c21-c40 · 024-ch24

Chapter 24: The A-Rank Party and the Fastest S-Rank Achiever

"S-Sister Rose and Stained Hawk?!"

"We also received the distress signal and came to help. I'm explorer Shibasaki Ichiro. The injured person is over there... is something wrong, Negomin-san?"

"Ah... sorry, I was just a little surprised..."

Negomin-san said that as she stepped back, looking overwhelmed. I could understand her surprise—after all, even I knew their names.

Sister Rose of the Steel Rescue Group.

She was the one who made a huge fuss about becoming S-rank in the fastest time about a year ago.

I remembered because she was plastered all over the front page of the Dungeon Newspaper. Something about her healing magic techniques being overwhelming even within the Steel Rescue Group, which is full of show-offs. There probably wasn't a single explorer who didn't know her.

And as for Stained Hawk... these guys were known even by people who weren't explorers. You'd see them in TV commercials and train ads every single day whether you liked it or not.

To be honest, I'd always thought of them as people whose faces I knew but didn't really understand, but judging from that fight earlier, they definitely had the skills to back up their reputation.

To think such famous people were actually in Shinjuku Dungeon... what on earth for?

Between the crowds this morning and now this, what the hell is happening in Shinjuku Dungeon?

Thinking about such things, I guided Sister Rose to the injured person.

"This is the explorer who sent the distress signal."

"...Thank goodness, their condition seems quite stable."

"Yes, it's thanks to Kyuu-san here casting healing magic on them."

"Ah, Shibasaki-san, this person is getting much better... who's that saint-looking person over there?"

"My apologies for the late introduction. I am Rose of the Steel Rescue Group. Though young, I serve as a healer."

"Thank you very much for your courtesy. I'm Kyuu, a B-rank explorer... wait, Sister Rose?!"

"If you don't mind, I'd like to assist with healing that person as well."

"O-o-of course! Please, go ahead!"

Kyuu-san hurriedly moved away from the injured person, and Sister Rose knelt down with graceful movements, clasping her hands together as if in prayer.

"May the protection of the goddess and spirits be upon this wandering neighbor. Impurity, Disperse."

When Sister Rose spoke those short incantation words, she began emitting a soft light that enveloped her. Then, as she gently placed her hand on the wound of the sleeping explorer, the light transferred to that explorer, and in the blink of an eye, the wound closed up.

...Amazing.

Healing magic is said to be so valuable that even weak explorers can make a living with it, but on the other hand, I'd heard it was also an extremely delicate magic.

Without proper equipment and a stable mental state, it couldn't demonstrate its full effect, and inside a dungeon, strengthening first-aid effects like Kyuu-san did was supposedly the best one could do.

Honestly, even that would be more than enough... but to not even leave a scar from a wound that large.

To be able to produce that level of output in such an exposed location. As expected of someone who became S-rank the fastest.

Kyuu-san, who was watching nearby, also had her eyes wide with surprise.

"Haaah, that's amazing..."

"...Kyuu-san, was it? Thank you very much. On behalf of the Steel Rescue Group, I express my gratitude."

"Huh?! Why all of a sudden?!"

"If you hadn't been here, this person might have died... that is the thanks."

"There's no need to thank me, Sister Rose healed almost all of it. Besides, I was just listening to what Shibasaki-san said..."

"My sister! In times like these, it's better to accept thanks honestly!"

Baa~~~ng! Mayoi-san appeared with a loud sound effect. Sister Rose showed a confused expression at her ridiculous entrance.

"Um, you are...?"

"Me? I'm Mayoi of the 'Dungeon Sisters'! The older sister of that girl!"

"W-wait, big sister, this is embarrassing..."

So the younger sister did have some sense of shame after all...

"Um, Mayoi-san... is that correct?"

"Yes! She's my proud little sister, so feel free to praise her more, okay?"

"Fufu, you have a wonderful older sister, Kyuu-san."

"That's... true. Uuu..."

Seeing her gesture of hiding her face with her hands in embarrassment, the two surrounding her laughed gently.

Phew, looks like we somehow made it past the first hurdle.

"By the way, Mayoi-san, what about the rubble?"

"You're back to calling me that, Strong Uncle Shibasaki-san. Well, whatever."

"My comrades are handling it for now."

The one who spoke was that young man with the well-controlled mana. Sure enough, his comrades were deflecting falling rubble around us with magic and fists and such. Also, for some reason, Negomin-san was spacing out nearby.

"Um, you were Anarchy-san, right?"

"...Yes, but who are you people? You said you received the distress signal, but at least those three don't look like A-ranks at all."

"There's a bit of a situation..."

I explained to Anarchy-san that we came to the deep layer due to unavoidable circumstances, and that we came to help because we received the distress signal on our way back.

However, I embellished the part about the distress signal a bit, telling him that the magic needle compass and the signal location happened to be the same, so we came to help on the way.

"I see, so that's what happened. In that case, Stained Hawk will also help them return."

"Is that okay?"

"Yes. Actually, we don't have anything else to do... the reason we're here is because when we saw Sister Rose running, my comrade said he was bored and wanted to follow along."

"Bored, you say. Then what purpose brought you to Shinjuku Dungeon?"

"...I'd like to ask you that."

"Huh?"

Anarchy-san muttered something as if he'd bitten into something bitter, but quickly returned to his normal expression.

"No, never mind. More importantly, let's leave this place soon. We can't stay here forever just because the injuries are healed."

"Ah, there's no need for that."

"Huh?"

"These pillars grow like that and then collapse, but there's a bit of an interval between when they finish collapsing and when they grow back."

"Huh."

"During that time, the mana stabilizes and it becomes a bit of a safe zone. Thanks to Stained Hawk-san defeating the monsters, the surrounding mana will likely stabilize in about 10 minutes, so let's plan our return around that."

"...How should I put this... you seem very knowledgeable."

Hearing my explanation, Anarchy-san made a face mixed with acceptance and confusion. Well, I suppose there aren't many people familiar with Shinjuku Dungeon these days.

"Yes, I've been in Shinjuku Dungeon for quite a long time."

"Heh, you're quite the eccentric, uncle."

A red-haired girl cheerfully cut in between us. I remembered her name from seeing her on TV. ...Let's see.

Ah! Silurica!

She seemed quite friendly, but Anarchy-san sighed tiredly at her attitude.

"Silurica, are you done with the rubble?"

"Just like that uncle said, the surrounding pillars have finished collapsing, Anarchy-chan. Phew, I worked hard."

"The mana flow is also becoming calm, too."

"Tch, didn't even make for a decent distraction."

The members who had finished their work came walking from behind. A rough-looking boy, and a hooded girl. Wow, all four of them look exactly like they do in the commercials. I'll brag to Maika-chan about this when I get back.

As I was thinking such lowly thoughts, the hooded girl... I'm pretty sure her name was Main, for some reason she approached me and peered into my face.

Huh, what, do I have mud on me or something?

"Could you be, the cleaner uncle?"

At those words muttered softly, the first to react was the rough-looking boy.

...Let's see, his name was definitely... Andante, right?

"Huh? The clothes are different and his eyes look different too. You think this gloomy old man could defeat a Blood Ogre or something?"

"But, it feels, like that."

"If Main-chan says so, maybe. So what's the real story, uncle?"

"Well, I am a dungeon cleaner..."

"Ehh, amazing, Main-chan got it right!"

"Just because this old man's a cleaner doesn't mean he's the guy from yesterday."

"You're always so negative, Andante."

"We just, need to ask."

"Shut up, you guys, I always tell you not to cause trouble for other explorers."

Anarchy-san rebuked the three who had gathered around me. Judging from this vibe, it must be a usual occurrence—the pain of a party leader was painfully conveyed through his gesture of pressing his forehead.

"Sorry, Shibasaki-san... was it?"

"Ah, yes, I'm Shibasaki."

"We're a company-affiliated party, so we basically can't refuse orders from above... and right now, we've been assigned a pretty troublesome job, so my comrades are irritated."

"I see."

Everyone has it rough wherever they are...

He turned toward me, quickly hiding his tired appearance and assuming a serious expression.

"So, there's something I'd like to ask Shibasaki-san."

"Yes, what is it?"

"...Are you the person who saved Negomin yesterday?"

With an attitude like asking a superior about something, Anarchy-san asked me such a thing.

? He said he had something to ask, so I thought it was about Shinjuku Dungeon, but that's a pretty strange thing to ask.

"Ah, yes, I did save Negomin-san yesterday."

"...I see, this was fortunate."

When I answered thus, all of Stained Hawk turned their gazes toward me at once. Due to the four of them emitting strong killing intent, a cold atmosphere that felt like fingertips freezing dominated the area.

"Main-chan, nice work."

"Lucky, we are."

"Hah, finally over."

"Um, is something wrong?"

"...We've been looking for you."

Anarchy-san glared at me with sharp eyes like an explorer who'd found a rare monster.

Hmm, I don't know the reason, but I can tell it's a hair-trigger situation.

"The president told us to bring you back, so we'd like you to come with us to our company if possible."

"Ah, sure, that's fine."

"If you refuse, we'll have to... you'll come?!"