I continued to examine the document with great care, and from the instructor's materials, I gleaned a clear understanding of the nature of the task at hand.
In this world, death is an inevitable reality; where souls venture after their demise remains a mystery to me. However, the client who posted this commission undoubtedly possesses such knowledge. He intends to transport those who have lost their lives due to accidents, illness, or other causes, along with their physical forms, to the amusement park on Demon Island.
The selected individuals will be assigned to the guidance of leaders, entering various themed worlds under their tutelage. Our responsibility as guides is to train them into competent warriors. Those who fail or perish will continue their journey in the underworld, while the victorious will be retained by the park's owner. The true players of the amusement park will then employ these individuals to engage in battles, undertake bizarre tasks, and participate in what the materials describe as a hunt.
As they triumph over adversaries and fulfill their missions, they will receive corresponding rewards to enhance their strength. However, those unceremoniously cast into the amusement park are likely to perish in no time. The themed worlds within the Demon Island amusement park are exponentially more perilous than the outside realm. My duty is to familiarize these chosen individuals with the rules of the game and strive to lead them toward greater power, ensuring that the park's owner selects them like hounds.
In that realm, only the strong survive, while the weak are doomed to perish. Yet, can those who are merely toys for others truly be deemed strong?
I aspire to be a harbinger of calamity as a guide.
"Very well, as long as that is your desire."
Much like the numerous themed parks within Disneyland, the Demon Island amusement park is divided into hundreds of thematic worlds, with Calamity being one of the more traditional options.
The themed worlds within the amusement park are said to be crafted using top-tier spatial cards. The treasures, cards, and spells utilized within are no different from those found outside.
I chose the theme of Calamity because it extensively employs teleportation magic circles, which align perfectly with my research interests. I hope to acquire additional knowledge during my work.
The overview of the Calamity world is as follows: "The Dark Overlord awakens, resurrecting his legion to wage war against the nations of the continent, employing a rather foolish sixteen-line battle strategy, simultaneously attacking sixteen major countries.
However, the Dark Overlord possesses ample resources and can sustain his forces without food or drink, engaging in a style of warfare that disregards traditional logistics.
The nations of the continent are hardly wise; they lack unity and have never contemplated forming an alliance to resist, instead fighting amongst themselves and sabotaging one another with astonishing tactics.
It resembles a lively contest dubbed 'Whose King is More Foolish.'
As the forces of righteousness clash with those of evil, my task is to lead a group of men and women accustomed to a comfortable urban life to survive in this world and train them into fierce warriors.
Once I ascertain that these individuals have met their natural end, I am indifferent to advocating for the deceased's right to eternal rest. If they do not wish to work after death, they are free to embark on their journey into the underworld; no one is compelled to continue.
After selecting the Calamity world, Instructor Virel promptly provided me with a guide employment contract, which I signed with my name. The contract underwent a minor alteration, as detailed information about Calamity appeared on the back, suggesting a high level of confidentiality.
In addition to training novices, the contract included several supplementary tasks with substantial rewards. For instance, assisting a player in unifying the continent, or if that proves too ambitious, eliminating several renowned generals under the Dark Overlord, or dispatching notable leaders of resistance factions on the continent, would also yield bounties from certain players in Calamity. "The contract stipulates that you must train over two hundred individuals listed within by the agreed-upon deadline. This task is no small feat; how many do you intend to guide initially?"
"Ten!"
My response was succinct. I had reviewed the compensation clauses for the guides.
Once these individuals become warriors, they will be graded according to the amusement park's standards, categorized into ten levels from low to high.
A sixth-level warrior possesses combat prowess comparable to that of a voodoo master. While this commission is of a lower rank, it is still beyond my capabilities as a novice. Experienced guides can lead over a hundred individuals at once, but should I attempt to manage such a large group, a minor conflict could result in total annihilation.
If too many perish—say, not a single soul remains—the contract is fair in that it does not require me to compensate for the loss; however, I would be dismissed immediately, and it is said that such an event would mar my record as a mercenary.
As this is my first undertaking of this nature, I intend to proceed cautiously; reckless actions are never justified. I am here to teach them to fight, not to serve as their caretaker.
After bidding farewell to the bald instructor, I possessed a complete map of Demon Island. There was no need for a guide to locate the amusement park; to avoid the various monsters lurking about the island, I unfurled my magical wings and soared through the air.
To my surprise, there exists an affluent district on Demon Island!
Having been preoccupied with the island's monsters and having stayed only a short while, I had not traversed all areas of the island. It is worth noting that Demon Island spans hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, surpassing the landmass of most countries on the globe, making it improbable for me to explore every nook and cranny. Following the instructor's directions, I arrived at a picturesque bay on Demon Island, where the amusement park is situated.
It occupies a vast expanse of land adjacent to the bay, boasting all the facilities found in amusement parks on the mainland, as well as many peculiar attractions I had never encountered before. The park was bustling with activity, completely shattering my preconceived notion that few resided on Demon Island.
However, what truly captured my attention was the seaside city adjacent to the amusement park. To call it a city would be somewhat misleading, as it resembled more of an exhibition of opulent mansions and a collection of avant-garde architecture.