Chapter 39

It seemed like only a moment, and five days had already passed.

While collecting magic crystals using the "Explosive Bomber" method, Sylvia and I, who had free hands while Eko was taking her turn, hunted Golems non-stop, almost to the point of exterminating them. As a result of continuing this from sunrise to sunset, we managed to earn a considerable amount of experience points.

The hunting scene was so brutal that even the cold Yuuari, with a look of exasperation, called us "crazy." However, even Yuuari, who was so cold, ended up gaining the same amount of experience points as we did. The experience point distribution within the team was set to be equal, so even the two of us who didn't defeat any monsters received experience points.

Moreover, while we three were exploring the Prolin Dungeon, Yuuari, who had free time, was given a task. It was to investigate the Blacksmith Guild and the Adventurer Guild. The more information, the better, and she went to gather information on her own initiative. Well, as a former assassin, this level of investigation was child's play for her.

The important information obtained was two-fold. One was that the next "Prolin Group Raid" was approaching in three days. The other was that the Blacksmith Guild was suffering from a chronic shortage of mithril.

From this information, it became necessary to reconsider our future strategy.

Should we proceed with the original plan: become A-rank adventurers, participate in the group raid, prove our success, gain the trust of the Blacksmith Guild, and supply mithril alloy? Or should we use the name value of A-rank adventurers to gain the trust of the Blacksmith Guild, raid Prolin alone without waiting for the group raid, and propose an exclusive contract to the entire Blacksmith Guild?

The former would not create many enemies but would take time to earn money. The latter would be extremely profitable but would definitely make the Adventurer Guild an enemy. Anti-monopoly law? There's no such thing in the Kingdom of Castal.

"Hmm..."

On the way back from Prolin to Badgold, I was folding my arms, deep in thought. Should I choose harmony or money? Both have their pros and cons.

"Master, could you give me one more day?"

Then, Yuuari said something like that.

"Do you have a plan?"

"Yes. It seems that you do not like wasting time. If that's the case, I have a rather unconventional idea."

"What is it?"

"To use the Merchant Guild."

"..."

I understood what Yuuari was getting at. Instead of directly proposing a deal to the Blacksmith Guild, she suggested using the Merchant Guild to facilitate smooth transactions.

"The merchants will not pass up such a profitable opportunity. They will take a small commission, but the profits will be much more substantial and more certain than doing it piecemeal. Fortunately, we, the Firstest, have become A-rank adventurers today, and our credibility is not an issue."

"But won't the Adventurer Guild end up being our enemy?"

"That concern is unfounded. We will participate in the group raid in three days and build trust with both the Adventurer Guild and the Blacksmith Guild. Meanwhile, we will sign a contract with the Merchant Guild."

Hmm? I don't understand. Why would this not make the Adventurer Guild our enemy?

"If we establish a route where the Merchant Guild can profit from supplying mithril alloy, you will not be heavily criticized. Even if the Adventurer Guild attacks, the Merchant Guild will protect us."

I see, that's the difference with the Blacksmith Guild. Indeed, they would protect their "money tree." Moreover, if the Blacksmith Guild becomes dependent on the large supply of mithril alloy through the Merchant Guild, we can ally with both guilds. The Adventurer Guild would not be able to criticize us even if they wanted to.

However, this would be a big deal. It might even drastically change the power dynamics in Badgold. But that's not my concern.

"Alright. Let's go with that plan."

"Understood. Leave it to me. I will secure a deal with the Merchant Guild by tomorrow."

When I gave the go-ahead, Yuuari said this with confidence and determination. Her enthusiasm and confidence were evident. She was ready to excel in areas other than combat. I was truly grateful for her expertise in these matters, which complemented my own lack of skills outside of gaming.

"Thank you. Yuuari is reliable."

When I thanked her, Yuuari coldly replied, "No," and turned away with a blank expression. Her ears were slightly red. She was as transparent as ever.

The next day.

After submitting the magic crystals, we smoothly became A-rank adventurers and returned to Prolin. We came here to earn experience points while Yuuari was securing a deal with the Merchant Guild.

Why? Because, including the leftover experience points, I poured everything into my "Summoning" skill, and one of my skills, "Spirit Summoning," was about to reach level 4.

"Summoning" is mainly divided into two types: "Monster Summoning" and "Spirit Summoning." The former is a skill for taming and using monsters, while the latter is a skill for controlling a "spirit," which each character can have only one of.

When "Spirit Summoning" reaches level 4, the skill "Spirit Possession" is unlocked. This skill allows the summoned spirit to possess the user's body for a certain time, significantly boosting stats. It's a very powerful buff skill, often referred to as a "power player's best friend."

It's a skill essential for being the world's best. Therefore, I prioritized learning "Spirit Possession" and spent these six days intensively leveling up "Spirit Summoning."

...And at noon.

Just as "Spirit Summoning" reached level 4 and I unlocked "Spirit Possession." However, I still didn't have a spirit to summon, so it was pointless.

When summoning a spirit, I would use the "Premium Spirit Ticket" that came with the "Limited-Time Premium Avatar" I purchased. This ticket guarantees a spirit with a strength of over 25,000, making it a "money talks" item.

Spirit strength is a numerical value representing a spirit's power and rarity. Initial spirit strength of over 10,000 is rare, over 20,000 is super rare, over 25,000 is ultra rare, and over 30,000 is extremely rare. This is a typical "gacha system" for monetization. However, spirits can evolve through training, so the final difference in spirit strength is minimal.

The question is, when should I use the ticket to summon a spirit?

There is one concern.

In Mevion, spirits were just characters that spoke pre-set lines. But this is the real world. What if spirits have their own will?

If so, a new "member" would be added to our team. Adding a new member at this chaotic time might not be ideal.

When is the best time? There's no need to rush, but it's also a problem if it's too late. It might take time to get along.

"Hey, Second, Yuuari has sent a message."

While I was pondering, Sylvia informed me. Eko was sleeping soundly on her lap, looking very comfortable.

"Oh, I didn't notice. Thanks."

I opened the team chat.

Oh, according to Yuuari, "the deal is secured, but there's one issue." What could it be? I have a bad feeling.

We finished our lunch break and headed to the Merchant Guild to meet up with Yuuari.

"Proof of strength?"

"Yes..."

Yuuari explained the situation to me with a slightly apologetic look.

"The Merchant Guild responded very positively and offered an attractive contract. However, all of this depends on proving our team's strength."

"But isn't the A-rank adventurer title supposed to be proof of strength?"

"Allow me to explain."

While I was talking with Yuuari in the waiting room, a "bald" old man suddenly interrupted.

"I am Shin Sei, the master of the Merchant Guild. You must be Second. Nice to meet you."

Shin Sei, who introduced himself, greeted us politely, but he didn't look like a regular guy. He was nearly 190 cm tall and exuded a formidable presence.

I replied, "Nice to meet you," and shook his hand, not taking my eyes off him. I didn't want to show any weakness, as I might get stabbed.

"Well, we are truly grateful for this attractive offer. Our Merchant Guild has high expectations."

Shin Sei smiled and said this.

"However, to be frank, even an A-rank adventurer is hard to trust. The idea of acquiring such a large amount of mithril alloy is simply unbelievable. Anyone who can speak would know it's a lie."

His eyes, which had been narrowed, suddenly opened wide.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

I could feel Sylvia tensing up beside me, and Eko was trembling, gripping the back of my shirt. They were both scared. I would have been scared too if this were the world of Mevion.

"But, there is one thing that concerns me. How did you get that dark elf? She is a professional 'combatant'... one of the best, even in my guild."

Yuuari, undeterred by the master's pressure, looked at me. Her calm eyes seemed to say, "This is the moment of truth."

"I have some hope. Therefore, I want you to prove your strength. Show that raiding Prolin is not a trivial matter. If you can do that, we will gladly accept your offer. However, if it's a lie... I will not be lenient."

His voice and gaze were so cold that the room temperature seemed to drop by three degrees.

It would be an effective threat for a regular person, but it had no effect on me. I knew I could win. This old man would not even rank in the top 10,000 in the world rankings. That's the simple reason.

"What do you mean by 'proof of strength'? Should we raid Prolin now? That would take three hours."

I said this as calmly as possible. I thought the atmosphere needed to convey that "we can do it, of course."

However, the old man, whose eyes seemed capable of killing dozens, glared at me even more sharply. Did he take offense? Oh no, if so, the plan failed.

...Hmm, looking at him, he's really bald. He might be a member of the hairless squad.

"Ha ha ha! What a cool attitude. Excellent! Just as Yuuari said."

Then, the old man laughed loudly and said this.

"What, you were testing us!?"

Sylvia gave Yuuari a critical look. Yuuari bowed to me, not to Sylvia.

"I apologize, Master. But it was necessary."

"Yes. I gave the order. We needed to verify if you could actually provide a stable supply of mithril alloy."

I see. So, I passed the test, then?

"Ugh..."

Oh, before that, Eko is about to cry from fear.

...I'm annoyed, so I'll deliberately lose my temper and make this old man apologize.

"What do you mean by 'verify'! Apologize to Eko! What the heck, Eko!"

I scolded him.

"Aah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

...This old man, despite his appearance, is extremely humble. He bowed so low that his head was lower than Eko's.

Well, with that, the deal with the Merchant Guild was settled

...or so it seemed, but there was still a hidden issue.

"But, proof of strength is still necessary..."

Guided by the bald Shin, we were led to a reception room in the back of the Merchant Guild. Then, he said this with his eyebrows forming an "H."

"To trust me?"

"No, that's not it. If my eyes don't deceive me, you are the real deal, Second. But..."

"You mean others won't believe me?"

"Yes."

"Specifically?"

"At least, I would like to show you to several of our staff and the people we plan to do business with."

"How many people?"

"Probably around 200."

"...Wow."

That's a problem.

How can I prove my strength to so many people?

"Well, Sylvia can do a performance with her magic bow, and Eko can use her shield..."

We needed to brainstorm with the four of us plus one.

So, we started discussing.

Shin also joined in, offering helpful advice. This old man is actually quite a good person.

And in a moment, 15 minutes passed. No good ideas were coming up.

"By the way, what are your special skills, Second?"

"Archery, swordsmanship, magic, and summoning. I can also use magic archery and magic swordsmanship."

"I can only use fire, but Second's magic covers all elements and is of top-notch quality!"

"......That's impressive."

Shin's eyes and head were round with surprise. Sylvia, for some reason, had a proud look on her face, even though it wasn't about her.

"Master, have you already leveled up your summoning skill?"

"Yeah, I did. My Spirit Summoning reached level 4 today."

When I answered Yuuari's question, a thud was heard. It was the sound of Shin's pen falling from his hand.

"Y-You mean level 4!?"

Shin shouted in surprise. The room seemed to vibrate from the loudness. It was quite an impact. His expression looked more like a threat than surprise.

"Ah!"

Eko hid behind me.

"Look! What the heck!!"

"Ah, I'm sorry!"

When I yelled at him for scaring Eko, Shin, as always, apologized profusely. His sincerity was not an act. He must be a very timid person... probably due to his appearance.

"But, I see a way out!"

After getting Eko's forgiveness, Shin stood up and said this.

"A way out?"

"Yes! Second, Spirit Summoning! Spirit Summoning!"

I see! Showing "Spirit Summoning" to a large audience.

Indeed, the higher the spirit's strength and the higher the level of "Spirit Summoning," the more spectacular the summoning performance. Especially the "first summoning" is particularly impressive, as each spirit has its own unique summoning animation. This would be a perfect way to showcase our strength.

"With a high-level Spirit Summoning at level 4, I believe everyone who sees it will be convinced of your strength."

In this world, level 4 is considered high-level.

If so... yeah, it might be a good plan. Thanks to the Premium Spirit Ticket, I can summon a spirit with high initial strength, so the effects will be spectacular.

"Alright. Let's go with that plan."

I nodded at Shin's suggestion and discussed the details.

I never imagined it would turn out like this...

Thank you for reading.