The next day.
As always, I boiled ramen, ate, and went out to the Training Ground.
After warming up with Jena, who was already waiting, I began my daily run. Jena ran the track at her usual pace.
After lightly sweating from the run, I was about to start strength training when Jena suddenly spoke up. Her expression was firmly resolute.
"Excuse me, Oppa!"
"What?"
"Please take good care of me!"
"Did you eat something bad?"
"You said you'd let me live if I rode the line! So I'm going to ride the line even harder! Please look upon me favorably!"
Jena bowed deeply at the waist.
This is absurd.
"Didn't you say you lived alone?"
"So?"
"Aren't you lying?"
"No, sir! I, Jena Shirai, swear I lived alone! I've never even held a boy's hand!"
I chuckled and said.
"Relax your shoulders. I'm not going to eat you."
"Yep!"
"If you just keep doing what you need to do steadily, without thinking unnecessary thoughts like now, you won't die. So don't worry too much."
"Thank you for the good words!"
"I said relax your shoulders. You're giving me goosebumps. I'm not the Master either. Establishing a hierarchy between us will only make things annoying for you."
"Even if it's annoying, I want to establish a hierarchy! Oppa, please make me your Subordinate Number 1!"
"[Who says they're Loki's Subordinate Number 1!]"
Here we go.
Isel shrieked, her face full of hostility.
"[Subordinate Number 1 is me! Butt out!]"
"Why are you here?!"
"[Why are you next to Loki? You fox-like wench. Do you know who this is? He's different from a lowly wench like you. The God of Pick Me Up, Master of... Mmph! Mmph!]"
I covered Isel's mouth and dragged her out of the Training Ground.
I let go of her by the wall in a corner of the plaza.
"[What's wrong? I'll show that wench who's boss!]"
"Look, you're misunderstanding something. Here, I'm not the Master. Don't say anything about me being from Earth or being Loki. Got it? If you don't like it, I won't talk to you."
"[But...]"
"Yes? Or no?"
"[F-fine.]"
Returning to the Training Ground, Jena stared blankly at Isel and me.
"[Anyway, Loki's... no, Han's Subordinate Number 1 is me, so remember that!]"
Isel pointed accusingly at Jena, then disappeared.
'Did I make a mistake telling her?'
My head started to hurt.
"What was that about?"
"Ignore her. She's just an idiot."
And strictly speaking, my Subordinate Number 1 would be Siris.
In Niflheim, I have subordinates up to Number 5 who could be called my inner circle. They are 6-star, level 99, decked out with various ultimate skills, and possess the Five Divine Instruments – ultra-special weapons I painstakingly crafted.
I'll probably meet them eventually as I climb the tower.
I continued the daily training routine.
While doing push-ups, I checked the stats gained from yesterday's synthesis.
[Han Israt (★) Lv. 7 (Exp 13/50)]
[Class: Novice]
[STR: 19/19]
[INT: 13/13]
[VIT: 18/18]
[AGI: 18/18]
[Skills Owned: Low-Grade Sword & Shield Arts (Lv.3), Pain Resistance (Lv.1), Composure (Lv.1)]
Strength +2, Vitality +2, Agility +2, for a total stat increase of 6. In return, Intelligence dropped by 1, making the total growth 5 points. Considering the base growth for a 1-star is 4, this is a remarkable change. My level-up efficiency increased by 25%.
On top of that, I gained the Composure skill I wanted.
Indeed, synthesis was the most efficient method of growth.
This time, I checked Jena.
[Jena Shirai (★) Lv.5 (Exp 22/40)]
[Class: Novice]
[STR: 16/16]
[INT: 13/13]
[VIT: 15/15]
[AGI: 19/19]
[Skills Owned: Low-Grade Archery (Lv.4), Eagle Eye (Lv.1)]
'A typical archer type.'
The previous synthesis even gave her the Eagle Eye skill, which enhances vision.
As her level and grade increase, she'll likely be able to follow the job progression path from Rogue to Archer to Sniper.
Strength training ended.
As my level increased, the training gradually became easier. After discussing with Jena, we decided to increase the intensity starting tomorrow. Running with sandbags attached, or reducing the number of fingers used for push-ups. As the Training Ground level increases, more varied methods should become available.
After resolving lunch, we gathered again in the Training Ground.
Then, something unexpected happened.
In a corner of the Training Ground, a young man with short hair stood with a determined expression.
It was Aaron. The guy who barely even came out to the plaza, let alone the Training Ground, had shown up. Aaron strode purposefully towards me.
"Hey you!"
"What is it. I'm busy."
"Let me join you too!"
"Join?"
"I'll fight too. I mean, I'll be helpful to you. So, so please teach me how to fight too!"
Aaron bowed his head low.
"I'm sorry. I... I was a fool. I was just being a nuisance. But it'll be different now. Just once, just trust me once!"
"How can I trust you?"
"I-If you want, I'll even kneel. So please..."
"Looks like he's come to his senses?"
Jena nudged me with her elbow.
I smirked.
"Hey."
"Wh-what?"
"Have you ever fought a monster?"
Aaron shook his head vigorously side to side.
"Before coming here, I never fought, I didn't even know things like that existed."
"But you fight so well..."
"It's a matter of determination. Determination to die fighting, no, determination to fight and survive."
I tossed a wooden spear from the weapon barrel.
"Spear."
"Sp-spear..."
"I'm no expert either, but I heard it's the easiest weapon to learn among them. Try using it. Do you know the principle of Close-Mid-Range?"
"What's the principle of Close-Mid-Range?"
"Close range, middle range, long range."
Jena thought for a moment, then clapped her hands together.
"Aha! Close range, sword! Middle range, spear! Long range, bow! Those three make up Close-Mid-Range, right?"
"Exactly. When three nobodies form a party, it's one of the most efficient methods."
For 1-stars with no special skills, deploying them haphazardly usually ends in a chaotic brawl. Naturally, in such cases, the hero survival rate plummets.
The party composition concept introduced here was Close-Mid-Range.
First, the swordsman takes the lead, acting as the tank with shield and sword.
From mid-range, the spearman supports the swordsman, acting as a secondary tank and dealer.
And from long range, the archer acts as the primary target sniper and dealer.
If the role division is carried out organically, both combat power and survival rate skyrocket compared to a free-for-all. If the roles are performed properly, that is.
"Let's see your skills."
I picked up a wooden sword and shield.
Aaron stood awkwardly, holding the spear.
"What are you doing? Not getting ready to fight?"
"F-fight? Weren't you going to teach me?"
"You want me, someone who's never held a spear, to teach you?"
"Then..."
"I learned on my own too. You learn on your own too. At least be grateful you have an opponent. I had to fight scarecrows back then."
Aaron got into a stance, but his frightened expression was evident.
"Iyaaa!"
Aaron let out a strange yell and thrust the spear.
His body was completely tense, and both his eyes were squeezed shut. I took one step sideways, and the spear cut through empty air.
This isn't even a life-or-death fight.
If he's this terrified in simple sparring, what will he be like in a real battle?
With my shield hand, I yanked the spear shaft sharply.
Aaron fell flat on his face.
"Ugh, ugh..."
"Get up. Is this all you've got? If I were a monster, you'd be dead already."
"I-I'll get up."
His awkward stance couldn't be helped.
To an expert, I probably look incredibly awkward too. The problem was his mentality. No grit. No competitive drive to win. No coolness to find a way out.
He just looked like he was forcing himself because he didn't want to die.
An hour passed.
"Haak, haak, haak..."
Aaron lay sprawled on the Training Ground floor. His chest heaved rapidly up and down. In contrast, I had only sweated a little.
There's nearly double the stat difference between level 7 me and level 1 Aaron.
But even if I'm ahead in both physique and skill, not being able to even graze me is a bit much. It's not like the difference is overwhelmingly dozens of times greater.
"Get up. Again."
"N-no more..."
"Then don't come tomorrow."
Aaron flipped himself over. And slowly stood up. His whole body was drenched in sweat.
Jena said.
"Wouldn't it be better to rest?"
"I have no intention of carrying dead weight. If you can't keep up, you get left behind."
"U-urgh..."
Aaron shakily lifted the spear.
"Hey, do you have family?"
"M-my younger sister... is waiting."
"Better off than me. I have no one."
I gave the wooden sword a twirl.
"Don't do it reluctantly. If you act like that, you'll die to monsters. It'll hurt like hell, probably worse than dying through synthesis. What do you think?"
"I, my sister..."
"What if you can't go back?"
The look in Aaron's eyes changed sharply.
"More useful than before."
"I'm coming!"
After the training ended, Jena took the completely unconscious Aaron back to the dorm.
He couldn't touch my clothes this time either, but Aaron achieved the feat of making me use my shield. He started attempting techniques like swinging, moving beyond simple thrusts. Progress is progress. With a little more refinement, I probably wouldn't have to worry about him holding us back.
The next morning, Aaron joined the training formation.
He lagged far behind us with our sandbags, panting heavily, but he didn't look like he intended to give up. Just mentioning his sister made him jump right back up.
After lunch, sparring began.
This time, Aaron sparred not with me, but with Jena. Jena also needed a backup weapon for situations where arrows ran out or the bow couldn't be used. Coincidentally, there was a suitable wooden dagger.
Spear versus dagger.
The weapon reach and power were incomparable, and Jena had never handled a dagger before either, but she overwhelmingly dominated Aaron from start to finish.
'Why is she a 1-star?'
The grade assignment system felt unreasonable.
The day's training ended like that, and Aaron returned to the dorm with a look of self-loathing.
"I was holding back, you know."
"Don't get cocky."
I tapped the top of Jena's head lightly.
"Ow. Why'd you hit me?"
"Weren't you the one asking to be Subordinate Number 1? Tsk tsk."
Clicking my tongue, I went out to the plaza. Jena hurriedly followed.
"You know I was joking! Really, Oppa."
"Anyway, follow me. Got something to do."
"What is it?"
"You'll know when you follow."
I stood in front of a large steel gate in the right corner of the plaza. The nameplate above the gate read 'Warehouse'.
"Isel, open the Warehouse."
"[Wait!]"
Rumble rumble rumble.
With a worn sound, the gate opened.
We entered the warehouse. Inside, a large metal shelving unit with hundreds of compartments stood tall. Most compartments were empty, but some here and there contained items. Near the warehouse entrance was a cart with wheels.
'So this is how it is.'
I pulled the cart from the entrance and pushed it towards Jena.
"Take this and follow me."
"What are you planning?"
"No back talk."
Dragging the grumbling Jena, I walked to a corner of the shelving unit. On the top shelf, something was wrapped like a parcel in light brown paper. I took down the parcel and examined the outside.
[Iron Ore(C)]
Tearing the packaging slightly revealed an iron ingot.
I put the paper-wrapped iron ore into the cart. Looking at another compartment, this time it was leather, and another held wood. I picked out several items and placed them in the cart.
['Han (★)' removes Iron Ore(C) X 6, Leather(C) X 3, Plank(C) X 4 from the Warehouse.]
Before long, the cart was full.
Taking Jena with me, I exited to the plaza.
"Open the Armory."
"[Yep!]"
The Armory door began to open.
"What on earth are you planning to do?"
"Can't keep using a worn-out iron sword forever, can we."
We have the materials, the Blacksmith is open, and autonomous action is enabled.
Then obviously,
Time to make weapons.