The meeting itself went fairly smoothly.
Various strategies came to mind, were discarded, and then new plans settled into place.
While the meeting was once again centered around Jun, the adventurers of the Azure Cloud Party who had recovered to some extent and regained their senses appeared.
Just as Eleanor had said, they arrived about an hour later.
Benjamin, who was the first to show up, wore a face full of guilt.
Whether that expression was genuine, no one could say for sure.
“I’m truly ashamed. I will confess my unilateral decision regarding this matter to the guild.”
Benjamin entered with a low bow, and his sincerity was evident.
Because of this, the mercenaries wore looks of frustration, but none of them spoke up directly.
Of course, that didn’t mean their anger over the situation had dissipated.
They still had the urge to grab Benjamin by the collar.
But the only reason they held back was their desire to survive and Jun’s contributions.
After coming this far, survival was what mattered, just as Jun had said.
“Hah, whatever. The punishment for this will be decided by the Imperial Court. Our only concern is survival.”
“…A fair point. Then shall we proceed with the meeting now?”
“You didn’t need to say that; we were already doing it. If you want the details, ask Mr. Mage over there. He’s the one who planned the rescue operation for you.”
At Colton’s words, Benjamin finally looked at Jun who was standing at the center of the meeting.
He remembered Jun as well, and for good reason—Jun’s group was the only Level 1 participating in this raid.
Because of that, Benjamin’s eyebrow twitched, though it was a fleeting reaction.
Still, no one in the room missed the expression.
“Mage?”
“Yeah, the mage who cleaned up the mess you made. He even took a stab to save your adventurers.”
“…I see. I’ve heard the story. I owe him my life. I offer my thanks once again.”
“Spare me the formalities. I did it to survive too.”
When Jun shrugged and spoke, Benjamin opened his mouth.
That’s when the atmosphere began to shift.
“In that case, may I resume command now?”
“What?”
It wasn’t Jun who responded to Benjamin’s remark, but Colton.
He glared at Benjamin with a deeply crumpled expression.
“Are you seriously not aware of the situation we’re in? The one who got us this far after you failed is that mage over there.”
Normally, Colton wouldn’t have stepped in to this extent.
However, the exceptional leadership Jun had shown earlier was undeniably proven.
Even though Benjamin had failed, Jun had yet to make any mistakes.
The social status gap between the two was immense, but in a life-or-death situation, Colton didn’t want to leave command in Benjamin’s hands.
“I have nothing to say about that. But splitting the chain of command now would be a problem, and we’ve faced the Fairy Queen before.”
“Are you seriously bragging to us about how miserably you were beaten? Besides, we’re not going after that damn moth woman right now. It’s the damn tree bastard.”
“…You’re right. But that’s exactly why I believe I should take the lead. At least I have a track record of defeating the Forest Guardian.”
As the argument continued, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
The mercenaries, who had already suffered under Benjamin’s command once, refused to trust him.
Still, Benjamin insisted he had to reclaim command for the success of the mission.
Naturally, the tension between them escalated to the point where they were practically on the verge of exchanging insults about each other’s families, and that’s when Jun stepped in.
“Of course, the commander should take the lead. I don’t particularly object to that.”
“What? Hey, Mr. Mage!”
When Jun was the first to step forward and back down slightly, Colton raised his voice.
However, Jun spoke his mind.
“Let’s think rationally. Realistically, I only know about this from knowledge, but in fact, I’ve never actually defeated the Forest Guardian in battle. It doesn’t make sense for someone like me to take command.”
“But…”
“Of course, I’m not handing over control of the strategy. I have the knowledge for the attack plan.”
With that, Jun waved the ‘Corrupted Forest Expedition Journal’ he pulled from his coat.
“Do you have anything to say about this?”
“……”
The control of the strategy was just as significant as command of the raid itself, with hardly any real difference between the two.
Just as Benjamin was about to open his mouth to respond—
“The mage is right, Leader Benjamin. It’s best to settle things at this point.”
“…Priestess Eleanor.”
Eleanor, the priestess with a black eyepatch, had entered the tent at some point and chimed in. This caused Benjamin to bite his lip.
She may have been just a priestess, but she was not someone to be dismissed easily.
Perhaps in the outside world, it would be different, but here in Blackout, the authority of a priestess was huge.
Moreover, if they survived and returned, the influence of a priestess in a court trial was beyond imagination.
“Quite a bit of time has already been wasted. According to the mage, there’s not much time left before the Fairy Queen fully recovers, right? Being overly greedy will only bring disaster.”
“…Hoo. I understand.”
Once the agreement between them was reached, the meeting resumed.
***
“Well then, everyone has worked hard. Let’s do our best until we deal with the remaining Forest Guardian.”
“As long as you don’t do anything reckless, everything will go smoothly.”
Following Colton’s sharp remark, the detailed strategy discussions came to an end.
Now, all that was left was a brief rest before the operation began.
While heading back to the barracks, Colton asked with a puzzled expression on his face.
“Was it really necessary for Mr. Mage to yield like that? If you ask me, the others would have preferred you to take command. It was an opportunity for you as well.”
Jun lightly shook his head in response to Colton’s question.
“Of course, if I had been greedy, there would have been things to gain. But in this situation, the losses would outweigh the gains. I also had to consider the morale of the adventurers.”
Did Jun back down because he was afraid of Benjamin?
In terms of sheer power or social standing, it was true that Benjamin held a far greater advantage over Jun at that moment.
Still, public opinion overwhelmingly favored Jun.
If he had insisted, he might have even managed to claim the right to command.
Even so, Jun took a step back because he could clearly see Benjamin’s plan.
“Plan?”
“Yeah. That guy probably still thinks there’s hope for them.”
“Ha! Does that even make sense? Especially after completely botching this raid?”
“Well, from his perspective, it’s not entirely impossible.”
The hidden stage of the raid was that valuable to a reputation as an adventurer.
It had remained undiscovered for hundreds of years. Benjamin, more than anyone, understood its significance.
In the game, discovering a hidden stage would skyrocket your fame.
If the Azure Cloud Party had successfully completed this hidden stage, they would have gone down in history.
Things have changed now that they’ve failed, but the more they stand out here, the more it will boost their reputation.
Benjamin likely planned to use that fame as a weapon to secure support from new noble sponsors, win the trial they’d eventually face, or at least reduce his sentence.
That’s why Benjamin wanted to personally resolve this matter.
“He probably used that as an excuse to boost the morale of his group. Raising the spirits of adventurers who’ve faced a defeat will help with the operation.”
“Ah…”
Colton’s mouth fell open when he heard this.
In that short time, while he had been swept up in his emotions and angrily ranting, Jun and Benjamin had been calculating and assessing each other’s moves.
Putting aside personal feelings, the actions of the two gave Colton many insights.
“Of course, that’s an overly far-fetched dream. After all, what Benjamin did was defy the imperial decree.”
“Ah…!”
“The Empire is now completely dominated by the Imperial family; the power of the Emperor is overwhelming. The nobles are trying hard to push back, but…”
No noble would risk catching the emperor’s attention just to boost the reputation of a mere level 3 adventurer.
Of course, Blackout was somewhat separated from the empire, so mercenary or adventurer guilds that explored dangerous regions like this held a relatively strong voice.
But even so, Benjamin still lacked justification.
“There have already been casualties. This wasn’t just an accident. Casualties caused by defying the imperial decree carry a different meaning. Naturally, the adventurer guild won’t have any grounds to defend the Azure Cloud Party.”
“Now that I hear it, that makes sense… that man’s fallen into a swamp he can’t escape from, no matter what he tries.”
“He’s already sinking up to his chest in it.”
That’s why Jun had chosen to focus on practicality rather than letting emotions cause conflict.
“In many ways, I’m learning a lot from Mr. Mage.”
“Well, I’ve benefited a lot from you myself.”
“Haha! Is that so?”
The atmosphere inside the tent had grown much warmer. It was a stark contrast to the sharp tension they had once directed at each other.
“You’re truly amazing, senior…”
Aiden also sent a look that seemed to suggest he had learned a lot from Jun’s attitude… but Jun was actually uncomfortable with their gazes in many ways.
I only took pity on someone already digging his own grave. Do I really deserve these kinds of looks?
In reality, if Jun had just kept quiet, Benjamin wouldn’t have been cornered to this extent.
Of course, since he committed a crime, it was only right for him to be punished.
Still, it was true that Jun didn’t feel entirely at ease about being the one who escalated things this far.
“Anyway, only the final battle remains. Let’s get through this one.”
“Kuaaaah! Damn it! I just want to go home already!”
“It’s the first time I’ve actually missed that damn fortress!”
The operation to subjugate the Forest Guardian began with the mercenaries’ roars.
***
With each heavy step, the forest trembled as if shaking.
A tree larger than any ancient one that had stood for hundreds of years was now alive and moving.
The Forest Guardian.
It was the target they had to defeat if the raid party wanted to survive.
“Damn. They said it walks on two legs, but it’s ridiculously huge.”
A mercenary muttered this under his breath.
The creature was known as a stationary boss, so when it rose from its crouched position, its size was beyond imagination.
And with Benjamin at the lead, his adventurers were engaged in a fierce battle against the Forest Guardian.
“Dodge!”
At Benjamin’s shout, the adventurers in the area quickly scattered.
What fell from the sky was the Forest Guardian’s huge foot.
As its foot slammed into the ground, tree roots instantly burrowed into the earth and then shot up to the surface.
If the adventurers hadn’t moved at Benjamin’s command, they would’ve ended up like frogs skewered on spikes.
“Now! Climb up!”
“We need to open the core as much as possible!”
“Target the legs!”
Some climbed the near-vertical leg as if it were flat ground, while others swung their swords at its fixed ankle.
It was said that those at level 3 and above had surpassed human limits and reached the ranks of superhumans. Their movements proved it.
They’re definitely different from the twins I fought.
Unlike the twins, who had just reached level 3 and only had level 2 gear, the frontline adventurers led by Benjamin were on a whole other level.
If I had faced them instead of those two…
Jun thought he wouldn’t have survived if it had been them.
It was definitely worth saving them.
The attacks of the creature which was massive enough to dwarf most buildings came crashing down.
The adventurers dodged most of the blows with coordinated movements.
The problem might be the mercenaries.
In the battle against the Forest Guardian, the lower teams supporting the raid were just as crucial as the main attack force.
The reason lay in the monsters the mercenaries were facing. The Ents.
“Shit! One got through!”
“Forget the ones that got away! Focus on the others first!”
One of the Ents slipped past the mercenaries’ defensive line and approached the Forest Guardian.
Soon, one of the Forest Guardian’s nearby roots absorbed the Ent completely.
It was part of the Forest Guardian’s healing pattern.
Seeing this, the adventurers shot resentful glares toward the mercenaries, but since they were partly to blame, they silently focused on the raid.
It can’t be helped. We’re already down a team, and the mercenaries are in terrible condition.
Unlike the Azure Cloud Party, who had prepared for this for a long time, the mercenaries had been caught completely off guard by the situation.
On top of that, the Forest Guardian’s immense size was subtly intimidating the mercenaries.
As a result, several dangerous situations arose.
“Hup!”
Each time, Aiden stepped in to cover in the gaps.
That guy is moving more nimbly than usual. Is it because of a skill?
But then again, he wasn’t actually using any specific skills.
Of course, there was a noticeable difference in his footwork compared to before…
I don’t know much about warriors, so I can’t be sure, but… does he seem more confident? His movements feel a little different too. Well, it was said in the game that he was incredibly talented.
Jun had roughly passed it off like that, but in reality, his thoughts were almost identical to Aiden’s situation.
The realization Aiden had gained during the battle with the named monster Pride had awakened his talent.
Still, we’re losing more people than expected.
It was a result completely different from the original strategy.
Jun and Aiden were doing their best to cover the weak points, but even so, there were limits.
On top of that, the flow of battle was slowly starting to shift.
The fight was lasting longer than expected.
“Leader! At this rate…!”
“Hold out a little longer! We still need more time!”
“Damn it! The wounded need to fall back!”
“No! We can’t give that thing any more time!”
At that moment, a holy light burst forth from behind.
It was Eleanor’s divine power, that had accompanied them.
The divine power of the gods manifested in the corrupted forest and started to heal the wounded adventurers.
If Jun and Aiden were compensating for their lack of strength, Eleanor was the one making it possible for the battle to continue.
However, even her divine power wasn’t working at full strength.
Damn that area-of-effect debuff.
The Forest Guardian’s area debuff aura.
The Forest Guardian that was shrouded in the aura of corruption not only hindered healing but also worsened the wounds.
It was only thanks to Eleanor’s powerful divine power that this effect was somewhat countered. If it had been an ordinary priest, the balance of the battle would have already collapsed.
I can see now why Benjamin was so humble in front of that woman.
With abilities like hers, it wouldn’t be surprising if she were recruited at higher levels. Based on her skills alone, she could easily ascend to high priestess status.
The problem is that the battle is becoming more and more stagnant.
A priest’s divine power wasn’t all-powerful. It didn’t restore depleted mana, nor did it relieve mental fatigue.
As a result, the entire raid’s movements were growing sluggish, while the Forest Guardian became increasingly violent.
It wasn’t a matter of some fatal flaw, just the difference caused by their lack of strength.
This is dragging on for too long.
By now, the Fairy Queen should have noticed that the Forest Guardian was under attack and would be on the move.
In the end, Jun faced a crossroads.
I have no choice. I’ll have to join the attack. The adventurers have built up enough damage; I’ll have to trust in that.
Originally, Jun’s involvement was supposed to come after the attack team had inflicted enough damage on the Forest Guardian.
But now, even the mercenaries were suffering numerous injuries. No matter how skilled Eleanor was, she couldn’t handle the mercenaries all on her own.
If the number of mercenary casualties increased and the Forest Guardian absorbed more Ents, they could miss their remaining window of opportunity.
“Aiden! Focus on defense over offense!”
“Yes! Understood!”
Jun adjusted the strategy to minimize casualties and conserve their strength, and he started channeling his magical power to its full capacity.
He placed his hand on the choker and controlled the surge of magical power rushing through him.
Normal magic won’t work.
The Forest Guardian had a natural resistance to magic.
As a result, using elemental magic wouldn’t yield much success.
Of course, fire-type magic worked fairly well, but…
The firepower might harm our allies just as much.
So he prepared magic that mainly involved physical force.
The image that came to his mind was iron.
A weapon that wouldn’t melt even in scorching flames, but would temper and reveal its form to the world.
The image is…
A giant hammer that could even shatter rocks with a single swing.
[Iron Fist]
The earth reacted to Jun’s magical power and began to rise into the air, defying gravity and clumping together.
What started as a fist-sized mass gradually grew larger until it reached the size of a house.
The completed shape was a giant, blunt fist.
Jun’s magical power coated it once more, and the power fused with the earth began to glow.
“Go!”
Woooom——!!
At Jun’s command, the giant iron fist launched toward the Forest Guardian.
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