"MIIIILOOO! I AM COMING FOR YOU!!" - Marcus Pollen

"Hey, can anyone stop the cook from walking the plank?" - Garami

I looked worried at the chef standing at the front of the ship we're borrowing from the Union. This thing is way bigger than my speedboat-like little dinghy, meaning we can store lots of harvested materials in this monster boat.

The Union Master did us a "favor" by allowing us to use it, but his real goal is prolly just to get as much flora from the Tree Sea Isle as possible into circulation. I saw that there was a lack of rare plant-type materials on the market during the three days it took for us to prepare properly for this expedition.

The thief gang hasn't been detected by the Union nor the city guards, leaving the monster-infested islands as the only possible locations for them to hide. Karion has gathered the few lazy bums left in the city to keep an eye out on the other islands, so we only have to do our job and look for those thugs here on the EXTREMELY flora-filled island right in front of us.

"Hmm, this is the first time I have seen so much greenery that is not part of a marshland." - Alf

"It's the first time I've seen anything like this! Plain Island doesn't hold a candle to this place!" - Mira

Those two..., but I can't dismiss their amazement. Despite that the region has gone through the "great drought" just recently, this island is so flushed with vegetation that it feels like someone cut off an island-sized part of the Amazon rainforest and placed it in this world. Though, Mira's reaction is kinda weird. Is Plain Island the greenest place she's been to?

"Everyone, let's go over the plan one final time. Mira and I will disembark on the island and clean the docking area so you guys can bring the boat in without having to worry about thrown bananas...and unspeakable stuff." - Garami

"Question! What do you mean by bananas and 'unspeakable stuff'?" - Noire

"The monsters living on this half of the island are all monkey-types. Do the math." - Garami

Noire and the chef, who finally stopped shouting at the island after hearing my words, made disgusted faces upon realizing the answer.

"Tree Sea Isle is split into two territories, with the banana lovers controlling the eastern half while snake-types live on the western half. And the latter group is way more ferocious than the monkeys, so if the thieves have gone into hiding in this place, the best bet to find them is on this side." - Mira

There's also the chance that they're all monster food by now, but we're not going to voice that idea out loud. Not with the chef in the hearing range.

"While you girls take care of that, we are supposed to take a trip around the island while trying to spot some clues on the coast." - Alf

"Yes. You take care of the ship and have Noire be the eyes of the group." - Mira

"Hmm? We are still looking for the thieves from the ship? Why are you two going ahead to prepare camp?" - Noire

"Because the eastern coast is the safest place on that island to prepare a base. That's true for us as well. Whether we find them from the ship or not, we still need to go on a safari to find those guys in the end." - Mira

"Ugh, my clothes are going to get ruined!" - Noire

"Be a good girl and I'll tailor a new wardrobe for you." - Garami

"Yippie~." - Noire

Too easy.

---

After getting off the ship, Mira and I took a trip to the beach. Unfortunately, there aren't any swimsuit girls here. Sigh.

"*O-ho*!" - Gorilla A

"*O-hohoho*!" - Gorilla B

"*O-o-oho*!" - Gorilla C

"Who asked these guys to come!?" - Garami

I shouted in frustrated anger, but the muscular gorillas didn't seem to listen as they posed with their biceps and everything else. Yuck! Urg, I'm gonna be sick...

"[Lightforce Chambara]! And hup!" - Mira

Despite both me and the primates being preoccupied with the muscle show-off (for VERY different reasons), Mira didn't waste any time to start cutting the monkeys into tiny pieces with her Sword Arts.

And is that a brand-new skill? It seems to be an evolved version of [Lightforce Edge]. Instead of just covering the edge of the blade, the whole sword looks like it is enhanced by "light power" or something.

I prefer the "Hardlight" series myself, where the light gains physical properties, but Mira seems to favor "Lightforce" skills instead. Prolly because they enhance already-physical objects, and she loves her swords. No way she's gonna trade them for some copies. And she got that Extra Skill that creates copies of whatever sword she has on hand.

It would be wrong to let Mira take care of all the gorillas on her own. It would be delightfully slothful, but wrong. I wouldn't have a word in to ask for them as materials for my necromancy after all! So come and get it, you muscle balloons!

I took out my scythe from my Storage skill and started to harvest the nearest gorilla's neck...or not!? Crap, this guy's got bulgy muscles even in his neck! My scythe is stuck! Time for plan B.

The gorilla tried to punch me with his right arm, but I dodged by jumping onto my scythe's pole and started to use new skill #1: [Darkness Drain]. It started to suck up some of the gorilla's HP and MP while also recovering my own MP. That allowed me to fuel the Magic Eyes of Blindness and Poison, the latter being new skill #2.

The blindness, draining, and poison started to make the gorilla go crazy, as he swung his arm anywhere in an attempt to hit me. I dodged while holding onto my scythe so that [Darkness Drain] wouldn't lose its effect. Just how deep did that blade go to make the scythe so stuck? And how's the gorilla not dead from it!? Did he trade all his RES points into VIT and HP?

Slowly, the gorilla started to weaken, and the scythe finally started to loosen. I dragged it out and saw the gorilla collapsing onto the beach. Phew! Now, on to the next...one...

"What took you so long?" - Mira (on a pile of gorilla corpses)

"...Dammit! Power types are my bane!" - Garami

"You can say that again. They're like the opposite of those good dreams you've been having lately." - Mira

"...I've been having good dreams? And why do you know about them?" - Garami

"You don't remember? I had to drag you up from bed these last days. Bloom had to open up your room so I could shake you awake." - Mira

She was doing that? And how much of a heavy sleeper have I been lately?

"Hey, Bloom? Is this true?" - Garami

"Yes," answered the fairy-shaped AI-like being as she appeared, "it's all true. Master has been sleeping so soundly that I couldn't wake you up even when I shouted insults directly into your ear."

"Mmm..., I remember being groggy whenever I woke up after we returned from Mayhem Island, so that's what it was. And Bloom, regarding those insults-" - Garami

"Wow, would you look at the time! I have to go iron my plants and water my laundry! Tata~!" - Bloom

Tch. She fled before I could grill her for answers. ...No, I didn't have any plans of "literally" grilling her! Not that much. Just medium rare. Still, good dreams... I do remember feeling brighter than before when I woke up recently. I wonder what caused that? Maybe because of the OP-ness from the new Extra Skill and the news regarding the Kigal-Note/new equipment I've obtained? ...Nah. I'm not that shallow of a person.

"Bloom is a smart little assistant. I wish I was the same when it came to picking up classes." - Mira

Hmm? Does Mira have any problem with her build? Let's see, there's been a while since I last saw her stats detailed...

Name: Mira Aureola | [Giant Killer] Race: Light Sprite Gender: Female Level: 30/50 Traits: 2 Karma Value: -200 Main Class: Squire Lv.50 Sub Class: Breaker Swordsman Lv.48 Sub Class: Thief Lv.21 Sub Class: Treasure Hunter Lv.2 Skills: 49 Titles: 12 Blessings: 0 Aether Points: 1.8 HP: 320/320 MP: 343/343 SP: 207/207 STR: 407 VIT: 197 MAG: 184 RES: 369 SPD: 484 DEX: 258 INT: 115 LUC: 94 LP: 15

Skill List:

Skill List: Ability Skills: [Extra Health Lv.9] UP2 [Health Auto-Recovery Lv.43] UP9 [Mana Lv.50 (Max)] UP1 [Reduced Mana Consumption Lv.50 (Max)] UP2 [Stamina Lv.50 (Max)] UP2 [Strength Lv.50 (Max)] UP1 [Vitality Lv.43] UP7 [Resistance Lv.28] UP7 [Dexterity Lv.29] UP4 Attack Skills: [Sword Arts Lv.50 (Max)] [Guard Lv.42] UP2 [Parry Lv.43] UP1 [Lightforce Chambara Lv.2] EVOLVED [Light Impact Lv.31] UP5 [Crystal Edge Lv.25] UP6 Active Skills: [Crystal Key Lv.16] UP1 [Crystal Dust Lv.3] NEW [Weapon Breaker Lv.26] UP1 [Armor Breaker Lv.31] UP4 [Energy Warfare Lv.5] NEW [Steal Lv.18] Passive Skills: [Sword Proficiency Lv.50 (Max)] [Close Quarters Combat Lv.36] UP4 [Crystal Talisman Lv.20] UP8 [Evasion Lv.45] UP3 [Nimble Feet Lv.4] NEW [Battle Continuation Lv.37] UP3 [Crack Weapon Lv.35] UP6 [Pilfer Lv.40] [Concealed Thievery Lv.19] [Lockpicking Lv.11] UP4 [Cutting Reinforcement LV.25] UP7 [Destruction Reinforcement Lv.12] UP3 [Weapon Reinforcement Lv.44] UP6 Perception Skills: [Detect Treasure Lv.4] NEW [Spirit's Sight Lv.50 (Max)] Leadership Skills: [Cooperation Lv.5] NEW [Party Lv.24] UP6 Resistance Skills: [Light Resistance Lv.31] UP2 [Crystal Resistance Lv.5] UP1 [Pain Resistance Lv.50 (Max)] UP6 Elements: [Light Element Lv.7] UP5 [Lesser Crystal Element Lv.19] UP11 Monster Skills: [Spirit's Strong Muscles Lv.22] UP3 [Spirit's Spiritual Force Lv.11] UP4 [Spirit's Nimble Legs Lv.19] UP2 [Spirit's Light Lv.50 (Max)] [Spirit Transmutation Lv.50 (Max)] Extra Skills: [Arm of Silver Light - Airgetám Lv.1] NEW

Title List:

Title List: Achievement Titles: [Daredevil] [Mystic Arts User] [Light Technique User] [Giant Killer] [Destroyer] [Crystal Technique User] Hunting Titles: [Monster Slaughterer] [Demon Slayer] [Beast Slayer] [Lizard Slayer] [Arachnid Slayer] Status Titles: [True Chaos]

HUH!?

"Hey, why did you pick up [Treasure Hunter] out of all things?!" - Garami

That guy is famous among adventurers for being a weaker [Thief] class. It is nice to have when you're inside an unexplored Dungeon, something even the Kigal-Note mentions, but in real life, there are barely any unexplored ruins or Dungeons left in places where humans can reach! And Mira already owns the [Thief] class itself!

"W-what can I say..., I needed something to help me grow [Thief]." - Mira

"And by that, you mean...? Now that we're first on the subject, why did you choose that class? A knight who is also a thief doesn't seem to click." - Garami

"That's... I guess the reason is that my mom and dad had thief and knight classes respectively." - Mira

A thief mom and a knight dad. That's quite the situation.

"You never mentioned your family before." - Garami

"It's because it's the past now. They're dead. My mother died before I even got the chance to remember her face." - Mira

Ouch. Did I step in a landmine?

"Don't feel bad. We were a poor family. My dad used to work as a city guard in Solomar, the demon country, and my mom..., well, it was either stealing stuff or selling the few things she had left." - Mira

If Mira inherited most of her good looks from her mother..., that's a nasty path to take in a city filled with demons.

"One day, my dad caught my mom, but he let her go. After that, they got together and had me." - Mira

"That's skipping ahead too much!" - Garami

"Don't blame me. I barely know the story myself. My dad died from sickness, just like my mother did before him, back when I was just a kid. I had to survive in the slums. Luckily, I got some few friends there, even if there were instances that made us unable to see each other ever again..." - Mira

...Th-this is heavier than I first thought...

"Luckily, some of my father's old colleagues found me after a long while. They hadn't been notified of my dad's death before I had started living in the streets, and finding a kid in the Solomar slums is like looking for a diamond shard in the desert." - Mira

"...M-my condolence..." - Garami

"Huh? Why should Garami feel bad about that? It sucks that my parents kicked the bucket, but I'm still alive and well. Better than ever since I met you. Thank you~." - Mira

...S-suddenly showing such an honest reaction won't get you anything...

"F-focus on clearing the area. The others will be back soon." - Garami

"Tch. I wanted more quality time with my lord and master~." - Mira

"Stop hugging me-, and watch where you're touching! There may be more monsters nearby!" - Garami

"Yes, ma'am! And hey, maybe we could ask Pollen for some help with taking care of them?" - Mira

"With the monkeys? How would an ordinary cook be of help here?" - Garami

"Because he's far from ordinary. Remember that he has that Dimension-whatever skill." - Mira

"Mhm. And?" - Garami

"Couldn't we have him summon a lot of food that the monsters would love and tame them in that fashion?" - Mira

"Ahahaha! Good one." - Garami

I shot down Mira's suggestion and-, hey! Stop that! Did you get picked up by prostitutes while living on the streets!? S-stop thaaaat~...

*Rustle, rustle*

Hmm? ...Must have been my imagination. For now, I gotta peel off this pervert spirit swordswoman/thief! Ugh, why didn't I pick some skill that could help me with this kinda situation when I binged-bought them in expectation of potentially being able to use them for the Nightmare Demon items? Just my luck...