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The “Tester Attack” Incident.
This incident, called “the tester attack” in the company, happened about a month ago.
Despite the fact that a considerable amount of time has passed, it is still frequently talked about and heard about.
It is no wonder, then, that this incident has not ended yet.
At the time of the first incident, it was hypothesized in the investigation that a magic sword might have been used.
However, a few days later, a similar incident occurred again, and more eyewitness testimonies came to light that confirmed it was the lost magic sword, so the Demon King Army determined that this incident was committed with the use of a magic sword.
The hard part here is that even though it was determined that a magic sword was used, no evidence of the culprit could be obtained due to the influence of the magic sword.
And this incident affected us, the testers, in no small way.
Of course, we were the ones who were attacked.
The most noticeable thing was that more than a few testers were hesitant to enter the dungeon.
It is not that the testers were afraid to enter the dungeon, but rather they started to gather information to ensure their own safety and kept their distance from the dungeon for the time being.
It is a human psychology that one would not commit the folly of knowing that one would be attacked and not taking any countermeasures unless one is not right in the head.
Testers who have gained a certain amount of experience in dungeons are not discouraged by the information that they are going to be attacked and have begun to take countermeasures just as if a strong enemy had appeared.
They seem to have developed a tough spirit.
Naturally, I also gathered as much information as possible about the unknown enemy, as I felt uneasy about being attacked out of the blue, both personally and for the party.
I read the reports of the testers who consisted only of mages, talked to other testers, or gathered information about the magic sword from the Demon King Army via Suela or by using Memoria’s message.
Both the company and the Demon King Army are fully cooperating with the company’s response to this unforeseen situation.
The first dungeon to be damaged by the magic sword, Ogre King’s Dungeon, was immediately inspected and closed for two weeks, an unprecedentedly long period of time.
I was surprised at the quickness of action, but on the other hand, needless to say, Instructor Kio’s mood during this period was not good for anyone to see.
If he was told that there was a strange presence in his yard and that he had caused damage twice more, it was tantamount to an act of mud on the instructor’s face.
If he had been falsely accused, there was no way that the powerful ogre would have remained silent.
The general himself quickly raised his arms and put his hand on the metal rod in order to condemn the offender.
Later, I heard from Instructor Fusio that he had indeed taken the lead in a roller operation to search every nook and cranny of the dungeon.
Everyone thought that this was the end of the case.
He is a great ogre with that much trust, track record, and ability.
In fact, I also thought that this case would be closed, although I had a bad feeling about it.
But this time, my bad feeling was right.
Despite the extensive search, the results came up empty.
The magic sword user who had caused the incident had successfully escaped from the hands of the demons.
Thanks to this, I had to accompany the instructor on his binge drinking spree, but it was worth the price of the hangover.
Thanks to the instructor, I was able to hear various stories from the field.
He told me that he had moved some of the elite of the instructor’s main force.
He had moved his troops with the intention of not letting even a mouse escape.
This story was spread by rumor, though only partially, and an optimistic view spread at the same time that the culprit must have escaped if he was being chased by that big ogre, but that opinion was easily overturned.
As if to mock the frantic investigation, the magic sword user, who had slipped through, resumed his activities and caused the same incident in another dungeon, as if to say that the case was not over yet.
It is likely that the magic sword user was not satisfied with just injuring one or two testers.
It would appear as if it had no end in sight. Each time we closed the dungeon to search for him, he would disappear like a haze, as if he were mocking our efforts.
Each time, the tester’s damage increases.
Some testers called him “Jack the Ripper,” a name given to him infamous unsolved cases because he continued to commit his crimes like a slasher who could not be seen.
In the past month, the number of victims has increased to such an extent that it has been dubbed as such.
More than half of the testers belonging to the Demon King Army were affected, and the upper management began to stand up and take notice of the devastation.
It happened at a stage when the temporary closure of all dungeons was being considered.
“Hahahaha, I’m embarrassed.” (Kaido)
“No, you fought the good fight, you minimized the damage, and you did your part as the vanguard. You should be proud of that.” (Jiro)
“I am proud of it!” (Kaido)
A member of my party was hit.
Lying on a bed, his face bandaged, his right hand and left leg in casts because of broken bones, he was unable to move.
In addition, his right hand and left leg are in casts because of broken bones, and his hospital gown is pretty much just bandages.
The injuries are serious.
Fortunately, the lizardman doctor assured me that if I rested with magic and medicine, I would recover in about a week without a scar and be able to return to the scene of the crime.
When I heard that I had been attacked, I was impatient, but I was deeply relieved to hear that it was not life-threatening.
But the damage had been done mentally.
“Ah~ Minami, are they concerned about me?” (Kaido)
“I’d say they do care. They may not want to admit it, but they are concerned.” (Jiro)
The person in question is already awake and in good health despite the serious injury, and he is talking so lively that you would think that his recovery will be quicker if he keeps on like this.
The one thing Kaido is concerned about is the members he was attacking the dungeon with at the time he was attacked.
The attack was timed to take place when I was out preparing for the fighting tournament.
Kaido was taken by surprise by the initial attack and entered the battle with injuries.
He had to protect Minami and the others, the rear guards while fighting, and he could not see his opponents and his attacks did not hit them.
Minami, who had lost his “that I do” tone, told me that Kaido did not abandon his comrades in such a difficult situation and fought on despite being battered and bruised.
Kaido did not show any signs of distress and repeatedly provoked the others to minimize the damage to the rear guard, concentrating the damage on himself and ensuring the safety of the party.
“I just covered for you on my own, you know. I was the only one in the vanguard while my Senior was away.” (Kaido)
“I heard that they appeared in the Tree King Dungeon, and I mistakenly thought that you would be safe in other dungeons.” (Jiro)
“It can’t be helped! Even my Senior, who recently quit being part of the human race, can’t foretell the future!” (Kaido)
Just before Kaido collapses, Minami and Kitamiya use their wit and develop an encompassing spell, and Masaru and Amelia immediately withdraw with Kaido.
Kaido was then chased down and just as he was about to exit, he said he was hit by a weird attack.
That is why the testers were thrown out of the dungeon with wounds.
“If what you say is true, if you mess up, your life will be in danger. Something to force them out of their magical bodies and back into the flesh. Something that will fundamentally shake up the work of these dungeon testers.” (Jiro)
The item that we dungeon testers always equip when we enter a dungeon, is the Soul Stone.
This is an essential item for dungeon testers, as it converts the living body into a magical body and restores deaths, injuries, etc. in the dungeon to their original state when they return to the living body.
An attack that nullifies its effects.
An attack that is, let’s say, fatal to testers.
In other words, the magic sword user has something other than a magic sword.
And for our testers, it’s the worst kind of thing.
“I think you’re worrying too much! I heard that the supervisor is going to shut down the dungeon and conduct a full-scale search of the company and the dungeon! That should be the end of it.” (Kaido)
“I hope so.” (Jiro)
I was smiling, thinking that I am not ready for this kind of anxiety when I am encouraged by a junior colleague, I tried to keep my facial expression so as not to worry them anymore.
In my heart, I don’t think that the magic sword user who has deceived the eyes of the instructors will end so easily.
“And thanks to this incident, senior can also concentrate on the tournament, right?” (Kaido)
“It’s ironic, though.” (Jiro)
After hearing Kaido’s report, the supervisor made the painful decision to temporarily close the dungeon and introduce military forces.
Some testers said the decision was too slow, but from my point of view, it was a good decision.
The closure of the dungeon, in other words, meant a total shutdown of the company’s work.
It would be like shutting down a car factory because a defect has been found.
The amount of damage that would occur during the time the line is shut down would be unimaginable, at least in terms of personal income.
The dungeon itself may not be productive, but it has a future.
Any delay in its completion will put a strain on the other operations that support the dungeon.
In addition, the cost of moving an army would be even greater.
Although it is a small amount in comparison, we have to pay our salaries even while the dungeon is closed, so there will be labor costs as well.
I think it would be a decision that would not be welcomed not only by the supervisors but also by the Demon King Army.
And the irony is that I am being saved by such an action.
Thanks to the temporary suspension of my dungeon-testing duties, I can now concentrate on the tournament.
It’s news that never makes me happy.
“I believe that if I win the competition, my seniors will become great and raise my salary, right?” (Kaido)
“When that happens, I’m going to work you hard, so take good care of yourself now.” (Jiro)
“Damn, it was a trap.” (Kaido)
Even though he looks fine, Kaido is injured. He tells me I am about to receive a promotion, and he wants a raise, but he doesn’t want overtime. In response to Kaido’s encouragement, I raised my hand lightly and left the infirmary.
“…how troublesome.” (Jiro)
No one is watching.
With that alone, the emotions that I had suppressed until a while ago leaked out.
My lips are strained.
While accepting the troublesome situation, countermeasures against the magic sword user spin in my head.
I took out the materials I had been carrying under my arm and looked through them as I walked.
I don’t worry about bumping into people.
If I sense a presence, I can just avoid it, so I read while keeping my vision slightly open.
It was a document based on Kaido’s story.
Just by reviewing the contents of that summary, I can understand how troublesome it is.
The existence of a magic sword user is difficult to detect because of the ability of the magic sword, and it is also difficult to find the user from the data because of the lack of information about the user.
In other words, if the magic sword is used, it is physically invisible and erased from the memories of others and from documentary records.
If the wielder continues to use it, the effects of the sword will erode the bearer, eventually erasing his or her existence from the world.
It is a rare sword among magic swords, and while the ability itself is powerful, it is a demerit.
It is a magical sword that one would not normally think of using.
However, when it is actually used, you can actually feel how troublesome it is.
The bearer of the magic sword is, so to speak, invisible.
They are now invisible, and no one knows who they are.
Thanks to this, the Demon King Army, testers, and others have to search for and capture such an existence with their eyes.
And the troubles keep piling up.
At first glance, a magic sword is a peculiar item with many disadvantages, but under certain conditions.
Simply put, if the necessary status for using the magic sword is met, the demerits can be minimized while fully utilizing the sword’s abilities.
In other words, if the bearer of the magic sword is a very talented person, there is almost no possibility of their spontaneous extinction.
In addition, the disadvantage of the sword’s existence not being remembered or recognized can be used as a cover to create an alibi that he is not the culprit.
And if the possibility of self-destruction has disappeared, it means that the possibility that time will solve the problem has disappeared.
If we mess up, there may be more damage in the future.
Why would the culprit, a magic sword user like that, target testers?
Such is the question on everyone’s mind.
The guess for the answer to that question was listed at the end of the document.
“It’s really troublesome.” (Jiro)
If this is true, give me a break.
With this feeling in my mind, I put the material into my head.
Motive, behavioral psychology, principles of behavior.
From psychology to physical evidence from past crimes.
The author of the document, who has thoughts from many angles, added this lightly at the end of the document,
“There is a possibility that a magic sword user is a tester.”
Note for the Day
You can make time but don’t make time for the wrong thing.
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