Chapter 432: Senpai (Bottom)
Bend down on the ground.
Rotsgard elites.
It was natural, but they couldn’t even put a finger on him.
“No way…” (Yuno)
The one with the pitiful groan was Yuno, huh.
The opponent is one, while here is everyone.
It must be quite the despairing sight.
The good guy they met last night is now blocking them as if he were a precipice.
“Even if you had an unexpected meeting, you are still properly doing what you have to do, huh.” (Makoto)
“It is a request from Raidou-san after all. This is also for the sake of my cute kouhais.” (Hazal)
Even so, how to say it, it is like Hazal has a strange ability to attract events.
The type that can allow him to encounter the students while they were walking the night streets by coincidence.
Moreover, Sofia apparently was also present there.
Thinking about the past cityscape of Tsige, it might be an unexpectedly small place.
However, the flow of people is quite the thing.
That friends would be meeting in a place like that is a pretty big coincidence.
“Why is a rearline alchemist…” (Jin)
It can’t be helped that Jin would be astonished.
Even though he and Daena had approached him into close range combat, they were easily deflected.
A shallow idea that, since he is a rearline mage, if they were to bring it to close quarters, they should be able to manage somehow.
They were crushed in place.
Their difference in levels is also dirty, so even in actual physical strength, Hazal is most likely in the superior front, but their defeat in this time’s mock battle was mostly attributed to the difference in experience.
Battle prowess, level, job guessing, patterns for the next Skill that they will be using; Hazal most likely finished gathering information in only a few minutes after the battle began.
Also, Hazal being a high level adventurer and alchemist was one advantage he had.
Alchemists of a certain degree in proficiency would normally go mainly for work in the city rather than doing field work.
The trait of alchemists is that the higher the level and power they are, the less they have to worry about putting food on the table. Meaning that, even if you go explore the wasteland or not, their earnings would make the both of them not have that much of a difference.
In other words, they rarely exist.
That’s why, even within adventurers used to the wasteland, there’s not many who know the cards of Hazal.
Probably only his party members know all of them…no, maybe they don’t even know them all.
There’s nothing more complicated to deal with than tactics you have seen for the first time.
And when it comes to what a veteran would be doing, there’s nothing but fear.
The moment they a.s.sumed Hazal’s strength with the base being the alchemists in the Academy level, their chances of victory were zero.
However, thinking about the combination of drugs and magic, they were taught that alchemists are a job that covers quite a wide array of fields.
If there were more spectators in today’s mock battle, there might have been a spike of alchemists in Tsige.
What was that anti-material potion?
There was a potion for firepower?
Hazal showed me his back while saying ‘it is an inferior version, so don’t worry’ as if saying something cool, so it seems like it is originally more powerful than that.
At that moment I thought I should make some time and ask the Arke Minato about the anti-material potion -period.
“With one…potion…the shield of Misura, his juuki, and his magic barrier were all broken through and he swept us clean…!” (Amelia)
The voice of Amelia was dyed with shock rather than vexation.
I can understand how she feels.
Today is the ‘let’s experience the power of a top cla.s.s adventurer’ corner.
I had the famous person of Tsige, Hazal from Alpine, come and asked him to have a battle with them.
The result was as expected.
I had him completely seal his firepower Zodiac Skills that are completely out of the norm, and had Momonga -who was brought from Asora- take a rest, but it didn’t even serve as a handicap.
Now that I think about it, that Momonga, it called itself that, so I didn’t mind it much, but it can turn itself super big, so I was observing it thinking that it might be a musasabi .
The original size and the tail certainly is like that of a momonga though.
It was impossible to observe it on its meals and when defecating, so I can’t really say for certain, but it is most likely a momonga.
By the way, when I asked what it eats, Hazal made a dubious face, and when I tried confirming what it does when it defecates -it seems like it was listening- he opened his eyes wide.
…Could it be that it is female?
Maybe I should find a chance to apologize.
“No no, you were strong. I think you guys have outstanding ability to the point that the me from that time wouldn’t have even been able to get jealous. There’s still a lot of naive points in them, but they are a gathering of talents and it is truly splendid!” (Hazal)
“…I don’t know how much those words will resonate on the students that are on their hands and knees while you are making a refreshing smile.” (Makoto)
“But it is a shame. If you had one alchemist in your party, your utility and survivability would rise explosively.” (Hazal)
“Oi oi, even in Tsige it is hard to find praiseworthy alchemist adventurers of high level. Don’t go saying unreasonable things, Hazal. Despite how they look, there’s a side of them that shows blind acceptance to the words of a strong one.” (Makoto)
“That’s youth! Youth! Also, when I look at them, it reminds me of my old self and Toa. Like…ticklish and pleasant.” (Hazal)
“Toa? You knew each other from way back? If I remember correctly, didn’t you meet at the base at that time?” (Makoto)
“Aah, I meant the old me and the current Toa. I did just meet her at the time when you saved us, Raidou-san.” (Hazal)
“…That was so misleading. Also, please spare me from your lovestruck talk, you married man.” (Makoto)
“Lovestruck talk, you say. That rash and impulsive idiot? Last night, when I was talking with the students, I even thought as if I was talking to Toa there.” (Hazal)
Impulsive, huh.
Aah, right.
Her little sister Rinon muttered that often.
Her sister likes shopping but sucks at shopping.
In her case, it is not that she is easy to deceive.
It is like she enjoys the hope that might be there.
It is as if her objective is to buy lottery tickets.
And how to say it, it is like she doesn’t have any attachment to overnight money.
Yeah, there’s no doubt she is the type that you shouldn’t let have too much money on them.
Hazal talking happily about that is also weird.
Hang in there, Rinon.
“This is the first time the students have come to Tsige. Of course they would get distracted. People that don’t overspend in Tsige are rare even among merchants.” (Makoto)
This is no joke but the cold reality.
“There’s rumors that you have also been scammed for 3 times the price before for tableware.” (Hazal)
“…That’s a false rumor. That was an investment for a future crafter.” (Makoto)
Lacquerware still isn’t available for the general public, so I can’t go spreading the word here.
Even in my beginner eyes, that Carol woodworker was pretty impressive.
“A normal street stall tableware seller?…is what someone would normally say, but we are talking about Raidou-san here, so it is true that I don’t know what will happen. Also, since you are a miscellaneous store, I can’t even say that it is outside your field, which is…mysterious in itself too.” (Hazal)
“Zip it. You have helped us out today. We will be dealing with the end results here, so you can call this the end of your work here.” (Makoto)
“Then let’s say the request has been accomplished. Ah, Raidou-san, it is true that I had a good laugh when they were being toyed around by the stores, but I properly introduced them to stores that matched their expertise, so I did do senpai-like stuff.” (Hazal)
“I see, thanks. If it is a recommendation from Alpine, there must be no doubt about it. That’s a relief.” (Makoto)
“Then, students, the experience ends here. If we meet again at that bar, it will be my treat. Good work~.” (Hazal)
Hazal, who had his back turned, looked back once and said leisure farewells, and then left.
The students stand up after being treated.
They immediately gathered as if building an engine, and their reflection meeting began.
They are clashing their opinions saying not this or not that.
…I thought this at the time of Rembrandt-san, but these guys really like discussions.
Now that I think back on it, have I ever exchanged arguments with my cla.s.smates like that when I was a student?
I feel like I didn’t.
“The destination of tonight has been decided.” (Daena)
Hm?
Daena?
“Yeah, Hazal-san said that he would be going to the meat restaurant with his wives.”
Just how much of your personal life are you leaking Hazal?
Could it be that you are losing to someone here in terms of drinking?
The softness on his sides in certain areas will most likely not be fixed for the rest of his life.
“There’s a mountain of things I would like to ask him. There’s a lot of things that I can take reference from after all.” (Izumo)
Even Izumo.
What about the construction works?
Seeing the state of things here, it must have p.i.s.sed them off quite a bit.
They must have noticed as well that Hazal pulled back his punches, or maybe it was pretty vexing that they were beaten up by tactics that they themselves could have imitated.
For example; the tactic of interfering with their five senses.
Be it flash grenades or stun grenades, there were weapons like that in the modern era as well, but you can weaken or immobilize others with light and sounds.
Create an opening on the opponent with a flash or a loud sound.
Even without magic power in the light or the sound itself, as long as you are a person, you will be seeing with your eyes, hearing with your ears, smelling with your nose, tasting with your tongue, and feeling with your skin to gather information.
It is not something that you can just block with your normal barrier, and you could just call it a slight trick.
Even if you know about it, in the cases of light and sound, there’s heavy demerits in trying to cut them off beforehand.
Hazal was certainly fighting while thinking well.
This is the result of him fighting with his all to survive in the wasteland.
Also the result of Tomoe and Mio’s training.
“Alright! Now that it been decided, let’s go roll out onto the outskirts! There be rarely any chance ta see the state of a city actually expanding!”
“Jin, what dialect is that? So dirty.”
“But I agree. I have also been interested in that paved road that has been stretching on this whole time. Since we have the chance, let’s secure a good carriage and have it run there.”
“A change of pace then.”
Oh, their change of gears is also smooth.
I didn’t even have to step in.
Then, I will stealthily put a bodyguard on them and let them roam freely, I suppose.
“Alright, then make sure to submit reports individually regarding your mock battle with the adventurer Hazal-san. I will allow you to act freely in the outskirts, but after you have decided on the details of what you will be doing, go to the company and tell Shiki about it even if it is orally. Don’t report to him after the facts.” (Makoto)
““Yes!””
“Well then, that’s all. Go ahead and enjoy yourselves.” (Makoto)
The Rotsgard students took off their armor and went off.
It was the right choice to borrow the training grounds of the Adventurer Guild.
Now that I think about it, it is convenient even to think about what to do after we are done.
Even so, the eyes they make are a lot better than before.
How to put it, it is like they are eyes filled with strength that would make even others brim with strength just from looking at them.
There’s no doubt it is the result of what they have heard in this city and the people they have met.
Leaving aside the fact that they have messed up in a lot of ways.
School trip, huh.
Half of it was just because it came to my mind, but…yeah, I would say it was good.
It is not like we can expect this kind of effect every single time, but their movements once they return to the Academy will be transmitted to the other students as well, and it will reach the eyes of the teachers.
It won’t end up with ‘you have done it now, Raidou’.
So I say, but there’s the chance that they will go ‘you have done an outrageous thing again, Raidou’.
This is nice.
This ain’t bad.
I feel like I am actually doing school related work for the first time!