Chapter 376: Treasure Hunter (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 376: Treasure Hunter (4)
I grabbed my weapon but did not aim it. After all, it wasn't clear what these guys were after. Provoking them could turn an easily resolvable issue into a catastrophe.
"What will you do?" asked Amelia.
"First, talk."
"I'll get prepared, then."
"Sure. Erwen, do not step out unless I give you the signal."
After a short word with my teammates, I stood in front to shield them from view, and we waited in tense silence.
Step, step.
Finally, a group of fifteen adventurers stopped outside our camp, and the man who appeared to be their representative slowly walked forward. "Looks like I don't need to wake you up."
"Start with introductions."
"Haha, you don't need to be afraid. Nothing you're worried about will come to fruition."
Who says I'm afraid? I'm just trying to decide whether I need to bash your skull in or not. Four long-rangers, two wizards, nine close-combat fighters, and... no priest?
The fact that they were fifteen in number was rather notable. Ever since the six-person Binding spell was created, the basic unit of any team became six. Which meant there was a chance three more of them were hiding somewhere nearby.
"You are a very guarded fellow. Let's calm down and talk for a moment. If we were here with bad intentions, we wouldn't be talking to you like this, would we?"
That remained to be seen. I glanced at the group standing at the ready behind him, then shifted my gaze to stare at the man. "What do you want? You should know it's not a good look to wander into someone else's campsite at night."
The man revealed his identity. "We are from the Huntsman Clan."
"I've never heard of it."
"That makes sense. To be honest, it's not a very famous clan. Recently, we've solely been hunting for treasure on Fione Island so we haven't been active anywhere else."
"Treasure hunting, huh?" It was only then that I got a rough idea of why this guy had come up to us.
"I don't know if you know or not, but Fione is split up by six clans each operating in their own territories. It's a measure to prevent needless disputes."
"So?"
"You are camping on the territory of the Huntsman Clan. We want you to leave as soon as dawn breaks tomorrow."
As expected, this was a case of hunting ground control. All adventurers went through this all too often starting from the fifth floor. It really drove home that the labyrinth was a world of survival of the fittest. His first impression wasn't all that great either, but now I definitely couldn't see him in a good light.
"I've never heard of the palace granting the rights to Fione to any specific group."
"Haha, despite how sharp you look, you sound rather rigid in your thinking. Adventuring isn't a by-the-book business."
With that, the man didn't say anything else. He just stared at me silently. Whatever words came out of his mouth next would probably depend on what decision I made.
I didn't have to think for long. "Don't worry. We were planning to leave when the sun rises." We really were just here for the night, so I decided there was no need to try to dispute the rights to the hunting ground.
But did my answer make him think I was admitting defeat? "Haha, really? I guess we came for nothing. Thanks for your understanding." The slightly wary look he had been leveling at us turned into more relaxed laughter. It seemed he had concluded we weren't dangerous, seeing as he refused to get lost and was now running his mouth like this. "But three's an unusual number. Did you lose a teammate on the way here?"
"That's none of your business."
"Don't be so on guard. I'm just trying to help. Things could get dangerous if a monster suddenly appears, right? If you want, we could lend you our campsite..." He trailed off, then glanced at Erwen and Amelia behind me.
Ha. This son of a bitch has a knack for pissing people off.
"Thanks for the offer, but I decline."
"Hmm, really? But the two ladies may think differently, right?" Even though I politely refused him, the man was persistent and only backed down once Erwen and Amelia clearly said no.
"I refuse," said Erwen.
"We can take care of ourselves," Amelia agreed.
"That's a shame. Our clan's branch office is located in Ravigion, District Eight. If your team disbands and you have nowhere to go, come find us."
Ha, bullshit until the end.
"Come, let's get back to camp!"
I barely suppressed a scoff as I watched him lead his group back.
"Mister, why did you hold back?"
"I can't start swinging my hammer just because I'm a little annoyed."
"Hmm, can't you?" Erwen and I ignored Amelia's question.
"B-But if I stepped forward, that scumbag wouldn't have been so rude!" Erwen didn't hide her anger or her confusion about the way I handled things, but it was unavoidable. This girl stood out wherever she went and rumors spread fast. I didn't want any information on us to leak to the outside world, no matter how trivial.
But it wouldn't be a good idea to say all that. "Thanks anyway, Erwen."
"...F-For what?"
"You held back even though you were so angry."
"That's because... you told me not to step out unless you said..."
"That's why I'm thankful."
"R-Really...? It was nothing. I can do that every day..."
Instead of explaining myself at length, I obfuscated the point instead. After all, expressing sentiment was the most important thing.
"You handled that surprisingly quickly," Amelia remarked.
"Why are you saying that like it's a surprise? Whatever, let's go back to sleep. We have a long way to travel again tomorrow. Okay, Erwen?"
"Okay!"
After sorting out the situation with the Huntsman Clan in record time, we lay down in our sleeping bags again and continued sleeping. What could have been hours or mere minutes later, I heard a voice.
"Schuitz, wake up." Amelia urgently shook me awake.
What, is it those bastards again?
Whip!
I jumped up and was about to reach for my hammer next to me when she said, "Calm down. It's not people this time."
"...What?"
It's not people? Then what on earth...
"Don't tell me..." I whipped my head around to scan our surroundings and was finally able to spot what I was looking for with my own two eyes.
"Gigeek, gigig?" It was the only monster that appeared on Fione Island: the rank-four rare-type, Laplait mimic.
This was a monster that, when killed, had a certain probability of dropping a Numbered Item. When it dropped an essence, rumor had it that it made you billions. This monster appeared in other areas as well, but there was no place it was easier to find than Fione Island. Well, you were considered lucky if you saw it once over the course of a month. Of course, those odds took the entire island into account, not just a territory.
"That's none of your business."
"Don't be so on guard. I'm just trying to help. Things could get dangerous if a monster suddenly appears, right? If you want, we could lend you our campsite..." He trailed off, then glanced at Erwen and Amelia behind me.
Ha. This son of a bitch has a knack for pissing people off.
"Thanks for the offer, but I decline."
"Hmm, really? But the two ladies may think differently, right?" Even though I politely refused him, the man was persistent and only backed down once Erwen and Amelia clearly said no.
"I refuse," said Erwen.
"We can take care of ourselves," Amelia agreed.
"That's a shame. Our clan's branch office is located in Ravigion, District Eight. If your team disbands and you have nowhere to go, come find us."
Ha, bullshit until the end.
"Come, let's get back to camp!"
I barely suppressed a scoff as I watched him lead his group back.
"Mister, why did you hold back?"
"I can't start swinging my hammer just because I'm a little annoyed."
"Hmm, can't you?" Erwen and I ignored Amelia's question.
"B-But if I stepped forward, that scumbag wouldn't have been so rude!" Erwen didn't hide her anger or her confusion about the way I handled things, but it was unavoidable. This girl stood out wherever she went and rumors spread fast. I didn't want any information on us to leak to the outside world, no matter how trivial.
But it wouldn't be a good idea to say all that. "Thanks anyway, Erwen."
"...F-For what?"
"You held back even though you were so angry."
"That's because... you told me not to step out unless you said..."
"That's why I'm thankful."
"R-Really...? It was nothing. I can do that every day..."
Instead of explaining myself at length, I obfuscated the point instead. After all, expressing sentiment was the most important thing.
"You handled that surprisingly quickly," Amelia remarked.
"Why are you saying that like it's a surprise? Whatever, let's go back to sleep. We have a long way to travel again tomorrow. Okay, Erwen?"
"Okay!"
After sorting out the situation with the Huntsman Clan in record time, we lay down in our sleeping bags again and continued sleeping. What could have been hours or mere minutes later, I heard a voice.
"Schuitz, wake up." Amelia urgently shook me awake.
What, is it those bastards again?
Whip!
I jumped up and was about to reach for my hammer next to me when she said, "Calm down. It's not people this time."
"...What?"
It's not people? Then what on earth...
"Don't tell me..." I whipped my head around to scan our surroundings and was finally able to spot what I was looking for with my own two eyes.
"Gigeek, gigig?" It was the only monster that appeared on Fione Island: the rank-four rare-type, Laplait mimic.
This was a monster that, when killed, had a certain probability of dropping a Numbered Item. When it dropped an essence, rumor had it that it made you billions. This monster appeared in other areas as well, but there was no place it was easier to find than Fione Island. Well, you were considered lucky if you saw it once over the course of a month. Of course, those odds took the entire island into account, not just a territory.
"...To think we would run into this guy while just stopping by."
Yes, this is the romance of a good adventure.
"Schuitz, what will you do?" Amelia asked in a whisper.
"What else is there to do?" I replied.
You think I'm going to give this up because of those guys?
"Of course we should kill it."
"...I thought you would say that. I'll go wake Erwen." Amelia headed over to the sleeping bag on the side to wake Erwen up as well.
I belatedly realized something strange. "Wait, 'Erwen'? When did you get so close?"
"Now that I've spent some time with her, she's kind of cute."
Huh, the human heart could be so unpredictable. Was this the enemies-to-friends trope in action?
"...Cute?"
"I guess I don't need to wake her up."
Erwen sat up at the sound of our conversation, rubbing her eyes. "Wake me up...? But what are you two doing right now?"
"There's a Laplait mimic."
"...Really?" She jumped to her feet before her eyes locked on the box rolling around peacefully about twenty yards from us.
"Gigik! Gigigik?! Gigik!" As a non-aggressive monster, the Laplait mimic just seemed curious about us and didn't show any hostility.
"Erwen, your role is important here since we don't have a wizard on our team."
"I know. You said I have to kill it in one go since there's no wizard, right?"
"Yes, otherwise it'll immediately go underground."
For reference, if this guy hid underground, it was safe to say it was gone. A one-shot kill was critical here.
"Erwen, shoot as hard as you can. If possible, summon the elemental of darkness too. Ah, you know its real body is the box, right? You can't shoot the stem just because it looks like a body—"
"Don't worry. I'll make sure to get it."
"Yes, I believe in you." There was no other option than to believe in her in the first place. Erwen had the highest damage output of all of us.
"Then... here I go." Erwen slowly pulled the bowstring.
[Erwen Fornacci di Tersia has cast Element Synthesis.]
Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and even Darkness—five elements combined into one and began to emit an unusual energy. Of course, even as all this happened, the Laplait mimic remained utterly calm.
"Gigik...?" It tilted its head like it was confused by what it was seeing. That innocence evoked a biological sense of guilt, but that was all. We were adventurers, after all. It was our job to beat up both monsters and people for money.
Tap.
Erwen finished concentrating and released the bowstring.
Whiiip!
The arrow shot forward at a speed so fast it was difficult to see with the naked eye.
"G-Gigigik!" Only then did the Laplait mimic panic, but it was already too late.
Kwaaaaaang!
The arrow flew into the Laplait mimic's open mouth and exploded with a bang.
"G-Gigigik...!" Surprisingly, it was still alive even though its box was shattered and its body was in tatters. "Gigigik!" With its last bit of energy, it attempted to burrow into the ground, but Erwen was one step ahead of it.
[Erwen Fornacci di Tersia has cast Rupture.]
As soon as the follow-up attack landed, the Laplait mimic burst into hundreds of pieces.
Shaaaaa!
Before long, the bits turned into flecks of light and disappeared.
[You have defeated a Laplait mimic. EXP +6]
As you'd expect from a rank-four monster, the XP increase was noticeable. It was a very pleasant feeling each time, but I focused on something else.
There's...no essence.
Well, I didn't really have my hopes up. I'd have to be totally greedy to wish for an essence on top of everything else.
Please, at least 5000 or below.
Soon, two objects dropped where the Laplait mimic had been standing. One was a mana stone. The other...
"It's a ring...?"
When I got closer to the loot, an incredulous laugh erupted from my throat. "Huh..."
"Schuitz, do you know what it is?"
Of course, how could I forget? I almost died because of this thing. It was No. 6111: Fate Tracer, the ring that the Dragon Slayer bastard had been wearing in the Labyrinth of Larcaz.
It's not a bad item, but it is a bit disappointing...
"What kind of ring is it? I-If it's good for an archer..." Erwen trailed off with a hungry look in her eye. She was never particularly greedy about things, but I guessed even she coveted Numbered Items.
"It's hard to say whether it's good for a specific type of adventurer."
"Hard to say?"
"If I had to classify it, it's a detection-type magic device. When something happens near you, you can discern whether it's positive or negative by the color emitted by the ring."
For reference, there were three colors: green, red, and yellow. That was why it was nicknamed the Traffic Light Ring.
"It's not bad to have one around, so it would be best to keep this rather than sell it."
"...Then can I wear it?"
"You? But you already have a lot of rings. I'll just wear this."
"Ah, okay. Okay! Th-that would be best, right?" With Erwen's approval, I put the ring on my finger without hesitation.
[The ring has detected your fate.]
It promptly lit up.
"...To think we would run into this guy while just stopping by."
Yes, this is the romance of a good adventure.
"Schuitz, what will you do?" Amelia asked in a whisper.
"What else is there to do?" I replied.
You think I'm going to give this up because of those guys?
"Of course we should kill it."
"...I thought you would say that. I'll go wake Erwen." Amelia headed over to the sleeping bag on the side to wake Erwen up as well.
I belatedly realized something strange. "Wait, 'Erwen'? When did you get so close?"
"Now that I've spent some time with her, she's kind of cute."
Huh, the human heart could be so unpredictable. Was this the enemies-to-friends trope in action?
"...Cute?"
"I guess I don't need to wake her up."
Erwen sat up at the sound of our conversation, rubbing her eyes. "Wake me up...? But what are you two doing right now?"
"There's a Laplait mimic."
"...Really?" She jumped to her feet before her eyes locked on the box rolling around peacefully about twenty yards from us.
"Gigik! Gigigik?! Gigik!" As a non-aggressive monster, the Laplait mimic just seemed curious about us and didn't show any hostility.
"Erwen, your role is important here since we don't have a wizard on our team."
"I know. You said I have to kill it in one go since there's no wizard, right?"
"Yes, otherwise it'll immediately go underground."
For reference, if this guy hid underground, it was safe to say it was gone. A one-shot kill was critical here.
"Erwen, shoot as hard as you can. If possible, summon the elemental of darkness too. Ah, you know its real body is the box, right? You can't shoot the stem just because it looks like a body—"
"Don't worry. I'll make sure to get it."
"Yes, I believe in you." There was no other option than to believe in her in the first place. Erwen had the highest damage output of all of us.
"Then... here I go." Erwen slowly pulled the bowstring.
[Erwen Fornacci di Tersia has cast Element Synthesis.]
Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and even Darkness—five elements combined into one and began to emit an unusual energy. Of course, even as all this happened, the Laplait mimic remained utterly calm.
"Gigik...?" It tilted its head like it was confused by what it was seeing. That innocence evoked a biological sense of guilt, but that was all. We were adventurers, after all. It was our job to beat up both monsters and people for money.
Tap.
Erwen finished concentrating and released the bowstring.
Whiiip!
The arrow shot forward at a speed so fast it was difficult to see with the naked eye.
"G-Gigigik!" Only then did the Laplait mimic panic, but it was already too late.
Kwaaaaaang!
The arrow flew into the Laplait mimic's open mouth and exploded with a bang.
"G-Gigigik...!" Surprisingly, it was still alive even though its box was shattered and its body was in tatters. "Gigigik!" With its last bit of energy, it attempted to burrow into the ground, but Erwen was one step ahead of it.
[Erwen Fornacci di Tersia has cast Rupture.]
As soon as the follow-up attack landed, the Laplait mimic burst into hundreds of pieces.
Shaaaaa!
Before long, the bits turned into flecks of light and disappeared.
[You have defeated a Laplait mimic. EXP +6]
As you'd expect from a rank-four monster, the XP increase was noticeable. It was a very pleasant feeling each time, but I focused on something else.
There's...no essence.
Well, I didn't really have my hopes up. I'd have to be totally greedy to wish for an essence on top of everything else.
Please, at least 5000 or below.
Soon, two objects dropped where the Laplait mimic had been standing. One was a mana stone. The other...
"It's a ring...?"
When I got closer to the loot, an incredulous laugh erupted from my throat. "Huh..."
"Schuitz, do you know what it is?"
Of course, how could I forget? I almost died because of this thing. It was No. 6111: Fate Tracer, the ring that the Dragon Slayer bastard had been wearing in the Labyrinth of Larcaz.
It's not a bad item, but it is a bit disappointing...
"What kind of ring is it? I-If it's good for an archer..." Erwen trailed off with a hungry look in her eye. She was never particularly greedy about things, but I guessed even she coveted Numbered Items.
"It's hard to say whether it's good for a specific type of adventurer."
"Hard to say?"
"If I had to classify it, it's a detection-type magic device. When something happens near you, you can discern whether it's positive or negative by the color emitted by the ring."
For reference, there were three colors: green, red, and yellow. That was why it was nicknamed the Traffic Light Ring.
"It's not bad to have one around, so it would be best to keep this rather than sell it."
"...Then can I wear it?"
"You? But you already have a lot of rings. I'll just wear this."
"Ah, okay. Okay! Th-that would be best, right?" With Erwen's approval, I put the ring on my finger without hesitation.
[The ring has detected your fate.]
It promptly lit up.