#974 He Who Has Never Caught a Cold...

Y’know...

If you call yourself a mountaineering expert, you should at least know how dangerous winter mountains can be!!!

Even a newbie like me knows that much from hearsay!

Out of the blue, this S-rank adventurer (or former), Golden Bat, shows up.

Then, he invites me to join his newly formed mountain climbing club. I almost lost it right then and there when he said the first activity was to climb a mountain.

Even though I’m a total amateur and don’t know the details, I do know that winter mountaineering is insanely dangerous and could easily get you killed.

Temperatures can drop below freezing in no time, and if you get caught out at night, you’ll freeze to death for sure.

You could get buried in snow and lose your way, and if a blizzard hits, you won’t see a thing and might lose your sense of direction.

The ground’s frozen, so you could slip and fall to your death.

Mountains in winter are basically the first circle of hell.

That’s why, in my world, we had concepts like the start and end of the mountain climbing season.

“You’re inviting a complete amateur like me to climb a dangerous winter mountain? Are you trying to indirectly kill me or something?!”

“What are you talking about? As someone who loves and knows mountains inside out, I would never do anything reckless like that!”

Right!

Of course!

Since you’re the self-proclaimed mountain expert, Golden Bat, you must have some super safe plan for climbing winter mountains, right?!

“We’ll power through with guts and determination.”

“You haven’t thought this through at all!”

Oh man, if I follow this idiot without thinking, I’ll end up frozen in a snowdrift!

“Don’t worry. I’ve climbed winter mountains about 400 times, and I’m still here. You’re just overthinking it. Climbing in winter doesn’t mean you’ll get lost and die right away.”

“R-Really...?”

“Well, there were dozens of times I almost died, though.”

“Yeah, no, that’s not reassuring!”

This guy’s sense of danger is completely skewed because every adventure he goes on is a life-or-death situation.

Typical S-rank adventurer for you.

He’s way too casual about the line between life and death.

“I tried to recruit more members from the Adventurer’s Guild to create a big group, but it didn’t go well.”

“Wow, no kidding.”

Yeah, it’s obvious why.

Who’d want to join a club where you face death every outing for a bit of thrill and suspense?

“So, how many people are in this mountain climbing club right now?”

“It’s just me and one other person.”

“That’s too few!!!”

I mean, with such life-threatening risks involved and the only reward you get is a sense of accomplishment, like climbing a mountain, who would want to sign up for that?

Seriously, who’d want to risk their life just for the satisfaction of climbing a mountain?

“Damn it! Why? There’s nothing more noble and worthwhile than climbing a mountain! I thought the majority of the Adventurer’s Guild would agree with me, but no one’s on board!”

Well, adventurers do their job for a living, not just for thrills. Without proper rewards, they’re not going to leave the guild for some random club.

Golden Bat seems to lack some basic common sense.

But maybe that’s what makes him special—a genius with no common sense.

Looking at him, I start to believe that’s a real thing.

“Uh… I heard that someone from our guild was causing trouble here, and... Yikes, he’s really here…!”

“Silver Wolf?!”

Oh boy, here comes Silver Wolf, the former S-rank adventurer and Guild Master in question.

But how?

How did he know Golden Bat was here?

“I called him!!!”

Oh, Platy?

“I used teleportation magic to go to the Adventurer’s Guild, explained the situation, and brought him here!”

I see. Platy sensed trouble as soon as Golden Bat showed up and brought in the right person to handle it.

As expected of my wife. She’s quick-witted.

“I’m really sorry our member caused you trouble…! I’ll take him back right away, so please forgive us…!”

“Hey, Silver Wolf! Why are you butting in?! And besides, I’ve already left the Adventurer’s Guild; I’m not one of your members anymore!!!”

“That’s not happening. Get it through your thick skull; you’re one of our top earners, even with your personality.”

Of course.

Silver Wolf is a reasonable guild master. No way he’d let a top-tier adventurer like Golden Bat just wander off. His personality might be a mess, but his skills are top-notch.

“I thought that if I just let you do whatever you want, you’ll get bored and come back eventually. But causing trouble for Lord Saint is a different story. You need to remember that you represent our organization. If you don’t act responsibly, you’ll never become the leader of this organization.”

Silver Wolf’s words are a hundred percent right.

Then, without missing a beat, he bows deeply to me.

What a flawless bow.

“I sincerely apologize for the trouble our member has caused you...!!!”

“No worries at all!!!”

A model boss who takes responsibility for their subordinate’s mistakes!

“Hey, Silver Wolf, why are you bowing your head like that?! It makes it look like I did something wrong!”

Well, you did do something wrong.

“Silence, meowwww.”

“Guwaaaah!”

“We’ve just transitioned to a new system, and you’re already causing extra work for the Guild Master. Are you ready to face the consequences, meow?”

Even Black Cat came along.

And without mercy, she pummeled Golden Bat with a flurry of cat punches.

That’s real punishment.

The flicker style of a cat.

“As the Guild Master’s wife, it’s my duty to make him understand what he did wrong since my husband can’t be too harsh on an old friend. So, here comes the paralyzing scratch, meow!”

“A typical feline move?!”

He’s being mercilessly beaten...!

Leaving Golden Bat to her, Silver Wolf sighs deeply.

“Trying to recruit Lord Saint just because no one is joining his self-made club... It’s reckless, but that’s so like Golden Bat...!”

He’s muttering to himself.

He sounds so pent-up.

“Well, this outcome was predictable. No regular adventurer could keep up with Golden Bat’s superhuman perspective.”

Isn’t that what makes a genius?

A godlike intuition that sees what ordinary folks can’t.

“Golden Bat keeps challenging what others think is impossible, and he actually makes it possible. His success is built on that belief. For him, unwavering faith in his actions is the key to victory. It’s something only a genius could do...”

Silver Wolf sighs deeply again.

“His problem is that he thinks this should be common sense for everyone. Sure, he’s a genius. I can’t think of anything he can’t virtually do. That’s why he truly believes that if he can do it, so can anyone else, regardless of their abilities...”

That’s a mixed blessing.

Golden Bat’s genius lies not just in his unbreakable spirit.

He’s also incredibly talented overall.

As a bat therian, his hearing is sharp, and he can fly.

He’s got impressive physical abilities.

Not only that, he’s quick-witted, has sharp instincts, and makes accurate judgments. He’s rational and brimming with energy.

He was born to tackle challenges head-on.

That’s why he became a top-tier adventurer, an S-rank.

But everything has a flip side.

His personality, which makes him the strongest, can also be his downfall.

“This situation is a sign of that. Ordinary people sometimes break under too much pressure. Golden Bat, who has never tasted failure, can’t imagine such a thing. And that’s a critical flaw for someone leading a diverse organization.”

I remember hearing a saying somewhere:

“A person who’s never caught a cold can’t understand the suffering of someone bedridden with one.”

Similarly, only someone who has endured and overcome similar hardships can truly empathize with others’ struggles and lead them effectively.

Like Silver Wolf.

However, Silver Wolf is also a seasoned veteran, having become an S-rank adventurer through countless trials and setbacks.

For Golden Bat, Silver Wolf, who has run alongside him despite being ordinary, is a precious ally.

That’s why he wouldn’t allow himself to leave the same arena, continuing to compete on the same stage.

“All right, Golden Bat, it’s time to go back. There are quests piling up for you, and we need you to start working...!”

“Let go! I won’t stop until my mountain climbing club becomes the biggest organization in the world...!”

“If you complete the quests, I’ll help you with that...!!!”

With those words, Silver Wolf and his wife, Black Cat, drag Golden Bat away.

Becoming a Guild Master means managing such talented yet troublesome individuals.

They sure have it real tough.