Chapter 71

On the plains of western Prussia.

There, a group of bald adventurers was battling a massive boar.

"Yah-ha! ...I shouldn't have come here while still recovering from my illness."

The members of Shining Head were running around, slashing at the massive boar—Fafnir.

As a result, they were panting heavily, but Fafnir still seemed full of energy,

"---!!"

Continuing to charge at full speed.

Even though they had already slashed at it multiple times and made it bleed, it wouldn't fall.

"Yah-ha. This Fafnir is too big to take down...!"

"It's no use complaining now. Besides, Leader, you have a broken bone. You should be more careful."

One of the members poked the leader's arm and said,

"Yah-ha, bones can be fixed with a recovery potion. So stop poking me."

"Even if they're fixed, you need to rest until they regain their original strength, don't you?"

Recovery potions heal wounds, but they don't restore the original strength.

They also don't restore stamina.

Ideally, the leader, who had been battered in the battle with the Dungeon Master, should still be resting,

"Why did you come?"

"Yah-ha... What could I do? I saw such a big monster appear."

"This is a proper emergency quest, isn't it?"

This was a job that suddenly appeared due to a monster.

The town, like them, was still in the process of recovery.

It was trying hard to recover from the damage caused by the dungeon's activation.

If they left this big monster alone, it would cause more damage.

"Yah-ha, that wouldn't be good, would it..."

A festival was coming up soon. It would be unacceptable to dampen the mood.

So, the members of Shining Head readied their weapons again, determined not to let it go.

The massive Fafnir was still full of energy.

It was stomping its feet, preparing to charge.

"Yah-ha. We're not at full strength, so it's tough... but compared to the Lord of the Earth, this is nothing, right, guys?"

"Right!"

No one who had seen the battle with that Dungeon Master could remain unexcited.

They all wanted to become that strong.

Even if they couldn't match it, they strongly wanted to aim for that level of power.

"Yah-ha, we had a good talk at the bar after that battle. About getting stronger."

"Right...!!"

So, the members of Shining Head didn't back down; they faced the challenge head-on.

"---!!"

"Let's go!"

The leader started running to meet Fafnir, which was charging with a roar.

Just as they were about to collide,

"Leader! Another one is coming from its shadow!!"

"What?!"

A second boar was charging from behind the massive boar.

The first one was so big that it had created a blind spot, making it invisible.

...So, it has a sidekick, huh...

They were already at full speed, and if they continued, they would be hit head-on.

...This is going to hurt...

At worst, they would be impaled by its tusks, and at best, they would be run over.

"Damn...!!"

But they couldn't just stand there and do nothing.

Bracing for impact, they gritted their teeth and prepared for the collision. In that instant,

"Leader, look up!"

"Huh?"

A massive object fell from above the leader and the two Fafnirs.

"Whoa!?"

The leader jumped to the side just in time.

---Kaboom!

A tremendous sound echoed.

Whatever had hit the ground with incredible force not only created a crater but also sent the leader flying.

"Yah-ha, ouch... ouch..."

"L-Leader, are you okay?"

Blown away by the impact, the leader had only minor injuries compared to being impaled or run over.

"Y-Yah-ha. S-Something fell...?"

As the leader lifted his head, something rose from the dust.

It was a large golem and,

"Well, I fell during the flight. Flying isn't as easy as it seems."

A man with the strength they all admired.