Chapter 167: The Record for Fastest Conquest
Having successfully conquered the B-Rank dungeon, White Storm, Ryu and his companions headed straight to the Adventurers’ Guild Headquarters without even stopping to rest.
Inside the large guild hall, a long line of adventurers waited before the reception counters, submitting reports, turning in materials, and claiming rewards.
Among the receptionists working that day was the same guild receptionist who had handled Ryu’s group previously.
As she processed the queue, her eyes suddenly widened slightly.
She had spotted them.
(Oh? Those are the kids who were bragging about challenging the White Storm Dungeon, aren’t they?)
Her lips curved faintly in amusement.
(They’ve come back after two days… so I suppose they withdrew partway through. Well, that’s probably for the best. At least they got to experience firsthand just how terrifying a B-Rank dungeon can be.)
She shook her head inwardly.
(Youthful recklessness doesn’t work here in the capital. When their turn comes, maybe I should offer them a few comforting words.)
A few minutes later, their turn arrived.
And the report they delivered—
Was something she had never imagined.
“W-What!? You really cleared it? The White Storm Dungeon!?”
“If defeating the Snow King Bear counts as clearing it, then yeah,” Ryu replied casually.
“And you did it in two days!?”
“Yeah,” he said with a shrug. “We reached the foot of the snow mountain on the first night. Killed the boss the next morning and came straight back.”
“P-Please wait a moment…”
(They actually cleared it…!?)
The receptionist felt her thoughts spin.
(And in two days!? That’s not just impressive—that completely shatters the fastest completion record for White Storm!)
(This is way beyond something I can handle alone…)
Muttering under her breath, she hurried off toward the back rooms.
Several minutes passed.
Then the receptionist returned—
Accompanied by someone else.
“Grandmaster. These are the individuals in question.”
The entire guild hall fell silent.
Standing beside her was a man whose very presence radiated overwhelming power.
The Grandmaster of the Adventurers’ Guild.
The magic flowing from his body was immense—so vast and refined that it seemed perfectly fitting for the man who stood at the very peak of the continent’s adventurers.
Those sensitive to magical energy immediately noticed.
“Hey… isn’t that…?”
“That’s the Grandmaster! He almost never shows himself in public!”
“What did those young adventurers do to get his attention!?”
A wave of murmurs spread throughout the guild hall.
The Grandmaster stepped forward and stood before the reception counter.
Naturally, the one who faced him was Ryu.
The older man looked him over with a grin.
“Kid… you’re awfully young.”
Ryu stared right back at him.
“And you’re awfully old.”
“Ku-ku-ku… cheeky brat,” the man chuckled. “Of course you know who I am, right?”
“Of course I don’t.”
“…What?”
Inside the Adventurers’ Guild Headquarters, finding someone who didn’t know the Grandmaster was nearly impossible.
Almost every adventurer knew his name.
Many even admired him.
Yet somehow—
He had encountered one of the rare few who didn’t.
(This kid has guts…) the receptionist thought, stunned.
(Most rookies can’t even speak when they feel the Master’s presence…)
Behind Ryu, Stingray hurriedly leaned close and whispered frantically.
“R-Ryu-sama! That’s the Grandmaster! The most powerful adventurer on the continent! A truly important figure! Normally you’d never even get the chance to meet him!”
“Oh really?”
Ryu scratched his cheek lazily.
“So what does such an important old man want with us?”
“Ryu-sama! You can’t talk like that!”
Everyone nearby forced awkward smiles.
His casual tone was incredibly disrespectful.
“Don’t worry about it, miss,” the Grandmaster said, waving a hand. “I came to confirm something.”
His eyes returned to Ryu.
“I heard that you brats cleared the most difficult B-Rank dungeon—White Storm—in just two days.”
He leaned forward slightly.
“Just to confirm… that’s true?”
“Of course it is,” Ryu replied. “We’re planning to sell the Snow King Bear materials to the guild. Except for the edible parts.”
The Grandmaster’s eyes lit up.
“Oh! That would help a lot. Boss monster materials are incredibly popular among adventurers for crafting weapons and armor.”
He folded his arms.
“So where are the materials now?”
“Right here.”
Ryu reached into his item bag.
Then he casually pulled out the massive head of the Snow King Bear.
“—!?”
The Grandmaster’s eyes widened slightly.
(An item bag…?)
(I see… this boy is no ordinary adventurer.)
Item bags were typically aristocrat-level magical items.
Even adventurers needed A-Rank income or higher to afford one.
It was not something a boy who looked barely twenty should possess.
Which meant—
Ryu was clearly special.
What the Grandmaster didn’t know was that every member of the party carried one.
“You don’t want to use the materials yourselves?” the Grandmaster asked curiously. “Most people who clear White Storm use the boss materials for their own equipment.”
“B-Rank materials?” Ryu shrugged. “I don’t need them.”
He spoke as if it were obvious.
“If I’m going to give equipment to my companions, it has to be S-Rank or higher. Anything below that isn’t worth considering.”
At that moment—
The silver pendants hanging around Lena and Esther’s necks glimmered faintly.
“……”
The Grandmaster’s eyes narrowed.
(Those scales… what are they…?)
The silvery material shone brilliantly.
And yet—
Even the Grandmaster, who had spent decades as the continent’s top adventurer, had never seen such a material before.
Of course.
Because they were made from the reverse scales of a certain dragon.
“Well then,” Ryu said, turning around.
“We’re heading out.”
“Wait.”
The Grandmaster raised a hand.
“The confirmation isn’t finished yet.”
“We’re busy.”
The receptionist thought silently to herself.
(You really just said that… to the busiest man in the entire guild…)
The Grandmaster cleared his throat.
“A two-day completion is the fastest record in guild history.”
He looked serious now.
“So I’d like to hear the full details.”
Ryu shrugged.
“Then let’s skip that.”
“…What?”
“Just give the adventurer points to Stingray and Alice when we submit the materials.”
Ryu waved a hand dismissively.
“I’m not interested in holding the fastest-clear record or anything like that. You can pretend this run never happened.”
He glanced at his companions.
“Everyone okay with that?”
“I’m happy with anything as long as I’m with you, Onii-sama!”
“Same here. I want to hurry back and eat that delicious bear meat.”
“Well, we’ll be leaving the Federation in a month anyway. I’m more worried about tomorrow.”
“If Ryu is fine with it, so am I.”
“I’d really like to go home and take a bath.”
Every single one of them agreed.
The Grandmaster and the receptionist both stared in shock.
“H-Hey!” the Grandmaster shouted. “A fastest-clear record is a huge honor for an adventurer! And you’re rejecting it just because you want to go home!?”
“That’s right!” the receptionist added. “For a new clan like yours, this would be the perfect achievement to make a name for yourselves!”
But while the two of them panicked—
Ryu simply walked away.
“Alright then.”
“……”
“……”
Then the Grandmaster spoke again. His voice heavier now.
“Wait, boy.”
“…What now?”
“You never told me your name or your clan.”
He crossed his arms.
“Tell me before you go.”
Ryu stopped briefly.
Then he said without turning around—
“Ryu.
Clan: Dragon Road.
That’s all.”
And just like that—
He walked out of the guild hall with his companions.
The Grandmaster stood frozen.
He didn’t move for several seconds.
The receptionist finally spoke.
“Grandmaster… what is it?”
“…That boy is the Hero’s opponent.”
“The Hero’s opponent…?”
Her eyes widened.
“W-WHAT!?”
“You don’t believe it?”
“N-No! The duel is tomorrow!”
“Exactly.”
The Grandmaster sighed.
“That’s why they casually dove into a B-Rank dungeon, defeated the boss in two days, and came back as if it were a game.”
He chuckled softly.
“When he said he didn’t care about records… he wasn’t showing off.”
“He genuinely doesn’t care.”
He glanced toward the entrance where the group had disappeared.
“After all… the samurai standing behind him carries a name known as the greatest swordsman in history.”
“A B-Rank dungeon record would mean less than dust to someone like him.”
The receptionist swallowed hard.
“…!”
“Do you remember what that samurai said?” the Grandmaster asked.
“N-No…”
“He said: ‘If Ryu is fine with it, so am I.’”
The Grandmaster smiled faintly.
“That was spoken by Sakamoto Ryoma. The strongest swordsman in the world.”
“…Does that mean Ryu is stronger than Sakamoto-sama?” she whispered.
“I don’t know,” the Grandmaster admitted. “But the way Sakamoto looked at that boy… That was the gaze reserved for someone real.”
He folded his arms.
“And if he’s willing to entrust his own future to Ryu—even while facing the Hero…There’s no need for further explanation.”
The receptionist lowered her gaze.
“…I didn’t realize because Ryu didn’t treat Sakamoto-sama as anyone special.”
“Everyone in that clan may be extraordinary,” the Grandmaster said quietly. “The familiars sitting on their shoulders and heads were hiding tremendous magical power.”
He paused.
“And the one leading them all… Ryu…”
The receptionist finished the sentence.
“—A monster.”
“Exactly.”
The Grandmaster exhaled slowly.
“And the most terrifying part is…Even with my eyes…He still looked like nothing more than an ordinary boy.”
The Grandmaster muttered quietly to himself.
“Be careful… Takeshi.…That opponent won’t be easy.”
Soon afterward, the guild resumed its normal operations.
And the Grandmaster slowly made his way back toward the top floor, his footsteps unusually heavy.