Chapter 108
Labyrinth Day 59.
I picked up some weapons from the Machine Factory that even beginners could easily handle.
But it’s not for me to use.
I’m not disregarding the weapons made by Omega, but there’s no way these could even scratch the monsters dwelling in the Ancient Labyrinth.
The weapon I brought is weaker than my thwap.
Of course.
There are weapons that can deal damage to S-Class Monsters.
Omega’s masterpieces can certainly hold up against the monsters in the Ancient Labyrinth.
But I didn’t bring those weapons.
As I said before.
I didn’t get them for my own use.
I needed weapons that anyone could handle.
And what I brought is something that ordinary people can use without hassle.
Even the F-Class Merino can use it with no problem at all.
“Yay! Take that!”
Pishwook-!
[Kyaa!]
The weapon Merino is currently aiming at the Melody Fox is called the Aqua Stun Gun.
To put it simply, it’s a paralysis water gun.
That water contains the power to incapacitate the opponent.
I heard it was made by studying the threads of the Dog Spider.
Well, obviously, it didn’t work on the S-Class Melody Fox.
“Gasp! To think she would be fine after getting hit! Melody is truly amazing!”
[Kyu-huhu!]
The current danger level of the Melody Fox is nerfed to B-Class, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work on a B-Class monster.
That weapon is likely weakened as well.
After all, it’s a weapon infused with Omega’s essence.
“Everyone else, take that!”
Pishwook-!
[Choke…!]
[JAPAAAAN!!!]
Niarah Nepensys, hit by the water, slumped to the ground, while Japan flailed their arms in pain and screamed.
The water gun wasn’t really effective against them.
They’re just pretending to be in pain like kids playing around.
“Haha! I’ve defeated the bad guys!”
Just imagine it as some kind of playtime.
Anyway.
I was planning to gift these Aqua Stun Guns to the assistants back on Earth.
Not just the Aqua Stun Gun, but I’ve also prepared a scarf that Azelas stayed up all night making.
Though I mentioned it like it was a bonus, the scarf is actually the main thing.
It’s made from the threads of the Kinogine Aracne.
With just this scarf, one could survive even a nuclear blast.
It’s like an invincibility cheat in a way.
The sudden support stems from one reason.
I heard that the atmosphere on Earth is quite unsettling.
I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but I should arm the assistants as much as possible for their safety.
“By the way, hasn’t the Dimension Magician found out anything yet?”
“What do you mean?”
It seems nothing has been clarified yet.
I suppose it’s hard to unravel all the truths in such a short time.
“Still working part-time at the cafe?”
I didn’t know Sage had such a habit of repaying favors.
I’d never guessed that.
By the way, I heard they also cast protection magic on the assistants.
“Oh, and just checking, you guys aren’t snooping around suspiciously trying to find out what’s going on, right?”
“Good to hear. Leave all the spying to Sage as they said. There’s nothing you can do as ordinary folks. Getting involved carelessly will only cause trouble.”
This advice came straight from the heart.
To put it bluntly, it wouldn’t be wise to act recklessly without understanding the situation.
If you had multiple lives, it’d be one thing.
For someone strong like Sage, it’s not much of an issue, but for ordinary human assistants to be snooping around monsters is pretty much a suicide mission.
Even if I’m supporting them with equipment.
“Yeah, as long as you’re safe at home unless you are working.”
Hearing their answers made me feel a bit relieved.
Even though Pururu and Missy might be a bit dim, it seems they’re not the reckless type.
Anyway.
Now, let’s send the Aqua Stun Guns… I mean, the Aqua Stun Guns and the scarf made by Azelas. Rize, turn on that function like last time.
Reverse support is normally only available to Assistants of Gold rank and above.
But if there’s a Diamond rank Assistant among them, the story changes.
Among the privileges of a Diamond rank, there’s a supporting feature that allows Explorers to use reverse support on lower-ranked Assistants.
I used this feature last time when I sent food.
The reason for such a feature seems to be to give some petty privileges to higher-ranked Assistants.
Just like that.
Rize was using their authority for some good old-fashioned power trip.
【Yumi】─[Picture]
It was a photo she had taken before.
Ha Yumi uploaded the picture.
But Missy stubbornly held out and didn’t post one.
Pururu was a Platinum rank and could receive reverse support without Rize’s assistance, so all they could do was watch.
【Mysticism】─
Rize activated their privilege.
As a result, reverse support was enabled for Assistants below Gold rank as well.
*
After finishing up the reverse support, the Earth’s Assistants provided coin support.
They didn’t use their own funds for the support.
The source of the coins sent by the Earth’s Assistants all turned out to belong to Seo Dan-bi’s friend, the conglomerate heir, Hwang Mir.
“Lulu, please thank that Mir for me.”
It was something I was planning on anyway, no need to even say it.
They’re not even an Assistant yet but are supporting me so much, of course, they’d have to be prioritized.
“Got it. As soon as I get the Mid-Level Invitation Ticket, I’ll invite them.”
If I have the Mid-Level Invitation Ticket, I can invite Hwang Mir.
The Mid-Level Invitation Ticket means I can designate someone who had contact with me or a tamed monster within five days to request support.
Creating a connection with Hwang Mir was easy.
All I needed to do was use a Designated Dispatch Ticket to send a monster to Earth and have them meet Hwang Mir.
The cost of the Designated Dispatch Ticket was totally worth it.
It’s an investment to gain a big-shot Assistant.
Of course.
I won’t go as far as using a Vending Machine Tracking Ticket to get the Mid-Level Invitation Ticket.
That’d be a ridiculous investment, in my opinion.
Besides coins.
They mentioned they’d also send livestock and agricultural supplies, but I asked them to send those later.
Since I have yet to establish a village.
Especially farm animals can’t be taken yet.
If I receive any livestock now without preparation, they would clearly die from neglect.
‘By the way, I realized today that if I had a higher rank, I could send living creatures. I thought it was just items before.’
After the coin support from the Earth Assistants.
Now, Rize and Alice sent coins as well.
◇ Assistant Rank Up ◇
● Subject: Boglebogle (005)
● Change: BLACK → GOLD
When the coin support had finally ended.
In the distance, monsters came back from their exploration.
A Snake Head and a Mummy Skeleton.
And a Hedgehog… Huh?
Where’s the Hedgehog?
I sent them out together this time, didn’t I?
“Hey, guys. Where did you leave the Hedgehog?”
[Orooro? Chwi?]
[I don’t know about any Hedgehog… What do you mean?]
“You don’t know about the Hedgehog? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
I asked in disbelief.
Then the chat from the Assistants started popping up.
【Mysticism】─
Then the Assistants followed up.
“Who is this Hedgehog Summoner?”
Merino Ula.
[Master, Snake Head and Mummy Skeleton went out exploring just the two of them.]
Neo Hyeong-seok.
[If you’re referring to the Hedgehog Summoner, that monster resides in the plains. However, the Hedgehog was never tamed by you, Explorer.]
Centauress.
[I’ve never heard of the Hedgehog Summoner either.]
Puppet, Lilith Morphea.
[Bee, bee?]
[Kyu-u?]
Medical Mushroom and Melody Fox also reacted as if memories of the Hedgehog Summoner had been erased.
This didn’t seem like playful banter.
Could it be that everyone forgot about the Hedgehog Summoner except for me?
At that moment of thought.
[Pee? Why don’t you know about the Hedgehog Summoner? Are you even friends?!]
[This is odd. Why doesn’t everyone remember it?]
The Blood Jellyfish Princess and Kinogine Aracne stood beside me talking.
And besides them.
[Gauntlet. I remember it. I saw the three of them exploring together just a while ago.]
“I know, it’s the Hedgehog… I know.”
[Son, this mother remembers the Hedgehog Summoner.]
Puppetmaster, Azelas, Niarah, and more.
There were quite a few monsters who remembered the Hedgehog Summoner.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like everyone except me had lost their memories.
【Mysticism】─
Some remember.
Some don’t.
Selective loss of memory.
I pondered for a moment what the underlying pattern might be.
And then, I captured a crucial connection.
The common point among those who lost their memories of the Hedgehog Summoner was one thing.
That was their danger level being S-Class or lower.