Chapter 94 Explosive situation with rival guild

Emma and I accepted the guild request for a turtle search.

Searching for them at random would be a bit inefficient.

So after we leave the town I use a skill.

Tell me, Great Sage, where is the nearest speed turtle.

【On the Riverside 789 meters southeast from here.】

Thanks, now there is no problem.

「You already know where is it?」

「Great Sage be blessed. Let’s get it before it’s taken by someone else.」

「You are right.」

Following what Great Sage told me, we head towards the river. It was shallow with beautifully clean water flowing through it. Whether they came for water or fish but there also were two monsters.

A bear monster, black bear. I heard stories of it being huge and intelligent.

They became aware of our existence as well and acted cautiously.

「What will you do, Noir?」

「We have no choice but to kill them. We won’t be able to even search for the turtle unless we defeat them.」

「They also seem to be a couple, so I am a bit reluctant.」

「…We are not a couple though.」

「Let’s cooperate and defeat them together! Yeeea!」

Looks like she doesn’t accept my retort. Too bad. Emma was holding daggers in both hands and I also took a stance with a double-edged sword. Each black bear charged one of us.

First, focus on avoiding…

「Ha, Yay!」

Oh, Emma, while evading, slashes it with a counterattack. In addition, she strikes her opponent with several【Wind Shot】, staggering it. Lastly, she swoops down on it and stabs both its eyes with the knives.

She became stronger…Oops! It wasn’t the time to admire her.

「RAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR.」

Closely observing the black bear that was swiping with its long claws, I use 【Freezing Sphere】. Charging it, I make it the size of a human head and then attack with it.

A short shriek comes from the enemy. The spot where it was hit became frozen and turned a little white. It wasn’t frozen completely, but the movements clearly became sluggish.

*Slash*

Cutting the head in two, I won. It had a thick skull but double-edged sword possessed【Strong Edge】.

「「Yaaaay!」」

Doing a high five with Emma I rejoice about our victory.

「Hey, hey, won’t they sell as raw materials?」

「Well, bear paws are delicious. Though they require a lot of work.」

「It’s fine! Let’s raise your LP.」

I already had experience with obtaining LP from bear’s paw. However, a monster’s paws might produce even more.

Together we cut off four paws. I put it in【Subdimensional Storage C】. It’s C, but it still has plenty of room left. I guess I will wait for it to naturally grow to B.

Well, who should be made to cook it?

「Aah?! It was not the time to ponder with your arms folded.」

「Yeah, speed turtle, right. We will capture it right… Who?!」

There are four people walking inside the river with splashing sounds. Moreover, they weren’t crossing but looking for something.

While we were preoccupied with monsters, another party of adventurers showed up. Emma, who had high communication skills, calls out to them.

「Excuse me, what are you looking for?」

「AAAGH! Don’t speak to… Oh, you are a rather cute thing, ain’t you?」

Again, a man took a liking to Emma on the first sight.

But right now there is something more important.

The party consisting of two men and two women had one familiar person in it.

「Layla-san?!」

「Isn’t that Noir-kun!」

The beautiful long-haired girl is the exchange student that currently belonged to the same Hero School as me. She was from A class, so she belonged to a different classroom than me and Emma as we were in S class.

She was proficient in hand-to-hand combat and I often practiced with her.

「Are you looking for something?」

「Yes. There were requests for monster extermination and speed turtle capture, so we quickly formed party on the spot. We are done with monsters, so the next one is a turtle.」

This is bad… Yeah, she was targeting the same turtle, and she also was an adventurer from『Ramuh』. That was a guild that was in rivalry with our 『Odin』.

Let’s try our best not to touch on that subject.

「You guys, from which guild are you?」

Looks like it’s impossible.

Glared by the young bald man I answer honestly.

As soon as they heard Odin’s name, three people, except for Layla-san, turned hostile. Animosity appeared on their faces.

「Little brat from Odin, did you come here for fishing?」

「We are looking for a speed turtle as well.」

While saying that I ask Great Sage for the current location of the turtle.

【Ahead, diagonally to the right at the distance of six meters.】

It’s right next to them! At this rate, they will catch it first.

The bald man says with spite.

「As if we’d let you get ahead of us.」

「…Emma, we should search as well.」

I whisper in her ear the current location of the turtle. We both get into the water that was reaching near the knee level and trap turtle in pincer formation,

One, two, Matching the movements we stick hands into the water at the same time.

Speed turtle was smoothly swimming away after slipping through my grasp. In part, it was due to its small size, but anyway, it easily escaped.

「No luck.」

「Leave it to me!」

Saying that she is good with the water she runs after the turtle.

Water resistance was just irrelevant.

The turtle was fast, but she moved even faster.

Catching up she extends her hand and grabs turtle by the shell.

「I got it!」

「Nice, put it here.」

We place it into the cage that we purchased in the town beforehand. Capture complete. When we deliver this to the guild the request will be finished.

Satisfied we get out of the river. Saying that she got wet, Emma holds up her skirt and flaps it.

Since I felt the gaze I turned around and saw two men from the other party squinting their eyes while ogling at Emma’s thighs. The skirt was flapping, making it possible to catch a glimpse of her panties, therefore I moved to obstruct their line of sight.

「AAah, you sh*t! Wait!」

Perhaps angered that I obstructed them, they also get out of the water. Even though I don’t want to get involved with them further.

「We entered the river first. To carry away that turtle without any permission, isn’t that thievery?」

「That won’t fly.」

「Shut your face! Just hand over that turtle quietly.」

Such pushy people.

Even if we are from a rival guild, it does make for an excuse to take such an oppressive attitude.

Layla-san, a person with common sense, tries to remonstrate him.

「Turtle belongs to Noir-kun. Let’s such in another place.」

「…Layla, on which side are you?」

「That’s not what we are talking about.」

「No, I don’t care if it’s your acquaintance or something, right now, you are in our party. And you also a member of Ramuh. And you dare to side with bastard from Odin? I don’t mind telling everyone about this.」

「That…」

Layla-san has nothing to say back.

If such a rumor was to spread, it’s inevitable that no one would form a party with her anymore.

As one would expect I got irritated as well, so I said to him.

「I know where is another turtle. I can reveal the location to you, and would like to be done with this after that.」

「I don’t care about turtles anymore. You, fight me. If I win, that woman will join Ramuh.」

What is he talking about?

I get what he wants to do something with Emma.

And also that he wants to fight with her as a prize. But what would I gain by accepting this duel?

When I conveyed my thoughts to him, the bald man threw his purse to the ground.

「We will bet money. Everyone will. You, take them out as well.」

「Why are you deciding by yourself?」

Layla-san tries to object but he overwhelms her opposition with angry shouting.

「Shut up! I’m a leader. If I win, we will pull the woman to our side and that will weaken Odin!」

If so, there is no reason to focus on Emma, I should be good as well.

Though reluctantly, but his comrades comply and now there are four purses on the ground.

「Good, let’s do this. A duel between two men.」

It can’t be helped.

I confirm with Emma if it’s okay to accept this.

「Do it. There is no way Noir would lose to such egomaniac.」

「Wha?! Egomaniac…」

Ahaha, there is no mistake about his ego.

I stand in front of him and grip my sword.

The opponent also had a sword and there was almost no difference in reach.

He had a better physique, but I felt no threat from him.

「You are talking about chipping guild’s power, but you just want to put Emma in your party.」

「Yea, and also date me… Hey, it’s not that! It’s not like that at all!」

Nonono, you just spilled your real intentions. With a cold gaze, I appraise him.

Name: Togaro Tyus
Age: 21
Race: Human
Level: 54
Occupation: Adventurer
Skills:【One-handed swordsmanship C】,　【Throwing B】,　【Backstep Enhancement】,　【Stone Bullet】.

As could be expected from his arrogant talk, he was quite strong.

However, he didn’t even have half of my level.

It’s going to be easy… Yeah, I absolutely shouldn’t drop my guard like that.

Just thinking about it, not so long ago I myself killed a monster that had twice my level.

Considering his high throwing technique, he might be hiding something.

I should proceed fully focused.