The S-Rank Adventurer's Job

Lately, I couldn't seem to make it to school. I sat there, mulling over that unfortunate reality while being swayed by the vibrations of a night bus as it carried me deep into the mountains.

My official reason for being there: a Dungeon audit.

Becoming an S-Rank Adventurer just so I could officially dive into Dungeons was all well and good, but the price for that title was a mandatory side-hustle for the government. Apparently, I had to earn my keep.

This time, my assignment was to investigate a new Dungeon that had spontaneously manifested in the wilderness. I’d been told I could treat it as a bit of a sightseeing trip, so after arriving around ten in the morning, I decided to gather information while sharing a meal with Lycoris.

"These things called dango are delicious," she remarked.

"Yeah. The mitarashi is a hit, but the red bean paste is the real winner here."

"Why is there a distinction between the smooth paste and the chunky kind?"

"Sorry," I said, leaning back. "That’s one mystery I can’t solve for you."

While we indulged at the sweets shop, I decided to strike up a conversation with the owner to see what he knew.

"A Dungeon, you say? One definitely appeared, but... are you really an Adventurer? You look a bit young."

"I am. I was only recently certified, but I’m Reima, an S-Rank."

"S-Rank? Like Lord Yamato? That man is far too busy to visit a place like this often. I’m grateful you came."

"It’s just work," I replied, trying to keep it matter-of-fact. "More importantly, has anything unusual happened? Do you know what kind of Dungeon it is?"

"Hmm. We don't go inside ourselves, obviously. But the screaming has been a real nuisance to the neighborhood."

"Screaming?"

I’d taken a quick look at the entrance before starting my investigation. It had felt like a fairly deep one. If the screams are reaching all the way to the surface, just what kind of monster is lurking down there?

"It’s a low, human-like groaning. It has everyone worried. It’s likely the Boss or whatever you call it. It would be a huge help if you could put an end to it."

"Understood. By the way, I heard there were Adventurers who first discovered the site. Is there any way I could meet them?"

The official report on the Dungeon contained testimonies from the discoverers. I figured it wouldn't hurt to hear their story firsthand. I asked on the off-chance he knew their whereabouts, and to my surprise, the owner immediately handed me a map to their residence.

"Thank you. I’ll go have a chat with them."

"Please do. They only just made it to C-Rank. I’m sure they’d appreciate hearing the perspective of an S-Rank."

"I'll see what I can do. Also, the dango was excellent."

I headed further into the mountains to visit the party's home.

When I pressed the intercom, someone answered immediately. I heard a flurry of frantic noises from inside before a young man, clearly an Adventurer, scrambled to the door.

"E-Eh? Reima-san! It’s the real one! What are you doing in a remote place like this!?"

I recognized him instantly. It was Rin, the boy I had met back in that cave-type Dungeon, the Black Gold Dungeon.

The moment he saw me, his eyes lit up. He caught sight of my Summoned Beast, Lycoris, and let out a gasp of pure admiration before ushering us inside.

"I suppose this is the first time we’ve met while I’ve looked like this, right?" I asked.

"Yeah! But I haven't forgotten meeting you in that black robe!"

"You have a good memory."

"How could I forget? You’re my savior! You were so cool it’s burned into my brain. Especially that line you said to the Minotaur at the end—'It’s over.' You sounded just like a Hero!"

Gugh.

Did I really say that? My own words, mimicked back at me in his excited tone... it was a full-blown cringe-fest. I could feel the heat rising in my face. I’d definitely been caught up in the moment back then, but having it thrown back at me now was pure "dark history" material.

"Ah, sorry," Rin added, looking sheepish. "I guess since you’re an S-Rank, you actually are a Hero. You don't just 'sound' like one."

The worst part was how genuine he was. His admiration was so pure that I couldn't even bring myself to shut him down with a sarcastic retort. I just had to sit there and swallow the embarrassment.

"Rin! You’re being noisy so early in the—wait, why is Reima-san here!?"

The girl from that day, Ran, appeared at the top of the stairs, only to freeze in shock.

"Ran! He came to visit us!"

"You should have told me! I’m in my house clothes! W-Wait just a second, Reima-san! I’ll change right now!"

She vanished in a whirlwind of panic. A minute later, another girl appeared, almost as if they were tagging out.

"…Oh. He really is here."

"Ryo, you aren't surprised?" Rin asked.

"As an Adventurer... I remain unfazed."

"Liar," Ran shouted from the other room. "The second she heard he was here, she finished her makeup at terminal velocity. She’s your biggest fan, you know."

"Stop talking," Ryo muttered, her face turning slightly pink.

"It’s payback for earlier."

Watching the three of them bicker was almost heartwarming. They were clearly childhood friends who shared a deep bond. As they showed me into the living room, I learned that they were third-year middle schoolers—prodigies who had already reached C-Rank.

"So," Rin asked, finally settling down. "What brings you here today?"

"A Dungeon audit. I’m here to make sure that place you found isn't a threat to the area."

"Wow! I'm so glad we found it, guys! We actually got to meet Reima-san because of it."

"How shallow can you get?" Ran teased. "You were the one complaining, wondering if the Guardian or the Ice Princess would show up instead."

"Well, yeah, because you’d think Reima-san would be way too busy! He’s insanely strong! His coordination with his Summoned Beasts is incredible, and more than anything, he’s the guy who beats Heroes!"

I was rarely praised so unreservedly, and it was starting to make me itch. I needed to change the subject before I died of terminal awkwardness.

"Anyway," I interrupted, "could you tell me more about the Dungeon?"

"Oh, right! Well..."

The information they provided was actually quite useful. According to them, the floors were mostly populated by Goblins and Al-mi'raj. Based on that, the difficulty seemed low, but the reports of the screaming echoing to the surface still bothered me. I decided I would need to investigate with extreme caution. Since it was already getting late, I accepted Rin’s offer to stay the night at his house.