The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 103

Chapter 103   Spear Attack

Having finished their battle with Dragon Knight’s Haven, Laurent and his team inspected the condition of their equipment.

Laurent called out to Elio, who was checking his gear.

“Elio, good job out there.”

“Laurent.”

“That ‘Shield Charge’ just now was impressive. Do you feel any issues with your equipment? It looked like you took a direct hit from the ‘Black Bow’…”

“Yeah. This gear is amazing; it didn’t budge at all.”

“It seems that way. Aina did a great job.”

Elio’s armor was reinforced with two layers of ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating.’

The outside of the armor had a blue ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating,’ and the inside had a green ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating.’

(‘An armor with a defense power of 140. This will withstand almost any physical attack without a scratch… However.’)

Elio’s Armor:

Power: 140

Durability: 90 (↘︎10)

(‘The durability has decreased by 10 points. It seems it wasn’t entirely unscathed. With ‘Earthcraft,’ we can recover some of the wear, but still…’)

“Jeff, can I talk to you for a moment?”

Jeff approached.

“Elio’s armor has taken significant wear. We need to preserve it for the upcoming battle with the Quartet.”

“But we’ve already driven off Dragon Knight’s Haven, haven’t we? And we’re almost out of the forest.”

“True, we’re almost out of the forest, but we’ll have to pass through it again on our way back. Plus, we’ve only dealt with Edgar Rogue’s ‘Black Bow.'”

“So, on the way back, we’ll be facing the ‘Fire Spear’ and ‘Dragonhead Gauntlets,’ right?”

“Exactly. So, Jeff, you’ll have to face the ‘Fire Dragon’ without Elio on the way out.”

“Without Elio?”

“Yes. Your ‘Archery’ is already at B-class. Like Hans and the others, you should be able to employ a hit-and-run strategy.”

“…Got it. I’ll give it a try.”

“So, Elio, from here on out, you’ll be held in reserve. Avoid unnecessary combat.”

“Understood.”

With that, Laurent and his team resumed their dungeon exploration.

The team, comprised of multiple B-class archers and mages, executed their coordinated maneuvers with precision. After clearing the forest, they faced the ‘Fire Dragon’ head-on, progressing through the dungeon at an incredible speed, and soon reached the ore mining site.

At Dragon’s Ember, Edgar was facing heavy criticism.

His solo attempt and subsequent defeat by the Spirit’s Workshop alliance had come to light.

“Edgar, you bastard! We agreed to put Lizetta in charge, didn’t we? What the hell were you thinking, acting on your own like that?”

Raoul was furious, grabbing Edgar by the collar and glaring at him.

“No, you’ve got it wrong. The guys from Dragon Knight’s Haven begged me to make it for them. I had no choice…”

“What was that!?”

“Well, at least now we know what we need to do,” Lizetta interjected.

The quartet turned their attention to Lizetta.

“We wait for the Spirit’s Workshop alliance to return from gathering ores, exhausted, and ambush them in the forest. Does that sound good?”

“Tch. Fine,” Raoul said, letting go of Edgar and scratching his head.

“We’ll go with Lizetta’s plan. Edgar, you’ll support Lizetta. Don’t do anything else. If you follow this, I’ll let this incident slide. Got it?”

“…Phew, yeah, I got it.”

“Charles, you need to corner the ore market. Make sure Spirit’s Workshop can’t get their hands on any Silver-crushing Stone, the weakness of the Fire Spear.”

“Understood.”

“Is that good, Lizetta?”

“Yes, thank you.”

(Aina, you’ve come so far from barely being able to craft B-class swords. You must have worked incredibly hard. But I won’t lose to you.)

Before proceeding, Lizetta decided to gather information about the Spirit Workshop’s equipment from the Dragon Knight’s Haven, who had actually fought against them.

“I hit them point-blank with the Black Bow. But it got deflected.”

“Deflected?”

“Yeah, the arrow hit the blue armor and bounced right back at me.”

“…”

(Armor that deflects physical attacks. If Edgar’s Black Bow can’t even scratch it, then it’s safe to assume that almost all physical attacks will be ineffective. It seems I’ll have to take them down with my Fire Spear.)

“By the way, Floyd, did the enemy have any equipment made from Silver Crushing Stone?”

“Silver crushing Stone? No, I didn’t see anything like that.”

Lizetta sighed in relief.

(Even so, they might be hiding it. I should prepare just in case.)

“Edgar, I think we should go with a half-and-half approach—half Fire Spear and half regular equipment. I’ll handle the Fire Spear production, so you take care of the rest.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Edgar replied bitterly.

(Damn it. Lizetta’s got me working under her thumb. But making another solo move right after that screw-up would be bad. Plus, Charles and I have been separated, making it hard to coordinate. Do I just have to sit back and let her take all the glory?)

Lizetta then manufactured the Fire Spears and distributed them to the Winged Dragon’s Torch guild, whom she had contacted beforehand.

“Heh. So, you’ve finally decided to let us use the Fire Spears, Miss Lizetta?”

Ike Belford, the leader of the Winged Dragon’s Torch and a skilled lancer, accepted the Fire Spears with pride.

Ike Belford’s Skill

Lance Technique: B

(Ike Belford, the best lancer on this island. I never expected him to be useful in this way, but I’m glad I nurtured his talent.)

Ike and the Winged Dragon’s Torch were key clients for Lizetta. From the time she first started crafting his spears, Ike had always specifically requested Lizetta’s work.

“But why the sudden change of heart, Miss Lizetta? You’ve always reserved the Fire Spears for adventurers from outside the island. What made you decide to let us use it now?”

“A rather arrogant alchemist guild has emerged. They’re giving us a hard time.”

“You mean the Spirit Workshop? I’ve heard the rumors. Despite being an alchemist guild, they’ve managed to lead an adventurer alliance, monopolizing the Fire Repelling Ore while the market and other guilds were struggling with a shortage. Quite the cunning group, aren’t they?”

“Yes, exactly. And on top of that, Edgar made a huge blunder. Now I have to clean up his mess.”

(Damn this woman, getting all high and mighty.)

Standing nearby, Edgar clenched his fists in frustration.

“I see. So that’s why you decided to let us use the Fire Spears. Very well. I, Ike Belford, will deliver justice to these insolent foes who dare oppose the Dragon’s Ember. All for the glory of our beautiful alchemist, Miss Lizetta.”

Ike knelt down and kissed the back of Lizetta’s hand.

“Well, thank you. I’m counting on you.”

“Leave it to me.”

Ike admired the gleaming tip of the Fire Spears, marveling at its beauty.

(This is a magnificent piece of equipment. With this Fire Spear, achieving A-class lancer status will be a breeze.)

(Tch. What’s so great about this ‘beautiful alchemist’ anyway?)

Edgar turned away, visibly displeased.

Ike outfitted ten of his men with standard equipment and the other ten with Fire Spears. They then headed into the dungeon to ambush Laurent and his team on their way back. They set up camp near the path leading to Lake Route in the Foothill Forest, deploying thieves and archers nearby to scout the area. They also hunted down all nearby monsters in preparation for the upcoming battle.

Laurent and his team had successfully mined the ore and were making their way back, cautiously keeping an eye out for any threats. Thanks to Nicola’s Dragon Tone, the dungeon exploration had gone more smoothly than ever. Laurent had four archers and four thieves scouting in all directions, carefully choosing the least exhausting path forward.

(Having four archers capable of scouting is really helpful. It’s almost like having Monica’s Hawk Eye vision.)

As the unit advanced, Claire, who had been patrolling ahead, returned carrying an unconscious man on her back.

“Claire? Who is that?”

“He’s from the Winged Dragon’s Torch guild. They have strong ties with the Dragon’s Ember. He was scouting the area, so I suspected he might be an assassin sent by them and captured him.”

(So, they were lying in ambush.)

“Alright. Focus our thieves and archers ahead. Eliminate or capture their scouts and locate their main force.”

Hans, Alice, Claire, Jeff, Cecil, and three thieves from the Wildcat unit scouted ahead, cautiously eliminating the Winged Dragon’s Torch scouts while pinpointing the enemy’s main position.

On the other hand, Ike noticed that his scouts weren’t returning. He realized the Spirit Workshop alliance must be in that direction, so he stopped his reconnaissance and prepared for an attack.

“They’re here. It’s the Winged Dragon’s Torch! There are about ten warriors equipped with Fire Spears!” Claire reported.

“Are there any with Black Bows or Dragon Gauntlets, or other special equipment?”

“No, I didn’t see any. The other ten are in standard gear.”

(So it’s just the Fire Spears this time? Are they underestimating us, or is there infighting among the quartets? Or, maybe the Fire Spears are a decoy and a Dragonhead Gauntlet unit is hidden behind them. If that’s the case…)

“Alright. Retreat into the woods. We’ll lure them in.”

Laurent’s team retreated into a dense area of trees and bushes, preparing to ambush the enemy. Ike’s group sent five warriors with Fire Spears ahead, while he and the rest with standard equipment followed closely.

Ike could see warriors in blue armor disappearing into the underbrush.

(So that’s the blue armor that defeated the Black Bow. But it’s nothing against the Fire Spears, which can melt even iron!)

Lizetta, thinking optimistically that the Fire Spears would be enough, hadn’t considered the difficulty of using such long weapons in a forest. Fire Spears were designed for aerial combat against dragons, making them nearly twice as long as an adventurer’s height.

While the Fire Spears could melt a dragon’s scales and bring it down in one strike, they were cumbersome in a forest. The long spears got caught on branches and trunks, hindering movement.

Laurent’s team, under the cover of Pegasus’s Archer and experienced in hit-and-run tactics, was able to retreat with ease.

The Winged Dragon’s Torch attempted to counterattack with their archers, but the Spirit Workshop’s archers were far superior in both skill and coordination, making it nearly impossible for the enemy to take aim and forcing them to fall back under heavy fire.

Alice, nimble and agile, leapt from tree to tree, picking off enemies as she went.

“Damn it! If the spears are too long and getting caught, hold them shorter! Clear the trees if they’re in the way!” shouted Ike.

Following Ike’s orders, the lancers of the Winged Dragon’s Torch gripped their spears halfway down their length and began cutting down the trees. The high heat emitted by the Fire Spear’s tip easily burned through the wood with minimal effort.

However, as the lancers advanced, they suddenly felt a sharp pain in their feet.

“Argh, what is this… caltrops!?”

Cecil’s Skill: Trap Setting: C → A

(I may not be very useful in direct combat, but I have to contribute in times like these.)

(One of the thief skills, Trap Setting, allows Cecil to set traps with A-class potential. It’s a skill I’ve always wanted to develop, and now it’s finally proving its worth in a real battle.)

Despite the difficulties posed by Hans and the others’ archery and Cecil’s traps, one of the lancers managed to catch up with Laurent’s scattered unit and attempted to attack with the Fire Spear.

Leon, who was nearby, moved to intercept.

The lancer smirked at Leon. His sword seemed to be only a third of the length of the Fire Spear, making it look like the lancer had the upper hand even with the shortened spear.

“Got you!”

The lancer lunged at Leon, but before the spear’s tip could touch Leon’s armor, Leon’s sword pierced the lancer’s shoulder.

“Gah, how?”

The lancer was bewildered by Leon’s sudden increase in reach.

Leon’s sword was a Flexible Sword, capable of extending to the same length as the lance with the press of a switch.

The sword, which could change length at will, allowed Leon to move freely even in the dense forest. Normally, such a mechanism would make the sword fragile, but its joints were reinforced with an External Enhancement Coating, providing both flexibility and durability.

Seeing the lancer collapse, Leon retreated without pursuing further.

The remaining lancers were hindered by the caltrops underfoot and faced relentless arrow fire and dagger attacks from the archers and thieves. Weakened and overwhelmed, they were unable to continue their advance.

(Five of the Fire Spear bearers are down. Five more to go.)

Laurent analyzed the situation, evaluating the status of the remaining lancers.

“Damn it. Fall back!” Ike decided the battle in the thicket was not in their favor and retreated to an open area, carrying the incapacitated lancers. There, they waited for Laurent’s team to make the next move without initiating any further attacks.

Laurent ordered his archers to provoke the enemy with their shots, but the lancers held their ground, remaining vigilant and ready to attack the moment Laurent’s team emerged from the woods.

As time passed with the two sides locked in a standoff, Laurent realized that continuing like this would deplete their potions and resources, putting his team at a disadvantage. Retreating deeper into the forest without Monica’s Hawkeye skill was too risky. Moreover, the possibility of reinforcements from the Dragon’s Gauntlet squad for the Winged Dragon’s Torch couldn’t be ruled out.

Knowing they couldn’t drag out the battle or keep the enemy in the thicket, Laurent decided to confront them directly. He instructed Cecil to retrieve the caltrops (trap setting skill includes swift removal) and tied the incapacitated lancers to trees before leading his team out of the thicket to form up.

Ike prepared to counter the advance. “Finally coming out, huh? You’ve given us a real runaround!”

The Winged Dragon’s Torch positioned their warriors with standard equipment in the front and the remaining lancers, including Ike, at the back. They planned to sacrifice the warriors to set up a decisive strike with the lancers.

Laurent’s team aimed to eliminate the enemy’s shield-bearers with their archers, planning to engage their own shield-bearers and swordsmen as the enemy lancers moved forward.

Despite losing their shield-bearers to the archers’ arrows, the Winged Dragon’s Torch managed to get their lancers within striking distance of Laurent’s front line with their Fire Spears.

“Got you!” Ike lunged at Leon with his Fire Spear.

Leon blocked with his shield.

“Futile! The Fire Spear melts through steel! You think you can stop it with that?”

Ike’s Fire Spear melted and pierced Leon’s shield with ease, like a knife through cake. As the lance’s blade broke through, green liquid gushed out from inside the shield.

However, the lance stopped moving as it hit something heavy on the inside.

(What the…?)

The shield Leon held was much thicker than Ike had anticipated. Inside, it was filled with a green coating reinforced with an ‘External Enhancement Coating.’ When the high heat of the Fire Spear melted the coating, it deformed and stuck to the lance, weighing it down.

Aina had realized that no matter how thick the armor was, it couldn’t completely block the Fire Spear. Instead, she devised a way to deflect the attack.

(What is this? The destroyed enemy shield is sticking to my lance, making it heavy…)

While Ike was puzzled by the strange occurrence with his equipment, Leon closed the distance, bringing Ike within sword range, and grinned.

“Sorry, Ike. We have the spirits’ protection.”

Leon slashed, shattering the thin armor Ike wore. This attack drained Ike’s toughness and all his stats, rendering him unable to fight.

(Impossible. The Quartet’s strongest equipment… so easily…)

After Ike, the rest of the Winged Dragon’s Torch members were subdued by the Spirit’s Workshop’s new equipment, the Entangling Flexible Shield.

Laurent interrogated Ike and his team about any other forces or reinforcements, but they claimed to know nothing. A search of the surroundings also revealed no signs of enemy reinforcements.

(So, there wasn’t another unit after all. I thought there might be, so I held Elio in reserve for the Dragonhead’s Gauntlet, but I guess that wasn’t necessary.)

Laurent’s team took Ike and the Winged Dragon’s Torch members captive and returned to the city. They confiscated their equipment as ransom and then released Ike and his team.