The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter

Chapter 108 General’s Might

Shoen-sama, who rushed over, says.

「General Stay, he does not need screening. He is a strong person whom I asked to join personally.」

「My apologies, but I was instructed by the king to sort out all troops except for the regular ones.」

「He, Noir-kun solved the incident that happened in Landan.」

「Ooh. So the one who defeated the petrifying monster was him?」

「That is right.」

The sharp gaze of Stay-san makes me more nervous. Even without an appraisal, I realize that he is strong. Same as professor Elna… No, he has an even stronger aura.

Although Shoen-sama lists my previous achievements and insists that my examination is unnecessary, General Stay doesn’t back down.

Though I’m reluctant to have my abilities revealed through appraisal, but we are going to be allies.

「It’s fine, Shoen-sama. Please, inspect me as well. If I were to fail from that, then fighting monsters would be impossible for me to begin with.」

「I’m sorry. Even though it was I who got you involved.」

「Then, appraise him.」

The woman beside him uses the skill when General Stay orders it. Uh, I’m always doing it myself, but being on the receiving end of this gets me strangely nervous.

「Eh?! What… Is this… ?」

The woman who I thought is an expressionless person, has a huge change in her expression. There is no doubt that she is shocked by something about me.

「Tell me the reason for your surprise.」

「The level is over one hundred, the number of skills is several dozens.」

「Oh, so we have a real deal here.」

Even so slightly, but the corners of General Stay’s mouth rise up. And then, the next words spoken by the woman stir up a commotion.

「There are some skills that I don’t know, the most worthy of surprise are Create, Edit, Grant, those three.」

「… Wha… at? Isn’t that a mistake?」

「It’s not a mistake. Without a doubt, he has those three.」

It’s not just General Stay. Even Shoen-sama changed the way he looks at me. Which made me uneasy, since I felt that a bit of fear was mixed in there.

An edge of a blade is about to touch my neck. It belongs to the sword in hands of General Stay.

「Answer. Do you have any connections with Olivia Servant?」

The fact that the name of the master comes out, means that in this country the three skills she possessed were well known as well. I can’t answer that I’m in touch with her. Then, only bluff remains.

「As I heard from the people knowledgeable in skills, it might be a mutation.」

「Do you intend to feed that lie to me?」

The moment I was pressed for an answer, I pulled back with backstep and before I even regained posture, I already pulled out my sword and screamed. AAAAAAAAAH! WHOOA, WAAAAAH! WHOA, I don’t get it myself, but I scream anyway.

「Noir? What happened?」

「No, Emma, don’t get near me!」

It wasn’t an action I took by thinking with my head. Instincts made me. Anyway, I was in a fighting stance and exposed hostility.

「This guy, he turned a sword at the general, surround him.」

「Do not. What this boy is doing is reasonable. On the contrary, he wouldn’t be a man if he didn’t draw his sword here.」

The soldiers who started moving come to a complete halt all at once. I was praying that General Stay will sheathe his long sword but that was not the case.

「If I call you a dirty descendant of Olivia, will you get even angrier?」

「If you insult Olivia, I will not tolerate it.」

「Interesting. Then throw that anger at me. That will be your screening.」

First, I will calm my breathing. Jumping at him with instincts only will spell certain defeat. First, I appraise him… And my breathing was disturbed once again.

Name: Stay Another.

Age: 32

Race: Human

Level: 324

Occupation: General

Skills: Long Sword Proficiency A, Abnormal Status Recovery A, All Abnormal Status Resistance B, Blade of the Demon God, Fire Blade, Iron Cutting, Harmonious Moon Sword, Afterimage, Stealthy steps, Intimidation, Night Eye, Enhanced Backstep.

Probably the strongest opponent I faced so far… High level. powerful skills, no openings. The reason I’m freaking out is probably【Intimidation】.

After it was used, I couldn’t control myself anymore.

Judging by the skill setup there is no doubt that he is melee type. He also has a longer reach. Then, I will attack without coming close. I put my left hand behind my back and stealthily take out several knives from subdimension.

Knives went through his unmoving figure and were blocked by a shield of a soldier behind him.

「Is that the right choice? You made the throw while questioning it.」

「… Kuh.」

「The things you normally could do become impossible. Here is my own theory, but there are two types of warriors. Calm and passionate. In short, it’s those that are stronger when they are calm and composed and those that exert their real abilities when they are swallowed by emotions.」

I would be the former. It is clear from my previous actions. He tells me that on purpose. This is… Not even a battle. I’m the only one who sees it that way, objectively it’s a lesson.

It’s vexing… But I don’t want to stop fighting yet.

「Don’t get me wrong, Stalgia I’m not saying that you should erase the fighting spirit that burns in the deep of your chest just because you are of the calm type. Keep your head cool and your heart burning. If you still want to continue then come at me with the intention to kill.」

「Here I go.」

I dash to close the distance and swipe the sword sideways. The sword fight starts from there. Although General Stay’s sword was narrow, every hit was heavy and packed with a fighting spirit, my sword hardly can get through.

Being pushed back, I back off and… Use【Thunderbolt】.

*DoooooOOOOON!*

Under the roaring sound that would make one want to cover his ears, I witness the afterimage of General Stay. For a moment his body was blurred and the next moment it split in two exact images, one of which is struck by lightning and immediately disappears.

At the same time, several soldiers that were nearby kneeled on the ground.

「This is it. I understood your ability well enough, let’s make it a pass.」

「Haa Haa, Pass…」

「But there are still points that should be improved. For example, the current choice was not good. Some of the soldiers were electrified.」

「Ah…」

I was so engrossed that I didn’t see anything around me.

「Well, it can also be said that you lack training. Anyway, Stalgia, you pass. That power will be of great help to us, I will be counting on you.」

Is that because of that gap that appeared after he released Intimidation? General Stay feels like a kind and gentle person.

In fact, during the fight, he accurately pointed out my weak spots.

「You won’t ask about the skills?」

「If you want to talk about it I will, if not then I don’t particularly care. I’m merely doing the examination. And you passed. Without even using three skills.」

「You weren’t serious either.」

「I will keep my seriousness for monsters. Please do the same.」

With a cool response of General Stay peace returns to my heart. As an enemy he is scary, but he is an ally who will fight alongside us. There is nothing more reassuring than this.

However, the problem has not been resolved yet. Shoen-sama did not approve of me passing.

「To invite a descendant of Olivia into our midst. General Stay, I cannot permit this.」

「You were the one who recommended him.」

「I-I didn’t know. To think that he had Olivia’s blood in him…」

The master is pretty hated. In my country, nothing of this sort happened. She was even praised as the legendary adventurer from the guild 『Odin』.

「Because he is a descendant of Olivia you don’t want him to participate in the battle. Is that your position?」

「Even if I permit it, the people will not. That is what I think.」

「I also know the story of Olivia and the hero of this town. But it doesn’t matter. I am here to make this town triumph over monsters if it comes to battle. And that boy over there, though still green, is extremely talented. His potential goes far beyond mine.」

「Wha… That much…」

Shoen-sama was disturbed, but even more, were the troops of General Stay. After asserting that it was not lip service, the general continued.

「Create, edit, grant. According to the ancient document, these three skills are of the strongest class. If he made full use of them I wouldn’t leave unscratched. Of course, the same is true for him as well.」

「But, but to me, it looked like Noir-kun was scared and that he was overwhelmed by you the whole time.」

… Yes, that’s exactly what happened. However, General Stay shook his head and referred to my skills.

「That thunderbolt. That is a skill difficult to control, it often hits off the mark. But Stalgia’s attack perfectly hit me.」

「There is a possibility that it was mere luck.」

「Of course there is. But I kept pressuring him with Intimidation. In fact, he missed with throwing knives. And in that situation, he dropped lightning that accurately. It’s only my speculation, but he probably enhanced the skills themselves.」

「Is it even…」

「It was stated in the books that Edit is that kind of skill. But only he himself can give you the correct answer.」

Not only strong, but his eye for details was also amazing. He saw through everything. Hiding it would be useless, so I honestly replied.

「It’s just as General said. I edited my skills.」

Those who were cheering, those who were upset, those who were at loss for words. People’s reactions varied.

And here the general completely crushes Shoen-sama’s opposition.

「My purpose is to reduce casualties to the people and to drive away monsters as fast as possible. For that, Stalgia’s power will be useful. I will have him participate, do you have objections?」

「… I will abide by your decision.」

「Thank you. Then, the next person, step forward.」

Thus our participation in battle was approved. The other four also passed, all without any problem. Everyone passed with just results from the appraisal.

As other soldiers said, it was extremely rare for the general to personally have a bout with someone.

Such strong people are not that easy to come by.

There is no doubt that it was a valuable experience.