Golden Experience

"Is this the Huguel Cup? And that's Hugel Cup Castle...... I see. You're no less majestic than a royal castle."

"I prefer this one. When do you feel history? The castle in Wangdu stinks. It just looks so fancy."

"Right...... For now, let's go to the mercenary union."

Yoichi used to move around the boundaries of Oral, attacking dungeons, and doing quests from neighborhood residents.

However, with the start of the third official event, I decided to move to King's Landing.

The last event saw the demise of the Kingdom of Hills and a coup d 'état here in Oral as well.

Something doesn't necessarily happen at this event either, but when something happens, it will be the King's Capital that will do the most damage.

And it was the uplifting voice of the priests that was heard by the two men on the king's capital.

Apparently, a new human enemy has been born in the Tree forest of the former Hills kingdom.

Yoichi had just caught a priest who was preaching in the streets and asked for more information.

"The Tree Forest... which part of the Old Hills realm is it?

"Right, speaking on the national soil of hi (...) l (...) s (...) king (...) country (...), is it a position that hits the northeast? It's close to the Kingdom of Wealth."

"That's.... Could there be a major invasion, as was the case in the previous Seventh Disaster?"

"Seventh calamity...? Oh, is that a new disaster? Certainly some kind of name might be needed more than a new disaster has been created. Let us play on this matter to the Archbishop.

Anyway, there are no such signs of a major invasion so far. The armies of angels attack even monsters, so I don't think they can afford to mess with us humans. "

When I think about the last event, it's hard to think about being born as an event boss and not doing anything to pull it off.

I'm sure he'll do something.

Where would it fit the damage first then?

The last disaster born in Hills instantly caused the Kingdom of Hills to be destroyed.

At that time, Wayne and Yoichi were active in the crusade, but they were soon resurrected, and the Hills kingdom eventually disappeared overnight. Perhaps that was the default.

This time, for example, if a disaster had been born in another country, it could have destroyed the country where it was born.

There are only six states on the continent, and mankind is quickly annihilated even if it is annihilated by every event. I wouldn't exactly make that a scenario.

Then you can also see the aim of creating a disaster in the former Hills territory. If it's Hills, it's already doomed as a nation, and it doesn't immediately lead to any more tragedies of a nation's demise. It will come from the same old Hills territory even if it is attacked, and it is not directly related to other countries.

In other words, the operation is aimed at the development of treating the former Hills territory as if it were a so-called demonic or demonic territory, with damage spreading around it.

If so, it would be from a town closer to the old Hills if it could be attacked.

If a new calamity were to be targeted as excluding Portley is likely to have been attacked by a counterattack from the seventh, it would be the nearest kingdom of Werth or neighboring Oral.

The Yoichis are an aural and working player and are still the most thoughtful in this country.

To protect the Oral, it would be a good idea to move your base of activity to a city once close to Old Hills and keep an eye on the trend of disaster while protecting the city from event monster angels.

So Yoichi and Monkey Dive Saskatchewan came to the city of Hugelcup.

The city is said to be located in the middle of the continent, with a majestic castle in the center.

The history of the castle is considered unknown, but no matter how you look at it, it is older than the royal castles of the nations, and it was whispered by the ancient civilization that it is related. And the NPC who gave me directions told me.

"Is this the mercenary union? Thank you. Thank you. Can I have a gold coin?"

"If you get a gold coin for this, you'll lose your mind to work hard from tomorrow. If you can afford to pay for directions, buy more decent clothes."

I see.

I thanked the NPC guy again and broke up.

"... right, you, you're definitely not willing to buy clothes"

"What are you talking about? Didn't he mention your clothes earlier?

Yoichi said back to Sasquatch with a frightened look.

Saskatchewan clothes are like tight black tights, and it seems cold to see.

He seems to be wearing a reasonable outfit that reduces the size of the bullet to the limit by matching it perfectly to the body line, and also reduces the weight to the limit so that agility is not hindered. My whole body is black because it decreases visibility, but if I only work at night, I think it would be better if I acted in gray during the day.

Besides, you can't hide in front of Yoichi's 'true eyes', no matter what color the clothes are.

Yoichi had acquired the auxiliary skill 'True and True Eyes' for 'True Eyes' last time, and with the experience gained in the first start of this event.

It is a passive skill that only increases the effect of "True Eye", but the effect is that when "True Eye" is activated, the intensity of vitality can be seen differently depending on the subject's body area.

This appears to represent a percentage reduction in LP when taking damage, and if an attack hits a dark area, it can deal more damage.

In other words, the effect is to be able to see the weakness that triggers a critical hit.

A point attack with bows and arrows can be considered a very useful skill for the main yoichi.

I haven't told anyone but Sasquatch about this skill either because the SNS didn't get any information up at all.

Because of the Knights' high strength and ability to act, or because the mercenary union in the Oral Kingdom is generally idle compared to other countries, or worse still, unpopular, the mercenary union in the Hugel Cup felt even less vibrant than that in the Oral King's Capital.

No, I'm not talking about where I'm not lively.

I came in and found out that it was daytime and even now there were regular angel raids, but there was nobody but the yogis.

Although it is not directly adjacent to the realm of demons, it is unusual for a city of this size.

"I'm sorry. It seems quite quiet, but I wonder if it could be someone's rent out today."

"Oh, no, not like that...... Welcome to the Mercenary Union Hugel Cup Branch. I'm Branch Manager Kousaka."

It was the branch manager who stood at the counter.

I was surprised because I thought she was a very dedicated receptionist because she was a young woman.

Indeed, in this game world, we can ignore the advantages and disadvantages of physical abilities due to gender differences as long as we can earn experience. The same applies to thinking and spirituality. NPCs are particularly inclined to do so.

Therefore, there is little gender bias depending on the occupation, but the time spent living is important.

It is no surprise that human beings will climb to the branch manager at this young age. You need to grow as fast as a player.

Additionally, it is a beauty that awakens.

And a name I don't hear much about in this world called Kousaka.

"... are you a player?

"Puffy...? Oh, you mean the Gentiles. Fufu, that's not true. They often say that. Do you look so beautiful? Ufufu"

There is a trend here in the Oral Kingdom to refer to players as Gentiles.

I guess the players thought it was flattering because most of them look beautiful. Apparently she's not a player.

"Excuse me for this. So, is there any reason why this place is so idle? Angels are attacking, and I think we can have more mercenaries..."

"Oh, is that what you mean? In fact, here at the Hugel Cup, as a policy against angels, it is a gem called the item to be dropped by angels, a clean heart, but it is in the business of buying that gem. The headquarters of the purchase is the Knights' Stuff, but since the other day, the Knights have opened the stuffs and run something like a simple tavern. That's why most mercenaries go there."

The purchase of angel drop items was also done in King's Landing, but also in this city. Rather, given the scale of the purchase, this may be where it originated.

This is probably a policy to promote angel crusades. I also hear that commercial unions are doing the same thing in Hills.

But there was a more rigorous image when it came to the Knights, but it seemed like a very flexible lord of thought to run a liquor store himself.

"─ ─ Lord Hugelcup, that's him. He was a knight at the New Queen's Inaugural Ceremony. The one they call the de facto coup plotter. It feels like a turmoil rapist."

"Fufufu"

Sasquatch's words also flushed with laughter from the Kousaka branch manager.

Speaking of rape, it's not a compliment without confusion, but the branch manager also thinks that even if he listens to it, he won't lick it.

As you can see, I can't help it if you just take away this many customers.

"And well, there was that kind of thing. If you'd like to meet other mercenaries and Gentiles, you should go to the Knights Stuff."

"No, that's not it. I was simply going to work in this city for a while, so I just stopped by.

What, if there seems to be a build-up of requests, I'll take it?

"... and the knights took on the task of requesting from the residents of the city...

As for us, I don't care who does it apart because there will be a fee at the time we get the union through in between, and then the residents will wonder if it makes sense to go out of their way to get the union through...

Now it's time to go directly to the lord to complain. "

"Do residents complain directly to the lord? What do you want me to do with a mercenary?

"Of course, it is rare for a lord to see you immediately, and basically the knight on duty accepts it more...... Sometimes, if left unattended, there are cases that could lead to a serious crisis. In that case, the lord seems to see you immediately. Furthermore, the rapporteur, in this case a resident of the client, seems to have a bounty for that person as well…"

The branch manager nodded that we were up for business.

Apparently, the receptionist can't even be hired.

Suffice it to withdraw if it's supposed to be, but apparently there's a subsidy coming out of the lord, and if you can get paid to work hardly even as a branch manager, that means you're working hard here. No, I'm not trying particularly hard though.

You're the stepsister who spoke ill of the lord. However, as far as I can tell, it's not tasty at all for the lord. You bought a clean heart, you subsidized a mercenary union. What's in it for you?

Sasquatch is right, that's certainly a concern.

But it doesn't mean I'm doing anything wrong. Since the coup, I have heard that social security and infrastructure have been rapidly put in place in each city, including Wang Capital, or are being modernized socially in a good way.

Such changes cannot normally take place in a social system that remains an old state in which royalty and nobility directly control the people. Because it is the rulers, the nobles, who give money, and they do not do such things even though they have no merit whatsoever.

But the fact that it is made without complaining is that you either have hung a good piece of bait, or you have grabbed something that makes you want to protect it even if you give it money.

It is undoubtedly due to the change of government from the former king to the new queen, and if its helper is Lord Hugel Cup, it should also be involved in rooting for nobility.

This means that this lord was a key character to develop the Oral Kingdom.

I guess I'm just saying that this case is part of it.

"In the meantime, if you have nothing to do, I'm sorry, but we have nothing to do with the union either...."

"Really... Ah, yes! I had a favor to ask you! Please wait a moment."

The branch manager pulled in and came back with some sort of paperwork after a while.

There were signs that he went upstairs, so maybe he even went to the branch manager's office or something like that.

"This is a quest from HQ the other day, but I left it there because it would be taken by the Knights."

"Is it bad in the Knights?

"That's not what the Quest Purchase Order says, because the note that came around with me said," Be sure to include something in the contractor that can handle the vault ”..."

That means a player-only quest.

I've never known there was such a thing. Or is that good information to leak to the Yoichis?

But pointing it out is troublesome. I decided to keep quiet.

"I see. Luckily we have players… a vault. If you like, we'll take that quest."

"Why did you take such a quest?"

"You wouldn't have objected either."

A few hours later, Yoichi and Sasquatch were underground.

There are sewers in this world as well.

Even so, it is not a sewer like a tunnel passed underground, as many would imagine.

Most of them are normal grooves like they were dug along the street.

No matter how skilled they are, residents don't have the technology or the need to dig tunnels just to get sewage through the city's underground.

But this city of the Hugel Cup was different.

Although it was made of stone, there was something like a large and intricate dark canal through the basement.

It was in the dark canal that the yogis were present.

The quest I received is an exploration of this underground passage.

Especially the search for a hidden room outside the corridor.

"But it's amazing. It's totally over-tech. Who made this for what?"

"At least I'm sure it's not for the sewage."

This city also has ordinary sewers on the ground, like other cities.

This dark canal is not used as a sewer, and the stained sewage is wetting the ceilings and walls, but not enough to accumulate on the floor.

No, maybe it used to operate as a sewer, but it's definitely a nowadays completely unknown place.

There was no sign of people coming in for a long time, and there was no way through the wind, so the smell naturally remained.

Breaking into this dark canal without any preparation is enough to reduce LP just because of the stench.

Yoichi and the others came to explore wearing a set of quest gear that was given to the Kousaka Branch Manager, no matter how they saw it.

"Instead of questing first, I've never heard of damage just going local."

"If you had any complaints, you should have told me before you took them."

"You don't know before you take it, do you?"

Although this gas mask is designed like that, it doesn't mean it's structurally preventing toxic substances, it seems to be such a magic item.

Some of the prepared items also contain items to cure plagues and poisons, as a result of their presence.

He travels through the dark canal as he shoots through the cloudy body slime that sometimes appears with bows and arrows.

The starting point was quite far from the city, but the location should now already be in the city.

I can also hear that from the increasing frequency of sewage dripping from the ceiling.

"─ But how did the mercenary union know this? Until now, I felt somewhat frightened by the lords here, but now it's a mercenary union in Dantoz."

"That branch manager didn't seem to know about this place. That would be instructions from HQ."

"That's even funnier."

There was no entrance to this dark canal in the city.

It was just outside the city, a little further away. There was a decaying stone wall covered in weed, and the shadow hid another weedy staircase.

I first figured it out when I approached it, but the area was cobbled over a pretty wide area if you look closely. Probably used to have some kind of building built here. It was destroyed, decayed with time, buried in weeds, and vanished from people's memories as well.

In addition, the stairs were scattered like rotten trees near the upper stairs. The rotten trees had a natural decay and showed no signs of being trampled.

This means that there was once a lid on this staircase with a tree. Moreover, it is possible that someone who destroyed this building was unaware of the existence of this staircase.

This staircase, and hence this dark canal, who wanted to hide them and who destroyed the buildings associated with it.

Given the circumstances, it was the one who destroyed the building that won.

Normally, it is likely that the forces that rule the land after that are related to those who destroyed the building, which means it is the Lords and the country.

Then why did the mercenary union know about the existence of this dark channel, which even its destroyers did not know about?

"Sometimes the mercenary union is the only one who gets information too fast. In the beginning, it was a game, and I didn't feel uncomfortable, but when I went ahead with the game and found out that everything else was entirely up to the NPC, or the local people, only the mercenary union would clearly look strange."

"... you can't let go completely, and you'll need some kind of organization to support your players. If the scenario is determined, the RPG for Solo will automatically proceed even if it is left completely alone, so there is no problem, but otherwise it can't be thrown naked."

"Is that the mercenary union? If you do that, the NPC lords are doing it for you, or you're some kind of chig hug. And that branch manager, he's looking at the NPC."

Sure, it didn't seem like a human being was manipulating it like a player.

But not necessarily a breathtaking character in the operation.

Yoichi also had some floating away vibe on that branch manager.

Think normally, if you live a life rooted in this land, you're treated like you only get paid for doing nothing, and I don't think you can do well with the people around you.

For example, the resident who showed me the way refused the gold coins offered by Yoichi.

Because I have high pride in my work and my profession.

Unless that inhabitant was extraordinarily good and honest, etc., it seems that the average inhabitant of this city works with his feet firmly on the ground like that.

It would not be a brazen thing to say that you live in such a community with only a subsidy from the lord.

"I agree with the idea that the mercenary union is a breathtaking organization for operations. Items like this gas mask are not something that such a lonely union can prepare. Or as much as we send items like this with the quest, we just have to investigate ourselves. I don't have the inevitability to go out of my way to hire a mercenary I don't trust."

"Oh, and there's something wrong with the quest. Searching for a hidden room? A hidden room is a hidden room because it's hidden. Why are you asking for it on the premise that it exists? If you don't understand, you can go yourself."

Absolutely.

But if the mercenary union, that is, the operation, is a request that the players wanted to receive, there is no option not to.

Because it is obvious that this involves some kind of event.

Angel raids are suspicious given the timing, but underground is a little different than imagined. Maybe it was originally another event entanglement quest, but it just so happens that the Yoichi and the others are going to take it at this time because there were no players to visit the mercenary union these days.

"... that seventh calamity. Hey, but I was born in the woods after the old Hills, and I've been going for the Wang capital almost straight line."

I see.

"I don't know if you liked it there in the end, but you're settling in the old King Hills capital, but you didn't know where the city was originally, and at first you were just looking west rather than the king capital, maybe."

"Maybe so."

"This Hugel Cup and hey, it's gonna be west of King Hills' capital, and it's got something to do with it, here."

……

It's not even impossible.

Assuming that's the case, there could be a seventh calamity hazard ahead of us. Though I'm somewhat confident in my arms, only two Yoichi and Sasquatch can handle it.

"... say something"

"... oh"

Underground with no light at all. All you can hear is the dripping little water sound of dirty water and the crawling sound of dirty slime that sometimes appears.

If they both remain silent, silence will dominate the area.

Even in the dark, the surroundings can be seen thanks to the "tactile enhancement" they have acquired. Once you acquire this skill, you will be able to feel even the air flow on your skin.

When "hearing enhancement" is also obtained, it is possible to get a general idea of the shape and position of the surrounding objects due to sound echoes, air vibrations, wind flow, and so on. With these confined spaces, there is no obstacle to action even if you close your eyes.

It is difficult to make effective use of the information obtained as it is, of course, because it is not what ordinary human beings can do otherwise. However, by adjusting the settings as system support, the acquired information can be perceived overlapping the visual information.

If you are an Orthodox species, you can get "Night's Eye" or "Dark Vision," but you can't do that in Human.

Instead, these skills allow us to be close.

For this reason, although it was a colorless blur for both of us, we knew the surrounding situation well.

However, it is easier for some sound to reverberate in order to continue to perceive your surroundings.

That's why I kept talking in vain even when I made the risk of letting this one exist around me.

"Oh, man."

"Hmm? Yeah."

Because we are exploring with this perception, we can see it before turning, such as when the bend is a dead end.

Looks like it's on the way.

But that's not why Sasquatch has been speaking up.

There is no doubt that it is a dead end. But nonetheless, I felt a slight flow of air coming from you.

"I see this is the hidden room. I wonder if you can understand this by exploring it normally"

"I don't know. It's likely I didn't know the type of light on and exploring or looking around with 'dark vision' etc..."

It's probably no different from just a dead end in appearance. If you can read the slightest air flow as uncomfortable, you will discover it, but it requires considerable bandit skill. In the concurrent business type of archers and scouts who are often in mercenaries, it would be impossible to discover this at first sight, unless it was also of such a high rank.

"No, I don't know what to say myself. I think our building is quite special, or perverted. They specialize in perception and covert systems."

"I don't know if he's a pervert, but he's definitely changed."

It would be quickest if you attacked them before they noticed and terminated them with a single blow.

Specializing only in the parts needed to do so and gaining experience, the yogis were able to stably hunt even the best monsters.

Of course, there were two player skills. Not everyone can imitate it.

"That means we finally realized, this is for more advanced people, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. We're here too soon. What?

"... maybe."

But I can't help what's come.

I can only be fortunate that the death penalty has eased during the event.

"... just because the door is hidden doesn't seem particularly key or anything"

"Okay, then open it"

"Let's go... three, two,..."

Key quest has progressed

"Unlock the artifact Ladire Praeteritum"

The Event Manager AI must proceed with the scenario according to the prescribed procedure

An unexpected error occurred

Event area is now a player's area of control

The person in charge of each section should discuss the response