Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Newbie Party
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📰 Special Edition: 20 Crawlers to Lead the Next Generation Every year at this time, one question inevitably arises on everyone's lips. From the taverns hungry for gossip, to the clans thirsting for talented recruits, all the way to our Crawler Guild and the city council, ever vigilant about crawler intel to maintain order in the city. Everyone asks with bated breath. "Who is the new star to lead the next generation?" Who will follow in the footsteps of living legends of our era, like the Heavenly Army and the Thunder Emperor, among a constellation of today's top crawlers? Honestly, answering this question sometimes feels pointless and foolish. Talent is a mysterious thing. Someone who shone brightly just recently might slump into mediocrity, while total unknowns suddenly burst onto the scene. Take, for example, the Sword Princess who won this year's Katabasis. So, this list is no crystal ball prophesying the future. It's our answer, at this moment in time, to who is showing the most dazzling talent. This year too, our Crawler Guild's report team has, as always, compiled the astonishing stories of these promising stars who overcame adversity to showcase their potential. We had a blast putting this list together, and we hope you readers enjoy their tales just as much. 20th: Io Anasu / Vanguard 19th: Jera / Mage 18th: Asad al-Jawhari / Midliner ... With that intro out of the way, the names and rankings of crawlers scrolled down the page.
Not content with that, they'd even made it a special edition—the entire thing, back to front, was packed with profiles of every mentioned crawler, no filler.
📰 Top 10 Rankings 7th: [Puppeteer] Penelope Arachne / Supporter 6th: [Hidden Fang] Horsdruk Shieldlove / Midliner 5th: [Iron Heart] Gareth / Vanguard 4th: [Little Legion] Volkov Zverev / Vanguard 3rd: [Rusted Silver] Arjen / Supporter 2nd: [Sword Princess] IriDia Chrysor / Vanguard, Midliner 1st: [Black Spear] Blakys / Vanguard, Midliner "Here! Here!"
Luna bounced around, jabbing her finger at a corner of the rankings where the crawlers' names were listed.
"That's Arjen at third, right?"
Her finger still pressing down hard on the paper, Luna's eyes sparkled as she whipped around with a right? right?
"Yes, that's me. You spotted my name amid all that text like a pro—haven't skipped your reading lessons, have you?"
"Hehe."
I ruffled her hair, and Luna twisted her body back and forth in delight.
"Third? Does that mean Arjen's the third strongest?"
"Whoa! So Arjen's right after the Heavenly Army and Thunder Emperor?"
"No way!"
"It's in the newspaper!"
"Dummy, this is the ranking among prospects! Look closely! First and second are Black Spear and Sword Princess."
"Prospects?"
"What's that?"
"Losers?"
"Not quite!"
"Means kids who haven't grown up yet."
"Not grown?"
"Arjen's already big though?"
"Gonna get even bigger?"
"I like her as is."
I ignored the kids chirping away like sparrows and turned my eyes to the article.
Honestly, it was a pretty intriguing read during what had been a boring stretch.
'Limited to prospects, maybe that's why.'
Most of the lower-ranked crawlers mentioned didn't have epithets yet.
Maybe they'd earn one after today.
'Some familiar faces too.'
Quite a few folks I'd partied with or run into at the guild.
'Third place.'
I gazed at my name, third from the bottom on the front page.
Higher than expected.
Of course, these rankings were mostly subjective, so nothing absolute, as the article itself noted.
'Still, it's a bit unusual.'
The deeper you went into the dungeon's floors, the more any high-level crawler party needed a supporter.
But were they highly rated? Eh.
Supporter classes like priests were essential, sure, but that didn't mean high regard.
Stripping away buffs and supplies, they looked too passive in this macho crawler world.
No one cared much about a supporter's rep—as long as they buffed and healed, anyone would do.
Hell, I'd earned an epithet and still never made one of these lists before.
So what wind was blowing now?
I flipped to the page with my evaluation.
📰 3rd Place Profile 3rd: [Rusted Silver] Arjen / Supporter Probably the most controversial name on this list. A supporter at third is unusual enough, but Rusted Silver? That'll raise eyebrows. She's a talented supporter who earned her epithet young, but for over three years, her deepest floor hasn't budged—she's just been cruising comfortably in much shallower zones. That's the pattern of someone who's hit their talent ceiling and given up pushing deeper, looping the upper floors instead. A crawler who's abandoned growth can't represent the next generation. That was our take on Rusted Silver until recently. But we must remember what she achieved at 18. And in this Katabasis, she showed everyone doubting her talent what an ideal party supporter really looks like, as if mocking them... The article went on enthusiastically about my evaluation after that.
Embarrassing toward the end.
I finished the last bit, closed the paper.
"No worries about work drying up for a few years."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After that, I played with the kids a bit longer, then headed to the central district.
No specific plans, but Goddess's side-eye and nagging had blocked the option of lounging at home.
-Not a single person worth a damn out here.
Once in the central district, Goddess scanned the passersby one by one and grumbled her usual complaint.
"That so?"
-Fine, their looks are like potatoes rotting in the field, unsellable. But those scruffy bastards sneaking peeks at us? Makes my blood boil.
I could feel her genuine disappointment, which made me smirk despite myself.
She'd been worried just recently that my attitude kept me from fitting in.
-Tch. No decent folk around.
Now she was saying those people lacked the guts to approach me.
-So, any plans?
"Eh."
I scratched my cheek at her question.
Until yesterday, I'd been holed up, chugging booze till my brain melted gray matter, oblivious to time.
Of course no plans or promises.
Still.
"Since we're out, how about grabbing something to eat first?"
I eyed a roast meat joint wafting savory smells.
-No booze.
"..."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Ooooh!"
Clack-!
A pearly white bone slipped smoothly from my lips, tapping the wooden tray.
I licked the salty grease from my fingers, and murmurs swelled around me.
"A whole suckling pig..."
"How does that even fit in her?"
"Rumors true? She beat the Heavenly Army at the Festival of Receiving Flesh?"
I'd cleaned it pristine—skeleton-ready—but still felt a pang of regret.
Never figured she'd deny me even a single sip with an accompaniment like this.
"...Overdoing it is an issue, sure, but..."
-Hey!
Normally she'd pretend to relent for a drink or two as a side, but past sins had her stonewalling.
Looked like zero drops for a while.
'No choice. Booze in the dungeon till then.'
The dungeon would grant freedom from her 24/7 helicopter surveillance.
"Thanks for the meal."
"You really packed it away today."
"Owner's skills must be on point."
The owner grinned, flashing teeth as shiny as his buzzed head.
"How much?"
"Just 8 silver."
My hand paused reaching for silver coins.
His eyes sharpened like a duelist's.
"8 silver?"
"8 silver."
"Feels steep."
"Steep? Want me to explain how many beasts got slaughtered in this city during the Festival? Livestock's scarce this season."
"Festival was three months ago?"
"Pigs ain't chickens—don't grow in three months."
"This was a suckling pig."
His last remaining facial hair—his brows—twitched.
"Plus, winter's coming, fresh meat prices drop. Pigs even more so..."
"Khm!"
"Heh. And how many kilos did I put away?"
I stacked 7 silver coins into a little tower from my pouch.
"7 silver, yeah?"
"...Urk."
I threw in a flirty wink for service, and he forehead-slapped, shaking his head in defeat.
"Can't beat you anymore. You know seasonal prices like a pro—thought you were in the trade."
"Long crawler life makes you sensitive to supply fluctuations."
Dried meat was a prime commodity.
I tossed two more coins to the sighing owner—who'd profited less than hoped—and snagged a skewer.
"The man feeding her must have a crooked back."
Ignoring the mutters behind as I crossed the threshold, I popped the skewer in my mouth.
And so, to Crawler Guild HQ for the first time in ages.
Time for new hinges—the swinging door creaked as I pushed in.
"Ah. Arjen."
A familiar face greeted me after so long.
"...Know her?"
Along with guys eyeing me suspiciously.