The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 111

TN: Name Lurier change to “Lurie”

Chapter 111   Laurent vs Jamil

“The Spirit Workshop” Alliance had finished procuring the ores and was about to descend the mountain when Aina was having dinner in the dining hall.

“Laurent should be finishing up the ore procurement about now,” she thought.

This meant that the battle with the thieves was about to begin.

“I wonder if Laurent will be okay.”

As Aina poked at her beans while looking at the “Volcano Dungeon” visible outside the window, a newcomer named Lurie sat across from her.

“Oh, the night shift group is here,” Aina thought.

“Good evening, Aina,” Lurie greeted.

“Good evening, Lurie. Wait, what?” Aina blinked in surprise as she looked at Lurie sitting across from her.

The reason was that Lurie looked nothing like she did when she first came here.

Previously, she had a sickly complexion, dark circles under her eyes, and it was clear she wasn’t in good health.

However, the Lurie in front of Aina now had no dark circles under her eyes, her previously messy hair was shiny, and her skin was vibrant and moist, making her look like a completely different person.

“Lurie, what happened? Your skin looks so much better.”

“Yes, ever since I started the night shift and could sleep soundly until noon, my health has improved rapidly, and even my skin has recovered.”

“Oh, that’s great.”

“Yes, really, everything has been wonderful since I came here.”

“Staying up late actually made her feel better? What a strange girl,” Aina thought.

As Aina talked with Lurie, Melinda approached the same table carrying a tray.

“Excuse me.”

She, too, had regained her healthy complexion.

The eyes that were once bloodshot and wide open from lack of sleep were now covered by relaxed eyelids, blinking steadily.

The dryness in her eyes had disappeared, and the red veins that once spread like cobwebs across the whites of her eyes had completely vanished.

Now, she was a calm beauty characterized by her well-defined eyelashes and almond-shaped eyes.

As she sat at the table, she used her right hand to bring food from a large plate to her mouth while handling documents with her left hand.

“Melinda, your eyes aren’t bloodshot anymore. You’ve managed to fix your sleep deprivation, huh?”

“Yes, thanks to you,” Melinda replied, her pen swiftly moving across the documents.

“Hey, Melinda. Why don’t you take it easy during meals? The busy period is over, and you don’t need to rush through your work.”

“No, I can’t sleep unless I work this much.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I stay alert during the night. I need to keep working around the clock.”

(“Both of them are peculiar. I appreciate them taking the night shifts, but still…”)

Aina sighed and looked out the window again.

(“I hope Laurent comes back soon.”)

*

After completing the quest to collect ores for a hundred people, Laurent decided to descend the mountain and return to town.

(“Now, the real challenge begins. The thieves are surely lying in wait on the way back. Successfully navigating this path is crucial to completing the quest in this dungeon. The ‘White Wolves’ must be burning with revenge after being outsmarted last time. With our large group, this is a perfect opportunity for them to strike. They will definitely make a move.”)

Laurent checked the condition of his troops again.

In Laurent’s mind, the troops were divided into four groups.

The first group was at B-level proficiency.

With skills and stats equivalent to a B class, these members were well-adapted to unit operations and could be considered the main force.

This group included ‘Dawn Shield’ and ‘Pegasus Archer.’

The second group was at C-level proficiency.

Although their skills were still developing or had limited use, their stats were equivalent to a B class. They were also well-adapted to unit operations.

This group included ‘ Guardians of Ore,’ ‘Silver Eagle Alliance,’ ‘ Mountain Cats,’ the Mage siblings, the bard Nicola, and about twenty others.

The third group was at D-level proficiency.

These adventurers had C-level stats but were still inexperienced with unit operations. This group included about thirty members who had undergone focused training among the newly joined adventurers.

The fourth group was at E-level proficiency.

This group consisted of about forty new adventurers who had undergone little to no training and whose stats had not yet been adjusted.

(“The key will be how well we can support the D and E proficiency groups with the core of the B and C proficiency groups. That’s the theme for this time. And then…”)

As Laurent turned, sensing a gaze, he locked eyes with Karla, who was glaring at him. She quickly averted her eyes.

(“She might be our ace in the hole this time.”)

In Laurent’s mind, Karla was in a special category. She might reach A-level proficiency during this expedition. She still had significant potential for growth and hadn’t been definitively placed in any of the four groups.

As Laurent had anticipated, the thieves struck as soon as they began descending the mountain.

On the narrow, winding path, arrows rained down on Laurent’s group from above the cliffs. Laurent’s group immediately raised their shields and assumed a defensive stance.

From behind a cliff, Jamil peered out and used “Status Appraisal” on the adventurers of the “Spirit Workshop” Alliance.

【Status of a Certain Adventurer】

Power: 30-60

Toughness: 30-50

Agility: 40-50

Stamina: 40-80

(“Heh, it seems even the esteemed S-rank appraiser couldn’t adjust the stats of the entire unit. There’s quite a variation in proficiency among the adventurers.”)

Jamil used “Status Appraisal” on each adventurer, identifying those with lower proficiency levels.

(“Disorganized stats lead to disorganized performance, which eventually leads to mental instability. If we attack those with poorly adjusted stats first, panic will naturally ensue, causing them to self-destruct.”)

Jamil had already set a trap.

There was only one side path that allowed escape from the rain of arrows down the mountain.

Waiting at the end of that path was Rodo, accompanied by a group of “Fire Dragons.”

If Laurent and his group fled down this path to escape the arrows, they would be ambushed by the “Fire Dragons” and the warrior unit, causing the alliance to collapse quickly.

However, Laurent had anticipated the ambush waiting down the path.

Laurent ordered his archers to perform suppressive fire with their arrows and then, seizing the moment when the enemy’s arrow barrage ceased, commanded his troops to retreat in the order they had come.

Under Laurent’s direction, the troops evacuated the weaker members first out of the arrow’s range.

The retreat was executed with rare precision and speed.

(“What!?”)

Jamil’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Hey, they’re pulling back!” Zain said anxiously.

(“Did they see through our plan?”)

Despite Zain’s attempts to strike the retreating alliance with his “Dragonhead Gauntlets,” they did not panic in the slightest.

“Tch. Send out the melee unit. But don’t engage in full combat. Just keep them in check. If they attack, fight back and then retreat.”

The hidden “White Wolves” melee unit emerged, closing in on the retreating alliance from behind.

Noticing this, Laurent ordered his troops to turn around and prepare for combat.

Both sides stared each other down, resulting in a standoff.

Laurent observed the enemy carefully, trying to predict their next move.

(“They’re not attacking. But if we initiate combat, we’ll surely fall into a trap. And standing still will only allow them to prepare their attack.”)

Laurent already knew there was someone among the enemy who could control “Dragons.”

If they waited, the enemy would likely maneuver the “Fire Dragons” around and attack from both sides.

While Laurent’s group had a bard capable of using “Dragon Tone,” the enemy was surely aware of this and must have prepared a countermeasure.

Laurent commanded Lana to use “Earth Magic” to fortify their defenses.

They erected walls of earth to separate them from the enemy.

Descending from the cliff to join the melee unit, Jamil frowned at the sight.

(“Are they… fortifying their defenses and turning it into a stronghold? But this would mean they can’t attack from their side either. No, wait.”)

Jamil realized Laurent’s strategy.

(“That wall is a countermeasure in case they are attacked from behind by the ‘Fire Dragons.’ By creating a barrier that separates them from the enemy, they can prevent a pincer attack.”)

“Hey, Jamil. Shouldn’t we attack with the ‘Fire Dragons’? They’re ready to go anytime.”

Rodo, summoned by Jamil, suggested (Jamil had indeed planned to order Rodo to flank with the ‘Fire Dragons’ if Laurent hadn’t built the earthen walls).

“No, attacking now would just waste the ‘Fire Dragons’ that we’ve worked hard to tame.”

“But while we’re just watching, they’re fortifying their defenses. If this continues, we’ll lose our chance to attack.”

“Calm down. The enemy must be running low on potions. They’ll have to make a move. For now, strengthen our defenses.”

The ‘White Wolves’ warriors began to reinforce their defenses by stacking their shields on the ground and piling up earth.

Laurent observed this from his side.

(“Despite us fortifying our defenses, they aren’t attacking. Instead, they’re reinforcing their own defenses. Has the enemy commander figured out our strategy?”)

(“If they intend to hold out until night, Laurent’s plan is likely to retreat at sunrise, evading us and descending the mountain. In that case, we need to prepare our own encampment and be ready to pursue them in the morning.”)

Through these few exchanges, Laurent and Jamil assessed each other’s abilities.

^[1]“No openings. Impressive.”

The next morning, the alliance set off at sunrise.

They retraced their steps, circumvented the thieves, and began descending the mountain.

The ‘White Wolves’ quickly destroyed the earthen walls created by “Earth Magic” and pursued them.

“Hey, Jamil, the alliance is getting away,” Rodo said irritably as he ran.

“Don’t panic. We haven’t lost them yet.”

“But this wasn’t part of the plan. Aren’t we already playing into Laurent’s hands?”

“Not at all. They have a weakness. Their stats are their Achilles’ heel.”

“Stats?”

“Yes. A significant number of their troops have disorganized stats. Running like this will soon leave them out of breath… Stats?”

(“Wait a minute. Didn’t their stats have an unusually narrow range in agility?”)

Laurent had determined that it was impossible to train all participants of the alliance equally, so he focused on at least adjusting everyone’s agility.

As a result, while combat was another matter, he ensured that they moved through the dungeon at their usual pace, successfully adjusting everyone’s agility to within a margin of ten.

Thus, they could march and run without getting out of breath.

(“Damn it. So that’s why they trained only their agility. They anticipated this situation…”)

Moreover, Laurent utilized his archers and thieves to launch arrows and set traps against the pursuing ‘White Wolves,’ making their chase extremely difficult.

The ‘White Wolves’ found themselves frustrated and struggling to keep up with Laurent’s group.

Even Jamil began to feel the pressure.

(“This is bad. At this rate, we’ll be gradually worn down and lose the enemy.”)

“Hey, what are we going to do, Jamil? We can’t catch up to them.”

“Their archers and thieves are formidable. This chase is putting us at a disadvantage,” Rodo and Zain complained.

Jamil clenched his teeth.

(“They’re right. If we don’t do something, this will only get worse.”)

There was a limit to how much he could restrain Rodo and Zain.

They followed Jamil because he had been able to secure victories for them. If they couldn’t capture Laurent, Rodo and Zain might act independently, outside of Jamil’s command.

This would further reduce their chances of defeating Laurent.

(“We’ll have to sacrifice some to stop the enemy’s advance…”)

“Laurent, the ambush was a success,” said Alice as she returned from the ambush.

“We managed to take down two of the enemy thieves,” Jeff, who had accompanied her, added.

“Alright, well done.”

“Shall we set up another ambush?” Jeff suggested.

“Hmm,” Laurent said, glancing at the road ahead and the position of the sun as he ran through the highlands.

“No, let’s not. There’s a spot up ahead where we can set up camp. Let’s push on to there and rest for the night.”

“Got it,” Alice responded.

“Understood,” Jeff agreed.

(But still…) Jeff looked at the newly joined adventurers.

(Can’t these guys run any faster?)

Despite having their agility adjusted by Laurent, the new recruits were still not accustomed to his methods and often lagged behind during the march, slowing the group down.

(If only they weren’t dragging their feet, we could have gone further and had more opportunities for ambushes.)

Though Jeff didn’t voice his frustrations, he felt them building up inside.

As they moved, Jeff’s farsight caught the approaching enemies.

“Enemies incoming! Fifteen thieves!”

Jeff shouted.

(Fifteen?) Laurent confirmed the approaching enemies and saw that indeed, fifteen thieves equipped for close combat were closing in.

Laurent found it suspicious.

(Are they really going to engage nearly a hundred adventurers with just fifteen? Are they desperate to stop us, or do they have another plan?)

Laurent reassessed their position and the distance to their intended campsite.

(We’re almost at our planned campsite. Even if we lose some time here, it won’t be a problem.)

Laurent decided to engage in combat, using the group with D-level training.

(Upon examining the enemy’s skills and stats, even the newly recruited members should be able to handle them. If we can defeat the White Wolf here, it will help the D-level group grow. It might also alleviate some of the island adventurers’ fear of the White Wolf.)

As Laurent ordered the counterattack, the D-level group eagerly leaped forward. They had been seeking an opportunity to prove themselves.

They engaged the enemy thief unit and quickly gained the upper hand. However, the enemy thieves, despite being at a disadvantage, did not retreat. They assumed a defensive stance, blatantly trying to prolong the battle.

(So their goal is to delay us.)

Laurent felt relieved that his assessment was correct. If they could defeat the enemies quickly, they could withdraw to their campsite and avoid further pursuit.

As he watched the battle unfold, one of their own’s armor suddenly shattered.

(What!?)

Another adventurer’s armor broke apart as well. The adventurers with broken armor sat down in shock, as they hadn’t received any significant damage from the enemy.

(This can’t be. What is happening? No way!)

【Status of the broken armor】

Power: 0 (↓60)

Durability: 0 (↓30)

(Durability 30!? There’s shoddy gear mixed in. That armor was Wayne’s responsibility…)

Laurent glared at Wayne.

(Damn it.)

Wayne quickly averted his gaze.

Laurent wore a grim expression.

(So that’s why Wayne was producing them so quickly.)

The shock spread rapidly among the troops, and they began to lose their composure and get pushed back by the enemy.

Laurent quickly assessed that there were still many pieces of shoddy equipment.

(Damn it. Now is not the time to blame Wayne.)

Laurent quickly ordered reinforcements to suppress the enemy. Realizing they were outnumbered, the enemy decided it was time to retreat and fled.

(They escaped.)

If the enemy discovered the flaws in their equipment…

(This is bad.)

Nearby, adventurers were helping their comrades whose armor had shattered.

“Ouch.”

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“What happened all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know. My armor just broke out of nowhere.”

“Laurent, take a look at this. His armor suddenly broke.”

The information spread quickly among the group.

“His armor broke?”

“What does that mean?”

“Could it be defective?”

Laurent noticed all the adventurers looking at him. A cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

“Uh…”

The adventurers held their breath, waiting for Laurent’s next words.

Laurent’s heart pounded as he pretended to inspect the broken armor. Then, he turned to everyone and smiled.

“It seems like it was just an unlucky hit. Just bad luck.”

Hearing this, the adventurers visibly relaxed.

“What a relief, it was just an unlucky hit.”

“Seriously, that scared me.”

“Well, it’s good to know there’s no issue with the equipment, right?”

“Yeah, if there were problems with the equipment, it would affect the upcoming battles.”

Listening to everyone, Laurent desperately tried to hide his paling face.

(That was close. If it became known that there were a lot of defective items, it would be a matter of trust. But what to do? I managed to cover it up for now, but if ‘White Wolf’ takes advantage of this, it would be no joke.)

Laurent’s mind raced as he tried to figure out how to resolve the situation.

(I have to do something…)