Chapter 202.1 - Exploring the Desert Area
A few days had passed since everyone started running errand missions to gather monster materials in the name of exploration. Thanks to that, we secured enough monster materials for Sage-produced weapon.
Silver Iron SwordIts originally a rusty long sword; its silvery blade is an alloy that looks like silver. Its durability is equal to steel, but its sharpness is on another level altogether since it is enchanted with a magic circle of Sharpness carved on its main body.
Red AxeAxe with fire attribute, bears a resemblance to my reliable buddy the Red Knife. However, the red axe has higher firepower in live combat. This axe is made by inserting fire magic stone into the bloody axe.
Black Iron Great Axe A great axe made from heavy and tough metal, similar material to Mei-chans halberd. Though it isnt enchanted with any magical effects, its destructive power and durability can be utilized to its fullest in the hands of the berserker; created with alchemy using the weapons plundered from the living armour in a ruined city.
Cool CutlassCutlass with ice attribute, made from the good quality short sword looted from jajiras, adding ice magic stone, and the assistance from Class Rep. Its single-edged blade is fairly sharp, but its magical power surpasses even red axe; possible to use it as a low-rank ice spell.
These weapons were equipment for the Totem Pole Trio- Silver Iron Sword for Ueda, Red Axe for Nakai, Black Iron Great Axe for Yamada, and Cool Cutlass for Nakajima.
Since their weaponry was the worst among those gathered in the school tower, they were given priority for a weapon upgrade.
Combat is a cruel world where the weak die. Not to mention they were weak to the point that they couldnt even be compared with Souma-kun. And thanks to their weakness, they might be the first ones to be killed by small fries if they kept using their poor-quality weapon, just like how red raptor almost got me back then.
After that, if we wanted to upgrade Souma-kun and Cos weapons, which were already the best weapons created with alchemy at this stage, we needed to be even more careful and have a lot of cores. It would take a lot of time to upgrade their weapons. The matter of creating the specs of the updated weapon was easier and could be done faster. Thats why upgrading the others weapons first would speed up our progress in many areas, including Souma-kun and Cos weapons.
By the way, those four guys were really delighted when they received a much better weapon than their previous one, I could feel that my stock (in them) had shot through the roof.
If there was something that I had to say in this matter, Takanashi didnt seem to be too pleased with it. Perhaps because I put aside the upgrade for her comrades weapon or her beloved Souma-kuns weapon.
In my opinion, if Takanashi was willing to go all out, she should be able to create the prototype of another magic item or potion with her current ability. Obviously, she was cutting the corner since it was the weapon of those four.
Oi Takanashi, I know that you still have some magical power left. Stop acting like youve already run out of magical power.
Maybe I should make her work for real bit-by-bit.
O~i, Momokawa I want a wand thou~gh.
Sorry Shimokawa-kun, we had a hard time gathering the magic stone of water, so your wand has to wait for a while.
Yeah, I really mean it, sorry Shimokawa, theres nothing we can do about this situation.
Not to mention that a wand is a rare drop on top of that. We might find a wand if there was an ultra rare, sorcerer-type living armor, or from a treasure chest.
The first exploration team led by Souma-kun discovered several treasure chests, but the contents were either an enchanted accessory or a potion. Not to mention that the effect of the enchanted item wasnt that great.
But then, since we can make a wand with a lot of magic stones, it might be possible to create an aquamancers wand as long as we keep gathering materials. That is if Takanashi was willing to create it of course.
Everyone~, attention please~.
Since we were in the middle of dinner, we were all eating together in the fairy plaza.
Thanks to simple alchemy, I could prepare chairs and tables, even a huge round table that was placed beside the water fountain. Unfortunately, I couldnt make a turntable that could be enlarged like the one in a Chinese restaurant, but a low dining table was okay too.
Anyhow, this setup felt like the infamous setting of the Knights of the Round Table.
I think we have to start the exploration of the desert area from tomorrow.
Up until now, we only focused on coastal areas or underworld areas. Considering the system of the dungeon, there should be a lot of captured areas, but exploring an unknown area was almost accompanied by danger.
Between coastal and underworld areas, the degree of difficulty was absolutely higher for the underworld. With such a difference, I could reckon that the desert area would be a much higher challenge than the underworld area.
Since the situation in the school tower had yet to stabilize on the first day, we put the exploration of the unknown desert on hold.
However, now, I think it would be much better for us to explore that area slowly hereon.
There was a chance that we might be able to snag a useful treasure for the fight against Yamato no Orochi.
Yeah, sounds good to me.
Which team is going to explore that area?
Class Rep agreed, and Souma-kun also asked about the composition of the exploration team for the underworld. Now we could start planning the exploration for real.
When I looked around, just to be sure, no one seemed to be against this idea. I mean, the ones who could oppose my opinion were Souma-kun and Tendou-kun.
Since we were all educated students, everyone naturally agreed with democracy, thats how this situation looked like to me, but since my faction had the majority votes, we were almost guaranteed to win if we did vote to decide upon this policy.
As long as I laid the groundwork beforehand, the result would be almost decided before the class meeting. Yeah, all hail democracy!
Since the desert area is an unknown area, we naturally have to send our most powerful combat force.
Meaning that it would be the dream team composition of my imagination.
Desert Area Exploration Team
Leader: ShamanMomokawa Kotaro
Vice-Leader: Cyromancer Kisaragi Ryouko
HeroSouma Yuuto
KingTendou Ryuuichi
Berserker Futaba Meiko
ThiefNatsukawa Minami
These six will go to investigate the desert area.
Wait a minute, why am I not a part of the team?
Wasnt that because including Sakura would increase the degree of difficulties of the exploration? I mean, I was almost convinced of that fact due to her troublesome personality.
The Saint vocations healing capabilities did increase our chance of survival, but since the saints personality was a huge minus, there was a high chance that she would turn into a brain-dead character which would potentially cause a disaster.
Since its an unknown area, we cant exclude Thief Natsukawa-san as the only one who can disarm a trap and has the greatest enemy sense among us. If we go with 7 people in one team, Im afraid itll make it easier for powerful monsters to detect us.
In short, there aint any seat left for you!
Dont worry Sakura, were only doing a simple investigation.
Well then, Ill leave the rest to you, Souma-ku~n.
Since Momokawa-kun is participating, cant you make an exception and allow me to participate too?
Without Class Rep, Tendou-kun wont participate.
Ryuuichi?
Shut up and stop glaring at me. Ill go today.
Tendou-kun might have had a bored look on his face, but I was really glad to know that he was willingly participating in this exploration.
If he really was unwilling, he would refuse to cooperate for a super selfish reason. Thats why I couldnt really force him to participate if he really was unwilling.
Hey, is there any meaning in Momokawas participation?
Randou-san, Im obviously the biggest baggage among these members.
Thats why Im worrying!
Ah, youre right, thank you for worrying about me.
I mean, it was obviously meaningless for a super-duper-baggage character like me to explore an unknown area along with a powerful line-up. And I was aware of that.
I want to make sure that theres something useful in the new area with my own eyes. Else, how does replacing me with Takanashi who has Magical Power Analysis sound to you?
Wosh!
Takanashi closed her ears, pretending to be deaf.
Well, that was the reason I gave Randou-san, but the real reason for my participation was to lead by example since I couldnt just rest on my lapel in our base when I ordered everyone to go out on dangerous missions. No one was voicing their dissatisfaction for now though.
It sounds absurd, but the stingy woman was a vengeful creature. The situation would worsen if the other party had a really bad personality. Even if nothing happened, a certain bitch almost made someone into a scoundrel without being able to provide proof.
Moreover, if push came to shove someday, I could use the entrance transfer magic circle. This was my counter-plan if someday, Takanashi decided to dispose of me.
Well, since the members of the team have already been decided, we will start the exploration tomorrow. The other exploration team will take a break. As for the hunting team, Randou-san will join the hunting team as a temporary member. Since we had a lot of jobs to do, Takanashi-san had to keep doing her job, and Dont you dare to skip your work when Im not here.
The next morning, the six members of the desert area exploration team departed for the desert for the first time.
U~hm, its desert no matter how I look at it.
The sea of sand spans endlessly until the horizon, the sunlight that shines upon it. Definitely the template scenery of the desert no matter how you looked at it. I could even see the silhouette of the pyramid look alike from afar.
Hey, this is definitely outdoor, right? Or are we actually still inside the dungeon?
It seems were still inside the dungeon.
Agreed. This place seems to be really vast though.
The vastest area weve visited until now.
Since Mei-chan, Souma-kun, and Natsukawa-san, who had sharp sense said so, this place was undoubtedly inside the dungeon. It would take a lot of effort to truly capture this area, but we only came for a light stroll this time.
Oi, lets go already.
Wait Ryuuichi, dont go by yourself!
As expected of the in-charge-of-Tendou-kun, bringing her was the right decision.
Shall we start from that pyramid-like building over there?
That building was sticking like a sore thumb, but there was a possibility we would find nothing in there. We departed from the fairy plaza of the desert which looked like a small shrine, walking straight toward the pyramid.
Our formation placed Natsukawa-san as our vanguard and right behind was Souma-kun and Tendou-kun, the strongest duo. Then, you had Class Rep and I as rear-guard, and at the end of the formation were Rem-The Dark Knight and Mei-chan. I mean, wow, this formation was truly the strongest and safest. Definitely the safest formation.
The sunlight is too strong, and walking on the sand is tough. Maybe we should prepare equipment specialized for the desert when we visit this place again.
Yup, walking under the constant blazing sun in this desert with only our school uniform and shoes was tough. Another job for you, Takanashi-chan.
Speaking of desert equipment, I would like to get boots, a robe or hat We arrived at the pyramid while I was musing over the matter. What a relief to know that the pyramid wasnt an illusion.
The pyramid was smaller than I expected. And it had no sphinx.
The four-sided structure, which had already worn out from the weather, was definitely that of a pyramid. Not that I had ever visited Egypt and seen the real one.
Lets walk around the pyramid to find its entrance.
Dont bother with that, Momokawa. Look, a welcome party for us.
Everyone, something is coming from the pyramid!
Natsukawa screamed to warn us along with the appearance of the humanoid from the pyramid.
Uwaa, its a mummy.
"
"
Truly desert-like monster.
Yup, mummies were a staple monster for desert areas in many classic RPGs. They could be the subspecies of zombies or skeletons.
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