Chapter 439

439 Gold Tier Adventurer Hassan #1

“Hassan, that person is coming this way-!”

Luna was half-crazed.

The reason was simple; Gloria was slowly approaching me from behind a pillar where she had been hiding.

“We don’t have Hippolyte or Elpride here right now…! I, I have to protect Hassan!”

Luna stood in front of me, her back turned towards me.

But even with the absence of Elpride and Hippolyte’s help, trying to block Gloria alone seemed like an impossible task.

Shiver.

Therefore, Luna’s body trembled violently, like a bare tree swaying in the winter wind.

Squelch, squelch.

As Gloria’s footsteps drew closer, Luna appeared to struggle to maintain her sanity.

“Oooh, don’t come-! I’ve warned you! If you come closer, I will use the dreaded Voodoo of Awareness-! A terrifying voodoo that makes you conscious of every breath you take-!”

Of course, it seemed like Luna’s threats had no effect on Gloria.

Gloria simply continued to approach me slowly.

“You’ll forget how to blink naturally, or even how to swallow-! You won’t remember the usual position of your tongue-!”

“…”

In contrast to Luna’s growls, Gloria showed no reaction at all. Still, the Voodoo of Awareness that Luna was using was indeed a formidable technique.

Just as Luna had said, I became overly aware of behaviors that I usually performed naturally. Hisss, where was I placing my tongue usually?

Why does it only work on me?

It was truly Hassan’s remarkable counter-skill.

But I had experienced this effect before. I knew how to handle it.

As long as I divert my thoughts to something else and don’t dwell on it, things should naturally return to normal.

“Uh, excuse me-.”

At that moment, Gloria spoke to me, making it easy to shift my focus.

Gloria stood before me, her head lowered in an uncharacteristic manner.

“Hassan-! Run away-!”

Luna tried hard to stop Gloria by grabbing her arm or dragging her hand, but it was futile.

“This girl won’t even budge!”

Gloria was like a firmly planted pillar; it was impossible to move her even a bit with Luna’s strength.

No matter how much Luna hit or kicked Gloria, all that resulted was Luna’s own screams of pain.

“Ayyah-! My, why is your body so hard?”

It was only natural that Luna would feel pain.

I knew the reason well, having massaged her before.

Gloria was a master of the armed color haki and iron mace. Girl of Steel.

She could freely use the armed color haki and iron mace, making her body as hard as steel.

That meant that with Gloria in this state of anticipation, Luna’s soft Chicorita Punch would never inflict any damage.

“Hassan, she’s ignoring me!”

Indeed, Gloria was completely disregarding Luna.

Despite Luna fussing around beside her, Gloria merely remained still, her head bowed, almost like a meek person.

“Uh….”

It seemed she had something to say to me.

Just at that moment,

Rustle.

Whee!

Out from under Gloria’s raccoon leather armor popped something resembling a strange bundle of cotton.

Its color was a light blue.

Its size was that of a soccer ball, and its appearance was just as described – fluffy like cotton candy.

It was a Cloudring.

One of the treasures of Jupiter, a massive storm cloud. It was said to be a fragment of that great cloud, a lightning storage unit.

In short, it was an entity with awareness in the form of a cloud.

Considering Luna had previously been struck by its lightning, it was understandable why she would feel tense upon seeing this Cloudring.

“Kuh, Cloudring! I was wondering where you were, and you’ve been hiding under that skin all this time!”

Whee!

This Cloudring then floated up in the air and clung onto Luna’s head.

“Hey, what is this-! Get off!”

And thus began a struggle between Luna and the creature. It reminded me of when my younger sister tried to peel gum off her head.

“Hassan, I, I’m under attack!”

Luna screamed and panicked, though I didn’t sense much hostility from the fluffy creature.

On the contrary, this creature called Cloudring seemed to have goodwill or curiosity towards Luna. Luna just found it terrifying due to the suddenness of its action.

It was much like how I reacted when Keng Keng jumped onto my shoulder.

Should I help?

But I didn’t need to intervene.

“Ing ing, no. Come here.”

Ing ing yea ing.

Ultimately, it flew back into Gloria’s hands and was held like a pillow.

Ing-ing—was its name Ing-in because it made that sound?

It seemed like the name was really thought out casually, without even five seconds of consideration.

Thinking about it, Luna named Keng Keng simply because it barked “Keng Keng”. So, it seems both Gloria’s and Luna’s naming senses were similar.

Anyway, holding what seemed to be called Ing-in or something, Gloria continued to linger awkwardly.

Then, after burying her face in it like a white towel, much like an athlete, Gloria slowly spoke.

“I, I have something to say. About this expedition…”

“Hmm?”

“I’m Juno Goddess’ paladin. Due to sins, I am receiving punishment. I must accomplish tasks. I have only two tasks left, one of which is to capture the hell hound alive-.”

“The capture of the hell hound?”

As I slightly furrowed my brow, Luna, who had been knocked down by Ing-ing’s attack and lying on the ground, abruptly lifted her head.

“You mean Cerberus, right? Is that really your task?”

Luna seemed to have a hard time believing Gloria’s story.

Shaking off the dust from her b*tt and shoulders, Luna stood up.

“Capturing Cerberus alive? It’s a story that no living person can ever achieve. It’s almost the same as dying. Is that really your task? Even so, that’s too harsh, isn’t it?”

“I was a body not supposed to be born. I couldn’t even receive the blessing of Juno, the goddess of the hearth. Juno probably wishes for me to d*e.”

Grrr…

“Ing ing, you shouldn’t say such things about the Lady Goddess. That’s a wicked word.”

It was hard to understand what conversation was going on, but Gloria’s attitude was much calmer and more subdued than before.

Was it because I helped her by exorcising her curse last time?

While I was worried she might attack again, it seemed there was no hostility or malice left in Gloria now.

I asked,

“So, to catch that fellow Cerberus you need to go to the underworld?”

“…”

Gloria, instead of answering, buried her face deeply into the fluffy cotton-like thing she was holding.

Grrr…

Then, Ing-ing, which had been cuddled by her, flew out of Gloria’s embrace and soared up into the sky, apparently unhappy with the intense affection.

“Ahh…!”

Having lost the object to hide her face, Gloria nervously pressed her raccoon skin over herself.

“Ah, anyway, I’m also in the expedition to the underworld. Please let me join…!”

Suddenly, like someone pressing the gas pedal, she shouted loudly, turned her back to me, and hurriedly ran off somewhere.

Even Luna seemed to find her behavior strange.

“Was she originally like that? Is she sick or something? She didn’t even provoke a fight.”

*

End of break.

When we returned to the meeting room, people were seated in a somewhat organized manner.

Though I wondered, Gloria was indeed not in her place.

However, since she clearly expressed her desire to join the expedition, it didn’t matter that she wasn’t present in this meeting.

I asked everyone,

“So, have all the opinions been decided?”

At my words, Hippolyte nodded.

“Those present here have conditionally agreed to participate in the expedition. However, where is Gloria? What happened to her?”

“Ah, Gloria is fine. She also said she wants to join the expedition.”

The atmosphere immediately brightened in the room.

One might describe it as a feeling of “With Gloria, we can rest assured!” Among Gold Tier adventurers, Gloria’s presence seems to give a sense of reassurance as if carrying around a sawed-off shotgun in one’s coat.

Then Hippolyte added,

“According to conditions, Gloria would take on the role of expedition leader.”

This caused Luna to furrow her brows.

“The expedition was recruited by Hassan yet Gloria would be the leader? That makes no sense!”

At Luna’s question, Atalante answered.

“This is a Gold Tier adventurers’ party. At least, it’s better to have someone who wears the golden necklace as the leader. Gloria may be quirky, but her qualifications are adequate, aren’t they?”

Feeling Luna glance at me, I could tell she was probably looking at the Silver Tier badge of the Mars Guild hanging around my neck.

Luna voiced her objection like a rebellious child.

“…A-Aren’t Hassan strong enough even without the golden necklace!? And, Hassan is a god!”

“There’s nothing we can do about it. For Gold Tier adventurers to have their leader, the same gold tier adventurer must take on the role. It’s a rule passed down from the Kairos Academy, so there’s nothing we can do.”

Is it a rule?

Actually, I didn’t really care who the expedition leader would be because my interests weren’t in gaining credit as the expedition leader.

However, one thing came to mind at the mention of Kairos.

Jingle jingle.

I reached into my pocket and took out a golden shiny necklace. As soon as people saw it, their eyes widened in surprise.

“T-T-That’s-!”

The oldest man, Nestor, trembled with his beard and asked,

“C-Can you tell me where that is from? Is that not the emblem of the Academy’s first graduating class…! I heard that all members of the first class have either died or disappeared!”

“That’s, actually, I received it from someone I know. Does having this make me recognized as a Gold Tier adventurer?”

Upon saying that, Atalante pounded the table.

“Transfer?! You received such a rare thing in a transfer? That’s ridiculous! Where did you steal it from? How do you know it’s genuine? And if it’s genuine, isn’t it very precious….”

But only Old Man Nestor shook his head.

“That’s undoubtedly genuine. Though I’m old, my appraisal eyes are still excellent. My goodness, the emblem of the first graduating class, and it appears here. What an interesting event.”

Judging from their reactions, it seemed even a transferred golden necklace was fully effective.

Hippolyte asked,

“Is it true, Hassan, that you received this emblem?”

“Yes, that’s true.”

Later, I learned that even if I had stolen or found this Golden necklace, it would be enough to grant the status of a Gold Tier adventurer.

The reason was that by merely ‘safely possessing’ this highly coveted emblem of the first graduating class, it was proof enough of one’s capability.

“Then, there’s no problem with Hassan becoming the leader of the expedition!”

Luna looked very happy that I had become the expedition leader.

I wondered why she found it so pleasing, but from my perspective, her joy seemed similar to if someone very powerful had achieved rank and stature.

It made sense to some extent.

Luna seemed to find more joy in my success than in her own.

Anyway, contrary to my worries, the meeting went smoothly.

I explained,

“First, a few of us will conduct preliminary reconnaissance using lanterns that illuminate the path. Once the entrance is found, the expedition will begin, taking anywhere from a few weeks to about a month.”

Hippolyte added to my statement,

“Therefore, take this time to train and sharpen your skills carefully. Some of you who have been in seclusion might have grown rusty.”

That statement drew a smirk from Zetas, the winged man.

“Right, Atalante, you should practice. Don’t hold us back later.”

“What did you say, Zetas? You should practice properly yourself!”

“I didn’t fall apart as embarrassingly as someone else, did I? It was even in the paper, idiot. People wrote about how we fought!”

“W-Who says that? I, I will k*ll you-! Who fell apart?”

After that, we had brief discussions.

“Are we prepared for enchantments and traps?”

“That will be managed by the Elf Mage and the Sorcerer Ideope.”

“Oh, there’s an elf mage-.”

“That’s reassuring.”

These discussions were about what supplies we should prepare and what enemies we might face, so I, who knew very little about the expedition, didn’t have much to add.

As Hippolyte was handling everything smoothly, I didn’t need to intervene either.

[Author’s Afterword]

Munnitham, Senaren, Yuodel, Sip Sung Si Dada, and the immortal king of weekly support coupons!!! Thank you very much for your sponsorship…!!!

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8-10 minutes

Gold Tier Adventurer Hassan

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