C406, 407, 408
Chapter 406: Dilemma (3)
The lottery ended, and those who had drawn lots with circles gathered together. They quickly performed the 'Bonding' spell and then headed towards the giant stele at the center of the chasm.
Whooosh!
As I placed my hand on the stele, a portal opened, accompanied by a dazzling five-colored light.
"Hmm, this is fascinating. I can clearly feel the flow of mana, but the way it unfolds is clearly different from typical space-time magic."
"Is this your first time witnessing a portal opening?"
"Yes. Mages don't usually obsess over achievements."
The team members exchanged words as they watched the portal open, and the swirling light soon took a distinct shape.
「First to open the portal. EXP +2」
I always feel a bit cheated when opening an 8th-floor portal gives the same experience points as a 1st-floor one.
Whooosh!
The five-colored light swirled into a sphere, and I turned around. Everyone was staring at me expectantly.
Right, I'm the one who opens it, and I'm the one who enters first.
"Formation!"
We formed our ranks, anticipating potential enemies on the other side, and I stepped into the portal.
Flash!
The world was engulfed in a white light.
My vision blurred for a moment, and then...
「Entered the 8th-floor Dawn Land.」
Dawn Land.
The 8th floor of the labyrinth, also known as Down Land in the game.
「Achievement Unlocked」
Condition: Reached 8th Floor.
Reward: Soul Power permanently increased by +50.
I felt a surge of Soul Power as the achievement unlocked, similar to when I first entered the 5th-floor Great Magical Forest.
Right, they called it 'Baptism' here.
A blessing bestowed upon explorers by the Tower when they achieved a significant feat.
Whooosh!
I scanned the area, and the other team members soon followed.
"No enemies."
"That's a relief. I was worried they might be waiting for us, like in the 'Goblin Forest Battle'."
"I finally made it to the 8th floor."
"This alone makes the expedition worth it."
About half of the members had received the Baptism. Well, excluding the mages and priests, it was actually more than half.
They had reached the 'Deep Levels', after all.
"This is a strange place..."
Erwen seemed to be experiencing the 8th floor for the first time.
Amelia and Raviyen were probably the only ones with prior experience.
"Enemies or the 8th floor, I don't care! Let's eat!"
"Woohoo!"
"I need healing first! Please heal me! My fingertip has gone numb!"
I gave the order to rest before a riot broke out.
The sleds were empty, but our subspace pockets were full.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
Munch, munch, munch.
As soon as the order was given, the team members pulled out their food and devoured it.
The explorer with a minor injury, who hadn't received healing yet, stuffed his mouth with jerky and looked for a paladin.
"Mister, let's eat."
"Alright."
I joined my teammates, and we enjoyed a feast.
"I've heard about it, but I never imagined it would be this peaceful."
"You're talking about the Dawn Land?"
"Yes. It's called the Deep Levels, so I thought it would be much more dangerous..."
It wasn't a wrong assessment.
A lush green hill stood tall before us.
Beyond the hill, a vast plain stretched out, and a warm breeze carried a pleasant scent.
The change was even more drastic after shivering in thick fur coats just a few hours ago.
"You guys rest here. I'll go scout the area."
I finished my meal and left my teammates.
A leader has his duties.
And I could eat while walking.
Crunch, crunch.
I stuffed my mouth with five pieces of jerky and started exploring.
It was a luxury I couldn't even dream of a few hours ago.
But my heart was heavy.
That's why I couldn't relax and enjoy the break.
'I can't find the rift...'
The 8th-floor Dawn Land was a very small area.
It was probably the smallest field in the entire labyrinth.
And there were no monsters here.
At least not until you entered the rift.
'Someone must have cleared it already...'
There was always one rift open on the 8th floor.
The type was random, and after clearing it, two portals would open, giving you a choice.
To continue to the 9th floor.
Or to return to the 8th floor.
Either way, once the rift was cleared, a new one would spawn, and the cycle would continue.
And the problem was...
'The ones who entered the rift are probably from Noark...'
Would they continue to the 9th floor?
Or would they return to the 8th floor and farm a different rift?
If it was the latter, our current situation was quite dangerous.
They would be a large expedition force, strong enough to rival us.
'Now I understand why the royal family is so desperate...'
Being on the 8th floor myself, I could finally grasp the severity of the situation.
The royal family had lost many high-level explorers in the war two years ago.
They had recovered some of their strength through various policies, support, and the return of retired explorers...
'But the gap will only widen.'
Noark had a cheat code.
They could start on the 7th floor from day one.
They could immediately access the 8th floor and farm high-grade essences.
The difference in strength between the top explorers would become exponential in a few years.
'...But they can't remove essences, so even if their essence grades are high, their combinations must be subpar, right?'
Well, that was probably true for most of them.
After all, I had never seen anyone optimize their essence combinations as meticulously as I did.
90% of them would have haphazard builds.
But there would always be exceptions.
'...Well, that's not something I need to worry about now.'
I shook off my worries about the distant future.
I wasn't a royal loyalist who would sacrifice my life for the King.
When you're in the labyrinth, you focus on the present.
So...
"We're departing in five minutes! Get ready!"
It was time to end the precious break.
We couldn't afford to relax for too long.
"Finally saying goodbye to those damn sleds!"
I stored the sleds and supply boxes in my subspace pocket and then distributed potions, scrolls, and other combat consumables to each team.
With that, we were ready to resume our journey.
Click, click.
Everyone was in formation by the time it was time to leave.
They were starting to look like an elite force.
"Let's go!"
We marched towards the portal, maintaining our formation.
The journey to the Dark Continent was uneventful.
There were no monsters on the 8th floor, except for those in the rift. And the portal was close enough to see from the hill.
Thud, thud.
We reached the portal after about 30 minutes.
"This is the gateway to the Dark Continent, right?"
Even up close, the portal looked normal.
It was a relief.
If Noark had decided not to open the 8th-floor portal, we would have been stuck here.
'...Well, even if they hadn't opened it, someone would have eventually, because of the experience points.'
I led the way, maintaining our formation, and the other members followed, their expressions tense.
They were about to enter Noark's territory.
"Schuitz."
Kaislan called out to me just as I was about to enter the portal.
"Shouldn't you say something before we depart? Your words will boost morale."
Hmm, I don't really want to.
It feels like a waste of time.
I showed my disinterest, and Kaislan quickly added,
"Think about it! This is a historic moment! If this expedition succeeds, and if you play a crucial role in the victory... Your words will be recorded and remembered for generations to come!"
Hmm, I don't know if this is a historic moment or not.
But judging by the way he's suppressing his burning ambition, he's clearly envious of me.
'If I don't say something, he'll keep whining about it...'
Alright, let's just get it over with.
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat, and Kaislan stood at attention, like a loyal guard.
"Listen up! We stand at a crossroads! Victory or defeat! Gain or loss! Doubt and fear may linger!"
"..."
"But!"
"..."
"I, Melend Kaislan, have no doubt that we will be recorded in history as victors!"
"Oooooh!"
Kaislan's team members cheered enthusiastically, while the other members looked indifferent.
'Who is he to be giving a speech?'
That's what their expressions seemed to say.
Did he sense the mood?
"And that's why!"
"...?"
"Listen well! Before we embark on this great mission bestowed upon us by the King, Schuitz will address us!"
He passed the baton to me.
What the hell, he gave a speech himself and then shoved the mic in my face?
'...Is he that desperate to be recorded in history?'
I couldn't understand his motives, but everyone has their own values.
I turned to face the team members, standing with my back to the portal.
Unlike when Kaislan was speaking, they were all looking at me with anticipation.
This is why American CEOs stir up controversy on social media.
People pay attention, even if it's out of worry or disgust.
Anyway, that wasn't important.
"Ahem..."
I cleared my throat and looked around.
The faces of my teammates, familiar after weeks of hardship and shared meals.
And then I knew what to say.
"I won't make a long speech!"
Right, I already said that back then.
About killing a lot and earning a lot.
"Let's all come back alive!"
That's enough for today.
_________________________
「Entered the 7th-floor Dark Continent.」
_________________________
The latter half of the Dark Continent, known as the Dragon's Lair.
Giant vertebrae were scattered around like ruins, and the ground was covered in skulls and bone fragments.
Clatter, clatter.
We marched forward, our footsteps muffled by the bones.
"..."
There were no conversations.
Clatter.
And no light to guide our way.
But we could still see.
We had magic.
「Liard Ashid has cast the 5th-grade support spell [Insight].」
It was a 5th-grade support spell.
Maintaining it constantly would drain a mage's mana quickly, but it was necessary.
We were deep in enemy territory.
We had to be cautious.
Clatter.
Amelia, who had been leading the way, suddenly stopped.
And...
Whoosh, whoosh.
She signaled with her hands.
Enemies nearby.
The team leaders gathered at the front, and we activated the voice control magic, also known as team voice chat.
"How many?"
"Fifteen."
Hmm, that's a small clan.
They would need at least that many to explore this area.
"What's the plan? Fight?"
"Of course! They're the enemy!"
"I agree with Sir Kaislan. We should eliminate them. It's safer to reduce their numbers as we move."
The team leaders quickly reached a consensus.
Ambush and eliminate.
I agreed.
But...
"Alright, let's attack."
"Wait. If we're going to ambush them, we need to prepare. The mages and ability users need time to charge their attacks."
"Oh, you're right! We'll lead the charge."
What are they talking about?
"Do you guys not know what an ambush is?"
"...?"
I threw a bucket of cold water on their enthusiasm, and they looked at me, confused.
They've killed plenty of people, but...
Have they never ambushed anyone before?
"Just wait."
"Wait? What for?"
I explained the basics.
"We wait for them to engage with monsters, and then we attack from behind."
That's how you PK.
----------------------------------------------
Chapter 407: Dilemma (4)
Before I started playing [Dungeon and Stone], the online game I enjoyed the most was a PvP-focused one.
When you created a character, you had to choose one of two factions. You would then grow your character on a different continent and fight for dominance.
The best part of the game was leading an expedition into the enemy faction's territory and stealing their field bosses.
The thrill of PK.
The satisfaction of landing the final blow on the boss.
And the sweet, sweet praise from the enemy players.
'It was a fun game.'
If it weren't for [Dungeon and Stone], I might still be playing that game.
It was that good.
'...But if I had kept playing, I wouldn't have ended up here, would I?'
That thought crossed my mind, but it was too late for regrets.
The reason that almost-forgotten game suddenly came to mind was simple.
The current situation was similar.
The Dark Continent was currently occupied by Noark.
Our expedition force had infiltrated their territory.
And most importantly...
'The same tactics work here.'
I could feel the same thrill as I did back then.
"...A-ambush!"
"How did they get here?!"
"Deal with the monsters first!"
"Aaaaargh!"
The panicked reactions of the enemy explorers.
"Y-you cowards...!"
"To think they would ambush us at a time like this!"
"I'll take you all with me!"
The sweet, sweet praise.
「Bon Dragonian defeated. EXP +7」
And the 3rd-grade monster kill, like a cherry on top.
But the best part was yet to come.
"Essence! Essence!"
Wow, did I get a reward for being a good Samaritan?
Not only had we successfully ambushed the enemy without any casualties, but the monster we killed even dropped an essence.
It was the second 3rd-grade essence we had obtained on this expedition.
"Ashid, go secure the essence."
"Yes, sir."
While the mage secured the essence, I quickly finished cleaning up the battlefield.
After all, the essence wasn't the only loot.
"Ugh, ugh... S-spare me..."
"You know I can't do that."
What the hell, is he talking to a corpse?
"Move aside."
I drew my hammer and ended their suffering.
Crack, crack, crack!
Their bodies went limp.
I confirmed their deaths and then ordered the team members to strip them of their equipment. We stored everything in our shared subspace pocket.
"Whew, with the equipment in their subspace pockets, this is a huge haul."
"We'll all be rich when we get back."
The team members were excited, even just from the visible loot.
It was understandable.
Even a 3rd-grade essence couldn't compare to the equipment of fifteen 7th-floor explorers.
And we hadn't even broken a sweat.
"Loot secured."
"Any casualties?"
"None, sir."
"Good."
I couldn't hide my satisfaction.
A clean victory in under five minutes, without a single casualty.
"...Do you plan to fight like this every time?"
"Is there a problem with that?"
"No, but..."
Akuraba trailed off.
She knew.
This was the most efficient way to ambush unsuspecting enemies.
Well, there was one drawback.
'Thirty minutes...'
The battle itself was over in five minutes, but waiting for them to encounter a monster took a long time.
But it was a minor inconvenience compared to the benefits.
It would be a much bigger loss if someone was injured or killed.
'But still...'
Kaislan cautiously approached me.
"Schuitz, it was a bit hasty to kill them all. We should have captured one and interrogated him."
Ah, he's right.
"I'll keep that in mind for the next ambush."
Kaislan's expression brightened as I acknowledged his advice.
"Mages, incinerate the bodies and erase all traces!"
We cleaned up the battlefield and then hid ourselves in the darkness.
And we continued our journey.
The silence was broken by a conversation between two team members.
"Did you see their equipment?"
"If we can pull this off ten more times... We'll be rich beyond our wildest dreams."
Well, they'll find out soon enough.
_______________________
Our routine in the Dark Continent was simple.
Thud, thud.
We moved through the darkness, concealed by shadows.
"Enemies."
When we encountered an enemy group, we waited for them to engage with monsters.
And then...
"Now!"
We ambushed them while they were distracted.
Kaboom!
Whiiiiiish!
Thud!
We focused our ranged attacks on their backline, eliminating them before they could react.
"Let's go!"
"Wipe them out!"
The melee attackers then charged in, overwhelming the remaining enemies, who were pinned down by the monsters.
Another easy victory.
'That's ten.'
We repeated this tactic throughout the Dragon's Lair, and by the time we reached the exit, we had ambushed ten enemy groups.
"Mages! Set up a sound barrier!"
"Hey! Be careful when you're looting! You're ripping off their flesh!"
The team members efficiently collected the loot and erased all traces of the battles.
A team member dragged a survivor before me.
"Leader! Here's the one you asked for!"
"Good work."
"You're welcome, sir."
We had been capturing one survivor from each battle since the second ambush.
We interrogated them for information.
It's always better to be prepared.
The labyrinth is a place where anything can happen.
And besides, I wasn't the one doing the interrogating.
"Jun."
"Leave it to me."
I just had to hand the survivor over to Jun, our official information extractor. He would take care of the rest.
For example, that the explorers we had encountered on the 8th floor were Noark's elite.
And that their base was practically empty.
We had obtained a lot of useful information through these interrogations.
The only problem was that we hadn't encountered anyone with new information lately.
"Schuitz, come here for a moment. It's urgent."
Jun called me during an interrogation.
It was unusual.
I rushed over to his tent.
The survivor was still alive.
It meant he had obtained valuable information.
"Tell me. What did you find out?"
"It's a bit ambiguous."
"Ambiguous...?"
Jun pointed at a glowing stone on the ground.
"It's a message stone."
"A message stone?"
It was a familiar item.
"He had it in his possession."
"So...?"
"Someone contacted him. What are your orders?"
As Jun asked, the message stone vibrated again.
Buzz.
How many more times would it buzz?
I didn't know.
I had to make a decision quickly.
Swoosh.
I raised my hand, signaling for time to think.
'Is it a local contact, or from further away?'
The range of a message stone was limited, depending on its quality.
But this was Noark's territory.
The contact could be from a distant location.
That was why the royal family had sent us here.
The mana wave emitter.
A device similar to a modern-day cell tower.
Noark had brought this massive device, which couldn't be stored in a subspace pocket, into the labyrinth.
It allowed them to communicate freely with their troops scattered throughout the continent and coordinate their attacks against the royal forces.
Buzz.
The stone buzzed again.
I had to make a decision.
"You, do you think this message is from someone trying to trick us?"
"...I-it's probably a routine check-in. They're just confirming our status!"
His overly enthusiastic response and stuttering made me suspicious.
"Jun, what's the probability of him trying to deceive us?"
"Very low."
It meant he was confident, even though he couldn't guarantee it.
"...I-I can do it! I'll do whatever you ask! J-just please... kill me...!"
The survivor's desperate plea helped me make my decision.
Alright, he seems trustworthy enough.
"Answer the call. If they ask if anything is wrong, tell them everything is fine."
I placed the buzzing stone in front of his face.
And...
Click.
He pressed the button.
A man's voice came from the stone.
[Finally, we've reached you.]
A deep, resonant voice that sent chills down my spine.
I recognized it instantly.
"R-Regal Vagos... sir... is that you?"
Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
Crack.
So you're here too.
_______________________
I had encountered many enemies in this world.
I had crushed most of their skulls, but some were too strong for me to handle.
The Lord of Chaos, Riakis.
The Corpse Collector, Abet Necrapheto.
The Ruin Scholar, Belvev Ruinjenes.
I had a long list of enemies, but the one I hated the most was...
Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
I felt my blood boil as I heard his voice.
But...
Clench.
I had to calm down.
Now wasn't the time for revenge.
I focused on the conversation.
[Meiras, where are you?]
"I-I'm in the Dragon's Lair, hunting with my teammates!"
[...Really? Then do you know anything?]
"Know anything, sir...?"
[None of the teams I sent to the Dragon's Lair are responding.]
"I-is that so? I, I don't know anything about that. We're... we're doing fine here. Really!"
His excessive explanation and stuttering made me suspicious.
Swoosh.
Jun silently picked up an awl.
The survivor immediately corrected his tone and posture.
"That's strange. I wonder what happened to them. Perhaps they were attacked by monsters?"
He spoke calmly, without a hint of stuttering.
[Even those fools wouldn't be wiped out completely.]
"...Right, sir. Is everything alright on your end?"
He even dared to ask for information.
[For now.]
"..."
[Don't do anything stupid and wait there. I'm sending reinforcements. Join them and follow their orders.]
"Yes, sir."
[Tsk, useless fools.]
He ended the call, clicking his tongue.
"It's a shame we couldn't find out how many reinforcements he's sending."
"I agree..."
"...Are you alright? You look pale."
"It's nothing. Don't worry."
I was just trying to control my anger.
His voice had triggered a flashback...
"Oh, no."
I heard a gasp behind me.
Whoosh.
I turned around, and Erwen was standing there.
Thud.
She was holding something in her hands, but it had slipped from her grasp and fallen to the ground.
Normally, she would have picked it up... but she just stared at me.
"Erwen? What's wrong?"
I approached her, and then I noticed it.
"Wait, you're trembling..."
"T-that v-voice..."
"Calm down. What's wrong?"
"That was... t-that was him, wasn't it...?"
For some reason...
"D-dragonslayer, R-regal Vagos..."
Erwen was terrified.
----------------------------------------
Chapter 408: Dilemma (5)
Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
Only a few people knew about my history with him.
My former teammates, a few high-ranking officials from the Leathlas Church, and the leaders of the Dragonkin tribe.
Erwen didn't know anything about it.
She only knew that a mage named Dwarkey had died in the labyrinth.
'Could there be some connection between them?'
Hmm, that seems unlikely.
She didn't react this way when the Marquis told me about the hidden mission to kill the Dragonslayer.
'...But she did look upset back then.'
No, she definitely looked upset.
Her lips were tightly pressed, and Amelia even asked if she was feeling unwell.
She quickly left, saying it was nothing.
'I should have investigated further.'
I can't just ignore my companion's mental breakdown.
I excused myself from Jun and calmed Erwen down.
Then I asked her what had happened.
"I-I'm s-sorry... I-I suddenly..."
"It's okay. I'm not mad. I'm just worried. What happened between you and the Dragonslayer?"
"It's... it's a long story."
Erwen hesitated for a long time before speaking.
"It happened when I was ten."
"Ten years old..."
Thirteen years ago.
A year after the war between the barbarians and the fairies ended.
That triggered a memory.
"Could it be... related to the Bloodbath?"
The terrorist attack on the fairy sanctuary.
The culprit was Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
Over a thousand fairies had died that day.
And if my guess was correct...
"...Yes. My parents died that day. Protecting us... my sister, my brother, and me..."
"...I see."
Erwen had lost her parents.
Her uncle had adopted all three siblings and raised them with love, but the void remained.
Still, Erwen endured.
Her older sister, Daria, had tried to fill their parents' shoes.
But...
[That young lady is fated to follow in your footsteps.]
Fate had taken Daria as well.
The culprit wasn't the Dragonslayer, but another member of Orculus, the Ruin Scholar.
"Damn it."
"I-I'm sorry... I-I was scared when I heard his voice. He's the enemy... but I have to fight him if I don't want to lose anything else... I-I'm afraid they'll take everything from me again..."
It was understandable.
Trauma was like that.
Fear overwhelmed reason, and memories of the past resurfaced.
"I-I'm pathetic, aren't I...? I-I'm stronger now... I vowed to get my revenge... but I'm still so scared..."
"Pathetic? You're not. I'm the pathetic one."
"W-what? P-pathetic? You're not! You're amazing!"
Well, everyone has their own standards.
I had spent a lot of time with Erwen, but I didn't know anything about this.
Or rather, I hadn't tried to find out.
[...I know I have a problem.]
When I first noticed her anxiety.
If I hadn't dismissed it as a stat issue...
[I understand how you feel. Losing someone you care about.]
When we returned to the city after Dwarkey's death.
If I had thought more deeply about her words...
I might have realized the true problem sooner.
But...
"Mister..."
I couldn't dwell on the past.
It was time to solve the problem.
"Erwen."
She looked up at me with teary eyes and grabbed my hand.
She was waiting for me to say something.
I knew what she wanted to hear.
"Don't worry. The Ruin Scholar, the Corpse Collector, that damn lizard... I'll kill them all."
"...?"
I vowed, my voice firm and resolute.
"...Huh?"
That wasn't the reaction I expected.
"What? You don't believe me?"
I glared at her, and she flinched.
"N-no! I-I believe you! I do!"
Her voice lacked conviction, but I didn't press her further.
"..."
"..."
Her eyes, filled with anxiety, had calmed down.
At least for now.
_______________________
I returned Erwen to her position and took a moment to think.
'...This is strange.'
Four members of our team had a grudge against the Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
Raviyen, myself, and now Erwen.
And...
'Amelia was in a similar situation.'
Well, Amelia's case was a bit different.
She was the victim, not the aggressor.
The Dragonslayer had a grudge against her for robbing him and erasing his memories.
[If he remembers, he'll be furious.]
I was surprised when I heard about the timing of the incident.
It happened right after the first thread was severed.
'So Amelia was helping me from the beginning?'
It was a strange coincidence.
I chuckled and headed towards Jun's tent.
"Aaaaaargh!"
I heard a scream as I entered.
"K-kill me! Y-you promised! Aaaaaargh!"
"I believed you when you said you had confessed all your sins and found your true self. Or rather... I was deceived."
"I-I didn't lie!"
"Then why didn't you mention the Dragonslayer? He's waiting at the base, isn't he?"
"Th-that's...!"
"You're still filled with malice—"
"I-I didn't know! I swear! They didn't tell me anything! Aaaaaargh! Kill me! Just kill me!"
The survivor, who had been screaming and thrashing, suddenly went silent.
Jun approached him and forcefully opened his mouth.
Blood was pouring out.
He had bitten off his own tongue.
"...It seems he lacks the virtue to find enlightenment."
Jun sighed and then healed the wound with divine power.
"...N-no! Please...!"
"Don't worry. I'll help you find your true self and guide you to enlightenment."
"...Demon! You're a demon! A demon!"
"...My, my."
Jun's smile didn't waver as he picked up an awl.
And...
"Ah! You're here."
He saw me and quickly gagged the survivor.
"Mmm, mmm!"
"...Did you find anything?"
"Not much. Just that there are more troops waiting at the base than we expected."
"...More troops? How many?"
"Based on his testimony, it seems like twice our number."
"What? Twice?"
This is bad.
"Why didn't we hear about this from the others? Did they deceive us?"
"No, they wouldn't lie to us. They're loyal to the cause. They probably just... didn't know."
"...I see."
That made sense.
"But if that's the case, couldn't he be mistaken?"
"Yes, it's possible. But... he said he overheard it during a communication. Routine check-ins are usually handled by the base. If the Dragonslayer is there, his team would be there as well."
"..."
"What are your orders? We'll continue the interrogation, but if the enemy has twice our number, the mission will likely fail."
"Even if we succeed, the casualties will be significant."
"...Yes."
What should I do?
Should we push forward with the original plan, regardless of the casualties?
I contemplated for a moment and made my decision.
"Jun, stop the interrogation and call the team leaders."
"You want to hold a meeting?"
"Yes."
Two heads are better than one.
Maybe they'll have some good ideas.
_______________________
Another leadership meeting during the expedition.
I shared the information from the interrogation, and the team leaders started discussing the situation.
"Twice our number? That seems unlikely. The Dragonslayer's team is just a small clan."
"Even if it's just twenty more explorers, we can't underestimate them. We're not that large of a force either."
"Yes. They're not like the weaklings we encountered earlier. They're all elite."
"So you're saying we should abandon the mission?"
"No one said that. We're just brainstorming for alternatives. That's why Schuitz called us all here."
"..."
Kaislan calmed down when I was mentioned.
Authority backed by strength demands respect.
"Anyway, if we continue with the original plan, the casualties will be significant, even if we succeed. Any ideas?"
I asked directly, and the suggestions came pouring in.
"How about we ambush them near the base and whittle down their numbers?"
"That won't work. We'll miss the rendezvous time with the main force."
"And they'll figure out what's going on. We'll lose the element of surprise. They'll be prepared."
"Kala, do you have any better ideas?"
"...What about infiltration? We could use the survivor to gain access to their base. It might work."
"But if it fails, we'll all be captured. The mission will be a failure. It's too risky. We might as well—"
Ambush, infiltration, luring them out, assassination...
We discussed various strategies, but couldn't agree on a perfect solution.
But collective intelligence is a powerful force.
"Luring them out and dividing their forces seems like the best option."
"We can use their message stones."
We finally reached a consensus.
Well, it was split into two options.
"We should lure out the Dragonslayer and eliminate him first. We can deal with the base later."
Eliminate the Dragonslayer first.
"No, we should lure them out and attack the base. That's our mission."
Or prioritize the mission.
Both options had their pros and cons.
The former would allow us to achieve two goals at once.
But...
"Akuraba, this isn't the time to be greedy for achievements. Do you think they'll fall for it so easily? They'll alert their allies before they die."
"And there's no guarantee that the ambush will succeed. If they react calmly, our casualties will be significant."
"That's what I was going to say! Even if we win, we'll be exhausted. How can we attack the base in that state?"
If it failed, the mission would be a failure.
The latter option, on the other hand, guaranteed the success of the mission.
"Everyone, calm down. It's Schuitz's decision."
Jun intervened, and all eyes turned to me.
'This is a tough one.'
It was the first time in a while that I couldn't make a decision easily.
I knew what the rational choice was.
To prioritize the mission.
But...
"We focus on the mission."
I couldn't ignore the Dragonslayer.
"Good thinking! We'll be rewarded handsomely if we succeed!"
"Reward..."
I chuckled.
Akuraba sensed something in my laughter and cautiously asked,
"Schuitz, can you tell us why? I thought you would be more ambitious."
She was right.
If I had been alone, I would have chosen the former option.
But...
"Because your lives are on the line."
"..."
"The less we fight, the more of us will return alive."
That's why I gave up on my greed.
That was the only reason.
"So, does that answer your question?"
"...Yes, it does."
Akuraba nodded, her eyes filled with understanding.
I let go of my last shred of regret.
'Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.'
It doesn't have to be today.
I'll get my revenge someday.
[We'll meet again, Dragonkin.]
That vow will be fulfilled.