Chapter 3

Climb walked down one of the capital's broad streets. There was nothing about his appearance that made him stand out, so he melted completely into the crowd.

His white full plate armor certainly would have attracted attention, so he'd taken it off. If he used a special alchemical item, he could change its color, but he didn't feel like going all that trouble just to wear it. There was no need to equip full armor just for a walk around the city anyway.

So he was dressed lightly, with mail hidden under his shirt. The only thing that set him apart from an ordinary civilian was the longsword at his hip. That was about the same level of gear as the patrolling soldiers, guards, mercenaries, and other people on the street wore. Even if some people gave him a relatively wide berth, he wasn't armored heavily enough the crowd parted or anything.

Any ponderously outfitted people were adventurers (or nobles). This style was less for necessity and more to stand out. For an adventurer, dressing to attract attention was not strange. It was advertising. Some even dressed in a particularly eccentric way to create a strong impression, spread rumors, and make a name for themselves. In other words, style was like an adventurer's trademark.

But for adventurers at the level of the Blue Roses, whom Climb was currently going to meet, there was no need for fashion statements. At their rank, a stroll down the street was just enough to get people talking.

Eventually, on one side of the street, an adventurer inn came into view. On its grounds were the inn proper, a stable, and a yard large enough to practice with a sword. The fantastic exterior made it easy to imagine the beautiful interior, and the windows of the guest rooms were fitted with clear glass. That top-class hotel was a gathering spot for adventurers confident in their skills and able to pay the fairly high rate.

Ignoring the guards on either side, Climb opened the door.

For how large it was, there were few adventurers in the spacious bar and dining hall that took up the entire first floor. There just weren't very many elite adventurers to begin with. After a slight murmur traveled through the group, their curious eyes gathered on Climb. He paid no mind and scanned the room.

The occupants were all extremely powerful. Any one of them could have easily defeated him. Every time he came to a place like this, he was reminded how insignificant he was. Climb endured the depressing thought and held his gaze on one particular point in the bar.

He was focused on two people sitting at a round table all the way in the back.

One was small and cloaked in a black robe. The figure's face was hidden. It wasn't because of the quality of the light but because the person was wearing a strange mask, with a crimson jewel set in the forehead, that covered their entire face. There were eye slits, but even the color of the irises behind them was out of sight.

Then there was the other. The one in robes was small, but this character was so overwhelmingly large it brought to mind the word monolithich. The entire body was thick in a way. But it all was definitely not wrapped in body fat. The figure's arms had the girth of logs. The neck supporting a square head seemed about the size of a woman's thighs put together. A broad jaw clenched with effort, and eyes resembling those of a predatory beast kept tabs on the area. The short blond hair prioritized only function. The chest conspicuously bulging under the clothing brought to mind the image of pectoral muscles trained to extremes, frankly, it was no longer the chest of a woman. She was part of the adamantite adventurer team comprised entirely of women the Blue Roses.

This curious pair contained two of its members, arcane caster Evileye and warrior Gagaran.

Climb continued his approach and the one he had been aiming for called out in a husky voice, "Hey, virgin!"

The gazes that had left Climb gathered on him once again, but no one jeered. On the contrary, the adventurers lost interest immediately and averted their eyes with something resembling pity. The reason for this detached treatment was that everyone knew getting involved with a guest of Gagaran's was not brave but reckless, even for an orichalcum or mythril-ranked adventurer.

Ashamed, Climb kept walking nonetheless. Gagaran wouldn't change his nickname no matter how many times he told her, so giving up and pretending he didn't care was the most effective thing he could do.

"It's been a while, Lad— Er, Gagaran. And Lady Evileye." When he arrived in front of them, he bobbed his head.

"Yeah, long time no see! Did you come to get laid?" she asked with a wild, animalistic grin on her face, gesturing with her chin for him to sit down, but Climb remained expressionless and shook his head.

This could be called Gagaran's usual greeting, but she wasn't kidding. If Climb ever responded affirmatively, even as a joke, she would probably drag him up to a private room on the second floor. He would have no way to resist her overwhelming muscles. She endlessly professed her fondness for relishing "fresh cherries". That was the kind of person she was. In contrast, Evileye faced straight ahead, unmoving. Climb couldn't tell where her eyes were focused under the mask.

"No, Lady Aindra asked me to come."

"Hmm? Our leader?"

"Yes, I have a message for you. She says it seems like you'll be moving very soon. Details will come when you get back, but she wants you to be combat ready at any time."

"Whoa. Well, sorry you had to come all the way here just for that."

Gagaran laughed heartily and Climb remembered he had something else he needed to tell her.

"Today I was blessed with the opportunity to receive training from the Captain Stronoff and he praised that move you taught me, the overhead strike."

Gagaran had taught him that move in this inn's backyard. She broke into a smile as if Gazef's praise had been for her.

"Oh, that? Hmm, nicely done. But you know…"

"I know. I won't be satisfied with this. I'll train even harder."

"Well, that too. Assume that move won't work out, and come up with the next thing and chain it."

Curiously, or perhaps because it was just common sense among top-class warriors, Gagaran's advice bore a very strong resemblance to Gazef's. Climb was surprised at the coincidence, but Gagaran must have read his reaction as something else. "

"Of course, the downward slice I showed you has no point if you don't use it with the intent to make it a one-hit kill." She laughed. "Really, the correct answer is to have countless moves and choose the appropriate ones as you go, but… you can't do that." She remarked in a roundabout way that he lacked innate talent. "So, make a chain of three moves so that even if your opponent blocks them, they can't transition into a counterattack."

Climb nodded.

"Well, there will be times that it won't work, like when your opponent's a monster with lots of arms, but you'll be fine against a human. If they learn your pattern, you're doomed, but for first-time opponents, it'll be pretty effective. Make a chain so you can push, push, push."

"Got it." Climb nodded emphatically.

That morning, the only time he'd been able to penetrate Gazef's space as far as he had was when he had used that move. Except for that, the captain had seen through him instantly and left Climb defending against counterattacks. But did Climb lose any confidence because of it? No. Did he despair? No. Just the opposite. An ordinary person had come that close to the strongest warrior in the kingdom, no, in the entire region. He knew it was because his opponent had been holding back, but for Climb, going down his pitch-black path devoid of light, that was plenty encouraging.

Your hard work isn't all for nothing. Remembering that, he realized what Gagaran was trying to say. He wasn't sure he would be able to devise a chain attack, but still, the passion to do it bubbled up inside him. He wanted to get strong so that next time he sparred with the captain of the Royal Select, he would be worth just a little more of his superior's effort.

"…Oh yeah. You were asking Evileye for something, too, right? Magic training, was it?"

"Yes." Climb glanced at Evileye. When he'd asked her, she'd scoffed at him from under her mask, and the conversation had ended. Since nothing had changed, if he brought it up again, he would probably get the same response. But—

"Kid." Her voice was hard to hear. Even ignoring the effect of the mask, the tone of her voice was very mysterious. Despite the mask, as long as it wasn't too thick, it should have been possible to tell what sort of voice she had to some extent. But Evileye's didn't betray her age, emotions, or anything like that. The sole, barely discernible trait was that it belonged to a woman. She sounded both old and young. Her voice was detached and flat. It was probably because the mask she wore was a magic item, but why did she need to go to such lengths to hide her voice?

"You don't have the aptitude. Pour your efforts into something else." She made the dismissive declaration as though that was all she had to say to him. But Climb knew that perfectly well.

He had no magic aptitude, no, not only magic. No matter how many times he swung his sword, no matter how many times his blisters bled, popped, and healed over, he hadn't been able to reach the realm he aspired to. Someone born with talent could scale that wall easily, but for Climb, it was an unapproachable precipice. But that didn't mean he could neglect his efforts to overcome it. Without aptitude, all he could do was work hard and trust that he would be able to advance even one step forward.

"You don't seem convinced." Apparently noticing Climb's emotions beneath his expressionless facade, Evileye continued. "Gifted people show it from the beginning. Some people say that ability is like a flower before it has bloomed and that everyone has the potential, but…hmm. If you ask me, that's nothing but wishful thinking. Something inferior people say to console themselves. But that's what the leader of the Thirteen Heroes was like, too."

The leader of the Thirteen Heroes… The legends said that he was originally an ordinary person. He'd been weaker than everyone, but as he continued fighting with his sword, getting injured along the way, he became a hero stronger than anyone had ever seen. He had potential that endlessly grew.

"He already had it, it just hadn't bloomed yet. But you're different. You work hard and pretty much stay the same… That's right. Natural aptitude is unmistakable. There are those who have it and those who don't. So…I won't say to give up, but just know where you stand."

Evileye's harsh words invoked a moment of silence. And it was Evileye who broke it again.

"Gazef Stronoff…he's a good example. That's a man with potential. Climb, do you really think you can close the gap in your abilities with hard work?"

His words wouldn't come out. He had been reminded today during his training bout with Gazef that it was a distance he couldn't cross.

"Well, it's probably unfair of me to compare you to him. I don't know anyone equal to him with a sword besides the Thirteen Heroes, perhaps. Gagaran here is pretty skilled, but she can't beat Gazef."

"Aye, don't be ridiculous! That guy's already got one foot in the realm of heroes."

"Hmm. People say you're a hero yourself… although there's a question mark with regards to your gender."

Evileye faltered for just a moment, but Gagaran smiled and said, "Hey now, Evileye. Isn't the definition of a hero a monster with extraordinary power who's transcended human limits?"

"I don't deny it."

"In that case, I can't set foot in the heroic realm. I'm still a human."

"…Still, you have a gift. You're different from a human like Climb with none. Climb, you're not meant to spend your time chasing after the stars."

Climb knew full well he was lacking, but this constant confrontation with the fact drove it home. Still, that didn't mean he intended to change his way of life. I exist for the princess. To do her will.

Evileye must have sensed something martyr-like about him. She clicked her tongue from under her mask. "…You probably won't quit just because I said all that."

"You're right."

"What a fool you are. Truly a fool." She shook her head and exclaimed how she just couldn't understand. "Those with dreams that can't be attained destroy themselves, you know. I said it before, but you need to know your place."

"I understand."

"But you don't feel like listening? You are a man who's beyond foolish. The type who dies an early death… Is there anyone who would cry if you were killed?"

"What's this, Evileye? You're harassing him so much because you're worried about him?"

At Gagaran's words, Evileye bitterly slumped her shoulders. She turned to face Gagaran, reached out with a gloved hand to grab her collar, and shouted, "Shaddup for a second, meathead!"

"But it's true, isn't it?"

Gagaran was unfazed, even held by her collar, and her remark left Evileye speechless.

The robed woman sank into her chair and, to change the subject, directed her frustration at Climb.

"First, learn about magic. If you increase your knowledge, you'll be able to understand the intentions of an opponent who uses magic. That way you can take more appropriate measures against them."

"Aren't there too many types of magic for him to study them all?"

"No. There are relatively few core spells that casters rely on. He can start with those." Evileye added dismissively that if he couldn't do that much, he should just give up. "Besides, as long as he learns up to tier three, he should have no problem."

"Hey, Evileyyyye. They say there are spells that go up to tier ten, but no one can use them, right? So how do we know about them?"

"Hmm…" With the air of a teacher instructing her students, Evileye did something beneath her robe. Suddenly, Climb felt all the sounds around them grow distant, as if their table had been placed inside a bubble. "Don't panic. I just used a trifling item."

He wasn't sure how wary of surrounding ears she had to be to use the item, but Climb sat up straighter when he realized the answer to Gagaran's question was important enough to take precautions.

"In one of the myths, there are beings known as the Eight Kings of Greed. It's said that they stole the powers of the gods and ruled this world with their enormous strength."

Climb knew the story of the Eight Kings of Greed. It was far from popular as a fairy tale, but people who possessed a certain degree of knowledge knew the story. To summarize, about six hundred years ago, the Eight Kings of Avarice appeared. Described as taller than the sky and dragon-like, they obliterated a country in the blink of an eye and conquered the world with their overwhelming power.

But they were unaccountably greedy and fought internally because they coveted one another's possessions. At the end of the story, they all died. It was only natural that a tale like that would be unpopular, but where opinions split was whether it was a fairy tale or something else. Personally, Climb thought it was rather embellished. But among adventurers, there were some here and there who believed it depicted actual beings, those more powerful than any that existed in the present day. As grounds for this belief, they pointed to a city far to the south in the desert. Supposedly it had been built by the Eight Kings of Avarice to serve as their capital when they had been ruling on the continent.

While Climb stewed in his own thoughts, Evileye continued. "Well, the Eight Kings of Greed did exist, possessed countless powerful items and could cast spells of the 10th tier. Someone I trust knows another she fully trusts and that one witnessed the power of their spells. Only magic of the ultimate tier could cause such destruction. Well, it's secondhand info from someone who knows someone else who saw it, so I don't really know the details. Anyhow, that's the answer, Gagaran. Got it?"

After that, Evileye seemed to hesitate a bit, a rare occurrence, and turned to Climb. "Climb, don't do anything foolish like giving up your humanity just because you want power."

"Giving up my humanity…? You mean like demons in the stories?"

"That or becoming undead or a magic being."

"A normal human can't do those things."

"Yeah… Most people who turn undead end up warping their minds. They're passionate about their ideals, so they pursue that route to realize their desires, but…the physical changes strain their mind too much, and they transform into something horrific. Look, even the Eight Kings of Greed were consumed by whatever deal they made to get the power of the gods."

No emotion was visible behind the mask, but Evileye's voice was clearly tinged with pity.

Watching her adopt an apparent faraway gaze, Gagaran spoke in a terrifically cheery voice. "Plus, if the princess woke up and Climb was an ogre, she'd go into shock!"

Evileye must have understood the feelings driving Gagaran's remark. Her voice returned to its previous inscrutable state. "… Well, that's one thing you could do. Using transformation magic, you could change temporarily. In all seriousness, that is an option! For increasing physical ability, I mean."

"I think I'll pass."

"It's effective in the sense of purely physical enhancement. Humans don't have a terrible amount of ability to start with, you know? Given the same talent, starting from some better basic attributes would naturally give you an advantage." That was obvious. At about the same skill level, the one with better physical ability would have the edge.

"Actually, most of the Thirteen Heroes hailed from other races, not humanity. By the way, we say the Thirteen Heroes, but really, there were more. Only a mere thirteen made it into the legends… The fight against the evil spirits united beings across racial boundaries, but people focused on humans, probably not willing to spread sagas featuring the exploits of other species," Evileye remarked sarcastically. Then her demeanor changed entirely, and her narration turned nostalgic.

"The warrior wielding the whirlwind ax was chief warrior of the air giants, and there was a royal family of elves that shared the characteristics of the ancestral elves, as well as the original owner of our leader's sword, Killineiram, the Black Knight, who possessed the Four Great Swords of Darkness and was part demon."

"The Four Great Swords of Darkness…?" asked Climb."

"One of the Thirteen Heroes, the Black Knight, was said to possess four swords: Evil Sword, Humiris; Demonic Sword, Killineiram; Canker Sword, Coroquedavarre; and Death Sword, Sufiz. One of them was currently in the possession of none other than the leader of the Blue Roses, Lakyus.

"The most powerful Sword of Darkness, created by condensing infinite shadows, Demonic Sword, Killineiram… Sooo, is it true that if you unleash its power completely it would radiate enough dark energy to swallow a country whole?" asked Gagaran.

"What in the world?" Evileye seemed confused.

"I heard it from our leader. She said it when she was on her own the other day. She was holding her right hand and saying something about how only a woman who serves the gods like her could control its full power, et cetera, et cetera."

"I never heard anything about that…" Evileye cocked her head, puzzled. "But if the owner of the sword said so, it might be true."

"Then is it true that there's a dark Lakyus born from the mind of that darkness?"

"What?"

"Nah, I mean, she was mumbling that to herself a different time. She didn't seem to realize I was there, so I listened in to see what was up, and she was saying crazy stuff like, If you get careless, I, the black root of all darkness, will rule your flesh and unleash the power of the Demonic Sword."

"I…can't say that it's entirely impossible. Some cursed items take over their owners' minds… It would be a massive pain in the neck if Lakyus was possessed, though."

"It seems like she wants to keep it a secret, but I bet if we ask her straight, she'll blush and tell us not to worry about it."

"Hmm. As a priest who's supposed to break curses, she's probably embarrassed that we'd worry about her being cursed instead. Does that mean she's determined not to make us worry and bottling it all up?"

"I haven't seen anything like that happen since then, but… Do you remember? She started wearing those meaningless armor rings right after she got that sword, right?"

"I thought they were just a fashion statement, but are you saying they might be magic sealing items or catalysts?"

Climb couldn't maintain his stoic mask any longer and furrowed his brow. From what he'd heard just now, it sounded like Lakyus might be falling under the control of an evil item. Thinking about where he'd "just come from, his uneasiness grew. "Is Princess Renner in danger?"

He seemed ready to fly out the door, but Evileye held him back. "Don't panic. Nothing's going to happen this second. Even if she were about to lose herself to a dark power, it's not like it would happen before she realized what was going on. The fact that she hasn't told us about it probably means she thinks she can control it. I mean, she's mentally strong, right? But…I had no idea that sword had such power!"

"Should we tell Azus just in case?" asked Gagaran.

"Having to borrow the strength of a rival is somewhat unfavorable, but… she's his niece, so yes, we should probably tell him."

"Okay, I guess we should do that right away? We have to figure out where he is first."

"Yes. We should be ready to support Lakyus at any moment."

"Plus, the only ones who can stop an adamantite rank are other adamantite ranks."

"Hmm? Oh! Speaking of which, Gagaran. There's supposedly a third adamantite-rank adventurer team now in E-Rantel."

"What? Really? First I've heard of it… Did you hear about them this morning at the Adventurers Guild?"

"No… uh, oh—sorry, I forgot to tell you. Apparently, they're called Thunder & Lightning."

"Really? Well, it's catchy, but they should have picked a colour like we did, after the Nine Colours of the Holy Kingdom."

"Well, they're said to be travellers from a faraway country, so you can't expect them to know that."

"Ah, never mind then. And as long as they're not from the Theocracy, I'm sure I'll like them."

"What's that with the Theocracy?" asked Climb.

"I'm not really a fan of the Slane Theocracy. There was that one time we wound up really getting into it with those secret unit guys, you know?"

Climb felt like he was hearing something terribly dangerous, but they kept going.

"You don't like them, Gagaran? Don't get me wrong, they're trying to kill us, but I agree with their policies. Or rather, the task they've set for themselves, the vow they made to protect humanity, isn't wrong from the human race's point of view."

"Huh? So it's okay to kill subhumans and elves who didn't even do anything wrong, then?" Vivid disgust appeared on Gagaran's face, and flames of intense anger burned in her eyes.

Evileye shrugged off the heat directed her way. "In this area, you have several human countries: the Baharuth Empire, the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Holy Kingdom. But Gagaran, did you know "that the farther you get from here, the fewer human-majority countries you find? Subhumans and other races superior to humans are building nations. There are even some places where humans are slaves! One of the biggest reasons there aren't countries like that around here is because the Slane Theocracy has for years beat back any subhumans on the rise."

Gagaran quieted down and began to sulk. "Well, yeah, subhumans are physically superior to humans. If they were to gather in one place and develop their civilization, there wouldn't be much humans could do at that point…"

"If you're a human, you should appreciate what the theocracy is doing. Certainly, some of what they do is heartless, but there is no one serving humans more than them. Of course…whether I'd be able to say the same thing from the perspective of unwanted minorities is another question. Also, there's a very good chance the Slane Theocracy were the ones who created the model for adventurers' guilds."

"Seriously?"

"Who can say? The truth is unclear, but there's a good chance. The guild system appeared after the fight with the evil spirits when humans were weak. The theocracy authorities were saving their strength, so they probably created the adventurer framework as assistance that they could offer without creating international conflict."

The silence particular to a lull in conversation descended on the table. Unable to bear it, Climb spoke up. "Sorry to interrupt, Lady Evileye. About the new adamantite-rank team, what are the members' names?"

"Ah, yes. As I said, they're called Thunder & Lightning. I believe the leader's named Momon, but everyone knows him as Dark Hero since he always wears a huge full black suit of adamantite."

"Whoa. Huh. And the other members?" asked Gagaran.

"It's a two-person team. He works with another swordsman, said to be just as fast as the other's strong… he's named Oshiku and known as the Bard Samurai."

"Huh? Just two people? What's up with that? Are they just ultra-confident idiots? Well, no, they're adamantite rank. So they have some tricks up their sleeves, then. And? What'd they do?"

Climb listened in, too. This was a team that reached adamantite rank. They must have done things no ordinary person could imagine. He knew even before hearing that the stories would be thrilling, and his heart buzzed in anticipation.

"I heard they did it all in the span of two months, but… first they handled an incident in E-Rantel with several thousand undead. Then they wiped out a coalition of goblin tribes coming up from the south, gathered ultrarare herbs in the Tob Woodlands, killed a gigantic basilisk and destroyed a division of undead that streamed in from the Katze Plain. I also heard they took out an ancient, immensely powerful plant monster that I already knew existed deep in the forest."

"A gigantic basilisk…?" Climb gasped.

Basilisks were huge monsters similar to lizards, over 10 m long, with a petrifying gaze and bodily fluids so poisonous to cause instant death. Their skin was so thick it was comparable to mythril: in short, they were said to be the worst enemy adventurers could come by in the wilderness. If this party could defeat a monster capable of devastating an entire city, it was no wonder they had reached adamantite rank. There was just one problem. That was…

"That's… pretty amazing! But did they really do it with just two people? A gigantic basilisk has to be impossible to manage with just a warrior and a caster. That can't be true."

Yes, that was the catch. It would be virtually impossible to do it with two people. Especially with only two warriors: how would they heal? They couldn't possibly have a way to defend against a basilisk's every special attack like the petrifying gaze, poisonous fluids and so on.

"Oh, sorry! I guess I can't say they are just two. They also tamed the Wise King of the Forest so it serves them."

"… The Wise King of the Forest? What kind of monster is that?" asked Gagaran.

"Climb remembered hearing the name in some folktales, similar to the sagas of adventurers. But he felt it would be rather impertinent to chime in at this juncture.

"I don't know the details, but folklore has it that the Wise King of the Forest is a magical beast who reigned in the Tob Woodlands since eons ago. Its might is supposedly unrivaled. Someone I know went to the Tob Woodlands a long time ago and didn't see it, but…"

"Whoa. So how much of all that is true? It has to be mostly exaggeration, right?"

That's how it usually played out. When people told stories, they exaggerated unconsciously. Corpses found in pieces made it difficult to accurately count, and on occasion, adventurers themselves made outlandish claims, so stories simply became wilder and more grandiose.

In response, however, Evileye wagged a finger disapprovingly and said, "Tsk-tsk-tsk. Apparently all this is true. The first rumors circulating after E-Rantel's incident claimed that Momon defeated an undead giant by throwing a sword and then broke through an undead mob thousands strong. That info is from surviving guards who witnessed it and they all said the same things, so it doesn't seem to be exaggerated. The fact that they beat the ringleaders behind the mob was confirmed with corpses. And that was after they defeated two skeletal dragons."

Climb asked the speechless Gagaran, "Would that be hard even for you?"

"If the several thousand undead were all zombies and skeletons, then it wouldn't be a problem. I could break through. I could probably also manage two skeletal dragons somehow, but then the ringleaders who caused that big of an incident? I dunno. I can't say for sure if I don't know their abilities."

"The unofficial consensus is that they were from Zurrernorn."

"Are you serious, Evileye? Ahh, if we're talking about their disciples, that'd be the end for me. It would be rough after all that other stuff. And if I made the slightest wrong move, got poisoned or paralyzed, I'd be done for. How do they heal? Do they rely on potions? Maybe one of them can use faith magic like our leader…"

"Can't deny the possibility." Evileye nodded.

"But a giant basilisk would be…impossible. For a warrior, someone who mainly fights at close quarters, that's a serious challenge. I have Gaze Bane, but I'd still be in trouble without support."

"There's your answer, Climb. Apparently, it'd be impossible for Gagaran on her own. Assuming Gagaran's like Momon, it would depend on what his companion can do. If you fought together with Lakyus you could do it… probably?"

"Yeah, if he's a swordsman and healer on her level, they'd be more than strong enough. On the other hand, if you made it a mostly ranged battle, you could probably beat a gigantic basilisk on your own without even going all out, no?"

"Mm, no, that would be impossible. I would need to apply my full power."

"Hmm. Anyway, dealing with an undead mob, two skeletal dragons and some Zurrernorn casters, in just two, with even one below adamantite level… there'd just be no way. They both must be super strong, perhaps more than we are…"

"That's not true. I know how strong you are, Gagaran. You can definitely match the newcomers," Climb assured her.

"Hoo-whee! Thanks for the praise. All right, wanna sleep together?"

"No, I respectfully decline."

"And that's why you're a virgin! It's like not eating when a meal's put in front of you. You don't get a prize for keeping your virginity forever, you know. What are you going to do when it's time to sleep with your real woman? Do you want her to complain about how bad you are? Is that what you're into? Are you a masochist?" Having made all those assertions without waiting for Climb's response, Gagaran heaved a conspicuous sigh.

"Well, I won't force you. I'm good for it anytime, so if you want to, just say the word… But hey, what's with the nickname 'Bard Samurai'? I mean, everyone knows what a bard is, but the hell is a samurai supposed to be?"

"Apparently, Oshiku is an extremely quick and skilled swordsman. Maybe a Samurai is what they call a warrior in their country, or it could be a specific type of combat, I don't know. What's weird about him is that he's got green hair and, from what I heard, he wears no armour."

"No armour?! Hah! That's crazy… I'd like to meet these two guys, they seem to be very fun!"

"Hmm. We've been chitchatting too much. Sorry to make you go along with this nonsense. We'll follow Lakyus's orders and begin preparations now."

Gagaran and Evileye stood up. Climb followed their lead.

"Sorry, Climb! There's a lot of things I'd like to do with you, but it seems we don't have time for that anymore."

"Please do not worry about it, Gagaran. And Lady Evileye, thank you for the informative discussion."

"Gagaran looked at Climb and gave a tired laugh. "Well, that's fine. Okay. So you're probably going back now, right? Take care of our leader. Counting on you, virgin! …Oh, and make sure you equip your items. That sword on your hip isn't your usual weapon, right?"

"No, this is a backup."

"You never know what will happen. Whatever you do with your armor… like that crazy guy… you should always carry your sword! That's the proper attitude for adventurers, especially as warriors. And do you have the items I gave you?"

"The bells? Yes, I have those right here." He patted a pochette on his belt.

"Okay, good. Remember this: all we warriors can do is swing our weapons, but sometimes that's not enough. What fills in that gap for us is magic items. Acquire lots of them and don't let them go. And make sure you always have at least three healing potions. That's saved me before."

He had three potions but was currently carrying only two. Climb indicated his acknowledgment.

"You're surprisingly caring…"

"Don't make fun of me, Evileye… What I mean to say, Climb, is not to slack on preparation and precaution."

"Understood." Climb bowed deeply to Gagaran, then they went different ways.

There were nine men and women seated at the round table.

Despite the fact the chiefs from all eight divisions of the Eight Fingers had gathered, they hardly spared a glance for one another. Instead, they examined the papers in their hands or exchanged words with their subordinates behind them.

The atmosphere made it seem like eight completely separate groups were holding a meeting. It wasn't quite a powder keg situation, but everyone was obviously cautious, as though they were surrounded by threats. Still, this was the natural state of affairs for them. Although they shared loosely symbiotic relationships within the same organization, they often fought over conflicting interests, and true cooperation rarely materialized.

For instance, the drug-dealing division oversaw every aspect of their business, from production to distribution. They would never work with the smuggling division in drug trade. Even if the divisions were never openly hostile, it was ordinary for them to obstruct and frustrate one another behind the scenes.

Detrimental behavior like that was the result of once separate underworld syndicates coming together. These people weren't on good terms with one another, but they all participated in the regularly held Eight Fingers division chief meeting in the capital for a good reason. Those not in attendance were often purged on suspicion of potential treachery. That made it so even those who rarely visited the capital came all the way over for the meeting.

Even those who normally stayed holed up in safe places came, in a sense, out in public. It was no wonder many feared assassination and brought along escorts, a pair of elites, maximum number of attendants allowed from each division. Only one came alone.

"Okay, everyone's assembled. Let the regular meeting begin." At the sound of a voice, chairs creaked as people settled in. The speaker was the man who would run the meeting, the leader of the Eight Fingers. His age appeared to be around fifty, and he wore a water god sigil. With his gentle face, he didn't seem at all like the type to be deeply involved in the criminal sphere. "We have a number of issues, but the first we need to deal with is Hilma."

"Aye." The one who answered was a pearly-white woman. Her skin was so pale she seemed ill, and she was dressed completely in white. A snake tattoo climbed to her shoulder from her hand, which held a pipe emitting noxious purple smoke. Her lipstick was the same shade of purple as her eye shadow. Clad but lightly, her figure exuded the decadence of a high-class prostitute. She yawned conspicuously. "Could we have done this any earlier?"

"…We're discussing the raids on your narcotics cultivation facilities."

"Yeah, someone attacked some villages with production equipment. It cost a fortune. It may result in reduced supply for distribution."

"Do you have any information about the raiders?"

"Nope. They did a perfect job of it…although that's why I have an idea who it might have been."

"Which color?" Everyone there knew exactly what he meant.

"I don't know! We just found out about it. How could I figure that out so fast?"

"I see. Well, everyone, that's the situation. If you have any information, raise your hand."

There was no response. They either had no information or they did and didn't want to share it.

"Then next—"

"—Hey!" There came a low sound, a tremendously powerful man's voice.

All eyes gathered on him. It was a bald man whose face was half-obscured behind a beast tattoo. Everything about him was big. The bulges of his muscular physique were visible even through his clothes. The cold gleam in his eyes gave off the impression of a warrior. The others had brought escorts, but there was no one behind this man. Of course there wasn't. What good was it to bring someone along who wouldn't be any help?

He glared at Hilma, chief of the drug-dealing division. No, he probably didn't mean to glare at her, but it was hard to see a look from his razor-thin eyes as anything else. The escorts behind the woman caught their breath for just a moment, a natural response because they understood the gap between their abilities and his. That man was a monster capable of massacring everyone in the room.

"Why not hire us? Your small fries don't have what it takes to guard the facilities, right?"

Zero was in charge of the security division, which provided everything from doormen to armed escorts for nobles. He was even more famous for having the highest combat ability in all of Eight Fingers. But his proposal was flatly rejected.

"No. We don't need you. And we can't have outsiders knowing where our critical bases are."

That was the end of that. Zero's eyes closed as if he'd lost interest. It was like he'd turned into a rock.

"In that case, I'll take you up on the offer." The one who had spoken was a slender man. His lithe build was the exact opposite of Zero's. "Zero, I'd like to hire a man."

"What, Coccodor? Can you pay?"

If Hilma's drug dealing was fairly lucrative, Coccodor's slave trafficking was on the decline. Since the Golden Princess had made slavery illegal, he had to shelter his business further underground.

"I'm good for it, Zero. And I'd like one of the best of the best, preferably Six Arms-class."

"Ohh?" Zero seemed interested for the first time in the meeting, and his eyes opened back up.

He wasn't the only one who was surprised. Almost everyone there felt the same.

The Six Arms was a collective term for the six members of the security division with the highest combat ability; it came from the fact that the god of theft's sibling had six arms.

Of course, at the top was Zero, but the other five were no less powerful. There was one said to be able to cut reality itself, another who manipulated illusions, and even one who was an immensely powerful undead: an elder lich.

If Gazef Stronoff and adamantite-rank adventurers were the strongest of those in the light of day, the Six Arms were the strongest of the underworld. Employing one of them meant only one thing.

"You're in that much trouble? Okay, then. Take heart. My man will guarantee the safety of your assets."

"So sorry to trouble you. An issue came up with a woman we were planning to dispose of. It might be going overboard to enlist so much power, but if our shop gets taken out, I'll have problems. So yeah, I'll consult you later about the contract and fee."

"That's fine."

"Is immediately after the meeting all right with you? There's something I'd like you to do right away."

"Got it. I brought a man with me, so I can lend him to you."

"…Okay, I'm moving us onto the next topic. Is there anyone here who knows the new "adamantite adventurer Dark Hero Momon? Has anyone invited him to join us?"