65 Preparations are sufficient at the moment.

In this fantasy world, there are naturally experts in the field of combat.

One such expert is the "Fist Saint" Gladna, a man who has been honing his skills as an adventurer and practitioner, and whose abilities have been recognized by the world.

It was more than fifty years ago that his name became known to the world.

The demons that appear from the demon world tend to vary by region, and adventurers make a living hunting them down.

However, once every hundred years or so, the existence of a powerful demon is confirmed.

The existence of these demons sets them apart from other races, and they are given names by adventurers with fear.

They are so-called "named" or "unique" rare monsters.

When these monsters appear in the human world, the damage they cause is a natural disaster, destroying villages and even raising armies to stop their invasion.

At that time, a unique ogre named "Garan of Destruction" appeared.

Originally, it was a mutant of the Ogre species that boasted a strong body and high fighting ability, but what made it special was its strong body.

All weapons were ineffective, and in fact, any weapon that attacked or was attacked by Garang was destroyed.

Gul'ran appeared out of nowhere and defeated him single-handedly and with his bare hands, etching his name in history.

The unique class that Gradna defeated was not limited to Garan.

He had traveled the world and defeated seventeen natural disasters with his own body.

About ten years ago, Gladna retired from active service and finished his journey.

Now, he is waiting for the rest of his life to end quietly, taking apprentices in remote areas.

His name is still known throughout the world, and there is no shortage of adventurers who seek to follow in his footsteps, making him a living legend.

This is Gladna.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a bit of a jerk.

"Gosh.

"What have you done to the legend?

The Iliad is showing great surprise.

He knew Gladna well as a warrior, but he probably didn't expect such an appearance from him.

I heard that he had already been in Gurnee for a few days, but I caught him sleeping in the dump behind the tavern.

How dare you treat an old man like that?

That's what you get for a guy who can't get sober and can't walk.

"It's bad enough hanging out with Pershing, gosh.

And how did Gladna get up as if she were rewinding without using her limbs?

Then he tore off the steel chains as if they were paper.

The body that appeared was certainly that of a past martial arts practitioner, but it also showed signs of age-related deterioration.

I'm not sure what kind of principles he used, it's hard to understand in a fantasy world, but when you're a legend, it's probably useless to think too much about it.

The first thing Gladna did was to approach me.

I'm not sure what to make of this.　I heard you're a black wolf, but don't you have ears and a tail like a human?

No, you're not. You're an expert.

Oh, no. You're the most alien thing I've ever seen.

Hi, it's Wolfe.

Gradna walks up to Wulfe and examines him from head to toe.

"Well, then, Wolfe, give it a shot. Give it your all.

Then he raises his right hand and tells you to strike here.

Wolfe glances at me, and I nod.

Let's go!

I'm not sure if you've heard of this, but I'm sure you've heard of it.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'll do it.

"What?

I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.

This is the first time I've ever seen such a thing.

"Iliad, did you see that?

"Oh, that's brilliant. You didn't use any force at all.

I guess it's similar to aikido on Earth, but even so, it's beyond my limits.

"d*mn, I threw it right away. That's an interesting way to fight, who taught you that?

"Shishou ni.

Then Wolfe looks at me.

You're a master and you didn't teach me how to fight?

"I'm the master of my life. I'm not much of a fighter.

So it's just an idea. Good idea, but too rough. What a waste. I don't know how you managed to beat Parshero with that.

I just let him read my switching habits.

I see, you had a good eye next to you, that makes sense. But you're doing something dangerous. It's too much for such a young girl to take on Parshero.

I've been wondering about this for a while now, is this Fist Saint Frank too much?

I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.

I'm sure you're not the only one. But you don't want to leave everyone here, do you?

Yes, sir.

So you want me to let you live here and take care of this old man?　There will be food and drink at the inn, right?　I don't have a dime to my name, do I?

I'll take care of the ...... expenses, of course.

Yoo-hoo!

I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.

I don't know, I just feel like he's useless except in a fight, did I pick the wrong guy?

It's great that you're staying in Garne and taking care of Wolfe, but is everything okay where you used to be?

"No problem, no problem, Parshero's idiot killed most of my other students. I told him to go ahead and compete for the successorship, but who's going to take care of me when there's no one left?

"You didn't teach me humanity.

"A bloodthirsty fighting maniac shouldn't be teaching people how to be human. It would have been better if you'd left him with Parshero.

In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, there are a few things you can do.

I'm sure you'll be able to understand why.

Yes, I'm sorry about the Parshero thing. He had talent, but he was too freakishly crazy to have the heart and ability to do it. It's my fault I was too good for him. The chainsmith told me how he died.

It's Ecduke!

You're still here?　What's with these weird chains?

Gladna plucked up the torn chain that remained on his shoulder and channeled its magic.

And immediately began to manipulate it at will.

"Oh, this is fun. I want this for my apprentice's training, give it to me.

"Don't be silly, this chain is my flesh and blood, not to be shared with strangers!　I'm not going to share it with anyone, much less lend it to someone I don't know and defile it!

"Eh, .......

Wolfe is looking very troubled.

Ulfe has been given the chain by Ecdysius, and has even lent it to Ilias and broken it.

Ecdysium, that ...... Wolfe is ...... sorry about the chain.

No, you're good, don't worry about it. No, you're good. Don't worry about it. You deserve someone as ambitious as you.

Please don't dump me at this time.

Ecdysium has a soft spot for people who are good at what they do.

I'm going to train her for now.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that.

I'll come back from time to time to give you some pointers, just in case you're worried.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.

Ilias also said that he could trust Gladna with his life, and if he's saying that based on the conversations we've had, he's a great guy.

By the way, Gladna and Lakra are going to collude to form a team of useless adults, but I'm not going to tell you the details.

After leaving Wolfe in the care of Gladna and the others, I'm standing here in Gurne's prison in front of the souvenirs of Exoik.

By his side are Ilias, Mikus, and Lakra, the Golden Demon King.

Ilias, Mikus, Lakra, and the Golden Witch.

"Yes, I need to borrow Lakra's ward so I can see it up close.

The prison is lined with demons in chains made of ecduk.

Demons said to have been born in the demon realms adjacent to Garne, Mejis and Taze.

Orcs, subordinate demons, and wyverns ...... are the only types found in the area.

Needless to say, these are demons born from the demon world created by the Scarlet, Purple, and Blue Demon Lords.

In addition, there are skeletons from the Quama Demon Realm, which is located next to the country of Quama, which is a neighboring country of Garne and Mejis, and the demons from the Demon Realm created by the Blue Demon King are also imprisoned in chains.

There are two main routes of entry into the Thaze demon world that are the most difficult, one is the currently impossible route of heading from Thaze and breaking through the "Kuro Demon King Killer Mountain".

The other is a detour route from the Garne demon world side.

The danger of this route is also quite high because it goes through the Demon Realm.

Only a person based in the demon world like Ecdysius would have been able to accomplish this request.

Needless to say, the reason for collecting these demons was to obtain information.

It is impossible to contact other Demon Lords at this stage, so we have no choice but to examine what they have produced in the past.

I've contacted Mejis to see if there are any related materials other than the Blue Demon King, but I can't say anything about that.

It's difficult to simply disclose historically protected materials to a third party, and you'll have to wait until you have a better idea of the movements of the Demon Lords before you can negotiate with them.

The demons are constantly roaring, instinctively recognizing you as an enemy and trying to attack you.

I've asked Ecdysium to refrain from capturing any demons that might be able to communicate with us.

The reason is that it's not those monsters we need to know about this time.

But what's the point in doing this?

That's what I'm going to find out. All right, let's open the cell.

The Orcs are tied up, but when we open the dungeon and enter, they become even more violent.

I asked Lakra to put a ward in front of the Orcs, making it seem as if they were only a sheet of glass away from me.

If you get this close, the Orcs will move their heads and attack you from above the wards.

Of course, this is a ward that can overcome even the sword of the Iliad, and even if the Orcs are fully prepared, they cannot break through it.

But the power of the Orcs is palpable. They are far more terrifying than the predators you see in zoos.

The zoo creatures are not so hostile.

"It's alive and well, let's see it.

I put my forehead against the warding and stare at the orc, who doesn't stop flailing.

It doesn't have the intelligence to distrust my actions, it's such an instinctive creature.

It is said that the higher species of orcs can use their own language, but all of the demons captured this time are the lower species.

...... Good, good, good boy. No, it's not good.

I looked into the orc's eyes, heard its roar, and felt its behavior.

My initial fear is already paralyzed by curiosity.

Little by little, I can feel my way of being shifting.

"Okay, next.

I finish observing the orcs and enter the prison of the lower demons.

I repeat the same procedure of having them warded and observing them at close range.

Then the wyverns, skeletons, and after a round, the orcs again.

You continue to stare at the demons over and over again, not talking about anything else, but simply and silently.

"Well, my Lord, why don't we take a break?

I'm not sure if he's watching me or just bored, but the Golden Demon King calls out to me.

No, not yet, not yet. It's not enough. It takes more observation to understand someone who can't speak your language.

"......, are you alright?

The way the Iliad and Mix are looking at me is also somewhat unsettling.

In short, that's the way they are looking at me right now.

I have often been tainted by the maliciousness of human nature, but this was my first attempt at this kind of thing, and I was still getting used to it, so it would take some time.

I repeated the same process until nightfall, and finished the first day's observation at the limit of my concentration and strength.

In the evening, I had a drink with Gradna at the house.

Wolfe seemed to have had a hard day's training and fell asleep early.

What was your impression of Wolfe when you actually trained him?

"In a way, he's going to be a boring apprentice, he's swallowed and grown up so fast that he's had little trouble. What is that, a reincarnation of Yugra or something?

I'm sure you'll be able to understand why I'm here.　How can you make such a comparison?

I'm not sure how you can make such a comparison..." "Jesus, you seem so bright and naive. You don't even know the 'Index of the Brave' in Quama?

No. Tell me, Iliad.

Why don't you ask me?

The Marker of the Brave, a stone monument was built in Quama to honor Ygras when he destroyed the Blue Demon King.

Yugra placed a spell on the monument that would allow future generations to see scenes from the past when they visited this place.

It is a record of the battle of Yugra the Brave in the Quama Realm, the battle of the hero who saved the world.

It is said that those who are skilled and live to fight will visit Quama at least once and feel the strength of the heroes firsthand.

However, most of them have given up their dream of becoming the strongest in history because of the difference.

Have you ever been to Quama, Iliad?

"No, I've never been out of the Taze.

"I have, my friend, and I've already experienced the Hero's Index!

Can you see Yugra?

Yes, I remember that Yugra, like your friend, was a dark-haired gentleman.

I'd like to visit Quama at least once when I'm done with this, to see if I can see Yugra alive.

I'd like to visit Quama once this is over.　He used to be a merchant in Tarz.

Are you acquainted with Mr. Van?

We used to be part of the same adventuring party.

I see. I've heard that story before.

I've heard that story before," he said, "but I didn't know that you were in the same party as Gladna, the Fist Saint.

I'm sure you've heard of it.　Any sane person would have left it behind.

"Wolfe's situation is a bit unique.

I tell Gladna about the village of Wolfe.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.

What a provincial idea, it's a terrible thing to be hypersensitive to even the slightest change in a small world. Gosh.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

I don't want to spoil you, but I'm going to train you more responsibly. I don't know about the mental side, I'll leave that to you.

I don't know about the mental side, I'll leave that to you." "Yeah, I didn't expect you to be Parshero's master.

Don't think you can do everything as a Fist Saint. The more you specialize in something, the worse you are at everything else.

I know that.

I know that. We're not very good at fighting, so we know the importance of sharing roles.

It is said that "Heaven does not give two gifts," and this does not only mean that one's talent is limited.

It's about how much of your life resources you can allocate to developing your talents.

Gladna put everything into her martial arts and became a legend.

Iliad's strength is the payback for devoting most of his life to the sword.

And Lakra-- well, let's leave the self-indulgent out of it.

"The Iliad, miss, you seem to be quite good at it.

"Yes, I was trained in the art of the sword by Lord Raggedy-Raggedy.

Oh, Salve, that makes sense. I thought you'd be more formal.

You know Lord Raggedy too, don't you?

I don't care if he knows. He and I killed each other when we were young. If he hadn't been a knight and holed up in the country, he would have been as famous as I am.

You'll be able to find out more about this in the following article.

I'm glad that Lord Ragdoll is a legend in the world, because if there were more of him, my capacity would be screaming.

"Not good enough for a salve, is it?

"I've only had instruction for about a year. I'm pretty much on my own.

"That's great, now get Salve to give you some serious training, you'll be ten times stronger than you are now.

I'm sure you're not the only one.

If Ilias grabbed me like that,......, I'd lose my mind.

But Sir Ragdoll is also a busy man,.......

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a fan of your work.

"Ha, ha. ......

I'm sure you'll agree with me.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.

You're the same person as the guy I met at lunch, aren't you?

What's wrong with you? Are you blind?

Yes, I can. That's why I'm asking. You don't look like you did in the daytime.

I don't know whether to call it quirky or just an obvious change.

I guess that's why Lakra and the others are talking so little.

...... I've been observing the demons since then, that's probably why.

"Oh, I see. That's your technique? That's disgusting.

Leave me alone, I need it.

Where are all these demons? You've never been out of this country.

It's in a cell in Garne Castle, with the help of the King.

King Garne. ...... He's not human, is he?

How do you know?

You can smell the demon world on you. It's thicker than day.

--I'm not a person who can hide things from you. Should I be honest with you or should I tell you ......?

I'll explain my situation, including the fact that I'm from another world.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

I'm not sure what to make of that.　If I was younger, I would have wanted to challenge the Demon Lord right now.

"The Golden Demon Lord is definitely weaker than you, so don't let him do it.

I'm sure you're not the only one.　That's the funniest thing I've ever heard!

"This old man ......

But why don't you ask me for help? I've proven I'm not just an old man.

Because I don't want to settle this with a fight, that's all.

You've got serious eyes. Can you do that?

Yeah, I'm just getting the hang of things.

He's one of the greats, like Marito and Pope Eupharo, if he's not talking.

Eventually, Gradna lets out a big, boozy sigh.

I'm not sure what to make of this.

Yeah, that would be great.

But I'll give you a piece of advice from an old man, if you break down, most of us will break down. Don't think you're the only one who can take care of yourself and your heart.

I'll keep that in mind.

Over the next few days, I kept seeing the demon, and I was getting ready.

I'm almost certain of the culprit, now the question is how to solve it.