win their poprity back.


    Although fortunate that they had earned back the money they had spent on the exceedingly expensive staff and their previous Fire Dragon battle, they had nned to live off newspapers¡¯ interviews for the foreseeable future, but that wasn¡¯t quite possible anymore. Now they, especially ck Mage Alma, saw Tsutomu¡¯s team as an obstacle.


    Monitor #2 showed the Ealdred Crow, and #3 showed the Golden Tune; #4 onwards were taken by mid-tier ns. Happy to see one of his recent acquaintances, the Silver Beast, having a good run on Monitor #10, Tsutomu left for the Magic Stone Exchange with a grin on his face.


    The Magic Stone Exchange was practically deserted by this time of day. Most customers woulde here either early in the morning orte in the evening; that way, they could cash out by noon for the former case, and the next morning for thetter. One would need to wait a whole day if the Exchange was especially busy, but that rarely happened.


    When Tsutomu spoke to the girl as she was busy appraising some Magic Stones with a magnifying ss, she hurried to reply to him as if she was facing the Layer Boss. Then she retreated to the back room and lifted out a bag full of Gold, put it on the iron table, then unrolled a sheet on the wooded counter.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the Appraisal Certificate for the scrap and Small Magic Stones.¡±


    ¡°¡­All right. Looks good.¡±


    ¡°Next, the Colorless Large Magic Stones. The total amount is thirteen. Ten lows, three mediums. We¡¯ll take them for a million G.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Tsutomu, with a smile stered onto his face as he epted the two stamped Appraisal Certificates, proceeded to take the bags of Gold and pop them into his Magic Bag. The Dwarf girl then put the Lightning Magic Stones on the counter and pulled over the Appraisal Certificate that she already had ready on the iron table.


    ¡°The seven Small Lightning Magic Stones are medium quality. As for the eight Medium ones, five mediums and three highs.¡±


    ¡°¡­All seven of the small ones are medium-quality?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if my Appraisal skill isn¡¯t wrong. Remember, mine is level 4 ¡ª so believe me on this one.¡±


    The girl took out her Guild-issued Skill Level Certificate ¡ª which she¡¯d had on the ready ¡ª and showed it to Tsutomu. The level of her skill was indeed one higher than that of Amy¡¯s, despite thetter having gained a level herself from appraising Tsutomu¡¯s old staff.


    The Dwarf girl had fiddled with many objects ¡ª though mainly magic stones ¡ª since her childhood, and hade to see through their true value. Her Appraisal level of 4 at the rtively young age of sixteen had been achieved through exceptional talent and unrelenting effort.


    ¡°So, how much for them?¡±


    ¡°70,000 G for the small ones. 250,000 for the mediums.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see,¡± Tsutomu muttered without breaking the smile on his face; he had expected to rake in around two million G from the things listed so far.


    He contemted feigning hesitation for a brief moment, but decided to agree to that price for now, with the n to save the haggling card for the Large Fire Magic Stone.


    The girl, heaving a sigh of apparent relief, took the Lightning Magic Stones from the counter and stored them in a cushioned container in the back, and then presented Tsutomu with another hefty bag of Gold. Tsutomu took it and stored it in his magic Bag.


    ¡°And now, the Large Fire Magic Stone¡­ There we go.¡±


    The girl easily lifted with her both hands the Magic Stone ¡ª one twice the size of Tsutomu¡¯s face ¡ª and ced it on the counter. Under the sunlight, the fire-elemental stone glittered like a jewel. The girl then took out its Appraisal Certificate.


    ¡°This Large Fire Magic Stone is most likely of the highest quality. We¡¯ll give you seven million.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Tsutomu was so taken aback by the sheer numbers that he turned silent and expressionless. Garm and Camille had expected at least four million, and his estimate had been about the same. He stared at the girl, as if trying to figure out her true intentions. Intimidated by Tsutomu¡¯s gaze, the girl backed away and tripped on the chair behind her ¡ª and then she quickly covered up the blunder by putting her hands on her hips.


    ¡°Well?¡±


    ¡°¡­That sounds kind of sketchy.¡±


    Seeing the girl look so awkward, Tsutomu lets down his tense suspicion. The Large Magic Stone the Scarlet Devil Squad had obtained from their Fire Dragon, the quality of which had been assumed to be the highest, had been sold for roughly five million G. Tsutomu had never expected the one his team got to sell for any higher than that.


    ¡°My gramps work at the cksmith ce, you see ¡ª and this is probably just what he wants¡­ So I wanted to secure this specific one for myself! So¡­ yeah? Pretty please!?¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh-huh.¡±


    [Would this clearly money-hungry girl really buy the Fire Magic Stone for her family, even if it meant making the trade at a loss on her end?]


    Tsutomu crossed his arms and pondered the question over; the girl kept on insisting,


    ¡°I wanna make gramps happy!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been selfish around him when I was little ¡ª that¡¯s why I¡¯d like to repay his kindness somehow, at least!¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, this is getting shadier and shadier.¡±


    ¡°What gives!? Look, a forge will need all the power and heat it can get, so the bigger and higher-quality the Fire Magic Stone, the better! That¡¯s why it¡¯s so damn valuable! The more heat they get, the bigger variety of materials they can process ¡ª and there is still a bunch of stuff they can¡¯t process with what they have now!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Okay, now I can sell it without worry. You should¡¯ve exined that from the beginning, you know.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Tsutomu, looking relieved, epted the Appraisal Certificate; the girl found herself a little stunned¡­ before holding up the Large Fire Magic Stone with both her hands.


    ¡°YAY! Now gramps can¡¯t not approve of me now! Thanks! Love ya bunches!¡±


    The girl put the money on the counter, then proceeded to kiss the Magic Stone with a hearty smile on her face. Tsutomu, eyes agape, looked on as if she were a freak. Then, after storing all of the Gold in his Magic Bag, he went to deposit today¡¯s earnings at the Guild, and then headed back to the Guild Dormitory, while also going over his memo on the way.

 Chapter 37, Amy’s Sentiments

    <h4>Chapter 37, Amy¡¯s Sentiments</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    Tsutomu walked around therge guild dormitory, checking each door for the number that the Deputy Guild Master had given him. Eventually finding the one he was looking for, he double-checked before ringing the bell.


    ¡°You¡¯re LATE! Come on, let yourself in!¡±


    Amy¡¯s voice came from the other side; Tsutomu heard that as somewhat of a reproachful tone. With the assumption that she had already heard the story from the Deputy Guild Master, he pulled the doorknob ¡ª it wasn¡¯t locked, so it didn¡¯t take any effort to open. The apartment¡¯s interior was roughly the same in structure as Garm¡¯s, so Tsutomu went to wait in the living room for the time being.


    ¡°Took you long enough, Dini¨C¡°


    Amy, wearing loose pyjamas, turned around with a smile as she put a cup on the table¡­ and froze over when she saw Tsutomu here. She proceeded to back away, while also grabbing the empty cup that had been on the table beforehand.


    ¡°¨CHuh!? Tsutomu, why¡¯re YOU here!?¡±


    ¡°Uh, well, I¡¯d thought the Deputy Guild Master already told you what was up, so I figured I¡¯d drop by¡­ Sorry, is now a bad time?¡±


    ¡°G-gimme a second here!¡±


    Hiding her slightly reddened face with her hands, Amy hurried out of the living room and into her bedroom. Tsutomu heard some cloth-crumpling noises; it seemed that she was in quite a rush to get dressed.


    Tsutomu waited for a while; by the time he was getting tired of standing around, Amy came back in her adorable, age-appropriate casual clothes. She must still be feeling somewhat awkward, what with one of her hands being upied with fixing her white bangs.


    ¡°Uh, so, you were expecting your friend? Maybe I shoulde again tomorrow instead.¡±


    ¡°¡­Eh, it¡¯s fine ¡ª she likes taking her sweet time. Probably won¡¯t be here for a while.¡±


    Amy sat down opposite to where Tsutomu was standing, the look on her face suggesting that she had just remembered the appointment with her friend herself; seeing that, Tsutomu took the liberty of sitting himself down as well. Feeling some relief after walking and standing all day, Tsutomu sighed softly before proceeding with the conversation,


    ¡°It feels like so long since west met.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. It must have been just a week, though? Right?¡±


    ¡°Huh, that¡¯s a lot shorter than I thought. Anyway ¡ª let¡¯s just go straight to the main point. We¡¯ll be having a talk with Solit Company some time soon, Amy. I¡¯d like you toe along as well, so I¡¯m here to ask about your schedule for the next few days.¡±


    Not wanting to get in the way of Amy¡¯s appointment with her friend, Tsutomu cut to the chase, intending to just ask for her free times and leave immediately. Amy, seeing that as him being in such a hurry to be done with her, and how he still sounded so formal to just her, felt as if she had salt rubbed over her wounds.


    ¡°You¡¯re being all buddy-buddy with Garm and the Guild Master now, but still being so formal with me, I see. Yeah, right¡­ I¡¯m not in your party anymore, after all. The Guild Master must have filled the slot really well, huh?¡±


    Amy mumbled thetter part in a low, muffled voice; Tsutomu couldn¡¯t hear her, and ended up looking somewhat confused as a result..


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know where you¡¯reing from, but if you want me to be ¡®buddy-buddy,¡¯ then I sure can. So, your ns?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m always free. You know, technically off duty and all that.¡±


    ¡°I see. How about the evening after tomorrow, then? Is that a good time?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m free. Anytime¡¯s fine. Anyways¨C¡°


    It was apparent from how Amy gave her answer that she didn¡¯t care about that matter whatsoever. She folded her white cat ears backwards, looked around as if she couldn¡¯t quite ce her eyes on anything, and then quickly lowered her head.


    ¡°Look, Tsutomu¡­ I¡¯ve always wanted to apologize. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I just up and charged at the Solit Company, then got caught¡­ and the me somehow ended up being ced on you. I¡¯m sorry that my recklessness got you involved, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±


    Amy raised her head and saw Tsutomu nodding to her; the serious look on his face suggested that he truly meant what he had said. Not the cold, lifeless stare that she had gotten back when they had gone fighting the Shell Crab, but not a look of excessive kindness, either. Amy looked down, resolving herself for whatever woulde next.


    ¡°¡­You should be more angry. Go ahead ¡ª punch me, kick me, whatever. I¡¯ll tell the Guild to get rid of our party contract, and refund all the fees, too. I¡¯ll even resign from my Staff Member job if you want. If you never want to see me again, then I¡¯ll go far away¡­ and then¡­ and then¡­¡±


    ¡°Listen, Amy¡­¡±


    Tsutomu called for Amy to stop as she scrambled her thoughts for more and more things to say. Amy¡¯s shoulders jerked up and she looked up at Tsutomu with a frightened look in her eyes; thetter painted himself a smile to try and reassure her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve thought it over more than enough now, don¡¯t you think? There¡¯s no need to punish yourself anymore.¡±


    ¡°Wh¨C but why!? It was my fault that you were treated like a criminal! Of course I have to be punished for it!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry ¡ª it¡¯s already been decided that the case with Solit Company¡¯s article will be set straight. Besides, I don¡¯t really feel like griping over the mistakes of someone four years younger than me, you know.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh? Four years¡­?¡±


    ¡°I mean, you¡¯re eighteen, right? I¡¯ll be turning twenty-two this year.¡±


    ¡°WHAT!!?? You¡¯re OLDER than ME!?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess I look THAT young to some people, huh ¡ª Garm and Camille had just about the samement. Not that I get told that very often, though.¡±


    Hearing Amy¡¯s reaction and seeing how her expression and tone had changed so suddenly, Tsutomu facepalmed, sounding somewhat disheartened. It took a while for Amy to recover from her cringe of surprise, after which she mmed her hands on the table and leaned forward.


    ¡°¨CWait, that¡¯s not the point!! I need something to be done to feel better! Come on, punch me! Hit me with all you¡¯ve got!¡±


    ¡°Punching is a bit¡­ Oh, right. The contract from before is still in effect, isn¡¯t it? How ¡¯bout I use that to my advantage now, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Eh- yeah! If it¡¯s something I can do¡­ j-just say the word!¡±


    Amy insisted¡­ with her teeth grit and her eyes closed. Seeing her shoulders tremble, Tsutomu pulled a wry smile as he leaned forward on the table. Amy, able to tell by sound that Tsutomu had started moving, tensed up and waited for whatever punch would hit her.


    ¡°Boom.¡±


    And so Amy was hit¡­ with a light flick on her forehead. So light, in fact, that she only blinked repeatedly out of surprise and confusion instead. Tsutomu, no longer leaning forward, looked her in the eyes and proceeded to say,


    ¡°Here¡¯s the deal, Amy ¡ª you, me, and Garm are going to form a party and fight the Fire Dragon again. Yeah, that¡¯s what I¡¯ll have you do? How about it?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I mean, Camille was super strong and helpful and all, but it just didn¡¯t feel right without you, you know? See, your Attacker style involves repeatedlynding weaker hits, while Camille deals high damage with slower single attacks, so I wasn¡¯t quite used to managing the aggro she generated. Oh, and I¡¯ve thought up a few ns for your role, too; would be a waste to never try them out, right? Come on, let¡¯s do it, Amy. We¡¯ll go ham on that oversized lizard after we¡¯re done with Solit Company!¡±


    As Tsutomu started talking about his run in the Dungeon, Amy chuckled along a little before her expression dropped to a frown.


    ¡°¡­No way; I¡¯m not strong enough for that. I mean, it took you eight hours even with the Guild Master¡¯s help, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Hey, you got that wrong ¡ª Camille¡¯s got high firepower, sure, but she actually freaked out real hard at the beginning, you know.¡±


    ¡°Uh, what?¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, you didn¡¯t get to see the beginning of it on the Monitor? She straight up lost the will to fight the first time she heard the Fire Dragon¡¯s roar. That was¡­ the main reason why the fight took so long, actually.¡±


    ¡°What!? The Guild Master lost the will to fight!? THE Guild Master, of all people!?¡±


    ¡°That really surprised me, too. She seemed so much like a mass of pure confidence, after all. Well, she did recover and help out soon enough¡­ but then I was scared the whole time that she¡¯d be demoralized again if she were to be hit, so I had her fight less aggressively overall.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­ But I still don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to pull it off, though. Nope, definitely not!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can!¡±


    ¡°No! I can¡¯t!¡±


    Tsutomu, having be rather mentally tenacious himself, gave Amy some cursory encouragement; she denied it with a wave of her hands. Mildly annoyed, Tsutomu proceeded to fold his arms.


    ¡°We make such a good party, though¡­ Besides, by the time we¡¯re done dealing with Solit Company, we probably won¡¯t have much time left on our contract, so I¡¯d like the three of us to at least clear the Fire Dragon together once. It¡¯s my first party ever here, so I kinda got attached, I guess¡­¡±


    Upon hearing Tsutomu¡¯s ims, Amy clenched her fists. She knew that all too well ¡ª while watching Camille fighting the Fire Dragon, she wished time and time again to take her ce in the fight.


    Amy had been in her worst form when she and Tsutomu first formed the party together. Having seen Garm as the no-nonsense babysitter of the Lucky Boy, she had only agreed to join the party because the Guild Master had ordered her to. That perception of her had started to change after they had reached the twentiethyer.


    Tsutomu¡¯s strategy of assigning the roles of Attacker, Tank, and Healer among the party members ¡ª at first, Amy had thought it to be pointless. But it had been effective; Garm, as the Tank, had never copsed no matter how many hits he took from the enemies, while Tsutomu, as the Healer, had kept up with his healing and support skills. It had been exhrating, being able to go ham on the monsters with enhanced speed.


    When they had managed to defeat the Shell Crab ¡ª the one thing she had perceived as an impossibly high wall ¡ª with plenty of energy to space, Amy hummed and jumped for joy when she got back. And then they had gone and defeated yet another Shell Crab ¡ª that was when she had started to understand what being a specialized Attacker was all about.


    Her role was to pick off the monsters, one at a time, as they prioritized Garm. To move with awareness of Tsutomu¡¯s support and healing skills, and also to stop attacking whenever he warned her to. It had been gratifying ¡ª to y her part in the team, and to be praised by Tsutomu.


    She had truly believed in this party¡¯s ability to prevail over the Fire Dragon.


    ¡°¡­I think so, too.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ I think we make a good party, too! I¡¯ve finally figured out your fighting style! Garm and me, we¡¯ve gotten way stronger than before! Matching our moves with your skills, managing the aggro on us, and all that stuff! We were having such a good time! But then¡­ I¡¯ve caused you a lot of trouble, and the Guild Master is helping you out now¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, that¡¯s got nothing to do with Camille, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°No, it does! She¡¯s got her awesome Dragon Form! I wouldn¡¯t ever be able to pull off my moves like she did! No way in hell! She¡¯d definitely make a better Attacker for Garm¡¯s Tank, too! You¡¯re better off just sticking with her!!¡±


    ¡°No way; I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be a better fit for us, Amy.¡±


    Tsutomu replied to her immediately; Amy pped her mouth in confusion, with no wordsing out. Tsutomu put his hand on his chin and proceeded to exin,


    ¡°Camille¡¯s Dragon Form is cool and all, but it¡¯s really exhausting to work it into our routine, you know. ounting for her mistakes took up a lot of time, too, which made managing aggro and my mental strength a whole lot harder. Well, some of that was just because we¡¯d been teamed up for just a week, though. Unlike her, you¡¯ve been with us for far longer ¡ª that¡¯s why I said you¡¯d be a better fit. Besides, it¡¯s not like you¡¯recking in firepower, either. Your attacks are fast and precise ¡ª makes it easier to get them at their weak spots, after all.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ But¡­¡±


    ¡°Believe me, Amy ¡ª you ARE strong enough. Come on, let¡¯s team up again! Oh, I forgot to mention¡­ Garm¡¯s kind of nervous around Camille because of the hierarchy at his actual workce, so he¡¯d probably be morefortable¡­ arguing with you, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Tsutomu held out his hand; as she stared at it, tears trickled from Amy¡¯s eyes down to the floor. In attacking Solit Company, she had further damaged Tsutomu¡¯s reputation. By the time she had been released, Camille had joined Tsutomu¡¯s party, and several dayster, they had gone and defeated the Fire Dragon. At that point, she had thought that they no longer hand any use of her.


    But now, Tsutomu was insisting that he had forgiven her, and even went so far as to invite her back, saying she was an integral part of his team. Amy was so overwhelmed with emotion that she jumped over the table and hugged him.


    Although Tsutomu tried backing away ¡ª only because he was startled ¡ª he still managed to catch her. Amy buried her face in his chest and started to cry.


    ¡°I-I thought you were gonna say¡­ you didn¡¯t need me anymore!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d do that.¡±


    Tsutomu smiled to Amy, while also pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe her tears. Amy, squinting as she felt a little ticklish, continued to speak,


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d say you¡¯d rather have the Guild Master!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ ideally, I¡¯d like to have both of you with us, actually. Both of you have high AGI and could dodge the monsters¡¯ attacks to some extent, so that would help Garm have an easier time Tanking. Oh, but then I wouldn¡¯t be sure who to use <<Haste>> on first. Maybe I¡¯ll prioritize Camille while she¡¯s in Dragon Form and¨C¡°


    ¡°¡­YOU MORON!!¡±


    Amy, with tear-stained eyes, looked at Tsutomu as he rambled on about party strategies; with both hands, she proceeded to pull his cheeks to the side.


    ¡°Just me should be enough, right~~? ¡®Cause I¡¯m a better fit than the Guild Master, right~~?¡±


    ¡°Owowowow!!¡±


    Amy kept on pinching Tsutomu¡¯s cheeks as she clung to his chest, her face finally the usual cheerful smile.


    [¡­What am I even doing, standing around out here?]


    The friend whom she had invited over, an Elf named Diniel, had already arrived¡­ but thetter saw that Amy was having too much fun pinching some man¡¯s cheeks to notice her; as such, she didn¡¯t feelfortable with letting herself in. Then she heaved a sigh to herself, her blonde ponytail hair swaying with the movement of her head.

 Chapter 38, Budding Strategies

    <h4>Chapter 38, Budding Strategies</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    After a while, Amy shyly moved away from Tsutomu; thetter, feeling that things were getting awkward, excused himself as if trying to escape the situation. In distracting himself, he took a walk through the town, heading to the za where the live broadcasts were taking ce.


    The area around the single-digit Monitors was at its busiest from six o¡¯clock in the afternoon, after which the dayborers got off their work shifts; it was practically a festive riot here now. At a nearby stall, a stern man raised his voice topete with the audio of Monitor #1 at pulling in customers, while his hands were busy cooking diced meat on a griddle.


    Tsutomu, as if drawn by the smoke of grilled meat, approached the stall and bought some of the diced meat. Eight pieces of the cube steaks and crudely shredded vegetables glistened with grease in the paper bag; he used a wooden skewer to pick them up.


    While chewing on his food, Tsutomu walked through the crowd to the lower tform; in the distance, he saw Monitor #1 showing the Scarlet Devil Squad exploring the sixty-secondyer.


    Monitors #1, 2, and 3 were dominated by the usual Scarlet Devil Squad, Golden Tune, and Ealdred Crow respectively; on the Monitors after them were parties of major ns exploring the Canyons. Tsutomu observed all of them while he ate, and at one point, the party on Monitor #5 caught his eye.


    It was the second party belonging to Ealdred Crow, facing a group of Orcs. Tsutomu folded up his paper bag and put it away in his Magic Bag, then waded through the crowd to get closer to Monitor #5. Once there, he looked up at the Monitor, the height of which almost matched his.


    Ealdred Crow¡¯s parties up until now had been mostly specialized in making a profit by defeating monsters quickly with simultaneous attacks, and in turn, minimizing the use of Potions. Theirposition had included four Attackers and one Healer.


    But the Ealdred Crow party shown fighting on Monitor #5 now had a Warrior as their sole Attacker. The four others included a Knight, a Pdin, a White Mage, and a Minstrel ¡ª a stark difference from their parties¡¯ usual structure.


    By having their lower-tier members test out other ns¡¯ tactics, they could then re-strategize their higher-ranking teams if those approaches proved to be useful. The Ealdred Crow had a great number of members, and they came in a wide variety of races and Jobs, so one could say that they had the advantage of ess to talent than any other n.


    As such, their rates of progression andbat adaptability were higher than those of the other ns and parties. Their lower-tier parties, which had started learning Tsutomu¡¯s tactics with the knowledge gained from their informants, have been overtaking the higher-tier ones. By using Tsutomu¡¯s approach of assigning the roles of Attacker, Tank, and Healer, those of the Healer and Tank Jobs among the n¡¯s weaker members were now getting their time to shine.


    Their White Mages and Enchanters have effectively soaked up Tsutomu¡¯s tactics and use of skill shots. Their Knights, Heavy Knights, and Pdins have epted that they were inferior in terms of attack power, and in turn, have understood their roles as Tank sses. As such, they have stopped thinking about pure firepower, and started using skills for managing aggro instead.


    Up until now, their spotlight had been hogged away by the Attackers; now they were absorbing knowledge and practicing their roles like there was no tomorrow, and at this point, they have already managed to get to a practical skill level. But the Attackers were still essential, and Ealdred Crow still hasn¡¯t managed to get most of them to cooperate with the new mindset.


    Attackers maximizing their firepower had been the norm for many years, which meant that many were still too prideful to change now. That approach had been prevalent especially since Attackers were the main factor in cutting through the forty-firstyer onward.


    As a result, many of those with Attacker Jobs had looked down on Explorers of other Jobs. It would take a long time for these Attackers to adjust to working with Jobs that had never been in the limelight before, partly because of theirck of awareness of roles¡¯ importance. The n¡¯s informant, probably having anticipated that, had tried changing their party¡¯sposition for the time being.


    Running two Attackers, two Tanks, and one Healer would make them end up with excessive firepower. As such, they had the idea to cut down on the Attackers, and had instead gone for one Attacker, two Tanks, and two Healers. That party setup has been showing some good results.


    Although their progression through theyers had not been all that efficient so far, their rates of death and Potion consumption have greatly reducedpared to those of other parties, in turn increasing their profits. This also allowed them to more effectively utilize the talented personnel among their ranks. As a result of their approach, their makeshift party of high-leveled Explorers managed to fight their way through the Canyons.


    ¡°Ooh!¡±


    Tsutomu, seeing that the one-Attacker party was about to fight some Orcs, shouted out excitedly as he watched on.


    Facing four Orcs, the Knight and Pdin in the front used Combat Cry to keep the Orcs¡¯ eyes on them. One man in the back, the Minstrel, held up the ukulele-like instrument in his hands.


    ¡°<< Hymn of Protection >>.¡±


    Along with the chant, he began to strum his instrument, producing a morale-inducing timbre. Upon hearing it, the VIT of all other party members increased by one tier. The Knight deflected the Orc¡¯s sword swing with his shield andnded a counter attack.


    The Minstrel Job was characterized by their ability to strengthen all members of the party and weaken multiple monsters using the sounds of their singing voices and musical instruments. And unlike Tsutomu¡¯s << Protect >> and << Haste >> skills, these skills would never identally strengthen monsters.


    They were capable of performing healing skills, too, but theirs were less effective than those of the White and Gray Mages; as such, they were a stronger yer in the Buffer role. And as a result, Minstrels were widely recognized as those who mainly supported allies.


    The Warrior cut down the Orc that was about to strike the Knight from behind. Then, the Orc next to that one turned to the Warrior instead.


    ¡°<< Shield Bash >>.¡±


    The Knight struck the second Orc with his shield, and while it was staggered, the Warrior then made quick work of the Orc. In between taking down the two Orcs, the party noticed some Kungfu-garoos in the distance, hopping toward them on the reddened earth.


    ¡°<< Hymn of Swiftness >>.¡±


    The Minstrel used his singing voice to activate a skill that increased his party¡¯s AGI by one tier. Its effective time was longer than those of << Haste >> and << Protect >>, and one did not need to worry about misfiring its support effect.


    In fact, it was the existence of the Minstrel Job that had caused the White Mages of the White Strike Wings, one of the major mid-tier ns, to stop trying to develop their skill shots.


    But of course, Minstrels did have their list of disadvantages. For instance, if they were to stop singing or performing mid-way, they would not activate any enhancement effect. Moreover, the types of support skills they could use depended on the number of instruments they were able to y. In this case, the team¡¯s Minstrel only carried one instrument with him. As a result, he could use only two types of support skills, one through his instrument and the other from his singing voice.


    Additionally, if party members were to lose their sense of hearing, a Mintrel¡¯s support skills would have no effect on them. The same applied to monsters; they could not be weakened if they didn¡¯t have a sense of hearing.


    Therefore, White Mages had the advantage when it came to healing skills and << Raise >>, while Enchanters had ess to a greater variety of buffs and debuffs. Leaving White Mage aside, however, the Enchanter Job was considered bad luck; it was said that one¡¯s Explorer career was doomed from the start if they were to get it as their Job. In fact, only one famous Enchanter existed: the bespectacled man who managed the Security Team.


    Ealdred Crow¡¯s party had just finished killing the four Orcs when a Kungfu-garoo rushed them, springing off the ground and pointing its legs forward, striking the Warrior like a spear. The Warrior was sent flying by the surprise attack from behind. Seeing that, the Knight and Pdin panicked; both ended up unleashing a << Combat Cry >> at the same time.


    [Not good¡­ their timing is thrown off. It¡¯d still be fine if they had the mental stamina to spare, but it doesn¡¯t look like they do.]


    Seeing how his tactics were being adopted, Tsutomu observed the battle with a broad grin on his face. The White Mage ran to the Warrior then had been blown away, then ced the tip of his staff on thetter¡¯s back.


    ¡°<< Heal >>¡±


    The bruises under the Warrior¡¯s armor faded away, his internal wounds mended. The Warrior quickly stood up and headed to the Kungfu-garoos as they rushed down the Knight and Pdin; the White Mage hurried after him.


    ¡°<< Heal >>, << Heal >>.¡±


    The White Mage ced his staff on the Knight and Pdin¡¯s backs, undoing the damage that the two had sustained. Seeing that, Tsutomu retracted his grin and pondered things over.


    [Hmm, so he still can¡¯t shoot << Heals >>. The Silver Beast¡¯s Header did say that doing that weakens the effect, now that I think about it. I¡¯ll have to look into that in full detail after the Solit Company fiasco is over. Also, if I remember correctly¡­ Camille said that she¡¯d be going with Silver Beast this Wednesday? Garm will be meeting with them soon, too, so maybe I¡¯ll have them ask their Healer for information on what might have caused it.]


    While Tsutomu took notes of what he was nning to doter, namely investigating the weakening of << Heal >> skill shots, he kept on watching the Ealdred Crow¡¯s battle.


    Although the Kungfu-garoos¡¯ attacks were powerful and precise, the Knight and Pdin still managed to counter them while using skills to generate aggro. Although the party¡¯s firepower was somewhat insufficient since they had only one Attacker, the battle situation was fairly stable.


    The Knight and Pdin made use of their high VIT to Tank the monsters¡¯ attacks, while the Minstrel supported them with his skills. The White Mage stayed right behind the Tanks and healed them. The Warrior, thanks to the team setup, was free to attack the monsters as he pleased.


    After defeating all of the Kungfu-garoos and confirming everyone¡¯s safety, they loosened up a little and whispered something amongst themselves while exploring more of the Canyons.


    They encountered some Wyverns and initiated a battle; the Wyverns¡¯ tail spikes, meant for the Knight, hit the White Mage instead, resulting in thetter being paralyzed. The Orcs in the area then rushed them, weapons in hand.


    The White Mage could not move. The Knight and Pdin werepletely upied by the Wyverns in front of them, leaving the enemies¡¯ reinforcement Orcs running free. In the end, one of the Orcs smashed the White Mage¡¯s head, killing him. The Knight and Pdin shifted to all-out offense, abandoning their Tank roles and their aggro-generating skills, but their strength was whittled down by the Wyverns and Orcs, and in the end, the party was wiped out.


    [Well, they¡¯ve got a long way to go.]


    Tsutomu, grinning again, went around to check out the other Monitors, and when he felt it was about time to leave, he headed back to Garm¡¯s room.


    The next day, he had a formal meeting with Garm, Camille, Amy, and the Deputy Guild Master to discuss the case surrounding Solit Company. Amy looked a little disgruntled, perhaps due to how she wasn¡¯t all too happy about the topic at hand.


    Camille had been in a bad mood toward Tsutomu since the start of the meeting, too. This being the first time he was treated like this, and not at all knowing the reason, Tsutomu asked Camille why she was acting like that. Unfortunately, all he got, however, was a look from Camille as if she was a reptile staring down her prey.


    ¡°So, Tsutomu, I heard this from Amy¡­ You told her that, if you could only have one Attacker in your party, you¡¯d choose her over me¡­ Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true~~! Tsutomu chose me~~!¡±


    ¡°Now, Tsutomu, how about you try looking me in the eye, hmm?¡±


    ¡°¡­U-um, Garm? Deputy Guild Master?¡±


    Tsutomu turned away from Camille, whose eyes were fixed on him, and looked pleadingly at the Deputy Guild Master and Garm. The Deputy Guild Master quickly looked away, while Garm shook his head.


    ¡°I ought not to meddle in your party¡¯s affairs, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Neither do I regarding this case, actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu, boy! You¡¯ll choose me, right!?¡±


    ¡°No, of course it¡¯s gonna be me! You told me that yesterday!¡±


    ¡°¡­I mean, having both of you are great¨C¡°


    Camille grabbed Tsutomu¡¯s right shoulder. The creaking pain caused him to writhe and p her hand to signify his surrender.


    ¡°That¡¯s out of the question. Why don¡¯t you try and choose one or the other, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Hmm~~? Tsutomu already chose me, though~~? Right~~? You said that yesterday, right~~?¡±


    And then Amy grabbed him on his left shoulder. Her nails dug a little into Tsutomu¡¯s skin, causing him to let out a short scream.


    ¡°Come on, which one will it be? Out with it, Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°Well, I already know what the answer actually is, but I¡¯d like to hear it from you again, yeah~~?¡±


    If he were to choose right, his left shoulder would bleed, and if he were to choose left, his right shoulder would be pulverized. Tsutomu, cold sweat running down his forehead, closed his eyes thread-thin and chanted,


    ¡°<< sh >>!¡±


    Using his blinding skill, Tsutomu managed to escape from the conference room¡­ at least¡­ for a few steps¡­ before the two caught him and dragged him back inside; they proceeded to give him a long string of lectures and arguments. As for Garm and the Deputy Guild Master, they had already slipped out of the room.

 Chapter 39, Silent Hatred

    <h4>Chapter 39, Silent Hatred</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    The next night, just before six o¡¯clock, seven people gathered in the Guild¡¯s conference room.


    In order of front to back, the ones sitting on the sofa in the room¡¯s right side were the Deputy Guild Master, Tsutomu, and Camille, while Amy and Garm stood behind them.


    On the sofa opposite to those five, sitting on the side of the door was a young woman with the light brown, round ears and fluffy tail of a tanuki, and next to her was a plump man with a frog-like face. The former was Mirul, the one who had written the fabricated news article, and thetter was the Editor-in-Chief, who had agreed to publish it after falling prey to the former¡¯s seduction.


    The Editor-in-Chief looked at his glittering, ornate pocket watch, put it away in his bag, and then heaved a long sigh to calm his mind down. His breath reached all the way to Tsutomu¡¯s knees; contrary to the former¡¯s appearance, his breath did not have an unpleasant odor.


    And then, one person walked into the silent conference room. A man in the prime of his life, with graying hair, ck mustache, and the refined mannerisms of a soldier, bowed to greet everyone already present in this room.


    ¡°It seems that I was thest to arrive. Apologies to have kept you waiting, all.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be, sir ¡ª it isn¡¯t yet time to start. Please, have a seat.¡±


    When told so by the Deputy Guild Master, the man nodded and sat down in the free space on the sofa to the room¡¯s left side. This man was, in name, the one who held the title of Chief Executive of Solit Company.


    However, he was also one who preferred taking a more active role, and had delegated most of his executive power to the Editor-in-Chief; instead, his actual work involved him gathering information and giving coverage on the Labyrinth Conquerors, a n dedicated to exploring the Dungeons outside of town. He had hurried back here after being informed of the scandal via a Magic Tool, and had just arrived.


    A few moments after the man was seated, the Editor-in-Chief took a look around the conference room. At the same time, one of the Guild¡¯s receptionists came in and started serving everyone tea ¡ª usually, it was someone from Solit Company who would serve tea, but this time the Guild did it themselves. Then, when the receptionist left, the Editor-in-Chief blinked a few times and proceeded to say,


    ¡°Now that all of us are present, shall we begin our discussion?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please go ahead,¡± the Deputy Guild Master answered, while also preparing to make a transcript of the whole meeting from this point on.


    The Editor-in-Chief corrected his sitting posture, coughed to clear his throat once, and started talking,


    ¡°All right, then¡­ Guild Master, Deputy Guild Master, Mister Tsutomu. Miss Amy. Mister Garm. You all have our thanks for sacrificing your precious time to apany us today. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity you have given us to express our apologies.¡±


    Editor-in-Chief bowed, then nced at the two beside him; the three of them proceeded to stand up all at once.


    ¡°We sincerely apologize for the misinformation we had circted through our news coverage article on Mister Tsutomu. From now on, the Solit Company will make every effort to ensure that this does not ever happen again¡±


    Once the Editor-in-Chief said his statements of apology, all three bowed down at once. They kept their heads down for approximately ten seconds, then slowly looked up.


    ¡°But of course, we never intended to be let off simply with an apology. The Solit Company would like to provide all five of you with adequatepensation, which is why we havee to meet with you on this asion.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°First of all, we will be recalling the offending articles that had been published. And then, at ater date, we will be releasing a newspaper with a correction article and a public apology. It will take some time to collect the previously published articles, but we think we could manage to recover all of them within one week¡¯s time. We beg your forgiveness and understanding.¡±


    The Deputy Guild Master turned to Tsutomu; thetter nodded silently. The Deputy Guild Master then prompted the Editor-in-Chief to continue the discussion, to which thetter bowed once before doing so.


    ¡°Additionally, Solit Company will be marilypensating Mister Tsutomu, as well as the Guild Master, Miss Amy, and Mister Garm for the allegedly defamatory content in the articles in question. Mister Tsutomu will be receiving fifty million G, while the Guild Master, Miss Amy, and Mister Garm will each receive ten million G.¡±


    ¡°Fifty million G¡­¡±


    The amount of money was so tremendous that the Deputy Guild Master couldn¡¯t help but stop transcribing for a moment and mutter to himself. Seeing that Solit Company was able to offer that much money without hesitation, Tsutomu now understood just how powerful they were as an enterprise.


    ¡°Of course, if you are not satisfied with the numbers, we are willing to consider an additional amount after further negotiations. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll be hearing the terms and conditions first, then decide,¡± Tsutomu replied to the Editor-in-Chief¡¯s questioning with a nk expression.


    The Editor-in-Chief looked away, his expression slightly ckened down. Then he nced at Mirul beside him ¡ª who had been casting her eyes down this whole time ¡ª before continuing,


    ¡°As of today, Mirul of Solit Company, who had avoided my supervision and published an irresponsible information piece of her own ord, is dismissed from our employment. Us of Solit Company can assure you that we will never hire her again in the future.¡±


    The Editor-in-Chief spoke while directing a ming look at Mirul. Her article had actually been published after being approved by the Editor-in-Chief via means of seduction, but the way thetter spoke gave off no implications of that being the case. Mirul herself refrained from revealing the truth, instead maintaining a somber expression on her face.


    ¡°And of course, since I myself had believed her citations and approved the subsequent articles without a thorough examination, I have decided to voluntarily step down from my position as Editor-in-Chief. Mirul¡­ she was a subordinate whom I had trained personally from the very first minute of her employment, you see. I had believed that she never would fabricate any information for her articles like this¡­ As such, I now feel that I had not scrutinized the content of her submissions as closely as I should have ¡ª that point had been brought to my attention by our other employees as well.¡±


    The Editor-in-Chief took out a white handkerchief from the chest pocket of his ck suit and lightly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.


    ¡°At any rate, a subordinate¡¯s responsibility is also the responsibility of his or her superior. As such, I myself have no excuse for my subordinate¡¯s fabrication of information, which had caused this exceedingly serious incident. From now on, I am wholeheartedly determined to correct myself from the basics ¡ª to thoroughly assess all work I am responsible for, and to take care not to be too lenient on my subordinates. Once again, I offer my personal apologies.¡±


    His eyes now swollen and bloodshot, the Editor-in-Chief bowed deeply to Tsutomu, and the two others to his side followed suit. Tsutomu looked at them as if he was scrutinizing an ant¡¯s nest.


    The Editor-in-Chief then raised his head and wiped his tears with his handkerchief again; this time, it looked like he was done talking for now. The Chief Executive man took one look at the Editor-in-Chief, and proceeded to bow again.


    ¡°As I had entrusted the Editor-in-Chief with the highest authority over Solit Company, the me does fall partially to me. As such, I also offer my apologies for this incident tarnishing your reputation, Mister Tsutomu¡­ As well as Guild Master, Miss Amy, and Mister Garm ¡ª we have caused you all much trouble. For that, we apologize.¡±


    Although he had been operating away from Solit Company proper this whole time, he still apologized. Following him, Mirul bowed down so deeply that her forehead touched the table.


    ¡°I have caused all of you a great deal of trouble, and have expressed a major degree of disrespect. I know it is not something that can be forgiven, but I hope that at least my apology is epted.¡±


    Mirul¡¯s fluffy, light brown tail dropped down as she gave her statement. Amy looked to have mixed feelings toward her gesture, while Tsutomu looked down at her with cold eyes. Once Mirul raised her head, she looked up at Tsutomu with a mncholic expression on her face¡­ white in her mind, she was clicking her tongue in annoyance.


    Mirul had indeed been dismissed from Solit Company as punishment, but she still had ess to many options ¡ª she could be employed under other newspaper publishers through her connections at Solit Company, or even work directly under the Editor-in-Chief as his private secretary. She already had her eyes on the former choice, of course ¡ª and while doing that, she intended toy low and wait for new opportunities. Even now, she still blindly believed that Tsutomu was manipting Amy by threatening her with her secret.


    As Tsutomu sat still without so much as a readable expression on his face, Mirul cursed at him in her mind. Amid the strings of apologies, Tsutomu asionally nodded along. Once Mirul was done, the Editor-in-Chief said nothing as a follow-up; that confused her.


    ¡°So¡­ is that all thepensation you are offering?¡± Tsutomu asked, breaking the silence.


    ¡°¡­Yes. We are open for discussion regarding indemnities and expenses, of course.¡±


    ¡°All right, then. Let¡¯s leave the money talk aside for now ¡ª I actually would like three questions answered; may I?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. We¡¯re all ears.¡±


    The Editor-in-Chief wiped his face with his handkerchief, folded it neatly, and returned it to his chest pocket¡­ Then he looked at Tsutomu, his expression more serious than ever.


    ¡°First of all, regarding how Mirul¡¯s article had slipped through the evaluation process ¡ª was Solit Company sox in its management that an article could be reced at thest minute like that?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t even know where to begin apologizing for¡­ that. But at any rate, Mirul had always been wholly professional ¡ª she has worked hard, and has never caused a problem with her output. No one could have imagined that she would force a recement of the articles the way she had, and that was what had enabled this situation. We are determined to make sure that our management is much more strict and thorough from now on.¡±


    ¡°I see, I see. Next ¡ª from what I¡¯ve been told, you suddenly came to the Guild to offer an apology right after we defeated the Fire Dragon, didn¡¯t you? Do you have anyments regarding that?¡±


    ¡°No, Mister Tsutomu, we already had nned to apologize on that date and time, regardless of whether or not your party defeated the Fire Dragon. We had already discovered the information regarding Mirul¡¯s fabrication beforehand, you see.¡±


    The Editor-in-Chief did sound and look quite apologetic while giving his exnation. Tsutomu, though not convinced, decided to simply cut off this subject and continue on,


    ¡°Now then, let us discuss Mirul, the one who had written the offending articles. In my opinion, the treatment she is receiving is too lenient ¡ª what do you think?¡±


    ¡°¡­Solit Company had dismissed her of her employment, and most of her assets had been seized aspensation for damages. Are you still unsatisfied with that degree of punishment?¡±


    To the Editor-in-Chief, who had asked him so in a semi-humorous manner, Tsutomu cracked a full-faced and responded,


    ¡°Oh, yes, unsatisfied doesn¡¯t even cut it. Ah, you know what? Could Solit Company publicize a photograph of her face and the fact that she had fabricated her articles? Do that, and I will be satisfied¡­ to an extent.¡±


    ¡°What the¡­!¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s statement got an involuntary gasp out of Mirul. The Editor-in-Chief, greatly perplexed and troubled, narrowed his eyes and tilted his fat-inted head. Camille, sitting to Tsutomu¡¯s right, responded to thetter¡¯s proposal,


    ¡°Listen, Tsutomu. Newspaper reporters are automatically granted the status of nobility. Mirul must be put through a trial, her crime thoroughly investigated ¡ª there¡¯s no other way it can go.¡±


    ¡°Let us escte her issue to the court, then¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­If you say so.¡±


    The Editor-in-Chief thought of those he knew among the Security Team, the defense attorneys and prosecutors, the judges, and those with connections to them. Tsutomu, his face a perpetual smile, continued,


    ¡°¡­The court of the nobility themselves, that is.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing that proposal, the Editor-in-Chief¡¯s expression stiffened up slightly. The man beside him, the Chief Executive, also reacted, raising an eyebrow. Mirul started at Tsutomu in incredulity.


    ¡°I mean, if we were to go down a few moreyers, we would be getting at least a few audiences with the nobility, wouldn¡¯t we? We¡¯ll just bring this issue to their attention on those asions.¡±


    The major ns at the forefront of conquering God¡¯s Dungeon would receive sponsorships, of which tool and equipment manufacturers supply them with items in exchange for the promotion of their wares. Some among those potential sponsors were the nobility that governed over this city. They had rewards, certificates, and celebratory meetings offered to the ns and parties that broke through to the deepestyers of the Dungeon.


    Tsutomu was a member among the party of three that had just defeated the Fire Dragon; the Editor-in-Chief knew full well that he was capable of setting a new record of deepestyer explored, what with it currently being just a handful ofyers down. However, it was very much againstmon sense ¡ª practically impossible, even ¡ª to escte such a case during a celebratory audience with the nobility.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think you understand. She technically is a meremoner; her crime isn¡¯t something the nobility would bother themselves with. And to bring up an unrted subject during an audience with them is¡­¡±


    ¡°Now, it doesn¡¯t really matter whether or not this case is ignored. I don¡¯t stand to lose anything in particr to this fiasco anymore,¡± Tsutomu said, resolute and utterly unconcerned.


    The Editor-in-Chief was very well aware of Tsutomu¡¯s official status here as an orphan ¡ª thetter had neither the knowledge nor the dignity to fear the nobility. That particr point was what made the Editor-in-Chief seriously consider the possibility of Mirul¡¯s case being brought up during an audience.


    ¡°Guild Master? Mister Garm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with Tsutomu¡¯s party. Until his ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯ nickname goes away ¡ª that¡¯s our contract.¡±


    ¡°I hold the same intention. I will follow Tsutomu and see this through to the end.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Me too, me too!¡±


    Hearing those three make their statements, the Editor-in-Chief¡¯s face crumpled up for the first time. With just a party of three, they had defeated the Fire Dragon. Even the Scarlet Devil Squad had gone through just the sixty-secondyer so far ¡ª it was only a matter of time that this party caught up, and in turn, caught the eyes of the nobility.


    ¡°Remember, I wouldn¡¯t be doing that if you¡¯d only make a public announcement of Mirul¡¯s transgressions, along with a clear shot of her face. She¡¯s no longer affiliated with you anyway ¡ª there¡¯s no need to hesitate, is there?¡±


    The man next to the Editor-in-Chief questioned Tsutomu with a stern look on his face,


    ¡°¡­If we were to publicize the case ourselves as apany, her livelihood as a journalist would certainly be taken away. It would also pain me personally to subject her to that ¡ª If I may ask, why in the world are you so¡­ obsessed with her?¡±


    Tsutomu stared back right in the man¡¯s face. That look of his was so rming that the man, strong-willed as he was from having been the head of the famous Solit Company for so many years, could not help but put up his guard.


    ¡°Do you not understand?¡±


    Tsutomu raised his voice up a notch. Feeling the passion ¡ª of the malicious variety ¡ª packed in those words, the man briefly froze over as a tense air washed over the conference room. Amy, feeling quite awkward toward the situation, lifted and shook her foot a little.


    Everyone present quieted down even their breathing. Tsutomu, staring the man down, narrowed his eyes in displeasure.


    ¡°Is it not your side that had attempted to take away MY livelihood as an Explorer? It¡¯s only a fair trade, if anything! If you¡¯re trying to make meugh, well, I¡¯m sure as hell not amused!¡±


    Met with a scornful half-grin to go along with that statement, the man kept himself silent.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not even to speak of the ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯ fiasco¡­ not that it matters much now. Since that one was a publicity stunt that didn¡¯t y out as expected, I still could have gotten myself a party, albeit with increased inconvenience. But that¡¯s not at all the case with the fabricated story ¡ª THAT caused me to be treated as a criminal in this city. It was difficult for me to even rent a decent inn. It was only natural that legitimate Explorers would stoping to me altogether; if it weren¡¯t for Camille, my Explorer career most likely would have ended right then. Remember, I¡¯m a White Mage. I can¡¯t possibly continue deeper into the Dungeon without a party with me.¡±


    Tsutomu had been lured into this world by God, and was in the middle of diving into the Dungeon, searching for a way to return to his world. For him, not being able to form a party was the same as being cut off from all potential means of returning to his home.


    And that was the worst thing that could happen to him ¡ª neither a way to return to his original world, nor a way to progress deeper into the Dungeon. This world was practically the Middle Ages; there was almost no source of entertainment that didn¡¯t concern the Dungeon. Tsutomu was able to continue living in this world because he had hope that he could one day return home, and that in the meantime, the Dungeon would entertain him and upy his attention. If he were to lose both of them at once, he would most likely find himself overwhelmed by anxiety and fall into despair.


    As such, he had not a shred of the intention of forgiving anyone who would get in his way. She could just roll over and die by the roadside for all Tsutomu cared, so long as it was somewhere out of his sight.


    ¡°And I repeat, YOU are the one who started this ¡ª you tried to rob me of my livelihood as an Explorer. I¡¯ll have you go through the same circumstances I had. Don¡¯t even think about working as a journalist ever again.¡±


    ¡°Eef¡­!¡±


    Once Tsutomu widened his narrowed eyes, he revealed instead a gaze filled with hatred; Mirul let out a short scream and turned her face away in a futile attempt to escape it.


    ¡°Oh, I have no particr objections to the marypensation, by the way. When ites to Mirul¡¯s case, however, I have absolutely no intention to stay my hand. I want her to never have the power to harm me again, you see.¡±


    Tsutomu was persistent ¡ª it seemed to others as if life depended on the Dungeon and his career as an Explorer. The Chief Executive man, understanding that, closed his eyes and proceeded to announce,


    ¡°¡­Very well. If my livelihood as a journalist was to bepromised, I would most likely hold the same sentiments you do. This is to make sure that Mirul¡¯s case never happens again. Editor-in-Chief, do you have any objections?¡±


    ¡°No, sir¡­¡±


    ¡°And you, Mirul?¡± The man asked, with a voice so low that was sure to dissuade anyone from showing disobedience.


    Mirul, trembling in fear, started rambling,


    ¡°I-I did all this for Miss Amy¡¯s sake! All I wanted was to spread the truth!? What did I do to deserve this!? Don¡¯t screw with me!!¡±


    She mmed her fist on the desk. Tsutomu looked at her as if he wasn¡¯t even looking at a person, while Amy behind him made a pained expression.


    ¡°The Editor-in-Chief¡¯s vulgar stares, his dirty hands, all that humiliation ¡ª all that to get that article out! I did whatever I could! So why¡­ WHY!?¡±


    ¡°W-what!? Now you¡¯re spewing a load of bull!¡±


    With Mirul letting the cat out of the bag, the Editor-in-Chief tried to hold her down, but she already was standing up and pointing fingers at Tsutomu.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s all because of you! You should¡¯ve stayed an orphan nobody! A Lucky Boy who happened to find a gold box ¡ª that¡¯s what you are! If only you hadn¡¯t gotten close to Miss Amy, none of this would¡¯ve¨C¡°


    Amy walked over to Mirul and pped her of the cheek. Mirul, dumbfounded, stared nkly back at Amy.


    After ring at Mirul for a few moments, Amy cast her eyes down.


    ¡°¡­You already saw that Tsutomu was able to defeat the Fire Dragon, didn¡¯t you? Without my help? Look, just ept it already ¡ª he wasn¡¯t forcing me to do anything. He wasn¡¯t threatening me with any of my secrets, and I wasn¡¯t taking any orders, either.¡±


    ¡°M-Miss Amy¡­ I was¡­! I was just trying to¡­!¡±


    ¡°Because you believed your wild delusion way too much and wrote that article, I wasn¡¯t able to join my team to fight the Fire Dragon. You¡¯re the one at fault here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Amy¡¯s sharp re prompted Mirul to take a step back. Getting a verbal expression of disapproval from her had more of an effect on Mirul than anything else thus far.


    ¡°¡­Why¡¯d you just rush ahead and do things all by yourself? That¡¯s just stupid¡­ well, not that I¡¯m one to talk.¡±


    ¡°Ngh¡­¡±


    ¡°You should¡¯ve juste to talk to me about it, not write an article like that. Really, you¡¯re so stupid¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    As Mirul apologized, Amy heaved a long, deep sigh and turned to Tsutomu and the Editor-in-Chief.


    ¡°No, you shouldn¡¯t apologize to me ¡ª Save that for Tsutomu¡­ And Solit Company, too, for all the problem you¡¯ve caused.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m so sorry!!¡±


    Amy held Mirul up as thetter copsed while clinging to her. Mirul continued sobbing for a while,pletely disregarding where she was. The Editor-in-Chief kept a low profile throughout this moment, so as to not prompt the sight of the man beside him, and Tsutomu looked on at Mirul with his same cold, piercing gaze.

 Chapter 40, Retributive Justice

    <h4>Chapter 40, Retributive Justice</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    Afterwards, Amy spoke with Mirul, while the others reviewed the negotiation¡¯s transcript and recorded the specific amounts of thepensation payments down in writing; the documents were then signed by all parties involved to indicate all agreements. Apologies toward the fabricated articles, as well as their collection and amendments: fifty million G to Tsutomu. Ten million G each to Camille, Amy, and Garm. Moreover, Mirul¡¯s portrait photo and the fact that she had fabricated information for her articles were to be publicized.


    The mustached man took the copy of the letter and addressed the five on Tsutomu¡¯s side for thest time, then left the room in a hurry with a stern look on his face. The Editor-in-Chief hurried after him, dragging Mirul along. When they were gone, Tsutomu leaned back against the back of the sofa, as if he had exhausted his energy.


    Beside him, Camille also rxed, cracking her knee joints; the Deputy Guild Master was still reviewing the documents and transcript despite having already checked them several times.


    ¡°You all right, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Yeah¡­¡± Tsutomu answered while using both his hands to rub his temples, as if trying to relieve his expressionless, stiff face.


    ¡°You think I did okay?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, yeah, sure did. Surprised me a bit, actually ¡ª but we got the results, so that¡¯s all good.¡±


    Tsutomu gave Amy a thumbs up; Amy, seeing that, put her hand on her chest and let out a sigh of relief. Tsutomu had concluded from Mirul¡¯s behavior and reactions that it was unlikely for her to resort to violent measures from this point on.


    Tsutomu had been given a description of Mirul¡¯s character by Amy during yesterday¡¯s meeting to prepare for today¡¯s negotiations; from that information, he had decided that it would be difficult to silence her with reason alone. Judging from what Mirul had said to Amy after thetter had been caught infiltrating Solit Company, it was apparent that the former was an emotionally-driven person. Therefore, Tsutomu had felt that talking would be meaningless no matter how reasonable his arguments were.


    With that knowledge, Tsutomu had decided to appeal to her emotions first. First, he would bring up the fact that he was able to defeat the Fire Dragon with a suitable recement for Amy on his team. That would lead to Amy tearfully berating Mirul for the article, with the former saying that if not for this incident, she could have been on the team and defeated the Fire Dragon herself. That was the n Tsutomu had that would open Mirul up for further negotiations.


    Amy had clearly been unamused upon hearing of the process from Tsutomu. It was fact that she had been left out of the party, and subsequently missed out on the Fire Dragon battle, because of the article. Amy had always been more than willing to hurl abuse at Mirul, as she had not muchpassion for her in the first ce.


    But since Mirul was supposed to be Amy¡¯s devotee of sorts, Tsutomu had wondered what the former would do if Amy were to deny her of that obsession. Tsutomu could imagine her outright murdering him, on grounds that she considered him the reason why Amy ended up hating her.


    As such, Tsutomu had wanted Amy to try and convince Mirul, so as to not hurt thetter¡¯s feelings. If Mirul were to end up emotionally broken, Tsutomu would find himself in danger of being killed. Tsutomu had also contemting ending Mirul outright before that came to pass, but that was the one thing he had wanted to avoid.


    Amy, on the other hand, no longer had any desire to be involved with Mirul, but had reluctantly agreed to go along out of her guilty conscience towards Tsutomu. And since Tsutomu wasn¡¯t all that confident in his own unstable strategy, he had left a certain extent of the decisions for Amy to make by herself.


    With that setup, Tsutomu had proceeded with the meeting as normal¡­ then Amy suddenly pped Mirul, prompting him to panic internally quite hard. But then Mirul clung on to Amy, putting the course of development back into the nned route¡­ despite Tsutomu himself actually not really knowing how things had turned out that way.


    As a result, and in part thanks to Amy¡¯s convincing afterwards, Mirul didn¡¯t feel as if Amy hated her. She had kept quiet and owned up to all her crimes ¡ª not even one word of objection ¡ª and didn¡¯t end up holding an excessive grudge against Tsutomu, either.


    The next day, all the employees of the Solit Company went out to the streets to distribute the newspaper themselves. The front page showed a portrait of Mirul¡¯s face. The text contained the amendment of her fabricated story, and the Chief Executive man led his employees on an apology campaign throughout the whole town.


    Although the man¡¯s honest attitude prevented some of the subscribers from changing their main publication of choice, Solit Company¡¯s newspaper sales would undoubtedly decrease. Then the next day,rge sums of money were transferred to the Guild ounts of those involved. The long-time Editor-in-Chief, having been exposed by Mirul confession that he had actually approved the false articles, was also demoted to a position no better than that of a fresh employee.


    Nevertheless, the Solit Company still maintained its monopoly. Although it had shrunk a good deal in scale, the two other runner-up newspaper publications still weren¡¯t big enough topete with its market shares. It was important that at least those twopanies grewrger from now on, so as to prevent Solit Company¡¯s monopoly.


    So, as a way to help them, Tsutomu decided to provide them each with a free interview in regards to the defeat of the Fire Dragon with his party of three. Additionally, he would be refusing Solit Company all coverage on him and his team so long as the two otherpanies don¡¯t rival Solit Company in scale.


    Mirul was fired from Solit Company, and the article covering the incident gave her a bad name in the town. Having lost all her connections at Solit Company, not even one newspaper publication in this Dungeon City would dare to hire her. But the look in her eyes suggested that she hadn¡¯t lost all hope ¡ª that she still held on to the light of hope that was Amy.


    She still had hope that Amy hadn¡¯t abandoned her¡­ and also remembered that Amy was still by Tsutomu¡¯s side. Not quite sure of what to do with her life, Mirul ultimately decided to be an Explorer, with the intention to eventually take Tsutomu¡¯s ce.


    Since God¡¯s Dungeon had been designed under the principle that God treated every person equally, anyone ¡ª even those among the nobility ¡ª could enter and explore it, barring those who had been abandoned by God Himself. As such, even though Mirul had gotten most of her assets confiscated, she could be an Explorer by paying a portion of what little money she had left.


    In a strange twist of fate, Mirul¡¯s Job was appraised to be White Mage, the same as Tsutomu¡¯s. This led her to think that it would not take long for her to rece Tsutomu in his position of prestige.


    But it remained widespread a fact that Mirul hadmitted evil deeds against Tsutomu. She would soon find out for herself how cruel the consequences of defamation would be.

 Chapter 41, Visiting the Silver Beast

    <h4>Chapter 41, Visiting the Silver Beast</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    Two days after the publication of Solit Company¡¯s apology article, Tsutomu paid a visit to the Silver Beast¡¯s n House along with Camille and Garm. Despite being located quite far from the Guild, and thus having poor location convenience, their plot ofnd was quiterge, and the n House itself was a sizable three-story building.


    Mere moments after Tsutomu rang the entrance doorbell, an average-height man with shaggy brown hair opened the door. Very much amused to see Tsutomu, he smirked at him.


    ¡°You sure you wanna visit us when you¡¯re such a hot topic round town, my boy Tsutomu?¡±


    The three were greeted by Misil, whose facial hair was untrimmed as it had always been. Tsutomu¡¯s shoulders slumped as if he¡¯d had enough of being weed by this man.


    ¡°I¡¯m not treated like a criminal anymore, so that¡¯s good, but¡­ now people just approach me wherever I go. It¡¯s pretty hard to deal with, actually¡­¡±


    ¡°I swear, that Solit Company¡­ they¡¯re sure as hell gonna cross the line if you let them! Never thought they¡¯d screw up this badly, though. Anyway, that was pretty crazy, you know, killing a Fire Dragon with just the three of you. What secret tricks d¡¯ya have up your sleeves?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±


    Tsutomu held his index finger in front of his nose; Misil let out a humorous chuckle before addressing the two behind the former,


    ¡°Good day to you two as well, Garm and Miss Camille. Always happy to wee y¡¯all here.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm, we¡¯ll be bothering you for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I should be the one saying that. We were the ones who invited y¡¯all here, after all ¡ª the party of three that killed a Fire Dragon, you know! That¡¯s a real big deal! Well, anyway¡­ here, let¡¯s get ourselves inside.¡±


    After cracking a joke, Misil turned around, beckoned to Tsutomu¡¯s group, and walked on ahead into the Silver Beast n House; Tsutomu, Garm, and Camille followed him.


    The wide wooden corridor contained many doors on either side; each of the doors were slightly open. Through those gaps, the people inside looked on at the four as they walked along, eyes sparkling in child-like admiration. They were the Beastkin orphans and-or refugees from other viges; Misil had established the n House to provide them with the protection they needed.


    Tsutomu, Garm, and Camille were led into a spacious living room. In addition to the familiar members such as the red and blue Birdkin girls, dozens of Beastkins and Dragonewts of all ages were waiting in silence.


    ¡°Garm and Miss Camille, we¡¯ve gathered up the people who wanted to meet the two of you. Could we borrow you two for a bit, if you don¡¯t mind?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm, I¡¯ve always had a feeling that this is what I was called here for.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve provided direct guidance to anyone¡­ It mighte off as a tad awkward, but sure, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Garm and Camille walked up to the people who were waiting for them. Perhaps thanks to Garm¡¯s pre-established poprity, everyone started talking to him immediately, while the young and old Dragonewts saluted to Camille. The Dragonewts, apparently knowing by instinct how to act around one they considered a Dragonewt Deity, wasted no time to gather around Camille.


    Tsutomu, looking at the scene, thought to himself how tough it must be to be in the center of attention; Misil gave him a pat on the shoulder.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ll get yourself some fans eventually, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Uh, no, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about. Besides¨C¡°


    Not quite amused by Misil¡¯s attempt at reassurance, Tsutomu lightly brushed his hand away. He then started to speak, but Misil interrupted, having seen through what he was about to say.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Tsutomu; everyone goes through this kind of phase at first. You¡¯ll definitely get a following after things calm down a bit. Apparently, quite a lot of people were paying attention to you during the Fire Dragon battle, you know?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, if you say so¡­ Anyways, where¡¯s your Healer?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, that¡¯s what you¡¯re here for today¡­ Hey! Lorena!¡±


    Misil, reminded of the original arrangements by Tsutomu, looked over to the sofa ¡ª one sorge that as many as ten people could sit on it at one time ¡ª and called over the Conykin sitting on it. The girl, her long rabbit ears perked up, walked over to the two.


    Lorena, her eyes wide open, timidly bowed to Tsutomu. Tsutomu, as if his reflexes dictated that he did the same, promptly bowed back.


    ¡°Here¡¯s Lorena, our best Healer. Lorena, this is Tsutomu. Well, I guess you already know him, having watched the Fire Dragon fight and all.¡±


    As Misil introduced her to everyone, Lorena nodded along. Tsutomu replied to her with a bow.


    ¡°Hello. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, likewise! I¡¯ll be in your care today!¡±


    Lorena, not at all ustomed to formal speech, bowed again several times. Tsutomu pulled a strained smile as he looked on; Misil raised his hand as if to apologize.


    ¡°Sorry, she¡¯s not used to this. Don¡¯t mind if shees off as a bit impolite, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind at all. So, I tagged along today because I wanted to verify some details regarding her << Heal >> shots¡­ Would you mind if I asked a few questions?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead ¡ª you¡¯re always wee to. Didn¡¯t expect you to head over here this soon, is all¡­ Anyway, let¡¯s go talk over there.¡±


    Misil pointed at the desk away from the crowd around Garm and Camille; Tsutomu nodded and moved there, then sat in one of the chairs. Misil and Lorena sat opposite to him.


    ¡°So, the skill shots ¡ª how effective are they looking right now?¡±


    ¡°Not that much of a progress, really. Better direction and uracy, at least, but the healing skills aren¡¯t doing their thing at all. Oh, but the support skills are more or less usable, I think?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Skills like << Protect >> and << Haste >> didn¡¯t lose their effectiveness at all.¡±


    ¡°Minstrels are still better for that, though. No need to worry that it¡¯ll hit enemies, longer effect times¡­ and most importantly, affects all allies at once. And her << Heal >> shots now are weaker than what Minstrels can do, even.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Seeing Lorena¡¯s rabbit ears dropped down as she lost confidence, Tsutomu crossed his arms and thought things over. He couldn¡¯t actually know how bad the healing power was until he saw it in action, but if Misil wasn¡¯t mistaken, it would bepletely obsolete to a Minstrel¡¯s healing capabilities. As things stood now, her one-use << Raise >> was the only advantage she had, nothing else.


    If one wanted to distinguish themselves as White Mages, they would need the ability to use long-distance << Heals >> as Tsutomu could. Not that it was THE one thing they needed, however ¡ª its healing power wouldn¡¯t weaken if it wasn¡¯t in the long-range variation, so being able to use it like how Ealdred Crow¡¯s Header did would be good, too.


    However, it was still true that one¡¯s tactical versatility as a While Mage would greatly expand if they could use long-range << Heals >> without losing effectiveness. Ealdred Crow¡¯s White Mages had to be close to a Tank in order to provide healing; quite often the White Mages were caught up in enemies¡¯ attacks and died as a result. It would be ideal that one was able to take both approaches, in fact.


    Tsutomu uncrossed his arms and looked at Misil.


    ¡°For the sake of experimentation¡­ would it be safe to assume that the medicinal herbs found in the Grasnds area are good enough to heal minor cuts?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Her << Heal >> shots can¡¯t evenpletely patch up a paper cut even when she used full mental energy. Healing blisters on your hands is the most it can do right now. The housewives at the water well loved it, though.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡®Terrible,¡¯ was what Tsutomu was about to say before he stopped mid-sentence and thought things over.


    ¡°Say, what¡¯s her level?¡±


    ¡°Fifty-six.¡±


    ¡°Higher than me, then. Which means¡­¡±


    Tsutomu figured that the reason for the << Heal >> spell losing power was, most likely, the difference in its users¡¯ knowledge levels. He himself had not only a great deal of knowledge when it came to the Live Dungeon game, but had also memorized the information regarding the human anatomy at the level of a typical college student. Knowledge of the structure of the human body, tranting subconsciously into the healing functions ¡ª he guessed that this might be what made his << Heals >> so effective.


    He wondered, assuming that was to be the case, if Lorena¡¯s << Heals >> would be more effective if he were to pass all that knowledge to her. That approach was indeed an option, but it would take quite a lot of time and effort. Moreover, Tsutomu still had other methods in mind that could possibly increase the effectiveness of << Heals>>.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s still hard to say anything definite without testing things out first. I have a few ideas, but nothing conclusive.¡±


    ¡°Which means¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like us to go into the Dungeon together when I have the time to. Would you mind me tagging along with one of your parties, Misil? I¡¯d like to see how she fights in a team of five, first of all.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how generous of you. Almost enough to make a grown man cry, boy¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be having a meal hereter today, I assume? Consider it as my thanks for that, then,¡± Tsutomu chuckled in response to Misil exaggerated, humorous crocodile tears.


    Conykin Lorena, her face in a cheerful expression, stared at Tsutomu as her long rabbit ears twitched energetically.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Afterwards at the Silver Beast n House, more than a hundred people gathered in the first floor hall for lunch; the meal was in the form of a standing buffet party. Garm was constantly surrounded by the Demi-humans; Camille found herself constantly being greeted, both by her Dragonewt fans and those of the other races as well.


    Tsutomu was approached by a few people, too. They mainly talked about the Fire Dragon battle and the fabricated story article, to which Tsutomu replied with a smile while giving inoffensivements. Then, once Tsutomu finished talking to those few people, more and more of the others who had been watching from the sidelines, after seeing how well-natured he was, started talking to him.


    After the buffet party, Garm began his training session in the n House¡¯s garden; Camille, entrusted with some bright-eyed new-faces by Misil, led her group into the Valleys of the fifty-firstyer.


    Tsutomu, in order to see them in battle, joined one of the Silver Beast¡¯s parties, heading with them to the fifty-fifthyer. This particr group consisted of Adventurer Misil acting as a Swordfighter, two Birdkins ¡ª one red and one blue, both Boxers ¡ª andstly, White Mage Lorena. Tsutomu himself would also double as a luggage carrier.


    The lowestyer Silver Beast had ever reached was the fifty-sixth; since they hadn¡¯t been able to survive the multi-wave battles there no matter what they had tried, the n was currently in the process of raising its members¡¯ levels. Misil¡¯s level was sixty-two, while the others were sixty or below.


    Since Tsutomu was going to be in charge of the whole party¡¯s luggage, he went to deposit all of his Magic Bag¡¯s contents at the Guild before receiving the party¡¯s equipment from Misil. The things included Potions, traps, energy biscuits, loaves of rye bread, and emergency-use smoke bombs, among other stuff; Tsutomu inspected every item closely before tossing them into his Magic Bag.


    The Silver Beast party looked on at him, impressed. Misil, getting a look after he had finished the party¡¯s application at the reception desk, also grew more and more curious as the process went on.


    ¡°Man, the Magic Bag¡¯s a neat thing to have. Should be pretty expensive, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it sure was. It was looted from a Silver Chest, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Figures¡­¡±


    This Magic Bag was in fact the most expensive item Tsutomu had bought back when he was getting geared up. This particr one was special; the more popr variety of Magic Bags would look bigger on the outside while having less capacity. Many luggage carriers would even choose to go with cheap Magic Bags, the sizes of which were almost toorge to fit through the ck Gates.


    ¡°All right then, I¡¯ll be watching from the sidelines for a while. Well, I¡¯ll also keep all these items safe, of course.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll be counting on you,¡± Misil replied and smiled in one edge of his mouth.


    Tsutomu stepped into the magic circle, moving to the fifty-fifthyer together with the Silver Beast party members.


    Once inside the Dungeon, Tsutomu immediately reminded himself to stop his habit of distributing Potions. Unlike his usual group, normal parties¡¯ Potions were mostly managed by the luggage carrier alone; none of thebatants would carry Potions themselves. The reason was that some would run the risk of drinking in an untimely manner upon sustaining injuries if they were to have Potions on them.


    Although ns in which members were close and trusting of each other, and also the major ns, would allow members to carry some themselves, the Silver Beast had a policy of not allowing that under normal circumstances. Potions were expensive, after all; even the cheapest Green Potions would cost at least a ten-thousand G for a small vial. Since the Silver Beast also operated as an orphanage of sorts, they were strict when it came to mary expenses.


    While waiting for the red Birdkin to scout the area, Tsutomu passed the time by directing a dozen or so << Heal >> shots in the air around himself. Lorena¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing those cue ball-like masses of energy spinning around.


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s amazing¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, this¡­ it¡¯s not something you¡¯d do in a real fight, of course. But it¡¯s worth fiddling around with in your free time ¡ª you know, good practice and all.¡±


    ¡°Whoa¨C!¡±


    Tsutomu continued talking to Lorena while directing those ten << Heal >> balls to circle around Misil like a swarm of bugs. Lorena proceeded to give it a try as well, creating one << Heal >> ball and sending it flying. She seemed to be able to control it, albeit unreliably in some aspects. Seeing that, Tsutomu nodded and sent his << Heals >> flying toward a nearby tree.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to direct them around the monsters when shooting on level ground, so you¡¯d do well to practice with trees and such,¡± Tsutomu said as he directed ten of his << Heals >> to orbit around the tree.


    Lorena proceeded to send her << Heal >> toward the tree as well. At first her direction was slow, but as she gradually got used to it, her control became smoother and smoother.


    The red Birdkin, havinge back after finishing reconnaissance, was startled by all the << Heals >> swarming around. Misil, now that he was informed of theyer¡¯s terrain, decided that the party would be fighting in the mountain. All five proceeded to march up a trail.


    As far as Tsutomu had observed through the Monitors, the Silver Beast¡¯s fundamental strategy involved using the Birdkin¡¯s unique skill, Feather Dance, to obstruct monsters¡¯ vision, then have Misil, whose STR was the highest among the team, chip away at the targets. The two Birdkins here were also Attackers; not only could they use Feather Dance by default, but also take advantage of their unconventional movement patterns to throw off the monsters, and take them out with sword and talon attacks.


    Lorena, the White Mage, would use support skills before the start of a battle, and healing skills when the fight was over. She would also use << Fly >> and << Raise >> as needed. Since Misil was the party¡¯s main Attacker, Lorena would have to use << Raise >> whenever he died, and would be targeted herself as a result.


    As for the luggage carriers, most of the time they were brought along so that they could update theiryer progress. The impression was that many of them were actually here for carrying things; rarely would the n¡¯s carriers double as Attackers.


    Tsutomu, keeping that in mind, proceeded up the trail. He was second tost in the formation, while Misil, the most powerful and experienced one here, took the lead.


    Misil¡¯s Job, Adventurer, was characterized by the passive skill that nullified all terrain effects, and also the ability to unlock treasure chests. Moreover, since their LUK was rtively high whenpared to those of other Jobs, the rate at which treasure chests dropped for them was slightly higher, too.


    In terms ofbat, the Job wasprised of various Warrior-type skills such as Double Attack; a notable one among them was the skill called << Fatal de>>. Unique to high-level Adventurers, it induced the user¡¯s weapon with high-frequency vibrations, greatly increasing its attack power.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a Brown Bear. Get ready,¡± Misil whispered, prompting everyone behind him to stop their advance in session.


    The sound of something running could be heard up ahead. And that something was, as its name suggested, it was a grizzly bear with red fur, a stark contrast to the green sceneries of this biome.


    The Birdkins, their eyes locked onto the Red Grizzly running on all-fours, jumped up on the branches of a nearby tree and got ready to use Feather Dance. The blue Birdkin pointed at herself, and the red Birdkin nodded; then, when the bear was close enough, they unleashed their skills together.


    ¡°<<Feather Dance>>.¡±


    A swath of blue feathers buffeted the Red Grizzly with great force, stopping it in its tracks. It pointed its face down, shielding its face from the attack. Once the rain of feathers stopped, Misil ran ahead in parallel with thest wave.


    ¡°<<Fatal de>>.¡±


    His kukri, made to vibrate, easily cut off the Red Grizzly¡¯s front leg. Misil then drove the de into the face of the Red Grizzly as it screamed, then shed up, as if to split its brain. The bear copsed, red particles dispersing from its body, followed by a medium-sized Magic Stone falling to the ground.


    [She can¡¯t try her << Heals >> if they don¡¯t get hurt¡­ And it doesn¡¯t look like Misil will be getting hurt anytime soon. Hmm¡­]


    Tsutomu, some morbid imaginations surfacing briefly in his mind, Tsutomu collected the dropped Magic Stone and stored it in his Magic Bag.

 Chapter 42, Difference in Healing Power

    <h4>Chapter 42, Difference in Healing Power</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    Tsutomu continued to observe the Silver Beast¡¯sbat approach over the next few battles. The Attackers would emerge unharmed from encounters with three monsters or below. When up against six or more, on the other hand, they would take a hit or two.


    The Birdkins stopped the monsters¡¯ movements with << Feather Dance >>, and Misil precisely cut them down at their legs and vital points. This tactical approach ensured that the team defeated some of the monsters right at the start of an encounter, in turn giving them a significant advantage in the ensuing battle. Their coordination after Misil¡¯s opening was also excellent; all three were watchful of one another and kept themselves aware of the monsters¡¯ numbers and movements. As a result, they rarely ever found themselves at a disadvantage.


    However, this method wouldn¡¯t work nearly as well in multi-wave battles, so it was expected that they would be having a tougher time on the fifty-sixthyer onward. But seeing how well-coordinated the threebatants were, Tsutomu thought that they would be able to reach the fifty-ninthyer if they were to get themselves used to the Canyons¡¯ terrain, and also incorporate the Feather Dance trick into the subsequent waves of monsters.


    On the other hand, Tsutomu also saw that Lorena, the Healer, was still not at all ustomed to this party. She wasn¡¯t used to performing long-range support skills, either ¡ª all in all, she just seemed somewhat unconfident. Her direction of << Protect >> had been quite poor ¡ª much worse than what she had shown during her practice near the ck Gate; perhaps she had been fearful of identally casting the effect on the monsters instead. Her shots would frequently disappear mid-way, requiring another cast; as a result, the effect of << Protect >> on the others would often run out before it was renewed.


    She did indeed get to try out her << Heal >> shot once when Misil had been bitten by a Verdant Wolf, but it had almost no effect; the spell¡¯s recovery had greatly dropped regardless of the distance from which it had been shot. Her << Heal >>, when used via direct contact of her hands on the target, was just as effective as Tsutomu¡¯s¡­ but when the same spell had been shot, its power had dramatically dropped.


    Having observed that, Tsutomu asked Lorena some questions while she was healing up everyone using the close-range variation of the spell.


    ¡°Say, Lorena, when did you start working as an Explorer?¡±


    ¡°¡­Five, maybe six years ago.¡±


    ¡°I see. And you¡¯ve always been using << Heal >> close-ranged?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    While Tsutomu had always assumed that << Heal >> would normally be long-ranged just like in the Live Dungeon game, this girl proved that not to be the norm, what with her having used them exclusively close-ranged for the past five to six years. Unlike the support skills, which had been known from the start to work long-ranged and thus easy for her to wrap her head around, the healing spells¡¯ initially close-ranged nature had given her the perception that it wouldn¡¯t work otherwise.


    As such, Tsutomu figured that, before giving her the knowledge she needed, he would have to change that perception of hers first.


    ¡°¡­I see. Well, first of all, please try and acknowledge that your << Heal >> shots can heal wounds ¡ª yes, just thinking it works is enough for now. Let me take over for a while, see if that will change your impression on it.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, I understand.¡±


    Although Tsutomu almost slipped off at Lorena¡¯s wonky reply, he pulled out his white staff from his Magic Bag, then switched the luggage carrier role over to her. He proceeded to cast << Haste >> on the threebatants, giving them time to get used to the increased speed as they proceeded further up the trail, and told them that he would be casting the spell for them during battle as well.


    A whileter, a pack of seven Verdant Wolves appeared in front of them on the trail. Tsutomu, feeling that more were hiding in the tall grass, shouted out a warning. Hearing that, Misil made a hand sign for the Birdkins to use << Father Dance >> on the grass. As expected, more Verdant Wolves appeared from their hiding spot, upping the total to twelve.


    Tsutomu cast the shorter-duration << Haste >> on the Birdkins. On the other hand, the one Misil got was the long-duration variant, and he was the only one to get << Protect >>. Since Misil was the one most likely to get hit during the fight, Tsutomu made it a point for him to have the two buffs on at all times.


    << Feather Dance >> swept down on the whole pack of Verdant Wolves; Misil circled around to their right nk and proceeded to cut the wolves down one by one. Tsutomu, deciding against using << Fly >> to levitate, ran with his own two feet to a position from which he would have an easier time hitting Misil with his support skills.


    Tsutomu carefully positioned himself in the tall grass, watching out for the possibility that more Verdant Wolves were hiding in there. He proceeded to shoot << Haste >> at the Birdkins flying in the sky first, and then sent another << Haste >> to Misil just before the approximated duration of his << Haste >> and << Protect >> expired.


    Having managed the effect times of countless skills ¡ª down to the seconds in just his mind ¡ª for many years through ying the Live Dungeon game, Tsutomu had attained muscle memory so precise that he would not lose to even an automation software. The time he spent counting the seconds in his mind also doubled as an opportunity to collect his thoughts and strategize.


    Thebatants, under the << Haste >> effect at all times, could take out a dozen or so Verdant Wolves without difficulty. Seeing the battle end with the three almost unscathed, Tsutomu rested the tip of his white staff on the ground.


    ¡°Oh, Misil, please do keep in mind that I won¡¯t be using << Haste >> next time.¡±


    ¡°You tellin¡¯ me to go get hurt or what?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°For real!? Boy, you¡¯re messed up¡­¡±


    Misil, after spinning his kukri around and hanging it on his belt, raised his hands in astonishment to the manner in which Tsutomu had delivered his reply. The Birdkins chuckled between each other as they watched over the exchange.


    During the next battle, Misil sustained some injuries, including getting stabbed in his legs by an Earth Boar¡¯s tusks and being blown away by a Red Grizzly. Tsutomu shot him << Heals >> precisely at the wounded areas, and Lorena observed intently as all those scratches and bruises healed right up.


    After that, Lorena and Tsutomu switched roles again, with Tsutomu keeping watch on Lorena¡¯s actions while managing the team¡¯s luggage. Just like before, her movements were stiff, and she seemed to still be nervous when using her skill shots, making her direction weak and wonky. After having seen Tsutomu perform almost perfectly, she had felt the need to do better, and ended up rushing things as a result.


    Tsutomu, not being aware of thetter point, he assumed that she was simply afraid of misfiring. If she were to hit a monster with << Protect >>, its VIT would be temporarily strengthened, resulting in a negative effect for the party. It was only reasonable that she didn¡¯t want to make that mistake.


    But everyone had to start from somewhere ¡ª even Tsutomu, despite not having made any notable mistakes in this world due to his experience and strategic mindset attained from the game, still had misfired his skills numerous times. One would never improve if they never gave things a good try ¡ª failure was an essential flip side of sess.


    Moreover, Tsutomu knew that Misil and Birdkins wouldn¡¯t be angry at a misfire or two. None of the three had that short of a temper, and since Lorena had been with their party for five to six years, they must have had a trusting rtionship formed among them.


    Even so, as the three fought two Red Grizzlies, Lorena still struggled to direct her skills. Tsutomu, watching her from behind, decided to open his palm and point it at the Red Grizzly.


    ¡°<< Protect >>.¡±


    Following a whisper, the earthy-yellow << Protect >> shot flew straight at a Red Grizzly. Itnded a direct hit, covering the Red Grizzly in an earthy-yellow aura. Lorena, startled by the << Protect >> that had suddenly streaked past her, turned around to look at Tsutomu as if he was a maniac.


    ¡°Wh-what are you doing!?¡±


    ¡°Oh~~ you just misfired, didn¡¯t you~~? Better apologize quickly!¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re the one who did that!? WHY!? I DON¡¯T GET IT!¡±


    Lorena rushed over to Tsutomu, her rabbit ears standing straight up; Tsutomu proceeded to keep a straight face as he scolded her for what she hadn¡¯t done. Misil, seeing that happen in the corner of his eye, shed the strengthened Red Grizzly¡¯s front leg. The attack normally would have lop the bear¡¯s leg right off, but now that it had its VIT enhanced, it only sustained a shallow cut. The threebatants didn¡¯t seem too upset, however; keeping their cool, they made quick work of the other Grizzly first, then came back to the second one after its << Protect >> had expired.


    Then, seeing how Lorena was holding Tsutomu up by his cor and shaking him, Misil rushed to stop them. Lorena¡¯s breathing roughened the angrier she got. Tsutomu coughed from the suffocation; he hadn¡¯t expected this strong of a reaction from her.


    Misil, apparently seeing the meaning behind the ¡®misfired¡¯ straight << Protect >> shot from the look in Tsutomu eyes, painted himself a nasty face and spoke to Lorena,


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Lorena¡­ Still gotta work on your aim, yeah?¡±


    ¡°N-no! He was the one who shot that! It wasn¡¯t me!¡±


    ¡°Not~~ me~~¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡±


    With Tsutomu still insistent, Lorena, her face red with rage, started toward him again, and was promptly held back by the two Birdkins. Tsutomu hadn¡¯t expected Lorena to be so strong, and was quite somewhat intimated by her strength as a result; he quickly got himself away from her. Misil, having enough of Tsutomu¡¯s schtick by this point, lightly tapped Lorena¡¯s shoulder from the side as she began to calm down.


    ¡°Now, don¡¯t worry about misfiring so much. Just keep up the good work.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not Tsutomu, you know ¡ª no one¡¯s gonna expect you to be perfect from the start. Yeah?¡±


    As if seeking some agreement, Misil turned to the two Birdkin girls; they both nodded in response.


    ¡°Those skill shots are kind of like our << Feather Dance >>, right?¡¡We¡¯ve made a lot of mistakes when we started off, too. Don¡¯t worry ¡ª you¡¯ll get there one of these days.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay ¡ª a failure or two won¡¯t be the end of you. I mean, it¡¯d be a shame to waste our equipment when we all die, but we can alwayse back and again.¡±


    ¡°Everyone¡­ I¡¯m always the one being helped, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, I told you to not worry about it, so don¡¯t. I¡¯m the leader here, you know.¡±


    Lorena¡¯s rabbit ears twitched from side to side as she was given a pat on her head. She didn¡¯t put up any resistance, nor did she move an inch as she kept her eyes cast down. Very much thankful for the help and support her party members had given to a White Mage like her, and fully aware that she was a hindrance to them at her current level, Lorena had always been determined to at the very least not cause any of them trouble.


    Lorena still refused to look up after Misil took his hand off her head; Tsutomu approached and spoke to her, while also keeping his voice in a fearful enough manner.


    ¡°Look, Lorena, you¡¯ve been blessed good party members ¡ª don¡¯t you want to repay them the kindness they¡¯d given you?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do! ¡­But I¡¯m not a genius like you. There¡¯s no way I can control my shots like you can.¡±


    Shouting at Tsutomu as if chewing him out, Lorena then looked down in frustration. One month he was known as the Lucky Boy, the next he was reported as a criminal who had walked all over Amy, and the next thing she knew, he had emerged victorious against the Fire Dragon with just a team of three and made Solit Company apologize for the fiasco. As a White Mage herself, Lorena was jealous of him and his remarkable performance after starting out a mere two months ago.


    Tsutomu, seeing the look on Lorena¡¯s face, sympathized with her quite a bit; he turned to look at Misil, who had already stepped aside, then continued to speak,


    ¡°Think about it ¡ª Misil taught you how to direct your skills, and had you practice them, didn¡¯t he? That means he¡¯s expecting some results from you. Don¡¯t you want to live up to that expectation of his?¡±


    Lorena, reminded of what she ought to do by Tsutomu, turned to look at Misil¡­ who was scratching his face to stave off the awkwardness.


    ¡°At least your support skills are already able to do what they¡¯re supposed to ¡ª Let¡¯s focus on making them actually usable first. I¡¯m sure everyone won¡¯t be bothered if you mess up here and there.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! We¡¯ll let you practice as much as you¡¯d like! Right!?¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯d prefer that you don¡¯t underestimate us, you know ¡ª A monster¡¯s VIT going us isn¡¯t going to bother us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Lorena wiped her tear-stained eyes as she was consoled by the two Birdkin¡¯s wings. Seeing that, Misil and Tsutomu looked at each other and let out a sigh of relief.


    In subsequent battles, Lorena began to actively use her support skills. She was able to perform the same directional maneuvers as she had been when practicing, albeit with her << Protect >> still asionally missing and hitting monsters. Her rate of sess increased as she went along; she eventually became urate enough with skill shots to incorporate them into her regr strategies.


    And at one point when Misil was injured, Lorena tried using her long-rage << Heal >>, which yielded slightly better results. As Tsutomu had hypothesized, what had reduced the effectiveness of her << Heal >> was the preconceived notion that recovery magic only worked via direct contact with the body. Still, what Lorena was able to achieve now had only half the healing power of Tsutomu¡¯s long-range << Heal >>. It was far too weak, especially considering the difference in their status ratings.


    ¡°This time, set up an << Area Heal >> first, then try shooting a << Heal >>.¡±


    ¡°Huh? << Area Heal >>?¡±


    Lorena, cooperative now that she understood that Tsutomu¡¯s deliberate misfiring earlier had been his attempt to help her, tilted her head in response to Tsutomu¡¯s proposal. The << Area Heal >> was a skill that, as its name suggested, created a stationary area on the ground that automatically mended the injuries of all who stood in it.


    In the game, the << Area Heal >> wasmonly used to ce a recovery area at the feet of heavy, low-mobility Tanks. In this world, on the other hand, it didn¡¯t see much use because it would heal monsters as well. That, and its mental stamina consumption was fairly high for the rtively low recovery rate it yielded.


    Because of how things worked in the game, it was also quite often incorporated into Skill Combos.


    As for what Skill Combo was¡­ it referred to the phenomenon in which skills were used in session to create a synergistic effect. An example here would be Garm¡¯s << Warrior Howl >>, with which he struck his weapon and armor to provoke his enemies,bined with << Shield Throw >>. Using the two skills in session would result in one throwing a shield with the << Warrior Howl >> effect on it, generating even more aggro from the target monster.


    Other examples included Amy¡¯s << Boost >>, which raised her AGI, followed by either << Dual Wave sh >> or << Rock Splitter de >>, and Camille activating << Dragon Form >> then using special attacks like << Power sh >>. In the case of << Area Heal >>, it also had the effect of increasing the power of the healing skills of those who stood inside the set area.


    Setting up an << Area Heal >> consumed as much mental power as casting << High Heal >> twice, however. Although it couldn¡¯t be used very often, using it to be able to heal better from a distance was sure to result in a hefty advantage.


    Lorena immediately did as Tsutomu had asked, deploying an << Area Heal >> at her feet then shooting a << Heal >> at Misil, who was a little further away. Misil¡¯s light injuries healed right up; as expected, the spell¡¯s healing power had increased.


    She proceeded to test it again and again, paying attention to the distance and psed time and their associated skill effect decay. Eventually, perhaps thanks to Lorena¡¯s increased confidence after being able to use the long-range << Heal >> effectively, she was able to achieve the same recovery power level as Tsutomu¡¯s.


    ¡°Although this includes the additional power from << Area Heal >>, you¡¯ve managed to get its effect to a practical level now. All that¡¯s left now is for you to improve the uracy of your direction¡­ I suppose. Please hang in there.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do my best! Thank you!¡±


    Lorena took Tsutomu¡¯s hand in both hands and shook it¡­ then, after the handshake, Tsutomu had to massage his aching arm.


    ¡°Oh, one more thing¡­ Misil, we have something else we can teach you ¡ª and since Garm is already at the n House today, do you have some time to spare this evening? ¡°


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re not gonna charge me for thatter, right?¡±


    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t do that. Oh, but since this will be free of charge, you better get the thing right, all right? And then we¡¯ll spread the word about the greatness of Jobs other than Attackers~~!¡±


    ¡°Hahah! As you wish, your highness!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm, don¡¯t worry, be happy~~!¡±


    Tsutomu put his hands on his hips and puffed up his chest in an exaggerated manner; Misil bowed his head¡­ also in an exaggerated manner. The two Birdkins looked on as if the two were children, while Lorena looked at Tsutomu with respect.

 Chapter 43, Assembled Party of Four

    <h4>Chapter 43, Assembled Party of Four</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    Afterward, as the Dungeon exploration went on, Lorena got to practice more and more new strategies, and faced a fair share of blunders. At one point, she identally hit a Red Grizzly with her <<Heal>> three times in a row; Misil chewed her out a bit after that particr battle, but the party¡¯s overall attitude remained positive.


    However, since the team didn¡¯t have a Tank, the Healer would end up being targeted if fights were to drag on for long. Since this party¡¯s style was to finish battles as quickly as possible, it wasn¡¯t so conspicuous, but they would eventually need a Tank for multi-wave battles. At one point, after an enemy encounter was over with, Tsutomu discussed this matter with Misil while collecting the Magic Stones.


    With Misil showing interest in the Tank role that Tsutomu was proposing, thetter exined to him the concept of aggro and the role¡¯s useful skills. Misil was very much keen on the idea, in part because he had seen Garm¡¯s performance during the Fire Dragon battle, so Tsutomu advised him that if he had the time to spare, he ought to train a Tank for his team as well.


    Lorena switched the Healer role with Tsutomu several times along the way, and observed thetter¡¯s movements each time she was inactive. Then, in the following battles, she would try to incorporate Tsutomu¡¯s actions into her moveset. After one particr battle, she proceeded to ask Tsutomu some questions,


    ¡°Um, I¡¯ve noticed that your <


    > effect times were different depending on who you use it on ¡ª was that on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It would be ideal to have everything on everyone at once, but with four skills, things are tricky to manage, and then there¡¯s the monsters¡¯ aggro¡­ oh, aggro in this case refers to their hostility toward targets, by the way. Using skills in quick session would result in rapidly generating the monsters¡¯ aggro on you, so it¡¯ll be safer to spread the casting of your skills out.¡±


    ¡°Aggro¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll pass over some documents detailing all those things to Misilter, so please do give them a read when you¡¯re back at the n House,¡± Tsutomu called for Lorena¡¯s attention upon seeing her fold her rabbit ears and ponder things over.


    In response, apparently abandoning her old train of thoughts, she presented her next inquiry,


    ¡°Also, I¡¯d like to improve my uracy with my <<Heals>>¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I can¡¯t tell you anything other than to practice, I¡¯m afraid. You¡¯re already getting pretty good at your support skills, but still nervous when directing your healing skills, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m always afraid that I¡¯d end up healing the monsters instead¡­ How have you never messed up even once, Mister Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Ways to not be nervous¡­¡±


    Tsutomu wasn¡¯t one to be conscious of misfires in the first ce, so nothing came to mind right away. Seeing how excitedly Lorena was waiting for an answer, however, Tsutomu pulled a wry smile and said,


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s because I trust in my allies, I guess?¡±


    ¡°I do as well!¡±


    ¡°Wait, sorry, that didn¡¯te out right ¡ª what I meant was¡­ trust in my allies¡¯ strength, or something like that.¡±


    ¡°Strength¡­¡±


    Tsutomu, with Lorena starting to get angry, hurried to rephrase his statement to her. Those words of his prompted a look of contemtion in Lorena¡¯s eyes, as if she was searching for their true meaning.


    ¡°Consider this ¡ª Misil should be pretty familiar with the monsters here, and so are the two others, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve been around here for a long time now.¡±


    ¡°So even if you were to misfire, those three should still be able to handle the situation, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Seeing Lorena¡¯s rabbit ears drop down as if to signify her loss of confidence, Tsutomu gulped down the words of encouragement that he was about to offer next.


    ¡°It would be ideal that you don¡¯t hit the wrong targets, of course, but three times is still within the eptable range, I think? Which is why I figured you¡¯d be all right approaching battles with the mindset that it¡¯s fine to misfire.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand! Thank you very much!¡±


    Lorena suddenly bowed, hitting Tsutomu¡¯s face with her long rabbit ears and causing thetter to flinch a step back. The two Birdkins cackled between themselves as they watched the whole scene go down from the back.


    After a few more battles, the time was gettingte into the evening; the party returned to the ck Gate where they hade from, and stepped through it.


    Now transported back to the Guild, the party of five updated their Status Cards at the reception counter, and then divided the collected Magic Stones into five equal portions. Since there hadn¡¯t been any particr expenditures during this trip, they naturally made a profit. In fact, Misil was pleased to see that they had made twenty percent more than usual.


    Tsutomu proceeded to withdraw his belongings before leaving the Guild; on the long way back to the n House, the team of five discussed the results of today¡¯s battles as they walked. Back at the n House, the in-training fighters were seen breathless in the mud of the garden, while Garm¡¯s breathing was fine as he wiped the sweat off his face. He had been supervising dozens of fighters since noon, yet he was still perfectly calm.


    Inside the n House was Camille, sitting on the sofa, cheerfully keeping four childrenpany. Seeing how the kids¡¯ attitudes had changed so drastically, Misil let out a burst ofughter.


    For the evening, too, food was served onrge pots and tes in the open space on the first floor, and a crowd of more than a hundred people began to gather for a lively stand-up buffet. Tsutomu called over Garm and Camille, and they joined Misil.


    ¡°Misil, here¡¯s a summary of our battle strategies. I do think your usual approaches are good enough already, though ¡ª just need improved uracy, but I suppose you could use this as a bit of a reference.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯ll be helpful. Been unsure of what we should do with our Knights, you see. If we train them to be¡­ Tanks? ¡ª then they¡¯ll probably get to do more interesting stuff than chores ¡¯round the house.¡±


    By mid-tier ns¡¯ standards, Silver Beast had quite a wide variety of Jobs among its members, so having the role of Tank was a very much wee addition. Misil, while getting himself some of what looked like pasta from the serving te, received the documents from Tsutomu and gave them a look.


    Camille, having watched the exchange the whole time, set her te on the table and spoke to Tsutomu,


    ¡°So you¡¯d like these strategies to be more widely known?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes. Right now, it¡¯s all about the Attackers, you see ¡ª I¡¯d like everyone to be able to have fun exploring the Dungeon regardless of their Job, if possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fun, huh? I could see that you¡¯ve always enjoyed yourself in the Dungeon, now that I think about it. I see, I see¡­¡±


    Camille, after saying that, fell silent as if pondering things over; Tsutomu looked at her, perplexed, before being called by Garm by a tap on his shoulder.


    ¡°This would mean that Tanks being widespread is a good thing, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, yes. Totally.¡±


    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s get teaching as soon as possible, then.¡±


    Seeing Garm in a strangely good mood, Tsutomu tilted his head in perplexion while eating his slices of saut¨¦ed potatoes. After that, Tsutomu had a good time chatting and exchanging information with the others over the course of the meal.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The next morning, Tsutomu and Garm were present in front of the Guild¡¯s Monitor; the former was in a pure white robe and carried his Magic Bag on his back, and thetter wore Silver Armor and carried with him a tower shield. Also with them was Camille, wearing red leather armor and with a rugged iron greatsword on her back. Joining everyer was Amy, in light armor and with her dual des in their sheaths.


    ¡°You¡¯re thirty secondste.¡±


    ¡°Dude, so petty!¡±


    Tsutomu threw a snide remark Amy¡¯s way as he stood with his white staff rested on the floor; thetter wasted no time to call his ridiculousness out, but also smiled happily. Seeing Amy like that, Garm groaned in displeasure.


    ¡°Hmph, try not to get in our way.¡±


    ¡°What!? Don¡¯t get high and mighty just because you killed a Fire Dragon before me! Besides, if THAT hadn¡¯t happened, I would¡¯ve already killed it myself by now!¡±


    ¡°What nonsense. Are you saying that you¡¯re stronger than Miss Camille?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t start fighting already ¡ª it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve been together, you know.¡±


    Once Tsutomu warned them against immediately starting an argument, Garm promptly looked away from Amy, and Amy did the same with quite a miffed look on her face. Tsutomu, getting a questioning look from Camille, only shrugged his shoulders in response.


    The four of them lining up at the reception counter naturally drew the eyes of the Explorers in the vicinity. The party that had defeated the Fire Dragon, with the new addition that was Amy ¡ª expectations were high, as one would expect. Today, the receptionistdy¡¯s counter just happened to be free, so Tsutomu went there.


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Good morning. We¡¯d like to update our Status Cards and apply for a new party, please.¡±


    ¡°Right away. Your body fluid sample here, please,¡± the receptionistdy answered, loud and clear, and held out four small sheets of paper.


    Tsutomu took one and put one edge of it in his mouth, soaking it in his saliva, then put it down on the counter with the dry half facing forward. The other three did the same and handed back their respective sheets.


    Among those who looked at them doing so, no one made a fuss or mocked them. Whatever the ¡®bugger¡¯ Explorers may be thinking, they now had not the gall to say it out loud. The receptionistdy epted the sheets and fed them into her magic tool. Then, from the multi-colored lines of Status Cards behind her, she pulled out some red and brown cards and ced them near the magic tool.


    Then, as she held up each one of them and whispered something, the Status Cards shed briefly. It didn¡¯t take long for the process to bepleted for all four.


    ¡°Sorry to have kept you waiting. Here you go.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The receptionistdy, with a mind-soothing smile all the while, proceeded to take the papers off the Magic Tool and putting them into thentern, burning them, then handed the Status Cards over to Tsutomu, Garm, and Camille. Looking on as the red cards were being passed to the three, Amy bit her lower lip out of frustration.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get there, Amy. You¡¯ll get there.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°I doubt that.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Garm!¡±


    Tsutomu forced a smile in response to Garm¡¯s condescending remark toward Amy, then turned to look at his own Status Card.


    KYOUTANI TSUTOMU


    LV: 38


    STR: C-


    DEX: C


    VIT: D+


    AGI: D+


    MND: C+


    LUK: D+


    JOB: White Mage


    SKILLS: Heal, All Heal, sh, Air de, Protect, Medic, Haste, Raise, High Heal, Area Heal, Holy Wing, Fly, Air ze, Barrier


    [I sure would like to go over forty-five by the time people stop calling me the Lucky Boy.]


    Tsutomu, while thinking that to himself, returned the Status Card and headed for the Magic Circles. He said nothing to the two arguing behind him, instead sparking another conversation with Camille,


    ¡°Speaking of which, the agreement of our party would be in effect until my Lucky Boy nickname dies off ¡ª are you the one who decides whether or not that is the case, Camille?¡±


    ¡°Right. Many people are still calling you that, though, so there¡¯s no need to think about it for now. Say, do you n to defeat the Fire Dragon again?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The n is to go with Garm and Amy this time around.¡±


    When Tsutomu opened his narrowed eyes and calmly directed his gaze to the two arguing behind him, Camille¡¯s tightened expression ckened.


    ¡°I see. Let¡¯s make it so that the contractsts until either the Fire Dragon is defeated or another month passes, then. Are you all right with this much time?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll be enough. Thank you very much for your consideration.¡±


    Tsutomu bowed to Camille; thetter proceeded to speak again with a serious expression,


    ¡°Say, Tsutomu¡­ If you¡¯re all right with it, why don¡¯t you consider¨C¡°


    ¡°What¡¯re you two whispering¡¯ between yourselves for!?¡±


    ¡°Whoa!¡±


    Just as Camille was about to finish her sentence, Amy, who was done arguing with Garm behind her, jumped on Tsutomu¡¯s back. His neck practically grappled on, he stumbled forward as Amy shook him as if she were riding a vehicle.


    ¡°C¡¯mon~~ Lemme in on the convo, too~~!¡±


    ¡°Gah, would you mind getting off me? You¡¯re heavy, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°W-what!? I¡¯m not even fat, for cryin¡¯ out loud!¡±


    ¡°Uh, I mean, you¡¯re fully equipped! That¡¯s where the weight ising from!¡±


    Amy, despite her armor being of the light variety, was in fact too heavy for Tsutomu to carry with a full set on. Practically peeling Amy¡¯s arms off him, Tsutomu then gasped as if he was exhausted. Despite him being like that, Amy pulled him by his hand and stepped into a Magic Circle.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer that you let me rest a bit¡­¡±


    Tsutomu, looking like a father being dragged around by his daughter in a theme park, half-reluctantly held Amy¡¯s hand. Behind them, Garm entered the Circle as he kept a careful watch on Amy; Camille followed him, looking somewhat exasperated.


    ¡°Teleport to the fifty-firstyer!¡±


    And so, led by Amy¡¯s cheery voice, the team of four was transferred to the Valleys of the fifty-firstyer.

 Chapter 44, An Unexpected Aspect

    <h4>Chapter 44, An Unexpected Aspect</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    Their advance begins from the fifty-firstyer, characterized by the vast, verdant Valley biome, now Tsutomu¡¯s team hase down to the fifty-fourthyer. Amy had easily ovee the fifty-firstyer¡¯s challenge of maneuvering around the Carrier Birds by herself, and Camille had acknowledged her control of << Fly >> to be without issue.


    As for her corebat skills, Tsutomu had seen that they weren¡¯t as bad as he had expected; it was safe to assume that Amy hadn¡¯t been simplyzing around all week. From Tsutomu¡¯s point of view, her team synergy as an Attacker was not bad, either. Amy no longer rushed into the hunt alone as she had in the past; now she tried to match up her movements with her teammates¡¯ actions as much as she could.


    ¡°<< Combat Cry >>.¡±


    ¡°<< Protect >>, << Haste >>.¡±


    Garm unleashed his red aura onto the enemies ¡ª four Spear Deers and three Verdant Wolves. Effective, all seven creatures roared as they approached Garm, whose defense had been solidified beforehand with << Protect >>. Camille and Amy, enhanced with << Haste >>, moved to intercept the Spear Deers.


    ¡°Rah!¡±


    Camille caught one Spear Deer¡¯s antlers head-on with her greatsword, then applied all of her force and hacked it right off. The monster flinched, severely pained by its broken antlers. Amy proceeded to stab its throat.


    With her dual des slipped into the deer¡¯s tender flesh, she then twisted them. The Spear Deer fell to the ground, blood gushing.


    Not even a momentter, Amy unleashed her long-range skill, << Dual Wave sh >>, onto another Spear Deer that was facing away, prompting it to turn to her instead.


    Garm, with two Spear Deers still on him, caught their lunges with his tower shield, sent them flying away with << Shield Bash >>, then guarded all three of the following Verdant Wolves¡¯ tackles. As a result, he was now stuck in a shoving match against three groaning wolves.


    But then, as if to abandon the struggle, Garm rxed his guard and stepped back. One of the Verdant Wolves, startled by the sudden weakening of the opposing push, staggered forward; Garm subsequently stabbed its head with the sharp end of his tower shield. Then, he kicked another one of the wolves away, quickly pulling his shield out of the first wolf¡¯s head. Narrowly taking another Spear Deer¡¯s charge, Garm¡¯s body hovered for a second, but he was otherwise fine.


    Camille and Amy proceeded to make quick work of their Spear Deer, while Garm crushed down the Verdant Wolves when they tried throwing themselves upon him. Another Spear Deer charged at Garm, and was promptly stopped in its tracks by his tower shield; Camille struck the deer¡¯s leg, toppling its stance and enabling Amy to swoop down on it.


    ¡°<< Rock Splitter de >>.¡±


    The two des effortlessly busted through the Spear Deer¡¯s skull, piercing into its brain. The monster, having taken a fatal blow, fell to the ground and dispersed into light particles.


    Thest Spear Deer, turned away upon being blocked by Garm, was subsequently bashed in its head with his tower shield; it let out a whistle-like scream. Camille then swung her greatsword down on its head, causing its body to be wrapped in light particles and fade away. What remained of it thereafter was a colorless Medium Magic Stone, which Amy proceeded to pick up.


    [I¡¯ve got nothing to do¡­]


    Tsutomu lowered his staff and grumbled in his mind as he surveyed the area.


    In parts of the Valleys where visibility was limited, one needed to be on the lookout for ambushes, but as long as the initiating battle itself did not drag on, a multi-wave attack was unlikely to ur. While Garm drew all of the enemies together, Amy and Camille swiftly took down the monsters, sometimes individually, sometimes in tandem. With Garm¡¯s defenses not faltering so easily, the team¡¯s battles were over by the time Tsutomu had used his support skills once or twice.


    [Hmm¡­ At the pace we¡¯re going, we should reach the Canyons and update Amy¡¯syer progress within the day. I¡¯d nned to get us into a few more fights to help Amy warm up, but it looks like she might not need that.]


    Tsutomu thought things over while catching the Magic Stones Amy and Garm were throwing to him, which he proceeded to store in his Magic Bag. Then, with << Fly >>, the four ascended out of the Forest, heading toward the ck Gate that Camille had already discovered beforehand.


    Since the objective of this trip was to update Amy¡¯s Dungeonyer progress, the team didn¡¯t particrly care for defeating the monsters along the way. As such, Camille had been tasked to search for ck Gates first and foremost, with her making maximum use of << Dragon Form >> and << Haste >>.


    Then, after a few battles to get everyone ustomed to working together, they would immediately use << Fly >> to exit the Forest and move on to the nextyer. In the Valleys up to the fifty-fifthyer, the only airborne monsters were the Carrier Birds and the asional Wyvern. If one could properly use << Fly >>, they would have quite an easy time finding the ck Gates from above.


    Repeating that process, the team got past the Valleys with no difficulty, arriving at the fifty-sixthyer¡¯s Canyon just a little past noon. Amy, her palms over the top of her eyes, gazed at the towering cliffs in the distance. Tsutomu, after taking a nce at her, started preparing lunch.


    First, heid out arge Slime Mat on the ground, took out a folding low table, and then set up a three-legged cooking stove magic tool on the ground. Upon cing a Fire Magic Stone below it and feeding it some colorless Magic Stone Scraps, the Fire Magic Stone glowed red, in turn producing a long, thin fire through the stove. Tsutomu then set up a rack and ced on it a pot of pot-au-feu that he had received earlier, waiting for it to heat up.


    Camille and Amy watched Tsutomu prepare the meal while they sat down on the Slime Mat; seeming to enjoy the mat¡¯s bounciness, they bobbled around for a little while. Tsutomu, seeing them like that, thought how they seemed so much like a mother and child, and at the same time, he looked around to see if Garm, whom he had asked to scout the area to see if there were any monsters, hade back.


    ¡°There weren¡¯t any in the areas I¡¯ve checked.¡±


    ¡°All right. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ now this smells nice.¡±


    Garm had been praising Tsutomu¡¯s cooking for a while now, perhaps because he didn¡¯t remember the joke thetter had said to Misil the other day. Tsutomu, while wondering how much longer he should leave it to simmer, used a pair of tongs to take out some of the colorless Magic Stone Scraps, adjusting the stove¡¯s heat.


    Then he ced some cups on the low table ¡ª each with a color corresponding to each member¡¯s hair color ¡ª and started pouring barley tea from the pitcher. Camille¡¯s was red, and Amy¡¯s was white. Since Garm¡¯s hair was ck with a hint of blue, his cup was indigo blue. And of course, Tsutomu¡¯s was ck; once he was done pouring into his own cup, he took a sip before proceeding to prepare the dishes while stirring the contents of the pot.


    With Tsutomu¡¯s bad reputation was put to rest by Solit Company¡¯s apology, he had also received various forms of apologies from the shops and establishments he had visited thus far as well. That also included a reconciliation with the inn, which in turn meant that he no longer had to cook for himself; all he had to do now was pay the inn¡¯s cook to have something ready. Tsutomu was not particrly fond of cooking in the first ce, nor did he like getting up early in the morning, so he had given the inn staff the recipe of this pot-au-feu, and had requested them to make it for him.


    Tsutomu stirred the pot-au-feu with adle and finished heating it up. Seeing that Garm and Camille had already prepared the tablewares and bread, Tsutomu thanked them and began to put the pot-au-feu into the dishes. Due to the high altitude of the area, the Canyon was slightly chilly. A warm meal here was sure to taste better than it usually would be, so Tsutomu had been looking forward to this quite a bit.


    [Now this reminds me of Akiyama-kun from the Mountaineering Club¡­ dude was right on his money.]


    Akiyama ¡ª that was a friend of Tsutomu¡¯s, and part of a Mountaineering Club at their university; he had invited thetter to go hiking with them at one point. Tsutomu was reminded of him saying how good a cup of instant ramen noodles was when eaten on the mountain, and he thought he¡¯d like to go with him next time when he managed to go back home.


    Amy sat impatiently at the table, more than ready to chow down the now-finished meal. As soon as Tsutomu told her to go ahead, she bit a chunk off her bread and scooped up some potatoes from the pot-au-feu with her spoon. Tsutomu, after sping his hands together, also proceeded to start eating.


    Although many ingredients familiar to him existed in this world, there were also a certain number of foodstuffs that he had never seen before. This pot-au-feu, too, contained some of those unknown ingredients; Tsutomu showed a degree of surprise to how well the food had turned out.


    ¡°Mm-hm, Tsutomu¡¯s pot-au-feu sure is good.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I had your cooking, but yeah, this is delicious!¡±


    ¡°Ahaha¡­¡±


    Garm gave hispliment quietly, and Amy agreed with him as they continued to eat. Seeing how Tsutomu smiled awkwardly in response, Camille looked at the two, heaved a sigh, and then ced her spoon on the table.


    ¡°Tsutomu. Did you really make this yourself?¡±


    ¡°Huuh? Of course I did?¡±


    ¡°The amount and variety of ingredients are way up fromst time, and most importantly, the amount of salt is a little too high. The subtle vorings arepletely different from what we¡¯ve are used to, too. Did you have someone else make it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I did. I don¡¯t think this is THAT different, though.¡±


    Tsutomu, surprised by how Camille had been able to point out all those fine points. He tasted the pot-au-feu again and was relieved to know that she was right. To his sides, Amy looked away to stave off the awkwardness, and Garm looked down in practical despair.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite confident in my cooking skills as well, you see.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ That¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ Why don¡¯t I make lunch for us next time? You can drop by my house and store the thing in your Magic Bag.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? I¡¯d really appreciate that.¡±


    ¡°Then I might try making this pot-au-feu too. Maybe you could teach me the recipe some timeter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    Seeing the two talking enthusiastically about cooking, Amy looked unhappy as she kept on eating her pot-au-feu, and Garm, having lost his timing to rify his blunder, looked slightly confused as to what he should say.


    Amy, having rarely cooked, couldn¡¯t join in the conversation; instead, she quickly finished her meal as if to show her irritation. She proceeded to ready her gear and leave, saying she was going to check out the Canyon.


    Camille, looking at Amy go while thinking how youthful she was, finished her own meal and started tidying up the tableware. Tsutomu also finished his meal not long after; he rinsed the dishes before putting them in his Magic Bag.


    Deciding to take a fifteen-minute break before continuing, Tsutomu went to get Amy, who had been running around the area with all her might for some reason, and started a meeting with all members.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve had any particr problem working together so far¡­ What about you three? Do you feel that something needs improving?¡±


    ¡°No. Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I.¡±


    ¡°Me, too.¡±


    ¡°¡­Discussion over. Well, this must mean that we¡¯re doing well, though.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s shoulders slumped in disappointment to the three responses. It was true that the battles in the Valley had gone without a hitch, but that also meant they wouldn¡¯t know where to improve. And despite having been put through one multi-wave battle in the Canyon so far, they had gotten past it without difficulty as well; as such, Tsutomu felt that things were already perfectly good.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Amy, you do know about the monsters in the Canyons, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve seen most of them a lot on Monitor #1.¡±


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s no problem there, then¡­ Oh, do be careful of the Wyverns¡¯ tails ¡ª they¡¯ve got paralyzing toxins. If you get hit in the air, you¡¯ll lose control of << Fly >>, so try to dodge them as much as you can.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm, got it!¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, all we need to do is get you ustomed to facing them in a real fight, then.¡±


    Tsutomu answered Amy with a smile, reassured by her casual reply. Since the party had gone through this before with just three members, the addition of Amy had actually lightened their workload down.


    After the meeting, Tsutomuid down on the Slime Mat and stretched his arms out¡­ which got him rolled up in the mat by Amy into the shape of a caterpir.

 Chapter 45, Efficient Hunting

    <h4>Chapter 45, Efficient Hunting</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    The endless, reddish-brown horizon in the corner of their eyes, amidst the wind and dust clouds, the party of four was fighting against a group of monsters. So many Magic Stones were already lying and rolling around on the ground at their feet.


    Tsutomu, levitating in the sky above, kept a close eye on his party¡¯s movements and backed them up with support skills. Below him, Garm was holding back seven of the ashen-colored Orcs, while Camille and Amy formed a duo to deal with the Wyverns.


    Tsutomu relied on his biological clock to keep track of the effective times of Garm¡¯s << Protect >> and Amy and Camille¡¯s << Haste>>, while also watching out for the Wyverns¡¯ spike shots and the Orcs¡¯ arrows. Garm, having managed to secure a position where he would never be surrounded by the Orcs, guarded against the monsters¡¯ attacks with his tower shield, and also asionally used << Shield Bash >> to return some damage and prevent them from rushing him all at once.


    The Orcs here were sufficiently intelligent, however; they tried to surround Garm the best they could and attacked him as concurrently as possible. Garm, stuck constantly blocking the Orcs¡¯ hits, had not even the free time to drink a Potion. Although he avoided his head and other vital points being struck, he was slowly being worn down by the enemies¡¯ clubs and long swords hitting his torso and legs.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s healing came from above with pinpoint uracy, keeping Garm in fighting form. However, unlike individual aggro generated from attacking targets, aggro generated from support and healing skills umted in all monsters in the vicinity at once. One of the Orcs in the back row, having not been attacked by Garm in a while, turned its attention to Tsutomu instead, readying its bow.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>.¡±


    But then Garm released his fighting spirit, wrapping all Orcs in a red aura. << Combat Cry >> ¡ª it was a skill that stimted the instinct of conflict of those it hit, driving them to fight the one who had unleashed it. The Orc that had been reading its bow, upon being affected by the skill, was driven by its instinct to shoot an arrow at Garm instead.


    At the end of the day, despite possessing intelligence, a monster was still a monster. If they were as intelligent and calm as a human, they would have been able to ovee their instincts and attack Tsutomu, but there was no such thing as a monster that could nullify the skill¡¯s effect.


    Garm blocked the arrow with his tower shield, then continued to tank the hits from all seven Orcs; despite constantly taking damage, at the rate they were going, he wouldst for five or six more hours. Although the VIT status indicated one¡¯s toughness, it also served as an indicator of one¡¯s stamina. With Garm¡¯s base VIT having a rating of A-, his stamina was extraordinarily high.


    While Garm had the seven Orc¡¯s attention on him, Camille and Amy were able to fully focus on fighting against the Wyverns. Of the two monsters, one had already turned into a Magic Stone.


    The remaining Wyvern, after an alerted-sounding roar, swung its snake-like tail in arge arc and sent the arrowhead-like spikes at the end of it flying at its enemies. Camille and Amy dodged ¡ª the former up, thetter down ¡ª with thetter maintaining her << Fly >> as she approached the Wyvern.


    ¡°<<Dual Wave sh>>.¡±


    Amy crossed her dual des and cut the air, sending an invisible sh wave flying forward. Then, she continued to whisper the skill¡¯s name over and over as she unleashed more << Dual Wave shes >> at the Wyvern.


    With each swing of her swords, the Wyvern¡¯s wings suffered one more cut. Faced with a storm of invisible attacks, the Wyvern pped its wings in an attempt to escape down to the solid ground, but then a violent swing of a hunk of iron came at it from the side, slicing off one of its legs.


    Losing one leg to Camille, the Wyvern lost its bnce in the air, immediately dropping down to the ground. Camille then impaled its torso from above with her greatsword.


    ¡°<<Enchant me>>.¡±


    The skill wrapped the greatsword in mes, thoroughly burning the Wyvern¡¯s internal organs. In the end, the monsters dispersed into light particles and disappeared. Camille, upon no longer feeling the sensation of flesh on her greatsword, proceeded to pull it out of the ground, and then approached the ashen-colored Orcs from behind, intending to catch them off-guard as they were focused on rushing Garm down.


    ¡°<<Haste>>. Camille! Five Wyverns from the west! Kungfu-garoos from the east¡­ more than ten. << Dragon Form >> at will!¡±


    Tsutomu called out from the sky as he shot a << Haste >> at Amy; Camille, hearing the warning, raised her hand in response.


    ¡°<<Dragon Form>>.¡±


    Camille transformed as she ran toward the group of Orcs. Crimson light flowed from the red scales stuck all over her body, and red wings sprouted out of her back as if breaking through her red, waist-length hair.


    With one solid stomp on the ground, Camille momentary boosted her speed. A silver streak of light passed through the Orcs ¡ª in a sh, the monsters¡¯ arms flew off¡­ and by the time they realized that, it was their heads¡¯ turn to go. Amy, following Camille¡¯s lead, unleashed a skill,


    ¡°<<Double Attack>>.¡±


    Two consecutive blows from two des in the blink of an eye ¡ª both its legs hit, one of the Orcs was immediately down on its knees; its strong, muscr neck was then easily lopped off. Its green blood staining the ground, the Orc turned into light particles and disappeared, blood traces and all.


    Camille in her Dragon Form, especially considering how much havoc she had wreaked on her enemies, was truly fit for the description of ¡®one-woman army.¡¯ No monster in these Canyons could stop her ¡ª especially if she were to be under the << Haste >> effect. Her current strength was as high as that of the Deputy n Leader of the Labyrinth Conquerors ¡ª the most powerful one of the n.


    Tsutomu set a << Haste >> pick-up at her feet; the green aura looked like it was slowly oozing up from the ground. Upon deliberately stepping on it, Camille felt that her AGI had risen by one level.


    Pick-up cement skills had a short dy between the chanting of the skills¡¯ names and the effect actually being ready, meaning that Tsutomu must be able to predict ahead of Camille¡¯s fast movements. Getting that timing down was quite difficult, so much so that Tsutomu currently wasn¡¯t even sure if he could aplish it.


    However, despite him not cing << Haste >> right below Camille¡¯s feet, the skills¡¯ sess rate had been almost a hundred percent thanks to her being aware of when << Haste >> was used and picking it up herself.


    Tsutomu¡¯s time management and ability to keep an eye on Garm and Amy while predicting Camille¡¯s actions. Camille¡¯s awareness of Tsutomu¡¯s << Haste >> use while in battle. It was thanks to the abilities of these two that the team linked together so well.


    Once the Orcs were wiped out, the two retreated for a while, opening a room for Garm, whose << Protect >> effect was still active, to unleash a << Combat Cry >> at the approaching Wyverns and Kungfu-garoos. The monsters, the attention of which had been on Tsutomu because of his previous support skills, started heading towards Garm instead.


    ¡°Attackers, prioritize the Wyverns. Garm, bait the Kungfu-garoo.¡±


    Following Tsutomu¡¯s instructions, Camille and Amy proceeded to take care of the five Wyverns, while Garm faced the ten or so Kungfu-garoos.


    The Wyverns¡¯ spikes contained powerful paralyzing toxins; Garm would be unable to move his body if he was exposed to it. Although Tsutomu could use << Medic>>, Garm stopping even for a brief moment would result in him taking a fatal blow from the monsters.


    The higher one¡¯s VIT, the tougher one got. From a technical standpoint, what VIT actually entailed was a veil of Divine Blessing over one¡¯s body; higher VIT meant a stronger Divine Blessing, enabling one to withstand blows and cuts that would, under normal circumstances, instantly kill an ordinary human.


    However, the Divine Protection did have its weakness ¡ª the human body¡¯s vital points, such as one¡¯s neck and left side of one¡¯s chest. Such ces were where the Divine Blessing took less effect.


    Therefore, on the asion that Garm stopped moving and was struck in one of his vital spots, the attack could turn out to be critical or even fatal, causing him to copse right then and there. For that reason, he mustn¡¯t stop moving, and the team must prioritize hunting down the Wyverns. To fulfill those conditions, Tsutomu had assigned the two Attackers to go after the Wyverns first.


    In the sky, the one Wyvern after another lost its wings and legs like bugs being pecked at by birds. Against Camille in her << Dragon Form>>, the monsters were already as good as ughtered ¡ª both their speed and power were inferior to Camille¡¯s, not to mention the fact that she also had a long-range offensive option in her breath attacks.


    Once a Wyvern fell to the ground after having lost its wings and legs to Camille, Amy proceeded to chop it up, turning it into a Magic Stone. She then cut down the Wyverns that kept falling from the sky, while also taking care not to trip on the Magic Stones on the ground.


    Garm tanked the kicks and punches of the ten-or-so Kungfu-garoos with his tower shield and arms, stepped back, used << Shield Bash >> to blow them away ¡ª then rinse and repeat. Since their blows wouldn¡¯t be fatal unless they hit him in the face or other vital spots, for the most part, Garm only had to be careful not to take critical hits head-on.


    Taking more and more hits, Garm¡¯s arms would eventually start to hurt, but then Tsutomu would promptly shoot him a << Heal >> from above, mending his wounds right up. Then, when the Kungfu-garoos that had been knocked back by << Shield Bash >> started turning toward Tsutomu instead, Garm would unleash his << Combat Cry>>. This loop of actions stabilized the flow of battle, and also allowed the Attackers to show off the full extent of their powers.


    Tsutomu paid close attention to Garm¡¯s << Protect >> remaining time and exhaustion, shooting him << Protects >> and << Heals >> as needed, while also predicting ahead of Camille¡¯s swift movements to ce << Haste >> pick-ups, allowing her to step on them before her effect ran out. Thanks to Amy paying attention to the effect times of the support skills on her, Tsutomu could time his renewals to be when they were just about to run out, in turn minimizing the number of castings and preventing the unnecessary umtion of aggro. Moreover, Amy¡¯s individual attacks were rtively light, making it easy for her to manage aggro ¡ª and she still had plenty of firepower because of her critical hits.


    All in all, the battle went on without a hitch. Each member moved with the awareness of their teammates¡¯ actions, and they took pride in the fact that they were able to bring out the best of their abilities through their coordination. Satisfied, Tsutomu raised the corners of his mouth as he continued shooting his support skills.


    Then, once the Wyverns were all defeated, the two Attackers merged into a formation with Garm. The Attackers then proceeded to cut down one Kungfu-garoo after another, turning them into Magic Stones; upon finishing off thest of them, Amy stopped to catch her breath, then waved at Tsutomu up in the sky.


    Tsutomu looked around to confirm his surroundings, then smoothly descended down to Amy¡­ and proceeded to scratch his head as he looked on at the hundreds of Magic Stones lying on the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite an inconvenience, having to collect all these¡­¡±


    ¡°You see how I did, Tsutomu!? We even got through a multi-wave battle just fine!¡±


    ¡°We sure did. Do you think you can manage thirteen more of that?¡±


    ¡°U-uh, I feel like I actually have to do that¡­ Scary¡­¡±


    Grinning yfully, Tsutomu put down his Magic Bag, and Amy smiled dryly as she held two handfuls of Magic Stones. All four members of the team started picking up the rest of the Magic Stones, eventually gathering a total of one hundred and sixteen.


    Tsutomu, realizing howbor-intensive just the Magic Stone looting could be, thought to himself again how much he wanted a luggage carrier for his team. Even if they were to not participate in the fight, having someone around to collect the Magic Stones during battles would surely make everything go along much more efficiently.


    However, no one was willing to work as a luggage carrier past the fiftiethyer. Tsutomu, while spinning his right arm around to let it rx, grumbled to himself in the displeasure of that fact and while also wondering if they would eventually find someone willing to go past the ¡®floor limit.¡¯


    ¡°Man, that was exhausting. Great work, everyone.¡±


    ¡°You know that I can keep going just fine, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too, me too!¡±


    Tsutomu, after calming down the two Attackers who were in full celebration mode after easily clearing the multi-wave battle, passed a towel to Garm, who was sweating quite profusely from fatigue.


    ¡°You did great, too, Garm.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    Garm epted the towel and wiped the sweat off his face. Then he wiped his head as well, ruffling his hair. His ck dog ears stood up as if asserting their presence.


    After getting the towel back from Garm, Tsutomu put it in his Magic Bag, then handed over each member¡¯s canteen so that they could rehydrate. Tsutomu, after soaking his dry throat with barley tea, took his mouth away from his canteen¡¯s cup and proceeded to say,


    ¡°The battle went pretty well. Now, let¡¯s search for the ck Gate and hurry back. The sun will be setting soon.¡±


    ¡°Huh, is it time already? I wanna keep going!¡±


    Amy¡¯s had lips tapered to a point as if she was saying that she hadn¡¯t had enough fun yet. Garm parted his slightly sweaty bangs and took a sidelong nce at Amy.


    ¡°At the rate we¡¯re going, we¡¯ll probably get to the fifty-ninthyer tomorrow. There¡¯s no need to push yourself too hard.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Thanks for your oh-so-serious input, pupper.¡±


    ¡°¡­I look forward to seeing you fight the Fire Dragon ¡ª Where you¡¯ll be shown to an audience of thousands in all your clumsy glory.¡±


    ¡°What? Big talk,ing from the one who the Fire Dragon stepped on again and again!! You were as good as dead!¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t ¡ª and you will.¡±


    ¡°What? You wanna fight, huh?¡±


    Garm looked down at Amy with a cold stare, and Amy looked as if she was about to leap at Garm while standing on her toes. Seeing those two, Camille raised her hands in resignation, and Tsutomu shrugged in agreement to her as he walked up to them.


    ¡°What do you two think you are, elementary school students?¡±


    Tsutomu stretched up his back and lightly karate-chopped both their heads. Garm looked down apologetically, while Amy looked up at Tsutomu in frustration.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s been a long time, but remember to control yourselves, both of you.¡±


    ¡°He started it! It wasn¡¯t my fault!¡±


    ¡°¡­The cat provoked me. I was just making a reasonable argument. It¡¯s her fault.¡±


    ¡°Look, keep in mind that those who tell fellow party members to go die won¡¯t be getting any support or healing skills from me.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, that means I¡¯ll have them all to myself. How nice!¡±


    Tsutomu, though a little surprised when Camille hugged him from behind, managed to maintain the smile on his face. The other two, seeing through Tsutomu¡¯s I-mean-business smile, quickly approached him.


    ¡°Huh!? No way! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°Apologies, Tsutomu!¡±


    Behind Tsutomu, Camille giggled in amusement as the two approached him, while Tsutomu himself wiped the joking expression off his face and tapped both of them on their shoulders.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s head back for today. I¡¯m exhausted¡­¡±


    They nodded in response. Tsutomu proceeded to use << Fly >> to ascend, following Camille while holding back theughter toward how apologetic the two others looked.

 Chapter 46, Contract Deadline Imminent

    <h4>Chapter 46, Contract Deadline Imminent</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    After reaching the fifty-seventhyer, Tsutomu¡¯s party of four immediately returned to the Guild. While waiting for their Status Cards to be updated and splitting the loot, Tsutomu looked on at the Monitor showing Ealdred Crow¡¯s improvised party do their thing.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go have a drink, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Camille. I can¡¯t today ¡ª got things to do¡­¡±


    In response to Camille¡¯s cup-tilting gesture of an invitation, Tsutomu sped his hands together in front of him. As Camille slumped down her shoulders in disappointment, Amy giggled from beside her.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the Seafood Dining Hall with me!¡±


    ¡°Uh, no, I actually am busy. I didn¡¯t decline because I didn¡¯t want to go with her, you know.¡±


    ¡°O-okay¡­¡±


    As Camille closed her mouth and brushed her red bangs away in slight awkwardness, Amy puffed out her cheeks. Tsutomu, getting a condemning look from Amy, decided to bow his head just to be safe.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time I got things ready and packed up, you see, so I¡¯ll have to excuse myself. Great work today, you two ¡ª let¡¯s meet at the usual time tomorrow.¡±


    Since Tsutomu had figured that the team would likely be good to go hunt the Fire Dragon the day after tomorrow, he also had to prepare to leave the Guild Dormitory soon. Amy, looking at Tsutomu as he walked away with Garm, tried to reach out to stop him, but Camille gently held her arm down.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go together instead? Change of pace, and all that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Seafood Dining Hall. Your treat.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know.¡±


    Camille, poking her fingers on Amy¡¯s puffed-out cheeks, half-heartedly responded to Amy¡¯s reply before starting toward the Seafood Dining Hall. Amy followed, chasing after her.


    Tsutomu, having returned to the Guild Dormitory with Garm, went into thetter¡¯s room after he unlocked the door for him and immediately began tidying things up. Although he hadn¡¯t changed much of the room¡¯s interior, he did leave quite a lot of daily necessity items and Dungeon-rted note papers lying around. Tsutomu started with the organization of those notes before anything else.


    Although he had only been staying at the Dormitory for about a week, he had written up a staggering number of notes. When not in the Dungeon, he would spend most of his free time outside watching Live Broadcasts and taking notes, resulting in himpiling up a great deal of note sheets.


    The civilization here was different from Japan from which Tsutomu hailed ¡ª the Dungeon Live Broadcast was the only thing that could give him remotely the same enjoyment as video games, TV, and the inte. As such, he would go watch and jot down notes every chance he got ¡ª though this did contribute to his goal of conquering the hundredthyer, he had been doing it mostly for entertainment purposes.


    The Monitors, in the Guild and throughout the townbined, nearly totaled to a hundred. The footages reflected on Monitors #1 to #10 were arranged in order ofyer, meaning that major and mid-tier ns were often in the spotlight, with the most shown biomes naturally being the Valleys and Canyons. How God selected what to show on the rest of the Monitors was unclear, but they would often show fierce battles against monsters and situations in which parties were in a pinch.


    Tsutomu never found himself bored of walking around and checking out the various Monitors. This also helped him gather information on this world¡¯s monsters; though they were the same creatures as the ones in the game, he had observed that they acted differently. The way in which they used their skills varied from individual creature to creature, piquing his curiosity as to what thoughts they had running inside their heads.


    Tsutomu¡¯s notes on the Dungeon had been neatly written on papers of the highest quality, which he had made with monster materials. After he was done gathering up those notes, Tsutomu proceeded to pack up his daily necessity items.


    Unlike in Japan, clothes here were rtively expensive, but Tsutomu still didn¡¯t want to go around with the same wardrobe every day, so he had purchased quite a lot of them second-hand from Garm ¡ª in fact, he had bought so much that one would think he had the spending power of the nobility. At first, he had found that all normal clothes here were stiff and ufortable to wear, but fortunately, he hadter found that threads made from monster materials felt quite good, so he had primarily bought those of thetter type.


    As a result, a good portion of Tsutomu¡¯s daily necessities were his clothes; he had to spend quite a bit of time folding them up and putting them in a basket. He had to do this because his Magic Bag was already filled to the brim with Dungeon-rted tools and equipment, and storing the things at the Guild would cost him Gold in ordance to the weight.


    And although he had financial flexibility now that the Solit Company had paid up theirpensation, Tsutomu was one to always choose a minor inconvenience if it meant he could save some money. By the time he took a break after having sorted through arge number of clothes, he heard a knock on the door. Tsutomu went to open it; it was Garm, holding arge paper bag full of stall food.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time we had dinner ¡ª here, I bought enough for you, too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we should. Thank you very much.¡±


    Tsutomu put down the basket of folded clothes beside him, then followed Garm to the living room. Garm, both his hands holding the paper bag, turned his back to the door and twisted the doorknob with his tail, then walked inside.


    He then ced the paper bag on the low table, waved his hand lightly, sat down on the floor, and started taking some of the sweet pastries out of the bag to eat. Tsutomu also searched the bag ¡ª seeing that it had the meat skewers that he hade to like eating recently, he took them out and started eating.


    For a few moments, the living room was silent save for the sounds of food being eaten echoing through it. Tsutomu thoroughly chewed and swallowed a bite of the tough meat, then started talking to Garm just as thetter also gulped down his bite.


    ¡°You¡¯re also having sweet pastries today?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    Garm proceeded to take more of his share from the bag without much change to his expression. The pastries he had gotten was quite popr among the townspeople, and one usually had to queue up in a long line to obtain them, but Garm had had some orphans in town line up for him instead.


    For more context, one might think that Garm had used his intimidating face to force those orphans to do his bidding, but in truth, he had paid them a handsome amount ¡ª one could consider that as him hiring some errand boys.


    Garm ate quite quickly, perhaps because his tall and muscr body was not so energy-efficient. Even after making short work of seven pieces of sweet pastry, he continued to reach his hand into the paper bag. Tsutomu, having gotten used to witnessing Garm¡¯s appetite, chuckled as he snapped his skewers and put them back into the bag.


    Tsutomu had lived on his own for three years beforeing to this world, so he could handle all his household chores. With that said, his cooking skills were limited here, since he had been relying on his household appliances to do this thing most of the time. That didn¡¯t mean that he couldn¡¯t handle himself though ¡ª once, when he was feeling tired of street food, he had bought some ingredients and managed decently cooking by himself. That time, Garm had eaten the cooking without questions asked ¡ª so doubtless, in fact, that Tsutomu himself had been taken aback.


    The day after that, Garm had quite a troubled look on his face upon seeing Tsutomu, eyes sparkling, bringing in arge number of cooking ingredients. Naturally, since Garm¡¯s room didn¡¯t have a refrigerator, there was no way those ingredients would have been used up; most of them had ended up being sent to the orphanage that he had been supporting.


    After that, he had never asked Tsutomu to cook, perhaps because he didn¡¯t want to pester thetter; as such, their meals from then on had been bought mainly from food stalls. Each time he stood up to go wash the dishes, however, his dog ears standing up and fluttering restlessly; Tsutomu pretended not to notice that.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll take just one more,¡± Tsutomu told Garm as he took out onest ground meat skewer.


    ¡°All right,¡± Garm replied and checked the remaining contents of the paper bag, then proceeded to munch on his colorful vegetable sd.


    Garm was not one to talk much during meals. Tsutomu, having understood that fact the first day he had moved here, had made the smart decision to stay quiet during meal times from the second day onward up to a certain point.


    However, despite Garm¡¯s faceing off as constantly grumpy, one could easily tell his mood from how his dog ears and tail moved. Whenever Tsutomu spoke, his tail would p to the sides, and if he didn¡¯t, it would calm down. Having seen through that all too easily, Tsutomu had stopped being silent during meal times from that point on.


    ¡°My level is about to hit forty-five, you see¡­ So I¡¯d like to go on a hunt tomorrow ¡ª just a little bit, nothing too heavy.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    Garm¡¯s reply was brusque, but his tail was wagging and banging on the floor behind him. Tsutomu, while wondering if people would be more willing to approach him if he were to act a little friendlier, gathered up the garbage on the table and went out to throw them away.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°Ughhh¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Tsutomu, worried about Amy and Camille since they still had not shown up even an hour past the appointed time, hade to Amy¡¯s room in the Guild Dormitory and rang the doorbell. Out of the door came Amy, her face pale with bags under her eyes ¡ª results ofck of sleep and hangover.


    Seeing how unweing Amy¡¯s current expression was, Tsutomu took out some hangover medicine from his Magic Bag.


    ¡°Are you¡­ hungover? Here, you might want to take this and rest a little. We¡¯ll meet up at the Guildter.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡¯Kay.¡±


    Immediately upon being given the medicine, Amy closed the door with a bang; she didn¡¯t seem to have even the energy to talk. After the team had gone separate waysst night, Amy and Camille had had a great time chatting with each other at the bar until the break of dawn¡­ As for Camille, she was currently out cold right in Amy¡¯s room.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just let her be at this point?¡±


    ¡°I guess¡­ looks like we still have a month to go on the party contract, so we do have some time. Let¡¯s take it easy.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right.¡±


    Tsutomu gave Garm a sly look in response to thetter¡¯s rude remark. Upon hearing the words ¡®party contract,¡¯ Garm¡¯s tail dropped down a little.


    With Amy and Camille sleeping like a log and not turning up even four hourster, Tsutomu ended up strolling around town and the Guild, while Garm decided to visit the orphanage.


    At the Guild, Tsutomu checked the bulletin board to see if there were any temporary parties ¡ª also called ¡®stray party¡¯ ¡ª invitations posted there, so as to make good use of his free time as an Explorer. He also checked out the hunts for the monsters in Dungeons out of town and so on.


    On the party recruitment board, used mostly by those starting out and Explorers not belonging to any n, there were still many posts that limited the recruitment to Jobs that possessed high firepower. Even though Ealdred Crow had recently tried Tsutomu¡¯s party structure, their tests hadn¡¯t yielded any significant results yet. Moreover, the two other major ns were still running exclusively with high-firepower parties.


    With most of those who wanted to be Explorers being inspired to join up by the shy shows on Monitor #1, it was easy for beginners to be influenced by the major ns. Therefore, in order to raise the social status of novice Healers, the first thing that needed to be done was to get the major ns interested in Tsutomu¡¯s party structure.


    The quickest way to achieve that was to actually demonstrate to people the usefulness of the setup on Monitor #1. The second Fire Dragon battle ¡ª if that were to be scheduled to happen at the audience¡¯s prime time, at least the Golden Tune would be among the spectators. Either them or the Ealdred Crow would then get some ideas about Tsutomu¡¯s partyposition.


    That, in turn, would increase the exposure of non-Attacker Jobs on the single-digit Monitors, gradually changing the mindsets of novice Explorers. As such, Tsutomu had the idea of contacting Ealdred Crow and Golden Tune before proceeding to the Fire Dragon hunt.


    As for the Scarlet Devil Squad, they had already gone past the Fire Dragon, setting their record of reaching the sixty-thirdyer with four Attackers and one Healer. Tsutomu also intended to get in touch with them just in case, but he wasn¡¯t expecting much.


    After all, the Scarlet Devil Squad had actually taken down the Fire Dragon with their partyposition. Although Tsutomu didn¡¯t like the disposable nature of the Healer in their approach, that was, at the end of the day, a personal preference. If their Healer was willingly doing that, then Tsutomu had no room to interject in their ways.


    Tsutomu had also been hearing that the Labyrinth Conquerors, a n mainly dedicated to conquering the outer dungeons, will be returning soon after their half-yearly expedition. Since they were also one among the major ns, Tsutomu wanted to contact them, too.


    Unlike God¡¯s Dungeon, the Dungeons outside were ¡®real¡¯ ¡ª People die for real. No ck Gates. Monsters don¡¯t be light particles, their corpses staying upon death. Even with the advantage of there being no party size restriction, and being able to loot all of a monsters¡¯ materials freely, the disadvantage of one¡¯s death being permanent was too big.


    However, the n Leader and Deputy n Leader of the Labyrinth Conquerors had survived for many years in spite of their close proximity to death. Moreover, those in the n¡¯s managerial positions were all strong. If they were to focus their efforts into exploring God¡¯s Dungeon, the Scarlet Devil Squad would soon lose their seat as those who had gone down the deepest.


    [And their n Leader is a White Mage, apparently¡­ I look forward to meeting them.]


    While Tsutomu looked on at the expedition requests on the bulletin board and wondering what kind of strategy the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ leader had, Amy and Camille finally turned up to join him. Then, after calling Garm back from the orphanage, the team started their run, aiming for the fifty-ninthyer.

 Chapter 47, The Perfected Party

    <h4>Chapter 47, The Perfected Party</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    The afternoon of the day after the party of four had updated their progress to the fifty-ninth floor, Tsutomu headed to the meeting ce in front of the Monitorter than the usual appointed time. Amy and Garm were already waiting there.


    Garm carried with him a brand new tower shield of the usual design, and wore his usual set of silver armor. Amy wore light armor and carried her swords in the sheaths on her waist. These sharp dual des, crafted from monster materials, had been a favorite of hers for three years now.


    ¡°Hello. Looks like we¡¯re all ready to go.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    ¡°Fo¡¯ sho¡¯!¡±


    Garm nodded, and Amy pumped up her fist. Seeing how Amy seemed energetic enough, Tsutomu nodded in satisfaction; the three proceeded to the reception counter.


    At the counter, they updated their Status Cards and formed a party of three. Tsutomu¡¯s current level was forty-five, thanks to the effective leveling method he had used for a day and a half. His DEX and MND had gone up one rating level, making it easier for him to use his healing and supporting skills.


    Garm¡¯s level was sixty-five. Amy, having finally managed to ovee the wall that was level sixty, was now level sixty-two, and her AGI and STR had raised a level each. Thanks to yesterday¡¯s practice in preparation for the Fire Dragon, Amy had already gotten used to the changes in her AGI and STR, and was able to move around with no issue.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    While the three of them headed for the Magic Circle, Amy suddenly held out her hand to Tsutomu. Although Tsutomu couldn¡¯t tell at first whatever she was trying to do, it didn¡¯t take him long to figure out; he smiled and held her extended hand.


    ¡°This kind of reminds me of the first time we met.¡±


    ¡°You were scared as all hell when you started out, Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never seen a person turn into particles with my own eyes before, after all.¡±


    Tsutomu beckoned to Garm, who was to his left; he too held Tsutomu¡¯s hand.


    ¡°But this time, it¡¯s the other way around¡­ Huh? Does that mean we should stop holding hands now?¡±


    ¡°¡­Quit messin¡¯ around.¡±


    ¡°Owowow¡­¡±


    Tsutomu grimaced as Amy extended out her ws and dug them into his hand. Amy then averted her gaze and loosened her hand, then pulled Tsutomu along into the Magic Circle.


    ¡°I thought I was bleeding for a second there¡­ Now, teleport to the fifty-ninthyer.¡±


    The bodies of the three were wrapped in light particles and blinked away. Tsutomu¡¯s vision cked out for a second, and then the next, he found himself plunging down onto a surface of reddish-brown earth. He and the two othersnded safely on the ground.


    ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s try to find the ck Gate within one hour. << Fly >>.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m off!¡±


    Amy, now applied with the effect of << Fly >>, zoomed through the air and disappeared into the distance. As usual, Tsutomu started sorting through his Potions, and Garn started doing some warm-up exercises. Tsutomu then saw that some w marks had been left on his hand, and was prompted to chuckle dryly because of it.


    Since the party almost never had to use Green Potionstely, they had been switched out with Blue Potions. Tsutomu looked at therge bottle of Blue Potion; seeing that it was half-filled, he then portioned some of it into small bottles.


    When Amy came back and gave the two others the information about the surrounding terrain, Tsutomu suggested that they first went to a vantage point where they could easily search for the ck Gate. Once the potions were distributed to Garm and Amy, the two agreed to Tsutomu¡¯s proposal. Now the exploration of the fifty-ninthyer began.


    Since Amy had already been informed of the team¡¯s strategies in fighting the Fire Dragon, on the way, Tsutomu had her practice by sending her signals to watch out for sh bursts and breath attacks. While checking how well Amy could react upon hearing the word ¡®breath attack,¡¯ he also used sh Bottles to help her get used to the timing.


    Once they were finishing up the practice rounds and had climbed up to two high locations, on their way to the next vantage point, the ears on Garm and Amy¡¯s heads twitched as if they were detecting something unusual.


    Amy looked down the cliff and saw five pea-sized human figures and four Wyvern silhouettes. The people were a party of the Golden Tune n, led by the Golden Wolfman himself.


    ¡°Ugh, they¡¯reing at us from below.¡±


    ¡°¡­Looks like this is turning into a race. Let¡¯s hurry and get going.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s team had already gone up two separate cliffs, and had been on the search for almost an hour now. Since it would be a bother if the other party were to capture the ck Gate, Tsutomu told the others to pick up the pace.


    ¡°Tsutomu. One of them is rushing ahead of the others ¡ª they¡¯re probably trying to capture the Gate. Mind if I go on ahead by myself?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ All right, I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°You got it! I¡¯ll definitely get there first! Oh, and can I have a << Haste >>?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right, sorry. << Haste >>.¡±


    When one opened a ck Gate, the Gate¡¯s ownership rights would be transferred to the party of which that person was a member. Tsutomu had never had topete with anyone for a ck Gate before, so he left the decision-making to Amy this time.


    Amy, after getting the << Haste >> buff from Tsutomu, licked her dry lips and went ahead in an instantaneous burst of speed. With her AGI at its highest, the speed at which she streaked through the sky was tremendous.


    However, the Golden Wolfman, n leader of the Golden Tune, had the same AGI status rating as Amy. Moreover, his unique skill allowed him to temporarily raise his AGI by two levels.


    The blond man flew past Tsutomu and Garm in a sh. The wind pressure blew Tsutomu backward, throwing him a little off his stance, but he managed to quickly regain his bnce. Looking at the man who had passed him like a golden falcon, he thought to himself that the man would catch up to Amy soon enough; regardless, Tsutomu and Garm continued up to the clifftop at their own pace.


    After five more minutes, Tsutomu and Garm reached the top of the cliff; they walked for a little longer before seeing the ck Gate, the design and color of which shed with the otherwise natural scenery that one would think it had been forcibly ced there with an editing software. Near it, Amy was lying face-down on the ground, breathing hard. And there was another person there ¡ª a man with nicely-trimmed blond hair, sitting on a boulder. Upon seeing Tsutomu and Garm, he casually raised his hand.


    ¡°Heh, she really got me good. Never knew when Amy girl¡¯d even gotten this fast, man.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    In response to the man¡¯s greeting, Tsutomu bowed slightly before rushing over to Amy. He assumed from the fact that Amy had gone so short of breath in such a short amount of time that she had rushed up the cliff with all her might, then immediately ran at full speed to get here.


    ¡°I-I did it, Tsutomu¡­ I got it,¡± Amy told Tsutomu as she looked up with a breathless look on her face, and then faced down again, as if she hadpletely burned out.


    Tsutomu cast << Medic >> on her just to be safe, then stood up; at the same time, the man¡¯s Golden Tune party rushed over, having finally caught up to their leader.


    The manughed, put his hands on his head, and told his party members ¡ª all women ¡ª that the ck Gate had been taken. The women turned to give Tsutomu¡¯s group a reproachful look, while Tsutomu, thinking how they were as scary as ever, helped Amy up upon seeing that she was starting to catch her breath.


    Then the man, the n Leader of Golden Tune ¡ª now already gone far away ¡ª shouted to Tsutomu¡¯s team some words of encouragement, then proceeded to hop down the cliff, presumably done with exploring for the day. Tsutomu heaved a sigh, relieved that no conflict had taken ce.


    Then, after Amy had caught her breath and Tsutomu had fully recovered his mental energy, the party of three went over their strategies once again before putting on their red coats and entering the ck Gate to the sixtiethyer.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    A dust storm swirled in the dented center of the bowl-shapedndscape. Tsutomu waved his white staff, casting support skills on Garm and Amy while the former red at a distant clifftop and thetter twitched one of her ears in nervousness.


    ¡°<< Fly >>, << Protect >>, << Haste >>.¡±


    The wind wrapped around the three while two masses of energy enveloped Garm and Amy¡¯s bodies. Then, from the cliff that Garm was staring at, the Fire Dragon rose to the sky, its gigantic body shaking. It roared, the impact of its sound directly affecting the survival instincts of living beings.


    In response, Tsutomu covered one of his ears while thinking how it was as noisy as ever, and Garm, though slightly intimidated, quickly regained his ready stance. Having defeated the Fire Dragon once, he no longer found himself cowering in fear.


    But things were different for Amy ¡ª this time she wasn¡¯t seeing it through a Monitor. She was standing on-site with her own two feet and directly taking in the Fire Dragon¡¯s roar of pure murderous intent. Her cat ears folded all the way back, and her body was trembling.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be all right.¡±


    Amy¡¯s shoulders twitchedically strongly in reaction to Tsutomu¡¯s words. Amy looked up at Tsutomu beside her, and saw that his face had the usual smile.


    ¡°With the three of us working together, it¡¯ll turn out just fine, Amy.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah!¡±


    Amy replied strongly, and Tsutomu patted her on the shoulder. Garm looked to check how Amy was holding up, then proceeded to groan up his nose.


    ¡°Hmph, at least try not to hold us back.¡±


    ¡°And you better not die immediately! I won¡¯t be able to attack if you do, after all!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t die. Besides, I¡¯m more concerned about whether or not your attacks are enough to defeat the Fire Dragon.¡±


    ¡°How ¡¯bout you say that again, huh!?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, stop it already, you two. Breath attack iing ¡ª hold your Fire Coats. I¡¯ll be throwing a sh Bottle, so get ready.¡±


    As the two started their usual arguing routine, Tsutomu warned them. While pointing at the Fire Dragon, he reached his other hand into his Magic Bag and took out a sh Bottle. The two others hurried to make sure their Fire Coats were covering them properly, hiding away their tails. Tsutomu fixed his eyes on the Fire Dragon as it rushed at his team with fire building up in its mouth.


    [¡­This one¡¯s a bit smaller. We¡¯re in luck.]


    Unlike in the game, monsters here had actual differences among their individuals. For instance, even the same type of monsters would vary in size and muscle mass. Relieved to see that the length of this Fire Dragon was shorter than the onest time, Tsutomu proceeded to shout,


    ¡°Throwing sh!¡±


    Tsutomu shook the sh Bottle, then threw it in front of the approaching Fire Dragon. Then he covered himself with his Fire Coat and got down.


    The sh Bottle glowed and explode, and alongside the burst of light, the Fire Dragon¡¯s breath buffeted the team of three. The Explorers¡¯ Red-thread Fire Coats did nullify most of the attack, however, while the Fire Dragon found its vision turned pure white.


    After the breath attack died down, Tsutomu put his Fire Coat¡¯s hood down, grabbed his hammer, and rose up to the sky with << Fly >>. Then, once he made eye contact with Garm, thetter moved away.


    ¡°<< Warrior Howl >>.¡±


    At a location slightly separate from the two others, Garm mmed his tower shield on his armor, prompting the skill-airborne Fire Dragon to turn his way, despite its vision still being obscured. Tsutomu flew straight at the monster, aiming for its head.


    As he passed by the Fire Dragon¡¯s face, Tsutomu struck the crystal on its forehead with his hammer, shattering it right from its center. The Fire Dragon cried out in fury.


    Then it spread its wings to its sides and rushed in the direction from which Garm was unleashing his << Warrior Howl >>. Tsutomu softlynded on the ground and called out to Amy, who had been closely watching over his and Garm¡¯s movements.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s get started. First, focus on its tail. And then¨C¡°


    ¡°I know. The usual, right?¡±


    ¡°Right. If aggro levels get dangerous, I¡¯ll let you know. << Haste >>.¡±


    Amy pulled her dual des from their sheaths, forced a smile for Tsutomu to see, then headed toward the Fire Dragon. The closer she got to it, the more intimidating its size and overwhelming aura became. The Fire Dragon ¡ª she was now skeptical of the fact that it could be defeated by just a group of three.


    Amy, going deliberately at a slightly slower pace than usual, started not with a skill, but by simply stabbing into the scales of the Dragon¡¯s tails with her swords.


    The Fire Dragon¡¯s scales were firm and hard, but also flexible. Amy¡¯s attacks were easily repelled, causing her swords to bounce back. As long as she didn¡¯t shave off those tough scales, she wouldn¡¯t be able to deal any damage.


    Amy struck the Fire Dragon a few more times, but the creature did not even turn her way. The Dragon had yet to regain its eyesight, so it only headed toward Garm, taunted by the sounds he was deliberately making.


    And as soon as Amy slowed herself down due to a feeling that her << Haste >> was about to run out, Tsutomu immediately shot her another one. The << Haste >> spell effect was maintained, constantly keeping her AGI one level above her base.


    [I really just have to do the usual, right?]


    Amy suddenly reminded herself of that one point while she continued to wail on the monster¡¯s tail like she had always done on other enemies. All the while, she also paid attention to the Fire Dragon¡¯s actions and her << Haste >> effect time. The Fire Dragon¡¯s red scales were gradually being chipped off.


    ¡°Amy! Attack other spots and wear it down!¡± Tsutomu shouted his next instructions to Amy while shooting << Protect >> and << Heal >> for Garm from above.


    Now that Amy had greatly weakened the scales on the Dragon¡¯s tail, she moved on to tear off the scales on its legs. She would not be able to deal that much damage until the scales actually came off, so she didn¡¯t generate that much aggro while she was currently attacking.


    This continuous chain of attacks was one trick Camille couldn¡¯t do; individual attacks with her greatsword may undoubtedly be exceedingly powerful, and she could be considered a top Attacker if she has handled well, but her aggressiveness was too much for a party of three to manage.


    Inparison, Amy dished out more hits with less attack power, making it easier for her to manage aggro. As a result, unlike Camille who had to resort to hit-and-run, she could continuously attack the Fire Dragon; that was exactly what the team needed for tearing off the Fire Dragon¡¯s scales.


    ¡°<< Barrier >>.¡±


    After 30 minutes had passed, Tsutomu put up a << Barrier >> to stop the Fire Dragon for about ten seconds, the time during which he could cast << Medic >> for Garm and let him drink some water. By the time they repeated this twice, the scales on the Fire Dragon¡¯s legs and tail scales had been mostly torn off.


    ¡°Amy, go for the tail now. Take your time to cut it off.¡±


    ¡°Roger!¡±


    Hearing Tsutomu¡¯s order, Amy lightly tapped the toes of her leather shoes on the ground to spring her jump toward the Fire Dragon. Then, she thrust her dual des into the opened gaps between the monster¡¯s scales. From the Fire Dragon¡¯s perspective, it looked like it had been bitten by an insect¡­ But those seemingly insignificant scratches umted, producing serious cuts.


    As Amy continued to juke around the Fire Dragon¡¯s feet and cut into its tail, the Dragon eventually turned to Amy, but then¡­


    ¡°<< Combat Cry >>.¡±


    Garm¡¯s red aura wrapped around the monster. The Fire Dragon ducked its long neck and tried to bite Garm, as if it was being deeply offended by a little bug crawling on the ground.


    But Garm had already looked at the monster¡¯s movements for almost eight hours; he easily saw through the obviously telegraphed bite. With him still having plenty of stamina to spare, he easily dodged it, and even managed tond a counter with his tower shield on the Fire Dragon¡¯s face. His aggro-generating skill had an effect on his regr attacks, too; with him hitting the Fire Dragon in its weak point, the monster¡¯s aim was locked on to Garm even more fixedly.


    Then it swung its tail, knocking Garm away despite him blocking it with his tower shield. Gram scraped along the ground for a while before slowing down, managing to stop without copsing. Then he immediately ran toward the Fire Dragon again.


    Tsutomu, noticing that Garm¡¯s << Protect >> was running low on effect time, shot him another one and waited a while before mending his wounds with a << Heal >>. He then turned to Amy, thinking that it should be about ten seconds before her << Haste >> effect wore off, and saw that she was moving slightly away from the Fire Dragon while slowing her movement down.


    Tsutomu was quite appreciative of that consideration. Back when he had Camille as the team¡¯s Attacker, he¡¯d had to cast her << Hastes >> a fair bit before the full effect time, so as to never let the effect run out. Moreover, since he had yet to get used to skill cements, the resulting effect¡¯s duration had been shorter despite using up the same amount of mental energy as his skill shots.


    But since he could use his familiar skill shots with Amy, he didn¡¯t need to ount for the effect duration wasted on the safety margins. That in turn resulted in Tsutomu preserving his energy and generating less aggro from monsters, giving him more flexibility in the actions he could take.


    ¡°<< Air des >>.¡±


    As such, Tsutomu was also able to join in on the attack. The des of wind he shot out hit the Fire Dragon¡¯s hind legs, damaging its remaining scales. The Dragon¡¯s attention was glued on to Garm; it did not turn around.


    Tsutomu put up another << Barrier >> and switched out Garm¡¯s tattered tower shield before sending thetter out again. By this time, a lot of the scales on the back half of the Fire Dragon¡¯s body had been scraped off, and the flesh of its tail had been almostpletely exposed. Amy continued to make small cuts on the monster, knocking off more scales and adjusting the aggro level on her. Several drops of the Fire Dragon¡¯s blood dripped from its tail onto the ground.


    The more she repeated the process, the more the Fire Dragon bled from its tail, hind legs, and back. The monster was now under the Bleeding status effect.


    Since Camille¡¯s attacks had been heavy single hits, thest Fire Dragon had been able to sear its wounds and stop its bleeding with its own breath attacks. This one, however, was bleeding from three separate spots. Once the Fire Dragon tried to sear them all at once, Amy exploited the opening to hop on to its head and leave a wound on its face.


    Additionally, Amy¡¯s attacks on the seared wounds never stopped. The monster¡¯s wounds were quickly reopened, causing it to bleed again. Finally, after two hours since the start of the battle, the Fire Dragon¡¯s long tail was severed, sending the creature into a berserk state.


    Almost all Layer Bosses would go into an enraged state at some point. During such times, the mechanics of aggro would take less effect; the Fire Dragon would now be indiscriminately attacking anyone in its way.


    Tsutomu, seeing the Dragon grow crazy, quickly ascended into the sky. Seeing that movement, the Fire Dragonunched a breath attack at Tsutomu, but thetter managed to nullify it with the red coat he wore. Garm and Amy on the ground, after receiving support skills from Tsutomu, proceeded to attack the Fire Dragon again.


    Although the monster was in a state of madness, that didn¡¯t mean the general mechanics of aggro waspletely ignored. The effects did get watered down, however, this just meant Tsutomu was in more danger of getting hit; as such, he had fled up into the sky.


    The Fire Dragon would asionally glide onto the clifftop to try and bite Tsutomu, but he was always able to avoid getting hit without difficulty. After an hour or so, the Dragon¡¯s enraged state ended, and its aggro mechanics started working properly again. Garm proceeded to unleash his << Combat Cry >>.


    Amy kept her chain of light attacks going, maintaining the Fire Dragon¡¯s bleeding status effect. Garm kept the Fire Dragon¡¯s attention glued to the ground, and kept standing up again and again no matter how many attacks he had to block. Tsutomu issued his instructions to the two as he cast healing and support skills for them.


    Tsutomu drank his Blue Potion and kept an eye on the battle below. Things were going smoothly. Then he tucked the empty bottle into his belt and raised the corner of his mouth.


    [Now this is us in our perfect form.]


    Garm, Amy, and himself ¡ª Tsutomu was convinced that this was the most efficient battle performance a party of three could achieve. Watching the battle situation from the sky as things went on perfectly smoothly, Tsutomu cast his healing and supporting skills for his teammates, continuing to do what he could do best, while also recalling some memories of when he¡¯d had fun ying and getting better at the game.


    Then, four hours after the battle hadmenced¡­ Amy clung to the Fire Dragon¡¯s wobbling head and thrust her dual des into the creature¡¯s golden eye. The Dragon iled its head about in rage. Another twenty minutester, the Fire Dragon lost its other eye, turning its visionpletely dark. Now it waspletely powerless.


    And then, five and a half hours since the start¡­ the Fire Dragon silently lowered its gigantic body to the ground. Its blood soaked the ground dark red, and light particles started leaking from the surface.


    Amy, despite seeing the particles, kept vignt and held up her dual des. But then, when the mass of particles grewrger and started enveloping the Fire Dragon¡¯s face, she shook the blood off her des and sheathed them. Garm also exhaled loudly as if to ward off his fatigue, holstered his tower shield on his back, then approached Tsutomu and raised his hand without saying a word.


    Tsutomu gave Garm a high-five with one hand, then rushed over to Amy and raised his other hand with a smile. Amy only stared at Tsutomu¡¯s raised hand.


    Through the Monitor, she had seen Tsutomu give high-fives to Garm and Camille, with them looking quite happy while doing so. She had cursed her circumstances at the time, alone in her Guild Dormitory room, wishing that she could have been there with them.


    Now Tsutomu¡¯s hand was being held up in front of her. That fact made Amy irrepressibly happy.


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    ¡°Ow¨C!¡±


    And so Amy gave Tsutomu a high-five¡­ with all her strength. And with how strong she was, Tsutomu couldn¡¯t help but flinch back. Tsutomu shook his arm, feeling a sting as if he had just been hit by a giant man.


    ¡°Ce on, Garm and Amy. High-five,¡± Tsutomu said, prompting Garm to make a face as if he had just swallowed down a bitter bug.


    Regardless, Garm raised his hand, albeit reluctantly, greatly surprising Amy.


    ¡°What, really? You out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmph. It¡¯s thanks to Tsutomu¡¯s and my attacks that we were able to defeat it so quickly. You¡¯re not hogging all the glory.¡±


    ¡°Bah¡­ yeah, yeah. Yay,¡± Amy said, sounding quite ufortable, before giving Garm a high-five.


    Garm, with a serious look on his face, continued to speak,


    ¡°But I¡¯d never thought we would be able to defeat the Fire Dragon this quickly¡­ I suppose this is in part thanks to your contribution.¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh, that kinda awkward,ing from you. Sure you didn¡¯t hit your head back there?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Garm closed his eyes and went silent as Amy moved away from him and hid behind Tsutomu. In the middle of the scene, Tsutomu cracked a dry smile.


    Then, once they retrieved the red Large Magic Stone, the three returned to the Guild, hand in hand.

 Chapter 48, Clans on the Move

    <h4>Chapter 48, ns on the Move</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    It was past four in the afternoon. The time at which the sun started to wane, the women in town started preparing to cook dinner, and the children cheerfully ran around outside. Around the monitors, the Dungeon Maniacs and the people who were off work started to secure themselves a spot from which the view was better, while those who worked the stall were taking a break after having washed all the dishes in the wake of the lunch rush.


    In the midst of such a leisurely atmosphere, the ones being disyed on Monitor #1 were of the Scarlet Devil Squad. This n, in the middle of clearing the sixty-thirdyer, had distinguished themselves from the other major ns by sessfully defeating the Fire Dragon; their poprity was currently on the rise.


    Starting from the sixty-firstyer, the scenery had changed to that of a Volcano with streaming, bright redva. Since this was a new territory, the audience was watching on with great interest, while the Dungeon Maniacs were closely observing the Volcano¡¯s geographical structure and new monsters.


    Monitor #2, on the other hand, was showing Amy¡­ while the one on Monitor #3 was the n Leader of the Golden Tune. Their race to the ck Gate was being followed and broadcast by the God Eyes above them high in the sky. In the end, Amy managed to secure the ck Gate just as the man with nicely-trimmed blond hair was about to catch up to her; some among the audience who had been following the race cheered a little for the victor.


    Then, at around half past four, Tsutomu¡¯s team entered the ck Gate to the sixtiethyer. The Dungeon Maniacs who were following Monitor #2 were puzzled by how the party was challenging the sixtiethter without Camille in their ranks.


    Camille herself would know. She had been the first one to defeat the Shell Crab with sheer strength, and had already led the charge as the leader of her n to conquer many other Dungeons before this God¡¯s Dungeon had been a thing. One among the Dungeon Maniacs felt that, despite some technical difficulties in the early stages, Camille¡¯s contribution had been essential to the team in bringing the Fire Dragon down.


    Of course, he also held in high regard Tsutomu¡¯s healing and supporting skills, and also Garm¡¯s ability to take on the Fire Dragon¡¯s attacks. He knew that, without those two, the team wouldn¡¯t have been able to win.


    Additionally, Amy was undoubtedly strong. Although the God¡¯s Dungeon was the first Dungeon she had ever explored, she had caught up to the standards of major ns and had been scouted to join one only after a year or so into her exploring career. That, and the fact that she was good-looking and had a great deal of attractive qualities for the spectators, had made her poprity quickly soar.


    However, the n had disbanded after their failure to defeat the Shell Crab, and Amy had been working as a Guild Staff Member since then. Even then, her poprity remained high, maintaining her idol status among the public. One of the Dungeon Maniacs had the impression that Amy was nothing but a popr public figure.


    But their idea was quickly overturned after two hours since the beginning of this Fire Dragon battle. The time was now six o¡¯clock in the afternoon ¡ª the time at which day workers wrapped up their jobs for the day and subsequently flooding to the Monitors.


    ¡°Whoa! They¡¯re running Fire Dragon again! I didn¡¯t get to watch themst time, so this is great!¡±


    ¡°Finally, a broadcast at a time I can watch¡­ They sure are taking their sweet time, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Amy¡¯s on! Man, it¡¯s been forever since Ist saw her¡­¡±


    Since many of the workers only knew of the previous Fire Dragon battle through word of mouth and newspaper articles, many of them were now gathering around Monitor #2. Fans of Garm and Amy, and also those who were interested in the Fire Dragon in general, also flooded to the Monitor.


    ¡°Hah, those guys just don¡¯t get it. We oughtta focus on the Scarlet Devil Squad, people.¡±


    ¡°The Fire Dragon is sost week, man.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, ¡¯cause you guys already got to see themst time! I¡¯mma have a good time watching this one!¡±


    Those among the Dungeon Maniacs who had seen the Fire Dragon battlest time gathered in front of Monitor #1, more interested in gathering new information, while those who hadn¡¯t been herest time moved to Monitor #2.


    By now, the Fire Dragon¡¯s scales had begun to be peeled off, and Amy was in the middle of chopping off its tail. Amy¡¯s movements were always fast thanks to her constantly being under the effect of << Haste >>. The Fire Dragon¡¯s blood gushed with every swing of her dual des. Following Tsutomu¡¯s direction, Garm used the aggrobo of << Warrior Howl >> and << Shield Throw >> to pull the attention of the Fire Dragon, while Amy attacked different parts of the monster¡¯s body to regte the amount of damage she dealt.


    ¡°<< Dual Wave sh >>.¡±


    Amy ran across the ground and swung her swords around as if she was dancing, unleashing de waves with each swing. Such was the origin of her nickname ¡ª Amy the Chaotic Dancer.


    The audience cheered Amy on as she bravely fought against the Fire Dragon. And then, when she severed the Dragon¡¯s tail, the Monitors¡¯ vicinity was filled with cheering screams of all ranges.


    One of the Dungeon Maniacs, who had been watching this Fire Dragon battle from the start, realized that his initial assessment had been wrong. Last time, it had taken Camille three hours to cut off the Dragon¡¯s tail. But now the team had managed to do the same in two hours. Not only that, but Amy had also created so many cuts on the monster¡¯s hind legs and back.


    Now he was actually considering the possibility of the team defeating the Fire Dragon faster thanst time, provided that nothing out of the ordinary happened. And it would not be long for it to turn out that his guess was correct.


    As the Fire Dragon was about to sear its wounds, Amy jumped on the creature¡¯s head and smashed its forehead with her << Rock Splitter de >>, then pulled out andnded softly on the ground as the Dragon flinched back. A << Haste >> shot was sent to her at this time, maintaining her speed-up effect.


    Then, when the Fire Dragon went into a frenzy, Garm and Amy calmly focused on the Dragon¡¯s scars, reopening and widening its wounds, while Tsutomu supported them from a safe distance where he could adequately react to the enemy¡¯s actions. There was not a sliver of hesitation in the team¡¯s movements ¡ª their synergy was so consistent that one would even think they had already fought the Fire Dragon together countless times.


    The time was now eight o¡¯clock in the afternoon; the hour was entering the golden time, at which the most people gathered around the Monitor. The numbers of people around Monitors #1 and #2 now were almost the same. Thanks to there being an unusually high number of spectators in the vicinity of Monitor #2, the nearby stall owners were quite ecstatic about their increased sales. The more food they made, the more they would sell, and the louder the screams of joy from the people around them.


    Then the Fire Dragon was no longer in an enraged state. As it wobbled around, dazed from excessive blood loss, Amynded a surprise attack, driving both of her swords into one of its eyes. The crowd cheered in unison with the Fire Dragon¡¯s scream. Then more people flooded over to Monitor #2, attracted by all the cheering.


    Also attracted by the cheering to Monitor #2 were the other major ns ¡ª The Ealdred Crow¡¯s informant and one of their parties to which he had taught to use Tsutomu¡¯s strategies, and the Golden Tune party that had lost the race against Tsutomu¡¯s team, who had all decided to return and watch the Fire Dragon fight instead. The managers of the Dungeon Conquerors, now back in town after they had wrapped up their outer Dungeon expedition, were also among the spectators.


    These three major ns had yet to sessfully defeat the Fire Dragon. As such, they had gathered around Monitor #2 to obtain information with which they might be able to use to achieve victory. The surrounding crowd buzzed up as one major n after another gathered around, and they made way for them to get a good view.


    Soon after that, Amy gouged out the Fire Dragon¡¯s remaining eye. The monster now had to fight its three enemies by relying on sound and smell. Although its senses of smell and hearing were good enough to fight, the fact that it had lost its eyesight was, in the end, still fatal.


    ¡°Hey¡­ are they really gonna take it down faster than when they had Miss Camille with them?¡±


    ¡°Amy! I love you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the best, Amy!¡±


    ¡°Wait, look ¡ª this time Garm and the other guy¡­ Tsutomu, yeah ¡ª they¡¯re attacking as well, right? Didn¡¯t see those two hitting muchst time around.¡±


    ¡°Go get ¡®im, Amy!¡±


    ¡°Amy! Amy!¡±


    Some of the spectators around the Monitor looked displeased as the chanting of Amy¡¯s fans intensified. Naturally, not all of the watchers here were here for Amy, and hade here simply to watch a team of Explorers fight a Fire Dragon. On the other hand, there were some who were here for Garm and Tsutomu as well. In expressing their annoyance toward the loudness of Amy¡¯s fans, they chugged down their drinks.


    None of that changed the fact that so many people were gathering around thanks to all themotion, however, as dozens of people started to flow out from Monitor #1 to #2 instead.


    Amy steadily chipped away at the blinded Fire Dragon; after about an hour and a half more, the creature finally copsed and dispersed into light particles. The audience, in numbers almost equal to that of Monitor #1, screamed with joy. The air in front of the Monitor was filled with the people¡¯s voices; their voices were so powerful that pots and pans on the nearby stalls were shaking.


    As the three ended their Fire Dragon hunt in sess, the vicinity was flooded with cheers, the magnitude of which exceeded that of the previous Fire Dragon battle. Monitor #2 showed live footage of them smiling and giving each other high-fives. The way Amy and Tsutomu acted around each other reaffirmed to the audience that Solit Company¡¯s reports were indeed false.


    The major ns¡¯ members slipped away from the still-unrelenting storm of cheering and quickly made their way back to their own n Houses. The Ealdred Crow informant called out to his n Leader,


    ¡°That was their perfect form. What do you think of it, sir?¡±


    ¡°¡­I think we aren¡¯t ready to pull something of that level yet. But¡­ I suppose it doesn¡¯t have to be perfect, so long as we have a chance of winning.¡±


    The Ealdred Crow n Leader, a young-looking man ¡ª so young-looking that one would not believe that he was already in his twenties, in fact ¡ª looked up at the informant. Then he headed back to his n House with a refreshed smile on his face.


    ¡°Man, that¡¯s awesome! We should do that, too!¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think that would be nice.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, just don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me. I can do it.¡±


    The n Leader of the Golden Tune raised his hands cheerfully and the women surrounding him gave him various reactions.


    The members of the Labyrinth Conquerors looked at the scene on the Monitor as if it was a farce ¡ª just a game where one did not put their life on the line. Most of this n¡¯s members looked down on the Explorers who only operated in God¡¯s Dungeon.


    However, the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ n Leader, a slightly slender woman, was muttering something to herself as the images of Tsutomu¡¯s movements repeated again and again in her head. The huge beast-like man walking next to her provided no input, simply following her on her way.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    When the three returned to the Guild after defeating the Fire Dragon, they were greeted with congrattions from the Guild Staff Members, followed by a storm of apuse erupting from the Explorers around them, mainly the good-natured ones. Amy looked embarrassed but thanked them back, which prompted a teasing whistling sound from somewhere in the crowd.


    Seeing Amy being congratted by the Explorers for defeating the Fire Dragon, Tsutomu felt half happy and half sad. This victory must have restored Amy¡¯s confidence as an Attacker. But it also meant that Tsutomu¡¯s Lucky Boy nickname had been effectively gotten rid of, which in turn meant that it was time for their party contract to be terminated.


    Tsutomu thought to himself again how good of a party this had been. He had it figured that, if not for Garm and Amy, his progress through the Dungeon never would have been this fast. Tsutomu couldn¡¯t imagine what would have happened if he had ended up with the bad eggs instead.


    ¡°Good work down there, Tsutomu.¡±


    From behind the counter, Camille greeted Tsutomu, albeit with her brows lowered. Her voice was a little low, perhaps because she was feeling frustrated about taking longer to defeat the Fire Dragonst time.


    ¡°Thank you. I think it went pretty well, what with it being my second run through this.¡±


    ¡°True, you and Garm even got to join in on the offense as well.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s no need for you to sound so disheartened, then.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not. Not at all.¡±


    Camille dismisses Tsutomu¡¯s words of concern with a shake of her head. Tsutomu dropped his grin.


    ¡°And I suppose this is the end of our party contract, then. Thank you for taking care of us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Tsutomu ¡ª it¡¯s only natural that we do. We¡¯ve caused you trouble as well, after all. If there¡¯s anything else you want, just say the word. We¡¯ll help as much as we can.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯ve got plenty already.¡±


    The two bowed to each other, and Garm, who was looking at them near the ck Gate, was deep in thought and had quite a serious look on his face. Then the two was about to continue their conversation when Amy interrupted them,


    ¡°Hold it right there, Guild Master! What about me~~? I also took part in killing the Fire Dragon, y¡¯know~~?¡±


    ¡°¡­Good job.¡±


    Camille was about to respond coldly, thinking that Amy wasing at her with a sarcastic remark about the longer time it had taken her to defeat the Dragon, but Amy¡¯s genuine smile drained all signs of toxic intent off her face. Instead, she narrowed her eyes happily as she proceeded to pat Amy¡¯s head.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Tsutomu, praise me too! I did great work!¡±


    ¡°I already did that a whole lot, though¡­ But, well, you did great.¡±


    And so Tsutomu joined Camille in patting Amy¡¯s head; Amy¡¯s cat ears twitched around as she looked down to hide her face.


    Then, when Tsutomu and Camille let go of her hands, Amy looked up at them with a somewhat regretful look on her face. Upon realizing that herself, her face turned slightly red ¡ª she had ended up briefly thinking of those two as her parent figures.


    ¡°Now, time to celebrate! Youe too, Camille! Yeah!?¡±


    Amy, scrambling to skirt around the fact that she was blushing, pulled Camille¡¯s hand. While doing so, she also turned to look at Tsutomu as if to ask if he could go with them, to which he immediately nodded.


    In the end, Amy pulled Camille along as she darted out of the Guild. Tsutomu turned to call Garm, who had been strangely silent behind them all this time.


    ¡°So, Garm? We¡¯re thinking of celebrating right now, but do you have anything you need to get done first?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, I don¡¯t. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    Garm, who had been pondering over things by himself this whole time, was finally brought back from his sea of thoughts by Tsutomu¡¯s words; he proceeded to walk up to thetter. Then they chased after Camille and Amy together.

 Chapter 49, Declaration of Disbandment

    <h4>Chapter 49, Deration of Disbandment</h4>


    With the party of three having set a new record time in defeating the Fire Dragon, the celebration was great as well this time; even Garm, who normally would not even flinch from drinking the Dwarves¡¯ favorite ale, was starting to get drunk by the end of it. Tsutomu had tried to enjoy things at his own pace, but had ended up exhausted from dealing with Amy¡¯s drunken shenanigans.


    After that, Tsutomu had a good time discussing various things with Camille and enjoying the party; in the end, he paid for everything out of his own pocket. He and Garm then carried the drunk-sleeping Amy and Camille back to the Guild Dormitory; Garm seemed to be at his limit, too, as apparent from how heid down on the floor right when he was back to his room. With some struggle, Tsutomu managed to drag Garm along to the living room, at which he himself soon fell asleep as well.


    The afternoon of the following day, Tsutomu, Garm, and Amy ¡ª all in nonbat clothes ¡ª went to an interview with two newspaper publishers at the Guild¡¯s conference room. Amy was quite used to this sort of interaction, so things went along smoothly. Tsutomu, being asked about his party¡¯s strategies and approaches, was also able to answer without a stutter.


    After two hours of inquiries regarding the Fire Dragon, the newspaper people left the room. Amy looked satisfied, while Garm leaned his back against the sofa. Then, they heard a knock on the conference room¡¯s door. Tsutomu answered, prompting Camille, in her indigo uniform, to let herself in.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s here ¡ª good.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hello. We¡¯d nned to visit you ourselves after this, actually.¡±


    ¡°I heard that you were having some interviews with the newspapers, you see. It would have taken you a long time to get there from here, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    Tsutomu casually greeted Camille as she came in and let her through to the sofa in front of him. Camille had a piece of document paper in her hand.


    ¡°Hmm? Guild Master? What¡¯s that you got there?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Amy¡¯s cat ears twitched, signifying her curiosity as to why Camille was wearing the Guild uniform, while Garm closed his eyes and remained silent, as if he had figured something out.


    Camille sat down on the opposite side from the three and ced the piece of paper in her hand on the table.


    ¡°The recent victory over the Fire Dragon is considered to have erased the nickname of ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯. Therefore, Garm and Amy, your party contracts have expired. Any objections, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then sign here, and ce your blood here.¡±


    ¡°Huh...¡±


    The speed at which the discussion was progressing rendered Amy dumbfounded as she remembered the bits and pieces of what she had been told by Camille the other day when they had gone out for a drink together. The disbandment of the party upon the erasure of the ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯ nickname ¡ª Amy had already known that it wasing, but she had always felt that it was still a long way off.


    Tsutomu, having been told of it in advance during the previous day¡¯s celebration, signed the paper, then jabbed his thumb with the needle that Camille offered him and pressed it on the sheet. Camille nodded as she received the document.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let anyone borrow our Staff Members without a detailed procedure, but if you have any problem, do contact us. We¡¯ll assist you to the best of our abilities.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that. I¡¯ll be relying on you when I¡¯m really in trouble.¡±


    ¡°All right. You¡¯ve also helped us along the way ¡ª truly, you have our thanks. We hope you¡¯ll get along with us from this point on, too.¡±


    ¡°W-wait a minute! Stop, stop!¡±


    Tsutomu and Camille shook hands; Amy was about to interrupt them, but Garm stopped her. Seeing Amy like that, Camille gave her a look of disapproval.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said this before, but... You sure don¡¯t think things in the long term, Amy.¡±


    ¡°B-but you looked like you were having so much fun, Guild Master! You know what, we should all just join Tsutomu¡¯s n! Yeah? I mean, he¡¯s gonna create one, right!?¡±


    ¡°That is a tempting suggestion... But I have my duty of protecting the Guild. Sorry, but I¡¯m unlikely to be able to enter Tsutomu¡¯s n.¡±


    ¡°Ngh...¡±


    Amy had already known that Camille had been entrusted the Guild¡¯s leadership by herte husband. In turn, she had already expected what sort of answer she would get. Camille, seeing how Amy was taking her reply, withdrew her thought of trying to recruit Tsutomu as a Guild Staff Member, what with him having already declined once yesterday. This exchange also confirmed to her that Amy¡¯s passion as an Explorer had started to rekindle, little by little.


    ¡°Listen, Amy. Your work has been piling up these past two months ¡ª work than only be done with your Appraisal skill. Now that the ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯ nickname has been cleared, we can¡¯t possibly let you stay in Tsutomu¡¯s party any longer.¡±


    ¡°I know... But...¡±


    ¡°Sorry. We intended to let you do as you please as much as possible, but there¡¯s too much work that requires your unique capabilities. Get those over with first, then we can talk things over.¡±


    As Amy looked down, Camille gave her a pat on the head, then turned to Garm. Garm straightened his posture and bowed to Camille; getting a read on his intention in doing so, she promptly looked away.


    ¡°Garm and Amy, you two will return to your regr duties starting tomorrow. You¡¯re dismissed for today,¡± Camille said and left the room.


    After seeing her off, Tsutomu turned to look at Garm behind him. Thetter seemed rtively calm, perhaps since he had known and came to terms with what would be happening beforehand.


    ¡°Garm, thank you for joining up with me all this time. You¡¯ve been a great help.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡ª I ought to thank you, too. It¡¯s by your knowledge that us Knights are starting to see a glimmer of hope for our Job.¡±


    The two smiled and shook hands. Garm¡¯s powerful grip took Tsutomu by a slight surprise, but thetter managed to give a proper handshake before letting go.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll be forming a n, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The n is to get done with contacting the major ns first, then set one up myself.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... then I have someone I would like to introduce to you. Someone I¡¯ve been training withtely. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like you to consider letting him in as a member of your n,¡± Garm proposed the idea, albeit looking somewhat worried.


    ¡°Oh, please do. I definitely appreciate that,¡± Tsutomu answered with a smile, prompting Garm to nod in satisfaction.


    Tsutomu then turned to Amy, causing thetter to flinch.


    ¡°You have my thanks, too, Amy. I wasn¡¯t sure how things would turn out at first, but in the end, you were the best Attacker I could ever ask for.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    A wave of thoughts jostled Amy¡¯s state of mind. She could quit being a Guild Staff Member and follow Tsutomu, but then, she would not be able to repay Camille¡¯s favor to her. Back when she had gone through a rough phase after her n¡¯s disbandment, Camille was the one who had invited her to the Guild and showed her the way forward. Amy owed a great debt of gratitude to her.


    The alternative would be to give up on going with Tsutomu. But she did not want to do that, either. Amy believed that the current party would have no problem progressing past the Fire Dragon. With her passion as an Explorer being rekindled in her, she could not possibly resist the possibility.


    Seeing Amy keep silent, Tsutomu looked troubled, while Garm sighed quietly. Amy, having found herself stuck between two decisions, looked up as she came to the idea of a way out.


    ¡°Tsutomu! You should be a Guild Staff Member, too!¡±


    That was the loophole that she came up with. Guild Staff Members were those who managed the Dungeon¡¯s entrance, and to do that, it was necessary that they possessed strength on a level equal to or greater than the Explorers. Therefore, people like Tsutomu were sure to be highly desirable for the Guild.


    Moreover, she knew that Tsutomu could not possibly fail the written exam, and there was no way he would not be epted after the interview with the Guild Master. There was nothing stopping him from bing a Guild Staff Member at all.


    Amy¡¯s eyes sparkled, thinking she had juste up with the perfect n. However, Tsutomu did not look one bit more cheerful.


    ¡°Sorry, but bing a Guild Staff Member is... not very desirable.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? You think the test is too hard or somethin¡¯? There¡¯s no need to worry! You¡¯re smart, Tsutomu! And I can help you study, too!¡±


    ¡°The positiones with various restrictions that I don¡¯t want to have, you see. What I want to do is make myself a n and explore the Dungeon, after all.¡±


    ¡°Uh...¡±


    Tsutomu had been exploring the Dungeon so that he could return to his old world. He expected that something would happen upon clearing the hundredthyer, but if that were to turn out to be the Secret Dungeon, then it would take up even more time. If he were to take the exam and be an official Guild Staff Member, he would be responsible for his duties while also progressing through the Dungeon, and that was not an option he would want to take.


    Amy, seeing that Tsutomu was as non-negotiable as Camille, could not say anything more to convince him. When Amy stopped talking, Tsutomu smiled at her to cheer her up.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going anywhere, though. We can meet up at the Guild as much as we want, can¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°I know... I know, but...! I want it to be more like... y¡¯know!? Like, you telling me to quit my job and follow you, or somethin¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Now hold your horses... what would you do if I actually said that? Camille would have a problem with that, you know, you suddenly quitting the Guild and all.¡±


    ¡°Ngh...¡±


    ¡°Besides, the job benefits do seem pretty good. I can¡¯t just tell anyone to quit it just like that, you know...¡±


    Having gotten to observe Garm¡¯s lifestyle, it was apparent that Guild Staff Members were treated quite well by their workce; Tsutomu couldn¡¯t possibly bring himself to tell someone to throw that privilege away to join his n instead. Moreover, Amy and Garm¡¯s resignations would have dealt a heavy blow to the Guild¡¯s function.


    ¡°And now, our party is officially disbanded ¡ª That doesn¡¯t mean that we won¡¯t ever get to party up again, though. When another opportunity to do soes up, please do join me again.¡±


    Tsutomu held out his hand to Amy for a handshake, but she swatted it away.


    ¡°...Leave a spot open in your n. After I¡¯m done with my work... and repaying the Guild Master for all the help she¡¯s given me, I¡¯ll be right there,¡± Amy said quickly and bolted out of the conference room, her eyes lit with a spark of motivation.


    As Tsutomu was rubbing his stinging hand, Garm nervously approached him and said,


    ¡°...Me, too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness.¡±


    Garm¡¯s ck tail wagged around; he seemed somewhat relieved to get the answer he had gotten. Then, not even a secondter, he folded his arms as if to recover hisposure.


    ¡°Now, you¡¯ll have to move your things out. Have you found a ce to stay yet?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Same ce as thest, actually.¡±


    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s get them over there right away.¡±


    ¡°...Thank you very much.¡±


    Tsutomu was grateful for Garm¡¯s natural offering to help. And so they started moving Tsutomu¡¯s belongings to the inn; Garm helped until the very end.


    Then, after parting ways with Garm, Tsutomuid down on the bed in his room.


    [So I¡¯m on my own now, huh...]


    Tsutomu had spent most of the past two months or so with Garm and Amy. Although he knew that he could just meet them at the Guild, with the party officially disbanded, he could not help but feel a little sad.


    Tsutomu guessed, from how the two were behaving, that they might be finding a way to quit their Staff Member positions without causing trouble for the Guild. Both of them had said things implying so ¡ª and although Tsutomu felt guilty, he was also happy to hear it.


    If that were to happen, then he would have to expand his n so that those two would not feel shame in joining him. Thinking that doing so could also serve as a sort of reward to them, Tsutomu promptly sat up.


    [Gotta get things moving.]


    Tsutomu pushed his hands on his thighs and stood himself up.

 Chapter 50, Daryl, Garm’s Apprentice

    <h4>Chapter 50, Daryl, Garm¡¯s Apprentice</h4>


    Tsutomu stood up, went to his desk, and started to write letters to the four major ns. The three roles of Tank, Healer, and Attacker; methods of using <<Heal>> shots; and data regarding the Fire Dragon ¡ª All that information were to be offered in a joint conference between two newspaper publications. The letters¡¯ content was an invitation, asking the ns to consider participating.


    After adjusting the contents of each letter to fit each n¡¯s name and prominent traits, Tsutomu confirmed their addresses then headed out to each of the n Houses.


    Golden Tune, Ealdred Crow, Scarlet Devil Squad, and Labyrinth Conquerors ¡ª by the time was done around to deliver the letters to the four n Houses, it was already night. After returning to the inn, Tsutomu waited for his evening meal at the Dining Hall.


    Tsutomu¡¯s prediction was that all ns other than Scarlet Devil Squad would be on board. Ealdred Crow definitely would be interested, as apparent from how they were already trying to imitate and make effective use of Tsutomu¡¯s strategies. Golden Tune, despite their four-Attacker and one-Healerposition, was a n with a high chance of prevailing over the Fire Dragon ¡ª but then again, they were sure to want information on the <<Heal>> shots and the Fire Dragon.


    As for the Labyrinth Conquerors, Tsutomu was uncertain as to what he would get since he was not so familiar with them. Regardless, they were a n that put their lives on the line to capture the Dungeons out of town; Tsutomu had the expectation that they were greedy for this sort of information.


    It would not be until two dayster when the letters were replied to. On the day, Tsutomu lined up at the Forest Apothecary first thing in the morning in order to replenish his supply of Potions, then went to check out how other people were progressing through the Dungeon, mainly on the two-digit Monitors. He needed two more party members to establish a n; Garm had said that he would be introducing someone to him, so Tsutmomu had ns to meet up with the person in question soon. He still had to look for the other member by himself, however.


    Tsutomu had previously posted for improvised parties on the Guild¡¯s bulletin board in order to Explore the Dungeon. He searched for any who did the same, who might be capable, but over the span of two days, no one in particr caught his eye. Another thing he nned to do was showing off his <<Heal>> shots during the conference in which we would be providing his information to the major ns; it that ended up changing the ns¡¯ perceptions, perhaps he could attract some of their reserve or even reserve-reserve yers to his side.


    If things did not work out, in the worst case, Tsutomu would need to look for members for his n at the Guild, but he did not really want to do that.


    Mid-level Explorers without an issue in their backgrounds and behavior, if there were any, were sure to have already been scouted by other ns. This meant that those who would even consider finding a n through the Guild were only the leftovers and no-names who may or may not turn out to be hidden gems. It was not necessarily a bad idea to train them up from scratch, but Tsutomu still wanted someone at around level 30, if possible.


    As far as recruiting from the other ns went, Golden Tune was pretty much a no-go, since almost all of its members were the n Leader¡¯s harem. And since Tsutomu had heard that those of the Labyrinth Conquerors were quite proud to be a part of the n, he expected to pull someone over from Ealdred Crow. Since thetter n had more than a hundred members, Tsutomu believed that pulling just one person with a level of 30 to 40 out of there would not cause too much friction.


    [The guy Garm will be introducing is probably a Tank... So the Job I would want is a Lightweight Warrior, as an Attacker.]


    After receiving the four letters from the receptionist at the inn, Tsutomu returned to his room and opened the envelope from Ealdred Crow first, all while imagining what his future n members could be like.


    Tsutomu was relieved to see the letter¡¯s contents spell out the sender¡¯s utmost wish to participate; so far, things were going the way he had expected. With this, he was starting to see some hope in regards to recruiting members for his n. After scanning through the rest of the letter, the tone of which was quite enthusiastic, Tsutomu proceeded to open the letter from Golden Tune.


    Golden Tune also expressed their wish to participate, but the text suggested that they had some sort of hidden agenda. It was especially apparent in how there were numerous allusions to rewards in exchange for information. Regardless, the fact that Golden Tune was almost certainly in on this still heightened Tsutomu¡¯s mood.


    The ¡®reward¡¯ Tsutomu was calling for in this case was not Gold, but rather, for them to give interviews to the two newspaper publishers. For Golden Tune, if it was just that in exchange for the information they wanted, they were almost certain to agree to it.


    Unlike Solit Company, the two other publications had almost no connection with the major ns, not to mention, their obviously lower financial strength. Therefore, in addition to his main objectives of spreading the use of the three-role system and improving the circumstances of Healers, Tsutomu also aimed to establish connections between the major ns and the two smaller news outlets.


    The twopanies had recently seen a growth in their businesses thanks to the free-of-charge interviews with Tsutomu, Garm, and Amy ¡ª and not to mention the fact that they had stocked up Tsutomu¡¯s informative announcements and interviews with Garm and Amy for questions-and-answers columns, giving them enough material tost a whole month from now. Since Tsutomu¡¯s party had already disbanded, however, they would not be able to keep milking the trend for any longer than that.


    As such, Tsutomu had the idea to establish connections with the major ns for them, so as to keep their performance up after the month was over. And having connections with major ns meant that mid-tier ns would also swarm to them, opening up new future opportunities. They would be able to pay more fees to the ns by then, so the n was certainly an option worth considering.


    Next, Tsutomu opened the letter from Scarlet Devil Squad. It contained formal declination statements that read like a generic temte. This was not unexpected, however, so Tsutomu promptly picked up the envelope from the Labyrinth Conquerors.


    Though the other ns¡¯ envelopes were all of good quality, this particr one was on a whole different level, and was even fastened with a golden cloth wire. And it was obvious from how it looked outside that there was something solid in it. Tsutomu carefully opened the seal, thinking dirty thoughts about how much Gold it would fetch if he were to sell whatever item it was.


    The letter¡¯s content, in somewhat of a quirky literary style, expressed the sender¡¯s wish to participate; the other items were three Small Magic Stones ¡ª one Lightning Magic Stone, one Ice, and one that Tsutomu could not identify. Reading the letter thoroughly, he saw that the Magic Stones were to thank him for the invitation, and that this would not count toward their reward in exchange for information.


    [Now this is some high-ss treatment...]


    While thinking how suspicious the writer of the letter ¡ª presumably the Labyrinth Conquerors n Leader ¡ª came off as, Tsutomu tucked the three Magic Stones into his Magic Bag.


    The afternoon of the next day, Tsutomu headed to the Guild to meet up with Garm, who was going to introduce to him a potential member of his n. While pacing around the reception counter looking for Garm, he was stopped by the receptionist.


    ¡°Garm is exploring the Dungeon right now. He said that he¡¯lle back when he reachesyer thirteen, so I think you won¡¯t have to wait long.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Thank you for going out of your way to tell me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always wee.¡±


    After bowing to the smiling receptionistdy, Tsutomu sat down on a bench near the Guild¡¯s ck Gate. As he absent-mindedly watched the party on the Monitor do their thing, eventually a familiar, tall-statured man emerged from the ck Gate waved to greet him.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Hello there, Tsutomu. Looks like I¡¯ve kept you waiting. Be right back after I get my Status Card updated.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Garm had the usual straight face, and standing behind him was a young man with ck, droopy dog ears; thetter was drenched in sweat. Despite his face still having a hint of immaturity to it, he was quite tall and well-built, and the armor he wore was quite bulky.


    The young man, shorter than Garm but taller than Tsutomu, briefly gave Tsutomu a look of suspicion, then proceeded to bow, his tail with ck-and-white fur standing up as if signifying an rm.


    ¡°I am Daryl! It is nice to meet you!¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, nice to meet you as well. Shall we talk after getting your Status Card updated?¡±


    ¡°Ah...! Yes!¡±


    Seeing how Daryl immediately sat down on the bench, Tsutomu urged him to carry on with his business first; the former did so, standing up and walking after Garm in an energetic stride. Tsutomu was felt relieved of some of his initial worries, both because the young man seemed to be quite a spirited one, and since it was apparent from his familiar equipment that he was a Tank.


    The armor Daryl had on was the kindmonly worn by novice Heavy Knights. Seeing that, Tsutomu guessed that his Job must be either Heavy Knight or Heavyweight Warrior. The observation led Tsutomu to wonder, if the young man were an Attacker, what would he be other than a Heavyweight Warrior, and how would that affect the party¡¯sposition. While pondering it over, Garn and Daryl came back and sat down.


    ¡°Tsutomu, this is the person I¡¯d like to rmend as a member of your n. His name is Daryl.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I am Daryl!¡±


    ¡°I see. I am called Tsutomu.¡±


    They shook hands; Tsutomu only gripped lightly since Daryl was still wearing his gauntlet. Then, thetter held out the Status Card that he had kept under his arm to Tsutomu.


    ¡°This is my Status Card!¡±


    Tsutomu epted the slightly sweat-stained Status Card and took a look at Daryl¡¯s status ratings.


    Daryl was a level-31 Heavy Knight, and his VIT rating was a B-. As far as the Heavy Knight Job was concerned, their AGI rating was quite low, but their VIT was one of the highest among all Jobs. Judging from his status ratings alone, the young man would do well as Garm¡¯s substitute.


    Liking what he had seen, Tsutomu¡¯s face broke into a smile as he returned the Status Card to Daryl.


    ¡°A Heavy Knight... Looks good.¡±


    ¡°Daryl is still somewhat of a wimp, but by no means a coward. Give him some time, and he¡¯ll surpass me as a Tank, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, no! I would never dare, Sir Garm!¡±


    ¡°I said ¡®as a Tank.¡¯ Don¡¯t get on your high horse just yet.¡±


    With Daryl chuckling and scratching his head, Garm sighed and threw some hards words his way,


    ¡°His defensive form is a mess. Offensive form on monsters is not that good yet, either. Especially the offensive ¡ª as feeble as Goblins. For the time being, I don¡¯t think we can expect him to do much damage.¡±


    ¡°Apologies...¡±


    Daryl averted his gaze, looking disheartened; Tsutomu simply kept on listening to Garm¡¯s lecture.


    ¡°Hismand over <<Combat Cry>> is weak, too. But under my guidance, I reckon he¡¯ll soon be able to use it better, and he should be dealing more damage the more he improves his form and gets used to fighting. So, when do you n to establish your n, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see... The n is to have it ready to go in two, at most three months from now. I think that should be how long it takes for everyone to get used to <<Heal>> shots and the role-division partyposition, you see.¡±


    ¡°Then in the meantime, I¡¯ll be training him ¡ª make him have the same Tank capabilities as I do. Of all the people I know, Daryl was the one from whom I felt the most potential. So what do you say, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯ve given him so much acknowledgment and approval, Garm ¡ª I¡¯ll be happy to ept him, even right away. Well, I still do want to see what kind of personality he has, though, so I¡¯d like to have an evaluation period during the first week of n formation. Will that be all right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s more than enough that you¡¯re considering him in the first ce. Thank you.¡±


    Garm put his hands on his knees and bowed, then Daryl did the same... then Tsutomu did the same in reply to them.


    ¡°Having a stable Tank makes a party stable, after all ¡ª so I really appreciate that you¡¯ve introduced me to someone capable.¡±


    ¡°We should be thanking you as well... I know that not everyone can be like me. But if they can do their part as a Knight, whatever it be, I¡¯d always be happy to help them out. If there¡¯s anything else you need, just say the word.¡±


    ¡°All right. Oh, by the way, mind if I ask when your next free day is? I¡¯m nning something right now...¡±


    Tsutomu proceeded to spend some time chatting with the two; while discussing with Garm about the disclosure of information to the major ns, he also made sure that Daryl could join the conversation.

 Chapter 51, Disclosure of Information

    <h4>Chapter 51, Disclosure of Information</h4>


    After the meeting with the young man called Daryl, whom Garm had introduced to him, Tsutomu went to send another set of his letters to the major ns; this time, they included the details regarding the project and the remunerations it would entail. Then on the next day, he received replies from all three ns confirming their choice to participate in the conference.


    After that, Tsutomu went to discuss with both of the newspaper publishers and moved forward with the project¡¯s preparations; having received confirmation from them both, he secured a venue for the event. Seven dayster, the two publishers announced in their articles the conference itself and the participation of Ealdred Crow, Golden Tune, and Labyrinth Conquerors. Then, three days after that, the day of the conference came; now information would be disclosed, and guidance would be provided.


    Each n arrived at the venue in groups of about ten each; the people from the newspaper publishers ran the event¡¯s reception. Although the staff members were nervous to meet the major n¡¯s members, many of which were well-known figures in town, they managed to do their work quickly and effectively.


    Ealdred Crow¡¯s was led by their n Leader, a boy-ish young man of rtively short stature; the group itself included some White Mages, their overall structure incorporating the three-role party system that had started to catch on, and their information also apanied them.


    As for Golden Tune, nine women surrounded their n Leader, a man with nicely-trimmed blond hair. Among them was a blonde Elf named Diniel, a close friend of Amy¡¯s, walking in the far back of the group.


    On the side of the Labyrinth Conquerors, one gigantic, bear-like man stood out from the rest; the newspaper staff at the reception table was quite startled by him. Next to therge man was their n Leader, a silver-haired Elf woman with emotionless eyes; behind her were several men, keeping an eye on the whole area so as to ensure the safety of their leader.


    ¡°Hey. I knew you¡¯de, too.¡±


    ¡°Long time no see, sir.¡±


    The n Leaders of Ealdred Crow and Golden Tune looked at each other and subsequently smirked in a corner of their mouths. As the ones running their respective major ns, they had known each other for a long time and had crossed paths often in thepetition of conquering the Dungeon.


    ¡°And the Scarlet Devil Squad... doesn¡¯t seem to be here. Hah, they sure are taking things easy.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to attend this conference, though. At the point you¡¯re currently at, shouldn¡¯t you be able to take on the Fire Dragon already?¡±


    ¡°We all got stuff to do, things to think about. You and me both.¡±


    ¡°...I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± Ealdred Crow¡¯s n Leader replied in agreement upon seeing the non-Attacker members behind the other n¡¯s boss.


    As the head of a major n with arge number of members, he did not consider the status quo to be particrly good. And although he wanted to change how things were being operated if he could, and had been working toward doing so with trial-and-error, the Scarlet Devil Squad had gone ahead and defeated the Fire Dragon with the tried and tested four-Attacker and one-Healerposition.


    Thanks to that happening, demand for Attacker Jobs had gone up again, further increasing the disparity between them and the other Job types. Then, the potential turning point appeared in the form of the party of three defeating the Fire Dragon. The image of a Knight with low STR ying an active role in the battle had been burned into his eyes. Then came Tsutomu, the leader of that famous party and one once known as the Lucky Boy, and along with him a suggestion ¡ª there was no way Ealdred Crow would not be on board.


    ¡°Tch... And here I thought we¡¯d get to hog all the good stuff for ourselves.¡±


    ¡°The audacity of thisd. Now wait a sec... don¡¯t y¡¯all already have your teams in shape? You sure you haven¡¯t already been talking to them before this?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, perhaps not. Judge for yourself, sir.¡±


    ¡°Man, and your face is as punchable as ever...¡± The Golden Tune leader cursed at the younger man, seeing how thetter was making the face of a neighborhood delinquent.


    Then, after getting his greetings done, he approached the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ group instead.


    ¡°Hey, good to see y¡¯all back in town. So, here for Fire Dragon info? Or is it the long-range <<Heal>>?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    With the Wolfman starting a one-sided conversation, the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ n Leader listened to not even one word of his. Then, when therge man then intervened, he whistled to gloss him over and walked away.


    While all that was going on, the other members of the three ns entered the venue and started seating themselves on the chairs on which the names of their respective ns were attached. On the podium in front of them, they saw that Tsutomu, the one who had invited them here, was still getting things set up, fiddling with a magic tool.


    ¡°Hello? Is this thing on?¡±


    The Magic Tool he was testing out was a microphone of sorts, affixed with a Wind Magic Stone for sound amplification. Those of Ealdred Crow and Golden Tune were quite curious as to what Tsutomu had in store, while those of the Labyrinth Conquerors looked on from the back row with suspicion.


    At one point, the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ n Leader tapped on therge man¡¯s log-like arm as if giving him an order. The man stepped forward, stopped a step away from the podium, and took a deep breath through his nose.


    Tsutomu, seeing the stranger stomping toward the podium and suddenly starting to sniff him, leaned his head away but did not pay the man any attention otherwise as he went over his script again. After a few more breaths, therge man went back to his leader.


    ¡°...Doesn¡¯t reek of death.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Hearing therge man say so, the n Leader proceeded to cover her mouth as if to hide something. In truth, Tsutomu had already been killed once, by the Corroded Elder Dragon from his very first day in this world, but then, he had been exploring the Dungeon for three months since then without ever dying once. Therge man¡¯s assessment was not necessarily wrong.


    The woman, convinced by therge man¡¯s words that Tsutomu was fit for joining the Labyrinth Conquerors n, now looked at Tsutomu with eyes that were not those of a dead fish, but ones that were quite lively.


    The main activity of the Labyrinth Conquerors was to go around to the various Dungeons outside of town and thinning down the monster poption in them, so as to make sure that the numbers do not get too high and the creatures flood outside. Although there were rare instances when they wouldpletely neutralize Dungeons by defeating their Bosses at their deepestyers, their main purpose was not to do that, but to simply keep the numbers down.


    If monsters were to leave those Dungeons in droves, they would roam around seeking prey; sooner orter, they would most likely end up invading viges and towns. Without the strong walls and fighting power on the level of this Dungeon City, those viges and towns would never be able to take on those monsters.


    The Labyrinth Conquerors were a n established by the people of such viges and towns to prevent casualties caused by such monster attacks; it was even said that they were the oldest n, having existed even before God¡¯s Dungeon had appeared. In the past, there would be no shortage of those who aspired to be part of this n, but things had changed ever since God¡¯s Dungeon hade into the picture.


    As more Explorers becamefortable with the ability toe back to life after they were killed, the Labyrinth Conquerors had started shrinking in scale. Still, some of the changes had yed in their favor ¡ª God¡¯s Dungeon Status Cards, being simple to update, had made it easy for one to acquire skills. Moreover, on-the-job mortality rate had gone down significantly, and the sudden jump in the market value of monster materials had greatly increased their profits.


    Then again, the quality of neers to the n had dropped dramatically as well. In God¡¯s Dungeon, one did not die when they were killed ¡ª that mindset of theirs would still show when they were exploring the other Dungeons. Those who had operated mainly in God¡¯s Dungeon would develop a subconscious non-awareness to death, and that could prove to be fatal in the other Dungeons where the same rules did not apply.


    As such, the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ n Leader had, contrary to her initial expectations, seen Tsutomu as useful and capable, what with him not ¡®reeking of death,¡¯ possessing long-range <<Heal>>, and leading a party of three to victories over the Fire Dragon. An obsession was building up inside her ¡ª she wanted to secure him for her n by any means necessary.


    ¡°All right, I believe everyone is here?¡±


    ¡°Yes! We aren¡¯t expecting anyone else today!¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I say, we close the door and get started, yes?¡±


    Tsutomu, too stage-frightened inside to notice the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ n Leader¡¯s silent enthusiasm, took a deep breath and told the newspaper staff to move on to the next step.


    When the door was closed, Tsutomu opened his narrowed eyes and looked around at the thirty or so people in the room, then switched on the magic tool in his hand.


    ¡°Now then, let us begin. I will be making public the information I possess ¡ª It is an honor to have all of you here today.¡±


    Tsutomu bowed; all but a few of the thirty or so people nodded their heads in response.

 Chapter 52, A Turbulent Information Session

    <h4>Chapter 52, A Turbulent Information Session</h4>


    Tsutomu raised his head, while the newspaper staff began handing out stacks of documents to each member of each n. The neatly arranged papers contained all of the materials that Tsutomu was going to exin today.


    ¡°First, an exnation of long-range skills. Please refer to page two of your handouts as we go.¡±


    As Tsutomu prepared to go over his original copy of the documents, the participants opened up the pages of their handouts, filling the room with sounds of flipping paper. Tsutomu proceeded to grab his Status Card from the table on the stage, then he headed to where members of Ealdred Crow were sitting.


    ¡°Contrary to the initial assumptions of many, the healing skills shots I use is not a Unique Skill. Here is my Status Card ¡ª feel free to confirm what I have on the Skill section.¡±


    After all three ns got a look, Tsutomu took his Status Card back and went back onto the podium. Having seen the section listing Tsutomu¡¯s skills, all were surprised to learn that his level and status ratings were rtively low. Most of the people in this room had already reached level 70, the highest that those who had reached the sixtiethter were allowed. On Tsutomu¡¯s side, and with the exception of Camille, it had not been that long since Garm and Amy had gotten past the Shell Crab. In other words, they had prevailed over the Fire Dragon not only with teams of three, but also with an average level of lower than sixty.


    All that went to show how important long-range skills and the three-role partyposition were. The two ns exploring God¡¯s Dungeon were now eager to hear what information Tsutomu had to share.


    ¡°I think you all should understand now that the skill shots I use aren¡¯t anything special ¡ª that any White Mage is able to perform a long-range <<Heal>>. You will still get higher restorative power from the direct contact variety, but the long-distance form of it is effective enough. That is what White Mages have to first keep in mind. Also...¡±


    Tsutomu held up his white staff and cast <<Area Heal>>, causing a mass of green light to spread from under his feet. The area of it was about the same as the one created by Silver Beast¡¯s Healer back when Ealdred Crow¡¯s informant had gone to observe their strategies.


    ¡°White Mages have ess to this skill, the <<Area Heal>>. It passively restores the wounds of those within the circle, but it is little known that it can be applied to a Skill Combo as well. Those who use healing skills while in this area would find that their skills¡¯ restorative power increased, and not only that, the effectiveness of <<Heal>> shots can also be increased this way. Again, anyone can perform skill shots, and <<Area Heal>> can be used in Skill Combos. Keep those two points in mind, and you should be able to use healing skills in the same ways that I do. In fact, one of the Healers of the Silver Beast n has already seeded in doing so.¡±


    Those of Ealdred Crow had already tried to imitate the way Silver Beast¡¯s Healer had used her skills, and despite seeing an increase in restorative power, it still was not enough for practical use inbat. The personal perception that healing skill shots could not actually heal ¡ª that was what a White Mage had to get rid of before their healing skill shots were usable.


    Members of Ealdred Crow and Golden Tune were impressed by the exnation thus far, but the men of the Labyrinth Conquerors snickered in disapproval.


    ¡°So, do you have any proof to back up what you just said?¡±


    ¡°Proof? Themon perception is that healing skills must be performed only through direct contact ¡ª the Healer of Silver Beast has proven that, by eliminating that personal bias, you would be able to achieve higher restorative power. I could personally show you how it works in the Dungeon, if you would like me to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯ve never even seen you use your long-range skills in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Then after this conference is over, I will be providing guidance to the ns that need it, teaching them until they are able to use healing skills and the three-roleposition effectively ¡ª that was the original n, in fact. I will be demonstrating my skill shots at that time.¡±


    ¡°...Just do it here and now. Hey,¡± the man called over another man behind him, crouched down, and stuck his arm out to the side.


    The other man grabbed the outstretched arm, flipped it up, then stomped on it with all his might, breaking it.


    Tsutomu grimaced in confusion at the loud crack and stared at the man as thetter stood up with his arms dangling loosely. Those of the other ns also looked on, bewildered, while the n Leader of Labyrinth Conquerors let out a subtle sigh. The man grunted a little at the pain of his broken bones and then proceeded to say,


    ¡°Unlike you all, we explore Dungeons outside of this town. Proving that your long-range skills are usable in the game Dungeon won¡¯t count as real proof for us. Try healing me right here. If you can¡¯t do that, then you¡¯re worthless to us Labyrinth Conquerors.¡±


    ¡°...You might have a point there.¡±


    As the man had implied, there were indeed skills that were usable only within God¡¯s Dungeon. For instance, <<Raise>>, which one could use to restore a dead target to life within three minutes of their death ¡ª it would have no effect whatsoever in the other Dungeons. Tsutomu, knowing that the man¡¯s statement made perfect sense, actually was thankful for the opportunity for him to prove the worth of his skill as soon as possible.


    ¡°Then put his bone back in the original position and keep it supported. And please do it properly ¡ª it¡¯d be a hassle if it gets broken again.¡±


    As instructed by Tsutomu, the man re-aligned his broken arm as correctly as he could and supported it with his other arm; Tsutomu set up an <<Area Heal>> under himself just to be safe, then cast his spell,


    ¡°<<High Heal>>.¡±


    Tsutomu waved his staff to shoot a <<High Heal>>, hitting the man¡¯s arm and instantly healing his broken bones. The man proceeded to move his arm around, confirming that it no longer hurt and that nothing was wrong with it, then bowed his head down, albeit looking somewhat bored.


    ¡°Now it is clear that your information will be beneficial to us Labyrinth Conquerors. Apologies for the trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±


    The other ns were surprised again by the fact that Tsutomu¡¯s <<High Heal>> had actually,pletely fixed the broken arm. As Tsutomu, albeit feeling somewhat anticlimatic, responded to the man¡¯s surprisingly quick pull-back, the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ n Leader raised her hand. Tsutomu nervously gave a go-ahead hand signal to thedy with beautiful silver hair. She stood up and immediately bowed.


    ¡°Members of my n were too eager to test you ¡ª I ought to apologize on their behalf.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind at all ¡ª directly showing them how it works does make things go faster. I should be thankful for that, if anything.¡±


    ¡°Your tolerance is much appreciated,¡± the n Leader said and sat back down; Tsutomu shook his head.


    Right as the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ n Leader offered her apologies, the man behind her started giving Tsutomu a death stare as if thetter was his enemy. Tsutomu, keeping his guard up, smiled and moved on to the next topic of discussion.


    ¡°Next, the three-roleposition. Please refer to page four of your handouts.¡±


    The conference participants flipped over to the page that contained charts and illustrations with brief descriptions of the roles of Tanks, Attackers, and Healers. The illustrations had been made by an employee of the newspaper publishers; the same illustrator had been drawing for articles everyday, so their work made the data easy to understand.


    ¡°As most perceive at the present, there are only two main roles within a party ¡ª the Attacker, tasked with dealing damage to the enemy, and Healer, which heal allies. The support role of Buffer would asionallye into y as well, but for simplicity¡¯s sake, let us disregard that part for now.¡±


    Jobs fit for the primary role of Buffer included Minstrel and Enchanter, but since Tsutomu had not yet seen an Enchanter here, and Minstrels were reasonably in demand, he had decided to omit the role from the discussion.


    ¡°But in the addition of those two, I have introduced a Tank to my party ¡ª the role involves attracting the enemies¡¯ attention and defending against their attacks. This way, Attackers are safe to attack and achieve optimal damage output. Healers¡¯ jobs are also made easier by narrowing down the number of targets they need to regrly heal, and most importantly, they don¡¯t have to take on a disposable role like they used to. Please take a look at page five of your handouts.¡±


    On the next page, the concept of monster aggro was exined in detail; also written down were the mechanisms of aggro-generating skills, and also aggro garnered by performing healing and support skills.


    ¡°Monsters will target Tanks that have gained Aggro, enabling Healers to keep healing allies in the middle ofbat. Moreover, if a party has two Tanks, in the case that one died, the Healer could also use <<Raise>> safely.¡±


    Several White Mages in the room looked up in response to the exnation. Using <<Raise>> meant that one would be targeted by monsters in exchange for reviving one¡¯s ally, which in most cases effectively tranted to the Healer bing a sacrifice ¡ª that was amon perception among White Mages.


    They¡¯d had no problem with that oue as long as their teams could update theiryer progress and defeat Layber Bosses. In fact, even dead party members would get their progress updated when the others reached a newyer, so there was virtually no loss on their part if their equipment were retrieved.


    For the past few years, however, White Mage had started to feel unsatisfied with having to witness their parties reaching newyers and defeating boss monsters through Monitors. Although they received praise from their allies upon their return through the ck Gate, resentment would naturally build up as the same thing happened again and again. And although they had gotten used to being killed by monsters, there were some who had been traumatized from repeatedly going through the experience.


    Moreover, the one bringing their ally back to life would end up being the first to die out of the run, in turn getting less screen time on the Monitors, resulting in them not making asting impression on the spectators. Equipment manufacturers would not get good advertisement from those who died first, and not to mention them not using any tools nor potions ¡ª needless to say, they could not expect to get a sponsor. In fact, when the Scarlet Devil Squad had defeated the Fire Dragon, the Attackers¡¯ had gotten their faces remembered by the crowd, while the Healerdy had been remembered by the Dungeon Maniacs and had not gotten any sponsorship deals.


    But it could not be denied how useful the role of sacrificing oneself to revive a party member was for progressing throughyers and getting past bosses. As such, White Mages could not simply quit, and had to settle for muddling through with their prestige-less jobs.


    From the podium¡¯s point of view, most of the White Mages in the room were listening intently to Tsutomu, who continued to speak with a voice full of emotion,


    ¡°And that is why I don¡¯t think White Mages are currently getting the best they deserve in ways of strategic utility. The Job is not just for reviving allies.¡±


    Thest statement prompted many of the White Mages to either look down or remain silent. But among them, one voiced a different opinion.


    ¡°...So you¡¯re saying that we¡¯ve been doing things the wrong way?¡± Golden Tune¡¯s White Mage, a young woman with yellow-furred fox ears, spoke in an oddly high-pitched voice and stood up from her seat to stare straight at Tsutomu.


    That did not necessarily mean she was satisfied with the current situation ¡ª when they had been tossed around by the waves of Potion Fish on the fortiethyer, they¡¯d had to desperately search for a way to survive. That had resulted in the Healer having to resort to the specialized support-and-revive role. Having felt denied of that achievement by the statement, she could not help but speak up.


    Moreover, she herself had performed her role with pride. She had no qualms whatsoever about sacrificing herself to bring back her n Leader, and even if she would have to keep doing it, she was fine with it as long as she got to stay in the n¡¯s main party.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that, so. I haven¡¯t been around back when White Mages were almost rendered obsolete by Potions, you see, so I am not fully aware of all the efforts you have been making. As such, I¡¯m not qualified to find fault in the ways you¡¯ve been doing things. You are free to perform your roles as you have always done, of course, as long as you understand what they actually entail.¡±


    ¡°...The way you say it sounds like you think we don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°What? Well, do you?¡±


    Tsutomu, eyes wide open, looked on with genuine surprise at Golden Tune¡¯s White Mage. Thetter let her eyes wander for a brief moment before talking back to Tsutomu,


    ¡°...Of course.¡±


    ¡°Huh? For real...? By the way, what about the others? What do you all think? Oh, sorry for going off-topic. But it¡¯s something that needs rification, so please stay with me here,¡± Tsutomu apologized in advance and questioned the opinions of the other White Mages.


    In response, Ealdred Crow¡¯s White Mages stood up in quick session.


    ¡°No way in hell she does! She¡¯s just able to put up with it because she¡¯s devoted to her Leader, I say! Well, it ain¡¯t the same for me!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! I don¡¯t even get to go through a ck Gate these days! That¡¯s no joke, you know!¡±


    ¡°Even the armor stores don¡¯t want to sell us stuff anymore, spewing bull like ¡®because we die right away¡¯! And they¡¯ve got money from fans and sponsors! But not us ¡ª we don¡¯t get any of that! Not even a fair share of rewards, for God¡¯s sake!¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you do haveints. Good.¡±


    Tsutomu was relieved to see the other White Mages, mainly of Ealdred Crows, begin to vent the anger they had harbored; he gave them some time to make the statement they needed. The others¡¯ words seemed to have struck a chord, the two White Mages of Golden Tune kept silent, while the Attackers were clearly ufortable.


    The Attackers were aware at least in some way that Healers¡¯ earnings were lower than their own, but they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to say it out loud. That had been worrying for their White Mage allies and listening to theirints, but all that had only resulted in the true issue being glossed over; after all, everyone naturally did things in the best interest of their own selves.


    ¡°And with the introduction of the Tank role, Knight-type Jobs now have an alternative to trying to dish out firepower that they may or may not have. Please do consider giving it a try.¡±


    ¡°...What the hell? Now you¡¯re talking like we¡¯re the bad guys. We¡¯ve been the ones getting things done, you know.¡±


    Ealdred Crow¡¯s Attacker crossed his arms, showing dissatisfaction toward Tsutomu¡¯s manner of speaking. This particr individual was the n¡¯s ace Attacker, who had distinguished himself as the leader of his party fromyers forty to fifty-nine.


    ¡°Look, I can understand Healers ¡ª Wastnd, Beach, Valley, they¡¯re useful everywhere. But Tanks? With their low STR? Those Knights aren¡¯t even fit to be Explorers in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°...Why don¡¯t you just fight the Fire Dragon with the same party as before, then? Should go without a hitch, right? Not that I know what your n Leader thinks about this, though.¡±


    ¡°Now, Sova, please do shut up for a moment,¡± the child-like n Leader promptly reprimanded his Attacker upon seeing how Tsutomu was narrowing his eyes.


    In response, the Attacker reluctantly stopped his rant.


    ¡°But I suppose the way I spoke did make ite off as me criticizing Attackers unfairly. That was not my intention at all. Attackers, Healers, Buffers, Tanks ¡ª I think they are all essential parts of a party, and all I wanted was to get the information across. In fact, I do think that if done properly, everyone here would be able to defeat the Fire Dragon with rtive ease. Once again, I hope that you would consider giving the three-roleposition a try.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    It was a fact that Tsutomu had led a party of three with average levels of lower than sixty to defeat the Fire Dragon not only once, but twice; the Attacker could not argue against that.


    ¡°Next up is information regarding the Fire Dragon, I believe. First things first¨C¡°


    Tsutomu proceeded to share the information he had regarding the Fire Dragon ¡ª parts of which had been converted from his knowledge of the Live Dungeon game ¡ª after which the information session came to an end.

 Chapter 53, Role Guidance

    <h4>Chapter 53, Role Guidance</h4>


    Tsutomu¡¯s information session ended with a round of apuse from the three ns. Afterward, the newspaperpanies proceeded to interview the three ns about this project and their recent activities. Since these news coverages were apensation they agreed to in exchange for Tsutomu¡¯s information, the three ns assertively responded to the questions they were given. Therge man of the Labyrinth Conquerors had refused most interview requests for him up until this point, but this time, he agreed to talk without resistance upon being ordered so by his n Leader. The newspaper people were quite pleased that they were able to get some news coverage on him, and also the influential figures of the other major ns.


    The interviews ended after about two hours, at which point, Tsutomu asked everyone present whether or not they would like further guidance; the Leaders of all three ns immediately raised their hands. Among them, the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ n Leader proceeded to speak to Tsutomu,


    ¡°In the case that our White Mages cannot learn long-ranged healing skills, or we fail to defeat the Fire Dragon, we would like to receive your guidance. However, since us Labyrinth Conquerors have yet to reach the sixtiethyer, we are fine with being thest of the three ns.¡±


    She decided to pass up the opportunity to recruit Tsutomu at this time, since she had gotten to investigate him only on a surface level. The question she had now was the purpose for which Tsutomu was exploring God¡¯s Dungeon ¡ª in the many years that she had lived through, she had observed that men did it mostly for money, women, and prestige. But from her point of view, Tsutomu¡¯s background did not involve any of the three; as such, she did not yet have a clear idea of his inclinations.


    ¡°All right, I understand. Then we will be paying a visit to your n House whenever the two other ns havepleted their programs.¡±


    ¡°Do take your time ¡ª we don¡¯t mind even if it takes ce after the Stampede passes.¡±


    Stampede ¡ª Tsutomu guessed that it was what people here used to refer to this world¡¯s equivalent of the game¡¯s Town Defense Battle event. Meanwhile, the other members of the Labyrinth Conquerors immediately started preparing to vacate the venue. After taking a moment to look back at the members behind her, the n Leader continued speaking without even a slight change in her expression,


    ¡°There is much we can discuss still, but... unfortunately, we have an appointmentter today with the Security Team. When the next opportunity arises, I would like to have a nice, long talk with you, if possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. Having heard that you are a fellow White Mage, I certainly would also like to talk, as people in the same line of profession,¡± Tsutomu answered, clearly stating his goodwill.


    The n Leader then replied to him with the lifeless stare of her eyes, while hiding her mouth behind her hand. Then the man who had gotten his arm broken earlier walked up to talk to her; she nodded in response, said some words of thanks to Tsutomu, then turned around and walked away. The man took a disapproving nce at Tsutomu before following her, leaving the venue with his n.


    Tsutomu had already heard quite early on about the White Mage Leader of the n that had been exploring the Dungeons outside of town, where the danger of one losing their own life was real, and had always wanted to get to know her. d that he at least got to establish a connection today, Tsutomu reminded himself of the matter at hand and turned around,


    ¡°And now, as for who gets to go first between Golden Tune and Ealdred Crow¨C¡°


    ¡°You guys can already do it, so it¡¯s only fair that we get it first!¡±


    ¡°No way, sir. Why must I do that?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, we should just go by order of seniority, yeah?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not even that much older than me...¡±


    Tsutomu turned around to see the Golden Tune and Ealdred Crow n Leaders having a grand snark match against each other. Since it didn¡¯t look like they were going to reach an agreement by simply talking, Tsutomu quickly suggested deciding by lottery. And the result was...


    ¡°Woohoo!¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Golden Tune drew the right one and got the priority. Tsutomu approached n Leader of Ealdred Crow, who, after drawing a dud, was on his knees and with his hands on the ground.


    ¡°Well, Ealdred Crow has already at least put it into actual use, right? With the documents you were given, the n should be able to manage in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? Come on, you can¡¯t leave us hanging, Tsutomu! Just be done with the Wolfman ande teach us, too!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let his looks fool you, man ¡ª I know he looks like a brat, but he¡¯s already over twenty, you know,¡± the n Leader of Golden Tune warned.


    Tsutomu, troubled by what response he ought to give to the man of middle school-age stature clinging on to him with begging eyes, was quite surprised by the statement. The young man was half-human, half-Elf, so it was a given that his appearance still retained some childlike features at his current age. Moreover, he definitely had the wisdom to use his appearance to his advantage.


    With the young man sticking his tongue out at the Wolfman while clinging on still, Tsutomu promptly pulled him off. Then, after saying goodbye with a dry smile, Tsutomu turned to the Golden Tune n Leader and resumed their conversation,


    ¡°Now then... when should we get started?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re ready whenever you are.¡±


    ¡°Let us begin tomorrow, then. We look forward to our cooperation in the days toe, um... Leon ¡ª I can call you that, yes?¡±


    ¡°Sure, no problem at all. Be seein¡¯ you, man,¡± Leon said as he held out his hand.


    Tsutomu proceeded to give Leon a handshake, which got him a grip as firm as he had expected. He also bowed to the women behind the Wolfman; most of them smiled and bowed back, with the exception of two, who only nodded with somewhat dissatisfied looks on their faces.


    After that, Tsutomu went back to his room, having been told by the newspaper people that they would deal with the cleanup themselves; they had sounded quite proud of themselves to dere so, and Tsutomu had been all too willing to oblige. Feeling relieved from the tension of talking in front of more than a hundred people, he fell asleep quite early in the evening.


    ...Then Tsutomu suddenly woke up in the dead of night, instantly regretting the fact that he had slept at the wrong time. He proceeded to search through his drawers for the documents on which he hadpiled data on the Golden Tune; although he had collected more information of the mid-tier ns, he had more or less looked into the major ns as well.


    Golden Tune was a major n led by Leon, and simr to Camille, he was the sole ¡®Golden¡¯ one of his Wolfman kind and possessed a Unique Skill. Naturally, he was the best of his group, with many of his followers also being excellent Attackers.


    The n, including its office workers, had about forty members in total. One point worth noting was that most n members were women, and out of those women, ny percent were married to Leon. In other words, a harem n. As such, there was the advantage in that its members were obedient to Leon, but also some natural advantages that came with it.


    The first thing Tsutomu had noticed from their activities was that many of the Attackers were, for some reason, quite eager to sacrifice themselves for their Leader. ¡®Watch out, Leon!¡¯ they would shout and push him out of the way, taking monsters¡¯ attacks in his stead and dispersing into light particles as Leon held them. The scene would have been tragic if it did not ur so often, at which point the people watching through the Monitors only wondered why it was happening again and again.


    Other than that, support skills applied at the beginning of fights had clearly longer durations on Leon only, and they also had a tendency to drink Potions themselves then feed the contents to him mouth-to-mouth. At one point, them doing all that had resulted in them almost getting wiped out in the Canyons; it had been quite an exasperating sight for Tsutomu to witness.


    Although they did not fool around when attempting the Fire Dragon, elsewhere, the Attackers would sacrifice themselves in ce of Leon from time to time. Once, when Leon could not be resurrected after dying for a second time in a round, the party¡¯s performance had gone noticeably worse.


    With Live Dungeon being an MMORPG, Tsutomu had asionally seen the rare female yer characters being buttered up by men starving for attention, effectively staging up a princess roley routine. Golden Tune was the opposite of that, with women in a harem being all over their ¡®prince¡¯ ¡ª that was the impression Tsutomu had of them.


    [This kind of dynamic would work super effectively if they had Tanks in their ranks, though. Looks like they might actually learn the concept faster than I¡¯d expected them to.]


    The role of defending Leon from the monsters ¡ª imagining that the women with Knight-type Jobs would be quite eager to do it, Tsutomu began to prepare for tomorrow by looking through the notes that contained details of the Golden Tune¡¯s notable members.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The next day, Tsutomu headed to Golden Tune¡¯s n House. There, he was weed and guided inside by the bespectacled clerk. A n made up mostly of one man¡¯s entourage ¡ª seeing that in person, Tsutomu immediately questioned his views on Leon; from earlier conversations, Tsutomu had seen him as just a good-natured cool guy, but now, he saw him as someone on a whole ¡®nother level.


    The women who greeted Tsutomu on the way did not seem to hold any animosity toward him; in fact, their interactions seemed perfectly normal. The catch here was that some of the Attackers did not take well to Tsutomu¡¯s proposal of the three-roleposition, as did a few of the Healers, as apparent from the few disapproving looks he got.


    The guide showed Tsutomu to the reception room. Inside, Leon was ying a board game with three women, and stood up immediately as he saw Tsutomu enter.


    ¡°Oh, there you are, Tsutomu! Anddd... game set!¡±


    ¡°Wha ¡ª wait a second!¡±


    Leon approached Tsutomu and put his arms around thetter¡¯s shoulder; Tsutomu, on the other hand, took a nce in the table¡¯s direction and saw that the women, having apparently lost the board game, were tidying things up with frustration showing on their lips.


    ¡°Time¡¯s a-wastin¡¯ ¡ª let hurry up into the Dungeon!¡±


    ¡°Uh, no, we ought to go over our agenda first.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, right. Eunice! Over here!¡±


    The young woman in question, upon being called by Leon, had her yellow tail standing upright and her face a cheerful smile... which turned into a tantly disgruntled look upon seeing Tsutomu; she proceeded to trudge over to them from the far side of the room. She was none other than the Healer who had presented a prominent opinion during Tsutomu¡¯s press conference on the previous day.


    ¡°Here¡¯s Eunice, the current Healer of our main party. Remember her? You know, talked back at you yesterday? She¡¯s also in charge of setting the party¡¯s policies. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s get talkin¡¯!.¡±


    ¡°Leon, you can stay there and keep ying your board games. I¡¯ve got this!¡± Eunice suggested to Leon, her voice sounding quite merry.


    ¡°O-okay... Just tell me about it when you¡¯re done, then!¡± Leon said after a brief moment of contemtion, then tapped Tsutomu on his shoulder before returning to the table.


    Tsutomu, after seeing Leon start up another board game session, looked back at Eunice and noticed that she was somewhat shorter than himself.


    Eunice promptly retracted her grandiloquent grin and shook her head as if telling him to follow her to the hallway before walking away. Tsutomu, understanding that as her telling him to continue the conversation elsewhere, said nothing and simply followed her.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll go bring some tea,¡± Eunice said and went to the far side of the room again.


    After a while, she returned with two cups of cold tea and set one in front of Tsutomu. Tsutomu, getting a bad sign from this gesture, only tapped his lips on the cup without touching the contents, then proceeded to say something as he moved the cup away,


    ¡°Um, are you sure you don¡¯t want Leon in this discussion?¡±


    ¡°...*I* am the one in charge of the party¡¯s policies.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, right, right,¡± Tsutomu said while worrying about why it had to be her, or all people, and whether or not things were actually going well for them.


    Eunice ced the materials she had received from Tsutomu yesterday on the table.


    ¡°First of all, I¡¯ve already looked over all of these... And I must ept the fact that your strategies are useful, as they have already been used by a team of three to sessfully defeat the Fire Dragon. Leon has also always been vocally against Knights receiving unfair treatment, so we are working to introduce Tanks to ourposition.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°...Now, you have to hurry and teach me how to do long-range healing skills ¡ª I mean, please. I tried it out yesterday, and it didn¡¯t work out at all.¡±


    Eunice bowed her head to Tsutomu, albeit with a look of deep reluctance, and asked for his guidance. The ck-furred part at the tip of her tail, too, shook in correspondence with her frustration. Tsutomu, showing no change in expression in particr, replied to her nonchntly,


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll have a look at it once we¡¯re in the Dungeon, then ¡ª but first of all, you have to have it in your mindset that you actually can heal with long-range healing skills. Also, how would you like the party set-up to be?¡±


    ¡°...I was thinking we¡¯d go with two Healers, two Attackers, and one Tank.¡±


    ¡°Understood. For today, let¡¯s aim to have you learn to use long-range healing skills, then.¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t learn it, I¡¯ll have you answer to the court ofw.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t say,¡± Tsutomu replied as tly as ever.


    Not liking the reaction she had gotten, Eunice looked away, disgruntled.

 Chapter 54, A Prince’s Clan?

    <h4>Chapter 54, A Prince¡¯s n?</h4>


    Tsutomu ended the discussion by deciding that the training would take ce on the fifty-sixthyer; together with him, Eunice reluctantly went to exin the process thus far to Leon. Tsutomu had figured thatyers with fewer multi-wave battles, such as the fifty-fifth or a fewyers lower, would have been better for training, but Eunice had refused, citing the public reputation that a major n had to maintain. Tsutomu wondered whether or not the n Leader was the kind of person to care much about disys of honor, but in the end, he had not said anything.


    This time, Leon was losing badly at his board game; while scratching his short, blond hair, he listened to Eunice¡¯s proposal of partyposition and choice of Dungeonyer. After acknowledging every detail, he then went to gather up the party members.


    The selected Healers were Tsutomu and Eunice. Attackers were Leon, who boasted the highest firepower in the n, and Diniel, as the long-ranged damage dealer. Once thetter saw Tsutomu, her eyes widened into a scrutinizing look, to which Tsutomu reacted with confusion. The day in which Diniel had first seen Tsutomu, she had kept herself ¡®hidden¡¯ from the scene, so from Tsutomu¡¯s point of view, now was the first time they actually met each other.


    From Diniel¡¯s point of view, on the other hand, Tsutomu was the man whom her best friend had been clinging on to that night. And with that best friend of hers being Amy, of all people, Diniel was naturally curious as to what Tsutomu¡¯s deal was.


    Last but not least, the team¡¯s designated Tank was the Heavy Knight Barbara, a Furbalg ¡ª human-bear hybrid. She was quite rigid in expression, perhaps due to being stuck between the happiness of getting to be in a party with Leon and the nervousness of delving into unknown territory in terms of her role.


    ¡°Without further ado... let us head into the Dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Yup, let¡¯s go! I¡¯m expecting good stuff, man!¡± Leon shouted out cheerfully and patted Tsutomu on the back before walking on ahead.


    ¡°......¡±


    Eunice, shorter than both of them, was ring at Tsutomu the whole time.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°...No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Eunice held her tongue and looked away, denying the fact that she had been trying to say something earlier. As she turned, her yellow hair fluttered. She proceeded to go after Leon, who was by now already out of the n House.


    Tsutomu took his eyes off Eunice and also followed Leon, leaving the n House and heading to the Guild.


    Along the way, Tsutomu looked up at Barbara, the Furbalg who had been chosen to be the team¡¯s Tank, with whom he had not yet spoken. Since Furbalgs were very likely to haverge builds by heredity, she was almost as tall as Garm despite being a woman. She carried arge Magic Bag on her back, and the heavy armor she wore rattled with her every step. The bear ears on her head wererge, round, and in light brown, and she stiffened up upon realizing that Tsutomu was looking at her.


    ¡°Hello. I look forward to working with you today.¡±


    ¡°L-likewise.¡±


    ¡°Oh, have you looked over the handouts, by the way?¡±


    ¡°I have... So the gist of it is that I¡¯ll be using Combat Cry and making myself the shield that protects Leon from monsters¡¯ attacks! Isn¡¯t that right!?¡±


    ¡°The party¡¯s shield, yes.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right, right. Now I can fulfill my duty ¡ª shield Leon, fall down, have him hold me until I turn into light and fade away...¡± Barbara rambled on, her eyes a fiery ze.


    Tsutomu tried to continue the conversation, but she seemed to have gone into her own little world and would not respond. After trying to talk one more time, Tsutomu gave up and spoke instead to the blonde Elf Diniel,


    ¡°Good day ¡ª I look forward to working with you.¡±


    ¡°Good day,¡± Diniel replied curtly to Tsutomu¡¯s greeting.


    Tsutomu proceeded to try and talk to her, but all he ended up getting were brief, almost minimal responses. She did not seem to act any differently toward Leon, however. Having observed as such, Tsutomu wondered what kind of person she really was like; he dwelled on the thought right up to when the group arrived at the Guild.


    Upon stepping inside, Leon headed straight to queue up for the counter managed by the beautiful receptionistdy, despite it having a rather long line. Once it was finally the group¡¯s turn, he only briefly greeted thedy and immediately proceeded to hit on her, leaving Tsutomu behind him exasperated.


    The receptionistdy passed each of the four Golden Tune members a needle and a piece of paper, while Tsutomu got just the paper. Looking at the receptionist, Tsutomu thought to himself how well she knew him despite them having never even been in a conversation; thedy, upon noticing him, beamed him a smile. Tsutomu, to cover up his awkwardness, put the tip of the paper in his mouth.


    ¡°Huh, so you don¡¯t use the needles, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°It hurts, so no thanks.¡±


    ¡°Really... You don¡¯t wanna show off to the receptionistdy? How ¡¯bout I show you how to look cool while doing it, eh?¡±


    Leon swiftly twirled the thin needle in one hand and grazed it again a finger of another, drawing a single drop of blood, which then sttered onto his piece of paper. Tsutomu, not quite impressed, thought to himself how simr the move was to pen-spinning, and in the end refrained from doing so.


    After the five were done registering their party, they stepped into a Magic Circle, teleporting to the fifty-sixthyer. While Tsutomu gazed nkly into the distance of the storm-ridden sands, Barbara took out everyone¡¯s equipment and luggage from herrge Magic Bag and started getting things set up.


    The Golden Tune party wasprised mainly of those with rtively light equipment; the only one in heavy armor here was Barbara, while the others were in either lightweight armor or leather. Leon wore a set of ck leather armor and wielded a long sword, and Barbara carried a buckler in one hand and a spear in the other. Today¡¯s designated luggage carrier, Eunice, proceeded to carry the gigantic Magic Bag instead.


    Diniel, having finished setting up her wooden bow, fixed an arrow to the string and aligned her aim diagonally upwards. Then she uttered the name of a skill in a drained, zero-motivation voice,


    ¡°<<Eagle Eye>>,¡± she said, and together with it, let loose the arrow.


    She proceeded to let loose more arrows, one each to the east, west, south, and north, then squinted into the distance while pulling her hand in and out of her long and narrow, quiver-like magic bag.


    ¡°Orcs to the north. Wyverns to the west. Nothing to the south and east.¡±


    ¡°...Hmm. All right. Let¡¯s head north, then,¡± Tsutomu stated his direction of choice.


    The Archers¡¯ Job-specific skill, <<Eagle Eye>>, not only improved one¡¯s eyesight and uracy, but also allowed one to temporarily transfer their field of vision to wherever their arrows were. Since Tsutomu had thus far been asking someone to help him search for enemies on foot, he was quite surprised to learn that such a convenient skill existed.


    The reason Tsutomu had chosen north was that he felt that going to the Wyverns right off the bat would be too much for this group to handle. The Tank, Barbara, looked quite nervous, since this was her very first time in the main party. Leon and Diniel were perfectly capable, but Tsutomu wanted to avoid the Wyverns until Barbara got her moves down.


    While the party of five headed north with Leon in the lead, Tsutomu tried exining the courses of action of a Tank to Barbara, but thetter seemed too nervous to take any of the information in ¡ª so nervous, in fact, that it showed despite her wearing a full-face helmet. Tsutomu also tried asking Leon to exin things to her instead, but once thetter started talking, Barbara ended up getting too excited. As Tsutomumented how this run could end with a failure, the party of five encountered their intended targets, a group of nine Orcs.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡± Barbara shouted, her voice muffled perhaps due to her helmet, as she unleashed a red aura and charged at the Orcs.


    Tsutomu tried to keep her in check, but she simply would not stop. Though exasperated by what he was seeing, he gave up trying to keep Barbara still, instead waving his staff and shooting <


    > to her, raising her VIT. With the knowledge that a Heavyweight Warrior would not die so quickly, Tsutomu turned to look at Leon, and saw thattter was looking at him as well.


    ¡°So we just beat the monsters while Barbara distracts them?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get started¨C¡°


    ¡°Oh, wait, Leon ¡ª please just watch and see how things go this time.¡±


    Having almost taken his first step forward, Leon had to force himself to stop upon hearing Tsutomu¡¯s statement.


    ¡°Diniel. Can you pick off the Orcs one at a time, while also being extra careful not to misfire?¡± Tsutomu proceeded to ask.


    ¡°...I think I can.¡±


    ¡°Please do that, then.¡±


    After waving his hand in the direction of the Orcs, Tsutomu proceeded to use <<Fly>> on himself and ascended into the sky. Looking down, he saw Barbara being surrounded by the nine Orcs, struck by their clubs and shed at by their short swords.


    Initially, Tsutomu had nned not to use <<Fly>> at all, with the intention being that he wanted the team to understand the basics of ground-level support. But since Barbara had gone and gotten herself surrounded by the nine Orcs right off the bat, he felt that it would be impossible to provide ground support, which had led to his choice of supporting from high above.


    Now surrounded by the Orcs and without a way out, Barbara was in quite a bit of potential danger; no matter how high her VIT was, hits to their head would be considered Critical damage, which would in turn result in the weakening of one¡¯s VIT¡¯s defensive properties. Barbara was taking more and more damage, and repeated blows to her head threatened to make her lose consciousness ¡ª also known as the Stun status effect.


    ¡°<<Heal>>. <<Medic>>.¡±


    As Tsutomu observed the battle from above, he cast <<Heal>>, and also <<Medic>> just in case. Upon being hit with thetter spell, Barbara seemed to have snapped out of whatever trance she had been in.


    And as if to cover her, three arrows were fired from behind, two of which pierced the legs of an Orc with precision, and then the third, most powerful arrow struck its head. The Orc dropped dead, dispersing into light particles.


    ¡°<<Heal>>. Barbara! Fall back!¡±


    Hearing that from Tsutomu up above, Barbara did as told and broke away from the group of Orcs. Two of the Orcs that had been watching one of their kind get shot in the head looked instead in the direction of Diniel, the one who had shot the arrow, as if they were being extra careful about her.


    ¡°Use <<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Use <<Combat Cry>>! Hurry!¡±


    ¡°C-<<Combat Cry>>!¡± Barbara activated her skill on reflex, prompted by Tsutomu¡¯s shout. A red aura spread out in a circle around her,pelling the Orcs to target her as they were hit with it.


    ¡°Position yourself before you¡¯re surrounded. You don¡¯t have to defeat any of them ¡ª just don¡¯t get surrounded.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t let you stand around for long! Get ready!¡±


    Barbara was just about to answer Tsutomu up above when a dagger went straight at her head. After blocking it with her buckler, she thrust her spear at the Orc¡¯s thigh. As Barbara pulled out her spear and was about to deliver another blow, Tsutomu stopped her,


    ¡°They¡¯re going around you! Pull back now! You¡¯re not an Attacker ¡ª don¡¯t attack!¡±


    ¡°What the ¡ª but I can¡¯t! Well, I mean...¡±


    She thrust her spear again anyway, but this time it did not prate the Orc¡¯s tough muscles; instead, it only went halfway through, failing to be a fatal strike.


    The Orc, with Barbara¡¯s spear still stuck in its flesh, sent her flying away with its club. Taking the swing on her right arm, she rolled quite a distance away as shended. Several Orcs tried to chase her down, but Tsutomu distracted them with <<Air des>>, then Diniel¡¯s arrows came flying at them from afar, making short work of the monsters.


    That also caused the remaining Orcs to ignore Barbara, heading toward Diniel instead. But before they could reach her, she unleashed abination of skills to shoot repeatedly, hitting all their heads and turning them into light particles.


    [So, we¡¯ve got to also train the Tank as we go, huh...]


    Now it was not just about Eunice, but Barbara as well ¡ª thetter still had it deeply etched in her mindset and behavior that she must attack. While thinking about how that must be corrected, Tsutomu helped Barbara up.


    ¡°Where does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Right arm, maybe left leg.¡±


    ¡°All right, then please hold them just like that. I¡¯d like to teach Eunice to use <<Heal>> now.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Barbara stood up on her feet and walked out a little shakily, following Tsutomu back to where Leon and the two others were.


    ¡°...Y¡¯all doing all right there?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d say it was perfectly fine for one¡¯s first outing. Even Garm couldn¡¯t manage all that well at first, you see,¡± Tsutomu spoke with a genuine, broad smile.


    ¡°O-oh. Right, right,¡± Leon nodded in relief.


    Tsutomu proceeded to have Barbara remove her armor, and after he confirmed the bruises on her right arm and left leg on which she had been hit by the Orcs, he called out to Eunice,


    ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll heal the bruise on her right arm. Look closely, and recognize that long-range healing skills can heal effectively.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Eunice answered, her tail of neatly-trimmed fur waggling.


    Tsutomu stepped away, keeping a distance of about seven meters while he held up his white staff.


    ¡°<<Heal>>,¡± Tsutomu slightly suppressed his mental energy in creating the <<Heal>> sphere before sending it flying at Barbara¡¯s right arm; the bruise faded away, and eventually disappearedpletely.


    Eunice observed the healing process with quite a serious look on her face.


    Tsutomu ran back to confirm that the bruise on Barbara¡¯s arm had healed, and that the bruise on her left leg was still there, then turned to Eunice.


    ¡°Now you give it a try, Eunice. Take a few steps away and cast a long-ranged <<Heal>>.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Eunice did not answer, and only looked down with her fox ears standing upright, as if to signify her increased vignce. Tsutomu, wondering what the deal with her was this time, tilted his head to the side and continued,


    ¡°Oh? Did you not hear me? I¡¯d like you to try using a long-ranged <<Heal>> at least once... Not that I think you¡¯ll manage to heal fully with your very first shot, of course, so don¡¯t worry about failing.¡±


    ¡°Ngh¨C! I know! I¡¯ll get it right, you¡¯ll see!¡±


    Eunice scowled at Tsutomu in ill humor before holding up her staff and walking away, her steps as heavy as her apparent anger. While still wondering what was wrong with her, Tsutomu turned to look at Eunice as she kept a distance of about three meters. It was somewhat too close for his liking, but Tsutomu did not take issue with it, and waved his hand as a sign for her to get started.


    ¡°Go ahead, then. Again, it¡¯s alright if you can¡¯t pull it off yet, so please don¡¯t pressure yourself,¡± Tsutomu said some words to lower the bar of expectation, having wondered if it was because she did not want to fail while Leon was watching.


    Eunice grumbled something to herself, then gripped her staff with both hands, assumed a ready stance, and chanted the skill¡¯s name,


    ¡°<<Heal>>!¡±


    The vapor-like aura of <<Heal>> appeared from the tip of her staff. The mass of energy sparkled in green as it flew toward Barbara... but was swept away by the wind and disappeared into the clouds.


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Now, Tsutomu had a guess as to why Eunice was in such a bad mood. Eunice proceeded to walk back to the group, her face bright red in frustration, her hands tightly gripping her staff, and her yellow tail pointing down.

 Chapter 55, The Volatile Tank and the Volatile-minded Healer

    <h4>Chapter 55, The Vtile Tank and the Vtile-minded Healer</h4>


    It turned out that Tsutomu had been wrong right from his initial assumptions. He had heard from Misil that Lorena, Silver Beast¡¯s White Mage, had seeded in learning the long-range <<Heal>> in just half a day. With Lorena belonging to a mid-tier n, and her being able to do it so easily, Tsutomu had assumed that the act of using long-ranged healing skills itself was not all that difficult.


    However, Lorena could be considered more experienced in this line of work, having explored God¡¯s Dungeon since six years ago, meaning she had been in the scene before the discrepancy of treatment between Job types had been a thing. Back in those days, Enchanters still saw prominent activity, and Silver Beast even had one among their ranks. That Enchanter of theirs had shown Lorena their long-ranged support skills, which had given thetter a clear image of what she needed to make, and on that same day, she had gotten to see Tsutomu shoot a <<Heal>> at Misil on the Monitor at the Guild.


    Inparison, Eunice had be an Explorer four years ago, and by that time, two of the most influential faces of Enchanters had already essentially retired. One had joined the Security Team, and the other had taken over their family¡¯s business. As a result, there were no longer any notable Enchanters, and in turn, the job had stopped showing up on the Monitors altogether. As such, Eunice had never really gotten to see a long-ranged support skill in action, and since she had not paid full attention to the Fire Dragon battles, Tsutomu¡¯s use of <<Heal>> had left nosting impression on her.


    Considering those factors, it was not possible for her to fully understand the long-ranged <<Heal>> within a day; the most she could do now was the vapor-like aura. Tsutomu, after realizing that, thought back to what he had said earlier, and guessed that he must have sounded quite sarcastic.


    ¡°Sorry. I might¡¯ve missed some crucial information there,¡± Tsutomu said as he bowed to apologize to Eunice and Leon.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Ah, well... She¡¯ll just have to keep practicing, yeah?¡± Leon said as he nced at Eunice, feeling awkward and with his wolf ears down.


    Eunice, taking Tsutomu¡¯s bowing as him apologizing for herck of ability, had tears welling in her eyes and was seeing a whole lot of red, to the point at which one would think she would be punching Tsutomu any second now. She was just about overwhelmed with emotions of rage and shame.


    The exploration continued on after that, with Eunice practicing how to shoot <<Heal>> along the way... and it did not take long for the team to run into trouble. It happened during the second wave of monsters in a multi-wave battle.


    ¡°Ugh...¡±


    The party¡¯s Tank, Barbara, still was not able to fulfill her role; that fact was especially evident during multi-wave battles against monsters. Seeing how she had her hands full dealing with just one Orc, Tsutomu was at his wit¡¯s end as to what could be done.


    Barbara¡¯s level was sixty-five, the same level as Garm, and among the highest level range of all the Heavy Knights in town. As such, Tsutomu had initially held expectations for her to be decent at her role, if not on the same level as Garm.


    But her performance turned out to be poor enough that one could clearly assert that her proficiency did not correspond with her numerical level. In practical situations, she would lose to Orcs and Kungfu-garoos¡¯ critical attacks rendering her unconscious and locking her into a Stunned state. Wyverns could also easily bite her, destroying her equipment. And she was worse than Tsutomu when it came to controlling <<Fly>>.


    [She¡¯s like a vtile minefield...]


    Her level and status ratings were high, but her movements did not match up with them at all. In Live Dungeon, such yers were christened as bombs under the surface ¡ª in other words, a minefield. Tsutomu, while observing her shabby movements, grumbled to himself and shot her a <<Medic>> each time she was Stunned.


    ¡°Wyverns from the north. Orcs from the west,¡± Diniel, who had been using <<Eagle Eye>> to search the vicinity, informed the team of more iing monsters, topping off an already sticky situation.


    The ones remaining here currently were seven Orcs and one Wyvern. The team was unlikely to wipe out the monsters before the third wave arrived, and the same probably would go for the fourth.


    If this was a standard party of five, the team would still be able to salvage the situation despite one Tank out ofmission, but this time, it was a two-Healer setup. If they were to lose their Tank now, continuing with the three-roleposition would put them all at the risk of death. Tsutomu used <<Fly>> to ascend and cast <


    > for Barbara, then shot <<Haste>> to both of the Attackers at once.


    ¡°We might get wiped out at this rate, so I¡¯m changing our tactics! Diniel and Leon, just fight like you normally do! I¡¯ll adjust myself to match!¡±


    ¡°Oh? Got it, man!¡±


    Leon, wolf ears twitching in response to Tsutomu¡¯s voice, licked his lips like an actual wolf facing its prey.


    ¡°<<Gold Breath>>,¡± Leon uttered, and at the same time, his short blond hair and tail glistened... and a momentter, he sprinted ahead with blinding speed.


    The air shook, the magnitude of wind pressure making it seem as if the air itself was avoiding him. In an instant, he reached the Orc that Barbara had been attacking, and he proceeded to simply stab its chest with his long sword. Still maintaining his boosted speed, he then shed to the side... and by the time Tsutomu blinked, Leon¡¯s sword was already stabbing another Orc.


    Leon had already reached his current level limit of seventy, and his strongest status, AGI, had the rating of A. Moreover, his Unique Skill, Gold Breath, had the effect of temporarily raising one¡¯s highest status by two rating tiers. Adding that and Tsutomu¡¯s <<Haste>>, his cumtive AGI had a rating of S.


    In terms of speed alone, he was far above Camille. In Tsutomu¡¯s perspective as he watched carefully from above, a ck dot was zipping around at extreme speed, felling one monster after another upon reaching them. It was as if that dot was flicking the monsters out of the way as it traveled in straight lines from creature to creature.


    And Diniel, the team¡¯s Archer, had turned to the new, fast-approaching monsters, shooting arrows at them without pause. The Wyvern, flying toward her from the north, already had more than ten arrows stuck on each of their bodies.


    ¡°<<Haste>>.¡±


    Tsutomu predicted the directions in which Leon would be moving, cing a <<Haste>> pick-up for him along the way. Since Leon¡¯s fast movements were mostly linear, the prediction was correct, and as a result, he stepped on the pick-up and got an extension to his AGI boost.


    ¡°<<Heal>>. <<Haste>>.¡±


    Tsutomu then cast <<Heal>> for Barbara, and while Diniel was running along with an arrow fixed to her bowstring, he shot her a <<Haste>> to extend her effect¡¯s duration right before the previous cast ran out. Since Barbara had not applied the effect of <<Combat Cry>> to the new wave of monsters, the ones that weren¡¯t being taken care of by the two Attackers started heading towards Tsutomu instead.


    [Give me a break...]


    Tsutomu thought how annoying it was to be targeted by monster aggro for the first time in quite a while, but still did his part in sorting out the kinds of approaching monsters and his allies¡¯ positions, and also worked out the remaining duration of their support skill effects.


    Understanding the situation¡¯s big picture in no time at all, Tsutomunded, focused his mental energy, and deployed a powerful <<Barrier>>. Then, while casting <<Haste>> on himself, he pulled a small bottle of Blue Potion from his waist and took a sip. The Barrier, taking on the attacks of more than ten monsters, crumbled in mere seconds. While the monsters rushed in on him, Tsutomu used <<Fly>> to ascend, and then dodged the iing Orcs¡¯ arrows and Wyverns¡¯ tail spikes.


    ¡°<<Barrier>>.¡±


    While dodging all the projectiles he could with just <<Fly>>, the ones that could not be avoided were intercepted by another <<Barrier>>. Twelve seconds left until Leon¡¯s <<Haste>> expired. Tsutomu ced a <<Haste>> pick-up early for Leon, so as to have time left to ce another in the case it missed him, and then shooting another <<Haste>> to Diniel just before her effect expired, hitting her as she ran along the field of battle.


    In the sky, two of the Wyverns chased after Tsutomu, while some of the Orcs on the ground nocked their arrows and aimed at him. Tsutomu evaded the Wyverns¡¯ ramming attacks and blocked their tail spikes with <<Barrier>>, then managed to dodge the arrowsing from below by a hair¡¯s breadth. One of the arrows grazed his robe, sending a scrap of white cloth fluttering down.


    ¡°Ack¨C¡± Tsutomu let out a shameful whine upon seeing the arrow take away a bit of his robe, while also doing all he could to dodge the two Wyverns¡¯ attacks; as for the tail spikes and attacks he could not dodge, he managed to cast another <<Barrier>> just in time to ward them off.


    Though he was surviving, being hunted relentlessly by two enemies meant that Tsutomu had no means of escaping thempletely, and despite <<Barrier>> draining chunks off his mental energy pool, he had not enough time to drink a Blue Potion. Slowly but surely, he was being driven into a corner.


    Upon dodging one Wyvern¡¯s ramming attack, Tsutomu saw that the other Wyvern had been waiting for him to do just that. Its talons drew near, ready to grab his face.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    But that moment, a ck silhouette d in a blue aura streaked forth, knocking the Wyvern away. It was none other than Leon, in his ck leather armor.


    The bow-wielding Orcs on the ground, having been prioritized by Diniel, had already been turned into Magic Stones by now, leaving the ground battlefield with only closebat Orcs and Kungfu-garoos. Although momentarily relieved, Tsutomu drank a <<Blue Potion>> to recover lost mental energy, and upon seeing Leon wave one of his arms in pain, cast <<Heal>> on him.


    With the monsters¡¯ numbers lessened, the battle situation stabilized, and the team eventually made it out of the multi-wave battle. Barbara, whose equipment was badly tattered, dragged her heels on her way to regroup with everyone, and Eunice looked at Tsutomu with her eyes wide open, her earlier angerpletely dispelled.


    Tsutomu looked at the torn section of his white robe and heaved a sigh. He had expected things to be more difficult than when he was with his previous party, but he still was greatly discouraged by the fact that he had almost gotten shot on his first outing here.


    ¡°Looks like the Canyons are still too early for us. We ought to retreat,¡± Tsutomu suggested.


    ¡°Huh? No way! We should be able to push through just fine, right?¡± Leon insisted, overly excited because of Tsutomu¡¯s ability to maintain his speed-boosting effect with <<Haste>> pick-up cements.


    ¡°Uh, not quite... my Potions are from the Forest Apothecary, you see. Besides, going at it like this wouldn¡¯t be good training for a Tank, either,¡± Tsutomu said and revealed the Potion bottles on his waist under his robe.


    ¡°Ahh, all right. I understand. Let¡¯s retreat,¡± Leon, calming himself down, finally agreed to the choice.


    ¡°Sorry for the trouble, but it¡¯s for the best.¡±


    The team¡¯s choice to explore the Canyons had been forcibly decided by Eunice, but Tsutomu had also agreed to it, having thought that things would go fine with Barbara¡¯s high level; thus, he was partly responsible for the choice through thatpromise. Eunice directed a silent stare at Tsutomu, which thetter ignored as he walked in the direction Diniel was pointing at after she had finished searching for the enemies in the area.


    Although the party encountered some monsters and engaged in more multi-wave battles along the way, they managed to get through with Tsutomu focusing his support on the two Attackers, and also turning himself into a pseudo-Tank by using <<Barrier>> to defend against enemies¡¯ attacks.


    [But my Potions...]


    However, that strategy demanded the greatly increased consumption of Potions, and also put Tsutomu¡¯s body considerably closer to danger than he should ever be. Furthermore, although Tsutomu had practiced covering objects and other people with <<Barrier>>, he had yet to learn how to properly use it to protect himself. This had caused him to make his <<Barriers>> unnecessarilyrge, and the skill to consume more mental energy than needed; that, in turn, had resulted in him having to down quite a lot of Blue Potions. Although he still had plenty of them in stock, the item¡¯s market price had skyrocketedtely and supply was running low, so he did not want to use them if not necessary.


    And so, clocking out at about two hours, the party exited the Canyons without much sess. Eunice still could not use the long-ranged <<Heal>>, and Barbara¡¯s movements and numerical level were still greatly uneven. Tsutomu suggested to Leon that they ought to go back to the n House for the day, which they then did.


    Additionally, Leon decided to reimburse Tsutomu the cost of Blue Potion he had used with arger share of the loot, lifting quite a hefty weight off of thetter¡¯s chest. On the way back to the n House, Eunice asked Tsutomu to teach her the various moves he had used, but Tsutomu tly refused to, saying that she ought to be able to use long-ranged skills first.

 Chapter 56, The First Step

    <h4>Chapter 56, The First Step</h4>


    After about a five minutes¡¯ walk from the Guild, Leon¡¯s party of five arrived back at the n House; Leon, while rubbing his belly, headed straight to the Dining Hall. Tsutomu was invited as well, but he politely declined and immediately took out a pen and a piece of paper from his Magic Bag, put thetter on a desk, then started writing down the issues the team had faced today.


    ¡°Oh, Barbara. There are a few things I¡¯d like to ask you, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°...What is it?¡±


    Barbara, having realized that her position as a Knight of the Golden Tune was at stake due to her shameful disy in front of Leon, looked up from her downcast face and turned her gloomy eyes to Tsutomu. She had been selected, and endorsed by the others, to take part in this project with the main party due to her level being the highest among those with Knight-type Jobs here. The results so far had branded her as the bottleneck of progress in all respects, and she was quite discouraged because of that, so much so that her massive frame looked like it was shrinking.


    Looking at Barbara be like that, Tsutomu discarded all initial expectations that had stemmed from her high level and asked,


    ¡°How have you been raising your level up to now?¡±


    ¡°...I asked Leon to let me go along with him into the Dungeon, and it just increased as myyer progress was updated.¡±


    ¡°...And during the times you went, what role did you have?¡±


    ¡°...Luggage carrier.¡±


    [Figures.]


    Heavy Knights tended to have low DEX, so their <<Fly>> control was unavoidably clumsy, but Barbara was even worse than that standard, having crashed to the ground without any attempt at a recovery upon being caught and subsequently dropped by a Wyvern. Normally, the Carrier Birds on the fifty-firstyer would force one to get better at using <<Fly>> regardless of whether or not they liked it, so it was unlikely for anyone to plunge straight down like that.


    [When Barbara went to update her progress, it was probably with four other attackers, so the Carrier Birds didn¡¯t have any chance of carrying her away... It¡¯s still quite a surprise that she managed to reach level sixty-five doing just that, though.]


    Since they¡¯d had the Archer Diniel with them, the Carrier Birds could be neutralized easily enough while they were traveling through the air. And even if Barbara were to be caught, it was easy for one to imagine Leon rescuing her and holding her like a princess... the thought of which prompted Tsutomu toment the facts in his mind while proceeding to write the points that needed fixing down on the paper. Although Leon was technically the ¡®prince¡¯ of Golden Tune, he also possessed the abilities of a ¡®knight¡¯ to protect his ¡®princesses;¡¯ as such, Tsutomu was convinced that some sort of change must ur in the dynamics of their rtionships before things could properly proceed.


    ¡°For the time being, I have ns for you to keep training in the Dungeon, so please go get some rest and take a look at this in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°Ah, all right...¡±


    Handed the sheet of paper listing points that she needed to improve, the text of which was spaced just right to make it easy to read, Barbara held the piece of paper as she walked off to the n House¡¯s Dining Hall.


    Next, Tsutomu called out to Eunice, who was drinking some cheap Blue Potion to regain her mental strength after repeatedly casting out her vapor-like <<Heal>. Seeing what she was drinking, Tsutomu grimaced, since it was of the beginner-catering brand that was famous for their good prices and awful quality.


    ¡°As for Eunice, I suppose you¡¯ll have to get the long-ranged <<Heal>> down first... But you really don¡¯t have to practice so much that you need to drink Potions, just saying.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll learn to do it quickly. So once I¡¯m able to shoot <<Heals>> properly, hurry and teach me that other stuff you did,¡± Eunice voiced her demand to Tsutomu while putting up with the lingering bitter taste in her mouth.


    In fact, the Blue Potion Eunice had been drinking had a taste so bad that one might think it was hazardous to the human body. Despite that, each time she was about to run out of mental energy, she drank it and went straight back to casting <<Heal>>. It seemed that, having seen Tsutomu¡¯s disy of skill just now, she had felt a strong, sudden spark of motivation.


    If Eunice were to learn long-ranged healing skills and some degree of support skills, her n might have a chance at defeating the Fire Dragon... given that the party¡¯s four other members were level-70 Attackers with prior experience fighting against the Fire Dragon.


    Beyond thatyer was the Volcano biome, and at that point of progress, a team starting by leveling up to eighty, then repeatedly trying to get through by trial-and-error until they get used to it, would be too time-consuming. Naturally, the higher one¡¯s level, the more difficult for one to raise it further, the process longer and steeper. Moreover, unlike the game, experience-multiplying items were not a thing here.


    Additionally, despite one being able to raise their level up to a hundred once they reached the niethyer, that was as high as it would ever go. Up to that point, one could more or less grind until their status ratings were superior to theyer bosses in the way before challenging them. For thest stretch to the hundredthyer, however, that was not doable, so the four-Attacker teamposition would absolutely not be viable.


    If the n Leader were to say that he did not need a Tank, the most Tsutomu would have done before moving on was to teach the n¡¯s Healers how to use healing and support skills long-ranged. However, since Leon had originally disliked how Knight-types Jobs and White Mages were being treated, he naturally had the intention to introduce Tanks into his n¡¯s ranks. Therefore, Tsutomu wanted Eunice to start out as a Healer by thinking about her skills¡¯ utilities in rtion to Tanks.


    ¡°If Leon didn¡¯t want Tanks, I would have gone straight to teaching you everything, but that¡¯s how things are going now, so...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    When Tsutomu mentioned Leon, Eunice seemed to have taken it as him invoking a taboo name, ring at him and biting the neck of her Potion bottle. She proceeded to turn her head up, letting the Blue Potion flow directly into her throat, then attempted to cast <<Heal>> without replying to Tsutomu¡¯s statement.


    ¡°<<Hea¨C geh!¡±


    ¡°...Well, there¡¯s no need to overdo things. I¡¯ll have another look after you¡¯ve fiddled around with the skill for a week or so.¡±


    Having drunk too much of the Potion, Eunice burped slightly, prompting her to hurry and clutch her mouth shut. Tsutomu, showing no concern to that, stood up and left the n House, buying himself something to have for an early dinner and eating them outside.


    After about an hour and a half, Tsutomu returned, and was joined by Barbara as she eagerly looked over at the paper he had given her. Tsutomu proceeded to call out to Eunice, who was still practicing her <<Heal>> spell, and proposed his idea,


    ¡°So for now, why don¡¯t we go train in the Dungeon again by ourselves?.¡±


    ¡°...And why exactly are we leaving Leon out?¡±


    Eunice looked up at Tsutomu with a great deal of suspicion in her eyes, to which Tsutomu replied with a good-natured smile and an exnation,


    ¡°We can invite him along, don¡¯t get me wrong ¡ª but we¡¯ll be going to the firstyer, you see?¡±


    ¡°Right from the start!?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Not that we¡¯ll always be there, mind you. We¡¯ll move on to deeper and deeperyers once Barbara has gotten used to her role.¡±


    ¡°...Why is there even a need to start from there now? It¡¯s a waste of effort.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better if she started her training fresh from the firstyer, and besides, she¡¯s the one who will decide whether or not it¡¯s a waste. So, what do you think, Barbara?¡± Tsutomu spoke calmly, with a perpetual smile.


    Having been told all that, Barbara tensed up. Having not expected him to outright rmend that she started right from the firstyer, her thought was brought to a momentary halt.


    Still, as Barbara had experienced it for herself in the Canyon, she knew full well that her capabilities werecking. Although still not quite sure whether or not starting over from the firstyer would be a good idea, she was reminded of what Leon used to ask her ¡ª ¡®Are you satisfied with how things are now?¡¯ ¡®Are you struggling with anything?¡¯ ¡®If you want to change, then why not give this Tank thing a try?¡¯


    At that time, Barbara had been moved to tears by Leon¡¯s concern for her, knowing that she had yet to do anything majorly helpful. Leon was greatly talented and stood among the top of the Explorers, while she was a lowly Knight who could not even make herself useful in the Dungeon.


    There was an exception in the form of Garm, who could defeat more monsters than an average Attacker despite having a Knight-type Job, but watching his blood-curdling rampages through the Monitors, Barbara had always wondered how much it would take for her to get on his level, or if it would even be possible for her.


    And then, when Garm had quit being an Explorer to instead walk the path of a Guild Staff Member, Barbara had fallen into despair, thinking that Knight-type Jobs no longer had a future. Nevertheless, she had always wanted to repay Leon for staying by her side, and had started searching for something useful she could do besides being an Explorer.


    However, as she was a woman, she had been refused by most manualbor jobs, and even if she were to try and work as a store assistant, her strikinglyrge build would not be very weing despite her nice-looking face. In the end, she had started earning money by selling drinks near the Monitors, making use of her height to stand out.


    But then, while doing so, she had seen Leon and the other party members with him being shown on Monitor #1. The three Attackers and one Healer, all women, looked like they were having so much fun; Barbara had been quite envious of them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it. I don¡¯t mind starting over from the firstyer.¡±


    Eunice was right in that this could turn out to be a waste of effort. However, as long as she could find the slightest possibility, Barbara could not bring herself to shy away from the challenge. She could not bear to stay as one who only admired the glorious ones from the sidelines.


    Acknowledging the energy in her eyes, a far cry from the gloominess she had shown him earlier, Tsutomu nodded once and heaved a short sigh.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯vee to an agreement. I look forward to seeing how this goes.¡±


    ¡°Likewise ¡ª I want to be a proper Tank, and if that¡¯s what I need to do, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand. And Eunice, what about you?¡±


    With Barbara fully motivated now, Tsutomu turned to Eunice and saw that her fluffy tail was wagging, signifying increased vignce.


    ¡°...I can¡¯t let anything happen to Barbara. I¡¯m going.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry, then. <<Heal>>,¡± Tsutomu replied to Eunice and raised his index finger, generating a sphere of magical energy on its tip, prompting thetter to grind her teeth in annoyance, her fox ears standing upright.

 Chapter 57, One Step at a Time

    <h4>Chapter 57, One Step at a Time</h4>


    Having teleported to the Grasnds of the firstyer, Tsutomu scanned the nearby nts and trees swaying in the wind until he got a general grasp of the current location, and then reced his Potions just in case, equipping them onto his belt. Since this was the firstyer, Tsutomu knew that there was virtually no chance of the team being in a tight spot, but his preparations were for trouble-making Explorers that they may or may not get into trouble with along the way.


    The first fewyers of the Dungeon were full of the bad eggs among Explorers, so one could not be too careful, but then again, not many of them would be so reckless as to attack those from the major ns. If they were to catch a fight, Leon would surely rush over and have them arrested, and that was assuming they could even match any of the team¡¯s levels in the first ce. Statistically speaking, there was no chance of those buggers defeating any of the three.


    While Tsutomu finished up refilling his Potions, Barbara gazed at the wind-swept grasnds, herrge round ears slowly wiggling on top of her head, and Eunice looked around briefly, her eyes signifying utmost boredom, before proceeding to practice casting <<Heal>>.


    On the way to the Guild, Tsutomu had asked the two some simple questions about theyers¡¯ monsters and safe areas. As a result, he had been made aware that Barbara was only familiar withyers she had previously leveled on, which were fifty-one to fifty-three; Eunice, on the other hand, had answered everything correctly.


    In terms ofbat prowesses, once when Eunice had been targeted by monsters after using <<Raise>>, she had been able to keep herself from dying while waiting for Leon to get his equipment ready again. Therefore, she had already garnered quite a lot of experience in actualbat and survival, and would not gain much from this trip to the Grasnds.


    Barbara, on the other hand, had spent most of her levels inyers fifty-one to fifty-three, asionally observed the others through the Monitors, and on rare asions had gone to the Beach on the forty-firstyer to replenish the n¡¯s Potion Fish supply. She had not explored the otheryers much aside from her first time through them.


    As such, while she was used to dealing with the beast-type monsters of the fifty-firstyer such as Verdant Wolves and Red Grizzlies, she had been neglecting measures against Goblins, Orcs, and other bipedal creatures. Tsutomu, with that in mind after he had seen Barbara in action during the earlier visit to the Canyons, had suggested to her that she started exploring from the firstyer.


    ¡°For starters, let¡¯s roam around and search for Goblins or Kobolds to practice on.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Barbara, wearing a round helmet, nodded in response to Tsutomu and proceeded to walk on ahead through the Grasnd. Eunice kept on practicing her <<Heal>> as she and Tsutomu walked on behind Barbara; Tsutomu was secretly impressed that Eunice¡¯s shots were starting to take a rounded shape now.


    At one point, three tall silhouettes emerged from the shades of the vegetation; they were Goblins. Noticing the three Explorers, the monsters briefly tensed up, then held up the clubs in their hands as they raised their grating voices.


    ¡°Barbara. Use <<Combat Cry>>, please.¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    Barbara unleashed her aura, wrapping all three Goblins in red light and prompting them to immediately turn to her. She then readied her spear, but Tsutomu called out to her,


    ¡°Oh, one more thing ¡ª you don¡¯t have to attack this time. Just focus on defending and not getting surrounded,¡± Tsutomu directed.


    Barbara nodded and pulled back her spear, then caught a Goblin¡¯s club swing with her buckler and flicked it away. With the overwhelming level difference and Goblins already being a weak monster, it did not take any struggle to blow the creature back. Seeing how Barbara was holding an advantage over the Goblins, with her gradually pushing forward, Tsutomu pointed his white staff at the Goblins.


    ¡°<<Haste>>.¡±


    Three green clumps of energy struck the three Goblins, providing them with a boost of AGI. Now slightly faster, one of the Goblins managed to take Barbara by surprise andnd a blow on her arm, which led to the other ones following up with more hits. But this was a non-issue; Barbara¡¯s VIT rating was an A-; as long as she did not take a critical strike, the Goblins¡¯ attacks were no more than bug bites to her.


    Eventually, getting used to the flow of the fight, Barbara started regaining her advantage, stabilizing the situation. Tsutomu, seeing that the Goblins had been weakened by thest few buckler bashes, cast <<Heal>> on them. Eunice paid close attention to Tsutomu¡¯s <<Heal>> shots while practicing to make one herself.


    After a while, more Goblins and dog-faced Kobolds in the area started gathering around, having heard the sounds of the ongoing battle. Tsutomu instructed Barbara to use <<Combat Cry>> as soon as possible, then retreated to the back in order to avoid the Kobolds¡¯ w swipes.


    The enemy group now numbered more than ten. Still, each of them was only as tall as human children, and their physical prowesses were rtively weak. On their own, they posed virtually no threat, but it was a different story if they were to work together.


    ¡°Gah, damn¨C¡°


    Barbara, noticing that she had been surrounded by all ten, immediately scrambled her way out of the fray. The monsters gave chase. Barbara knocked them back one by one, but then she was hit by the Goblins that had gone around to her nks. Not being quick enough to deal with the ones on her sides, she was starting to be surrounded again.


    Taking club blows on her helmet, Barbara¡¯s brows twitched at the sounds of ringing metal, but she still managed to push a Kobold aside and sessfully retreat. Tsutomu watched over Barbara as she repeated this process, and shot <<Heals>> to the weakened monsters.


    ¡°Eunice, you can shoot those at the monsters if you think that¡¯d help. Maybe you¡¯ll get the hang of it more easily if you have a target.¡±


    ¡°...I know.¡±


    Seeing Barbara semi-panic while being surrounded by the monsters, Eunice could not help but feel somewhat sorry for the former, but she did as Tsutomu had told her and cast <<Heal>> at the monsters. Her shots were skill vapor-like, but their cores were starting to have a spherical shape and their flying range had increased. Although it did not quite reach the monsters seven meters away yet, it was indeed an improvement from before.


    ¡°At the rate you¡¯re going, I suppose you might be done in less than a week.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll master it within two days, you¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°All right. Good luck,¡± Tsutomu gave a brief, inoffensive reply, what with him not being particrly interested in Eunice for now.


    ¡°...<<Heal>>.¡±


    Noticing the arrival of new Goblins, Tsutomu counted them, and made sure that not more than fifteen surrounded Barbara at once by killing the excesses with <<Air de>>. Eunice, taking Tsutomu¡¯s reply as dismissive, kept on practicing her <<Heal>> despite her annoyance.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Barbara kept on fighting the Goblins for almost three more hours without a break. The heat building up in her armor had made her struggle to catch her breath; her not getting as much air as she¡¯d like had greatly dulled her decision-making. Tsutomu had at one point suggested clearing out the Goblins and taking a break, but Barbara had silently refused him and kept on fighting, constantly taking on at least ten Goblins at any given moment.


    Though her mind was getting murkier and murkier with the rising heat of her body, she refused to stop. After constant constant action for three hours, her movements had be so ingrained in her mind that she was moving almost subconsciously now.


    Upon seeing the motion of a Goblin raising its club, Barbara was prompted to take a step back in advance, and then she raised her buckler to block a Kobold that was tackling at her from the right. As the Goblin¡¯s club swung past in front of her, she knocked the monster away with a strike from the butt end of her spear.


    ¡°<<Haste>>.¡±


    Although the Goblins¡¯ AGI had been constantly enhanced by Tsutomu¡¯s magic, Barbara was now positioning herself well enough to not be surrounded by them and the Kobolds. Barbara¡¯s not being surrounded made it easier for one to shoot her a <<Heal>>, which meant that Eunice was having an easier time, too.


    Tsutomu had other options when it came to healing a surrounded Tank, such as using <<Fly>> to ascend into the sky and drop a <<Heal>> spell from above, or get to an elevated ground and throw a <<Heal>> like a curveball. It would be too much to ask a beginner like Eunice to try doing those, however, so Tsutomu had decided to teach Barbara to avoid being surrounded by monsters instead.


    Being able to achieve thetterpromise still meant that she could fulfill the minimum roles that Tsutomu had in mind. An ideal Tank would be able to maintain their resistance, keeping themself from being surrounded, and defeat some monsters while they were at it, but training from the upperyers down was necessary to get to that skill level. As such, Tsutomu now was not expecting Barbara to do all that, what with her not having much of a fundamental to work with yet. All she needed to do for now was to attract the monsters¡¯ attention, avoid being surrounded, and try her best not to die. Tsutomu thought that if she could do just those, then things would be all good going forward.


    As Barbara began to have a coughing fit after moving constantly for hours, signifying that she was at her limits, Tsutomu used <<Air des>> to slice the remaining Goblins and Kobolds in half. As the horde of monsters disappeared, Barbara copsed to the ground with a loud crash.


    ¡°Now, Eunice. Please cast long-ranged <<Medic>> and <<Heal>> on Barbara.¡±


    Following Tsutomu¡¯s instruction, Eunice chugged down a vial of cheap Blue Potion and started casting the specified spells. Her <<Heal>>, though almost a round energy ball now, still had a vapor-like property in spots. Once it came into contact with Barbara, it turned out the effect was only about twenty percent of the expected result.


    After five minutes of lying on the ground, catching her breath, and taking several <<Medic>> and <<Heal>> shots from Eunice, Barbara stood up, her strength finally recovered. She took off her helmet, parted her brown hair from her forehead, and stared nkly ahead for a while. Therge, round bear ears on top of her head were also folding down. Seeing her like that, Tsutomu put on a smile and said to her,


    ¡°Thanks for your hard work. You¡¯re pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Pretty good...? Those were just Goblins, you know. I¡¯ve still got a long way to go until I¡¯m a proper Tank... Haha.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no ¡ª you see, I¡¯ve also buffed the monsters with <<Haste>>, so you not getting surrounded was good enough already. If you keep this up, I say you¡¯ll be a Tank fit for the main party in just a month!¡±


    ¡°Y-you mean it?¡±


    To Tsutomu¡¯s cheerful tone and the referenced time frame of one month, Barbara¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at him. The former looked back and affirmed her with a smile,


    ¡°Of course; why would I lie to you now? Keep going one step at a time, and you¡¯ll get there soon enough. Your level is already high, and your Heavy Knight Job is a good fit for your race. Besides, you¡¯re not too bad at dealing with beast-type monsters, either.¡±


    ¡°A-ah, I see.¡±


    Reaffirmed by Tsutomu¡¯s statements, Barbara¡¯s bear ears started to stand back up, with her feeling confident in herself that she had indeed improved. Tsutomu, seeing that energy was starting to return to her nkly-staring eyes, nodded in agreement with her.


    ¡°Tomorrow, let¡¯s go to a deeperyer ¡ª yes, six should do. You¡¯ve gotten great at countering Goblins and Kobolds, so I reckon you¡¯ll want to get those moves of yours down on a basic level. Let¡¯s try them on the Wastnds¡¯ Skeletons next.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Barbara, now having fully regained her energy, epted a towel from Tsutomu and wiped off her sweat, then proceeded to pick up the buckler and spear that she had dropped earlier. Eunice, not liking that Tsutomu had praised Barbara so much, gave him a suspicious look.


    [Maybe I¡¯m going overboard... But she is motivated, so that¡¯s all good, I guess.]


    Back in the game Live Dungeon, when he had established himself a n and acted as its Leader, he had guided beginner n Members through the same training routine that Barbara was going through now.


    He had always praised the good parts of the new members¡¯ actions when he saw them. There was a clear difference in the retention rate of new n members depending on whether or not that was done. It was especially true for beginners and novices, so Tsutomu had tried his best to liven up the in-game chat as he trained them.


    However, since expressions and tones of voice did not carry over in text, he had asionally made the wrong choices of words. Naturally, Tsutomu would want new members to leave so soon, so he had worked to improve himself on that front. As such, if he were to predict someone¡¯s personality when meeting them face-to-face, he was sure not to make any mistakes in his speech.


    Barbara¡¯s current level was sixty-five. It was technically not normal for someone like her to struggle against Goblins, but Tsutomu still made it a point to praise what she did right, no matter how small, having predicted that she was humble and that she would not react negatively to being praised.


    Eunice¡¯s personality, on the other hand, was the equivalent of a contrarian intermediate yer who had be a little more familiar with the game. Among yers on that level, many of the so-called contrarians, certain prideful people, and highschool-age yers tended to be unhappy upon receiving praise.


    Moreover, since Tsutomu did not have that nice of an opinion on Eunice¡¯s character in the first ce, he had figured that it did not really matter how he taught her as long as she got it.


    ¡°Well then, shall we call it a day?¡± Tsutomu asked, to which Barbara replied with a cheerful attitude, while Eunice, unamused, groaned up her nose and gave only a short answer.

 Chapter 58, Eunice’s Ambition

    <h4>Chapter 58, Eunice¡¯s Ambition</h4>


    For the next three days, after having trained in the Grasnds to avoid being surrounded by monsters, Barbara went on to practice against the Skeletons in the Wastnds, the process of which was now in progress.


    Skeletons were humanoid monsters that were as tall as an average adult human man; they could move despite being all bones, and their kind was often encountered in the Dungeons outside of town. In those other Dungeons, they also came in female and child-sized variations, but most of the ones that appeared in God¡¯s Dungeon were of the adult male type.


    The weapons they wielded were mostly pieces of their own bones sharpened into the shapes of short spears and swords; their movements were swift, and although they did not hit so hard, their strength was fairly high whenpared to that of the Goblins. As such, they were ranked only barely below the Orcs as intermediate-level humanoid monsters.


    Unlike the Goblins in the Grasnds, the Skeletons¡¯ weapons were actually sharp, and they employed conventional fighting techniques. Because of that, Barbara found herself having a hard time even in one-on-one fights with them. She lowered her stance to block her opponent¡¯s attack, then immediately thrust her spear forward. The Skeleton¡¯s corbone fractured with a dull crack; Barbara got ready to rush the monster down.


    ¡°Take it down with minimum attacks! Make every hit count!¡± Tsutomu raised his voice in a harsh tone at Barbara, who still was attacking on reflex without any regard to timing, perhaps because she had gained some confidence after being able to deal with Goblins without difficulty.


    Tsutomu did not want her to defeat any Skeletons yet ¡ª a fact that Tsutomu had voiced time and time again thesest three days. Barbara silentlyplied with Tsutomu¡¯s instruction, pulling back her spear.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    From the sidelines, Tsutomu shot a green sphere of energy at the Skeleton, causing its cracked corbone to begin to regenerate. As for Eunice, she had managed to learn the long-ranged <<Heal>> in two days, just as she had dered that she would; now she had the basics down.


    Although her direction and mental energy allocation still needed work, the shape of her <<Heal>> shots were getting better and better. Eunice stood on an <<Area Heal>>, held up her staff, and proceeded to utter,


    ¡°<<Haste>>,¡± Eunice cast the spell in the same image as her long-ranged <<Heal>>, hitting the Skeleton and granting it a speed boost.


    The Skeleton, wrapped in a blue aura, rushed at Barbara with increased swiftness in its movements.


    ¡°One, two,¡± Eunice started counting the seconds right when the <<Haste>> took effect on the Skeleton.


    After having learnt to use long-ranged healing and support skills, she had been instructed by Tsutomu to work on achieving the same effect durations across all skills.


    Tsutomu had been able to output a uniform level of healing power in all uses of his healing skills by fixing the amount of mental energy he expended. Then, while keeping an eye on the monsters¡¯ aggro levels, he would increase or decrease the amount of energy used so that he would get maximum results while keeping himself from being targeted.


    He operated his support skills simrly, increasing or lowering mental energy depending on the situation, but with the important addition of maintaining at least a certain level of minimum value, so as to keep effect durations somewhat uniform. The caster themself not knowing the mechanisms of their skills meant that they would not know how long the effect of each cast wouldst on their allies, and that in turn would result in either wasted energy in making the duration excessively long or the effectssting too short and running out before the next cast.


    As such, Tsutomu had wasted no time in giving Eunice the next set of instructions, not letting her get smug about her little triumph in achieving her previous im of learning long-ranged healing skills in two days. Eunice, after starting at Tsutomu as thetter nonchntly jotted out new instructions for her, proceeded to silently practice timing her skill effects.


    [I¡¯m watching you... I¡¯ll quickly copy your skills, show off my power, then kick you out!]


    While ring at Tsutomu from behind as he gave new instructions to Barbara, Eunice counted the seconds and adjusted her mental energy to make sure that her <<Haste>> wouldst exactly one minute. The move Tsutomu had done in the Canyons was burned into Eunice¡¯s mind ¡ª she was convinced that if she could use it as well, she would definitely be able to maintain her position as the Healer of the main party.


    What upied Eunice¡¯s head now was an image of a future where she mastered that move and received praise and head pats from Leon... and also drive Tsutomu away from associating with the Golden Tune. After confirming that the Skeleton¡¯s <<Haste>> had worn off in forty-two seconds, she cast another one for it, this time slightly increasing her mental energy input.


    [This girl... I can just tell that she really wants to get out of here.]


    Tsutomu, asionally feeling Eunice¡¯s unpleasant stareing from behind him, cracked a bitter smile while he kept his eyes on Barbara¡¯s stand against the Skeleton. Seeming to have gotten the point after thirty minutes of continuous fighting, Barbara¡¯s movements were starting to get better, and she was not being pushed back by the Skeleton anymore.


    Barbara¡¯s status ratings were overwhelmingly higher than the monster to begin with, so even if she were to lose in terms of actual skill, she could have easily made it through with raw power alone. It would have been a different story if her opponent was a master swordfighter, but what she was dealing with now was, at the end of the day, a mere monster. Although unusually powerful Skeletons would spawn on very rare asions, the normal ones were not exactly the pinnacle of martial arts mastery.


    In addition to that, there was not even a need for Barbara to defeat the Skeleton by herself. If she were to keep herself from attacking and took care to not overexert herself, her high status ratings would keep her from losing, since the Skeleton could not possibly take her down with brute force. Now that Barbara knew how to properly use her power to her advantage, she was no longer taking critical hits from the Skeleton, stabilizing the situation of the battle.


    ¡°<<Holy>>,¡± Tsutomu chanted while waving his white staff, erecting a pir of light from the ground.


    The Skeleton, hit by the <<Holy>> under its feet, turned bright red as if it had been set aze. As the integrity of its bones diminished, the monster crumbled down in pieces and faded away, leaving behind a Small Colorless Magic Stone.


    Most of the monsters in the Wastnds were weak to holy-elemental magic skills that White Mages and Gray Mages could use, so a team having a White Mage would find themselves having a much easier time going through theseyers. Tsutomu could naturally make do, but with Eunice and her level-seventy power, the team was sure to not have any trouble here.


    Humanoid and quadrupedal beast-like Skeletons asionally tried to intrude on the duel, but were promptly burned down by Tsutomu¡¯s <<Holy>>; their Magic Stones were then collected as Tsutomu paid as much attention as he could to Barbara¡¯s fighting approaches. Tsutomu himself had never taken the Tank role outside of the game, so he could not actually teach her how to move her body, but the technical knowledge he had garnered from the game was otherwise applicable to his guidance.


    After another hour or so, Tsutomu felt that Barbara no longer had any issue in one-on-one fights, so he proceeded to neutralize the current Skeleton and had Barbara take a break. He reached into the Magic Bag that he had been carrying for Barbara and took out a canteen and a towel, then passed them over to her.


    When Barbara removed her helmet, herrge bear ears stood right up as if they were pleased to be out of the pressurized space. She wiped her drenched brown hair with the towel and chugged down some water. Once she was done, Tsutomu spoke to her,


    ¡°So, Barbara... you might want to use your active skills more. Make sure to always have enough mental energy to use <<Combat Cry>> twice, and then, you could use either <<Defensive>> or <<Shield Bash>>. Oh, but using <<Defensive>> or not is just up to your preferences, by the way.¡±


    The <<Defensive>> was a skill unique to Heavy Knights; it lowered the user¡¯s AGI in exchange for boosting their VIT. Since it increased Heavy Knight¡¯s Tanking potential by further increasing their already high VIT, Tsutomu had always thought it was best to use <<Defensive>> right at the beginning of a fight.


    In this world, however, one losing their AGI also meant that their bodily sensations would change ordingly; it was not at all a good idea to think solely in terms of video game mechanics here. As such, Tsutomu had chosen to let Barbara decide for herself whether or not to use the <<Defensive>>.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    ...But then Barbara agreed to Tsutomu¡¯s teachings without a moment of hesitation. As a matter of fact, she, like Eunice, had been wary of Tsutomu¡¯s suggestion that the three of them explored the Dungeon together. It was not umon for there to be problems between men and women in ns, and Barbara had heard stories from her acquaintances with unfavorable Explorer Jobs having been demanded to carry out unsavory deeds. As such, she had been initially concerned that Tsutomu might make such demands in exchange for his guidance.


    But as it had turned out, Tsutomu¡¯s guidance was on point and without any ulterior motives; Barbara¡¯s doubts quickly changed to a favorable opinion on his teachings, and she was getting good results out of it. As long as Tsutomu¡¯s suggestions were nothing out of the ordinary, Barbara would most likely not refuse them.


    Afterward, Tsutomu had Barbara try fighting two and three Skeletons at once, and got the impression that three was her limit for now. She was clearly struggling when she was stabbed through the gaps of her helmet with their bone weapons, taking a series of critical hits.


    Barbara shifted her concentration onto defending her head from attacks, but then one of the Skeletons hooked her leg with a curved bone weapon. As she fell to the ground, Tsutomu pointed his white staff in her direction.


    ¡°<<Holy>>. <<Heal>>.¡±


    He neutralized one of the Skeletons with a pir of light, then shot a healing skill at Barbara. Following him, Eunice also used <<Holy>> to destroy the two other Skeletons. Barbara, worn out, and realizing that the Skeletons had been wiped out, shook her head.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s take a break before we continue. Try taking on three at once for a few more rounds.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re getting there ¡ª no need to rush!¡±


    Barbara did not seem particrly discouraged. As Tsutomu raised his fist to her, she patted her slightly dented helmet before raising her own fist and smiling at him.


    ¡°......¡±


    Eunice, frustrated to see how well Barbara and Tsutomu were getting along, spit on the ground, cast <<Haste>> on herself, then started counting the seconds.

 Chapter 59, Real Combat Practice

    <h4>Chapter 59, Real Combat Practice</h4>


    A week had passed since then, and Barbara was still struggling to keep up against multiple Skeletons. Although the number she could manage at once had increased to six, these monsters were still much tougher than Goblins, so she had yet to achieve any remarkable results.


    Regardless, Barbara had been keeping her attitude positive all the while, so the team¡¯s mood andmunication duringbat had not been bad at all. Having considered how things have been going, Tsutomu guessed that Barbara would be able to fulfill her minimum roles as a Tank within the remaining twenty days, so at this time, he still did not feel the need to hurry.


    Though she still had much to learn to fully function as a Tank, such as controlling the magnitude of her skills, for now, it was more important that she trained to avoid taking critical hits and being surrounded by monsters ¡ª to let a portion of the monsters¡¯ attacks focus on her, reducing the damage intake of the entire party. Such was the minimum requirement of taking the role of a Tank.


    Moreover, since Tsutomu also intended to teach Eunice about <<Combat Cry>> and other aggro management skills, having her watch along as things went on also worked well; all Barbara needed to do was start by using <<Combat Cry>> once, then use other situational aggro skills ording to the Healers¡¯ direction.


    As for Eunice¡¯s progress, on the other hand, she had sessfully homogenized her support skills¡¯ durations within the first two days. For the next two after that, she had achieved the ability to adjust the quantity of mental strength she put into her healing and support skills; now she was able to input weak, standard, and strong amounts of energy for situational use. Additionally, her direction of skill shots had also improved. In the remaining three days, she had shown to be able to output higher healing power than Tsutomu when she cast <<Heal>> while standing in <<Area Heal>>, and had sessfully learned to ce <<Haste>> skill pick-ups after observing Tsutomu¡¯s demonstrations and some practice.


    Tsutomu was somewhat surprised by how quickly Eunice had gotten the hang of everything, since he had initially intended to have her practice the uses of <<Area Heal>> and skill cements while in actualbat instead.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯ve done everything so far. So what¡¯s next? I¡¯ll learn it in no time at all!¡± Eunice dered to Tsutomu. Her expression was prideful, her chin turned up, and the fox ears on top of her head stood out like she was asserting herself.


    Early in the morning, everyone was having breakfast in the Dining Hall of the Golden Tune n House. Tsutomu was here as well, and since he had free time, he passed the time by practicing his direction of support skill shots; Eunice did the same while she spoke with him, sending a <<Haste>> shot flying around in the air.


    For Eunice, all the skills she had been assigned to learn thus far were attainable without difficulty as long as she gave them time. As such, she was annoyed by Tsutomu¡¯s position within her n and how he seemed to think nothing of being received as such an important guest.


    It was true that he had brought in new information most useful for White Mages ¡ª healing allies with a long-ranged form of <<Heal>>, using <<Area Heal>> in a Skill Combo ¡ª both of which Eunice would never havee up with herself. However, Eunice did not like the fact that Tsutomu was so highly regarded by Leon just because of a handful of achievements. The topmost reason for Leon¡¯s acknowledgment of him was the fact that he had defeated a Fire Dragon with just a party of three, but the two other members of his team were Garm, the fearsome Knight famous as the Mad Dog, and Camille, the Dragonewt who possessed a unique skill and had already racked up achievements in other Dungeons. Tsutomu at the time was not all too weak, either, but since he¡¯d had those two of the most famous figures in town with him, the possibility was high that they had just happened to mesh together well.


    Even in his team¡¯s second battle, with Amy in their ranks instead, his strategies still relied on Garm¡¯s strength to ward off the Fire Dragon, while Tsutomu himself simply provided healing and support. Eunice would have acknowledged Tsutomu¡¯s abilities if his healing and support skills were extremely difficult to master, but as it turned out, she had only needed ten days of practice to learn them, shots and cements included.


    From what Eunice could see, the only thing this man had over her was some degree of creativity. To her, he was a better fit to be with mid-tier ns that had not reached even the fiftiethyer yet. Eunice felt a big hit to her ego to see this kind of person was considered above her in some respects, and had even intentionally humiliated her in front of Leon at one point.


    [But that nonsense ends today!]


    Eunice had sessfully learned to ce <<Haste>> pick-ups in the same way Tsutomu did, albeit without needing Tsutomu to teach her. Thinking that he must be so frustrated to see someone else simply going ahead and learn a skill he was so proud of, Eunice looked up at Tsutomu with quite a degree of amusement showing on her face.


    Tsutomu himself, on the other hand, did not care much for Eunice¡¯s condescending attitude; rather, he had a certain level of appreciation for her fast improvement and enthusiasm, what with her being so persistent with her practice and even resorting to drinking bad-tasting Potions to keep going. He had initially estimated that it would take Eunice at least a month to learn the fundamentals of healing and support skills; seeing that she had achieved results beyond his expectations, he gave her a mild round of apuse.


    ¡°You¡¯ve learned support skill cements in a week without needing me to teach you... that was quite unexpected. Most impressive, Eunice.¡±


    ¡°...Hmph. This isn¡¯t even my best yet!¡±


    In the past ten days, Eunice had not been subjected to any emotionally charged words from Tsutomu. But now, being hit with a statement of genuine praise, Eunice looked away while her expression hinted that she was not as dissatisfied as one would think... that, and her yellow tail was wagging up and down.


    Tsutomu, seeing Eunice¡¯s expression and reaction, felt somewhat suspicious and puzzled, but he decided to disregard that for now and continued the discussion at hand,


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get you used to realbat. We¡¯ll start with a party of three ¡ª you, Barbara, and an Attacker. It¡¯ll be in the Wastnds, same as before.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know.¡±


    ¡°As for the Attacker... Diniel should be a good fit. Having a bow with us should make training scenarios more easily adjustable.¡±


    Eunice nodded and immediately went over to call Diniel, who looked to still be sleepy while munching on a sandwich. Barbara, while sipping some sort of clear yellow fruit juice with a straw, cracked a bitter smile.


    ¡°Eunice really dislikes you, doesn¡¯t she, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing that she¡¯s still capable and cooperative. Hahaha...¡±


    Tsutomu had seen a fair share of people with great capabilities but difficult personalities back in Live Dungeon; among them, Eunice still was in the rtively manageable portion. Reminded of his game n Members, some of which were ipetent to top off their undesirable personalities, Tsutomu¡¯s eyes turned into those of a dead fish... which was then further intensified by Barbara¡¯s chuckle.


    ¡°By the way, Barbara, I¡¯ll be having you practice in actualbat more and more from today on, so it would be very helpful if you followed my direction as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Well, I say direction, but it¡¯ll mostly be the timing with which you use <<Combat Cry>>, so there¡¯s no need to be that nervous.¡±


    ¡°Ah-all right.¡±


    Barbara, having asionally been given the strict treatment from Tsutomu during battle, looked clearly relieved as she held her straw in her mouth. The Golden Tune¡¯s policy during battles was for every individual to decide their own actions without any specific instructions, so Barbara was quite surprised by Tsutomu¡¯s style of giving out precisemands.


    It was not necessarily the cast that she was afraid of Tsutomu¡¯s words, but each time during battle when she thought she had just messed up, Tsutomu would always give out instructions to help correct her approach. Barbara did not particrly think it to be unpleasant, but she simply could not keep herself calm andposed knowing that his sights would never overlook anything.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware that I might havee off as quite self-important when giving out orders, so let me apologize now if you think that is the case.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I don¡¯t find that offensive at all. It¡¯s just... you¡¯re kinda scary, or something,¡± Barbara cut off her sentence awkwardly, and proceeded to blow into her straw, bubbling up the fruit juice in her cup.


    ¡°Huh...¡±


    Getting that sort of reply from Barbara, Tsutomu was at a loss for words. He himself was not so aware of how much he had raised his voice, but since Barbara felt it was scary, he now figured that there must have been a tone discrepancy between them. Feeling that he had misread Barbara¡¯s personality, and in turn inappropriately acted toward her this whole time, Tsutomu had a few drops of stressful sweat run down his forehead.


    ¡°I¡¯m... sorry about that. I¡¯ll try not to sound scary from now on.¡±


    ¡°Wait, no! I do think you¡¯re acting with our best interests in mind... And I know I¡¯ve been spoiled in some way by the leniency of this ce, so...! I think it¡¯ll be better if you kept being strict with us!¡±


    ¡°Ah, if you say so... Still, I¡¯ll try to watch my tone, at least.¡±


    Somewhat pulled back on track by Barbara¡¯s loudness, Tsutomu eventually nodded in agreement with her.

 Chapter 60, Nightmares in the Team Graveyard

    <h4>Chapter 60, Nightmares in the Team Graveyard</h4>


    Tsutomu¡¯s team of four wasted no time to head to the Wastnd of the thirty-ninthyer, getting there before noon. Tsutomu had told Diniel that he would like her to fight with a little less force, and had also confirmed a few things with Barbara beforehand.


    Barbara hadn¡¯t been able to use her skills much in battle since then, so for now, Tsutomu instructed her to unleash Combat Cry as soon as she had enough mental energy to spare. Then, after reminding her to not hesitate to tell him if there was anything else she wanted to do, the team began exploring the thirty-ninthyer. If one were to ask why they had chosen thisyer specifically, it was because Tsutomu had found a location perfect for training scenarios.


    Somewhere in thisyer existed a location called the ¡®Team Graveyard,¡¯ in which Skeletons respawned almost infinitely. The area was home to the monster called Demi-Lich, which reconstructed the great quantity of human bones in the area into its Skeleton minions; asionally, those who teleported through the ck Gate to thisyer would pop up here as well.


    As long as one did not defeat the Demi-Lich itself, its Skeleton minions would keep reviving upon being destroyed, and would not fade into light particles nor drop any Magic Stones. To get out of the area meant one had to walk a considerable distance, too, so this area was quite infamous for being an annoyance to Explorers.


    Still, there were catches to this mechanism ¡ª the maximum number of Skeletons that could be active at any moment was ten, and Holy-elemental attacks would destroy the Skeletons without leaving any bones for them to reconstruct. As such, a party would have an easy time breaking through, or even avoid battle altogether, if they had a White Mage, Gray Mage, or Pdin in their ranks.


    Then again, the Skeletons minions could eventually be reced by higher-ranked monsters depending on the passage of time and the number of Skeletons that got eliminated. There were secret Boss-like situations that could happen on rare asions, too, such as the spawning of a Demi-Lich stronger than the Wastnds¡¯ Layer Boss, or arge group of Skeletons or other reanimated bone-type monsters.


    Back in Live Dungeon, the Team Graveyard was well-known as an early leveling spot; as such, Tsutomu intended to have the party practice through actualbat here, and then have Eunice practice her skills. As soon as they arrived, Tsutomu immediately focused his energy to set up an <<Area Heal>> below his feet, seeing that the bones littering the ground were beginning to rattle.


    The bones congregated together to form the shapes of humans, and then, after pushing their skull down as if setting them firmly onto each of their necks, the Skeletons closed in on the four.


    Diniel took the preemptive strike, shooting an arrow at the skull of one of them. Her shot had been let loose with such force that it pierced through theyers of bone, leaving a hole. She then inclined her head to the side and shot another arrow, but this time, at the ground, in order to adjust the strength of her next shots.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    Barbara unleashed a red aura which proceeded to wrap around the Skeletons. Five of them began to head towards her at once, prompting her to grip the buckler in her left hand tightly.


    ¡°<<Area Heal>>, <


    >, <<Haste>>.¡±


    Tsutomu set up an <<Area Heal>>rge enough to epass everyone, then cast support skills for Diniel and Barbara while keeping an eye on thetter¡¯s movements. Considering her much-improved skill level now, Barbara could square off against six Skeletons without any buffs. Using her buckler, she blocked the Skeletons¡¯ sharp bone weapons as she steadily retreated.


    Diniel¡¯s well-aimed arrow flew straight at one of the Skeletons, but it ended up slipping through its torso, failing to inflict damage. Having hit every other Skeleton square in the skull so far, Diniel looked somewhat annoyed as she nocked her next arrow.


    Being an Attacker of Golden Tune¡¯s main party, Diniel¡¯s movements were already quite swift even without the help of <<Haste>>. And since Archers had only one skill they could use in meleebat, it was important above all else that she did not let monsters get close to her. As such, she usually would always be moving around and firing arrows.


    But this time, she had to stay within the effect of <<Area Heal>> to match up with and provide support to Eunice, so Tsutomu was somewhat conscious of her swift movements as he pointed his white staff around.


    ¡°Barbara! Do you need healing?¡± Tsutomu suggested to Barbara, seeing that by this time, she had taken a few blows to her arms and the Skeletons were close to fully reconstructing


    ¡°Huh? Ah, yes!¡± Barbara gave an immediate reply in reflex.


    ¡°<<Heal>>,¡± Tsutomu nodded and shot a healing spell at her arm while looking around.


    Five new Skeletons emerged from the ground, and they began randomly approaching the three. Tsutomu gave Barbara the signal,


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>> now!¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>,¡± Barbara activated her skill after a brief nce in Tsutomu¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Nice!¡±


    All ten Skeletons¡¯ gazes fixed back onto Barbara, prompting her to feel the cold sweat stream down under her helmet. Previously during her training, the most she had been able to take on was six. Although she did have a team backing her this time, she was still worried about how long she couldst.


    But what she did not stop to consider was thatst time, all six Skeletons had been buffed with <<Haste>>, and she had received no helping hand from Tsutomu when not absolutely necessary.


    ¡°<


    >.¡±


    The shot flew toward Barbara while she kept an eye on Diniel beside her. Although she had to sidestep a Skeleton¡¯s attack, the <


    > shot could sense her movement; it turned at a sharp angle,nding on her without difficulty. Feeling a sessive boost to her VIT, the slight pain she was still suffering from lessened even further.


    Although was up against four more Skeletons than usual, she was quite surprised by how well she was faring ¡ª the Skeletons¡¯ movements were slow, she was beefed up with <


    >, and <<Heal>> shots would always fly for her the moment she thought she needed one.


    [This feels... awesome!]


    With <


    > being constantly in effect, the bruises on her body healed naturally before they became too painful, and what little pain she still felt did not obstruct her ability to move. Moreover, she felt that the Skeletons were moving somewhat slowly. A result of her training, perhaps ¡ª Barbara wondered to herself as she moved around so as to not be surrounded.


    ¡°If you need healing, just say the word!¡± Tsutomu said with a smile, perhaps conscious ofing off to others as ¡®scary¡¯ as he had been told before.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Barbara gave a brief answer as she deflected a Skeleton¡¯s tackle attack, sending it crashing into two other Skeletons behind it. Then she swung the short spear in her right hand, so as to make sure that a Skeleton would not slip into the range nk her.


    For now, she made sure to minimize the number of blows she dealt, what with her not having the need to destroy them herself. After all, that work was best left to the Attacker.


    ¡°<


    >,¡± Diniel shot an arrow power-enhanced by her skill, pulverizing one of the Skeletons¡¯ pelvis. The monster tried to crawl toward Barbara, but then another arrow pierced through its skull, raising a satisfying, cracking sound.


    ¡°<<Haste>>,¡± Tsutou applied the buff for Diniel the second before it expired, extending the boost to her AGI. Satisfied by the constant effect of <<Haste>>, which she¡¯d had the pleasure of experiencing once back in the Canyons, Diniel briefly looked at Tsutomu before starting to run off, her ponytail hair swaying in the wind as she picked up her pace.


    Having been asked by Tsutomu to hold back, Diniel had so far been running without trying much. But this time, she was running with her full strength, as if she was up against a Fire Dragon.


    Diniel had gotten to observe Tsutomu¡¯s skill shots a fair bit back in the Canyons; he had never doubted his uracy, and the shots had hit all allies without fail. An Archer and a White Mage ¡ª they were inpletely different lines of Jobs, but one simrly they shared was the shooting of targets. As such, Diniel wanted to test how precise Tsutomu¡¯s shooting really was.


    At the speed she was going, Diniel¡¯s field of vision was practically a blur. While she ran, she adjusted her angle and pulled on her bowstring, then as she jumped, she released. Seeing the arrow bounce off the target Skeleton¡¯s shoulder, she reached into the quiver-like Magic Bag on her waist and grabbed some long arrows.


    ¡°<<Double Arrow>>.¡±


    Activating the skill to fire two arrows in one shot, she let loose the long arrows to the left and right. They pierced the Skeletons on both Barbara¡¯s sides, and also two behind them, destroying a total of four Skeletons. Barbara, although shivering inwardly from having the long arrows fly right past her face, unleased a <<Combat Cry>> right as the Skeletons were reconstructed, just like she had been instructed by Tsutomu.


    Tsutomu, though quite surprised to see Diniel suddenly turning as energetic as a rabbit running in the field, matched up with her movements. While following her movements with his eyes, he reapplied Barbara¡¯s nearly expired <


    >. Then, deciding that no one needed healing at this time, he simply waited for Diniel¡¯s <<Haste>> effect to almost finish.


    [...She¡¯s clearly changed her movement patterns. What gives?]


    From what Tsutomu had seen of Diniel so far, she was not one to move around if not necessary, and she hade off as resourceful, always retrieving arrows that she could still use off the around. Back in the Canyons, he had even observed her holding back in aspects that were not absolutely necessary, so he had always pictured her as someone who disliked wasted effort.


    But now she was moving around as if she was an entirely different person ¡ª quite a lot of unnecessary moves had been made, as if she had transformed into a wild beast. He proceeded to shoot her another <<Haste>> while somewhat worrying about what might have happened to her.


    The blue energy ball of <<Haste>> had been shot out with some time on the old effect to spare. When it was about to hit Diniel, she suddenly stepped to her side, causing it to pass her by.


    But then Tsutomu bent the course of the shot in the direction she had avoided, ultimately applying the buffing effect onto her. Her body wrapped in a blue aura, she stood still and stared at Tsutomu.


    He had the same sleepy look on her face as usual, but the way she looked at Tsutomu now was clearly different.


    As the team proceeded on with the battle, another fight just up and started ¡ª a fight between Diniel¡¯s dodging of <<Haste>> shots and Tsutomu¡¯s firing of them to keep the effect going. Gradually figuring out how the shots were tracking her, Diniel started increasing her speed and even feinting in ces... All of which Tsutomu anticipated as he continued to hit her without fail.


    Tsutomu¡¯s skill having homing properties made them effective against such feints, but they still were barely able to keep up with Diniel¡¯s raw speed. Diniel grinned inwardly, having found a way to ¡®win¡¯ against those skill shots through much trial and error.


    She proceeded to run away from the <<Haste>> shots at full speed, while also destroying a few Skeletons along the way. Tsutomu, looking slightly irritated, kept on directing his <<Haste>> shots at her.


    [What the hell is wrong with that Elf!?]


    Tsutomu saw that, clearly, Diniel was actively avoiding his buffing skills. Baffled by her iprehensible behavior, he turned to shoot a <<Heal>> and a <


    > for Barbara instead. Then he turned back to Diniel ¡ª still running away ¡ª and ced a <<Haste>> pick-up in the direction she was going in.


    A blue sphere of energy suddenly emerged from the ground. Diniel hit it on her next step, receiving a boost to her AGI. Feeling somewhat bitter, she turned to shoot at a Skeleton while thinking how she had also already seen this back at the Canyons. From that point on, the team fought against the Skeletons normally until Tsutomu started shooting <<Haste>> again.


    Tsutomu guessed that Diniel would probably run again, so he shot off his <<Haste>> early... and as he had predicted, she started running immediately. Seeing that she ultimately never ran all that much distance-wise, Tsutomu thought to himself how she should have gone a little farther if she actually did not want to be hit by <<Haste>>.


    In the end, Tsutomu deduced from her behavior that she was taunting him to try and hit her with support skills at certain speed levels and ranges.


    Thinking to himself and subtly grinning at how, if that was the case, he should ept her challenge, Tsutomu had his <<Haste>> shots chase her while he kept an eye on Barbara.


    At times, he had to instead use the <<Haste>> shots to simply influence the direction she moved in, luring her to step on a <<Haste>> pick-up. Then Diniel adapted once again ¡ª once she saw a blue glow on the ground, she would jump. The challenge was practically the only other thing that upied her mind while she shot down the Skeletons with her arrows.


    Eventually, she seeded in both dodging the <<Haste>> shots and jumping over the pick-ups. Although she failed on several sessive attempts, she was eventually able to jump over and step away from the pick-ups reliably.


    Tsutomu changed to asionally cing the pick-ups in mid-air instead, and seeded in getting her to take the buffs again, but she adapted to them soon enough, dodging them with agile movements and great reaction speed.


    Now the effect of Diniel¡¯s <<Haste>> was about to wear off, and pick-up cement was not an option anymore ¡ª she had ¡®won¡¯ against both it and the homing shots. Confident of her petty victory, she groaned up her nose as she kept on avoiding the buffing skills.


    Then again, Diniel did recognize the extent of Tsutomu¡¯s uracy and precision. He was managing everything, from applying <<Haste>> to himself and making sure that none of Barbara¡¯s buffs wore off. Diniel inwardly praised Tsutomu, admitting to the fact that the team would have already been wiped if not for Barbara and her enhanced strength.


    When Diniel¡¯s <<Haste>> had only five seconds left on the clock, Tsutomu heaved a sigh as if he was giving up. Diniel thought that it was finally over, but then she saw him lightly waving his white staff.


    That same moment, Diniel¡¯s body was enveloped in a blue aura.


    [What... just happened?]


    Diniel could not understand what had happened to her, but it was an undeniable fact that her body was covered in a blue aura. She coughed lightly to clear her throat ¡ª and hide her agitation ¡ª before running off again.


    But now, Tsutomu stayed still, no longer shooting and cing down <<Haste>> buffs.


    [Is he waiting for me to be distracted...?]


    Diniel now moved around while watching for when a <<Haste>> pick-up would suddenly emerge from the ground. Tsutomu, however, kept himself eerily motionless. Diniel could not figure out what he was aiming for.


    And then, five seconds before Diniel¡¯s <<Haste>> expired, Tsutomu waved his White Staff, and the <<Haste>> effect was immediately applied to her once again. She had been hit by a blindingly fast <<Haste>> shot, shaped like a rifle bullet squeezed but in the size of an index finger.


    [That¡¯s the secret alternative I have. Hope she doesn¡¯t take it personally...]


    Tsutomu, having not expected Diniel to be able to dodge both the shot and cement varieties of <<Haste>>, smiled to show his admiration for her achievement. Then, seeing how baffled Diniel looked, he shook his head to imply to her that she should give it up.


    [...Now they¡¯re just messing around.]


    Eunice, having watched the whole scene, stared coldly at both Diniel and Tsutomu ¡ª the former for being a cker who never put much effort into her movements until now, and thetter for practically putting on yet another show of his superiority.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    After an hour or so, Skeleton Archers started spawning, so the party headed back to the Guild to get some rest before resuming their training in the Team Graveyard of the thirty-ninthyer. Barbara still had her hands full with ordinary Skeletons, so the other variations of them would have to wait.


    ¡°Say, what was that thing you just did?¡±


    ¡°I call it a quickshot skill. Now, I¡¯d really appreciate it if you exined what your problem is...¡±


    ¡°Quickshot, huh...¡±


    Diniel ignored Tsutomu¡¯s inquiry and only stared at him; eventually thetter lost his patience and agreed to demonstrate his quickshot for her to see properly. He had not practiced it much since opportunities to actually use them were few and far between, but he had indeed trained enough to be wieldy with it, as apparent from his significantly improved uracy.


    Tsutomu¡¯s demonstration involved generating an earthy-yellow <


    > bullet and shooting it at Barbara in front of him. Diniel, seeming to have been quite interested in this particr skill form, opened her usually sleepy eyes wide.


    ¡°What!? Monsters!?¡± Barbara, rmed by the gesture, immediately put on her helmet and looked behind her.


    ¡°Oh, apologies. False rm,¡± Tsutomu quickly told her otherwise, sping his hands together as a gesture of apology, prompting her to remove her helmet once again.


    ¡°Okay...¡±


    Barbara was relieved to be told that; she did not like wearing helmets since they pressed down on her bear ears, so she only wore one during battle.


    Tsutomu, after a little chat with Diniel, called out to Eunice before the party reached the Team Graveyard.


    ¡°Eunice, I¡¯d like to remind you that this is a training session in realbat ¡ª is there anything you would like to ask?¡±


    ¡°...Not at the moment, no.¡±


    ¡°All right. If there¡¯s anything you want to know, feel free to ask me whenever you want.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. All I have to do is learn the moves you use. I can do it by myself just fine.¡±


    Eunice turned away and walked quickly past Tsutomu. She proceeded to exchange a few words with Barbara and Diniel, then kept herself silent for the rest of the time.


    When the party arrived at the Team Graveyard and entered it, the bones piled up on the ground began to rattle and form into human shapes. Tsutomu stretched his back and yawned, while the three others prepared forbat.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>,¡± Barbara used her skill to draw the aggro of the Skeletons as soon as the maximum ten spawned.


    Diniel lightly snapped her bowstring, and Eunice pointed her staff at Barbara.


    ¡°<


    >.¡± First, she shot the skill¡¯s earthy-yellow ball of energy at Barbara¡¯s back, then cast <<Haste>> on Diniel.


    This time Diniel worked with the team without a fuss, perhaps because Tsutomu had reminded her beforehand not to dodge <<Haste>>.


    ¡°<<Area Heal>>.¡± Eunice proceeded to set up a healing perimeterrge enough for two people and stepped inside; the fox ears on her head were standing upright. Herrge tail was also standing on end, as if she was bracing herself.


    [One, two...]


    Since she had applied <


    > and <<Haste>> of the same duration at almost the same time, Eunice counted the time uniformly as she observed the course of the battle. Since none of the Skeletons wielded projectile-worthy weapons this time, there was no need to watch out for ranged attacks, and Barbara was well-focused on the timing at which she used <<Combat Cry>>. As such, the only time the Skeletons¡¯ aggro went to another target was only at each time they were newly reconstructed.


    Diniel ran at a steady pace and fired at the Skeletons, hitting two of them in the shoulder and ankle respectively, causing them to flinch from the impact. Barbara tanked the Skeletons¡¯ attacks while considering to use <<Combat Cry>> when enough of her mental energy was restored.


    [...Forty. Almost time.]


    Eunice¡¯s <


    > and <<Haste>> had a fixed duration of one minute. Eunice aimed her staff at Barbara first, thinking to shoot the buffing spells to her with time to spare.


    ¡°<


    >.¡±


    An earthy-yellow energy sphere flew off from the tip of her staff, heading in a straight line toward Barbara¡¯s back. However, since Barbara was also constantly changing her position to avoid being surrounded by monsters, she needed to correct the shot¡¯s trajectory on the way.


    Just as the <


    > was about tond, Barbara moved to the right to avoid a thrust from a Skeleton¡¯s sharpened arm bone. Eunice hurried to change the course of the shot.


    But the course correction ended up being toote; the shot hit the Skeleton¡¯s outstretched arm bone instead, giving the monster a boost to its VIT. Eunice, annoyed that she had misfired on the Skeleton, shot another <


    >, this time managing to hit Barbara just before the previous buff on her expired.


    This meant that Diniel¡¯s <<Haste>> had already expired, however. With the skill¡¯s AGI enhancement having a natural side effect of changing the sensation of the target¡¯s body, the skill wearing off would make one feel as if their body had suddenly be slow.


    Diniel, confirming that her <<Haste>> had indeed run out, switched out the magnitude of force she exerted onto her body to the normal level. There had been times in the previous battles where there were intervals between <<Haste>> effects, so she had gotten used to the change in sensation.


    ¡°<<Haste>>.¡±


    But then the spell hit her as she was pulling her bowstring. Feeling somewhat irritated because she had yet to adjust her exertion, she narrowed her eyes while re-orienting herself, then loosened her pull on the bowstring.


    [Forty-five seconds left for <


    >, sixty seconds left for <<Haste>>.]


    While Eunice was inwardly sorting out the durations of her support skills by the seconds, Barbara was facing off against ten Skeletons. Diniel, seeing that Diniel was taking quite a lot of hits, nocked her arrows and shot three of the Skeletons, hitting their skulls in quick session.


    Eunice, afraid of identally hitting a monster again, shot out a <


    > for Barbara thirty seconds in advance this time. The shot had been made to travel somewhat slower to guarantee that it wouldnd on Barbara when she stopped moving; it overrode the effect¡¯s remaining twenty seconds, resetting the clock to a full minute.


    With how support skills¡¯ durations worked, the overwritten twenty seconds of the <


    > effect was practically wasted. It would not be much of a problem if it happened only once or twice, but added up, it would make a difference of one full cast or more. As such, a basic rule of effectively utilizing support skills was to not waste more than sixty seconds.


    Eunice shot a <<Haste>> for Diniel as well, but thetter¡¯s constant movement, even when slowed down, required her to pay a fair bit of attention to direct the shot properly. The slowed shot took some time to connect on Diniel.


    By now, Diniel¡¯s previous <<Haste>> had already expired for three seconds. One moment she felt her body grow heavy, and then lighter again the next moment. This affected the speed at which he could draw her bowstring and shoot while running; with an irritated groan, she reached into her quiver-like Magic Bag.


    [<<Haste>>, sixty. And Protect...]


    ¡°Sorry! I need healing here!¡± Barbara suddenly called out to Eunice.


    She had been taking far more hits now than she had in the previous battle, partially due to Diniel¡¯s attacks being disrupted by her fluctuating sense of speed. Eunice did as Barbara asked, preparing to cast <<Heal>>.


    ¡°<<Heal>>,¡± Eunice shot the spell with her staff pointed at Barbara.


    The sphere moved slower the closer it got to Barbara, and once she stopped moving, the shot sped up tond on her back. The issue now was that Barbara¡¯s injured spot was her arm. The healing would still take effect from hitting her back, of course, butnding directly on the injuries would be more effective.


    [Haste... thirty? And Protect? Gah, damn it! I forgot!]


    Barbara, still aching somewhat on her arm, was about to call for another <<Heal>>, but then she saw how annoyed Eunice was and decided not to say anything.


    When the arrows from Diniel¡¯s bow pierced the skulls of the Skeletons, the bones that formed their human models crumbled apart and fell to the ground. Within the next ten seconds, however, they congregated together again to form new human shapes; the reconstructed Skeletons pressed lightly on their head with both hands as if adjusting their reced skull.


    One of the newly-reconstructed Skeletons faced Barbara, while the other headed for Eunice. Although Barbara¡¯s mental energy was not an issue, she had just used <<Combat Cry>> moments ago. Eunice was forced to raise her staff at the Skeleton herself.


    ¡°<<Holy>>.¡±


    A strong pir of light rose up from the ground and purified the skeleton that hade towards Eunice. Tsutomu was going to stand back and watch whatever happened, but he felt the need to set Eunice¡¯s course of action back onto the right track.


    ¡°Eunice! We¡¯re in a training session, so don¡¯t try to beat the enemies up by yourself!¡±


    Despite hearing him loud and clear, Eunice ignored Tsutomu¡¯s words as she proceeded to cast <


    > and <<Haste>> for her teammates, seeing that both their effects had already expired by now. The battle continued for another twenty minutes with the only spoken words being the names of skills, ending when Barbara reached her limit, at which point Tsutomu intervened and had the party withdraw from the Team Graveyard.


    Eunice had not demonstrated her mastery of team fighting concepts at all ¡ª she had identally hit monsters with support and healing skills, let support skills on her allies run out, did not heal enough to stay in thefortable range, and had failed to manage the enemies¡¯ aggro on her on the basic level. It was particrly bad towards the end, when there were signs that her shot had taken a half-vapour like form, and by then, she had also given up on trying to count the skills¡¯ durations by the seconds. And as a party, Eunice and Diniel¡¯s respective frustrations hadbined to create an ufortable atmosphere ¡ª it was, in a sense, a perfect score... at creating the worst situation possible.


    Eunice¡¯s yellow tail was hanging down, in a contrast to how it usually stood up so energetically, as if she was aware of what she had done wrong this time. Barbara looked dispirited as sheid on the ground, and Diniel looked as sleepy as ever, but also subtly unsatisfied.


    ¡°All right, I think we ought to call it a day for now! Good work, everyone!¡± Tsutomu dered in a cheerful voice, sounding somewhat forced to sound excited.


    ¡°Right,¡± Diniel only gave a curt reply.

 Chapter 61, Evaluation Meeting of the Golden

    <h4>Chapter 61, Evaluation Meeting of the Golden</h4>


    The party returned home, two of their members in a gloomy mood. Then the next day, Eunice did not respond to Tsutomu when he tried talking to her, so he instead focused on Barbara¡¯s training while they were exploring the thirty-ninthyer.


    Barbara was showing great signs of improvement, perhaps thanks to the practical experience gained from dealing with ten Skeletons at once yesterday. The number of Skeletons she could reliably take on had increased by one, and she was bing more stable even without buffing effects. As long as she did not get hit by critical attacks, she would not have any difficulty with the Skeletons; she herself knew that, resulting in her maneuvers getting better, too.


    [At this rate, we might be fine throwing in some Skeleton Archers in a day or two after this.]


    Since their eventual training targets were the Orcs, which naturally had archers among their groups, the party needed to get used to long-ranged attacks as well. While watching the Skeletons being blown away by Barbara¡¯s blows with her buckler, Tsutomu thought about the next methods with which to train her.


    Eunice, on the other hand, was constantly grumbling to herself in annoyance; she had been trying to do the same things as Tsutomu had shown, but since there was no way one could do everything right off the bat, she kept on failing and failing. Tsutomu had advised her to focus on healing and supporting the Tank at first, but ended up leaving her to her own devices after being asked by her to leave her alone for three days.


    Barbara took on the ten Skeletons while enduring the pain in her joints, while Diniel frequently sighed as her body¡¯s senses were altered repeatedly by her <<Haste>> effect running out and being applied again.


    [Diniel¡¯s the type of few words, I see. She might even pass as a Japanese person on that front.]


    From Tsutomu¡¯s experience, the act of simply walking away without a word was the mostmon reaction from Japanese yers when encountering Healers with bad personalities. There were also those who would kindly teach them the ropes and others who would hurl profanity at them, of course, but most of the time, people would simply leave the party and find another elsewhere to avoid the hassle of a conflict.


    In this case, however, there was no way to immediately break up the party, so Diniel could only keep silent while putting up with her displeasure. The situation was, needless to say, not good ¡ª not the kind of good silence where everyone involved acted naturally in sync with one another. This was the kind of silence where everyone hadints and suggestions for improvement, but could not bring themselves to say them out loud.


    Tsutomu kept on watching the three while he twirled his white staff around in his hands... and then saw Diniel starting to act up.


    She began to dodge Eunice¡¯s <<Haste>> shots, deliberately letting them pass her by as she kept on shooting the Skeletons down. After the first several times, Eunice realized the meaning behind Diniel¡¯s behavior; now she was insistent onnding the <<Haste>> shots on Diniel.


    In fact, she was so focused on getting <<Haste>> to hit that she had forgotten to support Barbara; now thetter¡¯s <


    > had expired, and she was not getting enough healing. Tsutomu, reminded of so many stray parties in Live Dungeon that had gotten wiped because of these very same behaviors, held his head regretfully.


    [If this goes on for two more days, I think even Barbara might lose her temper.]


    Seeing Barbara being subject to the Skeleton¡¯s attacks without any buffing effects made Tsutomu want to intervene, but he knew that intervening now would only satisfy him and do nothing to help Eunice¡¯s improvement. He kept on watching the trio fight, suppressing the itch to take action all the while.


    Eventually, Eunice finally realized that Barbara was in a critical situation, rushing to cast her <


    > and <<Heal>>. Eunice¡¯s panic might have transmitted to the skills she used, however, as apparent from how her <


    > and <<Heal>> were in half-vapor forms, failing to reach Barbara before fading away.


    Diniel, losing her patience upon seeing that happen, let loose her arrows in quick session. One after another, they pierced the Skeletons¡¯ skulls with great uracy, eventually temporarily incapacitating all ten of them.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    With the Skeletons gone for now, Eunice seemed to have regained herposure; her <<Heal>> shot this time was a spherical shape, and she sessfully hit Barbara with it. Tsutomu, after confirming that a few more shotsnded without issue, shouted out,


    ¡°All right! Now we retreat! Everyone, gather around!¡±


    The three turned around at the sound of Tsutomu¡¯s shout. Diniel, looking bored, immediately put away the arrow in her hand and rushed over to Tsutomu. Barbara also ran over, looking somewhat nervous, while Eunice clicked her tongue out of annoyance at the reconstructing Skeletons before grouping up with everyone else.


    After leaving the Team Graveyard and returning to the Guild, they sat down on the chairs in the Guild¡¯s dining hall, as asked to by Tsutomu. He proceeded to take out a pen and a piece of paper from his Magic Bag and put them on the table.


    ¡°Our Tank and Healer have gotten the basics down since yesterday, which enabled us to carry out training in a realbat environment. So from today on, after the training sessions are over, the three of you must be present in an evaluation meeting.¡±


    ¡°E-evaluation meetings?¡±


    Barbara, after taking off her helmet and wiping her face with a towel to release some heat, looked awkwardly at the two others sitting in front of her. Seeming to still hold an inferiorityplex due to her Job and the fact that she had not been in the main party until very recently, she still could not act all that naturally toward the two.


    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s start with Barbara. Is there anything about the party you¡¯re not satisfied with?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m first!?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Tsutomu smiled at Barbara then raised his hand to the Guild Staff Member who was taking orders, and ordered drinks for all four of the party. And then, seeing that Barbara had yet to say anything, he turned to look at her as if to urge her on. Afraid of Tsutomu¡¯s silent gaze, she eventually brought herself to speak up,


    ¡°I¡¯d like more healing, I guess.¡±


    ¡°You want Eunice to heal you more frequently... noted. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°...No, I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    After quickly writing down Barbara¡¯s opinion on the paper, Tsutomu then turned to Eunice. In response, Eunice red at Diniel and pointed at her.


    ¡°She¡¯s been dodging my <<Haste>> shots, I can tell! She¡¯s been doing that just now, too! What¡¯s wrong with her!?¡±


    ¡°Diniel has been dodging <<Haste>>... noted. Anything else.¡±


    ¡°...Nothing. But, well, I¡¯m sorry, Barbara. I¡¯ll do better.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Bowed to by Eunice, Barbara hurriedly waved her hands as if to tell the former that she meant no disrespect. Tsutomu took a sip of the cold water that had been served to him and then turned to Diniel. She cast her gaze down, her expression suggesting that she wanted to hurry and be done with this.


    ¡°The <<Haste>> shots were in my way, so I don¡¯t really need them.¡±


    ¡°Diniel doesn¡¯t need <<Haste>>... noted. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°What!? You stop messing around!¡±


    Eunice, yellow tail flicked up in response to Diniel¡¯s blunt remark, retorted with quite a rough tone; thetter winced at Eunice¡¯s volume and held her long, sharp ears with her hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself ¡ª there¡¯s no use in doing something you can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Ngh... S-sure, I can¡¯t do it now, but I¡¯ll get it down in three days, you¡¯ll see!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be that easy, though.¡±


    ¡°If that guy can do it, then there¡¯s no way in hell I can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°N-now, just calm down for a bit, you two!¡±


    Eunice was about to grab Diniel when Barbara leaned forward over the table and pushed the two apart with her arms. Tsutomu kept on noting things down while thinking to himself how surprised he would be if they were to actually get things in ce within the next three days.


    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ve gotten everyone to voice their opinions, at least. Now I¡¯ll be exining all of your battle performances from what I observed. First, Barbara.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    ¡°You were very good at countering the Skeletons today. It seems that you were able to grasp the essential concepts from yesterday¡¯sbat practice. Please do keep up the good work.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Barbara nodded firmly in response to Tsutomu¡¯s exnation.


    Looking at them, Eunice groaned as if she was looking at something silly. Tsutomu proceeded to turn to Eunice and said to her,


    ¡°So, Eunice... you said you¡¯ll get things down in three days. I won¡¯t say anything until then, so do your best with whatever you¡¯re trying now.¡±


    ¡°...You don¡¯t even need to tell me that.¡±


    ¡°But if you don¡¯t show any improvement in three days, I¡¯ll have you strictly following my instructions going forward.¡±


    Eunice reluctantly nodded to Tsutomu¡¯s statement, then began drinking from her cup of cold water, holding it up with both hands. Tsutomu still had much he wanted to say to her, especially since they both had the same Job, but he decided to refrain from doing so for now. Seeing that she had learned all the basics in a short period of time, there was plenty of time to spare. As such, he decided to give Eunice three days for her to do whatever she wanted with.


    ¡°And Diniel... I don¡¯t have anything in particr for you. You didn¡¯t seem to be taking things seriously in the first ce, so I can¡¯t really evaluate your performance.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I do have a feeling that you¡¯ve been keeping things to yourself too much. If there¡¯s anything you want done, maybe you should try speaking it out more.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Diniel did not seem to pay much attention to what Tsutomu had to say, only giving curt answers as she held up her cup and twirled it around. Tsutomu, thinking back to how she had started dodging <<Haste>> shots earlier, thought to himself how she had alwayse off as unpredictable and entric,. The meeting ended for now, however, and after a short break, the party headed back to the Team Graveyard of the thirty-ninthyer.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Two days had passed since the evaluation meeting, but Eunice had not been shown to change much; with one day left on her bold im, she was now constantly worried over what she could do.


    To make it easier to keep track of her skills¡¯ durations, she had tried shortening the effect of <


    >, whichsted longer <<Haste>>, and made it so that she could count the two skills¡¯ times in rtion with each other. However, whenever she¡¯d had to pay attention to Diniel¡¯s movements to get <<Haste>> tond on her, she ended up losing or confusing the seconds¡¯ counts.


    Moreover, Eunice knew all too well that the timing at which Barbara would use <<Combat Cry>>, as instructed by Tsutomu, was when the Skeletons finished reconstructing themselves. Despite knowing that, she would need a wide field of vision and good awareness to make sure to support both Barbara and Diniel while healing as needed while also noting the locations and times at which the Skeletons woulde back. As she was now, Eunice still possessed insufficient abilities to grasp the whole battle¡¯s situation.


    Now, she was at her wit¡¯s end, failing to understand why she could not do what Tsutomu could despite thetter being a White Mage with a level of lower than fifty ¡ª essentially a beginner to the scene. Using her frustration to fuel her drive on the third day, after she was done exploring the Dungeon with Barbara and Diniel, she asked Leon and some other n Members to give her somebat training. During the session, she tried imitating another one of Tsutomu¡¯s moves. Thinking she should be fine if she were to seed in at least cing <<Haste>> pick-ups, she ended up being quite shocked to know how difficult it actually was.


    Tsutomu, through learning and predicting Leon¡¯s movement behaviors, had been reliably cing <<Haste>> on the ground in the directions of Leon¡¯s steps. Eunice, however, could not manage to get Leon to step on the right spots, even when she abandoned her other obligations to focus on him.


    <<Haste>> cements had a slight dy between the spell activation and the pick-up actually spawning. Despite anticipating that and cing the pick-ups in advance, Leon would already have passed the spawn points by the time they were ready. After about five hours of practice, Eunice was not able to get Leon to step on her <<Haste>> pick-ups even once.


    To fully excel at her role, she must do the following: Use the skills Tsutomu had taught her to maintain the buffing effects of her three party members, while also keeping an eye on the Tank and healing them as necessary. Reliably ce <<Haste>> pick-ups so that Leon could get them, while also knowing the monsters¡¯ positions and managing their aggro on her. And at times, making herself function as a Tank, attracting the attention of many monsters and keeping herself alive. Eunice still could not do even the first thing on the list. Moreover, this time, unlike when she had learned to use skill shots and cements, she did not feel that she had improved at all. She could not even picture a future where she managed to learn all those skills and tactical prowesses.


    Eunice kept on practicing with Leon and the team untilte into the night, but all she managed to understand was the overwhelming difference between Tsutomu and herself. By the time she was back to the n House, it was already pitch ck out; she cleaned herself, changed into her pajamas, and went back to her room.


    She had to admit that she was inferior to ¡®that guy.¡¯ That Garm, Camille, and Amy were not fully responsible for his team¡¯s victories over the Fire Dragon. That her assessment of him had been wrong.


    Feeling as if she was getting all that implicitly beaten in, she shook the staff in her hand in frustration, then proceeded to throw it at the wall with all her might.


    The staff fell to the floor with a hollow rattle. Eunice heaved a deep sigh and went to pick it back up.


    [...I¡¯ll admit, he¡¯s better than me. For now.]


    Eunice then wiped her red, swollen eyes with her sleeve, jumped into her cutely-decorated double bed, and almost immediately fell asleep.


    The next morning, Eunice woke up with a refreshed look on her face. She quickly got ready and ate breakfast in the n House¡¯s Dining Hall, then waited at the entrance for Tsutomu¡¯s arrival.


    She had been trying to imitate Tsutomu¡¯s moves for herself, an effort which had gonergely unsessful. Now she felt that, if she kept stubbornly going at it like this, she would not ever be able to do it. She had resolved to bow to him, to ask him to teach her, and as such decided to do so first thing in the morning.


    But time ticked on, and even when it passed nine o¡¯clock, Tsutomu did not show up. Up to now, he had always arrived much earlier, looking over some documents in the reception room by the time it was half-past eight. Eunice had her arms crossed and was thumping one foot in frustration when Barbara and Diniel spotted her on their way out.


    ¡°Oh, there you are, Eunice. I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±


    ¡°...Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing ¡ª it¡¯s just that we¡¯ll be doing some training today as well, you see... do you have other ns?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t. Of course I¡¯ll go with you... but that guy isn¡¯t here, and I¡¯ve been waiting since early morning! Why even train today, of all days, anyway? I swear, he¡¯s the worst...¡±


    Seeing Eunice wagging her tail as if to show her annoyance, Barbara put her fingers on her temples, reluctant to exin what should have been obvious to the former. Diniel, standing next to them, heaved a sigh and said,


    ¡°Tsutomu did tell us yesterday that he won¡¯t be here today, though. Didn¡¯t you hear him?¡±


    ¡°Huh...¡±


    Having been so desperate to learn all the skills yesterday, Eunice hadpletely missed Tsutomu¡¯s announcement. Diniel sighed again, exasperated. Eunice now realized that it had been aplete waste to have waited at the entrance so early in the morning. Her face flushed with shame, poked the ground hard with her staff as if she was throwing a tantrum.


    ¡°Why¡¯s he taking the day off now, of all times? Isn¡¯t he here on Golden Tune¡¯s request!? He can¡¯t just take time off like that! What¡¯s his exnation for that, anyway!?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I know, either...¡±


    ¡°...Oh yeah, I think he said something about being called over by the Guild Master, and that he¡¯ll be away for two days. Can¡¯t me him, I guess. He did get permission from Leon yesterday, after all.¡±


    Barbara tried to pacify the red-faced Eunice as thetter screamed at the top of her lungs, while Diniel simply covered her own ears. Ten minutester, after the scene died down, the three headed to the Guild to begin today¡¯s training.

 Chapter 62, Dining Table at Camille’s

    <h4>Chapter 62, Dining Table at Camille¡¯s</h4>


    ¡°...Huh, this ce¡¯s surprisingly small.¡±


    Having received a summon to the Guild Master¡¯s office the other day, Tsutomu had gone to ask Camille what she wanted. The business, as anti-climatic as it had turned out to be, had led him to a certain house this afternoon.


    Back when Camille was in his party, they had once talked over the topic of cooking, with Tsutomu saying at one point that he would teach her how to make pot-au-feu. Not having expected the summon to be about that, of all things, Tsutomu felt someone what underwhelmed... but then again, he could not simply say that he had forgotten. As such, he¡¯d had to find an open slot in his schedule to pay a visit to Camille¡¯s home.


    He tugged on the doorbell string, making it ring quite loudly. A few momentster, Camille, in her casual wear, opened the door and stepped out.


    ¡°Oh, hello.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting. Here,e on in.¡±


    Camille, her long red hair swaying in the breeze, invited Tsutomu in. Thetter, after greeting her awkwardly, followed her. Although the house looked small on the outside, its interior, with wood as its base theme, had been decorated with great attention to detail, creating a rxing, spacious-feeling atmosphere.


    Camille then made eye contact with Tsutomu, who was standing beside her, ring subtly as if to question him.


    ¡°So, Tsutomu, I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve been frequently visiting the Golden Tely?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound right... I¡¯m giving them some guidance, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°The n is supposed to be almost all girls, isn¡¯t it? You must¡¯ve found at least one who tickles your fancy, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Well, actually, not quite. Most of them are already engaged to Leon, after all.¡±


    ¡°Not quite... so not an outright no? Wouldn¡¯t hurt to poach just one member from them, right?¡± Camille cracked a yful grin and poked Tsutomu¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to do that, no,¡± Tsutomu denied the question outright while keeping himself facing forward.


    Bored by the no-nonsense answer, Camille looked away and led him into the kitchen.


    ¡°And here we are... Now, instructor, you¡¯ll be teaching me how to make pot-au-feu today. Please do treat me kindly.¡±


    ¡°What, so I¡¯m YOUR instructor now?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten anyone to teach me much about anything ever since I took up this position... and that¡¯s quite some time ago. Just let me have my fun once in a while, will you?¡±


    Camille raised her face and grinned. Tsutomu, although exasperated, startedying out the ingredients and tools from his Magic Bag onto the kitchen counter. Although he was indeed here to teach her how to make pot-au-feu, Tsutomu was not much of a cook himself. He could do a little since he had been living alone for some years, but he had avoided trying anythingplicated, basically cooking only cheap and easy things such as curry and pasta.


    Pot-au-feu was fairly easy to make as long as one had the right ingredients, so Tsutomu had felt that Camille would be able to make it right away, what with her already being a good cook. But then again, he saw that Camille seemed to enjoy the process of being taught, so he refrained from telling her that.


    ¡°Huh, did you make this bacon yourself?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a gift from Garm. Made it from the leftover ingredients the orphanage gave him, I think he said.¡±


    ¡°Huh...¡±


    While Camille kept on checking out the bacon, Tsutomu borrowed some cooking utensils and prepared to chop the vegetables. Camille, too, ced the bacon on a wooden cutting board and began to prepare them.


    ¡°You can cut it however you like... I guess. As long as the pieces are bite-sized.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    As Tsutomu began to peel the carrots, onions, and potatoes, Camille tied her long red hair back with an stic band and stood next to him. Tsutomu, catching a slightly subdued flowery scent, looked at Camille as she held up her knife and started peeling as well.


    Her handling of the knife was better than Tsutomu, without even a hint of hesitation. Before long, all the potatoes lost all their skin, revealing the white flesh inside, and onions had their top parts efficiently cut off with a knife before being peeled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut these into bite-sized pieces, too.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    After that, the two silently proceeded with the process, quickly finishing up the preparations for the vegetables and bacon. They then prepared a pot and put in some oil, and then threw some Colorless Magic Stones into the magical stove and lit a fire in it. Once the oil in the pot heated up, they put in the bacon and lightly stir-fried them, then put in the vegetables.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Tsutomu... are you not using the Guild¡¯s appraisal service?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh. My nickname is gone now, so I should be fine using it... Right, I totally forgot.¡±


    Back when Tsutomu carried the nickname of ¡®Lucky Boy,¡¯ he had disliked going to the Guild since the bothersome subset of Explorers were there pretty much all the time, and had opted to sell his Magic Stones to and use the appraisal services at stores outside instead. Now that the nickname was gone, however, he could go ahead and use the Guild¡¯s appraisal counter without anything stopping him.


    ¡°Thanks to someone around here, our appraiser Amy has been putting in a lot of work for once, you know? Some people might think she¡¯s been overworking herself these days, even. I don¡¯t mean to be pushy, but would you mind showing up from time to time?¡±


    ¡°...Sure thing. I don¡¯t mind at all.¡±


    Tsutomu looked away, sensing a suspicious hint of teasing in the concerned look Camille was making.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that Amy is working hard, though... so maybe it¡¯s also good that you left her alone for a while. Now everyone¡¯s been so worried for her that they can¡¯t focus on their work...¡±


    ¡°Really, how much of a cker was she? I¡¯ve known a little about that tendency of hers from Garm¡¯sints, but that sounds...¡±


    ¡°The Staff Members were so worried that they almost called a doctor over to the Guild ¡ª that¡¯s how much of a contrast it is.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, Amy...¡±


    ¡°The girl herself seems fine, though ¡ª even spoke against the people worrying too much and all that. Heh heh heh...¡±


    Once Tsutomu saw that all the ingredients were thoroughly covered in oil, he poured in enough water to cover the ingredients, then took out the liquid consomm¨¦ and spooned some into the pot.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a seasoning called consomm¨¦. I¡¯ve purchased it from the cook at the inn where I¡¯m staying. You could make it yourself, too, but I wouldn¡¯t rmend it since you have to stick with the whole process for half a day to get it right.¡±


    ¡°Huh... mind if I have a taste?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Camille looked at Tsutomu¡¯s spoon, then opened her mouth.


    ¡°...Uh, no. It¡¯s got a pretty strong taste, so a spoon is too much. Just lick it off your finger or something.¡±


    Promptly told off by Tsutomu, Camille clicked her tongue in slight disappointment, then dabbed her finger on the consomm¨¦ then licked it off. She then crossed her arms and nodded.


    ¡°Right, now I get it. It¡¯s simr to the clear soup of one of the town¡¯s top restaurants.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that it can be made by stewing some kinds of meat and vegetables... not that that¡¯s much information to go by. Oh, you can keep the rest of it if you¡¯d like. I can buy some more myself anyway.¡±


    ¡°Really? Appreciate it. I¡¯ll have my daughter try this out tonight.¡±


    While she looked into the simmering pot, Camille, unknowingly cracking a smile, imagined the scene of her daughter enjoying the pot-au-feu. Then, as if she had just recalled something, she turned to Tsutomu.


    ¡°Oh, which reminds me... she¡¯s been saying she wanted to meet you, Tsutomu. She¡¯ll be home this evening, so if you don¡¯t mind, could you talk to her a bit during dinnertime?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Your... daughter?¡±


    ¡°Consider that a request.¡±


    ¡°...All right.¡±


    Caught off guard by the pleading look in Camille¡¯s eyes, Tsutomu thought his options over for a moment before nodding in agreement. Camille¡¯s smile when she got the desired reply was as cheerful as the clear sky after the rain... which raised a few gs of suspicion in Tsutomu¡¯s head as he turned to look into the pot instead.


    The two proceeded to continue cooking the pot-au-feu, taste-testing and adjusting it a few times with consomm¨¦ and other seasonings before they were done. After that, Tsutomu gave Camille a note with the recipe and list of ingredients, and then the two of them chatted while partaking in the meal.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    After lunch, Tsutomu went out with Camille to apany her shopping since he had free time until night. For Tsutomu, who usually only went to Dungeon-rted stores, this outing was a surprisingly enjoyable one.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll show this to Amy. Heh heh heh...¡± Camille, having been bought a hairband by Tsutomu, had immediately tied her long red hair back with it, and now she frequently reached to fiddle with it, giggling happily each time.


    ¡°Stop it. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s going to have me buy her something expensive next.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no doubt. Don¡¯t worry ¡ª I¡¯ll keep it a secret. Now, it¡¯s about time we went back.¡±


    It was now getting dark out, so the two quickly headed back to Camille¡¯s house.


    When they were there, the lights were already on. Camille unlocked the door and went into the living room, and there, she found a red-haired girl gobbling up the re-heated leftover pot-au-feu from lunch. Like Camille, her hair was long, and she was rather tall by women¡¯s standards.


    The girl¡¯s eyes widened in surprise upon seeing the two walking in.


    ¡°Huh? What, finally got yourself a new man, mom?¡±


    ¡°Hey, watch your manners, Amira. He¡¯s the guy you¡¯ve been wanting to meet, you know.¡±


    Camille¡¯s daughter, Amira, who had weed the two with rough manners, narrowed her eyes and looked at Tsutomu as if scrutinizing his face. Then she promptly ced her fork down, seeming as if she had just remembered something.


    ¡°It¡¯s YOU! The White Mage who beat the Fire Dragon! I¡¯ve heard all about you from the old h¨C I mean my mom ¡ª you, her, and Garm teaming up and all that!¡±


    Amira, getting a borderline murderous re from Camille mid-sentence, changed her wording while looking at Tsutomu, her eyes sparkling. She proceeded to stand up, walking over to him and shaking his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to invite you over to my n! C¡¯mon, join us!¡±


    ¡°And here I am, wondering why you wanted to meet him so badly... so you want him for your n? Too bad, though ¡ª he¡¯s going to create one on his own soon.¡±


    ¡°What the hell! He hasn¡¯t even gotten started yet, right!? Just give it up and join me! You¡¯ll have a great time here, no hard work at all!¡±


    ¡°Ahaha... sorry. But I really want to run things myself.¡±


    ¡°Hah... welp, can¡¯t force you. You¡¯ll be our rival down the line, I guess.¡±


    Immediately giving up upon hearing Tsutomu¡¯s denial, Amira let go of his hand and only smiled. Then, as if already losing interest, she returned to her seat, picked her fork back up, and resumed chowing down on the pot-au-feu without saying another word.


    ¡°Sorry about her manners, Tsutomu. I hope she didn¡¯t offend you too much.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I don¡¯t mind any of that at all.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a lot like me, you know ¡ª both the good and bad parts. I was even worse than her when I was her age, though, so it¡¯s a blessing... in a way.¡±


    [Even worse, huh...]


    Amira, sitting with her legs spread like a man in a tavern, loudly chugged down cold water and topped it off with an equally loud, refreshed shout. Tsutomu, while staring at the now-empty te, wondered to himself what ¡®even worse¡¯ than that could even look like.


    ¡°Gah, she¡¯s already finished all of it. I swear, her appetite is as insatiable as ever.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk, mom. Acting like a woman only when you¡¯re in front of a man...¡±


    ¡°Just try to stay quiet for a minute, Amira.¡±


    Camille, despite her words, did not seem to actually be angry; she proceeded to pick up the pot and walk to the kitchen.


    ¡°Sorry, Tsutomu. Can you help me make another serving?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°Chop, chop!¡±


    ¡°Amira,nguage!¡±


    Camille held up the woodendle in her hand, prompting Amira to flutter her hands, step away, and plop down on the sofa. Camille, as if giving up on trying to reprimand her child, put her hands on her hips and sighed.


    ¡°...Well, that¡¯s how she always acts. But she¡¯s strong, though, that¡¯s for sure ¡ª wields a greatsword just like me, and she¡¯s more talented than I am. She even learned the <<Dragon Form>> when she was thirteen, way earlier than I did.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°And two months after her n was founded, they were already at the fortiethyer. Really, she¡¯s one hell of a kid.¡±


    The tone of her voice was as if she was criticizing Amira, but her expression was that of a smile. In one way or another, it seemed that Camille was indeed proud to have Amira as her daughter.


    While Camille continued to brag about her child, Tsutomu thought about some things to himself.


    [...Amira is at least thirteen... So assuming that Camille gave birth when she was twenty, she must be over thir¨C]


    ¡°Tsutomu?¡±


    In trying to figure out Camille¡¯s age, Tsutomu had shifted the main conversation to auto-pilot mode... which got him a look from the former as she took out a knife to start chopping the vegetables.


    Her eyes were that of a carnivorous beast aiming for its prey. While Tsutomu froze up upon making eye contact, Camille smiled at him, a smile in equal parts terrifying and charming.


    ¡°Is something the matter, hmm?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing at all. Let¡¯s juuuust get back to cooking now...¡±


    ¡°Right. Thanks for being here with us today.¡±


    As she cleanly cut the vegetables on the cutting board, Tsutomu nodded to her repeatedly.

 Chapter 63, Signs of Improvement

    <h4>Chapter 63, Signs of Improvement</h4>


    Afterward, Tsutomu ate dinner with Amira and Camille while discussing with them mainly about topics rting to the Dungeon. Seeing how Camille¡¯s expressions were the brightest she¡¯d had all day while everyone was trading their knowledge about the Dungeon, Tsutomu could not help but pull a wry smile while he tidied up the table.


    Amira, Camille¡¯s daughter, had told Tsutomu that she had recently reached the forty-firstyer and was already looking for ways to deal with the Shell Crab. Her initial idea seemed to be the same as Camille¡¯s: raise five Attackers¡¯ levels up to the point where they could take on the Shell Crab, then bring along a Healer for the real fight.


    Tsutomu had almost brought up the information regarding the Shell Crab¡¯s nest, but then remembered that the newspaper publishers had already been informed of it, with there being ns to publicize it in a few days from now. With the article scheduled to be published soon, Tsutomu had simply suggested that Amira checked out the two newspaperpanies¡¯ publications.


    As a recement, Tsutomu decided to tell Amira about a ce to efficiently gain levels instead.


    ¡°By the way, have you had the chance to conquer the Team Graveyard onyer thirty-nine yet?¡±


    ¡°Team Graveyard? Oh, that shitty ce... It¡¯s only good for White Mages, right?¡±


    ¡°Not quite ¡ª the Demi-Lich¡¯s experience yield is quite high, you see, so I¡¯d rmend leveling up there if your team can conquer the overall area.¡±


    ¡°Huh...¡±


    ¡°Only White Mages are able to neutralize the Skeleton minions in the starting stages, but they¡¯ll stop reconstructing themselves once the Demi-Liches out to fight. The experience yield you can expect from there is higher than at the Beaches, even.¡±


    ¡°What!? Really!?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Still, it¡¯ll also take some effort for White Mages to adjust to the right strategies... oh, look at the time!¡±


    In the middle of the conversation, Tsutomu hurriedly left his seat upon catching a glimpse of the clock on the wall, realizing that it was already past nine o¡¯clock. While thinking to himself how he had gotten too absorbed in the discussions, Tsutomu called out to Camille,


    ¡°Sorry for staying sote. I ought to get going now.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. Come visit us again whenever you feel like it.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re not staying over for the night? If you¡¯d like, I¡¯ll go with¨C ow!¡±


    Amira, getting adle thrown at her head, fell to the ground and writhed in pain. Tsutomu faked a chuckle to dodge out of the scene and excuse himself, leaving Camille¡¯s house and returning to the inn to get some sleep.


    The next day, as usual, Tsutomu went to cash in the Magic Stones and replenish his Potion stock. He only remembered Amy after he was done with everything, and was d that it was not her who was in charge of the Guild¡¯s Magic Stone conversion service.


    Amy¡¯s appraisal work was for the Dungeon¡¯s items, so he would need to find some treasure chests first before having a reason to visit her. Unluckily for Tsutomu, he had nevere across a single treasure chest before. An average Explorer usually would find at least one by the time they reached the fortiethyer, but sadly, that was not the case for Tsutomu.


    [I do wonder when we¡¯ll actually meet again...]


    Tsutomu, while preparing for tomorrow¡¯s visit to the Golden Tune, thought to himself how nice it would be if he were to find a treasure chest soon, not even stopping to consider that they could just meet up during the holidays. He then spent the rest of his free time in front of the Monitors, observing other Explorers fight through the Dungeon.


    The next morning, Tsutomu headed to the Golden Tune n House, feeling somewhat more fired up than usual. He was at the entrance a little past eight o¡¯clock, intending to look over some documents like usual, but then he noticed Eunice standing in his way with her yellow tail wagging unhappily.


    Wondering if Eunice was waiting for someone, Tsutomu paused a moment upon seeing her and turned to go around to the back door, not wanting to be involved with her business... But then Eunice came running after him.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going!?¡±


    ¡°...Oh. Good morning.¡±


    Tsutomu, thinking to herself how energetic Eunice was this early in the morning, responded to her as she caught up to him. Eunice was as grumpy as ever, but he also noticed her fiddling around, seeming somewhat embarrassed.


    Then, as if she finally made up her mind, Eunice looked up at Tsutomu and bowed her head.


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Like I said...! I¡¯m sorry. Now I understand that your skills are not the only thing you¡¯re good for. I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°Huh...¡±


    Still not getting why he was so suddenly being apologized to, Tsutomu gave a nonmittal reply, prompting Eunice to raise her head and give him a serious look.


    ¡°So I¡¯d like you to teach me what I should be doing. At any rate, you told me before that I had to start by prioritizing the Tank, so that¡¯s what I¡¯m doing now.¡±


    ¡°...Oh, right. It¡¯s been three days already.¡±


    Tsutomu, guessing from what he could see from Eunice that she had failed, pondered things over for a moment before looking at her again. It was a mystery to him where all of her audacity had gone, but at least she seemed to be behaving herself much better now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go for some test runs in battles, then ¡ª show me what you¡¯re capable of now. I¡¯ll decide on my instructions ordingly.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, I understand.¡±


    ¡°All right, then. We¡¯ll meet up at nine o¡¯clock as usual.¡±


    With that, Tsutomu slipped past Eunice and went into the n House. Eunice, ticked off by Tsutomu¡¯s curt attitude, looked as if she had something stuck in between her teeth before following him inside.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°<<Area Heal>>.¡±


    The group of four had immediately headed to the Team Graveyard on the thirty-ninthyer. With Tsutomu observing them, the threebatants proceeded to engage inbat. While the bones started congregating, Eunice set up a healing perimeter.


    ¡°<


    >.¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>.¡±


    Eunice then cast a buff for Barbara, followed by Diniel nocking an arrow and Barbara activating her aggro-generating skill. All of the Skeletons turned their attention to thetter.


    This time, Eunice did not cast <<Haste>> for Diniel, focusing exclusively on supporting Barbara. The standard duration of <


    > was ny seconds, and with only one target to keep an eye on, Eunice was able to maintain the effect without any issue. In the two days of Tsutomu¡¯s absence, she had focused on Barbara during their training as well.


    Barbara, being the Tank, was one to take on all of the Skeletons¡¯ attacks, withstanding them with her high VIT. In this way, the damage of the entire party could be reduced, and the Healer, Eunice, could concentrate on healing only one target.


    Additionally, the Attacker, Diniel, was not exposed to the monsters¡¯ attacks, enabling her to maximize her attack output without as much need to defend herself. The difference was quite significant between trying to fire arrows while having to avoid monsters¡¯ attacks and being free to attack without being targeted. Thetter case gave the Attacker more mental space to process the situation as well.


    Diniel¡¯s arrows were piercing through more and more Skeletons. The battle situation was so stable that she was almost bored to tears.


    After some time, half of the Skeletons were destroyed by Diniel. The monsters promptly put themselves back together, resetting their aggro values. Eunice waited to confirm that all of them had fully reconstructed, then...


    ¡°Barbara! <<Combat Cry>>, please!¡± She instructed the Tank inbat to use the skill at the right timing.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>,¡± Barbara did as told, gathering all of the Skeletons¡¯ aggro onto herself once more.


    Tsutomu saw that there were still some things that needed improvement, such as the number of seconds wasted on <


    > and the timings of <<Heal>>, but he considered that they had already gotten the basics down.


    [Looking good.]


    And even though their form was rudimentary still, it was infinitely a morefortable scene to watchpared tost time. Another major factor was that the three had been diligently training for the past two days, so they had gotten to know one another¡¯s moves well.


    Tsutomu let them keep fighting for another thirty minutes, and then, seeing that there were no particr issues, he called off the battle and had the three gather around.


    ¡°Very good ¡ª a significant improvement. And you seem to be able to handle the Skeletons without any issue now, Barbara.¡±


    ¡°R-really? Then are we up against the Orcs next!?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯ll just add the Skeleton Archers to the mix for now. The Orcs will be after that.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    With Barbara nodding in satisfaction, Tsutomu proceeded to turn to Eunice to see that she was tensing up, seeming quite nervous. Although distracted by how her fox tail was moving suspiciously, Tsutomu started pointing out what he had observed of her performance,


    ¡°You¡¯re getting the basics down, Eunice. I can see that you¡¯ve been training these past two days, what with your movements being so much better.¡±


    ¡°...Of course I have been.¡±


    As she listened, Eunice had quite a stern expression on her face, but the way her tail was wagging suggested that she was rtively happy. Even Diniel¡¯s eyes were following along as the tail swayed from side to side.


    [This girl...]


    Tsutomu was reminded of Eunice¡¯s expression of indifference when he had praised her a little some time earlier. At the time, he had thought it was a misunderstanding, but...


    ¡°Still, you¡¯re wasting too many seconds on <


    >. Sometimes you even renewed the effect while the old effect still has as much as forty seconds left. Please try to lower it to thirty at most.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Eunice¡¯s expression was the same as before; what was different was her tail, now dangling down in low spirits. Diniel¡¯s eyes still followed the tail, this time looking downward.


    [Could she be the type to get better the more she gets praised...?]


    Having initially been certain that Eunice was just a grumpy fox, Tsutomu was quite surprised, and now felt the need to re-evaluate his attitude toward her going forward.


    After that, the three let the Skeleton Archers spawn and tried fighting them, but Barbara was not used to dealing with arrows, so she was hit by consecutive critical attacks and copsed. Eunice was too focused on supporting to manage the aggro on her, and ended up taking a few arrows to her unprotected head, then being rushed down by the Skeletons and quickly dying.


    With this being his first time seeing a party member die so inadvertently, Tsutomu felt somewhat bitter... but he was also excited to cast <<Raise>> for Eunice. A radiant pir gushed out from the White Staff into the sky, and along with it, light particles gathered onto the ground.


    Following that, Eunice came back to life, lying on her back in the default crude xen clothes. Tsutomu, while impressed by the magic, noticed that all of the monsters¡¯ aggro was now on him. There was no need for him to defend himself, however, since Diniel made quick work of them.


    ¡°...That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been revived.¡±


    Eunice shook her head to clear her drowsiness, then scrambled to collect her removed padded clothes and light armor, and pped on just the armor on top of her crude clothes before rushing back into the battle.


    [Must be hard, being a girl and all,] Tsutomu thought to himself upon seeing Eunice scramble to re-equip herself.


    Perhaps it was either because of theck of padded clothes, or her not equipping the pieces properly, but the light armor just did not look right on her now. She could not afford to stop and swap out the crude clothes for her proper padded ones, however, so she just had to deal with it.


    In fact, back when God¡¯s Dungeon had first appeared, female Explorers changing clothes post-revival was quite a serious problem. There was not enough time for one to prepare a changing tent, and one¡¯s clothes ¡ª be it fur, linen, or nylon ¡ª would be unequipped as well. It was already an issue for men, but for women it was several times worse; add the broadcasting God Eyes to the mix, and it was a disaster for the revived to re-equip themselves.


    The particr problem had prompted female Explorers to carry out a series of experiments. As a result, it had been discovered that all clothes and equipment originating in the Dungeon, as well as other items that were deemed highly defensive such as leather, metal pieces, and thick fabric and animal fur, would be removed.


    Objects with no defensive properties such as thin fabric and cotton, on the other hand, would stay on. As such, the culture of wearing underwear had grown rapidly in Dungeon City, fueled by the overwhelming demand from women, leading to the production of borate items without defensive properties.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Tsutomu coughed to clear his throat, pulling his senses together and breaking his stare away from Eunice, and continued to watch over the three fight against the Skeletons and Skeleton Archers.

 Chapter 64, Team Graveyard Graduation

    <h4>Chapter 64, Team Graveyard Graduation</h4>


    For the ten days until the end of the month, the party continued their training in the Team Graveyard. The first three days had been a horrible disaster ¡ª from Barbara having arrows stuck to her head, to Eunice dying from being targeted by Skeletons. It had been a good opportunity for Tsutomu to experience the aggro generated by <<Raise>> for himself instead of seeing them through broadcasts, but Diniel had frequently grumbled that it was unfair that only Tsutomu had an easy time through it all.


    After another week, however, they had gotten used to fighting with Skeleton Archers in the enemies¡¯ ranks, with Barbara now being able to block the arrows with her buckler or getting them to hit her arms and legs instead of her more vital parts. She no longer had arrows stuck on her head as often as before.


    As for Eunice, she could maintain the effect of <


    > as long as she properly focused on the Tank, and she was getting a better grasp on the buff effects¡¯ durations. She still was not as urate as Tsutomu, but she was indeed developing her sense of time, down to the seconds. Her management of Skeletons¡¯ aggro values was getting decent, too.


    Diniel had been attacking at her own pace... that meaning as sluggish as usual most of the time, but she seemed to have enjoyed the past week, perhaps because she had gotten to be somewhat more hands-off. She¡¯d had a rtively easy time, such that she could asionally talk to Tsutomu during battles, saying things like how she wished things would keep on going at this pace.


    Finally, the party wrapped up their training at the Team Graveyard and moved on to the next stage, the green Valleys of the fifty-fourthyer. This location was perfect for their intended program since they could practice against the Orcs without triggering any multi-wave battles.


    Barbara, having not been to the Valleys for some time, looked quite nervous as she led the way forward. Up to now, the best she had been able to do against the Orcs was pull the aggro of a single one of them. The bitter experience from that had stuck closely to her mind.


    Seeing Barbara like that, Tsutomu wondered if he should speak to her, but then Eunice hurried past him and tugged the former on her bulky arm.


    ¡°You¡¯re moving pretty stiffly, Barbara.¡±


    ¡°A-am I?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry ¡ª with my support, you can fight against the Orcs no problem!¡±


    Given some confidence-inducing words by Eunice, Barbara looked at her and nodded, albeit still seeming somewhat nervous. Then, as if to match with the party¡¯s timing, Diniel detected a group of green-skinned Orcs loitering around the vicinity.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>, please!¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    Barbara exerted her pressure and drew the aggro of five Orcs, and Diniel fired three arrows in quick session at one of them. The arrows pierced both its eyes, and then its brain, producing a satisfying crunch sound with each hit. The Orc fell to the ground and turned into a Magic Stone.


    ¡°<


    >, <<Area Heal>>.¡±


    Eunice cast a buff for Barbara and set up a healing perimeter at her own feet. One of the Orcs shoulder-tackled at Barbara, which she blocked head-on. The Orc¡¯s pig-like face loomed out in front of Barbara, and three other Orcs followed from behind it.


    If Barbara were to keep pushing, she would soon be on the losing side. She herself judged that to be the case, Barbara pulled herself backward away from the power sh against the Orc, then looked at the other Orcs that were starting to surround her. Seeing one swing at her with its sword, she blocked the attack with her buckler while also paying attention to another Orc on her left.


    Barbara¡¯s training to fight against ten skeletons had broadened her natural field of vision, giving her the ability to grasp the battle situation to a decent extent even with her helmet obstructing her view. Before, she would have been too focused on the one enemy directly in front of her, which would have gotten her hit with a series of critical attacks by the other monsters.


    With Diniel shooting the Orcs from behind her, Barbara used her buckler and armor on her arms to block and parry the Orcs blows and shes. After taking a few hits to her arms, she was starting to hurt a little...


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    ...But Eunice was quick to shoot her <<Heal>> shots, mending her injuries. With the pain gone, Barbara could move her body to the fullest as she kept on fighting.


    However, unlike Skeletons, the Orcs wererge and possessed tremendous strength in their arms. Though she had managed to block the Orcs¡¯ attacks so far, she did have to grit her teeth harder with each hit, and with three of theming at once, the burdens on her were quite heavy indeed.


    Tsutomu instructed Diniel to stay on standby after leaving two Orcs alive. She quickly did as told, making short work of one of them then immediately putting away her bow, looking to be in a good mood.


    For a while after that, Barbara continued herbat training against the two Orcs. She had to start by figuring out how she could withstand the Orcs¡¯ heavy attacks, and the telegraphs at which they would initiate various moves, otherwise, it would be impossible for her to take on more than one at a time.


    Barbara kept on standing her ground while receiving buffs from Eunice. Having been more powerful than the Skeletons, she had been able to exchange blows with them just fine. This time, however, her raw strength was losing against the Orcs¡¯.


    After some time, Barbara ended up copsing from a blow, and was sessively stabbed from the side and then knocked back. Her high VIT and sturdy armor mitigated some of the damage, but the next few blows she took ended the same way, with her being knocked back every time.


    And each time, a green st of energy wrapped over her,pletely healing her injuries. She was currently up against only two Orcs, however ¡ª at this rate, she wouldn¡¯tst against three, let alone five. Barbara, deciding that she could not brute force her way through like with the Skeletons anymore, switched up her strategies by bing more mobile, avoiding head-on attacks from the Orcs.


    As a result of that change, Barbara was no longer copsing from shes of blows. Still, she was a Heavy Knight. Her armor, being quite weighty in exchange for its high durability, exhausted her stamina just from running around. And with Barbara not yet being used to such movements, she was gradually umting fatigue, her breathing was thrown out of order, and her body heat was building up inside her armor.


    ¡°Eunice, please cast a <<Medic>> on her.¡±


    ¡°<<Medic>>.¡±


    Fortunately, the magic spell¡¯s ability to dispel status effects also applied to alleviating one¡¯s fatigue. Barbara felt refreshed, as if she was being enveloped in a cool air that dispersed the heat of her body, and was able to somewhat fix up her breathing pattern.


    Barbara continued the two-on-one fight for a while longer, with Eunice backing her up with <<Heal>>, <<Medic>>, and <


    >. Diniel and Tsutomu, on the other hand, dealt with the unrted monsters that asionally invaded the vicinity.


    At the point when Tsutomu deemed Barbara and Eunice to be faring well enough, he started trying on the roles of Tank-Buffer to give himself something to do. Tsutomu had been absolutely against ying the Tank role. Afterall, he did not want to get hurt no matter what, but now, he decided that getting some practice just in case. It would be better than nothing. He proceeded to face the approaching monsters, while also constantly maintaining the <<Haste>> effect on Diniel.


    Using <<Barrier>> to defend against Verdant Wolves and Earth Boars¡¯ attacks, he also asionally cast <<Air de>> to build up aggro while also making sure that none of the enemies went to Eunice and Barbara.


    The Verdant Wolves would appear behind Eunice, and the Red Grizzlies from the bushes near where Barbara was; Tsutomu attracted the attention of both kinds using <<Air de>>. Eunice wanted to stare at Tsutomu and use his movements as a reference, but she quickly had to turn her attention to Barbara and do her job.


    [Man, <<Barrier>> sure takes a lot out of me...]


    The spell¡¯s mental energy consumption was quite high, partly because Tsutomu hadn¡¯t gotten much practice in with it yet. And although the protection it provided also enabled him enough time to drink Blue Potions, now that the market prices of Blue Potions had skyrocketed, he had to consider his financials wisely before using them.


    Additionally, if his team were to have more than one Attacker, his rate of aggro generation via attacks and supports would lose against them, forcing him to use healing skills to just catch up. There was a catch, however ¡ª <<Heal>> would not generate any aggro if used on an uninjured ally. Quickly using <<High Heal>> each time a party member was hurt would him sufficient aggro, but doing that would consume too much mental energy.


    Moreover, White Mages would surely die instantly if they were to make a single mistake, with their VIT being so low. While thinking to himself how there were no viable options at all, Tsutomu watched on as the Verdant Wolves kept on trying to bite his <<Barrier>>. Unlike dogs, these monsters¡¯ fangs were long and atrocious, and the green mane-like fur around its neck was so thick and tough that it was impervious to ordinary des.


    [This is starting to look like a zoo... well, more like a monster park, I guess. Sounds like a ce with lots of dead people.]


    Although some of the monsters in this world were cute-looking and-or harmless, it wasmon knowledge that their kind was overall dangerous.


    The process of studying their ecosystemsmonly involved capturing monsters from the other Dungeons, but the processes themselves were so difficult that one had to put their life on the line. Capturing monsters deep inside Dungeons and bringing them out was difficult, while restraining some of the monsters that flooded out of the Dungeons during Stampedes was rtively easy.


    However, since the use of Appraisal skills could provide one with a decent amount of information on monsters, most people would not put the effort into catching and studying them. Take for example Amy, who had defeated the Fire Dragon and proceeded past it into the Volcano biome. Currently, she was working diligently for the Guild together with Garm as her escort, using her Appraisal skill to analyze the monsters of the newly-reached area.


    Incidentally, Amy and Garm had once encountered the Scarlet Devil Squad during their investigations of the Volcanoes and had been recruited by them, but they both declined, telling them that they had priormitments.


    While Tsutomu was absent-mindedly watching the Verdant Wolves head-butting the transparent <<Barrier>>, arrows flew at them from the side, hitting them and turning them into Magic Stones as they copsed. Tsutomu disengaged his <<Barrier>> and picked up the arrows on the ground for Diniel, then collected the Magic Stones.


    Then, after spending another hour or so watching Barbara fighting the two Orcs, Tsutomu decided that she had gotten used to it well enough, and so, he had Diniel kill off the Orcs so that the party could take a break.


    ¡°See, Barbara? What did I tell you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I can do this! WE can do this!¡±


    ¡°H-hey, let go of me!¡±


    Barbara, ted to get a different response from before, cranked a smile and lifted Eunice up while thetter was just standing around with her staff resting on the ground. Eunice, feeling ticklish because of the former¡¯s hands holding her up under her armpits, blushed and repeatedly pped Barbara¡¯s arms.


    Seeing how Eunice and Barbara were acting, Tsutomu could not help but mutter,


    ¡°Those two sure make a strange pair.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯ve always been seen like that by other people. The Attackers find them annoying in a cute way.¡±


    ¡°Huh. And what about you, Diniel?¡±


    ¡°<<Eagle Eye>>... Just all right, I guess. They seem to hate how I always hold back, though.¡±


    While ncing at Barbara lifting Eunice up and spinning around, Diniel shot an arrow into the sky, using it for her monster-searching skill. As usual, she was sleepily lowering the corners of her eyes, seemingly unconcerned about Eunice¡¯sbel on her as a cker.


    Tsutomu, having not perceived Diniel to actually be that way from his observations, yed it nice and followed along with her,


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily all bad to do that, though. From what I¡¯ve seen from the beginning, you seem to only hold back in the parts that aren¡¯t absolutely necessary, at least.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Diniel, somewhat surprised, raised the corners of her eyes and looked at Tsutomu¡¯s face in profile. With how fast-paced his roles and multi-tasking were, she had not expected him to be so observant of such details of hers.


    ¡°Oh, but you can¡¯t ck off on the important things, all right? To keep the operation together, you have to pull your weight properly when things get tough for everyone else.¡±


    ¡°...The party you¡¯ll eventually lead is in for some tiring work.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I mean, they wouldn¡¯t get to ck off, after all.¡±


    Despite the words she had said, Diniel chuckled and put one hand over her mouth, hiding the rare smile she had briefly shown. Once she was done smiling, she nocked some more arrows and resumed searching for enemies.

 Chapter 65, The Prince Called Leon

    <h4>Chapter 65, The Prince Called Leon</h4>


    After two more days of training, Tsutomu had Barbara and Eunice begin operating together with the n¡¯s main party. Tsutomu suggested to Leon that they explored the Canyon as they had done the first time, and Leon cheerfully, immediately agreed.


    ¡°S-so, do you think it¡¯ll go all right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. Probably.¡±


    ¡°P-probably!?¡±


    ¡°Just do your best out there! If nothing changes from before, I¡¯ll be the one whose reputation is ruined, so...¡±


    ¡°S-stop it! Why¡¯re you even saying that now!?¡±


    Upon getting Tsutomu¡¯s semi-pressuring reply, Barbara, who had been shuddering and pulling on Tsutomu¡¯s shoulder, held her head, bear ears folding down.


    ¡°By the way, Eunice will be the team¡¯s Healer right from the get-go as well, so keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu, I¡¯d like you to show me some more examples first, if you can.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll get things down right off the bat, though. Just give it a try first, and we¡¯ll go from there.¡±


    ¡°...All right, I understand.¡±


    Eunice showed no particr defiance toward Tsutomu¡¯s words; rather, she was quite well-behaved. Leon, seeing that, had his eyes sparkling as he beckoned Tsutomu to go over to him. As Tsutomu approached Leon, thetter grabbed him by his shoulder and prompted him to turn his back to the two others.


    ¡°Looks like Eunice is behaving herself way better now... Nice job, Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Are you sure it¡¯s not because of what you said to her? You know, when I was on break?¡±


    Tsutomu had been worried that Eunice¡¯s sudden change of heart after the break was due to Leon scolding her. However, Leon shook his head, denying Tsutomu¡¯s assumption.


    ¡°Nah, she¡¯s way too stubborn to listen to anything I say. Well, that¡¯s one thing that makes her cute in her own way, though...¡±


    ¡°...Could you keep your love life stories out of this, please?¡±


    ¡°Whoops, sorry, sorry... Well, in all seriousness, it probably was that time...¡±


    Leon recalled the time when Eunice had asked to party up with him and practice her cement skills, an effort that had ended mostly in failure. Leon thought that was likely when she had realized the difference between her and Tsutomu¡¯s capabilities.


    ¡°Nevermind. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go and see how much stronger they¡¯ve gotten!¡±


    ¡°You can expect to see some good results, Leon ¡ª it¡¯ll be worth your effort. After all, it¡¯s thanks to you that I¡¯ve been able to focus on teaching those two.¡±


    ¡°...Duuuuunno what you¡¯re talkin¡¯ about, man.¡±


    ¡°Please, there¡¯s no need to hide it. You¡¯ve been putting in a lot of work yourself, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    It was not as if Leon had simply beenzing around the past month ¡ª had read through the materials Tsutomu had handed out and understood well the three-roleposition, and he had taken the initiative to help with his members¡¯ leveling starting from the Tanks. He¡¯d also had the Tanks mimic Tsutomu¡¯s training approach, and also take notes from the Tanks of Ealdred Crow¡¯s fully-equipped parties. Moreover, the Attackers had not been left out, either ¡ª he had been working to change for the better their attitudes toward Tanks over the past month.


    Even if Tanks and Healers were trained well to work together, it would be useless if Attackers were to disrupt their coordination. On the other hand, if Tanks and Healers were stable, then the flow of the battle would be stable.


    Tsutomu had intended to wait and show the results of his teachings in a bid to convince the Attackers. Leon, however, seemed to have understood that from the documents he had read through, and had been trying to convince the Attackers in his own way by having them party up with Tanks. None of the n¡¯s members were able to openly oppose Leon, so at the very least, there was no one who discriminated against Tanks in front of Leon anymore.


    At first, Tsutomu had thought that Leon would leave everything for Eunice to manage and do nothing himself, but that perception had changed around two weeks ago, when he had gotten to see the Wolfman¡¯s activities on Monitor #10. It was obvious to Tsutomu that he was moving to match the Tank and Healer, unlike before. That was when Tsutomu realized that he had been doing a lot of work himself.


    ¡°Well then, shall we get going?¡± Tsutomu asked, sporting an I-mean-business smile.


    ¡°Aye-yup,¡± Leon said and shrugged his shoulders.


    The party, with the same members they had started with, headed for the Canyon on the fifty-sixthyer of the Dungeon.


    Upon entering thebat zone, Diniel started searching and reported spotting some Orcs. The party proceeded to the specified location.


    Barbara was as tense as ever, and Eunice was somewhat stiff in her movements. Diniel was the same as usual, too ¡ª sleepy eyes, asionally yawning.


    ¡°H-hey, you two sure you¡¯re alright?¡±


    ¡°Y-y-yeah, I¡¯m fine! No problem at all! Come on, Eunice! Let¡¯s do our best!¡±


    ¡°...Yeah, sure.¡±


    Leon¡¯s call-out to Barbara had the opposite of the intended effect, making her even more nervous. Eunice¡¯s steps were heavy, too, what with her not even trying to hide how anxious she was. When Leon made eye contact with Tsutomu, thetter only shook his head silently.


    ¡°Apologies, but I take back what I said. Please don¡¯t expect anything spectacr.¡±


    ¡°DUDE!? But you looked so confident before, though!?¡±


    ¡°Well, just look at them ¡ª they¡¯re not in this at all! Then again, they might get used to it after getting to kill a few times, so...¡±


    Seeing Eunice hyperventting from nervousness and Barbara with her arms and legs sticking out together, Tsutomu put his hand on his forehead and heaved a sigh. As Leon looked at them with concern, he could already see some Orcs in the distance. The Orcs seemed to have detected the party, and were now charging at them with the force of a fierce boars.


    ¡°Heads up! Enemy iing! Eunice, set up <<Area Heal>> then cast <


    >! Barbara, step to the front row!¡±


    Tsutomu shouted out and pped his hands, prompting Barbara to ready her buckler and short spear in reflex. She had listened to Tsutomu¡¯s voice so much over the past month that her following courses of action had be ingrained in her body. Eunice followed suit, setting up and casting the usual skills she would open battles with.


    ¡°All right, <<Combat Cry>> now.¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    Barbara, having gotten so used to hearing the prompt, activated her skill immediately. Five Orcs, hit with the red aura, turned their attention to Barbara.


    Diniel fired a volley of arrows, disrupting one of the Orc archers, while Leon held out his long sword and charged at another one of the enemies, holding it back. The three remaining Orcs, wall wielding melee weapons, closed in on Barbara.


    [One cudgel and two swords...]


    After confirming the types of weapons the Orcs wielded, Barbara blocked the leading Orc¡¯s short sword with her buckler as it swung down at her. Then, she poked out her short spear to stop the following Orc while moving backward.


    The three Orcs slowly approached Barbara, careful as to how she would act next, then decided to rush her all at once. Barbara first used her buckler to block the cudgel swinging from her right, then proceeded to lunge forward with her buckler, knocking the Orc away. Then she got hit on her armor with another Orc¡¯s sword, but it did not cut through, resulting in only a loud metallic ring and no injury.


    She then swept her short spear in an arc, prompting the Orcs to jump back. The monsters stomped the ground with their thick-skinned soles and leaped forward, but Barbara avoided them by hopping back while keeping her spear held forward.


    Barbara was thorough in her maneuvers to maximize safety, having trained so much to carry them out naturally. The figure of hers, d in full heavy armor and carrying a shield and spear, looked like a humanoid fortress.


    The Orcs were persistent, keeping on their effort in breaking through her defenses, but because Barbara was perfectly calm and never overreacted, they were not able tond an effective hit. Blows to her arms and shoulders were promptly mended by Eunice¡¯s <<Heal>>, resulting in them doing nothing to hinder Barbara¡¯s movements.


    ¡°Whoa, awesome!¡±


    Leon, having spent the past month watching over the novice Tanks¡¯ training, was enchanted by how Barbara fended off the enemies¡¯ attacks. Of all the Tanks he had seen so far, Barbara¡¯s disy was the best.


    Although Leon had been trying to train the Tanks as well, they were all his wives, so he had not been too strict on them. He had been careful not to overexert them, resulting in them often practicing through one-on-one fights, and he would immediately bail them out at the first sign of danger.


    The details of Barbara¡¯s training had only been made known to Leon through word of mouth; if he had actually been on the scene, he would have intervened without a doubt. His leniency was one of his great virtues, but also a w ¡ª one that had been taking his n into an undesirable direction.


    Leon, having seen for a decent bit that Barbara could hold her own against three Orcs, turned to Eunice as thetter stood in the <<Area Heal>> perimeter while counting her numbers, her face quite stern.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    Eunice¡¯s energy sphere flew ahead without misting away andnded on Barbara¡¯s broad back. Leon had only seen Eunice¡¯s cement-type <<Haste>> while he had partied up with her during Tsutomu¡¯s break, so he was delighted now to see that she had mastered <<Heal>> as well.


    Once Diniel shot down all of the Orcs, Leon rushed over to where his n members were.


    ¡°That was great, Barbara!¡±


    ¡°...I can still only take on just three Orcs at once, though. Still a long way to go.¡±


    ¡°But it took you just a month, you know!? That¡¯s more than fast enough!¡± Leon said and raised both his hands to express his joy.


    ¡°Y-you think? ...Hey, thanks!¡±


    Barbara scratched her own cheek in embarrassment, then let out a celebratory shout along with Leon.


    ¡°And Eunice, you¡¯ve finally got those shots down! That¡¯s great! I¡¯m d you pulled through.¡±


    ¡°...Thank you.¡±


    Eunice, having already mastered the shot-type skills half a month ago, briefly looked unsatisfied, but she soon smiled. She had been training to achieve this moment ¡ª there was no way that she was not happy.


    After that, the team proceeded to initiate a three-wave battle, and got through it without any significant problems. Points worth noting were when Barbara had been grabbed by a Wyvern and dropped down from the sky, and Eunice being too fixated on using cement-type skills for Leon that she had let others¡¯ <


    > effects run out, but other than those, their battles had been smooth.


    Although there were skills areas for improvement popping up, the mood of the party was currently quite favorable. Eunice and Barbara discussed things and coordinated their moves with Leon with expressions of contentment, seeming as if they had lost the track of time. Diniel had kept herself a short distance away but properly listened to everything, and in the end, was able to cooperate with everyone else naturally.


    They had started their exploration at noon; eight hours had passed, with Tsutomu being mostly idle, save for a few interruptions. Things had started unstable at first, but Eunice, as the party¡¯s Healer, had always managed to stabilize the flow of battle.


    Then, when Tsutomu announced that it was almost time to leave, the threebatants vehemently refused. Leon proceeded to crack a joke at Tsutomu, asking in good humor what throwing a tantrum would do against him. In the end, the three gave up, heaving a sigh as they started preparing to return to the Guild.


    [Well, not that I don¡¯t understand how they feel...]


    The first time Tsutomu had gotten into a multiyer session in Live Dungeon, he had ended up keeping on ying all day long. He had been especially addicted in the beginning, so he could definitely understand how the trio felt. As such, Tsutomu smiled as he watched over them, as if he was being reminded of his days as a beginner.


    After everything had been wrapped up, Tsutomu called out to Leon,


    ¡°So... I think you¡¯ve gotten everything you needed for the three-roleposition. Still plenty of room for improvement, of course, but I think they¡¯ve got the essentials down. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more than satisfied, man. It¡¯s really a big help, you training these two into shape. I¡¯ve been trying to do the same, but it never worked out, so...¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry about it ¡ª it¡¯s not umon for people to go easy on their family... But I do think you¡¯re pampering them too much at times, though,¡± Tsutomu whispered.


    Such was Tsutomu¡¯s early impressions of Leon, especially seeing how willing he was to admit that a lot of the damage had been self-inflicted on his part. Leon dodged around Tsutomu¡¯s statement with a dryugh


    ¡°...That¡¯s what a lot of other people always tell me. But I just can¡¯t help myself, man ¡ª I mean, they¡¯re all so cute, you know. It¡¯s not a problem as long as it bothers only me, really.¡±


    ¡°...You should try to keep Eunice under control, at least. Frankly, I can¡¯t imagine her teaching the ropes to the other White Mages all that well...¡±


    Although he hadn¡¯t had much of an expectation for Eunice from the start, Tsutomu was still worried about her overall attitude.


    ¡°Sorry, can¡¯t. Like I said before, once she sets her mind on something, even I can¡¯t get her to listen. Look, I¡¯lle up with some good reward for you, so can you cut me some ck on that?¡±


    Leon, getting quite a reproachful look from Tsutomu, took a serious tone and apologized outright. Tsutomu, getting where the former wasing from, proceeded to present his idea,


    ¡°Oh, them I¡¯d like to ask that you continue to ept the asional interviews from newspaper outlets ¡ª other than Solit Company, that is.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s all you want?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d very much want just that.¡±


    ¡°All right, then... But you sure there¡¯s nothing else? I¡¯ll provide it if I can.¡±


    Tsutomu, somewhat troubled by Leon¡¯s insistence, lowered his voice and answered,


    ¡°Well, actually, I¡¯m looking to recruit some capablebatants... not that I¡¯d expected to get any form here. Ealdred Crow is where I¡¯m aiming to find some anyway, so please don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Recruiting yourself some crew? That won¡¯t be a good look for you, yeah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to try and take anyone from their main forces, of course. Maybe the second or third substitutes... With levels about thirty to forty would be fine, too.¡±


    ¡°...Man, you really mean business, huh?¡±


    Tsutomu, called out by Leon for his tone-deaf statement, chuckled lightly to dodge the question. Then, once Diniel found the ck Gate, all five members entered it, returning to the Guild


    Back at the Guild, the establishment was packed and there was a lot ofmotion. Suspicious, Leon called out to some Explorers he knew,


    ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s going on? Pretty big hype ¡¯round here today, huh?¡±


    ¡°What? On hey, Leon. Just take a look ¡ª you¡¯ll get it when you see it. They¡¯re just about to wrap things up.¡±


    The Explorer pointed at the Guild¡¯s Monitor #1. On it, five Explorers were raising roars of cheer, with a Fire Dragon starting to turn into red light particles in the background.


    Among the group was a Summoner, carrying arge staff that did not fit his body, with a distinctive small stature and fluttering green hair ¡ª he was none other than the Leader of Ealdred Crow. The young man was being hoisted up by his four party members in celebration.

 Chapter 66, To Ealdred Crow

    <h4>Chapter 66, To Ealdred Crow</h4>


    While the guild was buzzing with excitement over Ealdred Crow¡¯s sess in defeating the Fire Dragon, Tsutomu looked at the party shown on Monitor #1 and nodded in admiration. One Tank, one Healer, two Attackers... and the n Leader, a Summoner, so Tsutomu did not quite know how that worked, but he guessed from theposition that it was also a Tank-type Job.


    ¡°Ooh, they sure work fast, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Man, they beat us to it. I swear that lil¡¯ brat is gonna send me a letter tomorrow asking about our progress just to rub it in,¡± Leon said with a tone of annoyance as he scratched his head, seeing how Ealdred Crow¡¯s victory had caused quite an uproar in the Guild.


    ¡°But thanks to them, now it¡¯s been proven that this kind of teamposition can reliably beat the Fire Dragon. Golden Tune should be able to do the same after another month of training, I think? All that¡¯s left now is to get everyone moving in sync and have Barbara improve her control of <<Fly>>.¡±


    ¡°If you say so... By the way, Tsutomu, I got something to ask you about.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s going to be an invitation, I¡¯ll refuse,¡± Tsutomu brushed aside Leon¡¯s supposed proposal without a second thought.


    ¡°...Figures. Well, not that I was hoping for anything once I heard that you¡¯re looking for some crew yourself, though,¡± Leon said and slumped his shoulders down. Tsutomu proceeded to turn to the others and said to them,


    ¡°You¡¯ve already gotten the essentials down, so now you just have to work from there. I think you all will be better off that way ¡ª you¡¯re hard workers, so it¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Barbara looked reluctant to say anything, while Eunice only stared back nkly. Diniel lightly waved her hand and said some brief words of thanks.


    ¡°So you¡¯re leaving already, Tsutomu? There should still be some time left, right?¡± Barbara finally said.


    ¡°Yes. You see, I¡¯d been prepared to stay for about two months at first, but you¡¯ve been quite excellent at learning everything, so it was done much sooner than I¡¯d expected.¡±


    ¡°...If you say so.¡±


    Barbara, apparently knowing that he¡¯d said that only to lighten the mood, did not seem too pleased. She took off her helmet and held it at her side, bowed her head, and shook both of Tsutomu¡¯s hands firmly.


    ¡°You know, Tsutomu, it¡¯s because of you that I started to see some hope in staying as an Explorer. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t mention it ¡ª I was too strict with you in some respects, after all. You did great, and I¡¯d say it was very rewarding to teach you.¡±


    ¡°...Really, thanks a lot. Now I¡¯m so d that I didn¡¯t quit...¡±


    Barbara, a Heavy Knight, could now explore the Dungeon withouting off as off-putting to others, while also feeling that she was being helpful. Getting to explore the Canyons had been a dreame true for her. As such, she was deeply grateful to Tsutomu for teaching her the way of the Tank.


    Tsutomu, seeing Barbara sniffling and putting her steel-wrapped arm over her eyes, softened his tone to calm her and patted her a few times on her back. Then, when he was about to leave, Eunice called out to him in a panic,


    ¡°Y-you don¡¯t have anything to say to me!?¡±


    ¡°Huh? ...Well, keep up the good work.¡±


    ¡°THAT¡¯S IT!? I¡¯m definitely gonna beat you one day, so be ready!¡±


    ¡°Uh, sure.¡±


    While Eunice kept on stomping her feet, Tsutomu turned to look at Leon behind him instead, and saw that the Wolfman was smiling broadly with his hands sped together. Tsutomu forced out a chuckle back at Leon, then said a few words to wrap things up,


    ¡°All right, then ¡ª good job, everyone. I hope you all will find great sess in your future endeavors as well.¡±


    Tsutomu then left the Guild and returned to the inn. After he was done with reception, he walked into his room and sat down on his bed, his face looking quite weary. Tsutomu had not expected Ealdred Crow to win against the Fire Dragon this early, and he was now stuck pondering over how he should proceed with them.


    He had always thought that a party with an average level of 70 would be able to easily defeat the Fire Dragon as long as they knew the basics of the three-roleposition. What he had not expected, however, was for them to seed on their first try. Although they had indeed challenged the Fire Dragon many times before, Tsutomu had thought that they would be wiped out at least for the first few times in their new formation.


    The hidden detail here was that Ealdred Crow¡¯s informant had been observing Tsutomu¡¯s party ever since they had gotten through the thirtiethyer. As a result, Ealdred Crow had ended up as the first to adopt new tactics for Tanks and Healers, and in turn got themselves several steps ahead of other ns.


    Ealdred Crow had a system of evaluating n members once a month, and then reorganizing their parties ordingly. Each of the parties was given a quota in proportion to their abilities, which they had to work to achieve on a daily basis. Because of this, even Tanks and Healers were given opportunities to keep raising their levels, to the point that they already had a level 70 Tank among them ¡ª and not to mention one whose abilities were not too shabby.


    Moreover, parties that failed to meet their quotas would be at risk of being demoted to a lower priority rank, so their members took Dungeon exploration rtively seriously.


    They were not judged purely on a team basis, however ¡ª individuals of the parties of fives who were not as talented as the others would find themselves on lower priority as well. How it worked was that their informants and quota-list managers would also watch their members through the Monitors and evaluate individuals¡¯ performances, picking out ones they deemed worthy to be promoted.


    As for their n House, theirs was thergest and most well-equipped among those of the major ns, so as to maximize Dungeon exploration efficiency. Rooms for n members werefortable, and the Dining Hall contained delicious food and packed lunch for one to bring into the Dungeon, all made by skilled cooks. They even had prostitutes of both sexes stationed in dedicated rooms.


    In addition to all those, the n had exclusive employment of some cksmiths who inspected their equipment, and also clerks who managed the parties¡¯ supplies, so as to create an environment where they could focus solely on Dungeon exploration. No other n in town offered this great of an employee benefits system.


    Still, despite all the good, Ealdred Crow did have its drawbacks. Namely, the absence of an ace member to represent the n. Scarlet Devil Squad, Golden Tune, and Labyrinth Conquerors all had at least one member with a unique skill, while Ealdred Crow had none.


    [I sure hope this goes well...]


    Tsutomu thought while worried that his offerings would be treated as useless to them at this point, sent a letter to Ealdred Crow to inform them that he had finished his training program for Golden Tune.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°Tsutomu! Wee to Ealdred Crow!¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s worries two days ago ended up unfounded. On his arrival, he was greeted by Rook, the n Leader of Ealdred Crow, who held out his arms as if calling for a hug.


    Invited into the veryrge n House, Tsutomu bent down a little and shook hands with Rook, then spoke to him about what had happened two days ago,


    ¡°Pleased to make your acquaintance. I saw you defeating the Fire Dragon the other day ¡ª congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Thanks! The documents you gave us really helped big time! We were already quite familiar with the Fire Dragon itself, you see, so applying and adapting to new strategies was just what we needed.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? From what I¡¯ve often seen of your parties on the single-digit Monitors, I¡¯ve always expected an easy time teaching here... but I¡¯d never thought you¡¯d go ahead and win against the Fire Dragon before then. That was your first attempt using Tanks and Healers in your team, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was. We thought it¡¯d be more exciting for the crowd, you see ¡ª lots of nning and improvisations, I tell you. What¡¯s more, it was our Tank¡¯s first time against the Fire Dragon, so that was a lot of trouble... but we all pulled through! Isn¡¯t that awesome!?¡±


    Rook was in the best of moods after his great victory, as apparent from his almost angelic smile. Tsutomu nodded along appropriately to the conversation as he walked, with Rook showing him around the n House.


    The Workshop had many apprentice workers, each with towels wrapped around their heads and supervised by their masters, constantly refining weapons. In the Dining Hall, the cooks were preparing ingredients to have them ready for cooking before the mealtime of over a hundred Explorers. In addition to the Explorers, clerks and cleaners walked to and fro in the hallways; Tsutomu was even greeted several times.


    ¡°I must say... this n¡¯s facilities are nothing short of amazing.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? I think they¡¯re even as good as the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ stuff. But over there, you¡¯re putting your life on the line ¡ª not worth it.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Tsutomu sighed in agreement as he followed Rook; at one point, they stopped in front of a room closed at the entrance by a thin pink curtain.


    Tsutomu saw that the lighting here was somewhat dim and smelled something like sweet perfume in the air; Rook looked up and shot him a suspicious grin,


    ¡°Wanna sneak a peek?¡±


    ¡°...No, I¡¯d rather not.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    Rook retracted his grin without saying anything more, then turned around and continued down the hallway. In truth, Tsutomu was quite interested in the room in question, but he had used his unparallelled power of reasoning to resist his urges. He did not want to have any lingering attachments in this world, at least until he knew for certain that he would never be able to return to his original one.


    Tsutomu continued to walk behind Rook for a while, after which thetter stopped in front of arge door. Rook pushed the door open with his shoulder, revealing many fully-equipped Explorers waiting inside.


    ¡°Here¡¯s where our n members gather up, pretty much to check our gear and equipment before heading to the Dungeon. I¡¯d like you to meet up with us here at the beginning of each day, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Once Rook and Tsutomu walked into the room, the n members who were already waiting inside started talking loudly among themselves. Tsutomu followed Rook and saw him sitting down at a small table, so he himself sat in front of him across it.


    Rook proceeded to call over a waiter, take one deep breath, and then made eye contact with Tsutomu before starting to talk,


    ¡°First things first, Tsutomu, I¡¯d like you to check out our main Healer. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s already done everything that¡¯s written in your documents, but I¡¯d like to get some evaluation directly from you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. I look forward to meeting her.¡±


    Tsutomu had an inward sneer as he listened to Rook, thinking how different this time was shaping up to be,pared to when he had dealt with a certain fox girl. On Rook¡¯s order, a waiter came to serve Tsutomu a cup of tea, which he picked up to drink with one hand while flipping through a stack of documents with the other.


    ¡°Tsutomu, this may seem like a personal request, but may I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s about the documents you handed out...¡±


    Rook flipped through the pages and pointed at a certain word in the text. Tsutomu took a sip of tea, then took a look. Rook continued,


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering if you could tell me more about this ¡®Buffer¡¯ role. The Jobs of this type include Minstrel and the like, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Could you exin it to us in more detail? We¡¯ll put on some extra rewards on top of what you¡¯ll already get, of course.¡±


    ¡°Well... I don¡¯t need any payment for just exnations, really. The information itself isn¡¯t that big of a deal anyway.¡±


    ¡°You mean it? Thanks a bunch!¡±


    Rook, the androgynous young man, raised his voice quite high. Tsutomu, while doubting whether or not the former actually was over twenty years old, proceeded to speak.


    ¡°Buffer, as its name would suggest, refers to a role that involves mostly providing support to allies. For example, White Mages could use <


    > and <<Haste>>, while Minstrels have <<Hymn of Protection>> and the like.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm, mm-hm.¡±


    Rook picked up a pen from the pedestal on the table and began to quickly jot down Tsutomu¡¯s words. Thetter stopped and looked at Rook to make sure he didn¡¯t miss anything before continuing,


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing ¡ª the Debuffer role, which I haven¡¯t mentioned in the documents. It refers tobatants whose main task is to weaken monsters. ck and Gray Mages could use <


    >, and Enchanters have <<Blind>>.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°In many cases, a White Mage and a ck Mage would work in conjunction as a Buffer and Debuffer, respectively. Incidentally, I double as a Buffer for my parties as well. What¡¯s worth noting is that Jos like Minstrel and Enchanter could work as both Buffer and Debuffer at the same time, so it¡¯s prettymon to have just one of them, too. In this case, they would be simply called a Buffer.¡±


    Minstrels had skills that augmented the STR of all party members at once, and Enchanters could inflict various status effects onto their enemies ¡ª in Live Dungeon, they were considered an Attacker¡¯s eternal best friends. Out of the whole game, only these two Jobs had the ability to buff STR, so they were indispensable for Attackers who wanted to maximize the numbers they dished out.


    ¡°...And that¡¯s pretty much all there is to it. Ealdred Crow does have a few Minstrels, so it might be worth considering, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu,¡± Rook said, his eyes implying a serious tone.


    Tsutomu, slightly startled, straightened his posture up.


    ¡°So this Buffer role... Enchanters can do it, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they sure can.¡±


    ¡°...Noted.¡±


    Rook crossed his arms and seriously pondered over things for a moment, then looked back up at Tsutomu.


    ¡°So here¡¯s the thing, Tsutomu ¡ª could you train up a Buffer for us? An Enchanter, as you might have guessed ¡ª I¡¯d like to request that of you, if you are able.¡±


    ¡°...Me, teach a Buffer?¡±


    ¡°Appropriatepensation provided, of course.¡±


    Rook, seeing that Tsutomu was reluctant, pressed him for an answer. Tsutomu, though showing hesitation, brought up a proposal for the reward in question,


    ¡°You see, I¡¯m actually nning to establish my own n...¡±


    ¡°...So you want personnel, then? Mm-hm. But now really isn¡¯t a good time, what with us having taken down a Fire Dragon just days ago... If I¡¯d known this, I would¡¯ve dyed our attempt for a bit,¡± Rook whispered, so as to keep the talk away from the others around him.


    In response, Tsutomu cracked a dry smile.


    ¡°Is there anyone decently capable you could send my way at all? Level no lower than 30, preferably.¡±


    ¡°...There ARE a few that fit those general criteria. Still can¡¯t make any guarantees, though.¡±


    ¡°I see...¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯ disappointed, dropped his shoulders in a dramatic fashion. Then, while changing his ns in his head now that his only option was to look for the people he needed at the Guild, Tsutomu raised his face back up and said,


    ¡°I can help teach the Buffer role, no problem. By the way, about your victory over the Fire Dragon ¡ª is there any chance you would agree to be interviewed, free of charge, by the two newspaper publishers other than Solit Company? I¡¯d appreciate it if you would do that as part of the aforementionedpensation.¡±


    ¡°Huh? If you¡¯re alright with just that, then we¡¯re happy to oblige!¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much. Oh, but some personnel would also be nice ¡ª if possible, of course,¡± Tsutomu put his hand over his mouth and whispered to Rook, who answered by giving him a thumbs-up.

 Chapter 67, Volcano on the Sixty-first Layer

    <h4>Chapter 67, Volcano on the Sixty-first Layer</h4>


    Regarding the Enchanter who was going to be trained as a Buffer, they had originally retired as an Explorer and returned home to take over their family¡¯s business. What Tsutomu could do about that now was to wait for them to be brought back here, so first he went to check out Ealdred Crow¡¯s current main party Healer instead.


    When Tsutomu asked Rook about the main party¡¯sposition, he found that they had prevailed over the Fire Dragon with two Tanks, two Attackers, and one Healer. Currently, they were considering reducing the number of Attackers for the exploration of the Volcano areas.


    Currently, Tsutomu was in a meet-up with the members of the main party.


    ¡°Good day. I am the one tasked with the role of Healer, Stephanie. Please make your acquaintance.¡±


    The woman with long, bright pink, spiral-curled hair introduced herself as Stephanie and bowed ostentatiously to Tsutomu,plete with picking up the edges of the skirt of her yellow dress. She then sped her hands together and looked up at Tsutomu.


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu, I have always wanted to meet and express my thanks to you personally, for your promotion of things such as long-ranged healing and the Healer role. Because of your contributions, I have managed tond myself a spot in the main force once again.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°All that is thanks to the materials you have provided, Mister Tsutomu. Thank you very much,¡± she expressed her gratitude with a smile of a blooming flower.


    Tsutomu had not seen her during the press conference, so he guessed that she had only recently returned to the main force from the second or third reserves. After all, her mboyant, curly hair would have made quite asting impression if he were to see it among the audience.


    ¡°...Sova. Attacker,¡± The ck-haired man greeted Tsutomu bluntly with a sullen look.


    He was none other than the one who had given Tsutomu his opinion as an Attacker during the press conference, and he did not seem too thrilled about Tsutomu¡¯s visit, as apparent from how he said nothing more.


    ¡°I am Bittman, employed by Ealdred Crow as a Tank. A pleasure to meet you.¡±


    The man with a shaved head was not much taller than Tsutomu, being only of average height, but he had an overpowering, hard-to-approach air about him. Tsutomu, thinking how he was quite reminiscent of Garm¡¯s initial intimidating impression, proceeded to shake hands with him, getting quite a firm grip and strong shake before letting go of his hand.


    Tsutomu then turned to Rook; thetter looked back, seeming dumbfounded as he pointed at himself.


    ¡°Oh, should I do this as well? ...Ahem. I¡¯m Rook, right now a... Tank, I guess? Nice to meet you, my man!¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Nice to meet you all as well.¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re all grouped up now, shall we head out? Let¡¯s see... how aboutyer sixty-one? Oh, but we won¡¯t force Tsutomu to fight alongside us, of course.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I don¡¯t mind participating at all. It should still be rtively safe at that point of progress.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a point there! But really, it¡¯s great to finally get a change of scenery ¡ª we¡¯re already beyond sick of the Canyons, you know! I mean, we were stuck there for almost a whole year! Not that I¡¯m a fan of the heat, but I¡¯m sure looking forward to seeing what the Volcano¡¯s like!¡±


    ¡°Right...¡±


    Tsutomu, seeing Rook being so full of excitement, replied vaguely.


    This would be the first time Tsutomu went to the sixty-firstyer himself, but he had already prepared himself somewhat by watching the Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s broadcasts. From what he had seen, he felt that he would have no problem going down to at leastyer sixty-five.


    By this time, the Scarlet Devil Squad had reached down toyer sixty-six. They had defeated the biome¡¯s mid-boss, ava-swimming loach-like monster, and had sessfully updated theiryer progression. At the rate they were going, they likely would not face any roadblocks until they reachedyer sixty-nine.


    Ealdred Crow¡¯s clerks retrieved the team¡¯s supplies from their Magic Bags and re-checked them piece by piece, while the workshops apprentices brought over their equipment. Once the main party was all geared up, they headed for the Guild.


    Rook wore a full robe, while Sova was in a set of ck-dyed leather armor. Bittman also wore leather armor, but one of amon variation. Stephanie, the only woman in the group, wore a yellow dress as herbat gear; it made her stand out quite a lot. She did have ck stockings and long gloves on as well, so at least she was not bare-handed nor bare-legged, but it was clear that her defense rating was low.


    [Not that I¡¯m one to talk, though...]


    Tsutomu¡¯s pure white robe was a piece of equipment exclusive to White Mages found in treasure chests in the Dungeon; it had the positive correction effect to its White Mage wearer¡¯s mental energy. On the other hand, it had almost no defensive properties, forcing one to rely on their own VIT for protection.


    But then, if Tsutomu were to wear an extrayer of metal armor, he would be too heavy to move, and themon ones would break after absorbing a few hits from most monsters anyway, so it would not mean much to him in the long run. As such, if one¡¯s VIT was not naturally high, armor would only amount to ayer of insurance.


    After arriving at the Guild, registering their party, and lining up to use one of the Magic Circles, Tsutomu noticed Stephanie asionally taking nces at him. When Tsutomu asked her what was wrong, she shyly fumbled and then dropped her gaze diagonally below her.


    ¡°Nothing much, Mister Tsutomu. I¡¯m just... nervous. Compared to you, I¡¯m just a Goblin Mage, after all.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not ¡ª if you can do what the documents say, then you¡¯re plenty skilled. Besides, you¡¯ve defeated a Fire Dragon already.¡±


    ¡°But my power was insignificant. Mister Rook, Bittman, and Sova ¡ª they were amazing ones. They likely could have achieved victory without my contribution.¡±


    Tsutomu continued to talk with Stephanie for a while longer, observing her gestures and manners of speech, with thetter looking down with a sullen pout the whole time. He saw neither intention of deceit nor modesty in her words; Tsutomu felt that she had truly meant everything she had said.


    Stephanie¡¯s mboyant hairstyle had made Tsutomu initially think her to be a strong-willed person, but surprisingly, she turned out to be one without much of a craving for the limelight.


    After he was doing talking to Stephanie, Tsutomu turned to Sova, but thetter made a grumpy face and turned away, refusing to make eye contact. Rook, seeing that happen, approached Tsutomu and waved his hand to ask Tsutomu to crouch down.


    Tsutomu did so, and Rook proceeded to whisper into his ear,


    ¡°You know, Sova¡¯s still upset about what happenedst time ¡ª that¡¯s why he hasn¡¯t been able to make eye contact with you. Like, he¡¯s apparently annoyed that your strats actually helped us score the win against the Fire Dragon, and stuff.¡±


    ¡°I see... Well, as long as he doesn¡¯t interfere with the team¡¯s coordination, I¡¯d say it¡¯s no problem at all.¡±


    ¡°Really, sorry about his behavior. He really respects the Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s Leader and the way they do things, you see. I think that¡¯s why he keeps acting the way he does.¡±


    ¡°Aha, so that¡¯s why he dresses in all ck...¡±


    The Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s n Leader was an impressively imposing man with signature long ck hair all-ck armor. Sova¡¯s getup was the same ¡ª ck hair, ck armor. Seeing how thetter¡¯s hair swayed slightly, Tsutomu thought of the ¡®ck fiends¡¯ that often appeared in his old-world apartment during the summers.


    Tsutomu, feeling somewhat ticklish from Rook¡¯s high-pitched voice and breath, scratched his ear before standing up. At the same time, the line moved forward, opening up one of the Magic Circles. Rook dered to the staff the names of everyone that would follow him into it.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go! Teleport to the sixty-firstyer!¡±


    The moment the sentence ended, all five were wrapped up in light particles, and were transferred to the designated location.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    And the moment they arrived, Tsutomu¡¯s eyes were dazzled by the painfully bright red light of his surroundings. Lava dripped down from the hills, leaking light through the ck rocks as they flowed like blood vessels, illuminating the otherwise dark cave the team was in.


    Such was the Volcano biome, starting from the sixty-firstyer. Tsutomu and the party had been teleported inside one of its caves. As the ck Gate closed quietly behind them, Rook started things off by setting a round green bead on the end of hisrge staff and cast a skill.


    ¡°<<Summon ¡ª Goblin>>.¡±


    As Rook spun his thick silver staff around, a Magic Circle appeared on the ground, and from it emerged three Goblins, exactly the same kind that wasmon in the Grasnds. The creatures, under Rook¡¯s instructions, split out and started searching for enemies in the vicinity.


    In the meantime, Rook rummaged through the pouch on his waist ¡ª actually a Magic Bag ¡ª and eventually pulled out a small box. When he pulled the lid open, it released a st of cold air.


    Rook then reached inside it, took out a small yellow clump-like object ¡ª apparently frozen candy ¡ª and threw it into his own mouth. Rook proceeded to hand out a few of them to his party members as well. Tsutomu received a red one, which he immediately tossed into his mouth.


    ¡°Wewicious, wight? Wee how wit¡¯s swewwing wup wy wowth?¡±


    Rook¡¯s words were almost unintelligible, thanks to the lemon-vored ice cube in his mouth. Tsutomu, not sure how he should react, defaulted to nodding back. The cube thetter had gotten was apple-vored, so he enjoyed it while waiting for the Goblins to return.


    The cave¡¯s interior was scorching, most likely due to the rock surfaces andva; Tsutomu was sweating hard just by standing still. Rook exined to him while wiping off his own sweat that, fortunately, this Biome was not all caves, and one could actually get some cooling air once they got outside.


    [I wonder if this Sova guy is doing all right in this heat...] Tsutomu thought as he turned to look at the man in question.


    Sova looked perfectly fine, despite the unsheathed long sword on his back starting to heat up. As Tsutomu tried to observe if the man¡¯s armor had some kind of cooling function, the scout Goblins came back, as apparent from their squeals from a short distance.


    ¡°Mm-hm. Looks like we¡¯ll be fine all the way to the exit of this cave. Now, lead the way.¡±


    Doing as instructed, the Goblins walked off once again. Rook removed the green bead from his silver staff, took out a brown bead from his pouch, and set it on instead.


    ¡°<<Summon ¡ª Golem>>,¡± Rook cast another skill and spun his staff a little longer than he had done before, creating a Magic Circle from which an earthen, three-meter tall Golem emerged.


    The Golem held out its hand to Rook, and thetter climbed up its arm and got on its shoulder.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Tsutomu looked up and saw that Rook was smiling fearlessly. This sort of smug look got a chuckle out of Tsutomu, with him being reminded of a child showing off his secret base.


    Rook and his Eidolons led the way out of the cave. Outside, the team of five was weed by the gray-covered sky. Tsutomu could not tell if it was the clouds or the volcanic ash, but he could clearly see some sort of ck particle constantly drifting down in the air.


    In spots, magma flowed like streams, eroding the ck earth. And in the distance, the scout Goblins could be seen in a scuffle with a ball of rock ¡ª actually a monster called Rockin¡¯ Ball.


    ¡°Now, everyone! Let¡¯s do it just like we¡¯ve always been!¡±


    The three members nodded to Rook¡¯s high-pitchedmand.

 Chapter 68, Premature Ambition

    <h4>Chapter 68, Premature Ambition</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    At Rook¡¯s signal, Stephanie cast <


    > for the team¡¯s Tanks, namely Bittman and the Golem, then put her left hand behind her back and began counting the time. Rook, before jumping off his Golem¡¯s shoulder, instructed it to charge at the Rock Beetles.


    ¡°<<Haste>>.¡±


    Stephanie then waved her staff like a conductor stick to make it shoot <<Haste>> to the Golem. This time, she tapped her left foot on the ground, using the rhythm to count the time by the seconds.


    Bittman used <<Combat Cry>> to generate aggro from all enemies, making himself their sole target, and in the meantime, Sova readied his long sword and cut his way into the fray. One after another, his de plunged through the Rock Beetles¡¯ rugged heads.


    Although Bittman¡¯s equipment loadout included a bulkier-than-average shield and sword, his movements were refined and steady. With nimble dodges, he avoided the Rock Beetles¡¯ attacks while also parrying their pincers with his sword.


    His fighting style, as showcased here, was quite simr to Garm¡¯s before thetter had switched over to the tower shield. But unlike Garm, whose style had been self-taught through his days exploring God¡¯s Dungeon, Bittman¡¯s methods were based on his decade-long experience of serving as a soldier.


    Other Dungeons had existed for centuries before God¡¯s Dungeon had appeared, and the monsters that gushed forth from within them were a threat to humanity. Armies were formed as a measure to counter them on such frequent asions, and Bittman used to be one such participant.


    He had started out as amon grunt, trained himself through many Dungeon raids, and taken up the tasks of hunting monsters to stabilize their threat levels. After surviving the job for ten years, Bittman had retired from soldiering at the request of his pregnant wife. From then on, he had opted to explore God¡¯s Dungeon, wherein his life was no longer at stake.


    With all the experience and knowledge he had gained from fighting the monsters of the other Dungeons, he operated as a stable, ideal role model of a soldier in here ¡ª namely, one that basically did not let himself bear injuries. And at the same time, he also possessed the base strength to attack monsters on his own, having always needed to be able to do so.


    In contrast to Garm, the former berserk Knight who ughtered one monster after another without any regard for the danger to his life, this was a Knight who defended himself while inflicting pain to his enemies. Such was how Bittman worked.


    He had no trouble against the Rock Beetles, what with him having already seen them in one of the other Dungeons, and was now holding the line against several of them while keeping himself afortable distance away. And with an extra shield at his side in the form of the Eidolon Golem, the line was nowhere near copsing.


    Meanwhile, Sova started striking the Rock Beetles with his long sword, throwing them off-posture and then stabbing their exposed faces. One after another, the Rock Beetles dropped dead and dispersed into white light particles.


    ¡°<<Haste>>,¡± Stephanie reapplied the speed buff effect for the Golem, staying calm all the while.


    Then, after about ten more seconds, she quickly waved her staff to cast two <


    > shots, one for Bittman and one for the Golem. This time, too, she kept a perfect count of the effects¡¯ durations.


    Eventually, the battle ended, without any particr incident. The earthen Golem Eidolon had taken a few hits, but each time Stephanie would cast <<Heal>> by tapping it with the tip of her staff, restoring its body back to being good as new.


    The party went on to face more Rock Beetles, then some small dinosaur-like monsters called Guiltor, and alsova-coated Golems, all of which they got past without issue.


    It was thanks in good part to Bittman¡¯s Tanking consistency and Sova¡¯s precision in defeating the monsters. Stephanie had never let her allies¡¯ <


    > effects expire, and each time Bittman had been hit, she would always quickly set down an <<Area Heal>> then shot a <<Heal>> to him.


    Rook did his part, too, keeping an eye on all of the party and assisting as needed. When the Tank looked to be having a hard time, he would send over his Golem, and if the Attacker needed some extra firepower, he would summon some more Eidolons to provide support. All in all, Ealdred Crow¡¯s party was so well-rounded that it could be considered almost perfect.


    [These guys... do they even need my help at this point?]


    Although Tsutomu could see areas for improvement from looking closely at everyone, those were just small nitpicks. It was especially difficult for him to find the Tank and Attacker¡¯s ws to point out. Bittman was as good as anyone would expect, but even Sova, for all the whining he had done at the press conference ¡ª and despite how grumpy he still looked now, was moving perfectly in line with the Tank.


    After a few more battles, the party of five found the ck Gate to the sixty-secondyer, which they went through immediately. They then returned to the Guild to take a break.


    Once they found themselves a seat in the Guild¡¯s Dining Hall, Rook turned to smile to Tsutomu and asked for hisments on the team¡¯s performance.


    ¡°So? How does my party look so far?¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t have anything specific toment on. Everyone is highly skilled,¡± Tsutomu replied to Rook, albeit looking somewhat reluctant to do so.


    Being a sufficiently experienced White Mage himself, he actually had a myriad of nitpicks when it came to Stephanie, but having kept in mind that it had been just a month and a half, he considered her performance to be rtively excellent.


    ¡°How do you like Stephanie? Rtively to your ability standards, I mean,¡± Rook asked, prompting Stephanie to stiffen up like a criminal under interrogation.


    ¡°......¡± Stephanie held her breath and waited for Tsutomu¡¯s response.


    With her stare practically forcing him, Tsutomu began to talk after a good deal of hesitation,


    ¡°I usually give harsh evaluations to my peers, naturally, but your performance thus far has been good, Stephanie. I never would¡¯ve expected anyone to be on this level after just six weeks at most.¡±


    ¡°...Actually, I¡¯ve been practicing the long-ranged <<Heal>> since three months ago, on one of our informants¡¯ rmendations.¡±


    ¡°Huh? That early?¡±


    ¡°What? Oh, yeah, about that... our informants have been observing you on the Monitors pretty early on ¡ª like, back when you were on the Monitors around #30. From the data we got, we found out that your <<Heal>> shots¡¯ healing power scale differently from the normal type, and we ran a lot of tests from there.¡±


    ¡°That sounds pretty awesome, Ealdred Crow having that kind of informationwork and all...¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got enough informants to keep an eye on most of the Monitors at any given time, you know. Can¡¯t let the smallest details slip by ¡ª not to mention promising neers!¡±


    Rook snorted smugly, then chugged down the fruit juice from his cup immediately as it was served. While Tsutomu was stuck being impressed by the informantwork, Stephanie gave him an uneasy look, prompting him to return to the topic at hand.


    ¡°Even from three months¡¯ worth of practice, your skills are excellent, Stephanie. As far as I could see, at least.¡±


    Stephanie had made her operations more cost-efficient by setting an <<Area Heal>> only when she needed to heal someone, and she had a good grasp of the duration of <


    >. Moreover, she had already started to add <<Haste>> to the mix.


    She had asionally shot <<Haste>> for Rook¡¯s Golem Eidolon during battle. Although the effect had not been kept constant, the target she had applied it to was a Golem without a will of its own. They would not feel the difort of their body adjusting to a new speed level after <<Haste>> expired, let alone feel anything at all. This also meant that Stephanie could practice <<Haste>> without worry, speeding up her progress.


    Still, despite being told that, Stephanie smiled only briefly before closing her eyes and shaking her head.


    ¡°Thank you very much. But I still have a long way to go...¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that Tsutomu¡¯s assessment was wrong, hmm?¡± Rook asked with a teasing grin, rendering Stephanie at a loss for words.


    Tsutomu snappingly turned to look at Rook as if to say that thetter was ying around too much. Stephanie, on the other hand, looked at Tsutomu as if to ask for his help.


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°...Um, you won¡¯t achieve anything by looking at me like that. Besides, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need for you to be so humble, Stephanie. You¡¯re among Ealdred Crow¡¯s main party because of your abilities, after all.¡±


    ¡°...And I¡¯ll be overtaken soon anyway. I may be in the main force now, but next month, I may very well drop to the reserves, or even the second reserves.¡±


    Tsutomu looked at Rook, but thetter only shook his head. The n¡¯s reserve Healers were excellent as well, but at this point in time, Stephanie was considered the best one they had. This decision had been by abined evaluation of the informants, office staff, and also other n members, so it was as legitimate as it could be.


    Such was how Stephanie had been promoted to a member of the main force. Half of her was happy about it, while her other half was worried ¡ª worried that she would be demoted the following month. In a way, she was not yet prepared for the change from being the pursuer to the pursued.


    As such, Stephanie had taken her evaluation seriously, and insisted on being humble. This humble attitude of hers had not been taken well by the reserve Healers, however. And if she were to take it too far, all it would achieve was cause friction in their dynamics.


    To prevent that, Rook had asked Tsutomu to praise Stephanie, what with her holding him in such high regards, in an attempt to help her build up confidence.


    ¡°As such, I know that I must be more diligent. I¡¯m happy that you have evaluated me favorably, Mister Tsutomu, but I still have so much that needs improvement.¡±


    But that attempt ended in failure. Despite receiving Tsutomu¡¯s evaluation, Stephanie was not yet confident in her own abilities. Rook heaved a sigh, and next to him, Sova grumbled to himself how difficult of a personality Stephanie was.


    Tsutomu, on the other hand, opened wide his normally narrowed eyes.


    Considering how Stephanie had self-taught herself over the past three months, there was never a sliver of doubt about her excellence. Even if she were to be left to her own devices from now on, she was sure to improve herself further. As such, Tsutomu had initially intended not to teach her anything.


    That changed, however, when he saw how well she knew about herck of ability and how hard shemented that fact. Stephanie was excellent, true, but only by the standards of beginners. Tsutomu now had so many things he wanted to teach Stephanie; he raised a cheerful voice to her, who was now stuck looking down,


    ¡°I see you¡¯re quite ambitious, Stephanie! That¡¯s wonderful! Now, all you have to do is practice and practice some more! Please wait a moment ¡ª I¡¯ll get out my memo here...¡±


    Tsutomu, after being served his bean-tomato soup by a waiter, began searching through his Magic Bag. Seeing how the look in Tsutomu¡¯s eyes had changed so suddenly, Stephanie was stuck staring in amazement, while Rook also seemed quite surprised.


    ¡°First of all, could you look through all of this real quick?¡±


    ¡°...And this is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a list of all monsters currently known to appear in the Volcano biome, and information about the Jobs of your n¡¯s current main force members. For now, please read all of this. I think it¡¯ll prove to be useful.¡±


    ¡°A-all of this...? Yes, I understand.¡±


    Stephanie, seeing just how much paper was stacked onto the table, found her face twitching instinctively. The documents had not been handwritten by Tsutomu, but rather printed by a newspaperpany; it was aption of information, written using his knowledge of Live Dungeon. As one would expect, new information past the currentyer of progress had beenpiled by himself, while older data had been reproduced from other sources by the newspaperpany via his request.


    Tsutomu proceeded to cast <<Heal>> a few times, generating spheres of energy and spinning them in the air above his head.


    ¡°Now, about your <<Heal>>, Stephanie ¡ª your direction of them is stillrgely unrefined, and the shots¡¯ speed is too slow. Please practice by spinning them around at this speed.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    Stephanie stared at how the several <<Heal>> shots were flying above Tsutomu¡¯s head, and saw taken aback by how fast they were.


    ¡°And your supporter skills... it seems that you haven¡¯t gotten the timing down quite yet. Please start with the basics ¡ª just <


    > is fine.¡±


    ¡°Ah... I¡¯m working on that, yes.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. You were counting the time with your hands and feet, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I was. Is that an issue?¡±


    ¡°Your hand-count times were off by a few seconds, and your feet were even worse. It¡¯s still fine at this point to re-apply <


    > with twenty seconds to spare, but the issuees into y when trying to decrease that time while counting like that. You¡¯d best fix that incorrect timing now than suffer for itter.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, the time disys on the Monitors are perfectly urate, so you can look at them while counting the time with your hand and feet. Not that you need to use your hand and feet, by the way ¡ª I don¡¯t do that myself.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°To summarize: start working on <<Heal>> and <


    > first. And don¡¯t worry ¡ª your time-counting will likely take more than a month to fix, but you should get better at it gradually. Also, I¡¯d say that <<Heal>> will take up only a week and then some, so you probably won¡¯t get dropped to the reservese the next evaluation, at least,¡± Tsutomu exined, and all the while he did so, he noted down every detail on a piece of paper.


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, here¡¯s a detailed summary of the practices you need. Whenever you think you have free time, consider working on these.¡±


    Tsutomu handed over the notes that he had just written, and Stephanie epted it nervously.


    ¡°Mm-hm, Ealdred Crow is even more amazing than I expected, I say! I¡¯d never thought everyone was so ambitious ¡ª now my bar of expectations are up by a fair bit!¡±


    ¡°C-cool,¡± Rook replied curtly, horrified by how Tsutomu¡¯s previously gentle atmosphere had been blown away by an instant and reced by something quite indescribable.


    [...He¡¯s just like my mentor.]


    Bittman trembled subtly, having been reminded of the person who had whipped his childhood self into fighting shape.

 Chapter 69, You Really Should Practice Everyday, Yes?

    <h4>Chapter 69, You Really Should Practice Everyday, Yes?</h4>


    After that, Tsutomu left the Ealdred Crow¡¯s main party for the time being, leaving them to exploreyer sixty-two themselves. Meanwhile, he watched them through Monitor #2, observing their moves andpiling a more detailed schedule for Stephanie¡¯s training.


    Having been told by Rook that there were almost three weeks left until the n¡¯s next party assessment, the schedule was made to fit into those limited days. He then handed it over to Stephanie once she returned from the sixty-secondyer to the n House.


    ¡°Excuse me, Mister Tsutomu. What could this be?¡±


    ¡°The schedule of everyone¡¯s training up until the day of assessment. For the time being, I¡¯ve tried slotting things down for the next three weeks.¡±


    The beautifully drawn grid¡¯s cells had been painted in with colors signifying their respective training content, on an hour-per-day basis. Stephanie stared at the schedule while she sat at the round table of the conference room, then Rook next to her snuck a peek and promptly pulled a horrified face.


    ¡°From what I can see... there isn¡¯t a single day of rest, is there?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know if you had anything nned during this time, you see. Is there something you must attend to, Stephanie?¡±


    ¡°Um, well... I n to visit my home during the weekends two weeks from now.¡±


    ¡°Then on that particr day, practice on just the things you can do anytime ¡ª the basic things like <<Heal>> and timing.¡±


    ¡°Come again?¡±


    Stephanie, having thought all she had to deal with was the reading material and the two aforementioned practices, stared at Tsutomu, not hiding her confusion. Thetter looked back, his expression doubtful.


    ¡°Yes? Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°From the way you referred to those two topics as what I could do anytime... is it safe to assume that there are other things I must practice?¡±


    ¡°Of course there are. Those two are, again, things that could be carried out anytime ¡ª so please remember to practice them whenever you have a free time. There are many exercises that could only be carried out in Dungeons and the training grounds, so I¡¯ll exin them on the spot during the dedicated timeslots. That¡¯s the gist of it, anyway ¡ª now, shall we begin practicing the <<Heal>> spell?¡±


    Tsutomu immediately proceeded to cast <<Heal>> and sent it spinning around over his head. Stephanie, although hesitant, waved her baton-like staff and cast <<Heal>> as well, spinning it in the air where she should still see it.


    Having practiced her <<Heal>> shot control only by shooting it at her allies, Stephanie was having quite a bit of struggle trying to direct it properly. She looked at Tsutomu, fearful that she had shown him an obviously shoddy work, but thetter only smiled.


    ¡°Everyone is like that when they start off. Keep up your practice, and you¡¯ll eventually get it right.¡±


    ¡°I see... that¡¯s reassuring.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you can divide your attention to everything just yet, so please get used to controlling your <<Heal>> first. Once that¡¯s done, try making it move in various ways other than simply spinning.¡±


    Stephanie nodded as she asionally spun herself around, following her <<Heal>> shot that flew around like an erratic fly.


    ¡°Now then... you must be tired after all we¡¯ve done, so please just do this practice for the rest of today. That shouldn¡¯t be particrly exhausting, if anything.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Stephanie replied in a calm, motivated voice, having gotten used to Tsutomu¡¯s entric atmosphere. Then, she returned to her room, which had been assigned to her within the n House.


    Rook, after seeing her off, proceeded to call out to Tsutomu as thetter was locked into a cheerful smile.


    ¡°Y-you sure you can keep this up, Tsutomu? I did ask you to prioritize the Buffer¡¯s training, but this...¡±


    ¡°Yes, you did, but it¡¯ll be some time before your Buffer is back, right? Do you know when exactly?¡±


    ¡°The one in question isn¡¯t in town, so... about three weeks, maybe.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s perfect timing, then ¡ª I can just shift focus to the Buffer¡¯s training after Stephanie¡¯s three weeks. I¡¯ll adjust the schedule for that,¡± Tsutomu promptly said, while his wands kept on sorting up the documents so that he could vacate the table.


    Rook then replied, albeit reluctantly,


    ¡°No, that¡¯s... I mean, I didn¡¯t even n on requesting guidance for Stephanie in the first ce, you see. Wanted you to just inte her confidence a bit, is all ¡ª that¡¯s why I had you rate her performance.¡±


    ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t work out quite as intended, did it?¡±


    ¡°Right ¡ª and it¡¯s our own problem to deal with. No need for you to go out of your way, Tsutomu. In fact, she¡¯s still like that even after you gave her some favorable words ¡ª goes to show that I¡¯ve read her character wrong, if anything.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s quite alright, really. I¡¯ve already talked to her about it, after all. There won¡¯t be any additional fees attached, of course, so please don¡¯t worry about that, if anything. Anyway, it¡¯s gettingte, so I¡¯ll take my leave for the day now...¡±


    ¡°You already did what¨C!? Hey! Wait a second!¡±


    Tsutomu, having unterally ended the conversation, left the conference room in a hurry. Rook reached his hands forward, but it was toote; the former had already shut the door behind him.


    [...Could he have taken a liking to Stephanie? At first sight? No, he didn¡¯t give off that vibe. What¡¯s going on here...?]


    Rook was drawing a total nk as to what Tsutomu¡¯s reasons were, having seen thetter¡¯s persistence with Stephanie and the aggressive way in which he had cut the conversation short.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The next morning...


    ¡°Apologies if I came off as excessively upset yesterday, Mister Tsutomu. It was like a dreame true, to have gotten to learn from you ¡ª and I¡¯ll be in your care today as well,¡± Stephanie said as she lifted her skirt and bowed, and while also spinning around a <<Heal>> sphere low on the ground.


    ¡°Yes, likewise. I see you¡¯ve been practicing as instructed,¡± Tsutomu said happily, making eye contact with Stephanie as she looked back up. ¡°First things first, let us proceed with your training at the training area. Please follow me.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Tsutomu, having consulted with Rook on who and what to procure for today¡¯s training, immediately went to the Guild¡¯s training area for his nned morning activities. Stephanie followed, her eyes bright with determination.


    Upon arrival, Tsutomu started doing some squats to limber up. Then, once he was done, he exined to Stephanie the training session¡¯s contents,


    ¡°We¡¯ll begin with your support skills, Stephanie. Could you cast <


    > and <<Haste>> on me, Stephanie?¡±


    ¡°Yes. <


    >, <<Haste>>.¡±


    Stephanie swung her staff and cast the requested skills for Tsutomu. The earthy-yellow and blue spheres hit thetter, raising his VIT and AGI.


    ¡°Now, could you cast me a support skill within the ten seconds before these effects¡¯ expiration? I¡¯ll just go stand over here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Tsutomu walked away a short distance then stayed put, doing some stretches to pass the time. Stephanie used her left hand to create a rhythm to time the effect of <


    >, and did the same with her left foot for <<Haste>>.


    After fifty seconds had passed, Stephanie shot a <<Haste>> to Tsutomu, who was currently bending down to touch his own toes. Once the <<Haste>> effect was applied, Tsutomu started talking without looking at Stephanie,


    ¡°Five secondste. Remember: you¡¯re not supposed to cast the skill at the fifty-second mark ¡ª what you need is to have the skill hit at the fifty-second mark.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    The training session continued for approximately two hours, and while Stephanie managed to correct her timing by two to three seconds, she could not achieve any better results than that. Tsutomu, after he was done stretching and dusting his pants, decided to give Stephanie a ten-minute break.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time you took a break?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I have no objections here.¡±


    ¡°Now then, next time, please do the same as before ¡ª but now I¡¯ll be avoiding your support skills.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Avoiding them... as in deliberately?¡±


    ¡°Yes. This will double as a practice of your direction,¡± Tsutomu said and waved his hand, urging Stephanie to begin.


    Stephanie cast the skills for Tsutomu, then watched him carefully and counted the time as thetter stood a short distance away, yet to make a move.


    And then, at the mark of forty-five seconds, she shot a <<Haste>>, which Tsutomu attempted to dodge by repeatedly side-stepping ¡ª a training method he hade up with from observing Diniel during his time with the Golden Tune n. He had thought this method could be put to practical use, and had initially wanted to ask someone with high AGI to do the job.


    But this time, he settled on doing it himself, showcasing a surprising level of speed in dodging the <<Haste>> shot. And then, once the <<Haste>> effect on him expired, he stopped and let Stephanie cast another on him. He proceeded to imply with a smile that <


    > was next, prompting Stephanie to tighten her grip on her spear and focus her energy.


    The process went through several repetitions, but more than half the time, the support skill effects expired before they were renewed. Tsutomu, seeing Stephanie mentally strained from all the unfamiliar maneuvers, had her take a break after lunch.


    He took Stephanie along outside, thinking it would not do her good to stay in the Guild all day, eventually entering a well-regarded and reasonably-priced restaurant.


    Tsutomu wiped his hands and scanned over the menu, and then passed it over to Stephanie after making his order. With a gloomy face, she immediately turned the menu to a specific page and pointed at her order for the waiter to write down. The waiter bowed and left to the kitchen, after which Stephanie heaved a sigh,


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t do it at all...¡±


    ¡°Your progression is on-schedule, so please don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Huh...? A-all right, then.¡±


    ¡°I forgot to mention ¡ª you can direct around the energy shots, be it <<Heal>> or <


    > or other things, even during meals, so please remember to do it. Under the table, of course ¡ª wouldn¡¯t want to bother the establishment.¡±


    Stephanie shook under Tsutomu¡¯s calm aura, thinking thetter was angry at her, while sipping her cup of cold juice that had just been served. Then she proceeded to cast <


    > and directed it to spin around at her feet.


    After about ten minutes, the waiter came back to serve the food. Though seeing Stephanie looking down and apparently focusing on something, the waiter said nothing before leaving.


    ¡°Stephanie, your food¡¯s been served.¡±


    ¡°Ah¨C yes!¡±


    Called back to her senses by Tsutomu, Stephanie looked forward in surprise, her <


    > shot disappearing as soon as she took her eyes off it. Tsutomu reminded her to keep at it, albeit without pressuring her, while cutting up his saut¨¦ed duck with citrus sauce.


    Stephanie, having been distracted by her food for a moment, pulled her chair back slightly and cast <


    > again, this time spinning it around the table¡¯s legs. Then she saw that Tsutomu had three different energy spheres spinning around under his chair, and was naturally quite startled by the sight.


    After he was done eating, Tsutomu quickly paid the bill. Stephanie finished her meal at just about the same time as well, and so they headed back to the Guild. Along the way, she asked Tsutomu,


    ¡°Um, the bill...¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it. Rook has already provided me with all the training expenses, so I¡¯ve got all theing three weeks covered.¡±


    ¡°Oh, all right, then.¡±


    But of course, Tsutomu¡¯s words were a lie. Not that there would have been any expenses in the first ce, what with his activities so far requiring no equipment nor consumables. As such, he had thought of investing a little into the high-potential Stephanie¡¯s improvement.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be exploring the Dungeon in the afternoon, together with some party members that Rook has appointed for us. Today¡¯s location will be... the Swamp biome.¡±


    ¡°The Swamp, you said?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Oh, there they are.¡±


    Ignoring Stephanie¡¯s suspicious stare, Tsutomu waved to the appointed Ealdred Crow party members, who had gathered up and been waiting near Monitor #30. They were some of the lowest on Ealdred Crow¡¯s priority list, their number being higher than twenty.

 Chapter 70, Trash Party

    <h4>Chapter 70, Trash Party</h4>


    ¡°Hello, everyone. We¡¯ll be in your care today.¡±


    ¡°...Hello,¡± the three Explorers gave an utterly unenthusiastic reply.


    These people were among the lowest-evaluated members of Ealdred Crow. Lacking in both ability and motivation, they were on the list of those who would be suggested to leave the n,e the next evaluation.


    No matter how good Ealdred Crow¡¯s informants were, they still would end up recruiting untalented individuals from time to time. These members, failing to keep up with the rest of the n soon after they had joined up, and ignoring the office staffs¡¯ efforts to persuade them, have be apathetic to their situation and neglected their efforts.


    Only this current request was what kept them in the n, but soon enough, they would be asked again to leave. Their faces were painted with emotions of resignation. Stephanie, confused at the sight of them, turned to ask Tsutomu,


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu? These people are...?¡±


    ¡°The party members appointed for us by Rook, yes. Today¡¯s afternoon training will involve teaming up with them and start exploring fromyer twenty-one, aiming foryer twenty-nine. It sure would be nice if we were able to vanquish the Layer Boss in a single run, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That is quite...¡±


    ...Impossible from the outset, was what Stephanie would have said, had she not swallowed her words back down first. She could already tell from a distance just how unmotivated they were ¡ª one among them was a Dualder, a Job so versatile that it was considered a blessing from God, yet this individual was deprived of any enthusiasm, sitting down cross-legged on the ground. The other two were a Pdin and a Dark Knight, both of whom had made excuses with their unfortunate Job type, and had never exerted any effort in their work.


    Theycked motivation. The one thing that was practically ounted for in everything. The office workers were the ones in charge of the Explorers¡¯ performance quota; if one at least showed some motivation, even if they failed to fulfill their quotas, the workers may have permitted a discussion for some reduction or alteration. The informants were kind enough to provide information to those who took the initiative to ask, too, and all the others in the myriad support roles were always there to help.


    Yet, they neglected to work hard, instead simply basking in the sense of security and aplishment that came with joining the major n called Ealdred Crow. They had not realized that this was no finish line, but merely the beginning of everything; the longer they cked off, the gap between them and their peers grew wider and wider. Once they had realized the difference, they had be so shocked that they gave up even trying.


    All three members were still under level thirty ¡ª not even at the cap of forty permitted to those who had reached the Swamp, and they had only skimmed over the materials on the three-roleposition that Ealdred Crow had given them. With three of such excess baggage in tow, it would be quite impossible for even a major n¡¯s Leader to im victory over a Layer Boss.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go get our party registered, then. Stephanie, you¡¯ll be the leader, and also the Healer ¡ª act as you see fit. Can you take over from this moment on?¡±


    ¡°...Yes,¡± Stephanie agreed to Tsutomu¡¯s orders, refraining from verbally questioning whether it would be a good idea to train with such low-quality personnel. She held blind respect for him, and knew that he would never propose such a project without thinking things through.


    Stephanie had first known of Tsutomu from one of Solit Company¡¯s newspapers, and afterwards an informant had rmended him to her via some detailed notes that summarized his Monitor footage, which had greatly piqued her interest. Once she had gotten to take a look herself, she had been surprised by how Tsutomu acted when partied up with Garm and Camille. Long-ranged healing. A defender that never died. But what had surprised her most was how a White Mage was the one who stood out.


    At the time, While Mages were expected to only cast support skills at the start of a fight and then hide themselves for the rest of the time. But Tsutomu was different ¡ª at first, Stephanie had scoffed at this prominence, thinking he had been abusing his reputation at the ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯ to do whatever he pleased, but once she had gotten to watch a broadcast, she had immediately realized how incorrect that was.


    Even when looked at from the outside perspective, the party members, Garm and Camille, were full of energy ¡ª they were having fun. The sight had prompted Stephanie to wonder if that was how a party would look if the members were left to their own devices.


    From that point on, Stephanie would go from time to time to look at the Monitors on which Tsutomu was shown, eventually witnessing the battle against the Fire Dragon and getting quite fascinated by Tsutomu¡¯s strategies. She wanted to be like that, too ¡ª to support the party, survive to the end, and share the joy of Dungeon exploration with everyone else. She had begun to feel a strong desire for a change in the mundane status quo. And then, once the second Fire Dragon battle rolled around, Stephanie had beenpletely captivated by Tsutomu.


    [I¡¯m sure he has something in mind. Something beyond my imagination.]


    While making a blind affirmation for Tsutomu in her mind, she registered the party at the reception desk and entered the Magic Circle to transfer to the twenty-firstyer.


    And so began the exploration of the Dungeon¡¯s Swamp... which went just as bad as Stephanie had predicted. The Dualder attacked without deliberation, and the two Tanks did not even know how to activate <<Combat Cry>>.


    Naturally, all that resulted in the monsters¡¯ aggro piling up on Stephanie once she cast a few of her skills, forcing her to use <<Air des>> to pick them off while keeping up the support. After the battle, Stephanie red especially indignantly at the two Tanks.


    Tsutomu eventually got around to re-exining the three-roleposition to the three members, but at this point, Stephanie could no longer calm her inner emotions down. On the day of the press conference, Tsutomu had given all of the present ns¡¯ members his documents, and had told them to read through the contents. Stephanie gripped her thin staff tightly, frustrated by how the three had failed to do even something so simple.


    The Dungeon exploration continued on, with Stephanie still frequently targeted by monsters. Her being level 70, she could withstand the attacks of the Swamp monsters to some extent, but she was too distracted by all the chaos to concentrate properly.


    Despite having no time to spare for casting support skills, Stephanie managed to keep her train of thoughts from derailing entirely, providing support and healing without much ount for timing. But then, when one of the Tanks suddenly died, the battle¡¯s situation worsened further.


    ¡°<<Raise>>.¡±


    Stephanie¡¯s spell revived the Tank, but also caused all of the monsters¡¯ aggro to pile up on her. Seeing how slow the Tank was at re-equipping, Stephanie was about tosh out at her team right then and there, pointing her staff forward.


    The exploration continued, with the Tank dying several times, and the Attacker once. Stephanie brought the three back to life and dealt with the monsters that attacked her, with Tsutomu frequently supplying her with Blue Potions to restore her mental strength.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    Getting her arm lightly bruised by a Frogger¡¯s attack, Stephanie healed her arm before resuming support to the others... but then one of the Tanks died again. Stephanie was the one under attack from the monsters, yet the other Tank was too frightened to do anything, and the Attacker acted without regard for the team¡¯s formation.


    Of the six hours spent exploring the Dungeon¡¯s Swamp, the team was only able to advance down oneyer, and had to return to the Guild by Tsutomu¡¯s order.


    After the whole ordeal, and once Stephanie saw the three others off back to the n House, she lethargically turned back to look at Tsutomu.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Stephanie,¡± he said to her.


    ¡°...It was hard, yes.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯ll be doing the same thing tomorrow, so please hang in there. Oh, and don¡¯t forget to train your skill direction whenever you have free time.¡±


    With Tsutomu saying all that so nonchntly, Stephanie was utterly horrified, as if she had been plunged down to the bottom of a ravine.


    This afternoon¡¯s six hours had been Stephanie¡¯s worst exploration experience; it was as if she had just partied up with some Goblins. The difference between those members and the n¡¯s main party was so great that even the rtively mild-mannered Stephanie could not help but asionally click her tongue.


    Stephanie¡¯s mind was swirling with doubt, whether doing this would mean anything, and whether it would be better to explore with the rest of the main party and deepen their cooperation, instead of forming a ragtag party with these low-level Explorers.


    ¡°Y-yes, I understand. We¡¯ll meet again tomorrow at nine, in the Guild, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Be seeing you then.¡±


    Tsutomu, relieved by Stephanie¡¯s somewhat unexpected reply, proceeded to give her some words of thanks before leaving the Guild. Stephanie saw him off with a smiling face, but after he was out of the Guild, her expression turned gloomy.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    A week passed from then with Stephanie¡¯s training program seeing no significant changes. Believing in Tsutomu, she tried her best to wade her way through it all.


    The mornings consisted mainly of the training of support skill timing and directing. This section was what could be considered a blessing for Stephanie ¡ª a good opportunity to listen to Tsutomu¡¯s stories and knowledge, and he would always give precise instructions and examples on how to visualize the maneuvers. She could feel that she was getting better at both the timing and direction, and that her skills were improving in general.


    What she had issues with was the afternoon activities, the exploration of the Swamp with Ealdred Crow¡¯s worst Explorers.


    Over the past week, the three Explorers had hardly improved at all. A natural oue, what with them being utterly unmotivated ¡ª they would not act unless instructed, and even then, they would often fail to follow their instructions through. The Attacker, a Dualder, was excessively prideful, often ignoring orders. The Pdin and Dark Knight, the former a man and thetter a woman, were always too frightened to act unless ordered to.


    Stephanie, with Tsutomu watching over her, had tried desperately to keep calm and order her party while also supporting them. However, with the Attacker not following instructions and the Tanks being so weak-willed, the Healer often ended up being the one targeted by the monsters, forcing her to deal with the monsters herself.


    Before this, Stephanie had been able to provide support without such dangers thanks to Bittman and Rook; such was the environment she had been practicing in up to now. As such, she was not at all used to providing support while being targeted by monsters, and now she had not even the time to create a rhythm with her limbs. Because of all that, she naturally could do little in the way of support now.


    All the while, Tsutomu would watch from a slight distance and offered almost no input, aplete change from how he would act in the mornings. He hadn¡¯t spoken to the three others since the first time he had re-taught them the three-roleposition, and most of his interactions with Stephanie during these times were only him supplying Stephanie with Blue Potions whenever she was about to run on empty.


    Stephanie had gone to hell and back in an attempt to gain some recognition from Tsutomu, her most respected instructor, but all she had achieved was embarrassing herself in front of him with her inability to keep up the directing of her support skills. That one particr thing had caused her a great deal of stress.


    Still, this was mostly due to her party members, not errors on her part. She had been doing her very best ¡ª such was what she had thought, and continued to think more strongly as the days had gone by, and together with it was the umtion of her rage toward the party members.


    Today was the first time that Tsutomu, who had not moved a muscle until now, approached Stephanie for something other than resupplying her with Blue Potions. Her eyes sparkled, knowing that he was about to say something.


    ¡°Excuse me, Stepha¨C¡°


    ¡°Yes! What is it!?¡±


    Stephanie promptly replied like a starving dog presented with fresh food, startling Tsutomu; regardless, thetter faintly smiled and began talking... about something not quite what Stephanie had been wanting to hear.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been noticing that you haven¡¯t been using <<Raise>> as frequently. I did tell you to act as you saw fit, but please don¡¯t abandon your expected role as a Healer.¡±


    ¡°Huh...?¡±


    ¡°Because if you do, you won¡¯t be any different from an Attacker, so I suppose the instruction needs some rephrasing ¡ª act as you see fit, as a Healer,¡± Tsutomu said before simply turning away, resuming his distant post of watching over the party.


    Stephanie saw him off, dumbfounded... and brought to her limit of stress tolerance.


    All of the week spent, and all the party achieved was to reach the twenty-secondyer. After today¡¯s exploration concluded and the party members went their separate ways, Stephanie stopped Tsutomu as he was about to leave.


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Yes, what is it?¡±


    ¡°Could it be that... you are an impostor?¡±


    ¡°Huh? No, I¡¯m as Tsutomu as Tsutomu gets.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Stephanie gripped tightly the edge of her curly hair, asserting how much she did not want to hear what she had just heard. As Tsutomu watched on in silence, Stephanie proceeded to mutter to him,


    ¡°...So tell me, what were you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Come again?¡±


    ¡°What were you thinking!? What is the point of this training exercise!? I don¡¯t understand! What could it possibly achieve!?¡±


    Stephanie suddenly ruffled her hair and screamed, as if she was losing her sanity. Her and Tsutomu being near the Guild¡¯s entrance, the other people in the vicinity promptly backed away and started whispering among themselves.


    ¡°Is this really YOUR training, Mister Tsutomu!? The REAL you, and not some impostor!?¡±


    ¡°I am the real me, yes. Also, I¡¯d really appreciated it if you spoke a little more quietly.¡±


    ¡°Your training program for the mornings was great! But the afternoons ¡ª something¡¯s clearly not right! What could it possibly achieve!? With that trash party!? I wasn¡¯t even training my support skills at all!!¡±


    ¡°You think? Now, there are times when a Healer needs to provide support even in such situations. That¡¯s what this part of your training is for.¡±


    ¡°...Even for the Ealdred Crow¡¯s main party?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t think they would find themselves in such situations very often, but it¡¯s still a yes.¡±


    ¡°Of course they wouldn¡¯t! They¡¯re nowhere nearly as ipetent at those trash! It¡¯s not even aparison!!¡±


    As Stephanie kept running her mouth, Tsutomu stood by calmly.


    ¡°Things are sure to get more difficult from here on out ¡ªyer sixty-five,yer seventy, whatever. Parties are especially prone to breaking formation ofyers they¡¯ve never been to before ¡ª you should know that already.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°Oh, and also, I suppose I should apologize ¡ª I was expecting you toin about that party after a day or two, but it seemed like you were taking them so well, so I... might have forgotten to turn things down before it got out of hand. I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t notice how much you were on edge before.¡±


    Tsutomu had already known full well that the appointed party was awful, after all, but contrary to his expectations, Stephanie had been surprisingly patient, not giving up on using support skills until five days in. Tsutomu had thought then that things might be alright like this, and as such had not said anything.


    Stephanie kept on shouting at Tsutomu as he bowed down, and then once she calmed down and realized what she had been doing, she lowered her head as well.


    ¡°I-I see... I can understand that, now that we¡¯re on the same page! Apologies for my sudden rudeness!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, and again, I¡¯m sorry. Might I assume that you are on board with this training program now?¡±


    With Tsutomu¡¯s face in a perpetual smile, Stephanie could not bring herself to say anything back. In truth, she wanted not to be a Healer for this kind of party ever again, and she was already hearing her inner devil whispering to her to abandon her training. Moreover, it was quite likely that the main party was now using a recement Healer, who must have been showing off their abilities during her absence. All in all, immediately returning to the main party seemed the more tempting option.


    ¡°Y-yes. I¨C I am.¡±


    But Stephanie managed to shake off her inner devil¡¯s whispers, and replied to Tsutomu, albeit on the verge of tears. Satisfied with her reply, Tsutomu took her out for a delicious dinner.

 Chapter 71, The Importance of Discussion

    <h4>Chapter 71, The Importance of Discussion</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    Later, at dinner, Stephanie got some advice from Tsutomu. And to top that off, she was told, as the leader of this party, to n and execute her own n in order to defeat the Swamp¡¯s Layer Boss.


    [Me, both a Healer and the leader... Hmm...]


    Stephanie recited in her mind what Tsutomu had told her while on the way back to the n House; once she arrived, the first thing she did was pick up the documents Tsutomu had given her and re-checked the party¡¯s structure. She also thought about her impressions of the party members over the past week.


    The Dualder, a young man, had an inted ego and a tendency to look down on Jobs that were considered unfavorable. As a result, he would often ignore orders and act of his own ord. Statistics-wise, his offensive capability was high for an Attacker of his level.


    The Dark Knight, an adult man, seemed introverted and apparently had a hard time speaking. He wascking in the technical aspect, but would always move when instructed to do so. When not instructed, however, he would often stop moving altogether.


    The Pdin, a woman, was always in a gloomy mood and never spoke, and she was also unskilled. Although she would act if ordered, too-detailed instructions would often confuse her, and if she were to fail to carry them out, she would freeze up.


    [The more I think about... everything, the more impossible it seems...]


    Stephanie pulled on her spiral-curled peach-colored hair as she looked over thepiled documents. Then, she proceeded to go over the unique and specializing skills, and also the characteristics of Jobs such as Pdin and Dark Knight, but in the end, she still was not convinced that those two would be able to handle the uing task.


    Stephanie had also been giving the two Tanks as much technical guidance as she could over the past week, but there was no sign of improvement. As such, even if she were to tell them about the Dark Knights and Pdins¡¯ skills and their usage, she could not see them putting any of the knowledge to any use.


    [We ought to dial it back to even easier things, then... Perhaps <<Combat Cry>> will be enough. And that Attacker¡¯s cocky attitude has got to go...]


    Stephanie spent several hours trying to figure out how to make the party fare better, and when things were starting to get into shape, it was gettingte, so she went straight to bed.


    The next day, after a peaceful training session in the morning, the dreaded afternoon training came back around. The two Tanks, looking as lifeless as usual, the bad-mood Attacker, and Stephanie exchanged greetings among themselves. They proceeded to teleport to the Swampyer andmence their exploration.


    It did not take long for them toe into contact with several monsters. Stephanie started by shooting <


    > to the two Tanks, and then issuing an order to the Dark Knight.


    ¡°Rigas! <<Combat Cry>>, please!¡±


    Acting in ordance with his order, the Dark Knight, Rigas, timidly unleashed the specified skill, drawing aggro from all of the monsters. Stephanie then turned to the Pdin.


    ¡°Dorssia, please go around and cover Rigas,¡± she ordered, then proceeded to instruct the Attacker, who was currently fighting one of the Froggers, a frog-like monster.


    But then the Attackerpletely ignored Stephanie, as always, so she gave up on getting him to do anything for now.


    ¡°<<Air de>>.¡±


    Stephanie provided cover fire for Rigas as he was surrounded by the Froggers, with the spell creating an opening in the monsters¡¯ ranks. Seeing Rigas slip out through the opening, she shot a <<Heal>> to him before re-assessing the battle¡¯s overall situation.


    [The Attacker is still safe. Those two are on the move. <


    >... has about forty seconds left, I think.]


    Stephanie had decided to stop casting <<Haste>> for now, focusing on <


    > and maintaining a consistent rate of healing. She had also stopped supporting the Attacker entirely, only healing him.


    Stephanie, having looked at Tsutomu¡¯s documents on the three-roleposition yesterday, had realized that the team¡¯s Tanks had to be functional first before everything else could start working. Without the Tanks¡¯ <<Combat Cry>>, the monsters would end up exclusively targeting Healers because of their reaction to support and healing skills. If that happened, it would then be too difficult for the Healers to provide support and time their skills.


    Such was the reason for Stephanie to not use <<Haste>>, and instead focused on ordering the Tanks, putting an emphasis on them using <<Combat Cry>> consistently.


    ¡°<


    >... Dorssia, please use <<Combat Cry>>! Rigas, help Dorssia hold off the monsters!¡±


    Unlike the Attacker, the two Tanks more or less followed their orders, so Stephanie still cast <


    > for them while directing their actions. Rigas and Drusi did not respond, but they were indeed moving as instructed.


    Although the two Tanks were taking frequent critical hits from the attacking Poison Spiders and Bloody Bees, their Jobs¡¯ high base VIT helped them withstand the blows to some extent.


    ¡°<<Medic>>, <<High Heal>>. Rigas, <<Combat Cry>>, please!¡±


    Stephanie gave another order to the Tanks, so as to keep the aggro generation going in the right ces, while also making sure that both Tanks were healed up. Seeing that they were both poisoned, having been bitten deep in their necks by the Poison Spiders, she cast <<Medic>>.


    [Ngh... I¡¯m running low on energy.]


    Stephanie felt her body grow more sluggish as she continued to cast her healing skills to the two Tanks, so she pulled out a vial of Blue Potion from her pocket and took a sip. Her mental energy was then restored, along with eliminating the inertness in her body.


    The MND statistic was the key factor in sessfully invoking skills; the lower it got, the more one¡¯s body would grow fatigued, in a psychologically-induced sense. One¡¯s MND dropping to zero would not kill them, but still would make them extremely sleepy.


    Regr Blue Potions would require one to down a whole vial for the desired effect, but with the Forest Apothecary¡¯s Blue Potions, one only needed a single sip. Stephanie quickly sealed her vial¡¯s lid and cast <<Medic>> to the Two poisoned Tanks... but then they were promptly poisoned again, stung by the Bloody Bees.


    [They¡¯re constantly being poisoned!]


    Although Stephanie was fed up with the situation, she still cast <<Medic>> for them again... and then they were hit with a continuous chain of critical attacks, which ended with them being poisoned yet again.


    [...What a waste of mental energy.]


    Stephanie cast <


    > for the two Tanks and healed them up, then proceeded to attack the monsters together with the Attacker. In the end, the team got through today¡¯s first encounter without anyone dying.


    With the exploration off to a good start, Stephanie was somewhat pleased. She healed the two injured Tanks and talked to them a little while the party resumed their exploration.


    After that, however, Stephanie messed up her calctions and ended up letting one of the Tanks while she aimed her <<Air de>>. Although she promptly cast <<Raise>>, the battle still became as chaotic as the days before. Stephanie herself took a few hits while taking out the Swamp monsters, and at one point, the Attacker died, causing her to inadvertently heave a sigh.


    Still, with the focus lessened on using support skills and more on the consistent use of <<Combat Cry>>, the party found it easier to regain their footing.


    Then again, with Stephanie being new to shooting support skills while giving out orders at the same time, she was oftente to renew the <


    > effects before they ran out. It made things quite hard for the Tanks, especially when they were almost constantly in a poisoned state. Stephanie did not have enough mental energy capacity to cure them every time they were poisoned, but if she were to let the poison be, the Tanks would die, which would force her to use <<Raise>> and make the fight all chaotic.


    Stephanie looked at the two Tanks and remembered one piece of advice Tsutomu had given her: discuss issues with her party members and work together toward a solution. She had been told at dinner that it was a Healer¡¯s job to take the initiative and look at the whole picture.


    One roadblock she now faced was the fact that she was not very good at expressing her own opinions. Up until very recently, a White Mage only had to revive their allies with <<Raise>> and buy time; even after the three-roleposition had been introduced, Stephanie still left the strategizing to her party¡¯s leader.


    But then, for this run, Tsutomu had told her that the leader was none other than herself. She heaved a sigh, readying her mind before approaching the two Tanks.


    ¡°Excuse me... may I have a word?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes? What is it?¡±


    Rigas, the Dark Knight, was visibly startled when suddenly called upon. Stephanie, seeing how he had a frightened look of a small beast being stared down by a predator, pulled a wry smile before continuing,


    ¡°It¡¯s about you being poisoned... it¡¯s currently too frequent, and in turn is taking too much of my mental energy to remedy. I can¡¯t exactly not restore your status conditions, either ¡ª so I¡¯d like you to speak up whenever you need healing. Can you?¡±


    ¡°I-I see.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Huh? Wait, I mean, I asked you whether or not you could do it. Can you?¡±


    ¡°Uh¨C ah¨C yes! Yes, I can!¡±


    ¡°A-all right. Good. Then get started with doing that immediately, please.¡±


    Though surprised by Rigas¡¯ sudden increase of voice volume, Stephanie ended the conversation and proceeded to resume the party¡¯s exploration.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The team continued their Swamp exploration over the next few days. They still found themselves in chaotic situations and breaking formation, but at least they fared better than the disaster that was one week ago.


    Additionally, after a full week passed, the Tanks were able to more or less understand the timings of Stephanie¡¯s orders, and their movements were beginning to show some improvement.


    ¡°Rigas, please use¨C¡°


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>.¡±


    The two Tanks, after a week of being told the same thing over and over again, had naturally begun to optimize their movements. Although the way they faced monsters did not change much, it had been easy enough for them to improve the timings at which they unleashed <<Combat Cry>>. Stephanie¡¯s orders for them were quite simple, with the two taking turns using <<Combat Cry>> on a regr interval.


    ¡°Dorssia.¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>,¡± Dorssia immediately used her skill upon being called by name, albeit with disgust showing on her face... because she was facing a Frogger.


    Rigas promptly rushed to Dorssia¡¯s aid, but he did not fare much better.


    At this point, both Tanks were using <<Combat Cry>> at the mere mentions of their names, and whenever Stephanie was too upied with casting <<Raise>> for the Attacker, Rigas would even use <<Combat Cry>> without being prompted.


    Seeing how the previously puppet-like Rigas was acting strategically on his own, Stephanie was quite surprised.


    She approached him after the battle, while thetter heaved a sigh of relief, and was once again startled once the former called upon him.


    ¡°Rigas, your timing was good with the <<Combat Cry>> you used. Thank you for your help. Please keep in mind that you can use <<Combat Cry>> whenever you want, so long as you think it¡¯s necessary.¡±


    ¡°I-I see.¡±


    ¡°Are there any requests you would like to make? You haven¡¯t said anything much when you were poisoned just now, so...¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m all right like this, I think? ...I think?¡±


    ¡°...Um, which is it, really?¡± Stephanie held up her hand to hide her giggle


    ¡°I¡¯m all right! Yes!¡± Rigas raised his voice and answered, looking somewhat embarrassed.


    Stephanie nodded in response, having gotten used to Rigas¡¯ loudness now, before turning to address Dorssia,


    ¡°What about you, Dorssia?¡±


    ¡°...Um, nothing in particr, I think.¡±


    ¡°All right. Oh, by the way... apologies if my assumption is incorrect, Dorssia, but do you dislike the Froggers?¡±


    ¡°Huh...? How...¡±


    ¡°I saw that you were... reluctant to face it, even more so than bug-type monsters,¡± Stephanie said while fiddling with her own hair.


    ¡°Ah... yes. I could never get over its... slimy-ness. Apologies,¡± Dorssia replied, looking down as if she was a wilted flower.


    ¡°That is certainly unpleasant, yes! I couldn¡¯t stand it at first, either.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, of course! It¡¯s so disgusting!¡±


    ¡°Anyway, now that I understand what¡¯s wrong... whenever Froggers appear, Rigas and I will try to get them out of the way as much as we can. You can do that, yes?¡±


    Stephanie turned to Rigas, who nodded in response, albeit apparently without understanding the whole prompt. Dorssia¡¯s expressionless face turned up slightly.


    ¡°...Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°In exchange, please take care of the bug-type monsters in my stead. I¡¯m particrly repulsed by the Poison Spiders, you see.¡±


    ¡°W-what!? But they¡¯re so cute! Just look at their perfectly round eyes! And the face-like patterns on their abdomens! Each Spider even has one unique from the others! Isn¡¯t that amazing!?¡±


    ¡°A-ah, yes,¡± Stephanie gave an automated reply, taken aback by Dorssia¡¯s sudden showing of utmost enthusiasm she had toward Poison Spiders and their supposed ¡®cuteness¡¯. To Stephanie, bumpy frogs and big bugs were equally as disgusting.


    After a few more days of training and discussions, despite all the bumps on the road, Rigas and Dorssia¡¯s expressions began to lighten up a bit. During battles, not only they started using skills on their own, they also called out for healing whenever needed.


    By the seventeenth day, Stephanie was getting along quite well with the two Tanks, the result of which was especially apparent inbat. The two Tanks, who had only followed orders in the early days of the party, were starting to act on their own initiative.


    Moreover, the two had recently started to be more enthusiastic, and could even be seen at the n House¡¯s training grounds. The workers were surprised to see them there, what with them being socking in motivation before.


    The Attacker was still acting selfishly as usual, however. Stephanie had been keeping an eye on him, and had tried talking to him on asions, but eventually gave up after it was clear that he would not open up. But then a turning point came in the form of a battle in which the Attacker died multiple times...


    ¡°Hey, gimme some buffs already!¡± The Attacker raised his voice andined to Stephanie, ming his frequent deaths on theck of buffing effects from her support skills.


    The two Tanks stepped away, startled by and scared of the Attacker¡¯s voice. Stephanie, on the other hand, waspletely unfazed and replied immediately,


    ¡°Nah.¡±


    ¡°WHAT!?¡± The Attacker shouted back, but soon grinned, as if he had juste up with the perfecteback, ¡°Ah, so you can¡¯t do it, huh? Even the main party¡¯s Stephanie¡¯s gotta have something she can¡¯t do, I guess!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t listen to me, I don¡¯t listen to you. It¡¯s only fair.¡±


    In fact Stephanie had also improved greatly over the past seventeen days, and was fully capable of maintaining <


    > on the Attacker. She had improved her healing and support skills¡¯ uracy during the morning training, and her timing count was gradually getting better, too. She had been so absorbed in her training that, the one day she had gone home, her parents were concerned to hear her spontaneously mumble numbers to herself and see her keeping a skill shot flying around her at all times.


    Moreover, during battles in which as many as two party members had died, she had been able to rebuild the formation time and time again. Being thrust into chaotic situations had broadened her horizons, enabling her to get better and better at her job without the need to stop and think.


    The Attacker, however, seemed to have taken her statement as another excuse.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, just don¡¯t push it, yeah? I know, I know, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°You have ONE job. Kill the monsters that are targeting the Tanks, one at a time. Do that, SUCCESSFULLY, and you will get my support skills.¡±


    ¡°...Tch, big talking from a While Mage. I¡¯m a Dualder, you know!¡± The Attacker turned away and walked off, grumbling to himself the rest of the way.


    Stephanie looked on, her eyes as if she was seeing a piece of trash.


    ¡°...Stephanie? You¡¯re looking... pretty scary there,¡± Dorssia spoke up.


    ¡°Oh, I beg your pardon,¡± Stephanie said and chuckled, her dark aura dispersing upon being called.


    Rigas, initially scared of the Attacker, became even more frightened when he saw the look in Stephanie¡¯s eyes.


    In the following battles, the Attacker still attacked whatever monsters he saw. Likewise, Stephanie still did not cast him any support skills, only shooting the usual <


    > for the Tanks.


    [...Thank goodness.]


    Regardless, Stephanie was relieved to see that Tsutomu was still watching over the team from the sidelines.

 Chapter 72, Queen Spider

    <h4>Chapter 72, Queen Spider</h4>


    With four days left in the three-week training period, the party had reachedyer twenty-nine so far, and today they were to make their first attempt against the Swamp Layer Boss. The two Tanks had been getting better and better, having been training on their own, in their own time. The Attacker was still the same as ever, but at least he did notin about the team moving on toyer thirty.


    ¡°By the way, Stephanie... Onyer thirty, I will intervene whenever you are about to die, so please don¡¯t worry and give it your best.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Stephanie nodded as Tsutomu handed her five clear vials of Blue Potion. After that was done, Tsutomu immediately stepped away from the group.


    On normalyers, there would exist a ck Gate through which a party could return to the Guild at all times, but on a bossyer, no such Gate would be present. Either the Layer Boss was defeated, or the Explorers are annihted. These were the only two ways for one to leave ayer on which a Layer Boss resided.


    Once one of a party¡¯s members entered a ck Gate, the others would be forcibly sent through it to the nextyer as well, so Tsutomu also followed the others toyer thirty. Since Tsutomu himself did not want to die, he nned to step in and help defeat the Layer Boss whenever Stephanie was in a pinch.


    Stephanie, after taking onest nce at Tsutomu as thetter walked away, started discussing the strategies she had nned in advance. The Swamp Layer Boss, the Queen Spider, was a monster unique to God¡¯s Dungeon, unlike the Grasnds and Forest Layer Bosses. Or at least, its appearance in the other Dungeons had yet to be confirmed at this time.


    With most people¡¯s first experience against it being a direct encounter in the Dungeon, its difficulty level was much higher than those of the previous Layer Bosses. In addition to restraining its foes with spider silk, its bites were backed by powerful fangs, the tips of which secreted toxin that melted the victim into mush... which the Spider then slurped up. It was the first Layer Boss in line to use such an obviously instant-kill attack.


    Another one of its moves involved it leaping onto its webs on the arena¡¯s ceiling, making things difficult for those without long-ranged attacks. If it was left hanging up there for too long, it would expand its web and drop it down, immobilizing and quickly killing all who were below it. The move could be prevented by cutting the thick threads on the sides, which would in turn destroy the web, but continuing to attack it long-ranged was always the easier choice.


    Additionally, when the Queen Spider was in trouble, its offspring would fall down from the webs above, which also had to be eliminated quickly.


    With those assumptions in mind, Stephanie instructed the two Tanks to avoid being bound by the Spider¡¯s silk after using <<Combat Cry>>. Their equipment loadouts were simple, being the standard sword-and-shieldbo, but they would be immediately immobilized if the Spider¡¯s threads were tond on them.


    ¡°Rigas and Dorssia, you two need to stay slightly separated from each other while keeping your actions in sync. Avoid the Spider¡¯s silk as much as possible, and hurry to help the other if one of you is immobilized,¡± Stephanie said while taking some small fire-starting magic tools from her Magic Bag and handing them to everyone.


    The binding thread that the Queen Spider produced was so strong that they would not break when pulled by hand, and even des would not make the cut if they were not sharp enough. However, they were especially weak to fire, melting away at the lighting of even a small me. With the fire-starting magic tool on the ready, one could easily escape if they only reacted sufficiently quickly.


    The Spider¡¯s webs were made with special thread, however, which the magic tool was not effective on. Although more powerful mes would work, such as ones produced with certain Beastkin¡¯s mmable fur, such a method should not be considered, due to it being most likely to mess up their tails in the process.


    ¡°Also, please pay attention to the main thread ¡ª always be sure to cut it down. I will try to do so as well, but might miss it if I¡¯m too upied with something else.¡±


    One Explorers appeared through the ck Gate, the Queen Spider would alwaysunch a surprise attack while descending down, hanging by its main thread from the backside of its abdomen.


    This main thread was connected to the webs above, and the Queen Spider could swiftly zip back up with it whenever it felt threatened. Therefore, it was important to cut the thread, eliminating one of the Spider¡¯s easy means of escape.


    Additionally, whenever it crawled on the walls, returned to the webs above, or stayed on the ground for extended periods, its main thread would drag along, swinging unpredictably. As such, it was one of the Attackers¡¯ duties to keep an eye on the thread at all times.


    However, after the recent argument with Stephanie, the Attacker had be more rebellious, not listening to most of what she had to say.


    [...Perhaps I ought to pay extra attention to the main thread,] Stephanie thought to herself and proceeded with the discussions. The next step was about the actions to be taken against the baby Spiders, which Stephanie thought it best to have the Tanks distract them, then kill all of the wave at once. ¡°The two Tanks will be in charge of the little Spiders. I¡¯ll give you a sign whenever I¡¯d like you to use <<Combat Cry>>, so please pay attention.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Rigas promptly answered, his voice high pitched and excited.


    ¡°...Yes,¡± Dorssia said as well, her emotion not quite readable.


    ¡°As for the other things... First, I¡¯ll intercept its opening surprise attack. After that, everyone will have to learn its telegraphs as we go along. I don¡¯t expect us to win on our first try, but with repeated attempts over these remaining four days, we¡¯re sure to get it right eventually.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, I understand.¡±


    ¡°All right, then, let us be on our way.¡±


    Stephanie led the four others ¡ª Tsutomu included ¡ª into the ck Gate, teleporting to the thirtiethyer.


    The location they appeared at was the inside of a dimly lit cave. The craggy, rocky ground glowed a faint white, acting as illumination. The walls emitted light, too, but nowhere near as bright due to the countless spider threads sticking to them, with giant spider webs on the top of the area.


    The gigantic Queen Spider lurking on top of the webs, its eight eyes glowing an eerie red, slowly and silently approached the Explorers. And when, once it got within a certain distance, it quickly pounced at its enemies.


    ¡°<<Air des>>.¡±


    A teaming inpletely fresh surely would have lost one member to the surprise attack, but Stephanie had already experienced the fight. She sessfully intercepted the Queen Spider with a ded wind projectile, causing it to drop like a rock, mid-leap, to the ground.


    As the all-white Queen Spider flopped around on the ground, the Attacker drew his swords and threw himself at it. But then a mass of threads shot out from the spinneret at the end of the Spider¡¯s abdomen, knocking away the Attacker and gluing him to the wall.


    ¡°<


    >. Rigas, get him out. Dorssia, use <<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>.¡±


    Rigas rushed to the wall on which the Attacker was stuck, and Dorssia unleashed her skill. The Queen Spider, hit by the red aura, raised itself up and quickly moved its eight legs to crawl towards Dorssia.


    Its eight red eyes, lined up in two rows, locked on to Dorssia as if it was staring down its prey. The colorless venom from its sickle-shaped fangs dripped down like drool, melting the rocks on the ground while a sound not unlike water evaporating. Just as Dorssia gulped at the sight, the Queen Spider made its move.


    Dorssia¡¯s face turn redder the closer the Queen Spider sidled up to her, but she still managed to dodge the thrust of the Spider¡¯s front leg... But then the monster swung another leg at her, knocking her away at the wall.


    The spider silk on the wall was viscous and sticky, with the only way of breaking free it being brute force. Dorssia tried to cut her way out, but by now, the Queen Spider was already right in front of her.


    ¡°Ah... ah...¡±


    Dorssia, whimpering like a broken apparatus, could do nothing but watch as the Queen Spider¡¯s fangs closed in on her.


    ¡°<<Air de>>.¡±


    From the side, the ded wind projectile flew at the Queen Spider. The monster saw iting, however, and pulled its main thread up to avoid getting it cut.


    ¡°Rigas, please take care of this one! Then, use <<Combat Cry>> when you¡¯re ready!¡± Stephanie issued her order then shot an <<Air de>> at the Queen Spider as it zipped up to its web above.


    As if mocking her efforts, however, the Queen Spider dodged it easily enough.


    In the meantime, Rigas pulled Dorssia away from the wall by force, and then used <<Combat Cry>> to distract the Queen Spider as it continued to avoid the subsequent <<Air des>>.


    ¡°<<Heal>>. Dorssia! Cover Rigas!¡±


    Stephanie, seeing that the Queen Spider hadnded closer to Rigas, healed the Attacker, who was bleeding from when he had been thrown against a wall. Dorssia, although still breathing heavily, listened to her instruction and rushed to Rigas¡¯ side.


    The Attacker clicked his tongue in annoyance while approaching the Queen Spider. He tried to go for its greatest weakness, the abdomen, but the Queen Spider kicked him away with its back legs.


    With the Queen Spider¡¯s abdomen being so soft, a hit hard could inflict a fatal wound. One should aim for it as soon as possible... if possible in the first ce, since the Queen Spider knew its weakness well, being especially vignt of attacks targeting that part.


    The Attacker continued to go after the abdomen, but was time and time again blocked off by the monster¡¯s legs and threads. The Queen Spider then stabbed Rigas¡¯ stomach with its front legs, prompting Stephanie to hurry and heal him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t get to its abdomen now! Start with the legs!¡±


    ¡°...Gah, I know!¡±


    The Attacker, irritated, grumbled to himself and began to shift his focus onto the back legs. Although the Queen Spider had high attack power, its defensive capabilities were low ¡ª it was a Layer Boss that could be defeated quite quickly... provided that the challenging teams¡¯ Attackers could do their jobs.


    This Attacker, however, was performing even worse than usual ¡ª perhaps because of his bad mood ¡ª and was unsessful in cutting his way past the Spider¡¯s hind legs. The two Tanks, on the other hand, were stabbed by the monster¡¯s front legs; Stephanie hurried to cast <<Heal>> for the both of them.


    Thanks to their high VIT, the Tanks were only bruised by the hits, but they would likely still be dead if hit on their heads or faces. With him already dying to critical hits so many times before, Stephanie could not take her eyes off them, and decided to join in on the offensive herself.


    Although Stephanie cast <<High Heal>> for the almost-dead Tanks, they went on to take more critical hits, ending back at the near-death state once again. With Stephanie healing rapidly in quick session, the Queen Spider eventually went after her, its eyes gleaming bright red.


    The monster thrust its front legs forward, which Stephanie managed to dodge, but then it raised its upper jaw. Venom spit out from the tips of its fangs, hitting Stephanie¡¯s right arm.


    ¡°Agh!!¡±


    Although the venom would not do too much damage unless injected directly into the body, it still could burn the skin of even those with high base VIT. The long glove over Stephanie¡¯s right arm was melted away by the venom, and the arm underneath turned red as if it had been hideously burned.


    This did nothing to stop Stephanie, however, having already died hundreds of times fulfilling her role as a White Mage. Raising her now temporarily dead right arm, she waved her staff and cast <


    > for the two Tanks.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    The two Tanks, now healed up, took turns using <<Combat Cry>> to generate aggro, keeping the Queen Spider away from Stephanie. Amid the still-chaotic scene, Stephanie healed her arm and chugged down half a vial of Blue Potion.


    ¡°ORAHHH!!¡±


    Finally, the Attacker managed to cut off one of the Queen Spider¡¯s hind legs, the tip of which fell to the ground with a thud. The Queen Spider was utterly unamused, however, pouring its threads down on the Attacker and rushing down the two Tanks.


    Rigas took a front-legged strike to his head and fell to the ground, hitting his forehead hard. Dorssia was blown away by a leg swing, and ended up being caught in the random bundles of threads on the wall.


    The Queen Spider proceeded to grab Rigas with its two front legs and sink its fangs into his neck.


    ¡°<<Air de>>!¡±


    Stephanie tried shooting the Queen Spider down, but it kept Rigas in its mouth zipping up to the webs above with its main thread.


    Pumping out flesh-melting venom through its fangs, the Queen Spider melted Rigas¡¯ neck and slurped up the resulting mush along with his blood. Rigas¡¯ whole body was soon sucked dried, with what was left of it being dumped down below. His ck armor fell to the ground, making a hollow, metallic impact. The dried-up corpse inside turned into light particles, which promptly dispersed.


    ¡°<<Raise>>.¡±


    With Stephanie¡¯s casting of the spell, the light particles began to gather on the ground, re-forming Rigas¡¯ body, albeit in xen clothes. The resulting aggro caused the enemy to direct its intense murderous aura at Stephanie.


    ¡°<


    >. Hurry, equip your armor! When you¡¯re done, go help Dorssia!¡± With no time to spare, Stephanie immediately gave Rigas her new orders.


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    Rigas hurried to pick up his pieces of armor, almost tripping on some rocks in the process. Stephanie looked up at the Queen Spider, now back on the ground. It approached, ready to crush Stephanie with its seven remaining legs.


    Stephanie, despite her dainty appearance, moved swiftly to avoid the Queen Spider¡¯s legs and shot back at it with <<Air des>>. The Queen Spider ducked low to avoid the projectiles, which could have been fatal if they had hit it in the abdomen.


    The Queen Spider then zipped to a wall with its main thread, and then swung around like a pendulum to attack Stephanie, who crouched down to dodge the whip-like swings of its legs, then shot at its main thread with <<Air de>>. Despite managing to cut the thread, the Queen Spider did not lose too much bnce, managing tond safely on the ground after it fell down.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>.¡±


    Despite <<Combat Cry>> being used several times between the two Tanks, the Queen Spider paid no attention to them, wielding its needle-like legs in an attempt to kill Stephanie. Itunched another surprise attack from above, which Stephanie narrowly managed to dodge.


    Eventually, after a few more uses of <<Combat Cry>>, the Queen Spider looked away from Stephanie and rushed at Dorssia instead. But then it turned out that Dorssia was not being buffed by <


    > at this time; she took a front-leg hit to her head and fainted. Then, just like Rigas before her, she was bitten and melted down to mush.


    ¡°Dammit¨C!¡±


    The Attackers swung his swords with all his might, but the Queen Spider saw iting, dodging the attack by hopping up, and then crushed him on its way down. The Spider then repeatedly swung its hind legs down at the Attacker¡¯s head. With each swing, the man¡¯s body bounced to the rhythm, until eventually it turned to light particles.


    ¡°<<Raise>>, <<Raise>>.¡±


    After casting the resurrection spell twice, Stephanie held her aching head and tried to drink a Blue Potion. Before she could, however, she was shot at by a clump of spider silk, and ended up glued to a wall.


    ¡°Stephanie!¡±


    Rigas turned around to look at Stephanie, and at the same time, the Queen Spider did not shift its attention to him, continuing to attack Stephanie. Readying its venom-soaked fangs, it climbed up the wall on which thetter was stuck to.


    ¡°<<Holy Wing>>.¡±


    Tsutomu, who had been watching from above while levitating with <<Fly>>, sent a bunch of sharp white feathers flying toward the Queen Spider; the monster, sensing the vibration in the air with its hair, managed to dodge the spell.


    With Tsutomu added to their ranks, the party then managed to defeat the Queen Spider with rtive ease. It was only because Tsutomu took up the role of Attacker, however; Stephanie, knowing that all too well, pondered things over by herself, her face a nk expression, amid the cave filled with dispersing light particles.


    [...I¡¯ll have to make the best out of the time we have left. Those two Tanks, and the Attacker... we¡¯ll have to figure things out somehow.]


    Stephanie looked on at her three party members, who were gloomy despite their victory, then stretched to relieve some of her fatigue before returning through the ck Gate to the Guild.

 Chapter 73, Trial and Error

    <h4>Chapter 73, Trial and Error</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    After the battle with the Queen Spider, the party returned to the Guild, at which Stephanie tried to talk to everyone else. But then the Attacker left immediately, saying he had something else to do. Tsutomu, after making eye contact with Stephanie, followed the Attacker out of the Guild.


    The two Tanks said they were free, so Stephanie had them gather up at the Guild¡¯s Dining Hall and began an evaluative meeting about the battle they had just walked out of.


    ¡°The opening phase will be the same as before ¡ª I¡¯ll use <<Air des>> to intercept its surprise attack, then one of you will use <<Combat Cry>>. And also...¡±


    ¡°Looks like we still have much to work on... don¡¯t we?¡± Rigas said, his tone somber.


    ¡°......¡± Dorssia stayed silent, casting her eyes down.


    For a moment, Stephanie was at a loss for words, but then managed to raise her voice to cheer them up,


    ¡°Please don¡¯t me yourselves ¡ª today was the first Queen Spider encounter for both of you, and we still have three days left... Tomorrow we¡¯ll train, and then challenge the Boss again in the two remaining days.¡±


    ¡°More training...?¡±


    ¡°To get you to avoid taking hits in your vital areas, yes.¡±


    So long as they didn¡¯t take critical hits, the two Tanks could withstand the enemy¡¯s attacks well enough with the buffing effect of <


    >. Stephanie thought they were getting hit too much in their heads and faces, however, so she figured that they should work to fix that one point first.


    ¡°For starters, get used to dealing with those long legs. Shields are useless against the Spider¡¯s silk attacks, but should do their job against its leg strikes just fine.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Taking Stephanie¡¯s advice to avoid attacks to heart, the two Tanks had hardly used their shields during battle. Having noticed this behavior, Stephanie pointed it out and presented to them various other ideas.


    ¡°First off, Rigas... the Queen Spider¡¯s defenses are rtively squishy, so I reckon you could do some damage as well. If I remember correctly, the Dark Knight Job has a skill called... <<Enchant Blood>>, was it? Augment your sword with it, and each attack yound will also heal your wounds, so please use it and try getting some hits in.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I understand!¡±


    ¡°And Dorssia, your movements were quite stiff. You might want to try rxing your shoulders some more.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. To be honest, I was... pretty... turned on.¡±


    [...Please don¡¯t talk about THAT again. Please.]


    Stephanie pretended to not mind Dorssia¡¯s slightly stammering exnation, especially thest part. After a few more topics of discussion, it waste into the evening, so the three decided to split up for the day.


    [As for me... what should I work on?]


    Instead of going back to the n House with the two Tanks, Stephanie stayed in the Dining Hall; she looked down at the documents on her table and let out a sigh.


    Thinking back, when Stephanie had been in the secondary parties, she was under the direction of the informants and the parties¡¯ respective Leaders, and in the n¡¯s main party, she would be under Rook¡¯s directmand. She was not at all used to being a party¡¯s Leader and deciding on its strategies, so the experience so far had left her quite mentally fatigued.


    And up until now, she had been able to make do by improving her skills and directing the Tanks to do their jobs, just enough to get the team through the Swamps.


    For the Swamps¡¯ Layer Boss, however, that approach clearly was no longer viable. Something had to be done better, but Stephanie had never been sure whether or not she had been doing things right. Not much of her advice to the two Tanks had been concrete, and she did not know what about herself she needed to improve, either.


    [I¡¯ll ask Mister Tsutomu tomorrow. He¡¯s sure to know what to do.]


    Stephanie, concluding her nning, rubbed the corners of her eyes tiredly before returning to the n House.


    The next morning, Stephanie woke up in her room at the n Dormitory, washed her face, and used the hair curler magic tool to set her hair. After about fifteen minutes, her hairstyle was back into its quirky spiral curls.


    Stephanie then put on her spare yellow dress, checked her entire body, and then left the Dormitory, all the while fiddling with her spiral curls with her fingertips.


    ¡°<<Heal>>, <


    >.¡±


    While walking down the corridor, Stephanie activated her two skills and kept them levitating over her shoulders as she headed for the Dining Hall. She was now able to do this training while going on her daily routines, and her shooting speed and control had gotten much better, too. Although she had not mastered the cement and quickshot-type skills yet, her overall control was better than that of Eunice¡¯s, the Healer of Golden Tune.


    At the buffet-style Dining Hall, Stephanie took a variety of fruits and sweets, and then sat down while spinning around a <<Heal>> sphere under her chair. Although her control was not yet perfect, she could now maintain it to some extent even if she were to look away.


    Fully awake now that she has had some sour fruits, Stephanie looked up at the ceiling, thinking about various things to herself. From an outside perspective, the scene would look like an elegantdy being overly dramatic, but she was in fact nning her Dungeon explorations.


    After breakfast, Stephanie headed to the Guild while thinking about various things on the way. As usual, she went to the training grounds, at which Tsutomu had already arrived and was doing his preparatory exercises.


    They greeted each other, and immediately proceeded with the timing training. While Tsutomu kept on stretching, Stephanie would shoot him a support skill, aiming for it tond within the frame of ten seconds before the prior skill¡¯s buffing effect expired.


    Before this training program, Stephanie used to keep the time by using her hands and feet to keep a rhythm, but now she did it with her mind and by instinct. Being able to do that was necessary, since in her training party, in addition to support and healing skills, she also needed to issue orders and even fight by herself. There was obviously not enough leeway for her to stand around and count.


    ¡°<


    >.¡±


    Counting the seconds in her mind, Stephanie shot out <


    > ten seconds before the effect expired. As soon as it connected, Tsutomu spoke up,


    ¡°One second early.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Getting an exact evaluation from Tsutomu, Stephanie nodded and proceeded to time her next <<Haste>>. After about an hour of such straightforward, motionless training, they took a short break before moving on to skill control training.


    Thanks to this training program, Stephanie¡¯s skill control had be much more urate; now, she could consistentlynd shots on moving low-to-average AGI targets like Tsutomu. Tsutomu, on the other hand, had been able to get in some good training as well, what with him analyzing Stephanie¡¯s skill control behaviors.


    Still, it was another matter to get used to high-AGI Attackers and realbat situations in a party, so sometimes a high-ranking Ealdred Crow Attacker would be brought in, requested to help with the practice by dodging the support skill shots. So far, Stephanie has had less of a difficultynding shots on them than Tsutomu, however.


    ¡°Whew. That ought to be enough,¡± Tsutomu said, having gotten somewhat sweaty from all the dodging.


    Immediately, Stephanie lowered the tip of her staff and rxed her mind. Although she had indeed gotten used to it, controlling and maintaining two support skills at once was still tricky; her shoulders slumped down, exhausted.


    From an outside perspective, Stephanie woulde off as having an easy time since only Tsutomu was moving in this training, but it was quite nerve-wracking to control andnd the support skills before the old effects expired. As such, this training was much more difficult on Stephanie¡¯s part.


    ¡°Good work today. Shall we head out for lunch?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After the training, on the other hand, was quite rewarding for Stephanie ¡ª they would have lunch at a fairly nice restaurant. This was one thing she looked forward to every day.


    Side by side, Stephanie and Tsutomu strolled down the city, heading for the usual ce. The waiter had well-memorized their faces by now, so they were promptly guided to a seat; as usual, they immediately opened their menus and pointed what they wanted to the waiter.


    As Tsutomu took a sip of his chilled fruit juice, Stephanie took the opportunity to speak up,


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu, I would like to ask something about yesterday¡¯s battle against the Queen Spider.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Yes, what is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know if there is anything I can do to improve my movements, please.¡±


    ¡°...Hmm,¡± Tsutomu muttered and crossed his arms, unsure of what to answer; over the soon to be three-week period of training, this was the first technical question Stephanie had asked him.


    After a few seconds of pondering things over, he looked up and said,


    ¡°...Well, you¡¯ve been making some great progress so far, so please figure things out on your own from now on. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll pull through, Stephanie.¡±


    ¡°I-If you say so...¡±


    Stephanie cast her eyes down in disappointment, having expected some good advice. Tsutomu, seeing Stephanie like that, looked a little bitter before diverting the conversation to other topics. Stephanie smiled awkwardly at his attempt to change the mood, but proceeded to chat with him regardless.


    After enjoying their appetizers, soup, main dish, and dessert, Tsutomu paid the bill and headed to the Guild with Stephanie.


    The three party members were gathered at the Guild at the usual time. After greeting them, Stephanie went to register the party at the reception counter, then immediately led them along, teleporting toyer twenty-nine.


    As a warm-up, the team hunted monsters on the twenty-ninthyer while searching for the ck Gate. Stephanie had the two Tanks practice what she had told them yesterday, with both of them blocking attacks with their shields, and Rigas using <<Enchant Blood>>. Stephanie¡¯s focus for Dorssia was on making her movements smoother, but the former figured to keep expectations low upon seeing Dorssia grinning at the sight of a Poison Spider.


    After a series of battles, the team had gotten warmed-up well enough, so Stephanie led them down to the thirtiethyer. The Boss battle began, with the opening surprise attack being intercepted by <<Air des>>.


    Two of the Tanks unleashed <<Combat Cry>> on the Queen Spider, while Stephanie cast <


    > and assessed the situation.


    ¡°Rigas, use <<Enchant Blood>>!¡±


    ¡°<<Enchant Blood>>.¡±


    Following Stephanie¡¯s instruction, Rigas cast the skill, causing a ck, sinister-looking aura to start wrapping around his short sword. This was a skill unique to the Dark Knight Job, and its effect granted the target weapon an aura that would heal its wielder¡¯s injuries in proportion to the damage inflicted on the enemy.


    In Live Dungeon, Dark Knights had a lower VIT rating than other Tank-type Jobs, but waspensated by having the ability to recover their HP with each attack theynded. As such, Dark Knights could inflict some damage while working as a conventional Tank. Because of these characteristics, instead of holding a shield or a tower shield, some Dark Knights would prefer to wield two-handed weapons such as scythes instead.


    Their other unique skills included <<Shadow Eye>>, which increased their critical rate, and <<Dark Armor>>, which reduced iing damage by twenty percent. These skills consumed the user¡¯s HP, however, so yers would often die if they did not use them right.


    Beginners were especially prone to using too many HP-costing skills and dying as a result, and the Job¡¯s specialized equipment was mainly found from Dungeon drops, so the Job was more rmended for intermediate yers or above.


    Rigas, holding a short sword covered in <<Enchant Blood>>, was still trying to figure out the Queen Spider¡¯s leg attacks. He did not get the pattern down, and was now being messed with from all directions.


    Dorssia¡¯s breathing was a little less erratic thanst time, but her movements were still stiff. Her abilities were below average, so as long as she moved like that, she never would be able to take on Queen Spider¡¯s attacks. Now, she was blown away by a swing from the side, and then carried up to the webs above; in the end, her body turned into light particles.


    The Attacker did not show any particr changes, aside from how he was aiming for the monster¡¯s legs from the start. He still would try to go for the abdomen and get himself tied up in Spider silk, but his behavior now was preferable over how he had acted before.


    As for Stephanie, she had never figured out what the issues on her part were, so she tried the same approach asst time to see if there was anything she could improve.


    In the end, the party fought the Queen Spider eight times before they were dismissed for the day. There were five instances when Stephanie failed to keep up and maintain her support, leaving the party weakened and almost wiped out. For three times when everyone except Stephanie was dead, she had gotten caught by the Queen Spider while trying to cast <<Raise>>, prompting Tsutomu to save the team.


    The party¡¯s mood was as somber as yesterday, having repeated eight times the depressing results of the Boss fight. Regardless, Stephanie had decided beforehand that today¡¯s runs were just training sessions; now that she was starting to figure out ways to achieve victory, she could bring herself to try and encourage the three other party members.


    [Our strategies are getting better.]


    Stephanie had managed to keep her support up most of the time while issuing orders to the Tanks, and even effectively used her attacking skills on the Queen Spider. Now, she did not feel the excessive burden of keeping up with everything anymore. She had felt that the party would never win against the Queen Spider if she did not do it exactly this way, and this approach had been gradually improving her strategies.


    That,bined with the fact that she had been forced to go to extreme lengths in the previous Swampyers, Stephanie had rarely let her support skills run out by the eighth round against the Queen Spider. Her flow still suffered quite a lot whenever she had to use <<Raise>> after a Tank¡¯s death, however, especially since the Queen Spider¡¯s aggro wouldtch on to her for so long after even one cast, during which, she could only at most use support skills.


    After all these repetitions, Stephane arrived at one answer.


    [It¡¯s the main thread.]


    She came up with a potential solution: she would always cut the Queen Spider¡¯s main thread, and otherwise focus solely on support and healing.


    Fortunately, the Attacker had started to focus on the Queen Spider¡¯s legs and even managed to cut off some of them. As such, Stephanie decided to concentrate on cutting the main thread herself.


    Even Stephanie would sometimes be confused by the Queen Spider¡¯s unpredictable movements, many of which because it had incorporated its main thread, so it was safe to assume that the three others would not be able to keep up as well. That was why she figured that it would be best to take away the monster¡¯s maneuverability first.


    The two Tanks were getting better at dealing with the Spider¡¯s leg attacks, too. Rigas had been attacking with his short sword more and more, and Dorssia¡¯s movements were getting smoother, perhaps because she had gotten used to dying after being pulled up to the webs above so many times.


    There were only two days left in the team¡¯s training period. Stephanie sat alone in the n House¡¯s conference room, nning her moves for tomorrow while hoping that the party could win against the monster with plenty of time left to spare.

 Chapter 74, End Results

    <h4>Chapter 74, End Results</h4>


    The team fought the Queen Spider five times the next day; thest attempt was a particrly good run, but unfortunately, they still could not im victory. After Stephanie had started paying attention to the main thread and cutting it, the two Tanks died much less often and the Attacker became much more mobile.


    On thest run, the Attacker had finally gotten his dual des through the Queen Spider¡¯s soft abdomen, causing the gel-like fluids inside to gush out. The Attacker had tried to keep up the momentum, but then countless little Spiders rained down from the webs above, as if to save its Queen. The Attacker had been crushed by the avnche of Spiders and finished off by the Queen Spider, then the two Tanks had been killed as well, unable to deal with all the little Spiders. In the end, Stephanie had been the only one left alive.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± The Attacker man shouted in frustration the team was back to the Guild. The two Tanks, spooked by the man¡¯s behavior, slowly stepped away.


    ¡°...We were so close, too. But enough moping ¡ª we either get it tomorrow, or we don¡¯t. I¡¯m confident that we can win, so long as we survive those little Spiders. Now, let us discuss.¡±


    Stephanie looked just as disappointed as the others, but once back at the Guild, she instantly switched gears and called the two Tanks to brainstorm ns for the next day. The two Tanks and the Attacker sat down at one of the Guild¡¯s round tables.


    ¡°...What?¡±


    Stephanie was a little surprised when the Attacker sat down without saying a word, but she sat down herself and said sarcastically,


    ¡°...Oh, nothing. I thought you were about to leave, is all.¡±


    The Attacker clicked his tongue and proceeded to say,


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m staying. That guy¡¯s told me to behave myself, so yeah...¡±


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu did!?¡±


    ¡°What? No, not him. Sova.¡±


    ¡°Oh... All right, then. Let us get started.¡±


    Stephanie had considered having him apologize first, but in the end did not want him to be uncooperative again, so she proceeded on with the party¡¯s meeting immediately. First, she instructed the two Tanks to use <<Combat Cry>> when the small Spiders appeared, and also split up so that the enemies would not flock to one ce. The n also included Stephanie and the Attacker splitting up, working to wipe out the little Spiders in two groups at once.


    She then suggested to the Attacker various ways to deal with the little Spiders and cut the main thread, most of which he was receptive to, to her surprise.


    [Not that he¡¯s mentioned him, this man does resemble Sova in some aspects...] Stephanie thought as she looked at the Attacker.


    Sova, back when he had started out, also had the same attitude as this Attacker. How the former had recently started epting the Tanks, and how thetter¡¯s behavior was getting now, were also simr.


    The Attacker, though still impolite, had clearly had a change of attitude. Stephanie was curious as to exactly what Sova had done to him, but refrained from asking; after the evaluative meeting, she returned to the n House together with her party members.


    In the n House¡¯s Dining Hall, Stephanie sat down to eat while spinning her skill shots around under her chair; at one point, someone called her from behind,


    ¡°...Hey, what¡¯re you up to?¡±


    ¡°Oh, hello, Sova. I was thinking I¡¯d look for you after finishing my meal here.¡±


    Sova looked at Stephanie, suspicious about how she had energy spheres spinning under her chair, then pulled an unfriendly face and took a seat opposite of her.


    These two were on fairly friendly terms, having entered Ealdred Crow at around the same time period. Bittman was as well, in fact, but the greater age difference had made it so that he was not as close of a friend.


    ¡°How¡¯s that guy been doing?¡±


    ¡°That guy, who?¡±


    ¡°You know, the Dualder. Is he doing his job properly now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that was considerate of you, Sova. You have my thanks.¡±


    Stephanie¡¯s indifferent reply prompted Sova to turn away in exasperation.


    ¡°It¡¯s because our guest¡¯s asked me to. That Dualder¡¯s been looking down on the Tanks, and he thought I could do something about that, and stuff.¡±


    ¡°Our guest... you mean Mister Tsutomu!?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah.¡±


    Though surprised by Stephanie¡¯s suddenly leaning forward, Sova nodded, then narrowed his eyes in disinterest upon seeing the former looking quite happy while sitting back down.


    Back when the three-roleposition had been introduced, Sova had been antipathic toward Tanks, what with them taking so long to defeat even one monster, and especially the Heavy Knights and such moving so slowly, making exploration harder than it should be for the rest.


    He used to wonder why he had to care about such useless people, and had only shown respect to Tanks more skilled and experienced than him, such as Bittman and Garm.


    Sova, being one of the best Attackers one could find anywhere, had a fair share of influence within the n. Eventually, however, his attitude toward Tanks had softened after going through the Canyons with a team that had adopted the three-roleposition and seeing how useful it could be. As he had discovered, having a Tank made it easier for him to kill monsters and greatly reduced his workload as an Attacker.


    ¡°Your efforts have been very helpful. Thank you, Sova.¡±


    ¡°Tch, it just pissed me off, seeing that guy act like I used to. Just know that I wasn¡¯t doing it for anyone, not our guest, not you.¡±


    ¡°That man does resemble you a little bit, Sova. ¡®I¡¯m a Dualder, you know!¡¯ and stuff,¡± Stephanie mimicked the man¡¯s voice,plete with putting her hands on her hips.


    ¡°Hey, bug off.¡±


    Sova rested his elbows on the table and turned away.


    In a way, Stephanie¡¯s im was correct; Sova¡¯s was a Swordfighter, a rtively high-performance Job even for Attackers, and he was quite proud to be one, especially since it was the same Job as the Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s n Leader, whom he deeply respected.


    The n Leader of Scarlet Devil Squad was a master of various weapon types and had a brilliant fighting style. From how his weapons turned red from his enemies¡¯ blood and his unique skill, which granted extreme heating properties to his des, he had gained the nickname of Crimson Spellder.


    But as of now, the Scarlet Devil Squad had yet to adopt the three-roleposition. Sova had been quite dissatisfied by the fact that, while the person he respected skillfully fought without anyone¡¯s help, he¡¯d had to start relying on Tanks. Fortunately, he had managed to keep it from getting in the way of his work.


    ¡°So you¡¯ll be done with training tomorrow, right? The main party¡¯s recement Healer¡¯s been getting a lot of praise from Rook these past three weeks. The assessment¡¯s stilling up, so you might get demoted next month, you know,¡± Sova replied to Stephanie with a sarcastic utterance, having suddenly felt like dampening her mood.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t lose.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡±


    Sova, knowing that the mention of demotion used to cause Stephanie to visibly lose confidence, would invoke the word whenever he was at a conversational disadvantage. Now, however, Stephanie was convinced that she would not lose her spot, since she had seen that the other Healer was still only as good as she had been three weeks ago, having gone to check out the Monitor several times.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be going down to the infamousyer sixty-five soon. Better be prepared for it,¡± Sova said and gave Stephanie a semi-threatening look, seeing how thetter had changed so much over the past three weeks, before leaving the Dining Hall as if running away.


    Stephanie tilted her head, confused as to what was up with him.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°Now then, let us be on our way.¡±


    Today was thest day of training. Stephanie, after onest meeting with her party members in front ofyer twenty-nine¡¯s ck Gate, proceeded onward toyer thirty.


    They arrived at the now-familiar dimly-lit cave. Stephanie intercepted the Queen Spider¡¯s surprise attack from above with <<Air des>>, then immediately cast <


    > for the three others.


    Stephanie, granting buffs to the Attacker as well this time around, kept herself in a position where she could see all party members. The Attacker focused on attacking one of the fallen Queen Spider¡¯s hind legs, sessfully cutting off the tip of it.


    Stephanie, d that things were off to a good start, cast <<Air de>> and severed the main thread, then turned to Dorssia, who was just about done using <<Combat Cry>>. Thetter looked quite perfectly calm, sessfully dodging the monster¡¯s binding silk this time.


    ¡°<<Enchant Blood>>.¡±


    Rigas applied an enchantment to his short sword, then carefully approached the Queen Spider as it went after Dorssia. The rmended procedure was to leave most of the damage-dealing to the Attacker, while the others kept the offense to a minimum; Rigas wholeheartedly agreed to that.


    Rigas, in an attempt to help Dorssia, swung at one of the Spider¡¯s legs, but the monster dodged it by lifting the targeted leg up. Still, since Rigas had swung deliberately, he did not lose his bnce after the attack missed.


    ¡°Orah!¡±


    The Attacker, on the other hand, had little issuending his swings, being rtively skilled among people of his level range. This time managing only a shallow cut, he clicked his tongue before repeatedly shing some more.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    Stephanie, while keeping an eye on her party and the Queen Spider, restored Dorssia¡¯s wounds while thetter kept herself alive by blocking the monster¡¯s leg attacks with her unreliable shield. The remaining duration of <


    >, the Tanks¡¯ conditions, whether or not the main thread was intact ¡ª Stephanie issued her orders in ordance to those observed factors.


    ¡°Rigas, use <<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>.¡±


    Rigas pulled the Queen Spider¡¯s aggro in Dorssia¡¯s stead, switching in with her. Stephanie first shot a <


    > to Dorssia as the letter caught her breath, and then cast the buff for the two others as well.


    [Hmm, I can see it quite well today...]


    Stephanie, easily seeing where the Spider¡¯s main thread was, despite it being so thin that it had required her to look so hard before, cut it with <<Air de>> and turned to confirm her party¡¯s conditions.


    Even without a full view, she had some idea of her allies¡¯ and the Queen Spider¡¯s positions, and how they were doing. As of now, all support skills were in effect and would not be running out soon. Thinking it was time to be more aggressive, Stephanie lightly gripped her staff and called the name of another skill,


    ¡°<<Haste>>.¡±


    The buff was for the Attacker. Up until now, Stephanie had avoided maintaining <<Haste>> during battle, what with its effect changing the target¡¯s bodily sensations when it kicked in and ran out, unlike <


    >.


    Considering her current capabilities, however, she was confident that she could handle the addition of <<Haste>> now. The Tanks had improved a great deal and now required less healing, and the Attacker was cooperative at longst, which meant Stephanie had more breathing room, too.


    The Attacker, hit by <<Haste>> just as he stopped running, was momentarily surprised by the speed but otherwise smoothly turned to the Queen Spider while the monster had its attention on the Tanks. His body lighter than usual, he proceeded to cut at the Queen Spider¡¯s white legs.


    With the shes aimed at the joints, the Spider¡¯s second hind leg started toe off more and more, and was eventually severedpletely. The monster briefly lost bnce, the moment at which Rigas decided to follow up with an attack, swinging his short sword horizontally like an axe at another one of its legs. The hit only managed a shallow wound, but the effect of <<Enchant Blood>> healed some bruises on Rigas¡¯ arm.


    The battle continued without incident, and the team eventually severed four of the monster¡¯s eight legs. Stephanie had managed to keep the two support skills up all the way throughout, and cut apart the main thread whenever she saw it, too. She had not forgotten to direct the Tanks properly, either, with her ordering one to switch into the focus whenever the other looked to be tired.


    And although the two Tanks still got hit with asional critical attacks, Stephanie never panicked in response, casting <<High Heal>> on them whenever they needed it. Her perception had greatly sharpened, and she was always calm. She was even aware, in a corner of her eyes, from where Tsutomu was watching them as he levitated high above.


    The Queen Spider was now kept standing with half its legs ¡ª two front, two back, all yet to be injured. The Attacker turned to Stephanie and pointed to the Queen Spider¡¯s abdomen. Thetter nodded silently, checked the main thread, then cut it with <<Air de>>.


    The Queen Spider tried to zip up with its main thread to avoid the Attacker, but just before then, the thread had already been severed.


    ¡°Orah!¡±


    The Attacker leaped up, his swords in hand, and stabbed the sides of the Queen Spider¡¯s fat abdomen. Then he sliced it open, kicked it up, and backed away.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Just as he was about to attack again, however, Stephanie called for him to stop, thetter having felt a disturbance from the webs above. Stephanie proceeded to cast <


    > to her three allies, and then <<Haste>> for the Attacker, despite the effects being nowhere near over.


    The Attacker, upon being called, looked around for a moment before clicking his tongue and moving away from the Queen Spider. Not even a momentter, the webs above tore open, the little Spiders on it flooding down as if to cover the Queen Spider.


    ¡°You two!¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>.¡±


    The two Tanks, pulling the aggro of the little spiders, split up. Stephanie pointed at the Attacker, reminding him what to do before she herself rushed to the group of small Spiders that were gathering around Dorssia.


    ¡°...I¡¯m in heaven.¡±


    The ecstatic expression on Dorssia¡¯s face almost made Stephanie clutch her head, but she did not have time for that; instead, she waved her staff, casting <<Air de>> to do away with the little Spiders. She also nced at Rigas¡¯ side at one point, but they seemed to be having no trouble, so she proceeded to focus on the enemies in front of her.


    But then, the Queen Spider came stomping into the fray, knocking Dorssia off her feet and pinning her against the wall. Rigas was not done with the little ones on his side yet, so he could not help her out. Stephanie decided to step in, shooting <<Air des>> at the Queen Spider.


    The cuts caused the Queen Spider¡¯s guts to leak out its abdomen¡¯s sides. The team was now a step away from victory ¡ª Stephanie focused on buying some more time, shooting another <<Air de>>.


    She then uncorked a vial of Blue Potion in her left hand, held it in her mouth, kicked away one of the approaching small Spiders like a ball... and then stepped on it. The monster¡¯s fluids sshed on Stephanie¡¯s ck stockings, but she did not seem to mind as she discarded the now-empty vial. Another wave of Spiders approached, with the Queen Spider watching over the scene.


    ¡°<<Air de>>.¡±


    Stephanie, while using her ded wind shots to keep the Queen Spider at bay, also fended off the little Spiders. One of them tried jumping at her face; she promptly grabbed it and threw it at the other Spiders. She proceeded to trample them to death, as if she was the Queen Spider herself.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!!¡±


    With the Spiders on Rigas¡¯ side now wiped up, he used <<Combat Cry>> to generate aggro on the Queen Spider. The Attacker started picking off the remaining Spider minions, one by one.


    Stephanie cast another round of support skills for the party, then checked how they were doing. Rigas, currently facing the Queen Spider, was not too heavily injured. Stephanie cast <<Heal>> on Rigas, then proceeded to help peel Dorssia away from the wall. Thetter had been bitten by the Spiders three times... but she looked quite satisfied, so Stephanie did not worry for her.


    All in all, the little Spiders were now almost all gone, leaving only the Queen Spider as the active threat.


    ¡°<<Air de>>.¡±


    The Queen Spider¡¯s hairs were sensitive to fluctuations in the air; with <<Air de>> being a sharp,pressed mass of wind, it was easily detected despite not being visible to the naked eye. Currently without its main thread intact, however, the Queen Spider had to instead jump up to dodge the attack.


    But the Attacker had been waiting for it to do just that ¡ª he stabbed the monster¡¯s spinneret, rendering itpletely unusable.


    With the Queen Spider weakened and staggering, Rigas proceeded to stab it with his short sword, while Stephanie cut it more with <<Air des>>.


    In the end, the Queen Spider stumbled, rolled over, curled its legs, and stopped moving altogether. As the monster¡¯s body began emitting light particles, the cave was filled with four echoing voices of cheer.

 Chapter 75, A Misunderstanding

    <h4>Chapter 75, A Misunderstanding</h4>


    ¡°Good work!¡±


    Stephanie had just finished a brief talk with the three others when Tsutomu, previously levitating over them with <<Fly>>, came down to congratte the team. Tsutomu then pointed in the direction of the Queen Spider.


    ¡°The enemy seems to have dropped a treasure chest, too ¡ª why don¡¯t you go open it?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it did, yes! Come on, everyone!¡±


    After the Queen Spider¡¯s corpse had dispersed into particles of light and faded away, a silver treasure chest sat where the body had once been. Since chests dropped by Bosses were quite rare and have high chances of containing quality loot, Stephanie led her party members to open the silver chest, to celebrate the moment together.


    ¡°...A one-handed sword and a shield, I would assume? They look to have poisonous properties.¡±


    Stephanie retrieved a green-ded sword and a shield from the chest, narrowing her eyes in suspicion as she observed them. Tsutomu, seeing the items, looked satisfied as he proceeded to bring up a proposal,


    ¡°Oh, I happen to have some business with the Guild¡¯s appraisal staff ¡ª can you leave the process to me? I¡¯ll cover the fee, too.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Well, I certainly don¡¯t mind, but... what about you three?¡±


    Even if the team were to end up selling the items and split the earnings among themselves, getting them appraised by a Guild Staff Member first would still be helpful. As such, the three others agreed, letting Stephanie hand the sword and shield over to Tsutomu, which he epted with thanks.


    ¡°Now then, shall we make our way back outside?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Stephanie replied cheerfully, then returned through the ck Gate to the Guild.


    The three others, immediately upon arrival, nervously stepped away with the intention to leave. Before they could, however, Stephanie called them to stop,


    ¡°One more thing, everyone. I¡¯ve had a great learning experience these past three weeks ¡ª thank you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no... I should apologize, for causing you so much trouble.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Stephanie¡¯s gracious words of thanks had Rigas flustered, while Dorssia only bowed her head down. The Attacker kept himself silent.


    ¡°...I do have some knowledge of how well you all are faring within the n. But please don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll put in some good words with Rook for everyone.¡±


    ¡°Um, that doesn¡¯t sound right...¡±


    ¡°I mean it ¡ª I can, with confidence, voice my approval of all three of you to Rook. I¡¯ll definitely not let any of you be expelled.¡±


    Stephanie¡¯s confident words brought tears to Rigas¡¯s eyes. And from behind her, Tsutomu added,


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be saying something myself as well. Surely that will keep you all from being kicked out, at least for now, so please do remember to work hard from here on out.¡±


    Back when Rook had assigned the three to this training session, Tsutomu had actually raised a condition for their expulsion to be postponed. As such, their position would be safe for another two months, after which things would be decided by the extent of their efforts.


    Afterward, Tsutomu and the whole team went together to the Appraisal Office, where they requested Amy to appraise the sword and shield after she was done with the ongoing things. Amy, alternating her sights between Tsutomu and Stephanie, twitched a corner of her mouth as she epted the items, then immediately turned away grumpily and shooed them away.


    In the end, Tsutomu managed to get in a brief chat and an appointment to go explore the Dungeon together on Amy¡¯s next day off. He then left the office and turned to talk to Stephanie,


    ¡°Well, that concludes your training program, Stephanie. Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    ¡°...Huh? That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve done well these past three weeks ¡ª oh, before I forget, may I have my tools back?¡±


    ¡°A-ah, yes, of course...¡±


    Stephanie, though upset to hear that her training had already concluded, returned to Tsutomu the Blue Potion vials that she had borrowed. She had thought that her training would never end so abruptly, what with her having so high expectations from Tsutomu, whom she greatly respected.


    Tsutomu had no way of knowing that without being told outright, however, so he continued to say,


    ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t think your team would get throughyer thirty, but then you managed it in the end. Your skill control and timing have gotten much better, too ¡ª that¡¯s good. You¡¯ll be able to maintain your position in Ealdred Crow¡¯s main party, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°...Thank you very much,¡± Stephanie said and quietly bowed her head to Tsutomu. She could not help but doubt that the training was actually over.


    It was true that all the morning practice had greatly improved her skill control, and although not yet perfect, she was now able to count the time by the seconds in her mind, without using her hands and feet. Those were thanks to Tsutomu¡¯s teaching style, with her using his skill control methods as a frame of reference. The mixture of by-the-book knowledge and unconventional methods had helped her improve both technical and practical.


    She still had her doubts when it came to the afternoon explorations, however. Unlike in the mornings, Tsutomu would say nothing and watch from afar, only moving to supply her with Blue Potions, which had been paid for by Ealdred Crow. The only advice she had gotten was on how to be both a Healer and a leader at the same time, without any demonstrations or even by-the-book exnations.


    Although that did help her improve, she had always wondered whether or not there was actually a reason for Tsutomu to be there. She had instead wanted it to be more like the mornings, with Tsutomu joining in on the action and showing her what to do, so that she could have at least some frame of reference.


    [...Is this REALLY it?]


    Stephanie cast her eyes down, feeling as if there was some lump stuck in her throat. Now that she had thought about it, Tsutomu had not delved any deeper into the Dungeon after his victory over the Fire Dragon. Stephanie, on the other hand, had already advanced through a few of the subsequentyers, so she was technically ahead of him when it came to Dungeon exploration progress.


    Now she wondered if it was in fact not the case that he had not taught her anything in the afternoon, and that the subjects in question were simply things that could not be taught by conventional means. As Stephanie¡¯s doubts swirled in her mind, Tsutomu looked through his Magic Bag and pulled out a stack of documents.


    ¡°Also, Stephanie, I¡¯d like you to have these.¡±


    ¡°Yes...? What are they?¡±


    Stephanie¡¯s downcast eyes raised up at the sight of Tsutomu¡¯s documents; they contained a detailed review of her performance thus far. They rmended that she used <<Medic>> more frequently, what with it having the effect of fatigue alleviation in addition to its expected status effect recovery. They also had a reminder that she had sometimes forgotten to set up the <<Area Heal>>. And then there was how she had badly positioned herself when faced with monsters with long-ranged attacks ¡ª through these documents, Tsutomu pointed out the shorings of Stephanie¡¯s performance, having observed her in battle over the past three weeks.


    Further pages went on to detail the strategies of a Healer with the assumption that she was working with Ealdred Crow¡¯s main party, and also the methods of using pick-up cements and skill quickshots, the concept of aggro, the priorities of using <<Raise>>, and other tidbits.


    Thetter part of the documents were Tsutomu¡¯s own records of everything rted to his current Dungeon exploration experience.


    ¡°Oh, and please treat them with care. They¡¯re handwritten ¡ª can¡¯t be reced.¡±


    ¡°...Are you sure I can have all these?¡±


    Stephanie¡¯s hands trembled as they held the stack of documents, while her eyes were filled with suspicion as they locked on to Tsutomu. What Tsutomu was seeing, however, was a cheerful smile.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. You¡¯re talented, Stephanie, so I have no doubt that you¡¯ll put them to good use.¡±


    ¡°This is too much...¡±


    Despite Tsutomu having spread the knowledge of long-ranged skills himself, Stephanie still had not expected him to pass on to her the knowledge of the other varieties himself. They were some of his unique weapons, not something one would expect him to teach to others so easily.


    At any rate, Stephanie was confident that she would be able to learn these skills with some practice, what with the documents having detailed instructions on using and practicing them, almost like her morning training sessions. Moreover, Tsutomu¡¯s method of using <<Fly>> for increased maneuverability as a Healer had also been written down in great detail, including different skill levels of it, in reference to Tsutomu initially not being very good with it at first.


    Thanks to Tsutomu¡¯sck of spoon-feeding guidance for half the time, Stephanie felt, without a doubt, that she could think over things and learn them on her own. And she was unsure whether or not it would be right for Tsutomu to give her documents so detailed that they practically told her everything, wondering if he was not scared of losing his currently dominant, special position.


    But then Stephanie connected the dots together, and was ashamed of herself.


    [...What a fool I was.]


    She remembered that Tsutomu had taken it upon himself to hold the press conference, spreading the word of long-ranged healing spells and the three-roleposition. Tsutomu was the kind of person to spread information to help others without regard for his own position.


    And once again, just like he had already done for others, he was now helping her out by providing her with information without worrying about his own benefits. Stephanie felt like hitting herself in the face for almost losing respect for Tsutomu, even if only briefly.


    With all that he had done, Stephanie considered Tsutomu the best instructor she had ever known. She bowed deeply once again, expressing her respect to him.


    ¡°I promise to master everything in these papers, Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°All right, very good. I have high expectations for you, Stephanie.¡±


    Stephanie hoped, through relentless training, that she would one day be Tsutomu¡¯s equal, and eventually even surpass him.


    [That would be the best way to repay him,] Stephanie thought as she shook hands with Tsutomu, thetter smiling back at her.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    [Man, Stephanie sure is an excellent learner. Well worth all those Blue Potions I paid for.]


    Stephanie, after saying her thanks again, had said that she would go get in some more practice, and Tsutomu had seen her off with a smile... and he still smiled even upon seeing how much his Forest Apothecary Blue Potion had dwindled. That said a lot about how excellent he considered Stephanie to be, and his expectations for her future improvements.


    In regards to Stephanie¡¯s training, Tsutomu had been able to see a clear improvement of her skill control and timing, just as intended for the morning section.


    And for the afternoons, she had eventually managed to seed, and in turn give herself a boost of confidence. Theingyers of the Dungeon would all be quite predictable for Tsutomu, that that would not be the case for Stephanie. As such, he had wanted her to be able to do and learn things by trial-and-error, instead of simply following the instructions of others.


    [I did mess it up at first, though. Might¡¯ve turned out a disaster if we never talked it over, even. I¡¯ve got to be more careful from now on.]


    At first, however, Tsutomu had taken the afternoon section as somewhat of a game. Having carried out a test of stress while initially failing to understand Stephanie¡¯s personality, he had ended up causing quite a meltdown. Tsutomu had admitted that it was a mistake on his part, which he was very much ashamed of; thankfully, things had turned out alright by the end.


    [Right, I really need to stop thinking about things like I¡¯m ying a game. d I didn¡¯t choose the Canyons for the training...]


    Tsutomu¡¯s original n for the afternoon training was to have Stephanie join one of the reserve parties as their Healer, and have them go through the multi-wave battles and the Fire Dragon of the Canyons. But if he were to go that path, it would be very much possible that he would die whenever the party was routed. Explorers were generally not afraid of death, but Tsutomu still was, and as such had decided to consider other methods of training.


    His next choice, the Swamps, had ended up being a good fit ¡ª on the regryers, he could keep himself safe by using <<Fly>>, and on the finalyer, he would be able to easily defeat the Boss as long as Stephanie was still alive. He had reconsidered the training he provided for the sake of his own protection, so to speak, but that ended up being the better choice as far as results were concerned. Thinking in retrospect, if he had gone ahead with the original Canyon n, Stephanie would surely have been too overwhelmed to continue.


    [I¡¯m counting on you all to overtake the Scarlet Devil Squad, people... Good luck!]


    Tsutomu still remembered Alma, the woman who had bought his ck Staff from the auction and inadvertently given him the nickname of ¡®Lucky Boy.¡¯ Currently, thanks to their n Leader¡¯s raw power and one of their members having the ck Staff¡¯s cheat-like levels of benefits, the Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s progress had yet to hit aplete roadblock. Still, they were sure to hit a momentary snag atyer seventy, just as they had back onyer sixty-five. It was there where Tsutomu was expecting Ealdred Crow to progress past them.


    Currently, the Scarlet Devil Squad was the farthest n down the Dungeon, and they had yet to adopt the three-roleposition and learn the long-ranged <<Heal>>. And since they appeared on Monitor #1, the lower-leveled Explorers still considered their way the best to go with. Tsutomu wanted Ealdred Crow to rece them on the top spot, and in turn change the public perception of what the ¡®best¡¯ was.


    If that were to happen, then the lower-leveled Explorers would no longer think Healers and Tanks were useless, which would help with their still-lower share of rewards when in parties, and also lead to more bnced partypositions across the whole Exploration scene. Although Attackers may lose out slightly due to the new dynamics, that did not mean that they were no longer needed in parties. Sticking to the four-Attackerposition would still always be an option, too.


    Also, if Ealdred Crow were to progress through theyers at a rate consistent to now, Tsutomu would be able to observe them and prepare for his own progression as well. Although he remembered much of his knowledge of Live Dungeon, many of the things here were quite different from the game. The other major ns conquering the Dungeonyers ahead of him would give him opportunities to see things in advance.


    And above all, the Scarlet Devil Squad falling from their current position would give Tsutomu quite an ego boost, what with them having Alma, the one who had named him the ¡®Lucky Boy,¡¯ in their ranks. As such, Tsutomu wanted, by all means, for Ealdred Crow to do their best.


    The Guild¡¯s Monitor #1 showed Alma with her usual ck Staff. Tsutomu looked on as she kept casting her preferred magic spell <<Meteor>>, effortlessly clearing her way through the enemy ranks.


    [Wonder if she¡¯ll eventually ditch the ck Staff for a more fitting one... Well, probably not anytime soon.]


    The ck Staff, which Tsutomu had brought along into this world from Live Dungeon, was originally a weapon exclusive to White Mages, and it had a myriad of beneficial effects for White Mages such as extending support skills¡¯ durations and amplifying healing skills¡¯ effects. In this world, however, anyone could equip it, enabling a ck Mage like Alma to wield it in battle. Although its extra benefits would not take effect, what with them being exclusive to White Mages, its high base values still served to greatly boost the power of her skills. All in all, Tsutomu still considered it a big waste.


    Looking away from Monitor #1, Tsutomu left the Guild and headed for the inn.


    [Next up is the Enchanter. I¡¯ve got to modify my training program based on Stephanie... Wait, I haven¡¯t even heard a word from them yet. Is something going on?]


    Rook had, after epting Tsutomu¡¯s offer to teach the Enchanter, sent out a message through an express courier to the distant town in which the Enchanter lived. But the messenger had not yet returned. Rook had sent out another message a week ago, but nothing had yet toe of it, either, effectivelybeling the Enchanter as unreachable.


    [What¡¯d I do instead they don¡¯t show up tomorrow?] Tsutomu thought to himself as he walked back to the inn.

 Chapter 76, The Looming Stampede

    <h4>Chapter 76, The Looming Stampede</h4>


    The next day, Tsutomu went to Ealdred Crow and asked Rook if he had gotten in touch with the Enchanter yet. Instead of the expected good news, Tsutomu got a bad, worrying one,


    ¡°You see, the Stampede this time seems to be quite a lot more...rge-scale than they were before. It¡¯s totally chaotic out at the town where I sent our informants to; they couldn¡¯t even get very far. They heard from the townspeople that a monster looking like a Fire Dragon had been seen in town ¡ª that¡¯s how bad the Stampede is.¡±


    ¡°That does sound worrisome, yes...¡±


    Stampedes had at first been considered to be like natural disasters, with no ways of dealing with them. But then it had turned out that, by having the Labyrinth Conquerors and the military force thin out the monsters in the Dungeons ahead of time, the scale of the Stampede could be minimized.


    In turn, that had led to rtively weak monstersing out of the Dungeons and attacking well-defended towns, so soldiers and explorers no longer had to risk their lives as much, and merchants could make a good profit since they would get to trade a great quantity and variety of materials. The Stampede had since turned into a festival for those living in Dungeon City, and Tsutomu had been told as much.


    Since the establishment of the Labyrinth Conquerors, the monsters in the Dungeons had been thinned out regrly, so the Stampedes had been manageable for many years without any unexpectedly strong monsters. This time, however, arge monster had appeared. There had been such unforeseen events once every twenty years or so, but even then, the appearance of a monster the size of a Fire Dragon was unheard of.


    Currently, the Labyrinth Conquerors were rushing towards the city under attack, to secure evacuation routes for the residents and to stop the monster. ording to Rook¡¯s exnation, the aftermath of the Stampede would still be hitting Dungeon City regardless.


    ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t talk about this to anyone yet. I only found out by ident because we happened to have sent our informants there ¡ª the Labyrinth Conquerors and the Security Team are still keeping quiet about it.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡¯d you even tell me in the first ce...?¡±


    ¡°Consider it part of my thanks for your guidance. Besides, the Security will be announcing it in three days anyway. The main thing might happen in less than a month, so you might as well do your shopping while you can, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. Thanks for the reminder.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, man, rx. You¡¯re looking really tense like now.¡±


    ¡°Not as much as you, Rook,¡± Tsutomu talked back, seeing Rook¡¯s grim expression, unfitting for his youthful, adorable face.


    Since it was not yet public that theing Stampede will likely be more intense than usual, Rook had been working to hoard various essential goods for his n, in case thingster jumped up in price.


    ¡°Anyway, with the Stampede happening, we¡¯ll have to put off the Enchanter¡¯s training to after that¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand. I¡¯ll be taking a break until then... Well, and I think I¡¯ll be a little busy the next three days.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Rook said and smiled in the corners of his mouth.


    Tsutomu thanked him and left the n House, hurrying to see if there was anyone reselling the Forest Apothecary¡¯s Potions. Finding one, he saw that both Green and Blue Potions were rtively overpriced, but he did not mind paying for them.


    After that, he went to get his equipment checked, stocked up on emergency food that wouldst for a long time, and also bought some Magic Stones as substitute fuel for his magic tools. Although Tsutomu had yet to go through a Stampede, he acted now just like how he would before a Town Defense Battle event in Live Dungeon, for now assuming them to be the same thing.


    Finishing the preparations of his equipment and supplies without difficulty, Tsutomu then headed to the Guild¡¯s fee-charging reference room on the second floor. There, he searched for information on the Stampede while thinking back to the game¡¯s Town Defense events. The first things Tsutomu thought were about God¡¯s Dungeon and the risk of his own death.


    If monsters were to enter Dungeon City during the Stampede, the city would definitely lose its function. This would, without a doubt, slow down his progress down God¡¯s Dungeon, or in the worst case, the monsters could upy the city and make exploration impossible altogether. Tsutomu wanted to avoid thetter from happening, so he figured that he needed to help protect Dungeon City.


    However, fighting outside of God¡¯s Dungeon came with the risk of death ¡ª of the permanent kind, unlike inside, where one woulde back to life, just as Tsutomu had experienced himself.


    [...Wonder if there¡¯s some kind of logistical support unit in a safe ce.]


    The materials were full of detailed procedures of how to organize groups and act during Stampedes; Tsutomu flipped through them, and was disappointed to see that only medically-specialized White and Gray Mages would be put in charge of such matters.


    Inside the Dungeon, a failed attempt at healing would not be much of a problem, with the target being back to normal once they left, but elsewhere, it was necessary to confirm what was wrong with the patient first before proceeding with the treatment. Although healing skills were decently versatile, there were times when the healing came out... wrong and strange. Such was the reason such things were generally left to specialists.


    [Hmm... At least the usual monsters won¡¯t be much of a threat, from what I¡¯m seeing.]


    The main monsters of Stampedes were Goblins and Kobolds, individually weak but quick to increase in numbers. The other monsters were like those found in the Grasnds and Forests, with the asional stronger monsters, but even those were at the level of Swamp monsters at best. The Explorers of Dungeon City would indeed have no difficulty doing away with them.


    However, Rook¡¯s mention of a Fire Dragon-like monster was worrisome. In Town Defense Battles, one would know what event-unique special monsters they would face, but the game had no history of any Fire Dragons and simr monsters spawning. If the informants¡¯ news were true, then things could get quite troublesome.


    [I¡¯ll make sure to secure myself an escape route, at least.]


    To Tsutomu, God¡¯s Dungeon was an important lead to his return to his old world; losing ess to it would be the same as losing one of the objectives that motivated him. Then again, him dying would mean losing everything, so he looked for escape routes just in case.


    [Maybe I should learn how to ride a horse. But I don¡¯t have a ce to keep one... and if I leave it in someone else¡¯s care, I might not be able to ess it quickly enough in an emergency... Well, I¡¯ll just learn it. I might not be able to always use <<Fly>>, after all.]


    In this world, horses were the mostmon means of ground transportation. There were some people who tamed monsters to use as vehicles, but that was not yet practical enough to let just anyone use them. Magic-powered trains also existed in some other towns, but not in Dungeon City, the reason being that Stampedes urred every six months, making it impossible to maintain the tracks.


    Stampedes had been a thing before the emergence of God¡¯s Dungeon, with the monsters flooding out of the Dungeons andying waste to the nearby areas in search of food. After God¡¯s Dungeon had appeared, however, the monsters would always head to Dungeon City after their initial rampages.


    There were several theories as to what the root cause of this was, but the currently most usible theory concerned the Magic Stones. It had been confirmed that monsters gained power and evolved upon ingesting Magic Stones, and therefore, it was believed that the monsters could sense therge quantity of Magic Stones being retrieved and traded in Dungeon City.


    Other theories include that they were trying to enter God¡¯s Dungeon, or that they were the wrath of God. Some religious groups would be active immediately following each Stampede, iming that it was divine retribution for invading God¡¯s Dungeon.


    Tsutomu put the Stampede documents back to where he had gotten them, then went to ask Garm for more information and reconfirmed what to prepare. Then he withdrew a hefty amount of G from the Guild to buy himself essential goods for the day, and pay the riding school the training feels, reserving a timeslot on the day after tomorrow.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The next day, it was slightly cloudy out; at noon, Tsutomu observed the Explorers¡¯ activities on the single-digit Monitors while nibbling on some chocte-coated bananas. It was partly to pass the time, but the main purpose was to see if he could secure himself some capable personnel.


    Tsutomu had often asked Rook if thetter had found anyone, but results thus far suggested that he should not expect much. Stephanie was out of the question, and the two Tanks who had been set to leave the n were now motivated, and the Dualder was starting to behave himself, so it was easy to imagine that they would not agree to join up with him.


    [Man, is there anyone who¡¯d be on board at all? I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a Tank at this point, just give me someone who¡¯s around level 30...]


    He could live with training an Attacker or two from the baby steps, but he really wanted his Tank recruits to already be decently-leveled. If at a high enough level, even the worst-skilled of them would do their job in holding the party together, which would help with leveling up the Attackers as well.


    Tsutomu currently had one Tank recruit candidate: a boy named Daryl, whom Garn had rmended to him. He had already seen Daryl exploring the Dungeon with Garm through Monitor #10, and their training regimen seemed quite rigorous. Then again, thanks to his training, Daryl¡¯s movements were refined and his physique desirable, making him quite promising. Still, Tsutomu was nning to add another Tank to the team.


    [Two Tanks and two Attackers would be ideal... But man, Attackers are harder to find than I thought they¡¯d be. Maybe I¡¯ll look for some neers after the Stampede¡¯s over.]


    Tsutomu continued to ponder over such things while loitering around the Monitors.


    Although the demand for Attackers had decreased due to the introduction of the other roles, ns still recruited them inrge numbers, and many parties still preferred having at least two of them at a time. That still did mean that fewer Attackers got into parties at once, so Tsutomu was looking to pull in some of the ns¡¯ excess Attackers. Surprisingly, however, not many Attackers had been let go as excess, and those who had left the major ns were those who were dissatisfied with the three-roleposition. There was no point in letting thetter type of people into his n.


    Tsutomu casually nced over to the lower-numbered Monitors, and the first thing that caught his eye was Ealdred Crow. They were in the middle of fighting throughyer sixty-four, with Stephanie back in the ranks of the main party as their Healer. Stephanie had already cast <


    > for the Tank and <<Haste>> for the Attacker, and was proactive throughout the battle. Tsutomu continued to observe the team for ten minutes, and there was never a break in her support.


    [I¡¯m looking forward toyer sixty-five, people.]


    With Stephanie¡¯s training having focused on trial-and-error and salvaging the situation whenever the fight turned chaotic, the true results of her struggle would start showing onyer sixty-five, where parties were most likely to find themselves annihted at least once. Thinking he woulde to watch against tomorrow, Tsutomu then set his sights on the other, higher-numbered monitors.


    The next thing that got his attention was Garm and Amy, exploring the Volcanoyers together. They were both silent, with Amy appraising the items and monsters and writing their information down on paper.


    The Appraisal skill was mostly possessed by gifted craftsmen, merchants, and Staff Members who created Status Cards, but Amy had mastered it as well thanks to her ability since childhood to discern objects¡¯ properties to some extent. Amy was the only one in town known to both be able to fight and possess the Appraisal skill, so her capabilities were quite useful whenever a newyer was unlocked.


    Seeing the two taking it easy, perhaps precisely because it was official work, Tsutomu smiled lightly. The remaining single-digit Monitors showed Ealdred Crow¡¯s party two and eight fighting the Fire Dragon and plowing throughyer fifty-nine respectively, while Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s two parties were also on the fifty-ninthyer. Tsutomu proceeded to wade through the crowd, ncing at the other Monitors as he made his way to two-digit ones.


    Once he got there, he eventually found the Silver Beast fighting through the Canyons on one of the Monitors. Their party structure seemed slightly different, with them having brought in a Tank. The middle-aged Adventurer Misil was there along with the two Birdkins. Their Conykin Healer, Lorena, was still going strong as well.


    Upon a closer look, Tsutomu saw that Lorena had be a much better Healer than before. Using her long ears to detect her party members by their voices, she was able to shoot her <<Heals>> at precisely where they were. Thanks to that, she could heal her allies without turning around, and also maintain her support skills on everyone at once.


    [...Huh, isn¡¯t she just about as good as Stephanie now?]


    Although it was hard to say for sure who was better, Lorena¡¯s skill as a Healer had improved considerably. Moreover, the party was doing a tremendous job at cooperating. After Tsutomu had told Misil about the Tank role, Misil had worked to train a member with a Knight-type Job and quickly introduced them to his ranks, making the three-roleposition mesh with his party quite well. Even if one were to not have Tsutomu¡¯s personal biases, Silver Beast¡¯s cooperation would still be undeniably amazing, surpassing even that of Ealdred Crow¡¯s in this front.


    Silver Beast had already beatenyer fifty-nine before, and was now able to fight through the multi-wave battles there without difficulty. In fact, they were the third n in town to have ever won against the Fire Dragon. Tsutomu, while feeling excited to see what the Silver Beast would go on to achieve in the future, moved on to scan over the Monitors from #10 to #30.


    [Oh, there¡¯s Amira.]


    Monitor #30 showed Camille¡¯s daughter, Amira, challenging the Shell Crab. Her party was of the five-Attackerposition, their strategy being to tear down the Shell Crab in one go.


    [Huh, aren¡¯t the crab holes¡¯ locations supposed to be published already?]


    The Shell Crab strategies that had been published in the two minor publishers¡¯ newspapers a while ago had already been confirmed as true by Explorers, and is now being talked about as one of the currently most effective methods. Minor ns that had been unable to win against the Shell Crab up until then had since used the new strategies to finally get past the monster, yet Amira still insisted on pushing through with a five-attacker party.


    [Man, this is quite... a disaster.]


    Tsutomu kept on watching some more, and saw that Amira, the party¡¯s Leader, was moving around quite well. Her skills made it easy to see why Camille had so openly praised her. The tone of her voice was quite harsh, however, so her angry shouts were pretty much the only things one would hear from her party.


    The other party members seemed to be having a hard time keeping up, naturally making the mood... not ideal. Tsutomu could see them being unsessful in defeating the Shell Crab, if the situation continued like this.


    [Maybe I should tell Camille about this... or maybe not.]


    Tsutomu turned around to see Camille on one of the benches, seriously observing Amira¡¯s every move, so he dismissed his idea and turned back to look at the Monitors some more.

 Chapter 77, Monitor Footage of Growth

    <h4>Chapter 77, Monitor Footage of Growth</h4>


    Two days left until the Security Team¡¯s announcement regarding theing Stampede. Stephanie had returned to her post in her n¡¯s main party; they were currently in the middle of exploringyer sixty-five, with the ck Gate leading toyer sixty-six visible in the distance.


    But they were also facing a roadblock: a monster that looked like abination of a loach and a catfish; it had given the Scarlet Devil Squad quite a hard fight before. Its name was still undecided since Amy had yet to appraise it, but in Live Dungeon, it was called the Bolseyer.


    The Bolseyer loitered around the ck Gate to the sixty-sixthyer, guarding it. The Gate itself stood on an ind surrounded by a doughnut-shapedva ring. The Bolseyer swam in this ring; if one wanted to go across, then it was necessary that they defeated the monster first.


    In order to open a ck Gate, one must not be under the hostility of a monster. It was technically possible, albeit difficult, to open the Gate without the Bolseyer noticing, but Ealdred Crow had chosen to defeat the monster outright.


    ¡°I can take care of the opening jump just fine, but you all should be careful, just in case. Then I¡¯ll use an Eidolon to fish it out of the circle... and we¡¯ll just see how it goes from there. Will that be all right, everyone?¡± Rook asked once he was done outlining a general n for the team.


    ¡°Hmm, well... First of all, our two Tanks must be as careful as they can not to fall into theva. Also, the Bolseyer spitsva bombs as one of its methods of attack, so it would be helpful if everyone could position themselves so that you don¡¯t have any allies directly behind you. I am aware of that as well, of course,¡± Stephanie proceeded to exin.


    ¡°Understood,¡± Bittman replied, and the party¡¯s other Tank, a woman, nodded.


    Rook was surprised to see how openly Stephanie was stating her opinions to the two Tanks. She had been so much of an overly humble part of the party before, not expressing any of her opinions unless asked.


    ¡°Stephanie¡¯s changed quite a bit, hasn¡¯t she? In her mood and aura stuff...¡±


    ¡°...Why¡¯re you asking me, boss?¡± Sova responded with a hint of annoyance to Rook¡¯s whispers, while maintaining his ck greatsword.


    Sova, influenced by his respect for the Crimson Spellder and his ability to wield practically every weapon, also practiced the use of multiple weapon types. Out of what he had tried, the greatsword was what he was currently least skilled with, but he had managed to wield one and make it through the sixty-fifthyer¡¯s monsters just fine.


    Once everyone was ready, Rook summoned a few Goblins and sent them towards the center of the circle. As soon as the Goblins got near the ck Gate, two of them disappeared in an instant.


    The ck, serpentine-looking Bolseyer had leaped out of theva and instantly flicked away two Goblins. Rook ordered the remaining Goblins to escape, intending to send them away from thebat area.


    Before the Goblins could get away, however, the Bolseyer slithered up to them and swallowed them whole. The two Tanks used <<Combat Cry>> to pull the Bolseyer¡¯s aggro; Stephanie cast <


    > for both of them, and then <<Haste>> for Sova as he rushed forward.


    The Bolseyer, as a catfish would, had round, nk eyes and whiskers growing from its nose. Its long, serpentine body was covered in some sort of red membrane.


    Sova went around behind the Bolseyer as it was being distracted by the two Tanks, and swung at its ck body with his greatsword. Despite the monster¡¯s mollusk-like appearance, however, its body was quite tough. The slimy texture of the coveringyer also seemed to dampen iing impact.


    The two Tanks were preupied dealing with the Bolseyer¡¯s signature slide-tackles, unable to do anything else due to just how difficult the attack was to dodge.


    ¡°<<Summon ¡ª Slime>>.¡±


    Rook installed a Water Magic Stone onto his staff and cast the skill to summon a blue, gtinous-bodied Slime. The creature bounced forward, heading toward the Bolseyer.


    ...But then it got squished by the Bolseyer and promptly faded away. Sova kept on attacking, but was having a hard time getting through the monster¡¯sva-like coat and tough skin. Moreover, each time it took a hit, the coating membrane ripped apart, gushing with a slimy substance that burned Sova¡¯s body in spots.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    Stephanie, having set up an <<Area Heal>> beforehand, ran into its perimeter and cast <<Heal>> for Sova. Then, seeing that the Tanks were starting to be fatigued from dodging all the attacks, she cast <<Medic>> for both of them.


    ¡°Our current strategy doesn¡¯t seem to be working! Tanks, I suggest that you take turns using <<Combat Cry>> to have it alternate between you two! Bittman, are you good to start!?¡±


    Bittman responded to Stephanie¡¯s suggestion by raising one hand without looking back and giving a thumbs-up, then he immediately unleashed <<Combat Cry>> at the Bolseyer again. Rook was impressed by Stephanie¡¯s instructions; he rummaged through his Magic Bag and pulled out a medium-sized Green Magic Stone, ced it on the ground, and stuck his staff to it.


    ¡°<<Summon ¡ª Orc>>.¡±


    The Green Magic Stone on the ground began melting down and splitting apart, forming into three cudgel-wielding Orcs. Rook ordered them to charge at the enemy.


    The Summoner Job had the ability to summon Eidolons based on the caster¡¯s mental energy, and also the consumed Magic Stone¡¯s size, quality, and properties. Although the number of Eidolons that could be summoned at one time was limited by the Eidolons¡¯ ranks, the ability to summon monsters to add to a party¡¯s limit of five members was a significant advantage.


    In exchange, however, Summoners were severely limited in personal attack and defense options, and since their main function consumed Magic Stones in addition to their mental energy, the Job also required excess financial strength to operate viably. Although it was possible to perform a Summoning without Magic Stones, it consumed a great deal of energy and would only result in Summoner-specific, non-monster Eidolons.


    Most of the Summoner-specific Eidolons were mostly Arcane Beasts that performed healing and support. The catch was that their skills were only good for auxiliary effects, being not as effective as those of the other Jobs. These Arcane Beasts could be summoned for less mental energy by consuming colorless Magic Stones, too, but that still would do nothing to help with their low effectiveness.


    After a change of ns, the Tanks took turns defending against the Bolseyer¡¯s tackle attacks, while Sova and Rook¡¯s Orcs attacked. Then the Bolseyer suddenly stopped all movement, as if its batteries had run out...


    ¡°Retreat!¡± Stephanie shouted.


    Sweltering heat blew violently from the Bolseyer¡¯s body. The two Tanks stepped back while blocking their faces with their hands, and Sova dashed away, having been quick to react to the shout. The three Orcs took the full brunt of the heat, turning into light particles and fading away.


    Stephanie promptly healed the two Tanks, then shot <<Air des>> into the Bolseyer¡¯s wide-open mouth.


    The Bolseyer slid along the ground, intending to swallow the two Tanks as they were stunned by the heat wave, but it instead ate the ded wind sts right up; it flinched and screamed in pain. Meanwhile, Stephanie reapplied her allies¡¯ support skill effects.


    The Bolseyer slid back and dove into theva, then popped right back out. It shook off theva off its whiskers, then spat out a bunch of red-dyed rocks from its mouth. The Tank woman, the primary target of the swift attack, avoided a direct hit but was still knocked quite far back. Then the rock fragments hit Bittman in the shoulder with such force that he was blown away as well.


    ¡°<<Heal>>, <<Heal>>.¡±


    Stephanie healed up the two Tanks, but then the Bolseyer bounced up and repeatedly spitva at them like a cannon bombardment. Bittman moved quickly to avoid direct hits, but still took umted damage from all the smaller fragments that he could not dodge.


    The Heavy Knightdy, on the other hand, staked her tower shield onto the ground and defended against it head-on, but eventually lost to the impact and was pinned under the molten rock. She was subsequently burned to death by the sheer heat.


    ¡°<<Summon ¡ª Wyvern>>.¡±


    Rook used three Medium Green Magic Stones to summon a Wyvern and sent it toward the Bolseyer, which now was staying half-submerged in the same spot in theva. In an effort to stop the bombardment, Sova jumped onto the Wyvern.


    The Wyvern dodged theva sts by gliding to the sides. Once close enough, Sova hopped off the Wyvern¡¯s back and struck the Bolseyer¡¯s head with his greatsword.


    ...But the monster was unharmed. It proceeded to open its mouth so wide, one would think that its jaw had fallen off. The Wyvern knocked Sova away, and was then caught by the Bolseyer¡¯s mouth.


    The Wyvern, burned by theva spilling from the monster¡¯s mouth, screamed in pain as it turned into light particles and disappeared. Sova groaned in annoyance at how his previous attack was ineffective. He proceeded to store his greatsword into his Magic Bag and pull out a long sword instead. Although Swordfighters could still use their skills with a greatsword, the long sword was their most effective weapon.


    ¡°<<Enchant Earth>>.¡±


    Sova, with his long sword enchanted with increased strength, stabbed the monster¡¯s face, but the red, slimy coating prevented his weapon from piercing through.


    ¡°Oh c¡¯mon!¡±


    Although frustrated that his attack was yet again unsessful, Sova retreated... but then the monster¡¯s long, stic ck whiskers tangled around his leg.


    ¡°<<Raise>>.¡±


    Stephanie, seeing that Sova was trapped, quickly cast <<Raise>>. A pir of light shot up into the sky, and then particles of light gathered to form the Tankdy.


    The Bolseyer, previously trying to drag Sova into theva, now turned its little eyes around and charged in a straight line at Stephanie, influenced by the aggro her casting of <<Raise>> had generated. Its whiskers still clung to Sova¡¯s leg, so he was dragged along, but at least he was no longer at risk of death from drowning inva.


    ¡°Bittman! <<Combat Cry>> repeatedly, please!¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>,¡± Bittman shouted, immediately reacting to Stephanie¡¯s cue.


    ¡°<<Summon ¡ª Giant Golem>>.¡±


    Rook used a Large Earthen Magic Stone to form a gigantic rock statue in a bid to defend Stephanie.


    But then the Bolseyer rammed at the Giant Golem as it was still forming, instantly neutralizing it and scattering rocks all over the ce. Sova, seeing an opening, shed at the Bolseyer¡¯s whiskers with his long sword, causing it to wriggle in pain and loosen its whiskers¡¯ grips.


    Having escaped from his restraints and seeing that the Bolseyer had stopped moving, Sova proceeded to attack it again, aiming at its whiskers. The Bolseyer wriggled again, as if it hated taking a hit, especially there.


    ¡°Aha! I¡¯mma cut these right off!¡±


    Just as Sova was about to attack the Bolseyer¡¯s newfound weakness again, it started bouncing around like a fish out of water. Sensing that his attack was working, Sova gave it another shot.


    That moment, the Bolseyer used the recoil from its bouncing to leap high into the air.


    ¡°What the¨C¡°


    ...Was Sova¡¯sst words before being squashed to death by the gigantic, serpentine body on its way down. The giant rock that had been the Giant Golem got blown from its resting ce with the impact; it ricocheted and crashed into Rook, knocking him into theva.


    The smaller rocks bounced, too, hitting Stephanie and hurting her quite badly. Bittman has only suffered minor injuries so far, while the Tankdy held her abdomen in pain, still unable to put her equipment back on.


    ¡°<<Rai¨C <<Heal>>.¡±


    In the past, she would have used <<Raise>> instantly to draw the Bolseyer to her, giving the Tanks the time to recover the uncollected equipment and get their positionings in order, as had been the old expected procedure. Now, however, Stephanie healed her own wounds first before casting <


    > for the two Tanks.


    ¡°Bittman! Use <<Combat Cry>>! Drink a Blue Potion if you need to ¡ª just make it go after you!¡±


    ¡°Understood. <<Combat Cry>>.¡±


    Bittman chugged down a vial of his Blue Potion, of the not-so-tasty brand, and then continuously unleashed <<Combat Cry>>. Stephanie dodged the Bolseyer¡¯s attacks for about thirty seconds before the <<Combat Cry>> spam took effect, finally taking the Bolseyer¡¯s attention off her.


    ¡°You two, avoid its attacks and use <<Combat Cry>> as many times as you can! I need the time to get everything back together!¡±


    The Tankdy had yet to recover her equipment, so she faced the Bolseyer in only her xen clothes. She spent all of the mental energy she had before her previous death into using <<Combat Cry>>.


    Then Stephanie cast <<Raise>> twice, making it just a few seconds past fifty after Sova and Rook had died. Light particles formed back into their living bodies; Stephanie held her aching head while sipping from a vial of Blue Potion.


    Although aggro generated by <<Raise>> was the highest among the heal-and-support-generated type aggro, the final amount was also influenced by the aggro on the targets of the resurrection. As such, reviving an Attacker would result in not as much aggro being generated; thanks to that and the two Tanks¡¯ efforts, Stephanie did not get targeted even after casting <<Raise>> twice.


    Rook and Sova, likely having expected toe back to life in the Guild, were stunned to find themselves still in the chaos of the Dungeon.


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    ¡°Rook! Your armor is over there! Quickly!¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, ma¡¯am!!¡±


    Rook hopped to his feet and went to retrieve his equipment, hurried on by Stephanie. Sova looked at Stephanie, and saw that she was having a hard time managing her aggro and deciding whether or not to heal the two Tanks now.


    ¡°...HAH!¡±


    Then he shouted to psych himself up, donned his gear, and rushed toward the Bolseyer, covering for the Tanks as they were running short on breath.


    In the following battle, however, the party failed to find an effective means of attacking the Bolseyer; after another half-hour or so, Ealdred Crow¡¯s main party was wiped out.


    The five of them in xen clothes, and also their Magic Bags, emerged from the Guild¡¯s ck Gate as if they were spat out. They proceeded to withdraw their spare gear from the Guild¡¯s storage and equip themselves, then sat down at one of the round tables, sighing in disappointment.


    Then suddenly, Sova bowed his head.


    ¡°Sorry ¡ª I really mess up there. My attacks weren¡¯t even getting through it.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I should be the one saying sorry. Didn¡¯t think the Giant Golem would be such a bad idea...¡±


    ¡°The red slimy coat was quite a nuisance. It¡¯s effective both for attack and defense, so I say we have to do something about it. From what I could see, the coat¡¯s content is... refilled whenever the monster dives into theva ring. It would be nice if we could prevent it from doing so, somehow.¡±


    ¡°...Right, it did dive into theva for no apparent reason a few times. Hey, maybe I could try cooling it down with one of my Eidolons ¡ª that¡¯ll be interesting.¡±


    ¡°...Its whiskers are clearly the weakness. I actually felt my cuts do something.¡±


    ¡°That, and the inside of its mouth. My <<Air des>> seemed to do damage that one time I used it,¡± Stephanie said and pondered things over further.


    Meanwhile, the other party members looked at her. After a few moments, Stephanie realized that all eyes were on her, and was quite surprised.


    ¡°Y-yes? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, juuuuust thinking how amazing you are, you know. Like, when Sova and I died, I really thought it was all over ¡ª but then you managed to bring us back into the fight!¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you...¡±


    ¡°Stephanie, your decision-making and instructions were wonderful. It¡¯s partly thanks to you that I didn¡¯t falter.¡±


    ¡°...Hmph. I¡¯ll admit that you did good ¡ª but don¡¯t get carried away. You never know what¡¯ll happen next time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awesome, Stephanie!¡±


    Stephanie, bewildered by all the praise she was receiving, almost deflected them out of humility before stopping herself.


    Instead, she said confidently, ¡°Thank you very much. Come, everyone, let us continue our discussion.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Stephanie... How much you have grown...¡± Rook said, almost shedding a few tears.


    ¡°What do you think you are, her dad?¡± Sova calmly called out Rook¡¯s overreaction.

 Chapter 78, A Date With Amy?

    <h4>Chapter 78, A Date With Amy?</h4>


    And so came the day of the Stampede announcement. All of the journalistic publishers, from themon to the Dungeon-focused ones, disclosed in their morning newspapers the information regarding theing Stampede. None stated that there would be monsters on the level of the Fire Dragon, but it was indeed predicted that it would be of a muchrger scale than before.


    People were optimistic, however. The Stampede was a special event that happened only twice a year, and the people were confident that Dungeon City¡¯s fighting power would be able to handle it just fine. Moreover, there had already been several reports of potential Stampede esctions over the past few years, but Dungeon City had yet to be in any danger.


    ¡°Man, are the Labyrinth Conquerors cking off again?¡±


    ¡°How many times¡¯ has it been now? They really gotta get their shit together...¡±


    One of the people who picked up the newspaper let out an exasperated sigh when they saw the words ¡®Increased Stampede Intensity¡¯.


    The ruling ss of Dungeon City had always mobilized soldiers to thin out the Dungeons outside of town, but Labyrinth Conquerors also yed a role. In recent years, the intervals between Stampedes have been getting shorter and shorter, and the townspeople have been criticizing the Labyrinth Conquerors for such increases in frequency and intensity.


    While the Labyrinth Conquerors were highly praised in viges and towns under frequent threat of Stampedes, they did not have the same reputation among those within the safe confines of Dungeon City. Instead, the residents of Dungeon City have been treating Stampedes as festivals of sorts for the past ten or so years now.


    Hearing people speaking ill of the Labyrinth Conquerors practically everywhere in town, Tsutomu felt sorry for them, but he had to focus on his training. He had never ridden a horse before, so he was stuck patting the rented horse fearfully before the brawny instructor carried him up and put him on the horse¡¯s back.


    Over the following month, Tsutomu would spend half of each day practicing his riding, and the rest of the time spectating around the Monitors.


    In the meantime, Ealdred Crow had gotten past the Bolseyer after three attempts, and was getting closer and closer to Scarlet Devil Squad in terms of progress. Currently, Scarlet Devil Squad was making their way throughyer sixty-nine, while Ealdred Crow was making good progress onyer sixty-seven. It was only a matter of time before Ealdred Crow caught up.


    As for Silver Beast, they had sessfully defeated the Fire Dragon. Their winning battle had been quite a long one, with four of the party¡¯s members being dead toward the end; thest one remaining, Misil, had to sh head-on against the Fire Dragon, iming victory by the skin of his teeth. Still, the fight and victory had drawn quite a lot of excitement from the spectating crowd all throughout, what with there being no mid-tier ns that had defeated a Fire Dragon before.


    The members of Silver Beast themselves were not happy with the result, however. From the audience¡¯s point of view, the final minutes of the battle had been pure hype, but for the ones fighting, it had been a sloppy mess, with Lorena resorting to the ssic move of sacrificing herself with <<Raise>> ¨C generated aggro.


    After the battle, Lorena had gone all the way to Tsutomu¡¯s inn to apologize to thetter. Tsutomu himself had been watching the Fire Dragon fight as well, and contrary to Lorena¡¯s expectations, he celebrated, saying that she had done quite well. Tsutomu¡¯s reaction was thanks to his emotional attachment to Silver Beast and his prior expectations, namely the point that they had defeated the Fire Dragon before Golden Tune did.


    Tsutomu even shook Lorena¡¯s hands and gifted her an assortment of Magic Stones, confusing thetter quite a lot. And dayster, when Lorena was interviewed by some journalists, Stephanie and Eunice became aware of her as the one Tsutomu had taught to be a Healer before them.


    Golden Tune, the e-arrival among the major Dungeon-exploring ns, had now been overtaken by a mid-tier n; by this point, the audience was not quite as hot about them while spectating their no-hurry attempts at the Fire Dragon. Although they had since moved away from their old Leon-reliant party dynamics, it was apparent that they still needed some time to get used to all the changes.


    And today, half a month since he had started learning to ride, as Tsutomu was in the middle of practicing when a certain girl visited him at the facility ¡ª Amy, with her white hair in a new shoulder-length cut, waved to him as he rode along the tracks,


    ¡°There you are! Hey, Tsutomu~~!¡±


    Today was Amy¡¯s day off, so she and Tsutomu had made an appointment to explore the Dungeon together.


    One would typically worry that Amy¡¯s exploring the Dungeon on her days off would tire her out, but most of her work involved sitting in an office and appraising items. As such, she had to be more active on rest days, so as to keep in shape.


    Tsutomu replied to Amy¡¯s greeting while keeping his focus on his horse and reins. Although he had gotten better over the past two weeks, his skill was not yet on a usable level.


    Once Tsutomu got off his horse, he let out a sigh of relief and looked at Amy, puzzled as to why she was not equipped forbat.


    ¡°Why the casual clothes, Amy? Weren¡¯t we going to the Dungeon today?¡±


    Amy, seeing that Tsutomu¡¯s white robes had be his normal attire these days, shrugged her shoulders in slight annoyance before saying,


    ¡°Oh, you Dungeon-sexual little... You do remember that the exploration isn¡¯t until the afternoon, right?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha... right. So whye here now?¡±


    ¡°So I heard you¡¯ve been learning to ride, you see ¡ª thought I¡¯d help teach you!¡±


    ¡°...Thanks, but I¡¯m just about to wrap up for the day now. Have to save some energy for Dungeon exploration, after all.¡±


    ¡°What? And I just came all this way, too. Boo...¡±


    Tsutomuughed back at Amy¡¯s reaction before leaving the training facility with her, leaving his rented horse with the attendant.


    Back when Tsutomu had been learning to use <<Fly>>, Amy had also given him advice... but in terms of whooshing noises and abstract imagery, so he hadn¡¯t been able to understand anything. She was one to learn things by feeling rather than theory; despite wanting to teach, it was clear how unfitting it was for her to do so.


    ¡°Looks like we have some time. Why don¡¯t we stop by the market on our way?¡±


    ¡°Huh¨C ah, yeah! Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Amy, having expected him to tell her to head to the Guild immediately, hurriedly nodded in agreement. Now in a good mood, she walked next to Tsutomu... for about ten minutes before her enthusiasm fell apart.


    ¡°You know, today¡¯s the release date of a new magic tool. Looks like it¡¯ll be helpful for defending against the Fire Dragon¡¯s breath attacks.¡±


    ¡°Uh, right...¡±


    The marketce that Tsutomu dropped by was the one where Dungeon-rted tools were sold. While Tsutomu¡¯s eyes glittered as he window-shopped around, Amy only looked at him from a distance.


    ¡°These Ice Magic Stones are so expensive... Makes sense, since they¡¯re so rare, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    [We¡¯ll rake in quite a lot of profit if we were to reachyer seventy-one first.]


    From the seventy-firstyer onward, the Dungeon¡¯s environment changed from the volcanic biome to a snowy one. Ice Magic Stonesmonly dropped there; it was currently rare and considered highly precious in the market, so the first n to reach it would find themselves with many opportunities to make huge profits.


    ¡°Your current project at work has you going to the Volcanoes, right? Why not use this to stave off the heat? It consumes Water Magic Stones as fuel, but it works great!¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not cute...¡± Amy shook her head upon seeing the boring-looking backpack-like device.


    ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t, yes.¡±


    Amy had not refused the tool because of her personal preferences, however; with her being something on an idol and a good part of her earnings being from sponsorships, it was only natural for her to care about the looks of what she carried and wore.


    For the next hour or so, Amy followed Tsutomu as thetter browsed around for Dungeon tools. Tsutomu being a frequent visitor and buyer, many shopkeepers here knew him. As he chatted with the merchants and craftsmen, Any was left merely staring at him.


    After Tsutomu had taken his usual route through the market, he turned to a nearby Monitor to check the time.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s almost time. Let¡¯s get going to the Guild¨C¡°


    ¡°Tsutomu, man? Now¡¯s my turn to go shopping, doncha think?¡±


    Amy firmly grabbed Tsutomu¡¯s wrist and stared him down.


    ¡°But the time...¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, juste along!¡±


    And so Amy pulled Tsutomu along to the clothes and essories market. Since Tsutomu had no interest in things not rted to the Dungeon, he had never been there ¡ª or any other market, for that matter.


    Though he felt awkward to be in an unfamiliar part of town, especially one full of women, he followed Amy as thetter went around to various stores and tried on clothes and essories.


    ¡°How¡¯s this look? Cute, right?¡±


    ¡°It looks fine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... t reaction. I¡¯ll take that as a ¡®no¡¯.¡±


    Amy put the flower-shaped hair clip back where she had taken it from, then proceeded to try on other hair essories. Tsutomu, if he were to be honest, did not want to be asked such things so much, because he could only give inoffensive answers ¡ª the same thought he had back when he had gone shopping with Camille.


    Moreover, Amy seemed quite easily attracted by so many shops on the way, so this detour looked to be taking a long time. As they went around the women-filled marketce, Tsutomu apologized in his mind to Garm, who must be waiting for them at the Guild by now.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time we got going.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You haven¡¯t bought anything yet, though?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Nothing good ¡¯round here~~¡±


    [Then why¡¯d you evene here in the first ce...?]


    Tsutomu, being one to always do research about what he would like to buy, was tempted to call out Amy¡¯s tendency, but ultimately swallowed it down and headed for the Guild.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get changed first, so you go on ahead,¡± Amy said and went toward the Dormitory next to the Guild building.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Tsutomu saw Amy off and entered the Guild to look for Garm, first in front of the Monitors where they had originally agreed to meet up at.


    Not finding him there, Tsutomu went around the Guild to see if he had sat down somewhere, and eventually found Daryl and Garm at the Dining Hall, eating some pasta at a table.


    ¡°Sorry for runningte, Garm.¡±


    ¡°...An hourte, to be precise ¡ª that¡¯s quite unusual, Tsutomu. I was about to go check if you were still at your inn, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Really, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Things happen ¡ª I can understand that.¡±


    Garm kept on eating quietly. Daryl, perhaps because of Tsutomu¡¯s arrival, hurried to finish the Doria that he had just ordered as an extra dish, stuffing his cheeks like a squirrel.


    Around the time Daryl finished eating the piping hot Doria, Amy finally arrived at the Guild with her gear ready.


    ¡°Amy hath arrived~~!¡±


    ¡°Took you long enough...¡±


    ¡°What, wasn¡¯t Tsutomute, too? Either scold us both or no one at all, pupper!¡±


    ¡°I already gave him a scolding. And here I thought you¡¯d gotten your discipline straight by now, seeing that you¡¯re no longerte for work...¡±


    [He really didn¡¯t scold me, though...] Tsutomu thought to himself while looking at Garm as thetter started preaching.


    Then he turned to look at Daryl; thetter promptly bent down his tall body and bowed, with his distinctive ck ears flopping down as well.


    The young man, fitting for his age, was well-built; although smaller than Garm, he wasrger than Tsutomu. Tsutomu, while thinking the chair he sat in looked small inparison, proceeded to greet him,


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what you can do today, Daryl.¡±


    ¡°Of course! By the way, you¡¯ve been working with the major ns as ofte, yes? I¡¯ve seen you on the Monitors sometimes!¡±


    ¡°Ah, I have been, yes,¡± Tsutomu answered; although he questioned Daryl¡¯s choice of words in saying ¡®working with¡¯ he did not see any ill intent in thetter¡¯s youthful face, and as such did not take any offense to it.


    ¡°Say, I¡¯ve seen that Garm has been putting you through some heavy training, Daryl. Are you keeping up well?¡±


    ¡°Yes... Sir Garm is indeed very strict... but I¡¯m doing all right!¡±


    Garm¡¯s training program was akin to a lion knocking its child off a cliff... then dropping boulders down as the child climbed back up. Even from an outside perspective, one would consider it excessively severe; as such, Tsutomu was worried about Daryl¡¯s mental state, what with himself initially failing his attempt at training Stephanie. Daryl seemed to have every shred of his enthusiasm intact, however.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Sir Tsutomu ¡ª so that I¡¯m worthy of joining your n!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that; just remember not to overwork yourself. If there¡¯s anything you need, do let me know ¡ª I can talk to Garm as well, at least to some degree.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course!¡± Daryl replied briskly, to which Tsutomu nodded.


    Once Garm was doneying out his lecture, the team proceeded to enter the Dungeon, with Amy still sulking all the while. Today¡¯s destination wasyer fifty-one, where they intended to take things at a rtively leisurely pace and evaluate Daryl¡¯s performance.


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Daryl thrust out his tower shield and knocked away a Verdant Wolf. His general performance was decent, and a significant improvement from before thanks to Garm¡¯s training.


    ¡°Looking good. Now, it sure would be nice if we had an Attacker...¡± Tsutomu muttered casually to himself while keeping an eye on Daryl.


    Haring Tsutomu while standing next to him, Amy responded, ¡°Hmm? You¡¯re looking for an Attacker, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°I am, yes. Haven¡¯t found anyone I¡¯d like to invite yet.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try asking Dini, then? Attackers¡¯ been in lower demandtely, so she¡¯s starting to consider changing ces, you know?¡±


    ¡°Dini...?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t you meet her at the Golden Tune¡¯s ce? Dini ¡ª you know, Diniel.¡±


    ¡°...Oh! The blonde Elf?¡±


    ¡°Yup. <<Dual Wave sh>>.¡±


    As another Verdant Wolf appeared, Amy quickly killed it, turning its body into a Magic Stone.


    ¡°You know her?¡±


    ¡°Nya-huh. We¡¯re friends ¡ª must¡¯ve been for six years now, I think? I could ask her over, if you¡¯d like. She actually bought you up when we talked before, too, and it didn¡¯t look like she had a bad opinion of you, at least.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, please do, then,¡± Tsutomu replied with a super-serious face, out of sheer surprise that his search might atst go somewhere.


    ¡°Uh, you¡¯re looking pretty scary there, Tsutomu. I¡¯ll go talk to herter, so turn your face back to normal already!¡± Amy said, startled. She then chuckled as if trying to regain herposure, then continued, ¡°But it¡¯s not like she¡¯ll definitely agree, you know?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. Still wouldn¡¯t hurt to ask, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°And then I¡¯ll join you eventually ¡ª Don¡¯t worry; you¡¯ll do fine either way!¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much, Lady Amy.¡±


    ¡°¡®Lady¡¯!?¡±


    ¡°You see, I¡¯ve been looking for Attackers over at Ealdred Crow as well, but haven¡¯t found anyone so far. This is a great help, really ¡ª I know! I¡¯ll gift-wrap my reward money and send it over to you!¡±


    ¡°NONONO¨C!? DON¡¯T DO THAT! REALLY!¡±


    As Tsutomu continued to bow his head in worship, Amy panicked and patted him on the shoulder to make him look up. And then Garm saw them, but only thest part... which got him to assume that Amy had done something bad again, which led to yet another lecture.

 Chapter 79, Sudden Good News

    <h4>Chapter 79, Sudden Good News</h4>


    Thanks to Garm and Amy, Tsutomu had been able to find himself a Tank and an Attacker, so he was worry-free while exploring the Dungeon while watching over Daryl¡¯s training. After that, the four had dinner together before going their separate ways.


    Daryl¡¯s Job was the Heavy Knight, so his equipment was heavy and limited to his movements, but he could hold his ground well thanks to exactly that in addition to his high VIT. That in turn meant that Tsutomu¡¯s future party would at least have its defenses secured; Diniel, an Archer, had abilities on a dependable level as well. At worst, Tsutomu would have to make do with just three members ¡ª and he could still see the possibility of sess in doing so, so for now, he decided to concentrate on the Stampede rather than the party.


    From the next day on, Tsutomu made it his routine to buy the morning newspapers containing information about the Stampede, training to ride a horse,piling information about Dungeon City¡¯s Defensive Battle, and confirming escape routes. As Tsutomu frequented the reference library on the Guild¡¯s second floor, Amy and Garm asionally watched him from the sidelines.


    ¡°I wonder what¡¯s going on with him...¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    Tsutomu used to spend his free time staring at the Monitors at the Guild and all over town and taking notes, but for the past several days, he had been doing none of that and was favoring something else for once. The two were worried about that change, what with Tsutomu previously having no interest in anything not concerning God¡¯s Dungeon before.


    In the process of checking for escape routes, Tsutomu had the chance to leave Dungeon City for the first time ever since his arrival in this world... and it was mostly a wastnd-like empty space, devoid of any other form of nature. Such was the result of the monster armies¡¯ ravagements during the semi-annual Stampedes, once from the north and once from the south.


    The highway and transport routes were well-maintained, but the rest of the roads were rickety, as if meteorites had frequently fallen on them. Tsutomu, being a novice rider, would never be able to ride through thetter kind; in fact, even passing through them with horse-drawn vehicles would prove difficult.


    After confirming the escape routes to the south by both means of horse and <<Fly>>, Tsutomu watched from the sky as wagons and groups of people lined the well-maintained roads ¡ª those were refugees from nearby towns and viges.


    They would pack up their bare-minimum necessities and move to find refuge in Dungeon City during every Stampede. Otherrge cities besides Dungeon City existed as well, the closest of which being Uga¡¯ol, located to the north. The people in the viges and towns near Uga¡¯ol should have taken refuge there by now, too.


    Currently, the Stampede had begun its advance from the north, trampling down viges and towns and closing in on Uga¡¯ol. The newspapers were constantly reporting the situation, with recent reports stating that the hungry horde would reach Uga¡¯ol in three days.


    [Are they gonna be alright?]


    While flying back to Dungeon City, Tsutomu thought back to the n Leader of the Labyrinth Conquerors, the silver-haired Elf. The Labyrinth Conquerors were currently on their way to the city further north of Uga¡¯ol, in order to rescue and direct the survivors. Information regarding their activities had yet to reach the news, however; that was one point Tsutomu was worried about.


    Another was that Leon of the Golden Tune had been sent as a scout by the Security Team to the same northern city. Thanks to his unique skill, he could attain an AGI rating of S- at best, temporarily breaking through his base rating of A+. If he were to run seriously, he could reach his given destination faster than a warhorse, making him the most capable one around to work as a scout.


    The main thing about this was that, as far as Tsutomu knew, it was a rare urrence for the Security Team to name specific individual Explorers for their tasks; that was what made him warrier and warrier of theing Stampede. The fact that they had requested Leon to do the scouting meant that they werecking information. As such, Tsutomu carefully studied all the escape routes he could, and also secured himself some longsting preserved foods.


    Back at the city gate, the gatekeepers were busy inspecting all the new arrivals; Tsutomu showed his Status Card to them and entered the city, then ate his lunch before visiting the Ealdred Crow n House.


    It seemed that Rook had spent a decent amount of time searching for recruits for Tsutomu, just as thetter had requested as his reward; he passed a stack of documents to Tsutomu, each sheet containing information on the candidates he had found. Tsutomu looked through the sheets; although these were not for members of Ealdred Crow, the ones presented were beginners with potential and-or scouted talents.


    Some of the listed neers were even ones that Tsutomu had seen on the Monitors before. And then, once he flipped over to thest sheet, his eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°This one looks too good to be true, at least from what the document says...¡±


    ¡°Oh, this girl¡¯s got... problems. I¡¯ve put her there just to be sure, but really, I wouldn¡¯t rmend that you take her.¡±


    ¡°...So her personality isn¡¯t desirable, then?¡±


    ¡°Nah, she¡¯s good and all honest ¡ª but also stubborn as hell. Used to be with us as well, actually, until she quit a month ago.¡±


    ¡°Honest and stubborn, huh...¡±


    Rook scratched his cheek, unsure of what to say next, before exining,


    ¡°She¡¯s a Boxer and used to work as an Attacker, but then one day she just insisted real hard that she wanted to be a Tank, you see. We let her practice with the other Tanks for about two months, but she just couldn¡¯t pull it off. At all. Eventually, she just handed in her resignation and left ¡ª said she didn¡¯t want to cause any more problems for the n and stuff.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s the deal with her... Was she really performing that bad, though?¡±


    ¡°As an Attacker, she was good enough to stay a permanent member of our top parties, actually. But as a Tank... yeah, that bad. Her race and physical build just don¡¯t mesh well with the Tank role ¡ª you can probably tell that even at a nce.¡±


    ¡°...Hmm. Well, may I have her contact info, just in case?¡± Tsutomu said as he scanned over the information sheet ¡ª Race: Birdkin, Job: Boxer.


    Rook, eyes widened in surprise, asked back, ¡°You serious? If you want to recruit her as an Attacker, you¡¯d be better off giving up now ¡ª she definitely won¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°I n to invite her in as a Tank, of course. The actual meeting will have to wait until after the Stampede, though. Oh, I¡¯m also interested in these people...¡±


    Tsutomu, wanting a total of five or six members so that he would have enough to form one full party, selected a few more sheets from the stack. He then proceeded to chat with Rook, exchanging thetest information and discussing theing Stampede.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read in the newspaper yesterday that sightings of a Fire Dragon-like creature had been confirmed. Things could turn out to be particrly bad this time, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Ah... Say, Tsutomu, you¡¯re from outside Dungeon City, right? Seeing that you¡¯re so scared of the Stampede and all.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose you could say that I am, yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one hell of a disaster outside of Dungeon City, that¡¯s for sure. I hear about it all the time, what with some of our n members being from those towns and viges. But there¡¯s no need to worry when you¡¯re in the city. House Babenberg¡¯s people are back from the Royal Capital now, and they already have plenty of Magic Stone saved up. Not to mention, their defensive magic ¡ª the best there is in this world. I assume you haven¡¯t seen it in action before, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°I do know about it, but haven¡¯t seen it with my own eyes yet.¡±


    House Babenberg, the royal household that ruled over Dungeon City, were famous for their use of irond defensive magic. Because of that ability of theirs, they had been ordered by the Royal Capital to rule over Dungeon City, which back in the day had simply been a city surrounded by the region¡¯s various Dungeons. At one point, God¡¯s Dungeon had emerged within the city, boosting Magic Stone excavation rate to an unprecedented level and further strengthening their defensive magic.


    House Babenberg currently had enough resources to use their defensive magic for a month, covering the whole Dungeon City with a protective barrier all the while, so it was said that the city could never lose to the Stampede. In fact, Dungeon City had not suffered any damage from any Stampede over the past hundred years.


    ¡°Well, Uga¡¯gol should have the Labyrinth Conquerors helping them by now. Not to mention the Stampede¡¯s gonna pass through other cities on its way here ¡ª Uga¡¯gol should weaken it down a great deal.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    ¡°Then again, it¡¯s always better to be prepared. This one¡¯s going to be bigger thanst time, that¡¯s for sure. We won¡¯t be having any difficulty with Fire Dragons, either. No limit of how many people can fight at once, unlike God¡¯s Dungeon ¡ª and we even killed one with a team of five!¡±


    Rook concluded with a wink. Tsutomu was somewhat relieved by Rook¡¯s optimistic attitude; the two proceeded to talk about Stephanie and the Enchanter, after which Tsutomu left the n House.


    [The townspeople¡¯s mood hasn¡¯t changed all that much...]


    The inhabitants of Dungeon City did not seem to mind at all when it was reported that a monster simr to the Fire Dragon had appeared among Stampede.


    [So Stampedes to them are like earthquakes are for Japanese people, I guess.]


    While thinking things to himself, Tsutomu observed the marketces; the prices of everything were starting to be marked up, little by little. Foods and daily necessities were especially high, with the biggest one being Magic Stones.


    The Magic Stone market had been bing more active over the past two weeks, with more Stones being traded than ever before. Most of the items used for town defense were magic tools, their fuel obviously being Magic Stones. Even the purchase price of colorless Magic Stone has gone up, making it a good opportunity for Explorers to make some profit. As Tsutomu looked at the price list on the Magic Stone Exchange¡¯s board, he noticed a certain woman standing in line.


    She wore slightly dirty clothes, and her bushy brown tail had be shaggy, a far cry from how shiny and well-groomed it had once been. Such was Mirul, a former Solit Company employee, standing in a long line of people waiting to cash in their Magic Stones.


    In order to prevent Mirul from harming Tsutomu, Solit Company had hired a detective to keep track of her activities and pass the information to him. Therefore, Tsutomu had already known that Mirul had be an Explorer, but this was the first time he had actually seen her.


    She still worked as an Explorer, but there was no indication that she intended to harm Tsutomu. If she were to show even the slightest hint of such a move, Solit Company would ask Tsutomu if he wanted her eliminated. Although Solit Company has been weakened by the recent sess of the two next biggest newspaper outlets, they still were powerful enough to do something like that.


    Mirul was currently partied up with some no-good Explorers, and was not earning much of anything. Although ces like Ealdred Crow and Golden Tune had begun to somewhat reevaluate Healers and Tanks¡¯ roles, the Job disparity was still overall widespread. As such, Mirul¡¯s ie was low; with her assets confiscated and her pay reduced to a fraction of what she used to earn, she could not even afford to stay at an inn.


    And due to her notoriety from the Solit Company incident, she was unable to team up with good Explorers, and even among the buggers, only the ones with the worst personalities would take her in, causing her to be stuck in the lowest tiers of Explorers.


    [Welp, hang in there.]


    After seeing how happy Mirul was to sell her Magic Stone Scraps for more G than usual thanks to the price hike, Tsutomu looked and walked away. He then bought some newspapers before heading back to his room.

 Chapter 80, The Banquet of Dragons

    <h4>Chapter 80, The Banquet of Dragons</h4>


    The next day ¡ª on which was two days before the Stampede attacked Uga¡¯ol ¡ª Leon returned from his scouting. He gave the Security Team an announcement message from the Labyrinth Conquerors, and also information about the Stampede.


    The message went: Uga¡¯ol will most likely fall. After the Labyrinth Conquerors were done protecting all the people of Uga¡¯ol they could, they would head to help defend Dungeon City. They also rmended Dungeon City to be on maximum caution.


    It was all so straightforward. Arriving in addition to that was a detailed summary of the Stampede¡¯s fighting force.


    First off, the size: roughly twice as big as the previous Stampede. Notable known monsters: Over a hundred Wyverns, six Fire Dragons. Unidentified monsters: three Dragons with blue breath attacks, two Dragons that breathed ck mes, one Dragon capable of unleashing lightning strikes, and onendbound Dragon.


    The scouting team before Leon had been wiped out by the lightning Dragon, which was why there had been no information brought back earlier. Its lightning struck in the blink of an eye, instantly killing those whose VIT ratings were C- or lower. Additionally, most targets would still be paralyzed after taking a hit, which would result in them being killed by one of the other Dragons.


    The ck Dragon¡¯s ck mes seemed to be inextinguishable by water, and would continue burning until its victims died. It was yet unknown how one could extinguish those mes.


    Leon, after passing the message and information, immediately returned to Uga¡¯ol. He had been told by the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ n Leader that he did not have to go again, but having seen the Stampede¡¯s sheer force with his own eyes, he immediately headed off again, not even stopping to take a break.


    As soon as the Security Team director received the information, he immediately issued a high alert order. The team evacuated the residents as far south as possible, and then publicly released all the Stampede information thus far.


    For the first time, after hearing the Security Team¡¯s high alert order and the announcements, the people were bewildered; it seemed that they could not even imagine how much bigger the Stampede was this time. Explorers, on the other hand, were in total despair. Wyvernsing in the hundreds was on a whole different scale than what they had experienced previously. On top of that, most of them had never even fought a Fire Dragon, let alone six of them. The lower-leveled Explorers in particr were starting to panic.


    Tsutomu, after getting his information from the newspapers, waded through the crowd on his way back to his room.


    ¡°Lightning Dragon, Earth Dragon, ck Dragon, Ice Dragon... and the ssic Fire Dragon. What¡¯s this, the Banquet of Dragons?¡±


    Tsutomu thought back to his time in Live Dungeon, specifically the ¡®Banquet of Dragons¡¯ in-game event, while pulling out the relevant information sheets and noting down the monsters¡¯ information on a nk sheet of paper.


    Once that was done, he went over and packed the items he needed into his Magic Bag. He now has three more of them ¡ª one for food, one for daily necessities, and one for Magic Stones.


    He held his new purse-like Magic Bags in his hands and carried his first Magic Bag on his back.


    [Sure would be nice if I could put Magic Bags into a Magic Bag,] Tsutomu thought to himself, while also being thankful that Magic Bags were a thing in the first ce, since without them, he would not have been able to keep all his food in one ce.


    After confirming that he could carry everything just fine, Tsutomu put his bags down and left the inn.


    What he was focusing on now were his preparations to flee with his life. If all the information thus far was urate, there was a good chance that Dungeon City would be destroyed by the Stampede. Moreover, so long as he did not have detailed knowledge about Dungeon City¡¯s defense systems, he could not ce much faith in the nobility¡¯s defensive magic.


    Fortunately, the escape routes were not crowded yet, since the residents have yet to start evacuating in full to the south. In this situation, it should be easy to escape from Dungeon City and head for one of the southern cities.


    [...I wonder if any of those guys will follow me.]


    Tsutomu wanted to escape Dungeon City with Garm, Amy, Camille, and the olddy from the Forest Apothecary if he could, his destination being a city to the south. He would like to bring the entirety of Silver Beast along if he could, too, but he was not so sure if there would be enough food to support theirrge numbers, so he had to make the difficult decision to not go to them.


    If Tsutomu were to prioritize his survival, it would most likely be best that he went alone. That way, he would have plenty of food to himself, and would be able to go on his way quickly.


    He was no longer in a position to do that, however ¡ª his rtionships with some people here were not so shallow that he would just abandon them. Garm, Amy, Camille ¡ª these three, at the very least, he could not leave behind without a word first.


    Tsutomu entered the Guild and waited for Garm¡¯s break from his gatekeeping duties; in the meantime, he talked to a receptionist to book an appointment with Camille, and then went to the Appraisal Office to call Amy.


    Then, once lunch break time rolled around, the three went to meet up with Tsutomu in the Guild¡¯s conference room. While they stared at him, Tsutomu took a deep breath and proceeded to talk, his expression just as heavy as his thoughts,


    ¡°Hypothetically speaking, if I told you that I would be escaping from Dungeon City, would you follow me?¡±


    The three only stared back nkly, but then changed their expressions upon seeing that he was actually serious.


    ¡°Am I correct in assuming that you will be running away from the Stampede?¡± Garm asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°...I have many people I must protect here in Dungeon City. I can¡¯t simply make an escape with you,¡± Garm said with a straight face, without a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    Following Garm, Camille spoke, cracking a somewhat troubled smile,


    ¡°...It¡¯s quite an appealing invitation, but I won¡¯t go. As the Guild Master, there are many responsibilities I must fulfill.¡±


    Garm and Camille were firm in their decision to stay. Garm intended to defend the orphanage and protect the people, while Camille would be defending the Guild as its Master. Amy looked at both of them to her sides and groaned before giving her answer,


    ¡°I¡¯m... alright with that. If you decide to run, I¡¯ll run with you,¡± Amy said as she looked up at Tsutomu.


    Seeing Amy like that, Camille shrugged in good humor, prompting the former to turn away in embarrassment.


    Tsutomu did not lighten up his expression, however. If he had to leave even one of the four behind ¡ª be it Garm, Amy, Camille, or the olddy ¡ª he would not be able to bring himself to escape.


    ...Or so he felt, if only vaguely. In fact, he had already known that someone like Garm would never agree to abandon the people, and that Camille would not turn away from her responsibilities. Amy¡¯s response was somewhat unexpected, but then again, he could not leave with just her.


    Besides, the real question was whatever would happen if Dungeon City were to be destroyed. The city would most likely be upied by monsters, after which it would take quite a long time to reim. Moreover, Tsutomu¡¯s future party members might even die in the process. If he wanted the best results, he should stay and fight off the Stampede here instead.


    [...Yeah, right...]


    At this point, all that was just a front he put up. All Tsutomu wanted out of this was to help at least those four, even if it meant risking his life. That was all there was to it, and he felt embarrassed to admit that outright.


    When Tsutomu first arrived in this world, he had gained infamy as the ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯ and had not been able to party up with anyone as a result. That was what made him hate the people of this world wholeheartedly; it did not matter to him whether the bad Explorers or the general popte lived or died. After all, they were all someone else ¡ª it was no different to him from hearing news reports of people¡¯s deaths overseas.


    But then, thanks to the Guild¡¯s suggestions, he had met Garm and Amy, partying up with them. And during the following fake news incident, he had been saved by Camille. The Forest Apothecarydy, the Deputy Guild Master, the folks over at Silver Beast ¡ª they all had helped him at some point. Back in his original world, Tsutomu had not been very good at interpersonal rtionships, but after getting involved with the people here, he had started to see some change.


    Tsutomu heaved a deep sigh and held his head with one hand, then promptly raised his face up, making no effort to hide his annoyance. Seeing Tsutomu¡¯s true reaction, Camille nodded in satisfaction, while Amy alternated her sights between the former two, confused.


    ¡°...All right, I understand. Thank you for talking with me, everyone ¡ª even though this must be a busy time for you all. I¡¯ll excuse myself now.¡±


    ¡°...Huh!? You mean we¡¯re not actually running away!?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Amy, you... Well, go on, Tsutomu. I¡¯ll take care of this little princess for you,¡± Camille said as she grabbed Amy in ce.


    ¡°Thank you. Again, sorry for asking a weird question, everyone,¡± Tsutomu said and promptly exited the Guild building. After he was gone, Camille let go of Amy.


    Tsutomu had made the decision to help out ¡ª first by sending information on the Dragons to the northern city. Once he got back to his room, he checked the documents he had written in the morning and picked up his three Magic Bags, passing them over to the supply convoy heading to Uga¡¯ol.


    Tsutomu talked to the coachman, asking if he could bring those items straight to the Labyrinth Conquerors and offering to pay a lucrative amount of G for it. The coachman was surprised by how much pay was being put forward, but nevertheless agreed.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    And then, two dayster, the Stampede shed against the defenses of Uga¡¯ol. The quadrupedal Earth Dragon was in the lead, charging at the city wall. Unfazed by cannon fire, it eventually broke through the wall, after which the other monsters poured inside through the newly opened hole. The airborne Dragons unleashed ck mes and lightning bolts as they flew by, causing utter chaos inside the city.


    Information that had been sent beforehand suggested that the ck mes could be extinguished with Holy-elemental attacks; thanks to that knowledge, the defenders could prevent the city from burning to the ground. The airborne Dragons flew straight for Dungeon City, while the monsters on the ground continued to raid this city in search of food.


    The Labyrinth Conquerors had anticipated the influx of monsters, however, and had scattered food and Magic Stones all over the city, luring the invaders into carefully chosen paths. Relying on the lure locations and instructions from allies hovering above using <<Fly>>, the n members evacuated the city residents to avoid contact with the monsters.


    Still, avoiding detection by all monsters proved to be difficult, so the Uga¡¯ol soldiers and the Labyrinth Conquerors also moved all over the city, eliminating monsters that were closing in on the residents.


    The soldiers, having no experience fighting the types of monsters that had invaded the city ¡ª or anyrge monster, for that matter ¡ª could only help with long-ranged attacks from the safety of the wall-tops. Because of that, their performance was poor, resulting in several casualties.


    The Labyrinth Conquerors, on the other hand, had experience with many unforeseen situations and were able to work quickly. The n Leader, the silver-haired Elf, gave precisemands to her subordinates to protect the city¡¯s inhabitants, while the Deputy n Leader fought one-on-one with the Earth Dragon.


    Amid all this, there had been a few people who had not responded to the evacuation order, mistaking it for the easy Stampedes of the past. They had packed their things and rushed out to evacuate upon hearing that the wall had been broken through, but not knowing their escape routes, they had ended up wandering around and killed by the monsters. Apart from that, the defenders were able to keep casualties to a minimum.


    Overall, the Labyrinth Conquerors were doing a good job ¡ª their evacuation direction was precise, and the Earth Dragon was sessfully stalled. Leon, temporarily working under the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯mands, was also a great help. Working in conjunction with the n Leader, who levitated with <<Fly>> to get a clear view of everything and give out precise orders, Leon moved quickly by hopping from roof to roof, assisting the groundbatants wherever they were struggling with monsters. Thanks to his efforts, casualties and injuries among the residents were kept considerably low.


    And thanks to the food scattered along the chosen paths, arge portion of the monsters were moving through the designated areas. The residents watched on, trembling with fear as the monsters ravaged the city.


    But then, at one point, a child cried, attracting a group of monsters and causing chaos to break loose. One of the Labyrinth Conquerers used <<Combat Cry>> to draw the monsters to them instead, managing to keep the people out of harm¡¯s way... but the Explorer died, swallowed up by the wave of monsters.


    After most of the monsters had passed through the city, the soldiers and the residents started to feel relieved, but were promptly warned by the Labyrinth Conquerors. There were still some monsters left in the city, so they could not let their guard down until those creatures were all eliminated.


    The extermination of the few monsters within the city was left to the soldiers, while the Labyrinth Conquerors went to intercept the Earth Dragon. Joining up with the Deputy n Leader, who had been fighting it alone all this time, they eventually managed to y the Dragon, albeit with some casualties on their side.


    After that, the people began to work on restoring the ravaged city. Buildings had been burnt, roads destroyed, the wall broken through ¡ª not to mention many had died, eaten by the monsters, their remains left a mess. Corpses, both the people and the monsters¡¯, had to be cleaned up quickly, otherwise they could be the source of an epidemic.


    Flies, sensing the decay of flesh, had already sprung up toy their eggs on the corpses. Soldiers and members of the Labyrinth Conquerors led the way in disposing of the corpses; they unrolledrge Magic Bags, put ice into them to help slow down the dposition process, and then threw the corpses in.


    Creatures with consciousness could not be put into Magic Bags, so living humans could not be put into them ¡ª but corpses were a different story. The residents watched on in horror as one body after another was put into the seemingly bottomless bags.


    Once the human corpses were taken care of, the following step was the collection of monster corpses. Magic Stones, furs, and other materials extracted from the monsters would go toward funding the city¡¯s rebuilding efforts. For the time being, the corpses were put into Magic Bags; their resources would be extracted at ater time. The Earth Dragon, on the other hand, was being harvested right away ¡ª eventually, all that was left of it were bones with bits of flesh stuck to them.


    The work went on all night, but everything ended without further issues. The Labyrinth Conquerors n Leader sat down in a chair and closed her eyes. She had been going without a wink of sleep, directing her subordinates and processing their reports; now she could finally rx.


    [...I can¡¯t imagine what would have happened if we hadn¡¯t received all this information.]


    Tsutomu¡¯sption of information had safely been delivered to the Labyrinth Conquerors, and it included things such as the hardness of the Earth Dragon¡¯s shell and how to extinguish the ck Dragon¡¯s mes, which had been the keys to defending the city. The n Leader had already expected the Earth Dragon to break through the wall with its tackle attack, but Leon¡¯s reports and Tsutomu¡¯s information were the things that had made her a hundred percent sure.


    Moreover, ways to extinguish ck mes had not been known to her before, so the delivered information had been a lifesaver. If not for it, the buildings would have burned to the ground, and the people who had been burned by the ck mes would have been all dead.


    [Those damned fools...]


    She thought back to the idents during the evacuations, in which thebatants had to put their lives on the line, using <<Combat Cry>> and <<Warrior Howl>> to pull monsters away from the people. If she had kept on top of things, she would have cast <<Fly>> for them to make their work safer. While raising her face up and rubbing the inner corners of her eyes, she bit her lower lip in frustration.

 Chapter 81, Further Details at the Security Office

    <h4>Chapter 81, Further Details at the Security Office</h4>


    Once the Stampede went past Uga¡¯ol, Leon, though battered from all the chaos, immediately left and headed for Dungeon City. He arrived without incident and reported all the information he had, after which he fell asleep on the spot... while at the same time pushing down a beautiful securitydy. No one med him just this once, however, as he had been working without rest over the past few days.


    Leon¡¯s report revealed that Uga¡¯ol had fallen, the Stampede had not lost much momentum, and that it was certainly still heading towards Dungeon City. More and more of the townspeople, as if feeling a sense of threat from the news, started either evacuating to the south district or leaving Dungeon City altogether.


    [I wish I could be one of them...] Tsutomu thought to himself the thought that he had always had, and still had now.


    Nevertheless, his feet were carrying him in the opposite direction ¡ª the direction of the Guild. Explorers all over the city had been called upon by the Guild and the Security Team, and Tsutomu was on his way to join the gathering. Although there was technically no penalty for refusing the call to action, the names of those who escaped would be made public once the Stampede was over. That was, in fact, a real penalty for an Explorer¡¯s career, so most of them joined in, gathering in different groups at different times.


    Many familiar faces could be seen within the busier-than-ever Guild, including ns he had worked with such as Silver Beast and Ealdred Crow.


    The members of the Scarlet Devil Squad were here, too. One among them, Alma, turned away as soon as she made eye contact with Tsutomu. She had been avoiding Tsutomu after the ck Staff transaction, so they had not seen each other that much. As Tsutomu looked away from her slender rear silhouette, someone tapped him on the shoulder from behind.


    ¡°Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hello, Garm.¡±


    ¡°...Everyone is already here. Follow me.¡±


    Garm took one look at Alma before beckoning to Tsutomu to follow him. They walked together, and eventually found Amy, Camille, and the other main force members of the Guild. One among them was the tough-looking receptionist with a buzz cut, who was apparently quite battle-hardened. In fact, all of the people in this group had already reached level 70.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here, too. I¡¯ve always thought you looked strong, so no surprises here, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Damn right I am! Looking forward to working with you, Tsutomu.¡±


    By the time Tsutomu finished greeting the other members, someone climbed up on the reception counter and made a throat-clearing cough. They were none other than the hulking, orc-like Director of the Security Team.


    Due to the absence of the Labyrinth Conquerors, who usually were the ones in charge during Stampedes, Security Team Director Bruno had been givenmand instead. The crowd of Explorers became quieter and quieter as Bruno stood up. Then, after a few moments ofplete silence, Bruno started speaking,


    ¡°Nice to meet y¡¯all~~!¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Tsutomu was taken aback by the giant with a stereotypical homo tone, and was worried whether or not things would be all right going forward. After consulting Garm and Amy, however, it seemed that they could run things perfectlypetently.


    The current Stampede¡¯s advance toward Dungeon City was led by airborne Dragons, so Bruno started the meeting off with exnations of how to deal with them. The first step was to intercept them with magic tools. Once they were down on the ground, teams of high-leveled Explorers would proceed to attack them. Medium-leveled Explorers were tasked with going into God¡¯s Dungeon and collecting Magic Stones in preparation for the following monster horde, and low-leveled Explorers would be responsible for misceneous tasks such as carrying the Magic Stones and transporting the injured.


    ¡°Considering my level, I¡¯m supposed to be a mid-tier Explorer¨C¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat the details,¡± Amy said bluntly, still grumpy at Tsutomu for disregarding her serious answer to him during the conversation the other day.


    ¡°Uh-huh...¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu, you can sit this out if you want. I won¡¯t put it against you,¡± Garm interjected, offering quite a tempting suggestion.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll stay. And look, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve already made up my mind... I think...¡± Tsutomu chuckled dryly.


    Although he had indeed made up his mind, it did not necessarily mean that he was no longer scared. As such, he had let his thoughts of escaping slip out, which prompted Amy to criticize him, and Garm to try and convince him to prioritize his safety.


    The people tasked with fending off the Dragons were as follows: Scarlet Devil Squad, Ealdred Crow, Golden Tune, the Security Team, the Guild main force, and three delegations of the nobility¡¯s private military force. They added up to a total of six different independent organizations, with Tsutomu working as a part of the Guild.


    The Earth Dragon had already been defeated by the Labyrinth Conquerors, and the twelve Dragons remaining were as follows: six Fire Dragons, three Ice Dragons, two ck Dragons, and one Lightning Dragon. In other words, each group had to take on an average of two. Despite there being no five-member limits to their parties, the battle was still expected to be extremely difficult.


    [Man, I¡¯ve always hated Raid events... Wish I could at least see all my party members¡¯ detailed stats...] Tsutomu thought to himself, feeling quite gloomy.


    Raid events also existed in Live Dungeon, in the form of battles where tens of yers teamed up. The game¡¯s interface would show the yer every participant¡¯s HP and MP, however, whereas this world had no such thing. As such, there was no way Tsutomu would be able to manage things as he had in the game.


    Unlike inside God¡¯s Dungeon, <<Raise>> was not usable in the outside world ¡ª no second chances, no mistakes allowed. While Tsutomu tried to concentrate himself, Bruno wrapped up their speech and got down from the counter.


    After that, the Explorers went their separate ways, while Bruno talked a little with the Security Team members before approaching Tsutomu, poking thetter on his shoulder.


    ¡°You are... Tsutomu, yes? I¡¯d like to ask you something, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Ah, yes, of course. What is it?¡±


    ¡°You were the one who sent thepiled data to Uga¡¯ol, if I¡¯m not mistaken? At least that¡¯s what I got from the descriptions the supply crew gave me.¡±


    ¡°...That would probably be me, yes. I asked the supply convoy to take the documents with them.¡±


    ¡°Well then, could you apany us to the office for a few moments? We¡¯d like for us to share information we have with each other... And rest assured, we won¡¯t do anything bad. Totally.¡±


    Bruno, seeing that Amy had her white tail suddenly pointing up, cracked a wry smile at her. Tsutomu, although oblivious to Bruno¡¯s gesture, agreed to the invitation.


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    ¡°You have our thanks. This way, please.¡±


    Tsutomu, although apparently overwhelmed with worry, left the Guild together with Bruno, heading for the Security Team¡¯s head office.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    After a few hours of both serious discussions and small talk, Tsutomu was released from the Security Team¡¯s head office, and looked to still be overwhelmed with worry on his way out.


    [Okay, they didn¡¯t keep me as long as I expected.]


    His expected reasons for the Security Team¡¯s call were to ask him things such as his origins and how he had gained information on the Dragons. In reality, they had only been brought up as an off-handment during the small talk, without going into any detail.


    In fact, the meeting had been mostly positive, with Leon ¡ª who had been there as well for reasons unknown to Tsutomu ¡ª and the members of the Security Team praising and thanking him for saving so many people with the provided information. Tsutomu, guessing that they had let him slide because of his contribution, had proceeded to provide the Security Team with all the information he had regarding the Stampede. He had no issue in doing so, what with them not being something that needed to be kept secret, and could even help save lives down the line.


    After that part, Tsutomu had also been impressed by the way the Security Team Director, the effeminate Bruno, asked him questions. He had been relieved, and somewhat let down, by how normal andpletely reasonable Bruno was, but he still proceeded with caution all the while. The case with Amy¡¯s raid on Solit Company also came up amid the discussions, embarrassing Tsutomu quite a bit.


    Tsutomu was then let go as the sun started to set, right after which he headed for the market where the Monitors were. There, he was surprised to see that things were not quite the same.


    Monitor #1 was showing a mid-tier n, as did many of the other single-digit ones. The market in the vicinity was less active than before, too, with the number of stalls greatly dwindled and the number of spectators down to almost half.


    Tsutomu walked through the rtively empty market, observing everything with curious eyes. At one point, he heard some thunderous sounds from outside of town, so he headed toward that direction instead.


    Outside of the city gate, people gathered behind the magical barrier that had been put up by the nobility¡¯s forces as practice, and outside that perimeter, a gigantic boulder was crashing down onto the empty wastnd. Tsutomu cast <<Fly>> and ascended, bypassing the crowd and getting a good look at what was happening.


    ¡°<<Meteor Stream>>,¡± a beautiful, ck-haired woman chanted and waved her ck Staff.


    Momentster, a rain of meteorites poured down from the sky and fell on the area.


    ¡°<<Explosion>>.¡±


    And then the meteorites on the ground exploded. The already uneven terrain of the wastnd was roughed up further, making it even more difficult to navigate through. Such was the magical prowess of Alma, demonstrated during this training session among the major ns.


    Amid the gut-wrenching sounds of the impacts and the resulting dust storms, the crowd cheered from behind the barrier. Alma, being a top-leveled ck Mage and having recently learned a never-before-seen skill, the <<Meteor Stream>> was gaining more fame in showing it off.


    She was famous for doing this in God¡¯s Dungeon as well, what with her preference for spells such as <<Meteor>> and <<Meteor Stream>>. The Scarlet Devil Squad used to be a n centered solely on the n Leader, but now the image was starting to shift to him and Alma sharing the spotlight.


    Meanwhile, Rook was leading a discussion among Ealdred Crow members, deciding on a formation on the scale of a toon or two. Ealdred Crow had boasted that they would be taking on four Fire Dragons, their confidence fueled by the Magic Stones the Guild had supplied them with.


    ¡°<<Summon ¡ª Golem>>.¡±


    Rook cast his summoning spell over a hundred times. The army of Golems formed into a wall, holding each other up like a coordinated gymnastics team. Looking closely, Tsutomu could see that the fortress-like structures in the area were made of Golems as well.


    Summoners had a limit to the number of Eidolons they could summon in a given area. Go over the limit, and the older Eidolons would turn into light particles and disappear. That was the case only inside God¡¯s Dungeon, however. In the outside world, excess Eidolons were instead downgraded to puppets without their own will, effectively dead bodies.


    Taking advantage of that, Rook summoned Golems and deliberately turned them into soulless husks, but not before forming them into makeshift walls. These walls, positioned outside the city¡¯s magical barrier, would most likely be useful during the battle.


    Rook had already been hoarding Magic Stones before the Stampede, and the Guild had also provided him with more. The Magic Stone that had dropped from his team¡¯s Fire Dragon attempt was set to be used here as well.


    Summoners were technically limited by the cost of their summons; if they wanted to make a profit fighting in the Dungeon, they had to limit their summons to a few at a time. Otherwise, they would only end up in the red, at which point Dungeon exploration would be unviable despite making progress.


    If they could summon without concern for the cost, however, they would be able to exert tremendous power. Rook, backed by the Guild¡¯s financial support and Ealdred Crow¡¯s operating funds, and also top-leveled personnel of various Jobs in his n, was plenty powerful to take on four Fire Dragons, especially if those Dragons were brought to the ground.


    Golden Tune, on the other hand, was allowed to sit out the Dragon fights, due to their previous failure to defeat the Dungeon¡¯s Fire Dragon, and also Leon¡¯s contributions as a scout. Though they could showcase some great powers with potential sacrifice, they ultimately lost in terms of firepower to the Scarlet Devil Squad, and in terms of stability to Ealdred Crow. During the uing battle, Golden Tune was instead set to act as Leon¡¯s scouting party and support the other ns.


    ¡°Aha! Tsutomu~~!¡± A certain white-haired girl cheerfully called Tsutomu and came running to him from outside the barrier while thetter watched all the ns do their thing.


    Staring closely, Tsutomu saw that it was Amy, practically hopping as she waved to him.


    ¡°Good thing you¡¯re here! We¡¯ll be having a briefing session over with the Guild¡¯s crew! C¡¯mon!¡±


    ¡°Oh, all right. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    Once Amy knocked on the barrier, a holerge enough for one person to go through opened up. Tsutomu went outside and followed Amy on her way.

 Chapter 82, Amy’s Past

    <h4>Chapter 82, Amy¡¯s Past</h4>


    Once Tsutomu came to join the group, Camille started the meeting off by confirming everyone¡¯s abilities. Most of the twenty-five Guild Staff Members gathered here were at the high level of seventy, and although they were not as well-known as Garm and Amy, they were all very capable.


    As for their Job types, most of them were Attackers, numbering at fifteen; of the remaining, six were Tanks and four were Healers. Tsutomu looked at all their status ratings, focusing especially on their unique skills, and then proceeded to talk with every one of them.


    ¡°Long time no see, Mister Tsutomu,¡± the Deputy Guild Master greeted, happily puffing up his plump cheeks and exuding the friendly aura he had always had. He had joined the group as well, having reached level 70 in his Job as a Spiritualist.


    ¡°Ohh! Long time no see, indeed, sir!¡±


    By the time Tsutomu was done confirming everyone¡¯s skills and status ratings, the other ns were done with their meetings as well; they decided then that it was time to wrap up for the day, what with it being almost nighttime. All the organization representatives were going to have another meeting shortly, however, so Camille left her group and headed for the city rulers¡¯ residence.


    As Tsutomu was wondering what to do now, Amy invited him to a dinner gathering of Guild members participating in the Stampede. They entered a nearby tavern, the inside of which was empty due to the Stampede, and were easily let in.


    At first, everyone sat down and ate and drank in a well-ordered manner, but as the drinks started making the rounds, everyone started to move around as they pleased.


    The receptionist with the buzz cut walked over to Tsutomu¡¯s seat and talked to him, ¡°You know, Tsutomu, thatdy¡¯s been real grumpy because you kept lining up for me! Hah!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not grumpy.¡± The receptionistdy, sitting diagonally in front of them, chugged her drink down while keeping a perfectly straight face.


    ¡°Ahaha...¡±


    Tsutomu had been quite surprised to hear that thedy was a level 70 Gray Mage, having thought that she, and by extension the other receptionist, were regr full-time office workers.


    The Gray Mage Job¡¯s functionality was somewhere in the middle between White and ck Mages, and was often regarded as a master of none. It was notpletely written off, however, thanks to its specialty skill that copied another skill used by their allies, enabling them to use it once. Additionally, they had ess to a great variety of attacking elements through themon magic spells and Holy-elemental attacks, enabling them to easily exploit monsters¡¯ weaknesses.


    In addition to the Gray Mage, there were many Guild Staff Members who had reached level 70 with their rarer, less popr Jobs such as Sorcerer, Channeler, Spiritualist, Hunter, and Spellder. Some were of the more sough-after Jobs such as Swordfighter and Boxer, of course, but the minor Jobs made up half of them.


    As such, the Guild was home to many individuals who could be considered top of the line despite their suboptimal Jobs. Tsutomu found it interesting to hear all their stories and find out what was different from the game, but the one he was most curious about was the Channeler.


    The Channeler Job, being closely associated in functionality to White Mages, had always been a subject of interest for him. Although he had talked with one during the gathering earlier, it was not enough to satisfy his curiosity. So now, he found himself approaching the person in question ¡ª a Channeler woman ¡ª once again, but he came off as too insistent and passionate,plete with heavy breathing, that the woman tried to distance herself from him.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how do you maintain your channeling effects? I¡¯m quite curious, you see, seeing that their chanting times seem so long and all...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    The more Tsutomu asked, the more the Channer backed away. She had always been introverted and unconfident in her looks, and it had been a long time since she had to interact with an assertive man.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Tsutomu! Stop bullying her!¡± Amy scolded Tsutomu upon seeing the scene, putting herself between him and the Channeler.


    ¡°Uh, I didn¡¯t mean to do that...¡± Tsutomu, putting up no resistance in the first ce, was then promptly shoved away.


    Seeing no use in staying around, Tsutomu then went back to his previous seat and started talking to some other people. He had some extent of technical knowledge on Spellders¡¯ budget management and Spiritualists¡¯ skill loops, so he brought those topics up as some of the Guild staff moved over to his table.


    They were all interested in Tsutomu, what with him having partied up with Amy, and with thetter dering that she would join his n, no less. That was the actual reason they gathered around.


    ¡°So, Tsutomu, how¡¯d you force Amy to group up with you?¡± The receptionistdy, sitting opposite to him, asked with a mischievous smirk.


    ¡°Wording! And I didn¡¯t force her to do anything!¡±


    Just as Tsutomu was about to exin, the receptionistdy chugged down the wine from her ss and chuckled.


    ¡°If you told me six months ago that she¡¯d joined a party, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it, you know...¡±


    ¡°Huh, really?¡±


    ¡°What, you haven¡¯t heard? She was pretty aggressively against it back in the day... and even had a bias against Explorers who worked in groups, you see?¡± The receptionist sighed and tipped her empty ss. Tsutomu promptly took a wine bottle and poured it into the ss, while the receptionistdy proceeded to continue. ¡°So the thing is that her n disbanded after failing to win against the Shell Crab, but the way they did it was... not good. It was just a sham, so to speak.¡±


    ¡°A sham? How so?¡±


    ¡°Long story short, the old n members went and created a new n while leaving Amy out of it. When she found out, well... she got REALLY violent with them. Right in the Guild building, no less. Things were pretty messy after that.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, that never crossed my mind...¡± Tsutomu nodded in understanding, himself having gotten used to such n conflicts from his time with Live Dungeon.


    The receptionistdy moved closer and whispered,


    ¡°I know, right? That¡¯s why I thought you¡¯d threatened her, as those articles said... but those turned out to be fake. So what¡¯d you do to her, exactly?.¡±


    ¡°Well... I didn¡¯t do anything special, really. We just went and won a fight against the Shell Crab, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me! Come on, out with it! How¡¯d you force her to join you!? C¡¯mon!¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t force me to do anything!¡±


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Amy karate-chopped the receptionistdy¡¯s head from behind, causing thetter to clutch her head in pain. She did not stop there, however, continuing to pound her fists on the receptionist¡¯s head, causing thetter to writhe in pain. Tsutomu, seeing that Amy was probably drunk, left the scene while she still was preupied.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Representatives of the relevant organizations began making their way into the Noble Manor, the nobility¡¯s residence located in the center of Dungeon City. They all gathered in an excessively spacious conference room, wherein they sat around a round table.


    The people who arrived were Leon, Rook, Alma, Camille, and Bruno ¡ª thest of which towered over the rest because of their unique skill, <<Muscle Body>>. Waiting for them was Melchor, the middle-aged representative of the nobility¡¯s private armed forces, famous for his ten consecutive championships in the national Martial Arts Competition, and also his splendid white mustache. He knocked on his aching hips a few times as he took his seat.


    For this meeting, Alma had been sent to represent the Scarlet Devil Squad in the n Leader¡¯s stead. She had been getting more and more famous these past few months, albeit inrge part thanks to her ck Staff. Then again, she had always been a big show-off, and had begged her n Leader to be put in charge of this task.


    Alma nervously looked around, what with all the others being practically celebrities. The other representatives seemed to take well to her rtively new presence.


    [Curses... To think Weiss is actually a no-show at a time like this... What a drag...]


    Melchor, after seeing Alma, called over the support staff behind him and started whispering something to them. Having been informed beforehand of Alma¡¯s character and history, he ordered a quick alteration to some of the meeting documents¡¯ contents he had prepared.


    In the meantime, the maids served tea to all the guests, so as to keep the idle chatter going. Melchor, after taking a sip from his cup, used his fingers to stretch out the wrinkles around his eyes.


    The documents¡¯ alterations hadpleted by the time everyone finished their tea and made themselvesfortable, after which Melchor coughed to clear his throat and spoke up,


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get the meeting started, shall we? ...Not that there¡¯s much to talk about, but first, we shall decide on which organization will be responsible for which Dragons.¡±


    Melchor signaled to the support staff behind him, prompting them to begin handing out a set of documents to the representatives. They contained the descriptions of the Dragons that Leon had observed on-site, and also the information that Tsutomu had provided. Melchor held up his copy of the documents in one hand and stroked his mustache with another.


    ¡°With reference to this set of documents, we have made the following assignments of Dragons to each of the organizations. If there are any objections, do feel free to state them.¡±


    ¡°May I have a word, sir?¡± Alma immediately replied, being the first of the group to do so. She pointed at the documents and continued, ¡°Why was the Scarlet Devil Squad assigned only two Fire Dragons? We should be able to handle some of the other Dragons as well, I say.¡±


    The current assignments were as follows: four Fire Dragons for Ealdred Crow, and two for Scarlet Devil Squad. No Dragons for Golden Tune. The ck Dragon and one Ice Dragon for the Guild. One Lightning Dragon for the Security Team. The remaining two Ice Dragons and one ck Dragon for the nobility¡¯s private army. Alma seemed to be dissatisfied with what her n got.


    [This youngdy is too damn motivated... Curse you, Weiss, pushing more trouble my way again...] Melchor grumbled at the Scarlet Devil Squad n Leader in his mind, while also turning back to look at Alma, whose eyes had been sparkling this whole time. ¡°I don¡¯t think so ¡ª the Scarlet Devil Squad is simply too low in numbers. Aren¡¯t there only ten of you?¡±


    ¡°Numbers don¡¯t matter, sir. After all, Weiss and I will be there... If anything, we can handle the addition of the Ice Dragons, I reckon.¡±


    ¡°No can do ¡ª BUT we could make an exchange: we¡¯ll take your Fire Dragons, you take our Ice Dragons. Keep in mind that have a good chance of defeating some of the Dragons during the opening interception anyway.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, sir, that will be fine,¡± Alma reluctantly agreed to the offer.


    Melchor grumbled in his mind again, albeit while maintaining his outward smile. He could tell that Alma simply wanted some credit for offering her opinion here; such was amon mentality for those new to the scene.


    In fact, the Scarlet Devil Squad had been assigned the Ice Dragons originally, out of consideration of theirpatibility. That was what had been changed in the documents just before the meeting, out of Melchor¡¯s consideration that Alma would present an objection either way, wanting to stand out with the very act of speaking up.


    Seeing that Alma had apparently calmed down by now, Melchor proceeded to look around to see if anyone else had anything to say. The slender woman with long red hair raised her hand ¡ª it was none other than Camille, the Guild Master.


    ¡°The Guild would like to propose an alteration as well, sir. We would like to be responsible for the two ck Dragons instead ¡ª is that possible?¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    ¡°As we have been informed, the ck Dragons¡¯ ck mes can only be extinguished with either Holy-elemental skills or Holy Water. Additionally, the Guild has ess to the White Mage that has provided substantial information regarding the Dragons, so I think it would be best if we took care of it.¡±


    ¡°Ah... Tsutomu, was he now?¡±


    To Melchor¡¯s knowledge, the young man was initially famous for his ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯ nickname he had gained for finding a golden treasure chest, and then noticed for his strategic abilities after leading his team to defeat the Fire Dragon for a second time. This same Tsutomu was the one who had provided information regarding the Dragons to the town defenders; it was certain that his information was credible, considering the Dragons that had attacked Uga¡¯ol.


    With Tsutomu¡¯s knowledge of the Dragons, one would assume without a doubt that he had experience fighting in some of the other Dungeons. It was unlikely for a White Mage to explore the Dungeon alone, so the general assumption was that he belonged to a yet unidentified organization, though no details regarding that had surfaced thus far.


    His entire identity was still unknown even to the nobility¡¯s informationwork, so it was believed that he hailed from a very remote region. At any rate, the nobility certainly had high hopes for Tsutomu¡¯s contributions through his knowledge and capabilities.


    ¡°Very well. The Guild shall handle both ck Dragons. We expect good results from you.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to us, sir,¡± Camille answered and bowed.


    ¡°Now, anything else?¡± Melchor asked and waited a few moments for furtherments. Then, seeing that there was not any, he moved on to the next topic. ¡°Our Stampede strategies will bergely unchanged from the ones before. The main difference is that the attack will be opened by the Dragons ¡ª which will force some adjustments, but not all too much. House Babenberg¡¯s barrier magic will be used to stop the Dragons, after which all forces will shoot them down with magic spells and other skills. That will, at the very least, damage their wings. The surviving Dragons will then be dealt with by ground forces. That is all.¡±


    ¡°...That sounds about right. No objections, sir.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re counting on all of you to properly lure the Dragons, people,¡± Melchor further exined.


    Rook nodded, and Leon answered with a broad smile. Bruno said nothing... and instead struck a pose and bulged up their muscles.


    ¡°Very reassuring. Now, as for the rest of the way... I suppose it¡¯s business as usual. Detailed procedures and resource management policies are included in the documents, so consult them as needed. Rook, you might want to double-check them to be sure.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Rook proceeded to flip through the documents, even humming cheerfully while he did so, helping the others around him to feel rxed. As unorthodox as this Stampede may be, it was just about as festive as ever for them. cing their trust in House Babenberg¡¯s barrier magic, they had no particr worries ¡ª that was just how powerful the barrier was.


    As long as God¡¯s Dungeon was essible, the defenders¡¯ supply of Magic Stones was inexhaustible, and as long as the nobility did not all die, the barrier magic would be maintained. No problems were predicted to happen during the interception of airborne monsters, what with the abundance of Mages and anti-air magic tools. And in the case that they failed to defeat the Dragons, they still could use amunication magic tool to call for backup from the Royal Capital. In the meantime, Explorers could simply stall the enemies by keeping on collecting Magic Stones from the Dungeon.


    ¡°All right, I think that¡¯s all we needed to go over. Get to it, people,¡± Melchor threw out an abrupt, sloppy remark before leaving his seat, effectively ending the meeting.

 Chapter 83, Joint Training

    <h4>Chapter 83, Joint Training</h4>


    The day after the meeting, all of the relevant organizations gathered to participate in a joint training session. With that said, it was mostly just Ealdred Crow using Golems to build some fortresses and bases of operations outside of the barrier, and Alma and the ck Mages wrecking the wastnd with <<Meteor>>, so as to make the terrain hard for the Stampede to get through.


    This training session¡¯s purpose was, technically, to confirm theing battle¡¯s tendencies, but the most of it simply consisted of Leon carrying Barbara in his arms and hopping around the ce, matching their positioning with the rhythm of the ck Mages¡¯ magic shot skills and the barrier¡¯s opening-closing time frames. The White Mages, Tsutomu included, did not get to do any specific training, and were practically on free time after they had been briefed on the battle¡¯s general flow. Camille had also told him that the Guild would be in charge of the two ck Dragons instead, a change in the arrangements which the Security Team and most of everyone had already been informed of.


    ording to the information gained from Leon¡¯s high-speed scouting, the Dragons would reach Dungeon City tomorrow; Tsutomu knew that the defending forces were technically more than enough to handle the initial invasion. Considering their capabilities, including aprehensive assortment of anti-monster magic tools, the nobility¡¯s defensive magic, and all the participating Explorers, there was no problem from a pure power standpoint.


    What concerned Tsutomu, however, was what would being after that. In the game version of the ¡®Banquet of Dragons¡¯ event, the invasion of the elemental Dragons was simply the first checkpoint, technically the opening act. Considering that there might be a yet-to-be-introduced boss-level Dragon appearingter on, Tsutomu was considering an escape once again.


    Unlike God¡¯s Dungeon, the other Dungeons of this world had already existed for hundreds of years, and were considered as naturally urring. Tsutomu felt that it was somewhat off-point to apply game knowledge to those Dungeons, let alone this world¡¯s version of God¡¯s Dungeon. But then again, the confirmed types of Dragons lined up perfectly with the Banquet of Dragons, making him unable to shake the bad feeling he had.


    Tsutomu proceeded to re-confirm the information he had on the ck Dragon and told the others about some important points; by the time he was done, various musical tones began to echo from within the magic barrier. Those were from the nobility¡¯s musicians, who had just begun their rehearsals.


    The band was made up of Minstrels, whose magnificent tones not only raised morale, but also had actual positive effects on the targets¡¯ status ratings. About a hundred Minstrels followed a Conductor, alternately ying music to make itst without interruption, buffing the powers of those who heard their songs and voices. Their skills also included some healing effects, helping to greatly reduce the workload of Healers.


    Group support from a safe distance, especially on a scale toorge to achieve in God¡¯s Dungeon, was the Minstrel Job¡¯s strong point here. Moreover, the band seemed as if they were putting together a single song as they efficiently cycled through their skills; Tsutomu was quite impressed by them.


    [These songs have an emphasis on healing effects, too. They¡¯re providing some great support.]


    All statuses except LUK were constantly boosted, and skills that recovered health and mental energy were cast in regr intervals. Tsutomu tried getting himself used to this buffed state, moving around and adjusting his casts to the new rate of energy consumption, and also measured the timing of the iing healing skills.


    The sounds of the band¡¯s performance and the Mages¡¯ falling <<Meteors>> echoed through the air. Meanwhile, Tsutomu waszing around and casting some <<Heal>>, <<High Heal>>, and <<All Heal>> spheres around him, when a certain young woman flew toward him.


    The young woman¡¯s yellow fox tail wagged as she descended ¡ª the person in question was none other than Eunice, one of the members of Golden Tune¡¯s main party. She was in the same type of white robe as Tsutomu¡¯s, and also carried a White Staff in her hands.


    ¡°...There isn¡¯t anything to do,¡± Eunice grumbled.


    ¡°Right. That group¡¯s got support covered, and the briefings are already over... us, well, we can only wait for things to happen.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    Eunice slightly pointed up her fox ears, seeming annoyed at all the constant noises in the vicinity. Tsutomu looked away from her and watched the <<Meteors>> fall in the distance. After a while of awkward silence, Eunice moved in front of Tsutomu and began talking to him,


    ¡°...This time, Golden Tune¡¯s role is to provide support to all parts of the operation. I heard that the Guild will be taking on two ck Dragons?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why I¡¯m here to support them.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°......¡± Eunice groaned in annoyance, feeling as if Tsutomu was not at all interested in maintaining the conversation, and then proceeded to cast <<Heal>> and spin their spheres around. She had been practicing it on her own after Tsutomu had taught her, so her control and consistency were now perfect.


    Tsutomu waited a few more moments for her to go somewhere else, but in the end, it seemed that she refused to leave, sitting there and spinning around some <<Heal>> spheres. Guild personnel, noticing the two randomly spinning around some spells, looked at them funny.


    ¡°...Do you need something?¡± Tsutomu finally caved and asked, prompting Eunice to turn around, her cheeks puffed up, though her tail seemed to suggest that she was satisfied. Tsutomu sighed, wondering to himself whether or not she had attention-seeking issues.


    Eunice proceeded to say, ¡°Tsutomu, I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve been teaching things to other ns¡¯ Healers.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Which means you have something new to teach me as well, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Nothinges to mind, no.¡±


    ¡°...Liar. There¡¯s definitely something you haven¡¯t taught me yet.¡±


    Eunice had felt firsthand how quickly the spectating audience¡¯s reception toward her n could turn so cold, after a mid-tier n like Silver Beast had overtaken their progress. Some of the people were even saying that Silver Beast might be a better selection than Golden Tune for this Stampede defense operation.


    As things currently stood, Golden Tune had better Attackers than Ealdred Crow, and more importantly, ess to Leon and his unique skill. Moreover, thising Stampede was an irregr one ¡ª though this did not suggest that they would suddenly be benched if it was a normal one, either. As such, a regr like Golden Tune had been judged as the better choice this time around. Still, Eunice was quite frustrated by the people¡¯s loosements, and had started to train even harder than before.


    The issue was that those increased efforts had not shown their results yet, causing her to feel stuck and impatient. Eunice had approached Tsutomu to get some advice, but in the heat of the moment, sheshed out at him instead,


    ¡°Well, not that I care. I¡¯ll get better than everyone ¡ª Silver Beast, Ealdred Crow, and even YOU! I¡¯lle out on top!¡±


    ¡°Good luck.¡±


    ¡°Ugh... Just you wait and see!¡±


    Having said that, Eunice cast <<Fly>> and leaped away. Tsutomu, in the end having no idea what she has approached him for, kept silent and watched her leave.


    Golden Tune had yet to show any significant results in their current state, but Tsutomu knew that it was only natural. After all, he hadid down some decent groundwork for Silver Beast¡¯s three-roleposition, and Ealdred Crow had even done so on their own. It was only natural that Golden Tune, without any prior preparation, would initially fall behind.


    Eunice¡¯s current reputation was not all that bad, either. Despite her demeanor, she was a hard worker, and had good enough intuition to even learn cement-type skills by imitation. Tsutomu believed that Eunice¡¯s performance would shine through once the three-roleposition was in ce in her n.


    Afterward, Tsutomu spent his time assessing the band¡¯s supporting patterns, during which Stephanie showed up. Rook and the other Summoners were busy building structures with Golems, so she had free time on her hands once the initial briefings were over.


    Tsutomu greeted Stephanie and brought up the topic of the exploration of Volcanoyers, and thetter was happy to discuss it. She seemed confident that her n would manage to catch up with the Scarlet Devil Squad once the Stampede was over with.


    Once the informative chit-chat died down, Stephanie proceeded to listen to the sounds of music that still echoed through the area.


    ¡°The band is performing as splendidly as ever.¡±


    Stephanie gazed at the performing musicians, enraptured. Tsutomu, recalling how she had waved her staff like a conductor stick, tried asking her about it,


    ¡°So... I take it that you wanted to join the band at one point?¡±


    ¡°Was I being that obvious? But yes, I did, when I was very little.¡± Stephanie narrowed her eyes with nostalgic sentiment, but then quickly cast them down. ¡°But then God¡¯s Dungeon appeared, and with it the new requirement that one had to be a Minstrel to join. Besides, my musical aptitude was... quite mediocre, you see. All that was why I gave up on itpletely.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see...¡±


    ¡°That must¡¯vee off as an uninteresting subject. Apologies.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. Still, it¡¯s... pretty sad, don¡¯t you think? I do hope you¡¯ll find an opportunity to change your career path, if you still would like to.¡±


    ¡°...Back then, I did think that would have been nice, yes.¡±


    In the game, a character¡¯s Job could be switched out at will, but this world did not have such a feature for its inhabitants. They could only decide on a Job when starting out, and had to stick with it.


    ¡°But even if I were to change my career path now, I¡¯ll continue to work as a White Mage as well.¡±


    Seeing Stephanie¡¯s eyes light up, as if motivated by a sense of purpose, Tsutomu tilted his head slightly and replied,


    ¡°As a fellow White Mage, I am d to hear that. But either way, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll improve yourself more and more from now on, Stephanie.¡±


    ¡°...Speaking of which, Mister Tsutomu, I would like to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been told that Lorena, a member of Silver Beast, has received training from you. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Ah... That is true, yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve recently watched her in action through the Monitor broadcasts, you see ¡ª she was impressive,¡± Stephanie said, her eyes zing all the while. She seemed to have it in her head that Lorena was now a worthy rival to her.


    ¡°She has shown quite a lot of improvement, true.¡±


    ¡°But her support skills are still unrefined, I would say. Frustrating to watch, even... But despite that, I felt as if she was better than me. Perhaps I was outmatched by some other aspects of her.¡±


    ¡°Her strongest points are... aggro management, followed by party cooperation, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Aggro management, you say?¡±


    Tsutomu felt that Lorena was particrly good at sensing monsters¡¯ hostility, which may or may not be thanks to her being a Conykin. Either way, it was clear from the monitor footage he had seen that she excelled at managing her whole party¡¯s aggro levels.


    And what enabled her to do it well was the overall party¡¯s tremendous ability to cooperate, having been together for so many years. Thanks to their understanding of one another, Lorena¡¯s instructions were always quick and precise.


    In terms of abilities, Lorena on her own would be on about the same level as Stephanie, but as a team yer, Lorena was the superior one. Thetter part was the difference that Stephanie had felt.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let myself be left in the dust!¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Tsutomu looked on as Stephanie clenched her fists, fired up by a self-induced sense of rivalry. Although he had no one in Live Dungeon he would consider as having been rivals with, he did remember a few skilled yers who had motivated him to improve, and vice versa. Thest one he recalled was a famous Channeler yer who had reassembled a party that had been in the danger of dissolving for good; Tsutomu had been referred to them several times by his n members.


    That Channeler yer had quit the game quite a long time ago, however, in the end leaving Tsutomu alone. Since then, the game¡¯s server had started losing more and more yers, and no such personality had ever appeared to him again. As such, Tsutomu was feeling a little jealous of Stephanie here.


    ¡°W-what is it, Mister Tsutomu? Is there something on my face?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Tsutomu, seeing that Stephanie was blushing a little, promptly looked away. Then he noticed that some of the Guild were calling him, inviting him to go for lunch together. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s about time I had my lunch now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. I was about to leave as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and Stephanie, see to it that you make it out alive. Please prioritize your own safety.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes. I certainly will.¡±


    Stephanie, seeing how serious Tsutomu was, nodded in agreement. She then went back to Ealdred Crow, while Tsutomu went to regroup with the Guild¡¯s members.


    Tsutomu, on his way back into Dungeon City, thought to himself how the uing lunch would be thest he would ever have, what with the Dragons being set to attack tomorrow. He took his time with his meal, savoring it while worrying about what was toe.

 Chapter 84, The Stampede Has Arrived

    <h4>Chapter 84, The Stampede Has Arrived</h4>


    The next day came, and with it the scheduled arrival of the Stampede. Early in the morning, Leon went on a reconnaissance mission and estimated the time of attack based on the speed of the Dragons. Leon then informed the defending force that they would be here in about two hours, prompting everyone to quicken up their preparations.


    The Explorers hurriedly transported the Magic Stones to be used as fuel for anti-monster magic tools, and the long-ranged Attackers and the support musicians started to get into formations. The civilians, on the other hand, began to gather behind the safety of the magic barrier. They were here to watch the famous Explorers and the Dragons, as opposed to the seventy percent of the city¡¯s poption that had already evacuated to the south.


    Several reporters surrounded the nobility, the Security Team, and the Explorers, and proceeded to interview each of them. This unusual Stampede was seeing quite a lot of attention from the people, so in the journalists¡¯ views, it was the perfect story to cover.


    The musicians prepared to y, checking their instruments and Potions, after which the Conductor stood before them and waved their baton, prompting the start of the prelude piece. The music, the same piece yed during every Stampede, put both the Explorers and the civilians at ease.


    At one point, the head of House Babenberg climbed to the top of a hill and addressed all of the defense force. This was new for Tsutomu, but the others were used to it by now; the speech served to contain some of their restlessness. Now everything was in order ¡ª the nobility¡¯s defensive magic, the anti-monster magic tools, and all the famous Explorers.


    Now a sense of calm spread through the air, as it would before any ordinary Stampede, as if theing Dragons would not be a problem. Those who had been too nervous to move properly now loosened up, and were able to proceed with their tasks smoothly.


    Meanwhile, Tsutomu walked into the Guild gathering in front of the barrier, while also staring coldly at a distant crowd of civilians that hade to see the famous Explorers. The Security Team deployed some of their members to keep those people from entering the work areas.


    [What do they think they¡¯re doing?] Tsutomu thought to himself, exasperated that the civilians were obstructing the Security Team¡¯s operations. These people were so excited that they rushed ahead in an attempt to be up close with their favorite Explorers; if not for the Security team, they likely would have made their way through. In fact, some already had to be restrained.


    The Security Team¡¯s high alert order did not mean the civilians were forced to evacuate, so they would not be charged with any crime if they were to not follow it. As such, they had the choice to stay and watch the iing monsters, though they would technically be responsible for themselves.


    The crazed crowd was starting to use the Security Team of being biased and corrupt, causing more and more of the noisemakers to be restrained as well.


    Amy¡¯s fan groups were here as well, cheering and waving their self-made gs, but they were not disruptive, and as a result, did not get restrained by the Security Team. They seemed to be somewhat more organized than the other fan groups, and did not act anywhere as disruptive as they had when Amy appeared on the Monitor during her Fire Dragon battle.


    ¡°Your fans are quite well-behaved now, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°They sure are ¡ª must¡¯ve learned to be by now. See, they¡¯ve actually been cheering me on for a long time, and they¡¯re actually a really understanding bunch. That¡¯s one of the many things I do appreciate about them.¡±


    ¡°Huh. That¡¯s impressive.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but then look at those people, way too influenced by how Explorers do things and¡­ end up that entitled.¡± Amy looked somewhat sad to see the other group of people hurl out profanities as they were restrained by the Security Team. ¡°A lot of Explorers have to deal with that kinda crowd ¡ª you know, people who jump out of nowhere and ask for handshakes, or even shake your hand without asking, or insist that they tag along with you, you know? And there¡¯s been more of those peopletely. That¡¯s why you have to ignore them, no buts. Otherwise they¡¯ll get a taste and keep doing it again.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, I see,¡± Eunice interjected, appearing out of nowhere and joining in on the conversation. ¡°I should tell that to Leon the next chance I get.¡±


    ¡°Right. That guy should be especially careful,¡± Amy replied as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.


    Eunice had just finished helping with the preparations of Golden Tune¡¯s Tanks and Healers, and was now joining up with the Guild.


    ¡°You must be thinking about that quite a lot,¡± Tsutomu said to her.


    ¡°Of course I do. I mean, what other choice do I have? My reputation helps me make a living. You might not have to worry about it now, Tsutomu, but after you have your n and be more famous ¡ª THAT¡¯s when you need to think about how you carry yourself.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your wisdom, Miss Amy.¡±


    ¡°Can you not do that, please? We¡¯ve been through this before already¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am,¡± Eunice promptly followed.


    ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done! Now she¡¯s copying you! Stop it!¡±


    Amy pped Tsutomu¡¯s head, fed up with how he and Eunice were messing with her at this point. Tsutomu shrugged his shoulders, casually apologizing under Amy¡¯s hostile look. Eunice tilted her head, oblivious as to why the two were reacting this way.


    After the officers escorted the restrained crowd away, themotion subsided, with the rest of the civilians beginning to calm down. Tsutomu proceeded to review the general anti-Dragon strategies with Golden Tune and the Guild.


    Inbat, the three-roleposition was to be used as much as possible, and in situations that it was not suitable for, each individual was free to act as they saw fit. This was to maximize effectiveness while minimizing mortality rate, not forcing the use of theposition due to the defense force not having much time to practice their coordination yet.


    After finishing the final confirmations with Camille and Tsutomu, the group dispersed for a while, with each person going to chat with their acquaintances. Tsutomu looked at his hands, and noticed that they were shaking slightly.


    [Hey, maybe I¡¯ll be sent back to Japan if I die!] Tsutomu thought to himself, figuring that it would help calm his mind¡­ but it did not work. He already knew full well, deep down, that death would spell his end, period. Perhaps he would have been better off if he could fool himself with wishful thinking, but s, he had been mentally conditioned to avert that.


    While he was stuck feeling nervous for what was toe, he turned around and saw Amy practically hugging Eunice¡¯srge, yellow fox tail.


    ¡°Wow! So soft and fluffy! You must¡¯ve kept it so well-groomed!¡±


    ¡°Heh heh, I sure have! This is thanks to the Sawmill Resin, a rare resource from the Forestyers of the Dungeon¡­¡± Eunice proceeded to exin the things she did to groom herself and the types of shampoo she used, seemingly pleased by Amy¡¯spliments, to others¡¯ surprise.


    ¡°Oh, I use that too. Good stuff, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Camille joined in on Eunice¡¯smentary, holding up her long red hair.


    ¡°Y-you too, Guild Master?¡±


    The three proceeded to have a fun, long conversation about grooming their hair and tails. Eventually the other women, including the receptionistdy, entered the room and joined in on the talk, and then Garm and his group of friends gathered around to see what all the fuss was about.


    Tsutomu, seeing the whole scene y out, managed to feel somewhat rxed.


    [¡­I won¡¯t let myself die here. I¡¯m going to live, and go home to Japan.]


    Tsutomu had always been pained to remember his time back in Japan, whether it was when he had risotto at the restaurant or practically every night before he went to sleep. Now that he was faced with the possibility of his own death, however, his desire to return to Japan grew even stronger.


    He was not about to let himself, as well as any of the Guild members, die here. Tsutomu knew that he could not afford to make even a single mistake. Now the threat of death, which had done nothing but made him nervous before, served to increase his concentration. His concentration was so keen that Garm, who was standing next to him, hesitated to even talk to him.


    ¡°I see Leon! And the Dragons are behind him! Twelve of them!¡±


    The Birdkin man on lookout, flying high above and looking forward with a pair of binocrs, used a megaphone-like magic tool to inform everyone of the arriving Dragons. The band instantly started performing, boosting the status ratings of all who heard their music.


    The Boxers pumped their fists in anticipation, and the soldiers put on their helmets. Amy stood next to Tsutomu, hopped repeatedly to check her body condition, while Garm took a few long breaths to relieve his tension.


    The civilians and journalists, upon hearing the announcement, waited impatiently to see the Dragons. Their shouts sounded as if they were cheering the Explorers on, helping to raise morale.


    Eventually, Leon starteding into view, making long hops while carrying Barbara in his arms as he closed in on the barrier, and with the Dragons following right behind him. Everyone felt tension run through their faces ¡ª especially House Babenberg¡¯s leading man and his sons as they controlled the barrier, and the attacking force as they prepared to unleash their skills.


    Barbara in Leon¡¯s arms made a provoking sound with [[Warrior Howl]], luring the Dragons toward the barrier. The nobleman opened up a one-person-sized hole in the barrier, and as soon as Leon and Barbara slid through it, closed it down. All twelve dragons that had been chasing the two now stopped in front of the barrier, looking down at the Explorers from the sky.


    One of the Fire Dragons roared, and the five others followed suit. This was a live, in-your-face roar, unfiltered by Monitor footage; the civilians who heard it were struck with an unexpected sense of fear, with some even cowered or fell to the ground. The six groups ofbatants, on the other hand, were not particrly intimidated as they locked their sights on the Fire Dragons.


    Once the wave of roars ended, the Fire Dragons breathed in, then unleashed streams of me onto the barrier. The other Dragons followed suit, unleashing their breath attacks as well.


    Normal and ck mes mixed together, and then exploded in the streams of lightning. To top it off, the Ice Dragon also breathed freezing air onto the barrier. The intercepting teams near the wall took a few steps back, though the was no sign of even the outer part of the twoyered barrier copsing yet.


    The Fire and ck Dragons continued to attack the barrier by either tacking or breathing mes at it, but the barrier stood strong despite their efforts, shrugging off everything they threw at it. Still, the ck mes, unlike normal fire, remained unextinguished; two of the nobleman¡¯s sons focused on dealing with them, with one dislodging the burning sections of the barrier and the other quickly filling the holes in, preventing the mes from spreading.


    The nobility¡¯s variation of the defensive spell made such maneuvers possible, as opposed to the personal-use version, [[Barrier]], which had to be disengaged in its entirety after an extended period of use. As the attacks kepting, the nobility kept their barrier up while dealing with the ck mes ordingly.


    The Dragons, after trying so many attacks and failing, eventually stopped in confusion; right at that moment, the nobleman raised one hand, signaling the disengagement of the barrier and themencement of the attack.


    The ck and Gray Mages and Sorcerers readied their staves, while Spiritualists summoned up their apparitions and prepared to attack. The Archer nocked their arrows, the regr soldiers checked the alignments of their anti-monster magic tool cannons.


    The nobleman took a deep breath, then shouted,


    ¡°OPEN FIRE!!¡±


    At the same moment, the barrier in front of the interception teams disappeared. Everyone promptly cast their skills, firing off all their magic spells at once. me-covered cannonballs sted off from the cannons, and magic-enchanted arrows flew at the Dragons from below.


    ¡°[[Meteor Stream]].¡±


    Amid everything, Alma¡¯s magic skill stood out the most ¡ª the [[Meteor Stream]], a spell that one could learn once their level went past seventy. Her ck Staff strengthened her powers and reduced mental energy consumption, allowing her to use the extremely powerful spell three times in a row.


    Alma, having learned [[Meteor Stream]] after defeating her first Fire Dragon, and having always like [[Meteor]]-type skills, had been using it at every chance she had. Combining her habit of using such a skill and the boost from her ck Staff, she was so powerful that she had managed to defeat the Bolseyer despite her Job¡¯s badpatibility with it.


    A shower of meteors rained down from the sky, sending one Fire Dragon after another crashing down. Attacks from other ck Mages and Sorcerers were hitting all the Dragons as well, sending more of them down to the ground.


    Eventually, all the Fire Dragons were grounded. One Ice Dragon was down as well, while the two others, despite still being airborne, had sustained severe damage to its wings and torso. The ck and Lightning Dragons had avoided the [[Meteor Stream]], but still had taken hits to their wings from other skills, and were now unable to fly so freely. Among them, the Lightning Dragon seemed to have been the least hurt.


    ¡°Time to fight! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The Guild¡¯s team began their attack at Camille¡¯s order. Camille herself rushed to the re-engaged barrier and knocked on it, opening a holerge enough for the Explorers to exit through.


    Once all the teams were out, the barrier closed up immediately. Tsutomu levitated over everyone and checked all the groups¡¯ positions, then looked at the ck Dragons directly ahead of him.


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]]!¡±


    Garm and the other Tanks cast their aggro-pulling skills at the ck Dragons. The other groups adjusted their distances and positions to avoid misfiring at one another, while also using [[Combat Cry]] to pull away the Dragons each of them was responsible for.


    The ck Dragons, distracted by [[Combat Cry]], screamed as they iled their long necks. The Guild¡¯s Explorers proceeded to split into two groups, luring away one ck Dragon each. One group consisted of a handful of elites such as Camille and Amy, while the other was a survival-focused group consisting of arge number of Tanks and Healers; thetter¡¯s task was to distract one ck Dragon while the former focused on the other.


    One of the ck Dragons, which looked more like a recolor of a Fire Dragon when seen up close, crawled toward a team of four Tanks, one of which was Garm.


    Such was the opening of the Guild¡¯s battle against the ck Dragons.

 Chapter 85, Fighting the Black Dragons

    <h4>Chapter 85, Fighting the ck Dragons</h4>


    The length of ck Dragons was not much different from that of the Fire Dragons, and they had the same defining features: long and slender snake-like bodies, thin wing webbings. The only difference was that ck Dragons had small, crooked horns on their foreheads.


    In Live Dungeon, the ck Dragons were a palette swap, so their appearance was virtually the same as Fire Dragons, save for the ramped-up defense from their ck scales, their slightly shorter tails, and the Dark element added to their attacks.


    Their ck mes were Dark-elemental, so one could not defend against them with the red Fire Coats, requiring other countermeasures instead. In this world, however, Dark-resistant equipment was scarce, and not even one piece was being circted within Dungeon City. As such, the only counter readily avable now was the Holy-elemental skills from the White and Gray Mages.


    Another thing worth noting was that their [[Mystic Eyes]] would activate whenever they depleted half of their vitality, restricting the movement of those who made eye contact with them. Because of that, destroying their eyes early on would make theter phases of the fight so much easier.


    Since fighting two ck Dragons at the same time would surely lead to idents, the n was to have a secondary unit distract one, luring it away from the main battle. For this reason, many of the Guild¡¯s strongest members had been assigned to the secondary unit.


    The main unit wasposed of eleven members. Among them were three Tanks: Garm and two members of Golden Tune. All of the other Tanks who had been taught their role by Garm were assigned to the secondary unit. The main unit¡¯s two Healers were Tsutomu and Eunice, while the remaining four Guild Healers and the other Golden Tune Healer went to the secondary unit.


    Tsutomu¡¯s initial n was to assign Eunice to the secondary unit, but then he had reluctantly agreed to let her into the main unit after being told by the secondary unit¡¯s fierce-looking leader to take at least one person along as an assistant. The band¡¯s support and healing were already enough help, so Eunice, with her constant smug look, only served to grate his nerves.


    Holding a small, sound-amplifying Wind Magic Tool, Tsutomu started issuing his orders.


    ¡°The three Tanks, spread out and make sure your areas don¡¯t ovep! Maintain [[Combat Cry]] as needed! Don¡¯t use [[Warrior Howl]]!¡±


    The skill [[Warrior Howl]] incited the hostility of monsters through the banging of shields and armor pieces, but the aggro-generating effect applied to all monsters that heard the sound. As such, skills that generated aggro on individual targets like [[Combat Cry]] and [[Taunt Swing]] were more suitable for this fight.


    The Tanks proceeded to use those two skills to generate aggro, bashing the Dragon with their weapon and hitting it with red auras. Among them, Garm had the highest aggro level on him; when the ck Dragon started to try and trample over Garm, Tsutomu directed the Attackers toward the monster.


    Amy focused on the ck Dragon¡¯s wings, repeatedly cutting them with [[Dual Wave sh]], and Camille in her [[Dragon Form]] took the lead in a head-on attack. Two Attackers followed, while the remaining two stood by to switch out and observe the ck Dragon¡¯s movements.


    Meanwhile, Tsutomu tried his best to quantify the Attackers¡¯ hits, estimating their aggro levels ¡ª not exactly urate numbers, but good enough to be used as reference. Eventually, he decided that it was time for the Attackers to momentarily pull back.


    ¡°[[Medic]].¡±


    Tsutomu patched the Tanks up while keeping an eye on the ck Dragon. Fortunately, Garm could maintain the situation by himself. That was a great help to the rest of the unit, since Golden Tune¡¯s Tank was not so dependable.


    ¡°[[Medic]].¡±


    On the ground level, Eunice was helping to refresh the energy of the Attackers and Tanks as well. Tsutomu only hoped that she would not identally get her positive spells on the ck Dragon.


    The battle was proceeding without any particr problems. The ck Dragon¡¯s attack patterns were not so different from those of the Fire Dragons, and it did not look like it was going to fly anytime soon, so Garm was able to stall it down well enough.


    Although he was being thrown around quite a lot, and his tower shield was taking so many w swipes, his non-LUK status values being constantly boosted meant that he had no problems staying in the fight. Even the Minstrels¡¯ low-power healing Skill [[Affection Oratorio]] was enough to keep him at full health.


    The smooth sailing ended when the ck Dragon pulled its head back and breathed in, however. What followed that was ck me ¡ª a me that would not die out naturally until its victims were reduced to ashes ¡ª streaming out of the ck Dragon¡¯s mouth onto the three Tanks. Without the right countermeasures, it was impossible to defend against.


    ¡°[[Holy]].¡±


    Tsutomu, after confirming the ck Dragon¡¯s movements again, cast [[Holy]] without adjusting his mental energy consumption. As Garm prepared to take more of the ck Dragon¡¯s attacks, and the two other Tanks were running around in a panic, pirs of light rose from under their feet. The ck mes disappeared before they could deal significant damage to any of the three.


    [I do want to save on my energy by not using [[Holy]] so much, but then I¡¯d be worried about the Tanks¡¯ visibility¡­ Yeah, better not be stingy. Only Garm is handling himself perfectly fine, after all ¡ª the others are scared like normal people would.]


    While the ck mes had been burning him, Garm had managed to keep calm and defend against the ck Dragon¡¯s front leg swipes. The other two Tanks, however, had clearly been panicking. Their bodies had been on fire, after all; it would be strange not to be upset by that. Tsutomu cast [[Heal]] for all three, while keeping in mind to use [[Holy]] to extinguish the mes as soon as possible from this point on.


    But then he heard the sounds of crackling wooding from below, where the mes should not be burning. It turned out that the ck Dragon¡¯s mes were indeed burning the loose debris ground; they were not spreading, but they were not about to put themselves out, either.


    Although the ck mes looked like fire, they were not actual fire, but rather the form of a curse that happened to look like it. Tsutomu used [[Holy]] to extinguish the ck mes that remained on the ground.


    [So they stick to the surfaces, too¡­ This might be a problem.]


    This phenomenon had never happened in the game, forcing Tsutomu to change up his pattern of skills, adding another step to deal with random spots of mes. By using the normal method, it was quite a tedious task to put out even the smallest of such mes, so Tsutomu sighed and cast [[Holy Wing]] to deal with the minor burning ones all at once.


    The Attackers, routinely switched out with those on standby, peeled off the ck Dragon¡¯s scales and tough hind leg shells while focusing their attacks on its wings. Tsutomu watched the situation from above and asionally gave his orders to help the team manage aggro levels, making sure that the ck Dragon kept its attacks focused on the Tanks.


    ¡°Fireball from the left! Attackers, take cover!¡±


    Whenever the Fire Dragon¡¯s stray mes wereing their way, Tsutomu would immediately warn them so that they could take cover ordingly. Whenever the ck Dragon unleashed its breaths, he would have the Attackers disrupt it, and then cast [[Holy]] to extinguish the mes. He was quick to cast [[Heal]] for the Tanks, too.


    Eventually, the other two Tanks got over their fear of the ck mes after getting repeatedly burned by them and promptly healed. They were able to move well enough to give Garm some breathing room. Using Garm¡¯s movements as a reference, they defended against the ck Dragon¡¯s attacks¡­ and got knocked away, but then quickly got back up and unleashed more [[Combat Cries]].


    On the Attackers¡¯ side, they were doing well at wearing down the Dragon. An Attacker would get hit by its tail every once in a while, but by the time they felt the pain, they were already fixed up by Tsutomu¡¯s [[Heal]]. And whenever ck mes got onto them, Tsutomu would promptly help them out with [[Holy]]. Since the ck Dragon¡¯s attacks were not directed at the Attackers, it did not manage to deal much damage.


    Eunice also was casting [[Heal]], primarily for the Attackers, but Tsutomu¡¯s shots would beat her to the punch most of the time. She looked at Tsutomu and clicked her tongue out of frustration, then decided to instead set up an [[Area Heal]] where two Attackers were resting and cast [[Medic]] for them.


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Camille, in her [[Dragon Form]], cut apart the tendon of one of the Dragon¡¯s hind legs. Amy focused her strikes on the shallow spots to make sure that it was bleeding constantly, and the Deputy Guild Master provided support by using his Spiritualist skills to repeatedly summon Spirits and attack with them.


    The ck Dragon screamed as it spat ck mes into the sky, then it iled its neck, scattering the mes all over the ce ¡ª a wide-area attack. Everyone tried to avoid the mes the best they could; the Tanks, being the primary targets, were all hit. Several Attackers also identally stepped on the mes that burned on the ground, and Eunice ended up catching a little of it on her tail.


    ¡°Owowow!¡±


    Panic ensued, especially among those who had just been hit for the first time; some of those in panic ended up running into those who had avoided the mes, igniting them as well. Eunice also ran around, agitated by her tail¡¯s burning.


    ¡°Calm down! That ck Dragon isn¡¯ting over this way! Don¡¯t move away from your positions!¡±


    Camille¡¯s dignified voice came through, helping the panicked Attackers to regain theirposure. Since the ck Dragon was focusing on the Tanks, the Attackers were not in any real danger. Its ck mes may have the psychological effect of hotness, their actual heat was on a perfectly bearable level.


    ¡°[[Holy Wing]].¡±


    Tsutomu, after dodging all the mes in the sky, cast the skill to materialize Holy-elemental auras in the form of feathers, scattering them around to extinguish the ck mes on the Tanks, and then the Attackers as well. As Eunice ran around with tears welling in her eyes, one of the feathers flew into her tail, getting rid of the me on it.


    ¡°[[Heal]].¡±


    Then Tsutomu waved his staff, scattering what seemed to be a mist with healing properties, mending the wounds of all the Attackers below him. Although a wide-ranged healing skill existed in the form of [[Aura Heal]], this was not it; rather, this was the regr [[Heal]] changed into mist form, which did not generate nearly as much aggro. He hade up with this while observing Eunice¡¯s earlier attempts at casting [[Heal]].


    [Good thing it was not a real me,] Tsutomu thought to himself while looking at Eunice¡¯s easily mmable tail, and then turned to the ck Dragon as it continued to scatter mes in a rampage.


    The Dragon¡¯s golden eyes had changed to red, and had a suspicious glow about them. This was a sign that more than half of its vitality had been depleted, and that its [[Mystic Eyes]] had activated.


    ¡°Be careful of the [[Mystic Eyes]]! Avoid eye contact as much as you can! Shout out loud if you can¡¯t move!¡± Tsutomu shouted as loud as he increased his concentration.


    Although it was rarely used in the game, the [[Mystic Eyes]] was a dangerous technique that paralyzed any who made eye contact with them. It may be different here, however; there was no telling when and for how long it could be active.


    One of the Tanks, hit by the [[Mystic Eyes]] while still being burned by the ck me, immediately shouted out, prompting Tsutomu to first cast [[Medic]] to cure the paralyzing effect. But then she ended up looking at the ck Dragon¡¯s face again, getting paralyzed once more not long after.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know how far its effect reaches, so for now, you¡¯ll have to test it out yourself! I¡¯d suggest looking at its neck instead, and watch out for its biting attacks! I won¡¯t be able to heal you if you get eaten!¡±


    Being told all that, the Tank turned away from the ck Dragon, and then Tsutomu cast [[Medic]] on her. It was harder than anticipated to avoid eye contact with the ck Dragon, however, so the Tank ended up repeatedly paralyzed. Understanding that she would not get things right immediately, Tsutomu continued casting [[Medic]] for her whenever needed.


    Tsutomu¡¯s routine now included aggro management, healing, recovering status effects, and also extinguishing the ck mes that could burn the Tanks and Attackers at any moment. He estimated his remaining mental energy by the sensation of his body, drinking Blue Potions whenever he had the chance and felt the need to. The band¡¯s constant mental recovery effect only amounted to a little at a time; it was useful in the long-term, but not so much in short bursts of consumption.


    [Man, I really want a Channeler or an Enchanter right about now¡­] Tsutomuined to himself while sipping his Blue Potion and carrying on his work on auto-pilot, disgruntled by how Jobs with skills rted to buffing mental energy was practically an endangered species here.


    The paralysis effect of [[Mystic Eyes]] was especially disruptive to the Tanks, leading them to take more and heavier hits, and in turn increasing the frequency of healing needed.


    At one point, one of the Tanks got bitten and lifted up by the ck Dragon; Tsutomu broke out in cold sweat and hurried to shoot an [[Air de]] at one of its eyes, managing to startle the Dragon into dropping down. While she was falling, Camille caught her and brought her to Tsutomu.


    While the Tank struggled to remove the busted-up armor off her right arm, her breathing was chaotic and shallow; Tsutomu promptly cast [[Heal]] on her.


    The Tank¡¯s arm was practically dangling now, and also had holes where one could see through them, but it still could be healed if given enough time. Tsutomu proceeded to repeatedly cast [[High Heal]] to mend the Tank¡¯s wounds, relieved that the worst had note to pass; if she had been eaten back there, she would have certainly died.


    ¡°T-thank you.¡±


    ¡°Save that forter. Please hurry and return to your position.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    While Tsutomu was focusing on one Tank, Garm and another Tank were suffering from their own injuries, and the spreading ck mes limited their mobility. He had to get things back up and running quickly ¡ª while focusing on the task at hand, he also quickly shot some [[Heal]] spheres at the two others. Eventually, the wounded Tank was good to go again.


    After that, Golden Tune¡¯s Tanks ended up getting stepped on and bitten several times, each time practically giving Tsutomu a heart attack. Thanks to the Attackers¡¯ help, however, the Tanks were able to avoid death through it all.


    Gradually, all three Tanks got used to dealing with the [[Mystic Eyes]], helping to make it easier for Tsutomu to anticipate when they would be paralyzed and when to cast [[Medic]] ordingly.


    The ck Dragon went on to scatter around ck mes several times, and each time Tsutomu would intercept most of them with [[Holy Wing]] before they could touch the ground. The scattering had a pattern to it, which made it easy to predict.


    [Just die already!]


    Tsutomu, while providing support to his allies, directed his pent-up hostile emotions at the ck Dragon. Although the monster was weakened by blood loss and Camille¡¯s repeated shes, it showed no signs of copsing anytime soon. By now, the Tanks were no longer afraid of the ck mes, and had gotten used to avoiding the [[Mystic Eyes]]. Tsutomu was doing well at dealing with the mes and unforeseen urrences, too.


    But then, the ck Dragon started acting in a way never seen before. It spewed a stream of ck mes onto the ground, then threw itself into it.


    Tsutomu thought for a second that it was killing itself, but then it walked out unscathed, the ck mes now covering its body. It proceeded to attack the Tanks in its powered-up state.


    First it swung at Garm with its burning tail, igniting his tower shield. With the curse of ck mes added to its physical attacks, the Attackers started to get burned as well. Tsutomu was fed up with everything by now, but he had no choice but to deal with them all.


    [Come on, just die already!]


    Tsutomu¡¯s workload was getting greater and greater. He still had enough time to think and strategize, however ¡ª first he analyzed the avable information in his head, then gave out orders and cast skills that best fit the situation. His desire to kill the Dragon did not slow his actions and thought processes. In fact, he could still think clearly enough to keep track of the durations of the band¡¯s buffs.


    Moreover, he was able to quickly react to the ck Dragon¡¯s me-inducing physical attacks. As its ws and scales fell off, he would cast [[Holy Wing]] to extinguish the ck mes on those exposed spots, sealing off the additional attack and defense power the mes provided.


    The Attackers were starting to get used to its wide-area attacks, too. Now there was nothing the ck Dragon could do, and eventually, Tsutomu¡¯s workload was reduced considerably.


    ¡°[[Power sh]]!¡±


    Once the ck Dragon¡¯s movements slowed down, Camille rushed at its chest, then slit its neck with her greatsword. Although showering in its gushing blood, she proceeded to drag her greatsword downward.


    The ck Dragon, choked with blood, let out an almost inaudible scream. With the monster finally immobile, Camille stabbed through its head, killing it off for real.


    The Attackers celebrated, two of the Tanks slumped down in relief, and Tsutomu heaved a deep sigh now that one job was out of the way.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a short break, then go kill the other one!¡±


    While Tsutomu talked, the others continued to celebrate. After that, the main unit joined up with the secondary unit that had been stalling the other ck Dragon all this time, and together, they defeated it without much difficulty.


    In the end, the Guild sessfully defeated the two ck Dragons without suffering a single casualty.

 Chapter 86, The Power of Major Clans

    <h4>Chapter 86, The Power of Major ns</h4>


    Ealdred Crow¡¯s top five parties, all wearing Red-thread Fire Coats, waited for their turns to exit the defensive perimeter of the barrier, while Rook stayed inside with three other Summoners and had yet to make a move.


    Arge number of Magic Stones had been piled up in front of the four Summoners, and now, onest Large Magic Stone was carried over and added to the pile by a brawny man. The Dwarf girl from the Magic Stone Exchange checked her list, then informed Rook that everything had been delivered.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s do this!¡± Rook said and smiled, and the other Summoners nodded.


    They then stood in their positions: Rook in front of the Red Largest Magic Stone, and the three others in front of the Green, Purple, and Blue ones respectively. These Largest Magic Stones were extremely valuable, dropping only rarely from even the monsters on the levels of Layer Bosses.


    Underneath the Largest Magic Stones were arranged piles of countless other Large Magic Stones, both of the Colorless and colored varieties. They had been stacked together in pyramid-like formations.


    ¡°[[Summon ¡ª Queen Spider]].¡±


    On the Summoners¡¯ first cast skill, the Green Largest Magic Stone and the countless other Magic Stones around it started to melt away. The mass of liquid then rose up as if to cover the Green Large Magic Stones around it, and then gradually formed into a shape.


    A gigantic spider thennded on the ground with its eight legs, its thin yet strong main thread extending from the tip of its abdomen. Its soft, feather-like hairs swayed on its pristine white body. This monster was the Queen Spider, the Layer Boss of the Swamp.


    ¡°[[Summon ¡ª Demi-Lich]].¡±


    On the next cast, a Skeleton in a ck robe appeared, its whole being surrounded by an ominous aura. It was a maniptor of the undead, which would appear after one destroyed enough of the infinitely-respawning Skeletons in the Graveyard of the Wastndyers. The Demi-Lich wielded its Bone Staff and started summoning one of its skeletal subordinates after another.


    ¡°[[Summon ¡ª Shell Crab]].¡±


    The summoned giant crab raised both its arms and let out an ear-piercing cry. The ores and crystals on its shell reflected the light of the sun, giving its body a dazzling sparkle as it quietly lowered its arms. This was the Shell Crab, the Layer Boss of the Beach.


    ¡°[[Summon ¡ª Fire Dragon]].¡±


    Andstly, the red Dragon kicked the ground and ascended into the sky. It let out a fiendish roar and got ready to leave the barrier, pping its wings to stay in position as if waiting for its orders. This was the Fire Dragon, the Layer Boss of the Valley, truly a creature born to rule the sky.


    Four Layer Boss monsters had been summoned inside the barrier. Unlike their usual iterations, however, they were willing to even kill themselves if the Summoners ordered them to do so. The Fire Dragon slowly descended to the ground at Rook¡¯smand, and then all four monsters lowered their heads in the presence of their Summoners.


    The people cheered loudly at this unprecedented sight, and the staff of Solit Company captured the scene with their Photographing Machines. The nobility and the soldiers operating the anti-monster magic tools had already known of these monsters¡¯ summonings; nevertheless, they too were overwhelmed once they saw the real deal with their own eyes.


    Once the four monsters were done pledging their obedience, Rook waddled up the air onto the Fire Dragon¡¯s back. He was able to do so thanks to a White Mage casting [[Fly]] on him beforehand, but the way he went about it made it look like he could fly himself.


    To summon monsters on the tier of Layer Bosses, one needed not only a Largest Magic Stone, which dropped rarely from defeated Layer Bosses, but also arge quantity of both colored and Colorless Magic Stones. The cost was so immense that it was impossible to use them in normal Dungeon exploration.


    Since this Stampede was an unusual one, however, it was worth it to expend all these Magic Stones. As such, the four Summoners were quite ted to get to summon monsters they would never be able to otherwise. Rook in particr was having so much fun that he was now rubbing his cheeks against the Fire Dragon¡¯s red scales.


    ¡°All right then, here we go!¡±


    ¡°Man, it must be so nice up there! You gotta let me ride it too, if it lives through the whole fight!¡±


    The Summoner carried by the Demi-Lich looked enviously at Rook as thetter rode on the Fire Dragon. Rook raised one hand to the man and tapped on the Fire Dragon¡¯s back, prompting it to p its wings and ascend into the sky.


    The nobility disengaged a section of their barrier magic, letting the four summoned Layer Boss monsters exit and head toward the crashed enemy Fire Dragons. Ealdred Crow parties #1 and #2 split into groups of ten to pick off the injured Fire Dragons, while the Summoners, seeing that the situation was stable enough, split into groups of two each.


    One pair was the Fire Dragon and the Demi-Lich, and the other was the Queen Spider and the Shell Crab, each taking on one of the two remaining Fire Dragons. Rook, riding his summoned Fire Dragon, headed over to support party #4, facing off against one of the Fire Dragons.


    The Fire Dragon Rook had summoned was slightlyrger and stronger than the one he was up against. Additionally, the musical support effects from the band applied to allied Eidolons as well, increasing all non-LUK status ratings by one tier. With that sort of boost, his Fire Dragon was bound to be incredibly powerful.


    As such, the injured enemy Fire Dragon stood no chance; it was easily pinned down, allowing the long-ranged Attackers of party #4 to safely attack it. Additionally, the smaller skeletal monsters summoned by the Demi-Lich also worked to gradually peel the monster¡¯s scales off.


    The Demi-Lich and the other skeletal monsters seemed to be weak to sunlight, however, as apparent from how they were not able to exert much power. Still, just Rook¡¯s Fire Dragon was enough for the job; as the battle between the two Fire Dragons raged on, the members of party #4 got to watch from a safe distance.


    On the side of the Shell Crab and Queen Spider, however, they were not able to pin down their Fire Dragon as easily as Rook had. Still, the fittingbination of eight-legged monsters eventually managed to overpower the Fire Dragon all the same. After the Queen Spider shot its fire-resistant threads out of its rotund abdomen at the Fire Dragon, the Shell Crab chipped away at the enemy monster with its gigantic pincers andpressed water sts.


    The Queen Spider with its AGI boosted was faster than it ever had been, and it also used its main thread to help the Shell Crab pull off unpredictable maneuvers, messing with the Fire Dragon¡¯s ability to react. Whenever there was the opening, the Queen Spider would bite the Fire Dragon, melting its scales and flesh with the venom its fangs spewed.


    At one point, the Shell Crab got hit by the Dragon¡¯s fire breath¡­ which resulted in it giving off quite a delicious smell. Fortunately, a White Mage was quick to heal it, preventing it from turning into a roasted crab.


    In the end, the four Summoners sessfully subdued and killed two Fire Dragons. Ealdred Crow¡¯s first two parties had already defeated Fire Dragons in God¡¯s Dungeon on a regr basis, and now, they were backed by additional members; that had no difficulty here at all, and the Fire Dragons¡¯ injuries from crashing to the ground only made things easier.


    After they were done with their four Dragons, Ealdred Crow took stock of the situation and went to the aid of the other groups, with their four Summoners being the primary force.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Alma, dressed in a ck robe and carrying her ck Staff, cast [[Meteor Stream]] three times to intercept the Dragons. Seeing that the ck Dragons and the Lightning Dragon had not taken as many hits as she would like, she scowled at them while drinking some Blue Potion.


    ¡°Alma, you finish off the ones on the ground. I¡¯ll take the ones over there.¡±


    ¡°W-wait a second! I can also-¡°


    Weiss, the n Leader of Scarlet Devil Squad, wore an all-ck armor, and his ck hair, the length of which was quite long for men¡¯s standards, swayed nicely in the wind. He ordered one Healer to follow him as he headed toward the barrier; seeing him run off, Alma secretly clicked her tongue out of annoyance.


    Weiss behaved this way only because he had what it took; for those who could not, facing an Ice Dragon alone on their first try would be equal to suicide, and the people around them would have prevented them from doing so. For Weiss, on the other hand, people allowed him to do what he did, with the subconscious belief that he could win.


    It was because he had a unique skill. Skills that manifested only in those who were chosen by God, few individuals in this world possessed one, and Weiss was one among them. The one he had was called the [[Phoenix Soul]], which gave a boost to his body heat and automatically healed his wounds.


    There was quite an overwhelming difference in strength between those who possessed a unique skill and those who did not. The former was practically favored by God over thetter. All the significant figures in town had one ¡ª the Security Team Director, the Guild Master, and the Leaders of Major ns¡­ with the few exceptions being Ealdred Crow¡¯s Rook and Commander Melchor of the nobility¡¯s private military force.


    [Must be so nice to have one of those! Just look at him, free to fight however he likes!] Alma grumbled at Weiss in her mind, disgruntled that he had run off without hearing her to the end first. She then violently flung away the now-empty Blue Potion vial and headed toward the crashed Ice Dragon with the remaining eight Scarlet Devil Squad members.


    Alma had not always disliked Weiss this much; at first, back when he was not yet famous, Weiss had invited her to join his party, and together, they established a n, working their way up to be one of the major n they were now. Alma had performed well as one of the n¡¯s Attackers, and she had been satisfied to stay that way.


    After obtaining the ck Staff, however, she had changed. She had purchased the staff with abination of her n¡¯s funds and a sizable chunk of her personal savings, and with it came a power boost on the level of a unique skill. Using it greatly lessened magic skills¡¯ consumption of her mental energy while increasing their firepower. Not only that, the power boost it provided was an order of magnitude higher than any other staff avable in the market.


    In truth, this bejeweled staff was one of the best staves known to exist, craftable with a variety of materials, some of which would be found on the Dungeon¡¯s hundredthyer. One such material came from the Layer Boss of the Ancient Castle, the Corroded Elder Dragon, with a drop rate of one percent. A great quantity of other one-percent drop materials was also required¡­ Furthermore, the crafting process had a fixed chance of failing, thus destroying the weapon and everything that had gone into it. It was truly a weapon for the most hardcore ofpletionists.


    Hovering over the remains of countless failed ck Staves was the one in Alma¡¯s possession. Enhanced to its maximum power potential, it could carry even a solo White Mage to the mediumyers of the Dungeon. No one in this world realized it yet, but this staff¡¯s capabilities were practically a cheat.


    Obtaining this ck Staff had allowed the Scarlet Devil Squad to brute-force their way past the Fire Dragon, a beef gate that they had been failing to surpass for six months, and one that everyone else would consider most difficult to get through for quite a while after that. Alma¡¯s major contribution to her n¡¯s victory had led the press to put her on a figurative pedestal, and as a result her bing famous overnight.


    She had been hailed as a new pir of the Scarlet Devil Squad, a notion that Weiss also acknowledged. All that had made Alma happy beyond belief ¡ª especially how she had been recognized as an equal by Weiss, whereas before then, she had felt the distance between them widen some time along the way.


    As more months had gone by, however, Alma¡¯s view of Weiss had changed. The target of her envy was now within her reach¡­ and that sentiment gave way to jealousy. She had begun to feel jealous of Weiss¡¯ Unique Skill.


    She thought that if only she had a unique skill of her own to go with the ck Staff, she would be at the undisputed top. The more she thought about it, the hotter the jealousy burned in her heart ¡ª not only toward Weiss, but other people with unique skills as well. She practically had developed an inferiorityplex when it came to them.


    [Well, that¡¯s okay. I just have to put on one hell of a show today ¡ª that¡¯ll make me even more famous!]


    With that in mind, Alma flew through the sky together with her eight n mates, arriving at the crashed Ice Dragon.


    The monster¡¯s wing bones had been broken, and it was leaking cold air from its mouth as if in pain. Alma proceeded to point her ck Staff at it.


    ¡°[[Meteor Stream]]!¡±


    Upon Alma¡¯s casting of the skill, the sky momentarily lit up, and the next moment, ck meteorites came crashing down on the Ice Dragon. One cluster after another, they kept pouring down incessantly like rain. The [[Meteor Stream]] ¡ª it was Alma¡¯s preferred skill, and its power was immense.


    ¡°[[Meteor Stream]]! [[Meteor Stream]]!¡±


    Countless meteorites continued to rain down, piling up higher and higher as the Ice Dragon braced for impact, keeping its body wrapped in an obscuring haze. Eventually, the Dragon¡¯s body was buried down in its entirety.


    ¡°[[Galvanic st]].¡±


    ¡°[[Crimson Burn]].¡±


    ¡°[[me Serpent]].¡±


    ¡°[[Explosion]].¡±


    The other ck Mages and Sorcerers followed Alma¡¯s lead, unleashing their magic skills. Lightning running through the earth, arge-scale me, a meteorite surrounded by snake-shaped mes, a in old explosion ¡ª a variety of effects sted away at the Ice Dragon.


    Even while they were drinking Blue Potions, they kept casting more and more fire-based magic skills, the sheer heat of them gradually turning the meteorites molten red. The sound of evaporating liquid leaked out of the gaps between the rocks, followed by rising masses of water vapor.


    Before the heated steam reached them, the Scarlet Devil Squad members stopped their attacks and took cover, observing from afar. The steam grew whiter and whiter as it cooled, until it became mist-like, covering all over the fallen meteorites.


    They looked on as the pile of rocks disappeared into the expanding mist; confused as to what they should do, they turned to ask Alma,


    ¡°¡­What now?¡±


    ¡°It took quite a beating there ¡ª things should be going well. For now, let¡¯s clear this mist first. Anyone of you can cast [[st]]?¡±


    The skill Alma requested was a wind-elemental spell effective for clearing the mist, which had been formed from the quickly-cooled water vapor. One of the ck Mages held up his staff and repeatedly shot out air bullets, dispersing the mist.


    ¡°Gah-¡°


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Without warning, a keenly sharpened shard of ice flew at the ck Mage, as if to pay him back for the air bullets. Landing a direct hit on his abdomen, the man started bleeding profusely. A White Mage hurried to put up a [[Barrier]] and proceed with the medical treatment. Countless ice shards continued to be shot at the Attackers, however, knocking down one of them after another.


    Once the mist cleared, what appeared was the Ice Dragon; its body was now white, and its mouth was wide open, ready to unleash a breath attack. A chill ran down Alma¡¯s spine.


    ¡°[[Volcano]]!¡±


    She immediately cast a fire-elemental skill, shing it against the Ice Dragon¡¯s freezing breath. That barely managed to nullify the iing attack, but Alma was astonished to see that the Ice Dragon itself still showed no signs of weakening.


    [How!? We already sted it to hell and back! How is this thing still moving!?]


    It was quite unbelievable that the Dragon was still alive, having eaten so many magic spells head-on. In fact, as the monster emerged from the mist, it did not seem to have even taken much damage. It shook its body, causing thick pieces andyers of ice to fall off.


    [¡­It¡¯s been using ice as its armor!? Damn oversized lizard!]


    Thanks to that, the Ice Dragon was walking out rtively unscathed from all the fire-based skills. After the first round of [[Meteor Stream]], the monster had released the cold air from its body. shing with the heat of the fire-elemental attacks, the vapors in the air had condensed into water, which turned into ice after being cooled again, forming a thick armor to protect the Dragon¡¯s body.


    ¡°Everyone, spread out! Attack with fire-based skills! [[Meteor Stream]]!¡± Alma shouted out her instructions, her voice helping to cancel out the sense of dread.


    She cast [[Meteor Stream]], but this time, the Ice Dragon could already tell what she was doing. The monsters immediately got on all-fours and ran out of its spot, avoiding the meteorites.


    Having taken the full brunt of the [[Meteor Stream]] twice, the Ice Dragon was fully locked on to Alma. The other Attackers, now healed up, also attacked with their skills, but the monster paid no attention to them as it continued to crawl toward its sole target.


    Alma flew away in an attempt to escape the Dragon. It was now unable to fly up, so going high in the sky should be safe¡­ was what Alma thought as she ascended as fast as she could.


    But then the Ice Dragon closed its mouth and chewed on something, after which it blew out a wide spray of ice shards. It had frozen its own saliva, weaponizing it like a shotgun.


    ¡°Agh-!¡±


    The shards pierced through Alma¡¯s legs and abdomen. Losing her posture mid-air, she fell, plunging head-first to the ground below.


    [Oh sh*t oh sh*t oh sh*t! I¡¯m so freaking dead!]


    She was bleeding hard, and the ground seemed as if it was charging at her. Her head was filled with thoughts of death, and she could not control her [[Fly]] very well. As the ground got closer and closer, she closed her eyes in fear.


    But then help arrived ¡ª a dark silhouette swiftly flew, sweeping up Alma from the side and carrying her high up into the sky. The Ice Dragon blew out another spray of ice shards, but it was too slow; its target had already gone too far for its attacks to reach. The Dragon proceeded to chase after them, roaring furiously.


    The short-haired man, his body covered in the effect of [[Gold Bless]], his arms carrying Alma, moved with a level of speed almost too high to follow with the naked eye, reaching the defensive barrier near-instantaneously. As soon as he knocked on the barrier, it opened; he proceeded to hand the badly bleeding Alma over to one of the White Mages inside.


    ¡°Hurry and patch her up,¡± The blond man said with a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡± The White Mage promptly replied, blushing lightly¡­ despite being a man.


    The Ice Dragon looked around, searching for the target it had missed, while also moving closer and closer to the barrier. Leon, the n Leader of Golden Tune, looked at the Dragon in the distance, seemingly enjoying the sight.


    Other Golden Tune n members ¡ª all women ¡ª appeared from inside the barrier and surrounded Leon. Unlike the Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s formation, none of them were Attackers, all being Tanks boasting high VIT.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s get ready to hunt us a Dragon or two!¡±


    ¡°We still haven¡¯t won against a single Fire Dragon, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, we don¡¯t talk about that here!¡±


    Leon and his crew threw around some light-hearted banter before drawing their weapons, readying themselves to face off against the Ice Dragon.

 Chapter 87, Flash Blasts in Black and Red

    <h4>Chapter 87, sh sts in ck and Red</h4>


    Golden Tune¡¯s strategy against this Stampede was to increase the involvement of Tanks and Healers.


    Past Stampeded had never been all that dangerous, and were perfectly manageable with Attackers. This time, however, things were much riskier due to the addition of enemy Dragons. Although unlikely, the situation had at least some chance of going hard south, so Leon had persuaded his Attackers to work behind the scenes. Fortunately, there were already more than enough of other organizations¡¯ Attackers.


    As such, Leon was the sole Attacker of his n to be on the front lines. He and his Tanks and Healers worked to support other groups, helping to maximize their efficiency. The idea was to prioritize safety; it had been pitched by Eunice, which Leon had dly epted to put in action.


    Additionally, at one point, Weiss of the Scarlet Devil Squad had personally requested Leon to support Alma. Weiss had also asked Leon to stay out of the way first, so he had not taken any action until the Ice Dragon started fighting back.


    In addition to Alma, Leon had also saved the three other mortally wounded Attackers, quickly bringing them inside the barrier and delivering them to the medical-professional White Mages on standby. Thanks to that, four members of the Scarlet Devil Squad had avoided death.


    As the Ice Dragon headed towards the barrier, multiple Tanks in its way unleashed [[Combat Cry]] at once. The Dragon seemed to recognize Leon¡¯s appearance for being the one who had saved Alma, however, and exclusively pursued him.


    ¡°[[Enchant me]]!¡±


    As soon as the Fire element was added to his sword, Leon disappeared ¡ª and reappeared the next instant to sh at the Ice Dragon¡¯s wing. The mes on his sword trailed behind his movements, their sparks falling onto the Dragon.


    With the [[Gold Bless]] and the band¡¯s supportive effects, Leon¡¯s AGI rating was now an S. Further buffed by [[Fly]], his movements were difficult to follow with the naked eye. Even the Ice Dragon was stuck at a standstill, unable to keep up with its target¡¯s speed.


    Leon focused his shes on the wings and scales that had been damaged by [[Meteor Stream]]. The Tanks continued to use [[Combat Cry]], gradually building up aggro levels.


    The Ice Dragon, irritated by Leon¡¯s darting about, let out a roar and blew cold air from its body in an attempt to catch its opponent. By the time the cold air st got to Leon, however, he had already backed away. He proceeded to dodge around until the air turned normal again.


    It seemed that the Ice Dragon could not emit cold air constantly, as apparent from how its air sts subsided after a while. Leon, having made sure of that, repeatedly attacked with his long sword by spinning in the air like a gyroscopic top.


    ¡°Gah, this is hard!¡±


    The Dragon¡¯s steel-solid frozen scales deflected his sword, which also numbed his hand. Fortunately, the scales and wing webbings that Alma had damaged could be sliced through. For a while, Leon focused his attacks on those areas, overwhelming the Ice Dragon by himself.


    The Ice Dragon had been hit twice by the [[Meteor Stream]], and its wings had broken from the subsequent crash, so it was now moving slowly. And then, just when the Tanks¡¯ [[Combat Cry]] wave was about to pull away the Ice Dragon¡¯s aggro sessfully, red streaks of light pierced the Dragon¡¯s side.


    Weiss, the n Leader of Scarlet Devil Squad, had a deep crimson-dyed crossbow in his hands, and was shooting red arrows with it in quick session. The Ice Dragon was visibly intimidated by the crossbow bolts strengthened by [[Phoenix Soul]].


    Weiss¡¯ unique skill gave him a great advantage over the Ice Dragon. In fact, he had already killed one, and had just now returned here to help. The White Mage that had followed him was also back, flying behind him.


    Weiss turned to the Golden Tune support group, so as to confirm that Alma was not with them. Then, he proceeded to wave his red crossbow as if to say that he could take things over from here.


    ¡°I¡¯m not about to let you steal my kill, man!¡±


    Leon grinned mischievously, and then stabbed the Dragon on one of the spots where Weiss¡¯ bolts had pierced. The damaged scales were identifiable by their changed colors; they were much weaker than before, enabling Leon¡¯s sword to get through with ease.


    Weiss looked at Leon, who was now levitating beside him. The look he gave thetter suggested that he was cool-headed, in stark contrast to the super-heated de in his hands.


    ¡°¡­I can do this myself.¡±


    ¡°I should be the one saying that, dammit!¡±


    ¡°¡­How¡¯s Alma?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s safe. But that was a close call, mind you. If not for me, she and at least three others probably would¡¯ve been dead, you know?¡±


    ¡°¡­I knew you were the right man for the job. You have my thanks.¡±


    In the beginning, Weiss had nned to separate the Ice Dragons and kill them one by one, simr to Tsutomu¡¯s approach to the ck Dragons. At Alma¡¯s insistence, however, he had reluctantly allowed her to lead the rest of the n in fighting one. As such, when Leon expressed anger at what he had allowed, he thanked the wolfman despite still being somewhat disgruntled at Alma.


    Weiss proceeded to tuck his mechanical crossbow into his Magic Bag and pull out a long sword instead. Once its handle was in his hands, its de instantly turned a deep crimson.


    ¡°¡­Why not go somewhere else? I have an advantage over the Ice Dragon here.¡±


    ¡°Well, the other ces¡¯ already have all they need!¡±


    The two continued to converse while fighting the Ice Dragon. Weiss¡¯ crimson-dyed long sword melted its way through the monster¡¯s scales, and Leon followed up by attacking those exposed spots.


    ¡°¡­The ck Dragon?¡±


    ¡°All the heavy hitters are there ¡ª Camille, Garm, Tsutomu and his friends¡­ No point in me going to help them.¡±


    ¡°¡­The rulers?¡±


    ¡°Ol¡¯ Melchor¡¯s running the show.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Weiss, ready to give up arguing at this point, said nothing more and focused his attention on attacking the Ice Dragon. Leon, whileining in his mind how Weiss was as hard to please as ever, continued to chip away at the enemy Dragon together with thetter.


    ¡°¡­Whew.¡±


    Golden Tune¡¯s Tanks that had been repeatedly using [[Combat Cry]] down below heaved a few sighs upon the sight of the pair fighting however they pleased. Just the two men were already overwhelming the Ice Dragon, making the Tanks feel frustrated at how they probably would be a nuisance if they interfered.


    In the end, the Ice Dragon was quickly taken down. Weiss proceeded to leave the scene immediately, ignoring Leon¡¯s prompt for a high-five.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The battle against the Dragons, starting in the morning, ended a little before noon with the Dungeon City¡¯s victory.


    The results were as follows: Ealdred Crow had taken down four Fire Dragons. The military force, once Ice Dragon and two Fire Dragons. Scarlet Devil Squad, two Ice Dragons. The Guild, two ck Dragons. The Security Team, the Lightning Dragon. Everything had been carried out sessfully ording to n. Afterward, by Weiss¡¯ recount of the events, the credit for one Ice Dragon¡¯s defeat had been given to Golden Tune instead.


    The nobility¡¯s military force, making good use of their anti-monster magic tools, had been able to stall two of the crashed Fire Dragons; once Ealdred Crow¡¯s four Eidolons arrived, the two organizations together made quick work of their targets. Melchor had fought and in one of the Ice Dragons by himself. He imed to be only good against humanoid monsters, but of course, no one believed him.


    Bruno, the Security Team Director, had taken the lead in the fight against the Lightning Dragon, which was the least injured out of the initial barrage and had been considered the most troublesome. In the end, they were victorious. Bruno, having taken a few lightning strikes, grumbled at how their hair had totally been ruined; in contrast to the carefree attitude, however, their battle performance had been excellent. If Bruno¡¯s team had not been able to defeat the Lightning Dragon, there would have been many casualties.


    By the time noon came around, all involved organizations had reported their results, and to everyone¡¯s surprise, the Dragon invasion had been ovee without any casualties. Even Tsutomu was surprised; he had initially feared that Scarlet Devil Squad, the Security Team, and the military force would suffer some losses.


    He had been particrly worried about the Security Team¡¯s face-off against the Lightning Dragon; them making it out totally unscathed had drastically changed his assessment of their capabilities.


    Once the reports were over with, preparations were made forrge-scale food distributions and the collection of the materials from the in Dragons. One Dragon corpse after another was brought inside the barrier, the first few ones transported by the low- and mid-tier Explorers.


    Even a single Dragon scale would sell for arge amount of Gold, which could be used to fund the reconstruction of the northern city. The corpses of the Dragons were dismantled on the spot by several specialized workers, and after being divided into parts as small as possible, they were stored in extrarge, custom-made Magic Bags.


    After Leon had scouted the northern area and confirmed that the following Stampede was still far off, the Explorers were served bread and warm soup, and were free to help themselves to on-bone meat. A stark contrast between Amy and Garm was seen here, with the former eating her steak in a most refined manner, and thetter simply gobbling everything up.


    [I don¡¯t think she¡¯s gonna fool anyone, though¡­]


    Tsutomu thought back to when they had dined together at the Seafood Dining Hall, during which Amy had disyed some of the most barbaric table manners for all the other patrons to see. He decided not to remind her of that time.


    After the meal, Rook and the Summoners brought along their Eidolons to meet the people, creating quite a chaotic scene of people cheering for them and the journalists trying to make news coverages. Tsutomu slipped out of the wave of frenzy, heading out through the city¡¯s northern gate. He sat on a bench just outside and observed thendscape up ahead.


    The Dragon attack had been prevented, and not only that, without a single casualty. Tsutomu was happy and relieved about that, but going by the Banquet of Dragons, a more powerful Dragon would be appearingter. It would be a single Dragon randomly selected from a list of candidates, but all of them were quite troublesome.


    Being randomly selected meant that making preparations would be difficult, so Tsutomu tried to predict what it would be by making some calctions in his head and thinking up countermeasures. The nobility¡¯s barrier magic, the anti-monster magic tools, the Explorers¡¯ strength ¡ª all would have to be used right in order to defeat this new Dragon.


    ¡°Not joining the celebration, young man? It¡¯s a great opportunity to get your name out there.¡±


    A voice called out to Tsutomu as he pondered things over ¡ª it was Melchor, approaching with his hands behind his back. Tsutomu at least knew that this man was an important person of noble rtions, so he stood up and straightened his posture, a little nervous. Melchor waved his hand,municating that he cared not for formalities.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m just some random old man.¡±


    Melchor, while stroking his well-groomed white beard, sat down on a bench a respectable distance away from Tsutomu.


    ¡°¡­Thank you, sir.¡±


    This was Tsutomu¡¯s first meeting with Melchor. He had always had the negative impression that the nobility cared little for Explorers, so upon encountering one, he naturally felt stiff in the shoulders.


    ¡°We¡¯ve survived this extraordinary Stampede without casualties. It¡¯s frankly hard to believe¡­ And I see that you¡¯re feeling quite gloomy. Why is that?¡±


    ¡°¡­The Stampede hasn¡¯t ended just yet, sir.¡±


    ¡°But all that¡¯s left is just a horde of monsters, so there¡¯s no need to steel ourselves so¡­ Anyway, I¡¯ve heard from Camille ¡ª you¡¯ve made great contributions defending against the ck Dragons, didn¡¯t you? Are you not happy?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ am happy, yes. Sorry for worrying you.¡±


    The Guild staff had seen that Tsutomu was not all that happy despite his help in defeating the ck Dragons, so they had tried to lift his spirits. Remembering that, Tsutomu now felt apologetic that he had somewhat ruined everyone¡¯s celebratory mood.


    ¡°But I have a feeling that something isn¡¯t quite right¡­ By the way, Sir Melchor, you are the leader of the military force, yes? I would like everyone to be on guard for a while longer, if that¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Something isn¡¯t quite right? Do you have any reason for feeling this way?¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­ no, I don¡¯t. The Dragons¡¯ sudden appearance makes me feel uneasy, that¡¯s all,¡± Tsutomu gave only vague clues, unable to say straight up that he was following his knowledge of the game.


    Melchor immediately noticed that Tsutomu was hiding something, but did not pursue the matter. He knew that Tsutomu was a mysterious individual, but not a harmful one. On the contrary, the young man was seen as beneficial, having provided valuable knowledge and assistance.


    Considering the possibility of Tsutomu leaving Dungeon City if he pried too deep, Melchor kept his mouth shut and crossed his arms, wondering what to do.


    ¡°Hmm, is that so? Now, I can¡¯t allow you to talk with my employer directly, so I¡¯ll keep that in consideration myself instead. The information you¡¯ve provided us has been most helpful, Tsutomu ¡ª surely your worry isn¡¯tpletely unfounded either,¡± Melchor said and tapped his temple lightly with his fingertip.


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±


    Tsutomu, relieved, bowed deeply to Melchor. Not even a momentter, another voice called out to him, this oneing through a megaphone-like magic tool.


    ¡°Hello, hello, is this thing on? Hey, Tsutomu! Can you hear me? Pleasee to the central square immediately! There¡¯s a journalist waiting for you! C¡¯mon, hurry up!¡±


    Amy¡¯s amplified voice echoed through the city. Tsutomu facepalmed,ining to himself how it sounded like she was making an announcement to find a lost child, while Melchorughed like a stereotypical wise hermit.


    ¡°Be on your way then, young man,¡± Melchor insisted, cracking a smile.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you for listening to what I had to say, sir. I¡¯ll excuse myself now.¡±


    Tsutomu headed in the direction of the voice. Once he found the megaphone-holding Amy, he gave her a grumpy look, prompting her to semi-taunt him by sticking out her tongue.

 Chapter 88, An Ominous Sign

    <h4>Chapter 88, An Ominous Sign</h4>


    Tsutomu, called over by Amy to answer the journalists¡¯ questions, spoke with them without bringing up anything problematic. Most of what he ended up talking about were strategies against the ck Dragons and Garm¡¯s contributions to the fight. At the end of it, another one of the journalists approached him, holding a notepad in her hands.


    ¡°Excuse me, Mister Tsutomu. I¡¯m a journalist representing Solit Company¡­¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s gaze instantly turned cold upon the woman¡¯s utterance of thest two words. She momentarily cringed in response to the reaction she got, and then she proceeded to ask,


    ¡°Could you set aside a few minutes of your time? We¡¯d like to ask a few questions about your contributions to the defense against the ck Dragons¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid not. I don¡¯t give interviews to the Solit Company.¡±


    ¡°I-if you say so.¡±


    The journalist was stunned, a corner of her mouth twitching at Tsutomu¡¯s sheer bluntness; she then left without further insistence.


    Ever since the incident with Solit Company, Tsutomu had strictly refused to be interviewed by them, in part to extend the reach of other news outlets. The coverage by the two next biggest publishers on Tsutomu¡¯s two Fire Dragon battles had attracted a lot of attention, and the subsequent exclusive articles on Garm and Amy had helped boost their business as well. The information on the Dungeon that Tsutomu had provided them had been quite popr as well; recently, the column about the Shell Crab was a particrly hot topic, selling out newspapers of the day it had been featured.


    The other ns were cooperating with the smaller publishers as well. Ealdred Crow had been quickly updating theiryer progress, and had been willing to be interviewed without regard for payment. Silver Beast, which had defeated a Fire Dragon recently, had even refused to be interviewed by Solit Company at one point. Golden Tune had started interacting more with the second and third biggest news outlets, too.


    Solit Company¡¯s performance had clearly been declining, though they were still kept afloat by their coverage on the Scarlet Devil Squad, the n currently holding the deepestyer of progress. The publisher trying to contact Tsutomu again could mean that they were looking to improve their standing, wanting to get out of the current unfavorable situation.


    Tsutomu had no intention to give them any interviews anytime soon, however. Perhaps he would once the other publishers got big, but his personal grudge meant that he could just never do it altogether.


    Once his part was over, Tsutomu turned to Amy and Garm, and saw that they were surrounded by people. Amy was popr among both men and women, while Garm was surrounded mainly by children and older women.


    For Tsutomu, although he no longer had a bad reputation, he was not yet all that popr. Some people still did not trust himpletely, despite Solit Company issuing a public apology for all the infamy they had propagated. Simply put, everything had canceled out, making his poprity just ¡®normal.¡¯


    Tsutomu left the scene and headed to where Ealdred Crow was gathering, wanting to get a good look at the summoned Layer Boss monsters. The Eidolons were set to be released once the Stampede was over, so he wanted to get a good feel of them while he could.


    Standing near the Demi-Lich reminded Tsutomu of being in a scienceb, and the Shell Crab made him think of children¡¯s jungle gyms in ygrounds. Satisfied after getting to stroke the Crab¡¯s solid, ore-embedded shell, Tsutomu proceeded to line up for the much more popr Fire Dragon. The Dragon¡¯s area was quite crowded, with Explorers and civilians gathering around.


    After waiting in line for about thirty minutes, Tsutomu finally got his turn. He greeted Rook and gently touched the leg of the Fire Dragon as it was eating a piece of meat.


    The Fire Dragon¡¯s scales were smooth andfortable to the touch. Rook even arranged for Tsutomu to ride on the Dragon¡¯s back as it flew. Although Tsutomu was used to flying by himself, the view of the sky as seen on the giant creature¡¯s back felt quite different.


    The Dragon¡¯s scales were slippery, however; once it spun in the air, Tsutomu got thrown off. He was quick to cast [[Fly]] andnd safely, though he looked disappointed by what had just happened. This scene caused all the civilians to immediately refrain from asking to ride the Fire Dragon.


    As for the Queen Spider, he had never wanted to touch it, but then he simply decided not to go anywhere near it upon hearing the disturbing voice of a certain woman as she rubbed her cheeks against the Spider¡¯s abdomen. Simrly, the people around Tsutomu avoided the scene.


    Tsutomu proceeded to leave the central square and head to the northern gate again. This time, to wait for Leon¡¯s return from his reconnaissance mission. The only people around at this time were the eldest daughter of House Babenberg, the soldiers on guard, and the Golden Tune n members.


    Golden Tune was doing great, both with their behind-the-scenes work and Leon¡¯s scouting. With his overwhelming speed and strength over most normal monsters, Leon had high survivability and would always return with information quickly. He was practically the best scout one could ask for.


    Every hour or so, Leon would head out and observe the areas he could see within the timeframe. Considering how far he could go, it was always enough for Dungeon City to start preparing for an interception.


    After three trips in the early afternoon, Leon came back, detecting the Stampede on histest trip.


    ¡°Hello. How did your mission go?¡±


    ¡°Huh, you¡¯re still here, Tsutomu? You really wanna get your hands on thetest scoop, eh?¡±


    While his n members wiped his sweat-soaked hair with a towel, Leon looked at Tsutomu, somewhat surprised. The only other people currently near the northern section of the barrier were the soldiers on guard, Golden Tune members; all the others were resting up in the central square.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve seen the Stampede¡­ but it was a bit strange.¡±


    ¡°Strange, how?¡±


    ¡°For one, it was a lot smaller than the one that just went through Uga¡¯ol. Lots of already-bloody monsters among them, too; maybe they¡¯ve been eating their own kind?¡±


    ¡°¡­They were already bloody? Was there anything else of note?¡±


    ¡°Nothing in particr, no. I¡¯ll tell you if I find anything new next time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°All right, catch youter.¡±


    Tsutomu saw Leon off as he went to report to the nobility and the Security Team. The takeaway from the news was that the Stampede had dwindled in numbers, and some among them were injured. It would be good news if the monsters had cannibalized one another, but if one considered the involvement of Dragons, this was more often than not a bad sign.


    Of the various types of Dragons out there, only a few would directly injure monsters like that. Dragons that manipted natural phenomena could be crossed out, since there would have been signs of freezing or burning instead. Upon hearing that the monsters were ¡®already bloody,¡¯ three candidates hade to Tsutomu¡¯s mind, with one in particr being the most likely.


    [It might be the Devourer Dragon.]


    This Dragon was infamous for its gimmick of preying on other monsters in thebat area, growing stronger the more it ate. In the game, it would strengthen itself by devouring the hordes of mooks that spawned alongside it, so the key to beating this boss monster was to quickly clear out the mooks before it could eat too much.


    If the Devourer Dragon¡¯s mechanics were to be applied to this world, however, things could turn very bad very fast. Assuming that the Dragon had eaten all of the monsters in its Dungeon and hade outside to prey on the Stampede, the situation was already as bad as it could get.


    But of course, there were other Dragons that could injure the monsters in a simr way, and there could be other factors worth considering. As such, Tsutomu began checking his equipment immediately, hoping that the next thing he had to face was anything but the Devourer Dragon.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Leon¡¯s reports into the evening werergely the same, but with the key difference being that the Stampede¡¯s numbers had greatly decreased again. The Explorers, having gotten to rest for four hours since noon, were a little too rxed by this point. The same went for most of the nobility and the Security Team.


    This was only inevitable. Normal monster Stampede had never been expected to im any casualty from Dungeon City in the first ce, and this time, they had made it safely through the much more dangerous Dragon invasion. It was natural for them to let themselves loose afterward.


    Tsutomu saw that the Guild members around him had be quite optimistic. Camille was pretty much the only one among them that still had her focus.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry so much, Tsutomu~~ Everything all right now!¡± Amy said to Tsutomu and sat next to him, while thetter pondered over things while waiting for Leon. Garm came along as well, and proceeded to do some stretching, his silver armor clinking with his movement.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go back to the square. We can ride the Fire Dragon together or something!¡±


    Amy jumped around Tsutomu like an obnoxious attention-seeker, prompting thetter to cast [[Haste]] and direct the energy sphere to fly past her eyes. Amy was totally distracted by it, as apparent from how her cat ears instantly perked up, so he quickly directed the sphere away for her to chase it.


    ¡°Gah! Gotcha-!¡±


    Amy seemed to be having fun trying to swat the [[Haste]] sphere down, as if she was ying tag with it. But that chase did notst long. Just a few momentster, something suddenly smashed into the barrier; Tsutomu was startled and ended up stopping the sphere, enabling Amy to p it with both hands, popping it and boosting her own AGI.


    As it turned out, it was Leon that had hit the barrier, having rushed back from his reconnaissance. His wolf ears were held up despite him usually bending them down due to his dislike of their appearance, and the golden hairs on his tail were standing on end. Something was clearly wrong.


    Once the oldest Babenberg daughter saw that it was Leon, she immediately opened a person-sized hole in the barrier for him to get through. Her training had enabled her to link her senses with the barrier, so she could immediately notice whenever something unusual happened to it.


    Leon¡¯s face was pale as he staggered to his feet and walked inside. His n members tried speaking to him, worried, but he looked too stunned to even reply. Tsutomu shook off Amy and ran over to Leon.


    ¡°Leon! What happened!?¡± Tsutomu asked, grabbing Leon by the shoulders and shaking him.


    Leon¡¯s n members stopped Tsutomu, but that shaking did help the wolfman regain his focus. He proceeded to exin,


    ¡°Found something. Looked dangerous as hell¡­ And it was eating the monsters.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did it walk on two legs and have a big head?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah, it definitely was like that. Looked kinda like the Earth Dragon¡­ but it was totally different. Looked too strong,¡± Leon said, his breath short and hisposure lost.


    It ate monsters, had a big head, and walked on two legs ¡ª the description fit the Devourer Dragon.


    ¡°Leon, please hurry and report to the rulers. I¡¯ll talk with the Guild,¡± Tsutomu said calmly.


    ¡°¡­Yeah,¡± Leon replied and nodded firmly, hisposure regained thanks in part to Tsutomu. He proceeded to immediately leave the scene.


    Tsutomu turned around and saw that Amy and Garm were waiting for him. They were now in serious mode, having seen Leon¡¯s unusual diposure.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go find Camille.¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    The two nodded. Together with them, Tsutomu headed back to the central square and started checking out ces where Camille could be.

 Chapter 89, Devourer Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 89, Devourer Dragon</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    While Leon was out warning the nobility about the Devourer Dragon, Tsutomu met up with Camille and presented to her a data sheet of the Devourer Dragon that he had written beforehand. After an exnation, he handed the papers over.


    Camille read through only a bit of the Dragon¡¯s exnation before looking up again.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s stronger than the ck and Lightning Dragons?¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt. Please take maximum precautions¡­ And do keep in mind that even the barrier may be breached this time around.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to happen. I¡¯ll assume that you don¡¯t know much about the barrier, Tsutomu, so listen ¡ª The Royal Capital has tasked House Babenberg to manage this city ever since God¡¯s Dungeon appeared. And they¡¯re not just for show.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d still say we have to be that careful. There¡¯s no telling how strong this Devourer Dragon will be once it eats up the whole Stampede.¡±


    In Live Dungeon, if the Devourer Dragon were to consume all of the monsters that spawned during the fight, it would be stronger than even the Corroded Elder Dragon. Fortunately, this did not serve to break the game¡¯s bnce, since even first-time yers would know not to let the Dragon strengthen itself too much.


    If assuming that this world¡¯s Devourer Dragon had been eating the Stampede, however, it would be better to also assume that the Dragon had been strengthened to its game counterpart¡¯s maximum potential, or possibly even beyond that. All that knowledge made Tsutomu fear theing of the Devourer Dragon, but the Guild members around him were still quite optimistic.


    Throughout the history of Dungeon City, the noble family¡¯s twoyered magical barrier had never been breached. Thest time the firstyer had cracked was several decades ago, and even then, thatyer was just for testing. If something was strong enough to get through, it would then face the secondyer, which was stronger and had different magical properties. Such was the irond strategy of House Babenberg.


    In the Royal Capital, the city of various magic-wielding noble households, House Babenberg was one of the top two users of barrier magic. It was no exaggeration to consider that Dungeon City¡¯s barrier had the same defensive power as the one protecting the Royal Capital.


    As such, Tsutomu¡¯s worries might seem somewhat overblown for those in the know. Tsutomu being officially recognized as an orphan originating outside Dungeon City meant that people would assume ignorance, attributing his restlessness to hisck of localmon knowledge.


    Camille at least knew otherwise, ever since she had partied up with him. Moreover, it was from him that the defense force had obtained substantial information on the little-known Lightning and ck Dragons. Garm and Amy, who had also been in Tsutomu¡¯s party before, also listened to his warning seriously.


    Camille took another look at the documents, and then at Tsutomu again. She stared him in the eye and said firmly, as if she had made up her mind,


    ¡°I¡¯ll go warn everyone. I can go ahead and submit a report to the Security Team as well, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°All right, everyone, be on maximum alert!¡± Camille addressed the Guild staff members as she held up the stack of documents.


    ¡°¡­Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± they answered, though most of them had their doubts.


    Camille hurried to meet up with the Security Team. Tsutomu, unsure of what to do after seeing her off, felt a tug from behind on the sleeve of his shirt. Turning around, he saw Amy, her tail wagging as if she wanted to ask what was next.


    ¡°You think I should start evacuating the people now?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, please. Every bit helps.¡±


    ¡°Gotcha. Wait, will the Security Team even issue an evacuation order, though? ¡­You know what, I¡¯ll just talk about it with my fans first. That¡¯ll help things go smoother down the line.¡±


    Amy proceeded to wade through the crowd. Having a solid fanbase and being quite well-known in general, she quickly found her acquaintances and fans. Many were likely to understand her exnation and act ordingly.


    ¡°And what should I do?¡± Garm asked.


    ¡°I think Amy can handle the civilians just fine, so¡­ could you go warn the other ns?¡±


    ¡°All right, I got this.¡±


    Garm was one of the rare Tanks that has always been well-respected, despite Attackers being favored over everything else until very recently. He was quite a famous figure in this line of work, which was why Tsutomu had decided to send him to warn most of the ns.


    [So we¡¯re really up against the Devourer Dragon, huh¡­ Gotta prepare for it the best we can.]


    Tsutomu thought about what he could do now, taking into ount the countermeasures he had already thought of. He proceeded to head to the Magic Stone Exchange, the Forest Apothecary, and Ealdred Crow¡¯s house to prepare the things he would need.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°¡­And that¡¯s the gist of it, kids! Be counting on y¡¯all!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Amy smiled and waved, and the children she had been talking to hopped and waved back as they left with their mother. Once they were gone, Amy immediately searched for her other acquaintances.


    She had been weaving her way through the crowd, and each time she found someone she knew, she would ask them for cooperation with the Security Team¡¯s evacuation procedures. Her fans immediately agreed and were quick to spread the word, and most of her acquaintances were more than happy to do as asked.


    ¡°Aha! Excuse me, ma¡¯am! Do you have a minute?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Well, if it isn¡¯t Amy! Do you need something?¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s something I need to tell you¡­¡±


    Once Amy exined to the plumpdy that a strong monster was approaching, and that she and her family should evacuate, thedy looked troubled as she put one hand on her chin.


    ¡°Well, that sounds like a big deal! But my husband is with those Dungeon Maniacs, you see? I¡¯d already told him to listen to the Security, but he¡¯d stop at nothing to see the action!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ sounds rough.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? Just the other day, he even-¡°


    The ramble went on for more than ten minutes, after which Amy steered the topic back to the evacuation and pulled a few sheets of documentation out of her pouch-like Magic Bag.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯ve got thetest Dungeon data written down here ¡ª maybe you can use this to persuade him or somethin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Really? Now this might lure him away from whatever he¡¯s obsessing over! Are you sure I can have it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine! Just make sure he evacuates with you, okay?¡± Amy said with a smile and ran off to find the next person she knew.


    The woman she had just met was known to be one of the most talkative housewives in town. Amy had no doubt that the woman would pass the information around, which was why she had taken the time to exin things to thetter.


    After that, Amy continued to ask her acquaintances to evacuate, and those people gradually spread the word around. There was a limit in Amy going around telling people by herself, but thanks to her reputation, she could get them to help greatly speed up the process. With prior information gained from acquaintances, people were more likely to follow the Security Team¡¯s evacuation request whenever it came up.


    All in all, the n to prepare for the evacuation was going well. She kept on wading through the crowd and talking to people, getting them to tell others and be ready to evacuate in ordance with the Security Team¡¯s instructions.


    [Looks like I¡¯m just about done here.]


    Seeing that more and more people were talking about the Stampede and the evacuation, Amy felt that she had done enough, so she returned to the Guild.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Meanwhile, Garm went over to Ealdred Crow¡¯s gathering space and met up with his old friend Bittman.


    ¡°Long time no see, Garm. What is it?¡± Bittman greeted him with a smile, having not seen him in quite some time. They then shook hands, and Garm got right to business.


    ¡°There¡¯s something you need to know about the Stampede. The Security Team will probably announce itter, but you¡¯d better not expect it to be anything like thest time.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a new monster called the Devourer Dragon heading this way, and it¡¯s stronger than the ck and Lightning Dragons. Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡±


    ¡°¡­All right, I understand. Sounds like you¡¯re serious ¡ª I¡¯ll warn Rook about it.¡±


    ¡°You have my thanks.¡±


    Seeing that Garm was much more insistent than usual, Bittman took his every word seriously. As a Tank in Ealdred Crow¡¯s main force, Bittman¡¯s opinions were bing more and more relevant in the n. Rook and the other n members were sure to not brush his suggestions off.


    Garm left Bittman to talk to the others in Ealdred Crow, while he continued on to where the Scarlet Devil Squad was.


    The Scarlet Devil Squad was the smallest of the major ns, with only ten or so members. Once Garm found them, he immediately called Weiss, who was sitting on the ground to do maintenance on a crossbow.


    ¡°¡­What? Feel like joining the Scarlet Devil Squad now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you no before. This time I just have something to warn you about.¡±


    ¡°¡­The Scarlet Devil Squad will make even greater progress with you in our ranks. We could help fund the orphanage, too.¡±


    ¡°Shut up and listen.¡±


    Weiss stared back nkly at Garm¡¯s no-nonsense attitude. But that did not mean he was giving up, as the look in his red eyes would suggest. Anyone would assume that Weiss would still try to recruit Garm at their next meeting.


    Garm¡¯s position in the Guild meant that he would often be sent to explore the Dungeon¡¯syer sixty-one and beyond, and whenever he crossed paths with the Scarlet Devil Squad, they would try to invite him to join. Amy, being an excellent Attacker, would get invitations as well, but it was Garm that Weiss really wanted, as suggested by the clear passion in his words.


    Weiss had known Garm since the emergence of God¡¯s Dungeon, and had asionally even formed a party with him. It was from those times that he knew just how capable Garm was, and as such, he had wanted for thetter to join his n one day.


    At the time, however, Garm had been invited by another major n, and had joined them before Weiss could invite him. Scarlet Devil Squad was still in the mid-tiers at the time, so Weiss had given up for the time being.


    But in the recent months, things have been different. Scarlet Devil Squad was now one of the most relevant ns around. Garm had since be a Guild Staff Member, but then he briefly partied up with the infamous Lucky Boy Tsutomu and even made the headlines once they defeated two Fire Dragons, suggesting that he was taking another shot at being an Explorer. Weiss had started trying to recruit Garm into his n as soon as he could, but each time, he had been refused.


    Garm had already decided on a specific n he wanted to join. As such, although he was happy to be invited by Weiss, knowing how thetter had worked his n¡¯s way up, he decided to turn him down.


    ¡°So, the warning¡­ It¡¯s about the Stampede.¡±


    ¡°¡­What now?¡±


    ¡°You should be careful in theing battle. We¡¯ve confirmed the sighting of a new monster called Devourer Dragon, and it¡¯s eating up the rest of the Stampede on its way to the city.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. I¡¯ll let everyone know.¡±


    ¡°Keep your guard up. This one might be strong enough to kill you.¡±


    ¡°¡­If it thinks it can, then I want it to try,¡± Weiss said, despising the notion held by some that his unique skill had made him less of a human than others.


    Still, he took Garm¡¯s warning seriously, and went on to inform his Scarlet Devil Squad members. The information was then spread around to the mid-tier ns and other unaffiliated Explorers that had gathered for the Stampede.


    The majority did not make an openment on the warning, but in their minds they brushed it off, considering it to be overblown. That was how much they trusted in the nobility¡¯s defensive magic ¡ª so much so that even Garm and Weiss had difficulties convincing them otherwise.


    But then again, they could not openly suggest that even the barrier might be destroyed. It could be seen as an insult to House Babenberg, which possibly would result in punishment. Without saying that outright, the process of persuading people was close to impossible.


    ¡°¡­Damn it,¡± Garm grumbled and gritted his teeth, knowing that he was not getting much done.

 Chapter 90, Differing Agendas

    <h4>Chapter 90, Differing Agendas</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Camille took Tsutomu¡¯s notes and headed to the Security Team¡¯s location, where she quickly spotted Bruno in the crowd thanks to thetter¡¯s hulking figure. Leon happened to also be here, in the middle of reporting to Bruno.


    Leon rushed through his exnations of the Devourer Dragon¡¯s appearance and potential threat he had perceived, and when he turned around to leave, his eyes met with Camille¡¯s.


    Camille was automatically wary of Leon, seeing that he always would try to hit on her whenever they met. She had already turned him down dozens of times, but Leon never stopped his smooth talk, as if it had be his usual routine.


    This time, however, Leon spoke to her seriously, a stark contrast to his usual informal tone,


    ¡°Hey there, Camille. Have you heard from Tsutomu yet?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? I did, yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, ¡¯cause this one¡¯s definitely no joke. Makes Fire Dragons look like nothing, honestly ¡ª we¡¯ve got to be ready as soon as we can. The rulers didn¡¯t listen to me, though¡­ Look, just be on guard.¡±


    ¡°Right, that¡¯s what Tsutomu said as well. I¡¯m going to discuss it with Bruno now.¡±


    ¡°All right, the faster the better. I¡¯ll go evacuate my n members who can¡¯t make it. See youter,¡± Leon said, cutting the conversation short and immediately running off.


    Camille was briefly taken aback by his seriousness, proceeded to turn to Bruno, who only shrugged back as if to try and brush the issue aside.


    ¡°I can tell that it¡¯s serious, seeing that Leon is actually scared for once, but is this Dragon really that big of a threat?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in so much of a hurry that he didn¡¯t even hit on me ¡ª and you know how he does that all the time, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Right, and I¡¯ll just ignore the fact that he never hits on ME¡­ Anyway, I assume that Tsutomu told you something?¡±


    ¡°He did. Also gave me some information on the monster Leon found.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my¡­ that boy sure knows everything, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Bruno said casually while scanning through Camille¡¯s stack of documents, and upon seeing the section suggesting the possibility of the barrier being breached, he was taken aback. ¡°Now this just sounds ridiculous. If it¡¯s real, then we¡¯ve got some real trouble on our hands.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t think the magical barrier will be breached, but Leon¡¯s reaction is more than enough to tell that it¡¯s dangerous, and Tsutomu has proven to be a credible source of information. I think it¡¯s worth considering the information he has offered us.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ but if House Babenberg were to see this, they¡¯d probably justugh it off. That¡¯s exactly what they just did to Leon¡­¡± Bruno pouted and grumbled in annoyance, having been told by Leon the reaction of the town¡¯s rulers just now. The pouting might have looked cute if it was Amy doing it, but Bruno¡¯s appearance was the definition of a manly man, boasting a towering height of over two meters.


    And despite the casual outward behavior, Bruno¡¯s head was already running detailed calctions. If the information was urate, then the civilians must be evacuated immediately. Although Bruno still could not imagine a monster that might destroy the barrier, Leon¡¯s unusual reaction and Tsutomu¡¯s information were factors that could not just be ignored. At the very least, an immensely powerful monster was on its way to attack the city ¡ª that was for certain.


    But Bruno knew that telling the nobility about this would likely not result in them permitting an evacuation order. Evacuating the people ¡®just in case¡¯ had the implication of being worried about the nobility¡¯s defensive magic. Naturally, the Security Team would find themselves in trouble for doing that.


    Even the high alert order issued during the Dragon battle had taken Bruno a great deal of effort to convince the nobility to permit. Even if the Security Team were to petition for an official evacuation order now, the process would not go smoothly, if it even went through at all.


    While Bruno wondered what they should do, Camille shed a daring grin and spoke up,


    ¡°Whatever issue they take with us, I¡¯ll help take responsibility for it.¡±


    Bruno, although surprised by her bold statement, firmly nodded back.


    ¡°Thank you. We¡¯ll start evacuating the civilians right away.¡±


    ¡°I should be the one to thank you, having you do all the heavy lifting¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. If anything, you¡¯re helping me by pushing me to do this,¡± Bruno said, seeming as if ashamed of hesitating even briefly, and then immediately ordered nearby colleagues to gather up the rest of the Security Team.


    Those who received the order rushed to get everyone, calling them over by blowing whistles.


    Even if the nobility was to be informed, they would take too long to get anything done, so Bruno decided to carry out the evacuation without them knowing. If the Stampede was to end without incident, Bruno would surely be in for some form of punishment ¡ª not that Bruno cared at this point.


    Despite possessing the power of the unique skill [[Muscle Body]], Bruno used it only for the sake of justice, firmly believing that human life took priority above all else.


    Those who heard the whistles quickly gathered around. Even those who were eating or taking a nap immediately got ready and rushed to Bruno¡¯s location.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be in big trouble if nothing happens,¡± Bruno chuckled.


    ¡°If that¡¯s how it goes, then we¡¯ll have Tsutomu and Leon to me instead. Why not have thempensate by taking them on a date?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my, I can have my boy Leon to myself! That¡¯d be nice!¡±


    And so a deal was made¡­ without the knowledge of the two men in question.


    Once all of the Security Team was present, Bruno exined the situation to them, after which theymenced the evacuation procedures.


    They formed a formation around the city and asked for the civilians¡¯ evacuation, and as one would expect, the people were not pleased. Many journalists even stated that they would stay, so that they could get more news coverage.


    Thankfully, the groups Amy had set up started cooperating with the Security Team, slowly but surely leading the others to do the same. Eventually, a decent percentage of the poption was on their way out.


    Quite a few people still insisted on staying, however. They tly rejected the Security Team¡¯s request, saying that the nobility¡¯s magical barrier would always protect them.


    By now, Leon had already noticed the Stampede¡¯s numbers dwindling greatly. Since the Security Team was too understaffed to round up every single person, those who refused to evacuate were left alone for now.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°What is with thismotion!?¡±


    ¡°R-report, sir! It appears that the Security Team is evacuating the civilians!¡±


    ¡°Excuse me!? We were not informed they¡¯d be doing that!¡±


    The eldest son of House Babenberg, who had been lounging in his estate and conversing with his father over a ss of wine, turned a furious red and shouted back at his attendant¡¯s report. Outside, people were beginning to evacuate, with the Security Team leading the procedures. House Babenberg itself had never been informed that this would happen.


    As for the head of the house, although he did not say anything, he did look displeased to hear what was happening.


    ¡°¡­That Ogre freak! I want that musclehead here right now!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir! Immediately, sir!¡±


    ¡°Now now, hold your horses.¡±


    Melchor, who had entered the room at the same time as the attendant, objected to thetter¡¯s reply. The eldest noble son was quite intimidated by Melchor¡¯s reaction ¡ª by the leader of the nobility¡¯s private military force, and multiple times the champion of the highly esteemed Martial Arts Tournament. Still, he was quick to speak back,


    ¡°But why, Melchor!?¡±


    ¡°The new monster that Leon reported on could be upon us any hour now. When that happens, it is you, my lord, who must takemand. Bruno¡¯s punishment can wait until the Stampede is over with, I say.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! This is nothing but an insult to House Babenberg! The high alert order from before, and now this¡­ what are they trying to achieve!?¡± The eldest son ranted on and mmed his hand on the table. The ss on top of it bounced lightly, rippling the red wine inside.


    The eldest son had also been opposed to Bruno¡¯s earlier safety measures,rgely out of personal bias, and not without valid considerations.


    The Stampede was a major but easy opportunity for the nobility to show their authority to the people ¡ª by protecting them from the waves of monster outbreaks originating from the Dungeons outside of the city.


    After all, the nobility was naturally obligated to provide protection to the people of the territories they ruled over, in exchange for their taxes.


    Countless monsters would approach Dungeon City, and the nobility would use their barrier magic to effortlessly repel them, and their magic tools and military forces to finish them off. If the people could actually see this in action, they were sure to be less dissatisfied with paying taxes.


    Therefore, the Security Team¡¯s request to evacuate the people in advance worked against the nobility¡¯s advantage. The less the civilians saw the action, the less they were willing to pay up. In addition to that, the eldest son was especially conscious of his family¡¯s duty to defend the people. Overwhelmingly confident in the barrier magic, he could not tolerate anyone who would doubt its capabilities.


    Primarily for that reason, the eldest son had repeatedly brushed aside the Security Team¡¯s petitions, and in the end, it had been Bruno¡¯s direct intervention and connections with various organizations that had semi-forced the high alert order to be issued. Needless to say, that had dealt the eldest son quite a blow to his ego.


    House Babenberg¡¯s barrier magic was no difference in performancepared to the one protecting the Royal Capital. It was arguably the best barrier magic known to be in use, even. The eldest son, born into the noble house possessing something so important, had studied the barrier magic under the strict guidance of his father, and now he was capable enough to be the next head of the family. Although his self-esteem was a tiny bit too high, and he cared too much about others¡¯ opinions on him, his barrier magic skills were more than sufficient.


    In fact, he had performed well so far, effortlessly maintaining the defense against the Dragon¡¯s attacks and dealing with the ck mes without panic. If more people had gotten to see the action, he was sure that House Babenberg would have gained even more fame. As such, the high alert order that had limited the number of spectators was his source of frustration now.


    ¡°You are right to be angry, my lord, but you must know to restrain yourself.¡±


    ¡°Still, this isn¡¯t-¡°


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to work, son,¡± the head of House Babenberg calmly interrupted, showing not a sign of anger, in contrast to his totally furious eldest son.


    The head of the house then walked away. The eldest son looked at him go for a moment, sighed a few times, finished his ss of red wine, and ran after his father. Once the two men were out of sight, Melchor shook his head.


    [Quite a spectacr move, eh, Bruno? Now if only you¡¯d be just a little less reckless¡­] Melchor sighed, exasperated by Bruno¡¯s bold course of action.


    Still, he did not me Bruno for doing this, because he knew just how much thetter wanted to see justice served ¡ª even if it cost their job. Bruno had always been like that.


    From eight years ago, when God¡¯s Dungeon first appeared in Dungeon City¡­ and all the subsequent years, many things had changed, some not for the better. The creation of Status Cards had empowered the Explorers, and among them, many had chosen to use that power for illegal gains. Crime rates had skyrocketed, while public order deteriorated.


    Early on, the private military force had been policing the Explorers, but due to them not exploring God¡¯s Dungeon as much, there was a notable difference in their status ratings before long. A martial arts master like Melchor could handle that, but ordinary soldiers were no match against those Explorers.


    At one point, a certain n had emerged ¡ª a n that aimed to catch Explorer criminals ¡ª the n led by none other than Bruno. They had started to capture crimemitting Explorers, one after another, and handed them over to the private military.


    Ever since that n¡¯s emergence, Explorer-based crime rates had decreased drastically, and there was even a slight reduction in normal crime. In addition, they had even eliminated one of thergest crime-based ns that had been running things in the shadows at the time.


    The nobility, recognizing Bruno for those achievements, had ced the n under the framework that would be known today as the Security Team, tasking them with the maintenance of public order. It would be no exaggeration to say that much of Dungeon City¡¯s peace had been thanks to Bruno¡¯s actions as its foundation. As such, Melchor knew that Bruno would not be punished so harshly if at all, but still, he could not help but be worried.


    With Melchor and Bruno having somewhat of a master-student rtionship, he was quite fond of thetter¡¯s personality. On the outside he may be entric, but on the inside, Bruno was the embodiment of honesty and justice. Melchor saw it as regrettable that such an influential individual did not get anywhere near the deserved recognition.


    [Heh, how troublesome one can be¡­]


    Melchor started thinking of ways to calm down the enraged eldest noble son¡­ and heaved yet another heavy sigh.

 Chapter 91, Interception Readiness

    <h4>Chapter 91, Interception Readiness</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Tsutomu went to purchase the Exchange¡¯s excess Magic Stones from the Dwarf girl, and then to the medical unit to convince the Forest Apothecarydy to evacuate the city.


    Afterward, he went to meet up with Ealdred Crow, and came up with a n toy traps and obstacles along the northern highway. However, when they tried heading out of town, the barrier refused to open.


    Rook turned to the raised tform where House Babenberg¡¯s eldest daughter was. Her reaction suggested that she too, did not know why it was happening, which made Rook arrive at a certain conclusion.


    ¡°¡­Tsutomu, we should get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You there. Halt.¡± A voice called out to Ealdred Crow¡¯s group just as Rook was about to hurry away.


    It was the eldest son of House Babengerg, looking quite stern all the while walking through a group of Explorers as everyone made way for him.


    Then he gave a condescending look to the whole Ealdred Crow group and stared specifically at Rook.


    ¡°You¡¯re not heading out of town, are you? What are you trying to aplish?¡±


    ¡°Actually, yes, we are. I¡¯d like to re-confirm the locations of our Golem-construct bases¡­¡±


    ¡°That is not necessary! Just behave yourselves, stay in the wall, and help the others prepare! Or do you have some other objective? You¡¯re not doubting House Babenberg¡¯s barrier, are you?¡± The eldest son went on a mini-rant; Rook¡¯s statement was quite suspicious, as apparent from how he averted his eyes.


    ¡°Oh, nothing of the sort, sir.¡± Rook replied calmly.


    The eldest son, annoyed further, groaned and proceeded to say, ¡°Then stay put. Devourer Dragon or whatever, it is powerless against our defensive magic. All you need is to be ready to intercept it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. Apologies if we were out of line, sir.¡±


    ¡°Apology epted. Now get back to work,¡± the eldest son said, then immediately turned around and walked over to his sister.


    Watching the man leave, Tsutomu instinctively took a step forward, and was promptly stopped by Rook.


    ¡°You¡¯re better off giving it up, I say.¡±


    ¡°But if things go this way, it might not end well¡­¡±


    ¡°Please. You were seen with Ealdred Crow, so if you cause any trouble, we¡¯ll be in hot water as well.¡±


    ¡°All right¡­¡±


    Tsutomu relented, not having any point to argue with. All he could do now was look at House Babenberg¡¯s son walk away, waiting for thetter to finally be out of sight.


    Although Tsutomu wanted to do all he could to hinder the Dragon¡¯s progress outside, he knew that going through the official channel would take too long to get an approval, and even then, the nobility¡¯s attitude meant that approval was unlikely.


    ¡°¡­So what should we do now, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to start. Seeing that guy¡¯s attitude, he wouldn¡¯t let mey traps inside the barriers either, would he?¡±


    Tsutomu tapped his feet on the stone-paved ground, while Rook stayed silent and only nodded. Getting that non-response, Tsutomu could not help but facepalm and shake his head. He sighed, frustrated that the one strategy he had been counting on may not even go off the nning board.


    The Devourer Dragon was a bipedal, wingless creature, simr to a dinosaur. Since it most definitely traveled exclusively on foot, Tsutomu had figured thatying traps would likely be effective.


    He had brought along Ealdred Crow¡¯s teams of capable personnel on a n to set up pitfalls and bogs. But then, that n had failed to get off the ground, stopped by House Babenberg¡¯smand. If they were to try moving in grounds toy traps inside the barrier, they would likely be stopped for some other arbitrary faults. Breaking apart the stone-paved ground would be too loud, and the group was too short on numbers to do it any other way. All in all, the n was impossible to carry out without the nobility knowing.


    ¡°But you know, House Babenberg isn¡¯t necessarily wrong to be that confident. Haven¡¯t you seen the barrier in action? It defended against all of the Dragon¡¯s attacks, no problem at all.¡±


    ¡°I did see it, but still, we should do whatever we can. Laying traps is a no-go now, but there are plenty of other options avable.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it.¡±


    Rook had seen Leon¡¯s obviously unusual reaction, so he decided to go along with Tsutomu¡¯s proposed preparations despite still thinking they were excessive. In the end, they proceeded with making minor preparations that could be carried out in small groups.


    An hourter, the Stampede¡¯s monster force appeared, just as Leon had reported they would. They rushed toward Dungeon City, injured and missing a good chunk of their original numbers. In fact, they were more like a pack than an army when their numbers werepared to the standard Stampede.


    Moreover, the monsters did not attack and simply went around Dungeon City, heading south as if they were running away from something. This unprecedented turn of events disappointed those who had been anticipating the action quite a bit.


    It was amon belief that the monsters of Stampedes were targeting the huge quantity of Magic Stones in Dungeon City, but this time, their actions seemed to contradict that theory. It was clearly different from how Stampedes usually yed out.


    Once the monsters went past the city, beginner and intermediate-level Explorers were told to evacuate, as advised by Leon. About half of those Explorers stayed behind, however, with the intermediate ones being overconfident of their skills, and the beginners wanting to test their mettle. The Security Team did not take any special action, as a forced evacuation would only create confusion. As such, those Explorers were put to work either in minor attack squads or on misceneous tasks.


    As the sun began to set and the logistical support team prepared to illuminate thebat areas, a Birdkin man caught sight of the Devourer Dragon that Leon had been so terrified of.


    The Dragon ran at a great speed, its body bent over, its head shaking erratically, and its thick legs pulverizing the ground with each step. Its body was dark, giving off a somewhat poisonous impression, and its tongue stuck out constantly from its mouth, from which dripping a waterfall of spit. In stark contrast to itsrge head and legs, its arms were strangely small.


    At a closer look, its overall appearance closely resembled that of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, considered at one point to be the greatest carnivorous beast on Earth.


    Under the reddened evening sky, the Devourer Dragon, its mouth dyed blood red and its feet rumbling the earth, approached Dungeon City.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Amy was startled at the first sight of the Devourer Dragon, her shoulders shuddering and her tail curling in between her legs. Garm¡¯s indigo dog ears folded back, suggesting that he was upset as well. Other Beaskin and Birdkin also had simr reactions with their tails and ears, perhaps instinctively afraid of the powerful enemy.


    Camille and Melchor felt what seemed to be a sinister aura from the Dragon. It was more powerful than Fire Dragons, so Camille felt quite disheartened ¡ª but only briefly, as she had attained control over her emotions after being intimidated by a Fire Dragon once. Not to mention that this time, she was not fighting in a group of three. That fact helped Camille to stabilize her mind.


    Rook, Bruno, and most of their allies looked calm, apparently not feeling anything in particr. It was the same for the other human Explorers and the military force. Still, they could tell from the others¡¯ reactions and the Devourer Dragon¡¯s appearance that this enemy was going to be a tough one.


    The band¡¯s Conductor started directing the Minstrels to begin performing. Music echoed through the area, boosting everyone¡¯s status values. Those who heard the performance recognized the tunes as ones that were always yed during Stampedes, and gradually regained theirposure.


    The Devourer Dragon pushed forward, its breath heavy; the Golem-construct bases did nothing to slow its progress. Its body, practically a mass of pure muscle, plunged on as if it was not up against any obstacle. Moreover, its highly advanced sense of smell enabled it to track even the faintest smalls of its prey; this had also caused it to detect the vast amount of Magic Stones in Dungeon City.


    The only time this creature was ever satisfied was during a meal. In every single moment not spent eating, it was hungry and would be on the hunt for more food. Its nose had sniffed out the best prey it could hope to ever find: the sheer quantity of Colorless Magic Stones in Dungeon City ¡ª that was why the creature¡¯s legs were leading it here. Obviously, along the way, it had devoured almost all of the Stampede¡¯s monsters in its path.


    Now, it was making a beeline to where it could smell the most Magic Stonesing from, but on the way, it found its progress halted by a wall.


    The wall was transparent, and thus invisible to the Devourer Dragon; it was none other than House Babenberg¡¯s barrier. The Dragon, confused as to why its body had bounced back, proceeded to walk toward the wall again, after which it realized that it was being blocked by something.


    Then it roared, its voice raspy as if all the creatures it had eaten were trying to get out of its stomach.


    Those who heard the roar felt as if they were being eaten; all except Tsutomu, were frightened by the Dragon. They reacted in a myriad of ways, some taking a few steps back in panic, and others falling down under the pressure. Tsutomu, having been weed into this world by the Corroded Elder Dragon¡¯s roar, did not wince, but still slightly stiffened his expression.


    The whole band¡¯s performance stopped at once, reced by the Devourer Dragon¡¯s roar, which absolutely dominated the area.


    The Devourer Dragon, eyes bloodshot, flexed its legs so hard that the ground caved in¡­ and then it tackled the barrier, shaking the entirety of it.


    Constantly screaming as if it was a beast in heat, it attacked and attacked, eventually cracking the outer barrier, producing a sound simr to teeth grinding together.


    More than half of those present were on the verge of panicking; the menacing Dragon was roaring closer and closer to their ears, and the supposedly invincible barrier had cracked. Thankfully, another, more dignified source of sound drowned out the monster¡¯s voice.


    The band¡¯s Conductor had resumed the performance, directing all the Minstrels to y. The tunes began to resound with a volume no less than the Devourer Dragon¡¯s.


    The skill they used, all in unison, was [[War Deity Instrumental]]. It could only be performed with musical instruments, but it had the valuable effect of boosting the STR of those who heard its tune.


    The performance served to encourage all of those who were frightened by the Devourer Dragon¡¯s roars. The band¡¯s volume increased more and more. Eventually, the Dragon¡¯s roars felt as if they were part of the music, which in turn let the music effectively calm the panicking fighters¡¯ minds.


    That did not change the fact that the barrier had cracked, however. The magic-shooting squads near the barrier and the anti-monster magic tool-operating military forces were especially aware of that threat.


    The barrier had never gotten so much as a scratch before, but this time, it had been cracked by just one creature. By the nobility¡¯s orders, almost everyone had been positioned further from the barrier than before, so the ones closest to the action now were the attack squads¡­ and naturally, some of them were now starting to take steps back.


    ¡°Stay calm, people,¡± the head of House Babenberg said nonchntly through a megaphone-like tool, seemingly aware of the attack squad¡¯s unease.


    The eldest son and daughter jumped down from a watchtower, then cast [[Fly]] to break their fall,nding safely beside their father.


    ¡°Heh, now that is some awesome power. I¡¯ve never seen anything crack even the outer barrier before!¡± The eldest daughterughed heartily, greatly amused by the sight.


    ¡°Curses! Thosemoners must be SO HAPPY that they doubted us¡­¡± The eldest son grumbled, apparently worried about his future reputation.


    Both of them held up their hands, and the crack in the barrier was immediately repaired.


    Their father then raised his right hand high in the air. This was a signal to be prepared to engage at any time. Seeing that, the attack squad got ready to fight, albeit while still surprised.


    Just like the Dragons from before, however, the Devourer Dragon was expected to immediately attack upon the disengagement of the barrier.


    ¡°Focus defense on the inner barrier. Carefully time the disengagement of the outeryer.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got this, dad.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, father.¡±


    The two bowed to their father then turned to look at the Devourer Dragon, and saw that its constantly dripping drool was a bright red. The Dragon¡¯s eyes were full of hunger, as if it was starving. The eldest son showed no fear, however, for he had absolute faith in the barrier ¡ª one that he, his sister, and his father operated together.


    The Devourer Dragon moved a short distance back, charged up its strength, and lunged at the barrier. A crack formed on the barrier once again, which the monster then tried to push through with brute force.


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Then, when the Dragon was about tond another strike, the barrier¡¯s outeryer disappeared. The creature¡¯s missing its intended target, caused it to fall over forward, but its momentum carried it on a collision course against the inneryer.


    The oing crash looked like it would be quite a loud one. Before that happened, however, the head of the noble house held up his hand and cast a spell to modify the barrier¡¯s attributes, making it soft and stic. The Dragon ended up mming into the barrier so hard that it got its head stuck.


    With it stretching the barrier inward, the Dragon¡¯s face was now getting closer to the attack squad despite thetter having stepped away a few minutes ago. Their eyes met, but thankfully, the monster had already lost its momentum.


    Then, once the Devourer Dragon stopped, the stic barrier bounced back as if reflecting the lunge it had taken. The Dragon¡¯s force countered in full, it was knocked away and fell on its backside.


    ¡°OPEN FIRE!¡±


    The head of the house wasted no time to issue hismand, and at almost the same time, the barrier was disengaged and the attack squads¡¯ skills rained down on the Devourer Dragon. Unlike the previous battle, there was only one target, allowing them to concentrate their attacks on it. As if to counteract their fear of the monster, everyone put all the power they could into their skills.


    Arrows rained down, and magical cannons hurled one fireball after another. Magic sts flew from Mages¡¯ staves,nding on their target and bursting into mes. The Devourer Dragon, even with its mass of tenacious muscles, could not withstand the storm of hundreds of attacks, eventually failing to keep its posture.


    ¡°Those who have expended all their energy, switch out! Permission granted to use Blue Potions as needed! Keep the attacks going!¡±


    The head of the house, seemingly aware of the Devourer Dragon¡¯s odd presence now, gave orders to ensure that the stream of attacks never stopped. The Blue Potions in question were special ¡ª they had been made with the Forest Apothecary¡¯s special recipe; even a single sip would restore arge amount of mental energy, but the Potion itself was quite costly. Still, this reluctant approval for them to be used liberally was to maximize the defending force¡¯s firepower.


    Fire, lightning, wind ¡ª all sorts of magic spells streaked through the air, and volleys of expensive Holy and Dark-elemental arrows flew at their sole target. Ice sts, lightning storms, heat waves ¡ª all elements mixed together to attack the Devourer Dragon. All the while, the attack squads drank vial after vial of Blue Potion, the empty vials dropped to the ground and left rolling around.


    ¡°[[Meteor]].¡±


    By the time the attack squads were almost out of Blue Potions, they closed things off by unleashing the currently most powerful attack known to ck Mages. Expending the maximum amount of energy into it, the meteorite turned gigantic, and its mass was further boosted by the ck Staff¡¯s power boost. It fell and crashed down on the Devourer Dragon, producing a thunderous explosion on impact.


    Dust clouds and pebbles flew all over the ce as the head of the house re-engaged ayer of the barrier.


    Then, after a little while, the quaking subsided. The barrier was once again disengaged, and the ck Mages and Spiritualists cast the wind spell [[st]] to clear the dust away.


    All they saw now was a round, giant meteorite. Cheers echoed through the area,ing especially loud from the Explorers who had seen the meteorite crash onto the Dragon with their own eyes. The civilians who had remained to watch the action also celebrated, in awe of the tremendous power disyed by that attack skill.

 Chapter 92, Wicked Powerful

    <h4>Chapter 92, Wicked Powerful</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Shouts of celebration filled the vicinity. The attack squad members looked happily at those around them, knocking their weapons together and sping one another¡¯s hands. Among them, Diniel lowered her bow and let out a long sigh, and the Deputy Guild Master began to collect the empty vials scattered around.


    Alma, who had dropped the final giant meteorite down on the Dragon, seemed unamused; she groaned, flicked her long hair, and turned away. House Babenberg re-engaged the barrier just in case, but they were a fair bit more rxed now.


    Explorers, soldiers, civilians ¡ª all of them had been frightened by the Devourer Dragon minutes ago, but now, they were utterly ecstatic. The logistical squad heaved a sigh, relieved that no one had been injured. The band proceeded to start ying a victory fanfare.


    On the Guild¡¯s side, Amy, Garm, and Camille were quite relieved as well. Especially Camille ¡ª she leaned against Tsutomu¡¯s shoulder, apparently mentally drained from the Dragon¡¯s intimidating presence.


    ¡°Camille, don¡¯t let your guard down just yet.¡±


    While everyone around him was filled with joy, Tsutomu was still uneasy. He warily kept an eye on the giant meteorite in the distance, while also calcting about how wide his [[Barrier]] must be for it to protect everyone in the Guild¡¯s squads. Camille, seeing Tsutomu like that, moved her face in closer and said to him,


    ¡°Come on, rx. I don¡¯t sense that Dragon¡¯s¡­ weird presence anymore. I¡¯m good at telling this kind of thing, you know.¡±


    ¡°¡­I sure hope so.¡±


    ¡°What, don¡¯t you trust me-¡°


    Camille was about to poke Tsutomu¡¯s cheek when she felt a jolt in her senses, as if her heart had skipped a beat. She immediately turned around to where the meteorite was.


    There was no change in the meteorite. Itid in its crater, round and untouched.


    A few momentster, however, a suspicious sound could be heard. The first one to realize that was a Conykin in an attack squad.


    ¡°Hey, is anyone hearing this?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Hear what?¡± An Aelurkin man asked back.


    ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ a scraping sound¡­¡± The Conykin said and folded her rabbit ears down.


    The Aelurkin tried listening carefully, and sure enough, she heard the sound in question ¡ª of something scraping stone. It grew louder and louder.


    Now, the sound from inside the meteorite was simr to that of an eggshell being broken¡­ eventually, white light emerged from the cracks, and then it exploded.


    The Devourer Dragon¡¯s roar returned, seeming as if it was echoing from the depths of the earth ¡ª as if it was being born again.


    Then, the Dragon itself emerged from the scattered pieces of the meteorite¡­ and its appearance, aside from size, was reminiscent of a newly-hatched chick.


    The surface of its body was a fresh red, its skin seeming to have peeled off from the burn. Arrows stuck out from one of its eyes, and also various spots of its body, making it look almost like a hedgehog.


    The front of its mouth had been blown apart, exposing its gums and chipped teeth, and its nostrils had been gouged out ¡ª all in all, it was a painful sight to behold. Even its legs did not fare much better, with its tendons torn off due to all the magic spells, especially the [[Meteor]] it had been hit with. It was clear that most of its bones had been broken, and three of its ribs were sticking out of its chest. The only part of it still fully intact was its arms, having been shielded by the rest of its body.


    The Devourer Dragon was in no condition to move ¡ª in fact, it was barely limping by, despite it just blowing apart the meteorite. It did not seem like it could stand itself up at this point.


    ¡°D-damn, why you gotta spook me like that?¡±


    The attack squads had been surprised by the meteorite¡¯s sudden shattering, but now, they were relieved to see the Devourer Dragon was on the verge of death. All the others also breathed a sigh of relief. It was baffling that the monster had not been outright killed after eating hundreds of skills unleashed by hundreds of people, but now, it was apparent that it would die if left alone.


    House Babenberg had been wary of the Devourer Dragon¡¯s attacks since it seemed to be infused with some sort of magical energy, but in the end, they decided that the level of destructive power they had observed was a non-issue. Intending to finish it off as soon as possible, they told the attack squads to recover their mental energy with Blue Potions, and also to prepare the magic tools.


    The Dragon was on the verge of death, true, but its heart was still beating steadily. Moreover, the Devourer Dragon had a special organ called the ¡®magic sac,¡¯ in which it stored the Magic Stones of the countless monsters it had eaten. Right now, the magic sac of this Dragon still holds an enormous amount of energy.


    This energy, generated from the Magic Stones, served as the Devourer Dragon¡¯s power source. It would not stop moving until its body waspletely destroyed or the contents of its magic sac were exhausted.


    While the attack squads were preparing, the staggering Devourer Dragon opened its mouth as if seeking food. Its throat was revealed to be barely hanging, and behind it, white light began leaking from its throat.


    ¡°What in the¡­¡±


    It was a mass of pure energy, extracted from the tons over tons of Magic Stones of the monsters the Devourer Dragon had eaten, both in its original Dungeon and the ones from the Dungeons nearby. Drawing its power from that pool of energy, the Dragon was about ready to spit it all out.


    The energy was immense; the nobility, being the ones who handled magic spells that consumed Magic Stones, knew exactly how devastating it was. The eldest daughter gasped, and the head of the house broke into a cold sweat. Even the head of the house had never seen such a high density of magic energy. He could imagine that without the barrier, if it was unleashed onto the Dungeon City, the whole area would disappear.


    ¡°Stack the remaining barrier sections together! Every one of them! I¡¯ll get the full barrier up as soon as I can!¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    Under their father¡¯s direction, the eldest son and daughter hurried to do their thing, with the intent to shift the defense entirely to the north. The head of the house then started putting up more barriers in between Dungeon City and the Dragon.


    ¡°All forces, retreat! Get as far away from the barrier as you can!¡±


    The Explorers and the military, upon receiving their urgent-soundingmand, began to get away from the barrier in a panic. This manner of barrier deployment had never happened before, and the nobility was clearly not calm. Everyone, even those who could not sense magical energy well, began to realize how bad the situation was.


    Finally, the barrier sections around the city began folding toward the north,yers uponyers gathering at one point.


    Everyone gulped as the band¡¯s tune resounded with the skills to support the nobility. Most of the non-nobles had moved quite far back from their original positions, and were now watching the Devourer Dragon as it glowed with white light. Among the people, only the attack squads and the military gathered as far forward as possible, ready to attack at any time.


    And then, something dreadful happened. The enormous mass of energy in the Devourer Dragon¡¯s magic sac transferred to its mouth,pressed and condensed into a sphere, and then it was shot out.


    Space distorted. The ground disintegrated, and the clouds in the sky dispersed.


    The white st tore through the barriers like paper. House Babenberg¡¯s barrier magic had a certain restriction: the caster must have their senses linked with the barriers they created. The outermostyers had been made by the head of the house, and as they were destroyed, his body was injured from within. And once his barrieryers were all gone, it was down to the sections from around the city to stop the energy st.


    They had stacked together into tens ofyers, but the st continued to bite a hole through them. And for eachyer it broke, a caster was harmed ¡ª training could dull their perception of pain, but it would never change the actual damage done to their bodies. At the end of the day, it would still hurt, and if it continued to built up, it could lead to some substantial injuries.


    ¡°Sorry, dad, I¡¯m all out¡­¡±


    The eldest daughter, the least experienced among the three inmand when it came to barrier magic, coughed up blood and fainted. Her father took over the maintenance of the rest of her barriers. The eldest son was also dripping blood from the edge of his mouth.


    The white st never stopped. It busted throughyer twenty, then neen, eighteen, seventeen ¡ª and each time, the eldest son felt as if his body was smashed from the inside out, eventually resulting in a bloody coughing fit.


    ¡°Enough, son. Back away.¡±


    ¡°¡­I am to be the household¡¯s next leader! I must protect the people! Otherwise, I won¡¯t be worthy of leading them!¡±


    His internal organs were practically screaming on their own, having almost reached their limits; the man himself could fall unconscious at any moment now. Still, he held up his barriers, driven by the pride of House Babenberg in his heart. All the while, he was still losing oneyer after another.


    By now, the barriers were down to tenyers. The white st was losing power as it broke its way through, too, but it was still insanely powerful. Nine, eight, seven, six ¡ª it busted its way through. Five, four, three ¡ª now only a mere twoyers were left. The energy mass had weakened greatly, but it was still trying to break through.


    Eventually, a small crack appeared; the st screwed its way through, expanding the hole and shattering the whole thing. Only one barrier remained.


    The white energy, now reduced to a mere shard of the st it had started as, scattered sparks as it shaved through thest barrier. The head of the house and the eldest son held their hands forward, reinforcing their defense the best they could.


    ¡°JUST A LITTLE MORE!!¡± The eldest son shouted, his throat full of blood.


    And at the same time, the fragment finally died out. Once he saw that for certain, the eldest son let himself fall asleep.


    Thestyer of the barrier could not hold itself together, either; it had a gaping hole in the middle where the energy st had once been. And from that hole came intense shockwaves and gusts of wind. The impact rippled all over the ce from the center point. Like a gigantic air cannon, the wind was so strong that it could easily blow a person away ¡ª and so it did, scattering the people close to the barrier like paper scraps.


    The Explorers and soldiers on the front line were all on high levels; even those whose Jobs had low VIT specifications still had ratings of at least a C-. At that rating, one would be substantially tougher than a normal person. Even if they were to be blown away and hit a brick wall, they would only be slightly injured if they protected their vital points.


    The same was not true for the civilians and low-level Explorers, especially Attackers and Healers. If a gust of wind blew at them hard enough, they could be seriously injured at best, or killed outright if unlucky. The civilians nearer to the hole in the barrier were blown so hard that, once they hit another surface, their bodies instantly sttered into paste.


    The ones who died easily were not only the civilians whose VIT ratings were the lowest, but also the low and medium-level non-Tank Explorers. High-level Explorers were blown away as well, hitting walls and the ground ¡ª and as more and more of them crashed, more buildings were also destroyed as a result.


    Those on the front lines were still lucky, rtively speaking. Once another st of wind came, the debris from the damaged buildings on the front was blown back, striking the people on the rear lines like arrows. Explorers screamed upon being stabbed by sharp shards on their faces, being one of the vital points where the protection of VIT did not apply. A front line Explorer got their spear knocked out of their hands, and the spear ended up thrusting through the abdomen of a civilian woman ¡ª one who was carrying a child, no less ¡ª and pinning her to a wall.


    The people¡¯s screams were drowned out by the shockwaves and the wind. Visibility was poor in the dust storm, so there was no way to avoid the objects flying at high speed. The defending force¡¯s rear lines were stained with the blood of countless casualties.


    The impact eventually subsided, reced by a deathly silent air all over the area.


    High-level Explorers, mostly safe in the midst of it, crawled out from under the rubble. They pushed aside the debris above them, held together their aching bodies, and looked forward only to find despair.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    House Babenberg¡¯s barrier had been breached, a gaping hole opening in the center of thestyer. The rest of those who were safe, be it the Explorers, soldiers, or Security officers, could only look on, utterly dumbfounded.

 Chapter 93, Time to Go All Out

    <h4>Chapter 93, Time to Go All Out</h4>


    Tsutomu had cast [[Barrier]] around the Guild¡¯s squad from the moment the energy st had started tearing through the city barriers. This protected his group from the shockwaves of the city barrier¡¯s destructions, as well as any resulting debris flying at them. The group¡¯s position being far enough away from the impact zone also meant that the overall shock was not too great.


    Still, the energy st¡¯s sheer power had scared Tsutomu half to death. He had contemted escaping with his life, but in the end, could not bring himself to abandon his friends; instead, he had cast [[Barrier]] as many times as he could, downing his Blue Potions in the process. If it had not been for the nobility¡¯s city barrier, everyone surely would have died right then.


    Everyone inside of Tsutomu¡¯s [[Barriers]] was bewildered by the st¡¯s impact and those outside who got sent flying, and could only look on helplessly as all hell broke loose around them.


    Once the wind died down and the dust started to clear, Tsutomu disengaged his [[Barriers]].


    ¡°It-it got busted through¡­¡±


    Amy pointed at the gaping hole in the barrier, her hand trembling. Others were also greatly shocked by what had just happened, their eyes widened and their bodies petrified.


    ¡°Everyone, cast [[Fly]] and get into the air. The Devourer Dragon might attack again,¡± Tsutomu spoke up as he looked at the Devourer Dragon through the hole. The monster was not moving, suffering from the recoil of its previous attack.


    The idea was to have those who could control [[Fly]] self-dere as such, and have the White Mages and Channelers cast the buff onto them. The [[Fly]] spell¡¯s effectsted a full day, so its duration was nothing to worry about.


    Everyone seemed too shocked to act, however. Feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, Tsutomu took out a megaphone and held it to his mouth.


    ¡°GARM! WAKE UP!¡±


    ¡°Ngh-!¡±


    Garm, shouted at with a megaphone just next to his ear, quickly held his thick dog ears. Likewise, the other Guild Staff were forced back to their senses by Tsutomu¡¯s amplified voice. Camille had briefly been shaking like a puppy, just as she had before the first Fire Dragon battle, but this time, she managed to quickly snap out of it.


    ¡°The Devourer Dragon should still be able to move! Those who can fly, get into the air! And carry those who can¡¯t move to the back lines!¡±


    All the Guild Staff were still breathing erratically in fear of the Devourer Dragon and the destroyed barrier, but they were at least operational enough to nod to Tsutomu¡¯s instructions. They took a few deep breaths and flew up, and at the same time, the Devourer Dragon, which had been standing still as if it were dead, began to be active again.


    The Devourer Dragon¡¯s magic sac had exhausted its magical energy on the previous attack, leaving none for the monster itself to use to move its body. Even though there were still some Magic Stones left in its body, even those had most of their energy depleted. By now, the Dragon¡¯s survival instinct was holding it back from drawing any more energy from what remained, knowing that it would die if it did not stop now.


    But on the other hand, the magic sac being empty made the Devourer Dragon hungry¡­ and its desire to eat ultimately took priority over its survival.


    The Devourer Dragon squeezed what little Magic Stone energy it had sustaining its life, opting to feed its magic sac instead. It was practically the same as chewing on its own heart to drink its own blood, which meant that the Dragon would expire soon enough.


    Through eating itself to keep moving, the Dragon found itself dominated by a magnitude of hunger it had never experienced before. It was only twitching around now, but it was apparent that it would start walking sooner orter.


    ¡°Heads up! The Devourer Dragon is moving! It¡¯s not done yet! Everyone, retreat immediately! Those who can¡¯t fly, run as fast as you can for now!¡±


    Tsutomu shouted through his megaphone to direct the Explorers and soldiers, but many were too shocked by the barrier¡¯s breach to move.


    [Come on, don¡¯t waste your time, guys!]


    Tsutomu flew nearer to them and tried shouting again, and this time they snapped to their senses and started flying away. He also called out to Diniel and the Deputy Guild Master, who were positioned near the houses closest to the breached barrier, and carried them over to the rear lines.


    ¡°Those who can move, help the others up and have them retreat! Hurry, before the Devourer Dragon moves again!¡±


    The Guild staff, as well as the others who were active now, started helping those who still could not move, carrying them while flying away. The fastest among the group was Leon, determined to save all his n members even at the cost of his life.


    Then Tsutomu proceeded to look for Ealdred Crow¡¯s location. Fortunately, he quickly found them, as they were near the fallen Fire Dragon and Queen Spider.


    ¡°Rook! Rook!¡±


    Startled by Tsutomu¡¯s call, Rook waved to him while gathering up the people nearby.


    ¡°O-oh, Tsutomu? Do you need something?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the Shell Crab¡¯s summoner? I¡¯ll be carrying out the n we talked about earlier!¡±


    ¡°That guy? ¡­Doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s around here, at least. I did see him being blown pretty far away, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Please look for him! It¡¯s top priority! I¡¯ll do all I can to evacuate everyone!¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah, got it!¡±


    Before this battle, Tsutomu had purchased Magic Stones from the Dwarf at the Magic Stone Exchange, and equipped them onto the Shell Crab. Whenever the Shell Crab wanted to reinforce its shell with ore, it would secrete a white, adhesive substance from its mouth to do so. Knowing that, it had been easy to coat its body with Magic Stones.


    Without its associated Summoner, however, the Shell Crab Eidolon would not move. In the worst case, the Queen Spider would do as a recement¡­ but it was almost dead, its abdomen impaled by a piece of a copsed building. No other substitute would work, either.


    Tsutomu had Rook hurry to find the Summoner, while he continued to call out to the others through his megaphone, focusing on rescuing the heavily injured on the front lines.


    The various organizations¡¯ leaders also headed the efforts in evacuating the front lines. The Guild, led by Camille, flew out the wounded. On the Security Team¡¯s side, Bruno carried six unconsciousbatants at one time. Melchor tended to the three seriously injured members of House Babenberg.


    Leon had already transported a dozen or so of his n members far away, and Rook had rounded up nearby n members to fly around in search of the Shell Crab¡¯s Summoner. Weiss was busy evacuating Alma and her Healer partner, who had fallen unconscious.


    As the band¡¯s skills expired, everyone felt a little more weight added onto their bodies. The Shell Crab¡¯s Summoner was nowhere to be found, and more than half of the defending force still was not up and moving.


    The Devourer Dragon, on the other hand, was now fully on the move, crawling forward with its arms. In fact, the arms were the only parts that were mostly uninjured. Even though they were smallpared to its legs that one would question the need for them, they were strong enough for the Dragon to lift itself with.


    The contents of the monster¡¯s magic sac had been emptied with the previous attack, and having eaten its own Magic Stone, the Devourer Dragon was in a true state of starvation. Now it¡¯s only thought was of satiating its hunger. Despite its exposed red flesh, grotesque injuries, and barely functional breathing, its roar was still that of a predator. To those who stood against it, the sight of the Devourer Dragon approaching them was terror itself.


    ¡°AHHHHHH!!¡±


    ¡°HELP!!¡±


    The Dragon¡¯s roar sent most people into a state of panic and chaos ¡ª and the fear, robbing one of their ability to make decisions. The Explorer Tsutomu was carrying began to freak out, disrupting his control over his flying. They shook their arms and legs, as if they were drowning in mid-air.


    The same thing happened to many others as well, with some failing to retain their posture, crashing onto the ground and breaking their legs. Those who had been stuck standing around were further overwhelmed by fear, and those who could use [[Fly]] hurried to get higher into the air.


    ¡°Calm down! Keep calm and evacuate! The Devourer Dragon isn¡¯t that fast! Stop flying! You¡¯ll make it on foot just fine!¡±


    The Devourer Dragon was moving beyond its physical limitations, so its crawling speed was not particrly rming. Tsutomu¡¯s attempts to get that across fell to deaf ears, however, as the panickingbatants continued to cast [[Fly]] and subsequently crashed due to losing control. Their VIT ratings were C or above, so crashing would not result in major injuries, but many could still be rendered immobile from the pain of bruises and broken bones.


    ¡°[[Heal]]! [[Heal]]!¡±


    Tsutomu started healing those who had crashed while he himself stayed airborne. Normally they would be carried to medical-professioned White Mages to be treated properly, but there was no time for that now. Those with broken bones took slightly longer to heal, but they eventually were able to run again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fly! Just run! It¡¯s easier that way!¡±


    Tsutomu kept shouting through his megaphone as he healed, while the Devourer Dragon was moving faster toward the breached barrier. By this time, practically no one was standing around in shock anymore, but many of the injured were still stuck on the front lines. Thetter were crawling away in fear of the Devourer Dragon, crying out for help all the while.


    Growing more and more impatient, Tsutomu looked around to see who needed healing, and saw that he clearly would not be able to help them all by himself, considering how much Blue Potion was left and how long it would take the Devourer Dragon to reach the barrier. He was ready to ask for help from a certain annoying fox girl just about now.


    Then, at one point while he hurried to heal as many people as fast as he could, he suddenly caught sight of a certain staff stuck in a pile of rubble.


    It was none other than the ck Staff, the very one that Tsutomu had brought along into this world ¡ª sticking straight up as if it wanted to be found.


    [Man, just when I need you!]


    Tsutomu walked over to the rubble pile and immediately pulled the staff out.


    Increased support skill effect, duration, range, and frequency; increased healing magnitude and range; decreased mental energy consumption; erged mental energy pool and automatic restoration; shortened casting times ¡ª this ck Staff, fully upgraded and fully slotted with Treasure Tools, was everything a White Mage could ask for.


    The moment Tsutomu touched the staff, its embedded Treasure Tools glowed, as if it was happy to be back in his hands.


    ¡°[[All Heal]].¡±


    Tsutomu raised the ck Staff and cast a wide-area healing spell, spreading a green energy aura all around him. He had to hurry to control its range, so that it would heal all of those within the city barrier¡¯s perimeter.


    Those touched by the green aura found that their injuries were rapidly restored, and they were able to move again. The ck Staff¡¯s boost to healing power and range,bined with Tutomu¡¯s knowledge, enabled him to get almost everyone moving soon enough.


    If the spell¡¯s range was toorge, it could heal the Devourer Dragon as well, and if it was too small, it would not cover everyone who needed it. Tsutomu was able to achieve the bnce with his near-perfect control over his skills. After taking a sip of Blue Potion, he proceeded to cast another one,


    ¡°[[Haste]].¡±


    This time, he restored the AGI boost that thebatants had lost, making escape easier. His mental energy quickly drained, Tsutomu held his aching head and chugged another Blue Potion, then tucked the empty vial into his belt. Then he picked up his megaphone and shouted,


    ¡°Just run like hell and don¡¯t look back! Fly only if your legs aren¡¯t working! I won¡¯t be healing you if you crash again!¡±


    Despite saying that, Tsutomu still would shoot people a [[Heal]] whenever he saw them crash from losing control of their flight. Thanks to the ck Staff¡¯s boost, even a weak shot could heal well enough.


    And then it was time to heal the few who were still injured. Green energy bullets flew all from Tsutomu, uratelynding on everyone and healing their wounds and broken bones.


    Once Tsutomu confirmed that everyone he could see had evacuated from the front lines, he cast [[Barrier]] to close up the gaping hole in the city barrier.


    ¡°[[Barrier]], [[Barrier]], [[Barrier]].¡±


    All the while, he chugged down some Blue Potions to keep his energy up. Although the barrier may or may not be easily destroyed again, it could at least buy some time. Thanks to the ck Staff¡¯s glowing Treasure Tools, he could cast the spell quickly and repeatedly without draining himselfpletely dry.


    As Tsutomu did his thing, after some point, several people flew up to him. They were the Guild¡¯s Tank units, led by none other than Garm. Other Guild staff wereing up behind them as well.


    Garm made eye contact with Tsutomu.


    ¡°We¡¯ll lure it away. Can you support us?¡±


    ¡°¡­You all look like you¡¯re ready to die out there.¡±


    ¡°We ARE ready to, if we have to. There are people we must protect,¡± Garm dered without showing a hint of fear. The other Tanks behind him were the same.


    Family, lovers, friends,rades ¡ª everyone had at least someone in Dungeon City they would like to keep safe.


    Just a momentter, Tsutomu caught sight of the Guild staff flying toward him ¡ª and he turned back to Garm, looking relieved.


    ¡°No need to be rash, people. The Devourer Dragon is moving because of its desperate need for energy, so it probably isn¡¯t operating based on aggro ¡ª your [[Combat Cry]] wouldn¡¯t have any effect on it. We should link up with Ealdred Crow and-¡°


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll fly up to its mouth and bait it.¡±


    ¡°Now stop right there,¡± Tsutomu interrupted and poked Garm¡¯s face with the ck Staff, startling thetter with the cold touch of its bejeweled tip. ¡°You know that I¡¯d never let you do anything that reckless, right?¡±


    ¡°But if you¡¯re correct, then it should be driven by its appetite¡­ So it¡¯s going to¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. This is just my guess, but it¡¯s likely heading to where it could find Magic Stones. That¡¯s why I think it¡¯ll stop at the center of Dungeon City.¡±


    In Live Dungeon, the Devourer Dragon would ignore aggro to eat the respawning small monsters whenever they popped up, and from what Tsutomu directly saw of this world¡¯s version of it, it had clearly not been looking at the Explorers. It was likely aiming for the Magic Stone Vault, located in the center of the City.


    It most likely would not pay any attention to the Explorers until its hunger was satisfied. As such, it would be rtively safe for the Attackers to simply go on an all-out attack¡­ though the Devourer Dragon would stilly waste to the city in its path to the Vault.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good! I¡¯ll immediately get to it and-¡°


    ¡°Listen to me.¡±


    ¡°Nwoh-¡°


    As Garm was about to rush toward the Devourer Dragon, Tsutomu grabbed his tail out of pure reflex. Sometime after the Fire Dragon battles, Tsutomu had learned that it was ¡®not so nice¡¯ to touch the tails of Beastkins. As such, he had avoided doing so before, but now it was in the heat of the moment¡­ and a perfect opportunity.


    ¡°First of all, let¡¯s think about doing what we can actually do. Look over there.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Tsutomu let go of the Garm¡¯s bushy tail and pointed to where the Fire Dragon and Shell Crab were. Several members of Ealdred Crow were riding on the Eidolons¡¯ backs, and were heading toward them.

 Chapter 94, To Arms

    <h4>Chapter 94, To Arms</h4>


    While the Guild staff headed toward the Devourer Dragon, the people who had taken refuge behind them could only flee further back. Most of them still could not believe that the House Babenberg¡¯s barrier had been breached and that the Dragon was about to actually get in.


    ¡°Focus on helping the wounded! Hurry up, Healers!¡±


    ¡°[[Heal]].¡±


    Among those still active, only the logistical support team¡¯s Healer squads were able to tend to the wounded that were being carried to them. Thanks to their efficient performance, they managed to heal the endless flood of patients, narrowly preventing those people¡¯s deaths. Although healing skills were fairly versatile, some injuries could only be healed by those with knowledge and experience gained from years of being in actualbat. In particr, poorly mending broken bones would cause long-term problems, so their treatment was better left to actual medical specialists.


    The logistical support team was also frightened by the Devourer Dragon¡¯s roars, but they started to act as soon as they saw the injured. They knew that if they did not work as quickly as possible ¡ª if they wasted even a second ¡ª people were sure to die.


    Most of the rest, however, were disheartened and could only flee into the city. Only those with unique skills were willing to go to the Guild¡¯s aid.


    ¡°You guys get them to safety.¡±


    Weiss left Alma and her Healer in the care of the other Scarlet Devil Squad members and headed toward the Devourer Dragon again. The pair of swords in his hands were dyed bright red, like the wings of a phoenix.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go help the front lines! Keep the team running, boys!¡±


    ¡°Really, boss!?¡±


    ¡°[[Muscle Dash]]!¡±


    Bruno also went to hold off the Devourer Dragon, leaving the rest of the Security Team to oversee the evacuation procedures. With the [[Muscle Dash]] skill boosting its user¡¯s speed to be higher than their VIT, Bruno left everyone in the dust in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Leon!¡±


    ¡°Sorry. Be back in a bit.¡±


    Leon slipped through his n members¡¯ attempt at restraining him, flying to the enemy at an incredible speed. Melchor remained where he was, in order to help the confused masses and his Babenberg employers. The head of the house had sustained particrly serious injuries on his back due to covering for his two children after the barrier had been breached, and was now receiving intensive care from the Forest Apothecarydy.


    Most of the rest of the high-level Explorers and soldiers simply ran away. Most of the Security Team stayed to direct the evacuation and carry away the injured, but some among them were running for their lives as well. Practically everyone was scared of the Devourer Dragon.


    While Tsutomu and the Guild staff joined into one squad, the band¡¯s Conductor, an older man, stood up. He caught a Minstrel who was running away, and forced him to look in the Dragon¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Look at them! They¡¯re about to fight that horrible monster! And here you are, trying to run away!¡±


    ¡°A-and what do you expect us to do!? We¡¯re not fighters! Let me go!¡± The Minstrel started panicking. The old Conductor picked up an instrument he saw lying around and shoved it at the Minstrel.


    ¡°Do your damn job! y music!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a musician! We all are! That¡¯s the thing we can do! If not that, then we¡¯re useless! Use your music to help those heroes! Come on! Take the damn instrument and y it! If you don¡¯t know how to, then sing!¡±


    The other Minstrels nearby stopped in their tracks upon hearing the Conductor¡¯s furious shouting. The Conductor proceeded to wave his hands, creating a rhythm cue without a baton, and then he started to sing. The [[Psyche Bade]], the effect of which was mental strength recovery ¡ª for a while, his low voice alone, professionally controlled with his diaphragm, echoed through the area.


    The Minstrel looked down at the instrument that had been forced to hold, and then at the Conductor¡¯s cues. He held the instrument tightly, feeling it as one with his hands, and proceeded to y a note ¡ª the first note of the [[War Deity Instrumental]]. Before long, music resounded for all to hear.


    Once the other Minstrels heard it, they stopped running away. They wiped their teary eyes with the sleeves of their shirts, and picked up the instruments they had dropped. Those who could not find one simply sang with their voices.


    [[War Deity Instrumental]], [[Dexterity Variation]], [[Hymn of Protection]], [[Hymn of Swiftness]], [[Hymn of Swiftness]], [[Psyche Bade]], [[Affectio Oratorio]] ¡ª performances of skills by all Minstrels gradually unified. In sync with the Conductor¡¯s hand waves, they meshed together until they became a single tune.


    Those who heard the tunes felt their bodies turn light, and their injuries mending from within. While everyone was confused by the sudden surge of power, the Conductor shouted,


    ¡°TO ARMS!¡±


    The Explorers stopped in their tracks, the familiar tunes giving them a boost of courage and a sense of assurance. Those of the military force and Security Team also stopped their escape.


    ¡°Pick up your weapons! And fight! After our leaders!¡±


    ¡°YEAHHHHHH!!¡±


    The Explorers, mainly the high-level ones, answered to the Conductor¡¯s rally. Each of them picked up a weapon they found lying on the ground, stood up, and headed toward the Devourer Dragon. The band¡¯s music sent them on their way, constantly giving them power boosts.


    The soldiers and the security staff, also inspired by the musical support, also stood up against the Dragon. By now, hardly anyone was frightened by the Devourer Dragon¡¯s menace anymore.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Before Ealdred Crow¡¯s arrival, Camille and Amy joined up with Tsutomu, following behind the Tank squad. Camille, already with [[Dragon Form]], activated and her wings fully out, had a frightened look in her eyes ¡ª and so did all the others, still in shock of the Devourer Dragon¡¯s breaching of the barrier.


    ¡°Thanks foring. We¡¯ll be needing a lot of Attackers, so you¡¯ll be a great help,¡± Tsutomu said to them.


    ¡°Uh, well, we¡¯re only here because those Tanks just up and left, saying they¡¯d try and lure the Dragon away. We just chased after them¡­¡± Camille replied.


    The Dragon was undoubtedly almost dead by now, but that was exactly why everyone was scared of how much more damage it might cause. It was wounded, starving, and cornered ¡ª if it were to make a head-on attack, the defending force could expect more casualties. Having the Tanks try and lure it away was sure to result in some deaths, too.


    ¡°The distraction probably wouldn¡¯t work anyway. The Devourer Dragon is moving forward because of its hunger, so it¡¯s not even ¡®hostile¡¯ anymore, so to speak.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, I see.¡±


    The Devourer Dragon¡¯s Live Dungeon counterpart would disregard aggro altogether as it ate the monsters in its way, and from observation, this one seemed to act the same way. Tsutomu told Camille the same thing he had previously told Garm.


    Camille closed her eyes. The choices she had were to let either the Attackers or the Tanks die, and she was not willing to choose any. But at the same time, she had always felt that there was no way of defeating the Devourer Dragon otherwise. Once she was told that aggro management would not matter here, her choices were reduced to just one.


    ¡°All right, then there¡¯s no other way.¡±


    Camille turned to the Guild staff behind her, and they nodded, looking as if they too had decided to put their lives on the line. Camille smiled as if unbound of her doubts ¡ª and also in order to hide her fear.


    ¡°We¡¯ll kill it ourselves. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°You, stop right there.¡± Tsutomu grabbed Camille¡¯s wings in the same way as he had done to Garm¡¯s tail previously, preventing her from rushing toward the Devourer Dragon.


    ¡°Kyah-!¡±


    Surprised by Camille¡¯s cute exmation, Tsutomu let go of her wings before proceeding to say,


    ¡°Just hear me out first.¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re not supposed to grab my wings! Didn¡¯t I already tell you that!?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you ever did¡­ Oh, there they are.¡±


    Tsutomu pushed the red-faced Camille aside and then called over to Rook and the other Summoners as they came riding on the Fire Dragon. The Eidolon stopped in front of him and levitated in ce by pping its wings, while the Shell Crab ran across the ground and arrived right underneath it.


    ¡°Good to see the Summoners safe and sound!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! ¡­But are you sure you wanna do this? It¡¯d be nice if this does lure it away, but¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a try! The barrier¡¯s already been breached once, so it¡¯s now or never!¡± Tsutomu said to Rook through his megaphone.


    ¡°¡­All right! We¡¯ll see that it¡¯s done!¡± Rook replied, and in doing so, abandoned himself to whatever he had to do next.


    The Shell Crab walked sideways toward the Devourer Dragon, and the Fire Dragon flew in the same direction, taking Rook along with it.


    Everyone else staggered slightly, disturbed by the resulting st of wind; they stayed still so as to not fall over. Once the wind subsided, Tsutomu turned to face the Devourer Dragon.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Garm asked him.


    ¡°Ever had crabs before? They¡¯re delicious, you know?¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Garm, having meant his question as a serious one, shouted back at Tsutomu¡¯s non-answer.


    Likewise, the other people around them began to fear that Tsutomu had lost his mind.


    On the Fire Dragon¡¯s back, Rook pointed at the side-stepping Crab Eidolon.


    ¡°st the Shell Crab! Make it toasty!¡±


    Following its Summoner¡¯smand, the Fire Dragon unleashed a slightly weakened fire breath, searing the Shell Crab with a low me.


    ¡°KIEHHHHHH!!¡± The Shell Crab screamed in pain upon contact with the breath attack, but it still followed its Summoner¡¯smand, walking toward the Devourer Dragon.


    By this point, all of the barriers had been destroyed. Finally able to enter the Dungeon City, the Devourer Dragon made a beeline to the City¡¯s center, where it could smell an incredible stockpile of Magic Stones.


    Appearing in its way, however, was the Summoner-controlled Shell Crab. Its flesh seared, the Crab gave off quite an appetizing smell, and its body was covered in Large Magic Stones of various colors. It briefly paused in front of the Devourer Dragon, and then quickly ran sideways to escape.


    From the Devourer Dragon¡¯s point of view, the Crab ¡ª specifically its mouth-watering meat, and all the colorful Large Magic Stones ¡ª was an appetizing dish with an arrangement of equally delectable toppings.


    ¡°GAWRRRRRR!!¡±


    ¡°KIEHHHHHH!?¡±


    The Devourer Dragon crawled after the Shell Crab, determined not to let this first-rate meal escape, and the Crab began walking faster and faster, screaming as if to say how much it did not want to be eaten.


    Tsutomu clenched his fists upon seeing the Dragon being lured away by the roast, Magic Stone-d Shell Crab.


    ¡°All right! It worked! The Shell Crab will take care of the Tanking! Everyone, attack! ¡­And be careful!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The Guild staff looked on, utterly stunned by the sight of the Devourer Dragon chasing the Shell Crab.


    ¡°Oh, looks like the others are here, too.¡±


    Upon looking away, Tsutomu saw Weiss and Bruno heading over to him. The former came flying while holding a pair of red swords, while thetter ran on the ground, kicking up clouds of dust with each step.


    But another person arrived before them ¡ª a dark silhouette flying at an incredible speed, stopping in front of Tsutomu and tapping his shoulder.


    ¡°Hey there.¡±


    ¡°Wh- oh, it¡¯s just you. I was spooked for a bit there¡­¡±


    The person turned out to be Leon, in ck leather armor, who had alsoe to back up the Guild. Arriving after him was Weiss, who took notice of the ck Staff in Tsutomu¡¯s hand as hended.


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that the¡­¡±


    Tsutomu panicked, thinking Weiss was using him of stealing the staff, but in fact, thetter was only interested in how the ck Staff¡¯s Treasure Tools were glowing, having not seen any of them activated before.


    ¡°Sorry. I found it lying around, so I figured I¡¯d borrow it for a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t mind. If you were stealing it, you would¡¯ve hidden it away by now¡­ and besides, it¡¯s not mine. Just give it back to her when you¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°All right. Thank you very much.¡±


    Tsutomu bowed his head, while Weiss simply looked at him, red eyes in an inscrutable expression. For a moment, Tsutomu wondered what was up with thetter, but was then distracted by a flying mass of muscle. It was none other than Bruno, the Director of the Security Team.


    ¡°Kept you waiting, huh? Well well, looks like they¡¯re having fun over there! What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re using the Shell Crab as a decoy by sticking Magic Stones to its shell. The Devourer Dragon hasn¡¯t caught up with it yet, so it should buy us quite a bit of time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that sounds¡­ nice.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re banking on the Attackers taking the Devourer Dragon down while it¡¯s being distracted.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Okay! I got this!¡±


    Bruno struck a muscle-bulking pose, to which Tsutomu chuckled dryly before starting to swing the ck Staff in his hands.


    ¡°[[Haste]]. [[Protect]].¡±


    After casting the maximum support effects for all allies present in the area, and confirming that everyone had looked away from the Shell Crab by now, Tsutomu proceeded to give hismand,


    ¡°All right, everyone, attack now!¡±


    All the most powerful fighters in DUngeon City moved out, kicking off the fight to destroy the starving Devourer Dragon once and for all.


    The Devourer Dragon was madly, single-mindedly pursuing the Shell Crab. Leading the charge against it was Camille. pping the wings on her back, she brandished her greatsword, the length of which was even greater than her height.


    ¡°[[Power sh]]!¡±


    The skill-enhanced greatsword mmed onto the Devourer Dragon¡¯s head, causing it to let out a pained grumble. The other Guild staff followed Camille¡¯s lead, focusing their attack on the monster¡¯s arms with long-range skills. After all that, however, the Devourer Dragon was unfazed, and continued chasing after the Shell Crab as if nothing much had happened.


    ¡°[[Shield Throw]].¡±


    ¡°Hoh!¡±


    Garm threw his tower shield at the Devourer Dragon, and Amy jumped onto it mid-flight. Once she was close enough, Amy then hopped off and plunged her des into the monster¡¯s exposed, red flesh.


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Leon shed at the Dragon repeatedly, at a speed such that his moves were almost imperceptible to the naked eye. Weiss attacked the monster¡¯s arms with his heat-enhanced dual des, in an attempt to burn them off. Bruno stood in the Shell Crab¡¯s escape path, cracking knuckles in wait.


    The Shell Crab went past Bruno, and the Devourer Dragon followed closely after it, opening its mouth wide.


    ¡°[[Muscle Punch]]!¡±


    Bruno jumped up, cracking the ground in the process, and threw out a straight punch at the Devourer Dragon¡¯s mouth. The blow finely shattered one of the Dragon¡¯s tough front teeth, causing it to scream in pain. At the same time, as if to sync up with its voice, the band¡¯s performance started resounding from afar.


    Everyone felt a boost to all their attributes, and a surge of power from within their bodies. As if to make sure of it, they looked at their own bodies and then smiled in the direction the music wasing from, feeling encouraged.


    ¡°Everyone, kill the Devourer Dragon as fast as you can! No pressure!¡± Tsutomu said and turned around, and upon seeing Explorers that were just arriving, flew toward them.


    They wereing both by flying in the air and running on the ground. Tsutomu addressed them, amplifying his voice with his megaphone.


    ¡°Listen up! Close-ranged fighters, gather to your right! Long-ranged, to your left! You¡¯ll only die if you don¡¯t get into an organized formation!¡±


    Some of the Explorers did not listen to Tsutomu¡¯s instructions, but many of them were cooperative, being grateful for the healing they had received earlier. As such, most of them eventually got into a formation, preventing the thoughtless suicide attack scenario.


    ¡°The Devourer Dragon is currently in pursuit of the Shell Crab! Long-ranged Attackers will wait to ambush it on the Shell Crab¡¯s escape path ¡ª be ready to fire off a big volley! Short-ranged Attackers will support them! Does this sound good for all of you!?¡±


    Those with Attacker-type Jobs with long-ranged skills had low VIT, and many of them had been saved at a critical moment by Tsutomu¡¯s healing. As such, they nodded in agreement. Tsutomu turned to Rook, who was riding on the Fire Dragon.


    ¡°Rook! Use the Fire Dragon to control where the Shell Crab goes next!¡±


    Immediately, the Fire Dragon flew up high into the sky, carrying Rook and the other Summoners with it, and breathed out a stream of fire to signify its location. Tsutomu, ted to see the method work so well, pointed at the Fire Dragon and directed everyone to it.


    ¡°That way, people! You see the fire! Gather under there!¡±


    ¡°YEAHHHHHH!!¡±


    Under Tsutomu¡¯s order, all the Explorers moved as one like a wave toward the Fire Dragon. One after another, they flew into the sky, while those who could not do that simply ran on the ground.


    Meanwhile, the Guild staff and Explorers with unique skills were dealing as much damage as they could. Tsutomu moved closer to the Devourer Dragon and exined the n to those who were attacking it. On board with the n, they nodded, and the Guild staff with long-ranged attack skills headed toward the Fire Dragon, in order to join up with the other Explorers. On the other hand, the close-ranged fighters and heavy hitters stayed where they were to continue attacking the Devourer Dragon directly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything reckless like trying to kill it before it gets there! Remember, safetyes first!¡±


    ¡°What the hell!? Sounds like a challenge to me!¡±


    Whether intended or not, Tsutomu¡¯s taunting seemed to have a positive effect on Leon, as apparent from how thetter was attacking the Devourer Dragon even faster than before. Simrly, the others stepped up their attacking game as well. Tsutomu facepalmed, regretting every word in his previous two sentences, while still casting [[Medic]] shots for everyone.


    Fortunately for all, the Devourer Dragon¡¯s eyes were fixed onto the fragrant, Magic Stone-topped Shell Crab; it kept crawling on its way, utterly unconcerned about being bombarded by the Attackers. Without the need to be careful of being attacked, the Attackers were practicallypeting among themselves. Tsutomu heaved a sigh, exasperated, and proceeded to shout,


    ¡°¡­Come on, dish out more damage! I wanna see those numbers! Tons of damage! Use your skills more! Don¡¯t you want that MVP trophy!? Camille, use better skills! Stop spamming [[Power sh]] and try something else!¡±


    ¡°Numbers¡­? And what trophies?¡±


    Camille, although perplexed by Tsutomu¡¯s ramblings, went on a rampage with the power boost from her [[Dragon Form]] and support from the band. The others were stepping up their game as well, and even though the Devourer Dragon was suffering more and more, all it did was continue chasing the nice-smelling Shell Crab.


    ¡°Bruno, you¡¯re dealing the most damage right now! Camille, you¡¯re second! Weiss is in third ce! Better live up to your big words, Leon!¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Riled up by Tsutomu¡¯s taunting, Leon swiped the blood off his de, and held up his wolf ears, glowing faintly with the effects of his [[Gold Bless]].


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ still got room for improvement, eh, everyone?¡± Brunoughed happily and continued to strike the Devourer Dragon with punches and kicks.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with second ce, thanks.¡± Camille let out a sigh of relief and swung her greatsword down.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Weiss said nothing, and only started swinging his swords faster.


    ¡°Tsutomu! What about me!?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ eighth ce! Try harder, Amy!¡±


    ¡°Gah! [[Dual Wave sh]]!¡±


    In response to Tsutomu¡¯s assessment, Amy started swinging her des in a wild dance. And with each swing, ded shockwaves flew, sttering the Devourer Dragon¡¯s back with fresh blood.


    Now the situation¡¯s deadlock was starting to unfold ¡ª and then the Shell Crab reached the Fire Dragon¡¯s location. Explorers and Soldiers were waiting there, and they were ready to attack.


    ¡°Everyone! Retreat now! You wouldn¡¯t want to be near this!¡±


    Hearing Tsutomu say that, the close-ranged Attackers grumbled about not getting to finish off the Devourer Dragon, then quietly backed away. The Dragon¡¯s breathing grew fainter by the second, but it managed to still maintain its crawling speed.


    After confirming that Rook had already gone away, Tsutomu took a deep breath and shouted as hard as he could,


    ¡°FIRE!!¡±


    Immediately following, the Fire Dragon sted out a stream of fire, and the Explorers down below let loose their arrows and magic skills all at once. One after another, theynded on the already-weakened Devourer Dragon.


    The Dragon¡¯s crawling grew slower and slower, until it stopped altogether. And when the incessant wave of attack skills ended, it copsed,id its head on the ground, left its mouth agape, and ceased its breath.


    There was a brief moment of silence. Then once a single person opened their mouth, more and more did.


    ¡°YEAHHHHHH!!¡±


    All the Explorers raised a victory shout. This time, the Devourer Dragon was dead for good, taken down by everyone¡¯sbined efforts.

 Chapter 95, Cleaning Up

    <h4>Chapter 95, Cleaning Up</h4>


    The Explorers, basking in the rush of their victory over the Devourer Dragon, returned to the city to see the security and medical staff cleaning the aftermath of everything. Copsed buildings and dead bodies were all over the ce, and the injured were being either transported away or treated on the spot. It was only then that Tsutomu realized just how many casualties there were.


    Most of the corpsesid under white cloth were beginner and intermediate Explorers who had declined toply with the evacuation request. There were some high-level Explorers among them as well, unlucky to be hit by the flying debris and weapons on their heads and other vital parts on which Divine Blessing had a weaker effect. The bodies of those Explorers, less mutted because of their VIT being higher than the average, were left lying with their faces exposed so that they could be easily identified.


    Things were even uglier for the civilians who had not evacuated. Many of them smashed against walls with such force that they burst into pieces, while others had been crushed and mangled by the copsing buildings. Most corpses were so disfigured that they had to bepletely covered with white cloth ¡ª the ones that still had their heads intact could even be considered lucky.


    Underneath those clothes were unorganized cements of mostly arms, legs, and torsos. One girl who had miraculously survived the disaster came over to search through the mess for at least a part of her mother. Tsutomu grimaced at the direct sight of so many parts of what used to be living, breathing people.


    The unlucky high-level Explorers aside, these deaths could have been prevented if they had only evacuated. It was obvious that they would die; they had paid for their mistake ¡ª was what a spiteful person would think, which Tsutomu did for a fraction of a second, and he felt as if he was stabbing himself in the chest. The rest of the time, all he had in his mind was regret; he wished he could have done better to help.


    During the battle, the medical unit had worked without fear of the Devourer Dragon¡¯s roars to treat the severely injured, who surely would have died otherwise. Thanks to such quick decision-making, many lives have been saved. Still, that did not mean absolutely everyone had been saved, since among the body count, well over a hundred were ultimately barely injured but still dead. No one was sure if they should, or could even, be happy that they had managed to limit the total damage caused by the Devourer Dragon.


    ¡°Hurry, bring my mom back to life!¡± The girl shouted to the medical unit. She had found her mother¡¯s head in the pile of bodies, and was holding it up with her hands.


    ¡°¡­We can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why not? Come on, bring her back! Aren¡¯t you all magic doctors? I¡¯ve seen the things you can do! You were always there to help mom before!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry. It¡¯s impossible¡­ We¡¯re sorry.¡±


    ¡°Liar! You¡¯re all liars!¡±


    All of the medical staff cast their eyes down, avoiding eye contact. Those who died in God¡¯s Dungeon could be brought back to life with [[Raise]], but that skill would have no effect elsewhere.


    Once the fact sank in that resurrection was impossible, the girl broke down sobbing, still holding her mother¡¯s head. The child¡¯s cries echoed through the air. Indeed, this was not at all a situation in which one could let loose and rejoice.


    The celebrating people returning from the front lines, including Tsutomu in front of them, found themselves immediately disheartened, but still proceeded to help clean up the battlefield. They moved copsed buildings out of the way, cleared away the rubble, and checked to see if there were any people stuck inside. They did eventually find some survivors, but the majority of the bodies they found were lifeless.


    Once the group was done searching for people under piles of rubble, they had the Shell Crab, restored to its full health with [[Heal]], use its giant pincers like a piece of heavy-duty machinery to lift up and sort the debris. The Fire Dragon also carried some smaller pieces with its mouth.


    While the work was going on, Tsutomu checked the faces of each of the deceased Explorers. In the end, he was somewhat relieved to not find anyone he knew. Unfortunately, Garm and Amy had to spend a few moments to mourn silently, since they did find that some of their acquaintances and friends had passed.


    The battlefield clean-up proceeded under a solemn atmosphere, and before long, the reddish sky started to darken. Regardless, stopping work was not an option; if corpses were left unattended, flies would soone toy eggs in them, in turn causing a maggot outbreak. The dposition would also cause indirect damage such as bad stench and infection.


    Light balls were conjured to be set up around the area to ensure visibility. Tsutomu stayed to help while still holding on to the ck Staff, until¡­


    ¡°Give it back!!¡±


    He was suddenly assaulted by a screech, prompting him to stop his rubble removal work out of surprise. Where the voice wasing from, Alma, while being held down by Weiss, was crying out in unbridled rage.


    ¡°Give it back, you thief! You can¡¯t do this to me!! It¡¯s mine! Give it back! GIVE IT BACK!!¡±


    Alma thrashed about in a futile attempt to break free. Tsutomu, spooked by how uncannily dramatic Alma¡¯s expression was, looked at the ck Staff in his hands. While it may have originally been his, and its enhancements worked only for White Mages, he had indeed sold it off to the Scarlet Devil Squad in an official transaction.


    ¡°Give it back! GIVE IT BACK!!¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry for subjecting your ears to this,¡± Weiss quickly apologized.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Here.¡±


    Tsutomu, taking no particr offense with this tantrum, handed the Back Staff over to Alma. Immediately upon being released by Weiss, Alma hugged the staff and crouched down on the ground.


    ¡°This is mine¡­ all mine¡­¡± Alma muttered incoherently, budging not an inch from her spot. From the looks of it, she was so relieved to have the staff back in her hands that tears streamed down her face.


    While Tsutomu was taken aback by Alma¡¯s disy of abnormal obsession, Weiss approached him and whispered,


    ¡°If Alma gives you any troubleter, let me know. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll leave you alone if I threaten to take that ck Staff from her, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ yes, I understand. Sounds like you¡¯ve been having a hard time as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sometimes I think she shouldn¡¯t have bought it at all.¡±


    Weiss cast his eyes down, looking somewhat sad, before escorting Alma away. Tsutomu watched them go, while disappointed that not much talk had actually happened between him and Weiss.


    And so, the clean-up work continued, a while after which the Explorers were allowed to return home.


    ¡°Now go get all the rest you need, boys and girls,¡± Bruno said.


    ¡°All right,¡± the Explorers answered before going their separate ways, silently returning home like defeated soldiers, devastated by all the losses. It was unheard of for a Stampede to cause this much damage under House Babenberg¡¯s rule of Dungeon City.


    ¡°¡­And Tsutomu, you¡¯ve done everything the best you could. Don¡¯t be so harsh on yourself.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Tsutomu nodded to Bruno¡¯s words of encouragement before heading back into Dungeon City, leaving the Security Team and the soldiers to finish up the work.


    Amy, Garm, Camille, and the other Guild staff did not speak a word as they walked in a group with Tsutomu. The joy they had felt over their victory over the Devourer Dragon was already all gone. The evacuated people, seeing the Explorers returning in such low spirits, anxiously started talking to them.


    From the civilians¡¯ perspective, especially with no updates from the front lines, the barrier suddenly disappearing, and the ensuing explosions and roars, had been quite horrific. They had been so scared that they holed themselves up in their homes or buildings.


    ¡°Miss Camille! What in the world happened!?¡±


    ¡°Guild Master! Do you know anything about the barrier disappearing!?¡±


    The people, desperate to know what had gone down, flocked to Camille, the person they knew well as the local Guild Master. Camille gestured for the others to go on ahead, and began to tell the civilians what had happened.


    ¡°All right, we¡¯ll be going this way.¡±


    ¡°See youter.¡±


    The Guild staff headed back to the Guild Dormitory, while Tsutomu dragged his feet back to the inn. With a downcast face, he greeted the reception, entered his room, threw himself onto his bed, and fell asleep.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The Stampede damage clean-up and reconstruction proceeded at a rapid pace. Most of the rubble had been cleared, blood had been washed away, and the Devourer Dragon¡¯s mangled remains had been relocated elsewhere. The Labyrinth Conquerors had also returned from the north, their numbers reduced.


    The bodies of the deceased were returned to their families or rtives, and arge-scale funeral service was held¡­ And the me game immediately followed, with House Babenberg being the first to take the brunt of it. They apologized for the barrier¡¯s breach, and guaranteed financial aid and housing for the families and rtives of the deceased. Moreover, they had to answer to the Royal Capital once word of the incident inevitably got out.


    Dungeon City¡¯s popce turned against the news outlets and heavily criticized House Babenberg. A minor riot broke out among the bereaved families and a few surviving citizens. However, there were no casualties among the civilians and Explorers who had either followed the high alert order orplied with thest-minute evacuation request.


    The only civilian deaths were from those who had refused to follow both warnings ¡ª and the disgruntled Explorers exposed the facts as such one they had had enough. As such, the rioters, whether it be those who suffered losses or the people who had joined to take advantage of the situation, were promptly shut down.


    House Babenberg, despite taking a hit to their reputation in Dungeon City, did not suffer nearly as much in the Royal Capital. This went to show how trusted House Babenberg¡¯s barrier magic was, and moreover, the other powerful barrier magic-specializing household had nothing to gain from undermining House Babenberg.


    In fact, the other notable noble household, which was proud to be in charge of protecting the Royal Capital, did not want to be transferred over to run Dungeon City in House Babenberg¡¯s stead. There also existed other noble households that could handle barrier magic, but House Babenberg was far better at their craft than every single one of them, being an almost even match with the protectors of the Royal Capital.


    The difference that set them apart, however, was that House Babenberg had the ability to alter the nature of their barrier magic, making them highly versatile. Furthermore, in the thirty years since the current head of the house took over, their barrier had never been breached. Their well-known track record was not affected all too much by this one incident.


    As such, House Babenberg did not receive much k from the higher ruling power, and in fact, many sympathized with them, if only because of the perceived number of monsters they had had to defend against. In the end, the Royal Capital provided them with assistance with the rebuilding efforts in the form of Gold and manpower, all free of charge.


    After house Babenberg, the organizations that came under the most fire were the Labyrinth Conquerors and the nobility¡¯s military force. Detractors argued that this Stampede had intensified so much because these two organizations had neglected to cull out the Dungeons¡¯ monster poptions beforehand.


    Though, it was a fact that those two organizations alone had never had enough manpower to do the job in the first ce. In the past, it was not just them regrly sweeping the Dungeons; the regr Explorers had done so as well. That was why the Stampedes before now had been of a much smaller scale.


    However, after the emergence of God¡¯s Dungeon, most Explorers had stopped going to the other Dungeons, in turn greatly slowing the process of thinning out the monsters within them. Up until that point, the Labyrinth Conquerors and the military force had had to deal with just the less popr Dungeons, but after the change, they had found themselves responsible for the rest of the Dungeons as well.


    The issue of theirck of manpower became more and more apparent as a result, and the Stampedes started to intensify with each passing year since. The problem had been brought to attention a few years in, but the people¡¯s indifference and the nobility¡¯s negligence meant nothing much had been done to help matters. The organizations had been left looking out for themselves, and months and years of things worsening culminated in the Devourer Dragon incident.


    As such, the responsibility ultimately was on those who had beencent about the threat of Stampedes. The same could be said for the general popce, who had been wholly lured by the entertainment value of the monitor footage showing the Explorers go through God¡¯s Dungeon, thus keeping those Explorers building their careers around that specific economy. A more specific exnation for this was they had once protested, and sessfully prevented, the nobility¡¯s attempt to introduce a certainw ¡ª aw that would have made it mandatory for Explorers to periodically assist in clearing out all the other Dungeons.


    Once all the past information was considered, the criticisms toward the Labyrinth Conquerors and the military quickly died down. House Babenberg proceeded to publicly hold an official statement of apology, and also introduced the previously rejected legition.


    From now on, all Explorers were tasked with the thinning out of monsters in all Dungeons. With that said, all avable information would be provided by the Labyrinth Conquerors and cross-checked with the regr Explorers¡¯yer progress records, so as to make the process as easy as possible going forward. Alternatively, one could pay a certain amount of G to contribute to the efforts, and in doing so, be exempt frombat duties. The amount for that exemption was quite high, however, and Major ns with greater financial power would not have ess to that option, since they had to be inbat for the sake of putting on a show for the people.


    With the storm of controversies out of the way, the criticismsrgely ceased, and Dungeon City¡¯s reconstruction proceeded steadily. It took a while, but the scars from the Stampede were beginning to heal.


    About a month after the Stampede, the nobility decided to hold a small victory banquet for all the organizations that had participated.


    During this time, most were not in the mood for exploring God¡¯s Dungeon if they could help it, so all organizations dly epted the invitation.


    Tsutomu was invited as well, as one of the Guild¡¯s representatives. He wore his usual white robe, freshly cleaned, and headed to the nobility¡¯s residence.


    Seeing Camille in her ck dress and Garm and Amy in their Guild uniforms made Tsutomu feel a little self-conscious, but then he was relieved to learn that most other Explorers were in their usual gear. Upon entering the designated mansion, he was led to the hall.


    Representatives of the major ns and the Security Teams were already there, talking and eating as if the party had already started. The overall atmosphere here was ck and somewhat noisy, feeling as if it was not hosted by the nobility at all.


    Amy leaped straight to the fish dishes, and Garm, upon seeing the whole roasted Shell Crab, immediately ran over to it. Camille was going to converse with the nobility crowd first, so Tsutomu was left alone; he decided to walk over to the Shell Crab as well, and looked up at it.


    The Shell Crab smelled delicious, and was quite popr with all the hungry people around it. A butler served Tsutomu a slice of the Crab¡¯s meat on a te, which thetter stared hard at.


    [So this is what the biggest contributor gets in the end, huh¡­]


    The Shell Crab had yed a decently active role during the battle against the elemental Dragons, and its acting as a decoy against the Devourer Dragon was pivotal to the defending force¡¯s final victory. Additionally, its giant pincers and inexhaustible supply of stamina had contributed greatly to the reconstruction efforts. Despite the daily cost of Colorless Magic Stones required to keep it active, this Shell Crab had been kept in use the longest of all the summoned monsters.


    Once most of the construction work was done, however, the supply of Magic Stones was cut off, and the Shell Crab finally went silent and still like an unplugged machine. The Summoner who had summoned it was still crying¡­ while eating its meat. Tsutomu tried taking a bite, and it turned out to be so delicious that his cheeks naturally puffed up. He proceeded to eat the rest of it with heartfelt gratitude, thankful for its splendid contributions in every step of the way.


    At one point during the meal, Tsutomu was approached by Stephanie and Eunice, the former in a yellow dress, and thetter in red.


    ¡°Hello there, Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°¡­W-wassup?¡±


    Stephanie¡¯s dress was her usual one, so Tsutomu did not question it, but this was his first time seeing Eunice in this getup.


    [I wonder how her dress works¡­]


    Tsutomu looked at Eunice, wondering particrly about how her fox tail fit in there. Thetter spun around once and made quite a self-satisfied look on her face.


    ¡°Hmph, so now you wanna stare at me, huh?¡±


    ¡°Say, Stephanie, you were friends with¡­ her?¡±


    ¡°W-well, yes. I actually was asking her some things about you ¡ª and as I¡¯ve been told, she was your first student, wasn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Wait, you think I don¡¯t have friends or what!? You¡¯ve got to be kidding!¡±


    ¡°Eunice, I¡¯d prefer that you stopped spreading misinformation ¡ª my first student is Lorena over at Silver Beast. You¡¯re the second person I¡¯ve taught¡­ but in terms of skill, you¡¯re deadst out of all three. How about you be more polite to Lorena and Stephanie here, hmm?¡±


    ¡°W-what¡¯s up with your attitude today!? That smug is all over your face!¡±


    As Eunice started throwing a tantrum, Stephanie put a hand over her own mouth and chuckled. After that, Tsutomu made some small talk with Stephanie while continuing to taunt Eunice.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen all the amazing things you¡¯ve done during the Stampede, Mister Tsutomu. I am ashamed to admit, I had underestimated yourpetency before then.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Uh, okay?¡±


    ¡°After all, your abilities truly shone through during thoserge-scale battles, out in the open¡­ But one day, I will surpass you, even if only during smaller-scale conflicts in God¡¯s Dungeon. Just you wait and see ¡ª I won¡¯t disappoint you, Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, of course.¡±


    Tsutomu, not quite understanding Stephanie¡¯s intention behind her deration, felt that they were onpletely different wavelengths, but still considered it a good thing since she sounded motivated enough. Contrary to thetter¡¯s assessment, however, Tsutomu felt that he was not that great atrge-scale raids, and was morefortable managing parties within God¡¯s Dungeon¡¯s five-member limit. He was not about to let Stephanie surpass him so easily, but refrained from stating it to her since it would ruin the celebratory mood.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll admit it too ¡ª you were awesome,¡± Eunice added.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is wrong with you!? I call discrimination! You¡¯re discriminating against the Beastkin!¡±


    ¡°My FIRST student is a Conykin, though¡­ And besides, some of my best friends are Beastkins!¡±


    ¡°¡­Then you¡¯re discriminating against us Vulpeer! I¡¯ll have you answer to the court ofw for this!¡±


    With Eunice getting particrly salty with Tsutomu¡¯s attitude toward her, Stephanie stepped in to console her with a pat on the head.


    Tsutomu decided to go elsewhere, leaving Eunice in Stephanie¡¯s care. First, he went around to greet Leon, Rook, and Weiss. All of their ns seemed to be getting back into gear, and as Tsutomu was told by the leaders themselves, they would start exploring God¡¯s Dungeon again soon. The major ns had been culling the other Dungeons¡¯ monster poptions over the past month, and the job was expected to take another month or so.


    Meanwhile, Amy seemed to be having a st of a time chowing down fish while talking with the Golden Tune girls. Garm conversed within his circle of Tank acquaintances. And at one point, Weiss went over to invite him again, only to receive the usual rejection. Tsutomu watched on as those interactions yed out, while he himself sat away from the big groups to take a breather¡­ but then the three most prominent members of House Babenberg approached him.


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu,¡± the head of the house greeted.


    ¡°¡­Yes, sir,¡± Tsutomu replied and nodded firmly, seeing that the other person clearly wished to have a serious conversation.


    ¡°We thank you again for protecting the people when we were unable to,¡± the head of the house said and bowed, and his two children did so as well.


    House Babenberg had already issued public apologies to the people and all organizations involved. Tsutomu, endorsed by many as the biggest contributor during the Stampede, had also previously received an official apology and somepensation. Despite that, the head of the house still was going around to talk with all organizations personally.


    The old man was perfectly professional and kept his fatigue from showing, but his eldest son and daughter were still young and inexperienced, and had been quite worn out during this past month. Tsutomu, sympathizing with what they had been obligated to go through, epted the personal apology without issue.


    The eldest son proceeded to stare at Tsutomu. Thetter looked him back in the eyes, a gesture that reminded him of another important detail, and prompted him to widen his eyes in realization.


    ¡°¡­If I remember right, you were with Rook at the time, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ oh, you meant when we were trying to momentarily leave the city? I was with him, yes.¡±


    With Tsutomu¡¯s reply confirming it, the eldest son grit his teeth, stepped forward, and lowered his head. The frustration he showed was not toward Tsutomu, but at his own immaturity.


    ¡°I must apologize for my behavior. If I hadn¡¯t intervened then, perhaps you could have managed to limit the damage to the city. And thank you for saving the people ¡ª if things had panned out differently, my pathetic failure would have caused so many more losses.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s all right. You have all our thanks for defending against the Devourer Dragon.¡±


    The eldest son¡¯s fists trembled, showing how much he regretted his course of action. Still, Tsutomu considered how he himself had not been prepared for the Devourer Dragon¡¯s energy st either, and arrived at the obvious conclusion that things would have been far worse if not for the nobility¡¯s barrier.


    In the past month, Tsutomu had learned of the limitations of House Babenberg¡¯s barrier, namely how the caster¡¯s senses were linked to it. It was said that training and experience could help numb the pain, but surely there was a limit to how much one could take ¡ª and besides, Tsutomu had in fact personally seen the bloody mess that the eldest son had ended up as.


    Additionally, the eldest son was sincerely apologetic for his shorings, and grateful for the help he had gotten. The Devourer Dragon had been as powerful as Tsutomu had expected ¡ª or even more so than its Live Dungeon counterpart, with there not being any limitation on how many monsters it could end up eating. The Devourer Dragon, having eaten most of the monsters in its Dungeon and in the Stampede, had stored a ridiculous amount of Magic Stones in its body, and utilized them tounch an impossibly powerful attack, one that no one could havepletely prevented. Despite all that, the eldest son of House Babenberg still acknowledged his insufficiency of ability, and spared no second thought to apologize to everyone involved.


    With his distrust toward the eldest son all but gone now, Tsutomu thanked him, and his sister and father as well, as they walked away.


    From now on, House Babenberg would have to spend many years working to regain the trust of the people ¡ª and they obviously would have to work quite hard for it.


    [¡­Now I kinda want to give them a helping hand¡­]


    Although this did not mean he was willing to go out to deal with the Dungeons¡¯ monsters directly, Tsutomu now wished to help as much as he could. And in fact, the G he had received aspensation was too much for him to manage, so he considered returning it, but while he was pondering that over¡­


    ¡°Tsutomu! What¡¯re you up to!?¡±


    ¡°Whoa-!¡±


    He was interrupted by Amy¡¯s jumping onto his back, perhaps in an attempt to cheer him up, having seen him standing around looking quite serious. Garm, exasperated to see the two apparently messing around, approached them.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know, either.¡±


    Tsutomu, semi-forced to give Amy a piggyback ride, gave Garm a troubled look. All of them then proceeded to return to the banquet, which went on for another two hours.


    Svin: Mr. Krabs! Noooo!


    D: Poor Mr. Krabs. Stripped of his Magic Stone and cooked to death. I lonely sponge would be crying.

 Chapter 96, Infinite Loop

    <h4>Chapter 96, Infinite Loop</h4>


    At this time, all the major ns had stopped exploring God¡¯s Dungeon, redirecting their efforts to culling the other Dungeons¡¯ monster poptions. This initiative, in coboration with the Labyrinth Conquerors and the military force, was to serve as an example for the popce and the other Explorers. In the meantime, beginner and intermediate Explorers went into God¡¯s Dungeon like usual ¡ª but what was not usual was how the Monitors now regrly showed the Grasndsyers, providing the spectators with a nice change of pace in their entertainment.


    Over the next six weeks, Tsutomu transferred the excessive G he had received back to the nobility, and was given a n House. While inspecting it and waiting for it to be prepped up, he went over to Ealdred Crow to give his promised training to the Buffer, who had returned from Uga¡¯ol during this time.


    Some time along the way, Tsutomu found himself included in the Guild¡¯s monster hunting teams, and was half-forced to apany them. Still, he knew that the popce would get judgmental if he did not go at least once or twice, therefore, he was rather grateful for the Guild¡¯s consideration.


    While both helping the Guild with the Dungeon in town and going with the Labyrinth Conquerors to the Dungeons outside, he took those opportunities to instruct people on the three-roleposition again. At one point, he also had a personal conversation with the n Leader of Labyrinth Conquerors, the silver-haired Elfdy. Since Tsutomu was known as one of the biggest contributors during the Stampede, he was, to no one¡¯s surprise, invited to join the Labyrinth Conquerors.


    Tsutomu wanted above all else to clear God¡¯s Dungeon, so he ultimately turned down the invitation. Thedy did not seem to be giving up anytime soon, however, which annoyed Tsutomu a fair bit.


    And now, six weeks after the Stampede, the Monitors still showed only beginner and intermediate Explorers going through God¡¯s Dungeon. The major ns, under the Labyrinth Conquerors¡¯ guidance, were still going around to various Dungeons. Still, the cullings were just about done now, and it would be only two more weeks until the major ns resumed their usual exploration.


    Until then, it was a period of major and mid-tier ns looking at the Monitors in search of promising neers to recruit. Tsutomu was also nning to recruit some n members based on the lists he had received from Ealdred Crow during the past two weeks.


    Currently, the only people who would definitely join him were Garm¡¯s apprentice Daryl, as a Tank, and Amy¡¯s close friend Diniel, as an Attacker. In thetter¡¯s case, it was mainly because Tsutomu had bailed her out of danger during the Stampede, and Amy¡¯s rmendation, that she had decided to join.


    Tsutomu could establish a n now, because he had the minimum number of members required ¡ª and so he did so immediately, having received a n House as a reward from the nobility.


    Tsutomu took Daryl and Diniel to the Guild, where he then got an application form to register his n. After filling out most of it, he stopped at one particr field.


    ¡°n name, huh¡­ I¡¯d never thought of that¡­¡±


    Realizing just now that he had forgotten the single most important thing, Tsutomu let go of the pen in his hand. Daryl, the young Cynokin, peeked over Tsutomu¡¯s shoulder at the form, his eyes sparkling. Diniel, the blonde Elf, only yawned, showing no interest whatsoever.


    ¡°How about Three Beast Knights!? Doesn¡¯t that sound cool!?¡± Daryl excitedly rmended, his ck dog ears bobbing cheerfully.


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that count just you, Amy, and Garm? Diniel and I aren¡¯t Beastkins, you know,¡± Tsutomu replied, sounding somewhat reluctant.


    ¡°Then¡­ Three Beast Knights and, uh¡­ the Golden Conductor!¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re trying to cram in too much¡­¡±


    All the while, the receptionistdy grinned, seeing Daryl as a little puppy.


    ¡°What about Amy and the Merry Comrades?¡± Diniel suggested.


    ¡°Still too long¡­ and besides, she isn¡¯t in the n yet! You do remember that she¡¯s joiningter, right?¡±


    ¡°Just hurry up and decide. You¡¯re the n¡¯s leader, Tsutomu.¡±


    Tsutomu crossed his arms and pondered it over.


    ¡°The Triforce¡­ no, that doesn¡¯t sound right. Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Pleasee up with a cool-sounding one!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make this harder for me¡­¡±


    Tsutomu recoiled at Daryl¡¯s sparkly, overly enthusiastic gaze, but still proceeded to cross his arms and think it over. He wanted a name referencing the three-roleposition and its stablebat loop, but could note up with a good one.


    ¡°¡­Combat flow, repetition, M?bius Band¡­ no, that doesn¡¯t roll off the tongue¡­ All right, I got it.¡±


    Letting go of all his doubts, he wrote the n name down. Daryl peeked at the form from behind him.


    ¡°Absolute¡­ Helix?¡± Daryl read out the name and fell silent.


    Tsutomu, unsure of what to follow that with, simply cast his eyes down. Daryl, after shaking for a moment, eximed,


    ¡°That sounds nice! Let¡¯s go with this! Sir Garm is sure to like it, too!¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Daryl seemed to think quite highly of the name, and Diniel did not seem to care either way. Tsutomu, actually somewhat relieved by how Diniel had reacted, handed the form over to the receptionist, finishing the n application process. Half a year since his arrival in his world, Tsutomu was finally able to establish a n of his own ¡ª the Absolute Helix.


    Tsutomu wanted to go Dungeon crawling immediately, but ever since he had been officially rewarded by the nobility after the Stampede, his face had be well-known to the people who had attended the ceremony. Since the major ns would not be exploring God¡¯s Dungeon for another two weeks, he also could not publicly and realistically show up in the Dungeon during this time.


    Additionally, despite transferring his reward Gold back to the nobility, he still was absolutely loaded as far as his personal assets were concerned, so he was working hard to spend it well. With that said, the Forest Apothecary¡¯s Potions were limited in quantity, and all his equipment was more than sufficient. Even though he had paid the fees to sit out some of the mandatory Dungeon trips, it still was not enough to bring his funds down to a manageable level. He needed to find something else to splurge on.


    ¡°All right, now that that¡¯s done, why don¡¯t we go do some shopping?¡±


    ¡°Yes! What do you have in mind?¡±


    Tsutomu, while thinking how out of proportion Daryl¡¯s high-pitched, Husky-like voice was to the size of his body, opened the door out of the Guild and said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s get some new gear ¡ª for both of you!¡±


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°I can pick anything? You sure?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Money isn¡¯t an issue at all,¡± Tsutomu reassured as he and Diniel stepped into thetter¡¯s favorite archery-specializing store.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take this and this¡­¡±


    Diniel proceeded to pick out various types of arrows, her eyes sparkling, albeit still as sleepy-looking as ever. Daryl seemed to never have been in an archery store before, as apparent from how he curiously browsed around,paring arrows of various colors.


    Archer, simrly to Summoner, was a Job that could easily empty one¡¯s wallet. The arrows they let loose were obviously finite and had to be paid for, unlike in the game where they were just a part of attack animations and therefore infinite. Arrows were consumed when shot, and if they ran out, one could be left without a way to attack at all.


    As such, the first thing an Archer must learn was how not to break arrows and exhaust their supply. The main things to keep in mind were to avoid hitting monsters on their hard parts, which could damage arrows beyond salvaging, and to re-collect as many fallen arrows as possible after a battle. Neglecting to do these things would force them to be in the red.


    Diniel had originally lived in a forest and made a living as a hunter, so she knew her techniques well, being good at economizing and handling generic arrows.


    There were various special kinds of arrows, however, such as ones that popped into multiple smaller arrows, and whistle-like arrows that were used for sending signals. And they were expensive.


    The most useful type of them would be the elemental arrows. Each of them had different attributes, determined by the type of Magic Stones fitted in them, making them highly effective against different kinds of monsters. Due to their high production costs, they were generally highly priced to match.


    Since Tsutomu had told her to get as much as she wanted, however, Diniel picked out more and more, of one type after another. The owner of the store, an Elf, had his face scrunched up as one bundle of arrows after another was piled up on the counter.


    ¡°This should be enough.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot. So¡­ yeah, we¡¯ll take these, please.¡±


    ¡°S-sure,¡± the shopkeeper replied, stunned to see Tsutomu actually preparing to pay the bill in full. He proceeded to count the arrows and tally up the price. A few momentster, Tsutomu was told the amount, and sure enough, he immediately paid the whole number in cash.


    Diniel whistled as she put away one bundle of arrows after another into her quiver-like Magic Bag, while the shopkeeper prepared to close up for the day, having ran out of stock.


    ¡°Whoa, I can¡¯t fit in any more. Now this is a first.¡±


    Diniel lifted up her Magic Bag, quite happy to see it absolutely stacked with arrows. The remainder of the arrows were kept in Tsutomu¡¯s Magic Bag.


    In addition to those, Tsutomu gave Diniel a Magic Bag with 20 million G in it, so that she could request a custom-made bow, armor, and boots. Tsutomu was doing this out of consideration that Diniel would like to handle the process herself, what with her having to take measurements, but Diniel only looked at him as if he had gone crazy. Still, she did take the money, and went on her own way to do what was necessary.


    ¡°All right, now it¡¯s your turn to get equipped, Daryl. Shall we?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    Daryl was weirded out by Tsutomu¡¯s spending behavior, but still went along with him, heading to the district in which the workshops were located.


    Tsutomu was unfamiliar with this district, having only visited it just for his custom-made Potion vials. Explorers with closebat Jobs, however, would visit this ce as often as they went to the Guild.


    Armor and weapons naturally would wear out as they were used to fight monsters. Moreover, now that the Tank role had be more widespread, the demand for armor maintenance had begun to rise, making the workshops even busier. The streets were filled with workers and carriages transporting goods, and the high-pitched ringing of hammers banging metal echoed through the air.


    Explorers and merchants came and went, buying and selling and filling the town with voices of business negotiations. Tsutomu followed Daryl, who stood out a fair bit due to the height difference between them. At one point, thetter bent down to get through a doorway into a certain workshop. Once inside, Tsutomu¡¯s face was hit with the heat of the furnace¡¯s me.


    This workshop, actually a favorite of Garm¡¯s, was run by several bushy-bearded Dwarves, dwarves swinging hammers and throwing iron and steel into the furnace. Their skin was red from the mes. The oldest of the Dwarves, one who was taller andrger than Daryl, walked out to the counter while brushing his ashen beard, and called out to the new arrivals,


    ¡°Oh, hey there, Garm¡¯s apprentice boy. How¡¯s it going?¡±


    ¡°I have a name! It¡¯s DARYL! Please remember it already!¡±


    ¡°And you are¡­ Tsutomu, right?¡±


    The Dwarf man, paying no attention to Daryl¡¯s barking-like retort, wiped the sweat off his own face and nodded to Tsutomu.


    ¡°I am, yes. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°I heard about you from Garm. You pretty much saved Dungeon City, yeah? Really, thanks a ton ¡ª this workshop¡¯s like home to me, you know. I would¡¯ve been sad as hell if it got wrecked.¡±


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m getting too much credit for that. Anyway, I¡¯d like to request some brand new equipment for Daryl here¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s your budget, eh?¡±


    ¡°Money isn¡¯t an issue at all, so please just make it as good as you can.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! I like your attitude! Looks like you¡¯ve found yourself a good master, eh, boy? Thanks for bringing him here to me!¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not a pet dog!¡±


    The old Dwarf let out a heartyugh and then patted Daryl on the head. Daryl swatted the former¡¯s hand away, as ifshing out at him.


    ¡°Anyway, we can go over the detaily-details over here.¡±


    The Dwarf stepped out of the counter toward Tsutomu and Daryl, and walked off to the road to his right. Tsutomu, suddenly recalling something, turned to ask Daryl,


    ¡°Wait, Daryl. Would you mind me going along as well?¡±


    ¡°Not at all¡­ actually, you better not leave me with a giant wallet like you did to Diniel! I can¡¯t bring myself to walk around with that much gold!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    Tsutomu had received an impossiblyrge amount of Gold almost immediately upon arriving in this world, so he had never had to deal with any financial issue, and since he equated this world¡¯s money with in-game currency the game, his attitude toward it would naturallye off as strange. Tsutomu, fully understanding how Daryl could be so weirded out, followed the Dwarf to get on with their business.

 Chapter 97, Feather Tank

    <h4>Chapter 97, Feather Tank</h4>


    After Daryl was done specifying his gear, Tsutomu proceeded to request from the old Dwarf artisan another set for himself for the uing Volcano exploration. He wanted to order a few more as well ¡ª one each for cold resistance, light-dark elemental resistance, and corrosion resistance ¡ª but refrained from doing so because that would obviously make people suspicious.


    During the recent Stampede, Tsutomu had referenced the Banquet of Dragons in-game event to provide information and countermeasures against the ck Dragons, the Elemental Dragons, and even the Devourer Dragon. But then, after the Stampede ended, people started to wonder where all that knowledge had originated from, and rumors started circting that he had spurred the Devourer Dragon upon the Dungeon City on purpose.


    The rumors had been denied by the Security Team, them being the ones who had received the information directly, and even Solit Company, but Tsutomu had been under scrutiny from various parties all the same since. It was obvious that he would onlye off as more suspicious from now on if he were to continue making public his knowledge as referenced from the game. As such, Tsutomu decided toy low for some time, letting the major ns explore deeper into the Dungeon first before catching up to them.


    Daryl¡¯s gear was set to bepleted in a week or so, and Tsutomu¡¯s n, the Absolute Helix, could not be active until then. The n now was to spend the free time trying to recruit more members.


    The only uing appointment right now was for a Tank, a Birdkin Boxer among Ealdred Crow¡¯s rmendation list. Preparations had already been done on Ealdred Crow¡¯s side, and the meeting was set to be tomorrow.


    With a second Tank slot potentially taken care of, the issue stillid in finding another Attacker. The Stampede had killed many beginner-to-intermediate Explorers of non-Tank Jobs, including an Attacker that Tsutomu had nned to invite over. Their death had left him without an Attacker he had his eyes on, meaning no one to invite.


    Still, the n had Diniel as their first Attacker, so they would have no issues starting their activities off with a beginner Attacker, either. As such, Tsutomu also nned to find his n an Attackerter at the Guild.


    ¡°T-this is the ce?¡± Daryl asked while being led to the n House by Tsutomu after their shopping trip.


    ¡°Mm-hm. Wee to the n House,¡± Tsutomu answered.


    Diniel had already finished moving her things into her personal room here, and Tsutomu was already done moving his belongings from the inn as well.


    Daryl, on the other hand, was still in the process of it, having finalized his move just yesterday after staying for so long in Garm¡¯s old apartment from his pre-Guild Staff days ¡ª and being told by thetter to get out already.


    This raised one point of slight concern for Tsutomu: how Daryl respected Garm as if thetter were his parent. That in and of itself was a good thing, but if he were to keep sticking around Garm like a puppy, he would arguably be unable to stand on his ownter down the line. On the other hand, he was a good listener to orders, and his personality painted him as an honest and honorable figure, so perhaps the worry was ultimately excessive on Tsutomu¡¯s part.


    Daryl looked up at the solid three-story building, and seemed surprised at its size. It couldfortably house about ten people, most of the facilities were already in ce and cleaned, and it was located decently close to the Guild ¡ª overall, it was quite an excellent property to own.


    Tsutomu unlocked the front door and went inside. Daryl briefly squealed at the fresh wooden smell of the interior before following Tsutomu up the stairs. Despite being taller than Tsutomu, Daryl had only recently turned sixteen, and despite that age already being considered an adult in this world, he most definitely still had a childlike quality about him.


    ¡°Daryl, this will be your room, if you¡¯re fine with it. Feel free to remodel it to your liking ¡ª just not so much that you change the room¡¯s structure itself.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll still have free time for the next few days, so after you unpack, you can do whatever until we start working for real. Here¡¯s the key to your room, and a copy of the building¡¯s key.¡±


    Tsutomu detached two keys from their bindings and handed them over to Dary, who epted them and bowed.


    ¡°Yes! Thank you very much!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in the living room on the first floor, so call me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Sent off by Daryl¡¯s enthusiasm, Tsutomu closed the door and headed down to the n House¡¯s living room.


    There, he sat down on the fluffy sofa and took out some document papers from his Magic Bag on the desk in front of him.


    [Man, I just can¡¯t think of any strats ¡ª not when I don¡¯t have everyone ready yet. Let¡¯s just focus on gathering new info and looking up the Volcano monsters. The articles for the newspapers are¡­ yup, they¡¯re already done, too.]


    The two publishers Tsutomu had been favoring as ofte were steadily bing more relevant, and they were profiting even more from interviews with Tsutomu after the Stampede. Now that they had some decent funds saved up, they were sure to grow bigger on their own without Tsutomu following their every step. Besides, if the two publishers were to work together, they could very wellpete against Solit Company.


    On the other side, Solit Company had been trying in their own way to pull Tsutomu¡¯s business away from those two publishers, be it how they had sent a journalist to contact him during the Stampede, or how they had recently defended him when people started being suspicious about his unknown origins. Tsutomu himself, seeing that most of his goals regarding the matter had already been aplished, also thought that it was about time for him to reconsider his attitude toward Solit Company. Dragging this on for too long would only antagonize them, and he would rather not make any more enemies.


    [Not that we¡¯re likely to do anything particrly relevant soon, though¡­]


    As for the new Attacker, Tsutomu was now nning their ¡®from-scratch¡¯ training. He would not return to the deepyer action for some time, and likely would not be free to do much either, so he had no issue with being interviewed by Solit Company during that time. After all, he had already given most of the interesting material to the two other publishers.


    Tsutomu proceeded to make something to snack on and continued to write down relevant information onto the papers, and once Daryl was done unpacking, he had thetter to watch the ce while he left for the Guild. There, he filed a recruitment request to the reception for a new n member, then took a look at the Monitors before leaving.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The next day, Tsutomu paid a visit to Ealdred Crow¡¯s n House. The clerkdy at the entrance weed him inside and led him to a room ¡ª a small room with just a desk and chairs. Already sitting there was a young Birdkin woman, looking nervous.


    Tsutomu had already seen Birdkins in town, and interacted with two of them over at Silver Beast. Both of thetter Birdkins had feathers covering their arms, and their legs more closely resembled those of birds than of men. This girl sitting in front of him today was a different type of Birdkin, however.


    Her appearance was almost the same as a human¡¯s, even her legs and arms. She did have bright blue wings growing out of her back, however, and now those wings were moving around slightly as if to express her difort.


    The girl was dressed in quite a revealing ethnic attire, with a cloth wrapped around herrge breasts to hold them in ce. Tsutomu, while thinking how much of a distraction that could be, greeted her and sat in a chair on the opposite side of the table. The clerkdy put a stack of documents on the desk and proceeded to sit down perpendicrly to the other two.


    With Tsutomu and the Birdkin facing each other as if in an interview, the clerk looked at the documents and started to speak,


    ¡°Her name is Hannah, Birdkin, seventeen years of age. Her Job is Boxer, a desired role for a Tank. Here is a copy of her Status Card.¡±


    ¡°T-THAnK YOU FOR cONSIDERiNg mY RecOmmenDatION! i¡¯M hAnNAh! Nice tO meET yA!¡±


    Hannah, having fumbled her introduction so spectacrly, turned her face down in embarrassment. The clerk coughed lightly as if to signal the former to try again, and so she hurried to look back up at Tsutomu.


    ¡°I¡¯m Hannah! Nice to meet ya!¡±


    ¡°¡­Whew.¡±


    The clerk spent no effort to hide her sigh, frustrated by Hannah¡¯s failure to speak formally despite her teaching thetter to do so ahead of time¡­ and now Hannah was holding her head, seeming to have realized what she had forgotten to do. Tsutomu simply looked at them before replying,


    ¡°Well, yes, nice to meet you as well, Hannah. As you may know, I had already heard about you from Rook and was quite interested in you specifically, which is why I had arranged for a meeting. Thank you for taking your time with this appointment today.¡±


    ¡°I-w-wha- please, stop it! I¡¯m really not that big of a deal, really!¡±


    Tsutomu, following two victories over the Fire Dragons and his teachings to the major ns, had gained quite a degree of fame among Explorers. Adding to that was the Stampede, after which the nobles had recognized his contributions as the biggest keys to victory, spreading his name quickly even among the general popce. Because of that, Hannah hade to perceive Tsutomu as a far-off figure, even feeling obligated to immediately bow to him.


    ¡°So, Hannah, I¡¯m here to recruit you to my n. I assume that you¡¯ve already heard the details?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, Rook¡¯s already told me everything¡­ and that I¡¯d be assigned in as a Tank. But why me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I see potential in you as a Tank, of course.¡±


    ¡°What potential? I¡¯m known for being a Tank who dies almost immediately¡­¡±


    Hannah looked down, dejected, her disarranged blue hair bouncing around. From the day she had left Ealdred Crow to today, she had been trying to make her Tanking work, but achieved no results so far.


    The three-roleposition, which had not been well-known among Explorers before, was now starting to get more attention thanks in part to the Stampede boosting Tsutomu¡¯s profile. Especially over thest month and a half, the strategies poprized by Tsutomu had be so widespread that even the majority of new Explorers knew about them.


    At the present, keywords such as ¡®Tank¡¯ and ¡®Healer¡¯ were appearing more and more on Guild-mediated recruitment postings. This was a miscalction on Tsutomu¡¯s part, albeit a fortunate one, since he had expected this not to happen until Ealdred Crow overtook Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯syer progress.


    Hannah, who had been training alone ever since she left Ealdred Crow, had been eager to get on this trend and went through the Guild to find herself a party. Unfortunately, the bad publicity she had by then meant that she never managed to join one.


    A Tank as light and weak as a feather ¡ª ¡®Feather Tank¡¯ was what people condescendingly called Hannah. She was short, her Job was Boxer, and on top of everything, her being a Birdkin meant her VIT was abysmal. Her race¡¯s natural VIT ratings were on the lower side, with their specialized status being AGI, and Hannah¡¯s VIT was low even by Birdkin¡¯s standards.


    She had been imitating Garm¡¯s method of standing face-to-face against monsters with a tower shield, but she was unable to wield her tools properly. And since her VIT was low, any direct hit from the enemy could end up being fatal. It was only a natural course of things.


    ¡°Yes, so I¡¯ve heard. But I did take that into ount as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why? Why do you care so much about me? Surely you can find someone else better.¡±


    ¡°I can give you two reasons. One: I am genuinely interested in your abilities. You do have all the makings of a good Tank ¡ª but you do need to significantly change up your gear and attitude.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hannah¡¯s eyes remained wary, as if she did not believe what she had just heard. Tsutomu, seeing that, scratched his cheek out of slight awkwardness before continuing,


    ¡°Two: Well, this is a bit personal, but I¡¯d like to help people like you. Do you happen to know what I was called when I started out?¡±


    ¡°¡­Lucky Boy, you mean?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. That nickname has caused me so many difficulties¡­ so much so that I couldn¡¯t form a party for myself. Because my LUK rating at the time was actually a D! That was all it took for people to refuse me.¡±


    While Tsutomu narrowed his eyes as if reliving a nostalgic memory, Hannah stared at him. ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯ ¡ª such was Tsutomu¡¯s old nickname. That, Hannah knew for certain.


    ¡°Fortunately, I¡¯ve managed to get by thanks to Garm and Amy. I see you as being in a simr situation, Hannah, so I¡¯d like to help you out.¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you actually good at what you do, though? I¡¯m no good at my job, really.¡±


    ¡°¡­Tell me: why do you keep at being a Tank?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Hannah raised her downcast gaze. Tsutomu widened his eyes slightly and looked straight at her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Rook that you were an excellent Attacker. It should be easy for you to get out of your trouble ¡ª just go back to fighting like you used to.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well¡­¡±


    ¡°You got nicknamed the ¡®Feather Tank,¡¯ which made it impossible for you to find a party, yet you never quit being a Tank. Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    For a brief moment, Hannah looked around as if she was lost, then looked Tsutomu in the eyes as if to retaliate. The reason she kept being a Tank ¡ª she had always known it full well for herself.


    ¡°¡­I thought it¡¯d be cool.¡±


    ¡°Come again?¡±


    ¡°I thought it¡¯d be cool! Because I saw Mister Garm standing against the Fire Dragon for hours and hours! He was so cool!¡±


    Hannah sprung up from her seat, her blue wings pping excitedly. The resulting wind blew the documents all over the ce, prompting the clerk to re at her, which in turn prompted her to stop. The clerkdy and Hannah had in fact known each other for quite some time, the former having been Hannah¡¯s party advisor during thetter¡¯s Ealdred Crow days.


    Once Hannah sat herself down, Tsutomu nodded to her.


    ¡°I understand ¡ª that¡¯s a good motive. So how about it? Why don¡¯t you join my n? Garm will be joining us sometime in the future, too.¡±


    Hannah was taken aback by Tsutomu¡¯s indifferent reaction. Most people who had heard her story would eitherugh it off or be weirded out, but Tsutomu did neither of those.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not about Mister Garm himself¡­ But do you really think I can do it?¡±


    ¡°I know you can, but not in the same way as Garm. Learn some other methods and gear yourself up properly, and you¡¯ll be able to work as a Tank. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes! If it means I can be a Tank at all, I¡¯m willing to try everything! Please teach me!¡±


    ¡°All right! It¡¯s good to have you on board. Oh, but just in case, you¡¯ll be on probation for one week ¡ª if you don¡¯t think you¡¯ll fit in, do feel free to leave during that time.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s look at the contract, then.¡±


    Tsutomu took out the n application form, which Hannah proceeded to fill out, and then the clerk carefully inspected the details for any ws. After that was done, the clerk gave her approval, sealing Hannah¡¯s deal of joining the Absolute Helix as a trial-period member.

 Chapter 98, Camille’s Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 98, Camille¡¯s Daughter</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    With Hannah¡¯s temporary membership decided, the n now only needed another Attacker. Tsutomu waited three days for the Guild¡¯s recruitment bulletin board to open up some space, doing nothing outside of his usual routine in the meantime. He would wake up early in the morning, leave the n House ¡ª which was now his new home ¡ª to line up at the Forest Apothecary, and then buy something to have for breakfast while watching the Monitors. Then in the afternoon, he would follow his predetermined route around town to check out the stalls and shops, chatting with shopkeepers and workers while browsing around for goods he could use.


    Though this routine life went unchanged, there was one notable change in the Forest Apothecary, that being the addition of the olddy¡¯s newly arrived student. The olddy had been doing things all by herself before, but now she had a younger Elf woman as her apprentice, who helped run the busy shop by cleaning and managing the counter.


    This woman hailed from the Royal Capital, and apparently had been chosen from apeting pool of tens of thousands of aspiring apothecaries. At the present, she was to watch and learn from the olddy¡¯s work while performing misceneous tasks.


    ¡°Take it easy, girl. You¡¯ll master everything in about a hundred years,¡± The olddy said casually.


    ¡°It seems so¡­ impossible for even someone of my level, ma¡¯am,¡± The apprentice replied and looked up at the empty ceiling, seeming discouraged.


    As it turned out, the olddy was known as a living legend among Elves for having invented her Potion brewing methods by herself. The apprentice, although being the only one certified to inherit them, had been quite discouraged the first time she had seen the techniques in action.


    The apprentice¡¯s Potions were also on sale, so Tsutomu bought some to try out. They were effective, with recovery powerparable to other top-grade Potions in the market, but the olddy¡¯s solutions were still clearly better. They tasted a little bitter, too, but still perfectly tolerable ¡ª Potions from other shops either tasted awful but had good effectiveness, or tasted good but were not at all effective.


    In other words, if one were to stopparing the apprentice¡¯s potions to the olddy¡¯s, and one would find that the former¡¯s Potions were perfectly good. And in fact, they were quite popr all the same ¡ª even if not immediately sold out, they were indeed flying quickly off the shelves, the stock likely to exhaust by the afternoon.


    ¡°Seeing my recipes and sales, she probably knows by now how much more she¡¯s got to learn,¡± The olddy said bluntly, a rare expression from her usual kind demeanor.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Tsutomu cracked a dry chuckle in response before taking his leave. Indeed, the apprentice still had much to improve before being able to take over thedy¡¯s business.


    Over at the Guild, a slot had finally opened up on the recruitment board, so it was time to post a bulletin for a new n Member. Thanks to Tsutomu¡¯s Stampede reputation boost, at least a few people were sure to apply soon. As such, he headed to the Guild in the evening, when the ce was more crowded, bringing with him a custom recruitment poster he hadmissioned from a newspaper publisher.


    Once he went to the reception to have the paper posted, however, the receptionistdy only looked awkwardly over his shoulder. Noticing that, Tsutomu turned around, and was suddenly grabbed in ce.


    ¡°There you are. Tsutomu, we need to talk.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wha- wait a second!¡±


    Camille, hands sweaty from running all around town all day in her indigo uniform, dragged Tsutomu to the Guild¡¯s Dining Hall. This urrence reminded Tsutomu of when he had been obligated to apany the Guild on one of their outer Dungeon raids.


    ¡°Why weren¡¯t you at your n House today? I was searching all over for you, you know.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­ so, what is it?¡±


    ¡°Now, this will be a bit long. Have a seat.¡±


    Camille, finally settled down, took a few deep breaths and directed Tsutomu to one of the open seats. Tsutomu timidly sat down, and Camille briefly observed his reactions before starting to speak,


    ¡°So you¡¯ve finally founded your n, right? Absolute Helix?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re looking for an Attacker?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯d like to request you this ¡ª would you please let my kid join you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Come again?¡± Tsutomu tilted his head at Camille¡¯s suspiciously gingerly request, then added as he recalled, ¡°Oh, you mean your daughter?¡±


    ¡°You do remember meeting her once before, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That happened, yes¡­ Amira, was it?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Camille replied while wiping sweat off her forehead with her handkerchief.


    Tsutomu was quite willing to wee Amira¡¯s addition, but he had one doubt,


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she already have her n, though? I remember her mentioning that she¡¯s the leader of one.¡±


    ¡°Right, she did¡­ DID. They disbanded,¡± Camille exined, her eyes downcast.


    ¡°¡­They did?¡±


    Tsutomu crossed his arms. He had seen Amira¡¯s team in action on the Monitors several times. Knowing how horrible the mood among the members was, he could more or less imagine reasons the n had disbanded.


    Camille seemed to know as well, as apparent from how awkward she looked now.


    ¡°It happened pretty much because members kept leaving, one by one, until the number went under the minimum requirement. Honestly speaking, Amira¡¯s got¡­ problems. She¡¯s strong, that¡¯s for sure, but not at all cooperative. That¡¯s not to mention her violent and irreverent tendencies. She seems to have started reconsidering her ways after she lost her n, though, so her cooperativeness must¡¯ve improved at least a little by now. Her strategies are getting more well-rounded, too.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°So, is it out of the question?¡± Camille asked again, and followed it up by bowing her head.


    ¡°No, not at all. She¡¯s wee to join us if she¡¯d like,¡± Tsutomu answered without any hesitation.


    ¡°You mean it!?¡±


    Tsutomu, although surprised by Camille¡¯s sudden spurt of enthusiasm, proceeded to raise his index finger and say,


    ¡°But do keep in mind that she¡¯ll be on probation for a week. If she causes any trouble during that time, then she won¡¯t be with us anymore.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course. I wouldn¡¯t mind her being kicked out immediately if she messes up again.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll be bringing the contract for her to signter. When is a good time?¡±


    Camille rested her elbows on the desk and thought about it for a moment, then turned back to Tsutomu.


    ¡°I¡¯m too busy to walk her through this, but Amira visits the Guild¡¯s training space every day. I¡¯ll pass the message to her, so you can just head over there whenever you¡¯re free.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, then.¡±


    ¡°Really, you¡¯re a lifesaver, Tsutomu. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d agree to let her in so easily.¡±


    ¡°You did help me out before as well, after all.¡±


    Tsutomu at least owed Camille a favor for her assistance during his trip to one of the Dungeons out of town. If he had avoided going on the mandatory trip that time, his reputation surely would have been much worse right now¡­ but at the time, he had had no one to party with. His assignment to the Guild during the trip had been a great help.


    Camille narrowed her eyes, apparently exasperated at Tsutomu, and proceeded to rest her chin on her hands. Then she cracked a flirtatious grin.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d refuse at first, so I actually prepared some things to help¡­ persuade you. What a waste.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like something I would want, anyway¡­¡± Tsutomu bluntly swatted away Camille¡¯s teasing and shifted the topic to the concerning part instead. ¡°But are you sure about Amira? I¡¯ve seen her fighting on the Monitor before, and if she keeps acting like that, she¡¯ll be out of our n in no time, you know?¡±


    Amira¡¯s party¡¯s many face-offs against the Shell Crab, all shown on the Monitors for all to see, had been particrly bad. Amira would be the only one who said anything¡­ and every word she spat out was rough and wild, while the others simply fought while keeping their mouths shut. It was as if the party consisted of one master and four servants.


    Despite Amira¡¯s unique [[Dragon Form]] skill and talent forbat, her tendency for verbal abuse was simply too much, and her strategies showed just how little she cared for cooperating with others. Moreover, once she transformed, she would sometimes attack enemies while her allies were still in her greatsword¡¯s swinging range as well. Surely, if not for the fact that she was Camille¡¯s daughter, no one would have wanted anything to do with her.


    Camille did not seem particrly worried about that now, however, as she simply crossed her arms and nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, no problem. The girl¡¯s learned a lot from the rude awakening she just went through. If she messes up again, then¡­ she¡¯s a lost cause. Kick her out immediately if that happens.¡±


    ¡°I understand. And looks like I¡¯ll get to keep this poster for myself¡­ at least for a while.¡±


    Tsutomu put away his n member recruitment poster into his Magic Bag. Tsutomu¡¯s n now was to solidify the n¡¯s teamwork among the five avable members until the eventual addition of Garm and Amy. He still took Hannah and Amira¡¯s possibilities of quitting into consideration, however, so he still had ns to look out for promising neers in the next few days as well.


    ¡°Now then, I¡¯ll be going to the training space tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for the trouble. Treat my kid kindly if she deserves it, all right?¡±


    ¡°If she deserves it, yes. She can definitely be a good Attacker ¡ª all she needs to do is to work with others. Thank you for introducing her to us.¡±


    With the conversation over, Tsutomu excused himself and went back to his n House.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Around noon of the next day, Tsutomu headed over to the Guild¡¯s training space, and saw a pouting red-haired girl, leaning against the wall near the entrance ¡ª Amira, Camille¡¯s daughter.


    She was slender, and tall by women¡¯s standards, making her look like a younger version of her mother. Her long red hair lined all the way down the length of her back, and her distinct red leather armor pieces looked almost as if they were hand-me-downs. She also carried her steel greatsword ¡ª one that was too heavy for Tsutomu to hold up ¡ª in a scabbard on her back.


    ¡°¡­What¡¯re you looking at?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to stare. Amira right?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯re Tsutomu, yes?¡±


    Amira stepped forward and straightened her posture, albeit still with a somewhat downcast mood. Then, once she had a good look at Tsutomu¡¯s face, she turned away in annoyance.


    ¡°Go on,ugh all you want. After that big talk about being your rival, this is all I have to show for it.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ there, I did it. Now let¡¯s go sit down over there and talk, shall we?¡±


    With Tsutomu putting up a friendly gesture in pointing her toward a free seat in the Guild¡¯s dining hall, Amira quietly nodded and followed him. Tsutomu actually felt ufortable with how polite Amira was being, but said nothing as he went ahead and sat down. Amira ced her greatsword on the ground and sat on the opposite side of the table.


    ¡°So, Amira, before you officially join our n, you¡¯ll be on probation for one week. With that said, as long as you don¡¯t show any behavioral issues, then you¡¯ll most likely not be let go of your membership¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to be so formal. Just go on.¡±


    ¡°¡­All right. Quick and easy it is, then. That¡¯ll work better when we¡¯re in a party as well, I reckon.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± Amira asked back as if trying to crack a joke, then proceeded to call a waiter to order some drinks. Tsutomu also ordered himself a mug of orange juice before continuing,


    ¡°First off, mind showing me your Status Card?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Amira presented the blue-colored Status Card that she had prepared in advance, which Tsutomu epted and scanned over.


    Current level: forty-six. Best-rated attribute: STR. The skill list contained [[Dragon Form]]. Tsutomu, seeing that everything was as he had expected, proceeded to return the Status Card to its owner.


    ¡°Hmm, those were some awesome ratings. Here¡¯s your contract sheet.¡±


    ¡°¡­You sure about this? Letting someone like me in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine with this, yes. You¡¯re one of my friends¡¯ family, after all.¡±


    ¡°Tch¡­¡±


    Amira clicked her tongue, seemingly annoyed by Tsutomu¡¯s reply, then briefly scanned over the contract¡¯s uses and signed it without a second thought. She would be considered the n¡¯s temporary member once the signed paper was submitted to the Guild receptionist.


    ¡°I forgot to mention ¡ª we won¡¯t be going down God¡¯s Dungeon for another week or so. But I do have an ice-breaking meeting of sorts nned for three days from now, where everyone will gather at our n House. Are you free to participate?¡±


    ¡°I am, yeah, whenever you need. All I do these days is train, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Okay. In three days, at our n House, all right? I¡¯ll show you the way after you turn in the Contract sheet to the reception.¡±


    Tsutomu stood up from his seat. Amira did the same, her movements somewhat slow andcking in enthusiasm. Tsutomu, believing at this point that what Camille had told him was true,pleted Amira¡¯s registration process and showed her the way to the n House. Once that was done, Amira returned to the Guild¡¯s training space.

 Chapter 99, Absolute Helix, Roll Out

    <h4>Chapter 99, Absolute Helix, Roll Out</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Now that Absolute Helix had two additions to their ranks: the Bridkin Tank Hannah, and Camille¡¯s daughter Amira. They moved into the n House, and a few dayster, it was the day for everyone to resume exploring God¡¯s Dungeon.


    In the early morning, Tsutomu spent his time in the n House¡¯s living room, looking at everyone¡¯s Status Card copies side-by-side.


    Daryl¡¯s level had risen significantly since their first meeting, from thirty-one to fifty-two, and being a Heavy Knight, his role was Tank. His VIT rating was a B+, and thanks to three months spent training with Garm, he was able to wield a tower shield reasonably well. ording to Garm, Daryl had a tendency to stand around waiting for instructions, but that would be a non-issue if Tsutomu only paid attention to him and his actions.


    Having gone through Garm¡¯s strict supervision, Daryl was now quite courageous, and no longer faltered in the face of monsters. As such, he could be expected to effectively carry out his Tank role.


    Diniel was a level-seventy Archer, with the role of Attacker. Back in Golden Tune, she had been a member of the main party, and was one of the most skilled among them, boasting a strategic mind and high adaptiveness ¡ª she may very well be considered the very best Archer in the scene, as far as ones from major ns were concerned. It could be considered a blessing and a half that Absolute Helix had her as a founding member.


    Although she had a tendency to ck off, she knew well where to put the effort in, and where she would not need to. She had never been seen cutting corners where things truly counted, so there likely was no need to worry.


    As far as Daryl and Diniel were concerned, there were no particr issues ¡ª both were skilled and reasonably effective. Tsutomu put away the two¡¯s data sheets and proceeded to look at the rest of them ¡ª the two most recent additions to the n.


    Hannah, although small by Birdkin¡¯s standards, was level sixty-two, which was fairly high, and her Job was Boxer. As an Attacker, she had been on the standards of Ealdred Crow¡¯s first and second reserves despite her level, but ever since switching to the Tank role, she had not been performing well at all.


    Although Hannah had been ridiculed as a ¡®Feather Tank¡¯ by those around her, Tsutomu had weed her into the n, with the intention to help her realize her potential as a Tank.


    Boxers had ess to [[Combat Cry]], and Birdkins had a race-specific skill called [[Feather Dance]], which reduced monsters¡¯ attacking uracy. The n was to turn Hannah not into a Tank that relied on VIT to defend head-on against monsters¡¯ attacks like Garm and Daryl, but a Tank that took advantage of a high AGI rating to dodge attacks ¡ª in game terms, an evasion-based Tank.


    Currently, the standard Tank role wasrgely an imitation of the most well-known top figures, such as Garm, who had stood out the most during the Fire Dragon battles, and Ealdred Crow¡¯s Bittman, who had started bing more and more famous. The idea of evasion-based Tanks, on the other hand, had not popped up yet. As such, Tsutomu figured he would ask Hannah to be the trendsetter for thisbat style.


    The major issue, however, was that Hannah had be a Tank due to her admiration for Garm¡¯s exploits, meaning she may very well be against the idea of being a high-evasion unit. Tsutomu had already told her that she could not Tank the same way as Garm did, but had not been able to provide her with detailed exnations on his ns due to fear of information leaks. And so, in order to prevent that, he had included uses in Hannah¡¯s contract that prevented her from disclosing any details rted to evasion-based Tanks, just in case.


    The worst that could happen was Hannah leaving the n, in which case, there would still be many candidates to recruit as a Tank. As such, Tsutomu was not too worried about the sess of Hannah¡¯s case.


    Tsutomu proceeded to look toward thest data sheet, detailing Camille¡¯s daughter, the red-haired Amira. Her level was the lowest among them, being only at forty-six, but she possessed the [[Dragon Form]] unique skill. And since unique skills were rare and so immensely useful, even if an individual had one, they would be greatly desired by the major ns.


    But despite that, Amira had not received any invitation from the bigger yers. When Amira¡¯s n had disbanded, one would expect her to be swarmed by invitations, but all that had gone to her were the mid-tier ns.


    The reasons were, needless to say, her uncooperative behavior and sailor¡¯s mouth, as seen time and time again on the Monitors. And although she had ess to [[Dragon Form]], she was not yet able to use it anywhere as well as Camille. Once she transformed, she would lose control of herself, and would attack anything that moved, seeing them all as monsters. It was impossible for her team to stay coherent.


    Moreover, even when she did not transform, Amira had shown not even the slightest hint of having a cooperative mindset, and had very little respect for herpanions. Furthermore, her party members, despite being treated almost like trash, dared not to state as such to Amira herself. There was no way the n could havested long under such an excruciating state.


    ording to what Tsutomu had heard through word of mouth, right before the n¡¯s disbandment, Amira had been the only one fighting against the Shell Crab during their final attempt, the other party members simply looking on from afar. Amira had copsed once her [[Dragon Form]] wore off, and was then killed, without anyone to revive her. Their Shell Crab attempt ending in failure, the n had disbanded right then and there.


    [I know she¡¯s supposed to have learned her lessons, but there¡¯s no telling whether or not that¡¯s true¡­]


    Tsutomu had never wanted to let such a potential sabotager into the n, but this was Camille¡¯s request. This world being one he wanted to get out of, he did not want to form too many close rtionships with its people, but it was toote when it came to certain people such as Garm, Amy, and Camille. He could no longer ignore those three, at the very least.


    After he was done reviewing everything, Tsutomu put the data sheets away, disengaged the energy spheres that he constantly had levitating around him, and started making breakfast.


    For starters, he fried five servings¡¯ worth of fried eggs and bacon, and prepared some toast and orange juice. Then, he set the table, put the te of toast in the middle, and poured the juice into the cups. For the past two weeks, everyone had been doing their share of chores around the n House. With the n activities starting in full soon, however, they would not have the free time to do that anymore. Tsutomu had already gone and hired a housekeeper to take care of things, and they were scheduled to start working tomorrow.


    Just as Tsutomu finished his preparations, he heard someoneing down from the second floor. It was the young-faced Cynokin, Daryl, whose stature was much taller than Tsutomu¡¯s, lured down by the smell of the freshly-made breakfast.


    ¡°Sir Tsutomu! Good morning!¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Daryl.¡±


    ¡°Wow! This looks delicious!¡±


    Tsutomu, seeing Daryl wagging his ck tail, cracked a dry smile while cing the five cups of cold juice on the table. Daryl sat down on therge sofa to Tsutomu¡¯s front-left and looked curiously at the cups.


    Once everything was ready, Tsutomu sat in a chair and sipped from his cup, and Daryl did so as well. Then, once Daryl finished his orange juice, he turned to Tsutomu.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time for us to explore the Dungeon, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll admit, I¡¯m quite nervous¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to worry ¡ª today will be just for warming up. We¡¯ll only go as far down as the Beachyers.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll do my best!¡±


    Daryl clenched both his fists as if to psyche himself up, then proceeded to eat his breakfast. Being a big eater, Tsutomu had made his serving quiterge. Tsutomu was half happy, half sad that he would be free from breakfast-making duty tomorrow, because even though it was tedious work, it had been so nice to see how much Daryl would enjoy his cooking.


    As Tsutomu proceeded to eat, while still looking at Daryl wolf his share down, he heard the sounds of more peopleing down the stairs. The first one was Hannah, the peculiar Birdkin with wings on her back rather than as her arms. She walked to the living room, her blue hair still ruffled, and when she noticed that two others were already there, she greeted them with a pose that almost resembled a salute.


    ¡°A good mornin¡¯ to y¡¯all!¡±


    ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    Tsutomu, seeing that Daryl and Hannah were on the same wavelength in terms of enthusiasm, nodded and then turned to the third person to arrive, Amira, who now tied her long red hair in a ponytail behind her. She bowed her head slightly, sat down in the vacant seat on the side opposite to Daryl, and immediately began to work on her breakfast. Hannah sat down next to Daryl and started to discuss some Tank-rted topics with him. Amira said nothing to anyone as she gobbled up her food.


    At some point, Diniel finally came down, rubbing her still-sleepy eyes. She sat down in the free space next to Amira and yawned. She then held a hair tie with her mouth, tucked her blonde hair behind her back, and tied it up into a ponytail as well.


    Having lived together for almost a week, the n members were finally getting used to how things went around them. Amira had not been talking much nowadays, and Diniel had always been a woman of few words. As such, most conversations were carried out by Daryl, Hannah, and Tsutomu. And with Daryl and Hannah being the high-energy duo who had hit it off almost immediately, their conversations were never interrupted, so there had never been a moment of awkward silence around the dining table.


    ¡°As I said yesterday, we¡¯ll be starting our Dungeon exploration today. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Sure am!¡±


    The two Tanks raised their hands, energetic as elementary school children; in contrast, the two Attackers were lethargic. Amira reluctantly nodded and crossed her arms, while Diniel only nodded. In thetter¡¯s case, she was acting as she had always been, but Amira¡¯s recent disposition was a far cry from thest time Tsutomu had talked with her at Camille¡¯s house.


    Although Tsutomu had concerns for every single member, each in a different way, today was the day for them to start getting used to working together. At the Beachyers, he could observe how things would go among the party, point out their issues, and fix them along the way.


    Tsutomu, being the first to finish his breakfast, put his dishes in the sink and waited for the others. Diniel was next, handing her dishes to Tsutomu while holding another slice of bread in her mouth. Then, once everyone was done and their dishes put in the sink, Tsutomu led the members of Absolute Helix out of the n House, heading for the Guild.

 Chapter 100, Meet the Party: Feather Tank

    <h4>Chapter 100, Meet the Party: Feather Tank</h4>


    Upon arriving at the Guild, the group of five immediately lined up at the reception to get their party registered. The other Explorers, seeing Tsutomu arrive with a group of people who seemed to be hispanions, started paying some attention to them. Among the people who turned to look was Garm, wearing his indigo uniform and standing guard in front of the ck Gate, who waved lightly to Tsutomu¡¯s team as he noticed them.


    ¡°Sir Garm! Wish us luck!¡± Daryl shouted to Garm to greet him, gathering more eyes on the group.


    ¡°I wish you would mind your volume¡­¡± Diniel grumbled as she covered her long ears, as if to show just how ufortable she was.


    Likewise, Tsutomu cringed at Daryl¡¯s unnecessarily loud voice, while Hannah seemed to feel nothing but excitement¡­ because Garm had waved in her direction.


    Quite a lot of Explorers in the vicinity were looking at the team now, thanks to Tsutomu¡¯s recent rise to fame, and further helped by Daryl¡¯s loudness. Thetter, seemingly conscious of the attention, turned his face down in embarrassment. Some among thedies, whether it be the Explorers or receptionists, were so excited that they held their noses and turned their faces up, as if they were going to bleed from their noses.


    Onlookers seemed to take well to the presences of Daryl, who was famous for being trained by Garm, and Diniel, a former member of Golden Tune. Toward Hannah and Amira, on the other hand, most had nothing but surprise on their faces, due to the former being infamous as the Feather Tank, and thetter for having no regard for her allies¡¯ lives to the point of killing them along with her enemies.


    ¡°Tch¡­¡± Amira clicked her tongue, prompting Tsutomu to turn around, which in turn prompted her to cover her mouth in panic.


    Tsutomu, seeing that reaction, proceeded to tap Daryl on his shoulder.


    ¡°No need to be that uptight, Amira. It was Daryl here who did that, after all.¡±


    ¡°S-sorry!¡± Daryl hurried to apologize, his ck tail tucked in between his legs, seemingly startled by Amira¡¯s look that came off as a piercing re.


    Amira, seeing how others had reacted to her, took her hands away from her mouth and averted her gaze to the side.


    ¡°¡­If I get kicked out of your n, that ancient Dragon¡¯s gonna kick me outta her house.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ news to me. But it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll drive you out if you mess up once or twice, so don¡¯t worry. If you don¡¯t listen to us at all, on the other hand¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, I get it.¡±


    Thanks to Tsutomu¡¯s reassurance, Amira managed to loosen up a little, but she still was conscious of how she acted. Tsutomu, after making sure that she was all right, proceeded to one of the open reception counters.


    ¡°Hey there. Finally got your n going, eh, Tsutomu?¡± The buzz-cut receptionist said to Tsutomu as he passed thetter a few paper slips.


    ¡°Yeah¡± Tsutomu answered and handed out the slips to the others, then he bit on his slip, a pint of his saliva stuck to it. Then he proceeded to hand the slip over to the receptionist.


    For the Guild to efficiently search through the vast number of their registrants¡¯ Status Cards, the Guild¡¯s receptionists required Explorers to submit a sample of their bodily fluids as identification. Up until recently, giving anything other than blood had been frowned upon as a sign of weakness and fear of pain, and Tsutomu had been ridiculed by other Explorers for doing so.


    By now, however, that no longer happened, so the four others did the same as Tsutomu, chewing on their paper slips before submitting them to the receptionist. The Guild Staff proceeded to search up their Status Cards, which were then handed to each of the owners when the party application waspleted. Tsutomu immediately returned his Card, which had not changed all that much since thest time he had checked it.


    One¡¯s level as registered on their Status Card would not increase unless they killed a monster in God¡¯s Dungeon. As such, even after contributing to the defeat of the Devourer Dragon ¡ª an enemy that had gotten stronger than the hundredthyer¡¯s Corroded Elder Dragon ¡ª none of the Explorers had seen their levels go up. This also meant that Tsutomu¡¯s level was still in the low fifties.


    After everyone returned their Status Cards and their saliva-stained paper slips were burned in a nearbyntern, they walked away from the reception counter and headed to the Magic Circles.


    ¡°Teleport to the forty-eighthyer,¡± Tsutomumanded, and immediately, the whole team disappeared, and reappeared on the Beach of the specifiedyer.


    Once hended, Tsutomu looked around, and basked in the nostalgic sunlight and the view of the emerald green sea. There were no monsters in sight.


    Daryl and Hannah looked plenty eager to go, Diniel looked as sleepy as ever, and Amira seemed somewhat on edge.


    ¡°Now then, Han- I mean, Diniel. Enemy search, please,¡± Tsutomu immediately asked Diniel to start things off, his tone friendlier than before. It had been agreed upon beforehand that n members would address one another without formalities, so as to ensure smoothmunication of instructions and information.


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    Diniel nodded and pulled out a cheap, generic long arrow from the Magic Bag on her shoulder.


    ¡°[[Eagle Eye]].¡±


    With this scouting skill, Diniel could temporarily transfer her field of vision to the arrow she shot upon its activation, enabling her to search for enemies in wide areas. This meant that having an Archer in one¡¯s team would make searching the area much easier and faster. The skill would obviously lose effectiveness in areas with obstacles, however, so the Adventurer Job still was the better choice for scouting purposes.


    ¡°North: A few Ten-tackles. West: Nothing. South: A lot of¡­ Salty Lobsters, I think. East: Slimes and Arrow Fish.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Let¡¯s go east, then.¡±


    The reason for Tsutomu¡¯s choice was that, among the monsters of the Beach biome, Slimes were the least threatening. Moreover, since they spawned on almost allyers of the Dungeon, people were quite used to dealing with them.


    On the way to where the monsters were, Tsutomu prepared an assortment of Potions and handed them out to everyone. Daryl, being the current main Tank, led the marching formation, while the rest followed him in two lines.


    ¡°Only Daryl and Diniel will take part in the first few battles. As for you two, look closely to get a feel of our strategic flow.¡±


    ¡°Roger!¡±


    ¡°¡­Cool.¡±


    Hannah could not carry out her Tank role all that well yet, and Amira¡¯sck of strategy had been so bad that her n had disbanded. Moreover, both of them had not gotten to experience the regr flow ofbat in a team with a three-roleposition yet.


    ¡°Huh? I¡¯ll be Tanking alone?¡±


    ¡°For now, yes. But these are just Slimes and Arrow Fish, so I reckon you¡¯ll do just fine.¡±


    ¡°Show me your moves, fellow Tank!¡±


    ¡°O-okay? Ehehe¡­ I¡¯ll do my best!¡±


    Daryl scratched his head in embarrassment as he walked, his heavy armor nking all the while. The Heavy Knights Job came with a skill that reduced the weight of equipment one wore, so while Daryl¡¯s gear was in fact incredibly heavy, he did not seem to be bothered by it at all.


    Daryl¡¯s current armor set was made of zestone, an ore recently discovered and actively mined in the Dungeon¡¯s Volcanoyers. The metal had heat-absorbing properties, and was popr for its effectiveness in maintaining one¡¯s body temperature that would normally rise due to intense movement duringbat.


    Other things used in the making of his gear included Beach-biome materials favored by Shell Crabs when they reinforced their defenses, such as Euruk Ore and Stone Mussel shells. While inferior to treasure chest loot, it was high-level as far as gear crafted from Dungeon materials went.


    As the team walked on, emerald green spheres started popping up from the sand ahead of them. They were monsters ¡ª Sea Slimes, using the color of the sea as camouge. Magic Stones could be seen floating in the center of their bodies. Seeing the party of five walking closer, the Slimes started bouncing toward them.


    Slime-type monsters had been confirmed to exist in almost everyyer, and they came in different forms depending on the environment. The Swampyers¡¯ Mud Slimes were more viscous and slow-moving, while the Beach biome¡¯s Slimes were fast and stic like rubber.


    Moreover, since the Sea Slimes moved by extending spring-like tentacles on their underside, they had excellent mobility among Slimes. They could quickly charge at and cling to their targets, so one needed to pay close attention to them.


    Seeing the group of four Sea Slimes approaching, Daryl held up his tower shield and mmed it against his armor.


    ¡°[[Warrior Howl]]!¡±


    Daryl generated aggro onto himself, pulling the attention of all the Sea Slimes. Although Slime-type monsters did not have ears, they detected enemies by using vibrations in the air and on surfaces, so sound-based skills such as [[Warrior Howl]] still worked on them.


    ¡°[[Protect]], [[Haste]].¡±


    Tsutomu boosted Daryl¡¯s defensive power and Dinie¡¯s speed, and then Diniel nocked an arrow and fired the first shot. The arrow urately pierced through the core of one Sea Slime, shattering it and causing the unsupported viscous liquid to stter onto the ground. The monster¡¯s remains then dispersed into light particles and disappeared.


    ¡°[[Shield Throw]].¡±


    Daryl swung his tower shield to knock away the nearby rubber ball-like Sea Slimes, then threw it to get rid of the one clinging on to it. Thanks to the effect of [[Shield Throw]], the shield promptly flew back, so Daryl caught it and assumed a guarding stance again.


    Diniel, with Daryl providing her with cover, ran around to reposition, then stood still before letting loose another arrow. As long as she could remain physically still and mentally calm, her shooting was more or less perfect. And since all she needed to do was to shoot at monsters urately while avoiding their attacks, the Sea Slimes being distracted by Daryl, were no different from targets in a training ground.


    In the blink of an eye, all the Sea Slimes got their Magic Stone cores destroyed by Diniel¡¯s arrows, their bodies dispersing into light particles and turning into Small Colorless Magic Stones.


    Mysteriously, inside God¡¯s Dungeon, a Slime¡¯s Magic Stone core would reappear intact after the Slime itself was killed. In the outside world and other Dungeons, however, Slimes¡¯ Magic Stones would remain damaged, and as a result, lose their selling value. On the other hand, their liquid bodies, which were useful for a variety of purposes, would remain intact, so they were also regrly hunted for materials instead.


    ¡°That was easy!¡±


    Daryl went over to pick up the Small Colorless Magic Stones and proceeded to hand them to Tsutomu. Thetter thought to himself, rather inappropriately, how the former looked like a dog that had just fetched a ball for him.


    The three proceeded to hunt more monsters along the beach. Daryl, with the deepestyer progression of fifty-seven, had no problems with pulling the aggro of the Beach monsters, which enabled Diniel to kill them off with ease.


    Each fight was short, and Daryl and Diniel¡¯s levels were high, so they technically did not need the three-role strategies at all. Amira, knowing that, looked bored out of her mind as she watched the battles y out. Hannah, on the other hand, seemed quite impressed and entertained by Daryl¡¯s performance.


    At any rate, now that the general workflow had been showcased, Tsutomu decided to add Hannah to the action.


    ¡°All right, Hannah, you¡¯ll be joining in from the next fight on.¡±


    ¡°R-roger that!¡±


    Hannah pped her blue wings as if to psyche herself up.


    Before, Hannah had carried out her Tank role by wearing heavy iron and steel armor, and dual-wielding tower shields. It was not the case this time, however. What she had on now was a light, ethnic-looking cloth outfit, which she had found in a copper treasure chest back when she was a member of Ealdred Crow. It was meant for Boxers, and had STR and AGI-boosting properties.


    She was not holding shields this time, either, instead wielding two pairs of brass knuckles, one on her hand and one on her feet. These brass knuckles of hers had holes in which additional ws could be attached, meaning the weapon could be customized depending on the situation. Her equipment loadout was, in fact, exactly the same as when she had been an Attacker.


    ¡°Daryl, try to stay put at first, and help Hannah out if you think things are getting dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I understand! Mi- I mean, Hannah! Give it your best shot!¡±


    ¡°You got it!¡± Hannah answered cheerfully, holding her fists out to Daryl.


    She had already been told how to fight as an evasion-based Tank, but this was her first time actually trying it out. So nervous that her palms were always sweating, she wiped them again and again on her shirt as the team walked along the beach until their next encounter.


    Eventually, they came across some Sea Slimes and Salty Lobsters ¡ª thetter of which actually looked closer to crayfish. Tsutomu cast [[Fly]] and [[Haste]] on Hannah, after which thetter immediately flew through the air toward the monsters.


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]]!¡±


    Hannah unleashed a red aura around her, pulling all the monsters¡¯ aggro onto herself. The monsters looked up at Hannah, their attention fully on her, but they had almost no means of attacking her. As such, they ended up ignoring her and started targeting the others instead.


    As they were looking away, Hannah swooped down and attacked them. She threw a quick punch, shattering the shell of one of the Salty Lobsters, its bodily fluids sttering all over. She followed that up with a kick at one of the Slimes, shattering its Magic Stone core with her foot.


    Another Lobster burrowed out from the sand and tried to attack, but Hannah promptly flew into the air, avoiding it. Now, the monster could not get a hit in, since it had no long-ranged attacks in its arsenal. Instead, it merely looked up at Hannah, who was preparing another sudden strike from above.


    Then an arrow, courtesy of Diniel, flew at the distracted Salty Lobster, piercing its weak point in the side of its body. Another Sea Slime bounced up from the ground with its spring-tentacles, but its attack was easily dodged by Hannah. The Slime, stuck in the air with no means of evasion, was then shot down by Diniel.


    Hannah proceeded to plunge her hand into the Slime, pulling out its Magic Stone. The battle ended without incident, with all the monsters killed and turned into Magic Stone.


    ¡°S-so that¡¯s how I do it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, something like that. You¡¯re off to a good start.¡±


    ¡°Aye aye, sir!¡±


    In the following encounters, Hannah managed to effectively distract the monsters while killing a few of them as well, taking no hits all the while thanks to the Beach monsters having almost no means to attack airborne targets.

 Chapter 101, Meet the Party: Demolition Attacker

    <h4>Chapter 101, Meet the Party: Demolition Attacker</h4>


    Seeing Hannah¡¯s first attempt at being an evasion-based Tank go well, Tsutomu had Daryl stand aside and let Hannah try Tanking by herself. The team managed to get through most of the following encounters with only Diniel and Hannah as the activebatants.


    Aside from Hannah¡¯s asional failures to activate her [[Combat Cry]] skill, which was perhaps due to her not always taking its mental energy consumption into ount, things were going smoothly. Since she had been able to pull all monsters¡¯ aggro without taking even a single hit, one could consider her performance almost perfect.


    The Beach biome had only a few monsters capable of long-ranged attacks, so all Hannah needed was the [[Fly]] spell¡¯s buff to keep her mostly out of harm¡¯s way. The monsters¡¯ aggro on her would temporarily shift away if she flew too high or too far, so the more effective way to maintain that was to position herself where she was barely within range.


    Still, Boxers had only a single aggro-generating skill, which was Combat Cry. If Attackers were to attack too aggressively, she ran the risk of not generating aggro quickly enough to keep the monsters¡¯ attention on her.


    Working as an Attacker, on the other hand, Hannah had the tools to dish out one of the highest amounts of damage among all Jobs. As such, she could generate higher aggro than Diniel with abination of [[Combat Cry]] and her damage output.


    Tsutomu himself had tried testing how flying away would affect aggro levels, but results so far had been ambiguous at best. Some monsters would keep on pursuing their targets, while others would give up and direct their aggro elsewhere. Thetter case woulde up less and less the deeper down the team went, since more monsters would have ess to long-ranged attacks from the fiftiethyer down. Still, since none of that had been in the game, there were yet so many unknown factors to investigate.


    After a series of battles, Hannah went back to the rest of the party totally unscathed, her wings pping with excitement. Seeing that Daryl was waiting to wee her back with both hands up, she high-fived him.


    ¡°Hannah! That was amazing! You¡¯re untouchable!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m off to a great start!¡±


    Hannah held Daryl¡¯s hands and spun him around as if they were dancing. Amira looked at them, bored out of her mind, and Diniel had her usual sleepy eyes. Hannah¡¯s excitement calmed down after a while, and she went over to meet Tsutomu.


    ¡°Sir Tsutomu! No, I mean ¡ª Teach! This fighting style is so awesome! Now I feel like I¡¯ll finally be able to Tank well!¡±


    Hannah bounced happily and grabbed Tsutomu¡¯s hand as well.


    ¡°Right. d to hear that it¡¯s working out for you,¡± Tsutomu answered, while averting his eyes, so as to avoid staring at Hannah¡¯s barely concealed chest. Then, upon remembering the pain he had gone through when his old game n had copsed due to a group of toxic gamers, he cast away his doubts, looked at Hannah, and proceeded to say, ¡°But do keep in mind that it¡¯s been going well partly because there aren¡¯t many monsters with long-ranged attacks. So the next thing you¡¯ll have to figure out is how you deal with those.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Teach!¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, as long as you understand.¡±


    Whether he was called ¡®Teach¡¯ or simply by name, Tsutomu did not feel all that different, so he decided to not ask her to stop that for now. Instead, he turned around and spoke to Amira,


    ¡°All right, Amira, you¡¯re thest one. Take over as Attacker, please.¡±


    ¡°Finally! Almost thought I wasn¡¯t gonna get any action¡­¡±


    Amira moved her head around, making a few cracking sounds that seemed bad for her neck, and then reached for the greatsword on her back. Thanks to Tsutomu¡¯s reassurance earlier, Amira seemed to have regained her usual enthusiasm, and was starting to speak casually again.


    ¡°Hannah, your role is Tank, just like before. Diniel, take a break.¡±


    ¡°Finally.¡±


    Diniel, looking subtly happy, put her bow on her back and went to where Daryl was. Amira, Hannah, and Tsutomu proceeded to walk along the Beach. They soon came across some monsters, and promptly got ready to do battle.


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]].¡±


    Hannah pulled the aggro of all monsters, and then joined in the fray with her attacking skills. Seeing Hannah start things off, Amira rested her greatsword on her shoulder and ran ahead as well.


    At this time, Amira was almost as tall as Camille, and simrly wore red leather armor and wielded an oversized greatsword. Camille had also mentioned that their personalities were quite simr.


    ¡°ORAH!!¡±


    Amira¡¯s approach tobat, however, waspletely different. If Camille was described as a refined Greatsword Fighter, Amira was the very opposite, moving like a raging Berserker instead.


    She swung her greatsword with all her strength, and as if it was a blunt instrument, as if to have the lump of steel eat into the flesh of her enemies. With just a single attack, she blew away three Salty Lobsters into different directions, and the resulting gust of wind blew up a cloud of dust and sand.


    ¡°DIE! DIE!!¡±


    Amira, holding her greatsword out in front of her, proceeded to pounce on one of the Salty Lobsters and swing down on it as if to crush its shell to dust. With a loud crack, the Salty Lobster died and faded away.


    All in all, Amira¡¯s fighting style came off as an exaggerated unting of raw power. It seemed extremely dangerous, but she did have the ability to mow down all the monsters in her way. Unrefined as she was now, she was indeed powerful, and possessed a great degree of potential.


    Hannah, on the other hand, was now having trouble getting close to monsters due to Amira¡¯s unpredictable swinging. Along the way, the enemies¡¯ aggro ended up shifting over to Amira instead, but each time, she would destroy all of them effortlessly. The battle ended with Hannah unable to fix the flow, and she went back to the party, discouraged.


    ¡°Hannah, remember ¡ª in battles against multiple enemies, use fewer attack skills and more [[Combat Cry]] if you¡¯re starting to generate less aggro than your Attackers.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    ¡°But against a single target¡­ you should attack more instead, I think. Your STR is high, so that should generate aggro more effectively. But watch out for counter-attacks when you attack them directly-¡°


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re starting to sound a bit too excited, Teach.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ right. Let¡¯s save the rest forter, then.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s attempt to offer encouragement and advice to Hannah only served to make her hold her head as if she was overloaded with information.


    ¡°Hey, got you a Magic Stone,¡± Amira called Tsutomu from behind.


    Tsutomu, thinking that Amira had collected the Magic Stones for him, turned around to see a Colorless Magic Stone flying straight at his face. Startled, he closed his eyes and covered his face with his arms.


    Then came the sound of something bursting apart¡­ but nothing actually hit him. Tsutomu opened his eyes and nervously looked ahead, and saw that the Magic Stone had been destroyed, its remaining light particles drifting in the wind. And in front of him was Amira, grinning with amusement and tossing around a Colorless Magic Stone in one hand. To her side was Diniel, ready to shoot with her bow.


    Amira proceeded to throw the Magic Stone toward Tsutomu again, this time at an upward curve, and Diniel promptly shot it down. It happened so quickly that Tsutomu could not really see what actually went on, but he did know that he was safe.


    ¡°Ah, sorry. I must¡¯ve thrown it too hard.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, try not to give me a heart attack, please.¡±


    It was apparent that Amira meant no real harm, and was only in a post-battle high mental state. She proceeded to throw another Magic Stone, this time with a submarine pitch. Tsutomu caught it and put it away in his Magic Bag. The team then progressed onward, with Diniel searching for monsters, and Amira and Hannah as the only activebatants.


    Things started out decent enough, but the mood of everyone in the party gradually worsened. It went without saying that the cause of this was Amira.


    She went around rampaging on her own, killing all monsters in her way without paying any attention to her teammates. The way she so easily swung her weapon made it look light, but that did not change the fact that it was a heavy steel greatsword. Of the people present, only Daryl would have a chance at surviving a direct hit.


    Hannah had known beforehand, from what she had seen on the Monitors, that Amira would not think twice about cutting her allies in half along with her enemies. As such, out of fear of the wildly swinging lump of steel, Hannah dared not to get close to the monsters.


    Fortunately, Hannah could still work somewhat as a Tank, by using [[Combat Cry]] more frequently and from a safe distance in the sky. That was the very basic of basics as far as Tank moves went, however. Hannah was quite displeased that she could not do anything but the bare minimum of her role, though she did not yet let her emotions show on her face.


    Moreover, it was apparent that Amira was acting the way she was on purpose. From an onlooker¡¯s point of view, it would look like she was doing this to pester Hannah, but her actual intention was different ¡ª it was out of spite toward Diniel, who had generated less aggro than Hannah during the previous encounters.


    By Amira¡¯s logic, her generating higher aggro ¡ª more than Hannah and Diniel ¡ª meant she was superior to them. As she swung her sword around, she sometimes shot Diniel a condescending look just to hammer her point down.


    Diniel, was able to get the message, only put her hand over her mouth and yawned, showing no interest toward the provocations. Amira, seemingly ticked off by that, put more force into her swings, aggravating Hannah even more as a side effect. Daryl seemed to have noticed the team¡¯s worsening mood as well, as apparent from how he nervously alternated his sight between Diniel and Amira.


    And of course, Tsutomu had noticed Amira¡¯s intent almost immediately. Some Live Dungeon! yers had a habit of doing it ¡ª and it was not limited to those with the Attacker role, but all yers with that kind of personality. Tsutomu had also often seen Healers who refused to heal teammates out of personal grievances, and in fact, Tsutomu himself had done the same in his semi-early days. It took no time at all for one to realize what results would follow such uncooperativeness.


    Still, he did not intervene. There was nothing wrong with having a sense of rivalry toward other Attackers, at least in and of itself. Although she was causing trouble for the Tank in this case, she had just gotten started with trying to fight in a three-roleposed team. Such was nothing to fuss over.


    He felt bad for subjecting Hannah to this situation, but the fact was that she had already gotten enough training for today, since she was already understanding the ways of evasion-based Tanks well enough. All she needed to do was remember what she had learnt and put it to use in future explorations.


    ¡°S-Sir Tsutomu! Things are looking scary over there!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is. I feel sorry for Hannah, but she¡¯ll have to put up with it until the fight is over.¡±


    For the rest of the battle, Hannah could only stay at a safe distance in the sky and repeatedly use [[Combat Cry]], a clear disgruntled look was showing on her face, while Tsutomu observed them both and kept on casting their support skills. Once the battle ended, Amira and Hannah returned to the rest of the team, the former looking quite refreshed and thetter clearly trying to hold her frustration inside. Tsutomu immediately approached Hannah and spoke to her,


    ¡°I think Amira¡¯s like that just because she¡¯s not used to fighting together with a Tank. Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°W-well, not like that¡¯s bothering me at all, you know?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry ¡ª she¡¯ll do better next time.¡±


    Seeing Hannah¡¯s forced smile, Tsutomu gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulders, and proceeded to approach Amira, who by now had sheathed her greatsword back on her back. Amira turned around to look at Tsutomu, her expression bursting with energy.


    ¡°Man! That was awesome, Tsutomu! I¡¯ve never been that fast before!¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, you¡¯re talking about the [[Haste]] buff?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! [[Haste]]! Dunno how you did that, but yours is way better than the ones I used to get! Like, way different!¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you for that¡­pliment, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Cast me another one of that next time, yeah? You cool? Cool!¡±


    Amira patted Tsutomu on his back¡­ with such force that caused him to stumble a few steps forward, before he could continue the conversation,


    ¡°So, Amira, you¡¯re not very used to fighting in a team with Tanks, I assume?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Yeah. My old team was¡­ well, y¡¯know, four Attackers.¡±


    Amira¡¯s expression instantly turned grumpy, seemingly reminded of her previous team¡¯s breakup, and she proceeded to click her tongue and lightly kick up a cloud of sand.


    ¡°Having a rivalry going on with Diniel is fine and all, but you were causing quite a bit of trouble for the Tank. You need to change at least a little bit of your approach to fights.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re not gonna say you¡¯re kicking me out, right?¡±


    ¡°As I said before, I¡¯m not about to get rid of you because of a mistake or two. All you need to do is listen and improve as you go.¡±


    ¡°Really!? Cool! I¡¯ll take anything but being kicked out at this point! ¡®Cause if I get kicked, the ancient Dragon¡¯s gonna beat me halfway dead!¡±


    Amira, apparently relieved by what Tsutomu had told her, turned bright again and proceeded to pat thetter on the shoulder a few times. Tsutomu heaved a sigh while defending himself with his arms.


    ¡°And you, Feather Tank! I really messed up there! Sorry!¡±


    ¡°¡­I have a name! It¡¯s Hannah!¡±


    Tsutomu, seeing that Amira still had the habit of calling Hannah, ¡®Feather Tank¡¯, heaved another deep sigh and warned her, before calling off the exploration for the day. The team proceeded to return to the Guild.

 Chapter 102, Testing Their Capabilities

    <h4>Chapter 102, Testing Their Capabilities</h4>


    The team¡¯s Beach exploration was called off and they returned to the Guild. They updated their Status Cards, and headed straight back to their n House. When they turned the corner, they noticed a inly dressed woman standing in front of the n House¡¯s door.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Ah, hello. I wasn¡¯t expecting you this early.¡±


    ¡°I was watching the Monitor, you see, so I thought I¡¯de here at the same time.¡±


    The woman was perfectly normal in appearance ¡ª neither beautiful nor ugly. She squinted into a smile, little wrinkles forming in the corners of her eyes, as she pointed one hand toward the market where the Monitors were. Behind Tsutomu, his fourpanions looked curiously at the woman, unsure of how to act.


    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet, have I? My name is Ollie, and I will be responsible for the housekeeping and management of the n House starting today. Please do treat me well.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes! Likewise! It is nice to meet you, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Daryl bowed, and everyone followed suit. Once they were done with their greetings, Tsutomu gestured his hand toward the n House, inviting Ollie to join them inside. Tsutomu knew very well how hard it was to do five people¡¯s worth of housework. After all, he had been doing almost that much for the past week or so ¡ª almost, because Hannah was the one responsible for the women¡¯sundry; that was the one thing he had been unwilling to do, and Diniel and Amira had refused to do theirs themselves. At any rate, Tsutomu certainly was happy to have Ollie take over full-time.


    Tsutomu proceeded to exin to Ollie theyout of the n House and the extent of her housework. Then, after going over the uing activities schedule and taking a short break, all n members gathered for an evaluation meeting.


    ¡°First of all, Amira¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah? What about me?¡±


    Amira, vulgarly spreading her legs far apart on the sofa, promptly shot Tsutomu a displeased look as if she was a Fire Dragon looking at an enemy. That ended up startling Daryl instead.


    ¡°You¡¯re not used to fighting in a team with a three-roleposition, I assume? Have you taken a look at the documents I gave you the other day?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did look. Forgot most of it though,¡± Amira answered indifferently.


    Tsutomu shook his head and sighed, as if he was dealing with a clueless child.


    ¡°Well, first of all, you need to make sure that you don¡¯t generate more aggro than the Tanks do. Actually controlling that might be difficult at first, so take some time to figure out a suitable approach by yourself.¡±


    Things would have been easier in the game, where one could see the monsters¡¯ aggro gauges, but there was no such function in this world. As such, one needed some training to manage aggro with just their senses, and to achieve that, they needed to get used to fighting monsters in the Dungeon.


    Tsutomu, having yed Live Dungeon for six years, could get a rough idea of a yer¡¯s aggro generation if he knew their level, Job, and skills. In addition to that, were the observations he had made in this world, by himself and through the monitors, that allowed him to adjust the information as he went. Although not perfect, all that was enough to help him effectively estimate aggro levels here.


    ¡°The hell? What a pain in¡­¡± Amira started toin, but promptly cut herself off, waving her hands. ¡°I mean, fine. I can do it. I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    She sounded reluctant, but still yed along, seemingly scared of Camille¡¯s rage in the case that she was kicked out.


    ¡°Amira will probably generate too much aggro for some time longer, so¡­ the two Tanks, I hope you¡¯ll tolerate it.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°You got it!¡±


    Hearing the two Tanks¡¯ cheerful replies, Tsutomu nodded and looked around to see if anyone else had anything to say. Amira, seeming to have recalled something, spoke up,


    ¡°Oh yeah, the Tanks generating less¡­ aggro-whatever¡­ than me, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bad look? Both you guys are over level 50, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Daryl looked down, seemingly spooked by how Amira was looking at him, as if he was an upstanding student being osted by a delinquent. Despite hisrger build, his non-confrontational mindset still needed some work.


    Hannah, on the other hand, was trying to maintain herposure, but at least a little bit of frustration was already showing on her face. She knew that she was in fact a skilled Attacker, and was stronger than Amira, currently. But if Amira were to bust out her unique skill, she could dish out more damage than Hannah, so thetter did not feel like saying anything back.


    Tsutomu, seeing what was happening between those two and Amira, heaved a deep sigh, prompting Amira to hold up her hands in fear.


    ¡°Look, man, I¡¯ll follow your order. Don¡¯t worry¡­¡± Amira said, and her intimidating aura immediately dissipated.


    However, Dary and Hannah still were wrinkling their brows, showing their doubt. Seeing that, Tsutomu pondered things over for a moment, then made an offer to Amira,


    ¡°¡­Okay. Why don¡¯t we have a little test, then?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll go against Daryl and Hannah, the former as a Tank, and thetter as an Attacker ¡ª and if they perform better than you, you¡¯ll stopining all the time, yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­What? You¡¯re saying I¡¯m gonna lose to those guys or something?¡±


    ¡°Yes. As things stand currently, you are the leastpetent and experienced among all of us.¡±


    Amira narrowed her red eyes and red at Tsutomu, annoyed that she was being called ipetent, but thetter did not even flinch, having gotten the same look before from the much more powerful, transformed Camille. Amira then smirked, amused by the reaction she was getting.


    ¡°Okay, fine. I¡¯m in,¡± she continued to say.


    ¡°All right¡­ We¡¯ll be doing this tomorrow, then. Against Daryl, we¡¯ll see who¡¯s able to generate more aggro from the Shell Crab. And against Hannah, how long it takes to eliminate the enemy monsters, which will include¡­ the Rotten Swordsman. How about that?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me. But I want to add two conditions, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    The discussion progressed smoothly, with the second target being decided as the Rotten Swordsman, the Wastnd biome¡¯s Layer Boss. But when Tsutomu was about to stand up, Amira interrupted him by raising two fingers, prompting him to sit back down on his sofa.


    ¡°What kind of conditions?¡±


    ¡°First of all, have her in this as well.¡±


    Amira pointed to Diniel, who was nodding off on another sofa.


    ¡°¡­Diniel? Well, would you be willing to?¡±


    ¡°Nah, don¡¯t wanna,¡± Diniel answered without a second thought while leaning down on one end of the sofa, about to doze off.


    ¡°Hah! Just admit it ¡ª you¡¯re afraid of losing to me!¡±


    ¡°There will be a reward for the winner. How about that, Diniel?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ sounds good. I¡¯m in,¡± Diniel answered and gave a thumbs up to Tsutomu for the mention of rewards, while still showing no reaction whatsoever toward Amira¡¯s taunting.


    ¡°Okay, Amira, what¡¯s the other condition?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ if I win, you¡¯ll make me the n¡¯s second-inmand. That¡¯ll make it so that I can never get kicked out.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really? Second-inmand?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh? Wait a sec! You sure!?¡±


    Amira was gaping in surprise by how easily Tsutomu had agreed to her terms, especially since she was already convinced that she would win all of it.


    ¡°BUT under one condition from me,¡± Tsutomu said, and raised his index finger as if to interrupt Amira¡¯s early celebration. ¡°I¡¯ll be deciding the rewards Hannah, Daryl, and Diniel will get when they win. Hannah will have the authority to expel members of the n. Daryl will be the n¡¯s second-inmand. And Diniel will¡­ let¡¯s see¡­ she¡¯ll have the same authority level as the n Leader. And you, Amira, will receive the respective opponent¡¯s reward instead if you win against them.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s your condition?¡±


    Amira showed nothing but suspicion toward the totally outrageous proposal.


    ¡°That is my condition, yes,¡± Tsutomu replied with a smile.


    If Amira were to at least win against Hannah ¡ª in a test of performance in the Attacker role, no less ¡ª she would no longer have to worry about being kicked out of the n.


    ¡°Wait, this won¡¯t mean you will kick me out if I lose against Hannah, right. If not, they would kick me out?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not. Both the n Leader and second-inmand have the authority to unexpel members as well, after all.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, good to know. I¡¯mma win it all anyway, so that doesn¡¯t really matter. Oh, and also¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t throw you into a multi-wave battle or anything, so don¡¯t worry. And of course, I¡¯ll be providing support and healing duringbat. If you catch me skimping on those, I¡¯ll give you n Leader authority immediately.¡±


    ¡°Gotcha. That¡¯s cool¡­ Now let¡¯s see how things y out tomorrow, you guys!¡±


    Amira, seemingly already believing that she would win everything, chuckled and rested her elbows on the table, and shot a menacing re at Daryl in front of her. Then, seeing that thetter was spooked, she chuckled again.


    ¡°So, this meeting¡¯s over yet?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s all free time for the rest of today, so you are all dismissed.¡±


    ¡°¡®Kay, I¡¯ll go out for a little walk. Oh, and don¡¯t let that ancient Dragon know about this, yeah?¡±


    ¡°She won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Cool, cool.¡± Amira said as she walked out of the n House, quite apparently in a good mood.


    Tsutomu saw her off. All the others still remained in the living room ¡ª Daryl, eyes welling up with tears; Hannah, deep in serious thought; and Diniel, eyes closed and already half asleep.


    ¡°S-Sir Tsutomu!! Did you seriously agree to all that arbitrary nonsense!? I mean, she¡¯ll be second-inmand if we lose! That¡¯s a lot of authority!!¡±


    Daryl stood up as if he had regained consciousness, and proceeded to grab Tsutomu and shake him. It was clear that Daryl had issues with the deal Tsutomu had agreed to.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll be fine, Daryl. You already went through Garm¡¯s training, after all ¡ª and not to mention, I did see how well you performed today. You¡¯ll have no trouble winning.¡±


    ¡°Y-you think? ¡­But Miss Amira has her unique skill, right?¡±


    Daryl was somewhat satisfied at first, happy to hear some praise for his skills, but then he quickly changed his expression and started shaking Tsutomu again. Then Hannah joined in on the conversation, looking quite serious,


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking, too. She¡¯s got the same unique skill as the Guild Master, doesn¡¯t she? In terms of raw power, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll win against her.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s right! It¡¯s the [[Dragon Form]], you know!? Like, she¡¯s going to grow big wings and get a power boost and stuff! I won¡¯t be able to keep up!¡±


    Tsutomu could not help but chuckle at Daryl¡¯s exaggerated gestures as thetter talked about the [[Dragon Form]] unique skill. Ticked off by that, Daryl moved in closer to Tsutomu again.


    ¡°Please take this more seriously! My second-inmand authorities are on the line here!¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. Still, Daryl, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have a problem even if she uses it. Things might be a bit more difficult for Hannah, though.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right.¡±


    Hannah cast her eyes down, discouraged, in contrast to Daryl who had calmed down somewhat after some persuasion.


    ¡°But, well¡­ she probably won¡¯t transform. There¡¯s no need to worry so much.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What makes you believe that¡¯s the case?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the feeling I got when going through the newspaper articles and seeing the Guild Master¡¯s reactions ¡ª and I¡¯m sure of it after seeing her in action today. Just think about it. She¡¯s got this sense of rivalry going on toward Diniel, and if she could use her [[Dragon Form]], she would¡¯ve used it to one-up her perceived rival, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Aha.¡±


    Hannah had always thought that Amira¡¯s aggressiveness had been aimed at her, but now she understood that it was actually meant to try and one-up Diniel. It was indeed strange that, despite Amira¡¯s annoyance toward Diniel¡¯s attitude, she had not used her [[Dragon Form]] to make a bigger disy of power.


    ¡°Well, transformed or not, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have much trouble, Hannah. She hasn¡¯t mastered her [[Dragon Form]] yet, so there¡¯s a good chance you¡¯ll win either way. Still, I didn¡¯t intend to involve you in this at first¡­ so sorry about that. I¡¯ll call off your match, if you¡¯d like to be out of it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait a second? Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me as well?¡± Daryl said, half-pouting at how Tsutomu had apologized only to Hannah.


    ¡°No, Daryl, you¡¯ll be just fine,¡± Tsutomu answered casually.


    ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯m getting the short end of the stick here!?¡±


    Seeing the exchange between the two, Hannah proceeded to chuckle.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m perfectly fine with it. If anything, it¡¯s a perfect chance to cut her down to size ¡ª and I¡¯m annoyed how she called me by my old nickname that time, too!¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the spirit! You might want to try being as enthusiastic as her for once, Daryl.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ asking for too much¡­¡±


    Despite Tsutomu¡¯s rough handling of the situation, Daryl did not actually dislike how things were going. This was the same Tsutomu who had teamed up with Garm and defeated the Fire Dragon twice, and contributed greatly to the town¡¯s defenses during the Stampede. Despite the man himself not thinking himself to be that big of a deal, Daryl was determined to live up to his standards and expectations.


    ¡°¡­And what about Diniel? Is she in on this?¡±


    Daryl looked at Diniel, worried whether or not she was processing any of this at all, what with her almost falling asleep by now.


    ¡°Of course she is,¡± Tsutomu said and lightly chuckled. Then, as if to clear the tension in the air, he pped his hands together twice and said,


    ¡°So, if you¡¯re all free, I¡¯d like to have another strategy meetingter today. Do any of you have anything scheduled after this?¡±


    ¡°Nope, nothing! I can join, no problem!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m free, too!¡±


    ¡°Count me in,¡± Diniel suddenly spoke up and raised her hand.


    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s get started right away, then.¡±


    The four of them proceeded to discuss theing battles against the Shell Crab and the Rotten Swordsman.

 Chapter 103, Amira’s Power

    <h4>Chapter 103, Amira¡¯s Power</h4>


    The meeting for countermeasures against the Rotten Swordsman and the Shell Crab passed without incident. That night, Amira never returned to the n House, showing up in the next morning instead. ording to her, she had gone hard partying, had gotten too much to drink, and slept through the whole night at the bar. Tsutomu, hearing that, promptly facepalmed. He then looked at Amira, and saw that she was already fully equipped.


    ¡°So¡­ we had a strategy meeting after you went out yesterday. Would you like to get a rundown of it? It¡¯ll take a while, though.¡±


    ¡°What? Nah, don¡¯t need it. It¡¯s just the Rotten Swordsman and Shell Crab, right? I¡¯m already used to them.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    Although she had imed to have fallen asleep at the bar, Amira looked surprisingly sober ¡ª quite perfectly healthy and clear-headed, even.


    [She looks just like Camille, but I guess she can hold her booze much better¡­]


    Upon another look, Amira was perfectly clean, and did not reek of any alcoholic drinks. Tsutomu had already known how sloppy Amira was after a week of them living in the house, so he was somewhat suspicious. Still, he did not press the matter, and proceeded to head to the Guild together with everyone.


    ¡°Coming up first is the Attacker match against Hannah. The n is to evaluate who is faster at killing their targets. Any objections?¡±


    ¡°See who¡¯s faster at killering¡­ Nope. I¡¯m cool with that.¡±


    ¡°All right. You¡¯ll be going first, Amira ¡ª is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Amira answered with a grin and some good-humoredughs, seeming full of confidence. She was obviously underestimating Hannah, but from her point of view, that was understandable. Hannah¡¯s reputation as the quick-to-die ¡®Feather Tank¡® was still fresh in people¡¯s minds, so it was natural for Amira to still have the impression that she was weak.


    As for Hannah herself, although she looked grumpy and was staying silent, she was apparently raring to go. Before switching over to the Tank role out of pure admiration, she had been a capable Attacker, good enough to keep up with the harsh workflow of Ealdred Crow¡¯s second-best party. That was a well-known fact among the best Attackers in town ¡ª those who had been exploring God¡¯s Dungeon since the first days of its emergence, and were now level 70.


    If Hannah had not changed to working as a Tank, she would have been a strong contender for Ealdred Crow¡¯s main party. Due to recent trends, she may be ridiculed as the Feather Tank now, but there was no denying how excellent of an Attacker she was.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get started, then. We¡¯ll register for a team of four, and¡­ Diniel, you¡¯re free to do whatever you want until it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll go hang out with Amy. Come get me when it¡¯s time,¡± Diniel said and raised her hand, having been told of this beforehand. She proceeded to walk away, into the Appraisal Office where Amy was. Mere momentster, Amy¡¯s high-pitched shouting voice could be hearding from the room, calling Diniel¡¯s name.


    The Rotten Swordsman¡¯s spawn behavior was one of the main reasons for leaving Diniel out of the party for the first two rounds, but at the end of the day, it was to prevent foul y. Moreover, while their activities in the Dungeon may be shown on the Monitors, Monitors numbered higher than #50 only showed a random selection of inbat Explorers. Tsutomu, taking into ount that the battle may not be shown on a Monitor, had Hannah and Daryle along to watch Amira¡¯s round as well.


    Once the party of four was registered, Tsutomu went over thepetition rules to everyone one more time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be using this watch to time how long it takes for each of you to kill one Rotten Swordsman, and thenpare the times to decide the victor. We¡¯ll teleport toyer forty right when the long hand hits a new minute, after which the time will start being counted. Any questions?¡±


    ¡°Nah.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have one, no.¡±


    ¡°All right. Keep in mind that there will be three Rotten Swordsmen for each encounter, so once Amira has taken one out and her final time has been recorded, Hannah and Daryl will join in to clear out the rest.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Rotten Swordman, Layer Boss of the Wastnd, was a monster that spawned differently depending on the number of members of the party facing it. Against parties of one or two, only one Swordsman would spawn. For three or four, three of them would appear. And a party of five would have to face a total of six enemies.


    As for the spawning order, only one of them would appear at first. In a party of one and two, once that one enemy was defeated, the ck Gate would appear, enabling the Explorers toplete the fortiethyer. For teams of three or four, two more would appear after that, and for a team of five, three more would spawn after those two were done away with.


    Moreover, each time one of them was defeated, they would study the opposing party¡¯s equipment and habits, and the encounter¡¯s subsequent spawn waves woulde with equipment and special properties that counteracted the Explorers. As such, a single one of them could be considered not so strong for a Layer Boss, but it would be a challenge forrger teams. Since the third wave against parties of five was widely considered to be quite difficult, the generally safe option was to downsize the team to four.


    Once Tsutomu was done with his exnations, the team lined up behind the long Magic Circle queue. Since the major ns had also resumed their God¡¯s Dungeon exploration routines by now, the Guild was quite densely packed. Adding to them were the mid-tier ns that had adopted the three-role teampositions, merged together, or formed partnerships; this meant more non-major Explorers were gaining in prominence as ofte as well.


    Thanks to the three-roleposition¡¯s gradual poprization, many novice Explorers, who had previously given up after failing to work as Attackers, wereing to the Guild again. More and morepletely new Explorers were beginning to show up, too.


    Tsutomu¡¯s team passed by a party that had just gotten together for the first time through the Guild¡¯s assistance ¡ª a party of five, their equipment mismatched with one another¡¯s, awkwardly bowing to greet their new potential friends. Tsutomu smiled a little at the scene, and Amira next to him turned to look, curious what he was smiling at. Then she narrowed her eyes, looking bored.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re not in a very good mood, hmm?¡±


    Amira turned away in annoyance, then looked at the neers¡¯ party once again before groaning up her nose.


    ¡°Hah, being friendly won¡¯t help them win the Dungeon, you know. They gotta get stronger¡­ much stronger, or they¡¯ll just keep dying again and again.¡±


    ¡°Really? If we¡¯re talking about strength, you¡¯re actually stronger than me, Amira.¡±


    ¡°¡­See, a lot of people have endorsed your skill ¡ª the ancient Dragon, all the bigwigs in the center of town. You¡¯re a White Mage, sure, but you¡¯re strong¡­ in a different way from me.¡±


    Amira¡¯s expression turned sour, though she apparently had already epted Tsutomu¡¯s leadership as well. She proceeded to take a nce behind her, at Daryl and Hannah as they were having a friendly chat between themselves.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say the same for the others, though. And I¡¯m not about to let myself stay below them.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay. Then you¡¯ll have to give it your best, first with getting the best kill time.¡±


    ¡°No need to tell me twice.¡±


    Right now, Amira was overly conscious of her standing, and was borderline treating everyone and everything as her enemies. Tsutomu did see some danger that might result from Amira¡¯s current attitude, but he refrained from pressing on the matter, out of consideration for her previous n¡¯s still-recent breakup. Then, after a few more moments of waiting, the team was the next in line to use the Magic Circles.


    ¡°Now then, we¡¯ll be teleporting when the long hand strikes twelve. About¡­ twenty seconds to go. Get ready, Amira.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Amira reached for the steel greatsword on her back. She had been keeping it well-maintained daily, so its de was almost devoid of nicks and dents. Her red leather armor had no easily noticeable stains and ws, either.


    ¡°Teleport to the fortiethyer,¡± Tsutomumanded, gripping the pocket watch in his hand as the team was transported to the specified destination.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Layer forty of the Dungeon was dimly lit and shaped like an area, the center of which was a Rotten Swordsman, standing still as if waiting for its opponents. Immediately upon the team¡¯s arrival, Tsutomu cast [[Haste]] and [[Protect]] for Amira. Surprised by the momentary shift in her bodily senses, Amira then rushed straight at her target.


    The Rotten Swordsman was a humanoid monster, standing over two meters tall with its dry, thinned-out, non-bleeding, mummy-like body. Instead of mummies¡¯ usual linen, however, it was equipped with a shabby set of armor. And in contrast to its weak-looking body, it possessed tremendous power, too strong for the average Explorer to exchange blows with it head-on.


    Amira charged straight at the monster, taking a low stance to prepare a swing.


    ¡°Ora!¡±


    And once she swung, the Rotten Swordsman took a step back to avoid Amira¡¯s greatsword. This particr Rotten Swordsman, being the first spawn, had a fixed equipment loadout: a short sword and a buckler. The second and third ones wouldter spawn with different equipment.


    The Rotten Swordsman readied its short sword and stepped toward Amira. Its movements were reminiscent of a full-fledged knight, giving off the impression that it had been one in life.


    ¡°[[Power¡­¡±


    Amira, unfazed by the Rotten Swordsman¡¯s approach, held her greatsword to the side and waited. Then, once the monster¡¯s short sword came at her, she swung to intercept it.


    ¡°¡­sh]]!¡±


    The oversized sword shed against the small one, with the skill-boosted greatsword winning, easily shattering the short sword to pieces. The greatsword, maintaining its arc, went for the Rotten Swordsman next.


    The Rotten Swordsman, barely managing to reposition its buckler in between it and the greatsword, got blown backward. Its body rolled for some distance across the broken weapon and bone-filled ground.


    This monster, taller than Bruno, was quite strong and decently versed in the martial arts. Many Explorers had lost to its raw power alone, making it so good of a test of strength that the nobility¡¯s military force and Security Team sometimes used it for training sessions.


    Despite its power, however, Amira possessed the strength to easily blow it away, and at the rtively low level of forty-six, no less. Among those who had started exploring God¡¯s Dungeon about six months ago, she was the only one who could brute-force her way against the Rotten Swordsman like this.


    As Amira gave chase, the Rotten Swordsman pulled out one of the short swords stuck in the ground to defend itself. Possessing some level of skill itself, the monster was careful not to sh against its opponent¡¯s greatsword this time.


    All Amira needed to do to defeat her target was keep attacking, but this particr fight was a test of speed. As such, she was taking an even more aggressive approach than usual, aiming to end it as early as possible. Once she was close enough, she shed at the Rotten Swordsman again. A direct hit would be fatal, but the monster saw it through, easily dodging it.


    The Rotten Swordsman then quickly closed in on Amira, seeing that she still had notpleted her swing, and thus full of openings. It plunged its short sword forward, aiming to stab Amira¡¯s torso.


    Amira ignored that as she kept on swinging, spinning her body around¡­ and so the Rotten Swordsman¡¯snded the stab on her back instead. Amira¡¯s back was mostly uncovered due to the need to leave an opening for when her [[Dragon Form]] wings sprout, so the monster¡¯s short sword easily dug into her flesh, spilling out a stream of blood.


    ¡°Ora!!¡±


    But then Amira kept spinning as if she did not feel the pain at all, and when her spin waspleted, her greatsword mmed squarely against the Rotten Swordsman. Together with a loud impact, the monster¡¯s armor broke apart, revealing its brown, thin, mummy-like torso.


    ¡°[[High Heal]]!¡±


    As Amira started running again despite her bleeding, Tsutomu promptly cast a spell to heal the stab wound on her back. Then, estimating that the support skill effects were close to wearing out, he followed it up with [[Protect]] and [[Haste]].


    In an attempt to finish things quickly, Amira proceeded with the blow-trading approach again, but it was not quite as effective as she had hoped, in part due to her having previously fought this particr monster just once. Amira did have some anti-personnelbat training following the circumstances of her father¡¯s death ¡ª he had been stabbed by a remnant of a certain criminal n, which resulted in an illness that imed his life afterward. Despite the monster¡¯s humanoid body, however, things were not ying out ording to n because of its own set of quirks as a monster. That,bined with her not being used to moving her body after an AGI boost from [[Haste]], caused Amira to not fare so well against the Rotten Swordsman. The speed part was rather egregious, with her frequently moving too fast, resulting in her being distracted and throwing her off-rhythm.


    Moreover, she was showing no sign of even activating her unique skill, [[Dragon Form]]. The transformation was sure to provide her a much-needed advantage in this test of speed, but for reasons unknown, she was not using it.


    A short whileter, Amira finally managed to take the Rotten Swordsman down, but then she clicked her tongue in annoyance, unsatisfied with the final results. Two more Rotten Swordsmen promptly spawned; Daryl pulled their aggro and Tanked their attacks, and Hannah and Amira proceeded to make quick work of one each.


    Theyer¡¯s ck Gate then appeared with a smashing-like sound, prompting all four to let out some sighs of relief. Tsutomu noted down the time until the first Rotten Swordsman turned into light particles and disappeared. He then showed the note to Amira.


    ¡°Six minutes and fifty-two seconds.¡±


    ¡°¡­Tch. Longer than I thought,¡± Amira grumbled, sounding somewhat regretful, but her face suggested that she still was not worried. After all, her current opponent was Hannah, infamous among the perpetually low-mid tier Explorers as the Feather Tank. Amira was confident that she would win even with the few mistakes she had made.


    ¡°All right, Hannah, you¡¯re next. Tsutomu said.


    ¡°Got it!¡± Hannah replied cheerfully, ready to go after getting the warm-up from the brief fight just now.

 Chapter 104, Feather Tank (Can Attack)

    <h4>Chapter 104, Feather Tank (Can Attack)</h4>


    January 2, 2022


    [[ Index ]]


    Trantor: Barnnn


    After returning to the Guild and taking a short break, the team teleported toyer forty again to start Hannah¡¯s turn to kill the Rotten Swordsman. Upon getting the [[Haste]] and [[Fly]] buffs from Tsutomu, Hannah flew close to the ground toward her target, the blue wings on her back pping along. Her speed wasparable to Camille¡¯s with [[Dragon Form]] activated.


    Birdkins generally came in two different body builds. One was like the Silver Beast¡¯s red and blue Birdkins with bird legs and wings as arms. Another was like Hannah, looking mostly human but with wings on their backs.


    The former type had lighter legs than humans, and thus more lightweight in general, and could naturally fly thanks to the high lifting power of their wing-arms. Having feathers on their arms also made it easier for them to utilize the Birdkin¡¯s race-specific skill, [[Feather Dance]], which involved scattering feathers at enemies to lower their uracy.


    Compared to them, Hannah¡¯s legs were just like those of normal humans, and her wings obviously were not enough to get her flying. And since the only feathers she had were on her back, it was quite difficult for her to use [[Feather Dance]] properly. On paper, as far as Dungeon exploration was concerned, Silver Beast¡¯s Birdkin members had the more advantageous body type across the board.


    For Hannah specifically, however, she had learned from an early age the technique to gain a very brief air time with her wings, which she used to boost her speed when running across the ground. As such, her wings were actually quite useful for instantaneous adjustments to her movements, and they even helped with her airborne mobility when under the effect of [[Fly]].


    Thanks to the strategy meeting with Tsutomu the other day, Hannah was prepared for the air mobility of [[Fly]] and the sensation-shifting effect from [[Haste]]. Mid-flight, Hannah bent her body back and stuck her legs forward,nding a flying kick on the Rotten Swordsman.


    ¡°[[me Kick]]!¡±


    Then she activated her skill, wrapping her legs with mes, which made her double-footed kick sink into the Rotten Swordsman torso before the monster was blown away, its body bent into an L shape. The Rotten Swordsman bounced on the ground a few times, eventually managing to bring itself to a stop. It proceeded to ce its hands on the ground to try and push itself up, but by then, Hannah had already caught up with it.


    The monster opted to grab a handful of dirt from the ground and throw it at Hannah¡¯s face. Hannah saw iting, however, with her having fought Rotten Swordsmen dozens of times when she had been training.


    Hannah defended against the dirt-throwing with her arms, then closed in on the monster again, this time getting into punching range. The closer she was, the harder it would be for the Rotten Swordsman to swing its short sword effectively. Hannah threw a three-punchbo at the monster¡¯s torso, prompting it to step back and try to swing its sword, but then Hannah saw the attack through and managed to dodge it with minimal movement.


    The difference in height between Hannah and the Rotten Swordsman was great, giving off the impression of a child fighting against an adult, but despite that, the former was doing well withnding her blows. She focused on her attacks on the monster¡¯s torso and legs, and dodged all of its short sword shes and shield bashes.


    By the time Tsutomu cast [[Haste]] a second time and followed it up with [[Protect]], Hannah¡¯s repeated blows on the Rotten Swordsman¡¯s legs had caused the monster to start losing bnce. Seeing this as a good chance, Hannah decided to go all in.


    ¡°[[One-Two Straight]]!¡±


    The Rotten Swordsman, taking two instantaneous punches from the Boxer version of [[Double Attack]], was now quite visibly damaged. Hannah crouched down and pulled her hand back, ready for a follow-up attack.


    ¡°[[Upper Swing]]!¡±


    With the attackunching the Rotten Swordsman up into the sky, Hannah gave chase, kicking the ground tounch herself up.


    ¡°[[Aerial Raze]]!¡±


    Hannahnded another series of kicks from below, knocking the Rotten Swordsman further up. Hannah¡¯s weaponized metal shoes smashed through the monster¡¯s armor, creating a rhythmic sequence of metallic ngs with each blow.


    The Rotten Swordsman, being equipped with a full set of armor, was quite heavy. However, Hannah¡¯s STR enabled her to keep it airborne and even lift it up higher and higher.


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡±


    Daryl, standing next to Tsutomu, was openly impressed. Amira also seemed surprised by Hannah¡¯s unexpected and unfamiliar fighting style.


    The Boxer Job specialized in chaining together skills to makebos, with their bread and butter being the [[Upper Swing]], whichunched the target into the air, and [[Aerial Raze]], which juggled the airborne target.


    Out of all Explorer roles established when God¡¯s Dungeon first appeared in this world, the mostmon and sought-after role was Attacker. Unlike Tanks and Healers, the Attacker role had been thoroughly researched by the time the Explorers¡¯ progress was down toyer thirty at most, which led to the discovery of functions such as the Skill Combo.


    In the game, Tsutomu¡¯s main character was a Healer because he liked ying that role in particr, but he had also created some Tanks and Attacker characters to deepen his understanding of various Job types. In this world, it was impossible to do a Job change, but even if it was, Tsutomu just knew that he would not work as an Attacker anywhere nearly as well as those in major ns. He could see himself managing the Tank role just fine, but the Attacker role in this world had gotten too advanced to simply hop into.


    In Hannah¡¯s case, she had been an Attacker for Ealdred Crow¡¯s second-best team up until about three months ago. Hearing ¡®second-best¡¯ might make one think she was not that big of a deal, but Hannah was actually a rtively new Explorer, having started her career only three years ago. She had been somewhat well-known for her agility, and was invited to join Ealdred Crow by the time she clearedyer twenty.


    Ealdred Crow had already been a major n by then, known for their lucrative employee benefits, efficient training routines, and effective tactics ¡ª and they had been hoarding a great number of goods and personnel at the time. Joining the n, Hannah had gotten to raise her level drastically quickly, and then learned airbat maneuvers with the effect of [[Fly]], which by then had gained great poprity among Birdkins that could not naturally fly.


    In the following years, Hannah would go on to distinguish herself more and more ¡ª and even when she reached level fifty, after which one would find it much harder to gain additional levels, she went on to quickly gain more levels, until she hit sixty. Despite the work environment expecting one to be level seventy, her being level sixty proved to be no hindrance to her ability to perform as well as other Attackers, and her capabilities were recognized not only by fellow Explorers, but also the office staff and instructors.


    Hannah¡¯s raw power may still pale inparison to Amira, what with thetter being the Guild Master¡¯s daughter and possessing a unique skill, but she was plenty talented and skilled. And even if the unique skill were to be taken out of the picture, there was not much reason for Hannah to lose to Amira, whose level was a dozen or so lower than hers.


    The Rotten Swordsman,unched so high up into the air that it could not be seen easily from the ground anymore, was now finally free of the barrage of kicks from below¡­ but now it was tumbling down fast, pulled by gravity. Hannah proceeded to repeatedly kick it down, as if pecking it to shreds.


    ¡°Die already!¡±


    To finish things up, Hannah mmed her heels onto the Rotten Swordsman¡¯s torso, pushing it down onto the ground. Mid-fall, Hannah did a flip and flew away, leaving the Rotten Swordsman to crash by itself, sting a hole in the ground like a meteorite. A bang echoed through the vicinity, as if the monster¡¯s body had exploded.


    Hannah slowly glided down toward the crashnded Rotten Swordsman, and what she saw were light particles, flowing out of the monster¡¯s armor. The monster was already dead, and it was mere momentster that it disappearedpletely. Tsutomu took a look at the watch and noted the time down.


    ¡°Three minutes and twelve seconds. Good work.¡±


    ¡°Piece ¡®a cake!¡±


    Hannahnded on the ground and happily raised her fists up. Amira was somewhat stunned by the result, what with it being theplete opposite of her expectations of the one considered by many as a Feather Tank ¡ª as someone who was not all that strong.


    Tsutomu turned to Amira and smiled.


    ¡°Well? That should be enough proof of Hannah¡¯s strength, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°¡­Tch. C¡¯mon, next round,¡± Amira said with a hint of annoyance in her voice, directed at Tsutomu¡¯s smug face in particr.


    Tsutomu continued to talk, this time seriously and in a lowered voice, to warn Hannah,


    ¡°Just so we¡¯re clear¡­ don¡¯t go in expecting Daryl to be weaker than Hannah, because he¡¯s not. I¡¯d rmend fighting at full power.¡±


    ¡°¡­You saying you want me to use [[Dragon Form]] or what?¡± Amira asked, not even hiding the annoyance in her voice this time.


    ¡°Well, I guess,¡± Tsutomu said and awkwardly scratched his cheek.


    Amira held her greatsword forward and groaned arrogantly, as if putting up a strong front.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not gonna use it. I can win ¡ª just you wait and see.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    Tsutomu, although still wondering whether or not Amira could no longer use her [[Dragon Form]], proceeded to cast some support skills for everyone. The team then started attacking the two new Rotten Swordsmen as they crawled up from the ground.

 Chapter 105, Daryl VS Amira

    <h4>Chapter 105, Daryl VS Amira</h4>


    January 9, 2022


    [[ Index ]]


    Trantor: Barnnn


    After a short break, Tsutomu proceeded to exin to Daryl and Amira the rules of the Shell Crab aggro-grabbingpetition.


    ¡°So here¡¯s the deal: the winner is the participant who umtes the most aggro time from the Shell Crab in thirty minutes¡¯ time. Simply put, thepetition for how long one is targeted by the Shell Crab ¡ª it¡¯s not a quickest-to-kill contest like before. Do keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± Amira responded immediately.


    Tsutomu leaned back on his chair, wondering whether or not Amira would actually manage herself. Getting the impression that Amira was one to tell lies to put up a strong front, Tsutomu was primarily worried about her unreasonablyiningter.


    ¡°Oh, and it¡¯s against the rules to interrupt or sabotage your opponent¡¯s actions. Any questions?¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Amira immediately replied rather rudely.


    ¡°Um, I do have one¡­¡± Daryl subsequently said, putting up a formal tone.


    Amira promptly red with annoyance at Daryl, causing thetter to briefly hesitate. Tsutomu gave Amira a reprimanding look and asked back,


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Since the total time is thirty minutes, the one who has aggro for more than fifteen minutes would be considered the victor, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. And when one of the participants goes over fifteen minutes of umted aggro time, the match will end immediately.¡±


    ¡°¡­All right, I understand.¡±


    Although Tsutomu had discussed with Daryl the counter strategies against the target monsters themselves, he had not exined thepetition rules at that time for the sake of fairness. As such, it was natural that he would ask, so as to fully understand the rules he had just heard for the first time.


    Tsutomu then asked again whether or not the participants had any other questions, to which both of them shook their heads. The group proceeded to register their party at the now-crowded reception counter, then line up to use the Magic Circles. After a while, a Magic Circle opened up, so Tsutomu showed the pocket watch to the two participants.


    ¡°Give it your best, both of you ¡ª the time limit is thirty minutes, counting from now. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡±


    Amira readied her greatsword, and Daryl his tower shield, as Tsutomumanded the teleportation toyer fifty. The party of four on the Magic Circle promptly disappeared, and reappeared at their destination.


    The first things that entered their eyes were the white beach and the dazzling, sparkling sea¡­ then a pair of giant pincers sticking out of the sand, and the Shell Crab that crawled out of it. Amira charged straight at the monster, and Tsutomu cast her two support skills. The one to make the actual first move was Daryl, however.


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]]!¡±


    Daryl emitted a concentrated st of red energy like a gigantic, sharply honed spear, which pierced right through the Shell Crab¡¯s body. Holding his tower shield tightly, he faced the Shell Crab head-on as it pounded toward him, provoked by [[Combat Cry]].


    Seeing Daryl¡¯s strong start, Tsutomu smiled with relief and moved over to the side, from where it would be easier for him to provide support. Hannah, like a baby bird, followed right behind him.


    ¡°He¡¯s really pulling out the big shots from the start¡­ Do you think he¡¯ll be alright?¡± Hannah asked, her voice implying some degree of worry.


    ¡°I think he¡¯ll do just fine.¡± Tsutomu answered, looking quite confident.


    Daryl, in contrast to his tall stature, gave off an immature impression especially from his face, and his attitude still needed some work, but it was a fact that he had sessfully gone through Garm¡¯s savage training program.


    Garm was the very first person to have tried out Tsutomu¡¯s suggested Tank role, and had received a set of documents detailing fundamental tactics and skillbos from him after their first Fire Dragon battle. Even after Tsutomu¡¯s first party had officially disbanded, Garm still studied the role of Tank in his free time in between his work shifts as a Guild Staff Member.


    And since Garm and Amy were among the very few Staff Members to have gone past the Fire Dragon, they both were often assigned to investigate the Dungeon¡¯s Volcanoyers. Garm had been using those trips as opportunities to try out Tank skills and deepen his understanding of them.


    Dary, being Garm¡¯s first apprentice and learning from his knowledge ¡ª not to mention stubbornly pushing through his utterly merciless training regimen and mentorship ¡ª definitely had the basics down while also understanding a great deal of the art of Tanking.


    As things currently stood, the role of Tank was starting to spread more and more among the major ns, with Bittman of Ealdred Crow hopping onto the bandwagon right after Garm, followed by a few more level-seventy Tanks. Many of the adopters were still not so good at the role though, with most being on the level of Barbara of Golden Tune. Because of that, Daryl could be considered one of the best Tanks around in terms of technical expertise, only a slightly below Garm and Bittman.


    The Shell Crab attacked with its gigantic pincers, which Daryl blocked and knocked right back with his tower shield. Amira proceeded tond a heavy blow with her greatsword, but the monster¡¯s reinforced shell caused the weapon to bounce right off. The Shell Crab was currently focused on Daryl, without any indication of it targeting anyone else anytime soon.


    Daryl, while naturally acting deliberately to have the Shell Crab target him, was also keeping an eye on Amira¡¯s movements. Then, as soon as he saw her about to attack, he also activated a skill himself.


    ¡°[[Taunt Swing]]!¡±


    The skill was one that wrapped one¡¯s weapon with a red aura, greatly increasing the aggro generated from the subsequent attack. Right as Amiranded her hit, Daryl bashed the monster with his boosted tower shield and sessfully kept the monster¡¯s attention on him. The standard way for Garm to generate aggro had been [[Combat Cry]] and [[Warrior Howl]], at least up until the Fire Dragon fight, but the most effective skill for that when facing a single monster was the [[Taunt Swing]].


    However, since the skill required one to get close and personal with the enemy, it was risky to use against monsters with high offensive abilities. As such, against opponents like the Fire Dragon, it was generally more reliable to use [[Shield Throw]] as Garm had done.


    A short while passed with Daryl having the upper hand the whole time. Now there were twenty-three minutes left. It was naturally difficult for a single person to hold ground against the inexhaustible Shell Crab¡¯s onught, but Tsutomu¡¯s support helped to alleviate Daryl¡¯s fatigue. Daryl himself, having been told time and time again by Garm how amazing Tsutomu was, and having felt firsthand how reliable his support was, was calm and reassured.


    [[Protect]] boosted his VIT and helped dull the pain he felt, while [[Haste]] boosted AGI and made his body feel lighter. Each time his arms started going numb from repeatedly blocking the monster¡¯s pincers with his tower shield, he was promptly helped out with [[Heal]], and whenever he felt exhausted from navigating the sand¡¯s uneven footing, he was brought right back into the action with [[Medic]].


    Naturally, he had had no ess to support and healing during his training under Garm, and inability to keep moving meant certain death ¡ª truly a training regimen from hell. Some of the activities included facing off against the Shell Crab for thirty minutes without rest, and learning to control [[Fly]] by dropping off of Carrier Birds ¡ª to both of which he had died countless times. Still, Daryl had always trusted Garm like a parent, so he had been able to make it this far.


    In fact, the situation he was facing now was heavenpared to his training. Daryl had a smile stered onto his face as he attacked and defended ¡ª bashing the Shell Crab with his tower shield, and effectively blocking the Shell Crab¡¯s strikes to minimize damage.


    ¡°[[POWER SLASH]]!!¡±


    Amira was not about to lose, however. Since the Shell Crab had always had its attention on Daryl from the beginning, she was free to keep attacking the monster uninterrupted,nding blows with her greatsword onto the same spot again and again.


    And as more of its shell reinforcements broke off, the Shell Crab started paying more attention to Amira as well. Attacking the monster¡¯s less-reinforced shell meant more damage dealt, which in turn meant gradually more aggro generated by Amira.


    Then again, Daryl had already seen thising. It was in factmon knowledge, in a fight against the Shell Crab, that the moment its reinforcements started breaking off was the turning point. That was the one thing Daryl had been thinking about since he had heard thepetition¡¯s rules.


    Due to the Shell Crab gradually losing its defensive reinforcements, it would take more damage the longer a fight dragged on, so the Attacker would have the advantage in the long run. Considering that, Daryl had figured that it would be best if he were to hog all the advantage he could in the first half, and had things nned out based on him achieving that.


    Spending extra energy into the very first [[Combat Cry]] hadted him a good chunk of time from the fight¡¯s opening period. The monster still had its full reinforcement at the time, meaning Amira¡¯s lower damage potential, so he had been able to get by with mostly shield bashes and minimal skill uses.


    And now, the Shell Crab was starting to lose its defenses, and in turn have more of its aggro directed toward Amira. It was time for Daryl to spend his mental energy, which he had saved up from limiting his skill use before, to make sure that things went in his favor.


    ¡°[[Warrior Howl]]!¡±


    The skill involved banging one¡¯s shield on one¡¯s armor, creating sound waves that stimted creatures¡¯bative instincts. Upon activation, the Shell Crab instantly turned to Daryl, prompting him to follow up with another skill.


    ¡°[[Taunt Swing]]!¡±


    Daryl used his tower shield, still vibrating from the effect of [[Warrior Howl]] and now wrapped in a red aura, to strike the Shell Crab. Thebination of two skills¡¯ effects ¡ª a bread and butter skillbo ¡ª caused a great increase in the amount of aggro generated. With that, Daryl sessfully forced the enemy¡¯s attention on Amira back onto him.


    Amira¡¯s attacks were nothing to scoff at, either. Having gotten to the increased speed from [[Haste]], she was starting to dish out harder hits. Still, Daryl¡¯s liberal use of skillbos was generating too much aggro for her to keep up.


    Still, Daryl could not necessarily keep this up forever; he would not be able to activate skills without mental energy, and Tank-type Jobs naturally had low mental energy capacities in the first ce. As such, a Tank also needed to manage their energy properly, and could not actually use all the skills they wanted.


    Daryl had formted strategies with all that in mind beforehand, and was now putting them into action. First by opening the fight with a big aggro pull, then stalling to wait for his energy to recover ¡ª those two steps hadted him about half of the required time. The rest of the time would be more difficult, with the Shell Crab¡¯s defenses being weakened, but by then his energy had recovered by a sufficient amount.


    All in all, Daryl¡¯s ns worked out well, and the overall time went past the sixteen-minute mark with Amira failing to pull the aggro back to her again.


    ¡°All right, stop! Daryl has gone over fifteen minutes! Daryl wins!¡±


    ¡°GOD DAMN IT!!¡±


    Amira, suffering aplete defeat, yelled from the bottom of her heart and violently mmed the Shell Crab with her greatsword. She herself knew that Daryl had hogged the Shell Crab¡¯s aggro to himself for most of the time, so she let thepetition end without anyints.


    After that, the whole team searched around for the Shell Crab, which had disappeared into the sand during the brief interruption. They proceeded to kill it, clearing the Dungeon¡¯s fiftiethyer ¡ª which Amira had in fact never done before, making this a progress update for her.


    Back at the Guild, Daryl proceeded to give Hannah a high-five, prompting a hostile look at both of them from Amira. Before Daryl could notice that, Tsutomu interrupted Amira,


    ¡°So¡­ next up is thest round, against Diniel. The content and rules will be the same as the match against Hannah ¡ª is that all right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Amira turned around, her teeth audibly grinding out of vexation, vividly reminding Tsutomu of the face the Fire Dragon had made moments before its death. Not particrly concerned by that look, Tsutomu continued in a robotic, indifferent voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s already past noon, so let¡¯s go get lunch and take a short break before we continue. This time Diniel will be going first, so you should observe her performance and try to beat her time.¡±


    ¡°Tch¡­¡±


    Noticing that she was unintentionally scaring off the surrounding Explorers, Amira calmed herself down and looked away, then plopped down on one of the Guild Dining Hall seats.


    Tsutomu went over to the Appraisal Office and knocked on the door, which had a ¡®lunch break¡¯ sign hanging on it, and called out Diniel, who was in the middle of chatting with Amy¡­ who was busy appraising some materials she had collected from the Volcanoyers.


    ¡°H-hey! Do you not have anything to say to me!?¡±


    ¡°I was about to greet you just now! Ahem¡­ Good afternoon, Amy. Good to see that you¡¯re hard at work.¡±


    ¡°¡­And who do you think I¡¯m working hard for, eh~~?¡±


    Amy, grumpy due to getting the impression that she was being treated like an afterthought, gave Tsutomu a criticizing look, prompting thetter to bow his head.


    ¡°Well, anyway¡­ try not to overwork yourself, all right? There¡¯s no need to hurry ¡ª our n¡¯s just been established, so there¡¯s still a lot of setting up to do. I don¡¯t know if we¡¯re ready for the Volcanoyers yet, either.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got Dini with you ¡ª it¡¯ll be a breeze!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Come on, let Amy into the n already~~¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! Lemme in already~~!¡±


    ¡°Sure, just don¡¯t me me when Camille starts giving you another lecture¡­¡±


    Seeing the two raise their fists in aical protest, Tsutomu chuckled out of slight exasperation before trying to get Diniel out of the Appraisal Office.


    ¡°Stahp~~ I don¡¯t wanna work~~¡± Diniel cracked another joke.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Amy¡­ we¡¯ll be having lunch. Would you like to join us?¡±


    ¡°Y-you mean right now!? I¡¯ll go, too! Just gimme a second!¡±


    Amy promptly went into the back room behind the counter. While Tsutomu waited, he talked to Diniel about how the two others had won their matches.


    ¡°So, Diniel¡­ you¡¯re upst. The match will be another test of speed against the Rotten Swordsman. Well, no need to worry about that, is there?¡±


    ¡°Piece ¡®a cake.¡±


    [¡­Now she¡¯s trying to sound like Hannah?]


    Tsutomu had never been able to get a good read on Diniel¡¯s character, especially with her behavior recently. His first impression was that she was tight-lipped and resourceful, not talking and acting unless absolutely necessary, and that her tone of speaking was rather normal and sometimes business-like.


    However, ever since she had joined the n on Amy¡¯s rmendation, Diniel¡¯s speech tendencies started changing more and more. While waiting for Amy, Tsutomu said nothing and pondered to himself whether or not it would be appropriate to get rid of the sense of distance and start talking to Diniel normally. A few momentster, once Amy walked out of the office after having fixed up her hair, the group went back to the other n members and had lunch together.

 Chapter 106, Diniel, Elf of the Forest

    <h4>Chapter 106, Diniel, Elf of the Forest</h4>


    January 16, 2022


    [[ Index ]]


    Trantor: Barnnn


    It had been twenty years since the beginning of Diniel¡¯s journey. Having lived in her home forest for eighty years until her body was decently developed, she had been alive in this world for a total of one hundred years ¡ª exactly the age at which she would be considered a full-fledged adult among Elves.


    The reason for Diniel¡¯s departure from her Elf settlement at the age of eighty was simple: her parents had told her to go outside instead ofzing around all day at home. With both her parents telling her to go, she reluctantly prepared for her journey. Still, there was one person in particr that she had always been genuinely interested in ¡ª an Elf known as the Forest Sage, who had single handedly boosted the reputation of Elves among other races with the quality of their medicine. As such, once she was out on her way with the funds and tools from her parents, the very first thing she did was to pay a visit to a certain Potion shop, the Forest Apothecary.


    She had initially intended to study the art of Potion-making at the Forest Apothecary, but feeling that something was not right, she ended up opting to wander around instead. Around the fourteen-year mark was when she first caught wind of the mysterious emergence of God¡¯s Dungeon within Dungeon City. After which, she switched to casually exploring the Dungeon¡¯syers. It was during this time that she met an Aureum Lycanthrope, a rare species of wolf-humans that was said to have gone extinct, who asked if she would like to join his n, an invitation that she epted.


    As such, Diniel was considered a veteran Explorer who had been exploring God¡¯s Dungeon for six years. During her first encounter with the Fire Dragon onyer sixty, her hands had trembled out of pure reflex ¡ª a simr reaction to what she faced on her very first hunt. It was at least the second most powerful monster she had ever known at the time, the ones in the other Dungeons included.


    But then, an even stronger monster appeared to attack Dungeon City: the Devourer Dragon, the mysterious creature that had eaten most of the Stampede. It busted through the nobility¡¯s powerful magical barrier ¡ª a first in the city¡¯s history ¡ª and caused tremendous damage. Diniel, having been on the front lines at the time, got the despair of that moment etched in her mind.


    She had good eyesight from her years of hunting, and was able to see the Devourer Dragon still writhing its way forward after it was thought to already be dead, exhausted from destroying the barrier. The sight of it was something that even Diniel, who had lived for a hundred years, found terrifying.


    Her legs had be so weak that she couldn¡¯t even stand up, and she had stopped thinkingpletely. When Diniel perceived that she was about to die, a certain person came down from the sky to her.


    ¡°Come on, we shouldn¡¯t stay out here in front, Diniel! Are you alright?¡±


    While everyone was too shocked to move, a single person was still in control ¡ª Tsutomu, a person who could not be much older than twenty¡­ and a human, whose race had a life expectancy of about sixty years.


    That young man was the one to help her out of the situation, evacuating her and the others to the rear lines. And after that, Diniel watched on as Tsutomu took an active role in finally defeating the Devourer Dragon.


    [Strange¡­]


    ¡­Was what Diniel truly felt about Tsutomu. Having heard her close friend Amy brag so much about him so often, she had refrained from taking said stories at face value. Her impression of Tsutomu during the time he was instructing Golden Tune was also quite normal. She had expected to meet a man of many creative ideas, but the real him was not that big of a deal¡­ or so she had thought up until the Devourer Dragon incident.


    As things stood now, Tsutomu was the individual Diniel considered the ¡®strangest¡¯ so far. The definition of the longest-lived of the Elves, the Forest Sage who was known for passing on the methods of Potion-making to other Elves, was understandable when looked at from an Elf¡¯s perspective. But in Tsutomu¡¯s case, he could not be much older than twenty, yet he had yed a key role in defeating the Devourer Dragon ¡ª that was what was shocking for Diniel. That was why, when Amy had suggested that she join Tsutomu¡¯s n, she immediately resigned from Golden Tune.


    All in all, Diniel¡¯s motivations boiled down to two things: Tsutomu was an interesting target of her observation, and he had saved her life once. Moreover, he had been living rent-free in her close friend¡¯s head for some time¡­ so Diniel had figured it would be best to act friendly for the clout factor, but his reactions so far were unfavorable no matter what she tried. Perhaps it had something to do with her voice; despite the different actions and words, she had not changed her tone at all, having figured it was too much of a hassle.


    ¡°All right, shall we get going?¡± Tsutomu asked both of the participants.


    Amira stood up and red at Diniel as if she was her archenemy. Diniel proceeded to briefly stare right back, then look away as if she did not care at all.


    Her reaction caused Amira to turn red with rage, but Diniel did in fact not care much for her, seeing her as not much more than a troublemaker. To Diniel, Amira¡¯s only point of interest was her unique skill [[Dragon Form]], which the Guild Master also had ess to, and as such, was not quite as unique and interesting.


    After Tsutomu managed to calm Amira down, the group went to register for a four-member party at the reception, and then lined up to use the Magic Circles. Lunchtime was when a great number of spectators would gather in front of Monitors, so Explorers aiming to show off would go into the Dungeon during this period. Naturally, the Guild was crowded with people.


    Currently, the main topic of discussion among spectators was about Scarlet Devil Squad and Ealdred Crow. The former was down toyer sixty-nine, while thetter was at sixty-seven ¡ª a difference of just twoyers, considering thatyers sixty-eight and sixty-nine had no extra-tough or special monsters to speak of.


    A point worth noting was that it had taken Ealdred Crow only a few days to get past the Bolseyer, while Scarlet Devil Squad had struggled with it before then.


    The leader of Scarlet Devil Squad was Weiss, known for possessing a unique skill and sometimes recognized by his nickname ¡®Red Spellder¡¯. Another one of their popr members was Alma, known for the off-the-charts firepower of her [[Meteor]]-type magic skills.


    Lately, however, members of Ealdred Crow have been gaining poprity as well. The obvious one was Rook, with his unusual Job as Summoner, who had yed a prominent role during the Stampede. Then there was Bittman,peting for the position of strongest Tank in the people¡¯s minds; Sova, a multi-weapon wielder inspired in style by Weiss; and Stephanie, a skilled Healer sporting an iconic yellow dress.


    Until now, these types of individuals from Ealdred Crow had had difficulties getting popr, but the introduction of the three-role partyposition had helped them be more recognized, little by little. One of the reasons was the Dungeon Maniacs¡¯ propagation of the three-roleposition idea, but the actual big reason was that those particr people were easily recognized on the screens by the spectators.


    From a watcher¡¯s point of view, Attackers were easy to understand: the more monsters they killed, the more awesome they looked on the screens. People with shy unique skills tended to be more popr as a result ¡ª because they had more exciting things to show off. The old approach to the Healer role, however, was not exactly something the audience would understand. In the spectators¡¯ eyes, all a Healer would do was hide from battle until someone died, after which they would pop up to revive their ally¡­ then get killed off by the subsequent attacks from the monsters.


    Nowadays in Ealdred Crow¡¯s case, however, Tanks and Healers often got to y active roles. A Tank could stay standing no matter how many attacks they blocked. A Healer could pull a party back together even if two or three members died, turning a hopeless situation right back around. Those showcases by Ealdred Crow were easily digested by the audience, and as a result, the people involved gained more poprity for themselves.


    The more popr someone got with the spectators, the higher the earnings they could potentially get from sponsors. The tangible results of their achievements would serve to motivate neers, and also give hope to those who had given up in the past due to the Attacker being the only viable role before. All of that added up and contributed to the attraction of new Explorers ¡ª in fact, the number of non-Attacker Explorers has been increasing as ofte.


    Another recently popr group was somewhat of a dark horse in the scene: the Silver Beast, which had implemented the three-roleposition into their strategies, and made it throughyer sixty after a fierce battle against the Fire Dragon. The three-roleposition was starting to take over the Explorer scene like a wave, and it was up to the individual Explorers to choose to ride it or be swept along. Either way, the Guild¡¯s business was sure to thrive as a result.


    Diniel prepared for the match by reaching into the cylindrical Magic Bag on her shoulder, to make sure that she could properly retrieve the arrows she wanted from it. Being the most experienced Explorer among the members of Absolute Helix, she had naturally fought many Rotten Swordsmen before ¡ª much more than Hannah had, in fact.


    Tsutomu, Amira, Diniel, and Daryl walked up to the Magic Circles once one was avable. Hannah was the one to stay behind this time. Tsutomu had told her she could just go back to the n House first, but she insisted on waiting at the Guild.


    [I wanna switch ces with her¡­]


    Diniel, while getting ready for battle, thought to herself how she would have dly agreed to go back home if the choice was up to her. As she nocked a red arrow, Tsutomu issued the teleportationmand and specified the destinationyer. The next moment, Diniel¡¯s vision cked out and switched on again¡­


    And then she immediately let loose the arrow at the Rotten Swordsman. The arrow, dyed in deep red, struck the monster¡¯s helmet. As the Rotten Swordsman staggered, Diniel ran ahead and urately hit it with more red arrows.


    The elemental red arrows Diniel used were special in that they were embedded with Inferno Magic Stones, a type newly discovered on the Volcanoyers, which packed more power than the Fire Magic Stones.


    One after another, blindingly fast red arrows buffeted the Rotten Swordsman like a barrage ofser beams. Its helmet was starting to dent all over, and already had three holes in it as the metal melted away.


    Diniel dashed in even closer and prepared a heavier arrow, then shot it into one of the holes in the helmet. Then she did it again. The two arrows struck the monster¡¯s eye sockets and pierced through its head.


    Once the Rotten Swordsman was down on the ground, Diniel stepped on its neck and aimed a shot at its head where the brain would be. Then she let loose a red arrow at almost point-nk range, destroying the monster¡¯s head with scorching heat and rendering it immobile. Once Tsutomu saw its body starting to turn into light, he noted down the time.


    ¡°Fifty-two seconds.¡±


    Daryl was utterly dumbfounded at just how fast that was, and Amira was barely able to refrain from showing a reaction. It was not even a full minute, and without using a single skill, no less. All Diniel had needed to do was use the right arrows to match her enemy¡¯s elemental weakness. It was likely impossible for Amira to get a better time than this, even if she were to use [[Dragon Form]].


    After a few seconds, two more Rotten Swordsmen spawned, with Amira and Diniel taking on one each. Diniel used various types of elemental arrows to get a feel for them, while Amira fought as hard as she could to see if she could kill her target quickly. In the end, it took Amira five minutes, causing her to grit her teeth in frustration.

 Chapter 107, An Imperfect Dragon Form

    <h4>Chapter 107, An Imperfect Dragon Form</h4>


    If there was one lesson that Amira had learned from her father¡¯s death three years ago, it was that the weak die while the strong survive. The official cause of her father¡¯s death was illness, but that had in fact been the result of an assassination attempt by the remnants of a criminal n. Ever since Amira understood that, she had begun to shun weakness in any way, shape or form.


    The weak obey their masters, and the strong assert their power ¡ª that was Amira¡¯s behavioral principle. Such was how her original n worked: the weaker ones obeyed the leader, the strongest of them¡­ which obviously was Amira. It was the result of her basing its framework on the stories from various sources of Camille¡¯s n back in the day.


    It was true that Camille had once been like Amira, possessing a rough personality and no-questions-asked leadership policy. But she also had someone to hold her group together: her husband, a trusted ally whom she had known since their days of exploring various Dungeons. That was why, even if things may havee off as extreme to an outsider, there was in fact no issue on the inside.


    That had not been the case with Amira¡¯s group, however. From their very first meeting, she had exercised force to make them obey her every order. That was, naturally, not at all a way to start a trusting rtionship.


    In the end, Amira got abandoned by those people onyer fifty, fighting the Shell Crab alone, dying alone. With no one to resurrect her, she had been booted out through the Guild¡¯s ck Gate, left with only the default set of xen garments.


    Afterward, Amira questioned the group as to why they had refused to help her; it was at that point when their anger at her dictator-level leadership went over the line, and all of them left her n.


    Left without a n and unable to get pastyer fifty, Amira did not change her ways just yet. Even after a long, stern lecture from Camille, she insisted that it was because her teammates had been weak. She went on to try getting into one of the major ns¡­ which was when she learned of her own reputation.


    None of the major ns had sent her an invitation, and the ones she tried contacting directly had all refused to let her in. Normally, someone with a unique skill was sure to get invitations from all the major ns, but since they had seen through the Monitors just how egocentric Amira was, they deemed her a totally lost cause.


    It was then when Amira finally realized how screwed she was. Even worse, the non-major people were also writing her off as an ally-killer, making it exceedingly difficult for her to find a party to join. And as she feared that her Explorer career would permanently be over, Camille¡¯s meddling gave her onest chance ¡ª as a member of a newly-founded n.


    Amira did not quite like how this was practically nepotism, but seeing no other option in the foreseeable future, she reluctantly joined. The n in question was none other than the Absolute Helix, founded by Tsutomu, an Explorer who had defeated the Fire Dragon in a three-member team with Camille. He was also handsomely awarded for his major contributions during the most recent Stampede.


    Having seen for herself how capable Tsutomu was, from him exploring the Dungeon with Camille and being awarded by the nobility for his achievements, Amira started out already acknowledging that Tsutomu was strong. As such, was willing to follow his orders. And having considered her disastrous failure at leading a n of her own, she decided to live with Tsutomu taking the top leadership role.


    Her acknowledgment of strength had not extended to the other members, however. Especially considering who those three were ¡ª Hannah, recently infamous as the Feather Tank; Daryl, whose imposing build did not match up with his non-confrontational attitude; and Diniel, skilled but utterly unmotivated, whom Amira particrly disliked. Not wanting things to turn out likest time, Amira had decided to challenge them, to make absolutely sure that they would not stand in the way of her choices. To her surprise, Tsutomu was on board with the idea, and so Amira had been looking forward to the event itself.


    But when things actually got going, she found herself utterly beaten by not just the Feather Tank she had always underestimated, but also the unimpressive and weak-willed Cynokin. And now, she was about to lose to the lethargic Elf.


    Fighting normally, it would be impossible for her to beat the Rotten Swordsman in under a minute. The one she had fought off just now took her about four minutes, and that was with her fighting as hard as she could.


    [I really gotta use it, huh?]


    Amira had the option of using her unique skill, [[Dragon Form]], to give her an immense power boost, but she was still unable to control it. Once activated, she would feel her consciousness blurring out, and the next thing she knew, it would be the end of the fight.


    Her [[Dragon Form]] was powerful enough to get her past most monsters on what was practically auto-pilot, but it would also cause her to attack indiscriminately ¡ª including hurting or even killing her teammates, a somewhat frequent urrence that had gained her the ally-killer reputation.


    The skill had been left unused ever since the disbandment of her n. She feared that if she were to hurt her new allies as a side effect of using it, Tsutomu would see her as a troublemaker and expel her from the n.


    However, losing would mean the same thing to her ¡ª she thought that Tsutomu would get rid of her, seeing her as too weak to be useful. If that were to happen, Camille would then give up on her for good ¡ª so no matter what, she could not afford to let herself be kicked out.


    ¡°All right, shall we?¡± Tsutomu spoke up right when break time ended, interrupting Amira out of the dilemma in her mind. Amira kept a poker face as she stood up, and proceeded to follow after Tsutomu.


    After registering at the reception, Amira gave things more thought while waiting in line for the Magic Circles, but she saw no other options. She waspletely cornered ¡ª both of the avable actions ran the risk of her getting booted from the n. In the end, she stopped thinking and simply made the decision.


    [Gotta be strong, or I¡¯ll just keep dying again and again. Yeah. I gotta do it¡­]


    To Amira, her father, a kind man, had died because of he was weak. Fighting normally surely would not cut it, so she saw no other way but to transform. That was her final decision ¡ª a decision from her hating the brand of weakness above all else.


    Once the team¡¯s turn came, Amira followed Tsutomu into the Magic Circle. Immediately upon arriving onyer forty, Amira shouted,


    ¡°[[Dragon Form]]!¡±


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    As Amira was hit with two support skills, wings sprouted out of her back, parting their way through Amira¡¯s long red hair. Then, she immediately charged straight at the Rotten Swordsman, and swung her greatsword with blinding speed, blowing the monster away.


    ¡°AAAHHH!!¡±


    Amira, glowing with a red aura, wailed on her opponent like a storm. The Rotten Swordsman got knocked back again and again, unable to counter the unstoppable force.


    Sounds of steel against iron echoed through the area. Spooked by Amira¡¯s haunting war cry, Daryl briefly cringed, while Diniel and Tsutomu carefully observed her every movement.


    [Whoa¡­]


    Tsutomu was simply impressed by Amira¡¯s [[Dragon Form]]. Despite being level forty-six, her movement speed wasparable to the transformed Camille, whose level was higher than hers by twenty. The important difference, however, was that Amira had all but lost control, moving purely by instinct ¡ª almost as if she was a monster herself.


    Amira¡¯s greatsword was too heavy for the average grown man to hold, but she was swinging it around like it was nothing ¡ª in one hand, no less ¡ª and she was only getting faster and faster. Though her fighting in this state had no actual swordy whatsoever, her pure power and speed were more than enough to overwhelm the enemy.


    The Rotten Swordsman was not able to do much of anything. Take a hit, and it would be blown away, and attempting to dodge would get it hit anyway, since Amira was that much faster. As such, the most it could do was guard against the greatsword with its buckler.


    [Looks like I¡¯ll need a few tries to line up my [[Haste]] cements¡­]


    Tsutomu tried timing his cement-type [[Haste]] the same way he had done for Camille in [[Dragon Form]], but in that case, she knew when and where to pick them up. With Amira not being in control, the same method of cement did not work out.


    While thinking of what he needed to improve on, Tsutomu decided to use the bullet-type [[Haste]] for now, so as to keep the effect going until the timed fight was over. Amira, getting another boost of speed, continued to hack away at the Rotten Swordsman.


    By now, the monster¡¯s sword was broken, its shield bent out of shape, and its armor was starting to fall apart. Amira finally got a clean hit in with her greatsword, cutting deep into the monster¡¯s abdomen. Then, as the Rotten Swordsman staggered, shended another hit. This time, its body was cut into two, and both halves fell to the ground.


    ¡°AAAHHH!!¡±


    Amira proceeded to violently m the Rotten Swordsman¡¯s head with her greatsword a few times, after which, the monster¡¯s body started turning into light particles. Tsutomu looked away from his pocket watch and noted the time down.


    [One minute and fifty-six seconds¡­ Her unique skill sure gave her quite a boost there.]


    If she had used the [[Dragon Form]] during the first round, Hannah surely would not have won. Tsutomu had had Hannah go first to determine whether or not Amira would use [[Dragon Form]], and in the case that it was used, he also had thought of some ways to work around it as well.


    As two more Rotten Swordsmen spawned, Amira rushed to attack them immediately, while Diniel kept her distance and started shooting. Daryl distracted the Rotten Swordsman that targeted Diniel, and Tsutomu cast some support effects for all three while closely observing Amira¡¯s movements.


    [Barely made it this time.]


    Toward the end of the fight, Tsutomu finally managed to line up his cement-type [[Haste]] for Amira with pinpoint positioning along her erratic movement path. Doing so proved to be bone-breakingly difficult, so much so that Tsutomu was sweating from his forehead.


    Once the Rotten Swordsmen were rid of, the ck Gate appeared. Tsutomu, knowing that he could somehow support Amira while thetter lost control with [[Dragon Form]] active, rxed his tense nerves and let out a sigh of relief. Amira was still berserk now, but knowing a simple trick to snap her out, Tsutomu readied his staff again.


    ¡°¡­Hey, what¡¯re you gonna do about her? That doesn¡¯t look very good,¡± Diniel asked while pointing her bow at Amira, who now targeted her teammates as if they were enemies. Amira¡¯s pupils turned narrow and long and glowed red, simr to those of ferocious reptiles.


    ¡°[[Medic]].¡±


    Tsutomu first tried the bullet-type, shooting a hail of them just to be sure, but Amira easily dodged them all, seemingly mistaking them for an attack. Diniel reluctantly nocked an arrow, but Tsutomu stopped her.


    ¡°Let me try again ¡ª [[Medic]].¡±


    Now that there were no monsters around, there was no need to actually worry about aiming his shots, so this time, Tsutomu shouted the [[Medic]] spell out in its newly-developed form of a sweeping wave. Amira moved swiftly to the edge of it, but was ultimately cornered and touched by the rejuvenating wave of energy. Her [[Dragon Form]] disengaged, leaving her unconscious but unharmed. Tsutomu asked Daryl to carry Amira on his shoulders, and then the team leftyer forty through the ck Gate.

 Chapter 108, Result of the Test of Strength

    <h4>Chapter 108, Result of the Test of Strength</h4>


    Daryl carried the unconscious Amira back to the n House and, seeing that she was not about to wake up yet, put her on a sofa in the living room.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try throwing a bucket of water on her face!¡± Hannah proposed, her blue wings pping; apparently, she was still angry about being called ¡®Feather Tank¡¯ all the time.


    ¡°Hannah, you¡¯re starting to scare me¡­¡± Daryl promptly put a stop to her idea.


    Tsutomu more or less understood Hannah¡¯s frustration, as he also had to put up with Amy calling him ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯ early on for some time.


    He took out a canteen from his Magic Bag, opened the lid, cracked a mischievous grin, and proceeded to dump the canteen¡¯s contents onto Amira¡¯s face. The water was almost freezing-cold thanks to the use of Ice Magic Stones, so upon touching Amira¡¯s skin, she immediately jumped right up.


    ¡°Whoa-!? What the hell!? Get it off me!¡±


    ¡°Good morning¡­ Well, it¡¯s the afternoon now.¡±


    Ignoring the fact that Amira was already awake, Tsutomu kept pouring, only putting the canteen away when the water ran out. The one who had proposed the idea in the first ce, Hannah, said nothing and gave Tsutomu a subtly iffy look as Tsutomu did his thing.


    As Amira shook her head like a dog trying to dry its fur after the rain, Tsutomu looked down at her and proceeded to say,


    ¡°Amira, your time was one minute and fifty-six seconds, so Diniel won that one.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ugh, great.¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, you¡¯re not yet able to use your unique skill properly, right? That was disappointing, after how cocky you acted toward Hannah and Daryl before things went down. Now consider this: what would you be without that one skill? Unlike Camille, you don¡¯t particrly excel at anything else, do you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Shaddup.¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, both your raw power and technical skills need improvement. For starters-¡°


    ¡°N-now wait a second, Teach! Let¡¯s just leave it at that, yeah!?¡± Hannah interrupted Tsutomu as he was about toy more criticisms onto Amira; she had not expected him to go that far.


    Amira simply looked down and let the water drip from her long hair, unable to say anything back. Tsutomu, while surprised that Hannah had stepped in before Daryl, took out a towel from his Magic Bag and handed it to Amira.


    ¡°As for what to do about you¡­ that will be discussed among all of us right now. Is that alright with you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Seeing that Amira was downcast and still not saying anything, Tsutomu turned around and told Daryl to go get Diniel, who had already gone back to her room. Daryl ran upstairs in a hurry, while Tsutomu and Ollie, the n House¡¯s newly-appointed manager, carried the soaked sofa outside to dry in a sunny spot.


    ¡°Sorry for the mess, Miss Ollie.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s only a part of my job.¡±


    Ollie smiled calmly before using a towel to squeeze water out of the sofa. Leaving the rest to Ollie, Tsutomu went back to the living room, and at the same time, Daryl was semi-forcefully pulling Diniel¡¯s hand along. Tsutomu then left just Amira waiting in the living room as he led the three others to another room and asked them,


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s talk about what to do with Amira. Whether or not to expel her, pretty much.¡±


    Upon hearing Tsutomu¡¯stter statement, Daryl and Hannah instantly felt awkward, and Diniel looked as sleepy and uninterested as she had always been.


    ¡°First of all, Diniel and Daryl, let¡¯s hear your opinions.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine with whatever happens.¡±


    ¡°I see. And what about you, Hannah? You¡¯re still on probation, but when and if you join Absolute Helix full-time, would you be against Amira bing a fellow member? If you would like, we could expel her and find ourselves another Attackerter.¡±


    Caught off guard by the question, Hannah winced and looked in the direction of the living room, then back at Tsutomu again. Tsutomu truly was leaving the decision to her, and fully intended to expel Amira if she were to choose that option. In that case, he would need to go through the trouble of finding an Attacker again, but it was better than letting Hannah go, what with her both being skilled and having a good personality.


    Hannah proceeded to cross her arms, trying to calm herself down. After spending a few moments to ponder,plete with knit brows and a few groans, she slowly opened her eyes.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m good. Looks like Amira¡¯s learned her lesson now, so I wouldn¡¯t mind her staying.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? There¡¯s no need to mind Diniel and Daryl¡¯sments just now, you know. Especially Daryl ¡ª he¡¯s probably not being honest with his feelings anyway.¡±


    ¡°E-excuse me!?¡± Daryl eximed and took a few steps forward, objecting to the obvious joke.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Hannah cracked a dry chuckle, then answered to Tsutomu, ¡°I¡¯m actually okay, yeah. She¡¯s been knocked off her high horse already ¡ª I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll behave.¡±


    Tsutomu nudged Daryl away by the shoulder, then looked up at the ceiling and pondered things over.


    ¡°All right¡­ I¡¯ll have her apologize to you three, and then we¡¯ll ept her as a regr member of the n. So I ask again: are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually fine with this! I was being honest, you know!?¡±


    Seeing that Hannah was not forcing herself to make that decision, Tsutomu ended the meeting and went back to the living room where Amira was waiting.


    Amira was still sitting in the same ce, the towel still left unused in her hands. Tsutomu started talking to her,


    ¡°So¡­ Amira, we¡¯vee to the agreement that, if you were to apologize and promise to behave yourself going forward, you will be epted as a regr member of the n.¡±


    Amira was, naturally, surprised. She had expected to be expelled; never would she have predicted that she would be epted into the n in this way.


    ¡°Well? If you don¡¯t want to do that, I can expel you instead¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Not like you need me around.¡±


    ¡°As you are now, you are not useful to us, yes ¡ª but if you¡¯d only behave yourself, you¡¯ll be at least a bit tolerable. I see some possibility, at least.¡±


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡± Amira grumbled, albeit too quietly for Tsutomu to hear, before standing up and wiping her hair with the towel. Then she turned to the others. ¡°¡­Sorry, Hannah.¡±


    ¡°Well, as long as you understand!¡± Hannah said and reached out her hand for a handshake as Amira kept her head bowing deep down. Hannah then added,¡±And now that I think about it¡­ aren¡¯t you younger than me? You gotta learn to speak more politely! Follow my example, and stuff!¡±


    [Her example, she says¡­]


    Tsutomu could not help but look on with disbelief as Hannah took a step back and semi-arrogantly puffed up her abundant chest. Hannah, oblivious to the look Tsutomu was giving her, proceeded to grab Amira¡¯s hand and initiate the handshake herself.


    ¡°Now, apologize to the others, too!¡±


    ¡°Daryl, Diniel¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°O-oh, I didn¡¯t mind any of that at all!¡±


    ¡°Aye-yup.¡±


    Amira bowed to the two, with Daryl reacting with some apparent fright, while Diniel only gave a half-hearted reply. Then, she turned to look at Tsutomu, and thetter nodded back.


    ¡°All right, Amira, you¡¯re officially a regr member of the n now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Visibly relieved, Amira tried to say something to Tsutomu, but could not seem toe up with the right words. Her expression shifted several times before she ended up looking away.


    ¡°Uh, I think ¡®thank you¡¯ are the words you¡¯re looking for. C¡¯mon!¡± Hannah finally said, acting as if she was Amira¡¯s senior.


    ¡°T-thank you, Tsutomu.¡± Amira promptly said and bowed again.


    Seeing the twoe off as an adult teaching her child some manners, Daryl and Tsutomu cracked a dry grin.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    After the day of Amira¡¯s failed dominance assertion, the n started operating as a party of five. The team¡¯sposition included: two Attackers, Diniel and Amira; two Tanks, Daryl and Hannah; and one Healer, Tsutomu.


    ¡°[[Dragon Form]].¡±


    In an area of the Beach without monsters, Amira tried transforming, and once the process waspleted, she immediately attacked Tsutomu upon seeing him. Since Tsutomu had prepared a wave of [[Medic]] like a force field around him, Amira¡¯s transformation was immediately disengaged when she got too close.


    Such was the first issue the team needed to tackle ¡ª Amira¡¯s control over her unique skill, [[Dragon Form]]. Currently, it boosted the ratings of all her statuses except LUK in exchange for her losing control; the effect was already quite powerful, but certainly not wielded to its full potential. Upon activating it, Amira would immediately rush at full speed at any monster she saw, and if there were no monsters around, she would start attacking allies instead. That was in contrast to Camille, who could remain in decent control back during the Fire Dragon battle, only with a somewhat limited field of vision and inability to followplicated instructions.


    All in all, it was impossible to coordinate with Amira once she transformed, and would even start attacking everything that moved even if she was nowhere near a monster.


    ¡°For the time being, you shouldn¡¯t use your [[Dragon Form]] unless it¡¯s an emergency.¡±


    ¡°S-sure thing!¡± Amira answered, her tone a clearly forced change from how she usually spoke.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Standing behind Amira was Hannah, nodding with satisfaction while folding her hands behind her back like an instructor. Tsutomu, immediately seeing that Hannah was the culprit here, told Amira to not force herself and speak normally. Then, he talked to Hannah about it, getting thetter to reluctantly agree to not influence her peers in strange ways.


    Amira, even without the use of [[Dragon Form]], was still one of the more powerful fighters within the level-40 range. Moreover, after her disastrous losses against all three of her challenges, she was cooperative and calm as an aggression-deprived beast. Thus, sealing away her unique skill probably would not cause any issues at all. Being able to use it was still better, of course, so the n was to have her train to keep herself in control while the skill was still active.


    In the case of Hannah, on the other hand, her ws had started bing apparent after a few battles on the Valleyyers. One was that her defenses were so weak that a single clean hit could be fatal. Her VIT rating was barely higher than that of White Mages like Tsutomu, so she could very well die instantly when taking an attack in the wrong spots.


    It would be somewhat better for her to wear heavy armor, just as she had done before trying out the evasion-based Tank strategy, but then she would lose her mobility ¡ª the one thing absolutely essential to an evasion-based Tank. As such, her best shot was to wear lighter equipment to boost her STR and AGI instead, which was exactly what her revealing ethnic-looking outfit did.


    ¡°All you need to do is not get hit!¡± Hannah dered and did some shadowboxing gestures.


    ¡°Easier said than done¡­¡±


    Tsutomu, on the other hand, was quite worried. If Hannah were to die, he would need to use [[Raise]] on her, which would then shift all the aggro she had onto him instead. As such, it was quite risky all around to have a Tank like Hannah, with her dying easily and having him generate a lot of aggro.


    And since Hannah was not yet used to her evasion-based Tank role, her skill rotation was poor. In fact, she had not gotten to use [[Combat Cry]] all that much until recently, so her mental energy consumption was inefficient, and she often would run out of energy in the middle of fights due to overuse of her skills. Considering theplexity of her role, her energy management was stillckluster.


    ¡°Hannah, let¡¯s get you managing your mental energy properly. For now, you can use Blue Potions whenever you need, so don¡¯t hesitate to use your skills. Also¡­ you should practice [[Combat Cry]] specifically, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Seeing Hannah full of motivation, as apparent from her pumping her fists up, Tsutomu felt his worries slightly alleviated. He proceeded to oversee her skill practice, making sure that she got a good sense of their proper use.


    The following day, the party went through the Valleyyers to update Amira¡¯syer progress while steadily working on their coordination. Among them, Daryl and Diniel were the most consistent with carrying out their roles.


    Daryl was especially good, so much so that Tsutomu could not find anything to point out. Being a Heavy Knight and having a high VIT rating, he was able to Tank quite effectively. Moreover, he wielded his skills with great refinement and consistency, and his energy management was perfect.


    In addition to all that was his wide area of awareness and ability to follow up on his allies¡¯ movements. Whenever stray projectiles were going for Hannah, he would call out to her or throw his tower shield to intercept them, and whenever Amira generated too much aggro, he would use his skills to shift it back to him ¡ª all in all, he was quite flexible with his reactions to unpredictable situations.


    ¡°¡­You know, Daryl, you might actually be a better Tank than Garm now.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? You mean it!?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm¡­ Well, I can¡¯t really say for sure, because I haven¡¯t been in a party with him for some time now, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯re better than Ealdred Crow¡¯s Bittman, at least.¡±


    ¡°A-are you sure about that¡­?¡±


    Daryl looked away, feeling somewhat embarrassed and awkward, but then he nced back at Tsutomu as if waiting for thetter to praise him more. His ck-furred tail was wagging so vigorously that it looked like it was going to snap in two.


    ¡°Yeah! You¡¯re the best Tank we have, Daryl!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Your [[Combat Cry]] is great, Daryl! You gotta teach me, too!¡±


    ¡°A-all right, fine! First, you do it like so¡­¡±


    ttered by Tsutomu and Hannah, Daryl smiled and began to give a demonstration of his [[Combat Cry]], followed by a series of exnations. Diniel stared with great interest at Daryl¡¯s wagging tail, while Amira stared nkly at the whole scene, utterly dismayed and bored out of her mind.


    Tsutomu had no particr suggestions for Diniel¡¯s Attacker role, either. She essentially never went all out, and so far, had mainly been testing out the various special arrows that Tsutomu had paid for her. She did carry out her role exactly as expected, nothing more, nothing less.


    Still, the extent of Diniel¡¯s capabilities could not really be evaluated until the next fight against the Fire Dragon, at the very least. Her Dungeon progress was, as one would expect, still stuck atyer sixty where the Fire Dragon was. There was no telling whether or not she would have to go all out once she got there again, but Tsutomu decided to refrain from giving her any feedback until then.


    As for Tsutomu, he himself knew very well what needed to be improved. First of all was getting used to managing support and healing for a five-member party. Things were not so busy right now since they were still in the Valleyyers, but the Canyon and its frequent multi-wave battles were sure to make every fight quite chaotic. Before then, as the person giving outmands in this team of five, he would need to understand his members¡¯ every movement.


    In addition to that were two particr things that needed special attention: canceling out the out-of-control [[Dragon Form]] and the newly-introduced evasion-based method for Tanks. They added moreyers ofplexity to his support role ¡ª both Amira and Hannah were fast and they moved in irregr patterns, making it difficult for Tsutomu to time his cement-type skills. If he were to not stay on his toes, support effects would start running out of time, and things would only go downhill from there.


    And now that there were four people to support, he had to be more careful with energy management as well. There had already been several asions in which Tsutomu had to operate on almost-empty mental energy for an extended period of time, so he figured that it might be better to gain some levels after the next Fire Dragon fight was over with.


    Still, leveling past fifty was incredibly difficult, so he had to put his back into the process. As such, he had been putting it off until he truly felt the need for it ¡ª which he knew woulde very soon.


    The party continued to work their way together through the Valleys, and eventually, Hannah and Amira¡¯s one-week probation periods ended.

 Chapter 109, Their Final Decisions

    <h4>Chapter 109, Their Final Decisions</h4>


    A week had passed since Amira and Hannah¡¯s eptance into the n, and now the probation period was finally over. Tsutomu informed the two as such when he returned from a trip to the Guild, and Amira instantly looked nervous, seeming to have just remembered how important that was to her. Hannah, on the other hand, looked as if she had forgotten altogether that it was even a thing.


    ¡°So¡­ would you like to be our long-term members?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Hannah promptly answered, then shot a nce at Amira beside her.


    ¡°Me, too¡­ yeah,¡± Amira reluctantly added.


    Tsutomu, thinking it would be best not to call out the pair¡¯s schtick, proceeded to hand them the official application form. The papers were already signed by Tsutomu, the n Leader, so all the pair needed to do was sign their respective sheets and submit them to the Guild.


    Hannah held her paper up high and let out a celebratory shout while running around the living room. Amira looked down at hers and held it tightly with both hands as she walked to her room upstairs.


    [We¡¯re finally getting somewhere¡­]


    Tsutomu had intended to expel Amira if she were to cause problems during the past week, but all in all, she had not been doing anything out of the ordinary. Feeling that the n could start doing things for real at longst, Tsutomu heaved a sigh of relief.


    And as he sat around pondering some things over, Ollie walked over and served him a cup of red tea.


    ¡°Oh, thank you, Miss Ollie.¡±


    epting the cup and taking a sip, Tsutomu then let out another relieved sigh.


    During the past week, Scarlet Devil Squad had reachedyer seventy and faced the Volcano¡¯s Layer Boss¡­ and got almost instantly annihted. From Tsutomu¡¯s point of view, this was a perfectly understandable result, since he did not think anyone would be able to beat the Mount Golem on their first try.


    Ealdred Crow had reachedyer seventy soon after, so now the two ns were at the exact same point of progress. They, too, had been wiped out by the Mount Golem, but their performance had been better than Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s. Although they had lost four members right off the bat to the wide-rangedva ssh attacks on their first attempt, they were bound to get used to it after a few more runs.


    Contrasting with Ealdred Crow¡¯s bncedposition, Scarlet Devil Squad had only Weiss and Alma as their truly powerful fighters, and the Layer Boss they were up against this time was difficult for both of them. As such, most of their attempts had ended with them being annihted without even a decent fight.


    Weiss¡¯ unique skill, [[Phoenix Soul]], was a self-buff that enchanted his weapons with the powers of a Phoenix, temporarily granting them the Fire and Holy elements, both of which were ineffective against the Mount Golem.


    Another effect of this skill enabled him to heal his own injuries by consuming mental energy, but once theva sshed on him, it was virtually impossible to recover fast enough to offset the damage. And so, as had been the case with the Fire Dragon, Weiss could not rely on it to brute-force his way through.


    As for Alma, although she did not possess a unique skill, the power boost from her ck Staff made her [[Meteor]] spells extraordinarily powerful. Against the Mount Golem, however, magical attacks such as [[Blizzard Cross]] were far more effectivepared to physical attack spells such as [[Meteor]].


    Despite that fact, Alma had been using [[Meteor Stream]] and nothing else, and while it was a powerful spell, the enemy¡¯s high physical defense meant it was never going to do much. She knew that she had to use other magic skills, but she had opted to keep using her [[Meteor]]-type skills due to how they had practically be synonymous with her name.


    Adding to all those was the fact that their party still consisted of four Attackers and one Healer, meaning Weiss and Alma had to perform well for them to be victorious. For Scarlet Devil Squad to have a fair shot at the Mount Golem, their only options were to either change theirposition or consider different strategies, both of which would require extensive discussions on their part.


    Tsutomu, figuring that those two ns were sure to do some exploring again tonight, made ns to go out on a stroll. Putting on a jacket to help with the chilly weather, he proceeded to head to where the Monitors in the market were.


    With the city no longer under the threat of a Stampede, the streets were filled with people as it usually would be. Stalls were lit up by numerous artificial lights, and near them were the many Monitors floating in the air.


    Thergest Monitor, fittingly called Monitor #1, had the most spectators gathering around it. The stores near it, carrying variousmodities crafted from materials newly discovered in the Volcanoyers, were thriving with business. The workshop district was busier than usual as well, with the new Magic Stones giving craftsmen ess to higher heat, revolutionizing the processing of materials.


    Regardless, the northern part of town was still suffering to some degree from the Stampede¡¯s aftermath. Due to all the property damage and casualties, a certain religious group had gained a boost of influence in town, and were now advocating for the invibility of God¡¯s Dungeon.


    [We sure are lucky that the damage wasn¡¯t too huge.]


    Thanks to the two prior evacuation announcements and the nobility¡¯s barrier, fatal casualties had been kept to a minimum. Although there were genuinely unfortunate cases for the Explorers, the civilians¡¯ deaths had simply been due to them refusing to evacuate, which was a poor decision on their part. The rest of the popce was of the same opinion, so not many of them were swayed by the religious group¡¯s activism. If things had yed out differently and the damage had been much bigger, however, the growing religious group may have actually been sessful in sealing off God¡¯s Dungeon for good.


    [Man, I sure want to get home soon¡­]


    From time to time, Tsutomu had noticed a certain girl he recognized ¡ª the one girl who had lost her Explorer mother to the Stampede, who had been in denial ever since she had been told that her mother could not be brought back to life. Used as a symbol by the religious group, she had been asionally giving sympathy speeches in front of crowds on their behalf. Tsutomu wanted to do something to help her, but since she resented the Explorers who had failed to revive her mother, it naturally meant that she hated him as well. Knowing full well that there was nothing he could do about it for now, Tsutomu slogged on toward the market so that he could spend some time looking away from reality.


    He proceeded to sit down on an open bench and look at Monitor #1 which disyed the Scarlet Devil Squad. He was exasperated by the sight of Alma using nothing but [[Meteor]]-type skills again. At one point, a certain young woman with long rabbit ears walked over to him.


    ¡°Aha! I knew I saw someone familiar! What are you up to, Tsutomu?¡± The young woman, who turned out to be Lorena, greeted him, her cheeks a little red and her rabbit ears swaying about.


    ¡°Hello, Lorena. I¡¯m here to observe the frontliners, that¡¯s all,¡± Tsutomu answered and looked around. ¡°Is Misil here as well?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, he¡¯s exploring the Dungeon with the others right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­You got excluded from the main party?¡±


    ¡°No I wasn¡¯t! He¡¯s just helping the lower-leveled members with their training!¡±


    Lorena, cheeks puffed up in annoyance, proceeded to sit down next to Tsutomu. She seemed to have too much free time on her hands, with her being off-duty today.


    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±


    ¡°Why would I be demoted, anyway!? I¡¯m the best Healer around right now, you know!¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you high on something?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t smoke.¡±


    ¡°Could¡¯ve fooled me.¡±


    Tsutomu turned back to the Monitor while wondering since when had Lorena be so confident. Thetter followed suit, looking closely at the action on the screen.


    ¡°Hmm, Scarlet Devil Squad still has their mostly-Attacker setup going, I see.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, I bet Silver Beast is going to catch up soon!¡±


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve be somewhat more confident after winning against the Fire Dragon. What¡¯s your progress looking like now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re down toyer sixty-five so far. Kind of stuck on that fish¡­ You know the one.¡±


    ¡°You mean the Bolseyer?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! That thing is such a ridiculous creature, I tell you! It wiped us out so easily!¡±


    The Bolseyer, its name now public knowledge following Amy¡¯s appraisal, was ava-swimming monster that looked like a fusion of a loach and a catfish.


    ¡°Have you seen how it slides all over the ce? I swear, that thing never stops moving!¡±


    ¡°Right. Shouldn¡¯t be that hard if you have a ck Mage, though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we figured, too! But you see, our ck Mage hasn¡¯t gotten past the Fire Dragon yet ¡ª that¡¯s why everyone is training to beat it right now.¡±


    The Bolseyer¡¯s whole body was covered in a red slimy membrane, which it used as a lubricant of sorts to swim throughva and slide across the ground. One would need to disable that membrane if they wanted a chance at defeating it.


    There were many ways to do that, with the safest method being to cool its body surface, which could be achieved the fastest with ck Mages or Spiritualists¡¯ magic skills.


    ¡°After getting past the Bolseyer, maybe Silver Beast will be counted as one of the major ns! The n¡¯s been getting more famoustely, what with them being featured on more and more newspaper articles.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! The press really rushed to us right after we beat the Fire Dragon ¡ª it¡¯s crazy! It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been featured, too! Oh, but we haven¡¯t let Solit Company cover us yet ¡ª there¡¯s no need to worry!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your consideration, but please, don¡¯t force yourselves just for me. I wouldn¡¯t want to hold your n back, and I don¡¯t really care about them anymore.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh? Really?¡± Lorena tilted her head.


    ¡°Yes, really. Please do tell Misil that as well,¡± Tsutomu said with a smile.


    Although quite unconvinced by what she had just heard, Lorena still nodded in agreement.


    The two smaller publishers had gotten big enough by now, and Tsutomu himself had been given an award from the nobility for his contributions during the Stampede. At this point, he no longer felt the need to tighten the screws on Solit Company, since any further spite toward them specifically would only result in unnecessary resentment.


    ¡°By the way, Tsutomu, I¡¯d like to ask about the girl from Ealdred Crow¡­ Stephanie, if I remember right? She just up and dered in an interview that she¡¯ll surpass you someday ¡ª what¡¯s that about?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ her. To be honest, I don¡¯t get it either. I don¡¯t think she means any harm, though.¡±


    ¡°What!? But she was totally being aggressive, and not even hiding it! Didn¡¯t you use to teach her how to be a Healer!? She¡¯s so rude, going on to say things like that publicly!¡±


    Ever since he wrapped up his lessons for Stephanie, Tsutomu had always been fully aware of how she had been telling pretty much everyone that she would surpass him. Still, feeling that she did not hold any ill will in saying that, and that it might help boost her motivation, Tsutomu has been letting it go.


    Lorena, on the other hand, seemed quite ufortable with Stephanie¡¯s derations, as apparent from her twitching white-furred rabbit ears.


    ¡°Well, she might be pretty good and all, but I know I¡¯m better than her! She¡¯s nowhere near ready to surpass you, Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Definitely! If anything, I¡¯ll do that way ahead of her!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not about to just sit around and be a stepping stone, you know.¡±


    ¡°Heh, it¡¯s only a student¡¯s duty to surpass her teacher!¡±


    ¡°Give it your best shot.¡± Tsutomu said and chuckled, reminded of Eunice by how confidently Lorena had made her deration. Still, Lorena was indeed a highly capable Healer, unlike Eunice, so he felt fine with letting her be a little audacious.


    As a general Healer, Lorena was in fact not as good as Stephanie, but as a Healer working specifically for Silver Beast¡¯s party, she was superior. Conykins¡¯ strengthsy in their enhanced hearing and ability to detect nearby living things, making them fit for being Healers. When it came to her role, Lorena was especially good with the still-obscure aspect of aggro management, making her stand out from the other Healers ¡ª in fact, the way she did it was almost just as effective as Tsutomu¡¯s analysis, which was gained through abination of experience and exploiting game knowledge.


    Adding to that was how Lorena was one of the most experienced Explorers, with approximately six years of action to her name. Although she was not a frontline fighter, her role was no child¡¯s y. Not one bit of experience she had umted went to waste.


    Tsutomu and Lorena proceeded to chat some more, with some of the topics being how thetter¡¯s rabbit ears were a different color from her hair, and how Silver Beast had been able to take in another Beastkin child thanks to their recent funding.


    ¡°Huh, your ears look like that because of a mutation? I never noticed.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, yes. It¡¯s just a different color, though.¡±


    Beastkin¡¯s ears and tails were generally the same color as their hair, but that was not the case for Lorena, whose white-furred ears contrasted with her ck hair. She folded her ears andined that she would have preferred that they were normal instead.


    ¡°And because of how¡­ unusual I am among my kind, I¡¯m grateful that Misil took me in. That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to help my n in any way I can.¡±


    ¡°He sure is a nice guy, isn¡¯t he? Could do something about his sloppy look, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Boy, oh boy¡­ He¡¯s going to be SO HAPPY to hear that,¡± Lorena cracked a joke and pointed at Tsutomu with both her index fingers.


    ¡°What are you, a little kid?¡± Tsutomu chucked, knowing that Lorena was in her twenties just like him.


    A few momentster, he realized that quite some time had passed with him not looking at the Monitor.


    ¡°Huh, it¡¯s thiste already? I should get going.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should show up at my n¡¯s ce, too. You¡¯re wee to visit us anytime, Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°When my n is a little less busy, sure.¡±


    ¡°Cool, cool!¡±


    Lorena waved to Tsutomu, and he waved back. He then proceeded to make his way back to the n House, regretting the fact that he had not gotten to watch any Volcano footage tonight.

 Chapter 110, Hustle Those Muscles

    <h4>Chapter 110, Hustle Those Muscles</h4>


    The morning of the next day, Hannah and Amira took their signed n registration forms and submitted them to the Guild. Although it was quite early, the Guild was open twenty-four hours a day, so they could carry out their businesses whenever they wanted. The Monitors were always on as well, so the residents in their vicinity had to find ways to deal with the constant noise.


    ¡°We might¡¯ve already done this, but¡­ it¡¯s nice to join y¡¯all!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t cause any trouble, I swear.¡±


    ¡°Wee aboard.¡±


    ¡°Wee again, both of you!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    Once the two were done with their procedures, Tsutomu, Daryl, and Hannah weed them once again, and all of them proceeded to register their party. Lining up to use the Magic Circles, the queue was noticeably shorter than it would atte hours.


    During the past week of exploring together, the farthest down the party has reached wasyer fifty-five, the end of the Valley. The n was to tackle the Canyonyers starting from the fifty-sixthyer today. Multi-wave battles would only happen more frequently from here on out, sobat situations were sure to be more hectic than before.


    ¡°Is everyone ready?¡±


    ¡°Bring it on!¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    After confirming with everyone, Tsutomu led them to a free Magic Circle andmanded a teleportation to the nd, rocky Canyon inyer fifty-six.


    Tsutomu was in no hurry since for him, this was a revisit to a fairly underleveled area. He took his time refilling the team¡¯s Potion loadout, giving out five vials of Blue Potion to each member, for a total of twenty-five. Everyone had been using Blue Potions exclusively as ofte, so there was no need to refill their Green Potion stocks.


    [It sure is tedious, refilling everyone¡¯s share one at one time¡­]


    Despite hisining, Tsutomu stuck to filling the vials with a funnel, and then passed the vials to the others while they did some warm-up exercises. Diniel proceeded to scout the area, using cheap arrows to activate her [[Eagle Eye]].


    Tsutomu, after hearing Diniel¡¯s report, decided on the direction the team would go in and cast [[Fly]] for everyone. Diniel, Hannah, and even Daryl¡¯s [[Fly]] control benefited from the Carrier Birds grabbing them away. And while Amira had the worst control of the bunch, she seemed to have no problem getting around.


    Not long after they started flying through the Canyon¡¯s rock formations, a flock of Wyverns approached the party. Tsutomu cast support skills for everyone, while Diniel rummaged through the Magic Bag on her back for some arrows.


    ¡°[[Power Arrow]].¡±


    Diniel¡¯s first shot at the Wyverns was with an arrow embedded with a rare Lightning Magic Stone, hitting one of the monsters with the trajectory of a lightning strike. Its wings paralyzed, the Wyvern plummeted to the ground, unable to move.


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡±


    Even Diniel was surprised by how powerful the lightning arrow was, knowing that it had cost much more than one would expect a single arrow to. Hannah pointed to her left, and once Daryl confirmed that there were also Wyverns there, both of them flew toward that direction.


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]].¡±


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]]!¡±


    Hannah tried to pull the aggro of the three Wyverns to the left, while Daryl took the four to the right. Hannah was not that great at controlling her [[Combat Cry]] yet, so she ended up overshooting, causing one Wyvern from the right side to go to her instead.


    ¡°[[Shield Throw]].¡±


    Daryl promptly struck the extra Wyvern heading toward Hannah with his tower shield, managing to pull its aggro back to him with his long-ranged provoking skill.


    Once his tower shield flew back to him like a boomerang, Daryl caught it with both hands. He then repositioned himself, while also holding his tower shield up to block the Wyverns¡¯ spike attacks.


    ¡°[[Shield Bash]].¡±


    The first Wyvern to reach Daryl tried to bite him with its fine, shark-like teeth. Daryl countered it head-on with his shield, knocking the monster away. The Wyvern let out a menacing roar as it was flung back.


    ¡°[[One-Two Straight]]!¡±


    Hannah, under attack from three Wyverns, used attacking skills to maintain their aggro on her. Her mobility enabled her to easily dodge the enemies¡¯ spike attacks, which in turn gave her more opportunities tond blows.


    The evasion-based approach for Tanks ran a high risk of fatal damage upon taking hits, but in return, it dramatically increased the potential damage one could deal while acting as a Tank.


    For Hannah, she could also use her bright blue wings to gain momentary eleration and fine-tune her deceleration. Although she was of the Birdkin variant that could not fly on her own, she could do so perfectly fine with the [[Fly]] skill in effect. And now, she was using her rhythmic maneuvers to gain dominance over the Wyverns.


    In Tsutomu¡¯s perspective, however, the erratess of Hannah¡¯s movements meant she was difficult for him to properly cast support skills for. He had been keeping an eye on Hannah¡¯s every move, and had managed to keep up his support so far, but it was apparent that he was struggling quite a bit.


    Meanwhile, Amira was flying decently enough as she used her greatsword to attack the Wyverns that Daryl was distracting. She was not so used to fighting in a team yet, so her swings were often quite unrefined and woulde close to identally hitting her allies.


    Daryl¡¯s toughness meant he would not die from a few hits from Amira, fortunately. That was why, duringbat, Tsutomu had nned for Amira to attack monsters distracted by Daryl, and Diniel to attack monsters distracted by Hannah.


    As Amira¡¯s greatsword came swinging at him from the side, Daryl promptly held up his tower shield to block it. He was always able to deal with this because of his wide field of awareness enabling him to catch Amira¡¯s every movement.


    ¡°Oh, shi- I mean, sorry!¡± Amira immediately apologized.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s all right.¡±


    On Diniel and Hannah¡¯s side, countless arrows were buffeting the Wyverns, spooking Hannah quite a bit with how mercilessly they were raining down.


    Long-ranged attacking Jobs such as ck Mage and Archer had to pay attention not to identallynd their shots on their allies. In this world, being in the same party did not disable friendly fire, and magic and arrows shot at allies had the exact same effect as they would on monsters.


    As such, a party would need a great degree of trust and detailed teamwork for them to work well with a long-ranged Attacker in their ranks. Many teams opted to ignore that fact, knowing that death was a p on the wrist in this Dungeon. Tsutomu, however, was thorough in preventing that from happening under his watch, since he absolutely hated the idea of having to heal an ally¡¯s injuries resulting from another ally¡¯s attacks.


    Knowing that Amira¡¯s wide singing arcs were never on purpose, Tsutomu was also working to fix her fighting style as well. And in Diniel¡¯s case, there was pretty much no need to worry about friendly fire ¡ª despite Hannah¡¯s defenses being so fragile that taking even a single arrow would be fatal ¡ª as apparent from how perfect Diniel¡¯s uracy was as she killed her targeted Wyverns.


    ¡°Eep!¡±


    At one point, Hannah was startled by a crimson arrow that streaked past right in front of her eyes, but throughout the battle, no friendly fire actually urred.


    Diniel was one of the best Archers in the known Explorer scene, so she was not one to miss her mark ¡ª but one point worth considering was how strong the arrows were. Hannah, having had some experience of taking friendly fire back during her Attacker days and would naturally be scared of an arrow so powerful that it could kill her.


    ¡°[[Haste]].¡±


    As for Tsutomu, he was having a hard time keeping up his support for the whole party. It was especially difficult for him tond his skills on Hannah and Amira, the former due to her high-speed movements, and thetter for her reckless and unpredictable fighting style. He had no problem with Daryl and Diniel thanks to their well-adjusted tactics, but the extra effort needed for Amira and Hannah was quite taxing.


    While Tsutomu was busy doing his thing, multiple Orcs and Kungfu-garoos appeared and went after him. Noticing the new arrivals, Tsutomu immediately shouted out some new instructions,


    ¡°Daryl, take on the Kangaroos! Hannah, the Orcs! Diniel and Amira, kill the remaining Wyverns!¡±


    ¡°Aye-yup,¡± Diniel, the person nearest to Tsutomu, promptly replied.


    Hannah, a little farther away, rushed to pull the Orcs¡¯ aggro as soon as she noticed Tsutomu¡¯s voice and gestures. Daryl raised one hand to signal his acknowledgment. Amira only briefly nced in Tsutomu¡¯s direction and proceeded to continue fighting the Wyverns, seeming to have heard the instructions.


    Overall, the party was still not well-coordinated, their synergy was somewhat wonky. Knowing that this aspect would only get better as they engaged in actualbat with the monsters, Tsutomu held up his staff and continued casting his support skills.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Three hours into their exploration of the Canyons, Amira and Hannah were t on the ground, exhausted, and Daryl was still standing but with his hands on his knees, gasping for air. Tsutomu swiped off the waterfall of sweat off his cheeks and took the now-empty canteen away from his mouth, the Ice Magic Stone inside it nking as it was thrown around.


    ¡°Good job, y¡¯all.¡±


    Diniel, the one with the most energy left among the group, picked up a Magic Stone and threw it to Tsutomu.


    With the Magic Stonending near his feet, Tsutomu picked it up and stored it in his Magic Bag.


    ¡°Thanks, Diniel. Now, everyone, we¡¯ll go have lunch after collecting the Magic Stones. Let¡¯s get to it!¡±


    ¡°Gimme a break¡­¡± Hannah whined.


    Daryl immediately straightened his posture and started collecting the Magic Stones, but Hannah and Amira seemed to be unable to stand yet. Hannah was still not fully ustomed to her evasion-based Tank role, and Amira seemed to be exhausted from the multi-wave battles against unfamiliar monsters.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, hustle those muscles, Amira. Is that all you got?¡±


    ¡°D-damn it¡­¡± Amira grumbled back at Tsutomu¡¯s taunt, then brushed off the dust mixed with her sweat on her legs before standing up. As Amira started collecting the Magic Stones, she also taunted Hannah a little, prompting thetter to stand up as well.


    ¡°So¡­ hungry¡­ need¡­ break¡­¡±


    ¡°Hang in there! We¡¯ll be eating out, and I¡¯ll even order dessert for you if you pick up a lot!¡±


    ¡°Oh hell yeah¡­¡±


    Hannah, still tired and a little dazed, proceeded to collect the Magic Stones. Daryl, upon hearing Tsutomu¡¯sst sentence, started working noticeably faster.


    [Man, Garm wouldn¡¯t be so happy to see this,] Tsutomu thought to himself upon seeing Daryl act so driven by his appetite, working harder for the free dessert. Meanwhile, Tsutomu himself put the Magic Stones into his Magic Bag as they were carried to him.


    Once the team was done collecting their loot, Diniel guided everyone back to the ck Gate they came from, through which they returned to the Guild.


    They proceeded to leave the Guild without stopping by the reception desk, and went to a restaurant for ate lunch. Daryl, Hannah, and Amira devoured their tes of super-hearty food, while Diniel looked at them funny as she took her time with her seafood gratin. Tsutomu had a light meal and a cup of granita, a shaved-ice-like dessert.


    Seeing the three enjoying the meal and ordering more stuff, Tsutomu gave Daryl the go-ahead to order his free dessert, with him being the one who had collected the most Magic Stones. The menu Daryl chose was the vani ice cream, which came in a perfectly rounded shape.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, just one bite¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Tch¡­¡±


    Daryl usually was weak-willed, but when it came to food, he waspletely different ¡ª as apparent from how he so immediately, so tly rejected Hannah¡¯s request. Upon scooping up the ice cream and putting it in his mouth, his cheeks rxed, looking quite happy.


    Dungeon City, with its easy ess to great varieties of Magic Stones and magic tools thanks to God¡¯s Dungeon, was a gathering ce for skilled creators. Those among them included cooks and chefs, making Dungeon City the ce where one could find the most advanced cuisine.


    Since Magic Stones and magic tools were avable for the cheapest prices in Dungeon City, new technology and products were also produced here, then quickly delivered to the Royal Capital, after which, they would be spread across thend. This world¡¯s ice cream had also been invented here, made by using a magic tool that ran on Ice Magic Stones.


    ¡°When are we gonna do the Magic Stone collecting again? Tonight, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Miss Ollie will be cooking dinner, so no, we won¡¯t be doing that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll win tomorrow, for sure!¡±


    ¡°If you want to eat the sweets that much, you could just order it yourself¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­But that wouldn¡¯t count as a win!¡±


    Tsutomu was quite taken aback by the look in Hannah¡¯s eyes, with her being so determined about this specific thing.


    After paying off the bill and receiving the receipt, the team returned to the Guild. Once everyone had rested up enough, they teleported to the Canyons once again.

 Chapter 111, Dragon Form Practice

    <h4>Chapter 111, Dragon Form Practice</h4>


    Over the next five days, members of Absolute Helix spent their time exploring the Dungeon and fighting monsters, practicing their party coordination, and umtingbat experience. Diniel, being a veteran Explorer, and Daryl, having been trained by Garm, held up just fine after consecutive battles.


    Hannah and Amira, on the other hand, were so exhausted by the end of the days that they struggled to even stand. This was not the result of physical tiredness, but rather mental fatigue. Tsutomu had gotten used to managing a five-member party by now, so he often used [[Medic]] to alleviate the fatigue of his allies ¡ª for Daryl much less than the others. Although the [[Medic]] spell did not eliminate all fatigue, there was no denying that it helped. As such, they could always continue to move.


    ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Tsutomu said immediately once the battle was over, and he had cast [[Medic]] for the two.


    In response, Hannah and Amira stood up, the former while whining in pain, and thetter while psyching herself up.


    As they went through more battles, Hannah got more used to the methods of an evasion-based Tank, and Amira started fixing more and more of her self-centred fighting style.


    Tsutomu, while observing their gradual improvements as the team explored the Dungeon, also ustomed himself to his role of support, healing, andmand. During these five days of exploration, the party entered the Dungeon in the morning, exited for a lunch break at around noon, then went right back in and kept going until night.


    Then once they got back to the n House, they had an evaluation meeting while enjoying Ollie¡¯s home-cooked dinner. Hannah and Amira were often mentioned during the meeting. Hannah was still inexperienced as a Tank, and as such had many points that needed improvement. As for Amira, she still needed to fix her fighting style and refine her rotation of skills.


    ¡°Another day, another wave ¡®a exhausting fights¡­¡± Hannah, bending at her waist like an old woman, whined to Daryl as they walked upstairs to their respective rooms after the meeting.


    ¡°But we¡¯re getting two days off!¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    Tsutomu, left alone in the living room, stretched to rx his body, and leaned his back against the fluffy sofa.


    Absolute Helix had two days off per week; for this week, the breaks were tomorrow and the day after. Getting two days off was quite an oddity in this world as far as the exploration scene was concerned, since while policies for days off varied from n to n, the standard was only one day per week.


    Golden Tune and Scarlet Devil Squad had one day off for most of the time. Ealdred Crow also had the same policy, but most of their Explorers would opt to train on their own, so it seemed as if the ¡®day off¡¯ did not take effect at all. Such behaviour was especially rampant among their Tanks and Healers, with many of them so hooked on exploring the Dungeon that they copsed from overwork.


    The introduction of the three-roleposition had greatly changed the scene. Turnover for Tanks and Healers was anticipated to reach an all-time high in the near future, since unlike Attackers, strategies and technical knowledge for their roles were still being researched atrge ¡ª and not to mention all the ambitious Explorers themselves trying to move up in the world.


    [Well, should be fine as long as it¡¯s actually voluntary¡­ right?]


    Tsutomu pondered various things over while sitting around, asionally looking at Ollie as she washed a high stack of tes. She used to be an employee of the House Babenberg, working in their estate, but had been dismissed as a cost-cutting measure after all the damage that the city had sustained from the Stampede.


    Fortunately, having a history as a House Babenberg¡¯s employee was more than enough for one to easily find employment elsewhere. Former employees young and old have been leaving for the Royal Capital with their severance pay, using their job history to find stable employment there.


    Things would not be so easy for Ollie, however, considering how mediocre she was at first nce ¡ª perfectly average appearance, only five years of work experience, and at an age of over thirty. Moreover, rather than relocating to the Royal Capital, she had always wanted to stay employed within Dungeon City, either as a merchant or a worker for a major n. That was when a certain job posting caught her eye: manager for Absolute Helix, the n founded by Tsutomu, who had made major contributions during the Stampede. Seeing that the pay was fairly good, Ollie had immediately expressed her desire to apply for the position.


    Still, she had another reason for choosing Absolute Helix: Tsutomu¡¯s connection to House Babenberg. After all, Ollie still wanted to work for the noble household. This could be considered a slight ulterior motive of hers.


    Regardless of the ambitions she had going in, Ollie turned out to possess excellent practical skills. She was able to do pretty much everything around the house, which perhaps was only natural for a former noble household employee.


    [Guess we should consider ourselves lucky.]


    Ollie had been a great help to Tsutomu ever since she became the n¡¯s manager. Her cooking was delicious, and her cleaning left no corner unounted for ¡ª and she even took care of the n¡¯s ounting, enabling everyone else to fully concentrate on Dungeon exploring.


    Tsutomu looked away from Ollie and started going over three issues of newspapers about ns and the Dungeon, copying some of the articles onto another piece of paper. At one point, someone sat down on the sofa opposite to his.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It was Amira, her long red hair somewhat damp, perhaps because she had just finished bathing. She was looking at the sheet of paper Tsutomu had given her after the evaluation meeting, on which, he had written down her points that needed improvement. asionally, she stole some nces at Tsutomu before returning her attention to the paper again.


    Despite having just bathed, she still wore her usual set of dungeoneering equipment, and despite being indoors, she was still carrying around her steel greatsword. Seeing that, Tsutomu immediately knew what she wanted.


    ¡°We¡¯re doing that today, too?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. I appreciate the help.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going, then.¡±


    Tsutomu had gone through roughly the same exchange every day for the past five days, so he was used to it by now. He and Amira proceeded to head out to the Guild, where they formed a party and teleported to the firstyer.


    After confirming that no one else was around, Tsutomu cast a fewyers of [[Barrier]] over himself. Once he saw that Amira was ready, he signalled her to start. Thetter took a deep breath and uttered,


    ¡°[[Dragon Form]].¡±


    The red scales on Amira¡¯s burly shoulders glowed, and wings started sprouting from her back. Then, when the wings were fully formed, she charged at Tsutomu without hesitation.


    ¡°[[Medic]].¡±


    Tsutomu cast the spell in the shape of a wide-ranged wall, as if to shield himself from harm. Then, he cast more of it around Amira,pletely surrounding her. Upon contact with one of them, all of Amira¡¯s abnormal effects were dispelled, forcing her out of her [[Dragon Form]] transformation and rendering her unconscious.


    Tsutomu proceeded to tap on Amira¡¯s shoulder with his staff to wake her up. Upon opening her eyes, Amira gritted her teeth out of frustration at failing to control her transformation. She then took a deep breath and tried activating her [[Dragon Form]] once more.


    Since Amira had yet to master her unique skill, she was not able to maintain control during the transformation as Camille could, and as such, could not get much actual use out of it.


    To remedy that issue, Amira had been practicing it with Tsutomu¡¯s help. She had originally been doing it herself, putting on cheap equipment, going down to the Valleyyers, and activating her [[Dragon Form]]¡­ which would always end with her eventually getting killed by monsters and booted back to the Guild. Her current training routine had actually been suggested to her by Tsutomu, who had recently noticed how reckless Amira¡¯s method had been.


    Doing it Tsutomu¡¯s way was much more time-efficient than letting monsters eventually kill her, and even if the equipment was cheap, money was still money. Moreover, it was not at all desirable to reappear in the Guild clothed in nothing but the default xen outfit, with them being a symbol of defeat. There was absolutely no need for her to deliberately suffer the embarrassment of popping out of the ck Gate all the time.


    The sessions over the five past evenings had taken ce after every evaluation meeting. Amira¡¯s mastery over her [[Dragon Form]] would surely be worth it, so Tsutomu had no particrints about apanying her every single time.


    However, after hundreds of attempts over the past ten days, Amira had never been able to remain in control. Tsutomu had tried asking Camille for tips, but thetter did not seem to understand the technicalities of it either, so the only option right now was to try more and more.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Feeling no result from her training, Amira silently grinded her teeth out of frustration.


    ¡°Well, there is no need to rush. You¡¯ll get it eventually,¡± Tsutomu said while trying to sound cheerful, and proceeded to sip down some Blue Potion.


    The current batch of Blue Potion had been made by the Forest Apothecary¡¯s newly appointed apprentice. Its taste was somewhat bitter, and it was not as effective as the ones made by the Elfdy, but it was still good enough for Tsutomu to settle for. Besides, the apprentice restocked a good amount of her Potions every single day, which was a big help to him, too.


    [I wonder when their new Blue Potion prototype will be released?]


    Currently, the Elfdy was experimenting to make Potions in solid form. One for Green Potions had been already developed, in a candy-like form, and was now on sale as a trial product. Tsutomu himself had also received a few before.


    Being a prototype, its effectiveness was still on the level of medicinal herbs, and thedy was struggling to achieve progress due to the process being quite difficult with current technology. If they were to be sessfully invented, however, the convenience of Potions would increase dramatically.


    One big reason was that skills could not be invoked without verbally calling out their names. As such, it was almost impossible for one to use skills while the Potion fluid was still in their mouth. If they were to be as effective in candy form as the regr liquid, however, one would be able to take in the Potions¡¯ effects while using their skills at the same time.


    Additionally, with a Blue Potion variant of those candies, it would be much easier for one to maintain the level of one¡¯s mental energy. Tsutomu intends to buy the whole stock as soon as they be avable, but it seemed that the development process would take quite a while longer.


    [Well, I¡¯m rooting for you, ma¡¯am!]


    While hoping that those candy-form Potions would be a thing soon, Tsutomu kept on overseeing Amira¡¯s practice. Once it waste into the night, Tsutomu and Amira headed back to the n House, thetter in disbelief and grumpy due to her failing to control her [[Dragon Form]] after another day.


    ¡°Amira, you¡¯ve gotten much better now. Why not try something new tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°¡­Something new?¡±


    Amira looked back at Tsutomu with a slight surprise showing in her sharp eyes.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time you tried using [[Dragon Form]] in a real fight.¡±


    ¡°What? No way.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you won¡¯t pull it off with how you are now. But I¡¯ve read that using it in battle makes you learn better, you see. The same thing happened for Camille, too.¡±


    In fact, it was during the Fire Dragon battle that Camille had been able to freely use her [[Dragon Form]]. Tsutomu theorized that unless the skill was used in battle, its user would not actually get better at it, simr to how skills gained experience points in video games.


    ¡°Whether or not you¡¯ll get to do it depends on Daryl¡¯s permission, though. I¡¯ll ask him tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really need my [[Dragon Form]] that much, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s the case for you, but I want it. It¡¯ll be useful for us in the future, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Amira, though taken aback by how blunt Tsutomu was, quickly regained her bearings and looked back at him.

 Chapter 112, Dragon Form Watchman

    <h4>Chapter 112, Dragon Form Watchman</h4>


    The next morning was calm, with birds chirping in unison in the background. While everyone was enjoying Ollie¡¯s home-cooked breakfast, Tsutomu suggested to Daryl what he had nned yesterday.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be using her [[Dragon Form]]¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll work out unless she uses it in a real fight. So, what do you say, Daryl?¡±


    Currently, the party had two Attackers and Tanks each. Theposition split them into two pairs, with the evasion-based Tank Hannah working with the long-ranged Attacker Diniel, and the ssic high-VIT Tank Daryl with closed-ranged Attacker Amira.


    If Amira were to activate her [[Dragon Form]], Daryl would naturally be the one in the greatest danger. She would target enemy monsters if they were still there, but once they were gone, she would immediately start attacking her allies instead. Besides, since she had finally corrected her self-centred fighting style, it would be such a waste for that w of hers toe back whenever she was in her [[Dragon Form]].


    As such, Tsutomu had deemed it necessary to make the decision based on Daryl¡¯s input when it came to Amira using this particr skill. Daryl, hearing that suggestion, stopped eating and crossed his arms.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I do think it¡¯ll be fine. Why don¡¯t we let her try once, for starters?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll handle this just fine, Daryl,¡± Tsutomu said and nodded.


    ¡°He¡¯s super tough, after all,¡± Hannah added.


    ¡°I will be fine, yes, but you remember that my gear is bound to take some damage, right?¡± Daryl promptly snapped back at the both of them.


    Amira, grumpy at Daryl¡¯s attitude toward this whole thing, pierced the yolk of her fried egg with her fork.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a necessary sacrifice. I can just buy you a new set.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t exactly something you can just pick off a shelf, though¡­¡±


    Daryl¡¯s heavy armor set was quite expensive, being made not only with thetest crafting techniques, but also a wide range of materials from the current deepestyers of the Dungeon, the Volcano biome. Mid-tier ns could not afford to get their hands on even a piece of it, let alone three full sets that Daryl had as spares.


    Daryl had also spent quite a lot of Gold on recement tower shields and Potions ¡ª so much so that he did not want to even look at the grand total of it all. He feared that if he did look, he would be utterly crushed by its sheer emotional weight.


    ¡°Ah, Tsutomu. Mind if I buy more arrows?¡± Diniel spoke up.


    ¡°Go ahead. You still have Gold left over from before, yes? Feel free to spend it however you like.¡±


    ¡°Aye-yup.¡±


    Diniel had also been investing much of her funds into arrows, but she did not seem particrly bothered by how much cash she forked out. Daryl was somewhat envious of how well Diniel could handle this.


    Once everyone finished their breakfast, Ollie came over to clear the table, and Tsutomu stood up from his seat.


    ¡°All right, today and tomorrow are days off¡­ So, get a good rest!¡±


    ¡°Aye-yup,¡± Diniel answered before anyone else, and proceeded to head to her room on the second floor.


    ¡°You bet I will!¡±


    Hannah stretched a little while walking back to her room, seemingly exhausted from the Dungeon exploration over the past five days.


    Tsutomu, Daryl, and Amira remained in the living room. Since Daryl had never worked as a member of a n before, he did not seem to know what he wanted to do on designated days off. And then there was Amira, starting at Tsutomu with excitement burning in her eyes.


    ¡°Uh¡­ okay ¡ª Amira, Daryl. Do you two have anything nned for today?¡±


    ¡°Other than gear maintenance, nah, nothing.¡±


    ¡°S-same goes for me.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Hmm, and Daryl, do you need some time to rest?¡±


    ¡°N-not at all! I¡¯m perfectly fine!¡±


    Daryl, having gone through three months of intensive training under Garm, seemed to not be tired at all after five days of Dungeon exploring. Amira, despite looking somewhat fatigued, was showing so a lot of fighting spirit in her scarlet eyes. So much so that Tsutomu knew she would not be convinced to take a break.


    ¡°So how about we go down the Dungeon this afternoon? To test whether or not Amira can use her [[Dragon Form]] in battle.¡±


    ¡°Ah, all right! I¡¯ll help out!¡±


    ¡°Man, thanks a million.¡±


    ¡°Get some rest and make your preparations in the morning, then. I need to go out for some errands myself.¡± Tsutomu said to the two, put on a coat, and went outside.


    Magic Stone exchange, replenishing supplies, window shopping, watching the Monitors ¡ª Tsutomu had so many things to do, even on his days off.


    Left in the living room, Daryl nced awkwardly in Amira¡¯s direction, then as if to escape from her, made a beeline for his room to prepare his equipment. Seeing him leave, Amira looked to make sure that no one else was around, then pulled a wry, self-deprecating grin.


    ¡°¡­Sorry in advance if I end up killing you, man.¡± Amira muttered to herself.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    In the afternoon, Tsutomu and the two others went to the Guild and registered their party of three, then teleported toyer fifty-six. Once there, Tsutomu simply wandered around aimlessly; they were here to test out Amira¡¯s [[Dragon Form]], and all they needed were monsters to fight, so there was nowhere they needed to go in particr. Upon encountering a mob of Kungfu-garoos, Tsutomu told the two to get ready for battle.


    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s get started.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me me if he ends up dying, all right?¡±


    ¡°No worries. It¡¯s not like you can actually kill him anyway,¡± Tsutomu said with a smile on his face while casting his support skills.


    ¡°¡­[[Dragon Form]],¡± Amiramanded her skill while looking a little grumpy, ticked off by Tsutomu¡¯s remark. White wings sprouted from her back, and then gradually turned red. Once they were fully formed, Amira immediately rushed at the Kungfu-garoos.


    Daryl used [[Combat Cry]] to pull the aggro of all enemies, then as he felt Amiraing from behind him, he moved slightly to his side to get out of her attack range. The transformed Amira passed by Daryl¡¯s side and proceeded to cleave one of the Kungfu-garoos right in half.


    The sliced Kungfu-garoo instantly died, and light particles started dispersing from its body. The fresh blood on Amira¡¯s face quickly evaporated as she swung her greatsword at the next target.


    Amira in [[Dragon Form]], with her AGI boosted with [[Haste]], went on to kill more Kungfu-garoos with incredible speed. Tsutomu carefully observed the fight, feeling that it was almost like fellow monsters fighting one another.


    The Kungfu-garoos were swift strikers themselves, and some were able tond some attacks on Amira¡¯s shoulders and chest. She was not at all fazed by them, however, and proceeded to butcher more and more of them with her greatsword.


    ¡°[[Heal]]. [Haste]].¡±


    Tsutomu timed his cement-type skills to maintain Amira¡¯s buffing effects and provide her with healing, and also helped up Daryl as thetter carefully positioned himself not to step into Amira¡¯s attacking range. Before long, the mob of Kungfu-garoos was wiped out, leaving only their Magic Stone on the ground.


    ¡°Daryl, would you mind holding off Amira for a while? To prepare for times when I¡¯m not able to use [[Medic]], you see.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Amira¡¯s pupils were now reptile-like, and she was not in control of herself. Daryl looked at her, and without faltering even for a moment, held up his tower shield to assume a defensive stance.


    ¡°GAHHHHHH!!¡±


    Amira charged at Daryl, kicking up a cloud of dust along her way. Daryl defended himself with his tower shield, sessfully blocking the horizontal greatsword swing, but the force of the blow was so great that he was forced to take a few steps back.


    Daryl was blocking the ceaseless greatsword swings just fine, but all he could do now was stay on the defensive. Moreover, Amira in her [[Dragon Form]] did not seem to be tiring out at all ¡ª rather, her speed and power were rapidly increasing.


    During his time with Garm, Daryl had also received some anti-personnelbat training. Since it had been just three months and focused mainly on the Tank role, however, Garm had gotten around to teaching only a single key point of it¡­ which was about defending himself. To keep himself safe, and not let himself be killed by his opponent ¡ª that was the only key point of anti-personnelbat Daryl had learned from Garm.


    The physical strength he had umted from his daily training of the basics, the defensive stance to take in anti-personnelbat, and the Heavy Knight Job¡¯s naturally high VIT ¡ª with all thosebined, Daryl was sure not to be defeated here¡­ although he may not necessarily win, either.


    ¡°[[Defensive]]!¡±


    Daryl kept on holding off the transformed Amira for fifteen minutes. Tsutomu provided no support during this time, meaning Daryl was surviving Amira¡¯s attacks with only his own strength.


    Figuring that he did not need to move much just to withstand Amira¡¯s attacks, Daryl decided to use [[Defensive]], a skill exclusive to Heavy Knights that dramatically boosted his VIT. Although it had the side effect of reducing one¡¯s AGI, this skill was immensely helpful if used correctly.


    As for Amira, she was now breathing heavily, seemingly about to exhaust her stamina. Daryl had worked up a lot of sweat and gotten his ck hair all soaked, but he still seemed to have plenty of energy left.


    With him able to take all of Amira¡¯s hits with his tower shield, and thetter¡¯s attacks being devoid of any thought and strategy, Daryl did not need to move even a step from his spot. The minimal need for movement also helped him to conserve his energy.


    Fifteen more minutes passed, with Amira striking down any additional monsters that appeared during this time. In the end, however, she hit her limit and copsed. Suffering recoil from the forced disengagement of her [[Dragon Form]], Amira¡¯s body turned red and started heating up. Tsutomu promptly poured some cold water on her to dissipate the heat.


    ¡°Good job, you two.¡±


    ¡°Whew¡­ that was rough¡­¡±


    Daryl, although managing to keep fighting for thirty minutes without support, was now sitting down on the ground, out of breath. Tsutomu cast [[Medic]] and [[Heal]] for him, then focused on cooling down Amira¡¯s scorching body.


    He used a magic tool that ran on Ice Magic Stones to restore Amira¡¯s body temperature back to normal. Tsutomu then grabbed her by the shoulders and shook firmly. Before long, Amira¡¯s painfully-shut eyelids started opening, and then she was able to sit herself up.


    ¡°¡­Is it over?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Your transformation ended after Daryl held you off for about thirty minutes.¡±


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡±


    Amira looked somewhat apologetically at Daryl as thetter sat on the ground, trying to catch his breath. After a little break to rest Amira¡¯s over-exerted body, the party proceeded to search for the ck Gate, without Amira using her [[Dragon Form]] to deal with the monsters along the way.


    ¡°There¡¯s virtually no way for you to not have ess to [[Medic]], but in the off-chance that that happens¡­ well, looks like you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes. I think I¡¯ll be able to handle her, somehow.¡± Daryl answered somewhat awkwardly, perhaps feeling ufortable to say that while Amira was right here with him.


    In response, Amira shot Daryl an unamused look, spooking thetter quite a bit.


    ¡°Well, you actually didn¡¯t die to my [[Dragon Form]]¡­ That¡¯s awesome.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha¡­¡± Daryl forced out a chuckle in the face of Amira¡¯s stare, then looked in Tsutomu¡¯s direction as if to ask for help. Tsutomu, having no intention to bail him out of this awkwardness, pretended not to notice.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be counting on you from now on!¡± Amira added and gave a deep bow.


    ¡°Ah, yes! Likewise!¡±


    Daryl, confused as to how he should respond, bowed repeatedly, his ck-furred tail standing upright all the while.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s bing hard to tell who¡¯s senior to whom¡­¡± Tsutomu whispered to Daryl.


    ¡°D-don¡¯t say that, Sir Tsutomu!¡± Daryl protested and moved in a little too close to Tsutomu, prompting thetter to nudge him away.


    All the while, Amira only looked at them, her expression as if she was deep in thought.

 Chapter 113, The Mystery of Diniel

    <h4>Chapter 113, The Mystery of Diniel</h4>


    ¡°Ah! Yes, there! That¡¯s the spot! Ah-hah!¡±


    Tsutomu, Amira, and Daryl, returned to the n House after wrapping up their experiment on the use of [[Dragon Form]] in battle. They were weed by Hannah¡¯s provocative voice echoing from the living room. Tsutomu and Daryl turned to each other and tilted their heads, then the former knocked on the living room¡¯s door and waited for about ten seconds before letting himself in.


    ¡°Ah, wee back.¡±


    ¡°Whew! I¡¯m really feeling it!¡±


    In the room was Hannah, lying face down on a sofa with a blissful look on her face, and Ollie, her sleeves rolled up and holding Hannah¡¯s legs, apparently massaging them.


    ¡°You can do massages, Miss Ollie?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I used to work as a massage therapist¡¯s assistant, you see.¡±


    One look at Hannah, rxed as if she was a roll of stretchy pizza dough, and one could tell that Ollie was indeed a professional. Tsutomu, while thinking how amazing that was, went to the refrigerator-like magic tool and took out a jug of orange juice with pulp.


    ¡°Where¡¯ve you been today, Teach?¡±


    ¡°The Dungeon, just for a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see, I see¡­¡±


    Hearing Hannah sound sozy as she spoke, Tsutomu cracked a dry grin while pouring the orange juice into a cup, first for himself and then for Daryl as thetter held out his cup to him. Tsutomu then ced the jug back into the refrigerator.


    At the same time, Diniel came down from the second floor, yawning. Apparently in a good mood, she searched through the contents of the refrigerator, took out a pot of milk, then went to sit on a chair before pouring the milk into a cup.


    ¡°So, tomorrow¡¯s another day off¡­¡± Hannah said as sheid face down on the same sofa, swinging her legs up and down.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Diniel replied as she proceeded to drink her milk.


    ¡°Have you ever thought that two days is a bit too much? I think I¡¯ve had more than enough rest in just one¡­¡±


    Diniel suddenly stood up, her usually sleepy eyes now wide awake, looking as if she was doubting Hannah¡¯s sanity.


    ¡°Rest is essential for everyone. Overwork ourselves, and our efficiency is sure to drop ¡ª there¡¯s no need to subject ourselves to that.¡±


    ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t sound all that convincinging from you, Diniel.¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu¡¯s words, not mine. You¡¯d be insane to even consider taking any less. Right¡­ maybe you should get yourself checked by a doctor, just in case.¡±


    ¡°W-wait, isn¡¯t that a bit overkill!?¡±


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Diniel said and pulled Hannah¡¯s hand, showing that she was perfectly serious about taking her to see a doctor.


    ¡°I¡¯m NOT going!¡± Hannah eximed and shook Diniel¡¯s hands off, having not expected thetter to be so insistent.


    Tsutomu, seeing that happen in the corner of his eye, proceeded to facepalm.


    ¡°Really, how many days off would you like, Diniel?¡±


    ¡°Forever. Ideally while observing your every move.¡±


    [What the hell is she on about now¡­?]


    Tsutomu looked on, exasperated as Diniel tried pulling Hannah¡¯s hand again, then he sat on another sofa and took a drink from his cup.


    ¡°Well, nothing¡¯s changing for now ¡ª you still get two days. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Good to hear.¡±


    ¡°You can always do your own training, of course, so do feel free if you¡¯d like to.¡±


    ¡°Cool. I¡¯ll dly sit that out.¡±


    Looking satisfied, Diniel proceeded to drink the milk from her cup, then passed the empty cup to Ollie before walking up to the second floor. She seemed quite eager to lie around idly on her bed ¡ª one she had brought in herself, no less.


    Hannah looked at Diniel go, then sat up and looked up at Tsutomu.


    ¡°S-she sure is confident in herself, isn¡¯t she¡­?¡±


    ¡°She IS one of the best Archers in town, you know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it¡­ like, when does she even train?¡±


    Hannah, having been paired up with Diniel before, knew full well how strong thetter was. However, she did not understand just how thetter was so strong, considering thatzy attitude.


    ¡°She¡¯s an Elf, so it¡¯s safe to say that she¡¯s been alive for much longer than the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s like¡­ She¡¯s kinda¡­ unreadable.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you almost sighed there, Teach. Something up?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing. It¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯t know what¡¯s the deal with Diniel, either.¡±


    ¡°Whaaa¡­ Aren¡¯t you supposed to be closest to her, as far as this n goes?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    Diniel¡¯s tone toward the n members was neutral and disinterested, but toward Tsutomu, she was quite casual. That was not a bad thing in and of itself, but Tsutomu felt that it was somewhat creepy, what with him not knowing why she was like that.


    Tsutomu had tried asking her at one point if she had been influenced by Amy, but never got any substantial answer, so he was even more confused.


    ¡°Wait, Teach, are you and Diniel dating, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho¡­ From what I see, she¡¯s probably got her eyes on you¡­¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a maybe ¡ª just maybe! I¡¯ve heard that Elves rarely fall in love with people of other races, but there are exceptions, you know?¡±


    Hannah grinned at Tsutomu, seeming to be into such stories. Tsutomu himself, however, looked upward, seeming as if he was recalling some distant memories. Hannah, seeing how Tsutomu suddenly turned quiet, had her expression shift to that of curiosity.


    Tsutomu, noticing how Hannah was looking at him, brought his mind back to the present and proceeded to look at her.


    ¡°You see, that sort of rtionship among n members is bound to cause all sorts of issues. I¡¯m not about to forbid n members from being an item, of course, but it¡¯s definitely not happening for me.¡±


    ¡°¡­You seem to be speaking from experience?¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    Back in Live Dungeon, Tsutomu had joined two ns before. He¡¯d had a good time with his second n and stayed with them for a long time, but in the end, it had disbanded after some members¡¯ real-life dating meetup went wrong. As such, Tsutomu had been sensitive to love affairs within organizations such as ns and workces.


    It was not umon in this world for ns to copse due to such rtionships, either. In fact, it happened quite often among newly founded ns and even mid-tier ns.


    Hannah had heard some of such stories herself, and she had been involved in some rtionship problems before, though not romantically. As such, she was quick to realize what Tsutomu was talking about.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. That¡¯s all in the past now¡­ and it¡¯s not exactly applicable here anyway. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Tsutomu said to Hannah and stood up.


    Unlike his previous case in an online game, this time it involved people constantly meeting face-to-face and even living in the same house, so such love affairs may simply be an inevitability.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m a little tired, so I¡¯ll go on a walk for a bit. Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sure thing,¡± Hannah said and looked at Tsutomu walk outside, feeling awkward to see how he had a bit of a mncholic aura about him.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The next day was also a day off for Absolute Helix, so everyone went their own ways after breakfast. Tsutomu went to the market, with Daryl following him. Diniel stayed in her room. Amira had to be forced by Tsutomu to rest for the day, since her use of [[Dragon Form]] the previous day had put a huge strain on her body.


    Hannah, perhaps feeling too energetic because of the massage she had received yesterday, prepared to visit the Guild by herself. In her room, she took off her casual clothes and changed into the thin cloth outfit that served as herbat gear.


    It was getting cold these days, so she also put on a jacket over it¡­ which she would end up taking off while in the Dungeon anyway. Since her gear was from a treasure chest within God¡¯s Dungeon, wearing any other equipment over it would nullify its STR and AGI-boosting benefits.


    [Maybe it¡¯s time I look into getting different armor.]


    She had not had the chance to think about it since she had been too busy working for Ealdred Crow¡¯s second main team, but considering it now, she was reminded just how revealing her gear was. Adding herrge bust to that, and Hannah was bound to attract many eyes to her.


    In fact, that had already caused her trouble on several asions during her time in Ealdred Crow. Men would often stare her way, naturally, some of the women as well. Whether it be positive or negative looks. Since then, she had be secretly conscious of her bust size.


    She had been prepared for that when she joined up with Absolute Helix, too. Considering the things she had, this revealing gear was the best performance-wise for her evasion-based Tank role, and fortunately, the other women of this n did not seem to mind that, which was quite a relief for Hannah.


    As for the men, she had noticed them looking, at least to some degree at first ¡ª which she simply considered an inevitability. Still, Daryl had been making an active effort to not stare, with him being so innocent, and Tsutomu had entirely stopped looking at her that way at some point. All in all, she was quite surprised how she no longer felt the stares after a few days in.


    Having seen how Tsutomu acted yesterday, Hannah had a hunch that simr troubles had urred to him in the past. She did not know whether or not he had been active as an Explorer before the Lucky Boy fiasco, however, so she decided not to ask him the details, even though she was curious.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    After checking her tools and putting them into her Magic Bag, Hannah went out alone, with Ollie seeing her off. The air was slightly chilly, and the sky was clear. Squinting under the strong sunshine, Hannah walked on along the stone-paved road.


    While feeling somewhat tight on her wings because of her wearing a coat over them, she headed to the guild without any detours.


    Hannah used to not each much for breakfast, so she would usually need to stop somewhere on the way to grab a bite. With Absolute Helix, however, short briefings and reports would happen during breakfast, so now she ate normal-sized meals in the morning.


    Moreover, Ollie cooked each of her dishes to amodate the tastes of individual members, so Hannah could eat in the morning just fine despite not feeling like it. The food over at Ealdred Crow was good as all, of course, but she felt better having breakfast customized just for her.


    [Man, I really need to get the hang of this evasion-based Tank thing soon.]


    All things considered, Absolute Helix was just as weing as Ealdred Crow had been, and moreover, she wasfortable being around all of her new friends. Daryl, a fellow Tank, albeit one with high level; Diniel, one of the best Archers in the scene; and even Amira, who had been getting better at cooperation and was currently working on controlling her [[Dragon Form]] ¡ª everyone was trustworthy. It went without saying that Tsutomu was, as well.


    Still, one piece of report from Tsutomu had caught Hannah¡¯s attention: it was still unknown when Amy and Garm would be joining the n. With the number of avable members now being just enough for one party, those two joining would bump the number up to seven, and there was sure to be conflict over who got to be in the main team.


    Having been in Ealdred Crow, where thepetition to be in the main party was quite fierce, she was conscious of it urring. She intended not to spare any effort to defend her spot while she still had it.


    Feeling pumped up for some action, Hannah checked her card at the Guild¡¯s reception desk, then queued up to teleport to the Wastndyers. Her n today was to practice dodging projectiles. She would have preferred to practice against the Wyverns in the Canyons, but losing her gear there would be a waste, so she had settled for the easier Wastnds.


    Treasure chests in God¡¯s Dungeon could be anyone¡¯s, and the weapons and armor pieces that appeared from it would alter themselves to fit the size of the person who opened the box. It was more advisable that those with average builds opened them, due to making them easier to find buyers in case one wanted to sell off the loot.


    Hannah was small in stature and had arge bust, however, so it was difficult for her to find good Dungeon-looted equipment, or even any she could equip at all, in the market. She could aim to find more treasure chests, but since the loot would be in her size, it would be difficult to sell off, making it so that she was the only one who could use it.


    Although there were some new vendors recently that specialized in disassembling and reassembling Dungeon-looted equipment, resizing the items, or adding new effects, their works were not guaranteed to be sessful, running the risk of losing the item altogether. As such, Hannah¡¯s only feasible way of getting better gear was to find her own treasure chests. This meant she could not afford to lose what she currently had, either.


    [¡­I wonder when I¡¯ll be able to find randos to form short-term parties with again.]


    Explorers were still calling Hannah the ¡®Feather Tank¡¯ and avoiding association with her, so it was difficult for her to find a party through the Guild¡¯s services. With a short-term party, she might have been good to go down to the Canyons today.


    Sighing at the fact that she still asionally felt mocking stares from people around her, Hannah stepped onto a Magic Circle alone. Then, once she reappeared in the Wastnd, she began training against the Skeleton Archers there.

 Chapter 114, A Hollow Victory

    <h4>Chapter 114, A Hollow Victory</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    On the morning after the two days off, Diniel looked somewhat sad as she sipped on a bowl of corn soup for breakfast. Daryl finished off his meal in no time, and Amira gobbled hers down as if topete with him, creating a little mess as a result.


    ¡°Oh, like I said yesterday, Amira will start using [[Dragon Form]] now. Do keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Teach!¡±


    ¡°If I forget to cast [[Medic]] quickly enough, Daryl¡¯s going to be the first one she attacks, so you and Diniel don¡¯t have to worry that much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer that you don¡¯t forget, then.¡± Daryl said and scowled at Tsutomu while still stuffing his cheeks with ham sandwich.


    ¡°Anyyyway, that¡¯s all from me. Does anyone else have anything to report?¡±


    ¡°Nope, not me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better remember to cast [[Medic]], Sir Tsutomu!¡± Daryl reminded Tsutomu, speaking with breadcrumbs all around his mouth.


    ¡°I know, I know.¡±


    Tsutomu proceeded to look around, and it was apparent that no one had anything else to say. Once breakfast was done, each member went to their own room to get geared up, then headed to the Guild together.


    ¡°You look¡­ even less energetic than usual,¡± Tsutomu said to Diniel.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna work,¡± Diniel answered, sounding sulky while dragging her feet along her way.


    Noticing that Diniel¡¯s ponytail had been half-heartedly tied together today, Tsutomu raised an eyebrow, somewhat disturbed.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t ck off while we¡¯re in the Dungeon, all right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure. It¡¯ll be better once I¡¯m in the Guild ¡ª it¡¯s the part before then that I don¡¯t like,¡± Diniel grumbled and sighed, her eyes as sleepy as ever.


    To her side, Daryl cracked a dry smile while walking along, his heavy armor ttering all the while.


    ¡°So, Amira? How are you holding up?¡± Tsutomu turned to ask Amira.


    ¡°Perfectly fine. Been fine since yesterday.¡±


    ¡°All right. Just wanted to say again that you have to rest when you need to. You¡¯ll be using [[Dragon Form]] starting today, after all.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know.¡±


    Amira quickly looked away, and ended up looking at the foot stalls instead. Hannah, seeing that, circled around to Amira¡¯s front and started lecturing thetter.


    ¡°Those two sure are getting along now, don¡¯t you think?¡± Tsutomumented.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Doesn¡¯t look exactly like that to me,¡± Daryl said and tilted his head¡­ while chowing down some honey toast that he had gotten from one of the stalls while no one was looking.


    ¡°¡­And you¡¯re still eating?¡±


    ¡°For breakfast desserts, yes.¡±


    Tsutomu was taken aback by Daryl¡¯s appetite, wondering how that heavy breakfast was still not enough, but did notment further since the Guild was already in view.


    The Guild was crowded, as one would expect. It has always been, but Explorers had be more active than ever since the Volcano floors had been revealed. Tsutomu waved to Garm, who stood on guard in front of the ck Gate, and then lined up for the reception desk.


    Monitor #1 was showing Ealdred Crow, in the middle of a battle against a Mount Golem. Monitor #2 showed Scarlet Devil Squad and Monitor #3 showed Silver Beast.


    ¡°Hey, Tsutomu,¡± A certain man with short golden hair called Tsutomu and tapped on thetter¡¯s shoulder.


    It was none other than the golden-haired wolfman Leon, and he greeted Tsutomu with a hearty smile once thetter turned around to him.


    ¡°Leon! Good morning!¡± Tsutomu returned the greeting and took a look at Leon¡¯s party members.


    Apanying the wolfman today were Barbara, whose physique was suitable for her Tank role; Eunice, the team¡¯s Healer; and another member who also seems to be a Tank. It seems that their teamposition had changed, opting instead to have two Attackers, two Tanks, and one Healer.


    Reducing the number of Attackers like this was possibly the preferable option if they were to get the best performance out of Leon. Better yet, having Leon as the only Attacker would be interesting to see. While Tsutomu was pondering over Golden Tune¡¯s partyposition, Barbara greeted him, prompting him to answer by bowing.


    ¡­And then there was Eunice, taking frequent nces at him, which he pretended not to notice.


    ¡°So, these guys and gals are your n members, eh?¡±


    Once Tsutomu was done looking at Leon¡¯s team, thetter proceeded to look at Tsutomu¡¯s new friends¡­ and along the way, he whistled at Hannah¡¯s cleavage once they entered his line of sight. Hannah promptly put her hands over her chest, while grinning bitterly at how shameless Leon was.


    ¡°You sure got some¡­ impressive people with you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to poach members from us now, alright?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, man, that¡¯sing from you? You did take Diniel away from us, y¡¯know¡­¡± Leon exaggerated his tone, making a joke in good spirit.


    ¡°Yes, and I think we should have¡­ handled that better, like telling you about it earlier in advance. It all happened too suddenly, I¡¯m sure.¡± Tsutomu responded and bowed his head, taking the statement seriously.


    The unexpected seriousness of the response caused Leon to freeze over, and then he urged Tsutomu to stop bowing.


    ¡°Hey, I actually didn¡¯t mind that, man! I mean, you saved our asses back during the Stampede, and besides, transferring to another n like that don¡¯t happen on a whim, I understand!¡±


    ¡°Uh, well, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Really, it¡¯s fine! Not like I was ever in a rtionship with her anyway ¡ª there¡¯s no attachment between us at all!¡­ I mean, that one time I tried hitting on her, I almost got killed!¡±


    Leonughed and tapped on Tsutomu¡¯s shoulder. The person in question, Diniel, simply looked at Leon, showing no interest in the situation at all.


    ¡°You heard him. Don¡¯t worry about it, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°¡­Damn it! It¡¯s been so long since Ist felt this¡­ humiliated!¡±


    Leon joked around with an exaggerated reaction again, this time activating [[Gold Bless]] and instantly zooming away. Daryl and Hannah only stood there and blinked, astonished by how quickly Leon had disappeared. The other Golden Tune members proceeded to chase after Leon.


    ¡°¡­Hmph.¡±


    Eunice shot a little re at Diniel before leaving the Guild with the others. Diniel looked somewhat sad to be looked at like that.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Diniel.¡±


    ¡°If I knew she was going to hate me that much, I would¡¯ve tried grabbing her tail once or twice¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Tsutomu was at a loss for words, and instead proceeded to walk to an avable reception counter.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°[[Medic]]¡±


    Tsutomu cast a quickshot version of the spell at Amira; she still could not control her transformation, and as such, has been attacking Daryl with her greatsword. Amira leaped up to dodge the shot, and the moment shended, Tsutomu cast a wide carpet-like version of [[Medic]] below her feet.


    Upon contact with the spell, Amira¡¯s [[Dragon Form]] was disengaged, and she copsed on the spot like an unsupported puppet.


    ¡°All right, help her up, Daryl,¡± Tsutomu said before proceeding to collect the Magic Stones that had fallen on the ground.


    Hannah scrambled to pick up as many Magic Stones as she could, which got a dry chuckle out of Tsutomu, and then, she carried an armful of Colorless Magic Stones for thetter to store away.


    The team has been in the Dungeon since early morning, and now the time was approaching noon. The introduction of Amira¡¯s [[Dragon Form]] into the regr battle routine has been sessful so far. Although her transformed state was difficult to handle, it certainly was quite powerful.


    The skill was not without its ring issues, however. Tsutomu had to make sure to cast [[Medic]] after each fight, increased workload on Daryl¡¯s part, and most important of all, Amira could not learn anything.


    While her yet uncontroble transformation was active, Amira would bepletely unaware of what was happening, and in turn, killing monsters would not improve herbat skills. Her level would still go up, of course, which was good by itself ¡ª but Amira was not yet a particrly skilled fighter. As such, Tsutomu had figured that it would not be good to have her full focus on practicing the [[Dragon Form]].


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I think your [[Dragon Form]] practice should stay in the mornings for now. Your teamwork with Daryl is still not that great, Amira.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait, I thought you wanted me to master my unique skill? Shouldn¡¯t I be using it the whole time?¡±


    ¡°No, you should improve your teamwork as well ¡ª the sooner the better. You¡¯ll get to practice more once you have that down.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Amira briefly seemed baffled at Tsutomu¡¯s decision, and in the end, she scowled and turned away.


    Tsutomu proceeded to take out his pocket watch from his Magic Bag to check the time, and seeing that it was almost noon, he called the exploration off. Hannah walked over to Tsutomu, a hearty smile painted on her face.


    ¡°Teach! I¡¯m in first ce today!¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°But Sir Tsutomu, I had to help Amira up after every fight! If not for that, I would¡¯ve won! I¡¯m calling for a fair evaluation here!¡± Daryl protested.


    ¡°How much do you even eat in one day, anyway?¡± Tsutomu blurted out, and in the end refused to override the decision, giving Hannah the right to order one free dessert after lunch.


    Daryl knelt down with both his hands on the ground, utterly defeated.


    ¡°Hehehe! I finally got a win!¡±


    ¡°Aw¡­ I was looking forward to it, too¡­¡±


    While Hannah proudly raised her chin and boasted of her victory, Daryl seemed too demotivated to even stand.


    ¡°You know you could just buy it yourself, right?¡± Tsutomu said.


    ¡°¡­Oh, right.¡± Daryl replied and stood back up, suddenly perfectly satisfied.


    As it turned out, he was not obsessed with winning at all, and had been gunning for the free dessert just to pacify his appetite.


    ¡°All right, time for lunch! Where should we go today?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see¡­¡±


    Hannah felt somewhat sad to see Daryl back out of thepetition so easily, realizing just now how empty a race without any otherpetitor was.


    Later, during the meal, Hannah ordered her dessert, choosing the exact same ice cream that Daryl had had the other day. She proceeded to shave off just a single bite, then slid the bowl over to Daryl.


    ¡°You can have the rest of it¡­¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    The taste of the dessert ¡ª the one Hannah had ¡®won¡¯ for herself ¡ª was quite different from what she had expected.

 Chapter 115, Dragon Form Improvement

    <h4>Chapter 115, Dragon Form Improvement</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    It had been two weeks since Hannah¡¯s empty victory, and one month since Absolute Helix hadmenced operations with five members.


    Over the past month, Tsutomu and the team had gone to the Wastnd, Beach, Valley, and Canyonyers to battle monsters and improve their coordination and cooperation. The synergies among the two corebat pairs ¡ª Hannah and Diniel, and Daryl and Amira ¡ª had been improving especially over the past two weeks.


    Today, they were at the Canyons, with their primary practice targets being Wyverns.


    ¡°Hannah, you don¡¯t need to be so careful where you move. I¡¯m not going to hit you or anything.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m scared of scary things, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had a friendly fire while I was with Golden Tune, you know. You can trust me.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you say so. Well, here I go¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, since you¡¯re so fast, I might want to hit you a few times,¡± Diniel said with a straight face.


    ¡°You¡¯re do it on purpose aren¡¯t you!?¡± Hannah shouted back, getting goosebumps from the outrageous-sounding statement.


    ¡°Just kidding.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re gonna tell jokes, you gotta be more obvious about it! I can¡¯t even tell from your expression if you¡¯re actually joking or not!¡±


    Overall, these two had gotten so much closer, enough for them to joke around like this.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Daryl and Amira, on the other hand, still had a long way to go. Amira would frequently try to get everything done by herself; a habit stuck from her time with her previous n. Furthermore, she has always been a girl of few words while inbat. Daryl had not beenmunicating much with her either. Perhaps because he had not worked up the courage to talk to her.


    Still, Amira did rid herself of her uncooperative tendencies. So, her greatsword swings also no longer identally went in Daryl¡¯s direction¡­ So long as she was not in her [[Dragon Form]]. She considered every member of the party as ¡®strong and worthy¡¯ now, and although she did not say so out loud, it showed in the way she worked with Daryl, paying attention to his positioning.


    As it had turned out, Daryl happened to possess the right mindset and capabilities to work with Amira even without verbalmunication. As such, theirbination has been effective, without any ring issues to speak of ¡ª not perfect, but more than good enough.


    Observing that their results were neither bad nor good, Tsutomu was having a hard time deciding whether or not to make ament. He was worried that he would be written off as nosy, what with there being no issues at present, and there being plenty of time to fix things since the team had just gotten started.


    And then there was a new factor to consider today: a slight change to Amira¡¯s [[Dragon Form]].


    ¡°[[Medic]].¡±


    As usual, after all monsters in the vicinity were wiped out, Tsutomu had to manually disengage Amira¡¯s [[Dragon Form]] to release her from her berserk state. Then it was time to call for Daryl¡¯s assistance¡­


    ¡°Gah-! Ow.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡­But this time, Amira simply tripped and fell while retaining her consciousness just fine, as opposed to how she would always faint upon being hit with [[Medic]] before.


    ¡°Uh, are you all right, Amira? You¡¯re not transformed anymore, are you?¡±


    ¡°¡­You could just cast [[Medic]] again if you¡¯re not sure.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    Tsutomu stepped back and cast a [[Medic]] quickshot at Amira ¡ª which had no effect, since her [[Dragon Form]] had in fact already been disengaged ¡ª and then [[Heal]] for her scratched cheek. Tsutomu then approached Amira as thetter took a few deep breaths.


    ¡°So¡­ are you in control of the form now?¡±


    ¡°Nope, still cked out. Maybe it¡¯s just that I can ¡®awaken¡¯ from it now, if you know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°I see. At least it¡¯s an improvement. Guess that means the practice is paying off?¡± Tsutomu said and smiled.


    Amira had been keeping up her after-Dungeon [[Dragon Form]] practice over the past two weeks, and Tsutomu still apanied her. Feeling awkward and unsure what to say back to the praise she had just gotten, she simply cast her eyes down. Tsutomu paid it no heed and proceeded to rest one end of his staff on the ground.


    ¡°Looks like the info I read was right, that the [[Dragon Form]] needs to be used in actualbat. Keep at it and you should be able to control your transformation eventually ¡ª and that would be really awesome.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Amira¡¯s [[Dragon Form]] had awakened three years ago, on the day of her father¡¯s death, and now it was starting to show some change. Happy about that change, Amira could not hold back her emotions ¡ª and cracked a menacing grin for the first time in quite a while. Tsutomu turned to her and smiled¡­ non-menacingly.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Noticing Tsutomu¡¯s inoffensive gaze, Amira turned to re at him, irritated.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°¡­Tch.¡±


    Feeling the indifference in Tsutomu¡¯s tone, Amira clicked her tongue and looked away, more irritated than before.


    ¡°Oh, did something happen to her?¡± Hannah suddenly popped up and asked.


    ¡°Mm-hm. Looks like she no longer faints after her [[Dragon Form]] is disengaged.¡±


    ¡°Ooh! Congrats!¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you,¡± Amira replied and bowed her head.


    Diniel proceeded to congratte her as well, albeit with just one indifferent word. Daryl worked up the courage to approach her and her menacing aura.


    ¡°C-congrattions, Amira!¡±


    Amira turned to Daryl, causing thetter to freeze over like a toad being stared down by a giant snake.


    ¡°¡­Yeah. Thanks¡± she proceeded to reply, taking a load off thetter¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s get going. More Wyverns are on their way,¡± Tsutomu warned.


    ¡°Ah, yes!¡±


    All four fighters scattered to their positions and prepared for the next battle. As soon as Tsutomu was done casting his support effects, Daryl and Hannah pulled the Wyverns¡¯ aggro, and Dinielunched a preemptive attack.


    One of the Wyverns immediately died to Diniel¡¯s arrow. Hannah flew around and distracted three Wyverns at once. While keeping an eye on Hannah¡¯s movements, Diniel proceeded to nock another arrow. Her bow made a tight bending sound as she pulled back its bowstring.


    ¡°[[Double Arrow]].¡±


    Dinielmanded the skill and let the bowstring loose, sending the arrow streaking toward one of the Wyverns. The swift arrow split in two and pierced through the monster¡¯s wing webbing.


    ¡°[[Hammer Buster]]!¡±


    Activating a skill that dealt extra damage to airborne targets, Hannah drop-kicked the Wyvern as it flinched from being struck by arrows, knocking it down to the ground. The monster¡¯s neck broke as itnded, and its body turned into light particles and disappeared.


    Daryl stood on solid ground while holding back several Wyverns. To his side, Amira flew in the air and cut down those Wyverns with her greatsword.


    Since they paid attention to each other now, it was highly unlikely that Amira¡¯s swings would hit Daryl. Moreover, Amira¡¯s hits were already powerful enough even without her [[Dragon Form]] boost, and since she was about to hit level fifty soon, the team could expect more major contributions from her down the line.


    ¡°[[Haste]]. [[Medic]].¡±


    As for Tsutomu, he had be ustomed to Hannah¡¯s movement patterns in the past two weeks, and was now able to perform his role without much difficulty, with plenty of breathing room while managing his mental energy, providing support, and healing.


    Tsutomu¡¯s current level was fifty-four, and his MND rating was B-. For this rating, Tsutomu¡¯s patterns of support and healing were considered difficult to pull off. What he did to counteract that was adjust the amount of energy he used for his skills depending on the situation, enabling his strategies to stay flexible despite his MND being more than two tiers lower than Eunice and Stephanie¡¯s.


    The amount of energy spent on skills not being fixed naturally meant that time management was the more difficult part instead ¡ª but it was quite simple for Tsutomu thanks to his perfect ¡®biological clock¡¯. His ability to adjust energy levels while managing his other tasks enabled him to effectively economize his mental stamina. It was likely that his energy would never run out unless there was a need to use high-consumption skills such as [[Raise]].


    [Getting easier now¡­]


    At first, Tsutomu had been unable to keep up mentally with running a five-member party, especially because he had to ce [[Haste]] pick-ups in the path of Hannah¡¯s tricky manoeuvres. Now that he was used to Hannah¡¯s patterns, however, that was no longer an issue.


    After the battle ended with all Wyverns defeated without issue, Tsutomu was about to take a breather when Daryl started making some noise in the distance. Looking that way, he saw arge copper-colored box sitting on the ground.


    ¡°Oh, a treasure chest.¡±


    Despite the number of monsters he had hunted, Tsutomu had never gotten one to drop before. He had seen one drop for someone else during his time training Stephanie, but this was the very first time it happened for a long-term party he was in. He broke into a sigh of relief, after wondering for so long whether he would ever see a single box during his whole time in this world.


    Compared to Live Dungeon, the drop rate of treasure chests in this world was clearly lower, which greatly increased the rarity and value of the items retrieved from the Dungeon. Tsutomu did not appreciate this nerf one bit.


    ¡°Sir Tsutomu, look! A treasure chest! Onyer fifty-nine, no less!¡±


    ¡°Now this is a rare find!¡±


    Chest drops were, statistically speaking, not so rare in the first twenty or soyers, from the Grasnds to the Forest. The deeper down one went, however, the rarer the boxes got. This naturally meant this one onyer fifty-nine was a truly rare find. Daryl and Hannah were especially ecstatic, with both of them having their hands on the copper box already ¡ª and they were practically hugging it.


    ¡°It sure is. Who¡¯s going to open it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s question caused Daryl and Hannah to fallpletely silent. The Explorer standard procedure was that either the party leader or a member whose body build was closest to the standard would be the one to open it. As such, Hannah had gotten to open just a few before, while Daryl never had the chance.


    Although Diniel was slightly taller than the average woman, her build was close enough to the standard, so she had been permitted to open quite a few in the past. As for Amira, she had gotten to open every single one she had found previously, since she was the leader of her previous n.


    Tsutomu considered going ahead and opening it himself, but upon seeing how absolutely excited Daryl was, he chuckled and decided to let thetter do it instead.


    ¡°Daryl, you can do the honours if you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°Me!? Are you sure!?¡±


    Hearing Tsutomu¡¯s suggestion, Daryl¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Really? Really sure?¡±


    ¡°Sure. We¡¯re not in financial trouble or anything.¡±


    Tsutomu held out his hand toward the treasure chest, and Daryl swallowed the lump in his throat. Daryl proceeded to pull apart the chest¡¯s buckle with his trembling hands, and then he swung the lid open. A faint light leaked from the crack in the process.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Daryl picked up the brown cloth bag that was in the treasure chest. It looked simr to the bag that Tsutomu carried. The chest, emptied of its contents, turned into light particles and faded away.


    ¡°Looks like a Magic Bag to me.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah¡­¡±


    Magic Bag was the most middling item type to be obtained from treasure chests. They would often be found in treasure chests in the Grasnds and Forest biomes and were easy to sell off due to their rtively low market value.


    Daryl looked half happy, half sad to have pulled such an item from the treasure chest.


    ¡°M-maybe we¡¯ll find some secret function once it¡¯s appraised! Like a Magic Bag that duplicates its contents or something!¡±


    ¡°R-right!¡±


    Thanks to Hannah¡¯s encouragement, Daryl managed to pull himself together¡­ and proceeded to hug the Magic Bag as if it was his own child. Amira looked on, wondering if the shock had in fact awakened a new fetish in Daryl.

 Chapter 116, Too Bad

    <h4>Chapter 116, Too Bad</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    ¡°Nope, no special effects. It¡¯spletely normal,¡± Amy reported her appraisal result and ced the Magic Bag on the counter.


    Feeling the excitement of opening the copper treasure chest, the team had immediately requested for the Magic Bag¡¯s appraisal upon their return to the Guild.


    As it turned out, however, the Magic Bag was nothing special ¡ª no item-duplicating effect or anything of the sort.


    ¡°N-no way¡­ This came fromyer fifty-nine, you know?¡±


    ¡°Well, bad luck happens. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Amy replied half-heartedly, seeing that Daryl was in low spirits with his ck-furred ears folding down. This cold-ish attitude of hers toward Daryl was due to her knowing that he was Garm¡¯s apprentice.


    Amy proceeded to issue an Appraisal Certificate, stamp the seal, and hand it over to Tsutomu. Tsutomu epted it and turned to pat Daryl¡¯s head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if we get something better next time,¡± he said to Daryl while taking back the Magic Bag.


    ¡°Tsutomu~~¡± Amy suddenly call out with a tone as if she was scolding a child.


    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡±


    Tsutomu tilted his head.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been seeing you on the single-digit Monitors~~ What gives, man~~?¡±


    Amy had been checking the Monitors inside the Guild whenever Absolute Helix was exploring the Dungeon. Over the past month, however, the n had almost never shown up on the single-digit Monitors, and was instead, often shown on Monitors of higher numbers than twenty.


    ¡°Of, I must¡¯ve forgotten to mention¡­ We¡¯re working on getting our team synergy going, so we¡¯re training on the upperyers for now.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, you got Dini with you ¡ª the Fire Dragon should be a piece of cake! I swear, herzy habits are rubbing off on you!¡±


    ¡°Is that true, Tsutomu?¡± Diniel asked, wondering if she had just found a fellow cker.


    ¡°Hell no.¡± Tsutomu replied bluntly before steering things back to the main topic, ¡°Besides, there¡¯s really nothing for us to gain from rushing ahead. Ealdred Crow can make all the discoveries, and we¡¯ll take it easy behind them.¡±


    ¡°Sounds to me like y¡¯all are cking off, though~~?¡±


    ¡°As I said, we¡¯re training ¡ª especially our newer members, an evasion-based Tank and a super powerful Attacker.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Amy took a nce at Amira and Hannah, apparently evaluating them in her mind. Being looked at like that, Hannah bowed her head, and Amira firmly stared back. Seeing fault in Amira¡¯s manners, Hannah pushed thetter¡¯s head down to have her bow as well.


    ¡°That redhead girl looks¡­ as rough as ever. You sure she¡¯s cool?¡±


    Tsutomu answered Amy¡¯s doubtful look with confidence,


    ¡°She¡¯s started behaving a bit. And we just saw some improvement to her [[Dragon Form]] control today, so I¡¯d say things are going well.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡±


    Seemingly convinced by the exnation, Amy looked away from the two and pointed at Tsutomu from behind the counter.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be joining your n as soon as my sessor¡¯s training is done, so you better get everyone past the Fire Dragon before then!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. And I¡¯ll train our Attackers to be stronger than you, too.¡±


    ¡°W-WHAT!? Nah, I¡¯m still gonna be stronger!¡±


    Amy vaulted over the counter, and Tsutomu moved away, holding the Magic Bag, and turning his back from her.


    ¡°Good to see that you¡¯re motivated. Well, good luck with your job ¡ª and don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mm-hm.¡±


    Tsutomu proceeded to open the door and leave, with the rest of his party following him. Amy looked on, feeling somewhat envious.


    Since the Magic Bag from the copper treasure chest had been appraised by Amy as an item of no special value, Tsutomu immediately sold it off at the Guild before returning to the n House.


    ¡°Wee back, everyone.¡±


    At the front door, Ollie, the house manager with short dark brown hair, bowed and greeted the five of them. She then proceeded to assist Daryl with unequipping his heavy armor.


    Although Daryl¡¯s armor was far too heavy for average person to lift, Ollie could carry the whole thing effortlessly while leading everyone inside. The living room was squeaky clean, and a tasty smell drifted in from the kitchen, where preparations were being made for various dishes.


    ¡°The water has already been heated, too, so do feel free to take a bathe.¡±


    The house had two bathrooms, one on the first floor for the women, and the other on the second for the men. Tsutomu was the first to bathe¡­ because the one time he had gone in together with Daryl, he had witnessed a hellishly messy sight. After all, Daryl was in his heavy armor all day, resulting in his body being quite musty and his Cynokin fur being absolutely soaked in sweat.


    ¡°Mm-hm-hm, mm-hm-hmm~~¡±


    As for the women, Hannah was always the first to go in, being the only one who liked taking baths. Diniel was the least motivated to take a bath, and would always be thest of the women to go in¡­ after much pestering from Ollie.


    The baths themselves ran on Fire and Water Magic Stones, and a hair dryer-like magic tool had been prepared as well. After Tsutomu was done bathing and was drying his hair, the soaking sweaty Daryl went in after him. Heading to the living room, he saw that Ollie was preparing dinner in the kitchen. As soon as thetter noticed Tsutomu walking in, she reached for a cup to pour him some cold milk, but he stopped her.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I can do it myself.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡±


    After the same exchange of words that had happened so many times before, Tsutomu took out the milk pot from the refrigerator, so as to not interrupt Ollie¡¯s cooking.


    Tsutomu observed Ollie¡¯s cooking as she grilled a hearty piece of steak meant for Daryl, and meanwhile, Hannah walked into the living room, having just finished bathing. Hannah then asked Ollie to bring her the pot of banana-vored milk from the refrigerator, and once she got it, she proceeded to chug the contents down right from the pot.


    ¡°Pwah! ¡®Tis the best!¡±


    Seeing some of the milk sticking around Hannah¡¯s lips, Tsutomu chuckled before turning his attention to the Dungeon newspapers, which Ollie bought new issues of every morning. Tsutomu started reading through all the three major publishers¡¯ issues, while Hannah reached her hands behind her to straighten some of the feathers on her wings.


    She had already groomed them earlier today, but still felt the urge to fix them up, perhaps because she had just gotten out of the bath ¡ª and not to mention, she still needed to apply some Birdkin feather-care cream on them.


    Eventually, Daryl and Amira joined them in the living room, the former refreshed after his bath, and thetter stillbing her long red hair as she walked. Diniel came and took her seat as well, showing no desire to bathe at all. With everyone here, Ollie proceeded to bring their food to the table.


    Ollie had cooked dishes customized for each of the n members, and sides that anyone could eat. Most of the time, and including this time, Daryl and Amira¡¯s main dishes were especially high in volume. Once Ollie was done setting the table, the four members immediately started chowing down, while Tsutomu said a few words of prayer before partaking.


    It was apparent that Ollie¡¯s cooking was delicious and had good attention to personal detail. Diniel¡¯s food was not as hot due to her heat-sensitive tongue, and Tsutomu¡¯s fried eggs were done over well, just as he preferred. Hannah¡¯s meal was rtively light, while Daryl and Amira¡¯s stood out due to the sheer amount.


    While the meal went on, Ollie collected the emptied tes and washed them. She was also responsible for all the housework, including cleaning andundry, for the five members. Tsutomu had bought some magic tools to make things easier for her, but without modern Earth cleaning tools and supplies, there was still a lot more work to do here than there would be in Japan.


    After the meal, Diniel was captured by Ollie and forced to take a bath.


    ¡°Now, please go in and clean yourself up.¡±


    ¡°Stahp¡­¡±


    As for the three others, Tsutomu called them for a short meeting despite being free time. He handed each of them a piece of paper on which the n¡¯s expenses and earnings over the past month were detailed.


    ¡°Here¡¯s this month¡¯s sry slip. The money will be transferred to your ount by the end of today.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡±


    Hannah epted her slip, seeming as if she was used to getting them, while Daryl and Amira looked confused as they took theirs.


    Amounts deducted from the Absolute Helix¡¯s monthly earnings included official expenses such as Potions, gear, furniture, and Ollie¡¯s sry. The remaining amount was then divided among the five n members as their pay.


    ¡°Huh? Am I supposed to get this much? I mean, my gear is quite¡­¡±


    ¡°Consider that a gift from me. They¡¯re not going on record.¡±


    If Daryl and Diniel¡¯s gear orders were included in the total, it would look like the n was in the red, so Tsutomu had paid for those out of his own pocket. Due to the nobility consuming a great quantity of Magic Stones during the Stampede, their market prices were still quite high, but that still was not enough to fund all their custom-ordered gear.


    To earn more money going forward, Absolute Helix could try hunting Wyverns in the Canyons, or defeating the Fire Dragon and heading down to the Volcanoyers to gather Inferno Magic Stones. There was no particr need for that now, however, with Tsutomu¡¯s pockets still being quite fat.


    Daryl stared at the paper, his eyes blinking with shock. In contrast, Amira folded it and put it away, then stepped forward.


    ¡°Hey, Tsutomu, I need your help. I wanna test some stuff out.¡±


    Amira seemed restless and gave Tsutomu quite a strong look, obviously wanting to test out her [[Dragon Form]] this instant.


    ¡°Oh, all right. Let¡¯s go,¡± Tsutomu said, somewhat amazed by how eager she was. As he left to prepare, Daryl looked on, still shocked by the paper in his hands.

 Chapter 117, The Sponsorship System

    <h4>Chapter 117, The Sponsorship System</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    ¡°NWAAAHHH!!¡± Amira shouted with a voice that was the most unwomanly it could get, as she tripped and plunged right at Tsutomu. Thetter stepped aside, causing her to fall onto the ground of the firstyer¡¯s Grasnds.


    Before, Amira would copse and faint on the spot upon the deactivation of her [[Dragon Form]]. Now that she had better control over the transformation, however, she could regain consciousness¡­ But that technically involved waking up while in motion, so it still ended up with her tripping and falling.


    She proceeded to roll a couple dozen times beforeing to a stop.


    ¡°GAH!! Damn it! That didn¡¯t do sh*t at all!¡± Amira roared up at the sky to vent her frustration, and had her scratches healed off by Tsutomu.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. You know you¡¯re improving, and that¡¯s good.¡±


    Having used [[Dragon Form]] repeatedly today, Amira¡¯s face was turning a little red, and she was starting to sweat more and more.


    ¡°Next! C¡¯mon!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    Amira wiped the streaming sweat off her forehead with her arm and proceeded to activate her [[Dragon Form]] again¡­ Then she had to be forced out of it with Tsutomu¡¯s [[Medic]], after which, she tripped on her own legs and fell again.


    The training went on for two more hours, and while she managed to keep herself from falling, she still could not keep her posture right upon regaining consciousness.


    [Looking good] Tsutomu thought to himself, considering how Amira had kept at it all the while, falling and getting up again.


    It was gettingte now, however, so he called off the training for the day. He proceeded to throw Amira a cold towel, to counteract her rising body temperature and profuse sweating resulting from the repeated use of [[Dragon Form]].


    ¡°Good job today. Let¡¯s take a little break then head back.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Seeing how well it¡¯s going, you might be able to use it in a real fight tomorrow, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    Amira nodded with some satisfaction. Her neck wrapped in the magic tool-chilled towel. Although she would still lose her posture, she would no longer outright fall upon the deactivation of [[Dragon Form]]. This meant she could probably use it in battle when she needed a power boost, then have Tsutomu cancel it when aggro generation needed to be limited.


    Tsutomu was actually somewhat impressed by today¡¯s progress, having not expected things to go this well. He proceeded to sit down and take out a roll of Dungeon-rted newspaper to read.


    ns that had gotten pastyer sixty so far were Scarlet Devil Squad, Ealdred Crow, and Silver Beast. ording to the newspapers, it seemed that Golden Tune had a good chance at achieving that progress, too.


    White Strike Wings, a major mid-tier n known for having an Attacker White Mage, had been going through notable mergers and alliancestely, so it would not be so strange if they were to defeat their first Fire Dragon soon.


    Since mid-tier ns had to make profits without relying on sponsors, they were mostlyposed of those who had financially survived with various ingenious ideas and methods. Many of them had even been founded as gatherings of high-levelled Explorers with unpopr Jobs, who had been tired of previously-widespread Job disparity in the Explorer scene. This resulted in individual ns having limited Job variety.


    Still, with the three-roleposition bing more widespread, the mid-tier ns had started to merge or form alliances, increasing their Job variety by forming parties that incorporated role theories. Their degrees of perfection were lower than the major ns¡¯, but some among them were sure to defeat the Fire Dragon eventually.


    Scarlet Devil Squad and Ealdred Crow were still stuck fighting the Mount Golem. Thetter group had decided to ignore the monster for now, opting to explore the Volcanoyers more and gather a variety of materials.


    [They¡¯re probably trying to craft the right gear for the task.]


    Ealdred Crow had their own workshop in their n House, in which they employed their own regr artisans. They were likely looking into crafting anti-magma equipment with the materials they were gathering. Besides, they had not discovered all possible materials yet, and only a handful of treasure chests had dropped for them so far. Moving away from theyer boss to focus on prep work was a perfectly viable decision.


    Scarlet Devil Squad had been repeatedly challenging the Mount Golem, but they were nowhere close to even finding a winning form. Silver Beast, on the other hand, had recently defeated the Bolseyer and was proceeding smoothly down the followingyers.


    [If everything goes well, Ealdred Crow will probably be the first to finish, though.]


    Ealdred Crow will probably be able to get past the Mount Golem if they could find a way to deal with its wide-ranged magma attack. As soon as they found out that the monster had high physical defence, they had switched their main party¡¯s Attackers to mage-types, and it seemed from the past month that they had no problem cooperating with one another.


    It would be best that Ealdred Crow¡¯s progress overtook Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s, since it would result in the role division of Tanks, Attackers, and Healers bing even more widely used. In turn, White Mages would be more relevant in the scene, which would fulfill one of Tsutomu¡¯s other goals ¡ª to improve the position of his Job.


    [And then all I¡¯ll need is to get down to the hundredthyer. Sure would be nice if that happens within a year, though¡­]


    Tsutomu thought over random things as he scanned over the news, then suddenly he noticed Amira behind him, taking a peek at the papers. He turned around and saw that she was narrowing her eyes for some unknown reason.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°You wanna read?¡±


    ¡°Nah. Just looking ¡¯cause that¡¯s someone I know.¡±


    ¡°An acquaintance? Which one?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Amira pointed to a picture showing an Ealdred Crow party. Apparently, the Spiritualist among them was someone she knew.


    ¡°A friend?¡±


    ¡°Old n member.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, I see.¡± Tsutomu lowered his voice, feeling awkward.


    Amira did not seem to mind t, and only looked away, before standing up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m tired. And sleepy,¡± she rushed Tsutomu and yawned, then held out her arm to help him stand.


    ¡°Uh, sure,¡± Tsutomu grabbed Amira¡¯s arm and stood up.


    They proceeded to immediately leave the Dungeon and head back to the n House.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°Diniel, your sry slip.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Diniel replied,zing around in her pajamas.


    ¡°It¡¯s right here.¡±


    Ignoring Diniel¡¯s indifference, Tsutomu put the slip down on the desk and immediately left her room. Yawning once, he then proceeded to leave the n House and headed for the market.


    The time was around nine o¡¯clock, and the market was booming with activity. Monitor viewership would peak during this period, so most major ns would also be down in the Dungeons, in part to please their sponsors. After all, periods of high viewership meant perfect opportunities to promote the sponsors¡¯ goods and services.


    Major ns would explore the Dungeon while equipping their members with as many sponsor-provided tools, weapons, and armor as they could. Those items would effectively be advertised to other Explorers, and the Major n would then receive a portion of the revenue thusly generated.


    Such promotions were not without their techniques ¡ª being aware of God Eyes¡¯ positions while inbat, making sure shops¡¯ logos on the gear were as visible in the broadcast, et cetera. It was important to use the tools right, too, so as to show the audience how effective they were.


    Tsutomu¡¯s n had also received arge number of sponsorship offers. He wanted to try taking at least one or two, but had refused every single one so far because, if he were to be honest, they would distract him from his Dungeon progression goals.


    If anything, it seemed foolish to limit their equipment options to ones provided by sponsors. Tsutomu had no intention of living the rest of his life in this world, and he was quite far from having financial issues. He did think it would be fine to earn some pocket change by pping logos on here and there, but his savings from the newspapers and nobility were still going strong.


    Then again, in terms of the n¡¯s inner workings, they would technically be deep in the red if not for the personal funding from Tsutomu ¡ª due to Diniel¡¯s liberal purchasing of arrows, and the heavy investment that went into Daryl¡¯s gear. Ollie, being in charge of the n¡¯s management, had also expressed her worries toward this particr issue.


    [I really am not used to this kinda stuff, though¡­]


    Live Dungeon had no in-game systems to do such things, so the concept of sponsorships was quite foreign to Tsutomu. He intended to dabble in it if he ends up having mary issues, of course, but he did not need any sponsors with how things were going right now.


    Still, money was not the only thing to be gained from signing sponsorship contracts with retailers. Improving stores¡¯ sales through advertising could open up more investments opportunities, which would likely be iparably more effective than Tsutomu¡¯s current investments as a client.


    Additionally, he would have an easier time producing certain products with newly-discovered materials, and also ess to certain goods limited to such partnerships. All in all, sponsorship contracts were sure to prove helpful in exploring the Dungeon going forward.


    [Maybe I¡¯ll ask Amy about itter.]


    Amy was in fact one of the pioneers when it came to promoting retailers and goods while exploring God¡¯s Dungeon. She was likely to answer almost everything he wanted to know as long as he asks.


    After looking at the one-digit Monitors, most of which showed Ealdred Crow¡¯s groups doing pretty much causal promotional campaigns, Tsutomu turned to Monitor #1. It showed Scarlet Devil Squad in the middle of their Mount Golem attempt, still using theirposition of four Attackers and one Healer.


    The mood among them was obviously not good. It was so bad that Tsutomu could not help but cringe and chuckle dryly. Weiss possessed a unique skill, and the ck Staff Alma wielded was powerful enough for it to be like a unique skill to her ¡ª but despite that, they were performing worse in battle than Ealdred Crow, even though thetter had no one with unique skills among their ranks.


    [Man¡­ will they be all right?]


    Feeling sympathetic for Weiss, seeing that he was clenching his teeth and clearly on edge, Tsutomu proceeded to walk around and check out the other Monitors.

 Chapter 118, Time for Weiss to Change

    <h4>Chapter 118, Time for Weiss to Change</h4>


    Weiss, the n Leader of Scarlet Devil Squad, was not that good atmunication. He could read monsters¡¯ movements just fine, but people¡¯s hearts, not so much. He was fearful of things he did not understand ¡ª which was why he was bad at talking to people.


    In fact, hisck of sociability would make one not believe that he was the Leader of his very own n. He even acted the same while in the n House as he would elsewhere; he was almost always silent. He was perceived by onlookers as a cool guy, but he was just not good at talking.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Regardless, the time was near for Weiss to change himself. His team had been wiped out by the Mount Golem so many times that he had lost count. This time, too, he and his four other team members were booted out of the Guild¡¯s ck Gate, all defaulted to xen clothes. That in itself was fine, since they had also gone through this so many times with the Fire Dragon. The issue, however, was the mood of the party.


    When they were attempting the Fire Dragon, things had never gone bad whenever they were annihted. The four participating members would simply offer their input, and Weiss would nod along and even join in on the discussion, and then they would figure things out through various trial and error.


    But now, no conversation took ce among them. Alma was the only one to speak ¡ª mostly whining and clicking her tongue. The three others kept silent, and so did Weiss. They were all frustrated, with their defeats having been so one-sided. Without any winning form in sight. Needless to say, the mood was dangerously awkward.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s call it a day.¡± Weiss advised, and three of the team members went to line up for the Guild reception, to get themselves re-equipped. Alma gave Weiss the stink eye, clearly disapproving of his decision.


    Alma was an Attacker ck Mage and used to employ a great variety of skills to fight effectively. Moreover, she had had a brighter personality up until recently, and used to be the one to ease the friction among the others.


    As a fighter and a Dungeon Explorer, she had always been one of the best in town, but her private life was¡­ somewhat too casual and sloppy. The imperfect quality of that gap had helped her build a good rtionship with fellow n members. Things had started to change after the n obtained the ck Staff that had allegedly been found in a gold treasure chest, due to the public attention that came with it.


    Scarlet Devil Suad had won the ck Staff from an auction, and Alma had been entrusted with wielding it. She had been terrified of its tremendous power at first, and even tried to get others to take it instead, feeling that it was too much for her. However, all the other n members respected her, and Weiss acknowledged her as the most capable. Overjoyed to tears by the trust she had received; Alma had worked hard since then to master the ck Staff.


    Due to the ck Staff¡¯s mental energy cost reduction, tuning assistance, and power boost, the casting of magic skills must be adjusted ordingly. ck Mages had to be careful of getting their allies caught in their attacks, so the ck Staff could be more of a hindrance without the right handling, due to it automatically increasing the scale of certain skills. Regardless, Alma¡¯s natural expertise had enabled her to adjust to it quite quickly, after which the n proceeded to challenge the Fire Dragon.


    Upon their victory, Scarlet Devil Squad celebrated hard. After all, they were the first group of people to get pastyer sixty ¡ª the excitement of the moment was immeasurable. At that time, Alma had set aside the ck Staff and joined in on the celebration.


    Since then, however, Alma started to change ¡ª particrly after a Solit Company-published news article put emphasis on how she had defeated the Fire Dragon with [[Meteor]]. She had been a Mage who used a variety of skills, but after that, she shifted to using mainly [[Meteor]], which had be synonymous with her name. In terms of rtionships, she started treating her fellow members poorly, and acted less and less respectfully toward Weiss.


    The ck Staff was powerful enough to rival a unique skill, but at the end of the day, it was a tool that anyone with a Mage-type Job could use. With her suddenly gaining such power, her change of attitude was perhaps only inevitable.


    ¡°You sure act big for someone who hasn¡¯t been doing much,¡± Alma grumbled and turned away, holding the ck Staff tightly as she headed to the reception counter. She showed not even a trace of respect she used to have toward Weiss.


    It was true that Weiss had not been able to y an active role for some time now. His fire-elemental expertise with [[Phoenix Soul]] was naturally a bad match for both the Fire Dragon and the subsequent Volcanoyers.


    Still, he was famous in Dungeon City for being one of the best wielders of a great variety of weapons; in fact, no one around was known to have mastered as many weapon types as he had. Since the Volcanoyers were full of cut-resistant monsters, he had switched to wielding hammers and other blunt weapons. Moreover, the automatic healing from his [[Phoenix Soul]] was still useful regardless of its current elemental disadvantage, so one could say that he was inadequate for the task, all things considered.


    ¡°¡­Alma, you¡¯ve done nothing but use [[Meteor]],¡± Weiss finally made ament toward Alma¡­ after a month of not saying anything of note to her.


    The other party members in line turned to look at him, surprised. They had never expected him, of all people, to be the one to start an argument.


    ¡°Huh? Are you saying that¡¯s my fault?¡±


    ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t work on Mount Golem. Why don¡¯t you try casting other spells instead? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten how to use them already.¡±


    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking! You were useless! Both when we fought the Fire Dragon and down in the Volcanoes! And you¡¯re telling ME how to act!?¡±


    ¡°¡­True, I haven¡¯t been able to do much.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! So, what right do you have to talk about what I do!? Hell, you rarely speak at all! I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re thinking! And NOW you¡¯re telling me what to do? Like you¡¯re some hot stuff!? How about you stop being so damn weird, you edgelord!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Weiss was unable to bring himself to say anything. Despite everything, Alma still had the better performance in the Volcanoyers. And as ineffective as the [[Meteor Stream]] had been, its damage output still surpassed Weiss¡¯ due to the ck Staff¡¯s power boost.


    ¡°What¡¯s with themotion?¡± Garm, standing guard in his indigo uniform, called out to the pair. Since the ones making the noise were of the Scarlet Devil Squad, Garm specifically had been requested to resolve the situation due to him being acquainted with Weiss.


    Alma trembled slightly upon noticing him ncing at her in particr, quite certain that he had heard her long-winded rant just now.


    ¡°N-nothing, nothing at all,¡± she promptly said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind arguments but try to keep it within your n House.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry,¡± Weiss said apologetically, suddenly in low spirits ¡ª an expected effect whenever any variation of the word ¡®edgy¡¯ was involved.


    ¡°You¡¯re always so quick to bend the knee,¡± Garm grumbled.


    Immediately following, Weiss grabbed Garm up by the cor of thetter¡¯s shirt. Those were the exact same words that had been said between them years ago ¡ª a particrly sore spot. The onlookers gasped, surprised to see Weiss angry for once.


    ¡°You¡­ shut your mouth!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, at least you¡¯re somewhat more willing to confront things. Hey, we¡¯re not putting on a show here. Move along.¡± Garm said to the onlookers, seeming not to mind Weiss¡¯ almost-murderous rage one bit, then he pped his hands, prompting the people to continue about their businesses.


    Weiss, silently looking up at Garm and proceeded to let go without further fuss and walk away.


    ¡°And you¡¯re as annoying as ever¡± he rebuked before leaving the Guild without changing out of his default clothes.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Back at his n House, Weiss sat down on the sofa.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much¡± Cecilia, the main Scarlet Devil Squad team¡¯s Healer, immediately came over to speak to him.


    Weiss swiped the bangs over his eyes to the sides.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not worried about it.¡±


    ¡°So what if you¡¯re a little edgy? We all understand, I swear.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Weiss was stunned by how unexpectedly wicked Cecilia¡¯s approach was right off the bat. She normally had the angelic demeanour of an ideal saint, and up until now, she had carried out the ssic disposable revive-Healer role without a single word ofint. Moreover, she had been friends with Weiss for the longest time since he began exploring God¡¯s Dungeon.


    She still looked as kind as ever now but seemed to also be showing some anger that no one had seen from her before. Weiss could not get a read on her, despite them having worked together for close to six years now. He looked away at nothing in particr, fearful of the encroaching sense of being dominated.


    ¡°Not to badmouth Alma, but I¡¯m sure everyone agrees with what you just said, at least. They just don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. I mean, you don¡¯t really¡­ talk much.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°There you go again, not saying anything¡­¡± Cecilia chuckled and continued to stare at Weiss as thetter looked back, seeming quite agitated.


    Weiss could not even guess what angle Cecilia wasing at him from. He was so frightened that he wanted to run away.


    ¡°We¡¯re aware that you¡¯re always looking out for us, Weiss ¡ª well, at least I do. I¡¯ve been friends with you for the longest time, after all. Even if you don¡¯t say anything, I can tell what you¡¯re up to¡­ more or less.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I still want you to say it, though. It¡¯s a sensitive subject, I know ¡ª you might even kick me out for this. Not that I¡¯d expect you to do that, but I¡¯m THAT serious about fixing this for you, you know?¡±


    The whole n knew that Weiss was not a bad person, but sometimes they were still unwilling to state their opinions, worried that he would start thinking badly of them. Knowing that, Cecilia, as the n¡¯s Healer and a long-time friend, had decided to take the lead in trying to amend the situation.


    With the three-role teamposition bing more widespreadtely, the general role of Healers had changed, such that the ssic Healers that only hid during confrontations and came out only to use [[Revive]] had be obsolete. All things considered, Cecilia would be fine even if she was expelled from Scarlet Devil Squad, since it meant that she could find somewhere else to work a better role.


    From a spectator¡¯s point of view, the ssic White Mage role was dishonourable and parasitic. For the sake of her fellow n members, Cecilia had endured that disgrace as well. In turn, everyone had secretly voiced their concerns to her and heard out herints.


    The same could not be said for Weiss, however. Cecilia could tell, despite him not saying anything, that he most likely appreciated what she did. But the what-ifs were still worrying ¡ª whether or not he did not speak to her because she was not necessary, whether or not he had been saying nothing because he thought they were weak. All n members had the same suspicion toward Weiss, to varying degrees.


    Back when Alma started acting up, the other n members could not bring themselves to speak up, out of consideration for Weiss¡¯ silence. They had been worried that, just maybe, Weiss approved of Alma¡¯s power-mongering, and would not appreciate their opinions. That suspicion had prevented the situation from being addressed, which in turn contributed to inting Alma¡¯s ego.


    If Weiss would just express his gratitude, perhaps Cecilia would have felt just fine carrying out her role. If the n members had known what Weiss thought of Alma¡¯s change, perhaps they would have stopped her before she got out of control.


    Cecilia stared straight at Weiss, the look in her eyes fully serious.


    ¡°Me, the rest of us ¡ª we all want to know what you¡¯re thinking. Let¡¯s say that we know what you feel about Alma now¡­ What about the others? Scratch that, what about me? Do you want me around? Or do you not?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m¡­¡±


    Weiss looked away as he wondered how he should answer, seeing that Cecilia was on the verge of tears. He was not sure how Cecilia would react if he were to state his issue outright. Many words came up in his mind, and subsequently faded away. For a moment, only his breathing could be heard.


    Then, after the awkward silence, Weiss forced an answer out of himself,


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ scared.¡±


    ¡°Scared¡­? Of what? Did Alma do something to you-¡°


    ¡°People.¡±


    The confession caused Cecilia¡¯s expression to freeze over ¡ª it was that confusing.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ scared of people?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second¡­ I did imagine this before at some point, but you haven¡¯t been talking much because you¡¯re¡­ SHY?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Cecilia was already feeling somewhat of a headache due to the unexpected revtion. Crusty, scary, mysterious, but with moments of kindness ¡ª that was the impression she had of Weiss. Him being averse to interpersonal interactions had been one of the lowest on her list of possibilities she¡¯d had for him.


    ¡°Uh¡­ what can I even say? And here I am, ready to get expelled¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry,¡± Weiss apologized, further confusing Cecilia. Regardless, he had felt that he needed to get it out of his system.


    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t keep on being like this. Everyone¡¯s got problems ¡ª you, Alma, the rest of us. And I know we have to change.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right,¡± Weiss reaffirmed, helping Cecilia to feel some peace of mind, at least for the time being.

 Chapter 119, To Whom The Black Staff Belongs To

    <h4>Chapter 119, To Whom The ck Staff Belongs To</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Thirteen years ago, Weiss had lost all hisrades in a certain Dungeon, and since then, he had fought alone. The fear of loss had never left him, but the grief had also rendered him unable to give up fighting. After finallyying all of his undead-turnedrades to rest and conquering that Dungeon all by himself, he still felt as if a hole had been left agape in his heart.


    At that point was when he caught wind of a certain rumor ¡ª of God¡¯s Dungeon, in which those fallen woulde back to life. Although quite skeptical at first, he eventually believed it after seeing the Monitors and Explorersing out of the Guild¡¯s ck Gate. In God¡¯s Dungeon, he would never lose hisrades. Knowing that, he had rushed to establish his very own n, having been so starved of thepany of friends.


    After years of fighting alone with reckless abandon, however, Weiss¡¯ conversational abilities had diminished. That, and the fact that he had be somewhat of a living legend for conquering a Dungeon alone, caused people to be too scared to talk to him, worsening things even more.


    But recently, starting from the discussion with his long-time friend Cecilia, Weiss had started making an effort to change. Suddenly bing talkative was out of the question, of course, so Cecilia served as his sole conversation partner at first.


    During the first week, Weiss was unable to even talk properly. Hung up on what his partner would think of his words, he would always find himself lost in thought instead. Thanks to Cecilia¡¯s persistence in questioning him, however, he gradually managed to get more and more words out.


    Then, after about three weeks of practice, he was finally able to hold decent conversations. Weiss¡¯ thoughts, previously frozen in his silence for many years, were unraveled by Cecilia¡¯s help ¡ª and this morning, it was finally time¡­


    ¡°¡­Good morning¡± Weiss took the initiative to greet everyone, as opposed to his usual routine of simply nodding to them as he passed by.


    ¡°Huh? A-ah! Good morning!¡± The n members, while quite surprised, replied to him.


    Watching over Weiss, Cecilia grinned with satisfaction. It was a joyful moment for her, despite the others being possibly horrified by the apparently sudden change, since she knew the truth of the situation.


    Cecilia had not expected Weiss to be scared of interacting with people ¡ª or even for him to admit so. After all, he had also been that way back when he invited her to join the n, so she had never thought it out of the ordinary.


    And as of now, she was the only one who knew that. Weiss had asked her to keep it under wraps for now, fearing that people would be disappointed in him if they were to find out.


    [It¡¯s a secret between us!]


    Considering that Cecilia had been prepared to be expelled for bringing the topic up in the first ce, she was fine with how things were going now. In fact, she was enjoying this quite a bit.


    The n¡¯s members had started noticing Weiss¡¯ change of attitude, and had been chatting over the topic during breakfasts. Many of them had originally joined the n to follow Weiss due to him being somewhat of a living legend because of his past achievements. As such, it was hard for them to contain the excitement and happiness of being personally greeted by him.


    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡±


    Alma was the only one unhappy, but she was not about to say something that would ruin the mood for everyone else, so she simply ate her breakfast¡­ while constantly holding on to the ck Staff. Afterward, the members split into the usual two groups and headed to the Guild.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m thinking we should focus on earning Gold for today,¡± Weiss proposed today¡¯s ns to the others along the way.


    ¡°Say what?¡± Alma immediately responded, her face contorting like a wolf detecting a vulnerable sheep in the wild. ¡°Are we really going to take it easy now, with Ealdred Crow catching up to us? Don¡¯t we have more than enough money already?¡±


    ¡°¡­But¡­¡±


    ¡°But what? Go ahead, if you¡¯ve got a problem, then spell it out.¡±


    Alma scowled at Weiss, causing him to fall silent ¡ª as he usually would. Such was the way she fueled her superiorityplex, through cutting off and talking down Weiss. The others, not saying anything about it, also made her grow more and more arrogant, and eventually, she acted as if she was the n Leader herself.


    But things did not y out the same today, as Weiss had been working on his speech for some change to ur.


    ¡°¡­Do you really think we can win by fighting the way we do?¡±


    Hearing Weiss object to her now, Alma was surprised to the point of being visibly confused. She had only experienced this once before, three weeks ago.


    ¡°Ealdred Crow hasn¡¯t been attempting the Mount Golemtely. So this is our chance to build up morebat experience and stay ahead of them, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing Alma¡¯s opinion, Weiss spent some time thinking it over. Alma, not hearing an immediate counterargument, did not expect any ¡ª and so she groaned triumphantly. But then, when the group was about to arrive at the Guild¡­


    ¡°We¡¯re not even putting up a fight now. All we do is put on an embarrassing show, get killed, and throw our Gold and supplies down the drain. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Cecilia said to Alma, putting herself between thetter and Weiss.


    ¡°¡­Cecilia.¡±


    Alma¡¯s surprise was twofold: one for the fact that Cecilia had intervened in the first ce, and two for the fact that she somewhat agreed to the statement. Fighting with four Attackers was inefficient and would most likely get them wiped out without dealing much damage. After all, that was how most of their battles had gone.


    ¡°We¡¯ve only opened one treasure chest so far, and maybe we¡¯ll fare better if we get some more Dungeon-looted gear, right? We could make some Gold by finding new materials, too.¡± Cecilia borated further,ying down abo of truth bombs and a healing smile.


    ¡°¡­Okay, fine,¡± Alma reluctantly nodded and quickly walked away.


    Cecilia put her hands on her chest and sighed, relieved of worries for the time being. Weiss approached her.


    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s fine! I mean, sorry if I was out of line!¡± Cecilia said, but despite her words, she was too flustered to hide her real expression. She had always noticed that Weiss would make a certain look whenever he wanted to thank someone, but since the day she joined Scarlet Devil Squad, this was the first time he ever thanked her directly.


    As Cecilia stood there, stunned, the party¡¯s two other Attackers walked over to her and asked,


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on between you two? Weiss was¡­ totally being nice to you, yeah?¡±


    ¡°No way. How about you try talking to him, too?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be asking you if I could do that! ¡­So, he¡¯s totally mad at Alma¡­ right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you actually can. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Hey-¡°


    Cecilia grabbed one of the Attackers by his arm and threw him in front of Weiss, then nudged him forward on his back. He proceeded to freeze over, as if he was a toad being stared down by a giant snake.


    A few moments passed with him unable to do anything, then he eventually thought of ming Cecilia if something were to happen and proceeded to throw out a question about Alma¡¯s situation. Weiss, being asked so, fell silent for a moment. The other man, feeling an awkward atmosphere take hold, broke into a cold sweat, then, eventually unable to bear with the silence, he shouted,


    ¡°N-nevermind, Weiss! Sorry for bringing that up!¡±


    He turned around and was about to leave, but was promptly stopped by Cecilia.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t run.¡±


    ¡°Lemme go, Cecilia! What if he kicks me out!?¡±


    The man desperately tried to shake himself free, but then¡­


    ¡°¡­Alma is¡­ too obsessed with power.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Hearing Weiss¡¯ words, the Attacker was stunned. His Leader used to stay absolutely silent no matter who spoke to him. He had not expected Weiss to actually respond to his question.


    In truth, Weiss had always tried to answer his n members whenever they asked him things. However, the fear of how people would interpret his words had always stopped him, causing him to spend too much time thinking, during which, his conversation partners would simply cut the conversation short and move on. This resulted in him being unable to answer anything up until now.


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s my responsibility. I¡¯d like to help her out of this mess.¡±


    ¡°I-I see¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry for all the problems up to now¡­¡±


    ¡°N-no, you don¡¯t have to be!¡±


    The man bowed repeatedly, emotionally moved by Weiss¡¯ words despite the admittedly awkward attempt. Seeing that, another one of the n members also timidly asked Weiss something he was curious about. Weiss took as long toe up with a reply as he had before, but the answer did eventuallye. The two Attackers proceeded to chat with Weiss for a while, until¡­


    ¡°Guys!? What the hell!?¡±


    Alma, noticing that no one had followed her, rushed back to the group to call them.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°¡­For Rock Beetles, use a sword to stab straight into its mouth. Be precise.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    ¡°No need to worry about its tough shell; all you need is to hurt it from inside.¡±


    While exploringyer sixty-nine of the Dungeon, Weiss also did his best to talk to his n members, mostly on the topic of the Volcano¡¯s monster behaviors and weak points. He was not as slow to reply here, perhaps becausebat-rted topics were easier for him to talk about.


    ¡°[[Meteor]].¡±


    Alma, annoyed by how Weiss was acting today, cast her spell to crush the Rock Beetles¡¯ rock-shaped shells by practically dropping a bigger rock on them.


    Since it was true that Alma had been killing the most monsters during the team¡¯s time in this biome, she was openly proud about being the member with the biggest contribution. Despite that, the party members were grouping around Weiss today, to her annoyance.


    ¡°¡­Alma.¡±


    And then Weiss called out to her. She red at him, but thetter simply looked back with his expression unchanged.


    ¡°Using the [[Meteor]] is nice and all, but I¡¯d like you to try other skills, too.¡±


    ¡°What? Now you¡¯re telling me how to do things? You know that I¡¯ve killed more monsters than you, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Weiss could not say anything to deny that im. It was true that Alma¡¯s contributions were greater than anyone in the Volcanoyers. But as he stayed silent, one of the team¡¯s Attackers next to him stepped forward and said,


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with that attitude, Alma? Weiss is our Leader, you know?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m just telling the truth,¡± Alma replied, albeit quite surprised yet again that, after Cecilia earlier, this man would also talk back to her.


    The man nodded in agreement.


    ¡°True, Alma, you¡¯ve killed the most monsters while we were in the Volcanoyers.¡±


    ¡°So why¡¯d you-¡°


    ¡°But what about before? The Canyons, the Wastnds, the Swamps ¡ª was your kill count higher than Weiss¡¯? Pretty sure it¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Your performance will be better or worse depending on theyer¡¯s properties ¡ª that¡¯s normal. I know you¡¯re strong, Alma, but you do remember that an Attacker¡¯s value isn¡¯t measured by just their kill count, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­What the hell, you guys never said anything about this before, and NOW you have a problem with me!? I¡¯m so strong right now that I won¡¯t lose to Weiss, no matter whatyer it is!¡±


    ¡°Because you have that staff, you mean? That¡¯s not exactly your own power.¡±


    The man pointed at the ck Staff in Alma¡¯s hands, prompting thetter to twitch an eyebrow.


    ¡°This staff is mine!¡±


    ¡°What? No. It¡¯s the n¡¯s property. I mean, everyone chipped in ¡ª you¡¯re only using it.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m the only one who can use it!¡±


    ¡°Got anything to say about that, Weiss?¡±


    The two turned to Weiss, causing him to freeze up. Seeing that, Alma raised both her hands, feeling that it was a waste of time.


    ¡°Like he¡¯ll actually answer. You¡¯re going to be ignored, like always.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Told so by the man, Alma nodded casually and turned to Weiss as thetter stood there. Weiss had the usual sour look on his face, and he waspletely immobile.


    ¡°See, he¡¯s always like this-¡°


    ¡°¡­The staff is the n¡¯s property.¡±


    ¡°You heard the man.¡±


    Alma¡¯s eyes opened wide as she heard Weiss and the man¡¯s answers. She had always thought that Weiss would never respond no matter who talked to him, and that one could never expect an answer out of him. Whenever he opened his mouth, it was only for either administrative or battle-rted matters ¡ª and even then, he would sometimes opt to forgo those as well.


    ¡°¡­Technically, you¡¯re only borrowing it, Alma. Others have the right to use it, too.¡±


    ¡°W-what did you just say!? No, they can¡¯t! I¡¯m the only one who can use it!¡±


    ¡°¡­Listen, I noticed something during the Stampede¡­¡±


    Weiss¡¯ statement caught everyone¡¯s attention. He continued to slowly exin, sorting through the words that came up and disappeared from his stream of thoughts.


    ¡°¡­Tsutomu picked up the staff after you lost it. And when it was in his hands, all of the jewels on it were shining.¡±


    ¡°W-what!? What are you getting at here!?¡±


    ¡°¡­Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s special¡­ or because he¡¯s a White Mage.¡±


    The ck Staff had ten Treasure Tools embedded in it. When it was in Alma¡¯s hands, only three of them glowed, as opposed to all ten when it was held by Tsutomu. From this, one could guess easily that the ck Staff was meant for White Mages.


    ¡°¡­We can test that out by having Cecilia hold it.¡±


    Alma tightened her hold on the ck Staff. The look she had was of a mother desperately keeping her child from being kidnapped.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding! Like hell I¡¯m gonna hand it over! It¡¯s mine!¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re too obsessed with it, Alma. You should separate from it for a while.¡±


    ¡°No!! It¡¯s mine! This staff is mine! Get away from me!¡±


    Screaming like a madwoman, she stepped back with her arms wrapped tightly around the ck Staff. Then she quickly realized that the situation was not at all in her favor, so she proceeded to get down on her knees¡­ while still holding the ck Staff.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, all right!? So please! Don¡¯t take it from me! It¡¯s mine! Please! You can¡¯t do this to me! Please!¡± Alma repeatedly pleaded, her teary face down on the Volcano¡¯s burning earth.


    All the other party members around her were taken aback by how emotionally unstable she was.


    ¡°¡­Let go of the staff now. You¡¯ll have it backter, I promise.¡±


    ¡°No! Stop! Help, anyone! I¡¯m gonna die! If I don¡¯t have it, I¡¯m gonna die! Don¡¯t take it away from me!!¡±


    Despite Alma¡¯s cries and pleas, Weiss pulled the ck Staff away from her hands. Then he pinned her down as she started thrashing around, getting scratched on his face by her nails in the process. The wounds were subsequently healed by the effects of his [[Phoenix Soul]].


    With the ck Staff confiscated, the members of Scarlet Devil Squad restrained Alma to prevent her from going on a rampage as they left the Dungeon.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Three days had passed since the ck Staff was confiscated from Alma. She had since locked herself in her room, refusing toe out no matter who tried to talk to her. All of the n members were starting to feel worried and uneasy.


    The scene of Alma begging on her knees had been shown on the Monitor, of course, which caused somewhat of a buzz among the spectators. Thankfully, none of the newspapers focused on the topic, and when Ealdred Crow imed their first victory over the Mount Golem, that was what went all over the news instead.


    ¡°¡­Sorry for all the trouble.¡±


    And so Weiss came clean to his n members about his fear of people, apologizing for his inadequatemunication up to now. Everyone was surprised by the reveal, but they took it well, showing no disappointment whatsoever.


    It was true that Weiss had rarely spoken before, but the n members had taken no issue with that ¡ª until Alma started acting up. Weiss had not meant any harm, and he hadmunicated through nodding and gesturing as needed. Everyone was happy to just be fighting alongside a living legend.


    And like Cecilia, the other n members did not seem particrly concerned about Weiss¡¯ fear of people. Relieved to know that, Weiss closed his eyes.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always wanted you to praise me a bit.¡±


    ¡°And that thing about you trying to get Garm to join us ¡ª now that I think about it, he was pretty much the only guy you talked to. Made me think you weren¡¯t happy with the rest of us or something.¡±


    They did have some dissatisfaction built up after Alma started acting up, however, so they spelled it out ¡ª in a non-serious manner.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    Still, hearing thosements right in his face, Weiss did feel some urge to run away.


    ¡°Uh, Weiss, we¡¯re sorry, all right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t be. It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    ¡°No, it can¡¯t be ALL your fault, Weiss! ¡­We¡¯re partly to me, too. Because we never said anything.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    ¡°True, true.¡±


    And so the issue of poormunication resulting from Weiss¡¯ silence was resolved, and he was on perfectly fine terms with his n members once more¡­ except for the young woman who had locked herself in her room.


    ¡°¡­Listen, Alma is¡­ my responsibility.¡±


    Weiss knew very well how dangerous to one¡¯s mindset a unique skill could be, precisely because of how powerful they were. But he had worked his way up from the very bottom during his time conquering other Dungeons, and the same could not be said for Alma. Despite knowing that, he had given a simr spike of power ¡ª the ck Staff ¡ª to Alma.


    ¡°¡­When ites to exploring the Dungeon, it would be best for Cecilia to use the ck Staff, but¡­¡±


    When the ck Staff had been taken from Alma and passed over to Cecilia, all of its Treasure Tools shone brightly, fully confirming that it was meant for White Mages ¡ª and that its usefulness was not entirely the result of Alma¡¯s strength, but its already immense power. As such, it would be quite fine to have someone else use the staff ¡ª either Cecilia, or the other ck Mage among their ranks. Do so, and the team was sure to have no problem resuming their Dungeon exploration.


    ¡°But I¡­¡± Weiss cut himself off, as it took some time to calm down.


    Even to this day, he still saw his oldrades in his dreams. Therades he had failed to save ¡ª therades who had been turned undead. He cast his eyes down and clenched his fists.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to lose a friend ever again. I want Alma back with us ¡ª and for her to be back the way she was. It might not be right for me to say this¡­ but¡­¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for the ck Staff, perhaps Alma would not have be as crazy as she was now. If Weiss had reined her in early on, or if the others had noticed her change, things would not have yed out the way they did. He wanted the old Alma back ¡ª the Alma who used a wide variety of skills and cheered everyone up with her enthusiasm.


    Weiss looked straight ahead at his n members, and they all looked back at him.


    ¡°No one will be using the ck Staff. I don¡¯t think things will end well otherwise, and Alma will leave for real¡­ But that does mean our Dungeon progress will be slower from here on out. This might be a problem for some of us, but please¡­¡±


    Weiss bowed down deeply, sounding as if he was on the verge of tears.


    ¡°I¡¯d like you all to give me some time to make things right, both for me and her.¡±


    The n members gulped upon hearing Weiss¡¯ plea for help. Then, one of the men spoke up,


    ¡°That¡¯s fine! I want her toe back, too!¡±


    And the other members promptly followed suit,


    ¡°Y-yeah! I¡¯m sure that staff is just possessed by some ghost or something!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it started happening when she got that staff¡­ I¡¯ve been too scared to say anything about it, too.¡±


    Everyone agreed to Weiss¡¯ proposal, with every one of them knowing how Alma once was before she started using the ck Staff ¡ª and had witnessed in full her change of attitude. They all felt responsible for letting only Alma use the ck Staff for so long.


    ¡°¡­You all have my thanks.¡±


    Weiss bowed again to his n members, thankful for their agreement.

 Chapter 120, Orcie

    <h4>Chapter 120, Orcie</h4>


    The day after Ealdred Crow defeated the Mount Golem, Tsutomu proposed to his n members that they started their activities in full.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking we should get into the meat of our activities starting today. First of all, let¡¯s kill the Fire Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Finally. I was getting tired of waiting.¡±


    Sitting on her usual sofa, Amira put her hands together and cracked their joints. It had been a whole month since she was first able to maintain her consciousness after the disengagement of her [[Dragon Form]]. Absolute Helix as a whole had been doing well, too, making good progress while keeping up their training.


    Since the Dungeon¡¯s ck Gate would disappear while Boss monsters were present on theyer, challengers could not return from their attempt partway through. As such, Tsutomu did not want his team to take on Layer Bosses unless he could at least fully trust the Tanks¡¯ abilities. With that said, Daryl¡¯s synergy with the team had been greatly improving over the past two months, so much so that he seemed more capable than Garm during thetter¡¯s time with Tsutomu. And since Hannah was also getting better at evasion-based tactics, Tsutomu decided that it was time to challenge the Fire Dragon.


    Moreover, due to the greater variety of monsters that would appear in the Volcanoyers, another goal for the team was to get everyone used to working with one another while things were less chaotic. Hannah was a veteran Explorer, and Hannah had been in this line of work for long enough, but Daryl and Amira had yet to understand the Dungeon on a deep level. Daryl had been a luggage carrier until Garm taught him the ways of a Tank, and Amira had been fighting her way through with her unmastered [[Dragon Form]] rendering moot to all the experience she would have gained otherwise.


    Naturally, there were monsters that these two had never fought before, particrly the Demi-Lich, a secret boss monster of the Wastndyers. There would be more opportunities to fight some of such monsters in theingyers, so Tsutomu wanted them to get their feet wet now.


    Tsutomu had also taken some time to think about sponsorships, discussing it with Amy whenever he had the chance to. Seemingly happy to be asked about her area of expertise, she had looked quite proud as she taught Tsutomu the ins and outs of the business.


    And when it came to money, Ollie, as the n House¡¯s ountant, had advised that Tsutomu should not rely on his personal Gold reserve to get everything done. As such, Tsutomu had decided to try signing into a sponsorship program and put Ollie in charge of managing the n¡¯s funds.


    ¡°¡­And with all that said, Mister Tsutomu has entrusted me with the management of the n¡¯s equipment funds. Please do cooperate nicely ¡ª now, first of all, Miss Diniel. You are spending far too much on restocking your arrows.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a necessary sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°I have already investigated your spendings on arrows during your time with Golden Tune. Compared to that, you are obviously splurging on them much more now.¡±


    ¡°Tch, Orcie¡­¡±


    Diniel did not like Ollie much because thetter had been forcing her to take daily baths. That, coupled with Ollie¡¯s abnormal strength, had led Diniel to give her a nickname that sounded like ¡®Orc,¡¯ which did not particrly faze Ollie herself but definitely got reactions out of Daryl and Hannah.


    ¡°What did you just say, Diniel!? Apologize to her now!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! Insulting our Miss Ollie is an unforgivable sin!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Orcie simps.¡±


    ¡°Y-you wanna try saying that again, huh!?¡±


    Daryl had been getting belly rubs from Ollie, and Hannah was practically addicted to her massages and feather grooming. Amira had also gotten belly rubs, but ultimately found her nagging to be quite annoying, and thus pretended to not see whatever was happening now.


    Diniel started at Daryl and Hannah, eyes freezing cold.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll say it ¡ª SIMPS. She¡¯s bribed you two so hard, you¡¯re like a dog begging for food and a bird in heat for an Orc. Feel some shame.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you!¡±


    ¡°Now, now. Calm down, Miss Hannah.¡±


    Ollie held Hannah back as thetter was about to start a fight, and proceeded to continue her discussion with Diniel. In the end, it was decided that Diniel¡¯s budget would be more constrained, limiting the number of arrows she would get to purchase from now on.


    While all that chaos went on in the n House, Tsutomu signed a sponsorship deal with Dorren Workshop, the very store where Daryl and Garm had been getting their gear from. The contract entailed the n advertising the store by putting the store¡¯s emblem on their gear and Magic Bags. This enabled them to not worry about micromanaging this side gig much, and also did not limit their usable equipment in any way.


    In exchange for having all n members advertise the store¡¯s emblem, Dorren Workshop would transfer the n a percentage of their boosted sales revenue, offer them discounts on armor maintenance, and potentially supply them with new gear where applicable. With this contract in ce, the cost of Dary¡¯s heavy armor was greatly reduced. Besides, it was big in itself to form a business connection with Dorren Workshop.


    This deal also meant that Amira could get her greatsword honed for free, so she was quite happy about that. She had been fixing up her gear every single day, but it would always be best to have them serviced by professionals instead.


    All in all, over the past month, the n had been focused on three things: fighting a greater variety of monsters, normalizing the n¡¯s management system, and finalizing the sponsorship contract with Dorren Workshop. Although theiryer progressed had not gotten any further, one could say that they had achieved quite good enough results.


    ¡°The Fire Dragon, huh¡­¡± Diniel muttered to herself as she worked on her bow in the living room.


    In addition to Ealdred Crow getting pastyer seventy, Golden Tune had sessfully defeated the Fire Dragon just the other day. Assuming that thetter part was what she was thinking about, Tsutomu was about to talk to her, but then she continued to say,


    ¡°After the Stampede, that thing sounds so¡­ weak.¡±


    On top of the absurdly powerful Devourer Dragon, she had also faced the Lightning, Ice, and ck Dragons during that time. Compared to them, the Fire Dragon seemed quite insignificant to her now. Hearing that, Tsutomu crossed his arms.


    ¡°We should be able to win without any issues. Just take it easy.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough¡­¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    Daryl and Hannah seemed less energetic than usual, apparently worried about challenging the Fire Dragon. So far, only Silver Beast and the major ns had managed to win against it. The Guild officers and Labyrinth Conquerors had imed their victories around the same time as Golden Tune, and the Security Team seemed quite close to scoring a win, though they still seemed to be having certain difficulties.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. You two have gotten much better over the past two months ¡ª especially you, Hannah. You¡¯re almost like a whole new person now.¡±


    ¡°Y-you think? But it¡¯s still THE Fire Dragon we¡¯re talking about¡­¡±


    Hannah scratched her cheek, apparently still doubting herself. Even her blue hair, which usually would be bouncing with energy, looked to somehow be in low spirits. She had already fought the Fire Dragon a few dozen times during her time with Ealdred Crow, but all attempts had ended with her team being wiped. Now she could not recognize the monster as anything but an unstoppable, unwinnable powerhouse.


    ¡°If you die, Daryl and Diniel can cover for you. Don¡¯t worry about it too much.¡±


    ¡°O-okay¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­And what if I die?¡±


    ¡°Then everything¡¯s over right then and there. So, try to keep yourself standing, yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­I think my stomach¡¯s starting to ache.¡±


    Feeling the casual pressure from Tsutomu, Daryl let out a dry chuckle and held his own belly. He had never faced the Fire Dragon before, so logically speaking, he was supposed to be the one being covered instead of Hannah. Regardless, Tsutomu believed that Daryl would be fine, considering what he had seen during the past two months.


    ¡°And Amira¡­ do you think you¡¯ll be all right?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, Camille seemed perfectly okay going in, but when the fight started, her Dragon instincts kicked in and¡­ that made her¡­ well¡­¡±


    ¡°Hah! Don¡¯t just assume that I¡¯m the same as the ancient Dragon, man. That oversized lizard ain¡¯t gonna spook me.¡±


    ¡°Right, now that I think about it¡­ you did face the Devourer Dragon. The Fire Dragon might actually be just a lizardpared to that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Amira had participated in the Stampede defense as an Attacker near the rear lines. Her Dragon instincts meant she had also been directly affected by the Devourer Dragon¡¯s mere presence, so unlike Camille, she had already felt something more powerful than the Fire Dragon. Still, she averted her gaze, as if she did not want to recall that memory.


    ¡°All right then, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Since all the necessary training had been done, Tsutomu was not worried about anything in particr when it came to fighting the Fire Dragon. With confidence, he and everyone headed to the Guild and, afterpleting the registration, teleported down toyer fifty-nine.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    After exploringyer fifty-nine and finding the ck Gate down toyer sixty, the Absolute Helix party put on their Red-thread Fire Coats as a countermeasure against the Fire Dragon¡¯s breath attack. Hannah only wrapped hers around her waist, so as not to obstruct the wings on her back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Daryl and Hannah seemed nervous, Amira looked raring to go, and Diniel was utterly unchanged from her usual mood. Tsutomu opened the ck Gate and led his team through it.


    A canyon of high cliffs lined thendscape of the sixtiethyer. A Fire Dragon appeared in front of the team and roared at them.


    The monster¡¯s roar was weaker than that of the Devourer Dragon, but it still was intimidating and would stun ordinary people. Diniel and Hannah were not particrly affected, but Daryl and Amira were visibly agitated.


    ¡°[[Dragon-¡°


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Amira was about to activate her [[Dragon Form]] as soon as she heard the Fire Dragon¡¯s roar, but Tsutomu immediately blocked her mouth. Skill would not take effect unless their names were spoken out, so blocking her mouth before she was done saying it would prevent her from transforming.


    A momentter, Tsutomu took his hands off Amira, and then, seeing the gliding Fire Dragon telegraph its Fire Breath, he issued his order to the team,


    ¡°Breath attack iing. Everyone, defend with your Fire Coat!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Hannah unwrapped the Fire Coat around her waist and covered herself with it, looking like an elementary schooler putting on protective headgear for an earthquake drill. Daryl also promptly put the coat¡¯s hood over his head, seemingly calmed down upon hearing Tsutomu¡¯s instruction.


    Daryl was the type to easily copse under pressure, but regardless of the situation, he could effectively follow instructions and move quickly. As such, he was unlikely topletely stop moving as long as someone wasmanding him.


    ¡°Amira.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, it happens to all Dragonewts. So, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Amira felt embarrassed that her instincts had driven her to try and transform immediately. She nodded to Tsutomu and immediately put on her Fire Coat.


    ¡°Diniel-¡°


    After looking at the three others and confirming that there were no issues, he turned to Diniel¡­ and was promptly met with a surprising sight. Diniel usually would be totally unmotivated, but now her gaze was sharp, concentrating on the Fire Dragon.


    ¡°¡­You do know what you¡¯re doing, right?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Diniel pointed her bow slightly upward and nocked an arrow, preparing for the Fire Dragon. The four others crouched down, bracing for the breath while she stood her ground.


    ¡°[[Power Arrow]].¡±


    Unfazed by the mes leaking from the Fire Dragon¡¯s mouth, Diniel shot the arrow, urately piercing the green gem in the middle of the Dragon¡¯s forehead. After confirming the hit, she quickly put on the hood of her coat and crouched down to defend against the fire breath.


    The Fire Dragon, getting its forehead gem shattered by Diniel without even using a sh Bottle, lost its flight ability and was forced to glide down onto the ground. Confirming that the stream of fire breath had stopped, Diniel promptly stood up.


    ¡°Daryl!¡±


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]]!¡±


    As soon as Tsutomu called him, Daryl unleashed his aggro-pulling skill at the Fire Dragon, properly starting Absolute Helix¡¯s battle against the monster.

 Chapter 121, Absolute Helix’s Fire Dragon Battle: The Mad Dog’s Perspective

    <h4>Chapter 121, Absolute Helix¡¯s Fire Dragon Battle: The Mad Dog¡¯s Perspective</h4>


    Garm left his room early in the morning and immediately headed to the Guild. Being one among a handful of Guild Staff Members who had progressed pastyer sixty, he had recently been upied with so much work that he had no chance to take days off ¡ª until today. Despite that, he still went to the Guild.


    [They¡¯re not there yet.]


    He had only one reason to be here: to watch the Absolute Helix party. Yesterday, the Guild had been full of noise due to Ealdred Crow sessfully progressing pastyer seventy, but Garm was more interested in today, the day Tsutomu had scheduled his n¡¯s first attempt at the Fire Dragon. So, as to not miss the battle, Garm was here early in the morning to secure a good seat near the Monitors.


    Still, the Guild¡¯s Monitor area would not be so crowded most of the time, what with it generally being upied only by Explorers and ns¡¯ informants, with the Monitor area in the market being more popr among regr spectators. The Monitors inside the Guild were smaller than the ones outside, and the customer services were nothing to write home about. Moreover, not many townspeople would feelfortable watching the Monitors while surrounded by burly Explorers.


    Inparison, the market was filled with stores and stalls offering a wide variety of services: food and drinks with delivery right to the customers¡¯ seats, reserving seats on nearby private property, magic tools for rent to protect one from the sun and rain, and many other niche services to help make spectators¡¯ viewing experiences morefortable. With those, it was inevitable that general customers would flock to the market.


    The Guild in the morning was full of beginner and intermediate Explorers. Major ns tended to start working in the afternoon or evening since those times were easier forrge crowds to gather, while ns without sponsorship deals were perfectly fine with exploring regardless of theck of spectators.


    [Hmm¡­]


    Due to his work as ofte, Garm had been away from the Guild and thus had not gotten to see the reception area much, but now that he got a good look, it certainly felt like there were more Explorers of non-Attacker Jobs than before. There were more Explorers in general today, too, thanks in part to Ealdred Crow iming the first victory ever over the Mount Golem and reiming their spot as the n deepest into the Dungeon.


    During this time of day, there were a lot of beginner Explorers not affiliated with ns and long-term parties, making it easy for one to form Guild-mediated parties. Garm watched on as those with the previously unpopr Tank-type Jobs were weed into parties, and then he proceeded to order some food from the Guild¡¯s dining hall.


    ¡°Two fried potatoes, three bear burgers, and¡­¡±


    ¡°Big eater as always, eh, boy?¡±


    The Guild staff member who hade to take Garm¡¯s order, a middle-ageddy,ughed as she noted down thetter¡¯s order of arge amount of food. Then at one point, Garm saw Tsutomu and his Absolute Helix party line up for the reception desk. He waved to them, and Daryl, being the first to notice, waved back.


    [It¡¯s been a while since Ist saw him¡­ Will he be all right?]


    Garm¡¯s regr job was basically to mediate and solve issues that arose among gatekeepers and Explorers. Lately, however, he had been busy exploring the Volcanoyers, while also helping fellow Guild staff members level up and update their Dungeon progresses. As such, he had not gotten to see Daryl at all over the past month and was somewhat worried about how thetter would fare against the Fire Dragon.


    Still, Garm did know that the other party members were excellent, he figured that the team was not likely to lose against the Fire Dragon.


    The Elf Archer Diniel, formerly a member of Golden Tune, was famous for being one of the very best Attackers around.


    There was also Amira, who had inherited the Dragonewt¡¯s Unique Skill from her mother Camille, and the Birdkin Hannah, an unconventional Tank Boxer. Thetter may not be the most notable party member of Absolute Helix, but Garm definitely had his attention on her. After all, despite taking on the Tank role, she did not defend against attacks, opting to dodge everything instead. Being a Tank himself, he had been quite impressed to see someone carry out the role in a different way.


    And it went without saying that Tsutomu was reliable. Garm was sure that Tsutomu had yet to show the full extent of his abilities, and that he might even already be able to lead a team against the Mount Golem. Perhaps things would be fine even if Daryl were to make a mistake or two.


    The time eventually came for Absolute Helix to use the Guild¡¯s Magic Circle, teleporting down toyer fifty-nine and appearing somewhere around Monitor #30. Many members of the Guild staff and the Security Team had been aiming to defeat the Fire Dragontely, so as to raise their level caps and keep up with the major ns. Mid-tier ns¡¯ recent mergers had helped them progress more easily as well, so many groups were currently exploringyer fifty-nine or deeper.


    Garm closely observed Daryl¡¯s movements as the team worked throughyer fifty-nine, and they were not bad at all. It was quite apparent that Daryl had improved greatly after he hadpleted Garm¡¯s training two months ago.


    [But¡­ he still needs to be told what to do.]


    As good as Daryl was carrying out his Tank role ording to orders, he was bad at thinking and acting on his own. He was strong, and he had a good head on his shoulders ¡ª in fact, some of his ingenuity had shown through during his littlepetition with Amira.


    However, he was not confident in his own ideas, preferring instead to follow orders whenever they were given. Although he had learned to think things for himself during his three months of training, he still could not shake hisck of confidence and the Cynokin habit of preferring to take instructions.


    [Things would be fine as long as Tsutomu was with him¡­ but that won¡¯t do at all. He¡¯ll eventually get stuck if he doesn¡¯t learn things through trial-and-error.]


    One could not conquer unchartednds by simply following others, especially whenever new sections of Dungeons opened up. Garm understood that all too well thanks to all the experience he had umted during his time as an Explorer. Daryl, however, seemed nowhere close to having confidence in his own thoughts.


    Garm pondered such things over while snacking on the food that had been served to him, and at the same time, he saw that the Absolute Helix team had discovered the ck Gate down toyer sixty. They put on their Red-thread Fire Coats and went through the game, and their footage switched over to around Monitor #10.


    Some of the spectators instantly took up positions on that Monitor ¡ª particrly informants from major and mid-tier ns. Nodding in agreement with their actions, Garm proceeded to hold his drink¡¯s straw in his mouth.


    Once the Fire Dragon appeared and approached the team, Diniel took the preemptive strike, urately piercing the monster¡¯s forehead gem. Garm expressed some surprise at the sight while chewing on some newly-fried, lightly salted potato chips. He proceeded to continue watching the battle, eating more chips all the while.


    Daryl pulled the Fire Dragon¡¯s aggro first, and Tsutomu provided support for all members. The attacking team split into two acting pairs: Daryl and Amira, and Hannah and Diniel.


    The Fire Dragon attacked with its ws, which Daryl quickly defended with his tower shield ¡ª and ended up blown away and rolling on the ground, perhaps because the monster¡¯s power was greater than he had anticipated. Garm heaved a sigh and took a bite of his bear meat burger.


    For a while from then, Daryl kept on being unable to maintain his stance and blown away, caught off-guard by the strongest attacks he had had to block up until now. With Tsutomu¡¯s support, healing, and instructions, he gradually got his act together and eventually was able to stand his ground.


    At the same time, Amira and Diniel were on full offense. The two Attackers had high firepower and possessed more than enough skill. Following Tsutomu¡¯s instructions on aggro management, the Fire Dragon never turned its attention to them.


    As Daryl grew exhausted, Hannah stepped forward and unleashed a red aura. Then, using various attack skills, she dealt damage to the Fire Dragon while quickly also adding to the aggro generation of her [[Combat Cry]].


    After sessfully pulling the aggro away from Daryl, Hannah proceeded to continue attacking the Fire Dragon as any Attacker would ¡ª except she was pulling away the monster¡¯s aggro from herrades and keeping it on her.


    At one point, Tsutomu prompted her to stop attacking, which she did, and shifted her focus to avoiding the Fire Dragon¡¯s attacks, pulling offplex aerial manoeuvres using the blue wings on her back. With the Fire Dragon being unable to keep up with her mobility, she managed to cover the Tank role for Daryl without being hit even once.


    [How interesting.]


    Garm did not even notice how far his jaw had dropped, seeing such an unconventional Tank perform so well ¡ª a Tank that avoided all attacks, while also packing more of a punch than normal Tanks would. Her role was sure to provide a great advantage to the team, and also worked in greatpatibility with Daryl.


    [But she¡¯ll be in trouble if she gets hit. Her armor is light, and she¡¯s a Boxer, which has low natural VIT¡­ She¡¯s sure to die easily.]


    Naturally, Hannah¡¯s approach had a big risk attached ¡ª in that if an unskilled fighter were to try it, they would quickly be killed and serve as a liability to the team. However, Hannah had a solid foundation as an Attacker, and her capabilities as a Tank had greatly improved over the past two months. She was likely to not die against the Fire Dragon.


    ¡°[[Dragon Form]].¡±


    ¡°[[Rain Arrow]].¡±


    Amira, with the use of her unique skill, could achieve a level of strength no ordinary person could. Diniel, on the other hand, possessed unmatched archery skills, made possible with close to eighty years of experience and, from a human¡¯s perspective, a strong body that had never aged past her youth. The two attackers¡¯ capabilities were close to perfect.


    ¡°[[Medic]]. [[Haste]].¡±


    To top all that off, there was Tsutomu, making the most of his four members¡¯ abilities. While Daryl was active, Tsutomu provided support to maintain the team¡¯s stability with [[Protect]]. And while Hannah was tagged in, he gave her a boost with [[Haste]].


    The support Daryl received was mostly the same as Garm¡¯s, so they were likely not so hard to manage. That was not the case with Hannah, however. Since she had to performplex manoeuvres to avoid being hit by monsters, Tsutomu had to make sure that his [[Haste]] casts stillnded on her.


    Supporting Diniel was likely not so different from what he had done for Amy, either. But for Amira ¡ª especially whenever she glowed red ¡ª he had to cast [[Medic]] in addition to the usual [[Haste]].


    [¡­It¡¯s apparent that Camille¡¯s little girl isn¡¯t in full control of her [[Dragon Form]] yet.]


    While transformed, Amira seemed to be running rampant without a care for anything around her. In fact, everyone had to take care not to enter her line of sight.


    [¡­And when things seem to start getting dangerous¡­]


    ¡°[[Medic]].¡±


    [¡­At least Tsutomu knows when to cancel out her transformation.]


    Whenever Tsutomu judged that Amira¡¯s rampage was exhausting her or building up too much aggro, he would cast [[Medic]] to bring her back to her senses. It was up to Amira to decide when to activate her transformation, and up to Tsutomu to decide when to turn it off. That was the strategy they had developed.


    All in all, as powerful as Amira¡¯s [[Dragon Form]] was, it was a double-edged sword, capable of hurting not only her enemies but also allies. However, so long as the others were able to keep up with her, and Tsutomu was there to keep her in check, that double-edged sword could be kept from cutting its wielder.


    ¡°Ora!¡±


    Amira had never been able to disengage her [[Dragon Form]] by herself, and thus had been unable to fight effectively with it. Now that she could remain conscious after her transformation was cancelled by external means, however, she could at least resume normalbat. As unskilled as she still was, she was far from weak ¡ª and had good match-up with Daryl, she could work as an Attacker just fine even without her [[Dragon Form]].


    And above all else, she was happy to be able to constantly stay in the fight. Previously, she would be out ofmission after transforming once, but now, not anymore. She had fun fighting monsters, and one could expect her to improve even more in the future.


    [Hmm, doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯ll have a problem winning.]


    Garm, although satisfied by what he had seen so far, noticed just now that he had already gone through his gigantic order of food, and proceeded to order some more. As the battle raged on, there were a few close calls, such as when Hannah got grazed by a fire breath and almost got her feathers caught on fire, and when Amira pushed herself too hard and almost died as a result. Observing more closely, Daryl still had many points that needed improvement, too.


    Despite all that, the Fire Dragon was no match for the team. Even when someone was put out ofmission, Diniel and Tsutomu would cover for them, so the losses throughout the whole fight were not so heavy. In the end, they managed to take down the Fire Dragon around noon, without a single death among their members.


    [I¡¯ll have to step up my game, too.]


    Having recently attempted to fight the Mount Golem as a part of his job, he had felt that he was no match for it, Seeing Absolute Helix celebrate their sess against the Fire Dragon today, however, he felt reassured.


    Garm still nned to eventually join Absolute Helix. He clenched his fists, determined to train even harder, so that he would not be considered obsolete by that time.

 Chapter 122, Absolute Helix’s Fire Dragon Battle: The Evaluation Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 122, Absolute Helix¡¯s Fire Dragon Battle: The Evaluation Meeting</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    The Fire Dragon, finished off by Diniel¡¯s arrow, fell to the ground and started dispersing into light particles. Confirming that it was no longer moving, Tsutomu called out to Diniel next to him.


    ¡°Nice, Diniel!¡±


    ¡°Cool, cool.¡±


    Not particrly impressed, Diniel¡¯s voice was as uninterested as ever.


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    ¡°Way to go!¡±


    ¡°HELL YEAH!!¡±


    In stark contrast, the three others were so happy that they jump-hugged one another and all fell to the ground. They stayed lying down there, relieved that the long battle was finally over.


    ¡°Uh, Amira, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    She was gasping for air, apparently having spent all her energy with her scream earlier. Unlike Camille, she could only hold her [[Dragon Form]] for a short time, and even though [[Medic]] could recover her from fatigue, it was not perfect.


    Daryl was sweating all over, practically dripping a waterfall onto the ground, and Hannah was convulsing badly from overworking her wings. While waiting for the three to catch their breaths, Tsutomu went over to collect the Colorless Magic Stones that the Fire Dragon had dropped.


    ¡°S-Sir Tsutomu! We won!¡±


    Daryl walked up to Tsutomu, his bangs soaked with sweat and fluttering in the wind.


    ¡°We sure did,¡± Tsutomu replied and handed him a towel.


    ¡°Thank goodness! Now Sir Garm won¡¯t be angry at me!¡±


    The towel, being so good at absorbing water, was almost immediately soaked with sweat.


    ¡°Hannah, can you stand?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t¡­ even lift¡­ a finger¡­¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like Amira¡¯s getting up anytime soon¡­ Daryl, I know you¡¯re probably tired, but could you carry her? And Diniel, could you help Hannah-¡°


    ¡°Nah¡­ How about she carries me instead?¡±


    ¡°Pretty please?¡±


    At Tsutomu¡¯s request, Diniel reluctantly put away her bow on her back and carried Hannah in her arms like a knight carrying a princess¡­ While Daryl carried Amira on his back as if they were professional wrestlers. The Absolute Helix team then proceeded to leave the sixtiethyer.


    While they attracted some attention back in the Guild, the team opted to immediately return to their n House. Ollie, in the middle of doingundry, came running down from the second floor to greet the five of them.


    ¡°Man, I¡¯m spent¡­¡± Hannah whined as she limped toward the living room after Diniel ced her down.


    ¡°Sorry to burst your bubble, but we¡¯re having an evaluation meeting first. I¡¯d like everyone to look back on the operation while it¡¯s still fresh in our minds. You can get some rest after that.¡±


    Told so by Tsutomu, Hannah reluctantly nodded.


    ¡°Gotcha¡­¡±


    Amira, while seeming to have recovered her strength somewhat, did not look like she wouldst much longer either.


    After wiping off their sweat again, everyone gathered in the living room, dropping themselves down on the fluffy sofas. Hannah, apparently the most exhausted of the bunch, was about to fall asleep, but in the end managed to keep herself awake.


    Ollie served everyone a ss of cold lemon juice. Hannah held hers carefully in both hands and slowly sipped it down, letting the sour taste soak into her tired body. Amira chugged hers down immediately and asked for a refill. Diniel showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever, and it was the same for Tsutomu as he ced a nk sheet of paper on the table.


    ¡°First of all, good job out there, everyone. I think we did quite well, considering it was really the first time our party was in a prolonged battle.¡±


    The battle hadsted approximately three hours. With this being the first time two of the team members had ever fought the Fire Dragon, one could consider the victory being achieved quite quickly. Generally speaking, the final results were not bad.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start with stating how I felt. If you happen to have anyments, do feel free to state them.¡±


    Tsutomu tapped his pen on the nk sheet of paper, and the four others nodded. He proceeded to write Dinie¡¯s name at the very top of the sheet.


    ¡°For Diniel¡­ I have nothing toment on. I couldn¡¯t find any point that needs improvement on your part.¡±


    ¡°Cool, cool.¡±


    Diniel¡¯s performance against the Fire Dragon was the highlight of the fight. Not only had she shattered the monster¡¯s forehead gem right at the start, but she had also carried out her role as an Attacker perfectly. It was without a doubt that she had dealt more damage than Amira.


    After around the halfway point of the fight, Hannah and Amira had started to copse due to theircking stamina, and Daryl had been on the verge of being overwhelmed by his workload multiple times. Whenever that was about to happen, Diniel would pull the Fire Dragon¡¯s aggro to her, acting as a temporary evasion-based Tank to support the three others. She was able to do that because she had already gone against the Fire Dragon hundreds of times prior, learning all its telegraphs and tendencies.


    At one point, Amira had slowed down and an almost-fatal wound due to overusing [[Dragon Form]], but Diniel had managed to dish out enough power while waiting for the former to recover. Whenever the team¡¯s performance came up short, be it in offense or defense, Diniel would pick up the ck, and since she had known when to rx, she had never exhausted her stamina. It could be said that she had contributed the most to the team¡¯s victory today.


    ¡°Daryl¡­ For the first time fighting it, you did well. The very start was a bit rocky, but you managed well enough after that passed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve noticed that you would stop moving whenever you see someone copse. You¡¯re THE pir that holds the party together, so I¡¯d like you to have some more awareness.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Now, you could afford to be more confident ¡ª we¡¯ll always support you, after all. I¡¯m carrying out a semi-support role for a reason!¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, of course¡­ But do you think I can really be THE team¡¯s pir¡­?¡± Daryl replied, his voicecking in confidence, his ck-furred ears dropping down.


    He had all the skills needed to be the tank, but did not quite have enough pride. Although he would asionally get overly confident, his true feelings would also pop up every now and then ¡ª especially the thought that he would always be inferior to Garm in every way.


    ¡°Well, you can work on it over time. It¡¯s not something thates to you immediately, after all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand!¡±


    ¡°Next, Hannah ¡ª you could afford to go heavier on the offense.¡±


    ¡°Uh, s-sure thing.¡±


    Hannah was visibly tense as she waited for Tsutomu to continue, apparently knowing well herself what her shorings during the battle were. Tsutomu, although reluctant, proceeded to jot down his notes on the sheet of paper.


    ¡°You carried out your evasion-based Tank role very well. Your overall flow wasn¡¯t too shabby, and you were especially good at reading the telegraphs for breath attacks. As for other issues, the main thing would be stamina, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    Limited stamina ¡ª that was the ring issue that had surfaced during today¡¯s battle.


    It was not that Hannah herselfcked stamina. Having been a fast-moving Attacker for Ealdred Crow, she had as much as any serious fighter would. However, even being on Hannah¡¯s level of endurance was still not enough for the evasion-based Tank approach.


    Thanks to Tsutomu¡¯s support, she had had an easier time managing her stamina, but as everyone already knew, the fatigue-alleviating [[Medic]] was not perfect. Moreover, Hannah could not be expected to keep her mental energy in good bnce just yet.


    Having to attack and defend at the same time was sure to eat up a lot of energy, and Hannah had been fighting with this style for only two months. It could not be helped that her movements were not perfect andpletely energy-efficient.


    From around the halfway point to the end of the fight, herck of stamina had caused her to start losing the ability to make decisions, and she had ended up being grazed by the Dragon¡¯s fire breaths several times. Despite being familiar with its movements due to having fought it dozens of times before, Hannah was still unable to dodge its fire breath attacks reliably.


    ¡°You were moving faster than usual ¡ª too excited to fight the Fire Dragon, I assume. It seemed that you were already at your limit by the halfway point, so try to manage your energy better next time.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Teach.¡±


    ¡°Hannah, you¡¯re not good at cking off. You should learn from me.¡±


    ¡°Gah¡­¡±


    Diniel had saved Hannah many times during the fight, and even covered for her by temporarily acting as an evasion-based Tank herself, so Hannah had nothing to say back. All Hannah could do was scowl at Diniel ¡ª herst little once of resistance against the way of the cker.


    ¡°Your skill patterns were a mess toward the end, and it seemed like you weren¡¯t listening to my instructions. You were too tired to hear me properly, I assume?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, that¡¯s exactly it¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry about it. If anything, you¡¯re doing well for someone who¡¯d just started fighting like this for two months. Just keep up the good work, and you¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll see if I can fit in more [[Medic]] casts for you, too.¡±


    As Tsutomu wrote some more things down, he smiled ¡ª a truly childish, innocent smile, as opposed to his usual viinous-or-scheming ones. Hannah, seeing that, turned away and scratched her cheek, her eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Last but not least, Amira.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    With Amira herself knowing that, just like Hannah, her performance had been a mess towards the end, she looked up somewhat awkwardly.


    ¡°Same point as Hannah ¡ª your [[Dragon Form]] uses up too much stamina. And please stop charging in head-first by yourself. Maybe you were too tired to hear me, but you did that again and again, and almost got yourself killed each time.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°But everything else was good, especially your coordination with Daryl ¡ª much better than before. Also, there¡¯s nothing wrong with using your [[Dragon Form]] in itself, but I¡¯d like you to transform a little less.¡±


    ¡°¡­What? You¡¯re not messing with me, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Your transformation is strong, sure, but there¡¯s no need to use it all the time. It was especially clear in today¡¯s battle that you¡¯ve been using it too much.¡±


    Amira¡¯s repeated use of the [[Dragon Form]] was due to her thinking it was the only thing she could do. And while it was true that the transformation had great power, Amira¡¯s natural abilities had also been improving greatly as ofte, and her coordination with Daryl had been getting better and better.


    ¡°So, again, I¡¯d like you to use it a little less. If you¡¯re fine with it, of course.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, sure.¡±


    Amira did not seem fully persuaded by Tsutomu, but at least she seemed happy because of thepliments she did get. Tsutomu proceeded to look away from Amira, turning to everyone.


    ¡°That¡¯s all from me. Do you have anything to add, Diniel?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Daryl?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t have anything?¡±


    ¡°Reeeally? Nothing toment on my support?¡±


    ¡°N-no, really! It was great!¡±


    Daryl wagged his ck-furred tail, his eyes sparkling. In addition to providingprehensive support and healing to the four team members, Tsutomu had also kept up his buffing effects for Hannah and Amira despite their quick movements. His directions for everyone were on point, too.


    On top of all that, he had also actively participated in the offense this time. Having two Tanks in the team meant that Tsutomu was able to move around rtively freely, and in turn able to attack the monsters himself. He had alsonded attacks whenever possible during every battle before, but now he could afford to be much more aggressive.


    Beginner Healers would not get anyints as long as they carried out their roles of supporting and healing properly. For intermediate and advanced ones, however, those were not enough. Healer-type Jobs also had ess to attacking skills, albeit in a small variety, so one should always strive to maximize the team¡¯s damage output.


    Still, they had to be careful not to obsess over their damage output so much, or else their support and healing might get disrupted. Intermediate-level Healers were sure to have an especially hard time bncing their usual roles and attacking.


    When Tsutomu first appeared in this world, he had started out focusing on support and healing, only attacking on rare asions. Now that he was used to how things worked, he was starting to focus on dealing damage and bncing things.


    ¡°You¡¯re a strange guy, Tsutomu. Do you have two brains in your head or what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t. Trust me, you¡¯ll just get used to it.¡±


    ¡°Really? I wanna see what¡¯s in there, just to be sure.¡±


    ¡°¡­No, that sounds scary.¡±


    With Diniel saying something so outrageous without skipping a beat, Tsutomu scrambled to dodge the topic, turning to Hannah and Amira to ask for their opinions. They did not seem to have anything to say, either. After folding his arms and groaning to himself for a moment, Tsutomu proceeded to write his own name on the paper and start detailing things out for himself.


    ¡°More [[Medic]] for Hannah, less [[Dragon Form]] for Amira. And then¡­ I¡¯ll try practicing my attack skills, I guess. Oh, I¡¯d like to think of more ways to use [[Barrier]], too. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with my support, but I¡¯m not able to tell by myself how effective my healing is. Daryl, are you sure you don¡¯t have any problems?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure! If anything, being healed immediately whenever I get hurt feels¡­ kinda creepy, actually!¡±


    ¡°Ah, uh-huh¡­ I see¡­¡±


    Knowing that Daryl had not meant any harm with thatstment, Tsutomu ended up having a subtly bored expression, tapping his pen on the paper without anything to write down. After a little more discussion, the evaluation meeting ended. Hannah, who had fallen asleep on the sofa at some point unbeknownst to everyone else, was carried back to her room by Ollie.

 Chapter 123, Clan Virgin

    <h4>Chapter 123, n Virgin</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    The day after Absolute Helix¡¯s victory over the Fire Dragon, the team of five went around town giving interviews to news outlets. Diniel, Hannah, and Amira were used to his and gave out their responses as normal, while Daryl asionally bit his tongue and fumbled his words out of nervousness¡­ also as normal. Daryl had been covered by the news a few times before, but it seemed that he still was not used to the business.


    Solit Company was also included in the list of publishers they visited. Tsutomu¡¯s rtionship with them had improved somewhat over time, particrly thanks to Solit Company helping to cover up suspicious rumors that had arisen after the Stampede due to Tsutomu establishing a connection with the nobility.


    Still, Tsutomu suspected that Solit Company had staged that situation themselves, so he had also asked the two other major publishers to investigate. No solid evidence had turned up thus far, but he had ns to keep looking into this particr issue, just to be on the safe side.


    ¡°That was intense¡­¡±


    ¡°Get your act together, man.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    As Daryl put his hands on his chest and sighed, relieved that the interviews were finally over, Amira stung him where it hurt with some well-ced words.


    ¡°All you gotta do is nod along with the talk.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it works¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just like fighting in the Dungeon. Man, you can be so annoying with how shy you are¡­¡±


    Daryl had contributed more than Amira to the battle, but he had been all shy and fidgety when the journalists interviewed him, a fact that Amira did not like in the slightest ¡ª and which caused her to be grumpy toward him after the fact. Daryl looked around for someone to bail him out, but Tsutomu and Diniel pretended not to notice.


    ¡°Listen, you¡¯re stronger than me. So, why¡¯re you not confident about it, huh?¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°What, you want me to get down on the ground and grovel or something?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what the hell is your problem?¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to know?¡±


    This sort of exchange between the two had already happened countless times by now. Hannah had made it a point to intervene at first, but she had since stopped since it was bing tedious to step in every single time.


    ¡°Come on, everyone, we¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    With one shout from Tsutomu, Daryl happily jumped away from the argument he had been stuck in. Amira clicked her tongue out of annoyance, while Hannah only chuckled dryly, sympathizing with all sides involved.


    Hannah also wanted Daryl to be more confident, although she did not show it as much as Amira did. She herself wanted to be like him ¡ª a Tank with high VIT, able to take monsters¡¯ attacks head-on. Her race and Job dictated that her VIT was low, however, preventing her from being one the traditional way.


    She was satisfied with her current role as an evasion-based Tank. Thanks to all the tactics Tsutomu had taught her, she was able to carry out her dream role, and was having much more fun than before.


    Her jealousy toward those with high VIT ratings still remained, however, and as such, Daryl¡¯s overt humility did tick her off somewhat.


    ¡°Would be nice if he¡¯d be a bit more solid, though!¡±


    ¡°I know, right!? He¡¯s strong as hell, so he oughtta¡­ like, have the swagger to go with it!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right!¡±


    With the two of them purposefully talking loud enough for Daryl to hear, he trembled with intimidation as he walked on. Tsutomu, feeling that Daryl had taken enough abuse already, said something to try and help him,


    ¡°Well, this is the first time Daryl¡¯s joined a n, remember. Just give him a break and let him be humble for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess. It¡¯s like being a virgin ¡ª everyone¡¯s gotta be one at some point.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Embarrassed by Amira¡¯s analogy, Daryl turned beet red, his mouth pping open and shut. Tsutomu took a lecturing stance with his hands on his hips, exasperated.


    ¡°Amira, watch your choice of words.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s true, though.¡±


    ¡°In case you didn¡¯t get it, it means to choose more appropriate words to say.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    Amira waved her hand and turned away from Tsutomu¡¯s line of sight, effectively dodging the issue. Tsutomu heaved a deep sigh before leading everyone out of the Solit Company office building.


    Diniel and Hannah proceeded to go their own ways, and the remaining three headed to the Dorren Workshop to get Daryl¡¯s gear and Amira¡¯s greatsword fixed up.


    ¡°Holy moly, your stuff took some serious beating.¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°But you were against the Fire Dragon, right? This is pretty much expected.¡±


    Dorren, the old Dwarf, let out a heartyugh as he took the two main pieces of Daryl¡¯s heavy armor away. Then he also took Amira¡¯s greatsword and passed it over to his apprentice.


    ¡°Make sure they polish it good, old man.¡±


    ¡°Always such a cheerfulss, eh? You know, li¡¯l pup, you should try being more like her.¡±


    ¡°Anyone but HER¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh? You makin¡¯ fun of me or something?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not! Sir Tsutomu! Help me out here!¡±


    With Dorren and Amira being so in sync that one would think they had prepared a script beforehand, Daryl was quite overwhelmed and ended up running to hid behind Tsutomu. In turn, Tsutomu awkwardly scratched his cheek as the pair grinned mischievously.


    Afterward, the team stayed for a little chat before leaving the Dorren Workshop. Since they had nothing else to do, they returned to the n House. Today and tomorrow were technically this week¡¯s days off, so now everyone was free to do whatever.


    ¡°Tsutomu, let¡¯s go do some extra training ¡ª and check out the Volcano while we¡¯re at it.¡±


    ¡°I swear, you¡¯re getting addicted¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Just say no if you don¡¯t want to. I can go by myself.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll go, too. A little extra training won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s goal was to conquer the Dungeon, and more importantly, he enjoyed the process of doing it. Even on days off, most, if not all, of his activities involved the Dungeon in some way. His answer to Amira prompted thetter to raise the corners of her mouth in a smile.


    ¡°Ah! I wanna go, too!¡± Hannah spoke up.


    ¡°I already have ns to visit Sir Garm, so I won¡¯t be joining today,¡± Daryl said and bowed his head.


    ¡°Pass,¡± Diniel said and raised her hand whilezing around on a sofa.


    ¡°All right. Have a good rest, you two.¡±


    With that, Tsutomu went together with Amira and Hannah to the Volcanoyer, nning to get some training in.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°So hot¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    By the time they were done training for the day, Amira and Hannah were feeling quite groggy. After all, they had gone through back-to-back battles amid the Volcano¡¯s high air temperature. If they were to make any progress down here, they had to get used to the heat first.


    Still, they were sure to have an easier time going forwardpared to other major ns, thanks to better anti-heat tools and equipment bing readily avable as ofte. The benefits from Ealdred Crow reachingyer seventy-one were great as well.


    The seventy-firstyer was a part of the Snow Field biome, wherein killing ice-type monsters would asionally yield Ice Magic Stones. Currently an extremely rare and valuablemodity, merchants had practically dropped everything and rushed like a flood to the Ealdred Crow n House as soon as it had been confirmed that Ice Magic Stones dropped inside God¡¯s Dungeon.


    Ice Magic Stones had always been in high demand, what with them having utility for a wide variety of tools and crafting. The low supply of them in cirction was due to them dropping only in the other Dungeons ¡ª and even then, only the high-difficulty areas. Now that they were discovered in God¡¯s Dungeon, a steady supply of them could be expected in due time, since those hunting for them no longer had to worry about permanent death.


    Right now, Ealdred Crow had their hands full with the storm of merchants vying for deals to trade Ice Magic Stones with them. In fact, Rook had been too busy to even get a good night¡¯s sleep, pestered forpensation by various organizations ¡ª especially those who had been making a living collecting Ice Magic Stones from the other Dungeons.


    Still, none of the other ns seemed anywhere close to conqueringyer seventy, meaning Ealdred Crow would be able to practically monopolize the supply of Ice Magic Stones for some time. Even if the trades were handled badly, they could still easily rack up hundreds of millions in profits.


    [¡­Which means it¡¯ll be quite a while until Ice Magic Stones are readily avable.]


    If Ealdred Crow were to let arge amount of Ice Magic Stones into the market, the price of associated magic tools would be lower, making it easier for one to work their way through the Volcanoyers. It was quite possible that Ealdred Crow already knew this and was hoarding the Ice Magic Stones to themselves for now, but with how frenzied the merchants were, they probably would not be able to keep at it for too long.


    Since the Mount Golem onyer seventy was highly resistant against physical attacks, it was absolutely necessary to have ess to the right elemental attacks. Among the ranks of Absolute Helix, Diniel was the only one capable of using them reliably, and even then, she needed a decent supply of Ice Magic Stones for making elemental arrows. Still, that issue might be solved in time, thanks to Ealdred Crow¡¯s recent discoveries.


    [And it looks like Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s hit a roadblock¡­]


    The Alma incident ¡ª particrly the part when she begged on her for the ck Staff to not be confiscated from her ¡ª had not been reported in newspapers, but the story had still spread via word of mouth, eventually reaching Tsutomu¡¯s ears in one way or another.


    [¡­That¡¯s pretty scary, really.]


    Tsutomu himself had witnessed Alma¡¯s unusual obsession with the ck Staff immediately after the Stampede, and as such, did not quite want to imagine what would happen if she were to lose the staff. He did have an appointment with Weiss tomorrow and intended to ask about the matter then. Still, Tsutomu had been irrationally worried for his own safetytely.


    He had expected Scarlet Devil Squad to resume exploring immediately, with the ck Staff wielded by some other member while Alma was out ofmission, but they seemed to have other ns. Due to Weiss¡¯ bad elemental matchup with the Volcanoyers, the team would likely not go anywhere if he did not use the ck Staff himself. The four Attackers were by no means under-levelled, but if they wanted to win with the four-Attacker teamposition, they needed to be overwhelmingly powerful ¡ª much more powerful than they were now. If they wanted to insist on not using the ck Staff, they had to change their strategies to progress any further.


    [Yeah, looks like they¡¯ll be stuck for a while¡­ So, the one most likely to get pastyer seventy next is Silver Beast, huh? They¡¯vee a long way.]


    When it came to notable ns, Silver Beast definitely was the closest one to defeat the Mount Golem. Although none of them had levelled up to their current cap of seventy yet, their party synergy exceeded those of all other ns. In terms of audience, that made them quite entertaining to spectate, and resulted in them gaining more and more fans as ofte.


    As for non-n organizations, there were the Guild and the Security Team that had reached the Mount Golem. The Guild was in charge of managing the town¡¯s Explorers, so updating their staff members¡¯yer progresses was a part of their job, as they had to stay on top of things at all times. Simrly, the Security Team had been rushing to progress further in case there were any criminals among the Explorers. As for the Labyrinth Conquerors, they were currently out of the picture, as they were on an expedition to a distant Dungeon and would not be exploring God¡¯s Dungeon for quite a while.


    [Would be nice if we were the third group to clearyer seventy¡­ not too soon, not toote.]


    While thinking about those things for himself, he cast [[Medic]] on Amira and Hannah as they walked along like zombies.

 Chapter 124, Deodorizing

    <h4>Chapter 124, Deodorizing</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    The following day, Tsutomu met up with Weiss at the Guild Dining Hall and discussed with him about Alma¡¯s case.


    ¡°¡­And that¡¯s what got us here.¡±


    ¡°That was¡­ quite a story.¡±


    During the exnation, Weiss had admitted that the whole n was partially at fault for how Alma turned out ¡ª and that she was currently locking herself in her room. Tsutomu had been worried about Alma¡¯s current status ¡ª particrly whether or not her whereabouts were known ¡ª but now the story cleared that up.


    ¡°Well, you should keep an eye on her at all times.¡±


    ¡°We know. I¡¯ve always considered the chances of Alma going all crazy when she loses the staff. Right now, all the n¡¯s reserve members are staying in the n House, watching over her. The ck Staff is with me, so there¡¯s no problem with it, either.¡±


    Without the ck Staff in her possession, Alma was unlikely to be able to do anything to the people in the n House. Even if she felt like getting violent, she had not the means to do so substantially.


    ¡°I see. That shouldn¡¯t be a problem, yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯d like to say one more thing.¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°¡­About the problem with your old nickname¡­¡±


    Tsutomu raised an eyebrow, having not heard of that particr topic in quite a while. Weiss continued with a nk expression, as if his mimetic muscles were frozen,


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s something Alma came up with, right?¡±


    ¡°It was, yes. Solit Company was the one actually harping it around, though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to apologize. We didn¡¯t know until very recently, but with a little research, it seems that the name has caused you quite a lot of trouble.¡±


    Weiss had started that research not to apologize for the Lucky Boy fiasco, but rather to find clues about the ck Staff ¡ª about its absurd power when wielded by a White Mage, and its connection to Tsutomu, a White Mage who had be so famous so suspiciously quickly.


    One important point of note was that the ck Staff was not something one could obtain from the other Dungeons. After all, only the chests in God¡¯s Dungeon contained items with Treasure Tools that granted different effects depending on the wielder¡¯s Job. Since Tsutomu had not been shown on any of the monitors at the time, one could only go by Tsutomu¡¯s story that he had obtained the staff from a golden treasure chest in the Grasnds.


    Following the auction, Scarlet Devil Squad had scored their victory over the Fire Dragon, then Alma¡¯s statement started the whole Lucky Boy fiasco. At first, Tsutomu had been weed to join many Explorers¡¯ parties. But when it turned out that his actual LUCK rating was D ¡ª far from what his nickname would suggest ¡ª things took a one-eighty turn so quickly.


    The good-for-nothing Explorers, growing jealous of this perceived stroke of luck ¡ª particrly how he had obtained so much money from just one auction ¡ª had started spreading the bad word around, resulting in Tsutomu being branded as a faker and a leech. Solit Company had also manufactured a sensation out of it, publishingical articles in their newspapers at Tsutomu¡¯s expense. Unable to form a party, and thus possibly unable to progress down the Dungeon and find a way back to his original world, it had been quite a desperate time for him.


    Adding to all that were the harassment from ill-mannered Explorers and the considerable amount of negative reaction from people in general. The more Weiss looked into this matter, the more rottenyers he found, until he eventually decided that he must apologize.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Well, I DID get quite ticked off that one time Alma pretended to not see me in town. I¡¯m over it by now, though,¡± Tsutomu said, ultimately avoiding to bring up his actualints.


    ¡°¡­All right,¡± Weiss said, spent a moment to think, and then stood up. ¡°Alma is my responsibility, so I¡¯ll be personally keeping watch on her ¡ª also to make sure that nothing goespletely south.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll excuse myself¡­¡± Weiss said and immediately stepped away.


    Looking at him go, Tsutomu heaved a deep sigh upon seeing him exit the Guild building.


    [Why am I even feeling invested in this weird drama¡­?]


    During the time Tsutomu was still having issues with the Lucky Boy reputation, he had crossed paths with Alma once at the Guild. Being the one who had created that nickname, perhaps it was only natural that she avoided eye contact and walked the other way ¡ª but still, it wasn¡¯t as if Tsutomu was demanding his ck Staff back. If she had only said something, anything, then Tsutomu might have not harboured such a negative opinion on her.


    As such, when he heard about the Alma incident, he had genuinely felt that it was how things should be ¡ª for ignoring the issue that had almost ruined his reputation and life despite being the one who started it.


    Still, he had seen Alma¡¯s obsession with the ck Staff before, right after the Stampede ¡ª and it was most definitely not normal. He had seen Alma on the Monitors a few times by then, but never had she gone hysterical.


    Tsutomu had gradually upgraded his ck Staff to its maximum power over all three of his high school years. As big of a bragging right it was within Live Dungeon, it was a mere mark of far too much dedication in the real world ¡ª but not this world. Here, the staff was real, and thus was obviously out of the ordinary. Perhaps one could truly go mad from obtaining its power here. That was something Tsutomu had never considered.


    [Okay, I¡¯m making too many conspiracy theories.]


    Upon witnessing Alma¡¯s recent madness, Tsutomu had certainly felt his grudge toward her lessen. Still, he could not bring himself to me it all on the ck Staff ¡ª surely that item¡¯s influence alone did not justify her actions.


    Trying to sort out the emotions in his head, Tsutomu quietly got up from his seat.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Now that the Absolute Helix team was past the Fire Dragon, they finally had ess to the Volcanoyers. Since going down there now was sure to put them on the single-digit Monitors, this was a good opportunity to promote Dorren Workshop. Moreover, the Volcanoyers still had never-before-seen materials to find, not to mention the purchasing price of Inferno Magic Stones was quite high. All in all, the team could expect to make some good money.


    They needed to be ready to protect themselves from the heat, however. Staying hydrated was a must, and magic tools that ran on Water and Ice Magic Stones would help greatly ¡ª and such tools were expensive to buy. Thankfully, Ealdred Crow selling off some of their Ice Magic Stone stock had caused anti-heat tools to drop in price somewhat, so Tsutomu had already purchased all his team needed.


    Everyone except Daryl was in light armor and had no need to change their loadout, and Daryl¡¯s heavy armor had been customized from the start with anti-head functions, so he had no issues, either. Although the armor still needs Water and Ice Magic Stones to help with heat cirction, the cost was not too much.


    ¡°Daryl¡­¡± Tsutomu spoke up.


    ¡°W-what is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking¡­ The Volcanoyers might have made your body odor even worse than before.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Daryl had always been prone to profuse sweating ¡ª that,bined with the Volcanoyers¡¯ heat, could very easily result in a disaster. Furthermore, his tail was long and furry, and his ears were usually folded down. Sweat collected especially in those spots were bound to stink terribly. Daryl averted his sight, feeling awkward.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­ you DO wash your fur, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­W-whenever I take baths, yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not going to be enough anymore. Go get your fur groomed properly ¡ª I¡¯ll give you the money for it.¡±


    There were several stores in Dungeon City that specialized in the washing and trimming of Beastkin hair and fur. They even carried deodorizing spray, shampoo, and various hygiene tools.


    ¡°U-uh¡­ Going to that kind of specialist is¡­ kind of embarrassing, though.¡±


    Daryl tried to keep his lips sealed, embarrassed by Tsutomu¡¯s suggestion. A Beastkin¡¯s tail was one of their delicate spots that they would rather not let other people touch. Daryl had been trimming his tail fur by himself all this time, so he still felt unsure about going to a specialist and letting them touch his tail.


    Tsutomu would not take no for an answer, however, as he folded his arms and dered,


    ¡°I CAN tolerate the usual sweaty smell, but sometimes you stink so badly that I start to feel sick, you see. By my authority as the leader ¡ª GO.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Since Daryl¡¯s ears were folded-down, heat and steam were bound to build up under them ¡ª and it would stink badly whenever he moved.


    Daryl made an iffy face at Tsutomu¡¯s blunt statement, but that did not work this time. In the end, he was dragged to the Guild, where Tsutomu asked Garm for details about the specialist shops.


    Apparently already having been told to go see a specialist before, Daryl had to suffer through another one of Garm¡¯s stern lectures.


    ¡°So, you¡­ you still haven¡¯t gone there, after all this time?¡±


    ¡°W-well, it¡¯s embarrassing!¡±


    ¡°But you must. Tsutomu, make sure that he does. Pass this message to the employee there, and they¡¯ll let him through.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    epting the hand-written message from Garm, Tsutomu immediately exited the Guild and headed to the store in question.


    ¡°Wee!¡±


    ¡°Hello. Um, well, Garm told me to pass this message here¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Please give me a moment¡­¡±


    The store clerk, a Tanukichi, epted the paper slip and went into the store¡¯s back room. A few momentster, she jogged back out and bowed.


    ¡°Grooming session for Mister Daryl, booked! Thank you for choosing our services!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I thought he had to make a reservation?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely sure! Mister Daryl here is free to drop by anytime!¡±


    ¡°Good to know.¡±


    Although startled by how the clerk suddenly turned so upbeat, Tsutomu nodded, and then a Cynokindy came out to wee Daryl inside. This establishment seemed to have employees for all Beastkin races, since Tsutomu could see Vulpeer and Aelurkin clerks as well.


    ¡°By the way, apologies beforehand if he ends up being difficult ¡ª it¡¯s his first time here.¡±


    ¡°Oh my¡­ is that so? Understood. That will be no problem at all.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    In the waiting room, Daryl seemed quite restless while sitting in his chair. Tsutomu went to the counter to make the payment so that he could leave first ¡ª which naturally got a reaction from Daryl.


    ¡°Huh!? You¡¯re not staying!?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not. Looks like it¡¯ll take a while, you see. Anyway, please take good care of him, all right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, certainly. Now, this way, please¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir Tsutomu!!¡±


    Leaving the almost-crying Daryl to be taken care of by the Cynokindy, Tsutomu exited the stop, headed back to the n House, and beganpiling the avable information on the Volcanoyers.


    Three hourster, Daryl came back with his fur neatly groomed¡­ carrying arge bag of hygiene supplies.


    ¡°They¡­ gave all this to me.¡±


    The bag contained three kinds of brushes, a bottle of shampoo, deodorant spray, and many other things. Daryl himself now smelled quite nice, almost like a flower. He was sure to sweat and get stinky again, but since Garm had never even smelled so bad before, Daryl was sure to be tolerable if only he took good care of himself.


    ¡°It was pretty amazing, actually! Now my fur is so smooth!¡±


    Despite all the dread and screaming going in, now he was happily stroking his own ck-furred tail. Behind him, Diniel was staring at him as if she was hunting for meat. Tsutomu cracked a dry chuckle at the scene, then proceeded to help Ollie double-check the team¡¯s supplies.

 Chapter 125, Down the Volcano Layers

    <h4>Chapter 125, Down the Volcano Layers</h4>


    Now that Daryl had sessfully taken care of his body odor, Absolute Helix proceeded with their exploration of the Volcanoyers. After registering their party at the Guild¡¯s reception desk, they stepped onto a Magic Circle and teleported to the sixty-firstyer.


    Upon arrival, the five were weed by an environment filled with coal-like ck rock surfaces, dazzling redva, and ck soot drifting all over the air.


    ¡°Gah¡­ So hot,¡± Daryl whined and fanned himself with his hand while curiously looking at a nearbyva stream.


    The temperature here was so high that one was bound to sweat profusely after a short walk. Diniel also seemed to have had enough of the burning air already.


    ¡°Diniel.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    On Tsutomu¡¯s signal, Diniel let loose some arrows in all directions, searching the area for enemies. Unlike before, this was the first time she was in thisyer, so she had to perform a more detailed scan of the ce, which also meant using more arrows than usual. In the meantime, Tsutomu filled up some Potion vials and passed them to everyone.


    ¡°In the north, there are¡­ Rock Beetles, I think. The west is mostlyva, with monsters swimming in it. The south has white rock surfaces, unlike everywhere else. The east looks just like where we are now.¡±


    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s start by trying north first, then go clockwise from there.¡±


    ¡°Aye-yup,¡±


    Diniel put her bow back on her back and went to line up in formation with Hannah. Essentially, the party had Daryl and Amira leading the formation, Tsutomu in the middle, and Diniel and Hannah in the rear.


    ¡°Hmm. He smells fine today.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, for real.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Daryl, hearing Tsutomu and Amira ¡ª the two people who worked with him most closely ¡ª saying that to him, felt quite grumpy as he walked on his way with his tower shield on his back. Behind the three of them, Diniel and Hannah ¡ª whose heights were quite different from each other¡¯s ¡ª observed the surrounding area vigntly.


    Eventually, Rock Beetles, scarab-like creatures with ck rock for body surfaces, starteding into sight. These monsters were camouging themselves as rocks, and would attack unsuspecting Explorers from blind spots. Simr monster types had also been discovered in other Dungeons, though they were different appearance-wise.


    ¡°Daryl, pull aggro.¡±


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]]!¡±


    The Rock Beetles, spurred by the red aura, broke out of their mimicry and approached Daryl. Amira, upon receiving the usual buffing spells, snarled at the monsters and raised her greatsword.


    ¡°RAHHH!!¡±


    Swinging at one of the Rock Beetles from the side, it was easily knocked away, falling into theva stream and sinking down as if melting away. Diniel urately pierced their exposed mouths with her arrows, killing a few of them.


    In the end, the ten or so Rock Beetles were wiped out by the two Attackers. Tsutomu collected the Small Colorless Magic Stones that had fallen to the ground.


    ¡°Amira, try not to knock them into theva ¡ª we¡¯ll lose their Magic Stones.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, man!¡± Amira apologized¡­ whileughing in good humor.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even get to fight at all! I gotta go next, Teach!¡± Hannahined, prompting Tsutomu to chuckle.


    ¡°Sure, Hannah. You¡¯ll be up for the next wave.¡±


    This was essentially the first time they had been down to the Volcanoyers. Hannah and Diniel were bound to feel the change of scenery due to how long they had been exploring the Canyons, while Daryl and Amira seemed to be quite curious as well.


    And even though Tsutomu had seen it before from the game, this was in reality. The silver lining was that he could withdraw to safety at any time while exploring mostyers, with the exception of Bossyers where one could not escape from and was at risk of temporary death. As such, Tsutomu was actually having fun exploring this non-game Dungeon.


    The team proceeded to encounter more monsters, including fish-like creatures that swam inva and Golems made of ck rocks, and defeated them while learning through trial-and-error. With this beingyer sixty-one, Amira was starting to feel underleveled. Thankfully, her [[Dragon Form]] could make up for her inadequate raw strength.


    Now that she had gotten quite used to snapping back to her senses after disengaging [[Dragon Form]], she was able to quickly resume attacking. Recently, she had been practicing to disengage [[Dragon Form]] during flight, which seemed to be quite a difficult challenge. She was not even that used to controlling [[Fly]] yet, so it would naturally be harder for her to suddenly lose and regain consciousness in that state. Regardless, she still kept up her training every single day.


    ¡°All right! Bring it on!¡±


    Hannah, switching with Daryl as the primary Tank for this round, had improved her skill rotation patterns quite a bit, and in turn mostly eliminated her mental energy exhaustion problem. Tsutomu¡¯s strategy alterations ¡ª particrly lowering Amira¡¯s [[Dragon Form]] uses and increasing [[Medic]] casts for Hannah ¡ª had helped thetter manage her stamina more easily.


    The Volcano¡¯s environment did prompt Tsutomu to consider additional stamina management issues, but at least the team¡¯s progress was not likely to hit a wall until they had to fight the Bolseyer. The n was to discuss the issues with Hannah sometime before they reachedyer sixty-five.


    Diniel and Daryl seemed to have no problem performing well. Additionally, Daryl¡¯s body odor was far better, with him only lightly stinking of sweat now, as opposed to the brow-knitting level of miasma from before.


    ¡°¡­And so it turned out that the stink came from my ears,¡± Daryl wrapped up his exnation to Amira.


    ¡°Right, because they¡¯re folded. Must¡¯ve built up too much gunk under there, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They took two huge ck piles out of them¡­¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you fold them down in the first ce, anyway?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve always been like that¡­¡±


    Getting a curt question from Amira, Daryl scowled at her, looking quite grumpy. Amira, annoyed by the look he was giving her, proceeded to poke her fingers under his folded ears.


    ¡°Do you even know how much I suffered that one time I carried you? You know, after we beat the Fire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°S-stop it!¡±


    ¡°I swear, a normal dog soaked in ditch water would smell better than you back then!¡±


    Amira, sporting a sadistic grin, was about to pull on Daryl¡¯s ears, with thetter¡¯s face turning bright red as he tried to pry her hands off. The one who stopped Amira was, to everyone¡¯s surprise, Diniel.


    ¡°Get away from him.¡±


    ¡°Miss Diniel¡­¡±


    Daryl turned to Diniel, grateful for his savior, or so he thought¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn now.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Diniel¡¯s hands seemed itching to grab Daryl¡¯s ears as she inched close to him. Daryl, feeling a sense of impending danger, broke into a cold sweat and promptly ran away.


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re having fun.¡±


    ¡°Totally.¡±


    ¡°I wanna touch them, too.¡±


    ¡°Gimme him a break¡­¡±


    As for Tsutomu and Hannah, they only took a nce at the three running around, not joining in. Instead, they were swinging pickaxes, shaving away at a red pyroxene ore vein. Tsutomu was new to mining, so he was not digging as well as he would have liked, while Hannah was doing perfectly fine.


    ¡°Teach, no need to raise it so high. Put in too much power, and the ore will be damaged as well.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Teach.¡±


    ¡°¡­Teach?¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Tsutomu promptly apologized to the confused Hannah.


    Hannah chuckled and proceeded to resume digging.


    ¡°Yes, like that ¡ª that¡¯s the way you do it, I think.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thanks for the tip.¡±


    Tsutomu put an uncut red crystal into his Magic Bag and proceeded to mine some more with Hannah, collecting various ores. Eventually, Daryl was caught by Diniel, who proceeded to fiddle with his ears as she pleased.


    ¡°¡­So hot.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a short break, then? Just over here.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Thank you.¡±


    Tsutomu took out a towel cooled with Ice Magic Stones and a lidded cup of cool drink from his Magic Bag. Hannah dly epted them, slinging the towel around her neck and starting to drink the cool drink with a straw.


    ¡°I want that, too,¡± Amira said as she came up to the two.


    ¡°Get us ten Red Glintstones, and you¡¯ll have it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    Taking the pickaxe from Tsutomu and tying her long red hair up with an stic band, Amira quickly got to work ¡ª and for once, she actually looked elegant doing it. Diniel, having been stuck rubbing Daryl¡¯s ears, also came over and started mining as well.


    ¡°Manualbor really does NOT suit me,¡± Diniel said. Despite her bow also being fairly heavy, she seemed to be having difficulties holding her pickaxe as she swung it down at the ck rock surface.


    ¡°It¡¯s much less demanding than fighting monsters, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Apples and oranges, boy.¡±


    She, Daryl, and Hannah proceeded to spend some time mining. Tsutomu thought to himself how surreal it was that they also had to perform manualbor while in the Dungeon, wherein he usually would think of adventure and loot.


    ¡°Good work.¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah! Water! Gimme water!¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Tsutomu passed a cold towel and cup of drink to the sweat-soaked Amira. Daryl and Diniel moved on to another vein and collected the crystals, delivering them to Tsutomu in exchange for cold drinks.


    [I never expected to have to do this¡­ but reality can be disappointing sometimes, I guess.]


    There was no gathering mechanic back in the game, with all materials being obtained from treasure chests dropped from monsters. That fact caused Tsutomu to feel an uncanny sense of reality as he and his team proceeded to battle more monsters and do more mining.

 Chapter 126, The Top Three Healers

    <h4>Chapter 126, The Top Three Healers</h4>


    After their first trip, the team went back to the Guild and took a short break, then went back down to the Volcanoyers to collect more materials and Magic Stones. By the time everyone was starting to get ustomed to the Volcano¡¯s monsters, Tsutomu realized howte into the night it was.


    ¡°All right, time to leave.¡±


    ¡°Huh, it¡¯s already thatte?¡±


    The team had started exploring in the morning, with one break in between during the noon, and now it was past eight o¡¯clock in the afternoon. They had been in the Dungeon for quite a long time due to them being obligated by contract to promote their sponsor, which was more effectively done during peak spectator hours.


    [Maybe we should just start at noon, going forward.]


    Considering the rtively small spectator crowds in the morning, perhaps it would be fine to forgo exploring during that time. While pondering over that potential time change, Tsutomu wiped the sweat off his face with a towel and entered the ck Gate to return to the Guild. The four others did not seem as worn out as Tsutomu ¡ª they could be considered perfectly energetic, even.


    Back at the n House, Tsutomu went ahead and took a bath first, then sorted his Magic Bag to count up the materials and Magic Stones obtained today, and recorded them in his report notes. Then he put the materials in a newly-purchased high-capacity Magic Bag, which Ollie had obtained during her procedure of managing the team¡¯s items.


    The team had received a request from Dorren Workshop to procure select materials and Magic Stones from the Volcano Layers, which they would purchase for a good price, so the n was to deliver these items to them on the team¡¯s next day off. After dinner, Tsutomu passed the report notes to Ollie and promptly dropped himself onto a sofa, giving in to the fatigue that he had umted today.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Amira came up to him and said, ready for the usual training session.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to pass today.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Amira dropped her shoulders, disappointed. Then she proceeded to gear up and head to the Guild¡¯s training ground, to practice controlling [[Fly]] by herself.


    ¡°I swear, she¡¯s getting addicted¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s got stamina, that¡¯s for sure. Almost as much as Daryl, don¡¯t you think?¡± Hannah said as she and Tsutomu saw Amira off.


    ¡°I just hope she doesn¡¯t overwork herself.¡±


    Afterward, Tsutomu was so tired that he immediately headed back to his room and went to sleep.


    From the next day onward, the Absolute Helix party continued updating theiryer progress and gathering the Volcanoyers¡¯ materials. Everyone started leveling up again, with Diniel reaching level seventy-one and learning a new skill, [[Stream Arrow]].


    Amira finally got over level fifty, after which it would take her much longer to gain more levels. The three others had gained either two or three levels, but had not acquired any new skills.


    ¡°[[Stream Arrow]],¡± Diniel chanted the skill name, then left it to her automatically moving hand to let loose an arrow into the sky.


    A momentter, the arrow could be seen glowing blue, then smaller arrows of light started raining onto the ground. The four others around her seemed quite amazed.


    ¡°Whoa. That ate up a lot of mental energy.¡±


    ¡°But its power is impressive. Might be fun to use with elemental arrows.¡±


    ¡°¡­This kind of skill really does NOT suit me.¡±


    Diniel knew a simrly-functioning skill, the [[Rain Arrow]], which she had not used all that much either. Both skills involved letting loose an arrow into the sky, the effect after which was impossible to fine-tune, making it easy to identally hurt allies in the process. [[Rain Arrow]] could be useful with proper teamwork, but it was not necessarily powerful enough to be worth the special attention.


    ¡°How about you try working it into your rotation? If it works for Hannah, of course. I think it¡¯ll be useful against Mount Golem.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m totally on board with that! Just let me know beforehand, and I¡¯ll probably be able to dodge it!¡±


    With Hannah hopping around cheerfully while answering her, Diniel closed her eyes and pondered it over¡­ then looked at Hannah again with azy look in her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably impossible now, since I¡¯ve only had the skill for less than three days ¡ª but let¡¯s see how it goes from here.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Hannah was not particrly skeptical of this new idea, having faith that Diniel would never end up hitting her, as had always been the case so far. Daryl seemed jealous of the two ¡ª and ended up turning to Amira, but thetter was too focused on her [[Fly]] practice to notice him.


    Afterward, the team updated theiryer progress at the pace of oneyer every few days, and before they knew it, another day off came around. Tsutomu took the collected Inferno Magic Stones and ores to the Dorren Workshop. All of the craftsmen swarmed him like a colony of ants discovering candy.


    ¡°Now THIS is a lot¡­ Really, it¡¯s great. Now we can try making a whole bunch of stuff.¡±


    ¡°Always d to help. Please take good care of Daryl¡¯s gear and Amira¡¯s sword, all right?¡±


    ¡°Leave it to us. We¡¯ll get them back up to perfect shape every time youe to us.¡± Dorren, the old Dwarf and the workshop¡¯s chief, answered and folded his arms.


    The craftsmen started up the furnace to immediately get started processing the ores. Tsutomu passed Daryl¡¯s armor and Amira¡¯s greatsword to them, then proceeded to leave the workshop as it was heating up.


    Afterward, he headed to the Forest Apothecary to chat with the Elfdy and ask about her progress on new products, then the Magic Stone Exchange to greet the Dwarf girl. As it turned out, she was Dorren¡¯s granddaughter, and had been quite thankful for the sponsorship deal between Tsutomu¡¯s team and the workshop.


    ¡°¡­And like I said, you should sell your Magic Stones to us. We¡¯ll give you better prices than the Guild!¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? I¡¯ll think about it ¡ª not making any promises, though.¡±


    Now that the n¡¯s Magic Stone conversion had been left to Ollie, Tsutomu was no longer the one with the final decision on that matter. After leaving the Dwarf girl¡¯s Exchange ce, Tsutomu went to the market and observed the Explorers doing their thing on the Monitors.


    The first Monitor showed Rook fighting in the Snow Field onyer seventy-one, with Ealdred Crow seemingly finally free from the merchants¡¯ dispute over Ice Magic Stone distribution rights. Said dispute among merchants had be a social phenomenon that got covered by not only Dungeon-specializing newspapers, but regr newspapers as well, so sorting out that situation must have been a pain.


    All that work had resulted in Ealdred Crow making bank ¡ª with revenue over a hundred million Gold ¡ª but that high amount had also resulted in various organizations eyeing for ways to meddle in their business. The n¡¯s clerks had been so busy dealing with the situation that they were now so bored and tired, their eyes nk like dead fish.


    Unlike the clerks, however, the main party members seemed to be enjoying themselves. They had gone through quite a lot to defeat the Mount Golem, and they did not have to worry about their progress being overtaken for some time. Additionally, each of the members¡¯ poprity had soared since their victory, with the Tank Bittman and multi-weapon Attacker Sova gaining even more fans, and Healer Stephanie¡¯s name starting to be quite well-known.


    Most of the time, Stephanie was able to keep up her support effects and provide adequate healing, effectively utilizing pick-up cements and quickshots, and use [[Fly]] to expand her field of vision ¡ª all as she had been taught by Tsutomu and his supplementary documents. Right now, she was even providing support and healing for Rook¡¯s summoned monster.


    [Ooh, that¡¯s cool.]


    Rook¡¯s current choices of Eidolon monsters included ones that could more easily stay alive, which helped Stephanie in carrying out her role for what was essentially a team of six. All in all, Tsutomu was impressed by what he was seeing.


    Compared to their smooth progress, the Healer of Silver Beast shown on Monitor #2 was, so to speak, unconventional. Lorena, recognizable even from a distance because of her distinct rabbit ears, had quite a different approach to her rolepared to Stephanie, who did things closely by-the-book.


    Lorena did not use [[Fly]] to provide support from above, opting instead to run around on the ground. Moreover, she minimized the use of long-ranged [[Heal]], mostly providing healing by the ssic way of touching the target directly.


    Unlike Tsutomu, both Lorena and Stephanie must be inside an [[Area Heal]], otherwise they would get lower power from their long-ranged [[Heals]]. As such, Lorena still preferred to do it the ssic way as much as she could.


    Two other things worth mentioning about both of them were aggro management and synergy with other party members, which they had done just as well as Tsutomu. Lorena worked well with herrades and knewmands to issue and when. And in fact, it was not just her ¡ª it was apparent even when seen on the Monitor that the whole team moved as one.


    Ealdred Crow was a gathering of many talented personnel, while Silver Beast had simply been exploring the Dungeon for a long time with the same members they had had for a long time. For now, Ealdred Crow was one step ahead, but spectators were paying close attention to how things would go from now on.


    And on the topic of Healers, it seemed that the Dungeon Maniacs had been ranking their favorites, with Stephanie being the most popr, being the one who had the deepestyer progress. Still, Lorena and Tsutomu were favored by many others, and it had been reported in this morning¡¯s newspapers that they made up three of the top Healers in town.


    [I can¡¯t let myself fall behind.]


    Although Tsutomu was happy for the two¡¯s progress, he was not about to simply let them overtake him. He proceeded to return to the n House in a good mood, encouraged by what he had seen of two of his students.

 Chapter 127, The Slimy Bolseye

    <h4>Chapter 127, The Slimy Bolseye</h4>


    After exploring more of the Volcanoyers, Absolute Helix was now down toyer sixty-five, with Amira at level fifty, Daryl at fifty-six, Hannah at sixty-four, Diniel at seventy-one, and Tsutomu at fifty-eight. That made up an average level of about sixty for the party.


    Here inyer sixty-five, Tsutomu¡¯s party had to face the Bolseyer, which guarded the way down to the nextyer as if it was its own child. The monster swam in a doughnut-shapedke ofva, the center of which was an ind with the ck Gate. As such, without defeating the Bolseyer, progressing any further would be quite difficult.


    Unlikeyer bosses, however, one was not required to defeat the Bolseyer to proceed. In fact, Golden Tune had sessfully bypassed the monster, making use of Leon¡¯s exceedingly high AGI to get everyone down toyer sixty-six.


    If Absolute Helix only wanted to update theiryer progress, then they could make it past the monster easily enough. However, Tsutomu also wanted the loot ¡ª particrly the heat-resistant equipment from treasure chests dropped by the Bolseyer. Besides, defeating it would help n members gain levels faster, as he wanted the average to be at least sixty-six by the time they started challengingyer seventy.


    It was not as if he wanted to rush hisyer progress, but he was not about to let Ealdred Crow keep their first ce and conquer the hundredthyer before his team, either. Since his goal was to be the very first group to clear the Dungeon ¡ª just in case that achievement was important to getting him back home ¡ª Tsutomu had to do things optimally, not only thinking of short-term benefits.


    ¡°There¡­ that¡¯s our fish.¡±


    Tsutomu and the others headed straight toward theva-surrounded ck Gate, following the direction Diniel had scouted for them. The Bolseyer suddenly stuck its head out of thevake, as if to wee the team of five.


    Due to its round, nk eyes and high-pitched cries, this monster could be considered adorable by some. As a monster to fight, however, it was undoubtedly quite brutal. Its movements, boosted by the slimy membrane covering its body, made it difficult to catch ¡ª and its long-rangedva st attacks made it even worse.


    ¡°Daryl, do the thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes! [[Warrior Howl]]!¡±


    ¡°[[Protect]], [[Haste]].¡±


    As Daryl unleashed a massive sound st, the four others started making their move. The Bolseyer, upon seeing that Daryl was the source of the provoking sound, quickly slid out from thevake.


    While intimidated by the sight of the gigantic fish sliding onnd, Daryl managed to move out of the way, avoiding a direct hit ¡ª and more importantly, its bite. If he were to be bitten now, he would practically be boiled inside its mouth. Even the high VIT of a Heavy Knight would not protect him from that.


    For now, all he had to do was not let the monster restrain him. Even if Attackers could help him to some extent, it was still ideal to not get caught at all. Daryl moved to a position where he would not be bitten, blocked the Bolseyer¡¯s charge with his tower shield, and was knocked quite far back.


    The [[Barrier]] effect of his tower shield, which Tsutomu had applied beforehand, also lost quite a bit of its stability. Although surprised by the power of the blow, Daryl kept his eyes trained on the Bolseyer, observing its every movement.


    The Bolseyer, the appearance of which was a cross between a loach and a catfish, naturally had no legs. Instead, it moved along the ground with its fins and tail, and secreted a red, slimy substance to ensure that its mobility was notpromised.


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]]!¡±


    Daryl, continuing to build more aggro, faced the Bolseyer head-on. He had already viewed numerous battles against this monster through the Monitors, and had memorized all of Tsutomu¡¯s ns and information of note. He was sure that he would not be beaten so quickly, at least.


    Recalling the strategies he had been told, Daryl took a nce at Diniel¡¯s position¡­ and was met with an unexpected sight.


    ¡°[[Power sh]]!¡±


    Amira dashed past Daryl and swung her greatsword at the Bolseyer. However, that only caused the red membrane on the monster¡¯s body surface to burst and scatter, lightly burning Amira¡¯s face and arms. Amira promptly retreated from that spot.


    ¡°Amira!? Aren¡¯t you supposed to wait for Diniel to shoot first!?¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh sh*t.¡±


    Amira, having moved without thinking due to being fascinated by the Bolseyer¡¯s strength, snapped back to her senses thanks to Daryl¡¯s warning.


    ¡°It¡¯s attacking! Watch out!¡±


    After dodging the monster¡¯s ram, Daryl continued to pull its aggro, while Amira looked awkwardly in Tsutomu¡¯s direction.


    Tsutomu, watching those two from a distance, heaved a sigh. Amira had acted like a child rushing to take the toy she had always wanted, refusing to stop when being told to.


    ¡°Gah¡­ She really does not know how to wait, that girl.¡±


    ¡°Should I start attacking now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, go ahead. As a reminder, please try not to hit her by mistake.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Without hesitation, Diniel nocked some elemental arrows fitted with Ice Magic Stones, and repeatedly shot at the Bolseyer as it charged at Daryl.


    As soon as the arrowsnded, the red membrane evaporated away, darkening some spots on the monster¡¯s body surface. Hannah then punched those exposed spots with her brass knuckles-equipped fists.


    ¡°Amira! Get back here!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Called loudly by Tsutomu, Amira had a tantly frightened look on her face on her way back to him. After casting more support spells for Daryl, Tsutomu proceeded to put his hands on his hips and look down at Amira. Thetter, knowing that she herself had messed up, was like a student being scolded by her teacher.


    ¡°Did you not hear me?¡±


    ¡°Sorry. I just¡­ ran ahead without thinking.¡±


    ¡°¡­You would¡¯ve been dead if that happened onyer seventy or deeper, you know. Stick to the n and pay attention.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Sorry.¡±


    Seeing that Amira actually was apologetic, Tsutomu proceeded to tap the end of his staff on the ground and cast [[Heal]] to treat her burns.


    ¡°As a reminder, the Bolseyer¡¯s red membrane is its strong point. Wait for Diniel to disable it first, then strike the exposed parts like Hannah is doing now. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, I can at least understand being excited to fight new monsters for the first time, though,¡± Tsutomu added, seeing that things were getting awkward, what with Amira turning somber as a result of his scolding.


    In response, Amira stared nkly at him.


    It was only natural that Tsutomu understood her excitement. Whenever new content was added to Live Dungeon, he would excitedly rush to log in, and whenever he encountered new monsters, he would be itching to fight them. He could not feel that way in this world when it came toyer bosses, what with the inability to retreat from them, but for other normalyers, he had always been having fun conquering them.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a bad thing in itself to have fun. I¡¯m also excited, after all. But it¡¯s a problem if you don¡¯t stick to the n and listen to orders. The team won¡¯t be able to work together, and I won¡¯t be able to support you either.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ does sound like a problem.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? It¡¯s a problem for me as well. If I can¡¯t support, then I wouldn¡¯t be worth anything ¡ª and it¡¯d be more efficient to just run a team of five Attackers instead,¡± Tsutomu said without skipping a beat, albeit with a self-deprecating smile on his face.


    Amira, seemingly feeling bad for Tsutomu, widened her eyes and looked up at him.


    ¡°What the hell!? You¡¯re not supposed to say that!¡±


    ¡°Uh, well, I guess. If that¡¯s how you feel, then you better stick to the n and listen ¡ª at least a little bit. Do that, and I¡¯ll be able to support, which will help your fighting go smoother.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, get in there ¡ª and go all out when the timing is right. I¡¯ll keep your support effects up.¡±


    ¡°All right! I¡¯m counting on you!¡±


    Amira rubbed her nose and grinned like an innocent little boy, then hurried over to help Hannah and Daryl. Tsutomu chuckled at Amira¡¯s going quickly back to her audacious self, then proceeded to cast support effects for her, and then healing for Daryl. After that, he urately ced a [[Haste]] pick-up for Hannah, whose movements were gaining some good momentum by now.


    ¡°She really is a¡­ straightforward girl.¡±


    ¡°Better that than aplicated girl, Teach.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hey, I¡¯m a straightforward girl too¡± Diniel spoke up.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so ¡ª you wouldn¡¯t be saying that if you actually were straightforward.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    While arguing with Tsutomu, Diniel kept on shooting, disabling more and more of the Bolseyer¡¯s red membrane. Hannah and Amira attacked the exposed parts, while Daryl held his ground against the Bolseyer¡¯s attacks.


    ¡°Hannah! Time to switch with Daryl!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Seeing that Daryl was getting exhausted after being knocked back repeatedly, and that the Bolseyer¡¯s defenses were weakening, Tsutomu decided to switch the Tanks around. Daryl received [[Heal]] and [[Medic]] casts as he retreated, and Hannah used [[Combat Cry]] and attacking skills to pull the Bolseyer¡¯s aggro.


    ¡°Diniel, stop using ice arrows ¡ª change back to normal attacks instead.¡±


    ¡°Aye-yup.¡±


    Diniel put her ice arrows back into the Magic Bag on her back, and took out the normal iron arrows instead. Shortly after, the Bolseyer thrashed around, knocking Amira and Hannah away as it attempted to slide its way back to thevake.


    Knowing that the monster was doing that because its defensive membrane had lost effectiveness, Tsutomu took this chance to use [[Air des]] and get some damage in. His attack was weakpared to those of Attackers, making it not at all viable for a mainbat role. Still, that was without a doubt the most damage Tsutomu could dish out ¡ª and the most any Healer could do in general, even.


    Stephanie, as she was right now, already had her hands full with support and aggro management, so she could not take many chances to try and deal damage. Lorena excelled in aggro management, so her damage output was higher than Stephanie¡¯s, but her maintenance of support effects was not quite perfect.


    At the end of the day, however, a Healer¡¯s damage output was a drop in a bucketpared to an Attacker¡¯s. And since their main role was to support, their capacity to attack was further limited by their stock of mental energy. Even if they could help out a little against monster hordes in normal Dungeonyers, they were bound not to be involved in direct fighting against big enemies.


    Then again,ing from Live Dungeon, Tsutomu had the tendency to try and maximize efficiency, wanting to end fights even just a single second faster ¡ª when it came to this, he would never pull his punches just because things seemed tedious. Besides, the longer a battlested, the higher the chances of everyone getting hurt.


    ¡°Lava st iing! Hannah! Hang in there!¡±


    ¡°YEAH!¡±


    The Bolseyer¡¯sva sts were extremely fast, and they ricocheted when they hit the ground, making them difficult to avoidpletely. Additionally, they were powerful, so having Daryl catch them was not exactly an option. That was where Hannah, the evasion-based Tank, could shine.


    ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    Flying around with the effect of [[Fly]], Hannah concentrated on the Bolseyer as it swam in theva. Then, when it stuck out its head andunchedva sts, she dodged them, one after another, adjusting her movements with her blue-feathered wings.


    Since the sts were aimed at the airborne Hannah, they did not hit the ground, and in turn warranted no worry about them ricocheting around. All she needed to watch out for was them bouncing off walls, but her positioning meant that would not be much of an issue, either.


    Completely refreshing its defensive membrane afterunchingva sts for some time, the Bolseyer proceeded to hop ashore once again. The team repeated their routine, with Diniel neutralizing the membrane with ice arrows, Hannah pulling its aggro, and Daryl tanking the hits with his tower shield.


    ¡°[[Dragon Form]].¡±


    And this time, Amira transformed, leaving things to her instincts for some time as she attacked the Bolseyer. Just as she was about to generate too much aggro, Tsutomu waved his staff.


    ¡°[[Medic]].¡±


    Her transformation dispelled, Amira snapped back to her senses and dug her heels into the ground to stop her rush¡­ and then bared her fangs like a beast. Tsutomu chuckled dryly and proceeded to give Amira his next instructions as thetter proceeded to happily swing her sword around.


    ¡°Amira! Less attacking for now!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!! -Whoa, hot! Gimme some water!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have it ready! Get back here!¡±


    Tsutomu quickly pulled out two canteens and two towels from his Magic Bag ¡ª one set for Amira, and the other for the sweaty Daryl, who was also heading toward him.


    The high temperature of the Volcanoyers was bound to drain one¡¯s stamina, so it was essential to regrly rehydrate. Hannah and Diniel also took frequent chances to drink water whenever Daryl and Amira were the main ones fighting.


    ¡°That thing¡¯s tough.¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re getting pretty close, though. Just have to hang in there for a bit longer.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Amira held her canteen over her head, letting some of the cold water shower over her face before drinking from it. Daryl used his cold towel to scrub his face and pick his ears.


    Tsutomu proceeded to take out a small box of frozen candies, picking out a red one and popping it into his mouth. It was simr to what Rook had given him a taste of before, but not made-to-order, so it did not taste quite as good.


    ¡°Want one?¡±


    Still, anything cold enough was sure to taste good in this heat. Daryl picked one of the candies, his ck-furred tail wagging, and Amira also took one for herself.


    ¡°More please,¡± Daryl promptly said.


    ¡°Just one more, all right? Pick what you like ¡ª red, yellow, or blue?¡±


    ¡°Might as well give me another one, so that I get to try all three¡­¡±


    ¡°These don¡¯te cheap, you know. And Miss Ollie won¡¯t be happy to hear that you¡¯re such a glutton¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the yellow one!¡±


    Tsutomu ced the candy in Daryl¡¯s hand, and thetter opened his mouth wide and threw it in, looking quite happy. Amira looked at Daryl and twisted her mouth into a half-annoyed grin, prompting thetter tosh back at her.


    ¡°What¡¯s that look for, Amira!? Are you gonnain about me to Miss Ollie as well!?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Nah, it¡¯s just¡­ unbelievable how straightforward you are, so easily satisfied with just some candy¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want another one, you can give it to me instead!¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m cool with that.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? For real!? Thanks a bunch! C¡¯mon, Sir Tsutomu! Gimme!¡±


    [Yeah, BOTH of them seem quite straightforward to me] Tsutomu thought to himself. After casting support spells for Diniel, he gave Daryl another candy then sent him and Amira back to fight the Bolseyer. After another fifteen minutes or so, the Bolseyer was defeated, and Absolute Helix proceeded down toyer sixty-six.

 Chapter 128, An Unexpected Joint Exploration

    <h4>Chapter 128, An Unexpected Joint Exploration</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    With the Bolseyer out of the way, Absolute Helix¡¯s main activities switched back to leveling themselves up while updating theiryer progress. Back in his room in the n House, Tsutomu looked through the documents he hadpiled. He had already thought up an efficient leveling routine for the Volcanoyers, so all he had to do was to make some final confirmations before putting it into action tomorrow.


    In game terms, leveling routines basically involved hunting experience-efficient monsters. Still, while it technically was the best way, it would not in fact be the most efficient method unless one wasfortable withbor-intensive activities.


    Daryl and Hannah were sure to be fine, what with the former having the perseverance to undergo Garm¡¯s strict training, and thetter doing just fine with Ealdred Crow¡¯s leveling routines. Amira and Diniel, however, did not exactly seem able to hunt monsters for extended periods of time.


    If Amira were to be ssified as a Live Dungeon yer, she would be closest to the average high school student audience. A few among them were dedicated, of course, but from Tsutomu¡¯s experience, most of them tended to favor short-term enjoyment from gamey. Amira¡¯s tendency had been especially apparent when she had charged so eagerly at the Bolseyer. Then again, she had been keeping up with her daily [[Dragon Form]] and [[Fly]] training, so at least a decent degree of dedication could be expected from her.


    Diniel was unique, so to speak, but still closest to a stay-at-home parent ¡ª the type to enjoy a game for its social interaction features rather than gamey, and would quit out of boredom if unable to maintain casual conversations. For her case, ¡®casual conversations¡¯ would be reced with zing around¡¯.


    Seeing that Amira wanted to have fun, and Diniel wanted toze around, forcing them to level up the tedious-but-efficient way would end up being inefficient, as he had observed such cases from various other ns. As such, he had to think up routines that would cater to their personalities.


    Back in Live Dungeon, Tsutomu could be considered a pioneer of leveling methods, having experimented with various routines such as simple ones that even beginners could enjoy, ones that were tempting to even higher-leveled yers thanks to good loot rates, and ones that were not the most efficient but left plenty of breathing room for chatting.


    Here, however, no one was sitting in front of their screens and tapping on their keyboards ¡ª and as such, directly applying Tsutomu¡¯s old knowledge would never work out well. To ensure maximum efficiency for Absolute Helix, he also had to consider the Volcano¡¯s high temperature, the time it would take to fight the experience-efficient monsters, and various other factors.


    For Amira, Tsutomu decided to customize the routine to include more monsters that she could fight without using [[Dragon Form]] too much, and fewer monsters that were stronger and yield more experience ¡ª against which she would be allowed to transform. Doing this should at least prevent her from growing bored of fighting the same monsters over and over again. Going back to hunt the earlieryer bosses once in a while was an option worth considering, too.


    And for Diniel, regr break times were an absolute must. On paper, the team would have to take breaks and have dinner within the Dungeon for maximum efficiency ¡ª but that would dampen Diniel¡¯s motivation the most, so letting her rest up properly would actually be better.


    Additionally, using tools to stave off the Volcanoyers¡¯ heat could help to make the grind morefortable ¡ª which would incur a great increase in expenditures. And as such, they would need Ollie¡¯s permission. Inferno Magic Stones and other Volcano materials were still going for high prices, so the team could expect to turn a good profit, but it was surely better to discuss such matters with her first.


    And so, Tsutomu made some estimates, noting them down on paper and going to Ollie for advice. She was currently going through the materials obtained from today¡¯s Dungeon exploration as well as sorting the equipment used, so Tsutomu called out to her and handed over the paper.


    ¡°Miss Ollie, I¡¯d like to discuss the equipment we¡¯ll be using for theing week¡¯s Dungeon exploration. Is now a good time?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    Ollie put down her pen. Tsutomu sat at the opposite side of the table and proceeded to show her the estimates for tomorrow onward ¡ª particrly the additional equipment expected to be used, and the different kinds of materials expected to be obtained.


    ¡°Starting tomorrow, we¡¯ll be training to gain some levels before attemptingyer seventy. I¡¯ve listed out the consumable tools I think we¡¯ll be using on that sheet.¡±


    ¡°Understood¡­ Hmm, I see.¡±


    Taking the sheet from Tsutomu, Ollie calmly scanned through the details. She was the one currently managing most of the n¡¯s materials, deciding what to keep and what to sell off, and also keeping the supplies topped up. She was sure to know the current market values of items and fix up Tsutomu¡¯s estimates ordingly.


    ¡°My amount and price calctions might be off, so please do point them out if there¡¯s any.¡±


    ¡°Actually, they all seem just about right, as far as I can see. I¡¯ll have tomorrow¡¯s portion of supplies ready.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. If nothing goes wrong, we¡¯ll be sticking to this general routine for some time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, certainly.¡±


    Ollie cracked a somehow calming smile and bowed. Tsutomu bowed to her as well, and then spoke up again as if he had just recalled another thing,


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯d also like to talk about where to cash in the Magic Stones¡­¡±


    Ollie, after being told of the Dwarf girl¡¯s Magic Stone Exchange, took a long moment to think things over. In the end, she decided that she would pay the ce a visit tomorrow. Tsutomu awkwardly raised an eyebrow ¡ª particrly due to the ¡®tomorrow¡¯ part.


    ¡°Um, Miss Ollie? Isn¡¯t tomorrow your day off?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is. Why?¡±


    ¡°Now this is another thing I¡¯ve been meaning to say¡­ you should actually take time off.¡±


    Just like all the n members, Ollie had two days off per week, during which housework would instead be handled by a hire-by-the-day worker, and the supplies management by Tsutomu himself. Despite that, Ollie would often show up unprompted to do housework and ounting anyway.


    Hearing Tsutomu¡¯s words of concern, Ollie raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, unsure as to how she wanted to reply.


    ¡°As strange as it sounds, I don¡¯t know what other things to do. I¡¯ve been doing nothing but work all this time, you see.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Well, how about we go somewhere when we¡¯re all free? The whole n, together.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing the suggestion, Ollie went silent, her expression, unreadable. Just as Tsutomu thought he had pried into her business too much, Ollie smiled as if to smooth over the awkwardness.


    ¡°Thank you. I would very much love to.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ if you don¡¯t want to, you can just refuse, all right? I didn¡¯t mean to force you or anything.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I was just surprised ¡ª because I¡¯m not used to being invited, you see.¡±


    Tsutomu nodded, relieved to see that Ollie was not faking her smile.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be sure to ask everyone about their nster.¡±


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The next day, Absolute Helix started their leveling routine. From noon, they went down toyer sixty-six and hunted mainly the experience-efficient monsters, leaving the Dungeon and taking proper breaks at regr intervals to help things feel less tedious.


    Tsutomu¡¯s game knowledge helped to some extent with navigating the terrain, and Diniel¡¯s scouting skills were relied upon to determine where the team would hunt. The main things she was to search for were locations in which many monsters gathered, rare monsters hidden in walls that granted a ridiculous amount of experience called Golden Bombs, and the high experience-yielding regr monsters called Smants.


    The current party setup meant they were primarily physical attackers, and as such ineffective against Golem-type monsters and most effective against squishy monster types such as bugs. The bug-type monsters and the like had no resistance against everyone¡¯s attacks except Tsutomu¡¯s, so the team had a rtively easy time killing them to gain experience.


    After an hour of that, the team went back to fight a Bolseyer, breaking the monotony to satisfy Amira. Then they continued their leveling, letting Amira use her [[Dragon Form]] against the Smants.


    The ck Gate down toyer sixty-seven was found in the evening, so the team returned to the Guild and took a break. Diniel was not one to often speak out her feelings, so Tsutomu knew to give her regr breaks despite her not demanding them out loud.


    After spending an hour and a half resting and having dinner, the party teleported down toyer sixty-seven. They continued their training, while also spending some downtime to mine for ores and gather materials. It was during this step that they had a chance of finding the elusive Golden Bomb, so they had to keep their eyes peeled at all times.


    ¡°Hey there, Tsutomu!¡±


    At one point while Tsutomu and his team were mining, someone suddenly called out to them ¡ª then they instantly recognized the person as Leon due to his characteristic golden fur. Tsutomu put down his pickaxe and looked at Leon. He saw that thetter was smiling¡­ in a way that suggested some ulterior motive.


    ¡°Hello, Leon. I didn¡¯t know that you were here, too.¡±


    ¡°Small Dungeon, eh? Lemme just get to the asking ¡ª How about we explore together? We¡¯re down toyer sixty-nine now, so y¡¯all can just take the ck Gates whenever we find one.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that would be helpful.¡±


    The Dungeon¡¯s ck Gates, once passed through by one party, would teleport randomly to a different location. In the case of multiple parties exploring the sameyer at once, progressing downward was sure to be a firste, first-served race, so cooperation in this manner was quite a rare asion.


    Since Golden Tune had already progressed past the currentyer, however, they could just resume their exploration from the Guild without needing to touch the ck Gate here. Taking Leon¡¯s proposal into consideration, Tsutomu asked his n members what they wanted to do, and no one seemed particrly against it.


    As for Tsutomu himself, he did not consider this cooperation to be a bad thing, either. Although their leveling efficiency would be somewhat lower for a while, getting to observe closely another party in action was sure to serve as good motivation ¡ª especially for Amira and Diniel, who had not been watching the Monitors all that much.


    Tsutomu also felt the need to help Golden Tune out in some way, what with him practically poaching Diniel from their ranks. As such, he agreed to Leon¡¯s proposal, putting away his mining tools and following the wolfman.


    Golden Tune¡¯s main party consisted of Leon, Eunice, Barbara, and two other women, one an Attacker and the other a Tank ¡ª a suspiciously simr lineup to Absolute Helix¡¯s. Eunice could be seen rocking a new wardrobe, now wearing a pure white robe tailored to her small stature andrge fox ears and tail. Her equipment loadout was almost the same as Tsutomu¡¯s.


    Barbara, being a Heavy Knight andrge in stature just like Daryl, also had a simr but not entirely the same equipment loadout ¡ª heavy armour with added functions for improved cooling, arge shield, and a spear. Upon seeing Leon bring the Absolute Helix crew along, she took off her helmet. Her perfectly rounded bear ears popped right up after being squished down by her helmet for so long.


    ¡°They agreed to go exploring with us!¡± Leon said, and Tsutomu promptly greeted,


    ¡°Hello there.¡±


    ¡°Ohh! Thanks a bunch, Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmph. You really don¡¯t have to, you know.¡±


    Barbara brightened up and bowed to Tsutomu, while Eunice arrogantly folded her arms. Seeing that the two had not changed at all, Tsutomu chuckled and proceeded to greet the two others as well.


    ¡°Is it all right if we leave all the nning to Golden Tune?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure thing. I see some monsters over there, so let¡¯s go check them out.¡±


    Leon, with the help of [[Haste]] and his unique skill boosting his AGI rating up to S, was sure to be the best option for scouting. Leaving things to him was sure to not drop the team¡¯s leveling efficiency too much. And so, after the two ns¡¯ members got to spend a few moments chatting with one another, they began their joint exploration.

 Chapter 129, Eunice’s True Feelings

    <h4>Chapter 129, Eunice’s True Feelings</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Editor: Svin


    While moving in the direction Leon had chosen, members of Absolute Helix and Golden Tune had some downtime to mingle with one another. As they chatted, it was apparent that Diniel, perhaps due to being a former member of Golden Tune, was disliked by Eunice, but the rest of Absolute Helix got along just fine with Barbara and the two others.


    Hannah and Daryl talked mainly with the Tanks, while Amira chatted with the fellow greatsword-wielding Attacker and Leon, keeping her usual casual tone. Leon, seeing that Amira was not at all nervous despite him being somewhat of a celebrity, was quite amused by the conversation that took ce.


    “…What are you looking at?�


    To Tsutomu’s side, Eunice’s ears wagged as if to spell out her curiosity. She turned to scowl at Tsutomu upon noticing that he had been looking at her. In turn, Tsutomu snickered at her upon observing that her attitude had not changed one bit.


    “Looks like you’ve been working hard.�


    “…Hmph, of course. We’re already atyer sixty-nine, you know. What about you? Looks like you’re not in a hurry at all.�


    “How about you beatyer seventy before bragging, Miss Number Not-Top-Three?�


    “Ugh��


    It was apparent that Eunice had been closely following the Dungeon Maniacs�Healer rankings articles, what with her immediately being riled up by Tsutomu’s sarcasm. A groan leaked out of her nose.


    “Hmph! What are those articles even good for, anyway!? They call themselves ‘maniacs,�but they’re just a bunch of ignorant hobbyists! You’d have to be an idiot to listen to them!�


    “Really? I think their assessments are pretty fair, and they’re some of the most open-minded people around here, too.�


    “Say what you want. Unlike you, I don’t care what they think. They don’t matter to me at all.�


    “Cool.�


    Tsutomu turned to look at Leon instead, paying no mind to Eunice as she directed her attention elsewhere. After a little more walking, during which none of them made any eye contact, a few monsters appeared just as Leon had predicted.


    The monsters the two parties encountered this time were Hell Scorpions.


    “All right, we’ll go first,�Leon said.


    “Got it,�Tsutomu replied and told his n members to be on standby. For this encounter, they were to simply observe.


    Golden Tune’s general party structure was the same as that of Absolute Helix’s, and their Attackers were high-leveled. Watching them in action would serve as a good reference, especially for Amira.


    �lt;<Haste>>, <


    >.�


    Eunice waved her White Staff, casting support spells for her four teammates. Barbara and the Pdin pulled all of the Hell Scorpions�aggro to them. Leon proceeded to rush ahead at blinding speed and stab one of the Scorpions with his long sword, and the Greatsword Fighter, d in a blue power aura, approached the rest of the monsters.


    As one would expect, Leon was the strongest fighter among them by a long shot, thanks to his unique skill <<Gold Bless>>. In fact, in and out of his n, he definitely was one of the best Attackers around.


    The Greatsword Fighter was level seventy, and her skill rotation was refined. Due to not having trained extensively in the other Dungeons before, her swordy was behind Camille, but she made up for it with superior tactics suited for God’s Dungeon specifically. Amira was at first uninterested due to having no reference point other than her mother, but then she started observing the Greatsword Fighter’s moves more and more closely.


    Daryl kept an eye on Barbara, whose Job was the same as his. In terms of overall skill, Daryl was the stronger one, but that did not mean there was nothing he could learn from her. Hannah was shivering, in awe of Leon’s absurdly fast maneuvers, while Diniel simply yawned through the fight, holding no particr interest in anyone or anything.


    Eunice’s performance, from Tsutomu’s point of view, could be described as ‘perfectly fine�for a White Mage �not bad but not particrly good either. Comparing her to Stephanie and Lorena, however, it was clear that she was rough around the edges. Her basic support and healing effectiveness were not as good as Stephanie’s. She did not have any effective personal spins on the form like Lorena’s improved aggro management and teamwork, either.


    [Well, she IS doing well, though.]


    Tsutomu was not looking down on Eunice, however. Both Stephanie and Lorena had been in this scene for a long time, while Eunice had only started exploring God’s Dungeon four years ago. It was natural that there would be a difference in their skill levels. Although her personality was not doing her any favors when it came to Tsutomu’s evaluation of her, he did consider her to meet a certain standard of Healers. The people she wasparing herself to were just too good.


    As for the two Tanks, Barbara had gotten much better, and the Pdin, who had assisted Garm against a ck Dragon during the Stampede, was also showing improvement. Their movements still needed work, however, as they were not quite as refined as Daryl.


    After sufficiently observing Golden Tune’s other members, Tsutomu turned to look if Eunice was properly managing aggro and buff durations. By the time that was done, the Hell Scorpions were defeated, and Leon proceeded to collect the dropped Magic Stones with blinding speed.


    “That was great. Now it’s our turn, yes?�


    “Yup. Looking forward to seeing what y’all got! Well, here I go again.�


    And so Leon zoomed away like a gust of wind on another scouting round. In the meantime, the two ns�members proceeded to chat with one another again. Amira was particrly passionate in questioning the Greatsword Fighter, causing thetter to be somewhat taken aback.


    “Do you not have anything to say to me, Tsutomu?�


    Eunice strutted over to Tsutomu and looked up at him. She seemed confident in her performance during the battle just now. Tsutomu looked down at Eunice as she proceeded to narrow her eyes and proudly puff up her chest.


    “You did all right, I guess.�


    “…What? That’s it?�


    “That’s it.�


    “Anything else?�


    “Nope.�


    “…But you taught Lorena and Stephanie a lot of stuff. It’s not fair…�Eunice said, sounding grumpy as she turned away.


    Thatment left Tsutomu quite annoyed.


    “…Listen, try putting yourself in my shoes for a minute. Lorena is a member of Silver Beast, a n that has helped me out when I was struggling with�things. And Stephanie asked me to teach her, so I did. Then there’s you, adding yourself onto my workload �why would I want to teach you?�


    “Yes, I understand. It’s because Stephanie flirts with you, but I don’t. Now try putting yourself in MY shoes �you know that I’m never going to do that, right?�


    “Uh, there’s no flirting involved �you just have to ASK. Which is something you don’t really do, apparently?�


    “Hmph, don’t misunderstand. If I REALLY wanted to get stronger, I would ask and beg and even roll around on the ground. But Leon would be disappointed in me if I do that, so I won’t.�


    Seeing that Tsutomu apparently did not understand her reasoning at all, Eunice shook her head and cracked a mischievous grin.


    “I wouldn’t expect you to understand, since a troll like you is never gonna get a girlfriend or boyfriend anyway �but doing that would be cheating! You do know what cheating means, right?�


    “…Wait, you think asking people to teach you things is like cheating on your partner?�


    “Hmph, it’s toote to try and exin yourself now, Tsutomu. I know you’ve been doing weird stuff with Stephanie. I’m not about to sink to her level, you know?�


    “Now you’re just getting all the wrong ideas. Nothing is going on between me and her at all.�


    “No way! You should listen to how she talks �she praises you like crazy every chance she gets! It’s like she’s a fanatic or something! I know you’re trying to make me do something like that, too!�


    Eunice pointed at Tsutomu as if she was a superhero calling out a viin, causing thetter to drop his shoulders, tired of dealing with her. Her assumptions did note out of thin air, however, since she had indeed listened to Stephanie singing excessive praises of Tsutomu during the post-Stampede celebration.


    “You know, if you wanted guidance, you could just�ask, like a sane person.�


    “My heart belongs only to Leon, and I won’t give up until he’s mine alone! We’re gonna go back to the countryside and have a lot of kids…�


    And so, Eunice was stuck in a fairytale-like delusion. Tsutomu looked around trying to find help, but the other Golden Tune members only shook their heads. It seemed that Eunice would not be back for a while.


    “I’m back, y’all�huh, what’s happenin��


    “Ah, Leon. So, here’s the thing…�


    Tsutomu exined the situation to Leon, who had returned from his scouting round at just the right time. Leon then looked up at the cave’s ceiling and scratched his hair.


    “Gotcha. I’ll try and talk her out of it.�


    “Please do.�


    After that was out of the way, Tsutomu’s party proceeded to explore the area that Leon had pointed out. They almost immediately encountered some monsters, which they fought with rtive ease.


    Daryl was holding up quite well as a Tank and was now as strong as Garm and Bittman. He stillcked the confidence to think and act on his own, however, but Tsutomu’s instructions cancelled that out for him.


    Hannah’s performance as an evasion-based Tank was getting better as well, thanks to her getting used to the Volcanoyers�environment. The ability to fine-tune her aerial maneuvers using her wings, which had already been an advantage during her Attacker days, also served to help her attack-and-evade Tanking style. It could even be said that this was her true calling all along.


    Amira had been doing extremely well since the first Bolseyer battle. As for Diniel, she had always been a nigh-perfect Attacker, so there was no particr thing to point out. She did have a problem when it came to motivation, what with her tendency to not participate in exploration and training sessions unless convinced, but at least she had been carrying out her necessary duties without fail so far.


    Soon enough, the monsters were wiped out. As Tsutomu collected the dropped Magic Stones, Barbara excitedly ran up to Daryl and talked to him.


    “That was awesome! You’re as strong as the rumours say, Daryl!�


    “It’s thanks to Sir Garm and Sir Tsutomu’s training! I still have a long way to go, though.�


    “You think? You seem to already be as strong as Garm, from what I saw.�


    “Oh, no! I’m not quite there yet!�


    Daryl denied all thepliments, waving his hands and his ck-furred tail. Seeing that, Barbara decided not to say anything more, though it was apparent that she disagreed.


    [Sure would be nice if he was more confident…] Tsutomu thought to himself. Just as he was done collecting the Magic Stones, Leon approached him, wolf ears folded down.


    “Hey, Tsutomu. I had a talk with Eunice �she shouldn’t have any wrong ideas now.�


    “All right. Thank you.�


    “Still, it’s hard to believe that there’s nothing between you and the Ealdred Crow girl, you know?�


    “Uh�yes, there really is nothing between us. All I did was teach her how to be a Healer.�


    “Could’ve convinced me otherwise �because, man, she’s been talking you up. Whenever I mentioned your name in a conversation, her eyes practically lit up.�


    Seeing Leon so surprised, Tsutomu tilted his head, not quite understanding why. Leon then brought up another topic, his eyes sparkling as he proceeded to ask Tsutomu,


    “Oh, by the way! Do you think I can pull off the same fighting style as that Hannah girl?�


    “Should be difficult for you, actually �since you’re a Swordfighter, which doesn’t have any group aggro-pulling skills. Maybe it’ll work out if you try very hard and put your own spin on it, though. Your unique skill would help, too.�


    “Hmm, I see…�Leon held his chin and pondered things over, then said to Tsutomu, “Thanks, man!�


    As Tsutomu imagined what an evasion-based Tank Leon would look like, he felt a tug on his robe.


    “……�


    “What is it?�


    Turning around, he saw Eunice, quite apparently having something on her mind. Eunice looked up at him, as if she was resolved to reply to his question,


    “So, Tsutomu�would you actually teach me if I ask you what I want to know?�


    “If you beg and roll around on the ground.�


    “……�


    “Just kidding. Well, what’d you like to ask?�


    Feeling that she was being poked fun at, Eunice heaved a sigh and put on a serious face.


    “I’d like you to�be our party’s Healer for a bit.�


    Svin: I got fooled by the title D:

 Chapter 130, Healer Switch

    <h4>Chapter 130, Healer Switch</h4>


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going, then.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re counting on you, man.¡±


    Agreeing to Eunice¡¯s suggestion, Tsutomu joined the Golden Tune party as a temporary recement. He had worked with them once before, but that time was with some different members. As such, Tsutomu¡¯s preparatory meeting focused mainly on the new Attacker and Tank, a Greatsword Fighter and Pdin respectively. The rest of the Absolute Helix party went away to lure in monsters, leaving Eunice without anything to do.


    ¡°So, how should I act?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ how do you usually act, Leon?¡±


    Eunice, overhearing as she stood around behind them, took it upon herself to exin instead,


    ¡°¡­After getting buffed by [[Haste]] the first time, he moves around as he pleases andes back for another buff after the duration is up.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡­


    As it turned out, Eunice had not been maintaining a constant [[Haste]] effect on Leon. Tsutomu contemted doing that as well, but after giving it some thought, he suggested Leon otherwise,


    ¡°I think that will be hard for me to follow, so feel free to act however you like. I¡¯ll just change my approach to match up with yours.¡±


    Told as such by Tsutomu, Leon stared at him for a moment and then chuckled.


    ¡°Hah, all right! Will do!¡±


    Since Barbara had nothing in particr to add, Tsutomu turned to Eunice, who was now casting her eyes down in frustration.


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a bad idea, you know, having Leone back for more buffs like that. Maybe it¡¯s actually more efficient, considering his speed. And casting the spell the ssic way does help save on energy used.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmph. Are you trying to cheer me up or what? I think you¡¯re having the wrong idea here.¡±


    Seeing that Eunice¡¯s harsh tone did not match up with the cheerful wagging of her tail, Tsutomu chuckled, which prompted the former to re at him. He proceeded to look away.


    The quickest way to show off a Healer¡¯s capabilities was to test the team in a multi-wave battle like the ones that would ur in the Canyons. The Volcano had no such encounters, however. Thus, Bolseyer would be the second best option ¡ª but getting to it meant exiting and re-entering the Dungeon, and it was a matter of luck whether or not he and Golden Tune would meet up again then.


    The Guild had been investigating God¡¯s Dungeon quite extensively, but it still had not been figured out why different parties entering the sameyer at the same time would not necessarily find one another when inside. The only exnation for now was that, although theyer numbers were the same, there were multiple instances of theyer for the parties to potentially be teleported to. Statistically, there was a fifty-fifty chance of entering the sameyer instance as a specific other party ¡ª but on an unlucky day, getting the desired matchup could be time-consuming, so Tsutomu had opted not to go the Bolseyer route.


    ¡°Here theye. Get ready.¡±


    As Tsutomu was discussing the types of usable skills with the Pdin and Greatsword Fighter, he noticed Diniel returning with two types of monsters following her. One was a three-meter tall Giant made of red rocks, and the other was an insectoid creature with fly-like eyes in the color of ripe apples.


    ¡°Lava Golems and Smants. The two Tanks, decide on how you¡¯ll divide your focus. [[Protect]], [[Haste]].¡±


    Tsutomu cast supporting skills for everyone while reporting to them the monsters¡¯ properties. The two Tanks separated from each other and both unleashed [[Combat Cry]], each distracting different monsters.


    ¡°[[Fly]].¡±


    Then Tsutomu applied the [[Fly]] buff onto himself and quickly ascended. He had hardly used it so far while with the Absolute Helix team because the effect did constantly consume a minuscule amount of mental energy while one was airborne, and he wanted to get in some grounded support practice.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    In order to work in a party with Leon, however, he had to change the way he did things. With [[Gold Bless]], Leon¡¯s AGI would be raised by two rating levels, and with [[Haste]] on top of it, the status rating would reach S. That would be too fast to see properly from the ground, so one had to expand their field of view by levitating with [[Fly]] if they wanted to support him properly.


    Moreover, Barbara and the Pdin were still unskilled as Tanks, though knowing that beforehand did give Tsutomu some time to change ns. Fortunately, from what he had seen, the Greatsword Fighter was an excellent Attacker, so there was no need to adjust much of anything for her. In fact, having just one or two skilled members out of the four had already made his job so much easier.


    As the battle started, it was apparent that Barbara had already gotten used to the monsters of the Volcanoyers, but not yet to the act of fighting. She dodged one Lava Golem¡¯s two-handed smash attack but left a long enough opening for another one to kick her ¡ª so Tsutomu cast a [[Heal]] shot at her just before the kicknded and knocked her away.


    ¡°Ngh¡­ Huh?¡±


    The [[Heal]] shot hit Barbara¡¯s back just after she was kicked, almost immediately eliminating the bruise she sustained. A shot of [[Medic]] followed, recovering her from fatigue and enabling her to continue pulling the Lava Golems¡¯ attention.


    The Pdin seemed to be struggling with the Smants¡¯ noisy buzzing wings and quick attacks. Tsutomu backed her up with [[Air de]] and promptly cast [[Heal]] for her when she was about to be hit by a body m. As a result, she recovered almost immediately after taking the hit.


    Taking his eyes off the two Tanks, Tsutomu turned to observe Leon making use of overwhelming speed to confuse the Lava Golems.


    [His moves sure are amazing.]


    Ridiculously erratic, too, even with the advantage of watching him from above. His speed was also far above Hannah¡¯s level, as if he was testing Tsutomu. Though feeling ticked off, Tsutomu pointed his White Staff at Leon and tried casting some buffs.


    ¡°[[Haste]].¡±


    The shot type would never catch up to Leon, so instead, Tsutomu guessed his direction by considering the allies¡¯ and enemies¡¯ positions and behaviors, and ced a [[Haste]] pick-up in the predicted path of movement. Leon dodged a Lava Golem¡¯s punch and kept moving, touching the [[Haste]] spell that had been ced, which renewed the duration of the AGI buff that he already had.


    Using [[Fly]] to stay high above a battle meant that Tsutomu could truly see the wide picture ¡ª which, as it turned out, was not so different from a Live Dungeon gamey screen. That served to be a great advantage, since he was quite used to watching battles unfold from this point of view. Moreover, being up here greatly enhanced his ability to presume the Tanks and Attackers¡¯ feelings, and also read the atmosphere of the battle.


    Back in the game, he had yed Attackers and Tanks somewhat extensively as well, so he knew what they would need and want from a Healer. In general, he had to understand monsters¡¯ behaviors and heal the Tanks as soon as possible after they were hit, and always maintain buffing effects on all his team members. In this world, he had to add other unique elements like [[Medic]] and [[Fly]] to the mix, too.


    Thanks to all that experience, he could predict monsters¡¯ attacks and quickly heal the Tanks even if they were hit repeatedly, enabling the team to regain their momentum. Matching up [[Haste]] cements with Leon¡¯s absurd speed was still difficult, but by cing pick-ups in two directions whenever Leon dodged monsters, the effect could be renewed somewhat reliably.


    ¡°[[Air de]].¡±


    And since he was worried about leaving all the monsters to the two Tanks, he used some attacking spells to back them up as well. They were naturally weakpared to Attackers¡¯ skills, but in this world, Healers¡¯ attacks were much more important than in the game. Not only did they add to the team¡¯s damage output, but they could also stagger monsters if aimed properly at weak points, making the Tanks¡¯ lives easier.


    For Healers to start attacking, however, they must first master the tasks of supporting, healing, and managing aggro. Currently, Tsutomu was the only one who could do all three things reliably.


    ¡°Barbara, another [[Combat Cry]] at the Golems.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Leon, I have no issues with how you move around, but try attacking a little less! You¡¯re going to get us all killed!¡±


    ¡°Wha-!? Sorry, man!!¡±


    Apparently energized by the sustained [[Haste]] effect, Leon seemed to be having quite a lot of fun cutting down monsters with his long sword. Tsutomu reminded him to slow down and be mindful of aggro levels, and then continued to carry out the tasks of support and healing. In the end, the team cleared out the first monster wave without difficulty.


    Soon after, Hannah brought along the second wave of monsters. Just like before, Tsutomu informed everyone of the monsters¡¯ properties as the fight started.


    During this battle, too, Tsutomu kept up his healing and did not let a single buff effect wear out. cing [[Haste]] for Leon still took a big chunk of his concentration, but other than that, he had no issues.


    Leon was greatly enjoying the fact that his [[Haste]] effect never wore off no matter how much he moved around, while the two Tanks were bewildered by the effectiveness of the support and healing they had been receiving, feeling as if their physical conditions were being monitored.


    Back in Live Dungeon, Tsutomu had not only worked with his regr n parties, but also often joined various other parties as a Healer. Those came in all kinds ¡ª efficiency-oriented parties with serious nning sessions, chatting-focused parties, and silent parties with nomunication whatsoever. That had him ustomed to going through the Dungeon with various approaches. As such, Tsutomu was able to work well with Tanks and Attackers no matter the type of party he joined.


    The third and fourth waves of monsters were also defeated without incident. Now they were about to face the fifth wave, the final one.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re almost out of energy. Here, drink this.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡±


    Although he would not be able to manage the mental energy amounts of all members at once, he could work with estimates somewhat fine for the two Tanks. Tsutomu gave the Pdin a Blue Potion made by the Forest Apothecary¡¯s apprentice, then he called out to the Greatsword Fighter,


    ¡°Remember to have some water while you can!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The Greatsword Fighter, who was indeed getting thirsty, turned to Tsutomu with a horrified look. She had been faring just fine with Eunice¡¯s support, and had not expected anything better for this time, but Tsutomu¡¯s support clearly was something else. His pick-up cements had not at all interfered with thebat flow, and all she had to do was touch them whenever she noticed them to renew her effects.


    She proceeded to let out a dry chuckle as she epted a canteen, feeling as if her actions and state of mind were being read through.


    The fighting went on smoothly after that, with Tsutomu and the Golden Tune party wrapping up their fifth consecutive battle without incident.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re just about done here. Good work, everyone.¡±


    The battlefield was littered with Magic Stones, which Tsutomu proceeded to start collecting. Eunice, having watched the whole battle, helped to collect them as soon as she realized what was going on.


    ¡°Was that a good reference for you?¡± Tsutomu asked as Eunice approached him.


    ¡°The look on Leon¡¯s face was¡­ different,¡± she muttered, her tail drooping down. ¡°He looked like he was having more fun than usual.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s annoying. It¡¯s like¡­ I¡¯m being told that you¡¯re better than me. I can¡¯t do all the things you can.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡±


    ¡°It. Is. Annoying.¡±


    As Eunice kept talking, wringing out her thoughts, Tsutomu nodded along while continuing to collect the Magic Stones. Even after the collecting was done, Eunice was not done talking yet.


    ¡°Lorena and Stephanie are great, too. I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s no good.¡±


    ¡°Those two have been doing this for pretty long. It¡¯s only normal that there¡¯s some difference.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re annoying, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°How are you so good!? You¡¯re not even level sixty yet! It¡¯s not fair! All you do is sound snarky! You¡¯re so annoying!¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Tsutomu said, smiling and patting Eunice on her head.


    ¡°None of that was apliment!¡±


    Seeing that Eunice was somewhat more cheerful now, Tsutomu exined his case to her with some difficulty.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯ve been through a lot of things, and they had an¡­ effect on me.¡±


    ¡°What exactly did you do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, fine, keep it to yourself. I don¡¯t care about you anyway.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t ask.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Eunice threw onest Small Magic Stone at Tsutomu and jogged away to where the other Golden Tune members were gathering. Afterward, Leon found the ck Gate down toyer sixty-eight, and as agreed upon earlier, he let Absolute Helix take it.


    Just when Tsutomu was about to enter the ck Gate, Eunice pointed at him and dered,


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely surpass you someday! Just you wait!¡±


    ¡°Better not disappoint me, then.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! You won¡¯t be feeling so smug for long! Ugh, you¡¯re so annoying!¡± Eunice shouted and turned away, the wagging of her tail suggesting that she was angry.


    The Absolute Helix party proceeded to teleport away, with Tsutomu goingst.


    Once everyone reachedyer sixty-eight, they returned to the Guild to take a break, then headed down toyer sixty-seven again to continue their leveling routine. Since new monsters appeared onyer sixty-eight, Tsutomu wanted to set thatyer aside until Amira was starting to grow bored of the leveling routine.


    And as coincidence would have it, they met up with Golden Tune once again.


    ¡°Whoa, I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d meet again so soon! Well? How goes your training to surpass me?¡±


    ¡°Bug off¡­¡± Eunice whined, her voice gloomy.

 Chapter 131, Golden Bomb Dropped

    <h4>Chapter 131, Golden Bomb Dropped</h4>


    Frontline groups representing Major ns oftenpeted with one another to more quickly update theiryer progress, while coborative explorations were quite rare. As such, Absolute Helix and Golden Tune¡¯s joint operation became a hot topic among the Dungeon Maniacs, and the newspaper publishers were quick to start writing their articles.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Lorena of Silver Beast had just finished reading an article stating that Tsutomu had re-taught Eunice the ways of a Healer, pointing out her shorings and showing her the moves. Lorena¡¯s white rabbit ears twitched ¡ª not because of the act of teaching itself, but because the article included a photograph of Eunice throwing a Magic Stone at Tsutomu.


    Stephanie, the Healer of Ealdred Crow¡¯s main party, also saw one such article, and proceeded to snap one of her conductor baton-like staves in half. Afterward, she kept on mumbling something to herself while exploring the Dungeon, making her party members quite concerned.


    Sometime after the news made the rounds, Silver Beast came across Absolute Helix while thetter group was training onyer sixty-eight. Lorena happily greeted Tsutomu, thinking he would have something new to teach her, but thetter onlyughed awkwardly and waved his hands as if to say no.


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t really have anything I can teach you, Lorena.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? But why!?¡±


    ¡°Your progress is ahead of mine now. And besides, you¡¯re supposed to surpass me, right?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Ngh¡­ I don¡¯t remember saying that!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you do; it¡¯s written all over your reaction. Your strategies are quite unique, so my teachings won¡¯t do you any good anyway.¡±


    ¡°Gah-!!¡±


    Seeing Lorena ¡ª a woman one year older than him ¡ª feign crying, Tsutomu put on a weary face as he turned to the other Silver Beast members. Misil, still sporting his untrimmed beard, simply shook his head.


    ¡°Oh, you know, she¡¯s just jealous of Eunice. Just let her vent a bit.¡±


    ¡°Jealous of¡­ HER? Why? She¡¯s the weakest Healer I¡¯ve taught so far¡­¡±


    ¡°Because of the situation she got to be in¡­ And her youthfulness, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you old man!¡± Lorena stopped fake-crying and shouted at Misil, causing thetter to slump his shoulders.


    Misil, despite being over thirty years old, was still single. He was at the right age to start thinking about settling down, but he had yet to bring up that topic to anyone. Tsutomu, seeing Misil turn gloomy, tried to sound cheerful while bringing up a different topic,


    ¡°By the way, do you think your team can defeat the Mount Golem yet?¡±


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re getting there. Give it a few more runs, get a bit luckier, and we might just squeeze out a win.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great. Good luck!¡±


    ¡°The merchants have been trying to get deals with us early, too¡­ Man, the pressure is real.¡±


    ¡°Right. At least you¡¯re not having it as rough as Ealdred Crow though, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°I guess. But I wouldn¡¯t have minded if those merchants were cute girls, you know. It¡¯s always the dudes¡­¡±


    The two, seemingly of the same sentiment, proceeded to nod to each other. Misil was in fact suffering from the market pressure he wasining about, and Tsutomu had also had simr experiences with crafting-focused yers back in the game. Although by no means as bad as actually serious, real money-making businesses in this world, Tsutomu still understood Misil¡¯s feelings to at least some degree.


    After the conversation, Tsutomu¡¯s team and Silver Beast spent some time exploring together, observing each other¡¯s strategies. Tsutomu himself had already watched the Silver Beast team many times through the Monitors, however, so he did not learn anything particrly new.


    In terms of numerical levels, they were not all that strong, with Misil being quite a bit ahead of everybody else. Misil was also the only one among them to be somewhat famous, due to his high level and his Job, the rarely seen Adventurer.


    Still, thanks to the team¡¯s absurdly good coordination, the spectators were already starting to remember every other member as well. They were practically the opposite of Ealdred Crow, the main party of which consisted of level-70 members who had worked hard to be there, but their performance was not at all inferior. From Tsutomu¡¯s point of view, their party was quite interesting.


    ¡°All right, we¡¯ll be on our way now. Good luck on beatingyer seventy.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. Good luck to you guys, too.¡±


    After going their separate ways, the Absolute Helix team resumed their leveling routine. They eventually reachedyer sixty-nine, in which they hunted new monsters while also mining for rare stones to sell.


    ¡°Sir Tsutomu! Sir Tsutomu!¡± Daryl suddenly called out, sounding quite happy.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Tsutomu turned around and saw that Daryl was a little far away, excitedly wagging his tail and raising his pickaxe into the air.


    ¡°Gold! Look! I found gold!¡±


    Sure enough, there was something golden sticking out of the surface that Daryl had been digging.


    ¡°What!? For real!?¡±


    ¡°Ooh! That¡¯s awesome!¡±


    Amira¡¯s red eyes lit up as she ran to Daryl, while Hannah flew over to help with the digging as well.


    ¡°Ah, everyone, wait-¡°


    Tsutomu, remembering something, tried to stop them, but the golden something was already moving.


    It was none other than a Golden Bomb, a rare monster found hidden in rock floors and walls of the Volcanoyers. A little known fact was that they would attempt to self-destruct when their strength was reduced under a certain threshold.


    The Golden Bomb, startled by Amira¡¯s heavy-handed digging, promptly prepared to self-destruct. Daryl, Amira, and Hannah looked at the monster with wonder as it glowed brighter¡­


    ¡­And then it exploded. The three, being close to it, took the full brunt of the explosion. Amira and Hannah died instantly. Daryl blocked with his arms, avoiding death, but still was severely injured and got blown quite far away.


    Tsutomu and Diniel were a little further away, so they did not suffer major injuries, but were still knocked back as well. Rocks and pebbles that were blown apart by the explosion also hit them, causing some bruises.


    ¡°Gah, what a st¡­ [[High Heal]].¡±


    Wincing from the pain, Tsutomu healed himself and then Diniel, who had already recovered her stance and was aiming her bow at the explosion¡¯s center. Another [[High Heal]] was then cast to get Daryl, whose armor had been damaged with burns, back up on his feet.


    This encounter could still be considered a lucky urrence, since the Golden Bomb kill still counted, awarding the team with a lot of experience points. Tsutomu tapped the still-dazed Daryl on his shoulder to help him regain his bearings, then cast [[Raise]] for Hannah and Amira.


    [Now, where¡¯d their stuff go?]


    As Tsutomu drank a Blue Potion to recover his mental energy, he saw that Hannah revived first with herbat gear intact. Her brass knuckles and potions had been scattered all over the ce by the explosion, with some of them permanently lost due to falling into a nearbyva stream.


    Amira, revived with her greatsword still on her back ¡ª but her red leather armor reced by default clothes ¡ª quickly hopped back on her feet.


    ¡°AAAHHH!? What!? What just happened!?¡±


    ¡°Looks like the thing blew up.¡±


    ¡°What the hell!?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s totally what happened, yes,¡± Tsutomu said casually while taking out some recement gear for the two from his Magic Bag.


    Hannah was equipped with new brass knuckles and took a few extra Potion vials. Amira flung off her default xen clothing without a hint of shame, standing around in just a set of ck underwear while putting on a new set of padding garments and red leather armor.


    Daryl, blushing at Amira¡¯s boldness, changed into a spare set of his custom-made heavy armor. Tsutomu had thought about what strategies to adopt if two or more party members were to die during a battle, but this was the first time it had actually happened, so the re-equipping process took quite a bit of time.


    [Gotta make sure of how things go next time.]


    Reviving an ally would be meaningless if they were to not re-equip themselves quickly enough and die again soon after. Moreover, the Healers¡¯ capabilities were what determined the party¡¯s ability to regain stability post-revival. After the party was done collecting Hannah and Amira¡¯s old gear that had not been damaged too much, they proceeded to resume their leveling routine, with Tsutomu continuing to think about post-revival recovery strategies.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The same leveling routine was repeated for another three weeks. Just as Tsutomu had nned, everyone¡¯s levels had been rising steadily, with their average level exceeding 65. Now they had enough raw power to stand a good chance against the Mount Golem.


    Silver Beast had achieved a victory against the Mount Golem during the three weeks, and now they were exploringyer seventy-two while also being bombarded by deal offers from merchants. That was nothing surprising, however, since people had already been expecting Silver Beast to get pastyer seventy sooner orter. And so now the spectators were wondering which n would be the third to make that achievement.


    Golden Tune seemed to be the most likely contender. Thanks to theirbat familiarity, they were performing the best against the Mount Golem. As with Silver Beast, the spectators thought that Golden Tune¡¯s victory was only a matter of time.


    Next up was Scarlet Devil Squad. After the ¡®begging-on-volcano-floor¡¯ incident, Alma had gone on hiatus for some time, but now she was back into action and the main party started challenging the Mount Golem again. They were still having difficulties, however, what with them not having adopted a proper three-roleposition yet, and their ck Staff still being locked away from use. Still, they did have the most number of attempts under their belt, and Weiss¡¯ had been performing better and better each time, so the spectators expected each new run to be ¡®the one¡¯.


    The one considered the third most likely to win was none other than Absolute Helix. Tsutomu was one of the best three Healers in town, Diniel was THE best Archer, and Daryl had been showered with praises in the news as living up to his reputation as Garm¡¯s student. The three had been highly regarded, especially by the Dungeon Maniacs. Despite this n being such a hot topic, they had had to slow down and grind due to everyone but Diniel being rtively low-leveled. As such, they were the slowest of the bunch, yet to make even a single attempt at beating the Mount Golem.


    Some among the Dungeon Maniacs had taken notice of Tsutomu due to various points ¡ª including his much-celebrated first victory against the Fire Dragon, how his group had been leveling up so much faster than the others, and his ability to urately guess monsters¡¯ properties and abilities ¡ª but currently, most of the masses was more interested in Golden Tune and Scarlet Devil Squad.


    Regardless, leveling up was not the only thing Absolute Helix had been doing these past three weeks.


    ¡°[[Stream Arrow]].¡±


    Diniel was now level 74 and had worked her new, hard-to-control skill into one of her regr rotations. Her coordination with Hannah had been greatly refined, enabling her to use [[Stream Arrow]] to deal massive damage against slow-moving enemies.


    Hannah, level 69, had learned a new skill called [[Count Buster]]. It was one of the Boxer Job¡¯s main skills and dealt additional damage in proportion to one¡¯s skillbo length. She was by no means perfect at wielding it, but the addition of it had proven to be effective so far.


    Daryl, level 65, now had his VIT rating at an A-, one tier higher than before. He had also acquired two new skills, and was in the process of working them into regr use.


    And Amira had risen to level 59 and gained two new skills as well. She was still figuring them out, using the Greatsword Fighter from Golden Tune as a point of reference. Up until now, she had been following Camille¡¯s example, meaning [[Power sh]] was pretty much the only thing she used, but consulting other Attackers seemed to have a good effect on her.


    Their routine had also ended up including a Bolseyer to finish the day with. After wrapping things up for today, Tsutomu was taking a short breather when Daryl called out to him,


    ¡°Sir Tsutomu! A treasure chest! And it¡¯s silver!¡±


    ¡°Ooh! Finally!¡±


    The team had found a few treasure chests while they were leveling, but had not obtained anything particrly good so far. Now that the Bolseyer had dropped a chest, however, Tsutomu¡¯s eyes beamed with anticipation as he went over to Daryl.


    ¡°Ah, so¡­ Can I open it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please go ahead!¡±


    After getting permission from everyone, Tsutomu went ahead and looted the chest¡¯s content, which turned out to be a dark red, rugged-looking robe. He knew what it was: a Scorchstone Robe, an excellent fire-resistant piece of equipment. It certainly was something he wanted to have for the Mount Golem battle.


    In the game, having ess to this item would make an attempt against the Mount Golem much easier. Tsutomu stored it in his Magic Bag and immediately left the Dungeon with his team.

 Chapter 132, Daryl’s Melancholy

    <h4>Chapter 132, Daryl¡¯s Mncholy</h4>


    Back at the Guild, Amy appraised the item from the silver treasure chest, and concluded that it was without a doubt a Scorchstone Robe.


    ¡°It¡¯s heat-resistant! Nice find!¡±


    ¡°For real. It¡¯lle in handy when we go down toyer seventy.¡±


    ¡°Lemme borrow it when you¡¯re done!¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    After some small talk with Amy, Tsutomu immediately made ns to equip this new robe starting tomorrow. Since removing his usual Blessed White Robe would reduce his mental energy cap, he had to adjust his strategies ordingly.


    If possible, he wanted to obtain another equipment piece of the fire-resistant Scorchstone series for his team ¡ª Especially for Daryl, whosepetency was sure to be boosted even further. Not having it would also be no issue, however, since Daryl¡¯s new custom-ordered armor from Dorren Workshop was quite close topletion now. Then again, having a Scorchstone piece for him would be even better in the short-term, so Tsutomu still nned to keep hunting Bolseyers like they had been doing up to now.


    The n members were bound to be bored of exploring just the Volcanoyers every single day, however. So, in the following weeks, they also followed the Labyrinth Conquerers¡¯ rmendation and went out to the other Dungeons, and sometimes even took sudden vacations and went on sightseeing trips with Ollie.


    ¡­


    God¡¯s Dungeon had appeared in this city approximately eight years ago, immediately establishing itself as andmark that guaranteed livelihood and Magic Stone in endless supply. People quickly gathered here, causing an influx of various cultures new and old. As such, Dungeon City did not have much of an established culture to im as its own.


    And so, if one wanted to truly get into this world¡¯s history, the Royal Capital would be the better ce to search. The Royal Library contained a plethora of culturally-significant literature, and the city was filled with historical buildings and sites.


    [Maybe I should visit the Royal Capital when I have the chance, too.]


    For now, Tsutomu was banking on there being something important onyer one-hundred, but if the Secret Dungeon was in this world as well, he would then have to aim foryer two-hundred ¡ª not to mention that there might not even be a way for him to go home at all.


    He was horrified at the thought of nothing happening upon conquering the finalyer, but he could only believe in his chances and fight his way down. With that in mind, Tsutomu regained his temper as he went around sightseeing in Dungeon City


    After leveling up enough over a few more weeks, the team started making preparations foryer seventy. Diniel and Hannah practiced their teamwork with the focus of incorporating [[Stream Arrow]]. Daryl was instructed to observe the Mount Golem through the Monitors, and Amira kept up her training to use her [[Dragon Form]] while under the effect of [[Fly]].


    Until now, they had never skimped on Dungeon exploration time, but from today on, the members were to practice separately. Diniel and Hannah went into the Dungeon like usual. Daryl would be spending some time in the market, and Amira in the Guild¡¯s training area. Tsutomu would be apanying one of them at a time, depending on the time of day.


    In the morning, he went to supervise Amira¡¯s flight training. During the Mount Golem battle, the battlefield would shift, resulting in less and worse foothold, making the use of [[Fly]] a necessity. While in [[Dragon Form]], Amira could depend on her instincts to avoid death, so the training now was for her to maintain control of [[Fly]] after her transformation was disengaged.


    ¡°Nwah-!?¡±


    In a training room reserved just for her, Amira screamed as she crashed onto the Slime Cushion-padded floor ¡ª and then bounced on it a few times. She ground her teeth in annoyance and activated her [[Dragon Form]] again, which caused her to start attacking Tsutomu. There was no need to worry, though ¡ª she was bare-handed, and Tsutomu, hovering in the air, was quite used to dealing with her due to being the one to disengage her transformations all this time.


    ¡°[[Medic]].¡±


    Casting the spell repeatedly and in many forms, he cornered Amira and sessfully dispelled her [[Dragon Form]. Upon regaining consciousness, Amira did her best to fix her bearings.


    ¡°Ngh- Ah- AHHHHHH!¡±


    After struggling to keep afloat for a while, Amira fell onto the Slime Cushion, sinking into it. As it turned out, regaining control of her flight right after waking up was quite a daunting task.


    ¡°Hang in there.¡±


    ¡°DAMN IT!¡±


    Annoyed at her undeveloped flying skill, and also Tsutomu¡¯s apparent patience, Amira quickly activated her [[Dragon Form]] again. And once again, her transformation was undone with [[Medic]] and she fell onto the cushions. The same thing repeated all morning.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing good so far. Now let¡¯s take a break ¡ª you¡¯ll be exploring the Dungeon in Daryl¡¯s stead in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°¡­Whew.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, scary. Your eyes are just like a dragon¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Whose fault do you think it is? Man, you¡¯re annoying¡­¡±


    Amira naturally had reptile-like eyes even when not transformed. Tsutomu¡¯s casual teasing prompted her to groan and look away.


    She was upset in part due to her still-low ability to control the state of [[Fly]], but mostly due to the look on Tsutomu¡¯s face that she would see whenever she was snapped out of her [[Dragon Form]].


    Amira was taking her training seriously and was quite impatient to get it done due to her needing the ability to fly. But then, Tsutomu would asionally chuckle while she struggled to keep herself airborne after regaining consciousness, presumably due to howical she looked.


    [Damn it! I gotta get this done quickly! I¡¯ll show him!]


    Amira, quite visibly angry, followed Tsutomu outside, prompting thetter to watch his own back as they headed to the Dining Hall to meet up with the three others.


    ¡°So¡­ Daryl¡¯s switching with Amira, and after lunch, you two keep doing what you¡¯ve been doing.¡±


    ¡°Got it, teach!¡±


    ¡°My fingers sting¡­¡±


    Diniel rubbed her fingers together. It seemed that, even with extra protection from leather gloves, using [[Stream Arrow]] dozens of times still hurt a fair bit.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush, you know?¡±


    ¡°You heard him, Hannah.¡±


    ¡°But I wanna train more! C¡¯mon, hurry and finish your food!¡±


    ¡°Guys¡­¡±


    Rushed by Hannah to finish her meal, Diniel looked around as if to ask for help¡­ but did not get any. And when she was done, she was dragged away by Hannah into a Magic Circle; Tsutomu saw them off and then went with Daryl to check out the Monitors. Daryl was used to this, since he had already watched broadcasts a few times before, but Tsutomu figured that it would be a good idea to run him through the process again.


    Besides, groups like Golden Tune and Scarlet Devil Squad usually challenged the Mount Golem at night, rather than now. Until then, the time was perhaps better spent reading up on the monster instead.


    So, when he and Daryl were back at the n House, he invited thetter to his room, to discuss things at the studying table.


    ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡±


    ¡°Summaries of Mount Golem battles ¡ª I¡¯vemissioned Solit Company topile them. This is for Ealdred Crow, and this one¡¯s Silver Beast. They¡¯ve got photographs, too ¡ª should make things easier to understand.¡±


    Tsutomu handed the documents to Daryl and sat down on his own bed.


    ¡°For now, you should look through them. I think the extra knowledge will be helpful.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°And in the evening, remember to go outside and check out the Pedestals.¡±


    As he had learned recently, what Tsutomu called Monitors, the people of this world called God Pedestals.


    ¡°Understood!¡± Daryl answered and proceeded to start reading the articles, seeming quite tense.


    Tsutomu himself had already read through them many times, as he figured that relying on game knowledge alone absolutely would not get his team the win. Still, to be perfectly sure, he proceeded to take another look at them as well.


    The Mount Golem was famous for being nigh impervious to physical attacks. Boasting a height of fifteen meters, it was the tallest of the currently knownyer boss monsters.


    Its figure could be considered humanoid,plete with arms, legs, and a head ¡ª but all with rocky surfaces. Its whole body was ck like burnt coal, and the spots that seemed to be its eyes were in deep red.


    The monster¡¯s constitution was especially noteworthy. Its rock armor put its defensive properties through the roof, and its fire resistance was so high that it could stand the heat ofva. Physical attacks worked on its joints and eyes, but it would still be better to just use elemental attacks. The problem was that, among Absolute Helix, only Diniel could use elemental attacks effectively. As such, incorporating strategies that targeted its joints and eyes was a must.


    After reviewing all the material in about an hour, Tsutomu saw that Daryl was still reading, looking quite serious as he flipped through the sheets. Tsutomu left his room, went to the kitchen downstairs to cut up some fruits into bite-sized pieces, and then brought the te back to his room.


    ¡°Here, have some snacks.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Tsutomu ate a piece himself, and then tossed one piece to Daryl, who caught it with his mouth, prompting the former to chuckle a little.


    ¡°Do you have any questions so far?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­ scary, knowing that Sir Bittman, despite his high VIT, would die instantly from its attacks. Having Hannah be the center of our strategies might be a better fit in this case.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Hannah¡¯s evasion-based approach does put her at high risk against some attacks, though ¡ª like the wide-areava sts. Maybe we should start things off with Hannah, and if the wide-area attack gets her, I could switch in to deal with it¡­ What do you think, Sir Tsutomu?¡±


    Daryl gave his opinions while looking through the battle summaries, then turned to look at Tsutomu and saw that thetter had been listening closely while sitting on his bed. Tsutomu took a nce at the documents, and then smiled before saying,


    ¡°You know, I was thinking I¡¯d leave a good part of our strategies to you. Think you can do it?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t expect to just follow my instructions forever, you know ¡ª especially since Garm will be joining us someday.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll dly hand my role over to him. I mean, I¡¯m nowhere near as good as Sir Garm, after all. I really need your instructions to work with ¡ª ah! We¡¯ve rested long enough, don¡¯t you think? I still have a lot to read through!¡±


    Daryl faked a smile to divert the topic, then began to stare at the papers as if to punch a hole right through them. Normally, Tsutomu would let it go and save the confrontation forter ¡ª but not this time, thinking that now was the time for Daryl to gain some self-awareness as a Tank.


    ¡°Listen, Daryl. When we¡¯re up against the Mount Golem, I won¡¯t be able to instruct you all the time. I¡¯ll already have my hands almost full managing myself.¡±


    ¡°B-but the way you¡¯ve been doing it has always worked so far! Why do we need to change that now?¡±


    Daryl had a bad habit of getting stuck and waiting for instructions from someone else whenever he was faced with unexpected situations. This was especially apparent during the Fire Dragon battle, when things would have gotten dangerous so many times if not for Tsutomu and Diniel¡¯s help. It had not been much of an issue so far only because he would move almost immediately upon being told what to do.


    If not for this shoring, however, Daryl would be able to hold up the whole party by himself ¡ª Or at least that was what Tsutomu had felt during his Shell Crabpetition against Amira.


    ¡°I know you can do it, Daryl. After all, you HAVE managed yourself quite well sometimes even without instructions. You don¡¯t have to be sessful at first ¡ª just start by remembering to think for yourself what to do whenever something unexpectedes up.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°All right, then. You start thinking up some strategies, and we¡¯ll run them by the others for the final confirmations. Don¡¯t worry about it too much.¡±


    ¡°¡­Understood.¡±


    Daryl nodded, albeit with quite a nervous look on his face. Then at night, the two went to their reserved seats in front of the God Pedestals, to spectate the Mount Golem battles and discuss strategies.

 Chapter 133, The Ancient Dragon Ain’t Too Old

    <h4>Chapter 133, The Ancient Dragon Ain¡¯t Too Old</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    The fourth day into the individual training routines, Tsutomu spent his morning like usual, casting [[Medic]] to disengage Amira¡¯s berserk [[Dragon Form]]. He started feeling that something was out of ce though.


    [¡­Is it just me, or are her moves different?]


    While the transformation was active, Amira usually would like a famished wild beast. The overall status boosts further added to her speed, rendering her practically invincible against run-of-the-mill monsters. The one-note nature of her rampage meant she would be easily predictable, however, so Tsutomu had beennding [[Medic]] shots on her without much difficulty.


    But he felt that Amira¡¯s moves had been gradually changing over the past three days. asionally, he would sense the feeling of ¡®being in control¡¯ in the way she acted. In game terms, it was like when NPCs were sometimes secretly controlled by humans.


    ¡°AAAHHH!!¡±


    Moreover, her ear-splitting roars now seemed to contain a more deliberate disy of anger. Nervous about Amira¡¯s changing tendencies, Tsutomu cast [[Medic]] to disengage her [[Dragon Form]].


    ¡°Ah- whoops.¡±


    Amira regained consciousness and quickly counteracted her momentum, sessfully retaining control of her flight. She still had difficulties controlling her direction immediately, but at least she no longer fell straight down. Her being able to achieve this in three days was thanks not only to good instincts, but also to all the flight training she had done each day after exploring the Dungeon.


    ¡°Amira, are you sure you¡¯re still not in control of your transformation?¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m sure, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Tsutomu tilted his head, doubtful of what he had been told. He was sure that her movements while transformed were different now ¡ª and after another hour of practicing her flight, he felt that her movements were getting even more deliberate.


    [Nah, she clearly looks like she¡¯s in control to me.]


    Her movements while transformed now werepletely different from two hours ago, causing Tsutomu to feel more and more suspicious as he kept on casting [[Medic]] for her. Until now, dispelling her [[Dragon Form]] had been like dealing with a monster, but now, he somewhat felt that he was actually dealing with a person. It was clear to him that she was acting differently.


    After finallynding the [[Medic]] shot on Amira, Tsutomu approached her as she controlled her direction and stopped in mid-air.


    ¡°Amira, you were actually in control, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Tch, so you noticed, huh?¡±


    Amira pouted, seeming as if she was confessing to mischief. Tsutomu, exasperated, put his hands on his hips and asked,


    ¡°Why¡¯d you hide it?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ I wanted to do this!¡±


    ¡°What-¡°


    Suddenly, Amira lunged at Tsutomu, grabbing him, and spinning around then throwing him straight down. Tsutomu managed to partially counteract the momentum with flight control, but still ended up with his face buried in a Slime cushion.


    ¡°Hah! THAT¡¯S HOW IT FEELS!!¡±


    ¡°¡­Damn it.¡±


    Amira flew down over to Tsutomu and stuck her tongue out at him, venting her frustration from all the flight training. Tsutomu seemed upset at first, but upon pulling his face out of the cushion and seeing Amira¡¯s hearty smile, he simmered down.


    ¡°Well¡­ Anyway. Now that you can control your [[Dragon Form]]¡­ Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s NOT perfect yet, though. Just managed to stay conscious a bit.¡±


    ¡°Huh, so the same level as Camille before she fought the Fire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And I just felt like hitting you.¡±


    Amira clenched one fist and painted aically evil grin on her face.


    ¡°Ooh, sho scawwy,¡± Tsutomu replied.


    With Amira¡¯s [[Dragon Form]] training over for the day, the two proceeded to leave the training room.


    ¡°So¡­ it sounds like you can¡¯t put it to practical use yet ¡ª not in time for the Mount Golem fight, at least. So, let¡¯s save the [[Dragon Form]] teamwork practice for after that.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    ¡°I can see things bing easier for me already, though ¡ª since I won¡¯t have to keep casting [[Medic]] for too much longer.¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, you had to do that for the ancient Dragon too, huh? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get it down soon!¡±


    Amiraughed in good humour and pped Tsutomu on his back a few times, prompting thetter to scoot away.


    ¡°Hey, careful who you hit. I¡¯m not built like Daryl, you know?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. Force of habit.¡±


    Amira proceeded to put her arm around Tsutomu¡¯s shoulders, disregarding all sense of personal space.


    ¡°And get off me already.¡±


    Tsutomu gave Amira a subtle re and took a few steps away, prompting thetter to stare at him with a mischievous look.


    ¡°Man, unfriendly much?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Guess you prefer the ancient Dragon, huh? How ¡¯bout you start dating her¡­ then get married sometime down the line? Then we can party up all the time!¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What the hell!? The ancient Dragon ain¡¯t too old yet, you know!?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re gonna get upset, try to stop calling her by that weird nickname first¡­¡±


    With Amira suddenly in a bad mood, the two of them proceeded to walk to the Guild¡¯s Dining Hall.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°I¡¯m exhausted¡­¡± Diniel groaned.


    Tsutomu, havinge to oversee her and Hannah¡¯s afternoon training onyer sixty-eight, chuckled a little¡­ because they had just arrived here after lunch break ended.


    ¡°Come on, we¡¯re not even a minute in yet.¡±


    ¡°Being stuck for three days with¡­ HER is gonna do that. Honestly, we¡¯re going too fast and wasting too much energy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°I mean, Hannah doesn¡¯t let us rest very often. Which makes ME constantly tired¡­ and we¡¯re not seeing much improvement, either. It¡¯s a waste of time. Won¡¯t hurt to take more breaks instead.¡±


    Watching Hannah roaming around whistling a tune as if she was on a pic, Diniel heaved a deep sigh.


    ¡°I see. Let¡¯s ask Hannah about thatter, then.¡±


    ¡°I take three steps, and I already feel my head going empty¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Tsutomu replied to Diniel¡¯s exaggeration with a stern stare, prompting thetter to shrug.


    ¡°How does she even keep going like that?¡± She groaned while continuing to observe Hannah with an unamused look in her eyes.


    ¡°¡­Diniel, are you not having fun exploring the Dungeon?¡± Tsutomu asked her.


    ¡°It IS fun, but not something I¡¯dmit my whole life to. Not enough to do extra training on days off like Amira, either. I enjoy other things too ¡ª like reading and sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, all right. So, you DO enjoy exploring, at least?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good enough to me. As long as you do your job.¡±


    ¡°Cool,¡± Diniel muttered, the emotion in her eyes now unreadable.


    She proceeded to look at Hannah, who had just found a Lava Golem and was pulling its aggro. Then, once the monster¡¯s attention was on Hannah, she nocked one arrow and shot it out.


    This particr was special in that it emitted a sound by absorbing the air from when it was let loose. It passed over Hannah¡¯s head, and once she heard the sound from it, she quickly moved away from the Lava Golem. Diniel proceeded to nock another arrow ¡ª this one of the ice element.


    ¡°[[Stream Arrow]].¡±


    The ice arrow flew into the sky, and then it glowed¡­ and what followed was a curtain of countless arrows, streaking down like a meteor shower. One after another, they easily pierced into the Lava Golem¡¯s body, quickly turning it into a dispersing mass of light particles. Diniel knitted her brows, disturbed by the amount of mental energy expended, and then quickly repositioned herself.


    By using sound-emitting arrows, Diniel could signal Hannah to retreat ¡ª such was how they had agreed to do things whenever [[Stream Arrow]] was going to be used.


    Moreover, there were different kinds of sound-emitting arrows to choose from, so they could agree on different signals if they wanted. Tsutomu had also thought of incorporating them into various other strategies, but as it turned out, Amira and Hannah were not so good at memorization. As such, he decided to limit its use to [[Stream Arrow]] signals, at least for the uing Mount Golem battle.


    Still, Hannah was motivated to get things right, so she was working hard to associate Diniel¡¯s sound-emitting arrows with their respective verbal instructions.


    ¡°What¡¯d you say? Repeat? You want me to try that move again?¡±


    ¡°RETREAT. It¡¯s retreat.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay. Sorry about that! Do correct me if I get it wrong again!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Tsutomu, getting a look ofint from Diniel, reflexively looked away. Considering how Hannah likely would keep on training endlessly ¡ª and drag Diniel along as well ¡ª unless told to stop, Tsutomu figured that thetter¡¯s earlierment about the former¡¯s bad memory was probably true.

 Chapter 134, A Bird’s Brain Learns By Instinct

    <h4>Chapter 134, A Bird¡¯s Brain Learns By Instinct</h4>


    Once everything was in order, the whole team got together to practice overall tactics, and then Daryl exined his general strategies and battle flow. He had a few stutters along the way, prompting Amira and Hannah to poke fun at him, but he did manage to say everything he wanted to ¡ª and seemed quite relieved by the end of it.


    Then, after the strategy meeting, as Amira yawned out of boredom, Daryl mustered up his courage to talk to her.


    ¡°U-um, Amira. I¡¯d like to talk¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about how you fight grounded enemies ¡ª if you can, I¡¯d like you to prioritize killing the ones that have long-ranged weapons.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. Got it.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? A-ah, thank you.¡±


    Amira¡¯s no-nonsense reply made Daryl look as if his world had been turned upside down¡­ which then caused the former to turn grumpy.


    ¡°What? The hell¡¯s that look for?¡±


    ¡°S-sorry! I¡­ I still have other things to talk about!¡± Daryl promptly apologized and proceeded to talk to Amira more about the uing Mount Golem battle.


    In the background, Hannah was knitting her brows trying to read through an assignment sheet. The sheet listed the types of arrows Diniel used, with each color associated with a different instruction. Diniel herself was sitting in front of her like a teacher supervising an exam.


    ¡°This is¡­ you know, that one. Retreat!¡±


    ¡°Correct. But you made a wild guess, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Being questioned with a soul-piercing re from Diniel, Hannah could not help but look away¡­ because the former had hit bull¡¯s eye. Diniel heaved a sigh and picked up her fountain pen.


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s just your chest that gets the nutrients from all the food you eat, huh?¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with anything!?¡±


    With Diniel using the pen to poke at her chest, Hannah promptly nudged the former away, but all she got back was a cold, emotionless stare. Diniel could only assume, from Hannah¡¯s severe inability to memorize things, that thetter had a few screws loose in her head.


    ¡°You can read the text, so you¡¯re supposed to understand what it says. You weren¡¯t educated all that much, were you?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ w-well, I¡¯m from a vige in the countryside, so¡­ I guess?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you get to learn to read and write, then?¡±


    ¡°¡­The vige chief forced me to. Also taught some basic maths.¡±


    ¡°And their teachings managed to stick despite your tendency to forget things. Now THAT is what I call a good leader. A treasure of the Birdkin.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Diniel¡¯s relentless bashings brought tears to Hannah¡¯s eyes, but she was not at all affected upon seeing thetter¡¯s face. Despite all the time she had spent, Hannah had managed to get only about half of the questions correct so far ¡ª a great deal of wasted time and effort.


    Despite liking to ck off, Diniel also hated to spend time wastefully. She had neither mercy nor tolerance for Hannah, knowing that she could have spent her time doing better things such aszing around instead.


    ¡°¡­Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°T-teach!! Why does Diniel look so scary!?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha¡­¡±


    With Hannah running to hide behind him, Tsutomu could not help but let out a dry chuckle. He had been somewhat aware of Hannah¡¯s bad memorization ability, what with her sometimes being confused when he discussed skill rotations, and often unable to carry out instructions that she had imed to understand. Write down a list of skill usage orders for her, and she was sure to look through it, but she would then end up forgetting most of it by the time she was in battle.


    Still, she never forgot the experiences and knowledge she had gained by herself, being much better at learning through physical means rather than ssroom-style education. As such, her evasion-based Tank skill rotations and battle experience were perfectly intact, and she was especially fast at memorizing things that she had fun doing.


    ¡°You know¡­ Maybe Hannah¡¯s just better at learning through real fights, rather than writing things down on paper?¡±


    ¡°We already did a lot of those real fights, though.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ Well, there are some things that some people aren¡¯t suited for. Sometimes you just can¡¯t force it.¡±


    ¡°Sir Tsutomu, you should also consider what I¡¯m suited for-¡°


    ¡°No cking, boy,¡± Tsutomu promptly cut Daryl off without even turning to look at thetter.


    ¡°You¡¯re never gonna go easy on me, are you!?¡± Daryl shouted back.


    Diniel, seeing Daryl¡¯s dog ears droop down, proceeded to grab them with both her hands, then said with a rxed voice,


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna make sure she remembers everything. Otherwise, all the time I¡¯ve put in would go to waste.¡±


    ¡°L-lemme go!¡±


    ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ll try changing my teaching style tomorrow,¡± Diniel said in her usual no-energy tone as she took her hands off the embarrassed Daryl, then she proceeded to leave the meeting, returning to her room.


    After seeing Diniel off, Hannah pulled a dry smile, let out a sigh, and sat down on the sofa.


    ¡°Man, I really made her mad¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh, you shouldn¡¯t worry about it too much.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s right. I don¡¯t get any of that mumbo jumbo, either! You¡¯ll be fine!¡±


    ¡°¡­Thanks.¡±


    Amiraughed cheerfully as she sat beside Hannah, helping thetter to regain some energy. Hannah looked up, her blue hair bouncing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been this way¡­ When I left the vige, my parents stopped me because I didn¡¯t have any real ns ¡ª and when I started Tanking for Ealdred Crow, everyone tried to convince me not to. But I never listened to any of them. I¡¯m such an idiot¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Why do you care? Tsutomu totally knew that, but he still invited you here. Right?¡±


    Dragged into the conversation unprompted, Tsutomu beamed Amira an annoyed re. Hannah heaved a sigh and cast her eyes down, seeming even smaller than usual due to her dampened mood.


    ¡°For the record, I DON¡¯T think you¡¯re an idiot, Hannah. I just wanted you with us because you were a Boxer trying to Tank.¡±


    ¡°So, you wouldn¡¯t have talked to her if not for that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡±


    ¡°That means she wouldn¡¯t be here if she wasn¡¯t an idiot! That¡¯s right ¡ª being an idiot is fine! Hell, I¡¯m an idiot, too ¡ª just a different kind! C¡¯mon, Hannah, cheer up-¡°


    ¡°Stop calling me an idiot already, you idiot!¡±


    Hannah pped Amira¡¯s head with the wings on her back.


    ¡°Ouch-! Hey, stop it!¡±


    In the end, Amira got quite a few blue feathers stuck in her red hair.


    ¡°¡­Well! Moping around wouldn¡¯t make things any better! I¡¯ll do my best, Teach!¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah. Good luck.¡±


    Hannah, with her motivation restored, pped her own cheeks, grabbed her assignment sheets, and went back upstairs to her room.


    ¡°The hell¡¯s wrong with her!? I cheered her up, and all I get are ps!?¡±


    Amira grew grumpy due to her disheveled hair, not understanding what she had done to deserve this.


    ¡°Well, you DID seed though, so that¡¯s nice. Thanks,¡± Tsutomu said to Amira as he helped remove the feathers from her hair, helping her to simmer down.


    Then, when Tsutomu handed her ab, Amira snatched it from his hand and hastily groomed her hair.


    ¡°Hmph, I just don¡¯t wanna see anyone stronger than me be depressed, that¡¯s all. Makes me look worse than I already am.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can I punch you?¡± Amira asked, annoyed by Tsutomu¡¯s somewhat condescending tone.


    ¡°No,¡± Tsutomu promptly said and scooted away, twirling one of the blue feathers between his fingers.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The next day, the Absolute Helix party made their final preparations for the Mount Golem battle. Their attack strategy this time revolved around Diniel¡¯s [[Stream Arrow]] due to its high elemental damage output, so their intensive training had been mainly to prevent friendly fire as a result ofcking coordination.


    Hannah would be the one to pull most of the Mount Golem¡¯s aggro, so the signal arrows were shot close to her. But today, the ce where they were shot to was slightly changed.


    ¡°Hya-!¡±


    An arrow with a whistle-like head passed by just above Hannah¡¯s head, so close and so powerful that she could feel the wind pressure from it.


    This had happened only asionally before, but this time, all of the signal arrows flew extremely close to her. After the battle, Hannah awkwardly tried to talk to Diniel, who had her usual sleepy look in her eyes.


    ¡°D-Diniel?¡±


    ¡°What was that instruction?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Did you hear the signal?¡±


    ¡°N-no, I didn¡¯t¡­ sorry.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Next time, listen carefully and tell me what its instruction is.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, ma¡¯am¡­¡±


    Hannah had expected Diniel to say something ¡ª considering how upset thetter had been yesterday ¡ª and turned away relieved that there was no scolding yet. Seeing Hannah like that, Diniel spoke up as if she had just remembered to,


    ¡°If you get it wrong, my hands might start slipping.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Like this.¡±


    Diniel quickly nocked a signal arrow and let it loose at a nearby boulder. Despite the arrow being wooden, her STR and DEX boosted its power enough for it to gouge a hole in the stone surface. Hearing the arrow emit a scream-like sound as it shattered into pieces, Hannah felt a corner of her mouth twitching.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re kidding, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    [Nope. She¡¯s totally gonna kill me¡­]


    Seeing that Diniel was opening her eyes wider than usual, Hannah knew by instinct that things were getting dangerous. Afterward, Hannah managed to recognize all of the instructions and correctly answer every question ¡ª unknown whether it be due to fear or yesterday¡¯s studies.


    ¡°Amira. Let¡¯s try to keep a little more distance between us,¡± Daryl said. He was much more vocal duringbat today, after knowing yesterday that he could talk to Amira just fine. For starters, he gave her instructions on managing aggro and maintaining awareness of thebat situation.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    And Amira, having recognized Daryl as her superior, followed his instructions without a fuss. They had been working together just fine before without verbalmunication, but now that Daryl started talking, their synergy was starting to improve even more.


    ¡°That was nice, Amira.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    Until now, from Tsutomu¡¯s point of view, Daryl looked like Amira¡¯s junior, but they seemed different now that there was more talking involved. Amira still rarely spoke to Daryl, but at least she listened attentively to what thetter had to say.


    Moreover, theck of verbalmunication meant that there was something akin to a wall between the pair. Amira may have not felt it, but Daryl certainly did ¡ª what with him finding it difficult to talk to her, or even saying the things he wanted to. Such state of affairs had pained Daryl¡¯s heart a long time.


    Now that he managed to talk to her, however, Amira turned out to be a surprisingly good listener. She was still snarky, and her tone still intimidating, but she was not one to walk away from a serious discussion. As soon as Daryl realized this, the wall between him and Amira was cleared away, helping him feel much more emotionally at peace.


    Tsutomu smiled as he observed the pair talking to each other, while also keeping up with his usual healing and support. He was already used to his new strategies, the tempo of which he had adjusted to work with his new Scorchstone Robe, so new he was thinking of casting [[Medic]] and [[Barrier]] more to help with Hannah¡¯s stamina problem.


    Other things he was thinking about included how to quickly prepare equipment for party members who were revived after death, and how to deal with the sudden gain of aggro after casting [[Raise]]. Having the Scorchstone Robe for himself meant he could wing things better than before, but as the team¡¯s only Healer, the party would lose their sole means of revival if he was to die. To prevent that from happening, Tsutomu tried casting [[Haste]] for himself as well, and was using [[Barrier]] more frequently to get a better estimate of how much mental energy it consumed.


    And then, with the final adjustmentspleted without incident, the team agreed to challenge the Mount Golem on the following day.

 Chapter 135, To Layer Seventy, to Face the Mount Golem

    <h4>Chapter 135, To Layer Seventy, to Face the Mount Golem</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    Ollie noted down all the tools the team needed, and then double-checked her list: Ice Magic Stones for Daryl¡¯s heavy armor¡¯s cooling function, Diniel¡¯s elemental arrows, spare equipment and Potions, and other misceneous tools for protection against heat.


    Preparations for this evening¡¯s boss challenge were going smoothly at Absolute Helix¡¯s n House. The n was to get themselves ready within an hour, after which they would exploreyer sixty-nine and search for the ck Gate, then head down to challengeyer seventy right when the spectators gathered in front of the God Pedestals.


    While they readied their equipment, Hannah and Amira could not keep themselves from moving around, apparently quite short on patience. These two were especially excited to see how long this party wouldst onyer seventy.


    ¡°Aah! I wanna go right now!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Ealdred Crow and Silver Beast were still the only ns that had progressed pastyer seventy. Although Golden Tune had been performing well, they had not been sessful so far, with their formation often breaking apart around halfway through the fight. And the Scarlet Devil Squad still insisted on locking the ck Staff away despite having Alma back in their main lineup, so Weiss was the only one among them that people expected to put up a good fight.


    All things considered, Absolute Helix had quite a good chance at nabbing the third victory. As such, Hannah and Amira were excitedly talking non-stop about the Dungeon right now.


    On the other hand, Daryl seemed extremely nervous. He was happy to have been able to talk to Amira while training in the Volcanoyers, but then Tsutomu had told him to n things for the team by himself during their attempt against theyer boss.


    [Gotta do this right¡­]


    He was so nervous, in fact, that his teeth were chattering, and he could not even move around right. That much was quite obvious to everyone, what with him sitting on the sofa with his trembling hands folded together as if he was praying.


    Seeing Daryl like that, Diniel¡¯s expression suggested that she was without a care as usual, and then she started nodding off as soon as she sat on the sofa. She had felt pressured by her role as the most important Attacker for the team¡¯s attempt at conqueringyer seventy, but when she had been told that she would get days off after this was over, she immediately was able to sleep without worry once again.


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu, all the final checks are done.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    With Ollie¡¯s equipment checkplete, everyone went back to their rooms and changed into their battle gear. Then they regrouped in the living room, with Diniel being thest to arrive.


    For increased heat resistance, Tsutomu wore the recently-obtained Scorchstone Robe, while Daryl equipped his custom-ordered heavy armor ¡ª which had cost him not only a cartload of materials, but also quite a lot of trial-and-error on Dorren Workshop¡¯s part. The armor was one of the best heat-resistant equipment that could be crafted with current technology, and was worth as much Gold as a low-end single house.


    Diniel¡¯s loadout included her DEX-boosting Verdure Shirt and the Shell Bow that she had obtained from a treasure chest dropped by the Shell Crab. This particr bow had also been used during the Fire Dragon battle, and was one of the most valuable among her collection.


    As for Hannah and Amira, their equipment was unchanged from what they usually had. Hannah¡¯s evasion-based Tank role meant she could not change out of her cloth armor, and Amira had opted to keep her red leather armor out of pure preference.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go over our strategies onest time. Daryl.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Daryl nodded, still all stiff from the pressure of having to decide the general flow and tactics for the Mount Golem battle. He proceeded to exin things to everyone for about thirty minutes, during which Hannah asked questions quite frequently, apparently out of concern for herbination with Diniel.


    After that, Hannah counted something with her fingers, prompting Diniel to narrow her eyes and say to her,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much about messing up ¡ª it¡¯s the first time for all of us. Just try to stick to the n as much as you can. I¡¯ll take care of the little things.¡±


    ¡°Ah- oh, okay.¡±


    ¡°Thinking too much might slow you down instead. And without your mobility, you¡¯re useless.¡±


    ¡°¡­You could¡¯ve said that a little bit nicer, you know.¡±


    Hannah was taken aback by Diniel¡¯sck of mercy. Considering that reaction, Diniel stared back nkly and spent a moment to ponder things over, after which she looked at Hannah again.


    ¡°Just fight however you like, Hannah. I¡¯ll match up with you just fine.¡±


    ¡°You sure that¡¯s gonna work out¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm. Any problem with it?¡± Diniel asked and tilted her head, her ponytail swaying around a few times.


    Hannah facepalmed, almost annoyed by how straightforward Diniel could be sometimes.


    ¡°Well, if you say so. I¡¯ll be counting on you, then.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm. Leave it to me,¡± Diniel said in her usual, uncaring tone, seemingly unaffected by the fact that she was practically ying this operation¡¯s most important role.


    Seeing Diniel ooze with confidence, Hannah started feelingpetitive, but took a deep breath to calm herself down.


    Daryl and Amira did not speak to each other at this time ¡ª only because Amira would rarely speak to Daryl unless he struck up a conversation with her first. And although she could tell that Daryl was on edge, she figured that he would get better once they were in the fight proper.


    Tsutomu, considering this dynamic to be unbearable to watch, tried to relieve Daryl¡¯s tension by talking to him, but his expression only froze up even more. Out of ideas on what to do, Tsutomu turned to Amira for help.


    ¡°Looks like Daryl¡¯s pretty nervous. Can you talk with him for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Pretty please? I just tried talking to him, but it just had the opposite effect, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Just let him be. He¡¯ll get better when he¡¯s in the thick of it.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure¡­¡±


    Tsutomu felt uneasy to see that Daryl was even more worried now than he had been before the Fire Dragon battle, but in the end, the time came for the team to head to the Guild.


    Arriving there, they found Garm, Amy, and Camille taking up positions in the Dining Hall, ready to watch the live broadcast. Seeing this as a good opportunity to ease up Daryl¡¯s tension, he led the team over to greet them after the party registration was out of the way.


    ¡°Hello. Taking time off today?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah! Y¡¯all are going down toyer seventy, right!? Gotta make sure we get to watch it live!¡± Amy shouted cheerfully as she held up a bag of fried potato chips.


    Tsutomu proceeded to sit down with them for a while.


    Daryl got to talk to Garm, which seemed to have helped him calm down somewhat. He still looked nervous, but not as badly as the end-of-the-world anxious look he had had moments earlier.


    Amira exchanged a few good words with Camille before going back to Tsutomu ¡ª and upon noticing that he had been looking at them, apparently happy that the mother and daughter had reconciled, she gave him a little poke with her elbow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stare so much, man.¡±


    ¡°Ouch.¡±


    Tsutomu tried to nudge Amira away, disliking being poked so urately at a bad spot on his rib cage. Camille, seeing that, walked over to his group, prompting Amira to turn visibly bitter and keep her distance. Chuckling dryly at her daughter¡¯s reaction, Camille proceeded to speak to Tsutomu,


    ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten to check the Pedestalstely, but it seems like she¡¯s doing well, so that¡¯s good. Please do take care of my kid from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    The two proceeded to shake hands.


    ¡°Shaddup,¡± Amira grumbled and opened her mouth wide as if she was about to throw up.


    Then, after some more small talk, Tsutomu and the Absolute Helix headed down toyer sixty-nine and started searching for the ck Gate toyer seventy.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Exploring the sixty-ninthyer that had be so familiar to them by now, the Absolute Helix team eventually found the ck Gate amid a formation of red rocks. Now was finally their first foray intoyer seventy. Tsutomu and Diniel seemed perfectly fine, while the three others were at least a little nervous. Among thetter group, Daryl was rubbing his hands together as if he was feeling cold.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°YEAH!¡±


    ¡°HELL YEAH!¡±


    Hannah and Amira hammed up their replies to blow away their tension, while Diniel simply nodded. Daryl also answered with a nod a momentter, seeming to have zoned out briefly.


    Tsutomu went through the ck Gate first, and the rest of Absolute Helix followed, setting their feet into the seventiethyer where the Volcanoyer boss was waiting.


    They appeared in an arena-like area, around which rocks were piled up like a dome, obscuring the sky. Lava spread out like an ocean in front of Tsutomu¡¯s team, and behind them was a stretch of solid ground. Tsutomu cast [[Barrier]] for Daryl by tapping his hand on thetter¡¯s heavy armor, and meanwhile, the whole team felt a tremor under their feet.


    The shaking came at a regr interval. A pitch-ck rock ¡ª the head of the Mount Golem ¡ª gradually emerged from the vastva. And as it rose, it also slowly walked forward. Its size was greater than anything the team had ever encountered. From Tsutomu¡¯s perspective, it was as if he was seeing a multi-story building move around.


    Hannah, Amira, and Daryl were taken aback by the sight of the colossal monster, while Diniel observed it with great interest. Tsutomu proceeded to cast [[Barrer]] on everyone¡¯s armor, enabling them to soak up a little more damage from weaker attacks.


    Eventually, the Mount Golem fully emerged from theva and stepped onto thend, the residualva on its head and shoulders dripping down. Just as Tsutomu was done casting [[Haste]] and [[Protect]] for everyone, the Mount Golem started swinging its arms, flinging forth clusters of round, rock-like chunks.


    ¡°Hannah, distract the Mount Golem. And Daryl-¡°


    ¡°I know!¡± Daryl promptly replied with an unusually strong tone.


    ¡°¡­All right,¡± Tsutomu said after being stunned for a moment. He repositioned himself to avoid the rock cluster before adding, ¡°We¡¯re counting on you.¡±


    Once the rocks fell to the ground, they sprouted arms, legs, and heads ¡ª they turned into Golems.


    Tsutomu cast [[Fly]] and ascended into the air and kept an eye on the Golems as they appeared, while Amira and Diniel quickly smashed the clumps that had not turned into Golems yet. Hannah pulled all of the Mount Golem¡¯s aggro to herself, and Darylunched a wide area [[Combat Cry]] to distract all of the smaller Golems.


    The battle against the Mount Golem was divided into two parts. One involved Hannah and Diniel shaving away at a single target: the Mount Golem. The other part was Daryl and Amira taking care of the other Golems that spawned from the boss monster.


    The Mount Golem was known to be slow during the early stages of the fight, so even an unskilled Tank could easily distract it full-time safely and without difficulty. In exchange, it would regrly spawn several smaller Golems ¡ª that was where the difficulty during this phase came from.


    The Golems were generallyposed of rock and humanoid in shape, and in the Volcanoyers, they had been noted toe in various types, such as Lava Golems, Bomb Golems, and Throw Golems. Thetter two types were particrly bothersome to deal with among them.


    The Bomb Golem, as its name suggested, could produce exploding rocks and had a tendency to self-destruct when in danger. The Throw Golem also produced rocks, and true to its name, it specialized in throwing those rocks as long-ranged attacks.


    These two types of Golem almost always spawned as a set, and the Throw Golem would also use the Bomb Golem¡¯s exploding rocks ¡ª quite a troublesomebination. Shrapnels of the rocks exploding in mid-air made the attacks almost impossible to fully avoid, on top of being extremely powerful.


    Such wide-area attacks were especially bad for Hannah, whose base VIT was low.


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]]!¡±


    Daryl had to keep those Golems away from her as more and more of them kept showing up. Thankfully, his [[Combat Cry]] was so well-tuned that he could avoid aggroing the Mount Golem while pulling all of the other ones to himself.


    ¡°ORA!¡±


    Amira swung at the Golems¡¯ weak joints with her steel greatsword, destroying them one by one. Diniel was currently killing the smaller Golems, too, due to their high spawn rate during the early stage of the battle.


    That left Hannah to face the Mount Golem alone, but the monster¡¯s movements were still extremely slow. Its attacks could be easily avoided even by Tsutomu, so it was virtually impossible for Hannah to die to them.


    ¡°[[Count Buster]]!¡±


    Hannah used a variety of skills to rack upbos and asionally mixed in her new skill, the [[Combat Buster]], to maximize her damage output. Since physical attacks like cuts and blunt force were ineffective against the Mount Golem, she technically was not hurting the monster all that much.


    Still, she kept hitting it like a sand punching bag, keeping herself and the monster away from her teammates. The Mount Golem reached its arms out to grab Hannah, but she did not even need to move much to get away, and then she even took a chance to kick its head.


    Following that, rocks ¡ª stillrge, but pebblespared to the Mount Golem¡¯s size ¡ª broke off and fell from the boss monster¡¯s back and legs, turning into Golems that proceeded to throw rocks at Hannah. Daryl started using [[Combat Cry]] and [[Warrior Howl]] more frequently and was able to pull most of them away, enabling Hannah to keep on fighting easily and without worry.


    The four otherbatants, unlike Hannah, were having a hard time with their part in the fight. Diniel was tired of seeing Golems walking around wherever she looked as she nocked her arrows, and Amira was in her [[Dragon Form]] and beating down all the Golems she could see with reckless abandon.


    ¡°[[Holy Wing]].¡±


    Tsutomu kept up his support and healing while also providing extra damage with attacking skills, but the number of Golems seemed to stay the same ¡ª no increase, but no decrease either. Regardless, the team had to deal with them the best they could as the Mount Golem kept constantly spawning them.


    Daryl, the sole target of attention of the Golem army, had to stand against the monsters¡¯ bashing attacks and exploding projectiles ¡ª and it was quite one-sided. But thanks to [[Protect]] boosting his VIT rating to A, and Tsutomu¡¯s healing, he was nowhere near the point of copsing yet.


    At one point, a Bomb Golem glowing red rolled over and self-destructed near Daryl, blowing him away, but he managed to quickly stand back up and re-ready his shielding stance.


    He also kept an eye on the Mount Golem and regrly used [[Warrior Howl]] to pull the newly-generated Golems to him. As he bashed his armor and tower shield together, another Bomb Golem ¡ª this one missing an arm ¡ª rolled over to him and self-destructed, blowing him away again.


    And as if to give chase, two more Bomb Golems, ready to blow up, rolled to where he was. Daryl looked around to check Amira and Diniel¡¯s current position, while also holding his tower shield out in front of him.


    ¡°[[Shield Bash]]!¡±


    With the attack, he managed to stop one of the exploding Golems, and then he knocked it away to where the other one was. The Bomb Golem then exploded, and the other Golems around it were caught in the st.


    But then, yet another Bomb Golem charged at Daryl¡¯s nk, emitted white light from the cracks of its body, and blew up.


    ¡°Ngh-!!¡±


    No matter how resilient Daryl was, eating the powerful self-destruct attacks at point-nk range was bound to hurt. Thankfully, green energy bullets came flying and hit Daryl¡¯s body, healing his injuries and alleviating the pain. Still, he noticed that the Bomb Golems were blowing themselves up near him quite a bit more often than before.


    Wondering why that was happening now, he nced at Amira to see that she was in her [[Dragon Form]]. After blocking some rocks that came flying at his head with his tower shield, he shouted out,


    ¡°Diniel! Focus on the Bomb Golems that Amira missed! Shoot them down!¡±


    ¡°Gotcha. [[Double Arrow]].¡±


    At Daryl¡¯s request, Diniel shot out a volley of ice arrows to cool the red-glowing Bomb Golems down.


    By nature, a Bomb Golem would start glowing red after sustaining a certain amount of damage ¡ª a sign of it preparing to self-destruct ¡ª after which it would rush at the target it wanted to blow up. Since the self-destruction process required a build-up of heat, however, cooling them down would prevent them from detonating.


    Each of the Bomb Golems, struck by two ice arrows, stopped glowing red and were unable to detonate themselves. Diniel proceeded to keep shooting, killing off those Bomb Golems for good.


    Amira, in her [[Dragon Form]], left the fighting to her instincts, which sometimes resulted in her failing tond the finishing blow on her targets. Daryl, understanding that, had decided a slight change of strategy for Diniel and was able to reduce the chances of the Bomb Golems blowing up in his face.


    As the battle raged on and the number of spawned Golems started to decrease, Tsutomu finally instructed Diniel to shift her attention over to the Mount Golem.

 Chapter 136, Blatant Product Placement

    <h4>Chapter 136, tant Product cement</h4>


    Trantor: Barnnn


    As the spawn rates of the small Golems lowered, the Mount Golem¡¯s previously crude, mechanical movements gained more speed and fluidity. Although it was not fast enough to catch Hannah just yet, its two gigantic arms swinging around at her were bound to be at least pressuring. Being grabbed by this colossal monster meant instant death even for Daryl, so even a graze could be fatal for Hannah.


    In fact, just the wind pressure from the Golem swinging its arms was already enough trouble, but Hannah managed to stay airborne and moved in to attack. Since her hits did not seem to have any effect at all, taking on the Mount Golem by herself proved to be quite emotionally exhausting.


    Even focusing on the monster¡¯s joints, where attacks were supposed to go through more easily, had resulted in no change so far. Then at one point, as Hannah kept on attacking, a familiar whistling sound came from behind her, then passed by over her head.


    It was the sign that Diniel was getting ready to use [[Stream Arrow]]. Hannah took a nce behind her, confirming Diniel¡¯s location before moving away.


    Diniel, after confirming that Hannah had retreated, shot an ice arrow into the air, aiming at a spot directly above the Mount Golem¡¯s head.


    ¡°[[Stream Arrow]].¡±


    The white arrow streaked through the air, scattering ice kes. And then, smaller arrows rained down onto the Mount Golem¡¯s head like a snowslide.


    The Mount Golem, agitated by the [[Stream Arrow]], proceeded to cover its head with its arms. Hannah, seeing an attack have an effect on the boss monster for the first time, started giggling as she hovered around in the air.


    ¡°Oof¡­¡±


    The skill packed the most power out of Diniel¡¯s whole arsenal, but it also demanded the use of a great deal of mental energy at once. Diniel, feeling slightly washed-out from using it, immediately took a sip of Blue Potion.


    And while she waited for her energy to recover, she opted to attack normally with water and ice-elemental arrows, as using powerful skills too much would make it impossible for Hannah to pull aggro properly.


    ¡°[[Enchant Earth]]! [[Combat Cry]]!¡±


    ¡°[[Dragon Form]].¡±


    Since Diniel had gone to focus on Mount Golem, the battle got much busier on Daryl and Amira¡¯s side. Since Amira¡¯s level was the lowest among the party, she had to rely on her unique skill, [[Dragon Form]], for a power boost.


    ¡°Ngh-¡°


    And now, Daryl had to rely on his tower shield, powered up with [[Enchant Earth]], to push back against the Bomb Golems that were rushing at him. One of them glowed white and exploded; one moment, he felt his feet lift off the ground ¡ª and the next, he was blown backward.


    ¡°AAAHHH!!¡±


    Amira¡¯s [[Dragon Form]] certainly was powerful, but she had to operate onbat instincts due to still not being able to fully take control. This resulted in her attacking enemies indiscriminately, as opposed to focusing on the Bomb Golems. Without Diniel¡¯s support that they had had before, Daryl¡¯s workload was now heavier than ever.


    ¡°[[Medic].¡±


    Observing the situation from up in the sky, Tsutomu dispelled Amira¡¯s transformation, and then reached into his Magic Bag to find his Wind Magic Stone-powered megaphone, but then¡­


    ¡°Amira!¡± Daryl spoke up, his face covered in soot from the repeated explosions. ¡°Stop using your [[Dragon Form]] for now! And focus on killing the Bomb Golems! The ones that glow red!¡±


    ¡°Huh-? Y-yeah! Got it!¡± Amira answered as she stood in ce, recovering from her [[Dragon Form]] being forcibly disengaged, before acting as she had been told.


    Daryl kept an eye on the smaller Golems spawned by the Mount Golem, and used wide-area aggro skills as needed to draw their attention to him. He positioned himself in a way that prevented projectile attacks from going toward Diniel and Hannah, and tried knocking the Bomb Golems away from him to get the other Golems caught in the explosions. Such were some of the moves he hade up with from spectating other groups¡¯ Mount Golem battles beforehand. Needless to say, he was doing quite well ¡ª so much so that only high-leveled veterans like Garm and Bittman could hope to fare this well on their first attempt.


    Additionally, the coordination between him and Amira had improved, making him much more reliable. He was no longer a Tank that simply stood around and defended, but one that acted on his own and knew which targets to distract.


    [Looks like they¡¯ll be all right.]


    Seeing how well Daryl was managing things, Tsutomu put the megaphone back into his magic Bag and focused on support, healing, and the asional attacking. The battle raged on with the front-line fighters split into two pairs: Daryl with Amira, and Hannah with Diniel. As for Tsutomu, he could be considered a middle-line, positioning himself a decent distance away to provide support and healing.


    Hannah¡¯s [[Haste]] buffing was the one effect he could not afford to let expire, since if it did, the change in the sense of speed felt by her body would interfere with her movements. This could end up causing her to be grabbed by the Mount Golem as she distracted it, which was sure to be fatal.


    Moreover, Daryl needed regr healing due to the Bomb Golems¡¯ self-destructs quite often causing heavy damage to him. As Daryl was an excellent Tank, a mistake or two on Tsutomu¡¯s part would not be the end of the world, but the ground being flooded with various Golems meant Tsutomu had to be careful not to identallynd his healing and support skills on them instead.


    Diniel and Amira needed [[Haste]] buffs as well, and in thetter¡¯s case, he had to pay attention for when he needed to disengage her [[Dragon Form]]. All in all, Tsutomu felt quite pressured, since certain support effects running out could spell doom for the whole party. Two especially lethal ones were Hannah¡¯s [[Haste]] running out and him identally buffing and-or healing the smaller Golems.


    ¡°[[Haste]].¡±


    Still, he had gotten used to this kind of pressure during his time ying Live Dungeon. His biological clock had been etched so deeply into his senses that he had almost perfectmand of support effect duration tracking, enabling him to keep Hannah¡¯s [[Haste]] going by cing pick-ups near her as she moved around.


    ¡°[[Heal]], [[Protect]].¡±


    To avoid healing and-or buffing the enemy, Tsutomu had to pay extra attention to the movements of Daryl and the Golems on the ground. He had carried out his role with the stance that a handful of mistakes would be fine, but ever since he had gotten this Absolute Helix party going, he had yet to identallynd his skills on the wrong targets.


    ¡°Ten Throw Golems! Seven Bomb Golems! Six Lava Golems! Three normal Golems! We¡¯re getting closer and closer to the boss ¡ª keep that in mind and adjust your ns, Daryl!¡±


    And in addition to support, he also had to keep tabs on the battle¡¯s situation at all times, rying the numbers and types of monsters to his teammates so that they could adjust their positions appropriately. This was made doable by the ability to stay in mid-air, as it enabled him to see what he would not while standing on solid ground. Stephanie had also gone with the same approach during her n¡¯s Mount Golem battle.


    ¡°[[Stream Arrow]].¡±


    While Daryl drew the wave of Golems to him and repositioned himself, Diniel kept using her skills to wear down the Mount Golem. Being pretty much the only one who could do substantial damage to the boss monster, she had been permitted to carry a hefty stock of Blue Potions on her person.


    Moreover, hitting parts of the Mount Golem with ice-elemental attacks would cause them to cool down, temporarily rendering those spots somewhat more susceptible to other attacks. This meant Hannah could now pull aggro by attacking, as opposed to before when only [[Combat Cry]] worked well enough.


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]]! [[One-Two Straight]]! And then! [[Count Buster]]!¡±


    The more skills were chained in a singlebo, the bigger the power boost the [[Count Buster]] would get. Thanks to thebination of this damage and her red aggro-generating aura, Hannah was able to keep the Mount Golem from attacking Diniel despite how powerful thetter¡¯s [[Stream Arrow]] was.


    Being focused on by the Mount Golem was not an issue for Hannah. With the boost from [[Haste]] and the use of the vivid blue-feathered wings on her back, she could carry out intricate three-dimensional maneuvers, easily dodging the enemy¡¯s attacks and striking back.


    By this point, Daryl and Amira also were able to destroy the Bomb Golems reliably, so there was no longer a need to worry about their formation falling apart. Amira was an effective Attacker even without using her [[Dragon Form]]. As inexperienced as she was, she still was the best of the best of her age and level range due to having learned the ways of the sword from Camille, whose skills had been honed from years of raiding countless Dungeons.


    [Okay, no problem over here.]


    While Tsutomu drank a vial of Blue Potion, he observed the situation and saw that the team was getting more and more stable. Keep this up, and they would have no difficulties wearing down the Mount Golem until it entered its middle phase. Seeing that there was some free time now, Tsutomu proceeded to cast ayer of [[Barrier]] on himself.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The battle went on perfectly smoothly for a while, and then once the Mount Golem got hit by [[Stream Arrow]] the tenth time, it started to change. Its pitch ck body started gaining a tinge of red, and just as it had when the battle started, it scattered clusters of red rocks all over the ce whenever it swung its arms ¡ª red rocks that turned into Bomb Golems. Seeing that, Tsutomu shouted into his megaphone,


    ¡°Everyone, fly! Daryl and Amira, get back here! Diniel, attack as much as you can before it starts smashing the ground! After that,e regroup!¡±


    The three promptly responded to Tsutomu¡¯smands, with Diniel ascending into the air, while the two others rushed toward Tsutomu.


    ¡°Here, have some water.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    The boss monster spawning arge number of Bomb Golems was a sign of it entering the battle¡¯s middle phase. The transition was a good time to take a breather, so Tsutomu passed Amira and Daryl each a canteen so that they could rehydrate.


    ¡°Daryl, turn around for a second.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay.¡±


    Daryl¡¯s heavy armor¡¯s cooling function ran on Ice Magic Stones, so the supply must be regrly replenished for it to work. While Daryl drank some water, Tsutomu had him turn around, open the lid of the energy tank on his armor¡¯s waist part, and put in some Ice Magic Stones that had been chiseled into the right shape by the craftsmen.


    ¡°You know, this might be the best performance you¡¯ve had so far. Keep it up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Daryl answered. Perhaps due to having gotten used to fighting in thisyer, he was no longer nervous, as apparent from how he was looking at the reddening Mount Golem without any significant sign of concern.


    Tsutomu proceeded to pat him on the back and wrapped up the cooling tool¡¯s Ice Magic Stone refilling process.


    ¡°Amira, you¡¯re actually plenty strong, even without your [[Dragon Form]]. Maybe you¡¯re better off this way for now? You know, staying fully in control, doing what Daryl tells you to. Keep it up.¡±


    ¡°¡­Shaddup.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Come again?¡± Tsutomu asked, having not heard what Amira had just said, but thetter only blushed and nudged him away.


    Seeing Amira turning awkward for seemingly no reason, both Tsutomu and Daryl tilted their heads.


    ¡°Whoa-!¡±


    And then a roar suddenly echoed through the arena, prompting them to turn in its direction. The Mount Golem ignored Hannah, raised up its arms, and mmed its fists down on the ground. Diniel, seeing that, grabbed the confused Hannah and regrouped with the other three.


    ¡°Good job, you two. Here, have some water.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Huh? The whole thing¡¯s over already?¡± Hannah promptly asked, her blue hair soaked with sweat.


    ¡°No, just the opening phase. We still have the middle and end phases to go,¡± Tsutomu said and let out a dry chuckle.


    Diniel took her mouth off her canteen and looked down at Hannah with a nk look in her eyes.


    ¡°Which means the real thing ising after this.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, so I still get to fight some more! Great!¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? I wanna leave already¡­¡± Diniel grumbled, totally not looking forward to what wasing next as she epted her canteen that was refilled by Tsutomu, putting it away in her Magic Bag.


    ¡°Ah! Some water for me too, please!¡± Hannah said, passing Tsutomu her canteen so that he could fill it up.


    While the Absolute Helix party took this brief moment of peace to rest, the Mount Golem kept on pounding the ground. The surface, filled with Bomb Golems, turned redder and redder ¡ª and thenva erupted from the cracks.


    The heat from the repeated eruptions caused the Bomb Golems to blow themselves up. Staying on the surface would get one caught up in the endless explosions, so knowing that in advance, the team flew into the air.


    The other types of Golems, roaming around on the ground, were also caught in the ensuing destruction ¡ª which in turn resulted in the ceasing of their projectile attacks. This attack of the Mount Golem¡¯s was scripted to happen after it had lost a certain percentage of its life force, and was a good chance for thebatants to take a quick break.


    At one point, the sphere-shaped God Eye approached the Absolute Helix party. The number ¡®2¡¯ was written on it, indicating the Monitor it was broadcasting the live footage on.


    ¡°Ooh! We¡¯re on Pedestal #2, Teach!¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Amy, can you see me?¡±


    Daryl and Hannah had some good fun looking into the lenses of the God Eye, while Diniel made a peace sign. Amira, seemingly uninterested, kept on looking at the Mount Golem and the erupting ground.


    ¡°Oh! I almost forgot! We have to show off our sponsor¡¯s logos!¡±


    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°Uh, you two? You shouldn¡¯t say that out loud¡­¡±


    Since they were being shown on Monitor #2 and fighting against ayer boss, they could expect the viewership to be quite good. Daryl and Hannah looked for where the engraved logos were on their equipment, and called the God Eye over so that those spots could be shown more clearly. Tsutomu chuckled dryly as he looked on.


    ¡°This heavy armor they made is amazing! Please do check them out!¡±


    ¡°Dorren Workshop! Dorren Workshop!¡±


    [Amy did say that the more visible, the better¡­ but isn¡¯t this too much?]


    Seeing that they were doing this product cement so awkwardly on the spur of the moment, the audience was bound to forgive their tantness. With that in mind, Tsutomu let the pair do their thing, and then pped his hands when the time was right.


    ¡°Okay, guys. The Mount Golem¡¯s going to stop attacking soon. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Cheer for us, people!¡±


    After the pair said all they wanted to to the God Eye and moved away from it, Tsutomu grouped up with them and went over their ns once again. By the time they were done, the Mount Golem had stopped pounding the ground. Its previously pitch-ck body was now mostly red, and its movements were much faster than what it had started the fight with.


    ¡°Hannah, the enemy¡¯s going to be much faster from this point on, so be careful.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    ¡°Now¡¯s the time for people to see what an evasion-based Tank can do. Show ¡¯em your moves, Hannah!¡±


    Hannah looked back at Tsutomu, puzzled by his sudden enthusiasm. For a moment, she pouted¡­ then nodded and smiled.

 Chapter 137, Divided Into Phases

    <h4>Chapter 137, Divided Into Phases</h4>


    The Bomb Golems¡¯ detonations pulverized many of the other Golems in the area, turning them into light particles. Lava burst from the cracked ground, limiting the foothold one could take. Daryl and Amira flew up after Hannah, and Diniel crouched down on the narrowed solid ground to stabilize her shooting.


    And then, after the Mount Golem spawned fifteen more of the smaller Golems and dropped them to the ground, it did not spawn any more of them. However, in exchange for it losing its refilling supply of minions, the Mount Golem received a dramatic boost to its own abilities.


    ¡°[[Combat Cry]]!¡±


    Hannah, with a speed boost from [[Haste]], pulled the Mount Golem¡¯s aggro to her and moved in to attack. The now-red surface of the monster¡¯s body was so hot that she felt like burning up just from getting close to it; she did not even think she could touch it with her bare hands. Hannah tightly gripped the brass knuckles in her hands andid out a barrage of blows on the enemy¡¯s rocky body.


    The redder its body turned, the faster the Mount Golem¡¯s movements became. It was so fast now, in fact, that Daryl could barely dodge its attacks ¡ª though it still could not catch Hannah just yet.


    ¡°[[Stream Arrow]].¡±


    The spots hit by Diniel¡¯s powerful ice-elemental attack turned back to ck. Hannah focused on repeatedly striking those spots. The Mount Golem¡¯s body wasrge, so she technically couldnd her attacks anywhere she wanted, constantly sustaining her skillbo count. Thanks to that, she could build up the power of her [[Count Buster]] to ridiculous levels, in turn easily pulling the enemy¡¯s aggro. As long as the Mount Golem was not hit by [[Stream Arrow]] multiple times in quick session, it was sure not to turn its attention to Diniel.


    ¡°[[Warrior Howl]]!¡±


    The number of Golems that Daryl and Amira had to distract had greatly reduced from before ¡ª now there were only about fifteen of them left, making things quite easy for them. In the current situation, Hannah was able to face the Mount Golem head-on without a need to worry about projectile attacks.


    And as the battle raged on, the number of Golems further decreased one by one, increasing the Mount Golem¡¯s speed more and more. By now, it had been boosted so high that Daryl could no longer dodge all its blows.


    ¡°[[Medic]].¡±


    Tsutomu, no longer having to pay so much attention to supporting and healing Daryl and Amira, shifted his focus to casting [[Haste]] and [[Medic]] for Hannah as she flew all over the ce. While Hannah¡¯s stamina was extraordinarily high by women¡¯s standards, constant intense movement in such a high-temperature environment was bound to exhaust her in no time.


    A way to circumvent that was to cast [[Medic]] for Hannah more often, alleviating her workload. Tsutomu predicted the paths of her movements and ced pick-ups of skills like [[Medic]] and [[Haste]] for her, reliably supporting and healing her without her even needing to be aware of it.


    ¡°Hah hah¡­¡±


    Currently, Hannah was somewhat out of breath, but she had yet to lose even a shred of concentration. She was by herself in dealing with the Mount Golem¡¯s attacks as it waved around both its arms as if trying to catch a house fly buzzing in front of its face, but there was no sign of her getting caught by it anytime soon.


    Confirming that a sound-emitting arrow had flown past above her head, Hannah got ready to retreat while also distracting the Mount Golem so that it moved as little as possible from its current position.


    ¡°[[Stream Arrow]].¡±


    Diniel, with her mental energy replenished, unleashed a powerful skill, then Hannah sensed iting and dashed out of the way. This routine was slowly but surely shaving away at the Mount Golem¡¯s integrity. If the team could keep things going like this, they could practically stun-lock the Mount Golem until it was finished off.


    At this point, however, the Mount Golem was no longer simply trying to catch Hannah with its hands. After more than half of its life force had been depleted, new moves had been added to its arsenal.


    The red bright spots on the Mount Golem¡¯s face ¡ª which seemed to be its eyes ¡ª started glowing intensely. Tsutomu, seeing that, shouted out,


    ¡°It¡¯s about to shoot out light beams! Get ready to dodge!¡±


    After Tsutomu¡¯s warning, the Mount Golem shot out red beams of light from both its eyes. Hannah¡¯s reflex prompted her to sway out of the way, sessfully avoiding them. The boss monster tried to exploit this opening by swinging its hands at her, but then she performed evasive maneuvers by pping the wings on her back, dodging them as well.


    The Mount Golem¡¯s hands pped together as if it was trying to squash a bug; after confirming that it had not managed to catch anything, it immediately proceeded to prowl after Hannah once again. Due to it frequently shooting out beams of light from its eyes, Hannah was required to move around more than before.


    ¡°Hannah! If you¡¯re starting to feel overwhelmed, go ahead and switch with Daryl ¡ª just give him the signal!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Daryl was not a match against the Mount Golem due to its now-wide array of powerful attacks, but he could take it on as long as he avoided three particr things: being trampled under its feet, being crushed in its hands, and being knocked into theva. If anything, he was sure tost long enough to buy time for Hannah to rest up.


    On Amira and Daryl¡¯s side, things seemed to be going with rtively little difficulty due to the gradually decreasing number of Golem minions. If the pair could get their numbers down to less than ten, Amira could go join in on attacking the boss, and simply spare some time to sweep out the rest of the minions whenever Diniel shot out her [[Stream Arrow]].


    As things were now, though, Hannah was still dealing with the Mount Golem by herself as it gained more and more speed, carrying out her Tank role by avoiding all of its attacks and pulling its aggro by hitting it consistently. The ability to deal damage while pulling the targets¡¯ attention away from her allies ¡ª such were the advantages of an ideal evasion-based Tank.


    For a good while, the team had a rtively smooth time shaving away at the Mount Golem ¡ª save for the fact that its eye beams were being shot all over the ce, posing a potential threat to everyone if they did not pay attention.


    In fact, Amira had been grazed on her arm once as she had her full focus on the group of Golem minions. Moreover, Tsutomu was staying close to her so that he could provide her with healing and support; he failed to avoid the beam attacks one time, taking the full brunt of it.


    [All right, I¡¯m still safe.]


    However, thanks to him wearing the Scorchstone Robe that he had obtained from a treasure chest dropped by the Bolseyer, the heat rays were rendered ineffective on him. Technically, he did not even need to pay attention to the beam attacks at all; this enabled him to stay reasonably close to his allies as he supported them, which was especially helpful with keeping Hannah¡¯s [[Haste]] buff constant.


    As long as Hannah¡¯s speed boost persisted, she was sure to not be caught by the Mount Golem. Receiving consistent support via [[Haste]] and [[Medic]], she seemed to be having fun pelting the boss monster with punches and kicks. Eventually, Diniel¡¯s signal arrow came flying once again, prompting her to get ready to retreat.


    Following that, Diniel unleashed her [[Stream Arrow]], racking up tons of damage. After a few more repeats of the routine, Diniel shot a signal arrow toward Tsutomu as thetter levitated above everyone.


    Tsutomu approached Diniel while also taking care to keep up his healing and support. Diniel took her mouth off the Blue Potion vial that she had been sipping from and said to him,


    ¡°Hannah¡¯s probably getting tired. We should have her switch out soon.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You think so?¡±


    From Tsutomu¡¯s point of view, Hannah¡¯s movements had not yet slowed down and her face showed no signs of fatigue ¡ª if anything, she seemed to be having a good time. He figured that Hannah would still be good to keep fighting, but Diniel quietly shook her head.


    ¡°Her reaction to my signal was a bit too slow. I think she¡¯s just about to get exhausted now.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. Got it. I¡¯ll have Daryl go in instead.¡±


    Diniel, having trained together with Hannah in the Volcanoyers for quite some time, was well aware of thetter¡¯s signs of exhaustion. Tsutomu agreed to her suggestion; after giving her an extra vial of Blue Potion, he went over to Daryl to tell thetter about the change of strategy.


    ¡°Daryl, go switch with Hannah.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Daryl nodded to Tsutomu¡¯smand and roared out a spear-like focused st of [[Combat Cry]] at the Mount Golem. He proceeded to rack up even more aggro by adding on to that with [[Warrior Howl]] and [[Shield Throw]].


    Being a Heavy Knight, Daryl was superior to Hannah in terms of the list of skills he had ess to. With the help of Blue Potions, he would be able to pull the aggro off of Hannah without much difficulty.


    When Tsutomu felt that Daryl was almost done pulling the Mount Golem¡¯s aggro, he circled around behind thetter and talked to him while refilling his armor¡¯s Ice Magic Stones. Meanwhile, Daryl drank from a vial of Blue Potion.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll be able to hold on for pretty long, as long as you don¡¯t get grabbed or knocked into theva. And if you do die, I can revive you right away, so just take it easy.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°All right, go get ¡¯em!¡±


    After he was done refilling Daryl¡¯s armor¡¯s Ice Magic Stone supply, Tsutomu patted thetter on the back, nudging him toward the Mount Golem. Daryl flew up close to it and used his best aggro-generating move, the [[Taunt Swing]], to get the monster to look away from Hannah.


    ¡°Hannah!¡± Tsutomu shouted through his megaphone. ¡°Get back here! And Amira, take a little break if you need to!¡±


    In response to her instruction, Hannah flew as fast as she could toward Tsutomu, reaching him in no time at all. She looked grumpy, however, like a child at a yground being picked up by her parents.


    ¡°But Teach! I can still go on!¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Diniel said you have to stop ¡ª so take a break. No buts.¡±


    ¡°¡­Tch.¡±


    Hannah seemed like she still wanted more action, and she grew even more dissatisfied upon seeing Daryl being kicked around by the Mount Golem. Unlike Hannah, Daryl had to also deal with the projectile attacks from the few remaining Throw Golems on the ground, but he stayed calm and took everything on with his tower shield.


    Tsutomu cast a healing spell for Daryl, and then passed Hannah a piece of salted candy and a canteen of cooled water. Hannah rolled the candy around in her mouth and kept an eye on Daryl as thetter did his thing, while also positioning herself so that she would not be hit by a stray heat ray.


    Due to Daryl¡¯s lower mobility, he could not avoid all of the Mount Golem¡¯s attacks like Hannah had. There were a good number of hits that he had no choice but to take head-on.


    Thanks to his high VIT, however, he could prevent severe damage as long as he took them with his shield. The custom armor from Dorren Workshop also provided some decent mitigation of damage from the heat rays.


    Moreover, while his dog ears were droopy, they provided him with a strong sense of hearing all the same; he could sense monsters¡¯ movements and had a wide range of awareness of what was going on behind him, which helped him greatly in carrying out his role. As such, the otherbatants were exposed to fewer stray eye beamspared to whenever Hannah was Tanking.


    ¡°Believe in yourself, Hannah. Without you, we wouldn¡¯t even stand a chance against this Mount Golem.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why¡¯re you bringing this up all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Well, you look like you¡¯re not very confident in yourself¡­ Like you¡¯re about to say, ¡®man, Daryl¡¯s waaayyy better at this Tank thing than me,¡¯ you know?¡±


    ¡°Teach, you really suck at imitating how I talk, you know that?¡± Hannah responded with a straight face to Tsutomu¡¯s failed attempt at sounding like her.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    In turn, Tsutomu was rendered speechless ¡ª and his expression caused Hannah to burst outughing.


    ¡°Ahahaha! This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you make that face, Teach!¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll just get back to work now.¡±


    ¡°O-oh, c¡¯mon! Don¡¯t be so grumpy, Teach~~!¡±


    Tsutomu turned away and started casting support spells for everyone else. Hannah approached him and shook him by his shoulders, but he kept on his supporting work until he was done for the moment, only turning back to her after confirming Daryl¡¯s situation one more time.


    ¡°Well, looks like you¡¯re in a good enough mood, then.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I sure am! I¡¯m not about to lose to Daryl, you know!¡±


    ¡°Then how about I put you right back to work when Daryl is about to lose his aggro pull, hmm?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re still salty about what I just said or what, Teach?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember it till the next time I die.¡±


    Tsutomu cracked a grin with a visibly evil undertone, causing Hannah to pull a wry face.


    ¡°When¡¯s that even gonna happen!?¡±


    ¡°Heh, hopefully never.¡±


    Hannah was in fact itching to go, though, so after a while, Tsutomu instructed Daryl to stop pulling aggro and sent Hannah on her way.


    Back into the action, Hannah unleashed a barrage of attacks to pull the aggro away from Daryl, causing the Mount Golem to focus on her instead. Daryl proceeded to maintain the aggro of all the other Golems in the area, and then he flew back toward Tsutomu with his battered armor.


    ¡°Amira! Take care of the ones on the ground!¡±


    ¡°YEAH!¡±


    Amira had been resting while Daryl took on both the boss and its minions, so now she had more than enough energy to deal with the smaller Golems. Meanwhile, as soon as Daryl got back to Tsutomu, thetter helped him remove his armor, dropping the pieces onto the ground and pulling a brand new set out of his Magic Bag for him to put on.


    ¡°It seems like such a waste to switch my armor now¡­ considering that Sir Dorren hand-crafted everything.¡±


    ¡°Yourst set WAS all busted up, though ¡ª surely he¡¯s happy to see it get used as much as it could be, don¡¯t you think? ¡­Anddd you¡¯re all set. [[Haste]], [[Protect]].¡±


    After equipping Daryl with the spare set of armor and confirming that there was no problem with it, Tsutomu returned to his post and continued providing support for his team. As he cast buffing and healing spells for everyone, he also kept a careful watch on the Mount Golem, the movements of which werepletely different from what it had started the battle with.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Tsutomu looked on as Hannah and Amira did their things, with the former racking up her skillbo count from zero again to boost the power of her [[Count Buster]], and thetter joining in on attacking the Mount Golem. At this point, the Mount Golem was starting to show signs of it preparing a powerful special move. For this particr one, the telegraph was in its eyes, which were turning upward instead of staying locked on to Hannah.


    ¡°It¡¯s about to use a wide-area attack! You three, move away as fast as you can! Daryl, get over here!¡±


    This particr move was naturally of the fire element, and it was so much more powerful than the Fire Dragon¡¯s breath attacks that even the Red-thread Fire Coat could not defend against it. Despite its power and the wide area it covered, however, it took the monster only thirty seconds to wind up, so it was difficult for an Explorer to escape out of its range unless their AGI rating was B or higher.


    Other ns had faced great difficulties dealing with the wide-area attack, too. Ealdred Crow had used specialized equipment for defense and managed to survive by the skin of their teeth. Silver Beast had relied on Lorena using her Conykin speed to dash out of its range, then having her revive the fallen teammates while the other surviving members tried their best to pull aggro away from her.


    As for Absolute Helix, Diniel and Hannah¡¯s high AGI ratings meant they could get out of range just fine, and Amira could also make it as long as she put away her greatsword. Tsutomu and Daryl¡¯s AGI ratings were too low for them to escape, however. Without taking any countermeasures, they were sure to both die ¡ª and Tsutomu¡¯s death would mean they could not be revived, making it virtually impossible for the team to achieve victory from that point on.


    The former three, after being buffed with [[Haste]], started to retreat. Tsutomu and Daryl moved away together as far as they could, luring the handful of remaining Golems along with them. Tsutomu then spread out his Scorchstone Robe and called Daryl over to him.


    ¡°Come on, huddle up!¡±


    ¡°It smells¡­ kinda stinky, Sir Tsutomu,¡± Daryl said after sniffing the sweat-damped Scorchstone Robe.


    ¡°Say that again and I¡¯m not letting you in,¡± Tsutomushed back without skipping a beat.


    ¡°Aw, don¡¯t be so stingy.¡±


    Daryl lowered his brows, having wanted the banter to go on a bit longer so that he could crack jokes back at Tsutomu. He proceeded to hold his own knees, curling up into a ball before moving behind Tsutomu¡¯s robe.


    Daryl¡¯s heavy armor may be resistant against heat beams, but it had been shown beforehand that even Ealdred Crow¡¯s specialized equipment was not enough topletely defend against this move, with Stephanie being on the verge of death by the end of it due to her low VIT. As such, just to be perfectly safe, Tsutomu wrapped Daryl along with himself in his Scorchstone Robe and waited for the enemy to unleash its attack.


    Eventually, the Mount Golem let loose the heat beam that it had been condensing within its red upturned eyes. It turned into a heat wave that spread out all around the boss monster, burning and breaking apart even its Golem minions down on the ground.


    Tsutomu and Daryl, huddling together and holding on to the Scorchstone Robe, were hit by the heat wave and subsequently blown away by the wind pressure. They braced against the impact while keeping themselves airborne, and after the wind subsided, Tsutomu waited a few moments before letting go of his robe.


    ¡°All right, we¡¯re both safe.¡± He then let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Daryl held his mouth shut in horror upon seeing the aftermath: absolutely everything in the st area melted into burning mush.


    The st had not only caused the Mount Golem¡¯s whole body to turn molten red, but also rendered it permanently unable to spawn additional Golems.


    Of the three others who had moved away far enough to be out of range, Hannah and Amira were shocked by the resulting scenery, while Diniel looked on with great interest. The Mount Golem currently had its head down and was immobile, as if it had expended too much energy. This was in fact due to the recoil from unleashing its attack, and it would stay this way for a decent amount of time. The next time it unleashed its heat wave, however, it would not be stunned like this again. This was thest moment of the whole battle during which the team could take a break.


    And so Tsutomu let everyone rest; he passed them cooled water, salted candy, and some snacks as he talked to them,


    ¡°First of all, we¡¯re in the final stretch now. There aren¡¯t any smaller Golems to worry about anymore ¡ª just the Mount Golem itself. When it moves again, it¡¯ll be much faster than before, and may even whip out moves that we never knew it could do. We all need to keep our guard up ¡ª especially you, Hannah.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Teach.¡±


    ¡°Going forward from this point, always assume that you won¡¯t have much solid ground to stand on. Everyone except Diniel, keep yourselves airborne with [[Fly]]. Diniel, you can use your ice arrows to secure some better foothold if you need to.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    Water and ice-elemental arrows could be shot at the molten ground to create a temporarily solid foothold, but most other ns would not count it as an option due to the high costs doing so would incur. Diniel could also shoot arrows while using [[Fly]], of course, but she wanted to prioritize uracy ¡ª which was naturally higher when she was standing on the ground.


    ¡°Amira, you can go ahead and use [[Dragon Form]], but don¡¯t push yourself too hard. Daryl, I¡¯m counting on you to assist Hannah.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°All right, I think that¡¯s about it. If we can get past this phase, victory is pretty much ours. Hang in there.¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡±


    ¡°Ohh¡­¡±


    Hannah answered cheerfully, while Diniel pumped up her fist, her voicecking in motivation. The Mount Golem started running toward the team, swinging its arms like a marathon runner; Tsutomu prompted everyone to disperse to their respective positions.


    Diniel began shooting ice arrows all over the ground to secure herself some foothold, while Hannah went ahead to pull the Mount Golem¡¯s aggro. The monster¡¯s now-molten red body was much more susceptible to damage than before, but the heat it radiated made it quite difficult to even get close to, so Hannah would have to wait until it was hit by some ice-elemental ranged attacks first.


    Furthermore, the Mount Golem¡¯s speed was now extraordinarily high. The way it moved was almost no different from those of a human putting all their strength into swatting some flying ants. Hannah proceeded to dodge all its attacks, albeit sweating bullets all the while due to how much faster they werepared to the previous phase.


    The swings of the monster¡¯s arms sted out wind pressure at Hannah, but she wasrgely unaffected, flying backward without an issue. The Mount Golem then tried shooting its eye beams at her, but then she controlled her evasive movements with the wings on her back, sessfully dodging them and flying up above the enemy¡¯s head.


    ¡°[[Feather Dance]]!¡±


    The skill she used caused the soft feathers on her back to scatter all over the ce, clinging to the bodies of the enemies upon contact. The aim was to block the Mount Golem¡¯s eyes, limiting its vision, and in turn preventing it from attacking urately.


    This skill worked well against the Mount Golem; in fact, it had been used by the Birdkin members of Silver Beast as well. Since Hannah was an evasion-based Tank with a wide range of other skills in her rotation, however, she could not use it too often due to mental energy cost concerns. As such, she had been saving it until theter phases of the battle.


    The Mount Golem, quite annoyed by the blue feathers blocking its eyes, used both its hands to pick them out. Meanwhile, a blue arrow flew into the air and burst apart above its head, creating countless smaller arrows that rained down on the monster like a meteor shower. The ice-elemental arrows cooled down and hardened spots of its body, which Hannah proceeded to strike repeatedly. Amira followed Hannah¡¯s lead, flying in with her greatsword on her shoulder, then bashing on the exposed spots with all her might.


    Buffetted by all the attacks, the Mount Golem iled around, shooting out eye beams all over the ce, but everyone stayed calm and dodged them. Tsutomu had his Scorchstone Robe on, so he would not die even if he were to get hit. Daryl was slower than the others and did get hit a handful of times, but he did block all of those hits with his armor, taking care not to get shot in the head.


    All in all, the beginning of this phase was going quite smoothly. The Mount Golem¡¯s life force should be down to below thirty percent by now, and Tsutomu figured that victory was not far ahead ¡ª But as he thought that, the Mount Golem suddenly spread out its arms.


    Having never seen this move before, Tsutomu narrowed his eyes in suspicion, while the Mount Golem jumped up with its arms and legs spread out wide.


    ¡°Wah-!¡±


    Hannah, seeing the move as the Mount Golem trying to press its whole weight down on her, flew backward so quickly that one would think she had kicked away the air itself. The boss monster¡¯s colossal body crashed onto the ground, raising a thunderous impact and sting a great gust of wind, ultimately blowing Hannah away and causing her to spin uncontrobly in the air.


    ¡°OOOHHH!?¡±


    Amira, despite being nearby, was not burned by the resultingva ssh ¡ª but she did also get blown away by thebination of wind pressure and sheer impact. Tsutomu had not gotten too close to it, so all he had to do was block the wind with his arms over his face. After that, he looked at the Mount Golem again and saw that it was lying face-down, t on the ground.


    ¡°Damn, that thing really went apesh*t all of a sudden¡­¡± Tsutomu grumbled.


    He had never seen this particr monster do this move before, both back in Live Dungeon and on this world¡¯s God Pedestals. The Mount Golem pushed its hands on the ground to help itself quickly get up. ck rocks and traces ofva could be seen adhering to the front side of its red body.


    ¡°OOOHHH! HERE I GOOOOOO!¡±


    ¡°Ah, wait-¡°


    Diniel grabbed Hannah¡¯s arm to stop her, but she shook Diniel¡¯s hands off and rushed toward the Mount Golem. She was worried that if she did not hurry, she would lose her skillbo streak and have to build it up all over again. As Hannah unleashed a [[Combat Cry]] and moved in closer to the monster, Tsutomu called out to her,manding her to get away, but she seemed to be too engrossed in the action to hear him.


    [It¡¯s¡­ soaking up the smaller rocks? Is that how it heals itself?]


    The ck rocks were sinking into the Mount Golem¡¯s body, as if they were melting away. As Tsutomu spected on the effects of this never-before-seen action, the Mount Golem pushed out its chest and folded its hands together over its eyes ¡ª a stance reminiscent of martial artists psyching themselves up.


    ¡°It¡¯s doing something! Everyone, retreat now!¡± Tsutomu spoke up and rushed over to Daryl. At almost the same time, the Mount Golem swung down its arms and unfolded its hands.


    Immediately following that, rocks ¡ª from gigantic boulders to little pebbles ¡ª shot out of the front side of its body like shotgun pellets, flying at everyone that it was currently facing.


    ¡°[[Barrier]]!¡±


    Tsutomu managed to avoid therger ones that came his way, then he cast [[Barrier]] to block the smaller ones. Fortunately, the buckshot neithersted long nor unleashed too many pellets, so Tsutomu came out of itpletely unharmed.


    Near him, Daryl was also unharmed by the rock bullets thanks to the [[Barrier]] spell. Tsutomu quickly ascended higher into the sky to get a clear view of the situation. Diniel and Amira had been blown quite far away by the wind st, and they seemed to have suffered some scratches, perhaps from being hit by the smaller rocks.


    Hannah had beenst seen moving in to pull the Mount Golem¡¯s aggro. Near the spot in the air where she should have been, there was a dispersing mass of light particles; Hannah herself was nowhere to be found.

 Chapter 138: The Real Fight Comes After Death

    Chapter 138: The Real Fight Comes After Death


    ¡°I¡¯m going to revive Hannah! Buy me some time!¡±


    Daryl was ovee with surprise by the sight of Hannah turning into light particles, but then he promptly looked up when Tsutomu called out to him. Thetter was going through his Magic Bag, preparing a new set of equipment for Hannah.


    Despite his best efforts, Daryl could not keep his thoughts coherent. Hannah had just died ¡ª He could neithere to grips with it, nor could he stop panicking because of it. His mind turned nk ¡ª almost, with the only thing remaining being what he had been told to do before the team headed down toyer seventy.


    He had been told by Tsutomu to think and act on his own. That order now weighed heavily on Daryl¡¯s mind. Until now, he would be told what to do either by Garm or Tsutomu whenever something unusual happened. Today¡¯s battle, however, was the first time he had to step forward on his own initiative. Thinking about it now, it was quite a terrifying experience.


    He felt as if his vision was narrowing down, his ears were going deaf, and not only those, he was struggling to even breathe. But he knew that he had to do something. To think and act on his own ¡ª he must not wait for Tsutomu¡¯s orders all the time.


    ¡°It¡¯s fast, yes, but we¡¯ll be fine as long as we¡¯re not grabbed. I¡¯ll be sure to heal you. If you could pull its aggro away from me even just for a few minutes¨C¡°


    ¡°¡­I can do it.¡±


    ¡°Daryl?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pull it off somehow. I can do it.¡±


    Daryl, with his shaking voice, repeated his mumblings a few more times before shooting a <bat cry="">> at the Mount Golem. Itcked the intimidating keenness of his usual aura, however,ing out as a simple wave of red energy, flying like a cloud through the air.<bat>


    Seeing that Daryl was clearly acting strangely, Tsutomu cast him some support skills and spent a moment to ponder things over. He did have a way to get Hannah back into action even without Daryl¡¯s help ¡ª he could revive her immediately, pull the Mount Golem¡¯s aggro to himself, and try to hold on until she was done re-equipping her gear. Throughout the battle, Tsutomu had been casting <<barrier>> on himself whenever he had the free time to do so. The extra defense from them should enable him to survive for a decent amount of time.</barrier>


    In theory, it would be better to have Daryl pull the aggro for a few minutes before reviving Hannah. Although he had stacked onyers uponyers of <<barrier>>, Tsutomu¡¯s AGI and VIT were quite low. A direct hit from the Mount Golem was sure to leave him on the brink of death, and being grabbed would, without a doubt, be the end of him regardless of any extra buffs.</barrier>


    With Daryl not acting like himself, however, entrusting him with such an important task did not seem to be an option. In fact, this was the first time Tsutomu had seen Daryl fail to control the intensity of his <bat cry="">>. If he were to go in and die at a bad moment, things would go from bad to worse. Salvaging the situation in the case that both of the team¡¯s Tanks died was¡­ not impossible, but even Tsutomu did not feel up to that challenge.<bat>


    [Shit, things are getting too rocky for my liking¡­]


    Going forward, the safe option would be to wait for Daryl to sessfully pull the Mount Golem¡¯s aggro, in turn reducing the risk of casting <<raise>>. Tsutomu himself considered this option to be quite tempting. Even if Daryl were to die at some point, no one would be at fault ¡ª because choosing the safer option would never be seen as a mistake after the fact.</raise>


    In fact, if he were to work with a short-term party, Tsutomu would almost always take the safest option possible. As a Healer, taking unnecessary risks ¡ª and especially if he were to die from it ¡ª would result in all the me beingid on him. After all, the death of those in the role of Healer ¡ª the only role with the ability to bringrades back from death ¡ª was bound to deal the heaviest blow to the team. Risky actions ought to be avoided at all times.


    But right now, there was not much time to agonize over his decisions. Tsutomu opened his eyes wide, having made up his mind. He called out to Amira and Diniel,


    ¡°You two, stay with Daryl and cover him! I¡¯m going to revive Hannah now!¡±


    After those two in the distance got the message, Tsutomu solidified his decision to resurrect Hannah immediately. First, he descended onto a tform of solidifiedva that Diniel had made, and then prepared Hannah¡¯s gear: armor, two pairs of brass knuckles, and a canteen of cooled water, among others.


    ¡°<<raise>>.¡±</raise>


    Upon casting the spell, a ray of light shot up from his White Staff, and a few momentster, light particles started to gather into a mass in front of him. The mass of light glowed brighter and brighter, until it morphed into Hannah, in her usual light armor.


    ¡°Waaahhhh!! Wha¨C!?¡± Hannah raised an incoherent tantrum upon regaining her senses.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Tsutomu said as he held her down by her shoulders. Seeing that Hannah was far from catching up on the situation, he proceeded to pass her her gear, piece after piece. ¡°Here, here, and here ¡ª I¡¯m the one being targeted right now, so hurry and get ready. If you don¡¯t hurry and pull its aggro away from me¡­ well, I¡¯ll die, so I¡¯m counting on you here.¡±


    ¡°WAAAHHH!!¡±


    Hearing the screaming from behind him, Tsutomu turned around and saw that Daryl had been grabbed by the Mount Golem. The Mount Golem proceeded to swing its arm aside, flinging Daryl straight into the arena¡¯s wall ¡ª and then, as if it never had any interest in Daryl, it started running toward Tsutomu instead.


    ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    Hearing Tsutomu¡¯s no-chill voice for the first time ever, Hannah scrambled to put on her brass knuckles. Tsutomu, unnerved by the absurd speed of the approaching Mount Golem, cast <


    > and <<haste>> on himself. Amira flew away to get Daryl out of the wall, and Diniel was now heading here, in pursuit of the Mount Golem.</haste></protect>


    [I¡¯d like to think that I made the right choice, but if I die from this¡­ well, I¡¯m sure as hell will be held responsible for our failure. Heh, maybe I¡¯ll lose my position as one of the town¡¯s top three Healers¡­] Tsutomu cracked some jokes in his head while flying away as fast as he could, sparing no energy to get away from the Mount Golem¡¯s hands.


    At this stage, the Mount Golem¡¯s general methods of attack included grabbing with its hands, swinging its arms, and sting heat from its eyes.


    Tsutomu dodged one swing of the Mount Golem¡¯s arm, but then it reacted quickly, turning its face to him and repeatedly shooting out heat sts from both its eyes. They came at Tsutomu too quickly for him to dodge, making direct hits on him.


    Thankfully, the Scorchstone Robe nullified the damage from those heat sts, especially since he had turned his back on them and put the robe¡¯s hood on. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Tsutomu was able to survive against the Mount Golem because he had this robe with him. Following that, the boss monster tried to swing its arms at Tsutomu again, and he avoided them ¡ª albeit with some difficulty.


    Eventually, Tsutomu caught the sight of Diniel in a corner of his eye, almost catching up with her target. He did not have time to issue her orders, however; even with an advantage in the form of heat immunity, Tsutomu¡¯s AGI was so low that he still had his hands full trying to dodge all of the Mount Golem¡¯s physical attacks.


    Tsutomu had practiced some evasion-based Tank strategies for himself before, so he could actually hold his own against the normal monsters of the Volcanoyers. Against the final phase of the Mount Golem, however, was a different story.


    At one point, the Mount Golem¡¯s arm swing generated so much wind pressure that it blew Tsutomu, then it threw a straight punch at him, which he managed to narrowly dodge. Following that, it swung down its other arm ¡ª and this time, Tsutomu did not think he would survive it.


    [Gah, I¡¯m so dead.]


    The Mount Golem, dyed in molten red, was too fast for him to dodge forever. Tsutomu moved away to try and at least prevent a direct hit, putting his faith in theyers of <<barrier>> he had cast for himself ¡ª But all the while, the illusory image of Death itself was reflected in his eyes.</barrier>


    That moment, before the Mount Golem¡¯s arm fully swung down, multiple ice arrows struck its elbow joint. The joint turned ck and went stiff, slightly slowing down the arm¡¯s movement.


    As brief as that dy was, it was enough for Tsutomu to avoid being hit by a paper-thin margin; he then was able to get away unharmed after being blown away by the resulting wind pressure. It was by Diniel¡¯s quick thinking that Tsutomu had been saved. Down on the ground, she had figured that <<stream arrow="">> would be too slow, so she had opted to stop for a moment, predicting where the Mount Golem¡¯s elbow joint would be in the course of its swing and shooting at it with ice arrows.</stream>


    [Holy shit, she¡¯s GOOD!]


    Tsutomu had nned to gamble on the <<barrier>> defending him from the attack, so himing out of itpletely untouched was a majorly preferable result. He expressed his gratitude to Diniel as he kept himself airborne and regained control of his flight. Looking straight ahead, he could see that Hannah was now ready for action, currently starting to pull the Mount Golem¡¯s aggro.</barrier>


    Daryl was too far away to see clearly, but he ¡ª and by extension, Amira ¡ª still seemed too stuck toe back and fight. Tsutomu quickly turned his attention back to the Mount Golem, which ran up to him and raised its foot, prompting him to slip under its leg to avoid it.


    Following this, Diniel predicted the course of the Mount Golem¡¯s movements again, urately shooting its knee joint and dying its attack by several seconds. Thanks to Diniel¡¯s extremely advanced archery proficiency and the heat-nullifying Scorchstone Robe, Tsutomu was able to stay alive for a while longer.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    But that was also not meant tost forever; in the end, the Mount Golem managed to graze Tsutomu with its hands, which was enough to send him flying at the nearby wall. At the cost of all the remainingyers of his <<barrier>>, he was still unharmed, but now he was stuck in the rock.</barrier>


    Still, despite him not being able to move, Tsutomu had a look of confidence on his face.


    ¡°All right! I got it on me!¡±


    Following thest punchnded on it, the Mount Golem turned to Hannah instead; she had finally pulled its aggro onto her. Tsutomu heaved an exhausted sigh, pulled his arm out of the wall, and cast <<haste>> for Hannah.</haste>


    Amira seemed to be back in the fight as well, though Tsutomu did not know since when she had been here; he had been too busy being chased by the Mount Golem to look for her. Daryl, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen.


    [Damn it, I hope he¡¯s not dead¡­]


    He had not seen any light particles on the wall where Daryl had crashed into. That may have resulted in a few broken bones and him being rendered immobile, perhaps, but given the current battle situation, he ought to prioritize supporting Hannah. Tsutomu focused on casting <<haste>> and <<medic>> for her, working toward building up the team¡¯s momentum again. Due to her having died once before, Hannah was now keeping herself from getting overly excited.</medic></haste>


    ¡°That¡¯s not gonna work on me twice!¡±


    The Mount Golem whipped out its big move again ¡ª jumping face-down t on the ground, then spitting out rocks from its body like a shotgun ¡ª but this time, Hannah kept a cool head, moving away and dodging the buckshot. In this final phase, the Mount Golem was deceptively fast for something with such a gigantic body, but it was still far from measuring up to Hannah.


    Diniel¡¯s <<stream arrow="">> starteding into y again, and Amira added to the team¡¯s damage output by joining in on the attack full-time. As the battle raged on and on, Tsutomu asionally wondered where Daryl had gone, and focused on healing and supporting Hannah because he absolutely did not want to go through the Hannah revival experience ever again.</stream>


    [Doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯ll be doing the wide-area st again¡­ Lucky us.]


    The wide-area heat wave the monster had unleashed when it shifted phases had a chance of being used again during this final phase; the first use had resulted in it being rendered temporarily immobile, but that would not be the case for the second time onward. Follow-up attacks from such a devastating wide-area st were bound to be troublesome, so the team was fortunate that it had yet to whip the move out again.


    ¡°<<stream arrow="">>.¡±</stream>


    Diniel, sounding quite worn-out, unleashed her skill for the umpteenth time today, raining ice arrows down on the Mount Golem. This time, though, the result was different ¡ª the monster¡¯s shining red eyes flickered, and then the light faded altogether; it ceased all movement, and starting from its head, its rocky body darkened. In the end, the Mount Golem started radiating light particles.


    The sound of something bursting apart echoed through the area, and two ck Gate emerged. After making sure that he was seeing things right, Tsutomu clenched his fists and pumped them up.


    ¡°All right! Good job, everyone!¡±


    ¡°OOOHHH!! TEACH! We did it!!¡± Hannah, trembling with joy, jumped full force at Tsutomu ¡ª which ended up looking more like her head-butting his abdomen.


    ¡°Oof¨C!¡± Tsutomu groaned and pushed her head away, while also trying to stabilize his flight.


    Diniel, looking quite exhausted, lowered her bow. Amira rested her greatsword on her shoulder; the look on her face was expressing mixed feelings. She proceeded to nt her sword into the ground, leaning on it while she caught her breath.


    Hannah kept on celebrating, clinging to Tsutomu and refusing to let go; Tsutomu calmed her and the erratic flight-induced motion sickness down, then they descended to the ground together and walked over to Diniel, who was wiping the sweat off her forehead with the back of her arm.


    ¡°Diniel! We did it!¡±


    ¡°Hey, get off me.¡±


    Hannah threw her arms around Diniel, prompting thetter to pull an irritated face and push her away. Tsutomu then approached Diniel, his guard ckened but apparently still high on adrenaline.


    ¡°Diniel! The way you stunned it ¡ª that was AWESOME! Really, you¡¯re a lifesaver!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm. You did good too, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Damn! You¡¯re SO COOL!¡±


    Diniel waved her hand as if all that had been no big deal, while Tsutomu raised a heartyugh and sped his hands together. If it had not been for Diniel¡¯s quick thinking, stopping her <<stream arrow="">> and switching to normal shooting to save Tsutomu at that critical moment, he probably would have been cornered and beaten to the brink of death ¡ª at best.</stream>


    Afterward, Tsutomu went to check the loot and was disappointed by the size of the so-called Colorless Giant Magic Stone. He proceeded to call out to Amira,


    ¡°You also did good, Amira! Great job clearing out the smaller Golems ¡ª and not to mention how much damage you did during thest stretch!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess,¡± Amira replied, seeming not so happy ¡ª or even suppressing her anger.


    Surprised and curious to know why she was acting like this now, Tsutomu tilted his head before asking,


    ¡°Uh, so¡­ what happened to Daryl? Did he break some bones or something?¡±


    ¡°¡­Meh. Who cares about that little wimp?¡± Amira groaned in disdain before turning the other way.


    Tsutomu still did not understand why she was like this, but did not press the matter further. He took a nce in Hannah¡¯s direction and saw that she was now celebrating in front of the God Eye, then he went to the spot in the wall where Daryl had crashed into.


    ¡°Daryl? You here?¡±


    ¡°Eep¨C!¡±


    And sure enough, Daryl was there, shivering and curling up like a ball. Upon being called by Tsutomu, he let out a pitiful scream and curled up even more. From how fast Daryl could move, it could be inferred that he had not been injured too heavily.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­You all right, man?¡± Tsutomu asked, anxious about how Daryl was saying nothing but apologies over and over. But thetter backed away, shedding a stream of tears as he kept on apologizing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, let¡¯s just get out of here for now ¡ª we can sort this outter.¡±


    Tsutomu felt sorry for Daryl as he kept an eye on thetter¡¯s panic. Eventually, he figured that they ought to leave before talking things out, and so he started helping Daryl unequip his heavy armor. After putting all the pieces in his Magic Bag, he let Daryl lean on his shoulder as they flew to regroup with the others.

 Chapter 139: Delicious Food

    Chapter 139: Delicious Food


    Once the Absolute Helix party went through the ck Gate and reappeared in the Guild, they were weed with an endless wave of thunderous cheers. Tsutomu, specifically, had conquered both the sixtieth and seventiethyers on his very first attempt �an extraordinary achievement, regardless of the number of times he had seen other ns attempt theyer bosses on the Monitors.


    Even the Dragonewts guarding the ck Gate had a slight sparkle in their eyes as they looked at Tsutomu. And Tsutomu himself, having danced with death in battle for over four hours, let out a sigh of relief at having returned safely. The team proceeded to wade through the crowd filling the well-lit Guild building to the brim.


    At the Guild Dining Hall, Amy and Camille greeted them with smiles and a round of apuse, while Garm looked quite dissatisfied. Silver Beast seemed to havee to watch the broadcast in the Guild, too, as apparent from how Misil approached Tsutomu with a look of surprise on his face, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.


    “Dude! That was awesome! I mean, that was your first attempt ever, right!?�


    “Ah, yes, of course. Thank you, thank you!�Tsutomu said and sported a smug grin.


    “Daaamn! Acting all high and mighty already, huh!?�Misil blurted out, and some of the surrounding Explorers were visibly holding theirughter.


    And as Lorena burst outughing, Tsutomu turned to stare at her, prompting her rabbit ears to stand straight up. She proceeded to look the other way and whistle a random tune to ignore the attention.


    “We all would like to leave early today,�Tsutomu continued. “So could you please let us through? I’ll drop by your n House a whileter �we can have a long talk then.�


    “Oh, sure thing�Well, don’t be too hard on him.�Misil looked behind Tsutomu �at Daryl, who was quite visibly gloomy. He then shouted to the crowd of Explorers, “Hey, guys! Make way, make way!�


    Tsutomu turned to Garm, and saw that his indigo-furred dog ears were standing upright as if to express his anger.


    “Garm, your face is�scaring us.�


    “……�


    Tsutomu cracked a bitter smile as he tried to keep Garm in check as thetter stared daggers at Daryl. Diniel and Amyughed and exchanged a high five, while Amira was being showered with praises from Camille. Hannah looked back and forth between Daryl and Garm, keeping an eye on the situation.


    “Come on, he did great in the first two phases, wouldn’t you say?�


    “…All that went down the drain in thest phase, though.�


    “Nah, if the results are good, then it’s all good.�


    Under Garm’s scathing stare, Daryl looked like he was about to start crying again. Tsutomu dragged him away, and seeing that Diniel and Amira would be stuck celebrating for a while, he and Daryl left the Guild ahead of them.


    Hannah, following them, tried to talk to Daryl to get him to cheer up, but nothing seemed to have any effect whatsoever. Once they were back at the n House, they were covered in an awkward silence before Ollie greeted them.


    “Wee back, everyone. And congrattions on your victory.�


    “Thank you very much. You could tell that we won, Miss Ollie?�


    “Yes �I could tell from all the cheering in the streets�and that look on Miss Hannah’s face.�


    “Ehehe…�


    Ollie smiled at Hannah, prompting thetter to crack a grin and scratch her own cheek to distract herself from the awkwardness. Then, upon seeing that Daryl’s expression was one she had never seen before, she looked at him with worry. Tsutomu proceeded to ask Ollie whether or not the bath had been heated already, then he tugged on Daryl’s shirt, prompting thetter to follow him to the bathroom on the second floor.


    “First of all, you go in �take a bath and refresh yourself. Then we eat.�


    “……�


    “…Well, I’ll be waiting for you downstairs.�


    Letting Daryl bathe before him this time, Tsutomu proceeded to walk out and close the door behind him. Exhausted, he then slumped his shoulders, took the Magic Bag off his back, and plunged himself down on the couch in the living room.


    “Whew…�


    Lying down to rx his aching body, Tsutomu agonized over what he should say to Darylter. Eventually, Ollie wrapped up her preparations for the cooking and came to talk to him.


    “Mister Tsutomu, did something happen to Mister Daryl?�


    “Ah�He kinda messed up, and he’s still hung up about it.�


    As soon as Hannah died, Daryl’s behavior had changed �so much that he barely even functioned. Having no other choice, Tsutomu had tried talking to him, but that did not seem to have any effect.


    Still, Tsutomu knew that Daryl had been trying to think and act on his own. Before then, he definitely would have asked for instruction from Tsutomu �and subsequently do as he was told �but at that point, Daryl was not thinking straight, going ahead and trying to pull the Mount Golem’s aggro under unfavorable conditions.


    As a result, he had been unable to fight effectively and ended up being caught by the Mount Golem �a blunder that Daryl never would have made under usual circumstances. And even though he did not get injured so badly, he never came back to fight on the front line. Inferring from Amira’s words and reactions, Daryl most likely had been too demoralized to keep fighting at that point.


    [What should I even say to him?]


    Up until now, Daryl would carry out his job as long as Tsutomu kept instructing him �and there was no particr harm in keeping things that way. After all, Tsutomu did believe that he would be able to manage everything while dividing some attention for directing Daryl specifically. However, he did also figure that by keeping things that way, Daryl would end up being just an inferior version of Garm �and so he had told Daryl to try and be more independent, so that his bad habits would be gotten rid of.


    Tsutomu had chosen theyer seventy attempts as the time for Daryl to gain experience, as the party would almost never be at the risk of dying while fighting everywhere else. What he had miscalcted, however, was the weight of his words from Daryl’s perspective, who had always been avoiding pressure by hiding under someone else’s shadows. As such, when push had gone to shove during the Mount Golem’s final phase, Daryl had failed to carry out his missions, his expression seeming as if he had been drained of life force.


    [Just telling him to be happy with the results won’t be enough, would it? If I were in his shoes, I’d be digging a hole to bury myself in by now…]


    In an online game, this sort of setback would be cleared up with a chat message or two �but here, things were not as simple. Continuing to agonize over what to say, Tsutomu heaved a sigh and sipped from the cup of tea that Ollie had brought to him. After a while, Hannah walked into the living room in good spirits, having just finished bathing. Diniel and Amira returned to the n House at around the same time, too.


    “Tsutomu, wanna go celebrate with me and Amy? She said she’d like me to bring you along, too.�


    “Ah, I’ll pass, thanks. You should just go and have fun, Diniel. We’ll be doing the evaluation meeting tomorrow, since we can look at Solit Company’s articles at the same time and all.�


    “Mm-hm. Got it.�


    Diniel went to her room and left her battle equipment there, then changed into her casual clothes before leaving the n House again. Amira had already taken care of her gear, dropping them at Dorren Workshop for maintenance beforeing back here.


    Hannah threw herself down on one of the couches, while Amira sat down on the side opposite to her. Thetter proceeded to pull out her ponytail holder, letting her hair flow free as she leaned back on her couch.


    “Hey, where’d that guy go?�


    “You looking for Daryl? He’s in the bath right now.�


    “Ugh, great,�Amira twisted her mouth in annoyance upon hearing Tsutomu’s answer.


    rmed by her tant disy of frustration, Tsutomu proceeded to ask her,


    “Did he�do that badly?�


    “What? It’s not about him doing bad or good, dammit. I’m just annoyed�that I used to think he was stronger than me.�


    “…I see.�


    “I mean, he just refused to get back up �and he didn’t even get hurt that badly! What a load of bullshit.�


    Amira clicked her tongue and abruptly got up, then walked out of the living room in the direction of the bathroom, her footsteps echoing loudly all the while.


    After some time, Amira got out of the bath, but Daryl seemed to still be upstairs. Worrying for thetter, Tsutomu went to the second floor’s bathroom to find it vacant. He went on to knock on Daryl’s room’s door and open it, and saw that the room was pitch dark �but Daryl was there, sitting on his bed, apparently quite mentally exhausted.


    “Dinner’s almost ready.�


    “Ah, okay,�Daryl answered, showing no energy whatsoever, and followed Tsutomu.


    Downstairs, Ollie looked quite worried, too. She proceeded to finish up her cooking, and then carried onevish dish after another to the dining table. Amira stared nkly at Daryl, apparently itching to punch him any second now, but thetter gave her no particr reaction to her.


    Daryl sat down and looked at the appetizing, steaming steak on the sizzling iron te in front of him. Tsutomu picked up his chopsticks and sped his hands together to thank Ollie for the food; Daryl did the same before picking up his knife and fork.


    “I managed to obtain some quality grass-fed beef today, so I thought I’d try making steak. I hope you enjoy it, everyone.�


    Urged on by Ollie, Daryl dug into the grease-sputtering steak on the iron te with his knife. Its cross section was still slightly red �just the right level of doneness that Daryl preferred. After staring at it for another moment, he picked up a small piece with his fork and brought it into his mouth.


    Daryl had been expressionless all this time, but now he immediately raised his eyebrows. He chewed thoroughly, swallowed the meat down, and cut out another piece. Now at least his hands were getting active again.


    “…This is so good…�Daryl blurted out.


    “Thank you,�Ollie replied, cracking a slightly embarrassed smile.


    Daryl nodded to her and then proceeded to tear off a piece of bread and dip it into the gravy.


    Eventually, Daryl was partaking in the meal at his usual fast pace, consuming one portion after another of the mountain of food in front of him. Tsutomu watched in amazement as the former seemed to get more and more energized with each bite taken.


    “Thank you for the meal, Miss Ollie.�


    Daryl bowed to Ollie after he was done clearing his tes and wiping his mouth with a napkin. Then he put on a serious face and looked at the three others.


    “Everyone, I’m sorry for what I did wrong today.�


    “……�


    Amira said nothing as she scowled at Daryl as if he was some suspicious intruder, but thetter stared back at her without hesitation. Tsutomu and Hannah were at a loss for words for a brief moment, feeling as if they were looking at apletely different person, before saying to him,


    “No worries. It’s fine.�


    “That’s right, that’s right! We did win in the end, so that’s no problem at all!�


    “…Yes, I understand. You could’ve won even without me.�Daryl smiled sadly and turned away.


    “Ah �no, that’s not what I meant! Really, don’t take it the wrong way!�Hannah hurried to try and exin herself.


    Daryl turned back again, looking at Tsutomu.


    “Will we be doing the evaluation meeting today?�


    “No, that’s tomorrow. Gotta wait for Solit Company’s articles first.�


    “All right. I’ll be heading outside and getting some extra training in.�


    Daryl quickly took his dishes to the sink, then he headed upstairs, gearing himself up before leaving the building.


    “…Tch.�


    Amira turned grumpy as she looked at Daryl go, and then she proceeded to equip herself and walk out of the n House as well. Seeing both of them go outside, Tsutomu and Hannah then turned to look at each other.


    “…Maybe we shouldn’t have tried to say anything.�


    “Right,�Hannah replied, putting on aically gentle face.


    Tsutomu, in a simrical manner, slumped his shoulders.


    “As a n Leader, though, I DO want to talk things out with him…�


    “Well, Teach, whenever you talk about serious stuff, you’d alwayse off as suspicious�like you’re shooting for some shady results.�


    “……�


    Seeing Tsutomu pull an iffy face, Hannah chuckled.


    “Well, you know, it’s like�It wouldn’t hurt to wait until the meeting to talk with him normally, right?�


    ――▽▽―�


    Daryl, in a set of old disposable armor, walked quickly to the Guild, his ck hair fluttering in the night breeze. Afterpleting the usual procedures at the somewhat crowded reception counters, he was on his way to the Magic Circles when he was suddenly kicked in the back.


    “…Amira?�


    Behind Daryl was Amira, standing there with her hair tied into a ponytail, the look on her face quite sour. She pointed at the reception counters with her chin, telling Daryl to line up again �and so they formed a party of two.


    “Uhh� Do you need something?�


    “C’mon, let’s go.�


    “Huh?�


    With Daryl half-forcibly taken by Amira to the Magic Circles, the pair quickly teleported down to the seventy-firstyer.


    The Snow Field, covered in heaps of white and not much else, spread out before Daryl’s eyes. The low temperature made him shiver, but Amira immediately ran off, prompting Daryl to follow right behind her after a brief moment of hesitation.


    […Ugh, I was no good back there.]


    As he and Amira ran silently through the Snow Field, Daryl thought back to the battle against the Mount Golem. He had done well during the first two phases. His ability to cooperate with Amira had allowed the team’s tactics an increased sense of stability, and his skill rotation patterns had been on point.


    After Hannah’s death, however, was when his performance took a nosedive. During his training days, Daryl had always followed Garm’s lead, carrying out thetter’s every instruction. That did not change even after joining up with Absolute Helix, in which he operated by following Tsutomu’s orders. Whenever something unexpected happened, Daryl would have to be told by others what action to take.


    Before the team went down toyer seventy, Tsutomu had told him to think and act on his own. Daryl managed to do so for a decent part of the battle, but then, after seeing Hannah die, his mind turnedpletely nk, and he found himself charging ahead without a good n. Panicking, Daryl’s performance was terrible, and he was easily grabbed by the Mount Golem and thrown at a wall.


    Daryl had not known at the time why he did not get killed outright, but thinking about it now, he realized that it was probably because of Tsutomu pulling the aggro away from him. Still, after that happened, Daryl had been too scared to move. Even when Amira tried to get him up, he ended up screaming and crouching down in fear. And so, with no further contributions from Daryl during thest stretch of the battle, the team had eventually made it throughyer seventy.


    No further contributions �no further contributions whatsoever. With him watching on the sidelines, the team had won with four of their members �Daryl excluded �taking the Mount Golem down. Daryl gritted his teeth as he kept running through the snow.


    “Hah, hah…�


    He kept running after Amira as fast as he could, and eventually realized that they had covered quite a bit of distance. Finally, Amira came to a stop, and Daryl did as well, his breath condensing into mist as he breathed out. Amira proceeded to unsheathe the greatsword on her back.


    “Enemies will be here any second now. Get ready.�


    “Uh-huh…�


    Daryl nodded without understanding what Amira had just said, but then his dog ears soon picked up the sounds of multiple sets of footsteps approaching from behind. They were of a pack of Snow Wolves that had been chasing Amira and Daryl this whole time, unbeknownst to thetter. Before long, the Snow Wolves in the lead revealed themselves.


    “�<Combat Cry>>.�


    Daryl unleashed a red aura �of the usual high intensity �at the Snow Wolves to pull their aggro, and then Amira moved in to attack them. Daryl parried a Snow Wolf’s tackle attack with his current, disposable tower shield, and started to reposition himself and carry out his usual strategies.


    He was able to move around freely and hear the monster’s movements clearly. Thetter was thanks to Garm’s teaching him his preferred battle strategy. Not wearing a helmet meant forfeiting the much-needed extra defense for one’s head, one of the vital spots less affected by the Divine Protection of the VIT parameter, but in exchange, doing so would free up one’s fields of vision and auditory awareness.


    [I wish I could have done this back then, too…]


    Daryl bit his lower lip in frustration, still feeling pathetic now due to his performance earlier today. His mind had turned nk, and he had charged straight at the Mount Golem without any nning. His panic had narrowed his field of view and muffled his sense of hearing, resulting in him easily getting caught by the enemy. Following that, he had failed to get back into the action, which got him chewed out by Amira, and he could only stand around and watch as Hannah pulled the Mount Golem’s aggro by herself. Regardless of all that, though, he never thought he would let himself fall behind Hannah and Amira.


    “…Gah!�


    Daryl’s heart ached as he watched Tsutomu get hit and sent flying by the Mount Golem. A Tank’s job was to protect the other party members �fail to do that, and there would be no meaning in having a Tank.


    A Snow Wolf pounced on him from behind; sensing that, he bashed it with his tower shield, knocking it back.


    “Ugh…�


    Garm, the man who had quite literally saved his life in the past, was also disappointed in him. His failure today was also a failure to properly return a favor, as it had resulted in Garm’s friend and respected Healer being hurt. Daryl’s tears fell onto the snow on the ground as he fought off the pack of Snow Wolves.


    “I want to�be even stronger��


    The difference between Daryl’s performance back onyer seventy and here was night and day; he was able to stand his ground despite fighting against the Snow Wolves for the first time ever. While he had the monsters�attention on him, Amira killed them off one by one, and in the end, the whole pack turned into light particles and faded away.


    Daryl cleared his nose and bent down to pick up the Magic Stones, and then he got kicked from behind �which felt more like a nudge. His face buried in a heap of snow, he looked up and saw Amira scowling at him, her greatsword sticking straight up in the ground.


    “What the hell, you DO have the moves! Should’ve done that from the beginning, idiot!�


    “Well, I…�


    “You can’t just randomly fall down like that �you’re stronger than me, dammit! I wouldn’t win against Diniel even if I gave it my all, you know!? But look at you �getting all depressed just because you failed! JUST BECAUSE you didn’t give it your all!�


    “……�


    As Daryl looked up at her with surprise, Amira scratched her head, clicked her tongue, and then turned the other way.


    “Hurry and get off your ass. We gotta learn about the monsters on thisyer.�


    “…Yeah.�


    Daryl stood up on his own and followed Amira as thetter began to walk away.

 Chapter 140: Absolute Helix’s Mount Golem Battle: Audience’s Perspective

    Chapter 140: Absolute Helix’s Mount Golem Battle: Audience’s Perspective


    Absolute Helix’s first attempt at conqueringyer seventy, which was set tomence this afternoon, had been announced three days in advance via the newspapers, so the seatings around the single-digit Monitors were getting quite crowded. And with this, the dungeoneering scene had three ns challengingyer seventy at once. The Dungeon Maniacs argued at length about who they thought woulde out sessful before the others, and some of the townspeople were gambling money on the results.


    As Absolute Helix went down toyer sixty-nine and started searching for the ck Gate, the audience moved to the seats in front of Monitor #2, predicting that the team’s footage would be shown there.


    “So they’re finally giving it a try, huh? They’ve been setting this up for so long.�


    “Their average level is pretty low, after all. I still think they should’ve just gone ahead and given it a few attempts early on, though.�


    “Heh, do they even need that? I say Tsutomu’s gonna one-shot this just likest time.�


    “Nah, no way.�


    Each of the Dungeon Maniacs ran their mouths as quickly as their feet ran to change seats, attracting the attention of the people around them and causing quite a lot of spectators to flood toward Monitor #2. Mixed in with the crowd were Eunice, looking as high and mighty as ever, and Alma, holding a perfectly normal staff, among others.


    “I’ll have five beef skewers.�


    “Coming right up!�


    “My man, gimme a mug of ale �Nah, make that three!�


    “Yes, of course. That will be a thousand and two hundred Gold.�


    The spectators moved in one direction like a flock of birds, buying snacks and drinks from carts and stalls along the way. The young drink vendors watched the direction of the crowd and gathered near Monitor #2, and the food deliverymen’s eyes sparkled as they shouted out to potential customers.


    Eventually, the Absolute Helix team found the ck Gate and headed down toyer seventy, and as just about anyone had expected, their footage shifted to being projected on Monitor #2. The spectators, with their snacks and drinks ready, sat down on the chairs and benches set up around the Monitors.


    “Now then, think they’llst long?�


    “Absolute Helix, huh�Apparently, they’ve been raising their average level, but do we know how much exactly?�


    “Last I heard, they’re around sixty-six, I think.�


    “Hmm, that’s still a bit lower than Silver Beast. And they got the Feather Tank with them, too…�


    Hannah was the least popr among the members of Absolute Helix, and her holding the nickname of Feather Tank among those deep in the dungeoneering scene meant that her reputation was not at all good. Those among the Dungeon Maniacs had written numerous articles specting on Absolute Helix’s rates of sess onyer seventy, a small minority of them were predicting that Hannah would be the one holding the others back the most.


    The Tanks of Ealdred Crow and Silver Beast had employed time-stalling tactics, operating on the assumption that at least some of their members would die to the Mount Golem at some point. Two Tanks with high VIT would take turns pulling the enemy’s aggro, and as soon as one of them died, the Healer would revive them to get the team’s stability back as soon as possible. The two ns using the same strategy had made it the standard approach to the Mount Golem.


    Considering the propagation of that strategy as the standard, people’s expectation for Hannah’s performance �the Hannah who was famous for dying quickly �was not at all high. On average, the Dungeon Maniacs�articles had predicted Hannah’s rate of effective performance to be as high as forty percent, but most of the general popce possessed no real information aside from the fact that she was called the Feather Tank.


    Daryl pulled the aggro of the Golem army that continuously spawned from the Mount Golem, while Hannah took on the boss monsters as its movements were still slow in this phase. Simrly to Garm, Daryl did not wear a helmet, so as to optimize his senses of sight and hearing, allowing him to sense monsters�attacks from all directions and reliably intercept them with his tower shield.


    Even after being blown away by explosive rocks, Daryl stood up again none the worse for wear, rousing up both the Dungeon Maniacs and the general audience with his tenacity. It was actually quite impressive for a team to fare this well during the battle’s first phase.


    “Man, Daryl’s as strong as ever. Still one of the town’s best three Tanks, I’d say.�


    “Yeah, he’s way tougher than most others. Must be just as good as Bittman by now.�


    “If he stays on top of his game, maybe he’ll be able to Tank the whole third phase by himself.�


    Amira using her <<Dragon Form>> much less than before had helped to boost the synergy between Daryl and her �and in turn, helped Daryl deal with the exploding rocks more effectively. The Dungeon Maniacs took notes as they looked on, with almost none of them paying attention to Hannah’s side of things. The Mount Golem would not be making any big moves during this phase, so just about anyone would be able to deal with it.


    “Whoa! That’s awesome!�


    Still, since the general audience was easily distracted by shy moves, Diniel would gather attention whenever she attacked with <<Stream Arrow>>. She was considered one of the best Archers in town, and had already been known as an excellent Attacker back when she was a member of Golden Tune.


    “Yup, Diniel’s the ace �gonna be dealing the most damage today. Amira doesn’t really have any elemental attacks, so she won’t be doing much. Everything lining up ording to my predictions.�


    “Mm-hm, mm-hm. Also, Tsutomu’s support is absolutely perfect as always. Feels so satisfying to watch…�


    “Yeah, for real. It’s almost like he’s putting on a stage show,�The Dungeon Maniacdy said to her husband as she looked at Tsutomu’s numerous support skill shots as if she was seeing a meteor shower. The couple was entranced by the beauty of the efficient, perfectly executed aerial support.


    Stephanie, who employed simr strategies to Tsutomu, had also been evaluated highly, but she still was asionally thrown off rhythm, unable to match up with herrades�actions.


    Tsutomu’s support, on the other hand, was pretty much perfect even when seen on the God Pedestals. His blue energy shots of <<Haste>>nded on Hannah without fail despite her unpredictable directions of movement, and the earthy-yellow shots of <


    > descended from the sky onto the grounded Daryl with pinpoint uracy.


    Dorren, the Dwarf who ran his own workshop, was also watching �in fact, he had even reserved a seat for today, since he wanted to see in full action the heavy armor he had crafted for Daryl. And sitting next to him was the Dwarf girl from the Magic Stone Exchange.


    “Oh-ho. Daryl isn’t doing bad at all.�


    “Oh yeah, that boy�he’s Garm’s apprentice, right?�


    “Looks like you’ve been following this stuff, eh?�


    “Well, y’know…�


    The girl cracked a self-triumphant grin as she looked at Daryl and Tsutomu do their things on Monitor #2. Thanks to the trading contract that she had recently signed with Absolute Helix, as processed by their manager Ollie, the Exchange had been making a good profit from the reliable supply of Inferno Magic Stones. As such, she was seeing the n in quite a positive light.


    The battle raged on, with Diniel consistently shaving away at the Mount Golem with her <<Stream Arrow>>, while Daryl and Amira garnered the majority of the attention as they dealt with the endlessly spawning Golem army. Eventually, the Mount Golem started dropping down an abnormallyrge number of Bomb Golems.


    “All right, that’s break time.�


    “So far so good. But the real thing is yet toe! Let’s see how they do!�


    The audience, having watched countless attempts at defeating the Mount Golem, started moving as if they had received formal training in doing so, hurrying to replenish their supplies of snacks and drinks. The food deliverymen were also busy, running around with boxes of ready-to-eat food in their hands.


    “Oh! I almost forgot! We have to show off our sponsor’s logos!�


    “Ah! That’s right!�


    “This heavy armor they made is amazing! Please do check them out!�


    “Dorren Workshop! Dorren Workshop!�


    Daryl and Hannah, noticing that a God Eye was approaching them, hurried to quite openly advertise their sponsor, giving the audience a goodugh. The Dungeon Maniacs also chuckled dryly as they jotted down Dorren Workshop’s name to include in their articles. And Dorren, the one being advertised, simply facepalmed due to both first and second-hand embarrassment.


    And then the second phase began. From this point on, the number of small enemies would decrease, but in exchange, the Mount Golem’s movements would be faster, making it quite difficult for Tanks to manage. As such, the general audience and some of the Dungeon Maniacs expected Daryl to take on the Mount Golem while Hannah moved over to take out the diminishing Golem army instead.


    Their expectation was subverted, however, when Hannah proceeded to keep on pulling the Mount Golem’s aggro. The spectators were quite puzzled by what they were seeing.


    “Huh? They’re having the Feather Tank keep fighting?�


    “Daryl’s gotta save his energy forter, I guess.�


    “Ah, that makes sense.�


    The crowd buzzed about the unexpected direction of the team’s strategy involving Hannah, and the Dungeon Maniacs were even louder in exchanging their opinions.


    “Look at that! Hannah’s still going! See, my prediction was right �you guys never believed me!�


    “Dude, chill. They’re just letting Daryl rest. She’ll be called back any second now.�


    “Man, listen �Hannah’s not just the same old Tank anymore, you know. She’s an evasion-based Tank, so her low VIT doesn’t matter at all!�


    “…Evasion-based, huh? Sounds like she’s gonna get killed real fast.�


    Some Explorers had already tried copying Hannah’s evasion-based Tank style, but results so far had been mixed. Even Ealdred Crow’s experiments had yet to be particrly sessful; knowing that, the Dungeon Maniacs were quite skeptical as they watched Hannah fly all over the ce.


    During the Fire Dragon battle, Hannah had been grazed by the monster’s fire breaths quite a few times, with her being thrown off rhythm and suffering light burns as a result. As such, Hannah’s evaluation among the Dungeon Maniacs was not high, yet.


    “Nah, she’ll be fine �See, I’ve watched Absolute Helix in action a whole lot, and Hannah’s been doing great, with her speed and all. She’ll do great against the Mount Golem, I’d say.�


    “Hmm, you sure are defending her a lot…�


    “Also, she looks so damn FINE, man.�


    “…I knew it,�the Dungeon Maniac man grumbled, staring nkly at his long-time friend.


    Hannah’s armor did not cover all that much of herrge bust, and since being an evasion-based Tank meant she had to constantly move all over the ce, she was subject to a great deal of ‘totally respectful�staring; the men were especially thankful for this.


    The battle continued to rage on with Hannah alone pulling the Mount Golem’s aggro, and to the audience’s surprise, she showed not even a single sign of having difficulties. Having received a boost of movement speed from <<Haste>>, she was moving around however she pleased, avoiding every single one of the Mount Golem’s attacks.


    Hannah was sure to die if even a single attacknded on her, but it did not look like she was about to take a hit anytime soon.


    �<Count Buster>>!�


    Moreover, unlike the usual Tankbatants, she was able to strike back. Those among the audience who had not expected much from Hannah before, now that they saw that Hannah was keeping herself alive just fine, were starting to doubt their preconceptions.


    “Huh? Is it just me, or is she actually good?�


    “She is good, yeah. Why’d people keep saying that she’d die quickly?�


    With Hannah distracting the Mount Golem by herself and attacking it at the same time, the audience’s anticipation rose more and more as they kept watching her. The Dungeon Maniacs�reactions were divided: those who had made correct predictions were grinning ear to ear, while those who had guessed wrong were somewhat grumpy.


    “He’snding all of his support skills �how does he keep doing it?�


    “It’s the cement thing, I think �cing them down on her predicted movement paths. Hannah probably doesn’t even notice them.�


    The next subject to start attracting the audience’s attention was Tsutomu, with him buffing Hannah with <<Haste>> without fail as thetter swiftly moved around the Mount Golem. Although he was giving special priority to maintaining Hannah’s <<Haste>>, he was not neglecting any of the other buffing effects, either. Seeing such expertise, the Dungeon Maniacs and a small part of the audience cheered for him, and among them, Eunice stared intently at the screen and took notes.


    Hannah kept on pulling the Mount Golem’s aggro without fail, and when the monster started whipping out its heat ray attacks, she did not die to them either. The audience, having gotten their expectations subverted, gave her a round of apuse. They were also surprised by Tsutomu yet again �for when he got hit by the heat sts, he shrugged them off as if nothing had happened.


    “Huh? He wasn’t hurt at all!?�


    “The hell is with that robe!? That’s way too damn good!�


    The Scorchstone Robe, which had dropped from the Bolseyer, amazed the Dungeon Maniacs with its performance. Even the equipment developed by Ealdred Crow and Silver Beast could not fully nullify the heat attacks. Healers wearing those protective equipment had suffered severe burn injuries upon being hit by the heat rays, so it was quite surprising that Tsutomu emergedpletely unharmed.


    After that, Hannah kept on facing the Mount Golem by herself for a while longer, and she too stayed unharmed up until when she was ordered to switch with Daryl. Many spectators gave a round of apuse to Hannah’s wonderful performance, and even the previously skeptical Dungeon Maniacs pped their hands, admitting that they had predicted incorrectly.


    Daryl, switching in, also did perfectly well against the Mount Golem, avoiding being grabbed and trampled the whole time. Having watched earlier Mount Golem battles on various asions, he had already memorized all of the Mount Golem’s moves. Although he asionally got swatted by the Golem’s arms, not once did he get hit by attacks that were fatal.


    The Dungeon Maniacs, processing all that they had seen so far, increased Hannah and Daryl’s ratings in their minds. Eventually, the Mount Golem got ready to unleash its wide-area heat wave attack. Daryl and Tsutomu covered themselves with the Scorchstone Robe, while the three others quickly moved out of the st area.


    “From what we’ve seen, his robe should protect them from the wide-area attack, too.�


    “I never expected it to be THIS helpful�It’s a drop from the Bolseyer, if I remember correctly? Yeah, that’s it �we’re gonna go hunt the Bolseyer tomorrow! Gotta write an article on this, too…�


    As some of the Dungeon Maniacs started writing articles about the Bolseyer on the spot, Absolute Helix emerged from the heat wave attack unscathed. Seeing the n do this well on their first try ever, the crowd started thinking that they might go ahead and win this thing today.


    “Wait, is Tsutomu actually gonna one-shot this again?�


    “…I can totally see that happening. Really, who is he? He’s way too good at this �Does he actually have a unique skill or something?�


    One of the Dungeon Maniacs looked at Tsutomu as if he was a personpletely different from who they had known. The crowd, on the other hand, was boiling with anticipation of another one-shot victory. With that, the actual difficult fight against the Mount Golem began �and next time, its wide-ranged attack would not stun it anymore.


    Hannah started using <<Feather Dance>>, a skill Silver Beast had also used quite liberally, to obstruct the Mount Golem’s eyesight. Then she whipped out skill after skill, taking as much advantage of this opening as she could.


    “What’s up with her!? That’s actually pretty awesome!�


    “Hell yeah, dude! I think her fighting style is called�evasion-based Tank, right? And she hasn’t even taken a single hit yet!�


    The audience cheered for Hannah even more, hyped up by the fact that she had yet to mess anything up despite fighting the Mount Golem for hours now. And then, just when the crowd thought it would be smooth sailing right from here to the end, something unexpected happened.


    Mount Golem jumped up with its arms and legs spread out wide and crashed face-down, absorbing the rocks that stuck to its body, and then spitting those rocks out. Both the general audience and the Dungeon Maniacs, having never seen the monster use this attack before, were taken aback. And then the crowd screamed upon noticing that Hannah had been killed.


    “Nah, Daryl is still going strong. They can still win this.�


    “Yeah, Daryl’s gonna be just fine.�


    The Dungeon Maniacs, however, still kept calm. Judging from what they had seen so far today, Daryl was sure to be able to take on the Mount Golem just fine, pulling enough aggro to keep it away from hisrades. In the meantime, Tsutomu would be able to revive Hannah and get the team going again.


    But then, contrary to expectations, Tsutomu revived Hannah immediately. By this time, Daryl still had not pulled enough aggro. The audience could see quite clearly that the Mount Golem was aiming at Tsutomu now.


    “Huh? He’s casting <<Raise>> right now? Why? Is he panicking or something?�


    “Whoa, whoa! The hell’s he doing!?�


    The crowd booed at Tsutomu and sighed in disappointment. The Dungeon Maniacs raised their eyebrows at what seemed to be an inconceivable mistake on Tsutomu’s part. Then, to make matters worse, Daryl was almost immediately caught by the Mount Golem.


    “Huh!? Whoa whoa whoa� What’s going on!?�


    “Daryl, my boy!!�


    “Noooooo! Daryl!�


    The spectators screamed as they saw Daryl being flung straight at a wall. The Mount Golem proceeded to charge full speed at Tsutomu, causing the audience to collectively heave a sigh of resignation.


    “Damn! Looks like this is it, huh? They were so close, too…�


    “Eh, it’s fine, it’s fine. This is their first attempt ever, remember. They’ll get it right next time.�


    If Tsutomu were to be killed, the team would lose their sole means of revival. Diniel and Amira might hang on long enough to shave the boss monster down, but not unless they did absolutely everything the right way. Some among the crowd felt like going elsewhere right about now, and the Dungeon Maniacs started putting down their fountain pens in disappointment.


    But then Tsutomu persisted on, to everyone’s surprise. Most of the time, Healers would die just as soon as they were targeted by the Mount Golem during the final phase, but Tsutomu was still very much alive.


    “…Huh, he’s not getting killed.�


    “It’s just a matter of time. Look closely �their aggro management is all over the ce.�


    Two things were keeping Tsutomu alive: hisplete immunity against the enemy’s heat beams thanks to the Scorchstone Robe, and Diniel helping him out by shooting at the Golem’s joints. The crowd stopped, deciding to stay and watch a little longer.


    “Man, must be tough to be Hannah in this situation. Looks like she needs some time to pull enough aggro.�


    “Yeah, that’s exactly it �she’s only got <<Combat Cry>> to rely on and not much else. Building up the <<Count Buster>> is going to take a while. Tsutomu’s gotta try and stay alive long enough for Hannah to do her thing…�


    The Dungeon Maniacs held their breath as they watched Tsutomu. Despite his immunity to heat attacks, he could barely do anything but narrowly avoid the monster’s swinging arms. If not for Diniel’s support, he would, without a doubt, have been hit by now.


    Eventually, the Mount Golem’s arm grazed Tsutomu, knocking him away and causing him to crash into a wall. A White Mage with low VIT was sure to die from that; the crowd shouted out, their voice filled with a tragic sense of loss.


    But it turned out that Tsutomu was still alive. The audience was shocked to see him pull his arm out of the wall and cast support spells for Hannah, who had managed to pull the boss monster’s aggro by now. And then the market was filled with the loudest cheers the town had ever seen.


    “What!? How’d he not die from that!?�


    “Well, he’s got <<Barrier>>�Actually, that’s probably not enough. So�yeah. How?�


    The Dungeon Maniacs had seen Tsutomu’s <<Barrier>> in action against the Fire Dragon and during several other battles, but they still found it hard to believe that its defensive power was that high. He had in fact cast the <<Barrier>> multiple times,yering them over and over for extra safety; the Dungeon Maniacs were confused by what they were seeing because he had never used this technique publicly until now.


    Afterward, Hannah proceeded to hold the Mount Golem’s aggro on her, and Diniel pelted it with <<Stream Arrow>>. The area around the Monitors was so wrapped up in the excitement that the people almost forgot that Daryl had yet to return to the fight.


    �<Stream Arrow>>.�


    And with thatst attack, the Mount Golem went silent, its body turning pitch ck. And with it, a storm of excitement winded up around Monitor #2.


    “DAAAAAAMN!! Another one-shot!�


    “WHOAAAAAA!!�


    “Ahahaha!! I don’t even know what’s going on anymore!�


    Cheers erupted for Tsutomu, who had once again imed victory against ayer boss on his first attempt against it. The Dungeon Maniacs and journalists smiled ear to ear, knowing that they just got so many things to write about for weeks toe. Eunice, watching from near Monitor #2, raised a light round of apuse, while Alma simply stared at Tsutomu on the screen.

 Chapter 141: The Giggling Evasion-based Tank

    Chapter 141: The Giggling Evasion-based Tank


    “Hehehe…�


    The day after the team won their way throughyer seventy, Hannah woke up early in the morning, grabbed the Dungeon-focused newspapers that Ollie had bought, and sat on the sofa to scan through them, looking creepily enthusiastic all the while. Hannah does not usually read the news, but today, she had gone out of her way to look at them because she had learned that a photograph of her had made it to the front pages.


    She quickly rotated through the three biggest publishers�newspapers again and again, all the while sporting a grin on her face; Tsutomu, seeing her as he came down from the second floor, turned to Ollie, who cracked a dry smile and shook her head.


    “She has been like that for a whole hour now.�


    “Ahaha�I see,�Tsutomu chuckled, apparently somewhat exasperated, as he epted a cup of orange juice from Ollie.


    And then Hannah, noticing Tsutomu, grabbed a few pages of the newspapers before running up to thetter, her face locked in the same joyful expression.


    “Hehehe�Look, Teach! Look what says here �THE BEST EVASION-BASED TANK HAS APPEARED! Right here!�


    “Yes, yes. Amazing, very amazing.�


    With Hannah grinning as she spread the newspaper pages out in front of Tsutomu, it was apparent that she was too ted to listen to anyone now. Tsutomu decided to y along, patting her on the head �which seemed to only make her even happier.


    “Praise me more, praise me more!�Hannah said, looking up with eyes sparkling as she stood up on the tip of her toes and slid her head under Tsutomu’s hand.


    “Well, I can see the effort you’ve put in. Good job.�


    “That’s right! I totally gave it my best!�


    “Very good, very good.�


    Tsutomu spent a few moments praising Hannah and patting her head; eventually, seeing that she had settled down, he let go of his hand, picked his cup back up, and sat down on the sofa. Hannah seemed a little disappointed, but as Tsutomu started scanning through the newspapers, she sat down next to him and took a look as well.


    [They REALLY are singing her praises.]


    Many of the articles covered Hannah in a positive light �so much so that it was immediately understandable why she had been on her high horse this whole morning. In some journalists�cases, this was aplete reverse of how it had been the days before, when she had been treated by them in the news as the one holding the team back. Tsutomu was mildly annoyed by Hannah’s current childish behavior, with her asionally pointing at her sections in the papers and demanding more praise, but in the end, he decided to simply give her what she wanted.


    [Oh, so there ARE people who noticed THAT�Good on them] Tsutomu thought to himself as he read through the pages, impressed to see some of them pointing out how Amira’s <<Dragon Form>> seemed different from before.


    All in all, Hannah was the one mentioned the most in this round of news, followed by Diniel and Tsutomu. A number of articles spected about how Tsutomu had been able to survive the whole fight against all odds, and some even mentioned the mystery of Daryl’s absence during the final phase.


    After reading everything, Tsutomu went to get a pair of scissors and cut out parts of the newspapers �particrly Solit Company’s photographs and reference-worthy articles. Then he organized them, preparing them for use during the evaluation meeting.


    “Ah, are you gonna hang them in your room or something, Teach?�


    “No, I’ll be keeping these to use as reference data.�


    “Aww…�


    Tsutomu proceeded with his preparations while also wondering when Hannah would settle down, seeing that she was in her own little fantasy world due to all the praise she had gotten from the news. Still, it was undeniable that the people’s main forms of entertainment in this world �those being the God Pedestals and the news coverage surrounding them �had a great influence on one’s fame, so much so that the world around them would change depending on how publicly popr they were. Thus, Hannah’s current mood and attitude were at least partially understandable.


    After all, Tsutomu had had to suffer through the Lucky Boy fiasco, and Alma’s character had changed quite a lot over the course of her career. Lorena over at Silver Beast had also gotten somewhat overconfident ever since her n scored a victory against the Fire Dragon. In fact, the newspapers�potential influence was so great that Hannah may end up being like Alma one day.


    [Gotta make sure to bring that up at some point during the meeting.]


    ncing again at Hannah, Tsutomu then moved over to the dining table as everyone else came down for breakfast. Ollie brought one dish after another to the table, setting the table just in time for everyone to start eating together.


    Tsutomu sped his hands together before taking a bite of his butter-and-honey toast, and then took a sip of milk to bnce out the sweet taste. Daryl seemed to be in good spirits now, as apparent from how he ate at his usual pace, and Amira was not about to lose to him.


    After the meal, Hannah, holding some newspapers in her hands, approached Diniel as thetter was spacing out, apparently growing drowsy already.


    “The news featured you a whole lot too, Diniel!�


    “Cool, cool.�


    “Look! You’re SO COOL!�


    Hannah showed Diniel the newspapers, handing her one page after another as she nodded along without a shred of interest. Daryl, seeing himself as well as his absence during the final phase mentioned in some of the articles, closed his mouth tightly as if to brace his mind.


    Amira took a few nces at the papers and left them on the table, apparently not at all interested. Tsutomu approached her to speak with her, keeping his voice down.


    “Amira, thanks for yesterday.�


    “What? Why thank me all of a sudden? Did I do something?�


    “You helped Daryl cheer up, right?�


    “…Nah, not really.�


    Amira, seemingly annoyed, briefly scowled at Tsutomu before turning the other way. Tsutomu had in fact seen the whole scene of her encouraging Daryl to do better, what with them having been shown on Monitor #2.


    “Keep up the good work �is what I’d like to say.�


    “What? Now I’m supposed to take care of him? You’re the n Leader, Tsutomu �you do it yourself.�


    “Aw,e on, don’t say that.�


    “…Your face is looking pretty punchable right now, you know that?�


    Seeing that Amira was seething and clenching her fists quite tightly, Tsutomu backed away from her and proceeded to run everyone through today’s ns. The n would be taking time off from Dungeon exploration, so everyone was free to do whatever in the morning. In the afternoon, they were to be interviewed by the newspaper outlets, and after that, they would be paying a visit to their sponsor, Dorren Workshop.


    “Don’t worry about losing your free time �today won’t count as a day off.�


    “Cool, cool.�


    Diniel closed her eyes in relief. She proceeded to take a te of sweets that Ollie had made, grabbed some drinks, and then went back to her room. Her ponytail swung around in the air each time she turned around.


    “Now then, we’ll be going down the Dungeon! Would you like toe with us, Sir Tsutomu?�


    “Come on, Tsutomu, let’s go get some training in.�


    “Ah! I wanna go, too!�


    “All right, all right. Group of four, then.�


    Tsutomu calmed down the three of them, and after everyone was ready, he headed for the Guild.


    ――▽▽―�


    “Ooh! So this is what snow looks like!�


    Heading down toyer seventy-one, Hannah was surprised by the expanse of white before her, and once she got to touch the snow with her hands, she proceeded to dance around happily. The region surrounding Dungeon City almost never snowed even during the winter; in fact, ording to the records, thest time it had snowed was over twenty years ago. Since Hannah came from a vige somewhat close to Dungeon City, this was naturally her first time seeing real snow.


    “S-so cold…�


    It did not take long at all for her to start shivering; she spread out her blue-feathered wings and covered her arms with them. The temperature here was a sharp drop from that of the Volcanoyers, and the ground here was buried in heaps of snow. Considering Hannah’s clothing, it was only natural that she would be cold.


    “But I’ll get warmer once I start moving! That’s how it’s always done during the winters back at my vige!�


    “I think not �You’ll probably freeze to death, dressing like that in a ce this cold. Here, put this on.�


    “Thanks, Teach…�


    Tsutomu handed Hannah a thick coat that he had bought during his clothing shopping spree; she took it in her shivering hands and immediately slid into it. Then it was time to help Daryl out; Tsutomu walked behind him, opened up his heavy armor’s refilling tube, and threw in some neatly-shaved and processed Fire Magic Stones inside.


    A few momentster, Daryl’s armor began to heat up; Hannah and Amira, noticing this, quickly approached him. Daryl looked at them as if they were campers sitting by a bonfire.


    “As you can probably see, exploring the Snow Fieldyers requires simr kinds of precautions as the Volcanoyers, so we’ll be taking some time to set ourselves up. Daryl’s heavy armor needs some improvements, too.�


    “Gotcha, Teach…�


    “Gotta get something warmer for you as well, Amira.�


    “Right.�


    Being told so, Amira put her hands on the leather armor she was wearing, seeming at least a little bit sad because she had always been her favorite red leather this whole time. Tsutomu, seeing her like that, pondered things over for a brief moment, and after the team got a good peek at the Dungeon’s seventy-firstyer, he called off today’s exploration.


    Afterward, the team went to be interviewed by three news outlets. Diniel had to be forced by Ollie to dress up, after which she joined the others. They went together to Solit Company’s headquarters, where all three of the interviewer groups were gathered. Hannah had also had her hair tidied up upon returning to the n House, while the three others left their hair as they had always been.


    Once all five n members were seated in the reserved room within the headquarters, the joint interview with the three publishers began, with the one receiving focus first being �as one would expect �Hannah. She had previously been the least popr member of Absolute Helix, and thus the masses had expected the least out of her, but during yesterday’s Mount Golem battle, she had put on the performance of a one-woman army. And as there was so little information on her, it was only natural that the questions would go to her first.


    “Miss Hannah, regarding your role as an evasion-based Tank �What are the things you think about when carrying out that role?�


    “Hmm�Well, you see! Recently, I’ve been thinking about how to read ahead of the monsters�moves!�


    “I see! So that’s how you performed so well against the Mount Golem yesterday! That’s true �you wouldn’t have been that effective without being able to read ahead!�


    “Y-you think so? Thank you very much!�


    Following that, Hannah was asked more and more questions, and she grew more and more talkative as things went on. She was used to this, as she had been given media coverage before �but only as an Attacker. Moreover, this was the first time she had been interviewed as practically the main show, so she was quite upbeat in answering every single thing thrown at her. Tsutomu, keeping an eye on her, was worried about whether she would be all right.


    Back in Live Dungeon, Tsutomu had also been a famous White Mage yer, and he did feel good about being sought after by the yers around him. He would always be happy whenever he was voted as the MVP at the end of Dungeon runs, and the countless praises he would receive through the in-game chat and forum posts had never failed to make him smile.


    But sometimes, he had gotten too carried away and ended up in trouble as a result. At one point, his overconfidence in his tactics and refusal to ept suggestions from others had resulted in him performing far less efficiently than other White Mages during a raid battle �then subsequently failing to secure the MVP vote and getting bashed hard by the other yers afterward.


    [I wonder if Alma went through this kind of phase as well…]


    After her victory over the Fire Dragon, she had been featured front and center in the news, like how Hannah was being talked up right now. All this quite closely resembled what Tsutomu had experienced, too, but still had one significant difference: Tsutomu’s cases had happened in a game, but now it was happening in reality. Perhaps it simply could not be helped that one would end up feeling hyped up like Hannah or Lorena, and possibly be overconfident as a result.


    “Mister Tsutomu, may we ask you some questions?�


    While Tsutomu pondered things over as Hannah dealt with the tidal wave of interviewers, one of Solit Company’s journalists raised her hand and called out to him specifically.


    “Ah, yes. What is it?�


    “Regarding the timing of your <<Raise>> spell �During the Mount Golem’s final phase, as we recall, you cast <<Raise>> as soon as you could. What was your intention behind doing so?�


    This particr journalist was the same woman who had attempted to interview Tsutomu during the Stampede. Her eyes showed no particr sign of contempt, and she seemed to be asking a genuine question.


    “That was–�


    “That was� Because of my mistake!�


    To Tsutomu’s side, Daryl �having only been timidly answering the questions that went his way so far �suddenly spoke up, taking both the journalist and Tsutomu by surprise. Daryl proceeded to stand right up and rushed to the journalist.


    “It was my fault. Sir Tsutomu knew that I could not perform well at that time. That’s why he cast <<Raise>> while he could!! It wasn’t his fault at all!!�


    “I-is that so��


    “Yes!�


    The journalist nodded, her face slightly red from how Daryl rushed up to her so suddenly. Tsutomu hurried out of his seat, telling Daryl to stop and pulling him back by his shoulders. Daryl, realizing what he was doing, hurriedly stepped away from the journalist.


    “I-I’m so sorry!�


    “A-ah�It’s all right, Mister Daryl.�


    The journalist took a deep breath to calm herself down, then she turned to Daryl again while taking notes on a white sheet of paper.


    “As we recall, Mister Daryl, you were easily knocked away by the Mount Golem. Could you tell us the reason for that?�


    “That was�because of myck of skill,�Daryl said, sounding quite down.


    “…Hmm,�the journalist nodded to him. Seeing Daryl like this, she figured that it would be in poor taste to pursue the topic further, so she tried to change the direction of the conversation.


    But then, Tsutomu gave Daryl a pat on the shoulders and proceeded to say,


    “Please, don’t worry about him. Daryl did make a significant mistake during the final phase, yes, but as the n Leader, that mistake was also partially on me. Besides, I see in him the potential to surpass Garm, his mentor �so I’ll be expecting great things from him going forward. Did you get all that? Please include it in the article.�


    With Tsutomu locking his face in a smile and giving out such a hammed-up speech, Daryl looked at him as if questioning his sanity. The journalist, perhaps being mindful of her interactions with Tsutomu, simply nodded and noted down what she had been told.


    “S-Sir Tsutomu!? W-what are you saying!?�


    “I mean, I was just repeating what Garm actually said.�


    “T-that’s true, but��


    “Ah, I see. Then we’ll be sure to give him proper credit in the article–�


    “NOOO! Please DON’T write that down!�


    The journalist, feeling that quoting Garm would make it easier to put together the article, was eager to write the details down, but Daryl hurried to stop her. Tsutomu took his eyes off Daryl for a while, looking at how the others were doing instead. Diniel, despite being all dressed up, was doing things at her usual pace. Amira answered her questions with a high and mighty tone �as per usualing from her.


    “Oh, please do mention Dorren Workshop in the article as well, yes?�


    Tsutomu took a chance to slip in an for his sponsor, and then proceeded to answer more of the interviewers�questions.

 Chapter 142: The Fault-evading Evasion-based Tank

    Chapter 142: The Fault-evading Evasion-based Tank


    After the interview, the team dropped the sleepy Diniel off at the n House and then headed to Dorren Workshop. Once there, however, they could not get inside due to the workshop being so crowded that customers were spilling out.


    “Ooh! Looks like our publicity stunt worked out!�


    “Right!�


    Hannah and Daryl, whose height difference was great enough for them to pass as daughter and father, gave each other a high-five.


    [I didn’t know that a WORKSHOP could be bustling like this too…] Tsutomu thought to himself, his mouth agape with surprise.


    Theiryer boss battle, as shown on Monitor #2, had indeed achieved quite high viewership, and the news had mentioned the workshop’s name and location, so it was reasonable to think that the team’s efforts were effective. However, Tsutomu still found it surprising how much influence the God Pedestals and the news had on the market.


    Dorren Workshop had always been operating solely on their own merits, having never sponsored a n before Absolute Helix. Dorren and his apprentices were certainly skilled artisans, but the reality was that a no-name workshop was bound to lose to ones that got the publicity from sponsoring a major n.


    In fact, the most popr workshops in town were the ones that were sponsoring Ealdred Crow, Scarlet Devil Squad, and Golden Tune. The workshops that worked precious metals and crafted high-end equipment for the nobility, and the Labyrinth Conquerers�suppliers, also enjoyed a fairly solid degree of poprity.


    As a craftsman, Dorren’s skill was among the best within Dungeon City, but without , his workshop’s business could not hope to measure up with the ces that were regrly publicized by ns on the single-digit Monitors. Even if the ce were to have a following among a small portion of Explorers, the great majority of them �who got their information through the Monitors �would never know. As such, despite enjoying a decently reliable stream of business previously, Dorren Workshop had not been so much of a popr ce in the big picture.


    Thanks to the recent publicity through Absolute Helix, however, they became a hot topic �and was now quite unexpectedly overloaded with business. If they kept up the good work, they were sure to maintain that poprity going forward.


    “Let’se againter.�


    “Here’s hoping my greatsword will hold up,�Amira said, looking doubtful while staring at the crowd.


    “Eh, it’ll be fine �he’s not the kind of guy to cut corners just because he’s busy.�


    Told as such by Tsutomu, Amira turned to look elsewhere, seeming to have lost interest.


    When the team returned to the n House, they walked in on Diniel making tea while humming some random tune. She also had some cookies and chocte ready on a tray. Obviously, she was nning to bring them up to her room, then snack on them whilezing around and reading some books.


    “……�


    Since her facial expression did not change much, her emotions were hard to read �But Tsutomu could tell from the look in her eyes that she was somewhat bummed out.


    “…The evaluation meeting is still two hours away.�


    “Aww, love you, my boy,�Diniel said jokingly, took her tray, and went up to the second floor.


    Tsutomu, feeling that he was getting looks from behind him, turned around �and sure enough, his three nmates were staring at him. Among them, Hannah looked particrly itching to say something.


    “Well, you heard me. Two hours from now. Be ready.�


    “Got it, Teach!�Hannah, thinking she had nothing that needed pointing out, replied happily and then walked into the living room.


    Tsutomu, not wanting toe off as too harsh, spent the time double-checking the reference materials and thinking about what to say.


    Two hourster, he went to get Diniel at her room, and saw that she was lying on her bed reading a book.


    “Time for the meeting, Diniel. I’ll be waiting downstairs.�


    “Aww, time flies by so fast…�


    By the time she went down to the living room, everyone else was already there sitting on the sofas. Diniel sat down next to Hannah, and Tsutomu put some newspaper clips down on the table.


    “Here are the materials we’ll be mainly referencing. I got some useful articles from the Dungeon Maniacs here, too. I’ve already sorted through them, so give them a good look.�


    Tsutomu proceeded to pass the assorted articles to his n members, with each person getting just about the same number of articles. Although Hannah had received the most prominent media coverage, it was not as if Daryl and Amira had beenpletely ignored, either. Tsutomu had divided the reference materials into two stacks for each of the members, one containing positive feedback and the other being critical.


    “First of all, good job yesterday, everyone. We made it throughyer seventy in one go, and we got some good publicity out of it, so I’d say the results were great. Everyone has shown a great deal of improvement too.�


    “Right!�


    “Regardless of the results, though, I did find a few things that need to be considered in the process, so keep that in mind and listen �First up, Diniel.�


    “Mm-hm.�


    When called, Diniel took her eyes off her papers and looked at Tsutomu. Most of the articles she had been shown were positive; there had been almost no critical articles in the first ce, and of those that did criticize her, most had been left out of her stack because of their inurate information.


    “You did great as always. The <<Stream Arrow>> was a godsend, obviously, and during the final phase, the way you created footholds and slowed the Mount Golem’s movements was awesome. If not for your quick thinking, I doubt we would have made it through.�


    “Thanks,�Diniel replied to Tsutomu, making no big deal out of thetter’s highly vivid recap of her great contributions.


    “I did notice you holding back a fair bit during the first phase, but you did go all out when everyone needed you most, so I won’tin. That’s what they call being good at cking off, I guess. Keep up the good work, Diniel.�


    “…Cool,�she replied, closing her eyes and sitting still like a meditating monk sculpture.


    She was somewhat surprised to hear Tsutomu give the same feedbacks she had been given during her time with Golden Tune. Many of the members there would immediately snap at her whenever they caught her cking off, treating that behavior of hers as a bad thing.


    Diniel did not consider that to be the case, however. To her, it was more foolish to try hard on useless endeavors, and that the effort should be dedicated to other things instead. The only people who let her do her thing and saw value in that mindset were her parents, Amy, and Tsutomu.


    Tsutomu wrote Diniel’s name on a nk memo sheet, drew a flower-shaped symbol around it, and then wrote Amira’s name down.


    “Next up, Amira.�


    “What? Me?�


    Amira opened her eyes wide, seemingly startled. She turned to face Tsutomu and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Tsutomu tapped the memo sheet with the butt of his pen and asked,


    “Did you read the articles?�


    “Ah, well�They said something about my <<Dragon Form>>, I guess?�


    “Right. Some people have already noticed that your <<Dragon Form>> was starting to change. Which is quite impressive of them, honestly.�


    After giving some praise to the Dungeon Maniacs and journalists�observational skills, Tsutomu went on to cover the rest of the articles. Amira had not done much of anything eye-catching, so she was not focused on in that many articles, but the ones that did feature her generally praised her performance against the Golem army. Some even pointed out that she was acting more in sync with her allies than before.


    Amira was powerful, but oftentimes her actions leaned more on the self-centered side; in fact, she had been so bad that her old n had been unable to put up with her, resulting in its disbandment. That incident had been reported in the newspapers, and this time, many articles had pointed out that she was changing for the better.


    Tsutomu briefly mentioned the contents of those articles and then moved on to the main topic.


    “This time was your best performance so far, Amira. You listened to directions, and worked well together with Daryl, too.�


    “Really?�


    “Well, it doesn’t seem like you’d understand this yet, but�If not for you being there, we never would have won. You fought really well against the Golem army despite your general disadvantage, and you did deal good damage during the final phase. You’ve be a bit more tactical after using your <<Dragon Form>> less too.�


    “……�


    Amira, having expected without a doubt to be criticized for failing to carry out her role properly, was genuinely surprised by what she was hearing. And she could tell that Tsutomu meant every word he was saying, not at all sarcastic like he usually would be. She cast her eyes down, at a loss for words.


    “But you’re still relying too much on your <<Dragon Form>>, and sometimes you would push yourself too hard to try and deal with things by yourself. You should rely on Daryl and Diniel more. Going by what I saw, whenever you bit off more than you could chew, you would start transforming more often. You’re strong even when you’re not in <<Dragon Form>>, Amira, so you shouldn’t feel the need to use it so much.�


    “……�


    “Going forward�Well, you should try to stop doing things you can’t handle by yourself, and also achieve better control of your transformation. Work on things bit by bit, and you’ll eventually get there �so remember to keep up your training.�


    “……�


    “Hmm? Is something the matter? Do you have any questions–�


    “AAAHHH�! I DON’T!!�


    Amira shouted out to even her frustration, stood from her seat, and bolted up to the second floor. Tsutomu, stunned by the spontaneity of her action, watched her go before looking around at the others as if to ask them what to do. Daryl and Hannah were holding theirughter, having gotten a good look at how red Amira’s face had been.


    “Gah�what was that about? Sorry, Miss Ollie �could you check up on her?�


    “Yes, of course.�


    Ollie, seeing that Tsutomu was disturbed but not particrly concerned, quietly followed Amira up the stairs.


    Tsutomu, getting back on track, called Daryl’s name next. Thetter took his face off the article he was reading and looked Tsutomu in the eye.


    “It’s been written in the articles as well, but I should repeat that the biggest blunder on your part was you not returning to the fight after being grabbed and thrown. I know you already know that, though, so there’s no need to dwell on that any further, yes?�


    “…Yes.�


    “All right. Now let’s see the first and second phases. You performed quite well during these times, I must say. Amira also�oh, right, not here. Well, your coordination with her has certainly improved. You’re slowly but surely opening up to each other when ites to work, which is good.�


    “Yes. I don’t think there was any problem when ites to her skill rotation. I feel like I was able to think up strategies without much difficulty, too�But I still need to work on situational awareness.�


    “…Right. Looks like you know what to do �no need for me to tell you.�


    The look in Daryl’s eyes was different �like he was more reliable than before. Tsutomu wanted to thank Amira for giving Daryl some much-needed encouragement yesterday, but she had run off and was not back downstairs yet. Tsutomu narrowed his eyes, wondering what she was doing now.


    After noting down Daryl’s presented issue, Tsutomu wrote Hannah’s name on the sheet as well.


    “Now then,st but not least, Hannah.�


    “Aye-yup!�


    Taken aback by how perfectly ready Hannah was to be showered with praises, Tsutomu said to her,


    “Let me just make this clear first �You’re the one who has the most things to consider, Hannah.�


    “��


    Hannah, expecting praise, tilted her head as if she was confused by what she had heard. Tsutomu heaved a sigh and pointed at her stack of articles.


    “Your contributions were great and vital, especially during the final phase �That much is true. You managed to hold the line by yourself when Daryl was out ofmission.�


    “Y-yes��


    “But right before then, you ignored an important instruction �and you know how much of a disaster that ended up being. Diniel had already stopped by then, and I even tried calling you with the megaphone. But you still charged at the Mount Golem as it was doing an unknown attack, which ended with you being killed by it.�


    “…B-but, you know…�Hannah uttered a few words in an attempt to say something back, having not expected to have her faults pointed out.


    Tsutomu, seeing her like that, held up a photograph of her and continued to say,


    “This is how you looked before you died. Thinking about the situation at the time now, you probably did not want to let your <<Count Buster>> be reset.�


    “Oof…�


    Tsutomu softened his tone upon seeing Hannah’s predictable reaction, but he still kept his stern gaze up.


    “You did build up a highbo count, making the <<Count Buster>> quite powerful, so I understand why you would not want it cut off. Building it all up again was going to be a hassle, after all. But your dying would also result in it being reset, and reviving you is another difficult, time-consuming task in itself. Your low defense means you’d die to a direct hit or two, so you must always be very careful.�


    “……�


    Hannah grew gloomy, feeling her ego dete with each following sentence �and even her hair seemed to somehow be deting with it, too. She had not expected to have her faults pointed out so much.


    “Next time, stay back and observe theyer boss when it’s performing an attack that you have never seen before. Daryl can afford to take more risks because of his high VIT, but you can’t do that, Hannah.�


    “That’s�true.�


    “Another thing that you need to work on would be stamina management, I guess. Your moves were still not as efficient as they could be, and sometimes you would put too much energy into the wrong moves. You need to fix that somehow.�


    “Got it, Teach…�


    Seeing Hannah dete like a balloon, Tsutomu felt sorry for her, but he had no other choice. He knew that if he had not said anything just now, she would end up making a huge mistake in the future.


    “None of that cancels out your contributions, of course, so be proud of what you did right. Besides, you’ve helped make the evasion-based Tank style more popr, which is great in itself. Just understand that you doing great, doesn’t mean there’s nothing to fix.�


    “…Yes, I understand.�


    Hannah settled down, looking Tsutomu in the eye and nodding to him. Tsutomu sighed, relieved to see no sign of being grumpy from Hannah, before cing his hand on her head.


    “Again, you have faults that need fixing �just work on them from now on. Besides that, you did a really good job. Keep it up.�


    “…Yeah!�Hannah replied happily as Tsutomu patted her on the head.


    Diniel looked at Hannah, seemingly impressed by how straightforward thetter was.


    After a moment, Tsutomu took his hand off Hannah’s head and wrote his name on the sheet.


    “And then there’s me�The news articles didn’t have any critical feedback. I didn’t notice any problem in my support and healing, either, I think.�


    Tsutomu thought about the strategies he had used whileying out his newspaper clips on the table. His support and healing had been as effective as usual, and he had had no issues helping the Tanks whenever they were starting to slip.


    “Still, yesterday was the first time any of us had died to ayer boss, so I wasn’t at all used to getting the team’s stability back up. And then there was when I gave out orders when they were unnecessary, I guess? Since I was supposed to let Daryl take over a part of it and all.�


    For <<Raise>> in general, Tsutomu had not gotten to cast it very often in the first ce, so his handling of the spell was somewhat rough. And when it came to managing the team, his instructions would sometimes ovep with the ones Daryl gave out; he should have left a bigger chunk of his work to thetter.


    “Hmm�Is there anything else?�


    “Your flight control is pretty good, but your overall movements are still inefficient. You might wanna learn from Hannah, seeing that she’s the best flyer out of all of us.�


    “Ah, I see.�Tsutomu put a hand on his chin and thought about what Diniel had said, then he decided to just ask straight up, “So Hannah, how about it? Can you teach me?�


    “Huh? Ah, yes. I sure can,�Hannah, seemingly startled, answered and nodded.


    Then, Amira walked down from the second floor, looking quite grumpy.


    “Wee back.�


    “Shaddup, idiot…�


    “I should be the one calling you that. You can’t just bail out of a meeting like that, you know. Come on, let’s talk.�


    “…Dammit.�


    And so, with Amira sitting down together with the rest, the team continued to discuss points that potentially needed addressing during the Mount Golem battle.

 Chapter 143: The Safe Choices

    Chapter 143: The Safe Choices


    After discussing all they wanted during the evaluation meeting, everyone had dinner together and got themselves a good night¡¯s sleep. The next two days were the n¡¯s days off, so everyone was free to do whatever they wanted.


    Tsutomu woke up early in the morning, greeted Ollie while thetter was doing housework, and then went outside to buy today¡¯s newspapers and take a look at the Monitors. At this time, Golden Tune and Scarlet Devil Squad were fighting the Bolseyer; Tsutomu watched them as he scanned through the papers, checking to see if the news were faithful to the answers his n had given them yesterday.


    [Welp, they embellished it a great deal.]


    As was the case with exaggerated quotes and eye-catching headlines, Tsutomu could not help but chuckle upon seeing Darylrgely being hyped up as the one who would one day surpass Garm.


    Turning back to the Monitors, he saw some nice developments such as Alma exploiting the Bolseyer¡¯s weakness by casting Blizzard Cross, and Golden Tune carrying out their strategies sessfully, among other things. After some time, he got up and headed over to the Dorren Workshop.


    Quite a few people were already here despite being before opening time, but then again, there was a sign in front of the ce announcing that the Workshop would not be epting any new orders for some time. It seemed that they were fully booked thanks to the flood of customers yesterday.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that¡­¡±


    Some new and semi-new Explorers whispered among themselves as Tsutomu walked into the Workshop. As soon as he opened the door, he found himself wrapped in a wave of heat, characteristic of smithies. Then Dorren, raising his hammer, shouted angrily without looking in Tsutomu¡¯s direction,


    ¡°Hey! Didn¡¯t you see the sign outside?¡¡We¡¯re not taking any more orders for now!!¡±


    ¡°Boss,¡± An apprentice cksmith spoke up. ¡°Mister Tsutomu¡¯s here!¡±


    ¡°Ahh!?¡± Dorrenshed out again, seemingly short on patience due to how busy he had been since yesterday. As soon as he saw that it was indeed Tsutomu visiting, however, he quickly backpedaled. ¡°¡­Ah! Tsutomu! Sorry ¡¯bout that!¡±


    ¡°Good morning. Business has been good, I see.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to y¡¯all! Look, just lemme finish this piece first, then we can talk. Hey! Get ¡¯em some tea!¡±


    Dorren grinned and continued to work on the long sword on the anvil with his hammer. In the meantime, the apprentice cksmith, a young man with a buzz-cut who wore a twisted headband, guided Tsutomu to a seat.


    All sorts of satisfying sounds echoed through the interior ¡ª hot metal cooling down, water evaporating, and hammers striking steel. Tsutomu sipped some tea as he looked on at the workers as they worked on their weapons and armor, sweat pouring off their faces. Eventually, Dorren walked over, wiping the sweat off his forehead and putting on his jacket.


    ¡°Well. Y¡¯all really be pullin¡¯ in work for us like mas!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no ¡ª I think it¡¯s because your craftsmanship stuck with the customers, Sir Dorren.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, man!¡±


    Dorren, all calmed down from his busy work, scratched his white-haired head and sat in his chair.


    ¡°So, you brought your gear today?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Right here.¡±


    Tsutomu ced his Magic Bag on the desk and unfolded it like a wrapping cloth. Then he pulled out several pieces of Daryl¡¯s heavy armor and Hannah¡¯s brass knuckles. The armor had been heavily damaged in spots from being hit by the Mount Golem¡¯s heat sts; seeing several sets of them so broken down, Dorren scratched his chin and groaned.


    ¡°Damn, they¡¯re banged up real good. Sorry we couldn¡¯t make them tougher, man.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright ¡ª And I think they held up quite well, actually.¡±


    ¡°The way they¡¯re melted here isn¡¯t exactlymon. zestones won¡¯t cut it¡­¡± Dorren muttered to himself while he examined the armor pieces, and after seeing enough, he put the pieces down. ¡°Sorry, but lemme keep all this armor here, so that we can actually work on them ¡ª oh, and the little miss¡¯ greatsword should be done in two days. The whole de¡¯s a bit bent, I bet because of how solid those Golems were. Gonna need some time to fix it. The bird girl¡¯s brass knuckles are in the same state ¡ª and a bit burnt, too, so they¡¯ll take just about as long.¡±


    ¡°Understood ¡ª I can leave all of them here, no problem. Oh, and we¡¯ll be fighting in low-temperature areas starting fromyer seventy-one, so we¡¯d like to request some equipment to deal with that, too.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. We¡¯re already working on that as well, actually. Probably gonna need more materials from the Volcano though, so could you get them for us? They¡¯re the stuff that aren¡¯t exactlymon in the market yet.¡±


    Currently, only one of the merged mid-tier ns had progressed past the Fire Dragon, so the market still was not getting enough Volcano materials to keep up with the demand. Most of Ealdred Crow¡¯s gathered materials were used in their own workshops, while Golden Tune and Scarlet Devil Squads had their own sponsors to deliver to. Most of the market¡¯s circting supply was from Guild staff members, which, needless to say, was nowhere near enough.


    ¡°Yes, of course. Miss Ollie will probably be dropping byter, so please write up a list and pass it to her then.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, man,¡± Dorren replied and smiled, then called his apprentice over to carry away the equipment Tsutomu had brought.


    Tsutomu proceeded to bow to Dorren.


    ¡°I know things are busy around here, so I should get going now.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I should be the one bowing, you know. Really, thanks for all the publicity. We got so many more customers now ¡ª so much that the workshop¡¯s gonna be fully booked for a while, even. Oh, but we¡¯re always gonna work on your gear first, so don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    Dorren kept a straight face and waved his rugged hands in dismissal, exasperated by Tsutomu¡¯s unnecessary gesture.


    ¡°Like I said, I should be the one thanking you. Even my apprentice¡¯s stuff sold like hotcakes yesterday ¡ª And it was the first time we ever ran out of stock, actually. We¡¯ll all have food on our tes for a good while thanks to that. We¡¯re all grateful, man.¡±


    ¡°Thanks a bunch, Mister Tsutomu!¡±


    The apprentice, done putting the heavy armor pieces away, also bowed to Tsutomu. Tsutomu proceeded to thank them back¡­ turning it into somewhat lengthy a back-and-forth before he could leave Dorren Workshop. After looking at the time, he decided to drop by the Guild next.


    [Man, they sure are full of energy.]


    Tsutomu saw Hannah, Daryl, and Amira on Monitor #1, with them having been exploring since morning. He proceeded to walk to the rtively quiet corner of the Guild interior, where there was a bulletin board for posting notices of expeditions to Dungeons outside of town, and also ns¡¯ recruitment forms.


    [So this is what their recruitment form looks like now? It¡¯s changed up quite a bit fromst time.]


    Ealdred Crow has previously been recruiting personnel over a wide range of Jobs, but now, they were focusing on a more narrow variety. Those other jobs were excluded from this part of their recruitment because they were instead searching for promising candidates on their own initiative.


    Scarlet Devil Squad had always been a closed circle of long-timerades, and Silver Beast was not recruiting either due to practically being their own family. As for Golden Tune, Leon had a tendency to randomly ¡®bring in¡¯ new members on his own, thus eliminating the need for conventional recruitment processes.


    Mid-tier ns, on the other hand, were still seeking out a wide variety of Jobs. Attackers were in short supply right now, while those with Tank and Healer Jobs were more readily avable. The increasing prevalence of the three-roleposition was causing those who had previously given up on the Explorer lifestyle toe back to the scene, adding to the number of neers and reducing the disparity among different Job types.


    Buffer Jobs such as Minstrels and Enchanters still were not getting much attention, however. Ealdred Crow and Silver Beast were currently training their applicable members to carry out the role, meaning none of them were in the spotlight to help bolster their originally low poprity.


    [Buffers, huh¡­ Maybe we should have one of our new members be one¡­ or maybe not?]


    Absolute Helix currently had five active members, and that would be bumped up to seven once Garm and Amy joined. Counting those two, there were three Attackers, three Tanks, and one Healer making up their ranks. The n was to add three more before Garm and Amy¡¯s eventual addition, but Tsutomu was unsure which roles to look for.


    The simplest solution would be to find one person for each of the moremon roles. But on the other hand, adding a Buffer did have its merits. After all, a Buffer could provide boosts to all allies¡¯ attributes and even had skills to manipte mental energy.


    With their help, Attackers would receive STR boosts, Tanks would be able to mitigate more damage, and Healers would have an easier time managing their mental energy. Having one less Attacker or Tank to add a Buffer to a party was, on paper, not at all a bad choice.


    Tsutomu was already carrying out a Buffer-like role, however, and he was really not feeling like training someone else to rece him on that front now.


    Ealdred Crow currently had one effective Buffer to work with: the overweight man whom Tsutomu had trained personally soon after the end of the Stampede. Silver Beast was still training theirs with the help of Tsutomu¡¯s notes; the Buffer in question could be asionally seen on the Monitors as the n explored the Volcanoyers.


    [It kinda feels like I¡¯ve built up our strategies too solidly to change them now. Going with the safe choices should be perfectly fine, of course, but¡­ Hmm¡­]


    Tsutomu checked what Jobs each of the ns were looking for, then considered which ones were not yet sought after much. Putting ideals aside, he understood that it was impossible to create a situation in which all jobs were equally desired. This world had no content updates to introduce buffs and nerfs, so some Jobs were bound to be objectively better or worse than others; so to speak, they were not made equal.


    Still, each individual Job was sure to have something that only they could do. With enough work, every Job could have a chance at getting in on the action ¡ª Such was the kind of environment Tsutomu wanted the dungeoneering scene to have, which was why he was seeking out Jobs less desired.


    [For now, I definitely want a Channeler. But the rest¡­ ugh, I can¡¯t choose any.]


    There were two main Jobs that could carry out the Healer role: White Mage and Channeler, both of which had some sort of resurrection skills within their arsenal. Gray Mages had healing skills, too, but not resurrection, so they were not really viable as full-time Healers.


    Currently within the scene, however, demand for White Mages was overwhelmingly higher than for Channelers. Since Channelers¡¯ resurrection skill required more time and effort to invoke, they were considered objectively inferior to White Mages ¡ª but that was not the case at all. As Healers, both Jobs were practically equal in performance. In fact, back in Live Dungeon, the yer who had been something of a rival to Tsutomu was also a Channeler.


    Among Tsutomu¡¯s acquainted ns, Ealdred Crow had a Channeler in their fifth party, and Silver Beast had one in their secondary team. The Guild also had a Channeler in their ranks ¡ª a woman with whom Tsutomu had tried to talk to once before¡­ and managed to scare her away from him during that asion. She was the Guild¡¯s top Healer; whenever the Guild wanted to explore the Dungeon or level up their staff members, she would be included in the party along with Amy, Garm, and Camille.


    [For coverage¡¯s sake, I also want one magical Tank and Attacker each¡­ Gotta discuss that with everyer.]


    Walking away from the n recruiting board, Tsutomu went to the Appraisal Office next. A yellow-furred, cat-eared girl was appraising an item behind the front counter, and to her side was Amy, looking bored out of her mind.


    ¡°Hello there. cking off today?¡±


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s called lettin¡¯ mah apprentice learn the job~!¡±


    ¡°Sounds like the same thing to me.¡±


    The Aelurkin girl, seemingly intimidated by Tsutomu¡¯s presence after confirming that it was him, bowed to him repeatedly. Tsutomu returned a greeting to her before reaching into his Magic Bag to take out the Scorchstone Robe.


    ¡°Here, I¡¯m letting you borrow this. A promise¡¯s a promise.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you actually meant it? Thanks a bunch!¡±


    Amy picked up the robe with both her arms as if to hug it, and then she put it on the shelf behind her. Next to her, the girl whose Appraisal skill was still level 1 went back to working on appraising her item.


    ¡°So is the Guild anywhere close to beating the Mount Golem? Doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯ve been attempting it muchtely.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say we are ¡ª all we¡¯re doing these days is collect materials from the Volcano, and we¡¯ll probably be hunting Bolseyers to try and get more of this robe starting today¡­ Yeah, it¡¯s gonna take a while.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s heat-nullifying equipment had received quite a lot of attention in the news, and investigations had revealed it to be obtainable from treasure chests dropped by the Bolseyer ¡ª Thus Golden Tune and Scarlet Devil Squad hunting theva fish today since morning. And apparently, the Guild had ns to do the same starting today as well.


    The drop rate of treasure chests was by no means high, however. Tsutomu had gone in knowing that the rates were clearly lower than in the game, and sure enough, it had taken Absolute Helix a great deal of effort to obtain one Scorchstone Robe. During their training period, they would hunt two per day, and that number increased to four after they were done with training; in the end, the treasure chest drop came on the fifty-third try.


    It was entirely possible for one to get rare items that they did not actually want ¡ª Which would be quite demoralizing, especially for those two major ns. Perhaps the Guild was getting in on this trend so that they could sell the robester.


    ¡°Ah, Tsutomu, listen! Once this girl¡¯s Appraisal skill gets to level 2, I¡¯ll finally get to leave my post and join your n! Get things set up for me over there, yeah?¡±


    Amy¡¯s pending work had all but cleared up by now, and she currently was supervising her apprentices to improve their Appraisal skills. As a result of this development, there currently was one other staff member whose Appraisal skill was on the same level as Amy¡¯s, and this Aelurkin girl would be another one after she was done.


    ¡°Nice. How much longer will that take, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ about two months or so, I guess? Go tell your n members all ¡¯bout me, ¡¯cause I¡¯ll be there in no time!¡±


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll leave a space open for you.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm!¡±


    Amy happily folded her hands together and walked behind the apprentice girl, then rubbed her on the shoulders.


    ¡°Now then, hang in there, m¡¯ girl! I¡¯mma get your skill up to level 2 real fast!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scaring me¡­¡±


    Seeing Amy quite non-subtly pressure her apprentice, Tsutomu chuckled and proceeded to leave the Appraisal Office.

 Chapter 144: Never Gonna Happen

    Chapter 144: Never Gonna Happen


    Afterwards, Tsutomu heard from Garm that the training of new staff members would be done in a few months, so he decided that now would be a good time to bring in new n members. Returning to the n House at around noon, he proceeded to discuss the matter with everyone while they were having lunch.


    “And so, Garm and Amy will be joining us in a few months. I thought I’d find us three more members before then �one Attacker, Tank, and Healer each. What do you think?�


    “Sounds good to me,�Diniel replied quickly, seeming to not care either way.


    The three others, on the other hand, had grown stiff, as apparent from their expressions. Up to now, the n had exactly five members, which meant everyone was guaranteed a spot in the main party. Adding in three more, however, naturally meant at least a few would be making up the second team.


    This was the first time Daryl and Amira had to worry about their respective positions �and they were indeed quite worried because they understood what they themselves were and were not capable of. Hannah had already gone through something simr back at Ealdred Crow, so she was not particrly thrilled about this, either.


    “For now, I think I’ll look for a Channeler to be our second Healer. Either a Pdin or Dark Knight for Tank�and for Attacker, ck Mage or Sorcerer would be nice, I guess.�


    “Huh? A Channeler? We’re not getting another White Mage?�


    “Nothing is set in stone yet, of course�But a White Mage who’s as good as me is going to be hard to find, you know. Looking at other ns, there’s only Lorena �and even then, her style is pretty different from mine.�


    “A-ah, I see.�


    Hannah felt overwhelmed by how Tsutomu had exined everything to her while keeping a perfectly straight face, but at the same time, she was determined not to be outdone if another evasion-based Tank were to join the n. She zipped her mouth shut so tightly that it turned into a straight line, as if to brace herself. Back in her days as an Attacker, she had an excuse to not be the very best �because she had merely been one of many �but now, she could no longer say the same thing.


    “Well, for now, I’ll be recruiting on the premise that those new members will make up the secondary party. The actual main and secondary parties will be decided on after we have all ten members together.�


    “Got it, Teach!�


    “Hell yeah!�


    “Yes, sir!�


    Hannah, Amira, and Daryl replied with enthusiasm, and a few momentster, Diniel nodded. Amira seemed irritated by thatck of care on disy, but she wolfed down her food as if to distract herself from it, and once she was done, she immediately walked away. Daryl and Hannah hurried to finish their food as well, and once they took their tablewares to the sink, followed Amira outside.


    Ollie went to see off the three of them, while Tsutomu and Diniel stayed in the living room, carrying on with their meal.


    “You’re looking pretty chill about all this, Diniel.�


    “I could say the same to you…�


    Diniel continued to eat slowly, barely making a sound. Tsutomu finished his soup and took his tableware to the kitchen, then threw some Colorless Magic Stones into the dish-washing magic tool and filled it with water.


    “So what would you do if you were to end up in the secondary party?�


    “Meh, that’s never gonna happen. Waste of time and energy to think about it.�


    “…Right.�


    Tsutomu could not say anything more, because Diniel had been quite on point. At best, the new recruits had a sliver of a chance to be on Diniel’s level �and only Attackers with unique skills had any possibility of surpassing her anytime soon.


    “…What about if we got someone with a unique skill?�


    “What would YOU do? You might end up finding a Healer with a unique skill, you know?�


    “Well�I’m not about to let them outperform me so easily.�


    “Same thing for me. No way I’m losing to anyone �especially to those whose life span doesn’t even reach a hundred years,�Diniel said as finished her sd, then she stacked up her dishes and carried them to the kitchen.


    Tsutomu, letting out a dry chuckle at her answer, took the dishes and put them in the water.


    For a moment, Diniel stared at Tsutomu with half-open eyes, and then, as if she had recalled something, spoke up,


    “Well, I guess sometimes living longer doesn’t mean you’re stronger. Maybe it was too much to say that it’d never happen.�


    “Hmm, pretty rare for you to consider things with this much depth, Diniel. Not that I don’t understand, of course �Unique skills are so great that they’re pretty much unfair. I wanted to have one too, you know…�


    “…And I’m starting to understand the things Amy said about you.�


    Diniel’s expression turned sour in response to Tsutomu’sck of self-awareness, but even then, he only tilted his head, wondering what was the matter �Which only served to make Diniel the most annoyed she had been in quite a long time.


    Even Diniel, an adult Elf with over a hundred years of life behind her, had been paralyzed in fear of the Devourer Dragon after it had busted through the nobility’s city-defending force field. Even now, she believed that no one would have been able to make a rational decision in that situation.


    But Tsutomu had proven otherwise. Despite being barely over twenty years old, he had confronted the absurdly powerful enemy without a shred of hesitation. That had piqued Diniel’s interest in him. So much so that she joined the n so that she could observe him.


    Despite everything, however, he still considered himself inferior to those with unique skills. Diniel had a hard time stomaching that attitude of his.


    “…Hmph.�


    “Ow� Hey, that hurt! What did you just do?�


    “I kicked you. You were annoying me.�


    “Gah�Since when did you turn into Amira?�


    “Dunno,�Diniel said without making eye contact and went upstairs with her cup of juice.


    Tsutomu, though puzzled by Diniel’s sudden aggressiveness, proceeded to prepare for his visit to one of the news publishers�offices.


    ――▽▽―�


    While Tsutomu went to the press to draft up a recruitment form, the trio that had left the n House put on their spare gear and proceeded down the Dungeon to level up. They had wanted to plunge straight toyer seventy-one so that they could start getting used to the Snow Fields, but since their anti-cold equipment was not yet ready, they settled for the Volcanoyers.


    Through the process of forming parties using the Guild’s official Status Cards, experience points were divided equally among participating members. Agreeing on that as they had always done, the three registered their party and went to hunt monsters in the Volcanoyers.


    [They’re both so full of energy,] Daryl thought to himself as he looked at Hannah and Amira, what with how they seemed to never spare their effort in killing the monsters,


    This was especially apparent in Amira, who exerted her full strength in every single attack �perhaps because she hated being the lowest-leveled member.


    Daryl, as usual, used <<Combat Cry>> to pull the monsters�aggro, making sure that they did not target the others. By now, he was so used to getting VIT-boosting buffs and mid-battle healing that their absence felt wrong, but Daryl was still able to carry out his Tank role well enough.


    Since they had no Healer with them, they had to drink Potions after each fight was over, and without <<Fly>>, Hannah had to rely on the standard groundedbat style. Still, this party of three was able to gain levels at a fairly efficient rate.


    After the fight, Hannah immediately ran to scout ahead, while Amira and Daryl drank some Potions to heal up.


    Daryl used his monthly sry to donate to his childhood orphanage, and also to treat himself to some good food. He still had plenty to spare, however, so he spent them on Potions for personal training sessions. He did not particrly like the grassy-smelling Green Potions, while Amira was able to drink them with a perfectly straight face.


    Right after Daryl steeled himself and managed to take one gulp, Hannah came back and reported that she had found monsters. And so, the team resumed onward with Hannah in the lead.


    […I should think about what I want to do going forward.]


    Having been told by Tsutomu that Garm would be joining the n in a few months, Daryl was feeling quite conflicted �and even confused.


    Without being how he was now, he definitely would have been happy to hear of Garm’s addition �and he would have given up his spot in the main team to Garm, whom he considered superior to him. And worse, he would have been satisfied with being moved to the secondary party.


    After the team’s victory inyer seventy, however, his attitude had started to change. Now he was not so sure if he wanted to forfeit his spot, whether it be to Garm or some other Tank. All this thinking about the future caused Daryl to feel a little ache in his heart, as if he was being pricked with a needle.


    [Would be nice if I got to stay in this party forever, though…]


    Daryl was happy to finally get a good flow going with Amira, and he had always had good synergy with Hannah’s evasion-based Tank style. Tsutomu’s support and healing were nothing short of amazing, too.


    [Miss Diniel, though�I have no idea how to deal with her…]


    His interactions with Diniel had not been so ideal, with her tendencies to try and touch his ears and tail, but it was undeniable how powerful she was. Daryl was convinced that the current team of five would be able to conquer the rest of the Dungeon as well, and when he had pathetically failed to stand back up onyer seventy, everyone had supported him without aint. As such, he wanted to live up to their expectations, and to not be left behind by them.


    “What’re you waiting for?�Amira, hiding behind a rock and keeping an eye on a group of monsters, called out to Daryl who seemed to be spacing out. “Come on, hurry up.�


    “Ah�right!�


    Daryl pulled all of the monsters�aggro with <<Combat Cry>>, then Hannah and Amira moved in to attack them. Daryl ran alongside them, his heavy armors�rustlings echoing through the air.


    [I can be stronger than this. We all can,] Daryl thought to himself. All hisrades were reliable, and he did not want to be a liability to them.


    With his tower shield, Daryl blocked a Golem’s attack and then knocked it back.


    [I have to be stronger�stronger than even Sir Garm. So that I’ll always have my ce here.]


    Listening to the sound cues, Daryl anticipated an attacking from behind him; he turned around and blocked another Golem’s punch at just the right moment.


    �<Shield Bash>>!�


    Activating his skill immediately, he sent the three-meter tall Golem flying. With the monster copsed on the ground, Amira swung her greatsword down on its neck. The Golem ceased all movement, and subsequently dispersed into light particles.


    [I don’t know if I can do it�But I just have to try!]


    After that, Daryl kept up his effective performance, which had a positive effect on Amira and Hannah’s individual movements as well. Daryl was out of breath by the end of the fight, but then he received a pat on the back.


    “Hey, looking good.�


    “T-thank you.�


    Daryl’s eyes darted about in slight embarrassment. Amira groaned and proceeded to take a swing from her canteen.


    Hannah, sensing a change in Daryl’s reactions, dered to him,


    “You’re not gonna outshine me for long!�


    “Yes, let’s all do our best. I want all of us to stay together, in the same party as we’ve always been.�


    “…Yeah. Gotcha!�


    “Man, if ya get demoted, I’mma be the first gal tough at ya.�


    “What the hell, Amira!? How about I do that to YOU, huh!?�


    After that, the three continued their training, talking among themselves from time to time.

 Chapter 145: A Strong Father

    Chapter 145: A Strong Father


    A few dayster, after the newspaper publisherpleted the design for Tsutomu’s requested recruitment form, he went to post it on the bulletin board. His search conditions were for Explorers at level 60 or higher; one Channeler, one Pdin or Dark Knight, and one magical Attacker. They were also to assume that they would be in the secondary party for at least the first few months.


    Later that day, during peak viewership time, Absolute Helix headed down toyer seventy-one and advertised that they were looking for n members. It was reported in the newspapers the following morning, and quite a bit of chaos subsequently unfolded in front of the Guild’s bulletin board.


    Most people at or over level 60 were either those who had leveled up efficiently from working in major ns or long-time Explorers from mid-tier ns. As such, Tsutomu had not expected that many applications�but then he was surprised to see more than thirty candidates.


    The day after the recruitment was posted on the bulletin board, the Guild staff members sent Tsutomu a stack of documents with the applicants�backgrounds and status card records. Carefully looking through all of them, most of the applicants already were affiliated with another n, and some were even from Ealdred Crow.


    [Let’s narrow the list down to six for now…]


    Among the list were some whom Tsutomu remembered seeing before on the Monitors, but he could never be sure about anyone unless he got to talk with them in person. As such, Tsutomu started narrowing down the list of candidates by looking at their levels and personal backgrounds, and then decided to make the final decisions after direct, personal meetings.


    This did mean Tsutomu would be too busy to explore the Dungeon, but the anti-cold equipment for the Snow Fieldyers was not yet ready anyway, so it would not hurt at all to take time off. As a result, he decided to suspend Absolute Helix’s official activities for two weeks �an announcement that seemed to especially te Diniel.


    “Oh, then I’ll take this time to visit my vige!�


    “Sounds good to me. Have a nice trip.�


    Hannah made arrangements to go back to her hometown and ask her parents to re-teach her how to fly during this time. Amira and Daryl, on the other hand, nned to keep up with their usual training and leveling, while also thinking about visiting Camille and Garm more frequently.


    The next day, Hannah packed a few of her things and left Dungeon City. Daryl and Amira had a hearty breakfast in the n House and then headed together to the Dungeon, while Diniel stayed holed up in her room. Tsutomu continued reading through the paperwork to narrow down the potential n members to hire.


    [It’s so quiet, it almost feels�wrong.]


    Seeing the living roompletely empty for the first time in a while, Tsutomu felt a little lonely. He put some Colorless Magic Stones into a heater magic tool to warm up the room. The season was transitioning into winter, and even without snow, the air would still be cold enough to necessitate heating.


    Demand for Fire and Colorless Magic Stones was now on the rise due to their usage in magic tools that helped with enduring the cold, andtely, more advanced tools that used Inferno Magic Stones had begun to be developed, too. The heating tools widely used in Dungeon City were already powerful enough, but some other regions needed better heating than that to stayfortable. It had been quite big news for such areas that Inferno Magic Stones could now be obtained reliably from God’s Dungeon, bolstering market demands on that front.


    As the room was gradually warmed up by the magic tool, Tsutomu sat down on the sofa and rubbed his cold hands together. Then he looked at the documents on the desk, carefully examining their details.


    Most of the applicants were level 70, with the remaining few being about 60. Being level 70 was one factor that definitely worked in a candidate’s favor, since it proved that they had been in the scene for a long time. The experience required to level up in this world was, numerically speaking, the same as in the game �but having an actual process of fighting and killing monsters meant it was far slower for one to gain levels. Pay-for-advantage experience boosters were not a thing here, either, so all Explorers�levels had equal value �one was either lower or higher.


    Still, one must not judge a person by their level alone. It was only one point of consideration, not the absolute deciding factor. After all, if one could not get the job done, it would not matter how high their level was.


    A few people in this world still judged a person’s capabilities by their level and status ratings, which was, if Tsutomu were to be frank, narrow-minded. Experience points would always be gained upon killing monsters, and an Explorer was guaranteed a level up if the points umted to a certain amount. Although there was a limit on it depending onyer progression, one only needed to get pastyer fifty in order to get their level cap up to 70.


    Having to actually fight the monsters certainly meant it was much harder to level up, but on the other hand, Explorers could earn money by selling the Magic Stones dropped by the monsters, so they had plenty of time to dedicate to their training.


    As such, even the level-70 candidates needed to be investigated carefully. What kind of ns they had been working with, what kind of achievements they had made �those were the truly important factors; being over level 60 was only the bare minimum.


    [This guy doesn’t seem to get it, though…]


    Tsutomu half-folded the sheet he was reading through, on which was the details of a mid-tier n member who put heavy emphasis on his high level. Reaching for the next applications, many of them did not seem particrly capable despite their levels being maxed out �and those were totally not the kind of people Tsutomu was looking for.


    [Oh, this one’s from Ealdred Crow.]


    The next application he picked out was finally from somewhere he recognized. The candidate was an Attacker of the Spiritualist Job, the same as the Deputy Guild Master.


    [Gah, she’s also from Amira’s old n�Does she have an ulterior motive or something?]


    The former member of Amira’s n had gone their separate ways after the team’s breakup, but the great majority of them were good enough to get into Ealdred Crow. This Spiritualist applicant had always been the best among them, and was in fact assigned to Ealdred Crow’s secondary party �a difficult feat if one was not actually capable.


    Even Hannah, who had worked for them mostly in the Attacker role, had managed to get up to the third party at best. The Spiritualist, on the other hand, had been assigned to the second party quite soon after she joined the n.


    [From the looks of her background, she seems to know what she’s doing, no doubt…]


    Her level was barely above the minimum requirement, but from her list of achievements, she was undeniably capable. Still, Tsutomu was worried that she might have less than desirable reasons for joining, so he set the document aside from the pile, deciding to talk with her in personter.


    After that, Tsutomu continued narrowing down the candidates and deciding the order in which he would meet each of the candidates.


    ――▽▽―�


    After Tsutomu announced that Absolute Helix would be on hiatus for two weeks, Amira had quite a lot of free time on her hands, so she went home and asked Camille to train her. Camille, after returning home from work, proceeded to have a mock battle with Amira �the first one in quite a while.


    “You sure you want to do this now? You’ve been away from home for awfully long �I’d like to rx and talk more, honestly.�


    “Heh, I’ll talk as much as you want�if you win, that is! C’mon, fight me!�


    Camille sighed in resignation at her daughter’s selfish demands before holding up a somewhat damaged wooden greatsword. Since the day of her father’s death, Amira had been asking for sparring sessions every day; needless to say, they had fought countless times.


    Camille’s husband had been stabbed by a remnant member of a criminal n, and despite surviving that assassination attempt, heter died of illness. He had been the Guild Master at the time and contributed the most to the eradication of criminal organizations in town; Camille was quite proud of him, but Amira thought differently. She kept saying that he had died because of his weakness, and from then on, she desperately pursued the path of raw strength.


    Amira rushed at Camille, who parried her easily �like a mother Dragon soothing her baby. There was still a fairly wide gap of skill between them, so Camille’s superiority remained unquestioned.


    […She’s changed.]


    Camille was quick to notice how significantly different Amira was from before. In the past, Amira would always wield her sheer strength to knock down every challenge in her way. But now, she actually considered various factors as she fought.


    How would her opponent deal with her attacks from various directions, how would she deal with her opponent’s attacks �she even sometimes used the techniques Camille used to teach her, those she had never used before because of her former brute-force approach.


    “So, that n’s helped you pipe down a bit, eh?�


    “…You won’t be keeping your cool for long, you Ancient Dragon,�Amira said as she held up her imitation greatsword, and then he called her transformation skill, �<Dragon Form>>�


    Her long red hair and all of her scales radiated light �be it the one on the back of her hands or her neck �and wings sprouted from her back. Amira always relied on this transformation whenever she felt cornered. Facing off against the girl, Camille smirked and blocked the iing swing with her greatsword �and felt that, unlike Amira’s out-of-control <<Dragon Form>> in the past, there was at least a little bit of deliberation in the attack.


    “You’re handling it much better than you used to. I can tell.�


    Since Amira had reached level 60, her status ratings were marginally different from her mother’s �and her <<Dragon Form>> more than made up for the difference. Moreover, now she retained some degree of control while transformed. And despite this being a mock battle, she still went all out, giving herself a contextual advantage over the technically superior Camille �who held back on purpose, and as a result, was forced to be more defensive.


    �<Dragon Form>>�


    As such, Camille also transformed to give herself a boost. Unlike Amira, she was able to stay fully in control while in <<Dragon Form>>, which made a big difference in performance. In the blink of an eye, Camille knocked Amira’s greatsword out of her hands and pinned her to the ground.


    There were two general ways to forcibly disengage a Dragonewt’s transformation: by casting <<Medic>>, and by knocking the person out. Since <<Dragon Form>> needed a constant stream of mental energy to maintain, however, Amira would pass out when her energy was depleted. And eventually, that happened, and Camille immediately stood up.


    “It’s almost scary how much potential you have, kid.�


    Camille believed that Amira was the only person to master the art of the de to this extent at the young age of sixteen, and her degree of control over the <<Dragon Form>> was quite impressive, too. With Amira out cold, Camille lovingly stroked her cheek and carried her home.


    While Amira slept, Camille prepared the things she needed to cook dinner, and by the time she was about done, the girl sprang right up and gave her quite a disgruntled look.


    “Damn it, you Ancient Dragon�You really gotta whip out your transformation at me, huh?�


    “Well, who used it first?�


    “Ugh…�


    Amira sulked as she pulled the nket back up over her head. She was quite frustrated, especially since she had expected tond at least one hit today.


    “You actually forced me to use the <<Dragon Form>> today. The more you can manage it, the stronger you will be, Amira.�


    “Shut up. I still lost it.�


    “Great, just great. You haven’t changed at all. Say, you hungry? I’ll be done soon.�


    Amira’s pout broke into a grin when she caught a whiff of the rice gratin in the oven�then she clicked her tongue and stuck her face out of the nket.


    She did like Ollie’s cooking back at the n House, of course, but for her, nothing could beat the food at home.


    A little whileter, Camille put on her mittens, pulled one baking dish out of the oven, and then the freshly baked rice gratin with crackling cheese was on the table. Amira promptly dug her spoon into the dish, not even waiting for Camille to take the other dish out of the oven. Then she blew on it, cooling the food down before popping it into her mouth.


    “Whew�whew…�


    “Heh…�Camille chuckled, amused by how Amira would always dig right in despite knowing that the food was too hot. She then proceeded to take her own dish to the table, then took off the thick mittens from her hand.


    After watching Amira eating happily for a while, Camille started to eat as well. Eventually, seeing that Amira had finished a good part of the meal, Camille drank some water to cool her mouth down and looked at her daughter.


    “So, Amira, how was your time with Absolute Helix? Tsutomu is as strong as you wanted him to be, right?�


    “Well, yeah, I’ve always known he would be.�


    Having also been on the front lines during the Stampede, Amira knew quite well the horror that was the Devourer Dragon �overwhelmingly strong, so much so that the Dragonewt instinct instantly told her she could never win. While everyone was paralyzed by fear, Tsutomu calmly took the lead. Right then was when Amira acknowledged Tsutomu’s strength.


    “…Uh, but y’know…�


    But then there were the others �a Cynokin with a gentle nature unfitting for his sheer height, the infamous Feather Tank who had managed to make a never-before-seen fighting style work, and an absurdly skilled Elf without a shred of motivation. In the beginning, Amira had not considered them to be strong. When she first joined the n, she considered only Diniel to be on her level, while the others were beneath her.


    At Tsutomu’s suggestion, she participated in a littlepetition with the three of them �and got soundly beaten despite her epting all the criteria as fair. Her losing to the Cynokin and the Feather Tank had been especially unexpected, so much so that she thought for a moment that she had dreamed it all up.


    Following that incident, Daryl had gone on to hold his own against her <<Dragon Form>>, Hannah fought effectively against the Fire Dragon, and Diniel put on an amazing show against the Mount Golem. Having begun to consider that raw physical power was not everything ever since the day she had seen Tsutomu in action, her perception of the concept of ‘strength�changed once again after getting to observe her three nmates.


    “…I don’t really understand what being ‘strong�means. Not when I don’tpare myself with anyone, at least.�


    Angry at Daryl for his cowardly disy onyer seventy, after she had acknowledged his strength once, she started considering him weak again �but then he quickly bounced back and has been working even harder ever since. Then, from a glimpse at Tsutomu’s newspaper, she saw that many of her former n Members had joined Ealdred Crow �the ce that had rejected her in the past. That was when she epted that those people, whom she had considered weak, were in fact stronger than her.


    “Like, do I think other people are strong just because I’m weak?�


    “…Maybe, maybe not. But you’re still young, Amira �there’s plenty of time to figure that out. And you’re already doing great, knowing what you know now.�


    Camille only nodded quietly as she kept on eating. Amira, seeming to notice that, looked at her and asked,


    “So, my dad�was he strong?�


    “……�


    That rendered Camille speechless, her hand frozen in ce. She had not expected Amira to bring this topic up at all.


    Lost in thought for a moment, Camille snapped back to reality when she saw the look of worry on her daughter’s face. She slowly stood up from the table, walked up to Amira, and put her hands on the girl’s shoulders.


    “Yeah. Super strong.�


    “…Hmm.�


    To Amira, her father had always been at the bottom of the household’s hierarchy, always dominated by Camille’s authority. Amira remembered jumping at him and teasing him quite a lot �which was why she thought he was weak.


    Despite that, he had always been kind and epting �and in fact, Amira loved him for that. But then he went and got stabbed by the assassin. His health subsequently deteriorated, and then he died. Because he was weak �because, no matter how kind a person was, they would not survive unless they were strong. That was what she used to think.


    “…If you say so,�Amira grumbled to herself as she recalled her father’s smile �the smile he had kept to his veryst breath, at the same moment she bawled her eyes out for him.

 Chapter 146: Potential New Clan Members

    Chapter 146: Potential New n Members


    Tsutomu managed to narrow down the list of candidates to eight �two higher than he had hoped, but in the end, he made ns to meet up with all of them. And so he went to meet one person per day, talking with them over meals in restaurants where they could hold casual conversations without difficulty.


    As it turned out, however, most of them tried to be perfectly inoffensive while interacting with him. After all, they knew that they were practically in a job interview. Conversations with four of the Tank-role Explorers ended with him deciding not to recruit any of them.


    […Maybe I should have just let that guy in.]


    On his first day of these interviews, Tsutomu had been disappointed by the extremely self-confident Pdin, but thinking about it now, perhaps he would have been a good choice. He seemed to have some quirks in regards to how he wielded his abilities, but that could apply to anybody, in-game and in reality.


    Besides, the way all the other Tank candidates talked seemed to show that they felt inferior to the n’s famous members. Indeed, all of Absolute Helix’s members were quite well-known in town by now, including future members Garm and Amy �and as such, the candidates seemed like they would be perfectly satisfied withnding a spot in the secondary team.


    Tsutomu’s first party, well-known in the dungeoneering scene for spreading awareness for the three-role teamposition, had allowed Garm to show off a great deal of potential during their Fire Dragon battle, which in turn rapidly poprized the concept of Tanking. Since then, Healers had stopped being treated as disposable, and Knight-type Jobs had found their usefulness as Tanks, resulting in the now-popr tactics for efficient battles.


    The Tanks, previously unable to work as anything more than luggage carriers, had capitalized on the changing trends, making their way into more and more parties. There were still some who felt inferior to Attackers, however, as apparent in the behaviors of some of the Tanks Tsutomu had talked to.


    The over-the-top Pdin, on the other hand, had shown no signs of being that way. ording to his provided background, he had grown tired of being a luggage carrier, so he joined up with a n made up of simrly disgruntled Tanks and made ends meet by writing third-party articles for newspapers. As of now, Tsutomu thought he would actually make a fine addition to the n.


    As for the Channeler, she was a member of the decently well-regarded n of White Strike Wings. As seen on the Monitors beforehand, she seemed to be the most skillful among her peers, and after getting to talk to her, she turned out to be well-behaved and not at all problematic. As such, the decision to ept her was made right on the spot.


    Then came the day of thest candidate. The meeting was set to be at a coffee shop particrly popr among the townspeople. Tsutomu left the n House at an appropriate time, but the other person was already waiting for him by the time he arrived.


    The Spiritualist had been a member of Amira’s old n. She had long, glossy green hair �it went below her shoulders, but not as long as Amira’s in her current getup. The length perhaps would be around the same as Amira’s if she had not adjusted it by tying it back at the top.


    “Hello, I’m Tsutomu. Nice to meet you.�


    “Likewise. My name is Leleia.�


    From the green scales on her neck and the back of her hands, she was undoubtedly a Dragonewt. Although Tsutomu had already gotten a general idea of her appearance beforehand from the documents, he could not help but be surprised by the simrities between her and Amira in certain aspects.


    Leleia bowed, then the two went into the coffee shop and chose a table where they could sit facing each other. First impressions suggested that she was polite and quite normal, personality-wise. She had the face of the serious, no-nonsense type, and was somewhat stiff in how she expressed herself. ording to her profile, she was seventeen years old, one year older than Amira.


    [Now that I think about it, I’m still the second oldest guy in our n, huh…]


    Diniel was naturally the oldest, while Daryl and Amira were sixteen, and Hannah was seventeen. Garm and Amy were also younger than Tsutomu, despite how they looked.


    Tsutomu ordered some drinks, took out a stack of documents from his Magic Bag, and proceeded to read through them again. Then, after asking Leleia about heryer progression and how Spiritualists worked in general, he got down to business.


    “I see you’re with Ealdred Crow’s secondary party, Leleia. Surely you have a great deal of potential to work with, especially considering your numerical level �and I think you have a good shot at being promoted to the main party. So why did you apply to join Absolute Helix, if I may ask?�


    “My main reason was the n’s victory on the seventiethyer. After witnessing that achievement on the Pedestal, I was convinced that Absolute Helix would be the best n eventually,�Leleia said, her expression overly subdued like a knight; she did not seem to be lying.


    “You think so?�


    In the Guild’s general character evaluation, Leleia had been described as extremely serious �and due to what had been shown on the Monitors, she was indeed known for her professional, no-nonsense mannerisms.


    “And you used to be a member of Amira’s n, yes?�


    Upon being asked so, Leleia’s thin eyebrows subtly twitched, but her reply was not at all dyed.


    “I was. Why?�


    A hint of disgust had shed in Leleia’s eyes upon hearing Amira’s name. Having noticed that, Tsutomu was unsure how he should proceed. In terms of pure abilities, she was a candidate he would like to immediately ept, but things could go south fast if conflicts were to arise between her and Amira.


    “I’d like to hear your perspective on your time there, if you don’t mind.�


    “…She was strong, but severelycking in leadership. That is all I have to say. You are aware that that n is now defunct, yes?�


    “Well, yes.�


    “I do not like her by any stretch, but being in the same n as her is a non-issue for me. I will be sure not to cause any trouble, even if we must operate in the same party sometimes down the line.�


    “All right. Now, how about your time with Ealdred Crow–�


    Tsutomu proceeded to talk with Leleia more, mixing in a good chunk of idle chatter between the relevant topics; the meetingsted three more hours before they went their separate ways.


    ――▽▽―�


    Tsutomu spent the rest of the so-called off-activities days taking measurements to prepare for the new equipment, giving interviews, and making ns with Ollies to hire more managers. In the meantime, Amira and Daryl went to train with Camille and Garm, respectively.


    Garm was training Daryl with the intention of whipping him back into shape after that disgraceful disy onyer seventy, but was half-disappointed, half-relieved to see that Daryl was performing surprisingly well. In fact, the boy seemed to have already gotten back on his feet and into a better mental state than before.


    After they were done with running, skill control, and other basics, they were about to go down the Dungeon when they heard two familiar voicesing toward them.


    “C’mon, I’ve made time to train with you, so at least let me have a bit of fun.�


    “But I don’t wanna…�


    They were Camille, with a troubled look on her face, and Amira, tantly against whatever her mother was asking her to do. These two looked so alike when standing side by side, so it was easy to tell that they were of the same family. Before long, Camille noticed Garm and Daryl; she proceeded to chat with them, and her eyes sparkled upon learning that they had ns to explore the Dungeon.


    “Hey, nice timing. We’re about to do some exploring as well. How about we go together?�


    “Yes, of course. We’d have one free slot �we ought to bring in a Healer, if possible.�


    “Right. I’ll find us one.�


    With that, Camille went to see if there were any unupied staff members; after a while, she came back with a receptionistdy whose Job was White Mage, who had jumped at the invitation the moment she heard that she would be working with Daryl. The five of them proceeded to register their party and agreed on exploring the Volcanoyers.


    “Nice to meet you,�Camille said to Daryl in particr.


    “Y-yes, ma’am! Nice to meet you, too!!�The boy replied while shrinking back in fear, what with him getting to interact so informally with the Guild Master.


    Seeing that, Amira grumbled out of frustration, “Tch, talk about overreacting…�


    The beautiful receptionistdy let out a dry chuckle before proceeding to speak up,


    “This is my first time teaming up with you two, so first of all, let’s have a little meeting.�


    The Healer receptionist proceeded to discuss strategy with Daryl and Amira, deciding on what to generally do in the case someone died and what kind of support spells she would cast. After that, the team agreed on going toyer sixty-three to gain some experience points and gather materials.


    This was Camille’s first run in a five-person party in a good while, and it involved two teacher-student pairs; Amira and Daryl were feeling quite motivated. Camille herself was eager to go, too, as it had been long since shest explored the Dungeon with her daughter. Garm, on the other hand, seemed indifferent as usual. The receptionist smiled, happy to see the Guild Master show some excitement. After a little more small talk in line, the team then used a Magic Circle to teleport to the sixty-thirdyer.


    And so they spent some time in the dungeon, killing monsters and collecting materials by digging for ore. Camille had the ability to use her <<Dragon Form>> while retaining control of her consciousness, so she was practically a perfect version of Amira. Garm was a Knight, so unlike Daryl, he could move around with rtive ease, and he was tactically flexible thanks to having experience working as an Attacker.


    Camille and Garm’s moves were helpful to their respective students as a reference, so it could be considered a fortunate coincidence that this party had been formed. Still, both Daryl and Amira seemed to show some subtle dissatisfaction during the fights.


    Support skill effects asionally ran out, no one ever got any <<Medic>> casts, and sometimes the Healer’s skills identally hit the monsters instead. The receptionistdy’s performance was less than ideal, especially in Daryl’s opinion. After one of the battles, Daryl wondered whether or not he should say something about it, but then Amira went ahead and said what was on her mind,


    “No offense, but Tsutomu is totally way better at this.�


    “…I know �but that’s not exactly a fairparison. Do you have anything more specific you’d like to point out, anyway?�The receptionist asked Amira, having no idea what else to say to the girl’s remark.


    Amira stuck her greatsword into the ground, leaned her arm on its handle, and proceeded to try and exin,


    “Well, like, there’s that blue thing you shoot �I’ll feel like a sack of bricks if I go too long without it. Messes with my senses.�


    “Ah, <<Haste>>. All right �I’ll try not to let it run out. But Amira, you should adjust how you act a little, too. Honestly, you’re�difficult to follow when you move around however you please like that.�


    “Oh? You think so?�


    Seeing Amira’s furrowed brows, the receptionist frowned a little.


    “I’ve gotten to team up with the Guild Master and Garm pretty often, so they’re easy to work with, but this is my first time with you, so things are bound to not be perfect, really. I’ll try to fix my ws, but it won’t work out if you don’t as well.�


    “…Well, that’s fair, I guess? Sorry. Also, if I use my <<Dragon Form>>–�


    “Absolutely not. I know I definitely can’tnd my skills on you while you’re transformed �especially in battle.�


    Tsutomu’s trick to disengaging Amira’s <<Dragon Form>> involved cing <<Medic>> pick-ups in the predicted paths of her movement, which was extremely difficult to replicate. Perhaps the receptionist could also manage that if she concentrated, but it was impossible to pull off during battle since she had many other things to manage. Since Amira could not yet disengage her <<Dragon Form>> by herself, it was naturally difficult for it to be useful without Tsutomu’s help.


    After getting to talk with Amira and reaching a mutual agreement to work together better, the receptionist excitedly turned to Daryl. She had always been curious about the boy behind Garm, and had even be a fan of his after he joined Absolute Helix and made a good show of his abilities. Needless to say, she was happy to have gotten to party up with Daryl today.


    “Do you have anything you’d like to point out, Daryl?�She asked, her voice quite non-subtly flirtatious.


    “Um, quite a lot, actually�Where do I even start?�Daryl said straight out, causing the receptionist to freeze over.


    “……�


    For a while, Daryl looked at her with a straight face, wondering what was wrong �And then he was utterly horrified upon realizing exactly what he had just said.


    “Ah!! Sorry! I’m so sorry!! I shouldn’t have said that!�


    “That much, huh�Hahaha…�The receptionist mumbled as if she was being possessed by a ghost as Daryl tried all he could to apologize to her. Then she gradually regained her sanity each time she heard Daryl’s voice.


    “This is the first time working together, so it’s bound to happen!�


    “Y-you think��


    “Yes! We got to get some extra practice in anyway, so it’s all good!�


    “So we need more practice because I’m not up to snuff…�


    “No no no! That’s not it! It’s that thing you said earlier �you know, I think I have a tendency to move around however I please, too! I’ll try to adjust myself, is what I meant!�


    “Boy, you need to work on your choice of words…�Garm heaved a sigh, frustrated by Daryl’s shoddy attempt at salvaging the conversation.


    After a while, the receptionist somehow managed to recover her mental state, and the exploration continued.


    “…And so, if you have the time to spare, please see if you can cast <<Medic>> for us.�


    “All right.�


    The receptionist had retired as a full-time Explorer, but before then, she had been in a n that managed to defeat the Shell Crab �not to mention that she was at level 70 due to her current line of work. The more she got to fight, the more she was ustomed to supporting and healing the party.


    However, she still was having a hard time juggling everything �including but not limited to estimating the remaining time of each support effect, managing aggro, and handing out instructions. This time, the two Tanks were so good that they never got hurt too much, but if one of them were to copse, the Healer would not be able to keep up with the situation.


    �<Defensive>>.�


    Up until recently, Daryl had been fighting the same way as Garm, but now he was using more of his Heavy Knight skills. Amira had also started to use her skills more actively, too, after seeing how Golden Tune’s Greatsword Fighter in action.


    And both of them were trying their best to cooperate with the receptionist. Daryl had been getting better and better as he not only followed other people’s instructions, but also nned things for himself. Amira had not gotten to work properly with those outside her usual groups before, so her performance was fairly awkward, though she was trying her best.


    Before Amira’s big change, she never would have tried to cooperate with her allies, but now she was doing all she could to amodate the receptionist whom she had never worked with before. Seeing this, Camille was almost moved to tears, considering how her daughter had never really done this with the usual Absolute Helix either due to Tsutomu adjusting himself to her instead of the other way around.


    “Looks like we didn’t need to worry about them so much, eh?�


    “Yes, I suppose…�


    Garm nodded. Daryl had learned everything Garm had to teach him, and was now working on his own strategies through trial and error. For a moment, Garm felt lonely �as if he was a bird whose child had left the nest �but then he turned around and tapped the ground with his tail.

 Chapter 147: Friends Are For Benefits

    Chapter 147: Friends Are For Benefits


    Tsutomu made preparations to start exploringyer seventy-one and wee the new n members, while the other current members except Diniel spent the two weeks training. Eventually, Hannah came back from her home vige.


    “I have returned!�


    “Wee back.�


    It was cold outside, but Hannah was as energetic as ever. As soon as she showed up, Tsutomu handed her and everyone else a set of documents detailing the n’s future additions.


    “These are the people we might be weing as new n members soon.�


    After everyone got their papers, Tsutomu watched out for what Amira would say, but she did not seem to have any reaction when she saw Leleia’s name.


    “…Amira, don’t you recognize anyone on the list?�


    “Yeah? You talkin�about Leleia?�


    “Mm-hm.�


    “I have no idea why she’d leave there ande over here, but that’s cool if it works for you, I guess.�


    As it turned out, Amira was not particrly concerned about Leleia. The three new Explorers were not considered permanent members yet, but Tsutomu was relieved to see that, for now, the others were weing of them.


    “Okay, so�these three will be joining us next week. They’ll go through the same probation period as all of you have before, so be sure to tell me if there’s any trouble. That’s all for today. We’ll be exploringyer seventy-one tomorrow, so be ready.�


    After the four were dismissed, Hannah, exhausted from all the training back at her vige, went straight to Ollie and begged for a massage. Diniel immediately went back to her room, while Daryl and Amira turned to look at each other before approaching Tsutomu.


    “Sir Tsutomu, if you’re free, how about exploring the Dungeon with us?�


    “Oh, sure. I haven’t gone at all these past few days �might as well get back into it now.�


    Despite saying that, Tsutomu had actually been getting some training in. He decided to follow the two others, with the n being to get a look atyer seventy-one �but before that, he gave them their newlypleted equipment.


    “Well, here you go. Your new gear.�


    “…Huh.�


    It would be extremely difficult to explore the Snow Fieldyers without proper protection against the cold. And since the n, unlike Silver Beast, had no high-leveled Adventurers with skills to nullify terrain effects, they had to get the necessary effects from their equipment instead.


    Amira looked at what she got with great interest �a set of red leather armor with a retractable ck te. The function had been implemented with her <<Dragon Form>> in mind, since her wings sprouting out of her back would ruin the armor otherwise. The underside of the armor was made of tanned, highly cold-resistant monster hide, and was padded with wooly down for improvedfortability, making it superior to her previous set in virtually every way.


    Daryl’s heavy armor was switched to one that specialized in protection against the cold, equipped with a function to generate additional heat using Inferno Magic Stones �and also functions to use the heat to attack, which would prove effective against the monsters of the Snow Field. It was heavier than the previous one, but that was no problem for Heavy Knights like Daryl, who all had the passive skill that reduced equipment weight.


    The new set of padding clothes underneath the armor had also been made with cold protection in mind, and his boots were switched for a pair that made it easier to walk through snow. Other cold-weather gear, including gloves, knit caps, and hand warmer packets had also been prepared. With all of these items, the team should be able to avoid freezing to death like Ealdred Crow’s early attempts.


    “Do I really have to wear these gloves? They kinda get in the way.�


    “Better to get used to them now. You’ll eventually have no choice but to keep them on.�


    “Hmm…�


    No public information pastyer seventy-five was currently avable due to Ealdred Crow and Silver Beast having yet to progress to that point �which was in turn due to their issues with Ice Magic Stone marketing deals. Tsutomu remembered from his game days that thetter half of the Snow Fieldyers had the snow storm weather effect, and that theyer boss could also cause snow storms in the arena, so he knew that it was better to prepare countermeasures beforehand.


    After persuading Amira to wear her gloves and scarf despite her dislike for them, Tsutomu prepared a set for himself and headed to the Guild. Then, after registering at the reception desk, the group got onto a Magic Circle and teleported down toyer seventy-one.


    The view of the snow-coveredndscape impressed Tsutomu so much that he spent a moment to simply look at it, before he proceeded to prepare the team’s Potions�during which a thought crossed his mind,


    [Wait, are the Potions going to freeze?]


    So far, no information suggesting such an urrence had been publicized by the two leading ns, but it was apparent that the deeper theyer, the colder the temperature. Considering that, it was quite possible that it would eventually be cold enough to freeze the Potions�liquid contents.


    If they were to freeze onyer eighty or earlier, then he would have to take some sort of countermeasure. As he had heard in passing, the Potions would lose their potency when frozen, and even if not that, the contents would be difficult to remove from their containers. As such, he must ensure that they maintained their liquid state.


    [Well, I’ll know when Ealdred Crow gets toyer eighty, I guess.]


    If Potions actually started freezing, there was sure to be an uproar, so for now there was no real need to worry about it. Be too obvious with his preparations, and he could stand out in a bad way as he had almost been during the Stampede, so ying it safe now would be the better choice.


    Once the Potions were ready, Tsutomu handed them to Daryl and Amira, then they proceeded to walk through the snow with their newly-made boots. Eventually, they came across a pack of Snow Wolves, trademark monsters of the Snow Fieldyers.


    [Heh, these little shits aren’t so scary when I’m not soloing them.]


    Tsutomu thought back to the time he had cleared the Dungeon’s hundredyers by himself while simultaneously controlling five PCs; he had particrly struggled against the Snow Wolves due to them spawning indefinitely during fixed periods of time. This time around, all he had to do were hold his position, cast support spells, and asionally attack with <<Air des>>.


    Daryl and Amira were not used to running on snow yet, so their performance was rtively poor, but not bad enough for the Snow Wolves to be a problem.


    Daryl would asionally be thrown off-guard when up againstrger groups, but since his VIT rating was an A, he was able to withstand their attacks with ease. He still needed to watch out for critical hits to his head and such, of course, but being fully aware of that, he exercised extra caution and was in no danger of taking hits in the wrong spots.


    Amidst all the chaos, Tsutomu and Amira’s attacks caused the Snow Wolves�formation to falter, giving Daryl enough time to get up and pull aggro back toward him.


    After defeating the pack of Snow Wolves without much difficulty, the team went on to fight more monsters, this time encountering the types that appeared on allyers such as Slimes and Orcs. Following the first few fights, one of the monsters dropped a small Ice Magic Stone, which Tsutomu proceeded to pick up.


    Ice Magic Stones had brought not only great riches to Ealdred Crow’s treasury, but also a heap load of problems to their front door. Many individuals and organizations had disputes over deals to trade for Ice Magic Stones with the n; it took a lot of hard work just to simply keep track of their negotiations.


    Bribes, extortions, and misleading statements were naturally rampant; even Ealdred Crow, a major n known for managing arge number of personnel, was having trouble staying on top of things. It would not be a surprise if any other n were to copse under the same pressure.


    However, thanks to Rook and industry-veteran office staff, their n had managed to ride out the storm andnd themselves some eptable trading agreements. Rook and his subordinates looked dead inside by the end of it though; their nk, emotionless eyes suggested they had gone through a great deal of hardship.


    At around the same time, Silver Beast, the second group to reach the Snow Field, had also had to deal with negotiations from various organizations. Having read about Ealdred Crow’splicated troubles in the newspapers, however, they had been able to gather the necessary information rtively easily; in the end, they got the marketing part out of the way without much struggle.


    Absolute Helix had also been faced with some interference shortly after clearingyer seventy, but the demand was not too great to handle by then, due to the two other ns already supplying the market with a considerable amount of Ice Magic Stones. Besides, it also helped that no organization would dare to put too much pressure on Tsutomu, as he had been publicly awarded by House Babenberg, the ruler of the Dungeon City.


    Afterward, the team proceeded to explore more of the Snow Field and collect more Ice Magic Stones. After getting a good amount of them, Tsutomu decided to take a break; the snow on the ground was not deep enough topletely constrain their feets, but the need to exercise extra caution caused everyone to be tired faster than usual.


    First, Tsutomu spread a mat on the ground, set up a tripod stove magic tool, and hung up a pot to heat up some corn soup. Seeing that Daryl was looking into the pot quite excitedly, he let the boy keep an eye on it, while he proceeded to prepare everyone’s mug cups �color-coded for each member.


    “Tsutomu, you’re so damn good, you know that?�Amira said as she ced her greatsword down on the snow.


    “Huh? What’s that all of a sudden?�Tsutomu blinked twice, doubting what he had just heard.


    Seemingly not pleased with the reaction she got, Amira turned grumpy and snatched her red mug cup from his hand.


    “What I mean is, it’s so damn good to be in a team with you.�


    “Oh. Thanks, I guess.�


    “At least try to sound happy, damn it!�


    “Sir Tsutomu! It’s ready!�Daryl interrupted Amira and Tsutomu’s chatter, telling them that the corn soup was ready. “May I go ahead and drink it?�


    As Amira started making snowballs and throwing them at Tsutomu, he cast a <<Medic>> shot at her head as a joke, then proceeded to take adle and scoop the corn soup into his and Daryl’s mugs.


    “What’s her problem? Ugh…�Tsutomu grumbled while brushing the snow off his robe.


    “Ah, we partied up with the Guild Master and the staff some days ago,�Daryl exined while refilling his mug with corn soup, having finished the first serving in no time at all. “That’s probably what she was talking about.�


    Getting Daryl’s exnation, Tsutomu pondered it over for a few moments, after which he seemed to understand what he had been told earlier.


    “…Oh, so you got to work with another White Mage, then? –By the way, what did you think about that, Daryl?�


    “Well, things were so different from the usual, so I had a lot of things to say…�


    “Yeah, that’s what I’d expect,�Tsutomu said and proceeded to blow into his corn soup to cool it, then started sipping from his mug. “The Guild’s Healers operate differently from me, so you’re bound to have some gripes teaming up with them for the first time.�


    Even Stephanie, the mostpetent of Tsutomu’s direct students, was far from perfecting her strategic routines, so it was natural for one to feel that other Healers were not quite as good as Tsutomu yet.


    “And, well, it’s definitely important to be on the same page with your Tanks, you know. I appreciate your input, Daryl�


    “Y-yes! Likewise!�


    “……�


    Daryl started bowing formally as the conversation went on, and Amira, watching it y out, stayed silent and sipped from her mug of corn soup. Tsutomu, seeing her sulking in a corner of his eye, pointed hisdle at her.


    “No bad vibes allowed, girl.�


    “You try’na make me kill you or what?�


    “Ooh, sho scawwy. C’mon, what’s there to worry about? You do know that you’re getting stronger just fine, right?�


    “It’s just�after working with another Healer, I realized how good I’ve been having working with you.�


    After the round with Camille and the others, Amira had continued to explore the Dungeon with the Guild staff several times, but none of their Healers were able to keep up with her <<Dragon Form>>. She eventually learned from that experience that she had been able to fight without thinking about strategies only thanks to Tsutomu.


    “I gotta learn how to work with other people better. If I don’t, I can see myself dropping down to the second team.�


    “…Heh, at least you know what’s wrong with you �that’s more than good enough.�


    Seeing Amira grit her teeth, Tsutomu lowered hisdle.


    In adding more members to the n, Tsutomu’s main goals were to increase their chances in the deeperyers and broaden the scope of their strategies. He also considered this an attempt at motivating the current n members �especially Amira, Daryl, and Hannah.


    If everyone could stay in the main party without doing anything to maintain their ce, they were sure to stop trying new things and eventually stagnate. The same could be applied to Tsutomu �For now, he was cutting no corners in his attempt to return home, but if that turned out to be impossible, perhaps he would end up taking it easy and simply collect just enough Magic Stones to pay for his expenses. He likely would not do anything that could get him killed, like challengingyer bosses, either.


    “Besides, at least you’re thinking about it way earlier than I expected �like, before you’re demoted, at any rate.�


    “…I’ll improve all I can if it means I’ll still have your support. So? Anything you think I should work on?�


    Seeing that Amira was serious, Tsutomu stopped joking around. He proceeded to wipe hisdle with some snow to clean it, then put it away in his Magic Bag.


    “Well, your <<Dragon Form>> gives you a big advantage over everyone else, so see if you can get it to work reliably first.�


    “…That’s it?�


    “Yeah. That’s it.�


    “But it’s just the same stuff as before! Aren’t you gonna�you know, ask me to listen to your strategies more and stuff?�


    “Would you be able to do that immediately if I told you to? I don’t think it’s something you can do just because you feel like it, at least.�


    “……�


    Amira had been acting however she pleased this whole time, barely adjusting her moves to match up with the others. Such was the most apparent during the times she worked with the Guild’s staff members.


    “So, again, start with gainingplete control over your <<Dragon Form>>. First by being able to disengage it by yourself, and then by being able to maintain your consciousness. Once you’re able to do that, you’ll be able to move on to learning to act in sync with your supporting members.�


    “…Wouldn’t that mean I’d still be relying on you?�


    “And what’s wrong with that? What do you think I’m here for?�Tsutomu grew more and more frustrated with Amira’s repeated denials. “Don’t try to do everything by yourself. I mean, we’re a team for a reason�Well, speaking in a way you should understand �Just consider that people have friends so that they’d benefit from one another. Go ahead, see how you can benefit from me, how I can help you get stronger.�


    “…Damn, you sound like you actually mean it.�


    “C’mon, I’m not THAT cynical, you know,�Tsutomu said, averting his sight as if to distract himself from the awkwardness, and then he shrugged his shoulders. “Besides, just saying to ‘believe in your friends�wouldn’t have been enough for you, would it?�


    “Oh, no doubt.�Amira chuckled. “…Heh. Don’t you worry �I’m sure as hell gonna get every bit of benefit I can out of you.�


    “Sure thing. And just think about it �Daryl does the defending, and you do the attacking for me. The benefits go both ways.�


    “…Man, you’re so annoying.�


    Amira got quite a bit irritated by how much Tsutomu could do, including the asional attacking and evasion-based Tanking he did �though that frustration went unnoticed by the young man.

 Chapter 148: The Snow Field Experience

    Chapter 148: The Snow Field Experience


    The three proceeded to explore more ofyer seventy-one with some breaks in between battles, and returned to the surface once it was noon. Amira, following Tsutomu’s suggestion of mastering her <<Dragon Form>>, had started using her transformation more duringbat. At the current moment, she was able to only barely maintain her consciousness, so the next issue was figuring out how to gain further control from here.


    Daryl had also started to pay more attention to Tsutomu’s position, having learned the importance of doing so from his experience working with the Guild staff members. The boy was smart and more thanpetent enough, so the extra division of his attention did not negatively affect his usual strategies.


    “…Yeah, and that’s why I’d appreciate you taking note of my positioning. It’d be a great help if I could be kept out of the line of fire.�


    “Understood.�


    This was in fact not that big of a deal for Tsutomu specifically, as he would always be mindful of his own positioning regardless, but a Healer’s position being aligned badly with a Tank’s meant that stray long-ranged attacks meant for a Tank could end up hitting them by ident. For today, Tsutomu had Daryl take care of the positioning, while also using <<Fly>> as a failsafe �because he still did not want to actually get hit.


    After lunch, Hannah joined the team as they headed back down toyer seventy-one. Her usual clothes were a no-go for the Snow Fieldyers, so she wore a new set of made-to-order gear instead.


    Since Hannah was a Birdkin with wings on her back, her gear, and Amira’s as well, needed a custom function to amodate. Fortunately, Dorren’s wife ran a workshop specializing in fabric and leather, so the n was able to request what they needed �both for Hannah and Amira.


    However, Hannah’s old equipment had enchantments that boosted her STR and AGI; changing out of them had caused herbat senses to be a fair bit differently, and normally, she would need some time to adjust.


    After her first foray into the Snow Fields, she had learned that she could not rely on her usual loadout, and as such had spent the past two weeks training in her vige without wearing any special equipment. Thanks to that, she was already used to having her AGI be one rank lower than usual.


    “Ugh, I knew it �it’s a bit harder to move around.�


    “Give it a week and tell me how it feels then. The workshop will tweak it for you if you don’t like it.�


    “Got it…�Hannah nodded reluctantly.


    Her soft fabric coat had been designed to not hurt her wings as a result of ruffling her feathers, but since she had never worn something like this before, she was finding it difficult to move around in, as she felt the need to watch out for her wings all the time.


    “Oh, by the way, Hannah. Do you think you can fight just fine without using <<Fly>>?�


    “Huh? I probably can. Why?�


    “Can you try doing that for a bit?�


    “Eh, I guess…�


    The body structures of Birdkins with wings on their backs, like Hannah, made them top-heavy, which in turn meant difficulties in efficiently drawing out power and the inability to fly with their wings alone. The most their wings could do was glide, so before God’s Dungeon appeared and the <<Fly>> spell along with it, they had been relegated to misceneous use instead.


    One of those misceneous uses involved pping them on rhythm to assist with running eleration and deceleration. Hannah had also used that technique into her early teen years, and could still perform it to an eptable degree. Airborne battles were her proud field of expertise, however, so she seemed disgruntled at being told not to do it, even if temporarily.


    “I’ve heard that the snowfall is quite heavy onyer seventy-five, you see. So just in case, I’d like you to try fighting whilepletely grounded, too.�


    “Ah, I see. I’d be perfectly fine if it was rain, but snow, huh�I don’t know if I can handle that.�


    “Oh, you’re alright with rain?�


    Tsutomu raised his eyebrows in surprise, having believed that if it rained, Hannah’s wings would be too soaked to be usable.


    Hannah slowly unfolded the blue wings on her back as if to show them off.


    “Yes �these wings can p away the water just fine!�


    “Huh, that’s cool. What about strong winds, by the way?�


    “I CAN fly against them, but I won’t have fun doing it.�


    “Fair enough.�


    Tsutomu concluded that Hannah still would not be able to fly against a snow storm, and decided to have Hannah try groundedbat for the time being. This was in fact not much of an issue for her, since she had had to fight without flight beforeing to Dungeon City anyway.


    Tsutomu himself also minimized flying, providing support while on the ground instead. Using <<Fly>> would make his job easier, but he could not rely on it all the time. Although he felt the increase in difficulty, he still was able to maintain all effects perfectly.


    The team continued their exploration, dealing with more and more threats from the environment and monsters of the Snow Fields as they went. Then, early in the evening, they returned to the n House.


    “Wee back, everyone.�


    “W-wee back.�


    Ollie, as well as her apprentice, greeted the four as they walked in with their heavy winter clothing. The apprentice was also a recent addition to the n House; Ollie could not possibly run everything by herself going forward, considering the three iing new members and beyond, so the young woman beside her had been hired to help.


    Tsutomu had not been fully on board with hiring this twenty-something young woman, considering her short career so far and how quickly she had been moving from one ce of employment to the next. However, she was a rtive of Ollie’s, and had asked thedy specifically for an opportunity to work here, so Tsutomu ended up hiring her for a trial period �without any intention to fire her unless shemitted a crime, of course.


    After taking a bath and changing into loungewear, Tsutomu went to the living room to find a sleepy-eyed Dinielzing around on the sofa.


    “I’m hungry.�


    Hannah, also just out of the bath, tapped on Diniel’s ponytail with her fingers but got no response.


    Ollie and her apprentice prepared dinner and set the table. Echoing through the kitchen were Ollie’s voice as she quietly instructed her apprentice, and the sounds of a knife against a cutting board as the young woman chopped vegetables.


    Tsutomu read some Dungeon newspapers, asionally ncing at Diniel and Hannah�because Diniel was starting to be annoyed by Hannah’s teasing, as apparent from how she was swatting thetter’s hands away.


    Solit Company’s newspapers contained mostly ck-and-white photographs and articles written by their in-house journalists �with the photographs being their de facto main feature. The camera they used was extremely rare and valuable, obtainable only from the Dungeon’s silver treasure chests �and it was good enough to precisely photograph images on the God Pedestal screens.


    In the past, whenever a Photographing Machine was retrieved from the Dungeon, House Babenberg would immediately buy it and send it over to the Royal Capital. Solit Company, despite their past influence over the media, never could go against the nobility, and thus had been unable to obtain a Photographing Machine for themselves.


    Dungeon-obtained Photographing Machines were so rare that only a single one of them at most turned up over one-year periods. By the time five of them had been sent to the Royal Capital, House Babenberg was finally permitted to keep one �and at that time, Solit Company swooped in and spared no effort in obtaining it for themselves.


    A camera that could take colored photos did exist in this world, retrieved from a gold treasure chest �in fact the only gold treasure chest ever seen in the Dungeon so far. It had been delivered to the Royal Capital, and strict control had been put over its use.


    Tsutomu had lied that his ck Staff hade out of a gold treasure chest, and House Babenberg had intended to purchase it at first, but that ultimately did not happen �as even purchases of nonbat items like the cameras would incur some degree of dissatisfaction from Explorers. It was not as if House Babenberg needed to have the ck Staff, either, since the Royal Capital was not currently at war.


    A total of six Photographing Machines were known to exist in this world, with one of them being in Solit Company’s possession. As a news publisher, it gave them a huge advantage, and was one of the reasons why their newspapers were still selling well.


    While the two other prominent publishers were getting bigger and making more money than before, they did not have Photographing Machines for themselves. Instead of photographs, they had to distinguish themselves by creating eye-catching illustrations and featuring articles written by the Dungeon Maniacs.


    For Tsutomu personally, those two publishers and their Dungeon Maniacs�contributions were more helpful. With how many Dungeon Maniacs there were, and all the different viewpoints they could offer, reading their contributions was often more interesting and informative.


    Most of them were simply hobbyists and contributing articles in the same way a radio station’s audience sent letters to their favorite programs, but some among them made it their main upation.


    Those who wrote insightful and urate, or otherwise engaging articles, were sometimes approached by publishers and got hired to write for them as the need arose.


    Xeno, the Pdin who would be joining Absolute Helix in a week from now, also earned money by doing this on the side in addition to his n activities.


    Others in the scene had even gone beyond being Dungeon Maniacs, bing critics and livementators. Some of them were so popr that they were now making a living doing it.


    [Ah, it’s that guy’s piece…]


    Eventually, Tsutomu came across one of Xeno’s articles. His articles had also been seen here and there before now.


    Xeno’s writing style had a strong tone, and was stimting to read. His no-hesitation, I-say-what-I-want attitude was popr among a subset of readers, and had garnered him a decent following.


    His spective pieces often turned out to be wrong, however, and he was among those who initially denied the viability of Hannah’s evasion-based Tank style, though he did retract his opinion after the n’s victory onyer seventy. He had even issued a written apology following a period of expected bacsh from readers.


    Either way, though, Xeno was contributing to the public in one way or another, and the readers bore no ill will at the end of the day �whenever he was right, they were happy both for the result and for him, and whenever he was wrong, they got a little bit of good fun joking at his expense to vent their frustration. Perhaps he in fact understood his followers�psychology quite well, assuming that he had been writing with a purpose.


    [I don’t think he’s the kind of guy to push his own personal agenda, though.]


    Having met Xeno in person, the impression Tsutomu got was that he was, simply speaking, highly self-confident. He was not at all the kind of person toy himself out for the public to beat down. At any rate, during the first meeting, the first thing he had said was how Tsutomu had a good eye for finding people�and what followed was a three-hour speech about why the n would quickly rise to the top if he were to be added to their ranks.


    Despite the absurdity of that im, his reasoning turned out to sound quite convincing, so Tsutomu had ended up listening all the way through. That reaction seemed to have incorrectly convinced Xeno that he had already been epted, which resulted in the man straight-up asking about remuneration and future activities in great detail. Tsutomu refrained from giving a definitive answer, but had already decided to drop him off the list at that time.


    Following that meeting, Tsutomu expected to find some better people in the next few days�but then three of the other Tanks turned out to be painfullycking in ambition. In the end, he decided to let Xeno in, considering the man to be the preferable option over the others.


    While Tsutomu flipped through the newspapers, Daryl and Amira came out of the bath. Amira tied her long hair with an stic band so that it would not get in the way, took a peek into the kitchen, and then sat down on the sofa. Daryl also sat down in his usual spot �which happened to be next to Amira.


    Amira proceeded to reach for the newspaper on the table; she had been reading moretely, in order to get information about the Snow Fieldyers�but she would always knit her brows, perhaps due to her low affinity for processing pure-text media.


    Daryl wagged his tail from side to side, looking forward to dinner�like a dog that had been instructed to wait in front of a meal. And then, when Ollie started bringing the food to the table, he happily got up and went to his seat.


    [Gah, I almost forgot�Gotta buy a few more chairs, too.]


    Among the neers, Leleia and the Channeler wanted to move in, and their rooms were already ready. Xeno, on the other hand, was staying at his own ce, but had also stated that he would sometimes need to stay over. All that was well and good, but Tsutomu had forgotten to ount for the number of seats in the living room; he made a note of it to discuss with Ollieter.


    Daryl and Amira were already munching on some appetizers before the meal proper. Tsutomu also snacked on a bowl of sd while thinking to himself about what to do going forward.

 Chapter 149: An Elf’s Weakness

    Chapter 149: An Elf¡¯s Weakness


    ¡°Hey, that looks nice.¡±


    Although Diniel already had a winter coat over her green shirt to prepare for her foray into the Snow Fieldyers, she was looking enviously at the fluffy earmuffs that Hannah was wearing.


    Considering how long and pointing Elves¡¯ ears were, earmuffs would not help Diniel much. Regardless, she wanted something like what Hannah had on, since the tips of her ears were getting freezing cold right now.


    ¡°¡­You might want to ask the workshopter, see if they can make one that you can wear.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so cold, I¡¯m gonna die¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? Well, we do have some hand warmer packets ¡ª want to use them for now?¡±


    Diniel looked at Tsutomu with her usual sleepy eyes¡­


    ¡°¡­Achoo.¡±


    ¡­And then she sneezed. Feeling that Diniel definitely needed more thorough protection from the cold, Tsutomu handed her a few more packets for her to use as a stopgap measure.


    The inside of the packets of white cloth was a ttened Fire Magic Stone caked and some finely ground Colorless Magic Stone powder, with a thin wooden te separating them in between. The Fire Magic Stone had been adjusted such that, when the te was crushed and the Colorless Magic Stone power came into contact with it, it would gradually emit a moderate degree of heat.


    Only Magic Stone craftsmen approved by the nobility had permission to manufacture Magic Stones into different forms, such as a t board or fine powder. Dungeons had existed in this world for hundreds of years now, so it was only natural that human civilization had a long history with Magic Stones.


    Tools for manufacturing Magic Stones were quite expensive, however. This was because the nobility and certain circles of craftsmen had a monopoly on the relevant technology. As such, using those tools too liberally would eat into the n¡¯s budget, potentially bringing them down into the red.


    Although the packets helped Diniel warm her frozen fingers, her breath still was condensing in the air, she was still shivering pretty much everywhere else ¡ª and her skin was turning dangerously pale despite her already having quite a thick coat on. Tsutomu expressed his worry, but she insisted that she would be fine for a while, so the team resumed their exploration.


    However, in the battles immediately after, she moved slowly and missed several of her shots. Seeing that, Tsutomu decided to have the team pull back for now.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. We just have to find better ways to help you with the cold.¡±


    Since Elves generally lived in the mild climate of forests, Diniel was suffering most badly from the coldness of the Snow Fieldyers. For her safety ¡ª not to mention the safety of others from the increased risk of friendly fire, Tsutomu took off his jacket and let her wear it on top of what she already had, and instructed the team to head back to the ck Gate so that they could leave.


    ¡°Think you¡¯ll be okay, Diniel?¡± Hannah asked.


    ¡°I need some sleep right about now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that! You¡¯re gonna freeze to death!¡±


    And so Hannah pulled Diniel along the rest of the way with her warm hands. Bridkins and Cynokins, like Hannah and Daryl respectively, were not bothered much by the cold and can manage with light protection. Humans and Dragonewts, like Tsutomu and Amira, were pretty much the same, and were generally fine with just a coat, gloves, and boots.


    For an Elf like Diniel, however, general cold protection was not enough; without using warmer packets to keep her body heat up, she would have difficulties performing at her proper level. Tsutomu thought to himself how much of an oversight on his part this had been, and the team headed back to the starting ck Gate and teleported back to the Guild.


    After spending a while resting in the indoor-heated Guild, Diniel¡¯s pale skin gradually turned back to its natural color. Relieved, Tsutomu went on to search for additional cold protection goods, sending Diniel back to the n House and letting the three others continue exploring on their own.


    For the next six days, Diniel was not allowed to do any serious exploration, and instead got to try and get ustomed to the cold by testing out various winter gear. In the meantime, the four others explored the Snow Fieldyers without Diniel.


    ¡°Perfect.¡±


    Eventually, the solution she reached involved wrapping heat packets around her limbs, putting some under her stomach wrap, and wearing knitted woolen yarn covers over her long, pointy ears. With her full winter gear, she finally conquered the cold air ofyer seventy-one, and was able to ustom herself to the snowy ground and make the necessary adjustments to her regr fighting style.


    This measure required a lot of Gold and effort to maintain, however, as the packets had to be reced regrly due to their limited duration. In long battles such as the inevitableyer boss, she may even freeze to death if things got too hectic for her to replenish her supplies.


    [Okay, out of all things, I did NOT see thising.]


    Tsutomu got quite a headache from discovering an Elf¡¯s unexpected weakness. In terms of fighting, Diniel had been a force to be reckoned with, so it was disappointing that she could not be relied on as much for now ¡ª but Tsutomu knew not to me her for this, and neither did the other n members.


    ¡°Hah, you can just sit back and rx,¡± Amira said, fully intending to provoke Diniel. ¡°I¡¯mma do your whole job for you.¡±


    ¡°Cool. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°¡­Tch. At least try to sound a bit annoyed, dammit.¡±


    And so Diniel¡¯s straightforwardness ended up annoying Amira instead.


    As for Daryl, he was totally up for the temporarily increased responsibility, as he was eager for a chance to make up for his failure onyer seventy.


    ¡°Well, you can leave it to me!¡± Hannah said, also intending to provoke ¡ª as apparent from how full of herself she looked. ¡°Oh, but I wouldn¡¯t mind getting shot by you, y¡¯know?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky, bird girl.¡±


    In response, Diniel jumped over her and tickled her sides.


    ¡°Huh!? Wait¨C Ahahaha¨C! S-stop it¨C¡°


    ¡°No. Apologize first.¡±


    ¡°S-sorr¨C Ah, sto¨C¡°


    Tsutomu was relieved that the others were not particrly bothered by Diniel¡¯s weakness ¡ª and then he snickered upon seeing Hannah go out of breath from all the tickling.


    And then Hannah promptly twitched and rose up from the carpeted floor like a zombie.


    ¡°Hey, Teach¡­ Did youugh just now?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Totally didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying through your teeth!¡±


    Hannah pped her wings and jumped at Tsutomu, and proceeded to tickle Tsutomu¡¯s sides.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    Then the day came for the new members to join the n¡¯s ranks. Everyone waited for them at the n House, while Tsutomu went to pick up the three new arrivals at the Guild.


    Leleia the Spiritualist and Xeno the Pdin were already waiting at the Guild¡¯s entrance. Leleia was standing around with her usual, perpetual serious expression. Xenobed up his short, silky silver hair and cracked a smile that exuded an aura of confidence.


    ¡°There you are, Tsutomu! Oh, I mean ¡ª I also just got here myself!¡± Xeno greeted Tsutomu in an exaggerated manner, extending his hand out for a handshake. ¡°You and I, we are of the same breath, my man!¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Tsutomu forced a smile and reluctantly shook Xeno¡¯s hand. Leleia followed suit, offering a handshake, which Tsutomu also epted after a little chuckle.


    ¡°Now, we¡¯re only missing one¡­¡±


    ¡°H-hello¡­¡± A timid-sounding voice greeted Tsutomu from behind just as he was about to look around for thest new member.


    The woman, whose cream-colored hair was held together behind her with a hairpin, was named Korinna. She was a Channeler formerly belonging to White Strike Wings, a n known for having offense-oriented White Mages among their ranks.


    ¡°Hello there. Looks like everyone¡¯s here now, so let¡¯s get straight to business.¡±


    ¡°So you two are fellow additions to the n? Pleased to make your acquaintance!¡± Xeno said and proceeded to roar withughter.


    Leleia and Korinna nodded to him.


    ¡°Likewise.¡±


    ¡°N-nice to meet you, too.¡±


    Tsutomu proceeded to show them the way to the n House. Ollie came out to wee them, and after introducing themselves, they walked through the living room and up the stairs to the second floor.


    Since Leleia and Korinna wanted to live here, they were shown their rooms first, and then they went to meet with the other n members, who were already waiting in the living room. Daryl and Hannah were excited, while Amira and Diniel were the same as they had ever been.


    ¡°Looks like everyone¡¯s here. These three will be joining us today. First, Leleia. Please introduce yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Hello, everyone. I am Leleia. My level is 61. My Job is Spiritualist, and I will be joining as an Attacker. Pleased to make your acquaintance,¡± Leleia said and bowed.


    Daryl and Hannah promptly gave her a round of apuse, then Diniel and Amira followed suit. Leleia raised her head, then turned to Amira for a brief moment before standing upright.


    ¡°As I recall, Leleia, you are confident in your skill with the sword as well, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    Leleia nodded firmly. Her Job was the Spiritualist, which excelled at long-ranged attacks. Since she belonged to a knightly household, however, she had learned to wield swords from childhood and was quite impressive at it; she had even incorporated it into her fighting style. She was so good at meleebat, in fact, that perhaps she would be more fitting as a Spirit Swordfighter ¡ª but such a Job did not exist. It was quite rare for an Attacker to be able to fight both at close and long ranges.


    ¡°A versatile Attacker like you is sure to be helpful. Because of our predetermined ns, we won¡¯t be working together until we have all ten members, but we¡¯re happy to wee you.¡±


    ¡°Likewise.¡±


    Today¡¯s three new members were locked into the secondary team for the first six weeks, after which Garm and Amy would be joining Absolute Helix. During that time, their activities likely would not involve anything particrly demanding. This condition had been clearly written on paper and confirmed in advance, however, so there was no problem at all.


    ¡°Now then, you¡¯re up next, Xeno.¡±


    ¡°Very well. MY NAME! IS! XENO! A level-70 Pdin, entering your ranks with the role of Tank! And here I dere ¡ª one spot in the main party will be mine in the near future. Nice to meet you all!¡±


    Xeno¡¯s hammy introduction caused Korinna next to him to look as if she was dealing with a madman. Hannah and Daryl were taken aback, while Amira looked on as if she had found her prey. Diniel, on the other hand, was the same as ever.


    After finishing his introduction, Xeno looked curiously at Amira, noticing that she was staring at him with a predator¡¯s re.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Someone is directing her passionate gaze at me, I see¡­ Ah! Apologies, but I have long decided tomit myself to a single partner. Unfortunate as it is, I cannot reciprocate any sort of feelings you may have for me. I am truly, truly sorry.¡±


    As Xenobed his hair upwards, Amira stood from her seat with her sleeves rolled up.


    ¡°Tsutomu, can I kick this guy¡¯s ass?¡±


    ¡°No, you may not,¡± Tsutomu said, also looking annoyed while he kept Amira from starting a fight. He proceeded to ignore Xeno¡¯sical winking and move on to the next member. ¡°Last but not least, Korinna. Please introduce yourself.¡±


    ¡°Excuuuse me, Tsutomu! Do you not have anything to say about me!? At all!?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ahem. Korinna,¡± Tsutomu repeated, visibly fed up with Xeno¡¯s ear-grating persistence. ¡°Please introduce yourself.¡±


    For a moment, Korinna seemed terrified as a little critter, but then she promptly looked ahead upon seeing Tsutomu¡¯s face ¡ª a face that gave her no other option but to proceed.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, all right. I-I¡¯m Korinna. My level is 60 and my Job is Channeler, joining the n as a Healer. I will do my best not to drag you all down ¡ª Nice to meet you all.¡±


    Korinna bowed, albeit while looking quitecking in confidence. As a former Healer for the mid-tier n White Strike Wings, she was the one Tsutomu considered the most skillful Channeler among currently active Explorers. Moreover, despite her looks and general attitude, she was in fact older than Tsutomu.


    The Channeler Job was not so popr yet, but it enabled one to support their allies with a wide range of special effects, ones different from what White Mage could provide. Still, their revival skill was more difficult to use than White Mage¡¯s one, so not many ns were willing to use them as their Healer.


    Korinna¡¯s currentyer progress was forty-nine ¡ª in other words, she had yet to im a victory against the Shell Crab. Perhaps it was only natural, however, considering that White Strike Wings was quitecking when it came to raw firepower.


    ¡°As you may already know, Korinna here was a member of White Strike Wings.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, that n, huh,¡± Hannah blurted out, sounding impressed presumably because she knew about the n mentioned.


    They had once been known as just the weird n that used those with Healer-type Jobs in Attacker roles, but ever since the three-roleposition gained poprity, White Strike Wings members were quickly in high demand. This was proof that they were all capable of achieving excellent results when under favorable circumstances.


    ¡°Channelers workpletely differently from White Mages, so go ahead and expect some cool stuff from her.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not THAT good¡­¡±


    Korinna, perhaps not ustomed to receiving praise, blushed and promptly cast her eyes down. Herck of confidence seemed to stem partly from the fact that, among her former n¡¯s peers, she had rtively rarely gotten invitations from other ns.


    And so, with all three introductions out of the way, Leleia, Xeno, and Korinna were weed into Absolute Helix.

 Chapter 150: The Main and Secondary Parties

    Chapter 150: The Main and Secondary Parties


    After the day the three new members arrived, Diniel resumed exploring with the main team with her anti-cold gear in order, and they managed to reachyer seventy-three after about a week. In the meantime, the three new members moved the things they needed into the n House and made adjustments to their equipment.


    On Silver Beast’s side, Misil’s Adventurer Job had skills that nullified environmental effects, which enabled his n to progress down much faster than theirpetitors; now they were already atyer eighty.


    The Snow Field’syer boss was the Winter General, a three-meter tall humanoid d in ice armor. Its appearance was reminiscent of a Japanese samurai,plete with an over designed helmet and a katana as its sidearm.


    When the main Silver Beast team challenged theyer boss, Lorena and one of the Tanks were almost instantly decapitated by its first attack, a swift horizontal sh. Misil was able to put up a good fight, but since the team’s Healer had been killed right off the bat, things naturally got worse and worse until they were wiped out.


    The spectators were excited about the newly discoveredyer boss, talking at length among themselves about it. Amidst this, Melchor, the elderly master martial artist and leader of the nobility’s private military force, immediately posted a request for a party to take him all the way down toyer eighty. He was not particrly interested in the Dungeon itself, but rather the new, powerful humanoid monster �And he had had the same reaction, and also posted the same request, back when he saw the Rotten Swordsman on the Monitors for the first time.


    Getting wind of this from some mentions of it in the newspapers, Tsutomu gave it some careful thought as he looked at the request paper posted on the Guild’s bulletin board.


    [I wouldn’t mind carrying him, but…]


    Melchor’stestyer progress was forty-one, and his numerical level was low, so the process was bound to take a great deal of time and effort. The reward was quite handsome, naturally, but whether or not it would be worth the difficulty was another matter.


    Still, one of the n’s new members, the Channeler Korinna, had just about the same progress as Melchor, so Tsutomu figured that this could be a good chance to boost both of them together. Besides, he could use the reward money to fund some extra anti-cold gear, too.


    Ealdred Crow and Silver Beast were likely to be stuck atyer eighty for a while, so there currently was no need to rush their exploration. Tsutomu’s n was to catch up after Ealdred Crow reachedyer ny, so there was no problem as long as they did not fall too far behind.


    [Which members should I pick for this job, though? Sir Melchor is probably an Attacker, and Korinna needs the progress�Xeno hasn’t beaten the Fire Dragon yet, so he should be in, too. So, one more Attacker and Tank each, huh…]


    Leleia the Spiritualist had already defeated the Mount Golem during her time with Ealdred Crow, so she could immediately explore the Snow Fieldyers. Perhaps it would be nice to have her start exploring the Snow Fields with this job, too.


    [Hmm, what about Amira? I do want her to get more <<Dragon Form>> practice. Diniel’s not good with the Snow Fields yet, so maybe she should take it slow for now, and let the others train until they can work with her.]


    Last time, Diniel had been able to go beyondyer seventy-one thanks to extra anti-cold gear, but ording to the Monitor broadcasts from other ns, the deeperyers were even colder. As such, it probably was better for everyone to spend some time getting used to the Snow Fieldyers, and also to get better at fighting in general so that they could operate effectively with Diniel.


    Moreover, both Pdins and Channelers had some skills to help counteract environmental effects. Get Xeno down to the Snow Fieldyers first, and he could help Diniel fight with ease down there as well.


    [So maybe Hannah should stay with Diniel and get both of them ustomed to the Snow Fields. She’s an evasion-based tank, after all �Korinna probably has never worked with one yet.]


    Even Tsutomu himself had a hard time keeping up with Hannah’s speed, so perhaps it was better for Korinna to team up with standard Tanks first. Tsutomu did think that, due to the nature of the Jobs, Channelers had goodpatibility with evasion-based Tanks, but as it turned out, getting her to test things out with a regr Tank seemed to be an important step of the process.


    [All things considered, Daryl and Diniel should be added to Melchor’s group, then�And Leleia will work with me and the remaining two. Yeah, that sounds good �Daryl and Diniel will probably help make things go much more smoothly.]


    Daryl had been showing even greater improvements after his blunder against the Mount Golem, and while Diniel had a surprising weakness against low-temperature environments, she still was pretty much the best Archer around. With those two on the task, the team was sure to have no issue carrying their client down to at leastyer seventy. Perhaps their progress would then be halted by the Mount Golem, but the members could be switched ordingly if the situation called for it.


    [Okay, now I just have to discuss this with everyone and decide on the final lineup.]


    Since the recruitment period still had three days to go, Tsutomu told the Guild staff member that he might ept the job. Returning to the n House, he first discussed it with Diniel and Daryl.


    “Sounds good to me,�Diniel agreed immediately. After all, this would enable her to avoid the Snow Fieldyers for a while, not to mention the fighting on earlieryers being a cakewalk inparison.


    Daryl, on the other hand, got teary-eyed and his ears folded down even more upon hearing Tsutomu’s exnation.


    “Does that mean�I’m being dropped down to the secondary team?�


    With Daryl looking as if he was about to break down crying, Tsutomu hurried to add more to what he had just said,


    “No, no �I’m not moving you anywhere! And I’m not saying that you’re weak, either! You’re the best Tank we have now, so be more confident in yourself!�


    “But…�


    “I mean, I’ll be assigning you to Sir Melchor’s job because of how good you are. We can’t fail this one, and I know you’ll get it done �and besides, everyone’s getting themselves ustomed to the Snow Fieldyers, so we won’t be making much progress on that front for a while anyway. I’ll help everyone catch up on theyers they’ll miss too, so there’s no need to worry about that, either.�


    “O-okay…�


    Hearing Tsutomu’s full exnation, Daryl seemed reassured �at least enough for him to dry his tears.


    To his side, Diniel proceeded to whisper to Tsutomu,


    “You’re so good at convincing people to get what you want, you know that?�


    “Hey, don’t say it like that.�


    Tsutomu turned to Diniel and called out her joke, but then she simply looked back, her gaze not averting one bit.


    The two proceeded to engage in a staring contest, and after a while, Tsutomu let out a little chuckle at Diniel’s perpetual poker face.


    “Youugh at people right in front of their faces? Rude boy.�


    “Sorry, sorry. Well, anyway�I guess I can’t really call this temporary division something like main and secondary parties. All of our n’s members are excellent at the things they can do �we all have our strengths and weaknesses. There’s no way to tell who’s objectively better or worse.�


    “Yeah. Like me not being good with cold ces.�


    “Right. I’ll be more careful with my wording from now on �so don’t worry, Daryl. And I DO mean what I just said, you know.�


    “O-okay.�


    Daryl, seeming not so depressed anymore, wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Tsutomu took another look at Diniel’s face and ended up chuckling again�and she promptly grabbed him and threw him at a sofa.


    ――▽▽―�


    Afterwards, Tsutomu told the other n members about the request, and stressed the point that there were no significant differences between the two teams of this n due to everyone’s outstanding strengths. Since there were no ns to add any more members after Garm and Amy, Tsutomu also thought of organizing a periodic rotation of different partypositions after all the members had advanced to the Snow Fieldyers.


    “Heh, I suppose I can let Leleia hog the glory this time.�


    “Mister Xeno, your lowestyer progress is fifty-nine, isn’t it?�Leleia asked, truly curious. “You can’t even head down to the Snow Fieldyers yet.�


    “FWAHAHAHA!!�


    [Don’t take him so seriously, please…] Tsutomu thought to himself while looking at Xenough.


    He immediately proceeded to the Guild and signed up as a candidate for the request, submitting a set of documents detailing the four participating members. He also asked if there were other parties applying, and the best candidates seemed to be Ealdred Crow’s fourth and fifth reserve teams, so the chances seemed to be leaning in Absolute Helix’s favor.


    And sure enough, three dayster, Tsutomu received a notice that his team had been selected. From this point on, the n would operate in two separate groups: the mission team would be taking Melchor toyer eighty, while the exploration team would focus on conquering the snow fieldyers.


    The mission team consisted of Melchor, Daryl, Diniel, Xeno, and Korinna �with the respective Jobs of Boxer, Heavy Knight, Archer, Pdin, and Channeler. Roles included two Tanks, two Attackers, and one Healer.


    The exploration team consisted of Tsutomu, Amira, Hannah, and Leleia �White Mage, Greatsword Fighter, Boxer, and Spiritualist; one Tank, two Attackers, and one Healer.


    “All right, you’ll be working separately from me for a while. Start by nning things out, and see how it goes from there.�


    “Yes.�


    “Mm-hm.�


    Daryl and Diniel nodded without thinking anything in particr. Amira had initially been against Daryl being assigned to the other team, but reluctantly agreed to it after hearing Tsutomu’s exnation. Hannah and Daryl proceeded to fist-bump each other, resolving to each do their best.


    “You two as well �Xeno, Korinna.�


    “Hmm, but of course,�Xeno replied, overconfident as ever.


    “I-I’ll do my best!�Korinna pumped up both her fists.


    All in all, Tsutomu thought there was nothing wrong with Korinna, while he had at least a few points of concern when it came to Xeno. Not that Tsutomu expected Xeno to act up in the presence of a distinguished figure such as Melchor, but just in case, he told Daryl to report to him without hesitation if something were to happen.


    “Just�mind your manners, Xeno. If you’re disrespectful to Sir Melchor, you’re out of here. Immediately.�


    “No need to worry. I know how to conduct myself.�


    “…Sure hope so.�


    As overconfident as Xeno was, he was not that big of a fool �and his sincerity disyed in his apology articles had been noted by Tsutomu.


    And so, after that little warning, the four went over to the Guild to get started with the mission.


    [Now then, I still have my own division to deal with…]


    Amira needed to practice her <<Dragon Form>> control, and Hannah had to improve her evasion-based Tank proficiency even further. And then there was the deal between Leleia and Amira, who had never once made eye contact with each other, as far as Tsutomu could see.


    “All right then �everyone, gear up. Then we’ll talk strategy and Leleia’s Spiritualist skills, and after that, it’s straight to the Dungeon.�


    “Understood. Looking forward to working with you all �Mister Tsutomu, Miss Hannah, and Miss Amira.�


    “Same here!�


    “Yeah.�


    The four proceeded to head back to their rooms and prepared their anti-cold gear, then gathered back in the living room for a little meeting.


    “Hannah is our only Tank this time, so I’ll be ying that part for a bit, too.�


    “Got it!�


    “Mm-hm.�


    “…Understood.�


    Due to the absence of a second Tank, Tsutomu had to partially carry out that role while still being a Healer. Leleia did not quite understand what that entailed, however, so her reply was a slight bit dyed.


    “Hannah will pair with Leleia, and Amira with me.�


    “Got it, Teach! Looking forward to seeing what you got, Leleia!�


    “Likewise, Miss Hannah.�


    “Ah, just my name is fine �same for everyone else. Make it easier for call-outs and stuff, too.�


    “Understood, Hannah.�


    Leleia bowed to Hannah�which came off more like a knight bowing to greet a child.


    When Tsutomu started talking to Amira, she narrowed her eyes in frustration.


    “So�you can’t do the same stuff as Daryl, yeah?�


    “Of course I can’t. Just try to work with me here, alright?�


    “…Tch, fine,�Amira groaned, her face twitching as she reluctantly agreed to Tsutomu’s instruction.


    Leleia took a sidelong nce at them, then proceeded to discuss various things with Hannah.


    With the briefing over with, the four of them went toyer seventy-one and worked on their coordination.

 Chapter 151: Leleia the Spiritualist

    Chapter 151: Leleia the Spiritualist


    Tsutomu’s team put on their cold weather gear and headed to the Guild, and after registering their party, teleported down toyer seventy-one. Amira said she would like to get moving immediately, so Tsutomu had her scout ahead for enemies, while he prepared some Potion vials for Leleia.


    “Do you need more Blue Potions?�


    “No, thank you; I believe this will be enough.�


    Leleia epted the vials, put them in her jacket’s pockets, and proceeded to cast her skill.


    �<Contract �Smander>>.�


    As her voice echoed, a burst of me appeared and whirled on the ground, and a small lizard-like creature appeared from its center. It let out a high-pitched cry and jumped onto Leleia’s shoulder.


    Spiritualists had the ability to form contracts between people and the four Great Spirits �Smander, Undine, Sylph, and Gnome �and borrow their strengths for various effects. One person was limited to one to one elemental attribute’s contract at a time, but one Spirit’s contract could be shared among multiple people.


    Those linked to a contract would receive a half-rank status boost, the status of which was determined by the Spirit’s properties. Considering how much mental energy the process consumed, however, it was not so efficient to have more than two people linking up. If one wanted to boost the abilities of arge group, it was far more ideal to have someone with a Buffer Job, such as Enchanter, do their thing instead.


    The Smander on Leleia’s shoulder seemed particrly interested in Tsutomu. Tsutomu himself, noticing that, tilted his head in curiosity, which seemed to prompt the lizard-like creature to open its mouth wide and bob its head repeatedly.


    “Uh, what? Is something wrong?�


    “Looks like it’s�dancing, Teach.�


    Tsutomu and Hannah �and even Leleia �were surprised to see the Smander suddenly get excited.


    “This is a first for me, too. It seems that the Smander has taken a liking to you, Tsutomu.�


    Realizing that, Leleia formed a contract between Tsutomu and the Smander as a test. The Smander promptly slipped under Tsutomu’s jacket, and stuck only its face out from the jacket’s cor. Leleia, seeing that the creature was looking rxed as if it was bathing in heated water, put her hand on her chin and started pondering.


    “You don’t possess any unique skills, do you, Tsutomu?�


    “Yes, I don’t think I have one…�


    “Those with unique skills tend to have extremely highpatibility with the Spirits, you see. Those without one can have highpatibility as well, of course, but such cases are rare�and never before have I seen the Smander be this excited to meet someone.�


    Tsutomu poked one finger near the Smander’s mouth, and the creature proceeded to stick out its long tongue and lick it. Leleia looked on, surprised even further.


    [Is it because of the thing about God choosing me?] Tsutomu pondered things over and pulled his finger away from the Smander’s mouth.


    Since ‘skills�were usable only after creating a Status Card through God’s Dungeon, it was said that Spirits were God’s creation as well. Thinking of himself as God’s guest, he figured he should not act so irreverent so quickly.


    “From what I see, Tsutomu, it would be quite beneficial for you to be contracted to a Spirit. Those with highpatibility actually receive a full rank of status boost instead of half, which makes for a considerable degree of advantage.�


    “Huh…�


    One could get a boost of STR from the Smander, MND from the Undine, AGI from the Sylph, and VIT from the Gnome. Being an increase of one full rank meant it was quite practical for how much mental energy the Contract consumed, too.


    After some discussion with Leleia, it was decided that a contract for a MND boost would be formed with the Undine, the assistance of which would be requested upon depending on the situation.


    The Undine normally had a humanoid form, but in the presence of those with lowpatibility, it would turn into a round slime-like blob and refuse to lend its strength. When Tsutomu tried forming a contract with it, a whirl of water appeared before him, and the Undine appeared in its beautiful, life-sized humanoid form.


    “It’s�huge. Is this normal?�


    “…No. Thergest I have ever seen as well, in fact.�


    The trembling in Leleia’s green eyes suggested that she was losingposure once again, surprised by the Undine’s size. The humanoid creature reached out its hand and touched Tsutomu’s cheek, prompting thetter to take a step back.


    “Whoa, cold��


    The Spirits, despite being incapable of speech, had apetent understanding of humannguage and expressions. And this one, with its semi-transparent liquid face disying its emotions, seemed somewhat upset by the reaction it had gotten.


    “Um, can you make yourself smaller?�


    The Undine sadly nodded and shrank down to the size of the Smander before it. Now it was in its Slime-like form, fitting snugly in the palm of Tsutomu’s hand.


    “…You think it’ll let me put it in my pocket?�


    “Perhaps��


    Leleia seemed unsure as to what she should say, seeing that she was facing several unexpected urrences at once. Tsutomu eventually managed to get the Slime off his finger and tuck it into this pocket, then pped his hands to regain hisposure and call everyone’s attention back to the job at hand.


    “We’ll start walking as soon as Amiraes back. Our practice target today will be Snow Wolves, all right?�


    “Yeah!�Hannah answered as she tried fiddling with the Smander with her fingertips.


    “Ah. Yes, of course,�Leleia also replied, albeit still quite stunned by everything.


    Shortly after, Amira came back from her scouting trip, and the team proceeded to start exploringyer seventy-one.


    ――▽▽―�


    �<Haste>>, <<Air des>>.�


    Tsutomu provided Hannah with support skills while also attacking the Snow Wolves. For today, he took on both the roles of Healer and Tank, and was levitating with the effect of the <<Fly>> spell to stay barely out of the Snow Wolves�range of attack and aggression.


    The deeper into the Dungeon, the less effective <<Fly>> would be, as one would encounter more monsters equipped with long-ranged attacks. The Snow Wolves had the ability to shoot out freezing air sts, while Snow Slimes and Snow Golems could throw stones and ice blocks.


    Tsutomu was able to nullify those long-ranged attacks by surrounding himself with <<Barrier>>, and carefully calcted the level of aggro he needed in order to keep the enemies�attention on him. He must also make sure to keep up his support spells for Hannah as she ran around, however, as the ability boosts were essential for her to properly function as an evasion-based Tank.


    Moreover, since he was required to attack in order to generate aggro, he had to approach things differently from the usual routine of healing and support. While doubling as a Tank, one needed to put a special emphasis on pulling the monsters�aggro, adding anotheryer ofplexity to the already difficult aggro management.


    A Tank’s greatest fear was the loss of monsters�aggro on them. As such, Tsutomu tried to use support and attack skills more aggressively to generate more aggro, while using <<Barrier>> to protect himself. He could not possibly do it as effectively as Hannah, whose Job had high firepower and skills specifically for aggro generation, but as a secondary Tank, he was doing well enough to keep the monsters�attention on him.


    “Ugh, what a pain in the ass…�


    Amira had only ever worked well with Daryl before, so she was having difficulties with Tsutomu. After all, Daryl’s rtively immobile approach meant the monsters were gathered in one ce, making it easy for Amira to attack. Tsutomu as a Tank, however, already had his hands too full to worry about Amira’s preferences.


    The Snow Wolves�formation was all over the ce due to Tsutomu, making it necessary for Amira to chase them down and kill them one by one. Up until now, Daryl would keep them all around him, so she would not have to move around so much, but she has had to move around quite a bit today. The aggro pulling was not perfect, either, so sometimes the monsters would attack Amira instead, adding to the difficulty.


    Hannah and Leleia, on the other hand, did not seem to have much of a problem. Leleia had formed a contract with the Smander and was attacking with fire-elemental projectiles, and she was especially careful not to identally hit Hannah as thetter ran around all over the ce.


    Still, Hannah had previously been relying purely on Diniel’s marksmanship, and not actually paying attention to Attackers�movements at all, so from Leleia’s perspective, herbat maneuvers were extremely dangerous. It would be perfectly fine if it was because she trusted in the Attackers, but as of now, she simply had no awareness of her allies�attacks.


    After the fight, Leleia walked up to Hannah and asked her to pay more attention to the Attackers�actions. Hannah did not quite get where Leleia wasing from, but she nodded in agreement anyway.


    “Sorry about that, Amira. I’d like us to experiment with various strategies in the morning first. You can use your <<Dragon From>> in the afternoon.�


    “Yeah, sure.�


    Amira nodded. She looked more tired than usual, perhaps because she had been moving around more than usual. Tsutomu, seeing that, cracked a smile to distract the conversation from stepping into that issue.


    “I mean, I could tell that you’re having it harder than when you were with Daryl, you know? I’m VERY not used to keeping all those monsters in line�And I even lost their aggro on me at least twice.�


    “…Look, don’t worry about it. I can make things work out with what we have now, no problem.�


    “Thanks, that’d be helpful. Now then�let’s be on our way.�


    Tsutomu pointed his White Staff up as a gesture of thanks to Amira. The team then continued their exploration, fighting more of the Snow Field’smon monsters �Snow Wolves, Snow Slimes, and Snow Golems �on the way.


    It was almost noon by the time the team collected a few dozen Ice Magic Stones, so they decided to take a little break. Tsutomu busted out his magic tool stove and started heating some corn soup, and while he waited, he talked to Amira.


    “Good job �we’re getting better at this. And as we agreed to earlier, you can go ahead and add <<Dragon Form>> to the mix in the afternoon.�


    “Yeah.�


    The more time Tsutomu spent in battle, the more ustomed he got to being an evasion-based Tank, and also to the MND boost from the Undine. Now he wasfortable enough with his role to start casting <<Medic>> for Amira whenever he wanted her to disengage her <<Dragon Form>>.


    Amira, having gotten to experience a different type of Tank from what she was used to, realized how easy it had been to work with a more conventional one like Daryl.


    It was amazing that a White Mage could carry out the Tank role, but excluding the novelty factor of it, Tsutomu was by no means a reliable one. Obviously enough, he was quite inferior at itpared to someone who mained the role like Daryl. Amira understood that she had to pick up the ck topensate, but it was still difficult to follow through.


    Enemy monsters had always been pulled to one ce before, but now they were scattered all over, and sometimes their aggro even shifted to Amira. Tsutomu did get better as he got used to the role over subsequent fights, but it was still necessary for him and the Attackers to match up for things to work out.


    Then again, thanks to Amira’s experience from working with various Guild staff members, she was gradually learning how to work together with her allies, and was able to follow Tsutomu’s lead�at least for a little bit.


    On the other hand, Leleia and Hannah did not seem to be doing so well on this front. Due to her having left everything to Diniel before, Hannah was having a hard time keeping up with Leleia’s long-ranged attacks.


    “……�


    “……�


    Leleia pondered over how she should attack to make things work, and Hannah said nothing, as if to wait and see what she would say. Tsutomu, sensing the heavy and awkward atmosphere, passed each of the two a mug of corn soup.


    “Looks like you haven’t gotten things down yet. Would you like to offer somements, Leleia?�


    “…For starters, I am technically unable to attack as urately as Diniel does,�exined Leleia, her eyes cast down into the mug in her hands. “I know it is not an easy task, Hannah, but I would like you to pay attention to how I attack, too.�


    Hannah flinched, knowing that her effectiveness as an evasion-based Tank was partially a result of Diniel’s exceptional marksmanship. With Diniel out on another mission now, however, things were much more difficult.


    Hannah was able to operate on the ground just fine, attacking many monsters and pulling their aggro. What she was unable to keep up with, however, was paying attention to when and where Leleia would attack.


    Magic skills, unlike arrows, were difficult tond urate long-ranged attacks with. Leleia had tried to shout her skill chants and some call-outs to notify Hannah in advance, but nothing seemed to have worked.


    “Hannah, maybe you should act the same as when you’re working with <<Stream Arrow>>. Or is that too difficult?�


    “…Huh, is that how it works?�


    “Mm-hm. You could think of Leleia’s voice as something like the signal arrows. Maybe things won’t be as efficient as before, but hey, they almost always get better the more you try.�


    “I see! That makes sense!�


    Hannah opened her eyes wide as if enlightened by Tsutomu’s exnation. The way Hannah looked up at him as if he was a god, prompted Tsutomu to let out a dry chuckle before turning back to Leleia.


    “So that’s that �Leleia, you can try doing what you just did again. If that doesn’t work out, we can go to Dinielter and ask her for some�opinions.�


    “You’re sounding real scary right now, Teach–�


    “–By the way, Hannah, do you have anything toment on my flight control?�Tsutomu promptly asked, ignoring Hannah’sint.


    Hannah folded her arms and tilted her head, thinking it over for a moment before answering,


    “You were going, like, ‘woosh��


    “Not you, too…�


    Tsutomu facepalmed, his head hit with a painfullyical spark of déjà vu.

 Chapter 152: Should Have Been Roasted

    Chapter 152: Should Have Been Roasted


    After the break, the team continued exploringyer seventy-one and engaging in morebat. Since Amira had been given permission to use her <<Dragon Form>> in the afternoon, she spent most of the time barely in control of her consciousness while fighting.


    Though Amira now had some degree of control over her <<Dragon Form>>, she still could neither listen to instructions nor disengage the transformation by herself. Carrying out the actions she thought she wanted to do was the most she could currently manage.


    As such, Tsutomu was having a much harder time preventing Amira from generating more aggro than him. Fortunately, though, Amira had a tendency to take more hits while transformed, so Tsutomu had a reason to cast <<Heal>> more often and generate aggro from that as a result. All in all, there was not much of a problem on his part �though Hannah did have more difficulty keeping the aggro on herself.


    “Teach�This! Is! So! Tedious!�


    “Aren’t you supposed to be the best evasion-based Tank?�


    “…Aww, guess I can try a bit harder, eh?�


    Hearing just a few of Tsutomu’s carefully chosen words, Hannah’s expression instantly turned bright, and she proceeded to keep on trudging through the snow. Amira was visibly baffled by that reaction, while Leleia closed her eyes and pretended not to see anything, as if she had no intention toment on it.


    Over the subsequent battles, Hannah and Leleia’s teamwork was starting to take a decent shape.


    “Firing now!�


    “Got it!�


    Hannah pretended that Leleia’s voice was like the sounds of Diniel’s signal arrows, and each time she heard amand, she stopped attacking the monsters and focused on evasion.


    �<Smander Breath>>.�


    The Smander responded to Leleia’s chant, jumping off her shoulder andunching aser beam-like breath attack from its mouth. It pierced right through one of the Snow Wolves, burning its body and splitting it open, tearing off its innards and causing them to plop down onto the ground.


    Afterward, the team tried forming contracts with the Gnome and the humanoid Sylph as well, and Leleia mainly performed long-ranged attacks to kill the Snow Field’s monsters. Leleia wanted to show Hannah all of her main long-ranged skills during this trip, so she was quite particr in choosing which attacks she used in which situation.


    Since Leleia had been weed into the n as abatant with long-ranged attack skills, she had been told by Tsutomu to start out by showcasing that part of her arsenal first. However, while her Spirits and long-ranged attacks were certainly powerful, she also excelled in Spirit-augmented swordfighting.


    And even though herpatibility with Spirits was not as high as Tsutomu’s, it still could be considered quite impressive by normal people’s standards. In fact, most normal Spiritualists were not even able to interact with some Spirits by themselves at all.


    A Spiritualist normally would have some Spirits that they had low naturalpatibility with, and the use of their associated skills may be difficult or outright limited. The Sylph and the Undine tended to be ipatible with men and women, respectively, but Leleia had no particr limitations when it came to the Spirits that she could use.


    As such, she could employ Spirits of all four elements inbat, and was able to have them enhance her swordfighting for close-ranged versatility. Her ability to do almost anything at a high level had been quite appreciated by Ealdred Crow, and she had been able to quickly produce results that got her promoted up to that n’s secondary party.


    Considering that she was an excellent fighter both at close and long ranges, it could be said, due to the current situation, that she was not making the most of her abilities.


    “We should be on the right track, yeah?�


    “Yes, I think so. Now that I have shown you most of my skills, I would like you to try and get used to responding to them.�


    “You got it!�


    Thanks to Hannah’s change of mindset, she now was able to pay attention to Leleia’s voice most of the time, so there was no longer a risk of friendly fire. She still had to rely on Leleia’s skill to make certain things work, however, so she still had improvements to make going forward.


    Seeing that their teamwork was starting to work out, Leleia ced her hand on her chest and let out a sigh of relief. She had been worried that Tsutomu’s evaluation of her would drop if her first attempt at cooperation did not go well.


    Leleia proceeded to reach into the Magic Bag on her waist and take out a Magic Stone, handing it over to the lizard-like Smander’s mouth as if to feed it.


    Tsutomu, watching from the side, curiously asked,


    “Oh? You have to feed them Magic Stones?�


    “No, it is not necessary, but it helps in building a rtionship of trust with them, so they may lend us more of their power.�


    “Huh…�


    Tsutomu crossed his arms and observed the Smander as it gnawed on the Fire Magic Stone, fascinated by yet another aspect of this world that had not been in the game. He was not necessarily enjoying it, however, despite the sight being adorable. Spirits could not exactly be considered humans�pets, and he could not help but think of the cost of the consumed Magic Stones.


    Summoners were required to expend Magic Stones to use their skills, but Spiritualists had no such requirement. Still, feeding Magic Stones to a Spirit with badpatibility would undoubtedly increase the level of power they were willing to lend.


    There also existed equipment and items that temporarily increased one’spatibility with Spirits, mainly obtained as loot from rare treasure chests. Since they were consumable and fairly expensive, however, it was more advantageous to have goodpatibility with Spirits from the start.


    “Mind if I try feeding it, too?�


    “Do feel free.�


    “Ooh, thanks!�


    Receiving a piece of crushed Fire Magic Stone, Hannah held it in her fingers and brought it close to the Smander’s mouth. The Spirit promptly gobbled it up, prompting her to giggle happily.


    Tsutomu, seeing that, took out a leftover Medium Water Magic Stone from his Magic Bag. The Slime-shaped Undine came crawling out of his pocket, jumped to his wrist, and clung to it.


    [Ah, it’s not cold anymore.]


    It seemed that the Undine, after getting Tsutomu’s reaction from earlier, had adjusted its body temperature to the level appropriate for human skin. While Tsutomu looked on, impressed by how considerate the liquid-bodied Spirit turned out to be, the Undine stretched out its spherical body and started poking at the Water Magic Stone.


    “Go ahead and eat it.�


    With that, the Undine started wrapping around the Magic Stone as if to swallow it whole. Tsutomu watched with interest as the Water Magic Stone melted away, and once he was sure that it was all gone, he put the Undine back into his pocket.


    ――▽▽―�


    “You know, maybe you should’ve been roasted at least once back there,�


    After the Dungeon exploration run, the four returned to the n House. They proceeded to discuss today’s achievements with the other team that had returned before them, and Diniel quite promptly threw out a scathingment at Hannah’s part in particr.


    “You’re the kind that won’t learn unless you get hurt. You’d have gotten things down quicker if you had died to the fire beams a few times.�


    “N-no way, that’s not true�right?�


    Hannah turned to Tsutomu, as if to ask for his help. For a moment, it seemed that Leleia’s brows twitched in annoyance.


    “Not sounding very confident there, bird girl,�Tsutomu impulsively quipped and turned the other way. “Well, she and Leleia will be working together a lot more going forward. Hannah will have to focus on improving her awareness, so that she could pay attention and respond to Attackers�actions. Anyway, there’s one thing I’d like to�ask.�


    Tsutomu looked at Daryl, who was posing like a Power Ranger in the corner of his eye, and turned to Diniel for an exnation. And exin she did, with her eyes as unreadable as ever,


    “He picked that up from Xeno.�


    “How the hell��


    Tsutomu chuckled awkwardly while looking at Daryl mumbling something to himself while striking more poses. Feeling that the boy was clearly under a bad influence, he proceeded to ask Diniel,


    “What about you?�


    “Perfectly fine.�


    “Uh�okay. Hey, Daryl, one second.�


    Tsutomu gave up on getting ament out of Diniel, calling Daryl instead. He promptly walked over to Tsutomu�without changing his pose.


    “What is it, Sir Tsutomu?�


    “Do you even have to ask? What in the world are you doing?�


    “Ah, I just thought I’d try acting a little like Sir Xeno, you see.�


    “…Well, I won’t pester you about it, but remember to control yourself, all right?�Tsutomu replied, feeling awkward due to Daryl’sically serious answer. Then he proceeded to get to the actually important point, “Anyway, how’s the mission been so far?�


    Daryl looked up and spent a moment thinking.


    “Hmm�We made it toyer forty-five today, so I would say it’s been smooth so far. Oh, and Sir Melchor really is something else! Like, he hits VERY hard!�


    “I see. How were Xeno and Korinna?�


    “Sir Xeno is a powerful Tank, I think. No ring ws as far as I could see. Sir Melchor seems to have taken a liking to him, too.�


    Hearing a very unexpected answer, Tsutomu looked both surprised and worried.


    “Interesting�What about Korinna?�He proceeded to ask, and Daryl cast his eyes down, seeming uneasy.


    “Miss Korinna is�well, honestly, I don’t feel like I can do anything in either way yet. I’m too used to your style of support, so she just feels�different, not to mention that I don’t quite understand how her Job works yet.�


    “Right. Well, if anythinges up that you’d consider a problem, just let me know.�


    “Understood!�Daryl cheerfully replied.


    While moving on to talk with someone else, Tsutomu wondered if he should spectate them through the Monitors next time, now that he was not quite sure if things were all right on that front.


    Currently in the n House, the usual five, plus Korinna and Leleia, were in the living room.


    Xeno was not here, however. Being a married man, he naturally wanted to spend the evenings at home, so he had not fully moved into the n House. He did leave some luggage in one of the spare rooms, though, just in case he got kicked out of the house as a result of arguments.


    Looking around the living room, it seemed that Amira was having a good timeughing at Daryl’s attempts at striking poses, and Diniel was exining to Leleia quite thoroughly how bird-brained Hannah was. Even Hannah herself, listening in on that, was not sure how she wanted to react.


    In the midst of all this, only Korinna, the Channeler, was sitting ufortably. Tsutomu sat on the other side of the table, prompting her to get fidgety and clutch the hems of her frilly dress.


    “How did the first team-up go for you?�


    “Ah, well, everyone’s been a great help. They’re all so strong…�


    “Much easier than when you solo queue’d�I mean, when you relied on the Guild’s matchmaking, right?�


    “That’s�actually, yes.�


    Korinna nodded awkwardly as she stroked her long cream-colored hair. Back when Tsutomu had decided to recruit Korinna, he had seen her on one of the Monitors as a Healer in a party arranged by the Guild. Surely there was a world of difference between that and long-term groups like her former n or the current team.


    Before the joining of the new recruits, Xeno had been the only potential troublemaker, but asking even Korinna about him now, there seemed to be no problem so far.


    Afterward, everyone was getting ready to have dinner when a certain thought ran across Tsutomu’s mind.


    [Now that I think about it, it’s mostly girls here, huh…]


    Including the uing Garm and Amy, the n’s lineup consisted of four men and six women �which was not that much higher, but if Ollie and her apprentice were to be included, then the difference would be quite noticeable. Moreover, all of the Attackers were women.


    Seeing that Ollie and her apprentice were starting to bring food to the table, everyone took their seats, and began eating right when everything was set up.


    As usual, Amira and Darylpeted to see who could finish their mountain of food first. Diniel, Leleia, and Korinna simply ate in silence. Hannah, pretty much the whole group’s entertainer, started chatting about whatever topics that came up in her mind.


    [Well, everyone’s strong, so I guess that’s fine.]


    He still felt awkward to be surrounded by mostly women, however, so he wished Garm woulde to join up soon. Hannah, noticing the face he was making, asked him,


    “Hmm? Something wrong, Teach?�


    “No, I was just thinking how the n has way more girls and guys, that’s all.�


    “Ooh, way to go! Keep buildin�that harem, Teach!�Hannah cracked a joke and struck a sarcastic sexy pose.


    “Hell no,�Tsutomu said with a dry chuckle. “I just want strong fighters �anyone can join if they’re strong and can do their job.�


    “Boo~~�


    Seemingly peeved, Hannah turned away, her cheeks puffing out.

 Chapter 153: Virgin Behavior

    Chapter 153: Virgin Behavior


    One week passed, during which the team continued to fight on the Snow Fieldyers to improve their cooperation. In the process, Tsutomu learned how to move properly as a Tank, and got used to Leleia’s moves and the feeling of getting his MND boosted by her Spirit. His movements were no longer stiff, and he could be now considered a decent Tank.


    “That was awesome, Teach!�


    “It’s not that big of a deal. Amira had a part in it too, for working together with me and all.�


    “…Tch.�


    As Tsutomu smiled at her, Amira clicked her tongue and turned the other way. Over the past week, she had also had extra training sessions with Tsutomu after each Dungeon run, in order to practice her <<Dragon Form>> more. Thanks to that, she was able to understand that he had always been thinking about things and trying to implement the best strategies ever since this team had been formed.


    In addition to practicing his skill control, which had be a habit at this point, Tsutomu had to test out various moves for his new role as a partial evasion-based Tank. He had to use attack skills more, find better ways to operate the <<Barrier>> spell that had already been difficult to use to begin with, and develop his spatial awareness so that he couldnd his skills on targets without having to aim with his eyes all the time.


    Moreover, he had be even more ustomed to mentally tracking time by the seconds and managing aggro, and was getting better at perceiving all monsters�and allies�behaviors. Now, Tsutomu was able to easily handle the flow of information that Amira would overheat from just thinking about them.


    […Why does he look like he’s having so much fun?]


    Most normal people were sure to quickly abandon their responsibility of being both a Healer and an evasion-based Tank at the same time. Amira could tell that much, despite her stillcking understanding of the Healer and Tank roles. Tsutomu, however, would always perform his role with a perfectlyposed face during battle, and even looked to be having the time of his life during evaluation meetings and practice sessions.


    Tsutomu already was an excellent Healer �ranked as one of the three best Healers ever, and in Amira’s opinion, he was the best of them all. Despite that, he had been so eager to try out Tanking, and was aiming to get better and better at it.


    [If I don’t master my <<Dragon Form>> soon, he’s sure as hell gonna drop me.]


    As he was always so willing to patch up any w that came up in his style, Tsutomu’s performance as an evasion-based Tank was getting more and more stable. Amira, from pairing up with him, knew quite well that he would eventually get good enough at it that he would no longer need her to amodate his strategies. If things continued the way they were now, her getting left behind was only an inevitability.


    [I can’t afford to take it slow. Gotta get it down, and fast.]


    Perhaps to fulfill her wish to be stronger and not be left behind by herrades, Amira’s <<Dragon Form>> was beginning to change.


    She had more control of her consciousness while transformed, and she wasing close to being able to disengage the transformation by herself �albeit still not all the way. What was important now, however, was that she had enough control to slow down her own movements.


    “Hey, looking good. Looks like I won’t have to aim my <<Medic>> spells as much anymore.�


    “Hell yeah.�


    And so, today, while practicing with Tsutomu at the guild training grounds, Amira seeded in disengaging her <<Dragon Form>> by herself. While she still could not do it as quickly as being hit by <<Medic>>, the fact that she could do it at all was significant. This meant Tsutomu would not have to cast <<Medic>> as often anymore, increasing his range of strategic options.


    “So here’s the deal �From now on, I’ll only cast <<Medic>> when I REALLY want you to stop attacking.�


    “Yeah.�


    “All right, let’s give that another try, then.�


    “…Yeah.�


    Tsutomu had always agreed to help with her training, but recently, it turned to being more like an uninterrupted supervision. Diniel and Daryl were busy with their mission team, and the Hannah-Leleia pair also trained by themselves after each Dungeon run, so Tsutomu naturally ended up having more time to spend practicing with Amira.


    Although she had never said it out loud, Amira was actually grateful for this. It was obvious �even just from looking at how much better she had gotten at controlling her transformation �that the current environment she was in was much more efficient than back when she had been practicing her <<Dragon Form>> by herself. Tsutomu had also been willing to help her with any other coborative training, and as a result, Amira actually felt that she was getting stronger with each passing day.


    “…And that’s generally how long a <<Haste>> cast willst. There’s a little deviation depending on the situation, but it doesn’t hurt to keep that one number in mind. I’m sure that knowledge will help you in some way.�


    “Yeah.�


    “Also, you’ve been experimenting with using your skills more, haven’t you?�


    “…What, you have a problem with that?�


    “No? Why are you so defensive about it, anyway?�


    Tsutomu forced out a smile and put his hands out in front of his face, seeing that Amira was moving her face in ufortably close. He paid just about as much attention to his allies�movements as he did the monsters, and as such, he could tell that Amira had recently started using her skills more liberally.


    “Now, you might think it’s better to just use more skills �and I understand that, too, but from what I’ve seen, your variety still isn’t all that great. So for now, see if you can make use of all the skills you have, and try to learn how much mental energy each of them consumes. After that, you can focus on practicing specific skills you use most often.�


    “……�


    “Also, I’ve noticed this with Camille, too �You seem to really like using <


    > a lot more than other stuff. Why? Is it passed down in your family for generations or something?�


    “Shaddup. It’s the most satisfying thing to use, that’s why.�


    Being told so, Tsutomu was surprised for a second, then he started chuckling. Then he promptly apologized to Amira as thetter clenched her fists and started approaching him.


    “Heh, sorry, sorry. There’s nothing wrong with that �in fact, you might consider it your main skill, and see what other moves go well together with it. The stuff I personally rmend are…�


    Tsutomu proceeded to give advice to Amira regarding the Greatsword Fighter Job’s skills based on his knowledge from Live Dungeon. Arge part of his advice actually worked in this world, since he had some good experience ying as an Attacker and understood how skillbos worked. Amira tried to listen to Tsutomu’s exnations but was starting to lose him about halfway through, so he decided to end the training session for today, so that they could leave and pick the technical talk upter back at the n House.


    “You really know a lot about stuff, huh?�


    “Oh, y’know�I just watched the Pedestals quite often,�Tsutomu said, looking satisfied with himself.


    Amira put her greatsword on her back, and together, the two left the training area.


    “You know, Amira, you should try watching them more, too. You used to reference the style of one of Golden Tune’s Attackers, right? Like, you started using a bit moe e variety of skills after watching her, and stuff.�


    “…Dude, how much have you been looking at me these days? That’s creepy.�


    “I always look at all my n’s members. It’s just what a leader should do.�


    Amira narrowed her eyes, disgruntled that Tsutomu had guessed correctly the reason why she had started using more skills. Then, seeing that Tsutomu was perfectly fine looking back at her, Amira realized something, and promptly cracked a grin.


    “What, so you’re THAT interested in me? Hmm?�


    “Get off me. You’re really starting to pick up your mom’s nasty quirks, you know that?�


    Tsutomu kept Amira away from him as she approached with clearly mischievous intent. Seeing his resistance, Amira only grinned wider.


    “Aww, don’t be shy, man. I gotta thank you for all the training somehow �C’mon, I’ll do whatever you say.�


    “How about I dock your pay?�


    “Hah, there you go. That’s some virgin behavior you’re showing.�


    Amira started teasing Tsutomu more and more, prompting him to brush her off as they walked toward the reception counter.


    ――▽▽―�


    During the week that Tsutomu spent training with Amira, Leleia and Hannah also got together to try and improve their mid-battle synergy, but things seemed to not be going as well as they had hoped.


    “Hannah, you don’t need to go that far away.�


    “Got it!�Hannah cheerfully replied.


    She certainly was motivated enough. From Leleia’s point of view, Hannah’s attitude was not bad at all, with her endless supply of cheerfulness being one of her positive qualities. In fact, Leleia was rather pleased to be teamed up with her.


    However, no matter how many instructions she had gotten, Hannah would forget about them eventually. This reminded Leleia of what Diniel had once said, about the bird girl always being only three steps away from forgetting what she had just been told.


    [No �I just have to be patient. She’s sure to understand eventually.]


    Believing that, Leleia took it slow and rational with Hannah, but their synergy took forever to show any sort of improvement. Hannah would indeed fall back whenever she was given a warning, but the distance to which she would go was so great that it defeated the point of her being an evasion-based Tank. In fact, it downgraded her Tanking performance to be on Tsutomu’s level.


    “…And so, I would like to ask you for any tips and tricks you may happen to have.�


    With Leleia asking her for advice again, Diniel looked a little disappointed as she closed the book she was in the middle of reading.


    “All right, I’ll go with you, see if I can help.�


    “Thank you very much. You’re a lifesaver.�


    And so Diniel agreed to join them for one post-exploration training session.


    “Hannah, whenever Leleia shouts out a skill name, move out of the way. But unlike when I use <<Stream Arrow>>, don’t get away too far. And keep on attacking as much as you can.�


    “Got it!�


    “All right. Let’s go.�


    After Hannah agreed to Diniel’s suggestions, they went together for a practice run. And once Diniel got a good look at Hannah’s grounded movements, she immediately instructed Leleia to start unleashing her skills.


    “Wait, what? Am I not supposed to give her a sign first?�


    “No need. Just go ahead and use your skills.�


    “But that’s…�


    “Don’t worry about hitting her. She won’t learn otherwise, anyway.�


    Pressured by Diniel’s cold gaze, Leleia went ahead and cast her skills. The Smander’s heat beam passed right by Hannah’s side and pierced the monster’s body. Hannah promptly turned to the two Attackers, surprised by the beam that seemingly had appeared without warning.


    Once the monsters were defeated, Hannah returned with a wide-awake look painted on her face.


    “You weren’t trying to get me killed, were you!?�


    “You agreed to do this, Hannah.�


    “I mean, yes, I did, but� Couldn’t I at least get a signal beforehand!? That almost gave me a heart attack!�


    “If you’d just learned to listen, we would have done that. But you never did, so you won’t get it,�Diniel said to Hannah with a straight face.


    Back at the n House, Hannah had indeed been told that this would happen during today’s training session, but in the back of her mind, she believed that a sensible person like Leleia would never go through with it �but she had actually prepared for it to happen after being told that Diniel would being along. And in the end, the two Attackers did unleash their skills without mercy.


    And then Diniel, realizing something, pped her thick-gloved hands together and said,


    “It’s all right. Even if you’re hit, it’s only idental. You’ll just die. God won’t be mad at me or Leleia at all.�


    “Whoawhoawhoa!? That’s some crazy logic you’re working with there! And yes �if I get hit by that, I won’t just get hurt! I’ll definitely die!�


    “Herees the next one. Go pull its aggro, Hannah.�


    “Uh, we’re not done talking yet…�


    Diniel pointed at the approaching Snow Wolves, but Hannah was not about to let the conversation get cut short. Diniel then looked down at her with a straight face for a second, then cracked an evil grin.


    “Just do it.�


    That rare smile from Diniel �and especially that order �were enough to make Hannah tremble.


    “Damn it! I’ll show you��


    Shedding a tear, she unleashed her <<Combar Cry>> and charged at the pack of Snow Wolves. Seeing the bird girl’s tears glisten over the snow, Leleia turned to Diniel, intending to criticize her methods.


    “That might have been a little too much. Surely sure she would understand with enough patience, even without getting so heavy-handed at her.�


    “You know how stupid that girl is, which is why you came to ask me for help. Isn’t that right?�


    “…Yes, but I can’t bear seeing her receive this treatment.�


    Hannah’s current fear of the Attackers was akin to a bird being chased by a hunter with a hunting rifle. Despite that, Diniel only shook her head.


    “Just�give it a try. You’ll understand.�


    “…All right.�


    It was true that she had had almost no sess after trying to teach Hannah the same things again and again for a whole week. Deciding to believe Diniel, who had been paired with Hannah for a good while before, Leleia reluctantly ordered the Smander to unleash a fire breath.


    Not seeing the heat beaming, Hannah got grazed on one of her wings and some of her blue feathers caught on fire.


    “AHHHHHH! I’M BURNING!�


    “I-I am so sorry!�


    Leleia immediately bowed her head in apology after the idental hit. Diniel, seeing that Hannah was rolling around on the ground, quickly killed the Snow Wolves with quick, well-aimed shots before they could attack Hannah.


    After all the monsters were killed, Hannah cooled her wings in the snow and leaped straight at Diniel. Then she pointed at her wings, looking a little happy for some reason.


    “Diniel! Look! LOOK! It’s all burnt up!�


    “No problem. It’ll heal once you’re out of the Dungeon.�


    “T-that’s true, BUT� Isn’t this a bit too cruel!?�


    “Your fault for not dodging it.�


    “Oof…�


    The way Hannah dejectedly put her head down was pitiful, but Leleia saw in her expression that, for some reason, she was not actually sad.


    “Herees the next one. Go pull its aggro, Hannah.�


    “D-damn it! I’ll show you!�Hannah eximed and ran off, seeming somewhat excited.


    Diniel, after looking at Hannah go, turned to Leleia.


    “She’s the kind of girl who will do whatever she’s told to, even if it sounds unreasonable. And she’ll enjoy the challenge, too. Don’t you think so?�


    “…Perhaps that is true.�


    Back when Hannah pointed out how her feathers had been burnt, she actually looked like she was having fun, for some reason. Leleia, with that in mind, looked on as Hannah was fighting the Snow Wolves to pull their aggro.


    “I’ve never shot her identally,�Diniel proceeded to say. “But she’d always look like there was something�missing. You must have noticed that too, if you’ve seen the look on her face just now.�


    “Was that�what it really was?�


    It was normal for anyone to be angry after getting mistakenly hit by their allies. Hannah, however, was only putting up an act. In fact, Leleia now saw that the girl was actually enjoying this situation.


    “So go ahead and hit her as much as you want. She’ll learn more quickly, and have a good time doing it. Two birds with one stone.�


    “……�


    Leleia was puzzled by Diniel’s words, but at the same time, she understood what they meant. Leleia proceeded to unleash her skills more liberally, and following that, Hannah’spetency improved rapidly after the one-week period of apparent stagnation.

 Chapter 154: Burning Desire For Revenge

    Chapter 154: Burning Desire For Revenge


    During a battle onyer seventy-four, Tsutomu called out to Amira,


    “Amira, disengage <<Dragon Form>>.�


    “AAAHHHHHH!?�But she only angrily shouted back.


    In the end, Tsutomu barely prevented himself from clicking his tongue as he cast <<Medic>>, forcibly dispelling the transformation.


    Amira’s control over her <<Dragon Form>> was getting better with each passing day, but sometimes, especially during prolonged battles, her fighting instincts would take over. This time, a pack of Snow Wolves hade at the team like an avnche, resulting in the fight being dragged on, and in turn, Amira was unable to cancel her transformation by herself.


    After the fight was over and Tsutomu was done collecting the fifty or so Magic Stones, he stared subtly coldly at Amira. The girl put up with the ufortable silence for a moment, putting away her greatsword and turning the other way, but then quickly gave up and turned back around.


    “Dude, stop givin�me that look.�


    “You ignored my instruction, didn’t you?�


    “My bad.�


    “If you do that again, I won’t help you practice your transformation anymore.�


    “What!? This has got nothing to do with that!�


    “It totally does, actually.�


    With Amira starting to push back at him, Tsutomu decided to end today’s exploration early, calling out to Hannah and Leleia to retreat.


    Leleia gave the Smander on her shoulder a Magic Stone fragment, then proceeded to speak to Hannah beside her,


    “Excuse me. I have something I would like to ask.�


    “Hmm? What is it?�


    Hannah turned to Leleia, seeming to have not listened to anything due to being distracted by the sight of the Smander stuffing its cheeks. Leleia was observing the two others, arguing in front of her.


    “Has Amira�always been like that?�


    As far as Leleia knew, Amira’s most prominent trait was her strength-obsessed, unapproachable character. She had never even rxed her grip on her own n’s members, having a rough attitude toward them the whole time.


    In the beginning, Leleia had been drawn to join Amira’s n by the sight of her rough yet somehow eye-catching sword-fighting skill, but then it turned out that she was not at all a suitable leader. In particr, by the time they challenged the Shell Crab, Amira had refused to introduce the then-new elements to the team and insisted on using the old-fashionedposition of four Attackers and one Healer, which was a major point that led to the dissolution of her n.


    And even before then, Amira had been ming her team’s repeated failures on her allies�weakness, gradually building up her n members�dissatisfaction toward her. It was true that Amira had been the strongest fighter among them at the time, but that was only because she possessed a unique skill �which technically was canceled out by her negative attitude and her berserk transformation’s tendency to harm allies, among many other issues.


    As a result of such dissatisfaction, in the end, all of the n members decided to leave. Leleia was the veryst one to walk out, and probably was the one with the best understanding of Amira’s character.


    However, it was as if Amira had turned into a whole different person after joining Absolute Helix. From Leleia’s point of view, Amira apologizing to Tsutomu just now was a sight she considered to be unbelievable.


    And now, in response to Leleia’s question, Hannah shook her head.


    “Nope, not at all! She was nowhere close to being this nice at first!�


    “I-is that so��


    “Yeah! And she even called me a Feather Tank! I swear, she was feeling high and mighty just because she’s a bit taller or something!�


    Leleia nodded, seemingly somewhat relieved to hear Hannah’s heatedints. ording to all those, it seemed that Amira had not changed all that much back when she first joined Absolute Helix.


    “Well, she lost a pretty big bet against everyone, which humbled her quite a bit �and Teach said some stuff to keep her in line, too.�


    “…Hmm. I see.�


    “Why do you ask, anyway?�


    “Oh, no reason in particr.�


    “Okay�Can I feed it another Magic Stone?�


    “Go ahead.�


    Seeing that Hannah had taken a liking to feeding the Smander, Leleia chuckled as she handed the former her pouch-like Magic Bag.


    Then, she asked the Smander to get closer to Hannah. The creature let out a high-pitched cry before jumping off andnding on Hannah’s hand. Hannah’s eyes sparkled as she proceeded to feed the Smander a Magic Stone. Leleia looked away, going back to quietly observing the two others in front of her.


    […How would the others react if they were here?]


    Leleia thought of the other members of Amira’s old n, who now were employed by Ealdred Crow. She considered what they would think upon seeing how Amira currently acted. They must have hated all the things they had been subjected to, and probably would not want to bring them up as a topic of discussion.


    [Well, they would be angry, most likely.]


    Considering that, she felt justified in feeling the same way. Leleia settled on that conclusion and let go of her swirling negative emotions.


    Amira had written off her old n’s members as weaklings, and after that n’s disbandment, she had been given a disgraceful nickname and reputation, making it practically hopeless for her to continue working as an Explorer. Those n members, knowing that, had openly mocked her. And while Leleia did nothing on the surface, she held the same sentiments deep inside.


    But then, Amira proceeded to join Absolute Helix, the n founded by Tsutomu. The n went on to make progress through the Dungeon, and now they were the third in the whole town’s ranking. It was thanks to all the members well-known for theirpetency, though �there was Tsutomu, who had helped save Dungeon City from the Devourer Dragon’s invasion, Diniel and Daryl, and even Hannah, who made a name for herself as an evasion-based Tank during this time. Leleia thought, deep inside, that if she had been in Amira’s position, she would have better helped the team achieve the same results.


    When Leleia joined Ealdred Crow, the motivation she stated was the pursuit of strength, but in truth, she did it out of spite toward Amira, who had failed to join the prestigious n.


    And when she joined Absolute Helix, the motivation she stated was the n’s potential for expansion, but in truth, it was because she could not stand the fact that Amira was getting ahead.


    Leleia’s many decisions had been influenced by that one time of Amira called her a weakling, though Leleia herself would deny it if someone were to point that out. Her strong admiration for Amira had turned to an even stronger hatred, so much so that she was using her old nmates to justify her obsession with Amira.


    [I am not so invested in this myself�but the others surely are not about to let it go.]


    Putting up that sort of excuse, Leleia joined Absolute Helix with the intention to push Amira down to the secondary team. And today, she spared no effort in working together with the rest of the n.


    ――▽▽―�


    The team of four spent another month training their cooperation in the Snow Fieldyers, and asionally went back up to the Volcanoyers to gather materials for their equipment upgrades. During that time, Amira got better at her <<Dragon Form>>, and now she was able to control it about as well as Camille before thetter had challenged the Fire Dragon.


    After that point, seeing that Amira was able to retain much more of her consciousness while transformed, Tsutomu tried getting her to work more in sync with his support skills. Amira still had difficulties learning that, however, and still could not do it properly.


    In contrast, the synergy between Leleia and Hannah saw rapid improvement thanks to Diniel’s training method. Friendly fire did happen asionally, and while Leleia was quite apologetic, Hannah seemed to be enjoying it all the way through �perhaps because, as a senior to the former, she felt that she was being relied on, unlike when she was working with Diniel.


    During the month, Absolute Helix’s exploration team reachedyer seventy-nine, albeit not without suffering from progressively worse environmental conditions and asional snow storms. This necessitated better anti-cold equipment, so they had to collect more materials from the Volcanoyers.


    Silver Beast and Ealdred Crow had also upgraded their anti-cold equipment and made attempts at defeatingyer eighty’s boss monsters, the Winter General, but neither n had been sessful so far. The spectators were surprised by this, as they had not expected to see this much difficulty against a single humanoid enemy.


    During this time, Golden Tune managed to get throughyer seventy and enter the Snow Fields, while Scarlet Devil Squad continued to work on their own strategies to im themselves a win. The Guild also made it to the Snow Fieldyers after preparing the countermeasures they needed, and were now focusing on gathering the Snow Field’s materials.


    As for Daryl, Diniel, and the others of Absolute Helix’s mission teamâ€

 Chapter 155: The Leader of Team Two

    Chapter 155: The Leader of Team Two


    “Oh? You are against me being the leader of this party?�


    “Um, no, it’s just that Sir Tsutomu already assigned me…�


    “…Very well, then. But keep in mind that hierarchies can always be altered. If you change your mind, feel free to assign me to the post instead.�


    “A-all right.�


    The four members entrusted with Melchor’s mission �Daryl, Diniel, Xeno the Pdin, and Korinna the Channeler �were having a brief meeting. So far, however, it was more of a Xeno-dominated talk show.


    Diniel had never had all that much interest in this sort of thing anyway, and Korinna was not particrly proactive in her participation due to her being so watchful when it came to navigating the overall situation. As a result, Xeno and the mission team’s appointed leader, Daryl, were the main focus of the meeting �and even then, the sheer confidence in Xeno’s every word was stealing most of the spotlight.


    Daryl did everything in his power to keep his authority as the appointed team leader, but Xeno was tantly aiming for the seat, his eyes as keen as an eagle’s. Xeno’s greedy approach to this was, in at least one way or another, ufortable to deal with.


    […Then, there’s Miss Diniel.]


    Daryl did not dislike her, but if he were to be frank, he had the hardest time talking to her due to how little he understood when it came to her personality. It was also somewhat scary how he would asionally feel her sights set on his tail and ears.


    As for Korinna, the vibe she gave off seemed simr to his own, so he felt that he would get along with her just fine. It did seem like Korinna still needed some time to open up to the others, however, so Daryl was a little worried about whether or not he would be able to most effectively carry out his duties as the party’s leader.


    [Well, Sir Tsutomu has assigned me to do this. I have to give it my best!]


    At first, Daryl had expected Diniel to be assigned to the role, so he was determined to work hard and meet Tsutomu’s expectations.


    And now that the meeting was over, the team of four geared up and immediately headed to the Guild.


    “Wow, your equipment looks�impressive,�Darylmented on Xeno’s shining silver armor.


    “I know, right? I’m proud of each and every piece of them!�


    Xeno lightly tapped on his buckler as if to show off the decorative crest on its face. Diniel narrowed her eyes in annoyance at all the light bouncing off of all the silver.


    “You seem to like silver-colored things quite a bit, Sir Xeno,�Daryl offered anotherment, seeing that Xeno’s armor was all in a single color.


    “No, that is not the case, Daryl,�Xeno said, shaking his head and holding up one finger.


    “Huh?�


    “The color I like�is the color of Xeno.�


    “Huh?�


    “THE! CO! LOR! Of! XE! NO!�Xeno shouted slowly, emphasizing every single syble.


    Daryl was taken aback, Korinna seemed as if she was looking at a crazy person, and Diniel waspletely uninterested.


    “I see that you have no color of your own, Daryl. You should pay more attention to your equipment, you know �Absolute Helix is a major n, after all, so you need to care as much about appearance as function.�


    “Uh-huh…�


    “I have an idea �Stop by my home on the next day off, and I will introduce my regr cksmith to you.�


    “Oh, no, I think I’ll pass. I already have Sir Dorren crafting all my gear, you see.�


    “Is that so? Too bad, then �I was about to personally design a whole new look for you, too.�


    As Xeno shook his head, Daryl let out a dry chuckle and looked elsewhere. He ended up making eye contact with Korinna as she gave him somewhat of a sympathetic look, narrowing her eyes as if to tell him to give up trying to make sense of Xeno.


    After that, Xeno proceeded to go on a long-winded rant, which Daryl had to endure. Korinna gave Daryl another sympathetic look, and Diniel was�distracted by some birds perched on the roof of a nearby house.


    When they arrived at the designated meeting spot in the Guild, they found that Melchor was just arriving as well. He tapped on his lower back as he walked, and upon recognizing Daryl and Diniel’s faces in the crowd, approached them.


    “Could you be the ones chosen to fulfill my request? If memory serves, your n’s name is–�


    “Yes, sir. We are from Absolute Helix, sir.�


    “Oh, yes, I see. Take good care of this old man, all right?�


    “Y-yes, sir. We’ll be in your care as well.�


    Melchor smiled cheerfully and bowed to Daryl. As a still-reigning consecutive champion of the national-level martial arts tournament, he was a very well-known figure. Daryl, feeling wrong that he was the one being bowed to, proceeded to bow as well.


    “I’m not so used to the ways of the Dungeon, you understand. I’ll leave all the necessary paperwork to you.�


    “Yes, sir, of course,�Xeno spoke up with a smile full of confidence. “Rest assured �now that you have employed us, you will be on the eightiethyer in no time!�


    “Ohhoho, now that sounds reassuring.�Melchor chuckled.


    If the current party’s progression got stuck, Tsutomu woulde and help them, so Xeno’s statement was technically not a lie. Xeno bowed to Melchor and proceeded to apany him to one of the reception counters.


    Daryl and Korinna hurried after them and each took a slip of paper for the withdrawal of their Status Cards. They proceeded to soak their slips with their saliva and hand them over to the receptionist. Seeing that, Melchor looked a little surprised.


    “Oh-ho, you can do it this way now? That’s good �far better than having to cut myself.�


    Thest time he had been here, Melchor had been asked for a drop of blood on the slip, meaning he had to prick his arm with a needle. Happy to see that there was now a new way to do it, he soaked a slip with his saliva. After everyone got their Status Cards and signed a party contract, the team of five headed down to the Dungeon, starting off their exploration onyer forty-one, the Beach biome.


    ――▽▽―�


    Right after the team arrived onyer forty-one, Daryl was about to ask Diniel to scout the area when he saw that she was already nocking an arrow.


    “Ah�scouting, please.�


    “Mm-hm.�


    Diniel proceeded to shoot some arrows and activate <<Eagle Eye>>, searching the surrounding area to find the ck Gate as quickly as possible. Daryl took this opportunity to talk to Melchor and n things ahead in the meantime.


    “Hmm, so we’re using that�three-roleposition, right? I did some reading about it beforehand. In this case, I’m supposed to be an Attacker, right?�


    “Yes, please. But do keep in mind not to be too aggressive, otherwise we won’t be able to keep the monsters�aggro off you�by which I mean, the monsters will start targeting you instead.�


    “Is that so? Well, non-humanoid enemies are out of my area of expertise anyway, so I suppose I could just go wild and be done with them. Hohoho.�


    “But Sir Melchor, you killed an Ice Dragon all by yourself! We won’t be able to keep up if you don’t hold back, sir!�


    Daryl could not help but call out Melchor’s apparent joke. Melchor’s solo killing of an Ice Dragon had been reported in the newspapers, and even before that, there were records of him defeating variousrge monsters during other Stampedes.


    He may have imed to be bad with anything non-humanoid, but that was only because he had to exert some more effort. It had been said that Melchor during his prime was one of the strongest humans, and that there was no one who could fight monsters as well as him. Even now, after the appearance of the God’s Dungeon and the widespread knowledge of skills and status ratings, he still was unrivaled in anti-personnelbat.


    “Is that so? I’ll use this one instead, then.�


    Melchor removed the Lightning and Inferno Magis Stones that were embedded in his gauntlets, recing them with Colorless Magic Stones.


    His fighting style, the Magic Fist, involved crushing Magic Stones in the palms of his hands to induce his fists with magical and elemental power. It was a technique unique to him that he hade up with in his many years ofbat. Currently, Bruno, the head of the Security Team and Melchor’s apprentice, was the only other person who could use it. The Magic Fist style was so dangerous and difficult that even the nobility left it alone, despite them otherwise being so eager to unlock the secrets of Magic Stones and the arcane arts.


    After all, crushing Magic Stones in one’s hands was practically equal to holding on to a live grenade. If a normal person were to try to crush even a Small Colorless Magic Stone, the resulting explosion would blow their hand right off �and if it were an elemental Magic Stone, the damage would be even more severe. Even a noble who was skilled in handling Magic Stones would need the time to learn to keep the released energy around their hands and control it properly.


    Melchor was the first to try this suicidal technique out during arge-scale Stampede sixty years ago, and he seeded, averting the disaster and walking out of the battle victorious. Since then, he had been using the Magic Fist without hesitation despite the almost certain risk of it destroying his body if he were to mess up.


    Still, one woulde back to life after death here in God’s Dungeon, so at some point, Melchor started trying to recruit some apprentices to teach them the technique. A handful came and went over the course of six years, and Bruno was the only one who stayed. The recruitment was still open to this day, but he had not gotten a new arrival for quite some time now.


    Even Bruno, whose unique skill enabled them to enhance their physical performance to a ridiculous level, could not yet handle the Magic Fist perfectly.


    Daryl took a moment to observe Melchor slotting the Small Magic Stones into both gauntlets, then he resumed the conversation,


    “Since we’re prioritizing progression, we don’t n on fighting anything other than theyer bosses, but for the sake of familiarity with the teamposition, I’m thinking we should have at least one battle peryer. Perhaps you could give us a demonstration of your technique whenever you deem it appropriate, sir.�


    “Yes, I understand.�


    While Daryl looked on curiously as Melchor crushed some cheap Magic Stone fragments as a warm-up, Diniel reported that she had found the ck Gate. The team started moving immediately, with Daryl and Diniel in the lead, Melchor in the middle, and Xeno and Korinna in the back of the formation.


    Then, right in front of the ck Gate, they encountered a Sea Slime bouncing around like a rubber ball. Daryl used <<Combat Cry>> to pull its aggro. Daniel shot out an arrow, and at the same time, Melchor stepped forward.


    “Hoh!�


    He struck the Sea Slime with his palm, causing the monster’s stretchy body to burst apart like a water balloon pricked by a needle. Indeed, all Melchor needed was one touch to dete the Sea Slime’s body. Daryl, distracted by his amazement at that strange sight, raised his tower shield to defend himself from the Sea Slime’s body m.


    Diniel and Melchor proceeded to make quick work of the Sea Slime.


    “Now that felt quite satisfying,�Melchormented on the Sea Slime’s softness and stretchiness before swiping his hands to get rid of the creature’s mucus.


    Xeno and Diniel seemed impressed by how he had caused the Slime to burst apart without even using a special skill.


    “Your moves were beautiful, sir. I’m no expert when ites to martial arts, but I could tell that you wasted no energy at all. Very impressive.�


    “How’d you get that strong? You’re younger than me, you know…�


    “Hohoho. Now, ttery will not get you anything.�


    Melchor smiled, seeming to be in a good mood after being praised by Xeno and Diniel. His level was only in the low 30s, so his status ratings were not even high �and yet he could attack with so much power without even activating a skill. Melchor and the nobles who were well-versed in the arcane arts were probably the only ones who could manage that.


    “Time is of the essence. Let us proceed to the nextyer.�


    “Yes, sir.�


    After collecting the Magic Stone, Daryl opened the Back Gate as Melchor instructed. The team proceeded to enteryer forty-two, and then, over the rest of the day, they reachedyer forty-five.

 Chapter 156: Non! Combat Cry!

    Chapter 156: Non! Combat Cry!


    �<Combat Cry>>.�


    Xeno swiped his buckler-holding arm as he unleashed an aggro-pulling aura. The skill normally would cause one to unleash a red aura, but for some reason, Xeno’s was a shining silver.


    Moreover, it clearly was generating much more aggropared to Daryl’s red, focused st of <<Combat Cry>>. Xeno’s level was 70, so Daryl wondered if the difference in status ratings was what made the difference. And so, while Diniel scouted the area for enemies, Daryl took the time to ask Xeno, who proceeded to run his fingers through his silver hair before replying,


    “What your <<Combar Cry>>cks is�beauty.�


    “…Excuse me?�


    “As far as I can see, you have been imitating how Garm the Mad Dog does it. You’re nowhere nearly as polished as he is, though, like a little puppy trying to swing around a spear.�


    “Uh-huh…�


    “You need to emphasize its beauty�Like this. <<Combat Cry>>!�Xeno shouted out the name of the skills and thrust his buckler out, and unleashed a silver aura.


    Daryl had to admit that it did look nicer than his own. Xeno lowered his buckler and gracefully turned to Daryl to say,


    “Monsters can be entranced by beauty, too �In fact, it is what gets them to direct their attention to my aura. That’s what makes the difference between you and me.�


    “I-I see…�


    “Don’t worry �your aura is by no means ugly. Every person has their own unique form, thus they possess beauty in their own unique way. All you need to do is practice. Now, give it a try.�


    “Y-yes. <<Combat Cry>>!�


    Daryl tried unleashing it the way Xeno did, but upon seeing that, thetter folded his arms and shook his head.


    “NON! That’s not right at all! More emphasis on its beauty! Make all the monsters turn to you �like this! <<COMBAT CRY>>!! There, try doing that!�


    �<C-Cmbat Cry>>!�


    “Put more power into your voice! <<Combar Cry>>!�


    �<COMBAT CRY>>!!�Daryl shouted out loudly, perhaps to distract himself from the embarrassment.


    Xeno, seeing the results, nodded in approval.


    “Hmm, much better �but still far from perfect. Keep up your training, and you’ll get there one of these days.�


    “O-okay…�


    “Hohoho. So full of energy.�


    Melchor smiled as he watched the two of them, and Daryl, feeling embarrassed upon noticing that, turned a little red. A little whileter, Diniel finished her scouting routine, so the team resumed their exploration.


    The rest of the day’s exploration went without particr incident.


    After returning to the n House, Daryl spent a moment in the living room thinking back on what he had been told, then stood up from the sofa and walked over to a mirror�


    “Let’s see here��


    …Then he tried to imitate the various poses that Xeno had struck whenever he unleashed <<Combar Cry>>. Tsutomu, watching from the living room sofa, had a lot of mixed feelings about how that looked, as apparent from the expression on his face.


    [This is pretty cool, actually…] Daryl thought to himself as he saw what the poses actually looked like in the mirror.


    Being a young boy, it was not so surprising that he would find amusement in this sort of thing. He continued to have fun imitating Xeno for a while.


    The following day, the mission team went with Melchor again to progress down the Dungeon’syers. Daryl led the team and started their exploration, with the n being to reachyer fifty within the day.


    �<Blessing of Swiftness>>.�


    Since battles with normal monsters ended quite quickly, the team’s Channeler, Korinna, was simply using her multi-target skill to boost everyone’s AGI. Because of this, Daryl could not really judge her actual strength just yet.


    One thing that immediately set her apart from Tsutomu, though, was did not cast <<Medic>>. While Channelers did possess skills to heal status effects, Korinna had not used them even once. So from Daryl’s perspective, Tsutomu was currently the better one to have as support.


    Another thing Daryl was interested in seeing was the extent of the power of Melchor’s Magic Fist style. As observed during battle, using even a normal Magic Stone packed quite a punch despite its user being low-leveled, and elemental Magic Stones were sure to enable a higher power output.


    Melchor’s mastery of the martial arts was also incredible �Daryl could not see any openings in his every movement, and he could evennd counter attacks with his bare hands. Even as a Tank, Daryl saw that he could reference those moves for his own improvement.


    As for Xeno, Daryl still did not know all that much about him. From what he could tell, though, the man did have the skill to back up his big talk. Xeno was a level 70 Pdin, and he seemed to have quite a clear understanding of the Tank role, so Daryl figured they would get along just fine going forward.


    And as it turned out, the trick to his skill was the confidence that beauty could entrance monsters. The confidence manifested into skill’s effects, boosting the amount of aggro generated �which, in technical terms, meant a higher consumption rate of mental energy. Even taking that into ount, though, the performance of Xeno’s <<Combat Cry>> was still superior to Daryl’s.


    [I’ll have to try different things until I get it right,] Daryl thought to himself as he led the team toward the ck Gate in their usual three-row formation.


    Along the way, the Menore, a gigantic slug-like monster, crawled out of the sand. It was quite a rare monster, but Daryl kept his cool and opened the fight with his skill.


    �<Combat Cry>>!!�


    “…Oh-ho?�Xeno raised his voice in admiration upon seeing Daryl strike a pose with his tower shield while unleashing <<Combat Cry>>.


    Korinna behind them, her hands sped together as she channeled the <<Blessing of Swiftness>>, also had her eyes wide open.


    Daryl’s <<Combat Cry>> was a focused, spear-like st like before, but sharper �and it was blue instead of the usual red. Due to not being used to this new form of the skill, though, he ended up spending too much mental energy. He had a bitter look on his face as he realized that the move had tired him off more than expected.


    The Menore mmed its gigantic body at Daryl, who proceeded to change his position so that the others behind him would not be attacked, then unleashed another <<Combat Cry>> as practice. It was also blue this time, albeit much darker �perhaps even closer to ck.


    “You know, I don’t like going againstrge monsters all that much,�Melchor said as he dashed across the sandy beach, unaffected by the terrain’s poor footing


    Making it into point-nk range in no time at all, he proceeded tond a punch on the Menore’s soft body. The monster’s body promptly flew off the ground.


    Helpless in mid-air, the Menore then was hit with a rapid session of Diniel’s arrows. All of the arrows had been infused with Inferno Magic Stones, so they were highly effective on the Menore’s almost-entirely liquid body.


    Diniel proceeded to shoot out the monster’s eyes with some well-ced arrows, and Melchor unleashed a rapid series of punches to finish it off.


    “Hmph, still not as beautiful as mine,�Xeno said as he handed Daryl the Magic Stone he had collected. “But at least it’s quite a lot stronger now. Keep up the good work.�


    “T-thank you,�Daryl replied as he epted the Magic Stone.


    After that, their exploration went especially smoothly, with the team reachingyer forty-nine and even finding the ck Gate that led toyer fifty by the evening. Korinna looked like she was about to cry due to how quickly they found this particr ck Gate. Before going through it, Daryl gathered everyone together andid out the ns for the Shell Crab fight.


    “The n is to set up a trap and lure the Shell Crab into it. It does require some decent aggro control, though�So Sir Melchor, could you sit the beginning of this fight out?�


    “Yes, of course. I’ll leave it to you.�


    “Thank you, sir. So here’s how it will go: I’ll pull the Shell Crab’s aggro first, with Sir Xeno waiting in reserve. And of course, Miss Diniel and Miss Korinna are the Attacker and Healer, respectively. After dealing some damage with the three of us, I’ll switch with Sir Xeno so I can set up the trap. Once the trap starts working, we’ll go in for an all-out attack to finish it off.�


    “Cool, cool.�


    “Very well.�


    “I-I can do it!�


    As Daryl looked around the group, the three others voiced their agreement. Daryl was the best choice to set the trap because he had memorized all the reading materials that Tsutomu had prepared. He also knew the monster’s digging locations from looking at photographs and diagrams, and also watching other groups�battles on the Monitors.


    Daryl took out a poisoned Potion Fish from his Magic Bag to confirm that it was ready, then proceeded to open the door to the fiftiethyer.


    �<Warrior Howl>>!�


    And once the Shell Crab emerged from the sand, Daryl took it on by himself, which got him the attention of the God Eye and center spot on the Monitor. Korinna asionally nced at the God Eye as she supported Daryl.


    Diniel watched Daryl’s movements and took shots at the Shell Crab’s defenses while also shooting arrows in other directions to find its digging locations in advance and decide on the best ce to set up the trap. Melchor and Xeno sat on a sand dune some distance away to watch the battle unfold. From an outsider’s perspective, it looked like they were getting quite a good conversation going.


    �<Blessing of the Sacred>>. <<Blessing of Protection>>�


    Korinna looked away from the God Eye and used more of her skills to focus support on Daryl. Channelers�blessing-type skills required some time to charge up before their effects activated, however, so she had to cast those skills a few moments in advance.


    �<Verses of Prayer>>�


    Still, she also had a skill that shortened the time required for the blessing-type skills to take effect. With the <<Verses of Prayer>>, it was possible for one to activate the effects of blessing-type skills almost immediately. It dide with a significant cost of mental energy, however, so she made sure to set up a <<Blessing of the Sacred>>, a skill that recovered one’s own mental energy, to go with it.


    The basic Channeler routine was to always have <<Blessing of the Sacred>> active and use other channeling skills such as blessings or prayers for support and recovery. Unlike White Mage, this Job’s skills usually could not be activated immediately, so one was required to anticipate the course of the battle fairly far ahead and micromanage their time.


    Its advantages over White Mage, however, were the stronger effect of support and recovery skills, and the fact that they could use a higher-leveled revival skill. Moreover, their skills had no effect on monsters, which gave them a significant tactical advantage in this world in particr.


    Daryl, receiving buffs and healing from Korinna’s blessing skills, was able to hold the line by himself. He had fought the Shell Crab dozens of times while training with Garm, so his performance today was pretty much perfect.


    [Actually, this is a bit harder than usual…]


    Without Tsutomu’s regr castings of <<Medic>>, Daryl was gradually getting tired out. Of course, Korinna had been using the Channeler counterpart of that skill, the <<Ray of Sce>>, but it was not quite the same since she could not use it as often as Tsutomu did.


    Still, looking at how good Diniel’s attacks were going, he figured he would be able to hold out until Xeno switched in. Daryl, his breathing starting to get rough, proceeded to deflect a strike from the Shell Crab’s giant pincers. Fortunately, he did have experience in fighting without getting <<Medic>> casts back when he teamed up with the Guild staff members. Compared to that, the battle he was in now was not so difficult after all.


    After some point, when the Shell Crab started spitting out bubbles, Daryl called out to Xeno in the middle of thetter’s conversation with Melchor.


    “Sir Xeno! Time to switch!�


    Xeno cut off his chatter and bowed to Melchor, then raised his index finger up in the air.


    �<COMBAAATTT�CRY>>!!�


    Then he pointed it at the Shell Crab as if calling its name, and a silver st of <<Combat Cry>>, packed with mental energy, flew straight at it like an arrow. As the Shell Crab turned around to face him, Xeno cracked a grin, showing his well-aligned white teeth.


    “Bring it on. I’ll y with you,�he said, looking excited as he drew his short sword in an exaggerated fashion.


    The Shell Crab,pletely provoked, started moving its eight legs and sped towards Xeno.


    Daryl, seeing that, asked Korinna to cast <<Ray of Sce>> more frequently, and then he went over to Diniel.


    â€m trees over there, boulder over there,â€?she said to him.


    “All right. Thank you.�


    “Come back soon, boy.�


    “…Yes, of course,�Daryl said, sounding awkward due to the fact that Diniel waspletely focused on the dog ears on top of his head.


    He then proceeded to run off, referencing the locations she had pointed out.

 Chapter 157: The Shell Crab Again

    Chapter 157: The Shell Crab Again


    Tsutomu’s Shell Crab trapping strategy, which he hade up with back when he teamed up with Garm and Amy, had been spread around by the news outlets. It was a ground-breaking introduction to the scene, as it eliminated a team’s need for the Attacker role to defeat the Shell Crab. The story had since been adopted and further improved by many ns, mostly in the mid-tiers.


    Previously, those with Tank Jobs would hire Attackers with money and have them help kill the Shell Crab, which was what Xeno had done after much convincing from his wife. This method was costly, however, so many Tank-type Explorers of mid-tier ns struggled financially and got stuck with the level cap of 60 as a result.


    Thanks to this trapping strategy, and given enough time, Tanks could now kill the Shell Crab, going over the wall that was the Dungeon’s fiftiethyer. More and more promising Tanks had appeared in the scene since then. Additionally, Tsutomu’s teachings of the three-role teamposition, which he had done to improve the well-being of himself and other Healers, had also given the Tanks a tailwind, enabling them to be evaluated fairly for their strengths.


    [There we go.]


    Daryl spread a bunch of poisoned Potion Fish, which he had bought from a stop that advertised it as the best Shell Crab bait, around a nesting spot. Then he set off to find the final nesting spot, which was supposed to be on some sand dunes near the beach.


    The bait selection for the Shell Crab had been researched by the mid-tier ns, and at first, it had been found that the best choice was the rtively inexpensive and chewy lobsters. And so hundreds of teams started hunting the Shell Crab, waiting for it to eat the poisoned lobsters that had been set around its nests before going in for all-out attacks. Afterward, they found that in addition to poison, paralytic toxins were effective as well.


    However, after the mid-tier ns hunted the Shell Crab in excess for some time, things changed. First, the monster stopped eating lobsters, and it developed resistance to paralytic toxins.


    In this world,yer bosses that were hunted with the same method over and over again would develop resistance ore up with some sort of countermeasure to certain effects. This had also been observed to happen with the Queen Spider, the boss onyer thirty. Before, the Queen Spider could be defeated quickly and easily by burning its threads with fire, but after a while, its silk became fire-resistant.


    The Shell Crab had gained its resistance to paralytic toxins in a simr fashion. Fortunately, though, its nesting locations stayed the same, as it still would take baits as long as it was not lobster. As such, the popr bait now was thebination of Potion Fish and the swamp poison that Tsutomu had used. What Daryl had prepared, too, was the same as Tsutomu.


    [All right, here it is.]


    Finding the spot on the sand dunes near the beach, he used a shovel to dig a hole and check if any Potion Fish and shells had been buried there. Then, upon finding them, he began to rece them with the poisoned ones.


    This switching method was not foolproof, though. If the poisoned Potion Fish were not fresh, the Shell Crab would be able to see through the trap, so Explorers had to make sure to buy the fish from a reputable seller. If possible, it was best to procure Potion Fish right from the Dungeon’s seas and use them on the same day.


    Most of the market’s Potion Fish were procured by Guild staff members, but the lower-tier teams of Ealdred Crow had also managed to catch quite a decent amount. There were also some fisherman-ish Explorers who stored boat parts in their Magic Bags and assembled their boats once in the Dungeon to catch fish withs. Net fishing also yielded seafood and materials other than Potion Fish, which they would wholesale to various restaurants as ingredients.


    There was a great variety in the Dungeon City’s cuisine, with some of the biggest reasons being the rtive cheapness and high avability of magic tools in the market, and the abundance and variety of ingredients. God’s Dungeon’s Grasnds and Forests offered a variety of vegetables for the picking, while the Swamps contained high-quality mushrooms and herbs, and the Beaches were abundant with seafood.


    As such, Explorers made a living not only from selling Magic Stones, but also by collecting materials. It would be difficult for one to tell the various materials apart, however, so they had to rely on more experienced, more knowledgeable Explorers. Garm had also bombarded Daryl with heaps upon heaps of knowledge during his training, so he was quite well-informed for a rtively new arrival in the dungeoneering scene.


    Once Daryl finished setting up the traps at all locations, he focused his dog ears to confirm the sounds of the fight, and headed in that direction to reunite with the others.


    Back to the team, he saw that the threebatants were fighting without any particr difficulties. Korinna sped her hands together and channeled her blessings, Xeno defended and parried the Shell Crab’s attacks with excessively stylish maneuvers, and Diniel attacked at a controlled pace like usual.


    “I’m done!�


    “Wee back, boy,�Diniel said, ncing in Daryl’s direction as she kept on shooting.


    The monster’s defenses, which were primarily constructed of seashells and ore that had been stuck together, had almost all been destroyed, and its own shell, as well as the shells of all ten of its limbs, were all fractured.


    “Sir Xeno! I’m ready to switch whenever!�


    “Is that so? I’m counting on you, then.�


    Xeno swiped his sweat-drenched silver hair and stepped back. Daryl used <<Warrior Howl>> to vibrate his shield, then hit the Shell Crab with a <<Taunt Swing>>. This bread-and-butter skillbo, very often used by those of the Knight-type Jobs, enabled its user to gain a considerable amount of aggro in a short time.


    By the time Daryl sessfully pulled the monster’s aggro away from Xeno, he felt his VIT increase as the <<Blessing of Protection>> took effect. Diniel, confirming that, prepared a bundle of stronger arrows.


    “One…�


    Diniel’s arrownded dead center on one of the Shell Crab’s little legs, shattering the leg’s cracked shell.


    “Two, three…�


    In contrast to her non-serious voice, every arrow she shot packed quite a punch. One after another, they pierced the cracked shells of the Shell Crab’s legs, each time causing the monster to scream.


    �<Double Arrow>>.�


    Then, after she shattered all of the monster’s little legs, she proceeded to work on destroying its gigantic pincers. Satisfying-sounding snaps echoed from two different spots, but then only a single streak of silver light flew off Diniel’s ck bow. She had used <<Double Arrow>> so much that she could shoot so quickly, it looked like a single shot instead of two.


    The two shots passed by Daryl and pierced into the center of the Shell Crab’s right pincer. Receiving the attack, the monster flinched, its antennae swinging around.


    �


    >.�


    Then she let loose another shot for good measure. The arrow twisted the air around it as it flew, andnded a direct hit on the target’s right pincer. The previous two shots had weakened the center of the pincer, causing sharp shards of the shell to pop off upon impact.


    “…Wow.�


    Each of the shots was so strong that even Daryl would not be willing to Tank against them. Daryl thought he had already known how powerful Diniel was, but unlike Hannah, he had never observed her in action this closely before. While he was utterly terrified by the sheer power exhibited right before his eyes, Diniel gave him the signal to fall back, so he did.


    <<Stream Arrow>>.


    Before the team hade down here, Tsutomu had tasked Diniel with trying to maximize damage output, which did mean no limits on the number of arrows she could use�which in turn meant she did not have to deal with Ollie constantly asking about her arrow supply.


    The arrow Diniel was readying to shoot now had been fitted with a Lighting Magic Stone, one of the rarest among the elemental Magic Stones. Then, after she shot it up to the sky, lightning arrows rained down on the Shell Crab like a thunderstorm.


    The Shell Crab, despite its resistance to paralytic toxins, could still be paralyzed by lightning �Now it was unable to move. Diniel used <<Stream Arrow>> a couple more times, mercilessly whittling down the monsters. Then, after drinking a vial of Blue Potion to restore her mental energy, she shot a <


    > at the immobilized Shell Crab’s face, past its lowered pincers.


    The arrownded urately in the monster’s mouth. Diniel continued to shoot some arrows normally, but all her hits were still powerful and just as severe for the Shell Crab.


    In the aftermath of the rain of arrows, the Shell Crab copsed and dispersed into light particles, having exhausted its strength.


    “Ah,�Diniel blurted out, seemingly surprised.


    She turned around to Daryl, who had been on standby behind her.


    “Sorry. I killed it early.�


    “…Well, it does mean we won, though, so I’d say it’s all good.�


    “I mean, sorry you had to run all over the ce.�


    “W-why are you trying to touch me?�


    Daryl stepped away from Diniel as thetter reached out her hand to his head. Diniel closed her eyes, spending a brief moment to think before proceeding to say,


    “I thought you could use a little constion, why?�


    “…You made that reason up just now, didn’t you?�


    “I’ll be honest, then. Let me touch your fur.�


    “Uh, you know that being honest won’t do anything to help your chances, right!?�


    “Tch,�Diniel clicked her tongue�with an otherwise straight face. She proceeded to pull on her bow’s string to check its condition.


    Daryl, unable toprehend Diniel’s actions, dropped his shoulders, and then collected the Lare Colorless Magic Stone that the boss monster had dropped.


    “That was quite impressive,�Melchor said, smiling cheerfully as he approached Diniel.


    “Nowhere as much as you, I’m sure.�


    “Oh, that’s not true �Aren’t you still quite young, as far as Elves go? Truly, it’s scary to think how much more growth and improvement you can achieve.�


    Diniel opened her eyes slightly wider in response to Melchor’s remark.


    “No, you’re the scary one �Last year, you even defeated a 350-year-old Elf Boxer in a tournament. That’s the person I’m second most interested in, after Tsutomu.�


    “You are interested in that young man? How so? Could it be�love?�


    “Even you must have been intimidated by the Devourer Dragon back then.�


    “…I was, indeed,�Melchor said, stroking his white mustache.


    During the seven years since the emergence of the God’s Dungeon, Explorers and civilians alike had been so focused on it that they neglected the thinning out of the other Dungeons. As a result, a certain monster appeared to devour the monsters of therge-scale Stampede, bing immensely powerful. Even Melchor had been taken aback by its unprecedented appearance, and if he had not been responsible for safeguarding the royalty, he most likely would have jumped at the first chance to fight it.


    “That monster�it could destroy House Babenberg’s barrier. But, Tsutomu still kept calm when he faced it. If it was you, maybe I would understand, but him�he’s totally not normal. There must be a secret to him, and that’s why I’m interested.�


    “Hmm. Well, I suppose I am interested, too. Even the nobility’s intelligencework could barely find out anything about him. He knew about the Devourer Dragon beforehand, too�As you said, indeed, he must have some sort of secret.�


    “Oh, is that so? As I’ve been told by Sir Garm, Sir Tsutomu was supposed to be a normal orphan, though…�


    “If ‘normal�orphans were that educated, humans would have been way above all the other humanoid races by now.�


    The literacy rate in Dungeon City was high by this world’s standard, but it was still much lower than in Japan. As such, all a person needed to be considered educated was the ability to read and write decently. Tsutomu understood this world’snguage, and thus could read and write perfectly, due to having been summoned from another world by God. Moreover, Diniel had confirmed that he had been managing the n’s finances before he hired Ollie, so she knew that he was more educated than the average person.


    “Oh, now that you mention it, that’s true.�


    “You’re a smart boy, Daryl, so why don’t you think for yourself? Surely you can figure that out easily enough.�


    “I-I’m sorry��


    “Hey, I was just asking. No need to apologize.�


    Diniel’s expression was mostly serious, so he naturally felt like she was scolding him. As it turned out, though, she was not particrly angry, and was simply stating the truth. Daryl looked up at her, his dog ears perking up.


    “Should I ask Sir Tsutomu about it the next chance I get, then?�


    “It doesn’t look like he likes talking about his past.�


    “Well, that’s true…�


    It was true that Daryl had rarely heard Tsutomu talk about himself. Moreover, he felt an air of mystery about Tsutomu, albeit not to the same degree of mysteriousness as Diniel’s.


    “We shouldn’t pry too much. I’m still curious, though.�


    “…Maybe I should ask Sir Garm next time I meet him, then?�


    Daryl was hesitant to ask Tsutomu about it directly, so in the end, he decided to rely on Garm again.


    After the conversation, the team proceeded down toyer fifty-one and called it a day.

 Chapter 158: The Fire Dragon Wall

    Chapter 158: The Fire Dragon Wall


    “I’m counting on you, then.�


    “Yes, of course. Hold on tightly, sir.�


    Xeno took off his armor and carried Melchor on his back, then ascended into the sky and joined up with the three others. Using one of Korinna’s Channeler skills, the <<Wind Deity’s Protection>>, everyone was able to fly.


    Melchor had hardly ever used flying skills before, however, so he was not so good at it �And since Xeno was the best flyer in the current party, he had been entrusted with the role of carrying Melchor.


    “Let’s go.�


    Since Diniel had already found the ck Gate through her scouting, she took the lead as the team proceeded to fly through the Valley. They eventually reached the ck Gate and proceeded down toyer fifty-two without incident.


    Carrier Birds and Wyverns started appearing onyer fifty-three, but Diniel effortlessly shot them all down. Since it was easier to find ck Gates while airborne, the team’s progression was rtively quick, with them reachingyer fifty-six in the span of two days.


    Fromyer fifty-six onward, the lush greenery was gone, turning the area into Canyons, and the possibility of multi-wave battles ensuing upon being detected by monsters became quite high. As such, it was necessary for Diniel to take the lead and be on high alert at all times.


    “One Wyvern up ahead. I’ll take care of it.�


    Diniel stuck her face out from behind a cliff and shot three arrows, crushing its face and piercing both its wings. After confirming that the Wyvern had fallen to the ground and faded away, Diniel called over the four others behind her and continued toward the ck Gate.


    Since Diniel had been an Explorer for a long time, she was very familiar with going through the Canyons. By taking advantage of the terrain, she could not only bypass the Orcs and Kungfu-garoos on the ground level, and also eliminate the Wyverns and Carrier Birds from a good distance before they could detect the team.


    Simrly, Guild Master Camille was good at exploring the Canyons thanks to her experience in raiding other Dungeons. Still, Diniel had also been a hunter for her hometown for several decades, so she was a precise sniper and had quite a bit of training for her scouting skills, enabling her to explore the Dungeon extremely efficiently.


    With Diniel in the lead for another two days, their Canyon exploration progressed at an amazing speed, with them making it toyer fifty-nine. Then they found the next ck Gate, and were set to challenge the Fire Dragon.


    “Mind helping us with the Dragon?�


    “Not at all. I happen to want some exercise anyway.�


    Melchor, who had been on Xeno’s back all the way through the Canyons, started stretching his neck. Xeno smiled happily as he observed the ck Gate toyer sixty, while Korinna’s face turned pale as she trembled like a little critter.


    “W-will we be all right? It’s my first time against the Fire Dragon, you know…�


    “No problem. Melchor alone is probably more than enough.�


    Melchor shot Diniel a reprimanding look in response to her irresponsible remark.


    “Now, you remember that I’m your client, yes?�


    “We’ll also be fighting the Mount Golem anyway. Better get used to it now.�


    “You do have a point there�But knowing you, it seems more like you’re beingzy.�


    Diniel showed no concern whatsoever at Melchor’s reply.


    “…What a difficult Elf she is.�


    Having enough Red-thread Fire Coats for everyone thanks to Ollie purchasing them in bulk, Daryl took them out and proceeded to prepare the Potions, then called out to the four others once he was done,


    “Ah, I’ll start going over our strategies now. Please gather around, everyone.�


    The usual strategy for this particr fight was simple. First, use a sh Bomb to temporarily blind it and interrupt its opening breath attack, then exploit the resulting opening to smash the crystal on its forehead, weakening its ability to fly.


    After that, everyone would put on their Fire Coats. The Tanks would pull aggro while the Healers heal them and the Attackers start dealing some damage. The strategy had be a ssic way of doing things by now.


    Still, more mid-tier ns had been able to defeat the Fire Dragon as ofte, greatly increasing the rate at which Fire Dragons got hunted. It was expected that the Fire Dragon would start developing powers to counteract the sh Bombs and Fire Coats after the next two months or so.


    The Guild staff members had already announced their predictions, resulting in mid-tier ns rushing to make progress while they could �which, in turn, probably would result in the changesing even sooner than initially expected.


    “I’ll be the one who throws the sh Bomb. Make sure to smash the crystal, Miss Diniel.�


    “You know, I’ve been meaning to say this for some time now�You don’t need to call me ‘Miss� It makes call-outs unnecessarily long.�


    “S-sorry��


    “…Look, just do whatever you want,�Diniel said and looked away from Daryl, then proceeded to put on her Fire Coat and start adjusting her bow.


    Melchor looked at her from behind and sighed.


    “Look what you’ve done, Daryl �now she has no idea what to say. Don’t worry too much about how to interact with her. That’s just how the Elves are.�


    “H-huh�Is that so?�


    “That’s right â€?Though, she does seem to be one of the moreâ€id-back ones among her kind, I suppose. There are likely no ulterior motives behind the things she says.â€?


    Melchor looked on at Diniel as she shot a Carrier Bird in the distance. Exasperated by thetter’sck of motivation, he shook his head before preparing some Magic Stones for his gauntlets.


    “D-do you think we’ll be all right?�Korinna turned to ask Xeno.


    “There’s no need to worry. The Fire Dragon will never even look your way!�


    “Really��


    Korinna looked back coldly at Xeno, put off by hisbination of shining silver armor and cheesy choice of words. Xeno seemed utterly unaffected, however, as he simply brushed up the bangs of his silver hair.


    “I have confidence in fighting the Fire Dragon. Just leave everything to me!�


    “Reeeally��


    “Now, Korinna! With that attitude of yours, you won’t be able to beat even a beatable foe! That’s right �you need attitude! Assume that your support is essential to defeating the Fire Dragon! Use your Blessing skills to guide me to victory!�Xeno prattled on and spread out his arms, acting as if he was giving a speech to a crowd.


    “Uh, you’re making me really want to NOT cast my Blessings on you…�Korinna said, gripping the talisman hanging from her neck.


    Indeed, the currentyer was uncharted territory for Korinna. Although he had a good idea of how strong things were from observing the enemies she had faced thus far, she still felt a vague sense of unease when it came to what was ahead.


    “Don’t worry, Miss Korinna,�Daryl spoke up. “I’ll see if I can make it easier for you to support us. Besides, we have Sir Melchor and Miss Diniel with us.�


    “Thank you. Those two are indeed quite amazing �Oh, and so are you, Daryl. You’re as good as the rumors say.�


    “Hmph. No need for any pep talk from me, then?�


    “Well, I expect you to live up to your big talk, Sir Xeno,�Daryl answered.


    “I sure will!�


    Xeno beat his chest and cracked a fearless grin, slightly easing Daryl’s worries with his unwavering confidence. Daryl proceeded to move along with the strategy meeting, after which the team walked through the ck Gate.


    ――▽▽―�


    The Fire Dragon’s roar shook the sky �though among the team, only Korinna was intimidated by it. She had only ever seen the Fire Dragon through Monitors, and naturally had never heard its roar with her own two ears before. Her limbs stiffened as if she was under a paralyzing effect, and she felt her throat choke down on itself.


    “Are you alright? Try to calm down, and take a deep breath if you can.�


    In the past, Daryl had also been frozen in fear upon being hit by the Dragon’s roar, so he had expected the same reaction from Korinna. He approached her as her breathing grew chaotic, and encouraged her to try breathing to his rhythm.


    Korinna did as Daryl said, tightening her grip on her talisman as she took deep breaths. Daryl, seeing the Fire Dragon gliding toward him in the corner of his eye, reminded Korinna to put her hood on.


    “Breath attack iing! Now make sure to cover yourself with the Fire Coat and crouch down!�


    “Y-yes!?�


    Korinna, her face reddening from the confusion, hurried to brace herself with the Fire Coat. Daryl, after confirming that everyone was all set, turned to keep an eye on the Fire Dragon as it glided down.


    Then, just as the monster was about to unleash its opening fire breath, Daryl threw a sh Bomb, temporarily blinding it and leaving its forehead vulnerable to Diniel’s arrow. The shot smashed the crystal to pieces, weakening its flight ability. Daryl proceeded to unleash his indigo-blue st of <<Combat Cry>> and made himself the first priority of the monster’s aggro.


    �<Blessing of Protection>>, <<Verses of Prayer>>.�


    Korinna removed the hood of her Fire Coat and stood up, then activated her skills on her four teammates, raising their VIT ratings. Channelers had the ability to choose specific targets for their Blessing-type skills, meaning they did not have to aim their skills like the White Mages. This advantage was one of the reasons why Tsutomu had felt she would do well with evasion-based Tanks like Hannah.


    This time, Korinna had been instructed by Daryl to concentrate on support and healing. Korinna, considering that that was the only thing she was good at anyway, activated a string of Blessing skills and watched Daryl as thetter faced the Fire Dragon.


    [Wow…]


    Daryl, famous as someone akin to a younger brother figure to the Mad Dog, had been known as the little boy who would always hide behind Garm�Until he hit what seemed to be a growth spurt about two years ago, growing big and tall, and then he went through intensive training to be the splendid fighter he was now.


    Korinna, feeling that they both had quite a bit inmon personality-wise, was inspired by how he was facing off against the Fire Dragon without hesitation.


    The others were excellent, too, as she had seen during the past few days�explorations. Melchor certainly had quite an unusual air about him �and so did Diniel. Perhaps it was due to how long they had lived, but she could not help but feel that there was something about them that set them quite far apart from other people.


    And then there was Xeno �perhaps the one she knew best among the team, though she was sick and tired of his hammy disposition. It could not be denied that he had the abilities of a top-notch Explorer, however.


    He had not shown even a hint of exhaustion despite moving around for hours on the sand during the Shell Crab battle, and he had better control over his flight than even Diniel. Her DEX rating was higher than his, so there was no doubt that his flight control had been achieved with thorough practice.


    Xeno’s excessive self-confidence seemed to mostly stem from innate narcissism, though at least a small part of it was likely a result of all the real effort he had invested. That was why he did not flinch one bit against opponents he had never defeated yet �including the Fire Dragon. Even now, he seemed perfectly rxed, smiling as he observed Daryl’s movements and even cheered him on.


    �<Ray of Sce>>.�


    If she were to be honest, Korinna herself did not understand why she had been chosen to join this n. Tsutomu had told her that she was the best of the Channeler candidates, but surely there were many other people who were as good as her. She did not get why he would seek out a Channeler instead of another White Mage, either.


    At first, in recruiting a Healer inferior to him, she had thought it was a part of his scheme to maintain his position in the main party �but after seeing Tsutomu on the Monitors, she instantly knew that that was not the case.


    From Korinna’s point of view, the only Healers who could match Tsutomu were Stephanie of Ealdred Crow and Lorena of Silver Beast �and that was the reason she was so confused as to why Tsutomu would let her in. Her capabilities as a Channeler were not so different from the average, and she would not consider her own appearance to be good enough as a marketing tool. She just had no clue how she had managed to get into this n, one full of all these excellent members.


    [Is it all right for me to have it this easy? I’m not going to get a streak of bad luckter�right?]


    In the time between leaving her previous ce and application into Absolute Helix, Korinna had not received a single invitation from any other n �and her savings had not been particrly longsting, either. She had to make ends meet by exploring the Dungeon with teams arranged by the Guild’s matchmaking service.


    Compared to that lifestyle, she was having such an easy time now. The Attackers here did not rush in with no regard to strategy, and the Tanks could actually keep themselves alive. Even now, despite constantly taking hits from the Fire Dragon, Daryl was firmly standing his ground �like a wall that provided the people inside it with reassurance.


    Even if Korinna were to make some mistakes, Daryl probably would be able to easily make things work out. In contrast to the many chaotic, structure-less battles she had gone through, now she actually had some decent peace of mind �or rather, she sometimes felt like she was not doing enough due to having so much leeway.


    �<Blessing of the Sacred>>. <<Blessing of Recovery>>. <<Verses of Prayer>>.�


    After casting more Blessings onto Daryl and using <<Verses of Prayer>> to make them take effect immediately, she proceeded to focus on healing. And although she had been initially told that supporting the Attackers was not necessary, she also cast some Blessings for Diniel whenever she could.


    �<Blessing of Swiftness>>.�


    This time, she did not use the <<Verses of Prayer>> together with the Blessing, and seeing that there was still some time before the previous VIT buff expired, she took this chance to cast the <<Blessing of Protection>> as well.


    Korinna had only a rough idea of her support effects�durations, but at least she understood them enough to keep them from running out. Several dozen secondster, the Blessings took effect, boosting Diniel’s AGI and VIT.


    Channelers�support effects generallysted much longer than those of White Mages, so she had no problem when it came to managing her mental energy, but in exchange, she must always stay on top of her time management. After all, in a real battle situation �especially when things got hectic �it was often difficult for one to urately estimate time in their mind.


    Then again, this party’s Tanks and Attackers were excellent �Diniel and Melchor hit just hard enough to keep the aggro from shifting to them, and Daryl showed not a single sign of copsing despite having the aggro constantly on him and being knocked away by the monster’s attacks again and again.


    [I can do this�]


    Seeing Daryl like that, Korinna was motivated to keep up her healing and support. Then, right when Daryl was exhausted, a silver st of wind rushed forth from behind Korinna.


    “Now, Daryl! It’s about time I take over!�


    Xeno ran past her and brushed off his Fire Coat to the side, revealing his armor, shining as brightly as the sun. Now it was time for Xeno the Pdin to face the Fire Dragon.

 Chapter 159: Xeno’s Pride

    Chapter 159: Xeno’s Pride


    Daryl, a little out of breath, responded appropriately to Xeno’s call-out, reducing the aggressiveness of his own attacks while still keeping the Fire Dragon’s attention on himself. Xeno unleashed all the skill needed to draw the Fire Dragon’s aggro, and after a while, the monster turned to him.


    Xeno’s silver armor, the parts of which were visible through the gaps of his red coat, looked as if it was enveloped in light due to the effect of the Pdin skill <<Ember Aura>>. The skill was a buff that mitigated the deterioration of abilities as a result of environmental effects, with a side effect of producing a shining aura.


    The Canyons had no environmental effects that would warrant the skill’s use, however, so it was technically useless �though it did make Xeno stand out quite a bit to the crowd spectating through the Monitors.


    “Now! Come at me!�


    At Xeno’s exmation, the Fire Dragon rushed straight at him, and the God Eye followed it, rying the footage to its Monitor. It had been known that God Eyes would follow Explorers�directions to a certain degree, so this time it was showing what Xeno wanted the audience to see.


    Just about anyone would tremble in fear if they had to face the mighty Fire Dragon alone. Even Daryl had been so scared that he could not move his body properly during his first attempt against it, being knocked around awkwardly and sustaining serious injuries for a good few moments.


    “Harder! HARDER! You’re still too weak to knock me down!�


    Xeno, on the other hand, was doing just fine, quickly recovering his bnce each time he was blown away as a result of blocking the Dragon’s kicks with his buckler. Each st of his radiant silver <<Combat Cry>> did more than enough to keep the monster’s attention on him.


    The word ‘fear�did not exist in Xeno’s dictionary �All he had was confidence, more confidence, and even more confidence.


    Still, even when his confidence allowed him to draw out the full extent of his abilities, he was having difficulties due to this being an enemy he had not yet beaten. After all, histent capabilities were far from Garm’s level �which was fair, since thetter was practically the only Tank-type Explorer who had maintained his relevance in the scene through the period when Tanks started being featured less on the front lines.


    Still, Xeno had been exerting an extraordinary deal of effort. Thanks to his wife’s advice, he had managed to get his level up to the current cap of 70 �an achievement that had been impressive for Attacker-type Jobs, and thought to be near-impossible for Tank-type Jobs, especially those who did not belong to the major ns.


    And in fact, Xeno had never been affiliated with any of the major ns before. He had joined mid-tier ns on several asions, but his egoistic personality had not been well-received, most of the time resulting in him being encouraged to leave.


    In his early days, almost no one had acknowledged him, and whenever he said something, people would scoff back more often than not. Despite all that, he had always managed to reach greater heights for himself, struggling against all odds as a Tank on his path to bing as aplished as Garm the Mad Dog.


    Then, at one point, he attracted the attention of a woman named Pico who, by a twist of fate, turned out to be a fellow schr from back when he had been enrolled in an academy at the Royal Capital. At the time, she had been making ends meet doing odd jobs as a Dungeon Maniac, and started giving advice to Xeno out of worry about his reckless tendencies.


    The first two pieces of advice Xeno had been given were to increase hunting efficiency by working with other Tanks, and to save up more Gold by joining a n that distributed their earnings among their members. He had refused to do so in the beginning, however, as he felt strongly against taking yet another detour, considering how long it had been since he left the Royal Capital to find work in Dungeon City.


    But then Pico proceeded toy out the big picture to him, forcing Xeno to understand just how bad his situation was, which left him with no choice but to relent. Since then, he exerted even more effort as if to vent his frustrations. He gathered some avable Tanks he could find and formed a small n, and together, they spent every single day polishing their martial arts while charging their way through the Dungeon.


    Busy day after busy day passed, and at one point, Xeno and Pico married. To help stabilize their new household’s ie, Pico taught him the art of journalistic writing, and after that, she gave him more advice on leveling up more efficiently.


    By the time he was making a decent earning with his articles, Xeno looked to polish his skill level up yet another notch. Hiring some party members with the money he had saved up and some support funds from his wife, he made many attempts at defeating the Fire Dragon.


    That was why, despite having never gone pastyer sixty before, he was perfectly calm now �and had the confidence to pull the others up with him. It was all the effort he had exerted that allowed him to stand tall against all odds.


    Xeno, seeing a faint, momentary glow inside of the Fire Dragon’s neck, threw on his Fire Coat and defended against the fire breath that followed momentster. Then, gracefully dodging the monster’s front legs, he thrust his short sword at one of its fingers, aiming at the flesh right under its w.


    “FWAHAHAHA!! Hurts, doesn’t it!?�


    The Fire Dragon let out an irritated groan at Xeno’s taunt, and crawled forward in an attempt to trample him down. Xeno dodged it easily enough, however, spinning right around and sprinting away.


    The Dragon gave chase on all fours and stretched its neck to try and bite Xeno, and he avoided them just fine �but then the monster swung its long neck like a whip, forcing him to block with his buckler. The impact sent him flying like a baseball hit by a metal bat, but it did not seem to deal any significant damage.


    All the while, Diniel took shots at the monster’s scales to weaken its defenses, while Melchor used Colorless Magic Stones to boost the power of his strikes, dealing massive damage.


    Each of Melchor’s punches busted right through the Fire Dragon’s hard scales, causing it to cry out in pain. This was not all good, however �Melchor was not yet used to the three-role teamposition, so he sometimes ended up overdoing it. Still, whenever the Fire Dragon turned toward him, a gigantic silver aura would burst forth behind it, pulling its attention right back.


    “Now, no looking at the others. I’m the only one you need!�


    Xeno was still perfectly calm �in fact, he was so abnormally calm that perhaps even a reasonable person would want to attack him out of pure annoyance. Whether or not that was the intended effect, the Fire Dragon started focusing its attacks on Xeno once again.


    “You know,�Diniel spoke up. “Maybe you shouldn’t use Magic Stones for now.�


    “I suppose that’s true. I’ll be able to hit as hard as I can then.�


    Doing as Diniel told, Melchor stopped crushing Magic Stones and started attacking the Fire Dragon with his unboosted gauntlets. Even like this, he was able to output as much damage as an above-average Attacker, so this was indeed strategically better for the team.


    �<Taunt Swing>>!�


    Xeno bashed the Fire Dragon’s front leg with his light-d buckler�and was sent flying when the monster swung its tail at him. Despite being blown away quite far, he regained his defensive stance quickly enough and proceeded to shoot a quick, weaker st of <<Combat Cry>>.


    Despite using his skills more often than Daryl normally did, he was far from exhausting his mental energy. The main reason was his MND being two ranks higher, but his training �especially when he practiced his skills under his wife’s thorough supervision �also yed a big part. Although making his skills shine a bright silver was functionally a waste of energy, he was pretty much perfect at optimizing his mental energy usage when it came to all other aspects.


    “Korinna! I have� A suggestion� Will you hear me out!?�


    “W-what is it?�


    “Can you�Increase the frequency�of <<Blessing of Recover>>�? You can do that, right!?�


    “U-understood!�


    Korinna nodded to Xeno as thetter shouted his demand while constantly under attack. She then proceeded to adjust the frequency of her Blessing casts ordingly.


    Xeno’s voice, resounding from the megaphone in his hand, was fit for both a military leader calling the shots�and a master entertainer. And now that he was working with a team that adhered to the principles of the three-roleposition, his strategic prowesses could shine like it never had before.


    “Come on! Entertain me!�Xeno shouted, holding up his short sword in front of him.


    And the Fire Dragon answered with a mighty roar.


    ――▽▽―�


    The battle raged on with Daryl and Xeno taking turns Tanking, while Korinna fulfilled her Healer role quitepetently all the way through, surprising even herself that there had not been any casualties yet. The two Attackers dished out tons of damage, and in the end, the Fire Dragon was defeated in just a couple of hours.


    “…Wow,�Daryl muttered as he watched the final moments of the battle.


    Once the Fire Dragon’s movements were interrupted by the final <<Stream Arrow>>, Melchor infused his fist with Lightning Magic stones and threw a punch so explosive, it almost looked like an actual lightning strike. The Fire Dragon let out a cry of desperation, and then it turned into light particles and faded away.


    “You didn’t have to do that.�


    “Hohoho. I just wanted to get some practice in. The Lightning Magic Stones are especially difficult to control, you see.�


    Melchor shook his fists, swiping the yellow-colored energy auras out of his gauntlets, thenughed happily as he stroked his white beard. Diniel had intended to follow her initial calctions and finish the fight with three more volleys of <<Stream Arrow>>, but then Melchor had wrapped everything up instantly with one hard punch. She was not at all happy about that.


    “Hmph. Sess was guaranteed,�Xeno said as he removed his now-tattered Fire Coat.


    “……�


    Korinna was so dumbfounded that she could not hear anyone else �not even Xeno just now. Although the Fire Dragon was no longer as much of an unbeatableyer boss as it once had been, with the stronger mid-tier ns starting to be sessful in defeating it as ofte, it still was a much more powerful adversary than everything that preceded it. This victory was so easily achieved that, to Korinna, it did not even feel real.


    Daryl gave her a light tap to call her back to her senses, then he proceeded to collect the Large Fire Magic Stone before looking around at everyone.


    “I think we should call it a day now. Thank you for your hard work, everyone.�


    “Mm-hm, hard work, indeed. I didn’t expect to progress this much in just one week.�


    “Oh, not at all, Sir Melchor! It’s thanks to you helping us as well!�Daryl bowed to Melchor.


    The team proceeded to enter the ck Gate, and then teleport back to the Guild. Once there, Daryl asked Melchor to confirm,


    “By the way, you will be busy with work from tomorrow on, yes?�


    “That is so. I must head to the Royal Capital, and will be away for a week or so. I will call upon you again when I get back.�


    As themander of the nobility’s private military, Melchor was pretty much under the control of House Babenberg. Moreover, the annual martial arts tournament wasing up in a few months, so Melchor would often be summoned by those in power somewhat often due to being the reigning champion.


    “Yes, we understand, sir. Let us meet again at the Guild, then.�


    “Mm-hm. My time of return is still uncertain, so I’ll send a messenger when I have the particrs down.�


    “Yes, sir! We look forward to resuming this mission!�


    Seeing how energetic Daryl was, Melchor smiled, then he turned the other way, walking out of the Guild white tapping his lower back with his fists.


    “A whole week off. Finally,�Diniel said, sounding refreshed.


    Although the exploration so far had taken rtively little effort, working a whole week in a row was still a big no for her.


    “Just three days, actually…�


    “Wait, what?�


    “It’s Sir Xeno and Miss Korinna’s first time in the Volcanoyers, you see. We have to help them get used to it before Sir Melchores back!�


    “…Huh.�


    Diniel seemed disappointed but did not object to it, and was still looking forward to the three-day vacation that was right in front of her.


    Xeno and Korinna nodded in acknowledgment of Daryl’s statement.


    “Hehehe�Layer sixty-one, atst! This is where my legend begins! Ahh, I can hardly contain my excitement!�


    “G-good for you, Sir Xeno. But we’re not diving back in right now �all of our equipment needs fixing, after all.�


    “Yes, of course! And now that you mention it, I’ve noticed that your armor is quite sturdy!�


    Daryl only had one piece of armor broken during the fight,pared to Xeno’s three. That was despite the fact that Daryl took more hits overall, because Xeno had put a good bit of emphasis on his armor’s appearance, resulting in lower defense.


    Hearing Xeno praise his armor, Daryl felt proud as if he had crafted the pieces himself.


    “These are some of the best works toe out of Sir Dorren’s workshop, after all! A Fire Dragon doesn’t stand a chance!�


    “Oh-ho, the same workshop that Garm frequents, I see. Their products�performance is guaranteed, true, BUT they arecking in mor �which is a crucial aspect when ites to things I’m willing to wear.�


    It was true that Daryl’s heavy armor was on the more utilitarian side, and did not look all that impressive especiallypared to Xeno’s. However, the crafting process involved the use of the dedicated Dwarf craftsmen’s best techniques, resulting in some of the highest-quality armor in Dungeon City.


    “Leaving that aside, your performance was quite impressive, Daryl. I used to think you were simply some boy who Garm took pity on, but you’ve shown that that is not the case at all. I wouldn’t consider you to be superior to me just yet, but you ARE on the right track, I daresay.�


    “Ahaha�Thank you very much.�


    Feeling no sarcasm whatsoever from Xeno’s words, Daryl could not help but answer with a dry chuckle.

 Chapter 160: Korinna the Big Eater

    Chapter 160: Korinna the Big Eater


    During the week of Melchor’s absence, the first three days were rest days. And on the remaining four, the team was to exploreyer sixty-one in order to help Xeno and Korinna get ustomed to the Volcanoyers.


    Everyone was free to spend the days off however they liked, but Daryl first went to Dorren Workshop to ask for his equipment to be repaired. He greeted Dorren as thetter was throwing some coal into the furnace. Then, once he presented the armor pieces that needed repairing, Dorren raised an eyebrow.


    “Damn, this is some heavy damage. You still got enough recements?�


    “Yes. I still have two sets left.�


    “Okay, good. How’d you get hit in this spot, anyway?�


    Seeing that the armor had been broken on a spot that Daryl would usually avoid taking hits with, Dorren knit his brows.


    “I mean, it’s been a long time since youst took a hit an the neck part, you know? You usually wouldn’t let even a little scratch on it.�


    “Ah, I’m sorry. It’s just that…�


    “What? Speak clearly, boy.�


    “Well, I mean, I might have�gotten a little too reckless.�


    During the Fire Dragon battle, Daryl had felt like gettingpetitive due to how shy thetter was, which resulted in him being a little more aggressive than usual. At one point, the Fire Dragon’s tail swipe hit his neck, resulting in the damage to that part of his armor.


    Dorren scratched his chin, wondering what exactly Daryl meant by ‘getting a little too reckless�


    “What, you got some fiercepetition going on in the n? But I heard from Tsutomu that there’s no fighting over being in the main team or anything like that, though?�


    “No, it’s just�I want to be the very best.�


    Hearing how serious Daryl was, Dorren took his eyes off the heavy armor, stunned for a moment. He had not at all expected Daryl to say that, with him still seeing the young man as a little puppy.


    Dorren thought he had misheard, but upon a close look, he noticed that Daryl now had a different air about him, being much more straightforward and determined than ever before. Dorren proceeded to give the young man a pat on his shoulders, cheering him on.


    “Keh�hahaha! That’s good! Yeah, you gotta aim high like that!�


    “Gah� That hurt, Sir Dorren!�


    Due to those ‘pats�by a Dwarf’s standards being more like hard ps to most other races, Daryl took a step away. Dorren proceeded to crack a grin.


    “Look, I’ll give you all the repairs you need. You just aim high and be the very best, Daryl.�


    “…Huh? Did I hear that right? Did you just�say my name?�


    “What? You got any other business with me? If not, then get your ass outta here right now, doggo.�Dorren sent Daryl on his way, though the way he did it felt more like chasing away a stray dog.


    “Ah�! You totally did!!�Daryl argued so hard that, if not for the exchange’sedic tone, one might think he was about to bite back.


    And so, seen off by one of the apprentices, Daryl reluctantly left the workshop. With Dorren’s encouragement still echoing clearly in his ears, he returned to the n House in high spirits, unable to hide his grin the whole time.


    ――▽▽―�


    Korinna nned to spend the days off spectating other teams�explorations, so she was outside most of the time, with the rest of the time spent rxing in the n House. Before now, she had been struggling to make ends meet due to her low ie as an Explorer, and had to work part-time as a nurse. For that reason, she was very happy that this n had a house for its members to live in, helping her save on food and lodging expenses.


    “Now THIS�this is definitely tastier than what that restaurant had, Miss Ollie!�


    “Thank you very much.�


    Surprisingly enough, it turned out that Korinna was quite a big eater, with the steak she was having being as big as what Daryl would usually have. This was despite her rtively small build �though not as small as Hannah’s. In fact, Ollie honestly had no idea how Korinna even managed to fit the whole steak into her stomach.


    After finishing her heavy breakfast, Korinna put on a coat and picked up arge lunch box from Ollie, then headed out to the za where the Monitors were. Spectating other Explorers�activities through these Monitors had been her only hobby for the longest time, even after she became an Explorer herself, and she could even enjoy some street food and wine while she was at it, too.


    At first, Korinna had been content with just watching, but then she began to admire Explorers more when she saw a certain girl shown on a Monitor. She then sumbed to her urge to create a Status Card, and proceeded to begin her activities as an Explorer.


    [Now, which Pedestal should I look at?]


    Monitor #1 had an especiallyrge screen, so it naturally attracted attention from spectators of all ages, from children to the elderly, from the general public to the Dungeon Maniacs. Some among them, though, preferred not to watch the numbered Monitors, instead enjoying spectating through the ‘random�Monitors �the sizes of which were closer to CRT TVs, and true to their name, they showed footage of in-battle Explorers at random. Korinna liked watching those asionally, too.


    Still, the numbered Monitors were much bigger and had better visual rity, so today, Korinna decided to start with Monitor #10. It was still early in the morning, so the more famous teams were not yet active, with most of the ones currently shown being the mid-tier people trying to make progress.


    The part she liked to watch the most was, of course, the fighting �though that was far from the only thing that Dungeon exploration had to offer. The Dungeon was filled with a great variety of sceneries and monsters, and Korinna quite liked seeing Explorers�reactions to seeing new things for the first time.


    She also enjoyed learning about Explorers through interviews, which were never in short supply thanks to newspapers and public events. They often gave out different impressions from what she would see on the Monitors, and sometimes it was that gap that caused her to be a fan of certain Explorers herself. She had had high opinions on Daryl and Garm for some time now, and she quite liked the recently-famous Hannah for various reasons, too. They did not see each other that often since they were currently working with different teams, but she hoped to talk to her someday.


    Moving on from one Monitor, Korinna walked around to the next one, analyzing the live footage in detail �and she never got tired of doing it the whole time.


    [Ah, that guy’s dead,] Korinna thought as she watched a party currently in battle.


    The person in question was a Tank, and just as Korinna thought, he got his abdomen pierced by a Spear Deer ten or so secondster, and his body burst into light particles. Korinna continued to ‘sense�the death of other in-battle Explorers, and sure enough, they died shortly after.


    From all the Monitor footage she had seen so far, her own experience as an Explorer, and her work experience as a nurse, she was good at foreseeingbatants�deaths based on the mood and tendencies of the fight. In fact, she had spectated so many battles that she could anticipate a good deal of urrences in general.


    The ability to ‘predict�death was what she had always had to some degree, and after the three-roleposition became more popr, she had had many more opportunities to improve its uracy. Her predictions were almost always right, which ended up creeping out her friends who would sometimes spectate with her.


    Around noon, when the workers on their lunch breaks began to gather near the Monitors, Korinna went to sit on a bench to eat the sandwiches that Ollie had prepared for her.


    She picked the spicy chicken sandwich as her first piece, though before she even finished it, she was already eyeing the ham and egg sandwiches as well. The stalls near the Monitors were also tempting since she could get freshly-cooked food from them, but Ollie had prepared such a wide variety of sandwiches that she was satisfied with them for now.


    And so, she continued to watch the Monitors as she gobbled up the sandwiches in her box.


    ――▽▽―�


    “My sources were correct �My skill does have an effect that helps reduce the effect of heat! Ahh, it’s so beautiful, I don’t think I can keep looking at it!�


    Xeno seemed quite happy as he looked away from his hands upon seeing them wrapped in auras of gleaming silver.


    Xeno and Korinna, neers to the Volcanoyers, were spending the next four days getting ustomed to the biome’s environment and its monsters. The effect of Xeno’s <<Ember Aura>> turned out to be useful in mitigating the area’s heat, getting rid of the scorching hell everyone had had to put up with all this time, thus making things easier for the whole team.


    Without special skills like this, one would need to regrly rehydrate and use temperature control magic tools instead �which were quite costly, so the team was thankful to have ess to one right now. There was one gripe Diniel had with it, however.


    “You know, all these shing lights really are unnecessary. You should stop it.�


    “Hmph, the color of Xeno cannot be suppressed. Whether you like it or not, I will continue to make it shine!�


    “……�


    Diniel closed her eyes, giving up on trying to argue her point. Fortunately, one of Korinna’s Divine Protection skills, the <<Adventuring Deity’s Protection>>, could also help with environmental effects, so she opted to use that instead. It also caused her to glow, but the light was far less distractingpared to Xeno’s aura, and thus did not get in the way of her shooting.


    Ideally, they would want to have an Adventurer for help in this aspect, since that Job had ess to the most terrain-rted skills, making them quite valuable in the Dungeon’s second half ofyers, from the Volcano and Snow Fields to the Ancient Castle. In fact, it was thanks to an excellent Adventurer like Misil that the n of Silver Beast was doing so well right now, so much so that they were currently ahead of Ealdred Crow.


    “All right, let us be on our way, then! Miss Diniel, please!�Daryl said as he looked at an information sheet that Ollie and her apprentice hadpiled for him.


    “Mm-hm.�Diniel nodded and started scouting the area.


    Considering the dungeoneering scene’s average progression, a team was guaranteed to be at least shown on Monitor #50, meaning they would have a God Eye following them. While Diniel was busy searching for enemies, Korinna looked around and found thisyer’s God Eye floating in the air.


    The God Eyes were basically eyeball-like spheres that acted as the Dungeon’s cameras, projecting whatever it saw onto its corresponding Monitor. They followed Explorers�explicit directions to some extent, with ones closer to Monitor #1 being able to take more precise instructions.


    After telling Diniel the areas of the Volcano with high possibilities of there being ck Gates, Daryl noticed Korinna looking at the God Eye in the distance.


    “Is something wrong?�


    “Ah, nothing much. It’s just�I’m feeling a little nervous, knowing that so many people are watching us right now.�


    As Daryl approached her, Korinna looked down and tightened her grip on her talisman. The Absolute Helix team was currently shown on Monitors close to #20, and viewership was high due to them being one of the town’s top ns. Previously, Korinna had not gotten to see God Eyes very often, and even when she did, their numbers were in thete 40s at best.


    Now, however, she could not help but feel embarrassed to imagine just how many people were watching. And now that Daryl asked her about it, she became a little more conscious of God Eye as a result.


    “…Now that you mentioned it, it’s quite reasonable to feel nervous, yes.�


    “I know, right? Ah, I’m d I’m not the only one who thinks that �I mean, Xeno is always�his showy self, and Diniel doesn’t seem to care at all!�


    “Ah�Right.�


    Daryl thought of the faces everyone would make while on camera. Tsutomu had not cared about such things at all in the beginning, but he recently started to pay more attention to them for the sake of publicity. Amira still did not seem to have any interest in that, while Hannah cared only a tiny bit.


    Having worked with those three for a long time, Daryl did not particrly mind being watched, but now that he thought about it, he did feel a little embarrassed �if only because he remembered how he viewed other teams through the Monitors whenever he gathered information.


    The God Eye, seemingly sensing the pair’s being conscious of it, proceeded to approach them and circle at a low angle around Korinna, whose attire was a fairlymon kind for Channeler: a ck and white nun-like outfit.


    And then the God Eye moved on to Daryl, focusing on his fluffy tail that stuck out of his uncool, utilitarian armor.


    “W-why is it acting like this!?�


    “H-how am I supposed to know!?�


    The two of them turned bright red and started running away from God Eye, which continued to follow them. Xeno, noticing themotion, started running after them so that he could get on the camera as well.


    “They have way too much energy…�


    Diniel spent a moment looking at them, then proceeded to use <<Eagle Eye>> again to search for the ck Gate.

 Chapter 161: Challenging the Seventieth Layer

    Chapter 161: Challenging the Seventieth Layer


    Five days passed since Xeno and Korinna started making progress through the Volcano Layers. After making it toyer sixty-five and defeating the Bolseyer with a fair bit of struggle, the team of four returned to the n House, where a messenger had been waiting to inform them that Melchor would return two dayster than initially nned.


    “All right, we’ll be taking the remaining two days off. Then we’ll aim foryer seventy when Sir Melchor returns!�


    “Cool, cool,�Diniel replied unenergetically.


    “Very well. I will see you allter!�Xeno followed up, and immediately left the Guild to head home and see his wife. His footsteps were as weightless as ever despite his being tired from exploring the Dungeon.


    Two dayster, Melchor returned to Dungeon City as he had nned, and the team immediately resumed their exploration fromyer sixty-one.


    Thanks to Korinna casting the <<Adventuring Deity’s Protection>> on everyone, the scorching heat of the Volcanoyers was no longer an issue. And Xeno insisted on using his own <<Ember Aura>>, so he was the only one in the group with a shining silver aura.


    “It’s nowhere near here. We should go west and try again.�


    “Understood.�


    Diniel, having used <<Eagle Eye>> to expand her range of vision and find ck Gates over the past few days, now had a good idea of the terrain of the Volcano’s earlyyers. Still, she had spent much less time herepared to the Beach and Valleyyers, so she still was not able to find the ck Gates here all that quickly.


    As a result, the team’s general rate of progress was currently at oneyer per day. On the fourth day, they reachedyer sixty-five, which meant they had to face the Bolseyer.


    It had been one month since Absolute Helix’s first victory against the Mount Golem; due to the effectiveness of the Scorchstone Robe that Tsutomu had used during that time, the Bolseyer had been hunted hundreds of times since. The major ns, always on the lookout for more efficient hunting methods, had gathered information from the journalists and Dungeon Maniacs to create increasingly effective strategies, and over time, that allowed the mid-tier ns that had gotten past the Fire Dragon to find sess in this hunt as well.


    Those mid-tier ns and the Guild’s staff members all hunted the Bolseyer for Scorchstone Robes, and by now, quite a few had been obtained and were circting in the market.


    However, since the chests dropped by the Bolseyer could also contain other items, the Scorchstone Robes were trading at a fairly high price. Still, just the other day, Golden Tune had purchased one, and using it, they got throughyer seventy at just about the same time as the Guild did.


    And the Scarlet Devil Squad was now back in full swing, with their primary Attacker being Alma, wielding the ck Staff again �though with a much better attitude this time around. Their n Leader Weiss, on the other hand, had been trying out his own style that covered the roles of both Attacker and Tank. If all went well, the Scarlet Devil Squad likely would not take more than another month to prevail over the Mount Golem.


    Now that Alma was properly exploiting elemental synergies, the use of her ck Mage skills and other magic tools allowed her team to easily get rid of the Bolseyer’s slimy membrane, robbing it of its onnd movement and figuratively turning it into a fish that bled out gold coins.


    “Bye.�


    As for Diniel, all she needed was to shoot at the Bolseyer’s face. And when enough of her arrows hit, the monster’s body burst into light particles and disappeared. It did not drop a treasure chest this time, but the team was not hoping for one anyway, so they simply collected the Colorless Large Magic Stone and immediately proceeded down toyer sixty-six.


    After that, they continued to progress at the same steady rate of oneyer per day. In the end, after a total of two five-day work weeks, they reachedyer sixty-nine.


    When Daryl reported that to Tsutomu at the n House that evening, he nodded in satisfaction.


    “Looking good �way better than I expected, in fact. I didn’t think you’d go through a whopping thirtyyers in just one month.�


    “It’s thanks to Miss Diniel �her scouting skills really helped us find the ck Gates quickly.�


    “Ah, I see. So, how aboutyer seventy? Think you’re up for it?�


    “…With some difficulties, maybe,�Daryl reluctantly gave Tsutomu his honest opinion.


    He was not underestimating his party members, of course. Xeno may be too self-absorbed to perform at his best most of the time, but aside from that, he was a perfectly capable Tank. Korinna had been using the <<Medic>>-like <<Ray of Sce>> more oftentely, so from the perspective of a Tank, she was an excellent Healer, too.


    Still, he did not think the team would be able to beat the Mount Golem on their first try. Daryl would have said he was up for it if they at least got a few attempts, but this time they were not exploring normally, but rather on a job for Melchor. Considering that, Daryl figured they should do the practical thing and make progress as quickly as possible instead.


    “Is that so? How about Hannah and I switch in? Should make things go smoother, at least.�


    “Yes, that would be helpful.�


    “……�


    Despite saying what he honestly thought, a part of Daryl did want to try facing the Mount Golem again, determined to support his party just as everyone had been supporting him. He wanted to im a victory over the Mount Golem with the mission team, not by relying on Tsutomu and Hannah’s help.


    Still, they had to work in the best interest of Melchor’s mission; personal feelings had no ce here. As such, Daryl tried to hide any frustrations he might have and nodded to Tsutomu.


    Despite his attempt at hiding his feelings, though, they still showed clearly on his face. Seeing that, Tsutomu pondered for a moment and then said,


    “You know what? I’ll ask Sir Melchor if he’ll give you a few tries first.�


    “…Huh? But why?�


    “Well, because it looks like you don’t want us to switch in, that’s why.�


    “T-that’s not true! I would never make that kind of face!�


    “Hey, I never said anything about your face. And don’t be like that �it’s a good opportunity for you. This will be done with Sir Melchor’s approval anyway. Just give it a try if he lets you, all right?�Tsutomu said without thinking anything in particr as they walked to the dining table to wait for dinner.


    Daryl’s face turned pale as he followed Tsutomu and tried persuading him otherwise, but was wholly unsessful in the end.


    ――▽▽―�


    The morning of the next day, Tsutomu went with the mission team to meet Melchor�


    “Sure, why not?�


    “Huh!?�


    …And he gave his approval without a second thought. The answer came so quickly that Daryl could not keep his voice down.


    “Well, I didn’t expect to reachyer eighty in less than two months anyway. I reckon trying things out for one week wouldn’t hurt.�


    “I see. What I have in mind is that, if the team fails twice, Hannah and I will switch in. How does that sound, sir? Ah, and if you’d like, you could deduct some amount from the reward if the team takes too long, too.�


    “Now, don’t sweat the details. I’m fine with that.�


    “Thank you, sir. That’s what we’ll be doing, then. Well, you heard him, Daryl �give it your best shot, you four!�


    “Uh…�


    Daryl could only get out a half-hearted reply, perhaps due to being unable to keep up with the conversation’s tempo. Tsutomu promptly left the group, and as they looked at him go, Diniel heaved a sigh, Xeno celebrated this development�and Korinna panicked just about as hard as Daryl was.


    “Sir Melchor!! Are you sure about this!? If we fail, it’s not going to look pretty!�


    “I don’t mind. Ah, and let me guess�you really don’t want to rely on Tsutomu, do you?�


    Melchor had noticed a gradual change in Daryl’s attitude the closer the team got toyer seventy, and the conversation just now confirmed his suspicion. It was especially apparent when Daryl predictably started panicking as he was confronted with some carefully chosen words that got to the heart of the matter.


    “Well, that’s�That doesn’t have anything to do with your mission, Sir Melchor.�


    “Now, you’re still young �you don’t need to start doubting everything. If I say don’t sweat the details, you don’t sweat the details.�


    “…I’m sorry, sir.�


    “No apologizing, either.�


    Melchor smiled and stroked his beard. Daryl raised his head, seeming to have made up his mind now.


    “…Thank you, sir! Just wait and see �we’ll win this on our first try!!�


    “Hohoho, now that’s the spirit. Give it your best shot, young man.�


    “Yes, sir!!�Daryl cheerfully replied, clenching his fists. His eyes were filled with determination �the determination to make good use of this chance Tsutomu and Melchor had given him.


    “Don’t get all excited by yourself,�Xeno spoke up. “My wife is already looking for the best ways to secure us the victory. And remember that you will have my skills at your disposal.�


    “I-I’ll do my best, too!�said Korinna.


    “All right! I won’t let you down!�Daryl answered, his eyes sparkling.


    Behind them all, Diniel said nothing in particr as she looked at a nearby Monitor.

 Chapter 162: Ollie’s Uncertainty

    Chapter 162: Ollie¡¯s Uncertainty


    After receiving permission from Melchor to challenge the Mount Golem with his current party, Daryl had his responsibility as the leader toe up with their strategies. Two Scorchstone Robes were needed for his most optimal idea, so Daryl consulted with Ollie, who was in charge of the n¡¯s management, during one of his days off.


    Ollie nodded without looking particrly troubled, as if she had already expected this.


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu has mentioned that possibility to me some time ago. As such, the Scorchstone Robes have already been prepared.¡±


    ¡°Oh, already? Thank you very much!¡±


    Tsutomu, having received daily progress reports, had already prepared some of the equipment they may need foryer seventy, which included the extra Scorchstone Robe.


    Daryl bowed to Ollie and was about to leave when she called him to stop.


    ¡°Also, Mister Dorren has entrusted me with delivering your equipment to you. This way, please.¡±


    Ollie stood up without another word and waved her hand to guide Daryl to the storage room in which various items and equipment were stored. Daryl had not had many chances to go there, so once he was inside, he looked around with curious eyes, his normally folded ears standing up.


    Pre-filled vials of Potions were arranged nearly in boxes, and spare equipment sets were ced together in an orderly fashion. The fact that there was barely even a speck of dust on them was proof that Ollie and her apprentice had been thoroughly cleaning them.


    ¡°Here it is.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    Daryl could not contain his voice upon seeing the red set of heavy armor on disy, worn by a wooden mannequin. Dorren had made it out of Crimson Sunstones and other materials gathered from the Dungeon, improving its anti-heat properties so that it would not melt in the Volcanoyers. It looked so impressive that one might even think it was already on fire.


    ¡°Apparently, it is heat-resistant enough to withstand the Mount Golem¡¯s heat rays, and boasts superior efficiency of heat dissipation. As a countermeasure against wide-area attacks, it alsoes with a detachable helmet.¡±


    ¡°Wow, this is amazing! Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Since you have ess to two Scorchstone Robes, I think it would be best to have Miss Korinna and Mister Xeno wear them.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Yes, I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    ¡°As for this armor, you ought to try equipping it once, to see if it has any issues ¡ª though I don¡¯t think there will be any.¡±


    When Daryl smiled and nodded in agreement to Ollie¡¯s suggestion, she immediately started removing each piece from the mannequin, went behind Daryl, and put them on him.


    ¡°Also, I think Sir Melchor should be put in charge of cleaning up the smaller Golems. From what I¡¯ve seen, he has not been going all out, and seems to have no intention to do so for the duration of this mission, either.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you sure, Miss Ollie?¡±


    ¡°I have met him several times at my previous workce, you see.¡±


    Ollie smiled faintly as Daryl turned around to nce at her.


    ¡°Mister Daryl, I¡¯m sure you have alreadye up with a number of strategies, but I have alsopiled a set of reference documents that might prove useful. Would you like to take a look at them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to, Miss Ollie.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll have them readyter, then,¡± Ollie said, smiling as she equipped Daryl with piece after piece of the heavy armor.


    After buckling in thest piece, she tapped his back to tell him that she was done. Then she carried over a thin standing mirror so that Daryl could see what he looked like.


    ¡°This is quite¡­ shy.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I think it suits you quite well, actually.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    Although Daryl was waving his hands at Ollie¡¯spliment, he was blushing at least a little bit. Still, as Daryl had said, this set of armor was quite shy, as it was all red ¡ª something he had never imagined he would ever wear.


    ¡°Are there any issues with it?¡±


    ¡°None that I can think of so far, no. It¡¯s just asfortable to wear as the previous set.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll go ahead and request some spares for when you challenge the seventiethyer, then.¡±


    Ollie wrote that down in her notepad, then proceeded to unequip the armor pieces from Daryl. She crouched down behind him and dexterously undid one buckle after another, collecting the pieces and putting them back onto the wooden mannequin.


    And as Daryl kept staring at the armor, Ollie called him,


    ¡°I could give you the documents right away, if you would spare a few moments and follow me to my room.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, of course.¡±


    He followed her, and sure enough, she hadpiled quite a bit of information rted to the Mount Golem.


    ¡°This is so amazing! I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d been doing this much research, Miss Ollie!¡± Daryl said excitedly as he looked through the neatly organized stack of documents.


    ¡°Not at all ¡ª this is only because Mister Tsutomu mentioned it to me.¡±


    Ollie humbly nodded. Although she was responsible for the n¡¯s finances and household chores, she also did some research about the Dungeon in her spare time, which meant her workload was tremendous despite her having an apprentice¡¯s assistance.


    ¡°Thank you very much. I really appreciate it!¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, it¡¯s nothing special. Anyone in my line of work can do this much.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to do it, though¡­¡±


    Ollie had said what she said to keep some distance between them, but when she was Daryl¡¯s slightly dejected reaction, she hurried to change her wording.


    ¡°Mister Daryl, you explore the Dungeon almost every single day, yes? You¡¯re much busierpared to me.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure¡­¡±


    Feeling the urge to protect Daryl upon seeing the face he was making, Ollie forced herself to look away. She coughed once to clear her throat, then attempted to change the subject.


    ¡°I wish you the best of luck, Mister Daryl. Regardless of the oue, we¡¯ll prepare your favorite food for when you return.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you very much.¡±


    Daryl smiled briefly before leaving Ollie, looking quite serious as his eyes were glued to the documents in his hands on the way back to his room.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    ¡°Oh, that boy¡­¡±


    Once Ollie finished her work for the day and returned to her assigned room in the n House, she identally spoke her mind for a brief moment ¡ª and the boy she referred to was, of course, Daryl.


    Ollie had signed up to work at this n House in order to seek connections with the nobility. As such, she had always nned to part ways with Absolute Helix eventually, and she had been trying not to get too attached to the people here.


    But after she had seen Daryl¡¯s dejection after the otherwise sessful battle onyer seventy, she did all she could to cheer him up ¡ª against her own career¡¯s best interests.


    [Daryl is quite a lot like HIM¡­]


    The reason she had done that was because she saw Daryl¡¯s depressed state as being quite simr to that of Smith, the eldest son of House Babenberg. Once that thought first crossed her mind, she could not bring herself to ignore it. Despite knowing that they were different people, she had seen no choice but to give him a helping hand.


    Before the most recent Stampede, Smith would always be friendly with everyone, even a humble servant like Ollie. She had even carried out fairly lengthy conversations with him on several asions. Despite his rtively young age, he was the type of charismatic person that would garner support from the people around him.


    After the Stampede, however, he had gone quiet, as if his mouth had been sewn firmly shut ¡ª a state simr to Daryl¡¯s dejection after thetter¡¯s blunder ofyer seventy. With that in mind, Ollie was no longer able to ignore him ¡ª and it snowballed from there, with her eventually feeling the need to help Hannah and Amira with their issues as well.


    She still wanted to go back to working as a servant for House Babenberg, but now, the part of her that wanted to stay with Absolute Helix was growing more prominent. As Ollie¡¯s desire to support others came with her job, the inexperienced ones such as Daryl, Hannah, and Amira were those who she wanted to work for.


    And today, what she had done for Daryl made her uncertainty grow even worse than ever before. This was exactly the reason why she had been strictly stressing to her apprentice not to involve her job with her personal feelings.


    There was also, perhaps, her instincts when it came to certain things that made her feel unfit for this line of work. For instance, although Daryl resembled Smith in quite a few aspects, he was not necessarily charismatic, which resulted in him being teased by Amira on asion. Whenever she saw that happening, she would always feel the urge to protect him. And today, she had almost reached her hand out to give him a pat on the head.


    [No, this won¡¯t do at all. I need to calm down.]


    Ollie buried her face in her pillow for a few seconds, then sat up and took a deep breath in an attempt to recalibrate her mind. Then, before the n members came home, she proceeded to start preparing dinner.


    ¡°Eep!¡±


    Including the managers, each cooked meal had to be enough to serve nine people, with the dishes made ording to each individual¡¯s preferences. As such, she had to prepare the relevant ingredients well in advance, otherwise the whole meal would not be done in time. By now, Ollie¡¯s apprentice was going crazy as she was stuck constantly chopping up arge number of ingredients.


    ¡°Hyah!¡±


    And once she saw that Ollie was working at a crazy speed, perhaps to distract herself from troublesome thoughts, the apprentice screamed even more.

 Chapter 163: Reconciling with One’s Wife

    Chapter 163: Reconciling with One’s Wife


    As countermeasures against the Mount Golem, Daryl got a brand new armor set, and the two Scorchstone Robes were given to Xeno and Korinna. The team then agreed on the strategies they would employ, putting Daryl in the pivotal role. Everyone understood their duties and the general flow of things easily enough.


    Xeno and Korinna were of educated backgrounds, having gone to school in the Royal Capital, so they had high understanding of strategy.


    “That was easy,�Diniel said, happy that things were over quickly unlike when she had to exin the team’s ns to Hannah over and over again.


    “Ahaha…�Daryl let out a dry chuckle, sympathizing with her due to having gone through the same thing with Amira.


    The general strategy this time was a slightly altered version of what Ealdred Crow had used when they scored their first win. Unlikest time, the mission team would not be using an evasion-based Tank, so the key point to keep in mind was the suppression of the Mount Golem’s movements when it got a speed boost in theter parts of the fight.


    One main difference with Ealdred Crow’s run was that they never had a way topletely defend against heat ray attacks. That resulted in them having to go in expecting their Tanks to die at least a few times, which would then necessitate the Healers�sacrifices to revive them and maintain the rest of the team’s integrity. That strategy needed excellent Healers to pull off �at least one as good as Stephanie.


    Absolute Helix, however, did have heat-resistant equipment for that �namely the heavy armor that Dorren had made as an improvement to his old model, and the Scorchstone Robes that had been obtained from the Dungeon. Having those was sure to make the Tanks�work quite a bit easier, and make it possible for the team not to die even a single time throughout the whole fight.


    Still, unlike what Hannah had managed, it was practically impossible for a single standard-type Tank to hold off the Mount Golem, so it was important for Daryl and Xeno to share the load and keep both of them functional.


    “Sir Xeno, switch!�


    “Very well.�


    If the Mount Golem, especially in its speed-boosted state, were to focus too much aggro on a single target, then that target �even if it was Daryl �would die quite quickly. It was necessary to form a flow in which the Tank on standby would pull aggro towards himself, letting the exhausted Tank rest. As such, Daryl and Xeno had to make sure things worked reliably between them.


    Fortunately, from today’s test run against a Bolseyer, they found their movements to be surprisingly in sync. Daryl had already gotten used to working with Amira, who would often move ording to her own whims �and simrly, Xeno had a tendency to try and do things on his own, though he still was more willing to work with Daryl. It seemed that there would be no particr issues when it came to the Tanks�cooperation.


    As for the Attackers, Diniel would be mainly shooting at the Mount Golem, while Melchor was in charge of getting rid of the minions it spawned. Both of them were excellent fighters, so there should be no issues.


    The others all had worrying factors to consider, however. This would be Korinna and Xeno’s first attempt atyer seventy. And there was Daryl, who had what could not be considered a pleasant experiencest time. As such, both Tanks were at risk of dying, perhaps being both at once.


    It was in such instances that the Healer’s true value would be tested, but so far, Korinna had yet to experience such a pressuring situation. No one knew how well she would perform when the team was in critical danger.


    Moreover, the Channeler’s revival skill, <<Blessing of Resurrection>>, was not instant unlike those of White Mages, so the team was sure to find themselves in quite a sticky situation if one of the Tanks were to die.


    <<Blessing of Resurrection>> was so slow, in fact, that even with <<Verses of Prayer>>, it would not take effect instantly. This meant the remaining Tank would have to take on the Mount Golem by himself while waiting for the skill to kick in, during which even a little mistake could make things go even further downhill quickly.


    “So in short, both Tanks need to stay alive at all times? Sounds simple enough,�Xeno said, sounding quite full of himself.


    “SOUNDS simple, yes,�Korinna replied, not at all confident.


    She might have been convinced if it was Daryl saying it, what with him having already gotten throughyer seventy once. But the one talking now was Xeno �someone with the exact same progress as her �so she had quite a bit colder of a reply for him, perhaps out of annoyance at this overconfidence.


    “We do have two shots at this, so there’s really no need to worry about failing the first time around. Just take your time to learn the Mount Golem’s behaviors �and Miss Korinna, if you could provide support at the usual efficiency, that would be good enough.�


    “Hmm. I’d still prefer to score a splendid victory on our first time, though.�


    “We’re going in expecting to win, of course.�


    “�Oh-ho?�


    Xeno raised an eyebrow, amused by Daryl’s bold statement. Ever since it had been decided that the team would get to try clearing the seventiethyer, Daryl’s attitude had noticeably changed. Now he had the aura of a reliable leader about him, and unlike before, he was willing to speak for himself, even against Xeno at times.


    Everyone could definitely feel that Daryl was in this to win, and that gave the whole team a sense of tension �in a good way. Xeno cracked a wide smile, proud that Daryl was just as enthusiastic as he was, and Korinna tightened her grip on her talisman, determined to not disappoint everyone.


    “Hohoho. Very good. That’s the attitude the younger generation ought to have.�


    Melchor smiled, happy to see Daryl in high spirits.


    “……�


    Diniel, for neither better nor worse, had the same reaction as what she would have for everything else �though in her mind, she was leaning toward the negative.


    Considering the team’sposition, she found the chances of them winning to be on the low side �except if Melchor were to go all out, in which case they would get pastyer seventy quite effortlessly. She knew he was not about to do that, though, so aside from her, the only other reliablebatant was Daryl, who had fought the Mount Golem once before. Still, having seen his blunder and failure to rejoin the battlest time, Diniel could not bring himself to believe that he would perform perfectly. She knew that he had gotten back on his feet and gotten in more training since then, but there was a good chance of his stance falling apart again.


    The two others were also excellent, but she did not see as much potential in them as she did in Tsutomu and Hannah. Perhaps they would be able to score a win after a few tries, but she believed that those as capable as thetter two were needed if they wanted to win on their first attempt.


    And above all, Diniel was quite peeved by the choice Tsutomu and Melchor had made. The original n was for Xeno and Korinna to make way for Tsutomu and Hannah specifically onyer seventy. But then Tsutomu just had to go and suggest a change to that �and Melchor even agreed to it. She had been against it when Tsutomu mentioned this to her beforehand, but ultimately refrained from speaking up.


    By going with the original n, Hannah would have dodged her way around the Mount Golem without difficulty, and Tsutomu would be able to keep the party together in case someone died. Xeno and Korinna could not be expected to do the same �and Diniel knew that she had to work harder to cover for them.


    [How annoying…]


    Diniel looked somewhat grumpy as she observed the three others while checking the condition of her bow’s string.


    ――▽▽―�


    “Well then, I will see you allter!�


    After the test run with Daryl, Xeno took a set of documents detailing the team’s ns foryer seventy before going his own way, walking in the direction opposite to the Absolute Helix n House.


    The air of confidence around him caused many people to turn around and look as he passed by. And being a man with many acquaintances, quite a few people stopped him for the usual small talk. He greeted them �some by shaking hands, some by winking �on the way to his house, where his wife was.


    “I’m home!�


    “……�


    Pico weed him quite coldly �after getting a single nce, she said nothing and went back to writing her next article.


    Only the sound of quill on paper echoed through the room. Still, this was much better than when Xeno first announced that he would join Absolute Helix. At that time, he had been kicked out of the house immediately, forcing him to stay temporarily at the n House.


    Shortly before Absolute Helix began recruiting, Xeno had been scouted by a certain major n �Ealdred Crow.


    Part of that was thanks to his own tireless efforts, but then therger part of it was from Pico’s direction. She had steered him off the path of aimless recklessness, guiding him every step of the way. She had even invested some of the money she earned from her job and secretly carried out a n to get him noticed by Ealdred Crow.


    Pico had been overjoyed when Xeno brought home his invitation to Ealdred Crow �and of course, he was grateful that she had done so much to support him.


    But then, the following day was when Absolute Helix started recruiting long-term members. They were a hot topic at the time due to having sessfully clearedyer seventy on their first try, and it had been rumored that Garm, a fighter whom Xeno thought of �one-sidedly �as a rival, would be joining them at some point in the future.


    Confirm that Absolute Helix was also looking for a Tank, Xeno wanted to try signing up for it despite knowing that Ealdred Crow was the safer choice. He let his emotions take the wheel and went to consult his Pico on the matter.


    What followed was, predictably, an argument. Being his junior back at the academy, Pico hade off as a meek, non-confrontational person most of the time. But on this asion, she stood her ground and shed with him head-on, breaking down every single one of Xeno’s arguments by meticulously exining all the help she had given him �which almost broke his heart in the process.


    But Xeno would not yield, either. His intuition had told him that Absolute Helix held greater potential than Ealdred Crow, and as baseless as that was, he intended to follow it.


    “Like I said, just go with Ealdred Crow! It’s better for you!�


    “BUT! I have made my choice! I will join Absolute Helix!�


    “YOU�YOU THICKHEADED BUFFOON!!�


    “GWEH�?�


    In the end, Xeno got a punch square in his face that blew him quite a few meters away. He was then kicked out of the house, albeit not before being told to do whatever he wanted.


    He did genuinely feel guilty towards Pico, however, so he went home every single day since then. She did not even let him in at first, necessitating his stay at the n House.


    Then he started taking a sleeping bag to sleep right in front of his house’s door. While it did not snow in this region, the winters were still cold, so sleeping outdoors was naturally detrimental to his health. Xeno understood that he was in the wrong, though, so he made it a point to keep doing it every single day.


    After a month, Pico finally let him inside �though not before heaving quite a deep sigh.


    Right now, she was as cold to Xeno as before, but a month’s worth of apologies had restored their rtionship to the point where she would at least listen to him speak.


    “We’ll be going down toyer seventy tomorrow.�


    “Oh yeah?�


    “We’ll win. I swear it. And then�will you forgive me?�


    “……�


    Pico looked down at Xeno as he knelt in front of her. In truth, she had already forgiven him when she let him back inside the house. It was just that she had been unsessful in finding the right time to talk things out with him, resulting in her being unable to bring herself to speak.


    Now she was relieved, knowing that some kind of special asion �that being Xeno’s uing boss fight �would get them out of this awkward deadlock atst.


    “Well…�


    “Ohh! I’m listening!�


    “Let’s make a bet, then. If you don’t win tomorrow, you’ll do anything I say. How about that?�


    “…If it is within the realm of possibility. And no, us breaking up is�something I’d rather not consider possible.�


    Seeing Xeno’s face cloud over with deep dejection �a face he had almost never shown anyone �Pico recoiled in shock. Then she rushed back forward and grabbed Xeno’s hands.


    “What!? Why would I want that!? Look, if you don’t win, then go on a date with me! All right!?�


    “…Are you sure?�


    “Why are you asking ME!? You’re the one who’s supposed to make a choice!! YOU!�


    Pico, her face bright red, pulled Xeno up by his hands. Xeno proceeded to hug her, tears streaming from his eyes.


    “I’m sorry�for being so selfish.�


    “Look, it’s fine. I’ve always known WAY too well what kind of guy you are. Nowe on �we shouldn’t dwell on this! You have to get ready for tomorrow!�


    “…Still, a date with you if we DON’T win? Maybe I should fail on purpose–�


    “Want me to punch you again?�


    “N-no. I’m sorry,�Xeno promptly apologized as Pico started clenching her fists.


    Pico heaved a sigh of exasperation and brought out the documents and equipment she had prepared beforehand, then started going over them with him to help prepare him foryer seventy.

 Chapter 164: Height of Enthusiasm

    Chapter 164: Height of Enthusiasm


    Daryl, Diniel, and Korinna spent the next morning confirming their preparations in the n House. Ollie assisted them, re-checking if they had forgotten anything in the long list of items they needed foryer seventy. At the same time, Hannah and Amira came to talk to them.


    “So you’re going down there today? Give it your best shot, Daryl!�


    “Right. We will.�


    “Meh, you’re gonna curl up like a little puppy again anyway.�


    “I won’t!�


    “We’ll see about that,�Amira said, groaning arrogantly. “How about you win first before talking back, huh?�


    Daryl stared back at her, somewhat annoyed.


    “Don’t worry, I will.�


    “…Yeah, whatever.�


    “C’mon, why you gotta always be like that, Amira?�Hannah asked and looked up at Amira. “I wouldn’t hurt trying to be nice once in a while.�


    “Shaddup!�


    Amira looked away and promptly walked back to her room. Looking at her go, Hannah shrugged and proceeded to give Daryl some advice, then went back to her room to change into herbat gear.


    In the meantime, Korinna asked Tsutomu some questions, and Diniel discussed her supply of arrows with Ollie. Xeno and Melchor were not here in the n House right now, and were supposed to meet up with the rest at the Guild.


    Once Ollie finished checking the team’s equipment and Potions, Korinna carried the Magic Bag that contained them on her back. She looked as if she was being crushed by the weight of all the items�mary value, prompting Tsutomu to say something to help her not worry about it so much.


    And as Daryl looked on at the others, he did not notice Ollie walking towards him until she spoke to him,


    “We’re all set over here.�


    Although spooked by her soundless approach, Daryl then noticed that she had brought him his red armor.


    “Shall we put this on now?�


    “Yes, please.�


    While Ollie helped him equip the armor, Daryl took the time to see how Diniel and Korinna were doing. As he expected, Diniel was the same as ever, while Korinna seemed understandably nervous. Tsutomu seemed to understand that, too, with him also being a Healer, so he knew what to say to help her calm down. Daryl, seeing Korinna’s expression gradually turn better, was assured that she would be fine.


    “Surely you’re more than ready this time, Mister Daryl?�


    “Hmm?�


    “I know how hard you have been training yourself ever since you passedyer seventy. I’m sure you’ll seed this time.�


    “…T-thank you very much,�Daryl said somewhat awkwardly and nodded, embarrassed by Ollie’s unexpected remark.


    Then, once the whole armor set was put on him, he walked with Korinna and Diniel to the entrance of the n House.


    “All right, we’ll be going now.�


    “I wish you all the best of luck.�


    “Yeah, go get ’em!�


    Seen off by Ollie and Tsutomu, the three headed to the Guild. Then, after meeting up with Xeno and Melchor, they lined up at the reception.


    “Oh? That is quite a shy set of armor you have there, Daryl.�


    “And I don’t think I’ve seen you wear that before, Sir Xeno.�


    “Hehehe�My beloved wife has been secretly preparing it just for me!�


    In contrast to Daryl’s new red armor, Xeno’s new silver armor had blue trimmings as its standout feature. They actually were a part of the armor’s cooling function, which would protect him from heat ray attacks to some extent.


    While the two were discussing their new equipment, the team’s turn at the reception came, so they went ahead and updated their Status Cards and signed the party contract. After that, they used a Magic Circle to teleport toyer sixty-nine and started to search for the ck Gate down toyer seventy.


    Korinna cast the <<Adventuring Deity’s Protection>>, mitigating the Dungeon’s terrain effects on them. Diniel searched the area with her arrows, and Melchor did some light stretching to rx himself.


    Then the mission team’s exploration started, with Diniel leading the way as they avoided encountering monsters during their search for the ck Gate.


    “There it is.�


    After Diniel found the ck Gate, the team also hunted some monsters along the way to it as a warm-up. Xeno seemed more confident and dazzling than ever, perhaps thanks to what had happened yesterday. Daryl also turned out to be surprisingly good at keeping his cool today, leaving Korinna as the only one who was still nervous.


    Once the team got to the ck Gate, they waited for Korinna to recover her mental energy, and Daryl took this chance to go over the strategies with everyone onest time. After that was all done, theypleted their preparations and headed down toyer seventy.


    ――▽▽―�


    The Mount Golem’s footsteps echoed loudly through the arena as it waded through the sea ofva like a moving multi-story building. The sight of it stunned Korinna, and Xeno cracked a grin as if to knock away his fear.


    “Miss Korinna, there’s still some time before the Mount Golem gets to us. You might want to cast some spells now.�


    “A-all right! <<Adventuring Deity’s Protection>>!�


    Korinna, startled by Daryl’s voice, promptly cast a support spell for everyone. By the time everyone was ready, the Mount Golem was starting to scatter rocks around with waves of its enormous arms.


    “Sir Xeno, keep the little Golems�attention on you. And Sir Melchor, please focus on attacking them.�


    “Very well!�


    “Leave it to me.�


    Xeno brushed his silver hair and dashed to the spot where the rocks were falling, and Melchor tapped on his Gauntlets that he had fitted with Colorless Magic Stones.


    “Miss Diniel, focus on getting rid of the Bomb Golems for now. Miss Korinna, keep up the usual pattern of support.�


    “Gotcha.�


    “A-all right!�Korinna answered, sounding quite nervous due to having just noticed a single-digit number on the God Eye.


    Diniel nodded and immediately started shooting at the rocks that had just touched the ground.


    As the Mount Golem slowly rose up from theva, Daryl sted it with his indigo blue <<Combat Cry>>. The Mount Golem looked down at him, its eye glowing a pale red.


    Despite the Mount Golem’s size, it was not much of a threat during the first phase. Perhaps it would be dangerous if one were to engage it in closebat, but even Korinna could distract it well enough if she kept a decent distance. As such, Daryl was sure to have no problem having its aggro all on himself for now.


    The difficulty of this phase mostly came from the smaller monsters the boss spawned �a variety of Golems, like foot soldiers guarding siege vehicles.


    �<COMBAT CRY>>!!�


    Xeno’s silver aura was brighter than it had ever been as it pulled all the Golems�attention to him. He crossed his buckler and short sword and cracked a grin, showing his well-ordered, shining white teeth.


    “Bring it on, you little y dolls! The one and only XENO will be your opponent!�


    As he said that, the Golems threw some rocks at Xeno, which he deflected with his buckler. Then they added explosive rocks into the mix, wrapping him up in a series of explosions, but then he emerged from the dust unscathed.


    “Heh, such an explosive wee was unnecessary,�Xeno said, still cracking the same smile.


    “How noisy,�Melchor said as he walked past Xeno.


    He proceeded to punch one of the Golems, sting it with magical energy that destroyed the core of its body, stopping its movementpletely.


    “And these things are as solid as ever,�he grumbled, reminded of the other Golems he had fought on the earlier Volcanoyers.


    Then he turned his attention to the next target. Daryl’s instruction for him had been to prioritize the Throw Golems, the long-ranged attacks of which could interrupt the rest of the team, so he looked around for the ones withrge arms and attacked them.


    Diniel destroyed the Bomb Golems, shooting them with ice-elemental arrows to prevent them from exploding. She had already done this once before, so she was getting things done even more quickly this time.


    At one point, she shot up a signal arrow as a sign to Daryl that she would be using <<Stream Arrow>> to deal some damage to the Mount Golem. Her being able to attack the boss while still dealing with the smaller Golems made her an indispensable aspect of the team.


    Daryl, happy to see no issue in Diniel’s performance, unleashed a <<Combat Cry>> on some of the medium-sized Golems, making it a focused st to not pull too much to himself. Five Throw Golems turned to Daryl and started attacking him.


    “Whoops.�


    Daryl’s excellent sense of hearing allowed him to detect iing attacks �even onesing from behind him �by paying attention to the sounds of the enemies�movements. This made him especially effective at closebat.


    Moreover, it allowed him to distract some of the Mount Golem’s minions while taking on the boss �something that most would consider reckless. And his high VIT meant the Throw Golems�attacks, which would hit him asionally, were not much more than minor annoyances. During this phase, the Mount Golem’s attacks were slow, so Daryl was sure not to get hit despite his low AGI, too.


    Last time, Daryl had experienced firsthand how heavy of a burden it was to deal with the smaller Golems during the first phase. That was why he hade up with the current strategy �a strategy an evasion-based Tank like Hannah would not be able to carry out.


    “Now this is quite enjoyable.�


    Melchor was busy taking on the Golems as their numbers gradually increased, but fortunately, as a master of martial arts, he had an advantage over those monsters due to them being bipedal humanoids. Moreover, his Magic Fist fighting style was undeniably powerful, so he was in fact more effective than Amira when it came to clearing out the minions.


    The team was doing quite well �Daryl reduced the load on the others by distracting some of the minions, Diniel and Melchor had more than enough destructive power, and Xeno was tough enough to withstand even explosions.


    “Miss Korinna! Ray!�


    �<Ray of Grace>>.�


    All that, and especially Daryl’s leadership, made the first phase even easier than anticipated, which gave the team’s Healer, Korinna, enough breathing room to n out her actions.


    �<Blessing of Protection>>. <<Blessing of Recovery>>.�


    While things were too busy for her to cast <<Blessing of Swiftness>> for the Attackers, all she had to do to be considered good enough for now was keep up the support and healing for the Tanks. Seeing that she had been able to perform at her usual effectiveness so far, Korinna gradually became less nervous.


    Eventually, new minions stopped spawning, and as their numbers decreased, the Mount Golem’s movements grew smoother and smoother. Noticing that, Daryl had Xeno use <<Warrior Howl>> to pull everything towards him at once, while he himself focused solely on the Mount Golem.


    Xeno, now with all the smaller Golems ganging up on him, was briefly under heavy fire before he got away by sting them with a sh of silver light. Korinna had anticipated Xeno’s death, but decided against casting <<Blessing of Resurrection>>, instead using the <<Blessing of Recovery>> and <<Verses of Prayer>>bo to keep him alive.


    “You’re a lifesaver, Korinna! Can you do that two more times!?�


    “…How does he even shout THAT loudly?�Korinna grumbled, annoyed by how she was able to hear Xeno despite him being so far away.


    She proceeded to sp her hands together and cast <<Blessing of Recovery>> again, then a <<Blessing of the Sacred>> to help recover her mental energy before casting the <<Verses of Prayer>>. A green energy aura surrounded Xeno, healing the bruises he had sustained from being hit by the Golems.


    Channelers, unlike White Mages, had no effective means of attacking monsters in the case when Tanks were having too much on their tes. Although they did have ess to the attacking skill <<Blessing of Purgation>>, it was so slow to take effect that even <<Verses of Prayer>> would not activate it immediately.


    Due to their limited options when it came to intervening inbat, many of them preferred to wield close-ranged weapons, typically morning stars. Korinna, however, had opted to wield a talisman �the very one hanging from her neck �to increase the duration of her skills.


    “Are you all right!?�Daryl turned to ask Xeno.


    “Don’t worry about me! You’re already busy enough �just focus on the enemy!�Xeno said while defending himself against the Bomb Golems, prompting Daryl to focus solely on the Mount Golem.


    The boss monster had been getting faster since it stopped spawning minions, so Daryl could no longer afford to let his guard down.


    Noticing a signal arrow flying overhead, Daryl moved around the Mount Golem to try and keep it standing in the same spot.


    �<Stream Arrow>>.�


    Then, once he heard Diniel shoot up an ice arrow, he promptly flew away. The <<Stream Arrow>> was a skill that created a rain of arrows in a specified spot, so if the target were to move away, the attack may miss its markpletely.


    Due to Daryl keeping the Mount Golem close to its original spot, however, Diniel had an easier time adjusting her aim. As a result, all of the arrowsnded on the Mount Golem, while Daryl safely got out of the attack’s range.


    The increased uracy of <<Stream Arrow>> naturally resulted in higher damage output, which in turn resulted in the first phase of the fight ending earlier than expected.

 Chapter 165: The Eyes of a Reaper

    Chapter 165: The Eyes of a Reaper


    “Everyone! Bombardment iing! Fly up as soon as you can! And Sir Melchor, I’ll carry you!�


    As the Mount Golem prepared to scatter arge number of Bomb Golems, Daryl prompted everyone to retreat. Considering that Melchor was not a very good flyer, Daryl lent him a shoulder to get him up with the rest.


    “Water,�Diniel said to Korinna, the team’s luggage carrier, once she caught up with her.


    “Huh?�


    “Gimme water.�


    “Ah�right! Here!�


    Korinna took out a canteen from the Magic Bag on her back. Although the head did not affect the team as much thanks to the effect of the <<Adventuring Deity’s Protection>>, the heat was still enough to make them at least a little thirsty after an hour of fighting. Diniel passed Korinna her empty canteen and epted the new one, then took a sip from it.


    “Korinna, may I have one, too?�Xeno asked.


    “Here.�


    “Thank you!!�


    Right before Xeno could ept the canteen, a thunderous chain of explosions echoed from below Korinna, startling her into dropping the canteen from her hands. Xeno quickly grabbed it and sshed its contents over his head, then slicked back his shining silver hair.


    “Well, well�hopefully that made me look more handsome on the screen.�


    Korinna paid no attention to Xeno as she hurried to look down, and she saw that the Mount Golem was pounding the ground, causingva to spew out through the rock surfaces. The Bomb Golems, upon contact with theva, exploded in one long chain detonation.


    “Ahh,�she sighed as she looked at the Mount Golem, terrified. “It’s so scary…�


    As was the case with the Fire Dragon, this was Korinna’s first time actually fighting the Mount Golem, so all of its actions were new to her, causing her to feel restless even during the times she could afford to take breaks.


    “Everyone, take this chance to recover your mental energy. Things will get more and more chaotic the further we go.�


    “A-all right!�


    Feeling an unexpected air of seriousness about Daryl, Korinna straightened her posture as if she was a soldier. She then looked on as Daryl went to talk to Xeno.


    Despite having watched the fight through Monitors to prepare for today, things were still quite different for Korinna when she got to the actual fight. For that reason, the reliability and preciseness of Daryl’s leadership were a saving grace for her. He was so reliable, in fact, that she felt as if he had already defeated countless Mount Golems before despite the fact that he had only fought it once prior to today.


    “Sir Xeno, when the number of smaller Golems is reduced to less than ten, you’ll switch with me and take on the Mount Golem instead. I’ll remind you again when the time is right.�


    “Understood.�


    Xeno seemed to have the same impression of Daryl, as apparent from how he followed thetter’s instructions closely, unlike when they fought the Fire Dragon. That was proof that Dary’s leadership waspetent.


    [He’s amazing…]


    From Korinna’s point of view, Daryl was shining so brightly that she felt as if he was from a whole different world �not unlike the feeling she would get whenever she saw Explorers with unique skills such as Leon and Weiss.


    “Ah, and Miss Korinna �the heat ray attacks it’ll use from now on will hit random targets, so make sure to defend with your Scorchstone Robe. Nothing special other than that until it starts doing the wide-area attack though, so all you need to do is keep up your usual support efficiency.�


    “I understand. Oh, I could help wipe your hair, by the way,�Korinna said to Daryl, seeing that thetter was dripping with sweat as he refilled his armor’s cooling device with Ice Magic Stones.


    “Thank you. Please do.�


    “All right, here I go…�


    Korinna proceeded to take a towel from her Magic Bag and fly around behind Daryl, then carefully wipe the sweat off the back of his neck.


    Then she thoroughly wiped his hair and ears. Diniel, seeing Korinna touching those dog ears, pped her own hands together.


    “Why didn’t I think of that?�


    “Ahaha…�


    “Huh? Think of what?�


    Daryl tilted his head, wondering what realization the two others had just arrived at.


    Then, after confirming that all of the Bomb Golems on the surface had exploded, Daryl took the initiative by distancing himself from his allies and sting a <<Combat Cry>> at the Mount Golem.


    With that, the second phase of the fight began. The number of Golems on the ground was lower than before, but in exchange, the Mount Golem’s movements were much smoother, as if its joints had been lubricated. This resulted in an increased workload on Daryl’s part.


    Korinna understood that too, so she prioritized healing Daryl �but she could not afford to neglect to support Xeno either. The Golems, while fewer in number, still came in waves of more than twenty. If any one of the party members were to be surrounded, they would still be quickly killed.


    [Hmm�No good.]


    Korinna contemted casting some Blessing skills for the Attackers in addition to supporting and healing the Tanks, but in the end, she gave up on the idea, deeming it not viable.


    She had thought of imitating Tsutomu’s method of support that she had seen during Absolute Helix’s previous Mount Golem battle, but now that she was in the actual fight, she realized it was impossible for her to pull it off just yet.


    From Korinna’s point of view, doing everything �supporting and healing Attackers in addition to the Tanks, giving out orders, and even using attack skills sometimes �was sheer insanity. She already had her hands full trying to manage her support skills�durations, not to mention having to check periodically how injured the Tanks were. If she were to neglect even one of them, they were sure to quickly copse, in turn resulting in a dangerous situation for the rest of the team.


    Failing to imitate Tsutomu’s style, she currently could only carry out the bare minimum of her role. She had not yet been put into a position to give out orders, and her use of attack skills was so infrequent that she could barely remember what they were even called.


    From a Healer’s point of view, Tsutomu’s efficiency was frightfully good, but then Korinna was further astonished by his mental energy and aggro management.


    If anything, Korinna could manage her mental energy just as well. Channelers could recover their energy with <<Blessing of the Sacred>>, and she had some Blue Potions on her for emergencies. Even Tsutomu had to take some sips from time to time, so one may think his style could be easily imitated if expenses were not taken into ount �which was why Korinna had given it a try.


    In truth, however, using both supporting and attacking skills without Tsutomu’s level of precision would only result in her quickly bing the monsters�target due to building too much aggro. The suboptimal performances of Ealdred Crow’s secondary parties�White Mages �and also Korinna �were proof of that.


    The excellent Tanks yed their part of keeping the aggro on them, of course, but there still was something else important �the ability to adjust the amount of mental energy spent on casting support skills, making themst longer or shorter depending on the situation’s demands. Having asked Tsutomu about it, she thought doing so would only make things even more hectic to manage.


    [No, I totally can’t do THAT. I have to focus on doing what I can for now.]


    It was clear to Korinna now that if she were to try and imitate Tsutomu, she would soon be unable to keep up with her duties. It would be better even if she only did the bare minimum �which was to keep the Tanks alive with her healing and support. Besides, she had been told by Tsutomu to believe in her own way of doing things.


    Now, this party was powerful �much more so than the ones she had been in through the Guild’s matchmaking. The Tanks pulled aggro properly, keeping the Healer from being targeted �and even staying alive and well as long as they still got the required amount of healing and support. In some parties before this, she would often see deathing miles away even if she carried out her role of Healer perfectly.


    The Attackers were not prideful and had never thrown a word of insult her way �not to mention them being the rare kind that paid attention to their Tanks. And in spite of that, they still packed enough power to reliably kill monsters.


    [I shouldn’t bite off more than I can chew�or I’ll be the one making things dangerous for them.]


    Indeed, this party had no ring ws �Korinna did not have to swig down her own terrible-tasting Blue Potions to keep up, nor did she have to rely on her intuitive ‘death foresight�to cast <<Blessing of Resurrection>> in advance. Knowing that for sure from her past experiences, she decided to stick to what she was capable of doing.


    �<Defensive>>�


    Daryl activated his VIT-boosting skill and defended against the Mount Golem’s punch with his tower shield. He was sent flying a fair distance away, and even rolled on the ground for a while after impact.


    But using <<Defensive>> while his level was higher than sixty had resulted in his VIT having a rating of A+ �two ranks higher than Garm’s. Additional buffs raised that by another rank, and then there was the sheer sturdiness of Dorren’s newly crafted set of armor. As such, while the Mount Golem’s punches and kicks were still painful, they were not too hard for him to endure.


    Despite all this toughness, however, he would still die instantly if he were to be grabbed or trampled on. Taking a heat st would almost kill him if he were to not defend against it properly �though thankfully, the whole team did have the right countermeasures ready, saving themselves from an unnecessarily tougher version of an already tough fight.


    Right before he had been knocked away, Diniel had given him the sign that she would be attacking, so he stayed where he was and braced for any stray shots that mighte his way. Seeing that, Korinna prioritized healing him by casting multiple rounds of <<Blessing of Recovery>> and <<Ray of Grace>>.


    Thanks to the improvements Dorren had made to Daryl’s new armor in consideration of the previous fight, it rendered him virtually impervious to the Mount Golem’s asional heat ray attacks. In fact, its heat resistance was so high that it could be considered an equivalent to the Scorchstone robe.


    Moreover, this time, Daryl knew exactly what to do when facing the Mount Golem. He would be at risk of being grabbed and trampled over if he were too close, and if he were too far, the Mount Golem would throw rocks and Golems at him. By staying in the optimal range, he was able to manipte the monster into using only its standard strikes and heat ray attacks most of the time.


    Although those attacks still hit hard, they were far easier to manage since they neither caused instant death nor had a high chance of hitting the rest of the team. This behavior had in fact been observed by Garm during his run with the Guild’s staff members, with Daryl following his example perfectly after seeing it through the Monitors.


    Thanks to that, Daryl was having no problem against the Mount Golem at all �in fact, he made it look easy from Korinna’s point of view. Still, this was not guaranteed tost, since the Mount Golem was bing faster as its Golem minions were eliminated.


    Additionally, although he had all the technical knowledge down due to having watched other Explorers fight the Mount Golem, there was a limit to his stamina �and even with the help of <<Ray of Grace>>, it was starting to be too much for him to take.


    Then, suddenly, a silver st of light went past him and wrapped around the Mount Golem.


    “Take a breather! I’ll buy you some time!�


    Despite there being eleven smaller Golems left, Xeno had used <<Combat Cry>> to draw the Mount Golem to him. For a moment, Daryl looked on in confusion at this unexpected turn of events, but then he quickly drew back, too out of breath to respond.


    The two Attackers proceeded to make quick work of the remaining Golems, leaving only the boss. Xeno’s expression was one full of confidence �it was as if he was facing a monster much smaller than him. And from the way he stood tall against it, one would think he had no chance of losing against it at all.


    [No, it doesn’t look like he’ll make it…]


    Korinna’s intuition sounded an rm in her head, warning her of Xeno’s imminent death.


    She had never seen the Mount Golem before, so this hunch of hers may be wrong. Still, as a nurse, she had had to tend to dozens of people whose deaths were unavoidable no matter what she did. Add that to her hobby of watching Explorers through the Monitors and experience in actual life-and-deathbat, and her foresight was quite urate.


    Moreover, this was Xeno’s first time fighting the Mount Golem. This made Korinna’s foresight all the more vivid, as if the de of the Grim Reaper’s scythe was already around Xeno’s neck.


    �<Blessing of Resurrection>>.�


    If Xeno were to not die before the skill’s effect kicked in, doing this would only be a waste of Korinna’s mental energy and pile an unnecessary amount of aggro on her. Yet she joined her hands and cast it without hesitation.


    “Here I go!�


    Xeno, unaware of Korinna’s course of action, boldly charged at the Mount Golem.

 Chapter 166: The Pressure of Pain

    Chapter 166: The Pressure of Pain


    Even monsters such as Shell Crabs and Fire Dragons would not look so threatening when viewed through the God Eye-projected Monitors. To an uninformed viewer, perhaps they would seem intimidating at first, but the audience was bound to get used to them after seeing them so often. This was the same feeling Xeno had as a result of spectating almost every single day.


    But during his first times actually fighting the Shell Crab and Fire Dragon, Xeno had in fact been quite terrified. Creatures of such colossal sizes normally would require anti-monster magic tools and dozens of trained soldiers to defeat. It had been unbelievable at first to Xeno, someone from the Royal Capital, that the Explorers here had to fight them only in teams of five.


    Naturally, he had also been terrified upon facing the Mount Golem, currently thergest confirmed monster in God’s Dungeon, for the first time. He had previously only heard of such things in folklore, and thought them terrifying even as he watched them through the Monitors.


    �<Combat Cry>>!�


    On the outside, however, he showed no sign of fear as he pulled the Mount Golem’s aggro onto him and then narrowly dodged the heat ray attack from its eyes. His body did not tremble, and his movements were as fluid as ever. He proceeded to get ahead of Daryl andnded near the Mount Golem’s feet.


    Being a more lightweight unitpared to Daryl, he could dodge some of the Mount Golem instant-death attacks such as the stops and ps. This was exactly why Pico had advised him to stay close to its feet.


    Most first-timers were likely to be too scared to stay this close to the monster. Even though its attacks were rtively easy to avoid due to it currently being in the middle phase, it was mentally taxing to know that those attacks were sure to kill in one sessful hit.


    “Weak! You are so weak! Even the Fire Dragon was more intense than you!�Xeno shouted dramatically as if he was a stage actor, provoking the Mount Golem as he hopped back to dodge its kick.


    The monster proceeded to m its hand down at him, and he slipped past it while blocking the falling rock fragments with his buckler.


    “There! <<Taunt Swing>>!�


    Xeno then used his buckler to bash the Mount Golem’s hand as it was stuck on the ground, then, when the monster fired a heat ray at him, he backflipped and flew into the air to dodge it. But then it intercepted him with a straight punch. Xeno tried to avoid taking direct damage by blocking it with his buckler, but he was blown away in a blink of an eye.


    Due to him not being in control of the direction in which he was going, Xeno almost fell into the sea ofva, only narrowly managing to regain his bearings in mid-air. Having taken such a tremendous impact for the first time ever, he was forced to stop for a moment to recover from the resulting dizziness.


    “Ngh�n-now THAT is what I call a punch,�Xeno said, coughing up blood as the Mount Golem walked toward him. “Perhaps you’d be the next martial arts champion if you were to enter the tournament!�


    Meanwhile, the damage he had just taken was in the process of being healed by Korinna’s <<Blessing of Recovery>>.


    As he had expected, the Mount Golem’s attack was extremely painful. Despite being far from a direct hit, he still ended up with some serious internal injuries. And despite sounding as carefree as ever �minus the ragged breathing �the blow had in fact almost crushed his fighting spirit to pieces.


    [That�bloody�HURT! Just how powerful is that thing!? And this n’s original members have gone through a whole fight’s worth of it before!?]


    Seeing that Daryl had been perfectly fine this whole time, he had expected it to not be a problem for him as well, but now that he took one hit, he did not think he would be able to take another. His buckler had been bent out of shape by the punch, and the arm holding it was in too much pain to be fit forbat. Xeno’s legs trembled, his knees looking to copse from his injuries any second now.


    The God Eye moved close to him as if to check on his condition. Xeno made eye contact with it, making it seem like he was looking at the audience.


    […No, I can’t afford to fall here.]


    He assumed that his beloved wife was watching on the other side, her eyes fixing on him �not to mention the readers of his articles, and the fanbase that he had garnered, all gathered in front of the Monitors to watch this battle.


    “Hahaha�that was a good punch, but still not a match for THE Xeno! You there, all of you, watching on the other side of the screen! Your cheers will be the source of my strength! Thank you, and again, thank you!�


    Xeno put up a bold front, pointing at the God Eye and cracking a radiant smile. Still, if not for this bluff, perhaps he would have be too demotivated to continue. The resolve to not be an embarrassment in front of Pico and all the others watching him �that was the pir of his strength.


    For a moment, Xeno considered drinking a Potion, but then he remembered that Daryl had not needed one yet. Although thetter’s VIT was higher, he had taken tens of hits without needing even a single sip. Xeno pulled his hand back, deciding to not resort to it for the time being.


    Then, when he noticed the sound of a signal arrow, he shouted out as if to blow off his turbulent emotions,


    “EXCELLENT! Make sure it’s beautiful, Diniel!�


    “And I wish you’d be quiet,�Diniel grumbled as she shot up another arrow, this one turning into a blue meteor shower.


    Xeno whistled in amazement at the raining arrows, and continued to boldly stand his ground against the Mount Golem.


    At this point, Daryl was helping out Melchor �and Xeno as well �by drawing the attention of the minions that spawned automatically from the Mount Golem’s back. Melchor, at his current level of effort, could destroy five to six of them in quick session, so Daryl’s workload was rtively light �which enabled him to steadily recover his stamina. For some reason, though, he seemed dissatisfied about something �a rare gestureing from him.


    Xeno dodged the heat rays in the air and darted around the Mount Golem’s legs. All the time he had spent training in the Valley and Canyonyers made him adept at aerial maneuvers. Making use of his mobility and defense, Xeno’s method was more of a hybrid between the ssic and evasion-based Tank styles.


    Still, his performance was not quite on the level of the more experienced Daryl. This also resulted in <<Stream Arrow>> not hitting as much as it should, and there being more randomness involved in who the heat rays would target �thetter of which spooked Korinna quite often as she was forced to defend with her Scorchstone Robe.


    And as the number of minions dwindled, the Mount Golem moved faster. By the time there were six of the left, Xeno was starting to be hit more and more often.


    “No�not yet! <<Combat Cry>>!�


    Hit by more punches and kicks, Xeno was starting to talk less as she lost more of hisposure. Still, he kept his tone as hammy as ever and continued to stand his ground.


    Korinna prioritized healing Xeno with <<Blessing of Recovery>>, but he was getting hurt faster than the spells could heal. Panic started to set in, narrowing Xeno’s thoughts and causing him to forget that he should be drinking a Potion right about now. In fact, he was no longer sure what he was even doing anymore.


    “Sir Xeno, switch!�Daryl called out to Xeno, having understood �from thetter’s actions rather than words �that he was almost at his limit.


    However, Xeno was too cornered by the Mount Golem’s attack to hear the call, obstructing the process of the Tanks�switching.


    The Mount Golem, its speed boosted so much that its movements no longer seemed mechanical, kicked Xeno, sending him flying �which, after a few rebounds, ended with him tumbling into the sea ofva and bursting apart into light particles.


    ――▽▽―�


    “Miss Korinna!�


    “Two minutes until revival!�


    “Got it! Sir Melchor, we’ll leave the little Golems to you!�


    Daryl, despite regretting that he had incorrectly assessed Xeno’s limit, kept a cool head and, after sending a new set of instructions to the team, unleashed an indigo blue <<Combat Cry>> powered with as much mental energy as he could pack in.


    “Miss Diniel! Stop attacking until Sir Xeno revives!�


    There were six minion Golems left. By the time that count was down to three, the Mount Golem would turn up its shining red eyes and unleash its wide-area attack, signaling the transition into the final phase. Dealing damage to it now would hasten the flow of battle, resulting in the smaller Golems being destroyed more quickly �and in turn, the wide-area attack being whipped out earlier. Considering that it would be most unfavorable if Xeno were to revive in the middle of that attack, Daryl had decided to have Diniel pause her attacking for now.


    �<Defensive>>.�


    Trading his AGI for a boost of VIT, Daryl was able to defend head-on against the Mount Golem’s attacks without sustaining lethal injuries. Being hit still meant being hurt, however, which made his situation not so different from Xeno’s.


    It was just that Daryl had an exceedingly high tolerance for pain, perhaps as a result of his training. He saw this pain he was enduring as a trial �a trial to ovee his own limits.


    His mentor, Garm, was a frontline fighter capable of dishing out firepowerparable to those of Attackers despite being a Tank. Of course, there were many other excellent Tanks besides Garm whose efforts were just as admirable�But Garm alone was able to stay a frontline fighter because he always strove to ovee his own limits.


    Death was no stranger to those who explored God’s Dungeon. The eptance of this form of death was an Explorer’s first barrier of entry �most who could not get ustomed to being killed many times would soon be unable to continue exploring the Dungeon.


    As such, seasoned Explorers were used to it �even epted it. To an individual Explorer, perhaps it was merely a thing that came naturally, but oftentimes, it would result in them being TOO used to it.


    Some who had grown ustomed to dying would choose to die in order to escape pain. After all, the only penalties incurred here were material things. There was always the option of starting over �the option to exert more effort next time. Perhaps it was only natural that most Explorers would develop that mindset.


    Just about anyone would want to avoid feeling pain. To them, dying was the preferable choice over drinking a Potion to stay alive. All they would lose was their equipment, and even then, they would get to keep the most valuable piece. As such, many ended up never pushing themselves, letting themselves die at the first sign of struggle.


    But Garm was different �he was of the kind to face death head-on and fought back. He always fought with all his might, and would never give up even in desperate situations where hisrades would choose to kill themselves. Unlike most Explorers, Garm had never epted this form of death, and as such, had never dulled his senses to amodate it.


    Thest ounce of strength of a creature in the face of death �by invoking it, Garm was able to push his body to its limit. It enabled a low-STR Knight like him to stand on the front lines, though, inbat, his appearance was one of a madman. As a result, in awe of his disy, Explorers had taken to calling him the Mad Dog.


    Still, while great power could be attained by such perseverance, Garm would never encourage others to do so. He knew full well how painful it was, and as such, he had not taught it to Garm, his apprentice.


    What he had done, however, was talk about it. He had exined that it was a power one could unlock when there was nothing left to fall back on �and that it was what enabled him to achieve such heights he had.


    He had seen this battle as an opportunity to try and work himself to the limit. Last time, he had tried to stand again but failed �getting him a fair share of swearing from Amira, and a great deal of shame from himself. Due to having been hailed as Garm’s apprentice, he felt as if he had disappointed everyone. He did not want to go through that again. That was why he was now trying to draw out all of his power just like Garm.


    A while earlier, when he had been cornered by the Mount Golem, was when Daryl felt the best he had ever been in his life �his hearing had be so keen that he heard everyone’s breathing, and he could clearly read the Mount Golem’s every move. Just when he had thought he could unlock that power, he had been interrupted by Xeno. If he were to be honest, Daryl would say he was quite offended, and even more so considering how many Golems remained at the time.


    Regardless, Daryl was sure that he had a glimpse of what his limit was like.


    [Remember, Daryl. Remember how it felt…]


    He recalled how it had felt just now, right after he had been sent flying by the Mount Golem �and then the bitter defeat he had sufferedst time. Daryl forgot to even blink as he watched the Mount Golem’s movements, hoping not to make the same mistake twice.


    Each time he was sent rolling on the arena’s burning terrain by the Mount Golem, he got back up and rushed back into the fray. Then, right when the <<Blessing of Resurrection>> took effect and brought Xeno back to life, Daryl unleashed abination of his skills,


    �<Warrior Howl>>. <<Taunt Swing>>.�


    Thebo overrode the aggro Korinna had generated on her with the <<Blessing of Resurrection, preventing the monster from targeting her. Daryl then blocked its heat rays with his tower shield.


    “Cover Sir Melchor until itunches the wide-area attack!�


    “Understood!�Xeno, now resurrected, replied to Daryl’s call as he was putting on a spare armor set with Korinna’s help.


    And then, when the number of Golems was down to three, the Mount Golem’s eyes started shining as it looked upwards.

 Chapter 167: Death Foresight

    Chapter 167: Death Foresight


    Seeing that the Mount Golem was charging up its wide-area attack, Daryl ordered everyone to get to their positions. Diniel retrieved Xeno’s Scorchstone Robe and threw it back to him, then flew away as far as she could. Melchor paired up with Xeno, and Daryl with Korinna, and they curled up under their respective Scorchstone Robes in mid-air.


    Then a red stream of light burst forth from the Mount Golem’s eyes, melting away the ground as it spread rapidly in all directions. Diniel watched from a safe distance as the four others were pushed back while defending themselves against the wide-area attack that burned away everything else.


    �<Stream Arrow>>.�


    As soon as the st ended, Diniel started hitting back immediately despite the distance between her and the enemy. The arrow reached just the right spot above the Mount Golem’s head, and turned into a rain of countless ice arrows that buffeted the monster as it was immobilized by the cooldown of its own attack.


    Diniel then turned away from the burning red Mount Golem and shot some ice arrows at the molten ground, creating some solid surfaces to use as a foothold. The four others emerged unscathed from the Scorchstone Robes and ascended higher into the sky, avoiding the burning parts of the ground as they headed toward Diniel.


    �<Adventuring Deity’s Protection>>�


    Korinna reapplied her anti-terrain effect skill, extending it for two more hours. Meanwhile, Daryl changed into a spare set of red armor, and also took the time to talk to everyone while filling its cooling tank with ice Magic Stones.


    “No more of the smaller Golems will spawn from this point on, so feel free to start attacking the boss monster, Sir Melchor. And Miss Diniel, please prioritize creating footholds for now.�


    “Gotcha.�


    “Just don’t expect me to hit so hard, boy.�


    Melchor’s poor flying skill was sure to make it difficult for him to effectively attack the fast-moving Mount Golem. And Diniel must spend a portion of her Ice Arrows to regrly cool the molten ground, limiting her supplies and ability to dish out damage.


    “Miss Korinna, well�Please keep your support as efficient as before.�


    “I-I understand!�


    Korinna nodded timidly, and Daryl smiled back. Having seen Korinna revive Xeno in just two minutes, Daryl now thought of Korinna as even more reliable than before. ording to what she had said before today, the <<Blessing of Resurrection>> needed ten minutes to take effect, and <<Verses of Prayer>> would cut that time down to half at most. As such, she would need at least five minutes if she were to cast it right after an ally’s death.


    But just now, Korinna had pulled off the two-minute revive without even using <<Verses of Prayer>>. Daryl’s sense of hearing had enabled him to hear Korinna casting the <<Blessing of Resurrection>> in advance, so he had some hope that her foresight would help him in the unlikely case that he died as well.


    “Sir Xeno, you and I will switch more regrly from now on. We both must be careful not to overexert ourselves.�


    “Hmm, that goes without saying.�


    Xeno, despite having just died once, looked to be perfectly calm as he wiped the sweat off his face. Daryl felt sick to his stomach just thinking about his own death, but Xeno did not seem to care about it one bit. And then he felt somewhat frustrated at himself uponparing Xeno’s state now with how he had acted in the previous battle.


    By the time everyone had caught their breath, the burning red Mount Golem recovered from its cooldown time and started moving again, swinging its arms as it ran at full speed toward the team. Daryl unleashed a focused indigo blue st of <<Combat Cry>>, and the battle resumed.


    Korinna provided the two Tanks with as much support and healing as she could, while Diniel shot ice arrows at the ground near the Mount Golem to secure some foothold for the team. She then proceeded tond on one of the tforms and took aim, preparing to attack again. Melchor, after being ced on the ground by Xeno, crushed some Colorless Magic Stones in his hands.


    �<Defensive>>.�


    Daryl stayed in the air as he dealt with the Mount Golem, while also taking care not to mess up his positioning. In an attempt to manipte the monster’s attacking pattern, he maintained just the right distance for it to think it could punch him easily.


    And as it turned out, the maniption worked. The Mount Golem threw a hook punch at Daryl, and he tried to dodge it �but he had forgotten to take into ount that the monster had be too fast.


    “Ngh��


    Blocking the hit just in time with his tower shield, Daryl groaned at the impact he felt as it was much heavier than before. Then, clinging his feet to the darkened rock surface below him, he quickly regained his posture. Korinna’s healing skill promptly healed up the bruises he had sustained, but as expected, the boss monster’s attack was painful to take.


    Moreover, the Mount Golem was now able to run, so there was much less time for him to recover after being knocked back. It proceeded to shoot a heat ray at him, startling him enough to make him look away while putting his guard up. The red armor reacted to the rapidly rising temperature, activating its cooling function.


    By the time Daryl got off the crumbling ground, the Mount Golem had caught up, and this time, it kicked him with the tip of its foot as if he was a pebble. Daryl tried his best to reposition himself so that none of his allies were too near, while also taking care not to stray too far from the enemy.


    �<COMBAT CRY>>!!�


    After a few more attacks, Xeno pulled the boss monster’s aggro to himself, switching with Daryl. Unlike Daryl, Xeno dealt with the Mount Golem by staying close to it, increasing his ease of evasion while also limiting the types of attacks that could actually hit him.


    Meanwhile, Daryl grit his teeth through the pain and waited for Korinna to heal him. Eventually, a <<Blessing of Recovery>> created a green aura around him, treating his wounds.


    Xeno ran a higher risk of dying upon hit, but he was taking far fewer hitspared to Daryl. Besides, the Scorchstone Robe rendered him impervious to the heat ray, the enemy’s quickest attack, giving him a considerable advantage.


    However, unlike the Fire Dragon, which had been practicing against for some time, today was the very first time Xeno had taken hits from a Mount Golem. Although his performance could be considered good enough since he was able to dodge the sped-up Mount Golem’s grabs and stomps withplicated aerial maneuvers, he would be in a great deal of pain just from being hit once by a normal attack.


    �<Combat Cry>>!�


    As such, whenever Xeno took a hit, Daryl would pull the monster’s aggro to him and switch in as the main Tank.


    When the Mount Golem turned to Daryl, a signal arrow flew past him. Hearing that, Daryl tried his best to keep the Mount Golem still and waited for Diniel to use her skill. But then a moment passed without hearing her voice, causing him to question in his mind what was wrong.


    Since the boss monster was much faster now, it was difficult for Daryl to keep it in one spot by manipting it to attack by punching and stomping, unlike during the earlier phases of the fight.


    Eventually, he was knocked away by one of the hits, and it was then that he finally heard Diniel’s voice.


    �<Stream Arrow>>.�


    Having waited for the moment Daryl was knocked away, Diniel’s skill rained arrows down right on top of the mount Golem’s head. Not all of the arrows hit due to the Mount Golem proceeding to chase after Daryl, but they still did good enough damage. Since avoiding the Mount Golem’s stomps was more difficult in this phase, Daryl was very much thankful for Diniel’s quick thinking.


    After this point, Daryl kept himself alive by ying it safe and manipting the enemy to use its weaker attacks, while Xeno did all he could to stall for time and avoid its instant-death attacks. Thanks to the two Tanks, the Mount Golem did not once turn to the three others, and the situation was steadily shifting in the team’s favor thanks to Korinna’s support.


    “Ah.�


    However, even Pdin, which had one of the highest AGI ratings among Tank-type Jobs, was not as effective as an evasion-based Tank as Hannah.


    This meant he was not necessarily able to avoid every instant-death attack, and now, he was trampled t by the sped-up Mount Golem.


    Daryl was momentarily shocked to see Xeno die so suddenly again, but he quickly snapped himself back and properly pulled the Mount Golem’s aggro. Then he heard a voice calling from above him,


    “Two minutes until revival! Can you hold it until then!?�


    “I’ll be fine!�


    “All right! Please pull the aggro in the meantime!�


    Korinna had seen this deathing, too, and had used <<Blessing of Resurrection>> beforehand. She was also budgeting her mental energy well enough that, if Daryl’s situation were to grow too severe, she could use the <<Verses of Prayer>> to make the revival take effect immediately.


    Afterward, Xeno continued to die asionally, and each time, Korinna’s foresight allowed her to use <<Blessing of Resurrection>> and <<Verses of Prayer>> at the right timings to keep the Tanks�workflow going. Using <<Blessing of Resurrection>> so much resulted in Korinna building up a high level of aggro, but Daryl’s liberal use of his skills always kept the Mount Golem’s attention away from her.


    In order to not build too much aggro, Korinna also decided to reduce the frequencies of her support, healing, and <<Verses of Prayer>> �and to not cast any for Xeno due to how often he would die. At first nce, this might seem outrageous, but the team would lose their only means of revival if Korinna were to be killed, so this was in fact the right choice to make.


    “XENO HAS RETURNED!!�


    “Don’t fall into theva �it’s a hassle to get your stuff back up.�


    “I’ll try not to!�


    Xeno, despite having died so many times, showed no signs of being discouraged as he epted the Scorchstone Robe back from Diniel and gulped down a vial of Blue Potion. Then, without re-equipping his armor and buckler, he threw the Scorchstone Robe over his clothes and flew toward the Mount Golem again.


    �<COMBAT CRY>>! Bring it on!�


    He went on to be stomped and crushed many more times. The frequency at which he needed to be revived made him look bad as a Tank, considering that Daryl had yet to die even once today. The spectators were probably disappointed, and Diniel TOTALLY was disappointed in him.


    Still, Xeno was not at all discouraged. His ego was on a whole different level from those like Garm and Daryl, and could even be considered his strongest weapon. The silver aura of his <<Combat Cry>> shone as brightly as ever.


    “Hah hah…�


    And Daryl was frustrated that he had been unable to reach his ‘limit�so far aftering so close once before. He was in fact almost at his physical limit, but it did not quite feel like he was.


    �<Blessing of Recovery>>. <<Blessing of the Sacred>>.�


    And the reason was that he now knew just how excellent Korinna was.


    Back during the second phase, Daryl had sworn to never die today. He had figured that the fight would be all over if he were to fall, especially since Korinna’s full capabilities were unknown to him then. At that point, being pushed to his physical and mental limits meant he had to try and step over the line of what he had considered himself capable of.


    But then he got to see Korinna revive Xeno so often and with such consistency, not to mention her adequate support and healing from a Tank’s point of view. Her performance had never even suffered whenever Xeno died.


    Now he knew that even if he were to die, Korinna would be able to get him back in action soon enough. This knowledge caused him to subconsciously trust her, which in turn kept him from reaching his mental limit�thus preventing him from going beyond it.


    �<Stream Arrow>>.�


    In anticipation of Daryl taking another hit, Diniel attacked again, chipping away at the Mount Golem’s defenses. The pain in Daryl’s body made him feel as if he was about to explode, yet he still did not think he was at his limit. He felt like he was irritated, but his mind was in fact perfectly calm.


    The team had a chance at winning this fight even if he were to fail at breaking his limits. Things were getting more difficult, though, as Xeno was starting to die more quickly, resulting in Daryl having to take over for longer periods of time.


    Still, Xeno’s deaths were not without meaning. He gained a better understanding of the fight with each death, and in the end, he started stalling for time more effectively by equipping only the Scorchstone Robe.


    “XENO HAS RETURNED!�


    “Gah, we’re down to the bad-tasting Potions now!�


    He was dying as often as ever, and the high mental energy consumption of his <<Combat Cry>> meant he also had to drink Blue Potions more often. But his stalling tactics were bing more and more effective �and while he was nowhere nearly as fast as Hannah, he was excellent at hisplex aerial maneuvers, allowing him to stay close to the Mount Golem without being hit as much.


    Additionally, Korinna’s performance was at an expected level of efficiency. Daryl had thought of the Channeler’s revivals as unreliable due to how much time they needed, but Korinna had managed to revive Xeno in just two to three minutes each time. Being able to do so this quickly meant things were not too much for Daryl to handle, and Korinna seemed to not need that many Blue Potions, either.


    Korinna’s foresight was a result of her life experiences and her time with random parties, and since she was quite used to situations where her teams were close to annihtion, she never panicked whenever Xeno died and could keep up her support and healing for Daryl. This strength Korinna exhibited now was what Tsutomu had seen on the Monitors.


    Diniel, despite being a cker by nature, was attentive to the small details, making her good at securing footholds and timing her attacks. Her trick to dying the Mount Golem’s attacks �by shooting at its joints at the right moments �also greatly contributed to Daryl and Xeno’s survival.


    Melchor, without the ability to fight in the air, could not do much of anything as he stood on a tform, the sea of molten rock spreading out before him. The vibe he gave off suggested that he would do something to help if absolutely necessary, however, so it was reassuring for the rest of the team just to have him there.


    All in all, they had a good chance of winning if they were to not make any major mistakes. Daryl, understanding the situation as such, stopped concerning himself about that ‘limit�state, and yed it safe by manipting the enemy to prioritize punch and kick attacks.


    Then, at one point, the Mount Golem prepared to unleash its second wide-area attack. This had not happened during the previous run, but Daryl had read up on it before, so he knew what to do �and that this attack would be much nastier than the first time around.


    “Wide-area attack iing! Sir Melchor, please hide in the robe with Miss Korinna!�Daryl ordered, then promptly went to hide in Xeno’s Scorchstone Robe. In a corner of his eye, Diniel had already retreated.


    The second wide-area attack would not result in the Mount Golem being immobilized, so they had to be ready to resumebat immediately. This was considered one of the most troublesome moves in the final phase, and Daryl recalled Tsutomu saying it was lucky that it had not happened during the n’s first attempt.


    At any rate, the team should be safe this time, as the monster’s aggro was on Daryl. While Daryl nned the moves he would make immediately after the wide-area attack ended, Xeno started talking to him as they were both wrapped in the silver gleam of his <<Ember Aura>>,


    “It’s dazzling.�


    “…Yes, it is. Maybe you should dial it down a little bit.�


    “I HAVE dialed it down already. But it’s still bright. I swear, it’s like I’m suffering from sess…�


    “You should practice some more, then,�Daryl half-seriously joked back at Xeno.


    Then the wide-area attack’s impact hit them both. After being blown away by the wind pressure, they then suddenly heard a thunderous roar.


    After the impact subsided, Daryl poked his face out to see the Mount Golem with its arms crossed�and arge number of ck rocks stuck to its torso.


    “Oh no–�


    Then, the Mount Golem swung out its arms, shooting out the rocks like shotgun pellets. Daryl defended with his tower shield and was blown away, while Xeno was squashed by some of the heavier rocks.


    The Mount Golem proceeded to close in on Daryl, giving him no time to make heads and tails of his surroundings before punching him, knocking him further away.


    �<Blessing of Resurrection>>. <<Blessing of Resurrection>>.�


    And then his folded dog ears picked up something quite disturbing �Korinna’s voice, casting her revival skill twice.

 Chapter 168: At One’s Limit

    Chapter 168: At One’s Limit


    Diniel felt quite demotivated to see the glittering light particles near Korinna. Having been out of the shotgun attack’s range, she had seen Melchor defend Korinna, dying to the rocks as a result.


    But if he was someone who would die that easily, he likely would not havested this long in the first ce. He had decades ofbat experience in environments where death was permanent, and despite his age, he still held the record for consecutive victories in the national martial arts tournament. It was unthinkable that he would die so easily to the likes of Mount Golem.


    Diniel knew from experience that Melchor’s death was deliberate on his part, as back when she was with Golden Tune, she had also died on purpose whenever she wanted to ck off.


    “Gah…�


    Bored almost to sleep, Diniel proceeded to shoot the Mount Golem with some re-used arrows. Melchor’s reason for deliberately dying did not matter to her �all she cared about was not having to exert too much effort. Although the mysteries of the Dungeon intrigued her, she still had so many other things she was interested in.


    Diniel figured that since Melchor had died on purpose, he would not be offended as a client if she were to put in less effort, so she immediately started cutting corners. In the first ce, Melchor’s participation was included in her calction of the team’s chances of victory, so now she felt no need to try and win.


    She thought of the Tanks as a lost cause �Xeno was dying so often, and Daryl was sure to reach his limit sooner orter. Perhaps Diniel could pick up some of their ck if she were to try, but she had never even been invested in this fight in the first ce. It was a mystery to her why Tsutomu had chosen to have this teamposition take onyer seventy rather than focus on getting it over with and receiving their promised reward, and even more so why Melchor had readily agreed to this n. From her point of view, it was akin to being forced to do a babysitting job.


    Still, the team’s new Healer, Korinna, surprised her quite a bit today. She had not expected a Channeler to be able to maintain good performance on their first time onyer seventy, but Korinna had managed to hold her own quite well so far.


    Although she could not provide any support to the Attackers, she did provide the Tanks with the required amount of buffs and healing. And somehow, she was even able to revive her allies within just a few minutes, greatly mitigating one of the Channeler Job’s biggest downsides. Diniel, having been in a party with other Channelers in the past, was somewhat impressed by Korinna’s ability to revive quickly.


    But that also had its limitations. Xeno and Melchor had died at the same time, forcing Korinna to use the <<Blessing on Resurrection>> twice. Melchor could not be counted on since he had died on purpose, and Daryl was going to overexert himself any second now. Korinna had no <<Barrier>> or defensive skills of the sort to protect herself which, so if the enemy were to target her, she was sure to be killed �and then it would be all over for the team. As such, Diniel started mixing in cheaper arrows to save on the expensive ice arrows.


    Korinna was aware of Diniel’s cutting corners, but as a Healer, she was not quite in the position to voice her opinion. She simply folded her hands together and channeled her skills, providing support and healing for Daryl as he was knocked around by the Mount Golem.


    “I’m sorry! Mister Xeno’s revival will take five more minutes this time!�Korinna said, her cream-colored hair fluttering in the wind as the Mount Golem swung its arms.


    Daryl had no time to respond, tears welling in his eyes as he kept on tanking the Mount Golem’s hits. And the monster’s movements were still bing even smoother, perhaps due to it getting more used to its final phase form.


    Korinna’s eyes of a reaper �her ability to foresee death �was by no means perfect. Due to her watching other Explorers so much, she could more or less sense situations in whichbatants were likely to die. However, there were some things that she could only know for sure while in a real battle, so she sometimes failed to foresee those situations when it was her first time against certain enemies.


    For instance, Korinna was shocked quite a bit by Melchor’s sudden death �as a result of him protecting her from a rock that she could have dodged �due to her not having predicted that death happening at all. And she could not shake the feeling that it was a senseless sacrifice, which she honestly had no idea how she should deal with.


    By this time, Daryl’s likelihood of dying was getting higher �and even more clearly so after he heard the almost-panic in Korinna’s voice.


    Casting revival skills for Xeno and Daryl resulted in Korinna’s mental energy running low, so she decided to let Melchor stay dead for now. As the minutes passed, the situation was steering more and more toward Daryl’s death. As a Channeler, she had no <<Barrier>>-type skills like those of White Mages, so she could not be an improvised evasion-based Tank like Tsutomu. If Daryl were to die, she would be targeted next, and was sure to be killed quickly.


    �<Ray of Grace>>.�


    The word ‘stuck�came up in Korinna’s mind as she thought about the situation. She proceeded to gulp down a vial of bad-tasting Blue Potion and sp her hands while looking at Daryl.


    Korinna was tempted to give up like Diniel. Daryl seemed so close to death that she did not think he wouldst another five minutes �and even though she sometimes would fail to predict deaths, the ones she did predict had never been false before. Korinna now believed quite firmly that he would not make it.


    No matter how much healing she did, no matter how urate her foresight was, some situations were just unwinnable. As much as she hated that, it was what she had learned from working with random parties in the past. Sometimes, people had even been angry at her for reviving them. Perhaps things would be different if she could carry out multiple roles like Tsutomu, but that was practically impossible for her right now.


    She could not see the result changing no matter how hard she tried �and so a part of her thought it would be faster to be defeated today, and try againter.


    �<Blessing of Recovery>>. <<Blessing of the Sacred>>.�


    Daryl, however, had not yet given up �unlike the other Tanks Korinna had worked with before, many of whom were quick to give up or even straight up unmotivated and ipetent. From her point of view, Daryl was exactly the kind of Tank she would want to work with.


    “Sorry, I need three more minutes! Hang in there!�


    Korinna had not given up on her role so far, and seeing that Daryl was of the same mind, she suddenly felt motivated to keep going. And so she did �and even prayed to God, wishing for Daryl not to die.


    The fact still stood, however, that Korinna was seeing the de of the Grim Reaper’s scythe around Daryl’s neck.


    ――▽▽―�


    Many types of Cynokin existed in this world, but ones with folded ears were quite a rare sight. They had a tendency of bing beautiful in adulthood, and often would garner admirers at an early age.


    Daryl hated these ears of his, however, as they interfered with his sense of hearing, and had been a hidden source of bad smell for some time due to umted earwax. In his childhood, he had once even contemted cutting them off.


    Now that he was focused, though, his sense of hearing improved �which let him hear Korinna’s voice from a longer distance, and the sounds of his teammates�movements. He could currently only hear two other people moving, so he knew that Melchor and Xeno were dead. And from the sounds of Diniel’s arrows hitting the Mount Golem, he could tell that Diniel had switched from using ice arrows to normal ones.


    Melchor’s death and the time it would take to revive Xeno had eaten into Daryl’s mental endurance. And since he had already exceeded his physical limit, his situation was more difficult than ever.


    �<Combat Cry>>.�


    But this was also a great opportunity �a situation that could push himself even further. Although Diniel had already half-given up, Korinna was still supporting him. Feeling grateful for that, Daryl kept on defending against the Mount Golem’s attacks.


    “Ngh��


    Each time he took a hit, he felt as if his body was being torn apart. Although Korinna would always heal away his pain and injuries, if he were to take a few more hits, he felt like he would start seeing his life sh before his eyes �like he was in hell already.


    Not that it was real, however, as Daryl had already experienced this sensation so many times during his training with Garm. He spat out blood from his mouth and kept his eyes forward, facing the Mount Golem again.


    He normally would not be able to stay like this for long, with Korinna’s support being what kept him here. Daryl peeled his eyes open, observing the Mount Golem’s every move and defending while also considering his surroundings.


    �<Taunt Swing>>.�


    Besides, Korinna would build a lot of aggro when her twofold <<Blessing of resurrection>> took effect, so he had to pull as much of it to himself as he could. He shed with the Mount Golem’s punch head-on with a bash of his tower shield. The hit threw him far away and dealt heavy damage, but this way, he was able to build enough aggro.


    Ever since hearing from Tsutomu that the team would get another attempt atyer seventy in case they failed, Daryl had been trying to break his limits �but in the end, it seemed not to be achievable through training. It had to be during a real fight, where the result actually mattered.


    �<Combat Cry>>.�


    By now, Daryl was down to using the standard red aura <<Combat Cry>>. The Mount Golem kicked him away, the impact breaking the vial of Blue Potion he was holding. He proceeded to lick whatever was left of it from his hand.


    As if to punish him for doing that, the Mount Golem sted a heat ray from its eyes, which he blocked with his tower shield, narrowly avoiding being burned to death �then he blocked its sessive attacks, too. After he was done licking up the blood-mixed Blue Potion, Daryl used his recovered mental energy to unleash more skills.


    He swore to win this fight with this team �and without relying on Tsutomu and Hannah. His pride as a Tank made him want to be as good as those two, and not just someone who only let the flow take him.


    Daryl was now moving around sluggishly, even by Heavy Knights�standards, saying nothing except the names of his skills, and getting hit so much that one would expect him to die any second now. Although the amount of blood he had coughed up should have been lethal by now, he was receiving consistent support and healing, so was still up and fighting �surely this was what it meant for one to fight over their limit.


    And so, in the end, Daryl escaped from the Grim Reaper’s de �hested longer than five minutes against the Mount Golem’s onught, and against Korinna’s foresight.


    Xeno came back to life, and the <<Blessing of Resurrection>> that Korinna had cast on Daryl did nothing but generate more aggro.


    �<Combat Cry>>.�


    Sensing Xeno’s revival, Daryl used more of his skills to keep the aggro on himself. Hepletely disregarded the costs of mental energy involved, even though pushing himself this way could result in symptoms simr to severe sleep deprivation down the line.


    “……�


    “Here.�


    Diniel, having retrieved the Scorchstone Robe from under a pile of rocks, passed it on to Xeno �who was looking at Daryl as thetter was still fighting while being covered in blood.


    “They really are something else.�


    Diniel had hoped for the team to be wiped out quickly, but Daryl and Korinna persisted beyond belief. And now that she saw someone achieve results by working harder than her, she did not feel like cking off anymore. She prepared her ice arrows, and started using <<Stream Arrow>> again each time Daryl was knocked away.


    Xeno sted off his silver <<Combat Cry>> a few times to try and ease Daryl’s burden. But by now, Daryl had already generated much higher aggro than Korinna �who had generated quite a lot herself due to her repeated use of revival skills �so Xeno could barely pull it back to him, and in the end, failed to distract the enemy.


    For another forty minutes, Daryl continued carrying out his role as a Tank, while Korinna supported and healed him. And in the end, with onest <<Stream Arrow>> from Diniel, the Mount Golem was destroyed.

 Chapter 169: Mount Golem Spectators: Two Ladies

    Chapter 169: Mount Golem Spectators: Two Ladies


    After finishing the dinner preparations in thete afternoon, Ollie entrusted the rest of the housework to her apprentice, and went by herself to the crowded square where the Monitors were. Then, once she reached the area of the single-digit Monitors, she looked around, looking for someone.


    She had started to have some free time thanks to her apprentice being able to take over some of her work, so she had been spending it watching the Explorers to learn more about them. Having devoted most of her time until now to working for the nobility, however, there were some things she could not make sense of from watching them through the Monitors alone.


    “Ah, Miss Ollie. This way.�


    “Good day to you.�


    “And to you as well.�


    To make up for thatck of understanding, Ollie hadmissioned a famous Dungeon Maniac �a woman with ck hair in a short bob cut �topile some easy-to-understand reading material and provide her with real-time exnations. Bowing to the woman, Ollie proceeded to the table that she had reserved and took a seat.


    This was her second time meeting this Dungeon Maniac, so she was already somewhat familiar. Last time, the woman had jumped on Ollie’s request almost immediately�because she was none other than Pico, Xeno’s wife.


    “This is the data I’ve put together so far for Monitor #3. It’s still in progress, but should be good enough for a little reading.�


    “Thank you.�


    Pico passed Ollie a stack of neatly-written documents that detailed the Absolute Helix exploration party’s progress that she had been observing since noon. They looked up at Monitor #3, and saw that the party was still there, doing their thing.


    “Looks like Tsutomu’s party has been trying out something different, like usual. The Attackers include Amira using her <<Dragon Form>>, and Leleiabining her own attacks with her Spirits. And the evasion-based Tank, Hannah, is training to fight during snow storms by staying grounded the whole time.�


    “Oh, I see.�


    Ollie read through the documents with ease, having learned about terms such as Attacker and Tank from Pico in the previous session.


    “These four have already managed to reachyer seventy-nine, so they can be expected to get throughter eighty as well. Still, considering that this boss monster is much more powerful than thest, it will be difficult to win on their first try�Then again, I heard that Amy and Garm will be joining them soon, so it’s quite possible that they will be the first n to get through theyer.�


    “The other ns that have reachedyer eighty are�Ealdred Crow and Silver Beast, yes? Are they not more likely to win?�


    “They don’t seem to have a chance at winning at the present, no. Golden Tune has been performing much better than before, but�well, they still rely too much on Leon and his unique skill.�


    Golden Tune had imed their victory onyer seventy in less than two months after defeating the Fire Dragon onyer sixty �and it looked like they still had their momentum. The reason they had been able to do that, however, was the fact that many among them were level seventy, which was a suitable level for going against the Mount Golem. In essence, they had been pushing their way through with brute force.


    Foryer eighty, however, the rmended level was eighty, and the Winter General was quite a skilled fighter. As such, the first two ns that had made it through the Snow Fields now found themselves hitting a wall.


    “Besides, Absolute Helix has Tsutomu �and everyone’s expecting to see good things from him. All the ns except Scarlet Devil Squad have been struggling against the Fire Dragon for quite some time, but he led a team of three and won against it in one try. And after the Stampede, the nobility considered him the biggest contributor to the town’s survival �and then he went on to win against the Mount Golem on his first try. Despite all that, it’s still unknown whether or not he possesses a unique skill. It would be strange NOT to expect a good show from him, really.�


    Pico chuckled as she looked at the Monitor, on which Tsutomu was shown carrying out the roles of Healer and evasion-based Tank. His style was distinct from those of other Healers, and now that hisyer progress was currently the highest, he was bing more popr than his ‘rivals,�Stephanie and Lorena.


    Perhaps influenced by that, Lorena had recently been changing up her strategies and skill rotations, trying to increase her versatility. And perhaps happy because she was no longer constantly mentioned in the same breath as Tsutomu, she had beening off as much more cheerfultely as she tried out new things with herrades.


    Stephanie, on the other hand, had been exploring the dungeon non-stop as if she was being cornered by something. Lately, she had dark circles under her eyes, and her expression was so gloomy that her fellow n members were worried that she might copse one of these days.


    Pico and Ollie proceeded to observe the activities of Tsutomu’s team, with the former exining things to thetter while also preparing more reading material. Two hourster, when the hour approached evening, more people started gathering in the area, Pico cut the conversation short as she heard that Daryl’s team had just found the ck Gate down toyer seventy.


    “They’ll probably be on Pedestal 8. We should get moving �This way, Miss Ollie.�


    Having reserved another seat near the single-digit Monitors, Pico stood up and walked on ahead, guiding Ollie. Although Ollie had difficulties wading through the crowd, she managed to follow Pico and sit down.


    Though there were over a hundred people sitting in their respective reserved seats near Monitor #8 alone, many of those seats were still empty. On the other hand, the unreserved seats were all full by now, forcing the rest of the spectators to stand and watch. Adding them together made for quite arge crowd.


    “Looks like this particr fight is getting a great deal of attention! Maybe I should write about this battle, too,�Pico said happily as she held up her worn-out fountain pen �as she only used her favorite quill pen at home due to it being a gift from Xeno �and stared at the party of five shown on the gigantic screen.


    Then, the mission teammenced the battle against the Mount Golem with Xeno’s powerful <<Combat Cry>>.


    “Ooh, it’s starting!�


    “Hey, that’s Xeno over there!�


    “Don’t get everyone killed, Xeno, my dude!�


    Many of those in the unreserved seats recognized Xeno, and perhaps because of that, some of them were quick to scoff at him. Due to abination of the fame he had built up himself and what he had gained from joining Absolute Helix, Xeno had be practically a household name, for better or worse.


    “The currently popr approach to fighting the Mount Golem is to separate the boss monster and its minions. The team is doing that as well, with Daryl taking on the boss, while Xeno takes on the minions. Simrly for the Attackers, Melchor is responsible for destroying the minions, while Diniel deals damage to the boss. And Korinna is supporting everyone as the Healer, of course.�


    “I understand.�


    “It’s generally assumed that, in the first phase, the Tank taking care of the minions will have an especially hard time. Quite surprising that they’re having Xeno do it, since it’s his first attempt…�


    If she were to look at things in a favorable light, Pico would have said that Xeno could do his thing just fine, but now she was being paid to providementary, so she talked from the same point of view as the other Dungeon Maniacs.


    Ollie, seeing Daryl taking on the gigantic Mount Golem, started growing restless�


    “NWOOO�!�


    “What a joker…�


    …Then she facepalmed upon seeing Xeno’sical state, repeatedly taking hits as he was surrounded by the Golem minions.


    After that, she was visibly impressed by how well Diniel wasnding her <<Stream Arrow>>, and how Daryl was able to keep the Mount Golem’s attention entirely on him.


    Still, she seemed unsettled, perhaps out of worry, as she observed Daryl carrying out dangerous maneuvers.


    “Daryl is performing especially well at his role, even for someone who’s already won the fight once. And he’s been practicing for thisyer specifically, so he probably won’t die today. There’s no need to worry so much.�


    “Ah�I see…�


    Being told so by Pico, Ollie rxed a little, unclenching her fists.


    Eventually, the team avoided the Bomb Golems�chain explosions and safely made it to the fight’s second phase. While exining the battle to Ollie, Pico’s hands were constantly moving, writing her articles.


    The Tanks carried on the same roles as before, with Xeno drawing the attention of the newly-spawned minions, and Daryl taking on the Mount Golem as it gradually gained speed. Diniel used ice arrows with her <<Stream Arrow>> to deal higher damage, and Korinna provided the two Tanks with support and healing.


    “Will they be all right��Ollie said with a great deal of worry to seeing Daryl being knocked away repeatedly by the Mount Golem


    “I do think they’re stretching themselves a little thin,�Pico replied calmly. “This might be a good time to switch up the Tanks.�


    Shortly after that, when the number of minions was down to eleven, Xeno switched aggro targets with Daryl, facing the boss monster in thetter’s stead.


    “The Tanks are taking turns fighting �that’s also a popr approach foryer seventy. The first time around, Absolute Helix did do something different by using a Tank that can evade, but�Well, basically, it’s safest to have the Tanks take turns defending against the boss monster’s attacks. And I think that’s what the team will do, since Melchor alone will probably be enough for dealing with the rest of the minions.�


    “A Tank that can evade? Do you mean Hannah?�


    “Yes. People as fast as her can avoid all attacks thate their way, meaning they can deal with the monster by themselves. For Jobs with low AGI, like Daryl’s Heavy Knight, doing the same will be quite difficult �But a Pdin like Xeno actually can be an evasion-based Tank, at least to some extent.�


    The AGI ratings of Knights, Pdins, and Dark Knights were not too low, so they could evade at least some attacks while carrying out their Tank roles. They would not be quite as good as full evasion-based Tanks like Hannah, of course, but they could make up for that with their higher VIT.


    As Xeno stayed close to the Mount Golem and avoided its feet and fists, Pico seemed at least a little proud of him as she continued to providementary. She also took a moment to exin the Pdin skill <<sh>>, which enabled one to temporarily disrupt enemies�sense of sight, although it would go unused today due to it having no effect on the Mount Golem.


    “N-now THAT is what I call a punch…�


    Moreover, their high VIT made them durable enough to withstand a hit. Hannah would definitely be killed if she were to take a single punch from the Mount Golem, but Xeno could live through it just fine. As such, Pico thought there would be no problem now, but then she noticed Xeno acting strangely.


    “Your cheers will be the source of my strength! Thank you, and again, thank you!�


    Pico was the only one who could see the anguish behind his smile. She tightened her grip on her fountain pen, knowing that no one else �not even Xeno’s party members �was seeing through the bluff. Then, upon seeing Xeno reaching for a Potion only to suddenly pull his hand back, she shouted out in the spur of the moment,


    “Drink your Potion, damn it!!�


    “Hmm?�


    “Ah�excuse me,�Pico said, blushing a little as Ollie turned to her.


    Guessing that Xeno waspeting with Daryl, who had also not been drinking Potions despite taking so many hits, she sighed at her husband’s unnecessary pride and continued writing as if to distract herself.


    “Switch!�


    By the time Daryl was through Xeno’s bluff, it was toote. Xeno was kicked away and, unable to regain his bearings in mid-air, fell into theva sea. Seeing Xeno die, Pico stopped writing, staring nkly ahead for a moment before resuming.


    “A Channeler is bound to have difficulties reviving a Tank. But I’m sure Daryl will be able to handle the situation somehow–�


    “Two minutes until revival!�


    Korinna’s performance caught her off guard, as a Channeler’s fastest revival time was technically five minutes �ten minutes for the revival skill, reduced to half with the <<Verses of Prayer>>. Despite that, Korinna had imed that it would need only two minutes.


    And sure enough, two minutester, Xeno revived. Pico kept an eye on Korinna from that point on, and found out that she had been using <<Blessing of Resurrection>> ahead of time �and timing them so that she did not even have to use <<Verses of Prayer>>.


    “Hehehe�Korinna really is something else, isn’t she? Surely even you haven’t noticed before how good she actually is.�


    As Pico was stunned by the performance of a supposedly unremarkable Explorer like Korinna, a Dungeon Maniac came over from a nearby reserved seat. He imed to be focused on observing Healer-type Explorers, and to know of Korinna’s ability to foresee death.


    “…I may have done too little research, yes.�


    “That’s understandable. She’s not all that famous, so her capabilities are barely even documented. Which brings me to the next point…�


    “How much do you want?�


    “Cutting to the chase, huh? Nice.�


    “Sorry, Miss Ollie, mind if I negotiate with this guy for a bit? This will me some info about Korinna to exin to you with, too.�


    “Sounds perfectly good to me.�


    With Ollie’s permission, Pico negotiated with the Dungeon Maniac, and in the end, she received the information for a fee and an agreement to include his name in her articles. And then, after scanning through the information, Pico narrowed her eyes, suspicious.


    “She can predict death� That’s nonsense�is what I’d say if I didn’t already see her do it.�


    Xeno had died several times during the negotiation, and every single time, Korinna would revive him in just two to three minutes �and sometimes even a single minute. Since Xeno would never even propose a n in which he strategically let himself get killed, it was without a doubt that Korinna was able to foresee death.


    “And I thought she was just some random big eater�Looks like I was wrong,�she proceeded to say, positively reevaluating her opinion on Korinna as she looked at thetter defending herself with her Scorchstone Robe.


    Then she promptly apologized to Ollie for that remark and resumed hermentary.

 Chapter 170: Mount Golem Spectators: Two Ladies 2

    Chapter 170: Mount Golem Spectators: Two Ladies 2


    After the Mount Golem turned red as a result of its wide-area attack, Xeno continued to struggle, dying several times, but the crowd’s reaction was still positive. It had already been known that this was Xeno’s first time onyer seventy, and the strategies involving dying and reviving repeatedly were generally epted as viable.


    “Is his VIT really that much lower than Daryl’s? Now he’s switching out after taking just one hit.�


    “Well, still pretty good for a first-timer, I guess.�


    Those watching from the free seats, sipping cold ale, generally had a positive opinion of Xeno and the fact that he was still able to fight. And they were all surprised by how Daryl was still alive, despite him having taken the most hits from the Mount Golem.


    “Looks like Daryl is holding up quite well. Maybe the best a Tank has done so far against the Mount Golem, even.�


    “Is that so? I’m d to hear that.�


    “Hehe…�


    Hearing what Ollie had just said, Pico was surprised for a moment, then she chuckled and proceeded to read through the data she had just received. After that, she summarized a portion of it and started exining,


    “Korinna’s Job is Channeler, but most people right now only consider her a worse version of White Mage â€rgely because reviving takes much longerpared to thetter. That’s a perception that wasn’t cleared up even after the three-roleposition theory became widespread. Looks like Korinna is proving them wrong, though.â€?


    Korinna was able to reduce revival times using her ability to foresee death. ording to the data Pico had received, Korinna needed two minutes on average, and progressively less than that as her prediction became more urate the more she revived familiar individuals.


    She would still need five minutes sometimes, however, perhaps due to her prediction sess rate being lower when up against monsters she was not familiar with. Regardless of that, her sess rate was quite high due to how much she had been watching the Monitors.


    In Live Dungeon, yers would always be able to see their party members�HP bars and enemy monsters�attacks clearly, so a Channeler could time their channeling skills ordingly. Many would even make sure <<Blessing of the Sacred>> was active at all times, keeping their MP up while channeling <<Blessing of Resurrection>> on multiple targets if the situation allowed.


    The <<Blessing of Resurrection>> required a great deal of mental energy to use, and unlike <<Raise>>, it would generate aggro on the caster whether or not the target was dead or alive upon activation. Still, in the game, one could interrupt the channeling, so the aggro generation issue was quite preventable there.


    The mental energy cost remained an actual issue, however, as it added up quickly if one were to also carry out the usual support and healing roles, thus necessitating the rough prediction of their party members�deaths to figure out when to use it. As such, Channeler yers required more prep work than White Mages, learning the flow of specific battles, monsters�attacks to watch out for, and the status ratings of their allies in order to calcte damage numbers.


    More key differences between Live Dungeon and this world were that, in the game, one could see the exact numbers of damage being dealt, and if there was anything they would like to know, they could easily search for it on the inte. In this world, although one could learn from watching others through Monitors, Channelers had not gotten to be in the spotlight until now due to the previous poprity of sacrificial revive Healers. As such, research was stillcking when it came to how to use their skill set.


    Korinna’s death foresight was pretty much essential to Channelers here, and she was good at it due to abination of her own intuition and learning through observation. As such, she could time the uses of her <<Blessing of Resurrection>> only for when her teammates needed it, preserving her energy and Blue Potions.


    “…And Korinna having that ability makes it so that she, as a Channeler, is not less desirable than a White Mage. There’s no need to worry about identally buffing the enemies, and her support skills are actually more efficient in terms of effect durations and energy consumption.�


    While Pico was giving her exnation, the other spectators looked at the screen, wondering how a Channeler �a Job they had rarely, if ever, seen before �was performing so well. There had not been a Channeler shown this prominently on a single-digit Monitor for the past few years, so some of the general audience had not even known of the Job’s existence.


    “What’s going on there? That’s way different from what I’d usually see.�


    “Is she a Priestess or something?�


    Those who did not know what a Channeler was were particrly intrigued by the talisman hanging from Korinna’s neck. It was only a small number of them, however, as those who regrly watched Explorers fighting monsters at least recognized it as a type of weapon.


    “Her Job is Channeler �for a Healer type, it’s nowhere as well-known as White Mage, so I wouldn’t me you if you didn’t know.�


    “Huh. Never seen it before.�


    “And the ‘blessing�skills she uses can heal?�


    “Yeah. So this is how Channelers work–�


    Regardless, knowing more about the Explorers, the Dungeon, and the monsters was sure to enhance a spectator’s experience, so they turned to the Dungeon Maniacs for information and opinions. Such interactions between spectators and Dungeon Maniacs were particrly prominent in the free seating area.


    As the crowd took notice of Korinna’s excellent performance, the Mount Golem suddenly prepared tounch its second wide-area attack. Only Diniel was able to escape out of its range, while the others defended themselves with Scorchstone Robes.


    This second shot had no cooldown to follow it, however, so the Mount Golem took its next action immediately, burying countless rocks into its partially molten body surface and releasing them like shotgun pellets. The attack made a direct hit on Xeno, and one of the big rocks flew at Korinna at a distance �and when she was about to dodge it, Melchor pushed her aside, taking the hit in her stead. Due to his low VIT, he immediately turned into a burst of light particles and disappeared.


    “Huh?�


    “What the� Melchor’s dead!?�


    People shouted out mixed reactions upon seeing, from their perspective, Melchor dying as a result of protecting Korinna. This was the reigning martial arts champion they were looking at �and no one had ever seen him die before. The crowd was both shocked and excited by this development.


    “Now that was pretty suspicious. Maybe he died on purpose.�


    “Oh? What makes you think so?�


    “Korinna could have avoided that hit easily enough. But then again, why would Melchor let himself get killed? …Sorry, please forget it. I don’t really understand either.�


    Pico narrowed her eyes and stopped her writing hand, pondering her previous question. Korinna’s progress had been stuck atyer fifty until recently, so her flight control was not all that good. But then again, it did seem like she was about to dodge the rock, and at that distance, she would not have had any problem doing so.


    All the other Dungeon Maniacs seemed bewildered, what with them having not seen Melchor’s deathing at all. The people who had seen Melchor at the Martial Arts Tournament were especially screaming out in disbelief.


    It was apparent that Korinna had not seen this deathing either, as she used <<Blessing of Resurrection>> twice and even cast <<Verses of Prayer>> to speed them up. Xeno had also died after being knocked intova, so Daryl had to defend against the Mount Golem’s attack all by himself for over five minutes.


    “Things aren’t looking good. Even Garm �oh, Garm is Daryl’s mentor, by the way �had to switch with another Tank during his Mount Golem fight. One Tank probably won’tst for longer than five minutes.�


    “Oh no…�


    “There’s still a chance for them to win, but that requires Korinna surviving�so it’s not looking very likely. A Channeler doesn’t have ess to a defensive skill like White Mage’s <<Barrier>>, so she can’t act as a temporary evasion-based Tank like Tsutomu did.�


    Hearing all that exnation, Ollie’s face turned pale as she kept watching the Monitor. The Mount Golem’s movements were extremely quick now that it had turned red, and its heat ray attacks made it difficult for the Explorers to drink Potions. Even with Korinna’s consistent healing and support, it was clear that they could fall apart at any moment.


    “Looks like Diniel’s already given up.�


    “…Yes, she would totally do that.�


    “Can’t me her, I guess �it’s just how she’s always been, as far as I know. At least she’s only doing a less-than-perfect job, not totally abandoning her post.�


    Even back in her Golden Tune days, Diniel had already been well-known as having a habit of giving up �but still doing her work �when things got bad. Her performance would always be at least what one would expect from an Attacker, so herrades had never given her too much k for her cking.


    And if a team were to be wiped out, each member would lose all but their most valuable items �which, in reverse, meant they would not lose anything of significant value. In Diniel’s case, she would retain her quiver-like Magic Bag that she had filled to the brim with expensive items, so so her being stingy with her arrows in this situation was not a bad thing�at least aside from the high likelihood that her party members would not see her in a positive light.


    Daryl, on the other hand, showed an unexpected degree of persistence, pushing himself to the limit while Korinna’s support was concentrated on him. Thanks to that, he was able to stand his ground against the Mount Golem in this dangerous final phase.


    “GAAAHHH!!�


    Still, all the hits he was taking, and all the screaming and bleeding, was far too much even by Daryl’s standards. Ollie could not help but close her eyes, unable to keep looking at Daryl forcing his broken, dangling arm to move, and even getting ss shards in his mouth due to drinking from a broken Blue Potion vial.


    Normal fans of Daryl were taken aback by this borderline mad disy, while those familiar with Garm were deeply moved, as Daryl now was a splitting image of Garm on the front lines.


    The crowd went wild for Daryl, who not only managed to survive for over five minutes, but also continued to Tank more right after that. The Dungeon Maniacs were stunned, as they knew that taking on the final-phase Mount Golem alone was practically suicide.


    “…I can’t make myself watch this,�Ollie said, her eyes downcast to avoid looking at Daryl being beaten up.


    “…It’s not like I want to see this either, you know.�


    Xeno tried to pull the monster’s aggro toward him, but was unsessful. In fact, the situation saw an improvement after Korinna focused her support on Daryl. Pico did not want to write that part down, but had to for the sake of her article’spleteness.


    “Is there any point in reviving Xeno again and again?�


    �<COMBAT CRY>>!!�


    “C’mon, man…�


    While Pico’s fists were shaking as the spectators scoffed at Xeno, she kept on writing her article. She and Ollie continued to quite reluctantly look at the Monitor, with the only interaction between them now being Pico’smentary.


    And at the end of the fight, when everyone else was excited to have witnessed the team’s victory, Ollie and Pico were not so pleased. Ollie proceeded to simply receive some reading materials from Pico, bowed to her, and immediately headed back to the n House.


    ―▽▽�


    “Good work, people,�Melchor, in his default post-revival clothes, greeted the mission team after they were back in the Guild.


    Diniel only narrowed her eyes and gave him a sideways nce.


    “Sorry for the trouble I caused, by the way.�


    “You’re our client. Don’t worry about it,�Diniel said bluntly, turned away, and walked to the reception counter.


    Melchor dropped his shoulders at the cold treatment he got, and Korinna looked up awkwardly from behind him.


    “I should be saying sorry, Sir Melchor. You died to save me…�


    “No, it was my mistake �I didn’t even have to do that.�


    Korinna bowed, but then Melchor bowed even deeper in response. He had in fact died on purpose at that moment to push Daryl to his limit, so Korinna was not the one at fault here. Having been sent back to the Guild after passing his revival time limit down there, he had also exined his action to the people here to prevent any misunderstanding.


    “And things were so hectic that I didn’t have a chance to revive you…�


    “That’s no problem at all. You still got me to make progress.�


    If one were bound to a party contract, theiryer progress would update even if they were dead, so Melchor was able to head down toyer seventy �which was all he cared about.


    “So, anyway, Daryl. Oh, he’s�sleeping?�


    “Yes, sir, he is.�


    Daryl, with all his armor removed now, was snoring in his sleep while being carried on Xeno’s shoulder. Looking at him, Melchor nodded in satisfaction, then let out a subtle sigh.


    “Ah, how I wish I had an apprentice as passionate as him.�


    The Magic Fist, a technique so powerful yet so life-threatening to its user even in training, could be used in God’s Dungeon without fear of long-term consequences. As such, Melchor was looking to pass on his knowledge before he grew too old.


    The issue was its extreme difficulty �even the nobility, those who were more well-versed in the arcane arts than most, had given up trying to make it work. After five years of teaching, there was still no one else who could use it properly, with Bruno being able to wield a fraction of its potential power with assistance from their unique physical enhancement abilities.


    Melchor was also saddened by the fact that his martial arts teachings were far more popr. All he wanted was to pass on his skills. That desire was growing stronger with each passing day, which was exactly why he liked Daryl’s ambition in the pursuit of greater strength �and why he had helped to push Daryl to his limit by dying on purpose.


    In the end, it was worth it, since Daryl was then able to fight harder than ever before. He was d to see Daryl take another step toward Garm’s prestige, but then was saddened when he remembered that he still had to find more sessors.


    “All right then, I’ll see you all tomorrow.�


    “Yes, sir.�


    Regardless of any of that, he had the Winter General ofyer eighty �a newly-discovered type of humanoid monster in such a long time �to look forward to. Melchor was visibly excited as he walked out of the Guild, determined to at least defeat this powerful monster before he died of old age.

 Chapter 171: A Step Toward the Dungeon Maniacs

    Chapter 171: A Step Toward the Dungeon Maniacs


    “I heard you guys won. Way to go!�


    After the exploration team was done onyer seventy-nine, Tsutomu and the others returned to the n House, with all themotion outside telling them that Daryl’s team had managed to score their win onyer seventy.


    In response to Tsutomu’s congrattion, Daryl bowed deeply, while Diniel gave her usual nonchnt reply.


    Xeno was not here right now, as Pico had dragged him away from the Guild as soon as he returned from the Dungeon. Korinna was already stuffing her face with the appetizers of her fancy dinner that Ollie had prepared to celebrate the team’s victory.


    “Good. I would’ve beaten you up if you didn’t win.�


    “Congrats!�


    “Thank you!�


    Amira and Hannah congratted Daryl in particr. Tsutomu, having heard that ‘the Channeler�had performed particrly well, gave extrapliments to Korinna, who then stopped eating to bow repeatedly, thankful for all the praise she was receiving.


    “I also had the opportunity to spectate your activities today. And I must say�please do not push yourself too hard.�


    “Um, ah, yes. I’ll try.�


    Ollie, unable to say anything too intrusive, expressed her concern with a forced smile as she handed the dishes to Daryl. Daryl, feeling sorry for worrying her, had his tail down.


    Noticing the change in Ollie’s mood, Tsutomu reached into his pocket to take out the sphere-form Undine and ce it on the table, then walked over to talk to the two of them.


    “On the other hand�me and my team didn’t get to watch you guys. How about you tell us about the fight?�


    “Ooh! I wanna listen, too!�


    And so, during dinner, the mission team started talking about their activities, with Daryl leading the discussion, summarizing what they had gone through. A little concerned about Diniel’s silence, Daryl tried to keep his recount inoffensive as the meal went on.


    Daryl had noticed Diniel starting to cut corners during the fight, but in the end, he considered that she had done an adequate job nheless �and in fact, a better job than he had. As such, Daryl could not bring himself to say anything to Diniel, not to mention the fact that Diniel herself did not particrly care about that either.


    Korinna also had low self-esteem and was not at all the confrontational type, so she was somewhat reserved when it came to talking about Daryl and Diniel. As such, she refrained from saying how Daryl would push himself too hard at times, and how Diniel had held back.


    “…And that pretty much sums it up.�


    “Hmm, I see. Honestly, though, I didn’t expect you to win on your first try. That was great, really.�


    Tsutomu, sensing the awkward atmosphere among the three of them, turned to Diniel �who had said almost nothing so far throughout the meal. When Diniel tilted her head, Tsutomu briefly chuckled and then turned to the kitchen, where Ollie was.


    “Since you got to see them, Miss Ollie, how were they?�


    “…I’m still new to all this Dungeon exploration business, so I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to makements.�


    “That’s not true �I’ve heard that you’ve been watching the Pedestals a fair bit recently. If there was anything that stuck out to you, could you let us know?�


    “…I understand. Please give me a moment �I will bring the documents.�


    Once Ollie finished filling the sink and leaving her apprentice to wash the dishes, she trotted up the stairs. After a while, she returned with a stack of documents�the size of which surprised everyone.


    “This is a set of documents prepared by a Dungeon Maniac, which details what she has observed. If I were to make an evaluation based on this, I would say that the victory onyer seventy was a spectacr sess. It was not without issues, however. First of all, Mister Daryl.�


    “Y-yes.�


    “You have obviously pushed yourself too hard. Make one wrong move, and you would have been killed�Considering how aware of the situation you were, you should have been able to work together with Mister Xeno more effectively. I do not understand why you seemed so insistent on carrying out the Tank role all by yourself.�


    “I’m sorry…�


    Unlike before, Ollie now gave her unconstrained opinions, prompting Daryl to apologize for his recklessness. Then, when Diniel yawned, she redirected her assault to her.


    “This is not the time to be yawning, Miss Diniel. You obviously started holding back after Mister Xeno and Sir Melchor died. Why did you do that?�


    “Why not? I thought it was hopeless at that point, so I tried to save on arrows.�


    “You were supposed to let your party members know what you were doing. It is inexcusable to abandon your job just because you want to.�


    “……�


    Diniel fell silent, but she was still scowling at Ollie, showing that she had no intention of backing down. Tsutomu looked on, quite invested now that Ollie had gone through the trouble of retrieving a stack of documents to provide her opinions. The others, as if to not displease her further, slid away from the dining table.


    “What about Korinna?�Tsutomu asked.


    “Miss Korinna did not show bad performance in any particr aspect, I think. Would you like to take a look at these documents?�


    “Ah�yes, please.�


    “…I’mma leave before I’m roped into that.�


    “…Aye-yup, time to retreat!�


    Tsutomu, receiving the stack of documents from Ollie, immediately devoured his way through its contents. Seeing that, Hannah and Amira promptly put their dishes in the sink and evacuated upstairs, with Leleia following shortly after�and the Undine, witnessing everything unfold, was trembling quite hard.


    After that, the three were given a full-on critique session by Ollie and Tsutomu, the flow of events turning it into an evaluation meeting of sorts.


    ―▽▽�


    “Aooohhh…�Diniel moaned, startled by how different her distinctively long Elf ears felt after she put on her specially-knit wool mufflers.


    Having gained resistance to coldness thanks to Korinna’s <<Adventuring Deity’s Protection>>, she was now able to exert her usual strength as long as she wore appropriate winter clothes.


    “Hmm? Is something wrong, you two? You don’t look well at all!�


    “…Mm-hm.�


    Daryl and Korinna, having been forced into an evaluation meeting by Ollie and Tsutomust night, had looks full of indecisiveness on their faces as they thought about what they should do going forward. Basically, Daryl had been told not to focus so much on breaking his limits, and Korinna had been assigned with learning to better understand skills�appropriate rotation patterns and their durations.


    It seemed as if Ollie had turned into a different person yesterday, her aura so unopposable that Daryl could do nothing but shake his head. Korinna had been praised by Tsutomu for her ability to foresee death, but was then reminded to keep up her basics as a Channeler.


    And Xeno, despite apparently being in a good mood, had had to sit through a sermon from Picost night, so he was not exactly carefree now, either. All of them �except Diniel �were worried because they wanted to be stronger. Looking on at them and feeling their determination, Melchor could not help but smile.


    Now that they were pastyer seventy, the mission team was able to proceed onward, exploring their way through the Snow Fieldyers uninterrupted. Since Tsutomu could provide the mission team with a wealth of information on the Snow Fieldyers that he had noted down with the exploration team, the mission team did not need to search as much for the ck Gates.


    Moreover, since the Snow Fields�sceneries were mostly white, the ck Gates were rtively easy to detect. Environmental effects could be mitigated by Korinna’s skill, so the coldness was not an issue, either.


    The monsters here, however, were notably threatening due to their higher tendency to attack in groups �though they could be dealt with rtive ease if thebatants were to know what to expect. Diniel, wanting to quickly get used to moving quickly in the Snow Fieldyers, took the active role in hunting the monsters, so there had been no particrly difficult battles so far.


    The mid-boss of the Snow Fieldyers was simr to the Bolseyer, but this time, it was a random encounter and would not always be there to guard theyer’s ck Gate. Luckily, the mission team ended up not encountering it the first time through.


    All things considered, their progression was quite smooth, going at the pace of oneyer every two days due to the asional monster attacks. In the end, they managed to reachyer eighty after about three weeks.


    In front of the ck Gate that led down toyer eighty, Melchor nodded to everyone and expressed his gratitude.


    “Good work. You all have my thanks for fulfilling this old man’s selfish request.�


    “You have our thanks as well, sir, for your wisdom and guidance.�


    Daryl had learned from Ollie about Melchor’s possibly deliberate death onyer seventy. If that had not happened, perhaps Daryl would not have been able to push himself to his limits. Understanding that, Daryl felt inclined to express his thanks as well.


    Melchor then said a few words to each one of them, and then he went down to the eightiethyer so that he could give the fight a go �and be killed so that he could be sent back to the surface quickly. This was just a test drive, as he intended to challenge the boss seriously after preparing appropriate countermeasures against snow storms and securing enough magic stones to fuel his Magic Fist techniques.


    And so, a total of two months had passed since Absolute Helix divided itself into two teams. After Melchor’s request was fulfilled, they went back to being one party. And now, two people arrived, knocking on the door of the n Houseâ€

 Chapter 172: A Visit from Old Friends

    Chapter 172: A Visit from Old Friends


    “Coooooomin�through!!�


    “Oh, she’s here.�


    Early in the morning, Tsutomu recognized the cheerful voiceing from the front door, so he told Ollie to wee them in. Today was a day off, so all n members except Xeno were present in the n House. Tsutomu figured this would be a good chance to introduce them, so he had everyone gather in the living room.


    The two new arrivals were then guided to the living room by Ollie. Amy, the white-haired Aelurkin with arge Magic Bag slung over her shoulder, cracked an ear-to-ear smile as soon as she saw Tsutomu.


    “AMY’S IN THE HOUSE, BABY!!�


    “Wee. Put your luggage upstairs for now, then I’ll introduce you to everyone.�


    “Gotcha!�


    Amy was so full of energy that she seemed ready to explode at any moment as she went up with Ollie to the second floor.


    “Yah-ho, Dini!�


    “Ahoy.�


    On the way, Amy met Diniel �who looked as unmotivated as ever �and gave her a high-five.


    After seeing Amy off, Tsutomu turned to the other visitor �a woman with distinctive white-furred rabbit ears �and gave her a look of suspicion.


    “W-what’s that look for!? Am I not wee here or something!?�


    “Ah, no, I was just expecting Garm and not�you know, you. What brings you here, Lorena?�


    “I happened to bump into Amy while taking a walk in town, so I just kind of tagged along.�


    That was the Conykin Lorena, a member of Silver Beast; she was considered one of the three best Healers in town.


    Blushing a little, she put her hands behind her head. Then her expression quickly changed as she rushed up to Tsutomu.


    “And, well, I did say you could visit us whenever you wanted �but you never showed up! So I figured I’de over here instead!�


    “Ah. I thought you said that just to be polite.�


    “That wasn’t it at all! Look, just give me at least some idea when your free days are! I’ll drop by to hang out, whether you like it or not!�


    Tsutomu took a few steps back as her long rabbit ears were about to poke his face, then looked up for a brief moment as he thought about his schedule.


    “I guess there’s�tomorrow, and the same day next week.�


    “Well, I’ming again tomorrow, then! See you!!�


    With a wink and a flick of one of her rabbit ears, Lorena turned on her heel and walked out of the n House. Tsutomu grumbled to himself, wondering why that had to happen in the first ce. Shortly after, Amy returned to the living room now that she had left her luggage in her room. When Tsutomu walked up to her, everyone turned their attention to her as if she was a transfer student.


    “All right. Let’s get on with the introductions, then.�


    “Herees Amy, over the big screens to youuuuuu!!�


    Korinna and Hannah, well aware of Amy’s reputation as a local idol of sorts, were quick to give her a round of apuse, while the others were deadpan. Ollie’s apprentice seemed to have heard of Amy, too, as she seemed excited, like she got to meet a celebrity.


    “Amy’s a Dualder, so she’ll be joining us as an Attacker. Garm is supposed to be hereter today, too, so I’m thinking we should go to the Dungeon after that to familiarize ourselves again. Be on standby until then, Amy.�


    “Aye-aye! C’mon, Dini, we gotta decorate my room together!�


    “Uh…�


    As she had not unpacked yet, Amy demanded help from Diniel before bolting upstairs by herself. Diniel, although narrowing her eyes with reluctance at first, happily followed her.


    “Ohh�THE Amy, in the flesh! It feels like I’m dreaming!�


    “Yeah�Is this real life, or is this just fantasy!? I might even get to be on the same team as her…�


    Korinna and Hannah, having seen Amy quite often on the Monitors, were deeply moved by her arrival. Leleia and Amira barely had any reaction, perhaps due to them not being so familiar with her, while Daryl seemed somewhat frightened due to having been treated coldly by her on several asions.


    “Ah, Leleia. Please make me a <<Contract>> for today.�


    “All right. <<Contract �Undine>>.�


    These days, Tsutomu had been contracting with the Undine, who increased his mental energy rating by one letter grade, and had been experimenting with how to act under such contracts. Still, he had to have Leleia on his team whenever he wanted to do this, since the contract would be canceled if he were to enter the Dungeon without her.


    The Undine, in the form of a Slime-like blob,nded on Tsutomu’s hand and was then put into a pocket in Tsutomu’s robe. It had taken so much of a liking to that particr pocket that it slipped in without question these days, seeming to consider it a home base of sorts.


    Tsutomu had also gotten to try contracting with the fairy-like Sylph and the red lizard-like Smander, though not so frequently since Leleia would more often use them herself. On the other hand, he had never tried Gnome before, as contracting with it raised VIT, a status Tsutomu did not necessarily need. Leleia had once said that the Gnome was sad to be left out, but there was not really anything he could do about it.


    [Let’s see�who should Amy team up with?]


    The safe choice would be her old friend Diniel, maximizing their synergy as fellow Attackers, but there were many otherbinations worth considering. Tsutomu would like to see how well she worked with Amira and Leleia in particr.


    As for the Tanks, he was sure she would go well with Hannah, while herpatibility with the others was still uncertain to him. She had almost always been at odds with Garm, and would sometimes give his apprentice Daryl the cold treatment. It waspletely unknown if she would vibe with Xeno at all, though Tsutomu thought that to be unlikely.


    As for Korinna in particr, Amy had already gotten to team up with Channelers while working for the Guild, so there was no doubt they would work well together �though to be sure, they would have to try first.


    Tsutomu, while waiting for Garm to arrive at the n House, continuedying out various party structures that he had thought of in advance.


    ―▽▽�


    The n House’s doorbell rang in the afternoon. Ollie went out to wee the arrivals and brought them to the living room.


    One of them was the indigo blue-haired Cynokin Garm, who was to join Absolute Helix today. The other, standing behind him, was Weiss, leader of the Scarlet Devil Squad�who was here for reasons unknown.


    Weiss �the man famous for clearing Dungeons by himself in the time before the emergence of God’s Dungeon. The strange aura about him caused Korinna, Hannah, and Daryl’s hearts to skip a beat. Tsutomu, struck with a dash of déjà vu, ended up letting out a dry chuckle.


    “We weren’t expecting so many guests today.�


    “Sorry. He insisted that he wanted toe with me, so I let him. Apparently, he needs to talk to you, Tsutomu.�


    “……�


    Weiss, now standing beside Garm, bowed to everyone. When Tsutomu asked what was the matter, Weiss looked back with his usual sharp eyes.


    “…Alma said she wanted to apologize to you in person. Do you have some time to spare?�


    “Hmm�How about tomorrow evening? If that’s not a good time, we could find another time next week, too.�


    “…That is a good time. I’lle to pick you up. Thank you,�Weiss said and bowed again, then immediately left the n House.


    Hannah and Korinna, having been stunned by Weiss�sudden appearance, let out a sigh of relief.


    “Holy moly, he’s so scary…�


    “You can say that again. Now that I got to see the real deal, though�man, he’s so cool…�


    While the two whispered to each other, Tsutomu told Garm to leave his luggage on the second floor. Then, after having him introduce himself to everyone, they proceeded to have lunch, with Xeno also joining them.


    One after another, tes of food were ced on the table �which was now surrounded by enough chairs to amodate everyone. The seats were gradually filled; including Ollie and her apprentice, a total of ten people surrounded the table.


    “All right, let’s eat.�


    “Yup!�Amy said in response to Tsutomu next to her. Everyone else then nodded in unison, picked up their forks, and proceeded to work away at their respective tes.


    Garm and Daryl started with arge portion of spaghetti, while Amy had herself a fish dish. Diniel and Hannah went for the lighter appetizers.


    “This is great!!�


    The food was tailored to each individual member’s tastes �seafood dishes for Amy, and desserts for the sweet-toothed Garm. Tsutomu was surprised by Ollie’s work, wondering since when had she looked into this. Amy then turned to him,


    “This is exactly the kinda stuff I like! You didn’t prepare these yourself, did you?�


    “No, I didn’t…�


    “Yes, Miss Amy. Mister Tsutomu has informed me of your preferences, enabling me to prepare the food ordingly.�


    “I knew it! Thanks a bunch, Tsutomu! And this tastes super good, Miss Ollie!�


    Amy proceeded to resume eating her seared fish. Tsutomu looked at Ollie, who then only smiled back at him, prompting him to go with the flow. He then put down his fork and took a sip of water.


    From then, chatters centered around Amy and Garm started, andsted longer than even the meal itself. Hannah, Korinna, and Xeno were especially talkative, making it a conversation dominated by those five.


    By the time most of the food was finished, Garm ate a cream puff and got some cream stuck on his nose, which Tsutomu pointed out to him.


    “Oh. Thanks,�he replied.


    Amy, rubbing her belly with satisfaction, turned to Tsutomu.


    “Hey, we’re going to the Dungeon after this, right? I wanna go with you!�


    “Good timing. I was thinking I’d like to bring you and Garm along, for old times�sake.�


    “Yay!�


    Tsutomu had seen Garm and Amy teaming up with each other as part of Guild work on several asions. Still, it had been a long time since hest went exploring with them, so he would like to take this chance to re-coordinate their moves.


    “As for the rest of my team…�


    “Aye-aye! I want Dini!�


    “Definitely not her.�


    “Huh!? Why!?�


    “Because she’s too strong �and you already know each other. We should bring people you’re not familiar with, for you to know one another better. Oh, by the way, Daryl’s also out for a simr reason.�


    “Huh!?�


    Daryl, having been too busy recently to visit Garm, expected to get to party up with him, but then Tsutomu’s statement just went and rained over his parade. Hannah gave him a pat on the shoulder.


    Garm looked at Hannah, then turned back to Tsutomu.


    “You know, Tsutomu, it would be interesting to party up with the evasion-based Tank.�


    “Is that so? We’ll go with Hannah, then.�


    “O-okay, Teach. Sorry, Daryl,�Hannah said awkwardly, having attempted to cheer Daryl up just moments ago.


    “Oh, it’s all right,�he replied.


    Contrary to his words, however, his tail was lowered even more, indicating that his mood was even more deted than before.


    “And the second Attacker�Hmm, Leleia should be good. I happen to want to test out some things, too.�


    “Understood.�


    Leleia nodded. Her general performance and Tsutomu’spatibility with her Spirit Contracts had seen great improvement over the past two months, making the two quite an effectivebination.


    And so, with the addition of Garm and Amy, they would be exploring the Snow Fieldyers today.


    “Looks like we’re all set. The rest of you, feel free to spend the rest of the day however you like.�


    “Yes, sir…�


    “C’mon, no need to be so down,�Tsutomu said.


    “Pathetic,�Garm added.


    “Did you really need to be that harsh!?�


    Cornered by Tsutomu and Garm, Darylshed back in reflex, but then Garm persuaded him to stand down easily enough. With tears in his eyes, Daryl proceeded to help out with cleaning the dishes.

 Chapter 173: The Mad Dog Joins the Chaos

    Chapter 173: The Mad Dog Joins the Chaos


    While Tsutomu and Ollie were checking the team¡¯s equipment, the four others changed into gear appropriate for the Snow Fieldyer and chatted among themselves in the living room.


    ¡°I-I look forward to working with you, Sir Garm!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm, likewise. I¡¯ve seen you on the Pedestals sometimes ¡ª it¡¯s good to have someone so reliable as arade.¡±


    ¡°W-whoa, this is big! You know, Sir Garm, I was actually inspired to be a Tank after seeing you in action!! Getting this much praise from you makes me so happy, I¡¯m almost in tears!!¡±


    Seeing that Hannah in fact was already moved to tears, Garm looked on at her, feeling awkward. The height difference between them was so tremendous that Hannah had to tilt her head up almost to a right angle to speak with him.


    ¡°Ah, I recognize that little guy ¡ª it¡¯s the Smander, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Here, have an Inferno Magic Stone!¡±


    ¡°Byah!¡±


    Amy seemed fairly familiar with Spiritualists, so she was not particrly surprised to see Smander here. She proceeded to give a small Magic Stone fragment to the creature, establishing a connection between them. The Smander immediately epted the Magic Stone from Amy¡¯s hand and swallowed it, then it belched out a small me.


    ¡°All right, it¡¯s about time we got ourselves to the Guild,¡± Tsutomu said after he was done checking the team¡¯s equipment.


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°Aye-aye, sir!¡±


    Amy and Hannah raised their hands enthusiastically. Garm readjusted his tower shield, and Leleia¡¯s expression turned serious.


    And then, Tsutomu walked up to Amy and Garm holding two sheets of paper he had received from Ollie.


    ¡°By the way, Amy, Garm ¡ª fill this form in once you¡¯re at the Guild.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s it for?¡±


    ¡°For joining the n. Might as well turn it in sooner thanter, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ahh. Right. Got it.¡±


    Amy stared intently at the form, grasping it firmly with her hands to savor her joy. Garm, while seemingly unconcerned as he looked at the form, on which Absolute Helix¡¯s various employment terms were written, wagged his tail vigorously.


    ¡°Wee again to Absolute Helix, you two.¡±


    ¡°¡­But I haven¡¯t decided whether I¡¯ll join yet, y¡¯know?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Amy¡¯s out¡­ We¡¯ll have to find ourselves another Attacker,¡± Tsutomu shot back at Amy, acting wholly unconcerned by her attempt at a joke.


    ¡°WHOA¨C!! Stop! I was just kidding! Really!!¡±


    To her side, Garm groaned with tant dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Hmph. I wouldn¡¯t have minded if you actually quit.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! How about YOU quit? Better that than bing a liability, you know~~?¡±


    ¡°I should be saying that to you. You¡¯re the one who¨C¡°


    ¡°Okay, stop right there.¡±


    As the two started arguing, Tsutomu stepped in between them and let out a sigh of relief, feeling the return of their usual routine. He proceeded to lead his team to the Guild.


    ¡°So¡­ you two will be resigning from your positions and going back to being full-time Explorers, yes?¡±


    On the way, Hannah asked Amy and Garm, the former quite openly in a good mood, and thetter seemingly unconcerned but with his ears raised. Amy, her ears perked up, turned right around and replied,


    ¡°I sure am! Well, I¡¯ll still help out if the Guild Master¡¯s in trouble, though.¡±


    ¡°Same for me. My sessors are good, so I reckon there won¡¯t be any problem.¡±


    ¡°Whoa¡­ You know, it¡¯s pretty amazing, being able to bring yourself to quit your lucrative jobs like that!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Tsutomu made us do it ¡ª so he should take responsibility! Am I right or am I right?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll make sure you earn enough to maintain your lifestyle. So stop hitting me already.¡±


    As Amy smacked him with her white-furred tail, Tsutomu pulled a stern look to try and stop her. Amy seemed satisfied with this response, as she proceeded to wag her tail and start humming cheerfully.


    Garm, not at all interested in Amy¡¯s shenanigans, closed his eyes and gave his part of the answer,


    ¡°I just joined because I wanted to. Nothing else to it.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s awesome, Sir Garm!¡±


    ¡°Ayy, cool! That means I don¡¯t have to pay you, right?¡±


    ¡°Teach!? You shouldn¡¯t do that!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind that, actually. As long as I have food and a ce to sleep.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­ awesome, Sir Garm?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take this so seriously.¡±


    Tsutomu, knowing that Garm actually meant what he had said, gave Hannah a nk stare as thetter kept agreeing to everything.


    When they arrived at the Guild, Garm and Amy submitted their n admission forms, after which some of the Guild staff members came over and congratted them on their return as full-time Explorers. Amy smiled happily, while Garm went to talk to the new gatekeeper about various things.


    ¡°All right, then¡­ today, I think Hannah should work with Amy, and Leleia with Garm.¡±


    ¡°Roger! I¡¯m counting on you, Hannie!¡±


    ¡°Aye-aye! Same here!¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re an¡­ evasion-based Tank, right? Will, I¡¯ve never teamed up with one before, so sorry in advance if I make things harder for you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s totally okay! I think!¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll trust you on that! Let¡¯s do our best!¡±


    ¡°Aww yeah!¡±


    And with that, the two of them excitedly high-fived each other. Perhaps due to their bright personalities bouncing off each other, Tsutomu felt that the team today was twice as cheerful as the one he had been with until yesterday.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you,¡± Garm said to Leleia.


    ¡°Likewise,¡± she answered.


    Garm and Leleia proceeded to bow to each other, giving off a serious air in stark contrast to Hannah and Amy. Tsutomu shook his head, ridding himself of the thought of equating the two pairs to casual and hardcore yers, and then he proceeded to finalize the party contract at the Guild¡¯s reception desk.


    ¡°All right-y, time to roll out! Tsutomu! Let¡¯s hold hands!¡±


    ¡°Uh, are we really STILL going to do that?¡±


    ¡°Of course! We might get separated, you know~~?¡±


    ¡°Despite my initial fear of that, I¡¯ve never seen it happen to anyone so far.¡±


    Tsutomu, getting his right hand forcibly pulled over by Amy, looked back at her with a fed-up expression. Hannah, seeing that, tilted her head for a moment¡­ then she turned bright as if she had just sparked an idea, and proceeded to pull his left hand.


    ¡°Ooh! Are we forming a circle!? Nice idea! C¡¯mon, Leleia! And you too, Sir Garm!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ uh-huh¡­¡±


    Garm, called over by the lively Hannah, also headed towards the three of them. Since she was going to participate as an official party member for the first time in a while, he figured it would not hurt to hold hands as they teleported just like when they had started out. Although somewhat disappointed that both Tsutomu¡¯s hands were already taken, he proceeded to hold Hannah¡¯s other hand.


    Tsutomu shook his head, epting his fate, before squatting down and whispering something to Hannah. She then panicked and let go of Tsutomu¡¯s hand, switching ces with Garm.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being so thoughtless! Please, go ahead!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ well, thanks,¡± Garm awkwardly replied to Hannah as thetter bowed repeatedly in apology.


    Then, noticing that Amy and Tsutomu were looking at him with weirded-out eyes, he looked away, putting up a cold front.


    ¡°We¡¯re not children anymore. There¡¯s no need to hold hands.¡±


    ¡°Oh c¡¯mon, don¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°Eww, NOW you¡¯re embarrassed? Gross~~¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    ¡°Try me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, time to get going now, guys.¡±


    ¡°Yessir! Formin¡¯ that circle now!¡±


    ¡°¡­All right.¡±


    Hannah and Leleia also held hands, and in the end, the five of them formed a circle. As they stood on the Magic Circle, Tsutomu issued hismand,


    ¡°Teleport to the seventy-firstyer.¡±


    With that, all five of them were sent down to the Snow Field.

 Chapter 174: Undine the Jack of All Trades

    Chapter 174: Undine the Jack of All Trades


    Tsutomu’s party was now up against a pack of Snow Wolves that had appeared like an avnche from the mountaintops. Two women among them were dashing fearlessly through the snow heaping at their feet.


    �<Dual Wave sh>>!�


    Commanded by Amy’s high-pitched voice, sharp sonic booms flew from her two swords. One of them cleanly sliced into the wide-open mouth of a Snow Wolf that was leaping towards Hannah, tearing its whole body apart. Hannah then repeatedly punched that same Snow Wolf until it disintegrated into light particles, then quickly shifted her focus to the next enemy.


    “I’ve got your back!�


    “All right!�


    As Hannah fought on the ground, Amy moved around to cover her blind spots while also killing one Snow Wolf after another. Then, after she spent a brief moment sending a signal via eye contact, Hannah nodded and threw a hook punch at the nearest Snow Wolf.


    “Damn, their synergy is pretty amazing,�Tsutomu thought to himself as he waved his staff to cast <<Haste>> for the pair.


    Hannah had grown much stronger over the past two months �that was without a doubt �but her teamwork with Amy was far too good for someone she had just started working with.


    The cause of this was likely Amy, whose agility, ears, and excellent eyesight allowed her to survey the entirebat area with ease. Her wide, well-trained range of awareness also allowed her to grasp where the God Eye was looking at any given moment.


    “Woohoo!�


    With a swing of her swords, she flicked away the Snow Wolf that Hannah had just sent flying. Her movements now were even quicker and more efficientpared to the previous time she was on a team with Tsutomu.


    After the disbandment of Tsutomu’s old party, Amy’s work at the Guild included appraising items and exploring the Dungeon, thetter of which she had opted into of her own ord, so as to not fall behind inbat training while she was not in a party with Tsutomu.


    In addition to training, she had been reminding herself of the ways of Explorers, preparing for the day she would join Absolute Helix without cking off as she usually would.


    Furthermore, she was not at all slow to respond to Tsutomu’s support. Drawing from her experience working in teams with fellow Guild staff members who were White Mages and Channelers in parties, Amy was constantly adapting to the flow of Tsutomu’s directions.


    By keeping in mind how long her buff effectssted, she was able to match up with Tsutomu’s casts whenever they were about to run out, enabling Tsutomu to concentrate better on other tasks. Since Tsutomu had many other things he needed to do �including but not limited to supporting and healing other members, attacking the monsters, and casting <<Barrier>> �he was truly grateful for Amy’s consideration.


    “Hannie! Let’s see who can kill more of them!�Amy said as she held up her swords and charged at the pack of Snow Wolves


    “I’ll win for sure!�Hannah shouted and followed right behind her.


    From what Tsutomu was seeing, it was clear that the God Eye was more active than usual as it flew around Amy. He continued to observe Amy’s movements, which were quite different from thest time they were in a party together, while carrying out his support role.


    On the other side of the team, Garm and Leleia were very quiet. Both of them were the type to not say anything unnecessary during battle, so Tsutomu could hear nothing from them except their skills�names.


    �<Smander Breath>>.�


    Despite that, their performance was not bad at all. Leleia’s control over her long-ranged skills had improved thanks to the time spent teaming up with Hannah, so she was not making any mistakes that would cause friendly fire on Garm. Moreover, Garm had experience working with various types of Attackers at the Guild, so he could cooperate with a Spiritualist like Leleia to a decent extent.


    �<Contract �Sylph>>.�


    Leleia summoned Sylph to increase her AGI by half a letter grade. Then she swiped her rapier at a blinding speed at a Snow Wolf, distracting it with her graceful moves �then gouging both its eyes and then piercing its throat. Sylph, then perching on Leleia’s shoulder, pointed ahead, and a whirl of wind appeared around her rapier, tearing the Snow Wolf’s throat from the inside out.


    If one had goodpatibility with the Spirits, the Spirits would provide not only supporting magic but also attribute enchantments and blessings of protection. In Leleia’s case, she could receive enchantments and blessings from all four Spirit types, as well as support from a wide variety of magic. With practically no difference in performance at both short and long ranges, Leleia could be considered an all-purpose Attacker.


    �<Combat Cry>>.�


    Garm, thanks to Tsutomu’s teachings as a foundation, was the first person here to understand and execute the concept of being a Tank. Having been adding to that with his own creative ideas, his fighting style was more polished than ever before. Lately, he had been incorporating some evasion-based Tank tactics that he had observed from other Explorers.


    Moreover, he had been training much more intensely, perhaps influenced by how Daryl had pushed his limit during the recent Mount Golem battle �which Tsutomu did not get to see, but Garm did. He has always been diligent in his training, so Tsutomu noticed that he had improved even morepared to before, simrly to Amy.


    Tsutomu had also improved in various ways over the past two months, thanks to having gotten to try out so many new things. There were two things that had especially broadened his horizons: learning to carry out his role while he was unable to <<Fly>>, and doubling as a Tank whenever the situation called for it. He had also be better at casting <<Barrier>> on himself and managing aggro on the Snow Fieldyers.


    In addition, thanks to Leleia, he had gotten to form a contract with the Undine, the Spirit of water. The contract gave Tsutomu a one-rank boost to his mental energy stat, making it even easier for him to provide support and healing. As a result of being invited to this world by God, Tsutomu had a particrly strong affinity with Spirits, so he was able to make the most of his partnership with Undine.


    Among the creature’s many capabilities, Tsutomu’s favorite was the defense it provided. When facing dangerous attacks, the Undine would automatically emerge from his pocket and release a mass of a soft, sticky substance to mitigate the impact, allowing him to perform evasion-based Tank maneuvers quite effectively.


    Still, the Undine could only be used when Leleia was present in the party, and her mental energy was needed for the Undine to perform its actions. As such, if he were to use the Undine’s powers without restraint, Leleia’s energy would quickly run out, so it was not feasible to constantly rely on the Spirits. Nevertheless, provided that he directed its actions appropriately, the Undine was very useful.


    “Go!�


    With Tsutomu’smands, the Undine immediately jumped onto the monster and entangled it with its slime, restricting its movements. It could also provide enchantments and cast water-type magic, but Tsutomu could notmand it to do so very often, since Leleia’s mental energy was supplying two Spirits at once due to the Spirit contract she had for herself.


    Still, his ability tomand Spirits like this was out of the ordinary �since it was equivalent to a blessing from God, one usually would have to possess a unique skill to achieve this degree of control. And even then,pared to those with unique skills, Tsutomu’s affinity was abnormally high, so he was pretty much the only person able to gain this much cooperation from the Undine.


    The fight continued for a while longer, with Tsutomu managing the situation by casting <


    > for Garm and regrly keeping <<Haste>> up for the three others. In the end, thest Snow Wolf suffocated to death after being engulfed by the Undine, its body turning into light particles and leaving a Magic Stone floating in the Undine’s slime-like body.


    “Hey, don’t eat that,�Tsutomu promptly said as he saw the Undine starting to consume the Colorless Magic Stone.


    In response, the Undine dropped the Magic Stone onto the ground and hopped onto Tsutomu’s staff before climbing to his right hand.


    “I win~~!�


    “Ngh�I won’t lose next time!�


    “Well, I’m an Attacker �of course I’d win in a test of power! But hey, you’re always wee to try and beat me!�


    Amy spun her swords around to check their condition whileforting an actually frustrated Hannah.


    “Leleia. I could hear you calling out the names of your skills, so there’s no need to worry about it so much.�


    “I see. I will try to use more skills next time, then. Is there anything else?�


    “Let’s see�I haven’t had much experience working with Spiritualists. I’d appreciate it if you’d teach me which skills you can use.�


    Garm and Leleia immediately began to review each other’s performance after the battle ended. Leleia nodded with a serious expression, then consulted with Garm about which skills she should use during the next battle.


    Tsutomu, not finding a ce for himself in the discussion, turned to speak to the Undine on his right hand,


    “Mind collecting all of the magic stones for me?�


    With that, the Undine dropped itself from Tsutomu’s hand and spread its slime on the ground, pulling the fallen Magic Stones toward its body. After a while, she crawled back toward Tsutomu, having gathered all of the Magic Stones from the snowy ground.


    “Good job.�


    Tsutomu picked out a small Colorless Magic Stone and gave it to the Undine, prompting it to bounce its spherical body happily. The Undine would generally be pleased with whatever Tsutomu gave it, sotely, he had only been giving it Colorless Magic Stone Scraps.


    Initially, Tsutomu had a negative-leaning opinion on using Spirits due to how they had to be fed Magic Stones to keep happy, but then he changed his mind after he realized how useful Undine could be. As such, he was now not so quick to write off Spirits.


    While Undine continued to absorb power from the Magic Stones, Tsutomu looked away and collected the gathered magic into his Magic Bag. Leleia’s useful Spirits, on top of her already being an excellent Attacker, made her quite desirable as a member to have in a team.


    (…If only there wasn’t beef between her and Amira�


    That was practically the only issue with Leleia �Tsutomu had been observing her and Amira over the past two months and found that there was always some mental distance between the two of them. On the inside, Leleia may seem unconcerned about what had happened between them in the past, but Tsutomu could tell that there was a subtle sense of animosity that most outsiders would not sense.


    Tsutomu still resented how Alma had avoided interacting with him after the selling of the ck Staff, so he understood that Leleia could have some unresolved feelings. Amira, on the other hand, was likely oblivious, and while Leleia may respond to that with nonchnce, she probably was feeling aplicated mix of thoughts on the inside.


    Moreover, both of them seemed fine on the surface, with Hannah and even Amira herself saying they had no particr issues when asked. Leleia did not seem to n on directly confronting Amira, at least, with her apparent n being to outperform her on the job. As such, Tsutomu did not feel like having Amira apologize would be a solution to resolving this situation.


    But now that he had been in a team with her for two months and had talked with her a decent bit, Tsutomu was considering directly addressing this issue. He wanted to know how Leleia felt about Amira, and what she wanted to do about it.


    “Tsutomu, it’s about time we wrapped up for the day, don’t you think?�Amy said to Tsutomu, interrupting him as he watched Leleia teach Garm about the Smander’s skills.


    “Right�it’s gettingte. Let’s go back now.�


    “Mm-hm, got it! Everyone, I’ll see youter!�


    As the God Eye approached her, Amy gave it a wink, then held hands with Hannah and skipped away. Tsutomu proceeded to notify Garm and Leleia as they were still talking.


    “Whew�Nice and warm~~�


    “Oh yeah~~�


    Upon returning to the Guild through the ck Gate, Amy and Hannah immediately had rxed looks on their faces due to the warmth of the building. Garm brushed the snow off his boots, and a few momentster, a janitor came over to clean it up. Garm proceeded to casually speak with the janitor, perhaps due to them being acquaintances.


    “Ah, Sir Melchor’s fighting it already.�


    Looking at Monitor #1, Tsutomu saw Melchor fighting alone against the boss monster of the eightiethyer, the Winter General. The Winter General’s quick draw sh normally would kill at least one of its opponents, but Melchor was able to dodge it and seemed to be putting up a good fight.


    “Maybe he’ll win today!�


    “We’ll see.�


    Tsutomu had heard that it was important to thoroughly prepare items such as Inferno Magic Stones and anti-cold gear, but it seemed that Melchor was not carrying much of anything �perhaps because he could not contain his excitement.


    Tsutomu wished him good luck and took the party to disband at the reception desk, and then everyone headed back to the n House together.

 Chapter 175: Mobile Healer

    Chapter 175: Mobile Healer


    The next morning�


    “Tsutomu! Let’s go to the Dungeon after breakfast!�


    “Sorry, I have other ns today. Besides, you’re not even done unpacking yet, right?�


    “Oof…�


    Tsutomu looked away from the grumpy Amy, let out a little yawn, and then started reading the newspapers from the three biggest publications. Hannah, sitting on the next sofa over, chuckled at Amy’s subsequent grumblings.


    First, he looked at the headline, which was an article about Melchor’s ongoing solo challenge onyer eighty. Melchor had been down there since yesterday evening and was still fighting to this very moment, hogging Monitor #1 to himself all the while, making the market around the Monitors quite lively all day long.


    Another article that caught Tsutomu’s attention was one about a Healer of Golden Tune supposedly using a never-before-seen skill. Included with the article was an illustration of a fox-tailed girl �a Vulpeer �performing an action reminiscent of kneading a mud ball with both hands.


    [That must be Eunice. Maybe I’ll have a look if I have some free timeter today.]


    All the article really said was that the action looked cute, so Tsutomu would have to take a look at the Monitors himself to figure out what it was actually about. After he was done with the newspaper, he handed it to Amira, who looked somewhat grumpy perhaps due to still being sleepy, and then looked at the dishes that were being carried to the dining table.


    Including Ollie and her apprentice, a total of twelve people needed to be fed each meal. It was quitebor-intensive for just the two of them to prepare everything. Even if they were to have the ingredients ready the day before, the workload was such that they had to get up and cook everything early in the morning.


    “For the third time, you weren’t supposed to heat this soup!�


    “Eep! I’m so sorry, ma’am!�


    As the apprentice was Ollie’s rtive, Ollie’s tone towards her was stricter than usual. Scolded for identally heating up a soup that was supposed to be served cold, the apprentice lowered her head as she continued to rush to get the other pots and dishes to the table.


    Shortly after, once all of the food prepared by the apprentice was served, everyone started eating. Tsutomu grabbed a piece of bread from the quickly dwindling pile and dipped it into the warm soup. Amy, having the sensitive tongue of a cat, blew on her soup to cool it down.


    “That was great!�


    After finishing breakfast, Tsutomu took his dishes and ced them in the kitchen sink. Then, right when he was done, the doorbell rang as if on cue.


    “So early,�Tsutomu said, and as Ollie was about to go get the guest, Tsutomu stopped her and went to the door himself.


    Looking through the peephole, he saw the Conykin Lorena, gasping for breath.


    “Good morning. You’re here quite a bit earlier than expected.�


    “Well, you know, I figured we could have breakfast together, and stuff.�


    “I already ate.�


    “What!? That was fast! Well, whatever. Let’s go!�


    Lorena, with her white-furred rabbit ears standing straight up in surprise, took Tsutomu’s hand and pulled him outside. Tsutomu, while irritated by her pushiness, reluctantly followed along.


    In no time at all, they arrived at the n House of Silver Beast, where Lorena immediately led him inside. The building’s interior had be cleaner than when hest visited, and it was apparent that the number of residents had increased. The children in the hallway bowed politely when they saw Lorena and Tsutomu.


    There were also many people wearing either butler suits or aprons, cleaning and tending to the residents�needs. Silver Beast, currently being the second-furthest progressing n, seemed to have greatly benefited from the trading of Ice Magic Stones, with their financial situation much more stable than before.


    “Making some good Gold these days, I see.�


    “We sure are! When we got toyer seventy, the money and people just kept rolling in. Misil is�kinda struggling to keep up with everything, though.�


    “You can say that again,�a tired voice spoke up from behind the two.


    Tsutomu turned around to see Misil, who had cleanly shaved off his scruffy facial hair. The major change in Misil’s aura came off as somewhat of a surprise to Tsutomu.


    “Hey. Long time no see, eh, Tsutomu?�


    “Long time, yes.�


    “Sorry we couldn’t get in touch more often. Things got real busy after we got toyer seventy. Well, anyway, we shouldn’t be standing around �let’s go to the guest room.�


    Misil’s sloppy appearance from before had beenrgely cleaned up. These days, he was involved with various groups over the trading of Ice Magic Stones, and the orphanage had been expanded even further and started epting more children than before. Perhaps due to the profits involved in the trading and the recent expansions, Misil’s expressions were quite visibly tenser.


    Tsutomu was led to a beautiful guest room, wherein he proceeded to sit on a fluffy sofa. Shortly after, one of the employees appeared to serve them tea �the same high-end kind that he had seen in the Guild’s reception office.


    [This ce has changed quite a bit,] Tsutomu thought to himself while sipping some of the tea.


    Misil and Lorena, sitting across from him, leaned back on their sofa and rxed themselves.


    “Now, I do have a reason for you toe all the way here today. Take a look at this,�Misil said as he opened up a small Magic Bag and took out a stack of documents, presenting it to Tsutomu.


    After a look at it, it turned out to be a summary of various information on the Winter General, thetestyer boss.


    “…Are you proposing an information exchange?�


    “Nah, we’ve gotten enough already. I don’t know if it’ll make any difference, but I’d like you to take it �should be at least a bit useful.�


    The information had been written based on Silver Beast’s members�experience of challenging theyer boss dozens of times. Some of the information was in-depth enough that one would not be able to identify from watching through the Monitors alone, which indeed shoulde in handy.


    “I see�I’ll dly take it, then. Are you still having a tough time down there?�


    “Tough is an understatement. I don’t even feel like we can beat it at all.�


    With how quickly they had cleared the sixtieth and seventiethyers, they had been making good progress and seemed to have the momentum to make quick work ofyer eighty as well. But then, as if to put a stop to that, the Winter General stood in their way.


    The quick draw sh, which it would always open the fight with, would almost always kill two of its challengers. And then, under the pressure of the monster’s murderous intent, they would lose their ability to make rational choices and be killed off one by one. Such was the typical result of Silver Beast and Ealdred Crow’s first few attempts at beating theyer boss.


    After that period, Silver Beast had been trying various things to have a better chance at winning, but so far, the most they could manage before their teams were wiped out was to reach the fight’s halfway point. Ealdred Crow had also been trying toe up with various methods using their abundant supplies and human resources, but they could not produce any better results than what Silver Beast had.


    The momentum of the two ns that had been going on since breaking throughyer sixty suddenly stopped, and now they were stuck. Still, those who reachedyer eighty would have their level caps increased to ny, so now Ealdred Crow was investing a significant amount of funds into assisting the leveling of their Explorers.


    On the other hand, Silver Beast was using the Gold obtained from Ice Magic Stone trading to take in more orphans and construct educational facilities for the children. Silver Beast’s human resources were inferiorpared to Ealdred Crow, and as the n’s purpose was orphan relief, they did not put all that much importance on leveling themselves up. Such was one of thergest differences between them and Ealdred Crow.


    “Besides, we got carried away and spread ourselves too thin �now we’re too busy taking care of the kids to be fighting all the time. So I’ll entrust the info we’ve gained so far to you, Tsutomu.�


    “I see�Well, that’s too bad �You seem to be on the right track to beating it, as far as I can see.�


    “Well, I mean, we’re still going to explore the Dungeon, you know. Gotta make sure we earn the Gold for the kids. But we figured we’re not gonna beat Ealdred Crow on that front �our goals are just different,�Misil said and looked down, deep in thought.


    “Ah, by the way, Tsutomu!�Lorena spoke up and leaned forward, seeming to have remembered something. “You have to hear this!�


    Then she moved over to Tsutomu’s side and started talking,


    “The other day, I happened to meet Stephanie while we were onyer seventy-nine! And it looked like she was actually watching us fight! Well, after that, she came and talked to us �and you’re not going to believe what she said!�


    “O-oh? What did she say?�Tsutomu asked back while slightly recoiling from Lorena’s overt loudness.


    Realizing that, Lorena ced her hands over her mouth and took a more refined tone.


    “‘Your time management is quitecking, ‘that’s what!�She said, imitating Stephanie’s voice. “I mean, seriously!?�


    “Ah…�


    As Lorena leaned in closer with the expectation of an agreeing opinion, her expression kept changing, causing Tsutomu to have to hold back hisughter.


    “After that, she just keptining on and on �like, I should have controlled my skills like this, I should have been using long-ranged skills, yada yada yada! And that was the first time we ever met! So annoying! So noisy!�


    “You’re pretty noisy too, you know…�


    “Shut up, Misil! I’m talking to a fellow Healer here!�


    Misil turned to give Tsutomu a sympathetic look and shook his head in response to Lorena’s aggressive tone.


    “Also! She even had the audacity to follow us around after that! And she’d run her mouth after each fight! It was getting annoying, so I tried to ignore her, but then she dropped a bomb that REALLY ticked me off �you’re not going to believe what she said!�


    “What did she say?�


    “‘Perhaps you will never learn,�that’s what!! Seriously!? She’s really haughty for someone who’s just a little bit good at controlling her skills!�


    “Okay, look, your ears are hitting me.�


    “Hyah!?�


    As Lorena leaned further forward, her long rabbit ears started hitting Tutomu’s face. Tsutomu pushed her head away, but then she let out a strange, startled noise.


    “D-don’t touch the base of my ears! That’s my sensitive spot.�


    “Sorry. So what happened in the end?�


    “I talked back a bit, then she cried and ran off.�


    “Uh, ACTUALLY,�Misil interjected to rify, “It escted into a fistfight and I had to step in to stop you. Then Rook apologized to the rest of us and things ended without incident.�


    “Oh, right, that might’ve been what happened,�Lorena said and turned the other way as if to avoid the topic.


    Tsutomu could only let out an exasperated chuckle.


    “What the hell�how did that not get on the news?�


    “Seriously, man. I was REALLY on edge then �picking a fight with Ealdred Crow is sure to bring trouble.�


    “I mean, she was getting all smug about how ‘weak�your first student was! Insulting me is one thing, but she just had to bring YOUR name into the whole thing as well!! I just couldn’t resist decking her in the face!�


    “I don’t think you should have done that…�


    “Rook did settle the matter with everyone involved, so there shouldn’t be any trouble now. He even got her and Stephanie to shake hands and at least PRETEND to make up, you know.�


    “For the record, I still hate her guts!!�


    Lorena crossed her arms and turned around, and Tsutomu could do nothing but crack a dry smile.


    After that, the three continued to talk about the Winter General and the orphanage’s recent expansion, and then Misil took Tsutomu to where the children were ying.


    “Ah! It’s Tsutomu!�


    “Is it really him?�


    “I think so.�


    “It’s the real deal! Let’s get a handshake!�


    “Yay!�


    Tsutomu, bewildered by all the children swarming him, turned to Misil, who proceeded to give him a funny grin and a thumbs-up.


    “You’ve got a fan club now, man.�


    “…I’d rather not have one, you know.�


    Tsutomu grumbled in his mind, wondering if Misil had done this to him on purpose, but as he did not have any ill will towards the children, he agreed to shake hands with all of them, then he stayed and talked a little before excusing himself.


    ―▽▽�


    After that, the group decided to explore the Dungeon together, with the team consisting of Lorena, Misil, and two Tanks �the red and blue-feathered Birdkins, who seemed to be practicing an evasion-based fighting style based on Hannah’s example.


    “Do you really need two Healers?�


    “Why not? Come on, let’s go!�


    “…Hmm, actually, I can be an Attacker for a while. You do the Healer thing yourself, Lorena.�


    “All right! Let’s take turns, then! I want to see you as a Healer as well, you know!�


    With Lorena pushing his back toward the counter, Tsutomu formed a party with the Silver Beast team, and they set out to explore the Dungeon’s seventy-first floor.


    At first, Tsutomu would act as a Sub-Attacker to support Misil, while Lorena would be the Healer. Since White Mages had some damage-dealing capabilities, Tsutomu had been trying out that role alongside the Tank role that he would take on asionally, as he had figured it would be good to gain some experience as an Attacker while he could.


    As such, Tsutomu put away his White Staff, switching to a Red Staff that raised his STR by half a letter rating, then he and the team stepped on the Magic Circle and sent themselves down to the Snow Fieldyers. Lorena started searching for enemies, and before long, she found some Snow Wolves.


    “Well then, let’s get started. <<Haste>>.�


    Lorena’s style was quite different from Tsutomu’s, especially due to the fact that she did not cast long-ranged skills. She primarily performed healing and support by casting skills directly on her allies, so her role involved running around the battlefield by herself. At first, this was apromise due to her inability to use long-ranged skills effectively, but now it has be her trademark style.


    The others who did use long-ranged healing skills currently had to set up an <<Area Heal>> under their feet to boost their healing power to an eptable level. This would eventually be unnecessary as their status ratings improved further, but as they were still in the range of level 70, using <<Area Heal>> was still the more effective option.


    With a direct casting of <<Heal>>, however, there was no need to use <<Area Heal>>. Additionally, the effectiveness of support skills was also higher when cast by directly touching the targets, so it enabled Lorena to reduce mental energy consumption and aggro generation.


    Still, it was inefficient for a Healer to run around to all herrades, not to mention the heavy burden on herself. While a <<Medic>> cast could restore her physical condition, relying on it too much would affect her mental state, throwing off her energy and aggro management.


    “Gimme <<Haste>>!�


    “All right.�


    Still, the Silver Beast team’s coordination was quite smooth. They looked out for one another andbined their efforts seamlessly. Lorena, as a Conykin, had innately high movement speed, and her team’s coordination allowed her to minimize the need to run around.


    �<Heal>>, please.�


    “Do you REALLY need it?�


    “Aww, c’mon!�


    “Okay, fine…�


    Moreover, there was a uniquely positive atmosphere among the team’s members �they absolutely trusted one another, allowing them to draw out their full potential.


    Tsutomu, back in his Live Dungeon days, once doubted if positivity alone could make such a big difference, so he had conducted an in-game experiment and confirmed that it indeed helped to boost yers�performance. In the real world, where one another’s faces could be seen, the effect was likely to be even higher.


    Unlike Ealdred Crow, which had a system that encouragedpetition with frequent recement of party members, Silver Beast had a longstanding rtionship among themselves �which was their strength as a smaller-scale n.


    [Doesn’t look like they even need me at all.]


    Tsutomu felt quite awkward, as if he had identally joined a team of acquaintances that just happened to have a slot open, but for now, he continued working as a Sub-Attacker so as to not disrupt the team’s flow.


    “And there you go, Tsutomu! AGI boosted!�


    “Thanks.�


    However, he still felt that he was unnecessarily upying Lorena’s attention. If another one of Silver Beast’s Attackers were to rece Tsutomu, Lorena most likely would be able to perform even better.


    Then again, as tight-knit as this team was, it was without its weakness �particrly because they were not suitable forrger-scale battles. The fact that they could draw out their full power only while working among acquaintances meant they would not fit well in things like raid battles, where unspecified numbers of people gather to form arger group.


    For the time being, raid battles had not been confirmed to ur in God’s Dungeon. There were urrences such as Stampedes that were simr enough, however, so it was necessary for all Explorers to train skills besides coordination as well.


    [It does look like things ARE working great for them, though.]


    Silver Beast’s style could be used by Silver Beast alone, making them quite a unique n. Perhaps Tsutomu could reproduce their tactics to some extent, but his results were sure to be inferior. A Healer’s style being unable to be imitated by anyone else was an especially significant advantage.


    Furthermore, Lorena had also started casting <<Barrier>> on herself and herrades, following Tsutomu’s example during thetter’s Mount Golem battle. Tsutomu, knowing full well how difficult it was to actually find the time to cast <<Barrier>>, understood that Lorena had made a significant effort to make it work.


    From what he had seen on the Monitor, Tsutomu had some understanding of the upsides of a ‘running Healer,�and now that he got to see her in action, his understanding was enhanced further. Still, adding long-ranged and cement skills to the mix would make it even more effective, and Stephanie was right in that Lorena’s time management wascking. There were still many areas for improvement, but Tsutomu was sure that Lorena was still one of the Healers he ought to pay attention to.


    “It’s about time we switched, Tsutomu! You be the Healer!�


    “Got it.�


    Tsutomu, having been feeling guilty for being a burden to Lorena, showed a relieved smile upon hearing that he would finally be taking over as the Healer. He switched back to his White Staff, which boosted his MND status by one whole letter rating, then entered the battle against the Snow Smiles and Snow Golems.


    The two Birdkinds figured they had to adopt a different approach now that they were working with another Healer. However, before they could switch things up to amodate Tsutomu, thetter was already getting to work, casting cement-type <<Haste>> for them.


    Normally, a party of acquaintances would have some signals andmunication cues specific among themselves, but Tsutomu, as a long-time yer of Live Dungeon, had extensive experience in working with impromptu teams. As a result, he had greatly honed his ability to improvise and amodate new teams.


    �<Area Heal>>.�


    Setting up a healing circle on the ground, he stood on it and did not move away from the spot. As he monitored the movements of the four others and the monsters, he used all types of his skills �shot, quickshot, and cements �in order to provide his allies with support and healing.


    Due to the Snow Fieldyers�snow storms interfering with his long-ranged skill casts, he had honed his shot control even more, and now he was able to better predict his allies�positions and evennd his skills on them while they were out of sight. Lonera’s face twitched as she watched all the skill shots fly around andnd on herrades, one after another.


    The <<Heal>> casts, their power boosted by <<Area Heal>>, quickly patched up the evasion-based Tanks that had taken hits, and consistent use of <<Medic>> helped them replenish their stamina.


    cement-type <<Haste>> was useful for helping fast-moving evasion-based Tanks, so much so that the two Birdkins received their AGI boosts without really even noticing it. And whenever they started to run out of breath, <<Medic>> shots would quickly fly to them. The two Birdkins seemed quite surprised, and even a little bit scared by just how effective the support and healing they were getting was.


    Even Lorena, with all her confidence in managing aggro, could not help but admire the fact that Tsutomu was able to do so many things at a time. Normally, if one were to provide so much support and healing, they would be pulling an excessive amount of aggro from the monsters. However, Tsutomu always confirmed that the Tanks had already pulled the monsters�aggro before adjusting how much mental energy he put into his skills. Doing so affected the duration of his skills, but even then, Tsutomu was able to manage his time without being thrown off-rhythm.


    To someone with the ability to easily estimate aggro levels like Lorena, the level of aggro towards Tsutomu was like the surface tension of water in a cup �if it were to overflow, Tsutomu would immediately be attacked by everything, but he was able to keep it just below the dangerous level. Lorena watched on, observing Tsutomu’s performance with bated breath and excitement.


    �<Air de>>.�


    And now he even started attacking as well, which made Lorena even more impressed that his aggro management was still on point. Even after several battles, Tsutomu did not even get targeted once �it was too consistent to be a coincidence. And unlike Lorena, Tsutomu mostly stayed in one spot as he provided support and healing.


    After the end of one of the fights, Lorena approached Tsutomu as he let out a heavy sigh as if to rx his concentration.


    “Were you trying to teach me a lesson or something? Like, ‘your movements are sloppy� ‘Work on your concentration� Something like that?�


    “No, you’re just being paranoid.�


    “I DO practice, I’ll have you know! The <<Haste>> cement thing and stuff! Well, I still can’t use it, though!�


    Lorena stomped the ground in frustration as Tsutomu did not move even a step away from the <<Area Heal>> circle. While Lorena was able to use shot-type skills to some extent, she was not good at all with quickshot and cement types. As such, while she resented Stephanie’s haughty tone, she had to admit that the statements themselves were true.


    No matter how much she had practiced, however, she had not managed to achieve much improvement. Perhaps she was feeling a little bit jealous due to the fact that Stephanie could use them all.


    Tsutomu, seeing that Lorena seemed to have lost some confidence, tried saying something to cheer her up,


    “But you can cast <<Barrier>> pretty effectively, you know. I always have a hard time doing that �and I couldn’t even do it at all at first.�


    “Really? I don’t think it’s anything special, though.�


    “It’s harder than it looks, at least in my opinion. You should focus on improving the style you’re most confident with. The most important thing is that you have fun doing it, after all.�


    “…You think so?�


    “There’s no use worrying about the things you can’t do. Just focus on anything else that you can �Like, say, making the ‘running Healer�your trademark style, Wouldn’t that be cool?�


    “…I would have preferred something more cute-sounding, but…�


    Lorena, having listened with a serious expression all the while, turned it into a crumpled smile at thest part. She proceeded to look back at her footprints in the snow and clenched her fists tightly.


    “Well, thank you. I’ll call it ‘Mobile Healer,�and I’ll make it work!�


    “Nice. Now, it’s gettingte, so we should call it a day after this fight.�


    “All right! Let’s go!�


    Lorena ran through the snow like a hopping bunny, seeming to have cast away her hesitation. Misil then walked over and gave Tsutomu a light pat on the shoulder.


    “Thanks, man. She really was bothered by what Stephanie said to her. You really knew what to say to cool her down.�


    “You’re wee. And, well, she’s kind of my student, you see �if anything happens, feel free to call me for help.�


    “Mm-hm�Maybe you should go see Stephanie as well, then.�


    “Huh?�


    “She’s been�turning weird these days. Like she’s got this scary look in her eyes. And she wasn’t the kind of girl to push people around like that, right?�


    “…Right. I understand. We’ll probably meet at some point if I keep exploringyer seventy-nine anyway, so I’ll be sure to check on her when the timees.�


    “That’s for the best. But man, I’m serious about her being scary, you know �I swear she’s gonna haunt me in my dreams…�


    Misil shivered as if he felt a chill run down his spine, causing Tsutomu to tilt his head, as he had never seen Stephanie behave anything like that whenever he saw her on the Monitors. He still took Misil’s warning seriously, however.


    And so, in the evening, the team called off the exploration and returned to the Guild via the ck Gate.

 Chapter 176: The Black Staff’s Binding Spell

    When Tsutomu and the Silver Beast team reappeared in the Guild building, they found that things were quite chaotic all around them. There was a myriad of unpleasant smells in the air, and officers wearing uniforms with the House Babenberg crest were carrying people away. Maids were also gathered around here, cleaning the floor.


    ¡°What the hell? What happened here?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Tsutomu covered his nose with his sleeve and looked around, then he happened to see a familiar face ¡ª Guild Master Camille, today with her long red hair tied into a ponytail.


    ¡°Camille, did something happen?¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, Tsutomu. It¡¯s nothing big, really ¡ª just an unfortunate misunderstanding.¡±


    Camille turned to Tsutomu with a slightly tired expression. She proceeded to point at the Monitor inside the Guild building.


    ¡°You know how Sir Melchor¡¯s been fighting onyer eighty by himself?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And now that you mention it, I don¡¯t see him on the Pedestal anymore. Did he win?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ did not, actually. He ran out of time,¡± Camille said, holding up two fingers like a pair of scissors cutting a thread.


    ¡°¡­Ah. I see.¡±


    Tsutomu nodded, understanding what she meant. He had heard that one could stay in God¡¯s Dungeon for only up to 24 hours at a time; any longer than that, and a rain of ck mass would start falling and crush them to death. Melchor had fought against the Winter General for 24 hours straight, but since he had gone in without adequate preparation, he ran out of magic stones and thus could not defeat the enemy in time.


    ¡°Well, Sir Melchor didn¡¯t seem to know that that¡¯s a thing. When he came back here, he was angry at that perceived unfairness and started releasing a powerful aura ¡ª on top of the fighting spirit that¡¯s still going strong after fighting for a whole day. Even the gatekeeper was scared. Fortunately, no one was injured since he did not get physical¡­ but, yeah, it still was a disaster.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ interesting.¡±


    ¡°Everyone was too scared to exin that ck rain thing to him, so in the end, I had to do it. I must say¡­ that was a valuable experience.¡±


    Camille¡¯s hands were shaking, perhaps still affected by Melchor¡¯s raging aura. Melchor, who had learned that he had been sent back to the Guild due to a set rule of God¡¯s Dungeon, had apologized to everyone and returned home immediately. A group of nobility-employed officers and maids had then been sent in to help out the people who had fainted, wet themselves, or vomited, and also cleaned up the mess in the area ¡ª which made for quite a rare sight.


    ¡°First the Fire Dragon, then the Devourer Dragon, and now Sir Melchor¡­ You seem to have a knack for dealing with scary things.¡±


    ¡°Heh, maybe.¡±


    Tsutomu narrowed his eyes a little nostalgically, seemingly reminded of the Fire Dragon that he had fought against alongside Camille.


    ¡°And it looks like you don¡¯t have to worry about being terrified like when we fought the Fire Dragon, either.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thanks to SOMEONE AROUND HERE, I had to correct a bunch of journalists that I in fact DID NOT wet my pants back then. That¡¯s gotta make it difficult for me to find another dad for my kid, y¡¯know? Maybe SOMEONE AROUND HERE should take responsibility for that¡­¡±


    Tsutomu scratched his head awkwardly as Camille quite non-subtly threw shade at him.


    ¡°What? No way. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but SOMEONE AROUND HERE could make things easier for me, y¡¯know?¡±


    With Camille looking somewhat serious as she said that, Tsutomu had to avert his gaze to dodge the question.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    For Tsutomu personally, Japan was still the ce he belonged, not here. If there was a way for him to return, then he would definitely go, so he did not want to get too close to anyone in this world.


    However, if he were to not find a way back after conquering the hundredthyer and perhaps the Secret Dungeon after it, he would not have much of a problem choosing this world as his new reality, either. As such, he could not bring himself to outright brush off Camille¡¯s goodwill.


    Camille was surprised to see how ambiguous Tsutomu¡¯s reaction was, but she quickly walked closer to him and lowered her voice,


    ¡°¡­Tsutomu, do you have anything you¡¯re keeping to yourself? Something you can¡¯t talk to anyone about ¡ª not even me, Amy, and Garm?¡±


    Tsutomu, startled by Camille¡¯s sudden approach and question, took a few steps back. Then he proceeded to say with a bitter expression on his face,


    ¡°¡­I guess I do.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so? Well, I won¡¯t pry,¡± Camille said, looking genuinely worried, then she took a few steps back herself to give Tsutomu some space and ced her hands on his shoulders. ¡°But I¡¯d appreciate it if you could open up someday. I do want to know more about you, Tsutomu ¡ª and I¡¯m sure your friends like Amy and Garm do as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Even when you think there¡¯s no one to help you, remember that you can always count on me.¡±


    Perhaps it would be easier for him to go ahead and talk about it ¡ª that he had suddenly been transported here from another world, that he had been ying a game that closely resembled God¡¯s Dungeon¡­ and that he was trying to conquer the Dungeon so that he could find a way to send himself home. He felt that the three of them would understand.


    But Tsutomu was scared of the possibility of them not cooperating with him. He did not have the power to fight through God¡¯s Dungeon alone, so if he were to lose his allies, he might also forever lose all his chances of finding a way home.


    ¡°Well, there are still some things to take care of, so I have to go now. Mind if I drop by your n House when I have the time?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, you¡¯re wee anytime.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    Camille smiled before walking away towards the people who were cleaning up. Tsutomu was, if he were to be honest, relieved and quite grateful that Camille did not decide to delve any further into the topic.


    ¡°Woo-hoo! Way to go, man!¡±


    ¡°Wait, Tsutomu¡­ What were you talking with the Guild Master about!?¡±


    ¡°Shut up. It was nothing.¡±


    After taking a little bit of teasing from the Silver Beast team that had been waiting nearby, Tsutomu checked the time on a nearby Monitor and hurried back to the n House.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    When Tsutomu got back to the n House, he was Weiss, dressed in his trademark ck, standing there and just about to ring the doorbell. After exchanging a brief greeting, Tsutomu agreed to walk with Weiss.


    Along the way, Weiss nced at Tsutomu a few times, seemingly wanting to say something but in the end keeping his mouth shut. Those who were familiar enough with Weiss would also know that this was simply a quirk of his personality, but Tsutomu had barely interacted with him before, and as such only knew him as one of the Explorers who possessed a unique skill.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    With Tsutomu looking him in the eye, Weiss briefly averted his gaze,ing off as suspicious to the former ¡ª but once again, it was just the way he was. And then, after about ten seconds, he finally replied,


    ¡°¡­I¡¯d like to ask for your forgiveness on Alma¡¯s behalf.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer that she does it herself ¡ª just an apology is enough, nothing else.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Tsutomu had been angry at Alma for one particr reason: the way she had ignored him after poprizing his former nickname of ¡®Lucky Boy,¡¯ which resulted in him being ostracized by good-for-nothing Explorers. However, after seeing Alma being scolded by herrades in the Volcanoyers, Tsutomu¡¯s anger had subsided, and by now, he no longer held a grudge against her.


    [¡­How long are they going to be hung up on this fiasco, anyway?]


    Still, that did not actually fix the actual issue between them, so even now, he still wanted to avoid interacting with her if possible. As such, if only Alma were toe and apologize, he would ept it and let the rtionship between them move on in a positive direction.


    A part of him hated himself for staying so salty about what had long passed, but still, he wanted to believe that his attitude towards such things had improved at least a little. Back when Live Dungeon was still active, whenever members of his n were killed as a result of being unfairly dragged into PvP situations, he would remember all the assants¡¯ usernames and repeatedly ambush them whenever they logged in, driving them to eventually quit. Indeed, he was a less spiteful person nowpared to back then.


    Eventually, Tsutomu arrived at the Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s n House and was led to a guest room inside. When prompted by Weiss to take a seat, he proceeded to sit in a chair across from the former, and a momentter, a young woman walked into the room.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    It was Alma, her long ck hair let loose. Her expression was perfectly normal, with not a trace of the deranged look that she had during the incident on the Monitor. Recently, she had gone back to wielding the ck Staff as she explored the Dungeon with herrades, and had begun to smile again.


    Tsutomu, upon seeing what she was holding in her hands, almost let out a sigh of exasperation.


    ¡°You¡¯re still keeping it with you all the time?¡±


    ¡°¡­No. This thing doesn¡¯t control me anymore.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­? I find that hard to believe. Didn¡¯t you even mention to one of the news outlets that you¡¯d hold it even when you sleep? Might¡¯ve sounded cute out of context, but still¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Alma was indeed holding the ck Staff quite firmly. In response to Tsutomu¡¯s statement, her hands trembled slightly as she sat down next to Weiss. Tsutomu straightened up his posture andposed himself.


    ¡°So, since you went out of your way to invite me here today, what is the apology for this time?¡± Tsutomu asked, making no effort to sugarcoat his words.


    ¡°¡­Everything,¡± Alma replied and ced the ck Staff on the table, then she slowly lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everyone that has happened. After an agreement among the whole n, it was decided that this staff should be returned to you. Here¡¯s the legal document, signed by all Scarlet Devil Squad members.¡±


    After apologizing, Alma offered the ck Staff to Tsutomu. Weiss, the n leader, finalized the document by pricking his finger with a needle and stamping his blood onto the paper. He then turned to Tsutomu and nodded.


    Tsutomu knit his brows, looking displeased as he took the document. Then, after confirming that the document indeed concerned the transferring of the ck Staff¡¯s ownership from Scarlet Devil Squad to Absolute Helix, he picked up the ck Staff that had been ced on the table.


    Now that it was in his hand, the ck Staff glowed and sparkled due to the effect of the embedded Treasure Tools that took effect only on White Mages. This ck Staff was one of the strongest of the things crafted from the materials of the first hundredyers ¡ª and the thing Tsutomu had spent many hours of his high school years working towards.


    But then Tsutomu groaned and ced the ck Staff back on the table.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    Alma blinked in disbelief at Tsutomu¡¯s indifferent response.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it, so I won¡¯t take it. Just the apology was enough. If you want to get rid of it, you should auction it off at the Guild instead. Ealdred Crow or someone else will probably pay more for it than what you paid mest time.¡±


    Now Alma forgot to even blink as she stared at Tsutomu in disbelief, and eventually, she was able to bring herself to ask,


    ¡°¡­You HAVE used it once already, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The staff. During the Stampede ¡ª Weiss told me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, that did happen, yes.¡±


    ¡°Then you should understand! It¡¯s ridiculous how strong it is! If you use it, Absolute Helix would definitely win onyer eighty! So why won¡¯t you take it!?¡±


    Anyone who got a taste of its absurd power was sure to understand, and as such, Alma thought Tsutomu had also felt the same sense of invincibility she had whenever wielded it ¡ª which was why she expected him to ept the ck Staff without question.


    But now, it was apparent that Tsutomu saw it as nothing but another tool. And his smoldering grudge against Alma had long ended after he saw what its power had done to her.


    ¡°The point is that we don¡¯t really NEED it ¡ª we¡¯ll be able to manage with the equipment and training we have by the time we try. Don¡¯t worry about your n continuing to use it; there¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong with you!? You actually want it, right!? We¡¯re giving it to you with no strings attached, you know!¡±


    As Alma started going on a rant, Tsutomu heaved a deep sigh and then turned to Weiss.


    ¡°Sorry, Weiss, I should get going. I already got the official apology I came here for, so I wouldn¡¯t want to overstay my wee.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    After Tsutomu stepped out of the room, he took a moment to look back, and saw that Alma was staring at the ck Staff.


    [This is depressing¡­]


    Although she was much more bearable now, it was apparent that a part of her was still dependent on the ck Staff ¡ª a fact that Tsutomu saw as quite unfortunate.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 177: Kneading Eunice

    ¡°Yah!¡±


    Amy pierced the head of a Snow Wolf with her swords, then shook off the dispersing light particles as she dashed towards her next target. Tsutomu watched the live broadcast of her in action through a Monitor as he sat in a seat in the Guild¡¯s Dining Hall, resting his chin on his hand.


    Three days had passed since Amy and Garm joined Absolute Helix. During that time, Tsutomu had been told something quite interesting by his fellow healer, Korinna, so he decided to observe Amy through the Monitors to confirm it.


    The members of Absolute Helix party that Tsutomu was observing included two Attackers: Amy and the green-scaled Dragonewt Leleia ¡ª two Tanks: the Cynokins Garm and Daryl ¡ª and one Healer, Korinna.


    Amy had been dissatisfied when the lineup was announced, but sheplied when Tutomu sent the team to explore the Snow Fieldyers. Tsutomu, after getting to see them fight on the Monitors, now believed what Korinna had told him.


    [It¡¯s true ¡ª this does look different from the other Monitors.]


    The footage of the Monitors were projections of what the God Eyes saw, so most of the time, the action was shown in such a way that every element was visible. However, the Monitor that currently showed Absolute Helix was clearly focusing on single individuals more often than not.


    The God Eyes did have some capability of following the intentions of the Explorers. If Explorers thought they were in the way, then they would move out of view automatically, and if someone thought of wanting to show some specific thing, the God Eye would try to show it.


    Amy, being a local idol of sorts, was quite good at giving instructions to the God Eyes. In her mind, she would always instruct the God Eyes to focus on not only herself, but also herrades, whenever the time was right.


    She did not do this to make herself stand out, but rather out of consideration of what the audience would find eye-catching and entertaining.


    One did not have to do much for the God Eyes to move around, output footage, and zoom in to highlight select individuals. However, as Amy was much more skilled than the average person at instructing God Eyes to show nice-looking scenes, she was able to draw more attention to whatever Monitor she was onpared to the others.


    [I didn¡¯t notice this at all.]


    Tsutomu¡¯s priority was to conquer the Dungeon, so he had never taken the audience on the other side of the screen into consideration. Moreover, since he tended to view the broadcasts as learning material, he did not pay all that much attention to the entertainment value.


    Having been told by Korinna about Amy¡¯s superior skill in manipting the God Eyes, tried looking at many other Monitors and considered their ¡®camerawork¡¯. He found that the higher the Monitor number, the more basic the footage was due to leaving everything to the God Eye, while footage on the lower-numbered Monitors tended to be dynamically manipted at least to some extent.


    ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t be shy, Korinna!¡±


    ¡°O-oh, no¡­ I¡¯m not important enough to be shown.¡±


    ¡°Nah, nah! C¡¯mon!¡±


    ¡°Wha¨C! I¡­ I never thought I¡¯d get to share the screen with Amy!¡±


    Scenes of normal exploring and conversations among party members while they were not fighting monsters were abundant, too. Right now, the Monitor was showing Korinna looking half happy, half embarrassed, and Amy doing a peace sign as if she was in a photoshoot.


    Afterward, Amy called over the God Eye again, this time directing it to show the conversation between Daryl and Garm. This turned out to be helpful to the audience, too, as the conversation between them concerned the fighting styles of Tank-type Explorers.


    Amy would also casually bring up her sponsors and the products she was using in her conversations. Tsutomu, now that he paid attention to what she said, was genuinely surprised by how much attention she paid to the marketing aspect of things.


    [That¡¯s amazing.]


    The Explorers¡¯ equipment was also being shown on the Monitor in a way that makes the sponsors¡¯ logos on them more visible and naturally eye-catching. Seeing all this, Tsutomu could not help but consider trying this camerawork thing out whenever he was exploring in a team as well.


    Impressed by Amy¡¯s capabilities that he had never noticed until Korinna told him, Tsutomu positively reevaluated his opinion of Amy as he kept on watching her five-member party.


    As the team¡¯s Tanks, Garm was doing quite well, and so was Daryl, who had been looking especially good ever since he sessfullypleted Melchor¡¯s mission. With hisck of self-confidencergely resolved, he seemed to have started developing a great deal of self-awareness as a Tank.


    Garm and Leleia¡¯s synergy had improved significantly over the past three days. Their general style included long-ranged magical attacks using the Spirits and closed-ranged attacks with elementally-enchanted swords. Garm seemed to have gotten used to it, too, as he was now able to work with Leleia without any hups. Moreover, he seemed to have formed a contract with the y doll-like Gnome for a boost to his VIT.


    Korinna, the Healer, was practicing to increase her time management precision and ability to juggle multiple support spells. In particrly busy battles such as ones againstyer bosses, it was understandable that she would be able to only support the Tanks, but in normal battles, she would have to be able to support the Attackers as well.


    Moreover, Tsutomu wanted her to be able to support Attackers duringyer boss battles as well, so he had instructed her to consistently practice both that and time management. He wanted to also teach her how to efficiently use <<Blessing of the Sacred>> and skills with long channeling times, but ultimately decided to have her start from the basics first.


    At one point, Tsutomu had wondered if there was anything to help with time management, and as it turned out, various shops had been crafting various prototype tools that did just that. If one was unable to urately estimate time in their minds, then it was better for them to rely on tools instead ¡ª in fact, said tools would be especially useful to Channelers due to the long durations of most of their skills.


    [It must be harder to make than it sounds, though¡­]


    Since pocket watches existed, mechanisms for urately keeping track of time were already a thing, but Tsutomu was not sure if the technology of this world was advanced enough to build on top of that and create a tool that enabled one to track the durations of multiple effects at once. As such, Korinna currently still counted the time in her mind, but the results were not particrly satisfactory.


    Even if she were to concentrate on counting the seconds, there usually would be some margin of error. And while she did that for her fourrades, she also had to keep track of the ever-changing battle situation and provide healing as needed. It was a difficult thing to keep up with, and from Tsutomu¡¯s point of view, Stephanie was the only one able to do itpetently so far.


    [Speaking of Stephanie¡­ I wonder how she is doing. Oh, and Eunice, too.]


    These days, he had been spending his time off trying out Spirit Contracts and helping Amira practice her <<Dragon Form>>, so he had not gotten to watch the Monitors much. Remembering the newspaper article and what Misil had told him, Tsutomu moved away from the Monitor that was showing Absolute Helix.


    First, he went to check on Golden Tune, which was shown on Monitor #6. They had won against the boss monster ofyer seventy after obtaining a Scorchstone Robe, and now the lowestyer they have reached wasyer seventy. After being wiped out by the Winter General almost immediately, they had switched to leveling up their party members, so now they were often seen exploring the Snow Fieldyers regardless of whether it was day or night.


    The biggest change was that Leon, who used to be an Attacker, was now a Tank. Having learned of the evasion-based Tank style from watching Hannah, he had since practiced it, getting his own style down to some extent by the time his team fought the Mount Golem again.


    Leon possessed no aggro-pulling skills like <<Combat Cry>>, but he did have his unique skill, <<Gold Bless>>, which increased his AGI by two ranks. As the fastest fighter in Dungeon City, he could simply generate enough aggro by attacking repeatedly.


    Their team currently was made up of one Tank, two Attackers, and two Healers ¡ª though sometimes they would have one less Healer and one more Tank instead. Still, their regrposition of having two Healers was not very often seen in other parties, so it had be a topic of conversation among the audience.


    [Oh, that¡¯s what was mentioned in the article.]


    As Tsutomu looked on at Leon cutting up the monsters with ridiculous maneuvers, Eunice in her same white robe held her staff under her arm and started putting her hands together as if she was making a snowball. As the camera was far from her, Tsutomu had to focus his eyes on Eunice to even see what she was doing.


    [Is that¡­ <<Haste>>?]


    A mass of energy formed in the space between Eunice¡¯s hands. She proceeded to take the energy ball and ce it on the ground, then she started moving her hand around it as if kneading it. Her yellow-furred tail was standing upright perhaps due to her concentration.


    Normally, Eunice¡¯s AGI would increase if she touched the gaseous mass of <<Haste>>, but currently, that did not happen despite her apparently putting her hands on it.


    [Is she solidifying the <<Haste>> shot? No, that¡¯s not right. It still looks like gas to me. Feels more like she¡¯s locking it in¡­ which means she must be using a <<Barrier>>.]


    The mass of <<Haste>> in Eunice¡¯s hand now took a more solid shape, and even when she squeezed her hands together, it did not activate and instead just stayed there. In the end, she dropped the sphere down onto the snow-covered ground.


    Eunice proceeded to make four more of the <<Haste>> spheres, then she picked them up and handed them over to Leon ¡ª while looking pretty tired after all that kneading. She then drank down a vial of Blue Potion¡­ and stuck out her blue-dyed tongue due to its bitterness.


    [So she¡¯s using <<Barrier>> to ¡®package¡¯ the <<Haste>>, and then she hands it to Leon¡­ And when the <<Barrier>> is disengaged, Leon would get the effect of <<Haste>>, huh?]


    Seeing some of the energy aura¡¯s light asionally leaking out of Leon¡¯s clothes, Tsutomu believed that his guess was more or less correct. Eunice was not predicting where to ce her <<Haste>> casts as Tsutomu would, and instead used her self-invented method of ¡®solidifying¡¯ the <<Haste>> casts for Leon to keep on himself.


    ¡°<<Haste>>¡­ and <<Barrier>>.¡±


    As a test, Tsutomu cast <<Haste>> in front of him and tried surrounding it with <<Barrier>>. As it turned out, it was quite tricky to cast them at the same time and properly wrap them together. Then, when he tried to bend the <<Barrier>> forcibly, it shattered.


    Changing the shape of the <<Barrier>> spell had always been difficult, so it must require a great deal of effort to make it as small as Eunice could. Tsutomu tried again and again, but even when his mental energy ran out, he did not manage to make even one <<Haste>> sphere.


    [This is¡­ not mental energy-efficient at all,] he grumbled an excuse to himself and pressed his temples to relieve the weighty feeling in his head that resulted from the exhausting of his mental energy.


    After that, he looked up at the Monitor again, and as it turned out, what he had just said was surprisingly on point.


    The duration of skills such as <<Haste>> and <


    > decreased as time passed after the initial casting. As such, the efficacy of this ¡®portable sphere¡¯ <<Haste>> was lower the longer it was kept unactivated.


    In consideration of that, Eunice would always cast <<Haste>> with the maximum amount of energy she could before packing it into a <<Barrier>>. And whenever Leon¡¯s buff was about to run out, she would disengage one <<Barrier>> after another, continuously boosting Leon¡¯s AGI.


    The first few of the spheres would quickly be used up, so she did not need to pack them with that much energy, but the ones that Leon would hold on to for a longer time would be weaker when he got around to using them. That resulted in Eunice¡¯s mental energy running low easily, making it necessary for her to drink more Blue Potions, and also for there to be two Healers in the team.


    [I should practice this moreter.]


    Tsutomu could stick to using the cement type <<Haste>>, so he did not really need to learn this portable sphere type. However, he was feeling somewhat irritated that Eunice was able to do it but he could not, so he decided that he would try again.


    Afterward, he moved on to Monitor #2, where the Ealdred Crow team was being shown. They were focusing on leveling up their members these days, so there was no clear division between the first two teams to be seen. Regardless, Tsutomu took a look and saw Stepanie on the screen.


    [¡­Has she really changed that much?]


    From Tsutomu¡¯s point of view, Stephanie did not seem to have changed in any particr way. She seemed to have lost some of the enthusiasm in her eyespared to before, but other than that, she was apparently doing fine as she conversed normally with her fellow party members.


    ¡°Next.¡±


    ¡°Wolves to the north. Collect only Ice Magic Stones.¡±


    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±


    Their interactions did not exude any tension or hostility, and Tsutomu felt like he was watching a perfectly normal high-efficiency team. Stephanie was blending in quite well with the rest of them, and she was not getting any negative looks from herrades.


    ¡°<<Haste>>, <


    >.¡±


    In fact, when it came to healing and support, and also attention to detail, it was impressive how much improvement she was showingpared to before. She was growing in a way that best fit the mold of a by-the-book Healer, and her style was exactly what one would expect from a student of Tsutomu¡¯s. She had also gained a nickname recently ¡ª ¡®Conductor,¡¯ due to the shape of the staff she would usually wield.


    Lorena was known as a <<Mobile Healer>> due to the style she had created herself, and Eunice had even invented a whole new way to cast her skills. Thetter case was a far more major improvement than what Tsutomu had expected to see from Eunice, causing him to somewhat positively reevaluate his opinion of her.


    [Well, I¡¯ll remember to greet them whenever we meet in the Dungeon.]


    The major yers ¡ª Ealdred Crow, Golden Tune, Silver Beast, and the Guild ¡ª currently were concentrating on leveling themselves up onyer seventy-nine, so Absolute Helix¡¯s teams were bound to run into them eventually while exploring.


    After having his fill of spectating for the day, Tsutomu returned to the n House and decided to spend the rest of the day taking it easy.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 178: Big Sister Amy and Big Brother Xeno

    ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    The Vulpeer Eunice, a Healer of Golden Tune, let out a subtle sigh and tapped the ground with her fluffy yellow-furred tail. Standing next to her was another Healer, Milway, a recent addition to the n ¡ª she was a silver-furred Vulpeer, who was using her tail to sweep the snow around.


    [This still isn¡¯t good enough. Far from it.]


    In terms of generalpetency as a Healer, Eunice was obviously inferior to Stephanie. She did not have a style unique to herself like Lorena did, either. Still, she had taken the shortest time of all of them to learn how to cast skills of the special types such as cements and quickshots. Moreover, she was the one who operated most simrly to Tsutomu, in that she was able to double as an evasion-based Tank.


    ¡°<<Haste>>.¡±


    Right now, she was training to do exactly that. She was not yet so good at it, so it still was better for the team to fully rely on the regr Tanks instead. That did not discourage Eunice from her regr evasion-based Tank training in her spare time, however.


    [Still not enough to be better than him.]


    All that she was doing was for the sake of getting back at Tsutomu ¡ª to wipe that smug off his face. As the first step, she had invented the portable sphere type <<Haste>> and practiced it until she was able to use it in actualbat. Thanks to this, Leon no longer had to run back to the Healers every single time his <<Haste>> buff ran out, so the portable sphere <<Haste>> had been pretty well-received.


    However, this alone was far from enough to make Tsutomu gasp in surprise. For that reason, Eunice had recently been focusing on developing her quickshot type skills, testing to see if there was anything she could do differently from Tsutomu.


    Eunice and Milway followed Leon, and as Eunice thought about various things to herself, Milway looked with interest at the White Staff that Eunice was holding.


    ¡°so, Eunice, your equipment¡­ it¡¯s the same as Tsutomu¡¯s, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Yeah, it is.¡±


    ¡°Are you a fan of him, by any chance?¡± Milway asked, her eyes containing suggestive implications.


    ¡°What?¡± Eunice promptly answered with a full rejection. ¡°Of course not! I¡¯d rather die than be a fan of him!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ But haven¡¯t you always been watching him on the Pedestals whenever you get days off?¡±


    ¡°I normally wouldn¡¯t ¡ª because he¡¯s got as much personality as a Skeleton ¡ª BUT he¡¯s a good Healer, so I¡¯ve got to watch him in action.¡±


    In her pursuit of greater skill, she had started with getting all the same equipment as Tsutomu, even going through the trouble of fitting everything to her size. It cost a fair bit of money to custom-order everything to her specifications, but Eunice did not mind that.


    She still disliked Tsutomu even after everything ¡ª his first visit to Golden Tune, the Stampede, and the time he gave her additional guidance in the Volcanoyers ¡ª but she did recognize his capabilities as a Healer. That was part of why she had copied his equipment loadout. Other reasons included the fact that it was in fact the optimal choice, and that she wanted to beat Tsutomu while using all the same tools as he did.


    Although she had been practicing and fighting a whole lot, she still did not feel like she was getting any better. Nevertheless, she kept at it ¡ª also because she was annoyed by how Tsutomu had recently explored the Dungeon with another one of his students, the Healer of Silver Beast.


    [I¡¯ll surpass you! Just you watch!]


    And so, to get back at Tsutomu, Eunice spent yet another day exploring the Dungeon as a Healer.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    ¡°Hwah¡­¡±


    While Eunice was busy with her ambition to surpass Tsutomu, the young man in question was yawning as he entered the Snow Fieldyer. Amy, standing next to him, turned to check what was up.


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty rare ¡ª you don¡¯t usually yawn while in the Dungeon, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really!?¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    ¡°See, you¡¯re not even paying attention! What were you even doing, staying uptest night?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing some new skills, you see. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t be a liability.¡±


    He had been trying to recreate the portable sphere <<Haste>>, drinking Blue Potions to keep going through the night, and ended up not getting even a wink of sleepst night. In the end, he drank some more Potions like energy drinks to keep himself awake.


    ¡°Hah! Didn¡¯t get enough sleep, eh?¡± Xeno said, his voice ringing in everyone¡¯s ears and his smile exposing his shining white teeth. ¡°Then leave all of today¡¯s heavy lifting to me ¡ª I¡¯ve got this!¡±


    ¡°Nah! I can fight way better than you do!¡±


    ¡°Now, Amy, aren¡¯t you a recent addition to our party? Just take it easy.¡±


    ¡°Whoa¨C! Hey, get away from me! You¡¯re way too reflective!¡±


    Amy narrowed her eyes, dazzled by Xeno¡¯s shining silver armor.


    Behind them, Hannah was itching to join the conversation, while Amira thought to herself how pathetic Tsutomu was for neglecting sleep despite being the leader as she carried her greatsword on her shoulder. The team¡¯sposition today had Hannah and Xeno as Tanks, Amy and Amira as Attackers, and Tsutomu as the Healer.


    ¡°<<Ember Aura>>!!¡±


    Since the team¡¯s Healer today was a White Mage, they did not have ess to spells that counteract the Dungeon¡¯s environmental effects unlike when they were with the Channeler Korinna. Normally, they would have to rely on tools to keep warm ¡ª but then they had Xeno, who could use the Pdin¡¯s <<Ember Aura>>.


    Tsutomu, getting the <<Ember Aura>> cast on him, looked at himself and saw that the aura was so bright that it would be bad for his eyesight.


    ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you make it any less intense?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, I suppose Korinna isn¡¯t here with us today. Very well.¡±


    Xeno slumped his shoulders in disappointment, then snapped his fingers to suppress the silver glow of the <<Ember Aura>>. If Diniel were here, she would definitely aim her bow at Xeno for making it shine that brightly in the first ce, but fortunately, she was not even looking at them through the Monitors. Xeno proceeded to cast the <<Ember Aura>> with suppressed brightness on everyone, while still keeping the one on himself as intense as usual.


    Amy snapped her fingers like Xeno had, causing thetter to raise an eyebrow andugh¡­ then snap his fingers back at her.


    The back-and-forth finger snapping went on, and as it turned into a consistent rhythm, Xeno started singing¡­ then Amy also sang a simr song. Tsutomu was absolutely bewildered, and Hannah tried to snap her fingers as well but never managed to make it sound right.


    With the God Eye flying around the former two, Hannah was about to join in when some Snow Wolves appeared and lunged at Xeno, seemingly alerted by his singing voice. Xeno promptly mmed his shield at the face of the nearest Snow Wolf.


    ¡°Now, time for the next performance! A dance in the snow! I know you¡¯re good at this, Amy the Chaotic Dancer!¡±


    ¡°All right! Let¡¯s go! <<Dual Wave sh>>!¡±


    Amy matched her attacking rhythm with Xeno¡¯s defense, and positioned herself behind him to cover his blind spot by using <<Dual Wave sh>>. Hannah, unable to keep up with the sudden turn of events, could only look around with confusion.


    ¡°When the hell this did party turn into a circus troupe?¡± Amira grumbled as she activated her <<Dragon Form>>.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me,¡± Tsutomu said just that as he cast <<Haste>> on her, then provided support for the two others as well.


    Hannah, seeming to have regained her attention now, started pulling the Snow Wolves¡¯ aggro.


    ¡°Dance, dance, dance! You can do better than that!¡±


    ¡°Woo-hoo! I¡¯m shining like a star!¡±


    While she was not paying attention, Xeno had cranked up the brightness of Amy¡¯s <<Ember Aura>> to match his. The scene was extremely dazzling as the snow reflected all the light, so much so that even the Snow Wolves were distracted.


    [Those two sure get along well¡­]


    Tsutomu had expected them not to match due to their simr entertainer-like personalities, but to his surprise, they seemed to go together quite well. The pair proceeded to y one monster after another while singing a ssic song from a well-known troupe in the Royal Capital.


    [Maybe they should form a unit¡­]


    Tsutomu imagined ¡®big sister¡¯ Amy and ¡®big brother¡¯ Xeno waving to the crowd on the other side of the Monitor, which in turn cheered them on as they put on an excessively glitzy aura. Then, once the team was done wiping out the Snow Wolves, the two of them turned to praise each other.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Heh. You¡¯re not bad, either.¡±


    ¡°You. Two. Are. AWESOME!!¡±


    Amira looked on at the three of them celebrating, seeing it as a bunch of children ying around¡­ despite all three of them being older than her.


    ¡°They¡¯re totally not taking the Dungeon seriously.¡±


    ¡°Eh, just let them have their fun. We¡¯re familiar enough with thisyer, and it¡¯s not like we¡¯re fighting a boss or anything.¡±


    ¡°Tch¡­ What, you¡¯re gonna make me sing as well?¡±


    ¡°Would that be a bad thing? How about you give it a try?¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry.¡±


    Tsutomu held his hands up in surrender as Amira was about to punch him.


    ¡°In all seriousness, it¡¯s true that we shouldn¡¯t mess around too much, but taking everything too seriously isn¡¯t a good thing, either. You¡¯ve been too focusedtely, Amira. There¡¯s no need to rush to get stronger ¡ª it¡¯lle to you eventually.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. I need to get as strong as I can. There¡¯s no time to waste.¡±


    ¡°Everything will be fine in the end. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Man, you¡¯re annoying.¡±


    Amira narrowed her eyes at Tsutomu, then kicked a mound of snow near her feet and kept walking on her way.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 179: Teach, So Dazzling

    ¡°Fwahahaha! Follow my lead!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t beat me!¡±


    Xeno and Daryl, the team¡¯s Tanks for today, werepeting with each other to pull the aggro of a gigantic Snow Golem. With Xeno using his silver <<Combat Cry>>, Daryl refused to be outperformed, releasing a ck aura. Ever since Garm joined the n, Daryl had stopped using the indigo aura for his <<Combat Cry>>, turning it ck to better match his own color scheme.


    ¡°<<Enchant me>>.¡±


    With the Snow Golem turning toward those two, Amira went behind it, and then relentlessly attacked with her fire-enchanted greatsword. Due to her being in her <<Dragon Form>>, her eyes were shining in bright red and leaving behind a trail of light wherever she moved.


    ¡°ORAAA!!¡±


    In the end, the gigantic snowman-like monster got sliced in half, its torso melted through by the greatsword. Amira, now able to control her <<Dragon Form>> to some extent, set her sights on attacking the other Snow Golem to her side.


    ¡°<<Mystic de>>.¡±


    And on that same side, Garm, wielding a short sword, came walking through the snow. He proceeded to use a Knight-exclusive attack skill to stagger the Snow Golem, enabling him to run up its arm. Then he used his sword to smash the core attached to the nose-like part of the Golem¡¯s face, finishing off the monster.


    As the Snow Golem began to disintegrate into light particles, Garm jumped down and got his stamina refreshed with <<Medic>>. Then, after looking around to confirm that his surroundings were safe, he let out a sigh of relief.


    Amira, eyes shining red, disengaged her <<Dragon Form>> and threw the Magic Stone she had just picked up to Tsutomu. Garm, seeing that Daryl was digging through the snow to collect the rest of the Magic Stones, went over to help him out.


    At one point, Garm asked Daryl as thetter was sweeping the Magic Stones together with his ck-furred tail,


    ¡°By the way, why did you change the color of your <<Combat Cry>>? I¡¯ve noticed that for a while now.¡±


    ¡°Ah, um, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Speak up, boy. I can¡¯t hear you.¡±


    ¡°Um, you won¡¯t get angry¡­ right?¡± Daryl asked as he picked up the Magic Stones with his hands.


    Garm nodded, and Daryl seemed relieved as he proceeded to say,


    ¡°W-well¡­ It doesn¡¯t look as cool¡­ I think?¡±


    Garm¡¯s expression quickly turned deadpan halfway through Daryl¡¯s exnation, causing thetter¡¯s voice to grow progressively feeble as he finished the rest of the sentence. Then, in response to the whole answer, Garm heaved a sigh.


    ¡°¡­Seriously? That¡¯s your reason?¡±


    ¡°I was just being honest! I thought you wouldn¡¯t be angry, you know!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ surprised. Seeing that you went back to using the red aura towards the end of the battle onyer seventy, it takes extra energy to change the color of the <<Combat Cry>> aura, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, it does.¡±


    ¡°Now, Garm,¡± Xeno approached the two and interrupted them with a joking remark, ¡°Your exasperation was quite uncalled for, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Despite the tone of his voice, however, Xeno¡¯s expression was more serious than usual. As such, Garm shook his head in response.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about you. His approach tobat is starting to resemble the way you ¡ª Xeno ¡ª fight as shown on the Pedestals. I have no say on what is best for each individual fighter¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho?¡±


    ¡°¡­But Daryl is my apprentice. He¡¯s not suited for a shybat style, unlike you.¡±


    ¡°Or is he? As far as I¡¯ve seen, he actually is quite adaptable. He even worked my style of <<Combat Cry>> into his arsenal in no time at all.¡±


    ¡°He might be able to do it on a technical level, but his personality is not likely to amodate it. He¡¯ll improve more efficiently if he focuses on training for pragmaticbat.¡±


    Hearing Garm¡¯s reasoning, Xeno put a hand on his own chin and fell silent for a moment, apparently deep in thought. Daryl, standing between the two, looked rather small in this situation despite being just about as tall as Xeno.


    ¡°Right. That isn¡¯t a bad line of thinking at all,¡± Xeno proceeded to say. ¡°But Garm, you don¡¯t think putting on a show for the audience is a bad thing, do you?¡±


    ¡°¡­I am well aware of how useful it is, but personally, I don¡¯t particrly like it.¡±


    Garm sounded annoyed, but did not deny the question. After all, he had one of the best examples of its effectiveness close by. Amy, as an Attacker, was naturally inferior to those with unique skills, but in terms of her influence as an individual, she was second to none. She also had plenty of funds to invest in Dungeon exploration.


    Dungeon exploration sessions were shown on various Monitors throughout the town, and were watched by many non-Explorer people. It was practically this world¡¯s equivalent of professional sports, and in that context, a local idol like Amy was sure to draw fans to the screens just by entering the Dungeon.


    Amy also received sponsorships from various shops, and she would bring them up in conversations so that they could be heard on the Monitor. This turned into an for the sponsors, increasing the shops¡¯ sales, and then some of the profits were reinvested into equipment and supplies for Amy¡¯s Dungeon exploration.


    In addition, the higher one¡¯s fame and influence got, the easier it was for them to do various things, so it could be said that entertaining the audience was quite important for exploring God¡¯s Dungeon.


    Garm seemed unimpressed as he talked about it, though, as if he did not want to praise Amy too much. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, he might seem intimidating ¡ª especially since Daryl was also frightened ¡ª but Xeno was unfazed as he proceeded to make a proposal to Garm,


    ¡°In that case, there isn¡¯t a need to focus on just one way of training, is there? He can do both at the same time ¡ª the abilities to progress through the Dungeon and entertain the audience.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can he even manage something so technically demanding?¡±


    ¡°Hmph! The keys are¡­ Elegance! Style! Beauty! Nail all of those down just like me, and anyone is sure to be popr with the masses! But even that will not be enough to win the audience¡¯s heart. Daryl possesses his own kind of beauty ¡ª As do you and your ability to also fight as an Attacker,¡± Xeno said, smirking whilebing his silver hair.


    Garm spent a moment thinking, and then turned to look at Daryl.


    ¡°¡­I guess you do have a point. Daryl, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Me¡­?¡±


    ¡°You are free to do whatever you want. But if your fighting prowesses start to decline¡­¡±


    ¡°No worries. I¡¯m sure he can handle both.¡±


    Daryl seemed frightened to be stuck in between Garm¡¯s intimidating eyes and Xeno¡¯s carefree attitude. But then, after a few moments, he seemed to have made up his mind and looked firmly back at them.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll give it my best.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­! Leave the teachings to me!¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t ck off on training.¡±


    Xeno smiled and shook Daryl¡¯s hands, while Garm looked on at them with a healthy degree of doubt. The three immediately proceeded to discuss their training, then they carried the Magic Stones to where Tsutomu and Amira were.


    As for the God Eye, Xeno had directed it away from him, sending it to monitor Tsutomu and Amira instead. While the three others were talking, those two passed the time with a snowball fight¡­ which was then broadcast on the Monitor.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    And so the team¡¯s half-day Dungeon exploration ended.


    [Man, today¡¯s team lineup was¡­ not ideal,] Tsutomu grumbled in his mind as the team made their way back to the n House, in part due to the rtiveck of bnce¡­ and also the fact that Amira ¡ª whose masculine qualities dominated over her feminine side ¡ª was the only woman in the team today.


    In addition to that, the snowball fight had caused him to feel dead inside due to how one-sided it had been, with the snowballs flying at him like a curtain of bullets.


    ¡°Well? How did I do as an Attacker?¡± Garm asked aftering out of the bath, sitting down in the living room while Tsutomu was taking notes on what he had learned and felt during today¡¯s Dungeon exploration.


    Garm had fought as an Attacker today due to him having asked to be so as a test. Tsutomu tapped the bottom of his pen on his own temple and considered how he should answer Garm¡¯s question.


    ¡°Not quite as good as Hannah, but decently functional, I would say. But why the test, anyway? I didn¡¯t ask any questions at first because I thought it¡¯d be worth a try as well, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I just figured it wouldn¡¯t be good to just keep doing the same thing. The test was to explore the options I might have.¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho?¡± Tsutomu said jokingly, unsessfully imitating Xeno.


    ¡°No joking around,¡± Garm struck back, chuckling dryly. ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Both of them then tanked Ollie as she brought them some cold drinks.


    ¡°Hannah, being a Boxer, is a perfect fit as an evasion-based Tank. And Daryl, being a Heavy Knight, has the highest VIT rating out of all of us. Xeno, a Pdin, has <<Ember Aura>> and a range of skills that are effective against the Undead. Each of them has their quirks that are well-identified, too.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re exploring your options to find what¡¯s best for a Knight like you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m new here, so while I may be used to fighting alongside you, there¡¯s no telling who I¡¯ll have to work withter on¡­ I mean, I know Korinna is also an excellent Healer in her own right, of course.¡±


    Garm¡¯s slightly damp indigo-furred ears twitched, seemingly conscious of his surroundings. Then he picked up his ss and gulped down the iced lemon juice.


    ¡°But to be honest, I joined this n so that I could team up with you, so I¡¯ll have to put in the effort to not be left behind.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much need to worry about that ¡ª it¡¯s not like we¡¯re operating on very clear team hierarchies or anything. Well, I might be hand-picking my team¡¯s members for our first win onyer eighty, but after that, I n to have everyone else get through as well, of course.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing¡­ I want to be one of the members of that first try. Honestly, I was jealous when I saw your team score the win onyer seventy ¡ª on your first try, no less.¡±


    Garm put down his ss and folded his hands. On one hand, Garm had been happy to see Tsutomu winning ¡ª he was proud of the fact that no one made fun of Tsutomu anymore.


    But on the other hand, he regretted that he could not be there. He wondered what would have happened if things had been different ¡ª if he had been fighting alongside them. Garm ended up not getting any sleepter that night because he kept reying that battle in his head ¡ª and imagining the different other ways it could have yed out.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to be there this time around. And I¡¯m going to make every effort to achieve that.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Let¡¯s start with leveling you up, then. Aim for level 70 for now,¡± Tsutomu suggested, albeit while averting his eyes due to Garm giving him such a serious look.


    Due to their work at the Guild, Garm and Amy had not been able to raise their levels as much as they would have liked. Both of them were currently level 66 as a result.


    Garm nodded and stood up.


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯m heading out now.¡±


    ¡°Hey, wait a second. Haven¡¯t you fought enough for today already?¡±


    ¡°Time is a limited resource.¡±


    ¡°Always is. But there¡¯s such a thing as too much, you know?¡±


    Persuaded by the look in Tsutomu¡¯s eyes, Garm very reluctantly sat back down on the sofa.


    ¡°Honestly though, I think you¡¯re already going at a good pace right now. Your skillset is different enough from Daryl and Xeno, too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not satisfied with just this.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you say so. I¡¯ll think up something for tomorrow, so make sure you get some rest for now.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Tsutomu sighed, unable to resist Garm¡¯s unusually cheerful smile. He then proceeded to think about the various capabilities of Knight-type Jobs and about what to do with them.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 180: Dumpling Haste

    ¡°Amy, you¡¯re paying way too much attention to Tsutomu. It¡¯s slowing you down.¡±


    ¡°Reeeally¡­?¡±


    Amy tilted her head slightly, prompting Diniel to sling her bow over her shoulder and said bluntly,


    ¡°Tsutomu is always gonna change up his style to help you anyway, so why not just fight however you want?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, he¡¯s human, y¡¯know ¡ª can¡¯t expect him to do everything.¡±


    ¡°Is he really human, though?¡±


    ¡°THAT¡¯s what you¡¯re doubting? Really? I mean, what else would he be?¡±


    Diniel, talking casually with Amy, turned to look at Tsutomu with her usual sleepy eyes, her ponytail swaying in the wind.


    [What the hell is wrong with that Elf?] Tsutomu, while looking back at her, thought to himself ¡ª not because of what she had just said, but rather her performance inbat.


    It had been almost a week since Amy and Garm¡¯s addition to the n, and during this time, Tsutomu had received reports from other n members that Diniel had been exploring the Dungeon with Amy whenever they had free time. As such, this was the first time he had actually seen the two of them inbat together, so he noticed only now how clearly different Diniel¡¯s performance was from the usual.


    [She couldn¡¯t have done that earlier?]


    Tsutomu was, if he were to be honest, quite annoyed by how Diniel¡¯s performance would improve only toward the end of each fight, especially againstyer bosses. Her overall performance had always been fantastic, of course, but it could have been much better if she were to make a serious effort right from the beginning. Moreover, it was evident from today¡¯s observation that Diniel¡¯szy self would make way for her sharp and precise mode whenever she teamed up with Amy.


    Tsutomu heaved a sigh, wishing that she would always exert serious effort regardless of who she was with.


    ¡°Sigh too much, and good luck will go away, you know. At least that¡¯s what Amy told me.¡±


    ¡°And who do you think is making me sigh right now?¡±


    ¡°Him?¡± Diniel asked back, pointing at Xeno in the distance as thetter struck poses for the God Eye.


    ¡°YOU¡± Tsutomu grumbled and pointed at Diniel, who opened her eyes wide, seemingly blindsided by that statement.


    ¡°Me? You got a problem with how I did today?¡±


    ¡°More like how you did every other day. You clearly work hard only when you¡¯re with Amy. I wish you¡¯d do that all the time.¡±


    ¡°Nah. It¡¯s tiring.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Tsutomu was so stunned by Diniel¡¯s bluntness that he could not say anything back. Then again, she was still one of the best Archers around even when she was cking off ¡ª which was frankly quite unfair for herpetitors.


    ¡°Just remember that I¡¯ll move you to another team if you ck off too much.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m good at telling when I can or can¡¯t take it easy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not exactly something you should be proud of.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡±


    Diniel closed her eyes and stopped moving, seemingly having lost interest in the conversation. Whenever she took this stance, she wouldpletely ignore anything that was said to her.


    Despite this, though, her adaptability made her a must-have in crucial battles, as shown during the times she fought the bosses such as the Fire Dragon and Mount Golem. And now that the n had Xeno, whose <<Ember Aura>> negated environmental effects, Diniel was able to fight with ease despite her weakness against the cold.


    As such, in terms of raw power, it was unthinkable not to include Diniel as a member of the team that would attemptyer eighty. With that in mind, Tsutomu could not help but heave another sigh ¡ª though at least he did not dislike her, and so far, her tendency to ck off had not caused negative results, as far asyer boss battles went.


    Amira and Garm were also top contenders for the ones he wanted to include, due to how motivated they were ¡ª especially Amira, who had been improving her abilities remarkably quickly as ofte, not to mention herbat style¡¯s effectiveness against the Winter General. Still, since there were only two ways to exit ayer boss battle ¡ª either win or die ¡ª Tsutomu felt alsopelled to simply go with the best team members.


    [¡­I¡¯ve only died once, but that¡¯s more than enough for me¡­]


    The memory of his death to the Corroded Elder Dragon was still fresh in his mind despite it being more than half a year since then ¡ª and of course, he did not want to go through that again. Knowing that he would be brought back to life after being killed did give him ayer of reassurance, but Tsutomu did not feel brave enough to face death head-on just yet.


    He was not sure whether or not he would be able to get throughteryers ¡ª especially the nieth and hundredth ¡ª without dying, however. Perhaps it would be better to get used to being killed now, since the Winter General was infamous for killing its challengers swiftly anyway. But then he would have to actually put that idea into practice, which felt impossible for him right now.


    [Wonder what I should do¡­]


    Tsutomu looked on at Diniel, in a carefully calcted move, shooting an arrow right past Xeno¡¯s face to kill a monster. Perhaps she had done that because Xeno had cast a toned-down <<Ember Aura>> on her just now, quite possibly inciting her anger.


    Even Daryl, the one with the highest VIT out of the whole n, would not want to be hit by Diniel¡¯s powerful shots. Xeno, however, did not shed even a single drop of sweat as the arrow flew past his face. In fact, he even proceeded to whistle.


    And after the enemy Snow Hares and Snow Wolves were wiped out, Xeno cracked a grin, seeming quite amused.


    ¡°Well, well, well! A fine shot as always, Diniel!¡±


    ¡°You really want me to shoot you that much?¡±


    ¡°My wife and Hannah have spoken enough of your skill¡­ and I myself have seen how good you are. Go ahead and shoot however you want! Oh, and I won¡¯t me you if you identally hit me, by the way! Fortunately, I am quite used to taking hits from my allies!¡±


    Xeno, after saying all that, proceeded to sh his white teeth.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Diniel, seeming to have had enough talking with him, walked away and started collecting her arrows that had fallen nearby.


    ¡°What¡¯s this~~? You¡¯re really losing an argument, Dini?¡±


    ¡°Ooh, what¡¯s wrong, Dini? Feeling sick today?¡±


    ¡°Hannah, you don¡¯t get to call me that.¡±


    ¡°Wha¨C!? Why only me!? That¡¯s not fair! GYAH¨C!!¡±


    Despite both Amy and Hannah teasing her, Diniel caught only Hannah and threw her into the air.


    ¡°AHAHAHA!!¡± Amy proceeded tough hysterically at the scene.


    Tsutomu, also about to tease Diniel, stopped in his tracks upon witnessing everything go down, and instead tapped on Xeno¡¯s shoulder topliment his performance. Xeno, in return, gave Tsutomu a reassuring nod.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    At noon, the team took a break, after which they resumed exploring and monster hunting onyer seventy-nine, focusing on checking their coordination and leveling up. At one point, when Diniel scouted the area with her arrows, she detected a group of five heading their way.


    ¡°Golden¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°Eh, leave them alone,¡± Tsutomu said, his voice deadpan.


    In addition to Golden Tune, Absolute Helix had crossed paths with some Guild teams before during thisyer¡¯s exploration. Not once had they seen Ealdred Crow yet, though, despite being in the sameyer at around the same time, which made even Tsutomu wonder how that could be.


    Golden Tune, seeming to have known that Absolute Helix was here, wasing straight to them. Tsutomu, despite having said to leave them alone, saw no particr reason to avoid them, so he just pretended to not see theming and resumed hunting monsters.


    Then, in the middle of the battle, Golden Tune joined in to provide their assistance. Two ns working together like this, when seen on the Monitors, was sure to be a topic of conversation among the audience, so people like Amy and Xeno were quite weing of it ¡ª especially since interacting with a famous major n like this could result in an entertaining show.


    With Amy and Xeno using eye contact to signal each other when to take over directing the God Eye, Golden Tune¡¯s addition to the battle was shown on the Monitor. The members of Golden Tune, seeming to have caught on to that consideration, entrusted the whole God Eye direction to those two.


    [They might even be good enough to write some guide books for Explorers¡¯ directing of God Eyes,] Tsutomu thought to himself while looking at Xeno and Amy, with the former casting a golden <<Ember Aura>> on Leon, and thetter cleverly directing around the God Eye during battle.


    Then, a voice full of confidence called out to him,


    ¡°Hello there.¡±


    Turning around, Tsutomu saw Eunice, looking smug as she put together a portable <<Haste>> sphere. As always, she was high and mighty despite being the shorter one.


    ¡°Can you tell what I¡¯m doing?¡± She proceeded to ask as she showed off the process of wrapping a <<Haste>> sphere with a <<Barrier>>.


    For a moment, Tsutomu ignored her and checked everyone¡¯s buff¡¯s durations before sticking his White Staff into the snowy ground and spreading out his hands.


    Then he narrowed his eyes and focused, gathering energy in between his hands to cast <<Haste>> and wrapping it in a <<Barrier>>. Upon seeing that, Eunice¡¯s hands, holding her own <<Barrier>>, immediately froze up.


    ¡°Making a dumpling <<Haste>>, right?¡±


    Once Tsutomu hadpletely sealed the <<Haste>> sphere within the <<Barrier>>, he held it with both hands and dropped it in front of Eunice. When Eunice saw the sphere fall onto the snow ¡ª and heard it being called a dumpling ¡ª her face turned into that of a child who had just had their toy taken away.


    ¡°What the¡­ dumpling!? This is a new type of skill I created myself, you know! You can¡¯t just give it a random name like that!¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s what it said in the newspaper.¡±


    ¡°What!? Which newspaper!?¡± Eunice raised a fuss, swinging her tail and raising up her ears in disapproval.


    Tsutomu, after telling her the name of the newspaper publisher, disengaged the <<Barrier>> and let the <<Haste>> sphere dissipate. Then he looked away from Eunice, seemingly having lost interest, and checked if any of thebatants needed support and healing.


    At one point, he heard the sound of Eunice crouching down behind him.


    ¡°¡­H-hmph. So you can do it easily?¡±


    ¡°<


    >, <<Haste>>.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair how talented you are. You¡¯re a Healer, but you can be an evasion-based Tank and an Attacker, too. How do you do that? I¡¯m trying so hard¡­ but it took me forever to make that ¡®dumpling¡¯ <<Haste>> work.¡±


    Eunice, sitting on the ground, clutched her <<Haste>> sphere in frustration. She had indeed spent a lot of time making this type of skill ¡ª even working up the concept of it took a great deal of effort, and so did the learning of the proper application of the <<Barrier>>.


    Every single day, other Healers also pondered about what practice methods would be good, and observed Tsutomu¡¯s techniques on the Monitors to learn them for themselves. While Eunice held an extremely negative opinion of Tsutomu¡¯s personality, she had to admit that he was the best Healer she knew. And like studying an exam guide, she had also been extensively observing Tsutomu¡¯s performance.


    From studying Tsutomu¡¯s methods, she had tried skill cements, quickshots, and a wide range of other things. On top of the countless failed attempts made in the process, she had managed to make the portable sphere ¡ª the ¡®dumpling¡¯ <<Haste>> work. With this, she could support Leon without having to use the impossibly difficult cement-type <<Haste>> as Tsutomu did.


    She had repeatedly changed the way she cast her skills ¡ª forming them, breaking them down, and reforming them as if kneading a mud dumpling, changing up the amount of water and mud, as well as the techniques and tools used. After much trial and error, Eunice had seeded at inventing a new type of skill ¡ª a precious, one-of-a-kind treasure to her.


    ¡°But you¡­ you just¡­¡±


    Despite that, Tsutomu just made ¡ª seemingly without effort ¡ª the same thing she had spent a long time struggling to create. It felt as if a near-perfect imitation of her invention had suddenly appeared ¡ª and he even called it a ¡®dumpling¡¯ as if to devalue it.


    Eunice squeezed her sphere so hard that the <<Barrier>> started to crack. Hearing that sound, Tsutomu wondered what it was, but he did not turn around as he said to her,


    ¡°Just so you know, I had a hard time making it work, too. In fact, that¡¯s why I haven¡¯t been getting enough sleeptely.¡±


    ¡°¡­And how much time and effort do you think I put into making this?¡±


    ¡°How would I know? Besides, the Pedestals showed you using it ¡ª anyone could have copied you if they knew what you were doing. It¡¯s the same for me and my skills ¡ª everyone¡¯s already using stuff like cement and quickshot-type skills, you know?¡±


    While saying all that, Tsutomu looked at the other Healer of Golden Tune¡¯s party.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Eunice cast her eyes down, albeit without turning her face away. Then, after a moment of thinking, Tsutomu proceeded to say,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you call this skill, but it¡¯s off to a good start, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°The dumpling <<Haste>>. It¡¯s quite inefficient energy-wise, but the idea of it is good. A very interesting application of skills.¡±


    Eunice was taken aback by Tsutomu¡¯s remark. Up until just now, Tsutomu had not shown any appreciation toward what he had called the ¡®dumpling,¡¯ making this current remark of his quite confusing for Eunice to parse.


    Still, right now, Eunice felt like she could genuinely acknowledge Tsutomu¡¯s capabilities as a Healer. She still hated him as a person ¡ª and receiving praise from him did not make her feel happy in the slightest. But as a Healer, Tsutomu was one worthy of respect, so upon hearing his praise, she felt a sense of pride and aplishment building up within herself.


    ¡°Well, there ARE still a lot of areas for improvement, though. Like figuring out how to make the energyst longer, and fixing how easy it is for you to confuse how strong you need the <<Barrier>> to be.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ngh¡­¡±


    Looking at the sphere in her hand, Eunice sniffed and wiped her nose with her sleeve, surprising Tsutomu and causing him to turn around.


    ¡°Uh, wait¡­ are you crying?¡±


    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m not! I just got some dust in my eyes.¡±


    ¡°No way. Just a little dust won¡¯t make you cry like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Come on, stop it ¡ª we are not even fighting. You¡¯re making it look like I made you cry, you know?¡±


    ¡°¡­You are so, SO annoying.¡±


    Eunice scoffed at Tsutomu¡¯s self-preserving attitude as she turned the other way and wiped away her tears with the hems of her robe.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 181: The Gnome, the Little Girl

    After the battle, Leon came back to find Eunice in tears. Other members gathered around, one after another, and the vicinity was subsequently filled with an awkward ambiance.


    ¡°AAAHHH!!¡±


    [This little¡­!]


    Eunice proceeded to deliberately exaggerate her crying, causing Tsutomu to grind his teeth in annoyance. The members of Absolute Helix¡¯s team whispered among themselves, while the Golden Tune team seemed to have understood what was actually going on. Leon promptly stepped forward and grabbed Tsutomu¡¯s shoulders, startling Tsutomu with his unusually serious expression.


    ¡°¡­Tsutomu, man, you¡¯ve been hitting on one of my girls again?¡±


    Then he cracked a grin, enjoying his sess in tricking Tsutomu into thinking that this would escte into a fight. Leon, being a Lycanthrope, had heard the whole mid-battle conversation thanks to his sense of hearing. And from one look at Eunice¡¯s face ¡ª which seemed as if she had just had a ghost exorcized off of her ¡ª he knew that those tears of hers were not genuine.


    Tsutomu, now that he knew Leon was just teasing, let out a sigh of relief before replying,


    ¡°No¡­ and you know I never did that.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s right, Leon! I¡¯d never consider even dating him anyway!¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯d never consider even dating her, either.¡±


    ¡°Hey! First you ripped off my dumpling <<Haste>>, and now you¡¯re ripping off my line word for word!? Are you not ashamed of yourself!?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not making a lot of sense right now.¡±


    While the two of them kept on arguing, both sides watched on and chuckled, and the situation eventually resolved itself without incident. The two teams then decided to proceed with the exploration together.


    Going together like this had its downsides, such as <<Raise>> not working across parties, but the experience point distribution was not affected much. Although both teams may receive less experience overall, they would also be able to take on more monsters at once due to their strength in greater numbers.


    During this cooperation, Diniel was in charge of scouting, with Absolute Helix and Golden Tune working together to huntrge groups of monsters she detected. The naturally cheerful ones, such as Amy and Hannah, talked casually with everyone else, and Leon asked Xeno about thetter¡¯s golden <<Ember Aura>>.


    ¡°Three whole seconds off. Your time management needs work.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Don¡¯t talk to me. It ruins my concentration.¡±


    ¡°The girl behind you already has the basics down better than you do. Milway, was it? You won¡¯t need to do much to be better than Eunice ¡ª just learn dumpling <<Haste>>. Good luck!¡±


    ¡°WHAT!? Why I oughtta¡­ I¡¯mma kick yer ass!!¡±


    ¡°E-Eunice!? You shouldn¡¯t do that! The God Eye is looking at you!!¡±


    The two Vulpeer Healers proceeded to argue with each other while still keeping up with their support and healing duties, with Milway holding Eunice back as thetter was about to get physical.


    And with such asional hups, Absolute Helix and Golden Tune¡¯s joint exploration continued into the evening.


    After finishing off arge wave of monsters and collecting about half of the Magic Stones, Leon turned to ask Tsutomu as they looked on at their otherrades,


    ¡°So, Tsutomu, when are you gonna fight the Winter General? Looks like Silver Beast¡¯s put their attempts on hold for now, and Ealdred Crow¡¯s bound to win sooner orter, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Right. And Sir Melchor might be getting there, too.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ him. Of course. His attempts are looking good too, yeah ¡ª always makes the rest of us look weak, man.¡±


    Leon shook his head, seemingly particrly conscious about this point, perhaps because he had known Melchor since before the emergence of Gold¡¯s Dungeon. Tsutomu, having been informed of Melchor¡¯s activities by newspaper articles, could not dismiss the possibility of Melchor winning despite going at it solo.


    Additionally, just like the Rotten Swordsman onyer forty, the Winter General¡¯s strength seemed to vary depending on the number of challengers. Articles by Solit Company and Dungeon Maniacs had pointed this out, so that was likely to be true ¡ª in which case, Melchor would have a good chance if he could secure enough Magic Stones to fuel his Magic Fist style.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even agreed on our first attempt¡¯s team yet. Not that I want to let Ealdred Crow befortably in the lead, mind you.¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho¡­ I see.¡±


    ¡°What about your n?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be leveling up a bit more. The cap¡¯s gone up to level 90 now ¡ª it¡¯s a long grind.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going all the way¡­? That will be time-consuming.¡±


    Unlike ying games, Dungeon exploration here was work ¡ª one could explore this Dungeon all day without worrying about time. But that also meant there were no pay-to-win items such as experience point multipliers. It also took longer to kill monsters, so leveling up to 90 was sure to take quite long.


    ¡°What else are we gonna do? That thing¡¯s strong as hell ¡ª not as bad as the Devourer Dragon, but that just means it¡¯s the second strongest thing I¡¯ve ever seen. Reminds me of how long we were stuck with the Fire Dragon¡­ well, I guess you wouldn¡¯t understand that.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu, man, I kinda wanna see you die¡­¡±


    ¡°Out of context, that sounds VERY wrong,¡± Tsutomu said, tired out by Leon¡¯s cheerful teasing.


    Looking ahead, it seemed that the rest of the Magic Stones had already been collected and sorted. Amy¡¯s appraisal skill enabled the piles to be divided equally in terms of value, greatly pleasing both sides.


    ¡°Honestly though, I think quite a lot of people would wanna see Absolute Helix be wiped out for once, you know.¡±


    ¡°Uh, what?¡±


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s looking forward to seeing you lose a fight for once, man. They¡¯re betting whether or not you¡¯d die to the Winter General.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ By the way, Leon, if you were to make a bet, which one would you put your money on?¡±


    ¡°Me? DIE, of course!¡±


    ¡°Bloody hell, man¡­¡±


    Tsutomu smirked and narrowed his eyes, while Leon grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ You can¡¯t win forever, Healer! You¡¯d better be on top of your game!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m totally going to do my best. There¡¯s no telling how this will go.¡±


    After everything was done, Leon jogged back to his team. Tsutomu, after seeing Leon off, also went back to hisrades. The two teams then went their separate ways, back to the ck Gate they hade from.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    The following day, Tsutomu went with a slightly different lineup of party members to level up and do teamwork exercises onyer seventy-nine like usual. At one point, Diniel detected an Ealdred Crow team with her scouting skills. Tsutomu decided to head toward them, but failed to catch up with them.


    Diniel, after shooting off another arrow, said with mild annoyance,


    ¡°You know, I think they¡¯re avoiding us.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Really?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tracking them with my arrows. Despite all this walking, we¡¯re not getting any closer to them. Maybe they don¡¯t want to see you, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ I don¡¯t remember doing anything wrong, though¡­?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Teach, just fess up! Rook¡¯s a nice guy ¡ª I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll forgive you if you¡¯re honest!¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve already decided that I¡¯ve done something, huh?¡±


    Tsutomu chuckled dryly as Hannah looked up at him as if she was scolding a child. He had not even interacted with anyone from Ealdred Crow as ofte, so it was hard to believe that they would just suddenly start disliking him.


    [The experience point distribution is the same as the game, so us working together won¡¯t make leveling any slower. Then why would they¡­?]


    Even if an outsider were to kill a monster that Ealdred Crow was fighting, the same amount of experience points would be distributed equally to all contributors. Perhaps they did not want to give experience points to Absolute Helix specifically, but Tsutomu did not consider Ealdred Crow to be so efficiency-focused to do that.


    Then again, seeing that Ealdred Crow was seemingly avoiding Absolute Helix, there was no good reason to chase after them. Although Tsutomu was concerned about Stephanie¡¯s recent shenanigans, he decided to put that on the back burner and proceeded to flick Hannah¡¯s forehead to make her shut up.


    ¡°Ouch! Teach¡­ now stay there and lemme take a shot at you! An eye for an eye!¡± Hannahshed back, tears welling up in her eyes as she rubbed her forehead.


    ¡°Garm¡¯s watching, you know?¡± Tsutomu pointed out calmly, prompting her to turn right around.


    ¡°Ah¨C! Sir Garm, I¡¯m so sorry! I am exploring seriously, I swear!¡±


    ¡°Uh, It¡¯s fine¡­ And also, stop calling me ¡®sir¡¯ already.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no! Sir Garm is Sir Garm!¡±


    ¡°One kid never stopping calling me ¡®sir¡¯ is more than enough. Tsutomu, can you persuade her somehow?¡±


    Garm knit his brows. Perched on his shoulder was a small terracotta statuette ¡ª which was in fact the Gnome, the earth-elemental Spirit whose <<Contract>> with Garm had been formed by Leleia.


    With the exception of Tsutomu and those with unique skills, a <<Contract>> with a Spirit gave a status boost of half a letter rating. As such, the <<Contract>> was not all that important to Garm, but he was doing this to try out various things.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can ¡ª I mean, that has never worked with Daryl, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir Garm is Sir Garm! And you, Sir Tsutomu, is Teach!¡±


    Hannah smiled and pointed at the two in question. Garm¡¯s ears folded back, suggesting that he was feeling awkward, and Tsutomu seemed to have a mixed reaction.


    After that, Leleia walked up to Tsutomu and spoke to him,


    ¡°Tsutomu, do you have a moment?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. What is it?¡±


    ¡°Can you try forming a <<Contract>> with the Gnome? It¡¯s upset that it¡¯s being left out, so¡­¡±


    Hearing Leleia, the Gnome ¡ª the statuette on Garm¡¯s shoulder ¡ª repeatedly nodded. Due to its haniwa-like appearance, the sight of the y figure moving around came off as somewhat unnerving.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    The Gnome emoted its shock upon seeing the reluctance in Tsutomu¡¯s reaction. The other Spirits were useful to him ¡ª the Undine boosted his mental energy, the Sylph helped with his evasion-based Tank functions, and the Smander could be assigned as a Sub-Attacker. But the Gnome boosted VIT, which was not useful to him, so he did not feel the need to contract with it.


    ¡°Please. It told me it would try its best.¡±


    ¡°Well, sure, why not? Shouldn¡¯t hurt to just form the <<Contract>> once in a while. I¡¯d still like to get help from the Undine most of the time, though.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. Now then¡­ ¡°<<Contract ¡ª Gnome>>.¡±


    Leleia immediately cast the skill, getting it done before Tsutomu could change his mind. The statuette on Garm¡¯s shoulder crumbled away, and a mass of earth started rising up in front of Tsutomu.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Perhaps due to the earlier conversation, the Gnome emerged in the form of a little girl no taller than Hannah. Its whole body was still made of earth, but its ¡®skin¡¯ looked just like that of a human¡¯s, and it even wore clothes adorned with y essories. And in its hands, it was holding the haniwa-like terracotta statuette that had been on Garm¡¯s shoulder earlier.


    ¡°So it IS trying its best¡­¡± Tsutomu grumbled and flicked the Gnome¡¯s forehead as it was about to hug his waist. ¡°But is this really what it should be the best at?¡±


    ¡°¡­There are still many things we don¡¯t understand about the Spirits,¡± Leleia said and closed her eyes, tantly dodging the question.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 182: Oh No, She’s Weak

    The Gnome ¡ª whose artificial body looked like a girl around Hannah¡¯s age ¡ª was standing by Tsutomu¡¯s side as if to guard him. After just five minutes of looking around vigntly, though, it opened its mouth as if begging for a piece of candy¡­ which, considering it was a Spirit, actually meant a Magic Stone.


    [This isn¡¯t helpful at all¡­]


    Tsutomu stared coldly at the Gnome as it kept its mouth open and stared at him with its baby-doll eyes as if that would induce his protective instinct. Tsutomu proceeded to nce sideways at Leleia, and saw that she was clearly avoiding eye contact.


    Despite the Gnome starting to look discouraged due to not being fed a Magic stone, the look in Tsutomu¡¯s eyes remained as cold as ever. Hannah, unable to see this go on, pped her wings angrily and flew toward Tsutomu.


    ¡°Teach! You¡¯re making it sad again!¡±


    ¡°But all it¡¯s been doing is loiter around! Is it even good for anything?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cute!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything to be cute! Besides, this isn¡¯t even the main body ¡ª this little thing is!¡±


    Tsutomu pointed at the statuette on the earth girl¡¯s shoulder. Indeed, therger body was nothing but artificial ¡ª the Gnome was actually the terracotta statuette with an unnerving face.


    ¡°The other Spirits are helpful, so it¡¯s worth feeding them Magic Stones¡­ But the Gnome hasn¡¯t done anything to earn one from me. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Gnome can do something too! It¡¯s too early to tell!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Look! It just nodded!¡±


    For some reason, Hannah¡¯s reaction to the Gnome¡¯s nod was quite exaggerated. Tsutomu turned to the Gnome again, and this time, it shut its eyes as if to focus its energy.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Then the Gnome¡¯s artificial body¡¯s chest area became bigger ¡ª to about Hannah¡¯s size, though it was somewhat hard to notice due to its multiyered dress and all the essories.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Ooh! It made them as soft as the real thing, too!¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t what it should be focusing on¡­¡±


    The Gnome seemed particrly proud of its new chest as it was being touched by Hannah. The terracotta statuette on its shoulder also looked somewhat pleased. Tsutomu, looking at the two very simr girls, then let out a sigh of resignation. He reached into his Magic Bag and took out a Small Colorless Magic Stone.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯ll ask Leleia about the Gnome sometimeter. THEN I¡¯ll think of some way you can be useful.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Happy to receive a Small Magic Stone from Tsutomu atst, the Gnome nodded repeatedly.


    ¡°So just take that and go home for today, all right?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    The Gnome took a bite of the Small Magic Stone it had received and waved goodbye with a smile. Then both the statuette and the artificial girl crumbled into the earth and disappeared.


    Then, after confirming with Leleia that the <<Contract>> had indeed been disengaged, he lethargically looked up at the sky.


    ¡°Now, to never form a <<Contract>> with it again¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­TEACH~~?¡±


    ¡°Just kidding. But really, I have no idea how to make this setup work, you know?¡±


    ¡°You can just switch to being a non-evasion-based Tank, Teach!¡±


    ¡°And get myself killed? No thanks.¡±


    A White Mage was sure to die as a full-time Tank due to their VIT being even lower than that of a Boxer. Moreover, the Spirits¡¯ magic could not be used much either due to it consuming Leleia¡¯s mental energy.


    ¡°Look, enough talking about Gnome. Time to get back to training.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough~~! I don¡¯t wanna see snow ever again~~!¡±


    ¡°Stop whining. You used to be with Ealdred Crow ¡ª surely it was way worse than this.¡±


    ¡°Well, I mean, sure¡­ But the work environment over there meant I couldn¡¯t reallyin at all, you know¡­¡±


    While inbat, Absolute Helix¡¯s performance was as good as Ealdred Crow¡¯s best, but they required regr break times. In addition, they would normally return to the Guild at noon to go out for lunch in town, and in the afternoon, they would wait to start exploring when the areas around the Monitors were starting to get crowded.


    Those of Ealdred Crow, on the other hand, could opt to stay in the Dungeon to train all day, eating only rations in most cases. And they would spend their time in the Dungeon fighting almost constantly, with only asional five-minute breaks.


    Moreover, that was not even their n¡¯s official policy ¡ª the Explorers usually chose to do that themselves, which one could consider one of Ealdred Crow¡¯s standout strengths. The higher up the rank a member was, the better they were treated, so the Explorers were extremely motivated, and the turnover rate was so high that one did not have the time to stop andin.


    ¡°Oh yeah? How about we follow Ealdred Crow¡¯s example, then?¡±


    ¡°Teach. Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Hannah said, her voice shaky. ¡°See how scary the look in Diniel¡¯s eyes has be?¡±


    Diniel, having been listening carefully to the conversation, now looked as if she was out on a hunt with her eyespletely focused on the prey.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t particrly mind that,¡± Leleia said. ¡°A little more discipline should do us some good.¡±


    ¡°Leleia! Don¡¯t say anything unnecessary if you know what¡¯s good for you! Diniel would kill a girl if it means she gets more days off!¡±


    ¡°You talk too much.¡±


    ¡°OWOWOW! S-SEE!? THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU OPPOSE HER!!¡± Hannah screamed as Diniel clutched her head in a wrestling w hold.


    Leleia looked on, feeling awkward. Garm, seeming to have gotten used to Hannah¡¯s schtick by now, did not step in to stop what an outsider would perceive as excessive violence.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    ¡°<<Haste>>. <<Barrier>>.¡±


    Today was yet another day of Golden Tune¡¯s training onyer seventy-nine, and also another day of Eunice ¡ª their Healer ¡ª making portable <<Haste>> spheres for Leon. In addition to that, she had been getting better at casting quickshot-type skills and applying various other tricks as ofte.


    At first, she had wanted to get back at Tsutomu ¡ª to invent a brand new type of skill that would one-up him. But now, she was not developing her skills with that aim in mind.


    Ever since the other day, when Tsutomu had evaluated her portable sphere <<Haste>>, Eunice had had a look on her face so smug that it weirded Milway out.


    Tsutomu had approved of this skill ¡ª the skill a certain newspaper publisher had named the dumpling <<Haste>>, and the skill that she had worked on for close to two months. Eunice had been so happy about this aplishment that she had spent hours celebrating alone in her room after the team was done exploring the Dungeon that day.


    Later, while giving an interview to a journalist, she had decided on officially calling it a dumpling-type buff, and also dered that she would work to further improve it. And so, Eunice¡¯s goal had changed from one-upping Tsutomu to developing as many useful skills for her team as she could.


    [There has to be something more¡­ Something better. I¡¯ll figure it all out, and then¡­]


    Although she still wanted to surpass Tsutomu, right now she was focusing on helping out her team. But of course, if circumstances were to permit, she would also like to gain Tsutomu¡¯s approval with another one of her inventions.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one I need, Leon!¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°So let¡¯s go away together, just the two of us!!¡±


    ¡°¡­You know I can¡¯t do that. I¡¯m legally married to fifty-eight people!¡± Leon said, repeating what he had had to say so many times in response to Eunice¡¯s sudden deration.


    The Golden Lycanthrope was, technically speaking, an endangered species, so he was obligated to produce as many offspring as possible. He had exined to everyone that he would be a polygamist ¡ª and everyone had fully agreed to that, except Eunice, the only one who had not yet backed down.


    ¡°But I will never give up!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Eunice turned her back on Leon and proceeded to continue walking, and Leon slumped his shoulders, suggesting that this was amon urrence.


    The Golden Tune team proceeded to continue their exploration, and after a while, they were approached by another group.


    ¡°¡­Ealdred Crow?¡±


    When Leon spotted them in the distance, he dashed toward them with tremendous speed. Eunice and the other party members whispered among themselves, and after a short while, Leon returned.


    ¡°They don¡¯t have any business with us. Looks like we just happened to run into each other.¡±


    ¡°All right, then.¡±


    Leon was good friends with Rook, the n Leader of Ealdred Crow, so even though they were both major ns, the rtionship between them was not bad at all. As such, Eunice nodded to Leon and went back to making dumpling <<Haste>> spheres.


    Then Leon¡¯s ears twitched, and he promptly warned his team of the iing monsters. The team proceeded to get into battle formation.


    Eunice used her dumpling <<Haste>> spheres to keep Leon¡¯s AGI constantly buffed, and focused on supporting the Attackers during the battle. Milway, the team¡¯s other Healer, focused on supporting and healing the Tank. The Golden Tune team proceeded to wipe out the monsters without difficulty.


    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s developed a new skill¡­ but was that all it is? What a waste of time. Let us be on our way.¡±


    But then, right as the fight ended, Eunice¡¯s ears urately caught that remark from a little distance away.


    ¡°You over there! Stop!¡± Eunice shouted louder than anyone would imagine someone her size to be capable of, getting a little reaction out of the Ealdred Crow team in the distance.


    She proceeded to run toward them, and Leon facepalmed, having heard the earlier remark as well.


    ¡°¡­Stephanie.¡±


    ¡°Ah, hello there, Eunice. Is something the matter?¡±


    Stephanie, sporting a blue dress ¡ª which was in fact a Healer equipment that had been looted from a treasure chest in the Snow Fieldyers ¡ª turned around and bobbed a curtsy. For a moment, Eunice was surprised by how ¡®darker¡¯ Stephanie came off aspared to before, but she continued,


    ¡°Take back what you just said.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And what did I just say?¡±


    ¡°You spoke ill of the skill I made!¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, I beg your pardon. I¡¯d heard that Mister Tsutomu had been impressed with it, so I came with great expectations to get a look¡­ but it turned out to be so silly that the words just came out of my mouth. Indeed, I am willing to take it all back.¡±


    Stephanie¡¯s provoking words and smile almost made Eunice¡¯s blood boil, but she remembered that she had just interacted with someone with an even more unpleasant personality. That kept her from getting physical, but that did not mean she was about to let Stephanie just make fun of her dumpling-type skills.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m insulted. I know I¡¯m a worse Healer than both Tsutomu and you. It¡¯s a fact that I¡¯ve epted.¡±


    Eunice quietly cast her skills, creating a <<Barrier>>-encased <<Haste>> in her hands.


    ¡°But I won¡¯t let you get away with making fun of my dumpling sphere!¡± She dered while holding out the sphere in one hand.


    Stephanie, looking at it, had nothing but a cold stare in her eyes.


    ¡°¡­It is nothing but a degraded version of the cement sphere.¡±


    Stephanie took the sphere from Eunice¡¯s hand, observed it for a short while, then threw it to the ground. Then she proceeded to crush it with the high heel of her shoe.


    ¡°Your inexperience made you unable to use cement spheres ¡ª you only created this out of desperation. It¡¯s worthless.¡±


    ¡°Why I oughtta¡­¡±


    ¡°How can one of Mister Tsutomu¡¯s students be so pathetic? ¡­Well, I suppose he was not the best at teaching, either. Everyone has their ws. It¡¯s just that I was able to fill in the nks myself.¡±


    Her dumpling-type skill had just been approved by Tsutomu, yet now, it was literally being trampled down by Stephanie. Eunice was, naturally, quite livid. She was about to grab Stephanie when Leon stepped in between them.


    ¡°Now now, calm down, Eunice.¡±


    ¡°NO! Hmph¡­ Stephanie! Looks like you¡¯ve inherited your mentor¡¯s unpleasant personality! Unfortunately for you, no one¡¯s gonna like that even if you have a pretty face!¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll rip those ears off your head, Vulpeer!¡±


    Stephanie held up her conductor baton-like staff. Not even a moment following that, Rook jumped in and hit Stephanie¡¯s head with a karate chop.


    ¡°Stephanie. I won¡¯t tolerate you getting into another fight, all right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I understand.¡±


    No matter how good of a Healer she factually was, Stephanie had indeed gotten into a fight with Silver Beast previously, so she was not in a position to talk back.


    ¡°Rook, man, you¡¯re not doing that good at keeping your people under control, eh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sorry about that. Come on, Stephanie.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    In contrast to Leon¡¯s good-humored smile, Rook¡¯s expression suggested that he was not amused. Then, after formally apologizing to each other, Golden Tune and Ealdred Crow went their separate ways.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 183: Why, Why, Why

    ¡°Is this all for today¡­?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°Well, no matter. Thank you very much. These always prove to be valuable.¡±


    Stephanie expressed her gratitude with a smile. The Ealdred Crow information, who had interacted with her for the first time, awkwardly returned the gesture. Part of the awkwardness was because he caught a glimpse into the room behind Stephanie, the walls of which were filled with Tsutomu¡¯s photographs and newspaper clips.


    After receiving today¡¯s new clips from the informant, Stephanie went back into her room, closed the door behind her, and took a few deep breaths before scanning through them over and over again. Wisps of energy around her ¡ª which were support skills that she always kept floating around her as training ¡ª started flying faster as if reacting to her mental state.


    Seemingly satisfied after a while, Stephanie took her eyes off the articles and affixed them to an empty section of the wall. The room, almost entirely filled ¡ª the ceiling included ¡ª with articles and photographs, was truly a trophy of Stephanie¡¯s entricity.


    Stephanie had thought that, after thepletion of her training with Tsutomu, he had entrusted everything to her. After all, the documents she had been given contained all of Tsutomu¡¯s techniques up to that point. Handing such a thing over to another person could jeopardize his own position. Regardless, he had indeed given them to her.


    Since then, Stephanie had undergone intensive training ¡ª and barely took time to rest ¡ª in order to master those techniques. Every single day, she practiced her time tracking, energy shooting, quickshot, cements¡­ And even things like deepening her understanding of other Jobs and getting better at controlling her flight. There was always something more for her to learn.


    Then, during the post-Stampede period of limited ess to God¡¯s Dungeon, Stephanie made constant efforts to maintain her position in Ealdred Crow¡¯s top team. While her peers were concerned about her, they all celebrated with Stephanie when she sessfully kept her position after the evaluation.


    And Stephanie herself, for that asion, took her first day off in quite a while to visit the market and watch the Monitors.


    There, she saw Tsutomu, working as a Healer for his very own n, Absolute Helix. And at the same time, she saw an infinitely distant gap in between him and her.


    Understanding her own abilities to a certain extent allowed her to see the overwhelming difference between her and Tsutomu. Time management, skill control, strategy ¡ª he was superior to her in every way. Despite having been delighted to sessfully maintain her position, Stephanie felt ashamed of herself.


    [I¡¯m not good enough. I need more training. More, more¡­]


    Following that day, she made good on her words and began training tirelessly, practically spending all her waking hours in the Dungeon. After her work with the main team was done for the day, she would join vacancies in the lower-ranked teams and work as their Healer. And even during break time, she would constantly practice her skill control and time tracking.


    At one point, she even spent whole days doing nothing but practicing her cement and quickshot skills. The human body could not go on for too long without rest. So, Stephanie soon found herself losing consciousness in her room, wasting one whole day.


    Through that blunder, Stephanie realized her physical limits and decided to sleep for three hours a day. There were times when she could not fall asleep, however, resulting in her getting dark circles under her eyes, and her constant practice of time tracking remained unchanged. Feeling pressed for time and consumed by training, Stephanie¡¯s mental health gradually deteriorated.


    Unable to control herself due to hitting her physical and mental limits, Stephanie found herself beginning to fling abusivenguage toward her peers. Eventually, she received a warning from the office staff that she would likely be demoted if she kept acting like this.


    [I can¡¯t do this anymore¡­]


    Finally, pushed to the brink of a mental breakdown, she considered giving up. She thought she could not live up to Tsutomu¡¯s expectations, and she was seeing absolutely nothing on the way ahead of her.


    But then, she happened to see her party members reading some newspapers during break time. Seeing a certain photograph apanying one of the articles, Stephanie¡¯s eyes widened.


    [Mister Tsutomu is watching me¡­]


    The photo was of none other than Tsutomu, appearing to her as a glimmer of hope.


    Such was how Stephanie started collecting articles about Tsutomu. She had always idolized him, but this tendency of hers worsened even further now.


    From morning till night, Stephanie would explore the Dungeon with the main team, and then join a party of nocturnal Beastkins as their Healer. Whenever she returned to her roomte at night, she would always look exhausted and dispirited.


    She could never show this side of hers to Tsutomu, however ¡ª so she started washing her face and wishing good night to photos of Tsutomu before going to sleep. And when she woke up, she would fix her hair into her usual mboyant, curly style and put on a nice dress before saying good morning.


    Then, whenever the days off of all her acquainted teams coincided, leaving her with no one to train with, she would go to the market and watch Tsutomu on the Monitors. Getting to see Tsutomu ¡ª so vibrant and full of life ¡ª even for a few moments was enough to motivate her for a whole month.


    With this newfound routine, Stephanie¡¯s mental state stabilized, though she still was unusually dedicated to her training. While there used to be a tense atmosphere whenever she was mentally overwhelmed, itpletely disappeared after she started taking to Tsutomu¡¯s photos.


    As a result of training more than anyone else, Stephanie¡¯s abilities improved so much that her Healer rivals were no longer a match for her. Her demeanor greatly mellowed downpared to before, and there were no problems with her behavior on the surface. Thanks to this, the manager of the n¡¯s top team withdrew their consideration to demote Stephanie.


    Ever since Stephanie started greeting Tsutomu¡¯s photos, she has grown significantly more mentally mature, as if a divine spirit had possessed her body. She still felt ashamed of herself, however, as she had not yet reached Tsutomu¡¯s level. When Rook, out of consideration for her, suggested that they do some joint operations with Absolute Helix, Stephanie turned red and refused. Then,ter on, Rook got a look inside Stephanie¡¯s room¡­ and so he decided to avoid meeting up with Absolute Helix, thinking it would be dangerous if she were to meet Tsutomu.


    But then, one day, as Stephanie was reading Tsutomu-rted articles that she had received from an informant, she came across an intriguing piece of information: Lorena, one of her rival Healers, had been seen forming a party with Tsutomu.


    [Lorena¡­ If I recall correctly, she¡¯s the Healer from Silver Beast¡­]


    Stephanie¡¯s heart fluttered a little upon reading that Lorena was Tsutomu¡¯s first student, who had even recently been praised directly by him. Hoping to find out what exactly that praise was for, she decided to keep an eye on Lorena.


    As it turned out, however, Lorena¡¯s capabilities were lower than what Stephanie had expected. Though their approaches were different, Lorena¡¯s time management was objectively sloppy, and her skill shots seemed to becking in power. She did not even use cement and quickshot skills, making her nothing more than a second-rate Healer in Stephanie¡¯s eyes.


    Despite that, Stephanie felt jealous of the fact that she was Tsutomu¡¯s first student, and that she had received praise from him. And so, when she met Lorena in the Dungeon, she ended up picking a fight with her ¡ª which escted to a physical confrontation. In the end, it took a scolding from Rook for her to settle down.


    And then came Eunice¡¯s feature on the news. Stephanie saw her as no more than a third-rate Healer, as she could only use what was effectively a downgraded version of the cement-type <<Haste>>. And since Stephanie remembered that she liked to talk badly of Tsutomu, the former considered her a rude person.


    As such, their meeting earlier today ended with a simrly bad confrontation. Stephanie had just received a round of scolding from Rook, in fact.


    Still, thanks to her training, it was true that Stephanie¡¯s skills were exceptional ¡ª so much so that she could be considered a formidable rival for Tsutomu. Apart from those two incidents, she had not caused any trouble, and her rtionship with her peers was good. As a result, Rook could not exactly reprimand her too harshly.


    After Rook¡¯s lecture ended, Stephanie went out for more training, then returned to her room and put the articles she had received from the informant up on the wall. She then tied up her peach-colored hair and took a shower, then looked at herself in the mirror.


    (I am undoubtedly superior. So why¡­ why would you praise those other people, Mister Tsutomu¡­? I am superior, and have put in more effort than any of them! So why¡­ why, why, why!?)


    Stephanie¡¯s face burned with jealousy, a sight that surely would have made the informant scream in terror. However, as she was looking at herself in the mirror, she quickly realized that and shook her head to clear her mind.


    Then, after fixing her hair, she returned to her bedroom and went to bed, gazing at Tsutomu¡¯s photos on the ceiling.


    ¡°Good night, Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    Unlike the face of a Fiend she had had just moments before, when she fell asleep, she looked as peaceful as an Angel.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty cold today,¡± Tsutomu said as he sat in the living room, fiddling with his fountain pen while wondering if he had caught a cold.


    ¡°Want me to warm you up?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Boo~~¡±


    Amy turned grumpy at the reply she got from Tsutomu.


    ¡°Now then,¡± she proceeded to say, imitating Xeno, ¡°time to see what my man Tsutomu is up to¡­ Hmm!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ pretty good at that.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? Here, check this out ¡ª <<EMBER AURA>>! BLING!¡±


    Amy swept up her bangs ¡ª another imitation of Xeno¡¯s habits. Among the others in the living room, Hannah chuckled, while Diniel was not even paying attention to what was happening.


    Xeno himself, on the other hand, had gone home for the day, while the remaining five n members were either training or visiting the Dorren Workshop. Since today was a day off from Dungeon exploration, everyone was free to spend their time at their own leisure.


    ¡°So, what¡¯re you up to?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ we¡¯ll be fighting the Winter General soon, so I¡¯m mapping out our ns.¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho¡­ By the waaayyy¡­ Who¡¯s gonna be in the team~~?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeeeaaahhh¡­ I wanna know too~~!¡±


    ¡°Settle down, both of you. I¡¯m not telling anyone anything.¡±


    Tsutomu fluttered his papers at Amy and Hannah, keeping them away as they approached him.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Teach! Just a little hint?¡±


    ¡°Do tell, my man! Do tell!¡±


    ¡°Stop it.¡±


    Tsutomu brushed Hannah aside as she tried to tickle his ear with a feather ¡ª and then Amy as she clung to his shoulder. Then he proceeded to move away from them and sat down where Diniel was.


    ¡°Oh yeah, I just remembered¡­ I¡¯d like to ask you something, Amy.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? W-what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Between Gram and Daryl, who do you think is stronger?¡±


    ¡°Meh, I dunno.¡±


    Amy¡¯s eyes had been sparkling for a moment, but then she lost interest as soon as she heard their names.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, give me something ¡ª just a guess is fine.¡±


    ¡°Should be Garm, then. I mean, he¡¯s Daryl¡¯s mentor for a reason.¡±


    ¡°But you know,¡± Hannah spoke up. ¡°Daryl¡¯s been getting pretty strong these days! I don¡¯t know for sure if he¡¯ll win against Sir Garm, of course¡­ but I think he¡¯d at least put up a good fight!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I see¡­¡±


    Tsutomu, unsure about the answer those two had given, fiddled with his pen. Then, after thanking them, he went back to his room, mumbling something to himself on the way.


    Amy and Hannah, confused, let out a sigh of exasperation at Tsutomu¡¯s usual behavior.


    ¡°The Winter General, huh¡­ I kinda wanna be in the team to fight it first.¡±


    ¡°So do I! Here¡¯s hoping we both get in!¡±


    Hannah dropped herself onto the sofa, causing her breasts to jiggle; Amy, taking notice of that, narrowed her eyes and approached her.


    ¡°You better not use THOSE to get your way~~!¡±


    ¡°What!? Of course I¡¯m not gonna do that!¡±


    ¡°Really~~? There¡¯s no telling how much illegal power you¡¯ve got in THEM!¡±


    Hannah would wear a heavy coat whenever she was exploring the Snow Fieldyers, so Amy would not notice them as much, but now that she got a good look at the former in loungewear, it was quite clear howrge Hannah¡¯s chest was. Amy proceeded to Poke Hannah¡¯s chest and let out a loud sigh.


    ¡°Hannie¡­ How the hell are you younger than me?¡±


    ¡°D-don¡¯t worry about it! He doesn¡¯t look at people¡¯s chests at all ¡ª so he probably doesn¡¯t really care about size!¡±


    ¡°Rally!?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really! He¡¯s making me feel less confident of my size, actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Gah! Shaddup! You¡¯re supposed to appreciate your blessings!¡±


    ¡°Gyah¨C!! D-Diniel! Help me!¡±


    Hannah called for help as Amy jumped at her, causing Diniel to snap to attention ¡ª and when she saw what was going on, she stood up from the sofa. A glimmer of hope shed in Hannah¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯mma go read a book.¡±


    ¡°Diniel!? Wait, Diniel! Help me!! PLEASE!!¡±


    ¡°Okay, now I¡¯m gonna make you feel SO PROUD of yourself¡­¡±


    ¡°Amy!? Why do you look so scary!? AHH, HELP! SOMEONE, HELP MEEEEEE!!¡±


    Ollie, hearing that scream, rushed to the living room. But by the time she arrived, there was only Hannah there, still as a sunken ship, her face buried in one of the sofas.

 Chapter 184: Tsutomu, Demoted?

    While Tsutomu was agonizing over his choices of team members, Melchor, with his Magic Stone supply fully replenished, went down toyer eighty again to challenge the Winter General again. Gaining a significant power boost and elemental advantage by using the Volcanoyers¡¯ Inferno Magic Stones with his Magic Fist, he impressively seeded in taking the monster down.


    [Huh, so going solo does have differences other than power levels¡­]


    The Absolute Helix team also got to witness this victory live, as they had decided to stay in the Guild and watch the Monitor after today¡¯s Dungeon exploration. Tsutomu noticed that many of the Winter General¡¯s attacks did not match up with what he was used to from Live Dungeon, however. For one, Ealdred Crow had recently managed to reach the fight¡¯s final phase, so he knew that there would be three phases to the fight ¡ª but during Melchor¡¯s fight just now, the second phase had been skipped over.


    Still, it was beneficial that he got a look at the Winter General¡¯s final phase. These days, Ealdred Crow was the only n attemptingyer eighty, so Melchor¡¯s winning attempt today was sure to be a good source of reference material.


    Another thing worth noting was that some of Ealdred Crow¡¯s top team¡¯s members had leveled up to 80. Absolute Helix¡¯s strongest member, on the other hand, was Diniel, whose level was 74. The difference in level numbers was only 6, but that gap was made up of an absurdly high amount of experience points.


    The Explorers who had reached level 80 seemed to have also learned some new skills, as they were seen testing out some never-before-seen moves. Back in Live Dungeon, Tank and Attacker-type Jobs would learn especially powerful skills as they got closer to the level cap, so one could expect them to make even faster progress going forward.


    [I probably won¡¯t get much of a boost, though¡­]


    Upon reaching level 80, a White Mage would unlock <<Holy Justice>>, a powerful Holy-elemental attack magic. It had its uses, but it was not an essential part of a conventional White Mage¡¯s skillset. In fact, most of their high-level skills were considered unnecessary bonuses, since they learned most of their essential skills at a rtively low level. The biggest benefit they would get from leveling up was the boost to their MND status rating ¡ª which, to be fair, would help them strategize and manage energy more easily, so it would not necessarily be a waste of effort.


    The crowd was celebrating Melchor¡¯s victory; Amy and Hannah, the team¡¯s party people, were among them. As Tsutomu watched Hannah being thrown over the shoulder of another Explorerdy, Amira leaned closer and whispered to him,


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the holdup? We would hurry and try the boss out too.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that we wouldn¡¯t until everyone¡¯s level 70? It¡¯s just two more levels ¡ª no need to rush. Also, your breath¡­ stinks.¡±


    ¡°What the hell!? This thing is damn good, man! Here, have some!¡±


    ¡°No way. I don¡¯t want to destroy my bowels tomorrow.¡±


    Tsutomu narrowed his eyes, already feeling wrong in his stomach upon seeing that Amira was eating raw meat.


    ¡°Tch, this is why you¡¯ll never get a girlfriend¡­ I mean, what difference are 2 levels gonna do?¡±


    ¡°Better stats and more skills, that¡¯s what. Besides, we haven¡¯t been getting anything good from treasure chests these days ¡ª it¡¯d be nice if we got something for our Tanks or Attackers before the fight.¡±


    Although the n had found some treasure chests while exploring the Snow Fieldyers, the threetest ones had yielded Magic Bags. Countermeasure equipment would not be as essential onyer eighty as they were onyer seventy, but they would still be nice to have ¡ª if they could find some while leveling up.


    ¡°But you know, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s still worth a try? Training with actualbat, and stuff.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to DIE. Besides, our equipment doesn¡¯te cheap, you know?¡±


    ¡°Shaddup! C¡¯mon, just one time!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure, if you go by yourself. And the cost to rece your gear ising out of your pocket.¡±


    ¡°¡­Look, man, I don¡¯t wanna die, either. But I know I¡¯ll get to fight at full power if you¡¯re with me. If that¡¯s still not enough and we both die, well¡­ shit happens, yeah?¡±


    Amira let out an annoyed sigh. Tsutomu, caught off guard by what he had just heard, coughed to hide his surprise and averted his line of sight.


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±


    ¡°The hell¡¯s with that reaction? You got a prob¨C¡°


    As Amira was about to continue, Melchor emerged from the Guild¡¯s ck Gate. That very moment, he was greeted with thunderous apuse which drowned out Amira¡¯s voice.


    Tsutomu gave Melchor a round of apuse as well. After that, there was not anyone the team wanted to watch on the Monitors, so they decided to call it a day.


    Returning to the n House, Tsutomu went up to the second floor and took a bath before having dinner. As he was the first person to use the bathroom today, steam rushed out as he opened the door. He proceeded to wash his body with warm water, and then dipped into the bathtub.


    [I¡¯m already makingpromises, you know¡­]


    As Tsutomu sat in the tub, he pondered what Amira had said.


    To him, fighting ayer boss was like riding a roller coaster. Once the car started climbing, he would wish it would never descend, but once it did go down the rails, it would turn out to be not as terrifying as expected. Tsutomu had already been killed once ¡ª by the Corroded Elder Dragon ¡ª so he knew he would being back to life, thus the assurance of safety that allowed him to make the roller coaster analogy.


    Against the Fire Dragon and Mount Golem, however, Tsutomu could not help but feel frightened. Once he was in the fight, the only ways out were either death or victory. That was why he felt the need to level up and n things out ¡ª so that everyone¡¯s safety was ensured.


    But it would not be easy to upgrade everyone¡¯s gear and get them to train until they reached level 80, however. They all were ustomed to death in battle, so they had a casual attitude toward going into the fight to try things out, even if it meant certain death.


    Moreover, spending too much time on preparations could lead to Ealdred Crow getting to the hundredthyer before them. This was particrly important because it might jeopardize his chances of returning to Japan.


    That was why Tsutomu now nned to challenge the Winter General when everyone reached level 70. He had already informed everyone of it, but still wanted to make sure they were well-prepared so that he could avoid dying. On the other hand, he wanted to conquer the hundredthyer before Ealdred Crow did. Such was the dilemma Tsutomu found himself trapped in.


    [Would it be less scary if we all die together?]


    Garm, Amy, and Amira were sure to say ¡®yes¡¯ to that question without a second thought. But while Tsutomu trusted his n¡¯s members, he could not bring himself to say ¡®yes¡¯ like them. If he could, he would not have proposed an escape n during the Stampede.


    [Maybe the arena will be so cold that I won¡¯t feel any pain when I die. And hell, this is a fantasy world ¡ª and they don¡¯t even have any medicine that numbs the pain! Like, super effective painkillers? Why don¡¯t they have those?]


    With such disturbing thoughts in his mind, Tsutomu tapped on the bucket floating in the tub.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, why do you look so¡­ scary¡­?¡±


    Korinna averted her gaze, confused as to why Tsutomu was giving her an astonished stare.


    Today, Tsutomu had formed a party with Korinna, whom he hadn¡¯t been working with much recently, to observe her actual performance. The full party lineup was Hannah, Tsutomu, Korinna, Amira, and Diniel.


    Korinna, serving as the party¡¯s Healer, showed a performance that exceeded Tsutomu¡¯s expectations.


    ¡°Looks like I need to step up my game¡­¡±


    ¡°H-huh!? T-that can¡¯t be right!¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ Feel like you need extra training, Teach?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s rich,ing from YOU.¡±


    ¡°Owowow¨C!? S-stop it, Teach!¡±


    Hannah let out a somewhat delighted scream, seemingly enjoying the way Tsutomu was pulling the corners of her mouth.


    Since her role required her to move quickly, Tsutomu had somewhat of a hard time keeping up with shot and cement-type <<Haste>> due to having not worked with her for quite a while.


    Korinna, on the other hand, could simply use her Channeler skills for the desired effects on her targets, making her exceedingly morepatible with an evasion-based Tank. And despite requiring less effort to maintain, Korinna¡¯s AGI boost for Hannah was not any less effective than Tsutomu¡¯s.


    Tsutomu had already seen thising, however, so he was not particrly surprised. What actually got him, though, was Amira.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice how much better your teamwork with Amira has gotten.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ To be honest, I never expected us to get along so well either¡­¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡±


    ¡°Eep!! I¡¯m sorry!!¡±


    Korinna, who had been nervously fiddling with her cream-colored hair, let out a frightened scream in response to Amira¡¯s displeased groan. At first nce, Korinna and Amira would seem ipatible due to their contrasting personalities, but from what Tsutomu could see, they turned out to have surprisingly good chemistry.


    Ever since Amira saw the Greatsword Fighter from Golden Tune in action, she had stopped solely emting her mother¡¯s fighting style and started checking out the Monitors from time to time. And despite her aversion to reading, she even started scanning through Tsutomu¡¯s newspapers every morning for extra information.


    And when Amira found out that Korinna knew a lot about the Monitors, she started asking thetter a lot of questions, which seemed to be the starting point of their friendship. These days, they would even go out to check the Monitors in the market together on their days off.


    Tsutomu, having spent most of his time in his room, organizing Dungeon-rted information and discussing finances with Ollie, hadpletely missed these rtionship developments. As such, he found their teamwork quite surprising, and was also amazed that Amira had be close with someone other than the n¡¯s original members.


    Amira and Korinna, having built up a certain level of friendship, had be quitepatible inbat as well. Previously, Korinna could not provide support to Attackers, but now she could cast her <<Blessing of Swiftness>> for Amira and Diniel as well. Furthermore, she understood how Amira¡¯s <<Dragon Form>> worked, and was able to provide healing and support ordingly.


    Amira¡¯s control over her <<Dragon Form>> was not yet perfect. She would lose consciousness when things got too heated, and sometimes, she would not be able to disengage it herself. Korinna, understanding that, provided Amira with the appropriate level of healing and support, which required observing Amira¡¯s <<Dragon Form>> extensively and refining her overall approachpared to before.


    Moreover, Korinna had the ability to foresee death ¡ª dubbed the ¡®eyes of a reaper¡¯ after the Mount Golem battle. Perhaps her performance would be even more remarkable if she were to fight on the eightiethyer.


    [Now this is getting interesting¡­]


    There have been so many new Healer-rted things popping uptely ¡ª the Mobile Healer style, a new type of skill, and newfound potential in more Healer-type Jobs. Thanks to Korinna¡¯s achievements, he believed that people would start seeing the Channeler Job in a new light ¡ª in a positive way.


    ¡°You gonna demote yourself, Tsutomu?¡± Diniel asked with a straight face.


    ¡°No. And don¡¯t jinx it.¡±


    ¡°Just kidding.¡±


    ¡°You should have made it more obvious that you were¡­¡±


    Tsutomu narrowed his eyes, feeling a bit of a chill run down his spine.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 185: Choosing the First Team’s Members

    Absolute Helix continued to focus on gaining levels, and after two weeks, most of the members were at level 70 or higher. Right now, all the n members were together in the n House¡¯s living room. Tsutomu looked around to confirm that everyone was here, then began to hand everyone a set of documents containing information about the Winter General.


    ¡°Since almost everyone has leveled up past 70 now, we¡¯ll start focusing on getting throughyer eighty. So make sure you read through the documents, everyone.¡±


    Leleia and Korinna were still at level 67, but that probably would not be a problem because they were expected to level up just enough through training with their assigned teamter.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± Garm said, his eyes burning with excitement.


    ¡°Well, Ealdred Crow is about to start taking this more seriously, too,¡± Tsutomu said while handing the photo-attached documents to everyone, ¡°We can¡¯t afford to wait too long.¡±


    Diniel, Hannah, and Korinna did not seem particrly excited, however ¡ª because they had an idea why everyone had been gathered here. Hannah had less of an idea than the two others, but even she was able to derive some suspicion from the serious mood.


    ¡°Korinna, both our teams will attempt the fight at the same time, so don¡¯t let your guard down.¡±


    ¡°Y-y-yes, sir! I-I-I understand!!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°R-r-ally! I mean, really!¡± Korinna replied, stuttering and blushing slightly.


    Tsutomu took a nce at everyone else and then coughed to his throat.


    ¡°From analyzing the information from Silver Beast and the Pedestal viewings, I¡¯ve already decided on the teams¡¯ lineups. Although they¡¯ll be called Teams 1 and 2, it won¡¯t necessarily mean Team 2 is weaker, so don¡¯t worry about it. Besides, even if one of the teams fails, I don¡¯t intend to leave them behind on progress.¡±


    ¡°Enough talking,¡± Amira said, ¡°And just announce the lineups already.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say.¡±


    Tsutomu held up a piece of paper and looked ahead. Hannah, after hearing everything, finally seemed to realize the gravity of the situation; she nervously swallowed a lump in her throat.


    ¡°For Team 1, the Tanks will be Xeno and either Garm or Daryl. I¡¯ll be the Healer. And the Attackers will be Amy and Diniel.¡±


    ¡°Whoo! ¡­Uh, huh?¡± Amy raised a joyful shout as soon as her name was announced, but then she quickly lowered her hand due to the mood around her.


    Amira, especially, seemed visibly upset. Garm and Daryl, whose names had been announced with an ¡®or¡¯ in between, turned to each other and tilted their heads in confusion.


    ¡°For the selection of the Tanks, I based it on their anti-personnelbat performance. The Winter General is humanoid, and based on what we know, Tanks with good anti-personnel capabilities tend to survive longer. Xeno has learned swordbat from the academy and possesses <<Ember Aura>> for adaptation to environmental effects. He also has greatpatibility with the selected Attackers.¡±


    ¡°I see, I see¡­ You can count on me!¡±


    Xeno nodded with a smile, maintaining his unwavering confidence. He seemed to have always felt assured of his spot in the first team.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if Hannah, being an evasion-based Tank, would function as well as back onyer seventy. She¡¯s had extra training for maneuvering on the ground, so she SHOULD still be decently capable ¡ª but since the ident rate seems high this time around, I didn¡¯t choose her.¡±


    ¡°C-cool¡­¡±


    Hannah¡¯s blue wings drooped, showing her disappointment and deted mood. She had a good chance of being the more effective Tank against the Winter General, since it could easily decapitate even high-VIT Tanks with critical attacks ¡ª but considering the possibility of Xeno faltering, it was understandable that Tsutomu wanted to go with a more stable choice.


    ¡°As for Garm and Daryl, considering ONLY his anti-personnel capabilities, then I think Garm might be the superior Tanks. But from what I observed during Daryl¡¯spetition with the transformed Amira, Daryl also had a sufficient anti-personnel performance on top of his high VIT. And so, I n to have the two of them engage in a sparring match.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh.¡±


    ¡°And the one who wins will be in team 1. Is that alright with you two?¡±


    ¡°Fine by me,¡± Garm agreed immediately.


    Daryl, on the other hand, seemed somewhat flustered. He had never won against Garm in a sparring match before. In fact, he had been easily defeated in their training session just the other day.


    ¡°I-I won¡¯t lose!¡±


    If he did not win this, however, he would not be included in Team 1. As such, Daryl showed his determination, to which Garm responded with a smile, as if to say that was exactly what he had wanted to hear.


    ¡°For the Attackers, I chose based on power output. The boss this time around is humanoid, andpared to previous bosses, it¡¯s much smaller. That¡¯s why I selected Amy, a Dualder, for her speed ¡ª and Diniel, an archer, for her uracy.¡±


    ¡°Way to go, Dini!¡± Amy said, controlling herself not to ham it up too much.


    ¡°Cool, cool,¡± Diniel replied, sounding as carefree as ever.


    Leleia closed her eyes in disappointment, and Amira looked frustrated but did not object.


    Tsutomu, having been expecting at least one of them to request a sparring match with Amy, seemed relieved when neither of them did.


    ¡°Actually, Amira, you wanna try having a match with Amy?¡±


    ¡°¡­? I can do that?¡±


    ¡°Well, I figured you wouldn¡¯t fully agree with the decision unless you did that. I don¡¯t want any longsting disagreements, too. Leleia, what about you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the n¡¯s leader ¡ª you make the choices.¡±


    Leleia nodded, seeming to actually not mind her assigned team. Amira, standing next to her, looked at Tsutomu with the eyes of a predatory animal.


    ¡°Heh, you really speak mynguage ¡ª sure, let me at her!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m cool with that, too,¡± Amy said, fiddling with her white hair.


    Amira subtly clicked her tongue at Amy¡¯s nonchnt attitude, but in the end, she did not say anything.


    ¡°All right, then. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll be having the matches at the Guild¡¯s training area ¡ª Garm versus Daryl, and Amy versus Amira. Be ready.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Daryl replied first, and the three others followed suit.


    And with that, Infinite Helix began to act seriously toward progressing throughyer eighty.


    ¨D¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D¨D


    The following day, in the Guild training room that Tsutomu had reserved for the sparring matches, Tsutomu started exining the rules to Garm and Daryl.


    He also cast a weakened <<Barrier>> on their heads, arms, and legs, then marked those <<Barriers>> with ink. The one to break all of the opponent¡¯s <<Barriers>> would be dered the winner. The weapons they used were made of wood, so there was no risk of serious injuries for these high-VITbatants.


    After the rules were all exined, Tsutomu let them engage in the match. It was meant to be a best-of-three, but the oue was decided in less than five minutes.


    ¡°Garm wins.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Garm, being a security officer who had single-handedly subjugated one of thergest criminal ns in the past, was clearly superior to his apprentice Daryl.


    Despite winning, however, Garm looked dissatisfied for some reason.


    ¡°Tsutomu, while this may work as a measurement, I doubt Daryl will agree with this result.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing better than realbat, so I think it would be better to test how long hests against the Winter General.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to do that. I don¡¯t want to just go in and die, you know¡± Tsutomu said, scratching his cheek.


    Garm tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need toe with us, though.¡±


    ¡°Then how would I urately judge the results? It wouldn¡¯t be a fairpetition, would it?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe with us, then?¡±


    ¡°I already said I don¡¯t want to die. It wouldn¡¯t sit right with me to send you two down there to die, either. Let¡¯s just make do with the result we just got, all right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm. Are you all right with this, Daryl? I can tell that deep down, you still believe you can win against me. That if you surpass your limits, you might have a chance.¡±


    Garm¡¯s question made Daryl¡¯s eyes wander nervously. The sensation of pushing through all odds during the Mount Golem battle was still vivid in his memory. He still believed that, if he were under that fight¡¯s conditions again, he might be able to defeat Garm.


    Garm, observing Daryl, put his hand over his own chin and stopped to think for a moment, then turned to Tsutomu.


    ¡°Tsutomu, I¡¯ll decide which one of us will be in team 1 by the end of today. Could you give me a little time?¡±


    ¡°What are you nning to do?¡±


    ¡°An actual fight with Daryl. Don¡¯t worry ¡ª all of the medical officers stationed in the Guild are excellent. They¡¯ll patch us up without any problem, even if we almost die.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ugh, I guess Daryl won¡¯t be satisfied unless it¡¯s a serious match, huh? Not that he¡¯d admit it himself¡­ Okay, fine. Just make sure no one dies.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Garm nodded, then left the reserved training room with Daryl. It seemed that they intended to carry out the match in the public training area, where a medical officer would be keeping an eye on them.


    In the meantime, Tsutomu let Amy and Amira into the training room.


    ¡°¡­And those are the rules. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Cool, cool!¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±


    After exining the same rules to Amy and Amira, Tsutomu let them engage in a best-of-three sparring match. Once again, the oue was decided in almost no time at all.


    ¡°All right, that¡¯s a wrap.¡±


    Amira, thanks to all the training her mother Camille, was stronger than most ordinary Explorers out there. However, Amy was so skilled at anti-personnelbat that Bruno, the director of the Security Team, had asked to train with her. And it was in fact the training sessions with Bruno that had improved Amy¡¯s anti-personnelbat skills even further, so much so that she was as good as Garm.


    During the match, Amira had been on the defensive the whole time, and got beaten without being able to get a single hit in. She was more surprised than frustrated, because she had thought of Amy as a cute girl ¡ª and definitely had not expected her to be anywhere near this strong.


    ¡°Lemme try again!¡±


    ¡°Nope, the match¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Look, you can keep the spot. I know you¡¯re good. But I wanna try again. C¡¯mon! I¡¯ll get you this time!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­? What should we do about her, Tsutomu?¡±


    Amira, unable to understand why she had lost, insisted on challenging Amy again, causing thetter to turn to Tsutomu with exasperation.


    ¡°Well, Amy, you¡¯re in team 1 ¡ª that¡¯s been decided. But would you mind ying along with her for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I really don¡¯t wanna¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you an extra fish for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ how about this, Tsutomu ¡ª I¡¯ll train with her, then you¡¯ll spend the same amount of time with ME!¡±


    ¡°Uh, no.¡±


    ¡°What!? Why!?¡±


    ¡°SHE can do this all day, that¡¯s why.¡±


    Tsutomu, having apanied Amira in her <<Dragon Form>> training, knew just how motivated Amira was. He had had to force her to take breaks on days off because she would keep training the whole time if he had not stopped her.


    ¡°T-then just half a day! On the next day off!¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, I can roll with that.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about! C¡¯mon, Amira, I¡¯mma whip you into shape!¡±


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll be on my way now. Have fun with your training ¡ª and don¡¯t push yourselves. Especially you, Amira.¡±


    ¡°Shaddup!¡± Amira shouted and pulled a funny face to make fun of Tsutomu.


    ¡°Well, try not to get beaten up too badly,¡± Tsutomu replied with some snark before leaving the training room.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 186: Fellow Pessimists

    Afterward, when Tsutomu arrived at the public training grounds, he witnessed Garm getting a cut on Daryl¡¯s face with his short sword. Both of them wielded realbat weapons, and they were not wearing any armor. Blood gushed from the cut on Daryl¡¯s cheek as if his blood flow wasically high-pressure.


    Due to Daryl¡¯s high VIT and Garm¡¯s low STR, the wound was not supposed to be anywhere near fatal, but vulnerable areas of the human body such as the face and neck were more susceptible to critical hits. As such, even with high VIT, the wound was deep.


    ¡°Come at me like you¡¯re trying to kill me. If you don¡¯t, you might actually die.¡±


    ¡°Ngh¡­ OOOHHH!!¡±


    Tsutomu had read a newspaper article about Daryl¡¯s performance at his limits during the Mount Golem battle. It was said that reaching that state, achieved by surviving a life-or-death situation, granted extraordinary physical abilities beyond human capabilities.


    Tsutomu wondered if that was simr to what he had heard somewhere ¡ª perhaps a TV program ¡ª about the human brain limiting a person¡¯s physical abilities.


    ¡°There! There¡­!¡±


    With his cheek sliced open, Daryl seemed to be operating at his physical limits, his movements visibly different from normal. Despite being inferior in skills, he fought with genuine determination. Garm found himself being pushed back, having difficulties facing an opponent who wasing at him for a fight to the death.


    asionally, Garm would sessfully attack Daryl¡¯s arms and legs, but thetter did not even flinch ¡ª and since he made sure to guard the vulnerable parts of his body, it was difficult to hit him with a critical blow. Having been trained by Garm, though, it was only natural that Daryl was extremely good at defense.


    ¡°Ngh¡­¡±


    A little more push, and Daryl¡¯s physical limiter woulde off ¡ª at which point, he would have a solid chance at winning this. Garm¡¯s Job was among the fastest of the Tank-type Jobs, but he still was not as fast as Amy and Hannah. As such, he struggled to maintain distance, and was forced to suffer the disadvantages of extremely close-rangedbat.


    ¡°Damn, when¡¯d the kid get that strong?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re really putting on a good show. Keep it up!¡±


    The other Explorers, gathering around the training area to watch the fight, started cheering for Daaryl as he gained the upper hand. Daryl¡¯s status as Garm¡¯s apprentice had be widely known by now, so the spectators were quite excited with expectations of an underdog victory.


    ¡°TAH!¡±


    Garm, losing his advantage to brute force, took a direct hit to the head from Daryl¡¯s tower shield. With an unpleasant-sounding blunt impact, he was knocked back and fell to his knees.


    ¡°Whoa! Awesome!¡±


    ¡°Keep going, boy!¡±


    Witnessing Garm kneeling down, everyone around them was filled with excitement. Tsutomu maintained a poker face, but his eyes trembled, disturbed by what he was seeing.


    ¡°Wait¡­ did I just do that!?¡±


    Daryl was surprised by the fact that he hadnded that solid blow ¡ª so surprised that he stopped moving for a brief moment. Believing that with this strength of his, he could defeat Garm, he then proceeded tounch a follow-up attack.


    But then Garm immediately stood up, his mood clearly different from before.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really gotten much stronger¡­¡±


    The spectating Explorers held their breaths. Even Tsutomu could feel how unusual this was. And Daryl, confronted with a look that had never been directed at him before, felt like he had no choice but to take a step back.


    ¡°¡­But I have as well.¡±


    Garm had reached the limit of his physical abilities, just like Daryl. The fight that followed was truly one-sided ¡ª so much so that Tsutomu wanted to cover his eyes.


    At the limit of their abilities, their physical performance did not differ much. Daryl was resilient, while Garm was more agile, however, which meant Daryl could no longer overpower Garm as he did before.


    Moreover, Garm had always excelled at anti-personnelbat to the extent that he had caught the attention of the Security Team, which was in charge of policing all sorts of criminal activities ¡ª including those of Explorers. Garm¡¯s prowess had led to several recruitment offers from them, a rare urrence in itself. Aside from him, only Amy and Weiss had been recruited directly by them, Amy due to her idol-like influence, and Weiss due to his capabilities.


    There was no way Daryl, whose physical abilities were merelyparable to Garm¡¯s, could defeat him. Having shed too much blood, Daryl¡¯s consciousness grew hazy, and he fell to his knees. Garm pointed his short sword at Daryl¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Give it up. You¡¯ll get to fight the Winter General either way, but I¡¯ll take this win.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ no! I can keep going!!¡±


    ¡°All right. Remember, you¡¯re making me do this.¡±


    Daryl¡¯s endurance and stamina, cultivated through rigorous training, likely contributed to the prolonged battle. But in the end, despite his refusal to give up, Daryl was finally stopped by a kick to the face by Garm¡¯s iron-d boot.


    Even as Daryl fell, he attempted to rise again, but Garm mercilessly kicked him down. The match came to an end when one of the nearby medical officers intervened.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    As the doctor began administering the appropriate treatment while observing Daryl¡¯s condition, Tsutomu looked up at Garm, who had approached him after noticing his presence.


    ¡°That was a bit too much, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll never learn from his mistakes unless I crush him thoroughly. When one gains that power, they start believing they can win against anyone ¡ª I had no other choice.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re speaking from experience.¡±


    ¡°¡­My past was filled with painful experiences ¡ª But, well, I¡¯ve gotten much better since then. If anything, I¡¯m grateful for the lessons I¡¯ve learned.¡±


    Garm groaned and turned away, as if trying to forget his unpleasant memories. Daryl stood up, seeming to have recovered already, his face having returned to its original state without any visible injuries or scars. On the verge of tears, he looked at Tsutomu; thetter, seeing that Daryl felt too awkward to talk to Garm, tried giving him a helping hand.


    ¡°Daryl, you¡¯re not supposed to ask ¡®did I do that¡¯ after, you know, smashing someone with a shield.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re finally awake? Follow me ¡ª we¡¯ll go over your performance,¡± Garm said before walking away.


    ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡±


    Daryl hurried after him. Tsutomu watched the two of them go, both of their tails wagging happily, and held back a smile by pressing his hand against his mouth.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    The sparring matches ended, and the final lineup of Team 1 consisted of Xeno and Garm as Tanks, Tsutomu as the Healer, and Amy and Diniel as the Attackers. The rest made up Team 2 ¡ª Daryl and Hannah as Tank, Korinna as the Healer, and Amira and Leleia as Attackers.


    The n was to stick with these general lineups until everyone sessfully progressed pastyer eighty. Tsutomu promptly wrote down this week¡¯s schedules, goals, and allocated training sessions.


    ¡°Daryl, he¡¯s your training n. It¡¯s just a reference, so change it however you like to match up with your team,¡± Tsutomu said and handed a set of documents to Daryl, the appointed leader of Team 2, who epted it with an ear-to-ear smile.


    ¡°Yes! I understand!¡±


    Thanks to the sparring match with Garm, Daryl had gained some recognition, and he was currently brimming with happiness.


    Afterward, Tsutomu went through Team 1¡¯s lineup and had a brief discussion with Ollie, who hade up with various proposals for n management. Once that was done, Tsutomu visited Leleia¡¯s room. The purpose, of course, was to talk about Amira.


    Since Tsutomu had already told her what he wanted to talk about, Leleia let Tsutomu inside. The room was neat and tidy, aplete contrast to the messiness of Amira and Hannah¡¯s rooms.


    Without much exchange of greetings, Tsutomu quickly cut to the chase.


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯ll be in a somewhat long-term team with Amira ¡ª are you sure you¡¯re alright with that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Having been in a team with Leleia on several asions to test out her <<Spirit Contracts>>, Tsutomu had developed a decent level of camaraderie with her. Because of that, he sensed some resemnces in their personalities, so he decided to speak up,


    ¡°You might as well tell her directly. Amira can be¡­ oblivious about many things, so she probably doesn¡¯t understand your issue despite being the one causing it.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have no issue with anyone or anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to believe. We¡¯ve been in the same team for a month now, you know ¡ª I can tell.¡±


    While Hannah and Amira werepletely oblivious during their time in the four-person team, Tsutomu had noticed what could be perceived as Leleia¡¯s pettiness. After all, she had gone as far as switching ns to get back at Amira ¡ª it was not exactly hard to miss.


    ¡°It may appear that the rtionship between you is on a somewhat positive side now, but it¡¯s still true that she¡¯s done terrible things to you in the past. Really, aren¡¯t you annoyed? Amira¡¯s always done things her way without a care for others, but now that she¡¯s reformed, she¡¯s acting like nothing had ever gone wrong.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Leleia¡¯s eyes widened as if she had been struck deep in her heart, Tsutomu¡¯s words seeming to have expressed what had always been on her mind. On the surface, she had done all this for the sake of her old friends who had been constantly looked down upon, but under that shell, there were murky negative emotions. Feeling that Tsutomu could rte to her, Leleia muttered,


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll admit that there are still some unpleasant sentiments¡­ Maybe.¡±


    ¡°I bet there is. I believe Amira, as she is right now, is a good girl ¡ª but I don¡¯t know all that much about how she was before. So I don¡¯t think I have the right to ask you to forgive her, Leleia.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± Leleia said firmly and waited for a response.


    Tsutomu, although unsure if his suggestion would go through, proceeded to say,


    ¡°But you know, I¡¯d like you to give her a chance ¡ª a chance of resolving this issue by talking it out. If you don¡¯t want to do that, you can settle it once and for all with a duel, of course. I think it¡¯d work out for you either way.¡±


    ¡°¡­How did you figure all this out?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Uh, well, you might not like the sound of it,¡± Tsutomu said in a self-deprecating manner, ¡°But I just thought you were kinda like me in some ways, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Leleia looked surprised for a moment, then she smiled. With her green eyes locked onto Tsutomu, she spoke sincerely,


    ¡°¡­For now, I¡¯d like to prove myself with my capabilities. I¡¯lle out on top and show her that I¡¯m superior.¡±


    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s begin with progressing throughyer eighty, then. We¡¯ll be in different teams, but let¡¯s both do our best.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    Leleia, who had been umting toxic feelings within her all this time, nodded to Tsutomu with a somewhat brightened expression.

 Chapter 187: Nah!

    ¡°Amy,¡± Diniel said as she shot some arrows to scout the area, ¡°You¡¯ve been trying too hard to work with Tsutomu. Focus on the fight.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Was I really doing that badly?¡± Amy¡¯s cat ears twitched.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say TOO badly¡­ but yeah, kinda. Like I said, you should focus more on the fight, not him.¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh, I guess¡­¡±


    The two of them often had conflicting opinions, but they never resulted in any significant argument. As such, Tsutomu said nothing and observed from the side, but then his eyes eventually met with Amy¡¯s.


    ¡°Anyments on this, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°I dunno¡­ How about you give it a try first? Just fight how you normally would ¡ª pay no attention to how I support you.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Amy agreed immediately and banged her dual des together, waiting for monsters to appear.


    From the following fight on, she fought without paying any attention to Tsutomu¡¯s actions.


    Amy had always kept the direction of the God Eye in mind, so she had a broad field of vision and could easily adjust her moves to make it easier for Tsutomu to support her. However, it was true that she had been too focused on thetter aspect, resulting in her neglecting her actual battle performance.


    In the end, Amy¡¯s change of fighting style yielded positive results, and her performance improved significantly. Amy herself seemed to be aware of that, as apparent from how she was pouting while twirling one of her swords in one hand.


    ¡°Okay, that was much better¡­ but it must¡¯ve made things more difficult for you, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what a Healer is supposed to do ¡ª don¡¯t worry about it. You¡¯re doing perfectly fine, Amy.¡±


    ¡°I just felt like I could do both, you know? Like, something just needs to¡­ click ¡ª you get what I mean?¡±


    Amy groaned as she crossed her arms and closed her eyes, and after sorting out her thoughts for a moment, she regained herposure. In the end, she decided that she would be fighting without paying too much attention to Tsutomu¡¯s support onyer eighty.


    Afterward, a minor argument broke out between Garm and Xeno,rgely due to their differing natures.


    ¡°Your aura is way too bright. Can¡¯t you tone it down at least a little?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Ah, apologies. I was sure I have already toned it down; the thrill of battle seems to havepelled me to intensify it back up! Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t justugh it off¡­¡±


    Garm was one to focus solely on practicalbat, while Xeno also considered how he could entertain an audience. As such, it was only natural for differences in priorities to arise.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d say it¡¯s fine either way,¡± Tsutomu said, interrupting the two, ¡°If you take the ir away from Xeno, he¡¯ll lose the brand he¡¯s built for himself, so he¡¯ll be fine doing things as he is.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    ¡°How about you give it a try too, Garm? You could turn your <<Combat Cry>> indigo to match your hair.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Garm immediately rejected the idea, prompting Tsutomu to chuckle.


    Garm did not say anything more about the matter, seemingly since he was aware of the tangible benefits of Xeno¡¯s style.


    As for the team¡¯s basic Attacker-Tankbinations, Amy was paired with Xeno, while Diniel was paired with Garm¡­


    ¡°You know,¡± Tsutomu said to Amy, trying to suggest that she changed her mind, ¡°You and Garm have worked together pretty well ¡ª especially during the Stampede. Maybe you should think about pairing with him.¡±


    ¡°Nah~~! I ain¡¯t gonna team up with that useless little pupper~~!¡±


    ¡°I should be the one saying that¡­ furball.¡±


    Both Garm and Amy immediately rejected Tsutomu¡¯s suggestion ¡ª which was disappointing to thetter, since he had seen them work exceptionally well when they needed to, especially during the battle against the Devourer Dragon.


    Afterward, once the team went through a few more battles, they decided to call it a day. On the way back, Tsutomu took the time to talk to his teammates about their performance, as he had been observing them during today¡¯s trip.


    ¡°Xeno, make sure your <<Ember Aura>> is never disengaged ¡ª this is important. And DO NOT set your sights on the monsters Garm is already pulling. You¡¯re already taking on more than enough.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I certainly have no intention of doing either of those¡­¡± Xeno said and shed his white teeth, pretending not to be concerned by Tsutomu¡¯s reminder.


    ¡°And Garm, I understand that Xeno can be quite distracting, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get used to him after some time. Make sure you two don¡¯t pull monsters away from each other. After all, if that happens when we¡¯re up against something powerful ¡ª like, say, the Winter General ¡ª it might result in all of us being killed.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Indeed, Garm ¡ª due to being a rtively new addition to the team ¡ª had been distracted by Xeno¡¯s unconventional approach tobat. As things seemed right now, though, time was all he would need to resolve that issue.


    ¡°As for Diniel¡­ you¡¯re doing perfectly well inbat. But you know¡­ how about raising your voice a bit more?¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Diniel replied without a care as she continued fixing the string of her bow.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be like that. You¡¯re supposed to be a wisedy, not a spoiled brat¡­¡±


    His words falling on deaf ears, Tsutomu groaned in exasperation.


    Still, it was a fact that Diniel¡¯s skills were outstanding enough for her tond a spot in this team even if she were to not speak a single word. Every arrow she shot would hit its mark with near-perfect precision, and she was the highest-leveledbatant of Absolute Helix ¡ª and not to mention that she wasrgely considered the best Archer in town.


    Furthermore, she seemed to put in more effort whenever she was on the same team as Amy, and Xeno¡¯s <<Ember Aura>> worked wonders to fix her weakness in cold environments. Her anti-personnelbat performance was still unknown, but since she would be keeping her distance due to her fighting style, there should not be any issues.


    ¡°Talking messes up my concentration.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you need some extra training, then. Just¡­ keep that in mind, all right? I could barely hear you whenever we were in a snow storm.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm,¡± Diniel, covering her mouth with her scarf, responded as if she agreed ¡ª but with a heavily nonmittal tone.


    Knowing that he could not expect much improvement from her on this front, Tsutomu sighed, feeling even more disappointed. He proceeded to turn to Amy, who was walking beside him.


    ¡°Any, I know you started paying too much attention to my support again. Don¡¯t do that ¡ª just focus on getting throughyer eighty for now.¡±


    ¡°Nah!¡±


    ¡°Gotcha. No more <<Haste>> for the two of you.¡±


    ¡°Nah!¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Diniel joined in the nah-ing with apletely deadpan tone.


    And with Amy cracking an ear-to-ear grin, Tsutomu felt the urge to facepalm. These two were practically impossible to keep under control when they were to join forces ¡ª it was like being a teacher dealing with delinquents who would simply never take their sses seriously.


    Amy, noting that, stopped joking around and turned to Tsutomu.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, just lemme do it how I like sometimes! I won¡¯t be like that when we fight the boss! Promise!¡±


    ¡°Nah, you¡¯re TOTALLY going to be like that. You have to get used to it now, or you¡¯ll mess up when it actually counts.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, okay. Sorry,¡± Amy immediately backed down after realizing from Tsutomu¡¯s tone that he was actually serious.


    ¡°Cool. I appreciate your willingness to cooperate. Now don¡¯t worry about me ¡ª I can handle you just fine.¡±


    Tsutomu looked around at all four of his teammates as they walked.


    ¡°Most of this team¡¯s members have been Explorers for pretty long now, so I expect us to cooperate just fine eventually, but I¡¯ll still be a little strict when ites to how we should fight. And if there¡¯s any problem with my performance, be sure to tell me, all right?¡±


    Everyone nodded in response to Tsutomu¡¯s words, and they returned to the Guild by passing through the ck Gate.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    ¡°I¡¯m exhausted~~!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Good job down there today,¡± Tsutomu said to Amy and Diniel as they threw themselves on the sofas in the n House¡¯s living room.


    Tsutomu himself felt a sense of aplishment as he was finally able to focus on exploring the dungeon after a long time. Today had been quite a productive day for him.


    The other team, led by Daryl, seemed to also be doing well without any major issues. Daryl, Hannah, and Amira had always been close to one another due to being part of the same batch of recruits. Korinna did not seem like the type to cause problems. Leleia definitely lived up to her im when it came to her capabilities, and she had recently started paying attention to Amira, who she would previously ignore.


    Later that night, everyone gathered for dinner. This would not always happen nowadays due to conflicting schedules as a result of exploring toote into the night to entertain the audience or Xeno being unavable. However, the n would designate at least one day per week for everyone toe together, and for this week, that day was today.


    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard that Ealdred Crow¡¯s main team recently got a new member ¡ª an Enchanter. Pollux, was it? Is he the Buffer that you trained a while ago, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°He is, yeah. I think he¡¯s even better than me when ites to skill control, actually.¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho¡­ so you have yourself a new rival, eh?¡±


    ¡°Not really. The roles of Healer and Buffer are too different to ovep, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°With all the new roles being introduced, we might be left behind if we don¡¯t stay on top of our game¡­¡±


    During the meal, the men discussed Dungeon-rted topics, and they were quite enthusiastic, particrly when it came to talking about Ealdred Crow.


    ¡°By the way, Sir Tsutomu, their team also has this girl¡­ Miss Stephanie? She¡¯s been featured a lot in the news, doing lots of amazing things. I heard she¡¯s just as good a Healer as you!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I think she¡¯s currently the best Healer around ¡ª and if her team gets past the eightiethyer before us, that¡¯ll show that she¡¯s gotten better than me, too.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Comparing him to other ns¡¯ Healers is fine and all, but don¡¯t forget what actually matters: how well you perform in Absolute Helix.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Sir Garm.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much. Doingparisons can be pretty interesting.¡±


    Tsutomu let out a dry chuckle, seeing that Garm started lecturing Daryl for bringing Stephanie up. Tsutomu himself recognized Stephanie as an outstanding healer ¡ª and that she was probably the one who put in the most effort and achieved the most among his students.


    Still, he had also heard about Stephanie¡¯s recent conflicts with Lorena and Eunice. He had been particrly ticked off by the part where she trampled over thetter¡¯s dumpling-type <<Haste>>.


    [Yeah, that¡¯s not nice of her¡­ But am I really in a position to criticize her?]


    Tsutomu, looking back on his experience, saw Stephanie¡¯s behavior as being akin to hardcore yers looking down on casual yers. He understood that because he had once gone through that phase himself. And precisely because he understood, he wanted to put a stop to Stephanie¡¯s disastrous situation that could create an embarrassing phase in her career. However, for some reason, Ealdred Crow¡¯s teams seemed to be avoiding him as ofte, so he could not exactly meet up and confront her about this.


    Still, leaving things as they were would be unfavorable, even if their rtionship was no more than that of a teacher and student. As such, Tsutomu considered working up his courage to visit Ealdred Crow¡¯s n House.


    ¡°Mmm! This looks nice!¡±


    ¡°Whoa! It¡¯s so sparkly!¡±


    ¡°You should try wearing one too, ¡®Hannie!¡¯ I know ¡ª a white hairpin would totally suit you! And for ¡®Ammie¡¯¡­ well, a ck one, I guess?¡±


    ¡°What the hell!? I ain¡¯t gonna wear no hairpins!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, ¡®Ammie¡¯! You wanna thrive in this business, you gotta be STYLISH!¡±


    The women, on the other hand, werepletely engrossed in discussing their personal matters. Amy and Hannah were particrly engaged in the conversation, and now Amira was being dragged into it. Even the non-talkative ones ¡ª Diniel, Korinna ¡ª were also forcefully included, making it quite a chaotic conversation.


    ¡°Dini, pass me the sauce~~!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    ¡°Thanks! You want some too, Ammie?¡±


    ¡°Gimme.¡±


    ¡°Nah! Stop talking like a spoiled brat, and mayyybe I¡¯ll give it to you!¡±


    ¡°Why you little furball¡­¡±


    Perhaps due to being sopletely defeated by Amy in their recent sparring matches, Amira was surprisingly non-aggressive today. Leleia, observing that behavior, turned to ask Korinna while keeping her voice down,


    ¡°Korinna, you hang out with Amira sometimes, yes? What do you two usually do?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Well¡­ watching the Pedestals, I guess¡­? And shopping, checking out the weapons, that sort of thing¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Leleia nodded solemnly as she observed the kind smile on Korinna¡¯s face. Korinna continued to share various things about how she would spend time off with Amira, and Leleia listened attentively.


    ¡°She¡¯s pretty amazing, really! It¡¯s like, at first she seemed imposing and forceful, but then it turned out she¡¯s a bit of a goofball, so I just couldn¡¯t help but follow along!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°And she did this super awesome stuff this one time! So here¡¯s the story¡­¡±


    As Korinna spoke nonstop, Leleia remembered how she had initially felt the same way. She could not help but continue listening to Korinna¡¯s enthusiastic stories.


    ¡°Here are your seconds!¡±


    At one point, Ollie¡¯s apprentice brought more food for the girls, prompting Amy, Hannah, Amira, and Diniel to pass her their empty cups.


    ¡°Thanks! Oh, could I get a drink too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡±


    ¡°Same here.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    ¡°Eep! R-right away!¡± the apprentice screamed as she rushed back to the kitchen.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 188: Pollux, Buffer of Ealdred Crow

    ¡°That¡¯s all for today¡¯s report,¡± said the adviser, a mature man overseeing Aldred Crow¡¯s main team¡¯s operations. ¡°Remember to keep improving yourselves, everyone.¡±


    All team members present in the conference room gathered their documents and took their leave. Among them was Pollux, a recently promoted, chubby man, who briskly walked towards the Dining Hall.


    [Finally, time for dinner¡­]


    Pollux, often talked about by onlookers as unusually active for someone with such arge build, was originally a humble second son from a rural background. Despite his appearance, he was in fact quite healthy ¡ª surprisingly muscr and with a decent level of stamina.


    Upon reaching the buffet-style Dining Hall, Pollux grabbed arge te and started walking around, piling up food from the whole selection. The variety of things he was mixing together was to the point where one might think the vors had be distorted due to the sheer quantity.


    ¡°Damn, that looks like food for pigs¡­¡±


    ¡°What a fatty¡­¡±


    Some n Members in the Dining Hall muttered with displeasure. These particr individuals had always been whispering behind Pollux¡¯s back, disliking the fact that he, perceived by them as an outsider, had made it into the main team in what seemed to be a short period of active membership.


    Although Pollux heard them, he paid them no mind. He single-mindedly focused on his meal, devouring the food and consuming rice as if it were a drink. While his eating style may appear messy to an outside observer, not a single morsel of food fell onto the table. The ability to quickly consume every bit of food without leaving a trace was a result of his days growing up in an agriculturalmunity in the countryside.


    To top everything off, he used a slice of bread to wipe all the sauce off his te, knife, and fork, and proceeded to eat it. The te and utensils looked as clean as if they had just been washed, leaving a surprisingly positive impression on those who prepared the food.


    As Pollux was about to start on the next dish, arge te filled with food was ced in front of him. Stephanie, in her usual bluebat dress, turned out to have brought him another dish.


    ¡°Would you like another serving?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Much appreciated,¡± Pollux thanked her before resuming his meal.


    Shortly afterward, the team¡¯s Tank, Bittman, and the multi-weapon Attacker, Sova, joined them at the table.


    ¡°Eating a lot as usual, I see,¡± Sova said sarcastically while observing the way Pollux¡¯s eating manners.


    ¡°If anything, you don¡¯t eat enough ¡ª it¡¯s a mystery how you can still stand,¡± Pollux replied in kind, and while Sova seemed a little annoyed by that, he in fact did not particrly mind due to having gotten used to it by now.


    After the disastrous Stampede had ended, Pollux had been approached by Ealdred Crow with the intent to recruit him back into the n. At first, however, Pollux turned down the invitation.


    His previous time with Ealdred Crow had been boring, eventually ending with his unceremonious resignation. He went on to find joy in painting using the powers of an Enchanter, and while his pursuit of the arts did not bring in much ie, he was able to sustain himself by assisting with his family¡¯s business. At the time, he did not at all feel the need to rejoin Ealdred Crow.


    But then, Rook had earnestly requested that Polluxe to the Dungeon City at least once to see how much things had changed ¡ª and so, persuaded by Rook¡¯s insistence, Pollux reluctantly set foot in Dungeon City after a long absence.


    He found that the Dungeon exploration business was no longer solely reliant on Attackers, providing an environment where all sorts of Jobs could thrive. Furthermore, when he saw the talk of the town ¡ª Tsutomu himself ¡ª on a Monitor, his perspectivepletely changed.


    Initially, Pollux underestimated Tsutomu, thinking he could do all the things thetter could. However, as he spoke with Tsutomu, Pollux found himself feeling an unusual sense of respect towards thetter. That feeling persisted even now, and Pollux regarded Tsutomu as quite an interesting character.


    With Tsutomu havinge from another world, this was only natural, but even without knowing that, he was a subject of great interest to Pollux. That feeling provided Pollux with the motivation to rise to prominence as the top Enchanter in Ealdred Crow, and now, he constantly strove to ovee the challenges of conquering the Dungeon¡¯s eightiethyer.


    ¡°Have you gotten used to the workflow here?¡± Stephanie asked as Pollux was finishing up his meal.


    ¡°I guess I have,¡± he replied, albeit with a tired gaze. ¡°This challenge we¡¯re facing is quite difficult, though ¡ª we¡¯ll need at least a few more trial runs to figure it out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think so, too.¡±


    ¡°At the end of the day, Bittman, our sess depends on your performance ¡ª If you die, it¡¯s all over. And since Rook isn¡¯t here, let me just say¡­ his Eidolons are too unreliable. Just make sure our Tanks don¡¯t die. We can win as long as they¡¯re still in the fight.¡±


    ¡°I will do what I can,¡± Bittman said calmly.


    The currentposition of the main team consisted of one Healer, one Buffer, two Tanks, and one Attacker, which was quite unconventional. Ealdred Crow was in fact the first to include a dedicated Buffer in one of their teams. They had gone with this lineup to challenge the Winter General five times now, and the results have been the best they had ever gotten so far.


    Bittman, having fought the Winter General the most times, was currently the one who could engage with it the best. Stephanie and Pollux provided thorough support, while Rook used his Eidolons for overall coordination. Sova chipped away at the Winter General¡¯s defenses as the Attacker.


    Pollux¡¯s Job, Enchanter, gave him the rare ability to enhance attributes such as STR and LUK, which could not be boosted by a White Mage or Channeler. He could also decrease the enemy¡¯s abilities and resistance values.


    The most noteworthy aspect of the Enchanter Job was the skill called <<Exchange>>, which allowed the maniption of allies¡¯ mental energy. This skill enabled the exchange of mental energy between members of the party. Currently, its primary usage was for Bittman to replenish his depleted mental energy by exchanging with someone who had an abundance of it, allowing him to more easily pull enemies¡¯ aggro.


    The amount of mental energy could be adjusted by the Enchanter at an exchange ratio of ten to one. It was a skill with versatile applications, but unlike in the game, rapid depletion of mental energy could lead to dizziness and nausea. Additionally, since there were no clear numerical values shown, adjusting the donor and recipient¡¯s mental energy levels was quite challenging to get right.


    Pollux was a special case, however ¡ª after leaving Ealdred Crow the first time, he had been using his skills to enhance his drawing and coloring processes, making him even better than Tsutomu at controlling his skills. Perhaps it was due to his early experience and talent in handling Enchanter skills that he was also much more proficient at adjusting mental energypared to others.


    ¡°As long as I provide support and Stephanie provides healing, Bittman can fight. Now if only Rook would stop skimping on Magic Stones, victory might not be just a dream. And seriously, that adviser really likes to criticize me without understanding the big picture,¡± Pollux spoke, his voice tinged with displeasure at the adviser responsible for the main party¡¯s strategy nning and administrative tasks.


    ¡°He is just being conventionally strict, I would say.¡±


    ¡°I still have no idea why we have to ¡ª or should ¡ª take orders from him. It¡¯s quite a privileged position he has, being paid to say things without getting into the action himself¡­¡±


    ¡°While our opinions on this may differ, it is a fact that we are receiving assistance.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Sova chimed in. ¡°Staff like him bring us detailed information and provide valuable external perspectives. Very important.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I want to believe them, is all,¡± Pollux groaned at Stephanie and Sova¡¯s rebuttals. ¡°The way I see it, the only ones that can truly understand the team are the team¡¯s members. If I wanted outside instructions, I would just ask Tsutomu to tag along ¡ª Now HE is someone who knows what he¡¯s doing.¡±


    Sova felt an intense urge to punch Pollux¡¯s round and chubby face, but refrained from doing so. On the other hand, Stephanie¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement.


    ¡°That is a brilliant idea! However, we should not. He is surely busy with his own things, and my skills are still not something I can show him¡­¡±


    ¡°Toote for that, then. You¡¯re shown on the Pedestals all the time ¡ª I¡¯m sure he¡¯s already seen you.¡±


    ¡°But Mister Tsutomu would never waste his time to look at me!¡±


    Pollux¡¯s expression turned visibly disgusted as he was subjected to Stephanie¡¯s baby-doll eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask for a while now¡­ aren¡¯t you worshiping him way too much? Frankly, it makes you look crazy.¡±


    ¡°Worship¡­ yes, I suppose that is what I¡¯m doing. Ahh, Mister Tsutomu¡­¡± Stephanie mused on, spinning around her skill wisps while looking as if she was having an interdimensional travel-induced hallucination.


    Observing her, Pollux wore a face resembling a pig presented with inedible feed


    ¡°¡­Has she always been like that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask¡­¡± Bittman said, shaking his head. ¡°She¡¯s perfectly normal as long as Tsutomu isn¡¯t involved.¡±


    ¡°Try not to bring him up when she¡¯s around,¡± Sova added, also shaking his head. ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you.¡±


    Sova¡¯s reaction was especially strong due to him having faced her chilling gaze after making derogatory remarks about Tsutomu in the past. Her fury resembled that of an insulted follower of a divine being ¡ª it was something even Sova, a long-time acquaintance of Stephanie¡¯s, did not ever want to witness again.


    ¡°What in the world did Tsutomu do to her, anyway? All I¡¯ve heard is that she was chosen to help Tsutomu with his teaching test run, just like me¡­¡±


    ¡°Hell if I know. Rook said he really didn¡¯t do anything special¡­ No one has any idea what actually happened.¡±


    Indeed, Stephanie had be much stronger-willed, but her other aspects had also changed so much that she seemed like apletely different person from before. Her abnormal level of faith in Tsutomu left Sova and others perplexed.


    Moreover, her capabilities had somehow skyrocketed to the point that no other Healers could keep up with her. Such an urrence was rare within Ealdred Crow, which is why discussions about Stephanie never ceased.


    ¡°Maybe we should try asking Stephanie herself.¡±


    ¡°¡­Rook told me to avoid doing that.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to obey his every word blindly, you know.¡±


    ¡°Hyah¨C!?¡± Stephanie suddenly screamed out as Pollux and Sova were talking between themselves. Then she immediately dove under the table.


    ¡°What?¡± Sova asked, looking uneasy at Stephanie¡¯s peculiar behavior.


    ¡°¡­Speak of the Tsutomu, and he shall appear,¡± Bittman muttered as he looked in the direction of the Dining Hall¡¯s entrance.


    Sova and Pollux also looked in that direction, and they saw Tsutomu, apanied by office staff, walking in.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 189: The Importance of Greetings

    Tsutomu, nning to persuade Stephanie to step away from her conflict with Lorena and Eunice, started by visiting the Ealdred Crow n House.


    ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯d like to meet Stephanie ¡ª could you tell me when she will be free?¡±


    ¡°O-one moment, sir.¡±


    The receptionist, having not expected that question toe so suddenly, quickly ran inside the n House. Then, after a while, Tsutomu was told that she was here, and that he could meet her immediately. Thinking to himself how lucky he was today, Tsutomu followed the receptionist inside.


    He was guided to the Dining Hall ¡ª which he vaguely remembered from quite a while ago ¡ª and once they were there, they started searching for Stephanie. Then, upon noticing a few familiar faces ¡ª Pollux, Sova, and Bittman ¡ª Tsutomu walked over to them.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± the receptionist spoke to them, ¡°Do any of you happen to know where Miss Stephanie has gone?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sova and Bittman kept their mouths shut.


    After a moment of awkward silence, Tsutomu noticed some magic wisps flying around the legs of a nearby chair, so he took a peek under the table.


    ¡°Ah, there you are.¡±


    ¡°HNGGG~~!!¡±


    The moment Tsutomu found Stephanie under the table, thetter covered her eyes with her hands, her face flushed. She then raised her head too high and hit the table with the top of her head.


    ¡°Long time no see, Stephanie.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh, Pollux? Is she sick or something?¡± Tsutomu asked with concern, seeing that Stephanie¡¯s face was so red that it made him worry if she had a fever ¡ª not to mention that she seemed on the verge of copsing, her breath ragged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Pollux replied indifferently.


    Sova and Bittman, unable toprehend Stephanie¡¯s recent behavior, simply watched on without chiming in.


    ¡°By the way, Pollux, I see you¡¯re on a roll these days ¡ª congrattions on your promotion! Sorry if this sounds insensitive, but I see you still have your¡­ people problems.¡±


    Pollux, quite aware of the looks many people in the Hall were giving him, knew that Tsutomu could tell as well ¡ª so he swallowed the rest of the dessert he was having and groaned in annoyance. Perhaps due to the plumpness of Pollux¡¯s face, for a moment, he resembled a grunting pig.


    ¡°Hmph, of course ¡ª those who can¡¯t stay on top of their game should quit if they know what¡¯s good for them. Nothing wrong about stating the facts straight to their faces, right? I swear, Ealdred Crow has not changed from thest time I was here at all¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I expect to see more cool stuff from you all. Shouldn¡¯t take too long until you get throughyer eighty, right?¡±


    ¡°And when we do, you¡¯ll analyze our performance ande up with new strategies that you can use to easily win. Good thinking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say we¡¯re THAT close to winning yet, though. Sova and Rook might need some work, but Bittman is the best Tank there is and Stephanie is just perfect. Despite that, we still can¡¯t win. So I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to pull it off on your first try, either.¡±


    Sova, with one of his eyes peeking out from his long ck bangs, looked furious ¡ª but surprisingly, he refrained from retaliating physically. If he were topare himself to his role model, Weiss, he indeed would fall short, making it difficult for him to object to ¡®needing some work¡¯.


    ¡°I think we have a good chance, actually ¡ª just put together two solid teams, you see¡­ But then again, maybe we¡¯re not all that different from Ealdred Crow. Sova is a strong Attacker in his own right, and Rook¡­ well, he has a lot of potential.¡±


    ¡°You think? Just look at this guy ¡ª he¡¯s just a Weiss fanboy. What¡¯s so special about him?¡±


    ¡°Damn it, Pollux! You really want me to turn you into minced meat, huh!?¡±


    ¡°Now, you two, calm down before things escte.¡±


    ¡°He can use many types of weapons, sure, but he¡¯s nothing more than a downgraded version of Weiss. He doesn¡¯t even have a unique skill. Even a monkey can do this much.¡±


    ¡°Pollux, I taught you that a Buffer¡¯s role is to draw the most power out of their party members, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Tsutomu put a little anger in his voice this time, prompting Pollux to widen his naturally narrow eyes in defiance.


    ¡°Draw out the most power, yes, but what good will it do if even their highest value is low? People aren¡¯t made equal ¡ª and Sova is, as I said, nothing special. Just think about it. Sova at his best is never going to be as strong as Weiss at his best.¡±


    ¡°Right, of course you¡¯d see it that way as well. But here¡¯s the thing ¡ª I¡¯m already seeing some ways to draw out more of Sova¡¯s potential. Underestimating the maximum value of such a talented Attacker like this just shows that you still have a long way to go as a Buffer.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    While the air between Tsutomu and Pollux grew increasingly tense, Sova mellowed down, surprised to have received such unexpected praise from Tsutomu. And then, noticing that Bittman had been looking at him, Sova hurriedly forced himself to tense up again.


    ¡°The point I¡¯m making is that, if you keep being so negative, you¡¯ll lose your footing sooner orter. I know you can do it ¡ª help Sova fight at his best, and help Rook¡­ well, take the fight seriously.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re not ying your mind games on me again.¡±


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯ve never lied to you, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    Pollux proceeded to tackle another bowl of dessert, ignoring Tsutomu¡¯s sarcastic remark. Tsutomu chuckled and then made eye contact with Stephanie, who had been watching them this whole time.


    ¡°Now, Stephanie¡­ I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve caused a couple of incidents recently.¡±


    ¡°Hyah¨C!?¡±


    Stephanie reacted as if she had gotten an ice cube slipped into the back of her dress, prompting a puzzled gaze from Tsutomu.


    ¡°Huh? Uh, are you all right?¡±


    It took a moment for Stephanie to contain her excitement, after which she straightened her posture and darted her eyes suspiciously.


    ¡°So, the incidents¡­ Specifically, I¡¯m talking about what happened with Lorena and Eunice¡­¡±


    ¡°Y-you knew¡­?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to the news, yes.¡±


    ¡°You knew¡­¡±


    Upon hearing Tsutomu¡¯s remark about having read the news, the look on Stephanie¡¯s face turned overly cheerful ¡ª quite the opposite of her nickname of Ice Conductor. Such an unfamiliar expression from Stephanie caused a stir among the n Members in the Hall.


    ¡°You probably shouldn¡¯t have done that. Just saying.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t apologize to me ¡ª and you¡¯ve already apologized to them, so that¡¯s fine. But I want to know¡­ Why did you say all that to them?¡±


    ¡°¡­I couldn¡¯t believe they were your students, Mister Tsutomu. Their levels were low, and their skill even poorer. Especially that Vulpeer girl ¡ª How could someone you have trained personally be that ipetent!? It¡¯s inconceivable, I say! Don¡¯t you think so, too!?¡±


    Stephanie suddenly went on a rant in a forceful tone, causing Tsutomu to be slightly taken aback. As far as excitement went, he thought Stehpanie¡¯s was just as intense as Lorena¡¯s, but Stephanie¡¯s aura gave off a more unsettling air. Feeling a chill run over his skin, Tsutomu quickly responded,


    ¡°Listen, Stephanie. You shouldn¡¯t impose your own perception on others. Lorena and Eunice have their own reasons for being Healers, so it¡¯s natural for their approaches to differ from yours.¡±


    ¡°But¡­!! They are not worthy of calling themselves your students!!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand why you are making that judgment yourself ¡ª and why you think you have the right to. Lorena has developed her very own style, different from the rest of us. Eunice has even invented a whole new type of skill. They ARE achieving results in their own ways, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°That little¡­! She couldn¡¯t use most of the special skills that you have tried to teach her! She only made one herself out of necessity! You¡¯re spoiling them, Mister Tsutomu! You¡¯re letting them turn a blind eye to their own shorings! So¡­ So why!? Why are you defending them!?¡±


    Stephanie threw a tantrum like a baby, mming her fists on the table, dealing emotional damage to Tsutomu by reminding him of his past ¡ª specifically the brief phase he had gone through in his high school days, when he could be considered a toxic yer. ying with random parties in Live Dungeon, he would get angry at yers who did not fully understand the game¡¯s mechanics and themunity¡¯s basic etiquette, not unlike what Stephanie had done.


    One particr instance resulted in him going on a long rant in the game¡¯s chat box, which then turned into an argument that turned viral as screenshots were posted on social media sites. That incident ended with his expulsion from his n at the time, so the scars of humiliation from that experience ran quite deep.


    Seeing Stephanie¡¯s skill wisps flying in turmoil behind her, Tsutomu looked straight at her.


    ¡°Not everyone explores the Dungeon for the same reasons, Stephanie. They¡¯re not in your n and not even working with you toward anymon goal. You have no good reason to force them to act a certain way. Don¡¯t you understand that?¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, Mister Tsutomu, you and your excuses for them¡­¡±


    ¡°No, these are no excuses. You don¡¯t have the right to make them do anything ¡ª it¡¯s justmon sense.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I understand, Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    Stephanie¡¯s darting eyes suddenly became still, and she fell silent. Sova and Bittman anxiously watched, while Tsutomu crossed his arms, contemting what to say next.


    ¡°Lorena, Eunice, everyone else ¡ª they have their own merits. They all are working hard, and provide me with valuable insights.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°But let me just say this,¡± Tsutomu said, observing Stephanie¡¯s wisps slow down and stabilize. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m paying the most attention to you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Stephanie looked forward, surprised. Then, when her eyes met Tsutomu¡¯s gaze, she froze up.


    ¡°I do know you¡¯ve also been working hard ¡ª maybe too hard. You¡¯re always training, even right at this moment.¡±


    ¡°N-n-no, I¡­ I¡¯m not¡­ W-well, you see, I¡¯ve been practicing greeting¡­ people. Yes, people. That seems to have given me the push I need to get through each day.¡±


    ¡°Greeting people, huh? Good ¡ª that¡¯s important. Just don¡¯t overwork yourself, all right?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes! Yes, of course! However hard things may seem, those greetings have helped me control myself to keep within my limits! This is thanks to you, Mister Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°Me? What do I even have to do with¡­ Uh, actually, never mind. Whatever works for you.¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­ hehehe¡­¡±


    Tsutomu found it strange how he seemed to have taught Stephanie about the importance of greetings, but since that was not a bad thing, he nodded in agreement. In the end, the tense atmosphere from earlier dissipated, and Stephanie became fidgety, ying with her peach-colored hair with her fingertips.


    ¡°Also, as far as I¡¯ve seen, you¡¯re the best Healer in town right now, Stephanie. It¡¯s evident that you¡¯ve put in a lot of effort. I think that¡¯s why Lorena and Eunice might have rubbed you the wrong way.¡±


    ¡°¡­I-I still have a long way to go. What about you, Mister Tsutomu? I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve been trying out new things as well. I¡¯m still far from being good enough.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so modest, Stephanie. You¡¯re the best of my students ¡ª you pay attention to all the details, and you¡¯ve made remarkable progress in such a short time. I¡¯m proud of you ¡ª Really, I am.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Seeing Tsutomu¡¯s smile, Stephanie suddenly stood up. Sova and Bittman tensed up and took defensive positions, while Tsutomu, sitting in his chair, only tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu¡­ I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I need to get back to my training!!¡±


    Stephanie sprinted through the Dining Hall at full speed, skillfully controlling the wisps around her. Sova and Bittman watched her with eyes resembling those observing a rare beast, while Tsutomu remained frozen in his seat, unable to make sense of what had just happened.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 190: A Student and Teacher’s Disagreement

    [Mister Tsutomu! He praised me!! He acknowledged my efforts!!]


    Stephanie was in such high spirits that she hummed a tune and waved her staff like an actual conductor¡¯s baton as she provided support to her party members. Seeing how different she waspared to her usual cold self, the n members who had formed this temporary team were taken aback by Stephanie¡¯s demeanor.


    As Tsutomu had mentioned, one reason behind Stephanie¡¯s excessive interference with Lorena and Eunice was the imposition of her sensibilities. But the main reason, which was unknown to anyone but herself, was jealousy.


    She had put in so much effort and undoubtedly possessed superior capabilities, but despite that, Lorena and Eunice were acknowledged by Tsutomu ¡ª she could not tolerate that. Perhaps Tsutomu would chuckle it off if he were to learn of this, but for Stephanie, it was a matter of life and death.


    But then, just a while ago, Stephanie heard directly from Tsutomu that she was the best. Overwhelmed with joy, Stephanie¡¯s face warped into a smile, to the point where it seemed unsettling. With her greatest need for approval finally fulfilled, the world as seen through her eyes was shining brightly.


    [Ehe¡­ ehehehe¡­ Mister Tsutomu! Mister Tsutomu!! Thank you! Thank you!!]


    Even after returning to her roomte at night after training, Tsutomu¡¯s words seemed to still ring in Stephanie¡¯s ears. Every time she recalled those words, Stephanie trembled with ecstatic joy, unable to fall asleep due to her excitement.


    And so she proceeded to meticulously transcribe everything she had heard into her diary, continuing to write everything down until the break of dawn. Her skills wisps flew in a frenzy the whole time, as if reflecting her elevated state of mind.


    Since then, Stephanie went three days and nights without rest, yet her physical performance did not deteriorate as it had before, and her mind remained perfectly sound. While keeping up morning and evening greetings¡­ to Tsutomu¡¯s photographs, Stephanie continued to explore the Dungeon with a smile on her face.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    [She actually listened to me. Thank goodness.]


    Tsutomu felt genuinely relieved as he looked at a Monitor and saw Eunice ¡ª who seemed as if she was out to take revenge on her parents¡¯ killer ¡ª and Stephanie shaking hands with each other after a genuine apology offered by thetter. He could not bear to see one of his students go through the same embarrassing inte troll phase that he had.


    After that, the main party of Ealdred Crow went on to steadily make more progress, experimenting and learning from their trials onyer eighty. The Enchanter Pollux and Stephanie continued to polish their skills, and Sova and Rook seemed to perform quite a bit better than before.


    Rook was the most sessful among the currently active Summoners, and Sova had distinguished himself even in the time when Attackers were getting all the focus in the scene. Both of them were by no means weak and had the potential to shine if they were directed properly.


    ¡°You know, Tsutomu,¡± Diniel said, her mood apparently quite sour, ¡°All your students are girls around your age. I never thought you¡¯d be the skirt-chaser type.¡±


    ¡°What? No, I¡¯m not! Besides, aren¡¯t you forgetting Pollux?¡±


    ¡°Never heard of him.¡±


    ¡°Come on, stop being grumpy already.¡±


    Regardless of what Tsutomu tried to say, Diniel only looked at him with the same unchanged gaze. Today was her day off, but she had been urgently called over due to Ealdred Crow¡¯s n to challenge the eightiethyer in the afternoon.


    ¡°I already said I¡¯d give you another day offter, and it¡¯s not like we¡¯d be exploring the Dungeon today.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather enjoy the current moment.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ probably sounded convincing only to you. Listen ¡ª Ealdred Crow doesn¡¯t attemptyer eighty very often these days, so it¡¯s about time you looked at it at least once. You were the one who kept putting off seeing the Pedestal, you know?¡±


    ¡°Nah.¡±


    ¡°Do you even have any idea how hard it was to separate you from Amy? Just¡­ take a look, and we can call it a day, all right?¡±


    Tsutomu had tried taking Diniel to the Monitors so many times back when Ealdred Crow had been repeatedly attemptingyer eighty, but each time, she and Amy would throw a tantrum together to prevent him from taking them. Today, however, Amy happened to not be avable to do that, since she already had ns to go shopping with Hannah and Korinna.


    ¡°Do I really have to? I won against everyone the other day, you know?¡±


    ¡°And you ALMOST lost to Garm. Well, I¡¯ll stopining if you can solo the Winter General ¡ª how about that?¡±


    ¡°Tch¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    Earlier this week, Amy had suggested having a sparring session among the party members, with the same rules as the sparring matches before then. The result was Diniel¡¯s victory against everyone else. She had easily read through Amy¡¯s behavior and intercepted her with an arrow, quickly destroying her <<Barrier>>. In the match against Xeno, she had been particrly aggressive, perhaps to vent her pent-up annoyance toward him.


    Among the participants, Garm had put up the best fight and managed to get close, but surprisingly, Diniel proved to be adept even in closebat. Since Garm had already taken two arrows to his legs closing the distance, Diniel seized the opportunity to strike and narrowly emerged victorious.


    ¡°By the way, I forgot to ask you at the time ¡ª what¡¯s your opinion on Garm? You seemed quite surprised when he got close to you.¡±


    Diniel had been her usual unconcerned self when going against Amy and Xeno, but when Garm managed to take some arrows and almost strike her, the look in her eyes turned into that of a serious hunter. Her intimidating aura stayed up for quite a while after the sparring session was over, which was why Tsutomu had been too scared to ask her immediately.


    In response to that question, Diniel looked up at the sky. The weather was good today, and the birds were chirping happily as winter made way for a warmer season.


    After staring nkly at nothing in particr for a few moments, Diniel answered,


    ¡°He¡¯s passable.¡±


    ¡°Just passable, huh? That¡¯s harsh.¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯ll win against him in a serious fight. And by being serious, I mean I won¡¯t be ying fair ¡ª I¡¯d take my time and shoot from a more advantageous position. It¡¯s like hunting, really ¡ª nothingplicated.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ so what if you fought head-on?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not happening. Don¡¯t ask.¡±


    Her answer implied that she was unsure whether she would win if she were to go against Garm head-on. Tsutomu, having seen the match as it happened, knew that Diniel had gotten two out of three of her <<Barriers>> broken. It was quite an intense fight, and he could quite clearly see Diniel¡¯s uncharacteristic sense of urgency.


    And so, Tsutomu responded to Diniel¡¯s answer with just a smile, causing thetter to narrow her eyes in annoyance.


    ¡°And what about you, Tsutomu? Amy beat you up real good¡­¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not a fighter.¡±


    ¡°How is it that you never die even once before, anyway? You look even weaker than those kids over there.¡±


    Indeed, Tsutomu had also participated in the sparring session, and predictably lost every single match. He had fared especially badly against Amy, being thoroughly toyed with and made to roll around on the ground. In fact, he was still somewhat bitter about that.


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re getting started.¡±


    While the two were talking, the Ealdred Crow team had finished warming up and returned to the Guild for a short break, after which they were likely to head down toyer eighty.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go buy some snacks.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Bathroom break.¡±


    ¡°You just did that.¡±


    ¡°Stomach ache.¡±


    ¡°Give it up. I¡¯m not letting you go anywhere today.¡±


    Diniel got up in an attempt to leave, but Tsutomu stood in her way, causing her to heave a sigh and sit back down. Tsutomu, thinking she was finally cooperating with him, also sat down ¡ª and at the same time, Diniel proceeded to pull off her hair tie, undoing her iconic ponytail.


    ¡°Gimme your arm.¡±


    ¡°My arm? Why?¡±


    ¡°Just do it.¡±


    Tsutomu felt suspicious as Diniel demanded without giving him a choice, but heplied and held out his arm in front of her. Diniel swiftly slipped her hair tie onto Tsutomu¡¯s arm and pulled it up as far as she could, then let go.


    ¡°Whoa¨C!?¡±


    The hair tie, slipping from Diniel¡¯s fingers, snapped around Tsutomu¡¯s arm, causing him to recoil from the sudden sting. After observing Tsutomu in pain for a moment, Diniel said nothing as she retrieved the hair tie and held it in her mouth.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m happy enough to stay.¡±


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    Tsutomu rubbed his aching arm and stared at Diniel with tears in his eyes. Diniel put her hands behind her head and tied her hair back together.


    After taking the hair tie off her mouth and using it to hold her ponytail together, Diniel pursed her lips as if she was tasting something bitter. Then, she casually pointed at Monitor #1.


    ¡°Look, they¡¯re going in now.¡±


    ¡°You know, Diniel, I¡¯m starting to think you might even be even more violent than Amira¡­¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Diniel turned to the side, pretending not to know what Tsutomu was talking about. Seeing her ponytail swaying right in front of him, Tsutomu felt quitepelled to pull on it, but in the end, he convinced himself not to.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 191: Anti-personnel Training

    After they were done spectating Ealdred Crow¡¯s Winter General battle, Tsutomu gave Diniel a stack of documents and had her study them, supervising her the whole time. He could not afford to take his eyes off her, as he knew she would start cking off the moment he looked any other away.


    ¡°Make sure you remember everything. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll have you read it on next week¡¯s rest days.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Receiving that warning, Diniel reluctantly started scanning over the Winter General¡¯s data. Tsutomu, confirming that she was taking this seriously, walked out of her room and heaved a sigh of relief.


    Ealdred Crow still was not sessful today, but they did manage to put up a good fight. Tsutomu could see them finally scoring a victory soon, so he figured that his n should start working harder as well. In order to achieve their own victories, he needed his team¡¯s members to do their best ¡ª especially Diniel, who needed some pushing for her to put in the effort.


    Heading to the living room downstairs, he saw that Amy had just returned, humming a random tune as she looked through a huge pile of clothes. She was followed by Korinna and Hannah, both carryingrge shopping bags. It seemed that the three had justpleted their shopping trip.


    ¡°Mm~hmm~hmm~~¡±


    ¡°So¡­ heavy¡­!¡±


    ¡°I need some rest¡­¡±


    Tsutomu, after greeting the three of them, left the n House and headed for the Guild. Once there, he tried to get into the training area for some practice, but found the ce crowded with people.


    ¡°Heh, you¡¯re pretty good! Now THIS is what I expected from the solo Dungeon conqueror!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Amidst the bustling crowd, a hammy voice reminiscent of a theater performer reached Tsutomu¡¯s ears, prompting him to reluctantly wade through the crowd and check out what was going on. There, he witnessed a confrontation between Xeno, whose silver hair was drenched in sweat, and Weiss, who remained silent, both wielding weapons. Behind them, Garm, Daryl, and Amira seemed to be engaged in sparring matches with members of the Scarlet Devil Squad.


    Tsutomu had no idea when they had started a joint training session with the Scarlet Devil Squad, and as he watched the four of his n¡¯s members fighting earnestly, he could not help but sigh.


    [I just want them to learn to get some much-needed rest¡­ Is that too much to ask for?]


    Xeno regrly returned home to visit his wife, so he had no problem on that front, but Garm and Daryl would diligently practice even on their days off. On top of that, Amira would often insist on dragging Tsutomu to explore the Dungeon, which could be quite annoying at times.


    Nevertheless, Tsutomu did not mind too much since he himself enjoyed exploring and training. Though he asionallyined, he did not actually have any negative opinions about any of those activities. Moreover, recently, he had been getting less frequent invitations than before thanks to Korinna taking a simr role among her peers in his stead¡­ which ended up leaving him with a slight sense of loneliness.


    What he did mind, however, was the fact that he had strictly ordered his n¡¯s members to take a break at least once a week ¡ª but as he could see now, some of them still ended up engaging in training on their own. Observing the four with a slightly exasperated expression, Tsutomu then rented a private training room for himself to practice his skills.


    The Winter General¡¯s attacks had a side effect of causing intense snow storms, making it difficult to rely heavily on flight. As such, Tsutomu had been fighting on the Snow Fieldyers without casting <<Fly>>. Instead, he focused on his supporting efficiency, as he had to make sure everyone was taken care of while his visibility was limited.


    Thanks to this, he had be adept at ground support, so there was no pressing need for him to train extensively in that regard now. Support and healing skill training had be routine activities for him, and there was no reason for him toe to the training grounds specifically for that purpose.


    As such, Tsutomu mainly practiced offensive skills in the training room. These included <<Air de>> and its upgraded version, <<Air des>>. He also practiced <<Holy>>, a skill that repelled evil with sacred light, and its physical attack variant, <<Holy Wing>>. Additionally, he asionally trained with <<sh>>, which could be used as a slight distraction. These five spells were ones he could not practice while going about his daily life, so he had to make sure that they were given the most attention whenever he was in the training rooms and the Dungeon.


    Still, <<Air de>> and <<Air des>> were rtively simple spells that involved shooting des of wind, making their applications quite restricted. As such, his training focused on maintaining a consistent level of mental energy while using them rather than making them more powerful.


    Simrly, <<Holy Wing>> involved shooting sharp Holy-elemental feathers, with its physical nature limiting its applications. Its range and power could be adjusted through mental image, but there was not much more he could do with it.


    The noteworthy one among his skills was <<Holy>>, which, unlike his other offensive skills, had few limitations. For example, while chanting <<Holy>>, if he envisioned a sword, the spell could create andunch a sword of light. It was the only attack skill for a White Mage that had such versatility, allowing for a wide range of uses.


    However, the Holy element was only effective against Dark-elemental monsters, dealing hardly any damage to non-Dark ones. As such, despite the skill¡¯s versatility, this w made it challenging to use against most opponents.


    Nevertheless, its effectiveness against undead creatures could not be overstated, and it had been a valuable asset on the Wastndyers. And with knowledge from Live Dungeon, Tsutomu knew that from the eighty-firstyer onward, there would be more monsters that <<Holy>> could affect. Therefore, he had been practicing its use in advance.


    After spending about two hours practicing all five skills, Tsutomu took a gulp of the Forest Apothecary¡¯s apprentice¡¯s slightly unpleasant-tasting Blue Potion to replenish his mental energy.


    ¡°Oof¡­¡±


    With a slightly bitter aftertaste, Tsutomu stuck out his blue-stained tongue, then left the private training room andpleted the checkout procedure at the reception desk.


    One thing worth considering about Potions was that, in the second half of the Snow Fieldyers and during the Winter General battle, the temperature was below the freezing point of water, so Explorers had to assume that their Potions would freeze as well. Moreover, the Winter General had been known to interfere when Explorers attempted to drink Potions, releasing sts of cold air to hinder them. Therefore, it was better to assume that those targeted by the Winter General would be unable to consume Potions.


    Ealdred Crow had introduced expensive magic tools that utilized Fire Magic Stones to ensure a steady supply of Potions at the right temperature regardless of the environment.


    Moreover, recently, there was news of the Forest Apothecarydy sessfully developing candy-like Potions with reliable effects. Tsutomu had been given a prototype to try out, and he nned to put it to the test tomorrow.


    For Tsutomu personally, all he needed to achieve from training with his primary team was the refinement of the little details; there was no need to dwell on the big things anymore. However, the four other members of the team were all seasoned Explorers, so they seemed to have no problem cooperating with one another. Though there were shes of opinions between the Tanks, Xeno was unafraid to assert himself, dissipating much of the tension. The Attackers, on the other hand, had a friendly rtionship and did not pose any issues.


    Tsutomu particrly admired the uniquely positive rtionship between Diniel and Amy, who were close friends and could openly exchange opinions without causing animosity.


    In a mid-tier n like Absolute Helix, it wasmon for members to be overly close, leading to ack ofmunication and stagnation in progression ¡ª in the game, this applied to both casual and hardcore yers. Perhaps a yer would have an idea to improve efficiency, but ultimately not say anything to maintain a smooth rtionship among their peers. yers refraining from expressing their opinions to avoid conflicts could result in a passive andid-back style of y.


    Tsutomu did not condemn such a ystyle, of course, as it could be enjoyable for casual yers in Live Dungeon. However, Absolute Helix was not such a n ¡ª and as the n leader, Tsutomu preferred that members openly share their opinions, allowing him to make decisions more efficiently.


    Amy and Diniel had already exchanged opinions quite often without any ill feelings. This kind of rtionship was rare, however, and Tsutomu had experienced countless conflicts arising between members whenever ideals shed in the past. Amy and Diniel¡¯s ability to calmly discuss matters was akin to divine intervention for a n Leader like him.


    Xeno, in a simr manner, appeared to be a prideful individual at first nce, but surprisingly, he was quite gentlemanly toward Garm. Though he would notpromise on his core beliefs, Xeno disyed a fair degree of flexibility in his thinking. Moreover, as the best mood-maker among Absolute Helix¡¯s male members, he yed an essential role in ensuring smooth interactions within the party.


    However, Tsutomu was uncertain about Xeno¡¯s capabilities when it came to facing the Winter General. Xeno¡¯s performance in sparring matches ranked fourth among the main party members, meaning he wasst among the Tanks and Attackers. Moreover, following the Mount Golem battle, the news articles were mostly about Daryl, with rtively little focus on Xeno.


    Even though Xeno had the <<Ember Aura>> skill for environmental adaptation, which would greatly help the cold-vulnerable Diniel and Amy, Tsutomu felt that it might not be enough for scoring the win onyer eighty on their first attempt.


    Even Garm, who could push his performance past his physical limit, probably would not be able to take on the Winter General alone the first time he tried. That was why Tsutomu had considered either putting Xeno on his team or running a two-Healerposition with Korinna to make sure Garm received thorough support. On paper, it could be quite effective, even if it would not be as good as having an Enchanter like Ealdred Crow.


    In the end, Tsutomu chose the former option. It was not just about the matter of not wanting to die; after observing Xeno for several months, Tsutomu had gained the impression that Xeno was not just all talk. Additionally, the stories he had heard from Xeno¡¯s wife Pico, who was well-known among Dungeon Maniacs, further influenced his decision.


    ¡°All right! Let us go one more round, Weiss!¡±


    ¡°At least let me rest a bit¡­¡±


    Xeno had enough stamina to oust Weiss, so it was safe to say that he could keep up with Garm and Daryl. While an Explorer¡¯s stamina was technically determined by their VIT rating, there still would be a noticeable difference between those who have done basic training and those who have not.


    For example, Tsutomu himself, despite having a simr VIT rating to Corinna, was certain that her stamina was higher than his. After all, he had been an Explorer for just almost a year, whereas Korinna had been in his business for several years and pursuing a side gig as a nurse on top of it.


    Xeno¡¯s environmental adaptation skill was useful, of course, but if that was all he had, Tsutomu would not have included him. Thankfully, he had the physical fitness to keep up with both Garm and Daryl, as well as his vibrant personality.


    After observing his fourrades still engaged in sparring matches for a while, Tsutomu returned to the n House without being noticed.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 192: Anything For Love

    ¡°Here, your notes for this week.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Xeno shoveled a heaping bowl of rice into his mouth and epted a stack of documents from Pico. The documents contained a list of improvements Xeno had made over the past week, based on his wife¡¯s observations through the Monitors.


    While exploring the Dungeon, Xeno often received direct guidance from Tsutomu, and whenever he came home, he would receive feedback from his wife who kept an eye on him through the Monitors. Xeno himself also constantly looked for areas for improvement on his own, of course, but it was helpful to receivements from a third-person¡¯s point of view.


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t think Tsutomu¡¯s notes really differ from mine all that much.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s the way we say things that sets us apart. Like, if Tsutomu¡¯s an Angel, then I¡¯m a Fiend, you know?¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously calling him an Angel? More like an Evil God to me.¡±


    ¡°Wow. Rude.¡±


    Xeno chuckled as Pico proceeded to clear away the tableware. Pico¡¯s analogy was quite on point, however; when Tsutomu would tell Xeno to rely more on his shield, Pico would tell him to contribute as much as possible before each inevitable death.


    Xeno¡¯s weakness had been made clear on the seventiethyer ¨C his low tolerance to pain.


    He had graduated from the academy in the Royal Capital at the top of his ss, and his skill with the sword was so good that he had been scouted by the Knight Order as a promising talent. Despite that, he had declined that invitation without a second thought and instead came to the Dungeon City ¡ª where, ironically, his proud character made it challenging for him to make progress as a Tank-type Explorer.


    One day, while drowning his sorrows in a bar, he was reunited with Pico, an acquaintance from his academy days, who inspired him to swallow his city boy pride and take on anything he could to achieve his goals. By Pico¡¯s rmendation, he even started writing for the Dungeon Maniacs, which led to him gradually gaining influence in the scene as one of the more famous Tanks.


    Xeno¡¯s ability was high enough for him to be recruited by Ealdred Crow, so he technically could be considered one of the best Tanks in the world. He had experienced death in the Dungeon dozens of times, and his natural physical strength was more than sufficient. Moreover, his skill control was more masterful than most thanks to his many years of hard work.


    Still, the amount of effort he was able to physically exert was on the level of an ordinary person ¡ª a far cry from the insane dedication of Garm and Daryl. Even Ealdred Crow¡¯s Bittman, a Tank with a style simr to Xeno¡¯s, was far ahead of him due to being a seasoned veteran. And perhaps most importantly, he knew he would not be as willing as Garm and Darl to go along with a suicide strategy if Tsutomu were to suggest one.


    He did not possess the outstandingbat intuition of the local idol Amy, nor did he specialize in a specific fighting style like Hannah. All the others were all unique, too ¡ª Diniel, an Elf who had lived for a hundred years; Amira, a Dragonewt Deity with the ability to transform; Korinna, whose predictive ability gave her the figurative eyes of a Grim Reaper; and Leleia, a gifted swordfighter blessed by the Spirits.


    Among them, Xeno felt as if he was just an average individual. That was why his wife had pushed him through a grueling training program every single day.


    ¡°Okay, now that you¡¯re fed¡­ You know what you¡¯re doing next, right?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ I¡¯d rather get some much-needed sleep, but I don¡¯t exactly have that choice, do I?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not getting any sleep tonight!¡±


    ¡°As much as that sounded like your usual double entendres¡­ look here. You just gave me goosebumps!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know your limits better than anyone. You¡¯ll get to stop ONLY when my schedule tells you to stop!¡±


    But Xeno had something that all the other members of the Absolute Helix n did not. A beloved partner ¡ª someone who understood him on an intimate level.


    They had once shed with each other, their rtionship bing temporarily strained following Xeno¡¯sst-minute refusal to join Ealdred Crow. However, having ovee that, they now were closer to each other than ever before.


    Pico had been watching over Xeno for many years, from way back when they were still at the academy, so she was sure she would be the first to notice when and if he was about to snap. Her unwavering support and faith in the boastful Xeno had be an irreceable part of thetter¡¯s life.


    At this point, Xeno himself recognized Daryl¡¯s ability, which he had initially looked down upon, and was sober enough to reflect on his failure to consume Potions during the Mount Golem battle. The mental fortitude of steel he had formed with Pico¡¯s support was no less than that of his fellow Absolute Helix n members.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯m off, then.¡±


    ¡°Heh, you know what? I¡¯ll walk you there. C¡¯mon,¡± Pico offered, taking Xeno¡¯s hand with a smile.


    Xeno, despite technically being sent down the Dungeon to be beaten up by monsters, did not let his smile waver.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    Tsutomu, having seen Garm¡¯s group and the Scarlet Devil Squad engaging in a mock battle the other day, decided to propose a joint training session with Golden Tune as well. He drafted up a n and made the request to Golden Tune and the Guild, and they quickly agreed.


    In the Guild¡¯s public training ground, a considerable number of people had gathered, including members from both Absolute Helix and Golden Tune.


    ¡°Give me another round!¡±


    ¡°Good job, man. I like enthusiastic guys like you!¡±


    The Attackers and Tanks conducted joint mock battles to focus on improving their anti-personnelbat abilities. Among them, Xeno was engaging in consecutive matches with Leon, the n leader of Golden Tune, while both of them were covered in dirt.


    Taking on Leon, the Golden Wolfman with the highest AGI, was good practice for anticipating the Winter General¡¯s quick draw sh. Garm had learned to defend himself better after several battles, but Xeno did not seem to be doing so well.


    ¡°Nyah! Why¡¯d you have to hit so hard, Dini!?¡±


    ¡°You know, I think I¡¯m good enough for the Winter General now.¡±


    ¡°Good job, Diniel! You have avenged me!¡±


    Amy had won seven consecutive battles ¡ª one against Garm ¡ª during this session, but Diniel had stopped her winning streak, leaving her infuriated. On the other hand, Hannah, who had just lost to Amy, was overjoyed.


    As for the Healers, Tsutomu oversaw their strategy reviewing session, making it more like a school lecture than actualbat practice. The Healers also had the additional role of casting <<Barrier>> on those engaging in mock battles, so they did not get to focus much on anti-personnelbat themselves. Still, they would eventually have some time to get practice in toward the end of the day.


    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re pathetic. Can¡¯t even handle a fight against a girl. Are you so afraid of losing or what?¡±


    ¡°Why would I fight you? Maybe try asking again once you can properly support and heal your allies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll beat you the hell up! Come at me!¡±


    Tsutomu, who had avoided doing any anti-personnelbat exercises so far, was being taunted by Eunice ¡ª who was so ready that she was already in a fighting stance. All the other healers had already done some anti-personnel training, but watching them made Tsutomu realize that he stood no chance against them, so he was quite tantly avoiding confrontation.


    Moreover, the other Healers had more dangerous weapons with them ¡ª Eunice was wearing brass knuckles, and Korinna had a morning star. Tsutomu had learned staffbat techniques during his training at the Guild, but he knew he would have to rely on magic in a remotely serious fight ¡ª and he was quite afraid of what others might think if he were to cast <<Air des>> at Eunice.


    ¡°Come one,e on, you coward!¡±


    [Man, I¡¯m feeling VERY tempted to shoot her right now.]


    Tsutomu sighed in exasperation at Eunice, then he looked around and eventually locked eyes with her friend Milway. The younger Vulpeer sighed and then walked over to them.


    ¡°Eunice! Stop bothering him already!¡±


    ¡°Lemme go, Milway! I gotta punch him at least once!¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    And so Eunice was carried away, squealing and protesting all the while.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    Over the next month, Tsutomu¡¯s team practiced their coordination in the Dungeon while also incorporating mock battles with other ns to further improve anti-personnelbat skills. The ns they trained with included Golden Tune, Scarlet Devil Squad, Ealdred Crow, Silver Beast, and most of the other major ns in town.


    The joint training with Scarlet Devil Squad had supposedly been arranged by Weiss, who had been acquainted with Garm since the early days of God¡¯s Dungeon¡¯s emergence. Scarlet Devil Squad had recently managed to get past the seventiethyer but had depleted their funds due to excessive Potion usage, so they were trying to grind in the Dungeon for a while to financially recover.


    ¡°Good day to you,¡± greeted Cecilia, Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s Healer, who carried the ck Staff with her.


    ¡°¡­Ah, yes,¡± Tsutomu returned the greeting after a momentary shock. ¡°Good day to you as well.¡±


    Tsutomu briefly turned to Alma and saw that she was wielding a Red Staff, a rtivelymon loot from treasure chests on the Volcanoyers. Then he turned back to Cecilia and proceeded to discuss strategies with her, while also giving her some general information. Tsutomu¡¯s advice was especially helpful when it concerned the ck Staff, the properties of which could be only partially identified with appraisal skills, meaning he was the only one who currently knew about them.


    And of course, the reason Tsutomu went out of his way to teach Cecilia his Healer techniques was that his n was receivingpensation for it ¡ª and thatpensation being Weiss instructing Leleia.


    ¡°¡­You are taking too many attacks head-on, and too fixated on specific forms. You should focus more on the Spirit-imbued sword fighting.¡±


    ¡°I see. Can I ask you for another round, then?¡±


    ¡°Byah!¡±


    Leleia, with the Smander perched on her shoulder, listened to Weiss¡¯ments and proceeded to undergo another round of mock battles. Weiss, on top of being famous for being the first solo conquerer of Dungeons, was also well-known for his proficiency with various weapons, so getting lessons from him was quite valuable.


    As for Ealdred Crow, it seemed that their top two teams were not going to participate. The first group was already expected to snag a win onyer eighty soon, so only the third and fourth teams were here for the training.


    Among those two teams were some members who had climbed up the ranks after breaking away from Amira¡¯s old n. They were on simr levels to Amira, and were all promising individuals within their level range. At the time, they had been treated as small fry by Amira; their desire to get back at Amira had driven them to work so hard and get this far.


    However, afternding their spots in some of Ealdred Crow¡¯s top teams, their desire for revenge had significantly diminished. They were quite content with their current work environment, and Ealdred Crow was riding high these days. While the n had been rather low-profile among the major ones, now that the three-role teamposition was more widespread, their strategy diversity made them much more famous and often brought up in the news.


    And so, for now, they were proud to be a part of Ealdred Crow ¡ª and some of them were working to support their families. As such, they would not openly confront Amira ¡ª though that did not mean they did not feel anything at all whenever they saw her.


    In particr, three young men in their early twenties were ring at Amira with a hint of resentment in their eyes.


    ¡°Ah-kay, then¡­ I¡¯mma go beat her up!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Nix, don¡¯t make this a big deal. Won¡¯t be funny if you ruin the rep you¡¯ve built aftering this far.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯ll y by the rules, at least. That¡¯s the one thing I won¡¯t break!¡±


    Nix, the one who had been the most furious with Amira, waved his hand to reassure hisrades as he confidently approached Amira. He did not hate her enough to try and trample her right in Absolute Helix like Leleia was doing, but it was still true that he had beef with her.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 193: Reconciliation With Old Clan Members

    <h4>Chapter 193: Reconciliation With Old n Members</h4>


    <strong>Trantor: Barnnn</strong>


    <strong>Editor: Svin</strong>


    Nix walked confidently toward Amira, but when he tried to speak to her, he found himself at a loss for words. Until now, he had been speaking to Amira politely despite being older than her because he had felt that the rtionship between them was distant at best. And now that he was approaching Amira again, he saw that she looked the same as before, and his legs trembled a little as he recalled the day he had spent working with her.


    Back then, the strongest Attacker was the one who would have the highest authority, so Nix had seen Amira and her ability to transform as superior to him. Things were different now, however ¡ª and they were not even in the same n anymore. Nix steeled his resolve and called out to her,


    ¡°Hey there, Amira.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Oh. Hey, Nix. You wanna go for a round?¡±


    ¡°S-sure thing.¡±


    Nix was a little suspicious of how Amira¡¯s immediately unexpectedly quick response, but still proceeded to ask a nearby White Mage to cast a powerful <<Barrier>> on both of them. Amira prepared her greatsword, and facing her, Nix held up his rapier.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Nix thrust straight ahead with his rapier to counter Amira as thetter rushed at him.


    Although his vendetta was not as bad as Leleia¡¯s, Nix had always wanted this chance. Back then, he had been the n¡¯s second-inmand ¡ª meaning he would be yelled at the most, and also the one most often killed by ident whenever Amira used her uncontroble <<Dragon Form>>. Therefore, he had been studying Amira¡¯s fighting style, thinking that he would one day take revenge.


    The greatsword was a difficult weapon type to handle in a fight against humanoid opponents. If an enemy was too close, one would not be able to swing the sword, and the fight would quickly be one-sided. As such, Nix intended to close the distance between them and deal the finishing blow as quickly as possible.


    Amira seemed to have trained to counteract this vulnerability, however, as she did not leave many openings. She maintained afortable distance, preventing the rapier from reaching her as she swung her greatsword wildly.


    [Damn, if she hits me, I might actually lose an arm!]


    In the face of the terrifyingly swift swings of the greatsword, Nix felt his fighting spirit waver, yet he pressed on to try and score the win. His time as a member of Amira¡¯s n had supplied him with an unhealthy dose of misery. He had been fine ¡ª thrilled, even ¡ª when he first lost to Amira, a girl younger than him, in abat exercise. Drawn by his desire to follow Amira¡¯s lead, Nix joined her n, and most of the other n members likely joined under simr circumstances.


    But then, as it would turn out, Amira was selfish, hermand over her n was dictatorial. Despite all her faults, though, they managed to progress through theyers for a while, so everyone stuck with her. What broke them was the brick wall that was the fiftiethyer, before which they found themselvespletely stuck. It was at that point when Amira started finding fault in everyone around her.


    It would be no exaggeration to say that, among everyone, Nix had suffered the worst abuse due to his position as the second-inmand. Criticized thoroughly by Amira, coupled with the fact that she had a unique skill, caused him to rapidly lose the confidence he once had in himself. Still, being the second-inmand set his mindset apart from those of most other members ¡ª He feltpelled to excel at what he did.


    From then on, he found himself caught between Amira and the other n members ¡ª a predicament that endured until a boycott unfolded on the fiftiethyer. By the time he opted to leave the n, his spirit was in tatters, but fortunately, he was soon taken under the wing of Ealdred Crow, and his self-confidence was restored. All things considered, however, it wouldn¡¯t have been at all surprising had he crumbled away back then.


    ¡°HAH!!¡±


    He believed he was no longer anything like his past self. Amidstrades of Ealdred Crow, Nix had tirelessly honed his skills through dedication and diligence. Therefore, even in a mere mock battle, he held steadfast conviction in his ability to match Amira.


    Nix¡¯s swift advance followed by a precise thrustnded a solid hit on the <<Barrier>> around Amira¡¯s chest area, shattering it and leaving only <<Barriers>> around her abdomen and legs. For Nix to snag his win, all he had to do was destroy those.


    On the other side, Amira, after disying a face of astonishment at the sessful hit, let out a light click of her tongue.


    ¡°<<Dragon Form>>.¡±


    Her red hair began to gleam a deep scarlet, and the scales along the nape of her neck shimmered. This transformation was a unique skill bestowed only upon the chosen ones. Suddenly, a massive greatsword came swinging at Nix, sending him hurtling away like a swatted fly.


    Just like Amira previously, Nix¡¯s <<Barrier>> around his chest was shattered. As Nix was taken aback, Amira cracked a sly grin.


    ¡°AMIRAAAAAA!!¡±


    Nix approached with a raging determination, his movement an unwavering, straight trajectory. Amira swung her greatsword as if aligning it along that very line, striking Nix squarely in the abdomen.


    The <<Barrier>> shattered, but Nix kept pressing on, tracking the path of the greatsword. Amira, having let her guard down after feeling confident in her attack¡¯s sess, had to hastily pull back her greatsword so that she could parry Nix¡¯s rapier thrust.


    ¡°<<Double Attack>>.¡±


    From there, Nix continued his ceaseless assault, like pricking with needles. Even as Amira¡¯s <<Dragon Form>>-enhanced physical abilities allowed her to back away quite quickly, Nix relentlessly closed the distance between them and always struck with preemptive blows. To attack before being attacked ¡ª this was the strategy Nix had devised to counter Amira.


    Nix now prioritized rapid strikes, cornering Amira thoroughly, as if his emotional outburst just moments ago had been a lie. Amira had a tendency to be frustrated when things did not go her way, in turn causing her movements to be more linear ¡ª more predictable. Having been aware of this, Nix intended to manipte her into a corner.


    ¡°POOF¨C!!¡±


    This tactic had also been employed by Amy, however, and Amira had already devised a countermeasure. Amira, having recently learned to properly breathe fire, started spitting out puffs of burning air as if they were saliva. Though not as intense as Camille¡¯s, they were powerful enough to inflict burns.


    Caught off guard by the me breath, Nix hastily shielded his face with his hand and scrambled away. The knowledge Nix had gathered for his counter strategies did not include the fire-spitting ability that Amira had just acquired through her mock battles with Amy.


    ¡°Think you can get away, huh!? Not from me!¡±


    And now that she had regained the right distance for her greatsword, the stage was Amira¡¯s. She had engaged in mock battles not only with Amy but also with Garm, Daryl, Leleia, and others. Each of them was stronger than Amira, and she had tasted defeat numerous times.


    However, Amira had not simply been living with those losses. She reflected on her performance and worked to constantly improve herself. All in all, she had practiced just as diligently as Nix.


    ¡°ORAAA!!¡±


    Nix was still weaker than Garm and Amy. Amira¡¯s assault started bing more one-sided as it went on, and eventually, her greatsword, swung like a hunk of metal, lifted Nix¡¯s feet off the ground. His vision inverted, and as his shoulder mmed onto the ground, Nix could not help but let out a moan.


    The White Mages came over to administer treatment, healing the cuts on Amira¡¯s arms and legs and fixing Nix¡¯s dislocated shoulder. Even for Nix, who had been at one point ustomed to getting killed by the <<Dragon Form>>-empowered Amira, the treatment process was rough enough to get a scream out of him, suggesting that it came with its fair share of pain.


    [Still can¡¯t beat her, huh¡­]


    Nix, his eyes brimming with tears from the fixing of his shoulder, ground his teeth as disappointment painted over his face. He had prepared so much for this. However, Amira had grown stronger than he had anticipated, and there were even unexpected factors like her fire-spitting ability. Still, a loss was a loss.


    Seeing Nix like that, Amira spoke to him, her expression resembling that of an adrenaline high.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Nix, let¡¯s do a best of three. You¡¯re not gonna just walk away now, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hell yeah. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Swayed by Amira¡¯s provocation, Nix proceeded to fight another ten matches with Amira. In the end, he managed to score only a single win. As today¡¯s training session came to a close, Nix sat down on the spot as if in eptance of total defeat, while Amira received treatment from one of the White Mages on standby.


    ¡°Shit¡­ You can do this all day or what?¡±


    ¡°Heh. Still got a long way to go, eh, Nix?¡±


    After the ten matches, Nix was quite clearly out of breath, while Amira seemed only slightly winded. Observing Amira¡¯s triumphant expression, Nix cast his eyes down. Being able to win once was an improvement from the past when he could not even stand a chance, but it was still frustratingly far from satisfactory.


    ¡°But you¡¯ve gotten real strong, you know¡­ Well, actually, I guess you¡¯ve always been¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Hearing Amira¡¯s words and seeing how she awkwardly averted her eyes, Nix was genuinely surprised. Amira had just praised someone ¡ª that someone being him ¡ª which was an urrence he had always thought impossible.


    ¡°Really? Haven¡¯t you been bitching about how weak I was that whole time?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I actually thought back then. But I was projecting real hard, really ¡ª I felt that I wasn¡¯t as strong as I could be. I mean, look what happened after all that ¡ª Ealdred Crow dropped me like a hot potato, and picked you guys up.¡±


    Amira¡¯s gaze shifted uneasily, and as she saw Nix¡¯s astounded reaction, she halted momentarily, startled. Then, ruffling her red hair with one hand, she lowered her head abruptly.


    ¡°¡­Sorry. By now, I know I was a real asshole back then ¡ª never stopped to think about the people ¡¯round me.¡±


    ¡°Uh, uh-huh¡­¡±


    Nix had never even dreamed of receiving such a straightforward apology from her. He got up to his feet with a mix of fear and doubt, and meeting Amira¡¯s line of sight as she lifted her head, he found himself unsure of how to proceed with the conversation.


    Nix had to admit that, ever since he had been promoted to a spot in Ealdred Crow¡¯s third best team, his animosity towards Amira had considerably waned. While he had been angered at the time, she was the Guild Master¡¯s daughter, barely sixteen years old.? Though considered an adult by the world¡¯s standards, she was still younger than Nix.


    Engaging in this mock battle had been a small way of getting back at her, and he hadn¡¯t harbored deep-seated resentment beyond that.


    ¡°You know¡­ I never thought you¡¯d ever say that. I dunno what to say, but¡­ you¡¯ve changed, Amira.¡±


    ¡°Shaddup.¡±


    ¡°You know what, you gottae see the others! Say that to them, too!¡±


    Nix, struggling to gauge the distance between himself and Amira, attempted to smile before turning away. The other former n members who had been waiting watched on with a restless air about them. Amira seemed simrly uneasy as she followed Nix.


    Amira proceeded to offer an apology to the two others for her previous behavior. The two men initially regarded her with suspicion, but over some subsequent rounds of sparring, they gradually warmed up to her each other


    ¡°Damn, when¡¯d you be such a nice girl?¡±


    ¡°Shaddup!¡±


    Leleia observed the four people ¡ª Amira and three of her old n¡¯s members ¡ª and narrowed her eyes.

 Chapter 194: The Mentor’s Mentors

    After the training session, Amira received various tips from Nix, her old n¡¯s second-inmand, and in the days that followed, she went around apologizing to her old n¡¯s members. They were surprised by Amira¡¯s apology, but most of them epted it.


    Still, some were dissatisfied with Amira¡¯s bted apology, making an immediate resolution difficult. Additionally, Leleia, a fellow member of her current n, did not ept the apology.


    Afterward, the anti-personnelbat training sessions among the major ns continued in pursuit of progressing through the eightiethyer. Garm, the main Tank of the first team, and Xeno as well, were predictably at the forefront of this coborative project. Inspired by this, the second team¡¯s members, Daryl and Hannah, also engaged in practice battles with a decent sense of tension.


    At some point, Tsutomu also started feeling more willing to train, as he was seen asking Lorena for some sparring matches during his n¡¯s session with Silver Beast. Korinna also attempted to take part, but Tsutomu politely declined upon seeing the morning star she had with her.


    The declination was unsessful, however, as he was forced into a match anyway¡­ in which he was overpowered by Korinna despite thetter entering the fight barehanded. Even Garm was exasperated to see that happen.


    ¡°Why do you hold back so much? All you had to do was fight like you would do against the usual monsters ¡ª then you wouldn¡¯t have lost THIS easily.¡±


    ¡°Well, I specialize in support and healing, so¡­¡±


    ¡°But you just lost so easily to an UNARMED opponent ¡ª that¡¯s uneptable.¡±


    ¡°U-uh, sorry about that, Tsutomu¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on, Garm, you didn¡¯t need to be that blunt,¡± Tsutomu said, slightly narrowing his eyes at Garm upon seeing Korinna bow apologetically.


    Garm seemed indifferent, however, as he proceeded to cross his arms as if to say he did not care.


    ¡°Listen, Tsutomu, you have always been too soft.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°You might not need it now, but no one knows when things will take a turn for the worse. You¡¯d be better off being able to hold your own in a fight.¡±


    ¡°Nah, he doesn¡¯t need to!¡± Amy interrupted as Garm¡¯s stern gaze intensified, ¡°Whatever happens, I can keep him safe just fine! Right, Tsutomu?¡±


    Hearing that, Tsutomu let out a dry chuckle and proceeded to tap her on her shoulder.


    ¡°I appreciate that, but I know I should be able to defend myself as well.¡±


    ¡°Aww, c¡¯mon! I won¡¯t let anyone or anything touch you!¡±


    ¡°Eh, might as well try to do it myself. I have some free time on my hands anyway.¡±


    Tsutomu already had all of his essentials down in terms of support and recovery, and while he had ns to learn flight control from Xeno, that wouldeter because thetter was currently too busy. As such, Tsutomu found himself with nothing much to do in the immediate moment, so he decided to focus on training for anti-personnelbat until he reached a certain level of proficiency.


    ¡°I¡¯m practically aplete novice when ites to anti-personnelbat, so I guess everyone will be like a mentor to me this time around.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m Teach¡¯s mentor¡­ You¡¯re my mentor, but I¡¯m also your mentor¡­? Hmm¡­¡±


    Hannah, having trouble parsing Tsutomu¡¯s statement, tilted her head in confusion, her blue-feathered wings pping. Tsutomu proceeded to reach into his Magic Bag.


    ¡°That means you have the lowest position, Hannah. How about you go buy me some juice from the food stalls?¡±


    ¡°Teach!?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the money.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re serious!?¡±


    Given some gold coins of various shapes, Hannah looked as if she were a lost baby bird.


    ¡°Ah, get some for me as well, Hannie!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡±


    ¡°Ahh!! I¡¯ll be right back!!¡±


    Ordered by Amy and Amira, Hannah dashed away from the training area at an incredible speed before Tsutomu could stop her, leaving behind a trail of fluttering blue feathers.


    ¡°I should have asked for something as well,¡± Diniel said with a straight face.


    ¡°Maybe you should have stopped her¡­¡± Tsutomu quickly retorted as he looked in the direction Hannah had gone.


    A few minutester, Hannah returned¡­ and was asked by Diniel to get juice for her as well. On the verge of tears, she went off to fulfill that order.


    While that went on, the joint training session continued. Just for today, Melchor, who had managed to break through the eightiethyer solo, joined in. Still, news of mock battles between Melchor and the members of the Absolute Helix n had be the talk of the town, resulting in the public training area being filled with spectators.


    The matches with Melchor, a professional martial artist with decades ofbat experience, turned out to be quite a motivating experience. By the end of it, Xeno had a look of enlightenment, and Hannah, a fellow Boxer, seemed intrigued by Melchor¡¯s Magic Fist style.


    ¡°Hohoho! Now that was quite thrilling.¡±


    ¡°I was so close, too¡­¡±


    Among the various matches, the one that garnered the most attention was Diniel¡¯s. The result ended in Melchor¡¯s victory, but Diniel had foughtpetently enough to score a few solid hits on him.


    Tsutomu and Hannah could not help but wear satisfied expressions as they witnessed Diniel getting a much-needed humbling loss. Diniel, approaching those two, yfully sped Hannah¡¯s head between her fists and rubbed it.


    ¡°WHY ONLY ME!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just venting.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you venting too hard!?¡±


    Still, Tsutomu was quite surprised to see Diniel go all out like this ¡ª it was to the extent that she was breaking a sweat.


    And so, a month passed since the joint training among the major ns began. Eventually, the first team of Ealdred Crow finally managed to break through the eightiethyer.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    ¡°Ooohhh~~! You¡¯re as good as ever!¡±


    On a day off, in the living room of the n House, Amy rested her head upon Diniel¡¯sp. Diniel held a rtivelyrge cotton swab in her hand, using it to delicately clean Amy¡¯s cat ears.


    Diniel was adept at ear cleaning, a skill she had acquired so that she may get to touch her beastly friends¡¯ ears. In an attempt to clean Garm¡¯s dog ears with the swab, she had been declined with a wave of Garm¡¯s hand, who stated that he had it taken care of at a specialized establishment. Daryl, on the other hand, had clung to his drooping ears with both hands and fled from the offer.


    ¡°Mmm~~ There, right there~~¡±


    ¡°Stay still.¡±


    Apparently, her ear cleaning technique was so exceptional that Amy asionally wriggled in pleasure. And as she touched Amy¡¯s delicate cat ears, Diniel¡¯s face exuded a sense of contentment ¡ª this was a mutually beneficial bond.


    ¡°HAH!¡±


    Near them, Hannah pinched a piece of Magic Stone Scrap between her fingers and clenched her fist, crushing it. All she managed to do was lightly graze her hand with a small cut, which she proceeded to heal with a cheap, unpleasant-tasting potion.


    Following her sparring match with Melchor, Hannah had grown quite interested in thetter¡¯s Magic Fist style. Currently, she appeared to be engaged in a casual attempt at training for the technique. It was worth noting that not too long ago, within God¡¯s Dungeon, she had tried shattering a Small Magic Stone ¡ª which resulted in a spectacr explosion that had blown her whole right hand off. Since then, she had been under Melchor¡¯s tutge, practicing with Magic Stones so small that they looked more like grains of sand.


    However, the Magic Fist was a fighting style that so many adept practitioners had failed to master, and it seemed that even Melchor was finding it quite challenging to deal with Hannah¡¯s bird-brained nature. At one point early on, while they were in God¡¯s Dungeon, she had confidently attempted to shatter a Medium Magic Stone only to have it blow her into pieces ¡ª that incident left even theposed Melchor pressing a hand against his forehead in exasperation.


    Meanwhile, Garm, Daryl, and Xeno dedicated their days off to rigorous morning training sessions, while Amira had returned home to engage in sparring with Camille. As for Korinna, it seemed she had been dragged along by thetter to provide support.


    Tsutomu was immersed in reviewing documents, meticulously adjusting and confirming details for his team, prompted by the news of Aldred Crow sessfully progressing past the eightiethyer. Absolute Helix was also preparing to challenge the sameyer boss soon, making this confirmation work a matter of utmost importance.


    Sitting next to Tsutomu was a ¡®girl¡¯ wearing earth-colored clothes. It was none other than the Gnome, the Earth-elemental Spirit with whom Tsutomu had not made a <<Contract>> for almost a whole month.


    When it realized that sitting next to him would not get a response, the Gnome moved over to sit in front of him instead. As it rested its chin on an edge of the desk and looked intently at Tsutomu¡¯s work, a blue-colored gtinous creature leaped onto the Gnome¡¯s face.


    It was Undine, the Water-elemental Spirit. Following close behind it were the Sylph, a tiny fairy-like entity, and the Smander, a lizard rhythmically swaying its head around. Chasing after the four Great Spirits was Leleia, her demeanor flustered.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­ When I called out Gnome, the other Spirits somehow followed.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind at all.¡±


    Leleia had been feeding Magic Stones to the Spirits earlier this morning. However, it seemed that the Gnome¡¯s escape due to itsck of recent summons had triggered a chain reaction, causing the other Spirits to emerge simultaneously.


    The Sylph yfully flew around Tsutomu¡¯s head, while the Smander bobbed its head like an enthusiastic DJ. The Slime-like Undine engulfed the Gnome¡¯s artificial body, dissolving it in the process. Observing the Undine¡¯s transformation into a mud-infused slime, Tsutomu raised an eyebrow and asked Leleia with a hint of concern,


    ¡°Uh, is that.. safe?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The Spirits that manifested through the <<Contract>> here seem to have provisional forms ¡ª their main bodies are separate from these entities. I believe they will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡± Tsutomu responded, his expression somewhat skeptical of Leleia¡¯s exnation.


    Leleia proceeds to cast another <<Contract>> with the Gnome, and its artificial body reconstructed in the form of a girl, with its hands raised in the air.


    Then, as the Gnome started clinging to Tsutomu, he gently pushed its head away


    ¡°Is this its default form now or something?¡±


    ¡°Apparently so¡­ But in doing so, it seems that its affinity with you has improved even further,¡± Leleia answered, closing her eyes and maintaining aposed demeanor


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡±


    The Smander kept its mouth agape as it sat on Tsutomu¡¯s head, while the Sylph continued to happily fly around. Once the Undine returned to its clean watery form, it settled into Tsutomu¡¯s right pocket.


    ¡°¡­I see you and Amira are still not getting along.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you should forgive her just because she apologized, but let¡¯s try to avoid any further problems, all right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Hearing Leleia¡¯s resolute answer, Tsutomu picked the Smander off of his head. Despite Daryl, the leader of Team 2, having never informed him of this situation in particr, it was indeed true that there was lingering tension between Leleia and Amira.


    All things considered, this was no longer a matter that could be resolved through mere words. This aside, though, Team 2 wasing along quite well thanks to Daryl¡¯s leadership. Tsutomu hoped for a smooth resolution, as he believed that if Korinna performed effectively, Team 2 would be more than capable of handling the eightiethyer. With Amira, whosebat strength had been improvingtely, and Leleia, a formidable anti-personnelbatant, the team¡¯s raw strength would likely be more than sufficient.


    Particrly noteworthy was the fact that Amira possessed the unique skill <<Dragon Form>>, which made her highlypatible with the Spirits. Therefore, with effective coordination between Amira and Leleia, Team 2 had the potential to be quite formidable.


    As the Sylph started tugging at his hair like a control lever, Tsutomu gently caught it and returned it to Leleia, who maintained her stern expression as she walked up the stairs to the second floor with the Spirits in tow.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 195: To Layer Eighty, to Face the Winter General

    ¡°This way.¡±


    The first Absolute Helix team was advancing through the seventy-ninthyer, where their visibility was reduced by frequent snow storms. This time, they had started exploring from around noon, with the n being to find the ck Gate to the eightiethyer and challenge the Layer Boss in the evening.


    Tsutomu, whose robe seemed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding whitendscape, narrowed his eyes and pressed forward through the snow storm, following Diniel¡¯s guidance. Despite her having already located the ck Gate, navigating their way through the rough weather conditions was still its own challenge for the team.


    Engaging inbat amidst the snow storm was simrly demanding. While Diniel had grown ustomed to it by now, she had struggled quite a lot initially, with the strong winds causing her arrows to veer off course. Even Tsutomu had miscalcted the trajectories of his support skill shots at times.


    Now, however, the <<Ember Aura>> provided some respite against the plummeting temperature, rendering the environment somewhat bearable. The team continued their march through the storm to the ck Gate, managing to reach it a good while before the sun set.


    The team proceeded to gather snow from the surroundings, constructing a makeshift hut to fortify their position and create a sheltered haven in which to rest until dusk. While the <<Ember Aura>> protected against temperature drops, being constantly buffeted by the fierce winds was still a pain, so the effort was worthwhile ¡ª and they were quite used to making them by now, as the snow hut also served nicely as a hiding spot from the monsters.


    ¡°Whew, nice and warm,¡± Diniel mumbled as she entered the snow hut, nestled her face within her scarf, and clutched the hand warmer Tsutomu had given her as though it were a good luck charm. The others, unaffected by the cold due to the <<Ember Aura>>, did not require such provisions.


    Amy inspected the des of her swords, assessing their condition, while Xeno appeared to be entertaining the God Eye that had joined them in the hut.


    ¡°Helloooooo, everybody! Garm and I will be fighting the Winter General today! Now, Garm, get over here!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°I did not give you a choice, my man!¡±


    One moment, Tsutomu marveled at how Xeno could talk so much without looking at an actual audience, then the next, he realized that Garm had been roped into it too. In response to the God Eye¡¯s gaze, Garm gave it a vignt, unblinking stare.


    ¡°Now then, anything to say to the folks in town?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do my best. That¡¯s all,¡± Garm said just that, to which Xeno proceeded to add,


    ¡°As I recall, you have discussed strategy with Bittman, haven¡¯t you? From what I gather, Ealdred Crow¡¯s victory on the eightiethyer owes much to his contribution.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s strong.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, he is. But can you specify what makes him so?¡±


    ¡°Every action he takes is refined. He¡¯s virtually unassable, and when ites to keeping himself alive, he¡¯s a cut above the rest. It¡¯s actually odd that his capabilities weren¡¯t appreciated until very recently.¡±


    As Garm unexpectedly became talkative about someone else, Xeno seized the opportunity to direct more questions at him, skillfully driving the conversation forward. As Garm was typically a man of few words, the sight of him speaking so animatedly was sure to captivate those observing the scene through the Monitors.


    Observing the Tank duo conversing with the God Eye, Amy wore a displeased expression, her brows furrowing. During the rest of the break within the snow hut, Xeno assumed the role of a host, orchestrating the conversation among the four other team members.


    Xeno possessed a distinct personality much like Amy¡¯s, capable of shining even on his own. However, unlike Amy, who embodied the allure of a solo idol stealing the limelight, Xeno excelled in uplifting those around him.


    Amy¡¯s prowess in publicity had led to substantial sponsorships for Absolute Helix, raking in funds. The Xeno-centered ¡®talk shows¡¯ during break times also held significant influence ¡ª to the extent that now, there were spectators who tuned in just to see Infinite Helix, turning their exploration sessions into something resembling a full-fledged TV show.


    [And it makes me feel like I¡¯m running an entertainment corporation rather than a n of Explorers¡­]


    The ie streaming into the n through the pair was staggering, keeping Ollie and her apprentice busy with management tasks. Amy, in particr, raked in considerable earnings, single-handedly amassing funds that could keep the whole n in operation.


    Tsutomu, being more interested in conquering the Dungeon, had sometimes wondered if this was actually a good thing for him.


    ¡°¡­Snow storms on the seventy-ninthyer and suche at fixed intervals, so if possible, it¡¯s better to wrap up support and healing before one hits and impairs your visibility.¡±


    ¡°I see, so you ARE conscious of such things.¡±


    Still, this kind of publicity provided opportune moments to spread knowledge about Healer strategies, which he did appreciate quite a lot. If valuable knowledge could be disseminated without the overreliance on newspapers or other news media, it was all the better.


    Furthermore, whenever Amy and Xeno teamed up, they would have enough passive charisma to sustain the audience¡¯s excitement on their own ¡ª If someone did not wish to participate in the conversation, they could simply not do so. This was especially apparent in how Diniel did not talk much, actually taking this time to rest.


    And so, after the conversation went on for a good while, Xeno drank some water and interjected a break. Tsutomu could not help but wonder how Xeno was not fatigued from continuous talking, but apparently, Xeno enjoyed it, so Tsutomu let him do his thing.


    And then, as evening descended, the five of thempleted their final checks and opened the ck Gate to the eightiethyer.


    ¨D¨Œ¨Œ¨D


    At the far end of the t expansey nketed in pristine white snow, the Winter General stood, d in traditional Japanese-style armor.


    It was about three meters tall, much taller than an average human, but other than that, its appearance hardly differed from one. Its equipment, too, was no exception. Adorned in attire evoking the image of a Japanese warrior ¡ª which, to be fair, was an unfamiliar sight in this world ¡ª it carried four swords at either side of its waist.


    Amidst the immacte whitendscape, a single pair of red eyes glinted, and the giant warrior¡¯s hand grasped a sword hilt at its waist.


    ¡°<


    >, <<Haste>>.¡±


    The initial quick draw sh targeted the order of those who entered the ck Gate. As such, Garm and Xeno had been deliberately positioned ahead, sparing Tsutomu from taking the hit. Empowered by support skill effects, the two focused their intense gaze on the Winter General.


    In the blink of an eye, the Winter General advanced upon them. The sword sh, too swift to follow with a naked eye, aimed at their throats.


    ¡°Ngh¡­!¡±


    Xeno was the first target. Though he managed to deflect the sh away from his neck, his chest te was torn through like paper. As blood stained the snow, a <<Heal>> spell shot rapidly mended Xeno¡¯s wound.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>.¡±


    Garm, positioning near Xeno, unleashed his wide-area aggro pull skill as the Winter General retreated.


    ¡°<<Dual Wave sh>>¡±


    ¡°<


    >.¡±


    Confirming that the aggro pull was effective, Amy and Dinielunched their assault. Wind des and arrows assailed the Winter General, only to cause resonating ngs as they were repelled by its armor. Momentarily wide-eyed in surprise, Diniel swiftly nocked another arrow.


    The Winter General proceeded to target Garm, unsheathing a sword from its right waist. Simultaneously, an icy gale swept forth. Garm stood his ground, folding his ears and staring at the Winter General as crimson trails of the lights in its eyes followed its advance.


    He parried the Winter General¡¯s sword thrust with his tower shield, but the monster¡¯s onught persisted. Each strike was not overwhelmingly heavy, yet its attacks were precise, aimed at knocking Garm down.


    Eventually, the Winter General caught Garm¡¯s left leg as he tried to retreat, impaling him with the sword in its right hand. Despite Garm¡¯s high VIT preventing the de from digging in too deep, a trickle of blood seeped from his wounded leg.


    ¡°<<Shield Bash>>.¡±


    Garm countered with his tower shield, but the Winter General swiftly repelled it. Drawing a sword from its left waist, the Winter General cleaved Garm¡¯s tower shield in two.


    The swords at the Winter General¡¯s right side were mostly used for long-range attacks such as the earlier blizzard blow, while the ones on its side were honed for close-quartersbat. Thetter pair held particrly sharp des, capable of inflicting cuts even on those with high VIT. A critical hit would likely dismember the victim with ease.


    Winter General¡¯s ability to destroy its challengers¡¯ equipment was something the team had learned from observing Ealdred Crow¡¯s previous attempts. Challengers had to regard their equipment as nothing more than cold-weather gear, with Tanks needing to focus on maneuvering to avoid critical hits while making use of their high VIT.


    Discarding the now useless tower shield, Garm promptly unleashed another st of <<Combat Cry>>. Now that his VIT exceeded the A rating, his body was technically more resilient than any armor he could get. Garm evaded attacks aimed at his head and neck, skillfully surviving the Winter General¡¯s strikes.


    ¡°<<Rock Splitter de>>.¡±


    <<COMBAT CRY>>!!


    From behind, Amy aimed her attacks at the gaps in the giant warrior¡¯s armor, apanied by a silver st of <<Combat Cry>>. Xeno started umting aggro so that he could switch with Garm, and in the meantime, he intently observed the Winter General¡¯s movements.


    The Winter General remained impervious to Amy¡¯s attacks, however, as it precisely opened cuts on Garm¡¯s arms and legs. Eventually, one of its des grazed his cheek, and crimson droplets fell upon the frigid earth.


    Still, as Garm¡¯s vitality waned, his focus on battle intensified. Stepping closer and closer to his physical limit, Garm shed the constraints on his body, and was now able to withstand the Winter General¡¯s onught.


    ¡°<<Heal>>. <


    >.¡±


    Tsutomu, seeing that Garm¡¯s unwavering focus had been induced by this critical situation, proceeded to give him minimal healing so as to not snap him out of the zone. While Tsutomu was skilled in maintaining a certain level of vitality through his support, it would still be all over for Garm if he were to be struck in a critical area. As such, Tsutomu conducted his support while mentally preparing for a potential cast of <<Raise>>.


    ¡°It¡¯s tough as nails!¡±


    Amy¡¯s frustration toward the Winter General¡¯s impervious armor was palpable as she retreated to avoid a st of frozen air the monster emitted. The glistening white armor was not only rigid but also emitted a freezing aura when struck, rendering prolonged consecutive attacks unfeasible.


    ¡°Tch,¡± Diniel clicked her tongue as she nocked another arrow. Only her fire arrows, capable of melting the snow on the ground, had any chance of doing significant damage, but the Winter General proved to be quite a challenging target to hit.


    All things considered, the first Absolute Helix team¡¯s battle against the Winter General began with a surprisingly arduous uphill struggle.

 Chapter 196: Not So Fitting

    ¡°Xeno, time to switch with Garm,¡± Tsutomumanded.


    ¡°Understood! <<COMBAT CRY>>!!¡± Xeno shouted out as if to boost his own morale, and unleashed his silver aura.


    And just as Xeno noticed the Winter General set its sights on him, the de on its left hand had already opened a cut on his arm, prompting him to contort his boisterous grin.


    ¡°<<Air de>>. <<Heal>>.¡±


    Tsutomu tracked both the Winter General and Xeno¡¯s movements with an unblinking stare, executing precise interventions with <<Air de>> attacks and healing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cover you!¡±


    ¡°That is¡­ reassuring¡­!¡±


    Among the Attackers, Amy, the nimble Dualder, positioned herself close to Xeno, ensuring he would not be subjected to intense attacks alone. Behind them, Diniel expertly released arrows like threading needles, offering backup.


    ¡°<<Taunt Swing>>!¡±


    Xeno countered with a swing of his shield to further draw the Winter General¡¯s aggro, ensuring that others would not be the focus of its attacks. While Amy and Diniel would be willing to sh with the Winter General head-on when necessary, the battle had only just begun. With regr support and healing from behind, Xeno continued to take the Winter General¡¯s des, his blood staining the snow.


    Xeno¡¯s VIT was rtively high, however, so he would not suffer severe injuries ¡ª except for critical strikes. Unlike Garm, whom Tsutomu needed to maintain under a certain level of vitality so as to not break his focus, Tsutomu ensured that Xeno was consistently at full health, casting a healing spell the very moment an injury was incurred, swiftly alleviating pain.


    This fight against the Winter General, unlike the Mount Golem battle, featured no cannon fodder foes, and the only wide-area attack to watch for was the frozen air st, which could be easily managed with the proper countermeasures. As such, the encounter would predominantly be one-on-one ¡ª and a true test of a team¡¯s Tanks and Healers¡¯ prowess.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ Now this is a bit of a pickle.¡±


    Xeno¡¯s shield, struck by the Winter General¡¯s de several times, shattered into fragments in no time, and the short sword he wielded was also broken. Now with neither weapon nor shield, Xeno let out a dryugh and used his arm ¡ª the defensive strength of which depended solely upon his VIT ¡ª to parry the Winter General¡¯s des.


    ¡°Ngh¡­!¡±


    Taking on an onught so fierce that he could not even crack a joke, Xeno made do with protecting only his vital points. Though his movements were far less gracefulpared to Garm earlier, he refused to sumb to his low pain tolerance, so as to not make a humiliating disy as he had during the previous boss battle.


    Following the battle against the Mount Golem, Xeno had undergone specialized training in the Dungeons at Pico¡¯s suggestion, experiencing various forms of pain. Particrly, the ¡°baptism¡± routine in the notorious Swampyers, infamous for being lethal to Explorers, had undoubtedly bolstered Xeno¡¯s pain tolerance. While he stillgged behind Garm and Daryl in terms of pain tolerance, the difference was merely due to their extraordinary physical thresholds.


    As such, he would not sumb to debilitating, consciousness-numbing pain like thest time. Additionally, unlike during training, he had allies behind him now. Thanks to the Healer, Tsutomu, providing healing as soon as he was hit, pain was nothing to worry about. And with the team¡¯s other Tank, Garm, ready to take over whenever necessary, Xeno felt quite reassured.


    Furthermore, Diniel¡¯s arrows, potent enough to gouge their way through the solid snow, promised strong offensive support, and Amy¡¯s interruption arts and God Eye maniption proved quite invaluable. Her skillful work not only lightened his burden, but also granted him a fair share of time in the God Eye¡¯s focus.


    Surely, his fans and Pico were watching through the Monitors, the images of which reflected what the God Eye saw. The images of their faces vividly formed in Xeno¡¯s mind. It was thanks to them that he was motivated to stay standing up against the formidable Winter General.


    ¡°I¡¯VE GOT YOU!!!¡±


    As the Winter General staggered from Diniel¡¯s fire arrow striking its knee, Xeno bellowed with fervor and hit it with a dropkick.


    The monster fell on its backside, and Amy took this chance to lunge at it, only to be sted away by the frozen wind pressure from the sword in its right hand. Shended headfirst into a mound of snow.


    ¡°Nyah¨C!! How annoying!¡± With an exasperated cry, Amy quickly resurfaced, shaking her head furiously.


    Seeing that her friend was safe, Diniel took out a blue candy from her slender magic bag and popped it into his mouth.


    In the eightiethyer, liquid Potions often froze, rendering them undrinkable. And even worse, the Winter General had been observed interfering with Explorers attempting to consume Potions using sts of frozen air and other interruption arts.


    As a countermeasure, the Forest Apothecary had invented candy-type Potions. Though the effectiveness diminished somewhat, with this, there was no issue in enduring the Winter General¡¯s cold st attack.


    As such, for this fight, most of the Potions held by the Infinite Helix Party were of the candy type. Another advantage they provided was that they could be consumed while casting skills, making them quite useful for ck Mages and White Mages.


    Still, unlike liquid Potions, theycked immediate efficacy, making them inconvenient in situations requiring urgency. That was apparently why the Forest Apothecary was making candies only for the mental energy-restoring Blue Potions.


    ¡°Diniel,¡± Tsutomu said, ¡°Think you can destroy its right-side swords?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying, but it is too good at dodging. I¡¯ll go for its legs first,¡± Diniel grumbled wearily, her breath condensing out through the gaps in her scarf as she eyed the Winter General like a hawk. To her extreme annoyance, the only significant damage dealt to the monster so far was from Xeno¡¯s dropkick a few moments ago.


    The Winter General¡¯s swords exhibited distinct capabilities between the ones of its left and right sides: left for closebat, right for ranged attacks. Moreover, it was known that the right-side swords could be destroyed, and that the cold st attacks could be partially nullified. This information had been conveyed to her beforehand, so she had also been attempting to target the weapon ¡ª with not much apparent sess so far.


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    After casting <<Medic>> on Amy, whose head had been buried in a mound of snow, Tsutomu immediately redirected his attention to Xeno. To Xeno¡¯s side, Garm was standing on blood-soaked snow while recing his equipment and chewing on a Blue Potion candy.


    ¡°Garm, are you doing all right?¡± Tsutomu asked while keeping only his eyes on Xeno and the Winter General.


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯m done changing my gear now ¡ª ready to switch in whenever.¡±


    ¡°Wait a bit more. We need to get Xeno ustomed to the Winter General¡¯s moves.¡±


    Garm responded with an expressionless nod. He felt that the Attackers ¡ª Diniel and Amy ¡ª were doing well enough, so he agreed to stay on standby and observe the Winter General.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    [¡­He is actually pretty persistent.]


    Garm, rolling around a blue candy in his mouth, watched on with unease as Xeno fought against the Winter General. Ever since the first team¡¯s lineup had been decided, Garm had spent a fair amount of time with Xeno, but he had not anticipated that Xeno would hold out against the Winter General this well.


    From Garm¡¯s perspective, what Xenocked was inherent talent. Even judging from regr training results, it was likely that Daryl ¡ª with his ability to break his physical limits ¡ª was superior. Xeno was not specialized like Hannah, either. It had appeared that Tsutomu was quite aware of this as well, so Garm had always assumed that Xeno had been selected for his standout skill, <<Ember Aura>> ¡ª a skill that granted resistance to the Dungeon¡¯s environmental effects, which was highly useful foryers with extreme temperature differences such as the Volcano and the Snow Field.


    And in terms of the Attackers, Amy possessedmendable abilities, her personality aside. All in all, Garm had noints about Tsutomu¡¯s choices for the team.


    But then, during their training sessions on the Snow Fieldyers, and even more so during mock battles with other ns¡¯ members, Xeno¡¯sck of prowess had be evident. Additionally, Garm had seen Xeno¡¯s performance against the Mount Golem through the Monitor, so he had anticipated himself being the one spending more time drawing the attention of the Winter General.


    As it turned out, however, Xeno had already managed to engage the Winter General for roughly the same amount of time as Garm. Of course, Xeno had Amy¡¯s help, so theparison was not quite fair, but in Garm¡¯s opinion, his performance still was quite astonishing.


    What one could not achieve in training, they would not achieve in an actual fight either ¡ª that was what Tsutomu had once said to Amt, and Garm had secretly believed that. However, it seemed that those words did not hold true for Xeno. His performance in the current situation was significantly better than in practice.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    From the perspective of the God Eye, Xeno¡¯s <<Combat Cry>> appeared significantly weakerpared to Garm¡¯s ¡ª so much so that if Daryl were to unleash a simrly weak, Garm would certainly feel a strong urge to intervene. That aside, though, it was clear that Xeno¡¯s movements had improved thanks to the presence of the God Eye.


    ¡°HAHAHA! I¡¯m starting to get the hang of this! Come on,e on! <<Taunt Swing>>!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re noisy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get carried away ¡ª that¡¯s how you get yourself killed!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ <<Heal>>.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the healing, my man!¡±


    The more Xeno talked, the more the team¡¯s morale seemed to improve. In the current circumstances, the battle against the Winter General was technically not going particrly well. Though everyone had watched the battle from the Monitors, this was their first time facing this enemy ¡ª Xeno took far too many risks than a Tank should, and the Attackers were not dealing as much damage as they wanted. In a way, they were all beginners trying to figure things out together ¡ª and as such, their morale would likely be lower when the result-oriented Garm inevitably switched in again as the main Tank.


    [¡­I just have to do my job.]


    As Garm cut off such thoughts and continued to observe the Winter General and the team¡¯s actions, Tsutomu issued an order for the Tanks to switch soon. Garm quickly re-checked his equipment and performed some preparatory stretches to loosen his muscles.


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    And so, Xeno, smiling despite being covered in blood, stepped back to switch with Garm, who proceeded to st out a <<Combat Cry>> to generate aggro and wait for Tsutomu¡¯s <


    > while positioning himself in front of the Winter General.


    ¡°Thanks for the support! Bring it on!!¡±


    Garm¡¯s sudden change in tone prompted everyone except Diniel to blink in disbelief.


    As the fight went on, Tsutomu observed Garm¡¯s performance, eventually narrowing his eyes as he noticed that something was off.


    ¡°Xeno, could you¡­¡± Tsutomu turned to Xeno behind him, and saw that thetter was still struggling to catch his breath. ¡°¡­Uh, guess not. Diniel! Amy! Sorry, but could you switch with Garm for a bit!?¡±


    Tsutomu closely monitored not only the Winter General¡¯s movements but also his allies¡¯. He recognized that Garm¡¯s focus on the battle was somehow not optimal, which was why he had wanted him to switch out. Hearing Tsutomu¡¯s instructions, Amyplied with a smile, while Diniel, despite her apparent annoyance,unched intense attacks on the Winter General to umte aggro.


    ¡°Garm. Come here for a sec.¡±


    ¡°¡­All right.¡±


    Amy shot Garm a smug grin, prompting thetter to give her a discontented look as he turned and jogged toward Tsutomu. Both Amy and Diniel were some of the best among Absolute Helix when it came to anti-personnelbat, so they were sure to be able to hold their own against the Winter General at least for a while. Theirpatibility with each other was also outstanding, making it unlikely for them to be done in quickly.


    Tsutomu looked at Garm as thetter approached while looking slightly flustered, and his gaze wandered as if searching for words. Garm, noticing that, hastily wagged his tail and held out his hand, as if telling him to stop.


    ¡°¡­I know what you¡¯re thinking. Sorry about that. But don¡¯t worry ¡ª I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­ Well, let me just say that you don¡¯t have to ham it up like Xeno or anything. Just do things as you usually do ¡ª that¡¯ll make things easier for me, too.¡±


    As Tsutomu was still surprised by the way Garm had just thanked him, he nodded awkwardly just as Garm did. Then, after their brief exchange, Garm was put back on the task of pulling the boss monster¡¯s aggro.


    ¡°Man, me and Dini could¡¯ve done that all day~~! Bring it on!!¡±


    ¡°Sure, go get yourself killed, and we¡¯ll see if you can still say that.¡±


    While Amy teased him, Garm sessfully managed to draw the Winter General¡¯s aggro back to him.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 197: Cat Habits Die Hard

    Garm¡¯s brief slip in performance was quickly rectified, in turn making the team¡¯s performance against the Winter General exceptionally stable. With Tsutomu supporting Garm, who had put himself back into the zone of his physical limits, they could now confidently handle the boss monster.


    ¡°I¡¯m right behind you!¡± Xeno said as he stood within the perimeter of <<Area Heal>>, sounding quite lively despite being covered in blood. ¡°Ready to switch in whenever you need!¡±


    ¡°I switched you OUT because you were about to die, you know,¡± Tsutomu said coldly as he cast some support and healing spells for Garm


    [I mean, I did NOT expect him tost as long as he did¡­ so I guess I can count on him a fair bit.]


    Tsutomu had always considered Xeno to be the type that could draw out more power in a real fight than in practice, but if he were to be honest, he had not expected to see this much improvement in such a short time. Xeno did take more hitspared to Garm, but Tsutomu¡¯s healing could easily make up for that.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    Furthermore, since the Winter General¡¯s attacks were not so different from what he knew from Live Dungeon, Tsutomu could calcte their approximate damage levels easily. This meant, on top of knowing the Winter General¡¯s attack power levels and his team¡¯s status ratings, he could manage the Tanks¡¯ health and heal them with impable timing.


    ¡°<


    >.¡±


    Diniel¡¯s prating arrows hit the Winter General¡¯s legs, breaking parts of its white armor. Amy, aiming at the same spots, executed a series of attacks, steadily whittling away the Winter General¡¯s health.


    Even though they had watched Ealdred Crow¡¯s battle footage beforehand, few could fight this enemy so effectively on their first encounter. Diniel could do this because of years of experience, Garm by a relentless dedication to his Explorer craft, and Amy by natural talent. If not for these factors, they most likely would not have been able to perform this well.


    In the beginning, the team seemed to have a hard time, but as the fight went on, their performance began to stabilize. With Xeno¡¯s hammy shouts and Tsutomu¡¯smands echoing around them, Garm managed to hold the Winter General¡¯s attention without dying. Meanwhile, Diniel and Amy¡¯s attacks started to deal damage.


    And now, after being hit with a barrage of fire arrows, the Winter General¡¯s armor started to crack. Amy¡¯s <<Rock Splitter de>> broke off a piece, exposing the monster¡¯s pale skin and drew a stream of its blue blood.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>.¡±


    With a Blue Potion candy in his mouth, Garm unleashed his blood-red aura. His presence now seemed even more intimidating than that time when he had crawled back to his feet after being crushed by the Fire Dragon.


    ¡°<<Dual Wave sh>>!¡±


    ¡°<<Double Arrow>>.¡±


    With the Tank in a stable position, the Attackers could function to their full potential, steadily chipping away at Winter General. Amy had her sights set on destroying the Winter General¡¯s right-handed swords, but her haphazard attacks asionally came dangerously close to hitting Garm¡¯s face, prompting him toin,


    ¡°Hey, slow down and watch who you¡¯re attacking.¡±


    ¡°Meh! How ¡¯bout you go chill in the back or something? Dini and me will manage just fine!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in way over your head. Diniel can get away with it because she¡¯s strong ¡ª but not you.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? Lemme at ¡¯em and see how well I do!¡±


    Garm and Amy quickened their movements as if topete for aggro. Diniel, seeing that Amy was no longer targeting the right-handed swords, shot her a look of disappointment while continuing to attack the Winter General.


    ¡°Are you sure we shouldn¡¯t stop them?¡±


    ¡°Considering how well they¡¯re doing, I guess it¡¯s fine. Maybe it¡¯s better this way, even.¡±


    Tsutomu calcted the amount of aggro they were generating and decided to let them be. Xeno, seeing Tsutomu¡¯s reaction, let out a dry chuckle as he stepped out of the <<Area Heal>>.


    ¡°This red aura is getting on my nerves!¡±


    ¡°Stop darting around like that. You¡¯re being a nuisance.¡±


    Amy¡¯s attacks and Garm¡¯s red aura sts grew fiercer, unexpectedly syncing well and elerating their damage output. Amused by their fiercepetition for aggro, Xeno directed the God Eye to focus on both of them.


    As their unyielding sh showed no signs of stopping, a high-pitched, flute-like scream echoed. For a moment, Tsutomu looked slightly surprised as he nced in that direction, then he proceeded to give instructions to the three on the front line,


    ¡°That¡¯s earlier than expected! Guys, we¡¯re in the second phase! Iing from the northwest! Retreat!¡±


    ¡°Tch, I almost got it!¡±


    ¡°Shut up and get out of here!¡±


    Amy pursed her lips in frustration, feeling that she was mere moments away from pulling the Winter General¡¯s aggro away from Garm ¡ª who, simrly, wore a face that tantly showed his urge to kick her in the back. Both of them proceeded to regroup with the others. Then, a massive pale blue horse came effortlessly charging through the snow from the northwest.


    ¡°Garm, you still good to go?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°From what I saw on the Pedestals, that horse is incredibly fast, so be careful.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Tsutomu handed a Potion candy to Garm as if he were changing a boxer¡¯s mouthpiece.


    This horse ¡ª big enough to be ridden easily by a three-meter-tall humanoid monster ¡ª was supposed to make its appearance in the final phase of the Winter General boss battle. Tsutomu was taken aback by its early arrival since his damage calctions had indicated that only about half of its health had been depleted. Still, he maintained aposed demeanor, not revealing the slightest surprise on his face. Tsutomu also addressed Amy and Xeno, who were noticeably excited,


    ¡°Amy, help out Diniel ¡ª and destroy its right-handed swords if you can! Xeno, watch the Winter General¡¯s movements and try to adapt to the situation.¡±


    ¡°Gotcha!¡±


    ¡°Very well!¡±


    For the benefit of the team, Tsutomu wanted to disable the right-handed swords due to the fact that they generated blizzard attacks. In response to Tsutomu¡¯s instructions, Amy and Xeno replied with cheerful voices that seemed to dispel the cold.


    ¡°Diniel, attack the horse¡¯s legs. It¡¯ll be tough for the Tanks if it can move freely.¡±


    ¡°Gimme a new warmer.¡±


    ¡°Here. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    Diniel, after being handed an extra warmer packet, ced it in her clothes and then nodded to Tsutomu.


    While Tsutomu was giving instructions to the other party members, the Winter General jumped on its heavily breathing, armor-d horse. The monster shook the horse¡¯s reins fiercely, prompting the pale blue steed to dash toward Garm at a tremendous speed.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    The snow beneath the horse¡¯s hooves exploded as if it were gunpowder as the creature rushed forward. Garm, reflexively dodged the swing of the boss monster¡¯s left-handed sword from horseback, but he could not evade itpletely, ending up with a trickle of blood flowing from his neck.


    ¡°<<High Heal>>.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s healing magic brought Garm¡¯s health back up ¡ª while maintaining it in the range where he was still in the zone. It was done so quickly that the others who observed it happen, Xeno and Amy, exchanged nces in disbelief.


    ¡°<


    >.¡±


    Diniel, with her eyes frighteningly wide open, shot an arrow with all her might, but the Winter General skillfully maneuvered its horse out of the way. Diniel continued to shoot in quick session, but then, when the Winter General generated a blizzard with its right-hand sword, deflecting the arrows.


    While Diniel reached into her Magic Bag on her back to get some new arrows, she kept an eye on Amy as thetter discussed with Xeno about the horse. When Amy noticed her gaze, she turned around awkwardly.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ck off and do something about the swords. It¡¯s getting in my way.¡±


    ¡°Aww, c¡¯mon, Dini, you do it! It¡¯s so cold just getting close to it!¡±


    Ignoring Amy¡¯s feigned shivering, Diniel turned to Xeno.


    ¡°Xeno, figure something out.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a little too much for me!¡±


    Xeno maintained a cheerful smile as he watched the Winter General¡¯s movements while Garm continued to face off against it. Tsutomu, after casting <


    > for Garm, chimed in,


    ¡°Well, maybe we don¡¯t HAVE TO destroy it. There might be another way to prevent it from using its right-handed sword.¡±


    ¡°Any theories?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, we just need to keep the swords away from the Winter General¡­ So, rather than destroying it, knocking it out of its hand or even stealing it might work.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like it¡¯s time for Amy to reawaken her cat habits,¡± Diniel said, pointing at the Winter General with her chin. ¡°C¡¯mon, go get ¡¯em.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d you mean, by habits!? Stop it!¡±


    Amy, panicking because Tsutomu had also heard thatment, promptly hid her hands.


    ¡°I mean, Tsutomu just said to¨C¡°


    ¡°Wha¨C! Okay, okay, not another word! I¡¯m going in! Just stop talking!¡±


    Amy covered Diniel¡¯s mouth with her hands, interrupting her. Then, when Amy went away as if she was running from her crimes, Tsutomu started getting suspicious.


    ¡°Huh? Did Amy steal something from me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if she fails to do something about the swords.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I mean, stealing is a crime, right? Maybe we should file a report to the security force?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She must¡¯ve already put it back while you weren¡¯t looking.¡±


    ¡°I dunno¡­¡±


    While engaged in a conversation, Tsutomu still closely observed Garm¡¯s condition and provided precise support, while Diniel used fire arrows to provide Amy with cover.


    Amy ¡ª now a suspected thief ¡ª made a beeline toward the Winter General on horseback, fully concentrating on the right-handed sword she intended to snatch. When the horse ran over Garm, its speed reduced slightly, and then¡­


    ¡°¡­GOTCHA!¡±


    Amy leaped like a cat, passing over the Winter General in an instant, and swiftly grabbed both of the swords on its right side. Tsutomu, not having expected sess on the first try, opened his eyes wide.


    ¡°Gah, it¡¯s cold!!¡±


    However, as it turned out, the swords were freezing to the touch, causing Amy to yelp and reflexively fling them away. Tsutomu, seeing Amy discard the swords almost as soon as she got her hands on them, resisted the urge to facepalm as he cast <<Heal>> for Garm.


    ¡°<<Stream Arrow>>.¡±


    Fortunately, Diniel had prepared for this. Countless fire arrows rained down from above onto the swords in the snow, quickly destroying them.


    ¡°Xeno, use <<Combat Cry>> and switch with Garm.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me! <<Combat Cry>>!!¡±


    ¡°<<Heal>>. Diniel, back Xeno up. Amy, stand back and observe ¡ª help out if things look bad!¡±


    Due to Garm having a broken arm and severe internal injuries as a result of being run over by the horse, Tsutomu cast <


    > and <<Haste>> on Xeno and had him switch in. While issuing instructions to the others, Tsutomu cast <<Air des>> to distract the Winter General. The des of wind were easily deflected by the monster¡¯s remaining swords as if it was swatting away insects.


    While Tsutomu¡¯s attacks would not do much damage to the Winter General regardless of whether or not they hit, they still were effective as a minor distraction, providing some meaning to a Healer¡¯s attack skills that would have been useless in Live Dungeon. In fact, this extra distraction was one of the reasons why the two Tanks, Garm and Xeno, were able to survive against the Winter General.


    And with a silver st of <<Combat Cry>>, the Winter General¡¯s attention on Garm shifted over to Xeno. The red-eyed horse and the Winter General both directed their murderous intent towards Xeno, almost making him tremble.


    ¡°HAHAHA! Here I go!!¡±


    Could he really handle an opponent who had just severely wounded Garm? What would happen if he were to fall here? Such worries swirled in Xeno¡¯s mind, but he refused to break down. With a forced smile on his face, Xeno boldly shouted and confronted the monster.


    It felt as if its swords were already thrust right in front of him. As the horse carrying the Winter General charged forward, a red arrow flew to Xeno¡¯s rescue ¡ª it struck one of the horse¡¯s front legs, causing it to stumble and stamp its hooves in ce.


    ¡°¡­Now that is what I call reassuring.¡±


    Diniel, having shed her usualid-back demeanor, was providing him with support. Additional encouragement came from Amy, operating the God Eye to show the good parts of the fight. Empowered by all this help, Xeno fearlessly faced the Winter General.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 198: Xeno’s True Value

    Xeno shook off the fear-induced trembling in his legs and faced the horse-mounted Winter General¡¯s charge head-on.


    Whenever Garm was the main Tank, Xeno would cast <<Ember Aura>> on his team members, but that was not the only thing he was good for. He had also been closely observing the battle between Garm and the Winter General.


    As Tsutomu had informed them beforehand, the Winter General¡¯s attacks from horseback were quite intense. Although they had managed to destroy its means ofunching long-range attacks, its solid and razor-sharp left-handed swords were still usable.


    Coming into the fight, the team¡¯s worst concern had been the potential of the Winter General and the horse acting separately, but Diniel and Amy, shooting powerful arrows and continuously targeting the monster¡¯s bleeding wounds respectively, were applying pressure to keep them in check. However, the boss monster¡¯s sword swings from horseback, all aiming for critical strikes, would be quite severe if even one of them managed to hit home.


    At one point, Garm had failed to dodge the Winter General¡¯s attack and took critical damage in the joint of his arm, suffering a severe injury. This was precisely why Xeno, as the mounted monster swung down at his neck, went against it head-on and focused on avoiding just the critical hit.


    Still, the moment the sword touched him, his arm was yanked upward, dislocating his shoulder. Despite the impact being so great that he had to grit his teeth, Xeno still kept his smile up.


    ¡°Heh, I can handle this!¡±


    Xeno fixed his shoulder on his own, his expression seeming as if nothing had happened. Tsutomu promptly cast <<Heal>> on him, actually mending the injury and making it so that he could raise his arm again.


    [GAHHH!! That really hurt! I hope I don¡¯t have to experience that again!]


    Internally, however, he was screaming from the intense pain. Being a child of a wealthy merchant from the Royal Capital, Xeno had been highly educated in his younger years ¡ª meaning he had not been at the forefront as an Explorer in God¡¯s Dungeon for very long. In turn, he had rtively little experience with death.


    As such, he could not handle situations as effectively as Garm, who had trained to endure harsh battle conditions ¡ª and neither did he possess talent like Amy nor extensive experience like Diniel. Within the ranks of Absolute Helix, Xeno likely was the person whose pain tolerance level was closest to Tsutomu¡¯s.


    Despite his high VIT and extra defense from <


    > helping to reduce the pain, the Winter General¡¯s powerful attacks still hurt quite a lot. He, like Tsutomu, would likely never be able to push himself past his physical limits like Garm and Daryl could.


    ¡°HAHAHA! Bring it on!¡±


    He had to be honest to himself that it hurt ¡ª that the unbearable pain slowed him down, as was to be expected. Right now, Xeno was simply enduring it as he had done during the Mount Golem battle. Any strategies she had learned for dealing with pain, like those Pico had him do in the Swampyers, hadpletely vanished from his mind.


    Practically cornered by swordy too fast to follow with the naked eye, Xeno focused on protecting his neck to avoid instant death. The Winter General, however, continued to relentlessly swing its de.


    [¡­Um, would it hurt LESS if I let it kill me?] Xeno contemted, unable to endure the pain of his entire body being sliced apart.


    A green aura struck him from behind, and the main thing that had been tormenting his body and mind started to disappear.


    Then, Diniel¡¯s fire arrow flew at the horse, and Amy sprinted straight towards the boos monster. Tsutomu, monitoring Garm¡¯s condition as he waited within an <<Area Heal>>, provided support to everyone.


    ¡°<<COMBAAATTT CRY>>!!¡±


    Xeno, getting a VIT boost from the earthy-yellow aura, proceeded to release his silver aura, determined to not fall behind the three others. Noticing Xeno step back into the front line to face the Winter General, Amy perked up her cat ears.


    ¡°Stay alive, man! You¡¯re doing great!¡±


    ¡°Hang in there ¡ª Garm¡¯s almost good to switch in.¡±


    ¡°Thank you! And I know!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Dini! You¡¯re not supposed to be that blunt!¡±


    Xeno could not help but notice how Amy stayed cheerful even in the middle of a battle. He faced the Winter General¡¯s swords head-on ¡ª and despite having the effect of <<Ember Aura>> on him, the biting cold of the weapons chilled him to the bone.


    [Heh, it¡¯s like I¡¯m riding in a ship on a stormy night¡­ or something!]


    However, he felt no fear. Amy and Diniel were performing excellently as Attackers. Tsutomu, healing and supporting him from behind, yed the role of a Tank to some extent in the form of minor distractions ¡ª all of which, from Xeno¡¯s perspective, made him a godlike figure. Xeno had lost count of how many times Tsutomu¡¯s healing spells had saved him from the Winter General¡¯s attacks.


    Moreover, he recalled the first time he hade to the Dungeon City and saw Garm, the only Tank-type Explorer on the front lines at the time, on the Monitors. Knowing that he was standing by in the rear, ready to rece him, served as a significant source of reassurance.


    ¡°Come on! I¡¯m your opponent!¡±


    Despite having had it as easy in his childhood as Tsutomu had in a first-world Earth country, however, Xeno was mentally strong enough to never break down against the Winter General¡¯s relentless assault. The reason for this was simple: Xeno had been supported by a multitude of people.


    His beloved wife Pico, friends from the Royal Capital, the members of Absolute Helix, and the numerous spectators who had watched him through the Monitors ¡ª Xeno was uplifted by all these people, and he had a heart that could genuinely ept their kindness.


    Xeno wholeheartedly believed in his fellow n members. He felt no shame about being chosen as a member of this team. He embraced the expectations of those around him, turning them into his strength.


    In contrast, Tsutomu had an ongoing n to return to his original world, and as such had been maintaining a certain distance from everyone in this world. Spending much of his free time ying Live Dungeon, he had done very little of other activities in life.


    Furthermore, as a renowned White Mage in Live Dungeon, had been exposed to both the kindness and malice of faceless strangers. Therefore, he had not been eager to ept the goodwill of others. He did not believe that being supported by others ¡ª in ways not in thebat sense ¡ª would necessarily make him stronger.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    Still, Tsutomu was fortunate enough not to be trapped in such a mindset, and had been able to apply his experiences from Live Dungeon to this world. As a Healer, Tsutomu would only face severe pain in situations close to total party annihtion. Given his knowledge, skilled n members, and the ability to see others fight theyer bosses through the Monitors, such situations were practically nonexistent.


    Eventually, with thebined efforts of Diniel and Amy, the Winter General¡¯s horse finally copsed. After tumbling from its horse, the Winter General put its hand on the fallen steed as thetter began dispersing into light particles.


    ¡°Diniel! Now!¡±


    ¡°<<Stream Arrow>>.¡±


    Diniel pressed the attack against the dying horse and further intensified her assault on the Winter General as it was attempting to strengthen himself. Arrows rained down like meteors, covering both the Winter General and its fallen horse. Tsutomu also attacked with <<Air des>>, and Amy with <<Dual Wave sh>>.


    When the dust settled, there was no sign of the Winter General anywhere ¡ª only a pure white Magic Stone on the ground where the monster was supposed to be.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    Sessful in defeating the Winter General, the team returned to the Guild in triumph.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡± Amy responded to her excited fans who hade to watch her.


    Xeno rushed over to give Pico a big hug, and Garm proceeded to engage in a conversation with the Guild staff members.


    In the midst of this, Tsutomu was observed from a distance by those around him. He had gained some recognition after the Stampede, but it seemed that his fans were still hesitant to approach him, likely because they had seen him rush straight to the Pedestal just now.


    Disyed on Monitor #2 was Absolute Helix¡¯s second team, the members of which were Garm¡¯s apprentice Daryl, the evasion-based Tank Hannah, the Dragonewts Amira and Leleia, and the Channeler Korinna.


    However, the only one facing off against the horse-mounted Winter General was Daryl, while the others were nowhere to be found. Amid themotion of the Guild celebrating the first team¡¯s achievement on the eightiethyer, Tsutomu walked around, and found that four individuals dressed in xen clothing had gathered in a corner.


    ¡°Looks like you made pretty good progress. Better luck next time?¡±


    ¡°¡­T-thanks, Teach,¡± Hannah responded, being the only one to do so.


    Amira and Leleia maintained a distance from each other as they continued to look at the Monitor, while Korinna kept her eyes cast down.


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting changed?¡±


    ¡°I kinda wanna stay like this until Daryl¡¯s back, you see,¡± Hannah said, gripping the edges of her shirt.


    ¡°Ah¡­ okay.¡±


    Tsutomu looked at the four, and saw that they were quite clearly weighed down by the atmosphere.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not like he¡¯s lost yet! Maybe he¡¯lle back in full gear, who knows!?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I think that might be a bit too much.¡±


    Even if Daryl had managed to push himself past his limit, he would eventually run out of steam and die from theck of healing. His candy Potion stock had already depleted, and the Winter General was nowhere near copsing ¡ª its four swords were still intact, and the horse was still full of energy. The oue of the battle was quite apparent.


    ¡°Can I go?¡± Diniel walked over and asked.


    ¡°Ah, yes, go ahead. I¡¯d like to stay and watch.¡±


    ¡°¡®Kay. See ya.¡±


    After she was done updating her Status Card, Diniel proceeded to make her way back to the n House. Tsutomu watched her leave and then, along with the determinedly supportive Hannah, continued to look at Monitor #2.


    After a while, Daryl was struck by the Winter General¡¯s charge and fell, and then got his head cut clean off. Monitor #2 went pitch ck, switching to showing a different image in the next instant.


    At the same time, Daryl, dressed in default clothes, sprung from the ck Gate as if being kicked out of it. He looked around and seemed to realize that he had died, and proceeded to weakly m the floor with his powerless fists.


    ¡°Hey. You did great ¡ª you¡¯ll get it next time. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s get changed, then we¡¯ll go home.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Offering gentle words to the dejected Daryl, the members of the Absolute Helix n returned together to the n House.

 Chapter 199: Unexpected Contributions

    <h4>Live Dungeon!: Chapter 199: Unexpected Contributions</h4>


    <strong>Trantor: Barnnn</strong>


    <strong>Editor: Svin</strong>


    ¡°Ayy! Let¡¯s hop into the bath! C¡¯mon!¡±


    ¡°Wha¨C!?¡±


    ¡°Huh, you¡¯re actually kinda heavy, Hannie,¡± Amy said and proceeded to chuckle while looking over Hannah¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You left me up without warning, and THAT¡¯s the first thing you have toment on!?¡±


    Hannah pped her wings furiously, her face beet-red with frustration.


    ¡°Korinna, c¡¯mon! Amira and Leleia, too!¡±


    ¡°Oh, bug off! You go in by yourself!¡± Amira responded irritably to Amy¡¯s light-hearted remark.


    Korinna and Leleia, on the other hand, remained silent. Disappointed, Amy carried only Hannah into the bathroom. Tsutomu, ignoring Hannah¡¯s screams as they went past him, approached the dejected Korinna and struck up a conversation,


    ¡°So, did something happen during the fight?¡±


    ¡°¡­I messed up.¡±


    Korinna clutched the Talisman hanging from her neck and cast her eyes down, her religious attire giving her the appearance of a repentant nun.


    Ollie, who had been watching the Monitors with Pico earlier, walked over and quietly handed Tsutomu a stack of documents detailing the second team¡¯s Winter General battle. In the beginning, she seemed to have been too busy managing the n House, but now she had enough time to go and watch the Monitors as well.


    ¡°I do appreciate this, Miss Ollie, but are you sure you want to keep doing this?¡±


    ¡°Now that my apprentice has be able to handle the household chores by herself,¡± Ollie smiled as she looked at the girl in question, who was currently busy cooking up a meal, ¡°I have quite a lot of free time on my hands, you see.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh.¡±


    With a slightly puzzled expression on his face, Tsutomu epted the stack of documents.


    Having looked into Ollie¡¯s background before, Tsutomu had a rough idea of why he had applied to work for the n. What he had not expected, however, was the sheer degree of herpetency, which was why he had decided to let her manage the n House regardless of her end goal. That seemed to have led to yet another unexpected development ¡ª these days, she seemed to have be more deeply involved with some of the n¡¯s members themselves.


    [What to do, what to do¡­]


    It had been almost half a year since the Devourer Dragon attack, which meant the next Stampede wasing soon. Tsutomu had nned to take that opportunity to put in a good word for Ollie with the nobility, but now he felt that it might be a good idea to confirm her intentions once more.


    While Tsutomu contemted that issue, Ollie swept back her brown hair and proceeded to exin,


    ¡°To start from the end, their Winter General battle was over when the party was annihted during the second phase. Their formation broke apart as a result of Hannah¡¯s death, and while she was revived, Korinna ended up being killed instead ¡ª followed by Hannah again, then Leleia, Amira, and finally, Daryl.¡±


    ¡°Considering the order, their aggro management must have gone awry.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Korinna replied with a somber look.


    Indeed, the primary reason for the team¡¯s loss against the Winter General was the death of the Healer.


    Korinna had done perfectly fine when it came to support and healing, efficiently providing protection from the cold using the <<Adventuring Deity¡¯s Protection>>, consistently buffed Daryl with the <<Blessing of Protection>>, and Hannah with the <<Blessing of Swiftness>>. Through diligent practice, she had also been able to more efficiently recover mental energy recovery with the <<Blessing of the Sacred>>, a skill that she initially had difficulties fitting into her patterns.


    Furthermore, her ability to predict Hannah¡¯s death had enabled her to swiftly revive her fallenrades. This time, instead of the usual <<Blessing of Resurrection>>, Korinna had used the more advanced version of it, <<Benediction of Resurrection>>.


    Unlike other revival skills, it restored not only the body, but also mental energy and even equipment. Although it had a longer activation time, it was highly convenient as it allowed for an immediate return to the front lines.


    However, Korinna was still inexperienced in managing a battle¡¯s overall aggro values, making her performance falter against monsters she was not used to fighting. Naturally, unlike Tsutomu with his extensive knowledge from Live Dungeon, she did not possess a full understanding of the Winter General¡¯s attacks and the ways to best manage the Tanks¡¯ aggro values. Consequently, she had to rely on her instincts to manage things, and her estimates had been off.


    Due to her thorough support and healing for Daryl, Korinna ended up drawing too much aggro, drawing the attention of the Winter General. While Korinna was adept at closebat and could outmaneuver Tsutomu in such a situation, the Winter General presented an entirely unfavorable matchup. As such, she ended up being killed by the monster.


    From then on, the teamcked support and healing, forcing them to rely on candy Potions for the remainder of the fight. With Korinna¡¯s death, their protection against environmental effects also eventually faded, leading to several instances of their mobility being hampered by the Winter General¡¯s blizzard attack.


    Making things even worse was the ongoing discord between Amira and Leleia, which became increasingly apparent as the situation grew dire. When Amira engaged her <<Dragon Form>>, Leleia became unable to focus on the battle as she had shbacks to how the berserk Amira had used to strike her down. Then, when Amira herself pointed out that Leleia¡¯s performance had suddenly worsened, an argument ensued.


    In the midst of the tense atmosphere caused by their quarrel, Daryl persevered by using candy Potions, while Hannah, despite her earlier death, showed remarkable resilience against the Winter General. However, an unexpectedly quick appearance of Winter General¡¯s horse caught Hannah off guard, and she was crushed underfoot, resulting in instant death.


    After that, Amira and Leleia found it challenging to exert effective pressure on the horse, leading to a dispersion of aggro within the team. While Daryl bravely faced the Winter General alone, Amira, targeted by the horse that had started to engage everyone else on its own, exhausted herself by sustaining her <<Dragon Form>> for too long.


    Leleia, her focus on Amira in <<Dragon Form>>, struggled to perform well and was fatally bitten by the horse. As Amira, immobilized by fatigue, remained helpless, she too was trampled, and finally, Daryl, forced to face both the Winter General and the horse at the same time, had no chance and sumbed, ending the fight in the team¡¯s annihtion.


    As Tsutomu listened to Ollie¡¯s summary of the battle, he pondered, crossing his arms.


    ¡°Based on all that, maybe they should have relied more on Daryl for aggro management. A Tank can naturally sense the general intensity of monsters¡¯ aggro better than others, so¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, the actual review with the whole n isn¡¯t until tonight, so we¡¯ll talk with everyone then. As for our future ns, we¡¯ll think about them tomorrow ¡ª but for now, I do think this team should give it at least one more try.¡±


    Although they had unfortunately failed this time, the selection of party members had not been all that bad. The Winter General emitted a chilling aura when approached, which made Amy¡¯s hit-and-run damage-dealing strategy a bad fit for it. Amira¡¯s greatsword attacks, on the other hand, were technically more effective against the Winter General due to each individual hit dealing heavy damage. Leleia, with her Smander-assisted abilities and versatility in both ranged and meleebat, was also a good fit ¡ª at least on paper.


    Hannah, an evasion-based Tank,plemented Korinna exceptionally well, and Daryl was a Tank on par with Garm. Setting aside concerns regarding the friction between Amira and Leleia, the party had a promising chance of winning.


    ¡°My n House! I have returned!¡±


    As Tsutomu sorted out his thoughts, a familiar, energetic voice resonated through the n House. Turning in that direction with a displeased expression, Tsutomu saw Xeno, who had barged into the living room as if he were a martial artisting over to challenge a rival dojo.


    ¡°Hello there! Sorry to have kept you waiting!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. You weren¡¯t supposed to have to be here today, so¡­ thanks foring.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! No problem at all! I convinced my wife to let me!¡±


    With one hand on his hip and a confident demeanor, Xeno yfully pped Tsutomu¡¯s back as he walked past thetter. Upon spotting the dejected Daryl in the living room, Xeno exaggeratedly feigned surprise before offering words of encouragement.


    [Well, things did work out unexpectedly well for my team, what with Xeno and Amy pulling through despite their lower technical effectiveness against that particr monster¡­ so I guess I can¡¯t exactly tell Korinna what she should do.]


    Tsutomu proceeded to head upstairs and towards the bathroom, and found that Garm had already gone in. Feeling slightly shocked and disappointed, Tsutomu returned to his room and sat at his desk to continue sorting out his ns.


    As a person, Xeno was quite intriguing ¡ª and he had some influence on themunity, though not on Amy¡¯s level. In terms ofbat prowess, on the other hand, Tsutomu had not been thorough with his evaluation, especially after what he had seen in the Mount Golem battle. As such, Tsutomu¡¯s expectations for Xeno had been limited to keeping Diniel alive with <<Ember Aura>> and serving as a damage sponge when absolutely needed.


    Furthermore, Amy¡¯s hit-and-run fighting style, focusing on dealing consistent damage via bleeding wounds, was technically not so effective against the Winter General. Her dance-likebo attacks with <<Dual Wave sh>> were impressive, but their impact was often lessened by the wide-area blizzard attacks around the Winter General. Although Amy had excellent skills in anti-personnelbat, it was clear that she was at a disadvantage against this particr opponent.


    Therefore, Tsutomu had only seen Xeno as a meat shield to buy time during the times Garm had to take breaks, and Amy as a motivator for Diniel, primarily used to stall when necessary.


    In the actual fight, however, both of them had performed remarkably. Xeno had never died once and had fulfilled his Tank role just about as well as Garm. His resilience during the crucial moments, especially when Garm was severely injured, exceeded Tsutomu¡¯s expectations by far.


    Having observed Xeno¡¯s movements during the regr practice sessions, it was clear to him that Xeno¡¯s skills were inferior to Garm and Daryl¡¯s. Their fighting styles differed, so they could not be directlypared, but Tsutomu had expected less from Xeno than from an evasion-based Tank like Hannah.


    [How is he able to endure that much pain?]


    Tsutomu had known beforehand that Xeno¡¯s movements would slow down whenever he was injured ¡ª and that even if he was cornered, he would not be able to push himself past his limits ¡ª so Tsutomu had tried to keep him at full health whenever possible.


    However, due to aggro management concerns, Tsutomu could not constantly heal Xeno. Therefore, around the mid-battle, Tsutomu had nned to temporarily give up on Xeno, letting Garm draw aggro and then bringing him backter with <<Raise>>.


    Yet, even though Tsutomu¡¯s calctions suggested that Xeno should have already died, his movements never faltered. He was not moving as effectively as if he had broken his limits, but he was still alive. Tsutomu found that genuinely puzzling.


    As time passed, aggro values naturally decreased, allowing Tsutomu to heal Xeno from time to time. Tsutomu had also let Amy and Diniel take on the Winter General at times, but even so, it would have been quite challenging for the team to defeat the Winter General without Xeno¡¯s contributions.


    Furthermore, Amy¡¯s coordination with Diniel had been excellent. Despite thetter¡¯s arrows flying repeatedly from behind her, she had fearlessly leaped at the Winter General without worrying about being shot. Her precise attacks on the weakened areas where the arrows had struck,bined with Diniel¡¯s efforts, had effectively kept the Winter General under control.


    They had also consistently applied pressure to the horse, preventing it from acting separately from the General. Amy had even managed to steal the right-handed swords, neutralizing the Winter General¡¯s wide-area attacks ¡ª quite possibly the highlight of the fight.


    [I did n for Diniel and Garm to destroy the swords eventually, but THAT¡­ I did not expect. Now I get why Diniel would imply that she had a habit of stealing things.]


    Looking back, Amy¡¯s stealing of the swords was truly a show ¡ª most likely no one had expected her to seed on the first try, and not only that, take both of the swords instead of just one. Tsutomu could vividly imagine seeing the newspapers calling Amy a Phantom Thief on the first page tomorrow morning.


    [¡­Oh, right. Stealing¡­ did she actually steal anything from me?]


    Recalling what Diniel had said during the battle, Tsutomu checked his personal belongings for anything unusual. He did not have that many personal items in the first ce, however, so he should have noticed if something had gone missing. Nevertheless, there was nothing particrly wrong about the cement of things in his room, leaving Tsutomu puzzled.

 Chapter 200: A Mental Theory

    <h4>Live Dungeon!: Chapter 200: A Mental Theory</h4>


    <strong>Trantor: Barnnn</strong>


    <strong>Editor: Svin</strong>


    While dinner was being prepared, the evaluation meetings were held separately among the members of the two teams, and afterwards, everyone ate at the table together. The topic of conversation at this time was all about the Winter General, which the members of Team 2 listened to quite attentively.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much, Korinny ¡ª Tsutomu¡¯s too weird to copy!¡±


    ¡°Like you¡¯re one to talk, Amy¡­ You managed to steal those swords on the first try.¡±


    ¡°¡­What, so you didn¡¯t expect me to seed or something~~? Meh, I guess that¡¯s fair¡­¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry, all right?¡±


    With a stern, admonishing gaze, Amy made Tsutomu scratch his cheek awkwardly. He had previously apologized to Xeno and Amy during the evaluation meeting for underestimating them, a fact she was well aware of.


    However, it seemed that Amy had already noticed Tsutomu¡¯s assessment of her skills to some extent, as she only responded by tugging at both of his cheeks while wearing a somewhat intimidating smile.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not just an idol, right? I¡¯m a FIGHTING idol! You mustn¡¯t make that mistake!¡±


    ¡°I already got an earful about that earlier, so I¡¯m good now¡­¡±


    Indeed, he had heard quite enough about idols during the earlier discussion ¡ª so much so that if it was food, he would be fully satiated for days. Amy still seemed eager to talk, though, as she continued to lecture him, prompting Xeno tough heartily and stand up.


    ¡°Hahaha! Amy is stronger than me, so it¡¯s only natural that she is powerful, isn¡¯t it? Besides, we WERE chosen as Tsutomu¡¯s teammates ¡ª that alone makes it perfectly fine by me!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but wonder, Xeno¡­¡± Diniel interjected, ¡°How are you always so confident?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Is it not obvious?¡± Xeno responded, confidently thumping his chest with his fist, ¡°All myrades are right HERE with me. Whenever I lose confidence, the voices from deep within me speak to me ¡ª telling me I will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡±


    ¡°Now, hold it right there, Diniel. Surely Amy¡¯s voice resides deep within your heart as well! Whenever you are in a tight spot, she will definitelye to your aid. Like in the battle against the Winter General earlier, where I was also saved by you and everyone else.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Dini! I¡¯ve got your back!¡±


    Watching Amy tapping her chest in unison with Xeno, Diniel closed her eyes.


    ¡°Sure, Amy, I¡¯ll always think of you when you die.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, Dini! Don¡¯t jinx it!¡±


    ¡°Well, I mean, you¡¯ll live for another fifty years, probably. We¡¯ll be together until then¡­ right?¡±


    Being an Elf, Diniel had a long lifespan, so she would likely outlive all of the n¡¯s members. Perhaps that was what she was thinking, as Diniel grasped Amy¡¯s hands to reassure herself of thetter¡¯s presence.


    Amy responded with a bright smile, gripping Daniel¡¯s hands in return, and then, her cat ears twitched as if she had just sparked some idea in her head.


    ¡°Yeah! Oh, but I wanna live at least until I turn seventy¡­ So that¡¯s two more additional years than just fifty!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and when I turn twenty, I wanna get married! Maybe I¡¯ll have two kids?¡±


    While saying that, Amy shot some nces at Tsutomu, who stayed oblivious to the looks he was getting as he munched on some juicy cheese-stuffed sausages. The meat juices and cheese blended together quite well, making them the perfect snack to have with beer.


    [Does it actually work that well, psychologically speaking?]


    While he ate, Tsutomu found himself questioning Xeno¡¯s words. Tsutomu had been a member of three different ns in Live Dungeon, the collective experience from which he had honed into his current approach tobat tactics. Nevertheless, he found it challenging to fully believe what Xeno was saying.


    Tsutomu¡¯s experience with the efficiency-focused n, the second one he had ever joined, had taught him something valuable: the mood within a party directly influenced its efficiency. Consequently, he acknowledged the validity of Xeno¡¯s words. He did not outright deny that a positive mood within a party could bring out the best in its members.


    [I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll work out quite as well for me, though¡­]


    But this was the reality. In the game, yers could talk about good or bad moods all they wanted since they were not in any real danger, but if Tsutomu were ever in Xeno¡¯s position, he was sure that he would prioritize saving himself ¡ª regardless of the mood. Tsutomu did not want to put himself through pain, even if he had allies to share it with.


    Likely, if he were ever attacked by the Winter General even once, Tsutomu would be unable to stand again. Furthermore, Garm and Daryl were of a race different from him, making them technically distant entities ¡ª but Xeno was human just like Tsutomu. That was why Tsutomu genuinely thought Xeno was amazing, and believed that he could not achieve the level of perseverance thetter had.


    Still, Tsutomu had taken some actions despite the risks they incurred, such as acting as an evasion-based Tank when he needed to, and casting <<Raise>> during the Mount Golem battle. This proved that Tsutomu could make the best decisions without prioritizing his own safety all the time, although it was often driven by his subconscious obsession with efficiency, not a careful consideration of risks and rewards.


    At some point, Amy turned grumpy for some reason and poked his cheek with a fish bone, prompting him to yelp out in pain as Hannah and Korinna watched on with exasperation.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    Absolute Helix¡¯s split into two teams and their training in preparation for theyer boss had been a hot topic of discussion among the Dungeon Maniacs and even the general audience.


    ¡°Which one¡¯s Team 1?¡±


    ¡°Should be the one Tsutomu¡¯s in, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, makes sense. I¡¯ll bet on them.¡±


    ¡°The excitement is real! So what¡¯re you betting on?¡±


    ¡°Him dying, I guess. I mean, their chances don¡¯t seem particrly high either way¡­¡±


    Among the spectators, the question of when Tsutomu, who had yet to be seen dying on screen once, would meet his end remained a popr betting topic. While there were regr bets on which n would win or lose against theyer bosses, the matter of Tsutomu¡¯s life and death was particrly fervent.


    ¡°Oh, Xeno¡¯s with him too. Damn, he¡¯s moving up!¡±


    ¡°HIM in Team 1? Really?¡±


    ¡°I swear, he just ruins the mood whenever he¡¯s shown on a Pedestal. Hah!¡±


    Surprisingly, Xeno had a significant number of male fans, despite his fanbase being predominantly female. Most of them had originally joined the fanclub to mock Xeno¡¯s newspaper articles, so they had the tendency to make fun of him in good fun.


    ¡°Amy my waifu! She¡¯s here!¡±


    ¡°Whoa, Amy!? I¡¯mma stay and watch!¡±


    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s the catdy!¡±


    In contrast, Amy had a diverse fanbase, covering all age groups ¡ª particrly popr among housewives, which then caught on with the children and elderly of their families ¡ª making her the true idol of Dungeon City.


    ¡°Huh, Daryl¡¯s in Team 2, and Xeno gets to be in Team 1? That¡¯s unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they wanted some environmental effect protection? I had a Pdin cast <<Ember Aura>> on me the other day, and I didn¡¯t feel the cold at all.¡±


    ¡°Is that really enough reason to put THE Xeno in the team, though? He¡¯s pretty much the weakest of all of them!¡±


    ¡°You know, Team 2 actually has a more interesting lineup. There¡¯s Hannah and Daryl, the Guild Master¡¯s kid, that girl who transferred from Ealdred Crow, and that Channeler¡­¡±


    ¡°I mean, Tsutomu¡¯s team¡¯s still gotta be better, right? Conventionally good and all that.¡±


    ¡°I dunno¡­¡±


    Among the Dungeon Maniacs, there was a stronger growth of interest in the second team rather than the first. Team 2 had more neers and was more intriguing for the Dungeon Maniacs, as it offered a fresh perspective.


    After various training sessions following the formation of the Absolute Helix teams, they finally announced their n to challenge the eightiethyer. By that time, Ealdred Crow had already scored a victory, but the Winter General was still considered to be exceptionally formidablepared to previousyer bosses.


    After all, after the major ns had a good time powering through the sixtieth and seventiethyers thanks to the momentum of the three-roleposition¡¯s introduction, said momentum had been halted abruptly by the Winter General, hitting them like a ssh of cold water.


    The Winter General possessed a unique and refined set ofbat skills, with a swiftness previously unseen by Explorers. It also had formidable anti-personnelbat abilities, and could even unleash long-ranged attacks with its right-handed swords. Making things even worse was its giant steed that would appear either as its health decreased or enough time had passed.


    Initially, Silver Beast and Ealdred Crow had employed tactics to separate the Winter General from its horse. As it turned out, however, the horse¡¯s strength on its own was not to be underestimated, and the resulting chaos in aggro management only added to the confusion of the battle.


    Subsequently, Ealdred Crow changed tactics and focused on supporting a single tank, not separating the Winter General from its steed. Even when faced with unexpected challenges, such as the Winter General absorbing power from the horse when thetter died, Ealdred Crow persevered through their many attempts, and eventually, with an all-Attacker teamposition, they managed to conquer the eightiethyer.


    Despite their exceptional personnel ¡ª including a close friend of Garm¡¯s like Bittman and a Healer student of Tsutomu¡¯s like Stephanie ¡ª Ealdred Crow had struggled quite a lot to score one win. Many Dungeon Maniacs had anticipated that Absolute Helix, under Tsutomu¡¯s leadership, would not easily make it through this time around.


    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s see what happens!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna depend on how long Garm can hold the line, right?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, the two teams are on the Pedestals at the same time! Which one should I watch?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Tsutomu, you gotta die! I wanna see you die, man!¡±


    Amid an atmosphere akin to anticipating a demonstration of power, Absolute Helix¡¯s battles against the Winter Generals began. The audience appeared rxed during the early stages of Team 1¡¯s battle. By the mid-game, however, some were puzzled, and by the final stages, they were left speechless.


    And then, to everyone¡¯s surprise, Absolute Helix Team 1 managed to defeat the Winter General without a single casualty. Those who had ced bets on them losing were left dumbfounded, and even the few who had won the gamble found themselves at a loss for words. Dungeon Maniacs and Explorers alike fell silent.


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡± the audience murmured to themselves, in contrast to Team 1 celebrating their victory ofyer eighty.


    And as the team returned to the Guild and the footage on the Monitor switched to show another team, the murmurs in the crowd gradually grew louder.


    ¡°That was unbelievable! Absolute Helix¡¯s the best!¡±


    ¡°You guys were awesome!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what!? Xeno was strong as hell! Is he really human!?¡±


    As the general audience recovered from the shock of Absolute Helix scoring yet another first-try victory against ayer boss, Dungeon Maniacs and seasoned Explorers wore expressions as if they had encountered some mythical monsters.


    ¡°Whoa, really? First try? How!?¡±


    ¡°I dunno¡­¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ that was awesome, right?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who¡¯s supposed to exin that?¡±


    ¡°¡­I dunno. Amy stealing the swords is a big factor, that¡¯s for sure, but it can¡¯t be just that one thing¡­¡±


    ¡°Well then, might you be interested in hearing my exnation?¡±


    ¡°¡­What? If you can make sense of that, then sure, let¡¯s hear it, little miss¡­¡±


    The disgruntled Dungeon Maniac turned towards the soft voice that came from behind him, and his eyes widened in surprise. Standing before him was none other than the renowned Healer in a ck dress.


    ¡°S-Stephanie!?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°I mean, yeah, I remember pretty much everyone I¡¯ve seen on the Pedestals!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. I very much appreciate that. As thanks, let me exin¡­¡±


    With an excited sway of her pink vertical curls, Stephanie began to exin while skillfully manipting multiple wisps of support and healing skills.


    ¡°First of all, Mister Tsutomu is the center of the party, not the cat burr. Please do keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°O-okay? Amy did steal the swords, but calling her that is kinda too blunt, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Let us start with the fundamentals of aggro management¡­¡±


    [And she¡¯s just ignoring me¡­] the Dungeon Maniac grumbled in his mind, but given the rare opportunity to converse with Stephanie, he took on the role of a good listener and began taking notes.


    ¡°It is no exaggeration to say that Mister Tsutomu¡¯s aggro management has reached the level of a god. Please write that down ¡ª it is very important to know.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±


    ¡°And you may not believe this, but he adjusts the amount of mental energy infused into his skills based on the enemies¡¯ aggro levels! It certainly makes aggro management easier, but of course, doing so changes the duration of support skills and causes variations in the effectiveness of healing skills. Despite that, Mister Tsutomu never stops providing support, and the amount of healing he performs is just right ¡ª not too much, not too little!¡±


    As Stephanie spoke as if she was talking about herself, the Dungeon Maniac nodded asionally to show that he was paying attention and continued taking notes.


    ¡°Furthermore, Mister Tsutomu uses <<Air de>> to attack the enemies. With the three-roleposition¡¯s rise in poprity, a White Mage also attacking is quite unheard of. Well? Have you seen anyone else doing that?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯ve only seen Silver Beast¡¯s Lorena do it¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°S-so what you¡¯re saying is, Tsutomu is so good at managing aggro that he can help deal some damage as well, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! To add to that, he also attacks in a way that hinders the monsters¡¯ actions! Speaking as a fellow Healer, Mister Tsutomu¡¯s greatness is clear as day!¡±¡±


    As Stephanie¡¯s tone changed when Lorena had been mentioned, the Dungeon Maniac responded to her more anxiously. In response, she suddenly brightened up and started talking even more,


    ¡°And of course, aggro management is not everything! There are also the little nuances of instructing one¡¯s teammates, managing items and other resources, as well as¡­¡±


    [She¡¯s NOT done yet¡­?]


    After a whole hour of being stuck in a lengthy discussion about Tsutomu, the Dungeon Maniac was left looking quite exhausted. Still, the articles he went on to write, backed up with information Stephanie so enthusiastically provided, received high praise from fellow Healers Explorers.

 Chapter 201: One Crazy Dragonewt

    ¡°Look, guys, I¡¯m sorry about earlier.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    During Team 2¡¯s evaluation meeting, the first one to apologize was Amira, prompting Leleia to turn to the former with a look of suspicion. Irritated by how different Amira was nowpared to the selfish and foul-mouthed leader of her old n, Leleia scratched the scales on the back of her neck.


    ¡°What is wrong with you? Your behavior is creeping me out.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re acting like a Dragon without fangs. Are you really a Dragonewt Deity?¡±


    ¡°You pickin¡¯ a fight or what!? ¡®Cause I will fight if you wanna!¡±


    ¡°W-whoa, you two! Calm down, please!¡±


    ¡°Hey, lemme go, you stinky dog! She¡¯s asking for it!¡±


    Held down by Daryl, Amira struggled to break free, her red scales glowing faintly as she kept on shouting.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ve been wanting to fight me ¡ª randomly giving me nasty looks the whole time! C¡¯mon,e at me! I¡¯mma deal with you right here and now!¡±


    ¡°<<Contract ¡ª Smander>>.¡±


    ¡°Miss Leleia!?¡±


    ¡°Now we¡¯re talkin¡¯! Bring it on!¡±


    ¡°Whoa whoa whoa, you serious!? You better not be! Someone might get hurt!¡±


    With how she summoned the Smander, Hannah was in a panic to stop her, seeing that Leleia was quite ready to kill. As themotion went on, Ollie came over from the kitchen to check on the group, still wearing her apron.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°Miss Ollie! Please call Sir Tsutomu here! They¡¯re¡­ they¡¯re fighting!¡±


    ¡°¡­Miss Amira,¡± Ollie said in a harsh tone, putting her hands on her hips, ¡°If you do not control yourself, you will not be having dinner tonight. You will also have to do yourundry and clean your room by yourself, and I will report your behavior to Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    Amira clenched her teeth. Considering that Amira was as sloppy at taking care of herself as Diniel, she needed Ollie¡¯s assistance ¡ª and as such could not act too far out of line. It was clear to her that she would get into even more trouble if she were to go against Ollie.


    Seeing that Amira had settled down, Ollie sighed again and turned to Leleia, who still had the Smander sitting on her shoulder.


    ¡°And Miss Leleia, you should control yourself as well. Surely you are tired today ¡ª if you still n on fighting, you should rest up and challenge her at ater date, when you are at full strength.¡±


    ¡°Byah!¡±


    Ollie smiled softly in the face of Leleia¡¯s hostile aura, while the Smander turned to Leleia as if to express that it agreed with Ollie¡¯s statement. Leleia, convinced by the two, fizzled out her rage, her expression turning nk and eerily cold.


    ¡°¡­Tch. Okay,ter.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    In the past, Amira likely would have not listened and initiated a fight immediately. But now, even Ollie ¡ª who had no real power over Amira except for the fact that she was the n House¡¯s manager ¡ª was enough to keep thetter in check. Leleia clicked her tongue in the heat of the moment and got surprised looks from Hannah, Daryl, and Korinna.


    Then, after the two settled their argument ¡ª albeit with their hostile auras in full force the whole time ¡ª the frightened Daryl resumed the evaluation meeting. The Smander shook its head as if to express its exasperation.


    After the meeting and dinner, Tsutomu received a report from Daryl about the pair¡¯s sh.


    ¡°Leleia and Amira, we need to talk.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know.¡±


    And so they were called over to Tsutomu¡¯s room. With the two entering with quite a bitter atmosphere between them, Tsutomu rubbed the tip of his nose, feeling somewhat awkward.


    ¡°So, Leleia, I take it that ¡®talking it out¡¯ didn¡¯t work for you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°But hey, that¡¯s fine too. Anyway¡­ I heard you¡¯ll settle this with a duel tomorrow? Will you be using real weapons?¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah.¡±


    ¡°¡­And why the HELL do you sound like you¡¯re having fun?¡± Tsutomu said, narrowing his eyes, ¡°Remember, you did cause a lot of trouble for a lot of people. You¡¯ve gotten much better now, so try to keep it that way.¡±


    Amira turned the other way, seemingly grumpy.


    ¡°Shaddup. You got nothin¡¯ to do with this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still your n Leader, you know.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, whatever. I¡¯mma fight her once, and then we move on. I mean, you ain¡¯t gonna let this end with just talking, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I do agree with you on that.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s gaze turned cold as Leleia took the bait that was Amira¡¯s provocation.


    ¡°¡­Hmm. Okay, Amira, mind stepping outside for a moment? I need to discuss something with Leleia.¡±


    ¡°What? But I¡¯m not done talkin¨C¡°


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, we¡¯ll save that forter.¡±


    Tsutomu pushed Amira outside, and even brought her all the way down to the living room and ordered Daryl to keep an eye on her, all so that she would not eavesdrop on the conversation.


    Then, back in his room, he crossed his arms and gave Leleia a stern look.


    ¡°Listen, Leleia, if you insist on having a duel with real weapons, I¡¯ll have you expel you before the duel takes ce. Surely you understand ¡ª you are quite obviously nning to kill her, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of killing her.¡±


    Leleia replied, her expression dreadfully nk. Tsutomu was not intimidated, however, and his face looked just about as emotionless.


    ¡°I HAVE seen how Amira was back then, so I can understand why you can¡¯t get over it, Leleia. I have no problem with your original n ¡ª achieving results superior to hers as an act of spite. But if you¡¯re going to dirty your hands with a fight, you¡¯re out of here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Amira¡­ she¡¯s an Attacker I have been training personally for some time, and I¡¯m also doing this to repay a debt of gratitude I have to Camille, her mother. I¡¯ll be in trouble if she ends up being killed, even if that¡¯s an unlikely oue.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm,¡± Leleia uttered, not seeming particrly interested.


    Tsutomu narrowed his eyes, turning grumpy himself.


    ¡°Besides, if you actually wanted to fight her head-on, you wouldn¡¯t have joined this n in the first ce, right? ¡­You know, you did have me fooled at first, but I have been aware of your real aim for some time now.¡±


    In the beginning, Leleia¡¯s no-nonsense attitude and apparentck of concern about her history with Amiranded her a position in Absolute Helix. From observing contextual information over time, however, Tsutomu became aware of what had been cooking in her darker side.


    ¡°You went as far as to resign from Ealdred Crow despite being in their second best team, joining us instead so you could get back at Amira ¡ª that shows that you are determined. I¡¯m not particrly against that, because it does provide goodpetition among n members. That¡¯s why I let you in¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°But now, you¡¯re trying to brute force it, running away from it all. You¡¯ve lost sight of your original goal, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­I am well aware of that,¡± Leleia said, cracking a dry smile, and continued with an exhausted voice, ¡°To be honest, I have grown¡­ tired of this. Being the best in this n means being better than even Amy and Diniel. Considering that, simply beating Amira down instead would be much easier.¡±


    ¡°But her frustration will be stronger if you beat her in achievements rather than in a fight, right? You¡¯ve seen her reaction when she didn¡¯t get chosen for Team 1 ¡ª actually, when I saw that, I finally understood what it was you were trying to do. She probably hasn¡¯t ever been that humiliated before. Really, your n was pure genius. How¡¯d youe up with it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Honestly, I¡¯m not at all happy to be praised for this kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°That was meant to be sarcastic.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone quite like you before, either. Getting to know you makes me feel¡­ good about myself.¡± Leleia let out a subtle, emotionless, self-deprecating chuckle, then heaved a long sigh and forced herself to continue, ¡°You see, I was born to a household of knights ¡ª but I did not follow in their footsteps. My personality disqualifies me from being like them¡­ Now, if I were a knight, perhaps I would have already forgiven Amira.¡±


    ¡°Just a perhaps, huh?¡±


    ¡°But then¡­ that face Amira made when she was not chosen to be a part of your team¡­ it was so¡­ satisfying to see. I got goosebumps just thinking how much better it would feel if she was looking at me ¡ª at my superior achievements. As dishonorable as it sounds, that is the way I am.¡±


    ¡°So, as far as I understand, you want to unt your superior position at her¡­ is that right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Perhaps ¡ª well, no, I¡¯ll just say¡­ Yes. I don¡¯t particrly care what my otherrades feel, but Amira¡­ she makes my stomach turn. If she was as¡­ nice¡­ back then as she is now, we all would have stuck with her. Me and all myrades. By the way, the jealousy I feel towards YOU also has to do with this, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°¡­Now that¡¯s what I call a curveball,¡± Tsutomu said half-jokingly.


    Leleia covered her eyes with one hand and continued,


    ¡°To us Dragonewts, Dragonewt Deities are special, obviously. But even without that to her name, I felt an¡­ attraction towards Amira. I wanted to be with her, and did work hard to achieve that. But then¡­ ah, this will be full of assumptions on my part, by the way¡­¡± Leleia trailed off and put her hand down, revealing eyes burning with the aforementioned jealousy. ¡°¡­But please let me say it. It¡¯s unfair ¡ª why does she respect and like you so much? If I could talk to her on good terms, I would. I wish I could just let bygones be bygones, like the others who epted her apology.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still not toote for that, though?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it. I just can¡¯t. I¡¯m all messed up inside ¡ª my feelings toward her are so intense that I want to kill her. The respect and jealousy burning inside me go hand in hand. I want to win against her at least once. I have to.¡±


    ¡°Better work your way up the ranking, then.¡±


    ¡°¡­Could you please let me have that duel with her? Just once?¡±


    ¡°After hearing you say you wanted to kill her? Yeah¡­ I think not.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing Tsutomu¡¯s reply, Leleia¡¯s face turned beet red as she cast her eyes down.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 202: Omens of a New Stampede

    After some further discussions, Leleia agreed to stick to the n and apologized to Amira the next day, ending this incident without the two of them having a duel. As a result, Amira looked as if she was having trouble digesting the breakfast she had just eaten. While Daryl was minding his own business, she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, seemingly taking him away as a dueling opponent in Leleia¡¯s ce.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go on a date! And by dat, I mean FIGHT!¡±


    ¡°WHY ME!?¡±


    Tsutomu also minded his own business, reading the morning newspapers while Daryl¡¯s voice faded into the distance. Hannah, also full of energy, was bowing to Amy for some reason.


    ¡°Miss Amy! You gotta teach me how to steal the Winter General¡¯s swords! Please!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure, why not? Let¡¯s go! To the training grounds!¡±


    ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡±


    ¡°So the key is to keep your eyes on the prize, and then go¡­ SNATCH! Like that!¡±


    ¡°Ooh! I see! So that¡¯s how it¡¯s done!¡±


    [The hell? How¡¯s anyone supposed to get any information from THAT?] Tsutomu thought to himself as he heard the exchange between Amy and Hannah ¡ª and saw thetter mimicking the former¡¯s movements.


    Garm, in another corner of the room, began preparing to head out for his morning run. It seemed that Xeno would be going with him today.


    ¡°Would you like to join us?¡± Xeno came over to ask Tsutomu, cracking a refreshing smile on his face. ¡°Working up some sweat in the morning is sure to make you feel refreshed!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not good at all¡­ I can see that you are sorelycking in stamina! Don¡¯t you worry, though ¡ª running alongside someone else can bring out a surprising amount of extra strength you never knew you had! Come on, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°He does have a point,¡± Garm said, appearing behind Xeno, ¡°You¡¯d better get some exercise in, Tsutomu.¡±


    Tsutomu proceeded to look around for help, but Korinna ¡ª who was still working away at her hefty breakfast ¡ª promptly avoided eye contact with him. Leleia, sitting on one of the sofas, did make eye contact and proceeded to nod.


    ¡°I would like to take part in this as well.¡±


    ¡°Ohe on, not you too¡­¡±


    ¡°Nuhuhu¡­ Unfortunately for you, you don¡¯t seem to have a choice. Come, let us join them.¡±


    ¡°¡­So it¡¯s one of those offers I can¡¯t refuse, huh? Okay, fine¡­¡±


    And so Tsutomu, unable to even call out the creepiness of Leleia¡¯s chuckle, was forced to go for a morning run with the others. Diniel waved to Tsutomu, sending him off while she requested some snacks from Ollie¡¯s apprentice.


    ¡°Hello, hello! Good morning, everyone!¡±


    ¡°H-hello.¡±


    ¡°Keep it down, man¡­¡±


    Xeno weaved his way through the crowd, asionally high-fiving some random people. Though a handful of people expressed mild annoyance, no one seemed to actually mind this behavior of his. At some point, Xeno was even treated to some honey-baked bananas by a middle-aged man running a food cart.


    When the group arrived at the outer walls surrounding Dungeon City, where there were rtively few people, the four started running with Xeno in the lead. Tsutomu followed them, his expression gloomy from the start due to the speed at which they were going.


    ¡°G-guys, I think that¡¯s too much for me¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep at it! Go, go, Tsutomu! Eyes forward! Forward, forward, forward! Look at me! At my beautiful face! I know you can keep running!¡±


    ¡°Hang in there.¡±


    Tsutomu was ready to give up not even five minutes in, but Xeno in the lead would not let him rest. Leleia and Garm also pulled Tsutomu¡¯s arms, making him run until he felt nauseous.


    And so, the run continued until Tsutomu could not move anymore. With him lying on the ground exhausted, Garm and Xeno proceeded to continue running, while Leleia helped Tsutomu back to the n House.


    Like an old man, Tsutomu used his staff to support himself as he practically crawled his way back. Leleia seemed at least a little bit amused by what she was seeing.


    ¡°Need¡­ Water¡­¡±


    ¡°Here you are,¡± Ollie said, handing the sweat-drenched Tsutomu a cup of cold water before heading away towards theundry room. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a towel.¡±


    ¡°W-wee back,¡± Korinna came over and said, sounding quite concerned, ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think they were trying to kill me¡­¡±


    Tsutomu was decently fit due to having been exercising regrly since he arrived in this world, but he still was not as strong as Korinna. And although he had cast <<Medic>> and <<Heal>> on himself on the way back, they did not remove all of the fatigue, so it was still hard on him.


    Leleia, also receiving a towel from Ollie, said to Tsutomu with a straight face,


    ¡°Still alive?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not¡­¡± Tsutomu replied, ring at her with resentful eyes. ¡°And whose fault do you think it is?¡±


    ¡°Xeno¡¯s, most likely.¡±


    Leleia put a hand over her mouth andughed, the innocence beaming from her smile prompting a fair bit of surprise even from a teammate of hers like Korinna.


    ¡°I mean, with or without my involvement, they would have forced you to go anyway. I am not the one to me here, I say.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know¡­¡±


    ¡°Aww, don¡¯t be so grumpy. I can wipe your hair for you, if you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°Uh, no, I can do it myself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Stay still and let me help.¡±


    Leleia, in an unusually good mood, proceeded to carefully wipe Tsutomu¡¯s sweat-soaked hair. While Tsutomu showed some signs of resistance, she was much stronger than him, so all she had to do to keep him still was firmly grab his head.


    Seeing Leleia wiping Tsutomu¡¯s head like she would a pet dog that had been out in the rain, Korinna said with a nk stare in her eyes,


    ¡°You two seem to have be¡­ awfully close these days.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± Leleia feigned ignorance, tilting her head.


    ¡°Hmm? Nah, that can¡¯t be right¡­¡±


    Tsutomu narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s because of that important talk you had the other day?¡±


    ¡°Yes, perhaps that was it.¡±


    ¡°Huh, yeah, maybe.¡±


    ¡°And your team¡¯s had less friction among them since then, so that¡¯s all good, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m well aware of that,¡± Leleia said, closing her eyes as if to ignore Tsutomu¡¯s fully-loaded sarcasm, ¡°No problem at all.¡±


    Seeing the two apparently hitting it off, Korinna¡¯s confusion only deepened.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    While Garm and Xeno were resting in the living room after returning from their run, Tsutomu was reading the newspapers, raising an eyebrow upon seeing what was currently the most prominent topic of discussion.


    [Everyone¡¯s talking about the Stampede.]


    It was almost six months since the appearance of the Devourer Dragon, meaning the next Stampede was drawing near. As Tsutomu read the articles, he had quite a serious look on his face.


    Here, the Stampede was a half-annual phenomenon in which arge number of monsters overflowed from the various Dungeons throughout the region, attacking ces withrge enough concentrations of Magic Stones. In order to reduce the damage caused by the Stampedes, monster poptions in the Dungeon were regrly thinned out mainly by the Labyrinth Conquerors, Explorers, and the nobility¡¯s private military forces.


    However, seven years ago, God¡¯s Dungeon suddenly appeared ¡ª a Dungeon in which death was not permanent, and where one could easily obtain Magic Stones and valuable loot. Moreover, if one created a Status Card, they would receive a blessing from God in the form of a Job and the ability to use special skills ¡ª and as one¡¯s level rose, their parameters increased, eventually reaching levels of inhuman strength.


    There was no reason for people not to gather there ¡ª and as such, most Explorers went to God¡¯s Dungeon. Now that anyone could use special skills and gain power from boosted parameters, the power of magic, which had been monopolized by the nobility, started losing its prominence. At one point, this resulted in a wave of revolutions, in which corrupt nobles, who had been unting their magic, were hanged by the same people they had been exploiting.


    Overall, those revolutions had been a positive thing for the people, particrly since they rid the nobility of their excessive power. Not all was good, however, as their private military forces ¡ª which had been thinning out the monster poptions in the various Dungeons ¡ª had reduced considerably in numbers. After all, even the corrupt nobles¡¯ military forces had been doing their part in keeping the monsters at bay.


    And as no alternative to them and the Explorers could be found, the burden fell heavily on the Labyrinth Conquerors. Since the Stampedes had not caused any major damage in recent decades, even the Labyrinth Conquerors began to be treated with neglect, their funds and donations dwindling with each passing year, resulting in their severely reduced monster hunting efficiency.


    Labyrinth Conquerors, many of whom knew the horror of the Stampede, were quick to warn others of the dangers of not thinning out the monster poption. For decades, however, they were so good at what they did that the Stampedes barely caused any real damage ¡ª which was a main reason their warnings were not taken seriously, with another being the fact that the people had grown prideful due to the powers they had gained from God¡¯s Dungeon.


    [It¡¯s ironic, really¡­]


    As time passed, the monster culling grew less and less effective, resulting in the Dungeons overflowing with monsters, the denser and denser magical energies giving birth to Dragon-type monsters ¡ª the worst of which was the Devourer Dragon, the rampage of which resulted in significant damages to the region around the northern Dungeon.


    In the end, the casualties resulting from the incident exceeded 500. Despite healing skills having the ability to physically restore those close to death, many people had been killed in the ensuing battles. Coteral damage and the amount ofpensation to the bereaved families were also extraordinary; without assistance from the Royal Capital, it would have taken a much longer time to rebuild the city.


    Last time, the devastating Stampede hade from the north ¡ª and this time, it wasing from the south of Dungeon City. A monsterparable in strength to the Devourer Dragon will once again attempt to invade Dungeon City. The ruling ss in particr was in panic¡­ due to the fact that the Royal Capital was located somewhere along the way.


    [I wanna get outta here¡­]


    Tsutomu was not ¡ª and probably will never be ¡ª ready to fight a monster as bad as or even worse than the Devourer Dragon in an environment where he could permanently die. Moreover, the news articles about the Stampede were all disturbing.


    [I mean, NOT having any monsters there makes it even scarier¡­]


    Ealdred Crow, which had been out to cull the Dungeons for some time now, had often times reported that they had encountered absolutely no monsters in the southern Dungeons. Moreover, despite it being close to half a year now, there had been no signs of the Stampede beginning.


    Considering these were nothing but disturbing signs, those of the Royal Capital seemed quite concerned, and now they were gathering as much manpower as they could. The head of House Babenberg, the noble family that oversaw Dungeon City, and their officer Melchor had also been recently summoned there.


    [As for me, well, I don¡¯t really care about that ce¡­]


    Tsutomu had also received word from House Babengerg that the Royal Capital¡¯s invitations also extended to him, but he had politely declined. In this fantasy world, he did not care what happened in the Royal Capital ¡ª nor anywhere else where God¡¯s Dungeon was not located. And as he was not a hero out on a quest to save the world, he did not particrly care about the death toll, either.


    Then again, since he was somewhat grateful to House Babenberg for what they had done during the previous Stampede, he did intend to cooperate with them in the defense of Dungeon City. In the first ce, it would be most troublesome if Dungeon City were to fall and prevent him from exploring God¡¯s Dungeon ¡ª not to mention that, since he had been living here for nearly a year, he had grown at least a little bit attached to it.


    [Oh yeah, it¡¯s already been a year, huh?]


    He had been so busy that he only noticed just now how long it had been. It had been long enough, in fact, that he was about to find himself wondering if this was more real than his original world.


    [¡­Well, better not get too attached. I¡¯ll have to go home eventually.]


    But games were games, and real life was real life. No matter how addicted he was to a game, there woulde a time when he had to return ¡ª like the call back to reality when the game world of Live Dungeon announced the closing of its server.


    Tsutomu had yed Live Dungeon like a fanatic, sacrificing hours upon hours of his life, but he had never abandoned his responsibilities. He had controlled himself during the university entrance examination and job hunting, and took regr baths and bathroom breaks just as any self-caring person would.


    This world was quite simr to Live Dungeon, and as such, to Tsutomu, it was like paradise ¡ª but at the same time, like a game. He had to eventually leave it behind ¡ª or so he thought.


    [Wait, what if when I get back it turns out a year has also passed over there? Man, that would suck¡­]


    Tsutomu folded the newspaper, thoughts about what would happen upon his return swirling in his mind.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 203: Hannah, Inheritor of the Magic Fist

    At a time when the sun had barely even risen, Tsutomu was awakened by a sudden shaking of his body. Tearing open his half-sleep eyes, he saw the indigo-furred man with dog ears throwing open the room¡¯s window curtains.


    ¡°Tsutomu,e on, let¡¯s get going.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh? Wait, again?¡±


    ¡°One day of running won¡¯t do you any good,¡± Garm said as if it was an obvious fact, ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be a daily routine.¡±


    ¡°¡­For real?¡±


    Seeing that Garm had gone out of his way toe wake him so early in the morning, Tsutomu joined him and Daryl, and then met up with Garm outside the city gate for the morning run.


    ¡°Gah¡­ Hah¡­¡±


    ¡°A-are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, you traitor. Also, your sweat stinks¡­¡±


    ¡°Whoa, give me a break! You know I can¡¯t go against Sir Garm ¡ª not when ites to this kind of thing, anyway!¡±


    Tsutomu had tried to get himself out of this exercise routine using the excuse that he was a White Mage, but Garm had refused to budge. Then, when he tried asking Daryl for help, thetter just said one word of apology without even making eye contact.


    Tsutomu, brushing off Daryl¡¯s teary-eyed rebuttal with an usatory sidelong nce, proceeded to drag his feet through the city, looking quite exhausted. As Dungeon exploration was the only way in which he got his exercise, running like this was hard work for him.


    Still, since Tsutomu had some spare time after his team¡¯s victory against the Winter General, he had voluntarily participated in the routine ¡ª even though he had to be forced to at first. Ealdred Crow had stopped their progression to earn back the funds they had consumed on the eightiethyer, so the race to the bottom was practically on hold for now. Considering that, rather than heading down to the eighty-firstyer immediately, Tsutomu had decided to wait for his n¡¯s other team to make it past the Winter General first.


    Besides, once the Stampede was about to start, the public¡¯s attention would be on that ¡ª and all the ns would feel the need to refrain from exploring God¡¯s Dungeon. Tsutomu¡¯s goal was for Team 2 to get throughyer eighty before then.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll have to excuse myself now,¡± Xeno spoke up and started walking away immediately, ¡°My beloved wife and her home cooking is waiting for me!¡±


    ¡°I have no idea why you felt the need to tell me about the second part¡­¡± Tsutomu replied with a faked grumpy face, his hands in a thumbs-down gesture. ¡°But good for you, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! Well then, I¡¯ll see you allter!¡±


    Daryl chuckled at what he saw as a middle-aged man¡¯sedy routine in a tavern, and then Tsutomu spoke up as if he had just remembered,


    ¡°By the way, you two aren¡¯t dating anyone, right?¡±


    ¡°HUH!? W-why¡¯d you bring that up all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a reaction out of you. Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not!¡± Daryl promptly denied that suspicion, his tail pping wildly.


    ¡°Me neither,¡± Garm said calmly.


    Tsutomu, seeming unentertained by the answers he got, stopped talking as if he had already lost interest in the topic. Daryl, still seeming somewhat excited, proceeded to ask him,


    ¡°What about you, Tsutomu!? It¡¯s only fair that you tell us as well ¡ª are YOU dating anyone!?¡±


    ¡°You really are interested in this, huh? I¡¯m not dating anyone, no.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? You¡¯re lying, right!?¡±


    ¡°I never really felt like being in that kind of rtionship. I¡¯d rather marry the Dungeon, honestly.¡±


    Daryl, not convinced by what Tsutomu had just said, proceeded to follow him and ask the same questions again and again. Daryl seemed particrly excited, perhaps because he wanted to talk about this sort of thing, but Tsutomu was not interested and only gave dismissive answers to the former.


    Back in his Live Dungeon days, the n he had enjoyed his time with the most had fallen apart due to a real world meeting gone wrong ¡ª the cause being the physical rtionship kind. As such, Tsutomu was quite disgusted by the mere thought of intimate rtionships within the n. Moreover, since he had no intention of building that sort of rtionship in this world, he approached such topics with an utterly dry outlook ¡ª and perhaps even actively avoided them.


    ¡°But hey, there aren¡¯t any n rules forbidding you from being in a rtionship ¡ª so if you have anyone you like, go for it! Oh, but you do have to live away from the n House, like Xeno does.¡±


    ¡°W-well, I¡¯m not interested, either! The Dungeon already upies enough of my time!¡±


    ¡°Oh, really¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not convinced, either,¡± Garm added, ¡°You¡¯re about to be at that age soon. Surely you¡¯ve had eyes on someone¡­¡±


    ¡°A-all right, enough talking about that!¡± Daryl promptly changed the subject, not liking the odds of this not being turned into an interrogation. ¡°Oh, that boar they¡¯re roasting looks delicious! Excuse me for a moment ¡ª I¡¯m buying some!¡±


    And so the boy went away to line up at the stall that was roasting a whole boar over a rotating spit.


    ¡°My bet¡¯s on Amira¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, is that so? I think it¡¯s more likely Ollie.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­? Ah, right, she could bait him with food. Heh.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Garm said, smirking ¡ª a rare expressioning from him.


    Tsutomu, caught up in the topic, also smirked and proceeded to talk more. And so, when Daryl came back with his boar chops and sweet-and-spicy sauce, the three proceeded to return to the n House.


    ¡°Wee back¡­ Oh, will you be having that for breakfast?¡± Ollie asked, seeming a little sad upon seeing the food in Daryl¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Huh? ¡­Ah, um, I still want your breakfast, please! I have room for much more!¡±


    Daryl proceeded to finish his food in a panic.


    ¡°Daryl, man¡­ Miss Ollie was about to cook for you, you know?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mister Tsutomu. I can just skip Mister Daryl¡¯s portion this morning.¡±


    ¡°HUH!?¡±


    ¡°Now, please wait in the living room.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? HUH!? You¡¯re kidding, right!?¡±


    Ollie chuckled with one hand over her mouth and the other signaling everyone toward the living room, while Daryl looked terrified as if he had just been sentenced to death. Observing those two, Tsutomu and Garm turned to each other, their expressions somewhat mischievous.


    In the end, breakfast was served for Daryl as well, but the portion was slightly smaller than usual. Perhaps this was simply out of consideration for Daryl, who had already had a snack before the meal, but that did not stop the boy from apologizing profusely to Ollie afterwards.


    ¡°Why do you need to be so loud this early in the morning? I¡¯mma kick yer ass¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really scaring me, you know that!?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y too rough, eh, kids?¡±


    ¡°Sir Tsutomu!?¡±


    ¡°Well, jokes aside, do keep in mind that today¡¯s a day off. No training with me.¡±


    Amira clicked her tongue in annoyance, but since she had always known that to be the case, she did not say anything. Afterwards, she invited Korinna to check out the Monitors, and Leleia and Amy went with them as well.


    Garm and Daryl seemed to have already nned to visit the Dorren Workshop, so Ollie apanied them to check their progress on the equipment that she had ordered. Tsutomu, watching his n¡¯s members walk out of the n House, eventually finished reading today¡¯s newspapers and stretched his joints to let out some fatigue.


    Tsutomu had also been invited by the two groups that just left, but he had declined both of them as he was too tired from this morning¡¯s run. The only other one remaining in the living room was the little girl with bright blue wings on her back.


    ¡°Oooooohhhhhh¡­? Hmm¡­¡± Hannah grumbled as she held a rice grain-sized Magic Stone, her ruffled hair swaying around like crazy.


    ¡°You¡¯re still working at that, huh?¡± Tsutomu said, folding his newspaper issue as he approached her.


    ¡°Not getting any better at it, though,¡± Hannah promptly replied, sounding grumpy.


    ¡°Well, this kind of thing does take time and dedication.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯d be totally awesome if I could use it, though! Like, I¡¯d be able to kill the Winter General all by myself!¡±


    As she talked, Hannah clenched her fist, putting pressure on the Magic Stone. What followed was a sound reminiscent of a burst of air ¡ª then a scream as if she had been electrified. After she managed to pull herself together, Hannah waved her hand in pain.


    ¡°Ah! Teach! I¡¯m bleeding!¡±


    ¡°Why are you doing it here, anyway? <<Heal>>.¡±


    Taking a moment to look at Hannah¡¯s open palm as she approached him, Tsutomu then cast a healing spell on the injury ¡ª an insignificantly small cut resulting from the outburst of magical energy, which was mended easily enough.


    ¡°The smaller ones are even harder to handle, you know¡­ It¡¯s much easier to practice this in the Dungeon!¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh, listen, don¡¯t do anything reckless. Seriously, don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why not? I¡¯lle back all healed up anyway! It¡¯s fine!¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, that¡¯s after you¡¯re BLOWN TO BITS! It¡¯s totally not fine!¡±


    Tsutomu knew that Hannah had learned the Magic Fist style from Melchor, but thest time he saw her through a Monitor, she had literally been blown to bits after attempting to handle a Small Magic Stone. That one time, she had practically detonated a bomb while holding it in her own hands ¡ª totally was not a pleasant sight to see.


    Besides, no one had sessfully mastered the technique even after seven years since the appearance of God¡¯s Dungeon. Even Bruno, the director of the Security Team, had only managed to barely make it usable ¡ª and even then, it was with the help of a unique VIT-boosting skill.


    The Magic Fist style was a perfect showcase of Melchor¡¯s strength and skill. Its great power was so unstable that even the nobility ¡ª those who could naturally use magic ¡ª were afraid of it. After all, the technique¡¯s potential destructive strength ¡ª from the act of storing Magic Stones¡¯ magical energy in one¡¯s body and releasing it ¡ª was quiteparable to magic.


    Mastering it was extremely difficult, however, and even the process of training for it was dangerous, with many powerful fighters having lost their lives in their pursuit. After the appearance of God¡¯s Dungeon, wherein one coulde back to life after being killed, various people had tried to learn it with no sess. So far, Melchor was the only one who could use it perfectly ¡ª it was as if the technique was his very own unique skill.


    If Tsutomu were to be honest, he did not believe that Hannah would be able to master it. Having secretly asked Melchor about this, he had even learned that Melchor had never had an apprentice with memory as poor as hers. Perhaps it would be better for her to improve her evasion-based Tank techniques rather than learning a martial art that was way out of her league.


    Even among all the entric members of Absolute Helix, Hannah could be considered the biggest airhead of them all. She had a hard time memorizing things in general, unlike Amira, who at least could learnbat strategies easily. Still, her intuition was strong enough that it enabled her to make sense of Amy, someone who sometimes woulde off as an iprehensible genius to most others. In fact, she had already somehow learned the trick to stealing the Winter General¡¯s swords.


    If she were to focus on her evasion-based Tank training, she was sure to improve at a good rate, However, she most likely would not do that. After all, she was formerly an Attacker who had switched to being a Tank despite everyone trying to prevent her from doing so.


    Indeed, she was the kind to fly freely in the sky rather than being confined to a bird cage. Having decided that, Tsutomu had been letting her do whatever she wanted ¡ª under a reasonable limit.


    Hannah, in reaction to Tsutomu¡¯s words, twisted her body around, feigning embarrassment.


    ¡°Aww, are you that worried about me, Teach~~?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t particrly care if you get hurt ¡ª so I¡¯m just saying the necessary disimers to make it clear that you¡¯re doing this to yourself. And for the record, I DO dislike it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought! You should learn from Korinna¡¯s example, Teach. She¡¯s WAY nicer than you!¡±


    While she talked, Hannah continued fiddling with the grain-sized Magic Stone, her eyes narrowing and wings pping¡­ somewhat flirtatiously. Tsutomu¡¯s gaze turned cold, prompting Hannah to p her wings again¡­ this time angrily.


    ¡°What¡¯s that look for, Teach!? You¡¯re the one in the wrong here!¡±


    ¡°Shut up¡­¡±


    ¡°Ngh¡­ Now you¡¯re acting like you¡¯re calling all the shots! What do you think I am, just a human shield!? I swear, you¡¯re WAY too uptight! You gotta learn to be NICE!¡±


    ¡°I mean, me being nicer to you won¡¯t result in you being a better fighter, right?¡± Tsutomu said as he started casting some skills and making the wisps fly around, seemingly out of boredom.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s that supposed to mean!?¡± Hannah asked back, sounding somewhat frightened.


    ¡°You know what? You¡¯re having it easy not being in my team ¡ª the next time you¡¯re with me, I¡¯ll get as much work out of you as I can.¡±


    ¡°W-WHY!? Have some mercy here! I¡¯m just a poor girl! I do need sympathy!¡±


    ¡°I should invite Diniel as well¡­¡±


    ¡°STOOOPPP!! Spare me my life from that monstrosity!¡±


    As desperate as Hannah sounded, she did not seem actually serious to Tsutomu, causing him to heave a sigh and disengage the skills flying around him.


    Having been permitted to fly free, she came back to the bird cage, chirping as if she owned the ce. In the end, it was clear that she wanted both ¡ª the freedom to fly as she saw fit, and the safety andfort of a cage.


    ¡°Okay, well, practice that Magic Fist of yours however much you like. Just don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re a Tank.¡±


    ¡°I-I know! I¡¯m getting there ¡ª we¡¯ll win against the Winter General next time!¡±


    ¡°Gotta wonder where all that confidence ising from¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehehe! It¡¯s because all myrades are with me¡­ RIGHT HERE!¡±


    Seemingly making a Xeno impression, Hannah beat the left side of her chest with her fist. Due to the difference in the sizes of her and Xeno¡¯s chests, however, it resulted in quite an eye-opening scene. Hannah herself, realizing that only after the fact, turned slightly red.


    ¡°¡­And my eyes are up here, Teach!¡±


    ¡°Uh, so where did you want me to look when you said ¡®right here?¡¯ ¡­Are you not aware of what you do to your body or something?¡±


    ¡°AHHHHH!! YOU¡¯RE SUCH A JERK, TEACH!!¡±


    As Hannah folded her wings and covered her front with her arms, Tsutomu looked on with exasperation ¡ª which seemed to only make her feel even more ashamed. Hannah, her face turning even redder, proceeded to rush out of the living room.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 204: Too Kind

    For Absolute Helix¡¯s Team 2 to be able to win against the Winter General, each of its members had to practice their own roles. At one point, Tsutomu observed Korinna while she explored the Dungeon with her teammates, and then talked with her about his findings.


    ¡°You know, Korinna, maybe you¡¯re¡­ too nice.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Being told that so suddenly, Korinna could only stare nkly back at Tsutomu, her eyesrge and round like a little critter.


    ¡°As far as I¡¯ve seen, you heal too often. Why not try casting your skills a little less next time?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You seem to always heal your teammates as quickly as possible whenever they take damage, and you¡¯re using <<Ray of Sce>> on Hannah too often as well. The excessive healing has made you generate too much aggro during the Winter General fight ¡ª you must¡¯ve felt that too, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s where you should start from. More support and healing make things easier for yourrades, sure, but if you¡¯re attacked and killed, all that will have been meaningless. If this doesn¡¯t sit well with you, maybe try discussing it with your party.¡±


    Her intuition enabled her to more or less predict the death of others, which naturally meant she was able to estimate how much damage herrades sustained. Exactly because of that, she could always keep her teammates in perfect shape ¡ª so perfect, in fact, that she ended up pulling too much aggro and got herself killed.


    Between the two Tanks, Daryl had already realized this, and Hannah must have at least felt something during the battle. Moreover, she seemed to be morefortable acting the way she wanted whenever she was not on the same team as Tsutomu.


    Still, it was not the case that Hannah had refrained from mentioning this issue during the evaluation meeting due to how she was benefiting from it. In reality, regardless of whether or not she was aware of the excessive support and healing during a battle, she would forget about it and many other misceneous details as soon as the battle was over.


    ¡°Also, maybe you¡¯re too easily distracted by the God Eye?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Indeed, being too conscious of the God Eye ¡ª or rather, of the people watching her on the other side ¡ª got her asionally distracted during battle. With Tsutomu pointing that out, Korinna cast her eyes down in embarrassment, her face turning red.


    The Monitors, especially the single digit ones, had at least a thousand viewers at any given time, so it was no wonder that someone like Korinna was unable to ignore them. And it was not just Korinna ¡ª even Daryl and Hannah would get nervous and self-conscious sometimes.


    ¡°Say, wanna try forming a pair with Amy?¡±


    ¡°Huh!? N-no, I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    ¡°What about Xeno?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The speed at which Korinna shot down the Xeno suggestion got a dry chuckle out of Tsutomu.


    ¡°Well, anyway, the rest of your issues¡­ you¡¯ll have to discuss with your team¡¯s leader. That would be Daryl ¡ª who¡¯s being chewed out by Garm right now. Don¡¯t be too hard on him, alright?¡±


    Daryl, too, was currently in the n House¡¯s living room, engaged in a discussion about his team with Garm. As thetter pointed out more and more of the former¡¯s faults, he seemed to be on the verge of breaking down in tears.


    ¡°Yes, of course¡­ Uh, I mean, Daryl HAS done a lot for everyone, that¡¯s for sure. He managed to rein in Amira of all people, and was patient when he taught Hannah the strategies she needed to know. And to think he¡¯s quite a bit younger than me¡­¡±


    ¡°Yup. He works so hard that it¡¯s hard to believe he¡¯s around the same age as Amira. As far as your team goes, there¡¯s no better leader than him.¡±


    Hannah was out of the question, and if either Amira or Leleia were to be the leader, the team would immediately fall apart. As such, the only ones fit to lead were Daryl and Korinna, and this time, Daryl had been entrusted with the responsibility due to his experience from the Mount Golem battle.


    ¡°You know, after you¡¯re done with the Winter General, you should give the leader role a shot. Gotta focus on the job now, though ¡ª well, maybe you can support Daryl as a sub-leader of sorts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    ¡°Cool. Now, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything else that needs pointing out¡­ If anything, I¡¯d say you¡¯ve shown improvement in pretty much every way. Focus on lessening your skill usage and the God Eye problem.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Korinna nodded firmly upon receiving the documents handed to her by Tsutomu. After that, she discussed additional Healer strategies with Tsutomu while waiting for everyone¡¯s evaluation sessions to conclude.


    Just as Healers and Tanks had their own discussions, naturally, the Attackers also got their session. Amy, who had sensed the friction between Amira and Leleia for some time now, was ready to mediate their conversation if needed.


    Contrary to her expectations, however, both of them were perfectly peaceful.


    ¡°Amira, you aren¡¯t having any particr issues handling the Sylph, I hope?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose there is nothing that requires addressing. All we need now is morebat experience against the Winter General.¡±


    Leleia had be surprisingly cooperative with Amira ¡ª to the point of lending thetter the power of the Sylph, which could be considered a significant part of her own strength. The change in Leleia¡¯s attitude left Amy quite confused, while Diniel let out her usual sleepy yawn without a care in the world.


    After reevaluating the way in which she would get her revenge, Leleia had decided to cooperate with Amira. To begin with, she had to achieve results in their current team before she could even think about joining Team 1. As such, Leleia was giving Amira, who possessed a unique skill, a power boost by letting her form a contract with apatible Spirit.


    Furthermore, her fear of Amira¡¯s <<Dragoon Form>> had somewhat diminished; without that distracting her as much, her movements had be more agile. The other team members were equally surprised by the change they saw in Leleia, as if some kind of weight had been lifted off of her.


    ¡°¡­Uh, so¡­¡± Amy asked, ¡°You¡¯re all right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Apologies for worrying you. I¡¯ll do my best to help us get past the Winter General as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    Amy, having felt hints of insincerity in Leleia before, hesitantly nodded as she saw that the smile on thetter¡¯s face was genuine this time. From then on, Leleia and Amira continued their discussions, with Amy overseeing them.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    With Korinna reducing her excessive skill use and the Attackers resolving the conflict between them, Team 2 finally came together properly, functioning effectively as a cohesive unit. The absence of friction between Amira and Leleia, in particr, seemed to have a positive impact on Daryl, the team¡¯s leader.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re doing better than usual today, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Huh? You think so?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been cking off¡­¡±


    ¡°I would never do that!¡±


    Daryl, taking offense to Amira¡¯s statement, attempted to perk up his ck-furred dog ears, but with them being droopy, they moved only slightly. As Amira pointed out, however, Daryl¡¯s performance in Dungeon exploration had indeed improved.


    Daryl had a naturally timid personality, and a negative atmosphere within the party would make him subconsciously hold himself back. With the newfound ease in the rtionship between Amira and Leleia, he was able to focus more on exploration.


    ¡°Hannah¡­? A-are you all right?¡±


    Korinna, following Tsutomu¡¯s suggestion, had reduced the frequency at which she cast the <<Ray of Sce>>. After a battle, she checked with Hannah to ensure thetter was not exhausted. In response, Hannah turned back with a nonchnt demeanor.


    ¡°Hmm? Yes, I am, why?¡±


    ¡°O-oh, that¡¯s good, then¡­¡±


    As it turned out, Hannah did not seem to mind that at all. Seeing that, Korinna felt rather hurt herself, but refrained from saying anything unnecessary.


    ¡°Ugh, this thing¡¯s kinda annoying¡­¡±


    ¡°The more you think that, the more Sylph will move around. It¡¯s somewhat of a prankster.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    The Wind-elemental Spirit, Sylph, perched on Amira¡¯s head, gently ying with her long red hair. As an Explorer who possessed a unique skill, Amira was able to benefit from greater enhanced parameters through Spirit contractspared to the average person, which made her reluctant to dismiss Sylph¡¯s helpfulness.


    While Amira could not use Spirits¡¯ magic skills like Tsutomu, even a slight increase in her AGI was advantageous. Furthermore, her own skill, <<Enchant me>>, allowed her to exploit the Winter General¡¯s weaknesses, and with Leleia having the Smander at her disposal, their tactics were unaffected.


    Still, although the atmosphere was much improvedpared to their previous silent interactions, Amira remained somewhat suspicious of Leleia¡¯s newfound cooperation.


    With preparations in ce, Team 2 confronted the Winter General once more. As it turned out, though, Korinna continued to struggle with aggro management, making it challenging for her to provide support and healing.


    ¡°<<Defensive>>.¡±


    But in such dire circumstances, Daryl was able to shine with his ability to push himself past his limits. His prior experience battling the Winter General had honed hisbat strategy.


    ¡°And now for Miss Amy¡¯s secret technique¡­ STEAL!¡±


    Hannah seeded in stealing the Winter General¡¯s swords using Amy¡¯s guidance on the third try. On the first and second attempts, she had failed and gotten herself subsequently cut down, resulting in her deaths.


    However, since Korinna was alive, and Hannah¡¯s impending death had been evident, her revival was swift.


    ¡°AHHHHHH!! SO ANNOYING!!¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Amira was at the mercy of Sylph¡¯s pranks, but Daryl¡¯s stability as a Tank ensured that the team had no actual problems. Leleia, no longer afraid of Amira¡¯s <<Dragon Form>>, performed her role as an Attacker with both ranged and closebat skills.


    After the Winter General lost a certain percentage of its life and summoned its giant horse, the battle continued with an effort to keep both enemies in one ce. In the end, Hannah, holding a Large Inferno Magic Stone in both hands, charged toward the horse-mounted Winter General.


    ¡°FLAME ATTACK!!¡±


    Hannah had yet to master the Magic Fist style, but she had learned one thing from Melchor¡¯s training: how to release magical power from a Magic Stone.


    The Inferno Magic Stone exploded, blowing the Winter General and its horse to bits. Naturally, the attack had the unfortunate result of being a self-destruct, but it ended the fight with Absolute Helix¡¯s Team 2 sessfully defeating the Winter General without any significant issues.


    By this time, Ealdred Crow¡¯s secondary team had also conquered the eightiethyer, making Absolute Helix Team 2 the fourth group of Explorers to do so. Thus, the crowd apuded in appreciation of their aplishment.


    It was worth noting that Daryl seemed to have gained a fan following, his influence growing as ofte. As a result, rumors were circting among Dungeon Maniacs about potential sponsorship requests.


    ¡°Good job, guys,¡± Tsutomu, having watched the whole battle through a Monitor, said as he came over to wee the team back.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Leleia responded immediately with aposed expression.


    Daryl, standing behind her, put his hand to his chest in relief. Hannah, who had been resurrected after the Winter General¡¯s defeat, had a satisfied smile on her face.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 205: Flame Attack

    On the way back to the n House with Team 2, Tsutomu said to Hannah,


    ¡°By the way¡­ Seriously? me Attack? What the hell were you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ Wasn¡¯t that awesome, Teach!? NOW I finally feel like I¡¯m a real Magic Fist sessor!¡±


    Hannah proudly puffed out her chest and startedughing ominously at her achievement¡­ of shouting out a nonexistent skill¡¯s name and ending a battle in a ze of glory. Tsutomu, seeing that Hannah was eagerly waiting for him to say something, decided instead to turn to Leleia and Amira.


    ¡°You two made good use of your Spirit contracts. Keep it up.¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu¡­ the hell did you say to her?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, really. Just reminded her of what she had set out to do.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, you¡¯re not fooling anyone. Why would she even start getting nice and cooperative all of a sudden?¡±


    Amira, not satisfied with the nonmittal answer she had gotten, pressed herself against Tsutomu and put an arm over his shoulder in an attempt to make him talk more. Leleia¡¯s eyes as she observed the two grew colder and colder.


    ¡°Excuse me, would you mind keeping yourself away from her?¡±


    ¡°Teach! Why d¡¯ya gotta ignore me like that!?¡±


    And so Tsutomu was tormented further by Leleia and Hannah¡¯sints on the rest of the way back to the n House.


    Afterward, Tsutomu had Team 2 organize an evaluation meeting among themselves, and then he went out alone again. While his primary objective of the day was to watch Team 2¡¯s Winter General battle, there was another thing he wanted to observe as well. Specifically, he was interested in the Light and Darkyers that Ealdred Crow was currently exploring.


    [The monsters aren¡¯t all that different from what I know. We might need some spellcasters, though¡­]


    So far, the monsters seemed unchanged from the roster of the Dungeon¡¯s counterpart in Live Dungeon, which was more or less what he had expected. In these Light and Darknessyers, there were ethereal-type monsters, against which magic-based Jobs were more effective.


    Since there were times when the Dungeon was pitch dark, a reliable light source would likely be essential. And since monsters could exhibit behaviors that did not conform to the game¡¯s typical patterns, Tsutomu kept a close watch on Ealdred Crow while they were being shown on Monitor #1.


    [I knew it¡­ They really are in a league of their own.]


    In contrast to the time they had been stuck on the sixtiethyer with the Fire Dragon, Ealdred Crow was now recognized as the leading major n of Explorers. Tsutomu had anticipated this oue because they were the major n that had invested the most resources, both of the human and material kind.


    Until now, most major ns had primarily consisted of unique skill holders. As the three-role teamposition grew in prominence, however, the significance of unique skill holders had diminished. In God¡¯s Dungeon, it was more effective to have five individuals who could perform their designated roles than to have a one-man army. Tsutomu was well aware of this fact.


    [And the Silver Beast¡­ looks like they¡¯re still busy preparing for stuff.]


    Silver Beast, which had beenpeting with Ealdred Crow on the Snow Fieldyers, originally had the structure of a mid-tier n, but they were nowying the foundation to be a major n. Their main purpose was to raise funds to take in orphans, but now they were caught up in various marketing schemes due to the Ice Magic Stone, and Dungeon exploration was not their current focus. As such, as a n of Explorers, their progression appeared to be stagnating.


    ¡°As for Golden Tune and Scarlet Devil Squad¡­ well, they¡¯re probably nothing to worry about. Doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯ll catch up anytime soon.¡±


    The two major ns with unique skill holders did not show any signs of making it past the Winter General yet, though that did not necessarily mean they had been simply sitting idly by. In particr, Leon and Weiss, who were unique skill holders, seemed to be practicing evasion-based Tanking strategies, much like Hannah.


    Since they were the core of their respective ns, however, changing their fighting style would naturally take some time for their teams to readjust themselves into a cohesive unit again.


    [So for now, it should be fine if we can just hold our current position. After that, we can focus on the niethyer¡¯s boss.]


    In order to be the first to clear the hundredthyer, Tsutomu had nned to let Ealdred Crow take the lead up to the niethyer. After all, even with prior knowledge from Live Dungeon, conquering up to the hundredthyer without the knowledge unique to this world would be quite challenging. Therefore, he found it necessary to observe some other ns to explore the Dungeon first.


    And since Tsutomu had no intention of dying ¡ª for as long as he could manage, at least ¡ª it was necessary to achieve his victories over theyer bosses on his first attempts, considering that their fights could not be retreated from. For this purpose, it was essential to study whatever information was avable, meaning some other team needed to engage theyer boss first and serve as a preview.


    In fact, if he had not gotten any prior information on the Mount Golem at the seventiethyer or the Winter General at the eightiethyer from the Monitors, a first-attempt victory might have been impossible. Tsutomu nned to let Ealdred Crow face the niethyer¡¯s boss first, analyze whatever information he could collect, and then take on the challenge himself.


    [Unless there are additional peculiarities unique to this world, it should be manageable¡­ But it probably will be challenging either way.]


    So far, he had observed many such peculiarities ¡ª such as the behavior of various monsters, the nature of the ck mes emitted by the ck Dragon, and the criminally delicious taste of the Shell Crab ¡ª and confirmed that they had never been like that in Live Dungeon, both in terms of gamey and background information. As such, for the niethyer¡¯s boss, there might be something unique worth watching out for, and the only way to know was to observe Ealdred Crow¡¯s battle.


    With all that said, he intended for his team to conquer the niethyer before Ealdred Crow could. And then, for the hundredthyer, he nned to go in without any prior observation through the Monitors. Tsutomu did not want to get himself killed, of course, but he was afraid that being the first to conquer the hundredthyer could be essential to him. In order to find a way back to his original world, he felt that he had to take that risk.


    [I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something there¡­ but what if there isn¡¯t?]


    The very first ce Tsutomu had been sent to in this world was the Ancient Castle of Oblivion, where the hundredthyer¡¯s boss, the Corroded Elder Dragon, resided. As such, Tsutomu believed that there might be some kind of event or revtion beyond the hundredthyer, but there was no guarantee. It could simply open the way to the secret dungeon or, perhaps, there might not even be a way to return to his original world.


    [And what would I do then? Maybe I¡¯ll have to live here forever¡­ I mean, I kinda don¡¯t want to¡­]


    This world was incrediblyfortable for Tsutomu. It was based on Live Dungeon, after all, so he could apply the knowledge he had here, and Dungeon exploration in real life was truly enjoyable. And he had friends here ¡ª not just Amy, Garm, and Camille, but so many other reliablerades.


    However, perhaps things were almost toofortable. As a result, he felt a sense of unease and fear, which he simply could not shake off. He had never been one to be able topletely detach himself from the reality he was familiar with ¡ª not even when he was addicted to Live Dungeon.


    Given that Tsutomu had finally reached the eighty-firstyer, he could not help but think about what could be ahead. Lately, it was the only thing on his mind. It never crossed his mind all that much while he was actively exploring the Dungeon or talking with n members, of course, but whenever he was alone, it was all he could think about.


    In this world, Tsutomu was the only one who knew about his true self. He felt a profound sense of loneliness because of this, and he feared that if he shared too much with someone, he might not be able to return to how he originally was. So, when Camille had previously inquired about his past, Tsutomu had chosen to not tell her anything.


    [Neenyers to go, huh¡­]


    With that thought in mind, Tsutomu gazed at the Monitor where Ealdred Crow¡¯s main party was disyed.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    Both of Absolute Helix¡¯s teams had progressed past the eightiethyer and gained ess to the Light and Darknessyers. Following this achievement, the teams disbanded temporarily, and until they reached the niethyer, they were free to team up however they wished. Still, if they encountered a difficult mid-boss monster like the Bolseyer, Tsutomu would have to step in and issue direct instructions.


    ¡°Tsutomu, you gotta team up with me,¡± Amira said before dinner, being the first to approach Tsutomu with this proposition. With her vibrant, faintly glowing red hair, she was most likely in her <<Dragon Form>>.


    Following her, Leleia, holding the miniature girl-form Gnome in her arms, also approached him.


    ¡°Tsutomu, the Spirits are waiting to go adventuring with you. Please include me in your team.¡±


    The Gnome held out its arms, demanding Tsutomu to lift it up. Thetter only answered with a nonmittal smile. Considering that both Amira and Leleia had been in Team 2, their desire to team up with him was quite strong.


    ¡°Teach! You wanna see my me Attack up close!?¡±


    ¡°S-Sir Tsutomu! I¡¯d like to team up with you, too!¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh, okay, sure. I¡¯ll go with you guys tomorrow. Korinna, can you team up with the others?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes! I understand!¡±


    Korinna, who had looked somewhat down upon seeing fellow Team 2 members flocking to another Healer, perked up upon hearing Tsutomu¡¯s request. She then happily devoured the cheese doria that had been served to her for dinner and wore a contented expression.


    Amy, who had been trying to encourage the gloomy Korinna, looked on as the girl ate, and when she noticed Korinna¡¯s expression, she cracked a dry smile. At that moment, a spoonful of cheese doria was extended before Amy¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Say ¡®ahh.''¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh, Dini, this looks pipin¡¯ hot, you know.¡±


    ¡°Fuu~~¡±


    It seemed that Diniel had misinterpreted Amy¡¯s concern for Korinna as a desire to eat the cheese doria. After blowing on the hot spoonful, Diniel then presented it to Amy again.


    After locking eyes with Diniel, Amy reluctantly took a bite, knowing it likely was still likely hot on the inside.


    ¡°AHH! It burns!¡±


    ¡°I knew.¡±


    ¡°You KNEW!?¡±


    Amy, with her sensitive tongue of a cat, predictably writhed in difort after tasting the hot cheese doria, while Diniel proceeded to take a sip of water with aposed expression. After finally managing to swallow the cheese doria that had caused a minor disaster in her mouth, Amy yfully nudged Diniel¡¯s shoulder in annoyance.


    In the midst of their conversation, Xeno and Garm appeared to be discussing Daryl.


    ¡°It seems that Daryl might be getting a sponsorship request specifically for him. Isn¡¯t that great?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not so sure. The more attention he gets, the more he withdraws. Can he handle it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he can ¡ª after all, he hasn¡¯t been forced into acting. His genuine reactions are part of his appeal. In fact, issues might arise if and when he gets used to performing those reactions¡­¡±


    So far, Daryl had received training from both of them, inheriting Garm¡¯s strength and Xeno¡¯s poprity. Their guidance was bearing fruit, with Daryl building himself up consistently in both aspects. In fact, he had recently gained a fan club, further increasing his influence.


    ¡°Changing the color of his <<Combat Cry>> seems to have been effective. It¡¯s impressive enough to make him stand out as an individual. Perhaps you should try it as well, Garm.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t like the sound of doing that.¡±


    ¡°Come now, you do realize that there are things your apprentice can teach you, yes?¡±


    Garm, with his arms crossed and a furrowed brow, was engaged in a thoughtful discussion with the cheerful Xeno, even while they were in the middle of a meal.


    After dinner, while everyone was rxing on their own, Tsutomu read the newspaper while letting the yful Gnome sit on his back. As he was lost in thought, wondering why the Gnome¡¯s hair was so silky smooth even though it was made of y, he heard a voice calling him from behind.


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu, may I have a moment?¡±


    Ollie, who had finished cleaning up after dinner, approached Tsutomu with a letter in her hand. Tsutomu observed the formal seal on the letter and responded with a slightly furrowed brow.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 206: A Letter from Brooklyn

    Called over by Ollie, Tsutomu went up to his room, where the former ced the letter in her hands on his desk.


    ¡°It¡¯s for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is from Master Brooklyn Kantjelucia, addressed to you, Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Brooklyn¡­ who?¡±


    ¡°Brooklyn Kantjelucia¡­ Would you like me to remind you who he is?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve never heard of him.¡±


    For a moment, Ollie looked as if she could not believe what Tsutomu had just said, but she quicklyposed herself and proceeded to exin,


    ¡°Master Brooklyn is the head of House Kentjelucia, widely referred to as the oldest lineage among the long-standing nobility of this nation. Much like House Babenberg which oversees the Dungeon City, they are renowned for their proficiency in defensive magic. In fact, their skills are said to rival those of House Babenberg, and the King has entrusted them with the protection of the Royal Capital.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°¡­The letter is still sealed. You must open it yourself, Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°I have a bad feeling about this,¡± Tsutomu said, seeing that Ollie¡¯s hand was shaking when she passed him the letter.


    Tsutomu proceeded to unseal the envelope and read through the contents, and as it turned out, it was nothingplicated.


    ¡°Wow, this is scary.¡±


    The neatly written words on the page conveyed a polite tone, but the message itself, on the other hand, was far from friendly. It could be summarized as follows: Refusing the summons to the Royal Capital was out of the question. An envoy would be sent in two days, soply with the summons to the Royal Capital.


    It was clear from the letter that the previous rejection of the Royal Capital¡¯s summons, which had been conveyed through House Babenberg, had rubbed someone the wrong way, as evident from the sharpnguage used. Even the Magic Stones that had been delivered alongside the letter, while of exceptional quality, were all red, quite non-subtly symbolizing the sender¡¯s anger.


    Tsutomu collected the Magic Stones and carefully folded the letter into an origami shuriken before tossing it into the trash can. Itnded without a hitch, showcasing the quality of the paper used.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ollie watched Tsutomu¡¯s action with a look of disbelief, then approached the trash can and picked up the letter before asking,


    ¡°¡­Um, and your response¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit House Babenberg tomorrow to make a report about this.¡±


    ¡°I-I see¡­ Yes, that would be for the best,¡± Ollie said and left the room, a fearful expression sticking to her face after witnessing Tsutomu so casually discard the letter.


    Once Ollie was out of sight, Tsutomu proceeded to heave a deep sigh.


    [What a drag¡­]


    Now that the Royal Capital¡¯s side was doing this themselves, Tsutomu could no longer simply stay in the Dungeon City. Furthermore, if the Royal Capital were to actually be destroyed by the Stampede, it would undoubtedly affect the Dungeon City¡¯s operations. As such, Tsutomu knew thatplying with the summons to the Royal Capital was the safest option.


    Still, the fact still stood that he did not want to risk his life for the people of this world. The previous time, he had only fought for the sake of his friends ¡ª Amy, Garm, Camille, and the apothecary Elfdy. He had no desire to provide support and healing in an environment where even a stray arrow or energy st could kill him out of nowhere.


    However, now that House Kantjelucia, responsible for guarding the Royal Capital, had gone out of the way to summon him specifically, it seemed he had no choice but toply. Nevertheless, as Tsutomu had no attachment to the people of the Royal Capital, whom he did not even know, he slouched in his chair with an exhausted expression.


    While contemting the possibilities of his future on his own, Tsutomu suddenly thought,


    [Well, I should hop into the bath or something¡­]


    Abandoning his thoughts, Tsutomu left his room and walked down the fairly long hallway to the men¡¯s bath on the second floor. At this time, neither Garm nor Daryl would be using it yet, making him the first to go in today.


    ¡°Yah-ho!¡±


    ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it look like, Teach!? This is¡­ my¡­ training!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Tsutomu!¡±


    Hannah and Amy approached him, hopping with one leg raised, supposedly in the middle of training. Whatever this training was for, Tsutomu had no idea ¡ª but it did remind him of some martial arts poses.


    After looking at them hopping away, Tsutomu reached for the knob of the door to the changing room. Before opening it, however, he noticed that someone was already inside. Discreetly opening the door, he peered inside and then let out a heavy sigh.


    [Damn it, Amira¡­]


    Judging by the underwear left inside the changing room, Tsutomu deduced that it was Amira upying the bath. Although he had been trying to use the bath before anyone else each day, so as to avoid the fur shedded by Garm and Daryl, he had been finding himself missing out often recently.


    Xeno, who would asionally stay at the n House, would also be the quickest to bathe ¡ª but Tsutomu could tolerate him. Missing the first bath because Garm and Daryl had gone in ahead of him was fine as well, at least to an extent. When it came to Amira and Diniel, however, he would find it awkward ¡ª as they sometimes would avoid going downstairs to use the women¡¯s bathroom there, opting for the second-floor bath instead.


    The women¡¯s bathroom on the first floor was even better equipped and highly praised by the other women of this n ¡ª even the bath connoisseur Hannah. But despite that, Amira and Diniel would often opt for the convenience of bathing on the second floor. Their tendency to do this ended up frustrating Tsutomu, as well as Daryl, quite a bit.


    Whenever Tsutomu tried to warn Amira not to do this, she would invite him to join her, while Diniel simply did not listen to him. Although their frequency of doing this had decreased recently thanks to Ollie¡¯s efforts, Tsutomu was not so lucky today, and as such, he descended the stairs and slumped onto the living room sofa in frustration.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    The following morning, Tsutomu made his way to the Babenberg estate, handed over the letter from House Kantjelucia, and provided a summary of its contents. Leaving behind the gatekeepers, who were bewildered the instant they saw the crest on the letter¡¯s envelope, Tsutomu continued on to the Guild.


    As promised the previous day, Tsutomu, along with Daryl, Hannah, Amira, and Leleia, formed a party and descended into the Dungeon. This time, they were going to the seventy-fourthyer, both to assess their strength and to earn gold by collecting Ice Magic Stones.


    ¡°So¡­ we can consider this ¡®me Attack¡¯ of yours a Magic Fist move, right?¡±


    ¡°No! me Attack is me Attack!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, fine. Let me ask something else, then ¡ª why did it blow you up like that?¡±


    Considering the fact that Hannah had held a Large Fire Magic Stone, it was undoubtedly a Magic Fist technique. Its power might not be on Melchor¡¯s level, but it had still disyed a tremendous explosion. Therefore, it was sufficiently practical ¡ª in a sense.


    ¡°Hmm, well¡­ The Magic Fist involves damaging a Magic Stone and drawing out the energy from the cracks¡­ Well, at least I think that¡¯s how it works¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes? And?¡±


    Tsutomu contained his urge to call out Hannah¡¯s inability to grasp things despite Melchor¡¯s instruction, allowing her to continue.


    ¡°And then you¡¯re supposed to carefully focus that energy onto your hands or feet, but I couldn¡¯t do that. So, instead, I let the energy circte throughout my whole body! That¡¯s how I learned to release the energy properly!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, ¡®properly,¡¯ by getting yourself killed?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    Hannah spread her blue-feathered wings wide on her back and gave a thumbs-up. Tsutomu, on the other hand, sighed heavily at Hannah¡¯spleteck of fear about the prospect of death.


    ¡°Lemme show you what it looks like up close!¡±


    ¡°No need for that. I already saw it through the Pedestal.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, seeing it for real¡¯s gotta have a bigger impact than through a screen!¡± Hannah emphasized her point like a photographer.


    ¡°No, really. Don¡¯t.¡±


    Tsutomu pushed away Hannah¡¯s head as thetter approached him. He then turned to Leleia and said,


    ¡°By the way, Leleia, you¡¯re letting Amira form a <<Contract>> with the Sylph, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Herpatibility with the Spirits is as high as yours, Tsutomu, so I figured that she would find them useful.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true,¡± Tsutomu chuckled, seeing that Leleia was somehow being as pushy about her own as Hannah was about hers.


    In the Light and Darknessyers that they were about to challenge, Leleia¡¯s ability to use the Spirits¡¯ magic had a high likelihood of being useful ¡ª both during the exploration process and against the niethyer¡¯s boss monster.


    Tsutomu¡¯s outstanding affinity with the Spirits was perhaps due to him being someone brought into this world by God. In addition to the increase in various stats, his bond with Leleia allowed him to consume her mental energy while being able to utilize the Spirits¡¯ magic. The Undine, who could raise mental power, was particrly valuable for Healers as it also absorbed monster attacks automatically using its resilient body.


    The Smander was useful as a secondary damage dealer, and the Sylph could carry out the role of a supporting Tank when needed. While the Gnome was not particrly needed for its parameter enhancement, its ability to manifest as an Earth-elemental body might be useful down the line, as it could somewhat act as a sixth member of the team.


    As such, making Leleia a part of his team was a decision quite worth considering. Another major factor in this was Tsutomu¡¯s strong affinity with the Spirits. However, even without that, Leleia¡¯s ability to use the Spirits¡¯ magic alone made her a top candidate.


    ¡°¡­Yeah, you guys n out theplicated stuff. I¡¯mma do things the simple way!¡±


    In response to their discussion, Amira lifted her greatsword as if to show it off, then struck down a Snow Wolf that had been hiding nearby. This marked the beginning of the team¡¯s battle against the monsters.


    ¡°<<Dragon Form>> and¡­ <


    >!!¡±


    Amira, now transformed, unfurled her wings on her back and violently swung her greatsword. The impact sent a flurry of snow into the air, revealing a pack of Snow Wolves beneath it. Amira proceeded to relentlessly cut them down as they lunged at her.


    Amira used to rely solely on her <


    > skill for attacks, but she had changed after observing how other Attackers fought. Now, her approach tobat had significantly diversified. After using all the skills at her disposal, her pattern rotated back to using the <


    > again.


    At a nce, her actions might seem roundabout, but it was anything but. Previously, she had no choice but to use that one skill ¡ª as it had been the only thing she could reliably pull off ¡ª but now, thanks to intensive training with everything, Amira had ess to a wide range of options. This flexibility enhanced herbat style, making her far more versatile than her previous one-dimensional approach.


    Moreover, she had learned to control her <<Dragon Form>>, which used to simply drive her berserk before; now her level of control wasparable to that of Camille¡¯s. She had developed stronger wings and even the ability to breathe fire from her mouth like a Fire Dragon.


    Ever since she had not been chosen as a member of the ¡®primary¡¯ team for the previous boss battle, Amira¡¯s confidence had been shattered into pieces. From then on, she had begun to put in more effort than before. That, added on top of her unique skill, <<Dragon Form>>, made her an even better Attacker than ever before.


    [Now all she needs is to be more cooperative¡­ Yeah, I don¡¯t see any other particr ws,] Tsutomu thought to himself as he watched Amira, her eyes sober and calcting despite her being in the transformed state, battling the monsters.


    He found Amira¡¯s remarkable growth highly favorable, and considered her a valuable addition to the n, even if he were to disregard her status as Camille¡¯s daughter.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    Daryl, too, had managed to change Tsutomu¡¯s initial perception of him being a lesser version of Garm, especially after their battle against the Mount Golem. Thanks to the unique equipment of the Heavy Knight Job and guidance from Xeno on how to use <<Combat Cry>>, he had gained a great deal of influence within themunity.


    [Hmm¡­ Now, what to do about the niethyer¡¯s boss¡­]


    Hannah had acquired the ability to use Magic Fist ¡ª despite the drawback of it being a self-destruct button. Daryl had gained influence through the proving of his strength. Amira had grown as an Attacker. Leleia could handle long and short-rangedbat with the Spirits¡¯ magic.


    All of them were strong in their own right. However, when it came to facing the boss monster on the niethyer, they were likely to have limited information, so Tsutomu¡¯s decision would have to take that into ount. Tsutomu had no choice but to contemte his choices while observing the four engaging the monsters.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 207: To the Royal Capital

    The next morning, Tsutomu went on a run to work up some sweat before reading the newspapers. Stampede-rted topics were all the rage these days, and it was no different today ¡ª if one was into that, they practically never would be bored.


    And as it turned out, Absolute Helix was not the only group that had been summoned by the nobility. Other major ns ¡ª Ealdred Crow, Golden Tune, and Scarlet Devil Squad ¡ª were also expected to leave for the Royal Capital soon.


    Having been contacted by House Babenberg regarding yesterday¡¯s letter from House Kantjelucia, Tsutomu headed to their estate after he was done reading the newspapers. There, he got to discuss in detail the implications of the letter with the head of House Babenberg, as well as the eldest son Smith and the eldest daughter Biancaea.


    ¡°It would be wise for you to ept the invitation,¡± the head of House Babenberg said, ¡°If you refuse, well¡­ to say it bluntly, House Kantjelucia will do whatever it takes to get you to go. And by whatever it takes, I meant it literally ¡ª the head of their house is someone who would do that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. I suppose I¡¯ll do that, then.¡±


    Seeing that the head of House Babenberg was well-versed in the affairs of the nobility, Tsutomu reluctantly agreed to follow his advice. Still, it remained a fact that being summoned as a specific individual by House Kantjelucia was a great honor. As such, Smith frowned upon Tsutomu¡¯s attitude and felt the need to give thetter lecture.


    ¡°Come now, a direct invitation from House Kantjelucia ought to be a great honor to anyone. Why do you look so downcast?¡±


    ¡°Apologies.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing nothing from Tsutomu to go with his obligatory apology, Smith turned away, a half-indignant expression painted on his face. A whileter, Tsutomu left the estate and went straight back to his n House.


    ¡°¡­And that¡¯s that. We¡¯re going to the Royal Capital tomorrow.¡±


    And so Tsutomu informed his n¡¯s members of the summons. Although he had mentioned some time ago that they might have to visit the Royal Capital in preparation for the Stampede, everyone except Diniel was still quite surprised ¡ª particrly by the mention of House Kantjelucia.


    Xeno and Leleia, who were originally from the Royal Capital, had the strongest reactions, being quite spooked to see the crest on the letter envelope. Even Hannah, who was from a vige in the countryside, seemed to know about House Kantjelucia, though she seemed excited more than anything, as if she was at a festival.


    ¡°Anyone here don¡¯t wanna go?¡±


    ¡°Me,¡± Diniel immediately answered, raising her hand ¡ª which was promptly pulled back down by Amy.


    ¡°D-Dini? You¡¯re not supposed to admit it like that!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t wanna go, either!¡± Tsutomu eximed and raised his hand, prompting Garm to pull it down.


    ¡°¡­Is that your idea of a joke?¡±


    Then, seeing that no one else was opposed to this trip, Tsutomu had a disappointed look on his face as he told everyone to prepare themselves.


    ¡°Woo-hoo! We¡¯re actually going to the Royal Capital! I¡¯ve never been there before!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already been there once! What about you, Korinny?¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s been quite a while since Ist visited¡­¡±


    ¡°You gotta see the castle, Hannie ¡ª It¡¯s, like, SUPER HUGE!¡±


    ¡°Ooh! That sounds awesome! Super duper awesome!¡±


    Hannah and Amy were particrly excited, perhaps due to the rtively low number of times they had actually been to the Royal Capital. Korinna, on the other hand, seemed somewhat replused as she looked away, perhaps due to her being from there.


    ¡°Have you been there, Garm?¡±


    ¡°Three times, all on Guild business. Speaking of which, Xeno and Leleia are from there, if I remember correctly?¡±


    Hearing Garm say that, Hannah¡¯s eyes sparkled as she grabbed Leleia¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, she is! Leleia! You gotta teach me about the Royal Capital before the trip tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°U-uh-huh¡­¡±


    Although bewildered by how Hannah was suddenly acting like a child begging her to sing a nursery rhyme, Leleia proceeded to exin what she knew about the Royal Capital.


    Tsutomu, after spending a moment watching them in a tepid mood, spoke up,


    ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never been there, either.¡±


    ¡°Me too, me too! I¡¯m d I¡¯m not alone on this¡­¡±


    Daryl popped out from behind Garm and gave him a reassuring smile, but then Tsutomu reacted with a look of disgust on his face.


    ¡°The way you said that was pretty creepy, you know that?¡±


    ¡°Huh!? Howe!?¡±


    ¡°It just was.¡±


    ¡°But how!? That doesn¡¯t make any sense! Right!?¡±


    Daryl looked around, seeking agreement from the others. In response, Amira, leaning back on the sofa, looked up at him with a hint of disdain.


    ¡°Man, you ARE creepy, actin¡¯ like a little girl¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Whenever I see you like that, I feel like I wanna make you cry or somethin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°S-Sir Tsutomu, look¡­ Amira¡¯s been so weird these days¡­¡±


    ¡°Shaddup, boy!¡±


    As Amira kept teasing Daryl, Tsutomu watched on without saying a word. After a while, Xeno walked up behind the former two, putting his hands on their shoulders.


    ¡°Now, calm down, you two. In this very moment, I, THE Xeno, shall give you a detailed exnation of the Royal Capital!¡±


    ¡°Dammit, get outta my way, you pretentious ass¨C¡°


    ¡°¨CSo first things first, the Royal Capital is¡­¡±


    Right when Xeno began running his mouth, Amira covered her ears and walked away. Daryl, on the other hand, seemed quite intrigued; he wagged his droopy dog ears happily and stayed to listen.


    Tsutomu also stayed partway through, leaving when the talk started shifting to Xeno¡¯s bragging about his past aplishments. Instead, he went to Ollie and discussed preparations to head to the Royal Capital. As it turned out, Ollie had already organized most of everyone¡¯s belongings.


    ¡°I n to join you on this trip ¡ª Is that all right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, yes, but¡­ Staying in the Dungeon City would be safer, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°I can take care of myself, and just waiting for everyone¡¯s return is¡­ frustrating, you see. Besides, with a group of ten, someone needs to handle misceneous tasks. You can count on me for that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you sure? I have a bad feeling about thising Stampede¡­¡±


    ¡°In that case, Mister Tsutomu, perhaps you¡¯ll have to work even harder to survive it. I¡¯ll help to ensure everyone is in the best possible condition for battle.¡±


    Tsutomu, faced with Ollie¡¯s determined smile, reluctantly epted her request. And so, Absolute Helix began preparing for the journey to the Royal Capital the next day.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    ¡°H-have a safe trip~~!¡±


    Leaving the n House in the hands of Ollie¡¯s apprentice, the whole Absolute Helix n made their way to the gates of Dungeon City. While most members seemed lively as usual, two among them carried notably subdued spirits.


    ¡°I wanna go home already¡­¡±


    ¡°I wanna explore the Dungeon¡­¡±


    Diniel and Tsutomu dragged their heels as if they were convicts heading toward the prison. Diniel, as usual, maintained her demeanor, while Tsutomu¡¯sck of enthusiasm was an umon sight. Garm and Amy, to the duo¡¯s side, wore expressions of surprise.


    ¡°Let¡¯s skip this trip, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°How hold it right there!¡±


    ¡°Just kidding,¡± Diniel said with a face so straight that one would not believe that she was joking.


    Tsutomu, on the other hand, said nothing and only sighed wearily. Exiting Dungeon City, they were greeted by an oversized, unnecessarily extravagant carriage. A stern-faced knight adorned in armor bearing the insignia of House Kantjelucia guided them, weing the members of Absolute Helix into the carriage.


    ¡°Can I have the window seat!?¡± Hannah turned to ask Tsutomu, her eyes sparkling.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    As such, the first to enter the spacious carriage was Hannah, hopping on with much enthusiasm. The others quickly followed, climbing on without much regard for seating order, and then the carriage promptly set off towards the Royal Capital.


    Amy, seated next to Tsutomu, observed the knight holding the reins on the driver¡¯s seat. Then she leaned in and whispered,


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re not exactly happy to see us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Indeed, the look in the eyes of the knights of House Kantjelucia was far from weing. This time, due to the unusual Stampede that had threatened Dungeon City six months ago and mysterious phenomena such as monsters disappearing from the southern Dungeons, they reached out to Dungeon City just to be cautious, but in their minds, they were dissatisfied at having to deal with Explorers.


    [I just hope this doesn¡¯t get us in any trouble¡­] Tsutomu thought to himself while observing his n members.


    Hannah, enjoying the scenery from the carriage window, fluttered her wings on her back. Amira seemed engrossed in conversation about the Royal Capital with Korinna, who also took this free time tob her cream-colored hair. Leleia appeared to not be doing anything in particr, but upon closer observation, she was surreptitiously listening to the conversation between the two.


    Xeno kept on running his mouth, the speed at which resembled the chirping of birds, and Garm and Daryl listened with apparent interest. Diniel, alone, had her arms crossed, on the verge of dozing off. Amy, sitting next to Tsutomu, looked up with a puzzled expression when their eyes met.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    If he could help it, he would not have taken his n members on this trip to the Royal Capital ¡ª and neither would he let them take part in the defensive battle against the Stampede, the scale of which was yet unknown. However, if he were to openly go against House Kantjelucia, his n members would be put in danger as a result. Any support from House Babenberg would likely do nothing to change that.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Tsutomu said and patted Amy¡¯s head, prompting thetter to blush and cast her eyes down shyly.


    With themitment to not let any of his n¡¯s members die ¡ª even if it meant sacrificing strangers along the way ¡ª he continued on the journey, hoping to return safely to the n House. Tsutomu pledged so in his heart while gazing at the passing scenery.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 208: Where is the Chef!?

    The carriage journey from Dungeon City to the Royal Capital was expected to take two days, which would require a campsite stop on the way. Tsutomu, whose body had been rocked by the carriage from early morning until evening, stretched as he watched the setting sun.


    Hannah, who had started out this trip full of excitement, found herself spending enough time in the carriage to grow tired of the scenery. Still, with eleven people present, conversation flowed continuously, sparing everyone from boredom. Especially Xeno, who had been talking incessantly, left Daryl, seated next to him, with a drained expression.


    Preparations for the camp were mainly handled by the knights, while theborious tasks fell upon Garm and Daryl. The more delicate work was led by Ollie and Korinna. Generally, the knights of the Royal Capital also delved into God¡¯s Dungeon to receive the blessings of status and skills. Due to their duties in the Royal Capital, however, their levels were not as high as the Explorers residing in Dungeon City.


    Observing Garm and Daryl, with their high status ratings, effortlessly tackling physical tasks, the knights had hints of awe in their eyes. Another carriage eventually arrived, bringing along cooks who set up a makeshift kitchen with items from an oversized Magic Bag.


    Ollie assisted in setting up the kitchen but refrained from getting involved in cooking, opting to watch the process with admiration. Korinna, enjoying both eating and cooking, marveled at the skills of the cooks dispatched by House Kantjelucia.


    The efficient cooks swiftly prepared dishes, lining them up on a table that they had pulled out from their Magic Bag. Indeed, being knights of House Kantjelucia, they were equipped with various facilities and personnel ensuring warm meals could be enjoyed even outdoors.


    As the members of the Absolute Helix and House Kantjelucia, including knights and servants, partook in the meal, Xeno suddenly stood up, holding his bowl of soup.


    ¡°Chef!? Where is the chef who made this food!?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±


    ¡°Chef! This soup reminds me of the old days! Could it be that you used to run a restaurant in the northern district of the Royal Capital!?¡±


    ¡°¡­I did run a restaurant there five years ago, yes.¡±


    ¡°I knew it! Your ce servedrge servings of delicious food at reasonable prices! I was a regr back in my student days!¡±


    ¡°I also recognize you ¡ª the young man who abandoned his schstic pursuit and departed for Dungeon City. Needless to say, you were quite infamous.¡±


    With the exchange between the cook and Xeno marking the beginning, the members of the Absolute Helix and the knights engaged in light yet lively conversations. Garm and Daryl, praised for their work just now, were approached by the knights, while Ollie and Korinna chatted with the servants.


    Amidst the lively dinner, Tsutomu, too, found himself approached by the tall man who seemed to be the captain of the knights.


    ¡°You are the one who received amendation from House Babenberg for your achievements during the previous Stampede?¡±


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    It seemed Tsutomu¡¯s reputation had reached the Royal Capital, but the knight captain looked down at him with a skeptical gaze. Certainly, Tsutomu¡¯s physique was slimmer than Ollie¡¯s, and rtively speaking, his level was not particrly high. Even if Tsutomu was said to have contributed the most to the defense during the Stampede, it did not quite register as fitting from the knight¡¯s perspective.


    Tsutomu, navigating his way past the knights¡¯ watchful eyes, finished his dinner early and returned to the tent. There, he found Diniel reading a book under the light of a hanging fire magicmp. She had already prepared for sleep, with her body wiped clean with a damp towel and her golden hair let down.


    ¡°<<sh>>, <<Barrier>>.¡±


    Without much reaction to Tsutomu entering, Diniel, engrossed in her book, nced sideways as Tsutomu produced a sphere of light. Normally, <<sh>> was a skill that emitted a dazzling st to blind the eyes, but by concentrating the mental energy to the weakest level, one could make it produce a persistent gentle illumination suitable for reading.


    Wrapping the light-emitting sphere with Barrier, Tsutomu hung it next to the fire magicmp, making the text significantly more readable. Diniel silently raised her thumb in approval.


    ¡°I¡¯ll set one up on your side too, so you¡¯d better go over there.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine.¡±


    After casting another <<sh>> for the women¡¯s tent and sending Diniel there, Tsutomu took a folded towel from the pile, intending to wipe himself. Not being able to take a bath was quite unpleasant, but this was the best he was going to get for now.


    Tsutomu did have a portable tub with him, but putting it together was troublesome, and it would take time to prepare the hot water. As such, he had initially nned to go without bathing for a day, but it turned out to be more ufortable than expected.


    He debated against himself whether to assemble it now but worried about being noticed by House Kantjelucia¡¯s knights. Eventually, Tsutomu reluctantly abandoned the idea of setting up the bath, went outside, received the water Ollie had prepared, and lightly wiped his body in a sufficiently secluded area.


    After finishing up the dinner cleanup and engaging in a brief discussion with the knights about future ns, Tsutomu proceeded to enter the men¡¯s tent. The knights would handle the night watch, so it seemed he could sleep without worry tonight.


    ¡°¡­Yes, it looks like the monsters have truly disappeared from the southern Dungeons. Normally, it would be impossible for there to be no monster attacks at this time of year.¡±


    ¡°I also heard from the knights that they couldn¡¯t find a single one inside the Dungeon. Hmmm¡­ what could this mean?¡±


    While specting based on information obtained from Garm and Xeno¡¯s conversations with the knights, Tsutomu, feeling quite tired, decided to go to his sleeping spot first. When he reached the allocated area for the Absolute Helix, he found Daryl already peacefully asleep, looking quite worn out from enduring Xeno¡¯s endless chatter during the day.


    After spending a moment watching Daryl, who asionally murmured and wagged his ck-furred tail in his sleep, Tsutomu let out a yawn and then tucked himself into his bed, falling asleep.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    The next day, everyone woke up early to pack up the tents and everything into the carriage. After a light breakfast, they immediately set off for the Royal Capital. Diniel and Amy, perhaps awakened earlier than they were used to, appeared drowsy during the trip.


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ In the castle, you will be¡­¡±


    Xeno, on the other hand, seemed to have no concept of morning fatigue; he continued talking endlessly from the moment the sun rose. Conversations revolved around him as the carriage made its way to the Royal Capital.


    By noon, they arrived at the Royal Capital without incident. As they approached the inspection point with a long line, the knights showing the House Kantjelucia emblem was all that was needed for the whole crew to bypass the queue.


    ¡°Whoooaaa!! It¡¯s HUGE!!¡±


    Hannah, sticking to the carriage window, excitedly fluttered her wings upon seeing the towering castle in the city. The gust of wind from her fluttering wings disrupted the pages of the book Diniel was reading, and shortly after, Hannah found herself on the receiving end of Diniel¡¯s wrestling whold.


    The lively carriage made its way to the center of the Royal Capital, eventually arriving at the Kantjelucia estate. Everyone was guided to guest rooms, allocated individual rooms, and then given some free time.


    However, one representative from Absolute Helix ¡ª Tsutomu, obviously ¡ª was scheduled to have an audience with the head of House Kantjelucia. As such, he temporarily split from the other n members and apanied the knights to the meeting.


    ¡°You will have to leave your Magic Bag with us. Also, we¡¯ll be conducting a body inspection.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    As expected, when meeting the head of the noble family, he was not allowed to be armed. Tsutomu packed his equipment and handed the Magic Bag to one of the knights. After a thorough body inspection, Tsutomu was instructed to wait in avishly decorated room.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    Just to make sure his skills were functional, Tsutomu tried casting some spells and, with some free time on his hands, reached for the sweets ced on the table. But then the door to the room suddenly swung open, prompting him to retract his hand. A woman entered the room ¡ª and it was someone he recognized.


    ¡°Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, hello. It¡¯s been quite a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Christia ¡ª the woman with silver hair and distinctive long, pointed ears ¡ª was the leader of the Labyrinth Conquerors, a n active mainly in various Dungeons outside of Dungeon City. Tsutomu had also provided some knowledge and training to them some time following his sessions for Golden Tune and Ealdred Crow.


    Although technically an Elf like Diniel, Christia was a Dark Elf, a subspecies without the magical ability to create potions. However, shepensated with exceptional physical abilities and an archery skill rivaling Diniel¡¯s.


    ¡°What brings you here, Miss Christia?¡±


    ¡°I came to report to the head of the House Kantjelucia about the Dungeons. And you, Tsutomu? Were you summoned to the Royal Capital by Brooklyn Kantjelucia?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was.¡±


    Hearing Tsutomu¡¯s response, Christia proceeded to speak with an unmoving expression,


    ¡°She is¡­ what one would call a collector. Her interest in you, one of the few people respected by House Babenberg, is not necessarily a good thing. Tread carefully.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, of course. I appreciate the warning.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Christia, covering her mouth with her hand, stared back at Tsutomu with emotionless eyes. Quite some time ago, when he was instructing her on casting long-ranged <<Heal>>, Tsutomu could not help but think that Christia was a woman whose thoughts were difficult to grasp, even more so than Diniel.


    Tsutomu tried to pass the time by asking some casual questions about the Royal Capital, but there were moments when she would not even respond, making the overall conversation awkward. Sitting in the same room with Christia, whose inscrutability seemed to be on an even higher level than Diniel¡¯s, felt quite ufortable.


    Eventually, when Tsutomu was summoned by a knight, he had a subtle expression of relief as he left the room to meet with the head of House Kantjelucia.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 209: House Kantjelucia’s Invitation

    Before Tsutomu went in to have his audience with Brooklyn Kantjelucia, he received several pieces of advice from the knights.


    No matter what question was asked, do not speak and do not lift your face. Maintain that posture without any unnecessary movement. Among their instructions regardingnguage and manners, they especially stressed the importance of strict adherence to those two points.


    For the nobility in general, the power of the stats and skills obtained in God¡¯s Dungeon were terrifying powers that could be used without any intermediary. Magic requires Magic Stones, and if one was alone, no matter how formidable, knights could easily capture them if they were to attack in groups.


    The Explorers of God¡¯s Dungeon, however, possessed extraordinary physical abilities based on their status ratings, and skills could be used simply by speaking, so the nobility feared them. Still, for this audience ¡ª perhaps due to House Kantjelucia being the host ¡ª there were no pre-measures such as the usual mouth gag or bodily restraints.


    And so, surrounded by knights, Tsutomu was escorted to the room where Brooklyn Kantjelucia awaited. While annoyed by the knights who watched his every move with stern eyes, Tsutomu nced at the figure seated in a throne-like elevated position.


    He had been informed by the head of House Babenberg that Brooklyn Kantjelucia was a woman. If not for that, he would have been having a difficult time determining that himself at this moment, as Brooklyn had an androgynous face and demeanor.


    She wore a long-sleeved robe andfortable-looking indigo trousers, not appearing particrly noble at first nce. Her ck hair was also a short-cut, far from a feminine hairstyle.


    [She looks as tomboyish as I¡¯ve heard, and she¡¯s officially called the Master¡­ But she¡¯ll be angry at people who treat her like a man, huh¡­]


    Tsutomu had also been cautioned by the head of House Babenberg about interacting with Brooklyn, with one specific instruction being not to treat her as a man. Perhaps it had something to do with her being the rare female head of House Kantjelucia, contrary to the tradition passed down through generations, but the details seemed unknown even to House Babenberg itself.


    As Tsutomu suspiciously observed Brooklyn, whose appearance, upon closer inspection, was that of ax knight, a knight walking ahead of him stopped and turned around.


    ¡°Stop. Lower your head.¡±


    Obedient to the knight¡¯smand, Tsutomu cursed in his mind as he gracefully lowered one knee and bowed his head. Then, with two knights taking positions on either of Tsutomu¡¯s sides, Brooklyn rose from her seat. Echoing with the rhythmic sound of expensive leather shoes, she came closer to Tsutomu, taking her position directly in front of him.


    ¡°GAH¨C¡°


    Suddenly, the knights positioned to Tsutomu¡¯s sides were blown away. Tsutomu turned to see the two knights now stuck to the wall, as if they had been glued to it.


    Looking ahead, Brooklyn, with a displeased furrowed brow, held a Colorless Magic Stone in her hand. The stone glowed, indicating that she was using some form of magic.


    House Kantjelucia, like House Babenberg who oversaw the Dungeon City, was known as a noble family that wielded powerful defensive shield magic. The two knights who had just been blown away were now immobilized within a shield perimeter cast by Brooklyn.


    ¡°I did tell you to NOT do anything unnecessary, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°M-Master Brooklyn!¡±


    ¡°You. Are. Dead.¡±


    Without giving any time to the knight, who seemed about to say something, Brooklyn clenched her fist, and the magical shield¡¯s perimeter slowly began to contract. The bodies of the knights within the barrier started to shrink rapidly, an unpleasant sound echoing in the surroundings.


    ¡°NOOO!!¡±


    ¡°Master Brooklyn!!¡±


    Amidst the rising screams, the shield folded mercilessly. With each clench, the bodies of the knights werepressed further, and the room resonated with spine-chilling cracks.


    In the end, what remained resembled a mass of scraps, and within the copsed shield, everything was obscured by red liquid, rendering nothing visible.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be chatting with Tsutomu for a few moments ¡ª everyone, leave your positions. Anyone who interrupts us¡­ will end up like this. Capisce?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Master.¡±


    Then, as Brooklyn waved her hand, the mass that was once two humans were passed over into the hands of the remaining knights. Though the contents were obscured by the shield, the knights, who received the square ¡®box¡¯ dyed in a deep red, left the room with pale faces.


    In the spacious room, only Brooklyn and Tsutomu remained. Tsutomu, watching the knights leave, turned slowly to face Brooklyn.


    ¡°Apologies for my knights¡¯ rudeness. But never mind them ¡ª I have heard rumors of you for some time now. A man publicly honored by the unfriendly Babenberg¡­ you are most intriguing, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Brooklyn spoke with a cheerful expression, as if the grim scene from moments ago had never urred, but Tsutomu¡¯splexion remained uneasy. Sensing his difort, she furrowed her brows apologetically.


    ¡°I had nned to visit you myself, but¡­ well, let¡¯s just say circumstances have limited my mobility. I¡¯m quite thankful for youring all the way to my room, but I suppose my knights were not quite as appreciative. I even told them to treat you as they would the members of House Babenberg, too¡­ But s, they couldn¡¯t even follow that simple order¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, not impressed, are you? Hehehe¡­ it¡¯s been quite a while since anyone has looked at me like that. Is this attitude what it takes for one to be acknowledged by House Babenberg, hmm?¡±


    Observing Tsutomu, who quickly scanned his surroundings with vignt eyes, Brooklyn¡¯s gaze sparkled with a hint of amusement. After a tense moment, she suddenly turned and began to walk.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll extend the invitation once again ¡ª And I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s without any rude treatment this time. Catch yater?¡±


    With those cheerful words, Brooklyn left the room, and Tsutomu followed her with his eyes. Once he confirmed she had left the room, he sighed and slumped down where he stood.


    [She¡¯s bonkers¡­]


    It seemed that Brooklyn had misunderstood something; Tsutomu¡¯s fear was simply a reaction to her brutal and sudden killing of the two knights.


    He had been informed of the dread associated with House Kantjelucia from House Babenberg in advance, and he came here with a certain level of preparedness. However, seeing Brooklyn, who had a nonchnt expression after killing the two men by crushing them inside a shield, and the knights who silently carried what remained of them away, Tsutomu could not help but be overwhelmed by the madness of the situation.


    While he had encountered overwhelmingly powerful monsters such as the Corroded Elder Dragon and the Devourer Dragon, Tsutomu had since gotten used to them with experience. Therefore, it was not the case that he was intimidated by Brooklyn; it was the surreal and gruesome scene that left him shaken.


    [Man, the Babenberg folks are saintspared to her¡­]


    After the unusual stampede that broke through House Babenberg¡¯s shield, they promptly apologized to the people. The thought of House Kantjelucia ruling Dungeon City, on the other hand, was sure to send shivers down one¡¯s spine. There would likely be numerous blood-stained shield-rted incidents if they were in charge.


    With these thoughts in mind, Tsutomu slowly stood up, cautiously surveying his surroundings. He then returned to the room assigned to him.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    While the initial impression of Brooklyn Kantjelucia was far from favorable, and despite the ominous letter he had received, Tsutomu found that she was not as hostile as he had expected. Still, having learned that she was a noble who casually killed people, Tsutomu decided to gather his n members in his room.


    He proceeded to warn them about Brooklyn Kantjelucia¡¯s entricity and advised them against drawing too much attention.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re the one who stands out the most, Tsutomu ¡ª I don¡¯t think the rest of us have to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°Hang in there.¡±


    ¡°¡­I think we should try to stick together ¡ª don¡¯t go anywhere alone if possible. You two¡­ uh, can I count on you to defend me?¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye!¡±


    ¡°What a drag¡­¡±


    ¡°Thanks. Really, I appreciate it,¡± Tsutomu said¡­ but not before sighing at Diniel¡¯s usual reluctant reaction.


    After spending a day at the Kantjelucia estate, the major ns summoned from Dungeon City were once again called to the hall.


    ¡°It seems everyone is here. Well then, let us begin with the exnation of the current situation.¡±


    In the gathering of Absolute Helix, Ealdred Crow, Scarlet Devil Squad, Golden Tune, and Labyrinth Conquerors, the knights of House Kantjelucia exined the current state of the Dungeons.


    At present, there had been no confirmed sightings of monsters within the Dungeons surrounding the Royal Capital. This was an unprecedented situation in history ¡ª a clear anomaly.


    The cause was, as one would expect, believed to be the failure of the usual culling of monsters due to the emergence of God¡¯s Dungeon.


    For over a hundred years, the development of affordable magic tools has led to the widespread use of Magic Stones even in ordinary households. Magic Stones had always had a steady demand, and until the emergence of God¡¯s Dungeon, monsters that harbored magic stones in their bodies were hunted extensively.


    However, since God¡¯s Dungeon guaranteed steady supplies of Magic Stones of consistent quality, there had been no need for Explorers to venture into the more dangerous Dungeons to extract Magic Stones through violent means.


    Previously, the demand for Magic Stones naturally thinned out the monster poption in Dungeons. On the other hand, since the emergence of God¡¯s Dungeon, almost no monsters have been hunted at all. This unprecedented situation has led to spection about the current abnormality.


    ¡°¡­And so we would like to request your assistance in re-investigating the Dungeons starting tomorrow.¡±


    While House Kantjelucia¡¯s knights and the Labyrinth Conquerors had already been conducting investigations, no significant results had been achieved so far. Therefore, the Royal Capital¡¯s side had decided to bring in the best of the best Explorers from Dungeon City to conduct a more thorough investigation.


    [Man, I sure hope we don¡¯t get jumpscared or anything¡­]


    Tsutomu could not think of any reason why monsters would disappear from the Dungeons. However, if he were to think in terms of monster spawns of Live Dungeon, he could make some predictions of what to expect.


    After the knights concluded the exnation of the current situation and the subsequent meeting, Absolute Helix also agreed to cooperate in tomorrow¡¯s investigation of the Dungeons.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 210: A Transition Period

    The major ns of Dungeon City embarked on their investigations, delving into the Dungeons surrounding the Royal Capital, but the first day passed without any particr discovery. While these Dungeons differed inyout from the God¡¯s Dungeon they were used to, the environment itself exhibited a remarkable constancy. The location that Infinite Helix explored this time resembled the Forest biomeyers.


    ¡°How painfully uneventful.¡±


    Despite the major ns¡¯ coborative efforts, no monsters were encountered. Towards thetter part of their exploration, even Garm found the dungeon to be overwhelmingly tranquil. Many within the group started lowering their guard.


    ¡°Teach, you¡¯re looking pretty scary¡­ Are you angry?¡±


    ¡°¡­What? No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    Diniel was doing her job properly, helping other major ns search for enemies, and while Garm was rtively rxed, he still maintained a preparedness to confront monsters at any moment. As such, it seemed unnecessary for Tsutomu to remain on constant alert, but he found himselfpelled to do so.


    In these Dungeons, once someone died, it spelled their end right there. As such, a Healer had to ensure recovery before anyone bit the dust, and issuing instructions was also undoubtedly essential. Tsutomu, driven by such a sense of responsibility, found himself achieving a level of focus surpassing his usual explorations.


    However, the constant vignce required to be aware of his own mortality and that of hisrades proved to be immensely draining. Tsutomu, even without engaging in battles with monsters, was the only one visibly fatigued. The members of his n, upon seeing him like that, regarded him with expressions suggesting confusion.


    The Dungeon investigations continued for several more days without any notable anomalies. The abnormal situation of monsters not existing within these Dungeons persisted, and the days in the Royal Capital passed without incident.


    ¡°Hey, Tsutomu. We¡¯re here to pick you up.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about this ¡ª could we have a moment of your time?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°Well, well¡­ Sounding friendly today, Master Babenberg.¡±


    At one point, Tsutomu was once again invited to dine with Brooklyn Kantjelucia. Owing to the consideration of the head of House Babenberg, who had been summoned to the Royal Capital at this time, Tsutomu felt a slight relief in the burden on his shoulders.


    Seated before a tableden with an impossiblyrge offering of food, the three of them were served red wine by the waitstaff. After Brooklyn finished her light meal, the conversation shifted to the previous Stampede.


    ¡°You were most impressive during the Stampede, Tsutomu. As I¡¯ve been told, while I was unconscious after the shield was broken, you managed to defeat that strange giant monster.¡±


    ¡°¡­I only gave out generalmands. Besides, I don¡¯t understand magic all that well¡­ but it seemed like you and your children had anticipated the monster¡¯s attack and concentrated all sections of the shield in one ce. Without that instantaneous decision, Dungeon City would likely have been obliterated.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ well, doesn¡¯t change the fact that the shield was destroyed, though,¡± Brooklyn spoke with a detached gaze, directing a cold stare at the head of House Babenberg. ¡°As a result, Dungeon City has incurred a huge debt to the Royal Capital, leading to the current situation¡­ isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Apparently, even as fellow nobles capable of using the same defensive magic, the rtionship between the two houses was not particrly amicable.


    ¡°And I¡¯m gonna say this again ¡ª The fact that your shield magic is synchronized with your own senses is a tant w. Also, relying on the help of so-called Explorers will be your household¡¯s downfall, you know?¡±


    Brooklyn cast a pitiful gaze upon the head of House Babenberg, who, in turn, showed no sign of concern as he brought the wine ss to his lips. Seeing Brooklyn¡¯s difort, he wiped his mouth with a napkin.


    ¡°Master Kantjelucia, you¡¯re still young. I thought you would be more epting of a new era.¡±


    ¡°¡­New era?¡±


    ¡°The society of nobility copsed in the revolution. Things are much different now from what we were used to.¡±


    Said revolution against the nobility had urred a few years after the emergence of God¡¯s Dungeon. It resulted in the massacre of an entire lineage from one of the three major noble households and the hanging of the many minor nobles who had ruled unjustly.


    At that time, House Babenberg, overseer of Dungeon City, was also affected. Still, as House Babenberg had considered the well-being of themon people, implementing various policies for the benefit of the citizens using taxes collected, they were considered decent enough to spare. While maintaining their noble status and not standing on the same level as themon folk, they refrained from inflicting unnecessary hardships on their people.


    Thus, while the revolution did reach Dungeon City, the level of trust was high enough for the organization known as the Security Team to be established from the Explorers¡¯ side. While not exactly considered the best of friends, the nobility was deemed necessary by themon folk. As the revolution was rtively small-scale there, the damage was not extensive.


    In the Royal Capital, on the other hand, things were much more violent and extreme; House Babenberg, observing the chaos from Dungeon City, realized then that the magically privileged noble society was already on its way out. Thanks to God¡¯s Dungeon, the citizens now possessed powerparable to the nobility, and their numbers were greatly superior. A future where the nobles would be ousted by the empowered masses if they imposed tyranny was not beyond imagination.


    However, in response to the deration of the head of House Babenberg, Brooklyn wore a face that seemed quite exasperated.


    ¡°The revolution? Oh yeah¡­ We killed a bunch of guys back then.¡±


    Yet, at the time of the revolution, while House Babenberg chose coexistence with the Explorers, House Kantjelucia opted for hostility. Despite gaining skills and power in God¡¯s Dungeon, their capabilities were still not mature. The nobility¡¯s magic, utilized in closed circles for centuries, held more developed power than the recently acquired skills.


    Moreover, Brooklyn¡¯s magical prowesses stood head and shoulders above the rest, so much so that sheter became the head of her household despite being a woman. In fact, during the revolution, it was Brooklyn¡¯s shield magic alone that annihted the revolutionary army.


    Following the revolution, House Kantjelucia captured all the Explorers who had incited the hostilities, executing anyone associated with them. The executions, akin to torture using transparent shield magic, significantly dampened the morale of the revolutionary forces, allowing House Kantjelucia to repel the uprising.


    Subsequently, House Kantjelucia systematically killed Explorers involved in the revolution, including those who asserted that skills and magic should be treated equally. Knights who brought such Explorers were also in, and even nobles who gave preferential treatment to Explorers were crushed.


    ¡°Did living in Dungeon City make you grow soft, Master Babenberg? Us nobles shouldn¡¯t lose to the likes of Explorers. I¡¯ll kill any of them who oppose our rule.¡±


    ¡°It was already over the moment His Majesty the King invited the Explorers to the Royal Capital. They¡¯ve conquered eightyyers of God¡¯s Dungeon, and their levels have risen significantly since the revolution. It¡¯s not the same as before.¡±


    ¡°The way I see it, you¡¯re just bing more defensive the more you age. The other old fools have been saying the same thing¡­¡±


    ¡°With the emergence of God¡¯s Dungeon, all became equal. We¡¯ve entered an era where anyone can wield power. Nobles are no longer special ¡ª They¡¯re just people with convenient powers. You¡¯ll realize that in theing Stampede.¡±


    Brooklyn contorted her refined face into a demonic scowl and hurled the wine-filled ss in her hand at Master Babenberg. It shattered upon impact with a magical shield, and even the ss shards that flew toward Tsutomu were deflected by another shield that had been set up unnoticed by him. The red wine dripped along the invisible wall, creating a puddle on the table.


    ¡°¡­Sucks to be you, old man. You¡¯re not a noble anymore ¡ª Now you¡¯re the Explorers¡¯spdog.¡±


    ¡°The people now possess power equivalent to magic. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Want me to bury you six feet under right now, huh? You know what I did ¡ª I¡¯ll kill anyone who treats magic and skills with equal significance.¡±


    ¡°If we fight here, I¡¯ll win. Tsutomu is with me.¡±


    [Don¡¯t drag me into your personal battles, you silly old fool!] Internally cursing the sudden involvement, Tsutomu managed to maintain a stoic expression.


    As a White Mage, he did not possess much brute force. There was likely no effective countermeasure against the nobility¡¯s shield magic, so he would most likely be helplessly killed.


    ncing at Brooklyn, who was likely holding a Magic Stone as she had her hand slipped in her pocket, Tsutomu broke into a cold sweat. The tension in the air, verging on an explosion, persisted in a prolonged silence,pelling him to hold his breath.


    As Tsutomu was just about to sumb to the sensation of his stomach tightening, Brooklyn finally withdrew her hand from her pocket. Then, with a resentful click of her tongue, she spoke,


    ¡°You¡¯re not a noble anymore. Remember that.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I swear, once this Stampede passes, I¡¯m gonna¡­¡± Brooklyn trailed off as she turned her gaze towards Tsutomu. Internally flinching, Tsutomu stiffened, but surprisingly, Brooklyn¡¯s expression softened. ¡°¡­You know, I¡¯ve never seen anyone quite like you before. Judging by appearances alone, you seem weaker than anyone. You¡¯d normally not be worth any consideration, but just because you¡¯re here, I couldn¡¯t make a move¡­ It¡¯s a strange feeling. A feeling I can¡¯t hope to understand. Other people are like grass to me, yet I hesitated to trample on you¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, what I¡¯m getting at is¡­ I want to keep you here. Now here¡¯s the n ¡ª after I crush House Babenberg, I¡¯ll take you under my wing,¡± Brooklyn dered, twisting her mouth into a crescent moon shape. ¡°Now that¡¯s something to look forward to, yeah?¡±


    After saying all she wanted to, she casually walked away. Tsutomu, visibly relieved only after her figure vanished, let out a sigh and silently looked at the head of House Babenberg.


    ¡°Sorry for involving you like that. But the truth is, I alone can¡¯t win against her. I actually did need your assistance.¡±


    ¡°¡­She would have instantly killed me in a real battle¡­¡±


    As the worst at anti-personnelbat within Absolute Helix, likely unable to defeat most other White Mages, Tsutomu would undoubtedly be swiftly defeated. However, the head of House Babenberg shook his head.


    ¡°As Master Brooklyn said, you¡¯re exceptional. Your bold attitude and insensitivity to magic make you appear unfathomable to us nobles¡­ Moreover, this makes it the second time that you¡¯ve saved me.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I was just bluffing, sir. I really felt a chill down my spine.¡±


    ¡°Still, I¡¯m grateful. And I have high expectations for your contributions to the defense in theing Stampede as well.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t expect too much. It feels pressuring.¡±


    And with that, the conversation concluded. After thanking the sommelier-like staff who came to clean up the spilled red wine, Tsutomu returned to his room.


    And then, a weekter, news arrived at the Royal Capital from a city to the south, delivered by a courier astride their fastest horse.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 211: Too Cautious

    New reports from the southernmost city, delivered via the fastest couriers, imed that monsters were now sighted outside of Dungeons instead of inside. In an attempt to investigate this further, it was decided that Leon, the fastest man in Dungeon City, was to be dispatched to the south.


    ¡°Must be great to be you, Tsutomu,¡± Leon grumbled as he packed his belongings. ¡°You even got to have dinner with Brooklyn¡­ She¡¯s cute, right? And man, just look at me ¡ª the knights kept pulling me aside for a bunch of work!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d dly switch ces with you if I could¡­¡± Tsutomu replied, sounding just about as grumpy.


    It seemed that Leon had already established connections with several women in the Royal Capital, causing some of his wives ¡ª especially Eunice ¡ª to be quite disgruntled.


    ¡°Anyway, It can be anything ¡ª juste back with some info, all right?¡±


    ¡°Gotcha,¡± Leon replied nonchntly, not showing any serious consideration toward the abnormal monster sightings, then addressed his n members before setting out on his trip.


    While Leon ventured alone towards the southern city, discussions centered around Stampede precautions unfolded among the Labyrinth Conquerors. While thetest reports only confirmed monster sightings near the southernmost city, this Stampede presented an unprecedented urrence.


    Typically,mand over Stampede responses would fall under the King¡¯s direction or the nobles beneath him. However, as this Stampedecked precedent, the chances of unforeseen circumstances were higher than ever before. As such, the king entrustedmand to Christia, the leader of the Labyrinth Conquerors ¡ª and more importantly, a Dark Elf with centuries of experience dealing with Stampedes.


    Naturally, there was resistance from the nobility, but few possessed the capabilities to take responsibility for this Stampede. House Kantjelucia was the sole contender, but they eventually yielded under the persuasion of the king and Master Babenberg.


    Representatives of House Kantjelucia, along with nobles, musicians, and major n leaders, gathered alongside the Babenberg family, the overseer of Dungeon City. Amidst this assembly, Christia unfurled arge map on the wall and secured its corners.


    ¡°We¡¯ll put together a unit to send southward as soon as possible. House Babenberg, a small marching band, a faction of knights, and two of our ns will be on standby in Sentrea, the nearest city to the Royal Capital. We¡¯ll be using Sentrea as a supply base and advance from there to the forefront of the Stampede.¡± Christia exined as she pointed at the map, then she directed her sharp gaze towards a ck-haired man standing with crossed arms. ¡°First, Scarlet Devil Squad. We need your power, Weiss.¡±


    ¡°¡­All right,¡± Weiss replied in a hushed tone. His reputation as a solo Explorer, as well as his unique skill, <


    >, made him an immediate first choice.


    Next, Christia narrowed her eyes and turned her gaze toward the individual studying the map.


    ¡°Second, Absolute Helix. We expect good things from you, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Tsutomu, having anticipated this, replied in a detached tone as he sensed the serious atmosphere around him. After all, if he were to disy a begrudging attitude here, he felt he might face the harsh judgment of the knights of the Royal Capital.


    Christia, diverting her gaze from Tsutomu, addressed the assembly while scanning the faces of those present,


    ¡°With this unit, we aim to gather as much information as possible from the south and weaken the momentum of the Stampede. The knights and marching bands, as well as Golden Tune and Ealdred Crow, are also expected to take turns on the front line. However, until sufficient information is gathered, we will deploy Weiss, who possesses a powerful unique skill, and Tsutomu, the White Mage who contributed the most to the defense of the Dungeon City. We will operate on the assumption that the scale of this Stampede isrger than that of the previous one. So, initially, we ought to prioritize survival and bring back as much information as possible. Only after understanding the scale of the Stampede will we further allocate our forces.¡±


    Having said all that, Christia, her neat silver hair swaying in the breeze, suddenly stared into the eyes of the nobles and knights. The nobles, faced with a gaze that seemed to pierce their very souls, flinched, and the knights instinctively assumed abat stance.


    ¡°W-what!? What¡¯s that look for!?¡±


    ¡°This particr Stampede is unlike any that hase before. However, we can expect it to be of a greater scale than the previous one. If we quarrel among ourselves, defeat is inevitable. I want you all to understand that.¡±


    ¡°W-watch your mouth, Explorer!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Due to the conflict between the Royal Capital and Dungeon City¡­¡± Christia started again, ¡°¡­Events that are detrimental to defensive efforts have already urred. As far as I have observed, the quality of the equipment allocated to Explorers is visibly subpar. Perhaps this is as far as it has gone for now, but if we overlook this, there will undoubtedly be ws in the strategy. Such conflicts among ourselves need to be addressed before the Stampede esctes.¡±


    Christia proceeded to take a step forward, causing the nobles to involuntarily take a step back. Among them, only one woman gazed back at Christia with a serious expression.


    ¡°I know. We¡¯re working with a royal decree here. Nobles, knights, and Explorers are to form a united force to defend the Royal Capital. If there¡¯s a disparity in equipment quality, then it¡¯s in our best interest to rectify it.¡±


    Brooklyn Kantjelucia, the only one who responded to Christia without fear, turned to the nobles behind him and offered a smile.


    ¡°If any of you mess it up again, I¡¯ll take responsibility¡­ by killing you. Capisce?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The nobles, thus warned by Christia and Brooklyn, could do nothing but nod in silence. With that, the strategy meeting involving representatives of various groups concluded, with some among them now set to head south from the Royal Capital to the city of Sentrea.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    ¡°Sentrea, huh? Okay, gotcha!¡±


    ¡°Ooh, the frontline! I gotta do my best!¡±


    Tsutomu passed the message on to his n members, and despite the weight of the task they had been assigned, they began preparing for the trip without any apparent concern. Watching his n members in such a manner, Tsutomu felt somewhat underwhelmed before heading to receive the reissued supplies from the nobles.


    ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Garm offered.


    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡±


    And so they went outside together. After a short walk, Garm looked down at Tsutomu, noticing that he was overly vignt about his surroundings.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too cautious about all this? You¡¯ll tire yourself out.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just doing what¡¯s expected of a n¡¯s Leader,¡± Tsutomu responded with aposed expression.


    Garm heaved a sigh and shrugged.


    ¡°You can count on me to notice anyone or anything suspicious. Besides, if you keep acting the way you did during the recent Dungeon investigations, your concentration won¡¯tst long. Try trusting Korinna a little more.¡±


    ¡°¡­Korinna?¡±


    ¡°I mean, during investigations, didn¡¯t you cast <


    > and <<Haste>> on her? That¡¯s not what you¡¯d usually do ¡ª and she seemed a bit shocked by that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right,¡± Tsutomu muttered, the look on his face suggesting that he had just realized something he should have already known.


    Unlike during the previous Stampede, he had another Healer with him this time ¡ª and as such, healing and support were no longer tasks exclusive to him. Garm, in response, also looked a bit surprised at Tsutomu¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°I knew it ¡ª you were trying to handle everything on your own. Honestly, Tsutomu, sometimes you close off your thoughts too much.¡±


    ¡°Well, I just don¡¯t think into things that deeply, that¡¯s all. It¡¯s just that¡­ I¡¯ve be confident that I could do quite a lot of things if I put my mind to it, and then I did just that.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Then let¡¯s tell all n members that you¡¯ll try to handle everything by yourself from now on. You likely won¡¯t like whates out of that, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, definitely not. Sorry about that,¡± Tsutomu promptly said, realizing that Amy or Amira would be especially upset.


    Garm folded his arms and nodded, returning Tsutomu¡¯s apologetic gaze with a somewhat reproachful look.


    ¡°I won¡¯t im to understand all the emotions of the other n members, but¡­ Many of them have changed thanks to your influence, and they¡¯re willing to follow you.¡±


    Indeed, there was Amy, one of the people to wee him into this world; Hannah, who learned evasion-based Tanking after being inspired by Garm; Amira, who had spent hours upon hours taming her <<Dragon Form>> with Tsutomu¡¯s help; Leleia, a rtively recent arrival who seemed to have shed her distant attitude towards Tsutomu after a string of incidents ¡ª Not to mention other n members who joined up after witnessing Tsutomu¡¯s exploits.


    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve decided to follow you since the day we won against the Shell Crab. Even if no one else does, I trust you and am willing to have your back. So, Tsutomu, you can rely on me.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know,¡± Tsutomu responded with a dry smile to Garm¡¯s reassuring statement, knowing that thetter had built a considerable degree of confidence in his own abilities since the fight against the ck Dragons during the previous Stampede. ¡°¡­Okay, after getting the supplies, I¡¯ll try talking to everyone.¡±


    ¡°Good. And listen, Tsutomu ¡ª you¡¯ve been too cautious ever since we came to the Royal Capital. Honestly, it¡¯s been hard to approach you.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Really?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, it feels like your thoughts are with something or somece far away¡­ Well, never mind that. I won¡¯t pry into your private matters or anything.¡±


    Seeing that Garm seemed somewhat lonely as they walked, Tsutomu observed his profile in silence, refraining from saying anything.


    <hr/>

 Chapter 212: One Elf, One Dark Elf

    Chapter 212: One Elf, One Dark Elf


    Absolute Helix, after having received new transport horses and provisions from the nobles, set their course for Sentrea the next day. Before the trip, Tsutomu candidly discussed with his n¡¯s members about his peculiar behavior during the previous Dungeon investigations, particrly his attempts to handle all the dangers alone as the n¡¯s leader.


    After conveying what he wanted, Tsutomu looked directly at Korinna.


    ¡°Korinna, I admit that I didn¡¯t seriously consider your capabilities as a Healer. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t mind it. Really, I don¡¯t!¡±


    As Tsutomu bowed, Korinna shook her head apologetically. She had seen Tsutomu¡¯s exploits during the previous Stampede ¡ª after House Babenberg¡¯s shield was breached, he was the one who kept up the fight, giving everyone instructions. As such, she had long decided to follow Tsutomu¡¯s judgments without question, and felt that it was not right to be apologized to by him.


    Amira, in contrast, was visibly frustrated as she proceeded to repeatedly ruffle Tsutomu¡¯s hair.


    ¡°I ain¡¯t soft enough to be protected by a little guy like you, idiot.¡±


    ¡°Hey, this actually hurts, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°While I acknowledge your skills as a Healer,¡± Leleia added, ¡°You do realize you can¡¯t beat me in terms of pure strength, yes? Aren¡¯t you overthinking things?¡±


    ¡°My bad,¡± Tsutomu apologized again, having received some rather harsh remarks from the Dragonewt duo.


    ¡°Y¡¯know, I kinda knew this was on your mind,¡± Amy said, shaking her head in exasperation.


    ¡°Aww, you¡¯re making me tear up, Teach!¡±


    Hannah, on the other hand, seemed visibly moved by Tsutomu¡¯s heartfelt thoughts.


    Now that he got to share his feelings about the Stampede with his n¡¯s members, Tsutomu felt a bit relieved as everyone empathized with his decision to take charge and act alone.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Amy spoke up again, ¡°Let¡¯s all make it through this ¡ª and return to Dungeon City together!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Tsutomu looked on with relief as everyone shared Amy¡¯s determination to get through this incident. However, he also felt a sense of self-loathing as he realized that he was distancing himself from his n¡¯s members.


    The next day, Absolute Helix got on their horses and set out for the southern city of Sentrea. Alongside them, the knights of the Royal Capital, a portion of the marching band, and the Scarlet Devil Squad were also heading to Sentrea.


    While riding and engaging in light banter with Weiss, Tsutomu alternated his gaze between the reins and the scenery. Although Tsutomu had learned horsemanship before the previous Stampede, it had been a while since hest rode, so he had to concentrate to avoid falling. Still, whether due to the horse being well-trained or some other factor, he did not struggle all that much.


    Tsutomu was interested in the conversations happening around him, particrly the one between Cecilia, the Healer of the Scarlet Devil Squad, and Korinna, as well as the one between Alma and Leleia. Yet, thebination that intrigued him the most was Christia, the leader of the Labyrinth Conquerors, and Diniel.


    The two rode side by side, not exchanging a single word. After about five minutes of silence, Tsutomu, curious, decided to break it.


    ¡°Were you two already acquainted?¡± Tsutomu asked, and Christia¡¯s face, which had been slightly tense, softened.


    ¡°¡­No, we weren¡¯t. I only heard about her from one of the elders¡¯ letters, mentioning a marksmanship prodigy ¨C ¡®one loved by the bow¡¯ ¨C setting out on a journey. I saw her once through a Pedestal, and her skill was indeed remarkable.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ I didn¡¯t know she was someone famous among the Elves.¡±


    ¡°In the first ce, Elves as a race have few who dedicate themselves tobat. Most follow the pathid out by the elders, with many learning the art of potioncraft. Elves who leave the vige seeking battle are particrly rare.¡±


    Hearing Christia¡¯s words, Diniel¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.


    ¡°I was just kicked out by my parents,¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°I HAVE heard from the elders that you were aid-back person¡­ But you know, seeing Elves being out and about, it feels like the vige has changed quite a lot while I¡¯ve been away.¡±


    ¡°I guess it has. And what about you? I¡¯ve actually heard of you quite often¡­ and it sounded like your generation¡¯s elders didn¡¯t like you very much. They even call you the one who ¡®abandoned the forest¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Upon hearing that name, Christia¡¯s usual expressionless face softened, and she furrowed her brows slightly.


    Centuries ago, the vige of the Elves was more closed-off, its inhabitants looking down on humans and maintaining istion. Born as a Dark Elf, a rare andbat-skilled subspecies, Christia had served as the guardian chief of the elven vige at the time. Known as another one ¡®loved by the bow,¡¯ she quickly surpassed her elders, gaining recognition as an outstanding hero of the vige.


    However, during one Stampede, the wave of monsters threatened to trample its way through the vige; informed as such by a dying human who had wandered into the forest during that time, Christia decided to venture outside. At the time, leaving the forest was rarely permitted, especially for abat-specialized Dark Elf like Christia, making her decision even more challenging to ept.


    Still, Christia set out for the outside world, determined to ensure the human¡¯s death would not be in vain. However, this decision led to her permanent expulsion from the vige and marked her as a Dark Elf who had ¡®abandoned the forest,¡¯ making her despised by the elders.


    Christia, burdened by some sense of guilt, kept herself silent. Meanwhile, Diniel, seemingly unaffected, disyed her usualck of energy.


    ¡°Well, the current elders are cool with you, though¡­ And from my perspective, you made the right choice. You went on to found the Labyrinth Conquerors, and since then, the damage from Stampedes have decreased. As a result, the vige has be peaceful.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s still a fact that I abandoned the forest. That must have caused problems for the vige afterward. The elders at that time made the best decision they could have.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about ancient history. The result and the current situation ¡ª those are what I¡¯m basing my opinions on.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Upon hearing Diniel¡¯s blunt words, Christia instinctively covered her mouth with her hand and turned her head aside. Her eyes, always as cold as icy ciers, seemed to conceal a smile, visible to Tsutomu.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve done many good deeds as well, Miss Christia,¡± Tsutomi proceeded to chime in.


    ¡°¡­Is that so? I appreciate that. Now listen ¡ª I¡¯d love both of you to join the Labyrinth Conquerors¡­¡±


    ¡°Not happening. Too much trouble.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s exactly the answer I expected from you, Diniel ¡ª and indeed, you should live life however you see fit. But you, Tsutomu¡­ you absolutely should join the Labyrinth Conquerors. Your instinct of not wanting to die is what makes you truly remarkable.¡±


    During the previous Dungeon investigations, Christia had asionally observed Tsutomu, who always seemed to feel the fear of death. Such awareness was genuinely rare among explorers who had experienced death multiple times in God¡¯s Dungeon.


    Explorers who had gone through God¡¯s Dungeon tended to fight without regard for their own lives. However, this mindset was not advantageous in other Dungeons, especially whenmanding arge group. Explorers who were used to operating in God¡¯s Dungeon, despite possessing high status ratings and powerful skills due to their high levels, were challenging to trust with one¡¯s back.


    Tsutomu, having experienced death only once, was sensitive to this fear, making him a trustworthy ally. If someone trusted with their back were to die, Tsutomu¡¯s vignce level would also increase. Thus, Tsutomu would make every effort to strategically utilize trustedrades and minimize damage. In God¡¯s Dungeon, the fear of death, a weakness, became a strength elsewhere.


    ¡°I suppose I should make the best of this asion and ask you outright: What is it that you want? I truly have no idea. Tell me. What would make you join the Labyrinth Conquerors?¡±


    The organization known as the Labyrinth Conquerors, although reduced in scalepared to years ago, was significant enough to have informants in various cities to investigate the movements of Stampedes. In the Dungeon City, there were multiple such individuals, and they had been conducting thorough investigations on Tsutomu. However, Tsutomu showed interest in neither money nor glory, and did not seem to pay any particr attention to women either. Some suspected him of having an inclination toward same-sex rtionships, but even that did not seem to be the case.


    As Tsutomu received Christia¡¯s direct gaze and awkwardly closed his mouth, Diniel, as if she had thought of something, lightly raised her head.


    ¡°You know, Tsutomu¡¯s always seemed a bit shady. Maybe he¡¯s asexual just like us Elves.¡±


    ¡°Why bring that up all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s one thing he takes very seriously. If he can control that, he might join the Labyrinth Conquerors.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, Diniel. What is it?¡± Christia immediately asked back.


    Diniel answered with a look of pity in her eyes: ¡°God¡¯s Dungeon.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Whenever he talks about God¡¯s Dungeon, he expresses emotions a boy his age would. It¡¯s probably even more important to him than humanity¡¯s three basic needs.¡±


    Indeed, God¡¯s Dungeon was just about the only thing that Tsutomu seemed genuinely enthusiastic about, even from Diniel¡¯s perspective. In addition to her own observations, Diniel had also heard the same opinion from Amy on several asions.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing ¡ª he¡¯s here to help during this Stampede only because it ultimately affects his ability to explore God¡¯s Dungeon. He doesn¡¯t fight for a noble cause like you do. He¡¯s just a Dungeon nerd.¡±


    ¡°Uh, you do realize that I¡¯m right here, right, Diniel?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing these words, Christia, once again covering her mouth with her hand, spurred her horse forward as if to leave the two behind. Watching Christia disappear into the distance, Diniel turned to Tsutomu.


    ¡°Aww, why¡¯d you have to make her angry like that, Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa, this is clearly YOUR fault, Diniel. I haven¡¯t done a single thing to contribute to that.¡±


    ¡°Riiiight¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be so sure. Well, whatever. It¡¯s a good thing that you¡¯re not a skirt-chaser, at least.¡±


    Having said all that she wanted to, Diniel lightly kicked her horse¡¯s belly with her heel, increasing its speed. Tsutomu narrowed her eyes as he watched Diniel leave, and then heaved a sigh. <hr/>

 Chapter 213: A Brave White Mage

    Chapter 213: A Brave White Mage


    The group heading to the front lines of the Stampede arrived in Sentrea after a day-long journey with wagons loaded with supplies. After taking half a day to rest in Sentrea, Christia issued instructions to the entire group. The Labyrinth Conquerors, Scarlet Devil Squad, Absolute Helix, and a portion of the marching band went to the front lines, while House Babenberg and the knights stayed stationed in Sentrea.


    The primary purpose of going to the front lines was for information gathering, with the basic strategy being to fight within House Babenbergs protective magic in Sentrea. Naturally, Dealing with monsters at a single location proved to be more efficient, so the approach at the front lines was to prioritize survival.


    All right Well be counting on you, Weiss, Tsutomu greeted casually.


    Weiss responded with silence.


    It was not that Weiss was ignoring Tsutomu  he simply was not ustomed to being unexpectedly addressed by others. While he had be somewhat talkative with fellow members of his own n, interacting with others remained challenging.


    Most people could not endure this silence and would go elsewhere, but Tsutomu, while feeling awkward, simply waited for a response while scratching his cheek. After spending a moment to steel his resolve, Weiss, with a breath held inward, answered,


    Well be counting on you, too.


    Mm-hm. We need all the help we can get if were all to make it out of this.


    Right.


    By the way, Weiss, if I remember correctly dont you have a unique skill that gives you passive recovery? Do you even need healing?


    I guess not It even regrows my arms if I were to lose them.


    Whoa, thats awesome! Sounds like youll only need buffing most of the time, then  Ill keep that in mind. Oh, but you still get tired, right?


    Of course.


    In that case, if we end up fighting together, maybe Id better focus on casting more <<Medic>> instead of healing. And also


    Even in the presence of Weiss, a man capable of regenerating entire arms, Tsutomu confidently proposed his ideas with a cheerful tone. Weiss, perplexed, managed to respond with at least a few words. After Tsutomu asked about Weiss unique skill, the <


    >, he seemed satisfied and walked away.


    [What a strange guy.]


    Ordinary people might fear his abnormality and disy some sort of recoil in their expression. Tsutomu, however, seemed to see him as simply an Attacker. There was also something about his attitude that Weiss could not help but draw some simrities to himself.


    While Tsutomu might not be averse to interpersonal interactions, Weiss sensed his solitude. At first nce, Tsutomu appeared surrounded byrades, and he probably would struggle even to defeat a single monster on his own  and as such, he did not seem lonely or particrly powerful.


    However, during the previous Stampede, Weiss witnessed Tsutomus ability to fight alone.


    The gigantic monster  the Devourer Dragon  was so powerful that it broke through House Babenbergs magic shield. Everyone present feared the monster, recognizing it instantly as an unbeatable foe. Yet, Tsutomu was the first to stand up against it.


    [A White Mage was the bravest one of all Who would have thought?]


    It was especially the case when Tsutomu wielded the ck Staff, attempting to handle the role of a Healer on his own. And even with the ck Staffs power boost, Weiss was still astonished that Tsutomu managed to do so much in that situation. The way he took on the situation alone, reminded Weiss somewhat of his own past self.


    I-its nice to meet you, Sir Weiss!


    Initially, Weiss felt only regret for the situation Alma had caused for Tsutomu. However, after the Stampede, Weiss found himself somewhat intrigued by his character  a curiosity that was made stronger by how willing Garm was to follow him.


    U-um


    Garm, too, seemed to be one who walked the path of solitude. As Tanks withdrew one after another from the front lines, he alone persisted with unyielding determination. He should have had a personality befitting his nickname of Mad Dog  it was a mystery to Weiss how he had mellowed down so much.


    Lost in such thoughts, Weiss btedly realized that a small Birdkin girl was looking up at him with eyes that seemed on the verge of tears.


    I-Im so sorry!


    Then, as soon as Weiss nced down, the blue-haired girl fled from him. Weiss, realizing the circumstances, proceeded to apologize to Tsutomu, who had been observing the situation. Tsutomu nodded with a smile and went after Hannah.


    In addition to Hannah, there were many distinctive individuals in Absolute Helix  the Guild Masters daughter, an Elf archer, and Dungeon Citys idol. Weiss made his best effort to return the greetings to them.


    And then there was the tall man whose distinctive features were blue-furred dog ears and tail  he was an old friend from before Weiss obtained his unique skill. However, the way this man looked at him seemed somewhat condescending.


    Hmph, I see youve be quite haughty.


    Shut up.


    Youre ridiculous, always trying to look cool.


    What about you? Looks like youve be so subduedpared to the past. Its like youre Tsutomus pet dog now.


    .


    Perhaps Tsutomu, who recognized Weiss as a fellow party member, and Garm, his old friend, were the only ones who spoke to him on equal terms. With Garm getting grumpy and leaving without any further retorts, Weiss watched him depart with a slightly dumbfounded expression  and then an eerie smile.


    Then, suddenly, Weiss felt a pinch on his back. Turning around, he found his n members there.


    Looks like youre getting along well with Tsutomu and Garm.


    Howe youre hitting it off with THEM first? Youre far from being that enthusiastic whenever you talk with us!


    Sorry.


    Seeing Cecilia and Alma, respectively a Healer and Attacker of Scarlet Devil Squad, puffing their cheeks, Weiss apologized  albeit without understanding why this was happening. From that reaction, the two of them seemed to see through Weiss feelings, and as such became even more displeased.


    The fact that Tsutomu and Garm spoke with Weiss on equal terms was understood by the members of the Scarlet Devil Squad. However, they also understood that it was something only possible due to Tsutomus remarkable achievements and Garms well-known reputation as the Mad Dog, as well as thetters status as an old friend.


    Well, weve just got to do our best. No point in being jealous.


    Meh, I guess.


    Cmon, are yall kids or what? At least try to act mature


    Seeing Weiss looking perplexed as he looked around at his ns members, Cecilia and Alma wore mischievous expressions, reminiscent of children sessfully pulling off a prank. In reaction to that, the male n members ced their hands on their hips, looking somewhat exasperated.


    As the ns engaged in casual discussions while preparing to head for the front lines, Leon, who had been to the southern cities to gather information, arrived in Sentrea.


    Did you find anything new?


    Nah, nothing special. The number and types of monsters were pretty much like the usual Stampedes.


    Leon, having seen the Stampedes firsthand, conveyed the information to Christia. ording to Leon, things did not differ significantly from the previous Stampede, with the only visible difference being itsrger scale.


    Oh, but the monsters passed through the cities surprisingly quickly. We did evacuate the people and transport the valuables away in advance, but not a single monster was left in the area. That one part struck me as a bit odd.


    The Royal Capital, in response to the appearance of a monster during the previous Stampede that had breached House Babenbergs shield, had advised the southern residents to evacuate northward.


    As a result, the poption of cities in the southern region had dropped to less than half, but there were still some remaining citizens. Despite the expectation that there would be victims attacked by monsters, surprisingly, there was not a single casualty following the recent incident.


    Christia, after pondering Leons words, raised her long staff andunched a red <<sh>> into the sky. It served as a signal to move towards the front lines, prompting the members of the Labyrinth Conquerors n to promptly start


    All right, thank you for the valuable information. Well continue to rely on you, Leon.


    Yeah, sure thing


    Leon proceeded to take a few minutes of rest before running southward again. Christia, watching Leon go swiftly without a word ofint, proceeded to pick up her staff and hastily make her way to the base. And as soon as she got there, she issued instructions.


    Weve received new information from Leon. Theres nothing specific to report, but well also deploy. House Babenberg is preparing their shield in Sentrea now. Knights, handle the civilians. Especially those who have evacuated from the south  ensure theyre properly taken care of. We cant afford panic spreading and causing riots, disrupting the operation.


    Understood.


    Yes, maam!


    The head of House Babenberg seemed to have already begun preparing the shield, gathering Colorless Large Magic Stones in one ce. The knight captain swiftly conveyed the information to his subordinates, and they began acting promptly.


    Weiss and Tsutomu, time to move out. Inform your ns members. Well also borrow a portion of the marching band.


    Got it.


    Roger.


    Weiss and Tsutomu responded promptly, swiftly carrying out their orders. The elderly conductor of the marching band nodded silently. <hr/>

 Chapter 214: DUAL WAAAAAAVE SLASH!!

    Chapter 214: DUAL WAAAAAAVE SLASH!!


    The group that departed from Sentrea toward the frontlines of the Stampedeprised the Scarlet Devil Squad, Absolute Helix, Labyrinth Conquerors, and a portion of the marching band, totaling around a hundred members. Among them were also nonbatants such as cooks and handlers for misceneous tasks, most of which were provided by the Labyrinth Conquerors.


    The Labyrinth Conquerors, being well-versed in Dungeon expeditions, ensured that all of them  even the cooks  were capable fighters. One among them, the man currently taking care of the horses, spoke with Ollie, who was beside him.


    So you used to be a servant for House Babenberg?


    Yes, I was.


    That makes you even more surprising. How are you so knowledgeable about processing horse manure?


    It is only a part of the teachings passed down through generations in House Babenberg.


    The man calmly observed Ollies effectiveness at work and cracked a dry smile. Ollies knowledge extended not only to horse care but also to the proper processing of horse dung for use as fertilizer.


    Generally, members of ns in Dungeon City did not embark on expeditions, so most of their servants were limited to routine work. When Ollie offered to assist the handlers, she was initially rejected, but then she proceeded to take on the dirty work that nobody else wanted. Gradually, she advanced through stages, and now she was responsible for horse care.


    Nevertheless, Ollies behavior remained within the realm of a servant, focusing on the work she could do.


    She would not be able to handlebat like the Labyrinth Conquerors workers, but her natural stamina enabled her to endure the marches without issue. Moreover, she efficiently handled dirty tasks whenever they arose and, due to her prowess, executed various administrative duties with ease. Where shecked inbat prowesses, she made up for by handling various misceneous tasks with the speed and uracy of a well-maintained machine.


    Ill take care of the dirty work, Ollie proceeded to say with a bright smile, a stark contrast to the harsh conditions at the unprecedented forefront of the Stampede.


    You know, Ill tell our boss that itd be a waste to leave you here. We can get you something better to do, the man said while stroking a horses face.


    While Ollie established her position by taking the initiative in handling unimed dirty work, the frontline group continued their journey southward, receiving information from Leon along the way. Finally, they reached a position where the waves of the Stampede were visible.


    Under the overcast sky, the size of the Stampede appearedrger than before, but there were no particrly noteworthy monsters. Small fry monsters, led by Goblins, walked in groups.


    Christia, after observing the Stampede through a telescope, promptly gave instructions to the group behind her.


    Marching band, start ying. Rear guard, trim as much as possible. Others, standby.


    In response to the instructions, Diniel and Leleia stepped forward. Unexpectedly, Amy, with a triumphant expression, also stepped forward, prompting a puzzled look from Tsutomu.


    Wait, why are you also going, Amy?


    Hehehe She did say to trim as much as possible, right?


    Uh, I mean, even your <<Dual Wave sh>> wont reach that far, you know  itll be a gentle breeze at most.


    Indeed, the only long-ranged skill that Dualders learned early on, the <<Dual Wave sh>>, would lose power as the distance increased. Amy, also known as the Chaotic Dancer, particrly excelled in the handling of <<Dual Wave sh>>, but its effective range was nheless limited, which Tsutomu pointed out.


    Lelee! Do the thing!


    <<Contract  Sylph>>.


    In response to Amys call, Leleias green hair fluttered as the Sylph, the Spirit with a fairy-like appearance, appeared. The Sylph proceeded to sit on Amys head, holding on to strands of her white hair as if they were controller sticks.


    So Amy ispatible with the Sylph?


    Yes. As much as I am, actually.


    Hmm. sounds like youve been running some tests.


    Yes, we have. After seeing how good herpatibility was, weve been practicing with <<Contracts>> activated.


    While ncing at Amy, who was high-fiving Sylph with her fingertips, Leleia proceeded to form a <<Contract>> with the Smander.


    However, she doesnt have goodpatibility with other spirits. The Undine especially seemed to dislike her, so much so that it initiated a fight on one asion.


    Whoa, thats scary.


    The Undine has always had poorpatibility with women due to its jealous nature. It most likely dislikes Amy due to all the attention she naturally garners, Leleia calmly exined, then instructed Smander to start attacking the Stampede.


    As Diniel began shooting arrows, Amy, in a flustered state, spoke to Sylph,


    Welp, were alreadyte to the party! Lets go, lil Sylph  Were going all out right from the start!


    The Sylph, responding with a sharp salute to Amys deration, nestled between the cat ears on Amys head. Amy drew her swords and imbued their des with swirling wind, then she took a few steps back, considerate not to disturb her surroundings.


    Not yet, not yet! Gotta charge up more!


    Tsutomu, in response to her, narrowed his eyes as the wind enveloped the dual des. As the wind intensified, Leleias knees began to tremble.


    Then, Amy, with her dual des crossed, firmly nted her feet on the ground and shouted out with determination,


    Here we go! <<DUAL WAAAAAAVE SLASH>>!!


    The attack, tens of timesrger than its usual, was released in the shape of a cross. The <<Dual Wave sh>> effortlessly shaved through the ground as it headed towards the horde of monsters; thanks to the Sylph, its power remained undiminished. And when it reached its targets, the Goblins were sent flying as if caught in a tornado.


    Gweh!?


    However, the recoil from releasing such a powerful st seemed considerable, as Amy herself was also blown back. She performed a mid-air somersault beforending on the ground. Her flexible body and skillednding prevented any injuries, but she still let out a slightly pained groan.


    The rest of the group, watching from behind, was also surprised by the power of the <<Dual Wave sh>>. It wasparable to a skill unleashed by a top-tier ck Mage. They had not expected a Dualder to have such long-range capabilities.


    Hows that, huh!? Tsutomu!


    As Amy and the Sylph sprang up from the ground and made v-signs, Tsutomu gave them a half-hearted round of apuse. Then he pointed to Leleia, who, with her knees on the ground, seemed to have been ovee by nausea  a result of the sudden mental energy drain.


    Its power is impressive, sure, but energy efficiency is terrible.


    W-well, yeah I guess! Sorry, Lelee!


    Yes, you ought to know some restraint


    The source of the Spirits power was Leleias mental energy, so using it would naturally burden her. If the bnce was adjusted at least a little more, then perhaps this powered-up skill would be more practical. Tsutomu, after seeing that Amy had apologized properly, hopped on his horse and gazed at the Stampede.


    Unlike the previous time, the number of small monsters this time had not decreased, and they did not exhibit any signs of fear toward anything behind them  It was just an ordinary herd of monsters. At this rate, they could probably be easily repelled in the Royal Capital region, assuming the Devourer Dragon did not appear.


    [Yeah, wed probably be worry-free as long as that thing doesnt suddenly show up.]


    The probable cause of the Devourer Dragons appearance was the umtion of magical energy due to the emergence of Gods Dungeon, which had resulted in the lower efficiency of monster culling in the other Dungeons. If this theory held true, there was a high likelihood that Dungeons in the southern region, long neglected, might also spawn monsters rivaling the Devourer Dragon.


    Those who had experienced the previous Stampede seemed to be well aware of this, as even during this time when they could attack monsters from a safe range, there was no room forcency. Vignce extended in all directions, with sufficient distance maintained from the Stampede.


    Christia,manding from above using the <<Fly>> skill, seemed adept at leading, directing the group as if it were a single living entity. Under hermand, even those unfamiliar with group battles could demonstrate sufficient strength.


    In this state, the sharp-eared members of Absolute Helix  Garm, Amy, Diniel, and Daryl  were able to efficiently detect faint abnormalities. Amidst this, Hannah sensed by instinct that something was approaching.


    Is it just me, or does something feel off?


    I feel it, too, Diniel said. Good girl, good girl.


    W-whyre you suddenly acting like that?


    Youre an idiot, Hannah, but at least youve got intuition.


    Wait, youre making fun of me, arent you!?


    Having thoroughly processed Diniels words in her mind, Hannah, who hade to that conclusion, instantly changed her rxed expression. Diniel, ignoring the look Hannah was giving her, released arge arrow for long-range shots.


    Both Weiss of the Scarlet Devil Squad and Christia of the Labyrinth Conquerors also seemed to be aware of the anomaly. They both looked up at the overcast sky.


    <<Eagle Eye>>.


    Shifting their gaze to the arrow Diniel had released before, they saw that it had pierced something. Diniel, observing bat-like wings in her field of view, proceeded to warn the group of the arrival of Wyverns, swooping down from the sky.


    All personnel, prepare for retreat. Rear guard, replenish your mental strength with Potions, and be ready for the Wyverns descending from above.


    Christias instructions came promptly from the sky, and Tsutomu immediately dismounted from his horse, retrieving some vials of Blue Potion from his Magic Bag. He then passed them to Diniel, Leleia, and Amy.


    Are Wyverns supposed to fly through clouds?


    They dont like doing that, no.


    Airborne monsters generally avoided entering clouds since it obstructed their view of the surroundings. In the case that they did enter, it was likely only in emergency situations where obscured visibility would not matter as much.


    But it didnt look like the Wyverns were being chased by anything. And even though it should be hard to see in the clouds, they were probably calm, too If they WERE being pursued, they would have been much noisier.


    Diniel, having sipped from the Blue Potion vial that Amy handed to her, looked slightly refreshed. This particr vial was brewed by Elf elder Forest Apothecary, so it went down smoothly.


    I have a bad feeling about this.


    Same, Diniel said as she mounted her horse, then she repeatedly shot arrows into the clouds.


    Those who had alreadypleted their preparations followed suit, unleashing skills into the sky.


    By the time the frontline group withdrew and set up a line for interception, monsters emerged from the thick clouds.


    What in the! Christia, the one closest to them, eximed, her amplified voice echoing through the area.


    The monsters that leaped from the clouds were indeed Wyverns, as per Diniels information.


    However, atop the Wyverns were green-skinned Orcs. Carrying a shield in their left hand and a spear in their right, the Orc-mounted Wyverns directly rushed towards Christia. <hr/>

 Chapter 215: An Army of Monsters

    Chapter 215: An Army of Monsters


    The Wyverns moved through the cloudy, obscured sky  an urrence Christia had witnessed before. However, what she had never seen in the hundreds of years since the establishment of the Labyrinth Conquerors was them carrying Orcs on their backs.


    Upon closer observation, the Wyverns had saddles to provide stability for the riders, their seating part made of a blue, sticky Slime-like material. In any case, they were evidently not regr horse saddles.


    Faced with this unprecedented situation, Christia felt a moment of unease, but she quickly redirected her focus, descending straight down. As the pursuing monsters closed in, she prepared to cast <<Air des>>, but the Orc-mounted Wyverns veered around her and descended as well.


    Is it just me, or are theying at us? Tsutomu asked, seeing that the Wyverns, while being shot down one after another by the skills of the Explorers, seemed to be primarily targeting Absolute Helix and Scarlet Devil Squad.


    They AREing at us, Garm nodded in response and readied therge tower shield he carried. Daryl, Xeno, Hannah  lets go.


    Yes, sir!


    Leave this to me!


    Aww, yeah! Lemme at em!


    The four Absolute Helix Tanks dispersed, each unleashing a different-colored Combat Cry. Notably, Hannahs was still in the default red; she had attempted to change it to blue, but was not yet sessful.


    The Wyverns, unable to ignore the powerful pulls of their auras, immediately changed direction toward the Tanks. Although it was unusual for Wyvern to carry Orc, it did not dramatically increase their strength. Therefore, Tsutomu tried to guide his horse to a position where he could heal the Tanks.


    Whoa!


    But then, in addition to the surprise attack from the clouds, the ground started shaking. The horses panicked, and the Explorers ranks were thrown into disarray. Fortunately, Tsutomu, ustomed to earthquakes, quickly cast <<Fly>> and took flight, distancing himself from the ground.


    Everyone, cast <<Fly>> and get off the ground! Tsutomu issued instructions through the megaphone hanging from his neck.


    He assisted Amira, who was losing bnce nearby, by lending her a shoulder for support as they flew into the air. After Amira managed to take off, Tsutomu received a somewhat resentful nce from her, but he paid it no mind and prioritized confirming the well-being of the others.


    Amidst the chaotic battle, Tsutomu instantly grasped where the members of the Absolute Helix n were fighting. He decided to head towards the location where the four Tanks were battling the Wyverns and Orcs, so as to make sure that he could heal his friends.


    Then, just after leaving his current spot, the ground exploded, kicking up a cloud of dust. Emerging from the previously empty ground was a gigantic monster resembling an earthworm  a Sandworm.


    With a gaping mouth that could easily swallow a human whole, the monster erupted from the ground, and more of them continued to emerge from various locations. Fortunately, no one within Absolute Helixs ranks had be their prey, but some members of the Scarlet Devil Squad and Labyrinth Conquerors had been swallowed whole.


    Alma!


    Judging from the panicked voice of Weiss, who was lending his shoulder to Cecilia, it was likely that Alma was among those who had been swallowed. Tsutomu spent a moment to confirm the safety of his nmates, and then he immediately headed toward Weiss.


    Kill the Sandworms before they burrow into the ground! Christia promptly ordered, First, the one in the northwest. Second, southeast. Third, north. The Explorers can still be saved! Everyone else, work on slowing them down!


    Since Sandworms only had teeth for plowing through soft soil, those swallowed could be rescued as long as the monsters did not burrow too deep. Following Christias instructions, the Explorers stabbed their ded weapons shallowly into the Sandworms to impede them, and the Labyrinth Conquerors swiftly headed to the spots where the swallowed Explorers could be.


    Tsutomu, positioning himself near the Sandworm that had swallowed Alma, turned to warn Amira as thetter leaped out with a raised greatsword,


    Dont cut too deep  there are people inside!


    Yeah, I know!


    Amira proceeded to m her greatswords face into the Sandworm, causing it to writhe violently like a fish out of water. The people inside, who had been struggling in the monsters belly the whole time, made some pained movements.


    Seeing an opening, a Labyrinth Conquerors squad leader threw a thick spear at the monster, piercing its head. Jumping up, he held the spear embedded in the Sandworms head and, with the momentum, thrust it into the ground.


    Immediately following that, a squad member used a knife to nimbly cut open the Sandworms belly, revealing Alma, covered in slimy fluid, heaving and spitting.


    Worst. Experience. Ever.


    Alma,pletely drenched in the Sandworms gastric fluid and blood, made squishing sounds with every movement. Tsutomu could not help but feel sorry for the state she had ended up in, but seeing that monsters were pouring out from other openings in the ground, he quickly shifted his focus.


    It seemed that the others had seeded in stopping the Sandworms and rescuing the Explorers from their bellies, ending this phase of the fight with no casualties. Though the rescued individuals, like Alma, were covered in fluids, it was a relief that they had avoided being slowly digested with no chance of escape. Just being covered in fluids was a mercy inparison.


    All personnel, retreat to Sentrea! Now weve seen how different this Stampede is. We must bring this information back.


    In tandem with the aerial ambush, there was also a ground assault. Moreover, the Stampede itself, which had been visible in the distance, suddenly changed direction, veering off their course toward the Royal Capital, instead heading toward the Explorers. Christia, noticing the abnormal movements of the monsters, quickly ordered a retreat.


    I dont know why, but the monsters seem to be concentrating on the members of Scarlet Devil Squad and Absolute Helix. The marching band will board the carriages and provide maximum support to the two ns.


    The bands conductor, hearing the instructions, immediately waved his baton, concentrating the music in the direction where the Scarlet Devil Squad and Absolute Helix were.


    After the marching band has been sent on their way, Labyrinth Conquerors will provide cover. Weiss and his Scarlet Devil Squad will deal with the insect-type monsters emerging from the ground. Absolute Helix, handle the monstersing from the sky. But remember  dont push yourselves too hard. This is a retreat.


    Responding promptly to Christias instructions, Weiss, with his pair of red-stained swords in hand, plunged into the swarm of insect-type monsters emerging from the cracked ground.


    One by one, Weiss cut the monsters down, but then he was ambushed by a swarm of Poison Spiders crawling out of the ground. Various insect-type monsters crowded around Weiss as he was now immobilized.


    <


    >.


    However, the spider-type monsters that had bitten into Weiss body burned up in an instant, turning into charcoal. The bite marks that were all over his body quickly healed, enabling him to continue swinging his swords amidst the horde of monsters.


    <<Meteor Stream>>.


    Meanwhile, Alma, still covered in fluids, also quietly unleashed her rage. Holding the ck Staff that she had borrowed from Cecilia, she swiftly annihted the monsters on the ground. Close-ranged Attackers exploited the opening created by Weiss, cutting down the monsters left and right.


    I REALLY need a break, Diniel said as she calmly shot arrows at the approaching airborne monsters.


    <<Medic>>. There you go.


    Tsutomu, by Diniels side, healed the Tanks and served as an extra pair of eyes for Diniel.


    You know, Tsutomu, I think theyre targeting us specifically. You should get away.


    The spection that only Explorers were being targeted seemed urate, judging by the fact that the Labyrinth Conquerors and the marching band were mostly unscathed. However, even among them, monsters targeting Tsutomu were clearly more abundant, and Diniel looked at him with a gaze reminiscent of seeing a jinx.


    <<Air des>>. Wait, so why is it US? <<Heal>>. Even if theres amander-type monster in this Stampede, theres no way every single one of them can know what it wants.


    The Wyverns are clearly not normal, too. Theyre way too good at dodging arrows  and the Orcs somehow know how to deflect attacks. Its so annoying.


    While sheined, Diniel predicted the direction one of the Wyverns would dodge and released two arrows. Following the satisfying sound of the impact, the Wyverns muffled cry echoed. The Orc on it tried to block the other arrow with its shield, only to fall from its mount, the arrow dragging it down by its arm.


    The two ns serving as the rearguard were also retreating, their horses fleeing through the gaps in the monsters ranks. Among them, the ones who yed the central role were Weiss, with the ability of <


    > for automatic recovery, and Garm, making use of his experience and high VIT.


    Were counting on you, Garm.


    Leave it to me.


    If he were to be honest, Tsutomu did not want his n members to take risks. However, when considering everyones abilities and making the best decision, such choices had to be made.


    Tsutomu, contrary to his inner thoughts, gave clear instructions with a resolute attitude and let Garm take charge as the rearguard. After the battles with the Shell Crab and the Fire Dragon, Garm had recognized Tsutomu as the leader, and as such had no doubts about his decision.


    Even when facing the Fire Dragon and Devourer Dragon, Tsutomu had always given the best instructions without any sign of fear. Garm, being appointed as the rearguard by Tsutomu, wore a proud expression  and then there was Daryl, looking at Garm with a slightly envious gaze.


    <<Dragon Form>>.


    <<Dual Wave sh>>!


    While Garm and Weiss held the line, drawing the attention of the monsters, the Attackers continued to unleash their attacks. As the corpses of monsters piled up one after another, a mass of green gas flew in an arc,nding on the two rearguards.


    <<Medic>>, <<Heal>>.


    Tsutomu, as one of the Healers, worked tirelessly to provide support and recovery to himself and hispanions, contributing to the annihtion of monsters. Though they were still dealing with the pincer attack from the ground and sky, they managed to retreat at sufficient speed.


    The band withdrew to safety on their carriages, and the Labyrinth Conquerors headed to assist the two ns targeted by the monsters. With the addition of the Labyrinth Conquerors, the situation became much more favorable  but the rearguard was still struggling.


    No need to hold the line anymore! Just run! The Stampede is upon us!


    All right! No need to tell us twice!


    The ground continued to crack, and more Wyverns rained down from the sky like a storm. Behind them, a massive horde of monsters  the Stampede  approached. The members of the Labyrinth Conquerors and Scarlet Devil Squad simultaneously turned around, casting <<Fly>> and finding suitable horses to mount while they made their escape.


    As a precaution, Tsutomu, receiving Undines protection through a <<Contract>>, approached Garm. Cecilia, the Healer of the Scarlet Devil Squad, followed close behind him.


    Garm, retreats already been called. Were leaving.


    It has? Well, all right


    Cmon, Weiss, youre pushing it. Lets get out of here.


    Yeah.


    The four of them, with the support of the band and the Labyrinth Conquerors, withdrew from their position. After that, they simply directed their horses forward as the whole frontline force was forced to retreat to Sentrea. <hr/>

 Chapter 216: She Who Held the Black Staff in Her Sleep

    Chapter 216: She Who Held the ck Staff in Her Sleep


    The frontline unit sessfully escaped the Stampede for now, and they continued their retreat toward Sentrea while fending off monster ambushes along the way. While resting their exhausted horses, Tsutomu passed by Alma, whose ck hair had stiffened due to the dried Sandworm blood.


    I REALLY need to wash this off soon


    While the smell had not been too bothersome before due to everyone being upied with monster ambushes, Alma had now realized that she smelled terrible  something akin to rot, perhaps due to there being things inside the Sandworms stomach that had notpletely digested.


    With Tsutomu passing by with a slightly wrinkled nose, Alma turned to face him, alert to his presence. Normally, Alma would not have struck up a conversation with Tsutomu due to the awkwardness between them, but in her current state of agitation after being swallowed by the Sandworm, she reflexively opened her mouth,


    What, you think Im stinky?


    To be fair, you ARE stinky. Maybe your nose has gotten used to it by now, but you smell like rotten meat to me.


    Uh fair enough, I guess? Alma, hearing Tsutomus response, looked away after an awkward and hesitant pause.


    For a simr reason, the space around the rescued Explorers who had been swallowed by the Sandworms was noticeably vacant.


    Tsutomu, observing Almas reaction, made a face with a mix of amusement and exasperation before calling out to the Undine in his pocket.


    Can you clean her up? She smells so bad, my nose is about to curl Tsutomu made his request while holding his nose, and the Undine, the Slime-shaped Spirit, turned away in a decisive refusal.


    Tsutomu proceeded to negotiate with the Undine, stacking up more and more Water Magic Stones. He eventually managed to entrust the clean-up of the fluid-covered Explorers to the Undine.


    Arent you a White Mage? Howe your affinity with the Spirit is so high? I cant believe one of them would be willing to do such menial tasks like this


    Eh, because Im a lucky boy, I guess?


    Gah Look, Im sorry about that, all right?


    I should say sorry, too. I know its behind us now, but well, I couldnt resist.


    Tsutomu had already received a full apology from Alma, and seeing that she was genuinely apologetic, this time he was the one to apologize for making an insensitive joke. The Undine crawled up from the ground and started scraping the gunk off Alma who, while appearing slightly ticklish, lowered her gaze.


    Say, do you remember that one time, while that nickname fiasco was going on, when our eyes met?


    I pretended not to see you. I was afraid that if we spoke, Id be asked to return the ck Staff. Really, Im sorry. The face you made at me I still remember it sometimes.


    Its all right. As you can see, Im doing perfectly well for myself.


    Despite what he said, Tsutomus expression was not particrly bright. When the nickname Lucky Boy became known, Tsutomu had no reliable allies in this fantasy world. Almas act of deliberately avoiding eye contact with him at that time stuck with him due to it happening when absolutely everyone around him was a stranger  It felt as if he had been pushed off a cliff.


    Youre strong, you know  strong enough that you actually dont need the ck Staff. But I really should have talked to you then. When Weiss took the ck Staff away, I felt a bit of what you were going through  and if it werent for my nmates doing that I wouldnt be here. Alma nced at Garm and Amy, who were chatting with the other Absolute Helix members. And you you have good friends, too. There is no telling what wouldve happened if they hadnt been there for you. I mean, back then, you seemed like a lost child. All the more reason that I shouldve spoken up instead of avoiding you, you know, seeing that I was the one who penned that nickname.


    Its all right, really. You apologized, and thats good enough for me.


    I dunno, you didnt exactly leave on a good note thest time we talked But for the record, I treat the ck Staff as just a tool now, all right? I dont hold it in my sleep anymore, really!


    [She actually did that!? I mean, that mightve sounded cute out of context, but still]


    As Tsutomu stared with widened eyes at Alma, she blushed and took a moment to regain herposure.


    A-anyway Considering how badly I treated you, I Mmph!?


    Huh? A-are you all right?


    Mmph!? Blub blub blub


    Whoa, Undine! Stop it! Youre drowning her!


    The Undine, seemingly unable to overlook Tsutomus saddened expression, suddenly pounced on Almas face. Alma, with the blue Slime-like creature covering her face, could not breathe and struggled, while Tsutomu hurriedly tried to peel it off.


    As the chaos unfolded, Weiss looked on with a solemn expression.


    The frontline unit, having rested their horses, resumed their journey and safely returned to Sentrea without any further monster ambushes. House Babenberg had put up shields spanning from the underground to the sky in Sentrea, providing ample protection against monster attacks. With the threat seemingly averted, the troops finally let themselves rx, engaging in casual conversations.


    Christia conveyed to House Babenberg the intelligence she gained from the Stampede, instructing the knights to readjust Sentreas defenses, including its walls and weapons. Afterwards, she called over Leon, who had been conversing with the head of House Babenberg.


    Listen, Leon  if this information doesnt reach the Royal Capital, I fear that things will take a turn for the worse. You must ensure that they are informed. Return to the Capital immediately and ensure this information is delivered. The documents are allpiled here.


    Mm-hm. Sure, leave it to me.


    Sorry for making you do this. When you sessfully deliver this information urately to the Royal Capital, Ill have a reward ready for you.


    For real!? All right!


    Leon, who had been working himself to the bone since being summoned to the Capital, was suddenly reenergized upon hearing of Christias promised reward. With Leon brimming with enthusiasm as he left Sentrea, Christia headed toward the head of House Babenberg to discuss matters concerning the defensive battle.


    Meanwhile, Tsutomu, leisurely seated in the inns lobby, spected about the recent behavior of the monsters.


    Hmmmmmmmm


    [Monstersmanding other monsters I dont think that has ever existed before.]


    Beside him, Hannah, wearing a difficult expression as she practiced Magic Fist with Magic Stone Scraps. Tsutomu crossed his arms and dug through his mental archive of Live Dungeon knowledge. However, in the game, creatures with the intelligence tomand monsters were nonexistent. Although there were talking monsters, they usually were encountered alone in pseudo-boss fights, making it unlikely for them to assume amanding role.


    Ow!? Teach! Im hurt again!


    [Also, the members of the Scarlet Devil Squad and Absolute Helix were specifically targeted. If theres someone who canmand monsters, theyd typically aim for Christia, themander right? Considering what the targeted members have inmon its probably that theyve progressed further down Gods Dungeonpared to the others. Besides, the targeting toward me specifically seemed even more persistent.)


    Even if there actually was someone capable ofmanding monsters within the Stampede, Tsutomu could not discern the motive behind the attack. Concealing Wyverns in the clouds, ambushes from Sandworms in the ground  particrly in soft soil where Sandworms could easily advance, and likely having other monsters help with the digging. Despite possessing intelligence capable of issuing such detailed instructions, the individualmanding the monsters did not seem to target Christia but rather those associated with Gods Dungeon.


    Cmon, Teach, can I get some healing here? What, youre not gonna make me waste a Potion, are you~~?


    Hannah, dont bother him, Korinna said, Here, Ill heal you.


    [If it spawned in a Dungeon like a Devourer Dragon, it probably wouldnt target me, and instead go for someone stronger. Still, the fact that it specifically aimed for me suggests another factor Maybe the monster infiltrated Dungeon City even before this Stampede?]


    Arriving at such a conclusion, Tsutomu turned to Hannah, who was having her injured fingertip healed by Korinna. As Tsutomu reached his hand out to Hannah, she brightened, hoping for a swift recovery.


    <<Holy>>.


    Gyah!! Whyd you attack me like that, Teach!? WHYYYYYY!?


    <<Holy>> had almost no effect on humans  at most warming them up a little  but Hannah rolled around on the ground, exaggerating her pain.


    Well, it seemed like someone wasmanding the monsters in the Stampede, you see, and its probably someone rted to Dungeon City  So I thought it might be you. Looks like I was wrong, though.


    What!? I mean, I have absolutely no idea what you were talking about, but youre suspecting me of doing something!? Why!?


    I dunno, maybe you were getting kinda annoying with how much you hurt yourself?


    Oh cmon! Im working hard on my training, you know!


    Indeed, Tsutomu had been finding Hannahs recent practice of Magic Fist somewhat irritating  especially how she would do it near him. His casting of <<Holy>> on her, however, was unintentional. Hannah was angry all the same, however, as apparent in how she was pping her wings.


    Also, back when we were in Dungeon City, I already told you not to use the Magic Fist out here. If youre going to keep unting it just because youre Sir Melchors apprentice, I wont heal you anymore.


    I wouldnt do it here!


    And Korinna, dont feel obligated to heal her, all right?


    Yes, of course.


    Korinna! Dont let him poison you! I still want you to be a good girl! KORINNAAA!!


    Oi, retorted Tsutomu, feeling that he had been indirectly insulted.


    In return, Hannah looked at him with a mixture of fear and expectation. Tsutomu proceeded to ignore her, standing up from his chair.


    Ill talk to Garm and the others. Since Healers might be targeted from the start this time, you should be careful too, Korinna.


    Y-yes, I understand.


    Following Tsutomus warning, Korinna, looking scared, and Hannah, appearing jittery, were left behind as Tsutomu went to the other n members, conveying to them his spection about the possibility that the onemanding the monsters might be rted to Dungeon City. <hr/>

 Chapter 217: Dragon Union

    Chapter 217: Dragon Union


    The monstermanding the Stampede might be rted to Dungeon City? Hmm


    What do you think?


    That sounds about right, considering how the monsters were acting.


    When Tsutomu shared the conclusion he had just reached with Garm, thetter nodded with his canine ears raised, as if carefully considering the information.


    Heh! Xeno interrupted, hamming up his tone, And here I thought they had gathered around because of my irresistible charm!


    And so I think themanding monster is actually working with someone within Dungeon City.


    Oh? Thats quite a hazardous spection.


    Xeno, utterly ignored, rested his chin on his hand  though even this gesture of his also seemed slightly exaggerated, earning him a cold stare from Garm.


    The general belief right now is that strange monsters like the Devourer Dragon have been appearing because we havent been culling the Dungeons monster poptions well enough, right?


    Indeed, Xeno started to exin, misunderstanding Garms cold stare as thetter having a hard time understanding the topic at hand, There are other theories, of course, but that is the most usible one. You see, monsters spawn from Magic Stones in the magical energy reservoirs within Dungeons  And after the Gods Dungeon emerged and the culling stopped, the energy reservoir became more concentrated. The result is the appearance of the Devourer Dragon, as Tsutomu just said.


    Did you have to provide that exposition? Everyone already knows that.


    Ah, I beg your pardon. Xeno paused, pursing his lips like a duck and spending a moment to think before posing a question, Now, isnt it still normal for monsters with intelligence to spawn within Dungeons? But they would still need to be humanoid to infiltrate Dungeon City, and I cant see any of the citys people actually working with them.


    Right Maybe its a monster that can disguise itself as a person. But even if thats the case, I still dont understand why it would target me specifically.


    Perhaps it has seen you beingmended by House Babenberg? The possibility of it having infiltrated Dungeon City from way back then  Now that is quite concerning.


    Xeno proceeded to shrug, earning himself a displeased look from Garm. Tsutomu thought about how, since he had always based his monster knowledge on his experience from Live Dungeon, had never considered the possibility of monsters disguising themselves as humans. If it did exist, it would be a monster unique to this world, putting Tsutomu in apletely uncharted territory.


    For a Dungeon monster, though, I think its thinking is too flexible. Even if it has intelligence, isnt it a bit strange for a recently spawned monster to ignore Christia, whos practically themander, and target me?


    It just means the monsters know how fearsome you actually are, Tsutomu.


    Garm, I am quite confident in how weak I am, Tsutomu said, puffing out his chest.


    Why do you sound proud of that? Garm narrowed his eyes, sounding reproachful.


    Heres the thing People who saw me in the Royal Capital all seemed to think I looked weak  and they werent wrong. In fact, as far as my reputation in Dungeon City goes, Stephanie is pretty much as famous as me now, and I didnt do much during the Devourer Dragon fight except healing people with the ck Staff. Compared to Christia, its pretty clear which one should be the target, right? A vulnerable and istedmander  theres no reason for the monsters not to go after her.


    In the recent battle, Christia had acted alone, flying high in the sky without any guards and overseeing the unit. While she was a White Mage, her physical capabilities as a Dark Elf and her archery skills surpassed even Diniel. For that reason, Christia had intentionally presented herself as an easy target, appearing isted with numerous vulnerabilities.


    Tsutomu could not fathom the value of ignoring a target like that and specifically targeting him instead. Intelligent monsters in Live Dungeon tended to be prideful in nature, and Christia would undoubtedly attract their attention. Even if it were a monster unique to this world, Tsutomu could not understand why it would not target Christia.


    And so I think theres a greater purpose at y here. Even if its a monster observing Dungeon City, theres no reason for it not to target the Labyrinth Conquerors.


    Hmm Lets assume Im something like a king ruling over the monsters. There must be a monster under mymand that can bring back information. That monster would be lurking in Dungeon City, reporting exaggeratedly on Tsutomus achievements, perhaps? Rtively speaking, since the Labyrinth Conquerors werent operating in Dungeon City for long, they targeted the more famous Scarlet Devil Squad and Absolute Helix instead  does that sound usible?


    Im with Tsutomu on this one.


    Hahaha Two votes against mine by default, eh?


    If there ARE multiple intelligent monsters then honestly, I dont feel confident in winning this Stampede


    With the cooperation of House Kantjelucia and House Babenberg, along with other major ns, and the support from the Royal Capital this time, you shouldnt worry too much.


    Hey, there you are!


    While the three continued to discuss various spections about the monsters based on the recent battle, a fourth voice interrupted them.


    Amira, dressed in casual attire after taking off her red leather armor, approached with loud footsteps. Without stating her business, she took one look at Tsutomu and pointed her chin at the hallway.


    Tsutomu, I wanna talk. Do you have a moment?


    Huh? Uh, sure.


    It was unusual for thezy Amira to summon him without stating her purpose. Tsutomu immediately stood up, thinking it might be rted to Leleia.


    Oh, Xeno  sorry, but can you inform the other n members about this? Also, since its still just spection, dont spread it around randomly, all right?


    Of course. Now, time to increase the number of my theorys subscribers


    Tsutomus spection is more urate.


    Your faith really is quite something


    Seeing that Garm had no intention of giving in, Xeno shook his head. The two of them then left the inns lobby, exchanging a few words as they went. On the other hand, Tsutomu followed Amira as she headed toward her room.


    So, whatd you want to talk about?


    Hey, no need to hurry. Lets sit down first.


    And where CAN I even sit? Tsutomu promptly asked, visibly annoyed by how messy Amiras room was despite it having been rented out just earlier today.


    Amira, sitting on the bed, roughly smacked the space beside her. Tsutomu instead used his foot to sweep away the scattered clothes and newspapers and sat on the floor. Amira clicked her tongue lightly.


    Cmon, man, any one of us could kick the bucket tomorrow  So I thought maybe youd wanna spend your V card, yknow?


    Right, you have a point there.


    Since leaving Dungeon City, Tsutomu had been aware of his mortality, so he figured it was wise to do what needed to be done before it was toote. However, he merely agreed with the idea and had not considered getting involved with Amira in that way at this point in time.


    Huh?


    Amira herself, seemingly surprised by Tsutomus somewhat profound-sounding response, was left frozen with the face of a bully facing retaliation. Then, when their eyes met, she hurriedly fumbled as if facing a ferocious beast. Holding the nket like a tower shield, she peered down at Tsutomu from behind it.


    S-so were actually doing it?


    What? No, why would I do that?


    Huh?


    So whats the matter? Did Leleia start something?


    With the topic so casually shifting to somethingpletely unrted, Amira grumbled to herself, emitting a threatening atmosphere. She shot a resentful look at Tsutomu, then released the nket she had been holding.


    Who the hell cares about her? This is about me  well, my transformation.


    The <<Dragon Form>>?


    Well, first of all, you gotta get a closer look.


    Amira pped the bed again. Tsutomu, now that he knew that the talk was actually about the Dragon transformation, immediately agreed to sit on the bed. Amira distanced herself slightly, then stared at Tsutomu with an expression that seemed dissatisfied with something, while thetter leaned slightly forward to listen to her.


    You know how unique skills can branch out into other skills?


    Yeah, I guess.


    In the recent battle, Weiss had used the Holy-elemental skill called <


    >, derived from the skill <


    >.


    Simrly, Bruno, the Security Team director, could use <<Muscle Dash>> and <<Muscle Punch>> derived from <<Muscle Body>>. However, these derivations could only be acquired by extensively using the initially obtained unique skill.


    See, I also recently got a new skill from the <<Dragon Form>>.


    Whoa, thats cool! Whend that happen? After we got to the Capital?


    Nah, it was a little while after we got throughyer eighty.


    Huh? Whyd you not tell me sooner?


    Ive been testing it out with Korinnas help. I still dont know if itll work properly, so dont get your hopes up too much.


    Sure. So what do you need me for?


    Just stay close to me. Face the other way and stay still. Like, really, dont move, Amira spoke in an unusually subdued voice, still feeling agitated from the earlier joke she had made.


    Okay, okay.


    Urgently prompting Tsutomu with a hurried tone, Amira mumbled something under her breath, then used her fingertips to scratch and peel off a red scale from her neck.


    When she had tested this with Korinna, she had primarily used it on the neck, so she used her right hand tob Tsutomus hair up, revealing his neck  and upon seeing it, she gulped audibly.


    Realizing that she could not bring herself to touch his neck, proceeded to look down at his back  but then the mere thought of reaching inside his clothes made her face flush with heat.


    [Shit, this is what I get for making that weird joke]


    Amira shook her head as her breathing became slightly erratic. Then, she forced herself to act, grabbing Tsutomus right, pressing her scale onto the back of his hand, and then uttering the name of the newly emerged skill on her Status Card,


    <<Dragon Union>>.


    The red scale on Tsutomus hand began to faintly glow. Amira, holding Tsutomus right hand with both of hers, felt her mental energy gradually being drained, but she did not let go. Tsutomu, on the other hand, experienced a sensation of strength welling up from within.


    <<Dragon Union>>, huh What does it do?


    I dont know how it works exactly, but it looks like it gives the effect of <<Dragon Form>> to other people.


    Like, all stat ratings up by one rank except LUK? Thats huge.


    Nah, half a rank is probably the best I can do for now. Besides, it feels DISGUSTING how much of my energy it drains. So yeah, its not good for actualbat yet  Need to get more used to using it, Amira exined, seeming exhausted from having consumed a significant amount of mental energypared to her usual <<Dragon Form>>.


    Tsutomu, whose hand had been gripped quite strongly, gently moved Amiras hand away and raised his up to the ceiling, observing the back of it  and he saw ayer of red scales covering it.


    Now wait a second does this also make me a Dragonewt Deity?


    Hell no. Theyll go away when the <<Dragon Union>> wears off.


    By the way, do you have to use one of your scales every time? Like, doesnt it hurt when you peel them off?


    Yeah, it needs a part of my body. A few scales arent a problem, though  I dont feel anything when I pull old scales off. Its like trimming nails.


    Huh, I didnt know that. I guess theres really no problem with it, then.


    Tsutomu looked at Amiras neck, observing with interest the spot from where she had pulled her scale. Amira, suddenly being approached like that, became flustered, her ears turning red.


    And youre right  it does look like it uses up a lot of energy. Your hands were burning hot, too. Youre not sick or anything, are you? Gah, its still burning!


    HNG!! When Tsutomu gripped Amiras hand, she let out an inarticte scream. Then, she shook off his hand and widened her eyes. WHOA!? Hey, hands off! IM FINE!!


    Whats with the sudden outburst Well, anyway, if you train it like <<Dragon Form>>, youll probably get better results from it. Its a good skill, as far as I can see. Im happy for you. If you can master it, your tactics will have a lot more flexibility.


    S-shaddup! Now get outta here! Im done with you!


    What? Cmon, I still want to talk more about that skill


    Well, I got things to do and ces to be! Im BUSY! Get your ass outta here!


    Although Tsutomu still wanted to verify more information about the <<Dragon Union>>, he was promptly kicked out of the room. Seeing Amira visibly exhausted from using it just now, Tsutomu agreed to leave, thinking she needed to take some time to rest. <hr/>

 Chapter 218: A Strange Pair

    Chapter 218: A Strange Pair


    The wave of the Stampede had already passed the southernmost city. The knights and military personnel stationed there gathered in the square, having found themselves cornered by persistent Slimes. The mayor, facing this dire situation from the top floor of his mansion, dripped beads of sweat from his forehead.


    It happened all too suddenly  they had thought it was a mere earthquake, but next thing they knew, monsters had emerged from the ground everywhere, even, against all logic, through the solid stone-paved streets. The monsters that had welled up from underground swiftly took control of the anti-air magic-powered cannons near the outer walls.


    Subsequently, they faced surprise attacks from the sky, the gates opened from within due to marching monsters from the ground, and the armed forces of the city were overwhelmed. Within a few dozen minutes, the citys armed resistance was captured, and even the civilians were taken as hostages.


    The monsters, as disciplined as an army, hadpletely subdued the city. The outer walls were already surrounded, and no one could leave. The people within the city looked on with faces akin to those pushed to the edge of a cliff, filled with despair.


    Someone someone, help


    Oh, God


    AAAHHHHHH!!


    The citizens feared the monsters walking calmly through the city, able to do nothing but pray. Children cried and screamed in terror, with no one calm enough to console them. The city was engulfed in fear of the monsters.


    After the city was conquered, various monsters began preparing their meals. They hacked apart the Earth Boars that they had brought with them, ruthlessly extracting their organs in front of the others  some of which were their family. Apparently, the monsters had preferences, as apparent from how they were dividing the organs like hearts and livers separately.


    Some monsters forcibly stuffed herbs into the Boars mouths and proceeded to roast them whole, while other parts were chopped and ground into minced meat. Such brutal and inhumane handling of livestock was being carried out in front of the citizens.


    One Earth Boar, whose child had just been butchered, let out a mournful cry. However, it too was quickly beheaded, its blood and magic stone extracted, and then it was dismembered by the monsters. In the blink of an eye, it turned into a nondescript chunk of meat, sizzling on a heated griddle.


    While monsters that invaded the city were replenishing their strength by eating the Earth Boars, a man and a girl entered the room where the bewildered mayor was. As they emerged from the midst of the monster horde, the mayor quivered in fear, prompting the man with a soft-spoken demeanor to chuckle.


    Now, no need to be so frightened. We have no intention of harming you.


    Who are you?


    Apologies for thete introduction  I am called Orbis, and this girl here is Meena. Pleased to make your acquaintance.


    Hello.


    Orbis and Meena, both wearing an out-of-season ck scarf around their necks, greeted the middle-aged mayor with smiles. If seen around town, the two might be mistaken for father and daughter, but in reality, Orbis was the Pope of the Orbis Church, and Meena was his follower.


    The Orbis Church defined the Gods Dungeon in Dungeon City as a divine sanctuary and contested the current situation that allowed anyone to enter. While their influence increased after the Devourer Dragons attack, their request to restrict ess to the Gods Dungeon was not yet granted.


    Meena, the only surviving girl among a family of civilians affected by the Devourer Dragons attack, had joined the Orbis Church after the Stampede. Initially used as a tool to garner sympathy, her position had elevated to a close aide to Orbis, the Pope.


    However, the mayor seemed unaware of the Orbis Church, staring at the two with an eerie expression. Whether they were humans  who just so happened to have emerged from the midst of the monster horde  or monsters disguised as humans, the situation was equally dire.


    With an apologetic look, Orbis bowed to the wary mayor.


    Apologies for the sudden attack this time. However, since a frontal discussion is out of the question, we have taken the liberty of restraining you. Please forgive us, for there have been no casualties, Orbis exined.


    What is your goal?


    This time, we would like to make a deal. While we can procure the food that fuels this organization, our equipment is insufficient. We would like to take all the equipment and resources in this city in exchange for the hostages gathered in the square as well as these Magic Stones. How does that sound?


    Orbis began reaching into his Magic Bag andying out a multitude of Magic Stones on the table. They were of various types, all Large Magic Stones, and would likely fetch quite a value. Perhaps, by weighing these magic stones against the hostages, the equipment might seem like a small price.


    However, it was evident what the procured equipment would be used for. Therefore, as the mayor, he could not easily agree to the exchange. The mayor, withdrawing his fearful expression, boldly asserted,


    We have no intention of giving away equipment to monsters.


    Hahaha Would a casualty convince you otherwise?


    AAAHHH!!


    When Orbis tapped his hand on his ck scarf, screams echoed from outside. An Orc lifted a knight, whose hair was stuck to the ground by adhesive Slimes, by grabbing his hair and cing a sword at his throat. The mayor, flustered, looked out the window at the scene, and Meena stretched to see what was happening outside.


    As much as wed rather not kill anyone who isnt a pompous Explorer trampling over our divine sanctuary, I see no reason to deny your preparedness to die. However, even if you put your lives on the line here, the result wont change. If you do not cooperate, we will ughter the immobilized knights and turn the terrified citizens outside into monster fodder. Then, well collect the equipment, Orbis exined calmly.


    Life is precious Isnt that right, mom? Meena murmured as she tilted her head, looking at her arm as if someone was there.


    The orc, d in armor, moved eerily fast, lifting the heads of the restrained knights with slimes and cing weapons under their necks. The faces of the knights, pale as if sentenced to execution, and the suddenly moving monsters made the citizens scream in terror.


    Hearing those screams, the mayor closed his eyes in anguish. If he handed over the equipment now, the monsters, acting like an army, would undoubtedly use it effectively. This would inevitably lead to further damage to the Royal Capital.


    However, all their military power was currently sealed. Even if they dered not to hand over the equipment, as Orbis pointed out, the result would not change. Orbis was likely genuinely considering human lives; he was someone they could negotiate with.


    All right. We ept your conditions.


    A wise choice.


    After hearing the mayors words, the orcs immediately lowered their weapons and returned to their meals. The knights sighed, and their families shed tears of relief. The city mayor, also relieved, exhaled as he watched the scene from the window.


    I understand your situation, but we dont have much time  please have everything ready immediately. Well have the monsters carry the equipment. Meena, time to go.


    Yes, sir.


    Calling Meena, who had been ncing around the room, Orbis urged the mayor to guide them. The equipment and magic tools were carried out by the monsters following Orbiss instructions, and Meena looked around with an Orc giving her a piggyback ride.


    You there, she said to a child hiding behind her mother, wearing an envious expression, Take good care of your mom, all right?


    Y-yeah


    The child, about the same age as Meena, nodded timidly. Meena continued to go around the city, casting her gaze upon families, as if chasing after illusions.


    Meena, youre supposed to help out, too  Keep an eye on your surroundings.


    Yes, sir.


    After walking around for a while, Orbis signaled Meena to help, and she tapped her hand on the scarf she was wearing. However, since the people of this city had lost their fighting spirit upon seeing the monsters surrounding them, there was not much work to be done. Meena, looking bored, yed with her ck hair with her fingertips, letting out a small yawn.


    After transporting what was in the city for about half a day, Orbis snapped his fingers. The Slimes that had restrained the knights moved away, gathering around him.


    The monsters under ourmand wont attack this city, but there might be some stragglers. Well leave you with enough magic tools for self-defense, so dont let your guard down, Orbis warned.


    Well then, I hope we can meet again.


    See youter.


    With that farewell, the two left the city with the monsters. The mayor watched them leave with a serious gaze, quickly closing the gate and instructing the knights to observe their movements. The group of monsters stopped in one ce.


    Shall we open fire, sir?


    Dont be foolish. They wont go down with what we have.


    Although they had two magic-powered cannons remaining, they had to remind themselves that even with their originally impable equipment, they had been cornered, rendered unable to do anything. The mayor, after scolding the knight for looking at the cannons, continued to watch the group with a tense expression.


    Then came another earthquake, simr to the one that urred earlier. The knights and the mayor showed signs of panic. Looking at the group of monsters frozen in ce, the ground at that location seemed to be cut out, as if sliced away.


    What in the world


    And with the rumbling, the earth rose. What appeared from the ground had the appearance of a giant turtle with four legs. Faced with the colossal monster, the mayors hands, holding binocrs, trembled.


    Is that


    The massive monster strolled leisurely, and its shell was riddled with holes. Beside one of those holes, the mayor recognized a familiar sign.


    A Dungeon?


    Seeing the sign indicating the entrance to a Dungeon on the shell, the city mayor could only mutter in terror. <hr/> <hr/>

 Chapter 219: A Self-admonishing Smile

    Chapter 219: A Self-admonishing Smile


    Within the gigantic turtles shelly a Dungeon, teeming with various monsters. Amidst them, two humans existed. However, the monsters refrained from attacking the pair; they remained docile.


    Orbis, d in an all-ck suit with a seasonally inappropriate scarf, conversed in a casual tone with Meena, who wore the same attire. He was disassembling the armor he had traded for with Magic Stones earlier, adjusting them to fit Orcs.


    Originally, before Orbis married the president of the Monster Safeguard Association, he had drifted between various jobs while pursuing artistry. During that time, applying various skills, he created artworks. Thus, he was more dexterous than the average craftsman. Nearby, a Kobold, a monster with a dog-faced humanoid appearance, also disassembled armor.


    By the way, how did the attack operation go?


    Hahaha A painful defeat, from the looks of it.


    With this pointed out, Meena puffed out her cheeks and turned away. Orbis chuckled at the clearly visible reaction from the sulking girl.


    Two blessed by God, and Christia, leader of the Labyrinth Conquerors And then theres Tsutomu. They are formidable opponents. It wont be easy to defeat them.


    I thought I had them, but they got rescued. And Tsutomu was cheating. He kept hiding behind the girl with the long ears.


    Hahaha. He excels at rear support, so its natural that he flees when targeted. Also, Id prefer that you at least try to keep Tsutomu alive.


    I know. I tried to capture him with the Worms! But he got away so easily! Its not fair!


    You have nobat experience, Meena  dont beat yourself over it. Youll just have to get more used to it from now on.


    Orbis patted the head of the Kobold, who was done disassembling the armor as instructed. Meena, sulking even more, turned away and started petting the head of a centipede-like monster that approached her feet.


    I dont like those noisy ones. These are so much quieter.


    If you approach them without getting emotional, they wont bark unnecessarily. Nevertheless, Im grateful that you can handle them, Meena  Im not good with bugs. When the environment settles a bit, well have plenty of time to ovee our respective dislikes of monsters


    No.


    Hahaha


    Orbis, somewhat disappointed, put his hand on his head and nced at the giant centipede coiled around Meena with an annoyed expression. Then, as if shaking off a shiver, he put his hand to his neck and observed the outside.


    Its probably about time we get Leon over to our side. Before that, lets capture another city and head toward Sentrea.


    Wait, Leon? THAT Leon!?


    Meena, having gone to check out the Pedestals with herte mother once a week ever since Gods Dungeon emerged, was familiar with Leon. Whenever her mother went to see the Pedestals, she was always brighter than usual, and Meena enjoyed getting a little luxurious treat. Thanks to that, Meena had a favorable impression of Leon, who made her mother smile.


    Youll be responsible for capturing him, Meena. If hes with us, things will be easier.


    Yeah!


    Our obstructive operations are going well, and the strategy is proceeding as nned for now. I hope it continues this way.


    While embedding some kind of ck object into the Magic Stones of newly spawned monsters in the Dungeon, Orbis sighed with a worried expression.


    And that concludes my report.


    Understood. Take this  and after lunch, immediately head to the Royal Capital.


    Yes, of course.


    Christia, after reporting to a member of the information ry team, received a written directive the woman had drafted mid-conversation. The woman promptly proceeded to leave the room. Having heard in detail about the current situation in the Royal Capital, Christia opened a map and examined the route for the carriages.


    [Those two I dont think theyre dead. Could they have been obstructed?]


    ording to the report she just heard, Melchor, who was supposed to have already arrived at the Royal Capital, and the Labyrinth Conquerors vice-captain had not contacted anyone and were still missing. Considering that Melchor was a master of the challenging and risky technique of Magic Fist, and that the vice-captain possessed a unique skill, Christia had not anticipated that they would not have arrived in the Royal Capital by now.


    Unless they faced a monster on par with the Devourer Dragon, stopping those two would be difficult. However, this Stampede apparently was the work of an intelligent mastermind, so the possibility of them using tactics could not be dismissed. Christia assumed that their path might have been blocked, but at this point, she could not be sure.


    [Can orders reach monsters in the distance, or are there multiple individuals issuingmands? Either assumption is headache-inducing.]


    Taking her eyes off the map, Christia looked at other reported incidents. The situation of the people in the Royal Capital was not too dire, and House Kantjelucia had not encountered any particr issues. Additionally, a White Mage from Ealdred Crow was fervently volunteering for the assignment to Sentrea, and Leon had alreadypleted his report and was on his way back.


    Once she finished reviewing most of the reports, she went outside, carrying a bow wrapped in cloth on her back. Many people had evacuated from Sentrea to the north, but some residents still remained. Though with fewer dining establishments open than usual, the city still had some vitality. It was bustling with Explorers, knights, and others, providing a refreshing change.


    Changing ones living environment suddenly required a considerable amount of energy. Even with the damage from the Devourer Dragon, some people found excuses like attachment to this ce or the waste of money and did not move.


    Christia had worked tirelessly to prevent any casualties during the Stampede, so she wished everyone would evacuate from dangerous areas. However, it was an undeniable fact that the peoples presence in Sentrea was helpful to the Explorers and knights who came here.


    Rye bread and water, please.


    O-okay. You sure you dont want anything else to go with it?


    No, just that is fine.


    Christia, ordering only the cheapest, least popr thing on the menu, began her meal with a frighteningly expressionless face. Since abandoning the forest, she had imposed self-discipline on herself. As part of that, she avoided eating anything she found delicious.


    She had also set other restrictions on herself, carefully calcting them so that this practice would not ultimately harm her health. Christia nibbled on the bread, her mouth parched, when suddenly, a cream-haired woman sitting diagonally across from her looked at her with surprised eyes.


    H-huh!? Is the ce out of food already!? Oh, um, sorry  if you want, we can share this!


    Korinna, who had ordered four types of set meals for herself, misunderstood, thinking that the shop was so out of food that they could only offer rye bread. She held out what she had ordered to Christia. In response, Christia quietly shook her head.


    No need to worry. I ordered this myself.


    But eating just bread wont give you energy! Please, I insist!


    Korinna, unusually enthusiastic when it came to food, offered the sizzling steak on the hotte that had just been brought over. Despite her insistence, however, Korinnas eyes were fixed on the steak, and her hands trembled slightly. Since it was cooked rare, her preferred style, it seemed to hold some sentiment for her.


    Its enough for me. You should eat it.


    I-if you say so


    With a face that seemed both happy and disappointed, Korinna timidly cut a piece of the steak with her knife. As soon as she put it in her mouth with a fork, any awkwardness seemed to vanish, and she wore a face full of happiness. Seeing Korinna like that, Christia inadvertently covered her mouth, bit her tongue hard, and restrained herself.


    Christia thought she was not supposed to be pleased with herself for abandoning the forest, and as such, she had prohibited herself from smiling as a self-discipline. With her inherently lively personality as a Dark Elf, however, there were times she could not help but smile. In those moments, Christia hid her mouth and suppressed the joy with the pain of biting her tongue.


    In the end, she bit too hard and caused her tongue to bleed. She proceeded to cast <<Heal>> to patch it up, then swiftly finished the bread and water together before leaving the restaurant.


    Returning to the mansion that originally belonged to nobles, Christia revealed the bow she had wrapped in cloth. This thin ck bow was crafted using materials from the Devourer Dragon, giving it quite an interesting and unique history for something so new.


    The original creator of this bow had been found with an arrow through the head. Despite the high price the bow fetched in transactions, injuries or deaths continued to follow its users. It eventually came into Christias possession, and as it turned out, it seemed this bow was cursed, causing arrows to return to the wielder if they were not strong-willed enough.


    Christia had experienced an arrow returning and piercing her shoulder once, but she had managed to master using this bow. Besides, having this ominous bow served as a constant reminder of her self-discipline, making it a perfect fit for Christia.


    Eventually, while she was maintaining this bow, she heard strong, repeated knocks on the door. Allowing entry, a knight in a flustered state rushed in, raising his voice,


    Refugees from the south! A vast number  at least ten thousand!


    Understood. Ill see what I can do.


    Upon the knights report, Christia wrapped the bow in cloth and quickly headed to the scene. <hr/>

 Chapter 220: The Wave of People

    Chapter 220: The Wave of People


    Hey! Open up already!


    Dont push, damn it!


    The monsters areing! Are you nning to leave us here to die!?


    Please! At least let the children in!


    The number of people pounding on the Shield erected by House Babenberg easily surpassed ten thousand. It had only been a few hours since the knights reported the influx of evacuees from the south to Christia, and the number had been steadily increasing ever since.


    From the mix of voices crying out, mentioning multiple cities names, it was apparent that the evacuees did not all hail from one ce. They likely converged along the way, but Christia suspected that the Stampede had directed them here.


    Christia knew that this Stampede contained intelligent monsters. She also harbored suspicions about creatures capable of disguising themselves as humans or living among them.


    To address this, Sentrea was currently sealed off, with the official exnation being for preparation purposes, but the impatient evacuees were venting their anxiety by pounding on the barrier.


    [Man, what the hell is this, World War Z?] Tsutomu could not help but think to himself as he observed the desperate pounding, while Xeno beside him seemed to sigh with exasperation, pressing his fingers to his temples.


    Tsutomu, I have a good guess of how you feel, but dont me them. This whole situation started because of the Stampede, after all.


    You could also say that theyre suffering from their failure to react quickly enough, though


    From the appearance and circumstances of the evacuees, as well as the fact that most had arrived on foot, it was evident that they were not wealthy. Moreover, they carried few belongings, and it seemed there was little food left. That was why they were desperate to enter Sentrea instead of heading north to the Royal Capital  but that still would not save them, as there was a possibility that monsters might be among them.


    I mean, I guess theyre better than the Dungeon City folks who refused to evacuate because they wanted to see the Explorers, at least. But they didnt listen to the evacuation advice from the Royal Capital and chose not to flee at first.


    I wont deny that, but these people never could have been sure which choice was right. Its cruel to me them. Besides, theyre here now because they feel theyre in danger, arent they?


    Considering how many of them are flocking to Sentrea all at once, its likely that they were manipted  guided here by the Stampede. They didnt necessarily act on their own. And if that is the case, it wouldnt be surprising if there are monsters among them.


    In that case, theres a possibility that some monsters may have slipped in already  among those who evacuated to the Royal Capital beforehand Wait If thats the case Its quite worrying, dont you think?


    Were facing a very real threat to humanity, Tsutomu said casually.


    You should refrain from saying such ominous things, Xeno promptly replied, wearing a serious expression, showing none of his usual joking attitudes, This would be your problem as well, remember


    Xeno, clutching the engagement ring on his left ring finger as if in prayer, looked genuinely concerned. Tsutomu, looking slightly jealous but otherwise uninterested, turned his attention to the Labyrinth Conquerors who were getting ready for food distribution.


    Christia had begun preparing meals for the evacuees as soon as they arrived, and arge quantity of warm food was already ready. She seemed to be trying to calm the people outside by filling their stomachs for the time being, as she hustled around with a bandanna tied around her head, busy delivering food.


    Hmm Providing meals is a good move, but it wont resolve the situation, will it? Miss Christia isnt one to dy decisions, but I wonder what her big-picture n is.


    Its not feasible to just leave them outside. They dont seem to have the energy to head to the Royal Capital either. At this point, theres not much else we can do.


    But its strange that none of the evacuees seem to be injured. If they were deliberately directed here, you would think theyd send injured people to try and deplete our resources.


    For a moment, Xeno looked bewildered before rubbing his temples lightly.


    You sure say some ruthless things so casually sometimes.


    Decent human being or not, anyone would think of something like that. Besides, you know Tsutomu trailed off, pondering with his arms folded.


    What if they had monsters chasing closely behind the wave of evacuees? Another piece of opinion came from behind the two, That way, House Babenberg and the Labyrinth Conquerors would have no choice but to let them in, considering their positions.


    Xeno, exasperated, turned around to see Leleia observing the evacuees while brushing her green hair behind her ears.


    Not you too, Leleia


    Decent Dragonewt or not, anyone would think of something like that.


    What about Amira oh, shes a Dragonewt Deity. Not the same, huh?


    Just kidding, just kidding, Tsutomu promptly said and shrugged as Leleia quickly approached him with tranquil fury.


    Xeno, looking at them, pressed his fingertips on his forehead and sighed dramatically.


    Tsutomu, its nice and all how you tore off your stoic mask, but your mannerisms are far from admirable.


    I suppose thats just how n leaders are. They feel reassured when there is someone less attractive than themselves.


    So she says, Tsutomu. Anyment on that?


    Well, not particrly  I dont feel anything when Im told Im unattractive. If anything, Id say people who cant elevate their position without putting down others are the actual unattractive ones.


    Well, I see myself as fairly attractive, actually.


    Oh You do, huh?


    Leleia, perhaps irritated by how Tsutomu had seemingly seen through her, had her hand on her rapiers hilt


    Whoa, whoa, whoa You better not pull that sword out, Tsutomu pointed that out, and she promptly clicked her tongue and withdrew her hand  this gesture of hers bore a resemnce to Amiras personality in some way.


    Avoiding Leleias gaze, Tsutomu shifted his attention back to the evacuees, observing that the tomato soup they were having actually looked quite appetizing, the tomatoes having been boiled to a fine pulp.


    Well, anyway maybe there WILL be monstersing after themter  who knows? Miss Christia seems insistent on keeping them out, but theres no telling what final choice House Babenberg will make. The situation can go both ways at this point.


    Yes, I suppose youre right. Perhaps House Kantjelucia would have been better for handling this. The Master would ughter the evacuees without a second thought.


    Right.


    Excuse me, you two, Xeno hunched his shoulders as if to say that he did not want to be around here anymore, Some things are better not discussed in public.


    For some reason, however, Tsutomu puffed out his chest, seemingly full of confidence.


    Of course. Were able to talk this much because its not our problem, and talking about ominous things in front of an actual crowd would only demoralize the people.


    Hahaha What about MY morale, hmm?


    Now, I DO know who I should and shouldnt talk about this stuff with. Surely you wont confuse imagination and reality, Xeno.


    From Tsutomus perspective, it was not appropriate to discuss such a dark topic with Hannah in particr, as she would likely take itpletely seriously and cause an unnecessary stir. While others like Garm, Daryl, and Korinna would react simrly to Xeno, they would at least understand, if not agree.


    Kyaaa!!


    As Tsutomu and the others conversed, a sudden scream pierced the air from outside the Shield.


    Monsters! The monsters are here!!


    It seemed a swarm of insect-type monsters had emerged from the ground, plunging the surroundings into panic.


    Help us!!


    Please let us in! I have a son!


    You gotta be kidding me! Open the hell up!


    Watching the scene unfold like something from a zombie movie, Tsutomu shook his head with resignation.


    Gah, I was hoping we werent right. So what do we do now?


    Oh, looks like theyve disengaged the Shield.


    In the end, the head of House Babenberg had apparently decided to let the people in, deftly manipting the Shield to prevent the evacuees from trampling each other in their haste. Watching this, Tsutomu sighed heavily and pulled out the Undine from his pocket.


    First things first, well get instructions from Miss Christia. Leleia, youre with me. Xeno, can you go to the inn and get everyone?


    Yes.


    Seeing how you two and the enemy think so alike, I worry about our future


    Look, this time its MOSTLY Leleias idea. Dont pin this on me.


    We dont have time for small talk. Let us hurry.


    Yeah, yeah.


    Xeno hurried off to the inn where the members of the Absolute Helix n were staying, while Tsutomu and Leleia, engaging in a light banter, headed toward where the Labyrinth Conquerors were stationed.


    Ultimately, the decision was made to quarantine ten-thousand-plus evacuees within a section of the Sentrea territory, while the recently arrived members of the Absolute Helix were tasked, under Christias orders, with exterminating the monsters outside.


    The insect-type monsters that had emerged from the ground were not particrly strong, nor were they numerous, so they were swiftly dealt with. Emergency measures were taken to admit the evacuees inside the Shield, but with over ten thousand people, each requiring inspection, progress was slow. Exhausted from their journey on foot to Sentrea over the course of the day, the evacuees patience wore thin.


    As the sluggish inspections continued, night approached. Despite using magical tools to illuminate the area for investigation,ints began to surface.


    Are we supposed to sleep on the ground? You cant treat us like this!


    Wheres the food?


    I cant take it anymore!


    Ahh!!


    Gah, something stinks! Did someone pee on the ground!?


    Controlling a crowd of over ten thousand, especially an uneducated and non-affluent one, was nearly impossible. While there was no problem with the entrance procedure itself, what with it being overseen by the head of House Babenberg using the Shield, there were frequent instances of foulnguage and violence even among those who were already inside. With inadequate restroom facilities, some could not wait and ended up relieving themselves on the spot, further escting the chaos.


    Settle down. Weve got food ready, and more toilets are being set up.


    Stop fighting.


    The knights, though somewhat stern with the Explorers, handled theining evacuees with sincerity. While the Explorers were superior inbat against monsters, the knights were more adept at dealing with people. With their image of authority, armed with sturdy weapons and armor, the situation gradually calmed down.


    As morning approached, the evacuees inspections continued, yielding less-than-ideal results. At one point, a certain man with golden hair knocked on the Shield.


    Hey, lemme back in!


    It was Leon, who had returned from reporting to the Royal Capital and now sought entry into Sentrea. As the shield opened like automatic doors, Leon slipped through and nced curiously at the multitude of refugees.


    What in zes is going on here?


    Having run all night from the Royal Capital to Sentrea, Leon was unaware of the quarantined evacuees. Intrigued, he approached the group undergoing inspection, from which a young girls voice suddenly rang out.


    Ah! Its Leon! The girl, wearing an out-of-season ck scarf, eximed joyfully upon seeing him.


    Standing among the quarantined evacuees, she was pressing her face against the transparent Shield like looking at fish in an aquarium. Seeing her, Leon approached with a cheerful expression.


    Yup, its me, Leon! Whered you hear about me?


    My moms a fan of yours!


    Oh-ho? So this beautifuldy is a fan, eh Well, Im honored!


    Im not her mother, the knight next to the girl informed Leon with a cold gaze.


    Disappointed, Leon sighed, then nced at the evacuees before posing a question.


    So whats up with all the people in here?


    These people evacuated from the south yesterday. Theyre currently undergoing inspection and have been temporarily quarantined inside the Shield.


    I see


    You should head back to turn in your report. Were under a tight schedule here  Youre in the way.


    Cmon, cant I get a break? Ive been running all night, you know?


    Just stick to your job, will you?


    The knight inside the Shield shot Leon a stern look and reluctantly proceeded to exin the situation, perhaps out of consideration for the young girl. Ignoring the knights gaze, Leon leisurely stifled a yawn before cing his left hand on the Shield, mirroring the sparkling-eyed girl who looked up at him.


    Okay, I guess I cant ck off, then  Hey, maybe Ill see you again after the inspections over with, eh?


    Aww! Cant you stay longer?


    Hmm, maybe I can~~? Leon cracked a joke for a girl who could not have been anywhere near his age, earning himself a disapproving nce from the knight.


    In response, the girl clenched her slender right hand into a fist and thrust it toward Leons hand resting on the Shield.


    Hah!


    Suddenly, the girls hand, now ckened like an insects carapace, pierced through the transparent Shield and seized Leons left hand. Both Leon and the knight were taken aback by the girls effortless breach of the House Babenbergs Shield.


    Gotcha!


    Wait, what? HOW!?


    Though weaker in strengthpared to the Shield that surrounded Dungeon City, even Leon would have struggled to break through it. He could not conceal his surprise at how the girl did just that with her bare hand.


    Subsequently, with her left hand transformed into a de-like form, the girl sliced her way through the barrier as effortlessly as a heated knife through butter, approaching Leon.


    Monsters detected! the knight said, Come quickly!


    <<Gold Bless>>!


    Leon, reacting to the strange situation, boosted his AGI and dashed backward. Yet the girl, still holding on to his left hand, went along with him without releasing her grip.


    Wow, youre so fast!


    ! What the hell!? I cant shake her off!


    It seemed as though his hand and the girls right hand had melded together, with no sign of theming apart whatsoever. Moreover, something resembling white thread began to emerge from her right hand, gradually enveloping Leons left arm.


    Im Meena, by the way! You gottae with me, Leon  if you dont wanna get hurt!


    As the back of her shirt ruptured like a metamorphosing pupa, revealing numerous sprouting elongated appendages, Leons face turned pale at the sight. <hr/>

 Chapter 221: Just One Arm

    Chapter 221: Just One Arm


    Bursting through Meenas back were spider-like appendages. And from the white threads covering her left hand, Leon surmised that the girl before him was a spider-type monster.


    [God damn it, why does it have to be a SPIDER!?]


    Leon the Golden Wolfman, for all his hereditary physical prowesses and his unique skill, the <<Gold Bless>>, had his share of deaths in Gods Dungeon  the first of which was to the Swampyers boss monster, the Queen Spider.


    Leons agility was already exceptional even back then, but in the vicinity of the Queen Spiders nest, his speed was nullified. Once ensnared in spider silk, he was helpless, eventually sumbing to the monsters venomous bite.


    Raaah!


    Recalling those days, Leons face turned pale, but his action was swift. As his left arm was ensnared in the white threads, he grabbed his sword with his free right hand and chopped it right off. Meena, now holding just the severed left arm, stumbled backward.


    HUH!?


    Meena, surprised by Leons decisive severing of his own arm, slid across the ground. As Leon distanced himself to safety, he nced at the spot where his left arm had been, his face contorted in pain and tears welling up.


    Shit, that HURT!


    Having battled on the frontlines of Gods Dungeon where death only meant resurrection, Leon had experienced situations where body parts were lost. While the loss of his left arm affected his bnce, he managed to straighten his spine and proceeded to extend his right hand towards Meena.


    So, little miss mind giving me back my left arm?


    Why?


    Meena, puzzled by Leons seemingly demanding demeanor despite losing his left arm, shook her head. Then, she pierced the ground with the appendages protruding from her back, levitating herself to chase after Leon.


    Capturing someone as agile as Leon was nearly impossible, however. Even Meenas attempts to ensnare Leon with solidified spider silk at close range were all deftly avoided.


    Why are you running? Cmon,e with me! Itll be fun!


    If youre asking me out on a date, maybe try again when the state of emergency is over! Besides, what ARE you? Youre actually pretty cute for a monster.


    Didnt you say that youll do whatever a woman asks of you? I heard you say that on a Pedestal! What a liar.


    Youre misquoting me! I said my WIVES, not just any woman!


    As they bantered, Leon swiftly circled behind Meena and attempted to sever the appendages protruding from her back. However, they turned out to be as tough as steel. Meena, letting out unnerving grunts, swung them around wildly, prompting Leon to quickly retreat out of their range.


    Man, theyre tough. I dont think I can cut them


    Yeah, you cant. A liar cant hurt me.


    Cool, cool. Im not about to hurt a girl anyway.


    !? Ow!


    Meena, while momentarily distracted by Leons words, got hit with a swift arrow to her head. The arrow bounced right off, but Meena then held her head in pain.


    Christia, who flew in after receiving a report from the knights, was nocking an arrow in the cursed bow made from the materials of the Devourer Dragon. Other reinforcements arrived, one after another, mainly n members of the Labyrinth Conquerors.


    Its probably a spider-type monster! And its strong enough to break the citys Shield! Better not get too close!


    Leon kept his eyes on Meena as he warned the reinforcements. Meena, realizing her disadvantage as she saw their numbers increase rapidly, gritted her teeth in frustration and decided to retreat. She moved her appendages rapidly, almost like stamping her feet, and dashed towards the citys Shield in a hanging posture.


    Dont let it get away!


    Give me back my arm!


    Christia, shooting an arrow at the fleeing Meena, and Leon, desperately trying to retrieve his arm, showed no mercy. Since it would take much longer for him to heal up if he were unable to get his arm back, Leon was not about to hold back even if the opponent he was facing had the appearance of a young girl.


    However, even Christias arrow, released with force, only caused Meena slight pain  she was just that abnormally tough. Other attacks, including skill-based ones, also had no effect whatsoever.


    Arriving at the Shield surrounding Sentrea, Meena tightly clenched her ckened hand and then thrust it at the Shield as she had done before  but this time, she could not bust her way through.


    What!? Why!?


    Meena, panicking, repeatedly punched the Shield, but her hand would not pass through. In truth, the Shield was broken  many times over, even  but as it turned out, it had beenyered multiple times in that particr area.


    The head of House Babenberg, whose senses were synchronized with his Shield, had already sensed Meenas previous breach. Observing the battle through a telescope from the tallest building in Sentrea, he had fortified the Shield in the direction Meena was retreating.


    Although the Shield itself could be broken, it kept being reconstructed, keeping Meena detained. In that gap, the Labyrinth Conquerors caught up with her, maintaining a certain distance while continuouslyunching long-range attacks.


    Among them, Christias arrows,bined with the power of the cursed bow she wielded, seemed to be dealing damage to Meena. Eventually, wounds appeared on Meenas arms and legs, making other attacks effective in those areas. ck Mages aimed for those spots, casting one fire-based skill after another.


    Stop!! It burns!! Meenas anguished voice echoed amidst the mes, causing some to halt their attacks.


    While Christia relentlessly shot arrows at the girls injured arms, she urged those who had stopped to continue.


    Dont stop attacking.


    B-but maam what if shes human?


    If she is, she would already be dead. That is a monster. Dont be fooled.


    As mes consumed her wounded areas, Meena, still crying out, continued to chip away at the Shield. The pursuers pointed their staves at her, trying to shake off the thought of her possibly being human.


    Oh cmon!!


    As the Shield, continuously reconstructed, finally broke down after hundreds ofyers, the tattered Meena managed to get herself outside Sentrea. Attacks with skills aimed at her outside were prevented by a swarm of insect-like monsters overflowing from the earth. In the meantime, she jumped into a gap in the ground.


    By the time the pursuers were done dealing with the monsters, Meena was nowhere to be seen.


    And thats what happened.


    Huh. That definitely was something.


    In the treatment room where White Mages had gathered, Tsutomu nodded as he listened to Leon recounting the events. Although Leons left arm was still missing, it seemed the medical staff could grow him a new one in about two days.


    Im sorry I couldnt help, the knightdy who had conversed with Leon outside of the quarantine said, seemingly feeling responsible for his lost arm.


    Nah, its all good. No point in ming yourself  its just what it is.


    The knight remained by Leons side, and Tsutomu, somewhat skeptically, observed Leon under her watchful eye.


    Well, you need as much rest as you can get, so Ill leave you to it, Tsutomu said. Ill be back to see the doctors in action.


    Cool. Thanks, man.


    Tsutomu, having an interest in the White Mages who could regrow lost limbs from scratch, had decided to observe Leons treatment process over these two days. In fact, he had contemted staying here the whole time, but upon sensing a silent pressure from the knight, he ultimately decided to only get the crucial information from Leon before leaving the room.


    ording to Christia, the girl who had attempted to abduct Leon  who had introduced herself as Meena  was associated with a religious group called the Orbis Church, which had been gaining some prominence in the Dungeon City as ofte. Tsutomu remembered the girl as one of the few survivors among the civilian spectators during the Devourer Dragons attack, begging for her mothers revival with her severed head in hand.


    [The Orbis Church Considering what this religion or cult is trying to do, they cant be people from another world Wait, actually, that still doesnt rule out the possibility, does it?]


    Tsutomu thought that if the conductor of this Stampede were human, they might be people in a simr position to himself  meaning, there could be a possibility of them being from another world. However, seeing that this religious groups aim was to seal the Dungeon away, Tsutomu could not help but feel perplexed.


    Another point of concern was the Magic Stones extracted from the insect-like monsters that had emerged outside Sentrea. ording to the head of House Babenberg, the crucial aspect of the Magic Stones  which would be the magical power sealed within them  had beenpletely missing, rendering those stones absolutely useless. Fortunately, there was a substantial stockpile of Magic Stones in the Royal Capital, so this would not be a problem in the short term. However, the situation regarding the siege of Sentrea had made the future even more uncertain than before.


    Magic Stones were not only used to fuel House Babenbergs Shields, but also for magical tools necessary for daily life, leading to heavy consumption. Therefore, if Magic Stones could not be obtained from monsters, the supply would be restricted.


    For now, there were enough Magic Stones brought into Sentrea, so there was no immediate concern. However, since they had gathered a certain amount of information about the Stampede, perhaps now was a good time to retreat to the Royal Capital.


    The next day, representatives stationed in Sentrea were gathered to discuss the previous days events as well as the Orbis Church, after which Christia began to discuss their future actions.


    The one manipting this Stampede is likely associated with the Orbis Church. Judging from their movements, there is a high possibility they have already infiltrated the Royal Capital. Therefore, well send Leon to the royal capital for reconnaissance and confirm the situation. At least until then, we will remain in Sentrea.


    This is just a guess, but refugees may stille from the south. How do we deal with them?


    We wont ept any more refugees. However, if possible, we want to secure cities other than Sentrea and relocate them there. The refugees weve taken in this time will also be moved there.


    Christia pointed to three cities near Sentrea, indicating ns to secure at least one of them. Members of House Babenberg and the knights expressed their agreement, and Tsutomu nodded solemnly.


    But remember, if the Royal Capital suffers a blow, we lose our supply line. The situation is precarious, especially considering we cant expect new Magic Stones from monsters to be usable. Depending on the information we receive from Leon, we may have to prioritize ensuring the safety of the Royal Capital. Securing a city for refugees is secondary  do it only if we have resources to spare.


    If the Magic Stones obtained from the monsters in this Stampede could not be used, it would lead to a supply shortage. Without Magic Stones, the nobilitys magic would not function, and the peoples lives would be affected. Therefore, securing the Royal Capital, which stored a great supply of Magic Stones, was imperative.


    After confirming there were no objections to this course of action, Christia quickly dismissed everyone and sent them back to their duties. <hr/>

 Chapter 222: How to Correctly Pet Amy

    Chapter 222: How to Correctly Pet Amy


    Hah Whew


    Garm, d in heavy armor since early morning, was the first toplete tenps around Sentreas perimeter. Others, who had fallen behind unnoticed, were nowhere to be seen, with Tsutomugging over two wholeps behind.


    Having finished his patrol and morning jog, Garm walked slowly, pushing aside his sweat-drenched hair. Within him, amidst the fatigue-induced detachment, stirred thoughts of Xeno, who had been a thorn in his side until the end.


    [This isnt good.]


    Normally, Garms breath would not have been this ragged, but the desire to outpace Xeno, who had kept up until the eighthp, had unsettled him. Hence the breathlessness, prompting Garm to furiously swat the ground with his tail.


    Since the battle with the Winter General, Garm hade to see Xeno as an actual rival. Initially, he had not held Xeno in high regard, especially given thetters simrity to Amys idol-like status.


    However, upon conversing with Xeno, as well as through Daryls interactions, Garm had glimpsed the effort behind his bravado and gradually gained respect for him as an indispensable member of the n.


    Moreover, after witnessing Xenos prowess in the Winter General battle, a sense of urgency had gripped Garm. A pedigreed dog with good looks butcking hunting skills was now being praised as an alpha  Filled with such sentiments, Garm had found himselfpeting against Xeno in morning runs and Daryls training sessions.


    As ashamed as Garm was to admit it, what had made him realize this was in fact the trivial disagreement between Xeno and Tsutomu from the other day. Looking back, even when he had addressed Tsutomus tense attitude in the past, he had likely done so to seek emotional help for himself. As such, what Weiss had said about him being like a pet dog was not entirely incorrect.


    [I must be stronger.]


    Seeing Amy, who had formed a <<Contract>> with the Sylph to enhance her Dual Wave sh, Hannah, who had practicalized Magic Fist, and other Absolute Helix n members getting stronger in their own ways, Garm knew he could not afford to linger in jealousy of Xeno. Determined to keep pushing forward, Garm engraved this resolve in his heart as Xeno, having lost to Daryl in their morning race, approached.


    Well, Sir Xeno, you owe me a cup! Having made a bet while running that the loser would buy juice, Daryl, without showing signs of exhaustion, cheerfully demanded Xeno to fulfill his promise.


    I know, I know In contrast, Xeno, breathless, seemed to plead for leniency.


    Seeing this, Garm approached with a scowl.


    Really? You got outrun by Daryl?


    Hahaha I thought Id tease his appetite a bit, you see  And well, this is what I get.


    Xeno, looking quite pitifulpared to the Winter General battle, elicitedplex emotions from Garm. Xeno then hurried off to buy juice, while Daryl, wiping sweat, looked sympathetically at those isted behind the Shield.


    Its kind of scary, isnt it?


    The enemys true identity is just a religious group. Once you know that, its not so scary.


    But Sir Leon got seriously injured, and in the end, they got away!


    Monsters have neither mercy nor faith, but religious groups are bound by them. There are likely ulterior motives behind this Stampede. Thats why there havent been human casualties yet. Its better than monsters rampaging around simply seeking Magic Stones.


    Though the smell of trouble lingered, for Garm, who had dealt with criminal ns, dealing with humans was actually easier. Behind Daryl, who looked up to Garm as he spoke, more and more n members arrived at the finish line.


    Oh? Wheres Xeno? Leleia asked.


    Hes gone to buy some drinks.


    Ah, so he lost, then. After all that boasting, too How embarrassing.


    As Leleia proceeded to chuckle smugly, Garm wore the sameplex expression as before. Recently, Leleia seemed to have shed some of her aloofness, no longer maintaining her former formal demeanor. Something had changed after that talk she had in Tsutomus room, but it was a change for the better.


    Perhaps due to asionally speaking her mind, she now conversed freely with Amy, Korinna, Hannah, and Daryl. Although Hannahmented the increase in victims due to Tsutomu, she still got along with them.


    Ahh~~! Im beat!


    But youve surely built up more stamina than before.


    I sure have! Still not as good as you though, Sir Garm!


    Hannah, being from a vige where she ran around outside since childhood, had decent stamina for an Attacker. However, her Job as a Boxer had low base VIT, so without any modifiers, she would fall short as a Tank. Moreover, her role as an evasion-based Tank entailed a lot of physical exertion, often leading to stamina depletion.


    Despite this, Hannah looked up with a radiant smile. Though there was a stark difference in stature  like between a child and an adult  Garm hade to see Hannah as amendable Tank after witnessing her performance in the Mount Golem battle.


    [I only wish she was a little moreposed]


    To Garm, however, Hannah seemed to have started prioritizing her own intereststely, practicing Magic Fist more than anything else. Her role as an Evasion-based tank had yet to be firmly established, and there was plenty of room for improvement. Yet Hannah was adamant about mastering this new technique of hers.


    While Garm gently pointed out this discrepancy, Hannah was stubborn. In the first ce, she had switched from an Attacker to a Tank against all attempts at dissuasion by those around her. Tsutomu even referred to her as a runaway train, impulsive and unstoppable once she started running.


    [Well, as long as she doesnt be too wild, I suppose]


    Lately, Hannah could be seen diligently helping the troubled people of Sentrea. Having lived in a vige where everyone was like family, Hannah was kind-hearted, and always eager to help those in need.


    In contrast to her, Tsutomu was not exactly an altruist. He showed no mercy to those who opposed him and remained indifferent to those not directly involved. Even when summoned to the Royal Capital, he disyed a simr reaction to Diniel, and Xeno had heard that he viewed refugees with a frighteningly detached gaze.


    [But hes nice to those close to him, I suppose]


    While his cold demeanor was evident, Tsutomu still showed kindness to those he interacted with. Not only did he maintain connections with Absolute Helix, but he also made appearances among the disciples of White Mages and Silver Beasts. He even bypassed Ollie for Potion supplies, preferring to deal directly with the Forest Apothecary, having not forgotten the debt he owed to the olddy who believed in him during the Lucky Boy fiasco.


    [Maybe I should have taken him outside more, not just to Gods Dungeon]


    Pondering such thoughts, Garm spotted Tsutomu jogging at a brisk pace.


    Two moreps


    Hang in there.


    Tsutomu, who had already been overtaken twice by Garm, wore a weary expression, prompting Garm to lightly push his back, offering encouragement.


    How are you feeling?


    Perfect.


    Leon rotated his newly regrown arm for confirmation, offering a smile to the specialist White Mage. Tsutomu, who had been observing the healing process over the past two days alongside Amy, seemed somewhat moved by the sight.


    Its been quite instructive. Thank you for allowing me to observe.


    Its nothing. If I could be of any help to you, then Im d.


    The middle-aged man, who had been treating the injured citizens and Explorers during the previous Stampede without any fear of the Devourer Dragon, smiled and shook hands with Tsutomu. From beside Tsutomu, Amy peeked out.


    Tsutomu, you wanna be a doctor?


    Its just for honing my healing skills as a Healer.


    You know, if you do be a doctor, you gotta treat me for free!


    So THATs what youre after


    Tsutomu looked somewhat disappointed by Amysck of understanding of the necessity for medical treatment.


    Although Tsutomu possessed the same healing skills as the specialist White Mages, their efficiency in treating patients was remarkable, likely due to their frequent practice. Moreover, their knowledge of healing seemed to enhance the potency of their skills beyond those of regr White Mages.


    Tsutomu had a basic understanding of anatomical structure  on the level ofmon education in Japan  which contributed to his healing skills. However, there were still cases where he needed to exercise caution, as not everything could be easily mended together. In terms of perfect healing, the specialists were superior.


    After briefly conversing with the White Mage, Tsutomu was asionally tugged at the hem by Amy. When Tsutomu turned to her, she beckoned like a gossiping neighborhooddy and pointed to a certain ce.


    So theyre a thing now, huh?


    Eh, I should get used to seeing that happen wherever he goes


    Observing the knight beside Leon having her cheek stroked affectionately by thetters healed left hand, Tsutomu felt a slight sense of disbelief before thanking the White Mage and leaving the treatment room.


    Turning back to Amy, who was following him in a particrly good mood, Tsutomu asked a question,


    By the way, I saw you at the town square yesterday.


    Oh, yeah, that With that monster attack, the towns been pretty gloomy, yknow? So I figured Id take advantage of the bands performance and put on a show for them.


    Tsutomu had heard from Korinna that Amy had sung and danced with the marching band in the town squarest night. Amy, looking embarrassed, huddled her body and covered her head with her hand.


    You were in the back row, yeah?


    Im surprised you saw me.


    Heh heh I can see a lot of things!


    Although Tsutomu had gone to see Amy with Daryl and Amira, he had not expected to be caught. He regarded Amy, who was beaming proudly, with a skeptical look.


    I dont mind you doing it, but you should at least tell the rest of us. There might be monsters lurking around.


    Hmm~~? You usually never say anything, but now youre worried? Maybe I should put on more shows, then~~


    Im gonna stop you right there


    Ow Yeah, sorry. Ill remember to tell you next time~~


    Amy giggled happily as she pushed back against Tsutomus staff poking her head, though Tsutomu quickly withdrew it upon noticing the many guards patrolling the square.


    Well, the Labyrinth Conquerors seem to be on guard duty, so it should be a bit safe Still, even if it sounds like too much, make sure to bring a Tank or another Attacker along with you from now on.


    Yeah, I know. So how was it?


    Hmm?


    My singing.


    It was great. Its no wonder youre an idol in Dungeon City.


    I know, right~~?


    Though Tsutomu was entirely unfamiliar with the songs and dances of this world, the audience seemed captivated by Amy and the bands performance. Grinning at the praise, Amy suddenly adopted a mischievous expression.


    Tsutomu~~ I did that as a volunteer, you know. I didnt get any payment from the band~~!


    Wow, thats admirable.


    SOOOOOO I want a millions worth of reward from you!


    Why me? Well, I mean, sure


    While it was quite an out-of-nowhere demand, the Absolute Helix received a considerable amount of valuable items from Amys sponsors. Additionally, some of the money came in the form of donations, so handing over a million Gold to her now was not an issue. As Tsutomu rummaged through his Magic Bag to prepare the money, Amy grabbed his hand.


    Thats not it. You just gotta pet me a bit  yknow, like you saw just now?


    Wow, thats worth a lot less than a million.


    Not to me, its not! And, well, I dont really need any more Gold than what I already get


    I guess not.


    Amy, as the one who earned the most money among the n members, genuinely did not need it. Therefore, Tsutomu was considering giving her some rare item, but he hesitantly ced his hand on Amys head as she demanded.


    Hmmmmm There, thats it. A bit more to the back. Yeah, just like that  now go sideways. Ah, thats nice! And now right here!


    [Man, her directions are VERY specific.]


    With a dry smile, Tsutomu followed Amys instructions. Amys white hair was silky smooth to the touch and had a faintly pleasant scent.


    Thanks~~! Im satisfied!


    [Maybe this will be thest time]


    After petting her for a while, Amy looked up at Tsutomu with a satisfied expression. However, recalling what Amira had told him a few days ago, Tsutomu gently grabbed Amys cat ears with both hands.


    Meow!?


    Ah, sorry.


    How about STOPPING before saying that, huh!?


    Amy, surprised by the touch to her cat ears, eximed, but Tsutomu did not stop despite apologizing. As Tsutomu gently squeezed her fluffy cat ears between his fingers, Amy looked up at him with a nervous expression.


    W-whats wrong, Tsutomu? Youre unusually aggressive today.


    Eh, I figured I might as well try, you know? Anyway, Im also satisfied now, so lets be on our way, Tsutomu said cryptically.


    Then, after releasing his hands, he and Amy  who was now quite a bit quieter than usual  proceeded to walk back to the inn where the n members were staying. <hr/>

 Chapter 223: Orbis Strikes

    Chapter 223: Orbis Strikes


    Leon, with his left arm fully healed, immediately headed to the Royal Capital to assess the situation. Meanwhile, some members of the Labyrinth Conquerors and the Scarlet Devil Squad were preparing to secure the safety of other cities near Sentrea.


    Although the same request had been extended to Absolute Helix, Christia had told Tsutomu that their participation was optional, so he asked to be assigned to Sentreas defense instead. That morning, after informing his ns members of this decision, Hannah tilted her head slightly.


    So were not going?


    Didnt sound like they actually needed us, you see. Its not like were even sure if those other cities have monsters hiding in them.


    If you say so.


    Hannah seemed quite unconvinced, what with her restless expression, but she swallowed her concerns along with her breakfast poached eggs. However, after breakfast, as she nervously watched the Labyrinth Conquerors and the Scarlet Devil Squad depart for their mission, Tsutomu thought to himself how easily readable her intentions were.


    Youre not nning to sneak after them, are you?


    !!


    Whats that look for?


    Facing Hannah, who looked as if her inner thoughts had been exposed, Tsutomu returned a stern expression.


    Howd you know that, Teach!?


    Anyone could tell. Just try not to overthink things too much.


    Listen to him, Hannah, Leleia interrupted, holding the Gnomes main body in her arms, You leave too many of your choices to instinct  you ought to put more thought behind your actions.


    Oof You really just had to bring the Gnome along, huh Hannah groaned, quite visibly weak against the Gnomes innocent gaze.


    You may think the Magic Fist is a shortcut to advancing your career, but its actually a detour. Why arent you focusing on honing the capabilities you already have?


    T-thats because Grandpa Melchor said to


    Dont me your own faults on him.


    Oof


    Afterward, Leleia continued to lecture Hannah on thetters behavior andcking performance in Gods Dungeon. Tsutomu decided not to add to that conversation.


    [I should exin myself to everyone, and pay extra attention to Hannah, just to be safe]


    On this asion, Tsutomu had chosen not to participate in the cities recapture due to not wanting to risk his and his friends safety for the sake of the townspeople, a decision that Garm, Daryl, Xeno, and Korinna would likely be bothered by. However, they were not the type to act spontaneously. If he exined, they would probably understand.


    But Hannah, being impulsive, might act without warning to help someone. So, for now, Tsutomu made sure not to lose sight of her and also asked Diniel to keep an eye on her.


    And so another day passed in Sentrea without any particr events, and Leon returned from the Royal Capital. However, there seemed to be no abnormalities in the capital so far; it was perfectly peaceful. The Labyrinth Conquerors and the Scarlet Devil Squad secured one deserted citys safety and proceeded to relocate those who had evacuated from the south.


    Naturally, there was resistance from them, but they were the ones who had notplied with the evacuation advisory issued from the Capital in the first ce. Under the semi-coercive leadership of the Labyrinth Conquerors, the evacuees were quarantined in the walled-off southern city.


    During this time, Tsutomu had the opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation with the head of House Babenberg, so he asked about something that had been on his mind.


    What impression do you have of the suspect Orbis, sir?


    Although Tsutomu had already received information about Orbis, he wanted to hear the impression from the head of House Babenberg, since he had met the former in person before. When asked, he ced his hand on his chin, looking thoughtful.


    Ive met Orbis three times. The first was back when he was an artist  he had already made a name for himself by then. The second was when he became the vice president of the Monster Safeguard Association, and thest was when he protested against ess to the Gods Dungeon as the Pope of the Orbis Church. Throughout all these encounters, Orbis seemed gentle.


    Gentle, you say?


    Despite some members of the Monster Safeguard Association holding radical beliefs, Orbis didnt seem influenced by them. Even when his wife fell victim to the de of a criminal n, he managed to pacify the extremist members of the Monster Safeguard Association.


    Miss Christia also mentioned this, but do you think hes doing this out of personal vendetta?


    During the initial emergence of the Gods Dungeon, there were many Explorersmitting crimes using the power obtained from skills and status ratings. Orbis wife, who had protested against various groups as the chairwoman of the Monster Safeguard Association, was resented by the monster-hunting Explorers. Eventually, she was targeted and killed by a criminal n, so Tsutomu wondered if this incident was Orbis way of seeking revenge.


    The criminal ns at the time were subsequently crushed by the Security Team and executed. If it were a personal vendetta, he would have acted then. Orbis had the power to do so. Instead, he gathered volunteers and founded a religious organization. Thats the Orbis Church, which aims to change the current situation where anyone can enter the Gods Dungeon.


    The Orbis Church, which rose from the assertion that only those with the favor of Gods, namely individuals possessing unique skills, should be allowed entry into the Gods Dungeon, primarily consisted of individuals who had suffered at the hands of criminal ns.


    From then on, they continued to advocate for stricter regtions on the Gods Dungeon, citing the Stampede as a manifestation of divine wrath and calling for restrictions whenever criminals emerged among the Explorers. iming that divine judgment had finally been delivered during the previous Stampede, the Orbis Church gained many followers in its wake.


    Even with them gaining in influence as ofte, they still werent considered an extremist group. After thest attack, however, a girl affiliated with the Orbis Church appeared in a grotesque state. Orbis aim is likely the regtion of the Gods Dungeon, but I find it eerie. There might be other motives at y.


    I see. By the way, did he ever say anything strange, by any chance? Unfamiliar words or anything of the sort?


    He was originally an artist, so he might have had an unconventional sensibility. But such things didnte up in our conversation, no.


    Hmm


    Tsutomu looked slightly disappointed as he dropped his shoulders. He had been trying to find out if there were any others like him  suspecting the Deputy Guild Master to be Japanese, he had tested thetter by slipping some Japanese-specific words into conversations, and asionally did the same whenever he was being broadcast on the Monitors.


    After the evacuees were quarantined in the southern city and while there was still Magic Stone to spare, Tsutomu and hispanions, along with the Labyrinth Conquerors and the Scarlet Devil Squad, decided to return to the Royal Capital for a brief respite.


    An abundance of magical energy circted through a certain room within the Royal Capitals imposing estate. In the center of this room was Brooklyn Kantjelucia, engrossed in the meticulous task of infusing energy into Magic Stones. Done for now, she proceeded to take a moment to catch her breath.


    The nobility relied on energy drawn from Magic Stones for spellcasting, embedding these stones into various precious metals such as nes and rings. Brooklyn, preferring simplicity, adorned herself with small earrings and tucked high-quality Magic Stones into her pockets.


    The ability to fill Magic Stones to their utmost capacity was a measure of a nobles prowess. Having already filled hundreds of various-sized stones to their brim, Brooklyn rang a bell at her side, summoning a servant.


    Get me some tea and sweets.


    Yes, Master.


    Afterpleting her daily task of filling Magic Stones, Brooklyn indulged in her customary solitary tea time. Various types of tea leaves, already prepared, awaited her, along with a pot of hot water and a te of freshly baked sweets brought in toplement the hour.


    As the usual afternoon passed, Brooklyn reclined in a throne-like chair, crossing her legs and savoring the aroma of the tea with closed eyes. Yet, the tranquility was interrupted as a breathless servant entered the room.


    Brooklyn cast a displeased nce at the servant, but her expression shifted to one of suspicion upon hearing the unexpected news.


    Repeat that. Slowly and clearly this time.


    Y-yes. A person iming to be the Pope of Orbis Church has arrived at the estate and wishes to meet with you, Master. Both the attire and appearance match the Popes known description. At present, the knights are keeping him at bay


    Already informed by Leon during his most recent visit to the Royal Capital about the Orbis Churchs involvement in the Stampede, Brooklyn was somewhat surprised by the arrival of the mastermind at her estate.


    Motioning for the servant to step aside, Brooklyn picked up a ring with a freshly filled magic stone.


    Hmm Okay, fine. Ill meet him personally.


    Shall I inform the Explorers?


    No need. Whether this Pope guy is real or fake, Ill take care of him.


    Rising from her seated position with anguid grace, Brooklyn swiftly exited the room, followed by the hastily trailing servant. As Brooklyn slipped the ring onto her finger, she peered down from the second floor of the estate, observing the man positioned amidst the bustling knights below.


    Well, well. I did not expect you to grace me with your presence. You are familiar with who I am, arent you? Orbis called out.


    Pope of Orbis Church, or so you im. Ive heard that youre involved in this Stampede.


    Hahaha Well, that makes things easier. I have a proposal for you, but are you willing to hear it?


    Sure, why not? Come.


    Brooklyn, already surrounded by Shields, ordered the knights encircling Orbis to step back. While she cared little for the lives of knights, she could not afford to waste them needlessly. Sensing faint traces of magical energy emanating from Orbis, Brooklyn erected a staircase with Shields to allow him entry into the estate.


    Within the estate, Shields were already woven throughout. Leading Orbis, Brooklyn guided him to a particr chamber.


    [She has this down to an art form]


    For anyone capable of sensing magical energy, the density of Shields within the room would be overwhelming. These Shields rivaled those painstakingly erected in Dungeon City by House Babenberg and, moreover, were constructed solely by Brooklyn herself.


    House Babenbergs Shields were crafted primarily by the head of the household, with some being done with assistance from his eldest son and daughter, Smith and Biancaea. The Shieldyers created by the threesbined magical energy were strong enough to nullify even the attacks of the Devourer Dragon, but in terms of defensive power alone, Brooklyns efforts alone could achieve the same result. And even though their variation required vast amounts of magical energy, House Kantjelucia required less time to construct them, too.


    The moment Orbis stepped into the room with her Shields, Brooklyn ensnared him within. Unusually pristine and devoid of even a speck of dust, this room had been used for the executions of revolutionaries, yet it gave no hint of the bloodshed that had urred within.


    Now, lets hear your proposal, Brooklyn demanded.


    Yes, of course. I believe you are already aware that I am orchestrating this Stampede. And my ultimate goal is the regtion of the Gods Dungeon. The current situation is dire. Do you not agree? Orbis spoke calmly, despite Brooklyns piercing, discriminating gaze. In the current state, individuals gain immense power far too easily. Furthermore, the conquest of the Gods Dungeon has progressed rmingly, and overall power levels have risen. Gaining power in the Gods Dungeon is remarkably simple. It pales inparison to the rigorous training ordinary knights undergo or the discipline practiced by the nobility.


    So what?


    At this rate, we will inevitably repeat past mistakes. Therefore, the Gods Dungeon must be regted immediately. Master Brooklyn Kantjelucia, I implore you to stand with me, Orbis concluded, extending his hand.


    Brooklyn nced down at the offered hand before emitting a disdainful sigh.


    Is that all you have to say?


    Hahaha That is a yes, I assume?


    Dont be ridiculous. Ive lost interest.


    Gazing at her ring for a moment, Brooklyn then cast a sidelong nce. Instantly, the Shields surrounding Orbis contorted menacingly.


    Consider yourself lucky for being able to speak this much and still live.


    Ive heard that House Kantjelucia has an execution chamber utilizing Shield magic. Its said to feature Master Brooklyns finest Shields Is this where we are?


    Right, it is. Here is where your insignificant life will meet its end.


    Is that so? Orbis replied calmly, reaching out to touch the shrinking Shieldyer.


    Instantly, the Shield began to melt like heated ss, eventually turning ckened like charred remains. As the putrid liquid dripped onto the ground, the Shields beneath also began to dissolve with a sizzle.


    Would breaking this suffice as proof of my strength?


    Hmph. Dont get ahead of yourself. Youre already surrounded by thousands. Theres no escape.


    Are you familiar with the monster called Devourer Dragon? Orbis asked, ignoring Brooklyns words.


    Pulling a Magic Bag hidden within his formal attire, Orbis dropped a massive organ-like object onto the ground. Resembling a heart in shape, it was known as a magic sac.


    This replicates the attack from the monster that caused heavy damage to Dungeon City.


    Sensing the immense energy emanating from the organ, Brooklyn moved to destroy it with her Shields, but Orbis, suddenly turning his arm into one resembling that of an Orcs, prevented the Shields from crushing it.


    Ive put considerable effort into making this, so please refrain from crushing it prematurely. House Babenberg took it head-on, you know?


    Ridiculous. What nonsense magic is this? Its impossible!


    Oh my, you dont sound too well. Look, its about to explode!


    Youll die, too.


    Dont mind me  youd be better off worrying about yourself. After all, didnt House Babenberg gather their Shields in one ce to defend against it? Perhaps you should do the same?


    Struggling against the unprecedented amount of magic, Brooklyn attempted to crush the magic sac, but Orbiss strength proved too formidable to ovee. Realizing she could not destroy it, Brooklyn mobilized all the Shields in the room to defend herself.


    Now then, until we meet again.


    With that, a massive surge of magical energy erupted from the magic sac, causing Brooklyns estate to tremble violently. <hr/>

 Chapter 224: Amy’s Contribution

    Chapter 224: Amy¡¯s Contribution


    Quite a tense atmosphere, Leleia murmured, her green hair swaying in the wind, her gaze sharp and intense as a Fire Dragons as she watched the restless crowd.


    Those who had returned to the Royal Capital with the frontline unit were met with a sense of unease among the popce.


    The attack on House Kantjelucias estate by Orbis had stirred muchmotion. While the estate itself had sustained minimal damage, Brooklyns execution chamber, constructed within, had copsed, and the Master herself had been left gravely injured. Promptly healed by a dedicated White Mage, she was now recuperating, yet to emerge from the estate. The incident had be a significant concern for the Royal Capitals citizens.


    Among the highest ranking nobles, House Babenberg and House Kantjelucia had been famous for their powerful Shield magic for centuries. This was an unprecedented situation in which both houses had faced crises that toppled their wless track records over a period of less than a single year. It seemed like proof that there was no safe ce, and the people were filled with anxiety.


    [This doesnt bode well.]


    Tsutomus expression turned skeptical as he surveyed the crowd, seemingly flocking to God for reassurance. Despite the gatekeepers assurance that the situation had somewhat settled following the Kings decree, the popces reliance on divine intervention seemed to hint at a willingness to embrace any solution offered by the Orbis Church, even surrender.


    Leon, Christia said during the frontline units meeting, Could you search for Melchor and the others who havent arrived in the capital yet?


    Yeah, sure.


    As for the rest of you Ill figure out a detailed n for security arrangements. Stay put at the inn until then.


    Absolute Helix, among those directed to remain on standby, made the inn rented by House Kantjelucia their base of operations. The ce was also being utilized by the Scarlet Devil Squad, Ealdred Crow, and Golden Tune.


    As they traversed the streets of the Royal Capital towards the inn, the atmosphere mirrored that near the gates  dark and foreboding. Although knights patrolled diligently, indicating no significant deterioration in security, Garm and Xeno walked with a cautious air akin to exploring a Dungeon.


    When its this quiet, the food doesnt look quite as appetizing Daryl remarked.


    Thats what youre concerned about, huh?


    Tsutomu could not help but offer a faint smile as he and Daryl saw a row of lethargic street vendors. Even Amy, with her cat ears fully upright, and the flustered Korinna seemed to be a little out of it. Diniel followed suit with a yawn.


    Look, youre supposed to be Garm started, revving up a long lecture.


    H-huh?


    Now, cut him some ck. Hes fine like this  being overly alert wont do us any good.


    Considering the fact that monsters had already infiltrated the Royal Capital, Tsutomu maintained a suitable level of tension for immediatebat. Yet,pared to the excessive tension of the past, he now felt a bnced level of readiness.


    And as soon as Absolute Helix entered the inn, a woman who had been controlling various skill wisps around her approached them, the emotion in her eyes changing for the brighter in a split second.


    Mister Tsutomu! Oh, am I so d to see you safe and sound!


    Huh? Uh, ah, thank you?


    Stephanie, who had volunteered to stand at the forefront herself from the moment Absolute Helix joined the frontline forces, let out a sigh of relief  and then her green wisps ran wild. Tsutomu, observing Stephanies over-the-top reaction akin to a joyous dog seeing its master return after a long absence, responded with a perplexed tilt of his head.


    [Is it just me, or has she been weird these days?]


    Tsutomu had vaguely noticed Stephanies increasingly odd behavior toward him recently, but honestly could not recall what exactly triggered it. So, without grasping the exact distance between them, he promptly stepped away from the conversation and returned to his room. Once there, he called Ollie, who hade along to manage Absolute Helixs supplies, over to his room.


    These are the types and quantities of consumable items used so far.


    Thank you. Hmm, looks like we wont be having any problems any time soon.


    Considering the turbulence within the Royal Capital, which served as the logistical hub, Tsutomu had stocked up on supplies without regard for cost beforehand. Consequently, a substantial amount of supplies had been secured for the thirteen members associated with Absolute Helix. Even if the Royal Capital was to be cut off by the Stampede, halting the flow of goods, they could endure for several years.


    Tsutomu briefly discussed with Ollie about future scenarios and how to use their supplies, then visited Rook, the leader of Ealdred Crow.


    We have two Magic Stones each for Winter General and Mount Golem. Would you like to use them?


    Whoa, thatd be awesome! Are you sure?


    If you can summon those two, itll significantly boost ourbat power. You might already be collecting them on your end, but if you need more, feel free to use them. You can pay me back after Stampede ends and we return to Dungeon City.


    Thanks! The nobles are hoarding Colorless Magic Stones, so Ive been struggling with summoning costs, you see. This should be plenty!


    Ealdred Crow boasted several high-level Summoners, with Rook the best among them. Tsutomu, aiming to avoid the Royal Capitals upation for the sake of conquering Gods Dungeon, handed over the Magic Stones he had obtained from Mount Golem and Winter General to bolster Ealdred Crows strength.


    Given the mutual cooperation achieved with other ns after the previous Stampede, a casual meeting among everyone upon Leons return should suffice.


    Oh, Sir Tsutomu. Miss Amy is heading out to perform with the marching band. Ill be going with her.


    Hmm, Im free too, so I guess I can tag along.


    Amy was once again cooperating with the marching band to dispel the gloomy atmosphere, and this time, it seemed she had arranged for an escort in advance. With no tasks at hand until Christias next instruction, Tsutomu decided to apany Daryl to watch the performance.


    Its its so unnerving.


    Yup.


    However, upon approaching the square, Tsutomu noticed that the gathered crowd wore solemn expressions, creating an atmosphere far from lively.


    Amy, known primarily within Dungeon City, could be likened to a local idol. Consequently, she did not enjoy the same level of poprity in the Royal Capital, and those who had gathered in the square were mainly there out of curiosity, unfamiliar with her. Orbis attack had left the venue as chilly as subzero temperatures, far from a weing atmosphere for Amy.


    Helloooooo! Nice to meet you all! Im Amy!


    Yet, Amys practiced dialogue and infectious cheer naturally brought smiles to the peoples faces. With unusual banter from the typically music-focused marching band and Amys spirited singing, the once cold square gradually warmed up.


    The usual repertoire of the bands performances tended toward pieces best listened to with closed eyes. However, this time, they were lively folk tunes, perfectly suited to Amys idol-like charisma. As the final song concluded and the band and Amy took their bows, the joint performance came to an end.


    Encore! Encore! A-M-Y! A-M-Y!


    Someones hooked.


    Tsutomu could not help butment on how Korinna was shouting as if she was a member of the Amy fan club, but then the others in the square began to join in the chant. In sync with the encore calls, Amys cat ears twitched, and the bands middle-aged conductor raised his baton with a smile.


    The band proceeded to y one more song for the encore, and after Amy sang and danced along, they closed with apuse. Amy, now seamlessly blending in with the band, exchanged a few words with the crowd before approaching Tsutomu and the others.


    Ahoy!


    You did great.


    Hehehe It was actually pretty scary, you know, how the crowd was so cold at first.


    Amy seemed to have felt the initial downcast mood deeply as well, but considering the events conclusion, it could be deemed a sess.


    Mister Tsutomu, were grateful for permitting her participation. The turnout exceeded expectations.


    Oh, no, its my pleasure. Shes quite the attention seeker, so Im grateful for her getting the opportunity to perform.


    Hey!


    Ignoring Amys tap on his back, Tsutomu thanked the conductor who, just as aged as Melchor, wore a gentle smile as he looked over the crowd in the square.


    The people here have brightened up a bit. Its all thanks to the bands performance and her contribution. Thank you, Miss Amy.


    If theres another chance, lets perform together again!


    Indeed, well be depending on you.


    The conductor responded to Amys enthusiastic offer with a firm handshake. After a brief conversation with Amy, the conductor approached Tsutomu once more. His expression now was markedly darker than when he spoke with Amy.


    Do you think this Stampede will end without further incident? I heard the enemy used to be human


    Its hard to say, unfortunately. There are too many unknown factors at the moment.


    Hmm


    With the conductors ce of origin being the Royal Capital, the breach of Brooklyn Kantjelucias Shields must have stirred deep anxieties within him. While Tsutomu himself did not particrly care, he could empathize to some extent. If Tsutomu were in the shoes of the Royal Capitals people, if the people here were from his hometowns neighborhood back in Japan, ignoring their plight would be unthinkable.


    But judging from their activities so far, there shouldnt be many opponents with human-like intelligence. Monsters are still the primary concern. Assuming we would be mostly dealing with monsters taking orders from humans, we should be fine in terms of military strength. Plus, it seems they have their own objectives theyre working toward.


    Tsutomus words, far from wishful thinking, seemed to bring some relief to the conductor, who had been hearing nothing but gloomy newstely.


    That is a relief to hear. I was wondering what Id do if even you said the situation was hopeless.


    For what its worth, I dont think Miss Christia has been that pessimistic either.


    It was none other than you who gave me courage when I needed it most. That is why I know I can trust your words.


    During the previous incident, as the Devourer Dragon broke through the Shield and panic gripped the musicians, the conductor had been able to regainposure and continue providing support. The main reason he could do that was seeing the young Tsutomu bravely confront the Devourer Dragon.


    Please dont expect too much from me. If I may be perfectly blunt, I dont particrly care what happens to the people here.


    Regardless of your intentions, youre still protecting the Royal Capital. Ill be counting on you.


    All right, I understand. Thank you. Now if you can excuse me


    Feeling like whatever he said would be deftly countered, Tsutomu resignedly ended the conversation and went to talk to Daryl. The conductor watched Tsutomus departing figure with a serene expression. <hr/>

 Chapter 225: Leleia, Stoking the Fire

    Chapter 225: Leleia, Stoking the Fire


    The Orbis Church MUST be destroyed.


    Although the explosion of the fully loaded magic sac had only caused damage to the interior of the execution chamber, Brooklyn Kantjelucia, who was inside, could not absorb the whole impact with her Shields. She ended up with multiple fractures all over her body. After being healed by White Mage over the next few days, Brooklyn announced her intention to crush Orbis and the Orbis Church.


    Having broken through House Kantjelucias Shields, which she considered her masterpiece, Orbis made it to the top of her list of perceived threats to nobility, taking priority over the Explorers. Therefore, for this asion only, House Babenberg agreed to set up their Shields around the Royal Capital and even personally approached the explorers to discuss future ns.


    Brooklyns been much more enthusiastic these days. Love to see it!


    Well, considering what shes been through, I guess its not so surprising that shed change her stance, Tsutomu replied, slightly exasperated at Leons wide range of interests  in this case, a woman as androgynous as Rook.


    Still, it could not be denied that House Kantjelucias increased cooperation with the Explorers was a wee development to Tsutomu.


    With what was effectively the apex of nobility lending their support, other noble households were sure to follow suit. Unlike before, where cooperation was merely lip service, there was now a sense of unity in cooperating to defeat amon enemy.


    The distribution of Magic Stones, which had been monopolized by nobles until now, was now being negotiated to be handed over to Ealdred Crow, and the cement of Shields to protect the Royal Capital was being discussed with Christia and House Babenberg.


    [And in the end, we still have no idea what Orbis is trying to achieve]


    ording to Brooklyn, who had faced Orbis directly, thetter seemed to have discussed regting the Gods Dungeon. While it was understood that he had tried to recruit Brooklyn, who was notorious for disliking Explorers, Tsutomu could not fathom why he went through the trouble of using a magic sac to emte the Devourer Dragons power.


    Normally, if one was trying to recruit an enemy to their cause, they would propose it discreetly, away from prying eyes. However, Orbis had appeared conspicuously in public, and even injured Brooklyn, whom he tried to recruit. This would only serve to fuel hostility rather than foster cooperation.


    While it was understood that his main goal was to capture the Royal Capital, the most prosperous and influential city capable of moving other cities, even so, Meena and Orbis attacks seemed too straightforward. Despite their ability to manipte underground or aerial ambushes and sabotage the Magic Stones inside monsters, their actual assaults were clumsy.


    Meena had failed miserably in her attempt to capture Leon alone, exposing the true nature of Orbis Church as the maniptor behind this Stampede. Orbis use of a magic sac revealed the existence of a powerful weapon in their possession. Meenas childish behavior could be exined by her appearance, but the same could not be said for the Pope.


    [What if theyre announcing their power to put the Royal Capital on high alert, distracting us while they capture Dungeon City Yeah, maybe thatd work, but if they dont capture the Capital, theyll eventually be surrounded and none of that will matter in the end.]


    Most cities obeyed decrees issued from the Royal Capital, so first and foremost, the King must be removed or else they would be fighting an uphill battle. Tsutomu could not quite picture it, but it was a fact that the King wielded that much power.


    [Sir Melchor and the Labyrinth Conquerors vice-captain are still missing, too Well, from what I see, we still have enough force to win. The issue is how theyll attack.]


    With high-speed information ryed by Leon, Rooks Eidolons, Weissbat prowesses, Christias leadership, the nobility rallying together, the marching band and the knights on standby, and over a hundred high-level Explorers, they would not lose to ordinary monsters.


    So Leon said, Whats on your mind?


    Just wondering if Sir Melchor is all right, thats all.


    Yeah, still nowhere to be found  but Im sure hes fine. I cant imagine that old man being dead.


    True.


    Considering that Melchor had single-handedly defeated the Winter General, it was unthinkable that he would be taken down by monsters. Leon showed no concern at all, and upon hearing Tsutomus answer, he suddenly grinned impishly.


    Oh, by the way, theres gonna be another Amy concert tomorrow, right? I missed thest one, so Im definitely going to be there this time!


    Leon, youre not allowed in.


    Huh?! Why not?!


    Your face looks like that of a criminal, thats why. And dont you already have a knight you should be taking care of?


    Tsutomus expression grew even more exasperated, remembering that he had seen that Leons bed sheets were oddly wet during his treatment period. Leaving Leon slightly startled by his remark, Tsutomu got up to leave, returning to his room to get ready for todays guard duty shift.


    Amy was preparing for the concert scheduled for tomorrow, with Korinna, Daryl, Xeno, and Diniel by her side. Tsutomu knew Amy was someone who excelled in such areas, so until there was an attack, he nned to let her do as she pleased.


    Since Garm and Amira had already headed out for their shifts, Tsutomu, along with Leleia and Hannah who were staying at the inn, headed toward the outer wall. Just as they were getting ready, there was a modest knock on the rooms door.


    Teach?


    Just as Tsutomu attached Potion vials to his belt holder, Hannah slightly opened the door and peeked her head through. Observing that Hannah was a little less energetic than usual, Tsutomu looked at her with a puzzled expression, and then Leleia also appeared from behind her.


    Preparations are in order, I assume?


    Uh, yeah.


    It seems Hannah wants to talk with you about something. Well, I can pretty much guess what its about, so Ill stay here and listen.


    Why!?


    Enough already  just spit it out. Im sure it wontst that long anyway, Leleia urged, letting herself into the room and sitting on a chair, then she nodded as if prompting the continuation of the conversation.


    Hannah, with a troubled expression, immediately locked eyes with Tsutomu, who himself tensed up slightly.


    So, whats this about?


    Well, you see, I overheard you talking with the conductor the other day, Hannah spoke hesitantly, her blue wings drooping slightly. You didnt mean it, right? When you said you didnt particrly care?


    Umm, could you be more specific?


    I mean, you said you didnt particrly care about other people! Thats what I heard! Do you really not care about them!?


    With her wings spread out menacingly and her tone bing more intense, Tsutomu looked at Hannah with a perplexed expression. Thinking that Hannah must have misunderstood something, he carefully chose his words to respond.


    I didnt say that. I do value our n members and feel responsible as the leader. And if possible, I hope the people of the other ns can safely ovee this Stampede too.


    Huh?


    But its just that the people of the Royal Capital and other cities have a lower priority. I wont put us in danger for their sake.


    Hannah looked a bit flustered, feeling deted after being rebuffed and being spoken to so bluntly. Yet, even so, she grimaced at the final part of Tsutomus statement.


    But why!? Youre meant for much more  if you just try a little harder, you could save so many people! Youre not even trying at all! Its like you have way less motivation now than when you were in Gods Dungeon!


    If thats what I wanted to do, I would have joined the Labyrinth Conquerors already. I have no interest in total strangers, and I dont intend to help them.


    Why!? Why are you being so cold!? Youre ignoring people in trouble  when they could very well die without your help!?


    Listen, Hannah  youre taking all of this too lightly.


    Hannahs desperate questioning seemed to hold no weight to Tsutomu. With that pointed out, Hannah looked bewildered.


    Whats that supposed to mean!?


    Back in Dungeon City, I knew you helped with the reconstruction efforts up north. And Ive seen you lend a hand to those in need here and there. But youve never imposed that onto others before.


    Hannah was not acting out of hypocrisy to present herself as a good person; she was genuinely kind and pure-hearted. Tsutomu understood that much, but since arriving in the Royal Capital, Hannah had clearly changed. She became even more proactive in helping others and seemed to trumpet her sense of justice to those around her.


    Maybe seeing the Labyrinth Conquerors helping people influenced you. Its not necessarily a bad thing, taking in the inspiration and all that, but its not right to impose your views on others, dont you think? Besides, youve never defended against a Stampede before.


    Uh


    If the opinion was from Miss Christia, whos been working to protect humanity from the Stampedes for centuries, I could understand. But you, Hannah? The words out of your mouth just feel like what youre thinking at the moment  weightless and inconsequential.


    Fine, then! If thats what you say, then so be it! But I still want to save people, even if its just one person! If youre not gonna let me do that, then Ill leave the n!


    Uh, I mean, Ive never said anything about leaving, have I? I dont know what kind of help you think youll be offering, but if its something youre doing on your own, I wont stop you. Thanks for letting me know beforehand. I appreciate it.


    Huh?


    Surprised by the unexpected response, Hannah looked wide-eyed at Leleia. Tsutomu, observing her, gently patted down her bouncing blue hair and lowered himself slightly to her eye level.


    But remember  the situation is dangerous and unpredictable, so itd be helpful if you could do it where I can keep an eye on you. You never know whats going to happen.


    O-okay?


    Good.


    With Tsutomu releasing her hand from her head, Hannah steadied her bouncing blue locks. Then, with a vigorous shake of her head, she quickly reached for the door handle, as if eager to escape.


    Dont run off on your own just yet, all right? Wait for us outside!


    Y-Yeah, got it!


    As Hannahs footsteps faded away, her defiant departure reminiscent of a rebellious child, Tsutomu withdrew his calm expression and shot Leleia a sharp nce.


    Man, I wonder whos been putting ideas into Hannahs head


    Whatever are you talking about?


    Tsutomu sighed heavily at Leleias feigned innocence, then picked up one of Hannahs fallen feathers from the floor and turned it over in his hand.


    Were you expecting me to tell her to leave the n? You really dont know her well enough but its clear to me that your views sh.


    I merely spoke the truth. If I were to act against your wishes, I run the risk of being forced to leave the n myself.


    Look, if you have a problem with anything, just tell me.


    I dont have any problem in particr. Its just that I grew frustrated with Hannahs idealistic talk.


    Indeed, Hannah had recently shown signs of awakening to a strange sense of justice, perhaps influenced by the Labyrinth Conquerors. Yet to Leleia, who had been raised in a knightly lineage, it might have seemed like tant hypocrisy  especially apparent in how Hannah currently was not exactly toiling away like the Labyrinth Conquerors were.


    With a rough idea of the situation, Tsutomu sighed heavily once more, but he was not particrly angry. The fact that Leleia had incited Hannah this time was problematic. However, Hannahs proactive approach of thinking things through and informing him beforehand was a positive sign. Given the current atmosphere, it did not seem like things would spiral out of control.


    Ugh, all right, then lets leave it at that. Ill consider this an opportunity for Hannah to reflect and sort out her thoughts. As for you, dont go stirring up trouble like this again.


    Yes, I understand.


    Sure hope you do. The way your work is going, you might even make it to Team 1 next time, so try not to do anything weird.


    Wait, really!?


    Tsutomu reassured Leleia, whose eyes brightened at the mention of making it to Team 1, and then finished preparing to leave the inn. Meanwhile, Hannah did follow her orders properly and waited for everyone in the lobby. <hr/>

 Chapter 226: Hands Full(?)

    Chapter 226: Hands Full(?)


    <


    >


    What happened? Garm asked solemnly, his gaze fixed on Hannah, observing that she was unusually prickly toward Tsutomu.


    Just think of it as her rebellious phase, Tsutomu chuckled and replied.


    Hannah, hearing that, grew even grumpier.


    Tsutomu, I never knew you were such a cold-hearted guy!


    Seriously, whats gotten into her?


    You know, Im kind of surprised that she still remembers my name.


    Well, Im surprised you still call yourself human!


    As Garm attempted to understand Hannahs situation while she fumed with indignation, Tsutomu leaned against the Shield erected around the Royal Capital, gazing outside.


    Nothings happening.


    Amira, leaning forward with her chin resting on her hand gripping the hilt of her greatsword, scowled at the outside world, grumbling.


    Meh, I say let theme. Im bored to tears here.


    If youre that bored, why not practice <<Dragon Union>>? Here, stick it on me.


    Hell no, Im never going to do it with YOU anymore.


    Sure, anyone else will do, I guess. What about Leleia?


    Ugh, thats even worse! Hey, Hannah,e here.


    Amira, with a displeased re, called Hannah over, grabbed her by the neck, and began practicing <<Dragon Union>>. Leleia, watching Hannah squirm ufortably with Amiras hand around her neck, looked rather ominous.


    At one point, a small figure wearing a white hood approached Tsutomu. The Vulpeer  as apparent from the golden-furred fox tail sticking out from behind her coat  sighed audibly upon seeing Tsutomus face.


    Ugh, I wish you people would be at least a little nervous.


    Who are you?


    Eunice! Who else!? she shouted, revealing her fox ears as she pushed back her hood


    Tsutomu, assured that she was indeed Eunice upon observing her mannerisms, waved his hand as if he was brushing off the dust on his shoulder.


    Look, I already have my hands full with Hannah, so Id appreciate it if you stayed away from me.


    Hannah? Well, well Looks like shes finally had enough! Youre starting to show your true colours  now itd be great if everyone ends up hating you!


    I swear, Leons gonna have enough of YOU one of these days


    WHAT!?


    What a lively conversation you seem to be having. May I join in?


    As Eunice was about to throw hands, Stephanie, dressed in a blue dress this time, also approached. Seeing that Stephanie had numerous skill wisps flying around her, Eunice put her guard up, while Tsutomu sneakily took a few steps back.


    [Shes always practicing, huh]


    While Tsutomu asionally practiced his skill control during his free time, Stephanie seemed to have her skills constantly flying around her as ofte. That itself was not a problem, so to speak, but there was something off about Stephanies demeanorpared to before. The aura of madness seeping from her was akin to the chat logs of a hardcore yer who had been keeping themselves logged in 24/7. Moreover, the chilling look in her eyes whenever she looked at Tsutomu made him feel uneasy.


    Tch, herees the viiness


    And I thought the Vulpeer girl couldnt get any more annoying Mister Tsutomu, never mind her. Why dont we have a little chat, just the two of us?


    Shut up! All these wisps flying around you are whats annoying!


    If you find them annoying, it must mean youre below third-rate.


    As the two began exchanging insults with faces ready to pounce, Tsutomu watched with a slightly withdrawn expression. While he knew that Eunice and Stephanie had shed before, he had not expected their disagreement to escte to a verbal brawl.


    Despite their significant height difference, Eunice, with a fierce expression, was looking up at Stephanie, who appeared ready to crush her underfoot. Seeing the two seething with anger, Tsutomu intervened,


    Hey, can you both calm down for a moment?


    Yes, Mister Tsutomu, if thats what you want


    Stephanie immediately backed off, but Eunices expression grew even more displeased.


    First off, who do you think Im angry for? This girl she made fun of the dumpling-type spell casing! Arent you upset!? It means youre being made fun of, too!


    What? What does that have to do with me?


    Dont you get it!? I made it, and you acknowledged it, and she made fun of it! Its not something I can let her get away with!


    I mean, yeah, I did acknowledge it, but


    Regardless of Eunices personality, Tsutomu had acknowledged her skill in enveloping <<Haste>> with a <<Barrier>>, storing it forter use. Creating new techniques was crucial for one to stay in the meta of Live Dungeon, and Tsutomu understood the effort involved. He did not think it was necessary for Eunice to be so enraged over it, however, and as he crossed his arms, Stephanie, with her pupils dted to a frightening extent, also approached him.


    I would never make fun of you, Mister Tsutomu. I am simply annoyed by how the third-rate Healer is getting carried away with a little praise.


    So she says. Hmph!


    Mister Tsutomu, did you not say I was the best? You did, didnt you? Im the best, arent I?


    H-hey, back off. Youre tearing me apart, Stephanie!


    As Stephanie tightly grabbed his right wrist, Tsutomu lightly pushed her hand away. Eunice, feeling she could not afford to back down now, proceeded to grab Tsutomus left wrist.


    Whats the meaning of this!?


    Exactly what you heard  Mister Tsutomu said I was the best. Youre irrelevant. Leave Mister Tsutomu alone, Vulpeer girl.


    What!? I dont give a damn about him!


    [What the hell is wrong with these two?]


    Tsutomu looked flustered as the two began arguing again. As the conversation reached a stalemate, something unusual happened.


    Kyah!?


    Whoa, what in the!?


    Suddenly, the ground shook violently, causing Eunice and Stephanie to lose their bnce and topple Tsutomu over. Tsutomu, not trained enough to brace himself while holding the two, ended up falling to the ground with them. Eunice and Stephanie then realized that they had hands on their chests.


    M-Mister Tsutomu


    Now youre using an earthquake to cop a feel, huh!? You pervert!


    How about you take a good look at your own hands first?


    Blushing and teary-eyed, Stephanie and Eunice looked up at Tsutomu, who raised his hands to prove his innocence. He then pointed out to them that they were both grabbing each others chests while lying on top of him.


    Wha get your hands off me, you Vulpeer!


    Huh!? YOU first!


    Just get off ME, both of you, damn it!


    As the two continued to throw exaggerated reactions at each other, Tsutomu managed to extract himself from under them. He quickly stood up and retrieved his staff from his Magic Bag.


    Anomalies detected in the southwest! The ground is rising rapidly! A knight with binocrs, who had been keeping watch, alerted everyone through a megaphone.


    Tsutomu looked in that direction and indeed saw the ground rising abnormally.


    You two, stop arguing already. Weve got monsters iing.


    Interrupting the ongoing argument between the two, Tsutomu focused on the rising ground. The first thing that emerged from it was the massive front paw of a giant tortoise.


    Erupting from the earth with a rumble, a colossal tortoise emerged, its massive form poised without any immediate action, firmly nted on all fours. However, from the shell it bore, countless monsters spilled forth.


    [From appearances alone, it seems to be an Elder Bone Tortoise, but Ive never seen monsters spawning from their shells before.]


    While resembling the monsters that spawned in Live Dungeon raid battles, this Elder Bone Tortoise had a different shell structure. Ordinarily, that shell should emit white steam, but the one that appeared before the Royal Capital had monsters emerging from it.


    [Is it storing monsters in there? No, that cant be  It doesnt seem like theres enough space for that.]


    Like ants streaming out of small anthills, monsters continued to pour out from the shell, with flying ones hovering in the air while the grounded ones used the Elder Bone Tortoises body as a tform to descend to the ground.


    Confirm the loading of magical tools. Prepare tounch sh Bombs. Explorers, stand by at your designated positions. Knight Commander, inform the King and the other nobles that the Stampede is approaching. All remaining units, initiate evacuation and guidance for the residents.


    Emerging from her makeshift tent, Christia showed no signs of having just been asleep as she donned her gear and issued instructions to the Labyrinth Conquerors and knights. Soon after, sh Bombs wereunched into the sky to alert everyone of the enemy attack, and the knights rushed to warn the citizens of the danger.


    <<Haste>>, <


    >. Everyone, get ready!


    Tsutomu, who had just moments ago been rxed, now tightened his expression as he cast support skills on those present at the scene: Garm, Hannah, Amira, and Leleia. Garm, who had been conversing with Hannah, swiftly picked up his tower shield and moved to Tsutomus side, followed by the others.


    Meanwhile, Eunice and Stephanie, upon witnessing the appearance of the colossal monster, joined up with their nearby n members.


    As those who saw the sh Bomb signaling the monster attack began to converge southward of the Royal Capital, monsters continued to pour out from the Elder Bone Tortoise, amassing before the Shield.


    And atop the Elder Bone Tortoise stood two figures. <hr/>


    <


    >

 Chapter 227: The Threat of Explorers

    Chapter 227: The Threat of Explorers


    <


    >


    Any abnormalities in your Shield?


    No issues here.


    All right, cool.


    Brooklyn Kantjelucia and Master Babenberg flew through the air, covered by their respective Shields, heading south towards the Royal Capital. Though they maintained some distance between each other, the two were acting in tandem.


    Previously, Brooklyn had brazenly thrown a wine ss at Master Babenberg, but after the Orbis incident, she swiftly retracted her words and offered an apology, followed by a proposal for cooperation.


    House Babenberg, bound by their duty to protect the Royal Capital, readily epted Brooklyn Kantjelucias apology. Nevertheless, when House Kantjelucia proposed that House Babenberg also set their Shields up around the Royal Capital, Master Babenberg could not help but be taken aback.


    House Kantjelucia had historically safeguarded the Royal Capital by themselves, a point of pride for their household. They had single-handedly defended the capital from countless monster assaults of all sizes. The Shields surrounding the Royal Capital were not just the work of Brooklyn alone but a coborative effort of various family members, a testament to their tenacity.


    Yet Brooklyn was willing to discard that pride and history, proposing to House Babenberg to also contribute to the Shields around the Royal Capital.


    It was easy to imagine the bacsh Brooklyn had faced from her household for this proposal. The current head of House Babenberg had dealt with a simr situation. He had suggested cooperation with Explorers after the appearance of the Gods Dungeon but had been met with opposition from practically everyone  his father, mother, and brothers, whobeled it a disgrace to the family name. Nevertheless, he had spent time persuading them and managed to convince them of the current arrangement.


    Likewise, Brooklyn must have persuaded members of House Kantjelucia. Though she might appear callous to themon folk, she held a certain respect for her fellow nobles. Shouldering the burden of potentially initiating a dark chapter in House Kantjelucias history, she proposed that House Babenberg added to the defensive power of House Kantjelucia, whose Shields had protected the Royal Capital for generations.


    Both House Babenberg and House Kantjelucia had already had their Shields breached in some way. Thus, Brooklyn must have concluded that without thebined efforts of both households, the Royal Capital could not be protected. Master Babenberg had been making efforts to garner support for cooperation with House Kantjelucia among the King and other nobles, but in the end, a sessful arrangement came in the most unexpected of ways.


    The cooperation between the two households, both with a history of using Shield magic, was weed by other nobles and praised as the strongest defense. Furthermore, tensions with Explorers had eased, and a sense of unity within the organization was beginning to emerge.


    And here, gazing upon the gigantic monster known as the Elder Bone Tortoise, which could already be seen from this far of a distance, Brooklyn twisted her noble visage into a determined grimace.


    The size of that thing will be a pain to deal with.


    Fortunately, there are plenty of Explorers with experience battling gigantic monsters. As long as we have our Shields, there should be no problem.


    Gigantic monsters like the Mount Golem? Is it really THAT big?


    I have not seen it directly, so I cant give an exact measurement But from what I saw through Gods Pedestals, itsparable in size. When Ealdred Crows Summoner brings out the Mount Golem, we canpare them then.


    The Summoner Rook, was it?


    Recalling the only man who, despite his childlike appearance, had a modicum of manners, Brooklyn made no effort to hide her disdain. She had previously despised Explorers for their sudden shift from relying on the nobilitys magic to revolutionizing their approach upon gaining new abilities, and as such did not actually want to rely on their strength.


    However, she knew deep down that their capabilities were indispensable if she were to kill Orbis, who had inflicted severe injuries upon her and humiliated her aristocratic pride by destroying even her prized Execution Room. Hence, Brooklyn had stopped merely paying lip service to cooperation and started earnestly engaging in discussions with the Explorers.


    Weve been generous enough to lend them such arge supply of Magic Stones. Theyd better produce some results.


    Things would have been dicey in the previous Stampede without their Eidolons. The military power they bring to the table will likely be more than worth the Magic Stones we entrusted them with.


    Well, Im not going to expect more than the Stones market price. I was just being nice to him because he was the one guy who knew his manners.


    House Babenberg had been in talks with Tsutomu and Christia of the Labyrinth Conquerors from the start, but after the Orbis attack, Brooklyn had also personally met with Weiss, Leon, and Rook.


    Weiss barely said anything, while Leon immediately tried to charm her with sharine words. Brooklyn had entertained thoughts of disposing of both of them, so Rook left an impression as the only one with whom she had a decent conversation.


    The Explorers have taken kindly to the cooperative actions of House Kantjelucia. Your direct meetings with their leaders must have made a significant impact. Despite how they may seem, many Explorers are people of duty andpassion.


    Yeah, right a bunch of criminals and rebels, having a sense of duty andpassion? Very funny. Well, theyll probably be useful, if the knights from the front lines were speaking the truth but I still think mercenaries are more trustworthy.


    Brooklyn shrugged dismissively, her gaze shifting away to a direction where the Elder Bone Tortoise could not be seen.


    And that old man just has to be runningte when hes needed most Actually, you know what, itd be a relief if that lunatic with his insane martial arts kicked the bucket now.


    He must be facing some interference from the enemy. And regardless of your opinion of him, hisbat strength would be a boon to our forces. To defend the Royal Capital, you should utilize everything at your disposal.


    No need to tell me.


    With an irritated expression, Brooklyn averted her eyes and continued south, leaving Master Babenberg looking somewhat relieved before following after her.


    And as they arrived at the gathering ce where Explorers, knights, and musicians had convened, they spotted two figures atop the Elder Bone Tortoise.


    Orbis!


    And thats the transforming monster


    Brooklyn red at Orbis standing atop the Elder Bone Tortoise, her fury in to see, while Master Babenberg beside her observed Meena with a stoic expression. Wrapped in bandages from head to toe, she resembled a mummy.


    Babenberg, Kantjelucia, Christia said to them as soon as she noticed their arrival, The enemy is preparing something  likely to breach the Shields. Well assemble a force of about a dozen and sortie. When we leave, open a section of Shields for us to get through.


    All right.


    Master Babenberg proceeded to observe the gathering of those with unique skills. As knights and the Labyrinth Conquerors double-checked and loaded up their magic-powered weapons, a magnificent performance began from behind.


    The Minstrels, armed with various instruments, began to y, and through their incorporated skills, everyone in the vicinity received boosts to their abilities. The music also served as a signal to the Explorers, indicating the impending Stampede battle, naturally raising their morale.


    <<Summon  Mount Golem>>.


    While the Explorers prepared for battle, the Summoners of Ealdred Crow began their summoning usingrge quantities of Magic Stones. As Rook raised a staff as tall as himself, light particles rose from the array of Magic Stones arranged on the ground. Soon after, the head of the Mount Golem emerged from the earth.


    With careful movements, Rook slowly brought the Mount Golem to its feet to avoid causing damage to the surroundings. Its size was so unrealistically colossal that it could be mistaken for a monster straight out of a myth. Finally getting to see the Mount Golem with their own eyes, the Labyrinth Conquerors marveled, and the knights found themselves awestruck.


    Brooklyn, also seeing the Mount Golem for the first time, wore a surprised expression.


    The Explorers fought THAT and WON?


    Yes, all the n Leaders you have personally met have defeated the Mount Golem at least once, each time within a team of five. That was how they proceeded to the nextyer.


    The Mount Golem may not quite match the Elder Bone Tortoise in size, but it wasrge enough to engage thetter head-on. Seeing Rook casually sitting on the Mount Golems shoulder, Brooklyn shivered as if feeling a chill.


    Brooklyn had received information about Dungeon City from time to time, and as such, she was aware of the existence of monsters such as Mount Golem and Winter General. However, seeing was truly believing  with a Mount Golem right in front of her, she had to admit that it was much more than she had ever imagined.


    The frontline units are starting toe together. Master Brooklyn, Ill leave the reinforcement of the Shields to you. Ill assist the Explorers.


    Got it, Brooklyn responded, still feeling overwhelmed by the Mount Golem.


    She then looked at the Explorers preparing to go outside, her eyes filled with suspicion. <hr/>


    <


    >

 Chapter 228: The Second Stampede Commences

    Chapter 228: The Second Stampede Commences


    <


    >


    Having been informed about the magic sacs from Brooklyn, Christia understood that waiting leisurely within the Shield as before would only give the enemy an advantage. Therefore, Christia decided to take the initiative and had the major ns begin their preparations.


    The colossal monster, Elder Bone Tortoise, was to be held back by Rook¡¯s Mount Golem Eidolon, while the multitude of monsters would be repelled by the elite forces centered around the Labyrinth Conquerors and Ealdred Crow. As for Orbis and Meena, the concerning elements of this whole incident, they were to be dealt with by a select few from the Scarlet Devil Squad, Golden Tune, and Absolute Helix who possessed unique skills.


    ¡°The girl seems to be an insect-type monster, and Orbis likely has characteristics of beast-type monsters. Since it¡¯s been confirmed that the girl¡¯s shell is abnormally hard, we¡¯ll leave her to the Scarlet Devil Squad. Orbis will be handled by Golden Tune and Absolute Helix. Any objections?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°¡­We¡¯re good.¡±


    ¡°None here, either.¡±


    Leon, Weiss, and Tsutomu nodded at Christia¡¯s instructions, and amidst the bustling activity, each n began to gather together. Then, the ten members of Absolute Helix and about twenty carefully selected members of Golden Tune grouped up side by side.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Eunice grumbled, ¡°So I¡¯m stuck with you again¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Ignoring me? How dare you!¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Just shut up¡­¡±


    Tsutomu pushed the persistently annoying Eunice away with his staff and then called out to Leon as thetter was in the middle of warming up. Sure that they would be able to act most effectively without getting in each other¡¯s way, Tsutomu decided to pair up with Leon, who was likely the mostbat-capable among those who were here.


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re actually putting faith in me for once, eh?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re up against a guy this time, so I don¡¯t foresee any problem.¡±


    ¡°Dude! That¡¯s got nothing to do with it!¡±


    Tsutomu knew that Leon had underestimated Meena before, but still, he trusted Leon¡¯s unique skill andbat abilities. While Golden Tune¡¯s evaluation as a n was low, Leon¡¯s evaluation as an individualbatant was quite high.


    After exchanging a few words with Eunice¡¯s silver-furred Vulpeer junior Milway, as well as Barbara, a Tank he had once tutored, Tsutomu addressed the members of Absolute Helix once again.


    ¡°Attackers, don¡¯t push yourselves too hard. And Amira, try to rein in your greatsword swings more than usual.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know.¡±


    ¡°Good. Tanks support the Attackers. You probably won¡¯t need any aggro management skills, so adjust your tactics ordingly.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Since their opponents this time were former humans with intelligence, aggro-manipting skills like <<Combat Cry>> would have no effect. Therefore, the Tanks would have to employbat tactics that capitalized on their durability, but with Garm, Daryl, and Xeno, there should not be any problems.


    ¡°Hannah, can you take on more of an Attacker role this time?¡±


    ¡°¡­I guess,¡± Hannah nodded, seeming sulky.


    Since everyone in the n was already aware of Hannah¡¯s recent resentment towards Tsutomu, nobody was particrly surprised.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Hannie. Cheer up~~!¡±


    ¡°L-leave me alone!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re gonnain about Tsutomu, thenin away! I¡¯ll listen to it all you want~~!¡±


    Amy proceeded to tease Hannah like how she usually would, and though Hannah seemed aloof, she did not outright refuse. Seeing this, Garm, who had been concerned moments ago, wore a slightly exasperated expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting started,¡± Tsutomu proceeded to say. ¡°Brace yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to remind us about every little thing, Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°Sure, whatever you say. Just fight effectively like you usually do, all right?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Her attitude dismissed, Hannah¡¯s face twisted in difort.


    ¡°Hannah, focus,¡± Garm said, lightly tapping her on the back. That snapped her out of her rage and prompted her to adopt a moreposed expression.


    ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡±


    Gradually, the Shields of House Kantjelucia and House Babenberg began to open. The knights preparing anti-monster magic tools were mostly inexperienced in Stampede battles of this scale, so most of them appeared tense.


    ¡°Okay, no problem.¡±


    ¡°Time to put my new move to the test!¡±


    Many high-level Explorers from Ealdred Crow began checking each other¡¯s equipment, with Stephanie and Bittman among them. Their movements were refined, like those of well-trained soldiers, perhaps as a result of their daily routines.


    ¡°You know, I have something I¡¯d like to try, too,¡± Rook said to another Summoner as he sat on the Mount Golem, ¡°Can I have a Fire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± he readily agreed to the proposal.


    Other Summoners also summoned Fire Dragons and Shell Crabs, forming a group ofrge monsters.


    ¡°Alma, make the opening shot a big one, alright?¡± Cecilia said, leading the discussion among Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s elites.


    ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Weiss listened silently, his arms crossed.


    ¡°Weiss, got anything you wanna say to Alma?¡±


    ¡°Wait, Cecilia, why are you asking him that¨C¡°


    In response to the question, Weiss¡¯ dark eyes betrayed a hint of agitation. He hesitated for ten or so seconds before staring directly into Alma¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°¡­You seem to have changed for the better after that talk you had with Tsutomu. I think you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Y-you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Ooh, someone¡¯s happy!¡±


    ¡°S-shut up! I¡¯m NOT happy!¡±


    Alma, blushing up to her ears from Cecilia¡¯s teasing, was met with a puzzled expression from Weiss. Seeing Weiss like that, the other n members shook their heads in exasperation.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s do this!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything reckless.¡±


    ¡°Of course! Safety first!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    The twenty n members of Golden Tune selected for this mission were mostly former soldiers or experienced mercenaries. The n as a whole boasted high-level Attackers with richbat experience. Their admiration for Leon was evident, as his skills were highly respected by even Weiss and Camille.


    ¡°We¡¯re opening the Shields now! Is everyone ready!?¡±


    ¡°No need to be so loud, old man¡­¡±


    Brooklyn, listening to the orders from House Babenberg beside her, pulled a disgusted face as she opened and closed her Shieldsyer byyer, smoothly guiding the Explorers forward. Her dissatisfaction was evident as she observed the Explorers proceed out through the Shields.


    Meanwhile, Christia, floating in the sky, confirmed that everyone was ready for deployment and then took a megaphone in hand.


    ¡°All units, deploy. Annihte the Stampede.¡±


    With Christia¡¯s calm and no-nonsense voice delivering the final instructions, thestyer of the Shields opened, and the Explorers rushed out in unison.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    Before they knew it, the horizon was filled with a multitude of monsters, a sight that would overwhelm any ordinary observer. Indeed, even the knights loading magical cannons within the safety of the Shields seemed strained, while Brooklyn cast skeptical nces at the hundreds of Explorers who had ventured out to face the tens of thousands of monsters.


    ¡°Leave the big one to the Mount Golem. Take care of the rest!¡± Rook casually rallied his n members as he sat atop the Mount Golem¡¯s <<Barrier>>-covered head.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Unlike before, the Mount Golem now sported a noticeable red hue.


    Rook, having been killed so many times during his n¡¯s attempts to conquer the seventiethyer, understood the Mount Golem¡¯s mechanics well ¡ª at first, its movements would be slow and it would automatically spawn a variety of smaller Golems. Then, as time passed, its body would redden, signifying the gradual increase in its mobility.


    Earlier, Rook had warmed the Mount Golem¡¯s body with a Fire Dragon¡¯s breath attack, enhancing its capabilities to that of the boss battle¡¯s second phase.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    With Rook atop its head, the Mount Golem swiftly dashed forward, kicking aside ground-level monsters as it aimed for the Elder Bone Tortoise. The sight of such a massive entity moving with such agility astonished those who were seeing the Mount Golem for the first time.


    ¡°Damn, look who¡¯s having fun!¡±


    ¡°All right, Rook¡¯s opened the way! Go, go, go!¡±


    ¡°It can do that right from the start? That¡¯s practically cheating!¡±


    Watching the Mount Golem deliver a flying knee to the Elder Bone Tortoise¡¯s face, the Explorers who had endured hardships on the seventiethyerughed heartily. Following right behind the Mount Golem¡¯s trail were the Fire Dragons and Shell Crabs, as well as the Explorers.


    ¡°We¡¯ll handle the small fry,¡± Christia, effortlessly taking down dozens of monsters with a single arrow from her cursed Devourer Dragon bow, issued instructions to the three ns, ¡°Absolute Helix, Golden Tune, Scarlet Devil Squad ¡ª keep moving forward and restrict Orbis¡¯ movement. If defeating him proves difficult, just buy time.¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye!¡±


    The three ns proceeded to enter the narrowing path forward. At first nce, entering the midst of the monster horde might seem like a suicidal act. The monsters,prised of equipped Goblins, Orcs, and Kobolds, resembled an army. Additionally, there were insect-type monsters burrowing underground and winged creatures hovering in the sky.


    Indeed, with the monsters being decently equipped and positioned by a human with some degree of strategic deliberation, they posed a considerable threat. This Stampede was clearly different from the usual.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>> on the count of three. Here we go ¡ª one, two, three!¡±


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    However, despite the defending force being ced in an unfavorable location, the monsters remained creatures of low intelligence. Provoked by abilities like <<Combat Cry>> and <<Warrior Howl>>, they were easily lured out, and with the efforts of the Labyrinth Conquerors-led units, the monsters were effectively dispersed.


    ¡°<<Dual Wave sh>>!¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Amy, contracted with the Sylph, unleashed her attacks, cleaving the approaching monsters¡¯ legs in two. Wyverns attempting aerial ambushes were brought down by arrows from Diniel and other archers, while subterranean insect-like monsters were incinerated by skills from ck Mages.


    The monsters¡¯ defenses weakened due to the Tanks interrupting their formations, causing them to be unable to stop the charge of high-level Explorers. Battling monsters was a routine for major ns¡¯ Explorers, especially those of the ones leading the charge, Ealdred Crow, who spent most of their waking hours in God¡¯s Dungeon. They were ustomed to dealing with monsters while limited to a group of five ¡ª yet each individual was formidable. With hundreds of them teamed up here, very few monsters stood a chance against them.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got a Dragon up ahead! Send four more Attackers over here!¡±


    ¡°Hey, that Tank¡¯s surrounded! Someone provide them support!¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry! We¡¯re already getting a ton of support and healing! This is a piece of cake!¡±


    Though one Tank was overwhelmed by a horde of monsters, he was continuously healed by several Channelers. With the support from the marching band providing overall augmentation, Healers did not need to use support skills this time, allowing them to focus solely on healing. Additionally, with many Tanks drawing aggro, the monsters they were up against were nothing to fear.


    ¡°<<Meteor>>!¡±


    ¡°<<Meteor>>!¡±


    ¡°<<Meteor Stream>>!¡±


    The overwhelming frontal assault from dozens of ck Mages, apanied by simultaneous Spirit magic from various contracted spirits, as well as continuous support from the Minstrel-led band, allowed for tactics during a Stampede battle that were impossible within the usual framework of a five-person party.


    Against the Explorers, even monsters equipped and positioned strategically by a human were ineffective, unless they wererge monsters like the Queen Spider or Fire Dragon.


    The Stampede side seemed to have anticipated this, however; before long, otherrge monsters besides the Elder Bone Tortoise began to appear.


    ¡°Multiple Dragons detected from above. A giant serpent has also appeared on the ground. We¡¯re already engaging. Eldred Crow, handle the Dragons. Absolute Helix, focus on the serpent. Scarlet Devil Squad and Golden Tune, continue engaging the two main targets.¡±


    Following Christia¡¯s orders, the major ns forged onward, following the guides sent by the Labyrinth Conquerors. <hr/>


    <


    >

 Chapter 229: Amy Without Cat Ears

    Chapter 229: Amy Without Cat Ears


    <


    >


    Korinna. Neck.


    Huh?


    Gimme your neck. Cmon.


    As Amira called Korinna over to her, Tsutomu nced elsewhere, his attention swiftly shifting to the giant serpent that had suddenly appeared, as he had been informed by Christia. The serpent, adorned with earthy camouge patterns writhing across its body, was familiar to him.


    It was the Guisecoil, capable of blending into the surroundings using its versatile camouge and optical illusions  a creature he recognized from Live Dungeon. However, Tsutomu could not help but wonder,


    [It could turn invisible in the game  thats what its supposed to do but can it do the same here?]


    In Live Dungeon, the Guisecoil would stay almost invisible no matter how much it was wounded, enabling it to blend into the environment with its camouge the whole time, which made Tsutomu wonder what would happen in this world if he were to damage its camouge or attach something colorful to its body.


    Additionally, certain attacks unleashed by the Guisecoil had the power to render victims invisible, raising doubts about whether that could ur here as well. In Live Dungeon, yers often encountered situations where invisibility became a disadvantage, making the Guisecoil notorious as a monster that may have been designed as a big trolling attempt by the developers. [If it works the same here thats going to be a big problem.]


    While it was still uncertain if the invisibility effect could ur as easily as in games, if other monsters were rendered invisible by the Guisecoil, it could disrupt the extermination of the Stampede. It was a monster that required immediate countermeasures.


    <<Air de>>.


    Tsutomu quietly sted out his skills, set to the weakest power level, into the surroundings, checking if there were any invisible monsters lurking around. Confirming there were none nearby, Tsutomu nced at Korinna, who now had a few red scales showing on her neck due to the effect of the <<Dragon Union>>.


    Thanks.


    Now youre strong enough to whack them. Make yourself useful.


    Yeah, I know!


    Tsutomu, observing their camaraderie with satisfaction, proceeded to urge the Labyrinth Conquerors to stay alert, as well as informing them that only Absolute Helix would handle the giant serpent.


    <<Combat Cry>>.


    Upon Tsutomusmand, the Tanks of the Labyrinth Conquerors swiftly retreated, with Garm taking on the Guisecoils aggro, and Daryl and Xeno following suit. Seemingly anticipating this, the Guisecoil reared up, its body swaying skyward.


    Everyone, get back! Korinna, prepare your Blessings. Leleia, bring out the Sylph for me.


    Y-yes!


    <<Contract  Sylph>>


    All right, run!


    Sensing the impending attack from invisible monsters, Tsutomu immediately ordered everyone to take cover and had Korinna provide support. As Amy leaped over Tsutomu, the Guisecoil released a dense white mist-like substance from its mouth onto the ground.


    Sylph, blow the mist up as high as you can.


    With a twirl of its finger, the fairy-like Sylph unleashed a gust of wind, the power of which was a contrast to its adorable gesture. While the wind dispersed most of the white mist, the portion that had settled near the ground was able to achieve its intended effect.


    Ah AHHHHHH!! Your feet! Sir Tsutomu! Your feet are!


    Calm down. Its not just me  its happening to everyone.


    HUH!?


    Due to the mist at his feet, Tsutomus feet from the ankles down became transparent, prompting Daryl to panic as if he had seen a ghost. After calming Daryl down, Tsutomu pointed at the gradually vanishing Guisecoil and called out to the members of the Labyrinth Conquerors.


    Our legs arent actually gone. Everyone, can you still feel them, right?


    Y-yeah


    Theyve most likely just be invisible. And like that giant serpent, theres a high chance that there are other monsters turning invisible as well. Please inform Miss Christia of this. We might have to deal with those invisible monsters here, so leave us about ten people just in case.


    Got it!


    Seeing that Tsutomu was not showing any panic toward the unusual situation, the members of the Labyrinth Conquerors nodded at his instructions. After rying the message to theirrades, they swiftly headed to report to Christia. The members of the Labyrinth Conquerors, now warned that invisible monsters might be lurking around, immediately began to vigntly scan their surroundings.


    Xeno, try coating that serpent with your <<Ember Aura>>. Go big on it like you usually do.


    Ah, I see! Very well! <<EMBER AURA>>!!


    Understanding Tsutomus intention, Xeno promptly struck a pose and unleashed his power at the partially invisible Guisecoil. The <<Ember Aura>>, shining even more brilliantly than usual, illuminated the Guisecoils body  and in reaction, the Guisecoil started asserting itself more aggressively than ever. At the sight, Tsutomu could not help but chuckle dryly.


    Korinna, if anyonepletely disappears, itll be difficult for me to heal them. When that happens, Ill rely on you for healing.


    Yes!


    <<Medic>> Cant fix it with this, huh


    It was expected that the invisibility effect could not be dispelled by <<Medic>>, but Tsutomu still attempted it. Switching his focus to the Attackers, who were watching their vanished feet, Tsutomu pped his hands to get their attention.


    Attackers, listen up! Its time to get to work! Just be careful only of that white breath  everything other than that is nothing special. Go get em!


    Hah, well finish that thing off in no time!


    Amira, making a heavy thud as she hoisted her greatsword onto her shoulder, led the Attackers charge toward the shining Guisecoil. While Tsutomu remained vignt for invisible monsters in the vicinity, he gazed at the royal capital towering behind the formation.


    [Monsters may have made their way into the Capital, too Will they be all right?]


    Orbis was sure to be aware of the Guisecoils characteristics. Even if its powers followed the specifications of Live Dungeon, where the invisibility effectsted for only a short time, it would still be easy for invisible monsters to infiltrate the Royal Capital.


    <


    >!


    <<Rock Splitter de>>.


    <<Smander Breath>>.


    While Guisecoilsbat abilities were not particrly formidable, it would still be a challenging opponent if it was just Absolute Helix taking it on. In Live Dungeon, the Guisecoil was considered troublesome due to its ability to team up with other monsters and take advantage of the environments gimmicks. It may have revealed itself now that its invisibility was counteracted, but it still had the option of concealing itself underground.


    Tsutomu could not understand why Orbis hade forward so openly to engage in battle. Orbis, having been in the Dungeon City, should understand the strength of the Explorers. No matter how many monsters were sent, taking them down was routine for the Explorers. By now, even the Fire Dragon was only a slightly challenging opponent, so no matter how many monsters there were  even if they were mobilized like soldiers  they would not pose a threat.


    Before long, the Elder Bone Tortoise found itself overwhelmingly outmatched by the agile Mount Golem, while the otherrge monsters were alreadyrgely taken care of. With the cooperation of hundreds of Explorers, even monsters on the level of the Devourer Dragon could be easily dealt with. The Explorers fought without fear of death, so their morale would not falter even against a monster horde hundreds of times their numbers.


    [Winning isnt the objective]


    Tsutomu pondered various factors while considering what Orbis might think, but the enemys actions so far did not seem geared towards victory. If they were aiming to win, they would have attacked the humans with more brutal means and not engaged the Explorers directly.


    Still, from Orbis perspective, the situation was already dire. Meena might be his only ally with any semnce of consciousness, and monsters were being manipted by aggro management skills. Moreover, there were nobles capable of powerful magic, Explorers of Gods Dungeon and the Labyrinth Conquerors, and knights and soldiers who had undergone rigorous training to defend the Royal Capital. Even assuming they could use many monsters, the Royal Capitals forces were too strong. It would be extremely difficult to break their way through all this, and Tsutomu did not even want to imagine the struggle involved.


    <<Stream Arrow>>.


    As Tsutomu pondered while observing the battle, Diniel anticipated the Guisecoils movement and released an arrow into the sky. Then, after a beam of light shot straight up, a multitude of arrows rained down, pinning down the Guisecoil.


    Everyone, back away! Tsutomu shouted out as he saw the Guisecoil shake its body. Sylph! Now!


    Once again, a white mist enveloped the giant serpent. While the Sylphs wind blew away most of it, there were still a few who were once again rendered partially invisible.


    Amy Your ears


    Huh?


    Oh, still here. Thank goodness.


    Diniel looked shocked when she saw that Amys white-furred cat ears had disappeared, and only once she confirmed they were still there did he resume her attacks. The Guisecoils invisibility was a troublesome characteristic, but as long as they had <<Ember Aura>> as a countermeasure, the monster itself was not all that strong.


    DIEEEEEE!!


    The ferocious greatsword attacks from Amira in her <<Dragon Form>> were well-suited against the Guisecoil, which was already on itsst legs. Despite its camouge-patterned hide being shed open and crimson blood staining the ground, the Guisecoil remained invisible, leaving Tsutomu with a slightly perplexed expression. It seemed that, just like in the game, disabling its invisibility without the use of special skills was impossible.


    Man, thats it? This things so weak!


    [Welp, rest in pieces, Guisecoil.]


    Finally, as the Guisecoils invisibility wore off and it copsed motionless on the ground, Amira, looking unsatisfied, swiped the blood off her stained greatsword. Tsutomu, who knew how annoying Guisecoil could be from Live Dungeon, felt a twinge of sympathy seeing it being mercilessly pummeled by Amy, Diniel, Amira, Leleia, and Hannah.


    All right, lets go support Golden Tune.


    I hope theyre at least putting up a fight! Hah!


    Dont let your guard down, Tsutomu narrowed his eyes and cautioned Amira as thetter approached him.


    Hmph, this is nothing. No problem at all.


    The group proceeded to follow the Labyrinth Conquerors towards Golden Tunes location. <hr/>


    <


    >

 Chapter 230: The Monsters’ Invasion

    Chapter 230: The Monsters¡¯ Invasion


    <


    >


    Instructed by Christia to subdue the smaller one of the duo controlling the Stampede, the Scarlet Devil Squad headed straight to where they were ¡ª atop the Elder Bone Tortoise.


    Along the way, monsters crowded their field of vision, but their ranks were promptly scattered by Rook¡¯s Mount Golem Eidolon. Additionally, with a simultaneous attack by high-level ck Mages led by Alma wielding the ck Staff, the monsters in the vicinity werepletely overwhelmed.


    ¡°WOO-HOO, AWESOME! That felt GREAT! Those monsters just went BOOM BOOM BOOM!!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As Alma rambled ecstatically about the barrage of attacks she and the ck Mages had unleashed, Weiss flew toward the Elder Bone Tortoise under the effect of <<Fly>>. A muscr close-range Attacker approached Weiss¡¯ side.


    ¡°You know, things have been going a little TOO well¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, maybe.¡±


    Indeed, the attack executed by the ck Mages earlier left no room for escape, and the monsters were helpless, being either burned or crushed by the meteors raining down from above. While such a scene would not be out of ce during a typical Stampede, this time there was a difference that changed everything ¡ª the presence of the Orbis Church, and their ability to control monsters. However, the formation of monsters seemed too monotonous for someone directing them. Considering they had been subjected to surprise attacks from above and below before this, Weiss could not help but question why the monsters were being taken care of so easily. Considering that the Orbis Church had operated in Dungeon City, they should have understood that it was foolish to directly challenge Explorers ¡ª yet, for whatever reason, they chose to do so anyway.


    [¡­Maybe an exchange of blows would give us some answers.]


    As Weiss pondered, he observed the Elder Bone Tortoise being relentlessly pummeled by the increasingly heated Mount Golem. Then, a figure descended from above the Tortoise, heading towards them.


    ¡°Everyone, spread out. Alma, intercept.¡±


    As Weiss readied himself forbat, Alma chuckled before unleashing her fire-based skill, <<Fire Lance>>, towards the figure. However, despite being airborne, the figure dodged the mingnce as gracefully as a butterfly.


    ¡°Oh, I know you. You¡¯re Weiss!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Meena, wrapped from head to toe in bandages,nded on the ground and addressed Weiss cheerfully. Then, with a tear of the bandages revealing her unblemished, charming face, the members of the Scarlet Devil Squad looked uniformly surprised.


    ¡°She actually looks human¡­¡±


    ¡°And she¡¯s just as small as I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by appearances,¡± Weiss warned, ¡°Remember, Leon lost an arm to her ambush. Everyone, be prepared to provide support.¡±


    Weiss gripped his war hammer with his right hand and engaged <


    >, instantly enveloping it in a crimson aura. Then, without hesitation, he aimed at Meena¡¯s head and swung.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s talk!¡± Meena said as she sprouted multiple arthropod appendages from her back, intertwining them to catch the war hammer.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Weiss remained silent, swinging the crimson-induced war hammer sideways to fend off the appendages.


    ¡°Monster¡­¡± Alma could not help but mutter as she witnessed the bizarre sight.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Meena turned her head sharply to stare at Alma ¡ª and then, she attempted to advance towards Alma by plunging her arthropod appendages sideways into the ground. However, Weiss¡¯ war hammer seized Meena¡¯s abdomen as she tried to move.


    Twisting the war hammer as if to wrench up her abdomen, Weiss mmed it down onto the ground. Stepping on Meena¡¯s face as she gasped for breath like a goldfish, Weiss withdrew a short sword from the Magic Bag strapped to his waist with his left hand.


    ¡°Ouch!! Stop! It hurts!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Weiss attempted to thrust the red short sword into Meena¡¯s abdomen, but it was repelled as if what it was trying to pierce was steel. Confirming once again that cutting was not effective, Weiss attempted to strike with the war hammer again, but then he felt a powerful force from underfoot, so he backed off.


    Meena, pushing Weiss aside with her ckened hand, drove her arthropod appendages into the ground to elevate her small body.


    ¡°Gah¡­! Why!? Why would you do that¨C¡°


    Then, crossbow bolts, all enchanted with crimson auras, flew one after another into Meena¡¯s mouth as she attempted to speak again. Weiss, expressionless, kept shooting with his crossbow, then moved in to attack Meena with his war hammer as she staggered.


    Gripping the handle firmly with both hands this time, he exerted all his strength to bust through Meena¡¯s carapace. Being ustomed to fighting Shell Crabs with their hard shells, Weiss handled it with ease. The war hammer, imbued with the power of <


    >, rang with impact as it made a crack in the ck carapace on Meena¡¯s right hand.


    Meena, weak to fire-elemental attacks and with a hard carapace, was ill-suited to intense blunt force. Indeed, Weiss¡¯s merciless blow, which could be considered Meena¡¯s natural enemy, caused her to cry out in agony, tears streaming down her face. Then, suddenly turning her back on Weiss, she ran off.


    ¡°Stop it!! You¡¯re hurting me!!¡±


    [¡­She acts as if she¡¯s an actual child,] Weiss thought to himself while holding onto his war hammer and pursuing Meena, who by now showed no intention of fighting.


    Meena, in a state of apparent confusion, ran as if fleeing from a murderer, and members of the Scarlet Devil Squad started to hesitate as well.


    ¡°Help me! Look at him! He¡¯s the real monster! Much more than me! I just want to save my mom! Please, stop!¡±


    ¡°W-Weiss?¡± Cecilia said, observing Meena crying and screaming, ¡°It kinda looks like she¡¯s surrendering¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Weiss remained silent with his war hammer in hand.


    Certainly, Meena was showing no intent to engage inbat. But due to his past experience of losing all hisrades to monsters, Weiss remained unyielding even towards the weakened Meena.


    ¡°Do monsters spare humans if they surrender?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°The answer is the same for me.¡±


    With that deration, Weiss brought down his war hammer onto Meena¡¯s dazed face. Then, as Meena fell onto her back, Weiss repeatedly swung down onto her limbs until they werepletely crushed beyond recognition. Each blow of the war hammer resonated like striking steel, causing Meena¡¯s body to jerk in reflex. Gradually, her screams faded away, and her body ceased its convulsions.


    Having thoroughly destroyed Meena¡¯s limbs as if driving precise stakes into an insectoid monster, Weiss wiped his cheek, stained with a mixture of red and green fluids, with his sleeve.


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s still alive. Whether to kill her or not, I¡¯ll leave that judgment to Christia.¡±


    ¡°S-should I heal her?¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t. It doesn¡¯t matter if she dies on her own. I¡¯ll deliver her to Christia ¡ª The rest of you, go support Golden Tune,¡± instructed Weiss, crudely carrying Meena, who now looked more like a limbless doll.


    Then, suddenly, from the direction of the Royal Capital behind Weiss, a sound resembling arge explosion echoed.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    In the Royal Capital, many people had distanced themselves from the situation down south, acting out their daily routines to avoid witnessing the abnormal. Some were curious enough to venture south to witness the Stampede, butpared to the Dungeon City incident, they were significantly fewer in number.


    The destruction of the Houses Kantjelucia and Babenberg¡¯s Shields had stirred up the anxieties of the citizens, leaving them preupied. Although the King¡¯s unscheduled public appearance and deration managed to maintain some semnce of calm among the popce, few dared to venture outside.


    ¡°It¡¯s been nothing but troubletely.¡±


    ¡°But we should be safe, right? Those two households are working together for once and all.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, but¡­¡±


    Observing the streets, practically deserted and much lonelier than usual, those managing the stalls felt their unease growing. Only the sound of the cooking from the stalls ¡ª notably quieter than usual still ¡ª echoed emptily through the air.


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    Suddenly, one of the men engaged in small talk widened his eyes and froze in ce. The surrounding men looked at him with puzzled expressions. Immediately after, a man suddenly floated into the air.


    ¡°W-waaahhh!? What the hell is this!?¡±


    A monster was lifting a man¡¯s shirt with its beak, holding him aloft. It was a Cockatrice, a monster known for petrifying those who met its gaze, with the body of a reptile and the head of a bird.


    In addition to the Cockatrice, various winged monsters such as Griffins and Wyverns suddenly appeared in the streets, plunging the area into panic.


    Griffins targeted houses, breaking windows as if to hunt for insects to snack on, while bipedal Orcs equipped with gear ran in formations, driving the people away. Centipede-like monsters, Camisil, coiled around buildings as if using them as host trees, causing the stone structures to copse under their weight.


    The sound of buildings copsing echoed throughout the Royal Capital, apanied by the roaring of monsters. Themotion spread rapidly throughout the city, and the everyday life at the heart of the Capital crumbled and vanished.


    Those who had lived peacefully within the Royal Capital were now trembling in fear, unable to make rational judgments in the face of monsters they had never seen before. They peered out from windows and doors, and the next thing they knew, they were flooding out of buildings as if being herded, oblivious to the non-aggressive behavior of the monsters. Although some buildings copsed, those particr ones were still under construction and uninhabited, resulting in only minor injuries and no casualties.


    However, faced with the threat of monsters baring their fangs and chasing them, the citizens had no choice but to flee in terror, heading south, away from the monsters.


    ¡°Monsters¡­!¡±


    As people began to arrive near the southern Shield, the nobles who had sensed the disturbance within the Royal Capital spotted the monsters chasing the citizens. When they were about to use their magic, the Tanks of the Labyrinth Conquerors stepped forward.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s so many of them! Where the hell have they even been hiding!?¡±


    The tanks diverted the aggro of the monsters chasing the citizens, and scattering their formations to ensure minimal casualties among the popce. However, with the sheer number of monsters, some were still left chasing after the breathlessly running civilians.


    Then, just as the people were growing exhausted, Brooklyn, floating in the air with her own Shield, appeared before them. And when she aimed her hand at the crazed Cockatrice chasing after the people¡­


    ¡°<<me Kick>>!!¡±


    From behind, a Birdkin girl with blue-feathered wings delivered a powerful kick to the bird head of the Cockatrice, just in time to prevent it from attacking a child.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right now!¡±


    With her blue hair bouncing as she ran, she swiftly scooped up the child and darted away. Arrows,unched with the force of a cannon, urately struck the monsters¡¯ vital points, while two bulky Cynokin, one blue and the other ck, used <<Warrior Howl>> to draw the attention of the surrounding monsters.


    ¡°And there we go¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Hannah! That was too reckless!¡±


    ¡°Ah, the kid¡¯s a little hurt! Healing, please!¡±


    Behind them, a Channeler in ck robes sped her hands together, casting the <<Blessing of Recovery>> on the child that Hannah had carried.


    ¡°M-my mom¡¯s still¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay! I¡¯ll go help her!¡±


    Responding immediately to the child¡¯s voice, Hannah vigorously pped her wings and flew toward the monsters. In addition to the five members of Absolute Helix, members of the Labyrinth Conquerors and Ealdred Crow continued to arrive, gradually pushing back the monsters that had emerged from within the Royal Capital.


    ¡°Everyone, get inside the Shield!¡±


    Members of the Labyrinth Conquerors guided the fleeing citizens toward the perimeter of Shields newly generated by Houses Kantjelucia and Babenberg. Watching the Explorers relentlessly annihting the monsters, the citizens wore expressions of both awe and astonishment.


    ¡°Incredible! It¡¯s as if the monsters aren¡¯t even a challenge!¡±


    ¡°Look! Over there! The monsters are fighting each other!¡±


    ¡°So many dead monsters¡­! Like, it must be over nine thousand!¡±


    Unable to do anything but watch the battles of the Explorers from within the Shields, the citizens, who had barely escaped the monsters moments ago, were now captivated by the spectacle before them.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Observing both the battles of the explorers and the behavior of the citizens with an impassive expression, Brooklyn continued to construct Shields methodically. Meanwhile, Master Babenberg marveled inwardly at Brooklyn¡¯s swift Shield construction, providing support by erecting Shields around the Mount Golem fighting outside. <hr/>


    <


    >

 Chapter 231: Healers Immobilized

    Chapter 231: Healers Immobilized


    <


    >


    ¡°Was it a good idea to let them go?¡± Leleia turned to ask Tsutomu.


    ¡°From the looks of it, they would¡¯ve gone even if I stopped them. Besides, the Royal Capital side does need help, too, so¡­¡±


    As soon as the sound of the explosion echoed from the Royal Capital, Hannah immediately rushed to the scene, and then Tsutomu sent Corinna, Garm, Daryl, and Diniel after her. Later, he learned from Christia¡¯s report that numerous monsters had appeared in the Royal Capital, so sending enough of his people to form a proper team ended up being the undoubtedly right call.


    ¡°More monsters will keep popping up. We¡¯ve got work to do here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Indeed, we do,¡± Xeno said, holding up his shining, meticulously maintained silver shield, as he observed Orbis in a fight against a group of around thirty Explorersposed of Golden Tune and Scarlet Devil Squad.


    In addition to Orbis, bipedal monsters like Orcs and Ogres joined the fray, with Attackers and Tanks stuck holding the line while Healers like Eunice and Cecilia wore grim expressions.


    The Tanks were drawing the monsters¡¯ attention without issue, but Orbis was clearly targeting the Healers. While Leon, enveloped in a faint golden aura from his <<Gold Bless>> skill, seemed to be holding him off well enough that no casualties had urred yet, he was starting to appear fatigued from the constant caution needed to protect the Healers.


    In stark contrast to Leon¡¯s out of breath state, Orbis, resembling a trained ogre in stature, showed no signs of fatigue. With enhanced muscles as if they had been sculpted from stone, Orbis, even with his surprisingly gentle face, cast a confident gaze toward the five members of Absolute Helix who hade to provide support. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally here. I¡¯ve been watching from afar as you battled that invisible monster.¡±


    ¡°<<Medic>>.¡±


    Ignoring Orbis, Tsutomu started casting his skill at Leon. Orbis swiftly moved, causing the ground under him to copse as he attempted to intercept the <<Medic>> shot, prompting Tsutomu to quickly redirect it.


    ¡°Ahh, so that¡¯s what you¡¯ve been doing.¡±


    Tsutomu had wondered why Leon seemed so worn out despite having six Healers at his disposal, but it seemed getting a <<Medic>> shot tond on him was not as simple as it appeared. While the Attackers and Tanks around him seemed rtively unscathed, Leon looked worse for wear, likely having received no healing since the standoff against Orbismenced.


    As Tsutomu signaled for his n¡¯s members to disperse, Orbis, with eyes previously narrowed as thin as could be, opened them wide.


    ¡°Hahaha, well done! Some of the monsters we¡¯ve brought should only exist in confidential records, yet you knew what to do against them immediately¡­ I see you¡¯re quite knowledgeable about monsters.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. <<Medic>>. I guess I am.¡±


    Mid-sentence, Tsutomu swiftly released a quickshot <<Medic>>, sessfullynding it on Leon. Orbis, observing the green energy residue of the st that had flown past him, raised an eyebrow with amusement and twirled a finger in the air.


    ¡°Your skill shots are quite fast. Perhaps you¡¯ve added a spin to the projectile¡­ is that what sets you apart from the others? Theck of telegraphing makes it quite troublesome as well.¡±


    [He could even figure that out, huh¡­]


    Tsutomu, pointed out for adding a spin to his <<Medic>> shots to increase their velocity, internally marveled but proceeded to attempt other skills delivery methods like the regr shot and cement to aid Leon¡¯s recovery.


    ¡°Give it up.¡±


    However, his regr shots were easily anticipated and absorbed, and even attempts to ce a pick-up at Leon¡¯s feet were detected and disrupted. Moreover, with the enemy ranks containing Ogres that were evenrger than the Orcs, it was a battlefield where even shooting recovery skills out was a gamble that required a great deal of courage. Observing Orbis, who seemed ustomed to close quartersbat with Healers present, Tsutomu wore a vexed expression.


    ¡°Xeno, try to draw Orbis¡¯ attention. Amy, Leleia, Amira ¡ª attack from a safe distance. And Leon! Protect me, and I¡¯ll make sure I can heal you!¡±


    At Tsutomu¡¯s call, Leon managed a rough nod with tired eyes. Then Xeno readied his silver shield, and other Attackers also prepared their weapons.


    ¡°Here I go! <<COMBAT CRY>>!!¡±


    ¡°How annoying.¡±


    Though Orbis momentarily halted under the effect of Xeno¡¯s silver <<Combat Cry>>, it was not enough to distract him for long. During that moment, Amy, wielding dual swords, leaped at him, but her des could not prate Orbis¡¯ tree trunk-like arms.


    ¡°Gah! This is why I hate buff guys like you!¡± Amy eximed as she retreated from Orbis, whose transformation gave him an exaggeratedly muscr build akin to Bruno of the Security Team.


    Other Attackers and Tanks of Golden Tune and Scarlet Devil Squad also engaged, struggling against the powerful punches and kicks unleashed by Orbis¡¯ colossal limbs.


    While the Attackers were of high levels and possessed decent VIT, critical hits could lead to severe injuries or even instant death. And despite being experienced fighters from major ns, they seemed to have their hands full against Orbis, whose resilience was on the level of high-end monsters, and whose speed could not be underestimated. Additionally, the other monsters he had brought along were not going down as easily as usual, either.


    ¡°He¡¯s tough! Like, Bruno tough! So what now!?¡±


    ¡°His moves aren¡¯t perfect, so we¡¯ll have to chip away at him from a distance!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him hit you, though ¡ª it hurts like hell! Seriously!¡±


    ¡°The Ogres are tougher than I¡¯m used to, too!¡±


    Ignoring theints of the Explorers as they battled, Tsutomu observed Leon¡¯s standoff against Orbis while walking towards where the Healers were gathered. Orbis¡¯ fighting style indeed resembled Bruno¡¯s, head of the Security Team famous for possessing the unique skill <<Muscle Body>>.


    His punches were packed with enough power to make Xeno vomit, and his agility wasparable to Amy¡¯s. Moreover, he seemed decently adept at fighting multiple opponents, easily handling everyone except Leon. The surrounding Orcs and Ogres also seemed to mimic human-like movements when Orbis touched their necks, likely having received instructions from him.


    To make matters worse, Orbis seemed to also be receiving the effect of the marching band¡¯s buffs, making it difficult for healing skills tond unless they were of the quickshot type. The positioning of his monsters was cunning, increasing the likelihood of misfires. At least, it seemed impossible to heal Leon with regr shots.


    As Tsutomu pondered how to provide healing amidst observing the behavior of Orbis and the monsters, a small hand tugged at the hem of his robe. Turning around, he saw Eunice, her eyes red and swollen.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m leaving the rest to you!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    With those parting words, Eunice suddenly attempted to run off, but Tsutomu, in a spark of suspicion, quickly grabbed her hand. Caught off guard by the sudden halt, Eunice stumbled and fell, then promptly got back up.


    ¡°What¡¯re you doing!?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me? What are YOU even trying to achieve?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, you¡¯re the only one here who can heal Leon right now. So I¡¯m gonna go in and heal him directly. I¡¯ll do it like that Mobile Healer.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you insane? That¡¯s not something you can pick up and use right away. You¡¯ll just end up dead.¡±


    Lorena, the Healer of Silver Beast, had not acquired her ability to perform her trademark healing style overnight. While Eunice, with her decent Explorer track record for a Vulpeer, might have the potential to be a Mobile Healer, it was not something she could master immediately. With that fact pointed out to her, Eunice rubbed her eyes and then red at Tsutomu.


    ¡°Shut up!! You¡¯re being helpful, so it¡¯s none of your business ¡ª but for me¡­ the rest of us¡­ there¡¯s not much else we can do! We¡¯re not about to let him die here!¡±


    ¡°¡­Look, I know you all love him, but you could at least not let your emotions blind you.¡±


    The Healers seemed to have their spirits broken after having their healing attempts repeatedly intercepted and exploited. Eunice¡¯s suggestion, emerging amidst this desperate struggle, might have seemed like a brilliant idea to them. As Golden Tune¡¯s four Healers, filled with determination to do anything for Leon¡¯s sake, pleaded with Tsutomu, he let out a heavy sigh and thrust his staff forward toward Eunice.


    ¡°Even if the four of you go in at once, it¡¯ll achieve nothing. This n of yours clearly has ws, so first, go get input from the Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s¡­ uh, Cecilia, was it? She looks like she has something to say.¡±


    ¡°¡­B-but Leon¡¯s at his limit already! There¡¯s no time to talk! Please! I¡¯ll do anything, just heal him! If he doesn¡¯t get any healing soon, he¡¯s gonna die!¡±


    ¡°All right, all right, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Pushing away Eunice, who clung to him with tearful pleas, Tsutomu directed his staff toward Leon.


    [My quickshot can heal Leon without Orbis intercepting it. But then¡­]


    He was confident that with his level of proficiency, he could heal only Leon without inadvertently hitting Orbis or the monsters. However, the recovery amount from his quickshot-type skill was low, and it likely would not suffice for Leon¡¯s heavy injuries. There was a risk he might be killed before being fully healed.


    ¡°<<High Heal>>, <<High Heal>>, <<High Heal>>.¡±


    There was no time for honor and elegance. Tsutomu made up his mind and raised his White Staff high, unleashing his skills repeatedly, creating a massive wave of <<High Heal>> aura before him. This wide-area type of skill had been devised for the <<Medic>> skill to cancel Amira¡¯s <<Dragon Form>>.


    And so Tsutomu unleashed the wave of <<High Heal>>, directing it indiscriminately toward friend and foe alike. Most were taken aback by the sudden surge of green energy approaching, only to realize it was healing them. Everyone caught in the wave found their injuries mended. Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s Healers were astonished by Tsutomu¡¯s idea, but then they quickly followed suit, attempting to send their healing shots toward Leon.


    ¡°H-HEY!! What do you think you¡¯re doing!? You¡¯re healing the enemies too!¡±


    Eunice pped Tsutomu¡¯s back, and thetter replied in a nonchnt tone,


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I mean, Leon IS getting healed, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Tsutomu proceeded to cast another wave of energy, this time with the <<Medic>> skill.


    Indeed, Tsutomu¡¯s <<High Heal>> had restored all the wounds Orbis had sustained. Though it meant returning to square one, Leon was also being thoroughly healed in exchange. After following up with a massive wave of <<Medic>>, Tsutomu shouted out,


    ¡°Tanks! Carefully manage the monsters¡¯ aggro! Healers will be heavily targeted! Attackers, focus on taking down the monsters! Leave Orbis to us! And Leon! You should be feeling a bit better now! Make sure you defend me!¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s sudden indiscriminate healing left the Golden Tune Healers dumbfounded. The Tanks quickly realized that the monsters¡¯ attention had shifted away from them and began pulling aggro once again with <<Combat Cry>> and simr skills.


    ¡°This is getting troublesome.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! Thanks, Tsutomu! Don¡¯t you worry, I¡¯ll keep you safe!¡±


    Leon, now healed by Tsutomu and the Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s healers, smiled as he dashed with blinding speed andnded a three-hitbo on Orbis. His body, previously fatigued and struggling under the pressure of defending the Healers from Orbis, was now moving more freely, filled with strength. While Orbis also had his injuries mended and fatigue alleviated, neither side had gained a significant advantage. Leon was still tackling a challenging battle, but it was now a battle he had a chance of winning.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about hitting the monsters ¡ª I¡¯ve already healed them all anyway. Just make sure Leon gets the healing! Unlike in God¡¯s Dungeon, we don¡¯t have to win this fight with force alone. Reinforcements wille eventually ¡ª so for now, focus on keeping our allies alive!¡±


    ¡°A-all right!¡±


    Explorers of God¡¯s Dungeon always faced monsters with a five-person party. While cooperation with other parties was possible on normalyers, no more than a five-person party could attempt a boss battle. As a result, Healers tended to fear putting their team at a disadvantage by identallynding their skills on monsters.


    Here, however, victory did not hinge on strength alone. The Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s Healers understood this, but the Golden Tune¡¯s Healers still had difficulties grasping it. Their desire not to hinder Leon overshadowed their perspective, narrowing their logic when it came to him. That was, in fact, the reason why Tsutomu held a low opinion of the Golden Tune as a professional organization.


    ¡°If that¡¯s how you¡¯re going to y¡­ I suppose we ought to take our fight somewhere else.¡±


    As Healers began firing off healing skills without worrying about misfires, Orbis ced his hands on the ck scarf around his neck. Then, a flock of Wyverns descended from the sky, charging toward the Explorers.


    ¡°God damn, there¡¯s so many of them!¡±


    ¡°Now then¡­¡±


    Orbis, concealed within the flock of Wyverns, assumed a low crouching position and proceeded to sprint in the direction of the Royal Capital. Leon managed to keep up with his speed, but the others were left behind. <hr/>


    <


    >

 Chapter 232: Going On Ahead

    Chapter 232: Going On Ahead


    <


    >


    ¡°Minimize the destruction of buildings! Avoid using magic skills as much as possible!¡±


    ¡°This ain¡¯t no time to worry about that! The people¡¯s lives shoulde first!¡±


    ¡°Even if lives are saved, they¡¯ll die in poverty if their property and assets are gone! Are you going to help them with that!?¡±


    The monsters that appeared within the Royal Capital seemed to be densely packed against Brooklyn¡¯s Shield, driving the people southward with their sheer numbers. Meanwhile, Ealdred Crow and the Labyrinth Conquerors hadmenced their monster purge within the city.


    However, the Explorers, unustomed to urban warfare, struggled to avoid causing damage around them while fighting. Although they could handle the monsters themselves, coteral damage became a significant concern.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    In the midst of this chaos, Hannah, who had rushed out without waiting for Christia or Tsutomu¡¯s instructions, wore a pained expression. Seeing Hannah now regretting her impulsive action, Diniel shot her a weary nce.


    ¡°If you regret it that much, you should have refrained from doing it in the first ce.¡± ¡°¡­My body moved on its own, so I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±


    ¡°Is that brain in your head just for decoration?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ shut up, shut up, shut up! I couldn¡¯t help myself!¡±


    ¡°Now, now, calm down.¡±


    Daryl, soothing Hannah as they headed towards the center of the Royal Capital, asionally shot out <<Combat Cry>> and checked for any lurking monsters. Hannah, after taking a deep breath topose herself, nced ahead with determination in her eyes.


    ¡°But you know¡­ If I said I wasing to the Royal Capital, Teach probably wouldn¡¯t have let me.¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°¡­Diniel, don¡¯t you think Teach has been acting strange? He¡¯s¡­ too cold to others. No, it¡¯s not just that. He¡¯s¡­ kind of¡­ hard to understand, you know? In all my life, I¡¯ve never met anyone like him before.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be better off not understanding him.¡±


    ¡°I guess I was stupid to expect a proper answer from you¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you KNOW that you¡¯re stupid.¡±


    As Hannah gnawed on her lip at Diniel¡¯s blunt response, she turned to Daryl and Garm as if seeking help.


    ¡°Daryl, Sir Garm ¡ª has that thought ever crossed your minds before? Something¡¯s off about him. I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I DO think he¡¯s at least a little bit peculiar, yes,¡± Daryl, answering while minding how Garm would react, proceeded to continue speaking once he noticed there was not a stern gaze directed at him.


    ¡°He seems to be ignoring everything as much as possible if it¡¯s not rted to the God¡¯s Dungeon. I believe he¡¯s doing the same here ¡ª getting rid of those unrted to his sole interest. Conversely, for better or worse, those that have something to do with the God¡¯s Dungeon get a positive reaction from him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it! That¡¯s what I wanted to say!¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t think he¡¯s doing it because he enjoys it. After the Stampedest time, he looked genuinely sad seeing all those dead people¡­¡±


    Daryl had joined Absolute Helix as a founding member through a rmendation by Garm, and during the Stampede, he had observed Tsutomu closely as thetter was his n leader. Thus, Daryl had definitely observed Tsutomu¡¯s expression upon seeing the casualties.


    ¡°I saw him too!¡± Korinna spoke up in agreement, having been present at the scene then to nurse the injured. ¡°A truly cold-hearted person wouldn¡¯t react like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re not wrong, Miss Hannah ¡ª Sir Tsutomu does seem a bit different and aloof to others. But he¡¯s a kind soul, even if he doesn¡¯t show it openly. That¡¯s why Sir Garm remains loyal to him ¡ª or at least that¡¯s what I think ¡ª and I want to follow him, too.¡±


    ¡°W-Well, yeah, I think you¡¯re right. But¡­¡± Hannah seemed receptive to Daryl¡¯s argument, but then her expression twisted in difort. After some grumbling as if struggling to find the right words, she suddenly lifted her head.


    ¡°¡­B-But¡­ maybe he¡¯s been dealing with me just out of obligation! I¡¯m dumb, and I¡¯ve caused a lot of trouble¡­ If he finds someone smarter who can be a better evasion-based Tank, I know he¡¯ll get rid of me!¡±


    Hannah, prompted by Daryl¡¯s words, finally articted her deeply held concerns.


    Living together in the n House, she had an idea of what Tsutomu¡¯s true character was like. In her view, he was someone who would coldly discard those who were deemed unnecessary for conquering the God¡¯s Dungeon. Sensing this instinctively, Hannah had started practicing the difficult art of Magic Fist to prove her worth beyond just being an evasion-based Tank.


    But even after receiving praise from Melchor for mastering Magic Fist to some extent, Tsutomu¡¯s reaction was lukewarm. Unlike Hannah, Tsutomu did not show his emotions openly and advised her to act as she pleased. His distant attitude only fueled Hannah¡¯s anxiety further. Then Leleia¡¯s words became the final straw, fueling her insecurity and opposition toward Tsutomu.


    While she resented Tsutomu for his uncaring attitude toward civilian life, that was but one of many triggers. Her anxiety had gone over the line and exploded, and as a result, she felt inspired to go out of her way to help others with reckless abandon.


    Garm and Daryl, however, only exchanged puzzled nces in reaction to Hannah¡¯s outburst. Daryl, tilting his head slightly to catch every word Hannah said, listened intently, he wore a curious expression.


    ¡°Uh, no, he wouldn¡¯t do that. Right, Sir Garm?¡±


    ¡°¡­Tsutomu has always held you in high regard, Hannah. What are you so anxious about?¡±


    ¡°Huh!?¡±


    Seeing Hannah frozen in shock, Garm let out a sigh.


    ¡°He¡¯s not the kind of man to say it out loud, that¡¯s all. But if you growcent and stop putting in effort, well¡­ it might affect his progress down God¡¯s Dungeon.¡±


    ¡°¡­Does he really think about nothing but that Dungeon?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I don¡¯t understand how you feel, Hannah. I¡¯ve known Tsutomu the longest, but he can be secretive sometimes. He does things I don¡¯t always understand, and that can cause some unease. But his actions are decisive; if you follow him, things won¡¯t go wrong¡­¡± Midway through his words, Garm seemed to realize something, his expression tinged with guilt. ¡°¡­Of course, I do know that Tsutomu is ultimately a kind soul, as Daryl does. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be following him.¡±


    ¡°Sounds pretty sus to me,¡± Diniel suddenly said.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m speaking the truth.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re getting defensive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m speaking the truth!¡±


    As Garm and Diniel began to argue, Hannah watched them with eyes open wide. Daryl then gently patted Hannah¡¯s shoulder and offered her a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Just apologize to him foring here without permission. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll forgive you ¡ª and you have my support, too. He¡¯s not the way he is because he likes to be, and if he was going to get rid of you, he wouldn¡¯t have let use along. It¡¯s going to be alright.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine! I¡¯ll apologize too! Maybe he¡¯s still feeling guilty for that time he forgot to consider me a Healer ¡ª well, if we push him there, you¡¯ll get through the talk just fine! So don¡¯t worry about that for now, and focus on rescuing everyone!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­.¡±


    With Korinna proposing to manipte the situation with rather dubious intentions, Daryl chuckled wryly and encouraged the nearly tearful Hannah. Then, after calming down Garm and Diniel, who were still arguing as they moved, they continued searching for remaining monsters and aiding the injured within the Royal Capital.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    ¡°Now this is a problem¡­¡± Weiss, carrying Meena, whose limbs were crushed, muttered as he observed the gathering crowd near the Shield.


    He had been aware, thanks to Christia¡¯s report, that monsters had appeared within the Royal Capital, but he had not anticipated such arge gathering of civilians.


    As Meena appeared to be a young human girl at a nce, it would be troublesome if the civilians were to spot her. However, either House Kantjelucia or Babenberg¡¯s Shield magic was essential to actually restrain Meena, and as such, Weiss had no choice but to go toward where the civilians were.


    Weiss temporarily concealed Meena with his ck robe and headed towards Christia, who was giving instructions from the air.


    ¡°Weiss, is that¡­¡±


    ¡°Someone from Orbis Church ¡ª the smaller one. I captured her alive. The idea is to keep her restrained, but¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be a good look if the public saw her. Would we be better off killing her now?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, the information she holds is valuable. You did well to capture her. I¡¯ll call Babenberg over here. Weiss, wait here until she¡¯s properly restrained.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Weiss, being fairly famous even before the emergence of the God¡¯s Dungeon, was known by many in the Royal Capital. Despite the slightmotion among the civilians as they looked at him from a distance, Weiss remained expressionless.


    Before long, the head of House Babenberg emerged from within the city¡¯s Shield and began erecting multipleyers of Shield magic around Meena, who was kept shrouded in the ck robe. Master Babenberg¡¯s Shields, despite the drawback of them being connected to his sensory perception, could be imbued with various functions. Hence, coloring the Shield to conceal Meena was easily aplished.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need someone to keep her in check. I¡¯ll stay here and make sure she behaves.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. I appreciate that¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. But if things get dicey outside, I¡¯ll kill her ande out to help. Surely you wouldn¡¯t mind that, Christia.¡±


    ¡°Right. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    Considering Master Babenberg¡¯s Shields had already been breached once by Meena, merely confining her inside was no longer an option. However, with Weiss¡¯ abilities being advantageous against Meena, he could easily restrain her even if she woke up and became unruly. Thus, Weiss also decided to keep himself within the Shield¡¯s perimeter to keep watch.


    ¡°And If the situation INSIDE gets dicey, don¡¯t hesitate to kill her.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    With that order by Christia, Weiss entered the Shield¡¯s perimeter with Meena. Within the dark isted space, wide enough for close quartersbat, the sounds from outside seemed muffled. Just before the Shield closedpletely, Weiss lit up the darkness with a Lightning Magic Stone-fueled magic tool.


    As soon as the Shield closed, plunging them into darkness akin to night, Meena, shrouded in a ck robe, began to squirm.


    ¡°Stop it. Don¡¯t hit me. I¡¯m not moving anymore,¡± Meena promptly said as Weiss grabbed his war hammer and stood up, managing to get him to sit back down.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Meena proceeded to stick out just her face from the ck robe as if to take in some air.


    ¡°Can¡¯t believe I got caught like this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s gonna happen to me now?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone ignores me. I hate it.¡±


    Weiss, returning to his usual demeanor, ced his war hammer back on the ground, and Meena buried her face in the ck robe. Without uttering a word in reaction to Meena¡¯s cries, Weiss remained seated.


    The only sounds echoing within the Shield¡¯s perimeter were Weiss¡¯ inspections of his weapons, mainly his longsword and crossbow. Then, after a while, a deafening roar resounded from outside the Shield. <hr/>


    <


    >

 Chapter 233: Sharing the Black Staff

    Chapter 233: Sharing the ck Staff


    <


    >


    Absolute Helix, Golden Tune, and Scarlet Devil Squad, after annihting the flock of Wyverns, were now healing themselves and checking the damages to their equipment.


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re done over there now.¡±


    Tsutomu gazed from afar at the Elder Bone Tortoise, now fallen to the ground with its shell split open, and the Mount Golem, white as burnt charcoal after exhausting all its energy. In Live Dungeon, the Elder Bone Tortoise was a monster designed around utilizing steam stored within its shell forbat. However, since its shell had been swapped with what could be considered a portable Dungeon, it was never going to pose much of a threat, as far as Tsutomu could see.


    Of course, it being a mobile Dungeon was a challenge in itself, but Tsutomu found the idea of its colossal body hurtling toward the Explorers like a meteor far more terrifying. The experience was still vivid in his mind ¡ª thinking that he had already won when the Elder Bone Tortoise flipped over, his raiding party at the time was then decimated by that surprise attack.


    With the Dungeon it had been carrying on his back now destroyed, the spawning of monsters hade to an end. The monsters around, including the Fire Dragons and Shell Crabs, were being picked off one after another, so it seemed that the battlefield was starting to calm down a decent bit.


    Still, even the Mount Golem, which had its power boosted from the start with fire-based skills, nowy burnt out and white as ash. Presumably, due to prolonged activity since its initial boost, its body could not withstand the strain, resulting in its current state. Tsutomu had already known that applying fire skills would shorten the time it could move swiftly, but witnessing such a state was a first for him.


    Its drooping, motionless form exuded a sense of mncholy, and Tsutomu thought that by now, Rook might be shedding tears. However, unlike Shell Crabs, it could not be eaten, so Tsutomu did not particrly care.


    ¡°So,¡± Amira asked as she approached Tsutomu, ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re pursuing them, of course,¡± he replied, casting a slightly annoyed nce at the distant Shield, ¡°Looks like the monsters in the distance aren¡¯t making a move, so¡­¡±


    The monsters that had been continuously generated by the Elder Bone Tortoise were lurking in the distance, waiting patiently, showing no signs of movement. The sight of a group of monsters lying in wait was eerie, but presumably, the Summoners of Ealdred Crow would deal with them.


    ¡°Golden Tune and Scarlet Devil Squad ¡ª I¡¯d like all of you toe as well,¡± Tsutomu called out to the two ns, the former group still dumbfounded by how their leader had acted so recklessly, and thetter calmly talking among themselves. ¡°Most of the other Explorers have probably been mobilized against the monsters within the Royal Capital, so we¡¯re going to need all the power we can get here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, boss, whatever you say,¡± Alma snickered and swiped her lustrous ck hair, prompting Tsutomu to snicker right back at her before flying away after Amira, Xeno, Leleia, and Amy.


    Confirming that both ns were following him, Tsutomu administered <<Heal>> and <<Medic>> spells once more to his n¡¯s members. As he drank a Blue Potion, Alma, flying in the group right behind him, upped her speed and approached him.


    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that a Potion from the Forest Apothecarydy?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, it is. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m about to run out of energy too. Care to share?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Tsutomu replied with only silence as Alma yfully extended her hand.


    Then he lightly nudged Alma¡¯s hand away, prompting her to stare him down with eyes full of crocodile tears.


    ¡°Aww, c¡¯mon, help a girl out! How else am I gonna keep sting out my meteors?¡±


    ¡°A ck Mage who can¡¯t even manage their own mental energy isn¡¯t much more than dead weight, so feel free to sit back and take it easy.¡±


    ¡°What!? Remember, my level is still higher than yours¨C¡± Alma retorted, feeling that she had been rebuffed in a not-so-subtle manner, then quickly stopped herself and raised her voice, ¡°¡­I mean, that¡¯s not the point!¡±


    Then, intending to offer the ck Staff, she held it out toward Tsutomu, who cautiously avoided its trajectory.


    ¡°¡­What were you going do with that? Smack me in the head?¡±


    ¡°What!? No, of course not! Since I¡¯m out of energy, I¡¯m going to let you borrow it!!¡± Alma shouted again as she approached Tsutomu and forcibly pressed the ck Staff into his hands.


    As Tsutomu observed the staff, the embedded gems of which began to glow the moment he touched it, Alma rested her hands on her hips as if she were about to start a lecture.


    ¡°Look, you only get to have it while I wait for my energy toe back! Until then, make good use of it! ¡­And what¡¯s with the assumption that I was going to attack you!? Are you still salty at me or what!? Sure, I messed up, but being disliked by you makes my Explorer career harder than it needs to be, too!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ignoring Alma¡¯s rant, Tsutomu gestured to the other members of the Scarlet Devil Squad for confirmation. It seemed they had already discussed the matter of the ck Staff, as Cecilia and the others smiled wryly and nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Remember, you¡¯re just BORROWING it! And a little gratitude wouldn¡¯t hurt either!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, thanks.¡±


    ¡°¡­See, that wasn¡¯t so hard!¡±


    Turning his gaze away from Alma, who continued to mutterints as she flew away, Tsutomu focused on the ck Staff he got to hold in his hands for the first time in about six months.


    ¡°Amy, one second.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm?¡±


    ¡°Can you try appraising this again?¡±


    Calling Amy over as she spun around with her hands spread wide, Tsutomu had her check out the ck Staff again. Now that her Appraisal skill level had increased since the first time she appraised it, perhaps more of the ck Staff¡¯s properties would be revealed this time around. Amy stared at the ck Staff in Tsutomu¡¯s hands, humming thoughtfully, then her eyes widened suddenly.


    ¡°Huh, so it¡¯s got more powers?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I kinda figured this was the case when I looked at it ¡°


    Pretending to be oblivious, Tsutomu listened to Amy¡¯s appraisal, then he tried using the staff to cast <<Haste>> on her. The Support Stack effect from one of the Treasure Tools attached to the ck Staff made the enhancement effects of his support skills additive; now the targets would gain buffs from both the marching band and his skills instead of the one with the greater effect overriding the other. Since the band¡¯s performance was ongoing, their support effect was continuous, meaning Amy¡¯s AGI was now getting boosted by two levels.


    Amy felt even lighter as she began to spin joyfully while flying. Tsutomu proceeded to cast the stacking support effects, limiting them only to the five of his Absolute Helix members for now. Then, a woman from Golden Tune approached him. She came with a bashful bow, her silver-furred fox ears folding nervously as she addressed Tsutomu.


    ¡°U-uh, excuse me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, um¡­ Milway, was it?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes. Sorry for being sudden, but could you help us with something?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°¡­I was hoping you could give Eunice some encouragement, you see¡­¡±


    Tsutomu tilted his head at her words and waved his hand in reluctance.


    ¡°To be frank, I think asking me to do that would produce the opposite of the intended effect.¡±


    ¡°W-Well, that¡¯s fair ¡ª she sees you as a rival and isn¡¯t usually very kind to you. But whenever she sees you on the Pedestals, it¡¯s like¡­ it looks like she actually respects you, you know? So¡­! If you encourage her, it might actually work out!¡±


    ¡°..Okay, calm down. And first things first, let me ask you why you want me to do this ¡ª are Eunice and the others feeling down or something?¡±


    Showing a willingness to listen, Tsutomu gestured to the visibly nervous Milway, who began to sweat profusely and tremble as she recounted the recent events.


    It seemed that before Tsutomu¡¯s arrival on the scene, Leon had been busy defending the Healers as Orbis had been targeting them, resulting in a lot of strain on him. In the process, he had been hit by minor attacks several times, eventually getting himself pushed into a corner.


    During this time, four Healers had been unable to do anything but flee ¡ª and they were being a burden to Leon, even, as the trajectories of their healing skills had been predicted and intercepted by Orbis. Faced with a sense of helplessness, the Healers could only reliably heal the otherbatants, leaving Leon to cope with his injuries.


    Listening to the summary of the battle from the distressed Milway, Tsutomu crossed his arms and looked down at her. He proceeded to encourage her with a nudge on her back from his ck Staff, and then he headed over to where Eunice was.


    ¡°Hey, Eunice.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Eunice, feeling humiliated from being a burden to Leon, turned to Tsutomu with a feral gaze. Tsutomu poked her with the tip of his ck Staff. Eunice, expecting to hear insults, widened her eyes in surprise, and she recoiled in confusion.


    ¡°S-seriously, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°I need you to do something ¡ª something only you can do. Now listen¡­¡±


    While creating some sort of shape with a <<Barrier>>, Tsutomu proposed a n to Eunice, who gradually began to listen intently, her initial confusion turning into seriousness. Seeing Eunice like this, Milway looked relieved, and Amy at her side tapped her shoulder, encouraging her.


    Alma, on the other hand, was horrified when Tsutomu handed the ck Staff over to Eunice. She was about to go andin but was stopped by herpanions.


    ¡°Whoa, what the f¨C Hey! You guys! STOP THE HELL RIGHT THERE!!¡±


    ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m sure he knows what he¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re one tough nut to crack!¡±


    Discarding the long sword that had been rendered useless after countless attempts at breaking through Orbis¡¯ defenses, Leon reached into his Magic Bag for a recement weapon and threw himself into the fray once more. Amidst fending off Leon¡¯s lightning-fast attacks, even challenging for the reflexes of a monster, Orbis had made his way to the city¡¯s Shield, near where the civilians were gathered.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s Orbis?¡± Brooklyn, managing the Shield, murmured quietly, noting the vastly different appearance of Orbis from before.


    Her gaze upon Orbis from within the Shield carried no hint of anger; rather, she seemed more concerned with Leon, whose movements her eyes could not quite follow, her expression troubled.


    Leon, upon arrival, was somewhat shocked by the low number of Explorers left in the Royal Capital as a result of the monster purge. Currently, there were only about ten of them gathered here, including the members of Labyrinth Conquerors and Ealdred Crow.


    ¡°This guy¡¯s tough as nails, like some kind of Ogre! And he hits HARD ¡ª even a Tank would feel it! Oh, and don¡¯t heal me! He¡¯ll just intercept the shots!¡±


    ¡°Oh my, we have quite a crowd here as well.¡±


    While fending off Leon¡¯s attacks with his durability and the reflexes of monsters, Orbis observed the people gathered within the Shield. cing a hand on his neck, he also nced towards the ck-obscured Shield perimeter in the distance.


    ¡°Whoa there¡­¡±


    Orbis caught an arrow flying towards him from behind with his left hand. Surprised by how the arrow was vibrating in his hand as if it were about totch onto him, Orbis promptly crushed it.


    ¡°They¡¯re almost done sweeping the monsters in the Capital now. Keep stalling,¡± Christia continued to issuemands from the air and released a second shot.


    ¡°What a troublesome bunch¡­¡±


    Orbis, grabbing handfuls of earth with his giant hands, scattered them around like shotgun pellets. Leon, having anticipated this attack, quickly moved out of range, while Christia defended herself with <<Barrier>>.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time¡­¡±


    Orbis, looking tired as he gazed up at the sky, ced a hand on his neck and cracked its joints. Then, blocking Leon¡¯s attack with his thick arm, he kicked up the ground. <hr/>


    <


    >

 Chapter 234: Divine Favor

    Chapter 234: Divine Favor


    <


    >


    Orbis looked up at the sky, where a flock of Carrier Birds, monsters with talonsrge enough to grasp an adult man with ease, was descending. These beasts, with their formidable wings and powerful bodies, were notorious for their cunning, killing their prey by dropping them from great heights.


    The flock, gliding through the air, clutched goblins and orcs in their talons, hurtling towards Orbis. Christia, along with other ck Mages, shot down the Carrier Birds, but they could not get them all, and some monstersnded on the ground. Meanwhile, therger group of monsters in the distance showed no sign of moving.


    ¡°Leon and I will hold Orbis off. Everyone else, exterminate the monsters,¡± Christiamanded.


    ¡°Man, I wish you¡¯d at least give me something easier!¡±


    ¡°You waste too much effort. Focus on the enemy in front of you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Easier said than done,¡± Leon, grumbling at Christia¡¯s blunt criticism, eyed Orbis, who loomed with a massive frame.


    Unlike typical monsters driven by aggro mechanics, Orbis¡¯ thought process was that of a human, making his attacks unpredictable. Only a Tank could withstand Orbis¡¯ direct hits; a Healer would be killed instantly, and an Attacker would suffer severe injuries even if they avoided a critical hit. A Healer¡¯s rtively low physical status ratings made it difficult to react to Orbis¡¯s movements, so they had to rely on Attackers or Tanks for protection.


    Leon, with his AGI at S rank, was capable of saving those targeted by Orbis. However, Orbis anticipated Leon¡¯s interventions, leading to a challenging battle. Seeing Leon still distracted by the surrounding Explorers, Christia loosed a green arrow at him. The arrow, aimed with precision, embedded itself deeply in Leon¡¯s back.


    ¡°Hey, that the¨C!? ¡­Wait, it doesn¡¯t hurt?¡±


    ¡°That was a <<Heal>> spell.¡±


    Christia had mimicked Tsutomu¡¯s quickshot skill, using an arrow-shaped <<Heal>> shot on Leon. She proceeded to point her iron arrows at Orbis. Her centuries ofbat experience and the immense power of her bow, crafted from the Devourer Dragon, made her strikes formidable. Orbis, despite his Tank-like endurance, was forced to take flight under the barrage of arrows.


    ¡°To havee this far without divine favor is¡­ impressive, to say the least,¡± Orbis called out as he approached.


    ¡°Divine favor¡­?¡± Christia muttered, straining to draw her bowstring tight enough to split her fingers.


    The sheer power of her arrow, loose with unerring uracy, struck Orbis in the shoulder.


    ¡°HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE GROUND!¡±


    In the air, Orbis could not utilize his muscr strength effectively. Wounded by the arrow in his shoulder, he faltered. Leon seized the opportunity, diving from above and driving his sword into Orbis, sending them both plummeting to the ground. The massive Orbis crashed into the earth with a thunderous impact, sending shockwaves through the vicinity.


    ¡°Tch!¡±


    Even after being mmed into the ground, Orbis swiftly swung his massive arm. Leon evaded the blow, but sharp ws emerged from the earth, forcing him to twist his body and leap into the air. But then, a Carrier Bird targeted him from above, prompting Leon to speedily dart away.


    ¡°Whoa¨C!¡±


    ¡°Dammit! He¡¯s never letting me take a break, huh!?¡±


    But if Leon distanced himself too much, Orbis would immediately target someone else,pelling him to close the gap again. With Orbis and other monsters simultaneously attacking, Leon had to yank a vulnerable Attacker out of harm¡¯s way, repositioning them as if he were doing a magic trick.


    Orbis anticipated Leon¡¯s interventions, exploiting this knowledge to make the battle increasingly difficult.


    ¡°If you abandon the notion of getting through this without casualties, we¡¯ll have a good chance at victory,¡± Christia remarked.


    ¡°Hell nah! Better if no one dies!¡± Leon retorted.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Seeing that Leon¡¯s speed was only useful for evasion, Christia decided to give up on defeating Orbis for now. She switched to hindering Orbis¡¯ movements with her arrows, preventing him from acting as he wished.


    Christia¡¯s new strategy was to buy time. Reinforcements, including nearly a hundred Explorers, members of the Scarlet Devil Squad, Absolute Helix, and Golden Tune, would soon arrive from the Royal Capital. Until then, they needed to hold the line.


    Freed from the intense pursuit, Orbis nced at the Royal Capital¡¯s residents watching intently from behind the barriers. Thousands of monster corpses littered the area, with more being felled by the Explorers, forming gruesome piles.


    Orbis touched the scarf around his neck and then checked on Meena, trapped within the ck Shield perimeter. Afterward, after swatting away an arrow flying at him, he fixed his gaze on the castle.


    ¡°Let us begin.¡±


    As Orbis murmured these words, thousands of monsters, previously in wait, began to move all at once. At the same moment, numerous Explorers reached the battlefield.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    [What an ominous feeling.]


    The overwhelming horde of monsters suddenly stirred behind the ranks of the Explorers. The battlefield, with Orbis at its center, teemed with too many monsters to control aggro effectively. As such, Tsutomu quickly called out to hisrades,


    ¡°Xeno, Leleia. Head to where Orbis is and buy us some time. Amy and Amira, you¡¯re with me.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to us. Now, Leleia, make haste!¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine. I understand.¡±


    Xeno cheerfully beckoned Leleia, who grudgingly followed. Tsutomu watched them for a moment, then nced at the Scarlet Devil Squad and Golden Tune behind him.


    ¡°The rest of you, follow Miss Christia¡¯s lead.¡±


    ¡°Leave the monsters to us.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what you got!¡±


    Tsutomu gave a quick nod to the burly Attackers of the Scarlet Devil Squad and then called out to Eunice, who was among the Golden Tune.


    ¡°With the Scarlet Devil Squad and Golden Tune here, Leon will have some breathing room. Once Leon can move freely, Eunice, you head over to where we are.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Eunice, wiping the tear marks from her eyes and perking up her fox ears, responded without a hint of her usual sarcasm. After confirming with Eunice, Tsutomu took the ck Staff and ascended into the air, casting multiple <<Medic>> shots at Leon.


    ¡°Whoa¨C!¡± Leon, hit by the shots on his back, let out a surprised shout as his stamina significantly recovered.


    With the ck Staff enhancing his healing power, Tsutomu¡¯s <<Medic>> shots were highly effective.


    Next, Tsutomu cast <<Heal>> on the others, the spell shots weaving through the battlefield like living creatures, dodging monsters and reaching the Explorers, restoring their strength. With dozens of Tanks drawing the monsters¡¯ attention, Tsutomu could heal without bing a target.


    ¡°¡­Creepy,¡± muttered Amira as she followed Tsutomu.


    She watched as his myriad skills, in various forms, hit the Explorers with uncanny precision, never striking a monster by mistake. The battlefield was chaotic, with nearly forty Explorers, including the Scarlet Devil Squad and Golden Tune, facing hundreds of monsters.


    Despite the chaos, Tsutomu¡¯s skillsnded wlessly on the Explorers. Amira, ustomed to seeing Tsutomu heal in smaller, five-person parties, was taken aback by his efficiency in thisrger, more chaotic setting.


    Considering the fact that they were in a group of around forty, his handling of the situation was exceptional. The skills were flying as if they had a mind of their own, dodging monsters with eerie precision ¡ª but before Amira could be impressed, she felt a shiver of unease.


    ¡°I can hear you, you know?¡± Tsutomu responded to her mutteredment.


    He cast <


    > and <<Haste>> on Xeno and Leleia as they reached Orbis¡¯ location. The music from the marching band yed continuously, boosting the explorers¡¯ powers, so Tsutomu¡¯s buffs were not strictly necessary. However, the ck Staff allowed support effects to stack, so his buffs could beyered on top of the music¡¯s effects.


    Tsutomu¡¯s <<Heal>>, <<Medic>>, <


    >, and <<Haste>> all came in different colors, putting on a light show as they were guided precisely to their targets. Amy watched the disy with a grin.


    ¡°¡­Herees another nuisance.¡±


    The way Tsutomu¡¯s shy support and healing spells filled the sky drew Orbis¡¯s attention. As the only entity not driven by aggro, Orbis naturally feltpelled to eliminate the one providingrge-scale support. But Christia was aware of this and kept Orbis distracted with her powerful arrows.


    And now, thanks to Orbis being distracted, Leon gained some breathing room. With the increase in Explorer numbers, they managed to control the monsters¡¯ movements better, keeping a safe distance from Orbis. This reduced the asions where Leon had to create openings by rescuing others.


    ¡°Tsutomu!¡± Eunice called out as she approached, noticing Leon¡¯s improved situation. Tsutomu descended to the ground and lightly nted the tip of the ck Staff into the earth. <hr/>


    <


    >

 Chapter 235: Flying Skills, Dumpling Skills

    Chapter 235: Flying Skills, Dumpling Skills


    <


    >


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°All right¡­ Leon, let¡¯s talk strategy,¡± Tsutomu greeted Leon as he arrived with Eunice.


    As he proceeded to speak, Tsutomu cast <<High Heal>> on Xeno, who had been sent flying by Orbis¡¯ powerful blow. He then directed Amy and Amira toward Orbis while clutching the ck Staff that he had nted into the ground, preparing to discuss their strategy.


    ¡°With me being the one providing most of the healing and support, I¡¯ll start pulling too much aggro soon enough. We need to do something about that.¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s aggressive support and healing, boosted by the power of the ck Staff, as well as Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s Cecilia and the other Healers, were maintaining the battle¡¯s bnce. However, this heavy reliance on Tsutomu¡¯s abilities was bing a liability. If he continued at this pace, not only would Orbis target him, but the monsters would as well.


    Although Leon¡¯s team had grown in number, making their situation less dire, it was still challenging to cast healing skills to those fighting Orbis.


    Orbis¡¯ rtive familiarity with battling Explorers and ability to absorb support and healing skills made it dangerous for Healers to get too close. If given the opportunity, he would even intercept <<Heals>> sent to Explorers fighting other monsters, using his enhanced muscles to move with explosive speed, making things a nightmare for the Healers in general.


    In this situation, Tsutomu, with his mastery of quickshot-type skills, was the only one capable of providing support to Explorers within Orbis¡¯ range. While Christia also had the potential, her focus was better ced on leadership and powerful archery. Relying solely on Tsutomu for support within Orbis¡¯ range, while perfectly viable in the short term, would eventually draw too much aggro from the monsters, getting him targeted. In turn, their defenses would run the risk of copsing ¡ª as such, another Healer was needed to pick up the ck.


    If a skilled Channeler were avable, they could rece Tsutomu, but neither the elite Scarlet Devil Squad nor Leon¡¯s Golden Tune family currently had one. While Korinna or some of Ealdred Crow¡¯s top members could provide a substitute, they presently had their hands full controlling the chaos in the Royal Capital and were thus unavable.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make Eunice the secondary healer for Orbis countermeasures,¡± Tsutomu dered.


    Leon looked a bit surprised, while Eunice pressed her lips together and froze.


    Had Stephanie been here, Tsutomu might have assigned her the role, but like the Channelers, she was also deployed in the monster-purging operations in the Royal Capital. Given the current battle conditions, Tsutomu judged that Eunice¡¯s abilities were well-suited to the task.


    Leon, still wide-eyed, watched as Tsutomu clumsily enveloped a <<Heal>> wisp with a <<Barrier>> and held it out.


    ¡°Leon, distribute these¡­ ¡®dumplings¡¯ that Eunice makes to everyone. This will allow her to heal the team and reduce the burden on my support. By creating these dumpling skills while holding the ck Staff, their effectiveness will significantly increase, making things much easier.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why you two are sharing the ck Staff, huh?¡±


    Leon rubbed his chin as he observed the pair holding the ck Staff. Eunice, however, had turned away from Tsutomu, gripping the staff with her fluffy tail, giving no impression of camaraderie.


    In Live Dungeon, weapon sharing would be impossible, but in this world, the ck Staff worked just fine with both of them holding it. Thus, while Eunice used it to enhance her dumpling skills, Tsutomu could simultaneously amplify his quickshot skills.


    While Eunice molded dumplings with both hands, her golden-furred tail clutching the ck Staff, she shot an irritated nce at Tsutomu before quickly turning to Leon.


    ¡°I want to be closer to you, Leon,¡± she said, looking up at him with a coy expression.


    ¡°Well, this is awkward,¡± Leon replied, scratching his head, though he did not seem entirely displeased as Eunice continued to produce dumpling <<Heals>> and <<Medics>>.


    Tsutomu wrinkled his nose at the overly sweet atmosphere between the so-called prince and princess. He then turned to Leon, who had just received a skill dumpling from Eunice.


    ¡°If Orbis targets us, we¡¯ll be relying on you to carry us away like you did earlier.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Leave it to me!¡±


    ¡°If I have to, I¡¯ll use him as bait and escape, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Eunice added nonchntly.


    Ignoring her, Tsutomu fired another shot of <<Haste>> at Leleia, who was engaged in battle with Orbis.


    With the two-level <<Haste>> effect boosting her, Leleia¡¯s sword strikes became a blur as she kept Orbis at bay. This allowed Amira, wielding a greatsword, to close in for a powerful blow.


    Before she couldnd the strike, however, Orbis stepped into her range and swatted her away with his thick arm. Amira managed to break her fall, but contrary to expectations, Orbis did not pursue her, instead blowing away Leleia¡¯s Spirit magic with a punch.


    [¡­For some reason, he¡¯s going easy on Amira.]


    Had it been anyone else lying on the ground, Orbis would likely have crushed their skull. From his distant vantage point, Tsutomu could see that Orbis was serious about killing Xeno, Leleia, and Amy. Orbis¡¯ calcted moves against the other Explorers suggested he had strategies tailored for each of them, putting both Tanks and Attackers in a tough spot.


    [Looks like he has some special tricks up his sleeve for those with unique skills, like Leon.]


    Tsutomu sensed murderous intent in Orbis¡¯ actions, akin to PvP yers in Live Dungeon who would exploit every weakness to kill their opponents.


    Orbis¡¯ raw strength was enhanced by his strategic targeting of Explorers¡¯ vulnerabilities ¡ª aiming for critical spots with weak VIT protection and absorbing White Mages¡¯ healing skills.


    Moreover, he changed up his moves depending on the Job of the Explorer he was engaging, and likely had even thought up countermeasures against specific individuals, too. The explorers facing him knew that a single misstep could be fatal. The Tanks, though avoiding lethal injuries, struggled under the relentless assault, while the Attackers could not find an opening against Orbis¡¯ deadly speed and power, even when outnumbering him.


    Yet, Orbis seemed to be holding back against Amira, a subtlety only noticeable from outside the heat of battle. Fortunately, Amira had not realized this, which gave Tsutomu some relief. If she knew, she would undoubtedly make reckless moves.


    [Now then¡­ He should be done passing the stuff around by now.]


    Tsutomu watched Leon move with incredible speed, handing out the dumpling skills to the Explorers. With that taskplete, Tsutomu redirected his focus, reserving his quickshot skills to provide support and healing for Leleia, Amira, Amy, and Xeno.


    As Eunice finished creating a batch of dumpling skills, she ascended to get a better view of the battlefield, inadvertently pulling Tsutomu up with her as he held onto the ck Staff with his left hand.


    ¡°Hey, stop pulling me down! You fly too!¡±


    ¡°You were the one who shot up suddenly. If making skill dumplings in mid-air was efficient, I¡¯d have youe up here from the start.¡±


    ¡°¡­Shut up! I¡¯m trying to concentrate, so stop talking!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    Unable to retort any further, Eunice bit her lip and focused on the Explorers below. Tsutomu sighed, observing the battle while considering what to do if Eunice were to be unavable.


    Encasing support and healing skills like <<Medic>> and <<Haste>> in a transparent <<Barrier>> to prevent their dispersion ¡ª a technique Tsutomu had dubbed the dumpling skill ¡ª required a great deal of precision. Eunice had adopted this as her primary tactic in God¡¯s Dungeon.


    Having mastered all the skills Tsutomu taught her, Eunice could use the quickshot-type skill without issue and even hit Leon with <<Haste>> while thetter was in motion. Watching Tsutomu support Leon with quickshot skills during their coboration in the Volcanoyers, Eunice had practiced the technique herself.


    However, maintaining continuous support with quickshots, like Tsutomu could, remained a challenge for Eunice. Although a quickshot skill flew at the velocity of a firearm¡¯s bullet, its lower potency necessitated a higher frequency of use. Eunice was able tond them on Leon about half the time at best.


    To address this, Eunice had devised the dumpling skill, enabling her to provide sustained support by giving Leon the dumplings. Despite its effectiveness, however, the dumpling skill was not highly regarded among White Mages.


    Crafting small, spherical <<Barriers>> required considerable skill maniption, and the enclosed <<Heal>>¡¯s effectiveness diminished over time. The cost of mental energy was significant, and opportunities to use it were limited, leaving Eunice as its primary practitioner.


    ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    Eunice exhaled to focus, mentally organizing the nearly eighty <<Heals>> and <<Medics>> she had encapsted in <<Barriers>>. Then she targeted the Explorers who had been knocked down by Orbis¡¯s blows, aligning her trembling fingers.


    Green energy clouds circted through the injured Explorers, healing their internal injuries. Meanwhile, Leon pocketed new dumplings and moved to intercept Orbis.


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re working pretty well.¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course they are.¡±


    Though she likely could not keep track of all eighty skill dumplings, Eunice seemed to have a rough sense of their locations. As Orbis and the monsters attacked, the <<Barriers>> tucked in the Explorers¡¯ pockets and hoods deactivated one by one, releasing their effects.


    Tsutomu watched Eunice¡¯s dumpling skill in action, impressed by her ability to heal effectively in realbat. Earlier, when discussing the strategy, Eunice hadined that managing dumpling skills for arge group was impossible. But now, she seemed to be handling it quite well.


    [Well, I figured she could manage. She¡¯s got a knack for this.]


    Tsutomu had firsthand experience with Eunice¡¯s quick learning ability from her training days. Despite her personality being difficult to handle, she possessed natural talent. Observing Golden Tune¡¯s battles from the Monitors, he noted that Eunice still had untapped potential. That was why he decided she could handle therge-scale use of the dumpling skills to provide support and healing.


    While continuously checking on the members of Absolute Helix and sending support to the four of them, Tsutomu monitored the overall battle situation. In addition to him and Eunice, Scarlet Devil Squad¡¯s Cecilia was coordinating the Healers, providing support to the Explorers fighting the monsters.


    The Explorers near Orbis, bolstered by Eunice¡¯s dumpling skill, managed to fight with some degree of ease. Though the situation was tough, it was not dire, making their position tenable.


    With the reinforcement of Absolute Helix and other Explorers, Orbis found himself on the defensive. Christia¡¯s arrows and Leon¡¯s swift attacks kept him off-bnce. However, both sides struggled tond a decisive blow, creating a deadlock.


    The most concerning issue was the army of monsters approaching from behind. Ideally, they needed to defeat Orbis and retreat within the city¡¯s Shield to regain their bearings, but that seemed difficult for now. Christia would likely be the one to make the call on that.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time we went back down. You gotta make more dumplings.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know.¡±


    ¡°Well, no need to be so nervous. If you mess up, I¡¯ll take over.¡±


    ¡°Sh-shut up! I can handle this myself!¡±


    Eunice¡¯s bravado did not fool Tsutomu, who could feel the trembling of her tail echoing through the ck Staff. He did not want to bother her, but he knew her nerves could lead to mistakes if left unchecked. To keep her calm, he offered asional reassurances and instructions.


    ¡°Ooh¡­ oof¡­¡±


    Then, as soon as theynded and Eunice began creating more dumplings, she clutched her chest and copsed, looking pale and sweating profusely. Her mental energy had clearly been exhausted.


    ¡°You got any Blue Potions?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Though mental exhaustion would not kill her, it brought a debilitating, almost death-like nausea. Seeing Eunice hunched over and unable to move, Tsutomu sighed. He pulled a vial of Blue Potion from his Magic Bag and brought it to her lips, tilting it gently.


    ¡°!!¡±


    Eunice clung her clips to the vial, drinking the potion greedily. Tsutomu intended to give her just a small amount, but she ended up gripping it with both hands, refusing to let go, much like a stubborn toddler with a milk bottle. Tsutomu looked down at her with an exasperated expression.


    ¡°Gah¡­!¡±


    Rejuvenated, Eunice released the vial and stared at Tsutomu with wide, bewildered eyes. He gave a slight nod, signaling her to resume creating the skill dumplings. Scowling, she returned to her work.


    Just then, Orbis charged, aiming to cut off the source of the dumpling skills. But Leon, anticipating this, grabbed both of them and whisked them away in an instant. Though carrying two people slowed Leon down, the speed was still impressive, leaving Tsutomu feeling as if they had teleported.


    ¡°Everyone, retreat! Fall back within the Shield!¡±


    For about five more minutes, Eunice¡¯s skill dumplings kept the situation under control. But with a massive horde of monsters closing in, Christia finally ordered the retreat. <hr/>


    <


    >

 Chapter 236: Wiping All Out

    Chapter 236: Wiping All Out


    <


    >


    Orbis did not pursue the retreating Explorers. Instead, he focused on deflecting the arrows shot by Christia. Tsutomu, having anticipated that Orbis wouldunch a strategically targeted attack like he did against Eunice earlier, wore a perplexed expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s with him? I was certain he would attack,¡± Eunice said, now holding the ck Staff with her left hand instead of her tail, her expression echoing Tsutomu¡¯s confused look as she flew beside him.


    ¡°¡­Who knows? He must have something nned.¡±


    The moment when the Shield was opened to let the Explorers in seemed like the perfect opportunity for Orbis to strike, yet he let it pass and retreated instead.


    ¡°¡­That guy obviously countered Leon¡¯s moves so effectively before. Why would someone like that miss such a golden opening? It makes no sense!¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Tsutomu gave a nomittal response as he took another look at the Shield perimeter.


    They surrounded the Royal Capital in multipleyers, opening one by one to let the Explorers inside for evacuation. Even afternding, Tsutomu and Eunice remained on guard, expecting an attack, but almost anticlimactically so, nothing even close to that happened.


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s the Potion I drank! You were just about to drink it, weren¡¯t you!?¡± Eunice eximed as she saw Tsutomu holding a vial. ¡°The one you chugged like a damned glutton is this other one, idiot.¡±


    ¡°You just want to share an indirect kiss with me!! Your intentions are crystal clear!! Even if not now, you¡¯ll definitely do itter!!¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up,¡± Tsutomu sighed.


    Their banter over Blue Potion highlighted the ease with which the Explorers were evacuating. Holding the untouched Blue Potion vial, Tsutomu looked down at Eunice, his disdain toward thetter¡¯s intrusive thoughts evident in his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault for running out of energy in the first ce. Can¡¯t you even say thanks for the Potion you DID drink? A White Mage over level seventy running out of energy like that is unheard of ¡ª or what, should I have just left you there?¡±


    ¡°Uh, w-well¡­ Sorry about that¡­¡±


    ¡°Ande to think of it, why didn¡¯t you support Leon with your dumplings from the start? Really, most of Golden Tune really turns their brains off when ites to him¡­ Maybe this is why you haven¡¯t been able to beat the Winter General yet.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know,¡± Eunice muttered, tears welling up in her eyes.


    Noticing that, Tsutomu crouched slightly to level his line of sight with Eunice¡¯s.


    ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t use the dumpling skill for multiple people at first. But you did it, didn¡¯t you? Sure, you¡¯re not as good a Healer as Stephanie or Lorena, but you¡¯ve ARE my student and even invented your own skill. You¡¯re a good enough Healer, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Eunice, her breath hitching, calmed herself and listened as Tsutomu continued.


    ¡°So, stop losing your head over Leon and strengthen your resolve. If you don¡¯t get a hold of yourself here and now, Leon is going to die. There will be times to use your dumplings again. When that timees, make sure to support Leon properly.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know.¡±


    Eunice, now looking wide awake, met Tsutomu¡¯s gaze. He proceeded to groan dismissively and turned away. He did not want to help her, but in this situation, not making her useful would put him at risk too. Eunice, angry at his reluctant advice, let go of the ck Staff and pounced on his back.


    ¡°Mark my words! I¡¯m definitely going to surpass you someday! Just you wait!¡± she shouted.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you say that way too much. I¡¯m not waiting,¡± Tsutomu replied, irritated despite her light weight as she clung to his back.


    In that state, they continued moving forward with the line, eventually making it inside the Shield perimeter.


    Inside the perimeter, alongside the citizens evacuated from the monster-infested Royal Capital, were members of Ealdred Crow and many other n members from the Labyrinth Conquerors. Over a hundred Explorers had gathered, including Stephanie, Pollux, Bittman, and the reinforcements sent to the Royal Capital such as Garm and Diniel.


    [Why is SHE staring at me?]


    Among the crowd, Hannah, hidden behind Daryl¡¯srge frame, kept sneaking nces at Tsutomu. Her fearful look, as if she expected a scolding, almost made Tsutomu lose hisposure. Stephanie, too, was watching with wide eyes, but Tsutomu did not notice as he was focused on Hannah.


    ¡°If I need to use the ck Staff again, I¡¯m counting on you,¡± Eunice said.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Eunice, still clinging to his back, gripped his white robe tightly. She leaned close to his ear and whispered in a faint voice,


    ¡°Also¡­ W-well, thanks.¡±


    ¡°¡­What was that? I couldn¡¯t hear you,¡± Tsutomu said, pretending not to have heard.


    ¡°Y-you know what!? Never mind!!¡± Eunice shouted suddenly, leaping off his back. She proceeded to stick out her tongue before running off towards the rest of Golden Tune.


    Tsutomu, rubbing his ringing ear, watched her go with a stern look. He then weaved his way through the crowd with the ck Staff and joined his Absolute Helix n members. Relieved to see that none of them were missing, he thanked Garm and Daryl for their protection.


    ¡°S-so, Sir Tsutomu, Hannah has something she wants to say¡­¡± Daryl said, looking anxious.


    ¡°Teach, I¡¯m sor¨C¡°


    ¡°Yeah, I bet are you,¡± Tsutomu interrupted, flicking her forehead.


    ¡°Ow¨C!?¡± Hannah yelped and clutched her forehead in pain.


    Surprised by the apparent force of his own flick, Tsutomu proceeded to turn around and try flicking Daryl¡¯s forehead as well.


    ¡°Gah¨C!? Why me, too!?¡±


    ¡°Because you were being reckless as well. But we¡¯ll discuss the detailster ¡ª for now, focus on dealing with themonster horde.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, sir.¡±


    Korinna, watching from behind with a hand over her mouth, seemed satisfied by this oue. But Amy, standing behind Hannah, had a mixed reaction as she saw Tsutomu flick Hannah¡¯s forehead. It was not discontent directed at Hannah, but rather some sort of unclear sentiment aimed at Tsutomu.


    Tsutomu proceeded to cast <<Heal>> on Hannah and Daryl, then looked at the approaching horde near the Shield¡¯s outeryer.


    ¡°Leleia and Diniel, you two should be able to respond quickly, so get ready. Also, we¡¯ve used up a lot of Blue Potions, so I¡¯ll refill them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Cool, cool.¡±


    ¡°Anyone else who has used Potions, bring them here for a refill.¡±


    Collecting the empty Blue Potion vials from the two, Tsutomu quickly attached a funnel and began refilling them efficiently. Once all the vials were full and corked, he stood up, holding the ck Staff.


    ¡°I need to talk to the Scarlet Devil Squad. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Garm nodded, and Tsutomu turned towards the Scarlet Devil Squad. He quickly spotted the group of nine without their leader, Weiss, and approached a woman with long ck hair tied in a ponytail.


    ¡°Here, Alma. I¡¯m giving this back.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, well, look who it is. It¡¯s the man who has the audacity to lend someone else MY belongings. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lend it to her ¡ª We shared it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, semantics, semantics! Pathetic! You better apologize for that stunt you pulled!¡±


    Tsutomu grimaced at Alma¡¯s anger over sharing the ck Staff with Eunice. Even the n Members around them shook their heads in resignation. Tsutomu proceeded to simply push the ck Staff into Alma¡¯s hands.


    ¡°You better put it to good use.¡±


    ¡°¡­Heh, just you watch. You may handle the ck Staff well, but I¡¯m still the best!¡±


    Tsutomu almostughed at her sudden cheerfulness. Noticing Cecilia smiling at the exchange, he nodded and spoke to her.


    ¡°Thank you for organizing the healers from Golden Tune earlier. You really saved us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, that was nothing special¡­¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, you can handle a variety of skills and perform well as a Healer. We¡¯ll be counting on you from now on as well.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, of course¡­¡± Cecilia stammered, bowing her head, somewhat off-put by Tsutomu¡¯s uncharacteristic genuine smile.


    After briefly speaking to other n members, a call came from Christia in the sky, summoning all long-range Attackers.


    ¡°Just you watch ¡ª I¡¯m not the same as before!¡±


    [Yeah, right, I saw enough on the Pedestals to know that.]


    Alma, gripping the ck Staff tightly, marched off with determination. Tsutomu watched her fly off, waving lightly. Then, he returned to Absolute Helix, noting that Leleia and Diniel were already heading to their designated positions.


    ¡°This thing can stretch quite a bit, huh,¡± Tsutomu remarked as the Shield perimeter started caving in under the assault of the monsters.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit unsettling¡­¡± Daryl agreed as he saw the Shield, like rubber, stretched to its limit.


    The Shield magic that had repelled even the Devourer Dragon¡¯s charge now held back tens of thousands of monsters, and its durability was being fortified with each passing moment. Though the monsters¡¯ own weight kept the Shield in ce for now, everyone could guess what would happen once the tension broke.


    Meanwhile, Christia led the long-range attack squad, preparing for a coordinated assault. The previous volley of skills had obliterated tens of thousands of monsters, instantly creating a mountain of corpses.


    Among the attack squad was Alma, wielding the ck staff, who stood out with her unmatched firepower, capable of annihting thousands of monsters on her own. Alongside her were Diniel, the top archer, and numerous other high-level Attackers, ready for battle.


    [She could treat it with more respect¡­ But I guess it¡¯s still better than her hugging it in her sleep like a body pillow.]


    Tsutomu narrowed his eyes as he watched Alma skillfully twirl the ck Staff with one hand, a far cry from the way she used to cradle it. Since he still had at least some degree of attachment to the staff, seeing it handled so carelessly irked him.


    ¡°Brooklyn, are you ready?¡± asked the head of the House Babenberg, who was fortifying the stretching Shield.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Brooklyn Kantjelucia replied, her sharp eyes focused on the sky above.


    High above the mass of monsters, a set of sharp, transparent Shields, hung ready like a guillotine.


    ¡°Long-range attack squad, prepare to fire. Wait for my signal,¡± Christiamanded upon confirming that the nobles were ready.


    Explorers prepared Blue Potions, knights loaded Magic Stones into their tools, and close-range attackers stood by, ready to deploy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Brooklyn said to the head of House Babenberg.


    She released the sharpened Shield magic she had kept suspended in the air. The monsters below had no time to react as they sliced through them from above.


    With the equilibrium broken, the built-up force in the Shield suddenly released. Monsters were thrown back by the rebounding Shield, their bodies joining the dead ones previously crushed by the guillotine. Simultaneously, Brooklyn disengaged the entire front section of the Shield.


    ¡°FIRE!¡±


    At Christia¡¯smand, the Explorers unleashed their skills in unison. The ensuing explosion echoed through the battlefield, and the monsters were swept away like debris in a tidal wave. <hr/>


    <


    >

 Chapter 237: Shield Magic

    Chapter 237: Shield Magic


    <


    >


    What unfolded was less a battle with monsters and more a sheer massacre. High-level Attackers lined up, unleashing their skills in a barrage of fatal strikes, apanied by clouds of dust and the monsters¡¯ dying screams.


    ¡°<<Meteor Stream>>!¡±


    Among them, Alma, the ck Mage wielding the ck Staff, switched from the fire-based skills she had been using just now to her usual <<Meteor Stream>>. The sky beyond the Shield filled with a swarm of tiny meteors, their destructive power reshaping the terrain. With Alma¡¯s intensified focus, the meteor count was greater than ever.


    Even though the meteors¡¯ sizes had been tempered, so as to avoid disrupting the other Explorers¡¯ skills, any ordinary monster struck by them would die instantly. To the monsters, the scene of a deadly rain descending upon them was nothing short of a nightmare.


    Adding to the chaos, a volley of ranged skills from a hundred Attackers battered the battlefield. Not even a Devourer Dragon would be able to withstand such an assault. Ordinary monsters, regardless of their numbers, had no means of survival and fell in droves.


    The citizens, witnessing the monsters being effortlessly ughtered by the Explorers¡¯ skills, cheered with exhration. Having faced the terror of being chased by these creatures in the Royal Capital, they were now relieved by this extraordinary spectacle.


    In stark contrast, Christia and the nobles watched in silence. Even the melee Attackers behind them, while readying for deployment, internally acknowledged that the ranged Attackers alone would suffice.


    Within minutes, the onught ceased, leaving only mangled remains beyond the Shield perimeter. No monsters were seen alive, and the ground was pockmarked with countless small craters, as if pierced by thousands of forks. One peculiar sight stood out ¡ª a mound of monster corpses piled high. It was very likely that Orbis had taken refuge there, but now every monstery dead.


    ¡°Check for any survivors. Frontline units, move forward while staying alert for an ambush from Orbis.¡±


    While the exhausted ranged Attackers drank Blue Potions, the melee Attackers and Tanks ventured beyond the Shield to confirm the absence of any stragglers. Though only monster carcasses were visible, the Explorers proceeded cautiously.


    ¡°Time for me to borrow it again.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t lend it to someone else this time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the most I¡¯ll do is share it.¡±


    Alma, with a refreshed look as she sipped from a vial of Blue Potion, handed the ck Staff to Tsutomu, who gazed at the mound of monster corpses as he advanced to the frontline.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ That was some impressive power.¡±


    As Tsutomu caught up with the rest of Absolute Helix at the front, Orbis emerged from the pile of corpses, his body drenched in monster blood, his ck hair gleaming.


    The Explorers who had fought Orbis earlier remained on guard, watching him closely as he approached with a smile and clenched fists. Leon, carrying some skill dumplings, was the first to strike, but Orbis stopped his sword effortlessly with one arm.


    ¡°I¡¯ve grown ustomed to your speed.¡±


    ¡°Tch,¡± Leon clicked his tongue and retreated swiftly.


    That was the signal for the nearby Tanks to charge at Orbis. Utilizing their durability, they engaged Orbis, aiming to buy time for the Attackers to find an opening.


    Orbis sent several Tanks flying with a single punch and forced the surrounding Explorers back with a powerful spinning kick. He then crouched, and his calves bulged as if they were about to explode.


    Seeing this, Xeno, Daryl, and the other Tanks rushed forward to intercept him, but Orbis kicked them aside and leaped straight toward the Shield.


    ¡°Did any of you all find the earlier spectacle¡­ strange?¡±


    With a shoulder m, he cracked the Shield that Brooklyn had just reinforced. The citizens, who had been observing the battle as if on a zoo visit, screamed in panic. Christia nocked an arrow while keeping an eye on the Attackers behind her.


    ¡°Those blessed with Divine Favor can wield immense power. Such individuals are chosen by God. But the attacks you just witnessed wereunched by ordinary Explorers. That kind of power is far too great for mere humans to possess.¡±


    Leon charged at Orbis only to be swatted away as if brushing off a fly. Orbis then turned his gaze to the gathered citizens.


    ¡°Even someone like you, cowering from monsters moments ago, could wield such power with time. You, or your son, could attain it. Anyone can. Good people, bad people alike.¡±


    The head of House Babenberg quickly raised a new Shield, absorbing the force of Orbis¡¯s blow, causing it to ripple like rubber.


    ¡°Right now, most Explorers remain confined to the Dungeon City. But what if those with such powere to the Royal Capital? Who could stop them? A few could be managed by the nobles, but ten or a hundred? That would be a different story. If we don¡¯t curb the influence of the God¡¯s Dungeon now, Explorers will inevitably take over the Royal Capital.¡±


    Even as attacks from the pursuing Explorers struck him, Orbis did not retaliate. He continued addressing the citizens.


    ¡°Explorers bear no responsibility for their power. They will eventually repeat the crimesmitted in Dungeon City here in the Royal Capital. It¡¯s not a distant future. To prevent this, we must reduce the number of Explorers and allow only those with Divine Favor to enter God¡¯s Dungeon. Someone must rectify this abnormal situation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The citizens listened with fearful eyes, but they seemed unconvinced. The Royal Capital was peaceful, and the true threat had been Orbis himself. Few felt any sympathy or agreement with his words.


    Seeing theirck of understanding, Orbis looked down in disappointment and shook off the Explorers attacking him.


    ¡°Can you not understand? Then I shall fight alone. But remember my words when the Explorers¡¯ havoc begins. Then, and only then, will you realize who speaks the truth.¡±


    Having said his piece, Orbis turned his back on the crowd and faced the Explorers, fists clenched with visible intent to kill. Garm took the brunt of Orbis¡¯ punch with his tower shield, but was sent flying, bouncing across the ground before finallying to a stop.


    However, there were many other Ranks who could withstand Orbis¡¯s attacks, and they surrounded him, with weapons and shields at the ready.


    ¡°ORA!!¡±


    ¡°<<ROCK SPLITTER BLADE>>!¡±


    While Orbis focused on knocking away the Tanks, Amira, wielding her greatsword, shed at him. Amy used Amira¡¯s greatsword as a springboard, leaping over Orbis and striking his back with her twin des.


    ¡°Thirty <<Medics>>ing right up! <<Heals>> will be ready soon, too!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Eunice, holding the ck Staff with her tail, skillfully crafted skill dumplings with both hands. Leon distributed these dumplings to the Explorers battling Orbis, creating an almost restaurant-like atmosphere.


    ¡°<<High Heal>>. <<Heal>>. <<Medic>>. <


    >.¡±


    Meanwhile, Tsutomu used his quickshot skills at maximum speed, preventing Orbis from absorbing any while healing the surrounding Explorers. With the monsters gone, Tsutomu no longer needed to manage aggro and unleashed a barrage of support skills, significantly boosting everyone¡¯s recovery rate.


    Other White Mages tended to the Tanks who had been knocked away, ensuring that Orbis could not absorb their healing spells.


    ¡°¡­<<High Heal>>.¡±


    Among the White Mages, Stephanie stood out, utilizing her quickshot skill with the same precision as Tsutomu, though shecked the ck Staff and thus had less healing power.


    Her gaze, however, was not on Orbis but fixated on Eunice with clear hostility. Though not enough to disrupt her supporting flow, her intense focus on Eunice made her surrounding n members uneasy.


    ¡°<<Blessing of Recovery>>.¡±


    Channelers, often considered inferior to White Mages in God¡¯s Dungeon, were rare in top ns like Golden Tune or Scarlet Devil Squad. However, Ealdred Crow, known for its diverse talents, had a few, as well as Absolute Helix¡¯s very own Korinna. Unlike White Mages, Channelers¡¯ skills could not be absorbed by enemies, allowing them to support and heal without hindrance from Orbis¡¯s actions.


    As the Healers kept the Explorers in fighting shape, Orbis¡¯ gaze fell on the dumpling skills Leon was distributing.


    ¡°Ah, I see¡­ So that¡¯s the secret.¡±


    Orbis, noticing the growing number of wounds on his arms, quickly assessed Eunice¡¯s nature and devised a n on the spot. As he knocked away a Tank, he deftly snatched a dumpling <<Heal>> from his pocket.


    If crushed, the <<Heal>> spell inside would restore anyone¡¯s health. Orbis tried to crush the dumpling skill between his fingers to heal himself.


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    But as soon as he did, the green gas within dissipated entirely. His eyes widened in surprise, and he staggered as attackers struck his chest.


    ¡°Hmph, too bad! That one was empty! Serves you right!¡± Eunice taunted, sticking out her tongue while continuing to produce more skill dumplings.


    Eunice was not just the originator of the dumpling-style skill theory; she was also its most practiced user in realbat. Her proficiency with it surpassed even Tsutomu¡¯s, allowing her to keep track of the dozens of orbs she produced and nullify the <<Heal>> spell within the one Orbis had taken.


    ¡°What a troll.¡±


    ¡°Still an angelpared to you!¡±


    Tsutomu and Eunice exchanged lighthearted jabs while sharing the ck Staff, ensuring their support and healing remained unaffected by Orbis. With no monsters around to disrupt them, the Tanks and Attackers battered by Orbis quickly recovered.


    ¡°EAT THIS!¡±


    ¡°<<Wicked me>>!¡±


    More robust Attackers from the Scarlet Devil Squad and Ealdred Crow¡¯s elite units joined the fray. This time, many besides Leon could hold their own against Orbis, making it difficult for him to charge recklessly as he had before.


    Orbis raised his fist, attempting to break the stalemate, but a scarlet bolt struck his shoulder, singeing the flesh and producing smoke. He looked at the smoldering wound, then turned his gaze toward the direction the arrow came from.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve decided to finally show yourself. But why? Meena seems to still be alive¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Standing there was Weiss, his ck robe billowing in the wind, holding a scarlet crossbow with a nk expression. Directed by Christia to eliminate Orbis, Weiss red menacingly at Orbis¡¯s taunt.


    Leon, with his golden-furred wolf ears perked, approached swiftly and slipped a set of skill dumplings into Weiss¡¯ robe pocket.


    ¡°Weiss, that guy is as strong as Bruno. Be careful.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mm-hm.¡±


    Weiss responded curtly to Leon, and then he proceeded to draw out a longsword. As he pointed it downward, the de turned a fiery red, imbued with the aura of <


    >. Without dy, Weiss joined the other Explorers in attacking Orbis.


    ¡°I sure don¡¯t want to be hit by that.¡±


    Orbis deftly dodged Weiss¡¯ scarlet de, at the same time using his legs like spears to send other Explorers flying. As soon as he found himself one-on-one with Weiss, Orbis aimed a punch directly at Weiss¡¯ longsword, shattering the weapon into pieces.


    ¡°Without a weapon, you can¡¯t invoke your skills, can you?¡±


    Weiss, being a Swordfighter, could not use his skills without a weapon in hand. Orbis had made it his strategy to break the Explorers¡¯ weapons, nullifying their skills and forcing a pure contest of strength.


    ¡°<


    >.¡±


    However, Weiss possessed a unique skill beyond that of a typical Swordfighter. mes erupted from his body, enveloping Orbis in an attempt to keep him at bay. Yet Orbis ignored the searing heat and lunged at Weiss.


    ¡°RAH!¡±


    At that moment, Amira, in <<Dragon Form>>, intercepted Orbis¡¯s grasp with her greatsword, deflecting his hand upwards. Though her perfect strike could not sever his hand, it created an opening. Other Attackers seized the chance tounch their assaults on Orbis¡¯ body.


    Despite Orbis¡¯ strategies, the Explorers¡¯ numerical advantage was overwhelming. While it was tough to injure the robust Orbis, the relentless attacks from dozens of Explorers began to take their toll. With the Healers¡¯ support, the Explorers fought in peak condition.


    As time passed, Orbis¡¯s once-imprable defenses started to falter. His arms became tattered, his leg muscles torn and bleeding. Meanwhile, the Explorers, bolstered by constant healing, remainedrgely unscathed.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ It seems I¡¯ve met my match¡­¡± Orbis chuckled dryly, facing the seemingly indestructible force of Explorers.


    The corpses of monsters littered the surroundings, and Meena was subdued by Christia. With no monsters in sight, whether it be on the ground or in the sky, Orbis stood alone.


    Weiss aimed his crossbow and shot a bolt at Orbis¡¯s face. Orbis raised his arms to block it, creating an opening. Weiss slipped in, wielding his warhammer wrapped in a red aura.


    ¡°Ngh¡­!¡±


    Orbis staggered from Weiss¡¯ powerful blow. The other Explorers seized the moment,unching a coordinated assault. Orbis managed to lift his arms to shield himself from the close-range Attackers.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    But underneath Orbis¡¯ raised arms, Weiss stood with his scarlet de poised.


    The de aimed for a fatal swipe at Orbis¡¯s neck, an attack he could not defend against.


    As the red de neared his throat, a solid sound echoed as it struck¡­ something.


    ¡°¡­!?¡±


    The swing of Weiss¡¯ de had been blocked by a transparent, solidyer in the air, protecting Orbis at the critical moment. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 238: Student and Mentor

    Chapter 238: Student and Mentor


    <


    >


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Gah¡­¡±


    Brooklyn Kantjelucia, who had used her Shield to prevent Orbis from being killed by the Explorers, clutched her chest in pain as she walked closer. She nced over at Orbis, her eyes trembling like those of someone who had been killed for the first time.


    ¡°Oof¡­!¡±


    Weiss, whose sword had been deflected by the Shield, was struck by Orbis¡¯ knee, causing him to copse to the ground. Orbis then kicked Weiss¡¯s head from the side, snapping his neck in a direction it should not have gone. A cloud of dust exploded as Weiss was sent flying into the distance.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Watch out!¡±


    One of the Golden Tune members, stunned by the sight, almost had her head grabbed by Orbis. But Leon, who had been preupied trying to find a gap in the Shield, managed to push her aside just in time. However, Orbis grabbed Leon¡¯s outstretched right arm and snapped it like a twig.


    Knowing he would be killed if he remained restrained by Orbis, Leon immediately cut his right arm with his sword and broke free. He quickly distanced himself from Orbis, tears welling in his eyes as he looked at his severed arm. ¡°What the hell!? Something¡¯s blocking my way!¡±


    ¡°Amira! Fall back for now! Everyone, gather around me!¡±


    Amy called out to Amira as thetter was angrily smashing her greatsword against the Shield. Daryl and Leleia also retreated, and the other members of Absolute Helix who had been fighting Orbis on the front lines headed to Amy¡¯s location.


    Seeing the Shield magic appearing around them, Orbis turned to Brooklyn, his arms hanging heavy as he rummaged through his pockets.


    ¡°Your decision could havee sooner. I nearly died.¡±


    While everyone was still in shock from Brooklyn¡¯s betrayal, Orbis pulled a Green Potion from his pocket and consumed it, vial and all.


    ¡°¡­Shut up. I¡¯m not following your orders,¡± Brooklyn responded, still looking rattled as she proceeded to scan the surroundings once again.


    Her line of sight locked on to a ck-haired man holding the ck Staff, and she raised her hand toward him.


    ¡°Tch¡­!¡±


    ¡°Gah¨C!?¡±


    Tsutomu, sensing trouble the instant he locked eyes with Brooklyn, kicked Eunice away, let go of the ck Staff, and cast <<Fly>> on himself. Eunice gasped from the sudden impact, tumbling to the ground along with the staff that she had been holding on to with her tail.


    But as Tsutomu escaped into the air, he struck an invisible Shield ¡ª finding himself trapped, he realized he was surrounded on all sides. He lightly bit his lip as he confirmed his predicament.


    ¡°Your cooperation is always appreciated, no matter the form in which ites¡­ Yes, this is a favorable turn of events. What of Babenberg?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve immobilized him for a while. It¡¯s a fifty-fifty chance whether or not he can be killed.¡±


    Brooklyn had ambushed the head of House Babenberg, enclosing him with multipleyers of Shield magic to crush him. Though Master Babenberg had managed to protect himself with his own Shield, Brooklyn¡¯s magical power and technical prowesses exceeded his. Already past his prime, he struggled to fend off the ever-shrinking perimeter around him.


    ¡°Well done. Now then¡­ please continue to cover me. We need to eliminate as many Explorers as possible here to avoid futureplications.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right now, I¡¯m using most of my Shields to contain Babenberg, so I can¡¯t deploy manyyers at a time. I¡¯ve broken Christia¡¯s legs, but the Shields around her are gone. And with me holding Tsutomu at bay here¡­ I barely have enough left to defend myself and you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s sufficient. I¡¯ll handle all the killing, so please focus on protecting yourself.¡±


    Orbis drank several Potions to heal himself, all the while smiling at Brooklyn, who was speaking behind ayer of soundproof Shield to keep the Explorers from hearing their conversation.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m not your ally. Our goals just happen to align.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    Annoyed by how Orbis seemed to have anticipated her arrival, Brooklyn clicked her tongue before controlling her Shield magic to pull the captured Tsutomu closer. Tsutomu, who had been trying to smash the Shield from the inside with <<Air des>>, stopped his attempts immediately when he saw Brooklyn¡¯s irritated re.


    ¡°Now, Brooklyn, I would appreciate it if you could keep Tsutomu alive. He might be one with Divine Favor, you see¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what this Divine Favor you keep bringing up is, but I also intend to keep him alive. He¡¯ll be useful, in any case.¡±


    Given Tsutomu¡¯s remarkable achievements in Dungeon City and his unusual affinity with the Spirits, Orbis had suspected that Tsutomu possessed some unique skill ¡ª and possibly Divine Favor. Brooklyn, too, sensed something unique about Tsutomu, recognizing his potential usefulness after having observed his efficiency in providing support and healing earlier.


    ¡°Hey, wait a second¡­ Why the hell is Master Brooklyn over there!?¡±


    ¡°Was she a traitor all along?¡±


    ¡°Is she gonna use her Shield magic on us!? We can¡¯t win against that! What about Master Babenberg!?¡±


    The members of Ealdred Crow and the Labyrinth Conquerors, panic evident in their voices, kept their eyes fixed on Orbis and Brooklyn. Some of the Scarlet Devil Squad rushed in to save Weiss, whose neck had been snapped. Leon, having lost his right arm, was receiving first aid from the Healers of Golden Tune.


    ¡°Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°Teach!!¡±


    Seeing Tsutomu captured by Brooklyn, Amy and Hannah immediately tried to rush to his rescue.


    ¡°Y-you two! Wait!¡±


    ¡°B-but Tsutomu¡¯s gonna¡­!¡±


    Xeno promptly grabbed Amy¡¯s arm, and Diniel held Hannah by the cor, stopping them.


    ¡°Gweh!?¡±


    ¡°If you rush in, you¡¯ll only get trapped by the Shield like him. We need a n and should wait for Christia¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°But¡­! Tsutomu¡¯s gonna¡­ he might be killed, you know!? We have to save him!¡±


    ¡°<<Contract ¡ª Undine>>.¡±


    As Amy shouted, Leleia cast a contract spell on Tsutomu, summoning the Undine. The water-elemental Spirit emerged from Tsutomu¡¯s right pocket and immediately enveloped him, forming a protective perimeter.


    ¡°I can try to counter the Kantjelucia Shield¡¯spression ¡ª but maintaining the Undine will drain my mental energy. For now, Tsutomu isn¡¯t in immediate danger of being crushed, but if I were to try to do anything else, I would have to divert my focus. As such, I likely won¡¯t be able to participate in the fighting.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    Garm, despite the frustration evident on his face from being unable to protect Tsutomu himself, ced his hands on Leleia¡¯s shoulders as she proceeded to disengage all other <<Contracts>> with the Spirits to concentrate her mental energy on the Undine. Leleia, feeling the tremble in Garm¡¯s grip, was momentarily taken aback before herposed expression returned.


    ¡°I understand, Leleia ¡ª focus all your efforts on defending Tsutomu. Meanwhile, we¡¯ll strategize his rescue while awaiting Christia¡¯s instructions. Fortunately, we have those who possess enough brute force to break through the Shields. Strength is not an issue; we¡¯ll definitely save him.¡±


    Xeno nced at Amira, who had broken ayer of the Shield earlier, and Diniel, who was silently preparing arrows. Amy and Hannah, though not as strong as Garm or Xeno, could also potentially breach the Shields with enough effort, making their forces adequate.


    The surrounding ns, opting to observe for now, remained clustered together, their eyes on Orbis, Brooklyn, and the Shield-bound Tsutomu. Meanwhile, tension rose within the ranks of Ealdred Crow.


    ¡°PLEASE LET ME GO! WE MUST RESCUE MISTER TSUTOMU!¡±


    ¡°¡­This isn¡¯t the time to worry about others, Stephanie. Right now, we wait.¡±


    ¡°Listen, Rook! If you¡¯re not going to act now, I¡¯ll leave Ealdred Crow! Mister Tsutomu¡¯s situation will grow worse with every moment we waste!¡±


    Stephanie, alongside the top team¡¯s Attackers and Tanks, was ready to rush to Tsutomu¡¯s aid but was stopped by Rook¡¯s calm judgment.


    Stephanie¡¯s ultimatum caused a stir among the n members. Seeing just how far she was willing to go, as if she was a devotee fearing for her god, Rook chose his words carefully.


    ¡°¡­Stephanie, rushing in now is too risky. If Master Brooklyn intended to kill Tsutomu, he would already be dead. She¡¯s keeping him alive for a reason. If we make a reckless move, we¡¯ll only cause more harm. We need to wait.¡±


    ¡°But¡­!! There¡¯s no guarantee he won¡¯t be killed!!¡±


    Though Stephanie almost conceded to Rook¡¯s logic, she quickly shifted the argument back towards rescuing Tsutomu. The discussion within Ealdred Crow remained at an impasse.


    Everyone was shaken by Brooklyn¡¯s betrayal and now was only able to watch on, stuck with only two courses of action: either strategize or wait for orders from the Royal Capital.


    Amidst the hesitation, the young girl holding the ck Staff took a step forward. Then another.


    While everyone else remained frozen, she broke into a run.


    ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ hah¡­ hah¡­!¡±


    Eunice, the primary Healer of Golden Tune, ran alone toward Orbis, Brooklyn, and Tsutomu.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    Eunice despised Tsutomu. From the very first time they met, she couldn¡¯t stand him. Despite being a low-level Explorer, he had quickly risen to prominence, acting as if he were a seasoned veteran. When he publicly criticized the methods of Healers like herself, Eunice had instinctively spoken out against him.


    The idea of learning from Tsutomu was unbearable to Eunice, and she still disliked how Leon valued him. She had tried to put Tsutomu in his ce, only to be defeated by his undeniable skill.


    Initially, her dislike for Tsutomu was clear. But as time went on, Eunice began to question her feelings. His abilities as a Healer were top-notch, and many followed his lead in Dungeon explorations. Given hispetency, his attitude seemed justified.


    Yet, Tsutomu was different when he interacted with his other students, treating only Eunice like a nuisance. Although she had brought this treatment upon herself, Eunice secretly wished to be on amicable terms with him.


    The moment Tsutomu acknowledged her dumpling-style skills, Eunice felt genuinely appreciated. For that brief instance, he saw her as a fellow Healer, not a troublemaker. Even when she failed to provide support and healing for Leon, Tsutomu approached her as a Healer, offering guidance instead of criticism.


    When Tsutomu tasked her with using her dumpling skill on the whole team, Eunice felt overwhelmed. However, his confidence in her capability lifted her spirits.


    So when she saw Tsutomu¡¯s anxiety as he was trapped in the Shield, she acted on impulse, running toward him without even a single thought.


    [Wait¡­ why am I doing this? Why am I running out here alone!? WHY!?]


    Eunice realized her desire to rescue Tsutomu, just as he had once saved her. Yet, she knew running out alone was reckless. Her body had moved on its own, and now she deeply regretted it.


    ¡°E-Eunice!? What are you doing!? Stop! Don¡¯t go!¡±


    Milway¡¯s distant shouts barely registered. Leon, who had immediately chased after her, could not run at full speed due to the transparent Shields in their path. Crashing into one while going fast enough could be fatal, forcing him to proceed cautiously.


    ¡°You¡­ Hmm, I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know who you are.¡±


    In front of Eunice, now charging ahead, stood the towering figure of Orbis, over three meters tall. Orbis watched her intently, seeming wary of her sudden solo appearance.


    ¡°<<Barrier>>!¡±


    Eunice knew she could not defeat Orbis head-on. She created ayer of <<Barrier>> around Orbis, then used <<Fly>> to soar overhead. Orbis, misreading her reckless charge as part of a deeper strategy, hesitated. However, he quickly tore through the <<Barrier>> as if it were paper, a look of irritation crossing his face.


    ¡°<<Air des>>!¡±


    Eunice, upside down in mid-air, unleashed a full-powered attack, the ck Staff she wielded, amplifying its power. The recoil propelled her backward. However, even with the staff¡¯s enhancement, a White Mage¡¯s attack could not harm Orbis.


    Still, despite herck of preparation, Eunice¡¯s charge caught Orbis off guard. He expended an excess of energy to dodge the <<Air des>>, wary of her unexpected attack.


    The amplifying power of the ck Staff,bined with Orbis¡¯s overcautiousness, allowed Eunice to evade what would have been an instantaneous defeat. She used this momentum to approach Tsutomu. With Eunice sessfully bypassing Orbis, Brooklyn, visibly strained, clenched her teeth and conjured a Shield.


    ¡°Oof¡­!?¡±


    Eunice collided head-first into the transparent Shield Brooklyn hastily created. Rubbing her face in pain, she looked rather foolish. Tsutomu, trapped within the Shield, shouted in frustration,


    ¡°You¡­ what are you, an idiot!? Why¡¯d youe here alone!? A White Mage like you wouldn¡¯t¡­!¡±


    ¡°S-shut up! I couldn¡¯t help myself! My body moved on its own!¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Even in such a dire situation, Eunice¡¯s nonsensical exnation left Tsutomu dumbfounded. She grinned at his reaction, her nose bleeding, as she pounded on the Shield.


    ¡°You looked like you needed help, so I came to save you!¡±


    ¡°What are you even talking about!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯M HERE TO SAVE YOUR ASS, THAT¡¯S WHAT!¡±


    ¡°¡­You idiot! Orbis isn¡¯t trying to kill me, and I have the Undine protecting me! I don¡¯t need your help! Just get away already! You¡¯re going to get yourself killed!¡±


    Eunice¡¯s eyes widened as she took in the sight of Tsutomu shielded by Undine. Relieved, she wagged her tail and smiled.


    ¡°¡­What the hell¡­ I thought you were gonna die for sure¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank God¡­¡±


    As Eunice ced her hands on the Shield and muttered her relief, Orbis rapidly closed in from behind. Seeing this, Tsutomu grabbed the Undine, untethering it from his body.


    ¡°Look, don¡¯t mind me! Keep her safe! Please!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Undine, transforming into its humanoid form, shook its head.


    ¡°Are you saying you can¡¯t!? You can¡¯t go to her like you came to me!?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Despite Tsutomu¡¯s pleas, the Undine remained hesitant, its expression troubled. In the meantime, Orbis closed in on Eunice, raising his foot to strike.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Orbis¡¯s kick connected squarely with Eunice, sending her flying. She crashed into another Shieldyer a short distance away, a dull thud echoing as copsed to the ground, motionless. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 239: Double Cross

    Chapter 239: Double Cross


    <


    >


    As Eunice flew through the air like a kicked pebble, Tsutomu watched in shock. Orbis¡¯ attack, which posed a deadly threat even to Attackers with higher VIT than White Mages, was something Eunice could not possibly withstand. He could only watch from afar as she collided with a Shield and fell to the ground.


    ¡°¡­Undine?¡±


    But from within the Shield enclosing him, the Undine was gone. There was no response to Tsutomu¡¯s call. He could see Eunice in the distance, enveloped in a bluish aura.


    A momentter, the Undine separated from Eunice¡¯s body and returned to Tsutomu¡¯s side. He looked up at the water Spirit who had reappeared before him.


    ¡°You saved her?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The Undine nodded, and Tsutomu sighed in relief. He had assumed it was impossible when it had shaken its head earlier, making him all the more relieved now.


    He proceeded to pat the Undine on the head, praising it and shaking both its hands. The Undine smiled broadly, intertwining its fingers with his. Earlier, the Undine had shaken its head not because it could not save Eunice, but because its primary duty was to protect Tsutomu. It had refused to leave him unguarded to protect Eunice, fearing that Leleia, the one who had contracted it, would disapprove of its course of action.


    Seeing Tsutomu express such strong emotions for the first time, Undine felt a deep jealousy toward Eunice. However, it realized that if it did not save Eunice, Tsutomu would be devastated. Thus, it protected Eunice from Orbis¡¯ attack.


    Even though the Undine¡¯s protection saved Eunice¡¯s life, she still suffered a severe blow that left her unconscious. Fortunately, Leon, who had reached her after a desperate dash that resulted in several collisions with the invisible Shields, managed to protect her, likely ensuring her survival.


    ¡°I¡¯m d she didn¡¯t die for nothing¡­¡±


    Even though Eunice was someone Tsutomu did not particrly like, her death would have weighed heavily on him. Her act ofing this far moved him.


    Eunice¡¯s solo charge could easily be dismissed as foolish. He would have thought the same if Amy or Hannah hade. If Tsutomu was to put himself in their shoes, he would have coordinated with stronger allies for a rescue, ensuring the best chance of sess.


    In fact, it seemed Absolute Helix had taken this approach, as Leleia had sent Undine immediately as a countermeasure against the Shield. Stephanie, too, was persuading other Attackers and Tanks to move towards them. From Tsutomu¡¯s perspective, their actions were correct.


    Yet Eunice had run here alone, ahead of everyone else. Charging at Orbis solo was suicidal; even Ranks and Attackers struggled against him. A White Mage like Eunice stood no chance against Orbis¡¯ strength, speed, and likely even intelligence. She had no chance of winning.


    Still, Eunice¡¯s actions had caught Orbis off guard, creating a unique situation that allowed her to reach Tsutomu. But even then, Brooklyn stood in her way, and without the power to break through the Shield magic, Eunice was quickly overtaken by Orbis and sent flying.


    As the Undine, who was supposed to protect Tsutomu, ended up shielding Eunice instead, it became apparent that Eunice was the one being saved. To Tsutomu, her actions seemed foolish, and he had not hesitated to say so.


    Yet, despite the apparent foolishness, Eunice¡¯s choice toe here meant something to Tsutomu.


    When Tsutomu had been trapped inside the Shield by Brooklyn, he was filled with fear and anxiety, convinced he was going to die. Even after the Undine arrived, that fear did not go away.


    When Eunice arrived, however, Tsutomu felt an inner sense of relief. In terms of results, Absolute Helix and Stephanie¡¯s approaches were correct, while Eunice¡¯s actions seemed reckless. However, knowing that someone as powerless as Eunice hade all this way for him gave Tsutomu strength. Even though her actions ultimately brought more harm than good, her intentions had reached him.


    ¡°Listen, boy ¡ª just stay alive. If you do anything unnecessary again, I¡¯ll break your legs.¡±


    With Brooklyn threatening him bypressing the Shield, Tsutomu, feeling the reassuring presence of Undine beside him, responded calmly,


    ¡°Yeah, right¡­ Go on and try it. I have the power of God on my side. You kill me, he¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Brooklyn red at Tsutomu with desperate eyes, while the Undine formed a mocking face and red back at her. Tsutomu, finding the scene slightly terrifying, cracked a wry smile. Brooklyn, frustrated, kicked the ground and stoppedpressing the Shield.


    ¡°Why are you even siding with Orbis, anyway? And why now? If you wanted to work with him, you could have done so when he invaded your mansion.¡±


    ¡°¡­The Explorers are insane,¡± Brooklyn said, her eyes scanning the countless monster corpses around them, and the two giant monster carcasses visible in the distance. ¡°Controlling those massive monsters and ughtering so many in an instant with just about three hundred people¡­ Even Orbis, who¡¯s strong enough to break through my Shield, can¡¯t keep up with them. The power contained in Dungeon City and the ever-increasing number of Explorers make me sick just thinking about it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°If a second revolution happens as House Babenberg predicted, I¡¯m probably the first to be hanged. It¡¯s either here or there ¡ª it¡¯s just a matter of time.¡±


    [¡­And she thinks Orbis can win here? Really?]


    Listening to Brooklyn, Tsutomu sensed that she still believed Orbis had a chance. But from his perspective, Orbis did not seem to be aiming for victory in this situation.


    If Orbis intended to use the Stampede to seal away God¡¯s Dungeon, he could have done much more. Even with the best efforts, it seemed clear to Tsutomu that the attempt to seal the Dungeon would fail. The Explorers, the nobility, and those benefiting from the Dungeon¡¯s resources were too powerful.


    Now, various nations depended on the steady supply of Magic Stones and items from God¡¯s Dungeon. The Explorers were not the only ones who disliked the idea of that supply being cut off. Across many regions of this kingdom, especially around the Royal Capital, the resources from God¡¯s Dungeon were essential as well.


    Understanding this, Orbis had sent monsters towards the Royal Capital and appeared himself, choosing to fight there. He seemed to focus on spreading his ideology rather than regting the Dungeon. Tsutomu believed that Orbis¡¯ intention was to propagate his beliefs to the world.


    There were other theories, but few believed Orbis would win here. Brooklyn, however, chose to side with him. For what it was worth, this was not the first time Brooklyn was seen acting this way.


    The first time was when Orbis attacked her. Gravely injured, she decided to ally with the Explorers she had once considered enemies, likely because she feared Orbis¡¯ power to break her Shields. This time, she had switched sides after witnessing the strength of the Explorers.


    [She¡¯s more of a coward than I thought,] Tsutomu thought, watching Brooklyn¡¯s restless demeanor.


    Then, a voice amplified by a megaphone echoed from the direction of the Royal Capital.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    ¡°Brooklyn has betrayed us!¡±


    Christia, who had her legs broken by Shield magic, crawled on the ground and gripped the megaphone in her hand.


    Though her thighs were crushed and blood stained her trail, she had already performed emergency treatment on herself. The Explorers outside listened intently to Christia¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Master Babenberg has ced Shields all around the area, so Orbis and Brooklyn can¡¯t escape easily. If they try to flee, everyone must converge and pursue them.¡±


    Despite her condition, Christia spoke calmly, directing the Explorers who were attempting to break through the Shields surrounding the head of House Babenberg.


    ¡°Brooklyn¡¯s Shields are weaker since she¡¯s splitting her focus with Babenberg. Coordinated attacks from the Attackers can break through them. As such, Attackers must form groups of five. Tanks can withstand the Shield¡¯spression, so Healers must stay close to the Tanks. Never get isted ¡ª you likely will be killed if you do. With the aforementioned five-Attacker teams, Tanks and Healers shouldbine with them to form ten-member parties. Work together to stall the enemy¡¯s escape ¡ª Master Babenberg¡¯s Shields will eventually handle the rest.¡±


    Following Christia¡¯sposed instructions, the Explorers regained theirposure and began organizing themselves. They quickly formed ten-member parties within their ns.


    ¡°All right, time for us to shine! Absolute Helix, move out!¡±


    ¡°This is so frustrating¡­¡±


    The first to spring into action was Absolute Helix, who had already worked out their n to rescue Tsutomu. Under Xeno¡¯smand, the nine-member team charged toward Tsutomu¡¯s location.


    Following them from behind, a man in a ck robe soared through the air. It was Weiss, who had recently had his neck broken by Orbis. Thanks to <


    >, which could heal even fatal injuries given enough mental energy, his neck was already fully healed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll clear the way,¡± Weiss dered.


    ¡°Counting on you,¡± Garm responded briefly.


    Amira watched the two exchange words, then hefted her greatsword onto her shoulder and stepped forward.


    ¡°<


    >,¡± Weiss unleashed a wave of fire in front of him, observing where it was blocked.


    Amira promptly appeared behind him.


    ¡°Your weapons bounced right off when you tried smashing itst time. Here, lemme do it for you.¡±


    ¡°Shields here, here, and here¡­¡± Weiss ignored Amira¡¯sment and focused on the Shields obstructing the mes.


    In Dungeon City, there had been an event where famous Explorers demonstrated their attacks on Shield magic to showcase the Babenberg family members¡¯ strength. Weiss had participated, attacking one of those Shields. However, they had been carefully prepared by House Babenberg, and the Explorers held back to some extent.


    House Babenberg¡¯s meticulously prepared Shield magic back then and House Kantjelucia¡¯s Shield magic here may seem the same, but there were clear differences. Improvised Shields could not match the strength of a carefully prepared one.


    Weiss drew a greatsword from his Magic Bag, gripping the hilt with both hands. The power of <


    > turned it red with heat. He swung the greatsword at the spot where the me was halted, striking the Shield.


    Despite being stopped initially, Weiss used the weight and heat of the greatsword to melt and slice through the Shield.


    He systematically destroyed the invisible Shields in his way, clearing a path for the explorers behind him.


    ¡°<


    >!¡±


    Amira, momentarily stunned by how Weiss was able to break through the Shields without using any skills, quickly joined in. With the support of the musicians, the boost from her <<Dragon Form>>, and her greatsword skills, Amira too could shatter her way through. Together, Weiss and Amira tore through the irregrly ced barriers, carving a path forward.


    ¡°Damn brute,¡± muttered Diniel as he loosed an arrow at Orbis with the same power as Christia.


    At the same time, Amy dashed forward. Xeno and Daryl also advanced to keep Orbis at bay, while Garm cast a sharp gaze at Brooklyn, who stood near Tsutomu.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>.¡±


    The usual aggro-pulling aura, now tinged with a deeper red, resonated past Orbis, reaching both Tsutomu and Brooklyn. The pressure was intense enough to momentarily distract Orbis, and Brooklyn, unprepared, found her gaze locked onto Garm.


    ¡°Fight me.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Brooklyn, seemingly intimidated by the ferocious Garm, instinctively raised her hand. Shields quickly surrounded Garm, closing in to crush him.


    However, Garm¡¯s VIT rating of A+ VIT rendered the Shield¡¯spression ineffective. A well-ced, sharpened barrier might have been a different story, but this generalpression held little threat.


    ¡°Quite the nuisance, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    On the other hand, Orbis, recently healed by a Potion, still stood strong against Absolute Helix and Weiss. Behind the attacking force, Korinna desperately cycled through her blessing skills, healing Daryl and Xeno. Despite the high-powered attacks from Weiss and Amira, they struggled tond a significant blow on Orbis.


    ¡°¡­All right, I¡¯mma get us through this in one go! Herees a big one!¡± Hannah said as she observed the battle.


    She proceeded to reach into her pouch-shaped Magic Bag and pulled out a Medium Fire Magic Stone, clutching it tightly in her right hand. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 240: Unmastered Fist

    Chapter 240: Unmastered Fist


    <


    >


    ¡°Korinna, get ready to heal me!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Korinna remained silent as Hannah struggled to hold the Medium Inferno Magic Stone in her small hand.


    Puzzled by theck of response, Hannah turned to see Korinna¡¯s face etched with anxiety.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hannah, you¡¯re nning to use THAT, aren¡¯t you? With the Medium Inferno Magic Stone?¡±


    Having partnered with Hannah up to their victory on the eightiethyer, Korinna knew the former could wield the Magic Fist technique. As a Healer, however, witnessing it up close had always filled Korinna with unease.


    Hannah¡¯s ability to use the Magic Fist at a practical level was well-known. ording to what Korinna had heard from Melchor at the Guild, it was actually quite an impressive feat.


    Many had trained under Melchor to master the Magic Fist, yet few had achieved practical proficiency. Only Bruno had reached that level in the seven years since the God¡¯s Dungeon appeared. Hannah, though still rough, had managed to attain a barely usable level in a short period. This was partly due to her innate talent, but also because she had a biological advantage ¡ª As a Birdkin with wings folded on her back, she had arger body surface area, allowing for better magical energy cirction and storage.


    Moreover, she had even developed a unique method of channeling magical energy from Magic Stones, concentrating it in parts of her body before release. While not yet on par with Melchor, she could produce practical output levels.


    However, this came with risks. Even with a Small Magic Stone, failure or even sess often resulted in her arm being blown off. Using a Large Magic Stone was tantamount to self-destruction. During the Winter General battle, she had used a Large Magic Stone to devastating effect, but such a tactic was only viable in the God¡¯s Dungeon, where death was temporary.


    The use of a Medium Magic Stone was apromise, albeit still a dangerous choice. Korinna had seen the risks firsthand, having healed Hannah after such attempts. Doing this outside the safety of the Dungeon required immense bravery.


    Yet, Hannah looked up at Korinna with determined eyes.


    ¡°Korinna, a Tank¡¯s role is to protect everyone. Just look at this situation ¡ª it¡¯s NOT good. It¡¯ll take time for other ns to arrive, and we need to break our way through as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Korinna hesitated at Hannah¡¯s uncharacteristically serious remark.


    Observing the battle with Orbis, she saw that Xeno, Daryl, Amira, and Amy were indeed in danger. Xeno and Daryl, bearing the brunt of Orbis¡¯ attacks, looked particrly strained. Even with Korinna¡¯s healing, they would not hold out much longer. Something needed to change.


    Hannah felt a glimmer of hope that she could turn the situation around. There was something about her determination that suggested she might just pull it off.


    ¡°Besides, I haven¡¯t said sorry to Teach yet. If something happened to him while I stood here doing nothing, I would never forgive myself! If I won¡¯t ever get to apologize to him¡­ I¡¯d rather die!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Korinna knew about the strained rtionship between Hannah and Tsutomu as a result of thetter¡¯s tendency to make cold, calcted decisions. She also understood Hannah¡¯s deep desire to make amends.


    Korinna, urged by Hannah¡¯s resolve, finally spoke up,


    ¡°¡­All right, okay! I¡¯ll give you the signal.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡±


    Relenting to Hannah¡¯s intensity, Korinna granted her permission. Hannah beamed, her blue wings fluttering excitedly. She unfolded the wings usually kept neatly tucked away and began channeling the magical energy from the Medium Inferno Magic Stone into her body.


    ¡°What¡¯s this energy¡­!?¡±


    Brooklyn, who also wielded the power of Magic Stones, immediately sensed the anomaly in the air. However, the red aura and killing intent all around her were preventing her from taking action against it.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Gah¡­!¡±


    Brooklyn raised her hands defensively, intimidated by the fierce aura that seemed ready to rip her throat out at any moment. Garm was currently trapped within one of her Shield perimeters ¡ª and despite his resistance against the Shield¡¯spression, he had no apparent strength to break his way out. Brooklyn was technically in a safe position.


    However, under the influence of <<Combat Cry>>, she was torn between fighting spirit and cowardice, finding herself unable to take her eyes off Garm. She could not shake the feeling of being trapped, as if the roles had reversed ¡ª and all she could do was keep reinforcing her Shield¡¯s strength with increasing desperation.


    ¡°GO!¡± Korinna called out, timing her multiple casts of <<Blessings of Recovery>> perfectly.


    ¡°AWW, YEAH! EVERYONE! GET AWAY!!¡± Hannah shouted, spreading her wings as she rushed forth.


    Most of the other members of Absolute Helix, realizing what she was going for, instantly retreated, leaving only the Tanks and Weiss in the vicinity.


    Orbisnded a kick square on Daryl¡¯s abdomen, causing thetter to vomit out a blob of gastric juice.


    ¡°Go! I¡¯ll hold him off!¡± Weissmanded.


    ¡°Thank you! I¡¯m counting on you!¡± Xeno replied, pulling Daryl away.


    As Weiss deftly parried Orbis¡¯ attacks with his greatsword, Hannah charged forward, her right arm glowing red like a sword imbued with the <


    > as it was fully charged with magical energy.


    The concentrated power made her arm ripple with heat, distorting the air around it like a mirage. She raised her right arm high.


    ¡°I GOT SOME MAGIC FOR YAAAHHH!!¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Orbis replied coolly, dodging to the right.


    Though Orbis avoided the direct blow, the mes from Hannah¡¯s punch scorched him, knocking him back. The wave of magical energy continued surging toward Brooklyn, shattering her Shields effortlessly.


    ¡°Magic Fist¡­!? I didn¡¯t know someone besides that old lunatic could use it!¡± Brooklyn shouted out in shock, struggling to contain the iing magic wave with her Shields.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Ammie!¡±


    ¡°Stop calling me that!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll cover you.¡±


    As Hannah¡¯s Magic Fist cleared a path towards Tsutomu, Amy and Amira, now in <<Dragon Union>>, followed her lead. Diniel notched an arrow and took up a support position. Under the influence of <<Dragon Union>>, Amy¡¯s eyes had be reptilian like Amira¡¯s, and her temporarily scaled neck glowed a fierce red.


    ¡°¡­I suppose we should be grateful for having Melchor restrained,¡± Orbis muttered.


    Though Orbis had dodged Hannah¡¯s Magic Fist, the left side of his body was seared by the resulting shockwave. He knew Hannah was Melchor¡¯s disciple, but he had not realized she had managed such a practical level of mastery from her training. Considering that even an apprentice had this much power, Orbis could only think how fortunate it was that Melchor was not here right now.


    ¡°¡­So strong.¡±


    The wave¡¯s residual force also caught Weiss, who had been holding Orbis back. His left hand was burnt, but the <


    > wrapped it in restorative mes, gradually erasing away the severe burns.


    ¡°Ha hah¡­ Hell yeah¡­¡± Panting heavily, Hannah stood on the brink of death.


    Her right arm, where she had concentrated the magical energy, was withered and ckened like charcoal up to her shoulder. Her body was covered in severe burns that would be fatal within minutes without medical attention.


    Korinna, who had been channeling the <<Blessing of Recovery>> even before Hannah unleashed her Magic Fist, rushed to her side. With the effect of <<Blessing of Recovery>> still not catching up, she doused Hannah with Green Potions and made her drink some as well. Thebination of repeated Blessings and Potions began to heal her wounds.


    Then, after wrapping Hannah in her ck robe, Korinna moved her away from the frontline, her face sorrowful as she continued to channel more <<Blessings of Recovery>>. Suddenly, a hand tapped Korinna¡¯s shoulder from behind.


    ¡°I can help her. May I take over?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Behind Korinna stood Stephanie, her staff raised like a conductor¡¯s baton, pointing toward Hannah. As a member of the top team of Ealdred Crow and a Healer Tsutomu respected, Korinna recognized her immediately. Stephanie assessed Hannah¡¯s condition and spoke calmly.


    ¡°She is not in a critical state, but if left untreated, she might suffersting damage requiring extensive rehabilitation. I can heal herpletely. May I?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please¡­!¡±


    Understanding Hannah¡¯s condition well due to her background in the medical field, Korinna felt reassured. Stephanie gave her a warm smile before beginning the healing process on Hannah.


    At the end of the day, White Mages were more effective at immediate healing, and those with sufficient skill could even regenerate limbs. While Channelers could also achieve limb regeneration, the established methods of White Mage doctors made the process more reliable.


    Stephanie, a veteran White Mage, possessed the skill to regenerate Hannah¡¯s arm and treat her burns. She swiftly set to work, mending thetter¡¯s grievous injuries.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°Move to the side! I¡¯m cutting through!¡±


    As Brooklyn continued to struggle with the magic wave, Amy and Amira reached Tsutomu. With theirbination of <<Rock Splitter de>> and <


    >, they shattered the Shield. Wrapped in the Undine¡¯s protection, Tsutomu was pulled to safety by Amy.


    ¡°Thanks. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Relieved to have Tsutomu safe, Amy smiled through her tears and, together with Amira, moved away from the area. Meanwhile, Brooklyn managed to dispel the fiery magic wave and promptly re-erected a Shield to block their escape.


    ¡°OUTTA MY WAY!!¡±


    Kicking up sand, Amy shattered the Shield in front of her with another <<Rock Splitter de>>, and Amira, in <<Dragon Form>>, tore through the additionalyers up ahead with a <


    >. Empowered by the band¡¯s support and <<Dragon Union>>, both Amy and Amira advanced, slicing through obstacles with ease.


    ¡°Man, you guys are really going all out today¡­¡±


    Reuniting with Absolute Helix under Amy and Amira¡¯s lead, Tsutomu cast a critical eye on Hannah for thetter¡¯s reckless use of the Magic Fist. But seeing that Stephanie was already tending to her, he simply thanked her and turned his focus back to Orbis and Brooklyn.


    ¡°Thanks for saving me, everyone ¡ª but we¡¯re not out of the hard part just yet! Garm, keep Brooklyn upied. Amira, focused on breaking the Shields. Amy, Leleia, Xeno, Daryl, Diniel ¡ª engage Orbis. Korinna, you and I will provide support and healing. Let¡¯s give it everything we¡¯ve got!¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s amplified voice carried his orders, and most of thebatants responded with determined smiles. Even Diniel, despite her usual reluctance, plucked her bowstring in readiness, signaling herpliance.


    One of the exceptions was Stephanie, waiting nearby, who approached Tsutomu with a worried expression.


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu, perhaps it would be wise to fall back for now.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so ¡ª we need to strike Orbis down here.¡±


    ¡°That is the n, yet ¡ª Rook should be finishing his summoning soon. We can rely on that.¡±


    ¡°Summoning? What has he chosen this time?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    As Tsutomu turned to question Stephanie, she let out a small yelp and stepped back. Tsutomu¡¯s puzzled look shifted as he noticed a figure in pure white armor, resembling a samurai, approaching behind her.


    ¡°Whoa, it¡¯s the Winter General!¡±


    Rook of Ealdred Crow, along with several other Summoners, hadbined their powers to summon the Winter General, who wasted no time to strike Orbis¡¯ arm.


    The Winter General exuded a chilling frost, forcing Orbis to retreat. Suddenly, a blue horse was summoned behind Orbis, charging at him and pushing him toward the Winter General like a raging bull.


    ¡°B-brr¡­ I can never get used to this cold¡­ A-anyway, the long-range attack squad will be ready soon. Ealdred Crow and the Labyrinth Conquerors will hold them off until then. Mister Tsutomu, you and your team should retreat.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. Thanks. I¡¯ll have Hannah and a few others pull back. But since I¡¯vee this far, I¡¯ll stay and help. You all have gone to great lengths to save me ¡ª it¡¯s only right that I repay the favor.¡±


    Thanking Stephanie once more, Tsutomu retrieved a White Staff from his Magic Bag. He knew their group would need healing and support to face Orbis, and only a skilled White Mage and Channeler could provide that.


    For a moment, he wondered about the whereabouts of the ck Staff, but in the end, he decided it was not crucial for now as he could perform well enough without it. Tsutomu started casting <<Heal>> spells toward the Winter General as it was locked inbat with Orbis. Stephanie, looking invigorated, joined him in the effort. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 241: The Changing Times

    Chapter 241: The Changing Times


    <


    >


    The arrival of the Winter General and Ealdred Crow¡¯s melee Attackers and Tanks left Orbis struggling. Though he had recovered somewhat with a Potion, his situation was worsening as his opponents¡¯ strength increased. It was only a matter of time before his wounds overwhelmed him.


    ¡°All right! That¡¯s the whole thing gone! ¡­Whoa, you okay, old man?¡±


    ¡°¡­Brooklyn really is a piece of work.¡±


    The head of House Babenberg, nearly crushed by Brooklyn¡¯s Shields, had been rescued by nearby Explorers. Leon, who had helped break the Shields along with the Attackers from Golden Tune, supported his staggering form. Brooklyn looked disappointed as she nced toward him while staying close to Orbis.


    ¡°Thank you. You saved me.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t sweat it. I guess we¡¯re even now, eh?.¡±


    ¡°You know, Leon,¡± one of Leon¡¯s wives interjected. ¡°You didn¡¯t contribute much to breaking the Shields.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t say that¡­¡± ¡°But I still love you!¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡±


    Leon proceeded to spend a second flirting with his wife before calling over the nearly Healers. The head of House Babenberg, watching Leon¡¯s rxed demeanor, checked his own magical energy level.


    In a pure Shield magic duel with Brooklyn, he would have died. However, thanks to Golden Tune and other Explorers, who had rushed to rescue him without waiting for Christia¡¯s orders, he survived. These Explorers had been quick because they felt indebted to House Babenberg for protection during the Devourer Dragon¡¯s attack.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he repeated.


    Then, he began constructing Shields in the distance to impede Orbis and Brooklyn¡¯s escape. Due to the internal injuries from Brooklyn¡¯s attack, his expression remained pained.


    ¡°Would you like some more healing, sir?¡± A female Explorer, seeing his pain, offered.


    ¡°¡­Yes, please,¡± He epted after a moment of hesitation.


    Usually, his recovery came from personal physicians or dedicated White Mages; this was the first time the head of House Babenberg received healing from a God¡¯s Dungeon Explorer.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re pretty good,¡± he muttered, noting that the Explorer¡¯s healing felt no different from those of his usual employees.


    ¡°Sir?¡± The female Explorer, fearing she had offended him, looked anxious.


    Affiliated with Ealdred Crow and above level seventy, her healing was powerful. Internal injuries were further aided by skills, and with her level being higher than that of the noble¡¯s White Mages, her healing was in fact slightly more effective.


    ¡°I suppose this is another sign of the changing times¡­¡±


    As the head of House Babenberg observed his rapidly healing body and the distant Brooklyn, he sensed the shift in the era. From his position overseeing Dungeon City, he had an inkling of the evolving circumstances around God¡¯s Dungeon, but facing it head-on left him with a bittersweet realization.


    From now on, it would be impossible to survive in this world by remaining within the confines of nobility. At this point, his own well-being was inconsequential. Yet, thinking of his ancestors who had entrusted him with Shield magic, and the children who could no longer live as nobility, filled him with sorrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m all right now. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ yes, sir.¡±


    The head of House Babenberg, thanking the female explorer who had healed him, stood up and hastened the deployment of his Shields. He also began to interfere with Brooklyn¡¯s Shield magic, preventing her from moving freely.


    Christia, supported by two members of the Labyrinth Conquerors, continued to give orders despite her broken legs.


    ¡°That monster is likely enough to hold off Orbis. As such¡­ Attackers, prepare to strike! We¡¯ll kill Orbis from a distance!¡±


    She had shattered Brooklyn¡¯s Shields with arrows in a surprise attack, but her lower body was left unprotected and crushed.


    Ordinarily, the pain would have caused her to faint, but sheer determination kept her conscious. She still had her bow slung over her left shoulder, showing her resolve to continue fighting even against the Stampede.


    Inspired by Christia, the ranged Attackers moved swiftly, taking positions and preparing as she directed. Once ready, Christia¡¯smand rang out, and the Explorers fighting near Orbis began to retreat.


    ¡°¡­Hahaha, these monsters sure are strong.¡±


    Orbis tried to pursue the retreating Explorers but found the Winter General, mounted on a horse, unexpectedly formidable. The Winter General¡¯s icy attacks,bined with close-quartersbat, proved challenging for Orbis. Additionally, Rook¡¯smands and support from high-level Explorers fortified the Winter General¡¯s efforts. Brooklyn, apparently facing high-level Explorers for the first time, struggled against their <<Combat Cry>>.


    As the rear guard retreated into the Royal Capital¡¯s Shield perimeter, the ranged Attackers prepared for a volley. The Winter General, understanding its imminent fate under Rook¡¯s orders, focused entirely on dying Orbis.


    Orbis, who might have won in a direct battle, could not break through the Winter General¡¯s relentless defense. As Orbis edged closer to the Royal Capital, Christia raised her hand to signal the attack.


    But then, amidst the fierce sh with the battered Winter General, Orbis spoke unexpected words.


    ¡°I surrender. Could you please cease your attack?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Christia red at Orbis in silence, while the other Explorers looked puzzled, suspecting a trick.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    The one most surprised by Orbis¡¯s surrender was Brooklyn.


    ¡°It seems this is the end,¡± Orbis said.


    ¡°What? What about that ¡ª Magic sac? Don¡¯t you have it with you!?¡± Brooklyn¡¯s voice trembled with disbelief.


    Brooklyn had believed that Orbis possessed a trump card, a magic sac, that had once broken through her most formidable Shield. But Orbis shook his head.


    ¡°Creating one takes years, and it requires an immense amount of Magic Stones. It¡¯s a one-time-use trump card.¡±


    ¡°T-then¡­ why didn¡¯t you¡­¡±


    ¡®¡­save it for this final battle?¡¯ Brooklyn couldn¡¯t voice the second half of her frustration. More than anything, she feared the Explorers who were already prepared to attack. She had seen their destructive power twice and knew she had to flee. Without hesitation, she ran.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± asked an Explorer.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already secured a source of information. Without a sure way to restrain Orbis, we¡¯ll kill him here. Prepare for a volley,¡± Christia ordered.


    The secured source in question was Meena ¡ª and there was no guarantee they could safely hold Orbis, who would be able to break through Shield magic with his strength alone. Christia waited for the hesitant Explorers to calm down, then lowered her hands.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    The Shields in front of the Royal Capital dropped, and the Explorers unleashed their ranged skills simultaneously. Thebined attack of fire and wind skills enveloped Orbis, obscuring him from view as he was pinned by the Winter General.


    For three minutes, mes roared in front of the Royal Capital, scorching everything in their path. When the inferno subsided, only the charred helmet of the Winter General and the scorched but intact form of Orbis remained.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    Cautiously, the Tanks approached Orbis, who had miraculously retained his shape in the inferno. Once they confirmed his death, they turned their attention to Brooklyn, who had fled.


    She had not managed to escape far enough to lose her pursuers, unable to break through House Babenberg¡¯s Shields. She resisted until she exhausted her magical energy, and finally, she was caught by the Explorers who could destroy her Shields.


    And so, the Stampede that threatened the Royal Capital ended. However, the aftermath posed greater challenges for those connected to the Royal Capital.


    The monster rampage inside the Royal Capital had caused significant damage and incurred immense defense costs. Additionally, the betrayal by the head of House Kantjelucia, one of the two great noble households, shattered trust in the Shield magic protecting the Royal Capital. The city¡¯s security and noble dynamics were thrown into turmoil, leading to widespread confusion.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    Tsutomu, listening to the reports of the Royal Capital¡¯s state as if it were someone else¡¯s problem, gazed out the inn¡¯s window with a nk expression.


    ¡°What amotion,¡± Tsutomu remarked.


    ¡°It sure is¡­¡± Daryl replied beside him, resting his hands on the window ledge, his face partially peering outside.


    Outside the inn, numerous repair works were underway, with people bustling about like worker ants. Despite the unusual appearance of monsters within the Royal Capital, there had been no casualties, unlike the previous Stampede, which had caused fatalities. The atmosphere was not as dire.


    Even so, the chaos of the Stampede had led to a surge in thefts and assaults within the Royal Capital. However, the king¡¯s army swiftly dealt with such criminals, maintaining order. The army¡¯s ranks included temporarily hired veteran Explorers of God¡¯s Dungeon, such as Weiss, Rook, Garm, Amy, Xeno, and Leleia, who all helped maintain security. [¡­I mean, the Royal Capital is important, but still¡­]


    Among the king¡¯s forces was someone with a Unique Skill, a peer of Camille¡¯s, who had been instrumental in apprehending criminals during the chaos. Tsutomu thought the king¡¯s forces could have allocated this individual to external defense. While Absolute Helix had suffered no fatalities, they had taken significant risks. [I hope we get to leave the Royal Capital while Ealdred Crow is still here¡­ If we don¡¯t go past the niethyer soon, we won¡¯t be the first to reach the hundredth. Maybe the Royal Capital will recruit their top team.]


    The Stampede¡¯s turmoil had already settled in Tsutomu¡¯s mind, and his thoughts were now upied with conquering God¡¯s Dungeon. As hey on his bed, pondering whether the Royal Capital might poach Ealdred Crow¡¯s top performers, Daryl¡¯s drooping dog ears twitched, sensing something. A knock echoed through the room.


    Recognizing the visitor by the footsteps, Daryl wagged his ck tail and approached the door with a light step. Opening it, he revealed a woman with in brown hair, a perfectly ordinary face, and a typical build.


    ¡°Hello, Daryl,¡± she greeted.


    ¡°Miss Ollie! Hello! What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°I have something to report to Mister Tsutomu.¡±


    Ollie, who had been gathering information within the Royal Capital, smiled wryly at Daryl, whose eyes lit up like a puppy¡¯s. Tsutomu shot a weary nce at the energetic Daryl, who hurried closer.


    ¡°What is it, Miss Ollie?¡±


    ¡°There are movements indicating that the King ns to invite Explorers to the castle. An invitation will likely arrive for Absolute Helix soon. Therefore, it would be prudent to prepare appropriate attire for the asion and learn some basic etiquette to avoid any misunderstandings.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Declining the invitation is not an option, I¡¯m afraid. Other ns have already decided to attend, and Explorers refusing the King¡¯s invitation could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings, especially given the precarious position of the nobility.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I understand. Thank you for the warning,¡± Tsutomu said, resigning himself to the situation under Ollie¡¯s scrutinizing gaze.


    Ollie had ensured her safety even when monsters breached the Royal Capital, leveraging her connections from her days serving the nobility to gather intelligence. Tsutomu appreciated her efforts to convey the current state of the Royal Capital urately.


    After delivering her report, Ollie handed Tsutomu an estimate covering the cost of tailoring clothes andpensating those who would teach them proper etiquette. The estimate, totaling several million Gold, startled Tsutomu, but he quickly approved it and asked Ollie to proceed.


    ¡°Okay then¡­ I¡¯ll go check on Hannah. Daryl, go call Diniel over, will you?¡±


    With that, Tsutomu decided to visit Hannah, who had been hospitalized as a precaution, and took Daryl and Diniel along as his guards. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 242: Two in Hospital

    Chapter 242: Two in Hospital


    <


    >


    Thergest hospital in the Royal Capital wasparable in size to the ones Tsutomu had seen back in Japan. It was established by doctors who had delved into the God¡¯s Dungeon in the Dungeon City and subsequently relocated to the capital. The hospital was renowned for its almost non-existent mortality rate.


    Interestingly, when these doctors created Status Cards, they often ended up in Healer roles like White Mages or Channelers. This allowed them to integrate healing skills into their medical treatments, significantly increasing their sess rates.


    Hannah, left at the brink of death with her use of the Magic Fist, had been taken to this very hospital. By the time she regained consciousness, all her injuries had healed, and despite wearing the stark white clothes typical of a patient, she was brimming with energy.


    Before she was sent to her ward, Hannah¡¯s doctor, a young woman, asked her,


    ¡°Was it Miss Stephanie who administered first aid to you?¡±


    ¡°I think so, yes. All I¡¯m sure about is that it was an Ealdred Crow Healer, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Stephanie from Ealdred Crow¡­ Hmm, I should ask her about the treatment processter. It could be very informative.¡±


    ¡°Umm, so, can I go home now?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll keep you here for one more day, just to be sure. After being shown to your ward, you¡¯re free to move around the facility.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Hannah was then escorted by a nurse to her ward. It was filled with female explorers, and she recognized a few familiar faces.


    ¡°Please return by evening,¡± the nurse said as she left.


    ¡°Will do!¡± Hannah replied with a smile.


    She sat on her assigned white bed and noticed a woman with golden-furred fox ears reading a newspaper with a serious expression on the bed next to hers.


    ¡°Hmm¡­? Ah.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    When Eunice noticed Hannah¡¯s gaze, their eyes met. Though they had never interacted directly, they knew each other by reputation. Eunice was part of Golden Tune¡¯s top team, and Hannah had made a name for herself in Absolute Helix¡¯s Mount Golem battle.


    ¡°¡­Umm, Hannah, was it? You¡¯re my neighbor?¡±


    ¡°Looks like it. I¡¯ll probably be out by tomorrow, though.¡±


    It was their first time speaking directly, and Hannah felt a bit awkward. Eunice folded her newspaper and nodded.


    ¡°I should be out by tomorrow, too¡­ Still, I can¡¯t believe those doctors ¨C I¡¯m a Healer, so I know the state of my body well enough, but they insisted on keeping me ¡®just to be sure¡¯¡­ It¡¯s so boring. There¡¯s nothing to do around here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m bored too. Umm, so, Eunice¡­ I can call you by name, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure, call me whatever you¡¯d like. We¡¯ve been Explorers for about the same amount of time, if I remember correctly.¡±


    Hannah tilted her head curiously at Eunice¡¯s words.


    ¡°Really? I thought you were more of a veteran, from how you talked so casually with Teach ¡ª oh, I mean, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, him? He hasn¡¯t been an Explorer for very long, actually.¡±


    ¡°But he never seemed that way. Since he was in a party with Amy and Sir Garm, he¡¯s always been the talk of the town.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s good, I¡¯ll admit. But I can¡¯t stand his personality.¡±


    Eunice¡¯s expression turned sour as she gripped the bedsheet in frustration, leaving Hannah more perplexed than ever.


    ¡°But Eunice, you went to rescue Tsutomu all by yourself when he got captured, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Eunice fell silent at Hannah¡¯s words. She hadn¡¯t yet fully understood her own feelings from that impulsive moment.


    She disliked Tsutomu, but after he taught her advanced skill maniption and Healer techniques, she came to recognize his abilities. She even had a fleeting moment of admiration when he acknowledged her dumpling-style skills. It felt like the kind of respect a student feels toward their master.


    Eunice was certain Tsutomu disliked her. It was evident in the way he treated his other students, Stephanie and Lorena, differently from her.


    Yet, despite this, he had always evaluated her abilities fairly. That¡¯s why she had felt genuinely happy when he acknowledged her dumpling-style skill.


    When she¡¯d seen Tsutomu trapped behind a Shield, she had acted without thinking. It was a natural response for a student who respected their master. Although Eunice had subsequently gone unconscious at the time, sheter learned that Hannah had risked using the dangerous Magic Fist technique to save Tsutomu. Stephanie likely would have done the same. Wanting to save their master was only natural for students.


    But Eunice questioned whether that was the only reason she acted. As this realization dawned on her, her face flushed red. She raised her hands to stop Hannah, shaking them repeatedly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just drop this topic, okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh, got it. Umm, then¡­¡±


    Seeing the usuallyposed Eunice so flustered made Hannah want to probe further, but since this was their first real conversation, she held back. They shifted the topic to the God¡¯s Dungeon.


    ¡°You cleared the eightiethyer, right, Hannah? I saw it on the Pedestal. You were amazing.¡±


    ¡°R-really? You think so?¡±


    ¡°The Mount Golem battle was impressive ¡ª and I¡¯ve heard very few people can use the Magic Fist. Korinna, the Healer, was great too. I didn¡¯t expect a Channeler to perform so well. If she keeps it up, she could be a mainstay in your top team.¡±


    ¡°Korinna works well with me, and her Job¡¯s different from Tsutomu¡¯s ¡ª We could switch depending on theyer.¡±


    As Hannah and Eunice continued their enthusiastic conversation, the door to the ward quietly opened. The Explorers looked a bit surprised at the neer entering with the nurse.


    ¡°Tsutomu did say it¡¯s hard to keep up with my speed, so if I make the top team, Korinna might have a good chance, too.¡±


    ¡°Do your best, Hannah. Make Tsutomu eat his words.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that, but I¡¯d love to see him panic a bit! He always seems soposed ¨C it¡¯d be nice to see him worried about his position in the top team for once!¡±


    Eunice, facing Hannah¡¯s gleeful expression, suddenly noticed the figure standing behind her. Her mouth fell open in surprise, while Hannah, oblivious, continued talking.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there some kind of weakness we can exploit? Tsutomu¡¯s such a mystery¡­ I¡¯d love to figure something out.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you want to know my weakness?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s gotta be something¨C¡±


    Hannah¡¯s grin froze at the familiar voice from behind her. She slowly turned around, moving like a rusted robot arm, to find Tsutomu standing there with a cheerful smile, apanied by Ollie.


    ¡°I may not know my own weaknesses, but I sure know yours, Hannah.¡±


    ¡°Wh-wh-what is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that empty head of yours, idiot.¡±


    Tsutomu rapped his knuckles on Hannah¡¯s head, then pushed his finger to her forehead, knocking her down onto her bed. Hannah¡¯s head fell on the soft pillow with a thud. She immediately sat up, only to be pushed down again. After a few repetitions, she began to do sit-ups by herself, with Tsutomu looking at her with exasperation.


    ¡°I rushed over when I heard you were brought to the hospital, but you seem fine enough.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not TOO bad ¡ª I¡¯m already being discharged tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? Then I guess I didn¡¯t need toe, eh?¡±


    Tsutomu, expecting her recovery to take as long as Leon¡¯s, averted his gaze, feeling somewhat anticlimactic. Hannah¡¯s quick discharge was thanks to Stephanie, the highest-level White Mage experienced in regenerative treatment. Normally, she would have been hospitalized for at least a week.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got the important details from Daryl and Korinna, but I¡¯ll get the full story from you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sure.¡±


    Realizing the implication of his words, Hannah answered with a slightly awkward expression. Tsutomu then turned his attention to Eunice, who had spread her newspaper in front of her face, her fox ears alert and twitching with suspicion.


    ¡°You seem to be doing well too.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I don¡¯t need your concern.¡±


    ¡°Eh, I¡¯m just saying it¡¯s good to see you¡¯re okay. If you¡¯d died, it would¡¯ve caused a major rift with Golden Tune. Look, don¡¯t pull that kind of stunt again. You wouldn¡¯t have changed anything ¨C in fact, you were more of a nuisance than a help.¡±


    Eunice¡¯s hands trembled, causing the newspaper to rustle. Seeing no apparent reaction from her, Tsutomu felt herck of enthusiasm and decided to leave her be, turning away and leaving the ward without another word.


    After Tsutomu was gone, Eunice continued to fidget with the newspaper. Concerned, Hannah asked,


    ¡°Y-you okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­so much.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    When Hannah couldn¡¯t catch her mumbled response, Eunice abruptly lowered the newspaper, revealing her flushed face.


    ¡°I hate him so much! Waaah!!¡±


    Her sudden outburst startled everyone around. A nurse, hearing themotion, entered the ward and, concerned about possibleplications, extended Eunice¡¯s hospital stay by several days. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 243: Invitation to Dine

    Chapter 243: Invitation to Dine


    <


    >


    ¡°Are you sure that was the right call?¡± Ollie asked, her voice tinged with concern as they left the hospital.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure,¡± Tsutomu replied, his expression hardening.


    [I mean, she didn¡¯t actually save me, so¡­]


    Still, regardless of the oue, it was a fact that Eunice had risked her life to try and rescue him. Tsutomu felt he should at least acknowledge that ¡ª yet, in the end, he couldn¡¯t resist starting the conversation with his usual provocative remark.


    Normally, Eunice would have snapped back immediately. Tsutomu had been ready to segue into thanking her during the inevitable argument. But this time, Eunice hadn¡¯t taken the bait. Instead, she had been engrossed in her newspaper¡­ which she had been holding upside down, making it clear she was pretending not to listen.


    With no retort from Eunice, Tsutomu had found himself struggling to find his next words and reconsidering the necessity of thanking her. That was why he had left the ward so abruptly. Ollie, following behind, seemed to notice his slight unease.


    ¡°If you say so,¡± Ollie replied, a faint smile ying on her lips.


    ¡°¡­Umm, so, the tailor?¡± Tsutomu shook his head in resignation and changed the topic. ¡°Yes. Follow me.¡±


    Ollie said no more and led the way, with their guards, Daryl and Diniel, following behind.


    ¡°How was Miss Hannah?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s being discharged tomorrow, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s quick! I¡¯m d to hear it!¡±


    ¡°I wanted her to stay longer. Maybe then she¡¯d get someone to check her head¡­¡±


    Amused by their contrasting reactions, Tsutomu followed Ollie, who navigated the streets with ease. He observed Ollie with admiration.


    ¡°By the way, Miss Ollie, how did you manage to gather information in this situation?¡±


    Tsutomu narrowed his eyes as she surveyed the monster-ravaged marketce.


    Ollie took a brief look around before responding, ¡°I¡¯m quite familiar with the Royal Capital¡¯syout. Besides¡­ If I don¡¯t pull my weight, you¡¯ll leave me behind next time, won¡¯t you, Mister Tsutomu?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ won¡¯t confirm nor deny that.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just d I could be of some help.¡±


    It was unusual for someone responsible for n chores and ounting, especially someone who appeared as unassuming as Ollie, to assess battlefield conditions amidst the chaos. As offensive as it was, people often underestimated her based on her perfectly average looks.


    Reflecting on how appearances could be deceiving, Tsutomu gazed at the rubble-strewn church. Outside, worshippers knelt in silent prayer, seeking sce.


    Opposite the church, a vendor had set up a makeshift stall, selling hot soup. The stall looked shabby, but the food seemed as good as usual, with an enticing aroma wafting from a slightly dented pot.


    ¡°Would you like some?¡± Ollie asked preemptively.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, please.¡±


    ¡°Daryl? Diniel?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Nah.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have three, then,¡± Ollie ordered.


    ¡°Coming right up!¡± the vendor responded cheerfully.


    Despite the miraculousck of casualties, the shock of the monster¡¯s appearance in the Capital still gripped the popce. Yet, Tsutomu appreciated the resilient vendor and bought three bowls of soup. He quickly counted out 1,500 G¡¯s worth of gold coins and handed them over.


    The soup,dled from the pot, quickly filled the bowls. Tsutomu took all three and handed them back, one by one, while grabbing a spoon to inspect the steaming broth.


    Stirring gently, he saw carefully cut vegetables and chunks of meat, tender from long cooking.


    ¡°More, please!¡± Daryl called out.


    ¡°Dude, it hasn¡¯t even been ten seconds¡­¡± Tsutomu remarked, already exasperated by Daryl¡¯s quick request.


    As Daryl pulled out 500 Gold from his magic bag, Tsutomu also started on his own warm bowl of soup.


    Daryl¡¯s hearty appetite and multiple helpings drew more customers to the stall. Meanwhile, Diniel bought cotton candy from another vendor and waited, nibbling contentedly.


    ¡°Thank you for the meal, sir! It was delicious!¡± Daryl called out to the vendor.


    ¡°Aye, thanks a bunch, boy! Come again!¡± the vendor replied cheerfully.


    The group then followed Ollie to the tailor she had arranged beforehand. As they moved from the outskirts to the central parts of the Royal Capital, the damage lessened.


    By the time Diniel finished his cotton candy, they had arrived at the tailor.


    ¡°¡­Well, this ce sure looks inessible,¡± Tsutomu remarked.


    The shop looked high-end and intimidating. Warm light filled the interior, illuminating neatly arranged clothes. Unfazed, Ollie walked in, and Tsutomu and Daryl followed quietly.


    ¡°Wee,¡± the doorman greeted them.


    ¡°Wha¨C¡±


    Startled, Tsutomu bowed awkwardly and entered. Ollie, noticing that, took over in exchanging greetings with the smiling clerk. The three were then promptly shown to the back for measurements.


    ¡°All right, now for thest measurement¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    While Tsutomu and Diniel finished quickly, Daryl¡¯s measurement took a little longer.


    ¡°May I touch your tail?¡± the clerk asked.


    ¡°Y-yes¡­ Hyah¨C!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Just a little longer¡­¡±


    From the measuring room came sounds of difort, and Ollie looked regretful. Daryl¡¯s face was flushed, while the clerk smiled slyly. Apparently, the clerk was an acquaintance of Ollie¡¯s. As Ollie red, the clerk leaned in and whispered with a chuckle.


    ¡°You know, Dungeon City sounds like a nice ce. Maybe I should move there.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±


    Ollie dismissed the clerk¡¯s whisper, while Daryl, still blushing, tried to hide behind Tsutomu, creating an awkward scene due to Daryl¡¯srger size.


    Despite the dy in measurements, the styling of the outfits was quick as Ollie and the clerk handled it efficiently. Since the other n members had already been measured, Tsutomu checked with Ollie before paying.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay for all eleven of us in advance,¡± he said.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Tsutomu handed over several special gold coins worth 10,000,000 G each. Despite the inted numberspared to Japan, an eight-figure sum in this world was enormous enough to astonish most people.


    Still, despite feeling intimidated by the upscale shop, Tsutomu handled the gold coins carelessly. This stemmed from his perception of this world¡¯s money as mere game currency.


    In the game, an eight-figure sum was pocket change at his level. In fact, currency shifted entirely in the Secret Dungeon, so Tsutomu didn¡¯t ce much value on G. Thus, he didn¡¯t mind spending such a sum on tailored clothes.


    The shop clerk, initially surprised by Tsutomu¡¯s rural demeanor, noted his nonchnce in spending millions of G without hesitation. However, the clerk¡¯s expression remained unchanged as theypleted the transaction. While verifying the gold coins, Daryl tugged at Tsutomu¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°S-Sir Tsutomu¡­ maybe I should chip in as well?¡±


    Daryl, frozen by the sight of the unusual gold coins, nervously reached into his Magic Bag. Finding Daryl¡¯s reaction amusing, Tsutomu waved him off with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. This is a n expense. Save your money for yourself. I know ¡ª why not treat yourself to a tour of the high-end restaurants in Dungeon City next time?¡±


    ¡°A-are you sure? ¡­Ah! Then, how about we go together? My treat!¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should invite Miss Ollie instead. Gotta show how much you appreciate her, you know?¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s suggestion, clearly audible to all, made Ollie clear her throat awkwardly while Daryl looked uncertain.


    ¡°W-well, I do appreciate everything she¡¯s done for us, of course¡­ But you see, I joined this n because of you and Sir Garm. I¡¯ve even managed to save up some money. So, as a thank you, let¡¯s all go out for a nice meal.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s days off from exploring God¡¯s Dungeon were packed with rted tasks. He surveyed the market for Magic Stone prices, checked for new gear developments, and visited the Dorren Workshop weekly. Observing other parties on the Monitors was his favorite pastime.


    Consequently, he hadn¡¯t yet delivered on his promise to spend half a day with Amy. Thus, he wasn¡¯t keen on Daryl¡¯s invitation.


    However, he hesitated to tly reject Daryl, who seemed apprehensive about being turned down. Tsutomu hadn¡¯t been particrly close with his juniors back in school and college either, so he wasn¡¯t used to this sort of invitation.


    ¡°¡­All right. I¡¯ll free up some time once we get back to Dungeon City.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Daryl¡¯s eyes widened, and his ck-furred tail wagged energetically. Tsutomu looked away, feeling awkward. He rarely encountered such open admiration, except from Stephanie. In Live Dungeon, yers with female avatars frequently invited him to hang out, but most were men in real life and didn¡¯t count in his book.


    [¡­Man, I¡¯ve been out of it these days¡­ Damn it.]


    Tsutomu had felt his emotions running somewhat wild ever since he had been saved by Eunice and the Undine. He was embarrassed by his outburst, especially since he had genuinely feared the prospect of Eunice dying as a result of her reckless stunt. He couldn¡¯t afford to let this go on.


    ¡°We¡¯ve verified everything. No issues,¡± the clerk confirmed.


    ¡°A-ah, yes. Thank you,¡± Tsutomu replied, closing his eyes briefly to regainposure.


    He then left the shop with Daryl, whose tail was still wagging, Diniel, who was staring at Daryl¡¯s tail, and Ollie, who wore a faintly amused smile. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 244: A Conflict of Understanding

    Chapter 244: A Conflict of Understanding


    <


    >


    ¡°Whew, I¡¯m exhausted,¡± Amy sighed.


    Since performing with the band in the Royal Capital, Amy¡¯s poprity had been steadily climbing. She had be a valuable figure in maintaining order in the city, too. The absence of Monitors, unlike in Dungeon City, was a hindrance to further boosting her fame, but her potential and determination were undeniable. [If I can make a name for myself in the Royal Capital, maybe Tsutomu will notice me!]


    With this hope driving her, she had been promoting herself around the city at every opportunity, and diligently practicing thetest trendy songs. When she returned to the inn, she found Daryl in the lobby, chatting animatedly with Korinna, his face aglow with excitement.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re in a great mood. Did something happen?¡± she asked casually.


    ¡°Oh, Miss Amy! You won¡¯t believe this¨C¡±


    As Amy listened to Daryl¡¯s story, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Once he finished, she immediately dragged Diniel from their shared room and stormed into Xeno¡¯s quarters.


    ¡°Emergency meeting!¡±


    ¡°W-what? Must it be now?¡± Xeno asked, looking up in surprise as the door swung open. It seemed he had been leisurely reading, apparent from how he surrounded himself with stacks of schrly books from his academy days. He nced from Amy to the half-asleep Diniel, whom she had hauled along.


    ¡°Tsutomu is going to have dinner with Daryl on his day off when they¡¯re back in Dungeon City!¡±


    ¡°¡­And that is why we are having this so-called emergency meeting?¡± Xeno asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.


    ¡°This is a serious situation! Tsutomu never spends his days off doing anything but focusing on God¡¯s Dungeon! But now he¡¯s going to have dinner with Daryl!? It doesn¡¯t make sense! Daryl was in Team 2st time! And Tsutomu has never had a one-on-one meal with anyone before!¡±


    Amy, slightly misunderstanding what Daryl had said, clenched her teeth in frustration. Xeno, however, looked as if he found her reaction overblown.


    ¡°Is it abnormal, though? Daryl is a man ¡ª and I see no signs of favoritism or romantic interests going on between them.¡±


    ¡°This could lead to him having meals with others too! People around Tsutomu are suspicious! Like Ammie and Hannie! Even Lelee has been acting strangely around him these days!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Xeno asked, his skepticism clear.


    ¡°Yeah! And it¡¯s SUPER tant with Stephanie, Tsutomu¡¯s former apprentice! Eunice is scary too! Ugh! Now THAT stunt she pulled was SO unfair! I wanted to be in that position too! It¡¯s your fault, Xeno!¡± Amy protested, her eyes brimming with tears.


    Xeno, looking thoroughly perplexed, recalled how he had stopped Amy from rushing to Tsutomu¡¯s rescue when he was captured, only to witness Eunice, the Healer from Golden Tune, bolting off instead.


    He could understand Amy¡¯s feelings. Xeno honestly hadn¡¯t expected Tsutomu to disregard his own safety to rescue Eunice, but he did. From Xeno¡¯s perspective, that act had been quite beautiful and admirable. It was no wonder that Amy, who had feelings for Tsutomu, envied it.


    ¡°So, you came here toin to me?¡± Xeno asked, his voice tinged with a hint of exasperation.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! So at least help me out! You¡¯re married, Xeno, so you know about these things, right!?¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose I can try¡­ but you know Tsutomu better than I do. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not sure I have any useful advice to offer.¡±


    Xeno figured that Garm was the person closest to Tsutomu. However, he knew that Amy and Garm got along as well as cats and dogs, so she would never seek Garm¡¯s help.


    As Xeno pondered the situation, Amy shook Diniel¡¯s shoulder in an attempt to wake her up.


    ¡°Dini! I need your advice as someone without any desires! Do you know any way to impress Tsutomu!?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Elves were known for their detachment from worldly desires, so Diniel had a simr aura to Tsutomu. Roused from her sleep by Amy¡¯s insistent prodding, Diniel¡¯s irritation was evident as she begrudgingly sat up.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that Ick desires, you know¡­ Knowledge and sleep are crucial to me. Everything else just doesn¡¯t matter as much,¡± she exined.


    ¡°¡­So what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°If my sleep is disturbed, I get angry.¡±


    ¡°Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!¡±


    Amy yelped as Diniel pinched her cheek before releasing her grip and yawning deeply.


    ¡°You know how Tsutomu gets furious if anyone disrupts his work in God¡¯s Dungeon? He was probably annoyed by the recent Stampede too¡­¡±


    ¡°Re-really?¡± Amy murmured, her hand rubbing her sore cheek, her cat ears drooping as she listened intently.


    Even Xeno leaned forward, showing some interest in Diniel¡¯s words.


    ¡°But the Stampede is over, and there¡¯s no more interference. So maybe he rxed a bit. And then Daryl invited him out,¡± Diniel said.


    ¡°So, it was just a coincidence?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. I¡¯m not Tsutomu, so it¡¯s just a guess. But I do know one thing: after I sleep, I get hungry. Now, I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡±


    With that, Diniel departed from Xeno¡¯s room, heading toward her own. Watching her slowly walk away, Amy clutched her own head in frustration.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand! I have no idea what to do about Tsutomu! In Dungeon City, I¡¯m popr, but Tsutomu doesn¡¯t care about me at all! Ugh!! Why!?¡±


    ¡°¡­Look, I¡¯ll help you as much as I can, but you might be better off getting advice from my wife. I¡¯ll ask her when we return to Dungeon City,¡± Xeno offered.


    ¡°Huh!? Really!? Thank you!!¡± Amy eximed, her eyes wide with hope, her expression so endearing that even the steadfast Xeno felt a flicker of emotion.


    Yet, Xeno knew Tsutomu had shown no signs of interest in Amy, leaving him as perplexed as ever about how to assist her.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    Three dayster, Melchor and the vice-captain of the Labyrinth Conquerors arrived in the Royal Capital as the only survivors of their once-mighty group. They had been apanied by a contingent of other Explorers and knights, but all those brave souls had been reported killed in action.


    The carriage transporting Melchor and the vice-captain had been caught in a sudden ground copse, plunging them into the depths of the earth. Orbis, who had always regarded Melchor with apprehension, had orchestrated an borate trap to ensnare him on the way to the Royal Capital.


    Trapped in a deep pit and surrounded by hordes of monsters, Melchor and the vice-captain fought valiantly to defend themselves. However, they soon realized they had fallen into a vast nest of insectoid monsters. The nest was an intricatebyrinth of fragile tunnels, meticulously designed to counteract the destructive power of Melchor¡¯s Magic Fist. Stripped of his full strength, Melchor led his dwindling group through the maze, desperately seeking an escape.


    For nearly a week, they wandered through the twisting tunnels, surviving on the flesh of the insect monsters they slew. The constant threat of attack wore them down, and one by one, the knights and Explorers were picked off by the relentless creatures.


    As starvation and sleep deprivation set in, a swarm of monsters dragged the remaining survivors deeper into the nest. Retracing their steps to attempt a rescue was too perilous, as it ran the risk of them perishing as well. After many harrowing sacrifices, Melchor and the vice-captain finally managed to w their way back to the surface. Ragged and weary, they reached the Royal Capital the next day.


    In the meantime, Brooklyn, who had publicly betrayed the kingdom, was thrown into a solitary cell deep within the underground prison near the royal castle. Her proficiency with Shield magic rendered a public execution too hazardous, so she was condemned to spend her remaining days in a ce devoid of magical energy.


    Orbis¡¯s lifeless body was delivered to a research institute in the Royal Capital, while Weiss maintained a vignt watch over Meena, who had been captured alive. Meena, privy to the secrets behind Orbis¡¯s unnatural abilities, was subjected to intense interrogation in a heavily guarded location. Despite the severe questioning, she remained cooperative, divulging all she knew.


    After a thorough and prolonged period of interrogation, the information extracted from Meena would be kept confidential, and disseminated only to pertinent authorities.


    Then, five days after Melchor¡¯s return, the King, who presided over the Royal Capital, extended an invitation to the Explorers to attend an audience at the royal castle. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 245: Where Ollie Draws the Line

    Chapter 245: Where Ollie Draws the Line


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    >


    On the day the Explorers were invited to the castle, each member of the Absolute Helix was to gather there independently. Amy, Garm, and Amira assisted with the Capital¡¯s security, while Xeno and Leleia visited their families, and Hannah and Korinna enjoyed some sightseeing.


    Tsutomu and Daryl donned the suits they had recently received from the tailor, while Diniel reluctantly wore a dress. Behind them, Ollie, dressed modestly, kept a watchful eye on Diniel to ensure she didn¡¯t slip out of her dress.


    ¡°Hey! Everyone! Over here!¡± A high-pitched voice called out from a distance without concern for unwanted attention.


    Tsutomu turned to see Amy waving enthusiastically.


    ¡°Ta-da! Well? How do I look?¡±


    ¡°Looks fine to me.¡±


    Amy, who had made a special trip to Tsutomu¡¯s room to show off her outfit before the gathering, wore a yellow dress. Her hair appeared slightly shorter than usual, making her cat ears look significantlyrger ¡ª likely an effort to draw attention after having them touched recently.


    ¡°Amy, you¡¯re in charge of guarding Tsutomu. I¡¯m off to do some sightseeing.¡± ¡°Roger that!¡±


    Diniel, d in an Elf-style green dress, darted towards the castle, lifting her skirt as she ran. She resembled Cindere rushing to get home before the clock struck twelve ¡ª but she was merely trying to escape Ollie.


    Other small issues arose: Xeno looked so good in his suit that he was mistaken for a noble and given directions to the wrong location by the staff. Amira, despite wearing a red dress, captivated onlookers with her tomboyish mannerisms. Tsutomu continued to meet up with the rest of his n.


    ¡°Man, this is so suffocating,¡± Amira groaned, annoyed by the tight corset and the stares.


    ¡°Just bear with it for today. I¡¯m not thrilled about it either,¡± Tsutomu responded, yawning as he addressed herint.


    Afterpleting the reception at the castle, they entered the banquet hall, where food wasid out in a buffet style.


    ¡°Korinna! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Coming!¡±


    Hannah and Korinna, unconcerned about their dresses, quickly headed for the food. Tsutomu watched them go, then looked up at the grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It seemed to be a notable feature of the castle, as many people gazed at it with admiration. He then scanned the room.


    Other ns¡¯ members were already present, with Alma, who usually only wore Explorer gear, putting effort into her dress, and Leon, who preferred casual attire, dressed formally. Suddenly, a hiss like that of an angry cat came from behind.


    ¡°Shaaa~~!¡±


    ¡°A-Amy? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Hellooo, Euni-nie! Come, let¡¯s go have a little chat over there¡­¡±


    Amy picked up the petite Eunice under her arm and carried her off to a corner of the hall. As they passed, Tsutomu briefly made eye contact with Eunice, who seemed to plead for help, but he decided it was too much trouble to intervene. [Huh¡­?]


    Watching the scene, a woman with pink hair in a blue dress ¡ª Stephanie ¡ª stared at Eunice with an unnervingly intense gaze. Her eyes were narrowed, her pupils fixed in a sharp, piercing re. [That¡¯s terrifying. Just how much does she hate her?]


    Even Tsutomu, who had experienced many dark and disturbing events, had never seen such a chilling expression outside of a horror movie.


    When Stephanie noticed Tsutomu¡¯s gaze, her intense expression immediately softened. Her eyes sparkled, and she blushed deeply, bowing repeatedly.


    Stephanie¡¯s transformation was striking. How could she switch from such a fierce look to this cheerful demeanor so quickly? Tsutomu returned her bow with a slight nod, still bewildered. [It¡¯s like¡­ she¡¯s be so damn scary these days, hasn¡¯t she?]


    When Stephanie had been under his tutorship, she was a model student, eager to learn and always well-behaved. But now, the way she looked at him was unmistakably different. Compared to Amy¡¯s overt advances, Stephanie¡¯s gaze burned with an intensity that made Amy seem mild.


    Yet, Tsutomu couldn¡¯t recall any specific incident that might have sparked this change. While his rtionship with Amy had been shaped by various events, nothing of the sort had urred with Stephanie.


    Why, then, did Stephanie seem so intensely fixated on him? Tsutomu, oblivious to the nuances of social interactions, couldn¡¯tprehend it.


    He watched as Stephanie, still blushing, retreated to the back of the hall. With nothing better to do, Tsutomu turned his attention to the buffet. Daryl, ufortable in his suit and the formal setting, was engrossed in the food, as was Korinna, who sampled various dishes with delight.


    ¡°Would you care for some wine?¡± a server offered, holding out a small ss.


    ¡°Ah, thank you,¡± Tsutomu replied.


    As the guests mingled, nobles who had avoided the front lines under the pretext of defending the Royal Capital were now eager to socialize with the Explorers, enjoying the food and fine wine.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the famous Melchor¡¯s apprentice. I¡¯ve heard of your remarkable exploits.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing really,¡± Hannah replied, her cheeks flushed from the strong wine, her mood lifted.


    Hannah seemed easily influenced by the wine, but Korinna, who could drink without changing her expression, was there to keep an eye on her, as leaving Hannah alone might be risky.


    Daryl, who might be easily swayed by words, was apanied by Xeno and Garm, while Amy was with the straightforward Amira. Nobles¡¯ daughters swarmed around the three men, and Tsutomu suspected that without hispanions, Daryl might have been overwhelmed.


    As the leader of the Absolute Helix n, Tsutomu also attracted the attention of many nobles. However, he remembered the faces of those who had skimped on supplies for the Explorers. When the head of House Babenberg arrived, the other nobles stopped approaching him.


    ¡°They¡¯re quite shameless, sir,¡± Tsutomu remarked.


    ¡°¡­I apologize if they have upset you,¡± the Babenberg head replied, looking pale.


    ¡°No, thank you for speaking with me¡­ Oh, could you wait here for a moment? I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Tsutomu bowed slightly to the head of House Babenberg and began searching the hall for Ollie. He soon found Ollie tending to a thoroughly inebriated Hannah. Tsutomu approached and spoke to Ollie in a low voice,


    ¡°Excuse me, Miss Ollie.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Mister Tsutomu. Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°I thought this might be a chance to introduce you to Master Babenberg, you see¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ollie¡¯s expression hardened at Tsutomu¡¯s words. Yet, Ollie knew Tsutomu had a fair idea of why she had joined Absolute Helix. While stroking Hannah, who was yfully nudging her like a puppy, Ollie fell silent for a moment, deep in thought.


    ¡°¡­Then, could I have a word with him?¡± Ollie finally asked, her face showing a resolute expression.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    With a sense of determination, Ollie followed Tsutomu as he led her to the head of House Babenberg. Not wanting to leave the tipsy Hannah alone, Tsutomu took her hand and brought her along as well.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, sir.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem at all. I see you¡¯ve brought Ollie along, as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. She¡¯s currently managing the Absolute Helix n House, but she wanted to speak with you. Could you spare a moment?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Ollie, raise your head,¡± the head of House Babenberg said kindly to Ollie, who had been bowing.


    As Tsutomu was about to lead Hannah away, Ollie grabbed his hand.


    ¡°Mister Tsutomu, please stay and listen.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? No, don¡¯t mind me ¡ª you can tell me about itter.¡±


    ¡°Please, stay.¡±


    With no choice but toply, Tsutomu remained, gently calming Hannah, who was still acting yfully. Ollie, looking tense, began speaking to the head of House Babenberg.


    ¡°It has been a long time, sir.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°¡­I am now working for Absolute Helix.¡±


    ¡°So I have heard.¡±


    ¡°¡­To be perfectly honest, the reason I joined Absolute Helix was that I wanted to work for you again. I felt it was unfair to be dismissed from your household without any exnation from Master Smith. I was willing to do anything to regain my position. That¡¯s why I tried to take advantage of Mister Tsutomu, knowing of your connection with him.¡±


    Ollie confessed this with her head bowed, then turned to Tsutomu.


    ¡°I admit, I looked down on Explorers at the time. I thought manipting Absolute Helix from the shadows through Mister Tsutomu would be easy. But he had the education and refinement of a noble, and he saw through my intentions yet still allowed me to stay with the n. That realization changed my view of Explorers. And I came to see that everyone in Absolute Helix was remarkable. I began to feel at home there.¡±


    Ollie then turned back to the head of House Babenberg, her expression resolute.


    ¡°My ce now is with Absolute Helix. I no longer wish to serve House Babenberg. But may I ask you onest question?¡±


    ¡°¡­What is it?¡±


    ¡°Was it because Icked ability? With the deaths during the Stampede, House Babenberg¡¯s trust had plummeted, and hard times were ahead. Was I insufficient to support the household from within?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ollie¡¯s pleading words made the head of House Babenberg hesitate. ncing at Tsutomu, who had discerned Ollie¡¯s true intentions within Absolute Helix, Master Babenberg gently stroked the ring on his finger before speaking.


    ¡°Your predecessor served House Babenberg well. I was satisfied with her work and equally pleased with yours, Ollie.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then why¡­¡±


    ¡°But it was evident that House Babenberg was on the decline. Even so, you would have continued to work yourself to the bone. Smith, my son, however¡­ did not agree. He admired your work and looked forward to your tea, but he believed it was unjust to waste your talents here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I never wanted that. I wanted to serve House Babenberg, regardless of the situation¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s important is that it was not a matter of your ability. I¡¯m sorry the decision made you doubt yourself.¡±


    The head of House Babenberg bowed his head, and Ollie stared at him in stunned silence.


    When he finally raised his head, he looked at Ollie with a firm gaze.


    ¡°To let you serve a declining House Babenberg would be an insult to your predecessor.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I¡­¡±


    Both of them fell silent, understanding dawning between them. The head of House Babenberg, having been indebted to Ollie¡¯s predecessor, did not want to burden her sessor. Ollie, now aware of the real reason behind her dismissal, seemed to be in shock.


    ¡°Oh¡­! What a touching story¡­ I think I¡¯m gonna cry¡­! But, sir, that was cruel! You totally did a disservice to Miss Ollie!¡± Hannah, who had been watching them, cried out, oblivious to the depth of the conversation.


    Tsutomu sighed, ncing at the clueless Hannah, who was now making odd noises.


    ¡°Uh, let¡¯s keep quiet, okay?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal!? Miss Ollie is part of our n! I¡¯m not about to give her away!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you fool.¡±


    ¡°Mm! Mmph!¡±


    As Tsutomu hastily covered Hannah¡¯s mouth, Ollie chuckled softly at the sight.


    ¡°Yes, Miss Hannah, I want to stay with Absolute Helix. Mister Tsutomu, is that alright with you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Miss Ollie. We¡¯d be happy to have you stay with us.¡±


    Ollie bowed her head in relief at Tsutomu¡¯s words. Turning to the head of House Babenberg, Tsutomu spoke again,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you invite Master Smith over for tea sometime, sir?¡±


    ¡°¡­Perhaps I will. I¡¯d like that very much.¡±


    ¡°That would make Miss Ollie happy too.¡±


    The head of House Babenberg nodded with a small, pleased smile. Just as their conversation came to a close, an announcement rang out, signaling the imminent arrival of the King at the venue. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


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 Chapter 246: Arm Lock

    Chapter 246: Arm Lock


    <


    >


    The king who ruled the Royal Capital, along with the royal family, was said to wield magic far surpassing that of the nobles. This magic was rumored to easily break through Shields and was so powerful that it was rarely used, bing the stuff of legends.


    During the Stampede, the situation had called for this formidable magic. Yet, neither the king nor the royal family used it. Instead, they entrusted the defense to Explorers specially summoned from Dungeon City. The conclusion drawn from this was obvious andrgely correct.


    Indeed, the magic once wielded exclusively by the royal family was extraordinary. But over the centuries, its power had waned as their bloodline diluted, and now, its strength was mostly lost. While it was not entirely useless, its ability to break Shield magic was questionable at best.


    So far, the royalty had managed to maintain their image with superficial disys of magic. The recent Stampede, however, had caused the nobility to question their standing. The popce, too, found it suspicious that the royalty confined their efforts to quelling disturbances within the Royal Capital.


    ¡°We appreciate your eptance of our invitation today,¡± the king began.


    Still, the king¡¯s demeanor was somanding that it dispelled any doubts. He was around the same age as Melchor, but his royal presence was undeniable.


    As soon as the king ascended the podium, his speech took the Explorers by surprise.


    ¡°We will be dispatching the Royal Capital¡¯s nobles and knights to Dungeon City. They will explore God¡¯s Dungeon to raise their levels.¡± This deration was tantamount to admitting that magic had lost to skills. However, the nobles, having witnessed the high-level Explorers¡¯ feats during the Stampede, could not voice any objection. The failure of the two great noble houses, Babenberg and Kantjelucia, and the current state of the nobility ¡ª nothing more than degraded versions of high-level Explorers ¡ª made it impossible to deny the value of skills. Thus, the nobles of the Royal Capital were finally going to delve into God¡¯s Dungeon, which they had long avoided out of pride.


    In addition, preparations had been underway for the instation of a magic-powered railway system connecting the Royal Capital to Dungeon City. ns to expand Dungeon City had already been considered, and a significant influx of people from the Royal Capital was expected soon. The instation of the already-prepared trains and railway required the Explorers¡¯ assistance.


    Previously, veteran Explorers had felt ack of acknowledgement from the Royal Capital. But their recent heroics during the Stampede earned them recognition, and many now bore a subtle pride. In Absolute Helix, Xeno and Leleia from the Royal Capital, along with veterans like Amy and Garm, shared in this newfound acknowledgment.


    [So, a lot of new recruits will be joining us¡­ This brings back some unpleasant memories.¡±]


    Tsutomu¡¯s expression showed mixed emotions. The influx of neers was a positive development, reminiscent of an MMORPG where more yers equaled an increase in the game¡¯s value ¡ª and by extension, the existing yers¡¯ own perceived value.


    Tsutomu had experienced this before. Live Dungeon had a modest start and was not particrly popr in its early days. However, back when streaming tforms were still in their infancy, Live Dungeon offered an easy in-game broadcasting environment. The convenience of streaming,bined with the game¡¯s inherent appeal, led to a surge of new yers.


    During that time, Tsutomu was riding high among the upper ranks, but he let the influx of new yers get to his head and ended up making a fool of himself. An article titled ¡®Angry Gamer Kid!?¡¯ turned him into a sort of infamous celebrity, now one of his many embarrassing memories.


    [The good-for-nothing Explorers were mostly exterminated, but some stubborn survivors remain¡­ The Guild must be having a tough time.]


    In this world, however, the influx of neers would be different. The Magic Stones from God¡¯s Dungeon, as well as how the higher-numbered Monitors attractedrger audiences, meant real money and fame were at stake. Some might be willing to resort to hical means to achieve their goals.


    As Tsutomu pondered the impact of the Royal Capital¡¯s neers on Dungeon City, the king¡¯s speech concluded. The apuse from those around him jolted Tsutomu back to reality, and he joined in the pping.


    Following the speech, the rewards for defending against the Stampede were distributed to each n. The sight of rare, expensive coins caused Amy¡¯s eyes to light up with excitement. Ealdred Crow, thergest n, received the biggest reward, but Rook donated a portion of it to support the Royal Capital¡¯s restoration.


    ¡°Think we should pitch in and raise our standing with the Royal Capital?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really care either way,¡± Tsutomu replied.


    ¡°Let¡¯s donate a tenth of this, then.¡±


    Tsutomu, having no need for more gold, donated his share. Amy, who had earned enough to run the n on her own, also made a donation to the Royal Capital.


    With the reward distributionplete and the king having departed, the Explorers excitedly discussed the uing influx of people from the Royal Capital to Dungeon City. Tsutomu, indifferent to the Royal Capital, found it hard to join the conversation.


    Not wanting to spoil the mood, he wandered to a balcony at the edge of the venue to take in the view.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Someone was already there. Diniel, dressed in a green gown, leaned against the railing, gazing at the scenery illuminated by a magical lightning tool. Dolled up by Ollie from head to toe, Diniel looked almost unrecognizable from her usual unkempt state.


    When she heard Tsutomu¡¯s voice, Diniel turned and gave a small, relieved smile. Tsutomu tilted his head in curiosity and walked over.


    ¡°Diniel, what are you doing out here?¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really care about the Royal Capital, but I didn¡¯t want to spoil everyone¡¯s excitement. So, I thought I¡¯d enjoy the view.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    Disinterested, Diniel turned her gaze back to the night scene. Seeing the aura of exhaustion and her clear wish to be left alone, Tsutomu decided not to push further. He found a spot a little distance away and joined her in looking at the nightscape.


    The night view of the Royal Capital from the castle wasn¡¯t so different from a city in Japan. It was likely because the Royal Capital used magical tools for electricity, giving the distant nightscape a familiar glow.


    ¡°<<Heal>>.¡±


    Tsutomu idly twirled a skill wisp in front of him. Before the king¡¯s arrival, Explorers had been instructed not to use skills, but now that he had left, it was not an issue. Heunched the wisp into the air, where it burst like fireworks.


    Pollux, the pudgy and cynical buffer from Ealdred Crow, was always drawn to disys like this. To Tsutomu, Pollux¡¯s skill artistry seemed more like a genuine art form; this shared interest was why Pollux had taken such a liking to him.


    Suddenly, faint voices began to drift onto the balcony where Tsutomu and Diniel stood. Unable to make out the words, Tsutomu raised a hand toward the railing.


    ¡°<<Haste>>.¡±


    He began sketching an image of the Undine, who had been a great help recently, with the blue <<Haste>> wisp. Next came the Gnome with an earthy-yellow <


    >. Then the Sylph with a green <<Heal>>. However, he could not depict the Smander, as a White Mage had no red-colored spells. Imagining the crestfallen lizard, Tsutomu allowed himself a small smile.


    [Oh, right, those guys could change the <<Combat Cry>>¡¯s color¡­]


    Though he had never tried it, feeling it unnecessary, skills could apparently be adapted in color. Maybe <<Heal>> could be altered like <<Combat Cry>>. The voices were growing closer, but Tsutomu, lost in thought about changing <<Heal>>¡¯s color, did not notice them.


    Just as he considered seeking out Xeno to learn how to alter skill colors, a light tap on his left shoulder broke his concentration.


    ¡°Aww¡­¡±


    His focus shattered, causing the almost-finished drawing of the rotund Undine to vanish. Tsutomu let out a whine akin to watching a tower of cards copse.


    He turned to find Diniel, wearing an equally irritated expression, pinching his shoulder. Behind her stood a young nobleman who, upon meeting Tsutomu¡¯s eyes, bowed slightly before scurrying away.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    [Oh, I see¡­]


    It seemed Diniel had been approached by the nobleman and, not wanting to engage, had used Tsutomu as a shield.


    Although Tsutomu had been too absorbed in drawing Spirits to hear, Diniel had likely been subtly asking for his help. When he did not respond, she had resorted to physically using him as a barrier.


    With Tsutomu¡¯s connections to House Babenberg, he was an unappealing target for other nobles, which exined the man¡¯s prompt departure.


    As Tsutomu pondered this, Diniel red at him with eyes full of reproach.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you help me?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I thought you could¡¯ve handled things yourself.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d been talking to me, that guy wouldn¡¯t have approached.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ You were giving off such a ¡®don¡¯t talk to me¡¯ vibe earlier.¡±


    ¡°Better to talk with you than deal with a horny noble.¡±


    ¡°So if I were horny, you wouldn¡¯t talk to me either, huh? ¨COw!¡±


    Diniel pinched Tsutomu¡¯s arm, and he brushed her hand away like an annoying insect. She sighed deeply, her eyes still filled with irritation.


    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t want to talk to YOU either. I was tired. But it pissed me off that you left me alone just like that. And youplimented Amy¡¯s dress but didn¡¯t say anything about mine. That annoyed me too. On top of that, you ignored my call for help. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so angry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have toy it all out like that¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Even as Tsutomu gave a half-smile, Diniel¡¯s re sharpened to a hunter¡¯s intensity, forcing him to apologize more sincerely. But she wasn¡¯t done yet.


    ¡°In God¡¯s Dungeon, you push me to work harder, always just at the edge of what I can refuse. Your detached attitude about everything, like you¡¯re in some kind of dream, is infuriating. And the way you evade Amy¡¯s advances is also frustrating.¡±


    ¡°How much anger have you been holding in? That¡¯s scary.¡±


    ¡°I got angry just now. I feel like pushing you off this balcony.¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not funny. Calm down.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s with that gesture? Do you think I¡¯m a horse? That¡¯s infuriating.¡±


    ¡°What!? You¡¯re mad about that too? It¡¯s like everything I do annoys you!¡±


    As he held out his hands to cate her, Tsutomu realized just how genuinely angry Diniel was. It was rare for her to be so talkative, likely influenced by the bit of wine she¡¯d had earlier.


    ¡°Lemme get this straight ¡ª yes, I don¡¯t like you, Tsutomu. You¡¯re barely over twenty years old, but you like to act so damn wise. Every time I sense that mysterious air about you, it drives me crazy. I want to unravel that mystery. Show me everything. I want toy it all bare and figure you out.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s calm down, okay? I¡¯ll go get Amy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. We¡¯re talking now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Umm, somebody! Help me!!¡±


    Tsutomu, desperate and unashamed, continued to call out for help as Diniel approached him like a hard-boiled police detective. Eventually, Garm burst onto the balcony to find Tsutomu being pinned in an arm lock by Diniel. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 247: A Little Change

    Chapter 247: A Little Change


    <


    >


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Amy, cheer up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at all!¡±


    Amy was, in fact, quite mad. The day before, she had seen Diniel putting Tsutomu in an arm lock on the castle balcony ¡ª in her perspective, a sign of them opening up to each other. The tension between them lingered into the next day, but Diniel seemed unfazed, sensing that Amy was not angry enough for it to be a concern.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s head back.¡±


    With their business with the nobles at the castle concluded, Tsutomu and the others were finally granted permission to return to Dungeon City. Carriages had already been arranged, and the Explorers began boarding.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a month,¡± Weiss said. ¡°Until then, Cecilia, take care of the Scarlet Devil Squad.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Weiss had to stay behind in the royal capital for some time to help restrain Meena, who was currently under examination by the capital¡¯s research institutions. They were investigating how she controlled monsters, and it had been discovered that a spider-like creature was parasitically attached to her neck, hidden by her scarf. ording to Meena, this parasite allowed her to control insect monsters. Another parasite, though of a different kind, was found on the neck of Orbis¡¯s corpse.


    Meena¡¯s testimony also led to the discovery of a hidden Orbis Church base, where she and other followers were subjected to experimentation involving the parasite. She was the only one who survived the ordeal; the others had died. This base would soon be investigated for more information.


    The royal capital had attempted to conceal the involvement of Orbis in the recent Stampede, but too many civilian witnesses had already spread the information via word of mouth and newspapers. Despite the widespread news, the royal family¡¯s reputation remainedrgely unaffected, leaving the capital in quite a confusing situation.


    ¡°What a crowd¡­¡± Tsutomu muttered, looking around sleepily as he waited in front of the carriages bound for Dungeon City.


    Hundreds of royal family members, nobles, knights, and servants were busy preparing for the journey. They were headed to God¡¯s Dungeon to level up.


    The king had also announced that the capital weed Explorers, with job offers posted in and around the castle. This had spurred many citizens to prepare for a trip to Dungeon City, hoping to climb the socialdder. The number of travelers was easily in the tens of thousands.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a traffic jam,¡± Tsutomu sighed.


    Given the possibility of encountering monsters along the way, the Explorers would lead the procession, but the sheer number of carriages and the narrow roads made dys inevitable. Tsutomu boarded thest carriage, and the driver soon set the horses in motion.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    [It¡¯s obvious they¡¯re not getting along.]


    Amy stared pointedly out the window, while Diniel, unbothered, read a book. Korinna, noticing the tension, chuckled dryly. Tsutomu nced away from the duo and met eyes with a fidgeting Hannah sitting next to him.


    ¡°Umm, Teach¡­ I¡¯m really sorry about yesterday. I don¡¯t remember much, but Korinna filled me in,¡± she said sheepishly.


    ¡°I have one piece of advice for you, Hannah: don¡¯t let the drink take over.¡±


    Though the wine had gone down easily, its high alcohol content had made it inevitable that Hannah would get drunk. Even Amira, who boasted of her drinking prowess, had ended up passed out as easily as her mother would, needing Daryl, as strong a drinker as Garm, to take care of her.


    Hannah looked as though Tsutomu¡¯s words had deeply moved her. She then bowed her head earnestly.


    ¡°And¡­ I¡¯m really sorry about everything.¡±


    ¡°Everything? Let¡¯s see¡­ defying my orders, using the Magic Fist recklessly, acting on emotion, getting easily deceived¡­ what else?¡±


    ¡°Oof¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t need to worry about offending me just because you¡¯re in the n. Look at Diniel ¡ª she never goes into the Dungeon on her days off. Amira always ropes me into training even on weekends. Xeno never shuts up about his wife, and Amy spends her days off on idol activities. Garm, Daryl, and Korinna do their own things too. As long as you don¡¯t go overboard, it¡¯s fine. Wanting to help the people isn¡¯t something only you care about.¡±


    Garm, Daryl, Xeno, and Korinna had probably felt the same way deep down. They just had the self-control to manage it. Tsutomu nced at Daryl and Korinna before resting his hand on the relieved Hannah¡¯s head.


    ¡°But, Hannah, you act too much on impulse. Just work on that, and everything else will be fine. Right, Leleia?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know why you brought me into this, but sure, that seems reasonable,¡± Leleia replied, scratching the green scales on her neck irritably.


    With a confused expression, Hannah let Tsutomu pat her head. Leleia red at him with a look of clear annoyance.


    ¡°Got it, Teach.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, I¡¯m going to catch some sleep in the back. Didn¡¯t get much restst night, you see. Wake me if you need anything.¡±


    Yawning, Tsutomu moved to where the luggage was stored andy down in a slightlyrger space. He had not slept well the previous night, preupied with thoughts about their return to Dungeon City, and was now desperately tired.


    Wrapping a towel over his eyes to block out the light, he turned on his side and drifted into sleep.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    ¡°Tsutomu has changed quite a bit, hasn¡¯t he?¡± Amy remarked, ncing at Tsutomu, who was peacefully asleep.


    Xeno, Leleia, and Korinna, the newer members, did not quite grasp her meaning, but Garm, with the longest history with Tsutomu, twitched an eyebrow. Daryl, Hannah, and Amira seemed to be deep in thought as well. Diniel, on the other hand, remained engrossed in her book.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. Ever since the Stampede, he seems¡­ softer,¡± Daryl observed.


    ¡°¡­True. Normally, he would¡¯ve declined if you asked him out for a meal in Dungeon City,¡± Garm added.


    Garm had heard Daryl repeatedly brag about sessfully inviting Tsutomu to a meal, but he still could not imagine Tsutomu spending his free time on anything other than God¡¯s Dungeon.


    ¡°Wait, Teach is gonna eat out with you, Daryl? Just the two of you?¡±


    ¡°Well, actually, Sir Garm introduced me to the n, so I wanted to treat both him and Sir Tsutomu as thanks. Then Sir Tsutomu agreed, much to my surprise¡­¡± Daryl exined.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Hannah said, looking impressed.


    She then nced at Amy, recalling how thetter had onceined that Tsutomu never spent his days off with her.


    Amy, noticing the look, shed a slightly intimidating smile and slid over to sit next to Hannah, who recoiled slightly as Amy approached like a cat.


    ¡°Got something to say? Don¡¯t hold back,¡± Amy prodded.


    ¡°N-no, nothing at all!¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? Maybe you were thinking, ¡®Dungeon City¡¯s top idol got beaten to it by Daryl,¡¯ right? Don¡¯t get cheeky just because he patted your head just now! It should¡¯ve been me, not you~~!¡± Amy teased, poking at Hannah¡¯s wings.


    ¡°Ah! Not the wings!¡± Hannah yelped, iling.


    Diniel, sitting across from them, sighed, marking her ce in her book before closing it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get toin, Amy. You¡¯re chasing after Tsutomu because you have fun doing it,¡± she proceeded to say.


    ¡°¡­Yeah, maybe, but it¡¯s rare for someone not to fall head over heels for me!¡±


    ¡°What a narcissist,¡± Hannah muttered.


    ¡°Quiet, you!¡±


    ¡°Gyah!¡±


    Amy was famous in Dungeon City, and known to almost everyone. Yet, Tsutomu had never treated her as special, looking at her like she was just another member of the team. When she had called him a ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯ during the Shell Crab battle, he had given her such a cold look that she felt she¡¯d be kicked from the party if she did not apologize.


    It was this indifference that had intrigued her, making her want to pursue him.


    ¡°But Dini, you said you supported me! What was yesterday about!?¡±


    ¡°That was Tsutomu¡¯s fault. He annoyed me.¡±


    ¡°What!? How!? You¡¯ve never even gotten mad at me!¡±


    Amy returned to her seat, yfully hitting Diniel¡¯s shoulder. Themotion in the carriage drew a puzzled nce from the driver.


    ¡°¡­But¡­ but! Something did happen between me and Tsutomu in the Royal Capital! He patted my head! He even touched my ears!¡±


    Amy¡¯s voice quivered as she desperately tried to maintain her idol persona, tears welling up in her eyes. Most of the group looked at her with a mixture of pity and bemusement.


    Amira, who had been lounging with a bored expression, suddenly grinned as if she¡¯d thought of something amusing. Her smile was eerily reminiscent of Camille¡¯s.


    ¡°Well, Tsutomu tried to get physical with me,¡± she dered.


    The air in the carriage froze. Only Korinna, who had spent a lot of time with Amira recently, recognized the lie and rolled her eyes. The other n members reacted with shock.


    Hannah¡¯s breath quickened, Daryl turned beet red, Garm and Korinna looked exasperated, Xeno responded with an American-style ¡®Oh my God,¡¯ and Amy, trying to keep herposure, seemed utterly deted.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Leleia asked, narrowing her eyes.


    ¡°Just what I said. I invited him to my room, teased him a bit, and he jumped at the chance. Guess he had a lot pent up,¡± Amira replied, her gaze challenging Leleia¡¯s.


    Leleia¡¯s usually cool demeanor vanished, reced by a look of open jealousy as she red toward the baggage area.


    ¡°Amira, you shouldn¡¯t lie like that,¡± Korinna said, trying to diffuse the situation.


    ¡°Who says I¡¯m lying? Go ask Tsutomu yourself.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ehh, I highly doubt it¡­¡±


    Amy¡¯s face had gone as white as her hair, looking ready to float away on a breeze. Diniel waved a hand in front of her eyes, checking if she was still conscious.


    ¡°I¡¯ll confirm this,¡± Leleia said.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t wake Tsutomu over something so trivial,¡± Garm interjected.


    ¡°He said to wake him if we needed anything,¡± Leleia insisted.


    ¡°He meant in emergencies, like if monsters attacked. Calm down.¡±


    ¡°This IS an emergency. Our leader has made an advance on a member, viting his own rule about rtionships within the n. He needs to exin himself.¡±


    ¡°Amira is just joking around like Guild Master Camille does. It¡¯s a harmless prank,¡± Garm said, trying to cate her.


    Leleia¡¯s eyes were fixed in determination as Garm struggled to hold her back. Amira watched with a smirk.


    ¡°He might look gentle, but he¡¯s pretty damn wild, you know?¡± She taunted.


    ¡°Garm, move aside. I¡¯m questioning Tsutomu,¡± Leleia demanded.


    ¡°Amira, enough of your shenanigans.¡±


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaah!¡±


    ¡°Oh no, Amy¡¯s broken. Korinna, heal her.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t heal emotional wounds¡­¡±


    ¡°Wild¡­¡±


    ¡°Who knew Teach had such a strong libido¡­¡± Hannah chuckled.


    ¡°Hahaha! Looks like everyone¡¯s having fun!¡± the driver in the front remarked to Ollie.


    As chaos erupted inside the carriage, Tsutomu remained soundly asleep in the baggage area. Ollie nced back at themotion, chuckled, and then focused on the road ahead as the carriage peacefully continued toward Dungeon City. <hr/> <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 248: More Embarrassing Memories

    Chapter 248: More Embarrassing Memories


    <


    >


    To reach Dungeon City from the Royal Capital, one must camp for at least one night along the way. The Explorers who had gone ahead gathered and began preparing their camp, with Absolute Helix already setting up. Ollie led the preparations, with Korinna and Daryl eagerly assisting her.


    [That thing Leleia said¡­ did she actually mean it in THAT way¡­?]


    Inside the tent set up by Absolute Helix, Tsutomu practiced his skills alone, recalling Leleia¡¯s face from earlier.


    While he had been napping in the carriage, the n members chatted about him. Amira had made some suggestivements about physical rtionships, leading a rudely awakened Tsutomu to be interrogated by a jealous Leleia.


    Reflecting on the phrase ¡®feelings so intense that she wanted to kill Amira,¡¯ Tsutomu found it somewhat understandable but still struggled to grasp Leleia¡¯s true intentions. Thus, he pondered deeply on the matter.


    Besides Leleia, Hannah eagerly pressed for more details, while Amy eyed him like a stray cat. However, Tsutomu¡¯s mention of Camille¡¯s fury quickly dispelled any misunderstandings, as Amira promptly denied the insinuations.


    Despite not asking, Tsutomu had learned a lot about Amira from Camille. He knew she was a sixteen-year-old girl who had yet to be in a rtionship with anyone.


    ¡°How about some corn soup to warm you up?¡± Outside, besides the camping Explorers, merchants and aspiring neers who had decided to move from the Royal Capital to the Dungeon City gathered.


    [I wonder if Dungeon City can handle this sudden influx of migrants.]


    Although magical tools in the Royal Capital had already transmitted the information, Tsutomu worried whether Dungeon City could amodate tens of thousands of Royal Capital residents. There was a sense of condescension among the Royal Capital residents towards Dungeon City, hinting at inevitable trouble, too.


    Nobles from the Royal Capital, as seen recently in the castle, clearly intended to ingratiate themselves with major ns. While Absolute Helix, under the protection of House Babenberg, would likely be fine, Ealdred Crow was undoubtedly a target. Even though the nobles no longer wielded significant power, their innate magical prowess still concerned Tsutomu.


    As Tsutomu thought about the future of Dungeon City, sending skills flying about within the tent, the entrance p lifted hesitantly. Garm, wearing an apron from helping with supper, and Leon, with his golden-furred wolf ears pricked, peeked inside.


    ¡°Hey, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Leon? Why are you here? We went through the trouble of keeping our distance, you know.¡±


    ¡°Aww, man! So Absolute Helix really has been avoiding us, huh? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because we heard from Ealdred Crow that you guys like to get intimate even when camping.¡±


    Tsutomu gave Leon a withering look, and Leon, whistling nonchntly, looked away.


    ¡°Well, holding back is bad for the body, right?¡±


    ¡°You know how they say ¡®third time¡¯s the charm¡¯? Maybe you should lose your arm again, then you might learn a lesson or two about restraint¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s harsh! I didn¡¯t lose it because I wanted to, you know!?¡±


    In the recent Stampede, Leon¡¯s arm had been cut off twice, making him a target for jokes among the other Explorers.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you visit me in the Royal Capital, Tsutomu? I missed my chance to say a lot of things!¡± Leonined.


    ¡°You had the opportunity at the castle, didn¡¯t you? Though you seemed more focused on flirting with the noblewomen¡­ Anyway, Garm, it looks like Leon is ready to leave.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, he does.¡±


    ¡°Wait! I lied! The truth is¡­ I just didn¡¯t want to face it. I wanted to avoid the unpleasant stuff,¡± Leon admitted, looking downcast as Garm grabbed his arm. He sat down, crossed his legs, and ced his hands on his knees, bowing his head. ¡°I appreciate you saving Eunice. I wouldn¡¯t have made it in time.¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t do anything to save her. The Undine did.¡±


    ¡°Man, you¡¯re not fooling me ¡ª I was close enough to understand the situation. Thanks to you, Golden Tune had no casualties. You saved us this time. Really, thanks a million, man.¡±


    In this Stampede, Golden Tune¡¯s only losses were Leon¡¯s arm ¡ª which had since been restored ¡ª and Eunice being knocked unconscious by Orbis, saved by Undine¡¯s intervention. Leon, who had overheard Tsutomu and Eunice¡¯s conversation, understood that Tsutomu had chosen to help her.


    ¡°Throwing away your own safety to save someone else isn¡¯t easy. Especially since you¡¯re you, Tsutomu ¡ª one wrong move, and you would have been sttered by that Shield magic!¡± Leon said with a smile, snapping his fingers.


    Tsutomu frowned. ¡°That was a mistake on my part. I misjudged the situation.¡±


    ¡°No way! It wasn¡¯t a failure! Because of you, Eunice and I were saved. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect you to help us so much, but I prefer the current you to the old Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what version of me you like¡­¡±


    To Tsutomu, his choice had been a failure. He dismissed Leon¡¯s gratitude and waved him away.


    ¡°Is that all you wanted to say? Be on your way, then.¡±


    ¡°Wait, is a simple thanks really enough?¡±


    ¡°To me, it was just a mistake. I don¡¯t need your thanks. And if you spread this around, I¡¯ll take down Golden Tune for real. Remember that.¡±


    Leon, taken aback by Tsutomu¡¯s serious tone, nodded and tried to continue talking. But Garm, sensing Tsutomu¡¯s dark mood, escorted Leon out of the tent.


    Once they were gone, Tsutomuy down and held his head in his hands.


    [Man, why the hell did I even act like a cringe gamer just now? I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m making more embarrassing memories even in this world¡­]


    Leon had dredged up memories Tsutomu would rather forget, leaving him to stew in his own thoughts.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    After camping, the carriage headed towards Dungeon City, now visible in the distance.


    ¡°Ohh yeah, we are finally back,¡± Tsutomu muttered, gazing at the city¡¯s towering Monitors from the window.


    He had seen Dungeon City from the outside on Dungeon expeditions before, but having been away for nearly a month, the sight felt oddly fresh.


    At the checkpoint of Dungeon City, the crowd had noticeably grown. Through his binocrs, Tsutomu saw numerous gatekeepers and Guild staff working swiftly to process the influx of people. Also assisting were Explorers who had remained in Dungeon City, including those of Ealdred Crow, Golden Tune, and Silver Beast.


    Among them were familiar faces: Camille, the Guild Master; Misil, the n Leader of Silver Beast; and Lorena, Conykin Healer and Tsutomu¡¯s first student.


    The carriage carrying Absolute Helix arrived at the checkpoint, and Tsutomu¡¯s group began to disembark. Members of Ealdred Crow and Golden Tune also descended, greeted warmly by their respective ns.


    ¡°Amira!¡±


    Camille pushed through the crowd to absolute Helix¡¯s carriage, her face lighting up as she spotted Amira. Ignoring Amira¡¯s scowl, she hugged her tightly, patting her face as if to reassure herself of her presence.


    ¡°Get off me, you ancient Dragon! Stop pawing at me!¡±


    ¡°Amira, you have no idea how worried I was. Just let me do this for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Gah, you¡¯re so annoying¡­¡±


    Camille held Amira firmly, even nuzzling her cheek, despite thetter¡¯s attempt to get away. Daryl watched the family reunion with a touch of envy, while Leleia¡¯s expression was impossible to read.


    Elsewhere, Amy and Garm chatted with guild staff, and Xeno was already embracing his Pico. Hannah and Korinna smiled warmly at the sight.


    ¡°Tsutomu! Wee back!¡±


    Lorena bounced with joy, tears glistening in her eyes. But Tsutomu, heading to the checkpoint, merely raised a hand in acknowledgment. He nodded briefly to Misil before continuing on his way.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Lorena¡¯s face fell as she watched him walk off, while Misil chuckled in amusement.


    ¡°Inspection, please,¡± Tsutomu said to the gatekeeper.


    ¡°Oh, sure¡­¡±


    The gatekeeper hesitated, ncing at the angry woman behind Tsutomu. As he called for a guild staff member, Lorena charged forward.


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t ignore me, dammit!¡± she yelled.


    Lorena tackled Tsutomu, wrapping her arms around his waist and sending them both to the ground. Tsutomu let out a little scream as he hit the dirt.


    As Tsutomuy there, wincing, Lorena began to cast Heal, easing his pain. Tsutomu, now able to move, turned to face his attacker.


    ¡°What¡­ what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Tsutomu groaned.


    ¡°You ignored me, Tsutomu! That¡¯s your fault!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ignore you.¡±


    ¡°Look around! Everyone¡¯s celebrating their safe return from the Royal Capital! And you just give a half-hearted wave?¡±


    ¡°Ayy, I¡¯m back~~¡±


    ¡°What!? That¡¯s way too fake, even for you! Do you realize how massive this Stampede was? It shook the Royal Capital!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how it was reported in Dungeon City, but just lemme get the inspection over with first, will you?¡±


    Tsutomu brushed off the dust and responded to Lorena¡¯s shocked expression while taking the usual paper slip from the gatekeeper and holding it in his mouth. Once his Status Card was ready, he handed the slip to the guild staff member, who proceeded to use the two items to verify his identity.


    After everything was done, the gatekeeper stamped the entry document and nodded.


    ¡°Kyoutani Tsutomu, no issues. You can go in.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Tsutomu! You¡¯re gonna go straight to the Guild, aren¡¯t you!? Stop right there! Talk to me! Look me in the eyes!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re noisy. And those ears are in the way.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­!?¡±


    Lorena¡¯s face froze, then twisted in anger. She jabbed her rabbit ears at Tsutomu¡¯s face in a flurry of strikes.


    ¡°Do you even understand how I felt staying behind in Dungeon City!?¡±


    ¡°Gah¨C Hey, cut it out.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to go, too! But the Security Team and the Guild wouldn¡¯t let me! They said monsters might attack Dungeon City, so I had to stay!! Take this, take this, take this!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, stop it.¡±


    Lorena looked up at him, teary-eyed, then pouted and turned away.


    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve been busy too, but I adjusted my schedule because you wereing back today. What a devoted student, right? But look at the mentor ¡ª only giving me a wave! Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s rude?¡±


    ¡°A truly devoted student wouldn¡¯t call herself that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll jab you again!¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    As Lorena started to shake her head vigorously like a bullfighter, Tsutomu promptly held her head back with his right hand.


    ¡°I appreciate your concern, but right now, I want to see the Pedestal. It¡¯s been almost a month.¡±


    ¡°Meh, typical Tsutomu. Still, something feels different about you¡­¡±


    Tsutomu remained silent, facing Lorena¡¯s suddenly puzzled gaze.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Ow! Hey, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s get going.¡±


    Tsutomu nudged her head aside and walked towards the massive Monitor #1. Lorena,ining all the while, followed him with a lighter step. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 249: Lorena the Bullfighter

    Chapter 249: Lorena the Bullfighter


    <


    >


    Tsutomu spent some time watching the Monitors and chatting with Lorena, then bought some Dungeon Maniac-written newspapers before heading back to the n House.


    ¡°Wee back!¡± Ollie¡¯s apprentice greeted with a flustered expression.


    She then hurriedly dusted off the corners where the grime had umted. It seemed Ollie had already pointed out some of her cleaning errors, and she was now bustling around, quickly cleaning the n House. Ollie, too, had wrapped a cloth around her mouth and was busy tidying up.


    Tsutomu offered an encouraging smile and headed to the living room. Amy, who had been chatting idly with Diniel on the sofa, perked up her white cat ears upon seeing him.


    ¡°Where were you, Tsutomu!? I didn¡¯t even notice when you finished the inspection!¡± She asked.


    ¡°Oh, sorry, I just went to check out the Pedestals.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, if I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d swear you were an addict! Oh, by the way, I had a little chat with the Guild Master, and she said she¡¯ll be visiting the n Houseter today. Is that all right?¡±


    ¡°Sure, why not? Also, today and tomorrow are days off, so feel free to do as you like.¡± ¡°Yay~~!¡±


    ¡°Yay~~¡±


    As Amy and Diniel raised their hands up in celebration, Tsutomu turned away and spoke to Hannah, whoy face down, stretching her blue-feathered wings leisurely.


    ¡°Do you know where everyone else went?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Sir Garm and Daryl went to the orphanage, I think. Xeno went home to see his wife, and Amira went somewhere with the Guild Master. I think the rest are probably still here.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Lemme guess, Teach¡­ you¡¯re going to the Pedestals again?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll take it easy for the rest of the day. The mid-tier ns are the only ones showing up for now, anyway. I can just get the updates from the Dungeon Maniacster.¡±


    Tsutomu showed Hannah the Dungeon Maniacs¡¯ newspapers he had, prompting thetter to twist her mouth in mild displeasure.


    Hannah proceeded to preen her wings¡¯ feathers, putting her in an awkward position. Tsutomu promptly averted his gaze and climbed the stairs to his room. He took a deep breath of relief as he surveyed the unchanged interior, feeling a sense of reassurance. cing the stack of newspapers on his desk, he threw himself onto the bed and closed his eyes for a moment.


    Then, opening his eyes decisively, Tsutomu got up and sat in a wooden chair to start reading the Dungeon Maniacs¡¯ articles.


    [Huh, I expected people to feel the need to restrain themselves because of the Stampede, but they¡¯ve actually made quite a bit ofyer progress overall.]


    Although there had been a period of restraint right after the previous Stampede, this time, since Dungeon City had not suffered direct damage, such restraint was less severe. With major ns vacating Dungeon City all at once, mid-tier ns had seized the opportunity to climb up and make their mark on the lowe-numbered Monitors.


    The Explorers had made some nice progress down the Dungeon, with some mid-tier ns even making it past the seventiethyer. The audience, too, must have enjoyed seeing unfamiliar faces. Even the Dungeon Maniacs¡¯ article had an added sense of excitement to their writing.


    [Silver Beast has made it past the eightiethyer, too¡­ Damn, they¡¯re catching up.]


    As it turned out, Silver Beast had managed to defeat the Winter General while the Stampede had been going on. The oue, much like their Fire Dragon battle in the past, had ended in a draw. An article featured a photo of Misil¡¯s half-disheartened face as he missed out on looting the Largest Ice Magic Stone the Winter General had dropped.


    Their Winter General battle had rekindled the audience¡¯s enthusiasm, thanks to the tense, thrilling fight reminiscent of the Fire Dragon battles. Lorena, the Mobile Healer, had been exceptionally active and popr, making her im of being busy seem quite usible.


    [Looking at just these articles, I wouldn¡¯t have expected them to actually win, though¡­]


    Both Tsutomu and the Dungeon Maniacs held a not-quite-high opinion of Silver Beast as far as performance went. Although Tsutomu recognized their potential, he still didn¡¯t believe they could surpass the Winter General.


    Unlike major ns with possessors of unique skills or Ealdred Crow¡¯s professional training program, Silver Beast was essentially an enjoyment-focused group.


    They had no divisions such as Team 1 or 2; apart from Misil, everyone simply formed parties with those they liked and explored God¡¯s Dungeon at their own pace. Numerical levels were merely a reference, and it wasn¡¯t umon for their level 70 members to explore the Swampyers with level 20 members.


    The only one who considered partypositions to some extent was Misil, the n¡¯s leader. However, all n members were fundamentally equal. Misil didn¡¯t have the authority to force party formations and didn¡¯t desire such control. As the n¡¯s leader, Misil managed only the bare minimum, a practice that had remained unchanged over the n¡¯s whole lifetime.


    Thus, only after taking care of orphans would the n¡¯s members explore the Dungeon or train lower-level nmates, treating their dungeoneering as practically aid-back side activity. Despite the rtive progress of their members who had gone past the eightiethyer, their average time spent in God¡¯s Dungeon was not much different from Absolute Helix, which took two days off each week.


    Under normal circumstances, Silver Beast wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the likes of Ealdred Crow, Golden Tune, and Scarlet Devil Squad, whose leaders either went through intensive training or were blessed with unique skills. Yet, Silver Beast had indeed defeated the Winter General and now stood alongside Ealdred Crow and Absolute Helix as the first ones to do so.


    [Well, they seem to be having fun.]


    Tsutomu noted with a hint of amusement as he nced at the photo of Silver Beast¡¯s n members in the article. Most of them wore cheerful expressions, and Lorena, in particr, was captured in a lively pose as she joyfully darted through the Dungeon.


    Even among the top ranks in Live Dungeon, not all were full-time yers with extensive y hours. Some, despite only managing three to four hours of game time a day due to work or othermitments, still made their mark in the top tiers.


    When Tsutomu had first joined an efficiency-focused n, he felt a strong aversion to those yers. He had believed that people who juggled multiple games couldn¡¯t possibly surpass him in Live Dungeon, and was further incensed upon discovering that some of them had mocked the game¡¯s dedicated yers in the chat.


    Later, Tsutomu challenged that particr individual to a contest based on contributions made in a boss battle. Though Tsutomu emerged victorious overall, he lost in one category ¨C a category involving monsters he usually excelled against. To Tsutomu, that result was as good as a loss.


    After the challenge, when Tsutomu spoke with his rival, he realized that their passion for Live Dungeon was much the same as his own. It wasn¡¯t merely the amount of time spent in the game that defined dedication. This yer had applied experience from other games to Live Dungeon, enjoying it more than Tsutomu, who had been working at it like a job. Consequently, that yer had achieved the highest contribution in a category where Tsutomu had been confident.


    From this experience, Tsutomu acknowledged that such strength existed. Despite their different paths, their destinations remained the same, and the feelings of top-tier yers didn¡¯t change significantly. This realization had led Tsutomu to question the efficiency-focused n, which he eventually left to form his own n.


    [Looking from Dungeon Maniacs¡¯ perspective, Lorena seems to be the most highly rated right now.]


    Given his experiences, Tsutomu wasn¡¯t particrly disturbed by seeing articles that rated Lorena higher than himself as a Healer.


    Previously, Dungeon Maniacs¡¯ newspapers had listed Tsutomu, Stephanie, and Lorena as the top three Healers. However, with Tsutomu and Stephanie absent, Lorena had significantly raised her profile, and now the articles reflected her as the highest-rated Healer.


    [Heh, Stephanie would probably go ballistic if she saw this article.]


    Tsutomu thought with a hint of amusement, smiling at the thought. But then the image of Stephanie, whose demeanor had be somewhat disturbing as ofte, going into a frenzy made him quickly retract his smile.


    Tsutomu often saw reflections of his past self in Stephanie. She had, like him before, focused solely on God¡¯s Dungeon, discarding other interests to achieve what she deemed true strength. From what Tsutomu observed, she was constantly practicing her skills and was one of the most frequent Explorers of God¡¯s Dungeon. It was likely that she was exerting a simr level of effort behind the scenes.


    Despite Stephanie¡¯s sometimes unsettlingly intense gaze, Tsutomu couldn¡¯t bring himself to avoid her. He didn¡¯t sense any malice from her, so he allowed her to pursue her way.


    As for Lorena, Tsutomu admired her unique approach to her role as a Mobile Healer. He had tried to replicate her high-speed style and strategy using <<Fly>>, but had yet to seed. As such, he was quite impressed how a Healer like her had the ability to perform such a role effectively.


    [I really shoulde up with something to show off, too¡­]


    While Tsutomu supported Stephanie and Lorena, he had no intention of being overshadowed by them as a Healer. Yet, to make the Dungeon Maniacs and the audience believe he could match or surpass them, he needed to ensure that his party faced dire situations where his skills could shine.


    Stephanie had repeatedly saved her party from crises during the Bolseyer battle, and Lorena had demonstrated simr prowess in the Fire Dragon and Winter General fights. For the audience, a Healer¡¯s ability to revive and stabilize the party became a crucial showcase of their skill, and Tsutomu had also been recognized for his efforts in the Mount Golem battle.


    However, Tsutomu had seldom been in situations where he needed to revive his party, unlike Stephanie and Lorena, whose frequentebacks had left a stronger impression.


    [At the end of the day, keeping all party members alive is ideal, but the audience doesn¡¯t always see the finer details. The Dungeon Maniacs sometimes appreciate that, at least¡­]


    Tsutomu believed that if a Healer allowed party members to die, they were only second-rate. With proper monster countermeasures, high-quality equipment, and well-coordinated Tanks and Attackers, a skilled Healer should be able to prevent deaths altogether.


    Of course, Stephanie and Lorena were dealing with monsters unfamiliar to them, so their situation was understandable. However, Tsutomu found it uneptable if he were to let party members die in situations that were avoidable with his knowledge of Live Dungeon.


    [And I myself don¡¯t want to die, either. It¡¯s not worth taking unnecessary risks.]


    Tsutomu was determined not to die at any cost and had no desire to risk his life by taking on the dangerous task of reviving his party. Preventing deaths in the first ce was the real challenge.


    Yet, the opinions of the audience and Dungeon Maniacs still bothered him. Being seen as inferior to Stephanie and Lorena was troubling, especially given his role as their mentor. However, he saw no reason to increase his own risk just to prove himself.


    Caught in this dilemma, Tsutomu saw another article in which the Dungeon Maniacs praised his students, feeling a mix of joy and frustration. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 250: Camille’s Refuge

    Chapter 250: Camille¡¯s Refuge


    <


    >


    That night, Camille ¡ª Guild Master and Amira¡¯s mother ¡ª visited the Absolute Helix n House. She was greeted warmly by familiar faces, especially Amy and Garm.


    Camille proceeded to join the n members for dinner, during which they exchanged updates on one another¡¯s lives.


    ¡°Listen, Tsutomu ¡ª Garm¡¯s been showing up at the Guild regrly, like clockwork. Amy has been sending me letters and little gifts. But you¡­ not even a peep. Do you know how I¡¯ve been clinging to this hairpin, just waiting for a word, any word from you!?¡±


    Camille, already drunk, clutched the hairpin Tsutomu had once bought her, feigning a sob. Despite her behavior, which would seem out of ce for someone over thirty, her youthful appearance ¨C like someone in her twenties ¨C kept it from appearing too miserable. Still, Tsutomu found himself quite exasperated by her antics.


    As Camille¡¯s ranting took a brief pause, Tsutomu seized the moment to ask something that had been on his mind.


    ¡°By the way, did Amira tell you about <<Dragon Union>>?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Oh, yeah. She mentioned it. It¡¯s a skill derived from the <<Dragon Form>>, right?¡±


    Camille, gazing longingly at her now-empty mug, watched a transformed Amira arm-wrestling with Amy a few seats away. Garm, seated beside Camille, made sure she did not get any more to drink, keeping her mug only filled with ice cubes. ¡°Tsutomu, give me your hand,¡± Camille said as she scratched at the faintly reddening scales on her neck, a sign of the alcohol in her system.


    ¡°¡­Here.¡±


    Tsutomu extended his hand, already guessing Camille¡¯s intentions. She peeled off an old scale and pressed it against the back of Tsutomu¡¯s hand, then invoked the <<Dragon Union>>, just as Amira would.


    ¡°When did you learn to do that, Camille?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ While you lot were off in the Royal Capital. I mastered it myself.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    ¡°But mind you, this <<Dragon Union>> isn¡¯t something anyone of us can pick up just by leveling up. All skills derived from unique skills need some kind of trigger. Do you know what that might be?¡±


    ¡°Beats me. I don¡¯t have a Unique Skill, so I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Well, Weiss and Bruno told me that to acquire a derived skill, you need to meet certain conditions ¨C conditions of the mental kind, they say.¡± Camille ced her finger on the red scale now attached to the back of Tsutomu¡¯s hand. ¡°I received a report from the Royal Capital about the Stampede. They said it would be on an unprecedented scale, and at that moment, I felt an overwhelming desire to help you all. That¡¯s when my red scales shone brightly. Later, when I checked my Status Card, I found that I had learned <<Dragon Union>>. I believe the condition for learning <<Dragon Union>> is the genuine desire to support one¡¯srades.¡±


    ¡°¡­Soooooo, before then, you were an insensitive person who¡¯s never actually wanted to help anyone? Is that what you¡¯re saying, Camille?¡±


    ¡°Wait. Let me rify. It¡¯s about wanting to help your party members specifically. And I think it only works if you¡¯re in a situation where you feel powerless to help. You see, I¡¯ve always managed to handle most things on my own. Even when fighting alongside you and the others, I was confident in my ability to y my part. But this time, with the Dungeon City to protect, I couldn¡¯t join you in battle. So, as I searched for another way to aid you, I believe that¡¯s when <<Dragon Union>> manifested¡­ I think?¡± Camille¡¯s voice faltered toward the end, uncertainty clouding her expression. But then, her smile widened, and she yfully poked Tsutomu¡¯s shoulder with her graceful fingers. ¡°Anyway¡­ I¡¯m overjoyed that my kid has learned <<Dragon Union>> too. It means she¡¯s grown to want to support you even more, doesn¡¯t it? A while back, that would¡¯ve been unimaginable.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Amira has definitely changed for the better,¡± Tsutomu agreed.


    ¡°I know, right?¡±


    Amira, once known for her uncontroble <<Dragon Form>> and abrasive, arrogant personality, had at one point found herself having to fight alone after being abandoned by herrades. When she first joined Absolute Helix, she looked down on everyone except Tsutomu, which made her sh with Daryl and Hannah, her party members.


    But after witnessing the various forms of ¡®strength¡¯ within Absolute Helix and getting thoroughly humbled, Amira began to change. Now, she could be seen discussing strategies for God¡¯s Dungeon with Daryl, and she¡¯d even built a good rtionship with Hannah, whom she used to dismiss as ¡®Feather Tank.¡¯


    Camille watched Amira, who was currently having a st arm-wrestling with Amy, with a warm smile. It was a mother¡¯s expression, a stark contrast to her usual yful demeanor, and it left Tsutomu momentarily taken aback.


    Then, as if the alcohol had softened her further, Camille lowered her head, her eyes melting with emotion.


    ¡°And it¡¯s all thanks to you, Tsutomu, for letting her into Absolute Helix. I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    Surprised by the sudden shift in mood, Tsutomu waved his hand in modesty, trying to downy his role.


    ¡°I did help, sure, but the other n members pitched in a lot too. And really, it¡¯s because you, Camille, showed her the love she needed that Amira was able to change for the better.¡±


    ¡°¡­I think I¡¯m going to cry. Can I bury my face in your chest?¡±


    ¡°No way. Garm can help you with that.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, Garm!! Why is Tsutomu so cold to me!?¡±


    ¡°M-Miss Camille, you¡¯ve had too much to drink,¡± Garm stammered as Camille suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tight.


    Any ordinary man might have easily fallen under Camille¡¯s spell, but Tsutomu could not help butugh out loud at Garm¡¯s expression, as if he were being embraced by a big bad Dragon.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    ¡°The progress of each n through the Dungeonyers is as follows. At present, no n aside from Silver Beast has made any significant advances. As for the equipment we¡¯ve been prototyping for the eighty-firstyer, most of it is nowplete, and we¡¯ve secured a sufficient stock of Potions as well.¡±


    In the conference room of Ealdred Crow, the main party, recently returned from dealing with the Stampede in the Royal Capital, gathered around the table. The clerks presented a summary of the current state of Dungeon City,piled from various newspaper articles. Stephanie, seated at the table, absent-mindedly flipped through a stack of clipped articles, which also contained ones written by the Dungeon Maniacs, as her skill wisps flew around the table and chairs¡¯ legs.


    ¡°However,¡± one of the clerks continued, ¡°with Team 11 having cleared the eightiethyer, it may be necessary to reassess the main party¡¯s standing.¡±


    With a new party from Ealdred Crow having sessfully caught up, a reevaluation of the main party¡¯s rank was inevitable.


    Currently, the main party consisted of the n leader, Rook; Sova, the multi-weapon Attacker; Bittman, one of the three renowned Tanks; Pollux, the Enchanter; and Stephanie, the Healer also known by her moniker, the Conductor.


    Hearing the announcement, everyone except Stephanie, who remained engrossed in the report, wore expressions of clear displeasure.


    ¡°Hah, looks like those guys have been busy while we were stuck dealing with that Stampede in the Capital,¡± Sova muttered, crossing his arms in irritation.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the clerk replied. ¡°I suspect there will be significant reshuffling, even outside the main party.¡±


    ¡°Tch, what a hassle,¡± Sova grumbled.


    The sudden call for reassessment had put them in a foul mood. Despite being summoned to the Royal Capital against their will, they now faced evaluation alongside those who had spent the past month honing their skills in God¡¯s Dungeon. Even Rook, Bittman, and Pollux couldn¡¯t hide their dissatisfaction.


    ¡°I understand how you feel, but a reassessment is necessary.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I got it,¡± Rook replied. ¡°Stifling any opportunities for advancement would only breed resentment down the line.¡±


    ¡°We know It¡¯s a bitter pill to swallow after everything you¡¯ve been through in the Capital. We appreciate your understanding,¡± the clerk said, distributing the current roster of Team 11 with an apologetic expression. They had always been aware that the news would turn the room tense like this.


    As the clerks moved to hand out the documents, Stephanie finally finished scanning the articles. She took a deep breath, trying to maintain herposure, but it didn¡¯tst. Her breathing grew ragged, and she began to scratch her head furiously, long strands of pink hair falling to the floor. Sova, sitting across from her, watched in rm as her expression twisted with an intensity that bordered on madness.


    ¡°Is something the matter, Miss-¡ª¡± one of the clerks started to ask, concern in his voice, but Stephanie¡¯s re cut him off mid-sentence.


    The sheer malice in her eyes silenced the room, suffocating the air with a palpable tension. Everyone froze, breaths held in fear.


    Stephanie¡¯s reputation as a Healer was unmatched, and with that skill hade a sharp decline in her once-humble demeanor. The clerks had anticipated that she might express some dissatisfaction with the reassessment, but none had expected this level of fury.


    The clerk who had addressed Stephanie wiped the cold sweat from his brow, while Rook half-rose from his seat, ready to intervene. But when Stephanie finally noticed the tense atmosphere around her, she bowed her head in apology.


    ¡°Forgive me. An unpleasant article caught my eye, and I let it get under my skin.¡± Stephanie¡¯s frustration had not stemmed from the impending assessment, but rather from a specific article about Healers. Realizing she had unfairly taken out her anger on the clerk, she quickly apologized and addressed the reassessment. ¡°¡­As for the assessment, I have no objections. If there¡¯s someone more skilled than I am, I¡¯ll step down from the main party withoutint.¡±


    ¡°I-I see,¡± the clerk stammered, nodding quickly.


    He hurried to continue the discussion before he could identally tread on anotherndmine. From there, the meeting proceeded smoothly, and it was decided that the reassessment would take ce over the next week.


    When the meeting concluded, Stephanie quickly returned to her room. Once there, surrounded by clippings of articles about Tsutomu that lined her walls, she red once more at the offending article on Healers. [That rabbit¡­ superior to Mister Tsutomu? The writer must have maggots in their brain.] Stephanie ground her teeth as she read the article that praised Lorena over Tsutomu. ¡°That worthless, untrained bunny¡­ How infuriating. Infuriating! She couldn¡¯t even hope to measure up to Mister Tsutomu! She¡¯s a piece of trash that can¡¯t even gauge her own abilities!¡±


    The article also included an interview with Lorena, which only fueled Stephanie¡¯s rage. At first nce, Lorena¡¯sments seemed humble, especially when she was asked about Tsutomu. But to Stephanie, it seemed that Lorena¡¯s words belittled him.


    Stephanie¡¯s disdain for Lorena had been cemented after a direct confrontation with her, who had gained recognition as a Mobile Healer. With that history, Stephanie¡¯s emotions colored her judgment as she read the article.


    The three major outlets¡¯ newspapers also included pieces that praised Korinna, a Channeler from Absolute Helix, and others stating that Tsutomu¡¯s role as Stephanie and Lorena¡¯s mentor was over. The papers were rife with articles that seemed to write whatever they pleased. Of course, there were those among the Dungeon Maniacs who measured party survival rates and praised Tsutomu for his exceptionally low death rate. But articles of the former kind, which aligned with popr opinion, sold better, and most pieces painted Tsutomu as inferior to both Stephanie and Lorena.


    ¡°Graaahhh!! Aaaargh!!¡±


    As she continued to read, Stephanie¡¯s anger only grew, so much so that it disrupted her usual skill practice. The tension followed her to the dining hall that evening, where her erratic behavior led to rumors within the n that she was panicking over the uing reassessment. <hr/>


    Beginner Supporter: 1 -> 2


    Pure Support: 2 -> 4


    Priest: 4 -> 8


    there is also a new tier, which is a work in progress. <hr/>


    <noscript></noscript>


    <


    >

 Chapter 251: Enter Kisaragi, Team 1 Candidate

    <


    >   [Is this¡­ my big chance!?]


    Kisaragi, a Healer currently in Ealdred Crow¡¯s Team 11, felt her heart flutter as she overheard the rumors circting through the n. The rumor was that Stephanie ¡ª known as the Ice Conductor among her peers, a figure who usually kept others at a distance ¡ª was beginning to show signs of anxiety over the uing assessment.


    Kisaragi had even seen it herself, catching a glimpse of Stephanie¡¯s frustration in the dining hall. A month away from the dungeoneering front lines, even for the Ice Conductor, had to be taking its toll.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got this, Kisaragi. The wind¡¯s blowing in our favor. Just gotta stay confident!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you too. If it goes well, we might be in the same party as you guys again ¡ª that¡¯d be great.¡±


    Recently, the lower-ranking teams of Ealdred Crow had developed a strange sense of camaraderie, driven by a shared determination to rise through the ranks. They could feel an unprecedented tailwind at their backs, pushing them forward.


    Stephanie¡¯s visible anxiety only added fuel to the fire. The other high-ranking teams, sensing her unease, were also on edge. It was the perfect opportunity to turn things around.


    Ealdred Crow was on the verge of a massive upheaval, the atmosphere akin to the tense calm before a battle. The support staff assigned to each team encouraged their Explorers with fervent words, while the lower teams burned with ambition, eager to turn the hierarchy on its head.


    The following day, the official announcement was made: arge-scale assessment would be conducted across Ealdred Crow. Normally, assessments were prepared and conducted discreetly, but with the ten main teams having been absent due to the Royal Capital¡¯s Stampede, this time, the reassessments would be conducted all at once.  There were two main reasons for this new approach. First, the assessment was not just internal; they would spread the word beyond Ealdred Crow. This time, they intended to incorporate the evaluations of not only Ealdred Crow¡¯s clerks, but also the Dungeon Maniacs and spectators.


    The second reason was to give the lower teams a clear shot at advancement. Without the visible prospect of a chance, people would not move. To show them that hard work could lead to advancement, the lower teams were set topete against the top teams, who had just returned from the Royal Capital. After spending over a month training intensively in God¡¯s Dungeon, the teams¡¯ Explorers had significantly leveled up. The odds of them outperforming the top units, who had been away in the Royal Capital, were high.


    ¡°And now, we¡¯ll begin the teams¡¯ assessment. Each of you will form a party with your assigned team and proceed to conquer the designatedyer.¡±


    The assessment, which many believed would result in a major reshuffling of the teams, began early in the morning with much fanfare. The Dungeon Maniacs were particrly interested, and the audience was given free voting tickets. These tickets allowed spectators to support specific individuals, turning the assessment into something of a poprity contest.


    Voters would also be granted limited ess to some of the n House¡¯s facilities, such as the dining hall and shops. Although it wasbeled as a military assessment, this event was essentially a publicity stunt for Ealdred Crow as a corporate-style n.


    With the added spectacle, the audience¡¯s interest in the assessment grew, and the lower teams, who were usually overlooked, found themselves more motivated than ever. Conversely, the top teams, sensing the farcical nature of the event, wore expressions of disdain.


    Amidst this, Kisaragi, set to undergo the assessment for a chance at promotion to the main party, clenched her fists with determination. She then teleported to the eightiethyer with her assigned party.


    Kisaragi¡¯s level now matched Stephanie¡¯s, and her skills had earned her a shot at the main party assessment. While she had mastered the standard skill shots, Kisaragi preferred quickshot skills. She had noticed that Tsutomu used a quickshot skill with a spin to increase its speed, and since then, she had added her own twist to it.


    Her usual strategy involved handling most situations with standard skill shots, but when the pressure mounted and she had less time to support her team, she relied on quickshot skills to pick up the ck. This approach had be Kisaragi¡¯s trademark style, one that other Healers had begun to emte.


    Moreover, Kisaragi had already cleared the eightiethyer they would be diving into, having defeated the Winter General over ten times to obtain Largest Ice Magic Stones. As a result, she had greatly honed her understanding of its behavior and refined her aggro management. In contrast, Stephanie had only won against the Winter General once and hadn¡¯t challenged it since.


    Fortune had favored Kisaragi with her assigned party members as well. Four of them were from the lower teams with whom she had previously fought, making their coordination in the uing battle against the Winter General smoother than expected.


    ¡°All right!¡±


    The party she led as the Healer encountered a few close calls but managed to control the aggro and perform revives effectively, achieving a stable victory. After a month of repeated battles against the Winter General, their performance this time surpassed that of Ealdred Crow¡¯s previous sessful attempt at the eightiethyer.


    ¡°Awesome, Kisaragi! We¡¯ve got this in the bag!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that was solid.¡±


    ¡°I agree! I think this was our best run yet!¡±


    As the male Attacker and Tank showered her with praise, Kisaragi felt confident in how she had handled the situation. Seeing Stephanie¡¯s earlier anxiety had eased some of Kisaragi¡¯s nerves, allowing her to perform better than usual.


    As Kisaragi and her team celebrated, a woman with pink hair styled in spiral curls approached, her footsteps deliberate and her numerous skill wisps swirling around her. Noticing the figure in the blue dress, Kisaragi found her gaze drawn to her, as if by maic pull.


    ¡°¡­Miss Stephanie.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Miss¡­ Kisaragi, was it? Congrattions on clearing the eightiethyer.¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you.¡±


    Stephanie¡¯s face remained calm, her expression asposed as ever, which puzzled Kisaragi. Just the day before, Stephanie had seemed so flustered, and she had surely watched their battle with the Winter General through the Pedestal. Yet here she was, looking utterly unbothered. Kisaragi¡¯s party members shared her unease, casting skeptical nces at Stephanie¡¯s cool demeanor.


    ¡°The next round will begin after a two-hour break. Please make sure to rest and be at peak performance.¡±


    ¡°O-of course. We¡¯ll do our best.¡±


    ¡°Very good. I¡¯ll see you in two hours,¡± Stephanie spoke like a doll, with eyes devoid of emotion, then turned and left.


    Kisaragi¡¯s party members exchanged nces, muttering under their breath as they watched her walk away,


    ¡°That Ice Conductor¡¯s got the act down, huh? Always so damnposed.¡±


    ¡°She probably thinks she¡¯s too good for us. Didn¡¯t even look like she wanted to talk to us lower-rank grunts.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just like the rumors say ¡ª a cold-hearted Healer. She¡¯s gonna make it tough to work with her.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s not all she¡¯s cracked up to be¡­¡±


    The group had never worked with Stephanie, yet they all shared their assumptions as she disappeared into the crowd. Kisaragi, too, found herself looking down on Stephanie, echoing the sentiments of her party members.  [So that¡¯s the pride of a Team 1 member? She¡¯s so haughty that I can¡¯t see her coordinating with her peers¡­ And after all that panic yesterday, she¡¯s still trying to act high and mighty? What a joke.]


    She had witnessed Stephanie¡¯s irritation the previous day, and that haughty attitude had always rubbed her the wrong way.


    In most parties, the dynamic had shifted. With more male Attackers and Tanks and more female Healers, it had be essential for female Healers to be mindful of their male teammates¡¯ needs. Though Kisaragi didn¡¯t go out of her way, she made sure to keep the peace, understanding that a little consideration could make a party run smoother.


    But Stephanie hardly seemed to care about any of that. In fact, Kisaragi had noticed her discussing dungeoneering strategy on equal footing with the men, sometimes even taking the lead. This boldness had earned Stephanie considerable support from the n¡¯s women, who admired her assertiveness.


    Yet Kisaragi couldn¡¯t stand it. She knew she wasn¡¯t above currying favor with the Attackers and Tanks. It made them more protective, and more eager to show off their skills. But Stephanie¡¯s straightforwardness, especially in front of veterans like Sova or the gifted Pollux, irked her to no end.  [With an attitude like that, good luck getting any support from your party. Too bad, Stephanie.]


    The others wouldn¡¯t tantly sabotage Stephanie¡¯s assessment, but the bad impressions lingered. Kisaragi subtly fanned the mes of discontent, feeding into her party¡¯s frustrations.


    As she reflected on Stephanie¡¯s flustered state from the previous day and how easily her party members could be manipted with a bit of ego-stroking, Kisaragi allowed herself a little chuckle.


    <noscript></noscript>


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 Chapter 252: Former Self-sacrificing Healer

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    Two hours passed, and Stephanie, along with the lower-rankers she had been grouped with, began to line up for the Guild¡¯s teleportation Magic Circles. Kisaragi watched from her seat inside the Guild, noting the tension that hung over the group like a dark cloud.  [It¡¯s fine¡­ I¡¯ve definitely improved sincest time. Plus, her party¡¯s full of people she¡¯s never even met, all from lower ranks. She¡¯ll be nervous and bound to make mistakes.]


    As a member of Ealdred Crow, Kisaragi was well aware of Stephanie¡¯s outstanding abilities. In fact, Stephanie was borderline legendary, so much so that even the Healers in Teams 2 and 3 would give up before the assessment even began. It was safe to assume that no Healer in Ealdred Crow could ignore her presence.


    Before the Stampede, Kisaragi had never imagined she could surpass Stephanie. Being in the same n, she had always felt the stark difference between their abilities.


    But this assessment was different from all the previous ones. Stephanie, who had been sidelined for a month, was now stuck with an unfamiliar party, and the judges seemed inclined to give the lower rankers a chance this time. On top of that, the Dungeon Maniacs would be casting their votes. The wind was at Kisaragi¡¯s back, and her performance in the recent battle with the Winter General had been her best yet.


    She had worked hard this past month. Every day she had descended into God¡¯s Dungeon, eating only the bare minimum and sacrificing sleep. The constant strain had left her feeling hollow, but it had all been worth it to climb this far.  [Hah, you better hope you don¡¯t mess up¡­!] she silently urged, her eyes locked on Stephanie, who gripped her staff like a conductor¡¯s baton.


    Thest thing Kisaragi wanted was for her month-long efforts to be in vain. She willed Stephanie to falter as she watched thetter¡¯s party step onto a Magic Circle and vanish, transported to the eightiethyer.


    ¡°Oh, great, the Guild¡¯s packed.¡± Came a groan amidst the crowd. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t have gotten suckered into giving up our seats, Daryl.¡±


    ¡°I-I just couldn¡¯t help it!¡±  [¡­Hmm?] Kisaragi¡¯s gaze followed the sound.  All of those in the dungeoneering scene knew about Ealdred Crow¡¯s assessment, so the Monitor area in the Guild building was quite lively today.


    Turning around, Kisaragi spotted a man she recognized by his white hooded robe and ck trousers adorned with the red emblem of the Dorren Workshop. Simr to Stephanie, he had a few skill wisps flying over his head, drawing a few stares from those around him. Moreover, he was often seen spectating other Explorers through Monitors.  [Tsutomu¡­?]


    Indeed, it was the man who had single-handedly redefined the role of Healers, and even now, he remained one of the top three in the field. With a weary expression, he waded through the crowd, searching for a vacant seat. Not far from him, Kisaragi also noticed Daryl, a Team 2 Tank of Absolute Helix.


    ¡°There! Those seats are open,¡± Tsutomu pointed out. ¡°Go grab ¡¯em!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Daryl moved swiftly to secure two empty seats, which just happened to be right next to Kisaragi¡¯s. He and Tsutomu settled in just as Stephanie¡¯s team¡¯s Winter General battle was projected onto the Guild¡¯s Monitor #1.


    Kisaragi had never interacted with Tsutomu before, but she had studied his techniques to refine her own skills as a Healer. In her point of view, he was a celebrity she would expect to only ever see on a Monitor.


    ¡°Um, excuse me¡­ Are you Mister Tsutomu?¡± she asked, her eyes wide with feigned innocence.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah, that¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Wow! For real!? I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually meeting you! It¡¯s such an honor!¡± Kisaragi eximed, her voice filled with enthusiasm so as to stroke Tsutomu¡¯s ego.


    Tsutomu narrowed his eyes and took a good look at her. Then, a look of recognition crossed his face.


    ¡°Ahh, you are¡­ Miss Kisaragi, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh? Wait, you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°Not really¡­ but I know you¡¯re a White Mage from Ealdred Crow ¡ª I saw you battling in the eightiethyer just now.¡±


    ¡°No way! That¡¯s more than enough!! Compared to someone like you, I¡¯m just a nobody, like a pebble on the road!¡± Kisaragi replied, her voice dripping with self-deprecation.


    ¡°Well, I do my research on others in our field.¡± Tsutomu chuckled softly, shaking his head.


    As Kisaragi continued to downy herself, Tsutomu offered a bitter smile before turning his attention back to Monitor #1, where Stephanie¡¯s battle was being projected. Kisaragi followed his gaze, her eyesnding on Stephanie as she distributed support skills to her party.  [¡­Nothing out of the ordinary so far.]


    It was still early in the fight, and there wasn¡¯t much difference between Stephanie¡¯s performance and what Kisaragi had expected. The Tanks handled aggro with ease, ustomed to the Winter General¡¯s patterns, while the Attackersunched their assaults under the effects of <<Haste>>.


    ¡°¡­Mister Tsutomu, what are you writing?¡± Kisaragi asked, trying to divert her attention from the uneventful battle.


    Daryl, seated beside her, suddenly looked as if he were sitting next to a ticking bomb, but Tsutomu kept his focus on the Monitor, his hand scribbling notes as he answered.


    ¡°I¡¯m jotting down observations on Stephanie¡¯s strategies.¡±


    ¡°Her strategies¡­? But isn¡¯t she your apprentice?¡±


    ¡°There are always things to learn ¡ª even from the worst of my students, by which I mean that one from Golden Tune. And with how excellent Stephanie is, there¡¯s quite a lot.¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­ I see. So, even you think Miss Stephanie is exceptional?¡±


    Normally, Tsutomu spectated battles from reserved seats in the market outside, so few Explorers had the chance to see him taking notes like this. Watching him now, engrossed in his work without ever tearing his eyes from the Monitor, Kisaragi found herself slightly taken aback.


    Tsutomu, in good spirits perhaps because he was speaking with a fellow Healer, continued to watch the battle unfold on Monitor #1 as he borated,


    ¡°She¡¯s probably the best Healer around right now. Lorena might be second, if I had to pick.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ And how does her performance look right now?¡±


    ¡°Nothing special has happened yet, so I can¡¯tment on that¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I figured¡­¡±


    ¡°But that Tank¡­ He¡¯s a Pdin, and while he¡¯s clearly used to facing the Winter General, his <<Ember Aura>> management isn¡¯t perfect. He¡¯s too focused on keeping track of its duration, which divides his attention from the fight itself.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Kisaragi had noticed the same w. The Pdin kept his <<Ember Aura>> up without fail, but he often refreshed it too early, wasting precious seconds. When the aura¡¯s time was almost up, his concentration wavered, and it showed.


    ¡°Five minutes and thirty-two seconds left on <<Ember Aura>>,¡± Stephanie¡¯s voice echoed through the Monitor. ¡°I¡¯ll time them for you ¡ª please just concentrate on the Winter General.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s assessment had been spot-on, and now Stephanie was rying the same information to the Tank on the field. She even took on the task of managing the timer for <<Ember Aura>>, while also never allowing her other support skills topse. Tsutomu knew Stephanie had drilled the time-counting practice into her routine, almost to the point of madness. For her, this was second nature by now.


    ¡°<<High Heal>>, <<Medic>>.¡±


    Just like Tsutomu, Stephanie timed her healing skills tond just as the Winter General¡¯s attacks hit, minimizing the pain the Tanks felt and speeding up the battle¡¯s pace.


    ¡°<<Air de>>.¡±


    And then came the biggest difference between Stephanie and Kisaragi: Stephanie attacked the Winter General ¡ª a Healer, using an offensive skill. Kisaragi shot to her feet, disbelief written all over her face.


    ¡°Huh!? Wait, what!?¡±


    Healers were not supposed to attack ¡ª that was a basic t, especially within Ealdred Crow. The n¡¯s internal guide on Winter General tactics, distributed to every member, clearly stated that Healers should focus solely on support and healing, leaving the attacking to others.


    If a Healer did anything outside of their designated role and drew aggro, it would almost certainly affect their evaluation negatively. The guide did not ount for any situation where a Healer might attack.


    Perhaps it would have been fine if this were the usual month-long assessment process, but this time, it had been announced that the oue hinged on a single battle. If Stephanie mismanaged the aggro and the enemy turned its fury on her, the consequences could be disastrous. This was not the time to take unnecessary risks. Yet, Stephanie carried out the high-risk maneuver without a trace of hesitation.


    Stephanie¡¯s support and healing were wless. She coordinated the Tank switches seamlessly, issuingmands and healing without missing a beat. asionally, she¡¯d hover in the air with <<Fly>>, surveying the battlefield, or apply extra <<Medic>> shots to counter frostbite ¡ª small improvements from herst encounter with the Winter General that hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve gotten to see her in action,¡± Daryl remarked, ¡°It¡¯s like she¡¯s a girl version of you, Sir Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh, yeah, she¡¯s picked up a lot of my moves. I think she¡¯s already better than me at providing support from the air, though.¡±


    When Stephanie cast her skills, they flowed as if directed by her baton, hitting her party members with precise timing. It was almost like watching a conductor orchestrate a symphony. As Daryl had pointed out, her movements mirrored Tsutomu so closely that they could have been reflections of each other.


    Kisaragi, shocked by Stephanie¡¯s performance, barely registered the conversation between Daryl and Tsutomu. Compared to herst battle with the Winter General, Stephanie had improved significantly as a Healer. And most impressive of all was that no one had died yet.


    While the crowd and Dungeon Maniacs often praised Healers who could overturn crises by resurrecting fallenrades, those in the dungeoneering profession knew the true measure of skilly in preventing deaths in the first ce. If a Tank didn¡¯t fall, it meant the Healer was meticulously maintaining their health while expertly managing the aggro generated by healing. As a fellow Healer, Kisaragi recognized the level of skill Stephanie disyed.


    Stephanie even did things not covered in the Winter General strategy guide.


    ¡°Gwah¡­.!¡±


    As the Winter General¡¯s health dwindled, it started to summon its horse, threatening to add another enemy to the fray. But just before that, one of the Tanks took a critical hit, throwing the formation into disarray. The Attackers, reacting too quickly, struck out at the Winter General, triggering the summoning sequence.


    ¡°<<Heal>>. Attackers, hold off. We¡¯ll deal with the horse after the Tanks recover,¡± Stephanie instructed calmly.


    But then, instead of letting the summoning proceed, Stephanie shot a <<Heal>> at the Winter General, disrupting its sequence. The Winter General couldn¡¯t call its mount until its health fell below a certain threshold. Knowing this, Stephanie had acted on instinct to dy it.


    ¡°Yooo! She¡¯s a genius!¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you imitating Miss Hannah?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Tsutomu, impressed by Stephanie¡¯s quick thinking, jotted down notes, his pencil scratching across the paper. He knew he could have pulled off the same maneuver ¡ª he¡¯d done it before in Live Dungeon! ¡ª but seeing Stephanie execute it without hesitation made him smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a blessing to have a Tank that can consistently dodge critical hits like that. Having a good White Mage enabled them to quickly salvage the situation ¡ª if they had a Channeler, it would¡¯ve been a much tougher situation. Daryl, you¡¯re great at this too, but if you can pick up on Garm¡¯s knack for avoiding critical hits, you¡¯ll be even better.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Daryl responded, his ck-furred tail twitching with concentration as he absorbed Tsutomu¡¯s words, intent on learning everything he could from this session.


    Stephanie healed the critically injured Tank, stabilizing the party before giving the Attackers the green light to resume their assault. With everyone back on track, she let the Winter General summon its steed. Despite the added challenge, Stephanie seamlessly bnced the aggro between the Winter General and its mount while continuing to heal and even joining in the attack herself.


    Thanks to her added damage output, they defeated the Winter General faster than Kisaragi had managed. No Tanks had died this time, and not a single resurrection was needed. As Kisaragi took in the result, her face twisted in disbelief.


    ¡°How¡­ how is she so much better now? Last time, she barely made it¡­¡±


    Kisaragi had watched Stephanie¡¯s previous battle with the Winter General. It had been a close call, the victory hanging by a thread. In contrast, Kisaragi had approached the fight with confidence, armed with strategies and knowledge about the Winter General. She had expected at least a good contest, if not a clear win.


    But even though this was only Stephanie¡¯s second time clearing the eightiethyer, her performance outshone Kisaragi¡¯s, who had faced the Winter General over ten times. Kisaragi could not fathom why.


    ¡°How did Miss Stephanie get so good? She¡¯s better than me, and I¡¯ve been working my ass off here for a month!¡±


    Tsutomu, sensing her agitation, responded calmly, ¡°She was the Healer in the first party to ever defeat the Winter General. She has a much deeper understanding of the fight than anyone could imagine.¡±


    There was an obvious difference between Stephanie¡¯s hard-earned victory, achieved through countless failures, and Kisaragi¡¯s sess, which came from following a well-trodden path. Stephanie had only defeated the Winter General once, but she had died trying dozens of times, gaining experience that far surpassed Kisaragi¡¯s.


    Both Tsutomu and Daryl knew about the Ealdred Crow¡¯s assessment, so they could easily guess why Kisaragi was upset. Tsutomu¡¯s expression turned sympathetic, which only fueled Kisaragi¡¯s irritation, prompting her to re at him.


    ¡°W-why are you looking at me like that? The assessment isn¡¯t final yet!¡±


    ¡°True, it¡¯s not. But you¡¯re aware of the difference, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re so anxious, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°D-do you think I¡¯m inferior to Stephanie? If you do, please tell me why!¡±


    ¡°¡­You see, Miss Kisaragi, I watched your performance closely. You were good ¡ª experienced with the Winter General, and quick to salvage the situation whenever things went wrong. But there¡¯s a key difference between you and Stephanie. You stillck a certain awareness as a Healer.¡±


    ¡°¡­An awareness as a Healer?¡± Kisaragi repeated.


    Tsutomu¡¯s face showed a hint of regret as he continued,


    ¡°It¡¯s not something that¡¯s easily fixed, I understand ¡ª but I can still see traces of the disposable Healer in you. You¡¯re too concerned about the Attackers and Tanks. You end up overdoing the support, which messes with your aggro management. You¡¯re too quick to ept every request they make. But Stephanie ¡ª she only provides the necessary support and healing, which leaves her enough room to join in the attack. Until you change that mindset, no amount of effort will put you on Stephanie¡¯s level.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Kisaragi lowered her head, her expression darkening. She knew what Tsutomu meant. The need to appease the Attackers and Tanks still lingered in her, a habit from her days as a disposable Healer. Back then, she had been stuck in the middle tier, and those instincts had taken deep root.  [Even this guy is saying it¡­ there¡¯s no way I can beat Stephanie¡­]


    ¡°But your fundamentals are solid, Miss Kisaragi. You¡¯ve got some real talent in quickshot skills. Sure, this assessment didn¡¯t go as you hoped, but you likely ranked higher than you think. If you work on that mindset, there¡¯s still a chance for you. Don¡¯t give up.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Kisaragi had braced herself to hear that she would never surpass Stephanie; the unexpected encouragement made her look up, surprise evident on her face.


    ¡°Do you think¡­ I can surpass her?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t give you any guarantees. She¡¯s quite a hard worker, too ¡ª it won¡¯t be a walk in the park. But no one is unbeatable. You won¡¯t know until you try.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, of course.¡±


    Kisaragi¡¯s tense expression softened as she let his words sink in. After a moment, she bowed deeply. ¡°Thank you. I know we just met, but¡­ thank you for taking the time to say this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    ¡°¡­No more time to mope, then! Excuse me!¡±


    Kisaragi stood up with newfound determination.


    As she walked away from Tsutomu and Daryl, ready to leave the guild, she identally bumped into someone. The slight impact sent her slender frame tumbling to the ground.


    ¡°Oh, sorry¡ª-¡±


    Looking up to apologize, Kisaragi froze as a shiver ran down her spine. The cold, calcting eyes of Stephanie, the Ice Conductor, stared down at her, exuding an aura that made Kisaragi¡¯s skin crawl.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±  [W-what the¡­?]


    Stephanie said nothing, her gaze fixed on Kisaragi, neither offering a hand nor breaking eye contact. The intensity of her stare unsettled Kisaragi somewhat.


    ¡°Uh, you alright there?¡± Tsutomu¡¯s voice broke the tension; he seemed to know that intervention on his part was necessary.


    He stepped forward, offering a hand to Kisaragi, who looked up at him as if he were her savior.


    <noscript></noscript>


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 Chapter 253: Madness

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    Stephanie found herself spiraling into an abyss of doubt and confusion.


    When had HE first begun to notice her? No matter how heavy her burdens became, his gaze had always found her. Just a simple exchange of greetings, those fleeting moments in the morning and evening, had once been enough to fill her heart with warmth and contentment.


    ¡°Is this the world¡¯s way of saying I¡¯m inferior to this fool?¡±


    When had he started looking at others? Lorena, Eunice, Korinna, Amy, and now Kisaragi ¡ª all of them had captured his attention. The mere sight of him conversing with anyone else drained the joy from her soul.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t right, Mister Tsutomu. You¡¯re acting strangely these days. Why? Why won¡¯t you keep your eyes on me? Why¡­ why? Why is this happening?¡±


    When did the man in her room, whose eyes were on her and only her, be so different from the man she would see on Monitors? Each time that cruel reality struck her, her affection for him twisted, warping into something dark and loathsome.


    It had all started at the Ealdred Crow n House, the day she had received Tsutomu¡¯s praise. From that moment, she had driven herself harder than ever, desperate to earn more of his approval. But Tsutomu¡¯s praise was not hers alone to keep. No matter how much effort she exerted, his acknowledgment always seemed to elude her.


    Initially, she had convinced herself that he was pushing her, challenging her to grow stronger. But as the days passed, that thought became a suffocating weight, pressing down on her. And then, during the chaos of the Stampede, she had seen it ¡ª his supposed favoritism toward Eunice. And now, the sight of him gently helping Kisaragi to her feet, was the final straw.  Kisaragi¡¯s level andpetency as a Healer were clearly beneath Stephanie¡¯s. Her appearance was in at best. She was inferior in every way, yet Tsutomu touched her.


    ¡°Ah¡­ AAAGH!! AAAAAAHHH!!¡±


    Jealousy, raw and corrosive, consumed Stephanie. Her mouth twisted open in a scream as she bit down hard on her own fingers, as if trying to sever them right off. Drool dripped down her pale, trembling hands, mingling with the hot tears that streamed relentlessly from her eyes.


    Her emotions had curdled into a dark, viscous jealousy, so potent it seemed to ooze from her very pores. The admiration she once felt for Tsutomu had turned inside out, bing a tidal wave of bitterness that threatened to drown her, suffocating even those around her.


    Stephanie¡¯s voice rang out, sharp and desperate, as her skill wisps red chaotically around her, swirling in erratic, uncontroble patterns. Blood dripped steadily from her bitten fingers.


    ¡°Sir Tsutomu, get behind me!¡±


    Sensing the imminent danger, Daryl acted swiftly, pulling Tsutomu back and positioning himself as a shield. Kisaragi let out a brief, startled cry, instinctively clutching at Tsutomu¡¯s arm for safety, while the surrounding Explorers looked on, their eyes filled with wary caution.


    The looks in those eyes ¡ª Stephanie knew them all too well. She had seen those same wary nces countless times within the halls of Ealdred Crow. There, she had be somewhat of a figure to be approached with caution, as she delved into God¡¯s Dungeon relentlessly, without rest or respite. In their eyes, she was a solitary figure with no equal ¡ª save for Tsutomu. He alone had been the one to stand above her, the beacon she followed.


    But understanding from others had never been what she sought. Her gaze had always been locked on Tsutomu. Yet even as she repeated this to herself, the stares of her nmates and the presence of those who gathered around Tsutomu gnawed at her resolve. Even Tsutomu himself was bing a source of frustration. Why did he value them? Why would he not look at her the way HE would in her room?


    These thoughts spiraled, twisting within her, and with each turn, Stephanie felt a growing disgust directed inward. How could she, who adored Tsutomu so fiercely, harbor such dark, corrosive feelings? Yet the man who watched over her in her room seemed like a different person entirely from the real one ¡ª the one who now stood before her. She could no longer reconcile the two, and it was tearing her apart.


    ¡°S-stay back, miss! Please, don¡¯te any closer!¡± Daryl¡¯s voice trembled, his fear palpable as he tried to contain the whirlwind of emotions that had taken hold of Stephanie. He recoiled slightly, his demeanor a wide-eyed anxiety of someone facing an unpredictable threat. He looked every bit like a loyal puppy, trembling yet determined, trying to protect its bigger brother from a looming predator.


    In the midst of the growing tension, Sova, Stephanie¡¯s childhood friend, noticed themotion and quickly intervened. His hand mped down on her shoulder, trying to pull her away from the scene.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing, Stephanie!? C¡¯mon, we¡¯re leaving! Now!¡±


    For a brief moment, he hesitated, his eyes reflecting a mix of fear and confusion as he grappled with the unfamiliar side of Stephanie that had surfaced. But despite his hesitation, he was physically stronger, and that strength prevailed.


    ¡°AAAHHHHHH!?¡±


    Stephanie¡¯s scream pierced the air as Sova pulled her away, her eyes desperately locking onto Tsutomu¡¯s. Her cry was wild ¡ªpletely unrestrained. She searched his face for a reaction, and all she saw was shock, the same stunned disbelief that had spread across the faces of the others.


    ¡°Why!? I¡­! I¡¯m your greatest admirer! Mister Tsutomu! Why!? Mister Tsutomu, Mister Tsutomu, Mister Tsutomu!? Why!? WHYYYYYY!?¡±


    Her voice, cracked and frayed from the strain, echoed through the Guild¡¯s halls as Sova dragged her further away. The onlookers, including Tsutomu himself, stood frozen in ce, their eyes wide with difort and disbelief.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    The following day, the results of Ealdred Crow¡¯s assessment program were announced. Stephanie retained her position on Team 1, her status as one of the top Healers unchanged. Meanwhile, Kisaragi, who had shown promise, was offered a promotion to Team 2. However, to the surprise of many, Kisaragi declined the advancement. Instead, she chose to step away from her duties, opting to return to her family home for a break. The n, fortunately, assured her a stipend, ensuring she would not have to worry about financial burdens during her time away.


    Tsutomu, who had witnessed Stephanie¡¯s dark side firsthand for the first time, scanned the newspaper as he sat at the breakfast table. He let out a long sigh as his eyes caught on to an article that lightly touched on the previous day¡¯smotion.  [How the hell did THAT happen?]


    The newspaper hinted that the disturbance might have been a lover¡¯s quarrel, which drew yet another sigh from Tsutomu. He had always sensed something off about Stephanietely, but he had never imagined that things had deteriorated to such an extent.  [Seriously, what happened to her? She kept shouting my name like I was supposed to understand¡­ but I don¡¯t even know what she was talking about¡­]


    Unbeknownst to Tsutomu, Stephanie had been driven to the brink by the pressures of her rigorous Healer training, her admiration for him warping into something darker ¡ª something obsessive. In her mind, she hade to believe that he had saved her, and that belief had spiraled into expectations he had no way of knowing.  [And the way she bit her own fingers until they bled¡­ man, that was seriously messed up. Creepy as hell.]


    Tsutomu had encountered his share of troubled individuals during his time ying Live Dungeon, including those who posted disturbing images of self-harm on social media. But never before had he been confronted with a woman screaming his name while borderline mutting herself right in front of him. Even with his experience in dealing with difficult situations, Stephanie¡¯s disy had left him thoroughly shaken.  [I¡¯d like to believe that she can take care of herself. Stephanie¡¯s got potential ¡ª she¡¯s always been so eager to learn. If she keeps it up, she could even surpass me as a Healer someday. But seeing her like that¡­ it¡¯s hard to just leave her alone.]


    Despite the unsettling madness he had witnessed, Tsutomu found himself reluctant to distance himself from Stephanie. He did not fully understand what had pushed her to such a desperate state, but he knew that somehow, whether through action or inaction, he had yed a role in it. Stephanie was one of the few Healers who could match his skill ¡ª her dedication to mastering God¡¯s Dungeon was unparalleled, save perhaps for Lorena, whose unique approach set her apart.


    Tsutomu had learned, through his time with Live Dungeon, the dangers of getting too close to those struggling with deep emotional issues. But Stephanie was different ¡ª she had been his student; the connection made it so that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to heed his own advice. He was directly involved, and that gave him a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, there was still something he could do.  [I¡¯ll have to talk to Rook about it. But not just yet. I have my own things to do ¡ª it¡¯ll have to wait until I get a bit more breathing room.]


    Tsutomu¡¯s primary focus remained on conquering God¡¯s Dungeon. He was determined to stay ahead of every other n in terms ofyer progress by the time he cleared the niethyer. Stephanie¡¯s situation, troubling as it was, would have to take a backseat. He would address it when the time was right. Until then, his energy would be channeled toward the highest priority ¡ª conquering the hundredthyer as soon as possible.


    Ealdred Crow, havingpleted their assessments, was already set to resume work in full force starting today. Silver Beast, too, was making significant strides in their own campaign through God¡¯s Dungeon. Thepetition was fierce; there was no time to lose.


    The living room around him was still and silent, the n members yet to awaken. From the kitchen, the familiar andforting scent of breakfast being prepared by Ollie and her apprentice wafted through the air, stirring Tsutomu from his thoughts and pulling him fully into wakefulness.  [Now then¡­ who should I team up with foryer eighty-one?]


    Tsutomu set aside the newspaper and his lingering thoughts of yesterday¡¯smotion. Leaning back on the sofa, he began to strategize, his mind shifting gears to the challenges thaty ahead.


    <noscript></noscript>


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 Chapter 254: Heaven and Hell

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    The nature of the eighty-firstyer had been a hot topic of conversation in the Live Dungeonmunity back in the day. Unlike the nature-infusedndscapes that had marked their journey up to this point, this new domain weed yers with the cryptic location name of ¡®Light and Darkness.¡¯ Theyout, too, was a marked departure from what they had grown ustomed to.


    ¡°Whoaaa, it¡¯s so pretty!¡±


    Hannah¡¯s exmation rang out as soon as they set foot on theyer. Her eyes, wide with wonder, drank in the scene before her ¡ª a breathtaking array of jewel-toned flowers, their petals glistening in the soft embrace of sunlight. It was a vision plucked straight from the pages of a fairy tale, where peace and beauty reigned unchallenged.


    For a moment, Tsutomu and Xeno stood in quiet admiration, the unexpected vista catching them off guard, though their reaction was more temperedpared to Hannah¡¯s childlike delight. In stark contrast, Leleia and Amira observed the idylldscape with an air of unease, their faces betraying their distaste.


    ¡°¡­If I hadn¡¯t read the news, maybe I could appreciate this more,¡± Xeno mused aloud. ¡°Judging by Hannah¡¯s reaction¡­ she probably didn¡¯t bother to even skim it, did she?¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Tsutomu replied with a hint of amusement in his voice. ¡°Let¡¯s just¡­ let her enjoy herself.¡±


    Xeno cast a sympathetic look at Hannah, who was now fully absorbed in picking one of the jewel-like flowers. Tsutomu, his expression dancing with a mischievous smile, offered no furtherment as they continued along the flower-strewn path, advancing deeper into theyer.


    ¡°Ooh! Is that one of Sylph¡¯s friends?¡±  ¡°It¡¯s technically ssified as a monster, but it¡¯s harmless.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s sooo cute!¡±


    Delicate, fairy-like Angels flitted about, hovering over the flowers. Hannah¡¯s spirits soared as she chased after them, her joy as bright as the sunlight. Yet Amira¡¯s expression remained one of barely concealed disgust, while the Smander perched on Leleia¡¯s shoulder mped its jaws shut, signaling its unwillingness to engage in the spectacle.


    The tranquility of the eighty-firstyer, popted only by benign creatures, offered an oasis of calm. Hannah, who had initially approached the new environment with caution, soon rxed, even going so far as to fashion a flower crown with the help of the Angels. She wandered along as if she were on a carefree school field trip. Tsutomu made no effort to curb her enthusiasm, while the others shared none of her enthusiasm, keeping their distance from the Angels and the floral tokens Hannah tried to share with them.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you all ying with the Angels? I get Amira and Leleia, but Xeno, I thought you¡¯d find them beautiful enough to want to take one home.¡±


    ¡°¡­I DO think they¡¯re beautiful, yes. But saying I want to take one home makes me sound like a criminal, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m preeetty sure camping outside your wife¡¯s house after she kicked you out is a crime too¡­¡±


    ¡°What!? How did you¨C!?¡±


    ¡°Miss Ollie told me when I was chatting with her the other day.¡±


    Hannah, now holding an Angel whose white wings fluttered delicately in her grasp, cast a sly sideways nce at Xeno. He brushed his silver hair aside with a somewhat embarrassed air. The God Eye silently recorded the visuals and audio of this amusing exchange, ensuring it wouldn¡¯t go unnoticed by the audience.


    Amira, carrying her greatsword on her back, sneered at Hannah¡¯s obliviousness to theyer¡¯s potential dangers as she chatted away.


    ¡°Tch, our evasion-based Tank sure has a lot of air between her ears.¡±


    ¡°You know, Amira,¡± Tsutomu interjected, ¡°for a moment, I was surprised you knew anything about thisyer. But I guess that makes sense since you DO read the newspapers. It just¡­ doesn¡¯t really suit your image, is all.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d you just say?¡± Amira¡¯s voice dropped to a menacing growl, prompting Tsutomu to feign disinterest as he turned away.


    ¡°Nothing, never mind.¡±


    Even Camille had been taken aback to learn that Amira kept up with current events, but there was no denying it ¡ª she read the news, and that was that.


    ¡°The Smander seems less lively than usual,¡± Tsutomu observed, shifting his focus to Leleia. ¡°Could this ce have some connection to the Spirits?¡±


    ¡°It seems so, yes, but it won¡¯t interfere withbat,¡± Leleia replied with a swiftness that took Tsutomu by surprise, her words almost too quick to be natural.


    ¡°O-okay¡­¡±


    Her rapid response unsettled Tsutomu, who proceeded to avert his gaze. The red-and-green Dragonewt duo was clearly intent on securing a ce on the main team, their determination manifesting in every exchange, every action. They were eager to prove their worth to their leader.


    ¡°My <<Dragon Form>> is perfectly stable now. I can use <<Dragon Union>> with no issue, too¡± Amira suddenly dered.


    ¡°Judging by what we¡¯ve seen from Ealdred Crow and Silver Beast so far, thisyer is crawling with monsters we¡¯ve never encountered before ¡ª including a significant number of ghost-types. I think a Spiritualist like me, who can adapt on the fly, would be invaluable here.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? Ghosts or not, a skill can kill them all the same ¡ª just gotta hit them hard enough.¡±


    ¡°O-kay¡­? I wasn¡¯t talking to you. Tsutomu, she is disrupting the party¡¯s harmony. You¡¯ll find that I, on the other hand, am causing no such issues.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm?¡±


    ¡°Calm down, you two,¡± Tsutomu sighed, firing off a series of weak <<Medic>> shots like a machine gun, aiming to douse their rising tempers. The pale invigorating lights, though hardly effective, did their part as a reminder, causing them to recoil from one another as if they were mas with opposing poles.  [Well, Leleia does have a point ¡ª she IS a good fit here.]


    The eighty-firstyer, and the set beyond it, presented a host of new challenges, popted by light-elemental monsters with notably low magic resistance. A Spiritualist¡¯s abilities would prove crucial, especially against the boss awaiting them on the niethyer. Leleia and Diniel currently stood as the front-runners for the two Attacker slots on the main team.  [Still, Amira¡¯s <<Dragon Union>> sounds quite promising, and her <<Dragon Form>> has been incredibly stabletely. She¡¯s really been showing remarkable improvement in all areas.)


    Tsutomu¡¯s instincts leaned toward Amira. The girl who had once been too stubborn to find her own way, trapped in the shadow of her mother and the path she had trailzed, was gone. Their previous battle against the Winter General had revealed the change ¡ª Compared even to Camille from when she assisted Tsutomu¡¯s party, Amira was stronger now, more reliable, her potential rivaling even Daniel as an Attacker.


    Tsutomu knew that, during the battle with the niethyer¡¯s boss, he would not have the luxury of supporting everyone equally. There would be moments where he could offer assistance to only the Attackers ¡ª and even then, perhaps only a single one of them at a time.


    Amira¡¯s potential for high damage output made her an appealing candidate. There was something about her ¡ª a sense of untapped potential, a spark that neither Diniel nor Leleia possessed. Amira had the makings of a true ace Attacker.  [Amy works well with the team overall, but her individual strength falls just a bit short. She feels like she¡¯d be most effective when paired with Diniel, too, which feels pretty limiting¡­]


    Amy was undoubtedly a high-caliber Attacker. Her Job as a Dualder granted her efficiency in dealing damage, and her instincts in battle were exceptional. But whenpared to Diniel, the master Archer who barely broke a sweat, Amira with her unique <<Dragon Form>> skill, or Leleia with her mastery over all four Spirits and professional rapier expertise, Amy fell just shy of their level.


    Of course, an Attacker¡¯s worth wasn¡¯t measured by individual prowess alone. Amy possessed a charm that captivated the audience, and her ability to seamlessly coordinate with the party made her a valuable asset. From Tsutomu¡¯s perspective, she was easy to work with ¡ª always paying appropriate attention to his support skills, and always mindful of the bigger picture.


    But when it came to deciding who would make the cut for the main team, the decision was far from easy. After witnessing Amira and Leleia¡¯s performance during the Winter General fight, Tsutomu found himself leaning toward them. Moreover, the niethyer boss¡¯s high resistance to bleeding effects made Amy a less favorable choice. The decision had already been half-made in his mind ¡ª Amy most likely wouldn¡¯t secure a main Attacker slot this time.


    ¡°Huh? There¡¯s a big rock up ahead!¡±


    Tsutomu had been lost in thought when Hannah, who had taken the life advice to ¡°stop and smell the flowers¡± a bit too literally, pointed ahead at arge stone monument at the end of the flower-lined path.


    ¡°Hmm, I wonder what it is~~ Hannah, could you check it out for us~~?¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Tsutomu¡¯s overly theatrical request earned a half-exasperated shake of the head from Xeno. Leleia and Amira exchanged knowing nces, their displeasure with him evident, though they kept their thoughts to themselves.


    ¡°Hmm? Waaait, isn¡¯t this¡­¡±


    As Hannah approached, it became clear that the stone was no mere monument ¡ª it was more akin to a grave marker. The instant she touched it, the once radiant sky darkened, bleeding into a deep, ominous red.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    The vibrant flowers withered and decayed in an instant, revealing the skeletal remains hidden beneath. Human bones, along with those of beasts and birds, began to surface from the now barren earth, and a crimson liquid began to rain from the sky like droplets of blood.


    ¡°Ow¨C!¡±


    The flower crown that adorned Hannah¡¯s head sprouted sharp thorns, pricking her scalp. With a quick shake of her head, she dislodged it and realized with horror that the Angels who had been fluttering so sweetly around her had transformed.


    ¡°HYAAAHHH!?¡±


    Their Angels¡¯ eyes had sunken into hollow voids, their once delicate wings now ragged and torn. Patches of their white hair had fallen away, revealing raw, exposed scalp. These creatures, now twisted and malevolent, continued to circle Hannah.


    ¡°W-W-W-WHAT IS THIS!?¡±


    It was not unheard of for Explorers venturing into the eighty-firstyer to find themselves in a realm of serene beauty, only for it to suddenly morph into a nightmarishndscape ¡ª from heaven to hell. Such phenomena had even been reported during Tsutomu¡¯s absence for the Stampede, with tales and screenshots of the Explorers¡¯ horror making their way into the newspapers.


    Tsutomu and the others were well aware of this rare urrence, having read about it in the newspapers back at the n House ¡ª everyone except Hannah. As she iled in panic, her blue-feathered wings beating frantically, Tsutomu doubled over inughter. The others allowed themselves a soft chuckle before readying themselves forbat.


    <noscript></noscript>


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 Chapter 255: Consulting the Guild Master

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    ¡°<<Dragon Union>>¡±


    Amira¡¯s face dominated the screen of Monitor #3 within the Guild¡¯s hall. Her grip on Hannah¡¯s neck was firm as she initiated the <<Dragon Union>>. Amy, her wide, cat-like eyes locked on the screen, found herself utterly captivated by the unfolding scene.  [Amira¡¯s bing more like the Guild Master. Maybe she¡¯s even surpassed her¡­]


    Amira had ascended beyond level 70, her collective progress not only enhancing her status ratings but also catapulting her attack power to impressive heights. Even Tsutomu had been visibly impressed after witnessing the sheer force behind the swing of her greatsword. Where she once struggled, Amira now wielded her <<Dragon Form>> with such ease that it seemed natural, no longer losing consciousness upon its disengagement.


    ¡°Smander, I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°Byah!¡±


    Leleia, the ever-steadfast Spiritualist, had sharpened her skill with the contracted Spirits, making her a potent Attacker ¡ª deadly in both close-quarters and rangedbat. Her debut on the horrifying side of the eighty-firstyer had been stunning. She now experimented with Tsutomu, forging a <<Contract>> between him and the Sylph, using it to coordinate devastatingbo attacks, while keeping an eye out for opportunities to assist Hannah and Xeno with new contracts as needed.


    The recent research conducted by Ealdred Crow had shed light on elemental weaknesses that might dictate the trends going forward: fire and water magical skills were particrly effective on dark-elemental monsters, while earth skills proved deadly against those of the light element. For Leleia, a Spiritualist who thrived on elemental coverage, this revtion made her an irreceable asset in the current set ofyers.


    Amy¡¯s thoughts drifted to her best friend, Diniel, who was likely still curled up asleep back at the n House. Despite Diniel¡¯s current lethargy, Amy knew what she actually was ¡ª Diniel had dedicated nearly eighty years to perfecting her archery, honing it into a deadly art. On top of that, she was a veteran Explorer of God¡¯s Dungeon whose experience and wisdom far outstripped herself.  The battle with the Winter General had illuminated an undeniable truth: both Amira and Leleia were exceptional, their base status ratings towering above the rest. Amy knew in her heart that it was only a matter of time before they surpassed herpletely, and that knowledge left her torn, uncertain of her next step.  [So Ealdred Crow got a Dualder as a new member of their Team 1, but¡­ Hmm, I dunno¡­]


    Her gaze shifted to Monitor #1, where Ealdred Crow¡¯s Team 1 was on full disy. Showcased particrly prominently was the Dualder who had recently reced Sova after the assessment program. Though the man¡¯s level had already surpassed 80, his movements, while certainly instructive, offered Amy little insight. His new skill, unlocked at level 80, seemed tock practical value.


    With her own level now sitting at 71, Amy faced an unsettling reality: the days of unlocking new skills would likely be behind her soon. After a certain point, only her status would rise, leaving her to refine the weapons she already had and the techniques she had already learned. If she wanted to keep pace, perhaps she would need tomission a new set of weapons.  [And that Team 1 Healer¡­ it looks like she¡¯s got some sort of problem with Tsutomu¡­ though at least it doesn¡¯t seem like a big deal yet. Still, it¡¯s uncanny how simrly they do things.]


    Stephanie, the Healer who had caused such a stir within the Guild, continued to hold her position in Team 1. Amy, having closely observed Tsutomu¡¯s strategies, recognized the eerie precision with which Stephanie had replicated his techniques. It was not just mimicry; Stephanie had fine-tuned his style toplement her teammates.


    These days, Stephanie was hailed as one of the most skilled Healers in town, surpassing even Tsutomu in the eyes of many. An article ranking the top three Healers had ced Tsutomu at the bottom, and while it had irked Amy, Tsutomu did not seem particrly bothered.


    However, the debacle resulting from the nickname of ¡®Lucky Boy¡¯ had revealed a side of Tsutomu that few understood: he never forgot a slight, and he never left a favor unrepaid.  [The news is specting that Korinna might take the main team spot on the niethyer¡­ but there¡¯s no way that¡¯s happening¡­ right?]


    Unless the niethyer¡¯s boss proved to be especially susceptible to a Channeler¡¯s powers, Amy could not imagine Tsutomu being outdone by Korinna on sheer skill alone. The thought sparked a determination within her, ¡ª she resolved to push herself harder, to im her ce in the main team of Absolute Helix.  [Also, I never expected Silver Beast to rise this far¡­]


    Her gaze fell on Monitor #2, where the Silver Beast n was being shown. They had gradually risen to prominence, with their Healer now considered the best among the top three. Their partyposition was as unorthodox as it was effective.


    The two Birdkin, who had transitioned to an evasion-based Tanking style, formed the vanguard, supporting their Attackers ¡ª n Leader Misil and a Sorcerer. The team was rounded out by Lorena, the renowned Conykin Mobile Healer. In essence, their lineup consisted of two evasive Tanks, two Attackers, and one exceptionally agile Healer.


    The role of evasion-based Tanks had solidified within the dungeoneering scene, thanks inrge part to early adopters like Silver Beast. Though the role was fraught with peril ¡ª one mistake could mean instant death ¡ª the potential for increased damage output made it an attractive option, allowing for quicker conclusions to battles.


    Lorena, with her incredible speed, embodied the very spirit of Silver Beast. She avoided using <<Area Heals>>, opting instead to touch each ally directly, which allowed her to extend the duration of her support effects.


    Ordinarily, evasion-based Tanks would be grouped with a Channeler to ensure seamless support. But Lorena, with her extraordinary mobility, managed to cover the entire battlefield on her own. Despite the inherent dangers of being a front-line White Mage, her heightened senses, particrly her long, sensitive ears, allowed her to navigate the chaos of battle without falling victim to a fatal strike.


    The absence of a standard Tank was a double-edged sword, one that required careful bnce. Misil, the n¡¯s leader, shouldered this responsibility, acting as both Attacker and Tank to stabilize the team¡¯s precarious dynamics. His ability to maintain this bnce was what allowed Silver Beast¡¯s main team to function as a cohesive and effective unit.


    Silver Beast had now reached the sameyer as Ealdred Crow, elevating them to one of the most talked-about ns in the Guild. Their unconventional approach, the very instability that set them apart from the popr Ealdred Crow, also drew crowds of spectators, who cheered them on with fervent excitement.  [Hmm¡­]


    Amy watched as other ns surged ahead, leaving her with a growing sense of unease. Frustration gnawed at her as she stared up at the Monitors.


    Her brooding was interrupted as a woman with striking red hair settled into the seat across from her.


    ¡°Kept you waiting, huh?¡±


    ¡°You sure did!¡±


    ¡°The meeting dragged on longer than I expected. My bad.¡± The woman ¡ª Camille, the Guild Master ¡ª offered a yful wink, sping her hands in a gesture of apology.


    Amy, feeling cornered and unsure of her next move, had opted to skip exploring God¡¯s Dungeon today, choosing instead to seek Camille¡¯s counsel.


    Camille, dressed in her crisp navy-blue Guild uniform, nced up at Monitor #3, where the image of her daughter, Amira, dominated the screen.


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s my little girl! Looks like she¡¯s really giving it her all today, too.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ You¡¯re looking pretty down. But, well, you wouldn¡¯t havee all the way here unless something was really bothering you, right?¡±


    It had been some time since Amy had sought out Camille at the Guild, so Camille, clearly in high spirits, straightened up in her chair, ready to listen. After a deep, exasperated sigh at Camille¡¯s almost childlike behavior, Amy finally spoke,


    ¡°¡­So here¡¯s the thing ¡ª I don¡¯t have a unique skill, and my Job isn¡¯t really suited for long-rangedbat. I¡¯d like to know if there¡¯s any way someone like me can make it into Absolute Helix¡¯s main team.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hearing Amy¡¯s earnest plea, Camille smiled knowingly. ¡°In that case, I think it might be a good idea to bring in one more person for this conversation.¡±


    ¡°One more? Who?¡±


    ¡°That guy right there,¡± Camille responded, nodding toward someone behind Amy.


    Startled, Amy turned to see Garm standing there, his towering frame casting a long shadow. His indigo-furred dog ears twitched with barely concealed irritation, making it clear that he was quite far from thrilled to be here.


    <noscript></noscript>


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 Chapter 256: Cat vs Dog

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    Garm had asked a Guild staff member to guide him to where Camille might be, hoping for a private conversation. However, to his surprise, he found not just Camille at the table, but also Amy ¡ª her white tail bristling with an obvious agitation. Garm¡¯s grimace deepened when he noticed Amy narrowing her eyes at him, a mutual disdain shing between them.


    ¡°What¡¯re YOU doing here?¡±


    ¡°I could ask you the same.¡±


    Before the tension could escte further, Camille, who had always been like a mentor to Garm, raised a calming hand.


    ¡°Well, Garm, take a seat. It seems you both are wrestling with simr troubles. Why not try to get along for once?¡±


    Reluctantly, Garm settled into a chair. Amy¡¯s eyes widened, her surprise evident as she pointed an usatory finger at him.


    ¡°Wait, does that mean he¡¯s here for the same reason I am?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Camille confirmed, her hands sped neatly under her chin. ¡°Garm came to consult me about something simr earlier today. Although, I must say, Amy, I was actually expecting you to seek some¡­ rtionship advice. A pity, really ¡ª that would¡¯ve been interesting. But since we¡¯re all here, why not exchange a few thoughts?¡±  Camille¡¯s teasing grin contrasted sharply with the serious expressions on Garm and Amy¡¯s faces, who looked as though they were children forced to finish their least favorite food. Their mutual reluctance to engage in any conversation was painfully obvious, prompting Camille to let out a resigned sigh before turning her attention to Garm.


    ¡°I understand why Amy¡¯s concerned, but Garm, do you really need to be so worried? Surely, you¡¯re more than capable of staying ahead of that Xeno fellow and your apprentice, Daryl.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s what Tsutomu said, too. He assured me there was no need to rush and even helped me map out my path forward.¡±


    ¡°What!? Then what¡¯s your problem?¡± Amy interjected. ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve got it all figured out!¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Garm¡¯s retort was swift and sharp, his re cutting through Amy¡¯s biting tone. He then turned back to Camille, his brow furrowed with concern. ¡°So, here¡¯s the deal ¡ª I have no qualms about following Tsutomu¡¯s lead. In fact, I¡¯m eager to pursue the path heid out for me. If I stick to it, I¡¯m confident I¡¯ll make it to the main team. Tsutomu¡¯s instructions were precise, and his encouragement left me with no doubt.¡±


    Garm had already sought Tsutomu¡¯s guidance, and his faith in thetter¡¯s n was absolute. Tsutomu¡¯s insights ¡ª and knowledge of God¡¯s Dungeon ¡ª drawn from his countless hours ying Live Dungeon, had painted a clear path for Garm, one he was eager to follow.


    As a Cynokin, it was in Garm¡¯s nature to find satisfaction in following a leader he respected. There was no discontent in him ¡ª the n Tsutomu had devised left him with no nagging sense of unfulfilled ambition.


    ¡°But I¡¯m starting to think it¡¯s not good for Tsutomu ¡ª or for the n, for that matter. Relying on him too much might create a perception of favoritism. The other members might start to see him in a negative light, and that¡¯s not healthy.¡±


    Garm¡¯s concern wasn¡¯t for himself, but for the one who had helped him so much. He was well aware that Tsutomu had a soft spot for those who had been with him since the beginning ¡ª like Amy and himself ¡ª before Absolute Helix had even taken form. Back when Tsutomu had struggled to find even apetent party, those who had stayed by his side were often given special consideration.


    Garm had benefited from this more than once, and he knew it. Even Amira, once a bona fide problem child, had been weed into Absolute Helix simply because she was Camille¡¯s daughter. Tsutomu¡¯s loyalty extended to the Forest Apothecary, the shop of whom he frequented even when it was out of stock, and to Silver Beast, a n that Garm knew Tsutomu kept a watchful eye on.


    But Garm couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was exploiting Tsutomu¡¯s goodwill. His initial approach to Tsutomu had not been entirely altruistic; it had been prompted by the auctioning of the ck Staff that Tsutomu had supposedly obtained from a golden treasure chest,pelling him to assist thetter as part of his duties as a Guild staff member. Now, that sense of duty was overshadowed by the realization that he might be taking advantage of Tsutomu¡¯s generosity ¡ª and it left a bitter taste in his mouth.


    Even Daryl, once timid and indecisive, had found his own path after joining Absolute Helix. The thought of being outdone by his apprentice gnawed at Garm¡¯s pride.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to forge my own path, without relying on Tsutomu,¡± Garm dered.


    ¡°Oh, feeling confident, aren¡¯t you?¡± Amy¡¯s eyes narrowed, sharp as knives, as she responded to his deration.


    Garm scowled at her, his irritation barely concealed.


    ¡°I hate to bring it up, but you¡¯ve been getting plenty of special treatment from Tsutomu too. Why not use it to your advantage? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a bad thing. But I won¡¯t do the same.¡±


    ¡°What!? I¡¯m not using him! Tsutomu¡¯s not that easy to manipte! If I even tried, he¡¯d see right through it and immediately cut me off!¡±


    ¡°¡­I wouldn¡¯t be so sure. The old Tsutomu might¡¯ve done that, but now¡­ who knows?¡±


    Amy¡¯s face twisted into a mocking sneer as she jabbed a finger in Garm¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Wow, you really don¡¯t get it, do you? Sure, you¡¯re safe because you went crying to Tsutomu, asking how to be a main team Tank. But if you go whining about favoritism, he¡¯ll see right through you and cut you off. If you¡¯re going to y that game, you¡¯d better stick to your current approach.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you suggesting I begged Tsutomu for help?¡±


    ¡°You basically already did. Going directly to him, the guy who decides the teams¡¯ lineups, to ask for advice? That seems pretty calcted to me. You were quick to use me of sucking up, but you were the one wagging your tail, begging for help like a lost puppy!¡±


    Her taunting words struck a nerve, and Garm¡¯s eyes darkened with fury as he red at her, his restraint thinning by the second.


    ¡°¡­What about you?¡± Just look at what you were doing in the Royal Capital ¡ª parading around, singing, and having fun instead of training to get into the main team. You keep telling people you were doing it for Tsutomu, and you had no idea he didn¡¯t care ¡ª no, actually, I¡¯m sure you KNEW he didn¡¯t care about the Capital at all. If you really wanted to make it into the main team, you¡¯d have been honing your skills. But you didn¡¯t! You just couldn¡¯t resist unting yourself in the Capital!¡±


    Amy¡¯s eyes narrowed to slits, her hands instinctively twitching toward the swords at her waist.


    ¡°What? You better stop spouting nonsense¡­ or else!¡±


    ¡°Take your own advice.¡±


    ¡°Now, calm down.¡± Camille¡¯s voice cut through the tension, her hands gripping both their heads and forcing them back into their seats.


    Even the Guild staff members, who had edged closer to intervene, hesitated under Camille¡¯s stern gaze.


    Camille sighed deeply. Their mutual hostility was in to see, each rattled by the other¡¯s words, and it was clear they had no intention of backing down.


    ¡°Listen to me, Garm. Amy feels the same way you do. She¡¯s reluctant to lean too heavily on Tsutomu, which is precisely why she turned to me. You need to understand that.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Look who¡¯s getting scolded now!¡±


    ¡°And Amy, enough! Knock it off!¡±


    ¡°Gyah¨C!?¡±


    Amy¡¯s triumphant smirk was short-lived, however, as Camille¡¯s karate chopnded between her cat ears, making her wince in pain. Garm, still held in ce by Camille¡¯s hand, remained seated like a dog obedient to its master.


    Camille looked at the two with exasperation, then lightly tapped the table, drawing their attention back to her.


    ¡°I always knew you two were never on good terms.¡± She sighed, ¡°but I¡¯d hoped that being part of Absolute Helix would¡¯ve at least mended things a little. It seems I was mistaken.¡±


    ¡°You may not see eye to eye, but you¡¯re both striving for the same thing. Neither of you wants to rely on Tsutomu, and both of you aspire to earn your ce in Absolute Helix¡¯s main team. You¡¯re an Attacker and a Tank ¡ª you need each other to seed.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Amy hesitated before speaking. ¡°We did team up against the Winter General.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, and that very experience is what¡¯s got you on edge ¡ª isn¡¯t it, Amy? Well? What about you, Garm? Anything to say for yourself?¡±


    Amy had felt threatened by the rise of the two Dragonewt Attackers, their potential unsettling her, just as Garm had been intimidated by Xeno, who had once fought beside him.


    During the final stages of his Winter General battle, Garm hade perilously close to death, pushing himself into a berserk state that left him vulnerable to a devastating blow. Xeno, maintaining hisposure and health throughout the fight, had stepped in to cover him.


    Before then, in the Mount Golem battle, Garm had underestimated Xeno, dismissing him as inferior to Daryl. But the current Xeno was no longer someone to be looked down upon. He had rapidly honed his pain tolerance, developing stability in battle that rivaled even Daryl¡¯s.


    Unlike Garm, Xeno had evolved into a significant force within the party, his resilience especially evident during the Winter General battle. This newfound strength in Xeno had sparked a fierce sense of rivalry in Garm.


    Then there was Hannah, always a formidablepetitor. Her evasion-based Tanking style was something Garm could not emte, and she had even begun to grasp the practical basics of the Magic Fist technique, albeit clumsily. Despite her recklessness, she had grown more focused since the end of the Stampede.


    ¡°Remember what Tsutomu said.¡± Camille continued. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be best friends, but teamwork is essential. A party¡¯s strength isn¡¯t just about individual prowess. When an Attacker and a Tank work in harmony, the entire team bes stronger. That¡¯s how the power of friendship actually works.¡±


    Amy rolled her eyes. ¡°Uh, I KNOW you¡¯re referencing some novel or something¡­ I mean, could you not? We¡¯re kinda having a serious conversation here.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Tsutomu would¡¯ve at least chuckled at that.¡±


    ¡°Just a chuckle, huh?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more than enough,¡± Camille replied, nodding with a strangely earnest expression; even a smallugh was a victorypared to the nk stares she usually got. ¡°But seriously, if you two want to make it onto the main team, you need to start working together. You managed it during the Devourer Dragon fight, so you don¡¯t get to say it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Sooo, about that power of friendship¨C¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, okay, fine! We¡¯ll do it, okay!? We¡¯ll do it!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Camille smiled in satisfaction at the knowledge that, despite their reluctance, they were now at least on the same page. Forced into a handshake, the two listened intently as Camille proceeded to outline how they could sharpen their skills.


    <noscript></noscript>


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 Chapter 257: A Change in Garm

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    ¡°Waaaah! This is awful! Teach, it¡¯s all your fault!¡± Hannah¡¯s wail echoed through the living room as she held up Solit Company¡¯s morning newspaper.


    Her fingers gripped the pages tightly, her eyes locked on a photograph that captured her mid-gasp, a moment from the eighty-firstyer. The image showed her, wide-eyed and on the verge of tears, a sight that had apparently amused the audience greatly.


    The article noted the audience¡¯s delight in her genuine, unfiltered reaction. The eighty-firstyer, currently essible only to a select few, had already seen the seasoned members of Ealdred Crow¡¯s teams react with their own stunned expressions. But Hannah¡¯s fresh surprise brought a wave of renewedughter and interest from those who followed these Explorers closely.


    Meanwhile, Tsutomu, ignoring Hannah¡¯s ongoingment, trudged into the room, his breathing in heavy pants after a grueling morning run. His stamina remained the weakest among the n, and the daily runs, though now ingrained in his routine, had yet to yield significant improvements. Beating even Korinna in endurance still seemed a distant dream. Yet, despite the slow progress, Tsutomu was determined to persist.  [So today¡­ maybe I¡¯ll team up with those I couldn¡¯t yesterday.]


    The current record ofyer progress was eighty-three, held by Ealdred Crow. Given the pace they were going, though, there was no particr need to rush. Tsutomu had shifted his focus, prioritizing the team¡¯s limatization to the Light and Darknessyers¡¯ monsters and peculiarities. As such, he decided to allow free team formation for now.


    As he sat down for breakfast, he extended an invitation to those who had not partnered with him the previous day ¡ª Daryl, Garm, Diniel, and Amy. Daryl, his energy evident in the excited wagging of his ck tail, readily agreed. Diniel quietly nodded her assent.


    Garm¡¯s response, however, was unexpected.


    ¡°Sorry, I want to team up with Korinna today.¡±  ¡°Huh?¡±


    Tsutomu blinked, momentarily at a loss for words. Garm¡¯s refusal was an unprecedented urrence ¡ª there was no apparent reason for him to turn down Tsutomu¡¯s invitation and team up with Korinna instead. Even Daryl¡¯s enthusiasm faltered as he looked at Garm in surprise.


    Amy, who had been fidgeting ufortably, gathered her courage, ttening her white cat ears against her head as she spoke up,


    ¡°I¡¯d like to go with Korinny today too¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I see¡­? Hmm¡­¡± Tsutomu¡¯s voice trailed off, unable to fully mask his shock.


    He had counted on both Garm and Amy to join him. Korinna, seated nearby, shrank slightly under his gaze, hastily swallowing a bite of sd as she felt the room¡¯s attention shift toward her.


    ¡°Wha¨C!? BOTH of you aren¡¯t going to team up with Tsutomu today!? But why!?¡± her exmation rang out, though her attempt at offering reassurance only served to twist the knife deeper.


    Tsutomu responded with a strained smile. ¡°¡­Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m the only one who gets to choose. I¡¯ll decide the teams for the niethyer¡¯s boss, but until then, you can form whichever party you like.¡±


    Amira, who had been watching the scene unfold with barely concealed amusement, finally broke intoughter.


    ¡°Hah! Looks like someone just got bit by his own dog! This is a good learning experience, Tsutomu!¡±


    ¡°¡­A-anyway, Korinna, why don¡¯t you decide your team for today?¡±


    ¡°W-what!? Uh, well, I mean¡­ Tsutomu, you¡¯re the n leader, and you¡¯re way better than me, right¡­? I¡¯ll follow whatever you decide¡­¡±


    ¡°Quit whining and just take your picks already. Our n Leader¡¯s not gonna stay patient forever, you know.¡± Amira interjected, her toneced with sarcasm.


    Tsutomu responded to Amira¡¯s taunting with a silent thumbs-down. Korinna hesitated, having never put together a team before, but she finally made her choices as the others finished their breakfast.


    ¡°Well, then¡­ I guess¡­ Garm, Hannah, Amira, and Amy¡­¡±


    ¡°Got it. Everyone okay with that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is gonna be fun! Of course, I¡¯m in! I¡¯m gonna get back at Teach for tricking me! Hiyah!¡±


    Hannah¡¯s earlier gloom evaporated, reced by a burst of energy as she shadow-boxed in excitement. Amira, smirking mischievously, stuck out her tongue at Tsutomu, mocking him as if he were a toddler. Tsutomu, doing his best to ignore their antics, focused on the members he would be leading.


    After breakfast, everyone carried their dishes to the kitchen and returned to their rooms to prepare for the day¡¯s delve into God¡¯s Dungeon. Tsutomu, as always, changed from his loungewear into hisbat attire ¡ª a white robe paired with the ck pants from the Volcanoyer, cinched at the waist with a beltden with Potion vials.


    Finally, after slinging his Magic Bag over his shoulder, he left his room. On his way downstairs, Tsutomu hesitated briefly outside Garm¡¯s room, standing there for a moment before continuing his descent.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s just Diniel and Xeno left,¡± Tsutomu said as he entered the living room, finding Daryl and Leleia already waiting.


    ¡°Ah, y-yes,¡± Daryl replied.


    ¡°I swear, Xeno is always so slow¡­¡± Leleia added.


    Tsutomu cast a weary nce upstairs, where Diniel was likely still lounging about, and Xeno was undoubtedly taking his time perfecting his appearance.


    ¡°I wonder what¡¯s up with Sir Garm today? He¡¯s never turned down your invitation before, has he?¡± Daryl asked, his brows furrowed in worry.


    ¡°¡­Who knows? If something¡¯s up, he¡¯ll tell us. No point in worrying,¡± Tsutomu replied with a dismissive wave, though he himself remained uncertain.


    ¡°Yes¡­ you¡¯re right¡­¡±


    Afterward, Tsutomu headed back upstairs to drag Diniel out of bed.


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 Chapter 258: An Uncontrollable Radiance

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    The five-member party, under Tsutomu¡¯s leadership, advanced steadily across the deste expanse of the eighty-firstyer. The ground beneath them was scorched ck, and above, the red sky loomed, bathing the world in an eerie, unnatural glow. Rows of ominous statues lined their path.


    The monsters inhabiting thisyer were as merciless as the environment. Demi-Liches, once rare encounters in the Wastndyers, now appeared regrly. They were joined by Gargoyles and Dark Sculptures, creatures that disguised themselves as ordinary stone statues, blending near-seamlessly into thendscape.


    Any statue could conceal a lurking threat, and to move forward without caution was to invite disaster. A misstep could lead to an ambush, where the statues would suddenly spring to life, surrounding the Explorers ¡ª these ambushes were theyer¡¯s mostmon traps. Yet, caution alone was not enough, for some traps were triggered by the very act of checking the statues. Reckless attacks and use of skills could activate these traps, turning all nearby statues into monsters.


    ¡°There ¡ª I see some Gargoyles,¡± Diniel, the team¡¯s scout, announced. She had activated her <<Eagle Eye>> skill, enhancing her vision to pinpoint the faintest of movements. Among the rows of statues, she spotted some that blinked ¡ª one of the tells of a monster in disguise that she had learned from Tsutomu beforehand.


    ¡°Got it. <<Haste>>, <


    >.¡±


    Each arrow struck the Gargoyles with a series of sharp, resonant cracks. The stone shells encasing the creatures shattered, and like butterflies emerging from chrysalises, their true forms were revealed. Their malevolent auras intensified as they brandished their weapons ¡ª tridents and hammers that gleamed ominously in the crimson light.


    The once-still statues hade to life, their stone-dusted wings beating furiously as theyunched themselves toward Diniel.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡± Daryl¡¯s voice rang out as he unleashed a focused st of blue energy at the Gargoyles, drawing their aggro.  As the monsters shifted their focus to Daryl, Xeno unsheathed his one-handed sword with a flourish that bordered on the theatrical.


    ¡°NOW IS MY TIME TO SHINE!! <<ENCHANT HOLY>>!!¡±


    Against dark-elemental monsters, light was the most effective attribute, and as a Pdin, Xeno possessed the ability to apply it to his allies as well as himself. He twirled his sword ¡ª more a disy of ir than function ¡ª before channeling the divine energy into the weapons of hisrades.


    However, the brilliance of the enchantment was blinding, so much so that Diniel was forced to squint as she examined her now-luminous bow. Tsutomu, likewise irritated, drove his glowing staff into the ground and proceeded to cast support and healing skills with his bare hands.


    ¡°Smander, I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°Byah!¡±


    Though not as potent as the holy light, the elements of fire and water were also effective against darkness. The Smander¡¯s fire zed forth, searing the air as it hurtled toward the now-revealed Gargoyles. Daryl, standing firm, met the massive Gargoyles¡¯ assault with his unyielding resilience and tower shield.


    As a Heavy Knight, Daryl¡¯s strengthy in his VIT ¡ª he had once stood against the fearsome Winter General, holding his ground for what felt like hours. No ordinary monster could hope to bring him down easily. Over time, Daryl had learned to embrace the unique strengths of his Job as Heavy Knight, moving away from the shadow of Garm¡¯s fighting style.


    Diniel switched to a different bow ¡ª one not blindingly radiant, which she pulled from her slender Magic Bag. She began shooting elemental arrows with an almost casual air, her lethargic expression belying the deadly precision of her aim. Each arrow found its mark with unerring uracy, piercing the foreheads of the Gargoyles.


    If one were to assume Diniel¡¯s peak performance was when she fought the Winter General alongside Amy, she was now operating at sixty percent effort ¡ª yet she remained the finest Archer in town. Her arrows never missed their target, even when shot on the move, and she had never once identally struck the Tanks as they distracted the monsters. Her precision was borderline legendary among Archers, leaving her peers in awe.


    The team dispatched the Gargoyle horde with a swiftness that belied the danger of the encounter. Xeno, with a dramatic flick of his silver hair, turned to Tsutomu as thetter approached him.


    ¡°Xeno, man¡­¡± Tsutomu began, his tone carrying a note of admonishment.


    ¡°No need to look so stern. My apologies. It seems my brilliance bled into the enchantment.¡±


    ¡°I DID tell you to tone it down, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I tried, but s¡­ my radiance is so overwhelming that it simply couldn¡¯t be contained,¡± Xeno said with a mock-serious expression, tapping his forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ try to keep it in check next time.¡± ?


    Tsutomu¡¯s subsequent chuckle was tinged with a hint of exasperation. Diniel, clearly annoyed by the excessive brightness, plucked her bowstring sharply. Even the Smander, perched on Leleia¡¯s shoulder, looked exasperated, its tiny mouth hanging open in a silent sigh.


    ¡°Now then, let us keep moving! We¡¯ve much to do if we are to overtake Ealdred Crow and Silver Beast!¡± Xeno dered, shed his wless teeth, staying oblivious to the awkwardness in the air.


    Tsutomu, resigned to Xeno¡¯s relentless optimism, shrugged and exchanged a wry smile with Daryl before they resumed their journey across the ckened soil.


    The eighty-firstyer, for all its gimmicks, was not so difficult. The key was understanding the mechanics behind the statues. Tsutomu had painstakingly memorized the nuances of each type, knowing precisely which were traps and which were harmless. At the end of the say, it was quite simple ¡ª any statue unfamiliar to him was undoubtedly a monster in disguise.


    To aid in the identification of trap statues, Tsutomu hadmissioned Solit Company to photograph every type of statue they could. The information was shared among the n, ensuring that everyone was equipped with the necessary knowledge. Still, it was Tsutomu and Diniel who bore the brunt of this detection process.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    At one point, Diniel mistakenly attacked an ordinary statue in her haste, triggering a trap. Twenty Gargoyles and knight-like Dark Sculptures sprang to life and immediately attacked.


    For a brief moment, the team was caught off guard ¡ª but Daryl quickly regained hisposure. Even against twenty monsters, the team fought with rtive ease. Daryl held the line, his shield a bulwark against the relentless assault. Xeno, his strength andpetency growing steadily with experience, also performed consistently well as a Tank. Tsutomu, as always, provided versatile support and healing. Leleia, the Spiritualist, unleashed the fury of the Smander. The Gargoyles never stood a chance.


    ¡°<


    >,¡± Diniel called out as she loosed a barrage of powerful shots that shattered the Dark Sculptures¡¯ head.


    Being the one who had triggered the trap, she went all out ¡ª swiftly maneuvering through the fray, her arrows striking with deadly precision. Leleia, more surprised by Diniel¡¯s reaction than by the trap itself, watched in awe as thetter systematically dismantled the enemy ranks.


    ¡°<<Rain Arrow>>.¡±


    Most of the Dark Sculptures barely had time to react before they were struck down, their bodies crumbling into pieces before they could reach the ones pulling their aggro ¡ª Daryl and Xeno. Diniel¡¯s skillful use of <<Rain Arrow>>, coupled with her ability to predict the monsters¡¯ movements, left the battlefield littered with the remnants of their foes. Her movements, from drawing arrows from her quiver-like Magic Bag to releasing them, were a seamless flow.


    As thest of the monsters dissolved into light particles, a purple Dark Magic Stone dropped to the ground with a soft thud. Diniel, slightly winded from the battle, raised a handzily, her voice as nonchnt as ever.


    ¡°My bad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine ¡ª no worries,¡± Tsutomu replied, his tone light.


    ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t notice it either,¡± Leleia admitted, her voice tinged with relief.


    ¡°I got distracted by the others moving,¡± Diniel casually exined in her usual t voice.


    Leleia found herself gaining newfound respect for Diniel, impressed by her ability to clean up her own mistake with such calm efficiency.


    ¡°Hahaha! No need to fret! More monsters are always wee! And I must say, Diniel, I¡¯m relieved to see that you DO make mistakes sometimes!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to hear that from someone who¡¯s all too familiar with failure.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but a life filled with failures isn¡¯t so bad! After all, it¡¯s brought me here!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just roll all the way back up to the firstyer, huh?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! No matter how hard I fall, I will inevitably w my way back up! THAT is how stubborn of a man I am!¡±


    ¡°By the way, I heard you were in the news recently. Something about illegally upying your wife¡¯s house?¡±


    Noticing Xeno¡¯s expression freeze at the mention of the camping incident, teased,


    ¡°Come on now, try climbing back up from THAT.¡±


    The team proceeded to gather the Medium Magic Stones that had fallen during the battle. Tsutomu opened his Magic Bag for Daryl, who wasden with stones, allowing thetter to offload his haul. Leleia, her arms also full of Dark Magic Stones, added them to the bag as well. The Smander, still perched on her shoulder, eyed the bag longingly, as if considering whether to jump in with the stones.


    ¡°Diniel, your skills just now were impressive¡­ Why don¡¯t you move like that all the time?¡±


    ¡°Too tiring.¡±


    Leleia¡¯s disapproving look was followed by silence as she chose to leave her thoughts unspoken.


    <noscript></noscript>


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    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


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 Chapter 259: Near-Dead Tank

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    In a stroke of fortune, Tsutomu and his party managed to locate the ck Gate leading to the eighty-secondyer, after which they returned to the Guild without dy. The eighty-firstyer had been shrouded in an oppressive gloom, making the search for the ck Gate a daunting task. However, through abination of Tsutomu¡¯s keen understanding of the Light and Darknessyers and a bit of luck, they stumbled upon it within the first day of exploring ¡ª much sooner than anticipated.


    ¡°Apologies! I must head home immediately!¡±


    Taking Diniel¡¯s words with the utmost seriousness, Xeno, whose face had turned an rming shade of pale, quickly checked out with Tsutomu before bolting out of the Guild. Diniel, maintaining her ever-stoic demeanor, watched him disappear into the distance.


    ¡°I did tell him I was just joking,¡± she murmured.


    The joke in question stemmed from an unreliable source ¡ª one of Hannah¡¯s remarks had spiraled into a tabloid article that was now making the rounds. The article insinuated that Xeno had been toeing the line of eptable behavior, with usations of borderline stalking swirling around him. Despite the untrue nature of the ims, and the fact that Pico had been conversing with him without any apparent animosity just the day before, the rumor was enough to send him into a panic.


    ¡°Well, considering that poker face of yours, I can¡¯t really me him for taking you seriously,¡± Tsutomu remarked, taking a second to nce at Diniel as he focused his attention on Monitor #3, where the rest of Absolute Helix was disyed.


    Diniel¡¯s expression remained an imprable mask as she began to inch closer to him, her face devoid of any discernible emotion.  ¡°Yeah, THAT¡¯s the face I¡¯m talking about. Lemme keep my personal space, will you?¡± Tsutomu added with a wry smile. His eyes remained on the screen where Amy was having a grand time slicing Garm to ribbons with her dual des.  [¡­Huh, is Garm trying out the Near-Dead Tank style or something?]


    The Dark Knight Job ¡ª which Garm was not a part of ¡ª possessed a skill known as <<Decisive>>, which granted its users enhanced status ratings and special abilities when their health hovered dangerously low. This skill enabled those adept enough to master it to intentionally keep themselves on the brink of death to maximize their potential as Tanks. This strategy, dubbed the ¡°Near-Dead Tank¡± in Live Dungeon, wasn¡¯t something just anyone could pull off.


    Garm,cked the <<Decisive>> skill or any equivalent, yet here he was, seemingly adopting the Near-Dead Tank strategy. He did possess the ability to trigger what martial artists referred to as the pushing of oneself to their ¡®physical limit¡¯, a phenomenon Tsutomu had heard about in passing from Melchor. Within Absolute Helix, both Garm and Daryl were supposedly capable of triggering this heightened state.


    By pushing himself to this physical limit, Garm could shatter the usual restraints of his body, unlocking a surge of performance that significantly improved his maneuverability. Tsutomu had seen this remarkable feat with his own eyes, and while he acknowledged it as a unique advantage, he still deemed it an unnecessary risk. Even in Live Dungeon, the Near-Dead Tank ystyle was more of a meme among themunity ¡ª a high-risk strategy that could easily result in an instant failure.


    Garm, a veteran Explorer with a solid foundation in Tanking techniques, had always been more than capable of maintaining a stable health level. When he had sought Tsutomu¡¯s advice on refining his performance, Tsutomu had shared with him the best Tanking strategies he knew, carefully omitting any encouragement to push beyond safe limits.


    From Tsutomu¡¯s perspective, Garm¡¯s technique, while formidable, still had room for improvement. Garm had shown nothing but dedication in adhering to Tsutomu¡¯s guidance, demonstrating a willingness to learn and grow without even a hint of reluctance.


    Yet now, as Tsutomu observed Garm on the Monitor allowing Amy, the Dualder, to sh at him, it was clear he was experimenting with something different ¡ª adjusting his health as he tested the boundaries of his physical limits. A pang of sadness tugged at Tsutomu¡¯s heart, but he kept his feelings hidden.


    ¡°Tsutomu,¡± Leleia whispered, leaning in far too close forfort, causing Tsutomu to recoil instinctively. ¡°You seemed to be instructing Garm on something the other day¡­ but did you teach him to fight like that? It doesn¡¯t look like something you¡¯de up with.¡±


    As she watched Tsutomu step away, clearly unsettled, Leleia curled her lips into a sly grin before adding,


    ¡°Heh, apparently not.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I never told him to fight like¡­ THAT.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm, I knew it. But it¡¯s strange¡­ I can¡¯t imagine Garm ignoring your instructions. What could have possiblypelled him to change his strategy so drastically?¡±


    ¡°I dunno¡­ Maybe he¡¯s just feeling particrly adventurous today?¡±


    ¡°You know he¡¯s not the type to change things on a whim,¡± Leleia pressed.


    Sensing Tsutomu¡¯s growing irritation, Leleia promptly said, ¡°Sorry. I might have overstepped.¡±


    With her apology being met with a stony silence, she quickly redirected her attention back to the Monitor.


    Garm¡¯s efforts to push his physical limits seemed to have put him on a different wavelength from Korinna, a Channeler. Their coordination was now marred by a series of missteps, each one more ring than thest ¡ª that much was clear even to those watching the broadcast. ?


    ¡°Take that!¡± Amy¡¯s voice rang out as she swung her des in a flurry of strikes.


    It was clear she was experimenting with a new fighting style, one that departed from her reliance on <<Dual Wave sh>>. Her movements bore a faint resemnce to those of Ealdred Crow¡¯s newly-promoted Team 1 Dualder. The mimicry, while impressive, was far from wless. The subtleties of the style eluded her, and it showed in her execution.


    Meanwhile, Garm, so intent on maintaining his power boost, had lost the steadyposure that usually defined him. His focus wavered, his movements grew erratic, and in the end, he was crushed to death by a Gargoyle. Amy, too, struggled as she veered from her established techniques; her damage output dwindled, and she sustained more injuries than usual in closebat.


    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s rare to see Sir Garm die like that¡­¡± Hannah remarked, her voice tinged with surprise as she noticed the unusual turn of events.


    ¡°What the hell are they doing?¡± Amira groaned, her expression contorting into a puzzled frown.


    ¡°Oh no, oh no, oh no¡­¡± Korinna¡¯s voice trembled, her hands sped tightly together as she struggled to maintain herposure. Despite her ability to foresee Garm¡¯s death, the actual event still rattled her, sending her into a panic.


    Despite the growing disarray, the party hadn¡¯tpletely lost its cohesion. They still had an evasion-based Tank whose speed was amplified by Korinna¡¯s buffs, and a Greatsword Fighter whose performance had be markedly more stable, her damage output consistently high. Korinna¡¯s foresight, while not perfect, had proven to be reliable, too.


    Garm was resurrected as soon as one wave of the battle ended, and he promptly bowed his head to Korinna.


    ¡°Sorry for the trouble. May I try again?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, of course! No problem at all!¡±


    With her permission, Garm returned to the battlefield, allowing Amy to cut him down once more as he pushed himself to the physical limit, determined to refine his unorthodox approach.


    Watching the pair experiment with their new strategies, Hannah rummaged through her Magic Bag, eventually pulling out a Magic Stone with a determined gleam in her eye.


    ¡°All right! I¡¯m gonna take this chance to try out my Magic Fist!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ you know what?¡± Amira chimed in, ¡°I think I¡¯ll start using my <<Dragon Union>>.¡±


    ¡°Umm, please don¡¯t push yourselves too hard¡­¡± Korinna¡¯s voice wavered as she tried to rein in her increasingly reckless teammates.


    But her plea fell on deaf ears ¡ª with a collective surge of enthusiasm, the entire party began to act on their whims. The results were as disastrous as they were predictable ¡ª Hannah lost control of her Inferno Magic Stone, resulting in a fiery explosion that wiped her out. Amira, unfamiliar with the demands of using <<Dragon Union>> in livebat, quickly found herself drained of mental energy and copsed to her knees. In Korinna¡¯s mind, a grim vision unfolded, one where all four of them would soon meet a grisly end.


    ¡°¡­Oh no. They¡¯re totally wiping,¡± Tsutomu observed.


    ¡°Huh!? That¡¯s¡­ not good, is it!?¡± Daryl asked, his eyes wide with confusion.


    ¡°If I may be perfectly honest,¡± Leleia chimed in, ¡°they all are behaving as if this is the first time they¡¯ve ever formed a team¡­¡±


    The monsters emerging from the surrounding statues were not falling fast enough, their numbers overwhelming the party¡¯s inadequate damage output. Garm¡¯s attempt at the Near-Dead Tank strategy wasn¡¯t paying off. Meanwhile, their other Tank had fallen victim to her own Magic Fist technique, and the Channeler, despite her ability to foresee death, was ultimately unable to maintain the cohesion of the group.


    With desperation setting in, Amy and Garm tried to revert to their previous tactics, hoping to salvage the situation. But it was toote by then. The five members of Absolute Helix were wiped out on the eighty-firstyer ¡ª when they were finally expelled from the Guild¡¯s ck Gate, they had lost everything except for their Magic Bags ¡ª the most valuable of the items they carried. Though their equipment could soon be reced, the loss was heavy ¡ª both emotionally and financially.


    ¡°Uhuhuhu¡­¡± Leleia could not suppress a smirk as she watched Amira, now d in the xen clothing that marked her as one of the defeated, her pride visibly wounded.


    ¡°Leleia, you¡¯re creeping me out.¡± Tsutomu teased, his voice prompting her to regain her usualposure.


    ¡°A-ahem. Apologies.¡±


    The five who had just returned, acutely aware of the curious and judgmental gazes directed at them by the other Explorers in the Guild, gathered together to discuss the situation as they lined up at the Guild¡¯s reception desk to receive recement gear.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry, everyone!¡± Korinna stammered.


    ¡°Nah, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Amira said, waving her hand dismissively.


    ¡°Maaaaaan, I really thought I could¡¯ve pulled it off, too!¡± Hannahughed, though her voice was tinged with self-deprecation.


    ¡°I messed up. Sorry about that,¡± Garm said, his voice low.


    ¡°Sorry, my decision was too slow,¡± Amy added, sping her hands together.


    Tsutomu¡¯s gaze lingered on Garm, who, upon noticing the stare, awkwardly averted his gaze. Puzzled by the reaction, Tsutomu tilted his head slightly before approaching him.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Garm remained silent, his expression conflicted as if he were grappling with his misstep.


    ¡°Hello? You still here with us, Garm?¡± Tsutomu pressed, waving a hand in front of Garm¡¯s face as if to snap him out of a daydream.


    Amy narrowed her eyes as she, too, watched Garm closely.


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t mind you pushing yourself to your ¡®Physical Limit,¡¯ despite all the warnings I¡¯ve given you before ¡ª but at least give me a heads-up next time, so I can n around it, you know?¡±


    ¡°¡­This is my own problem to deal with, Tsutomu.¡±


    ¡°Huh? ¡­Man, I don¡¯t know about that. I am the n Leader ¡ª everyone¡¯s problems are my problems.¡±


    As Tsutomu tilted his head, a look of puzzlement crossed his face. Garm had turned away, his blue-furred tail drooping apologetically. Thetter¡¯s gaze remained firmly averted ¡ª something was off, that much was clear, and Tsutomu found himself at a loss for how to respond.


    His gaze shifted to the rest of the n members, but all he saw were expressions of surprise etched on the faces of Hannah and Amira ¡ª they seemed just as bewildered as he was. It did not appear to be some kind of borate prank or punishment game ¡ª no, the guilt emanating from Garm was too sincere to be anything but genuine.


    An awkward silence settled between them, heavy and ufortable. The air seemed to thicken with tension as Korinna and Hannah watched on with bated breath. Garm remained stubbornly mute. Tsutomu, growing increasingly frustrated, scratched his head in a gesture of exasperation.


    ¡°Well, I mean, if you insist¡­ I won¡¯t stop you,¡± he relented.    [What¡¯s gotten into him all of a sudden?] Tsutomu wondered, crossing his arms as he mulled over Garm¡¯s sudden shift in demeanor.


    His thoughts were interrupted by a cheerful voice from behind him ¡ª it was Amy, popping her head out like a curious mole.


    ¡°Hey, Tsutomu~~! Did you see my moves~~?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, yeah, I saw. You were trying out some techniques you picked up from Ealdred Crow¡¯s new Team 1 Dualder, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! So, what do you think? I figured I couldn¡¯t keep relying on <<Dual Wave sh>>, so I tried switching it up¡­¡±


    ¡°So far, so good. But you still seem a bit unustomed to the new skill usage, so that¡¯s probably the first thing you should work on.¡±


    ¡°Cool! Mind telling me about it in detail when we get back?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Amy raised her hands in a triumphant gesture, but as she did, her gaze briefly flickered over to Garm. Seeing that he still was not speaking, she furrowed her brow slightly but chose to remain silent on the matter.


    ¡°Oh, Korinna,¡± Tsutomu called out, turning his attention to the Channeler. ¡°When we get back, make sure to report the lost equipment to Ollie, all right? And don¡¯t forget about the review meeting.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!! I¡¯m so sorry!!¡±


    Korinna dropped into a full kowtow, her long, cream-colored hair sweeping the floor in a gesture of profound apology.


    ¡°Uh, could you please NOT bow like that in public?¡± Tsutomu¡¯s voice took on a slightly ufortable edge, feeling a twinge of awkwardness at the disy.


    With their business at the Guild concluded, the members of Absolute Helix, now nine strong in Xeno¡¯s absence, made their way back to their n House.


    As for Xeno, he rejoined themter that evening, after finally clearing up the misunderstanding with Pico that had driven him away in such a hurry.


    <noscript></noscript>


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    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 260: The Healers’ Misalignment

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    Back at the n House, Tsutomu found himself engaged in an after-dinner discussion with Amy, their conversation centered around refining herbat strategy. His elbows resting on the table, Tsutomu closely examined Amy¡¯s Status Card.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Tsutomu,¡± Amy said, holding up a stack of documents summarizing various Dualder techniques, ¡°are you secretly a Dualder or something?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± he replied, shaking his head slightly.


    Despite his primary Live Dungeon ount being a White Mage, Tsutomu had long since mastered every job the game had to offer, having reached the level cap in all of them. Thisprehensive knowledge made him more than capable of advising on Dualder equipment and skill usage.


    In the Light and Darknessyers, a powerful set of dual des known as Cosmo Alpha, often regarded as essential for Dualders, was a potential treasure chest loot. Tsutomu¡¯s unmatched knowledge of such rare equipment,bined with his deep understanding of the Job¡¯s mechanics, made his advice invaluable


    ¡°But you know, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re rmending I stick with <<Dual Wave sh>> instead of trying out newer skills. Do you really think just these ten will be enough?¡±


    ¡°High-level skills often aren¡¯t as practical in actualbat as they might seem. Sure, there are specific situations where they can be useful, but those are few and far between. For instance, I learned <<Overheal>> at level 70, but I hardly ever use it. You should focus on mastering your initial skills first, Amy.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In Live Dungeon, the most practical and frequently used skills were typically all acquired by the time yers reached level 40. As such, they were essible even to beginners and formed the backbone of mostbat strategies. Skills obtainedter in the game, though powerful in their own right, often proved to be more situational. If not used wisely, they could be more of a burden than help, too.  As Tsutomu spoke, he thought back to his own experience with <<Overheal>>, a skill that had the potential to fully restore a single target¡¯s health. He had been eager to test it out, but after just one use, he quickly realized its drawbacks. While its healing power was indeed formidable, the mental energy it consumed was exorbitant, and the aggro it generated was dangerous, making it impractical for battles.


    Amy, too, had acquired a new skill at level 70 ¡ª a self-buff that increased her critical hit rate by striking her des together. However, the magnitude of its effect was not worth the amount of mental energy it consumed, leading her to use it sparingly. Tsutomu¡¯s exnation resonated with her, and she nodded in understanding, her initial concerns about having to abandon <<Dual Wave sh>> now alleviated.


    ¡°Honestly, I thought I¡¯d have to say goodbye to <<Dual Wave sh>> ¡ª I¡¯m d that¡¯s not the case.¡±


    ¡°Just because it was the first skill you learned doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s weak, you know. Skills can be adapted, and sticking with the ones you¡¯refortable with isn¡¯t a bad choice. Doing so also helps you practice managing your mental energy. Here¡¯s an idea ¡ª why not try focusing more on skill-basedbat from now on?¡±


    In this world, unlike in Live Dungeon, consumption of mental energy came with tangible side effects, most notably the nauseating dizziness. This harsh drawback made manybatants wary of overusing their skills. Amy, though naturally gifted with physical strength and sharpbat instincts, had yet to fully master the art of efficient skill rotation ¡ª though this issue wasn¡¯t unique to Amy, but rather something that applied to every member of Absolute Helix.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. But seriously, I can¡¯t believe you wrote all this just for me¡­ Thanks!¡±


    ¡°No problem. I actually had it ready ahead of time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ So, you knew I¡¯d be asking about this around now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, pretty much.¡±


    Tsutomu had anticipated that Amy might start falling behind the other Attackers as they progressed through theyers of the Dungeon, and so he had prepared his advice well in advance. Whether Amy would ultimately earn her ce in the main team for the niethyer remained uncertain, but Tsutomu harbored a quiet hope that, with his guidance, she might elevate her skills to rival those of Amira or Leleia by the time they faced the hundredthyer.


    But Tsutomu was not one to offer help unsolicited. He believed in the importance of initiative ¡ª of Amy recognizing her own shorings and seeking assistance of her own ord. It seemed that Amy had begun to realize that she couldn¡¯t afford to remain passive forever. She looked at him now with a hesitant expression, as if searching for the right words.


    ¡°By the way, Tsutomu, I¡¯ve been thinking¡­ howe you¡¯re so cold to me!? Can¡¯t you treat me a little special? I¡¯m the number one idol in Dungeon City, you know!¡±


    ¡°I dunno¡­ if I gave you special treatment, you¡¯d just be grumpy about it anyway. How about you just let yourpetency do the talking?¡±


    ¡°No way, I wouldn¡¯t! C¡¯mon, gimme some more praise and headpats! Don¡¯t be shy, now!¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ yeah, I¡¯ll consider it if you make it to the main team for the niethyer.¡±


    ¡°You said it! I¡¯m holding you to that! Now, write it down as a pledge!¡±


    Amy¡¯s quickly leaned forward, thrusting a sheet of paper and a pen toward him.


    ¡°How desperate are you¡­?¡±


    Tsutomu could not help but chuckle at her eagerness, but he obliged her request, scribbling out a pledge that promised head pats if she fulfilled the condition. Amy took the paper as though it were a priceless treasure. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, she sprang to her feet and made her way to the living room¡¯s exit. R


    ¡°Uh, so, just asking ¡ª where are you going now?¡±


    ¡°To the Guild! Gotta practice my skills! See youter!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it and end up exhausted tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Amy replied with a quick nod, poking her head back through the door before disappearing into the entryway.


    Momentster, Tsutomu heard the sound of her hurriedly putting on her shoes before she dashed out of the n House. Tsutomu shook his head with a wry smile, watching the door swing shut behind her.


    Just as the room fell into silence, Korinna appeared, her long, cream-colored hair loosely twisted into a half-up style. She must have been waiting for the right moment, hesitant to interrupt the prior conversation.


    ¡°Amy sure has a lot of energy.¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s an idol. I guess she¡¯s got that mental toughness.¡±


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s amazing, and so is everyone here. Sometimes, I feel out of ce with how weak-willed I am,¡± Korinna admitted, her smile fragile and tinged with a hint of mncholy. It was clear that today¡¯s wipeout still lingered in her mind.


    Tsutomu crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing as he observed how she emoted.


    ¡°Korinna, you¡¯ve experienced quite a few wipes before, haven¡¯t you? Why are you so down about it this time?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ it¡¯s tough not to be. Our lineup was strong, so it really shouldn¡¯t have happened¡­¡±


    ¡°I get it, they are strong ¡ª but honestly, their performance fell apart toward the end. They tried new things, and it backfired ¡ª That¡¯s just part of learning. You don¡¯t need to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ if you¡¯d been in charge, Tsutomu, you wouldn¡¯t have let us get wiped out like that, right?¡±


    As Korinna looked up at him with trembling, uncertain eyes, Tsutomu sat with his arms firmly crossed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no point inparing yourself to me. White Mages and Channelers may both be Healers, but they¡¯re different Jobs.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know, but still¡­¡±


    ¡°And for what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯ve had my share of wipes too.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But I heard you¡¯ve never died¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ALMOST right ¡ª in God¡¯s Dungeon, I only died once. But I¡¯ve made plenty of mistakes in Li¡­ like, other ces.¡±


    Back in Live Dungeon, Tsutomu had made countless blunders. He had failed to manage aggro and found himself dying too quickly to be useful; he had healed the wrong target in the heat of battle, inadvertently sealing his party¡¯s fate. He¡¯d experienced more failures than he could be bothered to count.


    He had also erred in his pursuit of efficiency, his attempts to optimize every move leading to mishaps that were less about strategy and more about human fallibility. These mistakes had left him with a lingering frustration, a gnawing wish that he could go back and do better. Each failure had been a lesson, carving a path that eventually led to his current approach.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Korinna, however, did not know about Live Dungeon ¡ª and so shepletely misinterpreted Tsutomu¡¯s words. To her, his reference to failures outside of God¡¯s Dungeon implied he had faced devastating losses in other Dungeons. With that realization, she ended up piecing together a narrative of her own.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tsutomu. You don¡¯t have to talk about it if you don¡¯t want to ¡ª I won¡¯t pry.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right. It IS something I¡¯d rather not discuss. I appreciate your concern.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm¡­¡±


    Korinna, who had spent her time as a nurse tending to injured Explorers in the aftermath of Dungeon expeditions, had heard many such stories. She gazed at Tsutomu, noticing the way his face clouded with the weight of his embarrassing past.


    ¡°So, Tsutomu, you weren¡¯t always as skilled as you are now¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course I wasn¡¯t. That¡¯s why you¡¯ll eventually get better too, Korinna. Ites with time and effort.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take your word for it. Now that I¡¯m here, I can start over as many times as I need to ¡ª and so can you.¡±


    Something in Korinna¡¯s words sparked a flicker of confusion in Tsutomu, but he quickly understood. Korinna hadn¡¯t always been fortunate enough to work in a supportive environment. In God¡¯s Dungeon, a total wipe meant the loss of most of one¡¯s gear, a setback that could be financially crippling for many parties ¡ª for some, recovery was impossible. Korinna had likely witnessed such tragedies in the past.


    In Absolute Helix, however, they had the resources and support to recover from any number of failures. Tsutomu realized that Korinna might have felt some frustration at his own early sess, made possible by the auctioning of the ck Staff. Tsutomu offered her a reassuring smile, gentle and warm.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. So don¡¯t worry about getting wiped out. Just keep doing your best.¡±


    ¡°¡­! Thank you¡­! I will! I¡¯ll keep trying¡­!¡±


    To Korinna, Tsutomu¡¯s smile seemed somewhat forced, as if he were hiding his own difort behind it. The realization tugged at her heartstrings, and she felt a surge of emotion welling up inside her. She had heard too many stories of Explorers who had lost themselves to despair after the deaths ofrades, their spirits crushed by their failure.


    Yet here was Tsutomu, revealing his old wounds, his own pain, just to encourage. Deeply moved, Korinna fought back the tears that threatened to spill and bowed her head in gratitude.


    And so, while their slightly misaligned conversation ended without resolution, Korinna awoke the next morning fully refreshed, ready to carry on unburdened by the weight of yesterday¡¯s failure.


    <noscript></noscript>


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 Chapter 261: The Annoying One

    Chapter 261: The Annoying One


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    The Gnome ¡ª the Earth Spirit with a secondary humanoid female form d in earthy-toned garments designed by Amy ¡ª exulted in triumph. With arms raised high, fists clenched in victory, it mirrored the stance of a champion boxer reveling in the apuse of an adoring crowd.


    In stark contrast to the foreboding atmosphere of the eighty-firstyer, the eighty-second had unfurled before them like a ssical painting that sought to capture the biblical heaven in strokes of light and ethereal grace. Here, monsters born of the light element roamed in abundance; though only a handful had ever faced them so far, they were already recognized among Explorers as formidable adversaries.


    These monsters possessed an inherent resistance, wreathed in defensive waves of light that halved the effectiveness of any attack that did not specifically exploit their weaknesses. Some were even nigh impervious to physical damage. Knowing the enemies¡¯ weaknesses was not merely advantageous; it was necessary ¡ª and in the case of light, the only elements they were weak against were darkness and earth.


    Of the two, dark-elemental attacks were the most potent. However, Jobs that had ess to such skills were few ¡ª and Absolute Helix had none among their ranks. The burden, therefore, fell to the second option: earth-elemental magic, possessed by two of theirrades: Leleia the Spiritualist and Gnome the Spirit of Earth.


    Despite practically being thest resort, Leleia¡¯s power was nothing to scoff at ¡ª she had ess to all types of Spirit Magic, and her excellent synergy with the Gnome did wonders for their collective damage output. Gnome, though its form was humble, wielded immense power; when contracted with Tsutomu, it would create a secondary body ¡ª a humanoid female form more suited tobat, capable of inflicting devastating blows.


    With the battle won, the Gnome darted toward Tsutomu, its wide eyes gleaming with a yearning for approval. Tsutomu¡¯s gaze drifted down to the Gnome¡¯s true body ¡ª the terracotta statuette nestled on the girl-shaped body¡¯s shoulder ¡ª before lifting his eyes to Daryl, whose towering frame seemed even more conspicuous now that he was standing right next to them.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you get more power if you grew bigger? ¡­Like, to his size?¡± Tsutomu suggested.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±  Silence followed as both the secondary body and the statuette paused, lost in deep thought. Then, in a moment of realization, a gleam of understanding sparked in their eyes. The girl-shaped figure raised its right hand, its earthen form stretching, morphing, twisting into something new ¡ª a massive hammer. It swung the colossal weapon through the air, the sheer force of its movement creating gusts that made Tsutomu¡¯s white robe billow in the wind.


    ¡°O-okay¡­ I guess that could work,¡± Tsutomu stammered, clearly taken aback by the sudden transformation.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The Gnome, ever eager for praise, opened its secondary body¡¯s mouth wide. Even the mouth¡¯s interior was unbelievably human-like despite its earthenposition. Tsutomu proceeded to hand the Gnome a Small Colorless Magic Stone. Its face lit up with delight as it crunched the stone between its teeth, a satisfied expression spreading across its features.


    Nearby, the Smander stared longingly at the bustling scene before it, its mouth hanging open with an almost childlike envy. Diniel, catching sight of the Smander¡¯s yearning look, reached into her Magic Bag, fetching a Small Inferno Magic Stone which she offered without hesitation.


    ¡°Peei,¡± The Smander chirped, giving thanks before snapping up the Magic Stone.


    Diniel watched as it tried to swallow the stone whole, her eyelids drooping as if on the verge of sleep.


    ¡°Diniel,¡± Leleia spoke up, quite apparently exasperated, ¡°how many Magic Stones are you nning to feed it? You¡¯ve already handed it more than ten today.¡±


    ¡°I wish I had the Largest Magic Stone to give it¡­¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t. No matter how many you feed it, the Smander won¡¯t grow any more attached to you. It¡¯s just a waste.¡±


    There was some truth to those words. Though it was possible to increase a Spirits¡¯ affection through interaction and feeding them Magic Stones, the process was costly and the results were far from dramatic. For a true boost ofpatibility, something special was required ¡ª a rare Spiritualist item, said to be hidden away in silver treasure chests. Yet, those treasures were elusive, seldom found in this area.


    Despite the logic behind Leleia¡¯s warning, Diniel seemed unfazed, her indifference as imprable as ever. Diniel¡¯s lowpatibility with all Spirits made it so she could never win over the Smander¡¯s attention. Neither this fact nor the logic behind Leleia¡¯s warning seemed to bother her, however. Instead, she simply took out another Magic Stone.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine ¡ª I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m just enjoying watching it eat.¡±


    Leleia could only sigh heavily at Diniel¡¯s stubbornness. Thetter¡¯sck ofpatibility also meant she could not form a <<Contract>> with the Smander, and Diniel knew that would not change anytime soon. Still, she seemed satisfied enough with the simple act of feeding it. She had already poured a small fortune into doing so ¡ª nearly 10,000G worth of Magic Stones today alone.


    ¡°<<Combat Cry>>!¡± Daryl¡¯s voice rang out a few paces away from thedies.


    His voice was sharp with effort as he attempted to improve the ¡®stylishness¡¯ of his skills under Xeno¡¯s guidance.


    ¡°Non, non! You must make it more elegant! A spiral, Daryl ¡ª think of a spiral! And don¡¯t ovep with mine!¡±


    ¡°Ngh¡­! <<Combat Cry>>!¡± Daryl growled, trying to follow his mentor¡¯s nigh iprehensible instructions, leaving his expression strained.


    Yet despite his frustration, there was a glimmer of excitement in Daryl¡¯s eyes. At his age, the allure of shy techniques was irresistible ¡ª so recently, he had even been practicing a more animated execution of <<Shield Throw>>.


    Daryl¡¯s efforts were not without reward ¡ª as he endured the relentless pace of Garm¡¯s training, he had begun to find a bnce between his two mentors¡¯ teachings. Moreover, unlike Xeno, who consciously directed the God Eye to showcase his best moments, Daryl¡¯s natural, straightforward personality was beginning to earn him a fanbase among the audience. This allowed them to coexist without cannibalizing each other¡¯s poprity.


    As the party was done collecting the Light Magic Stones, it was now time to move on. They shifted their attention to the ck Gate they had discovered earlier.


    ¡°Diniel,¡± Tsutomu called out, ¡°It¡¯s directly south from here, right?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    ¡°All right, thanks. Xeno, you lead the way.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although Xeno¡¯s strength as a Pdin was of little use against light-elemental monsters, his resistance to their magic made him the ideal vanguard for the eighty-secondyer. On the other hand, he was painfully vulnerable to the dark-elemental foes that lurked on otheryers. When they inevitably progressed deeper down, Daryl would assume the lead instead.


    ¡°By the way, Xeno, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you about changing skill colors¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Xeno raised a brow. ¡°What¡¯s this, Tsutomu? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you wish to be a part of my illustrious troupe!?¡±


    ¡°Wait, what!?¡± Daryl¡¯s eyes lit up, excitement spilling over in his voice. ¡°You¡¯re joining too, Sir Tsutomu!?¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­ I just want to understand how to change their colors. I¡¯ve tried it on my own, but¡­ I haven¡¯t quite figured it out yet.¡±


    Seeing Xeno and Daryl¡¯s excitement, Tsutomu decided to show them what he had now. Smiling wryly, he cast a <<Heal>>, its light a touch dimmer than usual.


    Ever since that one time in the Royal Capital, when he had idly attempted to doodle images of the Spirits using the auras of his skills, he had been fascinated by the possibilities. His progress had been frustratingly slow so far, however.


    Xeno, never one to miss an opportunity to nurture a kindred spirit, swirled his cape with a theatrical ir, drawing the group¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Very well, then! My troupe is always open to new members! Leleia! Diniel! What say you two? You should both join us as well! Especially you, Leleia ¡ª your skills,bined with your Spirits, would be nothing short of spectacr for our broadcasts!¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Leleia said, her response swift and dismissive.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Diniel grumbled, barely registering the invitation and more annoyed by the volume of his voice.


    Despite their cold responses from the green-scaled Dragonewt and the Elf, Xeno deted only slightly, his spirit barely faltering. Meanwhile, Tsutomu seized the moment to ask for advice on refining his control of <<Fly>>. While Hannah was, without question, the most skilled flyer in Absolute Helix, her talent was innate; shecked the ability to impart her expertise to others. Xeno, on the other hand, though less adept, meshed with him logic-wise, making for a far more suitable teacher.


    Diniel observed their exchange with quiet interest. She could have easily offered her own insights on how to master <<Fly>>, yet she remained silent, knowing full well that stepping in would only invite the hassle of guiding Tsutomu through the intricacies herself ¡ª a burden she had no desire to shoulder.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    ¡°Holy moly, she¡¯s good¡­¡± muttered Haltto, the young, newly-promoted Ealdred Crow Team 1 Attacker ¡ª and notably, a Birdkin who hailed from the same vige as the now-renowned Hannah.


    His eyes swept across the aftermath of their skirmish. The battlefield ofyer eighty-foury scattered with the loot of the Fallen Angels they had vanquished. His hands, tightly gripping the Cosmo Alpha ¡ª sleek ck-and-white dual des ¡ª started rxing as the battle¡¯s tension faded.


    He nced over toward Stephanie, whose pink spiral curls bobbed with each step she took.


    ¡°Feel free to attack without restraint, Haltto. I¡¯ll adjust my rhythm to yours.¡± She had said to him at some prior point.


    Haltto had fought alongside other White Mages before, but those prior experiences had always shackled him, forcing him to curb his strength for fear of outpacing his support. Those words of Stephanie¡¯s had been shocking, and the notion that a White Mage like her could match his pace had been doubtful ¡ª at least at first. But now that he had gotten to see her in action, he knew how profoundly he had underestimated her.


    Stephanie, known throughout Ealdred Crow as the ¡®Ice Conductor¡¯, more than lived up to her moniker ¡ª not just through sheer dedication, but also her adaptability and the precision of her everymand. Now, witnessing her prowess firsthand, Haltto felt a visceral awe ripple through him, down to his crimson-feathered wings.


    ¡°¡­Like, really, REALLY GOOD! No wonder even YOU are spooked by her, Sir Bitt! And those eyes? They¡¯re, like¡­ merciless ¡ª way scarier than any monster!¡± Haltto rambled on, unable to contain his excitement.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Beside him, Bittman ¡ª one of the city¡¯s three mightiest tanks ¡ª only smiled wryly. Haltto¡¯s boundless energy reminded Bittman of Sova, anotherrade of his and Stephanie¡¯s ¡ª as well as thetter¡¯s childhood friend ¡ª who had only recently been demoted from Team 1. As abrasive as Sova could sometimes be, he had acted as the stopper to the team¡¯s beer barrel, keeping everyone in check. And to Bittman personally, the news of his demotion had been awful to hear.


    ¡°Tsutomu¡¯s great for keeping up with Hannah, sure, but Miss Steph? Man, she¡¯s on a whole different level,¡± Haltto continued, his enthusiasm undiminished.


    Bittman¡¯s smile turned weary as he promptly issued a warning, ¡°Stop, Haltto. Do not bring up Tsutomu while she is within earshot.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, right. Sorry!¡± Haltto stammered, chastened but undeterred.


    His gaze quickly shifted toward Pollux, who stood nearby.


    ¡°And I gotta say, Sir Pol, I didn¡¯t expect much from you at first ¡ª you know, given your reputation. But man, you¡¯re AWESOME! I¡¯m not kidding ¡ª you¡¯re hands down one of the best Buffers I¡¯ve ever seen!¡±


    Though Halttocked much direct experience with Enchanters, it didn¡¯t take a seasoned veteran to recognize that Pollux¡¯s unparalleled skill control was an art form in itself ¡ª literally, even, as he also used his Explorer skills to assist with creating paintings. His near-wless weaving of buffs and debuffs, fortifying allies while undermining foes, had been crucial to the team¡¯s sess. Moreover, thanks in part to Tsutomu¡¯s teachings, he had even mastered the techniques for mental stamina management.


    Despite Haltto¡¯s praise, Pollux spat a glob of phlegm onto the cloud-covered ground, his eyes narrowing with seething irritation as they bored into the younger man before him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some talent, I¡¯ll give you that¡­ but there¡¯s no ce for you in Team 1. Sova was better. You act on your own too much, kid. Why too much.¡±


    Pollux had once dismissed Sova as a pale imitation of Weiss, weaker and less cool. But when Tsutomu had pointed out the intricacies he had been blind to, Pollux had been forced to reconsider. Sova, though no longer part of Team 1, had been far better at understanding the rhythm of the team, syncing excellently with Pollux¡¯s support skills.


    Haltto, for all his undeniable strength, was reckless ¡ª selfish, even. Every move he made seemed like a deration of his own independence, a wild thrust into the battlefield without a moment¡¯s thought for those around him. Pollux had often found himself struggling to adjust his support to keep up.


    ¡°But didn¡¯t Miss Steph say she¡¯d adjust to my rhythm?¡± Haltto shot back.


    ¡°Don¡¯tpare me to her ¡ª that girl¡¯s practically sold her soul to the Dungeon. Not everyone can sync up with someone they¡¯ve never fought alongside before ¡ª It¡¯s just not normal. If you don¡¯t put in the effort to match the team, you¡¯re not getting support from me. Understood?¡±


    Pollux¡¯s eyes flickered venomously toward Stephanie, who, even now, was engrossed in her passive practice, an array of skill wisps orbiting her head. She had the uncanny ability to adapt on the fly, syncing with almost anyone instantly ¡ª even when she was grouped with those outside the usual makeup of Team 1. One new Birdkin joining their ranks wasn¡¯t going to throw her off, but Pollux was a different story. Despite his raw talent, he was rtivelycking in experience, and the chaotic nature of Haltto¡¯s style was just too much for him to track.


    ¡°Okay, okay, fine,¡± Haltto said, rolling his eyes before shifting his gaze toward Rook. ¡°Got anything to add, Boss Man?¡±


    ¡°No real issues on my end, actually.¡± Rook shrugged, his lips forming a faint smile as Gargoyle Eidolons hovered behind him. ¡°Keep doing what you¡¯re doing, Haltto.¡±


    ¡°Aww, yeah! You got it!¡±


    Rook, for his part, had barely held onto his spot in the main party,rgely thanks to the fact that he was able to bring out thetent potential in both Pollux and Stephanie. As a Summoner, he held a somewhat unique position, able to fill the roles of both Attacker and Tank depending on what the situation called for. This capability made him a natural match for Stephanie and Pollux, allowing them to maximize their respective skills in healing and support.


    As for Haltto, he had long been a subject of attention for his prowess as one of the more notable Dualders. His fame had only grown after heid im to the Cosmo Alpha dual des, a treasure he¡¯d pried from a chest within the eighty-fourthyer. With those des in hand, his speed had been even further enhanced, andbined with the natural agility of a Birdkin, he was capable of unleashing incredible magnitudes of damage.


    ¡°Maaan, I¡¯m on a roll today!¡± Haltto eximed, his voice brimming with youthful exuberance. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to hit the niethyer!¡±


    ¡°Annoying brat,¡± Pollux grumbled, his annoyance unmasked.


    ¡°Meh, you¡¯re annoyed by everything, old man!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Before Haltto had joined, the team had functioned like a well-oiled machine ¡ª but now, everything felt off-kilter. Yet, despite this undeniable friction, they were still moving forward, inching ahead of Silver Beast in the race for progress. Pollux¡¯s eyes, small and squinting beneath the folds of his face, glinted with disdain as he cast onest look at the excitable Haltto before turning on his heel and stomping away.


    <noscript></noscript>


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 Chapter 262: Alliance With Silver Beast

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    >   [It¡¯s starting to get some attention.]


    Tsutomu stood silently, watching Haltto from Ealdred Crow on the monitor, thetter¡¯s fingers tightening around the hilts of his Cosmo Alpha dual des. Haltto¡¯s prowess was undeniable, but it was the ck-and-white swords in his hands that nowmanded attention. Their impressive power was not lost on the handful of Explorers diving into the perilous Light and Darknessyers. As whispers spread, it became clear why: Cosmo Alpha could wield both light and dark elements, an unparalleled advantage in this dangerous new territory.


    Until now, most challenges could be surmounted with gear scavenged from earlieryers, the progression rtively smooth. But here, in the abstract realm of Light and Darkness, that approach faltered. The first couple ofyers were reasonably manageable with appropriate elemental coverage; the first signs of struggle appeared on the eighty-thirdyer. Silver Beast, despite their strong start, had hit a dead end there. Ealdred Crow, not so far ahead, was already faltering on the eighty-fourth. By the time any n reached the mid-boss on the eighty-fifth, ordinary equipment would be rendered practically useless ¡ª Ealdred Crow was rapidly approaching that grim realization.


    Whispers of Haltto¡¯s dual des had already begun to ripple through the ranks of the Explorers. It was not just Haltto¡¯s prowess that intrigued them, but the treasure itself ¡ª Cosmo Alpha, plucked from a chest in these veryyers. Now, treasure chests of the Light and Darknessyers were coveted more than ever. Armaments from these chests would be essential for further progression. Tsutomu knew it would be best to equip his entire n with such rare finds, if possible.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om  [Still, treasure hunting is no simple task here¡­]


    In this world, unlike the predictable grind of Live Dungeon, the treasure chests here were few and fickle ¡ª finding them was frustratingly unpredictable. Even if one were fortunate enough to discover a chest, there was more to consider: armor needed resizing depending on the opener, and the design itself differed depending on whether it was imed by a man or woman.


    So far, most of the necessary gear had circted adequately through the market, and direct chest-hunting had only been crucial when specific items, like heat-resistant gear for the Mount Golem, were needed. But now, they had no choice but to chase after the elusive chests themselves.


    Fortunately, with a skilled cksmith or tailor, the gear could at least be altered to fit or dismantled for parts. For now, it seemed practical to haverger members like Daryl and Garm open the chests. However, equipment linked to the opener¡¯s Job appeared more often, which made the thought of each member trying their own luck a tempting strategy.


    In Live Dungeon, treasure could be farmed endlessly, and any piece desperately needed could simply be bought from the yer-run market. But here, with so few Explorers even able to ess the Light and Darknessyers, it was unlikely any sought-after equipment would trickle into cirction.  [Considering all that, the Adventurer Job is a lot more useful in this world,] Tsutomu mused. [If we could find a photographing machine, we¡¯d make a killing, too¡­]


    The Adventurer Job, with its naturally high LUK status rating, had always been useful for treasure hunting. Skills that boosted LUK even further made the job invaluable when it came to unearthing rare finds. Yet, the Job had remained unpopr ¡ª their other stats were mediocre, and they had fewbat skills to speak of. Still, luck was on Tsutomu¡¯s side ¡ª a single Adventurer he knew had made it into the Light and Darknessyers.  [Maybe I should talk to Misil¡­]  Tsutomu¡¯s thoughts turned to the leader of Silver Beast ¡ª Perhaps a coboration was in order. Misil was a masterful Adventurer, his survival instincts honed from countless encounters in unfamiliar territory. Since the poprization of the Tank role, his ability to survive in battle had only sharpened with training and knowledge exchange among his peers.


    Teaming up with Misil in the Dungeon would increase their odds of discovering treasure chests, in turn helping both of them progress more easily through the Light and Darknessyers. There was about a fifty percent chance they¡¯d end up in the same area, if they entered the sameyer simultaneously. Exploring together seemed a promising prospect.


    Tsutomu already had some connections with Silver Beast, so arranging a meeting wouldn¡¯t be difficult. He only needed to make the case for coboration ¡ª As Silver Beast currently was unable to progress past the eighty-thirdyer, offering information and letting them take first dibs on the ck Gates would be tempting incentives.


    And if that was not enough, Ealdred Crow¡¯s advantage over them could be another bargaining chip: as arge organization, they had the ability to coordinate joint exploration among their many teams. Cooperation would be necessary to match their pace. If even that didn¡¯t sway them, offering financial or technical support would surely do the trick. With a clear course of action in mind, Tsutomu consulted his n members. When no objections were raised, he resolved to approach Misil and seal the alliance.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    ¡°Sure, count me in.¡±


    ¡°¡­That was quick. Don¡¯t you need to check with your n first?¡±


    Tsutomu, having broached the idea in the bustling Guild dining hall, blinked in surprise at Misil¡¯s response. He scratched his head, caught off guard by the swiftness of it.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been stuck for a while now, honestly. Like you mentioned, getting the right gear will make a difference, and teaming up with Absolute Helix gives us a better shot at finding the treasure chests we need. Plus, I¡¯d rather not fall any further behind Ealdred Crow¡­ And judging by how prepared you are, I¡¯d say you were pretty determined to make this joint exploration happen, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Come on, no need to make it sound like I¡¯m twisting your arm into signing a contract. This is good for both of us, so why not, right?¡± Tsutomu replied with a grin, waving the document he had pre-prepared in front of Misil¡¯s face.


    Misil narrowed his eyes, giving it a sharp nce.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. It¡¯s a good deal for both sides. Joint exploration won¡¯t hurt anyone. But¡­ seems to me like Absolute Helix is walking away with a slightly bigger slice of the pie, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t deny that. Oh, and by the way, Misil ¡ª how¡¯s your n handling the recent wave of migrants from the Royal Capital? I heard it¡¯s been giving you a bit of a headache.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve really done your homework, huh?¡±


    The influx from the Royal Capital had caused a stir in Dungeon City. More and more people, drawn by the allure of God¡¯s Dungeon, hade to test their skills and luck. Nobles, too, had joined the fray, eager to make a name for themselves. The Guild thrived, but for many ns, the sudden surge in Explorers brought new challenges.


    Ealdred Crow had thrived in the chaos, expanding its ranks, while Golden Tune found themselves courted by women vying for Leon¡¯s attention. Even Scarlet Devil Squad started holding fresh recruitment trials. Absolute Helix, supported by the influential Babenberg family, stood mostly unaffected by the wave of neers. But Silver Beast, still mid-tier and rtively vulnerable, found itself a prime target for these eager migrants and nobles.


    Their recent skirmish with wealthy merchants over Ice Magic Stones from the Snow Fieldyers had been particrly grueling, and although Silver Beast had managed to hold its ground, it was clear they weren¡¯t entirely used to handling such situations.


    On top of it all, Misil had his eye on a few orphans from the Royal Capital, hoping to bring them into the n ¡ª a move that only addedyers to the alreadyplicated matters. It was clear Misil was grappling with the weight of it all.


    ¡°I could introduce you to some people with the right connections. How about that?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sure there¡¯s more you could offer, but right now, that¡¯s THE thorn in my side. All right, I¡¯ll take you up on it.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. Then if you could sign here, please.¡± Tsutomu slid the contract across the table.


    And so, the alliance between Absolute Helix and Silver Beast was sealed.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    The following day, the newspapers buzzed with news of the joint exploration between Absolute Helix and Silver Beast. The featured photograph captured the pivotal moment when members of the two ns sealed their alliance with a handshake. Tsutomu and Lorena, their hands sped in agreement, stood at the center of the image.


    In the dining hall of her own n, Stephanie sat staring at the photo, her expression an unreadable mask. Around her feet, her skill wisps red with restless energy, though she herself remainedposed ¡ª far removed from the days when she struggled to control her emotions.


    This newfound calm stemmed from a realization that had taken root within her recently. For days, she had been consumed by frustration ¡ª no matter how hard she worked as a Healer, no matter how indisputably skilled she was, Tsutomu never seemed to acknowledge her. Seeing how he praised others, she had even begun to wonder if his gaze had been clouded by some other woman, blinding him to the truth ¡ª that she, too, was deserving of his recognition.  [Why would he, of all people, align himself with a n like Silver Beast, which houses thatzy rabbit? Sure, Silver Beast has its merits ¡ª they take in orphaned beastkin, offering them shelter and a chance at a better life ¡ª a way to use their formidable abilities for good rather than turning to crime. Admirable, yes, but as Explorers? They¡¯re pathetic. Lorena, the so-called Mobile Healer with her famed speed, still wastes a day each week training with weaker teams, squandering time on the unworthy¡­ It¡¯s no wonder they¡¯re stuck at the eighty-thirdyer. And the rest of Silver Beast? Equally unimpressive. In Ealdred Crow, none of them would even break into the top ranks¡­ So why had Mister Tsutomu chosen to team up with such mediocrity?]


    There had been moments when Stephanie wondered if she had misjudged him, if her admiration had grown into something unfounded, an idealized version of the man he could never live up to.  [No¡­ NO! That¡¯s impossible! He entrusted me with something so brilliant! How could I have doubted him? Oh, Mister Tsutomu¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­]


    Her doubts melted away each time she returned to the documents Tsutomu had given her at the end of her apprenticeship ¡ª pages filled with insights, strategies, a veritable Healer¡¯s bible. Every word was infused with his wisdom, gained through his experience in Live Dungeon. It was sacred to her. No one capable of such brilliance could ever be insignificant. That belief rooted itself firmly within her once more, and she wept in shame for ever having questioned him.


    With her faith in Tsutomu fully restored, Stephanie was now consumed by a new struggle ¡ª how to mend the rift between them. She still felt the sting of his shocked, borderline disgusted look thest time they met at the Guild, a look that had made her feel like being plunged into hell. She couldn¡¯tprehend why he had gazed at her that way.


    Later that day, alone in her room, she clung to her collection of photos of Tsutomu, using them to keep her fractured sanity intact. But the wounds were still raw, and she knew they wouldn¡¯t heal until the real Tsutomu acknowledged her once again, offering her thefort only he could provide. She became determined to fix things, no matter the cost.


    As she wrestled with her thoughts, her mind veered wildly between fantasies of seductive moments with him and darker, more unsettling schemes. But in the end, she always returned to the same conclusion ¡ª her pathy in the Dungeon.  [If I can surpass Mister Tsutomu as a Healer, he¡¯ll have no choice but to notice me, she resolved. Even if he hates me, he won¡¯t be able to ignore my skill. That¡¯s where I¡¯ll begin!]


    After all, even those he disliked, like Eunice, still earned his attention. Tsutomu would watch them on the Monitors, tracking their progress. Even strangers, like Kisaragi, who had been an unknown name before Ealdred Crow¡¯s public assessment, piqued his interest. From her time as his apprentice, Stephanie knew one thing for certain: Tsutomu was drawn to anything rted to God¡¯s Dungeon. If someone rose above him, he would undoubtedly take notice.  [Agh¡­!]


    Just the thought of Tsutomu watching her filled Stephanie with a giddy warmth, her face brightening with a hopeful, almost delirious, smile. It was that hope that now fueled her, driving her deeper into the Dungeon¡¯s depths.


    ¨Œ¨Œ  [I timed that perfectly!] Stephanie thought as she refreshed a buff mere seconds before it expired. [Wasn¡¯t that impressive, Mister Tsutomu? Look at me! Look at me, ALWAYS!]


    From that day forward, Stephanie began casting nces into the God Eye after every well-executed y, her gaze dreamy and expectant, earning her a peculiar reputation for her almost overzealous interaction with the unseen audience.


    <noscript></noscript>


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    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 263: Abnormally Good Aggro Management

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    >


    Upon reaching the eighty-thirdyer, Tsutomu ignited a re. The team swiftly dealt with the gathering monsters before catching sight of two figures in the distance ¡ª Rara and Riri, two Birdkins, their red and blue plumage striking against the sky. With their arm-wings spread wide, they glided through the air with effortless grace. They each carried a person, clutched tightly in their talons. Below them, a Conykin raced ahead, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake.


    ¡°Ah, Tsutomu! And yourrades too, I see ¡ª good day to you all!¡± Lorena greeted them with a beaming smile, her breath not the least bitbored despite the distance she had covered.


    ¡°Hi. Looking forward to working with you,¡± Tsutomu replied.


    ¡°Mm-hmm! Likewise!¡± she chirped back, her energy infectious.


    Tsutomu¡¯s eyes shifted to the two who had descended from the Birdkins¡¯ talons ¡ª Misil and a Sorcerer shrouded in shadowy robes.


    ¡°¡­lo¡­¡±


    ¡°That was a ¡®hello,''¡± Misil interjected with a grin. ¡°This is Madeleine. Not much of a talker.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, I see,¡± Tsutomu responded, nodding.  Madeleine, draped in ck robes that seemed to swallow the light, gave a silent bow, her hood concealing her face. Misil covered for her silence, while Tsutomu responded with a mild nod of acknowledgment.


    The odds of encountering another party while exploring the sameyer hovered around fifty-fifty, so Absolute Helix had split into two teams for the eighty-third. Meanwhile, only a single one of Silver Beast¡¯s parties had made it past the eightiethyer. As such, it had been agreed that whichever Absolute Helix group they met, they would join forces for the exploration ahead just like that.


    Silver Beast¡¯s party was an unusual sight: two Birdkin, Rara and Riri, acted as evasion-based Tanks. Their two Attackers were Misil the Adventurer and Madeleine the Sorcerer. Lorena, the Conykin White Mage, rounded out the team as the Mobile Healer.  [Quite the odd crew,] Tsutomu mused.


    From his perspective, their setup was anything but ordinary. Having two evasion-based Tanks was umon enough, but adding a front-line Healer seemed downright risky. Madeleine, too, defied convention, sometimes abandoning her spells to engage in closebat. Her quiet demeanor only added to the mystery ¡ª Tsutomu rarely heard a word from her unless she was casting her skills.


    Yet, despite the apparent chaos, Misil held the group together with a steady hand. His scouting was sharp, rivaling Diniel¡¯s expertise, and he deftly supported the inexperienced evasion-based Tanks whenever they faltered. He managed the party¡¯s unpredictability with practiced ease, using items with precision when needed. And as an Attacker, Misil could output decent damage himself.


    Still, Tsutomu wondered if Misil¡¯s talents would shine as brightly in a more conventional group. It was within this peculiar dynamic that he thrived, acting as the anchor for Silver Beast. This was how Tsutomu saw them ¡ª a party unlike any other, held together by Misil¡¯s quietpetence.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start after we gather the Magic Stones. We¡¯ll handle the scouting from here,¡± Tsutomu offered.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Diniel sighed dramatically, rolling her shoulders as if the mere thought of work exhausted her.


    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s nothing new,¡± Tsutomu coaxed.


    Misil, with a warm half-smile, raised a hand. ¡°Actually, your team took care of thest fight. We¡¯ll handle scouting this time, and the next battle.¡±


    ¡°See? Misil¡¯s got it,¡± Diniel said, pointingzily at him, her gaze droopy and unfocused.


    ¡°Don¡¯t point like that¡­ Sorry about her, Misil. Please, go ahead,¡± Tsutomu apologized, gently lowering Diniel¡¯s hand with his staff.


    ¡°You got it.¡±


    Rara and Riri shot into the air, quick as arrows. Hannah, another Birdkin but of a different species, watched them with thinly veiled envy before reminding herself that she could fly too. Tsutomu had already cast <<Fly>> on her, after all.


    ¡°Hey, Teach! Mind if I join them?¡±


    ¡°¡­As long as you stick to their lead ¡ª it¡¯s for scouting, not fun.¡±


    ¡°You got it!¡±


    With a grin, Hannah spread her wings wide,bining her natural abilities with the <<Fly>> spell¡¯s magic, and took off with eager grace. Diniel, watching her, yawned, unimpressed by the enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Daryl examined the unfamiliar Dark Magic Stones, his brow furrowed in concentration as he attempted topare their quality. Nearby, Leleia was distracted, lightly prodding at the Sylph perched on her head with yful curiosity.


    This time, Tsutomu¡¯s party had been formed from the members left after Amy had handpicked Xeno, Garm, Amira, and Korinna for her own group. Apparently, she wanted to focus on refining her <<Dual Wave sh>> technique, which left the long-range Attackers ¡ª Diniel and Leleia ¡ª to apany Tsutomu in this current arrangement.


    With little else to do while waiting for the scouts¡¯ return, Tsutomu¡¯s attention drifted to Daryl, who was muttering quietly as he scrutinized the Dark Magic Stones in his hands. His focus wavered, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Lorena stretching nearby. She moved with the elegance of a dancer, her body folding into positions so fluid it seemed almost unnatural. Tsutomu found himself staring.


    Midway through a full split, Lorena nced up and noticed his gaze. Her hands flew instinctively to her groin, her eyes narrowing with reproach.


    ¡°Hey! What do you think you¡¯re staring at?¡± she snapped.


    ¡°Ah, sorry. I was just thinking¡­ you¡¯re as flexible as Amy,¡± Tsutomu said, his wordsing out hurriedly.


    His mind flickered back to Amy¡¯s stretching routines at the n House ¡ª how her rming flexibility had once startled him intomenting, only to be ¡®rewarded¡¯ with a particrly grueling stretching session. The memory drew a sheepish smile from his lips.


    Lorena, however, seemed more ttered than offended by theparison. She nodded to herself, resuming her stretches but with her back now pointedly turned to Tsutomu. Yet, even as she bent and flexed, her small white tail, peeking from the waistline of her trousers, twitched with every movement. Tsutomu rolled his eyes and sighed, willing himself to look elsewhere.


    At that moment, he locked eyes with Madeleine, who had been watching silently from the shadows. The two exchanged a brief nce before she quickly averted her gaze. Shrouded as she always was in her dark robes, her face hidden beneath a heavy hood, Tsutomu could not be certain whether she was a man or a woman. Her name and the soft voice that apanied her spellcasting suggested she was female, but beyond that, Madeleine remained an enigma.  [Would be nice if we could at least get one chest drop per day¡­] Tsutomu thought, shifting his focus away from his wandering musings and back toward the exploration ahead. Absent-mindedly, he began practicing his skill control, though his gaze asionally flickered toward Daryl, still engrossed in his examination of the Magic Stones.


    ¨Œ¨Œ


    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Daryl¡¯s voice, barely above a whisper, carried a note of awe as he watched the Silver Beast sh with the Dark-elemental monsters ¡ª Gargoyles and Dark Sculptures. Tsutomu, seeing the group in action with his own eyes for the first time, mirrored Daryl¡¯s admiration. His expression softened into one of intrigue as he observed the battlefield unfold.


    At first nce, Silver Beast¡¯s formation seemed outdated, like a relic of older tactics: four Attackers, one Healer. They charged in together, seemingly a chaotic mass of bodies and weapons. But upon closer inspection, it became clear that the Evasion-based Tanks ¡ª Rara and Riri ¡ª were expertly drawing the bulk of the enemy¡¯s strikes. Even the Healer, Lorena, was in the fray, her agility matching that of the Tanks as she delivered swift kicks between casting spells.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    To an outsider, the battle looked nigh iprehensible. Yet Madeleine¡¯s <<me Serpent>> skillshed through the chaos, precise and deadly, burning enemies without ever striking an ally. Meanwhile, Misil, as one of the Attackers, seemed to be overseeing the battlefield, subtly adjusting their strategy mid-fight with the calm precision of amander ¡ª just like Ealdred Crow¡¯s Rook would.


    Unlike most other parties, Silver Beast had every member contributing to their offensive, resulting in a damage output that surpassed the approaches of teams like Ealdred Crow and Absolute Helix. They excelled in clearing out monsters during the brief skirmishes typical of these Dungeonyers.


    But even they had their limits. The eighty-thirdyer had proven a formidable barrier, with powerful monsters appearing more frequently. Dungeon Maniacs spected as to the reasons, but it all came down to the nature of the foes lurking here.


    ¡°Whoa! An eyeball just fell from the sky!¡± Lorena eximed, her voice pitched with surprise as her rabbit ears folded down.


    A monster resembling a massive eyeball had dropped from above,nding before her with a sickening st. Despite its grotesque appearance, the creature ¡ª an Eyene ¡ª was ssified as a type of Slime.


    This monster, which began to show up frequently beyond the eighty-thirdyer, was a bizarre fusion of light and dark. Its sclera-like exterior was light-elemental, while its pulsing pupil-like core was dark-elemental. It was resistant against all forms of physical attacks, so destroying it required exploiting both its light and dark properties to reach its core ¡ª only those who could strike at both elements stood a chance of defeating it.


    And the Eyene was not the only challenge. Giant Serpents with light-imbued scales and Fallen Angels, powered by both light and darkness, added to the fray. These monsters were on par with mid-bosses from previous sets ofyers, and they appeared with rming regrity, slowing progress to a crawl.


    Silver Beast¡¯s dynamic approach gave them an edge in short battles, but against these durable, multi-elemental monsters, theirck of stabilitypared to groups like Ealdred Crow often became apparent. Prolonged fights led to more monsters converging on the area, and when that happened, retreat was inevitable. In the worst cases, they risked being overwhelmed entirely, facing annihtion.


    Noticing two Eyenes materializing amid the ongoing battle with the Gargoyles, Tsutomu tapped his staff against the ground, stepping forward with calm authority.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t looking good ¡ª time for us to jump in. Daryl, you¡¯re up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Whoo, yeah baby! That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been waiting for!¡± Hannah¡¯s exuberant shout rang out, but Tsutomu held up a hand, halting her on the verge of rushing in.


    ¡°No, Hannah, you stay. Diniel, focus on clearing the nearby enemies. Leleia, target the Eyenes¡¯ outeryer.¡±


    With precision, Tsutomu unleashed a series of support skills. Hannah turned to him with a pout, only to be met with his knowing gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re not trying to impress those two, are you?¡± he asked, eyes flicking toward the Birdkin duo in the distance.


    ¡°¡­W-what? No, of course not!¡±


    ¡°Really? Because it sure looks like you¡¯re itching to show off what an amazing Evasion-based Tank you are¡­¡±


    Though Hannah scratched the back of her head in a gesture of feigned innocence, her excitement dimmed slightly under Tsutomu¡¯s watchful eye.


    ¡°¡­All right, fine, go ahead.¡± Tsutomu gestured toward the looming Eyenes. ¡°But if you act recklessly and take a hit, you¡¯re paying a fine.¡±


    ¡°A fine!? You¡¯re gonna charge me!?¡± Hannah¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    ¡°Look, just don¡¯t do anything stupid. We¡¯re not here on a pic, so take it seriously. Now get going.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± Hannah muttered under her breath, but she wasted no time, springing forward to join the frontlines, albeit with a sour nce thrown over her shoulder.


    Tsutomu, noticing the Gnome emerge from the ground, sent its secondary body over to engage the Eyene and proceeded to join in on the offense.


    ¡°<<Holy>>.¡±


    One of the White Mage¡¯s attacking skills, <<Holy>> ¡ª previouslyrgely useless outside of the Wastndyers, was indispensable here in a realm dominated by dark-elemental monsters. A thin, needle-like manifestation of light hovered behind the Gnome, poised to strike.


    As the Gnome¡¯s relentless strikes, an unexpected contrast to its secondary body¡¯s dainty appearance, wore down the creature¡¯s light-elemental mass, the <<Holy>> needle darted forward, piercing through the weakened slime and driving into the core, deep within the dark substance. The core shattered, and the Eyene melted into nothingness, leaving behind a Magic Stone that dropped to the ground with a soft thud.


    ¡°<<Heal>>, <<Medic>>.¡± Tsutomu¡¯s voice remained steady as he cast healing spells, restoring the team¡¯s vitality.


    Though the battle demanded relentless aggression, there was an art to maintaining bnce ¡ª managing aggro, healing, and support. Overextending the attack would inevitably draw the monsters¡¯ attention, a dangerous misstep. But Tsutomu, with his wealth of experience as a Healer here and knowledge from Live Dungeon, had mastered the intricate dance of aggro management, almost replicating the precision he had in his gaming days. Where others might falter, pulling back out of fear, Tsutomu pushed forward with calcted certainty, making the optimal move most of the time.


    Lorena, too, had grown adept at maintaining her presence on the frontlines without drawing undue attention from enemies. Yet, as her instincts guided her through the ebb and flow of battle, she marveled at Tsutomu¡¯s cold precision, a methodical mastery that never ceased to amaze her.


    ¡°Diniel, use elemental arrows,¡± Tsutomu instructed.


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    ¡°Looks like Daryl¡¯s struggling. Hannah! Pick up the pace!¡±


    Hannah, already breathless, nced back incredulously. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say not to get hit, Teach!?¡±


    Between healing, support, and issuingmands, Tsutomu¡¯s attention never wavered. Even in the eighty-thirdyer, with its mounting dangers, he handled his role as Healer with the same precise execution. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, it might appear effortless, but those who understood the intricacies of the role, especially the Healers who had learned under him, knew the extraordinary depth of skill involved.


    After the battle, as the dust settled, Lorena couldn¡¯t hold back her curiosity any longer.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve always wondered,¡± she began, ¡°How do you manage to attack so much without drawing the monsters¡¯ attention?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Tsutomu looked mildly confused. ¡°Because I generate less aggro than the Tanks, of course.¡±


    Lorena stared at him, her lips pressing into a thin line. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡±


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