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Translator: Kell | Editor: Weasalopes
Operation: Reclaim Dream Maker, and Their Agenda
There was a reason why Gin chose to run away.
If they were up against regular monsters, ten soldiers would have been enough to take them down. However, the monsters clearly weren’t the ones they had expected to find. This took a toll on the mental state of the scouting team.
They were mere human beings. No matter how well-trained they were, they had been away from their homeland for too long. Combine that with the operation to take it back, it was no wonder the men were extremely nervous.
It’s my fault for failing to consider this, Gin thought bitterly. Damn it. I would normally be able to notice that much, but since we’ve arrived here, it feels like I can’t think straight.
The gate ahead came into view.
『Go! All of you!』Gin yelled.『I’ll be right behind!』
『What are you gonna do?!』
『Stall them!』
Gin turned to see his companions running through the gate. The foul, four-legged monster was less than fifty meters away from him now. It wasn’t clear where its cloudy, gray eyes were directed, but they were probably looking at Gin.
The ground shook as the creature charged. Escaping should be easy once they made it to the woods. However, Gin chose to stand his ground.
『You’ve been eating our friends all this time, haven’t you?!』
From his pocket Gin pulled a cylindrical object thick enough that he could barely grip it in his hand. Covered in dull golden metal, it had a slit in the center that allowed it to be turned sideways like a tea canister. Gin spun it around, and it made a clicking sound and emitted a high-pitched shrill.
『Eat this, you fucking pig!』
With all his strength, Gin hurled the cylinder at the monster. Snap. Flames burst out of it, accompanied by a flash of purple light.
It was an item created by the former director of the Sorcery Department after studying certain catalysts in the other continent. A portable weapon, it was used to surprise or burn something rather than to kill.
The monster reared, howling. The canister hit its right eye, the inflammation spreading from its eye to the right cheek.
『Did you get it?』Dolan asked.
『I wish! Let’s get outta here!』
Gin was calm. He knew he could only buy a little time, but he wished to do it regardless. He couldn’t just turn tail without even landing a blow on the monster.
『Run, run, run, run!』
Enraged, the monster rushed forward once more, but just as Gin passed through the gate, it crashed into hard wall. There was no gap big enough for it to fit through. The outer wall shook, and the gate crumbled.
『Maybe it got buried under the rubble.』
Roaring, the monster rose from the rubble, shaking off debris.
『Of course, it didn’t. Run!』
Gin’s team escaped from the monster. Zuzun had already launched a yellow flare, signaling a preparation to retreat.
The team returned to the ship without losing a member. Losing track of the soldiers in the woods, the monster couldn’t chase after them.
They analyzed the information they had gathered so far.
『The city was mostly untouched. Just needs a little touching up, and it should be back to normal.』
『We need to do something about water and food, though.』
『Also check the crops.』
『There aren’t many monsters, so we should be able to get to them through the back alleys.』
『Gin. We’re continuing the scouting mission, right?』
Gin nodded.『Of course. We’ll gather all the information we need tomorrow and then return to Lands Harvest.』
Once they reached an agreement, everything was smooth sailing. These men knew Dream Maker like the back of their hands; they were familiar with every back alley in the city.
The team made their move before dawn, and in one day, they had gathered all the information they needed and brought it back to Lands Harvest.
『I’m glad to see you safe and sound.』Grucel said.
Gin felt glad that his commander was concerned more about their safety than results.
『Gin. You will lead the actual mission to take back Dream Maker.』the commander said after Gin gave his report.
Gin was at a loss for words for a moment.『What? M-Me?』
『There’s no other Gin around here.』the commander replied.
『But—』
『Best of luck.』Dolan said.
『Yeah.』Zuzun added.
His friends tapped both his shoulders.
『Don’t I get a break?!』Gin screamed, his voice echoing throughout Lands Harvest.
After deciding to conduct a full-scale operation to retake the city, the people of Dream Maker moved fast. The next day, all the troops were notified, and then the day after, 1,950 out of 2,000 troops marched toward Dream Maker, the maximum number of soldiers they could mobilize.
「Looks like the natives are on the move.」a man in a knight’s uniform from Quinbland said, watching the Dream Maker army leaving early in the distance.
「No matter. The adventurers are the one in charge of protecting this place anyway.」the deputy head of Quinbland’s Order of Knights responded. A fine-looking man with long hair tied behind, he was also the chief executive of the Empire’s army.「More importantly, how are our troops doing?」
「We’re having a little trouble clearing out the Roots we have marked. Currently our men are divided into three different locations. They’re going to regroup and split into two instead.」
「“Having trouble?” I don’t like the sound of that. Surely, our men can handle those monsters.」
The deputy chief himself was a part of the vanguard when they destroyed the first Root, which was guarded by a large yellow-haired ape, about three meters tall. The creature had a powerful grip, snapping and breaking trees all around. It was terrifying, but the knights were able to take it down in less than hour.
Quinbland had mobilized 1,000 of their 2,000 troops, which meant over three hundred men at each location. The commander couldn’t help but wonder how such a great number of troops had any trouble at all.
「I’m told the monsters are tenacious and fight cunningly, using poisons, smoke screens, even spurring on other monsters.」
「We must subdue them all at once, even if that means pushing our men a little.」
「But some of our men are injured, and although there are no deaths, there are about 30 who can’t fight.」
「You should worry more about the coming of the second batch. Those papal fanatics will probably mobilize a large number of its Knights Templar.」
The deputy chief was concerned about the mobilization of troops by the suzerain state of Bios. They were no doubt trying to regain the authority of the Pope, which had plummeted to the ground. They now knew the stories to be true—they could obtain a lot of dragons stones.
「I understand. I will tell them to switch to faster tactics, no matter the risks.」
「Good. Our army too will have an advantage once the second batch arrives.」The deputy started walking.「We have to hurry…」
The look on his face said he firmly believed that his impatience was because of the coming of the second batch.
Problem came knocking later that night.
After restoring a solid foundation, and with furniture and utensils at hand, the Adventurers Guild was now open for business. Though it wasn’t exactly the perfect location for businesses.
「Ah, I’m bushed.」Sarah fell flat on the table.
「Oh dear. You may rest once we return to our tent.」
「Yeah! You didn’t even join the battles!」
「You can’t blame her. Sarah has other things to do.」
The four ladies didn’t go around destroying Roots. Instead they killed large monsters in the vicinity of Lands Harvest. Not only the ones Hikaru found on his surveys, but those found by other adventurers as well, who simply ignored the creatures.
「Hikaru is sure making us work.」Selica said in a huff.
However the information that Hikaru’s party gathered was highly accurate, helping the girls greatly in their search for the large monsters. The mapping and terrain information was especially welcome.
「You were praising the map highly, though.」Selyse teased.
「I was just stating facts!」Selica rebutted.
A woman brought four mugs to their table.「Here you go. Four mugs of hot wine.」
Alcohol was limited, so people couldn’t drink much. Nonetheless they were grateful for being able to drink after an expedition. Selica gladly jumped at her drink and brought it to her mouth.
「W-We got trouble!」
An adventurer barged in, out of breath. All eyes turned to him at once.
「Monsters! There’s monsters out there!」
The mood turned sour immediately.
「Get a grip, man. Of course there’s monsters out there.」
「Are you drunk? Where’d you even get that much booze to get wasted?」
「No, that’s not it!」The man was frantic.「A large horde has surrounded this place!」