Side: Orvic, Adventurer Rank 7

I'm an adventurer currently on the rise. Well, to be honest, I've been a bit different from those around me since the start. I suppose it's what they call "talent".

It's said that it takes a long time for a beginner to rise from Rank 1 to Rank 4. The reason is that starting at Rank 4, requests include bandit suppression instead of just normal monster hunting. Ranks 1 to 2 are mostly errand-like tasks within a village or town meant to improve the Guild's reputation. Once you handle those diligently, you finally get to hunt monsters.

From Rank 2, as I said, the hunting begins—but it's small fry like Goblins, Slimes, Kobolds, and Caterpies. You can look for stronger foes if you feel you have the strength, but that won't help your Guild evaluation. You'll get money for the monster parts, but your rank won't go up.

It's a well-thought-out system. It prevents rookies who lack actual ability from getting lucky in a fight and ending up with a rank they can't handle. These ranks aren't just about strength; they're about your reliability as an adventurer.

In the short span of three years, I climbed all the way to Rank 7—a high rank. It sounds simple when said aloud, but reaching this height is no ordinary feat.

Rank 4 bandit suppression involves fighting humans, not monsters, which is never straightforward. Many adventurers get stuck or lose their lives at Rank 4. However, since you can't always tell a bandit just by looking at them, higher-difficulty monster hunts often serve as the alternative condition for ranking up. After all, if every adventurer had to hunt bandits every time they wanted to rank up, the country would be in a sorry state, wouldn't it?

Rank 5 is even more difficult. It's a rank where your past request completion rate, reputation, and character are all questioned, and the work becomes significantly harder. Many quests involve going to dungeons to find specific items, which is mentally taxing. The strength, cunning, and abilities of the monsters are on a different level compared to what came before. If a beginner encountered a Rank 5 class monster, the odds of them being wiped out without being able to do a thing are extremely high.

Rank 6. This is the rank I held until just a month ago. You're judged on your results at Rank 5, evaluated further, and must complete specific quests to rise. At this stage, "named" requests—specifically directed at you—begin to come in. While named requests can happen at lower ranks, at Rank 6 they often involve classified information. Usually, it's investigating a "Monster Outbreak."

These investigations happen often, but they aren't made public to avoid panic. Daily surveys tell us when a outbreak is coming, so most investigations turn out to be nothing, simply confirming that the area is safe. Other tasks include clearing high-casualty dungeons. Even for a Rank 6 adventurer, dungeons are grueling. They are places of sudden fortune, but they are also sites of unprecedented natural disaster. Monsters can overflow without warning, or powerful monsters might suddenly appear on a specific floor. We are called in to handle those situations.

Ah, that's right. Aside from Adventurer Ranks, there are also Dungeon Ranks. These were created because many adventurers specialize in dungeons. Generally, Dungeon Ranks are easier to raise because the conditions are simply specific monsters and floor clears. Thus, it's common to see someone who is Rank 3 as an adventurer but Rank 6 in dungeons. It's hard to say which is "better," but generally:

* High Adventurer Rank: Excellent communication and situational judgment. Trusted by the residents of their base of operations.

* High Dungeon Rank: Strong against traps and ambushes. High adaptability against monsters. High raw combat ability.

For the record, my Dungeon Rank is 5. Mostly because there weren't any dungeons nearby. There was a cleared "training dungeon," so I raised my rank there. Another reason is that raising your Adventurer Rank makes it easier to get better quests and fame.

And then there's Rank 7, where I am now. From here, it gets even stricter and opportunities are fewer. Honestly, it's best to think of Rank 6 as the practical ceiling for most. Rank 7 requires the ability to lead units in large-scale mopping-up operations against monster hordes. And leadership alone isn't enough to reach Rank 7.

In my case, nearly 200 monsters once descended on the town I was based in. We asked for reinforcements elsewhere, but they weren't going to make it in time. We had to respond by gathering the local knights, adventurers, and volunteers.

At the time, the main force of knights was less than 100 people. Including the volunteers, we were at a massive disadvantage. As a Rank 6 back then, I was put in charge of the adventurers to hold one flank... but the knight's main force was overwhelmed by an enemy nearly double their size.

Our adventurer group was also forced into a corner, and pathetically, one of the adventurers who had been entrusted with a unit like me fled the scene. I rushed to merge with his unit, pushed back the enemy on that flank, and in response, the entire line rallied and we escaped disaster.

My Rank 7 was a recognition of that achievement.

I don't know how one reaches Rank 8. Adventurers like Mobu, called the "Hero of Defense," have reached it, but those stories are on the level of heroic epics. Apparently, the lord of that town at the time had sent most of his forces out for bandit suppression, leaving the town nearly empty.

A monster horde arrived at the worst possible time, and with no lord to give orders, the Adventurer's Guild was planning to just evacuate everyone. The adventurer who stayed behind to defend and buy time for the escape was Mobu, the Hero of Defense. Despite the overwhelming disadvantage, he rallied the adventurers, raised their morale, pushed back a horde nearly four times their size, and protected the town. He is a man worthy of respect.

I'd like to meet him someday, but sadly, due to the Demon King's recent schemes, the town he was contracted to was destroyed in the civil war. If he's alive, I'd love to hear his stories, but the information is still a mess and I can't find him. Well, it's only been three months since the declaration of the end of the war. It'll take at least a year for things to settle down.

As for Ranks 9 and 10, they're a mystery. If the Hero of Defense is Rank 8, I imagine those ranks are for people who can deal with entire countries or Demon Kings.

"Hey, Orvic, what's up?"

"Ah, sorry. Just thinking about how I finally made it to Rank 7."

"Fufu, you're a magnificent adventurer. I can guarantee that much."

Lallie, a member of my party, calls out to me, likely wondering why I was staring blankly at the quest board.

When I was Rank 2, I was on my way back from a hunt when I saved a carriage being attacked by monsters. I was too late for most, and most of the people had died. One of the few survivors was Lallie, who was a slave at the time. As a silver lining, the owner of the carriage had survived, so the surviving slaves weren't left with nowhere to go.

Generally, people have a bad image of how slaves are treated. I won't deny that, but nobody wants a slave that's falling apart. That means a minimum of food, clothing, and shelter is usually secured.

There are good and bad slave traders; some accept kidnappings and engage in cruel trafficking, while others buy family members who were sold into slavery out of desperation just to survive. The latter type of merchant provides a way to stay alive by turning one person into money when the whole family would otherwise starve.

In a way, you could see it as an act of mercy. The merchant I helped was the latter type; the slaves were all people who had become slaves of their own will to keep their families alive. The merchant was a gentle man who chose his buyers carefully and gave the slaves a place to sleep, food, and simple clothing.

Through that connection, the rookie me was able to take in a cute girl like Lallie as a slave.

Slave prices vary, but the merchant said someone like Lallie would cost at least seven gold coins. Even with my current earnings, getting seven gold coins would require clearing about ten high-difficulty quests—if I could even find that many. Since ten high-difficulty quests aren't just lying around, you can see what a fortune that is. Meanwhile, Elves, Fox-kin, or Rabbit-kin go for platinum coins; I suppose they're just that cute. Oh, I've only been talking about girls, but male slaves as combatants are also popular.

To be honest, when I first took Lallie in, I was over the moon and spent recklessly, indulging my male desires. Because of that, we had some pretty poor periods, but Lallie stayed with me with a smile. When she reached the point where she could support herself, I freed her from slavery. It was my way of showing gratitude. She had followed my selfish whims without complaint and held me close at night; I felt it was wrong to keep dragging her into danger just for my own ambition.

But Lallie is still with me. She told me she was following me of her own will, and honestly, I cried right then and there. After that, we made other comrades, and that's how I got to where I am today. I said "talent," but honestly, it's thanks to my friends. But since I'm the leader, I'm told I need a certain amount of dignity and confidence befitting my rank.

"Hey, Orvic! The Guildmaster is calling for you!"

"Hey, don't interrupt them when they're having a moment!"

The rest of the party calls out to us.

These two are in a similar relationship to Lallie and me; they heard our story and have been in our party ever since. Since everyone has a partner, there's no friction. We use magic potions to prevent pregnancy, but we've been talking as a party about how we'd like to eventually settle down and become exclusive to some place.

And then, a certain quest was requested by the Guildmaster.

"Huh? You built a dungeon and want it evaluated?"

It was such a wild story that everyone's eyes went wide.

"You know the story of how Saint Elju of Roshure pacified a dungeon with holy power, right?"

"Yes, but I heard Elju-sama was assassinated due to the Demon King's schemes..." Lallie managed to respond.

"Umu, that is true. However, there is a sequel to that story..."

From there, we heard the general gist of it. Seraria-sama, the elder sister, had taken over the management rights of the dungeon Elju-sama had pacified. Using the dungeon's functions, they were testing various things—immigrant life, monster ecology, and so on. Regarding this dungeon matter, they had apparently built more dungeons for adventurers inside the dungeon city itself.

How absurd. A dungeon within a dungeon? But after hearing about the benefits, I understood how a functioning dungeon city could bring in massive profits and open up a future for people.

"I understand. We'll accept the request."

"I appreciate it. In three days, you will head to the dungeon with us and the other adventurers, so please prepare."

"Other adventurers?"

"Ah, you know that Seraria-sama is called the War Goddess, right?"

"Yes, I've heard her class and level live up to the name."

"Precisely. Because it's her, they've created eight dungeons of different natures, aiming to improve the abilities of the military and adventurers."

"Eight of them!?"

"Indeed. I have the floor counts and maps as reference materials, but it's best to assume common sense won't apply. With eight dungeons, I plan to send at least two teams to explore each one."

"I see. That would be too much for just us to handle."

"Exactly. Oh, and I'd like you to recommend someone. A recommendation from a Rank 7 adventurer should mean they'll work hard."

"Is that okay? For us to decide the partner for such a big job?"

"I don't mind. In terms of Rank 7, you're the only ones in the Rithea Adventurer's Guild right now. I'll limit the recommendation to Rank 5 or 6, though. To be honest, I've already reached out to the notable Rank 6s—or rather, I should say I've reached out to all the Rank 6s."

"Um, how many Rank 6 adventurers are in Rithea right now?"

"Overall, about 70. But some aren't in parties, and some are currently working. Effectively, about eight teams are set to participate."

I see. In that case, those people would be...

"I can think of some Rank 5 adventurers right now. Would they be okay?"

"Oh, tell me."

"How about the Heroes led by Tanaka-san from the Kingdom of Roumel? They should be more than sufficient in both combat power and spirit."

* * *

Yes, wouldn't this job be perfect for the Heroes summoned from another world by the Kingdom of Roumel?

And I believe Tanaka-san himself is stronger than the Heroes. He doesn't even try to hide the fact that he's "Level 1" when people laugh at him. But in truth, his individual combat ability is higher than us Rank 7s.

It was back when we were hunting monsters near Rithea.

There was an Ogre Tempest leading a pack of Ogres, and their numbers were far higher than reported. Even we were struggling. We were planning to break through one side and escape... but then a series of explosions rang out. In an instant, the Ogre Tempest's head was blown apart, and the remaining Ogres fell one by one as their heads were similarly scattered.

"Sorry. I thought it looked dangerous, so I lent a hand. Of course, I did this on my own, so feel free to keep the monster materials."

"Wait!? How can you snipe so accurately in a forest with so many obstacles!?"

"...As expected, you're amazing," one of the Heroes added.

Sniping? But Tanaka-san didn't have a bow. Was he a mage?

"Ah, no. You saved us. Thank you. I'm Orvic. I'm an adventurer."

"...I'm Tanaka."

"I'm Hikari."

"I am Nadeshiko."

"I'm Akira. And this is..."

We introduced ourselves and parted ways once we got back to Rithea. I found out later that they were Heroes, and indeed, their skill was worthy of the title.

* * *

"Ah, Tanaka-dono and his group cannot participate in this matter. This is a secret between the Roshure and Rithea nations. Due to their position as high-ranking figures of Roumel, and since the dungeon isn't actually on a rampage, involving Roumel could lead to a diplomatic issue."

"Ah, I see. That makes sense."

In that case, they can't take this quest.

"Well, though unconfirmed, there are rumors that the Hero of Defense has visited Rithea. If that's true and we can get them to take the quest, they'd do the work of two teams."

"Really!?"

"Hohoho, as I thought, the Hero of Defense is popular. But wait, we're still confirming. That's the gist of it. I'd appreciate it if you could get ready."

"Right, excuse us."

* * *

And so, we accepted the evaluation quest and came to this dungeon...

"No... way. Is this really inside a dungeon?"

"There's a sky..."

"Trees, a river..."

"There's even a field... wait, is that an Ogre!? It's doing farm work!?"

What appeared before our eyes was the startling fact that a dungeon existed beneath the Great Cathedral of Rithea, and the mind-blowing fact that there was a teleportation circle connecting Roshure and Rithea.

And that was just the beginning. Once we reached the dungeon Seraria-sama personally governs, common sense could no longer keep up. Buildings, shops, "Super Ratz" or whatever they called it... a multitude of rare items.

As we stood there dazed, the explanation of the dungeon was given, and then they arrived.

"Joining us for the evaluation quest today—as you all likely know—the Rank 8 Heroes of Defense!!"

"""OHHHH!!"""

The Adventurer's Guild buzzed in an instant, and I snapped back to my senses. So those are the Heroes of Defense.

The one with the spear is likely Raiya of the Flash Spear. The one with the staff is Sage Kurse. And... the person with the sword talking to that strange man is the leader, Mobu!!

"...Look. I told you it's impossible... Us... Is it... fun!?"

"...Nothing... right...? So... I'm counting on you guys!"

"It's definitely going in a different direction!"

"I won't deny it."

"At least deny it!!"

"Um, sorry, Mobu-dono. Could you give a proper greeting?"

"Ah, here, he's all yours."

"Dammit!! I'm definitely making you get me some good booze later!!"

It must be an act. Everyone is smiling watching Mobu-san's performance. I see, so this is the work of a hero.

(Note: It is not an act; he means it from the bottom of his heart.)

"...Ahem. Well, I'm Mobu, the guy they call the Hero of Defense. But that doesn't matter. You guys have worked hard to get here, too. Believe in yourselves; I don't think there's much of a difference between us."

Everyone listened in silence to his words. As expected, they're different. They are magnificent people who aren't arrogant about their power.

"And I hear everyone here today is the cream of the crop among adventurers. I probably don't need to say it, but let me say it anyway: this is an evaluation, but one wrong move and you'll die!! Never let your guard down!! This dungeon was made by someone with a nasty personality... ouch!?"

As he said that, a woman who appeared to be a noble stepped out from the back.

"I'm technically the lord here, you know? Whose personality is nasty? Well, I offer my condolences for the dungeon you're heading to. But please don't say anything that would give this dungeon a negative image."

The lord? Does that mean this person is Seraria-sama!?

Everyone else seemed to realize it too and moved to kneel, but...

"Raise your heads. We are the ones who asked you to come. We should be the ones bowing for your cooperation. I thank you for your assistance this time. Thank you."

With that, Seraria-sama bowed her head.

After a brief explanation, we headed to the designated dungeon with another team to clear it.

* * *

"Now then, how do you guys plan to move?"

"We're going to clear it, obviously!! Seraria-sama bowed her head like that. If we work hard here, we'll get recognized, and earn plenty of fame and money!!"

The team that came with me is Rank 6, but they seem restless. They seem excited about a royal bowing to them.

"Sorry, but we're going ahead!! If we're lucky, Seraria-sama might even propose to me!!"

With that, the team laughed and entered the dungeon first.

"I wonder if they'll be okay?"

We all shared Lallie's concern.

"...Well, surely they won't get taken out on the first floor."

I managed to squeeze those words out and entered the dungeon a bit later.

As Mobu-san had said, that dungeon was anything but normal.

"...It's a wide grassland."

"I see a forest and a path in the back."

"For now, I don't see any monsters around."

We instantly formed a circle and scanned the area. It's the standard procedure for exploring a new place.

"...Where do you think the stairs down are?"

"Probably... in the back?"

"...Where exactly is the 'back'?"

Right. This first floor wasn't a maze; it was just grassland and forest as far as the eye could see. We had no idea where the "back" was.

"For now, there's nothing that looks like it on the grassland, so I think it's deep in the forest. I'm thinking we should take that visible path first; what do you think?"

"Yeah, I think that's best too."

"True. Even if we get surrounded, having a path makes it easier to retreat."

"I have no objections either."

As we proceeded down the path, a few Kobolds appeared. Since they're monsters for beginners, we defeated them without a struggle.

"The first floor is Kobolds, huh. Well, I think that's reasonable."

"Yeah. It's the perfect place for rookies."

"True. There are special status conditions, but if you listen to the advance info, you won't usually end up in that state."

"Eh? Do Kobolds have special abilities? Don't they just carry clubs or weapons? Orvic, do you know?"

Lallie didn't know? Well, that's understandable, since that sort of thing doesn't usually happen.

"Kobolds are dogs, just like they look, so they have a strong sense of comradeship and territory. They have good noses, too. If they notice a comrade has died from the smell of blood, you might have to face a massive number of them if there's a pack. Well, the same can be said for Goblins."

"Ah, I see. So it's fine if they just die, but it's bad if we make a fuss and they realize we killed them?"

"Exactly. If you make a scene after defeating them, unexpected enemy reinforcements might arrive. Basically, don't get careless. In nature, packs don't explode in number unless something extreme happens. Kobolds and Goblins are relatively weak monsters, after all."

As we were talking, a vibration reached us from down the path.

"...What is it? An earthquake?"

"No, this is the sound of a large horde moving."

"Eh, a horde... could it be..."

"I see them!! Wait, are those people—!?"

From further down the path, the adventurers who had gone ahead came running toward us. Out of the six, two were being carried on backs.

And behind them, a pack of nearly 100 Kobolds was heading our way.

"""Wan-wan-oh!! Wan-wan-oh!!!"""

"...They must have made a scene."

"They were getting carried away, after all."

"What should we do? We could probably take that horde, but we have to be prepared for injuries."

"I think we should just retreat quickly. There's no point in getting hurt on the first floor for no reason."

I agreed with my partner's opinion. This was a mistake they had brought upon themselves. There was no need for us to get involved.

...But why weren't they using their Rings of Return? Had it slipped their minds in the panic?

"...We're retreating, but I'll tell them to use their Rings of Return once. To do that, Lallie, use a big spell to stop the Kobolds' feet for a moment."

"...If they've forgotten about the rings, honestly, they aren't Rank 6. They're beginner-level."

"......I know what you want to say, but please. These are lives that might be saved."

"Fine. I'll start the incantation."

Lallie finished her incantation and cast the magic behind the fleeing group.

"Firestorm!!!"

A vortex of flames appeared, and the Kobolds were caught in it and died. However, because of their numbers, those in the back avoided the Firestorm and kept coming. But that gave them enough time.

"""Wan-wan-oh!! Wan-wan-oh!!!"""

"H-help us!! O-our comrades!!"

"Use your rings!! The Rings of Return!!"

"Ah!?"

Had they really forgotten? I'll have to report this to the Guildmaster. As I thought that, the fleeing group vanished in an instant.

"Alright, they got away."

"Orvic, us too, hurry!!"

"Yeah!!"

* * *

And so, we cut our exploration short after just one hour and headed back to the Guild.

When we returned, they were being treated by Rurua-sama.

Ah, that's right, Rurua-sama was here too? What a luxurious treatment.

"Excuse me. You're the team that was in the same dungeon as them, right? Could you tell us what happened?"

As we were about to report the situation to the Guildmaster, we were approached by a different person.

"Wait, isn't that Tori!? Riel too!? Why are you guys here!?"

Lallie cried out in surprise, and I realized it then too.

Their clothes were much nicer, but those faces were definitely Tori and Riel. They were a Rank 6 adventurer duo. We had lost contact with them recently...

"Huh? But you two weren't here when everyone arrived, right? Did you come later?"

"Err, Orvic. Lallie. Both of you, please calm down and listen..."

"The dungeon everyone entered was made by me, Tori, and Kaya~!!"

"...Hello."

"""EEEEEEEEH!?!?"""

Riel is as unpredictable as ever. I guess the fact that I can still think that means I've grown into a big shot myself.