Black Death Ice Forest (1)

"Now that Cal's evolution has safely concluded, there's something I want to tell everyone."

"What's with the sudden seriousness?"

After doting on Cal for a while, I turned to everyone and broached the subject. Perhaps because I had suddenly adopted such a serious tone, everyone looked confused.

"It's about our clan's next goal."

Although we had reunited, we had nothing that could be called a purpose or goal as a clan. For now, everyone was simply doing whatever they wanted, and I didn't think there was anything wrong with that. Apparently, some clans imposed quotas, but that didn't suit us, nor was it to my personal taste.

However, we had gone to the trouble of creating a community called a clan. Wouldn't it be fun for all of us to accomplish something together?

"As a clan, huh? So, Izam, do you have anything in mind?"

"I have a proposal. First, take a look at this."

Saying that, I took an item from my inventory and showed it to Shiitake, who had 【Appraisal】. She understood what I meant, appraised it, and then let out a bizarre cry.

"Dragon Orb!? Dragon God!? What is this!?"

"This is an item I obtained during the 'Azure Moon Trial.'"

"Oh, the one you showed that huge dragon, right?"

"Indeed. I intend to return this to the Dragon God-sama."

It was pure coincidence that the map I received from Grave Keeper-dono showed Vetus Floating Island, also known as the Dragon's Paradise. However, there was no reason not to take advantage of that coincidence. After explaining what kind of item the Dragon Orb was, I got to the main point.

"According to the information we gathered in Birdy Perch, there's a legend about a place called the 'Dragon Holy Land' far to the northeast of here. I propose that our clan aim for that 'Dragon Holy Land.'"

"Sounds interesting, brother! I'm in!"

Jigoro was the first to agree. He must have predicted that aiming for the 'Dragon Holy Land' would inevitably lead us to encounter powerful people. For the same reason, those eager to grow stronger, such as Genjuro and Sei, agreed as well.

"There might be unknown materials there!"

"There'll be things we can use for 【Alchemy】, too. Dragons being ingredients for panaceas is a standard trope, right?"

The production group was enthusiastic as well. Apparently, encountering new materials was just as appealing as I had expected.

"Um, can I ask one question?"

"What is it, Shifune?"

A hand had gone up from an unexpected quarter. If anyone had an opinion, I wanted them to speak up freely. It wouldn't be fun if they were harboring misgivings.

"Going is fine, but when are we going? It's not going to be right now, is it? I was planning to log out in a little while today..."

"Of course, I intend to choose a day when everyone's schedules line up. I don't plan on going today. And naturally, not on a weekday."

"Phew, what a relief!"

Shifune let out a sigh of relief. I couldn't very well tell everyone to sacrifice their real lives for a game, nor did I have any intention of doing so. If we ended up unable to live our lives before we could even enjoy the game, that would defeat the whole purpose.

"Then can I ask one too?"

"What is it, Wool?"

"This is a very game-like way of thinking, but we can't just go straight to the Holy Land, can we?"

Oh, that was perceptive. Wool had a laid-back air about him, but there was no doubt that he was quick to catch on.

I had intended to return the Dragon Orb ever since I came to Birdy Perch. I had gathered information for that purpose, and to draw it out, I had to indulge several unreasonable demands from Haze, a Birdian who looked like an intellectual yakuza, and Saicho, a figure who seemed to be the boss of the artisans. The result was that I learned I could never reach the place by myself, which was why I had kept quiet until now.

"That's right. There's one major obstacle to reaching the 'Dragon Holy Land.'"

"What is it?"

"First, northeast of Birdy Perch is a field called the 'Gale Grasslands.' That won't be a problem. Apparently, the monsters that appear there are around level 20 to 30."

"And then?"

"The problem comes after that. Beyond the 'Gale Grasslands' lies the 'Black Death Ice Forest'—a freezing coniferous forest surrounding the 'Dragon Holy Land,' perpetually covered in thick black clouds that even Birdians cannot fly through."

◆◇◆◇◆◇

――――――――――

You won the battle.

You defeated the Field Boss, Storm Lion.

You received rewards and 5 SP.

From next time onward, you may choose whether to fight a Field Boss.

Your Race level has increased. You acquired 1 SP.

Your Job level has increased. You acquired 1 SP.

Your 【Dark Magic】 level has increased.

You learned a new spell: Black Hole.

Your 【Dark Magic】 has reached its growth limit. SP is required to break through the limit.

Your 【Summoning】 level has increased.

Your 【Talisman Arts】 level has increased.

Your 【Necromancy】 level has increased.

Your 【Spirit Magic】 level has increased.

You have learned the Jailer Summoning spell.

Your 【Assassination Arts】 level has increased.

――――――――――

When I checked everyone's schedules afterward, the following Sunday was open for everyone. So on the weekdays and Saturday, we focused on leveling up, preparing, and clearing the preliminary stage, the 'Gale Grasslands.'

The 'Gale Grasslands' was a peaceful place, just as the information we had gathered beforehand suggested. No, that wasn't quite right. The problem was that our levels weren't appropriate for it. This was what Appraisal revealed about the boss.

――――――――――

Race: Storm Lion Lv35

Job: Lord of the Grasslands Lv5

Skill: 【Great Fangs】

【Mighty Claws】

【Physical Enhancement】

【Strength Enhancement】

【Defense Enhancement】

【Intelligence Enhancement】

【Storm Magic】

【Enchantment】

【Assassination Arts】

【Slashing Resistance】

【Roar】

【Command】

【Leadership】

【Wind Aura】

――――――――――

It was by no means weak. Centered around the boss, Storm Lion, a number of Wind Lions equal to the size of our party appeared as its minions and attacked us with advanced coordination. A party in the level 20s would have almost no chance of winning, and even one in the level 30s would struggle if its coordination didn't function properly.

However, it could hardly be called an opponent for us, since everyone's level was above 40. Once we had decided when to explore, Jigoro and I went there immediately as a preliminary scouting trip, and killed it in an instant.

Everything had gone smoothly up to that point. But when we reached the boundary between the 'Gale Grasslands' and the 'Black Death Ice Forest,' the air of complacency among us vanished in an instant. It was blatantly obvious, even from the outside, that the forest was extremely dangerous.

As the limited information had indicated, the 'Black Death Ice Forest' was constantly covered by thick black clouds. It also seemed to be snowing constantly, and the central area, where the 'Dragon Sanctuary' was presumably located, appeared to be caught in a blizzard. The sounds of fierce battles frequently came from the forest, along with terrifying death cries. It was easy to understand why the people of Birdy Perch considered it too dangerous to even approach.

After that, we explored the outer edges several times. The monsters that appeared were in their forties, which could be considered an appropriate level for us. The difficulty was perfect for leveling up, and everything seemed to be going our way.

We confirmed that it was incredibly cold during those expeditions. So we obtained Wool's fleece and molted feathers from the people of Birdy Perch, and had Iris make cold-weather gear for us. It seemed that accessories capable of protecting against the cold could be made using drop items from the monsters of the 'Black Death Ice Forest,' so I had Iris work hard on those as well. Some of us, like me, didn't need cold-weather gear, so it was a relief that we didn't have to prepare a set for everyone.

Since we had no information about the monsters that would appear, we prepared a wide variety of items. We had enough potions for recovering from every kind of status ailment, offensive items, and talismans of every attribute for everyone.

In addition, our 【Necromancy】 and 【Talisman Arts】 levels had risen sufficiently, so we had finished Kanna's Jiangshi transformation. The procedure succeeded without a hitch, and she had transformed from a High Human into a Hero Jiangshi. She had become an Undead-type Race like me, so we were also having her take Light Attribute damage while logged out to overcome 【Light Attribute Vulnerability】—the same damage-farming method I had used long ago. Her progress was apparently going smoothly.

Incidentally, the 'Hero' in her name was thanks to her having won the martial arts tournament. Apparently, the condition was to be recognized by a certain number of NPCs or players as someone who had left behind a heroic achievement. But how did the system judge players, as opposed to NPCs? The criteria were a mystery.

Furthermore, we had everyone clear the area before the scheduled date and set up a tent near the 'Black Death Ice Forest,' creating a simple campsite. On the day before our departure, everyone made this their login point, putting us in a position to begin exploring the 'Black Death Ice Forest' immediately. I could proudly say that we had finished every preparation we could make.

As for me, I had gained two Martial Techniques and eight Spells. I should go over them now.

First, the Whip Tail Martial Technique from 【Tail Strike】. It flexes the tail like a whip and slams it down at high speed. It's simple, but it leaves few openings and has a straightforward motion, making it easy to use. It has also been extremely useful as a means of keeping Jigoro in check during our practice matches.

As for Beheading from 【Scythe Arts】, it's an extreme Martial Technique that greatly increases damage to the neck, but deals less damage than a normal attack if it hits anywhere else. Scythes are traditionally considered the weapon of the Grim Reaper, but as a mage, if an enemy's neck is within scythe range, I'm already in serious danger. I probably won't use it very often.

Next, let's move on to magic. The first is Ice Rain from 【Water-Ice Magic】, a Spell that makes ice projectiles like icicles fall like rain. This one is incredibly easy to use. It might be the most versatile Spell I've gained since 【Water Magic】 evolved.

The second is Air Hammer from 【Storm Magic】, a Spell that punches an enemy with a mass of air. Unusually for a Wind Attribute attack, it has the Blunt Attribute. It would probably be devastating against an opponent like me, who has 【Blunt Vulnerability】. I have overcome 【Light Attribute Vulnerability】, but I still need to be careful of Blunt attacks.

The third is Evil Tree Summoning from 【Tree Magic】. It's something like a limited form of 【Summoning】. Apparently, it can temporarily summon an Evil Tree to fight. It seems like it has plenty of potential, but doesn't 【Tree Magic】 have any direct offensive options besides Thorn Whip!?

The fourth is Lava Pillar from 【Lava Magic】, a Spell that creates a pillar of lava like the other Pillar-type Spells. Unlike flames, lava remains in a thick, sluggish pool, so I have to consider where to use it, but there's no denying that it's powerful. It should definitely come in handy.

The fifth is Sand Blade from 【Sandstorm Magic】, a Spell that slices enemies with a blade formed from sand. Its range is narrower than Sandstorm's, but its direct offensive power is extremely high. Compared with the similar Wind Blade, it's slower and easier to see, but makes up for that with greater power. It might prove useful in more situations than expected.

The sixth is Poison Mist from 【Smoke Magic】, a Spell that produces a poisonous fog, just as its name suggests. It's a rare Spell outside of 【Curse Arts】 that can inflict a status ailment, and unlike 【Curse Arts】, which basically can only target one person, it's an area attack. It might wreak havoc in group battles.

The seventh is Black Hole from 【Dark Magic】, a Spell that creates a black sphere that tries to suck in everything around it. Once you're sucked in, pressure is applied from every direction—front, back, left, right, above, and below. Its power is immense, as one would expect from a Spell learned after reaching a growth limit.

The last, the eighth, is Jailer Summoning from 【Spirit Magic】. Apparently, it summons a type of monster called a jailer from Hell. I haven't used it yet because of what happened in the 'Ancient Abandoned City,' but I imagine it's powerful as well. However... when I consider that it might bring out something utterly impossible to control like last time, I hesitate to use it recklessly.

Izam, everyone's here."

Oh, is that so?"

Hehe. I suppose everyone was looking forward to it, just as I was."

Hahaha, that's right."

Today was the day we were heading to the 'Black Death Ice Forest.' Even though it was much earlier than the appointed meeting time, everyone had already gathered. I was no exception; setting out on an adventure into a new area filled us all with a giddy mix of apprehension and anticipation.

I know we're old enough to know better, but I think it's the game's fault for being so much fun! None of this is our fault!

Then let's set out at a leisurely pace. As I said, we have almost no information about the area around our destination. Let's go without letting our guard down!"

"Yeah!"

...What am I, some kind of teacher leading a field trip?"

Nanako said something, but I ignored her. And so, we began our campaign to clear the 'Black Death Ice Forest.'