"Would you look at that? The leader of The Six Hunters has finally arrived." Mr. Reed joked. The man greeted me inside the underground bunker. He motioned for Paul to guard the entrance as usual, and the door shut with a metallic creak.
"I still haven't gotten used to that title…" I sighed.
Mr. Reed chuckled and motioned at the empty chairs. "Heh, it'll grow on you. Come in and take a seat."
The place hasn't changed at all. When looking at the long table in the middle, Darion was the only person sitting. I took my seat across from him.
I glanced around the underground bunker. "Is it just us? Where are the others?"
"Don't worry about them, Joel. You and Darion should be enough for this Dungeon. It was founded by a group of hikers. Right as they were about to start their trek, a portal spontaneously formed near them. They notified the authorities, and here we are."
"It formed at the base of a mountain... It would've taken a while for humans to locate this dungeon. If it was left alone…"
Mr. Reed leaned back in his chair and nodded. "Yes, an outbreak would've occurred. We got lucky this time. Anyways, my team inspected the mana readings of the gate, and we can accurately estimate it to be around D-Rank since the color of the gate was orange."
"You called me over for a measly D-rank dungeon?" Darion gritted his teeth. He was visibly annoyed as he crossed his arms and glared at Mr. Reed.
Mr. Reed sighed, unfazed by Darion's hostility. "Darion… you do know that we are severely understaffed at the moment. I would send the weaker Dungeon Conquerors, but you know most of them are… afraid of monsters. After what they experienced, I'm not surprised. I can only count on you guys until we get more awakened on deck. Why do you think I wanted you guys to create guilds? To nurture and support the newbies."
Darion blinked slowly at Mr. Reed and averted his gaze. "…Fine." While Darion reluctantly agreed, I can tell this is the last time he would enter a D-Rank Dungeon, let alone F-Rank.
I figured it was time to spill the beans of what I discovered. "Speaking of guilds… I found a hidden gem among a group of high school students I was speaking for."
Mr. Reed and Darion both locked eyes with me.
"Hidden gem you say?"
"What did you say, old man?"
When you stare at me this hard… it's kind of embarrassing.
"When her hand touched the Appraisal Orb, there was an influx of mana within it. After that, one letter that I wasn't anticipating appeared…" I paused for a moment to build up the suspense.
"…Spit it out, will you?" Mr. Reed demanded.
"Her potential was estimated to be at least B-Rank."
"WHAT?!" They both let out a collective gasp. This is the reaction I was expecting. It's not far off from mine.
"I was as shocked as you guys! Like, a B-Rank that young? And with no formal training to boot!"
"Joel… do you know what this means? If what you said is true… and I believe you… we could have an A-Rank other than Sam in America!" Mr. Reed said giddily. He was practically hopping up from his seat. Having two A-ranks would bolster our military might. To give you an idea of why this is a good thing, only five countries in the whole world have at least one A-rank awakened: India, Japan, the United States of America, China, and Russia. There may be more of them and it's highly likely. It's just that we have a sneaking suspicion some countries are hiding the ranks of their strongest superhumans. This is only a superstition with the information we have gathered. There have been no reports that an S-Rank has appeared; not yet at least.
"Not only that, but she was also there when The Tutorial happened." I added on.
Mr. Reed fell silent for a moment. "She was there? Hm…"
"Mr. Reed? Are you okay?" I asked.
Mr. Reed put a hand up and grimaced. "…Yes, I'm okay. I was just lost in thought, pondering deeply about what you just said. Since you found her Joel, do whatever it takes to recruit her, alright?"
"Hold on." Darion interjected.
Our superior looked over to Darion, puzzled. "What is it, Darion?"
"…How about you hand her over to my guild?"
My brow furrowed as I stared at my companion. "Darion. What is the meaning of this?"
"I feel as if she would shine even more in my guild: Dungeon Squadron." He said with an inkling of a smirk.
The Dungeon Squadron… I heard from Leo that those who join Darion's guild are fearsome superhumans whose sole purpose is to enter Dungeons and exterminate the monsters within them. They gain immense combat experience on the field and have shown rapid growth in their skills. If Sara was to join them, she would most definitely be an A-Rank in a year. Maybe months. On the other hand, Darion only recruits those who have earned his approval, so he doesn't have that many members. Last I checked, he had around ten in the guild…
I thought of what to say next. "…Darion. I know you mean well, but it's not my decision. If you want her to join your guild, ask her yourself. I can set a meeting between you two if that's what you want."
He studied me quietly for a moment and then sighed. "…Okay. Don't forget what you said here, old man."
Mr. Reed glanced at Darion and proceeded to get back on track. "As I was saying… the Dungeon is at the Appalachian Mountains, Tennessee... You two will be picked up and dropped off in front of the gate. I assume you have your weapons and gear stored in the Inventory?"
"Yep." I affirmed.
"Yes." Darion said.
"Good. My assistant will be waiting up front. Contact me once you arrive. Any questions?"
"No, Mr. Reed."
"Nope."
"Then what are you waiting for? Get going."
And with that, I and Darion exited the meeting place.
****
"She was in The Tutorial, and she hasn't reported this? Troubling indeed…" I muttered once Darion and Joel left. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a smartphone, dialing an important phone number. The phone didn't get to its second ring until a polite feminine voice answered.
"Hello?"
"This is Reed. We have a big situation on our hands. It's the one we feared when the superhumans arrived from The Tutorial…"
****
"Ready, Darion?"
"Let's just get on with this." Darion grumbled. He just finished putting on black gloves and was holding a spear resembling that of a bear spear. He wore all-silver armor that was small enough to casually move around. But do not let that fool you. It can withstand blunt-force trauma of up to 20 psi. As for me… my weapon of choice was a battle axe one meter in length. I also have the same armor Darion is wearing. It was mass-produced using materials we found in Dungeons and Monster carcasses. The official name for the armor set is protego, which is Latin for to protect.
"Alright, let's go in." I said sternly. The orange portal stood in front of us, beckoning us to enter if we dare, but it didn't matter. Only one of us is needed to complete this Dungeon. With both of us here, it would take no more than thirty minutes, depending on what's inside that is. The Dungeon was stashed at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains- a slew of densely forested mountain ranges that goes on for thousands of miles. The lingering scent of pine and freshly tilled dirt breezed through our nostrils as we watched the portal. And then, without another word, we both stepped into the portal. Whenever you enter, it feels like you're falling from the sky. Think of it like you're on a rollercoaster and there's a big drop waiting for you. That's what it feels like every time. Once I opened my eyes slowly, the bright glare of the sun greeted me.
Looks like the Dungeon takes place outside this time.
In front of us was a crude village, its only defense being a short wall constructed with wood. I could easily leap over the wall without breaking a sweat. We were on the plains with low vegetation. The grass beneath us had a yellowish-orange color, like fields of wheat. Behind us was a woodland area with thick trees and branches as long as twenty feet. Monsters and animals browsed through the fields, nibbling on grass or feasting on foliage. As I was admiring the view, a blue message popped up.
"Darion, did you get the message?"
"Mhm…" He nodded.
"Okay then. You know what to do. It's time to clean them up."
We nonchalantly walked through the front of the fort, weapons in hand. A shrill noise like a horn being blown resonated through the area, and the green Demogoblins emerged from their mud and straw huts snarling at us with their wicked grins.
"You get the left side, I'll get the right. Leave no one standing." I commanded. Darion gave me a small nod and proceeded to get into position. I looked away from him and faced the monsters, axe in hand.
"[Body Strengthening]." A rush of power was infused into my very being as I grew bigger and stronger.
Now then… let's begin.
****
It didn't take long to finish off the last goblin. The small dagger it held in its hand crumpled to the ground as it drew its last breath.
"Hey kiddo, you done on your end?" I said as I turned around.
"I finished a while ago, old man. These things are nothing to me." Darion sneered. He was sitting on a tree stump while he watched me with a dull face.
If he's done on his end… then why hasn't the portal reopened? Are there still living Demogoblins?
Thump…
Thump…
Heavy footsteps were coming from the entrance. When we both craned our necks at the front, there stood a tall, muscular figure. It was growling at us, its eyes bulging with fury as it scanned our bloodbath. Usually, Demogres are gray in color and Magus Demogres are red, but this one is a mix of both colors. Not only that but there are also two white horns on its head.
"Is that a Demogre? No… it looks… fiercer, and way taller!"
"Old man… this seems like a fusion of both types. Maybe it's the pinnacle of its species?"
That would make the most sense. If that's the case, this isn't a D-rank dungeon at all. Did the difficulty increase?
"Step aside, let me handle this." Darion said confidently. He rose from his little stump and was twirling his spear around like a toy.
"Darion… we should take it down together." I proposed, my eyes darting back and forth between the Demogre and Darion.
Darion just laughed and stepped forward. "Just sit there and watch. I'm quite confident in myself."
He assumed his usual stance- right leg forward and bent and left leg back but somewhat straight. The spear was leveled near his stomach, and his right hand was near the shaft while the left was at the end. The Chieftain Demogre stomped on the ground, causing the ground to shake. It reached into its backside and pulled out a sword that looked way too big to be called one. It slowly marched to Darion with a menacing aura permeating out of its body, but the young spear user wasn't fazed in the slightest. I gripped the axe in my hand tightly. I want to jump in and say screw that… but I must place my trust in him. As the leader of The Six Hunters, I should accurately judge whether Darion is able to carry his own weight or not. If things get rough, ill instantly help him, but right now I'll watch.
"ROOOAAAAR!!"
The Chieftain raised its sword high into the air and descended the hunk of metal at Darion. He side-stepped just in time as dirt enveloped the area. With quick thrusts, the Chieftain cried out in pain as fresh wounds appeared on its legs and belly. Darion stood a few meters away analyzing his opponent, a certain fire in his eyes was lit.
"GRRRR…."
The monster touched one of his leaking wounds and licked the tip of its bloodied fingers. It then started muttering to himself. The incantation its muttering sounds familiar…
"Hm? Is that what I think it is? Darion! He's going to cast some sort of fire spell!" I cried out.
"I already knew that…" I heard him mumble. The Chieftain raised his arm to the sky and a huge mass of flames materialized above him. I could feel the intense heat at this distance as if I was standing near a forest on fire! If Darion was to take it head-on, he would be rendered to ash. I glanced back at him hoping he was prepared to dodge but he kept still. The monster didn't care as he cast his spell down at him. It accelerated as the seconds went by, and before long was right in front of Darion's face.
"Kiddo…" I felt worried for a moment, but a small smile was etched on his face, his confident attitude never faltering. He gripped the spear as hard as he could and reared it back. He then mouthed a single phrase.
"[Wind Thrust]." There was mana forming at the tip of the spear. They collectively combined furiously and then stopped as Darion pushed his spear forward into the flaming heap. The Chieftain's magic was instantly vaporized, but it didn't stop there. A concentrated beam of intense wind traveled at an alarming speed at the Chieftain. It didn't notice what was happening as it all happened in a blink of an eye. The monster's head was cleanly blown off. The body swayed and slowly collapsed onto the ground with a great boom. Darion walked over to the corpse and stabbed his spear into its skin.
"Didn't I tell you, old man? I had this under control."