The Paper User: Exiled for a ‘Trash Skill,’ Awakens True Power and Rises with Two Unique Skills - Chapter 24

Pirun

Two mornings later, our party left the town of Tansa in the wagon we had procured.

The wagon traveled through a prairie of gently rolling hills, eventually entering a forest.

This road led to the village of Ejin, located in the western forest. From there, we would continue on foot toward the dungeon.

The wagon clattered as it rolled, our bodies bouncing slightly with every jolt.

Wagons are fast and convenient—but after a while, your lower back starts to ache.

Taking breaks along the unpaved road, we finally arrived in the village of Ejin. We spent a night at an inn there, and the next morning, we entered the deep forest on foot.

We encountered monsters a few times, but I never had to fight. Pirun took care of all of them.

As a berserker, Pirun has high attack power. She can take down monsters with tough hides in a single blow. She's still only D-rank, but her ability is probably closer to B-rank.

Almine can cast powerful spells using materials, and Kinako has defeated dozens of demon-kin, who are far stronger than humans.

I’m really lucky. To have such powerful companions in my party.

The next afternoon, we reached our destination.

The surrounding vegetation had been cleared, and multiple yellow-ochre tents were pitched beside a hole at the base of a cliff. Dozens of men and women were nearby, preparing food.

One man in his mid-twenties noticed us and approached.

“You’re Almine’s party, correct? I’m Frank, a staff member from the Adventurer’s Guild. Thank you for accepting the request.”

Frank bowed his head politely.

“We’re just a little bonus support,” Almine replied, sticking out her tongue as she surveyed the surroundings.

“So, where are the Moonlight Company and the Sacred Sword Company?”

“They’re already inside the dungeon. Moonlight has 28 members, Sacred Sword has 30. Both have four core party members, and the rest are support staff.”

“So eight competent adventurers, then.”

“Yes. Among those eight: three are C-rank, three are B-rank, one is A-rank, and one is S-rank.”

“They’re giving it everything they’ve got, huh? The situation must be serious.”

“Yes… it is.”

Frank frowned.

“It’s been more than 20 days since the original research team went missing. The first rescue party encountered many dangerous monsters in the middle levels and had to retreat.”

“What kind of monsters?” Kinako asked.

“Magisteel Spiders.”

“Ah, those are dangerous. They multiply quickly, and the queen spiders can be over three meters tall.”

“Right. They have tough bodies and magic resistance. Many parties have been wiped out by swarms of them.”

“So the research team may have been attacked too?”

“It’s possible, but not all of them are dead. Some members were wearing ‘Rings of Life’—magic items. Their paired ‘Crystals of Life’ are still glowing, meaning they’re alive.”

“I see.”

Kinako turned toward the dungeon entrance.

“Then we should move quickly.”

“Please do,” Frank said, as he and the surrounding guild staff all bowed to us.

The air turned cold the moment we stepped into the dungeon.

We descended a gentle slope into a wide chamber where wooden crates had been stacked—probably left by the research team. Beyond that, the path split into two tunnels.

Almine stood in front of them, arms folded.

“Hmm. Which way should we go?”

“Leave it to Pirun!” she declared.

Pirun pulled out a Magical Hammer, stood it upright, and let it fall. The hammer slowly tilted and dropped to the right.

Seeing the hammer’s head point right, Pirun confidently gestured toward that path.

“This way! This is the way to the research team!”

“Are you sure that’s how we should be deciding this?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“That doesn’t seem like a very solid method.”

“Heh heh heh, Yakumo just doesn’t get it. This is how Pirun finds treasure chests!”

Pirun puffed out her chest proudly.

“Not just a fighter—Pirun has exploration skills too! Tremble before her greatness!”

“So… how many chests have you found using this method?”

“One out of ten tries!”

“You just got lucky!”

I threw a snarky jab at her. For a moment, I thought maybe it was a skill or ability.

“Well, your search skills are up for debate, but I’ll admit—Pirun is amazing. You’re a berserker with the Defense Boost skill too.”

“Pirun is destined for S-rank greatness!”

“Oh yeah? Why do you want to become S-rank, anyway?”

“Because I made a promise with Rimshéra. We’ll defeat the Demon King Zezzuz together!”

“Wait… Rimshéra? The S-rank adventurer?”

I asked, surprised.

“You know Rimshéra?”

“Of course! She’s one of the Twelve Heroes!”

“Exactly! Rimshéra defeated the Demon Star Garlaard and saved the Kingdom of Nin! She’s from my hometown, and she taught Pirun how to be an adventurer!”

Pirun put her hands on her hips and grinned, showing her sharp teeth.

“She told me: ‘Pirun, when you reach S-rank, let’s defeat the Demon King Zezzuz together!’”

“So that’s why you said you’d defeat the Demon King.”

“That’s right! Pirun and Rimshéra will save the world!”

“Save the world… huh.”

I stared at Pirun.

Defeating the Demon King and saving the world… I’d never even considered such a thing.

She’s younger than me and says a lot of strange things, but… as a comrade, I really respect her.

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Translator’s Note (Cultural & Narrative Context)

• Pirun’s Hammer-Divination: Pirun’s method of “finding the right path” by letting a hammer fall is a playful parody of real-world omikuji or other forms of casual fortune-telling common in Japan. This whimsical decision-making emphasizes her childish charm and chaotic energy, but it’s not entirely out of place in fantasy settings.

• Hierarchy of Adventurers: The mention of ranks (D, C, B, A, S) is a common RPG trope, but in Japanese light novels, it often doubles as a commentary on social roles and aspiration. Pirun’s climb toward S-rank is symbolic of striving against social expectations—and tying it to a heroic promise adds emotional weight.

• Twelve Heroes: In Japanese fantasy, groups like the “Twelve Heroes” evoke mythic structures similar to the Twelve Olympians or Heavenly Generals. They provide context for world-building and status, much like the Sannin in Naruto or the Hashira in Demon Slayer.

• Sharp Teeth and Over-the-Top Personality: Pirun's wild speech style, exaggerated claims, and “sharp-toothed grin” are visual and narrative shorthand in anime/manga to mark her as a chaotic but lovable character. Characters like her are often comic relief with hidden depth—and her promise to Rimshéra hints at serious motivation beneath the silliness.