I, Who Was Criticized as the World's Weakest S-Rank Explorer, Am Actually the World's Strongest Explorer - Episode 16

Episode 16

“Then, what will be the plan moving forward?” 

“…..Amakusa-san, you have reported something similar to the Explorer Association before, right?” 

“Uh, yes, I have…” 

“What kind of investigation did the association conduct at that time?” 

“…..Well, I’m not really sure.” 

“…..Did they send any other S-Rank Explorers, or anything like that?” 

“No, they didn’t. Other people are busy with other dungeon expeditions, so no one could come.” 

Especially with the increasing number of dungeons appearing every day, other S-Rank Explorers are basically busy with that. 

“I see. Looking at the records of the Association, I don’t think they did much investigation. They probably just checked if there were any magical anomalies in the dungeon. And if there were no problems, they concluded it there.” 

“Yeah…” 

That’s all they would have done. 

Because they probably think everything I’m saying is a lie. 

“…This time, a researcher I know is asking to retrieve anything that can be harvested from the 101st floor or higher and submit it. They would like to gather magical stones and possibly some medicinal herbs, if available.” 

“Eh!? They’re going to investigate!?!” 

“Yes. However, they specifically wanted items from the 101st floor and above. So I was wondering if it would be okay to ask you for that…” 

“Oh, that’s fine. I’ll just go and get them.” 

If I take about three hours for the round trip, I should be able to get there and back. 

Unlike last time, there won’t be any measurements on each floor. So I might be able to shorten the time. 

It’ll be just light exercise for me. 

As I was thinking about that, Kirishima-san grabbed my arm in a hurry. 

“W-Wait a minute! Are you going now?” 

“Yes.” 

“……If it’s alright, I’d like to accompany you.” 

“Why?” 

“It’s dangerous, you know?” 

“…I want to confirm with my own eyes that what you’re saying is true.” 

“…….”

I think her words came from the fact that she doesn’t fully trust me yet. 

Kirishima-san lowered her gaze apologetically before continuing. 

“To be honest, I don’t fully trust you. …The person portrayed on TV and the internet is very lazy and unreliable, someone who’s good for nothing… like a worthless human being.” 

“Ugh…!?” 

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to accuse you!” 

It hurts to be told the bad things people write about me on the internet. 

But when such a beautiful woman says it, there’s also this strange thrill. 

Ah, so this is what they mean by verbal teasing. 

I should probably think of it like that the next time I read those posts online. I should imagine it’s coming from a beautiful woman. 

“…S-Sorry. I wasn’t being considerate.” 

“No, don’t worry about it. It’s true that such opinions exist online.” 

I’m fine with it as long as it’s Kirishima-san saying it. 

“…Anyway, I want to confirm it with my own eyes. And since I’m asking someone I trust to investigate this, I want to make sure of it myself.” 

K-Kirishima-san…. 

She’s a goddess, a goddess standing here. 

It’s rare for someone, especially a beautiful woman, to join an S-Rank Explorer with a bad reputation and enter a dungeon. 

No one knows what might happen inside. 

That’s why I can only think of her as a goddess. 

“Since it’s a higher floor… there are many dangerous monsters, you know?” 

“I understand. But still… I want to see it with my own eyes. If more people know about the truth, maybe the situation will change.” 

Kirishima-san…. 

Her words made me so happy that I almost cried. But I held it in. 

“Alright. In that case, it would be better to go when it fits your schedule.” 

“Thank you… How about we go next weekend? If we take two days, we should be able to go there and back, right?”

“……Hmm. I don’t think it’ll even take a full day.” 

“Eh? Are you serious?” 

“Seriously. If we’re walking together, it might take quite a bit of time. But if I carry you, either on my back or in my arms, we should be able to get there and back in half a day at most. Even if I estimate it on the high side.” 

“………You’re going to carry someone and still conquer a dungeon?” 

“Well, I think it should be manageable now.” 

“………..If we kidnap someone from the Association Headquarters and carry them, would that work?” 

“…N-No, that’s… well… It would be troublesome if they started struggling while I was carrying them.” 

“Well, you could just knock them out, right?” 

“…Th-That would be a last resort, but… that’s—” 

It seems like Kirishima-san has a lot bottled up. 

Still, if something happened while doing that, it could be a big problem. 

“A-Anyway… If you’re extremely heavy, we can talk about it. But you’re about the size of a normal adult woman, right? You’re not hiding any secret weight, are you?” 

“…I’m not heavy, you know. …But, understood. In that case, let’s go on whichever day works for you this weekend. I don’t have any particular plans.” 

“I see. Then, how about Saturday, January 6th?” 

On January 7th, I have to meet with my mom’s fiancé-to-be. 

“Got it. ……Then, let’s decide by the day whether you’ll carry me on your back or in your arms.” 

“Understood. Well, with your body type, I wouldn’t mind either way.” 

“…Huh?” 

………Wait, did I just say something inappropriate? 

“What do you mean by that?” 

“…N-No, well… it’s not like there’s any deep meaning behind it, okay?” 

“Oh? You definitely looked at certain parts of my body when you said that, didn’t you?” 

“Eh, no, no, that’s not it at all! Anyway, when the time comes, I’ll bring just enough water and light snacks! We can drink water inside the dungeon, but it’s usually contaminated. So you’ll end up with a stomachache until you get used to it.” 

“…Do you drink it?” 

“Uh, well… My body is tough, so it’s not a problem for me.” 

“…Did you go to a hospital or anything?” 

“Yes, I’m perfectly healthy with no issues.” 

“Well, that’s good, but… it’s dangerous. So you should avoid drinking anything inside the dungeon.” 

“Well, I’m fine for now.” 

I give a thumbs up. It’s not like I have a choice. 

Getting food deep in the dungeon is the hardest part… 

At least, it looks like I managed to dodge the awkwardness from before. 

“Honestly… Anyway, for the day, should we bring drinks and light snacks? Let’s prioritize safety.” 

“Yes, please.” 

As I said that, Kirishima-san’s phone rang. 

“…Excuse me for a moment. Yes… uh… the branch manager is calling for me to come back right away? …Ah, yes, yes, I understand.” 

Kirishima-san sighed and hung up the phone before bowing to me. 

“I’m sorry. The branch manager is calling for me, so I’ll head back for now. If anything comes up, please contact me.” 

“Got it. Good luck.” 

“Thank you. Amakusa-san, I’m sure you have your own work to do with the surges. Please take care of that as well.” 

With that, our meeting ended. 

It’ll be the first time I bring someone with me into the deep parts of the dungeon. 

As Kirishima-san said, I need to keep safety as my top priority.