Chapter 21: 20

[————–You guys, any interest in becoming my pupils?]

 

 

Rex’s sudden proposal attracted us without a second thought.

 

 

I was a little disappointed to admit this, but I was impressed by his skills.

I’d be more than happy to receive his teachings, and Mana, umm, seems to like Rex a little bit.

How could I refuse here?

 

 

Besides, Prana, who always complains about all sorts of things, didn’t object, Nuku, who surprisingly also had a great desire for improvement, happily got into the idea.

 

 

Rex, who accepted our response as if it was a matter of course, said “We’re going to need a place where we can hold the lessons first”, before bringing us to the edge of the training area.

 

 

[Isn’t this the kind of thing you borrow a classroom or something for?]

[We don’t need that. Looks like this place is empty anyway.]

 

 

When I looked at the area, I saw that it really was completely empty, far more so than it had been when we were training yesterday.

Come to think of it, I think I heard something about a famous Adventurer coming to the Guild or something like that.

 

 

[If you’re also gonna give a lecture, then you should get some other beginners as well……]

 

 

Rex’s cold stare stopped me from saying what I was about to say.

His eyes seemed to think that knowledge is less valuable the more people know about it.

 

 

[Sorry, but I’m not gonna do that. I’ll give you a fair warning. I’m not going to talk about adventuring like some fun, rose-colored journey. These words are going to act as a binding curse.]

[C- Curse?]

[That’s right. The curse known as “Optimal Solution”, a curse casted by no one, and therefore can’t be broken by any magic.]

 

 

I tilted my head.

There are times like this when I have no idea what this guy was saying.

 

 

I’m sure Rex could sense our confusion, but he didn’t seem to mind it and just decided to continue.

Seemingly as if he was trying to find the words to say, he asked.

 

 

[Let’s see. First of all, what do you think is the most important thing to becoming a “top-notch” Adventurer?]

[……An unrelenting heart, or something like that?]

[Heh.]

 

 

Ah, this guy seriously just snickered at my words.

 

 

[Everyone has different opinions on what is the best, but I think “efficiency” is the most important.]

[E- Efficiency……]

 

 

We looked at each other in surprise at that word, containing no dream nor aspirations, that came out of nowhere.

 

 

[There are people who say that if you are 10 times weaker, you just need to work 10 times harder. But by that logic, you will never be able to beat someone who works 3 hours a day. After all, people’s lives are finite and there are only 24 hours in a day.]

[Well, that’s true but……]

 

 

The image of an “Adventurer” that we had always longed for felt like it was crumbling.

 

 

[That’s why, what I’m going to teach you now is “how to become a top-notch Adventurer efficiently”, never “how to survive as an Adventurer”. I intend to cut out everything unneeded to what will ultimately make you strong.]

 

 

I felt a cold sensation in my stomach.

I was convinced that this guy, Rex, wasn’t joking.

 

 

[Well, that’s enough preamble, I’ll start talking about the specifics. I’m sure you probably already know this, but when you defeat monsters, you can “level up” and your ability values will increase. And the ability values are these.]

 

 

 

STRENGTH – Physical Attack and Equipment Limitations

VITALITY – Physical Defense and HP

MAGIC – Magic Attack and MP

MIND – Magic Defense and Recovery Magic

AGILITY – Action Speed and Stamina

FOCUS – Magic Acquisition and Skill Success Rate

 

 

 

Written on the notebook Rex opened were six ability values and their specific effects.

 

 

[It’s also said that each ability value corresponds to a different race, and such a tendency can be observed for Adventurers who are called Heroes. But well, this has nothing to do with ordinary Adventurers. There are those who resemble Dwarves who have weak bodies, and those who resemble Fairies that are slow. Incidentally, there are cases where initial occupation and their aptitudes may not match, so this really can’t be used as an indicator either.]

[Eh!?]

 

 

It was Nuku who raised his voice here.

Perhaps, the knowledgeable Nuku had acquired some information about this matter.

 

 

Rex, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be bothered by his reaction and mumbled something like “The aptitude values of random characters just depends on a dice roll after all”, but I couldn’t understand what he meant again.

 

 

[So, here’s the main point. All of these six parameters are important, but if you raise all six of them evenly, you’ll just end up as a trash character. Then, what is it that’s important? That is……]

 

 

Thereupon, trying to bring suspense to his words……

 

 

 

[————-To cast aside your unnecessary ability.]

 

 

 

With a cool-headed look on his face, he said.

 

 

[W- Wait a minute! A Warrior needs Magic to use Arts and Mages need Strength to wield equipment! There’s no such thing as an unnecessary ability……]

 

 

Nuku interrupted him, to which Rex nodded.

 

 

[Indeed. It’s true that there’s no such thing as an unneeded ability. However, there’s an ability that has low effect. I didn’t say anything that Strength or Magic was the one you should cast aside. The first ability you should cast aside is “Agility”.]

 

 

We looked at each other again at this extremely irrational argument.

 

 

Even those of us who don’t know much about this sort of thing understand this.

Speed is the most important ability in combat.

And for him to say that we should cast that aside……

 

 

[Of course, Agility, which affects all of your actions, is one of the most important abilities you should give priority to. However…… Perhaps, because it had too much of an effect, it quickly reached a plateau.]

[Plateau?]

[What I mean is that the higher the increase of an ability is, the faster it will be for the effectiveness of increasing it to pale.]

 

 

According to Rex, the most effective Agility one could have would be “Agility – 100”, which are apparently generally equivalent to intermediate level.

The difference in speed between Agility – 0 and Agility – 100 is about the speed difference between an adult and a child.

 

 

[From there, however, the effectiveness of increasing Agility on speed is halved. From 100 to 150, there isn’t much change, and from 150 to 200, the increase is already within the margin of error. Putting aside if your aim for your specialty was as a Thief or an Assassin, if you’re a Warrior or a Mage, you shouldn’t raise your Agility too much. Unless you have a very low aptitude value, your Agility will also increase with each level up. If you’re setting your aim for the future, it’s better to limit the increase in Agility.]

 

 

We exchanged looks at each other again, this time in a different way.

 

 

A long-term training course that looks at oneself objectively.

As far as I know, no one had ever thought of such a thing.

 

 

[To achieve this, it’s necessary to examine your profession and equipment, and equipment is especially important. The stronger your equipment, the higher the “efficiency” will be.]

 

 

Thereupon, Nuku let out an “Eh?” again.

However, Rex didn’t give Nuku time to express his doubts and asked.

 

 

[For example, Radd, if you had an Iron Sword, a Mithril Sword and an Orichalcon Sword, which one do you think would be the most powerful?]

[It would obviously be the Orichalcon Sword, right?]

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Mithril is a higher grade of ore than Iron, and Orichalcon is a higher grade of ore than Mithril.

Even children know this.

 

 

[No. The most powerful one would be the Iron Sword, right?]

 

 

However, Nuku shook his head and said.

 

 

[What, why?]

[Because you need the ability corresponding to a strong equipment. You currently still don’t have the abilities necessary to use Mithril and Orichalcon equipment right now. That’s why the Iron Sword would give you the most offensive power.]

 

 

“Right”, Rex affirmed his words, nodding his head.

 

 

[What Nuku said is correct. He’s correct, but Radd got the right answer this time.]

 

 

Surprisingly though, he said my answer was right.

 

 

[It’s true that a lot of strong equipment requires you the ability to handle it. However, Magic Metal Equipments such as Orichalcon and Mithril-made weapons are light and easy to handle in relation to their power. Even with Rad’s current STR, he isn’t restricted by the Equipment Restrictions of the Orichalcon Sword.]

[B- But when used by a newcomer, the Iron Sword is stronger than the Mithril Sword, as I read in a book a long time ago……]

[It’s true that the Mithril Sword is weaker than the Iron Sword used by a newcomer. However, that doesn’t mean they were being dragged down by the Equipment Restrictions.]

[Eh?]

 

 

In response to Nuku’s confusion, Rex explained in a matter-of-fact manner.

 

 

[There are two types of weapons, one that gives “Fixed Attack Power”, which doesn’t change in power no matter who wields it, and one that gives “Variable Attack Power”, which changes depending on the power of a person possesses. When a beginner uses an Iron Sword, it will be stronger than Mithril Sword because Iron Swords have greater “Fixed Attack Power” than the Mithril Sword’s “Variable Attack Power”. On the other hand, if the wielder’s level goes up and they become stronger, the Mithril Sword, which has a greater “Variable Attack Power” may even become stronger than the Orichalcon Sword, which is supposed to have a higher rating.]

 

 

My head felt like it was spinning at his words.

Until now, I have only measured weapons whether they’re “strong” or “weak”.

However, it seems that equipment isn’t that shallow of a matter at all.

 

 

[That’s not all. Through Enchantments, there are some equipment that affects level-ups, while there are also others that increase ability values. Equipment selection is the most important factor in determining the strength of an Adventurer. And so, it’s not about how the equipment doesn’t match you. Don’t compromise for irrational reasons like it not fitting you. If you can’t handle it, figure out the reason why. If high-level equipment doesn’t work, then try to get equipment of a level higher than that. I believe Adventurers need to be greedy in their pursuit to be the best.]

 

 

Rex vigorously said.

His logic is completely sound.

 

 

It’s completely sound but……

 

 

[I understand where you’re coming from but……]

 

 

Nuku tried saying something, but what he meant isn’t really clear.

What he meant isn’t really clear, but even though I didn’t say it out loud, I felt the same way as what he probably had in mind.

 

 

Indeed, I think it’s true that the way Rex describes is “efficient”.

However, I still believe that the strength of an Adventurer is their own strength.

I couldn’t shake off the question of whether it really was necessary to go this far.

 

 

We Adventurers “level up”.

Even if we take a few detours, if we continue adventuring, one day……

 

 

[Hey. Don’t you think you’re misunderstanding something here? “Even if it’s an ability I don’t use, it’s better to have it at a high level than low” or “As long as I level up more, having an inefficient level will be okay”?]

[Eh……]

 

 

I felt as if my breathing just stopped.

 

 

It’s not only because he had read our thoughts.

It’s because I have this feeling that Rex was going to say something outrageous, something that would destroy my sense of values to pieces.

 

 

[The “level up” system was made by the Gods and has strict rules. First of all, when you defeat monsters, you gain “experience” and your level rises, but the higher one’s level, the greater the sum of experience you would need to gain a level and the harder it would be to level up. ……You do know what this means, right?]

[……Ahh.]

 

 

Only Nuku seemed to have realized something.

Looking pale, he looked at his own hands.

 

 

[Looks like you’ve figured it out. ……All of you, imagine this. There stands a monster in front of you that is so strong that you can barely defeat it. If your level is lower than theirs, defeating them will raise your level and make you stronger. The next time you encounter them, you’d be able to overwhelm them, right? But what if your level is higher than it?]

 

 

After being told that much, I finally understood what Rex was trying to say.

Along with the “fear” he was trying to convey.

 

 

[Beating a low-level monster will barely increase your experience. So, even pushing yourself to the limit to defeat that monster won’t raise your level. Well, if you repeat the same thing tens or hundreds of times, maybe you can get to the next level. But what waits you beyond that level would just be the same old desperate fights against enemies of the same or higher level. Meanwhile, the “lower-level” Adventurers who should have the same strength as you during that time would have defeated stronger enemies and obtained greater and stronger power. Do you get it? If you reach the point where you can’t beat “monsters of your level” your days as an Adventurer are over.]

 

 

My throat felt parched.

The image of an Adventurer full of dreams and hopes is crumbling before my eyes.

 

 

[Throw away your naive ideas of “everything will be alright as long as I keep leveling even if it’s not matching my aptitudes”! Making the mistake of a poor level up even once makes the next level up that much further away. Defeating the enemy becomes more difficult and the amount of experience required increases. While a person who has good level-ups will be humming along beating monsters, you’ll be covered in dirt and blood hunting the same ones!]

 

 

Those were heated, passionate words, something quite unusual coming from Rex.

Every word he said seemed to strike a chord in our hearts, freezing us to the core.

""

 

 

[Listen here, okay? What we’re fighting isn’t only the monsters in front of us. We’re being chased by the much scarier borderline of our “Ideal Self”.]

 

 

Upon those words, I felt as if something was creeping behind my back.

 

 

Another me is always on my back with its eagle-like eyes.

There, it always stood behind me, waiting for me to make a mistake.

 

 

(A- Aaahhh……)

 

 

How many times have I leveled up?

I leveled up without thinking, without researching anything, have I missed the opportunity to “grow towards the right path”?

 

 

That other me who is running behind me, how close is he right now?

 

 

[I’ll tell you plainly: Throw away the illusion of Adventurers being free! Always keep running the shortest distance! Never neglect your efforts to find shortcuts to become stronger! Only do the best, struggle, no detours, don’t fail, think, don’t make a single mistake, and by no means…… should you ever compromise!!!]

 

 

Clang, a dry sound rang out.

Before I knew it, I didn’t realize for a while that the hard sound was my sword falling out of my hand.

 

 

(Why, what the heck is this……)

 

 

I thought all I had to do was work hard.

I thought that if I ran forward, my gaze aiming for my goal, being a Hero, the goal would always be ahead of me.

 

 

However, those thoughts were shattered by the Hero in front of me.

I screamed in my heart, “I’ve had enough, please stop!”, but the man in all black didn’t care at all.

And then……

 

 

[And even so, if you ever think of running from the path I’m guiding you down, remember————-]

 

 

With all of us in his sights, he finished his lecture with his final words.

 

 

 

[————-The A-Rank Adventurer, Rex Toren is watching you.]

 

 

 

The way his lips twisted in amusement looked like the devil itself had its gaze set towards us.

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