<<<---Conan Pov--->>>
"Ugh... where am I?"
I was just regaining consciousness and my body hurt like hell.
Looking around, I could see that I was in a hospital room, next to Ysera and Bibian, who were unconscious in beds. Although this is hard for me to believe. A moment ago, we were still in the forest carrying out the mission and... Damn it, the champion!
At this thought, I jumped to my feet, but ended up on the floor in pain, accompanied by a sharp cramp in my legs. The loud thud was noticed, and several nurses, along with Hyeol, entered the room.
"...Are you the only one who woke up?"
Hyeol asked, looking at the other two who were unconscious.
"Y-yes..."
I said, receiving help from the other women to get up and return to bed.
"What happened? I remember everything except returning to the city."
My last memory is locking eyes with the woman who was born from the egg and... passing out.
"That's what we wanted to ask you. You were gone for a whole week, and a citizen found you on the outskirts, completely unconscious and injured."
We appeared on the outskirts? We were supposed to be several days away. Unless... the woman took us there? Why? Agh... Never mind.
I shook my head in an attempt to clear my mind of the questions I had and looked at Hyeol.
"A Champion appeared, more specifically, the one of nature."
I said, remembering the figure of the woman.
My words visibly alerted the people around me, especially Hyeol.
"She was the one who led them to the outskirts... Fortunately, they encountered her and not another, such as the one of death... Or violence."
Hyeol is right, luckily it was the most human of the non-human Champions. She is 'special' because her Dryad lineage makes her calmer and more open to dialogue. If we don't attack her, she won't attack us.
"It's bad that the Champion of Life has appeared here. The Dryad race moved to the Zetinos continent to ally with the elves. Hopefully, she won't cause any trouble."
"Guild leader, if a champion has appeared, you must notify the kingdoms."
One of the nurses reminded her.
The presence of a Champion is something that alerts or delights any kingdom. This time it's the former, mainly because it's one that cannot be controlled.
"I'll send the reports shortly. When the other two wake up, they'll tell me what happened."
I nodded at Hyeol's words before collapsing back into bed.
<<>>
Two days later, after Bibian and Ysera woke up, we went to help Hyeol complete the report he had to submit.
Only after completing the report could we relax.
Now we were in a bar drinking. One of the first things they taught me when I joined the guild was how to drink. Everyone drank, and when they found out that someone young was coming from a sect, they decided to teach him.
During the years I was here, I developed a high tolerance for alcohol, which greatly increased my taste for it.
"Hey, bring more beer!"
Bibian shouted into the air before downing the mug he was holding in one gulp.
"Is it normal for him to be like this?"
Ysera asked me, clearly surprised by the goblin's behavior.
"Don't worry, it'll get worse later."
My words visibly alarmed the firefly girl, who gave Bibian an uncomfortable look.
"Puff... You! Drink more, we got out alive from an SSR-ranked creature!"
The words were directed at Ysera, who, unlike the 10 jugs she drank herself, was still holding her first drink.
"I don't drink much alcohol."
"What a sad life."
"What a sad life."
Bibian and I repeated, before drinking. How can anyone live without alcohol? It's an excellent relaxant for the body. Besides, with the exception of wine, which tastes awful to me, they are all delicious. Especially one called 'Mindbreaker' is a particularly expensive one that I have only tried once in all these years. Out of sheer curiosity, I decided to look at the ingredients it contained and discovered that it was mainly made up of a poisonous worm, which I had eaten during the year we spent in the forest.
...Now that I remember that, I'm surprised we survived in that place. One normal day, I remembered the forest and researched it. The surprises overwhelmed me and made me sensitive to my surroundings, because the forest we were in was an open S-rank dungeon. Fortunately, we didn't run into the boss, otherwise we would be dead.
"...We were really lucky to get out alive,"
Bibian muttered, his face reddened after drinking.
"Yes, if it had been another champion, I'm sure we would have died,"
Ysera backed him up with a nervous nod.
Champions are extremely dangerous beings, whether they are born of a race or a creature. They are blessed with great strength even at birth, with a black crown on their heads. This item is not something "physical" as it is entirely made of pure, dense mana.
"So far, three champions have appeared, not counting the one from nature,"
I said, remembering some news I heard from outside.
The first to be born was the Champion of Magic, on the continent of Zetinos. He was a 21-year-old half-human shark who was backed by his kingdom, Ambrosia, which was already notable for being the richest kingdom in the world. But now having a Champion made it even stronger.
The second was born in the neighboring kingdom of Kaldren, and is the champion of violence. She is a red-haired woman with a smile from ear to ear. She is called a "walking calamity." In the 25 years she was alive, she destroyed several villages and killed many people. Several guild masters and sects had to unite to stop her.
Finally, the third champion, about whom little is known. This is because she is an artificial champion, so she is not respected or investigated, despite her high power. The champion of the mixed race, as she was named, but originally she is the Champion of Weapons and is 16 years old. No matter what weapon she uses, she will always maintain the level of a Saint, the fourth highest rank in weapon use.
"I hope they don't meet each other. The last time two Champions faced each other, thousands of alchemists and magicians had to intervene in an attempt to contain the aftermath of their power."
"I agree..."
I nodded at Ysera's words, for what she said was true. The battle between two of these beings was equivalent to a battle between the three strongest kingdoms in this world.
...That aside, ever since I woke up, I've felt like I've forgotten something... Well, it doesn't matter, if I forgot it, then it's not important, right?
<<--Anna Pov-->>
"Quick, Goon-woo, hit it before it fully charges its attack!"
"I'll try!"
At my command, Goon-woo lunged at the creature we were fighting, only to be dragged away by a giant worm.
Although Ghislaine tried to stop him, the creature's attack had fully charged and it threw it at us. A huge sphere made of snow approached us at great speed, before exploding with the same distinctive intensity as a 5th circle spell. The night, which covered everything in darkness, was dispelled by the strong blue light that flooded it and simulated a summer day.