Chapter 88

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『――《Sword》 skill evolution is possible.\'

『Obtained the title 《Arch Nemesis of Demons》\'

『Obtained the title 《One Against a Thousand》\'

It seems that in this event, the level-up process was set to occur all at once, and the experience points accumulated from killing the demon horde were all consumed at once.

Checking my status, I found that I had leveled up by three levels.

When I gained experience from duels at level 1, I leveled up one at a time, so this is the first time I've leveled up multiple levels at once.

However, the level-up process itself hasn't changed. I just allocate the status points as usual and that's it.

Since I've reached level 30, I decided to acquire the skill 《Mana Manipulation》 with the new skill slot.

But more importantly—

"The evolution of skills, and title skills... 《One Against a Thousand》 is straightforward, but 《Arch Nemesis of Demons》, huh."

For now, I'll ask Hizuru about the skill evolution later. If you evolve a skill, it might not be possible to revert it, just like with tamed monsters.

For now, I'll check the title skills first.

I'm not sure if I killed a thousand enemies, but it's a fact that I annihilated all the demons I could see.

As a result, all the weapons I used were almost completely broken.

Using Gikioku tends to make my attacks sloppy.

If you lose control, you can damage not only your weapon but also your body. That's why it's a difficult and rarely used technique.

While all the battle etiquettes are convenient, I wish at least the assistant instructor could use them—while thinking this to myself, I was checking the effects of the title skills.

■《One Against a Thousand》

Proof of having slaughtered a thousand enemies in a single battle.

The title holder will be revered by the locals.

If this title skill is set, HP will recover by 5% for each enemy defeated.

This title is indeed as the name suggests.

I didn't think I had killed a thousand, but it was the first time I had killed this many.

I don't know if similar events will happen in the future, but if they do, it would be great.

The effect when set is HP recovery when defeating enemies.

The recovery amount isn't much, but as the saying goes, many a little makes a mickle.

To be honest, my HP fluctuates frequently due to my own skills, so the impression of my own health has faded.

It almost seems like an attack gauge.

In the future, there might be more unavoidable attacks or area attacks, so I should be careful about that.

"Convenient, but not that powerful... Still different from Hizuru's event title."

No, HP recovery might be quite powerful, but it doesn't have the same impact as Hizuru's title.

It's convenient, so I might use it occasionally, but it depends on the situation.

Honestly, for simple HP recovery, 《Plundering Sword》 is enough.

"Then, the other one—"

■《Arch Nemesis of Demons》

Proof of having fought demons and been recognized as an equal enemy.

The title holder will be more likely to be targeted by demons and gain the trust of the locals.

If this title skill is set, damage to demons will increase by 10%.

Judging from the name, it seems I was recognized as an arch nemesis by Romperia.

Considering the fight against demons, this is a useful title.

However, 《One Against a Thousand》 seems more convenient, so I'll set that one for now.

But that woman, the king, what is she thinking?

She said she would defeat me, even though her stats are overwhelmingly higher and she is definitely stronger right now.

The king—likely a being that should be called a demon king—what did she tell Romperia?

I don't know, but it's clear that I've caught the attention of a troublesome opponent.

But—

—That woman is different from other demons. She's an interesting enemy.

I covered my distorted mouth with my hand.

She had hostility and hatred towards humans, as if she believed humans had no value to exist, with her frozen eyes.

But she declared war on me with her own will and determination, not out of racial feelings.

If so, she is my enemy. The enemy I must defeat, the enemy I must kill.

Ah, how will I cut her down? I can't reach her yet. I need more power to defeat her.

The enemy I must defeat, the goal I must achieve—until now, it was only the old man.

Romperia won't reach that old man. But the fact that I can't reach her now doesn't change.

Then I will definitely reach her. I will thrust this blade into her insides.

Alright, if you say so—

"I will definitely kill you, Romperia."

I wiped the smile from my lips, wiped my blade, and sheathed it.

This was a significant milestone, but there's still too much I want to do.

Ah, really—this game is really interesting.

"Teacher? What are you spacing out for?"

"...No, I was just allocating my status points. Let's head back."

I thought I might have to clean up the bodies, but fortunately, Romperia seems to have taken care of everything.

Then there's no more use for this battlefield. I sealed away the madness that had been burning and started walking towards the capital with my disciples.

There were two familiar figures in the direction I was looking.

The two clan masters of the large clans, who must have been quite busy this time.

"...Good work, Kuon. The rescue was a big help... thank you."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Kuon-san."

"Eleonora, I understand, but are you okay being here, Altrius?"

"It's a celebration now. If the city had been damaged, we would have had to take action."

"I see, you handled it well."

With a slight hint of exasperation, I said this, and Altrius smiled smugly.

As expected, he had read the situation from the beginning.

In any case, it's better if there's no damage, so I didn't comment on that.

"So, if you came all the way here, both of you must have something to talk about, right?"

"Yes, my business isn't urgent, so it can wait. It's about equipment repairs."

"...Understood, I'll ask you later."

My armor is mostly fine, but all my swords are in bad shape.

Without Fino's repairs, further battles would be difficult.

I can't help but feel immature. That old man would have slipped through this battlefield with one swing, even with the help of weapons.

I sighed softly and shook off the gloom. If I can't reach her now, I just need to improve further. That's all there is to it.

"Then, your turn. What's the matter, Altrius?"

"Words of gratitude are also true, but I came with a proposal. For Eleonora-san as well."

"For me? ...Understood, I'll listen."

"...Hizuru, Lumin, you two, step back a bit."

"Eh? Y-Yes."

At Altrius' words, Eleonora's eyes widened slightly, and she straightened her posture.

She was taken aback, but she probably didn't think Altrius would waste his time on trivial matters.

Altrius, with a refreshing smile, tightened his expression and spoke.

"Kuon-san, and Eleonora-san. A proposal for an alliance between the two of you."

"An alliance? Between 'Camelot', 'Eleonora Trading Company', and me?"

"Yes, that's right. Ideally, it would be between the clans."

I narrowed my eyes at Altrius' serious expression.

This isn't a recruitment that assumes rejection.

Altrius is seriously, and genuinely, proposing to us.

But that's why I can't understand. Why is this man bringing it up now?

"The Grand Quest—the ultimate goal of this game, 'Magica Technica', has been revealed. This indicates that the main part of the game is about to begin."

"Creating a cooperative system for that... is that what you're saying?"

"Yes. The specific arrangements will take time, but—"

"I want to secure this agreement here."

Eleonora's words, as she said this, were somewhat cold—yet at the same time, they carried a burning passion.

This is a huge deal. Even a decisive person like Eleonora can't easily make a conclusion.

"If your goal is only the Grand Quest, to be honest, this alliance seems insane. You'll be taking on risks without feeling the need to do so."

"...Altrius. Your 'Camelot' is an organization with a well-calculated structure. Adding something external could disrupt the balance. Especially—an alliance between an organization and an individual? Can you convince them?"

"Of course, I understand that. That's why this was the purpose of our cooperation this time."

—At those words, I felt a chill run down my spine and widened my eyes.

I thought this time, he had formed an alliance with me to quickly control the battlefield.

But Altrius said that was just a byproduct.

The true purpose is—

"...To reveal Kuon's true strength to 'Camelot' and 'Eleonora Trading Company'... and to incite him for that?"

"Kuon's strength is not limited to that of an individual. I consider this party as a single organization."

How many demons did Kuon, Hizuru, and Lumin defeat?

And how does that number compare to other clans?

I see, indeed. If that becomes common knowledge, my position will change.

It's the same as when I was recognized as a weapon on the battlefield.

"My proposal is for an equal alliance between organizations. Technology, information, and combat power—everything, I want to exchange on an equal footing."

"...You're asking for a lot. Is that even possible?"

"An alliance between 'Camelot' and you alone would have been difficult. But with 'Eleonora Trading Company' added, it's a different story."

"...With us, we can act as a deterrent against attempts to monopolize Kuon. And conversely, we can't monopolize Kuon either."

"Originally, Eleonora-san had a business-like relationship, but as the distance closes, such things can happen."

And if the two organizations are in a state of mutual restraint, my freedom will almost never be taken away.

If there's an attempt to bind and use me, it could lead to a conflict between the two large clans—Altrius has shown that much value on this battlefield.

And such conflicts are not what Eleonora and Altrius want. Therefore, my freedom must be guaranteed.

"...I can't deny the benefits, but it's risky. Is it necessary to go that far?"

"Yes. To be honest, I can't read everything yet... but if the demon's words are true, the Grand Quest will be a war against demons on a national scale. But as it stands, it's difficult to oppose a national scale."

"The goal is to align the steps of the large clans. Then, why not invite other clans?"

"In the future, that's the plan, but even I find it difficult to adjust on this scale... for now, I want to form an alliance as a test case and lay the groundwork for a larger alliance."

...What can this man see, and how far can he see?

Feeling a slight chill, I pondered Altrius' words.

Eleonora must have been doing the same. With a hard expression, she spoke.

"...I can't make a commitment here. I'll take it back and consider it."

"Yes, that's fine. I didn't expect an immediate decision here."

"Indeed... Kuon, when our discussion is settled, let's talk again. You can act as you see fit."

"...Alright? Fine, let me know when you make progress."

I can't interfere with organizational-level talks. Rather, I don't know what to interfere with.

I'll leave that to these two.

As long as my freedom isn't restricted, it's fine.

Kuon and Eleonora both sighed and moved away.

I'm quite tired today. I'll hand over my equipment to Fino and log out as soon as possible.

—By the way, thanks to Altrius' talk, I completely forgot about the skill evolution.

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■Avatar Name: Kuon

■Gender: Male

■Race: Human

■Level: 30

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 25

VIT: 20

INT: 25

MND: 20

AGI: 14

DEX: 14

■Skills

Weapon Skill: 《Sword: Lv.30》 MAX

Magic Skill: 《Enhancement Magic: Lv.20》

Set Skills: 《Dead Point Strike: Lv.19》

《MP Auto Recovery: Lv.16》

《Plundering Sword: Lv.16》

《Identification: Lv.17》

《Sword of Life: Lv.19》

《Sword of Demon Slaying: Lv.12》

《Tame: Lv.15》

《HP Auto Recovery: Lv.16》

《Life Force Manipulation: Lv.12》

《Mana Manipulation: Lv.1》

Sub Skills: 《Mining: Lv.8》

Title Skill: 《One Against a Thousand》

■Current SP: 30

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■Avatar Name: Hizuru

■Gender: Female

■Race: Human

■Level: 29

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 4)

STR: 26

VIT: 18

INT: 22

MND: 18

AGI: 16

DEX: 16

■Skills

Weapon Skill: 《Sword: Lv.29》

Magic Skill: 《Fire Magic: Lv.25》

Set Skills: 《Battle Aura: Lv.18》

《Spell Charge: Lv.17》

《Fire Attribute Enhancement: Lv.16》

《Healing Proficiency: Lv.11》

《Identification: Lv.16》

《Dead Point Strike: Lv.19》

《Martial Arts: Lv.18》

《Combat Skills: Lv.17》

《Endurance: Lv.17》

Sub Skills: 《Gathering: Lv.7》

《Mining: Lv.10》

Title Skill: 《Scarlet Sword Maiden》

■Current SP: 34

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■Monster Name: Lumin

■Gender: Female

■Race: Valkyrie

■Level: 3

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 26

VIT: 19

INT: 33

MND: 19

AGI: 22

DEX: 19

■Skills

Weapon Skill: 《Sword》

Magic Skill: 《Light Magic》

Skills: 《Light Attribute Enhancement》

《Light Wings》

《High Magic Resistance》

《Medium Physical Resistance》

《MP Auto Mega Recovery》

《Wind Magic》

《Magic Circle》

《Boost》

Title Skill: 《Servant of the Spirit King》