E-Rantel.
After changing into his disguise, Naohara stepped back into the city and immediately sensed something was wrong.
There were far more unfamiliar faces on the streets than before. Patrols had increased as well. Every so often, soldiers hurried past in a rush.
"Naohara, you're finally back!"
Just as Naohara was about to find the Doppelgänger and ask what was going on, a familiar figure came running toward him, waving.
"Yago? Long time no see."
The moment Naohara finished speaking, Yago grabbed his hand and broke into a jog, leaving Naohara blinking in confusion as he was dragged along.
"Hey, hey, what's this? Suddenly craving a drink?"
"I don't mind having a couple of drinks, but at least let me meet up with my companions first."
Naohara teased him as they ran, though he couldn't help wondering what could possibly be so urgent.
"You'll see when we get there. While you were gone, you missed out on quite a few good things!"
Yago glanced back with a mysterious smile, speaking in a deliberately vague tone.
Seeing that expression, Naohara had the sudden urge to punch him. He hated people who spoke in riddles.
The two of them ran all the way to the Adventurer's Guild.
As soon as they stepped into the main hall, Naohara noticed something strange. The guild was usually noisy and chaotic, but today it was eerily calm. The contrast was almost unsettling.
Adventurers filled every corner of the hall, standing shoulder to shoulder, whispering quietly among themselves.
When Naohara and Yago entered, quite a few adventurers turned to look at them. Some even nodded at Naohara in greeting.
As one of the key figures who had resolved the Undead siege of the city, Naohara had already become something of a celebrity.
He returned their nods. At that moment, two figures silently appeared at his side. They were the Doppelgängers.
"Naohara-sama."
The Doppelgängers' voices sounded directly in his mind, respectful as always.
"What's going on?"
"It's like this, my lord…"
After listening to their explanation, Naohara's expression shifted. He hadn't expected this matter to be connected to him.
"So that's how it is."
He let out a quiet sigh. Now he understood the general situation. No wonder so many adventurers had gathered here.
They had come for dragons. Only dragons could attract such a massive crowd to E-Rantel.
The place where Naohara had beaten down the Platinum Dragon Lord wasn't particularly close to E-Rantel, but it wasn't far either. By coincidence, someone had caught a vague glimpse of the battle.
And that was where the trouble started.
Dragons. Two dragons fighting.
What that implied hardly needed explanation.
Everyone knew that every part of a dragon was priceless. Dragon Blood could be used for potions. Dragon Scales could be forged into armor. Dragon whiskers could be used for…
The news spread quickly and reached both the Kingdom and the Empire in no time. The adventurers now filling the streets had traveled from distant regions after hearing the rumors.
Of course, they weren't here to slay dragons. They weren't that reckless. They knew their limits.
They were here to pick up whatever was left behind.
After all, when two dragons clashed, it was only natural that some Dragon Blood or Dragon Scales might fall during the fight.
"No wonder Yago was being so mysterious."
Naohara shook his head. He hadn't expected his battle with the Platinum Dragon Lord to cause such a stir.
Was this like triggering some kind of large-scale side quest? The thought amused him.
Unfortunately, he had arrived a little late. After three days, the treasure hunt was more or less over.
"Haha, Naohara, you've kept this old man waiting."
A burst of laughter broke the silence. Looking over, Naohara saw a bald elderly man striding toward him with several figures in tow.
"Well, Guildmaster Ainzach."
Naohara greeted him with a smile. He remained polite toward the Adventurer's Guildmaster. Even if he wasn't exactly a good person himself, he still respected those who embodied a spirit of self-sacrifice.
As he exchanged a few words with Ainzach, Naohara quietly observed the people standing behind him.
The moment they entered with Ainzach, the expressions of the surrounding adventurers shifted. Some showed reverence, others grew solemn.
At the center stood a woman with emerald-green eyes, radiating a vibrant, almost dazzling presence. Her golden hair and noble bearing gave her a distinct charm.
Behind her were two petite figures who looked exactly alike. Dressed in tight black outfits, with matching golden hair, they gave off the impression that they could melt into the shadows at any moment.
Then there was an exceptionally tall woman clad in armor. Golden hair flowed around her shoulders, and the curve of her chest pressed prominently against the breastplate, leaving no doubt about her femininity.
In contrast, beside her stood a small girl wrapped completely in a red-and-black robe that concealed her body without the slightest gap.
Her face wasn't hidden because of her height, but because she wore a strange mask set with crimson gems. Only through the narrow slits for her eyes could one glimpse a pair of vivid red pupils. Beneath her hood, a faint hint of golden hair could be seen, marking her as another blonde.
"Naohara, let me introduce you. These are the adventurers of [Blue Roses]. Don't let the fact that they're all women fool you. They're incredibly strong."
Ainzach quickly explained when he noticed Naohara's gaze.
Blue Roses. Every member was an Adamantite-ranked adventurer, highly renowned and considered one of the strongest adventurer teams.
They were: the Cleric Lakyus, the twin rogues Tia and Tina, the warrior Gagaran, and the Sorcerer Evileye.
Naohara nodded inwardly. So this was the golden-haired five-woman team.
While he was sizing them up, they were doing the same to him.
"Hello. I'm Lakyus, captain of Blue Roses. You're the hero who resolved the undead siege, aren't you?"
"I spoke with your companions, but they don't seem very talkative."
Lakyus stepped forward and introduced herself.
"Yes. Sorry about that. My companions are just like that."
Naohara nodded, then glanced at the Doppelgängers at his side. These two really needed to improve their conversational skills. He'd only been gone a short while, and they had already turned into complete mutes. That wouldn't do.
"I've heard about your deeds. Subduing the Wise King of the Forest, saving the city. It sounds just like the stories of heroes."
Lakyus spoke with sincere admiration.
Even Blue Roses couldn't confidently claim they could handle tens of thousands of undead attacking a city. It would have been a tremendous challenge for them.
In their eyes, Naohara was unquestionably strong.
"By the way, didn't you have another member? Why don't I see her?"
As if recalling something, Lakyus looked at the three of them with curiosity.
"She went back to her hometown. She probably won't be back anytime soon."
Thinking of Clementine, Naohara explained. She had gone to the Slane Theocracy this time, and it would likely be quite a while before she returned.
"That's a shame."
Lakyus shook her head, looking somewhat disappointed.
For some reason, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity toward the man in front of her and wanted to speak with him a little longer.
At that moment, however, a burly figure cut into the conversation.
"Hey, kid. You look pretty clean-cut. Are you really that strong?"
Gagaran stepped up to Naohara, slapped him on the shoulder, and laughed loudly.
"I'm fairly confident in my strength."
Feeling the force in that pat, Naohara replied calmly, his expression unchanged.
To be honest, after absorbing Dragon Blood for three days, even he didn't know how strong his body had become. If he wanted to, he could probably blow Gagaran apart with a single breath.
"Stop testing him, muscle-brain. He's the real deal. His strength is far beyond yours."
The masked Evileye walked over and knocked Gagaran's hand away with visible irritation.
"Not bad. Getting Evileye's approval is no small thing. So, how about it? Want to spend the night with me?"
Gagaran didn't mind at all. Instead, she turned to Naohara with a grin she clearly believed was charming.
"Pfft… cough, cough…"
Naohara, who had been smiling just a moment ago, staggered slightly and started coughing. For a split second, he wondered if he had misheard something truly shocking.