I, Who Was Criticized as the World's Weakest S-Rank Explorer, Am Actually the World's Strongest Explorer - Episode 99

Episode 99

“Who… are you?” 

When I asked cautiously, the girl tilted her head slightly. 

Her gesture appeared innocent and pure. But there was something oddly unsettling about it. 

And then, in the next moment—she spread her arms wide, as if she was about to leap into me. She spoke with unrestrained enthusiasm. 

As she tried to approach, I instinctively took a step back in caution. 

“My prince! I finally got to meet you!” 

“………What are you talking about?” 

Surprise, confusion, and wariness swirled within me as I stared at her guardedly. 

The girl smiled warmly and began to approach slowly. 

Her movements seemed modest. But her eyes carried a clear intent. 

“I’m so happy… I’ve wanted to meet you for so, so long.” 

Her voice genuinely conveyed joy from the depths of her heart. 

Yet, that purity only heightened my sense of unease. 

As I stood ready to draw my sword at any moment, her figure started to fade. It was as though becoming transparent like mist. 

“…!” 

“I guess I can’t stay here for too long, huh.” 

With a voice tinged with regret, she lowered her gaze. 

Her body, like a clearing mist, gradually blurred and lost its form. 

“Who… are you? What’s your name?” 

“I’ll tell you when we meet properly next time, okay?” 

Next time…? 

Her voice grew fainter and fainter. 

I stepped forward, trying to follow her. But by then, her figure had almost completely vanished. 

“But… if you manage to clear it, we can meet again. I’ll be on the 501st floor.” 

Her words left me bewildered. 

…501st floor. That was the floor where I had stopped progressing. 

No matter how far I went, the endless labyrinth wore me down. And I gave up exploring further. 

The girl offered no further response, just a quiet smile. Before her faint glow disappeared like mist. 

The space around me grew silent. It was as though her presence had been nothing more than an illusion. 

Standing there, I recalled her words. 

“………….…The 501st floor, huh.” 

I had no idea who she was, her true nature, or her intentions. 

But… one thing was certain—meeting her might provide some answers. 

It might be worth a try. 

—

The next morning. 

As I ate breakfast from the supplies I had brought, I reflected on yesterday’s events. 

“Saotome-san, can I have a word?” 

“What’s up?” 

“…Yesterday. I spotted that blonde-haired beauty we discussed.” 

When I said that, Saotome-san looked at me with surprise. 

Rin nearly choked on her bread. She was startled by the timing. 

Bad timing on my part, apparently. 

“She was a beauty, huh?” 

“Yes, she was.” 

“That’s… wonderful news!” 

“…….…” 

Why does that matter so much? 

Rin gave me a sharp glare, while Saotome-san leaned in with enthusiasm. 

“So, did something happen? Did you fight her or anything?” 

“No, nothing like that… She just said she wanted to meet me. On the 501st floor.” 

“Th-The 501st floor…! That’s quite intriguing, but it’s also a very dangerous place to reach… Ahh, I’d love to go there myself, but…” 

“That’s not happening.” 

I couldn’t allow her to accompany me. 

There was no guarantee I could protect her. 

Reaching the 501st floor itself posed considerable danger. 

Starting from the 101st floor, there were massive chasms and shortcuts I used by leaping down. But I couldn’t bring Saotome-san along that way. 

Even on the way back, I sometimes had to climb cliffs on my own. 

A safer route would require a long-term expedition. 

Even I had only made it this far by using my summer vacations and other long breaks. 

“Besides, I still don’t know why she wants to meet me. If she turns out to be an enemy, I can’t risk bringing anyone along.” 

“Hmm… That’s disappointing, but understandable. So, you’re planning to go meet her, right?” 

“Yes. If I can learn something about this dungeon, it’s worth a shot.” 

There was a chance I could gain information related to its completion. 

Or maybe even answers to the numerous mysteries Saotome-san had mentioned before. 

“If she’s someone we can talk to, it’ll be a lot easier. So, you’ll head there once we finish the investigation here?”

“If possible, that’s what I’d like to do.” 

Rin has also improved significantly in fighting the monsters on the 101st floor. 

With her current skills, she should be able to handle moving below the 100th floor, even while accompanying Saotome-san. 

Besides, activations rarely occur while I’m inside the dungeon. 

Rin, however, looks worried. 

“But… letting Haruto go alone is… concerning. Maybe I should go with you……..… Ah, would I… just be a burden?” 

Rin started speaking confidently at first. But her voice grew quieter and quieter toward the end.