Published at 26th of December 2025 7:37 am

Chapter 428: The Unreasonable Demands From the Sponsor Werent All Bad.

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Splendid! Truly, that was impressive.

Awesome! You looked so cool, Anemo!

Ehehe

Anemo blushed a little as we applauded her. However, she quickly adopted a serious expression and began to speak again.

Ahem. Although it might not be necessary for the two of you, I will explain the battle we just had.

The most important thing when fighting an Encounter is to minimize the use of weapons. For example, in the recent battle, the small ones those little guys, the Balls They are manageable, but the Tallman the big one is much easier to defeat if you disable an arm or leg, but I didnt do that.

In other words, you chose to conserve your weapon rather than increase safety?

Anemo nodded vigorously at my question.

Thats right. Of course, I judged that I could sufficiently suppress them, but the number of times you can fight changes drastically whether you slice once or twice, and its the same with increasing nine to ten. The one conserved attack can change the enemies you can defeat and the strategies you can employ, so its a fundamental rule to limit weapon usage according to your ability.

Then why did you fight with your backpack on? You could have left it here safely, right?

Thats because this backpack is my lifeline. Sometimes there are small water sources in dungeons, so carrying drinking water is not *that* necessary. But as you can see, the enemies and corridors are full of stones, making it very difficult to secure food. Dont assume you can resupply outside of town.

So, if another Encounter steals or damages your backpack during a fight, and you are not within a distance where you can return to town without food, it means death. Even if you can return, your abilities will significantly decline if you get hungry, drastically reducing your chances of survival.

In other words, unless you are in a situation where you will surely die if you dont abandon your backpack, you should never let go of it. And its crucial not to fight an opponent you cant defeat while carrying your backpack. By the way, as a solo explorer, I never take off this backpack, even when I sleep.

Wow. But didnt you take a hit to your backpack during the fight?

Anemo grinned at Tias follow-up question.

Yes, as I said earlier, the backpack is my life its not an overstatement to say its part of my body. Therefore, it should not be a weak point to protect but a weapon and armor to utilize. Impact resistance is particularly important, and how to use it is the essence of packing skills. In this regard, I am much better than you two!

I figured.

I wholeheartedly agreed with Anemo, who looked proud. Having been a porter for the Heros party for a long time, I thought I knew a thing or two about packing,but Anemo was in a whole different realm. It seemed like she had some space expansion magic, as a massive amount of supplies were packed in her backpack, and weight balance and impact resistance were meticulously considered.

Yeah, I couldnt imitate this. Having honed my skills in swordsmanship and blacksmithing, I understand that such meticulousness reflected ones training.

Thus, the battle ended, and without further incidents, we safely returned to town. As the town grew dim, we celebrated our first successful exploration with a toast in a brightly lit tavern.

Phew! This drink is addictive.

Hmm, Im not really a fan.

Haha, its a drink that splits opinions.

What I was drinking was a strange kind of alcohol that fizzes and pops. It wasnt particularly strong, but the sensation in my throat was quite refreshing, and I liked it.

However, it seemed too stimulating for Tia. She sipped it slowly, making a subtle expression, but unfortunately, this town only had this one kind of alcohol.

Besides alcohol, there was only water. Since toasting with water was unappealing, Tia reluctantly drank the fizzy alcohol.

Still, its strange how its bright underground but gets dark at night.

Normally, dungeons are always bright. The magical device in the town center gathers dungeon mana, causing it to temporarily get dark.

Then, that mana is used in the water purification system and other things. Its really well-made.

For humans to live like humans, waking up in the morning, working during the day, and sleeping at night was fundamental. But dungeons were always bright, with no clear indicators of time like the sun or moon.

Therefore, the usefulness of the magical device that created a pseudo-night while replenishing necessary magic was immeasurable. The person who thought of and created this was a true genius. Although it didnt recreate sunsets, that was just a matter of convenience.

As we chatted, we enjoyed our meal and drinks. Honestly, the variety of food wasnt much, but after about an hour of eating, Anemo, with her cheeks slightly flushed, suddenly spoke to me.

Hey, Ed-san! Actually, I have something Ive been thinking about. What do you think?

Well, you need to tell me what youve been thinking first.

Ah, thats true! You know how Im an explorer, right?

Well, yes. Thats not really news.

And, as an explorer, I explore ruins and such! Because, you know, Im an explorer!

Yes, thats true.

Hey, Anemo? You seem quite drunk. Are you okay?

Im fiiine, Tia-shan!

Thats definitely something a not-okay person would say!

Mou, Tia-shaan, youre shuch a worrywart!! Anyway, Ed-san. From here on, its serious talk.

Huh? Youre not drunk?

Anemos expression suddenly changed, leaving Tia extremely confused. Hmm, was she teasing us, or was this genuine if so, wasnt she still drunk? Well, whatever.

Theres an unexplored ruin a little distance from here. Its occupied by a large number of Encounters, and I couldnt explore it alone. But after seeing how you two fought today, I thought that with your help, I might be able to explore those ruins. Its not a request I should make to new explorers, but if youre willing, could you help me?

Hmm? I understand that, but what about the request we made to you, Anemo?

Request oh!?

Anemo tilted her head at my question, then quickly realized and raised her voice.

Thats right! I forgot, but I received a request from you two for guidance Im sorry. Please forget what I just said.

Anemo slumped her shoulders dejectedly. Normally, it wouldnt be acceptable to involve clients who are paying for guidance in your own work.

But thats only normally. Since we were the clients, it was up to us to decide what was right.

Hey, Anemo. We finished assessing our combat abilities today, so next, you were going to teach us how to explore ruins, right?

Huh? Yes, thats right. I was thinking of teaching you while conducting a practical inspection at a relatively close and manageable ruin.

Then, can you change the destination a bit? Right, Tia?

Ah! Yes, I think a more stimulating and untouched place would suit us better than a place with nothing.

Huh? Ed-san? Tia-san?

Exactly! But unfortunately, we dont have any memories, so we dont know any such places. Ah, I wonder if theres an unexplored ruin somewhere?

A place with lots of Encounters would surely have something interesing. With my magic and Eds sword, we can defeat as many as we want. Hey, Anemo, do you know any such places?

You two

Anemos eyes widened in surprise at our smiling faces. But soon, her expression broke into a smile, and she downed her drink in one gulp.

Phew! Understood! Then I will responsibly guide you to the perfect ruin! Also, this round is on me! After all, Im a bit of a rich person right now!

Oh, thats generous of you!

Fufu, Ill gladly take you up on that.

We didnt say anything unnecessary to each other. We clinked our thin metal mugs together and exchanged smiles.

Our next objective was decided: investigating the unexplored ruins recommended by Anemo.

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