Chapter 211: [Arc 5] Chapter 2-3: Temples of Trash & Art

6 days before the release of the Invidia Overlord.

*Clang, clang, clang*...

"Hello?" - Vierter

"Just a sec." - Flint

I hammered the last bolts to the metal plate and jumped down from the ramp to greet the chief of the Frost Hunters. My "partner" for the next week. He's dressed in civil clothes today, maybe to give off the impression that he's "off-duty". Well, we are on what one could call "a secret mission". Better be throughout with the preparations. 

"Good to see that you're in good health today again, Flint." - Vierter

"...thank you for that." - Flint

"Now...can you explain what this is?" - Vierter

"This? This is our, the Nightmare Voyagers', floatship. The Marauder." - Flint

Viertrer Hyokras looked at the Marauder, a floatship with a black hull and red sails, along with our unique Magma Aether engine that I spent my time in Damavand to produce. It's the same ship Garami and the others used to travel to the Sekarot Desert, which I eventually became responsible for maintaining and upgrading. 

"It is quite spending... But why is it in pieces?" - Vierter

"Because Garami never gives me time to work on it..." - Flint

The Marauder currently has many parts taken off it, showing the interior from the outside. If I had more time to fix it, I would have finished enlarging it by now. Not to mention making it capable of being useable on the ocean seas as well, just as Garami ordered. But all the ongoing events and weapon/armor requests barely gave me time for proper food or sleep. Getting the time to work on the Marauder is something of a dream...

"I-I see. You too have it rough with your female superiors." - Vierter

"She's a fair employer normally, but when it comes to my workload... Is the princess perhaps..." - Flint

"As much of a tomgirl as the day she snuck out the day of the 'flying fist' incident." - Vierter

Ugh, I hate that day...

"Again, my deepest apologies for then..." - Flint

"Do not worry. His Majesty said that day was good medicine for her highness, the princess. A short-term medicine, but we of the Frost Hunters didn't have to worry about the princess sneaking out again...for one week." - Vierter

I'm not exactly in the position to say so, but our country's princess is too capable of getting up after a setback!

"Anyway, you know what we need to do from now on? Do you need a refresher of the plan?" - Vierter

"Please do. After having to survive through Garami's harebrained schemes, it's a relief to have a proper plan to work on. But don't tell her I said that!" - Flint

"It would never fall me in to do so." - Vierter

We're supposed to look for the "Trial Grounds" located in each district of Loitan and confirm if they can be used as the secret passages that the undead/puppet army is using to enter the city for their attacks. 

The plan is to start from the Fire District where the Fire Dragons and us Lizardmen are living, but...

"We can skip this district. The Trial Ground here hasn't been activated yet." - Flint

"What's your reasoning for that?" - Vierter

"Well...we're standing on the place." - Flint

Vierter Hyokras looked first at me, then at the hangar-like building, all with a surprised expression on his face. Then he turned back to me with a face that screamed "explain yourself!".

"You see, Fire Dragons and us Lizardmen are mostly made up of battle junkies. My family is one of the few exceptions as we would rather work with crafts. Due to that, we often used this storage area to keep our goods here, so I recognized the difference the moment when we first arrived." - Flint

"But that doesn't make any sense. The Trial Ground in the Ice District and Light District were both in locations related to various Lesser Gods or similar creatures..." - Vierter

"Yes. So is this place." - Flint

"......your family are using a holy ground as a storage facility? And now as a hangar?" - Vierter

"What can I say?" I replied as I moved to open a door deeper into the facility(temple). Inside, around a shrine that displayed the statue of a multi-armed god holding various artist tools were many, MANY different kinds of artworks.

"When the god is one of crafting, not using the area as a storage would be similar to blasphemy." - Flint

"If you say so. What god is this?" - Vierter

"A nameless god of crafting. People have tried to uncover his name for generations now, but he is so unknown that there are no clues to be found." - Flint

"Is it really fine to use his temple without knowing even that!?" - Vierter

"My family has used this temple for generations and nothing bad has ever happened. Plus we are always bringing offerings and maintaining the temple." - Flint

"Hmm... How did you notice that the temple is a Trial Ground?" - Vierter

It was getting too difficult to continue the discussion? Whatever you say. Or evade saying.

I showed Viertrer Hyokras a door that had been placed behind the statue of the local, nameless god. The door is massive, but there are no keyholes on it. In return, there's a pedestal on the side, with some strange buttons and something like a screen on it. The screen's all black, and the pedestal doesn't respond to my input when I tried.

"See?" - Flint

"Yes, you were right. There was a similar door in the Trial Ground in the Ice District and Light District, but only the latter was active due to her highness the queen having done so." - Vierter

As expected of the chief of the Frost Hunters. He's already gathered the info he needs. 

And I can guess why it is not activated. Lord Prixtros is a meathead. It's not an insult, but a true meathead. He's always training so much that people believe he's forgotten how to breathe a dragon's Breath attack. Lord Runitos, the Fire Dragon that "attacked" Damavand before becoming our Nr.1 business partner, is his son, and luckily, much more level-headed. 

Vierter Hyokras took out a piece of paper from his pocket and scribbled something on it. When he saw me looking at him, he showed me the piece of paper. It's a map over Loitan, with crosses at the Light, Ice, and Fire District. All the districts form a circle around the royal lake in the middle, while the entrance to the Grievous Gorge is placed directly north on the map.

"I was planning that we could travel through the city counter-clockwise, how does that work?" - Vierter

"Sure, but...wouldn't we pass the gate leading to Gorge then?" - Flint

"There is something I want to check with the stationed Frost Hunters there." - Vierter

That's okay. Even if I dislike the whole "getting close to the Gorge"-notion. Why are there so many fearless people in my life?

---

After everything was said and done, Vierter Hyokras gave me a ride to the Metal District. This place is the mecha for crafters in Loitan, as opposed to the muscle-headed society in the Fire District. The Metal Dragons aren't that skillful in crafting small items, be it gears or jewelry, but the Gempeople who acts as the subordinate race for the Metal Dragons are a different story. I did some part-time jobs here when I needed cash to finance my research on the great weapons of the world.

"This place must be nostalgic for you." - Vierter

"Hold on...I'm feeling air-sick..." - Flint

"...sorry. It seems my men's "fast and furious" ideology is contagious..." - Vierter

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Okay, if he's one of the Demon King's subordinates, I'm not going to rest until I am the one who kills him...*urp*!

Vierter Hyokras brought me to the Grand King Memorials, a temple with statues of the previous Dragon Kings on display. And at the foot of the statue of the first Dragon King was...

"Another door." - Flint

"Yes. And as the report said, it seems to be operating properly." - Vierter

Vierter Hyokras started to fiddle with the console placed by the door. Some people were looking at us, mostly due to curiosity, but they didn't interfere. The chief of the Frost Hunter is recognizable even without his uniform on.

"There was a report?" - Flint

"Yes, from the Metal Dragon Lord. He came straight to the castle after he discovered this door. It's the third Trial Ground we have identified as being activated, including the one located in the Light District." - Vierter

There's one more then? The one in the Ice District isn't on because the Lord there is sick...was it? I wonder in what District the third door is...

"Anyway, it warms my heart knowing that the gods see the Dragon Kings of old as being equal to the Lesser Gods." - Vierter

"Sure..." - Flint

"What is wrong? Are you still air-sick?" - Vierter

"Not that. I just remembered how these trials are decided..." - Flint

From what Vierter Hyokras told me yesterday, the Trial Grounds decides its contents based on what Extra Medal is used, who the challengers are, and...the location of the Trial Grounds themselves.

"Ugh. That is right. We may have to face the shadows of the great Kings..." - Vierter

"And I still haven't chosen my last attribute..." - Flint

"Say what now?" - Vierter

"The last System Update made it impossible for non-mecha creatures to use the Mechanical attribute, which I owned. They did give me the chance to pick out new skills, but..." - Flint

"My condolence." - Flint

"No need to. Losing that attribute stung, but it's not that bad. My self-esteem isn't low enough to keep such a problem bugging me for days and nights." - Flint

I did sort of explode when I first got the news, but that's my little secret.

"That's mature of you. You have my respect, Mr. Flint." - Vierter

"Geez. Stop with the Mr. part. It's not my style." - Flint

"Very well. If I may, how about obtaining the Sand attribute?" - Vierter

"Sand?" - Flint

"Sand." - Vierter

"Oh......SAND!?" - Flint

"Hmm? Yes, Sand. And are we going to continue this charade for much longer?" - Vierter

"No, sorry. I'm good. But why Sand?" - Flint

"Hmm? I believed your guild was using that floatship from before to travel through the desert where your HQ is located. Was I wrong?" - Vierter

He's...not completely wrong. And most of the Sekarot Desert is still a big unknown to us. And didn't attribute skills also have skills that could be used as a defense against the very same attribute? Like, a skill that prevents sand from entering the machinery of the Mercenary or any of my drones...

Actually, couldn't there be skills to remove impurities like sand from the metal alloy as well? Maybe even skills that make it easier to travel across the desert...or skills that make obstacles turn into sand!? The last one sounds a little too strong to be available right away, but still...

"You've convinced me! Sand it is!" - Flint

"When did I convince you? But if you're serious about your choice, I recommend the [Create Sand] skill." - Vierter

"Is that useful?" - Flint

"Usefulness prioritizes over strength for you, I see. [Create Sand] simply makes sand by consuming MP, but Sand skills can use nearby sand to strengthen their effects." - Vierter

"You sure know a lot on the subject." - Flint

"Of course. Many of my men are users of the Sand attribute. It is perfect to trap fleeing criminals with." - Vierter

"With Sand!? Not Ice or Snow?" - Flint

"What are you talking about? Those attributes could lead to frostbite. We wish to capture the offenders, not harm them for life." - Vierter

Huh, I didn't expect such a statement.

"Also, my men often spread sand so they won't slip on the ice my fellow Ice Dragons and I create." - Vierter

"Sand has many more fields of usage than I first thought. Okay, I'll take it." - Flint

"If that's the case, I also recommend a Strider skill." - Vierter

Oh, those are the skills that allow you to walk on different surfaces. True, walking on sand isn't the easiest thing in the world.

And for the third skill...I don't know. There's a list of the various Sand skills I can take, but it doesn't give any specific details. I should have invested in [Identification]... Let's go with this [Sand Drain] skill. It doesn't sound too complicated of a skill.

Yeah, like the System Message from before said, all the new skills are at Lv.10. It's part of the updated requirements for all the "technique user" titles. That you need 3 Lv.10 or higher skills of the same attribute to obtain the title.

"Okay, all done." - Flint

"In that case, I have the perfect medal to commemorate this special event." - Vierter

"...we are playing "safe", right?" - Flint

These trials can either be in "safe mode" or "dangerous mode", depending on whether you want to risk your life to obtain an Extra Skill or not. Safe means no Extra Skills, but you are simply ejected from the Trial Ground if you lose. Dangerous can give you Extra Skills...or a tombstone. Either mode lets you win special items or T3 skills though, so I prefer the safest option.

"Of course, we are using the safe mode. This is a simple investigation in the end. Unless you wish to obtain fame and glory as an Extra Skill owner." - Vierter

"And have Garami work me even more to the bone!? NEVER!!" - Flint

"O-oh. As you wish..." - Vierter

Vierter then gave me one of the medals, a dusty-yellow one with the image of dunes on one of its sides, and the word "Desert" on the other... I see. Quite fitting. Time to play desert bandits. Nothing too different from our everyday life in the desert. 

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