Chief Igarashi!
BOOMERANG DIVE
Mirage Step!
MIRAGE STEP
Is that a Valkyrie skill?
I-It hurts... I don't wanna die...
I can't stay in a messed-up place like this!
RETURN SCROLL: INSTANTLY EXIT A LABYRINTH. REDUCES CONTRIBUTION POINTS WHEN USED. TARGET: USER AND HIS/HER PARTY
She was left behind?!
So she wasn't actually in a party with them?
THE WORLD'S STRONGEST REARGUARD
THE FIRST HURDLE
Run away, Chief! We'll take it from here!
Atobe-kun?
Don't worry about me! You two should run!
I can't afford to lose here!
I'm the one you should be fighting!
Thunderbolt!
THUNDERBOLT
Is she already too low on power to activate Mirage Step?
Defense Support!
I-It worked that time?
That's right. Defense Support only works on party members!
If only...
I'd joined up with her then...
Run...
Atobe-kun...
I'm sorry... I couldn't be of any use.
I'm the one who should apologize.
I realized when Defense Support activated
that my skills can fully block that thing's attacks.
ATTACK SUPPORT LV. 1 ACQUIRED ADDS 10 INJURY POINTS TO ATTACKS MADE BY PARTY MEMBERS IN FRONT
If even that attack wasn't worth ten points...
Theresia, I need your help!
I don't think so!
Even if my attacks don't land,
Theresia's attacks enhanced by my Attack Support can take you down!
Theresia, I'll back you up!
We beat it...
Chief Igarashi!
Hey! You guys all right?
Theresia, bring Ribault and his party here!
My level went up?
My skill points, too.
Good. Now I can get Recovery Support.
Chief Igarashi, it's me, Atobe.
Help is on the way,
but I can give you first aid in the meantime.
Would you join my party so I can do that?
If you... try anything funny... I'll sue you.
DEFEATED MONSTER: REDFACE
Wow, this looks bad.
We're gonna get you to a Healer right away.
What in the world happened?
A Named monster showed up.
It was close, but we managed to deal with it.
A Named? You don't mean that red Cotton Ball, do you?
That thing's capable of wiping out level 3 parties!
How the hell did you—
I'm sorry. That was rude of me.
It's all right.
My name's Elitia. What's yours?
I'm Arihito.
And you're... Suzuna-san, right?
Yes.
Um, didn't that woman they carried off reincarnate here when we did?
Yeah, but don't worry.
She's unconscious, but her vitality has recovered.
Huh?
Was there something you wanted to ask?
N-No, nothing.
Of course. If there was a rearguard that talented around, it'd be a huge deal.
Elitia wanted to team up with a good rearguard.
If I explain my job to her now,
she might ask me to be in her party...
but right now, the Chief's well-being comes first.
Well, I'll be going.
Oh... Right.
We should go, too, Suzuna.
See you around.
It hasn't even been half a day, and you've been in a battle and made it back?
Very heroic.
Theresia, leave the weapon you used with the craftsman.
Hm? Got something you want to tell me?
Looks like she really took a liking to you.
What? R-Really?
Um, Leila-san, is there a way to officially add a mercenary to a party?
You mean Theresia?
A hundred Copper Tickets.
That's enough to buy a mercenary.
I normally only tell this to people who hire human mercenaries,
but I think I'd like you to know.
A hundred...
If that'll make her a member of my party, it doesn't seem too high.
We only went Seeking together once,
but the teamwork I built up with her is indispensable.
Mr. Atobe!
You aren't hurt, are you? Or poisoned?
I'm unharmed, as you can see.
What a relief!
Louisa-san, could I talk to you for a moment?
O-Of course...
The results of this Seeking...
You slew Redface, a monster carrying a bounty.
The reward for that is 20 gold coins.
And your Contribution Points total...
280?!
That's amazing! Too amazing!
The most Contribution Points I ever earned as a Seeker was 105!
And I had to kill 50 Cotton Balls just to reach level 2!
Louisa-san, what's the "Trust" that's displayed there?
In the guild, whether or not one builds harmonious relationships with other Seekers
is reflected in your Contribution Points.
Huh...
Of course, Trust is normally something that can't be quantified,
but your license rates and quantifies it based on the condition of your partymates.
Your Trust increase rate also affects your Contribution Points.
But it rarely goes any higher than five at best in a single Seeking...
And yet you have 50?!
Just how close did you two get in such a short time?!
This is an incredible number!
I see... So is that why...
Theresia acted like that earlier?
To make the most of my strengths as a Rearguard,
I need good relationships with my vanguard and midguard.
In other words, as we all support each other,
they'll grow fond of me to an abnormal degree?
What?! Wait, isn't that really bad?
Trust doesn't usually go up with a demi-human, and yet yours...
This might make your new and unknown job
the most powerful rearguard job in the world!
Huh? Oh, no, I don't think...
Oh... Also, Louisa-san,
please don't tell anyone about this just yet.
Right... I see.
If word of your achievement gets out,
a lot of people might come around who just want to use you.
I understand.
Thank you.
At any rate,
CURRENT RANKING OVERALL: 137529/139444 DISTRICT 8: 1124/3039
you currently rank 137,529th overall,
and 1,124th in District 8 alone.
There are around 3,000 Seekers in District 8,
so that puts you in the top half.
That qualifies you for lodging in a suite in District 8.
A suite?
Also, the one who was brought to the Healer, Ms. Kyouka Igarashi...
I'm told she has awakened in the emergency room.
Pardon me.
Thank goodness. I didn't know what might happen to you.
I thought I was a goner for sure.
Thank you for saving me, Atobe-kun.
When people find out you defeated a Named,
you'll probably have a lot of high-ranked parties fighting over you.
You shot up the ranks quick.
Me, on the other hand...
I was KO'd and had to be rescued by supporters.
Zero Contribution Points.
I just picked a job that sounded cool
and couldn't find any partymates.
I thought I could manage on my own, but I couldn't at all.
I thought you were very cool when you saw me in danger and didn't run away.
That ended up motivating me.
Though I'm sure it was pure luck that I was able to kill that thing.
Anyway, Chief...
could I convince you to officially join my party?
If you decide I'm worth teaming up with,
you're free to leave then and there.
I will do the best I can, but...
You saved me, and then you comforted me.
I'm not the kind of loser
who'd refuse to do what you ask after all that.
U-Um... Can I take that to mean you accept?
Th-Thank you! In that case, Chief—
A-Atobe-kun...
Could you call me something other than "Chief"?
Huh?
Th-Then... Igarashi-san?
That feels kinda weird...
but I look forward to working with you.
Any good rearguards around here-guard?
THE WORLD'S STRONGEST REARGUARD
This feels like a shampoo commercial!
Are you sure about this?
You really don't mind me staying at your place?
Of course not.
Then I guess I'll take you up on that.
Want to stop by here first?
Can we?
You wear clothes like that, too?
Oh, I mean... I've only ever seen you in suits and such.
Yeah, I guess so.
And we never really met outside the office.
Yeah, and we never went drinking or anything, either.
In fact, I don't think I ever spoke with you about anything other than work.
This is kind of embarrassing, but...
I had a curfew.
I always had to be home before then.
Oh, I had no idea.
I thought it was silly, since I'm an adult now,
but since my parents always decided everything in my life,
I couldn't manage alone.
And then I got a marriage offer from one of my dad's clients.
M-Marriage?
Selfish, right?
But at the time, I finally realized deep down
that I couldn't keep living like that.
So I built up my career and struck out on my own.
I worked frantically every day to reach a point where my parents
wouldn't have a say anymore.
I made so many unreasonable demands of you.
I'm sorry.
Not at all.
I guess she just wanted to protect her own life, in her own way.
I'm glad I got to know you a little better.
Huh?
We're going to be a party from now on, after all.
That's true.
Well, let's eat before it gets cold.
Hey, did you hear?
Apparently Death Sword's back in District 8.
Oh, you mean Elitia?
I heard she's snapped up a novice
to try to raise her until she amounts to something.
They're talking about Elitia and Suzuna?
She ran all the way here after leaving the White Night Brigade?
Shouldn't we see this as an opportunity?
A high-ranked Seeker carrying that kinda baggage around?
If we play it right...
Hey. Save that for later.
W-Well, then...
Goodnight.
Yes, goodnight.
H-Hey, Atobe-kun... Could I...
Igarashi-san? What's the matter?
Well, how do I put this? Please don't think badly of me, but...
I'd prefer it if you slept with your back to me...
O-Oh... I guess I turned over in my sleep.
I know you can't help that...
but when you sleep facing me, I just... can't help noticing...
Even I think it's weird, but...
Hang on.
RECOVERY SUPPORT LV. 1
The Rearguard skill Recovery Support 1!
That's right! In this position, we're vanguard and rearguard!
I-I-I'm so sorry! I'll sleep in the living room!
Huh?
RECOVERY SUPPORT LV. 1
Recovery Support 1 stays in effect even outside of combat?
I'll have to move my bed tomorrow.
So, um...
Sorry I haven't introduced myself yet.
I'm Kyouka Igarashi.
Thanks for saving me yesterday, Theresia-san.
Did I do something bad?
No, it's not that at all. Don't worry about it.
Excuse me.
I'm here about the monster dissection and armor work that I requested.
Theresia got a Red Buckler that reduces fire damage,
Igarashi-san got a scarf that reduces fire damage,
and I got my slingshot turned into a Blaze Shot.
We made it in time.
Good thing we left the materials from the Redface with that dissector yesterday.
Now that we have these items, I'll have you two be my vanguard today.
Igarashi-san, I'll back you up!
Defense Support!
Good. My support reaches everyone serving as vanguard.
DEFEATED MONSTERS COTTON BALL: 15 POISON SPEAR BEE: 3
So if we go through there, we'll be on the second floor?
It feels kinda creepy.
To get the 100 tickets needed to add Theresia to the party ASAP,
we should probably fight some stronger monsters on the second floor.
But...
JUGGERNAUT
there are rumors that a Named has been showing up there.
One vicious enough to take out level 3 and 4 parties.
We're still only level 2.
If we run into a monster like that, we're done for.
Theresia, Igarashi-san, let's head back for toda—
Was that voice...
We don't have a choice now!
Elitia?
Suzuna?
And they're up against...
FANGED ORC
a Fanged Orc?
Suzuna, stay back!
Slash Ripper!
SLASH RIPPER
Igarashi-san, Theresia!
We'll draw the bees' attention to us!
Got it!
ACCEL DASH
Arihito-san!
They're too far away!
Defense Support!
Thunderbolt!
Are you all right?
Y-Yes... I'm fine.
But I know I'm just holding her back.
No, you're not.
You made it this far, and even defeated all those Cotton Balls.
Oh, I get it.
To help Suzuna level up more efficiently,
you broke up your party so you can draw enemies to you
and let Suzuna deal the finishing blow.
Yes.
But those bees attack rearguards like Suzuna, too.
Wouldn't it be safer to look for other monsters to fight?
We don't have time for that.
I need to get Suzuna as strong as I am quickly and get back there.
"Back there"?
Do you mean—and I'm sorry if I'm wrong—
back to the White Night Brigade?