101 - Skill Battle
After the match ended, I was called by a guild employee and was receiving a brief explanation at the reception desk.
Actually, since I caused a commotion with other adventurers on the first day I registered the East Branch as my home, it seemed I was receiving a severe warning.
I couldn't accept it, but from the guild's perspective, it seemed there was no option to say nothing to me.
As the representative of the party, I sat facing the guild employee at the reception, Tanya.
My other companions were waiting in the cafe called the resting area within the guild. There was probably no need for all eight of us to talk.
The slender Tanya-san looked at me with a bit of exasperation as she finished the report.
As for Aehardt, I heard he was carried off to the guild's infirmary, kept under observation for a while, and then received a severe warning.
"Haa, it's true that the other party is more at fault. Moreover, I understand that Liel-kun was dragged into it, as I have confirmed the circumstances."
Despite that, I protested, dissatisfied that I was also receiving a severe warning.
"Then, there's no need for me to receive a severe warning—"
"There is."
Tanya-san, who stated it clearly, finished writing the report, filed the documents, and cleared the desk.
She seemed to be a meticulous person. Pushing up the right edge of her glasses with her fingertip to adjust their position, she proceeded to warn me.
"You have one of your party members dressed in a conspicuous manner. An automaton, was it? It is a fact that her appearance drew attention. While few adventurers act like Aehardt-kun by picking fights within the guild, there are a certain number of adventurers who resort to malicious means. Moreover, these are not inexperienced adventurers, but those with actual strength."
According to her, a certain number of malicious adventurers exist.
However, such adventurers are inevitably few in the mornings.
Since they are more active at night, they are often asleep in the morning.
Still, that isn't an absolute rule.
"There are times when 'the other party was bad' won't pass. In fact, parties like Liel-kun's tend to attract trouble. Please be careful as the leader."
Even if I wanted to argue, I decided to nod, acknowledging that I also bore some responsibility.
Then, Tanya-san checked the information on the guild cards and reviewed our evaluations so far.
"...It's been a while since Alamsars. But high evaluations are lined up. At this rate, you'll be able to participate in Labyrinth Subjugations soon."
Hearing Tanya-san's words, I tilted my head, as I hadn't heard about this during the orientation.
When I asked, Tanya-san looked a bit exasperated.
"You didn't know? The East Branch is famous for the travel time it takes, but naturally, there are merits. Otherwise, adventurers wouldn't gather here. That great merit is Labyrinth Subjugation."
Labyrinths managed by the Free City of Beim are, naturally, forbidden to be subjugated.
Apparently, there are fools who try to challenge the innermost chamber, but such adventurers are said to be erased by those called Sweepers.
In other words, in community-based branches, opportunities to challenge the innermost chamber are extremely rare. This meant that rare metals and treasures could not be obtained.
From the Jewel Orb, I heard the voice of the Third.
'The merit is Labyrinth Subjugation, huh. It's true that managed labyrinths cannot be subjugated, so being able to obtain rare metals and treasures is a huge merit.'
The Fourth, however, spoke with a doubting tone.
'But we didn't hear about it at the orientation. There might be some reason for that.'
True.
Thinking so, I asked.
"...Does that mean anyone can challenge them?"
Tanya-san shook her head slightly.
"No. We send multiple parties with a certain level of strength. In such cases, we inevitably send parties with high evaluations. However, a system is in place where requests come to the East Branch with the highest priority if a labyrinth is discovered. In other branches, such requests occur only a few times a year, if at all."
(A few times a year? Is it that few? No, should I think of it as a lot? I don't really understand the circumstances around that.)
Hearing this, the Seventh spoke with distaste.
'In other words, you can't challenge them unless your evaluation is high. It depends on the guild's evaluation.'
Tanya-san looked at me with a forced smile and announced.
"Adventurers with high evaluations are welcome. Please be excellent adventurers here as well."
In other words, it meant I should handle the jobs that come my way and raise my guild evaluation.
The guild side should also assign work based on the trends of our request completions.
Requests I'm bad at probably won't come my way, but still, I considered the merit of Labyrinth Subjugation.
(Naturally, treasures or rare metals from the innermost chamber can be obtained through Labyrinth Subjugation. The adventurer parties requested for subjugation are those who have received a certain evaluation from the guild. They are reliable, but at the same time, they are formidable rivals.)
For me, who possesses multiple skills, Labyrinth Subjugation is also a place where I can produce results beyond my actual strength.
Moving from the East Branch to another branch might have more disadvantages.
(I can challenge the labyrinths managed by Beim here too. Then, for now, it's correct for me to work here.)
If I turned a blind eye to a few disadvantages, this was certainly a convenient guild for me.
Standing up from the chair, I apologized to Tanya-san.
"I'll do my best to meet your expectations. Also, I apologize for today's commotion. I'm sorry."
Giggling, Tanya-san took off her glasses and said.
"From the staff's perspective, it was an event like something out of a book. It was interesting. Liel-kun became quite a celebrity from the first day."
Being told "my condolences" with a smile, I left with a wry laugh.
That day.
Returning to the inn, I spent time alone until dinner.
This was to project my consciousness into the Jewel Orb and train with the Sixth, one of the successive heads.
In the Sixth's Memory Room, I stood facing him with my weapon ready.
Just as I thought it was a room I had seen before, it was a room in the mansion where I had learned swordsmanship.
The training ground is an indispensable room for House Walt, which emphasizes martial arts.
"It hasn't changed since the old days."
As I said this while looking around.
'There's no reason to change it eccentrically. As long as the battlefield doesn't change significantly, it stays like this.'
Weapons, tactics, and magic—.
The Sixth's opinion was that as long as nothing groundbreaking appeared and the scenery of the battlefield didn't change, the training ground would remain the same.
A battle axe. The Sixth, holding a halberd, was laughing as he looked at me.
'Coincidentally, that brat Aehardt and I are the same type. Now, what will you do!'
He probably wanted to say "power type," but the Sixth does not possess the Physical Reinforcement skill. Even if he could use it, he should only be able to use Full Over, which is the initial stage of the First.
However, a halberd, which is like a large axe attached to a spear, can perform actions such as thrusting and slashing.
The range is wider than a greatsword, and moreover, the opponent is not Aehardt but the Sixth, who is rich in actual combat experience.
Furthermore, how many humans has he fought against?
Ready, we both moved as if drawing circles. While I waited to see whether to attack or parry the opponent's attack, the Sixth charged at me.
"So fast!"
The Sixth, like the First, possesses a blessed, massive physique.
Such a Sixth charges while thrusting the halberd.
Faced with an intimidation and pressure greater than Aehardt's, I tried to step back and parry—no, try to dodge, but...
'Naive. Too naive!'
I dodged the tip of the thrusting halberd, but the axe part cut my left shoulder as it was pulled back.
I thought it had barely touched me, but it had gouged deeper than I expected.
Blood spurted, and as I tried to create distance, the Sixth gripped the shaft further back and swung the halberd with one arm.
"Such brute force!"
'I told you, didn't I? That we're the same power type!'
When the halberd slammed into the ground, dust soared, and a sensation like an earthquake hit me.
While I was bewildered, the Sixth approached this time, gripping the shaft shorter.
Feeling that he was trying to clash within the range of a saber was a provocation, I immediately thrust my saber.
The Sixth tilted his head to the left to dodge, but I tried to slash the Sixth's neck while pulling back with the blade angled.
But—.
"...Is that even allowed?"
'Once I grab it, you can't escape, right? Besides, this level of thing is a daily occurrence!'
The Sixth, who had gripped the saber's blade with his left hand, swung the halberd in his right hand.
I let go of the saber to create distance, but the charging Sixth threw the saber far away and immediately thrust out his left arm, grabbing me by the collar and lifting me up.
With his physique, and with a strength befitting—no, exceeding it—I was lifted and then slammed straight into the ground.
'I didn't slam you head-first into the ground, but it was painful enough, wasn't it?'
Released, I slowly stood up.
Having been slammed on my back, I couldn't breathe. And in hand-to-hand combat, I was no match for the Sixth.
The difference in physique was too great. Even if my skill was higher than the Sixth's, I would lose if the opponent also had a corresponding level of skill.
Before that, there was no hesitation.
'Liel, you still have hesitation when facing humans.'
Told this, I opened my right hand. Then, as a saber appeared there, I gripped the hilt and took a stance.
The pain had already subsided, and the injury was back to normal as if nothing had happened.
"It's not as if we're just acquaintances, after all. I have some resistance to pointing a weapon at you."
The Sixth laughed.
'You're worrying too much. You won't die even if I kill you, so feel free to give it your all. Besides... you can't beat me with your full strength.'
Getting angry at being told that, I used my trump card skill.
Using the First's skill Full Burst, which multiplies abilities several times over, I thrust the saber at the Sixth.
But this time, the Sixth sacrificed his left hand. He caught the saber's blade with his left hand, and naturally, it pierced through.
Still, the Sixth was laughing. Gripping the saber so as not to let go, the blood from his left hand splashed onto my face.
The Sixth had moved intentionally to make that happen, widening the wound.
"Blinding me!"
With my vision blocked, I tried to use a skill to probe the opponent's actions.
However, the Second, the Fifth, the Sixth—.
Regarding probing the opponent's movements, there was no way I could match the Sixth.
Taking advantage of the momentary gap caused by my agitation...
'The Second told you too, didn't he! That skills only have meaning if you can master them! Being forced to use a skill by a mere provocation is something an idiot does!'
The flat part of the axe was swung down onto my head, and I fell to the ground.
The Sixth rested the halberd on his shoulder and began to lecture.
'Listen, you could have kept your distance and attacked with magic. Of course, I would have responded, but you can use the Second's skill up to the final stage. If you fought from a distance, there would still be a possibility—'
Standing up unsteadily, I looked at the Sixth.
'—What is it?'
"No, I just thought that although the Sixth isn't very conspicuous, you're unexpectedly strong."
Perhaps he also cared about it, as he swung the shaft of the halberd down onto my head.
'I'm not inconspicuous! The other members are just too eccentric! The reason an ordinary guy like me isn't conspicuous is because of that.'
The Sixth is normally strong.
(I think he's not normal, but compared to the others...)
He doesn't fight by bewildering the opponent like the Third.
He doesn't fight with quirks like the other successive heads, but he's just normally strong.
I haven't fought the First or the Second directly, but those two also have quirks in their fighting.
The Second's weapon was a bow. Close combat is difficult, but if distance is opened and the location is a forest, it's terrifying.
The First would probably swing a greatsword with all his might, but that would already be at the level of a storm or a gale.
As a result, my evaluation of the Sixth is 'normally strong.'
'Haa, that's it for today.'
Told this by the Sixth, who seemed somehow depressed, the saber in my hand disappeared before I knew it, and I was outside the Sixth's Memory Room.
In the conference room with the round table, the Fourth seemed to be waiting for me.
'Liel, it's time for dinner. Novem-chan has come to wake you.'
Hearing that, I tried to return immediately, but the Fourth stopped me. "Wait a moment," he said, looking up at the ceiling.
"What is it?"
I also looked up at the ceiling, and there was Novem's face.
She was peering into something and touching it with her hand.
"...She's touching me. Or rather, could you see the outside like this?"
The Fourth shook his head.
'There are cases where it's Liel's vision, and cases where it can be seen from the Jewel Orb like this. Though, both consume Liel's magic power.'
I can endure it now, but it was truly terrible when I first got the Jewel Orb. When the successive heads started making a fuss, I would immediately run out of magic and collapse.
"So, what are you waiting for?"
The Fourth, while looking up at the ceiling.
'...Because Novem-chan is smiling while looking at your face. I thought it might be okay to stay like this for a while.'
Looking up at the ceiling, Novem was indeed smiling.
She seemed to be touching my face.
"Then, I could just return my consciousness and pretend to be asleep..."
Then, the Fourth said.
'That's true. But, when she entered the room, she saw the Jewel Orb. Just a little... Novem-chan might still be hiding something. I wanted to tell you that.'
Hearing the Fourth's opinion, I looked up at the ceiling in the conference room with the round table.
While looking at Novem's smile projected there, I felt a little bit of anxiety.