The Return of the Genius Ranker’s Myth Warehouse - Chapter 128

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 128
Chapter 128
Red Beast Fortress.
I’d heard it was a formidable stronghold that pushed back monsters from the Red Lion Plains and continued to hold the line against the relentless waves that followed.
‘The scale is quite impressive.’
It was indeed as massive as the rumors suggested.
The soldiers defending the fortress also appeared reasonably formidable.
However.
‘Why does their equipment look like that?’
The condition was far from good.
Armor was cracked and separated in places, and spear blades were dulled.
Some soldiers were even carrying broken spears.
And what of the fortress walls?
‘It’s severe.’
Not only were they cracked with fissures running through them, but there were also considerable sections that had collapsed halfway.
There were clear signs of hasty repairs meant to prevent the walls from crumbling entirely, but they were far from proper restoration work.
They’d simply filled the gaps in the wall debris with mud.
While there was a shortage of resources for proper repairs, it also appeared they lacked the technical expertise.
As I surveyed the Red Beast Fortress—which looked far more dire than I’d anticipated—and fully entered its interior.
Clank.
The fortress soldiers lined up around our carriage.
Then a man who appeared to be the fortress commander approached, wearing the only armor among them that was in relatively decent condition.
“Prove your identity.”
I’d shown our credentials before entering the fortress.
It seemed the distance had been too great for him to verify them properly.
So I displayed the baron’s credentials I’d received from the Emperor once more.
“Baron Mir? I haven’t heard that name before.”
“I was only recently granted the rank of baron.”
“I see.”
The man nodded and acknowledged my status.
Though the credentials appeared simple, they bore a mana arrangement engraved upon them that verified noble rank.
However, unlike the man who quickly recognized my status, I could hear surprised voices from the merchant and mercenaries behind me.
“A baron?”
“Mirain is a baron?”
“Wait, it’s not Mirain—they said Mir.”
“Mir? Isn’t that the adventurer who was recently the first of his kind to receive a baron’s rank from His Majesty the Emperor?”
“Unbelievable—so Mirain’s true identity was that Mir all along.”
“Hey, watch your tongue! Don’t you know you can’t use a noble’s name so carelessly?”
Hah!
Of course, they’d believed me to be an ordinary adventurer from beginning to end.
Such a reaction was only natural.
Especially since even key figures like Robert and Jackal were so startled upon learning my identity that they couldn’t regain their composure.
“Welcome, Mir, Junior Marquis. I am Gareon Lionheart, Marquis of the Lionheart Family, who have guarded the Red Beast Fortress for generations. So, are the carriages behind you supplies from the Empire?”
Still, true to his merchant nature, Robert snapped back to attention the moment he heard the Marquis’s question and stepped beside me to speak.
“It is an honor to meet you, Gareon Lionheart, Marquis! I have long heard of the valor of the Lionheart Family, protectors of the Empire!”
“Spare me the pleasantries.”
“Yes, of course! First, allow me to introduce myself—I am Robert, chief merchant of the Simmons Trading Company! And would you please examine this?”
Robert withdrew something from his breast pocket.
It was a letter bearing the seal that only Edwin Simons, the head of the Simmons Trading Company, could use.
Since the seal was still intact, it appeared Robert himself didn’t know its contents.
Well, Simons hadn’t revealed my identity to Robert either.
The details of the transaction were likely written entirely in that letter.
Moments later, after breaking the seal and reading the letter, the Marquis said:
“They say merchants will venture even into dragon lairs if there’s profit to be made. That proverb rings true.”
With that, he folded the letter.
“While the Empire, which requested support, remains silent, mere merchants push through the Red Lion Plains laden with supplies.”
He clearly wasn’t pleased with this situation.
Robert seemed worried the Marquis might dismiss them without needing the merchants’ assistance at all.
“I accept the transaction. As you can see, our situation is far from ideal. Have them unload everything.”
“Yes, sir!”
The Marquis nodded and accepted Edwin Simons’s proposal as written in the letter.
I was curious what the letter contained to convince the Lionheart Marquis, but it seemed he wouldn’t show it.
Meanwhile, at Robert’s direction, the merchants began unloading the cargo from the carriages.
The quantity was…
‘More than I expected?’
Even I was astonished by how much there was.
‘I knew about the spatial carriages, but there’s far more than I imagined.’
The Marquis and the soldiers of the Red Beast Fortress were equally shocked.
“…This is extraordinary.”
“How many bundles of arrows are there?”
“Not just regular arrows. Ballista bolts and cannonballs too. Everything is organized in the exact specifications we use at our fortress.”
“So they know precisely what weapons we use here.”
“Well, I’ll be.”
“Stop gawking and get moving! Transport it all at once!”
“Yes, sir!”
Who would have thought so much could arrive like this.
Arrows, cannonballs, provisions, materials, and more.
It was as if they’d observed the Red Beast Fortress’s situation and prepared accordingly—every single item was something we needed immediately, with nothing to spare.
Among all of it, what made the soldiers’ eyes light up was:
“Alcohol!”
“…Vice Commander, go manage the alcohol inventory yourself. I’ll permit the alcohol to be distributed after this battle concludes.”
“Yes, Marquis.”
It was alcohol.
In any case, the Red Beast Fortress had acquired far more resources than could be reasonably transported by ten carriages.
With this much, maintaining the fortress for some time wouldn’t be particularly difficult.
Of course, even with these resources, I couldn’t completely solve the Red Beast Fortress’s problems.
I could only hope that the Empire’s support would arrive before these resources ran out.
With this, the transaction between the Simmons Trading Company and the Red Beast Fortress was concluded.
No, I still had one more transaction—the most important one for me.
“Mir, Sub-Marquis. I heard from your letter that you also possess goods.”
“I’ll retrieve them right now.”
“Right now? Even if a spatial pouch is large….”
“Luke, pull out all the orc equipment.”
– Yes, Master.
Whoosh!
Black flames blazed as all the items obtained from defeating the orc legion materialized before us.
[ Orc Battle Standard ]
[ Grey Orc Hide ]
[ Orc Iron Breastplate ]
[ Orc Bone Shield ]
[ Tough Leather Gloves ]
[ Savage Fur Hat ]
….
Items appearing in an endless stream.
Not only equipment immediately usable in combat, but also items that could serve as repair materials.
Every single piece could be put to excellent use at the Red Beast Fortress right away.
“…Remarkable. This far exceeds several carriages’ worth. The goods themselves are impressive, but I envy that spatial pouch.”
“It’s my contracted familiar’s possession.”
“I see. Very well, I’ll conduct this transaction according to the contract terms in this letter. That’s acceptable, yes?”
“Yes.”
Since I’d already drafted a contract with Simons, I had a rough sense of the selling price for my miscellaneous items.
Fortunately, he didn’t seem inclined to haggle, so I nodded immediately.
Then the soldiers approached.
“Excellent! Our armor just broke completely!”
“This weapon is mine!”
“Inventory assessment comes first, so everyone step back. Anyone caught smuggling items before the inventory is recorded will face military punishment.”
“Ah….”
“I’ll distribute equipment according to each person’s condition, so don’t worry.”
“Yes, sir!”
The soldiers began showing interest in the equipment I’d retrieved.
With that, the transaction was completely concluded.
The Marquis wasn’t in a position to settle payment immediately here either, so I could collect the remainder from Simons once we returned to Labelt.
However.
‘I can’t simply turn back after coming all this way.’
Even though the transaction was finished, I had no intention of returning to Labelt immediately.
Since I’d already arrived at the Red Lion Plains.
I intended to investigate the second evil god following the Black Worm God before departing.
To do that, I would first need to remain at the Red Beast Fortress, so I was planning to make a separate request to the Marquis.
“Mir, Sub-Marquis. And the Steel Claw Mercenary Band, was it?”
The Marquis stopped us first.
“I hold your abilities in high regard, having pierced through the Red Lion Plains as you did. There is one matter I wish to request of you.”
And I could easily anticipate what that request might be.
“Would you lend your strength to our Red Beast Fortress?”
The ones who showed the most reluctance were neither me nor Jackal.
Those who couldn’t escape the fortress without our assistance, trapped by the Red Lion Plains.
They were the merchants of the Simmons Trading Company.
Moreover, wasn’t the Steel Claw Mercenary Band’s contract only until we returned to Labelt from the fortress?
Even with the Marquis’s request, I couldn’t simply break the employment agreement.
Noticing the situation, the Marquis.
“Of course, I shall provide the merchants with the safest location within the Red Beast Fortress. Furthermore, I will double the mercenary band’s wages in compensation.”
“Hmm, wouldn’t we merely be a hindrance with our presence….”
“Additionally, when payment is made, I shall ensure your achievements are properly reported to the Trading Company’s master.”
“Understood!”
I persuaded Robert and the other merchants.
The persuasion proved simpler than expected.
Robert desired recognition of his accomplishments from Simons, and the Marquis struck precisely at that point.
Jackal also seemed interested in the coming battle at the Red Beast Fortress.
Above all, the offer to double the mercenary wages was difficult to refuse as a sellsword.
“Mir, Sub-Marquis, the same applies to you. Your appearance at the vanguard, cutting through the monsters of the Red Lion Plains as you charged forward, was most impressive.”
“Thank you.”
“I would hope that, as a noble of the Empire, you would help us overcome the crisis at the Red Beast Fortress. Your achievements at the fortress shall be properly reported to the Empire as well, and should your performance be exceptional, you may well receive a Marquis’s title, would you not?”
A Marquis’s title.
Truthfully, I held little interest in such things.
“Understood.”
“Thank you, Mir, Sub-Marquis.”
Regardless of the Marquis’s request, I had been planning to ask to remain at the fortress myself.
If they bowed their heads first with a request, I could only welcome it.
Should I be promoted to Marquis, I might be able to access the Imperial Palace Treasure Vault once more.
“Vice Commander, escort the merchants to their quarters.”
“Yes, Marquis.”
“And Mir Vice-Marquis and the Steel Claw Mercenary Band are to follow behind me. I’ll show you what kind of battle is unfolding at the Red Beast Fortress.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Wahaha! The legendary battle at the Red Beast Fortress—how thrilling!”
I began moving in the opposite direction, following the Marquis.
As if to prove we were still in active combat, countless soldiers moved in our direction, carrying freshly supplied arrows and cannonballs.
As we drew closer to the barrier on the opposite side.
“Arrows!”
“Shoot them all down!”
“Don’t let them climb any higher!”
“They’re trampling over each other to get up! We need to burn those things first!”
“We don’t have any oil—how are we supposed to burn them!”
“Roooaarrr!”
“Damn it!”
The soldiers’ shouts, the sound of arrows being nocked, the thunder of cannons firing their payloads, the roars of beasts from below—
Every conceivable sound filled the air.
From the cacophony alone, I could gauge the sheer scale of the battle unfolding before us.
“Here we are.”
Upon reaching the top of the barrier.
“It’s worse than I heard.”
A vast plain stretched before us, incomparable to the Red Lion Plains.
The problem was that crimson beasts swarmed across that plain like ants.
Even the beasts I’d seen on the Red Lion Plains had been overwhelming in number.
But from this vantage point, those creatures seemed insignificant by comparison.
“It wasn’t always this severe. However, recently the beasts’ fur began turning red all of a sudden, and their assaults have grown increasingly relentless, bringing us to this point.”
I began to understand the situation.
By “recently,” he must have meant when I defeated the Black Worm God.
I suspected that one of the evil gods—the Red Beast God—had revealed its power as a result.
The beasts influenced by it had their fur turn red, became far more aggressive, and began attacking the fortress.
Yet I couldn’t say this was truly my fault.
Had I not intervened, the Red Beast God’s creatures would have attacked the Red Beast Fortress in an even stronger state.
In that case, the fortress would have crumbled in mere moments.
“As you can see, the situation is dire. Still, I don’t detect any additional forces approaching, so once we eliminate the visible monsters, we should have some breathing room.”
“Wahaha! We’re getting double pay—we’d better earn it!”
“I’ll keep the third section of the barrier clear for the Steel Claw Mercenary Band to defend.”
“Let’s move, everyone!”
“Yes, Captain!”
The Marquis began deploying us in earnest.
“Mir Vice-Marquis, you shall….”
“You said we just need to eliminate those creatures first, correct?”
At that, I took my position at the center of the barrier.
And then.
“Luke, take out the Sun Staff of Ra for me.”
– Yes, Master.
I drew forth the mythic-grade staff.

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