I, Who Was Criticized as the World's Weakest S-Rank Explorer, Am Actually the World's Strongest Explorer - Episode 8

Episode 8  

I mustn’t act in a way that makes her dislike me. I need to be polite and careful, steadily building up her opinion of me.  

“…….Right. But this isn’t the main issue right now. It’s about the deepest levels of this dungeon!”  

Even weekly activations were frequent enough. But that was already two years ago.  

“The deepest levels?”  

“…Yes. When I reported that it had over 101 floors, well… the Association dismissed it. But the extra levels are still there.”  

“…Over 101 floors.”  

…Everyone reacts the same way. Even though dungeons have existed for 100 years now, when I—someone with no credibility—mention something unprecedented, no one believes me.  

I’d love to have a chat with the big shots at the Explorer Association. Why can’t they believe me, even though they trust unexplained dungeons?  

“I’ve reported that the frequency of activations has also increased, but the Association hasn’t done a thing. Something serious could happen if they keep dragging their feet.”  

The Explorer Association often takes action far too late. Then the top brass resigns, a new person takes over, and the cycle repeats. They even receive generous severance packages every time. Honestly, it’s become such a regular occurrence that people joke it’s a deliberate system. The Association in Japan is truly a corrupt organization.  

“…….That’s surprising. But the idea of more than 100 floors existing is even more so.”  

“Exactly. There aren’t any other dungeons with more than 100 floors, right? This is an irregular dungeon. I really want the Association to investigate it properly.”  

“I see…”  

She really does seem to be hearing this for the first time.  

Kirishima-san probably hasn’t been with the Explorer Association for very long. Whether she joined after high school or college, she looks about that age.  

..…It’s not fair to blame her. Sure, I find a beautiful woman’s troubled expression appealing. But there’s no need to bully her unnecessarily.  

“…I think Miyoshi-san and the others have also reported it a few times, though.”  

“…I’m sorry. I don’t have the information to answer you right now. I’ll need to go back to the Association and look into it.”  

“Please do. Oh, here’s my phone number, just in case. Let me know if anything comes up.”  

I don’t carry business cards, so I gave her my number directly.  

I’d done the same with the previous liaison, but they’d barely ever called me.  

After jotting down my number and confirming it with a test call, we parted ways.  

Will Kirishima-san actually follow through?  

……I don’t have high hopes.  

I’ve stopped expecting anything from the Explorer Association. Expecting things from others and being let down every time is worse than not trusting them in the first place.  

That’s the life lesson I’ve learned in my 16 years.  

The only people I trust are the locals here. I’ve given up expecting anything from outsiders.  

Well then, time to head home and grab something to eat.  

—

That evening, with the winter’s cold wind cutting through the air, Kirishima returned to the Explorer Association’s Akisaki City branch.  

The branch office was located in the city center. It was an old building exuding a worn-out vibe. The reception counter was cluttered with disorganized piles of documents, and the staff carried on with their work in a somewhat lethargic manner.  

Despite being responsible for managing Akisaki City, Kamino Town, Niizuma Village, and Yadonashi Town, the branch’s atmosphere remained oddly lackadaisical.  

After exchanging a few casual greetings, Kirishima headed straight to a desk in the back.  

Waiting there was her senior colleague, Tanoue.  

Leaning back in his chair and fiddling with his smartphone, he yawned. He looked unmistakably bored.  

“Tanoue-senpai, could I have a word with you?”  

I lowered my head slightly and addressed him. Tanoue stretched once, scratched the stubble on his chin, and looked up.  

Even at a glance, he gave off a slovenly impression. His wrinkled clothes only added to it.  

Kirishima didn’t particularly like Tanoue. One reason was his appearance.  

“Oh, Kirishima-chan, what’s up?”  

And the other reason was his gaze. She despised how he ogled her body. Kirishima didn’t have an especially feminine figure. But Tanoue would stare at her legs, neck, and other parts of her with a lecherous intensity.  

“I wanted to ask about Amakusa-san in Kamino Town… Specifically, about the dungeon he mentioned having more than 101 floors. He said he reported it earlier—do you know anything about that?”  

As Kirishima broached the topic, Tanoue’s eyebrows twitched briefly in surprise before he smirked and let out a derisive laugh.  

“Oh, that story? Yeah, I told him to bring proof if he wanted me to take it seriously.”  

“…But doesn’t the Kamino Town dungeon have issues with electronic devices?”  

“Apparently, yeah. You can make calls. But if you try to take pictures, it’s just a blank screen. Even though Wi-Fi works, live streams don’t. No wonder no famous streamers come to check it out. What a crappy dungeon.”  

“…So wouldn’t it be difficult to provide photographic evidence?”  

Each dungeon floor entrance had a wall displaying the current floor number. If it were possible to take photos, that could serve as evidence. But in Kamino Town’s dungeon, photography wasn’t feasible.  

It wasn’t entirely impossible, but setting up the necessary conditions for recording required significant time and money. Supporting explorers with those resources was supposed to be part of the Association’s responsibilities.  

“Yeah, yeah, I know electronics don’t work well there. But that’s just Amakusa making stuff up.”  

“……Making it up?”  

“Yup. You know his online nicknames, right? Stuff like ‘Master Slacker’ or ‘S-Rank Talent for Skipping Work’. The guy’s lying to cover up his incompetence. He wants people to think the dungeon’s so difficult that it’s not his fault. How the hell am I supposed to report that kind of nonsense upstairs?”  

“…That’s—”  

Kirishima couldn’t deny it.  

She’d researched Amakusa when she became the Akisaki City liaison at the start of the year. His reputation was abysmal.  

The more she looked into him, the worse it got. Online, his name was a magnet for bad press. Even when featured on TV, he was always introduced with phrases like “lowest rank” or “weakest”.  

“Oh, and another thing—don’t take the folks in Kamino Town too seriously.”  

Tanoue chuckled dismissively, tossing his phone onto the desk.  

Kirishima’s eyebrow twitched slightly at his behavior. But she maintained her composure, keeping her emotions in check.  

“Not take them seriously…?”  

“Exactly. You won’t get any reliable info out of that place.”  

“…I see. Then what about the reports of frequent dungeon surges? Wouldn’t those be evident from the magic stones brought in by Kamino Town residents?”  

“Oh, well… Just write up a report on that later or something.”  

Tanoue waved his hand lazily, clearly uninterested. Which irritated Kirishima.  

It was evident that he had been shirking his responsibilities to avoid the extra work involved in filing reports.  

“…So you didn’t report it?”  

“Eh, it’s fine. Nothing’s happened, right?”  

Tanoue simply laughed it off, showing no concern.  

This was typical of the entire branch office. Everywhere Kirishima looked, the staff seemed equally apathetic.  

Employees on their phones during work hours, yawning openly. Some napped at their desks, while others took far too many breaks.  

Seeing these lazy and irresponsible coworkers filled Kirishima with renewed disappointment.  

She had taken this job for the sake of stability.  

Working at the Explorer Association was demanding, with few breaks. But the salary was good, and it was a government job.  

For someone in the countryside, it was one of the best career options available.  

Kirishima had chosen it with the hope of eventually marrying another Association employee, becoming a power couple, and living a fulfilling life together.  

But the reality was entirely different.  

Watching her coworkers’ sloppy attitudes and lackluster work ethic only deepened her frustration.  

——Maybe I chose the wrong job.  

She muttered that to herself internally and got to work on writing the report for now.