# 70
70. Tournament (1)
A day later, Party 1 returned to the waiting room.
The results were not insignificant. I figured out the information about the dungeon and got useful items like regeneration stones. Since the accumulated stress level has also been reduced, the momentum to move forward again has been created.
In the exploration dungeon, once you are qualified to use the imprint, you will come again.
"I couldn't go to the sea. I went a little bit and it was blocked."
"Did you really go see it?"
"Sure."
After returning to the space-time rift, Iolka held a fan with a disgruntled face.
It seems that you can't go out of a certain area. Exploration dungeons are opened one area per 10 floors. It seemed that if I woke up to the 100th floor, I could go to all areas.
"By the way, how many days have passed? I see some strangers."
"About a week."
"Huh, that long?"
I nodded.
The flow of time on stage and in the waiting room is different. This has been proven by several experiments.
Just as Iolka had said, heroes who hadn't been seen before stood out in the square on the second floor.
I know who. They were the assistants of craftsmen in equipment workshops. They were moving materials from the warehouse to the equipment shop.
'It looks like he officially went up to the second floor.'
It's not a bad change.
If people around you see a hero on the 1st floor go up to the 2nd floor, it is a strong motivation. The opposite was also true.
I looked up at the sky.
Amkenna was not connected and the night sky was a dark, earthy color. Judging from the color of the sky, it seemed to be late evening. After storing the loot in the warehouse, we gathered in the plaza once.
"Go in and rest. Starting tomorrow morning, we will gather at the training center."
"Whoa, starting again tomorrow."
"Go take a bath, sister!"
Jenna and Iolka disappeared into their inn.
Aaron was walking in the direction of the training center.
"Where are you going?"
"Ah, that's…"
"If you told me to rest, then I should rest. Why do you keep missing me? Do you want to ruin your body?"
"But brother."
"I said from tomorrow. Go in."
Aaron's shoulders shrunk and he turned to the inn.
I watched Aaron's back as he walked away.
'…'
Shortly after returning from the 15th floor, the symptoms are getting worse.
There were several types like that in Niflheim as well. Addicts who forget about erosion and focus only on training.
Most of the results were not good.
It is not a good idea to increase training time alone. A balance between training and rest was important for efficiency.
Cartoony talk like the theory of gut nature doesn't work.
If it is still lacking, it means that there is no talent after all.
I had no choice but to find another way. or die along the way.
Of course, there are cases where a seemingly useless hero suddenly awakens, but the probability is extremely rare. There was only one such case in Niflheim.
From the next day, everyday life started again.
After having an early breakfast, we gathered together with the 3 members of the 1st party and continued training as always. However, there was one change in the landscape of the training center.
"Faster. You're too slow!"
"Yes, sister!"
"Your body is full of energy."
"yes!"
Edith and Usher were fighting in the arena.
Both sides are using real weapons. Every time Edith swung the dagger, Usher's blood lines were drawn. Usher continued to attack, his expression wrinkled in pain.
"It's unexpected. I know that the 2nd party doesn't do dangerous training."
Jenna, who was running next to me, murmured.
That's right. The 2nd party also invested a lot of time in training, but like us, they refrained from blood-seeking training as much as possible. But now that way is breaking.
"Any change of heart…"
"You don't have a digital camera."
The ones at the training center are Edith, Usher and Roderick.
Dika, who was an early member, was nowhere to be seen.
"Oh, come to think of it. I'll ask and come back."
Jenna stopped running and approached Roderick near the arena.
Roderick stood with a serious expression on his face, holding his spear. Jenna talked for a while and then came this way. Jenna's face also hardened.
"Dicca went down to the first floor."
"The reason is?"
"Because I couldn't kill people."
The answer came from the side.
Edith was wiping the blood from her dagger onto a cloth. In front of him, a battered Usher was spread out.
"indeed."
To some extent expected.
Dicka couldn't quite recover from the shock of the 10th floor. His talent was average, but his personality was weak. Even if they dealt with the monsters, it seemed that they were unable to demonstrate their skills against living people.
"Rather than increasing, the number of members has decreased. You can't go anywhere with 3 people. That's why we decided to increase the intensity of training as well. It would be nice if the Master could do advanced summoning."
"I don't think they will do an advanced summon."
Since the last failure, Amkena has not played a paid draw.
This was a symptom of 'disbelief in drawing'. This symptom appears on masters who have lost a lot of gems in advanced summons. Masters who were distrustful of drawing had an excessive tendency to invest in facilities instead of summoning gems.
'Even if you betray the drawing, the facility will not betray you.'
It was also one of the popular sayings in Pick Me Up.
I was also very ill in the past. It was because it couldn't get more than 4 stars.
Edith bit her lip in confusion.
"In that case, our party…
"
"I don't want to go that far."
"Then give up. There is no answer."
I said.
I couldn't force myself to take him just because he was a long-time colleague. After all, it's far better than dragging and seeing a corpse.
It will be comforting that it is not possible to synthesize it.
Edith was also a mercenary who rolled and rolled, so she knew well what kind of risk a weak party member was.
That is why he did not insist on returning to the Master.
"It's not easy."
Edith smiled bitterly and left the arena.
Usher raised his wounded body. Soon after, Roderick came up to the arena.
Usher closed his mouth and gripped his sword. I saw my colleague fall right next to me. The resolution seemed extraordinary.
"Ugh, the smell of blood."
Iolka waved her hand.
Jenna and Aaron had serious expressions on their faces, but they were talking alone.
'This is why a wizard is.'
I can't help it because it's an iron rice bowl.
I smiled and continued training.
And in the evening of a few days, Amkena changed the affiliation of the heroes.
Belquist and Nerissa were called and brought to the plaza on the first floor.
[Create a party!]
[Drag and drop heroes!]
[Exclude 'Velquist (★★)' from 'Party 3']
[Exclude 'Nerissa (★★)' from 'Party 3' .]
I removed the two core members of the 3rd party.
The meaning was clear. It was a step up to Group 1.
The 2nd soldier and 3rd party will be supplemented with new personnel.
[Change the hero's lodging.]
[A cross section of the lodging is displayed.]
[Drag and drop the hero!]
['Belquist (★★)'…]
[Change the hero's authority.]
[Current Facility List – 'Restaurant Lv.2' 'Bathroom Lv.1' 'Breaking Room Lv.1'…]
A brief setting followed.
Isel's annoying voice could be heard from the second floor.
[The two of you pack up and go up.]
I was practicing swordsmanship at the private training ground.
I put the sword in the sheath and came out. Usher was looking at the square with a nervous expression.
"The newcomers have arrived."
I chuckled.
After a while, Belquist and Nerissa came up the stairs to the second floor.
There are no significant changes to either of them. Belquist's signature confident expression. And Nerissa had a calm expression. I was told to pack, but it seems that there are no personal belongings. He was only wearing a weapon.
"Stop training today. Gather."
The two are independent with no parties.
The fact that Amkena did not decide where to belong meant that the leaders of the 1st and 2nd parties had to decide for themselves. The members of the 1st and 2nd parties who quickly finished organizing gathered in the corner of the training center.
"I think it's time to replenish the staff."
Currently, 1st party has 1 seat and 2nd party has 2 empty seats.
It was surprising that only 2 people came up, but it was time to recruit new members anyway. I unfolded a folding chair and sat on it.
"Shall I bring a swallow?"
"wait."
It's necessary if you're drafting, but it's not the right situation.
First of all, the balance of personnel is not right. Besides, it didn't seem like Amkena was going to do an advanced summon.
'Are you planning to properly roll even one party?'
A lot of time has passed since we broke the 15th floor.
If you delay climbing any longer, there is a risk that you will lose the sense of actual combat.
There was no need to call someone to bring them.
The two came up to the plaza and went straight to the training center where we were. Belquist looked around briefly and murmured.
"It's dirty. It's different from the first floor."
The existing members were looking at the newcomers with half curiosity and half wariness.
Belquist grinned.
"Why are those eyes like that?
"I'm not greeting you."
Nerissa intercepted Belquist and stepped out.
"We'll fall into the 1st or 2nd party. I've heard rumors. Isn't that right?"
"You're asking useless questions, isn't it obvious?"
"Then I'll be straightforward."
Nerissa made eye contact with me and said.
"Please let me have one party."
"…"
"I'm sure it won't get in the way. You won't be disappointed."
Belquist laughed.
Then, suddenly, he glared at Nerissa with a lively look.
"This bitch is out of her mind. Get to know the subject."
"Strength isn't the only measure of usefulness. I'm learning many skills besides combat."
"What else is it useful for?"
"If you saw it, you would know."
Nerissa looked coldly at Belquist.
Belquist put on a displeased expression and was silent.
Edith stepped out.
"It's not up to you to decide where to go."
"I know. The Master decides, or the two of you decide."
Nerissa kept her eyes on me even as she spoke to Edith.
There was a strange heat in his eyes.
Jenna whispered in my ear.
"That unnie, why are you like that? It seems like she wants to join the first party."
"You know Nandle?"
The same goes for Belquist.
Not too long ago, the two of them thought it didn't matter where they went, but their attitude suddenly changed.
"Why do you want to join the 1st party?"
I asked a question while sitting in a chair.
Nerissa closed her eyes and continued.
"I thought it was an exaggerated rumor."
"What do you mean?"
"Rumors about you. I didn't believe them at first either."
rumors about me
I vaguely guessed that strange rumors were circulating among the people on the first floor. Although I couldn't hear the proper contents because he moved away when I approached.
"But I got to see it myself."
"…Recycled stone."
I can think of only one cause.
For some reason, the two of us often entered the space-time gap.
Being a hero yourself and experiencing it, and experiencing someone else's record.
Reclaimed stone could be used in one of two ways. The former was the standard, but Amkena played the video of the mission to the two in the latter way.
"How far have you been?"
"entire."
Nerissa narrowed her eyes.
"The rumors have been reduced. I have truly opened my eyes. In order to survive, it is natural to stick to the strong. That is the only reason I want to join the 1st party."
"What about the second party?"
"I'd like to decline if possible."
"What are you talking about? Our two parties aren't bad either!"
Usher exclaimed.
"Do you really think so?"
"All, of course."
Nerissa gave a cool smile.
Obvious ridicule. Usher's face turned red.
"This bastard is a newcomer…!"
"If you come late or come early, where are you? If you're strong, you rise, and if you're weak, you fall. This person came earlier than us, but he doesn't seem to know much about this world yet. Doesn't he, senpai?"
Belquist looked at me and grinned. His back was leaning against the barbed wire in the arena.
"Anyway, I agree with you. I don't want to go to anything other than one party. I'll be more useful than that girl. I assure you."
I crossed my arms.
'Work has become a nuisance.'
The two seemed unwilling to yield at all.