The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild

Chapter 139 Knights of the Black Wall

“‘Knights of the Black Wall’ is an adventurer guild based in ‘Black Earth City.’ They are known for their powerful heavy cavalry units. Their orders to alchemy guilds mainly focus on enhancing the power and durability of swords and armor. ‘Crimson Sands Players’ is based in ‘Desert City’ and consists of a unit centered around bards. Some of them even use ‘Dragon Tone,’ which makes them capable of handling ‘White Wolves’ dragon tamers. ‘Fortress Archers’ is a guild based in ‘Mountain Fortress City,’ known for its skilled archery units. They’re adept at combat in mountainous terrain, making them highly mobile in the ‘Volcanic Dungeon.’ Last year, they fought the archery unit of ‘White Wolves’ to a standstill.”

Lizetta reported this information.

“Excellent, as expected from a former Quartet member. Your explanation is concise and easy to understand. Now let’s identify the issues. If anyone has questions, ask Lizetta.”

With Ranju’s encouragement, the team began asking questions one by one.

“What’s the budget for each guild? Can any of them afford equipment with my ‘Exteriorl Armor Enhancement Coating’?”

“Can my ‘Dragon Tone’ harp compete with the equipment of the ‘Crimson Sands Players’?”

“Are there situations where my ‘Magic Stone Cutting’ will be useful?”

“How much iron and silver should we stock? It would be helpful to have a refining plan in place.”

“I want to try making a ‘Fire Spear’!”

“Well, let me see…” Lizetta began answering their questions, increasingly impressed by the open atmosphere at ‘Spirit Workshop.’

At ‘Dragon’s Ember,’ top-down orders were absolute, and those in the lower ranks had little to no voice. However, at ‘Spirit Workshop,’ everyone openly shared their opinions and questions without any barriers. Despite this freedom, the discussions stayed focused, and decisions were effectively made.

When Lizetta mentioned that “‘Dragon’s Ember’ has a stronger influence on outsiders, making it difficult to sell our equipment directly to external adventurers,” the conversation naturally shifted to “How can we persuade guilds that have already contracted with ‘Dragon’s Ember’?”

The meeting concluded with the following decisions:

Even if they can’t secure new contracts, they should at least make sure the guilds remember the name and face of ‘Spirit Workshop.’

They should highlight the unique skills available at ‘Spirit Workshop,’ such as ‘Exterior Armor Enhancement Coating,’ ‘Magic Stone Cutting,’ and ‘Tuning Adjustment,’ which can rival the equipment from ‘Dragon’s Ember.’

Furthermore, to make external guilds recognize that the equipment from the “Spirit Workshop” surpasses that of “Dragon’s Ember,” the support and strengthening of guilds under the “Spirit Alliance” will continue to be actively pursued.

Additionally, they will ensure that the budget and ores are thoroughly prepared to promptly meet the demands of the three external guilds should they decide to switch alliances.

Through this meeting, Lizetta grew fond of this workshop atelier. She began to believe that this guild might indeed be capable of defeating “Dragon’s Ember.”

With the meeting’s conclusions in hand, Ranju and the others compiled a promotional pamphlet draft and budget proposal, awaiting only Laurent’s approval.

While Ranjo and his team were finalizing the next sales strategy, Laurent and his group were defeating A-class monsters one after another in the “Wasteland.”

They took down monsters such as the “Mountain Ogre,” the “Barrier Dragon,” the “Division Bee,” and the “Shield Dragon.”

Eliot, Hans, Will, and Karla were all but certain to earn the A-class title in the next term. Similarly, Euphene, Shaqma, Rick, Lerio, and Marina also defeated A-class monsters, making it almost certain that they would receive the Double A title.

After defeating the A-class monsters and collecting ores, Laurent’s group began their descent.

Though they anticipated an attack from the “White Wolves,” no such battle occurred during their journey.

“They’re not making a move,” Leon whispered to Laurent.

“Yeah, Jamil is a thief who can use ‘Status Appraisal.’ He likely realizes they can’t beat us.”

“But they are following us,” Leon noted, glancing behind him.

It was clear that the “White Wolves” were monitoring Laurent and his group’s movements, yet eerily, they didn’t make any aggressive moves.

(They might be avoiding a direct confrontation but are still trying to keep up the pressure and not let us relax.)

“Leon, maintain vigilance around us. Don’t let your guard down.”

“Got it.”

With that, Laurent and his team continued their dungeon exploration without further incident, eventually making their way back to the city.

When Laurent returned to the “Spirit Workshop,” he reviewed the sales strategy that Ranju and the others had put together.

“I see. This is well done,” he remarked.

Aina responded, “It’s a confident piece of work that everyone contributed to.”

“One thing that concerns me is the strategy to target guilds for a switch. Is it really difficult to get them to purchase our equipment right away?”

“Yes, I believe the external guilds are likely planning to buy equipment from ‘Dragon’s Ember’ first. It won’t be easy to change their minds from the moment they arrive at the port until they reach the workshop atelier.”

“I see. Understood. Let’s proceed with this plan. Please handle the creation of flyers to be distributed at the port and shops, the creation of quests for the ‘Spirit Alliance,’ and the procurement of materials for the equipment.”

“Yes, leave it to us!”

Archie Shetty, the deputy of the “Knights of the Black Wall,” was resting in the passenger cabin of a ship heading to the “Island of the Fire Dragon.”

The atmosphere aboard the ship, which carried three guilds, was already thick with tension.

Each guild was wary of the others, staking out their own territory and engaging in territorial disputes.

As a result, the boys working on the ship had a tough time. Just walking down the corridors exposed them to the tense atmosphere, and they had to be careful to avoid getting scolded for no reason.

The door to the lounge opened, and the female knight Liz Leowill entered the room.

“Ugh, really. Everyone’s so troublesome,” she sighed.

“Did something happen?” Archie asked.

“A fight. Our hot-headed members and those from the ‘Fortress Archers’ ran into each other in the hallway. It was about to explode, and I had to jump in to break it up.”

Archie chuckled.

It was his first time participating in the expedition to the “Island of the Fire Dragon,” so he found the tense atmosphere between the guilds both confusing and amusing.

“What’s so funny?” Liz frowned.

“I was just thinking you’ve got your hands full,” Archie replied.

“What are you talking about like it’s someone else’s problem? You’re also a deputy of this squad, you know that, right?”

“Yeah, I know. It’s just that seeing everyone so tense makes it hard not to find it amusing. Is ‘Fire Dragon’s Island’ really such a difficult place?”

“Absolutely. Not only is ‘Fire Dragon’ a handful, but we also have to navigate the tricky politics between external guilds. And don’t forget, the local guilds aren’t easy to deal with either.”

“You mean that thief guild? The ‘White Wolves,’ right?”

“That’s right. They’re used to fighting in the rough, volcanic terrain. They attack us, then vanish, only to strike again when we least expect it.”

“Archie, Liz, are you both here?”

An armored man with a white beard entered the room. It was Simon Prickott, the commander of this unit—a seasoned veteran whom both Archie and Liz deeply trusted.

“Good, you’re both here. We’ll be docking soon. Once we disembark, the race is on. We need to secure a contract with ‘Dragon’s Ember’ before ‘ Crimson Sands Players ‘ or ‘Fortress Archers’ do. Make sure you’re ready.”

“Captain, are we really going to rely on ‘Dragon’s Ember’?” Liz asked, sounding slightly dissatisfied.

“What’s this, Liz? Do you not want to entrust our gear to ‘Dragon’s Ember’?” Simon replied, surprised.

“They’re not just the best on the island; they’re one of the top alchemy guilds in the world. Their skills are unmatched. What’s holding you back?”

“Well, it’s just… I don’t know…”

“Do you have any better alternatives?”

“No, not really…” Liz responded hesitantly.

Simon sighed in exasperation.

“You’re complaining without offering a solution? You know how it is here. Our relationship with them is our lifeline on this island. Securing access to ‘Dragon’s Ember’s’ warehouse and alchemists before the other two guilds do is the first step to winning the dungeon competition against ‘Crimson Sands Players’ and ‘Fortress Archers.’ Am I wrong?”

“No, you’re right, but…”

“Then get ready. As soon as we land, I need to give a speech. Your job is to secure lodging and make contact with the alchemists. Don’t mess this up.”

“Yes, sir,” both Liz and Archie responded.

Simon left the room. Liz sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

“What’s up? You were more persistent than usual,” Archie asked curiously.

“Well, I’m not so sure about relying on ‘Dragon’s Ember’,” Liz replied.

“What do you mean?”

“To be blunt, I don’t really like them. Their staff is arrogant, and the guild master—well, I just can’t trust that old man.”

“Really?”

“Plus, the reason why the external guilds fight each year is mostly because of them. They don’t help when it matters and end up causing us trouble instead.”

“But we have no choice but to rely on them, right?”

As they spoke, the hallway started to bustle with activity. The port was drawing near, and it seemed like ‘ Crimson Sands Players ‘ and ‘Fortress Archers’ were hastily preparing to disembark.

“Damn, it’s starting,” Liz muttered.

“I guess competition is inevitable,” Archie sighed.

“I always think that if the three guilds worked together, dungeon exploration would go a lot smoother,” Liz said wistfully.

Despite their thorough preparations, Knights of the Black Wall still fell behind Crimson Sands Players and ‘Fortress Archers’ when it came to disembarking. Their heavy armor meant that unloading took more time compared to the other two guilds, causing them to lag behind.

“Ugh, they’re really sharp, aren’t they?”

“We’re completely behind,” Archie remarked.

“We have no choice. We’ll have to make up for it with the speech and negotiations,” Simon said, clearly flustered.

Archie noticed Liz looking around nervously.

“Liz, what’s up?”

“It feels like… the atmosphere on the island is different from last year.”

“Different? How so?”

“Last year, the residents were all out, practically rolling out the red carpet for the adventurers. But this year, it’s oddly quiet.”

“Excuse me, are you from the Knights of the Black Wall?”

Suddenly, a young woman approached, startling both Archie and Liz.

“Uh, yes,” Archie replied.

“And who are you?” Liz asked, eyeing the stranger’s appearance to gauge her intentions. She seemed to be an alchemist.