Zero considers Azir as the starting town of this new world.
The monsters that live here are the weakest ones and they can't and will not help him grow more powerful anymore. His level is now above 20, and gaining levels would be much harder than it used to when he was below level 10. Sure, with each kill, he gains experience fighting for real, but that will not help him much as gaining new skills and increasing his stats.
Basically, he needs new and stronger monsters to fight with. Thus, he needs to leave the town.
But that will only happen after he finishes this one last task.
[ Going out again, huh? Zero-san? ] one of the guards who are always there in the entrance addresses him. But this guard was not the one who always chats and talks with him, this one was the smaller guard who usually just stays quiet when the other talks with him.
[ That's right, I think I will be back before sunset. ]
[ Is that so? My shift would end at that time... Well, I guess my father will receive you then. ]
That was right, it was only just recently that he figured out, but the two guards are actually father and son. And it's been in their blood to guard this town; each of their generations, they make one of their sons become the guard of this town.
[ I don't particularly need someone to receive me back, you know? ]
[ It's not like that, it's just that it's our job to monitor anyone who comes out and goes back. And since you're really close to father and he really likes you a lot, he always anticipates your return. You know, he always says that one day you'll become a legend in this town. ]
[ Uwah... He really does...? I think that too much of an exaggeration... ]
[ Well, seeing how you've grown, even I think you will be... I'm just a little jealous that I need to continue to work in this town as its guard while you continue growing and someday becoming famous... ] still with his helmet on, he down casts his head.
[ We-Well, don't let your father choose the path you take, you can always be an adventurer or something... It's not like it's dangerous or anything... ]
[ I think you're the only person that can say that, Zero-san... ]
[ You can do it if you believe yourself. ] he said the words unexpectedly.
Maybe because he was just a normal person that was able to do something no one else can that he was able to say that. Or at least he thinks he did that he allowed himself to say something like that to what he considers one of his 'Kohais'.
[ Well, let's leave it at that, I still need to go back before sunset. ]
[ A-Ah, right! I'm sorry I took too much of your time! ] he bowed his head apologetically.
[ Don't worry about it. ] leaving those words, Zero smiled and left the gate. And as he went a little further, the guard called out and wave at him.
[ Goodluck! Zero-san! ]
~~~
Zero looks at the map he's currently holding.
[ Hmm... ] he turns the map to a different angle to figure out where he is on the map right now. And as he did, he looks ahead.
( Just straight ahead... ) he mutters internally as he looks at the yellowish road inside the forest he's in.
In the past week that he had been grinding his level, he had gotten used to going outside in the wild like this. Back then, he was extremely anxious, especially when he first tried to enter the wild forest near Azir. He knows there would be monsters that will attack him and he was afraid he might get.
But now, he had already fought with many of these monsters and knows that he's far stronger than any of them, he couldn't get less confident walking in any place.
He continues to look at the map and soon, he arrived at his destination.
And just how it was described from the task, his destination was a large cave inside a tall mountain. And because it was inside a forest, it's obviously surrounded by trees that Zero couldn't get a full view of what the entirety of the mountain looks like; all he knows for now is that it must be very wide.
He looks inside the uneven entrance of the cave and saw nothing but the darkness.
And walking inside, he used one of his magic.
[ Flash. ]
As he casts the name of the spell, the darkness inside had seemed to be pushed out and the light of the sun has entered the cave.
( Uwah... Seeing how it works for real really is unbelievable... )
Inside the game, this spell was the most used when lighting up dark areas like caves and dungeons. But seeing how it works this way, how it magically does, was an unbelievable sight to Zero.
And just how it was supposed to do, it cleared and light up the path inside the cave. Because of it, he can now freely explore the unexplored area without minding its original darkness.
He entered and immediately heard the sound of small rocks falling on the ground and of flowing water. And because the cave was as bright as the outside, he could see anything - the rocks, the falling sands, the huge spikes, he can see them all.
And so, he goes further inside.
***
A few minutes had passed, and Zero had defeated his 20th slime of the day - which is the only kind of monster that he had encountered in the cave so far -
[ Slimes... ] the word came out of his mouth as he looks at the currently defeated enemy.
The slime - its slimy body melts onto the ground, leaving only its single core as it dies.
Seeing how it would still cost a few amounts of coins, he took it and put it on his pouch.
But he was unsatisfied...
He still needs to go further inside the cave to find these 'Chimeras' he was looking for.
If there are at least a dozen of them inside, then he would be able to - at most - level up to 30. Which is his target level before he leaves Azir - the starting town.
He continues further, and soon, he reached the limit of his magic and he needed to cast it again.
[ Flash. ]
Again, the darkness traveled backward and it seems to go outside the cave as if it was living, moving shadow. And not a minute later, the darkness was replaced with the same brightness as the light outside.
[ He-Hey! Is anyone there!? ] as soon as the light completely fills the cave, he heard a voice coming from a short distance.
As far as he knows, there shouldn't be anyone here as no one really took the subjugation task in the guild yet. No, no one is really just allowed to take the task - that is - except Richard, who has the highest rank in the city guild.
But according to Diana, base on his skills, he still wouldn't be able to solo the task yet, so he still shouldn't be here.
[ Who is it? ] Zero shoutingly asked.
[ Oh! Is that you? Zero? ]
[ ... ]
Zero knows that familiar voice; after all, it hasn't been a day since he had heard it.
[ Haah... Richard-san... Is that you? ] with an empty sigh, he called.
[ Ye-Yes! It's me, Richard! Ple-Please, come help me here! ] he sounded very desperate and it made Zero sigh again -
[ You're planning to ambush me, aren't you? ]
...
[ Huh!? Why would I do that!? ]
[ Well, isn't the reason why you told me about this place was to get me ambushed by the monsters here? ]
Zero already knows as much. Chimeras are supposed to have a much higher level than him or any other adventurers in the town; only a stupid person would come here by themselves. And that was Richard's plan, hoping for him to come to this place alone so that he would get killed by the monsters inside.
But since Zero is not particularly human, his stats far outreaches any adventurer there is in Azir, even the strongest, Richard. Hence, the Chimeras here, who are supposed to be the strongest monsters in the city, are monsters on his match and the chance of him getting defeated by them is very low.
The only thing that boggles him now and was unexpected was the fact that Richard came here by himself If he could just let him get killed by these monsters.
[ Ho-How did you know that!? I-I mean, that's not it at all! ] Richard responded to his claim, his voice seems to be losing air and in panic.
( What is this guy thinking...? ) with that thought, he followed where his voice is coming from and prepared himself for a possible ambush.
But then - he saw something out of his expectation -
[ Hey. ] still with his usual vigor, Richard voiced.
[ Hey! You're bleeding! What happened? ]
What he saw was Richard with a pale face, laying on the ground with blood all over.
He's taking long breaths and he seems to have a large wound on the side of his stomach, which is now covered with a piece of his clothing.
Looking at him, the first thing that came to his mind was the question "Is this a trap?"
But as he looks at the monster beside him that has already been slaughtered, he realized that it can't possibly it.
[ This is dangerous... ] immediately, he went to him and check his status.
[ Are you an idiot or something? ] he could only ask that question as he looks at his horrible state. It just seems that his plan has turned against him.
[ Hey, my vision's already starting to get blurry... You've got any potions in you...? ]
[ Of course... Wait... Do you actually think I'll give you any? Aren't you planning to ambush me or something? ] as he was just about to reach for a potion in his pouch, he stops and asks him.
[ Wha-What...!? I'd never! ]
( This guy... )
[ You're still trying to lie in this situation...? ]
[ No! I'm not trying to do that...! ]
[ Then, how about this: you admit it and I'll give you the potion. ]
[ But that's not what I'm trying to do! ]
( ... ) he paused as soon as Richard started to shout desperately. Looking at him, he seems to be very serious about his answer.
Zero felt as though he will not yield so he asked a different question -
[ Then, why did you come here for? ]
[ Tha-That's... I... I actually came here to try and stop you... ] he turns his head to the other direction, seems to be embarrassed by his reply.
He was finally able to get an answer from him, but he couldn't believe that what he said was his real case.
( What an obvious lie... )
[ Is it really? ] he tried to pressure him more to make him admit.
'If he doesn't say his real reason, he will die, the only way he could survive is to admit what he's trying to hide' - this is the situation he's in right now, and this is the situation Zero wants to give him.
But - he never really wants him to die here so he's just trying to make him admit it before he gives him the potion.
Diana had told him that Richard is a good guy and he never really hurts anyone. She said that he was the kind of person who will try to achieve his goal without trying to hurt a single person. That is why - Zero doesn't fully believe that he wants to ambush or kill him because of hatred or jealousy.
He must have some kind of reason why he is trying to do this to him.
So, he looks at him in the eyes as if he was serious and urges him to spit out what he's trying to hide.
And soon, Richard was not able to take it anymore - so he turns to him and finally admitted -
[ Fine... I'm dying here, you know? Anyway... It's not like I wasn't thinking about it... Ambushing you... But, Diana personally asked me to come here and to try and stop you... So even if I want to... I can't. And seriously... I never thought you would actually go here for real! Diana would've killed me if you didn't come back! ]
( ... )
[ Huh...? ]