The Labyrinth Raids of the Ultimate Tank

Chapter 17: Preparations

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

「Kygras-sama’s raid attempt failed.」

Apparently, Kygras, who now is resting at the inn, was heavily injured…… And it will now take him several months to fully recover.

Thus, Nin and I were called to the militia’s headquarters.

Shugor, Feel and the twins were already waiting there.

Other members took heavy injuries and were resting at the inn.

「……Mind telling the details of what happened?」

「This time, Kygras-sama was to investigate up to the 10th floor. However, upon encountering the guardian of the labyrinth, he was defeated.」

「The guardian? So the 10th floor was the last one?」

Guardians stay on the last floor.

So this labyrinth has a lot fewer floors than expected?

However, Shugor shook his head.

「No. We met him on the 5th floor. We then used dungeon walk to escape.」

「……A sentient guardian?」

「Yes.」

A guardian is normally supposed to be at the deepest, the innermost part of the labyrinth.

But occasionally, there would be those that possess their own will, freely moving around the place.

Some guardians claim to bear the names of great heroes.

Some claim to be great sages.

It’s not clear how things truly are, but all the information we obtain from them is nothing but the stuff that we didn’t know before.

This country made great advancements in some areas because we managed to gain information from the guardians of that sort.

The technology of homunculus creation is among such.

From that fact, the church took to call guardians servants of God.

The guardian in question appeared on the 5th floor.

This is what I was searching for.

I might be able to learn the way to cure Manicia.

The location of the magic tome…… Or maybe there is an even better way.

Until now I conquered a number of labyrinths, but none of them had a sentient guardian.

If I go there immediately, I might be able to meet them.

……However, raiding labyrinths solo is impossible.

「We have to find a replacement, but finding a new person right now wouldn’t be easy. Since there is a chance of confronting the guardian, we can’t take just anyone.」

Saying that Shugor shrugged his shoulders.

「……I’ll go.」

「Rude-san will come?」

Shugor narrowed his eyes.

「Yes. I can’t do it alone…… But if the twins, Shugor…… And Nin come as well, we should manage somehow.」

「Understood. Then, I will contact the guild!」

「Don’t bother, just pass it as Kygras’ accomplishment. In turn, we are going into the labyrinth immediately, andー」

Nin made an angry expression the moment I said that.

「You can’t. You always, always prioritize what you want to do…… Ignoring the evaluation. This won’t be good for anyone. Shugor, please relay to them that I will participate as well.」

「But I want to go immediatelyー」

「You want to meet the guardian?」

「……Yeah.」

When I replied, the twins frowned.

And curiously, decided to interfere.

「I can’t recommend fighting it.」

「I agree with Onee-chan. It’s not an opponent that humans should fight.」

「Even so, I want to meet the guardian.」

「Why?」

「Are you an idiot?」

「Shut up…… I want to save my sister. My sister has been sickly since birth ……I might be able to get a method to cure her. So, please…… Can you cooperate?」

After I said that the twins exchanged looks and sighed.

「……If we get an order from the guild, we don’t mind going along.」

「I agree with Onee-chan.」

Their gazes had a hint of kindness to them.

…Could it be that they are sympathizing with my cause?

Fine, it doesn’t matter.

If that will make them cooperate, I will even bow my head.

「Thank you. …I will treat you to something later.」

「Then, how about a pie from the apples of this town?」

「Yeah, I’ll have the same.」

This much would be easy.

Shugor, that until now stood with a hand at his chin, clapped hands.

「With the saintess-sama and her knight participating, the permission surely would be given immediately!」

「Stop right there. I don’t remember agreeing to become her knight.」

「I know, I know. I’m just kidding.」

Shugor laughed, with his eyes partly closed.

I couldn’t read this man from the moment we first met.

Even now, I have no idea what he actually thinks.

Still maintaining a cool smile, he pulled out a paper and began writing on it with a brush.

We can take one more person.

……There are several candidates.

I turn my gaze to one of them, Feel.

If she, who now stood with a difficult expression, would participate as an attacker, it would be reassuring.

「Feel, can you come as well?」

「M-Me?! ……To be honest, I don’t think I have enough power to fight alongside skilled adventurers……」

「You attack power is worthy of a B rank adventurer. That is enough. By ourselves, we would lack offensive power.」

「B-But…… I’m also not that quick, and unlike you guys, can’t use magic.」

The statement is typical of her modest self.

Feel is sufficiently strong. But she has no confidence.

「……Ah, you didn’t know much about adventurers.」

「What do you mean?」

「Listen. It’s not because S rank adventurers are S rank in every aspect that they are called S rank. Each of them has something that they excel in, which earns them S rank. So Feel can call herself a B rank adventurer.」

「Is that how it works?」

Feel tilted her head, to which Nin made a small nod.

「That’s how it is. I’m proud to have S rank in healing magic. But in regards to offensive magic, I’m only about B rank. And for close combat, I’m only about D rank.」

I’m not sure if this is influenced by outer shell or skills, but even physical capabilities and abilities differ from person to person.

Each person has their own strength, so it becomes important how they will capitalize on them.

「I am also the same. The magic I can use is only everyday utility magic, E rank at most. Close combat skills are C or maybe B. However, as a tank I’m worthy of A rank…… I think.」

「In your case, it’s S rank. With you present even a weak party would go up one rank…… No, two ranks.」

Commented Nin.

Please, don’t praise me so much. It’s embarrassing.

Then, Lilia, the elder of the twins, that usually doesn’t take part in conversations, nodded.

「I’m not sure if he is that strong, but his strength is surely out of the ordinary. I didn’t party with that many tanks, but the newly joined girls can’t even begin to compare. Or rather, I feel that without Rude I’m directly facing a lot more monsters than before.」

「I agree with Onee-chan.」

Lily also agreed, after which the two locked eyes and then embraced each other.

Shugor, holding thumbs up on both hands, repeatedly nodded.

「If I taunt enemies and take on all of the attacks…… I could show the ability of S rank. If meanwhile, Nin uses recovery magic, it would also be S rank, and if during that Feel focuses only on attacking, we could fight on A rank level. That’s how parties supplement each other by exhibiting their greatest strengths. Being able to do everything alone is something that only some genius would be able to do.」

If such a person existed there would be no reason for them to form a party.

But I don’t have such power.

So to challenge a labyrinth, I need a party.

「In reverse, if I was in charge of offensive magic, Nin acted as a tank, and Feel used recovery magic…… That would be an F rank party.」

After I said all of that, Feel put a hand to her chin, seemingly deliberating, and then nodded.

「Is that so……? Then, it might work out with me?」

「Yeah, for now, that would take care of the offense. Shugor, please summarize all of the information that you managed to gather.」

「Roger that. This is a pretty interesting party we got here.」

Shugor looked over everyone.

Nin held her head high.

「Then, we only need the permission from the guild now.」

「Pretty much. As usual, we should keep a watch, so no monsters would wander from the labyrinth outside.」

Labyrinths that aren’t under attack often have monsters going outside.

This ruins the ecosystem, and most of all, it’s a danger, so adventurers raid labyrinths.

……However, if the labyrinth that we are about to raid is S rank, then reaching the end of it is next to impossible.

It would take a legendary party of heroes to do that.

I’m a bit anxious about the future of this town.

But…… It’s not the time to think about something so far in the future.

For now, it’s on the 10th floor.

I hope we will be able to meet the guardian there.