Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Rookie Hero Grows!
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Long before the irrational and malicious Reinforcement system was created inside the dungeon, a certain girl was going through hell in the outside world.
This girl's name was Ruel.
She was the rookie hero who had pulled out the holy sword left behind by the Hero of Light.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
"Ruel! Faster!"
"Yes, got it!"
"A sword isn't a club..."
"I'm sorry, Senior!"
Right now, she was training under the empire's most famous heroes: Herim, the Celestial Warrior Hero, and Rowel, the Morning Star Hero.
And perhaps because she too had pulled out a holy sword?
Her growth was incredibly rapid.
On top of that, unlike Herim, who was much older, Ruel quickly bonded with Rowel, who was closer in age, and soon made plans to meet Rowel's party members.
Ruel entered a high-end tavern with Rowel and looked around curiously, unfamiliar with the place.
The tavern owner grinned slyly.
"Hero Rowel... isn't this customer a bit too young to be here with you? You might get in trouble."
"Pfft, I'll be careful."
"And this must be the famous Hero Ruel. It's an honor."
"Oh, hello!"
Fortunately, the tavern owner knew Rowel.
The master soon informed them that all of Rowel's party members were there except for one.
"Eric and Serkan are already here?"
"They're in that private room right now."
"What got them here so early?"
Following the tavern master's guidance, Rowel led Ruel into the private room.
The girl's eyes widened at the sight of some of the most famous adventurers around.
'The curiosity monster Eric and the money ghost Serkan!!'
Eric was the one who had found ridiculous weapons in the Abyssal Pit thanks to his insatiable curiosity.
Serkan—not the rabbit condo guy!—was the adventurer who had racked up massive contributions while operating with knight commanders in the dungeon.
It was said that the money he'd amassed could buy a whole territory.
And the leader of these powerhouse adventurers was none other than Rowel, right beside her!
Ruel, a commoner at heart, suddenly felt her stomach twist.
"Ruel, you okay?"
"Ugh... yeah, I'm fine, Senior Rowel."
Rowel's group worried briefly when they saw Ruel's face drain of color.
But after exchanging greetings, they quickly hit it off, and the concern faded.
"So, when's the last one coming?"
"Martin, you mean?"
"He's been super busy lately, so it's no surprise if he's late."
"Tch... think he'll skip? I really wanted Ruel to meet the priest..."
Rowel's group wondered if their final member would show.
Speak of the devil!
The private room door soon opened, and a familiar figure stepped in.
At that moment, Ruel shielded her eyes from the blinding halo and cried out.
Whiiiiiing!
"Th-the Godfather Priest Martin?!"
"Uh... please don't call me that. It's really embarrassing."
He was the great man who had sold all the Abyssal Coins earned from repeated challenges in the Abyssal Pit and used the massive fortune to build the world's largest orphanage!
Godfather to all orphans!
The idol of priests from countless denominations!
And on top of that, the GOAT who had kicked away a bishop position with his own feet just to keep up the hero party grind.
Godfather Priest Martin had arrived.
"Kyaaaaah!! My eyes... my eyyyyyes!!!"
"Pffft!!"
"Ahahahahaha!!!"
Ruel's freakout sent Rowel's group—minus Martin—into hysterics.
*********
After meeting Rowel's party, Ruel thought she wanted to form a party with good people like her seniors someday.
They trained together, studied and sparred in tandem, and time passed.
Now it was time for real combat experience!
Herim, who had been enjoying the sweet perks of having such a great junior, suggested taking Ruel into a dungeon this time.
"Huh...? Can I really go into a dungeon?"
"We need to check your skills now. Time to build some real battle experience."
"Herim's right."
"But don't we have to go through super competitive auctions to enter dungeons?"
"Ah... that?"
"Ruel, the world's changed a lot lately."
Hero parties originally had priority dungeon access, and it was a safe way to gain combat experience.
But with limited dungeon slots and tons of hero parties, auctions made entry a real struggle.
That had all changed after a certain dungeon opened a year ago.
"Us hero parties are all avoiding anywhere but the Abyssal Pit these days, so there are all these leftovers."
"Wow... we can just register and walk right in?"
"That's why Eric and Serkan say adventurers are living the dream now."
Adventurers used to compete with hero parties and could hardly enter dungeons.
Now, with over half the world's hero parties fixated on one spot, adventurers finally had breathing room.
"So, am I going into that famous dungeon too?"
"Afraid not."
"You know Balak, the boss of the Abyssal Pit? Word is it's closed for three days due to personal reasons."
"What? Is the dungeon some kind of private shop?"
A dungeon operating like a storefront sign saying 'Closed today for personal reasons!'?
Ruel couldn't wrap her head around it, but since this dungeon was famously bizarre compared to others, she let it slide.
After that, to loosen up, Herim and Rowel took Ruel and their party members into a dungeon together.
Ping!
"Ha!"
An arrow trap with obvious warning and slow-flying projectiles.
"Uh... who would step on something like this?"
"You'd be surprised how many do if they're careless."
"No joke, it causes a lot of accidents."
"No way..."
"Tsk."
"Eric, Ruel's here—behave."
An blatantly obvious pressure plate trap.
Pathetically weak trash mobs.
And the grand finale!!
Slash!
"Sh-she one-shotted it?!"
"Guess it's that holy sword. Her attack power is insane."
"Yeah."
The golem boss of this dungeon couldn't withstand Ruel's holy sword and fell in one strike.
They got lousy rewards—enough for maybe a week in a cheap inn.
"Wooow~ Ruel's amazing!"
"She did in one hit what even I couldn't!"
"As expected of a hero!"
"Kyaa~ shield of humanity!"
"Hehehe... I'm not that great..."
Hero parties knew to boost newbie heroes' confidence like this for better results later, so they showered her with praise.
But everyone except Ruel found the dopamine-free, trash-tier dungeon boring.
Eventually, Rowel quietly suggested something to Herim.
"Senior Herim, even if this is a low-rank dungeon, isn't it just a waste of time propping up Ruel's ego? Better to throw her into the Abyssal Pit early."
"I thought about that, but the difficulty's so high... I'm worried she'll just keep dying without doing anything and lose heart."
"Ruel's a hero like us, no matter what. She's gotta have our unbreakable spirit. Plus, that's how I grew—dying endlessly there."
"Ugh... maybe tough love first is the way."
"And you've been wanting to check out the revamped Abyssal Pit yourself, Senior. This is your chance to go together..."
"Ehehe~ fine, fine. You win—drop it."
"Huh? So then."
"Let's go. To the Abyssal Pit."
With the heroes' trip to the Abyssal Pit decided, Herim's party members cheered wildly.
"Yesss~ so we get to do that skydiving and scuba diving?!"
"Kuhuhu! All that suffering was worth it!"
"Wonder how much it's changed~"
"Everyone heading to a resort? Sigh... fine, since Ruel's here, let's start with that sky island place."
"""Ooh!!"""
Ruel's group cleared about three more dungeons they planned to hit, then returned to their mansion rest spot.
But there was someone waiting at the mansion's front gate.
A female student in academy uniform, no less?!
The highest-ranking member of the group, Herim, spoke first.
"You are...?"
"Celestial Warrior Hero Herim, Morning Star Hero Rowel—it's an honor to meet you. I am Liberia Defri Altria, 24th Imperial Princess of the Altria Empire."
She was the granddaughter of the Altria Empire's sun, Empress Eileen.
**********
News of royalty showing up alone solo had the two hero parties full of question marks.
But as hero party members, there was an unwritten rule: no need for strict etiquette unless it was a national leader.
So they didn't sweat it.
Ruel seemed to know the 24th Princess.
"L-Liberia?!"
"Ruel, you know the princess?"
"Of course! She was the top student at my academy!"
"""Oh..."""
The empire's young talents were all concentrated in one place, making academy competition cutthroat.
And she was number one? The head honcho?
Why was a future pillar of the empire here?
Royalty had come, so hospitality was in order.
They talked it over in the drawing room.
And what the 24th Princess said?
"Ruel, could you add me to your party, even temporarily?"
"Whaaaaat?!"
"So that's why you're not at the academy but here..."
"I concluded that joining Ruel's party would let me grow faster than staying there."
She had bolted from the academy to become Ruel's party member!
Ruel was thrilled at such a talent falling into her lap and grabbed Liberia's hand, shaking it wildly.
"You really want to party with me?!"
"Y-yes."
"Kyaaaaah! Looking forward to working with youuuu!!!"
Seeing Ruel overjoyed, Liberia broke out in cold sweat.
Truth was, this girl had a very black heart!
Ruel was the one who pulled the holy sword of the Hero of Light.
In short, the princess wanted to ride Ruel's coattails.
Plus, her grandma—who looked younger than her own mom—might outlive her.
What the hell was the "24th Princess" title even mean!
Of course, Empress Eileen, Liberia's grandma, held absolute power.
"If you brats fight, I'll boot you all out."
''''Yes, ma'am!''''
—Her declaration kept the imperial palace peaceful.
But in the dire environment of being near the baby of the royal hierarchy, Liberia had latched onto Ruel to carve her own path.
And so, the two young girls—with totally different motives—began adventuring together.
Herim and Rowel, watching their junior, had already sniffed out Liberia's intentions.
But she was genuinely the academy's top student.
And she was talented enough to boldly approach and lowball(?) Ruel like that.
Plus, the cold sweat suggested some conscience.
Ruel was thrilled, so they let it slide.
Finally, heroes had to learn the hard way to pick party members carefully.
The two seniors hoped their junior wouldn't get hurt.