I Became a Veteran Who Has to Stir Up Trouble to Survive - Chapter 45

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

[045] Parting with the Layer Lord
“B-but there was definitely a loud noise from beyond the mist…!”
The numerous adventurers gathered at the Dock murmured anxiously among themselves.
Unable to return to the Surface due to the swollen water levels, they had been shifting nervously on their feet when a series of thunderous booms erupted from the Wetland.
It seemed they had glimpsed an enormous silhouette moving amid the tremendous vibrations.
To make matters worse, a strange rain of frogs and unidentifiable flesh fell from the sky.
Just as they were straining on their tiptoes to peer beyond the mist, an urgent cry burst from one of the adventurers.
“L-look there! Someone’s coming on a raft from beyond the Wetland!!”
“Judging by the robes’ insignia, are they Guild Members from Acaia?”
“I recognize one of them! I heard they went missing in the middle of the Wetland… how is this possible?”
“Let’s hurry over and ask what happened!!”
As the raft arrived, the adventurers crowded at the Water’s Edge surged forward, demanding answers.
But the survivors who paddled ashore exchanged nervous glances and merely parroted the same words.
“A loud noise…? Perhaps you mistook it for the sound of rain… haha….”
“Blood stains? Ah, that’s just tomato stew. Everyone must be tired—your eyes are playing tricks on you!”
“W-we know nothing!”
….
‘What in the world is going on?’
The reactions of those who came on the raft were starkly divided.
Some were brimming with excitement as if they had witnessed a heroic legend, while others looked as pale as if they had seen a ghost.
When pressed further, several adventurers let slip their words.
“The Royal Court… merely contributing even a little to that person’s mission is the glory of our house…!”
“Th-that person said if we revealed this matter, we would be cursed to die by serpent bite… gulp!!”
“A-ahahaha… I don’t understand what everyone is saying….”
As their companions spoke incoherently, one survivor quickly clamped their mouth shut and dragged them all to a quiet corner, where they began beating them senseless.
‘No, seriously, what’s going on here?’
Suspicion bloomed from their strange behavior, but I could extract no meaningful information from them.
At the same time.
Using the adventurers as bait, Doran’s party had secretly bypassed the Dock and was now preparing to part ways in a secluded corner of the Wetland.
Upon reaching land, Abos stopped as if to signal her role was complete, swishing her tail.
I gently stroked her head to express my gratitude, and she flicked her tongue as she spoke.
─Hisss!
“Come visit again sometime?”
─Hisss∼!
“Ah, understood. I’ll bring a gift next time. Is there anything you’d like? Perhaps some pickled fish….”
Shake, shake!
“Then perhaps some decorative ornaments….”
─Hiss!!
｢The Giant Green Anaconda desires alcohol!｣
｢She says human alcohol is tangy and sweet, quite delicious!｣
“…Understood. I’m not sure if I can carry the barrel all the way here, but I’ll give it a try.”
─Hisss!!
The Giant Green Anaconda swayed her tail contentedly.
She then plucked scales from her own body and offered them to me.
｢You have obtained Giant Green Anaconda Scales (x2)!｣
｢An exceptionally light and durable material.｣
｢Difficult to work with, but in the hands of a skilled blacksmith, it will be reborn as remarkable armor!｣
“Is this… for us?”
Nod nod!
｢The Wetland Serpent says that weak humans need protection!｣
｢She warns that there are many strong monsters below this dungeon, so be careful!｣
“…Thank you. We will make good use of Abos’s precious gift. Please be careful not to be hunted by those humans. I hope we can meet again someday.”
─Hisss! Hisssss∼! Hiss!!
｢She says not to worry about her and to go well.｣
｢The Wetland Serpent will spend some time in the Lower Layers where humans cannot reach.｣
As the Layer Lord submerged with a gurgling splash, Doran and his party slowly turned to leave.
As time passed, people could flock here, so we needed to hurry and depart.
As we walked diligently, Radi finally opened her mouth.
“…That was a bit reckless.”
“Huh? What was?”
“Impersonating the Royal Court and saying we were on a secret mission. Everyone seemed to accept it well enough, but… you know that if we’re exposed as frauds posing as royal officials, it’s at least a death sentence, right?”
“Without that level of bluffing, there was no way to quell the commotion. It couldn’t be helped.”
“Well… your situation is complicated enough that I understand. I think you handled it rather well. But… we might need a fake identity or two going forward.”
“That’s true… If Doran’s origins come into question, it could be a real problem… Having something like that would definitely be convenient. A disguise mask or something like that would be useful too.”
Malton and Radi stroked their chins as they exchanged opinions.
It was like watching a crime consultation.
These people who had lived in this world certainly had a different caliber when they put their heads together with purpose.
‘But what does he mean about my origins being questioned…?’
I had told Radi I was from an ordinary mountain village….
As I tilted my head at the vague sense of discomfort that had passed through me, Malton glanced toward the wetland and spoke.
“But… can we say we’ve overcome the crisis now? The Kokokurah Horde won’t pursue us again, will they?”
“No, I’ve instilled complete fear into them, so we should be safe now. The gods will also lay low for a while.”
Even when playing the game, I had often experienced the gods’ trials, but once we overcame a crisis, we were safe for a certain period of time.
Perhaps there was some kind of internal cooldown mechanism at work.
However….
‘Damn… that bastard Vulcanus… pulling dog-like tricks right to the end.’
Right after the battle, I tried to squeeze out as much as possible and seized the Kokokurah Horde’s equipment, but the moment we left the wetland, it turned to flames and ash, vanishing pathetically.
Normally, I could have melted down that equipment and pocketed a tidy sum.
Moreover, usually when a trial is completed successfully, a fitting reward comes down, but so far there’s been nothing but silence.
As I trembled at the gods’ malicious nature of never letting others have the last laugh, Radi adjusted her backpack and let out a long sigh.
“Anyway, I’d really like to rest early today. The sun’s already setting, and this level-up nausea is killing me… Most people never experience it in their lifetime, but ever since meeting you, Doran, I’ve gone through it twice now.”
“You too? I’m dizzy enough to die right now.”
“Oh, weren’t you close to level 30, Doran? If you’re experiencing nausea, you might have achieved it by now.”
“Yeah, I’d need to check at the Temple to be certain, but at this point it’s almost guaranteed.”
Though I’d already confirmed it through my status window long ago.
｢Congratulations! You have reached level 30!｣
｢This is the level where you are recognized as a warrior who pulls your own weight among adventurers! An additional Rune Slot has been unlocked, allowing you to equip an extra rune!｣
｢Of course, in this world teeming with all manner of threats, you’re still nothing but a greenhorn!｣
｢By completing the Main Quest, the shackles of fate binding your life have been released!!｣
｢But remember this: the task you must accomplish is only now beginning.｣
｢Updating the next Main Quest.｣
‘Level 30… I’ve finally achieved it.’
First and foremost, the news that I could equip another rune was incredibly welcome.
The fact that additional runes would enhance my combat power meant my chances of survival in this brutally harsh world increased, however slightly.
Recently, thanks to Antagon’s Rune, I’d managed to overcome several critical moments, but truthfully, this rune had many drawbacks when used alone.
It wasn’t as though I could unleash powerful sword strikes or magic, and even when boosting my stats with Chaos, numerous preconditions were necessary—deceiving or startling my opponent, and so forth.
And the most striking item.
‘Main Quest completion.’
The objective I’d rushed toward first after falling into this world.
When the shackles that had strangled my neck like an invisible reaper finally vanished, it felt as refreshing as having a bad tooth pulled.
‘But… these damned bastards won’t let me go this easily.’
I mustn’t let my guard down. They’d surely pull some other scheme.
The log window displayed the ominous phrase that the next Main Quest was being updated.
Besides, that ■■ stat mentioned several times in the Wetland was nagging at me….
“Ah, forget it… I’ll sleep for a night and something will probably change by morning.”
“Huh? What did you just say?”
“Nothing. More importantly, let’s hurry and find a place to camp before sunset. If we keep this pace, we should reach Layer 2 the day after tomorrow.”
Though the weather was somewhat ominous.
Doran quickened his pace, gazing up at the dark clouds gathering overhead.
* * *
Just as Doran’s party finished their battle with the Kokokuran Army.
Hidden among the wetland reeds, the blacksmith god Vulcanus was marveling at an ingenious idea.
‘Indeed… to think of awakening a dormant Layer Lord and seeking her aid…!’
Regarding the Layer Lord, even the gods had completely forgotten about her existence. An ordinary mortal would never conceive of such a mad notion.
And even if one did, the moment they witnessed her size, they would surely freeze in terror and become her next meal.
At first, I had even suspected whether he was merely a mortal who resembled Doran….
‘…I was wrong.’
No matter how powerful Antagon’s Rune might be, the diplomatic finesse to appease that temperamental Abos.
That monstrous audacity—not blinking an eye before a sea of creatures filling his entire vision.
That relentless desperation—finding a way out even before absolute crisis, crawling and clawing, and ultimately driving his blade into the enemy’s throat!
So it really is the Doran I knew…!
Vulcanus trembled with joy, clenching his fist with barely contained excitement.
But the moment passed quickly, and he soon fell into deep contemplation, stroking his unkempt beard thoughtfully.
Now that I’ve confirmed this mortal truly is Doran, the real problem begins….
If I make contact too hastily, the other gods will catch wind of it.
Though it was merely a flawed trial conducted with defective equipment, if the Divine Realm learned I orchestrated such a thing, my standing could be severely compromised.
Yet if I hesitate and dither, another god might claim him first.
“Hmm… perhaps I should leave a message in his status window?”
He’s likely furious right now, fresh from the ordeal, so I must be as gentle as possible.
Since he doesn’t know my identity yet, I should refrain from using Dwarf dialect… and above all, I must properly commend his efforts.
“Ah, I mustn’t forget to mention the reward either. Mortals go mad for glittering gems and legendary weapons.”
｢[Master of the Volcano] sends his admiration for your brilliant achievements!｣
｢[Master of the Volcano] humbly apologizes for testing you without permission. He wishes to make amends! It is exceedingly rare for the proud [Master of the Volcano] to extend his hand first in reconciliation.｣
｢You shall receive a reward befitting one who has passed the trial so magnificently. Collect your reward directly from [Master of the Volcano]! However, you must come alone! What transpired today is a secret from the other gods! Truly!｣
This should suffice.
After reviewing the message meticulously several times, Vulcanus pressed the [Send] button with his calloused, weathered fingers.
But in that very moment, something entirely unexpected occurred.
｢Message transmission has been rejected!｣
“What? Why?!”
Had there been some error?
｢Message transmission has been rejected!｣
｢Message transmission has been rejected!｣
｢Message transmission has been rejected!｣
｢Due to repeated identical requests, message transmission is restricted for 30 minutes!｣
Repeated attempts yielded the same result.
As if bouncing off an invisible barrier, the messages kept being returned.
When even the [Send] button turned gray and locked, Vulcanus, who had been staring at the message window in stunned bewilderment, suddenly snapped to attention in alarm.
“This… surely not….”
Someone is interfering!
They must have noticed Doran’s reincarnation before me, and are now subtly approaching him as if they were a System Message, manipulating his fate.
The fact that I sense no presence despite their obvious surveillance suggests they are no ordinary being.
“If that’s the case, I cannot approach further… they’ve surely witnessed the trial I imposed as well….”
Reluctantly, this is the time to withdraw.
However….
Just who is this being attached to Doran now?
If they can override my authority, they’re certainly no minor deity….
Vulcanus wiped away the cold sweat trickling down his face and quietly vanished into the mist of the Wetland.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————