Make Dark Fantasy Great Again-Chapter 45: High-Grade(?) Manpower (2)

[Title : bruh wtf the fate quest changed the whole game]

Post : why do these assholes suddenly have an extra zero on their levels lol

thought a level 27 was a boss, turned out to be a mob fk

why you there acting like a mob ya bitch

you’re a boss further down the line loool

: Better to be the tail of a dragon than the head of a chicken.

: is it rlly a dragons tail?

: the fact is it could be a chicken’s tail.

: Fact is, that fact could be a fact.

: hng look at this bish reeking of noobiness from head to toe haha

: bro gonna be happy fr when he sees levels of the region elites

***

[Title : hey why these adventurers so weak?]

Post : this one top guild member is only around level 10 huh

: But isn’t that actually strong in this world’s setting?

: ya even a 20-year-old noble barely reaching level 10 is treated like a human weapon among commoners

: was level 10 like 3rd rank? iirc you need to train sword skills, combat skills, and mana control until you’re 20 to reach that level

: so I guess its like exceptional commoner = average noble

-[OP]: rlly makes sense why nobles are so arrogant

: Top-ranking adventurers can hold their own though.

: yeah those high-tier named adventurers are 5th rank on average

: but they all past expiry...

: fr when u look at anyone above 5th rank they all over 30

: but even 30 year olds are treated like young prodigies

: Aren’t there exceptions sumtime? young people at least 5th rank I mean

: those ones are all getting shafted in their Fate quests.

: ugh lol

***Despite her young age, Kela was a respected veteran adventurer who had started her career as a child. She had already amassed over ten years of experience, and was now nearing the 3rd rank.

As such, even most low-ranking Bondalles nobles treated her with a degree of respect, especially after learning she belonged to the prestigious Draffon Guild. So Kela was proud of her experience and discerning eye.

Based on those two factors, she’d judged Risir to be ordinary. Though he did possess aristocratic features, his gentle and unassuming demeanor didn’t fit the stereotype.

If she’d learned that he was a noble, and a 3rd rank like many nobles his age, she would have been surprised.

...But what if the reality was even more unexpected?

“M-magic...?! Risir, did you do that?!”

Kela seemed out of her element, acting far less like the seasoned adventurer she was.

Everyone’s perception of Risir shifted dramatically. His gentle demeanor now appeared to be a mask, hiding something extraordinary beneath it.

“Miss Kela.”

Risir called out to her.

“Yes? Ah, yes! Risir...sir! Please speak!”

She suddenly became deferential, addressing him as ‘sir’.

What’s with the sudden change?

Risir did find it odd, but he continued speaking.

“Do you know anything about these men?”

“No, sir! I don’t know myself. Who knows why they’re causing trouble in broad daylight...”

“...We! Have no business with you two!”

The man at the front of the group started shouting at them.

“If you have no intention of interfering, we won’t lay a hand on you! Leave now! And we’ll pretend this never happened!”

“Don’t you normally offer a handshake first, then resort to violence if it doesn’t work? You want it the other way round? I think you’re trying to make life a little too easy for yourselves.”

“...”

Despite his words, Risir was tempted. He’d expected trouble when he’d followed that ‘strange energy’ into the alley, but not such a straightforward confrontation.

Risir would gladly pretend this never happened, but unfortunately, he knew the world rarely worked that way.

These men had tried to silence him the moment they’d made eye contact in a secluded alley. Nothing would be more foolish than to trust their words.

Besides...

Risir’s gaze focused on something within the group.

That must be it.

One of the men was holding something out to the cornered wolf cub, a ring with an obsidian stone. It was the source of the strange energy.

Risir’s gut told him that if he turned a blind eye to that ring and those men, they were bound to stir up a huge shitstorm.

So, do let me normalize you all.

This was his most important reason. Normalizing such strangeness always resulted in a surge of magic power. With both opportunity and justification, there was no reason to back off.

“Miss Kela, what do adventurers usually do in this situation?”

“An attack on a guild member is an attack on the guild itself! The Draffon Guild would capture them and investigate their motives and identities!”

“So you intend to capture them and take them back to the guild?”

“Huh?”

“They just attacked you.”

“Uh...right...?”

“Good. Then I’ll assist you.”

“...Thank you?”

Eh? Hang on. Didn’t he enter the alley first? And wasn’t he the one who got attacked first too?

Despite her confusion, Kela quickly straightened up. Her adventurer’s instincts screamed at her not to let go of this connection with the eccentric Risir.

And more importantly, the men in black robes already seemed to have lost their fighting spirit.

“...”

The men exchanged glances, occasionally looking at their unconscious comrade. He was their leader, their strongest fighter.

They’d lost both their commander and their main combatant.

One of the men resolved himself to take action. He used all his strength to—sprint in the opposite direction.

Without looking back.

“Heh.”

Kela nodded approvingly.

Yeah, that’s the right call.

Running was, in her opinion, a perfectly logical decision.

But Risir saw things differently.

Damn it!

He hadn’t anticipated the possibility of the men fleeing. The enemies he’d faced so far were all fanatics who’d fight to the death.

He must be going for reinforcements!

The levels of these men in black ranged from 1st rank to 3rd rank. Risir wondered why they’d been surprisingly weak, but it seemed they had something up their sleeves after all. A larger force nearby.

The remaining men were likely stalling for time.

What if someone above 6th rank comes...! Then we’re really screwed!

If Kela could read his mind, she would have asked if he knew how rare those above 6th rank were.

Please be black mages! Then I have a chance!

If Kela could read his mind, she would have called him insane. A chance against black mages?

Risir grimaced, having conjured up the worst-case scenario with his skewed perception.

I might have gotten ahead of myself.

Even if he was confident about dealing with strange powers, jumping into this situation so readily was reckless. He admitted to being arrogant.

But just as he was reflecting...

“Damn it all!!!”

The remaining men suddenly started running. They’d taken Risir’s increasingly grim expression as a sign of imminent danger.

“...?”

Risir realized something was amiss and reassessed the situation.

From a different perspective, these men were far too pathetic to be scheming black mages.

“Those retards...!”

The man who’d been aiming the obsidian ring at the wolf cub froze, staring blankly at his fleeing comrades.

But just as he was about to join them...

“Gah!”

Risir finally realized what was happening and took action. Summoning a gust of wind to knock the man out, Risir then pursued the others.

“Aaaargh!!!”

“A-a tower mage?!”

“Please spare me!!!”

Risir’s extraordinary speed and unusual method of pursuit left them no chance. They were caught and subdued one by one.

“Huh...”

Having captured even the first to flee, Risir chuckled hollowly.

Is this really happening?

His distorted perception of reality screamed in confusion.

“Such skillful aspect magic...Is he actually at the 5th rank...? At that age?”

Observing from a distance, Kela let out a dry chuckle.

Am I seeing this right?

Her own grip on reality began to falter.

***Meanwhile, Meltas was entertaining an unexpected guest in his lab.

“...So, you need Risir’s help to capture that young elemental?”

“Indeed.”

“Haha, Gadena, to think you’d need a human’s help with elementals of all things. What a sight. Live long enough, and you see everything.”

“...”

“So, what are you asking him to do? Capture the elemental with that elemental-friendly aura of his?”

Gadena shook his head.

“That’s impossible.”

“Impossible?”

“It’s an exceptionally hostile elemental, even towards life itself. Even we elves cannot go near. A direct approach would only increase its hostility.”

“Then?”

“That’s why I told you, I require that human’s essence. I need him to create a mana stone infused with his energy. I’ll compensate him handsomely.”

“Hmm...very well. I’ll speak to him. As it happens, I have business with Risir myself.”

Suddenly, as their conversation was coming to a close...

“Knock-knock.”

“?”

“?”

They heard knocking(?) from the open doorway.

Didoa stood there, miming a knock.

“Master Didoa...So it was you. Today as well?”

Didoa nodded.

“I was wondering if Risir dropped by.”

For the past few days, Didoa had been regularly checking Meltas’ lab for Risir.

Meltas replied with exasperation.

“If you have business with Risir, why not visit him directly? I’m sure I gave you his address.”

“But I have no business with him.”

“Fwot?”

“Wouldn’t it be offensive to visit him without any business?”

“...”

“So, if he happens to come here, could you subtly mention it to him, Master Meltas?”

“Mention that you’re looking for him?”

“That’s too direct. Wouldn’t he find it offensive?”

“...Then, well, what am I supposed to say?”

“I’ve been thinking. How about, ‘Master Didoa’s lab seems to have a lot of delicious snacks and tea’?”

“...Do you think Risir is a child?”

“Oh, should I add alcohol as well?”

“...Why don’t you try moving away from the idea of luring him with food?”

“Elixirs?”

“Good grief.”

Meltas shook his head at the socially inept—no, despairingly clueless half-demon.

“Ah.”

He suddenly remembered something and turned to Gadena.

“This works out perfectly, Didoa.”

“?”

“I seem to have acquired that ‘business’ you so wanted.”

“Business?”

“Could you find Risir in my stead and handle it?”

“!!!”

Didoa nodded enthusiastically, her messy hair bouncing.

“Well there you have it, Gadena. You can find Risir with her. I’m sure this is fine, since he should be able to create the mana stone on the spot.”

“...”

You’re telling me to travel with a half-demon?

Gadena shot Didoa a disgusted look.

Didoa responded with her usual impassive face.

“Thank you.”

“...?”

Shouldn’t you at least say hello instead?

Gadena was already starting to feel extremely exhausted.

***“Let’s see.”

After subduing the men, Risir’s first priority was retrieving the obsidian ring.

Kela asked him.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, it’s nothing much. It’s sort of like a ring of black magic.”

“...!”

Kela took a startled step back.

Remembering how the men had been harming the wolf cub using the ring, Risir shifted his attention to the small animal.

The cub was still lying quietly on the ground, staring at the obsidian ring.

It bared its teeth in a growl, not out of fear or aggression, but with something akin to longing.

Risir had a hunch about the nature of the ring’s power—the obsidian was drawing the cub in, appealing to its primal instincts.

Is it some kind of stimulant?

For an object imbued with magic, it was crudely made—almost like a mass-produced trinket.

Risir instinctively reached out to purify the obsidian’s aura, then stopped himself. This was evidence, after all. It needed to be preserved until the matter was resolved.

So, instead of the ring, he focused his normalization power on the wolf cub.

The cub abruptly transformed, its form rippling and expanding as it grew in size.

Before them now stood a delicate woman with wolf ears and a tail. She glanced around in surprise before breaking into a jubilant exclamation.

“Fuck yeah! Finally!”

“?”

Her coarse language clashed with her looks.

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