The Labyrinth Raids of the Ultimate Tank

Chapter 51: Setting out

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

_______________________________________________________________

We managed to reach the 51st floor, but as one would expect, with the tension gone the fatigue immediately got to us.

We escaped back to the 1st floor before the purple worm that appeared on the 51st floor could attack us.

After getting there I check the potion pouch.

Only three bottles left.

That was close.

Each of them is a pretty high-quality potion. This expedition cost us a lot, but it also brought great results.

Leaving the labyrinth we see the same two adventurers.

「Oh, big mouths. You look tired. Do you think you can reach the 51st floor like that?」

「Yeah, we just did. Which reminds me. You two are guides for this labyrinth, right? There is a new highest floor now. Want to go to the 51st floor right now?」

「The idiots are running their mouths again!」

The man laughed, holding his sides.

The man beside him carefully studied us.

「……You really reached it?」

「Yes. We did. This is the magic stone of Dark Skeleton from the 50th floor.」

With those words, I take out the magic stone from the bag and show it to him.

The adventurer seems to have immediately realized the quality of the magic stone, which greatly surprised him.

His eyes opened wide, while the adventurer, that was making fun of us, spoke up.

「W-what the hell are you talking about! Even our leader couldn’t breach the 48th floor?! There is no way some low-rank adventurers could get past it!」

「As I said, we will bring you to the 51st floor. Don’t you have the duty to report to the city on labyrinth updates? After all, some wouldn’t believe the words of us 6 alone. I want one of you to come with us.」

「……Stop screwing with us! Did you hit your head there?」

「Stop it. ……Got it, I will verify your claim. Shall we go?」

「Yeah. Well, if it’s only two of us, then even I alone is enough. Everyone, rest here.」

Marius’ face was saying that he wanted to come as well.

It’s almost as if he thinks that I’m going to sneakily have a couple of fights on the 51st floor.

I don’t have the energy for that……

I teleport to the 51st floor, taking the adventurer with me.

「T-this is…… Really the 51st floor?」

Surprised, he closed his eyes. He is probably trying to confirm it through skills.

Then, he suddenly opened them wide.

「It’s…it’s really…… the 51st floor. Just how did you do it…」

「Raid and subjugation, nothing unusual. I’m going to become a clan leader. I have to be able to do at least this much, right?」

I said, a bit mockingly. To which he, still looking astonished, smiled.

「……That’s an amazing adventurer we got here. I will accompany you to the guild as a witness. This is the last day anyone calls you a big mouth.」

「That would be nice.」

Together we returned outside.

Then, the man, who was guarding the outside, rushed to us.

「H-hey! It was a lie, right?!」

「No, these adventurers really reached the 51st floor. I will accompany them to the guild as a witness. During that time please keep to your post.」

「It’s a lie! Why are you even going along with this charade! Those guysーー」

「I don’t know what might happen to you if you keep going like that?」

The adventurer looked at the man sharply, after which he leaked a scared voice.

After which we head to the guild.

Next to me is Marius. Shaking his almost completely white hair, he looked at me.

「Isn’t it nice, Rude? No one is going to call you a big mouth anymore?」

「……Sure. That wasn’t pleasant.」

……I even feel somewhat refreshed.

Though it wasn’t to the same extent as Sinanis, I also wanted to shut them up.

I don’t want to listen to what the people, who gave up from the beginning, are saying.

「What are you going to do after returning to the town? Announce it for everyone to hear?」

「That might be fun as well.」

「Y-you are pretty bold.」

「Not really. I wasn’t like that before.」

「Ha Ha Ha, I see. Well, I like the way you are at the moment.」

Marius said, beaming with a smile.

Can’t say that I’m happy to hear this from a man.

Even so, Marius has a big part in us currently being able to do some absurd stuff.

「Thank you. I’ll be counting on you as a clan member.」

「Sure. You can rely on me. I will do my best as your right hand, left hand, right leg, and left leg! I’d also like to take my time with rising new disciples.」

Marius seems to be fond of teaching others.

Meanwhile, we reached the guild.

By now the sky turned completely dark.……We’ve been in the labyrinth for quite a while.

Kensei, who was preparing to go home, waved his hand upon noticing us.

「What brings you here at such an hour. Which reminds me, you said something about raiding, didn’t you?」

「……Yeah, we reached the 51st floor.」

「…Eh?」

Kensei opened his eyes in amazement.

As we showed him the magic stone that we found, he narrowed them, focusing on it.

「In-Indeed, it’s my first time seeing such a stone…… Was it dropped by a monster from 50th or 51st floor?」

「Yes. A skeleton with black bones dropped it on the 50th floor. He was as strong as a boss monster.」

「……I also went to the 51st floor and confirmed this. I thought that their words alone might not be accepted.」

When the adventurer that came with us said this, the smile on Kensei’s face became even wider.

「Once again, you pulled off something very interesting, Rude. Hey, someone! We had an amplifying magic stone, right? It’s an emergency so bring it here!」

As Kensei said this, guild employees tilted their heads, puzzled.

Surrounding adventurers reacted in the same way.

Amplifying Magic Stone is a magic stone that makes the sound louder.

In this noisy guild, it would be sometimes used to issue warnings.

Kensei grabbed that magic stone and poured magic power into it.

The amplifying stone shone faintly and projected Kensei’s voice.

『Informing all adventurers. Just now, Adventurer Rude and his comrades reached the 51st floor.』

The adventurers froze up.

Everyone is bewildered by the contents of the message. Similarly, the employees of the guild also froze up.

「Who is Rude?」

「Isn’t it that guy? That one with a big mouth?」

「Reaching the 51st floor…… For real?」

「Isn’t it just a lie? There is no way some nobody can do that.」

There was no one who readily believed Kensei’s announcement.

But the adventurer that came with us took the amplifying stone from Kensei.

『Everything said is true. Adventurer Rude, who is called big mouth by some, has taken me to the 51st floor. He made a breakthrough that no one was able to accomplish for long years.』

After saying that the adventurer gave the amplifying stone back to Kensei.

「H-Hey…… That man is an adventurer from『Black Dragon Fangs』!」

「And it’s Marcus-san! The one entrusted with monitoring the labyrinth!」

「H-He wouldn’t lie! T-They really set a new record?!」

「W-We must tell everyone in the town!」

「S-So those adventurers…… Weren’t just big mouths?」

The uproar spread among the still confused adventurers.

……Since I was too tired, I told the guild that we will give them details at a later date and returned to the inn with everyone.

〇

The rumors spread all over the town in an instant.

After a day, the whole town was talking about nothing but this.

Though a full day has passed since we returned from the labyrinth, I still felt the fatigue from that raid.

……Am I getting older?

Sinanis and others, who were way more tired than I, are full of energy by now.

Today, I came with them to the guild.

We were done with the business yesterday, but it seems that the leaders of the two biggest clans want to meet us.

I also thought that I’d like to at least take a look at them. In a way, they are my seniors.

We arrived at the guild.

Which immediately sparked a commotion.

「H-Hey. Those are they adventurers that set the new record.」

「A-As expected they have a special aura to them.」

「You frigging liar! Just the other day you were making fun of them along with everyone!」

In the back, behind the noisy crowd, sat Gary and Boo.

Beside them sat a man and a woman with an air of pressure to them.

……Their respective clan leaders.

Erasing the frown that was on her face moments ago the female clan leader turned to us with a charming smile.

「So you are the Rude, that made the breakthrough. 『White Tiger Claws』will welcome you.」

She is the leader of 『White Tiger Claws』. Long ears, characteristic to elves, and a big chest. It’s hard to take my eyes off it.

I heard that she is quite a beauty, but the rumors turned out to be true, even though it’s not rare for such rumors to be exaggerated.

I almost nodded to her invitation involuntarily.

「Did we meet somewhere?」

The other one is the leader of『Black Dragon Fangs』, who sat there, exposing his well-trained physique.

His outstanding physique dwarfed other adventurers, making them appear completely insignificant.

As I overlooked the surroundings, my eyes met with some of those adventurers.

They immediately turned away.

……It’s been like this since yesterday.

The adventurers that were making fun of me are avoiding me.

I was kind of hoping that I will get a cool nickname…… But alas, no luck.

Marius smiled.

He was reaching out for his katana, so I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.

「I want to fight.」「Stay quiet.」 Marius drooped his shoulders after we exchanged such messages through glances.

「Nevermind. Which clan are you going to join? It’s naturally mine, right?」

「What are you saying, you musclebrain. Rude, we also have many lovely girls. I’m sure everyone will be happy about you joining us. Myself included.」

「Hey, hey. The hell are you doing you elven hag, you are over 100 years old, hands off kids. Won’t you consider your age already?」

「Aah? I’m only 100. In human terms, it’s about 30?」

「Too old either way.」

「HUUUUUH?」

The leader of『Black Dragon Fangs』snorted, while the leader of『White Tiger Claws』scowled, refuting him.

……Their relationship might be better than I thought.

Both of them looked at me.

「So?」

「What are you going to do, Rude?」

Silence fell upon the guild.

……Everyone is waiting for my answer.

This might be important even for regular adventurers.

What the adventurer, that reached the 51st floor, is going to choose.

It might influence the power balance between the clans.

……But I already decided where I stand.

「I’m…… Going to create my own clan. So I cannot join either of your clans.」

Adventurers gasped at my reply.

The leaders exchanged glances and then smiled with their lips only.

「Don’t tell me that you came here only to announce becoming our rival?」

「Well, I guess that sums it up.」

It wasn’t like that in the beginning.

But since we got so much attention, I might as well use this chance to advertise our clan.

In a way a tank would.

The clan leaders exchanged glances once again and then burst into a laugh.

「Aren’t you an interesting fellow. Do you best so that it won’t end into an empty boast.」

「Indeed, I’m looking forward to this. Don’t regret refusing to join us later.」

『White Tiger Claws』laughed boldly.

「Yes, of course.」

I replied with a smile to their jeers.