Among Adventurers, the term “B-Rank Wall” is sometimes used.
There exists a clear difference between C-Rank and B-Rank Monsters.
—B-Rank Monsters cannot leave the Dungeon.
Unlike C-Rank Monsters, which also inhabit areas outside Dungeons, B-Rank Monsters never operate outside of them.
Whether they can operate outside the Dungeon or not.
That is the very definition separating B-Rank from C-Rank.
However, some Monsters were discovered that were too powerful to be called C-Rank, yet did not fit the definition of B-Rank because they could move about outside the Dungeon without issue.
The grade created for such Monsters was—C+.
In other words, the Ogre’s combat power rivaled that of a B-Rank Monster.
“How troublesome…!”
Akino wore an irritated expression.
Many of her companions were non-combatants, and those who looked like they could fight were injured.
An Ogre appearing right after they had repelled a horde of Goblins.
For Akino, it must have been a situation that made her want to clutch her head.
“Unexpected.”
As Keiichiro said this—he was smiling.
“That’s exactly why I can remember that I’m an Adventurer.”
An unexpected battle where he couldn’t let his guard down.
This was what it meant to be an Adventurer.
Right now, he was enjoying adventuring to the fullest.
“Come on, Ogre.”
“In this battle, I will test my own true worth.”
His opponent was a higher-ranked Monster.
An opponent that, just half a day ago, he wouldn’t have stood a chance against.
What could he do against such an Ogre?
Could he overcome this difficulty?
Kageura Keiichiro understood this was a trial.
One of the walls he had to overcome to catch up to his childhood friend.
“O-OOOOOOOOH!”
The Ogre roared.
He swung his club overhead.
Getting hit by that guaranteed being turned into minced meat.
“[Trap Set].”
Therefore, Keiichiro affixed two [Arrows] to the ground.
One was for Keiichiro to use for evasion.
The other was—
“Stay back.”
—to let Akino escape.
Keiichiro pushed Akino’s shoulder.
She took a step back—and stepped on the [Arrow].
“Kyaa…?!”
Akino’s body was rapidly pulled away.
She was sent flying in the direction of the Arrow, forced out of the large chamber.
Only Keiichiro and the Ogre remained in the chamber.
One-on-one.
It was a pure duel to the death.
“Whoops.”
Keiichiro stepped on an Arrow and flew sideways.
An instant later, the club smashed the spot where he had been.
Movement using the Arrows surpassed Keiichiro’s own speed.
Conversely, it would be difficult to keep dodging the Ogre’s attacks relying solely on his natural physical abilities.
“[Trap Set].”
After gaining sufficient distance, Keiichiro prepared a Trap.
(If fusing Traps together is possible—)
“————[Duet].”
On the ground—two Arrows overlapped.
The fusion of Traps.
When that had become possible, Keiichiro had thought of this potential application.
Stacking Arrows on top of each other.
And through that—strengthening the forced movement.
“Go.”
Keiichiro threw a dagger onto the Arrow.
The dagger fell and touched the Arrow.
Instantly—the dagger was launched at high speed.
A speed so fast it looked blurry even with Keiichiro’s kinetic vision.
“GAAAAAAAH?!”
The Ogre’s scream echoed.
The dagger missile had pierced the Ogre’s ankle.
Its ankle destroyed, the Ogre fell to its knees.
He had crushed its leg.
Now the Ogre couldn’t move.
“Sorry, but I’m a [Trapper]. I’ll be killing you for sure from outside your range.”
He had taken away its mobility.
The Ogre had no long-range attacks.
In that case, the standard tactic was to whittle it down bit by bit from a position its attacks couldn’t reach.
“[Trap Set].”
Keiichiro stepped onto an Arrow.
He accelerated as if sliding across the ground.
As if circling the Ogre.
Sliding along outside its reach.
“It’s an inferior item, but it’ll still hurt if it hits, right?”
Keiichiro reached for his waist, feeling for the waist pouch under his coat.
This was also a special tool called an Item Bag, characterized by having a capacity greater than its appearance suggested.
It could hold a large number of things and had no weight.
It was an essential item for Adventurers, whose income source was Item Drops brought back from Dungeons.
He took out a dagger.
However, it was far inferior in quality compared to the Twilight Dual Swords.
It was merely a backup he carried just in case.
Keiichiro threw it onto an Arrow.
“GAAAAH?!”
The launched dagger stabbed into the back of the Ogre’s head.
Was it the weapon’s quality, or insufficient launch speed?
Even though it was shot into its head, the Ogre was still alive.
“If I just keep whittling it down like this—”
As Keiichiro was thinking that—the Ogre roared.
The roar shook the Cave, causing pebbles to fall.
“I see—”
The Ogre raised its club.
And then—threw it.
“So you’re not stupid enough to just wait around to die, huh?”
The club came flying, spinning.
A weapon thrown with the Ogre’s strength.
The power contained within it was tremendous.
“—I was just starting to think a simple hunt would be boring anyway.”
Keiichiro lowered his stance.
He wouldn’t dodge the Ogre’s attack.
It was a declaration of his intent to receive it.
“You mustn’t!”
Akino’s voice rang out.
It seemed she had been watching his fight the whole time.
She had been observing quietly until now, but faced with Keiichiro’s reckless act, she couldn’t help but cry out.
Something like that.
“[Trap Set].”
However, Keiichiro wasn’t just standing there without a plan.
He held the dagger like a shield.
Affixed to its blade was—an Arrow.
“Hh!”
Keiichiro blocked the club with the flat of the blade.
Instantly, the Trap activated.
Pulled by the Arrow, the club’s trajectory changed.
If he had tried to block it with physical strength alone, Keiichiro would surely have been easily sent flying.
But if he blocked it with the very concept of forced movement from the [Arrow].
“Ngh—!”
The club was sent flying upwards.
That meant the Ogre had lost its weapon.
It had lost its means of defense.
“[Trap Set]————[Arrow] + [Flame].”
A Trap deployed in each hand.
As he clapped his hands together, the two Traps fused and activated.
Roaring flames surged forth.
Normally, the flames would only burn whoever stepped on the Trap.
However, the flames were given directionality by the Arrow and surged towards the Ogre.
A death cry echoed.
Burned by the hellfire, the Ogre rose up.
But only that once.
Its entire body scorched, the Ogre’s strength gave out, and it collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
☆
“That’s…”
Akino was too stunned to speak properly.
Her thoughts raced, but she couldn’t find the words.
“Speed comparable to a Speed Attacker class. Gravity magic like a Wizard class.”
Warrior-type. Magic-type.
Combat power that seemed to combine the strengths of both.
That should have been impossible.
Each inherent class had its strengths and weaknesses.
That was precisely why people formed Parties and divided roles.
(This person… could overturn the common sense of Adventurers.)
His true abilities were still developing.
There were many Adventurers stronger than him.
Even so, Akino was convinced.
He was a talent capable of eventually reaching the pinnacle of strength.
(I—)
If, if it were possible.
(I want that person—)