kscans

Chapter 773 - Meeting Up High

Alright. While my top priority was, in a sense, greeting my artisan partner, my position among the rankers comes with its own set of responsibilities.

It’s a bit late to be thinking about it now, but my life isn't just my own anymore. If I disappear for a while or suddenly return, it's only proper to give a heads-up and show my face each time.

In other words, my second destination was also a foregone conclusion.

"—Look at you, all refreshed. Makes me wanna go to a hot spring, too."

"Why don't you go with your daughter, Helena-san?"

And so, I made my way to the Eastern Round Table. As per the schedule we'd arranged in the real world beforehand, the one who greeted me was my boss—or rather, the [General Commander].

"...Tch, easy for you to say. I'm swamped over here."

I shot back a lighthearted reply to his envious tone, and the great man, who resembled a golden lion, scowled back at me. With a colossal frame that went beyond just ‘burly,’ the old man—Goldow—was, despite his appearance, probably the most charming character among the Eastern Faction's rankers.

On top of that, he was the workhorse who handled more miscellaneous tasks than anyone, from personnel matters to coordinating with other factions. I might treat him casually, but of course, I've never once forgotten my gratitude.

"I'm always grateful, Commander, seriously. Want a shoulder rub?"

"Hmph. What's the point of rubbing an avatar's shoulders...?"

So, I tried a bit of playful buttering-up, only to have him scoff at me. Judging by his expression, while stress might not be the issue, he was definitely accumulating fatigue.

Maybe I should seriously start planning a vacation for him—

"Well, whatever. I'm on house-sitting duty this time. I've already taken care of the big stuff for Saturday. I'll leave the rest to Iris and Helena and take it easy for a bit."

As I was starting to get genuinely worried, Goldow let out a huge stretch and said his piece. The meaning behind the word 'house-sitting' was, in short…

"Oh. So the members are finalized?"

"Of course they are. There are only three days left, including today. If we were still dithering around at this point, it wouldn't even be a laughing matter."

"Well, yeah, but as someone who was casually off on a trip, I don't really have room to laugh either way…"

"Your mission was to rest. Just hold your head high and give it your all when the time comes."

—And well, what he meant by that was exactly what it sounded like.

"Haru, your entire clan, [Azure Sky], is deploying. I'm counting on you."

"...Okay, roger that."

In this case, given the nature of the elements required to conquer the next [Colored Monster]… [Green Connect, Jehatreglie], I had pretty much figured this out beforehand. So, no surprise there.

"You and Sora, and of course Ui, are a given... but Tetra has been on a roll lately and has become quite reliable. He's worth using one of the ranker slots for."

"And besides," he continued.

"Kanata is a real find—no, more like it's great that he's climbed this far. It's a huge boon to be able to rely on that much combat power without using up a slot. A real stroke of luck."

"I'm glad to see my junior being so highly praised."

Compared to the monstrous current rankers, there are still areas where we can't unconditionally rely on him. But it's true that he stands head and shoulders above the general pool of players, enough for Goldow to praise him without reservation.

Furthermore, since one of the skills emphasized for this [Green Connect] raid is 'speed,' Kanata, who's been called Acrobat No. 2 or a trainee by the public, will likely play a significant role.

…Then again, I don't know for sure. Right now, the raid requirements are just player speculation, so there's no way to predict who will truly shine.

—In any case.

"I've already sent the list. Take a look."

"Yessir."

A high-speed blitz operation, with everyone scattered to the winds.

With a clear strategy decided for the [Green Connect] raid, it was certain that the specs of us [Azure Sky Clan] members, who balanced individual combat power with survivability, were in high demand.

Sora-san goes without saying for various reasons, Kanata and I have our own 'legs,' and Tetra has the invaluable ability to ensure the safety of his companion through 'stealth.'

As for Ui-san, her raw combat power alone meant there was less need to worry about her than anyone.

—Alright, that being the case, what I'm curious about are the remaining six members.

Aside from the ten current ranker artisans from the Western Faction, Vestol, whose slots are confirmed, I wondered whose names filled the combat-oriented ranker slots.

There was me, the [Acrobat]; Tetra, the [Undying]; and Ui, the [Sword Saint], making three. And of course, the [Sword Queen] would be a guaranteed slot, making four. As for the other members…

"...I see."

Well, it was mostly as I expected. I called up the system window, jumped to the message tab, found the one from [Goldow], and nodded in understanding after reading it.

After a quick scan, I 'memorized' not just the names of the rankers but the entire list of one hundred general members as well, then dismissed the window.

Guess it's about time I asked for some clear orders.

"So, what should I be doing for now?"

I have all the motivation I need right here. If there were no instructions, I was planning to head off and train on my own... but the General Commander flashed the exact smile I expected and said a single sentence.

"Sorry, but just like with the [White Throne], you'll have to take on a bit of a special role. And for that, I need you to get along with your 'partner,' but…"

"Hoh, a partner."

Next, he gave me a meaningful look… ah, this is it. What Helena-san once called his 'bad habit.' In other words, he's deliberately drawing this out for his own amusement.

He's a complete prankster.

"It's a message for you—'I'm waiting at the top of the tallest building in the [Safe Area], so get your preparations done and come get me, pronto.'"

"And who might that be from?"

"That's the fun of going to find out, isn't it?"

"Seriously… I mean, I don't mind, but…"

Besides, I already have a pretty good idea who it is.

"That's all from me. From now on, follow Iris's instructions."

I shot a sidelong glance at Goldow, the old man who never forgot his playful side, as if to ask, 'Is this surprise really necessary?' In response, the great man stood up, letting out his usual booming laugh—

"Oof—!!?"

"Alright, give it your all this time too, kiddo."

He unleashed a mighty slap on my back and left in a cheerful mood.

◇◆◇◆◇

—And so it was that I made my way to the [Garden of Divine Creation], to the foot of the tallest building in the players' main district, the [Safe Area].

It's hard to believe this was built by another player... although in a fantasy world with magic and miracles, I suppose anything is possible. Still, the sheer scale of the massive clock tower was nothing short of impressive.

The weather in the virtual world of Arcadia is fixed for each region. So, if you look up at the sky from within the city, you'll always find it clear.

However, right now, a cloud was conveniently blocking the view of the 'top.'

My avatar's enhanced vision confirmed there was no human figure on the upper part of the building, so it was safe to assume that the meeting place indicated in the message was beyond that.

If my guess was correct… my 'partner' seemed like the type to do something like that.

Not in a playful way, but more like… well, you know—all that competitive spirit she’s been showing me every time we meet.

"Well, it fits her character to like high places… Here I go!"

I activated [Rocket]. The hem of my deeply pulled-down [Hide Cloak] fluttered as I silently leaped from the crowd of players moving along the street.

It was impossible to avoid being seen, but no one should have the means to chase me, so it wasn't a problem. I wasn't about to leisurely climb the stairs from inside.

Then, in an instant, a fleeting moment, I soared through the sky and burst through the cloud. Waiting for me above was a single figure of 'white,' silhouetted against the sunset.

And… countless 'threads' radiating the brilliance of fresh snow, suspending that body in the air.

"You're... so... sloooooow!"

I wonder how long she'd been waiting. She shot a merciless, deadpan glare at her junior, who in her subjective opinion was inexcusably late.

Natsume, the seventh-ranked member of the Southern Faction, the [Thread-Weaver], tossed out her complaint in a thoroughly weary voice.

---

Cats like high places.

And with that, Chapter Five, Section Three, is now complete.

On another note, I'm sure you've all noticed that the names of the maid, Natsume-san, and the kitten, Nacchan-senpai, overlap, but there's no particular reason for it.