Rygar sat at the tavern table, adjusting his posture on the worn-out chair as his gaze wandered across the dimly lit hall. The portly owner of the establishment, commonly referred to as "Peikak," seemed perpetually observant.
'I won't talk about the slave traders yet.', Rygar thought, noting that the man was as much a seller of information as he might be a seller of secrets to others. Despite his confidence in his own strength, he knew he couldn't shield all of his subordinates from a potential ambush. Better to keep the conversation safe for now.
"I'd like to know a little about the world in general, to start," Rygar said, breaking the silence between them.
Peikak frowned briefly, then shrugged and adjusted himself in his chair. "What kind of question is that, kid? The world's the same as always—adventurers, bandits, kingdoms, and the like. What exactly are you looking to learn? I'll decide the total price for the information after we're done."
Rygar had a few questions in mind. His master had told him a lot about the world, but she had also advised him to update his knowledge since everything she'd shared was at least fifty years old. His mother's knowledge was limited to their immediate surroundings.
"For instance, the Seven Great Powers. Are they still the same as they were fifty years ago? Any changes?"
The old man scoffed, crossing his arms. "That's a tough one. As far as I know, the only change is that the Sword God's been replaced. The new guy's name is Gall Farion, and they say he's far superior to the previous one. The rest of the Seven Great Powers? Quiet as ever. Most of them are missing, anyway. Honestly, I wouldn't put much stock in those random rankings if I were you."
Rygar nodded thoughtfully, absorbing the information. Gall Farion was the new Sword God. Fendrel had left the Sword Sanctuary over twenty years ago, and he wasn't the Sword God at the time. Rygar found himself intrigued to meet this Gall Farion someday.
"And the rulers? What about the Kingdom of Asura? Shirone?"
Peikak snorted, clearly unimpressed. "Asura's still Asura. Useless nobles stabbing each other in the back for power. The king's the same as fifty years ago, but he's getting old. I'd give him another ten years before his children start tearing each other apart for the throne. For now, things are stable, though. As for Shirone, I've heard the previous king was overthrown. Bit of a mess, but now his brother rules. They say the new king's got a kid blessed with phenomenal strength."
Rygar asked further about the kingdoms of the Central Continent, from north to south. Peikak didn't know much about some of them but had basic knowledge of their rulers and situations. Rygar had to admit the old man was well-informed—or perhaps it was just that he himself knew so little about the world.
He made mental notes of these changes. His master had often told him, "If you want to understand a kingdom, look to its rulers." This advice, she said, was timeless.
"And Milis? Who's the Pope now?"
"Oh, he's been in charge for quite a while. Harry Grimoire, if memory serves. He's supposedly more progressive, but Milis is still the same. Knights with their noses in the air, intolerant as ever." Peikak spat on the floor.
Rygar nodded. Milis was their next destination after Zant. He needed to learn about a noble named Linstar. When he'd asked his master for the name of the boy she spared fifty years ago who was now hunting her, she could only recall his first name.
"Is there a noble in Milis named Linstar?"
"Hoh, that's specific. Yeah, there is. Linstar Joylore of House Joylore. Mind telling me why you're asking?" Peikak's curiosity was evident.
"That's none of your concern."
Rygar continued updating himself on Milis's current authorities and nobility, then shifted the topic to the Demon Continent. Peikak didn't know much but mentioned it was divided into provinces ruled by Demon Kings. He also shared a saying that drew many powerful warriors to its shores:
"If you seek power, travel onward.
Your destination is the Demon Continent.
Journey through its lands. Ascend to Necross Fortress.
Before the Demon King, prove your strength and you may wish for even greater power.
Only then can the power of conquest be yours."
Rygar made a mental note to visit this Necross Fortress someday, though he had more immediate priorities.
"And what about the beastfolk swordsman who became the Sword King? Know anything about him?"
Peikak raised an eyebrow, surprised by the question. "Ah, you mean Ghislaine Dedoldia, the Black Wolf? A formidable woman. They say she's the first of her kind to claim that title in a long time."
Rygar froze momentarily, digesting the revelation. He'd heard many stories about Ghislaine Dedoldia, most of them unflattering within his tribe. Still, he sympathized with her struggles, knowing she likely didn't have the advantage of reincarnation and had to face her instincts head-on as a child.
"The daughter of Gustav… makes sense," he murmured, recalling the theory that stronger instincts in childhood often indicated greater talent.
"I need to meet her someday," he thought. At nine years old, Rygar could already feel his instincts growing stronger daily. For now, he managed them well, but he doubted reaching the Saint rank alone would suffice. Ghislaine, as a Sword King, might be able to help.
"Do you know where she is now?"
Peikak shook his head. "No idea. Last I heard, she was part of an S-rank adventurer group called the Black Wolf Fangs, but I don't know her current whereabouts."
Rygar felt slightly disappointed and shifted the focus of the conversation.
"Tell me about the trade in magic items. Who produces them, who sells them—things like that."
Peikak scratched his scruffy beard thoughtfully. "Asura dominates most of the trade, but the dwarves have their specialty shops for magical weapons and items, mainly in the northern mountain regions and here in Milis. Besides them, the Halflings are the real experts in magical tools. In this city, there's a decent shop near the main market. Nothing too impressive, but you might find some interesting items there from time to time."
Rygar made a mental note to check out the shop later.
The conversation continued for a while, with Rygar absorbing information about adventurer guilds, caravan routes, and rumors of dangerous zones in the region.
He smoothly transitioned into asking about criminal factions in the city and in Milis, careful not to reveal his true interest. He managed to gather a few names, though nothing immediately actionable. Finally, he thanked the tavern keeper and paid 2 Milis gold coins. Peikak explained that most of what Rygar asked was common knowledge, with only a few pieces of exclusive information.
Returning to the inn, Rygar found that the other 26 warriors had already arrived and passed through the entrance without much scrutiny.
Gathering Taes, Kidar, Eidar, and another warrior—whom he considered a secondary leader of the group—Rygar began a strategy meeting. The others would stay on standby while he shared his observations.
"Some people in this city seem indifferent to us, but others clearly aren't."
He unfolded a map on the table, pointing at the marked locations. "Two adventurers tried to kidnap me, but I managed to get some information from them. Tomorrow, the five of us will explore some of these areas. No deep investigations or suspicious behavior. Our goal is to stay unnoticed while gathering visual and sensory information. The dominant underworld group in this area seems to be called the Black Troll."
Kidar scratched his chin, studying the map. "And the rest?"
"They'll remain here, prepared for combat." Rygar paused, looking at Taes.
"Stay alert. Two men have already tried to attack me. Likely because I looked like an easy target as a child, but it shows hostility. Eidar is human and won't have that problem, and Kidar has the look of an experienced warrior, which should make them hesitate."
Taes nodded, his expression serious. "Understood. Our main goal is to identify the primary base, correct?"
"Exactly," Kidar interjected, crossing his arms. "That's why, if you find any slave outposts that aren't the main base, don't interfere. This goes for you too, Chief—stick to the plan."
The group spent some time discussing strategies before Rygar finally dismissed them.
Later, alone in his room, Rygar began training his magical control, focusing on water magic. He conjured physical barriers to drain his mana, which also served as practice for his slightly weaker barrier magic. His mana reserves were already incredible—he hadn't met anyone with more mana than him so far. He suspected he had surpassed some sort of threshold recently, potentially reaching the God level in mana capacity. However, he wouldn't exhaust it entirely during this mission—it would be too risky. At least he didn't expect this operation to last long.
As he worked, his thoughts wandered. 'We can't linger here too long. The longer we stay, the greater the chance of being noticed.'
Determined to wrap up the preparations in the coming days, Rygar concluded his training and rested, already planning the next day's actions.
---
The next day arrived. Rygar and his small group set out early. The plan was simple: explore the marked points on the map, avoid drawing attention, and gather as much information as possible.
Taes, Eidar, Kidar, and the other warrior—Ralfor—split off from Rygar, each with a basic copy of the map.
Rygar headed to the first marked location: a shop used as a front for slave trading. The shop was located on a narrow street with tightly packed buildings and small windows. Its façade was unremarkable—a heavy wooden door with a faded sign that read "Port Antiques."
'Seems... ordinary,' Rygar thought, frowning as he examined the building.
Rygar moved slightly away from the people walking nearby, circling the area to get a clearer view. He quietly climbed a stack of crates and positioned himself on the roof of an adjacent building, activating his mana eyes.
'Let's see what's hidden here', he thought.
The magical vision revealed a grim scene. Behind the shop, in a partially covered area, there were several cages. Inside them, he saw human, beast, and other figures, some barely recognizable due to their deplorable state. Many were malnourished, and some had untreated open wounds.
Rygar's frown deepened as he observed more closely.
"Five attendants in the front, four poorly armed guards near the cages. Weak breathing... some of the slaves are on the verge of death. Doesn't look like a main base, just a smaller sales point."
He continued observing, looking for any sign of a subterranean entrance or anything unusual, but nothing stood out. After some time, he noted the entrances, the number of guards, and the conditions of the slaves before returning to the streets.
'It's exactly what it seems—a small sales point. Nothing underground, just a stockpile of slaves in the back', Rygar thought, scanning the surroundings before moving on.
He blended into the bustling crowd, leaving the area.
The next location on the map was in a quieter part of the city. When he arrived, Rygar noticed this point seemed even smaller than the previous one: a small, rundown house with heavy curtains covering the windows. There were no obvious signs of movement, except for a faint trail of footprints in the mud leading to the entrance.
Rygar activated his mana eyes again. The magical flow inside the house was almost non-existent. There was little indication of many people being present.
'Nothing here. Either it's empty or too insignificant to bother with—but also easy to deal with if needed.'
Rygar took on more locations himself since his mana eyes sped up the process. After checking his targets, he headed to his next destination: a magic item shop recommended by Peikak.
The magic item shop was vastly different from the other locations he had visited. Its façade was inviting, with a polished wooden door and display windows filled with gleaming artifacts and enchanted stones. When Rygar entered, the scent of burned wood and dried herbs filled the air, creating a mystical atmosphere.
Behind the counter, a thin man with graying hair was busy adjusting a pendant on a chain. He glanced briefly at Rygar but paid him little attention.
With his mana eyes still active, Rygar quickly realized the shop was more than it seemed. Many items bore traces of advanced enchantments, and some artifacts emitted an energy unlike anything he had seen before.
'Interesting. Definitely something here worth a closer look,' he thought.
He picked up a small blue magical stone from a shelf and studied it for a moment. The magic within it felt unstable yet powerful. Returning the stone to the shelf, he took a final look around before leaving.
He decided he would revisit the shop when leaving the city, once he had more time.
When Rygar finally returned to the inn, he was met with an unexpected sight.
Upon entering his room, he found a young dwarf boy, dirty and frightened, huddled in a corner. The boy held his knees to his chest, wide-eyed and watching Rygar warily. Taes stood beside the boy, looking slightly uneasy.
"He asked for help," Taes explained, raising his hands as if to fend off reprimand. "He was running from someone, and there wasn't anyone else around. I thought he might be useful."
Rygar approached slowly, his stern expression softening slightly.
"Alright. If no one saw him, you did the right thing."
He crouched down to the boy's level, who recoiled slightly. The boy had short red hair and looked around 4 or 5 years old.
"There's no need to be afraid. We're here to help," Rygar said calmly.