Chapter 40: Paladin and Black Knight

The first hero to appear was a paladin clad in worn armor.

‘Was he barely over fifteen years old?’

His face was youthful, yet his expression was dark.

Like other two-star heroes, he seemed to have endured a tough time.

Whoosh!

“Wow! A Paladin! You know, the paladin class? In Valhalla, it’s considered a broken class, a broken class!”

“Broken? You mean like a fallen hero?”

“No! It means it’s an overpowered class! They heal well, tank well, and deal damage well. They fit perfectly with any team composition. That’s why they get called broken!”

As the paladin disappeared, Gobori provided commentary.

Paladin.

A knight who uses holy magic?

I nodded and flipped the next card.

[★★★★ Golden Bat]

[★ Leather Hood]

[☆ Healing Potion]

[Lala the Fickle Little Devil]

[★★★★★ Ruus the Black Knight of Judgement]

Bang! Tap tap! Boom! Boom!

“Huh?”

“Oh!”

Two explosions burst forth.

Suddenly, two heroes appeared, but the previously summoned ‘Little Devil’ vanished.

“Purr!”

The newly appeared five-star was a black knight mounted on a black horse.

Are there heroes who fight on horseback?

My heart swelled at the grand entrance filling the stage.

Whoosh!

“What was that black knight just now? Can they ride a horse? Does that mean they count as two units?”

“Hey, no way! The horse is just treated like equipment. It’s not like the horse dies and comes to Valhalla, right?”

“Ah! It’s the Rider class! A hero who rides horses or mounts, charging fast to break enemy lines! Remember the charge combo I told you about? It’s an essential hero there. You got a pretty good one!”

Rose and Gobori answered.

“Hmm? Haha! Aren’t we going to talk about that little devil? It disappeared so quickly we barely got a look!”

Just then, Dulv brought up the little devil again, but “Eh, it’s a common cliché. Net-kama.”

“Definitely a pervert, one hundred percent.”

Rose and Gobori responded coldly.

Apparently, it wasn’t worth asking further.

[☆ Healing Potion]

[☆ Healing Potion]

[★★ Circus Master’s Whip]

[★ Leather Gloves]

[☆ Healing Potion]

Tap tap! Tap tap! Tap!

Potions appeared in the next cards.

These damn potions again…

I’d heard that in rare cards bought with diamonds, two-star potions and higher always appeared.

Since users paid money for these, it made sense they were given proper treatment.

[★★ Fine Silver Ring]

[☆ Healing Potion]

[☆ Healing Potion]

[☆ Healing Potion]

Enough already!

[★★ Orc Shieldbearer]

Bang!

Next came an orc wielding a shield.

He had a flat, broad face and a wide back.

“A shieldbearer. Back when the shieldbearer meta was popular, this class was awesome.”

“But didn’t everyone regret switching classes after reaching max level? The shieldbearer coin plummeted! That’s why you shouldn’t change classes recklessly.”

Gobori and Rose discussed.

Right.

The shieldbearer meta was nerfed recently, right?

Because of that nerf, the entire class seemed to have been sidelined.

Forcing heroes’ abilities down felt somewhat unfair, though.

[☆ Healing Potion]

[☆ Healing Potion]

[★★★★ Scroll: Overheat]

[★★ Gaori Harpoon]

[★ Leather Boots]

Tap tap! Bang! Tap tap!

The next card revealed a familiar scroll.

Overheat?

Ah, Eldiablo.

It was the skill Eldiablo used against me in battle.

I paused and checked the scroll.

[★★★★ Scroll: Overheat]

[Attack and defense increase by 30%. Every 10 seconds, you take fire damage equal to 3% of your health.]

“Ah! Overheat! Perfect for heroes with fire resistance! Hey, Dulv brother! You have fire immunity, right? Is this yours?”

“Hmm? Haha! No! This skill’s too precious for me! You guys use it!”

Gobori and Dulv spoke.

I see.

If you have fire resistance, you don’t suffer the penalty.

That’s why Diablo wasn’t hurt by it.

Looking at it another way…

Self-harm.

It could be used for self-harm purposes.

The penalty could be strategically used to hasten a finishing blow.

[☆ Healing Potion]

[☆ Healing Potion]

[★★ Spiked Mace]

[★★★ Executioner’s Headsman’s Axe]

[★ Healing Potion]

[☆ Healing Potion]

Tap tap tap! Tap! Tap tap!

More of those irritating potions poured out again.

[★★★ Werewolf Hunter of the Moon Forest]

Bang!

“Graaah! Let’s start the hunt!”

Breaking through the boredom, the fifth hero appeared.

A hunter armed with a crossbow, his face hidden beneath a hood.

Whoosh!

“Oh. A werewolf appeared? A good hero to have.”

“Werewolf? Not a hunter who hunts werewolves?”

“Huh? Some users confuse that. It’s understandable!”

Rose smiled at me.

Seriously.

I thought he was a hunter who hunts werewolves, but he was a werewolf hunter himself.

“He’s a hero who does a kind of form change! At first, he attacks from afar in hunter form.”

“That’s called poking! Also known as ‘spam damage!’”

“If he draws aggro and gets hit, he transforms into melee form.”

“He counters assassins. Assassins who try to get close to deal damage get shredded instead. Just having a werewolf makes it harder for assassins to be used.”

Gobori and Rose explained.

Ah.

So he’s that kind of useful hero.

I nodded and flipped the next cards.

[★★ Wizard’s Robe]

[★★ White Priest’s Robe]

[★ Multi-purpose Field Shovel]

[☆ Healing Potion]

[☆ Healing Potion]

Tap tap tap tap tap!

The remaining cards were equipment.

So far, five heroes had appeared.

Including the ‘Emperor’ I crushed last time, there were thirty heroes in total.

The conditions for housing were met.

[☆ Healing Potion]

[★★ Courageous Bard]

***

Tap! Bang!

Just when I thought it was over, one more appeared.

A long-haired man holding an instrument.

“Sorry for being late, user. Since the mood’s all ruined, I’ll take responsibility.”

Zizijing!

He began playing music as he appeared.

His wide-eyed entrance was surprising.

[☆ Healing Potion]

With the last potion drawn, the card opening ended.

“A bard? Same support class as me! Just listening to the music heals you.”

“Like Rose, he heals those around him! But while Rose’s healing is narrow and strong, the bard’s is wide and light!”

Rose and Gobori explained.

Today, I’d learned a lot of information.

So then…

[Housing]

‘Shall I expand the stage?’

[Welcome to Housing!]

[You can design the waiting room in any form you desire.]

[Current Waiting Room: Lv. 1 Old Theater Stage]

[Owned Heroes: 30/30]

[You can expand the waiting room!]

The current stage was Lv. 1 Old Theater Stage.

I pressed [Housing] and began expansion.

[Old Theater Stage Cute Chick Inn]

[Expanding the waiting room will cost 1,000 diamonds.]

Various texts popped up on the screen.

A hefty sum of 1,000 diamonds, but it didn’t matter to me.

I had enough diamonds prepared.

[Confirm]

Kugugu… Thud! Kukung!

“Huh?”

“What’s this!”

“Housing! The user is housing!”

Rose, Gobori, and Dulv were startled by the sudden tremor.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Simultaneously, huge wooden boards shot up across the stage.

Walls rose up instantly, forming the shape of an inn.

Thud thud thud!

I was speechless at how quickly the inn was completed.

Tutuk!

Then, a few pieces of wood fell.

Fwah!

Flames flared up over the wood.

[Waiting room expanded!]

[Lv. 2 Cute Chick Inn]

The expansion finished with a cozy campfire.

“This is welfare! Welfare has been realized!”

“Hey! What kind of welfare is this? Just a bigger waiting room. I want a sofa! Give me a sofa!”

Gobori and Rose were amazed at the larger stage.

They wanted a sofa?

[Cute Chick Inn]

I continued housing by manipulating the screen.

As the stage changed with my hands, I felt like a god.

[Housing] [Furniture available for purchase]

[Top-Class Wool Sofa] 1,000 Gold

[Antler Wall Decoration] 1,300 Gold

[Beer Table] 2,000 Gold

The rest of the furniture could be bought with gold.

That was a benefit for me.

I had plenty of gold from previous rewards, and I could enjoy the furniture’s perks as well.

[Top-Class Wool Sofa] 1,000 Gold

I purchased the top-class wool sofa for a thousand gold.

Thud!

A huge sofa dropped into the corner of the inn.

“Oh! Sofa! Thanks! You really are the best!”

Rose ran over and buried her face in the sofa cushions.

It was a scene that made me satisfied just watching.

[Beer Table] 2,000 Gold

Next, I bought the beer table.

Thud!

A table big enough for a dozen people landed in the center of the stage.

Dulv approached, reached out, and a wooden mug filled with beer spilled out.

“Ah! Thanks, user! After working at the smithy, I’ve missed drinking beer so much! Now my wish is fulfilled! Haha!”

Dulv raised his mug and laughed.

But Gobori stood silently.

Was he stunned by the sudden changes?

I approached him and lightly nudged him.

“Don’t you want anything? Say whatever you want. They’ll grant it.”

“Well… that’s… too expensive…”

“How expensive could it be? You can earn gold again.”

“A grand piano…”

“Piano?”

I tilted my head at Gobori’s words.

A piano?

‘Did Gobori have that kind of hobby?’

“You play piano? That’s so unexpected!”

“The previous user had one! I started playing a few times and got interested… I’m still practicing!”

Rose’s words made Gobori blush.

[Top-Class Grand Piano] 22,000 Gold

‘Whoa!’

The piano I checked quietly was a whopping 22,000 gold.

Still, there was no need to hesitate.

I easily bought the piano Gobori wanted.

Boom!

“Hiiii! You bought that? Are you crazy?”

“Haha! Our user is really generous!”

Rose and Dulv reacted to the heavy impact.

“You really granted it. You’re truly our user.”

I smiled at Gobori.

He looked like he was about to cry, staring into space, head bowed.

Thank you, user! I don’t know what to say… From now on, the party’s BGM will be played by me, Gobori.

“I’ll take responsibility! Rose! Take requests!”

“Oh! Requests too? Moonlight on the hammer’s edge! That’s a good one!”

“Request received! Starting performance!”

Excited, Gobori began playing the piano.

The Gobori on screen played as well.

Though he sometimes missed notes or hesitated, it was pleasant music overall.

I leaned on the beer table and enjoyed the music.

“By the way, Sid.”

“Yes?”

“Won’t you say what you want? We all got what we wanted, but you’re the only quiet one.”

Dulv asked me.

‘What did I want?’

Something came to mind, and I manipulated the screen.

[LV. 2 High-Performance Smithy] 10,000 Gold

Kukung! Clack clack!

“Oh…! Another upgrade!”

I also expanded Dulv’s smithy.

Seeing Dulv’s mouth agape, I smiled lightly.

“Well, I’ve already gotten everything I wanted.”

[Storage] [Collected Heroes]

[★★ Apprentice Mage]

[★★ Rookie Spearman Mercenary]

[★★ Abandoned Heal Shuttle]

Back to business.

At last, I could meet more heroes.

I stored the stage’s tyrant in storage, and

[★★ Sky Pirate Crew Marauder]

Whoosh!

“Yo-ho! Setting sail!”

[★★ Rookie Spearman Mercenary]

[★★ Abandoned Heal Shuttle]

[★★ Honeyfist Ogre]

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

I pulled out the two-star heroes one by one.

It might be prejudice, but the higher the rank, the more arrogant they seemed.

So I planned to get close with the lower-tier heroes first.

[★★ Apprentice Mage]

[★★ White Paladin Order Recruit]

[★★ Orc Shieldbearer]

[★★ Gnawing Tooth Fairy]

[★★ Courageous Bard]

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

“Eeek!”

“Hmm?”

“Sniff?”

“Gnaw gnaw gnaw gnaw!”

“Oh! Do you want to hear my performance?”

Including the four existing heroes, thirteen heroes appeared on stage.

And in the remaining slot…

[★★★ Dancheong Blazing Passion Sword Demon]

Whoosh!

“Hm? You’re going to use me? I will do my best!”

Along with the familiar swordsman Kumgui, and

[★★★ Sage of the Gray Forest]

Whoosh!

A sage who seemed well-versed in magic.

I tried to summon more, but fifteen seemed to be the limit.

Anyway, with this, I could be with even more heroes.

Hoo

I took a breath and stepped forward.

Some of these heroes might share unrecognized talents like Dulv.

Since this meeting was to find such heroes, I opened my lips confidently.

“Hello. I’m Sid. Nice to meet you all.”

It was time to get close to the new heroes.