Shujinkou Janai! - Ch 22

A week had passed since I had taken on the task of mentoring Radd and the others.

Today, in the noisy Guild Athletic Field, I watched over the new Adventurers as they ran.

[Oiiiii! Your pace is dropping!]

The two people in front of my eyes are the magic users of Radd’s party.

Mana and Nuku.

[Run, run, run! Keep lagging behind like that and you’ll get eaten by monsters when you need to run from monsters!]

I had prohibited them from combat.

In the meantime, I ordered that they train to improve their abilities in the city.

[It’s exactly when it’s rough that you move those feet! Training is the only thing that will never betray you!]

Even if they don’t “level up” by defeating monsters, your ability level will increase with corresponding training.

The reason I chose to ban combat and focus in training is because……

[The rate of growth depends on the aptitude of an individual and the Job they’re currently in. This is a disparity that you can’t do anything about. However, no matter how little talent you have or how bad you are at something, training is equal for all! The sweat you shed doesn’t lie! You who keep on running, be proud of yourself! Love your effort! Even if the training doesn’t show immediate results, your tempered heart will be able to save you in a pinch! So————]

This old man next to me is so annoying!

I frowned and looked at the big bearded man who had been saying incomprehensible things since a while ago.

Thereupon, perhaps sensing my gaze, the bearded man looked at me as well.

[Yo, you’re the same line of work as I am, right?]

The bearded man spoke to me in a friendly manner.

I felt as if I had seen him somewhere before, but at least, I didn’t know him well enough to talk to him in such a friendly manner.

[Sorry, I’m not going to answer a question from someone I don’t know.]

I think he’s probably an Adventurer, but I don’t know how to answer that question nor do I really want to talk to him.

That’s what I wanted to convey to him, but the man’s reaction exceeded my expectations.

[Hahahahaha! Certainly didn’t expect that! Looks like even I’m pretty disliked.]

With his hand on his face, he said something unintelligible.

Could it be, he’s one of those dangerous guys?

As I tried to secretly keep my distance from him……

[I’m warning you out of concern. I’ve heard rumors about you.]

[……Huh?]

[That you’re an incompetent making hopeful beginners do pointless and inefficient training.]

For some reason, the man said this to me while trying not to make eye contact.

[There are occasionally such people. Adventurers who are so scared of adventure that they prepare themselves very carefully. But you know what? They’re mysteriously the ones who fail to level-up. They may be perfectly prepared and better equipped than their peers who have entered the same dungeon, but for some reason, they level-up slowly. They disrupt the party, and as a result, they slow them down. Instead, the more “adventurer-like”, reckless, daredevils are the ones who are steadily growing stronger and stronger.]

Looking as if he had said his piece, the bearded man smiled.

I had nothing to say in reply other than “That’s the exact mindset I had that led to failure the first time I played B&B”, but that’s something I didn’t say out loud.

I don’t know what the bearded man thought when he saw my silence, but he scratched my head.

[Sorry, brud. I have nothing against you, but I’ll be honest with you. I just recently started training some youngsters as well, so I can understand how you feel. For the off chance that it happens, you’re trying to make those guys strong enough to fight the monsters so that there won’t be any accidents.]

Thereupon, a bitter smile appears on the man’s lips as he looks into the distance, as if he’s reminiscing something.

[There are so many things that could have happened to an adventurer, making you think that if I had been more prepared at that time, or if I had trained more. I know how it feels to be overprotective of those you know. ……However.]

[—————–If you let your ego crush these young buds, I’m not going to forgive you.]

Suddenly, the man stared at me with eyes as sharp as a bird of prey.

When I involuntarily took a step back at his sudden transformation, the man’s expression returned to one of satisfaction.

[……Well, I’ve given my warning. Whether you put this to rest is up to you.]

After saying this, he left with a grin on his face.

Looking at his back as he departed, I wondered.

[—————–In the end, who the heck is that guy?

Left alone, I could do nothing but mutter in a daze.

※　※　※

[Mana. Is that guy an acquaintance of your party?]

The reason the bearded man was so friendly to me might have been because he was acquainted with Mana and Nuku, not me.

Having that in mind, I decided to ask Mana and Nuku, who was in the middle of their break, about that bearded man.

Well, I asked but……

[N- No. I’ve never seen him before.]

Mana looked at the bearded man and apologetically shook her head.

[……I see.]

If that’s the case, I guess he really was just your normal passing preacher uncle who wandered into the training grounds huh.

Just as I was about to conclude that there sure are dangerous guys in this world, Nuku, who arrived behind Mana, brought me the answer.

[That man should be the A-Rank Adventurer, Verteran-san, right?]

Mana and I were both puzzled even when he said that, to which Nuku wryly smiled.

[He’s a member of this town’s top party. He was surrounded by countless Demons, and although he was mortally wounded, he managed to defeat them, and that’s why he’s called the <Immortal Verteran>.]

[A- Ahh, I see.]

When I was randomly casting <Inspect> on people in the town before, there was only one Adventurer with a higher level of skill than the others, and I think that may have been Verteran.

Rather, I would have known who he was if I just used <Inspect>, wouldn’t I?

When I used <Inspect>,  I was shown a Status that certainly looked familiar.

Certainly, his stats is by far the highest of all the Adventurers currently in town, but I can’t help but wonder if this is all it takes for someone to be an A-Rank Adventurer.

Well, the fact that Rex, with a 200 in all stats, can act solo as an A-Rank Adventurer, I guess this guy can call himself an A-Rank Adventurer if he fights in a party.

[……Will we be able to become as strong as him in the future?]

Nuku softly muttered.

He seems like an intellectual, but Nuku’s surprisingly competitive.

Perhaps, he may be getting depressed from the days of training.

[That’s impossible.]

[……I guess so.]

He seemed a little crestfallen upon my words, but it would be troubling if he misunderstands my words.

[—————–Because you guys will far surpass him.]

From the looks of it, Verteran’s aptitudes probably aren’t that high.

Perhaps, he even took some detours in his choice of profession.

I know I can’t really say this as someone with the most inefficient stats, but at any rate, I see a great deal of “laxness” in Verteran’s Status.

As far as I’m concerned, I would never let these guys level up as inefficiently as him.

[However……]

Looking at Nuku, who still seemed anxious, I spoke.

[Listen up. Right now, there’s almost no meaning in discussing whether someone’s a veteran or a beginner. That’s because “the world has changed”, it’s now only whether it’s before the <Goddess of Salvation>’s proclamation and after.]

The maximum duration of the game is two years.

Only two years.

In contrast, there are many Adventurers in this world who have been Adventurers for more than 10 years, or even several decades.

So, how were the “Hero” and his group able to compete with them?

—————–It’s due to the “Goddess’ Divine Protection and the increase in activity of monsters”.

With the Evil Deity sealed away and the Elves’ Deity put to sleep, the Divine Blessings bestowed to the people had been weakened.

Furthermore, the number of monsters, which were supposed to be the material the people needed to “level up”, has almost disappeared with the disappearance of the Evil Deity.

And so, now that the influence of both the <Evil Deity> and the <Goddess of Salvation> has returned, the situation is completely different from before.

During the course of the game, the growth rate of Adventurers can be several or even dozens of times faster than before.

Normally, the “Hero”‘s growth revision would have been added to the equation, and the result would have been even more dramatic, but that would just be asking for too much.

[I’ll tell you what. If you’re still worried, just give me some time.]

[Time?]

It’s easier for them to understand if they have a goal than if they’re just vaguely chasing after strength.

In that sense, that Verteran may be a reasonable goal.

[One year, no…… In half a year.]

—————–Sorry, Verteran.

—————–I have nothing against you either.

It’s just……

I’m not going to be picky with my choices if it’s to make these guys grow stronger.

That’s why……

[—————–In half a year, I’ll have you stronger than that guy.]

I will have you be the “bait” to make them grow!