Will I End Up As a Hero or a Demon King (WN)

Chapter 37

Sponsored chapter by Patreon, and you may also want to check our new Patreon tier since you can now choose a tier for specific novels, so please go check it out, and also new Ko-Fi offer

Enjoy~

Chapter 37 – Planning for the Next Hunting Ground

“Ugh… my legs hurt… they are so heavy…”

It was early in the morning, and I was walking towards the forest with an empty basket on my back.

“I thought I’d done a fair amount of walking when I worked as a salesman… but compared to the hunters of this world, I’m on a ridiculous level.”

I don’t have any useful apps, so I don’t know how much I walk in a day.

However, the fatigue in my legs is stronger than I have ever felt before, and each step is so heavy that I feel like something is clinging to my legs as I try to step out.

Nevertheless, I make my way to the Palmera Great Forest, which has become my daily routine, at a speed that is slightly faster than walking or more like jogging.

“(There is no Health or Stamina in the status. This means that either there is a numerical value that cannot be seen, or I have to train myself.)”

As long as I mainly work alone, if I get exhausted and can’t move, I’ll be stuck at that point.

Since I do not have unlimited stamina like in a game, I should consciously build up my own stamina. That is what I am doing.

Even though my feelings are ahead of my actions, I cannot keep up with them.

By the way, today is the third day of jogging.

I’ve been making a cycle of one run in the morning, another in the afternoon, and returning to Bezart at noon to redeem money, and I’ve been quietly earning money and raising my level.

The daily allowance for the last two days was about 80,000 each.

As expected, the 50,000 per half-day that I earned on the afternoon of the first day was too much for me, so I slowed down my movement when looking for enemies and tried to return with four Horned Rabbits so that my luggage would not be too heavy.

I was afraid I might get shot by Hooley Mole if I was too busy looking for enemies.

Instead, I try to do things a little more in the style of Zink-kun and the others, like taking a bite of fruit along the way to rehydrate or picking unusual-looking grass or flowers to take home.

This will probably make me learn the Gathering skill eventually.

In the past two days, my level has reached 7.

The skills of Earth Magic and Presence Detection have been raised to level 2.

The detailed description of each skill has changed as follows.

Earth Magic Lv2: Can activate earth magic that consumes less than 20 magic power.

Presence Detection Lv2: The user becomes sensitive to objects moving within a 10-meter radius of the user.

As long as Earth Magic can’t be activated, the only benefit is the status bonus, so I’ll leave that aside, but Presence Detection is, as expected, a wonderful skill with an increased area of effect.

When I tried it yesterday, it seemed to go beyond the range of Hooley Mole’s detection, and I was able to sense the enemy’s presence before they did and poke into their burrows.

It was a breeze for me to get this far. There are no blind spots in the Palmera Great Forest, and it has become just a place to make money and gain experience.

However, including the Rush skill, which is already at level 2, the increase from level 2 to level 3 is just over 3% per monster. The experience required to reach level 3 increases to the point where it takes about 30 monsters to reach level 3, so the main skills in this hunting ground will stop at level 3 or 4 at the most.

From there, it would be safer to move on to the next higher-level hunt if possible.

I don’t know if there’s a difference between the enemy’s level set, and it’s obvious that the level increase is slower even when you’re solo. And more importantly, since the search area is wider than the Hooley Mole’s, it’s suspected that the enemy’s skills also have a level set. Doesn’t the enemy’s skill have a level set?

If it is as expected, if I kill a monster with a level 2 Presence Detection skill in a higher level hunting area, my skill experience might be doubled, so I shouldn’t stay in a lower level hunting area unnecessarily thinking, “I’ll move on when I get to level 10!” It would be better not to get too enthusiastic.

If I did that, I might not be able to leave the Great Palmera Forest for about five years.

Aside from stick-wielding Goblins, of which I’ll be lucky to encounter one a day, I’ll be able to use Rush, Earth Magic, and Presence Detection at level 3 each.

Then there’s the armor that looks appropriate and the short sword I’m aiming for.

After I’ve finished my job selection, I’ll head to the next hunting ground, Rocker Plain.

By the way… Palmera Great Forest is a lower-level hunting ground, and I really feel that there are many different kinds of people there.

Even though it is not very popular, I still see four or five parties a day. In front of us was a father and son, probably a father holding a short spear and a son about 10 years old, holding hands as they tried to enter the forest.

Yesterday, a man and woman were gathering grass with pots on their heads, perhaps as a countermeasure against Hooley Mole, and a party of four members of a farming family were wandering through the forest, all holding hoe-like farming tools.

On the way to the forest on the second trip in the afternoon, a mother and her son suddenly ran out of the forest, and when I ran out to help them, the mother alone, clutching a wooden stick, was beating the Goblin that was chasing them to a pulp, a scene that would have given the son mixed feelings if he had seen it.

The mother, bathed in red and black blood, looked back at me and said with a smile, “I’m fine,” but I was so frightened by the sight of her that I wasn’t fine at all. This is what I dream of.

There were almost no adventurers or hunters as one might imagine, just ordinary people walking around the city, dressed as they are, mingling in and out of the forest entrance area.

Is it because they lack the income from their day jobs, or because they are accumulating virtues to pray to a goddess, or because the forest is only about a kilometer away from the city?

In Japan, a forest where monsters with the potential to kill you would have yellow and black tape and police on high alert, but in this world, it is refreshing to see that it is accepted as normal.

Well, to make matters worse, it means that death is so close to everyone.

Come to think of it, when I talked to the Guild Master about the two hunters who had gone missing in the past, he seemed to accept their deaths rather easily or quickly.

There was no sign of depression among Amanda-san, the other employees, or the hunters in the guild, so I guess it is a normal world where people make money while preparing to die.

I thought I shouldn’t think like that.

If I had bought into that idea, I would have gone right back to the game’s point of view.

I don’t want to die. I want to be strong because I am afraid of dying.

Even if the mood is that it’s going to be an easy victory, I can’t let my guard down.

Unlike in a game, if I hit the wrong spot, I could die in a heartbeat, so I’ll be vigilant in defeating the monsters.

All right, let’s do our best today!

▽ ▼ ▽ ▼ ▽

According to my watch, the time is 16:00.

Having reached my quota early today, I returned to the town of Bezart and chewed on the fruit I had in my pocket.

Sore muscles are a sign of growth, but a great man once told me that it’s counterproductive not to rest!

As I entered the dismantling shop through the back door, Roddy-san, who was dismantling a Horned Rabbit on the workbench in the back, came to the counter.

“Oh, you’re early today, aren’t you? As expected, are you tired?”

“I’m tired, but I’ve already done my quota. That’s why I’m back early.”

I handed him the basket filled with the usual four Horned Rabbits, other proofs of subjugation, and magic stones.

“You’ve been hunting steadily as usual… The reception staff has been making a lot of noise about you being a promising prospect.”

“Oh really… I don’t want to stand out too much, but I don’t want to reduce my income any further, so I guess it can’t be helped.”

“What is it? Is there anything you want to buy?”

“I was thinking of going to the Rocker Plain. So I’m saving money for weapons, armor, and job selection.”

“I see. So 100… No, about 800,000 beeke is your goal for now?”

“No, I’m thinking of saving about 1.5 million. I think the cheap weapons in the barrels are too big for my size.”

“Weapons are usually bought by adults. But at this age, 1.5 million… That’s what they call a promising prospect.”

“Hahaha… I’m just working hard because I have a goal. Oh, by the way! How about this weed!”

With that, I took out some grass and flowers that were not so familiar to me in the forest that I had in my pocket.

“Oh… this is the Reikan Grass. It can be bought for 1,200 beeke, as it is a raw material for magic potion. But not that flower over there. The roots of the Hooley Flower will please the pharmacists, but there is no demand for… the flowers or stems.”

“Ugh, so it was the roots, huh? Well, one of them was a hit! I’ll keep that in mind.”

Hmm, it is still difficult to collect medicinal herbs…

Unlike monsters, they all look similar, and the requirements for flowers, leaves, stems, and roots are all different, so I pick them up whenever I see an opportunity and study them that way, but it’s not very efficient.

I think if I can acquire the Gathering skill, I will be able to develop some kind of ability that will be useful in identifying the plants, so until then, I just have to pick up whatever I can find and be lucky if I get paid for it.

Still, I was able to save money on dinner today by picking up this grass, and I was able to kill two birds with one stone by gaining skill experience as well.

“By the way, does selling the collected items and materials to the guild have any effect on my hunter rank?”

I forgot to ask this question earlier, so I’ll ask it now while we’re talking.

“Ah, it makes sense. If you sell it to the guild, they can get a good idea of what kind of monsters you’ve killed, how many you’ve killed, or what kind of activities you’ve done, but you can’t get that information from other sources.”

“For example, if I give Roddy-san the proof of subjugation of the Goblin I killed, does that mean I should also sell you the Goblin’s magic stone so that it can be linked to my achievements?”

“I think so. If you’re just looking at the money, if you can’t cut the Horned Rabbit’s meat yourself, it’s no different than the guilds. If you sell leather directly to a tailor or an armorer, they will probably pay you a little more for it. The price for magic stones would also be higher at a mason’s shop. However, if you sell to the guild, they will appreciate your contribution to the guild, and if you only sell the proof of subjugation to the guild, you will easily be seen as someone who is too arrogant to take out the magic stone in the hunting area.

That’s why it’s okay if you’re a G or F rank hunter for the rest of your life… Those who usually have other jobs don’t come to the guild to sell because they go and get what they want or what they want to eat and use it for themselves. But that’s not a problem because they don’t want to make a living as hunters. On the other hand, those who are hunters for a living will sell their goods to the guild first. It’s easier to rise in rank that way, and most importantly, it’s easier to get money for it.”

“I see! Thank you!”

I kind of understand.

In fact, from the guild’s point of view, if you sell anything other than the proof of subjugation elsewhere, you are no different from someone who only managed to get the proof of subjugation.

It’s just like Roddy-san to honestly say that the price of everything but the meat is a little higher elsewhere, and it would be better to trust him and sell everything to the guild later.

Like I said, it’s easy! After that, I just went to Amanda-san, and she gave me money!

“By the way… you can deposit your money at the guild, you know? It’s not safe for a boy your age to have a bunch of money waving around in his hand.”

“Eh? I’ve never heard of it.”

“So you didn’t know? If you tell me you’ll leave your reward at the dismantling site, I’ll put it together later and ask the receptionist to process it for you. If you want to withdraw your money, just tell the receptionist, and you can withdraw the amount you have saved. As long as it’s not an exorbitant amount.”

Why didn’t Amanda-san tell me this important information?

Isn’t this a wonderful system, just like a bank?

Well, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t offer any interest, but I’ve been having a little problem with my coins getting a little heavy lately.

Sure enough, I ended up saving 1.5 million beeke!

At that moment, I was robbed!

If that were to happen, it would be a disaster. Having extra money can be a magnet for trouble.

Then there is only one choice!

“I’ll leave it with you!”

“Oh, okay. Then check this wooden board for today. If everything is okay, I’ll give it to Amanda later, so there’s no need to stop by the reception desk today.”

“Four Horned Rabbits, five Goblins, and four Hooley Moles… Yes, that’s fine! …Oh!”

“Hmm? What?”

Come to think of it, there was one more thing I wanted to check.

“Among the Goblins today, there was one holding a wooden stick. I’ve seen it from time to time in the past… but is it supposed to be a special individual or something?”

“That’s the hard part… If I say it’s a special individual, then it’s a special individual, but it’s not a high-level individual. If you were to defeat it today, you’d know that it’s no different in size or speed than a normal Goblin, right?”

“Sure. It’s just that it has a stick in its hand.”

“That is why the magic stone is the same size, and the reward for defeating it is the same as that of an ordinary Goblin. When this becomes a higher-level individual, there will be Goblin Warriors and Goblin Mages, although they are not here. Their bodies are bigger than normal Goblins, and they can shoot magic, so their strength will change a lot. In that case, they would be treated as a different species.”

“I see… So for ordinary hunters, the stick-wielders and sword-wielders that appeared the other day are just a nuisance.”

“That’s right. But they have a habit of using things as they find them, so there’s nothing we can do about it. Well, they don’t have the brains to use it even if they did. All they can do is swing it around.”

Actually, I can’t say here that they somehow always have the skills to deal with it.

Well, let’s just say they’re not an advantage if you’re after money or a worthy opponent in terms of skill level.

“Thanks for all your help! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Oh, go home early and get some rest!”

With that, I left through the back door of the dismantling site. This is the first time I’ve gone out the back door.

Looking secretly under the shade of the trees, I saw that it was still before 5:00 p.m. There was still more than an hour to go before the evening bell.

There was only one thing left for me to do: explore the city for the first time!

I wanted to do it at some point, and even though my legs are a bit heavy, I’m going to look for the magic stone shop and the restaurant I was talking about a while ago!