I, Who Was Criticized as the World's Weakest S-Rank Explorer, Am Actually the World's Strongest Explorer - Episode 71
Episode 71
(Note: Special for this chapter, dialogues through the telephone are in ‘….’)
I sat down on a chair in my room and propped up my phone.
All I had to do now was wait for contact from Saotome-san and Kirishima-san.
Today, we were going to discuss how to handle the Explorer Association moving forward.
As I prepared and waited, my phone vibrated.
A group call notification from the two of them appeared on the screen.
I tapped to answer, and Saotome-san’s lively voice immediately came through.
‘Hey there, long time no see! Did I keep you waiting?’
“No, it’s fine.”
When the video call connected, Kirishima-san was there too.
I had contacted them to hear their thoughts before engaging with the Association.
…..…I will never forgive the people who drove Rin to this point.
Personally, I’d love to drag every higher-up at the Association out and knock some sense into them. But I wasn’t sure how much I could actually achieve.
That’s why I was thinking about doing whatever would hurt the Association the most.
“First, just to confirm….… are you aware of the current situation?”
I directed my question to Saotome-san.
I’d heard from Kirishima-san that she had briefed her.
When I prompted her to confirm, Saotome-san smiled.
‘Of course. The Association’s PR division is leading the charge to paint Kanzaki-kun as the villain, right?’
“Well, yes, that’s correct.”
‘And Amakusa-kun was infuriated because his beloved Kanzaki-kun is being bullied. So, he wants to do something about it. Did I get that right?’
“Th-That has nothing to do with it! It’s the Association… they’re the ones I can’t stand!”
As I said that, Saotome-san nodded repeatedly as if to say, “I know, I know.”
Is this girl messing with me?
Even Kirishima-san was giving me a warm look, but…….. it’s not about that!
‘Well, I have my own gripes with the Association too. They’ve been telling me to research the Kamino Town Dungeon, but they’re so stingy with research funding.’
“…I figured as much.”
The Association……..
I hadn’t looked into it much before. But apparently, they’ve been incredibly wasteful.
Hosting unrelated festivals without consultation, claiming to use funds for explorer support but missing the mark completely…
While I was thinking about this, Saotome-san puffed her cheeks indignantly.
‘Isn’t it awful? At this rate, I can’t even gather proper data, let alone get decent experimental equipment. And I *need* a kotatsu and mandarin oranges to function!’
(Note:
Kotatsu
)
She sighed dramatically over the screen. She was clearly venting her frustrations.
……..…Well, that seems like a minor complaint, doesn’t it?
“…Y-Yes, that does sound rough.”
I offered a sympathetic response, and Saotome-san leaned into her complaints even more.
‘Honestly, what do the higher-ups at the Association think our efforts are worth? They just expect results to fall into their laps without lifting a finger. It’s ridiculous!’
“That’s true. I feel the same way.”
The moment I agreed, Kirishima-san let out a small sigh and furrowed her brow.
‘…That organization is rotten to the core. The moment a crisis hits, their flaws come spilling out. Lately, my workload has doubled because they’ve been offloading tasks onto me that inexperienced staff can’t handle…….. and yet the people earning higher salaries than me are just lounging around, doing nothing.’
Her tone was calm. But her eyes burned with anger.
Ah, this feels like one of those dangerous topics.
Her eyes had a glazed, ominous look. And her smile seemed unsettling.
‘Despite all the effort I’ve put in, there’s no recognition. At this point, all I can do is laugh. Don’t you agree, senpai?’
‘Completely. Those guys just sit around chatting while knowing nothing about the field.’
The two of them were fully fired up.
Wait, hold on—are these two more frustrated with the Association than I am?
This is bad! At this rate, the conversation is going to veer completely off course.
“Well, I see your resentment toward the Association runs deep…… Now, can I share what I’m planning to do next?”
‘Sure, go ahead. What’s your plan?’
“…The first idea I considered was to return as an S-Rank Explorer and take on Rin’s assignments myself. With some negotiation, I believe I could secure more freedom in how I operate.”
Given the situation, if I brought the Association’s president into a proper discussion rather than relying on verbal agreements, things could likely move in a favorable direction.
‘Well, if you want to help Kanzaki-kun without causing a big stir, that’s probably the simplest way.’
“However, I am no longer considering that option.”
While Saotome-san seemed to agree that this would be the least disruptive approach, I had reasons to reject it.
‘Why is that?’
“I received a report from Kirishima-san… that Rin is being pushed to her limits as part of an effort to coerce me into returning. Isn’t that correct, Kirishima-san?”
For high-rank explorers like me, even our mere presence carries immense value.
Japan has a severe shortage of A-Rank Explorers. It makes this all the more significant.
If I returned as an S-Rank Explorer, my influence would increase not just within the Association but nationwide. However, doing so would mean playing directly into their hands.
While I was fuming internally, I maintained a composed demeanor for Kirishima-san as I confirmed her findings. She clearly had no part in this manipulation.
‘Yes. I asked a contact at the headquarters to gather information quietly. It seems that during the recent directors’ meeting, such a topic was discussed. Apparently, some higher-ups have been boasting about it during drinking sessions.’
‘That’s a nasty move.’
“…And that’s exactly why I’m even more furious.”
I lacked concrete evidence…… but it was all too believable.
Not that evidence mattered.
They had made baseless accusations against me without proof, after all.