Chapter 177: Fishing
My current abilities weren't great. There was also advice from the First Spirit, so I didn't hunt monsters. I had a few Transcendental Realm skills, but they were still worse than this mere Lord. I was weak except for my race.
And the natives couldn't see my race.
"Well done! Drug hero! How come he treats me, the most popular and beautiful First Spirit in the universe, like a fly? And for your companions, my children and I are more than enough!"
The First Spirit praised me, waving her legs back and forth over my head.
"You are not my companions but freeloaders."
"Building owners and residents are in a symbiotic relationship. A building owner with many empty buildings is doomed to collapse. Remember that."
"Almost everyone in the world is living in an empty building, though?"
And I, who lived while being molested by these spirits, was unusual.
"You are not a human being; you are a spirit. Anyway, you're a spirit, and spirits can't live alone. This is what the world's wisest First Spirit says, so don't ever doubt it. It is the established theory of the natural world! "
"…"
In the 1st playthrough, the number of comrades in my party didn't increase indefinitely. Would those who have never had an adventure in their life adapt well, even though new comrades entered freely without my consent? They were eliminated in the middle of adventure after becoming nuisances. Fortunately, those who could adapt instead died in dungeon exploration or combat.
In that sense, the Sword King Alex was amazing. After all, he didn't die and followed me to the Demon King's castle even though the leech Lanuvel walked away after being buried in a collapsed dungeon.
"My Lord. Are you still going to make comments about my comrade over and over?"
"Uh…."
"If you do not want to see your beautiful wife's waist bent, you'd be better to listen to this hero."
Whether the husband was right or not, I put my hand on the head of the lady as I spoke.
"T-tell me! Then please spare my wife…!"
The Lord, whose chin was swollen, raised the white flag without hesitation. He was more worried about his wife than his pain. I went for a fair deal to respect his wishes.
"First, release the heroes. No matter what, they're still people. My hands might slip because I get choked up by the bad food. You must not do this to a valuable guest who'll save the world. Am I wrong?"
"Hero, you are right! My wife, please!"
The Dumpling King of the Central Continent was left stranded by the Queen, but this Lord also cared about his wife dearly. I continued with the smile of a righteous hero.
"My Lord, I will trust your upright love. If you disappoint me, I'll throw the First Lady to the Goblins."
"T-that…!"
"Do you understand?"
"Yes! I will never let that happen!"
We finished talking in that friendly atmosphere.
*
Class F heroes who almost lost their precious sphincters forever were freed from torture by the great MAX-level hero! But with as much as a slightly stretched sphincter, they lost their spirit and needed some time until they restored their bodies and minds. Then, more than thirty people were summoned and joined us.
There were a hundred and one people in total.
"Hehe, Hehehe…"
"You…!"
Originally, two people escaped, but the couple I met in the Elf Mountains rejoined us. It was a very special situation.
"You don't regress but are resurrected."
It was similar to an RPG where a character died and restarted after receiving some penalties. In other words, they couldn't escape from here even if they died. Then you may think it's okay to die indefinitely, but the couple's level and skills had dropped quite a bit.
► Hope: Cadet Kang Han-soo. You're going to help with this, right?
That's what I'm going to do, Miss Trainee Teacher. After all, I'm an intrusive and righteous MAX-Class hero. It isn't because of the report card at all.
First, I had to somehow grow the heroes who were weaker than the residents. The resurrected student couple had abilities similar to Goblins, but the other newbies were still Level 1. They were going to be swept away like dust at this rate. Fortunately, among these misfortunes, heroes had the perks of Experience Point 500%. It wasn't a dream to become strong quickly if they used it well.
This was the land of opportunity. On the ordinary Fantasy Continent, there were fewer monsters over Level 500. This was because the level was high only when the monster group's boss was around. So at some point, their level stagnated. It was the same with my 1st playthrough, and it continued to be like that afterward.
But what about now?
"You're weaker than the currently passing Villager A. The sin of attacking a good Lord that loves his wife was covered with our good conversation. This estate is safe, so don't worry and work on your growth. "
The presence of Level 500 or stronger monsters was quite common in this entrance exam center. Someday they would be stagnant, but the continent would sink in the aftermath of battle before then.
Why? The ability of living beings in this dimension had increased dramatically. On the other hand, what about the continent? This fragile land didn't receive such a benefit at all. If the stamina of the Western Continent was at 500HP, it was okay if violent heroes and monsters destroyed nature in battle and reduced a total of 5HP.
However, this entrance exam center is different. The stamina of the Western Continent remained the same at 500HP, but if enhanced heroes and monsters fight, about 200HP would be cut instantly. It's like the goalpost would be destroyed when a basketball player dunked, making the situation difficult to play in!
"Wait! Who the hell are you to tell us what to – Kuugh?
"Other questions?"
The hundred summoned heroes went silent. Although, unfortunately, one person dropped out due to an accident, we would meet again tomorrow.
I wasn't disappointed. The heroes were largely divided into four categories: returnees and newbies, with their sphincters intact, and the ones that were a bit loose. Gender, age, nationality, and appearance were meaningless here. This was because Combat Power was all that was necessary to survive in the Western Continent.
They had to be able to manage themselves. I defined heroes who had regressed, experience, and had strong sphincter muscles as B-Class. Those who were still Level 1 but had a safe sphincter with a rosy and bright future were the C-Class. Those with a devastated body and mind, but were still a bit useful thanks to their abilities built up, were D-Class, and the rest were E-Class.
"What we're going to do from now on is get delicious food. As you may know, a river flows to the east of this estate, and there are many plump fishes in this river. It looks like some people also catch them. That's right. What you're going to do today is take over the river."
"Fish…!"
"Fish, you say?!"
"Oh! Fish!"
The once dead eyes of the heroes gained a new semblance of life. It certainly motivated them, who ate only Lucifer for two days.
I went on to explain.
"From now on, we'll divide the mission. B-Class will organize the path from the land to the river. C-Class is in charge of fishing, D-Class will escort the fish cart, and E-Class will pull the cart and carry the fish. Do you have any questions?"
"Sliced raw fish…"
"Grilled fish…"
"Spicy fish stew…"
The heroes accepted without complaint. The cart to carry the fishes was borrowed from the Lord, and armor was prepared cheaply using Lucifer pupae and bone.
Then we departed vigorously!
► Admiration: I was surprised. Cadet Kang Han-soo, who is normally reluctant to work with his colleagues, has the talent to lead the pack.
Miss Trainee Teacher, I'd be disappointed if you meant that. Born from the womb of a princess who was in exile, I conquered half of the North Continent with my cute little hands at the age of one and became emperor.
It's not surprising for the MAX-Class hero, who received a good evaluation like "The emperor is cute!" to lead a hundred of these lowly fellows.
► Agreed: Come to think of it, yes. I was surprised, too, after seeing Kang Han-soo as the cutest hero chosen by the natives of Fantasy.
My cuteness is like a science, Miss Trainee Teacher. My mother said that I was so cute when I was young that she couldn't hit me with a tennis racket no matter how much I cried or threw a tantrum.
"I-it's Orcs!"
"Do not back off! We can do it! "
"There is a fish in front of us!"
"Wuaaaaa!"
As soon as we left the safe zone of the estate, a crisis descended upon us. Although I shared the role of catches to match their abilities, it was necessary to make a way to the river together for now.
Their roles were up to change, too. I was willing to raise those who recovered quickly or gave a good first impression among the newbies to A-Class and give them special guidance. On the contrary, I thought of using those who fell to F-Class as manure manufacturing.
Anyway…
"Gugu!"
"Bubu…!"
"VUVU!"
Ten orcs appeared in front of them. Their purpose was to take the female humans to help heat their bodies in the cold Western Continent and the male humans for food, as they tasted better than Lucifer. The orcs' abilities were higher than a goblin's.
▷ Race: Orc
▷ Level: 956
▷ Job: Rogue (Weak → Luck ↑)
▷ Skill: Stamina SSS Endurance SS Resistance SS Wild Nature SS Muscle Strength SS …
▷ Status: Excited, Madness
If this were the ordinary Fantasy Continent, these orcs would have knocked down the hero and taken away the beautiful females to create a harem. But this, too, was unusual because we had a hundred heroes here!
"Attack…!"
"Kuu…!"
There was no room for negotiations, and they collided head-on without either side backing down even a step. Their willpower was magnificent like they fought a great battle that risked the fate of mankind. The returnee students faced the orcs with their unique skills, which they had built up through numerous adventures. Sword, magic, martial arts, divinity…
But the orcs were also formidable. If this were the ordinary Fantasy Continent, it would have been an easy battle. Yet now, they were masters of martial arts wearing pig masks.
"Puuuu!"
"Kugh!"
"Aaaargh?!"
"Kaargh?!"
The orcs made subtle hand gestures with expressions that seemed to have no interest in anything but mating. Every time they put their fists or feet down, heroes fell.
Still, God did not abandon the heroes.
"Ah?! Don't look-!"
"Fufu…!"
The breasts and hips of the female heroes were exposed in all directions as their crude armor was destroyed. The orcs' eyes were fixed on those steep valleys. Although their skills and abilities had improved, their mental state remained the same as ordinary orcs.
Pugh! Pugh! Pugh!
Orcs, who were deceived by beauty, collapsed one by one.
"I hope that in the future life, you will be born as a race with females as well. Mollan."
While observing the situation from afar, I prayed for the peace of the orcs, who were eventually eradicated. Still, the heroes suffered considerable damage. The female heroes who were attacked gently for capture were disarmed, but the male heroes treated as mating rivals were killed or seriously injured.
Still, the overall Combat Power didn't decrease. This was because the ten heroes who killed ten orcs grew rapidly.
"Hiplia."
And with the resurrection ability of Saint H, a hundred people were once again marching. Their armaments were also replenished with the spares loaded into the carts. After all, the adventures of the heroes must continue.
After a half-day struggle, we were able to reach the wide, blue river.
"Fish~ Clam~♬"
"Tuna~ Shrimp~♪"
"Salmon~ Mackerel~♬"
Self-composed songs were heard from all over the party. Many fools couldn't tell the difference between freshwater and seawater, but I left them alone because it was too much to ask for sanity from people who died and have been revived multiple times.
"It's a big fish!"
One of the heroes fishing in the middle of the river with a fishing rod and net borrowed from the Lord shouted. It wasn't an exaggeration or a joke. His fishing rod bent as it would break at any moment. A very big one must have bit it.
"I'll help you!"
"Let's hold it together!"
"Fighting!"
The heroes stopped what they were doing and flocked to it, helping pull the fishing rod together.
"Ooh!"
"Oooh!"
Finally, the black back of the fish appeared on the surface. But somehow, the size didn't stop and kept growing as it breached the surface. It kept getting bigger and bigger…
Shaaaash – Gulp
The fish jumped out of the water and swept away the clumped-up people. It swallowed up a hundred people in an instant.
Then it leisurely returned to the river.
"…I need to re-plan the strategy."
"Greee?"
Gulping, gulping…
Immediately after catching the fish and putting it on Green Cake's back, I felt the need to reinforce our strategy. I knew these hometown friends were weak, but they were too weak.