Chapter 23
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Forest Guardian
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The meeting itself proceeded quite smoothly.
Various strategies floated up in their minds, only to be discarded soon after, while new ones took solid shape.
As the discussion centered around Jun once more, the adventurers from Azure Cloud appeared. They had recovered somewhat and regained their senses.
Just as Eleanor had said, they arrived exactly one hour later.
Benjamin Bristone's face was filled with self-reproach when he first appeared.
No one could tell if that expression was genuine.
"I truly have no face to show. I'll confess my unilateral decision in this matter to the guild myself."
There was sincerity in Benjamin's low bow.
The mercenaries wore displeased expressions but held their tongues.
Of course, their anger over the situation hadn't subsided.
The urge to grab him by the collar still burned in their chests.
But they held back—for the desperate desire to survive and thanks to Jun's performance.
Now that they had come this far, survival was paramount, just as Jun had said.
"Hah, whatever. The imperial family will decide your punishment. Our concern is survival."
"...You're right. So, shall we continue the meeting now?"
"We were already doing that without you saying it. Get the details from that mage over there. He's the one who devised the strategy to rescue you lot."
At Colton Carter's words, Benjamin finally looked at Jun, standing at the center of the meeting area.
He remembered Jun, of course. They were the only Level 1 group participating in this raid.
His eyebrow twitched for a fleeting moment.
But no one gathered there missed it.
"A mage?"
"Yeah. The mage who cleaned up your mess. He even took a sword to the gut to save your adventurers."
"...I see. I've heard the story. Thanks to you, we survived. Allow me to thank you again."
"Skip the pleasantries. I did it to save my own skin."
Jun shrugged, and Benjamin spoke up.
That was when the atmosphere plummeted.
"In that case, can I take back command now?"
"What?"
Not Jun, but Colton responded to Benjamin's words, glaring with a crumpled face.
"Hey, do you not get how dire this is? That mage got us this far after your failure."
Normally, Colton wouldn't step up like this.
But Jun had proven his exceptional command abilities earlier.
Benjamin had failed, but Jun hadn't—not yet.
Their social standings were worlds apart, but with lives on the line, Colton didn't want to hand command to Benjamin.
"I have nothing to say about that. But splitting the chain of command now would be problematic, and we've faced the Fairy Queen directly."
"You call getting utterly wrecked a brag? Besides, we're not after that damn moth bitch now. It's the tree bastard."
"...True. But that's exactly why I should step up. I've at least subjugated a Forest Guardian before."
The argument heated up, and the mood grew hostile.
The mercenaries, burned once by Benjamin, refused to trust him.
Benjamin countered that he needed command again for the operation's success.
With emotions running high—tense enough that asking about each other's parents wouldn't seem out of place—Jun intervened.
"Command should naturally go to you, the commander. I don't object to that."
"What? Hey, mage!"
Colton raised his voice as Jun conceded first.
But Jun voiced his thoughts.
"Let's think rationally. Realistically, I only know about it from knowledge—I have no actual experience subjugating a Forest Guardian. It wouldn't make sense for me to lead."
"But..."
"Of course, I won't hand over operational control. I have the raid knowledge."
He shook the Expedition Log of the Corrupted Forest from his pocket.
"Any objections to that?"
"..."
Operational control was as crucial as command—practically no difference.
As Benjamin opened his mouth to retort,
"The mage is right, Benjamin. Best to settle it here."
"...Priestess Eleanor."
The black-eyepatched priestess, Eleanor, had entered the tent unnoticed. Benjamin bit his lip.
She was just a priestess, but not someone to dismiss lightly.
Outside, maybe—but in Blackout, a priestess's authority was immense.
Plus, if they survived, her testimony in court would carry huge weight.
"We've already wasted time. According to the mage, the Fairy Queen will fully recover soon. Greed invites disaster."
"...Hoo. Fine."
With the agreement reached, the meeting resumed.
"Alright, good work, everyone. Let's just handle the remaining Forest Guardian well."
"As long as you don't screw up again."
With Colton Carter's sharp parting shot, the detailed strategy session ended.
All that remained was a brief rest before launch.
On the way to the barracks, Colton asked with a puzzled look.
"Did you really need to concede, mage? The others probably preferred you in charge. It was your chance."
Jun shook his head lightly at the question.
"Sure, pushing for it might've gained something. But the risks outweighed the gains. We had to consider the adventurers' morale too."
Was Jun afraid of Benjamin?
In raw power or social status, Benjamin outclassed him.
Jun had overwhelming support, though.
He could've seized command by force.
But Jun stepped back because Benjamin's intentions were obvious.
"Intentions?"
"Yeah. He still thinks his group has a shot at hope."
"Hah! Does that even make sense? They botched the raid this badly?"
"Well, from his perspective, it's not impossible."
Clearing a raid's hidden stage boosted an adventurer's fame immensely.
It was a centuries-old undiscovered hidden stage. Benjamin knew its value best.
In the game, discovering an unknown hidden stage gave massive fame points.
If Azure Cloud succeeded, their names would go down in history.
But failure changed that. Still, shining here would help their fame.
Benjamin likely planned to leverage that fame for noble backing—to win or lighten his sentence.
That's why he wanted to tie up this mess himself.
"He probably rallied his team with that excuse. That's why I let it slide. Boosting morale for failed adventurers helps the op."
"Ah..."
Colton gaped.
In that short time, he'd just raged emotionally, but Jun and Benjamin had maneuvered shrewdly, reading each other.
Setting aside feelings, their actions taught Colton much.
"Of course, it's a pipe dream. Defying imperial orders is serious."
"Ah!"
"The empire's power lies with the imperial family—the emperor. Nobles try, but..."
No noble would back a Level 3 adventurer's fame over the emperor's gaze.
Blackout was semi-independent, and merc or adventurer guilds had sway in dangerous zones.
But Benjamin lacked justification.
"Casualties already happened. Defying orders caused them—not a mere accident. Even the guild can't defend Azure Cloud."
"Hearing it now... he's sunk in a swamp he can't escape."
"Up to his chest already."
So Jun prioritized gains over stirring conflict.
"Learning a lot from you, mage."
"You've taught me plenty too."
"Haha! Have I?"
Unlike their initial tension, a warm atmosphere filled the barracks.
"You're amazing, senior..."
Aiden's admiring gaze made Jun uncomfortable, as did the others'.
I just pitied the guy with one foot in the grave. Do I deserve these looks?
If Jun had stayed silent, Benjamin wouldn't have been cornered.
Crime deserves punishment, sure.
But Jun felt uneasy having escalated it.
"Anyway, just the final battle left. Let's nail it."
"Krahhh! Damn, I wanna go home!"
"First time missing that fortress!"
With the mercenaries' roars, the Forest Guardian subjugation began.
Each heavy step shook the forest like an earthquake.
A tree vaster than ancient oaks, grown over centuries, moved alive.
The Forest Guardian.
The raid party's must-kill target for survival.
"Damn. Walks on two legs, huh? Freakishly huge."
A mercenary muttered.
Famous as a stationary boss, its size upon rising exceeded imagination.
Led by Benjamin Bristone, his adventurers clashed fiercely with it.
"Evade!"
At his shout, adventurers scattered.
A massive foot slammed from the sky.
Roots from the impact burrowed into the earth, then erupted upward.
Without his order, they'd have been skewered like frogs.
"Now! Climb on!"
"Pry open the core!"
"Target the legs!"
Some scaled near-vertical legs like flat ground; others slashed fixed ankles.
Level 3s transcended human limits—superhuman feats.
Definitely different from the twins I fought.
Unlike fresh Level 3 twins with Level 2 gear, Benjamin's vanguard shone in skill.
If I'd faced those guys instead...
Even Jun might not have survived.
Worth saving them.
The building-sized monster's swings.
Yet adventurers dodged systematically.
The issue's the mercenaries.
In Forest Guardian raids, sub-teams below the assault were vital.
Due to the Ents they faced.
"Damn! One broke through!"
"Ignore escapees! Handle the others!"
An Ent slipped the encirclement, approaching the Guardian.
Its roots absorbed it instantly.
Recovery pattern.
Adventurers glared resentfully, but focused, guilty.
Can't be helped. No Team 3, mercs in worst shape.
Unlike prepared Azure Cloud, this was a bolt from the blue for mercs.
The Guardian's size intimidated them subtly.
Dangerous slips happened repeatedly.
"Hup!"
Aiden filled the gaps each time.
He's lighter on his feet than usual. Skill?
No obvious skills used.
Footwork differed, though...
Not an expert on warriors, but... more confident? Footwork changed? Game lore said he had insane talent.
Jun brushed it off, but it matched Aiden's reality.
Insight from fighting named hidden boss Pride awakened his talent.
Still, too many slipping through.
Deviated from standard strat.
Jun and Aiden plugged holes, but limits loomed.
The battle shifted slowly.
Dragging longer than expected.
"Captain! At this rate...!"
"Hold a bit longer! Need more time!"
"Damn! Injured, fall back!"
"No! Can't give it more time!"
Then, holy light burst from behind.
Eleanor's divine power.
God's sacred force manifested in the corrupted forest, healing wounded adventurers.
If Jun and Aiden filled manpower, Eleanor enabled sustainability.
But her power was subdued.
Damn AoE debuff.
Forest Guardian's corruption aura.
Its attacks hindered healing, worsened wounds.
Eleanor's strength compensated; a normal priestess would've collapsed the balance.
Now I see why Benjamin bowed to her.
That caliber could be courted at higher levels.
Her skill rivaled high priestess potential.
Problem: battle stagnating.
Holy power isn't omnipotent.
No mana refill, no mental fatigue cure.
Raid movements creaked; Guardian rampaged fiercer.
Not a fatal variable—just manpower shortage.
Too prolonged.
Fairy Queen likely sensed and mobilized.
Jun faced a crossroads.
No choice. I'll join offense. Trust the damage adventurers stacked.
Normally, after assault dealt enough.
But merc injuries mounting.
Eleanor couldn't cover them alone.
More Ent absorptions could miss the window.
"Aiden! Prioritize defense over attack!"
"Yes, sir!"
Shift to preserve forces, minimize casualties. Jun circulated mana.
Hand on choker, controlled surging mana.
Basic magic won't cut it.
Guardian resists magic.
Elemental spells ineffective.
Fire worked decently, but...
Might harm allies too.
Prepare impact spells.
Image: steel.
Weapons tempered in flames, unyielding.
Form...
A massive hammer shattering boulders in one swing.
Iron Fist
The mana-responsive earth defied gravity, surging and clumping mid-air.
From fist-sized, it swelled to house-sized.
A hulking, blunt fist formed.
Jun's mana coated it, fusing with soil, glowing.
"Go!"
Woooong—!!
The steel fist hurtled toward the Forest Guardian at Jun's command.