Volume 2 Chapter 5 Rank Up And The Cost Of The Compass
After obtaining the Compass Eye and teleporting to the dungeon entrance, I was greeted by a large crowd of adventurers.
Due to being inside the dungeon, my perception of time was warped, but it seemed like it was already morning. Sunrise had long passed, and it was time for the adventurers to start their work.
As the adventurers stared at me in astonishment, one of them cautiously stepped forward. I recognized him somehow... oh, right. He was the guy who picked a fight with me yesterday.
"Hey, you. Did you clear the dungeon?"
"Uh..."
'Of course, we cleared it!'
Juju answered before I could, puffed out her chest as if claiming credit for everything.
"What the... An A-rank adventurer party couldn't even clear it... Was there a secret passage or something?"
"No, I don't think so."
"What was the boss?"
"It was the Queen Spider."
"Queen Spider!? Don't be ridiculous! It's a regular S-rank monster!"
"Well, that's what it was."
I defeated it, so that's that.
Honestly, I don't even feel like I beat it. All I did was send a shockwave from outside the boss room, so I didn't really fight the Queen Spider. In fact, I think I only saw it for about 5 seconds. I can't even remember its face anymore.
"Oh, yeah. I have the Queen Spider's shell."
I remembered that I brought some Queen Spider material to sell. However, since most of the Queen Spider's body was vaporized, the amount of material I obtained was very small. The only thing I got was a crumpled shell, and it probably won't fetch much of a price. This might be another effect of Luck = 0.
"T-this hardness... is it real...? No, but... how could a shell harder than Mithril be like this...?"
"I just cut it normally."
"No, I wouldn't say you cut it... it looks more like you crushed it..."
The man stepped back with a strained expression. The surrounding adventurers also distanced themselves from me, looking somewhat scared.
The sight of these tough adventurers being afraid of a G-rank adventurer was kind of comical and amusing. It's not like I was that scary.
'Ha! This is hilarious! It's the funniest thing I've seen all year!'
Juju was laughing so hard she was holding her stomach.
Well, it wasn't that funny to me.
Anyway, this should keep them from bothering me in the future. I don't like standing out, but peace is more important.
"Alright, I'm going now. Good luck with your exploration."
"Oh, uh, yeah."
I bowed to the adventurers around me and headed back to Geats Town.
* * *
I wanted to eat and sleep right away, but first, I had to report the dungeon exploration results to the guild.
Since the dungeon is an asset of this town, I can't just take resources and leave without reporting. I have to detail what I did in the dungeon, like how many floors I reached, what I collected, and how many monsters I hunted. Failing to report properly can result in a fine, though it's just a small deduction from the reward.
"Ah, um... you're the new guy, right?"
At the guild reception, the receptionist greeted me with a somewhat lazy smile. I guess a 100% receptionist smile isn't cheap for a G-rank kid like me.
"Yes, I'm Noroa. I arrived from Mahariji yesterday."
'And I'm his master, Juju!'
"Well, that's an energetic introduction. But hold on for a moment..."
"Noroa... Oh, yes, I think I remember that name. What happened to your left eye?"
The receptionist immediately showed interest in the Compass Eye.
It was understandable that someone would be suspicious if someone's left eye suddenly turned gold. And the eye even had a compass-like pattern in it. That doubled the suspicion.
But honestly, I also want to avoid telling her that this is cursed equipment. Having cursed equipment on will inevitably lead to people treating me like an outcast, and it's also illegal to intentionally wear cursed equipment. It's not something I'd be happy to be questioned about.
So, let's just play dumb for now.
"Um, I had a makeover yesterday."
"Oh, but you went to the dungeon yesterday, didn't you?"
"I had a makeover in the dungeon."
"Why...? "
"Well, I guess I wanted some thrill even when getting a makeover."
"I... see."
The receptionist forced a smile, but didn't ask any more questions. I guess I managed to bluff my way out of it.
"Well, at least you're back alive."
"Yes. And I'd like to report on the dungeon."
"Report? If you only peeked at the entrance, you don't need to report, do you?"
"No, that's the thing... I cleared the dungeon."
"...What?"
The receptionist froze with her forced smile still on her face.
"Uh... is that like a G-rank joke?"
"No, it's a real clear."
"Oh, come on. It's an unexplored S-rank dungeon, right? There's no way a G-rank can clear it. And even an S-rank adventurer couldn't do it in one night."
The receptionist couldn't believe it. This is bad. I need to report accurately. I don't want to get fined because my report isn't believed.
'Noroa, show her that thing!'
"That thing?"
'Now, what could it be? 1. Bribery, 2. Sexy pose, 3....'
"No, you don't have to force it into a quiz format."
'You're no fun.'
"So, what's the answer?"
'Magic stone.'
"Ah."
That's a rare decent suggestion from Juju. I guess magic stones are proof that someone has defeated monsters. I've never been involved in monster hunting before, so I completely forgot.
I hurriedly rummaged through my bag and placed the magic stone I had brought back to sell on the counter. It was quite chipped, but as expected of an S-rank monster's magic stone, it was quite large. The sound of it being placed on the counter echoed unexpectedly loud."
"Huh? What's this?"
The receptionist's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden appearance of a giant magic stone.
"It's a Queen Spider's magic stone."
"Q, Queen Spider?"
"Yes, it was the dungeon boss."
"Eh, for real...? But, this size... really...?"
"Anyway, please appraise it."
"R, right."
The receptionist hurried back into the back. Probably, there's a magic stone appraiser always on duty at the guild hall. Since it was just morning, the appraisal was quick without any waiting. The receptionist came back in a flurry, like a dragonfly.
"S, sorry! It's real!"
The receptionist bowed her head in a fluster, and the eyes of everyone in the guild hall fell on her. It was a considerable amount of attention, as there were many adventurers gathered around the request board at that time. I suddenly felt uncomfortable.
"So, the Queen Spider's magic stone is real... did you really clear the dungeon?"
The adventurers murmured at those words. For a dungeon city, there's no bigger event than clearing a dungeon. Before I knew it, the attention of everyone in the guild hall was focused on my every move.
"Well, well, I kind of cleared it by chance, you know?"
"So casually... or rather, you said you were getting a makeover in the dungeon earlier."
"Oh, I cleared it while getting a makeover."
"Is that the 'by the way' part...?"
'Well, it's like I cleared it 90%. Noroa just kept getting a makeover.'
"Oh, that's a lie."
"Uh, you didn't just steal the magic stone, did you? I mean, I don't think you could steal from someone strong enough to clear a dungeon..."
The receptionist still seemed to be suspicious. However, there's no concrete evidence that I cleared it either. I'm in trouble, what should I do...?
"――What he's saying isn't a lie."
And then, who appeared there... who is this guy? I don't know him. He's a greasy old man.
'Who is that guy? Are you friends with him? He looks like a pretty greasy friend.'
"No way. I pick my friends too."
Huh... oh yeah, right. It's that guy from yesterday. Or maybe I just saw him a while ago. He has that generic face that makes me forget him immediately.
"Oh, you are...! Uh, wait... you're the new guy, right?"
The receptionist forgot too. That's too bad.
"I'm B-rank Marsen!"
"Hmm. More importantly, is that for real?"
The receptionist just brushed it off. So, this old dude is B-rank.
"I saw it. I saw him come out of the teleportation magic circle alone."
"...! Is that true?!"
"Oh, there are plenty of other people who saw it too."
The adventurers behind the old dude nodded in unison.
"And he came out alone. Even after a while, no one else came out. In the first place, there aren't any adventurers in this town who can even reach the lowest floor."
"So that means..."
"That he solo-cleared an unconquered S-rank dungeon."
"So, such a thing... unheard of..."
The receptionist is stunned, her mouth half open.
Indeed, I've never heard of anyone solo-clearing a dungeon. In the first place, adventurers usually form parties. There's almost no advantage to working alone.
Or rather, why did the old dude help me out? His attitude is too different from before and it's creepy. I casually glance at the old dude, and for some reason, he recoils.
"W-what's wrong? Just so you know, that's it for getting in my face yesterday! So, don't try to crush me or anything!"
"Oh, okay."
I see, so he's helping me out of fear of revenge. I wasn't going to get revenge anyway, but it's nice that getting harassed yesterday turned out to be useful. Life is really unpredictable, isn't it?
'Noroa, this guy is still using informal language? Should I give him a twist?'
"Hee!? Don't twist me!"
"I won't twist you."
"Anyway,"
The receptionist claps her hands.
"If you're the first to solo-clear an S-rank dungeon, then you have to be promoted. I think you're definitely S-rank after soloing the Queen Spider..."
"Wait, S-rank?"
I couldn't believe it. Jumping from G-rank to S-rank in one go was too much to comprehend. Especially since S-rank is a level reserved for only a handful of the strongest adventurers in the world. Could they really give such a high rank to a young upstart like me?
But then again, adventurer ranks are basically based on fighting ability. In most cases, the rank is determined by the "highest ranked monster you can defeat alone." In other words, an adventurer rank is like a certificate that says, "I can defeat a rank ○ monster on my own." It's almost like a medal of honor, considering that you get a title just for defeating any monster.
"Then, once we confirm the dungeon clear, we'll immediately send a message to the royal capital to start the S-rank promotion procedure. It will probably take a week to update the card."
"Yeah, that's fine."
It seems that my promotion to S-rank is almost a done deal.
I just wanted some cursed equipment, but somehow this whole thing got blown out of proportion.
* * *
A week after clearing the S-rank dungeon, Geats town was still buzzing about me.
Well, there's no bigger event in a dungeon city than clearing a dungeon, and there were too many unprecedented elements this time. Solo-clearing an unconquored S-rank dungeon, and being promoted from G-rank to S-rank, both of which were firsts in history. So, it's no wonder that people would still be talking about it.
"Ugh... I just wanted some cursed equipment, though..."
I absentmindedly stirred my breakfast soup with a spoon. Even though I was enjoying a richer meal than usual with my extra income, I couldn't seem to taste anything. I'm not thick-skinned enough to relax with all those eyes on me in the dining hall.
I feel like I'm just watching this whole thing unfold from the sidelines. After all, I was just a G-rank adventurer until recently, so I can't really grasp the idea of being an S-rank all of a sudden. I feel like I'm skipping too many levels.
"What should I do now..."
'Hey, don't you think forks look kind of strong?'
"Oh, yeah. I guess they do."
'I'm going to do a fork tornado right now! Watch closely!'
"Okay."
'WOOOOOOO! FOOOOORRRRKKKK, TORNADOOOOO!'
"Wow, that's amazing!"
Juju was swinging her fork around on the table, completely ignoring my worries. I envy her for being so carefree.
"Sigh..."
'What's wrong? Did you not like my Fork Tornado?'
"No, I don't have any strong feelings about the Fork Tornado."
'Then what is it? You shouldn't have any other worries besides the Fork Tornado.'
"I don't know why you think that, but I have other worries too. Like, I want to live in peace, and I wish my marriage to my equipment would be recognized..."
'So, it's still related to the Fork Tornado?'
"Let's move on from the Fork Tornado for now."
We're not getting anywhere. Speaking of which, what is the Fork Tornado anyway?
"Anyway, Juju. How about we leave this town soon? There's nothing left to do here."
I've finished the rank promotion procedures, and I've checked out all the weapon shops in this town. There's no reason for me to stay here anymore.
More importantly, I'm itching to get my hands on new equipment. I'm starting to feel withdrawal symptoms from not having any equipment.
'Well, yeah. We've conquered all the B-class food in this town, so let's move on to the next one.'
"Thanks for being so understanding."
'So, where are we going next?'
"Well..."
I pointed to my Compass Eye, which was embedded in my left eye.
"Maybe we can use this Compass Eye to find the direction of cursed equipment."
'That's true, but... is that okay?'
Juju's concern is valid.
This Compass Eye can tell me the direction of what I'm looking for, but it also has a cost: "If you don't find what you're looking for within 7 days, you will die." In other words, I should avoid using the Compass Eyeto find something that I don't know where it is. If it's too far away, I'll be dead for sure.
However, it's a manageable cost as long as I use it wisely.
"I'm going to limit the search area to nearby places."
'That's a good idea. It'll reduce the risk.'
"Alright, now that I have Juju's approval, let's give this Compass Eye a try.
"Show me 'unequipped cursed equipment within a 100-meter radius.'"
I'll start with a small area like '100-meter radius' and gradually expand the search range. If there's nothing within the range, the Compass Eye won't react. This method is also safer, as it not only tells me the direction of the cursed equipment but also its approximate distance.
So, as I gradually expanded the range, the Compass Eye reacted when I said, "'Show me unequipped cursed equipment in Geats town.' The needle, which had been moving unreliably, suddenly pointed straight 'up.'"
"Up...? "
The second floor of this diner? No, the Compass Eye would have reacted much sooner if that were the case.
"What is it...?"
I stepped out of the diner, and the street was in an uproar.
Everyone was looking up at the sky, pointing and shouting.
I followed their gaze and...
"What!? "
I couldn't believe my eyes. It was something so out of the ordinary.
For a moment, I thought I was hallucinating, but that didn't seem to be the case. The other townspeople were also seeing 'it' clearly.
So, it must be real...
"...A dragon?"
Soaring above Geats town was a real dragon. It spread its massive wings gracefully, its pure white scales shimmering.
But I've never heard of dragons living around here. They're supposed to live in warmer regions further south.
And the problem was that the Compass Eye's needle was pointing directly at the dragon.
I was confused for a moment, but then it hit me.
Some dragons have a habit of collecting treasures. They decorate their nests with 'beautiful things' like gold and silver to attract mates.
So, if the Compass Eye is pointing at the dragon, it means...
That means that the treasure the dragon has collected contains cursed equipment.
'Noroa, this is bad! If that dragon has cursed equipment...'
"...If I can't catch up with the dragon within 7 days, I'll die."
Even as I spoke these words, the dragon continued to move further and further away from the town. It didn't seem to have any particular reason for being here.
Who would have thought that a dragon just passing through the town's airspace would react to us? I mean, I guess you could say that the town's airspace is part of the town itself... but is this terrible timing just another consequence of my luck being at 0?
I had underestimated Cost, thinking it was nothing, and now I'm being pushed this far.
"Oh, come on!"
Scratching my head, I quickly started chasing after the dragon.
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