Affinity Farming (3)
Affinity Farming (3)
Once combat begins, the Navigator's role is temporarily suspended.
Naturally, this round robot equipped with the Navigator has absolutely no combat functions.
If a monster of an unknown type appeared in a slightly high-risk operation, the operator would analyze it and inform us of dangerous variables, but well, the personnel currently deployed for a C-class operation are more than enough, so why bother?
So, all I do is stand there blankly and watch them show off their skills.
After one Boblin that charged in the vanguard was skewered by a spear, none of the others are rushing in recklessly.
Dolorence, who shook off the corpse by swinging her spear violently, smiles brightly.
"If you're not coming, I'm coming to you!"
Boblins, which share characteristics almost identical to Goblins, use their heads.
At the very least, it means they have the ability to distinguish between dangerous and non-dangerous times, and between pushovers and those who aren't.
And that cunning intelligence turns toward Hwaran, who was watching Dolorence's exhilarating charge in an awkward stance.
It seems they intend to take Hwaran hostage.
[Hwaran! To your side——!]
Before I could even finish speaking, Hwaran's hand moved first.
A bolt shot from the crossbow she was holding with a pishuk sound, embedding itself right in the center of the forehead of the Boblin that was trying to sneak up on her.
The Boblin loses its strength instantly and collapses to the ground with a thud.
And the group of Boblins, swept up by the excited and rampaging Dolorence, are torn to pieces.
The sight of purple flesh flying through the air is quite a rare spectacle.
"I will provide support fire."
Saying that, Hwaran lies down on the spot and calmly flicks the trigger of her crossbow without even reloading.
Bluish arrows made of mysterious energy fly, miraculously avoiding only Dolorence, and strike the foreheads of the Boblins located in her blind spots.
Not long after, we were able to annihilate the entire group of Boblins we encountered.
[No biological reactions. Area 1 cleared. Good work.]
"Hmm. These guys weren't even a warm-up."
"I agree. They weren't as dangerous as they looked."
Today's goal is to mop up the Boblin groups within the operation area.
They aren't a huge threat, but if left alone, they quickly multiply and form small armies, so periodic cleanup operations often arise.
They are also a main source of income for small offices like ours.
[We're still in the early stages of the operation. As far as currently confirmed, there are 5 groups remaining, and since there are a few guys gathered nearby, let's take care of them first.]
†
The Boblin cleanup operation went smoothly.
There were no special entities that could be called variables, and no rifts appeared suddenly.
Whenever a Boblin group was identified, Dolorence would dash out, and Hwaran would provide support fire from behind; after repeating this a few times, only the last ones were left before we knew it.
Before entering the final battle, we took a short break to check our equipment status.
Unlike Dolorence, who seemed to be in a pretty good mood because she could run wild for the first time in a while, Hwaran's expression wasn't very good.
[Hwaran-ssi, is there a problem?]
"No. It's ending without any particular damage in my first operation, so there's no problem. It's just..."
[Just?]
"It's just that I feel like I haven't been able to show the Director my performance... I guess you could say I'm a bit impatient..."
Hwaran looked down at the crossbow she was holding.
So that was the problem, wondering why she was making such a long face when she had done well so far.
I don't know much about the battles of ability users.
After all, I'm a normal person, and I'm not even from this place to begin with.
However, I do know that using those incomprehensible abilities is not an easy task.
Simply lifting and swinging a weapon consumes a mysterious energy called mana. Ranged combat ability users usually have a greater physical burden because they have to create the ammunition or arrows they use.
However, thanks to last night's level up... or should I say, Hwaran was far from looking tired; she was actually energetic.
[How is your mana status right now?]
"It's in a state of almost no consumption. During this break, I've almost replenished the mana I used earlier."
[That alone means you're doing well enough. Hwaran didn't slack off while I was watching. In fact, you were fighting extremely diligently.]
Hwaran looked down at me.
[For ranged ability users, sustainability is just as important as firepower. In that respect, showing such consistency is also a very important factor.]
"Is that so?"
From the office's perspective, we don't want variables to arise with the personnel sent into battle.
Even if their firepower is a bit stronger, if their sustainability during battle drops, it's natural for their preference to drop.
In that respect, Hwaran was showing a sufficiently good performance.
Of course, that doesn't only apply to ranged ability users.
[If you've rested enough, shall we go now?]
"...Yes."
"Phew. Finally, this boring operation is over. I almost fell asleep during the battle, you know?"
[Dolorence-ssi. I will make sure to include what you just said in the evaluation report.]
"......."
When I relayed the words of Seora, who was watching the operation from the office, Dolorence's spirit completely withered.
Come on, I can make a joke. That's too harsh.
Monsters were detected not far away.
[Confirming the last operation area. The number of entities is currently... 15, no, 17... no. Wait.]
While maintaining shared vision, I checked the operator monitor.
On the simplified map, the number of red dots keeps increasing.
Endlessly.
[Oh no, it seems like a rift exists. I can't see anything through the Navigator's view right now. Hwaran-ssi, Dolorence-ssi, do you see anything?]
"No. Nothing."
"Really nothing. There's just a hazy fog where you said it was."
It was highly likely to be a sensory anomaly seen in areas exposed to high contamination levels. In fact, the contamination level located in one corner of the Navigator was rising little by little.
The suddenly increasing number of monsters, the rising contamination level.
A rift has formed here.
It wouldn't matter if it were small, but it's a variable that doesn't fit a C-class operation in the first place.
Even with an A-class and a strengthened B-class, retreating for now was appropriate.
[Let's retreat from here. We need to report to the Association and get it upgraded to a higher grade.]
"Roughly what grade do you think it is?"
[...At least B, though it depends on the scale of the rift, A or higher is also possible.]
"Finally, a grade I like!"
As Dolorence gives a satisfied smile, anxiety creeps in.
[There's a possibility we'll inherit the operation as is, so let's retreat for now—.]
"Watch closely, kid. This is what an A-class battle is. And don't go spreading rumors anywhere!"
Then, Dolorence dashed out.
"Haa, so that's why Dolorence-ssi took our mission."
I had no choice but to nod at Seora's grumbling.
An A-class rushing into a C-class operation. It's strange unless she's a volunteer.
It's no wonder work gets cut off when she acts out like that.
Still, that's that, and I have to do what I have to do.
Since a team member has rushed in, I can't just stay still.
[Hwaran-ssi, I'm sorry, but I think we need to provide support fire. Is it possible?]
"Of course."
With a determined nod, Hwaran finds cover and takes her position.
She seems excited, somehow.
"Dolorence has encountered the monsters. Combat starting."
With Seora's calm combat notification, the noise of battle erupts.
Dolorence, who drove her spear from top to bottom toward the head of the Boblin in front of her as soon as she saw it, slams the spear into the ground just like that.
Grabbing the firmly fixed spear shaft with both hands, she leaps and spins her body skillfully.
Then, Dolorence lets go and launches her body into the air.
Watching that scene calmly, Hwaran snipes the Boblins around Dolorence's landing point.
Dolorence, who looks like she's just running wild at a glance, is also reducing the number of Boblins in sync with Hwaran's support fire.
At the point when the number of red dots displayed on the monitor was halved in an instant.
"Director, I've confirmed the rift."
[What's the size?]
Dolorence's radio transmission, who had gone ahead first.
"At this scale... I think it's large-class?"
Rifts are graded according to their size.
Small, medium, large. And even extra-large, which only exists in rumors.
A large-class one is big enough for a tank to pass through easily.
But why?
Originally, in the early part of the original work, rifts do not appear directly.
It's the tutorial section, and they say it's because they shouldn't throw big dangers at the start?
And after progressing a bit, small-class ones appear.
A size where one Boblin barely pops out.
But large-class?
Here?
And it wasn't even visible through the Navigator's shared vision?
[What's the reason it's impossible to confirm with the Navigator?]
"Ah, that! I think it's because it's on the ground."
Dolorence continues her analysis while clearing away the Boblins clinging to her.
[Dolorence-ssi, I think it's right to retreat for now. Hwaran-ssi, please continue support fire so Dolorence-ssi can get out.]
"Damn it, it's embarrassing to just—let's just catch them all and get out—."
Ku-ung.
"All..."
Ujeojeok.
Kung.
An ominous sound echoed through the ruined city center.