The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 104

Chapter 104   The Wizard of the remote island

Aina was anxiously waiting for Laurent and the others to return.

Are they safe?

Did the equipment she made work against the Quartet’s gear?

So when she heard voices from the entrance of the atelier, she couldn’t contain herself and rushed to Laurent.

“Laurent!”

“Aina?”

“I’m so glad you’re safe. How was the exploration? Did my equipment work properly?”

Instead of answering, Laurent looked back at Leon.

“Leon, show her.”

With that, Leon raised the captured Fire Spear.

Attached to the Fire Spear was the Entangling Flexible Shield.

Seeing this, Aina’s face lit up with a bright smile.

“Well, let’s talk inside. Everyone’s tired. Please take care of the adventurers’ equipment.”

“Yes.”

“Here you go, some Dragon Tea.”

Saki served Laurent and Aina Dragon Tea at the atelier. They had just finished taking care of the adventurers’ equipment and were finally able to take a breather.

“Thanks, Saki.”

“Good job with the dungeon exploration. Take your time and relax.”

With a wink and those words, Saki left. She was a kind-hearted girl.

“So, how did it go?”

“Ah, we managed to defeat the Black Bow and the Fire Spear from the Quartet with your equipment.”

“So, that means we handled physical and special melee attacks. What remains is…”

“Yes, the special ranged attack, the Dragonhead Gauntlet. If we can counter that, we can conquer the Quartet!”

Meanwhile, Lizetta was eagerly awaiting Ike and the others to return with the ore they were supposed to steal from the Spirit Workshop. When she saw them return empty-handed, even stripped of their equipment, she was more than a little shaken.

“Ike… what happened to you?”

“My apologies, Miss Lizetta. Not only did we fail, but we also lost the Fire Spear you gave us.”

“Tell me, how did this happen?”

“Well, we couldn’t use the Fire Spear effectively in the forest, and the enemy’s shield from the Spirit Workshop was peculiar. It somehow neutralized the Fire Spear.”

“Are you saying the Fire Spear was defeated by the Spirit Workshop’s equipment?”

“I… I’m so sorry.”

(This is bad, really bad.)

Lizetta turned pale, remembering her promise to Laurent.

“If any of you can create equipment that surpasses mine, I’ll gladly join your guild.”

(Even if it was just a verbal promise, how could I have said that…)

“I knew it. I told you, didn’t I? Lizetta still isn’t ready for this.”

Edgar remarked indifferently.

“That’s why I was against it. I didn’t trust Lizetta’s Fire Spear.”

“Edgar, don’t talk as if it’s not your concern. You helped make the Winged Dragon’s Torch equipment too. Don’t be so irresponsible!”

“What, are you blaming me now? You were the one leading this. Don’t shift the blame onto me.”

A loud clang of iron being struck echoed from the back of the room, making Lizetta flinch.

“Damn, they’re all so useless.”

Raoul said this as he glanced around at everyone in the room. Everyone averted their gazes awkwardly.

“Enough. I’ll handle the Spirit Workshop.”

(The Spirit Workshop and S-rank appraiser Laurent. It seems they’re no ordinary opponents. I may have underestimated them a bit. From now on, I’ll take them on myself. As an S-rank alchemist, I’ll show them!)

Without the Fire Rest ore, the Knights of Hail who ventured into the dungeon were exposed to the Fire Breath of the Fire Dragon and attacks from the White Wolf, returning in a state of disarray. Their equipment was in tatters, and Sendrick’s once-proud white mustache was singed and half gone.

Despite their dismal results and low spirits, the Knights of ail were further burdened by the ongoing demand for their share from the allied guilds, a common occurrence on the island since the days of the Guardians of the Magic Institute.

Sendrick had no choice but to try the dungeon again, raising funds by pawning their northern fur and ivory and requesting the Dragon’s Ember to repair and manufacture their equipment.

“Captain Sendrick, are we really going back into the dungeon?”

“Of course. We can’t back down now!”

“But the island adventurers are of no use. They make grand demands but turn out to be weak and unreliable in combat. We had to clean up their mess too many times during the last exploration. I’m also worried about the Dragon’s Ember’s movements. They don’t seem trustworthy.”

“What nonsense! They’ve provided us with the Fire Shield this time, haven’t they? With the Fire Rest ore, we need not fear the Fire Dragons or those thieves!”

“Still, don’t you find it strange? Previously, they said there was no Fire Rest ore to be found anywhere in the city. Where did they get it this time? It’s as if they’re using ore stolen from us…”

“Enough with the pointless speculation. Anyway, the equipment is ready. All that’s left is to defeat the enemies, conquer the dungeon, and bring back our honor! Let’s go. We’ll shoot down the Fire Dragon and take revenge on those despicable thieves! We’ll show the whole island our power!”

The White Wolf’s Jamil and his group watched as the Knights of Hail and their allied guilds prepared in front of the dungeon. They looked on with frustration at the Spirit Workshop alliance preparing behind them.

The quartet they fought before appeared to be in good shape and even seemed to have more advanced equipment than before.

“Tch. They’ve perfectly synchronized with the Knights’ of Hail movements again.”

Rodo commented.

“They’re thorough.”

Zain commented.

“Hey, Jamil, is it really okay to leave those guys unchecked? They’re getting more and more arrogant. It’s getting dangerous at this rate.”

“The Quartet isn’t all that impressive either. They talk big, but that’s about it.”

“They don’t know anything about combat in dungeons. They’re all about making equipment.”

“That’s right. It’s wise to deal with them thoroughly here, don’t you think?”

“Exactly. The Spirit Workshop needs to be taken down by us.”

“This time, our target is the Knights of Hail.”

“Jamil!? Ugh…”

Rodo and Zain fell silent, overwhelmed by Jamil’s intensity.

“First, we’ll crush the Knights of hail thoroughly. Until they can’t stand up again.”

(The Quartet can’t stop the Spirit Workshop. It seems that mere equipment quality isn’t enough to finish them off. Laurent must be quite the skilled operator. That’s why we need to be extremely cautious and thorough when taking them down. Hmm?)

As Jamil watched the Spirit Workshop, he noticed another group appearing behind them.

(Is that… Raoul Bartley?)

Raoul arrived at the dungeon with a mix of C-rank adventurers and an unfamiliar group. Among them was an elderly mage.

“Ho ho. I never thought I’d be entering a dungeon at my age.”

“I apologize for troubling you, Elder.”

Raoul addressed the elderly man with an unusual level of politeness.

“I’ve heard. It seems a new alchemy guild on the island is threatening the Dragon’s Ember’s stronghold.”

“Yes. That’s why we would like to request your assistance once more, Mage Alzea.”

Mage Alzea was an exceptional mage who had made a name for himself as an adventurer on the island. He was also the adventurer who had given Raoul the breakthrough he needed.

As a result of continually fulfilling Alzea’s requests, Raoul’s unique skill, Magic Craft, had reached S-rank.

Now, he was living a semi-retired life on a distant island, teaching magic to his apprentices.

This time, he had been specially summoned from the remote island to the mainland of Fire Dragon Island.

“I never thought I’d need to personally get involved to take down a new alchemy guild.”

“Yes, it’s quite embarrassing.”

“What are the other members of the Quartet doing?”

“They are trying hard, but they still have the shortcomings of youth.”

“I see. Very well then. I suppose this old body will have to knock that arrogant young upstart down a peg.”

“I’m grateful. I appreciate your help.”

“So? The equipment is ready, I trust?”

“Yes. You have the items, I assume?”

Raoul instructed the junior staff to open the containers they had brought.

Inside the boxes were intricately designed armor and swords.

These were equipped with Raoul’s unique skill, Magic Craft.

Magic Craft enhances the effects of magical skills.

For the DragonHead’s Gauntlet, it focuses explosive fire magic to increase its power and penetration. The swords and armor with Magic Craft designs enhance the effects of attack and defense bonuses.

“Hm. It seems your skills haven’t faded.”

“This armor and sword are made to C-rank weight to suit adventurers, but with your support magic, combined with the Magic Craft effects, they should achieve A-rank attack and defense power. They should be able to hold their own against the Blue Armor.”

“Blue Armor?”

“Ah, I haven’t mentioned this to you yet. There’s a Blue Armor made by A-rank alchemist Aina Burke of the Spirit Workshop. Similar commercially available Green Armor has B-rank or higher stats while weighing C-rank. It’s safe to assume the custom Blue Armor has even greater effects.”

“Hmm. So there are others who can perform such feats besides you.”

“Edgar’s Black Bow was also outmatched by this Blue Armor. Apparently, physical attacks were deflected.”

“Deflecting physical attacks…”

“There are also reports of flexible swords and shields that attach to broken spears. They use very strange equipment.”

“I see. That sounds troublesome. However…”

Alzea smiled confidently.

“They’re no match for my Dragonhead Gauntlet, are they?”

“Indeed. That’s correct. We’ve already tested it against the Green Armor, and the firepower of the Dragonhead Gauntlet was able to strip the paint and directly damage the wearer. The same effects are expected against the Blue Armor.”

“Very well. Then let’s proceed. Aram, Liam.”

At Alzea’s call, two identical-looking mages stepped forward. They appeared to be twin brothers.

“And who might these two be?”

“These are Aram and Liam, my top disciples. They are already B-rank attack mages. With the Dragonhead Gauntlet, they should become A-rank attack mages.”

“That’s reassuring.”

Alzea’s Skills:

Attack Enhancement: B

Defense Enhancement: B

Aram’s Skills:

Explosive Fire Magic: B

Liam’s Skills:

Explosive Fire Magic: B

(B-rank support mage and two B-rank attack mages. Combined with my Magic Craft’s effects, this is equivalent to three A-rank mages. Even someone like Laurent won’t be able to handle this level of firepower!)

Raoul had also called upon two C-rank attack mages (who, thanks to Raoul’s equipment, effectively had B-rank attack capabilities) to join.

Both were delighted to respond to the call, given the opportunity to use the Dragonhead Gauntlet.

This resulted in a force consisting of ten warriors with A-rank attack and defense capabilities, thanks to two A-rank attack spells, two B-rank attack spells, and additional A-rank support magic.

Even with Aina’s protective coating, a direct clash would likely be devastating.

Thus, the battle began.

Laurent and his team dashed into the dungeon immediately.

Alzea and his team pursued them.

“Damn it. We still can’t see the enemy’s back. What kind of pace are they marching at?”

Aram said.

“If this continues, we’ll expend too much stamina. Master,” Liam added.

“Don’t panic. We’re almost at the depths of the forest. There will be multiple monsters of the Great Ogre class. In that case, they’ll have to slow down.”

As they marched, a warrior at the front suddenly shouted loudly.

“Ah! It hurts!”

“!? What’s going on?”

Alzea looked and saw the shouting warrior lifting one foot and grimacing.

“There’s something on the sole of my foot…”

“This is… a caltrop!”

“What? Caltrop?”

Cecil’s Skill:

Trap Placement: B (+1)

(Cecil’s Trap Placement skill has reached B-rank. He can now place traps even more quickly and accurately, and can set them during the march. This will help slow down pursuing enemies.)

“Hey, Laurent!”

As Laurent observed Cecil setting traps, Jeff approached him.

“What is it, Jeff?”

“I noticed that where Cecil laid the traps, there was a perfect position for an enemy archer to take shots from.”

“Hmm.”

“Do you think it’d be okay for Hans and the others to try a hit-and-run tactic?”

“…Sure, that could be interesting. Elio, Leon.”

“What is it?”

Elio and Leon turned around.

“Jeff and the Pegasus Archers will be moving away for a while. Can you manage without the archer support?”

“Yeah, no problem. We’ll handle things up front.”

“Alright. Jeff, you can go ahead. But make sure to return in an hour.”

“Got it. Hans, can I have a word?”

As Jeff and Hans discussed their plan, Laurent felt a strong sense of confidence.

(Jeff has gained confidence and is now making suggestions on his own.)

Jeff’s Skills:

Archery: B → B

Far Sight: B → B

Silent Step: B → A

Rapid Fire: C → B

Barrage: C → B

One-Hit Kill: C → B

(Aside from Silent Step, all of Jeff’s archer skills remain at B-rank. In the best light, he is an all-rounder; in the worst, he’s a jack-of-all-trades. However…)

Jeff’s Status:

Tactical Eye: 60-80 → 110-120

(Jeff’s Tactical Eye status is now equivalent to S-class. His tactical range has expanded, and he has developed more autonomy. The foundation for his growth is steadily being built. With this, he can accelerate his growth even more!)

“Ah, it hurts!”

Alzea and his group had fallen into another trap.

“Damn it, more caltrops!”

“Stop for a moment. There should be more. Let’s search.”

The members walking in front of the group crouched down to look for traps hidden in the bushes and grass.

At that moment, arrows began to fly.

“Gah!”

“What’s happening!?”

“Enemy attack!”

“Damn it. Counter with the Dragonhead Gauntlet!”

“!! The Dragonhead Gauntlet is coming!”

Claire alerted them.

“Alright. Run!”

Jeff shouted.

Jeff, Hans, Claire, and Alice ran into the forest to escape.

The Dragonhead Gauntlet blasted away two or three trees, but by that time, the archers had already made their escape.

“Damn it, they got away.”

“Those are quick ones.”

“Quickly tend to the injured!”

Aram and Liam, the twin mages, had to wait impatiently until the injured warriors were healed from the archery wounds. During this time, the group’s advance had to be halted.

“This is bad, Master.”

“If we stay like this, we’ll lose sight of the Spirit Workshop alliance.”

“Disciples, do not panic. The road ahead is still long.”

“But if we continue like this, they’ll escape the forest.”

“Let them escape. The real contest begins when we reach the Metal Line.”

Alzea and his group were not only equipped with magical gear but also with the Fire Shield, which used the fire-repelling ore Firerest (the Firerest was brought back by the White Wolf).

(With Firerest, we can explore the Metal Line, even with the Fire Dragon flying around, without being exhausted. Once we’re through the forest, setting traps and archery from hiding will become more difficult. The real battle will be when we enter the Metal Line. Once we bring it to a decisive battle, it’s ours. We have the Dragonhead Gauntlet on our side.)

Alzea’s sunken eyes glinted with cunning as he thought this.