Chapter 59

"Rank 2, me?"

Anne looked at her palm with an expression of disbelief. I can understand how she feels. The first time my rank went up, I was over the moon.

"That's right. Anne has become Rank 2. Finally, your hard work has paid off."

"I'm so happy... I wonder why I was the first."

"That's because you had the strongest desire for power among us."

Indeed, the final blow. The pressure Anne felt at that moment must have been immense. If she hadn't been able to draw out the power of Kval Bestia, we would all have died.

It's not just that Anne has become Rank 2; it's also that she has been recognized by Kval Bestia, which is very encouraging.

Being pushed to the brink, where one wrong step could mean death, is not something to be welcomed. However, this time it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

"With this, we have a glimmer of hope for the duel with Clanel."

I smile.

From my assessment, Anne's sword skills have already surpassed Clanel. Now that she has become Rank 2 and can draw out the power of Kval Bestia with the ability of Gluttony to pierce through the protection, she will have a significant advantage in battle.

"But, I feel a bit guilty being the only one to reach Rank 2 while Soji and Kuna are still behind."

"There's no need to worry about that. Enjoy this moment. Don't worry, Soji and Kuna will catch up to Rank 2 soon."

After this life-or-death battle, it's certain that Soji and Kuna are very close to reaching Rank 2. Our victory was only possible because we all pushed beyond our limits. With time, the excess [Rank] will settle in, and Soji and Kuna will naturally reach Rank 2.

"Well, we need to clean up. Anne, you rest."

"What are you planning to do?"

"Since we went through all this trouble to defeat the monster, we should take what we can get."

I use my last bit of strength to approach Tiran's corpse and collect the magic stone. Even for Rank 2, this is a high-quality magic stone. It will be very useful. I also collect the reverse scale on Tiran's back.

Tiran's body has one scale that is inverted, which was essential for controlling magic. Besides its superior hardness, it also has magical properties. Using this as material, we can create excellent equipment.

This Tiran is remarkable. Not only did it have formidable defensive capabilities that repelled all our attacks, but its mobility was also due to its incredible lightness, in addition to its physical strength. It's rare to find such a material.

"Soji, you're in a good mood."

Anne, who is peeling off Tiran's materials with high spirits, sounds a bit exasperated.

"I'm also a blacksmith. Seeing such materials makes me happy. But, we can't take much of it."

I want to collect as much of Tiran's materials as possible, but the size is too large. We have a limit to the amount of items we can carry. I carefully select the best fangs, scales, and skin and put them in my bag. Now, the problem is what to do next.

"How are we going to get back?"

I ask Anne with a wry smile. We are both battered and bruised from the battle with Tiran. We need to head for the surface in this condition.

"…It's difficult. Kuna is still unconscious, and Soji is at his limit. I still have protection, but I can't properly control my magic."

"That's the side effect of [Magic Limit Release]."

[Magic Limit Release], which draws out magic beyond the limit, forces the release of all magic and damages the magic circuits. Anne and Kuna will have a significant reduction in magic recovery for about ten days and will have difficulty controlling magic.

In other words, Anne and Kuna won't be able to use magic for a while. I have used up my protection with [Emblem Exterior] and most of my magic with [Silver Dragon's Roar]. I can't fight properly and am extremely sleepy. I'm standing only by sheer willpower. But, the situation won't wait. We need to make a decision.

"…Let's rest on this floor for a while."

"Here!? Isn't it dangerous?"

The monsters on the sixth floor are usually tough. It's understandable that Anne is surprised.

"It is dangerous. But, to get to the fifth floor, we need to clear the pile of rubble. We can't do it in our current state."

Clearing the rubble without magic is difficult. Even though Anne and Kuna still have protection, which enhances their physical abilities, the lack of magic-enhanced physical abilities is a problem. We could do it with time, but using up our strength and then being targeted by monsters would be bad.

"Also, Tiran was born using all the miasma on this floor. In other words, the miasma here is completely gone. From my assessment, no monsters will spawn for at least half a day."

"I see, that makes it safer to stay put."

"The best option is to stay at the entrance to the fifth floor, rest, and wait for high-rank explorers to pass by from the lower floors."

Anne nods. If we can't return alone, we need to seek help. If we negotiate with sincerity and offer a reasonable reward, they will likely accept.

"Since we have a plan, let's prepare to rest."

I pick up the unconscious Kuna and carry her in a princess carry. Looking at Kuna's innocent, angelic sleeping face makes me want to play a prank. I take a sleeping bag from my backpack, lay Kuna down, and use some cloth to create a makeshift shelter for all three of us, leaning against the wall of the dungeon.

"Anne, come over here and rest. If monsters spawn, you'll be the only one we can rely on, so be prepared."

"Understood. Since I've been helped so much, it's my turn to protect the two of you."

Anne still has protection, so her physical abilities haven't declined. She can use sword skills without relying on magic. While she may not be at her best, she can still fight. Anne sits next to me and increases her vigilance.

"Anne, you're being too cautious. You'll wear yourself out. I'm going to sleep a bit. You can sleep too. I've set up a monitoring spell using the last bit of magic in my mithril ring. If anything happens, I'll wake you up. Resting is also part of the job."

I close my eyes slightly.

A light sleep with a part of my consciousness still active.

This skill of resting while maintaining vigilance is essential for camping, including dungeon exploration.

"I'm a bit too excited to sleep, so I'll rest a bit later. Good night, Soji."

I nod to Anne's voice and fall asleep.

Now, will a high-rank explorer pass by, or will the miasma return and the sixth floor resume its normal operation? Our crisis is not over yet.