CH 116

“They are not that different even if they do. Although it would be tough to deal with…”

“Do you know what the final boss of Furka Dungeon is?”

“From what I remember… I believe it was a drake.”

“What do you think will happen if a drake evolves? Tada! It’ll grow wings!” I linked my thumbs and flapped my fingers, mimicking wings.

Finally realizing the situation, Mayer groaned softly as he muttered, “…A dragon?”

“Yes. We’ll face a dragon.”

A drake would evolve into a dragon upon passing level 50. The only change in becoming the latter was gaining the ability to fly and breathe dragon fire, but that difference was immense. At level 51, a drake would have only just become a dragon, but there was an unbreachable gap between a drake and a dragon. It wouldn’t make much of a difference against Mayer Knox, but that wasn’t the case for the other corps members. Given that a dragon on the same level possessed tremendous defense and attack, you had to be at least 10 levels higher than these monsters. And even in the Dark Knights, the only members above level 60 were the elite squad members. In reality, it would’ve been impossible for humans to even ‘think’ of facing a dragon if not for the appearance of dungeons allowing them to level up as well.

Mayer sighed. “If I had sent the men without knowing anything, they would have been wiped out. I could have ended up making a second or third case of the Green Spirits.”

“You should be grateful to me.”

“I truly should. If it was not for you… However…” Mayer paused in the middle of praising me, his face gradually turning into a grimace. In a trembling voice, he asked, “You and the special units who are just level 40 now are going to participate in a raid against a dragon?”

“I’m level 45.”

“It is all the same!” Mayer burst out. Judging by his attitude, he was completely against taking me along.

I grumbled with pursed lips, “This is why I wasn’t telling you.”

“There is no reason why you should go, is there?”

“I can’t be missing out on this good opportunity to level up. And…” I trailed off for a moment. Mayer’s eyes were glinting, intending to break my stubbornness in joining the dungeon no matter what. Hmph. But would he still want to leave me behind even after hearing about the hidden card up my sleeve? I triumphantly continued, “You won’t be able to get the dragon’s orb if I don’t go, you know?”

“Dragon’s orb?” Mayer, who was raring to argue, fell quiet at the mention of the dragon’s orb, which was an item that increased every stat of the consumer by one level. Needless to say, its effects were outrageous. “You can… obtain that?”

“Of course,” I replied, nodding matter-of-factly. Mayer still looked confused, though. I raised a brow and asked, “You don’t believe it?”

“Your words? It is not that. Even if you claimed to be able to make meringues with egg yolks, I would believe you,” he stated unwaveringly. The man sure could talk. I wondered if he would pass over the matter of me joining the dragon raid. Then, as I had expected, Mayer shook his head and added, “But… I am still skeptical of you joining.”

“Even when I’ve reached level 45?”

“In my eyes, you look no different from how you were at level 25.”

“I’m sure that won’t change even when I’m level 65.”

“That would be troublesome.” Mayer put on a genuinely perplexed look. His reaction was ridiculous.

I injected sarcasm into my tone as I asked, “Then how do you plan on taking me to battle the demon lord? Actually, do you even intend on taking me?”

“Of course I do. Defeating the demon lord would be impossible without you, would it not?”

“Aha. Well, that’s a relief.”

“You are too weak, even for a level 45…” Mayer sighed as if to emphasize the point as he shook his head again. Was it my fault my stats were low?

I curtly jibed, “I am very sorry to trouble you for being weak, Captain.”

“It is nothing for you to apologize about.”

“Oh, how magnanimous of you.”

Mayer seemed to lack a sense of sarcasm. He began to concentrate on his own thoughts with a serious face and tightly shut lips. Meanwhile, I cursed him inwardly, soothing my frustration with liquor. If Mayer married and had a child, it’d be best to leave the child education to his wife. Acting so zealously overprotective was a perfect way to spoil a kid. After a long time of contemplation, Mayer suddenly said, “I have thought of a good way.”

“What is it?”

“Tell me how to obtain the dragon’s orb, and I will bring it for you to have. I will be able to feel at least a little more at ease if you take the dragon’s orb and grow stronger.”

“…Are you kidding me right now?”