It's not that Shiroe hadn't anticipated this development.
　The Shadow Sentinels are the subordinates created by the Luseart of the Seven Gardens, and it was expected that once the battle began, they would follow us around. However, it was expected that it was a few that they failed to kill, the stain on the ceiling was wide and the number of shadows was too many.
--as many as the number of people who had damaged the black lusearts, the shadow warriors would arise.
　It was Shiroe who saw that.
　In this battle, at the time they launched their attack on the , they had completed defeating all of the shadow warriors that had followed them from the Coliseum. As long as that was the case, the number of shadow warriors following Ruseat was zero.
　And since Shiroe and the others had moved on, there was no way there was any being that could damage Ruseart. There is no possibility that Ruseato will be able to create another shadow warrior. The reason why so many shadow warriors have been born--.
　Shiroe thought that far and came to a single possibility.
　Rousseart stabbed himself with his own axe spear.
　In doing so, he caused damage and created a shadow warrior.
　Then that one and Rousseart himself damaged the black armor again and gained two more members of his household. And the process repeated. The armed forces of Lucrete, obtained through the unprecedented possibility of sacrificing themselves, are that black shadow that seeped out of the passage.

'Vanguard!
　The thought passed through Shiroe in less than a moment, and his mouth was giving shouting instructions.
　We're almost there. I won't say seven hundred seconds. Six hundred seconds would be enough to defeat the Flame Snake Ibra Habra. That would create a surplus of strength. I have to buy that time. Shiroe thinks. How long did it take for them to reach this great cavity themselves?　How much time has passed since the battle began?　If the Seventh Garden's Rousseart spawns shadowy spires about once every 200 seconds, and their number grows like a rat's arithmetic, how many are there now?　Thirty units. Sixty-three bodies at most--. The calculation response comes immediately. If it's the latter, it's a number that can only be despaired of, but if it's the former, there should be a small chance left. I'm ashamed of the thought that I shouldn't be, but Shiroe shouts out.
''I'm going to charge in and kiting--''
　It was a suicidal strategy. Junzo of the Silver Sword was about to react to Shiroe's order to stage a drama of escape with the Shadow Warrior in tow, but a strong raider jumped out before him.
''Keaaaaah!　Get out of the way!　Phantom Steps. Wyvern kick.　Ahhh!　TOUNTING SHOUT!!!!
　Demiquas decided on a two-step jump as if he had used something in the air as a foothold, and then leapt up into the air like a rocket and let out a scream while turning his body like a solitary piece of music. It was a yell of provocation used by the warrior profession. For a moment, Shiroe witnessed all the shadow warriors being knocked unconscious by Demikus.
　As the raiders, including Shiroe, looked up, the long-haired "martial artist" reflected in the fall from a momentary standstill seemed to be looking for Shiroe with a look of rage. The moment you lose sight of him, Shiroe loses his posture.
　Without realizing what had happened, Shiroe floated and felt herself being sent backwards at an overwhelming speed.
''--!
　I know that Naotsugu is shouting something. But I can't hear those words in the distant landscape.
　Apparently, I am moving through this great hollow at a terrific rate. As if thrown into a laundromat with a giant drum, Shiroe repeatedly accelerated and decelerated rapidly.
　The shadow warrior suddenly appeared in front of you and tried to swing his scythe at the astonished Shiroe, but he was blown away with a rotation of vision that seemed to make him sick. It was a giant leg armor with a vicious silhouette.
"d*mn it, Phantom Step!
　Demiquas dances into the air again, leaving behind a crowd of enemies who are crowded together.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
''What--''
Shut up, your d*mn glasses!　Wyvern kick.
　The foul-smelling, warm blood sprayed on his cheeks made Shiroe regain his composure.
　Whether he was planning to get revenge on Shiroe for messing up the raid here, or if he had his own odds and ends, Demikus didn't know. But the fact is that Demiquas is grabbing Shiroe around the back of his neck and treating him as if he were hunting prey.
(But this situation. Isn't it bad...?)
　From a different perspective, the Siloe is a fixed turret mounted on the Demikus.
　If you're aware of that, there's only one thing you need to do. Shiroe distributes the Grantor's spell, which is derided as having little firepower, around him.

　Perhaps Demikus is using the Drag Move, a special skill that he originally used against one of his enemies, making them target him regardless of the hate, and then drag him away. Or perhaps he simply uses his strength, which has surpassed the 90th level, to carry Shiroe around like a piece of luggage. With the Adventurer's extraordinary physical strength, that might be possible. Either possibility is possible.
　But the important thing now was to pull the shadow warriors away from the main body of the raid team.
Northeast corridor.
Shut up. What do you want me to do?
Mindbolts!
The Grantor!
　But despite the swearing, Demikus seemed to change his trajectory.
　He kicked and pushed through the black sprawling figure and headed for the side of the corridor, despite being targeted by countless enemies. Shiroe synthesized the information from the flamboyantly swinging vision. The number of sentries is about twenty, just as I was able to confirm. If you consider out of sight, it's around thirty. If you stand still, even if you have the support of a recovery spell, Demiquas will be unable to fight in fifteen seconds. If you don't have cover, it's half. It's too much to wonder about Shiroe himself, but the answer to that question has been clear since I started playing Elder Tail. Three seconds would be a good place to start.
''Shiroe, hey!
　The head of the shadow that was coming at him from a low position to attack him swelled up and burst out like a watermelon.
　William's sniper was the coup de grace.
'No cover over here, take down Ibra Habra.
You're such a nasty piece of shit!
'William!　Defeat the enemy!
　Shiroe wasn't sure what his voice could convey to that proud field commander (Guildmaster), or how much of a feeling he could put on him. Still, William closed his eyes tightly once with a caring expression and said, "Concentrate on the entire attacking force Ibrahabra!　The sorcerer!　I don't care. I shouted.

　His vision melted, and he passed through the cudgel of the frost giant Tartaurgar.
　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one," he said, as he shrugged his head at the overwhelming mass that slithered against the back of his head and noticed the white coating of skin at his feet.
It's the White Night of Tartaurgar. The movement impediment is coming, the flames--
I don't know, Lynx tumbling.
　Ignoring even Shiroe's advice, Demiquas runs to mock the freezing spell. With Wildcat's dodging 《Links Tumbling》 in his possession, Demikas runs up the downed club to the foothold, to the frost giant's rocky arms and then to his shoulders, and then to seek out more of them. The Tartaulgar, always letting out a white breath due to the horrible cold air, accelerates further to kick its cheeks off.
　The human-powered roller coaster, with all the safety devices removed, began to sprint along a bullshit trajectory that would send all visitors to the hospital on the park's first day of opening.
　Loops, tornadoes and slaloms. With dozens of shadows in tow, led by the invisible thread of hate, Demiquas began his terrifying escape.
　Behind him, he heard a shout. I don't know what it was saying. But Shiroe thought it might have been a word of encouragement. The Silver Sword would have a specific word to say to his companions (raiders) as they jumped into the dead.

　The sound of a large scale battle (raid battle) became fainter and fainter as we plunged into a passage filled with darkness. In that great cavity, the remaining fifty-eight hundred seconds of the defeat battle must now continue. If that's over, then we have to rescue Dinklon, who is fighting the frost giants.
　So the two of them running through the dark passage couldn't relax for a moment.
　Shiroe also started firing a constant stream of attack spells.
　Astral Bind and Nightmare Sphere. By hitting them with spells that have action blocking and hardening effects, you can delay the shadows' pursuit for a few seconds. There aren't many you can engage, but if you don't reduce the pressure on your pursuers, you won't be able to keep Demikus's HP heavily wetting Shiroe's cloak, as well as his HP, but Demikus's MP has been drastically reduced. It's the price of a reckless escape route. Anyway, it was a fortuitous thing that we were able to jump into the downward passage. They were still alive, and the passage led into darkness.

Do not use the Wyvern Kick for the time being.
　Demikus silenced Siloe's request.
　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to do with it. I'm not going to be able to get it right. In a situation like this, it would be mobility rather than offensive power. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make your life easier and more enjoyable.
　It's not clear to Shiroe why the demikus is taking him away.
　As a result, the dragging operation (kiting) using the stranding spell has worked so far, but he can't be sure if that is Demiquas's plan or not.
　Shiroe doesn't understand or have any sympathy for this lawless thinking in the first place.
　It remains as a deep-rooted lump of doubt, though it has faded, even now that they've shared a long raid together.
　I'm not sure I'll ever be able to find a way to get out of it.
　Of course, I don't intend to blame Demikus alone for the disaster. The confusion and misunderstanding of the catastrophe led him to believe that this was still the world of the game. It is also possible that he was driven by fear and took it out on them to cover it up. I later heard that the Brigantia guild was a guild of ill-mannered players who had gathered together since the days when Elder Tail was a game. Extreme behavior may have been fostered by the insistence of fellow players.
　Shiroe felt a certain amount of conviction in all of those circumstances, and he had the ability to understand them. But even so, he was still not convinced at the base.
　The Demikus abused and violated the rights of the Earthlings, and I hear that he even bought and sold them. I've heard that he even traded them.
　On top of that, he stalked Serara and frightened her like that.
　That kind of sense doesn't exist in Shiroe. I don't understand it, and I don't think I can forgive him.
　I don't like the man. Shiroe's opinion of Demikus had always been that way.

　A lot of time seemed to have passed while he was thinking about that.
　All Shiroe could see were dark passages that flowed in and out of his vision. He didn't know how much he had separated the shadowy sharpshooters, but Shiroe thought it would be bad to separate them too much. The Demikus had repeatedly provoked and attacked them in scattered ways. He didn't expect that army to forget about Hate, but it was just a matter of time before it happened. If the shadows turned back to that great hollow, this raid would be a failure. Even now, it wasn't clear if they could reliably pull all the Sentinels out.
'Stop, we're pulling too far apart. Let's wait a minute.
　But Demikus kept running so that the words would not be heard.
　The clingy Shiroe shouted repeatedly to stop, so much so that he finally stopped in his tracks. Shiroe's feelings were turned upside down by the demikus and she screamed in protest.
''What are you thinking, you went on like this...''
　Before he could finish saying those words, Shiroe was thrown into the aisle and rolled over, stopping with his back against the wall. It's a good thing that you're not the only one.
"Hey, Grandmaster," he said. Say my name.''

　Shiroe sucked in her breath in frustration and looked up to call him Mr. Dental Care, or whatever he was called, and chose silence.
　Shiroe felt like she was looking at Demikus for the first time now, searching for the rest of her lost words.
　The expression on Demiquas' face was harsh and determined as he moved his upper body closer to look into Shiroe. Both of his wide-open eyes were spilling over, and it was clear that he had spit out these words with something in them that he would never relinquish.
　The protest of asking a stupid question in such a trapped phase was lost on Siloe because of the look on his face.
　Just as William had an uncompromising wish, so does anyone else have it.
　Even Shiroe has them. Otherwise, Shiroe would still be a non-guild member.
　And even Demiquas has it.
　Sluggishly, Shiroe pondered and speculated, discovering that the anger in her was akin to self-loathing. The feeling of helplessness in the midst of the catastrophe had led her to avoid it, and so she had taken advantage of her inability to do anything about it, and turned to Demikus, who was tyrannical and violent.
　Of course, Demiquas did the unforgivable. Shiroe had to rescue Serara. However, it is doubtful that Siloe had the right to judge Demikus. Siloe is Siloe, not the law.
(And even if they had the right to judge you, if they had the right to do so - no one should be allowed to take your name away from you.)
　Shiroe found himself stubbornly refusing to call Demiquas by his name.
　I'm not like this outlaw. I don't recognize the same person.
　That was the attitude Shiroe was taking, in other words.

'Demikus.'
Oh.
Demikus, I don't like you.
So do I, Siloe, from the Log Horizon.
　Shiroe and Demikus finally came to terms with it.
　They had come to terms with the one point that they couldn't come to terms.

　So, as he was about to say, Shiroe couldn't continue beyond that.
　The palm of the outlaw's hand on his own chest moved slightly, but with or without, and Shiroe's body was blown away like a joke, and he rolled around the aisle again in a rumble. As Shiroe's body curled up, he arrived like a soccer ball to a large cold, closed steel door.
You're going to die at that point. I'm busy with those guys.
　The demikus, dismissing Siloe's rebuttal as if to silence him, cantered off again. A green glow clothed him at the end of the dark passage, and two or three more times, it flickered and flowed like a comet.
　Several unspeakable thoughts piled up, and Shiroe was left alone in the dark passage.



　◆



　And inside the door was a garden full of dazzling light.
　Gears that seemed ten times as tall as Shiroe's height were slowly turning. The gears, which seemed to be made entirely of frames, were intricately intertwined and interlocked with the wheeled wheels and elevators to control the massive circulation.
　The purpose of this great space was obvious at a glance.
　A plethora of gold coins flowed along Escher's trompe l'oeil conduit.
　Gears, pistons and spring engines are the giant mechanism that controls the river of gold coins.
　A chalk corridor continues to weave its way through the giant mechanism. The corridor is lined with streams, greenery and flowers. Sometimes Shiroe crossed a small arched bridge, sometimes he crossed a pond filled with gold coins, and then he went on.
　This garden was the golden maelstrom that Shiroe had expected.
　The sound of numerous bells tinkling made Shiroe look around. A huge steel box-shaped vessel the size of a bus tilted in a complex chain motion. The tilt causes its innumerable contents to spill out onto the circular sorting table beneath it. The sound of the bell was the metallic clang of hundreds of thousands, even millions of gold coins.
　It was a sight that was nothing short of astounding.
　Just getting a burlap bag full of gold coins from that mechanically moving stairway was enough to double Shiroe's wealth. Trying to figure out how much gold there was in this garden, Shiroe sighed that it was impossible.
　There is an unimaginably huge amount of gold here.
　But Shiroe didn't think the contract he carried with him was insignificant in comparison.
　It's insignificant in comparison. If it had been Shiroe until last year, he might have fallen short. But now it was different. He was prepared to go down the Abyssal Shaft to the depths of the Palms.

Welcome. I don't want to welcome you, but I suppose I must say so.
　It seemed to be the Violet Star that was waiting for Shiroe in the huge golden lake, the avant-garde garden that was attached to it. Siloe squinted and studied him closely, but he could not discover the difference. He was waiting for Shiroe here with an angel made of crystal on his back.
　That angel is the Ur of the Nine Gardens. It is the last raid boss that guards the approach to the abyss. At four meters in height, it is small compared to the enemies of the past, but its fighting prowess is more or less second to none. This meant that if the entire Silver Sword team was going to attack it, but if Shiroe was going to fight it alone, it would be suicide.
　No, or even if they all arrived here together, they might not be able to win with a team that was exhausted from a series of battles. But Shiroe is staring at the young man in front of him, not giving that threat a second thought.
(The color of the collar is different, I guess. I can't really tell them apart.)
　The Violet Star looked like that snow-covered Violet Star, or the Violet Star that greeted him at a party in Akiba's town. And I could see the Violet Star that runs the bank's business in Susukino.
　That's what the Violet Star is. And that's what the sacrificial clan is.
　Perhaps the roots of the Sacrifice Clan were the 'Earthlings', the bankers and their managers during the Elder Tail era, who were provided with special uniforms and special models. Shiroe predicted that. And he could see the fear and caution and pride in their eyes.
(That's scary, isn't it? (That's scary, isn't it, having the Ur of the Garden of Nine with us and the Adventurers attacking us? (From our point of view, it was a hopeless battle, but from their point of view, it must have been hopeless.
　Shiroe tried to imagine it.
　An avalanche of twenty-odd immortal troops who would never give up on their home base.
　It's a zombie attack that takes place there. Even if they were wiped out, they would rise up and carry out the attack little by little. There is nothing more terrifying than this. Fear and caution are natural. But they still stand in the way because of their pride. That pride is the will to protect the Yamato from the Earthlings.
　The sacrificial clan has protected Yamato for so long that they have followed the words of the Grandfather.
　Their unity and loyalty was immeasurable to Shiroe, a modern Japanese.

''I came to talk to Violet Star,''
We owe it to you to listen to how you arrived at this point.
....
　Shiroe froze at the hard voice of Violet Star.
　Although she had expected it, it was Shiroe's punishment for her suspicions that had produced unnecessary friction. Shiroe had trapped Violet Star in a shell of enmity. That was why the white-robed young man chastised himself for his duty to speak out.

''Is it right to understand that this flow of gold coins is what it is?''
"...Yes, yes. According to the agreement, we disclose it to you. All the gold that exists in Yamato is born here and returns here. The gold coins circulate with a super ancient technology that even we cannot understand or control. The gold coins are distributed out of this great muddy stream, to dungeons, and to monsters. This mechanism is a secret that lies in the darkness of Yamato. It is a taboo that the sacrificial families have kept secret for hundreds of years.
　-- and with those words, Shiroe realized another fact.
　The fact that the sacrificial clan has been in charge of this organization may be seen as a betrayal by the ordinary people of the Earth and the nobles of the Free Cities Alliance of Eastar. In the eyes of the aristocrats of the Free Cities Alliance of Eastar, this may look like a betrayal to the ordinary people of the Earth and the Free Cities Alliance of Eastar, who may think that they are funding the Goblins and the Orcs.
　Shiroe, who knows the game Elder Tail, would disagree. He could understand that this was just a system, not a good or evil one, but he wasn't sure what the Earthlings, who had been fighting sub-humans for a long time, would think. If this fact was exposed, there might be an anti-sacrificial clan movement across Yamato. It might even lead to riots and massacres.
　Violet Star's caution was justified. Shiroe was not thoughtful enough.

''I, and we are not going to dictate the truth or existence of this zone.
　Shiroe told him this, even though he was anxious about how convincing his words would be.
''--You who have reached this place, you can bring back the gold, as prescribed by the Taijo.
　However, Shiroe's inner movements didn't seem to have gotten through to Violet Star. With an unchanging, hard, alert voice, he said in a practiced tone.
''Over the course of our long, long history, some of Taejo's notes have been lost. Whether you can bring back a thousand or a hundred million gold coins from here, we ourselves no longer know. But the tradition conveys the words of Taejo.
　The Violet Star stared at Shiroe with eyes that were now blazing like flames.
　It wasn't a sword-wielding one, but this was also one clash that was no less than, but not inferior to, the battle he had just passed through.

　It's a good thing that you're able to get the best out of this one. Then he realized his own weakness. He had been able to behave so hawkishly during the Roundtable, but now his knees seemed to relax and he felt like he was going to sit down.
　But then he remembered William's profile as he barked. And the worried look on Akatsuki's face as he looked up at me. I remembered Naotsugu's concern for me, trying to make me laugh with a joke. Nyanta watching over me patiently, Minori and Touya who trusted me, Isuzu and Rundelhaus.
　This, I feel now, is not weakness.
　I want to let them win, Tetra murmured.
　It's because you want victory for someone else and think of the pain of not being able to achieve it that you wistfully want the best for them. Gone was Shiroe, the solo player who could be irresponsible because he was the only one. Shiroe now wishes for results more than anyone else. Unable to understand the feelings of others well, he has no other way to repay everyone else.

The gold of sacrifice is the wealth of misfortune. Much wealth is not wealth. Be mindful of the beast you keep. It will destroy the world."
　The Violet Star's words seeped into Shiroe, rippling through several interpretations, and then it was quiet.
　Shiroe took the poem, which sounded like an ominous prophecy, as a blessing.
　Deep inside, Shiroe could see that she was glad to be here.
　Surrounded by the distant sound of countless bells, Shiroe and Violet Star spent not a few moments together.
　Shiroe slowly took out a contract from the "magic bag" and tore it in two. In front of the wide-eyed and surprised Violet Star, the contract he had avoided turned into a soft, shimmering flame and flew away like a flock of butterflies.

　And out of the empty air, gold was born.

''This........''
Now that the covenant is signed, it is complete. The Round Table does not seek riches.
　Shiroe spoke to Violet Star with a faint smile.
　It was what Shiroe really wanted to talk about, a continuation of that failure in that snowy lodge.
''Even the rights to the Guild Hall are unnecessary for us. I think we already have enough power to live peacefully in that Akiba city. I am grateful to the organization (system) that gave us the opportunity to do so, but it's time for that to end. Even if some trouble arises again, it's time to find another way to solve it, that's the conclusion we've come to. --This covenant tactic is complete when it is made and torn apart.
　Shiroe stretched her heart out to Violet Star, who was at a loss to gauge the meaning.
　It wasn't just Shiroe's will, but with the pride of the that was able to agree to it.
''We will transfer the rights to Akiba City in general, including the Guild Hall, the Cathedral and the Commercial Hall, to the Yamato Server itself. Upon termination of the agreement, the transfer is forever.

　There was a lot of hard work and long discussions leading up to this point.
　Some said it would be foolish to abandon the rights once they had been purchased.
　However, after weighing the various advantages and disadvantages, we arrived at this point. Once it was discovered that the purchase of zones was possible and that it would lead directly to sanctions, it could only be described as a source of mayhem.
　In the first place, the zone purchase itself is not profitable. As long as there was the possibility that someone would eventually purchase it and impose a disadvantage on them - in other words, they would be attacked, the option of not purchasing it did not exist. Thus, the Great Temple, the commercial center, and the Akiba urban area were purchased with nearly all of the Roundtable's budget and loans to major guilds.
　However, the maintenance costs were now becoming a problem.
　It would have been fine if it was just the Guild Hall, but the real estate assets of the Roundtable, including Akiba City, had grown to the point where the monthly maintenance costs alone exceeded ten million gold coins. This was a huge financial burden.
　It is a structure in which defense by being attacked creates a burden. The faction led by Shiroe and Henrietta explored various possibilities to alleviate that burden, and after much discussion, the current expedition was planned.

''This... then, these gold coins are the cost of purchasing them?''
Yes. "From here all the gold coins are born and return", right?　So the contract was fulfilled and the purchase money went back to my feet in exchange for the contract. Just as I expected.
'Did Master Shiroe come here to explain that to you?
In a way, yes.
So what's the deal with the loan--how did it go?
　Shiroe pushed back the dislodged glasses with her fingertips.
'That's the main point. We want to purchase all of this Yamato's surface zones, the forests, the mountains, the mountain ranges, the lakes, the near seas, and so on. And everything we have purchased will be promptly destroyed and transferred, just as we have done before. As I have just proved, if you destroy, i.e., transfer the ownership of the purchased zone to Yamato, you will be refunded the purchase price. .... the land of Yamato should be returned to Yamato's hands.
　Violet Star clenched her fists to the point of white and seemed to be desperately trying to suppress her agitation.
"As for the building-sized zones, I can't get around to it, and for the time being, I think it's fine as before, but I want to at least fix all the field zones to the state of 'never to be owned'. Besides ... the Earthlings can't buy zones.
　It was also a stab that had been stuck in Shiroe's chest for a long time.

''This situation is extraordinary. We at the don't want to be the spark of war. We are not denying the ownership of land. But we believe that a contract between people is enough. We don't need the zone purchase system at the moment. So please lend us, the Roundtable, the money to do it. Please lend us the money to return the money to this stream so that we don't have to destroy ourselves.



　You're not going to be able to do that.




　The ground was craggy and rocky, smelling of sulfur.
　William collapses, looking up at the heavens, thinking that only a fool would lie down in a place like this. If you only turn your face to the side, a charred arrowhead and an unearthly colored rag have fallen out. This could have been someone's equipment. It was a mess.
　I was so fatigued that my whole body felt swollen with fever, and I was too lazy to move even that much. It was eerily quiet in the great cavity, the sound of gushing steam and dripping water was eerily loud.
　The stinking, hot, aching, sluggish, disgusting present was a blissful moment. William knew that the liquid running down the sides of his nose wasn't blood, but he didn't think to wipe it off. Both arms were on strike from the overdrawing of the bow, and even his friends lying all over the place were crying anyway.

　We had won.

　They had used up their copious supplies and some of their comrades were incapable of fighting. There was a phase where they went through a series of resuscitation spells and comas. When Demikus returned home, covered in blood and pursued by the Shadow Warriors, I felt a sense of defeat. However, the fact that he had already defeated Ibra Habra in the Garden of the Three Gorges was probably a blessing in disguise. This time, he threw the second party into a delayed battle in the corridor, forcing them to win the thin ice in a muddy melee.
　There was nothing more they could do. The prediction that if the black-armored Rousseart appeared in this hall now, he would be twisted like a baby without a struggle was certain. The members of the group are ragged. All covered in sewage and mud, covered in ice and fire, exhausted - and glowing.
　Groggily, William sat up, looked around the hollow and smiled.
　The laughter was small, but eventually it sounded cheerful.
　He had won.
　How amazing, William thought.
　He was happy beyond words. All his regrets and remorse, even his fears and disappointments, were being washed away. Wow, that's a big deal, he shouted pleasantly. William felt a little pity for his lack of vocabulary, but it was only for a moment.
(How awesome!)　(Holy shit, my friends, they're awesome!
　Federico, who was lying down, was waving his hand towards us.
　Dinklon has one hand in a puddle to cool off. His bangs are sprawling and ruining his s*xy man.
　Odiso was slumped over, moving his thin rod like a flag waved by a bus guide. Suddenly the little Alraune appears, frightened and lumbering, then drags a water bottle out of his luggage and distributes it to everyone.
　There were only a few members who could move, and even they could only sit up and go limp at best. To put it bluntly, Silversword was on the verge of being wiped out.
　But even though they were on the verge of being wiped out, victory is still victory.
(Yeah, that's awesome, really.)
　William could only repeat sooooo much in his mind like an idiot. It was so glittery and dazzling that he couldn't even stare at his companion because it was so burned out in his eyes. I'm pretty sure I didn't have tears in my eyes.

'We've won,'
Oh.
I won.
We've won.
　Such little murmurs and responses were repeated in the hall.
　William couldn't help but be happy to hear it. He was certainly not a smooth talker, but even his friends' mumbles were just one kind, like a stamp. He enjoyed the fact that there was no difference.

'Hey, Gilmour,'
What the f*ck?
　William answered Federico's squirming voice. Federico also got up with a half-sick motion. 'There it is,' he said, pointing with the tip of his chin at the pile of treasure. 'That's the treasure left behind by the flaming serpent Ibra Habra and the frost giant Tartaurgar. A pile of gold coins, jewels and other cash items, dozens of material items, and illusory grade weapons and armor 《Phantasmal Items》. Since he had defeated two bosses, it was quite a large amount.
　Most of the equipment was non-transferable. William, the raid leader, would have to temporarily take custody of them and distribute them to the members.
　There are various ways to divide the items. There are a variety of ways to distribute the items, from a method where the raider's attendance to date is tallied and competed on the basis of merit points, to a method where the items are ordered among those that can be equipped with them, to a rock-paper-scissors game between those who wish to do so - all of these methods are This is a common challenge that all guilds that raid have tried and failed to solve.
　Illusionary-class items are so powerful that raids are often conducted to acquire them. These gems with special names and capabilities that can be obtained nowhere else will earn the respect of the servers, and sometimes even the honor of the guild, just like the name of the Black Sword Guild.
　There are many guilds that have collapsed because of the way the rewards are divided. That's why every guild pays the utmost attention to its methods and management.
　Silversword has been using a point system since the days of the game. Items were sold for points based on the number of raids they had participated in. However, if a player defeated an unknown boss that had never been defeated before, the item would not be distributed by points, but rather the guild master, William, would be given the rights to the item. The point system provides a sense of fairness, and members are unlikely to complain about it. On the other hand, as long as the points are spent, there is the possibility that the item will go to the person who wants it, or in other words, to the owner of the item, who is not the best solution from the standpoint of increasing his or her strength.
　The distribution of nominations by William is an arrangement to give the newly acquired powerful equipment to the right person and make the subsequent attack more efficient.

　Finally whipping his recovering body, William stood up and approached the pile of treasures. When the acquisition window opened in multiples and disclosed information, there were numerous items that were dropped by the raid boss this time. It's not just the name that conveys its power.
　That's probably true too. This is the first battle result of the Yamato server, where I ran head-on into a raid that was over level 90 and broke through it. Climbing to the summit he had longed for, William's mind was surprisingly quiet.
　The Eyes of Lyncheus.
　The fiery ice blade.
　The Red Scales of the Infinite Serpent.
　They were all fascinating. All of this information should be at the fingertips of all the participants in the massive battle. Each of them raised their bodies and checked the window that floated in the void or looked at William. In the midst of the expectant gaze, the silver-haired young man thought for a while, then turned around and told his companions.

"Hanamamori of Gekkei," he said. This guy.
　It was an intricately carved metal amulet.
　Four articulated flower petals bloomed somewhat proudly in the circular frame.
'I think I'd like to do this to my belly-button glasses.

　At that time, the presence of something faded rapidly from the surroundings. It was a tense sort of hostility, a tingling tension I'd felt since I'd entered this zone.
　Federico's nose twitched as if he were sniffing the air, and he said, "It's getting warm. Then he murmured, "It's getting kind of warm.
　The raid team understood, more clearly than anyone else could explain, that the attack on this zone was over. Originally, there was still the defeat of the , but that was no longer necessary. The hostility towards William and the others disappeared from this zone and it became a safe area.
''I heard that guy did something.
　Dinclone brushed up his dirty bangs and said so.
　Exactly as he said it, he would have succeeded in the negotiations that Siloe had foretold. He knew he would pull it off, but William felt a smile come to his face again when he thought that he had succeeded, after all.
This is a good item. It's also top-notch in terms of resistance and ability increase. I'm going to give it to Shiroe.... I know that's not the Silver Sword, but it's a friend of mine who fought with me in the war.
　The answer that echoed through the great hollow was consent.
　While listening to that very proud chant, William began the next distribution of the loot.


　◆



　It had been four days since they left William and the others.
　Shiroe and the others jumped down onto the green covered elevated road. Shiroe, Naotsugu, and Tetra waved to the griffon as it flew off over the time limit, and slowly walked out on the divine asphalt.
''Already. Naotsugu-san is cold.''
Chi-ga-woo. I have heavy armor, so the gryphon doesn't like to ride with two people.
Oh, come on. Don't say that. You don't think this is for anyone else?
Ow. Ouch. What's the matter with you?
Hmmm. I'm an idol, you know!
　Shiroe looked up at the sky, listening to the two of them enjoying themselves.
　It was a beautiful, mild winter day. The sun was shining down on Shiroe and her friends' path, though it would probably take another hour or two to reach the season.

　After that, we meet up with William and the others and accompany them through the Palms' Deep Place to Susukino. We were able to share the road with them in an atmosphere that was a complete change from the beginning of our journey.
　Demikus seemed to have had a big change of heart. His blunt attitude is still the same, but he no longer attacks the members of the Silver Sword. I'm not going to be able to get to know them, but I'm not going to be able to get to know them.

　He had talked with the members of the Silver Sword every night on his way home about various things. Most of them were very practical. It was all about exchanging information about the various things that happened after the catastrophe.
　The Silver Sword also has most of the information about Akiva's current situation. For the adventurers of this telepathic world, it is not difficult to obtain information from remote areas, as long as you know someone who does. But when it came to the latest news of production and inventions, Silversword didn't know that much either. It wasn't something to hide, and Shiroe made an effort to share the results in that area. The Silversword's side brought information about the new materials they had seen in the raids of the Ezzo Empire.
　Both sides spent the most time talking about the large amount of material items they had obtained in this raid. Some of them were received by Shiroe, but most of them will remain with Silversword. If they wanted to, the Eighth Shopping Street or Grandeur would go to Ezzo to make the deal. The Silversword must use this loot to replenish their depleted supplies.
　They did not discuss their own personal stories and worries.
　Every night around the campfire, while eating the last of the food that was left, we would talk about this and that of the loot, the potential new equipment that could be produced, and the future course of action - in short, it was the same as when the Elder Tail was a game. We only talked about things that weren't there.
　However, Shiroe and the other participants were deeply satisfied.
　They had won a very painful large scale battle (raid battle).
　No need to talk about anything else. This is good.
　Naotsugu was humming and polishing his newly acquired equipment, Tetra was sitting on a rock, legs dangling and smiling, and even Demiquas was languidly joining in with a pillow on his elbow with his mouth in a crooked line. Shiroe watched and then went back to discussing it with the 〈Silversword〉. Because it was the only souvenir he could leave behind during his short journey. And it was a fulfilled triumph.

　He exchanged a few words with William briefly.
　He said he would remain in Susskino. A tribe of giants appeared in Ezzo as a field raid. It's the same as in the days of the Elder Tail, but occasionally new monsters are said to mix in with their attacks. Mithril Eyes" tells Shiroe that they will fight off these monsters to restore their strength and prepare for more raids. I'm also worried about Susskino, William added at the end.
　Shiroe nodded in agreement. There is nothing to disagree with that decision. William is a great guild master and Shiroe thought that his decision was justified.
''Add me to your friends list.
　William said. Friends lists are a one-way street for each other. Just because you're registered doesn't mean they're registered with you. If you are registered, you can contact them, so you don't usually ask them to register. If I'm registered, I can contact them and we can have a conversation.
　That's why Shiroe understood William's words to mean "contact me if you need anything".
　Maybe he was embarrassed. William looked even more uncomfortable than usual.
'I've already done that,'
　Siloe replied.
　William replied, "Okay then," and raised one hand.
　That was the end of it. The , led by William, was easily separated from the .
　In the Elder Tail, there were not many players in the top group of raiders. No matter how large the large guilds were, there were only a limited number of top attacking groups within them. On the Yamato server, there must be less than five hundred players. It's not a number that one would be willing to part with. They're always running next to each other and can always fight together again. Shiroe felt as if he had been told of William's silent message.
　Perhaps that would not change even if this was a different world. Shiroe thought that even back then, when he was living on Earth, Shiroe just didn't know that such a relationship existed. There were many yet unseen comrades who were fighting just as Shiroe was, although Shiroe just couldn't feel it. That was no small surprise of discovery to Shiroe.

　Speaking of Li-Gan, the main purpose of his return to Susukino, he was completely at home in the inn and his attic was overflowing with materials from that attic. The books he had brought in from wherever he had brought them from, and the unintelligible calligraphy he must have written himself, seemed to excite him a lot.
　It seems that Ri-Gun can't leave Susukino for a while longer. The research on the inter-city transport gate seemed to have progressed. Shiroe and the others said goodbye to Li-Gun and left Susukino. Li-Gun, who said he had to look into other gates eventually, would be able to meet up with them in Akiba. There was no need to say goodbye.

　And so, after a long journey by air with the Eagle Lion, we finally arrived at Les Wall. If the Eagle Lion had lasted for another 30 minutes or an hour, we would have been able to reach the city of Akiba in plenty of time, but we were just a little short of that. That said, it wasn't far enough to camp out and leave it for tomorrow.
　If they walked to relieve themselves for a while and summoned their horses, they could reach the city of Akiba after dusk. Knowing this, Naotsugu and Tora seem at ease.

''Wow, wait a minute, don't climb!''
'If I wait, can I go up?　I demand an answer.
You are a child or a festival.
'Children don't smell this sweet. Hmmm.
Where did you learn that line from-- Heh?　Oh, oh.
　Naotsugu, who abruptly ended his comedy act with Tetra, is sorry!　He threw Tetra out of the way and started running frustratingly, calling out the summoning horse as it was. Butt-headed, Tetra spun around to come next to Shiroe with a small mouth agape and a frustrated look on her face.
'It's not going well. Is it lack of charm?''
Don't be too much of a tease, okay?
It's no fun to be moderate.
　Shiroe shrugs at Tetra, who is beaming with pride and beaming with pride.
'When are you going to tell me it's a boy?'
That's because it's a secret until Naotsugu-san finds out. It's more fun that way.
'I guess it's an important time in that sense. Naotsugu is.
　On the matter with Miss Mari.
　Shiroe continued in his mind. It seems that he thinks he is keeping his mouth shut, but the fact that Naotsugu and Marielle are getting on well with each other is an unspoken support for Shiroe and Nyanta. However, this is a mental cheer with no intention of meddling.
"Yes, sir, you can leave it to me! I'm not sure if Shiroe understands or not," said Tetra with a big smile on her face, as she sighed. I know that I'm actually the type of person who can read the air, but just because I can read it, whether or not I follow it is a matter of my own will.
　It was not without a part of the momentum, but Shiroe himself was the one who allowed him to join the guild. I can't help but feel like I've added to the trouble in a direct succession.
　However, other than that, he is certainly not the kind of person to refuse, both in terms of personality and skill. There was a strong desire on his part, and a recommendation from a friend who had expected it.
I wasn't here in Susukino under Kazuhiko-san's direction, you know.
I'll trust you on that one.
I think you can help people more than I can.
We're not a charitable organization, though.
But the world isn't so dry as to forgive me for being irrelevant. That's what makes me tense, really.
　Quite right, Shiroe couldn't help but nod at the strangely worldly Tetra's opinion.
　He proceeded to take over the Guild Hall in an attempt to protect the city of Akiva from the mayhem he had yet to see.
　If that wasn't enough to solve the problem, he bought up more zones. Unable to pay the maintenance costs, they decided to terminate the contract and turn it into a privately owned ban zone. The idea was to free the entire Yamato server ownership from the system, even into the future.
　I'm sure the initial idea wasn't so strange.
　I think it was obvious to everyone that the zone-owning system had the potential to cause problems in the future. Shiroe felt that he was the one who had used it in the first place, and that he was responsible for cleaning up afterwards.
　But it took him a long time to do so, and his various involvements took him to the Ezzo Empire and to the bowels of the earth. This world is not a straightforward one at all.
(Though that's always the case, isn't it?)
　If you think about it, it hasn't changed much since the days of the Prodigal Tea Party.
　A lot of unexpected things happen when you make a move. It's been a long time since I've been reminded of my lack of strength in the midst of it all, but when I think back on it, it's something I've always done. I was born on a planet like that, don't give up!　I remember KR's irresponsible words, "I'm sorry.

'Ah!'
　As the elevated road rounded the crumbling and compromised sidewalks and piles of rubble to reach the new visibility, Tetra pointed ahead and excitedly ran off. Ahead of them, a group of people in various shades of coats were waving at Shiroe. Tetra rushed at them furiously, apparently causing some kind of commotion with Naotsugu, who was desperately trying to make a good case.
　Shiroe chuckles, but continues to walk slowly with a warm feeling.
　The squad leader who came all the way to meet me, Minori, Touya, Rundelhaus and Isuzu. There are also members of the . Naotsugu is confused when Marielle and Tetra hug him from both sides. Henrietta gives me a silent bow with a gentle smile. Serara, who looks happy next to Nyanta. Hien to the little dragon.
　Shiroe, who was about to approach everyone who was raining hands down on her, turned around when she felt a sign.

''Have you grown a little taller?''
My lord is terrible!
　Akatsuki, who had apparently pissed him off with his little impressions, however, really did look a little more mature. The way she was wearing a shoulder strap over a ninja outfit she had never seen before, she certainly looked more dignified and gentle than she did at that moment when they parted on the beach.
　Shiroe didn't know why that was, and she stared at the pretty little face. 'Don't be so impolite, my lord,' says Akatsuki, running away behind Shiroe. Shiroe followed the Akatsuki with her gaze from under her armpits, feeling very happy to suddenly realize that this was the same act as before.
　The Akatsuki was also fighting on the Akatsuki battlefield.
　Just as I saw on that white sandy beach, Akatsuki must have regained something.
　And he has become a little stronger.
　The world is moving.
　While Shiroe was working hard, Shiroe's friends were also fighting just as hard elsewhere. Just as Shiroe felt for William, there were countless others running next to him, even if he couldn't see them with his own eyes. It was a reassuring and redeeming recognition. After a long journey, Shiroe was now back in Akiba, united once again with the friends who had been waiting for her and fighting for her.
　Shiroe searched for words to convey the feeling he had realized, but his quiet joy prevented him from finding them. There was still plenty of time to tell them.
I'm home. Akatsuki.
Welcome back, my lord. My lord.
　Now they just smiled like children showing each other their spoils of war and exchanged greetings of return.