Chapter 136
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: Growth (2)
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“No one knows who built the Ancient Tower, but its purpose is fairly well-known.”
“I-I've heard of it. Isn't it a place prepared with trials to train heroes?”
“That's right. As such, each floor is set up with battles against various large-scale monsters.”
However, the Ancient Tower limited the number of people who could enter at once.
“Fortunately, up to five people can go in at a time. But we're going in as a group of four.”
“What about bringing Joseph along? That soldier guy.”
Eleanor's suggestion was a good one, but Jun shook his head and explained why not.
“The number of mercenary groups under our mercenary corps will gradually increase going forward. Colton's already on board. No need to stir up talk of favoritism.”
On top of that, Joseph was a bit busy these days bringing his old coworkers from Blackout.
“Since it'll be battles with large monsters, we'll have a lot to prepare and bring.”
“Yeah. I'm planning to brew up a bunch of different poisons to take along. And in the meantime, run some training sessions.”
“Training, huh.”
Aiden and Maya exchanged glances.
Hadn't those two been the ones doing the most training all this time?
“What do we gotta do?”
“Your roles are important too, but we need to sync up me and Eleanor.”
“Ah... yeah, that makes sense for large monsters.”
Eleanor nodded readily in agreement with Jun.
Aiden then tilted his head in puzzlement.
He'd hardly ever seen those two train together before.
“Large monsters are inherently good at breaking formations. No matter how hard you two try to protect us, there's a limit.”
If they had a tank like a Bern Holy Knight, it might be different, but Jun's mercenary corps didn't have a clear tank role right now.
“So, how do you plan to conduct the training?”
“Better to take the time and do it right. We'll head to the 4th layer.”
“Large monsters on the 4th layer... Ervantus's contaminated zone?”
“Oh, you got it right away.”
Aiden's eyes sparkled at Eleanor's words.
“Isn't Ervantus's contaminated zone territory held by the Hertix Adventure Group? I read about it in Hermes magazine issue 138.”
“You're really into adventures...”
Eleanor suddenly wondered why someone like Aiden had become a mercenary instead of an adventurer.
“Haha... back then, no adventure group would take me.”
“Ah.”
Fair enough. With his current skills, anyone would take him now, but back then, Aiden had no connections or anything.
“Anyway, we can gather materials there too, and with all the mid-to-large monsters, it's perfect for syncing up in advance.”
Plus, it was still early in the season, so the Hertix Adventure Group probably hadn't fully secured the territory yet.
Sure enough, there was a request posted for monster subjugation in that area.
“Let's stock up on supplies and head out.”
* * *
About a fortnight passed.
Jun and his companions arrived at Ervantus's contaminated zone on the 4th layer.
“The most defining feature of this field is that fog over there.”
“I've heard that's a field effect too.”
“Spot on.”
As Jun said, this field was filled with pure white fog, just like that alchemist city shrouded in purple mist.
“As Aiden just mentioned, that fog itself is the field's effect. It makes monsters' bodies swell up huge.”
A field effect that applied only to monsters, not people.
That made it a field teeming with powerful monsters—and popular for the abundance of byproducts as a result.
“There's already a party over there.”
Not far off, a mercenary group was visible.
They moved centered around a tank with a massive shield.
“Makes sense we're seeing a lot of shield warriors, given it's large monsters.”
“Yeah. Nothing's as reliable against large monsters as a tank.”
But Jun's party had no shield warrior.
It was hard to find someone skilled enough to bring along yet.
“So we'll have to hunt our own way.”
With that, Jun led his companions deeper into the field.
Soon, a house-sized hyena came into view.
“That's a Giant Hyena.”
“Don't hyenas usually travel in packs?”
“Right. But these guys stake out a territory due to their size and hunt around it.”
If they felt disadvantaged, they'd howl to call packmates—a monster with an ambush battle style.
“Aiden, Maya—you two attack first. For reference, in this fight, I'll stick to support.”
If Jun unleashed his firepower, the training wouldn't work, so Aiden and Maya nodded and drew their weapons.
“Eleanor, stay by my side and support me.”
“How?”
“Use End of Lament to bolster the spells around me.”
“Got it.”
Jun cast protective spells over the area.
[Shield]s enhanced by ancient magic floated around, infused with metallic properties.
“In fights like this, I'd normally prep high-circle spells. That leaves me vulnerable to large monster attacks.”
Or he'd have to drop the cast to dodge, dragging out the fight.
“Your job in this training is to maintain my spells in my place.”
“I understand.”
As an advanced priestess, Eleanor had plenty of holy power.
Her task was to convert it to mana and keep Jun's [Shield] strong.
“Battle start.”
With those words, Aiden and Maya charged the Giant Hyena, which was eyeing them warily.
The distance closed in an instant.
The Giant Hyena took a slight step back, then exploded forward, kicking off the ground.
Using its innate skill [Earth's Stride], it stomped with massive hind legs to blind Maya with dirt, then lunged its jaws at Aiden.
“Hup!”
For a beast monster, it fought very strategically.
Aiden blocked the huge maw with his sword.
Enhancing his body with mana, they locked in a brief contest of strength—but the Giant Hyena had no intention of dragging it out.
[Spectral Charge]
Maya had burst through the dust cloud to strike from behind.
The beast leaped sideways, realized its foe was human, and switched tactics.
It slammed a massive paw into the ground, sending fist-sized rocks flying at terrifying speed.
Clang! Thud!
“Ugh...!”
Aiden deflected most, but one hit his shin.
Of course, the Giant Hyena took damage too.
Maya had slashed deep into its thigh.
Eleanor followed up with holy magic to heal Aiden swiftly, drawing the Giant Hyena's gaze to her and Jun as it sensed the holy power.
Jun was pressuring it with his own mana.
“I'll handle the front!”
Sensing the danger, Aiden created distance to block the path to Jun and Eleanor, while Maya covered the left flank.
Aiden was applying tactics he'd learned from Colton's Blade Eagle Mercenary Corps.
And it worked.
Grrrrr—!
After taking a hit from Maya, the Giant Hyena realized charging recklessly would get it killed.
Awooooo—!!!
It immediately unleashed a howl.
Awooooooo—!
Packmates howled back from all directions. The instigator backed off.
It had decided to buy time.
'Same as in the game. Even here.'
New 4th-layer users would curse up a storm at this pattern.
Fight only when advantageous, stall thoroughly otherwise—it was infuriating.
“Incoming!”
Sure enough, presences closed in after a brief delay.
“4 o'clock, 1 o'clock, 10 o'clock!”
“Senior, behind you too!”
“We'll handle these—focus on yours!”
A pack of Giant Hyenas charged from all sides.
Five in total, including the original.
Aiden and Maya held three, but the remaining two rushed Jun and Eleanor.
Grrrrrr!!
The first came from 6 o'clock, aiming to hit Jun and Aiden from behind.
As it raised a massive forepaw—
[Iron Rampart]
A massive steel rampart blocked its path.
The one that had its leg slashed by Maya bypassed Aiden and Maya to strike from the front.
Jun's enhanced [Shield] loomed in its sights.
Unlike the [Iron Rampart] covering the rear, the [Shield] was relatively small.
Did it look easy?
Grahhh—!
Its jaws crunched mercilessly into the [Shield].
As cracks formed from the immense bite force—
“Now!”
At Jun's shout, Eleanor attempted [Convert] via End of Lament.
But.
“Wha...?!”
Unlike what she'd thought—just supplying mana—the spell's structure was so intricate it made her eyes spin.
Her mind went blank for a moment.
“Wh-where do I put the mana...?”
She poured it into the shakiest spot she could see. The crack mended briefly.
Clang!
But only for a moment.
The [Shield] shattered, letting the attack through.
That instant.
“Devour.”
As the massive forepaw closed in, Jun blocked the arm with his Predator-clad hand.
Sluuuuurp!!
Starved for a while, Predator swallowed the raw power in the beast's strike whole. The Giant Hyena recoiled in terror—
[Pierce of Light]
Eleanor's summoned holy spear pierced the airborne beast's belly as it leaped.
Meanwhile, Aiden and Maya each felled one more of their foes.
The rest had taken various wounds.
Awooooo—!!!
The hyenas hesitated and fell back.
True to their cunning, they retreated the moment the tide turned.
They weren't gone, though—they'd circle and probe for openings.
Anyway.
With the skirmish over, Jun called to his companions.
“So, how was it facing them firsthand? Not easy, right?”
Aiden, Maya, and even Eleanor nodded at Jun's question.
Having survived the 5th layer, they'd underestimated the 4th a bit—but this fight had schooled them.