I, Who Was Criticized as the World's Weakest S-Rank Explorer, Am Actually the World's Strongest Explorer - Episode 82

Episode 82  

A certain high-rise building in Tokyo. In the conference room of Honma Television.  

From the window, one could see the cityscape. But the expressions of the adults gathered there were uniformly grim.  

Kana Aizawa was dispatched from the Explorers’ Association. She was sitting across from Honma Television’s news producer. They were exchanging arguments across the table.  

Aizawa used to appear frequently on Honma Television as a model. She had risen to the position of director at the Association’s headquarters due to the strong favor of the former chairman. He brought her in as a secretary after she retired from modeling.  

Compared to other directors, she was considerably younger. And her original fame helped slightly improve the Association’s public image. However, skepticism surrounded her capabilities. It was fueled by rumors of her indulging in leisure trips abroad under the pretext of training. While these rumors were true, Aizawa adamantly denied them when asked.  

Now, she had begun a meeting.  

“We, as the Association, need to remind the public of how crucial Haruto Amakusa is as an explorer. We aim to shift the current critical sentiment toward the Association into anticipation of his return. For that purpose, we need Honma Television’s special cooperation.” 

The producer glanced over the documents in hand. He nodded politely.  

“So, in short, you want us to air reports that both uplift the Association and stir interest in Amakusa’s comeback?”  

“…’Stir interest’ might be an overstatement. But yes, that’s the gist of it. We’d like you to create a narrative that makes it seem only natural for Haruto Amakusa to return as an S-Rank Explorer. Since it’s a given from his achievements and abilities.”

“Understood. However, overly blatant reports might backfire. Audiences these days are sharp. If they sense manipulation, it could provoke backlash.” 

The producer replied cautiously. This wasn’t their first time discussing such matters, and the producer was well-versed in navigating these situations.  

“Of course, we understand that. The goal is to foster a narrative that recognizes Haruto Amakusa’s past accomplishments. It would subtly imply his return is only logical. Over time, the public will naturally grow dissatisfied with his absence. We’ve even prepared operatives to influence social media. We’d like Honma Television to contribute on this front as well,” 

Aizawa said, her tone steady but firm.  

“…I see. We’ll do our best to make it convincing. But I can’t guarantee how much impact it will have.”  

Aizawa’s lips curled briefly before she replaced it with a serene smile.  

“Of course. We understand Honma Television’s position. Ratings are everything, and it’s the same for us. The Association will provide as much support as possible.”

“For example?”  

The producer’s eyes gleamed slightly. Aizawa paused for a moment, then spoke in a low voice.  

“We’d like to offer your company the broadcasting rights for future events related to S-rank Explorers and dungeons hosted by the Association. Such events are bound to draw significant audience attention.”  

“…Interesting. That’s certainly an enticing offer.”

“Additionally, we’re planning to establish a new Association-certified PR initiative. By increasing television networks’ involvement in promotional activities, we believe it will create mutual benefits.” 

Aizawa’s words carried a subtle implication. The Association, previously handling PR in-house, would delegate parts of it to Honma Television. It would be done in return for ongoing favorable coverage.  

“That’s an intriguing direction. Let’s discuss the specifics on another occasion. For now, I’ll approach this positively,”

The producer agreed, signaling contentment without delving deeper.  

“Then, let’s finalize the details of the plan moving forward.” 

Thus, the meeting concluded with an agreement to revise reporting strategies. It intertwined the interests of the Association and Honma Television.  

—

Before long, reports highlighting Haruto began appearing on television and online forums.  

(Everything is going perfectly. This is fantastic.)  

Aizawa was in high spirits. She tackled the day’s negotiations.  

Not all criticisms of the Association had disappeared. But she pressed on with confidence.  

Repeated reports highlighting the lack of progress in dungeon expeditions and accusations of Rin Kanzaki shirking her responsibilities gradually shifted the blame onto her.  

Even if such voices were in the minority, leveraging the power of the media made them seem like the majority.  

Those who didn’t frequent the internet—or even those who did but didn’t dig deeply into the details—tended to take such reports as fact.  

—

However, a small problem had arisen.  

In a room belonging to the Public Relations Bureau of the Explorers’ Association, Kana Aizawa’s expression was anything but cheerful.  

The room was warm, thanks to the heater. It allowed for light clothing despite the season. Bathed in the sterile glow of white lights, Aizawa sat at her desk. She was reviewing documents.  

As someone in her position, she needed to remain highly attuned to public opinion. Yet, the current situation was so chaotic that she didn’t even know where to begin.  

While checking reactions on online forums and media news, Aizawa felt an ever-growing irritation.  

“Why are those internet idiots still trusting Amakusa? They should just keep criticizing him like they did before!”  

What truly irked Aizawa was Haruto Amakusa’s attitude.  

Her animosity was entirely personal. But she wielded the Public Relations Bureau’s resources to spread posts criticizing Haruto on online forums. And it included statements on social media that praised the Association while disparaging Haruto.  

Despite her efforts, the results were less than satisfactory.  

Doubt toward the Association—sparked by Kiryu’s live streams—and trust in Haruto had only grown. In fact, criticism of the Association was increasing.  

The root of the problem lay in the current circumstances:  

– Kiryu was inactive.  

– Rin Kanzaki was neglecting her duties.  

– Dungeon expeditions were falling behind schedule.  

– Explorer shortages were causing issues everywhere.  

Compounding matters, the shortcomings of regional Association staff in managing explorers and dungeon expeditions had come to light.  

In the regions, many employees were incompetent. They were often hired through connections. Such staff, who barely worked even in ordinary times, were now exposing their ineptitude amidst the chaotic situation.  

This incompetence ignited dissatisfaction among explorers. It was leading to explosive criticism. The spotlight shifted from Haruto’s situation to the incompetence of the staff. It triggered widespread backlash and renewed controversy.  

Within the Association, what were called “meetings” among directors had devolved into blame-shifting sessions. It left Aizawa with no one to rely on.  

To make matters worse, Aizawa herself was shouldering part of the blame. It was further fueling her frustration.  

Haruto had dealt with monsters Kiryu couldn’t handle. If he were to return, many issues with dungeon expeditions would likely be resolved.  

Thus, pressure was mounting on Aizawa.  

Aizawa had been hired through connections under the previous chairman. For her, this was the first time she was expected to actually perform her duties.  

“Ugh, I just want to go on an overseas trip already…”  

Since joining the Association, the only “work” Aizawa had done was attending overseas workshops. Which were little more than vacations in disguise.  

“…And on top of that, WEA’s representative hasn’t even bothered to visit the Association. How rude.”  

Even with Haruto’s return, the explorer shortage still posed challenges for dungeon expeditions.  

If possible, Aizawa wanted to request cooperation from the World Explorers’ Association (WEA).  

As she idly passed the time watching television in her office instead of working, an email notification popped up on her computer.  

The email contained a surprising message: WEA’s representative, Amelia, wanted to hold a meeting with the Association.  

What’s more, Amelia specifically requested Kana Aizawa’s presence at the meeting. The message instructed her to clear her schedule.  

Everything seemed to be falling perfectly into place.  

If Aizawa could successfully manage this task, she might even secure the position of the next Association president.  

“…Oh? She wants to meet me? Maybe it’s because of that elf cosplay I did back then?”  

During her modeling days, Aizawa had once dressed as an elf for the buzz. It had gone viral.  

Convinced it was because of that, Aizawa smirked to herself.