Escort to the Steel Fortress
Adventurers' ranks determine the quality and types of quests they can accept. For instance, up to E-rank, adventurers handle quests they can manage solo. Starting from D-rank, party-based quests become available.
That's why the D-rank promotion exam involved forming a temporary party and completing a quest as a group. So what about C-rank?
"From C-rank onward, you can take 'long-term quests.' Not ones that wrap up in a day or two, but ones lasting a week—or even a month."
"Speak casually, Vice Branch Chief."
"Ahem. How could I possibly be so informal with one of our branch's precious adventurers..."
"Just speak casually."
"Ah, got it."
I gave the bearded old man explaining the C-rank promotion quest a troubled look. I'd only come to sign up for the promotion exam on Karen's advice, so why was someone as high up as the vice branch chief personally handling the explanation?
'That scared look on his face... Master must've pulled some strings again.'
Come to think of it, I'd heard the guild had given the Red Hawk Clan a thorough shake-down for failing to keep them in check. Anyone would think Karen was some guild executive, not a retired adventurer.
Well, at least I'd gotten a full rundown.
'So the C-rank promotion exam is a long-term quest.'
Was that why Karen had told me to go for C-rank promotion now? She'd be busy for a while, so it made sense to handle the exam without bothering her.
"Of course, as Karen's disciple, your skills are undoubtedly sufficient, but regulations require the exam..."
As I pondered the quest details, the vice branch chief seemed to misread my hesitation as pressure and started fidgeting, glancing at me nervously.
...Judging by his attitude, dropping Karen's name might even skip the exam altogether, but better not push it.
"No issue. I planned to take the exam anyway. But is my record sufficient?"
"Of course. You're the hidden hero who slew the necromancer for our city."
Luckily, just as Karen had said, they hadn't publicized it widely, but the guild had recorded the necromancer incident as my achievement, qualifying me for the exam. No reason to delay.
"I'd like to apply for the promotion exam."
"Wise choice. Even without being Karen's disciple, the guild welcomes more talented adventurers."
Shedding his flustered demeanor, the vice branch chief smiled warmly, excused himself briefly, pulled a few sheets from his drawer, glanced over them, and handed them to me.
"Can you read?"
"Yes."
"Take a look. These are the quests listed for this C-rank promotion exam. Normally, the guild assigns one, but... for you, we'll let you choose."
"For real?"
The papers were a list of quests for the C-rank exam, and he was letting me pick my own.
"Is this allowed?"
"If your skills and record are sufficient, we sometimes skip exams and grant C-rank directly. Like when a Magic Tower mage registers as an adventurer..."
Ah, I'd seen that firsthand. Laila, being from the Magic Tower, had her skills verified, and with the guild and tower's alliance, she'd jumped straight to C-rank without a test.
"Compared to that, letting you choose is a breeze. My recommendation? These dungeon-related quests that popped up recently..."
He laid out about four quest types and pointed to one: escorting researchers investigating a new dungeon.
'I see why he'd recommend that.'
It was an escort, but the researchers seemed self-sufficient. The dungeon was nearby, so it wouldn't take long. Tempting, but... pass.
'Don't wanna go into another dungeon.'
I'm fine now, but who knows—next time it might be a three-headed ogre. Karen had said the elixir I brought probably spawned that twin-headed freak.
'Let's see the others... Supply transport? Sea monster hunt? Not familiar with that, so skip... Hmm...'
Setting aside dungeon quests, the rest didn't appeal. Time-consuming and tough, though I wouldn't fail.
'Since I get to pick, go for the sweetest deal... Huh?'
Flipping through, the last paper caught my eye. The vice branch chief gave an awkward smile.
"Ah, looking at the escort quest? Join a merchant caravan, hunt miscellaneous monsters along the way. Unless bandits show up, it's the easiest... but I don't recommend it."
"Why not?"
"Check the destination. It'll take the longest by far."
Right, the destination. Escorting the caravan there would eat up serious time.
"Even the return trip's rough. The caravan will hire escorts back after trading, but if you want to leave early for something else, it'll take ages."
Yeah, round trip would easily hit a month. But...
That destination kept nagging at me.
"It's a place I've always wanted to visit."
"Fair enough. Any swordsman—or man worth his salt—dreams of going there once."
We both gazed at the destination on the paper.
A city-state ruled by non-humans. Home to the continent's finest craftsmen.
The dwarves' city.
Steel Fortress.
That was the quest's endpoint.
…
"Steel Fortress? You're heading there?"
Karen, who was giving me basic mana-handling tips after my awakening, sounded surprised.
"Why? That old-timer would've skipped the exam or at least let you pick, right?"
"Scary accurate... Yeah, four quests prepped, and he let me choose."
"And you picked that one?"
"Yes."
I replied to Karen with effort, channeling rotating mana into my fist and punching the straw dummy. The mana-charged blow shattered it beyond recognition.
-KABOOM!!!
"...Hoo."
Using mana to reinforce my body was getting familiar. Karen said once you learn to move it, it's straightforward.
"You're progressing crazy fast. Normally, fresh mana circuits are fragile, so you handle it slow and careful."
Correcting my stance and injecting tiny mana bursts into my acupoints to force better flow, Karen chuckled wryly.
"I told you to take the exam, but escorting to Steel Fortress... Tsk. This'll take longer than I thought."
"...Did I mess up?"
"Why? Your quest choice is yours. I'm your master, but decisions like that are all you."
Hearing it'd keep me away from Rivil longer than expected, Karen shrugged coolly. But a hint of loneliness crept into her expression.
'We've grown closer lately.'
Daily training and consulting her on big stuff had tightened our bond. More specifically, my once no-touch master now frequently contacted my bare skin during mana practice?
-Twitch!
...She still flinched sometimes, but anyway.
"How long?"
"Checked the caravan schedule when I took the quest: ten days to Steel Fortress, two weeks there, then back."
"Hmm. Round trip twenty days plus two weeks... just over a month?"
"Have you been to Steel Fortress, Master?"
"Yep. That black iron sword you're using? Bought it there."
Oh yeah. Kun, R ikar's blacksmith friend, had mentioned it was dwarven-made.
"Gear shopping?"
"Buy some, but ideally commission custom work. Got good materials."
The black iron sword had survived the twin-headed ogre brawl intact when my other gear shattered. That tipped the scales for this quest.
'Dwarven craftsmanship, huh...'
Experiencing it firsthand fueled my desire for more top-quality gear. As a soon-to-be C-rank, I needed proper equipment, not disposables. Dwarves were the best artisans—why not?
"I know what you're after, but brace yourself. Dwarven gear's top-tier, but pricey."
"Sword's fine with Master's black iron one... Looking for armor."
"Full plate? Dungeon loot won't cover it."
"Can't be helped. And... I have materials."
Materials: the twin-headed ogre corpse from the dungeon. Regular ogres' tough hides and tendons are prized for gear. A dungeon-mutated variant? Jackpot.
"That'll make some fine armor."
"Plenty left over to sell there too."
"Yeah, dwarves go nuts for rare stuff. You'll get top coin."
Rikar handled most dungeon loot sales, but I kept the ogre corpse. Party generosity—my biggest contribution—and I got its magic stone too, stashed in my subspace pouch.
'Play it right, and I might score C-rank-worthy gear.'
Beyond that, I just had to see Steel Fortress. Dwarves, fantasy icons rivaling elves—unbearable curiosity from my Earth days of novels and games.
"When's departure?"
"Three days."
"Tight. Here, sword."
"...Suddenly?"
"Won't see you for a while—gotta cram in as much as possible. Mana focus post-awakening anyway... I'll teach road-training methods."
"Got it. But why the sword...?"
"Focuses you better. Left hand's fine. Grip it."
Still, cram every lesson before leaving.
"As I said, your circuits are complete, so mana'll grow fast. Circuits are paths and vessels."
"No real growth feel yet."
"Use it up, refill—grows naturally."
My basic technique: concentrate mana for bursts of reinforcement. Already leagues stronger, but not enough.
I burned with focus, absorbing Karen's teachings hungrily.
'Gotta get stronger.'
That desire from watching her fight last time drove me. Steel Fortress for gear was part of it.
-Szzz...
As if responding, the mana writhing in me surged faster, stronger, fortifying my body.
…
Three days after applying at the guild.
I boarded a caravan wagon bound for the Iron Mountains, leaving Rivil behind.
"Whoa, awesome! Yuseong, didn't you just hit D-rank? Teaming up for the exam like this!"
"...Yeah."
...Accompanied by a familiar gray-haired beastkin.