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?

Volume 5 Chapter 69   First outing?

“——Well then, let’s start the first… what? Joint operation?”

After about a week since the date with Miyano and the others, I still couldn’t determine how I should be with them. I hadn’t fully accepted them, nor did I reject them outright. The distance had narrowed slightly, creating a state that could be described as more than friends but less than lovers.

With Miyano and the others, who seemed to have gotten closer, I arrived at the gate to check the new equipment I had acquired. However, there was one small difference from usual, and that’s why we ended up calling it a ‘joint operation.’

“Isn’t ‘joint operation’ a bit off?”

“I know that, but is there any better way to put it?”

“Field trip?”

“But, Haruka-chan, this is a dungeon, you know?”

“Even so, we should be able to handle most situations in terms of combat strength. At least, I don’t think we’ll lose to enemies attacking head-on.”

“Even if that’s the case, don’t let your guard down… Well, there’s no need to tell you guys at this point.”

This gate, instructed by Saeki-san, had just appeared, and though we hadn’t officially explored it, we had already checked the environment inside to some extent. However, knowing the environment doesn’t mean we know what will come out or what will happen.

This gate had manifested in the middle of the city, and if left unattended, it could disrupt people’s lives. Thus, we were tasked with dealing with it. Dealing with it didn’t mean destroying the dungeon outright. Of course, that was the goal, but if there were useful materials inside or unknown items, we would secure them without destroying the dungeon unnecessarily.

This was also one of the tasks of a ‘hero.’ We couldn’t randomly send people into unexplored dungeons, so we sent the maximum fighting force right from the beginning to check the danger inside. However, we couldn’t have heroes check every dungeon, so it was limited to places with a lot of foot traffic, like in the city, where it could potentially impact society.

But Miyano had been doing the work of a ‘hero’ for many years now. There was no need to be overly nervous. ——Or so it should be under normal circumstances.

The term ‘joint operation’ I mentioned initially wasn’t directed at Miyano and the others. So, who was it directed at?

“Um, Father…”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Um, well… Is this, like, a field trip? I didn’t bring a lunch or anything…”

“Ah… it’s not a field trip, so don’t worry.”

“It’s not a field trip?”

“No, next time. We’ll go on a field trip another time, okay?”

“Yes! I’ll make the lunch for that occasion!”

“Sure, looking forward to it.”

The person targeted by the previous words was none other than Nina.

It seemed that the fact I had been on a date with Miyano and the others, playing outside together, had been exposed, and Nina became upset, thinking she also wanted to play and go outside.

As a result, it was decided that Nina would also go outside to play. Whether the current situation could be called ‘playing’ was unclear.

However, getting Nina outside required applying and planning weeks in advance and obtaining permission. But taking that much time would mean Nina would remain in a bad mood all along.

So, Saeki and I came up with a plan to dispatch Nina to deal with the newly appeared dungeon in the city, and I, who happened to be there, would serve as the operator. This way, we didn’t need to waste unnecessary time.

Originally, we knew that a gate would appear in the city soon, and it just happened to be perfect timing.

Sending such a powerful force to deal with a gate might be considered somewhat excessive, but…

“So, well, let’s switch gears. It’s work.”

“It’s been a while since we entered a dungeon together like this.”

“From my perspective, it hasn’t been a year, let alone half a year.”

“In reality, it’s been three years. For us, it feels like a really long time.”

“Well, leaving that aside, let’s go in.”

For me, it’s been a month; for Miyano and the others, it’s been three years; and for Nina, it’s her first time participating in a joint dungeon exploration. Finally, it begins.

“It looks like… hmm… a plain?”

“But there’s fog…”

“It’s the expected environment, but with this much fog, we need to be more cautious about surprises than usual.”

“No heat sources.”

So, as soon as we entered the dungeon through the gate, Miyano and the others were on alert, but their movements were smooth, and I could understand that they had done similar things many times before.

…They’ve definitely grown, compared to before. I never used to instruct them on exploring new dungeons, but they’re doing well.

“Hmm?”

While admiring Miyano and the others for their progress, I suddenly felt something odd.

What’s this sensation? I’ve never experienced anything like this before… Is it coming from the depths of the dungeon?

“Is something wrong?”

“No… what’s this?”

Miyano noticed my change and asked, but how should I explain?

“Is something happening?”

“I don’t know how to put it… It’s not a negative reaction from over there. I feel something indescribable, like a vague presence. Can’t you sense anything?”

There’s a strange sensation, as if connected somewhere, as if the air is clinging to me, trying to grab hold. Initially, it was really subtle, but when I focused, I could definitely feel something.

“Is there something wrong?”

“I don’t sense anything.”

“Me neither.”

“Yeah, I don’t sense anything either.”

However, when I explained my sensations to Miyano and the others, they exchanged puzzled glances, confirming their surroundings cautiously but feeling nothing.

Did I misunderstand? No, it can’t be that…

“Alright, Father, let’s go!”

While saying this, Nina took my hand and headed in the direction where I happened to feel discomfort. No, did she choose that direction because I pointed there?

“Hey, Nina. Wait a moment.”

“Hmm? Is something the matter? We came to destroy the core, right?”

Well, I’m not here specifically to destroy the dungeon’s core; investigating it is the primary objective. But let’s put that aside for now.

“Do you not feel anything strange?”

“Strange? Everything seems normal as always…”

“I see. Well, for now, let’s proceed with caution.”

“Yes! Let’s head towards the core!”

“That’s fine, but where exactly is the core… Wait a minute. Don’t tell me you… Do you know where the dungeon’s core is?”

While talking with Nina, suddenly, as if a lightning bolt struck my head, a certain thought came to mind.

Since earlier, Nina has been behaving as if she knows where the dungeon’s core is. Leading me by the hand and heading straight for the core without hesitation.

“Huh? Yes, Mizuki and the others should know too, right?”

However, Nina, not understanding the intention behind my words, tilted her head and asked the others.

“Um… no, I don’t know.”

“Stop saying foolish things. If you don’t know, then how do you plan on destroying the core?”

Perhaps thinking that she was being lied to, Nina showed a slightly displeased expression, but that’s to be expected.

It’s not that Miyano and the others are lying; it’s that Nina is unique. Normally, people wouldn’t know in which direction the dungeon’s core lies.

“Search thoroughly?”

“That… isn’t that ridiculous? It’s too inefficient.”

“But, in reality, there’s no other method.”

“Do you understand it?”

“I’ve been saying that from the beginning.”

Despite Nina puffing up her chest, seemingly implying not to repeat the same thing, it’s now confirmed.

“Igami-san.”

Miyano turned to me with a puzzled expression, but Nina doesn’t lie, and upon further thought, many things make sense.

“Thinking about it, there are many things that can be understood.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. Just think about it. Nina enters the dungeon and destroys the core within a few hours. Is that logically possible?”

Nina can destroy the dungeon’s core in a matter of hours, sometimes even minutes. However, it’s absurd. Until now, I’ve abandoned rational thinking, attributing it to ‘because it’s Nina,’ but if she knows the location of the core, it makes sense.

“That is…”

“You flooded the dungeon with flames and destroyed everything in one go, right?”

“Yes. I casually spread flames around, and that’s it.”

While Nina perceives it that way, her “casual” doesn’t mean reckless. It likely implies doing it wholeheartedly without caring about the surrounding damage.

“Nina might be incredibly strong, but there are still limits. Dungeons, depending on the location, can be vast, covering entire regions like Japan. Do you think it’s possible to fill such a large area with flames? Black flames might slowly erode and spread, but that would take time.”

Even if Nina were to release flames in all directions haphazardly, she wouldn’t be able to fill the entire dungeon. If that were possible, the country where Nina was captured initially should have been engulfed in flames when she escaped. However, Nina only burned the surroundings of the enemy’s base.

Even if Nina had no intention of burning everything, back then, she probably didn’t know how to hold back. Despite that, the extent of the damage was limited, indicating the level of Nina’s abilities.

“But if she knows the location of the core, it’s a different story. If she unleashes a full-power attack toward the dungeon’s core, that should be sufficient. Even if creating flames to cover all of Japan is impossible, launching an attack that can reach from one end to the other or getting close to the core and then attacking, given Nina’s abilities, clearing the dungeon within half a day should be possible.”

Considering this, it becomes reasonable to understand Nina’s speed in clearing dungeons.

However, knowing the direction of the dungeon’s core is extraordinary. Normally, such an ability would warrant reporting to the country. In Nina’s case, it’s a bit different. Since Nina herself knew the core’s location from the beginning, she considered it normal. Outsiders, too, formed an atmosphere that anything is possible for Nina, the world’s strongest, so nobody recognized Nina’s abnormality, and there was no one to point it out.

Now that I understand Nina’s ability, there’s still a strange feeling lingering in my senses, hinting at something in the direction indicated by Nina.

“Um… was my method wrong?”

“No, it’s not like that… But normally, nobody knows the location of the core. That’s why humanity feels threatened by dungeons. Destroying just one dungeon already takes a considerable amount of time. If one is processed, and two more appear, eventually, the entire Earth will be filled with dungeons.”

“That’s why they delegate the handling of those matters to me.”

“Well, there’s also the fact that they’re short on forces.”

Even now, we’re asking Nina to destroy dungeons because, without it, gates will keep increasing. This hasn’t changed since three years ago. But that’s inevitable. Just because the commotion ended, it doesn’t mean allies suddenly become stronger or enemies become weaker.

“However, um… according to the earlier conversation, do you also know the location of the core, Igami-san?”

“Oh, right, I did mention something like that earlier.”

“To be honest, I don’t know if this sensation is pointing towards the direction of the core.”

“Well, then, for now, let’s head to where we think the core is.”

Following this strange sensation, I proceeded, and indeed, I was able to find the location of the dungeon’s core. It happened.