Final qualifying venue - Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Located at the foot of Mt. Fuji, the city was involved in a major incident five years ago by a professional explorer, and more than half of the city was shut down. Although the reconstruction was gradually progressing, nearly half of it remained abandoned and urbanized.
Such a strange city became the final qualifying venue this time.
No, I'm looking forward to it, Yujiro.
On the wheat roll of the ranch somewhere on Mt. Fuji, the professional explorer of the final qualification who was lying on his back looking up at the clear sky - Lotus Mackerel said with an excited voice.
Yujiro Mizuhashi, a member of the association who was just going to buy coffee by hand, smiles bitterly when he hears his "unusual" words.
"Tsubaki-san, we're alone now, so we can talk normally." Rest assured, we have confirmed that no one is watching. Oh, it's the sugar-free coffee I was asked for. "
"Ohh!"
When the shepherd suddenly stopped smiling as if a person had changed, it turned into an unpleasant expression. Saying that you are more like you, the bridge laughs.
His double personality was famous within the association and among some of the top scouts.
When appearing on the front page, he plays everyone's Lotus Breeder, who is admired by young and old, and in his body, a bright Lotus Breeder, who is his pride, appears. For Mizuhashi, Lotusji was more familiar with the latter and easier to talk to.
"In any case, why did you make this your goal? Even the vending machines were so far away."
The bridge speaks while sitting on the ground.
However, the shepherd looked troublesome and returned his words without matching his gaze.
"You're the only one who's in trouble."
"No, that's right."
At the end of the conversation, there is only a ranch-like windbreak between the two of them. The aqueduct gazed at the scenery with a sharp narrowing of its eyes. Unusual words are thrown from the shepherd at such a bridge.
Where is he?
"Is that him?... oh, is that him I was talking about in the selection of Majorca?"
"Yes, it is."
Unusually, the shepherd shows an interest in the newcomer.
That's because if you were a student studying in Majorca, the future must be promising. That's not all, that zero-grade Explorer Leon Massey was looking at the student. Even in Japan, there was no reason not to worry about the pelicans standing at the top.
I've been properly participating, with Leisureman 's approval.
"... do you belong to [idiot]?"
"[None]. I've heard from Kusatsu-kun, but it looks like you still can't decide which guild to belong to." Well, I'm looking forward to it, too. Since only rumors had heard of his existence, what kind of youth did he turn into? Actually, I was there when he issued his license. "
What's the grade?
It was a fifth-class [Swordsman], wasn't it?
Upon hearing the words, the shepherd winked in amazement.
I put my hand on my chin so as to be convinced that I had a clue.
Oh, Leon was involved.
"That's right. Maybe I was using the 'Disguised Blue Stone', and it was really done." If Momose hadn't intervened at that time, I would have wanted to scout for an association. Oh, we'll be joining the scout again this time, right? You also do the [class] of the shepherd, right? "
Depends on what you can do.
It's Momose-san's certification again, isn't it?
"If that's the case, it's bound to come up."
Speaking of which, the shepherd rose slowly.
Then, when I deliberately lifted my mouth angle upwards, the refreshing Lotus Seed Lotus appeared on the surface as if my personality had changed again.
"Come on, let's do it." The final qualifier starts here! Let's make it interesting! "
† † †
Summoning ― Oobi Ancient Cauldron Fire Koroka
In response to Tenji's words, a dark green hell gate painted with moss appeared from the ground.
No, it looked a little different from the red and blue demon hell gates. Although it was a gate connecting hell to the world of this world, its shape was not a gate, but a lantern. Then a green flame burned up in the lantern.
(Yo, what do you want? I told you not to call me because I'm weak.)
What emerged from there was a demon fire that had no substance.
Monsters and spiritual grudges had the shape of fire. It was usually just a spherical ghost fire, but the ancient cage fire called by Tenji had the shape.
Like a monkey, like a devil, like a demon, I don't know how to describe it. However, in the ancient cage fire that appeared in front of me, there was an ego and a figure clearly shaped by the flame.
(I don't want to fight anything today, so it's okay. I know Koro doesn't like to fight.
(Then yeah. What can I do for you?
Because of the flames, Koro-chanko and the ancient cage fire are drifting in front of Tenji. Because of the flames, the ancient cage fire could not be uttered, but it was possible to communicate the will with procedures like storytelling. Tenge gives instructions to such an adorable new partner.
Koro-chan can't see anything but me, can she?
(Of course. I'm a Hellish Yokai. I can't see them.)
(That's right, Koro-chan)
(But hey, sometimes I'm upset. Humans have inspiration, too. It's said that he might look like him.)
The ancient cage fire replied amusedly, relaxing like a cheek stick on Tenji's head. But Tenji said that he had never heard such a story before, and bent his eyebrows into eight characters.
(Yeah... I wish you'd told me that beforehand)
(I'm sorry, but there's no one who looks that way. There's strength and weakness in the inspiration, but if you don't have the right inspiration, you'll only know if there's something there.)
Who do you think we are? The ancient cage fire made me smile adorably. Then he suddenly looked up at the blue sky and said, as if something was coming over him.
(Nnnnh, this is the present world. I wonder when it's been.)
(That's right, I only summoned them in the dungeon for a long time. Have you been here before for a long time?)
(Of course. There are many ex-humans and yokai. We are originally just lanterns, but there are a lot of ghost fires mixed in... well, it's only close to a goddess)
(Heh...... I didn't call you today!)
Tenji shook his head in a panic and shook down the ancient cage fire that was relaxing overhead. While saying "What the hell", the ancient cage fire floats again in the air.
When Tenji called the ancient cage fire, there were roughly some verses that he called as a talking partner, so it seemed that he mistook the ancient cage fire for a talking partner. Tenge often summoned an ancient cage fire to distract loneliness in the dungeon, more intimate than the flaming and snow demons.
(Well, what is it?)
(There are no monsters in this world, and Koro-chan can act alone, right?)
(Unless you're a nuisance, we can move freely)
(That's right! Then you can tell by saying that a watermelon about this size...?)
(Are you hungry? I've never heard of that before)
An ancient cage fire that tilts its neck.
The ancient cage fire was slightly different from the flame demon and the snow demon, and there were some sections where knowledge of the current world was scarce. That's why Tenji asked if he knew the watermelon.
As expected, the ancient fire had never heard of a watermelon. So Tenji took the branches of the small tree that had fallen on the ground, and drew a simple picture of the watermelon on the ground.
(This is the green color, and this jagged one is the round one with the black color.)
(How big is it, how big is it?)
(Is this usually the case?)
When I taught him the approximate size with both hands, the ancient cage fire nodded.
(Well, let's try to find it. I'll call you if I find you.)
(Please, Koro-chan!)
When Tenji asked him to put his hands together, the ancient cage fire slapped around his waist, saying that it could not be helped. That's how I started to wander flutteringly.
Immediately after that, Tenji summoned another ancient cage fire with Koro-chan, and began searching for watermelons in the ancient cage fire system.
”Phew... now, let's start looking too”
Exploring, it is said that this technique may sound very easy, but it is very difficult.
Even by professional explorers, this action of "exploring" comes in color. Whether you have the ability to detect something originally, or not, your behavioral patterns will change.
Tenge is a type of Explorer who doesn't have the ability to detect.
That said, I have no choice but to use my mobility to find it.
Those who do not possess it are the most royal way to earn with their feet.
However, Leon said, "Ahh?" You can look for it, dumbass, "she said, teaching Tenji the ultimate in exploration. Some rarely have such a sixth sense talent in this industry.
It was at that time.
When Tenji suddenly crouches on the ground, he avoids the weeds with his hands.
I saw traces of somebody's shoes thinly there. Normally, it's a thin footprint you'd miss. However, the mark was undoubtedly a trace of the Explorer's shoes.
Oh, that's what I mean.
There's also a way to find these little hints and look for watermelons. Perhaps this footprint was deliberately made by the management.
This land is cursed.
A small curse that has no effect on anyone who is a good explorer or well-trained. But it will have a huge impact on ordinary people. The symptoms of extreme nausea vary from person to person, from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person to person, and from person to person, and from person to person to person, and from person to person to person, and from person to person to
That's why people don't come in and out of this land often. Dungeons don't exist nearby, so they're not frequented by prospectors. The presence of recent Explorer shoe marks in such a place is likely to have been left as a tip for the qualifiers.
(I'll follow the trail and look for the watermelon. Koro-chan and I searched for the watermelon outside the hints and scored points. These two arrows will steadily earn you points)
It was then that Tenji's policy was decided.
Crunchy, crunchy and frizzy.
At the same time that the bushes swayed, the shadows of the human form gently rose up.
"I see... this is the final qualifier of this year."