Tropical Rainforest Rimba Hitam, Area 3, somewhere in southern Durigarda.
-Slash!
Ian was there, endlessly cutting down the monsters that swarmed toward her.
“Haa… haa…”
It had already been two days since she’d begun living like this.
An ordinary human could have died and it would not have been strange, but Ian was still alive.
Her current level was 22.
Because in this rainforest, there was no enemy that could stand against Ian.
But even she was gradually nearing her limit.
Her vision blurred, and her entire body refused to obey her properly.
Even so, she did not stop swinging her sword.
“Die… die…”
Another monster was torn to shreds.
Yes, this was nothing more than simple venting.
A tantrum against herself, who had mistaken herself for strong yet had overcome nothing at all.
Because she remembered.
Naira, Veronica, Lily, Aya, and Zola, whom she had nearly killed, and even those who had already left her side…
“Yuri, Haze, Gliana. I… I…”
Even the faces of those three.
What was she supposed to do?
Was there a way to forget their faces and escape from this guilt?
Chasing an answer, seeking a place to die, Ian swung her sword again and again.
And so two nights passed, and the third morning sun rose.
Only then, having used up all her strength, Ian dropped her sword and leaned against a tree, staring up at the sky.
“I really hate this…”
She had resolved that she would never let them die this time, yet belated self-loathing welled up inside her for having driven them to the brink of death.
This was why she had decided never to be in a party.
Ian had no confidence that she could endure the weight of lives pressing down on her shoulders.
And yet the reason she had stayed with them was because she had liked the warmth people gave in this cruel world.
Talking together, walking together, fighting back-to-back.
The sense of peace she gained in each of those moments had been terribly warm.
Though she could no longer do that now.
Ian sank down where she was and cast her gaze forward.
A monster she had failed to finish off approached her.
Vines stretched out to strangle Ian’s neck.
That was when it happened.
-Slash!
The monster was split in half.
And a woman in black appeared in front of Ian.
“Kalinia?”
“What are you doing here?”
Search Captain Kalinia.
At her appearance, Ian gave a bitter laugh.
“How did you even know I was here?”
Kalinia pointed at Ian’s clothes.
“I put tracking magic on your clothes for times like this. As the captain, confirming the life or death of my members is also an important duty.”
“You’re seriously meticulous in the most useless ways.”
Ian had never imagined that what she had thought was just clothing would have such a function, and she let out a hollow laugh.
Meanwhile, Kalinia sat down beside her and handed Ian a water flask.
“So what were you doing?”
“None of your business. I was going to go back when the time came.”
“For that, you looked as if you were determined to die.”
Struck where it hurt, Ian shut her mouth.
It was true that she had half given up on living, so she only stared at the innocent ground.
Silence drifted between the two of them.
Ian was the first to speak.
“Kalinia.”
“Yes.”
“Do you remember all of your subordinates who died?”
“What a strange thing to ask.”
Kalinia looked up at the sky and gave a bitter smile.
“Of course I remember them. From Kailam and Zulmar, who were once assigned to watch you, to Taraka, my first adjutant. I carry them all here, in my heart.”
Of course, their faces and voices tended to fade as time passed, but their names were something she could not forget.
Even so, Ian could not understand Kalinia, who spoke of it so calmly.
“Then how can you be fine?”
“Heh… Is that how it looks to you?”
Kalinia shook her head.
“There’s no way I’m fine. It’s hard. I simply don’t show it.”
“Why?”
“Because it doesn’t help. I am the captain. If I become uneasy, what will the other members think?”
That was why, even if her insides rotted black and the furrows of emotion deepened, she wore the steadfast mask of the search captain.
Because that was her duty, and her atonement to those who had left before her.
Kalinia never showed weakness in front of anyone.
Ian asked another question.
“Isn’t it heavy?”
“It is. But that is my role. So I simply do it.”
“…You’re a strong person.”
“No. I’m just an ordinary person you could find anywhere.”
But in Ian’s eyes, Kalinia was dazzling.
Even though she knew Kalinia was an NPC, in that moment, she seemed more human than any person who existed in reality.
Kalinia rose from her seat and held out a hand to Ian.
“Let’s head back soon. Everyone is waiting.”
“…All right.”
Nothing had been resolved.
But simply knowing that there was someone similar to herself gave Ian a small measure of comfort, and she followed Kalinia back to the outpost.
The outpost she returned to after three days had changed somewhat from before.
There were a few people she had not seen before, and the dark elves’ expressions seemed much more at ease.
Just then, Emily happened to step out of a tent, spotted Ian, and approached her with a face full of anger.
“Where have you been?”
“Mm… Well, I was just sorting out my thoughts?”
“Haa… Who sorts out their thoughts for three days without saying a word? Tch. Well, as long as you’re alive.”
Seeing that made Ian feel a little sorry.
At the same time, she was happy.
Because the feeling that someone was worrying about her was as warm as being held in someone’s arms.
Ian was scratching the back of her neck with an awkward smile when it happened.
“More importantly, Ian, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“The boss has been found.”
As Ian stood there flustered by the sudden news, Emily continued calmly.
“In two days, we’ll begin the raid.”
***
After the players cleared the quest, one change occurred in Area 3, Durigarda.
The path leading south was opened to the players.
That was also why Ian had been able to wander around that area.
And during the three days she wandered, the players were able to discover it.
An enormous ancient tree standing at the center of the south.
It was the remains of the World Tree, which had once breathed life into this land.
[Lv 23. Contaminated World Tree: Malignora]
Durigarda’s boss, the Contaminated World Tree Malignora.
News that the boss had appeared quickly spread not only through the west, but even to the east.
What it looked like, what level it was, what form the boss room took, and so on.
Players who wanted to subjugate the boss gathered at the western outpost.
But on the day of the raid,
Emily, the raid leader, could not hide her bewilderment when she saw the people gathered at the outpost.
“This is everyone?”
The number of people currently gathered at the western outpost was thirty-four in total.
Excluding the twenty who had originally stayed here, only fourteen players had come over from the east.
Considering that sixty people had gathered in Area 2, their numbers had been reduced by nearly half.
The other players watching also voiced their concern.
“Wouldn’t it be better to postpone the raid a little?”
“That’s right. We’re far too short on people. With this many, it’s impossible.”
“But it’s already been over a week. We can’t delay the raid any longer here.”
“That doesn’t mean going in like this isn’t suicide. You saw it too. How enormous that boss is.”
The boss of Area 3 this time, Malignora, was a monster so enormous that it made the Juggernaut or Solar Bloom they had faced before look like children.
On top of that, considering what had happened in Area 2, the prevailing opinion was that leaving midway would be impossible this time as well.
So they had to attempt the raid in perfect condition…
But raiding under the current circumstances, with such a gap in their numbers, was extremely dangerous.
“How did it end up like this?”
It was not as if they had lacked time.
They had not been given a whole month like in Area 1, but now that things had gotten somewhat on track, it had been enough time.
In the end, there was only one conclusion.
The raid in Area 2 had planted fear in people’s hearts.
Only one chance was given.
There was no path to escape, and with unforeseen attacks, you or the comrade beside you could die at any moment.
After experiencing a raid like that, anyone would easily fall into despair.
And no one could criticize them for it.
Because they knew that fact, the people gathered here could not blame those who had not come.
And the people’s gazes naturally had no choice but to turn toward Emily, their leader.
Would they proceed like this, or promise to do it another time?
Everyone waited for her to open her mouth.
After thinking for a moment, Emily spoke.
“Let’s try.”
“Miss Emily, are you serious?”
She gave a bitter smile and nodded.
“They’re all afraid. Then even if time passes, they won’t come.”
Just like the players holed up in Staria.
No matter how much they were told to come out and fight together, they would not listen.
If so, there was only one way to call them back to the battlefield.
“So we have to win. And overwhelmingly.”
Even if the raid seemed impossible, they had to successfully complete it and show them hope.
Emily took a flag out of her inventory.
“Let’s try using this.”
“That’s… the one Arca gave you, isn’t it? What is it?”
“It’s a Guild Founding Charter.”
At the mention of a guild, people looked at Emily in surprise.
Though she had taken it out confidently, the truth was that even Emily did not know what effects a guild had.
However, as a reward for the highest contribution, it was a gamble worth taking.
Right now, they were in no position to be weighing every little thing.
Emily struck the flag hard against the ground.
A clear sound rang out among the people.
At that moment, a gentle light spread out, and a window appeared before Emily’s eyes.
[Please decide the guild name.]
After thinking briefly, she wrote a name.
[Arcadia Vanguard]
[Would you like to confirm this name?]
Emily pressed the confirm button.
Immediately afterward, information that had never before been revealed to the world appeared before her eyes for the first time.
[Guild Name: Arcadia Vanguard]
[Guild Master: Emily]
[Guild Rank: Grade 1]
[Guild Members: 1/20]
[Guild Buff: None]