<Chapter 150: Favorable Situation (2)>
With the help of the superhumans of The One Guild, they managed to escape the crowd.
“Reporters are the same everywhere.”
The Witch of Flames, Susan, said to Maiden.
“That’s their job after all.”
It was heard that Maiden and the Witch of Flames are fairly close. Firstly, they are about the same age, both are S-rank superhumans, and both are women.
Since they have a lot in common, becoming friends was inevitable.
“I didn’t know all three of you would come.”
“Well of course~ We didn’t know either, how could you have known?”
The Witch of Flames playfully smiled, stroking her flame-like red hair.
“You guys didn’t know either?”
“We suddenly received a command from the master at dawn, so we hurried here.”
“… Caribma Nerista ‘commanded’ you guys?”
“Yes. Strange, isn’t it?”
Anyway, was I this good at English? It sounds like I’m listening to my native language. Well, I can speak the Beastmen race’s language as if it were my native language, so English isn’t a big deal.
“Even if it was a command, wasn’t it unnecessary for all three of you to come?”
Maiden asked, looking at the one-man army, Luke, and the Knight of Ice, Tay.
“What can we do? We have to obey the guild leader’s command.”
Luke answered nonchalantly, crossing his arms.
“Even if it wasn’t a command, I had some personal interest in the cadet who handles all the attributes.”
Tay looked over my entire body with a sticky gaze.
It’s somewhat creepy.
“… Tay, your perverted hobby is still the same.”
Maiden shivered.
“Why is observing magical power a perverted hobby?”
Tay smiled refreshingly.
A smile that brought out a cool vibe, harmonized with blue hair.
“It is not a perverted hobby.”
The One-Man Army smirked.
His face was wrapped up to the mouth with black cloth, so it was impossible to tell what expression he was wearing.
“Right? As expected, Luke knows how to read people.”
“Having a hobby is normal, but because you’re a pervert, it only seems like a perverted hobby.”
Maiden slapped her knee.
“Oh, that sounds plausible?”
“Come to think of it, it makes sense~”
The Witch of Flames covered her mouth and nodded repeatedly as if agreeing.
“You guys are too much.”
The Knight of Ice lowered his head.
“Do you think so too?”
Suddenly, he looked at me and asked.
“I’m not sure. It’s my first time meeting you.”
I vaguely brushed off the topic.
To be honest, I genuinely don’t know.
“Little one. You’ll understand soon.”
Maiden glanced at Tay with a somewhat disdainful look.
“All I like is observing magical powers.”
The Knight of Ice protested with a face full of injustice.
I don’t know anything about these three.
And there’s a reason for that. These three died a month before a national terrorist incident because they failed to conquer a dungeon.
Naturally, they had no connection with the original protagonist and played no significant part, so there was no way I could know about them.
If these three were still alive, they would have been a great asset.
‘I’ll save these three no matter what.’
We can’t afford to lose such powerful assets, known as the single numbers(within top 10 rankers), so meaninglessly.
“By the way, kid, is it true that you can use all attributes?”
The Witch of Flames, Susan, looked at me with wide eyes.
As if to emphasize that she’s a friend of Maiden, she calls me “kid” or “boy.”
“Yes, it’s true.”
“Can you show us?”
Excluding Maiden, the three of them simultaneously fixed their gaze on me.
Their eyes were a peculiar mix of suspicion and anticipation.
Well, they must believe only what they see with their own eyes.
“Sure.”
“There’s nothing difficult about it.”
I concentrated magical power in my right hand.
Following the magic process I had practiced dozens of times so far, I raised a magical arrow.
“Fire attribute.”
The flame arrow flickered.
“Ice attribute.”
The ice arrow shone sharply.
“Lightning, wind, water attributes.”
Lightning, wind, and water each formed their own shapes.
“Shall I show you more?”
From the center of various magical arrows of different attributes that adorned the sky, I grinned slightly.
“…As expected.”
A gleam flowed from the eyes of the One-Man Army, Luke. I couldn’t see the corners of his mouth due to the black cloth hiding it, so I couldn’t tell what expression he was making, but he probably admired it.
“Oh, wow. The flame is really clean, isn’t it? Kiddo~ you are quite skilled, aren’t you?”
Susan patted my back excitedly.
Despite appearing as a woman in her twenties from a foreign country, her behavior was more akin to a Korean woman in her forties.
And finally, the Knight of Ice, Tay…
“Aah…”
He was staring at me intently with his cheeks blushing.
I seemed to see an inexplicable pink aura in his eyes, but it must be an illusion, right?
“Beautiful…”
…It must be an illusion.
“Loveable.”
Please, let it be an illusion.
“Kid.”
Maiden whispered to me in Korean.
“You’re in big trouble. That pervert has taken a liking to you.”
“…”
Damn it.
My expression automatically soured.
“Hey, hey. I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not like that. He even has a wife.”
“Ah. He isn’t gay?”
“No, he isn’t.”
I survived.
“He just has a strange and peculiar taste, being obsessed with weird and unusual magical qualities.”
“Ah-ha.”
“It seems he really liked your magical power. It’s the first time I’ve seen him have such a reaction.”
Maiden patted my shoulder.
“Anyway, hang in there.”
“Huh?”
There was a somewhat pitiful look in her eyes.
Looking around, Susan and Luke were giving the same kind of look.
…What is this?
For now, I canceled the magic.
“Aaaaaah.”
Tay sighed as if he had witnessed the end of the world.
He really is very interested in my magical power.
Well, it’s not such a bad feeling considering he recognizes me.
As I was thinking that, suddenly Tay grabbed both of my hands tightly.
“Let’s do it.”
“…Yes?”
What did he say now?
“It’s fine to do it right away. I will take responsibility.”
“No, wait a minute?”
The look in Tay’s eyes as he stared at me wasn’t normal. Should I say it looks fanatic?
“Let’s seal it right away.”
Sincere goosebumps sprang up all over my body.
… That “seal,” couldn’t possibly be what I am thinking, could it?
“There’s no need to hesitate. A new life will open up.”
You crazy bastard!
Don’t scratch the back of my hand with your finger!
I desperately tried to pull my hand away with force. But as expected from a single number, he didn’t even flinch.
“Ma, Maiden!”
I desperately called for Maiden.
Maiden looked at me with a face that seemed to find the situation very amusing.
“Why?”
I sent a signal with my eyes begging for rescue. Please get this pervert off me!
Maiden smiled slyly, seemingly contemplating what to do.
It was then.
“Tay, you need to explain properly. The kid is confused.”
Susan pulled Tay away.
“What are you talking about? I explained it properly.”
“Explained properly, you say. You left out the contract.”
Susan let out a deep sigh.
“Let’s sign a ‘contract.’ I will take responsibility for the ‘contract.’ Let’s sign the document. You should explain it like this to avoid misunderstandings.”
“…Ah.”
So that was what he meant?
What was I thinking…
Relief washed over me and all the tension drained from my body.
“Anyway Tay, you go calm down for a bit. The kid is confused. What will you do if he won’t sign the contract because of this?”
“Ah. That can’t happen.”
Tay stepped back and started taking deep breaths with his hand on his chest.
“Phew.”
I looked at my freed hands and let out a sigh of relief.
That really startled me.
“Kid, your reaction is cute.”
Susan chuckled.
“Anyway, continuing from what Tay was saying earlier, we, The One, are considering welcoming you as a member of our family.”
Family.
It means asking me to join the guild.
“Honestly, I was against it at first. It’s the first time we’re taking in a newbie, and I wasn’t too fond of the idea of accepting a cadet who hasn’t been verified yet.”
A gleam flowed from Susan’s eyes.
“But my mind changed after seeing that magic earlier. Kid, join The One.”
“That’s right. You won’t regret it if you come.”
Tay, who had been taking deep breaths at a distance, rushed back in delightfully. Susan stopped him. In that state, she looked at Luke and spoke.
“What about you, Luke?”
“Honestly, it’s below the standard. I came with expectations for an S+ rank, but…”
Luke scrutinized my body.
“At best, they only seem like an A rank. They probably possess an outstanding burst doping type or buff-type trait. They are usable for a cadet, but…”
I kind of understand this man’s personality now.
He’s sharp.
“With this level of skill, they’ll be nothing but a hindrance rather than a help.”
And he’s decisive.
“Hmm. So, Luke, you oppose it?”
Susan wore a meaningful smile.
“I didn’t say I opposed it.”
Luke stared at me intently.
“Indeed, he seems to be a hindrance for now, but if nurtured well, it seems like we could have one more single number in the not-so-distant future.”
“I knew Luke had a discerning eye.”
Susan applauded and laughed heartily.
“Great! Boy, let’s make the contract right away!”
Tay cheered excitedly.
“In that case, you’ll have to drop out of the superhuman academy.”
“And we’ll have to prepare for your American citizenship afterward~”
The three of them excitedly started discussing various matters.
“Alright. For now, I’ll call the master.”
“I’ll prepare the contract.”
I raised my hand quietly as I watched the three of them.
“Uh, excuse me?”
“Why?”
Susan tilted her head slightly while holding her phone.
“I appreciate the favorable evaluation, but…”
All of them seem to be at the max level of counting their chickens before they hatch.
“I don’t particularly have any plans to join The One.”
“…What?”
The eyes of the three people widened in shock.
“Hehehe!”
And Maiden was laughing holding her stomach from the side.
* * *
“…So, you have no plans of dropping out of school immediately?”
“Yes.”
“And even if you join a guild, you would choose a Korean guild?”
“Yes. I don’t want to change my nationality.”
Why go to America?
I have no interest in a land that will become a battlefield with the start of part two.
“…Even though we are The One?”
Susan asked as if it was unbelievable.
“Yes. I am aware.”
“Heh, really.”
Susan harshly stroked her exposed scalp. It was a face with hurt pride.
“Kid. I’m going to ask one last time. Won’t you regret it? You may never get an opportunity like this again.”
“No. I won’t regret it.”
I have almost nothing to gain by joining The One.
Receiving growth support is also meaningless.
From the start, since I don’t have a status window like other superhumans, the growth process is different, so it won’t be any help. Equipment support? That truly is meaningless.
No matter how good the equipment they offer, it is not better than ancient artifacts. Rather, joining The One Guild would only restrict my actions, making it even harder to obtain ancient artifacts.
Even a huge signing bonus is not of much significance. I have a strong backer “Maiden.”
The Shinwa Group and the Bihon Guild are growing rapidly. I can earn enough from there.
Besides, there are many ways to make money now.
And above all, my power isn’t the kind that can be used in a group.
I can neither show using ancient artifacts nor show using racial traits.
No matter how I think about it, the benefits I can get by maintaining this state now are greater than the benefits I can get by joining The One.
“Susan. I told you.”
Maiden laughed out loud, wearing a smile that couldn’t be happier.
“This guy has loyalty. He’s not the type to choose something under me, whether it’s The One or whatever.”
“…Right, that’s right. You did say that this kid is sponsored by you, Maiden.”
Susan gave a bitter smile.
“Boy.”
Luke called out to me.
“So, you had no intention of joining our guild from the beginning?”
“Correct”
I nodded my head.
“Correct?”
Luke opened his eyes sharply.
“Then why did you ask to meet? You must have heard from Maiden that we intended to scout you.”
The three stared at me intently.
If I make a mistake in what I say here, it could become quite difficult.
They might take it as me deliberately wasting The One’s time.
“Because I have a proposal to make.”
“A proposal?”
Luke’s eyes became even sharper.
“A mere cadet. Has something to propose to us.”
Then he chuckled softly.
“It seems you’re getting arrogant because people around you say you’re great…”
“I heard that you’re soon going to launch a large-scale dungeon attack.”
“…!”
The three widened their eyes simultaneously.
“The name of the raid dungeon is ‘Dragon’s Lair’. The raid members include all of The One guild members, including the ‘Master’. The raid date is July 29th.”
In the raid, these three will die. No, not just these three but also the world’s strongest superhuman, the “Master,” will end up dying.
I must stop this somehow.
“…Where did you hear that from?”
Luke glared at me threateningly.
“There should be only a few people who know about that, where exactly did you….”
The expressions of the three became even more serious. Good.
“I just lightly inferred it, I didn’t obtain the information from anywhere.”
I shrugged my shoulders and spoke casually.
“The Dragon’s Lair is a dungeon known for the ‘All-Type Element.'”
All-Type Element.
It is a nickname given to the ‘guardians’ that change their attributes randomly like chameleons.
“The US has failed to conquer this dungeon three times already. And exactly ten years from the first failure falls on July 29th, a month from now.”
“….”
“In such a scenario, The One guild approached me, a mere cadet, known to be ‘the holder of all attributes,’ a counter to the ‘Dragon’s Lair.'”
It was a conclusion made possible because I knew the future, knowing that they would be annihilated in the Dragon’s Lair.
“Moreover, even three top-rankers came to see me personally?”
I looked at the three and grinned.
“Do I need to explain any more?”
A moment of silence passed.
Everyone looked shocked.
Even Maiden seemed a bit surprised.
“Heh, really.”
Susan let out a hollow laugh.
“This kid. What is he up to? Predicting our plans with just that?”
Pointing a finger at me, she glared at Maiden.
“Kukuku. I told you. He’s not an ordinary person.”
Maiden chuckled lightly.
She glanced at me and gave a subtle thumbs-up.
“So what the kid is proposing is to participate as a ‘mercenary’ in the Dragon’s Lair? Asking for a share of the reward?”
“It’s slightly different.”
I opened my eyes sharply and looked at each of them in turn.
“I have detailed information about the Dragon’s Lair.”
“…What?”
Luke stood up from his seat with a shocked expression.
“How?”
The Dragon’s Lair is a dungeon that the protagonist conquers in the original work.
I know the details of that dungeon structure.
Of course, I couldn’t answer that, so I prepared an excuse in advance.
“I can read the language of the ancient dragon race.”
“You can read the language of the dragon race?”
Luke asked with a doubtful expression.
“Yes. It’s an effect of the special ability, ancient language interpretation.”
“So knowing about Dragon’s Lair is….”
“Because I read ancient texts that describe the Dragon’s Lair.”
Silence flowed.
It seems everyone had a lot on their minds.
“It’s honestly hard to believe… But that can be verified later….”
“If you compare it with the 1st to 3rd raid logs, you will roughly find the answer.”
Susan nodded with a serious expression.
“Okay. Got it. So the kid’s proposal is to provide information on Dragon’s Lair?”
“I will, of course, also participate in the conquest. To counter the all-type elements.”
I continued, looking at the three of them still wearing complex expressions.
“As a reward for this, I would like you to grant me a single request.”
It would be trivial to them, but it was a very important request for me and this world.
“This is my proposal.”
<Chapter 150: Favorable Situation (2)> End
