Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 381 [Tachibana]

【Mandarin Orange】

Type: Dagger

Grade: Excellent (Green)
effect:

1. Highly effective and durable;

2. When held, slightly increases the holder's mental resistance.

Introduction:

A wooden dagger crafted from a broken branch of a completely dead "miracle" orange tree undergoes a mysterious transformation due to a special power from another realm.

It was not made for killing, but rather as a memento made by the owner to console the past and warn himself. Perhaps it is not a sharp blade, but what it really wants to cut is something beyond flesh and blood.

Remarks:

"The place closest to the goddess also seems to be the farthest from her."

……

The wooden dagger, made primarily from the broken branches of a dead orange tree, now presents a bizarre yet magnificent contradictory appearance.

The dagger retains its original rough appearance and has not been carefully polished, preserving its original purpose as a memento rather than a murder weapon.

Its main body, including the hilt and the core of the blade, is still a withered branch taken from the "miracle" orange tree in the pastor's childhood memories. The wood is rough and simple, dark brown in color, and covered with fine natural wood grain.

Holding it in your hand, you can clearly feel a unique, warm, and light texture that belongs to aged wood.

But starting from the tip of the dagger and extending upwards to the hilt, covering the entire edge of the blade, was a pink gemstone that Xia Nan recognized all too well, possessing exaggerated physical defensive properties.

The translucent pink crystals adhered tightly to the wooden dagger, forming a perfectly smooth, flowing, and sharp edge.

Upon closer inspection, an irregular, twisted dividing line can be seen at the junction of crystal and wood, like a coastline eroded by the tide. The pink gemstone is slowly and irresistibly transforming everything it touches, only to freeze midway and come to an abrupt end.

With a gentle twist of his wrist, the crystal-clear pink blade reflected the moonlight, casting a silvery-pink hue in Xia Nan's dark eyes.

The enchanted equipment is good, but obviously, the dagger's attributes are not enough to be Xia Nan's usual main weapon, and its type is completely unsuitable for his fighting style.

Aside from the rare "Enhanced Toughness," the only additional effect is "Slightly increases mental resistance when carried," which is better than nothing.

Xia Nan even felt that the reason why the equipment quality of the [Honey Orange] Short Dagger could reach "Excellent (Green)" on the attribute panel was entirely due to its "Strong Toughness" attribute.

In some ways, it can only be considered an ordinary knife with average sharpness, but exceptionally sturdy.

Fortunately, the pink gemstones covering the edge of the dagger have lost their alluring effect, so there is no need to worry about whether carrying it around will affect one's mental state.

Xia Nan trusted his own judgment, and of course, he also trusted the information on the attribute panel.

If possessing it really causes any side effects, then my one and only cheat code will definitely show up.

It just so happens that the knife I carry with me, which is used for cutting biological materials, is a bit dull. Because of the gem incident in town, I didn't have time to get it repaired at the blacksmith's.

Right now, it's perfect to use mandarin oranges as a substitute.

Having the "Strong and Tough" effect attribute definitely makes it much more durable than ordinary daggers.

It's quite interesting, really. I'm probably the only one who would use such a truly enchanted piece of equipment as a skinning knife for everyday material processing.

"If we need money in the future... it's not that we can't sell it."

Xia Nan pondered to himself, his gaze following the blade to the priest's corpse on the ground ahead.

My mind involuntarily recalled the experiences in Moen's dream.

Born into a fruit farming family, his hometown was hit by wilt disease. He prayed for the goddess to appear for seven days, and miraculously, his orchard was saved. Thus, he embarked on the path of serving the gods.

He thought he was chosen by God, but ended up wasting decades in a corner of the church, witnessing the corruption and hypocrisy of the higher-ups, and even his own family becoming a major player who monopolized local industries, and the sacred tree of the past no longer bearing fruit.

Disheartened, he retreated to a remote town, where he should have lived out his days, until a pink gem descended upon the world.

The dagger he held, named "Mandarin Orange," was, in a way, a microcosm of the old pastor's life.

One end is the origin of faith, a past that has withered but has not been forgotten;

On the other end is the "new divine grace" that emerges after cracks appear in faith, carrying a deadly beauty and unknown power.

The two collided and merged, attempting to forcefully integrate amidst fragility and danger, only to come to an abrupt halt halfway through, leaving everything stagnant.

"Shh!"

With a powerful thrust of his arm, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, the pinkish-brown dagger left a fleeting afterimage in the air.

He bent his fingers and tapped the surface of the dagger lightly with his knuckles, feeling the exceptionally sturdy blade enhanced by the pink crystals.

Xia Nan nodded in satisfaction, put the dagger back into its leather sheath, and tied it to his waist.

Ahead, from the direction of the church entrance, came faint sounds of painful panting.

The two members of the Kuroki squad, who had been lying unconscious on the ground, finally woke up after the battle was completely over.

The first to regain her senses was the squad leader, Margaret.

This usually calm and decisive female swordswoman, with her healthy tanned skin and heroic spirit, now looked as if she had just woken up, struggling to sit up with her arms for support.

His eyes were unfocused and dazed.

He stared blankly at Xia Nan on the field in front of him for a full two seconds before his brain finally recovered from the dizziness and pain.

Driven by muscle memory, he sprang up from the ground as if on cue, holding his longsword, which gleamed with a cold light, in front of him, assuming a fighting stance.

Only then, through the corpses on the ground and the changes in the surrounding environment, did they realize that the battle was over.

Somewhat awkwardly, he put away his stance and gave Xia Nan a stiff smile.

On the other hand, the dwarf Soldin, perhaps due to his personality, was rather carefree.

Although they showed the same confusion when they first woke up from their unconsciousness.

But she adapted much better than Margaret afterward.

They quickly realized that Xia Nan had already dealt with the enemy while the two were unconscious.

While keeping a watchful eye on the crystallized corpse of the priest on the ground, he beckoned the female swordsman to move closer to Xia Nan and ask him for details.

Xia Nan had nothing to hide about this.

After intentionally omitting parts that might involve her own secrets, such as the "Dream Corridor" and the "Coin of Destiny," she told the two of them her whole story.

"As expected, it was that old bastard who was behind this!"

With his braid swaying, the dwarf appeared extremely angry, wishing he could take his mace and smash it into the priest's body a few more times.

He then sincerely apologized and expressed his gratitude for losing consciousness and falling into a coma at the very beginning of the battle, which prevented him from helping later and required Xia Nan to take care of him.

He frankly stated that he would not participate in the distribution of the spoils, and patted his chest, saying that he owed Xia Nan another favor, and that she could ask him for anything in the future without any possibility of refusal.

Margaret, on the other hand, remained somewhat silent after regaining consciousness.

Compared to the impulsive and straightforward Soldin, the female swordsman is noticeably more meticulous.

The goddess statue that was completely corroded by crystals, the battle marks left in various parts of the church, the priest Moen who was completely crystallized...

Margaret knew in her heart that the danger and intensity of this battle were probably much greater than Xia Nan had described.

As teammates, even if only temporarily, they failed to contribute even a little at this crucial moment. They lost consciousness after entering the church and had to be taken care of by the other.

This made the female swordsman feel that her self-esteem had been hurt.

This also further suppressed the invitation she had long prepared to extend to Xia Nan to join the team when they parted.

It's true that the other party is a lone wolf, but given the huge difference in strength, forming a temporary team for the sake of the mission seems to be the best way for them to get along with this young adventurer.

Moreover, Margaret now keenly sensed that Xia Nan's aura was even more refined and profound than before he entered the church. "This is... his professional level has increased again?"

I couldn't help but recall the black-haired adventurer named 'Grey Sword' whom I had inquired about in River Valley Town, and his clear growth process.

So young, and with such a rapid rate of improvement... how could ordinary teammates like them possibly keep up?

Even if they have a slightly higher professional level now, in a year or two, they will probably be left behind to the point where they can't even see each other anymore.

Margaret shook her head almost imperceptibly and sighed inwardly.

He turned his gaze away from the goddess statue and looked at Xia Nan in front of him, taking the initiative to talk to him about the handling of the follow-up matters.

Meanwhile, a faint commotion could be heard coming from the town square outside the church gate behind them.

……

……

"Are you sure you don't want to come back to River Valley with us?"

The lobby of the Cashmere Rust-Nailed Hotel.

Holak looked at the black-haired youth across the table, clinging to his last shred of hope, and pleaded with him to stay.

This young adventurer named "Xia Nan" is undoubtedly exceptionally strong.

Its reliability has been tested by real events, earning the trust of wealthy businessmen who were deeply uneasy about the gem incident.

If possible, he would want to keep Xia Nan by his side as a bodyguard, even at a price many times higher than the average market price.

In fact, Horak had already put his idea into action, offering the other party a salary that would be considered "astronomical" by ordinary people.

Xia Nan simply smiled and shook his head.

He had already explained his reasons for refusing to the other party, and his current actions were sufficient to demonstrate his attitude.

"All right……"

Freed from the jewel's mental control, Horac once again became the shrewd, generous, and kind-hearted businessman.

Knowing that such things cannot be forced, I stopped pursuing the matter.

He then took out a large-denomination crystal card from his pocket, which contained a full three hundred gold coins.

It was placed on the table and pushed in front of Xia Nan.

"I left in a hurry and didn't bring much with me..."

"I've heard the details of what happened from Soldin and the others. Without you, we would all probably be stuck here forever."

"This is a reward for your contributions to the entire caravan, including mine."

"It's just a small token of my appreciation, please don't refuse."

Since the other party had said so, Xia Nan didn't stand on ceremony and nodded to accept the crystal card.

This caused his net worth to soar to 839 gold, 2 silver, and 6 bronze.

Finally, I wish you a safe journey.

"If you ever have the chance to come to Neum again, be sure to look me up."

At the same time, the two members of the Kuroki squad walked in from outside the hotel, followed by a simply dressed young girl.

She looked vaguely familiar, and after a moment's thought, he remembered that she was the girl he had met in the orange grove before.

Right now, following the two adventurers in front of her, the little girl shrank back, looking somewhat nervous. Her steps were unsteady and her body stiff, but she was carrying a basket covered with burlap.

"This girl seemed to have been waiting outside for a long time, but she didn't dare to come in. If the captain hadn't spotted her, she would probably still be waiting across the street."

The dwarf waved to Xia Nan and explained.

Moen's death not only caused the light barrier that emanated from the church dome to dissipate from the entire town of Goat's Horn, but also freed the townspeople who had been bewitched by the gem from their mental control.

The memories remain; they can clearly recall everything that happened during that time.

They were naturally aware of the identity of the culprit, the highly respected pastor in the town, and the contributions made by Xia Nan and others.

They might feel fear because of the crystallized villagers they killed and their overwhelming strength, but they felt more gratitude and relief.

Xia Nan understood the townspeople's reaction; in fact, the impact of the crystallization incident was far from over.

The story of the gemstone crystals deeply embedded in the flesh of the town's residents, now rendered ineffective; the story of the pastor who renounced his faith within the Church of Santia; the origin and source of the pastel gemstones…

There are still many things left for the relevant people to handle.

It seems unlikely that the residents of Giethoorn will be able to return to their peaceful lives anytime soon.

Xia Nan is about to leave the town to continue her journey.

If nothing unexpected happens, I'm afraid I'll never have the chance to return to this remote town again...

Upon seeing the black-haired young man at the dining table, the girl from the orange grove seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

He quickened his pace and walked up to Xia Nan, who looked puzzled.

Raise both hands and hand the basket to the other person.

Xia Nan reached out and lifted the burlap lining covering the basket.

Accompanied by the sweet orange scent that fills the air, what comes into view is the bright orange-red color unique to mandarin oranges.

……

……

"hiss……"

At the same time, on the other side of the continent, deep in a dense jungle.

A girl with delicate features and a dark chestnut ponytail was sitting alone in the camp, with faint magical light shimmering in the air.

The small brown cloak draped over her shoulders was neatly placed on a blanket to one side, and the beige robe was slightly taut because of her cross-legged posture, outlining the slender and delicate figure within.

The young mage, who possessed memories of two lifetimes, still showed the same deep weariness and heavy pressure as before.

Right now, however, he is grimacing in stark contrast, his eyes tightly shut in pain.

She finally caught her breath after grabbing a water bottle and gulping down half of it.

His amber eyes held a hint of resentment as he gazed at a small, unripe orange on the ground ahead, a segment already broken off.

"I remember these oranges being very sweet, and it's the season for them, so why..."

As she was grumbling to herself, the girl suddenly paused.

Unbeknownst to me, the world line offset rate had increased by 0.12%.

"Why... why!?"

"how come!?"

The sudden impact left the girl somewhat stunned.

Suddenly, I felt the lingering sourness on the tip of my tongue.

Suddenly, her gaze at the little orange on the ground turned strange.

After hesitating for a moment, her slender, fair hand, trembling slightly, reached out towards the orange again.

(End of this chapter)