Overlord & Hellking - Book V

by 3swordstyle

Nazarick starts dealing with the Baharuth Empire.

7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Several worker teams had already gathered on the Earl's estate before dawn. The last team to arrive was Hekkeran's Foresight. In total, eighteen people were present, but only one of them was aware of the future.

The workers gathered for this job were considered to be the cream of their profession in the capital. Each team maintained a distance between each other as they sized each other up. When the four members of Foresight finally arrived, they were welcomed by the collective stares of the other parties. This scene could almost be considered spectacular in its own way.

"Ah, somehow I feel like I've seen all these faces somewhere before. Such as Beetle-san over there, didn't we see him recently at Kattse Plains?"

"Eh? Did I not mention this in the hotel? Greenham's team also accepted the request… Did I really not say this? Somehow I feel like I've said this before… In any case, the worker teams that are gathered today all possess considerable fame within the capital! Let's have a round of applause for the deep pockets of the client."

"I think I'll pass on that… Anyways, the ones over there are the team leaders, right?"

In the area between the separated teams, three people had gathered in the center, exchanging information.

"Greenham should be over there, it seems. No doubt about it. Well then, time to go and greet them—"

"—Tch! Urgh, that guy is also there? Ah, I see. Then, the elf girls over there are… Hmph, that guy is absolutely the worst. Die, you piece of shit."

Imina practically spat that sentence out. Although she had kept her voice down, it still worried Hekkeran and the others enough that they had to quickly check their surroundings to see if anyone else had noticed.

"Imina-san!"

"I know, I know, Rob. He's going to be a colleague for this job… But I really don't want to see that guy's face."

"… I don't like it either."

"Well, if I had to pick between like and hate, I also dislike him. Even so, you still need to consider the situation."

Hekkeran broke into the conversation between Imina, showing a vexed face, and Roberdyck who helplessly shrugged.

"… Oi, you still have to greet him afterwards, so don't think about unpleasant thoughts, or they'll show on your face, okay?"

"Do your best, leader."

Hekkeran frowned in response to Roberdyck's encouragement, as though saying don't poke into other people's businesses, then he walked towards the group of three team leaders.

The first person that greeted Hekkeran was a worker who wore a steel-blue suit of full plate armor. Its design was oddly rounded, almost spherical. Due to especially large pauldrons, the man wearing the armor appeared more like an upright beetle than a human. However, after seeing that the helmet had a horn-like design which stuck out from the forehead, it became obvious that the armor was intended to look this way.

But one thing that wasn't intentional was the very short man's legs. The sight of him wearing the armor was like a real rhinoceros beetle that had been forced to stand upright by some children who were playing around. To put it in kinder terms, short legs like those of dwarves gave more stability. It was one of the traits which suited a warrior keen on defence.

"Just as I had foreseen, thou also came, Hekkeran!" Said the short warrior to the newcomer.

"Yo, Greenham. I thought the request wasn't too bad so we came as well."

Hekkeran raised his hand as a gesture at the remaining two leaders in a casual manner. The two of them responded back without any unpleasantness. Although Hekkeran was the youngest and least experienced of the four of them here, his skills as a worker were on the same level.

"About your side…" Hekkeran said, after glancing over to Greenham's team and quickly counting them. "… There's only five of you. What happened to the rest?"

"Resting, recovering from fatigue. Due to our previous work being of similar nature, some of our members had to stay behind to help with the transportation and repair of damaged goods."

This man, Greenham, was the leader of 'Heavy Masher', a worker team comprising of fourteen members. Having more members definitely had its advantages, such as having more options available in choosing how to handle each request. In particular, it provided the flexibility of being able to select the best suited members for each different request.

However, it was not without its disadvantages, such as receiving less income due to having to split the payment between more people, or running into more conflicts due to disagreements between members, which made it more difficult for them as a team to take fast action. When taking into consideration the personalities of typical workers, it wouldn't be unusual at all for a team to just suddenly disband. Being able to maintain full control over such a large team of workers demonstrated just how strong Greenham's management and leadership skills were.

"Fuuhn, how tiring. How about supporting us so you can earn enough not to disappoint the comrades you left behind?"

"Thy suggestion is foolish. After we finish this job, bonuses will be given based on each leader's performance."

"As unfortunate as it is, the best performance will naturally belong to me."

"Oi, oi, spare me already. It's fine to speak like you normally do. There's no nobleman to impress here."

Greenham simply grinned. Sensing that he had no intention of stopping, Hekkeran shrugged and turned towards the other man.

"I think it's the first time we've met face-to-face."

Hekkeran stretched his hand out, with a 'pleased to meet you' intention. The other man grasped it and shook back. He had a very strong grip. He moved his eyes and stared directly at Hekkeran.

"—'Foresight', I've heard a lot about you."

It was a voice that sounded as clear as a bell, which matched very well with his appearance.

"Likewise, 'Tenmu'."

The genius swordsman who was undefeated in the arena , although that was only because he did not want to challenge its current Martial Lord. There wasn't a single person in all of Arwintar who wouldn't recognise or at least heard of him. This man's party was in a sense a team composed purely of himself. Part of it was the reason why Imina made her previous unpleasant face.

"… The sword genius who's said to be a match for the Kingdom's strongest, Gazef Stronoff. It's reassuring to have your squad with us."

"Thank you. However, I think it's about time for it to be said the other way around. That old man should only be referred to as one being able to match up to this Eruya Uzruth."

"Oh. So good with words."

Eruya smiled faintly, fully displaying his arrogance. Seeing this smile, the unpleasant feelings concealed inside Hekkeran almost surfaced again.

"Well then, we'll be relying on you inside the ruins."

"Of course. Leave it to me. It'll be great if there are monsters that can put up a decent fight inside the ruins," Eruya said as he tapped on the weapon hanging by his waist, producing a 'pon pon' sound.

"It's completely unknown what kind of monsters might exist inside. Perhaps we'll even run into dragons?"

"That would be quite scary. Monsters such as dragons would definitely put up a hell-of-a fight. However, victory would still be mine."

Putting up a 'IS DA SO?' smile a parent would show to his child after he said something ridiculous, Hekkeran was the last one to react due to forcefully having to suppress his other emotions.

Taking only the skills with a sword into account, there were rumors Eruya could win against orichalcum ranked adventurers. Considering this point, there was some basis behind his boasting. Having confidence was a good thing, since it was also important for workers to showcase their abilities and appeal to their clients. However, there should be a limit to just how much one can boast.

The world's strongest race, Dragons.

Masters of the sky, capable of producing powerful breaths, some of fire, others of ice, a few of venom, but all with near impenetrable scales and possessing a physical prowess that was superior by far to humans'. As they aged, they even became able to use magic. Having a lifespan that humans simply couldn't compare with, the wisdom that they accumulated would humble even the greatest sages. They were the kind of existences often described in legends, whether as evil villains or as beings that aided the heroes. Just like in the tales of the Thirteen Heroes, where the last opponent in their adventures was a dragon known as the Dragon God. In many stories, dragons tended to be the final opponents of heroes.

Even though these existences were only used as an example, to still be able to act this arrogantly was rather surprising. No matter how one interpreted it, Eruya's words seemed like a joke. However he could tell that Eruya was completely serious just from the looks in his eyes. Just how self-conceited could he be?

It was still uncertain what kind of monsters would be in the ruins. Eruya's sense of judgement would definitely be a hindrance to the overall operation of things. It's probably best to stay away from him.

It would be convenient if he was to perish by himself, but it would still be troublesome if the overall formation became broken. A faint smile appeared on Hekkeran's face as he reached his conclusion and he adjusted his attitude towards Eruya to the direction of 'discard after use'.

"Over there must be the members of 'Foresight'. Oya—"

The look of his eyes when he saw Imina was filled with prejudice and disdain. There were rumors that Eruya hailed from the Slane Theocracy, where humans were considered as a superior race. As an alleged citizen of the Theocracy, he had the tendency to treat those with mixed blood as lower life forms. For a man like that, to see a half-elf such as Imina to be participating as an equal simply did not make him any happier.

It's because of this that rumours end up becoming so credible… But all people from the Theocracy should have a first and a last name, although there's also been rumours that he's forsaken his real names.

Hekkeran considered this deep in his heart and said out loud, just in case, "…Oi, oi, don't be so hostile to my comrade, okay?"

"Of course. We'll be comrades for the same work this time. I'll definitely be cooperative."

"I will take your word for it."

Perhaps the powerful wild child Eruya matured, but Hekkeran was still afraid that he would run amok. In short, he could feel the mental instability of Eruya. Hekkeran couldn't relax even after giving the warning, that's how unpleasant the man was.

"Ay, trust me. Anyway, returning to the previous topic, I don't mind letting someone else take leadership during this trip. As long as there are no special cases, I'll follow orders. If we battle, I don't mind taking the frontlines if the enemy is strong enough. I'll let you guys witness my blade skills."

"Yes, yes, understood."

"… Well then, I'll be returning to my team then. If there are any problems, just call me."

Eruya bowed and walked off.

Hekkeran's face slightly twitched after seeing a number of women following Eruya. But showing one's emotions here was simply unacceptable. It was not uncommon for situations to suddenly turn unfavorable after one's emotions were exposed. As the leader of a team, this kind of behavior would be even more counterproductive. So Hekkeran suppressed his emotions, and removed all facial expressions.

Looking away from what he considered as trash, he greeted the final person.

"Hello, elder. I see you're still healthy and well."

"Hoi, Hekkeran. You're also looking good."

The sounds produced from the words said were due to the loss of frontal teeth.

Parupatra 'Green Leaf' Ogrion.

Also known as the 'Origin', he wore armor that looked as if it were brimming with lights reflected from green leaves wet from the morning dew. The armor wasn't made from metal, but from the scales of a Green Dragon. Parupatra's team was able to successfully hunt a dragon. Of course, from the size of the scales one could tell it wasn't that powerful. However, even a dragon of that size was still an existence that posed a severe threat to adventurers and workers alike.

Furthermore, Parupatra was over eighty years old.

Typically, in this line of work, the majority of people would have retired by their early forties, sometimes even before forty. There were very few adventurers above the age of fifty. As harsh as it may seem, for a profession which is constantly surrounded by the risk of death, it would be hard to ignore the decline in one's physical abilities. In fact, even as a special case, when compared to his peak, the time when he was at Orichalcum rank, his skills had dropped considerably. Even so, Parupatra still hadn't left the front lines. Many people within the industry respected Parupatra for continuing to adventure despite his advanced age.

"Anyway, that guy seems a bit dangerous."

The wrinkled face of Parupatra became tense as he spoke in a hushed voice. Hekkeran agreed.

"That's right. It doesn't matter if he ends up killing himself, but it'll be bad if we end up getting dragged down with him."

"Indeed, it's true that guy is really strong, but his overconfidence could endanger the rest of us. He's a walking hazard."

Greenham also chipped in with a whispered "So troublesome to deal with". After seeing Eruya's attitude, almost none of the workers would think otherwise.

"Just how strong is he though? I haven't been to the arena recently."

"Does thee not know? I however, do… does elder also know?"

"I've only heard about it but never witnessed in person. I might be able to find out more if I ask my comrades. In the end, how do we define the threshold for strong? If we use Gazef Stronoff as the reference point, from what this old man currently know of… for example, ah that's right… where would we place the Four Knights of the Empire?"

"The knights titled 'Heavy Explosion', 'Unmovable', 'Lightning', and 'Violent Gale' huh… That's quite difficult to judge. Although it's true that when compared against that man, the Kingdom's Warrior Captain, the Four Knights are slightly weaker. However, the time of Gazef Stronoff being the strongest is already over. The passage of time has triggered the arrival of stronger beings, signaling the birth of a new era."

"Are you talking about Uzruth? Is he really that strong? Besides, I've never witnessed the actual strength of the Empire's Four Knights in person…"

"The strongest that I've seen so far would be the captain of the Mithril Imperial Guards under the direct command of the Emperor. He's also quite strong… maybe on the same level as the Four Knights?"

"From what this old man knows so far, the strongest amongst all would be the Dragon Lords from the Republic. Those aren't something that humans can ever go up against, be it in the past, the present or the future."

"I heard there were five or seven of them… well, let's first get back to putting a rough estimate on the strength of Uzruth. Let's limit it to just the swordsmen among humans for now."

"If we're doing it this way then we'll have to exclude the swordsmen from the Republic since they're mostly composed of demi-humans. It'll be the same for the Martial Lord of the arena. What's left would be that woman Paladin of the Holy Kingdom, but that means we'll only be comparing sword skills in the end."

For workers, gathering information on those who were strong could be extremely important for the completion of requests. Because if they ever ended up as opponents that were needed to face on a request, one could quickly decide how to proceed. Beyond this, it's natural for those who live by their swords to collect this kind of information.

That was what was happening right now. Originally, it was supposed to be a discussion on just how strong Uzruth really was, yet it was slowly turning into an information exchange of those who were strong. It was almost becoming like an argument between children where phrases like "that guy is so strong!" could be heard.

"While the overall skill level of those in the Slane Theocracy is quite high, I've yet to hear of any particularly prominent ones. Still, they're very secretive, so who knows. Anyways, even if there are, we wouldn't be including divine magic casters here, right?"

"Aye. But doesn't the Kingdom also have a female warrior that is of the highest adventuring rank? How good is she?''

"Ah, that 'Boob-less Big Chest'. She's quite strong indeed. However, I heard that she lost to the Warrior Captain during the tournament."

"…I seem to recall that she had almost beaten an adventurer to death for calling her that. Hya, hya, such a scary woman!"

"At the pace we're going, it's getting more and more difficult to name more. Let's see, the one referred to as Dark Knight of the City Alliance, the leader of the adamantite ranked adventuring team 'Crystal Tear' from the Draconic Kingdom. Also, hailing from the Kingdom… Brain Unglaus."

The conversation stopped for the first time.

"Brain Unglaus? Who the heck is that?" Parupatra inconceivability asked Greenham in a surprised manner.

"Does elder not know? He's a famous swordsman of the Kingdom… how about thee?"

"Hekkeran shook his head. It was a name that he did not know.

"I see, thou knew it not…"

Unable to hide his disappointment, Greenham used an unreliable tone as he tried to recall what he knew. "Although this was from before, back during the time when I entered the tournament held by the Kingdom, he was the opponent I faced during the quarter-finals. The me of that time couldn't even reach his ankles."

"Wasn't that the tournament where Gazef Stronoff also participated in?"

"That's right. The result was that Brain Unglaus lost to Gazef Stronoff. However, a match between the very strong can truly be described as spectacular. It was almost like a perfect textbook play for swordsmen, how they deflected and parried each slash, how they decided the angle of one's swing based on the given situation at hand… Those can only be described as eye openers, truly showing you the depth of swordplay."

For a man like Greenham to be saying this, it definitely showed just how skilled that Brain Unglaus must have been in order to be able to fight evenly against the strongest warrior in the Kingdom. His skills would definitely be first class.

Hekkeran sighed. It appeared that there were still plenty of strong guys out there that he didn't know of.

"Fumuu… Well then, between Unglaus and Uzruth, which one would be stronger? Tell us your thoughts."

"Uzruth…" Greenham answered "… If compared against the Unglaus of that time then the winner definitely would be this guy. It was only recently that I watched some of his battles in the arena, so I'm sure of it. Although Unglaus might have gotten stronger, he was very young back then."

"In other words, Uzruth would really able to match evenly against the Kingdom's Warrior Captain of back then? Is he really that strong!?"

Due to over excitement, Hekkeran accidently raised his voice and had to suppress himself.

"I see. Unglaus huh. Looks like I was able to gain a bit more information about the Kingdom… Oh that's right, have you guys heard? Doesn't the Re-Estize Kingdom now have its third adamantite ranked adventurer team?"

"Of course, I've already heard, elder."

"Ah, sorry, I haven't."

"Hekkeran… Thou ignorance could bring much harm to thy team."

"I already know that. But it's really difficult to gather information on those of the same profession as us within the Kingdom. It's also a waste of money."

"Hya hya hya. So courageous. This old man does not dislike that!"

"Elder, I wish to hear thy opinion on this. I heard lots of rumours about Thunder & Lightning, but some of them are just ridiculously outrageous. For example, being able to successfully subjugate a Giant Basilisk in two, plus maybe a mount which should be a strange beast, but without the support of any healers."

"Uwah, aren't those simply false rumors?"

Even for adamantite adventurers, to be able to defeat such a strong opponent like the Giant Basilisk with only two people was simply near impossible.

"Does thou also agree, Hekkeran? The more information I gather, the more dubious the whole thing seems. Even regarding the information on the event that happened within the Kingdom's capital, the rumors were that they defeated a demon with a difficulty rating of 200 or more. In my opinion, it seems more likely that the Kingdom's Adventurer Guild deliberately spread out wrong rumors out of personal interests, just to gain additional adamantite ranked adventurers."

"That's possible. The appearance of new high ranking adventurers is definitely an amazing thing. However, would the Guild really do something like this? They're very strict on certain things, that's why they're called a guild."

"In that regard, it's a bit different in each city depending on the Guildmaster who's in charge. Back when this old man was still an adventurer, the Guildmaster that was in charge of my city was the absolute worst. I ended up punching him straight in the face. Hya hya hya! I've been a worker ever since that incident."

Parupatra laughed happily. The story behind why Parupatra became a worker was extremely well known. It might be reasonable to say that there shouldn't be any workers within the Empire's capital that didn't knew it. This was something that was often brought up by Parupatra after he gets drunk.

"Having said this much, I don't think it's likely that the Guild would do this kind of stuff."

"In that case, you think it's true then?"

"It's hard to believe. I think it's your sources who exaggerated. Even when I try to think about it rationally, a difficulty rating of 200… it's already hard enough to imagine how terrifyingly strong that would be, to be able to defeat that kind of opponent in just one hit is simply impossible. Even if that was possible, the probability would have to be extremely low. Could it be that it happened more like this, a super high difficulty rating demon appeared, countless teams tried to kill it and the final blow was delivered by them?"

"If you say it like that, then it sounds a lot more believable."

"I think that's more likely. It wouldn't be that strange for someone to kill even the most powerful foe if it has been weakened by fighting countless other high-ranked adventurers or workers."

"So Hekkeran and I are of the same opinion, but elder thinks it really happened as told, is that right?"

"Hya hya hya. I do like to think of it that way."

"Seeing in person beats hearing a hundred tales. Now I want to meet them at least once… yet at the same time I don't."

Just as the two of them were about to agree to what Hekkeran had said, the sound of someone getting hit, followed by the cries of a woman, interrupted their conversation.

The workers that were present quickly focused their attention on the source of the disturbance. Some had already drawn their weapons and entered their battle state.

The source of the scream, which came from Eruya's direction, was one of his female companions laying on the ground. Considering the situation, it seemed that Eruya was the one who had sent her flying. His face was distorted with rage, while a fearful expression could be seen on the elf girl as she begged for his forgiveness.

While desperately trying to suppress the feelings that fluctuated within his chest, the first thought that flashed in Hekkeran's mind was Imina and he hurriedly cast a glance at her. After making up his his mind, Hekkeran eliminated the expressions on his face and remained where he was. But the pressure that still came from Hekkeran suggested that, if anything further happened, he would definitely be the first to strike out.

Hurriedly, Hekkeran signaled to Roberdyck and Arche, instructing them to stop Imina from taking any independent actions. Personally, Hekkeran felt the same way as Imina. However, right now he didn't have the right to meddle in others' affairs. Of course, if he wanted to, there was nothing that could stop him from taking action. It was just that he would be required to take responsibility. Due to similar reasons , the other teams also didn't show any signs of wanting to be involved and simply expressed their disgust. Also another eye saw that from afar and a wicked smile appeared soon after.

In the end, Imina was finally able to come to her senses and suppressed her emotions. She still made a rude gesture towards Eruya's back and spat on the ground.

"…It seems he can only match his swords skills with the Kingdom's Warrior Captain. It would be great if he could also match his personality, but that's just asking for too much. Well then, let's just end the useless chattering here."

"…I agree. Since Hekkeran has already arrived, it's time to decide on the most important thing."

"Since that guy has already backed out from this, it's just between the three of us, but who will take the overall command of this operation?"

Suddenly everything became quiet.

There were four worker teams here. The amount of combat potential from the combined four teams could already be considered as something remarkable but, if not properly commanded, much of it would be wasted. No matter how many arms one might possess, if one is unable to make use of them in harmony, it's no better off than having just a single arm.

Managing multiple teams with a diverse range of personalities was already a difficult enough task to accomplish, to do so without receiving any complaints was even harder. Mistakes that occurred when giving commands could directly result in failure. And if the leader prioritized his own team first, then he could even end up being the target of everyone's resentment. To make it clearer, it's a responsibility that requires ability, yet comes with more demerits than merits.

Knowing this, the leaders quietly waited while studying each other's expressions. After nearly one minute of silence, the annoyed Hekkeran made a suggestion.

"Honestly, I think it's better not to do it this way."

"This will only delay the problem. What if it gets messy once the battle starts?"

"…I propose we take turns. This way dissatisfaction can be kept to a minimum. We can discuss this further after we arrive at the ruins."

"Ah, sure."

"That's alright."

Thus Greenham's proposal was accepted by both Hekkeran and Parupatra.

"In that case, let's use the arrival order to determine the turns."

"What do we do with Uzruth?"

"It doesn't matter if we skip that guy's turn. He isn't capable of leading."

"I can only agree, elder. In that case, the first one to take leadership will be me, 'Heavy Masher', the one who proposed this system."

"We'll be in your care then, Greenham."

"I'll be relying on you, young one."

"Understood. However, the likelihood of us encountering dangerous monsters inside the Empire's territory is almost zero. It's only when we are in the Kingdom, near the Great Forest, that problems may occur."

"Ah, we should have reversed the order, then."

The two of them quietly laughed as Hekkeran face palmed himself when he stated that. However, they laughter quickly stopped when they noticed a man was walking towards them.

Light finally started to shine within the Earl's courtyard when his butler made his appearance. Walking with his back straight and tightened, the butler walked in a manner which reflected the standing of those who served the Earl.

Arriving in front of the workers, the butler stopped and bowed. Although nobody returned his bow, the butler didn't seem to mind and started speaking.

"Time is up. On behalf of the earl, I would like to express his gratitude to everyone here who accepted our House's request. There will be two representatives from our House who will be coming along for this trip. Including the adventurers hired for the security of the carriages and a few other things, all together there will be six additional people. The destination is the unexplored ruins located near the border of the Kingdom. From the structure it appears to be a tomb. The designated period for investigation is three days. Additional bonuses will be given out after the Master has confirmed the received goods discovered from the ruin. Are there any questions?"

The details that were given by the butler were almost the same as the initial request. The only new information was that adventurers would be guarding the carriages.

Many were interested in the details about the chosen travel route, but workers quickly learned to differentiate between which questions were allowed to be asked and which weren't. It was clear this was something the Earl did not plan to reveal, otherwise it would have already been said.

If it was a clean request, they would have hired adventurers instead. Since it was dirty work, the requestor obviously wouldn't reveal everything. Some things were simply safer not to know.

"…Well, then I will be leading everyone to the carriages we have prepared."

Without saying any words, the entire group followed the butler.

Hekkeran's 'Foresight' was at the very back of the group.

"That Eruya, he's much better off dead. How about it? Should we do it?" Unable to tolerate Eruya any further, Imina whispered this to Hekkeran.

"I've heard plenty of rumors before, but seeing it really shows just how despicable that man is."

"… Absolutely the worst."

The remaining two members also couldn't hide their disdain.

To 'Foresight', this opinion came naturally. Since they had made Imina a comrade, the things Eruya did were unforgivable. In Eruya's team, except for himself, every other member was female. They were also elves. If it was just that, then Imina and the others wouldn't be expressing as much contempt. However, they did have their reasons as to why they considered Eruya as the lowest of the lowest lowlife.

The female elf members only possessed the bare minimum of equipment, their clothes were made from the plainest fabrics available, without any defensive capabilities. Furthermore, their short-cut hair revealed the stumps which showed the remains of what had been the distinctive long ears that elves normally possessed.

The reason why they, Eruya's team members, were in this state, was because they were slaves bought from the Slane Theocracy. Slavery also existed within the Empire, but during the previous Emperor's rule, many things changed. Although they were still referred to as slaves, the meaning became completely different. However, nothing had changed for the demi-human slaves such as the ones fighting inside the arena.

The elf slaves that belonged to Eruya also fell under this category. In the Baharuth Empire, the Re-Estize Kingdom, the Holy Kingdom, the Draconic Kingdom and the Slane Theocracy, the citizens were all humans. Compared to most other countries in the rest of the continent, these displayed more disdain towards non-human races. Because of this, even those who were half human, like Imina, experienced difficulties.

The only exception, at least in the Empire, were dwarves. The Azerlisia mountains spanned the border between Baharuth and Re-Estize, and inside such mountains existed the ancient Dwarven Kingdom. As long as the Empire still maintained trade relations with the Dwarven Kingdom, the rights of Dwarves were protected.

"I do feel sorry for these elves, but right now isn't the time to save them.""

Imina sighed deeply. Deep inside she was aware of that, but her feelings simply couldn't disappear so easily.

"Let's go."

As Imina began to walk ahead, Hekkeran and others hastened their pace to catch up.

What they saw once they caught up to the main group made their eyes widen in surprise.

Two carriages had been prepared for the journey to the ruins. There was also a group of people surrounding the carriages. They must be the adventurers that had been mentioned before. The plates hanging from their necks were all brimming with a golden radiance. However, what had surprised them wasn't the carriages nor the adventurers, but rather the horses.

"Sleipnirs!"

The sound of shock could also be heard from amongst the other workers. With four pairs of legs, Sleipnirs were much larger than normal horses. Due to their superior muscle strength, endurance and mobility, Sleipnirs were regarded as the most versatile type of magical beast for travelling on land. Of course, the cost for one was also astronomical, enough to match the price for five or more battle horses. Even for aristocrats, it was uncommon for one to possess a single Sleipnir.

And each carriage was pulled by two Sleipnirs. When taking into account the possibility of losing these marvellous horses during the adventure, many of the people that were aware of their worth couldn't help but appreciate the generosity of the Earl. The others grinned, thinking he simply feared normal horses wouldn't have enough strength to pull all the treasures that would be found sleeping inside the ruins.

The voice of the butler broke the awed silence.

"Please make use of the carriages provided. Provisions have already been placed inside. For the safety of the carriages, as well as the security of the camp sites, we especially hired adventurers. Also, please be aware that they've signed an agreement stating that they will not enter the ruins no matter what."

Suddenly thinking ahead, Hekkeran left his comrades and headed towards Greenham.

"My bad, Greenham. There's something that I wish to discuss."

"What's wrong?"

"It's about the pairing for the carriages, can you help me not being in the same carriage as 'Tenmu'?"

"Eh? Ah, I see. Thou unease is understood. It's reasons to do with your companion right? In that case our team will pair with 'Tenmu' instead."

"Sorry about this, you've helped me a lot."

"Don't worry about it, we're all in this together. It'd be bad if something happens before we even start the investigation. If—"

Suddenly, a voice as loud and clear as a burning fireball could be heard by everyone, causing Hekkeran and Greenham to turn their focus elsewhere.

"—Is it really okay for us to be relying on these gold-ranked adventurers? What do we do if the campsite was overrun before we come back? Or if monsters manage to break through the security perimeter?!"

Eruya's words were directed towards the butler. However, he didn't bother concealing his voice from the adventurers he spoke of. It was as if time froze, the movements of the adventurers who were moving the luggage stopped on cue.

Naturally, for those who are aiming towards the top, it was obvious that the path became longer and steeper the further one travelled along it. Although it didn't matter how far one could reach at the end, the effort required to get to where they were now wasn't something that could be achieved easily. Their feelings after hearing what Eruya had said could only be described as unpleasant. The profession of an adventurer was highly competitive, to have one's ability doubted, especially by the commissioner, could heavily impact their future career. It would then be necessary to display their strength.

Regardless of whether he was an adventurer or a worker, to be able to fearlessly dish out these words, the speaker must at least be at a powerful enough position which allows them to get away with it. As such, Eruya did not seem to mind the current atmosphere at all and continued on.

"Well, I have to admit they're at least good enough to qualify as luggage lackeys, but if it comes to keeping everything safe, I'm not so sure."

Give me a break, please. It wouldn't be good at all if things turn ugly. Those guys are also restraining themselves due to already being hired… The workers currently present were all as strong as mithril ranked adventurers. In other words, stronger than those adventurers. However, there were still certain things one should definitely not say, based on the given circumstances. Can someone please give him a beating so he can shut up?

The atmosphere amongst the workers also started to tense up as the majority of them began to glare at Eruya in disapproval. Looking around, Hekkeran hurriedly rushed to the side of Imina. It wouldn't be good if blood started spewing. However, the person that made the next move wasn't a worker or an adventurer either.

"You must be Uzruth-sama. I do not believe there will be any problems," he said with absolute calmness.

"…Is that under the assumption that we will also help in securing the campsite? If it's like that then I can still accept your reply."

"That's not it. It's just that we requested the aid of someone stronger than those of you present." He turned to the carriages and called: "Thunder & Lightning!"

---

A warrior clad in full plate mail almost immediately stepped out from one of the carriages. Due to the helmet he was wearing, his face could not be seen. By his side appeared two swordsmen with dyed hair and tough looks.

"Please allow me to introduce everyone. Reaching the rank of adamantite with the power of only two people, the adventurers from the team 'Thunder & Lightning': the leader Momon, his usual companion Oshiku and their most recent associate, Brain Unglaus. With these three to protect the campsite, I hope everyone is now satisfied."

The atmosphere suddenly became completely different. To adventurers and workers, the ones standing in front of them had reached the peak of their profession. Under the presence of the strongest, everyone with common sense, regardless of who it was, kept quiet.

Seeing how all workers, including that insufferable Eruya, reacted to the appearance of adventurers of the highest rank, the mood of the other adventurers improved. An affectionate smile emerged on the face of the leader of the adventurer team as he conversed with the warrior in black.

"Please let us handle the rest. In the meanwhile, could Momon-san continue the exchanges with the workers? Also, please take over the role of leadership and advise us on the security plans for the rest of the trip."

"Understood, but I am lacking in safety measures, especially in the Empire's territory. If your team has no problems with it, I will accept leadership, but I will still be relying on you guys as the main security force. Your team contains more people and is more expert with the terrain. It will be more convenient for us to assist instead."

"What are you talking about!? You're not lacking at all! Doing it that way will drag Momon-san's—"

"—No, don't worry about it. Do make use of us. Now then, you guys, let's go." Brain and Oshiku nodded and followed after him.

As the three adamantite-ranked adventurers approached the groups of workers, many whispered about them.

"Hekkeran. These people…"

"Aye, Rob. I was thinking the same thing. We saw them at the North Market. Momon, Oshiku and Brain Unglaus. I don't know when did the latter join, but from the looks of things, it seems like the rumor of defeating a Giant Basilisk wasn't as big of an exaggeration as I had initially thought."

"A Giant—!, is-is that true?"

"Seems like it. There's also a rumor that they defeated a demon with a difficulty rating of over 200. I heard this from Greenham."

"… That can't be real, right? A difficulty of over 200 is beyond the limit of human capabilities. That isn't a territory humans could ever reach… Could it be that you misheard 100 as 200?"

"Even if it's like that, it would still be amazing. Yet somehow I'm getting the feeling that it really did happen like it was said in the rumours."

Even though it was only a brief moment of conversation with that gold ranked adventurer, the personality of Momon seemed to have been made clear. It was consistent with what people expected of a leader and of an adamantite-ranked adventurer. The impression given off was that of a likeable man.

"Before we begin the exchange… there's something I wish to hear from you guys." Momon's words weren't particularly loud, but the impression that one received when hearing the sound of his voice was that of majestic grandeur.

"Why have you decided to go to the ruins? Because you've accepted the request? However, different to how the Guild can sometimes force adventurers to take a request, there's nothing preventing you from rejecting. What is your reason for deciding to go?"

The workers exchanged glances at each other, hesitating on who should respond. In the end, the first to speak up was someone from Parupatra's Team.

"That's obviously because of money."

The perfect answer. There was no other reason. The reason why the workers hesitated to answer wasn't because the question was hard, but rather they were trying to determine Momon's purpose of asking such an obvious question.

After confirming that every worker agreed with the given answer, Momon continued to ask. "So, in other words, the reward offered from this request is enough for you guys to risk your life?"

"That's right. The amount offered was enough to entice all of us. Also, bonuses will also be given if we discover additional treasures from the ruins. Isn't that enough for us to bet our lives on?" The one who responded was Greenham.

"…I see. So this was the final decision y'all made. Looks like I've asked a pointless question. Please forgive me."

"What you asked wasn't particularly offensive… Please don't mind."

Then Parupatra's voice thundered. "Hya hya hya. Looks like you are done with the questions. In that case, could this old man also ask something?"

"Please go ahead, senior."

"I've heard many rumors about you. Whether they're true or not, this old man wishes to find out for himself."

"… Seeing something in person beats hearing a hundred tales huh? Alright. I'm fine with it. Then allow me, as a security guard, to demonstrate my worth. In what manner would you wish to do this?"

"About that, obviously it's to have you face off against an opponent right?"

Everyone present suddenly focused their attention towards Eruya, but…

"… Of course, it'll have to be the one who proposed it. This old man himself."

"What? So senior wishes to choose himself? … I apologise, but I'm not a man who is used to holding back when fighting. Although I may not have the intention of wanting to cause injuries, I do not have enough confidence that I can control my strength properly. Are you still fine with this?"

"Hya hya hya hya! As expected of the adamantite rank! This old man has already decided on taking the risk. I won't blame you for anything that happens."

A faint laughter could be heard from underneath Momon's helmet. "That's expected, senior. This is the difference in in battle strength. I'm strong. Stronger than all of you. That's why I'm adamantite ranked."

Overwhelming conceit, and an attitude as if looking down from above. However, not a single bit of unpleasantness was felt by the workers present. This was due to the impressive pressure emitted from the man called Momon. His words were accompanied by an overwhelming aura which gave the impression of staring at death itself, thus the words felt as if they contained the power of persuasion.

"… How amazing."

"… Aye, really incredible."

Most of the people in the audience couldn't help but let out their voice due to all the pressure exuding from Momon. There were many women that fell for strong, powerful men. In terms of respect and admiration, many men were also fascinated by the strength of the strong. Like moths attracted to flames, people living in this world of blood and steel couldn't help being mesmerised by that irresistible charm, even though they were aware that they would get burned if they got too close.

"Hya hya hya! Looks like there won't be anyone here objecting to you being adamantite ranked! Although I've said it this way, since it's a rare opportunity, I will still carry on despite knowing that I will lose. The carriages over here are in the way. Can we use the empty area over there instead, butler?"

Having received the permission from the butler, Parupatra took the lead and went over to the empty courtyard. All of the workers followed. The adventurers and the butler also came.

"Judging from what Elder himself said, it seems like we won't be able to witness much."

"That man seems strong."

"Uun, not just strong, more like outrageously strong. It feels as if he's way stronger than any of the other adamantite-ranked adventurer teams in the Empire."

"Seems like it. The only reason the adventurer team 'Silver Canary' has the adamantite rank is because all of their members are people with rare professions. Although they possess strange abilities, their actual strength isn't quite up there yet. 'Eight Ripples' made it to where they are mainly due to relying on their numbers and spectacular teamwork."

'Silver Canary' was a team lead by a Bard who had reached the hero tier, while its members had many strange professions. 'Eight Ripples' had been founded by nine members, but due to their numbers, they were often regarded as a team whose individual members were not at adamantite level yet. However, if it was about teamwork, they were known to excel beyond everything other adamantite-ranked teams could achieve. Nevertheless, all of them were considered as having achieved the impossible feat of ascending into the realm of adamantite-bearers.

Whispers of such discussions could be heard from all workers. The content wasn't limited to the previous remarks. The most discussed topic was how long Parupatra could last, some even placed bets. There wasn't a single person who believed he could defeat Momon. The primary reason was that Momon had emitted an amount of pressure only those of the adamantite rank would be able to create, even if it had been only for a brief moment.

While Hekkeran was deep in thought, someone walked up to his side. Considering the metallic sounds that were produced, it was obvious who it was.

"What does Greenham think about the upcoming fight between the two?"

"Although I feel bad to say this, I just can't see how Elder can win. At this point, all what's left is simply to see to what extent Elder can take it to, that's all. Does thee plan on going next after Elder?"

"No way, please give me a break. What about you?… Or do you want a rematch against that Brain Unglaus?"

"No, thanks. He must have grown stronger, I don't want to be used to mop the floor even more than last time. So, I'll be satisfied with just witnessing the strength of a superior warrior. However, I hope he and Eruya duel, I think that'll be a far more interesting match. And this way we'll be able to receive some guidance on swordsmanship during this trip."

"I also think that… about Oshiku, instead— Oh!"

Arriving at the courtyard, Momon and Parupatra immediately began to back away from each other as they started readying their stance.

Parupatra's gaze was not something an ordinary old man would be capable of making, they were definitely the eyes of a warrior who was used to combat. The atmosphere gradually changed to one filled with killing intent, the peacefulness in the courtyard no longer existed.

As the audience was watching, the tension created a feeling of anxiety and some of them even started to sweat.

"…Oh my, not good. Elder seems to be completely serious. Is he trying to get himself killed?"

Greenham, who was standing by Hekkeran's side, unconsciously exposed his true self.

"Against an opponent of the adamantite rank, it's understandable for him to go at it as if his life is on the line…"

While replying, Hekkeran shifted his line of sight towards the warrior in black, trying to put himself into the elder's position and gasped. He couldn't feel a single thing from Momon. Both of his hands were lowered by his sides without showing any signs of taking any defensive actions, meeting the bloodlust head on as if it was nothing. It was completely as if he was facing against a harmless child holding a sword, that kind of feeling.

"Ahhh! Amazing! Confronted with that kind of killing intent and not showing any signs of reaction. It's impossible for him to not notice this amount of bloodthirst being emitted, could it be that he's reached the very peak of the warrior, the ultimate mental state of nothingness!?"

"Swordless Heart? Or has his mental state reached the Realm of Cloud and Water? To be able to stand so fearless like that when there's that much of a difference between the weapons of the two, he must really be confident of his skills… really, how terrifying."

The spear in Parupatra's hands was a magic item made from the fang of a dragon, whereas the weapon that Momon was holding… it was a wooden staff borrowed from one of the adventurers. No matter how one looked at it, it was definitely not imbued with any kind of magic. Weapons with magic imbued in them could increase the sharpness, boost the user's abilities and provide various additional effects. Looking at nothing but weapons, Parupatra had an overwhelming advantage.

"Although it's true that there's a strong difference in terms of weapons, Momon's armor should be well above Elder's in terms of magical properties. Also, the additional equipment should be better as well. Overall difference isn't that large now, but Momon-san should still hold the advantage."

"Don't you think it's a bit too early to come to a conclusion? I've heard the number of magic items in Elder's possession is far greater than what most adventurers could possibly have… Elder has been adventuring for a long period of time and completed countless requests. If we consider just the amount of payment he's received, nobody in the Empire has more than him!"

"No, no, wait …"

"You're the one that should be waiting!"

While the two of them were still arguing, the tension within the courtyard had reached its climax and the first sparks of battle finally started to appear.

"Well then, let's go!" Declared 'Green Leaf'.

"There are still important things that needs to be done after this. Please don't make it too hard for yourself and come at me, senior—"

Without even letting him finishing the sentence, Parupatra charged towards Momon with a speed that most people would never imagine an eighty-year old to be capable of. Smooth and with considerable strength, he completed the action with such fluidity his opponent still hadn't raised the staff in his hands.

"[Dragon Fang Thrust]!"

Hekkeran's eyes widened in surprise at Parupatra's sudden use of a powerful martial art at the very start of the fight. A consecutive two-hit piercing attack with that powerful spear-like weapon. On top of dealing extra additional damage based on the attributes imbued by user, this martial art technique also included a homing effect which increased the chance of critical damage. Using the [Piercing Strike] as the base, this technique was something Parupatra had created forty years ago. A well-balanced technique known by many and even now a lot of people were still studying it.

In addition to the [Dragon Fang Thrust, Parupatra layered an additional [Blue Dragon Fang Thrust] on top, which caused extra lightning damage. Just what is that old man thinking! Even though we have healing magic at hand here, who really goes all out like that?

The effect of the second martial art was that even a minor scratch would cause a considerable amount of lightning damage. It was most suited when fighting against opponents wearing metallic armor. His decision showed Parupatra's seriousness.

However, for an attack that was known to be troublesome to deal with for those wearing metal armor, Momon easily avoided it like it was nothing. His actions made it seem as if he was wearing an armor as light as feather. The sluggish movements that should have been caused by wearing full body armor did not show at all. What made it even more surprising was that instead of making an excessive movement, like leaping backwards, Momon was able to evade the incoming attack with minimum effort while standing still.

"Impossible! Just how good are his kinetic vision and physical capabilities?!"

Parupatra responded immediately with another martial art. "[Gale Acceleration]!" It would boost his speed by a lot.

"[Dragon Fang Thrust]!" Using the same technique as before, Parupatra struck once more at Momon. The blade of his spear was brimming with a white layer which came from the [White Dragon Fang Thrust] he used this time. A four hit consecutive attack that didn't give the opponent any breathing room. Yet…

A commotion could be heard from amongst the audience watching. Even an attack like that wasn't able to land a single hit or scratch on Momon's armor. Parupatra then quickly leaped away to create some distance from Momon. Sweat started to build up on his forehead, both from exhausting his stamina and from the sheer amount of mental pressure he received during the face off against such an incredible opponent.

"Amazing!"

"Stronger than Hekkeran."

"Obviously, Rob. Don't use me as a comparison. What you're seeing there is the highest of the adventurers. The absolute peak. The power of the adamantite rank."

"Well then, looks like it's my turn to attack." Momon slowly raised his staff, entering a stance.

In contrast, Parupatra rested his spear on his shoulder, relaxing his posture. He was giving up, having completely lost any will to fight. "Magnificent. I give up, I resign. Forget about winning, this old man can't even put a scratch on your armor."

"… Is that so."

Towards Parupatra who announced his loss, the majority of the audience gave off a "uooh" sound as they sighed. It was, without a doubt, an overwhelming victory by Momon, as if he was an adult who played around with a child.

Discussions such as to which school did the footwork technique used by Momon belonged to started to appear as the overly excited audience began to share their thoughts with each other. Not caring about these things, Hekkeran and Greenham walked towards Parupatra who was busy wiping away his sweat while conversing with Momon.

"Already done, senior?…" It felt as if the atmosphere and speaking tone suddenly changed. "… I thought you wanted to display your real ability."

"…Hya, hya, hya. That would be too much hfor an old man like me. What I've shown is already my best, Momon-dono."

"Ah, my apologies for being disrespectful."

"No need to apologize, but to be honest I am quite sad about it. Also, you don't need to be so modest. What we old timers respect is strength, not who has lived longer. To be treated with so much respect by someone as overwhelmingly strong as you doesn't make me feel good."

"…I see. So be it then. However, to just end it here like this, without letting me even take a swing, leaves a bad aftertaste for me. If there's going to be a next time, I'll be the one to start. Well then, I will have to get back to moving the luggage."

"There are other people already working on it. You shouldn't need to be doing that, right?"

"I do not think so. No matter what kind of status I have, when a task is assigned to me, I must still finish it—"

"—You overzealous workaholic. Go do my part too, then." And a chuckle followed.

Just who the hell dares talking like that to him, thought the workers while turning to the audacious speaker.

"I want to show off too!" Added the green-haired companion of Momon who grumbled something unintelligible.

However, after seeing Momon's capabilities, nobody was willing to duel against someone who was supposedly at his level.

"No volunteers? That's too bad. Then come here, Brain-san. Let's show this shy guys a bit of swordsmanship."

At that, everyone gathered around again to witness the new duel, this time between adamantite-ranked adventurers. The only one who seemed uninterested was Momon who turned around and headed back towards the carriages. I've seen plenty of those two training together, or rather Oshiku-san training Brain. It always ends the same way.

The two men went to take their positions while Hekkeran was still entranced by the silhouette of Momon's aura, larger than life.

"Hya hya, you're making the face of a man wanting to ask questions."

"—Elder, what do you think of him?"

Parupatra's wrinkled face started to distort, as if wanting to smile bitterly.

"Momon is very strong. Well, that should be as expected due to being adamantite ranked. But, I never imagined to what extent that was. The moment we clashed, I got the feeling that no matter how I attacked, I would never be able to hit him."

Hekkeran had the exact same feeling. Every single attack of his would probably be evaded and then the counterattack would come. Even if he was able to land a hit after using the best tricks he could think of, the image of his attack being repelled by that armor still appeared in Hekkeran's mind. Parupatra, who experienced it firsthand, must have received an even stronger impression.

"So, that's the adamantite rank, huh?"

"That's right. A realm where only few can ever reach. Aahh, truly magnificent. A height that I cannot reach and touch. And now, a clash between two on the same level."

"Yes, I'm very curious… But about your fight, thanks to being an observer, I was able to see the whole thing in detail. If I had been the one fighting, I would have never been able to do it. Though I have to apologize for saying this to Elder, but personally, I did really want to see Momon-dono's counterattack. These two should exchange some heavy blows..."

"That wouldn't have been possible for me. Momon-dono never had the intention to attack in the first place. He didn't even show any fighting spirit. Most likely, it was just as he had said, that he isn't used to holding back. If he had really attacked, I would have most likely lost my life. That said, I also want to see how this fight goes."

And it was starting. Oshiku unsheathed one of his three swords. Most observers recognised it to be a katana, while the weapon brandished by Brain was an odachi only a few knew of. But, from the way both blades sparkled, they looked like legendary equipment. Those are one-of-a-kind magic items, I'm sure of it. What wouldn't I do to get my hands on such weapons! Thought most bystanders.

Though his face displayed a calm expression, Brain was nervous. I mustn't make a fool of myself, we can't let people know there's a mountain between two team members. Well, my Lord and I have been practicing such things, so hopefully it'll all go smoothly.

"You ready, Brain-san? Let's start with this…" and he unleashed a wave of killing intent that washed upon the onlookers, making them all tremble like scared little children.

S-so t-this is the killing intent of an adamantite-ranked adventurer… truly amazing! thought the awed Hekkeran.

And like everyone else, he was shocked when his rival simply laughed it off. "This thing no longer works on me, Oshiku-sensei. You're gonna have to get serious. Here I come!"

The blue-haired man leaped at the green haired rival with great speed and enthusiasm, attacking him with several widely known martial arts, but unleashing them in a quantity that would make most warriors run out of stamina in a matter of seconds.

The onlookers were even more bewildered by the fact that Oshiku defended without jumping away or using even a single martial art, be it the common [Fortress] or better ones that only the best, most experienced warriors managed to achieve.

Brain kept trying to break his adversary's defence, but the smiling Oshiku managed to parry all the incoming blows and after a couple minutes of relentless attack, Unglaus jumped back to catch his breath.

"Hmm, do you really think I'll let you rest easy after that? Take this! One sword style: Cutting Wind!"

Holding his sword horizontally above the shoulder of his sword arm, he performed a circular swing that seemed to launch the air compressed projectile spiralling towards the target. Oshiku's katana made a sound that reminded that of hundreds bows releasing arrows and the flying blow seemed to travel towards Brain's head, so fast it looked like the man had no chance to dodge.

He quickly raised his odachi in front of himself and to the most attentive eyes it was clear that the incoming blow was cut into two parts which disappeared up into the air with gusts of wind strong enough to blow away a nearby cloud.

What the hell was that? I've never heard of such martial art! Asked themselves all spectators who had no idea that was nothing but Oshiku merely using a bit of his strength.

"Hehe, seems like I'm really going to have to step up my game…" declared Oshiku who continued with "… One-sword-style: Hungry Ogre!" and he attacked again, this time charging forward at a ridiculous speed.

The heavy blow was barely anticipated by Brain who yelled: "[Immovable Fortress]!" and parried Oshiku's sword with his own.

To the most experienced warriors who were watching, that didn't make any sense. "[Immovable Fortress] was considered to be the best defensive martial art, but like most of such moves it did not have to target one's own weapon, besides if it broke… well, he would be completely fucked. So it made more sense to target one's own body, or at least the most exposed part. Also because then you had the chance to counterattack while the adversary was still in range.

However, what happened next proved Brain's choice to be the most correct as the blue-haired man, no matter having just used one of the most powerful defensive moves (said to be able to repel a dragon's claws) was sent many meters back, struggling not to fall on the ground. He did pant, but managed to keep his balance while Oshiku's eyes sparkled like his white teeth.

"Will you look at that… still standing, my good friend. I knew it was a good idea to recruit such a strong man in our team. To this day, you and Momon are the only ones who can withstand this blow… besides that accursed Jaldabaoth and his maid demons, sadly."

Had he not used an undoubtedly powerful magical sword to parry, together with using [Immovable Fortress], he wouldn't have been blown away… he would have certainly been destroyed! Oshiku is crazy strong! Was the common thought, now correct.

"You honour me, Oshiku-san. But now it's my turn!"

Slowly exhaling, he lowered his hips and put the odachi back in its sheath.

After a few long and shallow breaths he reached extreme focus, with his entire consciousness zeroed in on a single point, then it counterintuitively expanded. The area's sounds, the air, smells, he had reached an awareness of a part of the world in which he could perceive everything. The three-meter radius it covered was not so large, but he was aware of all the things that would happen within it. This was Domain, his first original martial art. Then, he focused even more and expanded it. That was Greater Domain, the martial art he'd only recently developed thanks to the hard training with Oshikuru and other great teachers in Nazarick. Its area of effect was no less than a five-meter radius.

Put simply, that martial art raised his attack accuracy and evasion ability to the limit. Add to that Brain's trained body, boosted by the special food he now regularly received in Nazarick, and the power he gained from this art was beyond compare.

Even if two thousand arrows were to rain down on him, he was pretty confident he could pick out only theose that would hit him and cut them down to emerge unscathed. Not only that, but he had become able to move precisely enough to slice a teff grain, and only that one, at a distance. That was part of his daily training.

And then, chopping a vital point with one's blade would kill a living thing, so pursuing that was all that mattered. Rather than being a jack-of-all-trades like his wise master, Brain was an extreme specialist. He aimed to deliver a fatal blow even just one second faster than his opponent. Even if he was not going to try and injure his Lord, it was from this intention that his second original martial art was born: Instant Strike, later on improved into his Divine Strike. However, after Brain had met godlike beings, he had to rename it Greater Strike because he felt ashamed to compare himself to people like his master.

His new sword's stats made easy for it to reach a speed that made it nearly impossible to dodge, but his training didn't stop there. His discipline from the moment he'd received Infinity Edge was extraordinary. He performed Greater Strike thousands of times, to the point where his calluses and hand warped again, this time around the hilt of the odachi.

By pursuing that to the extreme, another martial art was born. His speed was such that he still had difficulties controlling it. He felt he had reached a new level, but still far from the Supreme Beings. So he called it Mirage Strike. While Brain knew the Floor Guardians would easily dodge or block that, he was sure that for human opponents it would be impossible to even perceive him unleash it.

By using those two arts, his guaranteed hit and godly speed combined made a resulting blow that was both impossible to dodge and a one-hit kill. At least for all those below the level of Nazarick's Floor Guardians. And that was his current ultimate technique, Greater Whistling Wind. To make sure this one would be perfect, he also used an [Ability Boost] and a [Greater Ability Boost].

Then, he waited for his rival to get into range.

Oshiku smiled wide. Here we go again… but he's getting better and better with it, I have to admit. To either dodge or parry, I have to use almost all of my natural speed. But strength-wise, you've still got a long way to go, Brain-san… Well, let's do this.

He declared: "This will be our last exchange of blows. Let's see who comes out on top. Oraaaah!" And he leaped forth while shouting: "Death from above!", preparing an overhead strike.

The green-haired man entered the blue-haired man's range and the two attacks were unleashed so quickly that their arms and swords became invisible for a moment. Then the swords clashed. The air was filled with heat, a booming sound and sparks, as if a volcano had erupted. Something was sent flying up high above their heads and when it came back down Oshiku catched it with his free hand, while Brain's were empty and in a little pain.

"You win, sensei." As usual. Well, it's not like he could allow me to win. He's already letting people think Momon's better than him.

"Aye. But you're getting better and better. Right now I'm already sure no human warrior but Momon and I can defeat you, my friend."

Then Oshiku gave him back the odachi while the audience applauded the incredible show of skill and strength. The green-haired man grinned and turned to a person in the crowd.

"Well, that's enough fighting for today. Matter of fact, before we leave, could we please have what was promised by the Earl, Mr. Butler?"

"Of course, at once." He snapped his fingers and two servants in the distance approached him while carrying a heavy-looking barrel. "A cask of Golden Liquid, just for you, Sir Oshiku."

The man burst out laughing. "Just for me? You got it wrong, my friend…" He continued. "Everyone, come here. We are going on a dangerous adventure and we might not come back alive… but let's toast to treasure and success!" He said with a wide smile behind which it seemed like nothing but enthusiasm could be hiding.

The previous atmosphere of awe was shattered by excitement and gratitude for a chance to drink together with adamantite-ranked adventurers. And to taste nothing less than the best beer of the Baharuth Empire for free. So, all workers hastened to reach Oshiku who had started to seemingly produce mugs out of thin air.

As also Parupatra's figure gradually got further and further away, Hekkeran heard him utter the following words. "Even during my prime I was unable to reach that level… too distant to ever reach for me… well, I'll drink to that!"