Raiders' Replay and Rampage

After a heated debate bordering on a brawl with the Raiders, we finally struck a dramatic compromise.

In the end, it all came down to money.

"Fine, I admit the pre-info was too lacking. Not 15 silver each—I'll give you one gold coin per person. Baroque and Miya get an extra one each."

"……."

"Why the glare? Don't want it? Then pass."

"Whatever. Just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hand it over already."

Baroque grumbled but accepted the offer.

Money really solves almost everything.

But.

"Here's an additional proposal."

"???"

"Same terms. Every successful escape: 30 silver. Failure: 15 silver."

Truth be told, their last playthrough didn't give me the data I wanted.

Just some goblin buzzing around before a wipe?

No good.

They needed to feel all the mechanics my team and I prepped with our blood, sweat, and tears.

"Total budget for this test: 50 gold."

"F-Fifty?!?"

Miya and Edgar's eyes lit up like fireworks.

Seemed those two were hurting for cash more than the rest.

"Don't even think about pushing for more. I did my homework. If it's awkward, make it volunteer-only. Just you two could walk away with at least 20 gold each minimum."

I'd scoped out the guild rates—50 gold was what you'd earn from a tough month-long quest.

The kind where you might come back crippled or dead.

After taxes, fees, and party splits by contribution? Maybe 7-8 gold in your pocket if lucky.

And they could earn that in a day?

It hurt, felt like dying, but you didn't actually die.

They were expedition-bound anyway, and odds were high they'd need this training.

Pass on this? Moron move.

This could straight-up prevent expedition injuries or deaths—a top-tier training tool, right???????

"……."

"…………."

The Raiders exchanged glances.

That initial awkwardness melted under the overwhelming daily wage of 50 gold.

"Uh, any chance for a tiny tip? Going in blind is brutal."

They asked.

I clapped my hands and grinned at Baroque.

"Perfect. I was gonna run the replay anyway."

"Replay?"

"All your actions and combat styles are logged, viewable via the 'Time Containment Orb'."

Skill issue? Loop your own playthroughs for self-review.

Not enough? Pro lectures or YouTube vids.

"This way. I'll break down your individual plays frame-by-frame."

For this moment, I'd prepped the 'video review room' and led the Raiders there.

From arriving at the library to now, Baroque had been nothing but stunned.

Not just his predictions failing—his entire worldview shaken.

At the center: the Prophet of Ruin, Eugene Paltrow.

He dissected their entry angles, paths, formations, tactics with meticulous precision, delivering cold verdicts.

"Bilrum's clearly a shield swordsman usually—you knew the weak spots well."

"Legs, arms, shoulders that don't cover easy? Real vulnerabilities."

"Yeah, so spread your movements more. In these fights, it's not about ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠blocking well—best is not getting hit at all."

"……I'll keep that in mind."

Watching himself on screen was novel, intriguing—but embarrassing too.

Why didn't I move right away? Standing there like an idiot with that dumbass face...

Even to himself, he'd bombed as leader this fight.

Colony means goblins everywhere—should've assumed that. And once we knew they had guns, immediate retreat, rearm...

"Baroque."

"Huh? Oh, yeah...!"

Snapped from his spiraling thoughts.

Eugene looked at him and said,

"That was your best play. Breaking the encirclement via the 3rd floor was solid. Without Ramonteo, it'd have been a wipe."

"……."

"No self-blame. This world's kind—you can fail and rise again, over and over."

Eugene meant it sincerely.

Baroque felt like a hammer to the head.

Flashback to five years ago, fresh guild rookie days.

Raiders started with five: Bilrum, Miya, Ramonteo, Melkia.

Countless brushes with death.

Arms severed, Bilrum literally died and revived.

If the church was minutes farther? No Bilrum here.

Yeah. No retries in reality.

Life-or-death? Luck decides.

Bad luck: dead. Good: alive.

Even Miya he secretly loved, sturdy Bilrum and Ramonteo.

No one knew if they'd return from expedition alive.

But with this mage's device?

Challenge limits without dying...?

Eyes widened.

Not for pay.

Maybe gold-badge title made him complacent.

Like in that ruined world—adventuring was precarious day-to-day, crumbling anytime.

Die over and over? Shake it off, find optimal choices.

Fatal mistakes just mistakes—fix flaws, retry.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

A blessing for adventurers.

How many crumbled from one missing experience?

Irreversible tiny errors leading to wipes, deaths?

Imperfect, but vast variables? Immense value.

"Eugene."

"Yes? Question?"

"The mana rifle. Can we get those too?"

Eugene thumbs-upped at Baroque's question.

"Yup. That's the key. This expedition, mana rifles are the game-changer. Available soon—guild gets stock first. Honestly, I think guilds and imperial army should phase to mana rifles."

"Definitely... handy. Mana crossbow couldn't match that firepower."

Melkia clenched and unclenched her hand, replying.

Still felt the recoil.

"Melkia, shotgun talent. But pump-actions are one-shot loads—recommend semi-auto shotgun for you. Drops often near Guard Post, southwest commercial district."

Soon, starting with Baroque and Melkia, Raiders fired questions.

"One for me too. Silver cover's good, but bad luck hits happen—like last time's injury, then what?"

"Real world: Edgar's heals work. Sadly not there. So potions stocked. Check boxes, shelves everywhere for potions and recovery items."

"Field medic style, huh."

"Exactly."

"Rifles too small! No heavy hitters?"

"Greatsword still solid pick. Like Bilrum, sidearm pistol... or machine gun probabilistic drop from Cravil Hotel boss."

"Machine gun?!"

"Your raw strength stat looks high enough."

"Nice ring to it..."

Thus, slowly info-digesting.

Raiders became the empire's most theoretically CQB-proficient squad.

"Good luck! Escape safe this time!!"

Re-strategized Raiders' next run score was—

"Next raid, now!!"

"This time we breach the hotel! Want that machine gun!"

"Baroque, Miya and I will scout west outpost separately. I want that semi-auto shotgun too."

That day.

Central Magic Library gained 7 severe Escape from Sanctuary addicts.