A revisit to the Mist Town.
I didn’t expect it to be fulfilled.
I awakened to the fighting style of a Rounin, brought back the katana, and had Master Tuna train me even more.
The dwarf Jiel demanded me to pay all of the katanas I rendered useless.
The gorgon Lacy and Akos got along with each other at some point in time.
Roni and Mito-san were keeping a watch on Ranai…no, looking after her while widening her array of support.
Git?
She was also being taught by Tuna-shi about the water, the ocean, about what she herself can do, about her future possibilities, and they would at times teach her those things to her body, and at times would jam it into her head, growing stronger step by step while grinding her teeth.
…
I also thought that Git was the world’s number one when it came to water magic.
She has the Unique Job, Ocean’s One, after all. Moreover, in the last stage only few are in.
But at the same time, I should have known.
The peak and the last stage; I should have known already that, even if they are categorized the same, it doesn’t mean that it is the limit of your ability.
I thought I understood this when I compared Alpine and the other S rank parties.
Tuna-shi, who is a Neptune, and Git’s Ocean’s One both are the peak when it comes to water control, but there is still a difference.
Moreover, Tuna-shi is apparently not the strongest within the Neptunes.
If it is in speed only, it seems he has confidence in it though.
When he showed himself off running abreast the land with that fish body, the Seasonal Migration Style, I don’t know how many times I completely lost sight of that unique body and was slammed by it.
I thought that maybe he might even be using Teleport while moving, but it is true that I was continuously slammed by it.
I still find it hard to believe, but that was pure raw speed.
That dense time passed, and at a certain moment, the plate showed about the class up from my job.
There was the need to finish the procedure at the Adventurer Guild.
But I didn’t want to leave.
That’s because I am sure that there’s things here I definitely wouldn’t be able to obtain anywhere else.
But every resident in the Mist Town recommended that I return to Tsige.
“You still haven’t worked even half of your katana pay. Change to your new Job already and come back.” (Jiel)
Jiel told me this when I was leaving.
Just like the many adventurers that have come to this place, we were given a whole lot of souvenirs, gave our thanks to the residents that saw us off, and just like the time when I arrived at the Mist Town, we had the Highland Orc Saisaris guide us. We were sent to a forest called Tinarac which is close to Tsige.
“Remember this place. Don’t tell others, but for a while, I plan on coming here every 3 days.” (Saisaris)
“If we manage to meet on the same day, can we be welcomed into that town?” (Bir)
The other 3 didn’t say it, but they held the same question.
Saisaris certainly nodded there and disappeared into the rocky mountain.
—A few days after that.
In regards to me, I had 2 choices.
Samurai and Black Hakama.
It seems like both can grow further, but the one that’s most specialized in attacks and deflecting is the Samurai. It doesn’t change the fact that it is centered in attacks, but the Black Hakama also learns defensive skills and leadership skills.
The Rounin Association of Tsige doesn’t have knowledge of what’s ahead, so I have to be the trailblazer as the first one for the Job I choose.
Keep the promise with Saisaris and give up on revisiting the Mist Town?
There’s no such choice.
After hesitation, I classed up to Samurai, sold the materials, and obtained coin and equipment.
If you search, you can unexpectedly find katanas, and there were those that the Kuzunoha Company could repair when I showed it to them.
Katanas break easily and you must not slack in their maintenance.
I have learned how to do daily maintenance, but I would like to have a craftsman properly pass an eye on it when I return to my base.
The day I had planned to go to the wasteland again…
Git, Akos, and Ranai were in front of the gate.
…I honestly thought that Ranai wouldn’t come anymore, but she was there for some reason.
She has properly sold the materials, and her equipment is completely ready.
Is she planning something again?
But if they have chosen the path of revisiting, we will be comrades from here on.
I have to look after them properly so they don’t misstep the path.
Rather than saying it is for Ranai, it is more of a moral code towards the residents there.
“…It is safe to assume that our destination is the same, right?” (Bir)
“Yeah, Lacy-sama is waiting for me.” (Akos)
Using -sama…huh.
Just what kind of relationship are you two in?
I am having my doubts towards you as a former comrade of yours in the now gone Rocinante party, you know.
“There’s still things I want to be taught by Tuna…-sensei and the other Neptunes after all. Also, this is the best adventure I have had until now. There’s no way I would not go!” (Git)
The other Neptunes, huh.
Will there be sardines or sea breams?
…I would like to put up a good fight against sardines at least…
“…Now that I think about it, we rarely get a chance for such delicious trades. I don’t like it too much that it is thanks to Bir, but I decided to close my eyes to that for this occasion. And so, looking forward to working with you all: Bir, Akos, and Git.” (Ranai)
?
“Yeah, looking forward to that…Ranai?” (Bir)
It seems Ranai wants to say something here.
But I don’t know what that something is.
“You are so dense. Get a hint! I am talking about a party, a party!!” (Ranai)
“Ranai, our parties were all wiped out, you know.” (Bir)
“That’s right, that’s why! Let’s form a party with us 4! That’s what I am saying here!!” (Ranai)
Ooh.
That’s true.
With 4 people, it doesn’t lack as a party.
The balance isn’t bad either.
With a ranger or an archer, we would be a balanced party with all roles filled up.
“Isn’t that fine?” (Git)
“Same on the right.” (Akos)
“Right, the balance is also good. The only leader that survived was Ranai from Silve, so let’s join that one.” (Bir)
“Are you kidding me? How can you be such a dense brick here? Are you an idiot? Is that skull empty?” (Ranai)
Git and Akos seem to agree with the idea, and I have no objections. Ranai was the one who brought out the topic about forming a party, and we agreed.
What part of that makes me an idiot?
“I am not an idiot, Ranai. I simply proposed the most plausible method to achieve the goal.” (Bir)
“…Hey, Akos, Git, this guy is seriously, seriously saying that.” (Ranai)
“Bir is a weirdo that chose something like Ronin. A normal person would have chosen Bastard Knight instead of Ronin. Ronin isn’t a rare job but a lower job.” (Git)
“Bir has been like that since the first time I met him.” (Akos)
“…”
Oi oi, there’s a limit to making no sense.
Why is everyone joining in on insulting me?
“Using the name of a wiped out party is just in bad taste. We have a good number here already, so we are telling you here to become the leader and make a new one. Got it?” (Ranai)
“I will be the leader? I am a frontline and I chose a Job that’s not suitable for that just the other day though.” (Bir)
“…What did you say?” (Ranai)
Ranai’s eyes are scary.
“Rather than the one with leader type skills, I chose Samurai which is a pure frontline.” (Bir)
“Sa…murai? What’s that Job? I have never heard of it! A-Also, congratulations on your class up!” (Ranai)
“Bir really doesn’t break character. Samurai, huh. It is my first time hearing about it.” (Akos)
“I am not one to say this, but throwing away leader type skills with our abilities requires quite the courage.” (Git)
…From all these people, the only one who congratulated me was Ranai.
It is honestly a real pain to maintain a leader’s vision in the middle of battle.
Just maintaining the footwork skills fills up the capacity of my brain.
It is true that I am somehow managing to fight with my skills as of currently after all.
“I am sorry to say this when the talk seems to be swerving into the direction of me being the leader, but yeah, that’s what I did.” (Bir)
“…Well, it is not like you have to take command just because you are the leader.” (Ranai)
Eh, Ranai, what are you saying?
“If it is among us, I would say Ranai or Git would be the safest choices for command.” (Akos)
Eh, Akos, what are you saying?
“Right, isn’t it fine to just make Bir-kun the new Job mascot leader?” (Git)
Eh, Git, what are you saying?
“““So, what will you do about the party?”””
The 3 seem to be waiting for what I say.
I was mostly completely against what Git said, but…
Hmm…
When speaking of our fate, it would be that.
It isn’t that long and it rolls off the tongue well.
“Got it -our party name.” (Bir)
“““…”””
“Mirage!” (Bir)
“That name already exists, Bir-kun!” (Git)
“Not only that, they are an A rank party too.” (Akos)
“An idiot! There’s an idiot here!” (Ranai)
…
“…Then…!” (Bir)
Team Katana.
‘You are the only one so rejected’.
Tuna Trevi.
‘What are you doing making a trauma into our party name?’
Ocean’s Four.
‘Bring the 3 other damn Ocean’s One’.
………
……
…
Unbelievable.
Why are they all immediately cutting them off one after the other?
In the end, they rejected every single one.
“Bir-kun’s naming sense is hopeless. I personally would like Snow Moon Flower or Flower Moon Swallow, but those are team coordinated skills with the Ronin, so it would be sad to continue using those names when we don’t use them anymore.” (Git)
The first time we awakened to coordinated skills, we created them with the words snow, flower, and moon, but when we connected it into Snow Moon Flower, the attack power shot up, and the flow got good as a whole in terms of teamwork too. On top of that, after using all the skills, it increases the defense and reflexes for a short while, so our follow-through new skills increased as well.
It seems like there were still even things like hidden skills within the Ronin -in part because it is a rare Job.
I honestly thought talks about hidden skills were on the level of urban legends, but to think it would happen to me.
Being able to overlap the Gait skills was an even bigger discovery though.
“For the last ones, Jiel, Mito, Saisaris… Those are people’s names, moreover, of people we met recently.” (Akos)
“…We would stand out for good or for bad if we were to form a party with these 4 people since we have Bir and Git after all. Can’t we just stick both of your names together and make it Birgit?” (Ranai)
You fool.
I already made a similar suggestion with Biranakosgit.
We have a previous case of getting rejected from sticking the names of everyone. You are lacking in adaptability, Ranai.
““Sounds pretty good!””
Why?
She didn’t even shorten those two names and simply stuck them together.
Katana Team and Ocean’s Four were no good, but Birgit is good? I don’t understand.
Or more like, I don’t want to get stuck in the party name.
Take Rocinante for example. I have no idea at all what was the reason why it was given that name, and I had no interest at all in the meaning of it.
Who cares about the party name? Just make it whatever.
“If everyone is okay with it, then Birgit it is. Then, everyone, let’s go to the wasteland!” (Bir)
“Party registration! We have to do that first at the guild, leader!” (Ranai)
The 3 walk off in a different direction from mine.
Ranai immediately grabbed my back collar and headed to the guild.
Aah, I want to go to the wasteland quickly and return to the Mist Town though!
In the first place, if things are going to be like this, isn’t it fine for Ranai to be the leader?!
We wasted a lot of time in that mess, but after that, we smoothly progressed through the wasteland, and arrived at the agreed location.
We were half in doubt here, but late in the night that day, Saisaris appeared in the agreed location.
We met him.
We can go to that town again.
This might be our first step as adventurers.
“It has been a few days, Bir, Git, Akos, and Ranai.” (Saisaris)
“Yeah, you really came, Saisaris.” (Bir)
“I did say that though?” (Saisaris)
“We are talking about Mist Town, you know? It isn’t strange to find it hard to believe we can go once again.” (Bir)
“I see. It looks like you all have no doubts in your decision here. That’s great to see.” (Saisaris)
Saisaris looked at us and confirmed our will.
And so, me -Bir Sheet- and my 3 comrades succeeded in revisiting the Mist Town.
We were let in from the same place we came from, and this time around, we met a mage-looking hired adventurer called Minato.
The way of calling us changed from guest to regular patron, and for now, that’s all there is to it.
However, one day, in the near future, I will definitely cross that gate.
I will show them that I can obtain enough strength to clash blades even with those so-called hired adventurers.
I don’t know what this place wants from us, but I will do my very best.
One day, I will see the whole picture!
By the way…
“Why is everyone offering red bean rice and zoni** everywhere today, Saisaris?” (Bir)
They do smell tasty though.
It seems like rice and soup.
“We also have furumai sake. They are all celebratory dishes. They are being delivered from the center. I think it will suit the taste buds of hyumans too…” (Saisaris)
“Yeah, they are tasty.” (Bir)
Really tasty.
I could eat these for several days.
“Bir-kun, I can’t wait anymore for the red bean rice balls! You carry them too, Bir-kun! Carry them!” (Git)
That’s an abnormal amount.
Git is on the verge of being buried by a cluster of what seems to be a ton of a purplish dish.
When I looked around, I could see Akos and Ranai were eating and drinking, receiving an even warmer welcome than before.
“…Something good happened. Something really good for this land. That’s why this atmosphere will continue for a while, but get used to it, Patron Bir.” (Saisaris)
“…Got it. I will be under your care again, Saisaris!” (Bir)
The Ronin…no, Samurai Bir Sheet, is currently doing his best to be acknowledged by the people of this land!
Our stay in the Mist Town is only just beginning!