Chapter 92 - But There's Still Hope (1)

It wasn't that I disliked going to the next city. I figured ten days was enough time to rest.

Also, with the seal on the verge of completion, the concept wouldn't stay still any longer either. I was walking on eggshells because of the rampage, but it wasn't in my temper to meekly comply for the rest of my life, was it.

It was about time to head somewhere else to catch demons.

The matter of recruiting a companion was also a welcome point. Even the Archmage, who made a name for herself as a nuker (a class that can deal massive burst damage) in the game, wasn't a very good damage dealer now that realistic elements were applied.

Casting—standing completely still like a fixture and chanting a spell—took too long, and it required too much preparation. It might be different in a siege or a raid situation, but right now, where constant movement and chaotic skirmishes were the norm, it was incredibly awkward.

There were also more times when she provided various forms of support from the rear rather than participating in combat.

DeB? DeB... couldn't be included since I didn't bring him along for his combat prowess in the first place. He was already doing more than enough to pull his weight just with what he was doing now.

Therefore, there was definitely a need to recruit a new companion, specifically one capable of combat.

"An arena... you say?"

However, the reason I was flustered right now was just that. Ten days was plenty of rest, but I still felt like slacking off more.

It was like the scream of an office worker yelling, 'The weekend is already over?!'

"Yes. There will surely be talent worth having join us. Even if we cannot find someone, the place will be packed with the strong, so you will at least be able to test your strength."

It also bothered me a bit that it just had to be an arena. Searching through my memories of the original work after a long time, there was one class that immediately came to mind when I thought of an arena.

"What's the arena's name?"

"Inoxar. It's an arena in Pa Enoch."

Of course, our burden would lighten if that class's official character joined our party...

... Umm. I don't know if that would really be okay.

That class's character was as impossible to communicate with as the concept I was maintaining.

* * *

"... Isn't that close to the Southern Front?"

While I was momentarily gripped by worry, DeB pointed out another problem. The Archmage smoothly rattled off an answer, as if she had already thought of that point.

"Do not worry about that point. The Southern Front is safer than you think. The very fact that they can afford the luxury of an arena is proof of that. Nothing major will happen just because we go there."

She added the comment that if one had to pick the safest of the four fronts—East, West, South, and North—it would be the South, and that it would be good to experience it given this opportunity.

It was fairly persuasive. If it was something I had to experience eventually, it was best to steadily build up experience starting from the lowest-level area.

That was especially true considering we couldn't just poof around with teleportation and it took a long time to travel back and forth.

"No, well..."

But DeB's worries did not easily diminish. The eyes inside his hood slowly turned toward me.

"There's also the issue with the boss..."

For a moment, a setting I had forgotten about popped into my head.

Come to think of it... wasn't my setting that I had never been to the frontlines under the pretext of the hypothesis that the demon might run wilder if I entered the demonic realm?

"I deliberated quite a bit on that part as well. However... you know, don't you. As long as you are on this journey, you must enter the demonic realm at some point."

I watched the Archmage's gaze shift from DeB to me. Her sky-blue eyes, reminiscent of ice and snow, unevenly harbored clouds of worry. It was obvious she was harboring doubts about her own proposal.

"Besides, the seal has just been developed, hasn't it? I am saying we should test it on this occasion. To see whether you truly cannot enter the demonic realm, or whether you can overcome it with the power of the seal."

"But the risk is too...!"

"I think it's a good idea."

DeB seemed to want to oppose, but the Inquisitor threw in her agreement. Of course, she immediately looked like she realized her mistake right after speaking.

"I have no intention of forcing you if you do not wish to do it, Demon Knight. But if you are willing to try, I will show you that I can handle the aftermath. I am confident this time."

That was a very reassuring statement.

Stifling an unexpected laugh trying to bubble up, I immersed myself in the concept. How would the concept act in this situation?

The calculation didn't take very long.

"I will go."

Right, there was no way the concept would back down here. Realistically, if I backed down here, all the future developments would get completely tangled up anyway.

I ended the debate while stroking the spot where the seal was attached. DeB looked like he wanted to say something, but those words never spewed out of his mouth.

The next destination was decided.

* * *

At dawn the next day, Fierce White Wind, who had skipped out saying he just needed to reinforce its durability, returned.

It was perfect timing. We had already agreed to set off as soon as the seal was completed.

"Since it's a finished product, I paid attention to the design too!"

... I didn't major in design, but I didn't think I was clueless about fashion either, so what changed?

"Until now, you wore it over your clothes, but from now on, you wear it directly on your arm! Because I cast a magic on it that prevents you from taking it off yourself!"

I accepted the clunky ring-shaped seal with a profound feeling. Since I had no intention of putting on a strip show in front of others—even if I took my clothes off, all they would see was a meticulously bandaged upper body—I planned to put it on later.

"I made another one as a spare in case it breaks, so take this too. If there's anything uncomfortable or needing improvement while using it, let me know through that friend! Because I'm going to keep improving it!"

"Do not worry about that part. I will take responsibility and contact you."

"Mm-hm, if it's you, you're trustworthy!"

Right after, White Wind giggled and vanished like the wind, saying his work was done. He was someone who truly lived up to his nickname.

"... You have worked hard."

Well... It was exhausting trying to match my concept to White Wind's tension, but thinking about it, didn't White Wind, the developer, suffer more?

I tickled the seal White Wind had made a few more times with my fingertips.

Come to think of it, I hadn't even thanked him or given him a tip for his hard work. Due to the concept, the former was impossible, but I could have at least given the latter. I completely missed the chance.

Was it okay?

"Go and put it on. I will prepare the horses in the meantime. Should I perhaps go with you?"

"No need."

... Seeing as the Archmage wasn't saying anything, it must be fine.

Accepting the Archmage's consideration, I excused myself for a moment. Then, borrowing an unused room for a bit, I immediately strapped the seal onto my right arm.

The moment my total mana pool decreased, a corner of my mind felt clearer. It wasn't completely refreshing, but still.

"..."

Before I put my clothes on and fastened my gauntlet, I re-wrapped the slightly loosened bandage on my right hand. I saw the pitch-black skin during the process, but I just brushed it off.

I saw it every time I washed, so I had gotten used to it.

Just like the act of wrapping the bandages, and just like the act of tightening my eyepatch so it wouldn't come loose without being uncomfortable.

Or just like how I was no longer surprised by this appearance that was completely different from my original body.

... Was it because the holiday was over and it was time to work again? I was suddenly getting sentimental.

I shook away the sudden thought. Slap, slap. Lightly patting my cheeks snapped me back to reality.

SWISH.

My shirt, vest, coat, and gauntlet were layered on one by one in order.

Ah, I also strapped the newly acquired chest guard under my shirt. It roughly looked like the design you'd think of for an archery chest guard... but it didn't show because of the shirt and vest, so it was fine.

Now, after finally checking my expression and fixing it, I'd be fully ready.

"Um, excuse me... Could I ask for directions? I got lost... Aha."

But who was this person?

The room I used to change my clothes was the one I had been using for the past few days. Furthermore, the lodging we were staying at was separated from the general lodging the Temple provided to visitors.

No matter how lost they got... could they really wander all the way out here?

Thinking of my cousin who was hopelessly bad with directions, it seemed possible too.

"I'm looking for my assigned lodging, but no matter how I look, it doesn't seem like my party's room is here..."

I glanced at the word 'Gridana' written on their chest, then walked away without answering. It felt a bit uncomfortable, and I couldn't answer anyway because I didn't know the location of the general lodging either.

"Uh, does that mean I should follow you?"

Even so, it felt a bit much to angrily tell them to completely piss off.

I left the person following me alone. For a while, an uncomfortable silence pressed down heavily on the surrounding air.

"... By the way, is it okay to go to Pa Enoch wearing armor? It's a desert, so it must be hot."

"Do not worry about that. I already tested it last night."

"Tested?"

"I tried artificially making the room hot and stuffy. I tested it thinking it might contain the power of water since it has Sea Dragon scales in it... and that expectation actually turned out to be correct."

"If it's the power of water..."

"It is not a particularly massive power. It merely prevents it from easily rusting in water, and allows one to feel a cool energy as if submerged in water no matter where they are. Taking it a step further, one would be able to endure being underwater more comfortably than ordinary people."

"What do you mean, not particular! That's completely amazing! It means he won't feel the heat, at the very least!"

And then I reached the stables where the others were waiting.

It was none of my business that the person behind me let out a somewhat bewildered noise after realizing this wasn't the lodging. They could just ask the stableman for directions.

"Damn it, you must be feeling great after squeezing such good armor out of the boss."

"S-Squeezing it out?!"

While DeB slyly picked a fight out of jealousy, I approached them. The Archmage spotted me and mediated between the two.

"Now, now, the Demon Knight is here."

"B-But that scoundrel...!"

"Hmph."

... I had realized it since DeB took care of the Inquisitor on the ship, but those two had really gotten close.

Watching the two bicker, I mounted the last prepared horse.

"Let us depart."

We were finally setting off.

* * *

The arena and the city it was in, which the Archmage had suggested as our next destination, were located in an area adjacent to a desert.

That meant setting off from the port city of Canaves, we had to ride for several weeks—assuming we rode horses—to arrive.

"They say no major unusual incidents have been observed around Pa Enoch. On the contrary, even the demon worshipers who used to occasionally pull tricks have completely vanished, so it's more peaceful than usual. Though that might actually be some sort of omen."

During the journey, DeB gathered stories about Pa Enoch and Inoxar every time we stopped at a village.

It included the city's security level, unusual events happening nearby, and most importantly, information about the talents.

"It could also be because the average skill of the gladiators has gradually been rising starting roughly ten, twenty years ago."

"The average skill has risen. It seems a lot of talent has gathered."

"I reckon that's probably it. And right now, the one making the biggest name for himself in Inoxar is a warrior nicknamed the 'Martial King'."

Hmm, it's a name that sounds strong but somehow also feels weak. Usually, nicknames like that only live up to their name if they're held by the protagonist, the protagonist's party, or a rival.

I crunched on my salad while listening to DeB's report. Perhaps because we were getting closer to the desert, it had dates in it, making it extremely sweet.

"They say he's held the position of the arena's 'Champion' for a whopping five whole years... It's news from three weeks ago, but since he held it for five years, it doesn't seem likely he'd have lost his spot in the meantime."

"I see."

"What is a Champion? Is it a nickname?"

"... It's like an honorary position given to the best in the arena. It's separate from a nickname."

If the meal is too sweet, it doesn't really feel like you ate a meal... That was a bit of a shame.

"There's a condition that only participants with ten or more consecutive wins can challenge the Champion, but the Champion can never refuse that challenge... so if he's held the position for five years, he must definitely be strong."

"Certainly... under those conditions, it doesn't seem like he'd be lacking in skill. Then shall we request cooperation from the 'Martial King'?"

"Unless there are special reasons for disqualification, that would be best."

I stabbed the last piece of vegetable, popped it into my mouth, and set my utensils down. It was sweet, but still quite a satisfying meal.

"What is your opinion?"

But she was asking me this too.

"I have no interest."

I recognized the need to recruit companions, but I didn't want it enough to fiercely argue for it either. My concept was a lone wolf, so it wasn't heavily affected by the presence of party members.

Moreover, the person we were going to recruit this time... if it really was the official character of the class I was thinking of, I wanted to decline if at all possible.

It was a popular class in the original 'Legend of Heroes', but if you had to face him in person, he was the kind of character that made you go, 'That's a bit...'

So even if they asked me...

FLAP.

"Welcome!"

Just then, someone entered the inn we were in. Because it was an area close to the desert, a thick cloth hung in place of a wooden door, producing that distinct, dull sound.

"It smells of the strong!"

What followed was a hearty voice. It might not have been sweet, but it felt full of life, as if the word 'toughness' had been tightly packed into it.

"Pardon? We do not have such food here..."

"... Whoa."

Well, his voice wasn't what was important. While the restaurant owner was flustered by the guest's incomprehensible words, DeB let out an exclamation. His ears were slowly drooping.

"I'm not talking about food! Although I am going to eat too!"

"... I've never seen such a huge Slender before."

While the owner and the new visitor conversed, DeB lowered his voice slightly and whispered. Piqued by that whisper, the Inquisitor also turned around to look.

Unlike DeB, she had her back to the restaurant entrance, so she had to turn her head to see the guest. It was the same for me.

"He seems like a highly trained warrior."

"Seeing as his skin is dark, he seems to be from the desert. Is the weapon he's using a halberd?"

The ensuing evaluations from the Inquisitor and Archmage added information about the person I hadn't seen yet.

A large-built Slender warrior, a manner of speaking that blabbed about 'the strong' right off the bat, dark skin, a halberd.

Suddenly, a single impression flashed through my mind.

"Ah, then how about some cheese made from sheep's milk and date bread? We also have smoked mutton!"

"Very good! But before that, there's something I need to find first!"

... By any chance, the person who just came in didn't have platinum blonde hair, did he? Even if it was platinum blonde, he wasn't sporting a mullet, was he? Right?

"I came to fight the strong. Yeah, you! I'm talking about you with your back turned!"

Please tell me it isn't so.

"Boss, I think he's calling you?"

I wanted to rub my face in frustration at the identity I could guess without even hearing his nickname. Even though I knew and was ignoring it, it was made worse by DeB stepping up to give a confirmed kill.

"Can you not hear me?"

No matter how you looked at it, that was the official character of the class I had thought of the moment the arena was mentioned. I could tell without even seeing his face, damn it.

"... Are you perhaps referring to our table?"

Fortunately, the Archmage responded on my behalf.

"Yeah! I was talking toward you lot!"

Whether he failed to catch the reluctance in her voice or not, the other party boldly affirmed it. I felt a headache gradually coming on.

"What business do you have with us?"

"Didn't 'Berserker' just say so? I want to fight the warrior with his back turned over there!"

If it were an entirely different person who just happened to share a slightly similar speaking style and characteristics... Yeah right.

Right after mulling over the words the visitor had spouted, I finally smashed the hope circuit I had barely been running with words like 'No way', 'By any chance', and 'Come on'.

Right, he just confessed it himself. That he was Berserker.

And Berserker was the class I had thought of—the name of the Gladiator's 3rd advancement class. In other words, he was confirmed to be the official character.

"... That's a bit difficult."

"What's difficult about it? There's nothing as fun as a fight with the strong!"

It had felt a bit ominous since they mentioned getting our next companion from the arena, but sure enough, Berserker was joining.

If possible, I wished the Archmage or the Inquisitor would oppose it and cause his recruitment to fall through. But that wasn't going to happen, was it?

Yeah, it wasn't. There hadn't been a single instance so far where an official character didn't join right after showing their face.

"He does not fight civilians."

"Berserker is not a civilian!"

"... That wasn't what I meant; I was saying he doesn't fight humans who aren't related to demons."

"A demon hunter, was he? Even more satisfying! There's no one as strong as someone who knows how to catch demons! Let's fight!"

"..."

"Wow, he's even more impossible to communicate with than you."

"... Than?"

Faced with a reality I wanted to ignore, I just picked up my water glass. It seemed like there were far too many agonizing things happening these days.

"Let's fight, warrior!"

"... Piss off."

... Since bad luck had come in threes like this, things would work out well from now on, right?

Please.