#930 Farm Army Joins the Fray Cont’d

The exploits of our farm’s forces aren’t just a one-time spectacle.

Further passing the baton, these ladies take on the responsibility of dungeon-conquering next.

“Discus, the Witch of Refrigeration!”

“Veiltail, the Witch of Flame Control!”

“Heckelii, the Witch of Fermenting!”

“Batrachus, the Witch of Orderliness!”

These are the four new-generation witches at our farm.

They have somehow become the main force in both production and combat.

With Puffer and Lampeye of the previous generation retiring after tying the knot and Platy and Garra Rufa each finding their roles that no longer allow them the flexibility to move freely, these four mermaids, mentored by their predecessors, are now steadfast and reliable starters of the team!!!

“Batrachus! I’m counting on you to take control of the battlefield operations! Keep the information flowing at top speed!”

“Veiltail, hold the front lines! Discus, you’re on backup! Meanwhile, Batrachus will prepare a large-scale AOE spell, so watch for the signal to pull out!”

The one area where the new generation of four witches surpasses the previous generation of six is their coordination.

After all, the Six Witches were geniuses known in their respective fields, whom the world had arbitrarily gathered together.

In reality, many of the witches met for the first time here, and while they joined forces to build up the farm, they were more inclined towards solo play.

It was a kind of teamwork born out of individual excellence.

In contrast, Discus and the other three witches have been a close-knit team since their fledgling days, trained together at the farm under the tutelage of senior witches and teachers.

Learning and growing stronger together has forged a sense of solidarity among them that is incomparable to that of the previous generation.

Each knows her role well and acts for her teammates’ sake, taking the initiative without needing to be asked.

One for all, and all for one.

Their teamwork, reaching a level as if they were a single organism, eliminates any blind spots and perfects them as impeccable beings.

“Whoa...!”

Adventurers could only gasp at their fierce battle.

“Amazing, truly amazing, but...!”

“It’s a bit more subdued compared to the last two...!”

Oh, give them a break!

Sure, they may not compare to the likes of the terrestrial emperor, the storm gods Orkubo and Gobukichi, or now the world’s strongest duo, Letasreit and Horkosfon!

Still! They’re doing their best in their own way!

And they’re still growing!

Consider those points!

Next up is the demoness Belena, taking the baton alone.

Her transcendent magic, honed from a long stay at the farm, melts attacking monsters in seconds!!!

“Hey... this magic power... this technique...!”

“Doesn’t it surpass the current Heavenly Four...?!”

The demon adventurers, in particular, were watching this situation with a shiver.

“Hey... that demoness, isn’t she progressing four chants in parallel?!”

“Even her cast timing is perfect. Task management is flawless, too. And to use such high-level spells?! Could the Heavenly Four even do that?!”

Ironically, the longer one stays at the farm, the more their skills and strength improve.

Some of the original members of the farm married off and graduated early, but then there’s Belena, who stayed and climbed to the pinnacle of humanity’s strongest.

Now, which path led to greater happiness?

“Lord Saint... may I be excused soon?”

Oh, what’s up, Belena?

Tired already?

“Well, tired in a sense... mostly mentally exhausted, though...”

Mentally exhausted?

Then let’s grant Belena an early leave...

Now, who shall fill her shoes?

“I’ll do ittt.”

Junior?!

A child, seemingly out of place on this battlefield, steps into the fray!

“Even that child is a powerhouse at this farm...?!”

Adventurers are impressed as usual, but this is no time for that!!!

Should I really allow my Junior into such danger?!

And before you know it, a monster is already on the approach!

It’s heading straight for Junior! What dreadful movements, evolving in ways we didn’t ask for, like the AI of the latest video game!

The monster attacks!

But its efforts are in vain, slicing through empty air!

Because Junior...flawlessly dodges!

“That movement...!”

In Junior’s eyes, a profound sadness can be seen!

Only those who bear deep sorrow can master this ultimate move, making Junior unreachable by any attack!

“The time has come to return to the heavensss.”

Junior! Is he finally going for the counterattack?!

“Heaven Splitting Life or Deathhh.”

With some inexplicable technique, the monster is blasted away!

Junior’s potential has reached unfathomably high levels!

“To think even a child could be this powerful...!”

“The farm is a fearsome place...!”

The adventurers are completely overwhelmed and trembling.

“We thought... becoming an S-rank adventurer was an unimaginable challenge, beyond our reach...!”

“The difficulty of becoming an S-rank adventurer seemed thrice as daunting as we imagined, nearly breaking our spirits. But the power of the farm lies even beyond that...!”

“Were we too arrogant...!”

They’re totally losing their confidence.

I intended to inspire everyone by showcasing the power of the farm’s residents, but it seems to have backfired completely!

“It’s okay, Lord Saint. With this...”

Silver Wolf.

He suddenly steps in.

But at this rate, the highly skilled adventurers might lose their confidence and start quitting in droves.

Wouldn’t that be a huge blow to the Adventurers’ Guild?!

“If their spirits break from this, they were never meant to be S-rank to begin with—not even an adventurer, perhaps. What adventurers truly need is an unbreakable spirit in the face of unknown hardships. Skills and strength come second.”

“And here, at the farm, they’ve witnessed realms far beyond high-level, meow. This experience has broadened their world. It’s better to aim for a clear goal than to blindly move toward an invisible target, meow!”

Black Cat also adds her thoughts.

Could it be that this was all part of their plan?!

“Come now, ambitious adventurers. Does your journey end here? Overwhelmed by the heights shown to you, have you given up because it seemed too far?”

“Those who don’t give up here are the ones truly on the path to S-rank, meow. This trial was meant to convey exactly that! Have you gained new insights from witnessing battles of a completely different dimension, something you’d never experience in ordinary explorations, meow?!”

Well, there’s definitely a world here that you’d never encounter in the dungeons you’re used to exploring.

That’s coming from somebody who lives here, though.

The goal was to transform adventurers’ mindsets, creating a foundation for nurturing more S-rank adventurers.

Was this the true intention behind the S-rank promotion exam?!

“Now that you understand, we could conclude this S-rank promotion exam without passers. But are you satisfied with that? Now that your goal is clear, will you just draw a line here and say ‘next time’?”

“Wouldn’t that be unadventurer-like? Sure, knowing when to retreat takes courage, but the true adventurer’s greed for the treasure right before their eyes is undeniable, meow!”

A spark returns to the eyes of the adventurers.

A wild, ambitious gleam.

“No way... we can’t let it end here...!”

“After finally seeing what S-rank looks like, to return from this mysterious farm without achieving anything would be unthinkable!”

“Silver Wolf! No, Guild Master! Give us another chance! We don’t presume to pass on the next try, but we desperately want the experience!”

“If we miss this chance, who knows when we’ll be able to enter this superior dungeon again? We might never return! So, please, let us have another go at conquering the dungeons!”

“This experience will surely be valuable!”

The adventurers’ passion blazes brightly.

This, too, was part of Silver Wolf’s plan.

By presenting an insurmountable challenge and leading them to a crushing defeat, their rigid perceptions are shattered, opening their eyes to a new world.

This prepares them for the mindset needed to become S-rank, raising the overall standard among adventurers.

Through these experiences, perhaps new S-rank adventurers will truly be born.