Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Chapter 18   Rabbit’s Garden

“Alright then, let’s see… It’s currently 6:50.”

We still have plenty of time since the meeting is at 7 o’clock.

“Oh, you finally arrived! So slow!”

“Huh?”

As I entered the gatehouse of the dungeon “Rabbit’s Garden,” I immediately heard a familiar loud voice.

Looking in that direction, as expected, it was my team member, Kana Asada, looking at me.

Even though I arrived before the appointed time, she’s saying I’m late…

Anyway, I should greet the other team members for now.

“Good morning.”

“O-Ohayou gozaimasu.”

“Morning.”

“Yeah, good morning.”

As I approached, the other three members greeted me, except for Asada. I responded to their greetings and then pointed at Asada, asking a question.

“So, about you saying I was late earlier… It’s not even time yet, right?”

“I’m sorry. I arrived a bit too early…”

“Too early… It’s not like it’s your first field trip or anything.”

“It is my first time.”

“Well, I guess that’s true for Abe. But you’re not the type to get so nervous, are you?”

“Hmm. Kana rushed me.”

She was rushed, huh?

“What is it?”

“…Oh, it’s nothing.”

When I looked at Asada, she gave me a sharp glare, so I averted my gaze and faced forward.

“Anyway, what should we do? Since we’re all here, should we go?”

“Yes, I think so. We’re already prepared, so it’s fine.”

“Then, let’s go.”

And so, our team started walking towards the dungeon for the second time.

“Grassland, huh? Given the name ‘Rabbit’s Garden,’ I had a feeling it would be like this…”

“It’s vast, isn’t it?”

As we passed through the gate, we were greeted by a grassy plain, unlike the cave we encountered last time.

The grassland stretched as far as the eye could see, unobstructed by anything, bathed in the sunlight illuminating the world.

It’s the kind of scenery that makes you want to lie down and enjoy a nap. However, this is still a dungeon, a realm of monsters, not humans. If you dare to take a nap here, you’ll be dead within half a day.

“Everyone, check the surroundings. If you spot any enemies or anything strange, report it.”

Having never seen such a vast grassland before, the members who had lived in Japan were captivated by the scenery. However, their leader, Miyano, snapped back to reality and instructed the team to stay alert.

However, despite maintaining vigilance for a while, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

“Hey, which direction should we go?”

“…Somewhere around here should be the core of the dungeon, right?”

“Or perhaps an entrance to an underground area or a building. There must be something other than the grassland.”

We decided to move forward since staying here wouldn’t change anything, but now we faced the challenge of figuring out where to go.

In diving into the dungeon this time, our assigned task was to locate the “core” within one of the specified dungeons. Destroying the core would cause the dungeon to collapse, and the gate would disappear. However, since this place was intended for the education of beginners, we were instructed not to destroy it.

Therefore, all we needed to do this time was find the core, but for them, who hadn’t researched the specifics of this dungeon, they had no idea where it could be found. Hence, they had no clue about which direction to take or how to proceed.

“What should we do?”

“Even if we say that, there aren’t any particular landmarks or options, right?”

“No hints or anything, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s all just grassland.”

“For now, let’s exit through the gate and move straight ahead.”

As we started moving forward, I wonder if these guys are aware.

This type of dungeon, where you have a clear view of your surroundings, is called an open-world dungeon. In open-world dungeons, you need to be cautious not only of monsters but also other things.

Even if they haven’t realized it yet, I won’t mention it at this point, but I should take some precautions on my end.

“There it is!”

After walking for a while, Miyano, who was at the front, let out a small voice and signaled us to stop.

“Rabbits, huh…”

“Are those really monsters?”

“Yeah, well, you’ll see if you get closer.”

As for who would approach, it was decided that Miyano, who was the fastest among us, would take the lead to ensure we could handle any situation quickly.

“There’s nothing there at all.”

“We’re still too far away.”

However, despite getting closer to within just ten meters, the “rabbit” trembled but didn’t move.

“Oh, is it still far away?”

“Yeah. Unless it realizes we’re aware of it, it won’t make a move until we get really close or until it’s attacked.”

If we hadn’t noticed it, it would have launched a surprise attack without any hesitation.

“So what does it do when we get closer?”

I’d like to say, “See for yourselves,” but… Ah, look. Something is happening.”

While we were talking, Miyano approached the “rabbit,” wielding his sword cautiously.

But in that moment…

“Screams!”

The “rabbit,” which had only trembled until then, suddenly changed its form and attacked Miyano.

However, if it were only the attack, Miyano, who had been on guard, wouldn’t have let out such a scream. Therefore, there must be another reason for her shout, unrelated to the attack.

“…Uwaaah!”

“Gross…”

“What is that?”

“That’s the true form of the ‘rabbit’ here. When detected by enemies, it disguises itself as a weak-looking creature, like it did with Miyano earlier, and lures its prey closer before devouring them.”

The three girls, apart from Miyano, who had been observing the situation from a distance, were left speechless. After a brief silence, each of them expressed their thoughts, none of which were favorable.

And it’s only natural. Just a while ago, it had a cute rabbit appearance, but suddenly, its form underwent a mutation.

When it appeared to attack Miyano, the “rabbit” made squelching and tearing sounds, as its head split open, revealing countless thin tentacles extending towards Miyano.

If we were to describe the atmosphere, it would be similar to something out of Alien or a Biohazard game.

It’s no wonder everyone is shocked when a rabbit undergoes such a transformation. It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman. In fact, I was surprised myself the first time.

“However, despite its abnormal appearance, its attacking power isn’t that strong. It may cause injuries if you’re a second-rank adventurer, but if you’re at least a third-rank, you can survive.”

Being a third-rank adventurer means you’re relatively weak. To be honest, even if you awaken your abilities, a third-rank adventurer would still be weaker than a professional martial artist.

As we discussed these matters, Miyano, who had defeated the enemy, returned…

“Um… Should I use this?”

“…Thank you.”

Whether it was due to the sudden attack or the shocking appearance, our reactions were slightly delayed. As a result, Miyano managed to defeat the enemy, but she ended up getting splattered with the remnants—a pinkish-white gooey substance—of the slain creature.

“That’s the enemy here. Be careful not to defeat them too close, or you’ll end up like that.”

“Yes…”

I urged my team members with that caution, but Miyano, who had experienced it firsthand, seemed deeply affected, her spirits noticeably dampened. Well, I wouldn’t want to end up in that state either.

“…Sigh.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll clean you up nicely, so hold your breath and don’t move for a moment.”

This was something I had learned from my research.

However, because I was the one who prevented Miyano from researching about this dungeon, it resulted in this situation. And to some extent, it could be said that it was my fault.

So, it wouldn’t hurt to lend a helping hand for the first time.

Or rather, even though there aren’t many people around in the dungeon, I don’t want to walk alongside a high school girl covered in such a gooey mess. It just feels… you know, awkward.

Using magic, I conjured up water equivalent to a soccer ball and directed it towards Miyano’s head, allowing the water to wash away the dirt as it flowed downwards.

“That should do it. Normally, I wouldn’t do this much because it depletes magical energy needed for combat, but for the first time, it’s fine. Remember that things like this can happen and handle it yourselves from now on.”

“Wow, it’s clean now!”

“Thank you so much!”

Kitahara exclaimed in surprise, while Miyano lowered her head in gratitude. I waved my hand lightly and told them not to worry.

“So, shall we continue forward?”

“Yes!”

Now that the dirt was gone, Miyano seemed livelier than before. She responded and called out to the team members as we resumed our progress.