Grebach Canyon
"Whoa..."
Charbun gasped in awe.
It was the pure, untainted reaction of someone who hailed from a region far harsher and more isolated than even Melgen.
"L-Lord Roan!"
Charbun called out, his eyes darting around at the laborers and miners who reeked of sweat and iron.
"W-Would it be alright if... if I were to act on my own for a moment? I-I wish to gather some useful information as a scout!"
Charbun was currently bursting with motivation. If Roan said no, that fiery enthusiasm would undoubtedly fizzle out in an instant.
"Of course!"
Roan had no intention of stopping him anyway. Always thrilled to see his comrades show initiative, he readily gave Charbun his blessing.
With Charbun gone, the usual core group remained. Velgard was the first to speak up.
"Shall we... head over there, then? I believe that was the shop dealing in magical goods."
"You took the words right out of my mouth. It's that place, right?"
Jane agreed with her. Having looked around the city during their last visit, they seemed to have a specific spot in mind.
"Where is it?" Roan asked.
"Hehe, it seems even Mr. Roan doesn't know," Velgard teased gently.
"Come to think of it, he always carries around whatever gear is just 'good enough.' Do you think he's completely clueless about this stuff?" Jane chimed in.
"Exactly!"
Roan readily admitted it. It wasn't that he was entirely ignorant, but rather that he had previously left such matters to the expert in their party—a blacksmith who could effortlessly craft magical equipment. But that blacksmith wasn't with them right now.
Just like with the shaman's materials, they didn't even know what ingredients they needed. For now, they had no choice but to rely on other blacksmiths scattered across the continent.
"Then let's head to the workshop first. Which way is it?"
"Ah, yes! This way. It's tucked away in a bit of an alley."
...
This was Bebelhon's sole workshop specializing in magic. The staves, crystal balls, and various other items lining the display shelves lent an air of credibility to the place.
"It is impossible..."
Yet, the response they received from the artisan in such a reputable shop was a flat, terrified refusal.
"Why?" Jane pressed. "We're not asking for any extra effects. Just mount them onto a staff so I can carry them around."
"These are not artifacts that can be handled with such simple work..."
The artisan pointed at the runestone on the table. He was so cautious he barely dared to point, as if merely touching it might trigger a catastrophe.
"Lumen's Crystal... I have never even heard of such a thing. And spell-casting time reduction? This is far too advanced for someone of my caliber to handle."
He then pointed to the transparent gem right next to it.
"And on top of that, the Wisdom of Ulterul... Anyone in this industry would recognize this legendary gem instantly...!"
"So, what exactly does it do?"
Roan, who had only gathered that these were incredible items from their reactions, finally voiced his curiosity.
"Well... from what I understand, it's a gem that aids in the awakening of knowledge," Velgard answered in place of Jane, who was busy arguing with the artisan. Even with the explanation, it was difficult to grasp.
"Ah, basically... it allows a mage to analyze an opponent's magic to find its weaknesses, and even replicate spells they haven't learned on the fly."
Of course, any knowledge gained would vanish immediately afterward. Nonetheless, its power was undeniably immense. It was perfectly understandable why the artisan found it too daunting to handle.
"An artisan is supposed to overcome difficulties! Aren't you Bebelhon's only magic workshop?!" Jane barked.
"Jane, hold on a second."
Roan stepped in to restrain the snapping mage. The way she instantly shut her mouth the moment he intervened was both amusing and impressive.
"Hearing him out, it makes sense why he can't do it. We've brought him two incredibly rare items."
"But still... can't he just bind them together into a staff?"
"They cannot simply be bound together," the artisan explained, sighing. "I must find the point of connection while managing the magical repulsion between the artifacts. Neither of these is an ordinary item..."
Everyone had their own struggles. It seemed the sheer quality of the items made them impossible to fuse at his current level.
"...Then do you know anyone who can combine these two?" Roan asked.
"I dare say you will struggle to find anyone. Not to boast, but my skills are considered quite high even on a continental scale."
With that, the artisan scribbled something down and handed it to them.
"Here is a list of master artisans who handle magical equipment. I suggest you try looking for them first."
— Master Magic Artisans —
The Kingdom, The Empire, The Holy State, Froun, Tyramore...
Even Jane couldn't help but look sheepish in this situation, casting a tentative glance at Roan.
"...What are we going to do?"
"Is that even a question? Of course we're going to find them!" Roan replied instantly.
However, it wouldn't be their top priority. It would likely be a journey where they handled their main tasks first, searching for a master staff-maker along the way.
Just as Roan was about to explain this, the workshop door burst open.
"Eek!"
The artisan shrieked in terror and scrambled under the counter. The newcomer possessed an overwhelming presence that warranted such a reaction—though it didn't faze the other three in the slightest.
"Charbun!"
"H-Huff, puff... So this is where you were... I-I have been searching everywhere for you..."
Wiping away his sweat as he gasped for breath, Charbun looked around the shop.
"O-Oh...? Were you perhaps looking for an artisan to craft your gear?"
"No, he said he can't do it here. So we're planning to move to another location."
Roan showed Charbun the paper. It was covered in various regional names, obvious enough for even an uninformed observer to understand.
"We're thinking of heading to Hidin first since it's the closest. What do you think?"
"O-Oh, no! There is no need to travel across the entire continent...!"
"Pardon? Did you find something?"
At Velgard's question, Charbun nodded vigorously.
"I-I found it! The location of a catalyst so excellent that even a novice could craft with it, provided we obtain the materials!"
"...A catalyst that allows even a novice to craft?"
His curiosity piqued by Charbun's words, the artisan slowly poked his head out from beneath the counter.
"Could you perhaps tell me the name of this catalyst?"
"T-They called it the... the Branch of Elpup."
The artisan's face went pale at the name.
"Are you saying you intend to obtain that? Surely you jest. Even the most renowned adventurers cannot easily lay their hands on such an item..."
The artisan spoke as if telling them to stop joking around. But hearing this, Roan's eyes flashed with excitement.
"Perfect!"
The fact that even powerful adventurers struggled to obtain it only made it more appealing. It had to be that rare to be worthy of his comrades' use.
Roan, always quick to make decisions, didn't hesitate for a second.
"Charbun! Where do we need to go to get it?"
"A-Ah, yes... yes! Well... they said it was spotted in the deepest depths of Grebach Canyon!"
Charbun, standing at attention, blurted out the destination. It was a massive canyon near Bebelhon, famous for its crystal trees. The oldest tree in the deepest part of the canyon was said to bear the Branch of Elpup.
"I-I also investigated the canyon itself, of course!"
Having poured his entire soul into gathering information, Charbun began to list his findings one by one.
First, fragile crystals littered the walls and floors. Many adventurers had bled to death from repeatedly getting cut by them.
Second, the interior of the canyon was filled with decaying corpses and toxic sulfur gas, severely restricting the use of fire.
Third, there were abandoned mining tunnels left behind by old miners, which had now become nests for monsters that had evolved alongside the crystals.
Finally, the deepest depths housed the leader of these monsters. It was said that no one had ever survived a direct confrontation with this beast.
It was a perilous labyrinth that would pique any adventurer's interest and make any ordinary citizen's knees buckle with fear. Yet, far from wavering, the light in Roan's eyes only grew brighter.
And everyone present knew exactly what decision Roan would make when he looked like that.
"Then we should prepare for the expedition in advance," Velgard said.
"Buy a reasonable amount this time," Jane grumbled. "Last time we bought way too much and ended up leaving without using half of it."
"Still, isn't that better than running short and putting ourselves in danger?"
"...I suppose that's true."
"A-Ah! I will handle the preparations!" Charbun volunteered.
"E-Excuse me... but where exactly are you planning to go...?" the artisan asked, his eyes wide with disbelief as he watched them casually plan their expedition.
"The canyon!" Roan answered proudly.
Grebach Canyon. A labyrinth filled with beautiful, brilliant death. That was where they were headed.
...
"Charbun, really okay? Let me know if you're tired. I can carry that for you," Velgard offered.
"I-I am perfectly fine! I must pull my own weight! This is nothing at all... Ah, I believe it is starting to come into view over there..."
Leading the way with a massive backpack slung over his shoulders, Charbun pointed ahead. True enough, crystals were visibly sprouting straight out of the ground.
"Well, shall we head in?" Roan asked.
"I-I will go first!"
The eager Charbun raised his hand high. After receiving permission, he handed over the backpack and slowly stepped into the canyon.
"Charbun! How is it? It didn't look very wide from the outside, but is it okay in there?" Roan called out.
"It is incredibly spacious inside, b-but..."
Clang! Shatter!
The faint sound of breaking crystals echoed from within. Was it because his massive frame was inevitably brushing against them?
"It is dangerous."
It wasn't just his size.
"The surrounding area is littered with crystals that explode at the slightest touch. If not for Lady Velgard's barrier, shards would have already pierced my body in multiple places."
There were numerous external hazards.
"A-And the gas is suffocating. The concentration is too high to take a deep breath."
On top of that, there were internal hazards as well.
"At the very bottom, I can see monsters with crystals growing on their backs. They appear to be crustaceans, and they are simply waiting for me to descend."
And finally, the monsters. It was a labyrinth where merely standing still was a hazard. No wonder no one could retrieve such an incredible material despite knowing it was here.
Listening to Charbun's report, Velgard turned to Roan.
"...What would you like to do?"
"Can't we just tell Charbun to come back up and throw a fire spell?" Jane suggested. "We can blow the whole place up at once and then walk in."
Velgard shook her head.
"An explosion might cause the entire canyon to collapse. We came here to find the branch, remember? It would be a disaster if the branch got destroyed in the process."
"Velgard is right. We have to take this step by step," Roan agreed.
Which meant they had to conquer it with their bare bodies.
Having finished their discussion, Roan turned to Velgard. With her assistance, the party enveloped their entire bodies in protective barriers.
"Charbun! Prepare for battle! We're coming down!"
Shouting the command, Roan leaped into the canyon without a moment's hesitation.
...Without even a rope!