Chapter 53

Arriving at the village of Regias.

There were fewer players in the village.

Perhaps those who were progressing through events or aiming for level-ups were becoming more active.

However, there was one thing that caught my attention.

I could see a marker of an unfamiliar color from the entrance of the village.

It was a gray inverted triangle.

I instinctively tried to use [Identification] to examine it, but my gaze broke off and I couldn't identify it.

What was that?

Could it be?

When I checked the description of [Perception], it was a bingo.

The marker of that color appeared when [Perception] revealed skills like [Disguise] or [Camouflage].

So, was that a player killer?

There was no way to confirm it now.

I shouldn't let my guard down.

I'll have to be more careful from now on.

"Oh, hello."

"Hello. Well, it's almost evening, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's right. Bringing in items again today?"

"Of course."

Mio's stall and Feina's market stand were easy to find.

Rick was serving customers at the market stand.

I just nodded to him.

Yuka was cooking, but she seemed relaxed.

The reason was clear.

Today's menu was a stew and soup.

When I used [Appraisal], it looked like this:

[Food Item] Braised Wild Boar in Dongpo Style Meat +25% Fullness Quality C+ Rarity 1 Weight 0+

The wild boar meat was lightly boiled and then steamed.

The herbs enhance the flavor of the meat.

It comes with bread, but I'd prefer rice.

The vegetable soup is light.

Together, it provides 35% fullness.

Yeah, it's delicious.

"Hey! I'm here!"

"Hey!"

"Back."

"Oh, it's Keith. Welcome."

"Good evening."

Just as we were about to finish eating, Feina and the others returned.

Saki, Reina, Mio, Shinohara, and a player I hadn't seen before, a total of six people.

They looked a bit tired, probably from hunting.

Feina and Saki both held shields in one hand and wore leather armor, with matching designs.

Feina likely had an axe, and Saki a sword.

They looked quite brave.

"Hey, I'm back."

"Welcome. Ah, Helga, this is Keith, a summoner and a regular customer."

"Nice to meet you."

"Keith, this is Helga, an alchemist and a member of our guild."

"Nice to meet you."

An alchemist, huh?

She seemed to be a bow-wielding alchemist.

Her bow and quiver caught my eye, but I could also see a mace on her hip.

Given the leather armor under her robe, she probably took the front line when necessary.

"I heard from Ader. It seems you lost a disciple to an NPC."

"No, Saki, they're not exactly disciples."

"Isn't it the same thing?"

"No, no, no."

"Right, the equipment you requested has been delivered."

"Thank you for all your help."

"It's fine, it was a request after all."

"Speaking of requests, I have some items to bring in today."

"Let me see!"

I laid out the items I wanted to sell on the table in front of Mio.

They were all things I had accumulated over the past few days.

I kept the horse meat, bloodroot, and a considerable number of silver chicken eggs separate.

Mio would probably take them anyway.

There were a large number of evil ant stingers and carapaces, silver chicken wings, a bit of obsidian, and two striped raccoon skins.

The main items were the silver chicken's extremely colorful wings and the wild horse skins.

I had six wild horse skins.

I think this amount is enough to update my equipment.

Feina, Mio, and Reina gathered around the table.

Mio was already eating while standing.

It looked like skewers, which weren't on the menu.

I could see Yuka smiling wryly at the edge of my vision.

She was probably telling Mio to sit down and eat the horse meat.

"Wow, this much in just a few days?"

"Mmm, all of it!"

"Mio, finish eating first."

She was immediately called out.

Of course, that was to be expected.

"Are you going to make something with the wild horse skins?"

"I want to update my equipment. If it's ready in time for the tournament, that would be great."

"The tournament? Are you entering?"

"Yes, for some reason. It's due to someone's plot."

"Unfortunately, we have a prior commitment. The schedule is already full until the preliminaries."

Oh no.

That's a possibility.

"It's fine if it's not in time."

"In that case, I can take it. But with this amount, there will definitely be leftovers, no matter what I make."

"Right. Well, I guess so."

"Saki, why don't you finish eating first? Sorry, Keith."

"No, no, it's fine."

Right.

Even if I update my current equipment, it would only be the hare chest plate.

What should I do?

It's quite a dilemma.

"Excuse me, can I summon in the back?"

"Sure."

It's better to take care of what I can first.

I asked Feina for permission and led Crescent Moon and the others to the back of the stall.

I removed Crescent Moon's horse gear and returned her.

I also returned the hawk, Helix.

I'll switch to the night shift.

Oh, right.

I can decide on a new summon monster here, can't I?

I called up the summon monster list on the virtual window and selected the line below Jericho.

A list of summonable monsters appeared in a separate window.

Then I noticed something was off.

There were more candidates.

Wolf

Horse

Hawk

Owl

Wood Puppet

Bat

Wood Golem

Beast Ape

Oni

Red Fox

Tiger

Viper

Skeleton

Slime

Skeleton? Slime?

Well, I did identify and fight them in the forest dungeon.

They're more troublesome than strong.

Can they be allies?

It's a bit iffy.

A reliable ally?

What is this feeling of deflation?

Skeletons and slimes are pretty unreliable.

I should at least check the descriptions.

[Skeleton] Summon Monster Battle Position: Ground

An undead made of human bones. It attacks using weapons.

It has the same build as a human and can handle both front and back lines.

It can use any weapon a human can.

It has excellent night vision.

It can continuously self-heal unless both of its cores are destroyed.

It weakens in sunlight, so be cautious.

[Slime] Summon Monster Battle Position: Ground, Wall

It is said to be a synthetic monster created by alchemy.

Its main attack is a special ability to dissolve.

It moves by surface tension, shape-shifting, and center of gravity.

It moves slowly but can crawl on walls and ceilings.

Its size varies slightly. It weighs as much as a human.

Physical attacks are generally ineffective. It is extremely weak to fire.

Hmm.

It sounds interesting, but I'll pass this time.

I'll choose a monster I've been considering for a while.

"Summon Monster!"

A monster resembling a human appeared in the magic circle on the ground.

It was slightly smaller than me but had a thick chest and impressive muscles.

Its eyes glowed fiercely. Scary.

Its fangs slightly protruded from its closed mouth, which was also scary.

I chose the Oni.

I'll give it a name too.

Summon Monster

Guardian Oni Oni Lv1

Dexterity: 16

Agility: 13

Intelligence: 9

Strength: 16

Vitality: 17

Spirit: 11

Skills

[ ] [ ] [ ] Block Dodge Stealth

No weapon skills.

Instead, there are [ ].

Focusing on [ ], a message appeared.

<Please specify a weapon skill or a defensive skill>

Hmm.

Players can specify skills.

This is a bit interesting.

I'll look at the candidates.

What is lacking in my current forces?

I don't have a backliner.

This is the time, I'll make the main weapon a bow.

But just a bow is worrying.

Considering when the arrows run out, a secondary weapon is needed.

I chose a hand axe and a small shield.

Depending on the situation, it can also take the front line.

Summon Monster

Guardian Oni Oni Lv1

Dexterity: 16

Agility: 13

Intelligence: 9

Strength: 16

Vitality: 17

Spirit: 11

Skills

Bow Hand Axe Small Shield Block Dodge Stealth

Is this good?

Then I noticed it had no equipment.

It was only wearing pants.

I'll have to buy it some.

Looking at its feet, they were like shoes, so it couldn't wear slippers.

Otherwise, human equipment should work.

"That's a pretty impressive summon monster."

"Is it?"

"It's a bit scary, isn't it?"

"Not really."

Hmm.

It's naturally unpopular with the ladies.

Feina said it was impressive, but her expression told a different story.

Saki's comment is fine, but Mio's is harsh!

"Gehe."

The Guardian Oni made a low sound to express its will.

It doesn't seem angry, but it's not in a good mood either.

The Oni will suffer from its appearance.

The identification marker is green, so there shouldn't be a problem.

For now, I'll use a hooded coat.

I took out a raincoat from the [Item Box] and gave it to the Guardian Oni.

I'll have it cover its head as much as possible.

"Feina, you handle bows and arrows, right?"

"Of course. Reina and Shinohara are carpenters. Their work naturally sells well."

"Then I'll need a bow, quiver, and arrows. For the arrows, I want evil ant arrows, bat fang arrows, and obsidian arrows."

"How many? It would help if you could give them in bundles. Also, arrows with extended range effects will cost extra."

"Two bundles of evil ant and bat fang arrows, and one bundle of obsidian arrows, please. For now, I'll go with the cheaper ones."

"Sure. Well, they are consumables, so that might be fine."

I received the bundles of arrows first.

One bundle weighs one item weight, with 20 evil ant arrows, 20 bat fang arrows, and 12 obsidian arrows per bundle.

This should be enough for now.

I chose a generic quiver.

For the bow, I appraised all the items at the market stand and selected the best one.

It was the only item with Quality B-.

When I asked the price, it was within my budget.

It's better to get something that will last.

[Weapon Item: Bow] Ash Bow Quality B- Rarity 3

AP ±0 Damage ±0 Weight 1 Durability 120 Range 50

A bow made from ash wood.

It is of standard size and relatively easy to handle.

[Custom]

Reinforced with bark and resin, improving durability.

Hmm.

Not bad for a first item.

Then, the hand axe and small shield.

First, the hand axe.

Feina recommended a machete made by guild members.

It's treated as a hand axe.

It looked good, so I went with the recommended machete.

Then, the small shield.

I chose a light one with a metal frame reinforced on wood, considering its defensive capabilities.

Of course, I confirmed that both items were of good quality.

[Weapon Item: Hand Axe] Blunt Iron Machete Quality C+ Rarity 2

AP +4 Damage 3 Weight 2 Durability 110 Throwing possible, Range 10

A weapon that is more useful for smashing with its weight than cutting.

It can be used for various tasks.

[Armor Item: Small Shield] Cedar Small Shield+ Quality C+ Rarity 2

Def +7 Weight 2 Durability 130

A small shield made of layered cedar. It is light and easy to handle.

[Custom]

Reinforced with thin iron plates and bark on the surface.

I had the Guardian Oni carry the bow and quiver on its back and the machete and small shield in its hands.

I encouraged it to move around.

It seemed to handle the machete and small shield without any problems.

"Can the machete sheath be attached to the back of the shield?"

"Wait a moment. Reina!"

"I can do it here! I'll do it after I finish eating!"

"Thanks."

"Okay!"

Saki, who had finished eating, was checking the wild horse skins.

"Are you going to make something with these?"

"My leather armor. And for this Oni too."

"Really? Equip it?"

"It seems the weapons and armor are designed for that."

"Wow, can you customize the design as a player?"

"Yes. I plan to have it mainly serve as a backliner. Please cover it from the top of its head to its feet."

"Got it. Can you have it stand still? I need to take measurements."

"Sure."

I told the Guardian Oni to stand still for a while.

It stood motionless.

It was impressive.

Still, Saki was clearly scared, but she managed to take the measurements.

She's a pro.

Oh.

I need to summon another one besides Black Obsidian and the Guardian Oni.

I summoned the key combatant, Wolf.

The Guardian Oni will join tonight's hunt.

Wolf can be left to its own devices, which is convenient.

It shouldn't lose to a male Silver Kei in a one-on-one fight.

The only monster that would be a tough fight in a one-on-one would be a stray horse.

Feina seems to have finished eating.

It might be a good time to consult her.

"I have something I want to consult with Feina."

"Oh, what is it?"

"It's about magic. I have some new spells."

"Wait a moment."

Feina called out to Mio, Reina, and Helga, who had finished eating.

"Mio and Helga, help with the stall. Reina, take care of the market stand. And bring Rick here."

"Okay!"

"Got it!"

"Understood."

As if she had the perfect plan, the staff quickly switched roles.

When Rick came to the table, he looked curiously at the items laid out.

"Rick, can you handle the calculations?"

"Sure. The ingredients will all be bought by Mio, and the wild horse skins will be processed by Saki, right?"

"That's right."

"I'll take care of it."

Feina, as always, is all business.

And somehow, a 'Union' request from Feina had already come through.

Of course, I accepted it.

It seems she intends to use the whisper function for private conversations.

'This is good. What do you want to consult about?'

'Well, various things. You can just listen as if it's casual talk.'

'Really? My intuition says otherwise.'

I tried to read her expression, but she was smiling as usual.

I really can't match this woman.

'I obtained a new spell.'

'A spell?'

'Yes.'

'Wait a moment.'

Hmm?

She seems to be pondering something.

'Why don't you hold off for now? You're entering the tournament, right?'

'What do you mean?'

'After the tournament announcement, the number of skill-related posts on the bulletin board has decreased.'

'Really?'

'Of course, the same goes for spells. In the tournament, they won't announce names, but everyone is suspicious.'

'Suspicious?'

'Yes. If you know your opponent's skill setup in advance, you can prepare and increase your chances of winning.'

I see.

That makes sense.

Indeed, an unknown opponent with unknown skills is troublesome.

Gathering information as a preparatory step is a crucial factor.

The ideal situation is to have already won before the battle even begins.

'Information that could reveal your skill setup is better not to know. You might be tempted to post it.'

'So that's how it is.'

'That's how it is. At least, I don't think highly of myself.'

'So, can we talk after the tournament?'

'That would be easier.'

'Understood. But there's one thing I want to mention.'

'What is it?'

'Player killers. I seem to have a skill to identify players who might be player killers.'

'Really? You have [Perception]?'

'I have it.'

'Really? So it does exist.'

Feina thought for a moment before continuing the conversation.

'It wasn't confirmed on the bulletin board, but it seems to be confirmed now.'

'It wasn't confirmed?'

'It was just a rumor. I knew that dying to a player killer could grant the [Protection] skill, but it was just a rumor.'

'[Protection]?'

'Yes. It seems to reduce the chance of losing items or money when killed by a player killer.'

'I see.'

Indeed.

If you can get a countermeasure even after being killed, it's not a completely useless system.

[Perception] might be a reward for retaliating against player killers.

'Earlier, I used [Perception] on a player in this village.'

'Really?'

'Yes. I couldn't confirm the face, though.'

'I see. It really seems like we can't let our guard down.'

'Are there any countermeasures for production classes?'

'Not really. The rule is to form a union with at least two parties when moving between towns and villages.'

'Really?'

'The best deterrent is to show your combat strength.'

'I see.'

'Anything else?'

'No, that's all.'

'I'm sorry. It doesn't seem very helpful.'

'No, it's fine. Can you help me again