episode_0024

24. An Opportunity for Advancement.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

The siren sounds again today without fail. Whether it’s the Middle Ages or the modern era, the pitch is similar.

It seems to know which sound makes you feel like shit but also wakes you up.

There are many military-related video media these days, so it bothered me for no reason.

‘Good thing I went to bed early.’

Still, it was better than yesterday. The command also had a conscience, so they specified what time they would be calling us.

I quickly tidied up my clothes and went outside. I was so busy that I didn’t even have time to wash my face.

The first thing I saw when I came out was Sarah’s face. It was clear that she had just woken up, but she couldn’t hide her beauty.

‘The world is so unfair.’

I shouted at her as she turned her head this way and that. It was inevitable because the surroundings were noisy.

“Sarah! I’m over here!”

Her neck turns so sharply you can almost hear it. Her jet-black hair flutters.

Did she wash her hair? I couldn’t help but wonder. It drew such a smooth curve.

“Johann!”

She spots Johann and runs towards him as if flying.

She passes through the many adventurers residing in the inn like a loach.

“We have to go quickly! We need to secure a good spot!”

“Yes. Let’s depart promptly. We’ll eat there.”

We had only been assigned to a specific magic-force platoon; there were no designated spots.

Basically, whoever got there first was the owner.

Naturally, competition for excellent spots was inevitable.

‘A spot that’s too far forward or too far back won’t do. I need to secure a suitable space.’

Johann and Sarah ran towards the outer wall as if their feet were on fire.

I glanced around and saw that quite a few people seemed to be thinking the same thing.

‘Tch. I should have prepared earlier.’

However, the fatigue from yesterday’s battle was considerable. Sufficient sleep was essential.

Especially for a wizard, mental strength was a very important attribute.

There was no proper way to recover it.

Tap tap.

‘Arrived!’

Before long, we reached the outer wall. We immediately took the stairs and headed to the place I had in mind.

“······Tch!”

As expected, there were quite a few wizards occupying the good spots.

Fortunately, it wasn’t completely taken.

We roughly settled down and took out food from the inventory.

Munch munch.

Salty rat jerky, grain crackers soaked in sugar water.

Most of it wasn’t low-quality, so it was edible.

Meanwhile, the knight in command of the magic-force platoon approached.

It’s the same man as yesterday.

“Everyone! Be quiet!!”

Johann suddenly became a soldier. He frowned and looked at the source of the sound.

“The wave will start soon!! Everyone, be prepared!! If you run out of magic power, take the potions prepared next to you!!!”

The knight pointed his finger as he said that. Johann was dumbfounded.

There was a magic power recovery potion that looked bad even at a glance.

‘That crazy bastard······. There will be considerable side effects if you drink that.’

It was revealing how the higher-ups thought of civilian wizards.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought of them as tools for firing spells, Johann thought with a slight conviction.

“For reference! Every time you drink a potion, you will be checked on the list!! Freeloading will not be tolerated!!”

Huh.

I was speechless. To be forcibly dragged here and suffer such humiliation. I wanted to escape from this barbaric tower as soon as possible.

Immediately afterward, I heard footsteps shaking the ground.

Gugugugugugung!

“Here it comes!!! Everyone!! Prepare for battle!!!”

I rotated my fingers this way and that, loosening up my body. In any case, it was the moment today’s work began.

An intangible energy surged from Johann’s whole body like heat haze.

He was already a full-fledged wizard.

***

The battle in the first wave was anticlimactic. Similar forces to yesterday, but on the contrary, our forces had increased.

This was because modern people had invested their karma in skills and stats.

In Johann’s case, the difference was even more pronounced, because he had been the most active in yesterday’s defense battle.

‘Magic power recovery artifact. The effect is weak, but it’s not bad.’

A small ring on his left little finger. At its tip, a jewel smaller than a pinky nail was emitting a brilliant light.

Little by little, it was absorbing the magic power existing in the atmosphere.

‘It would be nice to have an artifact that amplifies it by a percentage.’

However, such artifacts were prohibitively expensive.

That’s why I chose this ‘fixed’ recovery artifact.

‘It only absorbs a fixed amount per day. It wouldn’t be bad if I bought several.’

Unlike in the game, if you wore one on each hand and foot, they would all take effect.

In other words, the maximum is 20.

‘That’s something. I need to find a way to make money too.’

A world where force brings gold, and gold brings force.

Truly a winner-take-all world!

Well, it wasn’t much different from reality.

[It’s coming again!!!]

Before long, the second wave began.

Johann contemplated his inner self. He could feel the little magic power that remained.

Tch, he clicked his tongue and reached his hand back. It was to take out the weapon he had hung on his waist.

Squeak─

As I slowly pulled it, I heard a taut sound. That’s right. What Johann took out was a large crossbow.

Johann is a wizard, but he invests stats evenly. He had enough strength.

It’s hard to earn karma diligently with just one job as a wizard.

‘In times like these, a second job is essential.’

The more gold and karma pipelines, the better. Although he doesn’t have crossbow skills, there are plenty of monsters anyway.

Accuracy is unnecessary!

‘If I had a lot of gold, I would learn archery and swordsmanship skills too.’

It’s not that a wizard can’t learn a swordsman’s skills, and it’s not that a swordsman can’t learn magic.

It’s just that the power differs depending on the job. Acquiring it was possible.

It was always money, gold that was the problem.

Thwack!

The arrow is fired with an elastic sound. It’s a weapon that even a beginner can easily commit murder with if they have the strength to pull it.

Far away, a skeleton with its skull completely destroyed could be seen.

‘They said a boss will appear on the 5th day.’

Three days left.

Maybe I can move to the second floor if I catch that guy.

In addition, a tempting reward will appear. Just like it did after the tutorial ended.

In other words······

‘Let’s aim for first place this time.’

There was enough possibility. Among the ranged dealers nearby, there was no one with more firepower than Johann.

If I do well, I might be able to surpass Sarah’s strength this time.

No, maybe I’ve already surpassed her.

Ting! Ting!

When I turned my head to the side, I saw Sarah diligently pulling the bowstring.

Johann clenched his fist.

‘Okay. Let’s do it.’

***

The battle ended smoothly. The natives around told us that medium-sized undead would appear from the 3rd day.

I didn’t have a sense of how big that was, so I asked for an explanation.

“Let’s see······. It’ll be more than twice as tall as you. And three times wider to the sides.”

That meant it was easily over 3 meters. Even seeing a 2-meter human makes you feel intimidated, so 1.5 times that!

“Do we catch those guys by pouring magic on them?”

The middle-aged wizard laughed heartily at Johann’s innocent question.

“Hehe, of course it’s possible, but knights mainly catch them. Those huge guys have high spell resistance.”

“Knight······.”

Does that mean they have less immunity to physical attacks? They could be called the nemesis of wizards.

The knight who catches him so boldly······

‘Scary. No matter how much I think about it, it’s impossible to beat a knight in a one-on-one fight.’

In fact, when comparing a modern swordsman and Johann, the difference in their close combat abilities isn’t that big.

Rather, Johann, who has higher stats, has the advantage!

However, Johann will soon be caught up in the later stages.

No, maybe he’ll be overtaken as soon as he goes to the 2nd floor.

‘There will be slightly higher-level melee skills on the 2nd floor.’

If a swordsman like Sarah is a tank, then a wizard is like a glass missile.

Even if the firepower is better, the one-on-one battle will ultimately be a swordsman’s easy victory. If they are of similar level.

‘I have to find a way. This was a more serious issue than I thought.’

And coincidentally, an opportunity came to Johann.

“Hey wizard. Come here for a second.”

The heavy-armored knight who boasted absolute power in the magic-force platoon. He was approaching.

Broad shoulders, shiny full-body armor. Intimidation arises naturally.

Johann could instinctively realize it. The reactions around him, the gazes, etc. There are several pieces of evidence.

I don’t know what it is······

‘This is an opportunity.’

The knight had a truly arrogant expression on his face. If there are luxury suits in modern times, there is luxury armor in the Middle Ages.

Just like how clothes make the man, the knight was very proud of his armor.

He even gave it a name, so that says it all.

“Yes. I will follow you.”

He followed, trying to please him.

Johann couldn’t see it, but the knight wore a satisfied smile at his attitude. He was secretly pleased with the young wizard’s attitude.

‘He’s young, but humble!’

What was I like at that age? I think I was reckless.

Clip-clop.

Clip-clop.