I’m amazed at the scene unfolding before me.
His long red hair shimmers in crimson flames and her two-handed sword blinks in a flash of silver.
Alex’s flame sword is facing a stone giant. A slender man about 170cm in height catches and repels the massive impact from the huge body of at least 5m with his sword. He bounced it back, it’s beyond imagination.
「 Zash! 」
「 Got it! 」
With one command, Alex’s companion hammers away at the stone giant’s legs.
The huge body is suddenly floating in the air. Then, an earthquake.
The stone giant’s body cracks and its movement became slow.
Seems like it was a fatal blow.
「 ――――！ 」
The stone giant’s shape breaks as it makes some inaudible sound.
But, we don’t have just one enemy.
「 !!! 」
The dungeon is filled with violent sounds cutting the air.
Two new intact stone giants appeared on the scene.
「 I’ll take one of them, you three take that one on the side 」
「 Leave it to me 」
「 Heh, that’s putting it lightly 」
「 Tsk, this golem is hard, it’s hard to fight 」
Defense, attack, cross and attack again.
After a dizzying amount of attacking and defending in no time.
I was pressured by the clash of strengths beyond human knowledge.
「 This is amazing 」
It’s my first time seeing some silver ranks fight.
The fights are much more intense and superhuman than I had imagined.
I was shocked and overwhelmed by their fighting spirit.
「 Alex leveled up last month. He’s now at 15 」
「 He’s already a monster 」
I can only be surprised by what Cindy said as I watch her from the side.
My current level is 3-probably up to 4 now and I’m not surprised that Alex’s level is over ten than mine.
It’s said that the guild needs you to be around level 10 to be promoted to silver rank. Besides, the required level is usually calculated by lowering the level according to their achievements of request up to that point, so adventurers are often considered silver rank from level 8.
For example, Danio’s a silver rank at level 9
Another familiar figure is Hagen, who reached level 12 when he was on active duty.
He’s known far and wide as a very skilled adventurer.
Level 15 even surpasses Hagen.
I can’t even imagine how much power that holds.
「 Alex is just crazy. Cindy’s still 11 」
「 No, that’s still dangerous enough 」
「 Then, Claire too. She’s 11 」
「 I see. Weren’t you at level 7 when we split up three years ago? You guys sure grow fast 」
「 Maybe it’s because we have so many opportunities of beating monsters when we’re with him 」
Claire says while smiling wryly.
I see. That’s true.
It’s a common theory that adventurers level up when fighting monsters.
Alex likes to take on some monster-slaying quests, so if you’re with him, it won’t be a surprise that you’d have more opportunities to fight them. It makes sense to say that their levels raised as a result.
It’s said that the higher the level, the slower the growth.
The commonly accepted idea is that after six months of being an adventurer, you gain two, and after a year, three levels, and after three years, you reach double digits.
It’s said that you get two level increases in the first level, and the seven levels in the next two years mean that you take on harder requests, thereby gaining more experience from fighting stronger monsters.
Still, that ascension slows down after level 10.
The reason is unknown, but that’s passed down as a rule of thumb.
Well, in light of my knowledge of games in my previous life, I can compare the level curves, but I can’t even mention what’s the logic behind it in this world.
Anyway, it’s no exaggeration to say that Alex is a hero of his story, a gallant figure, and with his appearance, and his nature. He continues to grow at the same pace as before. It’s irritating. He might even be just a reincarnated person who has some cheats.
「 Alex’s blessing is his growth after all 」
Claire tells me while I was looking at him suspiciously. Blessing, a special gift of talent from God.
Well, in layman’s terms. It’s a cheat. Blessings can be inborn or acquired. However, it doesn’t mean that you’ll always get what you want even if you tried.
Still. I get it now.
Alex has the looks, the levels, and even a blessing. Hahaha. Gods are biased.
I can’t even get a single level no matter how hard I tried!
「 Zaryu? Are you crying? 」
「 I’m not 」
「 You can lean on Cindy’s breasts 」
「 No, you don’t even have those 」
「 I’m irritated now 」
Cindy grinds my shank.
Ah, that hurts! Ouch! Hey, you’re grinding it hard!
Violence in levels! She may look like a young girl but this is just absurd!
「 Cindy, stop that. Zaryu, apologize to her too 」
Claire scolds the two of us and we apologized to each other.
「 Are those three on the same level? 」
「 Not so much for three idiots 」
「 Zash, the hammer user is level 9, Miks, who joined in Marie’s place is level 7, and Brid, the twin sword user is level 10 」
Brid’s a small twin swordsman, and he’s stronger than Zash, who looks like a power fighter? As one might expect, Brid’s twin sword attacks are steadily chipping away at the hard-looking stone giant with each swing.
「 –Burst! 」
Miks has to be the magician. Zash and Brid protect him, and he uses magic to attack the head and other parts the hammer and swords can’t reach. A large explosion blooms on the stone giant and it falls to the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, the two strike a blow with all their might, crushing it down.
「 ―――― 」
The light disappears from the stone giant as it groans.
It crumbles down like a doll with broken strings.
When the three of them saw it, they were all cheering in delight.
Meanwhile, Alex isn’t.
「 Seiyaaaa!!!! 」
With a slash that looks like he’s scooping the crotch of the stone giant, he cuts the statue in two as if he was slicing tofu. The stone giant lost its light from the eyes and crumbles into a silent mass of stone without even a scream.
Alex brushes his sword horizontally, turned his head backward, and gave me a mocking smile. Huh? Why do you always try to stir me up all the time? As if I could do that?!
Why are you trying to show off to me when you’re beating up monsters all the time?
Furthermore, because he’s handsome, it looks good.
If smartphones existed, they’d usually take pictures of it, and if I were a woman, I would’ve fallen for him. However, I’m a dude. And I’m not into that.
「 Alex seems to be better now. That’s good 」
「 …… 」
Cindy’s words gave me a change of mind. Alex who always seem to be calm and composed was placed in an extreme situation with no future in sight, and he might be crushed by the burden of leadership.
「 How’s that Zalmen?! Did you see my real strength?! This is the power only the chosen true adventurers possess! Hahahaha!! 」
Alex spreads his arms and speaks pompously. His fearless and theatrical behavior is quite cute.
「 Haha 」
「 W-What’s funny?! 」
They beat down powerful monsters head-on with their skills.
He’s always full of confidence, and his peers trust him.
Alex embodies the image of an adventurer I aspired to be.
I use to speak of it.
I thought that if I let it out, he’d give up.
I gave Alex such heartfelt words.
「 You always try to show off. Alex 」
「 Hmm? What the hell, you’re being creepy right now 」
He looked stunned for a moment, but his face soon turned red and he became agitated.
「 Are you trying to poke fun at me? 」
「 No, those are my thoughts. I respect you, you know 」
「 W-W-W-W-What the hell!? Are you really Zalmen? Maybe you’re just someone with that face 」
「 Hahaha, what’s that response? 」
「 Kuh, dammit! Don’t get carried away! 」
I’m relieved to see that Alex is surprised like that even with his superhuman strength.
「 Well then, now that the battle’s over it’s our turn 」
「 I’m worried about Marie. I want to see her soon 」
I nod to Cindy’s words.
I also equipped myself with the magic glasses Marie left.
Looking for how to escape from this dungeon and search for Marie.
This is for their sake, for her, and most importantly, for myself.
I’ll do the best that I can for now.