Episode 54: A Competition? The Modern Day’s Strongest

Even while mounted on Luna, I continued my sprint through the Dungeon. I cut down monsters and assisted her [Authority] as we pushed toward the central tree. The mobs kept spawning in endless waves. Killing them wasn't the issue, but their sheer volume made me worry about my stamina.

"Moreover, before I knew it, this had turned into some kind of race to see who could reach the center first... This is why I can’t stand battle maniacs."

Yamato’s personality was fine—I could tell he was a kind, serious man—but his bloodlust eclipsed all of that. I grumbled to myself while trying to keep my [Summoned Beasts] calm. Luna and the others seemed genuinely pissed that I’d been attacked earlier. They were being overprotective, sure, but they clearly didn't want to lose to the guy.

I was relieved their aggression wasn't aimed at Yamato himself, but they were definitely worked up. The only way to settle them down is to clear this place.

"I was told not to clear it, but leaving this mess alone is obviously a recipe for disaster."

Yamato’s instincts were mostly spot on. Based on the feel of the air, this place was on par with [Ryuzuka], the first Dungeon I’d ever entered. Unlike that place, however, this was a hybrid: a monster-spawning type fused with an [Otherworld-type]. That combination meant this was an entirely independent world where monsters spawned infinitely—an incredibly dangerous Dungeon.

"Considering that, as long as I’m reaping the government’s benefits, I should probably do my job properly."

The downsides were annoying—I had to promote Dungeons and take on grueling requests like this—but the perks were worth it. I could trade materials, dive into Dungeons at will, and access their archives. That last one was the biggest draw for me. Plus, in an emergency, I could call on allies. I didn't completely trust the state, but if I wanted to survive as an [Adventurer] in this era, it was a necessary evil. I’d agonized over the decision, but eventually, I’d just resigned myself to it.

"Well, I suppose it was always going to be hard work from the start."

I moved deeper, harvesting drops and slaughtering monsters. Thirty minutes passed, but the density didn't let up. If anything, the numbers were growing. It was starting to get exhausting.

"Especially those tigers. They aren't in any of my records. Seriously, what is this place?"

According to the [Voice of the World], the first person to enter names the Dungeon. Rin told me this place was originally called the [Forest of the Giant Tree]—hardly an intimidating name—but now it had morphed into the [Night Tree Kingdom of the Vermillion Radiance]. It didn't make any sense.

"I can handle them, but still... Sol, take care of those snakes up ahead!"

A low growl served as his reply. A moment later, the [Flames of the Sun] erupted, incinerating the serpents until nothing remained but charred fangs. I gathered the loot. Even with my resistance, the venom looked potent, so I stashed them in my soul and kept moving.

"I’ve finally reached the center, but as expected, a horde of giants looks like a pain."

They looked weaker than the [Cyclops] I'd fought before—they only carried crude clubs—but there were so many of them. Ten, maybe more. It wasn't exactly a power spike in quality, but mowing through this many would take time.

"You beat me here? Damn, you're something else! Or rather, how are you even maintaining those [Summoned Beasts]? Even the [Lady of a Hundred Demons] would do a double-take at that."

While I was weighing my options, Yamato appeared from another direction with his katana drawn. He was drenched in spray-back blood—a gruesome sight—but he didn't have a single scratch on him.

"You're not so bad yourself, Yamato-san. Not a single wound after wading through that horde."

"Well, I've been stuck in here for three days. Couldn't find the exit, so I was debating whether to just clear the place when you showed up. Couldn't let the kid see me looking pathetic, right? And like I said, drop the honorifics. I'd rather not be 'sir'd' by someone who can actually keep up with me."

"Underst... Fine. So, what’s the plan?"

He looked genuinely repulsed by the polite speech, so I forced myself to drop it.

"We hunt giants. They don't seem interested in leaving the Dungeon, but there's a risk of an overflow. If that happens, we'll end up with a variant species."

"Right. Variants are born when they start eating each other's magic stones."

"Exactly. So, let's make this a joint struggle. You can do support magic, right? Let's see what you've got."

"Copy that."

It was a good chance to get my rhythm back. I needed to get used to buffing a five-man party anyway. I cast [Support Magic] over the area and moved in with Yamato to engage the giants.

As expected of their race, they had massive health pools and some magic resistance. However, they stood no chance against the combined fire and ice of Luna and Sol. More importantly, nothing could survive Lycoris’s poison. We began thinning the herd.

As we fought, I watched Yamato. The man was a freak of nature. He was a "master" in the truest sense of the word. His swordplay was fluid, and he adapted to my buffs instantly. Usually, my support spells are too potent for people to handle right away; it takes time to adjust to the sudden surge in physical capability. Because I’d cast them carelessly alongside my summons, I hadn't tuned them for a human.

He’s already synced up with the boost? That’s insane.

I understood the theory behind it. He had such a perfect grasp of his own body that he could instantly calculate how the magic altered his limits. Understanding the theory was one thing; seeing the execution was another. I couldn't help but smirk.

So this was the modern era’s strongest [Adventurer]. A man who avoided the cameras, an unknown quantity who only worked for the government. His power was the real deal—enough that I suspected he could even survive in [Mythologia].

[Reduction of monster population confirmed. Commencing trial.]

The inorganic [Voice of the World] rang out, and magic power began to hemorrhage from the central tree. The leaves shifted into autumn hues before the massive trunk withered away entirely. Then, the Voice’s tone shifted, sounding almost celebratory.

[Tonight, the giant tree withers, and the final ember shall run wild. May the Night Tree Kingdom be eternal! Boss [Goliath] will now appear. Let the trial—the adventure—begin!]

A torrent of mana erupted from the tree. In its place stood a vermillion giant, towering dozens of meters into the air.