With the woman from the Dungeon Administration Association leading the way, Akira and his team made their way to the D.A.A's head office. The corridors were lined with engraved stones, each bearing the mark of countless adventurers who had come before.
They entered a grand chamber, where the mayor of the D.A.A sat, his presence commanding the room. His eyes held a mixture of gratitude and concern as he regarded the team.
"Welcome," he began, "I've heard of your valor in the dungeon. You've proven yourselves capable beyond your rank."
The mayor explained that a sudden change had occurred within the dungeon, escalating its rank from C to A. This unexpected shift led to the summoning of the mana beast, an A-Rank creature, instead of the initially anticipated hell hounds.
"It was never meant to be this perilous," the mayor admitted, remorse flickering in his eyes. "I deeply regret the harm that has come to your team."
To compensate for their hardships, the mayor offered them 500 gold in total, with 100 gold for each member of the team and an additional 300 gold for Akira, recognizing his pivotal role in defeating the boss.
"But that's not all," the mayor continued. "We'd like to offer you something more. We have a special training camp, where adventurers can unlock their innate abilities, and some even achieve higher ranks through rigorous training."
The team exchanged glances, absorbing the gravity of the offer. After a moment of consideration, they nodded in agreement.
As they turned to leave, Akira couldn't shake the question that lingered in his mind. He approached the mayor, his voice filled with curiosity. "Why was the Ogre white?"
The mayor's expression grew somber. "The Whispering Ogre," he began, "is an A-Rank boss created from the purest form of mana itself. How such creatures come into being is a mystery to us all. They're rare, and their presence signifies a great disturbance in the dungeon's natural order."
With newfound understanding, Akira rejoined his team, their path forward now illuminated by both knowledge and opportunity.
To be continued...