Carpe followed her to the office. It was still a simple but tidy space.

"Could you summon Tina as well? What I'm about to say concerns her too."

Carpe nodded at her words and summoned Tina and Mook-Hyang.

After confirming that everyone was present, Altear sighed briefly before continuing.

"Hoo. There's much to say, but first, I must reward you for your merits."

Ding!

[You have cleared the 'Sap Bug Extermination' quest.]

[You have cleared it perfectly alone, without the help of other familiars. The reward is enhanced.]

[Altear's Favor has greatly increased.]

[You have received the Elf Queen's recognition. You can now use the facilities of the elf village. Also, you can receive quests from the elves.]

"Siareus."

"Yes, Altear-nim."

"Bring it here."

Siareus, who was standing behind Altear, bowed politely and brought a small wooden box from somewhere.

"Doesn't this seem familiar from yesterday...?"

Yesterday, two plump acorns popped out of that wooden box... Could the reward be acorns?

"That's unlikely, isn't it?"

Altear, guessing what Carpe was thinking, said it as if she was dumbfounded.

Click.

As the wooden box opened, the fragrant scent of grass filled the room.

"Now it is yours."

Inside the wooden box was a rather simple bracelet made of woven grass, not acorns.

Of course, that didn't mean its stats were simple as well.

[Neiges Grass Bracelet]

[Rank: Hero+]

[Wearing Restriction: Those recognized by the elves]

[This bracelet is made by weaving Neiges grass, which only grows near the sacred tree Rudram. It contains a strong life force. Grants vitality to the wearer.]

• Stamina + 4

• Magic Power + 4

• HP + 150

• MP + 30

• Additional Option 1: HP/MP recovery speed increased by 15%

• Additional Option 2: Very low chance to cast 'Heal' on yourself when attacking physically (this function is activated even if you have not learned the Heal skill and does not consume MP)
  *Cannot be traded

"Huh? A bracelet?"

-Oho. A Hero+ grade. No wonder the stats are quite something. I'll be using this for a while.

Carpe carefully picked up the bracelet.

It was an upgraded version of the bracelet he borrowed when clearing Fergus's hidden quest.

He was a little sad when it was taken back immediately after the rental time ended, but to think he would get another bracelet like this. And a much better one at that!

-It even has self-healing attached, albeit conditionally. Now that it's come to this, I might as well go with a Hit Spell concept.

'I know, right? Krrr! Just swinging your fist and magic bursting out, that would be amazing.'

Items like the gauntlet Carpe obtained, 'Fist Demon (拳魔),' which had a certain probability of activating an option when attacking, were called 'Hit Spells.'

There was actually a meta where you set up everything from head to toe with Hit Spell items and hunted while bursting free options, and hunting efficiency was also excellent.

First of all, hunting sustainability was overwhelmingly good.

Skills activated by Hit Spells didn't consume MP.

If you had just one item that could self-heal, you could theoretically hunt infinitely without consuming potions.

-Well, they're hard to get, though.

However, such Hit Spell type equipment was not something you could easily acquire just because you wanted to. Regardless of the performance of the equipment itself, the quantity itself was rare.

-Two Hit Spells before even doing the second job change... And one of them is a top-tier Legendary among Hit Spells... Okay, then let's get that hidden piece first...

Whether inspired by Hit Spells, Chunma was lost in his own world, drawing up blueprints for the future.

"Originally, I was going to give you a high-quality bow used by the elves as a reward, but you did better than I thought, so I changed the reward."

"That's an excellent choice. As expected of a leader who leads a clan."

Carpe's tongue rolled smoothly at the better-than-expected reward.

A handmade bow made by an elf would certainly be good, but it definitely wouldn't be enough to abandon the Legendary weapon.

'Accessory items are much better.'

Versatility is high, but it is difficult to obtain, so it was the perfect reward.

"I'm glad you seem happy. It's an item I chose with care, so I hope you find it useful."

Altear said that with a slight smile, but soon hardened her expression and continued.

"Carpe. I'll confirm it first, but did you encounter a fragment of Gaiser while exterminating the sap bugs?"

"Oh, yeah. I followed the bugs and there was a mantis-like guy in the cave. He was super strong."

"That's to be expected. Even if it's just a fragment, the name Four Calamities (四害) is not an exaggeration. Frankly, I'm surprised you came back alive."

"Four Calamities (四害)?"

Four Calamities. Meaning four disasters.

It was a familiar word.

No, it wasn't just familiar, he even saw it directly not long ago.

The cause of the sudden earthquake in the reinforcement street.

The blue snake that boasted its noble figure on the horizon of the coastal city of Luana was one of those four calamities.

"The Sea Dragon King, was it? That ice mantis is the same Four Calamities as that monster sea serpent?"

"It's not the same. The one in this forest is a fragment of it. Compared to the actual disaster, it's just an infant."

"An infant..."

But even then, it's that strong. For some reason, I laughed.

"An immeasurably ancient era that even historical records cannot reach. The four calamities arose with the birth of the world."

There were countless words to refer to them.

East Sea Dragon (東海龍).

West Ice Emperor (西氷帝).

South Wind Demon (南風魔).

North Flame Lord (北炎尊).

In modern times, most races called and feared them that way.

"There are really countless legends related to them."

There is a story that a country was destroyed by a single flap of the South Wind Demon's wings.

There were rumors that the East Sea Dragon's breath shattered a huge island into several islands.

There was also a saying that the land where the West Ice Emperor and the North Flame Lord fought for three years became a barren land where no living thing could live.

"Since they are mysterious beings, most of them are fiction... But one thing is certain."

The Four Calamities are real and absurdly strong beings.

All living things on the continent must always fear the disaster that may strike at any time.

"If there are such monsters, shouldn't all races unite to fight against them?"

"Resistance, you say. You speak interestingly. Then let me ask you one thing. Can humans resist things like typhoons or earthquakes?"

"......No."

"That's it. They are no different from such natural phenomena. That's why they are called disasters."

Natural phenomena can still be predicted at times, but that was impossible for them.

There was no principle in their actions.

Sometimes they slept for over 500 years without doing anything, and sometimes they wiped out a country every year.

Truly unpredictable. There was even an opinion that they had no reason in the first place.

"At this point, it's a miracle that the world hasn't been destroyed."

"It's not always a bad thing. There is a saying that species without natural enemies are easily eliminated even by small crises. Strong species that have survived several times from natural enemies eventually bloom into brilliant civilizations."

Tina, who had been quietly listening to Altear's words, opened her mouth.

"As Altear said, disasters don't always have a bad influence. Especially our Arkram, we have received great help."

"Help? From those monsters?"

"800 years ago, there was an incident in which the Apostels united to challenge the North Flame Lord (北炎尊)."

A short time after the Arkram Empire unified the continent. Apostels from another world appeared and invaded Arkram, and the 'Apostel War' broke out.

"The Four Calamities also existed during that period. It was an unavoidable situation for the Apostels, who were trying to get everything on the continent, to leave a great power that they could not control."

The ruthless invaders would not leave the great power they could not control.

The Apostels decided to subjugate the Four Calamities and challenged the nearest North Flame Lord.

"Three Apostels with 9-star rank and 15 Apostels with 8-star rank united and fought against the North Flame Lord."

"...Suddenly the scale became enormous."

18 Apostels with 8 stars or more rushed in to fight?

But what was really surprising was what happened next.

"The 18 Apostels who challenged the North Flame Lord were defeated without inflicting any proper damage. The leader, the 9-star Apostel 'Hercules,' died."

"......Heol."

-Crazy. Really? Wow, so that's why there wasn't a single user who picked Hercules for 10 years.

Most of the famous legendary figures or historical figures from Earth appeared as Apostels in the world of Rase, but strangely, there was no one who picked Hercules, one of the top names, as an Apostel.

Many people questioned that fact, but to think that such a behind-the-scenes story was hidden.

"The power of the Apostels was greatly weakened by that incident. If it weren't for the North Flame Lord, Arkram would have been defeated by them much sooner."

"If an Apostel with 9 stars has a level of 400, what is the level of the Calamities?"

"Arkram scholars estimated it to be between 700 and 800."

"......It's really a fight between the strongest in the worldview."

My chest became magnificent... No, wait a minute.

"Then now that means there is a fragment of such an absurd monster in this forest..."

Is this okay?

Is it really okay to share a forest with such a time bomb?

"Shouldn't we move our residence?"

"That's impossible. Elves are a race that cannot continue their descendants in a place where there is no World Tree."

In order for the elves to move their residence, a seed that would become a new World Tree was needed.

The fruit of Rudram.

The treasure of the elf tribe that the Woodguard clan had to protect at the risk of their lives was needed.

"The fruit will be fully mature in a week."

Altear looked at the giant World Tree Rudram visible outside the window.

At the end of the long branch, a fresh fruit was hanging.

"However, the fragment of the West Ice Emperor will not wait until then. Successor of the Magic King, you must have seen it too? That its body is not normal."

"......Come to think of it."

When I read the information with the Dragon's Eye, its HP and MP were only 33%.

"In the past, our clan received help from the previous Magic King and fought against it. We drove it to the brink of death, but eventually missed it."

At that time, when the Apostel War lengthened and humanity was on the verge of defeat.

Magic King Dretsh visited the elf forest to obtain the materials needed to make the last doll, and at that time, he helped the elves and fought against the fragment of the West Ice Emperor.

"Indeed, so that's why..."

The reason why the fragment of the West Ice Emperor was not normal was due to the aftereffects of that battle.

After that, it hid secretly and collected the magic power of the forest by manipulating the sap bugs for 800 years.

However, even after investing that long time, it only managed to recover 30% of its power.

"The fragment will surely aim for the fruit of Rudram."

The fruit of the World Tree was the source of life and a collection of pure magic power.

It knew instinctively.

That the fruit of the World Tree was the best panacea that would completely heal its wounds.

It was certain that it would come to plunder the fruit.

"This time, our clan will have no choice but to ask the Magic King for help again. Carpe. Please help us."

Ding!

[The Second Relic of the Magic King (2)-2]

[Classification: Job Scenario Quest]

[The Elf Queen has asked you for help. You must end the 800-year-old evil relationship. Help her drive out the fragment of the West Ice Emperor.]

[Quest Clear Reward: Obtain the Second Relic of the Magic King, Obtain the Title 'Savior of the Elves,' The 'Elf' Race Appears in the World]

[Quest Failure Penalty: Failure to Obtain the Second Relic, The Appearance of the 'Elf' Race is Greatly Delayed]

[Quest Refusal Penalty: Immediately Obtain the Second Relic, Favor with the Second Relic is Fixed at the Worst]

• Quest Tip: If the Favor with the Familiar is at the Worst, the probability that the Familiar will disobey the order greatly increases.

"Huh? Refusal?"

A quest of a slightly different type from the previous quests appeared.