I, Who Was Criticized as the World's Weakest S-Rank Explorer, Am Actually the World's Strongest Explorer - Episode 98

Episode 98

“Saotome-san, you really know a lot about different things.”

Rin spoke with an impressed look on her face.

“Well, I just like gathering knowledge. As I’ve been researching things that interest me, this is how it naturally turned out,” 

Saotome-san replied, her voice carrying a hint of happiness.

.

……….Saotome-san seems pleased with the compliment.

“But it’s really amazing. There’s so much I don’t know, so you’re really amazing, Saotome-san.”

Her sincere words caused Saotome-san’s mouth to twitch slightly in a smile.

“Hehe, if that’s the case, then maybe I’ll tell you a bit more. This is a continuation of our earlier conversation……… I’ve heard rumors that in China and Russia, the number of cultivated explorers is starting to increase.”

“Cultivated?” 

I furrowed my brows at the unfamiliar word.

“Simply put, explorers who are created… From birth, they’re exposed to magical energy to stimulate the awakening of their abilities.”

At that explanation, I couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

Extraordinary abilities usually awaken during puberty or under specific circumstances. But the idea of artificially—deliberately—stimulating it……… It’s honestly a chilling thought.

“So what do they do with these strong explorers they create?” 

“I imagine they use them as military force,” 

Saotome-san replied, her eyes carrying a trace of sorrow.

…Well, that’s what you’d expect.

I don’t know the extent to which this is happening in other countries. But there’s no doubt that explorers are being counted as part of their military power. It’s not a situation where you can just relax with things like vested interests and government appointments.

“Dungeon exploration is important. But many countries’ real goal is to raise special individuals as weapons. That’s why they’re so desperate to recruit. In countries like China and Russia, the government often controls dungeon management. So there’s a solid foundation for conducting such experiments. They can even force dungeon exploration to take place. And it’s not only those two countries where there are suspicious rumors.”

“…That’s scary,” 

Rin muttered, her voice tinged with unease.

“Well… there’s no need to worry too much. After all, these are just rumors,” 

Saotome-san said, perhaps trying to calm Rin.

……………It may be the kind of thing you’d expect from a scribble on the back of a flyer. But I’m sure there are at least a few countries actually pursuing this seriously.

“Well, if a war were to break out, who knows what would happen. There were countries in the past that launched nuclear missiles at dungeons, but the dungeons were undamaged. And some individuals with special abilities weren’t affected either. It’s certain that these beings, who defy the laws of this world, will overturn the conventional rules of warfare from now on.”

Both Rin and I could only listen in silence to Saotome-san’s words.

—

By the time we finished spending the day with Saotome-san’s research, night had fallen.

The dungeon grew darker, and we each moved to the dungeon stairs to take a rest.

Around the stairs, a barrier was set up. So there was no sign of monsters.

Even so, the heavy, oppressive air of the dungeon clung to my skin, not leaving.

The cold stone floor and the occasional sound of a small breeze—it was enough to make anyone feel the weight of unease if they let their guard down.

Rin and Saotome-san were wrapped in simple sleeping bags. They were sleeping.

I sat next to them, keeping watch. My sword was resting on my knees.

As I absentmindedly scanned the surroundings, I caught a faint sound.

——Footsteps…?

In an instant, every nerve in my body became alert. I hesitated for a moment whether to wake them. But I decided to focus on identifying the source of the sound first.

I stood up, gripping my sword tighter. I glared toward the direction of the sound.

At the top of the stairs, a faint light shimmered in the dim darkness.

In the wavering light, I saw a white figure.

——A person…?

As I focused my eyes, I saw a girl standing there.

Her pale golden hair swayed gently. And she wore what looked like a white dress.

Her presence seemed completely out of place in this desolate dungeon.

“…Who are you?” 

The girl’s face lit up at the sound of my voice.

“…I finally found you!” 

She exclaimed. Her voice was filled with a deep, joyful resonance.

I tightened my grip on my sword. But I cautiously took a step closer, keeping my distance.

She had a very cute appearance, but I didn’t let my guard down.

………..Recently, I heard a movie about aliens transforming into the most appealing appearance to attract humans. So, it’s possible that she has transformed into the kind of beautiful girl I desire.

…………Though, to be honest, I would prefer a woman with a more… curvy and nice body.

The girl wore an innocent smile. But her very existence felt out of place.

Was she a monster, or some other kind of being?

“You…” 

I started to ask, but the words stopped midway.

In her eyes, there was an emotion that made it seem like she knew me… a sense of familiarity.

But more than that, what stood out was this place.

Inside the dungeon, in a safety zone protected by a barrier—how did she get in here?

Sure, it’s possible to enter. But many suspicions arose in my mind.

I couldn’t shake off my caution, and I kept staring back at the girl.

“I’ve been waiting here.” 

The girl then continued cheerfully.

“I’ve been waiting… for a long, long time.”

Who exactly was this girl? As doubts and unease mixed together, I tried to find more words to ask.