Chapter 149
Chapter 149
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: 46. Outlaws (1)
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1.
“Adventurers need many qualities.”
There were all sorts of qualities required for an adventurer.
“All of them are important. But among them, the most crucial one is affinity.”
And the most important quality of all was affinity—the ability to quickly get along with others.
“Affinity that lets you befriend even your mortal enemy. It’s one of the most vital qualities out there. Right? If you’re in the worst possible situation and your enemy’s right beside you, what happens if you fight them? Of course, it’s not easy. But keep this in mind: you have to survive to go on the next adventure.”
Cooperating with enemies or rivals in moments of crisis had an enormous impact on survival.
And in the era of the Mystic Gate, that affinity became an even more essential skill.
No matter how much you despised your enemy, you had to join hands to conquer the Mystic Gate.
“And the adventurers with the best affinity are in the Elnas Mountains.”
The adventurers of the Elnas Mountains knew this fact better than anyone.
They had no choice but to know.
“In that harsh land, you always have to be ready to join hands.”
The tougher the situation, the more you needed to join hands.
Of course, it wasn’t just for that reason.
“And the adventurers of the Elnas Mountains are outlaws who’ll do anything to survive.”
The outlaws of the Elnas Mountains were more serious about survival than adventurers anywhere else.
They were the ones who had willingly chosen to live in that frozen hellscape of the Elnas Mountains just to stay alive.
For them, there was no such thing as eternal enemies or allies.
It was the same right now.
“I’m Ispa.”
“We’re Chidul. We’ve often heard of the infamous outlaw hunter.”
“The Chidul with a 100 million mesos bounty—we’ve heard of your fame plenty of times.”
Ispa’s party and the others who had come chasing the bounty on El Pam’s party had been rivals ready to kill or be killed just moments ago.
This wasn’t just a metaphor.
“I remember you gunning for my head too.”
“But we ultimately failed.”
They had actually fought life-or-death battles in the Elnas Mountains.
“It’s a good thing we failed back then. Thanks to that, we can get your help here now.”
“Same here.”
And yet, at this moment, they willingly joined hands.
“Let’s catch El Pam first, then figure out how to split the reward.”
They even reached a reasonable agreement right there.
“There’s no point in fighting over heads and leaving nothing for ourselves.”
“Exactly. And it’s not just us. Looks like at least three hundred or more are after El Pam.”
They gladly accepted the proposal to stick together until the end.
Nothing strange about it.
‘If need be.’
‘We can just get rid of them.’
They were the kind who could join hands anytime, but could also sever those hands anytime. That was the adventurers of the Elnas Mountains.
Of course, they didn’t join hands with just anyone.
Trust was necessary.
“No problem joining hands with someone like Chidul, who’s got a 100 million mesos bounty.”
And at this moment, their reputations became that trust.
That was why.
“So, who are you?”
“I’m El.”
“Never heard of you.”
The moment they saw El Pam—under his fake identity of El—the expressions of Chidul and the other party leaders hardened.
Right now, the only thing trustworthy was reputation, and they’d never heard the name El before.
“I haven’t been in the Elnas Mountains long.”
“Experience doesn’t matter. Skill does.”
If so, the only option left was to see the skill for themselves.
“Fine.”
El Pam gladly accepted their proposal.
Awoooo!
Right then, the howling of a Hector pack echoed perfectly timed.
A pack of a hundred!
No small number, and the moment they faced it, El Pam said confidently.
“We’ll show you our party’s skill.”
With that, El Pam’s party moved to hunt.
At the same time, Ispa and Chidul moved as well.
“Keep an eye on them.”
“Watch closely.”
They ordered the thief adventurers in their own parties to surveil.
Boom!
Moments later, an intensely powerful explosion rang out.
From that point, the sounds of fierce combat followed.
Repeatedly.
Intense sounds.
“Sounds like Explosion. That power means at least 5th Circle.”
A sound only a 5th Circle fire mage could produce.
“But not wise.”
It wasn’t a spell suited for this place.
The proper way to hunt monsters that formed packs like Hectors was to take them out as stealthily as possible.
Causing this much commotion brought nothing good.
Fortunately, luck was on their side this time.
“No more howling.”
Despite the racket, no additional Hectors gathered.
Boom boom!
Still, the battle dragged on.
Endlessly.
“If it were us, we’d have finished ages ago.”
“If it were our party, we could’ve done it twice as quietly and three times as fast.”
Even considering El Pam’s party had only five members, it wasn’t a speed you could call fast.
Soon, the surveilling comrades returned and gave a more detailed report.
“The mage named El used powerful fire magic. He had quite a few spells.”
“The warrior named Dira handled the polearm well.”
“The swordsman named Ke didn’t show anything special.”
“The pirate named Em had decent gun skills. Hit everything within twenty meters. Seems like someone to watch.”
“The priest named Ali was just big and stayed passive in the rear, only providing support.”
“Everyone but the pirate was below-average for 5th Circle adventurers.”
Below average.
“Yeah?”
“Then the answer’s clear.”
The moment they heard that evaluation, Ispa and Chidul reached the same conclusion.
2.
“Boss, it really went just like the real boss said.”
Ispa and Chidul made the exact same decision after witnessing El Pam’s party’s skill.
“Looks like they’re letting us join.”
They approved the merger with El Pam’s party.
“Hiding their skill like this. Does that even make sense?”
Dibo was honestly dumbfounded by it.
“If they lack skill, shouldn’t they just ditch them?”
The world of adventurers was cold. It had to be. You couldn’t adventure with humanism.
Lacking skill? Then you had to pay some other price to cover for that deficiency to be accepted into the group.
Moreover, this was the Mystic Gate.
Someone lacking skill was nothing but baggage.
To Dibo’s question, El Pam answered.
“Because they’re outlaws.”
That answer only deepened Dibo’s confusion.
“I know. They’re the type with no blood or tears, right?”
If they were outlaws, they should be even more ruthlessly calculating—then why accept El Pam’s party?
Of course, El Pam had known the answer all along.
“What outlaws fear most is someone stronger than them.”
“Huh?”
“What they like most is someone weak enough that they can crush them anytime.”
“Ah!”
The habits of outlaws.
Only then did Dibo and the others finally understand El Pam’s order—the command to deliberately hide their skill.
And El Pam’s intent continued to pay off afterward.
Ispa and Chidul roamed the first floor of the Mystic Gate together after joining hands, making contact with other outlaws from the Elnas Mountains.
“Join us?”
“Chidul with the 100 million mesos bounty and outlaw hunter Ispa? Worth teaming up with.”
The outlaws they contacted gladly took the offered hand.
“As long as it’s not that El party.”
But the moment they saw El Pam’s party skill, they gave the same response.
“Worth coming along!”
Without exception, everyone acknowledged El Pam’s party.
“That makes 158.”
And just like that, a whopping 158 adventurers and outlaws from the Elnas Mountains formed a group.
Very smoothly, without any real clashes.
No, it was more than smooth.
“We, Ispa party, will clear the front.”
“Then we, Chidul party, will handle the rear.”
The gathered adventurers and outlaws showed a level of cooperation that made their past notoriety and grudges seem laughable.
As if they were one single party.
Their teamwork in battle was even more astonishing.
Not a single one held back, skimped on effort, or fell behind.
They threw their full power into hunting monsters.
“No way, boss.”
At that sight, Dibo and El Pam’s companions couldn’t help but be shocked.
“Aren’t these guys outlaws?”
“Right.”
“But their cooperation is way better than most adventurer parties?”
In truth, competing adventurers rarely cooperated with each other.
Far from it—they usually held back power to conserve strength or for a show of force, or hung back. Proper teamwork was the exception.
Yet these outlaws were pulling off flawless cooperative play?
“Because they’re outlaws.”
“Huh?”
Of course, El Pam wasn’t surprised.
“Like I said before. Adventurers pursue all sorts of things: justice, fame, mesos, so many. But outlaws are different. Their top priority is survival.”
That’s how the outlaws he knew had always been.
“That’s why the Elnas Mountains are so terrifying. Once the outlaws start chasing you, hell begins.”
And for El Pam’s party, that was a chilling thought.
Honestly, Dibo and the others had thought their pursuers would turn on each other, eating and being eaten.
But the situation was the opposite.
Far from infighting, they were forming an even more troublesome pack of hyenas.
“This is dangerous.”
A headache in every way.
Of course, there was still some room for hope.
“Still, if they clash with other groups, their numbers should thin out quite a bit, right?”
The outlaws gathered around Ispa and Chidul’s parties numbered 158.
Not a small force, but this was a 400-man Mystic Gate.
Meaning at least 200 more outlaws remained.
The competition was just beginning.
No, if large groups collided, the damage would be even greater.
“They’d take heavy losses if they clashed.”
On that point, El Pam said.
“That’s why they won’t clash.”
“Huh?”
“They can see the heavy damage coming, so no need to shed blood.”
That’s when Miner raised a question.
“But still, aren’t there those crazy bastards who charge in without thinking? Right?”
Among the Elnas Mountains outlaws, there were plenty who were too unhinged to deal with.
Ones with no concept of cooperation, joining hands, or weighing options.
Those types would definitely cause trouble.
“That’s why I sold the info.”
“What?”
That was the reason.
“To filter out those crazies.”
“Ah!”
El Pam selling information about himself.
Not just for money, but to weed out the maniacs who’d cause chaos inside the Mystic Gate.
Of course, some troublemakers would remain, but those without a power base were just storms in a teacup.
In other words, everything here was under El Pam’s palm.
‘My god.’
Realizing that, El Pam’s companions felt chills run down their spines.
“Amazing. Truly amazing.”
Who would’ve thought he’d planned it this perfectly?
Naturally, that chill turned to faith.
“As long as we trust the boss, nothing can go wrong.”
El Pam nodded at that faith and said.
“But I can’t do it alone. I need help.”
“Of course, just give the order.”
“Dibo.”
“Yes, speak.”
“Take a Fire Arrow.”
“Huh?”
“It won’t threaten your life, but it’ll hit a pretty vital spot. Don’t defend.”
Dibo tilted his head at the words, then realized something, and his face hardened.
Moments later.
“Gahhhh!”
A scream rang out, and at the scream, Ispa, Chidul, and the outlaws reacted immediately.
“What?”
“My comrade was attacked!”
“Attacked? By who?”
“Hit by a Fire Arrow!”
At that moment, the adventurer mage El—carrying his wounded comrade—spoke.
“El Pam has appeared!”