I see your code (118)
The Great Desert at the eastern end of Argon.
There is a catastrophe that occurs once every 50 years in the place that serves as the borderline with the East.
It’s called a ‘dimensional storm’.
After hearing the name, it may be difficult to grasp exactly what it is, but once you know the reality, it is a very simple phenomenon.
A huge amount of energy from the very center radiates out to the edge, and this energy is so strong that even high-ranking knights are reluctant to even go near it during a dimensional storm.
Those who have reached the pinnacle of human beings are like that, what about others?
Of course, the reality is that they are reluctant to look in that direction, let alone approach them.
However, it is said that human beings can survive in any situation in the world.
There were people living near such a harsh desert. Even the number was not small. They had gathered to form a city of considerable size.
You might wonder if they are perverts who enjoy pain, but in reality, it is a natural thing to do. No matter how harsh the living environment is, isn’t it the only trade channel with the East that exists?
It can be seen as a place of opportunity to turn your life around.
“Damn it, I was really bad luck. It’s been a while since I’ve come, but it’s a dimensional storm… … .”
Andrew, a Class A mercenary who had been drinking alcohol at the tavern since broad daylight, grumbled.
He was also one of the humans who came to the city for ‘hot soup’, but his expression was far from seeing a hopeful future.
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Merchant Dixie, who was looking at the face in front of him, kicked his tongue and passed the glass.“You’re still wasting time, isn’t it? In addition to the time, I am about to throw away all the items I was going to sell to the East. This time, it might really go bankrupt.”
“Hey, talking about being sick again. Even if he goes bankrupt, he has many times more wealth than me.”
“That’s because you’re busy spending the money you earn. How many times have I told you to save some money?”
At Dixie’s words, Andrew giggled as he took a sip of the beer.
“It seems that the mercenaries do not know the iron rules. Don’t put off your money for today until tomorrow. It’s the fate of our ephemerals that we can look back on right now, what kind of savings are you talking about?”
“That is a very precious lesson.”
“… … How come your pronunciation is a little different?”
“It’s an illusion.”
Dixie shrugged and turned around.
“But the fact that you’ve come all the way to Elwood doesn’t mean you’re thinking of retiring too, isn’t it?”
It was obvious why there were so many mercenaries and merchants in the city, where there was no land to farm, and no special products.
Why would you come to such a barren place unless you plan to cross the great desert and go to the East?
But the biggest problem is the monsters in that great desert.
The place is infested with monsters to such an extent that countless people die even as they circle the edges far away from the dangerous center.
And the danger was not an exception for even a class-A mercenary, so it became natural for only those who really wanted to finish it off at the end of the last minute.
Andrew sighed heavily, refilling the glass with beer.
“Yeah, I was thinking of retiring this time. It seems to have crossed the water now.”
“Is there any reason for that? It would be better to just pick a safe mission from now on and save some money step by step.”
Andrew was silent for a while at the question, and then laughed bitterly.
“Actually, I don’t know how long I will be able to hold the sword.”
“What do you mean?”
“… … Come to think of it, he said that he had been staying in Elwood for over a month. Then I wouldn’t have seen this Argon tournament.”
Dixie tilted her head. Why is the talk of the tournament suddenly coming up here?
He continued to speculate on his own, and soon realized the answer.
Knights and mercenaries have quite a difference in skills even in the same class. The only thing that has to be done is that knights are raised with professional education from an early age, but mercenaries are the ones who just wield their swords arbitrarily without anything like that.
However, since they rarely bump into each other, they try to ignore the fact and live, sometimes among mercenaries who lack the ability to recognize reality, there are those who take part in tournaments with great vigor.
The result, of course, is obvious.
What more needs to be said since it’s a panguk that says that if you hold out for even 10 minutes, the mercenary world has come out.
I heard that there are quite a few mercenaries who are so traumatized that they will never be able to raise their swords again.
‘I guess this is the case too.’
Convinced, Dixie nodded and added beer to Andrew’s slightly empty glass.
“Don’t be too heartbroken. Wouldn’t it be great to be eligible to participate in a tournament?”
“What are you talking about? Why is the mercenary baboon participating in the tournament?”
“… … Aren’t you frustrated by losing to a knight in a tournament?”
“I’ve been up against knights a few times, but I never felt overwhelming. Of course, I never won.”
“… … Then what’s the problem?”
Andrew remained silent for a while again at the question, and then opened his mouth with difficulty.
“There are people in the world who make you feel a wall just by looking at them for a moment.”
“… … Just by looking?”
Dixie pondered who it was.
How many people have been able to make such a cool person like this, even after being stuck with a fellow knight a few times?
It is probably not a knight with a higher rating than you. In the first place, it wouldn’t be a comparison. If that’s the case, then you must be a person of the same class or lower level… … .
Several names ran through Dixie’s mind.
Patrick, who received the title of ‘Thunderbolt’ for attacking with lightning speed, Natasha, who received the title of ‘Red Flame’ by igniting a menacing flame from his sword, and ‘Devil of Exile’ ‘Supernova’ Ryan, etc.
All of them are talented people who have recently gained worldwide fame.
‘Is it possible that one of them was in the tournament?’
Andrew was also one of the mercenaries who made a name for himself, but it was true that he was fading compared to those celebrities.
Dixie decided so and asked who it was. But Andrew only shook his head slightly.
“Not everything. He is a person who suddenly appeared this time.”
“… … Another new talent?”
“Again?”
“Isn’t that also the case with the last person named Ryan? Usually, when the name is known, the previous deeds are also revealed, but there are very few such things… … . For a while, there were many rumors that it might have fallen from the sky.”
As Dixie muttered a bit, Andrew grinned and took another sip of the beer.
“Come to think of it, there are quite a few similarities between the two. It was like getting to level 4 at a very young age, or suddenly appearing without any rumors. But the person who came out this time has a clear origin.”
“Is it okay to be someone who secretly trained from a prestigious family?”
“It doesn’t even compare to that.”
Having said that, Andrew glanced around.
It’s an embarrassingly widespread rumor that it’s not really a secret, but it’s such a huge story that it’s going to cause an uproar in this pub where you’re going to hear it for the first time.
He spoke softly to Dixie only when he was convinced that no one could hear their conversation.
“Don’t be surprised, listen. Dante… … Ah, his name. Anyway, Dante said he was Iron’s disciple.”
“… … What?!”
Dixie jumped up from her seat and shouted loudly. At that moment, all eyes of the tavern turned toward him. Andrew apologized for the fuss, apologized to the people and scolded Dixie.
“Well, don’t be surprised, just listen.”
“… … Is that true? that… … Are you saying that you are Iron’s disciple?”
“Neither do I. Iron, he didn’t come out and reveal it himself.”
With that said, Dixie sat back down with a steamy face.
“What else do I say? Then again, it will be a pseudonym again. There weren’t many people like that back when he was active. After Iron-sama ran away, it almost disappeared.”
Andrew grinned. Because that’s what he originally thought.
“That was the mainstream. Shortly after the game started, those words just fell into place.”
“… … Do you think you were pretty good at it? Did he even win a championship?”
“Not before. It’s before.”
Dixie tilted her head again. Because I couldn’t understand what Andrew was saying at all.
“Hey, I think you misunderstood the story. Didn’t I say that I was a person who had reached level 4 earlier? But it’s the first win. You have to say something that makes sense.”
“But what if it’s true? He won the 3rd grade with a 4th grade body. Two of them too.”
“Hey, someone who hasn’t had a few drinks is already drunk. Okay, let’s drink some water here.”
“Oh, it’s real!”
The two of them are right, no, they started fighting for a while. The voices grew louder and louder, until everyone in the tavern had gathered, but most of them did not believe Andrew and took Dixie’s side.
The moment Andrew, who has suddenly become a liar, is about to shout out loud.
“Hey, there.”
At the entrance of the tavern, a man stuttered walking. Andrew stared at the man who suddenly spoke to him.
‘… … what? That outfit.’
The man’s jacket and pants were almost worn out and tattered, almost as if anyone could see him as a beggar.
However, there are merchants and mercenaries here in Elwood, but there are no beggars. Because there is no way a merchant who is crazy about money or a mercenary who only knows himself/herself will do anything against others.
If so, there is only one reason why Elwood is doing such a thing right now.
‘… … Have you ever entered the Great Desert?’
Andrew thought about it, then shook his head. Because there’s no way a madman would go to a place where a dimensional storm is raging.
‘You must have a rather unusual fashion sense.’
Andrew, who took it lightly, looked at the man and replied back.
“What’s going on?”
“I want to hear what you’re talking about again.”
“If you were doing it now… … Are you talking about Dante?”
The man nodded silently. Andrew clicked his tongue.
“Why do you ask again if you say you won’t believe it anyway? You just have to make fun of me with them.”
“It’s up to me to believe or not to believe, so what’s wrong with meddling in rumors related to me?”
“… … Do you know Sir Dante by any chance?”
Andrew’s voice softened slightly. I was thinking of the possibility. But the man shook his head as if to ask everything.
“no. I have just heard the name of Dante.”
“… … So what do you think the rumors have to do with you?”
“Well. This is something I just didn’t know.”
A mischievous smile appeared on the man’s lips.
“It seems that I am the teacher of that guy named Dante.”
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