The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 44.2

Chapter 44.2   Command and Authority

Euphene and the others continued without incident, crossing the seventh bridge.

Guarding the eighth bridge were ten ghosts wearing hats.

“Attack mages to the front! Here we go, ‘Attack Enhancement!'”

Shaqma chanted a spell, enveloping the attack mages in a red light.

As they advanced across the bridge, they scattered the ghost hats with explosions and blasts.

However, when all members were on the bridge, ghost hats appeared from the water’s surface below.

The ghost hats attacked the rear of the formation.

The attack mages, effective against ghosts, were now only at the very front of the line.

(Just as I thought! Things like this always happen.)

Lerio, who had anticipated this, immediately reacted.

“Euphene! Ten ghost hats from behind! Healing magic!”

“Okay. ‘Wide Range Healing Magic!'”

Euphene activated the ‘Wide Range Healing Magic,’ moving the magic circle to the rear of the column and covering it completely.

“Euphene. Reinforcements of life-sized miniature golems have appeared in front. Shield team to the front!”

“Ugh, so busy dealing with both the front and the rear.”

Euphene swapped the leading attack mages with the central shield team.

The change on the narrow bridge forced the unit to temporarily halt.

(It’s indeed tough to command while healing. But I can’t just move from the middle of the column… Did Laurent anticipate this?)

Euphene glanced at Lerio.

(Counting on you, Lerio. The rearguard is in your hands.)

Lerio managed to withstand the attacks of the ghost hats by skillfully using the healing magic circle.

There were two bridges leading to the next island.

Ahead on the right bridge were life-sized miniature golems, while ahead on the left were skeletal skeletons wielding spears, Skeletal Lances.

(Which way to go? If it’s life-sized miniature golems, the shield team should go first, and if it’s Skeletal Lances, the attack mages should go first…)

“Euphene, let’s go toward the life-sized miniature golems. Shield team to the front, attack mages to the rear. That way, we can handle any ghost hats appearing from the water’s surface.”

Shaqma advised.

“I see. Alright, let’s go right,” Euphene said.

Euphene and the others dashed towards the island guarded by the life-sized miniature golems.

(Indeed, Shaqma’s plan can handle surprise attacks from the ghost hats. But what if other enemies appear?)

Lerio pondered such thoughts in the back of his mind.

“Here we go. ‘Defense Enhancement!'”

The shield team, enveloped in blue light, led the way across the bridge.

As all adventurers got onto the bridge, skeletal lancers on the other side started crossing, threatening Euphene and the others from behind.

(Skeletal Lances with spears behind. If that’s the case, the attack mages can handle it…)

Lerio carefully considered his surroundings while staying vigilant.

Euphene caught sight of another group appearing on the distant island to the right.

(Is that Alric? Could it be they caught up?)

It seemed Alric’s group had also split into squads of fifteen each.

Alric, as usual, stood at the forefront of the group, leading them.

(Shoot. If Alric caught up, we need to hurry even more.)

Alric noticed Euphene’s group as well.

(Fifteen people. Looks like they also split their group in two. No Laurent… Perfect. Let’s see how well the unit functions without Laurent.)

The moment Euphene’s shield team made contact with the life-sized miniature golems, vampires leaped out from behind.

(Vampires! Were they hiding behind the life-sized miniature golems?)

“Archers, anti-aircraft fire! Don’t let them flank us from behind.”

When Lerio called out, the archers in the middle of the column immediately aimed their arrows at the vampires and fired.

The vampires were shot down one by one.

While shooting arrows, Lerio didn’t neglect to watch his rear.

Suddenly, the skeletal lancers behind them started to clear a path, and life-sized miniature golems appeared from behind.

(Damn, life-sized miniature golems here?)

The golems crossed the bridge with slow movements, closing in.

The shield team was all concentrated at the front, with only attack mages and swordsmen at the rear.

“Life-sized miniature golems?! Why?”

Euphene noticed and panicked completely.

“They were probably hiding behind the skeletal lancers.”

Even if they were defeated, life-sized miniature golems would continue advancing, ramming into adventurers and draining their stamina.

It was standard to have warriors equipped with shields to handle them, but…

“What do we do? The shield team is all concentrated at the front.”

“The shield team’s defense isn’t reliable. We have to deal with it using the strength and power of archers and swordsmen!”

(Status Appraisal!)

Lerio appraised the approaching life-sized miniature golems now coming in two rows.

(The maximum strength and power of the life-sized miniature golems is 40 to 60. Who among us can withstand this strength and power?)

[Freddie (swordsman) status]

Strength power: 70-80 → 60-70

Physical stamina: 70-80 → 60-80

[Sharon (archer) status]

Strength power: 60-70 → 50-70

Physical stamina: 50-60 → 40-60

“Freddie, Sharon, stop the life-size mini-golems!”

Freddie sheathed his sword, Sharon paused the hand holding her bow, and they bravely halted the advance of the life-size mini-golems.

The advance of the life-size mini-golems stopped (they automatically stop if there are compatriots in front).

However, the statuses of the two were being severely reduced.

“Freddie (swordsman), Sharon (archer), healing magic for both!”

As Lerio shot down vampires with arrows and made the request, Euphene immediately sent magic circles to the feet of the two.

With that, they somehow managed to stop the advance of the life-size mini-golems.

While commanding, Lerio felt the presence of vampires attacking from behind.

“Damn. I’m busy commanding here.”

Lerio swiftly shot down the vampire without even looking back.

“That archer… he’s commanding while utilizing status appraisal and fighting!? Moreover, he’s handling the difficult rear guard command…”

Alric instantly saw through Lerio’s true abilities.

“That archer wasn’t there before either. Laurent, did you prepare even such newcomers?”

Alric felt threatened by Laurent.

If more A-class adventurers joined the “Guardians of the Magic Tree,” there would be no way the “Golden Hawks” could compete.

“I must secure the ‘Dungeon of the Mines’ this month without fail. Otherwise, the ‘Golden Hawks’ will have no future.”

Lerio continued crossing the bridge skillfully, stopping the life-size mini-golems.

【Freddie (Swordsman) Status】

Strength Power: 70-80 → 40-70

【Sharon (Archer) Status】

Strength Power: 60-70 → 30-70

“Freddie and Sharon’s strength… We’re managing somehow, but it’s clear their statuses are depleting.”

Euphene’s healing magic could only restore the depleted stats of stamina, not the overall status.

“Unlike the shield squad, there’s a limit to how much the low endurance archer and swordsman can hold back the advance of the life-size mini-golems. If they get trapped between them, it’s uncertain if they’ll last till the end.”

Nevertheless, Euphene and the others somehow reached the 18th island.

Upon arriving at the 18th island, Euphene felt a chill.

“What? Suddenly feeling cold…”

“Look at that. It’s the shadowy specter, Shade!”

Shaqma pointed across the bridge on the right side, shrouded in black mist, where a figure holding a gleaming scythe in a black robe stood.

“Shadowy specter, Shade… that’s an A-class monster, isn’t it?”

“Yes, indeed. It’s an A-class monster tailored for healer-type classes. To encounter it in a place like this…”

Euphene said with a grim expression.

The shadowy specter, Shade, could create duplicates of itself from its shadow.

Its attacks were unpredictable and unavoidable, so defeating it always required the power of a healer.

On the other side of the bridge, there was also a life-size mini-golem.

Euphene hesitated.

(Ordinarily, it would be just a life-size mini-golem here. But if I could defeat the shadowy specter, Shade, my class would be elevated to A…)

“Shaqma, Lerio, what do you think? Which way should we go?”

“It’s obvious. We need to hurry ahead. Towards the life-size mini-golem,” Shaqma said, urging the shield squad forward.

“Yes, you’re right,” Euphene nodded to reassure herself and directed them towards the life-size mini-golem.

(Is this really okay?)

Lerio appraised the statuses of his allies.

(Our swordsmen are reaching their limits soon. If they’re attacked from behind by the life-size mini-golem, we’re done for. And while one side has monsters like the shadowy specter, Shade, the other side has just life-size mini-golems… There’s probably a trap.)

Euphene and the shield squad charged towards the life-size mini-golem.

However, just as the battle commenced, a cloud of dust rose from behind the life-size mini-golem, revealing a tower-like earth golem, Tower Golem.

“A Tower Golem!?” Shaqma gasped.

“Damn it, we’re already depleted in stats. Having a tower golem here…” Euphene gritted her teeth.

“Figured something like this would happen.”

Lerio’s expression confirmed it.

“Enough of this. We can’t falter here. Let’s go! ‘Defense Enhancement!'”

The shield squad was enveloped in blue light, pushing back the life-size mini-golems.

However, they couldn’t budge the tower golem.

The tower golem swung its arms towards Euphene and her team.

Warriors with shields managed to hold it off somehow, but the bridge trembled with each blow.

“Damn it, fighting a Tower Golem without Rick is tough.”

“Euphene! From behind…”

“What now!?”

Euphene turned back in response to Lerio’s voice, only to find the shadowy specter, Shade, which had previously occupied the island they were on.

“Damn it, our retreat is cut off.”

“It’s not just that. The shadowy specter, Shade…”

The black mist surrounding the shadowy specter, Shade, was steadily advancing towards them.

If the mist touched Euphene and her team’s shadows, they would instantly take damage.

“A tower golem at the front gate, the shadowy specter, Shade, at the back… Damn, what do we do? What should we…”

“We don’t have time to hesitate. We must break through! ‘Attack Enhancement!'”

The shield squad was engulfed in red light.

Yet still, they couldn’t budge the tower golem.

Grumble…

“Euphene, let’s retreat,” Lerio suggested.

“What did you say?”

“Facing a tower golem in our current state of depleted stats is disadvantageous. But with the shadowy specter, Shade, you can break through with your healing magic!”

Shaqma hurriedly objected.

“After coming this far, are we really going to retreat? The shadowy specter, Shade, might be A-class, but the tower golem is only B-class.”

“Euphene, please prioritize the condition of our own forces over the enemy’s,” Lerio countered.

“…I’ll go with Lerio’s suggestion.”

“W-Wait a minute. We’re still…”

As Shaqma began to further argue, Euphene pressed a switch at her neckline.

Shaqma’s movements were sealed.

“What…?”

“You, carry Shaqma. Let’s go,” Euphene ordered one of the shield squad members to carry Shaqma, then headed towards the shadowy specter, Shade.

Spirits emanating from the black shadows began to tear into Euphene and her team.

Euphene countered with healing magic.

* * *

Laurent and the others arrived at the goal point ahead of time and were waiting for Euphene and her group.

Monica was looking at another path that led to the goal.

(Euphene and the others, still not here?)

Monica anxiously gazed at the path where Euphene and her group would come.

“Laurent-san, do you think Euphene and the others are okay?”

“Hmm. We encountered stronger monsters than expected on our way here.”

Tower golems and Class A monsters appeared on the path Laurent and the others took, just like Monica’s hawk eye couldn’t predict beforehand.

Fortunately, they were able to easily break through with Monica’s ‘Impaler’.

“There’s a good chance Euphene’s group is also encountering powerful monsters.”

“Why would such strong monsters appear? We haven’t even reached the 10th floor yet.”

“Probably because the pace of exploration is too fast.”

“The pace of exploration?”

“Yeah, it seems that when adventurers progress through the dungeon too quickly, powerful monsters can appear in lower levels. It’s like adjusting the adventurers’ pace. Perhaps that phenomenon is happening now.”

“So, what about Euphene and the others?”

“I don’t know. Anyway, all we can do now is wait.”

(If Euphene and the others don’t come as we are now… it will force us to make a difficult decision.)

However, Laurent’s worries turned out to be needless.

They could see Euphene and her group coming across the last bridge.

“Laurent-san! Euphene…”

“Ah, it looks like they did well.”

“I’m sorry. We’re late.”

Euphene, with a leader-like demeanor, rushes over to Laurent to report.

“No, you did well. It’s enough.”

“More importantly, Laurent-san, please look at this.”

Euphene points at her scythe.

“That is…”

“The scythe of the ‘Shadow Wraith Shade’.”

“Shadow Wraith Shade? Did you guys defeat the Shadow Specter Shade?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, amazing, Euphene. Managing as a leader and defeating an A-class monster.”

“Well, yeah.”

Euphene proudly puffs out her chest.

Meanwhile, Lerio was slumping tiredly, leaning on the floor.

“What’s up, Lerio? You look exhausted,” Rick teased.

“Rick, sorry, but could you not talk to me right now? I’m mentally exhausted from using my brain more than my stamina.”

“What? You’re such a mess. I just defeated another tower golem, but I’m still full of energy. Hahaha.”

“Rick, I envy your simplicity.”

Lerio said sadly.

Laurent appraised the members of the separate unit and checked their exhaustion levels.

This made it clear who the true heroes were.

【Lerio’s Stats】

Command: 10-90

(Lerio’s command is completely exhausted. He really gave it his all.)

“All right. Let’s reorganize the unit and head to the 9th floor. Since Euphene and the others are particularly exhausted, we’ll need to provide extra support for them.”

After reorganizing the unit to cover the exhausted Euphene and her group, Laurent proceeded to the 9th floor through the teleportation magic circle.

Alric’s group arrived there shortly after Laurent had gone through the teleportation magic circle.

(Darn it. Seems like a comeback was impossible.)

However, Alric struggled to advance to the 9th floor.

The separate unit had not yet arrived.

(Still not here. Hasn’t the separate unit arrived yet?)

Alric waited impatiently.

In reality, Alric’s separate unit had encountered an A-class monster and, unable to defeat it, had fallen from the bridge into the raging waters, forcing them to start over from the beginning.

It wasn’t until several hours later that the separate unit finally joined up.

By that time, Laurent’s group had already cleared the 9th floor.

The difference between the two units had finally stretched to cover a whole floor.