c1-c20 · 008-ch8

Chapter 8: Each Faction Begins to Move (Part 1)

―――S-rank Explorer Sandai's Raid Clan "Sandai-ren"・Strategy Room

"Sandai-san, Sandai-san!"

That girl, looking flustered as if being chased by something, throws open the strategy room door with a bang without even knocking. Hearing the noise, a blonde woman with golden eyes seated in a plush chair raises her head.

"Sandai-san!"

"......What's wrong, Anju? You're in such a hurry."

"Sandai-san, it's an emergency! Look at this!"

"Anju, wait."

As Anju tries to rush toward Sandai, a beautiful long-haired lady standing beside Sandai stops her. On the table in front of her and Sandai, a large amount of documents had been neatly arranged.

"Whoa, what's up, Ririka-san!"

"'What's up' is my line......Anju, we're in the middle of a meeting about the next Shibuya Dungeon raid team. If this is playtime, Sandai will deal with you later, so shut up and leave."

"This is super important, Ririka-san! This will definitely help with the Shibuya raid!"

Ignoring Ririka's attempt to stop her, Anju bangs on the desk repeatedly. With each bang, the neatly arranged papers vibrate and fall off the desk.

Unable to take it anymore, Ririka twitches her brow and smoothly draws the sword from the sheath at her waist.

"Sigh......you're too loud, with all that shrieking and spouting nonsense. Perhaps I should cut off that useless mouth and those arms right now for your own good?"

"Eek! That's not funny when you're holding a weapon like that!"

"I wasn't trying to be funny."

"Come now, Ririka. So, Anju, did you discover something?"

"Y-yes! I want you to look at this!"

Anju rushes to Sandai as if clinging to him and hands over the tablet she was holding.

Displayed on it was footage of an explorer fighting a monster.

"This is......ah, that cleaner's life-saving incident, right? I haven't watched it properly yet, but I've heard about it."

"It's seriously amazing! He's got like a broom? And goes clang! And from super far away, boom! This person would definitely be an instant asset! Let's recruit them to our clan!!"

"That idiot Anju is bringing up another pointless thing......"

"Now now, this is someone who might become a business rival. Combat footage is valuable information, we should check it out at least once."

"Sandai......! Sigh......"

Saying that, Sandai lowers her gaze to the tablet. Perhaps because the meeting was interrupted, Ririka pointedly sighs and returns her sword to its sheath, then glares at Anju with sharp eyes.

"Eeek! ......What?"

"Listen, Anju. Sandai-ren already has enough combat power. Annoyingly enough, that includes you too. I've seen the video too, and I understand this person is strong. But what we need right now is information and strategy to outmaneuver other clans and conquer the Shibuya Dungeon. Understand?"

"B-but......"

"No 'buts'."

"......Understood."

Faced with Ririka's unusually serious gaze, Anju falls silent. After finishing her lecture, Ririka picks up the fallen papers and rearranges them on the table as they were before.

"Sigh, honestly. Now, let's resume. Since you came all this way, Anju, you can help out too."

"Ehh~! I don't have time for that right now~!"

"Don't complain. If you weren't free, you wouldn't be here. Right, Sandai?"

Ririka's words directed at Sandai, however, echoed hollowly through the strategy room.

"......"

"Sandai, are you listening? Put down the tablet and let's continue the meeting......"

"Ririka."

Sandai simply murmured a single name. At that voice, Ririka's eyebrow twitched.

It was only then that Ririka noticed Sandai had been staring intently at the tablet since earlier.

"......What is it?"

"The party currently raiding Shibuya Dungeon was Ori-on's team, right?"

"Sandai, don't tell me......"

Without waiting for Ririka's words, Sandai suddenly stands up with a bang. From the impact, the papers once again fall to the floor.

"Ririka, Anju, call all available members. We're heading into Shinjuku Dungeon right now. With the full strength of Sandai-ren, find this person!"

"Understood! ......ma'am!"

"Sigh......this is the worst."

―――Feather Company Inc.・President's Office

"Silurica, Main, Andante, and Anarchy. Everyone's here."

From the depths of the president's office, seated in a high-quality rotating chair, the woman who is the president of Feather Company Inc., Uwa, speaks and turns toward the four members of the A-rank party "Stained Hawk" lined up in front of her desk.

One of the four, a young man with a dignified bearing named Anarchy, steps forward upon hearing Uwa's words.

"Yes, we have just returned from Shibuya Dungeon."

"Very good. Gentlemen of Stained Hawk, thank you for coming."

"What's up, Boss? Calling us to headquarters like this."

"Andante, we're in front of the president. Watch your tone."

Anarchy scolds Andante for speaking so roughly to Uwa, but Uwa stops Anarchy with her hand.

"It's fine, Anarchy. Today isn't such a formal occasion."

"But, President......!"

"It's fine, fine. Besides, I've heard about Stained Hawk's reputation. In Shibuya Dungeon, you've been fighting like lions, I hear."

"The Boss says so, so it's fine, right, Leader?"

"But......!"

As if to soothe the still-indignant Anarchy, the girl standing next to him with dazzlingly bright red hair and a short girl wearing a deep hood interject.

"It's fine, Anarchy-chan. This idiot won't change no matter what you say."

"Silurica is right. Main thinks so too. Andante's brain has no intelligence entry."

"Hah? What did you say? I'll burn you all to death right now, you shitheads."

"You guys, knock it off! Ugh, these wild horses......"

"Haha! Sounds like you're having a rough time too."

Uwa stands and slowly walks before them. Looking at each of their faces, as if appraising something.

"Naturally gifted debuffer girl, Main. One-shot-one-kill archer, Silurica. A man blessed with talent in both magic and martial arts, Andante. And the excellent leader who binds them all together, the swordsman with outstanding sword skills and the nickname 'Ichisen'・Anarchy."

Then, she sits back deeply in her black chair. The four who were gazed upon by Uwa felt cold sweat run down their backs, as if their hearts had been seized by an icy hand.

"The up-and-coming A-rank party that our company is pushing the most right now, Stained Hawk! Excellent stats and good looks to boot. I can understand why the publicity department is investing in you."

"......Tch, that's excessive. I just want to raid dungeons, that's all."

"We didn't come here to hear flattery. What exactly did you call us for today?"

"Well, what I called you here for today is nothing other than a request I have for you, Stained Hawk."

When Uwa murmurs that she has a request, the three besides Anarchy perk up with interest.

"Don't tell me! You've finally gotten serious about the Shibuya raid!"

"You want us to serve as the advance party for uncharted territory?"

"New equipment supply, maybe......!"

"Now now, calm down....... Ahem."

Clearing her throat, Uwa ostentatiously takes a deep breath.

"I'm having all of Stained Hawk go to Shinjuku Dungeon."

"......Huh?"

Hearing "Shinjuku Dungeon," this time all of Stained Hawk's faces twist.

"Ehh, we're going to Shinjuku Dungeon? Not Shibuya?"

"President, did you misspeak? Shibuya Dungeon?"

"No, it's definitely Shinjuku Dungeon."

"Tch, why do we have to go to an already-cleared dungeon like Shinjuku now? There's nothing there."

While the others complain vocally, Anarchy watches silently without admonishing them. That was because he too, though not saying it out loud, was unhappy about going to Shinjuku Dungeon and couldn't grasp Uwa's intent in ordering this.

Uwa looks satisfied as she watches the members of Stained Hawk complaining at her.

"As I'm sure you all understand, you members of Stained Hawk are employees of Feather Company before you are explorers. Therefore, you must carry out assigned work without fail. Understand?"

"......Going is fine."

"Hey Leader! Don't just agree on your own!"

"However, while not as much as Andante, I also don't see the point in going to Shinjuku Dungeon right now. Why, and for what purpose, are we going to such an empty dungeon?"

"Now, the job is simple. Bring this guy in Shinjuku Dungeon here."

Saying that, Uwa operates the device in her hand. Then, the figure of a certain man wearing work clothes and holding a deck brush is projected before the four.

"This guy......"

"Main has seen him before......!"

"The cleaning uncle who took down the Blood Ogre."

"That's right! He's the person who's currently the hottest topic among explorers. At peak buzz, even more than you all."

"Tch, I couldn't care less about other people's evaluations."

"So, Boss, you're not planning to hire this old guy, right?"

"Well now. That's for me to judge. You just need to bring him here. Well, you can hear the details about the job from the manager later."

Then, Uwa says that's all and remotely opens the president's office door. However, Silurica, Main, Andante, and even Anarchy, didn't move from their spots.

"......I still don't understand the intent. If it were a subjugation mission, that'd be one thing, but this isn't work we should be doing."

"This kind of errand work is annoying~"

"Meaning unclear, incomprehensible."

"Tch, any A-rank could take down a Blood Ogre. What's the point of adding him?"

Hearing the complaints leaking from Stained Hawk, Uwa grins. Anarchy, the leader, knew this nasty smile was the face she made when plotting something.

"That's exactly right! Subjugating a Blood Ogre would be easy for you all. Which means this job should be simple too.

Uwa dramatically spreads her arms wide and raises her voice as if goading the four. Paying no mind to their piercing killing intent, she takes a cigar from her desk and lights it.

"Fuu......of course, I promise to prepare the reward you desire upon completion. Money, the latest equipment, or being the advance party for uncharted territory in the Shibuya raid, for instance."

"Whew, nice~"

"......Heh. You should've said that from the start, Boss."

"Motivation has risen."

"....."

Upon hearing the reward, their expressions instantly change, eyes sparkling. Anarchy too, while harboring some unease, had already begun calculating that reward in his head.

"President. Those words, you'd better keep them."

"Of course. I've lived my life without ever telling lies. Do your best. I'll be waiting for good news."

As Stained Hawk leaves the president's office, Uwa calls out one last thing from behind, as if she'd forgotten.

"Oh right, one more thing. If he resists, force is acceptable."