01x05 - Fang of Smoldering Insanity

[bunniefuu]

You there! Want to form a party
with a reliable vanguard?

Are you really strong?

Fang of Smoldering Insanity skill book.

A skill book is an item
to unlock a skill tree.

It is rare, so you can't find it easily.

But searching is free!

The Oath of the Heavy Armor and
the Fang of Smoldering Insanity.

The Heavy Knight class is perfected
by combining these two skills!

A perfected Heavy Knight
is no longer just a defensive class.

It's arguable to call it
an offensive class, too.

Their figure is already beyond human!

The Fang of Smoldering Insanity.

The most important item for
a Heavy Knight's evolution.

♪I held my breath in
this labyrinthine city♪

♪Hey, let's go find♪

♪Our real voices now♪

♪Gathering up those nameless days♪

♪Behind the scarred, invisible shield♪

♪Lies a wish known only to me♪

♪As long as I can keep walking
with it in my heart♪

♪I'm sure I won't be afraid♪

♪This is my story♪

♪No time for sorry♪

♪I have no doubts;
this is the path my heart has chosen♪

♪No chains can hold me♪

♪As I reached out♪

♪To a closed door, a new world♪

♪Awakens♪

♪The heartbeat that
had been dormant awakens♪

Oh, cute!

Wait, damn. She's a noble.

What a good deal!
- For real?!

Don't waste it.
- I know that!

Thank you, Daddy!

The Fang of Smoldering Insanity is
an important item for a Heavy Knight.

It would be amazing
if I could find it in this city...

Excuse me.

I want three healing potions.

Okay, okay.

It's 72,000 gold.

The price is even worse
than in the game.

That said, we can't be beggars for safety.

All right.

By the way, I want to ask something.

Where can I buy a skill book?

I couldn't find it at any shop I went to.

For a Heavy Knight,

it's like in a tutorial until they obtain
the Fang of Smoldering Insanity.

Without it, nothing ever begins.

You really don't know anything, do you?

Are you a first-year adventurer
who just earned your class?

Y-Yeah.

Skill book sales are prohibited.

Huh?!

You can use them
if you obtained one yourself.

But other than that,
the Adventurer's Guild buys them

and distributes them
to the nobles and churches.

Y-You've gotta be kidding me!

Most skill books have
absurdly low drop rates!

That's why purchasing is a must!

It's not an item you can
easily try to get yourself.

I realized that the aristocratic influence
is stronger here than in the game.

But even then...!

I can't believe it goes this far!

That means, the skill books
collected in Rondalm City

are most likely monopolized
by my house, the Edvaughn family!

I guess I just have to help.

This is not something to tell lightly,
but I will make an exception for you.

Take this as a bonus
for the healing potion.

Here, you'd better go here.

What's this?

A shop that deals with stripping items.

Stripping? So items looted
from adventurers' bodies?

But isn't originally...

Items found that way must be reported
to the Adventurer's Guild, right?

It's the usual tacit understanding.

The Adventurer's Guild knows
of this black market and leaves it be.

There are adventurers who can't live
without stripping shops.

Moreover, by proper administration,

those items won't get to the bereaved
family and are gifted to the nobles.

It's the same for skill books.

The nobles are buying them cheap
and collecting them just to gather dust.

They don't realize how much
adventurers suffer for them.

It seems I was such an ignorant fool.

Without my past life's memories,
I might have done the same.

Oh, right! Don't tell the authorities
about this shop, okay?

Yes, of course.

There's no way I can tell her...

...that I was part of that noble family.

This is a magician's skill!
- I don't want to be a Healer, so boring!

We're now partners already!
- I found a Magic Class!

Does this place really have skill books?

There they are!
And there are five of them!

Such weak equipment you have there.

This place, the Hall of Broken Grimoires,
is not a place for a newbie like you.

Umm, I have money.

Can you show me the skill books?

Just looking is free.

You can leave your amateur
fingerprints there,

but the price won't change.

Please excuse me.

Two million gold?!

It's five hundred thousand gold
higher than in the game!

In the game, the sale price
is based on player trade records.

This price is also likely
recorded from actual trades.

So, the skill book's value skyrocketed
due to the noble's monopoly.

Let me warn you, in my shop
it's sold for three million gold.

T-Three million gold?!

But of course! I'm doing business
on a dangerous line over here.

The authorities merely
pretend to ignore me.

If someone higher up knew,
I might even lose my head.

All of this just for a novice skill tree?

Even if the Daemonsrage Shield
is sold at a good price,

It's not impossible, but I don't think
I can purchase a rare skill book.

Beginner Archery, Magic Booster,
Jack-in-the-box, Elemental Guard...

She sure has some rare items,
but none that I'm looking for.

This is the last one.

I found it!

The crucial skill tree for Heavy Knights!
The Fang of Smoldering Insanity!

If I can just have this,
I will own this game!

Why, young lad?

You look excited.

You're quite peculiar
for wanting that one.

Lady shopkeeper, this one, please!

In my shop, that's fifty million gold.

Fifty...

It's shocking that you have no guards
with these expensive things around.

If you think I'm weak, how about a test?

I kicked out five people recently.

Can you not sell this skill book
to anyone else?

I'll definitely get fifty million gold
and come back for it.

And how will that benefit me?

Well...

I don't hate whelps like you.

Sure, I'll do that for you.

Really?!

Yeah.

With an additional five million gold.

Her merchant skill is too good!

Looks like I will have to grind
for gold for a while.

How was the dude from last time?

I feel like going with them again.

So I said to the dude, you twerp!

I tried modifying it!

Wow! It's so cute!

So, I need 55,000,000 gold.

It's about 60 times the rewards
from the last raid quest.

The veteran adventurers and
shopkeepers who deal with them

have a twisted view on money.

Indeed, the Fang of Smoldering
Insanity is a rare skill tree,

but the only ones who want it
are Heavy Knights

or suicidal battle-crazed warriors.

Easy-to-use strong skill books
must be absurdly expensive.

I should really plan out
my gold grinding.

I can go to dungeons looking for
rare drops for gold.

Nope, Heavy Knight class has
no skill with decent damage.

Or use Rampant Reflection
to wipe out weak mobs...

But that will take too long.

Level up Beginner Swordsmanship
or get other offensive skill books.

Nah, those skills will be pointless once
I obtain the Fang of Smoldering Insanity.

I don't want to waste skill points.

That dude is a veteran adventurer, and
they said something super rude...

A Heavy Knight is super unpopular.

But I should have gained popularity
from the last raid.

Forming a party with other adventurers
will broaden my options.

Party member...

I-I will fight it!

Use this time to run away!

Your lot! Are you doubting Elymas?!

That is just like looking down on me,
who approved his promotion!

I guess I shall look for a member...

Man...

I can't believe it dropped
a Blood-soaked Sword!

The sale price is two million gold!

We can live lavishly with this!

See? It's all thanks to my skill!

My skill!

Ignored...

Huh?!

Hey, hey! It's really effective, right?

A party with a swordsman,
a bandit, and a pierrot...

Thanks to you, you said?

This rare item finally dropped after
we went to the dungeon many times.

Is it really thanks to your skill?

I don't quite believe it.

I guess so...

B-But if we venture more,
I'm sure there is a visible difference!

It's from now on! Really!

Ruche, don't tell me...

You want a share of this sword's sale
despite being so weak?

Well...

But I also risked my life
and fought hard too!

A-At least give me 1/5 of it...

No, like two hundred thousand...

O-Or I'd be glad to have
a hundred thousand...

What?
- Or something.

Hey, even if you risked
your life fighting,

the thing is, without
decent offensive skill,

you're only good as a distraction!

You're useless, don't you get it?

T-The reason I have no offensive skill...

What?

...is because I allocated my skill points
just as you told me to, Cline.

What's that?

Every time we earn big rewards,
you always said that...

I-I think that's unfair.

Unfair, you said?

Unfair, huh...

Hey, aren't you getting
over your head here?

Look here, the problem here is

that you're useless,
but you're taking up our share.

Firstly, I only suggested a bit.

You're the one who allocated points
to your skill tree!

You blamed others for that, did nothing,
and dared to ask for a share?!

Cline...

A problem in skill tree allocation
and reward division, huh?

- Even back then in Magic World,
it's a common problem.

- That's not in the deal!
- It's your own responsibility!

Choosing a skill tree
while adjusting to the party,

but then things changed,
and it turned to nothing.

Fine, I get it.

There, take it.

That's a hundred thousand gold.

Look, that's enough, right?
Just take those and scram.

I was good enough to keep you even if
you're weak and lack offensive skill.

I never thought you'd turn
into such a money-grubbing leech.

Right, Reiss?

Don't you agree?

Well, I guess so.

We're not rich either, but have to share
when we finally get a big reward.

I-I don't mean it that way!

I-I'm so sorry, Cline, Reiss!

I-I think I don't need that sword's share!
So please...

Don't give us that apology!

We don't want you anymore.

Well, good luck in your new party.

Though I don't know any poor party
that would want to take someone

who misallocated their skills
and can't even level up properly.

As the saying goes,
"Poverty tests friendship."

Skill point allocation is so punishing.

Unless you hunt monsters
at your level or higher,

you can't level up properly.

Look, the problem is

without decent offensive skill,
you're only good as a distraction!

You're useless, don't you get it?

But if the skill combination is so bad
and fighting same-level enemies is hard,

- Help! They're scary!

- leveling becomes extremely difficult.

Did she allocate all on Speed Booster
or some useless weapon skills?

Or since she's a Pierrot,
maybe support skills?

I can't believe it dropped
a Blood-soaked Sword!

See? It's all thanks to my skill!

My skill!

Hey, hey! It's really effective, right?

Thanks to you, you said?

This rare item finally dropped after
we went to the dungeon many times.

Is it really thanks to your skill?

I don't quite believe it.

Could it be...

That certain skill tree?!

Wait, how could anyone kick
a party member with that skill?!

But from their conversation,
that's the only possibility!

If my assumption is correct,
she has a game-breaking skill tree!

I-I am sorry for being selfish!

I don't need any money!
Let me be in your party!

Please!

Who the heck are you?!
- Please!

No! No!
- Please!

Please, would you form
a party with me?!

What?!
- What?!

♪[Find your way]♪

♪[Come whatever may]♪

♪Shall we make some noise?♪

♪Shall we try everything?♪

♪Do you value life?♪

♪Let's do one or the other♪

♪Capacity overload
Not enough memory♪

♪Is there still room for growth?
Is it more a yes or a no?♪

♪Arrivederci
I want to run away at once♪

♪Survival instinct, afflictions, impulse♪

♪I've had enough
being surrounded by them♪

♪Failure, disgrace♪

♪It pained me a lot,
made me like a corpse♪

♪Can't you do something about life?♪

♪I want to be stronger♪

♪It's okay to be a bit weak♪

♪I want to live well♪

♪It's okay even you're being clumsy♪

♪[Find your way]♪

♪[In the night, stars will sway]♪

♪Can't live my life well
[Find your way]♪

♪[In my heart, I'll light the way]♪

♪[Find your way]♪

♪[Life is Canvas, draw your day]♪

♪Ah, I want to be known someday♪

I was looking for a party member.

Then I impulsively asked this
Pierrot lady to form a party.

Now that I can think clearly,
was I being a creep?

But the people who kicked her
from a party know nothing at all.

They don't understand
the kind of power she has.

Next time: "Ruche the Pierrot"!

She's indispensable to me!