It has been five days now since Rhemurus began this so-called druid training that wasn't actually helping him reach anywhere. If it weren't because of the fact that he still needed to find a way to pay back the money he was given, then he would've already left the human city at this point.
- Is not like I can just give back the money, I've already spent quite a bit of it after all.
So with no room to complain, Rhemurus forced himself off the bed, took what he believed may be useful for today from the chest in the room, and walked outside to the inn's dining area so he can eat and obtain the energy he will need to force himself through the day, a routine that reminded him a bit of the one he had back on Earth.
If things keep going this way, he may lose all hope for a wonderful life here in this world. But luckily for him, fate had more in store than just this.
Once he arrived at the dining area he saw someone that he definitely wasn't expecting, the leader of the human city Lord Erodel was sitting at one of the tables, the one that Rhemurus sat on the most.
"There you are. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Said Erodel in quite a cheery tone.
"Yes...it's been a while, I guess."
"Come, take a seat."
One of the nearby waitresses asked the chieftain if they should leave so he could speak with the refugee in peace, but Erodel told them that there was no need, that he will just have a casual conversation with the refugee.
"So, is this about that small incident I caused in the combat district? I am so, so terribly sorry about that."
"Oh you don't need to worry about that, it wasn't that big of a deal. That day's sweep of the district was a success, and the watch is closer to unmasking Drulia's operations."
"Not thanks to me, obviously."
"You're putting too much pressure on yourself, Rhemurus."
"I am aware that as I am right now, I'm just a useless individual that can't contribute to society in any way."
"And the traditional training you've been receiving from sage Aerodus hasn't been effective so far, has it?"
"No, I'm afraid there's something wrong with me after all."
Rhemurus didn't want his words to sound as if he was blaming the teaching methods of Aerodus who has been so kind to him, so he made sure to blame himself for his lack of progress as a druid. Because at the end of the day, it really was, indeed, his fault because of his nature as a player who needs to follow the rigid rules of Yggdrasil.
"Hmm, tell you what, I believe I have an idea that could cheer you up. What if you place your training on hold for the time being, and join us in an upcoming event?"
All nearby patrons and even waitresses raised their eyebrows when they heard what the chieftain just said, for everyone knew what particular event Lord Erodel was referring to. Everyone except the refugee, that is.
"So, like, a celebration of sorts? What is the city celebrating?"
"Not just our city, but all nearby settlements will come together for this event, which isn't exactly a celebration of sorts. Well, unless you count showing off your number of kills afterward a celebration."
"Number of kills...is it like a mass death tournament or something?"
- This place is wilder than I imagined.
"A mass hunt of wild monsters that plague the lands. We call it the hunting games."
- Still wild!
"Monster hordes? Well, I don't know, that brings back a few bad mem-"
- Wait, waaaait...isn't this exactly what I need!?
With so many people working together to kill plenty of creatures, wouldn't that be the perfect opportunity to grind for EXP in this world? After all, now that Rhemurus has had several days to think it through, he believed that he now reached a believable conclusion that could explain why he gained EXP from the worg that the minotaur adventurer killed.
As of now, his hypothesis was this; while players still needed to kill things to gain EXP in this world, they don't necessarily have to be the ones to deliver the finishing blow, they just need to hurt the creature that will be killed. After that, it didn't matter how the creature died, since the player already inflicted damage on it, the EXP from its death will be given to the player who harmed it.
- I even remember one particular night when I didn't sleep at all because of my theorizing. This is the only conclusion that I've reached for the time being and with the information I have available.
Of course, such a method does initially sound quite broken at first glance, players just needing to inflict some damage to a creature to obtain the full EXP from said creature's death would never be a balanced leveling method in any system, not to mention that it wouldn't even be a truly effective one in an MMO where there are countless players competing with each other.
This world, however, is a completely different story.
Nowhere near enough high-level entities, no infinite respawns for any type of native being either, and not even events that reward EXP for participating in them. A low-level player like Rhemurus can indeed exploit this grinding mechanic at first, but eventually, he will reach a point where the native monsters of this world just won't be enough. Even with this grinding mechanic, the possibilities of reaching level 100 are still incredibly low, and in a time of relative peace, almost nonexistent.
- Still, even if I won't reach level 100 in my lifetime, I should still try to level-up as much as possible.
"No need to feel ashamed, Rhemurus."
Erodel's words brought the human player from his deep thoughts back into reality.
"The druid circle from your native land, I imagine you had your reasons for joining a circle like that. But just because your original druid circle was so violent, it doesn't mean that you have to be like that yourself."
Rhemurus couldn't make any heads or tails from what the chieftain was saying, so he just kept paying attention.
"Killing monsters that bring harm to others and to their environment is a perfectly justifiable reason for being violent, and you will find that we are no strangers at that."
"Thank you, Lord Erodel." That is the only thing that Rhemurus could say.
"So, are you interested? Nothing wrong with refusing, there's always next year."
"No, I mean yes! I'm interested! As it turns out, hunting monsters is something that was also done quite a lot back in my native lands."
"It's settled then, you will join us in the hunting games."
A mixed array of emotions was brewing up inside Rhemurus; excitement, anxiety, hope. The opportunity to level-up was finally right in front of him, he just needed to grab it.
"The games will start in three days, so I recommend you start getting ready."
"I still have most of the money you lent me, so I should be able to get myself some basic armor, at least."
But because Rhemurus never actually joined the watch, he still doesn't has permission to purchase weapons.
"Don't worry about obtaining a weapon. The first day of the games I will return you your blade and shield."
The excitement inside Rhemurus' heart increased exponentially at hearing that he will be reunited with his Yggdrasil gear, the gear that wasn't broken, at least. So much so that he unconsciously formed a faint smile on his face.
After seeing that smile, Erodel got up from the dining table and told the refugee one last thing.
"I will inform Aerodus that you will be taking a break from druidic training for the time being, I imagine it will be relieving for both of you."
- You have no idea!
The chieftain then teleported away without waiting for his response. Rhemurus couldn't tell if Erodel was also excited, or just anxious to do something else.
But in any case, what he needed to do now was to start preparing, not only in the equipment department but also needed to prepare his mind for what was coming. So lost in his mind he was that he barely noticed the waitress leave his breakfast in front of him.
"Ah, thank you, Vibia."
"Don't mention it, sir Rhemurus. Though, if you don't mind me asking..."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"Are you seriously considering that? Participate in the hunting games, I mean."
"Well, yeah I am. If I'm honest with you, this could be what I need to finally stop stagnating, to finally become a competent druid."
"From what you told me once, you're only able to use three 1st-tier spells, and every day you grumble here about how the ancestral training that sage Aerodus uses couldn't help you progress at all."
"I'm afraid that's true. It makes me feel bad because the sage is such a good person. It's not his fault that the training doesn't work for me."
"Yet hunting down herds of bulettes will work better? That doesn't make much sense to me."
- So THOSE are the monsters? Bulettes!?
When Rhemurus heard the word 'monsters' his mind didn't fully understand the implications, since that word has a virtually limitless amount of potential meanings. But now, the low-level player just learned that what he just signed up for was a hunt of many bulettes, of all monsters!
Bulettes - also known as landsharks - are terrible armor-plated, bullet-shaped creatures with huge snapping maws and short, powerful legs.
Usually starting at level 45, even a single bulette is dangerous for its level, hence why Yggdrasil lore stated that they were always solitary creatures that only tolerate each other to mate. Yet in this world, bulettes appear to move in herds, somehow.
"So the monsters are bulettes, mm..."
"Judging from your tone just now, I assume you saw bulettes back in your homeland, no?"
"Yes. For better or for worse, I know exactly what bulettes are."
"And yet you still plan to participate?"
Truth was, the human player was now having a few doubts.
On one side, since he has had now several days to think it through, he now considered the possibility that the monsters of this world aren't necessarily as strong as the monsters back in Yggdrasil because that worg that almost ate him would have insta-killed him had it been level 20 or higher, that much made perfect sense. So maybe this world's bulettes are a milder variant, as well.
But on the other side, he couldn't be certain if he would be lucky enough to barely survive a second near-death experience, should one or several bulettes manage to wound him fatally. And since it will be a massive hunt with many people and monsters running amok, would he even be heard if he screams for help, as weak as he currently is?
- None of that changes the fact that I don't know if an opportunity like this will present itself again.
So he thought it through for a few seconds in order to steel his resolve and give a confident "Yes, I will definitely accept the chieftain's invitation to participate." to Vibia.
"Alright then, I do admire your resolve. And I also hope you come out of it alive." She said right as she returned to her waitress duty.
"Thanks, Vibia. I hope so too."
Rhemurus has many things to do in order to prepare, starting with eating the breakfast in front of him so he can have the energy required to start what is going to be a busy day.
- Let's see, of the money the chieftain gave me, I still have roughly half of it left. The most important thing for me to get is armor, one that isn't made out of metal.
He's aware that he won't be able to cast a single arcane spell while in armor, but that shouldn't be a big deal as long as the next levels he obtains from grinding are more druid levels.
- Now that I think about it, I still don't know if the leveling mechanic I follow in this world is affected when I'm consciously aware of it.
Back when he gained a level in [Mage] it was a complete accident, but all the levels he will obtain from now on won't be accidents at all, he will be fully aware of them.
- So from the conclusion I reached, I need to desire something, a specific class and specific spells.
However, does it only work for basic starter classes, or would that also work for prestige classes or even super advanced job classes like the ones with the [World] word attached to them?
- I suppose that prestige classes should still be attainable as long as I qualify for the prerequisites. But, what if I desire something like [World Disaster]? Would I be able to obtain it in this world the same way I obtained [Mage]?
The possibilities of this world being that generous to him are obviously nonexistent, but it could still be worth a shot. Next time he feels that surge that accompanies a level-up, Rhemurus will consciously wish to obtain a level in [World Disaster], and see how it goes.
- I will most likely not attain that job class, so just in case, I will be desiring something else at the same time. A secondary desire that will be hidden behind my primary desire to become a world disaster.
Since [World Disaster] will most likely not be a class be a job class he will ever be able to obtain in this world, the backup plan will be a second [Druid] level, and the spells he will be desiring will be [Magic Stone], [Produce Flame], and [Summon Nature's Ally - 1st].
[Magic Stone] is a druid spell that can transmute three mundane stones into slightly magical stones that strike with much greater force when thrown, increasing the stones' speed and range. The enchantment only lasts for 30 minutes, and the stones can't be larger than sling bullets.
The reason why only small stones designed to be thrown by slings can be enchanted by this druid spell is that the only long-range weapon that druids from Yggdrasil can use is the sling. If a druid wants to use something like a bow or a crossbow, said druid needs to dip into a class that gives proficiency in those weapons, like [Ranger] or the ubiquitous [Fighter] dip.
[Produce Flame], as the name implies, makes a bright flame appear on the druid's hand, a flame that burns neither the caster nor the equipment said caster uses. The flame lasts 1 minute per effective druid level, and the flame can be used to both burn enemies at close range, and to burn them at long range by hurling the flame up to 120 feet - roughly 36.5 meters - away, to which a new flame will instantly appear in the druid's hand.
And [Summon Nature's Ally - 1st] conjures a natural creature, either a medium-sized animal or a small fey, to fight alongside the druid who summoned it. Obviously, the creatures summoned by this spell are still quite weak, only a single creature is conjured, and said creature doesn't stay around for long. But even a feeble temporal ally in combat could still be a better choice than no allies at all, Rhemurus feels.
However, these three spells are still only 1st-tier druid spells, and Yggdrasil rules say that you at the very least need 7 levels in [Druid] before being able to learn 2nd-tier spells.
- If I desire 2nd-tier druid spells, will I get them as well?
One experiment at a time. Since he has a level cap of 100, Rhemurus will have plenty of opportunities to test these things out, every single level gained will be an opportunity to learn how the mechanics of his player body work in this new world.
- Let's put that in the back of my mind for now. First things first, let's get some armor.
Armor was something all civilians could have, so hopefully, that means a refugee like him could get one too.
So after finishing his breakfast, Rhemurus exited the inn and went straight to the northwestern section of Breizen, the smith district. His strange appearance was making some of the weapon and armorsmiths around throw suspicious looks at him, but Rhemurus was quite used to that at this point.
He eventually found an armor stand that caught his eye, mainly because it appeared that said armorsmith specialized in making armor for druids judging by the stoneplate armors in display, and when Rhemurus inquired about it to the smith, he was proven correct.
Many types of armor were available - none made of metal - and plenty of those armor types were ones that made Tanaka reminiscent of the low-class druid armors of Yggdrasil; strengthened leaf shirts, hardened leather cuirass, wyrmhide scale mail, even darkwood lamellar.
And those were only the basic armors, the smith had even enchanted variants on sale as well.
- If only I had more money. A high-grade armor would put my mind at ease while fighting bulettes.
But of the five gold coins that Erodel gave him, he only had two gold coins, three electrum coins, and twelve bronze coins left. Even an unenchanted stoneplate armor costs 180 gold coins, and it's not like Rhemurus could use a nonexistent good reputation to bargain a lower price. He should be grateful that the smiths are even willing to sell him anything in the first place.
- Besides, stoneplate falls under the heavy armor category, the staple of fighter-druids. I have no intention of getting non-magical classes, so I will have to make do with just light and medium armor.
Filtering out the armors that he wouldn't be able to wear, Rhemurus kept browsing until he found an armor that fell under both his proficiency and his budget; a suit of leather armor with interwoven plates of fire-treated wood sewn over it. It roughly resembled the lamellar armor of the watch a bit, it fell under the light armor category, and cost two gold coins, which left Rhemurus with only three electrum and twelve bronze pieces to his name.
One may wonder, why didn't he just have his studded leather armor repaired? Because it turns out that he once asked sage Aerodus about the possibility of having his armor repaired, but after he showed the human archdruid his armor pieces and even arranged said pieces in a way that showed how the fully-repaired armor would look like, Aerodus told Rhemurus that not a single smith in Breizen knew how to make anything resembling studded leather armor, and by extension, nobody knew how to fix one, either.
In fact, Aerodus even doubts that anyone in the council state knew what studded leather armor even was, which made Rhemurus wonder if he would ever be able to wear his Yggdrasil armor again.
Thus, his new light wooden armor will have to do.
He thanked the armorsmith and then walked to the nearby craft district to obtain any other miscellaneous gear he could afford with the money he had left. Any reluctance he had about spending all the money he was given was outweighed by the fact that under-preparation could very well mean death, so Rhemurus was willing to even put himself in debt if that meant he had what he would need for these hunting games.
And eventually, the day of the hunting games arrived.
[Three days later]
300 years ago, the northwestern section of the new world's supercontinent was being decimated by the chaotic rampage of the creatures remembered to this day as the Evil Deities, beings of terrifying power that were rumored to be the fallen servants of the even more legendary figures remembered in the nearby human lands as the Six Great Gods.
Traces of the destruction they left behind could still be seen even to this day, not only to the landscape itself but also in the form of permanent damage to natural environments.
In the case of a specific part of the lands that eventually became the Argland Council State known simply as the Manthor Hills, an evil deity remembered as the Demon God of Beasts had its last stand against a group of heroes led by a figure of legend that - unknown to almost everyone in the current day and age - was a human player fighting in favor of the new world.
However, even though the heroes successfully defeated the Demon God of Beasts, they, unfortunately, had no way to reverse the effect said Demon God had on one particular species that was native to the Manthor Hills; a herd of landsharks who were originally quite different to the bulettes that Yggdrasil beings are familiar with.
As its title implies, the Demon God of Beasts had a Beast Tamer build, so it was quite trivial for the said creature to subjugate and strengthen the relatively weak native beasts, but the Demon God didn't stop at just that. Using part tamer skills and part overdosing of alchemical potions and other substances, the Demon God of Beasts managed to perpetually and irreversibly alter the nature of the landsharks under its control, landsharks who were originally just another predator species who simply hunted to survive, but after the corruption of the Demon God, they became actively malicious creatures that kill just for sport, a copy-paste of the Yggdrasil monster known as bulette.
It was tragic, but because the corruption could in theory only be reversed by the likes of a [Wish] spell or a world-class item, resources that none of the legendary heroes had access to, the only option they could pick was to destroy all the corrupted landsharks - now rightfully renamed 'bulettes' by the hero leader - lest they mass reproduce and become a plague on par with the evil deity that spawned them.
At least, that was the plan. A plan that unfortunately was only partly successful since one of the alterations the Demon God of Beasts made sure to give the poor landsharks was a supernatural fecundity that always ensured that the bulettes reproduced at such a rate that they would never be truly culled out for good.
So even now, three centuries later, the bulettes of the Manthor Hills continue to be a blight to the lands of the council state, a blight that must always be continuously suppressed for it can never be eliminated for good.
But time heals all wounds.
Despite being aware that they will never be freed from the plague of the bulettes, the people of the council state decided to turn a grim duty they were forced to repeat every single year into a lively event that fostered sportsmanship and goodwill between the myriad of races that live in the country.
- This level of excitement can even be felt in the air. Literally!
Rhemurus never ever saw such a large group of individuals being so incredibly excited before, not even back in Yggdrasil among the player groups who were looking forward to a particular event. He could barely believe that this was real.
It was very early in the morning before sunrise when Lord Erodel called out for all the participants to prepare themselves for the long march from Breizen to the Manthor Hills since said hills were quite the distance away from the human city.
In fact, the hills were quite the distance away from pretty much any settlement, since no sane people would build a place to live so close to infinitely multiplying ravenous beasts.
But eventually, all participating citizens made it by noon, just in time for lunch.
"Alright, everyone! Let's put the tents here, the high marshal will arrive tomorrow morning to officially start the games, so make sure you rest yourselves properly!"
Erodel was using the [Fly] spell alongside a modified, harmless version of the 1st-tier arcane spell [Ear-Piercing Scream] in order to make sure his voice was heard by all the humans who decided to participate this year, who numbered over 30.
Besides the humans, there were also the orcs of Vairekhor, who numbered over 50.
And several other races as well, like the bugbears of Durbal, who numbered over 20.
The yuan-ti of Elesema, who numbered over 40.
The dark dwarves of Grakclstugh, who numbered over 60.
The kobolds of Darastri, who numbered over 20.
And even some flying races have joined the hunting games as well, like the aarakocra of Dokanis, who numbered over 10.
The abeil - also known as beefolk - of Xen'drik, who numbered over 30.
But the one that caught Rhemurus' attention the most was a demi-human race that physically resembled gargoyles, but were actually called kir-lanans; their roughly humanoid bodies have large, bat-like wings, with sharply pointed teeth, hard, clawlike nails, and small, blunt horns above their temples. Their thick, fine-scaled skin ranged from midnight blue to deep violet to black, though occasional individuals were very dark red, green, brown, or gray.
The kir-lanans came from the town of Ungorth, and they numbered over 20.
In conclusion, nearly 300 people arrived this year to participate in the games, a notable increase from last year.
"Looks like the competition will be quite fierce! It's not too late to jump out of the games, nobody will blame you, greenhorn."
The one who just mocked Rhemurus was none other than Arioch, the heir of Lord Erodel and the first human that the player saw in the new world.
"I will be fine, but thank you for your concern for me, I appreciate it." Replied Rhemurus with clear sarcasm.
"Hey nooooow, play nice, you two. This may be called 'games', but the bulettes are still dangerous monsters, you know?"
"I know, Ommarra. I'm just worried for our dear refugee here."
Even if Arioch may indeed be an arrogant bastard, a part of him was legitimately worried for the wellbeing of Rhemurus, mainly because his position as the heir of Lord Erodel, the human councilor of the Argland Council State, meant that one day he will be responsible for the humans that live in their country.
He didn't know yet if Rhemurus was planning to become a permanent resident, but if he does, then he will one day be a human citizen under Lord Arioch. They don't have to like each other, but mutual respect is preferable to distrust.
Rhemurus himself knew that as well, so during the games he will do his best to show his worth to his fellow humans, prove to everyone that he was someone worthy of respect.
"Yo, Arioch! Ommarra! What are you doing just standing there!?"
That powerful voice came from the one who was appointed by Lord Erodel as his second in command for the time being, the most powerful human cleric in the council state.
"We're okay, Othollo, just looking after the refugee!"
"Then tell the refugee to move his ass here as well! Everyone must contribute, so either help make the tents or help cook supper!"
Lord Othollo, the firstborn of Lord Erodel and by extension the eldest brother of Lord Arioch, was the one who held the position of High Priest of Sky Father in Breizen. A powerful spellcaster capable of using 4th-tier divine spells and the leader of the human team during the hunting games.
"You heard the boss! Come on, little Rhemurus!"
Ommarra began to playfully push the player around, while Arioch likewise began to walk in the direction that Othollo was directing them towards.
Because Rhemurus didn't have any cooking job classes, he couldn't help anyone make food even if he wanted to, so instead he volunteered to help set up the tents where they would spend the night.
All the other participating races were doing similar preparations as well, the dark dwarves in particular were even building a fortified wall around their team.
Rhemurus noticed it and asked a fellow human if there was a legit cause for concern, but he was told that the dark dwarves always did that every single year. They're quite an industrious bunch that never misses a chance to hone their building skills, even if it's as unnecessary as building literal walls around themselves.
And so all tents were eventually set and supper was ready. The scent of cooking fires could be smelled in the entire hills, so it was quite fortunate that the local bulettes weren't nocturnal predators.
Still, the teams set their tents at a safe distance from the bulette grounds, just to make sure.
Lively conversations were naturally another thing that could be heard pretty much everywhere, and while Rhemurus made himself sure to eat his share in silence, people were bound to be curious about the unknown refugee that was invited by the chieftain.
"So...Rhemurus, was it? What made you decide to join us?"
The one who made the first step was Iaome, the eldest daughter of Erodel and the best disciple of her uncle, sage Aerodus, which made her a very capable druidess.
"Well, to tell you the truth, I kind of needed to participate."
"Needed? As in, something will happen to you if you don't take part in this hunt?"
"Oh no, nothing of the sort. Unless you count remaining stagnant as a bad thing, in which case, yeah, that would be bad for me."
"I did hear from my dad that you're a druid who can't progress. You think hunting bulettes will help you become a better druid?"
"I'm positive it will." Said Rhemurus with clear conviction in his voice.
"Well, if you ask me, it sounds like that will instead make you a great ranger, not necessarily a better druid."
Despite being the classes most associated with nature - alongside the barbarian - rangers and druids are still fundamentally different from each other. The biggest disparity would be how rangers were more martially inclined than druids were, a proper min-maxed ranger would be on par with the likes of fighters and the aforementioned barbarians.
In the new world, part of a ranger's traditional training included the hunt of wild beasts, hence why a considerable portion of the nearly 300 individuals that will participate in the hunting games were rangers in training.
"Hmm, I do remember, however, that some druid philosophies are extremely primal when compared to the peaceful ones we civilized folk are used to. Bestial, even." Added Arioch to the conversation, most likely to show off how educated and sophisticated his upbringing was.
"Becoming predators that hunt other predators sound like the most bestial thing imaginable, perhaps Rhemurus' circle was one of those. Am I wrong?"
- Huh, I wasn't aware that this world had druids like that. But if anything, that sounds like a perfect excuse to cover the fact that I need to kill things to grind EXP. Thanks, Arioch.
"You got me. I should've known that I couldn't hide it forever."
"No need to feel shame, Rhemurus. If anything, I think that you belonging to such a primordial and ancient circle is quite impressive. Really."
- Was...was that a genuine compliment?
It was. Arioch did in fact compliment Rhemurus just now.
The conversation then went on to become even more cheerful as more people joined in, ensuring that the night before the first day of the hunting games ended on a good note.
[The next day]
Unlike the previous day, the leaders of each racial team didn't force the participants to wake up before sunrise, they wanted to make sure that each individual was as properly rested as they could, and the high marshal from the standing army that will officially direct the games was still scheduled to arrive in a few hours, so the participants could afford to sleep a bit more.
By the time Rhemurus woke up there were still 50 minutes or so left until said marshal arrived, he was the last one of the human team to rise and shine. He put on his wood armor, took the bag where the items he purchased were stored, and exited his tent.
He noticed that there wasn't anyone around the area where the tents were set, so he strained his eyes into the distance and saw that everyone was now much closer to the bulette grounds, so he hurried up to catch up with them.
The closer he got, the clearer he noticed that the human team was currently communing with another team, demi-humans that even from a distance were obvious to see were orcs.
"There you are, we were wondering if you were having lingering doubts."
The leader of the human team, Erodel, was the one who welcomed Rhemurus when he joined them. He had a notoriously large bag he was holding with his left hand hanging from his back, and he wasn't by himself.
"Rhemurus, I want to introduce you to the leader of the orc team, Lord Tsadok, chieftain of Vairekhor and orc councilor of Argland."
Standing beside Erodel was a tall and powerfully built bipedal suidae covered from head to hoof in magnificent full plate armor.
The armor itself appeared to either be made out of some form of alchemical platinum, a metal that was covered in a platinum coating, or was enchanted to give it a platinum appearance. Besides the obvious fact that it was custom-made to be worn by an orc physique, the armor also had draconic horns at the sides of the helmet and a pair of small draconic wings which were built behind the chest piece of the armor. And in the front center portion of said chest piece were four gems arranged in a circular formation; a sapphire, a prismatic diamond, an onyx, and a zircon.
"Nice to meet you, Lord Tsadok. If it's okay for me to guess, I imagine your armor was commissioned by an adherent of the church of the Sovereign Host?"
During the days he spent studying under Aerodus, Rhemurus took the opportunity to ask and learn as much as he could about the Argland Council State, and the most prominent religions of the land were among the things the human archdruid was more than happy to educate the player about.
Of course, learning about the world itself as a whole would've been preferable, but the people who make roots in a specific place and almost never travel don't really know much about the world at large in the first place - the humans of Breizen didn't even know almost nothing about the sorcerer empire, either - so learning just about the council state was the most Rhemurus could hope for.
But at the very least, the limited knowledge he did obtain did help him impress the important individual he just met.
"Why, you're right! This armor, the Divine Defender, was made by a legendary smith from the capital and given to my grandfather at the behest of the Platinum God. He was one of the greatest champions that the grand councilors ever had, and I'm honored to have his blood running in my veins."
- Platinum God, that's one of the titles of the one Aerodus told me was the actual leader of this country. If my memory serves right, his name was Tsaindorcus=Vaision, the Platinum Dragon Lord.
Rhemurus has made mental notes of all the noteworthy individuals he has learned about, mostly because of the off chance that he may cross paths with them someday. And the ones that interest him the most so far are the sorcerer emperor Ainz Ooal Gown and this aforementioned grand councilor, none the wiser that those two powerful individuals are likewise very interested in him as well.
"I see that my brother did teach you a thing or two after all."
"Yes, sage Aerodus is an incredibly wise teacher. It really pains me that the circle I joined was so incompatible with his peaceful ways."
"You know, it's been a while since I've seen Aerodus." Tsadok jumped into the conversation. "I think the last time he joined the games was...five years ago?"
"Six years ago. He only came to look over my daughter, Iaome. She was much younger and inexperienced back then."
"Ah yes, that strong druidess! My own daughter looks forward to meeting her every year during these games to compete with each other. You should be proud, Erodel."
"I am."
The conversation between Erodel and Tsadok kept going for several minutes, Rhemurus understood that they were two lifelong friends that hadn't seen each other for a while and wanted to catch up - a feeling that Tanaka Ito could relate to - so he just kept silent. There was a particular thing that the player was anxious to ask, but that could wait.
And eventually, the topic of conversation shifted back to the hunting games and what each team was planning to do, which made Erodel remember that particular thing that Rhemurus was anxious about.
"Oh right, before I forget."
Erodel placed the bag he was holding on the floor, opened it, and took out a curved blade and a light shield.
"I did promise to give these back to you. Here, you will need them."
The low-class scimitar and wooden shield from Yggdrasil, back in their rightful owner's hands.
"Now that's a strange sword you got there, Rhemurus." As the leader of a martially inclined city, Tsadok was understandably curious about the player's weapon.
"It's called a scimitar. Back in my native lands, it was the staple melee weapon of the druids."
Depending on the fantasy setting, druids were stereotypically shown wielding either a sickle, a farming implement, or a scimitar, an actual weapon. Yggdrasil was the latter.
"So the druids back there had staple weapons like that? Huh, your circle really was a violent one."
"You know, maybe my emerald hunters could learn something from you and this violent druid circle of yours."
"I don't know if anyone could learn anything from me, Lord Tsadok. I'm still just an apprentice, at the end of the day."
"Aren't we all apprentices? In the eyes of the divine, whether nature itself or a divine patron, neither priests nor druids ever stop learning."
- Oh right, he did call this so-called grand councilor 'Platinum God', so he's most likely an adherent of that state church himself.
"I suppose you're right. Maybe one day when I have enough confidence in my abilities, I would be more than glad to consider your proposal, Lord Tsadok."
- I would never in a million years stand around a bunch of warrior orcs as low-level as I am. Need some insurance that I can properly defend myself first.
"We would be glad to learn new things from a foreigner. Good luck, to all of you." Said Tsadok as he seemingly concluded his conversation with the humans since he said his farewells and returned back to where the orc team was.
"Lord Tsadok gave off a very powerful aura, I imagine he's very strong."
"Quite the perceptive senses you have there, Rhemurus. Yes, Tsadok is a powerful cleric. The spells he obtains from his patron aren't as powerful as the ones my son Othollo receives from the Sky Father, but his own innate strength compensates for it."
Lord Tsadok is actually of a higher level than the high priest Othollo, but the orc chieftain invested not only in his divine magic but also in a stronger body suitable for combat, which thanks to his nature as a demi-human meant that he obtained more racial levels in his [Orc] racial class, racial levels that acted as [Fighter] substitution levels.
It's true that the racial levels of many demi-humans and even heteromorphs in the new world act as substitution levels for [Fighter] or some other melee class, but exceptions still exist where racial levels can act as arcane levels, divine levels, or even spiritual levels. But unfortunately for Tsadok, his innate abilities don't advance his clerical abilities at all.
"So he will be the one who will officially lead the orc team, then."
"Yes, every team needs to have their more capable healer at the helm."
Rhemurus and Erodel kept talking about the hunting games for a bit more before the chieftain excused himself, for he had to look for the other members of the human team.
With nothing left to do, the player just stretched himself for a bit to relax. In less than an hour, these hunting games will begin, this level 2 human will be participating in a mass hunting of bulettes, of all monsters. Of course, he won't be alone, but this world didn't have any friendly fire rules.
- Doesn't help that I'm an outsider nobody will miss should I be killed.
Rhemurus did make a few somewhat friendly bonds back in Breizen, but he's aware of how low his position actually is in the importance hierarchy. For all intents and purposes, he must assume that he will be alone.
Eventually, a mind-blowingly big shadow loomed over the participants, the shadow of the colossal-sized - the size category even above gargantuan-sized - flying individual known as the high marshal of the standing army. Which could only mean one thing; the hunting games are about to start.
The high marshal - a statuesque dragon - landed with a grace that betrayed his enormous size in the area between the place where the teams were standing and where the bulette grounds were at.
His name was Barakazmith=Algenismikka, the Shield Dragon Lord. A smooth, shiny plate formed his face. He had a frill that raised high over his head and continued down the neck and back to the tip of his tail. Long spines with dark support the frill. He also had two smooth, shiny horns, and wings that are wide and sleek. He had the scent of rain, and his scales gleamed like liquid metal.
Not only was Barakazmith the highest-ranking general in the council state, but he was also one of the four dragons in the country that had the title of [Lord], something that not even all dragon councilors could flaunt.
"Welcome, honorable participants of the hunting games!" He began to address everyone.
"I'm sure we are all anxious to begin, but before our traditional opening ceremony, there is a small special announcement I will like to share with you."
As Barakazmith kept speaking, the participants began to walk towards him, Rhemurus included.
- Now THIS dragon is massive! No wonder he's this country's high marshal.
Among the conversations he had with his fellow members of the human team during the trip to these hills, the talks last night, and today just now, Rhemurus learned everything the humans of Breizen knew about the Shield Dragon Lord.
"So if I have your attention, this announcement is quite important." After making sure that everyone was listening, Barakazmith revealed something that will have ramifications that Rhemurus was none the wiser, yet were tied to him nonetheless.
"This year's games will not only be another glorious hunt but will also be a chance to properly bond with an allied country of ours. None other than the Sorcerer Empire!"
- Did...did I heard that right?
Rhemurus was doubting his ears, and for good reason.
"We will be joined today by two honorable guests from the empire that will participate in the hunt, guests allowed entry by majority vote from the councilors. Let's show them our spunk and our toughness! But most important of all, let us show them our solidarity and mutual respect that composes the backbone of our beautiful country!"
Everyone was quite excited to see who these guests from the empire will be, and so after a dramatic pause, Barakazmith spread his wings and lifted his head.
"Give a warm welcome to Nomom and Phenia!"
The rough silhouette of two humanoid figures could be seen jumping from behind the Shield Dragon Lord's back and landing in front of the dragon for everyone to see, showing off how incredibly strong the jumping strength and physical durability of these individuals were. So incredibly big is the high marshal that pretty much nobody could even notice that those two individuals arrived with him until now.
And quite the notorious individuals those two were; one was sheathed in an intricately engraved suit of full plate armor that was edged in gold. There was no way to see its face, let alone figure out its specific race, but the full plate armor was as red as blood. This individual was tall by human standards, with a bulky frame, and had a single red greatsword visible below a black onyx cape that danced with the wind.
Meanwhile, the other individual was much shorter in comparison, like the height of a human child. Its body was covered in some sort of full-body robe, but there was still a thick purple cape as an extra layer of cloth. In its head there was a comically large wizard hat that prevented anyone from looking at the individual's hair, assuming it had hair in the first place. But the most noteworthy feature was its strange, full-face mask set with a bloodstone. There was a narrow crack running along eye level, but that did not give a glimpse of the eyes beneath.
"Greetings, good citizens of the council state!"
The one who spoke first was the one covered in the crimson full plate armor.
"My name is Nomom, and here is my partner, Phenia! Thank you very much for having us, we're honored to participate with you!" With a clearly masculine voice, Nomom made a strange pose reminiscent of those from an ancient series from Earth remembered as Kamen Rider.
In response, his partner Phenia also made a pose that was instead reminiscent of another ancient series from Earth, one called Sailor Moon.
For the new world natives, those poses meant absolutely nothing, but this undercover hidden message wasn't directed at any of them. No, these flashy poses were specifically displayed as bait, for the only one who could recognize them would be someone with intimate knowledge of Earth. Someone like, say, a player.
Because nobody around was aware of this unofficial undercover mission, a mission that the sorcerer emperor made himself sure that not even his guardians were aware of, for it was something that he was adamant to do in person alongside a trusted friend.
" [ Hey, Ainzy. ] "
" [ I'm not Ainzy here, Keno. I'm Nomom, and you're Phenia. ] "
' [ I know, but we're using a message spell, nobody should be able to hear our private talk. ] "
" [ Still, we should keep our talks to a minimum, just in case. ] "
" [ I was just wondering if our plan was really just that? Participate in this games and take note of anyone out of place in the human team? ] "
" [ Precisely so. And besides, even if Rhemurus isn't here, we can have some good fun. ] "
Pretty much everyone around was a bit baffled at the sight, Rhemurus even more so, for those poses reminiscent of ancient anime of Earth did in fact succeed in their purpose; alert the human player about them.