Chapter 34: Hot Spring Village and the Legendary Castle 3
“But, Gurdy-san. You don’t have to do that right?”
“That’s right, he’s just a kid…”
“I’d hate to see a kid die because you don’t know how to handle it…”
Gurdy is the name of the man who came forward.
His appearance horrifies the other adventurers.
“Fools! Do you still don’t get the boy’s power? Allen was the best of the bunch. And that’s exactly how he treated him.”
Based on the way he speaks, he appears to be a wandering adventurer who has recently settled into the guild.
Adventurers come in all shapes and sizes: some stay in one guild branch for a long time, while others move around, appearing at different guild branches.
This old man was the former before achieving 9999 Proficiency. I believe he is the latter.
“Typically, children do not learn skills until they are 15 years old. A child is supposed to have no power. With that kind of power, he’s either a prodigy or a demon disguised as a human. In any case, he’s not someone you can put your trust in. Then it’ll be worth my time…”
“They’re both incorrect.”
The correct answer is: an old man disguised as a child.
“Hah! I’m not sure what big shot you’re pretending to be, but you’re just a minor character in Ash’s game! Get the hell out of here!”
Tina is hiding in the background, yelling obscenities at him.
“…”
Gurdy, the man, ignored her, but his temples twitched.
Maybe he’s a little angry.
“Why are you hiding, Tina?”
“It’s customary for a fragile girl to stand in the shadows and keep an eye on battling thoughts and feelings! This makes me feel better! Oh, it’s so much fun…!”
A fragile girl ?
A woman who has mastered the dual skills of [Holy Warrior] and [Great Sage], a legend in the making, fragile?
First of all, I don’t think such a weak person would say such insulting things…
“I’m sorry. She’s been at home for a long time and is very excited.”
“… No worries.”
“But I refuse to be treated like a demon. As you can see, this old man is a true human adventurer.”
This old man takes a gold S-rank adventurer’s card from his pocket and shows it to him.
“Huh…?! That card―?!”
“S-rank…?! Then it’s no surprise Allen was beaten…!”
“Then Gurdy-san can’t be too careless, because they’re both S rank…!”
The man named Gurdy pulls a sword from his hip while everyone is buzzing around him.
A slightly bent, sharp-looking scimitar.
“Then there’s no need to hesitate. My name is Gurdy Gadd. [Swordsman] is my skill, and I have a proficiency of 61! Draw your sword as well!”
The Greatsword of Black Dragon Scales is the weapon of choice for this old man.
It was destroyed during the battle with Dormina, but Barvel replaced it with a new one.
I liked it so much after that battle that I didn’t put it in the [storage]. I’d rather use it on a daily basis.
This old man was about to place his hand on the hilt of the sword “Greatsword of Black Dragon Scales,” but changed his mind.
“No, we’ll leave it this way.”
“What…?! Are you trying to lick me―?!”
Gurdy’s face is red with rage this time.
But it can’t be helped―this old man decides to identify himself in Gurdy’s style.
“My name is Ash Aberth, and I have [Storage] Proficiency 9999!”
“What…?!”
Gurdy’s eyes widened.
“Y-You’re a kid with strength and such a skill?!”
“That outlier [storage]…?!”
“But 9999 Proficiency is an absurd number that I’ve never heard of…!”
People around us are also confused by the information, as it seems to be a combination of a very unusual skill and a very high level of proficiency.
“Also, [Genius] skill proficiency at 99!”
“D-Dual skill…?!”
“Yeah, but it’s a [Storage] after all…”
Still baffled.
“One more thing, [Dragonmancer] Proficiency 99!”
T-Triple Skill…?!”
“What in the world is that?! How is that even possible…?!”
“I’ve never heard of the [Dragonmancer] skill…?!”
Confusion gives way to surprise and awe.
Even if it’s just the title of his skill, there’s a world of difference between this Gurdy and this old man now.
“You would be cut down and killed in an instant if I used the “Greatsword of Black Dragon Scales.” I’m not a bloodthirsty person.
It’s not a licking. It’s a necessary restraint.
“That’s bullsh*t! I’ve traveled the world and seen the strongest men, but I’ve never heard of anything like this!”
“Test it out. Come on, show me your stuff!”
“Then take this! Sonic boom!”
Gurdy’s sword creates a shock wave.
This old man does not avoid it, but instead begins to walk toward the shockwave.
“What?! He doesn’t even dodge?!”
Gurdy’s eyes bulge, and the shockwave is heading to this old man’s face, bamm―.
Nothing happens; it simply vanishes. Of course, it had been “stored.”
“What…?! The “sonic boom” vanished?!”
While he shudders, this old man walks ever closer.
“Uh-Uoooooooooohh!”
His “sonic boom” is repeatedly activated. But everything vanishes.”
A “sonic boom” of that magnitude would hardly increase the usage rate.
“That’s not possible…What in the world is going on…?!”
“I told you that, didn’t I? So… Can we stop here?”
This old man lightly patted Gurdy’s shoulder.
Then…
“?!”
“Hooyah!”
Oh, crap!
“Aaaaahhh!”
With a single tap, he blasts off with such force that he breaks through the thin guild wall and flies out into the street outside.
…He’s an S-rank adventurer, so he’ll be fine, maybe.
“Well, then, shall we all listen to the little lady’s story?”
When this old man calls out to the others, they all nod their heads, shocked and frozen.
Tina was the only one who stood out.
“Ash…! That’s so cool!”
Her eyes glowed, and she jumped up and down.
