Chapter 75 : Promotion & Forgotten History
Right after finishing his business with Gudmund, he decided to visit the Guilld Master the next day.
It doesn't take a long time for Rei to find the office because he has been there already. He knocked to announce his presence and went inside the Guild Master's office room once he heard his reply to come in.
Rei is wearing a new set now and looked much different than before. His arms and legs were covered with armor, even his body as well.
His helmet was simply redesigned so nothing change much, but the aura and strength that thing emit is much stronger than before.
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[Black Helmet of the Unknown Beast +1]
Grade: Rare
Type: Helmet
VITALITY: +15
Durability: 100%
A helmet that was created with unknown material, it is unclear how it end up into this shape but there's a mysterious power coming out from this helmet. Like a wild beast that hides its fangs.
Skill:
[Beast's Will +1]
Active Skill
Using the power of the mysterious beast, it allows the individual to temporarily increase STRENGTH, VITALITY, and AGILITY by 15(+20).
Duration : 45 sec. => 60 sec.
Cooldown : 65 sec. => 90 sec.
=======================================
=======================================
[Black Armor of the Black Ogre]
Grade: Rare
Type: Armor
VITALITY: +30
Durability: 100%
An armor that was created by fusing a material from a monster who survived every battle it engaged itself in, and evolve into vicious being that could crush its enemies with its pure raw strength.
Skill:
[Power Muscle]
Active Skill
Using the power of the vicious monster, it allows the individual to temporarily increase STRENGTH by 40.
Duration : 90 sec.
Cooldown : 150 sec.
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While standing there, he looked very pleased for this result.
'I got lucky that I was be able to upgrade the Breastplate into Armor, I never thought that Ogre could have a buff skill like this.'
'Indeed, buffing Strength status for 40 and [Beast Will +1] skill also increased after the upgrade.' Ray spoke.
'Yeah! It was shocking for me when he broke the helmet into pieces first.'
'Hahaha! I still remember that you almost fainted!'
'Ugghh...please don't remind me about that.'
'I know, I know...but we still have a problem here.'
'Yeah...I know that.'
While they talked to each other inside his mind, The Guild Master—Hughes looked so serious this time. He has been sitting there and observed him silently ever since Rei went into his room.
'What is he thinking?' Rei thought.
'I don't know.' Ray replied.
But behind his intimidating face, Hughes was actually feeling somewhat nervous.
'Why is he silent now...does he felt intimidated after he lost that fight? But I told him that he won! And now I don't know how to start talking about his promotion...'
Hughes, age 40, despite being the Guild Master, has never been the one who promoted an Adventurer unless his Vice Guild Master—Miranda is here with them too.
'Should I talk first?' (Rei)
'Yeah, I should talked to him first' (Hughes)
*CREAK*
Right before they opened their mouth, Miranda came into the room, breaking the silence after a while.
"I am back."
The two of them sighed in relief.
******
Finally his interview began.
"Thank you Crimson-san for coming here even though you could have rested more after that fight."
"It's okay, I had a good rest already."
"I see, I am glad to hear that."
"So shall we talk about that promotion of yours?"
"Okay." He nodded.
"First things first, we are trying to investigate you by looking at your quest record and report. It seems you didn't do much quest and for the background of what you did is still inside that card of yours."
"We wanted to know what kind of achievement you did before coming here, of course the record only show what kind of being you defeated and the feats that you did in the past.
"I think we need to explain you this beforehand. The card that you hold have some sort of function to read one's soul or rather your mana. It will read the monsters or someone you defeat, since we all have experience this kind of nature where our body would absorb the mana whether it is from a monster or people and gained a new strength after defeating them."
"So when you hold onto that card, it will read your mana and the thing you fought and absorbed into new strength." Miranda explained.
"Of course the thing that you fought should have a name, for example something like a boss monster. It would record how many you have defeated in the past and that also included [people] who are considered to be strong and have a name on it. If it's just an ordinary monster it won't be recorded."
Rei who listened to her was obviously very suprised but he maintained his calmness before them.
'I never thought they could do something like that...' Rei thought.
'Me neither, I never knew they have something like this.'
'You didn't know?'
'Yeah...I never had promotion like this before, since I'm only Blacksmith so I stayed as E-rank the rest of my life.'
'I see.' Rei replied.
"But it's only going to happen if you don't mind showing it to us." Miranda spoke.
"Huh?"
"We respected your decision to keep your secrets even to the people like us since we all have secrets sometimes, am i right?"
"Indeed."
"So you can refuse not to show it to us, but the promotion will be halted for a while and the points to get promoted will be reduced for sure, are we clear?" Miranda explained while looking at him.
"I understand." Rei nodded.
"So could you let me have a look at your card?" Miranda asked.
Rei hesitated at first since it's a very difficult choice and it's possible that he could cause an uproar by revealing what he had done before.
'Houston.'
'Mhm...I think it's fine, with this people I don't think they will expose our secret.' Ray replied.
Rei sighed and eventually taking out his card from his [Inventory] before placing it on the table in front of Hughes.
Hughes took the card, gave it to Miranda, and then...
*ZWOONG*
Some sort of hologram board came out in front of them, revealing his registration name and the achievement that have been recorded in the card.
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Name : Crimson
Class : E-class Warrior
[Achievement]
[Defeated a Unique Boss Monster "Dark Wolf Leader" alone]
[Defeated one of the Six Underworld Kings "King of Bandits, Banzana" alone]
[Defeated a Unique Boss Monster "Black Ogre Chief" alone]
[Finished a Quest "Goblins Extermination" by killing more than 50 Goblins]
=======================================
".....?!"
The two people who saw it were shocked and amazed after seeing such feats.
They knew about his quest and the thing that he fought before but other being's name that appeared in that list shocked them to the bone.
'He defeated the [King of Bandits]?!' The two of them yelled in their head.
Rei who saw his own achievement was quite suprised himself. Ever since he stayed in this town, he never once checked his card.
'So this is my achievement?' Rei mused but he didn't notice the face that the two before him were making now.
'I don't know what is [Dark Wolf Leader] monster is...but is that even possible?! Defeating that person not to mention that person is par against the Head Knight of the Kingdom.' Miranda thought.
'I thought he was strong, I mean just ordinary strong...but now from what I see it...he is...
.
.
.
.
a monster.' Hughes evaluated him.
Miranda who kept staring at the screen noticed something else.
"Hughes." She whispered at him.
"What?"
Hughes followed where her finger was pointing at, leading him to the word that bothered her the most.
It reads, "Alone".
Hughes widened his eyes as he ground his teeth, forcing himself to stay calm.
'Alone?! Defeating not only one Unique Boss monster but two...and alone?! Especially fighting with the most wanted person in this Kingdom?!' His mind is in a scrambled mess because of this. After a while, both of them sighed.
Rei misunderstood their sigh, 'Huh? Are they disappointed?
Then their eyes were set on him again, "I think I had enough seeing this." Hughes spoke first.
"Me too." Miranda replied as well.
"Is...the achievement still not enough?" Rei asked out of nowhere.
"Not enough? You think that's not enough?! No one would be able to meet a Unique Boss Monster twice in their life because they are rare to begin with...not to mention surviving against them and defeated them alone!" Miranda told him off, accidentally raising her voice.
"I-i see." Rei blinked, confused whether this woman is praising him or not.
Hughes sighed, "The thing I am most curious about is...how did you managed to defeat one of the Six Underworld King, [The King of Bandits, Banzana]?"
"And how did you even met him." Miranda continue to ask.
Finally, the question he has been waiting for. Rei was ready for this one, since the man he killed before was one of the disaster class villain in the future. But because they were in this current timeline, he was known to be very powerful wanted man and a slippery one to catch.
So he just need to answer it...
"It's actually nothing much...I defeated him when I was saving some kids that was held custody in his base, so it was pure coincidence that we met."
Calmly...
"You talk as if you're fighting with a monster that you fought on daily basis." Hughes responded, raising one oh his brows.
"Well...I can't deny it that I fought a lot of strong people before coming here." Rei continued to reply him calmly.
"I see."
'Consideing the skill that he used...he might win against that guy, I wonder who taught this man.' Hughes have some suspicions of his odd skill, 'Not only he have two different weapon skills...he have three.'
Hugges sighed, "Then I have a question for you."
"Yes, just ask away."
"You spoke that you fought strong people before coming here...so does that mean those [two people] is among them?"
"...who?"
"I know the skill that you used to defeat me were somebody else's skill, Now tell me...were those two people among them."
Rei was confused at what he meant by that, 'Does he mean Uncle Nel?...who is the other person?'
"Um...excuse me, but I don't think the people we're talking about here is the same person. I don't defeat them but I learned from them." Rei spoke.
"You're telling me they were willing to teach such precious skill of theirs?"
"Ummm...I did learn the basic from them but those skills were more like an imitation of the original." Rei explained.
"Imitating? You're imitating those skills?!" Hughes looked at him in disbelief.
"Y-yeah." Rei nodded.
"Then could you tell me from whom did you learn your spearmanship and archery?"
'Houston...'
'I don't even understand how this question was related, but I don't think it's a bad idea to tell him.' Ray replied.
Rei hesitated of course but that can't be helped since this might lead to misunderstanding if he just let it be a secret.
"The one who taught me Spearmanship was my uncle, my father's friend."
"And what is his name?"
"It's...[Nel Shubert]."
Upon hearing that name, Miranda and Hughes looked at him with wide eyes.
"Again, I only learned some of his basic skills and that last skill was an imitation of it." Rei explained.
"T-then, who is the one who taught you archery?" Miranda asked him immediately.
"Huh? Uhh...he is a hunter who lived at the village I saved from the hands of the King of Bandits."
"Then what about that last skill you use on me? Did that man taught you that as well?" Hughes asked.
"No he didn't, he only taught me the basics how to use a bow. If we're talking about that skill I used, it's from a book I found in that Bandit's treasury." Rei explained.
"I see...and what is his name?" Hughes became serious this time, as if he has a hunch about who's the person he talked about.
"If I remember...his name was [Roger], he doesn't have last name so he is called Uncle Roger in that village as their hunters."
Hughes clenched his own fists when he heard that name.
'[Roger]? Does he mean...that [Roger]?!' Hughes thought as he could feel his cold sweat started to trail down from his head.
Meanwhile Rei was the only one left with confusion after being asked something like that. Not only he was being asked about Nel but also Roger who taught him archery.
"You...you really don't know these two people are?"
"Like I said...I don't know and I don't think a former knight like uncle Nel and a hunter like Roger from that village had anything to do with what you are talking about."
"A former knight and a hunter I see." Hughes mumbled while rubbing on his own beard.
"Huh?"
Then all of a sudden Hughes started to laugh boisterously, "Kuhahaha! I never thought such a coincidence could happen like this...no–rather I think it's fate for him to meet those people."
'What is he talking about?' Rei knitted his brows, he was *this* close to think that Hughes might be somewhat insane, suddenly laughing out loud like that.
"So? Did you really not know them?"
"No, sir."
"Even though the one who taught you were the legendary [The Swift Striker Knight, Nel Shubert] and [The Destroyer, Roger]?"
Rei blinked twice when he heard their title, "What...?"
"Yes...ignorance sure is bliss, i never thought you learned a skill that came from two legends who retired long ago, not to mention imitating their skill to top it off! Hahaha!!" Hughes continue to laugh again.
'A legend?! What is he talking about, Houston?'
'I don't know, I never heard that kind of name!'
Hughes noticed that he was flabbergasted after hearing this kind of info.
"From your reaction it seems you really don't know huh."
"Y-yeah."
"Of course you wouldn't know, because their record have already gone from history."
"Gone from history?"
"Yeah, the reason they retired and disappeared was because they want to live leisurely."
"Eehh."
"The uncle you mentioned...Nel is a former knight who supposed to be on par with one of the legend, the swift strike of his spear that was able to penetrate any kind of defense is mankind's most ridiculous skill, of course, the others also included.
"So the technique that you used before was similar to one of his best moves, of course not the way you use the skill but the principles of the skill itself and that is to penetrate any kind of defense regardless whether they are sturdy or not."
"W-woah."
"He was one of the people who broke my shield before you but sadly that man disappeared, there's a rumor that he went off together with his best friend and stayed at an unknown village."
'I didn't know.' Ray mumbled.
"Then what about Roger?" Rei asked him.
"Roger is a former S-class Ranger and Sniper Adventurer."
"A former S-class?"
"Yess...and he is also one of the best archer who supported that legendary party."
Rei widened his eyes, "That Legendary Party?! You mean The Hero Party who defeated the Demon lord several years ago?!"
He knew about the party because he has been reading about the world he was in for two years, especially the historical part of it.
Where [Hero] and [Demon Lord]...exist. But the question is...
"Yes he was...and the skill that you used on the last attack was one of his signature skill, [Artillery Strike]."
"His skill?!–wait I found that skill from a book!"
"Yeah I know that but from what I see that skill is definitely his...the reason why his title is [The Destroyer], it's because of those archery skill."
"With that he could destroy a castle wall with just one arrow, he could oblirate an army from far away."
"Without using magic, with only pure concentrated power...and no one would notice that the moment that one arrow hit the ground, it would be the last thing they saw before they died."
"And that skill of his is...[Artillery Archery Art]."
Rei gulped as he couldn't help be quiet after hearing that, it was mind-blowingly scary just how dangerous this skill was.
"So from what you said, it seems you stumbled upon an instruction book for his skill. From the looks of it, I bet he tried to make that book so that someone could inherit that skill before he died old."
"I never knew..."
"He might lose that book in the hand of those Bandits, I mean his skill has it own flaw which isn't suited for close combat."
'Yeah...I think so too...because if we used that skill in very close distance, we might get caught on the explosion.' Rei thought.
'he's also fighting that Banzana who could teleport using his artifact." Ray commented it.
"How come I do not know that?"
"It's because that man himself said he wanted to rest...a man who fought alongside with those people would eventually hit his limit, you don't know how terrifying that war was...from day and night they fought until they literally drop."
"And so he decided to disappear with the money he has saved and requested that he doesn't want to be part of the record."
"I see..." Rei somehow understood what he meant, since he experienced a piece of memories from Ray himself before.
"But...how come you know all of this? I mean you talked as if you know these two personally." Rei asked him.
Hughes blinked for a moment then chuckled, "Heh, of course I would know them...we were comrades long ago."
"A comrade..."
"Indeed, we sometimes fought and drink together as a comrade who fought alongside with the Hero."
"Huh?? Alongside with the Hero? Wait, don't tell me...you are part of that party?!" Rei finally realized.
Hughes laughed loudly, "Hahaha! Indeed, except Nel, me and Roger are indeed one of the member of that party."
Rei widened his eyes, "I know Roger doesn't have any record but how come yours not in the record too?"
Hughes smirked, "Of course the same as the others, I want to live leisurely after those terrifying fight long ago, i'm very relieved that I am still alive today."
"I see...sorry for asking."
"It's okay! Hahaha!"
"Then what role do you have in the party?"
"My role was a Tank."
"A Tank? Wait isn't there already a name within the record."
"A name?"
"Yeah...a picture of a man clad with full plat armor and shield." Rei spoke based on what he remembered.
"Oh that? Hahaha!" But instead Hughes laughed once more.
Upon hearing his laugh it makes him even more confused, "Uhhhh...why are you laughing."
"I never thought these days people would still not know my first title!"
"Wait....first?"
"The current title I have was the [Shield Crusher] as I went back to the life of an Adventurer but before that, I have another title."
"Don't tell me..."
"Yepp, my title was...
.
.
.
.
[The Fortress, Hughes Farhill], nice to meet cha." Hughes grinned widely.
[The Fortress], a title befitting of his power. Rei read about his feat in the record before about a man who took all kinds of attack to defend his comrade.
That man stood still while enduring his best to block all the attacks coming from the Demons and the Demon lord himself.
And that man is sitting right before him now.
'Hughes Farhill..the Guild Master...is one of that legendary party's member?! And as the Tank?!' Ray spoke out loud in disbelief.
'What is this...so we challenged him without knowing this? And we won?'
'Yeah...I didn't even know how to respond to this, it's too much for me.' Ray spoke.
'Though...I don't know whether this is a coincidence or fate, to be able to get one of the legendary people's skill.'
'Kiritsuka...it seems you are much more special than you think you are.' Ray spoke after remembering what Hughes talked about before.
"Heh, well? What do you think? After knowing that you were able to win against me?"
Rei came back to reality as he became panicked a bit, "Ahh...ummm..it's very hard to believe of course, but despite that I win...I still lost in endurance with you."
"Hahaha! Indeed! Well, better luck next time!" Hughes grinned, brimming with excitement.
"Ahem." Suddenly Miranda eared her throat to break the atmosphere, catching their attention towards her.
"Now I understand why you are so strong, Crimson-san." Miranda complimented him with a smile, "But don't forget that we are still interviewing you whether you are worthy to be promoted like this or not."
"Ehhhhh, does it need to be that long?" Hughes pouted, looking impatient.
"I know that his achievements are great but according to the rule, he need to at least finish up a few more quest to meet with the quota in order to get promoted."
"I know that, but with his skill I don't think he need to be stuck at E-class a bit longer...who knows, he might achieve more great things if we raise his rank now." Hughes suggested.
"The way he is now, he needed more experience than anyone else...if we hinder his improvement then the future of humanity would be long gone before he could reach his peak." Hughes explained.
Hughes were making a fee solid points of arguments, Miranda hesitated about it and she knew this might hinder his growth. So after a few more seconds filled with silence, she has finally come to a decision.
*SIGH*
"Fine...I gave up." Miranda shrugged, but looked straight at Rei, "Crimson-san." Miranda called him.
Rei snapped out of his dazed state after watching their previous argument, quickly straightened himself up, "Y-yes?!"
"Your achievements and feat was most amazing...that's why I shall congratulate you now."
"You are promoted to be a D-class Adventurer." Miranda declared with a warm smile.
Rei widened his eyes a bit after hearing her declaration. Somehow his heart began to beat fast...he doesn't know what's gotten into him but for some reason...
He felt happiness
'This feelings...Houston?'
He knew this feeling was not his own, but Ray Houston as well who reside within him.
Ray who stood beside him inside his mind, smiled.
'Well...I never thought in this life I would got promoted like this.' Ray mumbled, 'That's why...I am thanking you again...Kiritsuka, for giving me this chance.'
'Houston...'
'I know full well...us Blacksmith always stayed behind, we are the one who support others who walk at the front...but now...we are the one in their position.'
Rei smiled behind that helmet, 'Of course...don't you remember? You and me are one...we will walk through this together, partner.'
'Heh, yeah...I'll look forward to keep working with you, partner.' Ray spoke.
Rei immediately bowed his head towards the two of them.
"Thank you so much for giving the permission to promote me...Guild Master." Rei spoke humbly.
Hughes smiles, "Don't mention it...but before you leave, don't you have a favor to ask of me?" Hughes asked him, reminding him about the bet they have before.
"Hmm? Ah–I almost forgot." Rei replied while rubbing the back of his head.
"Hahaha! So? What favor do you want?" Hughes asked him curiously.
"Then...I won't beat around the bush...
.
.
.
.
Could you teach me...about [Shieldmanship]?"
Hughes widened his eyes, "About what now?"
To be continue...