Emergency Situation Report. For details, please refer to the activity report.
◆ Avangarde Royal Capital Adventurer’s Guild ◆
“Is there really a need to keep this hidden?”
“That Flash Strike Girl got stronger in the Abyss Cave, right?”
“As for our guild, we have no detailed information…”
The Adventurer’s Guild, which I hadn’t visited in a while, was bustling with activity. A crowd of adventurers had gathered at the wide counter, all questioning about the location of the Abyss Cave. Kiki had brought me here for this very reason. I had only shared my memories of the Abyss Cave with a few close friends, but I recalled that Kurinka had mentioned it during our battle with the Comet Wolf Brigade. There had been so many people around then, so it wasn’t surprising that word had gotten out.
I had heard that a few adventurers had been asking about the Abyss Cave for some time, but it had really become noisy only after Vandalsia was defeated. Many had witnessed my battle with Vandalsia, and that might have had a significant impact. Once they heard that I had secluded myself in the Abyss Cave, it was only natural that many would want to train there as well. Regardless, they wanted me to do something about this situation. It was absurd; while I might have carelessly spoken about it, I couldn’t take responsibility for this uproar.
“This is the Adventurer’s Guild’s job… Do we really need to drag Lua-chan into this?”
“That’s true, but the number of those people keeps increasing day by day, and it’s becoming unmanageable. So, we need you to step in and set things straight.”
“The guild members themselves are saying they don’t know anything… Kurinka, let’s go home.”
I could have managed on my own, but it was faster to let Kurinka take the lead, and Platiu insisted on coming along because she didn’t want to be alone. So now, she was clinging to my arm, watching the situation with sleepy eyes. Kurinka, perhaps feeling a bit jealous, was also hugging my arm. It was getting uncomfortable, and I wished they would let go.
“Kiki, you’re A-Rank too… Why don’t you just set them straight?”
“If I say something, it might calm down today, but they’ll just come back tomorrow. Besides, I’m actually interested in the Abyss Cave dungeon myself…”
I was troubled by her eager expression. I might be willing to share the information, but if someone got killed because of it, I would regret it for the rest of my life. I knew Kiki’s abilities, and I wasn’t belittling her, but the dangers of that place weren’t just about the strength of the monsters. There were floors covered in lava, areas of complete darkness where you couldn’t hear anything, and many places that could drive you insane. Even thinking back on it now, it wasn’t a fun dungeon. However, the sense of accomplishment when conquering it was immense.
“Just drop it; the guild really doesn’t know anything.”
“Who are you? How do you know that… eek!”
“Death God Argil!”
A sharp-eyed man, wearing a skull mask on the side of his head, a scythe at his waist, and a tattered cape, intimidated the group of adventurers gathered around the counter. Death God Argil, I remembered hearing about him; he was the one who fought against Tiferia in the Combat Tournament finals. He had a combat style that involved manipulating countless scythes with wind magic or something similar. He had lost without even being acknowledged by Tiferia. Despite that result, he was a figure of fear among the adventurers present.
“A-Rank, 7th place… the Death God. It’s rare to see you here.”
“I heard that guy takes on jobs that are practically assassination work behind the scenes. Just being here gives off a deathly aura… How many people has he killed…?”
“What a disgrace to adventurers.”
“Stop it; if he hears you, you’ll all be killed.”
They whispered among themselves, but it was loud enough for me to hear. Despite being ranked lower, he had a pretty bad reputation. There were adventurers like Hecaton among them, so it wasn’t surprising. Ignoring their whispers, Argil coldly surveyed the adventurers gathered at the counter. Although he had lost to Tiferia, as the adventurers said, he was quite strong. His rank might be lower, but I thought he could probably match Shinbu from the Five Elites.
“Rumors have turned into legends, and before we knew it, the dungeon has been passed down as a mythical place among adventurers… and the land that birthed the monster, the Flash Strike Girl. I too have an interest in it. But guild, you know nothing. Isn’t that right?”
“Y-Yes. If it’s an undiscovered dungeon, we need you to discover it for us. Only then can we set the Danger Level.”
“Then it would be best to ask the person directly.”
“Ah! Is that the Flash Strike Girl?!”
Just when I was trying to stay inconspicuous, Argil’s presence drew attention to me. Everyone turned their gaze, surprised by the mention of the Flash Strike Girl, even more so than by Argil’s appearance. Unlike when Argil had arrived, no one was whispering behind my back. A tense atmosphere filled the guild as everyone held their breath and observed us.
“W-Well, um…”
“Calm down. As long as there’s no offense, she’s harmless.”
“Even so, she’s the girl who obliterated Vandalsia!”
“These people are useless for conversation, so I’ll ask. Flash Strike Girl, it’s my first time meeting you. I’m Argil, the one they call the Death God in the streets.”
“Ah, um. Nice to meet you.”
Contrary to the cold atmosphere, Argil suddenly wore a friendly expression. Upon closer inspection, he was an older man with noticeable wrinkles, clearly a seasoned veteran. It must have been shocking for someone his age to lose to a young woman like Tiferia. But Argil before me didn’t seem to show any such emotions.
“By the way, I apologize for being rude, but I want to ask about the Abyss Cave. I would like to know the location of the dungeon where you gained such strength.”
“I don’t want to share that.”
“Why not?”
Depending on my answer, he would definitely get angry. The moment he asked why, his eyes turned murderous. He might seem friendly, but he was still the Death God, and he had his pride. The adventurers behind him also seemed dissatisfied, frowning as if they wanted to say something.
“Even in Dragon’s Valley, located in the Nation of Kashiram, the deeper you go, the Danger Level exceeds 100. The Abyss Cave probably has Danger Levels of 200 or 300.”
“That’s for the guild to determine, not for you to judge. The essence of the problem is this, Flash Strike Girl. You are hiding the place where you gained such power.”
“What do you mean?”
Argil let out a small huff, as if sensing the wind changing, and one of the adventurers silently nodded in agreement.
“You are the only one who has gained strength and stands out. Conversely, it means that if we had the same opportunity, we could also grow stronger. However, despite the repeated attacks on the royal capital by the Demon Lord Army and the Comet Wolf Brigade, and even allowing Vandalsia to dominate, you still monopolize that power.”
“I don’t understand. What are you trying to say, Argil?”
“If everyone could reach that strength, the number of people exposed to threats and becoming victims would decrease. That’s only natural. But you don’t do that. Baran of Negesta and Sage Hast, among others with strong records, have all passed on their knowledge to the next generation. Nurturing the next generation is, in fact, an obligation for the strong.”
“Obligation…? So what are you doing, Argil?”
“I am doing something. I won’t go into details, but I have a beloved disciple.”
“R-Really? That’s the first I’ve heard of it…”
I shared the same sentiment as the adventurer behind Argil. He didn’t have a good reputation, and it could very well be a desperate lie. I understood what he was trying to say, but an obligation? When Lord Hast told me to break through injustice and save people, I accepted that, but what about now? I had helped train soldiers at Kirkton’s request and had trained Ord and the others for matches against the Uzei Religion. But those were different matters.
“Y-Yeah! I heard you conquered it when you were a child!”
“Surely, we are stronger now than you were as a child. So, it should be possible to conquer it in an even shorter time.”
“Hmm, so that means the Flash Strike Girl’s strength is only natural. If such a dungeon exists, it’s no wonder you got stronger.”
“That’s just… unfair, isn’t it? What was all our hard work for?”
“U-Unfair! You don’t know Lua-chan’s struggles!”
As expected of the Flame Princess. Kurinka, who was feared just as much as the Flash Strike Girl, silenced the adventurer who was shouting nonsense with just her anger. The adventurers froze as if they had been threatened by a dragon. The tense atmosphere was finally broken by…
“Then tell us. What kind of struggles did you face that could overshadow our own?”
“Fifteen years since becoming an adventurer, and I’ve failed the A-Rank Promotion Exam for five years straight. They say life is precious, but with outstanding individuals like you around, it’s impossible not to notice.”
“I’ll say it since we’re at it. It’s a nuisance to have you walking over us while you’ve gotten stronger in that secret dungeon.”
“The sight of low-ranked adventurers floundering in the mud is quite the treat. Oh, but I wonder if you can even drink?”
Both men and women began to criticize us. What is this? What have we done? What do they mean by ‘unfair’?
“That Flame Princess over there only got stronger because she teamed up with the Flash Strike Girl, right? Must be nice.”
“I’d love to join you too, but that would make her the Waist-Chain Princess instead of the Flame Princess.”
“Are you talking about Kurinka?”
“…! Ugh!”
My anger boiled over, and I shouted. It seemed I scared them even more than when I confronted Kurinka, with one person even toppling their chair backward. The excitement surged within me. It was no fun being suddenly called out and criticized like this.
“I’m so fed up that I’ll say this! You lot would only make it to the fifth floor of the Abyss Cave at best! At first, you’ll only encounter weak monsters like Cave Rabbits, but from the third and fourth floors, it changes drastically! There’s a Raging Chief in Kizel Valley, but there are plenty of monsters with that kind of strength lurking around! From the tenth floor onward, you’ll face monsters that you can’t even see! The battles where you can only track them by their eyes are over! Can you fight in a floor where you can’t see or hear anything?! On a floor filled with lava, you’ll have to swim unless you can fly! Near the bottom levels, there are giants that can crush castles, and Vandalsia, who attacked this Royal Capital, was one of them!”
“Okay, okay! I get it! I’m sorry, so just calm down!”
I wouldn’t let anyone say anything more. I pulled out Disballade and gave it a light swing. The adventurers, realizing they could be killed, clung to the counter in fear, their legs giving way. Some even fled the Guild, and while I thought I might have gone too far, I couldn’t stop.
“Argil, you were talking about duties and all that, but deep down, you just want to get stronger, don’t you? Aren’t you frustrated after losing so embarrassingly to Tiferia?”
“Guh…! Just let me say it!”
“What’s that? You want to fight? I’m stronger than Tiferia!”
If I had said something like this when I first started as an adventurer, I would have been laughed at. But now, even Argil fell silent, perhaps influenced by my accomplishments.
“Rua, if you keep this up… um, if someone of your caliber gets involved, the Guild Headquarters’ Seven Law Guardians might come flying in.”
“What’s that?”
“They’re the top executives at the Adventurer’s Guild. As an adventurer, even you would…”
“If there are such strong people, they should focus on training the next generation. They should have taken down the Demon Lord Army and Vandalsia too. Come on, Kurinka. Platiu as well.”
Staying here would only make me more uncomfortable. I never expected to be called a coward after coming back to the Guild after so long. When I stepped outside, Metallica’s soldiers were waiting, but I ignored them.
“Um, this is about Kara…”
“Shut up.”
Just that one word was enough to silence them. I pushed past the Metallica soldier, realizing I was aimlessly walking. I might not want to admit that I was on the verge of tears.
“Lua-chan, cheer up, okay? Please?”
“Yeah. I’ll fix my mood quickly for Kurinka.”
If I had stayed like this, I might have gone on a rampage alone. Kurinka’s casual words helped me regain a bit of my composure. If it weren’t for that, I might have shot the Sonic Ripper at the Airship floating above.
“Um, test test. Hello everyone.”
That voice came from the Airship—Genia. My irritation flared up again; she was the one who had let Platiu die. “Hello” my foot. I might really shoot the Sonic Ripper.
“Today, I would like to announce the individuals equipped with Kara, but before that, I have some unfortunate news. Recently, we sought cooperation from the Kingdom of Kashiram for the Babel Project, but the king refused. Negotiations continued, but there has been no progress.”
My heart raced. I had been in a bad mood until now, but now anxiety welled up within me. No way…
“Therefore, it is with great regret that… we will align the aim of the Babel Sky Cannon with the Kingdom of Kashiram. This outcome is a result of our own inadequacies. However… the plan must be carried out without fail.”
I couldn’t comprehend what that meant for a while. Platiu squeezed my sweaty hand, and Kurinka took the other. Genia, what are you doing? What are you planning?
◆ Shin Report ◆
Those who possess the power of the departed bear a heavy fate. This is what is known as fame. If you dislike this, it would be best to quietly avoid the spotlight. However, adventurers driven mad by jealousy are beyond measure. I can understand their feelings, but what is the meaning of continuing as an adventurer to such an extent? Is the goal to accumulate achievements and become famous? Pablo’s shop is far from a high-class establishment, yet it provides solid answers and thrives. Rather than what you want to become, consider what you want to do. What brings you joy? If you don’t think deeply about that, you may find yourself lost in life.
So, who is Argil?