Ch.189Before the Exam

The village chief Cyrus continued his lecture on the trial.

“The method to challenge the Emperor’s Trial is very simple. An adult male must enter the testing grounds prepared by the Silver Wolf tribe alone, defeat the monster at the innermost part, and return with the token.”

“So I have to challenge it alone… Are there any other conditions? Like not being allowed to use guns or magic?”

“You may use any means of attack, but there is a limit to the weight of the luggage you can carry. If you bring large and heavy weapons, you’ll be at a disadvantage in other aspects.”

A solo challenge content with weight restrictions… This would be quite difficult for ordinary adventurers, though perhaps not for beastfolk with superior physical abilities.

“What will you do? If you don’t find it particularly difficult to handle three women, there’s no real need for you to take this challenge.”

“It’s not particularly burdensome, but I have my own reasons why I can’t give up…”

“If you’re planning to transfer it to someone else, just know that once a person has successfully completed the challenge, they cannot attempt it again.”

“So transferring the token itself isn’t prohibited?”

“Sometimes people with exceptional skills get seriously injured and become unable to fight.”

“Hmm…”

I’m not particularly having trouble with my nights with my lovers, so using it as trading material with Gerald wouldn’t be a loss. The question is whether I, as a human, can pass this test alone…

“I’ll take the challenge. However, if the test is calibrated for Silver Wolf tribe’s physical abilities, I’ll need some time to prepare.”

“Come whenever you’re ready. Just avoid the 15th of each month.”

“May I ask why?”

“Because the full moon nights are too dangerous. I think you understand what I mean.”

“Oh…”

A place that becomes dangerous when the full moon rises, a village of werewolves. Indeed… the opponent I need to defeat in the Emperor’s Trial must be of the lycanthrope variety.

“Ah. And needless to say, regarding what kind of item the Emperor’s token is—”

“Of course I’ll keep it secret. It’s a matter of male pride, isn’t it?”

“Hehehe. You may be human, but you’re a warrior who understands a man’s pride. I look forward to the day you come to challenge the Emperor’s Trial.”

After finishing my conversation with Chief Cyrus, I returned to the restaurant where everyone was waiting. The four women were sitting around a round table, eating dried fish jerky.

“Ah, you’re done? How did it go?”

“I got the gist of the trial. It seems like a formidable challenge, so we’ll need to come back fully prepared.”

“About the specific details… they’re still secret from women, right?”

“I can’t go into details, but basically it involves a man going into a monster’s den alone and coming back out.”

“Alone? Even though we’re searching for my sister, I don’t feel comfortable putting Will in such danger.”

“Let’s talk about that when we get back to Moon Lake. Depending on our preparation, it might turn out to be surprisingly simple.”

Having completed our business, we returned to Moon Lake, secured an inexpensive lodging, and began our strategy meeting on how to pass the Emperor’s Trial.

“So, about the Silver Wolf tribe’s trial.”

“Yes?”

“Basically, it’s a test where you go alone to defeat a monster and return. You can use any means of attack, but there’s a limit to how much weight you can carry. And since you can’t take the test on a full moon night, it likely involves lycanthropes.”

“Even among lycanthropes, there are various types. If it’s related to the Silver Wolf tribe, would it be a werewolf?”

“That seems likely, but I can’t be sure. So, how strong are lycanthrope monsters?”

The most important factor in the Silver Wolf tribe’s trial is the strength of the lycanthrope monster. The strongest monster we’ve faced so far was the berserk Minotaur, followed by the Tyrant Worm. If we focus on fighting skill rather than physical ability, the Dark Elf Raider would be the strongest. If these were my opponents, I couldn’t guarantee victory even using my skills.

“Lycanthropes are quite unique among monsters. Their danger rating is D+, but on a full moon night, they can become strong enough to defeat even a Demon Rose, at least in one-on-one combat.”

“I’ve been thinking this for a while, but how exactly does the Adventurer’s Guild classify monster danger levels? The actual strength doesn’t seem to match the rating.”

I understand that goblins and orcs are the lowest grade E, but Shadow Panthers and Mountain Trolls are similarly rated D to D+, while Demon Roses are as high as B-grade, yet the supposedly stronger lycanthropes are D+. I really can’t understand what criteria are used for these danger ratings.

“Hmm… I can see why you’d feel that way. Will, do you think that higher danger ratings mean monsters that are stronger, faster, and have an advantage in one-on-one combat?”

“Isn’t that what it means? Or rather, are there other criteria for determining danger ratings?”

“Actually, the ability to classify monsters’ strength in a way people can intuitively understand isn’t that old. Many adventurers have lost their lives to a single strike from Shadow Panthers or Mountain Trolls, and even the same type of monster can vary slightly in strength depending on their habitat or combat experience.”

“Hmm… so?”

“To put it simply, the danger rating isn’t based on how strong a monster is, but how dangerous it is to settlers. Here, ‘dangerous’ refers more to dark magic or special abilities.”

Jessica’s explanation continued.

Basically, all monsters have an affinity for dark magic and physical resistance, which paradoxically means that meeting just these conditions classifies them as danger level E monsters.

From D-grade upward, some of their close-range attacks are imbued with dark magic, which rapidly shortens the outdoor activity time limit when hit.

It’s like a minor version of the weapons the Dark Elves used.

Above that, monsters might possess special abilities like poison or paralysis, or ranged attack methods like breath or magic. At A-grade, some can directly fire dark magic from a distance or use area-of-effect attack magic.

There are also additional factors that can raise a monster’s grade, such as body size, various defensive special abilities, human-level intelligence, or acting in overwhelming numbers…

“In conclusion, rather than simple physical abilities, the judgment criteria are based on more fundamental dangers—the risk of being directly injected with dark magic, the need for magical countermeasures, or the possibility of a battle turning against you instantly due to poison or paralysis.”

“I see… so it’s about ‘how dangerous’ they are to settlers in that sense. Then what about lycanthropes?”

“A lycanthrope’s strength lies in its superior physical abilities, direct attacks with dark magic, and tenacious vitality that can only be ended with silver weapons. That’s what you need to focus on, Will.”

“Silver weapons… that’s separate from physical resistance, right?”

“Yes. Since attacks without magic are blocked by physical resistance, you need a special gun made for anti-lycanthrope purposes.”

“Ah, you mean the Wolfsbane? The latest model was Type 4, right?”

Mina, who had been rolling around on the bed listening, suddenly sat up with sparkling eyes.

Just like in the Plague Dungeon, she becomes a different person whenever the topic of commercially available guns comes up.

“Wolfsbane? Is it a famous gun?”

“It’s the only series of anti-lycanthrope guns that has maintained its lineage. Guns made by other companies were too specialized and fell behind in competition. Though even the Wolfsbane Type 4 is a single-shot firearm, so it would be quite inconvenient for you to use, Will.”

“Isn’t there a revolver type…?”

“I heard it’s structurally impossible. Still, you could damage it with your current revolver and then deliver the finishing blow with the Wolfsbane.”

“Then I should go to the gun shop and buy one of these Wolfsbane pistols. What else should I prepare?”

“Since we can’t say for certain that the enemy is just one lycanthrope, it would be good to prepare healing potions and antidotes as well.”

“In the worst case, if I get hit by a lycanthrope’s attack, how severe would the dark magic damage be?”

“I can’t express it numerically, but… if it’s a wound that would accumulate more than a day’s worth of dark magic, that’s already a serious injury. It would be wise to abandon the trial immediately and return.”

“I understand. I’ll do that.”

The words “if I can return” rose to my throat, but I decided against saying them. No matter how arduous the Silver Wolf tribe’s trial might be, I have no intention of falling here, and I don’t want to cause unnecessary worry for everyone.

“Hmmmm~”

“Is something bothering you, Mina?”

“Not particularly, but… I’m still worried. That you have to go alone.”

“Honestly, I don’t think Will would be in danger against most monsters, but it would be a lie to say I’m not concerned.”

“What if we follow him secretly?”

“I considered that too, but if this is a trial to obtain a treasure, there will likely be someone monitoring for cheating. I don’t think we could evade the detection abilities of the beastfolk.”

“Considering Seti’s tracking abilities that we’ve seen, definitely…”

“Don’t worry too much. As you all know, surprise attacks don’t work on me, and no matter how strong the enemy is, I should be able to buy enough time to escape.”

To be honest, with the combination of my skills, quick draw, and six consecutive shots, I’m confident I can take down at least one monster, regardless of what I’m facing. As long as I leave enough energy to avoid magical exhaustion, I can secure a chance to retreat, even if I have to abandon the trial.

“Alright. We’ll trust you and help you prepare as best we can. Just make sure you’re fully accustomed to the Wolfsbane pistol before you take the challenge.”

“If you can’t get that treasure, we could offer the Stone House and ask for help. It’s an S-grade artifact, surely they wouldn’t refuse?”

“Yes. Let’s do our best while prioritizing your life above all else. That’s our plan.”

If I can’t obtain the Emperor’s token, perhaps I could quickly return to the Paracelsus Workshop and buy some potion that doubles the size of… you know what…

That was the kind of afternoon it was.