The Otherworld Conquest Method of a Reincarnated Porter Chapter 41
A Man Named Zuma
Chirp, chirp, chirp.
Kuka~, supi~. After enjoying climaxes numerous times, Niinya and Yuina are going back to sleep on the bed. It’s been six days since we defeated the cow. I finally finished mapping out the first stratum of the labyrinth yesterday, so today I am going to start exploring the second stratum. It seems that the Magt labyrinth is about ten times larger than the Amberlius labyrinth. On the first stratum, I found a number of treasure chests. They did not contain anything valuable, but what is important is the happiness I feel when I find them.
Also, I no longer see any adventurers at all on the first stratum. I think they have probably gone beyond the second stratum, where the illusionary butterflies appear. Robbers and rapists have also disappeared. Some of them were dead because I turned the table on them, but it seems that most of them have been killed by the cow. Thanks to this, the security around this area has improved considerably. Now if only Zuma would kindly disappear, it would be perfect, though.
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Before heading for the labyrinth, I pass by the front of the Adventurers’ Association. As usual, it is bustling with people recruiting warriors or porters, and inside the Association, it is overflowing with rookie adventurers receiving their adventurer’s certificates.
「Hey, you over there, are you a rookie adventurer? I’ve got a good paying job here, do you want to give it a try?」
Suddenly, a pair of men call out to me. While the other adventurers are loudly recruiting for the jobs and the number of people they need, these guys seem to be talking directly to rookie adventurers. Full marks suspiciousness.
「No need to be so wary of us. Listen well, this is a good opportunity for you, you know? After all, this is a job where Zuma, one of the only two silver-class adventurers in Magt, will serve as mentor, with the goal of nurturing rookie adventurers. On top of that, you’ll be paid five small silver coins per day.」
Upon taking a closer look at them, I notice that these guys are the same adventurers who were with Zuma when we killed the cow. They don’t seem to have noticed me. Well, I was wearing full body leather armor and even a helmet at the time, but right now I am wearing a cloak over my armor and my helmet is still in the storage. For the time being, let’s try to get as much information out of them as I can.
「Heh, I’ve heard rumors about Zuma-san for a long time. If it’s such a good job, by all means, I’d love to be a part of it. What kind of job is it? I hope it’s something I, who is still low-leveled, can do, though.」
「Worry not, it’s a simple job. You don’t need any weapons or armor, either. Since all you have to do is follow us to explore the forest. It’s the senior’s duty to guide rookie adventurers, after all.」
「If I can get five small silver coins from just doing that, I’d love to be a part of it, please.」
「That’s the spirit. Listen well, meet us outside the south gate tomorrow morning at seven o’clock. We’ll talk about the details on the day. We’ll talk about the details on the D-day, so be sure not to be late, okay? Oops, also, don’t tell anyone about this job, okay? If other people find out, we may be flooded by rookie adventurers and will no longer be able to hire you, after all. This is a job for the chosen ones only.」
「Got it. The south gate at seven in the morning, right? Even after becoming an adventurer, I’ve been having trouble earning money, you see. I’ll definitely be there.」
I part ways with the men and head for the labyrinth.
What to do now? Since Zuma and his comrades are unaware of my true identity, tomorrow would be a good opportunity to pretend to be a low-level rookie adventurer and get close to them, but it would also be dangerous. After all, it seems that the rookie adventurers are certain to die. If I am only made to put on a black cloak and be used as a decoy, it will be manageable. All I have to do will be to take off the black cloak, and if I carry myself well, I might be able to pull them to Zuma. Even if I can’t, if I am by myself, I have the confidence that I will be able to survive. Alright, if I don’t get into the tiger’s den, I won’t be able to get the tiger’s cub. Tomorrow, I will approach Zuma discreetly.
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And then, the next morning.
The south gate opens, and as I wait at the designated spot, adventurers gather one after another. Zuma and his comrades are ten in total. Including me, the gathered rookie adventurers are fourteen in total. I am wearing a cloak and putting on the hood so as not to stand out, but it is cold in the morning, so it should not be out of place. There may be some among Zuma’s comrades who know my face, so this is convenient.
「Rookie adventurer ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for gathering here today. I’m Zuma, a silver-class adventurer. As your senior adventurer, I’m going to spend the day teaching you about the work of an adventurer. Of course, I’ll pay you, and I’ve also prepared plenty of food for you. Don’t be shy and eat to your fill.」
As he says so, one of Zuma’s comrades takes out meat-filled, sandwich-like food from the storage and hands it to everyone. It must be a treat for the rookie adventurers, who usually only get to eat shabby food. Cheers go up one after another. They seem to have a good grasp of the rookie adventurers. I pretend to eat and put the food into storage. Pretending to eat it, I put the food into the storage. That is because it might have been poisoned, after all.
「Alright, listen to me while you eat. Our plan today is to explore the forest. You guys can just watch how we fight. If you join us tomorrow onwards too, I’ll teach you how to fight. And if I see someone who looks like they have potential, I’m planning to invite them to join my party. Let me see, I’m planning to choose three or four guys from among everyone here.」
「Wow, you’re going to put us in a party of a silver-class adventurer?」
「Amazing, this is a rare opportunity.」
「Not only will I be able to get food and pay tomorrow onwards too, they’ll even teach me how to fight, huh.」
「Whuoo, I’ll definitely be chosen!」
The rookie adventurers let out shouts of joy one after another. If I didn’t know anything about Zuma, most likely, I would have been fooled just like them. This man truly is unforgivable.
「Did you hear that, Marin? We definitely have to be chosen, so let’s do our best.」
「Yes. Me aside, if it’s you, big brother, you’ll definitely be chosen.」
I think I have seen this brother and sister in the labyrinth. My own life is of course my top priority, but if possible, I would like to do something and save these two, too. That is because not only does looking at the little sister, Marin, remind me of Lily, for some reason, I cannot see them as strangers.
「Looks like you’ve finished your breakfast. Now then, I have something to give you all. It’s these black cloaks. It’s cold in the forest, even during the daytime, since the sun doesn’t shine as brightly. It also has a good amount of defensive power, so make sure you properly put on the hood too. If you like them, I don’t mind even you take these cloaks home with you.」
Cheers go up once again. The rookie adventurers, who have no money, are in the state of having nothing better to wear in this cold weather. So the fact that they can get a cloak for free is more than welcome. In the eyes of the rookie adventurers here, Zuma must be like a messiah who is pulling them out of poverty.
「Alright, looks like you’ve all put on your cloaks. It’s time to depart. Follow us without falling behind!」
We enter the forest with Zuma in the lead. We rookie adventurers walk along, surrounded by Zuma’s comrades. Rather than walking along while protecting the rookie adventurers, it is more like they are surrounding us to prevent us from escaping.
Since we are moving in a big group, it is easy for monsters to find us and attack us one after another, but Zuma and his comrades take care of them. While they are in the middle of battle, I try to appraise them as best I can, but except for Zuma and the magician, there seems to be no one worthy of note, with their level ranging from 16 to 27.
Perhaps because of the sense of security stemming from the perception that they are being protected by them, the other rookie adventurers have come to trust Zuma and his comrades completely. Even though we are making our way deeper and deeper into the forest, they are completely giving off the air of someone going on a picnic.
「Oh, this time, it’s three rabbits. There’s also a deer in the back, you know?」
「As expected of Zuma-san. He decapitated the rabbits with a single blow, you know?」
「I’ll definitely become as strong as him someday.」
We walk for about an hour, pass the river where we killed the cow, and continue on for another two hours. It seems that we are going to take a rest here, where we find another river. Zuma’s comrades have fought quite a few monsters up to this point, so they look exhausted.
「Alright, it’s a little early, but we’ll be having lunch here. We have a lot of deer and rabbit meat, after all. Eat to your heart’s content.」
「Ooh, we can eat meat to our heart’s content?」
「As expected of Zuma-san. I’ll follow you for the rest of my life.」
Cheers go up once again. It seems they have ended up forgetting that they are inside a dangerous forest. Everyone must be feeling as if they are going on a picnic or camping. Zuma sure is a con man who has a good grasp of human nature.
While eating meat with the rookie adventurers, I casually approach Zuma and the others and listen in on their conversations using body manipulation and body enhancement. The effect is not that dramatic, but I can slightly increase my hearing and eyesight using body manipulation.
「Zuma, as expected, it must’ve been tiring, right? Every year we come here with thirty or more people, but this year there are only ten of us, you know?」
「Yeah, although there’s nothing that can be done about those who got killed by the cow, there are too many of us who have gone missing in the labyrinth.」
「Only someone like Gorth can kill us, right? Are you fine with letting them look down on us like this?」
「Well, hold on a sec, guys. It’s not yet confirmed that Gorth is the one behind it, right? For now, focus on getting the honey. Our number may have decreased, but our share increased. That’s not so bad, is it?」
Alright, I feel sorry for Gorth, but it looks like my existence hasn’t been exposed. Even if it is impossible to kill Zuma, I might be able to take down the other guys who are exhausted, you know?
「More importantly, Zuma. Do you know that among the rookies, there is one woman that is your type?」
「Yes, yes, she’s called Marin or something like that, right? She’s participating with his elder brother, but she’s quite the beauty, not at all inferior to the women at that tavern, you know?」
「Hoh, that’s nice. I’ve been banned from that tavern, so I can never see Yuina again, after all. I guess I’ll kill her elder brother and take the liberty to enjoy her body.」
「Oioi, c’mon, pass her to us too. Our number is fewer this time around, so we might have to put our lives on the line, after all.」
「That’s right, that’s right.」
「I get it. Once I have my fun, you guys can do whatever you want with her.」
「Hehehe. Alright, let’s decide on the order, shall we?」
Alright, so they have chosen death. I will kill them all. I thought it would be impossible to kill Zuma, but I don’t care if it is by assassination or whatever. I will definitely put an end to their lives.
RELEASE RATE
Otherworld Conquest Method of a Reincarnated Porter
Speed up schedule by 10 hours
Current schedule: Every 80 hours
Tftc