Chapter 79

This is a very rare story where the "Divine Eye" is at work. ←

The moment Yūri saw those men, he felt something was off. It wasn't just a feeling of unease; it was a warning from the "Divine Eye," which has been evolving recently. Yūri has become better at using it, and now the "Divine Eye" not only warns of simple danger but also alerts him to the presence of malicious entities. However, if the malice is minor, like a child's prank, it gives off an orange warning. As the danger increases, the color turns more red, and if immediate action is required, it becomes bright red.

The red of danger and the red of illness or injury have slightly different impressions, so Yūri can distinguish between them. Or perhaps, the information conveyed by the skill allows him to understand the different meanings of the same red color. In any case, at that moment, Yūri saw men who were radiating a level of danger he rarely encountered.

"…Culé, who are those people?"

"Huh? I don't know. They're probably adventurers, since they're entering the Adventurer's Guild."

"…Adventurers?"

Culésh blinked repeatedly as Yūri repeated the word "adventurers" with a tone of doubt. Yūri generally doesn't show such hostility or suspicion towards others. …However, when Yūri reacts this way, Culésh knows something is up. He is one of the few who knows about Yūri's high-level appraisal ability, having been saved by Yūri on their first meeting.

"Is something wrong?"

"Hmm, not exactly, but…"

"Okay."

"Those men, they're red…"

"…Red?"

Culésh's eyebrows twitched. He knew what Yūri meant by "red." Yūri had once told him that dangerous things appear red. …Incidentally, this is a situation where the skill activates. The precision may differ, but whether it's a basic appraisal skill or the "Evil Eye" that Alie possesses, harmful things are recognized as red. …However, the "Divine Eye" is unique in that it can activate constantly without burdening the user, which is impossible with the other two. The "Divine Eye" was, as always, in top form today.

In any case, the men Yūri described as "red" entered the Adventurer's Guild. Before Yūri and Culésh could enter, they came out. A few young men followed them, and Culésh instinctively grabbed their arms to stop them. The young men looked surprised but quickly smiled.

"Hey, it's Culésh. What's up?"

"Well, I have a question for you guys."

"A question?"

"Yeah."

Yūri nodded at the signal. The men tilted their heads, wondering why the young men weren't following, but they seemed to accept the scene of Culésh and Yūri chatting with them. They waved and left, probably heading to a predetermined meeting place. The young men, who had been stopped, looked at them curiously. Yūri confirmed that the young men looked normal and conveyed this to Culésh by nudging his hand. They had no ill intent and were not dangerous. The danger came only from those men.

"So, what's your question?"

"Those guys, are they your acquaintances?"

"Not exactly, but we're supposed to explore a dungeon with them soon."

"…Really?"

The young men were around the same age as Culésh and had registered as adventurers around the same time. Yūri explained that they had met during the guild's beginner training and had gradually improved their skills by taking on simple quests and forming a party. Culésh had joined the "Crimson Lynx" to learn the basics, which is why their paths diverged.

"Dungeon exploration," Culésh muttered. If he hadn't heard Yūri's warning, he wouldn't have thought anything of it. But since Yūri had deemed them dangerous, he couldn't just let it go. …If there was nothing wrong, Yūri wouldn't have said they were dangerous. …Moreover, what bothered Culésh the most was that the usually carefree Luke was subtly wary of the men. Despite his cute slime appearance, the others knew of his high abilities. Yūri was always cheerful, saying, "My Luke is amazing!" but Culésh understood that it was more than that.

"Hey, did you ask them, or did they approach you?"

"They approached us. Maybe we've improved a bit?"

"…Yūri?"

"Yeah."

Although they looked happy, Culésh couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. From their perspective, these young men were still beginners, and it didn't seem like there was any benefit for the men to explore a dungeon with them.

"My neck is tingling," Culésh complained. He couldn't shake the bad feeling. Even though he hoped it was just overthinking, knowing Yūri's ability, he couldn't be optimistic.

"…Dangerous, don't go."

"Bro, you should avoid teaming up with those guys."

"Mag?"

"Urgus?"

The two apprentices, who had just returned from a nearby gathering quest, spoke in their usual calm and indifferent tones. They were addressing the young men, not Yūri and Culésh.

"Do you know those guys?"

"…No? …Yes?"

"We don't really know them, but they seem suspicious. They approached us today too."

"Both of us?"

"…You guys?"

Yūri looked confused, and Culésh looked skeptical. The reason was that Mag and Urgus, who were still beginners and lacked proper equipment, only went on low-risk gathering quests.

…However, in reality, Urgus, with his warrior class and powerful skills, had high physical abilities, and Mag, from the slums, had stealth and espionage skills and the assassin class, making them a surprisingly strong duo despite their appearance.

There was no reason for the men to approach them. They would only be a hindrance.

"Something's off."

"Mag's instincts are usually right, and I don't trust them either."

"…Actually, Yūri's judgment was also negative, and Luke was wary too."

"Really?"

"…Confirmed."

"Even if it was just Luke and me, it would be one thing, but Mag and Urgus also gave a negative judgment… This is definitely a no-go, Culé…"

"Confirmed, but we don't have proof. We can't just judge based on intuition…"

The young men looked confused as the boys grumbled. They were surprised by the sudden appearance of Mag and Urgus and felt left out as the four of them discussed something. They were clearly wrong, but the young men's good nature kept them from leaving.

"Culésh, we have a meeting, so we're going."

"Wait, wait, wait! You can't just leave in this situation!"

"What? But you guys were having a friendly chat, right?"

"No! You're the ones involved!"

Culésh shouted at the young men, who didn't understand the gravity of the situation. The danger was to them. They were about to approach the men who were confirmed to be dangerous. He wanted to tell them to improve their crisis management skills. …However, the men seemed friendly on the surface, and Culésh wouldn't have noticed if Yūri hadn't mentioned it.

As they were talking, the men, perhaps concerned that the young men weren't following, came back. Culésh was still holding the young man's arm. Mag and Urgus were silently watching the men. And Yūri…

"…Culé, Culé, confirmed. The status note says 'Newbie Crusher.'"

"Seriously? That's a definite no. Mag, Urgus, contact the guild master. If they ask, tell them Yūri said it, and he'll probably understand."

"Understood."

"Got it."

"Culésh?"

"You guys, stay here."

Culésh groaned at the information Yūri whispered. Ignoring the confused young men, the "Crimson Lynx" group continued their discussion. Mag and Urgus immediately ran into the guild to deliver the message. It was a simple task.

Yūri knew the men's status because he remembered what Alie had said. Generally, viewing someone's status is considered rude and an invasion of privacy. Alie had repeatedly warned him not to do it. However, there are exceptions. When the "Divine Eye" issues a warning, it's acceptable to check the status. Alie had told Yūri this, but also warned him to seek help from someone else instead of acting alone.

So, Yūri activated the "Divine Eye" as if waiting for evidence. The status note usually shows nothing, but sometimes it displays important information, such as a famous nickname or a position held. In this case, all the men had the note "Newbie Crusher," which was not a good sign.

"Yūri, are you sure?"

"I have no reason to lie here."

"True."

The men, looking confused, tried to approach the young men. Culésh interrupted them, and Yūri gently pushed back the hands extended towards the young men, smiling apologetically. There was no tension in his tone.

The tension was further reduced by the sight of Luke bouncing cutely at Yūri's feet. However, despite the carefree appearance, Luke was subtly wary of the men. As a competent slime and familiar, he was preparing to knock the men away if they tried to harm Yūri.

"Hey, we have business with those guys over there."

"I'd rather you didn't."

"Actually, you should stop doing bad things, guys."

"Huh?"

Culésh, unusually serious, and Yūri, speaking as if scolding a child, interrupted the men. The guild master, a middle-aged gentleman with a monocle, arrived with a calm smile, but the atmosphere was cold.

"Hello, Yūri. Is there a problem again?"

"Hello. The status note of those men says 'Newbie Crusher.' What should we do?"

"Oh, that's not good…"

The men, who were shocked, watched as the guild master's smile deepened. Yūri and Culésh could clearly hear his muttered, "Finally showed their true colors."

Ah, they were being watched, the two thought. The guild master's quick response might have been because of this. Before the men could say anything, before Yūri or Culésh could act, the guild master snapped his fingers, and several people appeared to apprehend the men. The sudden arrest caused a stir, but the guild master's calm "It's an internal matter" made everyone leave without a word. The Adventurer's Guild is scary.

"…Um, guild master? What's going on?"

"They've been cleverly causing trouble for a long time, but they finally showed their true colors."

Indeed, the smile was very pleasant. A pleasant smile from a middle-aged gentleman. Yet, the dark aura behind him was unsettling. Culésh could only mutter, "I see." He wondered how stupid these men must be to make the guild master an enemy.

"You brat…!"

"Sorry for viewing someone's status without permission?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Alie's protégé. …Let's continue the conversation inside the guild."

The guild master quickly answered before Yūri could, and the men were led away. Yūri bowed to see them off. Viewing someone's status without permission is wrong, but the men who triggered the "Divine Eye" were at fault. Yūri believed that bad actions have consequences, though he wouldn't go as far as to say that bad people have no rights. He was from a culture that believed in "If you curse someone, two holes will appear."

"…That was quick."

"The guild master is too strong."

"Yeah…"

Yūri and Culésh chatted casually, while the young men, who had been left out, were taken away by guild staff to be questioned. The guild members would likely provide a detailed explanation. It was best to leave the rest to them.

"Yūri's appraisal is really strong."

"It's not like I care that much…"

Yūri's mutter was a genuine statement. However, he couldn't ignore danger, so such things happen. It's fine since it was prevented before it happened, Yūri thought.

By evening, a thank-you letter from the guild arrived, and Alie, who heard the story, groaned. It was a predictable reaction. Dads are tough.

When reading fantasy stories, there are often "Newbie Crushers." It's a bad thing, so I made Yūri work a bit. …By the way, the guild master is probably a reflection of the author's preferences. ←

I look forward to your comments and feedback.