Chapter 794
Chapter 794: Skull Island (1)
We were wandering aimlessly around the center of the island.
Crunch-! Crack-! Craaaack-!
Of course, we were dealing with monsters appearing along the way in real-time. There’s only one reason why I described it as just wandering. It’s because we weren’t really engaging in proper combat.
“……This is boring.”
“Agreed… I’m starting to think doing paperwork would be more interesting.”
The average rank of monsters that appear on Skull Island is 6. However, even this numbere is inflated due to a few higher-ranked monsters that rarely appear, and most of the commonly encountered monsters are around rank 7 or 8. There weren’t any new monster.
The only monster we could gain experience from on this island so far was the Skull Ghost (rank 6).
“…I wish that monster the Captain mentioned would show up soon.”
Even Auyen, a non-combatant, was saying this, so this situation must really be boring.
‘Hmm, at first their competitive spirits were all fired up.’
Well, it’s not that I couldn’t understand. It’s already been two days since that meeting.
“…It doesn’t look like they’ve found it yet, does it?”
“Probably not. If the cave had opened, we would have noticed from here.”
“But isn’t it possible they have some way to hide it?”
I wanted to laugh and say that was nonsense in response to Raven’s question, but thinking about it, it wasn’t entirely impossible.
“That’s true, considering they also had that thing. And several of them, no less.”
“Ah, you mean ‘that’……”
The ‘that’ Raven was referring to was a Numbered item. Of course, it wasn’t confirmed they possessed it, it was still just ‘highly probable speculation’ at this point.
“Yes. Didn’t Mr. Yandel also agree? That without that item, their ability to hide like that wouldn’t make sense.”
Well… That’s true. Detection was just a secondary ability. If it had just been Erwen or Amelia, whose specialties were combat, I would have understood. However, the newly joined Beleg was an explorer known as the ‘Pursuer.’ In simple terms, it meant he was an expert in detection abilities. Yet, despite this, they discovered us first, and even managed to conceal the presence of so many people without any of us noticing. So, how was that possible? After lengthy discussions with Beleg, I came to one conclusion.
It was all thanks to their equipment.
And there was one item I strongly suspected.
No. 16 Ebony Emblem.
An item that greatly enhances the user’s stealth-related skills when equipped.
While stealthed, your stats are increased and additional bonus effects are applied when making a surprise attacks, making it essentially a graduation item for assassins…… Anyway, there are only two important effects here.
When equiped with this item and staying still, you enter an absolute stealth state.
And……
When activating its ability, it creates 29 temporary tokens and anyone equipped with one of those tokens gains the same stealth effects.
‘If they used this, it would explain how they could hide the presence of that many people.’
Moreover, given the circumstances at the time, it seemed they had remained entirely still while waiting. They had only revealed themselves when we reached the cave entrance. There are even eyewitness accounts of a similar item being used in the past.
‘The problem is that to hide all 90 people, you’d need at least three of these……’
Nevertheless, if this speculation is true, I’m more curious about something else. Not about how they gathered so many of that rare item. But rather, what kind of person is this ‘Golden Ghost’ who went to the trouble of collecting three of them? No matter how you look at it, their intentions don’t seem good—.
“Viscount Yandel.”
At that moment, Beleg suddenly stopped walking and whispered to me.
“Just call me Captain.”
“…There are people approaching.”
“How many?”
“Six.”
There was no need to ask who they were. They must be one of the teams under the Golden Tree Clan.
“If we continue on this path, we’ll cross paths with them.”
However, this situation itself was a bit unexpected. Over the past two days, we hadn’t actually encountered them. Even when our paths overlapped, both sides would detect each other’s presence from a distance and change course to avoid each other.
“Looks like they have business with us. Let’s wait here for a bit.”
How long had it been since I made that decision? As we waited quietly, from the eerie undergrowth befitting Skull Island, a group of explorers wearing the Golden Tree Clan’s emblem emerged.
And……
“……Yandel?”
“Abman.”
It was a completely unexpected meeting.
I had caught glimpses of him during our standoff in front of the cave entrance, but it wasn’t exactly the right situation for proper greetings. Anyway, after assessing the situation, I couldn’t help but smile. Seeing how flustered he was, it didn’t seem like he intentionally came looking for me with any particular business……
“You must’ve gotten lost.”
“……Nonsense. We were just passing through.”
What’s he talking about? It was obvious he was his team’s Guide because of his Guide ability.
Mr. Bear is a guide, but one with a terrible sense of direction.
And he also lacks the basic detection abilities that most guides possess.
It was so bad that during our Team Apple Narak days, I’d taken pathfinding lessons from Rotmiller despite having a proper Guide. Well, thinking about it now, it turned out to be a good thing……
“Hah… Again?”
One of Mr. Bear’s team members lets out a sigh. However, it feels different from the sighs we used to make back in Apple Narack. While we used to sigh with a hint of affection……
“Didn’t you hear? The leader said to avoid contact as much as possible.”
“Ah……”
“Did you do this on purpose? Trying to meet some old friends for a chat?”
“Th-that’s not true……! It’s not like that at all. Th-this was just a coincidence.”
“Coincidence? It’s simply your lack of ability.”
The air grew awkward and tense after that short exchange. Even from this brief conversation, I could gauge the relationship between them and Mr. Bear, and perhaps because he realized this, Mr. Bear looked at us uncomfortably. No, more precisely……
“……”
He had the face of someone who didn’t want others to see what they’d just witnessed. I’d probably feel the same way. After all, no one wants their family or friends to see them being scolded by their superior. And what we’re seeing probably isn’t even the whole picture. They’re probably holding back because I’m here. Behind closed doors, much worse humiliation has likely been going on for a long time now.
“Anyway, I apologize, Lord Viscount. We didn’t mean to interfere…… As you can see, it was entirely this one’s mistake.”
“…No need to apologize. Don’t worry about it.”
“Well, that’s a relief. You heard that? Let’s go.”
I wanted to talk more with Mr. Bear, but given the situation, I couldn’t keep them here, so the conversation ended. If I insisted, we could probably chat a bit more, but that wouldn’t be good for Mr. Bear. They might falsely accuse him of being an informant trying to pass information to us. Above all, Mr. Bear seemed to want to avoid this situation. So I was going to let them leave without saying anything more……
“Hah… How did we end up with this half-wit on our team?”
That comment, spoken too loud to be a mere mumble, reached my ears.
And……
[Missha Karlstein has cast Glacial Soul.]
With a single sword strike, an ice wall rose in front of the group that was turning to leave.
“You… What did you just say, nya?”
Missha was not letting that slide.
***
A chilling air from the ice wall brushed against my skin as it rode the wind. Missha’s sudden action was unexpected, but so far, it hadn’t crossed the line. She hadn’t directly attacked them yet. The problem was ensuring it didn’t escalate further…….
“Viscount Yandel.”
Instead of saying anything to Missha, the man who appeared to be the team leader looked at me and spoke.
“Should I take this as a violation of our agreement?”
The team leader’s eyes were full of hostility as he asked this, and honestly, I found it incredibly absurd. He wasn’t even the clan leader, but a mere team leader acting like this. Just as I was about to step in and say something.
“Never mind that, you! Goblin head! Answer quickly, nya. What did you just say to Abman a moment ago?”
“……”
“Not going to speak?”
Even after hearing Missha’s sharp tone, the team leader only glanced at her briefly without making eye contact. Missha, meanwhile, began to exhale roughly.
Brrrrrrr……
Even the hand gripping her sword trembled, showing just how furious she was…… It’s been a long time since I’d seen her this angry.
“Answer me.”
Her voice had dropped so low that her usual speech quirk had disappeared. Only then did the team leader respond with an annoyed voice.
“Are you acting like this because I called him a half-wit?”
“You…”
“Oh my, so that was it.”
“Take back what you said while I’m still asking nicely.”
“Honestly, I don’t know what right you have to demand anything.”
“What……?”
“Of course, I know you used to be on the same team as Urikfried. But now, he’s a member of our clan. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interfere in our internal matters.”
“So, as long as he’s no longer in your clan, it’s fine, right? Mr. Bear! Come here! You should quit that clan right now—.”
“Stop it, Missha Karlstein.”
The one who cut off Missha’s words wasn’t me or the team leader, but Mr. Bear himself. Missha’s face looked shocked at his firm tone.
“……Why?”
Why cut off so coldly when she was just trying to help? Mr. Bear didn’t explain the reason. It was the team leader who did.
“You call yourselves former comrades, but you don’t even know that?”
“……?”
“Urikfried borrowed money from our clan. With the labyrinth closed for over a year, and his shop being unable to do business, he had no choice.”
“Ha! How much is it? We can pay it off—.”
“Whether you pay it or not doesn’t matter. The condition for borrowing money was completing a set number of explorations. We’re on the first one now, so after this exploration, 23 will remain.”
“So… So that’s why you’re tormenting him, nya? Because he can’t leave anyway……?”
“Hmm, I don’t know what you’re talking about—.”
“That’s enough.”
At this point, I stepped into the conversation. Missha looked like she had a lot more to say, but I silenced her with a glance, signaling her to stay quiet.
“I have no intention of interfering in your affairs, and even less intention of violating the agreement. So let’s end this here.”
“Thank you.”
When I stepped back first, the team leader bowed his head, and it seemed like this incident would come to an end.
But Missha, too frustrated to let it go, spoke again as they were about to leave.
“…Why are you doing this, nya?”
Missha spoke up again to the departing group. Amelia, who was beside her, tried to stop Missha, but this time I stopped Amelia. It didn’t look like she was about to attack them outright.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“I’m asking why you’re doing this. You’re on the same team, you’re comrades…… So why do you look down on and torment him……? Do you… Do you find that fun……?”
At that innocent question, the team leader showed a stunned expression for a moment, but then his eyes hardened with anger.
“How nice. It seems you live in a different world from us.”
“……What?”
“We’ll take our leave.”
Afterward, they disappeared back into the undergrowth they had emerged from, while Missha bit her lip, still clearly upset.
“Bjorn……”
“Don’t worry. I have something in mind.”
“……R-Really, nya!”
It wasn’t something I’d been thinking about before, but it just came to me now.
[Win against the Golden Tree Clan and monopolize the Skull Island event.]
If that was the main quest, would you say a sub-quest just got created? Even if Mr. Bear himself doesn’t want it.
‘If the guild leader leaves, a position opens up, right?’
I can’t stand to watch this anymore.