SWNOVELXO Chapter 119
119. Out Of One Problem And Into Another
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Level 47 reached.
Level 48 reached.
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The message announcing the level-up echoed in my head.
Defeating that formidable enemy raised my level by two. Moreover, with a hundred slimes as a [Slime Tamer], my level skyrocketed.
“Arx! That’s amazing!!”
Eleanor and Ilza ran up to me, cheering. I waved at them.
“You two really helped out. Without you, we would have been…”
“That’s not true! We couldn’t have handled that intense battle!”
Eleanor praised me eagerly, her eyes sparkling. Ilza nodded in agreement.
Indeed, the recent battle was fierce. Moreover, my strength had increased tremendously.
“Arx-sama, it’s done here too.”
Next, Shino and Talk approached. Behind them, the slimes were scavenging items.
“Thanks, you two. I could focus on the battle because of you.”
“Your words honor us. By the way, what should we do with this man?”
Shino was gripping Gerda’s collar. Gerda was being dragged along the ground.
“Hey! Let go of me! Do you know who I am!?”
“…Who are you calling a brat?”
“Eek!?”
Shino’s sharp gaze made Gerda squeal like a pig.
“Shino, could you release him?”
“If you say so, Arx-sama.”
Shino promptly let go of Gerda’s collar. Freed, Gerda coughed and glared at us.
“Gerda, you remember what you told us, right? Don’t talk down to us again.”
“…Huh? What are you saying?”
Gerda, sitting on the ground, sneered.
“I said I won’t ‘give orders,’ but I never said I wouldn’t talk down to you. You are still inferior adventurers!”
“Wow… Some people really don’t learn, huh…”
Talk muttered, taken aback. Gerda showed no sign of remorse.
“Hahaha!! You protected me well! Good job!”
“…Arx, what should we do? Should we take care of him?”
“No, let him be. Dealing with him is tiring.”
Gerda’s laughter echoed across the plains. We were looking at him with cold eyes when it happened.
“Graaaah!”
I thought I misheard. That roar shouldn’t be possible.
But my hope was quickly dashed. The ground shook. I looked towards the sound.
Charging towards us was another King Basilisk. The one we defeated should be dead, so this was—
“A second King Basilisk!!”
“Eeeeek!!”
Gerda’s laughter turned into a scream. The situation changed instantly. We tensed up again.
We were all exhausted. I had barely managed to fight earlier.
We couldn’t fight it properly. So, our only option was—
“Everyone, run!!”
At my command, everyone turned and ran from the King Basilisk, using all our remaining strength.
—Except Gerda.
“No! Wait! I’m injured! Don’t leave me!!”
Gerda tried to stand but could only crawl.
We ignored him and kept moving forward. An adventurer’s priority is their own life.
“Uwaah!! Someone, anyone!!”
A shadow covered Gerda. The King Basilisk was about to crush him.
—That moment. A thunderous roar, like a waterfall splitting, resounded. It wasn’t the King Basilisk.
“What…?”
We stopped, surprised, and looked at the scene.
“Guuh…”
The King Basilisk, sliced like a vegetable, groaned and died. Its massive body hit the ground, shaking it.
“Are you hurt?”
The person who sheathed their sword and addressed Gerda was Laura. She had taken down the King Basilisk in one strike and now looked at Gerda with a cool expression.
“Well done, Laura! You protected the leader well!”
Ignoring Gerda’s praise, Laura walked towards us.
Ilza, meeting her for the first time, seemed to be heading towards me. What would she say…? I swallowed nervously.
“Sorry for being late. I missed our appointment.”
Appointment…? That word felt odd. I had no memory of arranging anything with Laura.
Confused and more nervous, I soon understood.
“No problem! But everything’s sorted out here!”
Surprisingly, Eleanor responded to Laura.
“Thanks to Arx, everything’s resolved!”
Eleanor patted my shoulder. I gasped.
Could it be that Laura and Eleanor know each other!?