Chapter 73: Emergency Summons and the S-Rank Party
“I’m home—”
“Welcome back, bro!”
When I returned to the mansion in the capital for the first time in a while, Jairo and the others came to greet me.
“Welcome back—”
“Welcome back.”
“Welcome back.”
Everyone looks well.
“Listen to this, bro! We made it to C-rank!”
“Really!? That’s amazing, Jairo!”
“Yeah, but you hit B-rank almost instantly…”
Well, I have my previous life and my previous, previous life, after all.
“But Liliera said it takes a lot of time to reach C-rank. When you think about it that way, it’s still amazing.”
“Heheh, you think so?”
Jairo scratches his cheek, laughing happily.
“More importantly, there’s something you need to tell Rex, right?”
“Oh, right.”
Pointed out by Mina, Jairo becomes flustered.
“Something to tell me?”
“Yeah, bro! Yesterday, the Adventurer’s Guild asked me to give you a message. They want you to come by as soon as you got back.”
From the Adventurer’s Guild? What could it be about? I hope it’s not related to the Sky Island. Ah, but if it were related to the Sky Island, Barn and the others aren’t back yet, so it should be fine.
“Got it. I’ll head over to the Guild for a bit, then. Thanks for letting me know.”
“Don’t worry about it. We’re living in the same house, so it’s only natural.”
“What are you saying, acting like it’s natural for us to live together. We’re just imposing until we save up enough money for an inn in the capital, right?”
Huh? Is that what they were thinking? They don’t need to worry about that.
“More importantly, make sure you take us with you on your next adventure!”
“Got it. Next time, let’s all go on an adventure together.”
I made that promise, but at the time, I didn’t realize yet that I wouldn’t be able to take Jairo and the others on the next adventure.
◆
“New ruins?”
When I arrived at the Adventurer’s Guild, I was led straight to a reception room in the back. And what the Guild Master, who was waiting there, told me about was a request to explore newly discovered ruins.
“Umu, some ruins were recently discovered in a certain danger zone. I’d like you to help explore those ruins.”
“But, why me? I’d think the capital’s Guild has plenty of skilled adventurers.”
Unlike me, a first-year adventurer, I’d think there are even professionals in ruin exploration.
“The reason is that it’s a danger zone.”
A danger zone. Right, I remember that’s a dangerous land that only adventurers of a certain rank or higher can enter.
“The Karbang Mine was famous for producing rubies, but at some point, a mineshaft apparently connected to a natural cave. That alone would have been fine, but from that cave, A and B-rank monsters started swarming out. It seems the mine was overrun by monsters in no time.”
“Couldn’t they have just sealed the hole that connected to the cave?”
“Well, the monsters that came out of there were a new species that had never been discovered before.”
Heeh, a new species of monster that came from a cave. That’s a little interesting.
“What’s more, the materials that can be gathered from these monsters are also valuable. It was decided that monsters that could provide an infinite supply of valuable materials were worth more money than gems that would eventually run out. The mine and cave became an A-rank danger zone, and the hole that connected them was left as is.”
So greed won out, huh.
“And, to get back to the start, the ruins inside that cave are extremely dangerous. The adventurer party that discovered the ruins went for a re-exploration and never came back. And several A-rank parties that newly entered also haven’t returned.”
Isn’t that pretty bad?
“The country and the Guild, taking the situation seriously, designated these ruins, from which even A-rank parties don’t return, as an S-rank danger zone. Exploration within the mine has been provisionally prohibited.”
Uwaa, this has turned into a big deal.
“So the reason you called me is…”
“Ah, we want you to investigate these ruins together with the S-rank adventurers we have summoned.”
“S-rank adventurers!?”
You mean other S-rank adventurers besides me are participating!?
“That’s right. It’s an unknown ruin where even A-rank adventurers are annihilated. We have determined that it is worth exploring even if it means mustering the full force of the Guild.”
An investigation of ruins within a danger zone where S-rank adventurers are gathering. Amazing, I’m starting to get excited. It reminds me of one of the most popular episodes in the tale of Rygart, the ‘Meeting of Heroes’. It’s the story of a heart-pounding battle where S-rank adventurers, led by Rygart, subjugate a terrifying great magic beast that multiple countries couldn’t defeat even by joining hands.
“Of course, it’s not just S-ranks. We are recruiting skilled A-rank adventurers to serve as vanguards and guards for the 87base camp. If you wish, your party members may also participate.”
I see, then Liliera can participate too. But as expected, Jairo and the others at C-rank don’t seem to be able to participate.
“Will you do it?”
Uun, I’m interested, but I need to confirm Liliera’s intention.
“Is it okay if I consult with my companion first?”
“I don’t mind. We also have coordination to do, so it would help if we could get an answer within three days.”
“Understood.”
◆
“And so, I’ve been requested to participate in a joint request to search an S-rank danger zone.”
After returning home, I explain the situation to Liliera, Jairo, and the others.
“An S-rank danger zone, just how crazy a place is it?”
“The B-rank Forest of Magic Beasts, the forest itself was a monster, and all the trees attacked.”
“””Scary!?””””
Even Jairo, who’s always full of confidence, has this reaction. Liliera must have been a very brave B-rank. Well, she’s been promoted to A-rank now.
“So, what will you do, Liliera?”
“Let’s see…”
Liliera thinks for a short while.
“There’s nothin’ to worry about, right? Rex’s bro is going, isn’t he? Then the request is as good as done, right?”
And, Jairo says that, but Mina stops him.
“Idiot, A-ranks are guarding the camp, so they’ll be acting separately from Rex. It’s not like he can help you if something happens.”
Being told that, I start to worry too.
“I’ve decided.”
Liliera, having decided whether to accept the request, looks at me.
“I’ll accept. I can’t participate in the S-rank party, but I’ll take responsibility for protecting the place you all will return to.”
Ooh, that’s a reliable statement.
“I’ll be counting on you, Liliera.”
“Yes!”
“Dammit—! If only we had gotten to A-rank sooner, we could have gone on an adventure with bro, too—!”
“Be patient. We’re too inexperienced to accompany S-rank and A-rank adventures.”
And so, Liliera and I decided to participate in the nomination request in the S-rank restricted zone.
◆
One week later, we were outside the capital. The meeting place for the Guild’s nomination request was outside the capital.
I can already see adventurers at the meeting place. The number isn’t large, but every one of them has an unguarded, sharp look in their eyes. So these are the A-rank adventurers gathered from the vicinity.
“Gentlemen, thank you for gathering.”
At that moment, a particularly clear voice echoed across the meeting place.
“I am Wanda, an overseer dispatched from the Guild. It’s a pleasure to work with you.”
The Adventurer’s Guild staff member, who introduced himself as Wanda, begins to explain the request.
“First of all, I want to thank you all for your courage in gathering for what is an extremely dangerous request.”
The investigation hasn’t even started, and we’re already being thanked.
“As I’m sure you all know, this time we are investigating a land that has become the third S-rank danger zone in history.”
The third in history? That means there are two other S-rank danger zones.
“It is an S-rank danger zone from which no one who has entered has returned alive, but what you gentlemen will be working hard in is an A-rank danger zone, so please rest assured. …Well, you’ll die if you let your guard down.”
He just casually said something terrifying.
“You will be tasked with guarding the camp in front of the mine, and guarding the second camp we plan to set up inside the cave within the mine.”
So we’re making two bases of operation.
“The installation of the first camp in an open area of the mine is already complete. First, you will prepare there, and starting tomorrow morning, you will head into the mine to set up the second camp.”
So we’re expanding the area of activity with a focus on safety.
“And as for the S-rank danger zone in question, exploring this unexplored, dangerous region will, of course, be the veterans capable of overcoming that danger!”
Wanda raises his right hand to the sky.
“That’s right, S-rank adventurers! Rody of the Blue Storm, Saintess Foca, Celestial Magus Ramies, Rhiso of the Twin Fangs, and the promising newcomer, Rex the Big-Game Eater!!”
“””Oooooooh!!””””
The assembled adventurers raise a cheer. I mean, I feel like there was a weird epithet attached to my name…
“Amazing! Five S-ranks participating is unprecedented!”
“And what’s more, word is one of them just became S-rank recently.”
“A new S-rank, huh. I’m looking forward to seeing just how skilled they are.”
The adventurers are talking excitedly about the S-rank adventurers’ participation. That said, I just became an S-rank by chance, so please don’t expect too much.
“Silence!”
When Wanda raises his voice, the adventurers’ voices quiet down. That quick switch is just what you’d expect from A-ranks.
“We have three objectives. First, to set up a second camp inside the natural cave within the mine. Second, to enter the ruins within the cave and confirm the safety of the A-rank adventurer parties. And third, to explore the ruins.”
Wanda pauses here for a moment.
“A detailed explanation will be given after we arrive at the camp in front of the mine and join up with the advance members. Now then, please board the carriages we have prepared.”
With Wanda’s instruction, the carriage doors open.
“Well, let’s go.”
“Yes.”
“Please wait a moment.”
I was about to board the carriage with Liliera, but Wanda stops me.
“What is it?”
“Sorry, but could you ride in a different carriage?”
Me? What does he mean?
“Umu, I’d like you to ride in the carriage for S-rank adventurers.”
Uun, I have a feeling this is going to be a hassle.
◆
Because it was a direct request from the Guild, I was separated from Liliera and ended up riding in the carriage prepared by the Guild for S-rank adventurers.
The carriage carrying only S-ranks looked luxurious, and at first glance, it seemed like special treatment, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
“You all will be forming a temporary party. But no matter how S-rank you are, it is difficult to coordinate with each other when you’ve only just met. Therefore, although it is a short time, I’d like you S-ranks to deepen your friendship in the time it takes to reach our destination.”
I was told. But I wonder if our friendship can deepen in the short time it takes to get to the destination?
“Hey, Big-Game Eater.”
Just as I was worrying, Rhiso of the Twin Fangs immediately spoke to me.
“Um, are you possibly referring to me?”
“That’s right, you’re the Big-Game Eater, aren’t you? The one who defeated S-rank monsters one after another and entered S-rank as the youngest ever.”
Ah, so that’s why I’m the Big-Game Eater. What an embarrassing nickname. …I think I understand why Jairo was embarrassed to call his party the ‘Dragon Slayers’.
“Oh my, how amazing.”
Next to join the conversation was Saintess Foca. This person looks to be in her mid-20s, but she’s a woman who gives off a very motherly feeling, and that motherliness was particularly overflowing in her chest.
“According to what I’ve heard, you wield magic never seen before. Could it be Lost Magic?”
And this time, Celestial Magus Ramies also joins the conversation. This person is a mage who looks every bit the scholar. I’d believe it if you told me he was a researcher doing research at the magic academy.
“Hahahaha, I hear you took down a Kraken and a Megalowhale this time? Want to have another match when we get to the ruins?”
And Rody of Team Cyclone is as competitive as ever.
I thought the S-rank adventurers would be all scary people, but it seems they’re surprisingly friendly. They all speak to me cheerfully. Are they being considerate of me since I’m younger? Rhiso and the others wanted to hear what kind of monsters I fought and how I got through it.
Maybe they’re just extremely interested in monsters they’ve never fought themselves.
“Hohou, so there’s that way of fighting.”
“Body Reinforcement Magic? There’s convenient magic these days.”
No, it’s normal magic? It seems Foca hasn’t had much opportunity to interact with normal magic, so she looked interested even hearing about very normal magic.
It was at that moment. Suddenly the carriage stopped, and we who were inside—or rather, the S-rank seniors who were crowding around me—came tumbling towards me.
“Nuh.”
“Toto.”
Rhiso and Rody, as expected of warriors, immediately regained their balance and stood firm. But Foca and Ramies couldn’t stop and came toppling onto me.
“Ah, I’m sorry!”
Foca’s chest covered my face, and then Ramies bumped into her from behind, causing my face to be buried even further into Foca’s chest. I mean, it’s suffocating! I seriously can’t breathe!?
“Hahaha, as expected of the Big-Game Eater! You devoured Foca’s chest right away!”
“I think the meaning of ‘devour’ is the other way around.”
Hey, you two, don’t just laugh, help me!
“Mmphh!”
“More importantly, what in the world happened?”
Rhiso, suspicious of the sudden stop, opens the small window at the front of the carriage and calls out to the driver.
“Ah, Rhiso-san! It’s terrible! A horde of monsters is approaching from the front!”
“A horde of monsters!?”
Hearing that, Rody immediately opens the carriage door and goes outside.
“Oh, what’s the caliber of the prey?”
Rhiso also went out, so I followed him. And when I looked ahead, I could see the figures of monsters approaching from down the road.
“Those are High Trolls. They’re A-rank monsters, but due to their low intelligence, they are positioned at the lower end among monsters of the same rank. However, because their regeneration ability is high, if they attack in numbers, there’s a danger of even A-rank parties being wiped out.”
Ramies, who came from behind, explains the monsters.
“Hmm, dealing with monsters encountered on the road is A-rank work, but with that number, will they struggle a little?”
On this request, we S-ranks are supposed to leave the battles en route to the A-rank adventurers so we can concentrate on exploring the ruins. But well, the opponents are just High Trolls. With this many A-rank adventurers gathered, there’s probably no need to worry.
“Alright, we’ll intercept them!”
The A-rank adventurers immediately get out of the carriages, finish preparing to intercept the High Trolls, and lie in wait. As expected, a swift response.
“Gentlemen, I need you to wait!”
The one who said that was the guild staff member, Wanda. The A-rank adventurers also look at him, wondering what’s going on.
“Normally, combat with monsters encountered on the road is the job of you A-ranks, but for this time only, I’d like to have a certain S-rank adventurer fight.”
An S-rank? Why?
“Rex-kun, could I have you fight?”
“Me!?”
I’m being singled out!?
“That’s Rex the Big-Game Eater!? Isn’t he just a kid!?”
“No, he’s registered with the Guild, so he must be an adult.”
“Even so, he’s young. Is he really S-rank!?”
The adventurers who learned I was the S-rank Rex raise their voices in doubt about my youth. It’s true that even I myself think me becoming S-rank must be some kind of mistake.
“As you can see, your youth causes your comrades who fight alongside you to have doubts. Therefore, by having you fight alone, I want you to demonstrate your ability to everyone.”
Especially to your S-rank comrades, Wanda adds. I see, by showing that I have the ability worthy of an S-rank, he wants me to earn the trust of the S-ranks, to show them I won’t drag them down.
“Understood. I’ll handle it.”
“Isn’t it asking too much for him to face them alone?”
And, Foca complains to Wanda, looking worried.
“No, no, they’re just High Trolls. An S-rank wouldn’t even struggle.”
“I would just burn them all to cinders from this distance.”
Rhiso and Ramies have an air of ‘it’s only natural he can defeat them’.
“Hahahaha, it’s fine. With this boy’s skill, High Trolls are no problem. In fact, how about we compete to see who can hunt more?”
Does Rody want to reassure me or compete? It’s probably both.
Oh well. The horde of High Trolls is getting close, so I have to intercept them. I step forward and draw my sword.
“He’s fighting with a sword?”
“But isn’t that thin sword a bit unreliable for fighting High Trolls?”
“A normal-sized sword is disadvantageous against High Trolls with their high regeneration, isn’t it?”
The A-rank adventurers seem extremely curious about how I’m going to fight. But I’m sorry, I think this will be a relatively plain fight. Because the opponent is just High Trolls, whose only selling point is regeneration.
I let the High Troll horde get close enough, then pour magic power into my sword, and while swinging it sideways, I unleash magic.
“Melting Wave!!”
Blue flames wreath the surface of the sword, and a ripple of fire spreads out in a fan shape, tracing the path of the swung sword. If you saw this scene from above, it probably looked like the sight of ripples spreading out from something dropped in the water.
The ripple passed through the horde of High Trolls as is, and vanished after going about 50 meters behind them. And after the magic disappeared, only the lower halves, with their upper bodies severed, continued running towards us. But after running for a while, those lower halves also collapsed to the ground, as if they realized their upper bodies were gone.
There was no sign of the High Trolls regenerating, and though they twitched for a while with their characteristic vitality, their movements gradually grew smaller, and finally, they stopped moving.
After confirming this, I report to Wanda.
“It’s finished.”
“…Heh?”
Wanda and the others look over here with dumbfounded faces.
“As I said, the subjugation of the High Troll horde is complete.”
“…Finished? The horde of A-rank monsters? Already?”
Yep, the High Trolls are long dead.
“…”
“…”
For some reason, the surroundings go silent. Huh? Did I mess something up?
“A-amaaaaaazing!! What is thiiiiis!?”
“He took down those High Trolls in one hit!? And with a sword!?”
“Wrong! That was magic!”
“But what kind of magic was it!?”
“Look! At the cut surfaces of the defeated High Trolls! There are burn marks!? He sealed the High Trolls’ regeneration ability with this!”
“What!? You’re right! Not a single drop of blood is spilled. Did he burn the cut surfaces instantly…”
“What an outrageous magic.”
The adventurers, who suddenly started shouting, all swarm the High Troll corpses, analyzing how I defeated them.
That’s right, Melting Wave is magic that fires a slash of flame to cut down enemies in a wide area. What’s more, the slash emits high heat, so it instantly burns the wounds. It’s magic developed as a countermeasure for monsters with regeneration, so most monsters with high regeneration can be dealt with using this magic.
“My, my, as expected of the one who entered S-rank the fastest and youngest. Brilliant, brilliant.”
And, Rhiso and the others come over.
“Yes, that was quite something.”
“More importantly, that magic just now… could it be L-”
“Yeah! As expected of your skill! Aren’t you actually getting stronger!? Ah, I really wanted to compete!”
It seemed like Ramies was about to say something, but Rody’s words overlapped and drowned him out.
“How was it, Wanda-san? Did that count as demonstrating my ability?”
I tried to appeal that I could defeat the enemy quickly and stably without putting on a strangely flashy performance, but was it a little too plain?
“…Ah, yes. It’s more than enough. With this, everyone will surely acknowledge your ability.”
That’s good. It looks like our coordination from now on will be fine.
