30 – Rank B #1
Sou, who was much bigger than me, clung onto me. He didn’t even think about letting go.
“To become bait to save others! Never do that again!”
“… I can’t move. Sou, can you let go, please?”
“No! I won’t let go!”
Even the boys wouldn’t throw a tantrum like this. It was ridiculous to see him shaking his head and whining like a child.
I dragged Sou along and checked on the state of the adventurers who were attacked by the bandits.
“Are you okay?”
There were two parties. One with a boy and two women, a classic combination for exploring the labyrinth.
The boy called Kyan nodded.
“I-I’m fine…”
Though he was trembling, he seemed uninjured.
The bandits didn’t harm the boys. They seemed perfectly fine, as if they had been captured in good condition.
If it’s for the best, then I suppose it’s for the best.
“The timing was perfect.”
Just as the bandits were about to overpower the explorer and board the second-floor portal, we arrived. Consequently, their plan was thrown off.
I shudder to think what would have happened if I had chosen to go to the third floor. It’s horrifying even to imagine.
“Kaen… I’m sorry, sister…”
“I’m glad you’re alive… Huk, huaaah….”
Kaen and the women embraced each other and wept. Tears streamed down their faces in relief that they had barely survived.
I feel a sense of pride and satisfaction knowing that I saved these people.
A boy stood there, staring blankly at them. He was the same boy who almost got kidnapped, just like Kaen.
He glanced briefly at the scattered women, trembling in fear.
“Is that his party over there?”
Kaen’s party is safe. The two of them are alive and well.
But what about the boy’s party? It clearly wasn’t in good shape.
I approached the women with Loren. They lay on the ground, motionless.
We checked their pulse and confirmed their breathing, making sure they were alive. Fortunately, they were still breathing.
However, their condition was far from easy.
“The bleeding is severe. If we leave it like this, they’ll die soon.”
Because the explorer was stronger than an average human, he managed to hold on. If he weren’t an explorer, he would have died three times over by now.
“Sister…!”
The boy, who had been unconscious, staggered over and checked on the women. Then, as if unable to bear it any longer, he turned his head abruptly.
The boy was weaker than I had thought.
I asked Lauren, who was examining the situation firsthand.
“Are they still alive?”
“They’re breathing. You could say they’re holding onto their lives by force.”
“Is it that bad? Both of them?”
“…Yes.”
Lauren asserted that there was no way to save them. She had given up.
From Noble mtl dot com
“At least let me say my final goodbye…”
She glanced at the boy standing behind her. The boy understood what Lauren was saying and lowered his head.
“I don’t want to… I don’t want to say goodbye… Please, save my sister… Please…!”
“We don’t have a priest in our party. And since we’re just a hunting party on the first floor, we don’t carry potions. It’s impossible to grant your request. I’m sorry.”
“Grr…!”
“…….”
Potion? As I listened to Lauren’s words, it felt like a lightning bolt struck my head.
I took out a potion from my pocket. The red liquid shimmered.
It was a recovery potion made by alchemist Anna using Sue’s blood. I never thought I would end up using the one I received as a sample like this.
Surprised, Lauren asked.
“Ray, you had a potion?”
“Yes. Various things happened.”
The boy’s eyes widened. At the mention of the potion, he looked at me desperately.
“A potion? Really?”
“Uh, so please don’t stick to me.”
It’s not that I dislike guys, but I still hope we can maintain some distance from each other in the labyrinth.
“Because it smells, it’s stuffy, and it’s an unreasonable situation.”
It’s uncomfortable when we’re too close.
“I’ll try using it for now. I don’t know how effective it’ll be…”
Can I treat both of them with just one potion? I had my doubts.
But I had no choice but to try.
“Who’s in a worse condition?”
“This one. Their complexion doesn’t look good. It’s a miracle that they’re still alive.”
One warrior wearing a leather armor and a round shield. The other one had a ninja-like attire, which looked quite unfamiliar.
Ssssh!
I poured the potion onto the ninja’s wound. I used one-third of it for the adventurer who was struggling to breathe.
And I used one-third on the warrior sister.
Ssssh!
A white smoke spewed out from the wounded area. Bubbles boiled and fresh skin grew.
“Oh wow…”
The effect was no joke. Anna showed me a rough demonstration, but that was in a safe city.
Now, it’s real combat. The potions used outside and the ones used in the labyrinth had different effects.
I wasn’t the only one amazed by the performance of the potion. Lorenzo showed curiosity.
“…How much does this cost, Ray?”
“I don’t know the price. It’s because I just received it.”
“You just received it?”
He explained about alchemist Anna. He also mentioned that it was a potion made by giving Baekho blood.
“Using blood to make a potion? Is that even possible?”
“It’s not normal?”
“No alchemist uses blood to make a potion. Is this a method discovered by the alchemist Anna…?”
I held my breath. As the bleeding stopped, my breathing became steady. The natural healing power of an adventurer was beyond imagination.
“Ugh…”
The boy staggered, knelt down on one knee, and sat down hesitantly. It seemed like he was about to collapse.
“What’s wrong? Why are you like this?”
“Women unconsciously activate their skills and drain a child’s energy.”
“I see.”
Thanks to the potion, my condition improved a bit, so the rascal thought he could use his skills to help.
The reaction was entirely the boy’s fault.
“Hey, buddy. How’s the rank of ‘Soul Protection’?”
“Uh…huff, huff. Uh, um…”
“Tsk.”
The boy had reached his limit too. Being held hostage during the kidnapping incident and dealing with the mental distress made it difficult for him to handle two adults.
I glanced at Lauren and Sue. With a swollen face from the beating, Lauren said to me.
“Do as you wish, Ray.”
“……”
It should be possible. I don’t know how many people can be accommodated in the EX rank, but adding just a couple more shouldn’t cause the rating to collapse.
“Friend, deactivate ‘Soul Protection’.”
“Huh…? What did you say?”
“If you want to save them, deactivate it.”
Show me what a real man is.
[Please designate a target.]
[1. Su / 2. Lauren / 3. Sakura / 4. Pike]
“‘Soul Protection’ has been strongly activated.”
I added them to the ‘Soul Protection’ list. I took responsibility in place of the boy.
The color returned to the boy’s face. It seemed like a burden was lifted off him when he only had to protect himself.
“It’s not easy.”
I felt a surge of power right after registering. But after that, it was no big deal.
The EX rank was more than enough to handle even adult women.
Lauren and Su, who are known as B rank, showed a slightly uneasy expression, but they didn’t say anything.
I pretended to be a hostage in order to save people. I know that no matter what I say here, they won’t listen.
The party led by Caien, who had just finished their emotional reunion, approached.
They weren’t unscathed either. The female adventurers were injured in various places.
A brown-haired adventurer limping towards me asked,
“…Are you from the City Hall?”
“No.”
Was this about being affiliated with the City Hall? About whether the “Soul Protection” rank was A or higher?
From their perspective, it was an absurd situation unfolding, so I understood.
“It’s B rank. Unfortunately.”
“…B rank….”
Boys with “Soul Protection” rank A or higher automatically become affiliated with the City Hall. Broadly speaking, they become part of the Empire.
They receive comprehensive support and can explore the labyrinth.
But as a result, they also face restrictions and control.
“Because I don’t want that.”
I don’t want to be controlled. That’s why I’m deceiving my rank.
“I’d rather be a monthly 200 office worker than a monthly 500 soldier.”
At least, that’s what I think.
Chiiing!
I sprinkled the remaining potion on Ninja Nuna. Warrior Nuna used her skills to speed up her recovery, but Ninja Nuna was still weak.
She was already more injured from the beginning.
“Should we take a rest here?”
“Is Ray okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m not lying, I’m in full condition.”
“….”
Lauren glanced at me slyly.
“If that’s the case.”
Lauren muttered and turned her back.
“Soo, let’s get rid of the bandit’s corpse. Help me.”
“No.”
“Stop bothering Ray.”
“No.”
“If you keep doing that, Ray will only lose more stamina. Seriously, you’re so heavy. You’re twice as big as Ray and hanging on like that, what are we going to do?”
“…I’m not twice as big…!”
Soo got up and stood next to me, putting his hand on his forehead.
His chest was at eye level for me.
“Where do you see that I’m twice as big?”
“Come and help me with the corpse, you damn b*tch… Wait, is it not a dog? Is a tiger related to a lynx? Ah, I don’t know. Come quickly and help.”
“No! I’m staying by Ray’s side!”
Soo stubbornly insisted like a brat. Thanks to that, the other adventurers who were just watching me helped Lauren.
I couldn’t help but say a word.
“Soo, please go and help a little.”
“No.”
“Are you just going to stay by my side?”
“I’ll make sure you never do anything reckless again.”
“Then I guess I’ll go.”
“?”
I took a step forward to help move the bodies of the bandits. Su, who had been running towards the bodies in a hurry, finally arrived.
“I wonder if it’s easy to handle or difficult….”
She was a really ambiguous woman.
After finishing the transportation of the bodies, I returned. Well, I say transportation, but it was more like throwing them through the second-floor portal.
It was quick with several people.
“What’s that, sis?”
In Lauren’s hand, who had finished handling the bodies, there were two necklaces. I asked if they were artifacts.
Lauren answered with a serious face.
“Ray, do you know how bandits can wander around without any guys?”
Lauren handed me the necklace. It seemed like she wanted me to check the information.
First of all, the decoration was incredibly crude. It had a shoddy shape that alternated between a stick and two beads, reminiscent of a male organ.
“It’s because of this.”
…They are wearing necklaces that are shaped like…wow