Chapter 014

"Oh, hey, Presea-chan," said Shouichi, opening his eyes, rising to a seated position, and stretching his body as the former picked up and cradled one of the Porings that had nestled up to him.

"I generally approve of fearlessness, but you shouldn't fall asleep in the middle of enemy territory," said Mordred. "Speaking of which..."

Seeing Mordred look at him, Leon opened his console and confirmed, "It says I can't construct anything until we've defeated the Floor Guardian."

"Then that should be our priority," said Mordred. "Afterward, we can set up fortifications near the entrance and exit to facilitate future exploration."

"The question is, how do we locate the Floor Guardian?" asked Leon. "The Assign tab displays a map of explored regions with icons to denote points of interest, but the rest is pitch black."

"That's why we came to the top of this hill," said Mordred. "Elevation is key to conducting a land survey and exploring unfamiliar territory. Let's look around and see if we can't spot anything that stands out."

"I'm way ahead of you!" exclaimed Shouichi, bouncing to his feet after removing the remaining two Porings from his lap. Then, pointing toward the far side of the lake, he said, "Check it out. That's pretty conspicuous if you ask me."

Following the direction Shouichi had indicated, everyone noticed a large number of Porings and their various sub-species gathered on the far side of the lake. There were pale peach Drops, watery blue Marins, and bright green Poporings, but the one that stood out most was a giant pink Poring adorned with kingly regalia that included a crown, a scepter, a royal cloak, a sword, and a large mustache.

"Are you suggesting that that's the Floor Guardian...?" asked Mordred.

"How would I know?" responded Shouichi. "But if it's able to dress up like that, it should be pretty smart, right? If we can figure out a method to communicate, it might be able to point us in the direction of the true Floor Guardian."

"That's not a terrible idea, but we should be cautious," advised Wil. "Even from this far away, I can tell that kingly Poring is much stronger than the multi-colored Porings in its surroundings."

"I don't like to admit it, but I get the same impression," said Mordred. "My instincts are telling me that if we attempt to fight it with our current force and numbers, we'll lose."

"I can't recall the specifics, but King Porings were regarded as a type of field or Mini-Boss back in Ragnarok Online," revealed Leon. "They're not quite on the same level as a true Boss monster, known as an MVP, but it was regarded as a newbie killer since most inexperienced players didn't think a Poring could be so powerful."

Putting Leon on the spot, Mordred asked, "What course of action does our Lord suggest...?"

"Hmmm..."

Looking around using the vantage provided by the hill, Leon used his spear to point toward a forested region with sparse tree coverage and a few notable clearings a few kilometers from their position, suggesting, "Our main goal for today was to get a feel for what the inside of the Tower is like. For now, let's check out that forest and see if we can't discover any monsters with less agreeable temperaments. We'll return here and try to negotiate with the King Poring once we've grown stronger and improved the quality of our equipment."

"You heard our Lord!" shouted Mordred. "Shouichi, scout ahead! Everyone else, stay on your guard...!"

Snapping to attention and offering a salute, Shouichi replied, "Aye, aye, Captain Moe-tan~!" with a broad smile. Then, thanks to the slope of the hill, he darted off even faster than before, the sound of his laughter fading as his distance increased.

"Leave them..." said Mordred, referring to the fact Presea had one Poring seated on her head and the other two nestled in her arms.

Instead of doing as Mordred instructed, Presea looked to where Leon was, a faint but discernible puppy-eyed expression adorning her doll-like face.

"If there are dangerous monsters in the forest, we would be endangering them by taking them with us..." said Leon, feeling apologetic but speaking in a firm, albeit quiet, tone.

"Nn..."

Though she was reluctant, Presea, ostensibly convinced by Leon's words, set the two Porings she was carrying down before removing the one from her head. The trio made cutesy "Poyo-poyo~" and "Popoyo~" sounds, but when Presea pointed and told them to return to their home, they followed the direction of her finger and bounced away obediently...

"Farwell, Santoro, Poporoko, Sachikotaro..." muttered Presea, causing Mordred to shake her head in exasperation while Leon's and Wil's faces cramped. They hadn't expected Presea to grow attached to the trio so quickly. Fortunately, after staring in the direction of the trio's departure for several seconds, Presea took the initiative to turn and lead the way down the hill, prompting everyone else to follow as they made a beeline for the forest...

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Reaching the forest's edge, where Shouichi was waiting for them, Leon wasn't the only one to blink in surprise as a notification appeared before their faces.

"What's this?" asked Mordred, reading aloud, "Notice: You are about to enter Gaoracchia Forest. Recommended Level 1. Enemies include Boxer Iris, Pumpkin Tree, Tropical Worm, Venom Stinger, and Sword Dancer..."

Furrowing her brows slightly, Presea drew everyone's attention by firmly stating, "This isn't Gaoracchi Forest..."

"Is that a name you recognize...?" asked Wil.

Seeing Presea nod in affirmation, everyone expected her to offer some kind of explanation, but she just stared ahead as if trying to peer into the forest, which, from up close, was unnaturally dark.

Deciding not to press the matter, Wil turned to Mordred and asked, "Shall we try entering...?"

Nodding, Mordred declared to the group, "We'll advance in a loose line formation. Master Wilfred will take point to make use of his Adventurer Skill while I take up the rear to keep an eye on everyone. Do not wander off on your own!"

With Mordred directing her final few words at him, Shouichi scratched the back of his head and joked, "Awwwww, is Moe-tan worried about me? I'm honored~"

Catching Shouichi off guard, Mordred swept his legs out from under him, causing him to fall heavily onto his back. Then, stepping on his chest with her foot, she narrowed her eyes and said, "The next time you talk down to me, I'll cut that silvery tongue out of your mouth..."

Swallowing hard, Shouichi raised his hands in a gesture of surrender and replied, "I read you..." in a curt tone. He was actually used to dealing with tough and forceful women, but the aura exuding from Mordred made it clear she wasn't threatening but informing him of what she would do the next time he disregarded or took her orders lightly.

Removing her foot from Shouichi's chest, Mordred turned to Wil and said, "As you will, Master Wilfred."

Nodding in affirmation, Wil readied the oversized hammer he used as a weapon and said, "Okay, everyone. Follow me...!" before leading the way into the Gaoracchia Forest.

Following after Wil, casting a glance at Shouichi along the way, Leon felt a bit of resistance as he passed through the invisible membrane separating the Gaoracchia Forest from the outside. The inside was noticeably darker and cooler than the outside, but since he was a phantom, Leon only really noticed the former as he looked around to get his bearings.

Waiting for everyone else to enter, Wil stated, "We need to stay alert. This forest gives the same impression as a place called the Mercy Light Valley back in my world. Dense magical energy affects perception and can cause people to experience visual and auditory hallucinations, so we may not be able to find one another if we get separated."

"Then, if you notice anyone missing, call it out," said Mordred. "Inversely, if you're the one who ends up missing, stay put. Our Lord should be able to teleport to you and guide you back to the group."

"Should we test that while we're still near the border, just to make sure...?" asked Wil.

Nodding in affirmation, Mordred replied, "A wise suggestion. And since I'm the stronger in our group, I'll volunteer to search ahead. Do you find that acceptable, my Lord?"

"Go ahead," said Leon. "I'll give you five minutes to look around and five more to find your way back. If you can't, I'll come and retrieve you."

"Then, by your leave," replied Mordred, offering a curt bow before turning to venture into the forest. Her exposed skin and bright red outfit should have made it easy to follow her, but once she moved beyond ten meters of the group, she abruptly disappeared.

Opening the Assign tab, Leon revealed, "It doesn't appear that she was teleported elsewhere, so the forest must have an effect that obscures a person's senses beyond a certain range. So long as she doesn't lose her bearings, she should be able to find her way back."

"That's typically where monsters complicate things," appended Wil. "It's not too difficult to maintain your sense of direction when your vision and other senses are obscured, but it becomes exponentially harder when you have to fend off groups of monsters."

"Yeah, but Mordred has the [Instinct] Skill," revealed Leon. "It might take her a while, but she should be able to find her way back to us without too much trouble."

Turning his attention to Shouichi, Leon added, "Before that, I wanted to apologize to you, Shouichi. Mordred can often be pretty intense, but she's not a bad person..."

"Hey, it's cool," replied Shouichi, waving his hand dismissively before his face as he added, "I know she's just doing her best to maintain order and ensure everyone makes it back alive. It's my bad for getting carried away and treating this like a field trip."

"Fair enough," said Leon. "But I still plan to talk to her once we get back. I understand that it's only a matter of time before I have to fill a leadership position, but I don't want to become something like a King or Lord without friends or people I can relax around..."

"Then the easiest thing to do would be to assign us official ranks or titles," recommended Wil. "From what I can tell, Sir Mordred is trying to create a clear divide between you and those you summon to avert power struggles and ideological disputes. If you appoint us as Ministers or Advisors, she'll have no reason—oh, it appears we have a guest?"

Interrupting the group's discussion, a roughly two-meter-tall monster with plant-like features came into view. It walked on roots and had flower bulbs instead of fists, but its most prominent feature was the massive eye in the center of its primary bloom. It was as large as a basketball and set with a bright blue iris, and due to the creature's lack of eyelids, incredibly bloodshot.

"Boxer Iris..." muttered Presea, narrowing her eyes in recognition as she readied the massive axe she used as a weapon.

"Let me go," said Shouichi, pulling out and brandishing two daggers with surprising finesse as he explained, "I used to work part-time as a hibachi chef, so I'll make mincemeat out of this flowery freak show...!"

Without waiting for anyone to respond, Shouichi charged forward with faint green energy exuding from his feet. The Boxer Iris didn't appear to react at first, but when Shouichi got near, it immediately threw out a swift counter jab with the bulb of its right hand.

"Too slow...!" exclaimed Shouichi, ducking down and slipping past the jab as he traced his left dagger along the Boxer Iris's thin, stem-like torso. His attack only left a shallow cut, but he was able to change direction quickly, stabbing directly into the Boxer Iris's eye as it turned to face him.

As the Boxer Iris dissolved into presumably magical particles, leaving behind a tiny crystal and a fist-sized sunflower seed, Shouichi blinked in surprise and remarked, "Oh, sweet. I just got a notification telling me that my Spirit and Endurance increased by 10 and 5 for killing my first monster and as a first-time reward for defeating a Boxer Iris."

"Wow. That's convenient," said Leon, crossing his imaginary arms as he added, "Though I find it strange that Mordred didn't mention receiving one when she defeated the Poring. Maybe field or neutral monsters don't provide rewards...?"

"That's something we'll have to look into later," said Wil, brandishing his hammer and smiling as he stared at the monsters approaching them from all directions, musing, "For now, I suggest we deal with our new friends..."

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