There were changes in liveliness of Neutral Commercial City, Fuhren; at least that's how Ken felt
From the other side of the tall and gigantic wall, the town's clamor which louder than Ken remembered it to be reached considerable distance, all the way to outskirts. There was also visible changes with the lines on the four gates. From adventurers to merchants who were visiting because of business, and there were also all kinds of listless people because of the torment of waiting for their turns. Usually the four massive gates served to be enough to handle the daily influx and exit of people, but for whatever reason a long caravan was entering the city this hot day.
There was a man who wore a baggie luxurious clothing standing amidst the caravan. From his appearance and personnel to the few carriages with him, one could easily guess he was a wealthy merchant who was out of luck as he came to meet this long line on such a hot day, in addition to being unable to take cover in his filled carriages.
"Damn them!, I will have these guards removed from positions when I get inside..."
"S-sir, please don't make things difficult–"
"Difficult?! They made me join the line!... I'm sure they know who I am, hmph"
The man was clearly well known and angry from this brief dialogue between the merchant and his assistant. With threats of this degree spoke to his vast connection and wealth, but he failed to realize in his anger that he might not be the only rich, powerful or well connected person in this long line leading to his assistant feeling mentally exhausted.
SCREECH!! GRKKKKKKKKK!!! WHOAA!!
"What's with the noise and that tormenting sound?!"
Such sounds of the ground vibrating could only be caused by a heavy and fast moving object which to loud and surprised clamor from the back line. The merchant tries to step out of the line to witness the cause, but he's yanked from the back of his collar which pains him. But he's unable to reprimand his bodyguard or fully register the pain as he became pop-eyed from seeing a black object with an amazing streamline zoom past him and everyone in the line.
The fast black object was naturally the Light runner which stopped infront of the gate facing the highway it's on.
In the front seats were Ken, Yue and Shia respectively, with Tio sitting between Riveria and Will in the back seat. Everything would have been normal in this party if not for Yue and Shia fidgeting the whole journey here as well as the pounding sounds from the front engine space. Riveria knew that it could be from their night sessions that she occasionally peeps in and Tio could make a perver--educational guess at which she displays a look of envy from her mannerisms. Will however was truly clueless to the cause of such unusual ness. The pounding was Shimizu who has risen from his slumber.
"...Ken, shouldn't we have hidden Light runner before we came in sight?" (Yue)
"Yes I suppose, but after Town Ur I've decided on what to showcase and what to not. From now on we strange and unknown for them to be cautious and hesitant to act"
"Ooh~ I get it" (Shia)
"B-but we're gaining alot of eyes" (Will)
"But Master, thou art be prudent and–"
"Can you talk and construct sentences normally?"
"Well I--"
"Good, make sure you do..."
"Haaaa haa haa... ...my opinions are being unheard"
While Tio twitching with a smile, Five men in simple looking metal armour surrounded Light runner with their spears pointed at it, shouting for identification. Ken and company step out of Light runner without incident, with orders already given the guards allowed them in without waiting after some verification. The Light runner was put in the Treasure trove and Shimizu was brought with them, Of course.
---------------:-::
Ken's party were currently inside the reception room of the adventurer guild.
They were served with high-grade teas –for which Ken asks for a medium sized cup to honor his American side which 18yrs as a Japanese couldn't change– along with the cakes, and they unreservedly drank it while they waited for eight minutes. The one who kicked the door open and jumped inside was Ilwa Chang who requested Ken's party to rescue Will.
"Will! Are you safe!? Do you have any injury!?"
Casting aside his calm atmosphere from the past meeting, he didn't even greet them as Ilwa was confirming Will's safety when he saw him. It might be because he was very worried about him.
"Ilwa-san… I am sorry. It was because I said something unreasonable that you were troubled …"
"What are you saying… It was me who introduced you to a dangerous commission… You really are safe… I can't face Greille and Sarria if something happened to Will… They are also quite worried about you. It'll be better if you quickly show your face to relieve them. I have reported to them about your safety. That information came to Fhuren several days ago…"
"Father and Mama are… I understand. I will immediately go to meet them."
Ilwa told Will where his parent stayed and nodded, telling him to go. Will once again expressed his gratitude to Ilwa as he bowed, then he formally greeted Ken's party before he, as promised, went outside the room. Before they departed Ur, Tio came to Will honestly and they were able to compromise on the incident in the mountains.
After Will went outside, Ilwa formally looked at Ken. Ilwa was smiling with a calm expression, then he deeply bowed to Ken.
"Kenshiro-kun, thank you very much for this. I never thought you'd really bring Will back alive. I can't express my gratitude with words."
"Well, Will survived because he has good luck."
"Fufu, is that so? There is certainly that… but isn't it the truth that you protected him from tens of thousands monster army? Goddess's Sword-sama?"
While he smiled radiantly, Ilwa called Ken with his nickname from the previous battle against the large crowd of demonic beasts which Ken smiles mysteriously. With this fast spread of information, he could control what's true about themselves and what's not.
"… That information spread quite fast, huh."
"It is because of the guild executives. There's also the artifact for long-distance report. And I also have my subordinate to follow you. Though I said that, he seemed to have been always left behind to wander around because of those unexpected movement type artifacts… It was the first time I heard him complaining. After all, he held the greatest ability to gather information."
Ilwa said as he smiled wryly. It seemed he hired an observer since the beginning. It was a natural measure as a guild's branch head, so Ken wasn't angry because...
'From his wry smile and the genuine mention of the title, the spy he assigned must have also been trapped in the illusionary world... Good'
"Even so, the situation was truly a serious one. I never thought the accident in the Northern Mountain Ranges area to be a sign for such great disaster… It was truly a good thing I asked you for that request. I'm also interested in the power that could annihilate tens of thousands of demonic beasts… Can you let me hear it? Just what on earth had happened?"
"Ah, I don't mind since you've seen the prisoner I brought... oh and please provide him with food. But, before that I ask you for Yue, Shia, Riveria and Hagime's status cards… and about Tio—"
"Hmm, if you three are getting one, then please this one too."
"… Is what she said."
"Hmm, certainly, and the credibility will increase if I can see what's on the card but your other friend has to get it from the Horaud guild... ...okay."
After saying so, Ilwa called the staff and four brand new status plates were brought in.
<<...Understood>>
As the result, Yue and the girls' statuses were as followed.
--------------------------
Name: Yue
Age: 15 Years Old
Gender: Female
Level: 82
Class: Sorceress
Strength: 120 Vitality: 3,000
Dexterity: 60 Agility: 120
Magic: 6,908 Magic Resistance: 7,120
Skills
•Automatic Regeneration
+Pain Control
•All Elements Aptitude •Compound Magic
•Mana Manipulation
+Mana Emission
+Mana Compression
+Remote Control
+Efficiency Rise
+Automatic Mana Absorption
•Imaginative spell casting
•High mana Recovery
---------------
Name: Shia Haulia
Age: 17 Years Old
Gender: Female
Level: 50
Class: Diviner
(Body Strengthening)
Strength: 60 (6,100) Vitality: 100 (6,120)
Dexterity: 60 (6,120) Agility: 85 (6,125)
Magic: 3,020 Magic Resistance: 3,180
Skills
•Foresight
•Mana Manipulation
+Body Strengthening
+Part Strengthening
+Rise in Conversion Efficiency×2
+Concentrated Strengthening
--------------------
Name: Riveria Collbrande
Age: 25 Years Old
Gender: Female
Level: 62
Class: Lancer
Strength: 2,000 Vitality: 1,050
Dexterity: 6,120 Agility: 7,450
Magic: 4,000 Magic Resistance: 4,150
Skills
•Point Break
+Farsight
•Mana manipulation
+Mana enhancements
+Mana Transfer
------------------
Name: Tio Clarce
Age: 24Years Old
Gender: Female
Level: 92
Class: Guardian
Strength: 770 Vitality: 4,100
Dexterity: 6,100 Agility: 580
Magic: 6,700 Magic Resistance: 7,220
Skills
•Pain Conversion
•Mana Manipulation
+Magic Emission
+Magic Compression
•Elemental Affinities
+Fire Element
+Wind Element
•High Mana Recovery
•Compound Magic
______________
Though their statuses didn't reach Ken, theirs were at the level where not even a few of the summoned cheat group could become. It was at the level that couldn't even be reached by the Hero when he uses Limit Break.
As expected, Ilwa was speechless as he became slack-jawed. It couldn't be helped, Yue and Tio had the most insane magic abilities he'd seen and their statuses were too abnormal. Shia and Riveria also completely ignored their tribe's common sense. It was strange to not be surprised by them.
But even with their abnormal Statuses, Ilwa knew these numbers meant little in the face of numerical advantage and an experienced strategist. Monsters and other beasts lived on instinct, so a show of a slight overwhelming force would send them packing but that would be different for humans if they know these stats.
With him as a witness, they can't cause huge damages, since there will soon be counter measures in place. He's human, after all--
He didn't feel like they hid anything since these were already monstrous to begin with and also they needed to show some sincerity for the guild to help them. What he didn't know apart from the hidden identities of Yue and Tio was that, Ken only needed the guild for quick access to supplies and money when things start to go bad and also avoid fighting a two front war if necessary.
By the time he sort out his inner thoughts, Ken has basically told him about being one of the fallen heroes as well as his censored journey.
"... Though I suspected Kenshiro-kun to be part of the otherworldly party, but seems both of the fallen heroes were alive"
"So are going to give us out to the church?"
"Haha, of course not! You're part of the guild now, we protect our own"
'There's no need to. You guys will bring high prestige to the guild'
"I have even thought, at the very least, to fulfill your conditions as promised, as guild executive and as my own self. Well, at least I will show you that now. For now, I don't think the people from above will do anything to you as their discussion became complicated. At least I will make all of you "Gold"-rank adventurers to make it easier to fulfill my end of the deal. Normally there would be various troublesome procedures to become "Gold"... ...so I will write a letter that you'd deliver to the guild master in Horaud. With his, my and Catherine-sensei's support it will be finalized "
"Very much appreciated... and please take care of our prisoner who is also a hero. We'll send him to the Royal capital to stand trial "
Says a smiling Ken, who receives the letter and is led to a luxurious hotel sponsored by the guild. Immediately they settle in, Will visits with his parents to express gratitude and their willingness to support them.
"Why did Master leave that dark mage with the guild, won't they..."
The instant Will and company's footsteps left their floor level, Tio in all seriousness asks Ken.
"Don't worry, I've told them he's a hero –an Apostle of god-- so they won't ruff him up just to gain information. And also his rumblings will be seen as mad words compared to the common testimonies of a whole town" said Ken who lays in the sofa to rest but...
"...Ken according to the schedule you have a date with Shia right now" (Yue)
"*sighs* I have a night date with Riveria too"
""What!!?"" (Everyone else)