Taking It All

An ending I hadn't seen while playing 'Dungeon God'.

The ending where one gathers all the "Rune of the Abyss" and enters the "Abyss" to become a god.

I wasn't acting with that ending in mind yet, but if I bore it in mind, of course improving my adventurer rank was necessary.

So, I moved up from Iron rank to Copper rank.

That's a good thing. But is it something to make a fuss over? If you ask, I still don't know.

"As far as I know, this is the shortest time anyone's been promoted! It usually takes at least two months to get from Iron to Copper rank!"

Finishing something that takes two months ahead of time is a good thing.

"And it hasn't even been ten days yet! Even the famous 'Golden Wind' from the Platinum Adventurer Party took a month to get from Iron to Copper!"

After hearing Serena's words, Barkal seemed lost in thought for a moment, then suddenly raised his voice.

"Then doesn't that mean we are stronger than this Golden Something?!"

Well. One thing's certain: we're probably closer to butchers than that Golden Something bunch.

"Golden Something, hear me! Give us... platinum..."

Barkal, who was speaking loudly, turned to look at me.

"Brother Dmihtan, is the Platinum rank higher?"

"It is the highest among the Adventurer Guilds."

"Golden Something, hear! Give us the Platinum rank!"

You have to finish what you started saying. As Barkal started to rant about the "Golden Something," the people gathered around the bulletin board began to murmur.

It seemed "Golden Something" was an adventurer group admired by others.

"No response at all! Well, then, I'll take that as acceptance!"

Putting the murmurs behind, Barkal grinned and looked at me again.

"Brother Dmihtan, from today, we are the Platinum rank!"

"Barkal, you have not proven yourself properly yet."

To Thrag as well.

And to the Red Wolf Tribe's 'Journey of Proof'.

I am just following the process.

"There is no value in something gained without proper proof."

"Oh oh, wise words indeed!"

As if moved by deep insight, Barkal strode toward the receptionist.

Thump, thump!

With weight behind each stomp, Barkal's steps showed how much he was enjoying this.

At the sight of Barkal, as immovable as a mountain, the receptionist's face began to darken.

"We wish to prove our strength! We seek honor!"

"H-here are quests available for Copper rank adventurers!"

Without hesitation, Barkal grabbed the template the receptionist presented.

Even if a little slow, Barkal could read.

Wait a second.

Have I been underestimating Barkal's intelligence lately?

"Uhahaha! These are all easy! Dmihtan, and Serena! For us..."

Barkal's booming voice trailed off as his rough voice started to quiet.

Is he finally getting self-conscious with everyone watching? I doubt it.

"What is it, Barkal?"

I approached Barkal and glanced at the template he was reading.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It was just like the one we had when going to the mushroom dungeon.

The only difference was that now we had access to more quests and information thanks to being Copper rank.

"The Endal Family."

"What? Endal Family?"

While searching for the reason for Barkal's unease, a strange word entered the murmuring crowd's conversation.

Endal Family.

Who's that? Must be the name of an adventurer group.

I turned my head to check out these "Endal Family" fellows.

Something about them seemed familiar.

"Hey, you barbarian trash."

Swaggering, a guy who looked like the leader of the Endal Family took a step forward. From what people were saying, it seemed they had some connection to us.

Ah, who was that guy?

Seriously, I'm terrible at remembering names.

"I heard you got promoted to Copper rank. What kind of bribes did you eat..."

"Hold it."

Since they're the Endal Family, I guess the leader is called Endal? I blocked the guy—who I assumed was Endal—and slipped into thought.

He looks familiar, like his face got smashed in by someone, and if he'd just relax his face a bit, I'd remember.

Ah.

"Don't tell me you forgot my face?"

"You are the One Punch, Three Teeth guy."

This was the guy. The loudmouth who got beaten up by Barkal when we first came to the Adventurer Guild.

He lost three teeth with one punch—it was so memorable it stuck in my head.

So his name's Endal. I heard he was a Silver rank adventurer.

Looks like all three teeth are back in place. Must've used healing magic or a potion, since it's probably not an implant. Better than modern medicine.

"Did you come here just to have your newly returned teeth punched out again?"

At my words, Barkal looked up from the template to glare at Endal.

"This time, it will not end with just three teeth!"

For some reason, Barkal's voice was sharp.

"Y-you..."

Maybe the fear from getting hit by Barkal was still fresh, as Endal gritted his teeth and stepped a bit back.

Yet, despite this, a smirk appeared on his face—seems he hadn't come here thoughtlessly.

"Running your mouth ends today, you reckless idiots!"

Endal shouted. Then, from behind the Endal Family, someone else stepped forward.

A man with scars on his cheek and near his mouth. With deep dark circles underneath his eyes, he was clearly a "Fighter" class.

He wasn't bigger than Barkal. However.

'Pretty strong.'

Having lived in this world for a while, I could now judge strong opponents pretty well, and he was quite strong.

"I heard our comrade suffered because of you."

"Th-that's right, brother Paranik!"

So you call him brother after getting trounced, huh?

"Hmmm..."

The Fighter called Paranik let out a sigh as he touched his chin.

"Puhahahaha!"

Then he suddenly let out a hearty laugh.

"Endal, you lost to this guy?"

Pointing right at me, Paranik sneered.

"... Are you insulting my brother?"

"Relax, Barkal."

I held Barkal back as he tried to step forward.

That's enough. If we cause another scene in the Adventurer Guild, we'll lose our livelihood.

"That guy, he looks weak! I heard he's a barbarian, but he sure doesn't look like one!"

"Pa-Paranik! He's a problem, but the guy who beat up our family is right there!"

Endal pointed at Barkal, whining with a pitiful expression. Weren't you supposed to be a Silver rank adventurer?

"Whoever hangs out with such a trash barbarian must be trash as well..."

BANG──!

Barkal pushed my arm aside and stood front and center. The wooden floor cracked beneath his step.

"My brother asked me to refrain, so I'm holding back. Insult us further and I will not remain still."

Intense anger simmered in Barkal's eyes. He seemed more emotional than usual—was something up?

"Oh ho."

Paranik smirked back at Barkal.

To be so nonchalant in the face of Barkal—the Apostle of Thrag, possessing overwhelming strength and abilities.

"This should be fun. It's a senior's duty to teach newbies proper adventurer etiquette, isn't it?"

"Th-that's right, brother!"

"I'll teach you the manners of an adventurer myself, kid."

"If you wish."

The two looked about ready to draw weapons and charge at any moment.

"Wait."

I stepped in between them.

A fight is fine, but this is inside the Adventurer Guild. Leave them alone and it'll turn into a big incident, so I had to come up with my own solution.

"What, you coward? I'm not even talking to you."

"I do not want to make a scene."

"So you're planning to run?"

I shook my head.

"How about ending this neatly and simply without making a fuss?"

"And what's that?"

"Arm wrestling."

"... What?"

Upon hearing "arm wrestling,"

Paranik looked flustered. Barkal just glared at Paranik, showing no disagreement with my plan.

"Puhahahat! Arm wrestling? You want to settle this with arm wrestling?"

"That's right."

"If you lose? What then?"

"We'll disband our adventurer group."

With that, the adventurers spectating began to buzz with excitement.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"You're insane. Risking the fate of your group on arm wrestling?"

That just means you're not confident.

"If we win..."

I pointed at the ring on Paranik's finger.

"We'll take that ring."

"... What!?"

Paranik gaped at me, eyes wide.

"Do you even know what this ring is? You could buy several adventurer groups with the money you'd get from selling this!"

"If you don't like it, you don't have to do it. Seems the real coward is you."

"... You bastard."

Swearing, Paranik spat on the ground.

Then, with a crooked grin, he sat at a table.

"Hey, big barbarian! Sit down here!"

"B-brother? Competing by arm wrestling is a little...."

"Shut your mouth, brat. If you weren't a fellow devotee of Ornill, do you think I'd even let you talk to me?"

Arm wrestling.

So he's agreed?

Naturally, Barkal strode towards the table. But I stopped him.

"Brother Dmihtan, what is it?"

"Barkal, you won't be the one doing this—Serena will."

"What!?"

Her name called, Serena stared at me with a startled expression written all over her face.

"M-me?"

"Yes. Serena, I believe in you."

At first, even Barkal seemed to find it absurd, but, trusting me and Serena, he nodded.

"Brother Dmihtan! All your actions have purpose! I'll trust and wait!"

"But, if I lose... the group gets wrecked, you know?"

"If the group's wrecked, you'll be the next to get wrecked by my hands!"

At Barkal's words, Serena recoiled in shock.

"It's a barbarian joke."

Honestly, if it were hand-to-hand combat, Serena was strong enough to beat even Barkal.

Especially her specialty, the "Guillotine Choke"—it was strong enough to wrench even a dungeon master's neck.

"Alright then... if by any chance I lose, I'll flip the table and put this Paranik guy in a guillotine choke."

See?

She's already planning to use her guillotine choke on her opponent.

"Serena, I don't think you're going to lose."

Moved by my confidence, Serena's eyes grew moist.

She doesn't even deny it—her mental state is nothing like a 'Cleric'.

In any case, she nodded and sat across from Paranik at the table.

"What's this? Not the big guy, but the lady's my opponent?"

"Yes! The future of my beloved group is on the line, so I'll go all out!"

"Puhahat! No backing out, right?"

Paranik rolled up a sleeve, revealing a thick arm bulging with veins.

The muscles writhing beneath the skin were proof he'd wielded weapons and fought on battlefields for decades.

In contrast, Serena's arm was slender. But nobody but us knew the strength hidden within.

"Really, lady! Don't blame me if you break it!?"

The two placed their arms on the table. Serena's pale hand rested atop Paranik's rough palm.

A small hand and a large hand.

As these two opposites gripped each other, the onlookers held their breath.

I wasn't all that tense about it. Sending Serena out was just a distraction to draw all attention to her.

'The moment you agreed to arm wrestling...'

You had no chance of winning.

*【Using the Curse of Boiling Blood.】

"Then, let's begin."

Secretly, I placed a curse on Paranik, making sure nobody noticed.

"I'll start on three. Understood?"

"Quick! Hurry! Hurry up already!"

The Curse of Boiling Blood.

A curse that, in the game, gave the same effect as a "Berserker" skill.

"Serena, are you listening?"

"Yes!"

"What are you mucking about for, coward!? Start already! Before I kill you!"

Its effect is simple.

For a certain time, it puts the target into a frenzied state,their physical abilities greatly increased by extreme excitement.

"I'll count now."

"Stop dragging it out! Hurry!"

"One."

With this, the increase in physical power is enormous, making it possible to overpower opponents you couldn't otherwise.

"Two."

"Lady! It's gonna hurt real bad, so close your eyes! Cry if you want!"

But, when the 'curse' ends, the frenzy disappears and severe aftereffects hit.

Known as 'post-nut clarity'.

*【The duration of the Curse of Boiling Blood has ended.】

"Three."

"Heuuung, wait, my body feels stra—"

As soon as I finished the count, Serena slammed Paranik's arm onto the table.

With the force of a lightning bolt.

Crunch──!

The table shattered instantly, and Paranik spun once in midair from the rebound, then crashed to the floor.

No movement. Looks like he's passed out.

"I'll be taking the ring."

I took the ring off the unconscious Paranik's hand.

Seeing no resistance, he seemed to have accepted it too.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=Underhanded, but deserved...【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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