~Yawn~
"Alright, chirp chirp, early bird early bird." I said tiredly as I got off from the bed.
"Hm?" I directed my field of vision to my right hand. It had a blade in it.
"You're kidding. I really slept with this in my hand? Well at least it's good to know I'm instinctively ready for anything at any given time to that extent. Let's not forget, it's possible that I made enemies with an S-Rank Warrior right now. News travels faaaast when Warriors and Dungeons is the topic. I'm pretty sure the Guildmaster of the Helios Guild is aware of his son's death by now, and the fact that I'm involved. But... ignoring that, three gemstones, a new and entirely different hilt along with a different font for its name. This isn't that same First Dawn I used to dominate the Zeke Party, is it? So mao bane's events really weren't a dream."
It didn't take a Sherlock to figure it out. I was becoming more and more broken than I'd care to be.
"Seriously, last I checked, it's impossible for weapons to increase in Grade, only in Stage. And yet here we are. If this gets out, the entire world'll be turned over its head. Even S-Rank Warriors will want a piece of me. I can't share this with anyone. If I do, it'd have to be someone I trust with not just my life but my entire soul."
In the current world we live in, the Great Age of Warriors, even a First Stage Elementary-Grade weapon costs hundreds of thousands. And we're talking about the lowest Graded weapon that can only level up three times tops. Now imagine what would happen if people found a weapon that can break through that limitation, and then found the dummy who made it, and then found out that he is oh so very capable of making other ones.
"Merely thinking about it alone makes me dizzy. I might've stumbled upon one hell of a blessing in disguise with this Class."
I teleported First Dawn into the Item Space. I then checked the time. It read 07:14 on my phone.
"I slept without eating yesterday. I'll make up for lost time. With a king sized breakfast."
I ordered room service. Enough food to make you think I was expecting.
"Not funny."
Sorry.
Anyway.
I ate then went to fetch the clothes that I had washed from yesterday. After that, I went to take a bath. I then changed into that same set of clothes. They were a little beat up from the events of the Dungeon but not enough to bother me. I mean they were clean regardless so why not?
"Okay. Time to make some money."
I went outside the hotel, entered my car then drove to the Warriors Association. After I arrived, I casually strolled through the entrance. There were still as many reception tables as I remembered. To be more specific, it looked like there were two sections. One where there was a board on each table written 'First Time Registration' and the other where the boards were written 'Registered Warrior Service'. This time, unlike before, I was to head over to the other section.
"Huh?"
As I did that, I noticed something strange, the receptionist from before, unlike yesterday, was in the Registered Warrior Service section.
"Weird, is she some sort of 'double-shifter'? Welp, since I'm more or less acquainted with her, I should go to her table to sell the Mana Crystal."
The line had a lot more people than the one from yesterday, around 30 or so. Since it was going to take a while for me to be attended. I started playing a game on my phone and made sure to keep pace while I waited for my turn. The cop chasing me along with his dog did not let up, it didn't matter how many trains I jumped, or even if I gained a powerup that allowed me to take to the skies. He still kept hot on my tail. Persistent bastard.
"Hah! New high score! Take that los-"
"Uhm...sir? Hello?"
"Oh jesus! Hoof! I thought my heart was gonna jump outta my chest. Hm? Oh, is it my turn now?" I asked after finally noticing how far I'd gone.
"Wait, hold on. How did she-"
"That it is." The receptionist answered.
She then continued. "You're the F-Rank Warrior from yesterday, right? Raid was it?"
"Oh wow, you remembered. I'm flattered. And you're...Peyton, ey?" I said after looking at her name tag.
"That's right. Oh and don't be too surprised I remembered you, forgetting the first and only F-Rank isn't exactly easy, fyi." Ouch, shots fired.
"Then there's the fact that you solo cleared an E-Rank Dungeon that took the lives of a party of one C-Rank, two D-Ranks and one E-Rank."
"What'd I tell ya! Faaaast travel."
"Oh yeah? Well... I just got lucky." I said.
"Really now? You don't say."
"Hmm...what'sa matter? Don't believe me?" I poked with a smirk. I feel like I'm getting cocky little by little. Well it's not like it isn't warranted.
"Oh I never said that." She said in defence while smirking herself. She looked a lot more comfortable with speaking to me than she did yesterday. It made me feel a lot more comfortable too. Honestly speaking our conversation from yesterday was beyond awkward. It's great if we can break the ice like this. "But let's forget about that. What exactly can I help you with? I assume it isn't to sell crystals since you're not holding any."
"Oh no, that's exactly what I'm here for actually."
I conjured out the D-Rank Mana Crystal of the Great Werehyena from the Item Space. She looked a bit baffled as she saw the Crystal appear in my hand out of nowhere. Warriors don't commonly put their Skills out for display like this but I didn't really care since it was the Item Space Skill which I didn't even use for battle.
"Is that... a spacial storage Skill. I-I didn't know the Blacksmith Class had that."
"Oh it does. I mean, how else am I supposed to carry all the weapons I make?" I asked rhetorically.
"Hmm. I guess that makes sense. Maybe I just thought you'd have a smithy or something, somewhere in the area." She jestered.
"Oh wow, you're terrible." I protested.
"And you've got no funny bone." Or maybe, you're just not that funny. No way I'd tell her that straight up though...
"....so it's a D-Rank Mana Crystal that I'm se-"
"Changing the subject are we-"
"A D-Rank Mana Crystal that I'm selling. Here you go." I gave it to her.
"You're no fun. Fiiiine, be that way. A D-Rank monster core earns you ten-thousand kk's. Just lend me your bank card for a sec and I'll transfer the currency immediately."
"Sounds good."
I gave her my card as she worked her magic. She then gave it back to me after she was done.
"Neat gloves." I said in observation, ignoring the sudden vibration from my phone as I put it in my pocket. She was wearing black and white fancy looking gloves that had patterned purple glowing lines on it.
"Oh these? Yeah, they verify the validity of Mana Crystals, the purple lines will continuously flash if I'm holding a legit Mana Crystal, and only Warrior Service section receptionists wear them." She explained.
"Makes sense."
"That it does. So, you planning on going to any other Dungeons any time soon?" She asked.
"Uh... yeah, I think I'll only explore E-Ranks from now on."
"Are you sure you're not getting in over your head? You said it yourself right? You only got "lucky" in the previous one."
I couldn't tell if she was genuinely worried about me or just poking fun.
"Oh, don't worry, I won't try to clear them. Just explore. By the way. I wanted to ask..."
"You're a terrible liar. What'd you wanna ask?" She inquired.
"A terrible liar? The eff does she mean by that? Mergh, she's weird so it's whatever, lemme just ask what I need to ask."
"Aren't you originally supposed to be in that section."
I pointed over to the First Time Registration section.
"That I am. But just for today, I was assigned to this section." She explained.
"Well that seems oddly specific. Why's that?" I asked.
"You don't wanna know?"
"Well that just makes me more curious."
"Which gives me more reason not to tell you."
"Now look who's no fun."
"Go choke on something."
"Only if you'll join me."
"You're holding up the line." She was right. I was met with very angry looking, very annoyed faces when I looked behind me.
"Well, well, aren't you just the best at weaseling out of situations. I'll take my leave then." I said as I walked away.
"Please do." She ordered.
"We'll see each other again soon." I declared.
"You have no idea."
"What did she say?"
I didn't exactly hear that last part so I asked:...
"Sorry, what was that!?"
"Ohhh nnnothing." She answered with a bright smile. For some reason, it seemed insincere.
"Should I be worried?" I wondered.
"Meh! Whatever!" But then chose to completely forget about it.
*******
Hector and Kyle were two guards who were assigned to an E-Rank Dungeon. Hector, who had been guarding the Dungeon for a year now and Kyle who was only recently assigned to it about a week ago, after Hector's previous partner went on leave. The two never would've imagined that they'd even live long enough to be the first people to witness history in the making. That being, getting the opportunity to see a Warrior solo clear a Dungeon that was one Rank above his own. Not only was such a feat unheard of, unthinkable and just downright unbelievable, it was believed to be completely and entirely impossible, in every sense of the word. It was well known around the entire world that in order for a Warrior to solo clear a Dungeon, they'd need to be at least three whole Ranks above said-Dungeon. With SS-Ranks and above being the only exception as they had the ability to solo clear all Dungeons up to S-Rank. With that in mind, then, was the Warrior in question an F-Rank with the power of a B-Rank? If that was the case then it'd make sense, wouldn't it? No, that was also impossible. In the first place, Ranks existed to convey the strength of a Warrior. If a Warrior of a certain Rank displays the strength of a different Rank then the Warrior was of that Rank to begin with. Then, Rank falsification? Also unheard of. The Warriors Association Rank Measures were the best in the entire world, each made from highly concentrated Mana and at least ten S-Rank Mana Crystals that were fused together by a handful of Mage Class Warriors through Mana manipulation. If they could accurately measure the Ranks of even the Six Emperors then they could accurately measure the Ranks of eveyone else. Plus it was also wide world knowledge that among all the Classes that exist, only the Blacksmith Class was F-Rank. Leaving only one conclusion. An F-Rank really did solo clear an E-Rank Dungeon. Whether one choses to believe it or not, that was the undeniable truth. Which left only one question to be asked. Just how did he do it? A handicap, the Warrior himself, known only as 'Raid' explained. All the other monsters had been killed. Wiped out by the Zeke Party. The Dungeon Boss had been significantly weakened, which allowed even an F-Rank to be able to kill it. If that was it then it started to seem more and more plausible. He took a risk entering a Dungeon one Rank higher than his own and just so happened to be at the right place at the right time. Fortune really did favour the bold. The two guards were in aw. Not of his strength, rather, of his bravery.
They knew that -
"We have to report this as soon as possible."
"Tell me about it. Let's go."
They headed straight to the Warriors Association, each driving a company car, and did just that.
At the Warriors Association Manager's Office.
A-Rank Secretary Class Warrior Melissa Rogers gave the report exactly as it was transfered to her. She stood as a table came between her and an old bearded black man in a suit who sat comfortably on his chair. That man was Chadwick Sukala, the Company Manager of the Niger Branch of the Warriors Association.
"-And lastly, in a recently cleared E-Rank Dungeon, there were 4 casualties and one survivor. Casualties include C-Rank Knight Class Zeke Reinhardt, third son of the Reinhardt Family along with all the members of his party, each belonging to a Vassal Family of the Reinhardt Family, namely Doyle of the Vander Family, Harold of the Smith Family and Niel of the Wick Family. A D-Rank Assassin Class, D-Rank Mage Class and E-Rank Archer Class respectively." She explained.
"Is that so? Ole' Andy's gonna throw one hell of a fit when he finds out." Said Chadwick jesterly.
"He...already has, sir. A messenger was dispatched an hour ago to inform the Family, or... Families." Said Melissa.
"Oh? I feel sorry for our 'one survivor' then. If I know Andrew Reinhardt and trust me, I do, then chances are he'll hold a grudge. He might even accuse the survivor of murder, considering he'd find it hard to believe in the first place that his son, a C-Rank Warrior would ever fall in an E-Rank Dungeon of all places, with a party no less. So who exactly is this survivor of ours?" He asked.
"Uhm...well you see, that's the thing..." She said hesitantly.
"Go on..."
"It says here...that...he's an F-Rank."
"...I didn't know you could joke like that too, Melly."
"Well, I'm not exactly as stiff as you seem to believe I am sir but, this..." She said as she handed him the tablet she was holding with the report. "...is not a joke."
Chadwick then held the tablet, and started reading the contents of the report. As he did, his face turned more pale each passing second.
"Hmm, this is insane. Checking his profile, this was his first Dungeon. He only just got registered today... Oh, and by our little Peyton no less. Raid, huh? No surname....Youth Preservation Orphanage..."
"You know it?" Asked Melissa.
"Yes, more than I'd care to unfortunately. And he's an F-Rank, the first and only in the entire world. I'd hate to be him, that's for sure. At first glance, it seems like a pretty plausible situation. The F-Rank got lucky and crossed paths with a weakened Dungeon Boss as an aftermath of its battle with the Zeke Party, a battle which took the lives of said-party, he then miraculously managed to kill the Boss and thus, cleared the Dungeon. But when you take a second look, you realise just how outrageous this story sounds. Would a D-Rank monster really be weakened to the point that an F-Rank could kill it? It'd have to be reduced to the strength of an F-Rank monster for that. It's more believable that it'd die before that even happens. Then there's the fact that the Zeke Party died while fighting it. It becomes a bit believable if we theorize that they were caught off guard and ambushed but could all four members of a party be so careless? If that were the case, they'd have died on their first Dungeon exploration. We're talking about a party that has even explored a number of D-Rank and C-Rank Dungeons. There's no way they were killed by that Boss, nor any other monster in that Dungeon for that matter."
"Then...you think the F-Rank did it?" Melissa queried.
"...." Chadwick couldn't help but pause at the thought of such a thing. "What were the members of the Zeke Party even doing in that Dungeon?" He asked.
"What do you mean?" Inquired Melissa.
"Why would they go to an E-Rank Dungeon when they already have clearance to all Dungeons up to B-Rank?"
"Hmm..." Melissa thought it over. "To actually clear it instead of just simple exploration?"
"Maybe." Said Chadwick. "But what are the odds that the first E-Rank Dungeon they decided to clear just so happened to be the same one that that kid Raid also entered?."
"Sir, you don't think-"
"The Zeke Party had existed for what, 3 years or so? That's more than enough time to incurre some small fame. Said-fame leads to cockiness which then leads to a misguided belief in one's strength and the desire to showcase that strength. It's a nasty, dangerous habit that some Warriors tend to develop. Believing themselves to be veterans, they try to bully and oppress newbies. Now think what would happen when an entire party of entitled, spoilt brats who think they're the real deal just 'cause they possess some considerable skill, cross paths with the weakest Warrior in history. The underdog of all underdogs, the newbie of all newbies." He finished.
"Then, you think they followed the F-Rank in the Dungeon in order to assert their dominance? It's true that what happens in a Dungeon stays in a Dungeon. For Warriors, there's no better place to settle a grudge but sir, you can't possibly believe that an F-Rank could kill a party like the Zeke Party, can you? That sounds even more outrageous than them being killed by the monsters of the E-Rank Dungeon." Argued Melissa.
"True, there's no way an F-Rank could beat a party like that. That's common knowledge, right?" Said Chadwick as he smirked slyly.
"....ah! Sir, you don't mean..." Melissa then realised what Chadwick was getting at after she thought it over for a bit.
"Exactly. No Warrior, at least none in their right mind, would ever drop their guard when dealing with a Dungeon, regardless of the Rank. But any Warrior is capable of letting their guard down when dealing with an opponent that's supposed to be multiple times weaker than them. Worse of all, when they have said-opponent outnumbered. Whether their dropped guards were enough for the kid to take them all down. Whether it was all by sheer luck. Maybe, because the Zeke Party entered a while after he did, they were unfamiliar with the Dungeon's terrain while he in fact was so he used it to his advantage. Maybe he's incredibly strong for an F-Rank. Maybe he used wits and outsmarted them. If there's anything that's certain, it's that nothing is certain. But beyond that though, the fact remains, the Zeke Party entered the Dungeon after that kid did, only for the weakest Warrior in the world to come out alone. And after clearing the Dungeon at that. One thing's for sure, if he's capable of taking out the Zeke Party, then he's capable of clearing the Dungeon, no matter the means." He concluded.
"But if that's the case, then how will we react to all of this?" Asked Melissa. It was obvious to the both of them how the Warriors Association would react to all that's happened. She just asked that for the sake of courtesy.
"Heh, The Warriors Association exists to deal with all matters Dungeon and Warrior related. We make sure to solve any and all problems in a just, righteous and fair manner. If that kid really did wipe out the Zeke Party, one thing's certain, in no way is he in the wrong. The only time the ones who are in defence kill is when they themselves are in life threatening danger. He had a choice between dying at the hands of the Zeke Party and them dying at his. Any sane man who values his life would choose the latter. But we all know it's highly unlikely Andy'll see it that way. If I was able to gather this much from all of this, then you better bet he'll be too, there's no doubt he'll go after the boy after that. So here's what we're gonna do. I'll see what I can do about Andy specifically. You assign a silent protector on the boy, someone who'll keep an eye on the kid and an eye out for any possible assassination attempts. They'll have to move in the shadows, completely hidden from both the boy and any idiots the Helios Guild, or rather the Reinhardt Family will send after him." He ordered.
"A Spy Class then.... Wait, you're not thinking of-"
"I am. She'll be perfect for the job. Afterall, she's the only employee here who's acquainted with the boy, more or less." He said with a mischievous smile, resembling another certain old man for a second.
"Not funny."
Sorry.
*******
Anyway.
S-Rank Great Knight Class Andrew Reinhardt, Head of the great and powerful Reinhardt Family, Guildmaster of the Helios Guild, and Zeke's father, was, as one would say, not your very 'typical' father. He spoiled his four children to no end. After losing his wife to an S-Rank Dungeon. He vowed to himself, he would strive to be the greatest father he could ever be, to the best of his abilities. He would provide his children with all that they needed and wanted. He vowed he'd give them everything, status, money, power, authority, everything. Driven by that ambition alone, he went from being a normal S-Rank with a considerable amount of fame and fortune to being a Family Head and a Guildmaster to boot. Thus he was able to bring his goals to fruition. He had managed to give his children everything, everything except the one thing they all wanted from him the most, unbeknownst to him of course. His attention. This caused a conflict of sorts to develop between the children. The all started to compete with one another for their father's affection, who, unbeknownst to them, loved them more than anything in the entire world but just didn't know how to show that anymore after losing the person he deemed the other half of his soul, their mother. One can only imagine how such an incredibly complicated man would react after hearing that one of his children, that he loved so much, had died.
"Outrageous! How could my son! My son! Die in a measly E-Rank Dungeon!!? While some F-Rank newbie managed to come out after clearing it! Didn't he have all those lackies of his from the Vassal Families!?" He questioned angrily.
"He did Sire, b-but they all died along with the Young Master." Answered his underling who also happened to be the one who gave him the news after receiving it himself from the messenger from the Warriors Association.
"And what of the those Vassal Families' Leaders? What do they have to say about all of this?"
"They're keeping quiet. They say they'll await your orders and respect you decision wholeheartedly my Lord."
"Is that right? Good, as they should. Leave now. I need to be alone." He ordered.
"You will be done my Lord." Said the underling as he exited Andrew's office and closed the door on his way out.
~Sigh~
A deep and long sigh filled the silent room afterwards. It was the sigh of a man whose sadness knew no depths. What followed afterwards...
~Bam!~
The sound of an enraged fist crashing through a wall. There, he stood as tears began to drip down his saddened face.
"Zeke, my precious son. Why have you left me? Why have you left us. Was I not the good father I thought I was, the good father I strived to be day in and day out? Who is it my son? Who is the bastard that took your life? Is it that F-Rank? It is, isn't it? There's no way my son could ever fall in some E-Rank Dungeon. That F-Rank, he's hiding something for sure. He must have used some trick that allowed him to tip the scales, and you must not have seen it coming, my dear boy. Afterall..."
~Chuckle~
"You were never really the brightest one among your siblings. That was apart of your charm however." He added as he held a picture of Zeke in his hands. "If I could see you face to face just one more time then...."
"That F-Rank brat, I'll make him pay. I swear to you, on my very soul. So that you may pass on peacefully my son, I'll kill that brat with my own hands!. Come out...Shadows."
As he said that, twelve individuals emerged from the ground as a dark coloured circle in each of their spots had formed on the floor. These were the Twelve Guardian Shadows of the Reinhardt Family, each of them was an A-Rank Assassin Class Warrior. Only Andrew and people that were directly related to him by blood knew of their existence. Which meant only him and his children knew and no one else. As their name suggests, they're guardian shadows that serve the Reinhardt Family wholeheartedly. As they had emerged, they all bowed and uttered in unison...
"We await your command Great Lord."
There was no leader among them, as such would entail that someone outside of the Reinhardt Family's direct members could give them orders.
"My son Zeke has been murdered by an F-Rank named Raid. Don't ask any questions. I just need one of you to go and capture the bastard for me, alive. I'll make sure to kill him with my own hands." He declared.
"Your will be done Great Lord." Said The Shadows in unison, one of them then stood up and came forth as he then uttered:...
"I'll make sure to carry out your orders without fail, my Lord."
"Good, the rest of you, dismiss!" All the other 11 Shadows disappeared into the ground leaving only the one who had volunteered.
"Now you, you know what to do. Go." He ordered.
"As you wish my Lord." Said the Shadow as he disappeared.
There in the empty and silent space of his office, Andrew Reinhardt sat on his chair with but one final declaration.
"I'll show that bastardous brat. I'll show him what happens when you incurre the wrath...of a grieving father."