"These people... "
'What are you talking about? These monsters are pretty typical in a B-class area. Unless you're telling me this is your first encounter with one.'
I just crossed with a lot of them on the way when I was walking back to the surface after my reincarnation.
"Seriously these people... Are they really elite knights?"
Surging across the disastrous flow of the wolf's magic power, Yellow was yelling, activating his magic skill.
"Art of the sword... Multitasking!"
Stepping heavily against the cracked solid ground with spread debris, Yellow was running towards the wolf despite the bolts of lightning striking, hindering the way.
"Haaa...!"
His sword appeared in multiple presences. The main sword keeps its original form, but numerous see-through blades as if in air-slash form seemed to appear around it. Thinking about it, you could say they were air slahes on standby.
Grasping his sword by both hands...
"Die!!!"
Yellow jumped with his sword ready to slash the wolf's neck.
KRUUUSHK...
"Ugh... "
POOORGSHH!!!
"ARGHHH!!!"
I could just get disappointed as, once again, a bolt of lightning made a skeletal structure visible. Yellow got hit hard.
"...!"
Palma was worried. She held her sword with both hands then walked to my front.
"Don't worry, Mr. Yui! I'll keep you safe!"
As for Palma... Hmm... She was also just about their level.
Looking attentively at her... I could just let out a breath.
"Sigh... Forget it. Just stay here."
I walked past her.
"Uh, Mr. Yui? It's dangerous! You can't go alone!"
"No. It's fine, it's fine. You can just watch back there."
"...?"
Palma could just get curious. Well, I don't want to let her get her bones showing after all.
"Now then... "
The wolf took notice of me. It then directly turned its furious face to me.
"Is this really something an elite knight can't handle?"
I muttered realising the monster was a bit lacking in the needed quality.
Clouds began gathering above me. Lights were flashing within them sparking in intense bolts.
KRUSHK... KRUSHK... KRUSHK... (sfx for sparking)
"You are not even the boss in this area... What are you thinking going berserk like a big shot?"
"Whrooooorh... !"
The wolf howled loudly.
It raised its giant foot and then made it do a quick slash at me.
Missing the target, which was me, it opened the solid ground instead causing its debris to fly in the air.
I fled to the sky. I was freely falling back-first.
I was thinking... Are elite knights differing in levels? These two were weak. Palma would also not just be acting would she?
Catching me with a wide open mouth, I put my deep thinking aside first.
Turning around...
"Well, what's the matter? Wasn't I supposed to protect everyone? You can just be as weak as you can! I'll just protect you all!"
A clear slash came out from my sword and cut through the giant wolf.
The cut wolf fell shaking the ground with its massive body.
["Wha... !?"]
All could just gape in wonder.
"M-Mr. Yui, that was amazing!"
Palma came to me rushing with that praise.
Also, wrapping his arm around my shoulders...
"Not bad lad! I swear I was about to use my killer move but to think you would have it first. You have my respect."
With a bright wink, Gold made me feel good. Or was supposed to.
"Argh!!! Another point! Why did I let that slide!?"
Yellow, kneeling on the ground and bashing it with both hands, he let out his undeniable regret.
I could just wear a wry smile with my brow twitching.
"Y-Yeah... I am looking forward to that."
I said as I heard them say I beat them at using their true skills giving me the chance to slay the monster first.
But, well. They barely got damaged, so, maybe, they really didn't give it their all yet?
"We're going deeper. Are you guys still on?"
Doubting their capabilities, I made sure by asking if they could still keep going.
"You don't even need to ask."
Combing his hair with his hand, Gold responded positively, shining in great confidence.
Also, standing up from the ground, Yellow notified.
"No problem here."
Turning to Palma...
"No problem! I will go wherever you want, Mr. Yui!"
"Y-Yeah... "
Yellow could just lean on Gold crying.
'Ugh... ' - seriously I was getting irritated.
Refreshing ourselves...
"Okay! Let's find the boss of this area!"
["EH!!!?"] - Everyone got surprised.
"Huh? Why?"
"Uhm... I am not sure... Haha... "
Scratching his cheek with his finger, Gold shows his hesitation.
"Boss, huh? It is really not something you can just joke around. It's a boss you know. A very symbol of a whole area."
Yellow hyped the boss with dignity.
Stuttering on the side, even though it was clear she was being shaken, Palma still went on with her last words.
"U-Uhm... I will follow you wherever you want, Mr. Yui!"
'Ugh... '
Remembering her fights recently, she was the type who wouldn't step back even though defeat was certain. Well, her way of fighting does show the necessary skill to back that up. She has what it takes to continue a losing fight and could even turn the tables if bad luck won't intervene.
"You haven't fought with this area's boss before?"
"Uh? Is it strange? You make it sound like defeating a boss is easy."
"Listen, Yui. Every class area only has one boss. The boss rules over the whole of its area so it is expected that its danger rate exceeds what the whole B class can offer. Normally we skip fighting it and proceed to the next class area and level up first through their weaklings there. At our level right now? We cannot yet afford to be the boss's audience."
'What, so you're really just B rank at best?'
As my eyes lost enthusiasm, I thought to myself, defeated.
For all that talk, they can't get themselves anywhere further after all.
"Sigh... So this is why strong adventurers are exploring in the dungeon sometimes alone, huh?"
Well, if going into the dungeon, I go alone. If I am in the castle, I'll tag along with them; for disguise. I never said I would make a party with them.
Wandering around the dungeon like this would be difficult. I need clues for why we have to focus on the dungeon. It was sent to every kingdom. Surely monster should not just be this weak considering it was supposed to be a global alert.
If I have to investigate this place... I must go alone.
But my rank is F.
Without company, especially those of higher ranks, the supervisors won't let me pass to the higher-class areas.
Let us say, for example, I raise my rank to B, which was from the look of things, the rank elite knights can commonly get, the highest class I can only enter will be A.
I need to get to class S.
Narrowing down the general circulation of the dungeon management and its adventurers' assignments, these could be their divisions...
Rank F. Those who were courageous enough to enter the dungeon only to suffice their daily expenses and some others, for their family's daily needs. They have no intention to go deeper.
Rank E. Footmen soldiers, village lookouts, and experienced hunters.
Rank D. Division captains, village lords, local trainers and local magic instructors.
Rank C. Knights, Lower nobles, full-fledged adventurers.
Rank B. Elite knights, nobles, experienced adventurers.
Rank A. Royal guards, higher nobles, ace adventurers, castle officials, kingdom trainers, and kingdom magic instructors.
Rank S. Generals.
Rank S and void. Rulers.
A brief speculation. But this arrangement has to be it.
If the deepest place an elite knight can wander was a B-class area, then without doubt A was only accessible to royal guard class or ace adventurers.
Well, you see, aces can't be controlled. The kingdom has to formally ask them for their cooperation or they will just leave you, drooping, longing for their skills.
Every gap between class areas was indeed vast. It was so that there were no more casualties even though unanticipated events were to occur again. Such as the sudden emergence of unclassified monsters.
That's why, if royal guards were busy, tending the A-class area should be the job of the aces. You won't expect kingdom trainers and magical instructors to leave their assignments and come to the dungeon right? Let alone expecting the presence of the higher nobles.
Truly, ace adventurers should do their jobs diligently. It was the kingdom's dungeon that allowed them to have the opportunity of becoming stronger after all. They can't just get smug about it saying they didn't get any hand.
"Now then... "
Exploring the dungeon with companions was exhausting. Not from loss of energy, but from boringly restraining it.
These supervisors were also diligent enough to follow an order that cruel. Imagine wasting your time and risking your life for being a watchman over a place that if worst comes to worst, can't even be saved?
But it would not stop me.
Actually, I am not into such espionage-type missions, but...
"Well then... I will be an ace adventurer in secret!"
"Eh? What was that?"
"Hmm?"
"You said something, Mr. Yui?"
'Uh, I thought out loud.'
"Don't mind it. It was nothing."
Feeling refreshed by the idea, I responded as if ventilating those words, unconcerned with their unnecessary reactions.