*This is an episode about "Extermination," the fifth-ranked member of the dark guild "Diamond," who was briefly touched upon in the first half of Chapter 116: Raid.
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When I defeated Pope Linus, I heard that the dark guild "Diamond" was targeting me.
If that was the case, I'd strike first and go on the offensive myself.
Since I'd be taking a break from adventuring for a while, I decided to let Enrique know just in case.
"Enrique, I won't be coming to the guild for some time."
I told him in the sub-master's room at the adventurer's guild.
"Is something wrong, Master?"
"Yeah, apparently the dark guild 'Diamond' has me in their sights, so I'm planning to go take them out."
"In that case, I have a favor to ask... Could you accept a quest to subdue 'Extermination,' the fifth-ranked member of 'Diamond,' who has a wanted listing at the guild?"
"Did a quest like that even come in?"
"Actually, it's posted in the corner of the bulletin board, but because it's so dangerous, no one has taken it and the paper has become tattered."
"Is that so? I didn't notice. Come to think of it, don't members of 'Diamond' have infiltrated the guild too? I'm surprised they even posted something like that."
"'Extermination' has killed a great number of adventurers affiliated with the guild. My former companions as well..."
Enrique clenched his fist tightly, his face twisted with frustration.
"Got it. I'll take it."
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After accepting Enrique's quest, I headed to the outskirts of the royal capital and began constructing a building with [Rock-Iron Magic].
The surrounding area was an empty grassland, so I deliberately built a large, conspicuous warehouse to stand out.
"'Create House'!"
The ground rose up, and walls gradually took shape.
Before long, a splendid warehouse stood complete.
From a distance, it must have looked like a building had suddenly materialized in the middle of the daytime grasslands.
"This should do. Now I need to go procure what goes inside the warehouse."
Next, I teleported to the forest southwest of the royal capital.
It was the same place I'd come before to find the Spirit Medicinal Herb used as an ingredient for elixirs, but this time I was after the polar opposite.
What I needed was Poison Grass.
As I wandered aimlessly through the forest appraising the grasses growing from the ground, I got Weeds, Weeds, Medicinal Herb.
Every so often, I'd find a light-purple Poison Grass.
Since I wanted to stock up, I decided to use Reverse on the green Medicinal Herbs I occasionally found, flipping their properties to turn them into Poison Grass.
I'd also flip the toxicity of each Poison Grass I obtained, converting it into Hydra's Poison Herb.
This was a potent ingredient used in illegal drugs that caused hallucinations.
In other words, it was a magnet for the Dark Guild.
Next, I'd have Enrique spread a rumor through the Adventurer's Guild that the grassland warehouse contained Hydra's Poison Herb.
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"Hey, is this the warehouse with the poison grass?"
"It's a rumor going around the guild, but the Sub-Master personally confirmed it, so there shouldn't be any mistake."
The blonde, bald-headed man known as Annihilation arrived at the grassland warehouse accompanied by agents he'd planted inside the guild.
It was the dead of night now, and there was no sign of anyone else around.
"What a pain — storing dangerous poison herbs without Diamond's permission. I'll just take them off your hands, and anyone who interferes with business gets annihilated."
"Lord Annihilation, I can't find the entrance!"
The subordinate possessed a skill that could unlock anything, but there was no entrance to be found, and even trying to activate his skill did nothing.
"Huh? No entrance, you say? Then how about this — Destruction Magic: Breakdown!"
He invoked the destruction magic that had earned him the name "Annihilation," waving his hand to spectacularly demolish a section of the warehouse.
"Let's head inside... Oh, Hydra Poison Grass! Don't touch it with bare hands — it's dangerous."
"Create House — deactivate!"
The moment a voice was heard from outside, the warehouse collapsed in an instant, burying Annihilation and his men alive in the rubble.
"Tch, a trap?! Doesn't matter — Breakdown!"
He shattered the rubble to smithereens, and Annihilation burst out.
"Oh, you're alive. Even if you were dead, I'd just resurrect you as punishment. Now for the real thing — you're going to spill everything you know about Diamond."
"Keep yappin'! Hiding in the dark like some coward — show yourself!"
"No thanks — Memory Deprivation."
"Graaaagh!"
Having snuck up behind Annihilation, Alan unleashed a memory-stealing spell.
From Annihilation, who was writhing in unbearable agony, it was revealed that in a few days, Diamond's executives would gather at a villa far from the royal capital and discuss a plan to ambush Alan.
"So the Pope who put out the hit on me is already dead, and you still won't cancel the attack? Can't be helped then."
Alan restored Annihilation, left groggy from the memory extraction, and his subordinate who had nearly died as collateral damage from the warehouse collapse, healing them just enough to keep them alive, and decided to bring them to the guild.
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"Here you go — Annihilation. I caught him. Annihilation had his memories extracted, though."
The next morning, I handed Annihilation and his subordinate over to Enrique.
"Thank you! This might finally let me properly mourn my former comrades..."
"Yeah."
"You can expect your reward, Master!"
Enrique, who had been holding back his tears, tried to put on a bright front, so I couldn't bring myself to crack any more jokes. I made up some excuse and left the guild.
A few days later, a notice arrived stating I had been promoted to the Mithril Rank.
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Thank you always for reading!