The Tutorial Boss Assembles the Party

Elena pushed open the guild door and stepped inside. The first to react were the adventurers lounging near the entrance.

"Oh! Here she comes!"

"Elena! You were awesome yesterday!"

Someone whistled in welcome.

Elena froze, her face a picture of confusion.

"Uh... me?"

"That duel yesterday was killer! I saw you shatter that bastard Darko's nose bone!"

"Sucks that I lost money on it, but damn, what a show!"

"That rotten old perv's done for after this. He was always yapping about who he was—such a pain in the ass! Pfft."

"Good job!"

A burly, muscle-bound adventurer slapped Elena's back with a loud thwack. She stumbled forward.

"Ah, thank you..."

"Take a drink! It's on me! When else are we gonna raise a toast like this?"

"Booze later..."

Elena glanced my way, her eyes pleading for help, but I just tilted my mug and drained it.

Thud! I stood up.

"You lot!"

My shout silenced the room, a heavy quiet settling in. All eyes turned to me as I held up my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠coin pouch high.

"Thank Elena! Drinks on me for everyone here. Order whatever you want and show her some gratitude!"

A young adventurer whistled sharply.

"Elena! Thanks! Jeina sis! Another beer over here!"

"Jeina! Beer! Bring the beer! Elena, thanks to you, I'm getting wasted tonight!"

"Empty glass here too! Thanks, Elena—we'll drink up good! Haha!!"

The adventurers raised their mugs like they were chugging water, spilling booze everywhere. The guild tavern floor reeked of alcohol. Jeina's smiling face twisted in annoyance, but as a waitress, she hustled to fetch more drinks.

As the place erupted in chaos, cheers for Elena echoed around.

"Whew."

While the adventurers were distracted by their drinks, Elena slipped into the seat across from me.

"Did the move go okay?"

"...Yeah. Thanks to you. I'm grateful you found me a place."

"Just didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠want your sister held hostage screwing up my plans."

I drummed my fingers on the table.

"Elena, never forget this. If I hadn't looked out for your sister, you'd be a ragdoll under that bastard's thugs by now. You heard it straight from her, right?"

"..."

Elena nodded heavily.

"I helped you because I need a reliable lackey to watch my back—not out of any kindness for you. Keep that in mind."

"Got it."

Her blue eyes burned clearer than ever, straight-up trust shining through as she met my gaze. Naive as she was, what you saw was what you got.

'Looks like we've cleared the biggest hurdle.'

I'd won Elena's heart. Get her loyalty, and you've got an army of one. Sure, her innocence made her the type to get the ultimate power only to end up raped at the drop of a hat—but I'd handle that part. Then she'd be the ultimate ally in my pocket.

"And we gotta catch up on what got delayed because of that Darko prick."

"Back to hunting starting today, right?"

"Yeah."

I pulled a rolled-up parchment from my pocket and tossed it to her. Elena unrolled it and eyed the wanted poster sketch inside.

"Orc hunt."

"O-oh, orcs?"

Her eyes widened. The orc on the poster looked vicious. Monsters were hostile lifeforms humanity had battled since ancient times, but ultimately just native pests blocking expansion. Nothing more, nothing less.

But orcs were different. They harbored clear malice toward humans.

And this hunt's target was one of those orcs.

"Orcs all of a sudden? Even if I beat a C-rank... orcs don't travel alone."

"That's why I've got something prepared."

I beckoned, and the newbies I'd prepped beforehand stood up. Three rookies who hadn't even touched their drinks lined up before Elena.

"""Please take care of us!"""

They bowed deeply.

The rookie adventurers joined Elena's party. She faced her three new members: a swordsman, an archer, and a shield-bearer. All F-rank greenhorns, while party leader Elena was still an I-rank newbie. A bizarre lineup was complete.

With Elena's skills, she could use these guys as bait to take down five D-rank orcs. But first, they needed to sync up—so as Elena headed to the guild's back yard, I gave her one last piece of advice.

"Elena, don't trust your party members."

"Huh? Why?"

Her face hardened.

"Even though you set them up for me?"

"Trusting guys who can't even pull their own weight is like handing the reins to a blind man. Plus, right now, you're hated."

I slung an arm around her shoulders. She followed my gaze across the guild tavern, where the free-loaders were pounding drinks.

"You think those jerks are cheering you on 'cause they like you?"

"They're... not?"

"If you really think that, your head must be full of flowers. Hard to believe you're a hunter's daughter. How damn lucky have you been?"

"..."

I pointed out a few adventurers.

"Look at that scrawny bastard and the slob with the chin beard. Gulping booze but not a hint of joy. Why do you think that is?"

"They... don't like booze?"

"Heh."

What a riot.

"They're jealous of your talent. Most don't show it on their faces. These idiots just can't hide it. Guys like that will jump you the first chance they get—and try to rape you."

"R-ra..."

"Ambush you."

The usual game extras. They all shared the same copy-pasted illo, modeled after types ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like these. Hell, even without the art, the game's descriptions painted everyone here—including me—banging Elena. That's what a hentai game with a female protag was: heroine beds every male in the game.

Keeping Elena's virginity intact in this hentai world was damn tough. Fighting while pure was basically a one-coin clear.

'Even hardcore players struggle with that.'

Of course, I had no intention of letting it happen. That's why I was putting in the effort.

"Even your party might have some smiling fucker plotting to stab you in the back. Suspect any food they offer. Hell, suspect all favors."

"You too?"

"Have I ever done you a favor?"

"..."

"And there's no guarantee they'll only jump you with bad intentions."

Elena tilted her head.

This was a hentai game world. Never forget it.

"What if one of your party gets hit with an aphrodisiac? What then?"

"Uh..."

"Let 'em blow."

If you don't relieve an aphrodisiac, your dick explodes. Some mushrooms had that effect, spreading spores to turn men into lust-crazed monsters.

"Is that... okay?"

"Adventuring's on you. If some idiot trips into an aphro by accident, it's his problem. If you think you'll lose out, cut him down."

"..."

Elena looked conflicted, her identity shaken. Her personality made cold calls hard. There was an option to spread her legs for an aphro'd party member—but good thing that was just a choice.

"You want me pure, huh?"

She fidgeted with her fingers.

"Who hates purity? And I hate anyone touching what's mine. That's all."

I warned her—and the eavesdropping adventurers in the process.

"But if you play the fool and turn into used goods for my sake, maybe not."

"So even if I fail, you won't di—"

"...?"

"...N-nothing."

Elena turned away.

"That's all, right? I'll go sync ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with my party then."

The four rookies headed to the guild backyard to practice teamwork. Sync up before trolls, or defeat's inevitable. Orcs were practice for the troll extermination.

'Guess I should handle my business too.'

Borudo's smithy door was locked tight. But the scorching heat from inside beaded sweat on my skin. I knocked.

Thud thud thud.

"Borudo, it's me."

"You're here!"

Borudo flung the door wide in welcome. He rushed to the workbench, eyes bloodshot, grinning like a kid through his beard.

"Perfect timing, Eck. Sir Borudo's masterpiece is done."

He hoisted a leather armor set from the bench with both hands. Raising the chestpiece overhead with his stubby dwarf arms, the forge light behind made the leather glow red.

"Feast your eyes. This is what you commissioned. Look close."

He slammed it down on the bench. Ogre Leather Armor.

Crafted to wrap the torso and shoulders, the leather lay smooth. Beaten and reforged endlessly, it was tough as nails yet sprang back with a touch of elasticity.

"Worth processing before the mana faded. It's as blessed by the Red Moon as it gets. Wear this, and magic won't touch you—like a red monster. Tougher than standard ogre gear, naturally!"

Borudo swung his hammer down on the surface.

Clang! Not a scratch.

"See? Steel's got nothing on it. But weighs the same as normal leather. You won't find gear this light with this defense—even if you flash gold in shops."

He showed the edged finish: sewn with ogre tendons, bragging every detail with thick fingers.

Borudo thumped his chest.

"This is A-rank gear. I guarantee it."

No bluff. Even by game knowledge, it matched A-rank. Materials alone cost gold, and the finished product was noble-tier luxury.

Plus, there was one sized for Elena.

"That's for Elena. Fit okay?"

"How'd you know the size?"

"Eyeball it. But check the details anyway. You still haven't felt her up?"

"..."

"Lord have mercy."

Borudo pinched his brow like he'd heard something absurd.

"What's that look? Wanna die?"

"Just surprised, that's all."

Borudo flinched and grumbled. Like he'd risk pissing off the world's strongest. Eck got killed for deflowering her in the story anyway. No suicide here.

"Dimensions should be close enough. Like yours?"

"Usable."

"Heh. Be honest. It's killer, right? My masterpiece."

I set the armor down.

"Anything else?"

"Ungrateful punk. Wasn't easy—can't spare a compliment?"

"Fine, good work."

Borudo grumbled as he pulled out arm guards, greaves, leather gloves, and boots from under the bench. Matching ogre leather pieces. I inspected each one by one.

Then Borudo fished a folded parchment from his back pocket.

"Oh, right. Eck."

His face changed. No more bragging glow.

"This came yesterday."

Red wax seal. The lord's insignia. Not some errand boy's note—this was a real order from the lord.

The script was elegant, reeking of noble class. Simple content.