Chapter 60

□【Holy Knight】Ray Sterling

The day after the hellish battle against the Gouzmaze Bandits and the 【Resentful Beast Gouzmaze】.

Before dawn, I raced across the <Nex Plains> on Silver with Nemesis, discussing our future plans, and then continued hunting the surrounding monsters.

My level was 39 when I defeated the 【Gouzmaze】, but it rose to 40 as I hunted. My HP finally reached 5,000.

Thanks to Silver, my movement speed increased, and I felt more efficient.

Especially, firing the <Inferno Flame> while passing by groups of monsters was the most efficient.

"Riding a red and black horse that greets with a flame and then leaves... the composition was undoubtedly that of a villain."

"......I know."

However, it seemed easier to level up by killing a large number of regular monsters rather than struggling to defeat a boss monster... well, that's fine.

Now that my level has increased, I decided to end the hunting and conduct a test.

This time, the test was for Silver and the 【Violet Resentful Runner Gouzmaze】.

The performance of the 【Violet Resentful Runner】 was confirmed yesterday, and the energy recovery through <Resentment Conversion> was functioning without any issues.

During use, I noticed that it also collected negative emotions emitted by monsters into the air, even if they were not resentful after death, albeit in small amounts.

This means that as long as the enemy is suffering while alive, I can replenish MP and SP... it might be useful, but it's scary and unsettling.

The other skill of the 【Violet Resentful Runner】, <Centaur Unity>, allows me to <Ride> and confirmed that I could ride Silver yesterday.

So, this time, I was testing Silver's skills.

Silver's skills are as follows:

Equipment Skills

- <Running>

- <Wind Hooves>

- <???> (Unreleased Skill)

<Running> is a skill that allows a person to ride and run.

It seems that the higher the <Riding> skill level, the faster and more skillfully it can run.

I thought, "Hmm? Wouldn't the difference in my <Riding> skill level not affect Silver's own specifications?" and tried to make it run as fast as possible.

"Hyah! Silver!"

To put it simply, I was thrown off at around 150 kilometers per hour.

While thinking, "I see, this is how it is," I desperately recovered the HP lost from the shock of falling at such a high speed.

I think I would have died if I had landed badly. It's a good thing my HP exceeded 5,000.

Despite the pain, I understood <Running>.

Next was the other skill, <Wind Hooves>.

<Wind Hooves>:

Can be used if the rider has <Riding> Level 3 or higher or <Mounting> Level 6 or higher.

Enables aerial movement by kicking compressed air.

Additionally, by pouring the rider's MP, a compressed air barrier can be deployed.

There are two conditions for <Riding> and <Mounting>.

Incidentally, <Riding> is only for horses but excels in handling them, while <Mounting> can be used for other mounts but requires additional levels.

Regarding <Riding>, my own <Riding> skill reached Level 2 due to the return journey from the <Mountainous Area> yesterday and the run before dawn today.

Including the +1 boost from <Centaur Unity>, it reached Level 3, making this <Wind Hooves> skill usable.

When I tried it... I flew.

No, it was more like creating invisible footholds in the air and running on them.

"Wow..."

"An amazing view, indeed."

I felt a sense of awe at the sensation I rarely experience in real life.

However, I also felt a sense of unease and fear, as if I were running on a glass floor with a horse.

Still, after about an hour of running, I got somewhat used to it.

Fortunately, it seems that Silver's ability to gallop through the sky is self-sufficient, and my MP was not consumed.

On the other hand, there is a way to use a skill that consumes my MP.

It is the compressed air barrier.

As described in the skill, using this creates an air barrier that can protect from attacks.

There happened to be a <Goblin Archer> below, so I tested how much it could defend against.

"Try shooting!"

The result was that it easily pierced through and hit me.

I hurriedly burned the <Goblin Archer> below with <Inferno Flame>.

However, I thought this use of fire from above was quite harsh.

The <Goblin Archer> tried to retaliate with arrows, but they burned out halfway.

After overcoming the unexpected predicament, I reflected on what had just happened.

The problem was the weakness of the <Wind Hooves> barrier.

Why was it so weak? I thought about it, but it was obvious.

I had injected too little MP.

Since I didn't have much MP to begin with, my frugality backfired.

This time, I decided to inject all the remaining MP.

The next test subject was a <Goblin Warrior>.

"Come at me!"

The result was that it was easily broken by the axe.

I thought there might be a slight barrier, but it was easily broken with a "thud."

I almost got my head split open and ended up in close combat with the <Goblin Warrior>.

I won, but it was a bit dangerous since I had no MP left.

"It's no good."

"It's no good, indeed."

Silver's skill, <Wind Hooves>.

While flying through the sky is fine, the barrier seems impossible to use effectively with my current MP.

"It also seems inefficient."

That's what I thought too.

The MVP bonus, the <Miasma Flame Gauntlets Gardolanda>, can use powerful skills like <Inferno Flame> and <Hell Miasma> with much less MP.

The MVP bonus is indeed a cut above the rest...

"Oh."

Then I had an idea.

This combination might work.

◇

The result was that my plan succeeded.

It wasn't broken like before.

If anything, there was a slight unexpected outcome, and I ended up covered in mud.

And one more thing.

"......I definitely can't use this in the city."

"You'll be wanted in no time."

Ray and Nemesis decided to put the newly devised method on hold for a while.

◇

By the time the tests were over and I had a rough idea of the movements, the sun had risen, so we returned to the city.

After returning to the inn and showering to wash off the mud, I headed to Gideon's Knight Barracks.

Yesterday, Lilianna had asked me to report the defeat of the Gouzmaze Bandits to the Knight Barracks, so I decided to go early in the morning.

When I arrived at the Knight Barracks on Gideon's main street, there were knights running around busily.

It felt like a high school cultural festival preparation, but five times busier.

It seemed there was some event, and they were struggling with the preparations.

To avoid getting in their way, I followed the open pathway and headed to the office that Lilianna had told me about.

However, on the way,

"Ah."

"Hm?"

I ran into a familiar knight in white armor—Lindos, as Lilianna had called him.

He seemed to recognize me and stopped to look at me.

"Hello."

"......"

I greeted him, but there was no response.

Well, he doesn't seem to have good feelings towards the <Master>, so it's not surprising.

I was about to head to the office without giving it much thought, but

"Did you defeat the Gouzmaze Bandits?"

Lindos spoke to me.

"Yes, but it wasn't just me; it was with my companions."

"......"

When I responded, Lindos closed his eyes silently and said,

"......I am grateful."

He said only that and left.

"......?"

What was that about?

"Perhaps he just wanted to express his gratitude."

"But why him?"

"Well, that's that."

I found it strange but continued walking to the office.

◇

A part of Gideon's Knight Barracks is open to the public for citizen complaints and such.

Of course, there are many restricted areas for confidentiality, but the office is in the open section.

With the route map, I easily found the office and explained my purpose, completing the necessary procedures.

During the office procedures, there was talk about my achievements, but I don't remember much.

I just signed the documents a few times after being shown them and asked, "Is this okay?"

The documents seemed fine, so I signed most of them.

However, there was one point... I did not sign the document regarding the "right to claim the treasures plundered by the Gouzmaze Bandits."

Of course, I am in need of money.

I no longer need the <Horseman's Amulet> for <Riding> since I have the 【Violet Resentful Runner】, but my finances are still tight.

However, I couldn't bring myself to touch the money they had obtained by preying on children.

So, I only said, "Please donate the money to charities related to children."

Ugo should also have the right to the treasure, so I felt bad for making the decision without consulting him.

Ugo had written in his letter that he didn't need the reward, but I still wanted to discuss it with him.

If he is dissatisfied, I will give him the bounty from the guild.

But I don't think it will come to that.

I have only acted with Ugo for a short time.

But even if our positions were reversed, I believe Ugo would have made the same judgment and choice.

Ray and Ugo are very similar.

Even apart from being the <Master> of <Embryo> in Maiden.

After signing the documents, I was told, "We may contact you later," so I gave them the address of the inn where I was staying in Gideon.

With that, the procedures were complete, and Ray and Nemesis were about to leave the Knight Barracks.

At that moment, one of the staff stood up and bowed deeply to me.

He said,

"Thank you for avenging my son."

◇

I didn't know what to say in response to the staff's words.

I had been thanked before, such as for rescuing Mirian and protecting Alejandro and the others from the <Gardolanda>.

But the situation was different this time.

The two previous times and this time were completely different.

There were two differences.

One was that I only witnessed the end.

I only saw the end of the tragedy brought by the Gouzmaze Bandits and the end we brought to them.

The people in this city had experienced the process and had been suffering from it all along.

Perhaps the knights of this country had also been suffering from their inability to act, and Lindos's words might have come from such a reason.

But I myself knew nothing of the process.

The other difference... this time, I wasn't thanked for helping.

I was only thanked for avenging.

The tragedy had already occurred, and many of the children kidnapped by the Gouzmaze Bandits were already dead.

The boy we took on as a quest was saved, and a few others were saved.

But the undead I burned in the underground were probably ten times as many.

Too many children never returned.

Thinking about it, it felt like a weight on my chest.

I must have felt a sense of frustration over what was lost in that incident and what I couldn't change at that point.

I couldn't forgive myself for not being able to do anything.

I wanted to do something.

But for that...

"What should I do?"

"......I don't know what to say."

When I asked Nemesis, she only smiled wryly.

"I understand that Ray is seriously troubled, but there isn't much I can say to you. If I must, I would say that regretting not being able to change the past is something for loop protagonists. You should focus on what will happen in the future. You are a human who can't loop, and my <Master>."

"The future... huh."

"Ultimately, it's the same as always. You happen to encounter an incident, and if you think it will leave a bad taste if left alone, you intervene and help. You will surely repeat this."

Thinking about it, I feel like I've been doing this since I entered <Infinite Dendrogram>, no... even before that.

Ever since I was a child.

"......I feel like I've become a very impulsive person."

Unplanned, or rather, getting involved in trouble while being carried away.

It seems like I'm going to confront the troubles that come my way.

When I said this, Nemesis laughed.

"There are a few things I like about you, and one of them is that."

"That?"

"You don't run away when you need to help someone."

"Does that mean being reckless?"

"It means not hiding your courage even when the opponent is powerful. I think it's cool."

"......"

Hmm... what is this... I feel a bit embarrassed.

"Still, even if you always face tough enemies, it's better to be stronger than them. If you want to do something, you should first build up your strength."

"Build up my strength, huh."

Thinking back, I feel like I've become stronger compared to the beginning, but... I'm still weak.

Even with trump cards like <Vengeance is Mine> and <Reversal is Like a Flapping Flag>, and the MVP bonus, all my battles with strong enemies have been won by luck.

I was easily killed by that PK, the <Super Killer>.

"Level, stats, and items are not the only things, but if you want to get stronger, there are better people to consult than me. Look, there are more experienced companions in <Infinite Dendrogram> over there. You should get advice from them, especially to get revenge on the <Super Killer>."

Nemesis pointed down the road.

There was a café where we had agreed to meet, and in the open terrace, a familiar woman in a suit and sunglasses—Marie—was waving at us.

To be continued

The next chapter will be posted tomorrow at 21:00.