NOVEL WEB chapter 70
Chapter 70
Left with no choice, I start plucking quest papers from the bulletin board, selecting ones that seem feasible to complete.
Rip, rip, rip, rip…
I end up with about twenty papers, which should suffice.
As I turn to head back to the reception desk, clutching the papers under my arm, I feel the cold touch of metal against my neck.
It seems a man has snuck behind me and is pressing a knife to my throat, shouting excitedly:
“Hey, you muscle-head freak! If you value your friend’s life, stop resisting!”
Oh, I see Tsuna’s back to his loincloth-only attire. Seriously, that’s not appropriate for public decency.
Looking around, I notice the bearded guy and the Appraisal user writhing on the floor, groaning. I guess Tsuna roughed them up a bit.
So their friend decided to take me hostage in retaliation? What is this place? Is this really the Commerce Guild or did we accidentally wander into a thieves’ den?
Perhaps there are more ill-mannered players in human nations due to the larger player population.
“In this death game, having your head chopped off won’t end well! If you don’t want your friend to die, stop resisting!”
Hey now, you do realize that would make you a murderer, right? How’s your moral compass doing?
Besides, do you really think Tuna would kill you if I’m not here to stop him? He may look eccentric, but he’s not that unreasonable.
Well, I suppose I have no choice.
I use [Storage] to remove the choker necklace wrapped around my wrist, then lift my head off with one hand, floating it past the knife, and head towards the reception desk.
A true Dullahan-style brush-off.
Oh, I should put my head and choker necklace back on. There we go.
“Excuse me, I’d like to submit these quest items—”
“Wait just a minute—?!”
Geez, how noisy.
“[Dark Bind]”
Level 3 Dark Magic. My shadow extends, completely restraining the knife-wielding man and knocking him to the ground.
If his magic defense were high enough, he might be able to resist, but my magic attack is close to 400. He’s welcome to try resisting if he can.
“So, about submitting these quest items…”
“You’re quite merciless, aren’t you…”
Am I?
I think these guys causing trouble in the guild are the real problem here.
While submitting the quest items, I decide to ask:
“By the way, is it okay to suddenly use [Appraisal] on people entering this guild?”
“Well, it’s not exactly okay, but there’s no proof that [Appraisal] was used, so…”
“So the guild doesn’t regulate it?”
“We leave it to personal responsibility instead of regulating it.”
I see.
So even if Tuna were to beat up all three of them, the guild wouldn’t intervene.
I suppose it means those who get their information stolen by [Appraisal] are just careless. The world of merchants can be quite ruthless.
“Listen up! I’m not beating you because I hate you! I’m teaching you that there are people you shouldn’t carelessly anger! You wouldn’t want to be reduced to dust just because of an [Appraisal], would you?!”
I wonder who he’s referring to.
Come to think of it, Tuna did see me obliterate a horde of monsters with [Splinter] during our sea voyage.
I assured him with a laugh that I’d never use it on players, but he doesn’t seem to believe me.
As I absent-mindedly watch the receptionist scrutinize my submitted items with a magnifying glass (probably one with [Appraisal] effects), these thoughts cross my mind.
“Alright, all twenty quest submissions are complete and flawless. In fact, the quality is exceptionally high. Could you perhaps be a renowned craftsperson?”
“No, it’s just a coincidence. Pure coincidence.”
In truth, if I prepare two items of the same quality, [Balance] activates and adjusts everything to match. But there’s no need to explain that.
“May I see your guild card to record this information?”
“Ah, yes. Here you go.”
“Thank you. I’ve now recorded your quest completions on the card. And here’s your reward.”
▶ Completed 20 quests in total.
▶ Obtained 73,800 reward stones.
▶ [Balance] has activated.
Adjusting acquired items for balance.
▶ Gained an additional 73,800 experience points.
▶ Yamamoto’s level has increased by 2.
This gives more experience than a Giant Boulder Worm…
Well, I suppose that’s to be expected after completing twenty quests.
Though it’s probably abnormal that I gain experience equal to the reward stones I receive.
“Thanks. By the way, could you tell me if there are any materials unique to this area?”
“For [Compounding]? Or [Alchemy]?”
“Hmm, both actually.”
The receptionist ponders for a moment before responding:
“In this area specifically, you’d be looking at sea materials. Menhealer, Yabusaka, and Shinogyo are used in [Compounding].”
“Menhealer?”
“Yes, it’s a type of fish from the Hera family.”
Ah, I see. So it’s just a fish…
“There’s also the Rapoo material from Shinomori.”
“The Forest of Death?!”
“Ah, no. It’s often mistaken for that, but it’s Shinomori. A forest with lots of bamboo.”
After her explanation, I finally understand.
Written in kanji, it might be 篠森, but they probably use katakana to maintain a fantasy atmosphere. Seeing it written on the quest paper helps it make sense. Maybe it’s the developers having some fun?
Apparently, the Rapoo monster found there is unique to this area.
“Rapoo is not only excellent as a material, but it also has a unique trait. It becomes docile when something is placed on its back. Experienced adventurers often carry special Rapoo saddles and use them as transportation.”
That sounds interesting.
But we already have horse-drawn carriages for transportation.
Still, it might be fun to ride one just for the experience.
“That’s about all for this area.”
“I see. Thanks.”
I thank her and leave the counter.
Tsuna has the three troublemakers sitting in seiza position, their faces swollen from the beating. Well, if they’re crafters, they probably have [Potions] on hand.
“Tsuna, stop playing around. Let’s go.”
“I wasn’t playing… But if you’re done, let’s leave. You lot better reflect on your actions.”
And so, Tsuna and I depart from the Commerce Guild.
What should we do next?
“Tsuna, what are your plans? Want to stop by the Adventurers’ Guild?”
“I’m not the type to take on quests, so there’s no need.”
Apparently, instead of completing quests, Tuna regularly brings in defeated monsters to sell to the guild. That alone seems to increase his contribution value enough to avoid being kicked out.
“Then shall we head to the sea today?”
“Are you going in the water?”
“Of course not.”
What if the moment I enter the sea, a giant squid or octopus appears and destroys the town?
“We’re going sea fishing, sea fishing.”
“We don’t have fishing rods.”
“We can buy some.”
So off we go in search of a fishing tackle shop.
We couldn’t find a dedicated shop, but we did spot some fishing rods in a corner of a general store.
“Aren’t you going to look at them?”
“You choose, Tsuna. I don’t know how to judge the quality of fishing rods.”
Truth is, I’d love to examine them myself, but I’m worried that if I handle multiple rods, [Balance] might adjust the quality of all of them.
So I’ll just watch from a distance.
“Well, I don’t know much about fishing either. If I could catch fish with a rod, I wouldn’t be diving into the sea with a harpoon.”
Oh, really?
I thought you’d be an expert on all things sea-related.
In the end, we randomly select and purchase two rods.
They’re quite pricey.
I suppose if they’re entirely handmade, that’s to be expected.
“Now we need bait.”
“What kind of bait is good?”
“Let’s just try some monster meat.”
We’re quite the carefree pair.
I find myself wishing for a more knowledgeable companion, but since this is just a leisurely fishing trip, I suppose it doesn’t matter much. Though serious anglers might disapprove of our approach.
We make our way to the stone breakwater, but the part extending far into the sea is packed with people. It’s far too crowded to fish there.
“I guess a lot of people are after sea materials too?”
“Or they’re just fishing for food.”
I think that’s just you, Tsuna.
We continue walking along the breakwater until we reach a fairly spacious rocky area at the end. There are still quite a few anglers here, but not so many that we can’t fish.
“Shall we try here?”
“Sounds good.”
And so, Tsuna and I cast our lines side by side.
I’m fishing to obtain materials—
Tsuna is fishing for food—
With our respective pride on the line, let the fishing begin!
…
…
…
“We’re not catching anything, are we?”
“Nope, nothing.”
Maybe the monster meat was a bad choice?
“What kind of monster meat did you use?”
“[Goblin Meat].”
Isn’t that meat known for being smelly, tough, and inedible? Is it really okay to throw that in the sea?
“I’ve heard fish like smelly things.”
“Isn’t that crayfish you’re thinking of?”
As we’re debating this, a nearby fisherman chimes in:
“Bros, you might want to avoid using [Goblin Meat]. Fish know it tastes bad and won’t go near it. It’s more like fish repellent than bait.”
“So it’s Tsuna’s fault I’m not catching anything?”
“What are you using for bait, God?”
Huh? My bait?
“I’m using [Slime Core]. Why?”
“…”
“Sis, that’s definitely not bait.”
Oh, sorry.
What counts as bait then?
I thought monsters would gobble up things like [Slime Core].
“That’s more of an [Alchemy] material than bait.”
Apparently, it’s no good.
Left with no choice, I switch my bait to [Murder Bear Meat] and try again.
…
…
…
The power of proper bait is incredible.
Even I’m starting to catch fish at a steady pace now.
But I’m not catching any Menhealer.
Maybe shore fishing isn’t the right method?
I decide to ask the fishing enthusiast nearby, and he tells me that fish like Menhealer can only be caught far offshore.
If I really need it as a [Compounding] material, he suggests either asking a fisherman or buying it from a fish market would be faster.
What’s up with that?!
“What are you going to do, God?”
Tsuna, who’s grilling and salting his catches on the spot, is truly in his element.
I cross my arms and ponder for a moment before declaring:
“I’ll get my revenge tomorrow!”
With that resolution, I scoop up some seawater and call it a day.