Under the contract signed with money, I had a more detailed discussion with the group of adventurers about the task to be commissioned.
Rodin, who had been listening to my story silently, asked in a puzzled tone.
“So... you mean you’re going to search all the peaks of the Tyrell Mountains?”
“Yes.”
Even if I said it, it sounded very absurd, but I couldn’t help it.
Unlike [Super Regeneration], the only topographical feature that I could remember about the location of the [Floating Veil] was that it was somewhere at the top of the peaks of a mountain range... and that it was probably a canyon-like terrain.
I might get a sense if I went and looked for it myself, but there was nothing else that came to mind right away.
In order to find this Mystery, I had to be prepared to work even harder than during when I was looking for the [Super Regeneration].
Still, one lucky thing was that the Tyrell Mountains were smaller than the Rutus Mountains.
“How long do you think it would take to go around all the canyons at the peaks of the Tyrell Mountains?”
Rodin let out a sigh and answered.
“It’s vague that I can’t get a proper estimate, but if I had to guess, it would take at least 15 days?”
Over a fortnight.
In fact, as he said, it was too vague, so in the end, it was something you could only be determined by going there yourself.
Rodin opened his mouth again and asked.
“But may I ask who you are?”
A client who asked for a guide in the mountains by paying a lot of money.
It would be natural for him to be curious about my identity, so I answered appropriately.
“I came from a family from another city nearby. It’s difficult to reveal my origin.”
“······Then why do you want to climb the Tyrell Mountains?”
“I’m looking for something.”
“What do you mean?”
“That would be difficult to say.”
“Ah, yes...”
For a moment, there was silence in the place.
Rodin and his members looked quite disturbed, as if they didn’t expect that they had to do this after accepting my request.
I took a money bag from my pocket and put five or six gold coins on the table.
They focused their attention on the gold coins piling up on the table.
“I’ll give you 30 gold right now as a down payment. I know it’s not an easy request, but you will definitely receive a good pay.”
“...”
“Still, if you can’t take on the request, I will understand. So, will you do it?”
Rodin, who was troubled, seemed to exchange glances with his members, and finally nodded his head.
“Do we only have to guide the two of you?”
Rodin looked back and forth between me and Asher, who was standing behind me.
I nodded.
He, too, nodded and briefly introduced himself and his members.
“My name is Rodin, the leader of the Blue Fox Adventure Team. And starting from the left, Arma, Lud, Baxter, and Shien...”
Five people, including two men armed with swords, shields and spears, a woman holding a bow, a woman who looked like a wizard because she was unarmed, and Rodin.
A woman carrying a bow called Shien smiled and looked at the gold coins piled on the table.
“In fact, there are no other adventurers around who are as knowledgeable about the geography of the Tyrell Mountains as we are. You really came to the right place, young master.”
“That crazy bitch, look at how she’s staring at the money...”
Lud, who was sitting next to her, spoke as if muttering, and then was slapped on the back by Shien.
I also simply stated my name.
“My name is Ron. This is Asher, my escort.”
“Yes, anyway, thank you. We will accept this request.”
Rodin’s blue fox adventurers eventually accepted the request.
***
It didn’t matter if we started right away, but they also needed to prepare, so I had an extra day of rest.
Early the next morning, the adventurers and I gathered in front of the eastern gate of the city.
There was no need for Baros to be there, so he stayed at the inn and only Asher accompanied me.
“Then let’s go.”
“...”
I could feel Asher looking at me strangely as I came out of the inn room.
She must be looking at the bows and arrows I brought.
In her eyes, I could see that she wanted to ask why I have to bring these items when I couldn’t even shoot properly, but I ignored it.
Who knew what other unimaginable dangers there would be this time, like Bellevagorah?
Even the slightest complacency could lead to death.
Preparing everything that could be prepared was the right attitude to survive in this harsh world.
“Are you here?”
He met the adventurers waiting in front of the gate and headed straight for the Tyrell Mountains.
Tyrell Mountains.
One characteristic of this mountain range was that there were a lot of Orcs.
Orcs were common monsters that could be found anywhere, but they were especially common in the Tyrell Mountains.
However, since they were only level 20 at the highest level, there was nothing to worry about safety.
A few hours after I started climbing the mountain range, I could keep pace with the adventurers without running out of stamina anymore.
And not long after, we encountered a group of orcs.
Quiik.
Large, green-skinned monsters emerged from the brush and approached with low cries. They looked just like what one would see in the game.
Eight in total. Some of them had rusty iron swords or spears in their hands.
“Are these bastards crazy and coming down here to hunt?”
Rodin and his members did not hesitate to step forward and start slaughtering the Orcs.
Those with spear swords fought in front, and assisted in the battle by throwing arrows and magic from behind. Asher and I watched the scene in silence.
In particular, since there was Rodin who was over level 30, the battle ended simply.
We sat down for a while, rested, and chatted with the adventurers.
“Orcs are smarter than you think, so even seasoned adventurers can be hunted and killed if they make a mistake. The weapons the Orcs were holding earlier were originally used by stealing other adventurers’ weapons.”
“Right.”
Of course, that was something I knew.
Since Orcs lived in a community as a tribal unit, their intelligence was excellent for a monster.
As I accepted the conversation well, the adventurers also added more stories.
“Do you know about how the Orc monster wave happens?”
“Isn’t it something that rarely happens when a mutant king appears?”
“Yes, you knew. Originally, because of their tyrannical nature, they couldn’t gather in large groups. When a king is born, all of them unite under him and become a completely terrible disaster.”
Monster wave.
As the name suggests, it referred to a phenomenon in which a huge group of monsters rushes like a wave.
There were many causes, but one of them was the existence of a ‘king’, a mutant that was very rare among monsters.
The monsters from which the king was born were typically Orcs and Lizardmen. When the king was born, an overwhelming army of monsters, from thousands to tens of thousands, was formed and invaded human territory.
If it’s an Orc King, then it would be over level 70.
Anyway, such monster waves were major events that often occurred in the game's story.
After taking a break, we started moving again.
***
It had been a week since we started searching the Tyrell Mountains.
As expected, the adventurers did not get lost and successfully guided them to their destinations.
However, after searching many peaks and canyons, I still hadn’t found the Mystery.
Even as I moved, I continued to search hard for my memory.
'I’m sure it was a canyon terrain.'
'It was not narrow, but quite wide, and I remember that the slopes of the cliffs on both sides were gentle. Although not accurate.'
None of the canyons I had passed so far matched my memory.
And what else was there...
“It’s a canyon.”
Rodin said as he looked at the scene that appeared in front of us.
It was now the fifth gorge they had encountered.
“...”
Uh? Wait a second--.
I narrowed my eyes at the shape of the gorge, which somehow seemed to match my vague memories.
I was busy moving my gaze and scanning the gorge, but there was a commotion around me. There were also orcs.
This time, instead of a few, Rodin and his members frowned at the horde of orcs that protruded in dozens.
“...There are a little more this time?”
“They’re still just Orcs, though. Arma, prepare a big magic.”
As always, Rodin and his men prepared for battle. Still, there were a lot of numbers this time, so they showed a bit of nervousness.
But they were still always the first to go into battle...
“Asher.”
“Yes.”
“Take care of everything.”
The orcs were a great hindrance to this situation, where I was trying to remember something.
At my words, Asher drew her sword and swung it at the slowly approaching group of Orcs.
Chow!
The gigantic blue aura that erupted from her sword cut the bodies of the orcs in two at once.
Rodin and the members, who were about to go into battle at the sight, instantly became stunned.
“Uh, uh...”
As the canyon became quiet again, I continued to look around and retrieve my memory.
Soon after, I rushed to one side when something came to my mind. Asher followed me.
...Yes
Obviously, this was it.
I moved while looking at the cliff, just like when I was looking for [Super Regeneration], and stopped at a certain point. And I raised my head.
A convex cliff faced high overhead, and a tree standing alone at the edge.
The video of the user who got the [Floating Veil] clearly had this composition of view.
“Asher, try breaking down this wall.”
Kwaaang!
As Asher broke down the wall, the stone fragments came crashing down, revealing a passage inside.
Old stone stairs going down.
Seeing that, I smiled with joy.
I finally found it.
This was the dungeon where the Mystery of the [Floating Veil] was hidden.
Rodin and the rest of his group also came up and looked at the entrance, wide-eyed.
I told them;
“Wait here for a while.”
Leaving them behind, I went down the stairs with Asher and headed inside.
I carried the glowstone I had brought and relied on the light to advance through the dark passage.
Huge stone statues stood on both sides of the old, wide hallway leading to a straight line, and Asher looked around at them with a slightly nervous look.
A dungeon was basically an artificial space created by ancient wizards.
There were traps, and there were guardians guarding them.
But I didn’t worry and kept walking.
Because obviously, even when I saw the play video, this dungeon was already broken, so there were no traps or guardians.
There was no danger until we could reach the innermost hidden place where the Mystery of the [Floating Veil] was.
Soon after reaching the end of the hallway, a huge door appeared.
“Hmm.”
I stopped walking for a while.
It was because there was a huge stone statue, like the one hanging on both sides of the hallway blocking the doorway leading inward.
That’s no big deal either.
It was probably a stone statue that wouldn’t move anyway, so I moved on again.
It’s okay if Asher destroyed everything and went inside... Wait a minute.
[Lv. 85]
'Why do I see the level of that guy?'
There was a level above the statue’s head. I sensed something strange and stopped walking.
Suddenly, a blue light shone in the statue’s eyes, and he opened them and swung the spear he was holding.
Kwak Kwa Kwa Kwam!
“...!”
Goose bumps ran down my spine at the gigantic aura of blue light that passed right next to me.
Then, an inorganic voice flowed from the stone statue.
[I warn you. I will consider anyone who crosses that line an intruder. Those who don’t deserve to enter, please go back.]
...What was that?
Wasn’t this a dungeon without a guardian?
Confused, I looked down.
When I looked at it, I saw that the floor was dented and had a line-like mark. Were you going to attack me if I walked over this?
Another unexpected situation dumbfounded me, like the one I encountered with Bellevagorah.
I had come this far, but something happened like this again?
Coo coo coo.
The expression of Asher next to me hardened, as if she sensed that the energy radiating from the stone statue was unusual.
Its level was much higher than Asher’s, so it was impossible for her to deal with it.
I thought to myself.
'Does [Instant Kill] work on golems too?'
That guardian was, at a glance, a magical golem made of magic
To put it bluntly, it was more like an inanimate creature than a living thing, so it was doubtful whether instant death would work.
But there was no other way. I had no choice but to try.
It’s still the one and only 10-star skill. Shouldn’t it also worked on golems?
I took out the arrow I had brought with me, scratched my palm, dipped it in blood, hung it on the string, and aimed at it.
***
Asher swallowed a gulp as she looked at the stone statue spewing out huge magical energy in front of her.
Could she win with all her might? She checked, but she wasn’t sure.
What was this dungeon-like space for? What was that monster?
Although she had great confidence in her abilities and was always regarded as a genius among her clan, she somehow constantly encountered opponents she could not handle when traveling with the Seventh Lord.
“...?”
She suddenly looked to the side.
It was because the Seventh Lord was suddenly aiming at the golem with an arrow on a string.
Piiing!
When the Seventh Lord let go of the string, the flying arrow hit the body of the stone statue and bounced off helplessly.
As she was watching him blankly, he muttered, as if he was sorry.
“I tried to aim at the head, but I still lack a lot.”
...What the hell were you doing now?
When a question arises about an act that seemed to play a joke that did not go well with the situation.
The Seventh Lord opened his mouth again.
“Now get out of here, stone. Don’t block the road.”
...Coooooung!
The stone statue lost its balance and fell to the ground.
Seeing the scene, Asher’s eyes widened in astonishment.
The Seventh Lord put his bow on his back and said.
“Go inside.”
“...”
Asher stared blankly at his back as he moved forward with light steps, then she moved her steps belatedly.
