Chapter 48

Passing through the outer gate of the Border Town and heading north along the wall,

after walking for a while, a path suddenly appeared as if it had torn through the forest.

Travelling along the path with the tracks of several carts for about an hour,

the carriage, which had been heading northeast, finally emerged from between the trees.

From there, it was just a matter of continuing for about three hours along a gently undulating road while the dense Goblin Forest remained on the right.

On the left, there was only a desolate landscape dotted with rocks and thickets.

Here and there, dark clumps visible were forests where goblins seemed to live, just like this place.

Thanks to the well-maintained road, there were no protrusions to shake the wheels, and the carriage quietly approached its destination.

Muu, who had been wildly excited about the first ride, soon got bored with the monotonous scenery and was now drooling on Yuril's lap.

Sora, who had been sparkling with excitement, was now leaning on her cheek, lost in thought.

Perhaps tired of even that, the girl yawned cutely and turned to talk to Tora.

"I'm so bored, Tora-chan."

"Yeah, I'll keep watch, so you can sleep if you want."

The top seat of the stagecoach was cheaper and offered a great view, but there was an obligation to warn if any goblins appeared from the forest.

And during the rainy season, which was rare at this time of year, one had to endure being drenched.

That's why there were no other passengers on the top seat of the carriage besides Tora and the others.

They had been given a full explanation before boarding, but they had chosen it on purpose for the first time.

Part of the reason was that Tora had been swayed a little by Muu clinging to his back and begging in a small voice.

Moreover, the fare for the rear seat of the box carriage was three silver coins per person, two for the back seat, and one for the top seat, making a significant difference.

Since they had bought various items needed for this expedition, it was a welcome way to save a little money.

Tora stretched lightly and looked up.

Under the midday sun, the sky was brilliantly clear.

Only a few thin, stretched-out clouds floated in the sky.

A warm breeze brushed past his cheeks, perhaps further inviting sleep.

The girl yawned again, a slight tear forming at the corner of her eye.

Due to the 8 a.m. departure, they had left home a bit earlier than usual today.

With only about an hour left until their noon arrival, Tora suggested she take a nap again.

"I'll wake you up when we get there, so rest for now."

"No, I want to talk more with Tora-chan."

"Alright, but resting when you can is a rule for adventurers."

"In that case, why don't you rest too, Tora-san? One of my knees is free."

Tora showed a slightly troubled expression at Yuril's calm voice that had joined the conversation.

Today, Yuril's long silver hair, tied up neatly, suited her white linen robe exceptionally well.

Even Tora, who had seen countless adventurers during his long stay in the Border Town, felt intimidated.

Moreover, lying head-to-head with a child who looked so comfortable that even his nostrils were wide open was a bit of a tough trial for a grown man.

"I'll pass. Maybe another time."

"Then I'll give you a lap pillow. Here, here, please."

"No, that's fine. How about we pass the time by checking our abilities again?"

"Too bad. Well, then, let me start."

Sora, who seemed to be more awake, raised her hand enthusiastically.

"The magic technique I can use is <Reversal>. It allows me to counter an attack with a shout."

"Wow, Sora's magic technique is amazing, no matter how many times I hear about it."

"Hehe, but I can only do it halfway so far."

Sora currently had around 1800 skill points, and she was about 200 points short of making <Reversal> level 2.

Her goal for this expedition was to accumulate enough points to reach level 2.

Of course, reaching level 2 wouldn't suddenly make <Reversal> much stronger.

What she wished for was a certain possibility. Therefore, it wasn't the time for a leisurely nap.

The girl had a small worry.

In the last Goblin Cave conquest, it was clear that Sora had earned fewer points than the others.

This was because her only combat method was the <Reversal> magic technique, which could only be used five times per hour.

While it was almost essential against the Hobgoblin Shamans on the second floor, the battles on the first floor in the latter half of the conquest were just a matter of watching.

This won't do, Sora thought, and she was currently seriously considering the matter.

However, the girl was not the same as before.

In addition to her previous <Spatial Perception>, she had gained four new traits: <Strength Enhancement>, <Accelerated Recovery>, <Pain Mitigation>, and <Magic Amplification>.

The benefit of <Magic Amplification> was particularly remarkable, allowing her to use <Reversal> three times in a row with almost no issues.

This made her instantaneous firepower the best in the party.

As for equipment, she had returned her previous gear to Yuril and now wore a new linen robe and a boar leather vest.

She also had boar leather gloves and boots, ensuring that even the small details were well-protected.

"Muu is sleeping, so I'll go next. He can use <Electroprobe>, <Electrospike>, and <Thunderneedle>."

"Wow, Muu is impressive for such a small size."

"The only issue is that he needs to use <Restoration> each time to differentiate them."

Muu had around 2500 skill points, allowing him to learn up to two techniques.

He could also make one of them level 2 if he focused on it.

However, at a low level, the only changes were an increase in the number of uses from five to six, a ten-second increase in duration, and a two-step increase in range.

So, he continued to use them at level 1.

Muu's greatest weapon was his trait <Sensory Sharing>, so Tora didn't consider the small increases in these areas particularly important.

Muu also gained the same four traits as Sora.

<Strength Enhancement> seemed to be the most beneficial for him, as it made him less prone to fatigue.

His equipment included a large red cape made of hippo leather that covered his knees, a cotton short-sleeved shirt and half-pants underneath, and mole leather short boots on his feet.

He also wore black boar leather elbow and knee pads, and a puffy hat with ear flaps made from an armored boar's fur, which suited him quite well.

"As for me, I can use <Restoration> to restore certain things to their original state."

"Hehe, I'm one of those things, too."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I feel wonderful, Tora-san."

Tora also had the same four traits as the others, except for <Temporal Perception>. <Strength Enhancement> had a significant impact.

With the completion of an iron sword that could be exceptionally sharp for two minutes and a blue-striped python mantle that enhanced his defense, he had become the party's key member in both name and reality.

"Lastly, it's my turn. I mainly specialize in ice magic techniques. I have mastered the lower branch techniques <Cold Sleep>, <Frost Crystal>, and <Ice Bed>, and the middle branch technique <Frost Flower Array>. Unfortunately, I'm still a bit short of mastering <Chill Freeze Fog>."

"I don't understand the details, but it sounds amazing!"

"Thank you, Sora. But with a little time, anyone can achieve this level easily."

Casually speaking, it was rare for someone to fully develop three lower branch skills.

Most people would be distracted by the more powerful upper branch skills and abandon the weaker ones.

However, even a weak magic technique, when fully developed, could transform into something with a tremendous effect.

Tora knew this better than anyone.

Moreover, Yuril's terrifying aspect was the number of traits that supported her honed magic techniques.

<Overwhelming Magic>, <Target Dispersion>, and <Magic Injection> made her unparalleled in hindering monster actions.

When Tora glanced at her, Yuril smiled like a white flower.

She seemed incredibly excited, but the black-framed adventurer's badge visible on her white bronze chest plate was a bit disappointing.

The hunting ground they were heading to was primarily D and E rank, so C rank adventurers were limited to two days a week.

Still, with Yuril's skills, even in a short period, she would undoubtedly achieve terrifying results.

They were about to face new monsters in an unfamiliar place, and the four of them would fight together.

Conscious of his unusually heightened excitement, Tora returned his gaze to the front.

At the end of the endless road,

a thick, red-black line cut across the view, irresistibly drawing the eye.

It was a large stream of water winding through the wilderness.

The place where the water, red like blood, flowed was called the Bloodflow River.

It was Tora and the others' new hunting ground.