Chapter 9: Reunion and the Footsteps of the Demon – Part 08
As we entered the guild, a somewhat tense atmosphere enveloped the place. However, as soon as we showed our faces and Kaim shouted, “Old man!” the tension dissipated instantly. Judging by the gathering of adventurers, it seemed the guild had been rallying support for us.
“Sorry for being late. We managed to take down that monster,” I explained.
“Is that so? I’m glad to hear it,” came the relieved response from Kaim and the others.
Seeing their expressions of relief, a veteran adventurer nearby approached me.
“I gathered here because Kaim was making quite a fuss. Was that monster really that dangerous?”
“Yes, it was a peculiar creature with exceptionally high defense. Strangely enough, its corpse vanished, but the Magic Stone remained,” I replied, pulling the colorful, marbled Magic Stone from my Item Box. Its vibrant patterns certainly gave off an air of mystery.
The surrounding adventurers furrowed their brows and widened their eyes at the sight of the stone.
“What is this…? I’ve never seen anything like it. Given its size, it must have been a seriously dangerous monster. But did you all really defeat it by yourselves?”
“Yes, with this mace, most monsters go down in one hit.”
I said this a bit boastfully, but I knew that raising doubts about our strength could lead to trouble. Sometimes, it was necessary to showcase our power.
“Ah, that mace looks just as strange as the Magic Stone. Alright, I take back my skepticism,” the adventurer conceded.
With that, the gathered adventurers began to disperse. The only ones left were Kaim, the others, and Kisara, the receptionist.
Kisara looked around at our faces, her expression apologetic as she bowed her head.
“I’m sorry, but if possible, I would like to request a report…”
It seemed we still had some work to do. However, since everyone was tired, it was agreed that only Kaim and I would be questioned.
The next day, we decided to take a break, and I spent time catching up with Kaim and the others.
We simply chatted while eating in the inn’s dining hall. I had told Freinir and the others to enjoy their free time, but with nothing else to do, it ended up being a gathering of two parties.
After discussing our recent experiences over the meal, we naturally split into two groups: three men and five women.
“I was seriously surprised when the old man came to help. And he brought along three cute girls!” Kaim exclaimed, his face slightly flushed from the alcohol.
“Absolutely,” Labelt nodded in agreement. “Honestly, all three of them are so cute that you hardly see anyone like them in this town. They have this refined vibe.”
“I feel the same way… but it really was just a coincidence. I’m just as surprised as you are.”
“Come on, you didn’t just drag them along forcefully, did you?”
“If I had tried that, they would have run away at full speed.”
“Ha! Well, that’s true.”
“There are girls who prefer older guys, you know. So maybe they feel safe with you, Soushi.”
“That’s debatable. But Kaim and the others had a rough time this time. Encountering a monster even the guild master didn’t know about is no small feat.”
At that, Kaim took a swig of his drink, and Labelt shrugged his shoulders.
“I’ve never heard of such a creepy creature existing. It might just be that there’s little information coming into this town.”
“If the old man hadn’t shown up, it could have been bad. Just how strong was it, anyway?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure. Our Sfenia is C-Rank, but she said it was probably at least B-Rank. I didn’t think it was that strong, though.”
“Wait, Sfenia is C-Rank? Whoa…”
“That monster was really something else. But what does that make you, old man?”
“It seems my Skills are heavily focused on Strength and attack. So, they say my attack power is probably above B-Rank.”
“Considering you can swing that mace around… that’s not something an ordinary adventurer can handle.”
“Looks like I’ve really pulled ahead of you guys…”
Kaim wore a slightly frustrated expression. Well, it was understandable; being surpassed in rank by a newcomer would sting for any man.
“Hey, Kaim, I think ‘Ginrin’ can aim for even higher ranks. At the very least, you should consider leaving this town once to gain more Skills.”
Taking a bold step, I voiced my thoughts, and both Kaim and Labelt closed their eyes in contemplation. Well, both of them… and Meribe and Ranan must have thought about it more than once.
“I’ve been thinking about that for a while, even without you saying it. But I just couldn’t make up my mind.”
“However, it might be worth seriously considering. If monsters like that are appearing, getting stronger is essential.”
“Yeah. I’ll talk to Meribe and the others again.”
“Sounds good.”
“If you’re serious about aiming higher, I can teach you the training methods we use to level up our Skills. But I’ll be heading back to Euron the day after tomorrow, so if you want to do it, it has to be right after this.”
When I said that, Kaim set down his drink and scratched his head.
“I never thought I’d be the one learning from the old man this quickly.”
“Well, you’re older than me, so it’s only natural,” Labelt pointed out, making a valid point. Kaim nodded and went over to talk to Meribe and the others.
It seemed that even on a rest day, we would end up training, but as adventurers, that was perfectly fine. After all, if you didn’t seize the moment and act quickly, you could easily lose your life.
In the end, we moved outside the town in the afternoon and I taught Kaim and the others the training methods for their respective Skills. It felt like we were training ourselves too, but that was that.
Kaim and the others were deeply impressed, especially Kaim, who exclaimed, “Old man, this is unfair!” before being pinched by Meribe.
Regardless, this would surely make Kaim and the others of ‘Ginrin’ stronger. And soon enough, they would likely find themselves dissatisfied with their current rank. As an old man, all I could do was hope for the youth to strive for more.
The following day, we once again delved into the D-Rank Dungeon in Tolson. Our goal was to level up our new Skills and gain experience by defeating the boss without relying on the weakening effects of the Divine Attribute.
It seemed that defeating that eerie monster had significantly raised our adventurer levels, as the weaker monsters were no longer a challenge. Naturally, we had no trouble taking down the boss either. The treasure chest on the fifth floor still appeared after clearing it, but the quality of its contents had greatly diminished, yielding only a third-rate Potion.
We swiftly cleared ten floors in a single day, and by the time we returned to the surface via the transfer device, it was already evening. After sharing a meal with Kaim and the others, the day ended without any particular incidents.
The next morning, we departed from Tolson. This time, Kaim and the receptionist Kisara came to see us off. I felt a bit embarrassed, but the girls seemed to have formed a bond and promised to meet again.
The expressions on Kaim and the others as they saw us off were bright, so it seemed they had made up their minds. As an old man, I found their youthful determination to be quite dazzling.