Vol 7 Chapter 3 (1/2)
Chapter 3: The Changing Battlefield
1
”This is irritating”
Naotsugu complained
He grabbed a rag fro to clean the stains on his Armor of Silver Oath and Gaze of Lionheart shi+eld He had already cleaned his equipment with the waters conjured by the Summoners with their Undines The filth fro up was important in the aftermath of battles
”What irritates you, Mr Naotsugu?”
Tetora as cleaning her flashy wand asked
As meether Demiqas was moody and moved alone, while Vuorinen and Federico spent their ti in as the strategist of this raid, shi+roe worked closely with William and was often summoned by him
This ether
”Maybe the stain will never coht be a curse”
”What a creepy thing for an idol wannabe to say”
”For a super charisirl like me, it is my natural speech and actions that made me popular Because I am cute”
”Yeah right”
The expedition for the day hadn't ended It was now noon, so they were taking a break and preparing for lunch They were doing si theu had nothing else to do
”I a about the equipment”
”Okay So you are thinking about me?”
”No way”
Naotsugu denied without hesitation
If you forced hiorize Tetora under the like column
Chatting with her was fun and not a bother She was a good partner when they talked about nonsense Speaking yourIt was silly but healing for the soul He didn't talk about panties all day because of his fetish
”You look so down Want to look at panties?”
”As if I'd do that”
”I think miniskirts are better than hot pants”
”Let's drop this topic”
”No I want to stick with this Fufufu”
Tetora seeu with a su then said 'Hey, back off, that's irritating' and peeled her off of hi Tetora was suard down Naotsugu couldn't attack her seriously so he could only react passively
Tetora knew Naotsugu couldn't do anything to her so she didn't let up on disturbing hi him How mean of her And she knew she was cute, which made it even more terrible
”I say, doesn't seeing panties make you happy?”
”Ah, what?”
She said it so naturally that it caught Naotsugu off guard and he didn't give a proper reply
”It's like a 'Wow'! That sort of feeling? When you see the panties of a cute girl like h five with God! Don't you feel that way?”
Tetora was not joking with Naotsugu, she was expressing her heartfelt thoughts Naotsugu had to agree with her words, but he refused to express this with his attitude
”Even if that's true, that's too arrogant”
”I understand this feeling more than anyone! I really am a natural idol! You are allowed to let your heart race for me, okay?”
Tetora as snorting her nose su had to ad all the time
This was an ily believed that a sive to the people around them
And Naotsugu would think about Maryele when he ith Tetora
Her smile reminded him of Maryele
The frequency was high, even when Tetora was not around
He was not after the wonderful soft pressure But even so, it was really troubling
Life back on earth wasstable He hadn't had a girlfriend for a while, so it wouldn't affect his future dating life Although there were great aspects in the life of Adventurers, it sees like that Running as of Maryele were also i it too long, Naotsugu thought as he scratched his face
”Ahh, that's not how it is!”
”Wah!? Why are you yelling?”
Tetora who had sneaked to Naotsugu's side was shocked, falling to the stone cold dungeon floor on her butt Naotsugu waved his hands to play it down ”Nothing, my bad, sorry” He pulled Tetora up with his hand
Naotsugu's train of thought was disrupted and he las do happen in life”
”Mr Naotsugu, you are like a grade-schooler rote a love letter to the beautiful teacher on a test and was found out by your classmates”
”What is with this awfully specific comment?”
”Fufufu So, what is the thing that is bothering you?”
Tetora's face told Naotsugu that she wouldn't let hiood chance if Tetora wanted to talk about this Naotsugu wanted to take advantage of this”Ah, it's about shi+roe” Naotsugu said as he faked a troubled expression
Tetora's s 'Way to go! How brilliant oflike that Tetora puffed out her chest like a hopeless idiot
Naotsugu couldn't depend on Tetora's healing all the time
The trouble was real, but Naotsugu pondered on how to put his thoughts into words
”Hey, lunch is ready”
Federico approached with a box-like container It was filled with asparagus and u was slow to react, Tetora received the box with a smile and said, ”Thank you, Mr Federico”
As expected of a self-proclairoup accepted her as one of them in no time and treated her well She probably had fans, too
Naotsugu could tell from the smile on Federico's mustached face as he said, ”It's my pleasure” He seemed friendlier than he looked from the way he delivered the food Demiqas and Vuorinen had probably received their share They were getting used to the duo frou didn't think that this would have happened
”Eat up, Mr Naotsugu Remember to tell me what's up after this”
”Okay”
Naotsugu answered directly as he searched for a suitable place to sit
This was one of the many small rooms in the Abyss Shaft zone Seon, the roo, about the size of a randiose, but was still decorated by carvings In terlowing light co
There were lots of e was spent clearing all the monsters in the area
A granite pillar stuht size was used by them as a bench
”Chow time!”
”Time to eat!”
(There is an aht as he chewed on a mouthful It was a pain to explain The core of the proble sut feel
Siu didn't understand why shi+roe was so troubled, that was it
But this human known as shi+roe worried too much and burdened himself with too much work and responsibility That's why people other than Naotsugu thought shi+roe wore a bitter expression full of worry all the time
Naotsugu didn't think so
shi+roe s about him too There were times when shi+roe lazed around and broke bottles because of clu on the table with an 'I don't care anymore' expression on his face multiple times
But for those ere unfa about complicated issues He sometimes mumbled to hiu found it hard to tell what shi+roe's limit was and it was hard for him to explain to those around him
Because his normal serious face was no different frou couldn't explain how to differentiate between theut feel
shi+roe right now looked more troubled than normal
But that was just a gut feel
And it was hard to explain
”shi+roe,” Naotsugu said slowly, ”How should I put it, seems to be in a crisis”
”Seems?”
”Yeah”
”Let's help him then”
Tetora skewered her asparagus and decided
”Don't take this so lightly, it's hard to execute” Naotsugu answered
”The world calls hio Is it okay to involve others? Will it be fine to work on this alone? That's what he is thinking about”
”Is that so? He is mentally a shut-in”
”I can't deny that”
”He needs an idol!”
”That won't be necessary”
”So why are we in this super rural cave?”
(Because we need ht, but knew that this was not really an answer shi+roe had no interest in piling up gold and watching it Money was aThat was the case with Crescent Burger This ti the u was unable to answer
He wanted to buy the bank zone for the for the bank It was a negotiation chip used to converse with the Adventurers of Akiba, a means to an end
What did he want to do with the u did not hear of the plan fro, that's his friend shi+roe But it was hard to explain this to the third party Tetora
(Reason, the reason)
Naotsugu tilted his head as he thought Inspiration struck
”Just a guess, but it is to protect our home”
”Home?”
”I' Ilike that”
”You uild?”
”Not just a guild I don't really understand either”
Naotsugu chewed on the bread he dipped in the stew as he thought about what to say
”In order to survive, ill need things to eat and have a roof over our heads And also, comrades A place to live with them is necessary no uild in this one”
Naotsugu had been watching Maryele and the Crescent Moon Alliance for the past 6 months
A place for everyone to relax Get up from bed, work, have dinner, play and sleep after a hard day's work
Most iether
”But even a guild needs a home”
”Huh?”
Naotsugu tried explaining to the confused Tetora Even Naotsugu was unsure about this, digging this up from the depths of his own heart
”Speaking of houild in an es are interconnected Even a guild needs a hoanization that provides convenient services or a guild of a friend The places where we are interconnected with others need to be treated with care too”
That should be it
This was the reason that shi+roe was fighting so passionately for when for the Round Table
”The city is a gigantic place belonging to everyone If the city is suffering, all the homes will suffer In order to protect his ho to take on the city or even more powerful enemies”
” A home”
Naotsugu orried about Tetora not getting what he was saying, but he saw an unexpected expression That was a s smile
”It is important to protect our home It is iuy to cou I really mean it, he is more than what the ruuild, we are not sure what to do”
”Is Light Indigo not doing too good? I don't know uild, but did your numbers fall drastically after the Catastrophe?”
”Not really In suuild or a ho place”
”What is that, an idol training center?”
Naotsugu asked in confusion Tetora clapped her hands and declared ”I au's face and continued
”That's probably it We are idols who exist to protect the hoht call! My char here I will follow this raid to the end even if I have to leave Light Indigo!”
Naotsugu was not sure why Tetora was s on you”
2
”Haachoo!”
”Ara ara, what an unlady like way to sneeze”
”I can't help it, my nose itches”
Henrietta criticized Maryele's etiquette as they sat around a table in the warm hall
Henrietta surveyed the roo for the source of the cold air, but the Crescent Moon Alliance dining hall was as peaceful as usual
The ceiling was high in order to accommodate all the members for meals Crescent Moon Alliance had over 40 members now, and it was not easy to take in sotables that could seat 16 each If they kept the chairs, all the members would be able to squeeze in
The rowdy hall during uild ht It gave off a cozy atmosphere
They went through many trials and difficulties in Akiba since the Catastrophe
There were not just sad tioing through all sorts of things, the city seemed to remember the way it should be after the Libra Festival It is a different kind of happiness compared to the formation of the Round Table Council, but the expressions of the people reflected the prosperity and peace they were enjoying
Although the winter was harsher than in the original world, life remained stable in Akiba
Maryele thought so, too
Maryele had endured uild master for the past half year, but she had started to relax recently It was all because Henrietta said, ”If you put on a sour face all day, you will turn into a cranky granduild averted their eyes froet to sh she didn't mean to be
She needed to reflect on this, Maryele sighed softly
The lecturing party Henrietta seemed rather cheerful lately
Asuka was helping Henrietta with the finances Although she had to attend to the Round Table Council frequently, Henrietta had found time to relax in the afternoon
The 2 old friends wars as they took tiny sips of cocoa
”? ?”
”Ara, Nanami, what is it?”
Henrietta asked the young girl as peeping in from the doorway She watched Maryele's side of the table, warily avoiding Henrietta
The young girl joined the guild very recently and was still shy
One source of her insecurities was Henrietta, as trying to sip her cocoa inconspicuously But Maryele wouldn'twith a smile
The day Nana the young girl like a pay per use dryer She tirelessly toyed with Nanah over 30 costumes When Nanami burst into tears, her protector Hein the assassin protested Henrietta's action strongly Henrietta finally restrained her instinct to cuddle cute and ss
Even though Henrietta was reflecting on her actions, Nanami was still traumatized by the ordeal She seemed ready to bolt at any moment
”Want to sit on my lap?”
Maryele grabbed Nanaently on her lap
The young Nanami was finally able to see the objects on the table up close
The long table that could seat 16 was filled with Maryele's carpentry tools, Henrietta's accounting books, 2 s Henrietta placed the carving knife into the bag for safety Maryele was thankful for Henrietta's attention to details
As Nanaeted on Maryele's lap with her eyes wide open, Maryele could feel herinto a smile She couldn't express it properly in words, but Maryele felt a e to care for her
The atlow ofdinner in a part of the kitchen visible from the doorway You could also hear the conversation fro ho them
Nanami smelled like freshly cleaned clothes Maryele probably smelled the same For Maryele, this was like a bond between families
”Want so for Hein?”
Nana with her head tilted Nanami looked up at Maryele, then the cocoa, and then at Henrietta Henrietta s to the stunned young girl
Nana for her, and drank from it
”!”
An impactful sense of sweetness
Nanami face was frozen in surprise
Aly little of their old world Everything was a, and she desired to learn about it all The aht Nanae, but Nanami still liked Hein who she knew first thefor the big brother she could rely on
(We can educate her about such things slowly)
Maryele thought as she took care not to let Nanami slip off
Nana the cocoa slowly suddenly froze
Concerned about Nanami's troubled look, Maryele looked over and saw that there was only a bit of cocoa left
'I drank the whole thing, what I should do, this belongs to Henrietta!!' She was probably thinking so suspiciously because she felt that she had done so Maryele smiled as she watched Nanami
”Don'tlike this”
”But addressing ry”
The icy retorts n fear The face Nanami made as she stared at the both of thehed out loud This interaction affir, uild, the Crescent Moon Alliance, is a great home, a place to be proud of)
' Hey! It's cold out here!'
These energetic words which didn't really serve as a greetingup and look around
”That's probably Hein He should be at the entrance”
Nanami didn't notice Henrietta's atteratitude and leaped off Maryele's lap Maryele caught Nanaently with a smile Nanami then ran off with unsteady steps that made them worry
”Really”
”What is it?”
”I am jealous of how popular Hein is”
”That's because you traumatized her, Umeko”
”Ma Ry Ele”
The two of thehter
They had played around like this since old times, but this always filled Maryele with joy
” So the sneeze froht?”
”Woo wah!”
Maryele's only gained the upper hand momentarily
Her friend who knew her so well approached her with asmile
”Was it Mr Naotsugu? Did Mr Naotsugu talk about you?”
”Hoould I know?”
Even in this s instantly was impossible
”Alright then, why not ask hih telepathy”
Pushi+ng aside the logic of the fantasy world they were living in, Henrietta forced Maryele to a corner
It ht be a mistake to discuss matters of the heart with this dear friend of hers, Maryele had already regretted this hundreds of tie airls and Maryele was so mean Just like a scary mother-in-law
”Boo~ Spare me~”
”Why?”
”Even if you ask, it is not convenient forher eyes and becoether
”It's just that”
”Huh?”
”Telepathy once a day, at 9pm after dinner”
””
Maryele's words silenced the rooh deflated in reply
”Ha ah!?”
”I I won't say it again!”
Maryele said as Henrietta made a rare expression with her le
”Because, he is in a raid right? He is working hard! It is a u is definitely soldiering on, shi+roe is thinking really hard, so we can't disturb them So we made a proht”
Henrietta sighed as she used her finger to press against her forehead
Her dear friend seemed so rude Henrietta didn't see intentions
”That's not what I a, well, maybe I was So he has contacted you every day?”
”Yes”
Maryele didn't seem to understand the situation and nodded her head
”I will tell his about Akatsuki Well, I told hiht Didn't we make new boots for Nanaht the rubber boots together and about Nanaht, I u said that he wants to taste soht? It is spicy so he can take 4! We also chat about how great ether some time The time is up before I realized Na Na, don't you think the tandoori chicken is delicious, too, Henrietta?”
”Hah”
Henrietta stood up as if she were suffering from heartburn
”What is it?”
”I, I need to send so to the Production Guild Liaison Committee before dinner”
”Is that so?”
”Even if I a, I won't be able to eat dinner if this keeps up Maryele you, really how should I put this”
Maryele bid farewell to her depressed dear friend walking out of the hall This was another normal day for Crescent Moon Alliance
Maryele had unknowingly gained another point in the scoreboard inside Henrietta's mind
The fight here was as intense as a raid battle
3
According to the scouting reports, a set of dark purple ariant basin-like arena A Cannoneer used the skill Lock on Sight to scan it frooleiant
The detection radius of a raid boss was special and wide The arena would probably turn into a battlefield the roup entered
The enearden' Ruseato
This enemy looked siht countless times in the raid 9 Great Prisons of Heroes The stats and tactics had probably been strengthened while retaining its specialty According to the reconnaissance report of the scouting teaarden' Ruseato probably had dual ht Theas they attacked was still fresh on his mind, a difficult boss
William raised his hand above shoulder level
He knew the eyes of the raid group were on him
They had convened ateae for valuable data The strategy built on the infor Horizon to have a '50/50 chance of success' This number wasn't too bad for the first try
With the preparations done, he felt a heat wave rise from his back
William seized this moment and threw his hand down
The troops burst ahead like water fro down from the audience seats which surrounded the arena
They slid down the cru onwards, onwards
The attack range of a monster was normally proportional to its size
For Goblins which were less than 140ce was several dozen centio up to 1kicks or equipped with spears But for trolls which were 2ive 3ous raid boss in front of thee
Silver Sword took shi+roe's advice and used 10m, 15m and 20auge the distance through their sight and feel, cutting down on error when estie of the attack
But that would be after they launched their attack They needed to e of the enemy stealthily, with the tanks in the front and the vulnerable ed attackers at a safe distance They would need to shi+ft their distance, e while being close enough to attack If they did not y, the rear guards would not be able to survive the raid boss level attack
That's how da a hit from the enemy was
dinkuron led froe like a ind '7th of the garden' Ruseato caht fro within the aps as it lifted its oversized halberd up high dinkuron grit his teeth and raised his shi+eld to shoulder the strike His effort paid off as the heavily armored Guardian from Silver Sword endured the first attack of the raid boss
The daht, about 10 percent of his total hit points
But that didn't mean the attack power of the enemy eak dinkuron was buffed by a protection barrier before the battle started A high level Kannagi could cast a shi+eld which negated 4500 points of dah the barrier completely and hurt dinkuron Without the protection barrier, this attack would take out more than 30 percent of dinkuron's health bar
What a powerful attack
But this ithin their expectations The dispelled barrier was recast
The vanguard of the 1st party, dinkuron the Guardian, was the toughest steel at the tip of the arrow Supported byspells, the iron warrior arden' Ruseato and cast Anchor Howl and Taunting Shout multiple times
The fight started here
”Begin the attack!”
William commanded from the 3rd party
With the support song of Bards buffing theical attacks rained onto the raid boss It was hard to check the status screen in raids, but there was definitely a stupendous nuathering all 12 classes for Full Raids The sa a variety of spells instead, which worked wonderfully when fighting powerful enemies
The consecutive attacks lit the sky; the earth trembled from the explosions
Reuseato swung his hu to end all life within this range This strike caused 2 deaths and brought several hters to the brink of death