I made my way toward the Grand Master’s office with Lang. The rest of the group stayed behind for now; only I had been summoned, and the office was too cramped for everyone to crowd inside anyway.
When we reached the door, Lang knocked.
“It’s Lang. I’ve brought Tort-dono.”
“Ah, please, come in.”
I stepped inside to find that Lord Rozeph wasn't alone. I recognized the older man waiting with him immediately... It was Madrus.
“Tort-dono, thank you for coming so quickly.”
As Lord Rozeph spoke, he gestured for us to follow him into the adjacent room—a reception area connected to the main office. We all took seats in the single-person sofas arranged around a low table.
I took a moment to observe the two men. Both Rozeph and Madrus looked far grimmer than usual. I had expected as much given the urgent summons, but it clearly wasn't going to be good news.
“What’s happened? I didn't expect to see Madrus here as well.”
Though I asked, I could already guess the general nature of the problem. Madrus was the Guild Master of Cygnil. His presence here suggested something had gone wrong in his region, and since I had been called in, it almost certainly involved the Silver Abominations.
However, based on what Lang had told me, the extermination campaign was supposed to be going well. Even if there was a sudden spike in Abomination sightings around Cygnil, it shouldn't have been a major issue as long as they had an Area Purification Magic Tool. With the chaos subsiding in other regions, there should have been enough tools to go around.
“It concerns the current situation...”
Rozeph glanced at Madrus, who nodded and took over. It seemed he would be the one to fill me in. As I suspected, the trouble was centered in Cygnil.
“Hosts for the Sticky Silver Species have appeared,” Madrus said.
“You mean...”
“Yes. They appear to be the executives who defected from the Eld Caldia Order, just as the warnings suggested. We’ve confirmed that their bodies are covered in countless Silver Wounds.”
So they had finally shown themselves.
Given how extensively they had mobilized the Abomination beasts, I knew they would make a move eventually. I just hadn't expected them to strike at Cygnil.
“And what’s the status? Is the Area Purification Magic Tool working against them?”
The pair of executives I had fought previously were incredibly formidable. If there were several enemies of that caliber, it was no wonder the local forces were struggling.
Those beings had the power to corrode and dominate the world itself. The Stone Armor they manifested with that power had blocked and neutralized my purification spells. I was certain a standard, single-target magic tool wouldn't stand a chance. However, I wasn't so sure about the area-of-effect version. Since it influenced everything within the barrier's boundary, it might be able to bypass the Stone Armor entirely and purify the host's body directly.
“We haven't been able to test the area purification tool yet,” Madrus admitted. “Since there were no Abominations in the area until recently, none were ever deployed to our branch.”
“Can’t you have one transferred from another location?”
“We’ve put in the request, but the response has been poor. It seems some of the high-level adventurers are staging a fierce protest against giving them up. That said, it looks like we might be able to secure one from Dawson’s branch.”
I remembered Dawson—he was the one who had been so vocal during the magic tool demonstration. Since he and Madrus were acquaintances, it probably made the negotiations easier.
Still, the hoarding of the magic tools had become a real problem, just as I’d feared. I had assumed we wouldn't need to rush the production of more units since the crisis seemed to be winding down, but clearly, I had been naive.
I expected to be asked to craft more tools on the spot, but that wasn't what happened. Rozeph turned his attention to Lang instead of me.
“Lang. As I thought, leaving the management of these tools to the individual branches was a mistake. Given the potential for emergencies, it’s better that we centralize management at headquarters.”
“I agree, my lord. Even accounting for the emergency, the lack of formal operational rules has become a liability.”
“Indeed. First, recover the Divine Tools. If anyone refuses to comply, do not hesitate to suspend their adventurer qualifications. Prioritizing private greed over a global crisis is unforgivable.”
“Understood. I’ll see to it immediately.”
It seemed Lang had been called in specifically to handle the reclamation of the tools. Once he received his orders, he hurried out of the office.
“What about me?” I asked. “If you need more magic tools, I can start making them.”
“We appreciate the offer, but... there is a slightly more complicated problem,” Rozeph said, nodding to Madrus.
“The truth is, the Area Purification Magic Tool might not be enough on its own,” Madrus explained. “The enemy has seized a dungeon. It’s one you’re quite familiar with, Tort.”
“Wait, that dungeon?”
There was one dungeon near Cygnil that I knew better than any other—the place where I first met Shiroru.
I didn't know why they had chosen to occupy it, but it certainly made things difficult. A dungeon was a self-contained space; you couldn't just stand outside and wipe out the interior with a wide-area purification field.
“To purify it, we’ll have to actually go inside...”
“Yes. But it’s a death trap. They’re undoubtedly waiting in ambush right at the entrance.”
“I see...”
If the person holding the tool was killed instantly, the purification would never trigger. Worse, the magic tool would fall into the enemy's hands. I didn't think they could use it, but losing one of our best assets would be a devastating blow.
“Tort, I need you to find a way to break this stalemate. It pains me to keep relying on you, but I want to avoid any further loss of life if at all possible. Please!”
Madrus bowed his head deeply. I could feel the weight of his desperation, and I felt the same way he did.
“Please, raise your head. I’ll do everything I can to help.”
“...Thank you.”
“You have our gratitude, Tort-dono,” Rozeph added.
Both Madrus and Rozeph looked visibly relieved, their expressions brightening just a fraction. If I could offer them even a shred of hope, then I was glad I was here.
However, that hope came with a massive responsibility. I leaned back, my mind racing. Just how was I going to pull this off?