Chapter 351: The Incompetent Soldier
Stepping out of the tent, I headed straight for the First District, crossing over the second outer wall. A few monsters were appearing here and there, and I could see a small group of adventurers dealing with them, but I ignored them all.
As I entered the shallow waters of the Forest, I maintained my speed, expanding my Presence Detection ahead.
“Oh, there it is!”
The area was relatively dense with Bird TYPE monsters, making them easy to spot. I quickly located the long, large presence. After advancing a bit deeper into the Forest, I switched to aerial flight, soaring above the treetops. I would arrive shortly.
“Whoa, that’s huge!”
The creature’s body, visible through the gaps in the trees, glimmered dully as it was drenched in rain. Its skin, resembling metal, was worthy of its name.
＝＝＝＝＝
Name: None
Species: Metal Dragon Serpent
Description: An aberrant evolution of the Dragon Serpent.
Its skin is said to be harder than steel, comparable to Adamantite, making it an exceptionally durable serpent.
Status: Normal
Status Points:
HP: 10054
MP: 612
Strength: 5740
Vitality: 8745
Agility: 3645
Dexterity: 5231
Mental Strength: 643
Magic Power: 421
Luck: 43
Skills:
Life Detection, Heat Source Detection
Resistances:
Slash Resistance, Blunt Resistance, Pierce Resistance, Destruction Resistance
Water Resistance, Fire Resistance, Earth Resistance, Wind Resistance
＝＝＝＝＝
Its diameter was about a meter. Although hidden by the trees, my Presence Detection indicated it was approximately thirty meters long. If it charged at us, our second outer wall would likely crumble effortlessly.
“Now that I’ve identified it, I should report back.”
It didn’t seem to possess any poison-related skills, so it might be edible. With a hint of curiosity about its taste, I decided to return to the military headquarters.
“A Metal Dragon Serpent!?”
As soon as I relayed the name of the monster, the largest man in the room shouted in disbelief.
“Impossible! An A-rank monster appearing in the shallow waters is unthinkable!”
“I only found one, you know?”
“Yes. There were no other strong monsters in the vicinity.”
Ignoring the commotion from the soldiers, I continued answering the Guild Master’s questions. At least within a fifty-kilometer radius, there were no other threats, so it should be fine.
“Are you absolutely sure it was a Metal Dragon Serpent? You didn’t mistake it for something else, did you!?”
The loud outburst from the large man was incredibly annoying. There was no way I could have mistaken it.
“Hey! Are you even listening!?”
He slammed both hands on the table and stood up, glaring at me with a fierce expression.
“Shut up. I even identified it, so there’s no way I could have mistaken it. If all you can do is scream and make a fuss, then get lost, you useless fool.”
“W-What did you say!?”
My words caused the veins on the large man’s forehead to bulge dangerously. The dignified figure beside him turned pale, while Hao Lan on the opposite side wore a pleased smile. It seemed to say, “Good, keep going.” At least, that’s how I interpreted it.
“If I can identify it, then it’s confirmed. The adventurers in charge of that area will remain vigilant without reducing the stationed personnel at the outer wall. We will also summon A-rank adventurers.”
“Tyran! You!”
The large man’s attention shifted to the Guild Master, who had interjected.
“Is there a problem? The First District is our responsibility.”
The Guild Master replied with a composed expression, while the large man turned red with anger, clenching his fists. He looked ready to pounce, but he seemed to be holding back, at least for now. Still, it seemed they were planning to handle it with A-rank adventurers. I just hoped there wouldn’t be any casualties.
“Ugh…! We’ll send our own people too! A joint front!”
I thought it was the first time I had heard someone actually say “ughh” out loud, as the large man pointed at the Guild Master while declaring this.
“‘Huh?’”
The Guild Master and the two men at either end of the table reacted in unison.
“W-Wait a moment, Your Excellency! Are you asking us to coordinate with those adventurers!?”
The man who had been pale just moments ago shouted as he stood up. On the opposite side, Hao Lan placed a hand on his forehead and sighed deeply. I thought they had separated into eastern and western positions because coordinating would be difficult, but what was this old man thinking?
“Indeed. Soldiers with little experience against monsters are nothing but a hindrance. Especially against a giant like that.”
“What? I thought you were just a pompous fool, but you’re actually an incompetent who will drag us down? This just keeps getting worse.”
Hearing the Guild Master’s words, I couldn’t help but voice my thoughts, which had spontaneously escaped my lips.
“You! If you had just kept quiet, you wouldn’t have been insulting me this whole time!”
As he strode across the table towards me, he reached out to grab my collar. I activated a Spatial Isolation Barrier, causing his outstretched hand to hit an invisible wall and stop. Even when he tried to go around, his hand collided with the barrier again, stopping him in his tracks. After three attempts, the large man finally snapped.
“Ughhh!!”
He clenched his fists and swung his arm back, throwing a right straight punch. Of course, I blocked it with the barrier, so it didn’t reach me, but the impact was more dramatic than I expected, reverberating throughout the tent.
“Well, well.”
I looked up at the large man with a hint of admiration and let out a derisive snort.
“For now, I suppose my work is done? If it seems impossible, I’ll help out, so just contact me when that time comes.”
“Ah, understood.”
After informing the Guild Master, I turned on my heel and began my journey back. Naturally, I maintained the Spatial Isolation Barrier to prevent the large man from following me.
“Damn it! Why can’t I get through!? What the hell is going on!? Hey! You! Don’t you dare walk away! Don’t think you can leave this country alive!”
The noise behind me was bothersome, but I couldn’t care less. Ignoring his parting threats, I stepped outside the tent, where the sound of the rain had intensified, and I found it quite soothing as I made my way home.