Chapter 59

Serial Resumption!

I'll do my best to serialize daily!

"Ugh. Damn it. That Lucius..."

The man was drinking at a run-down izakaya (Japanese pub).

"More drinks, more drinks. Bring me more drinks. I can't go on without a drink."

"Sir, you've had enough. Why don't you call it a night?"

"Shut up. This is a bar, isn't it? Serving drinks is what a bar is for. If you understand, bring me a drink quickly."

The bar owner reluctantly opened a bottle of alcohol behind the counter.

"Hey, Master. How are you doing?"

"Oh, it's you."

The owner's face brightened slightly upon seeing the regular customer.

"I'll have my usual."

"Sure, I'll be happy to serve you."

The owner prepared the regular customer's drink, putting the previous customer on hold.

"That customer over there is quite a handful, isn't he?"

"I'm at my wits' end. He comes in every day, drinks a lot, and always runs a tab without paying. But I can't have him causing trouble either."

"But isn't he a famous adventurer? One of the renowned ones from the 'Adventurer's Town'?"

"Who knows. According to him, he used to be a skilled adventurer in the 'Adventurer's Town,' making a name for himself..."

"Hmm, the 'Adventurer's Town.' That's quite impressive."

"But now, he's just a has-been. He wanders from bar to bar, begging for drinks."

"I see. Well, the nature of dungeons can vary from town to town. Just because you did well in one town doesn't mean you'll do well in another. That's the tricky part of being an adventurer."

"That's true, but I wish he wouldn't cause so much trouble."

"Hey, Master. Where's my drink? Can't you see this bottle is empty?"

"Alright, alright. I'm coming."

The owner brought the drink with a sigh.

"Well, that's how it is. You'll have to put up with the noise for a while."

"Yeah, you've got a tough job."

"Ugh. Hic. Damn it, everyone. They all look down on me. Do they know who I am? I'm Sebastian, an A-class adventurer."

"You mean a former A-class adventurer, right?"

"What did you say?"

A sarcastic voice came from behind, and Sebastian, slurring his words, glared at the thin, nervous-looking man who had suddenly spoken to him. The man, undeterred by Sebastian's glare, sat down at the table he had occupied.

"You caused a brawl in the 'Adventurer's Town' and fled. As a result, your adventurer's license, which needs to be renewed regularly, has expired, and you've lost your A-class adventurer status."

"Who are you! Do you know who I am? That's impertinent!"

"I, too, was expelled from the 'Adventurer's Town.'"

"Hmm, is that the emblem of the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree'?"

Sebastian squinted at the emblem the man showed him.

"Yes, I'm Willick, an appraiser for the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree.'"

Willick said with a twisted smile.

"An appraiser... so you mean..."

"That's right. The guild was shut down because of Roland."

"Hmph. So what if a bunch of second-rate guild members fought each other. Get lost. I don't have time for the likes of you."

"Even if I tell you that Roland became the guild master of the 'Golden Eagle'?"

Following Willick, a warrior with an axe spear sat down.

"You... it's Gilbert, isn't it?"

"Hey, long time no see."

Gilbert smiled at Sebastian.

"Roland is the guild master of the 'Golden Eagle'? No, wait, did you even leave the 'Golden Eagle'?"

"I didn't leave. I was expelled by Roland."

"What?"

"Let me tell you, I didn't do anything wrong. In fact, I gave him advice. I suggested that he should reconcile the first and second squads. The guild was in disarray, and everyone was anxious. But Roland... he fanned the flames of conflict between the squads and used spies and informants to disrupt the guild's internal affairs. The guild became tense, and in the end, he pinned the blame on me, making me look like a traitor. He incited the guild members and had me hanged and expelled. That guy is a dictator, using his position as guild master to do as he pleases."

"Really? Roland... did such a thing..."

Sebastian was speechless.

In his mind, Roland was unreliable but generally a quiet and reserved young man.

What could have happened to turn him into such a cold-blooded ruler?

"Tell me. What happened after I left the town?"

Gilbert began to recount the events that transpired after Sebastian and Willick left, adding his own embellishments.

"The second squad was disbanded?"

"Yeah, the second squad had a lot of Lucius's people. They were in the way."

"Roland... he disbanded my second squad!"

In reality, Sebastian had been abandoned by the second squad, but in his mind, he was still their leader.

"I told him to bring back Sebastian's father. He could have controlled the second squad. The second squad members respected Sebastian's father. But do you know what he said? 'I have no intention of bringing Sebastian back. I was the one who arranged for him to be expelled from the town.' It was all in his hands."

"Lucius was also killed by his hand. He was surrounded by Roland's subordinates in a dark, damp dungeon and brutally murdered. Officially, it was self-defense, but it's likely Roland twisted the facts."

"Damn Roland!"

Sebastian slammed the bottle on the table with all his might.

"I never thought he was such a despicable man. I've never heard of such a wicked story. If only I could return to the adventurer's town, I would bring him to justice with my own hands!"

"Hehehe. Mr. Sebastian, don't be so angry. I have some useful information about Roland's movements."

"What is it?"

"Roland is heading to the 'Island of the Fire Dragon' to expand his business."

"The 'Island of the Fire Dragon'? You mean the S-class monster, the 'Gigantic Fire Dragon,' is appearing there?"

"Yes. We are planning to give Roland a taste of his own medicine. How about it? Will you join us?"

"I see. If that's the case, I'll listen to your plan. Tell me more."

"Alright, let's get to the point."

Willick and Gilbert began to discuss their plan to thwart Roland's scheme.

"I see. With this method, we might be able to teach Roland a lesson."

"How about it, Sebastian's dad? Are you in?"

"Of course. I'll do anything to take down Roland."

"Hehehe. Then it's settled. From now on, we will act as the secret guild, 'Victims of Roland.' Let's perform a swearing-in ceremony."

The three of them ordered the bartender to place cups on the table.

"We will remain united and continue our actions until we bring Roland to ruin."

"I will slay Roland with this axe spear."

"I will reclaim the second squad from Roland."

The three of them clinked their cups and drank the alcohol.

---

The four continents surrounding the inland sea, each positioned in the east, west, south, and north, form a circuit that ships follow, with the 'Island of the Fire Dragon' as the final destination.

On the cruise ship heading to the 'Island of the Fire Dragon,' Roland was relaxing.

In his hand was a letter from Lilianna.

The letter expressed her desire to handle the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree' and the 'Golden Eagle' on her own, encouraging Roland to focus on the new business venture. It also conveyed her sadness at being apart from him for a while, written with deep emotion.

As Roland put away the letter, he reflected on the events of the past few weeks.

After Roland resigned as guild master, the 'Golden Eagle' transitioned to a council system where six executive members made decisions through discussion and majority rule.

The executive members included Roland, the squad leaders, and external members like Lilianna and Rance.

He was confident that they could manage the 'Golden Eagle' well.

Thus, Roland obtained permission from the guild to travel to the 'Island of the Fire Dragon' on a business trip.

Roland stopped reminiscing and picked up a pamphlet about the 'Island of the Fire Dragon.'

The island has a large volcano that shapes its terrain and dungeon.

The residents have adapted to coexist with the volcano, building houses with special materials to protect themselves from volcanic ash and sparks, and the city is constructed according to strict regulations.

However, even with these measures, the residents cannot fully cope with the disasters caused by the 'Gigantic Fire Dragon,' and they constantly seek help from external adventurer guilds.

This time, the 'Golden Eagle' responded to the residents' requests and volunteered to slay the 'Gigantic Fire Dragon.'

Adventurers visit the 'Island of the Fire Dragon' not only to slay the 'Gigantic Fire Dragon' but also for the rare metals that form on the surface of the volcano due to frequent eruptions. These rare metals, known as 'rare metals,' are unique and cannot be found elsewhere.

The 'rare metals' are used to create special equipment, and the island is a major source of these materials. The alchemy guild on the island is of a much higher quality than the one in the adventurer's town.

The 'rare metals' and the excellent alchemists attract adventurers from around the world to the 'Island of the Fire Dragon' every year.

As a result, it is the only place where adventurers from different continents compete for resources.

As Roland was engrossed in the pamphlet, the ship's whistle sounded.

The ship was approaching the 'Island of the Fire Dragon.'

Roland went to the deck to see the island with his own eyes.

"That's the 'Island of the Fire Dragon.'"

On the deck, many people were gathered, cheering.

In front of Roland, the island's silhouette was faintly visible on the horizon, with a large, smoking volcano rising from it.

At the summit, a large crater and a glowing red 'Magma Path' were visible.

Lowering his gaze, he saw the 'Metal Line,' a region covered with jagged rocks and sparkling mineral deposits, like a gemstone-studded landscape.

Further down, the forest zone at the base of the volcano was visible, and beyond that, the town spread out.

The forest zone served as a buffer between the town and the dungeon.

The town was lined with inns for adventurers from the four continents and nearby islands.

(The S-class monster, the 'Gigantic Fire Dragon,' is sleeping in that volcano.)

Roland's mission was to establish a base and prepare the ground for the 'Golden Eagle's' 'Gigantic Fire Dragon' slaying operation.

The ship approached the island's port, and the crew began preparing to unload the cargo.

(World-class alchemists, adventurers from the four continents, and the unique monsters and items of the volcanic region. What kind of adventures await on that island?)

The ship glided into the port, filled with the excitement of a new business venture.

"Approaching the 'Island of the Fire Dragon.' Please prepare your luggage if you are disembarking."

Volume 2 will be released on February 25th (Tuesday)!

I've compiled information about Volume 2 and event details in my activity report, so please check it out.

Thank you.