Chapter 296 Part 1
I’ve logged in.
The time is 5:50am.
The location is the Silent Bamboo Woods.
Well…
Bustling Bamboo Woods?
Or maybe Noisy Bamboo Woods would be a more appropriate name?
There’s too many people!
There are no NPCs, just players.
Well, that’s very understandable.
I didn’t notice this last night, but it seems like a lot of the bamboo around here has been cut down.
I wonder if it’s okay to do that?
I’ve heard that we are taking temporary protective measures, but I didn’t expect them to be this big!
Well then.
I summon only Volff and go to the usual place.
There’s a nice smell in the air.
I wonder how Volff, who has a sharper sense of smell than me, feels this smell?
I’m sure it smells different for him.
Still, the smell’s got my attention.
It’s roasted bamboo shoots, right?
I hope there are still some left for me.
「Ah, good morning, Keith!」
「Oh, good morning.」
The front of the temporary small hut that Reina had built here is looking very lively.
Meals are being served.
Yuka is in charge of serving.
There are also quite a few Production players that I’m not familiar with working here to serve other players as well.
But no one is being charged for their meals.
So are we being treated?
Well, I’ll gladly accept your kind offer!
「Everyone is in the back. Please, go ahead.」
「Oh, thank you.」
Before my eyes I see yet another small hut made of bamboo.
Bamboo is so convenient!
Should I cut down some bamboo too?
Well, I don’t really have time for that.
「So, the composition of the majority of our forces is basically the same parties as always, huh?」
「Yeah. We’ve tried everything we’ve got.」
「Still, with this many people as part of our large-scale battle formation, we should be able to manage, right?」
「According to the scout team, the number of monsters that were coming ahead of the rest has been reduced by half.」
「Though that’s because the monsters have dispersed.」
「There are some monsters that we haven’t been able to defeat yet.」
「It is true that the number of monsters is decreasing. Well, we’ll have to give it a try.」
Hmm.
After all, I want to sit down and eat.
There’s something else on my mind.
That’s right, I’m checking yesterday’s footage while eating.
But what about the conversation?
Well, I’m also listening to that.
As expected, I couldn’t resist the temptation to do this.
Stats
DEX 20
AGI 20
INT 32
STR 20
VIT 20
SPI 32
These are my stats.
At base values, that is.
Then I check what they look like after applying the buffs I normally use.
4 different physical strengthening spells, and 2 mental ones.
This is what happens after I use Gravity Mail:
Stats
DEX 20 (+3)
AGI 20 (+7)
INT 32 (+5)
STR 20 (+7)
VIT 20 (+7)
SPI 32 (+5)
Then after True Fighting Spirit…
I should see increases across the board.
Stats
DEX 20 (+9)
AGI 20 (+13)
INT 32 (+14)
STR 20 (+13)
VIT 20 (+13)
SPI 32 (+14)
Whoa!
It’s been quite a long time, but I’ve never checked this before.
Have I really been fighting with these stats?
Though I haven’t been prudent enough so far.
And how do they look after Boosted Power?
Stats
DEX 20 (+9)
AGI 20 (+13)
INT 32 (-9)
STR 20 (+40)
VIT 20 (+13)
SPI 32 (+14)
Come back.
Come back to the realm of humans.
This turns me into a full-fledged berserker, doesn’t it?!
And it doesn’t end there.
I still have to account for stat-boosting items.
STR with Power Water.
INT with Suttungr’s Nectar (S).
SPI with Modgud’s Tears.
There are many ways to reach monstrous stats, huh?
I can see that.
For the most part, at least.
Knowing which method to use against a tough-looking opponent should be enough.
Should I save this video to an external link?
「I wonder if Keith is listening?」
「Uh, what were you talking about?」
「He really wasn’t listening, huh?」
「Definitely.」
Margrid and Saki call me out.
All I can do is grin.
「A message from Fiona?」
「It says that she’d like all the participating Summoners to act together as a union. Same as last time.」
「Well, I don’t mind that.」
「This will also be another temporary Summoner gathering!」
「Understood. This does have a track record after all.」
Both Adele and Irina are motivated.
They logged out early yesterday.
When I asked them, they said that they’ll be able to stick around until late tonight.
Thanks for making an effort to adjust your schedule today.
The number of Production players has now been reduced by half.
It also seems that Fiona will be logging in at around 10 AM.
I can also see the unions advancing from within the area portal.
The actual large-scale battle will take place in the afternoon.
So we’re pretty much free to do whatever we want until then?
What should I do?
That’s kind of what was on my mind.
I’m glad I asked Rick to make the calculations for yesterday’s spoils in advance.
Being able to complete various requests before finishing my meal is very helpful.
After I finished eating, Adele and Irina took me to a corner of the Silent Bamboo Woods.
It looks like a temporary animal kingdom.
A “Bamboo Woods Zoo” of sorts.
There are Summoners in this area, which had most of its bamboo cut down.
Of course, all of their Summoned Monsters were here too.
Horses, Hawks, Owls, Fairies, and Wolves.
Is this today’s Summoner army?
Even though we can do pretty much whatever we want…
Will we be able to accomplish much with this kind of power?
「When did you make contact with the Slave Beast – Turtlesnake at the lead of the monster army?」
「It seems that a large-scale battle is going to happen in the afternoon.」
「It looks like we should continue to crush as many monsters as we can until then!」
As I watch Haruna and Konohana talking with Adele, a thought crosses my mind.
Going hunting with this force?
Just hunting is boring.
Many players will probably go hunting for monsters to defeat near the area where the Slave Beast – Turtlesnake is coming from.
The Slave Beast – Turtlesnake is marching towards here from the north side.
There are currently fewer monsters around that Slave Beast – Turtlesnake.
If we can reduce their numbers a little more, the Slave Beast – Turtlesnake will be completely exposed.
How far can we go with just the strength of our Summoners?
I’m a little curious about that.
Also, there are many players who have Skills that I don’t have.
Like the ability to use a Bow.
In addition, we have a considerable amount of strong aerial units.
There are two Majins on top of the Slave Beast – Turtlesnake’s head.
What if we could get rid of them?
If they’re behind whatever is nullifying every spell we cast around the turtle, I’d like to get rid of them before anything else.
「What are you going to do today?」
「Before deciding that, there’s something I want to know. How many people are there?」
「I guess there are about 70 Summoners?」
「To be exact, we currently have 72 Summoners at our disposal!」
Haruna and Konohana answered my question.
Of these 72 Summoners, 30 have already undergone a Class Change.
If you include their Summoned Monsters, the total number of our forces would be close to 400.
Hmm…
It’s a small army.
「Even though we are these many to fight that army of monsters, I wonder where should we meet them.」
「I think we should go as far north as we can.」
「Huh?」
What does Irina’s face look like?
Half of it says 『No way!』
The other half says 『I knew it.』
Her face is somewhere around those two expressions.
That’s right.
What I want to hunt isn’t just the army of monsters that Slave Beast – Turtlesnake is leading.
I want to hunt those Majins too.
And the Slave Beast – Turtlesnake itself as well.
Having said that, you don’t even have any intention of dealing with him properly, do you?
They haven’t even fought those Obsidian Beasts yet.
But I think it would be nice if we could at least get rid of those Majins.
Well, let’s just give it a try.
「Time to get ready to leave, let’s go!」
The Summoners in the area begin to move.
There were some familiar faces.
Hyodor and Heraclius.
It seems they had already solidified their lineup, so after leaving their thanks at the table, they headed towards the area portal.
The Summoners following them also looked familiar.
Or should I say…
The girls that are always chasing after Hyodor?
Ah, but I need to summon my monsters too.
Who’s joining Volff?
Zangetsu, Helix, Couturier, and Kyokuya.
Then we join the other Summoners’ ranks.
Now, our destination is northwest!
Why am I at the lead of the march?
Well, there’s no point dwelling on that.
And today, we’re moving at a relatively slow pace…
Not to mention us Class Changed.
Even among the Summoners who haven’t Class Changed yet, the lowest Job Level is 10.
All of them have all four of their Summoned Monsters with them.
And all of us are on horseback.
We can’t make the mistake of moving at full speed.
Even so, they’re moving a little faster.
What is the breakdown of the 30 of us who have already Class Changed?
There are 13 Sages, 15 Grand Summoners, and two Necromancers.
Two Necromancers!
That’s very interesting.
And this marching unit has the same characteristics as before.
Our Summoned Monsters are forming individual groups as well.
There’s one group of Wolf-type Summoned Monsters.
At the head of this group is Volff the Silver Wolf.
Two Orthros and a Werewolf follow him.
As for the rest of the Wolf corps…
It’s a mix of Gray Wolves, White Wolves, and Black Wolves.
It’s a large group of over 70 animals.
This is scary.
Way too scary.
The same goes for our aerial corps.
There are nearly 70 Hawk-type and about 30 Owl-type Summoned Monsters, which add up to a large group of around 100 monsters.
It looks very scary as well.
However, this scary group should be a great asset when it comes to taking down those Majins.
I feel a bit sorry for our enemies.
NEXT CHAPTER
RELEASE RATE
Summoner is Going
Speed up schedule by 10 hours
Current schedule: Every 80 Hours
Thanks for the treat.