"Ph-phleashe...Garami...sweetie. G-give me...a chance...to breathe..." - Rassel

"You were the one who said there's something up here, so keep climbing." - Garami

"Th-that's true...but could-, couldn't we have...taken the...road up?" - Rassel

"And get goblin-assaulted? No way in hell, ma'am." - Garami

Even when I said that I pulled the slapstick security rope I'd made for Rassel to help them climb the steep mountain wall we were climbing. It's connected to the highest point on the island, far higher than the spots I used to move across the island without getting spotted by the goblin patrols on the ground. It's no surprise that most people would get exhausted at this point, but, it is a surprise that someone like Rassel, who is like a boulder of muscles, can't keep up.

As we got close to the top, I found a good ledge where Rassel could take a break. While they were catching their breath, I had Rassel go through the events that led her to Iron Isle and what happened after she saved Brak's party.

"Sweetie, do you remember my Viper Scorpion skewers? The one you always buy from my stand?" - Rassel

"Oh, those. What about... Now I see. They live here on this island, don't they?" - Garami

While traveling through the island, I only saw goblins and a few random rodents, but there were traces of scorpions living or having lived on the island. And that means the goblins, probably Goblin Leaders that have high LP values, must be keeping those vicious arachnids on a leash so they can produce poison-.

"No, not anymore." - Rassel

"What 'not anymore'?" - Garami

"There used to live Viper Scorpions on the island, but they're not here anymore." - Rassel

Eehhh... So much for that theory.

"And what happened to them? Did you overhunt them to extinction?" - Garami

"While I wish my cute little stall would be so successful that I'd have to take such drastic measures~, the 'sudden mass-disappearance of Viper Scorpion' incident isn't my handywork~." - Rassel

"Incident..." - Garami

"Hmm~? I thought I was playing along with you sweethearts~. Aren't you two just the prettiest of detectives out there~?" - Rassel

"Detectives..., I guess we kinda are like that, this time around." - Garami

"Oh! In that case, this master detective Bloom has deduced a vital truth!" - Bloom

"Is that so? Let me hear it, that 'deduction' of yours." - Garami

"While I'd wish the sarcasm levels on this cliff to be lower, I will tell you anyway. The 'whydunnit' and 'whodunnit' of both the 'crafting tool mass-theft' incident and the 'sudden mass-disappearance of Viper Scorpion' incident are the same!!" - Bloom

Now she's treating both events as "incidents" for real. I agree that the first is a proper offense, but getting rid of wild monsters can hardly be called a "crime".

"Then tell us. Why is both the theft and extinction of the local Viper Scorpion population done by the same culprit and for the same reason?" - Garami

"Master, do you remember that small leader goblin we saw in the factory zone?" - Bloom

"That black-robbed guy we saw in the area with all the stolen crafting tools? Sure, but why? You can't be saying that he is the culprit just from that small event." - Garami

"But didn't you see that guy's nasty robe!? He has to be a Necromancer! He must have gotten all the scorpions killed to resurrect them as an immortal viper-venom-powered army that allows him to boss around all the other goblins through fear and poison! That is the only reason why those giant brute goblins who were guarding the factory zone were listening to the necromancer goblin's orders!" - Bloom

And what evidence did you use to formulate that theory, you braindead flop of a detective fairy...

"Wow~! Bloom, sweetie, you have almost solved this mystery~!" - Rassel

"That senseless deduction was on the money!?" - Garami

"Yay~! ...Hey, what do you mean by 'almost'?!" - Bloom

So you're not bothered about the "senseless" bit?

"It is right that the black-clothed goblin is the mastermind behind the two incidents. And Bloom didn't get anything wrong when she said he wanted to make a fully armed army. The problem is the goblin's class." - Rassel

"His class?" - Garami & Bloom

"Well, the answer is right above us, so why not take a look? Ah, but be careful not to be spotted." - Rassel

Declaring that the break was over with that sentence, Rassel had us continue climbing up the cliff. After climbing over the edge and making sure the area was goblin-free, I started to understand what Rassel was going about, AND why the goblins suddenly got smart enough to start performing organized crimes instead of mindless slaughter fests.

Also, now I suddenly remembered that Karion mentioned before that the Iron Isle Mines were populated by both goblins and Ogres, humanoid-looking monsters pretty common to those from the stories back in my old life. And just to be clear, we're talking about Feral Ogres here. It was strange that I never noticed them until now, but the sight in front of me, here at the highest point on the island, makes it clear why I never saw any of them.

But seriously, who thinks about making a giant temple on top of a mountain? Not to mention a temple that seems dedicated to an evil god of some kind? Poor Viper Scorpions and Feral Ogres, having to be killed only to be treated as common accessories for this wicked shrine...

---

Meanwhile, at Mira's group location:

"A giant church on top of that mountain!?" - Grumble

"Yes. We were spotted by the goblins when we tried to investigate it," replied the Hawk-type Birdkin, the leader of the Birdkin party that Mira and Grumble had rescued. "The security in that temple was much more solid than what we could see anywhere else on the island."

"The most secure place on the island seemed to be the most likely place where they'd hide all that stolen goods!" - Birdkin member A

"Or where they'd secure that bodybuilder of a chef, Rassel." - Birdkin member B

"Then again, now that I think about it, those goblins wouldn't have survived trying to get Rassel up that long and high road." - Birdkin member C

"True, true." - Birdkin member D & E

These guys sure are chipper despite almost being turned to grill chicken just half an hour ago, was what Mira was thinking as she looked down at the goblin below them with the Birdkin party's conversation as background music. Thanks to the very same birds, Mira and Grumble had managed to get to the upper levels of the Iron Isle and travel through the island in the same fashion as Garami before them. Now they are looking down at the stolen crafting tools in the area dubbed the "factory zone" by Garami.

"Then again, they weren't quiet even when captured. Not to mention they are birds..." - Mira

"Huh? Did you say something?" - Birdkin member B

"Nothing. Just muttering to myself." - Mira

Removing her spyglass, Mira turned to face the Hobgoblin and the six Birdkins.

"Anyway, how are you people up for an old-fashioned brawl?" - Mira

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"...Mira, are you an idiot?" - Grumble

"Nope. Just a musclehead." - Mira

"I'd call it 'suicidal'!" - Birdkin member C

"Can't you see how many there are of those bloodthirsty green devils down there?!" - Birdkin member E

"Yes, yes!!" - Birdkin member A, B, & D

"No, we might have arrived at the best possible timing. Look over there," said the hawk-type Birdkin leader while pointing over at the sea. His fellow Birdkin looked in the same direction, a hint of realization appearing on their faces.

"What? What is going on?" asked Grumble while squinting his eyes, trying his best to try and see what everyone else seemed to have noticed, but to no avail. A Birdkin's eyesight is already way better compared to other humanoids', all the members of the Birdkin party had obtained sight-enhancing skills as part of their strategy for hunting monsters.

"Hey, Mira! Give back my spyglass! I wanna see what is going on too!" - Grumble

"Sure, but I know a much faster way to be up to date with today's news. Just look down." - Mira

"Down? ...Oh, now I see." - Grumble

The six adventurers looked down at the previously well-guarded factory zone, now almost empty as more than half of the goblins' security forces left the area in a hurry. Only a pair of Feral Goblin Warriors, some Feral Hobgoblins, and a Feral Goblin Knight holding a reddish greatsword were left to guard the stolen facilities.

"They're all running to the port." - Mira

"Yes, ma'am! It seems the battle on top of the lake is starting to heat up, ma'am!" - Birdkin member A

"When did I die and she turned into you guys' leader? But it seems we hit the jackpot here, boys." - Hawk-type Birdkin

"You said it, boss!" - Birdkin member B

"Then let's strike while the iron's hot!" - Mira

After 10 minutes since the last goblin left and the remaining ones showed no intention of doing the same, Mira jumped down into the bowl-shaped storage area of the goblins and ran toward her target. The Birdkin followed her lead, while Grumble did his best not to be spotted by his less-than-friendly distant cousins as he headed towards the gates leading to the factory zone to sabotage them in an attempt to shut out any potential reinforcement from the other Feral Goblins.

Even when the Feral Hobgoblins came at her with dirty-looking swords, Mira slashed the brutish green-skinned fiends' arms' tendons while slipping past them. Mira had no time to spare for such common riff-raff such as Feral Hobgoblins. What she needs is a strong opponent that could help her reach the last level before her evolution.

And the target to do just that is the Feral Goblin Knight, an evolved species from the E-ranked Feral Goblin Warrior. True to its name, the Knight is armored in full-plate armor in the same reddish color as the greatsword he was carrying. As the goblin's height was no different from a common Feral Goblin, the size difference between him and his sword could easily have caused more than a few to chuckle a little with laughter. Had it not been for the reddish armor's color coming from the blood of the Knight's countless previous victims.

Seeing Mira charging at him, the Knight lifted his sword and jumped toward her, lashing out with his sword using a wide swing that could easily be seen coming. However, the speed behind that slash easily surpassed anything any of the other goblins native to the island could produce.

Figuring that defending would only end in her cleaved in half, Mira deduced to slide underneath the goblin's wide swing, evading the guillotine-like attack. The slash left behind flames and a molten floor, betraying the reddish sword's true nature.

"Crap, more Magma stuff? Iron alone is more than enough for my taste." - Mira

Spitting out venom while attacking the Goblin Knight, Mira sweated as the high heat emitting from the volcanic greatsword was dangerously closing in on her. Parrying or guarding that hellish blade would not only be the end of her newly brought masterpiece of a sword (self-proclaimed by the vendor), but even Mira herself would not come out unhurt from the confrontation.

As for the Goblin Knight, as if ignoring the weight of its heavy armor, spun his body like a pinwheel, turning the flaming sword into a ring of death that burned anything to ashes. The Feral's acrobatic abilities made Mira think for a moment that the Knight might have been a Feral Goblin Rogue instead.

The disadvantageous swordfight lasted for a short while until Mira ended up with her back to the wall. Literally. While it was purely confidentially, the Goblin Knight had managed to lure Mira to one of the large walls making up the bowl-shaped facility zone.

Seeing no other way out, Mira created a wall of swords through the effect of her Extra Skill, [Arm of Silver Light - Airgetám]. The silvery light blinded the knight for a moment, but it did not pause for long. With a sadistic grin on his face, the goblin had his magic sword emit more heat to the point of creating flames and swung its giant sword against the wall of phantasmal swords. It did not doubt that its magic sword could tear apart the flimsy, mirage-like wall of swords, so it put all its force behind that swing.

The magma-like sword hit the silver wall...except, the moment before the impact, the silverfish phantasmal sword had changed its color to ruby-red.

The Goblin Knight, still in the air due to its acrobatic sword slash, gave a stupid sound as the wall of swords now gave off a heat not losing to his own. The goblin had a strong resistance against heat, an ability he needed to rob the previous owner, a Feral Goblin Knight the current wielder had assaulted, of their greatest weapon.

Therefore, the heat from the sword wall did not hurt the goblin at all, causing him to lower his guard over the strange phenomenon. The woman behind the wall had only produced light and crystals during the fight against him, so where did this heat come from?

Unbeknownst to the goblin, small black lights had started to gather around him. When he finally noticed them, he swung his sword 360 degrees around him to swipe away the lights. It did not work, however, and the lights got closer and closer to the goblin. The lights did not hurt and were only annoying for the goblin, so he did not consider running away from them.

After all, that woman was still behind the wall. Her sword could not reach him, and even if her wall suddenly became flames, the light and crystals she could create did not hurt the Goblin Knight's high resistance and strong armor. Why flee when victory was right in front of him?

That arrogant thinking of his would be what led the goblin to his death.

The second one of the black lights touched the goblin, the image of him being slain on the ground, his weapon stolen flashed through his mind. This is wrong thought the goblin. That wasn't me! It was that other guy! While shocked by the images in his head, as if the past had repainted the present, more of the black lights started to hit the Goblin Knight's body.

Images of giant centipedes tearing apart the goblin's flesh, skeletal hands appearing from the walls and dragging him into the solid rock, suddenly falling with the bottom nowhere to be seen in an eternal dark hole, crows flocking to feast on his decaying flesh...

More and more nightmarish visions assaulted the goblin's little brain, to the point of turning him mad. It might be a blessing in disguise in that the Feral Goblin Knight would not suffer that fate, as the ruby-red wall of burning swords disappeared, with a true knight's sword reaping the goblin's life before that.

"Leap Thrust." - Mira

Using the Sword Combat Art aimed to pierce a target from a distance away, Mira struck the goblin's throat, one of the few areas that his armor did not cover, and punctured it. As the goblin drowned in his blood, he did not even recognize that his life was ending. Only fear and despair from the horrifying nightmares were all that his small mind could take notice of.

"Well, that's that," said Mira as she picked up her prize, the flame-emitting magic sword from the goblin's corpse, and noticed a message appearing in the corner of her eyes.

SYSTEM MESSAGE:

Your level has increased. You have gone from Lv.49 to Lv.50.

You have earned 0.3 Aether Points.

Due to reaching the level cap, you have earned 3.0 Aether Points.

Due to Guild Master [Garami]'s Blessing: "Champion of Alvatria", an additional 3.3 Aether Points were earned.

Evolution is now possible.

"YES!!" shouted Mira while performing a guts pose.

"It is surreal to see someone so innocently happy after such a fear-inducing battle," replied the Hawk Birdkin leader, as the other members of his party had already taken care of the other Feral Goblins in the area without many injuries.

"Hmm~hmm~hmm~! That's because of personal reasons~. Also, that freaky lights were only half my fault, just so you know!" - Mira

"Just 'half'? ...Oh," said the Hawk leader as he looked at the remaining lights around the Goblin Knight's body. "You're an [Elementalist] in addition to being a swordswoman?"

"It's that obvious, huh." - Mira

[Elementalist] is a Book of Creatures Mage-line Class. It can be classified as a "temporary taming" class, as the class user asks the nearby elemental spirits for help. While the spirits can not act on their own, as they are closer to living bundles of energy instead of being proper "living creatures", they can grant their powers to the [Elementalist] by enhancing the summoner, their allies, or their weapons.

This time, Mira asked for nearby Magma spirits, which probably live on this island due to it being close to Isla de Mina, to enhance her sword barrier with their power. A normal [Elementalist] would only have enough LP to ask a few spirits for help at a time, but one of the skills Mira obtained from the Filyn-sponsored Skill Orbs was the [Spirit Royalty] skill.

It is an extremely rare 3rd-tier skill that not only reduces the LP cost for commanding spirit-type creatures, it will also enhance said creatures's stats by quite an amount. Truly a skill only those worthy to be called royalties should have. Thanks to it, and that she is half a spirit herself, the spirits living on Iron Isle gladly gave their assistance to the beautiful female knight.

"Then, those black spirits that you asked for help, from what attribute did they come from?" - Hawk-type Birdkin leader

"Corruption." - Mira

"...Excuse me?" - Hawk-type Birdkin leader

"They were Corruption attribute spirits. This place seems to be filled with them. More than the Iron attribute spirits even." - Mira

"......It must be due to that weird temple then. So, what's the plan now?" - Hawk-type Birdkin leader

"We leave the stolen goods and flee. No way I'm going to stay in such a 'polluted' place without a proper team to have my back." - Mira

"The way you're saying it makes me think you do not see my party as 'proper', but I agree. Let us flee. But what about that Guild Master you mentioned before? Not to forget about the important rescue target, Rassel." - Hawk-type Birdkin leader

"They should be fine. I met that Rassel...guy(?) back when Garami introduced me to his(?) stall before. If it's those two, they will know better than to stay on this 'corrupted' island for too long." - Mira

Little did the half-spirit and the Birdkin know that the two people in question were currently in full swing at infiltrating the source of Corruption-type aether that had created the same spirits that mentally tortured the Goblin Knight half-to-death. Nor that their actions would turn the tide for the battle for the Iron Isle...