Chapter 239: Natural Disaster
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 239: Natural Disaster
"What’s with this shrimp?"
Kenneth, the captain of the 4th Squad of the fake explorers, was utterly dumbfounded. In Calax, the Southwest was treated as nothing more than a dumping ground for newbies and losers.
Most of the inns there were barely a step above a place to crash for a cheap price, and the local blacksmiths and tanners were mediocre at best.
Buildings dealing in expensive goods, like magic item shops, weren't just scarce—they were non-existent. At most, you might find an appraiser’s shop selling cheap supplies like detoxification potions or mana restoratives.
Newbies were one thing. They lacked money and weren't ready for expensive infrastructure, so the Southwest was where they belonged.
But the "losers" mentioned here referred to explorers burdened with curse skills that made proper combat difficult. Their situation was far worse than the newbies; they were stuck with these curses because they lacked the funds to have them removed.
It was a vicious cycle: they couldn't fight well, so they couldn't earn money, and because they couldn't earn money, they couldn't remove the curse skills.
At least the Guild provided subsidies to help remove mental illness skills, as those posed a threat to public order. However, they offered no such support for skills that merely lowered combat effectiveness.
"Hey. Move it, brat. We’ve got customers here. Go get some water."
"Ah! You were customers!"
Kenneth was an explorer of a grade incomparable to such dregs. Being Platinum Grade meant he was a talent that small and medium clans in the Northwest would drool over. His income was stable enough that a couple of curse skills wouldn't even make him flinch.
It was also the stage where hunting speed increased significantly, leading to a palpable surge in perceived power.
Look at them. Just by the way they look, you can tell they’re a bunch of freaks.
Kenneth and his three subordinates scanned the room before clicking their tongues at the corner where Roland’s party sat.
A mage wearing a rainbow robe so bright it hurt the eyes; a bard with a insane hairstyle wearing bizarre black gear over his eyes; and even a giant of a man with a massive cat tattoo on his back.
At the Platinum level, it was still difficult to gauge the residual mana of others. That was exactly why the gap between Platinum and Cobalt was considered the threshold of the elite—the "Wailing Wall."
Seeing as they’re doing business with freaks like these, this place must be nothing special.
Taking orders was usually Tresha’s job, but the Mounted Goat Inn was a place that had slowly built a reputation for itself in the Southwest.
The biggest draw was the innkeeper’s beautiful daughter—though recently, that focus had shifted toward the beautiful mother-daughter duo.
Then there were the rumors: that the lady’s husband was a powerful explorer, or the strange tales of a party of eccentrics in bizarre outfits appearing from time to time.
The latter rumor had actually had a positive effect, keeping most of the rowdier explorers away from the Mounted Goat Inn.
"We’ve got customers here. Aren't you going to take our order?"
Tresha, who had rarely taken orders from such ill-mannered explorers, flinched and pulled her shoulders in. Sera stepped forward in her place.
"Ah, welcome. Will you be dining?"
"Do you think we came here to take a nap at this hour?"
Kenneth looked up at Sera from his table, his tone irritable as he cracked his neck with a loud thud.
Damn. To think a woman this fine is stuck in a place like this.
What Kenneth’s party usually did was visit shops in the Southwest near the Southeast district and throw their weight around, flaunting the grade plates around their necks.
Merchants would naturally bow down, and they would sit the owner down to extort "protection money" or, in worse cases, take their women. They would go anywhere the Antonio Brotherhood’s influence reached and use their status to enforce "discipline."
The Mounted Goat Inn was a bit far from the Southeast, but Kenneth, consumed by a sense of belonging and superiority as a member of the Antonio Brotherhood, didn't care.
He simply thought to himself that the Brotherhood’s reach must have expanded.
"I-I’ll get lunch ready for you, then. Four servings, right? Please wait a moment."
After speaking, Sera ushered the three children—including Yura, who had been left with Ravi, and Tresha—into the back room. There was no telling what kind of trouble might spark if they stayed in the dining area.
It was the policy of the Mounted Goat Inn to avoid conflict within the premises whenever possible.
"Doesn't seem like much."
"Why? The waitress is worth a look."
"Kahaha! That’s about it, though."
The four members of the Antonio Brotherhood chatted vulgarly under the cover of soundproofing magic as they looked around. In the corner sat the trio in strange outfits, showing no reaction.
And on one side of the dining room sat three beautiful beastkin women. Two of them looked like twins, their striking resemblance adding to their charm.
Marta, the owner, was in the kitchen and hadn't shown her face, and the brat who had mouthed off when they entered was sitting at the desk, resting her chin on her hand and staying quiet.
"Why did the Big Sis tell us to come check this place out?"
"How should I know? Probably just told us to do what we always do."
Go in the name of the Antonio Brotherhood, stick their chins out, and if there was any sign of disobedience, flip a table. If that didn't work, they’d take a submissive-looking waitress and "educate" her to satisfy their lust.
Seeing how angry Aelmeri—the one they called "Big Sis"—had been, it seemed like someone was way behind on their payments. Normally, the outskirts far from the Southeast were handled by the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squads, not the 4th.
But since the others were currently out committing other atrocities, they assumed they had been called in as replacements.
Scrrrrt—
Kenneth stood up and naturally joined the table where the three beastkin women were sitting. The eldest-looking beastkin woman spoke up, her expression one of pure disgust.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Hey ladies, a party of two? Are you twins?"
"If you want a meal, just eat and leave."
"Why so stiff? Anyone would think I was going to eat you."
As Kenneth’s hand moved toward Theodora’s hair, Alfi quickly swatted it away with a relaxed motion.
Slap!
"Tsk..."
Kenneth inhaled sharply, nursing his swatted wrist. It was a practiced, fluid sequence of actions: pick a fight or harass other customers, and if trouble started, threaten the staff.
"Hey, you. Red-haired brat."
"Hm? What, you calling me?"
"Kick these customers out."
"Why?"
"Why? Are you crazy?"
Kenneth pulled out the Platinum-grade Explorer’s Plate he had hidden under his collar and shook it, making it clink loudly.
"Are you with the Antonio Brotherhood by any chance?"
"That’s right. So what? This little shit’s been talking down to me since—"
Before Kenneth could finish his sentence, his vision plummeted toward the floor, and he slammed into the ground with a loud crash.
"Aaaagh!! What—what the fuck?!"
"Boss?!"
"What’s with these guys!"
If they had simply followed the order to observe, things would have ended without much trouble. The price for over-interpreting a superior's command was high, and the price for failing to gauge the opponent's strength was even higher.
Roland, who had drawn a sword from the warehouse via portal magic and instantly severed Kenneth’s Achilles tendon, let out a deep sigh.
"Criminals these days have really hit a new low."
Roland was a man who had once slaughtered a vast number of explorers in the East of Roanmarie. Countless criminals, regardless of status or wealth, had struggled to keep their heads on their shoulders against him.
True to his name, "Poltergeist," Roland was like a ghost; no one knew when or where they might be killed.
His companions—Gadel, Gerick, and Bontes—shared his low opinion of criminals.
Scrrrrt—
The massive Bontes stood up slowly and blocked the inn’s door.
"I think we need to hear exactly what you came here for."
The mage Gadel pulled out a Pain Sensation Amplification skill for the first time in a long while.
Ting, tang—
Gerick began to pluck his lute.
* * *
The end of the 6th Stratum of the Calax Great Labyrinth.
Halfway up "Odin's Spear," the massive mountain piercing through the clouds.
"Iris. Do you think I can beat Eldyokul?"
"Try your best."
When discussing the greatest pain a living creature can feel, searing pain is always mentioned.
It isn't just the intensity of the pain; it’s an injury that causes significant damage and lasting aftereffects. Thinking back, I don't recall fighting many monsters that breathed fire.
A Skeleton Mage’s Fireball is more of an explosion than a burn. While it’s high-temperature, it’s instantaneous; if blocked by thick scales, there are no burns.
The Evil Eye’s destruction ray is a beam of one's own mana that melts the opponent's mana upon impact. It feels similar to searing pain, but it’s fundamentally different.
The monsters of the 5th Stratum that inflict burning pain actually burn mana to cause that sensation, but they don't burn the physical body until the mana is depleted.
"It will be a fight with many losses."
"I have the ability to block magic, though."
"His breath isn't magic."
Apparently, he has an insanely hot flame core and a unique flammable liquid secreted from his salivary glands. By snapping his jaws shut and clashing his teeth together, he unleashes a breath of incredible firepower.
"Be careful, it sticks to the body and won't go out."
"Like white phosphorus?"
If his breath doesn't extinguish easily upon contact, it will be a massive risk.
"I’ll give it my best. Don't worry."
"I’m not worried."
"Why not?"
"Because you’ll win."
"...You told me to try my best."
"I never said you wouldn't win."
"Fair point."
As we neared the midpoint of Odin's Spear where the clouds hung, I tucked Iris away in a cave on one side.
I didn't exactly "lock her up"; it would be more accurate to say I covered her well so she wouldn't be noticed.
I could have just swallowed her and moved on, but I did this just in case.
"I’m going."
"Okay."
As the altitude increased, the air thinned, making it increasingly difficult and uncomfortable to swing my wings. With no air to push against, lift decreased, and my weight began to feel like a burden.
Whirrrr...
Fortunately, I was able to use Horus's mana to gather air and maintain the surrounding pressure at about 1 atmosphere. If my proficiency had been lower, this would have been difficult. Iris’s judgment in telling me to fight Eldyokul was correct.
"It’s vast. The 60th floor."
Reaching the peak of Odin's Spear, the entire 60th floor came into view. The clouds obscured much of it, but even if they weren't there, I’d probably see nothing but white snow anyway.
It wasn't much different from looking out over a sea of white clouds.
"He’s coming."
I waited, having returned to my original form for a brief rest, when I heard the sound of massive wings flapping in the distance.
The sound was mixed with the growling of a beast and accompanied by strong winds, making it hard to hear clearly.
"Hah, wow."
As I’ve said before, what explorers face are monsters, not natural disasters.
But.
"This might as well be a natural disaster."