Chapter 10: What Must Not Be Known, What Must Not Be Revealed
In this world, the term "S-Rank" carries a special meaning.
It is a title bestowed either upon the pinnacle of human achievementâthose who have accomplished historic featsâor upon beings with the potential to destroy the world.
Given that the former usually refers to those who have saved the world, it stands to reason:
An S-Rank is a title for an existence capable of shaking the world itself.
So then, what is a "Quasi-S-Rank"?
In short, it refers to "an A-Rank monster with the potential to evolve into an S-Rank."
Normally, monsters do not evolve.
But among A-Ranks, there are a rare few with the potential to ascend to S-Rank.
Now, you might think itâs absurd to keep such beings hiddenâbut thereâs a reason.
This world operates on game-like mechanicsâstats, dungeons, and the like.
So, when an ultra-powerful monster like an S-Rank is slain, a reward is triggered.
An item drop.
And this drop remains the same whether the monster is killed as an A-Rank (before evolving) or as an S-Rank.
Now, imagine if this item were something so absurdly powerful it could tip the balance of power between nations.
That very knowledge is the foundation of a nationâs strength.
If anyone outside of usâwho know the truthâwere to slay a Quasi-S-Rank, it could spark a full-scale war.
Thatâs why we have to be the ones to kill it.
And thatâs why I had to explain this to our leader.
Now, with that in mindâ
The thing standing before us this time is <Nation Devourer>.
Literally, a freaking snake that could swallow an entire country if left unchecked.
That said, the reason it can evolve from A-Rank to S-Rank is obvious:
It grows larger the more it eats.
The bigger and stronger it gets, the closer it comes to becoming an S-Rank.
Luckily, it hasnât consumed enough yet.
We should still be able to take it down as an A-Rankâbut thereâs one major problem.
This thing is one of the strongest A-Rank monsters in existence.
"Randallâs team, switch with Kaiserâs! Our team and Claudeâs hold position! Mishaâs team, swap from attackers to healers and support Randallâs team!"
The leaderâs sharp, piercing voice cuts through the chaos.
Sheâs an outstanding adventurer, but her greatest talent?
Being loud and clear.
Even in the thick of battle, her orders always get through.
As a commander, you couldnât ask for a better skill.
âFighting a dungeonâs "Core Lord" is essentially a raid battle.
Multiple parties unite, each fulfilling their role as the battle progresses.
Our strategy?
Treating each team as a single adventurer.
We have five teamsâGolem, Randall, Kaiser, Claude, and Mishaâassigned as Attackers, Wizards, Healers, and Tanks.
Naturally, each team is balanced, allowing us to switch roles on the fly to prevent a wipe.
Honestly, thereâs no one "right" way to fightânot even in raids.
Right now, role specialization is the norm, but history might shift things toward all-rounders someday.
But none of that matters right now.
All that matters is the fight.
Once the "Lord" enters combat, it spawns monsters around it.
We have to deal with those while chipping away at the boss itselfâa brutal balancing act.
Thanks to the leaderâs precise orders, weâve managed to hold the line by constantly switching roles.
But if the "Lord" changes its attack pattern when cornered?
All bets are off.
Since <Nation Devourer> is classified as a Quasi-S-Rank in this country, there are records of past victoriesâbut the details are lost.
The last time it was slain was centuries ago, so thatâs no surprise.
The only thing we know for sure?
It changes tactics when pushed to the brink.
But how exactly?
Yeah⌠we have no damn clue.
"âRina, look out!"
Suddenly, Solaryaâs voice rings out.
At the same time, I sense movement behind meâI spin around, slashing with my sword while instantly chanting:
"âWinds, rise!â"
My blade deflects the worst of the blow, and the gust puts distance between usâjust as <Nation Devourer>âs tail whips through where Iâd been standing.
"Dammit, that thingâs tail is way too nimble! And has it gotten longer?!"
"Must be part of its traits. Yousrid, stay sharp on the tail and keep attacking! Rina, cover himâfocus support on Yousrid!"
"...Got it."
I wasnât slacking off, but that attack came out of nowhere.
Itâs been like this the whole fight.
This snake is scarily good at striking from blind spots.
Any party without tight coordination and experience wouldâve been skewered instantly.
"Anna, howâs the chant coming?!"
"Almost⌠just a little longer!"
Yousrid leaps into the fray, checking on Annaâs progress.
Right now, our role is Wizards.
The key difference between Attackers and Wizards?
Wizards have higher burst damage, while Attackers have better sustained DPS.
Meaning, we have to hold the line while prepping a massive strike.
Iâd switch to Wizard duty myself, but with the snake attacking unpredictably, thatâs not an option.
Still, somehow, Anna finishes her chantâ
And together with the Randall team, also on Wizard duty, we unleash a devastating blast straight into the serpentâs hide!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
The serpent's shriek echoed through the battlefieldâand in an instant, the tide of battle shifted.
"Leader! The adds just shed their skin!"
"Looks like it! Pattern change! Mishaâs team and Kaiserâs teamâswitch! Claudeâs team, go full healers! Rinariaâs team and Randallâsâtank stance, NOW!"
The leader barked orders without hesitation, redistributing roles in a flash.
Two tanks, two healers, one attacker. A cautious formation.
But thenâ
The serpentâs maw lunged straight for the leaderâs throat.
The speed was inhuman.
The only one who mightâve reacted in time was Yousridâbut even he was too far to intercept. And even if he had, it wouldâve been suicide.
Before anyone could shout a warningâ
The leader was swallowed whole.
"L-Leader?!"
"ShitâSPIT HIM OUT!!"
Panic erupted.
This was the true horror of fighting a "Core Lord."
Occasionally, theyâd pull off moves beyond human comprehensionâattacks so brutal they could one-shot even A-Rank adventurers.
No matter how skilled we were, there was always a gap.
Losing our commander? Worst-case scenario. Even with all our past raids, weâd never faced this before.
But thenâ
"âRina!"
Yousridâs voice cut through the chaos.
I didnât just hear itâI understood.
My body moved before my mind could catch up.
"âWinds, RISE!â"
Magic surgedâ
"EVERYONE, STAY CALM!!"
Yousridâs voice boomed, amplified by magic.
It wasnât like the leaderâsâher sheer volume was a gift. Most commanders needed spells to project their voice.
"The. Leader. Isnât. DEAD. Stick to the planâroles UNCHANGED!"
Yousrid had seen it.
The leaderâs last signal.
His job now? Make sure we followed it.
I was already moving, casting amplification magic mid-stride.
Our teamâs role: Tank.
With the leader gone, that duty fell to me.
I slashed at the serpent, drawing aggro from the newly shed monstersâ
And just like that, the party snapped back into formation.
"Yous, Rinaâthank you!"
"...Saved us."
The Graf coupleâs gratitude barely registered as Yousrid and I darted across the battlefield.
Unlike other parties, we were down a member.
The strain was brutal.
The serpentâs attacks grew fiercer, but the real threat?
The flying adds.
Their shed skins had given them wings.
Three-dimensional combat in a raid? Pure chaos.
This snakeâno, this thingâwas smart. It had targeted the leader with precision.
And yetâ
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
A roar shattered the battlefield.
Not the serpentâs.
A voice like thunderâfrom inside the beast itself.
"LEADER!!"
Cheers eruptedâthen were drowned out as the serpentâs jaws wrenched open, its throat convulsingâ
And out she came.
The leader, bathed in golden light.
âSame as always, a scene ripped straight from a legend.
There was a trick to it, of course.
Noâ
A trick that defied tricks.
Monsters in this world were strong enough to end civilizations.
But humanity?
We had our own miracles.
Sometimes, people appeared who wielded powers beyond magic or swordsmanship.
Abilities that defied logicâ
"Alternate Skills."
And the leaderâs wasâ
"âVAJRAaaaaaaaa! YAKSHAAAAAAAAAA!!â"
"âVAJRA! YAKSHA!â"
(Note: The "aaaaa" and "!" are part of the skill name. The number of "a"s scales with her hype.)
"The Basics of Alternate Skills: One per person, once per day."
The effect was obviousâa golden glow, hardening her body.
Enhanced strength. A voice that boomed louder.
A damn good skill.
But right nowâ
"Yous! Rina!!"
The leaderâs shout cut through the chaos.
âThis was our chance.
The serpent had frozenâshocked.
Its intelligence had backfired. Swallowing the leader whole? A miscalculation.
The tide had turned.
Morale soared with the leaderâs survival. Her Alternate Skill locked the serpentâs jaws, crippling its attacks.
The adds were thinning. The snake writhed, desperate to shake her offâand failing.
And thenâthe order came.
I knew instantly what she wanted.
"The finisher."
"Yous, letâs go!"
"Tch!âYeah, no shit!"
I sprinted to his side, skidding into position.
Yousridâs eyes widenedâbut that didnât matter.
I rolled my wrist, spinning my blade, falling into perfect sync beside him.
He exhaled sharply, adjusting his grip.
And thenâ
I saw it.
âŚâŚâŚâŚHuh?
"...Rina?"
ââHe looked⌠cool.
Wait, since when was this guy so damn handsome?!
I mean, sure, he was famous for it among adventurers, butâ
Since when did it hit me like this?!
Hold up. Hold the hell up.
Since when did I notice him like this?!
Am I going through puberty again?! Some kinda love-at-first-battlefield awakening?!
Shut up, brainâI was literally a dude once! (Sorta! Maybe! Genderâs still a work in progress!)
Oh god.
Oh god oh god.
We slept together.
I donât rememberâthanks, alcoholâbut it happened.
And then it hit me.
ââWhat about him?
I forgot. But did he?
"...Hey, Yous."
Time elapsed: 0.2 seconds.
My hyper-trained internal clock mocked me as my brain overheated.
What kinda hormonal meltdown is this?!
But now that Iâd noticedâI had to know.
In the middle of battle? Didnât matter.
âThe fight was already over.
"W-What? Why the serious face all of a sudden?"
"Doing this⌠makes me remember stuff."
Our blades aligned, pointed at the serpent.
The height difference meant mine was lower, butâ
Someone once said we looked like "twin wings."
"The first time we fought side by side like this."
Moonlit flower fields.
Platinum-bright light.
Never thought Iâd be the one bringing this up.
âGuess things changed after that night.
But saying it out loud, so boldlyâŚ
Maybe Iâve finally figured some things out.
"We do this all the time. Câmonâletâs move."
Whatever.
Together, we activated our Alternate Skill.
And deep downâ
I remembered the first time weâd ever used it.
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