◆ Metal Tower, Floor 40, Technical Development Room 13, Area 20 ◆
“What we can conclude from our research data is this: if an ordinary human were to fight to reach your level, it would take at least a hundred years. The average level of a person who begins fighting in childhood and approaches middle age is around 31.5. Of course, this doesn’t apply if one has dedicated their life solely to combat. Considering this, those who surpass level 20 at a young age can be called prodigies, if not geniuses.”
Genia’s usual smile now felt infuriating. Was that why I was told I wasn’t human? Was that why my ten years of effort were being dismissed?
“I won’t go into detail here, but there are certainly individual differences in the speed of leveling up. Your growth rate is somewhat closer to that of a monster.”
“What do you mean by monster?! You’ve been saying terrible things since earlier!”
“That’s right! Genia, enough already!”
“For example, take the Poison Salamander. That monster learns to hunt just twenty seconds after being born. Even at that stage, its combat ability is enough to easily devour an adult human. Within days, it becomes uncontrollable even for a group of several people, and in just one month, it grows larger than a house. This is evidence that their innate instincts and physical abilities far surpass those of humans. If we assume the level of a moderately experienced B-Rank Adventurer is 1, then the level of a fully grown Poison Salamander would be around 18. If we consider a human with no combat experience as 1, then that makes it 180. It wouldn’t be surprising if such a creature were called S-Rank.”
The Poison Salamander was that long-necked lizard-like monster I defeated, wasn’t it? Even A-Rank Gantetsu and B-Rank Etram struggled against it. I could admit that, but to be compared to a monster like that…
“Furthermore…”
“Genia, that’s too much. Lua is upset. I’m sorry, Lua.”
Platiu gently enveloped my trembling hands with her own. The warmth of her soft hands felt out of place in this cold, iron-clad Kingdom of Metallica. Was she apologizing for joining Genia in calling me inhuman? She looked up at me with glistening eyes. Usually quiet and unsociable, she might actually be a kind person. She could apologize when she felt bad, and she seemed more mature than me, who would get worked up over trivial matters.
“…I apologize. I regret my rudeness.”
As if coming back to her senses, Genia’s smile faltered. When her narrow eyes widened, she looked like a lifeless statue. Her expression was as cold as a demon from a picture book, her mouth not twitching even slightly. I found Genia’s pale, meticulously arranged face utterly unpleasant. If I wasn’t human, then neither was Genia. I wanted to say that, but I couldn’t find the words as Genia instantly returned to her cheerful demeanor.
“This is merely a discussion based on data. We lacked sufficient material to determine whether you are biologically human or not. Please forgive my harsh words.”
Genia bowed her head to me, her earlier fervor seeming like a lie. I didn’t want to forgive her, but at this point, I had no choice. Besides, if I got into a fight with Genia here, I wouldn’t be able to achieve my original goal. I couldn’t afford to be seen negatively by the Kingdom of Metallica.
“I believe Lua-chan is human.”
“Thank you, Roel…”
Even Roel didn’t seem to treat me like a human, but I wanted to accept her comfort sincerely.
“Lua, can I examine you?”
“W-What do you mean?”
“Your body.”
“N-No way, you mean naked…?”
Platiu pulled my hand insistently, leading me toward the door of the room where that person had fought. On the other side of the transparent barrier, the battle had already ended, and a sweaty person emerged through the automatically opening door.
“Haah…”
“Thank you for your hard work. Thanks to you, we gathered some excellent data. Here is your reward.”
“Wow, can I really take this much? Call me again if there’s another opportunity!”
“The shower room is fully equipped over there, so please make use of it.”
The adventurer, looking like a typical adventurer, received the money from Genia and headed toward the shower room with a light step. Genia turned back to us, a satisfied expression on her face. Surely, she didn’t intend for me to do the same thing as that person.
“Level 21… Strength is 103, rounded down. Defense is 70, rounded down. Agility is 50, rounded down. Hmmm, it seems the relationship between level and each stat varies. There are differences based on class and individual traits…”
“Agility of 50 is too much. It should be around 30.”
“Looking at the history, it seems you’ve taken too much damage compared to your defense. The damage to your body is also quite significant.”
Even if they were in their own world, I couldn’t help but feel troubled. We were peeking in from behind, but of course, we had no idea what was going on. The screen displaying a series of unfamiliar characters made my eyes and head ache. Even Roel seemed unable to comprehend it, tilting her head slightly.
“Oh, I apologize for that. Lua-san, I feel embarrassed to ask this after saying such things, but could you please cooperate with us?”
“You want me to go into that room and fight the iron doll?”
“Exactly. Here, we break down strength, defense, and agility into these values. Strength literally measures how much damage you can inflict on an opponent. Defense measures how much damage you can mitigate. In layman’s terms, it’s your resilience. Agility, likewise, measures your nimbleness. If we can clearly quantify these, it would greatly benefit the Adventurer’s Guild. Moreover, if we can deduce the levels and stats of monsters, we believe it will make subjugation much more efficient.”
“I see. So, it would reduce the chances of misjudging our combat power against strong monsters. Even the same type of monster can vary in strength.”
“That’s right. As expected of you, Roel-san, you’re quite clever. Oh, of course, Lua-san, you’re clever too.”
If she was going to say that as an afterthought, I wished she’d kept quiet. I really couldn’t stand Genia. Or rather, I might just be uncomfortable around people who seem so intelligent. Compared to me, who could only fight, their wealth of knowledge was astounding. I had never imagined there could be such a reason behind it. I could only feel grateful that people like them were helping us in our lives.
“The combined result of strength, defense, and agility is referred to as HP (Hit Points). In other words, it indicates how much damage you can withstand from an opponent’s attack. While levels can vary from person to person, this provides a clearer and more understandable metric.”
“But it’s still just a hypothesis.”
Hit Points, huh? I understood my level, but I wondered what my Hit Points were. Listening to their conversation made me eager to measure it right away.
“Well then, Lua-san, shall we measure it right away?”
“Yeah. I just need to go in there like that person, right?”
“Yes. However, please refrain from attacking for the first five minutes. After five minutes, we will announce when you can start attacking.”
◆ Area 20, Battle Test Room ◆
Following Genia’s instructions, I entered without any weapons. Although it was a prototype, it was said to possess considerable lethality, so only someone with decent combat skills could serve as a tester. The person from earlier was a Gunner class, but it seemed they were experienced enough to fight even unarmed. This test would purely assess physical abilities without the influence of weapons or armor.
“Are you ready?”
“I’m ready whenever.”
“Understood. Activating Land Combat Prototype Legion.”
【The Legion prototype has appeared! HP 335/335】
A silver humanoid with a single eye on its head. It was currently in a light, almost naked form, but they mentioned that they would add weaponry based on the results of the tests.
【Legion’s attack!】
【Lua dodged nimbly!】
Genia’s words rang true; even a C-Rank Adventurer could be killed by this prototype. Perhaps because it was a robot, its accuracy was astonishing. It aimed precisely for my vital points, and its speed was considerable. For now, it could only perform simple punches and kicks, but with improvements, it could become a significant combat asset.
【Legion’s attack!】
【Lua dodged nimbly!】
Five minutes felt surprisingly long. I thought about how it had already been around four minutes, but when I checked the clock on the wall, only one minute had passed. The thought of having to dodge this monotonous attack for another four minutes made me feel bored already.
“Genia, Lua-chan is getting bored.”
“Indeed. However, we need to gather accurate data…”
“Ah, ah—look. I got hit because it became too bothersome to dodge anymore.”
【Legion’s Attack!】
【Cannot inflict damage on Lua!】
The silver fist was a surprisingly light blow. Instead of recklessly aiming for the head, it was smarter to target the easier-to-hit stomach, and I had to admit that executing that strategy was impressive. It seemed that both humans and monsters instinctively wanted to protect their heads, making it surprisingly easy to fail when aiming for that target, as they would often defend or dodge.
I recalled my first battle against a humanoid monster, where I had always aimed for the head and ended up failing every time. It was impressive that this one understood that. It was clearly a creation of Genia.
But with this, there was no need to dodge. I could just keep taking hits for another four minutes.
“Um, Lua-san? I would appreciate it if you could take this a bit more seriously…”
“Do I have to dodge?”
“While the strength of the body is an important piece of data, I would like to gather more accurate information…”
“Fine, fine. I guess I have no choice.”
As I casually dodged a thrust, this time it unleashed a roundhouse kick that I hadn’t seen before. Following that, it connected with another thrust, chaining the attacks together with a good rhythm. It felt like its movements had improved compared to earlier.
“The Legion learns the movements of its opponents and incorporates them as new data, from which it calculates strategies. Even if it’s not human, it’s a combat machine that grows… If this becomes practical, it could save many more people… Hehe.”
Genia’s grin, stretching wide enough to split her face, felt somewhat eerie. Was she pleased that it was reading my movements, or was there something else behind that smile? But if she truly wished to save many people, then she couldn’t be a bad person. Though, she was a bit unsettling.
“Five minutes have passed. Please commence your attack.”
【Lua’s Attack! Dealt 4327 damage to the Legion!
Defeated the Legion! HP 0/335】
I struck the Legion’s torso with my fist, as if to say, “I’ve been waiting for this!” I nearly obliterated it completely, not just penetrating but separating it into pieces without a trace left behind. Still, wielding a sword would have definitely yielded more power. With this robot, I could have taken it down without leaving a single part intact.
“Ugh, that was more tiring than just fighting normally…”
“Ah, thank you for your hard work. I’m currently compiling the data, so please wait a moment. Oh, you can come out now. I’ll bring you a cold drink. …I wonder how much the repair costs will be.”
Genia’s lonely murmur struck a chord. Did she not expect it to be so badly damaged? But if someone asked me to attack, anyone would normally do so without hesitation. The person before me seemed unable to defeat the Legion in one blow, but surely anyone could break such a robot. I thought that, but since I felt sorry for Genia, I decided not to pry too deeply.
◆ Metal Tower, 40th Floor, Technical Development Room, Area 20 ◆
The cold drink handed to me by Platiu had an indescribably strange taste. It was a mix of salty and sweet, neither one nor the other. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. Even if it were on the menu at Avangarde Castle Town’s Aluchu or Queemil’s Zenbei, I probably wouldn’t order it. That’s how mediocre it was.
“Is the sweat good?”
“Sweat? Oh, is that what it’s called?”
“This is an adult’s taste. Kids won’t find it tasty.”
“It’s good! Really good!”
Platiu could tell that I didn’t think much of this sweat. The proof was in the slight smirk of superiority on her face. She kept asking, “Is it good?” while peering into my face with a persistence that felt a bit mean-spirited.
“When the data comes out, we’ll move on to the next.”
“Eh, is there still more?”
“Platiu’s request, Lua hasn’t heard yet.”
“Eh? I thought that was it.”
Thinking about it, the last part was more led by Genia. Platiu had mentioned wanting to investigate me, so I wondered what she had in store this time.
“Lua, is being an Adventurer fun?”
“Yeah? It’s fun. But Platiu, you’re an Adventurer too, right?”
“I’m S-rank, but I’ve never gone on an adventure.”
“Why not? I thought being S-rank meant you’d done something amazing.”
“S-rank is recognized by the Adventurer’s Guild, but I’m a nationally certified Adventurer. I get money, food, and a place to live. I’m an Adventurer, but not really an Adventurer.”
“Oh… so, is Tiferia-san like that too?”
“There are S-rank Adventurers who have gone on adventures, and then there are those like Platiu. It varies.”
I almost said that didn’t sound like an Adventurer at all, but I held back. Looking at Platiu, it seemed she didn’t quite like her current position. The sudden question made me wonder if perhaps Platiu was…
“Lua and Roel, um…”
“What?”
“Platiu and, um, a pair.”
“The data is out!”
From behind the fidgeting Platiu, Genia appeared holding a long strip of paper. She placed a hand on Platiu’s shoulder and seemed to gently but firmly push her small body aside. I hoped it was just my imagination.
“Let’s see…”
Lua
Lv 2231
HP 41360
Strength: Measurement Impossible
Defense: 9999
Agility: 9999
“Lua-chan, it says measurement impossible…”
“Eh? What does that mean? I worked so hard!”
“…It’s only natural that the measurement results wouldn’t come out after being destroyed to that extent.”
“Then maybe I should have held back.”
“I didn’t anticipate a living human being capable of destroying the Legion with bare hands… It was our oversight. I apologize.”
Her sharp words pierced me again.
“We have another Legion. Would you like to try, Roel?”
“Eh, is that okay?”
“Yes, I believe there’s nothing to worry about with you, Roel.”
What was there to worry about? I wanted to retort. Roel eagerly went to a different room and underwent the same five-minute measurement. At first, she seemed flustered and ran around, but once the Legion’s fist lightly struck her stomach, she appeared to gain confidence. By the end, she remained silent even as she was continuously attacked, as if waiting for the five minutes to end.
【Defeated the Legion! HP 0/335】
“Um, I’m sorry…”
“…No, it’s fine.”
Roel’s punch aimed at the head was accompanied by an adorable shout, but contrary to that, the Legion’s head caved in significantly and ultimately separated from its body. The headless Legion ceased functioning, and from where its head had been attached, a flickering light like lightning erupted. Then, with a small explosion, smoke began to billow out. Even I, who wasn’t knowledgeable about robots, could tell this was a dire situation.
“No, no, I’d like to express my gratitude for discovering that there’s room for improvement in durability. Yes.”
Genia’s usual smile seemed to be strained, but I wanted to convince myself it was just my imagination.
“Now then, as much as I’d like to continue… it seems the night is getting late, so let’s call it a day. Oh, are you two in a hurry?”
“Not really, but we can’t linger too long.”
“Why are Lua and Roel adventuring? What for?”
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she eagerly listened to our conversation, reminding me of a normal child. Given the unpredictable threat of the Garden of Beasts, we really couldn’t afford to take our time, but I decided to rest for today. After sharing about the One-Winged Demon and Roel’s memory, Platiu seemed to have an epiphany as she tugged at Genia’s lab coat sleeve. She beckoned Genia closer and whispered in her ear, as if she were sharing everything.
“Is that so… The One-Winged Demon… and Roel-san has amnesia? Understood. However, regarding that demon, even our country’s information agency, ALEX, hasn’t picked up any information on it. Even if it’s a small village, there’s no way we wouldn’t have detected such a calamity…”
“Um, Genia-san. We actually have a request…”
We needed the Kingdom of Metallica’s cooperation in preparation for the invasion of the Garden of Beasts. It was our original goal, but I realized that I should probably discuss this with the King of this country.
“Yes, yes, I see, I see. I’ll fully cooperate. We’ve been wanting to take action against the threat of the Garden of Beasts as well. And about Roel-san’s memory…”
“Is there a machine that can restore memories?!”
“Roel, I doubt that’s possible…”
“To conclude, we cannot restore Roel-san’s memories. The human brain is incredibly complex, and even in our country, research in that field is still quite limited. However, while we can’t restore them, we can assist you.”
More than the fact that they readily agreed to cooperate, or that there seemed to be a possibility regarding Roel’s memory, I was simply impressed that Roel had become accustomed enough to this country to even think of a memory restoration machine.
◆ Kingdom of Metallica, West Coast, Watchtower ◆
“Did we let it escape? What was that just now…?”
“It seemed like a monster, but it also resembled a human. When I was a child, I read a picture book that featured a creature called a fairy, and it looked just like that.”
“Well, that’s fine. Even if it’s a flying bird, I won’t allow it to enter our territorial waters. Prepare to intercept it next time.”
“Yes, sir!”
◆ Shin Report ◆
Huff, huff, huff…
This is beyond anything, beyond anything!
This isn’t just a Shin Report; it’s a disaster!
My backside got a little singed…
If I had been just a bit off, I would have been dead.
To think that even this Shin can’t infiltrate—what a disgrace!
This truly is a damnable country.
With the Demon Lord’s superior tactics, to suffer such humiliation…
I should crush them with all my might, but this time, I’ll let it slide.
After all, the world will soon be engulfed in the Demon Lord’s darkness.
They should savor this fleeting peace while they can.
Heh heh heh…
Ah, my backside stings…
Monsters? Bestiary Entry:
Legion
HP: 335
A humanoid melee combat weapon from the Kingdom of Metallica.
Roughly the size of an adult human, capable of movements impossible for the human body.
Currently in the prototype stage, so it lacks any real weaponry, but even in this state, it possesses a certain degree of lethality.