Chapter 13

To put it bluntly, I was unilaterally beaten.

If one only looked at ability scores, I was slightly ahead of Selina.

But there was a gap that couldn't be overcome with just that.

I was certain.

Selina was someone who had learned swordsmanship seriously from a young age.

Her techniques were skilled enough to easily overturn the discrepancy in ability scores.

I sparred with her for quite a long time, but honestly, I doubted if I had absorbed even 1 percent of her techniques.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

"...I'm going to die."

The sound of bells announcing wake-up time echoed throughout the airship.

Even without that, warm light poured in from the wide-open circular window.

I knew I had to get up, but my body wouldn't obey.

I was already suffering from the side effects of the fruit due to not receiving proper treatment, and after such intense exercise late into the night, there wasn't a single part of me that wasn't aching.

Eventually, it was only after Lilisa knocked on my door that I could barely get myself up.

After breakfast, we gathered on the deck and stared blankly at the sky like plants photosynthesizing.

Actually, the soldiers' daily routines are supposed to be assigned by the player.

When I managed Odin, I invested daily time in light training or in fostering better relationships among the heroes.

This was because, due to their excellent AI, conflicts often arose among the heroes under my command due to their personalities and other reasons.

In other words, daily routines could also be considered a part of their growth.

In the case of Unit 707, the commander should play the role of the player, but such a thing should not be expected from Viscount Lemming.

If he were that kind of person, the soldiers' assessment of Viscount Lemming would be different now.

"...Adam."

Finally, Selina, unable to bear it any longer, sharply jabbed Adam's side with her elbow.

Adam, who had been standing blankly, jumped in surprise, and Selina whispered something into his ear.

Then, as if he had gained some great enlightenment, Adam, with his mouth wide open, came to his senses and stepped forward.

"Ahem. Ahem. Alright, from now on, I'll give out the daily instructions. Today will be physical training. And it would be good for everyone to practice handling their weapons."

"...Did Anya tell you to say that?"

"Theo. In times like these, just pretend you don't know. For the sake of my small honor."

Theo and Lilisa laughed heartily at the sight of a crestfallen Adam.

We began our physical training as per Adam's instructions.

In truth, the training elements available on the cramped deck of the airship were very limited.

Moreover, most of them lacked even basic knowledge.

Even Adam, the field commander, was a blank slate with no knowledge, so Selina had to step forward with a look on her face as if she had bitten into something bitter.

"It's worse than I thought."

"...Sorry."

"I wasn't talking to Lilisa. It was a lament directed at Viscount Lemming, who didn't even give the soldiers basic training. Seriously...Haa..."

I could clearly feel Selina's assessment of Viscount Lemming plummeting rapidly.

This was a very desirable phenomenon.

Under Selina's direct command, the morning training concluded, and a break was given.

And I...

"Shit... damn...crazy..."

...was dying again.

Yesterday, and today.

My body, which hadn't fully recovered, made training a living hell.

I didn't even have the energy to return to my room, so I lay sprawled on the deck, groaning, when Selina approached.

And she simply placed something by my head.

It was a glass bottle filled with red liquid.

"......?"

"Drink it.It will help a little to recover your stamina."

"What is this?"

I asked the question, but Selina had already gone to her room, seemingly not expecting an answer.

I barely managed to sit up and held the glass bottle in my hand.

As expected, Dragon Eye immediately reacted.

You have obtained the highest-grade recovery potion – Lamia Premium.

Information: Highest-grade recovery potion – Lamia Premium.

A top-tier recovery potion made by Lamia Pharmaceuticals.

It boasts significant effectiveness in treating both external and internal injuries, and in some cases, shows excellent efficacy in treating curses.

Price: 99G.

"...What is your true identity?"

At this point, it was even frightening.

Highest-grade recovery potion.

99G.

How could I not know the value of these things?

I could confidently say that only players within the top 50 ranks could provide this much support for a spy to be used and discarded in an instant.

If she was a spy, it meant a significant figure was behind her.

There was sufficient reason for such a big shot to interfere in a unit that had just been newly established.

Unit 707 was a unit consisting only of heroes currently being trained, created by copying the White's training system.

From the White's perspective, it was like a new class of troops appearing in the enemy camp, so they would have judged that it was beneficial to plant a spy and gather information,regardless of whether it was newly established or not.

I would have done the same.

But a question remained.

There's no way such a naive spy exists in the world who would give a highest-grade recovery potion, clearly intended for emergencies, to an enemy soldier.

"What is it really... Is it a highly sophisticated deception operation? If not..."

Whatever it was, it was clear that I desperately needed this recovery potion.

Remembering the heroes' reactions when drinking recovery potions, I opened my throat and poured the potion down, trying to keep it from touching my tongue as much as possible.

As the liquid reached my stomach, my body reacted immediately.

The wounded areas began to itch slightly.

The itching throughout my body was close to torture.

This also proved that there was no healthy part of my body.

About a day passed like that.

Along with the itching, the wounds that appeared whenever I took off my clothes, and even the side effects of the fruit that had been eating away at my lifespan, had completely disappeared.

***

Unit 707's airship arrived at the site two hours later than scheduled.

Ravas Valley was not a beautiful place to behold, with mud pits and stagnant water puddles reeking of decay scattered everywhere, despite no rain for several days.

[Unit 707. Operation start.]

With Viscount Lemming's uninspired operational command, the five of us, including myself, disembarked from the airship and set foot in the valley.

The first thing I did was use Dragon Eye to check the chat window.

Fortunately, there was no mention of Stage 1-2.

'But there might be players who don't chat and just quietly do their work in Stage 1-2, so I shouldn't let my guard down.'

I wasn't worried about hunting Labias Lizards itself.

They weren't particularly difficult to deal with if one was a little careful.

We entered the outer perimeter of the valley in formation.

And before long, we encountered our first Labias Lizard.

The creature was lying next to a puddle, eyes tightly shut, enjoying the sun.

"Uh... um... it's bigger than I thought. Yeah. It's huge."

Everyone, including myself, nodded at Adam's honest assessment.

I hadn't noticed it when viewing it on a screen, but its size was beyond imagination, making me involuntarily hesitate.

"How is that a lizard... It's a dinosaur.""Dinosaur?"

"...There's such a thing. A relative of lizards."

Lirisa reacted to my unintentional mumble. Her reaction suggested that dinosaurs didn't exist in this world.

Or perhaps they did, but due to slow archaeological development, related fossils hadn't been discovered, or they had already been discovered but were called by a different name than 'dinosaur.'

Whatever the case, we had to deal with that giant lizard, reminiscent of an oversized crocodile or a dinosaur, with nothing but a bladed weapon.

Perhaps Labias Lizards weren't easy prey, and it was Odin's heroes who easily hunted them that were excellent.

"Its size is bigger than I thought, but...it's still just a lizard. Don't be nervous, let's take our time."

Whether the position made the man, or he was originally like this.

Adam stepped forward.

We walked slowly, maintaining our pre-arranged formation.

After securing a suitable distance, Adam gave the signal, and Lilisa drew her bowstring.

"Anya. Is it okay to use divine power?"

"Since this is the outermost area of the valley... I don't think there are any other individuals nearby. It's okay to use it."

With Selina's trustworthy permission, Lilisa used her divine power.

Her divine power was a fatal attack.

It was a power that imbued the weapon with sharpness and power, delivering a more powerful blow.

The arrow's tip glittered and flew through the air.

The lizard's hide looked thick at a glance, but Lilisa's arrow pierced through it without a problem.

It seemed she was aiming for the eye, but the arrow hit slightly below the eye.

"Kroaaaaah!"

The lizard awoke with a roar.

Even its cry sounded more like a dinosaur than a lizard.

Thump! Thump!

The ground vibrated as the creature charged towards us.

As the distance closed, the creature's overwhelming presence intensified.

I glanced sideways and saw that Selina was also visibly tense, her body stiff.

It was a natural reaction, so much so that I couldn't believe it was an act.

She possessed various knowledge, but her practical experience fell far short of her knowledge.

I patted her back once and then ran forward.

"Let's go."

"Ah, yes!"

I felt her, having barely come to her senses, running behind me.

"Kroaaaaah!"

The creature opened its mouth, which was larger than a normal lizard's but smaller than a crocodile's, as wide as possible and lunged.

As pre-arranged, I dodged to the left, and Selina to the right.

The lizard instinctively decided that the smaller Selina would be easier to hunt and turned its head towards her.

Selina increased her speed, outmaneuvering the creature, while I went on the offensive.

From the wide-open maw, down its neck, and to its front leg.

I thrust my sword in and made a long gash.

Each time the wound opened, the lizard thrashed in pain, a sensation clearly transmitted through the hand holding the sword.

'My body was this light.'

Perhaps because I had been living with a dying body for days, my fully recovered state felt almost unfamiliar.

There was no pain, and my heavy body felt light, as if it weren't my own.

"Ryan!"

Selina shouted loudly.

It was a signal that the Labias Lizard's head, which had been aimed at her, was now aimed at me.

I turned my head to see its gaping maw lunging at me.

I jumped back to avoid the attack, and not content with just that, I swung my sword vertically, adding another wound to its jaw.

The lizard endured the pain.

It took a large step forward, intending to put me in its mouth and chew.

Its already massive teeth approached with terrifying momentum.

But I remained calm.

It was because I trusted Theo and Lilisa, even if Adam and Selina didn't quite understand yet.

"Here I gooo!"

Theo's booming shout and the powerful axe that followed it plunged into the lizard's neck.

As the lizard's body twisted violently from a blow that one wouldn't have thought possible with just one arm, Adam, who had climbed onto the lizard's back, aimed for its heart and thrust his spear deep.

"Wait! Not the heart!"

"Uh, uh-oh? Why, why?"

At my urgent shout, Adam, clearly flustered, even used honorifics, which he had promised not to, as he looked anxiously at me.

My shout was understandable.

The reason we were risking danger to hunt lizards was to secure the magic source needed for growth, and the magic source that could be obtained in Labias Valley was the lizard's heart.

If you pierced the heart, which could be called the vessel containing magic, you naturally wouldn't be able to secure the magic.

I wanted to scold him for not knowing such a basic thing, but upon reflection, it was only natural that he wouldn't know.

'Viscount Lemming... that damn human didn't brief us properly!'

He just told us to hunt lizards, not to safely extract their hearts.

Unsure how to explain, I was gritting my teeth alone when reliable support followed from Selina.

"Viscount Lemming simply instructed us to hunt the lizards... but securing the heart is the main goal of this mission."

"Ah... I see. Still, it missed, so thankfully... Whaaaaa!"

Adam, who had been relieved by his poor accuracy, lost his balance when the lizard shook its body violently and fell to the ground.

It was a very dangerous situation, but Selina's sword pinned the lizard's front leg, immobilizing it.

"Lilisa! Aim for the head!"

Simultaneously with my shout, Lilisa's arrow hit the lizard's head.

"Kyaaaah!"

The lizard let out a final scream and collapsed helplessly to the ground.

"...Is it over?"

I poked the lizard's head several times with the tip of my knife, but there was no reaction.

It was the moment I could be certain its life had completely ceased.

I don't know who was first, but it didn't take long for a triumphant cheer to erupt among the group.