The Path of an S-Rank Adventurer: The Boy Who Was Expelled from His Party Awakens to His True Power [Weapon Master] and Eventually Becomes the World’s Strongest

Summoning of the S-Class Adventurers

When Sasha arrived at Heiberg Castle, Haise arrived at the exact same time.

They exchanged glances, and Haise headed silently toward the castle’s main gate.

Sasha, too, stood beside him without a word, and Haise said nothing.

“I’m here in response to the S-Class Adventurers’ summons.”

“Understood. You are S-Class Adventurer Dark Stalker, Haise, and likewise, Brynhildr, Sasha. Please follow me.”

They were guided by the gatekeeper into the castle.

Soon, they arrived at the grand conference room within the castle and entered.

Inside the largest meeting hall of the castle, around fifteen people were gathered.

Among them were Prince Cress and Myuane of the Kingdom of Heiberg. Instead of formal attire, they wore adventurer’s garb and sat in chairs.

Haise and Sasha offered a polite bow to Cress and the others.

“My apologies for the delay. S-Class Adventurer Haise, reporting in.”

“Likewise, S-Class Adventurer Sasha, reporting in.”

“Don’t worry about it. I just got here earlier than everyone else. Unlike the rest of you, I live here.”

Cress smiled brightly.

Myuane was delighted to see Sasha but stuck her tongue out at Haise.

The two sat down side by side. Across from Haise sat Geist, who gave them a small smile and a nod.

Then, as if on cue, the door opened, and King Barbaros and Prime Minister Bonnet entered the room.

Everyone stood and bowed.

Barbaros raised his hand lightly and sat down, prompting everyone else to follow suit.

“Let’s skip the formalities and get to the point.”

With a commanding tone, Barbaros spoke.

The presence of the former S-Class Adventurer, once known as Conqueror Barbaros, was as formidable as ever, even in retirement.

Everyone in the room, including Prime Minister Bonnet, was an S-Class Adventurer. Though veterans of countless battles, even they felt the weight of Barbaros’s aura.

“An A-Class Dungeon near the capital has shown signs of a stampede.”

“What… no way!”

The voice belonged to Mamacha, an S-Class Adventurer known as the Battle Mother. Thirty-eight years old, a mother of three, and an active adventurer.

Bonnet shot her a sharp glare, and she quickly covered her mouth in embarrassment for interrupting the king.

“Geist.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. This information was uncovered through an investigation by the Adventurers’ Guild. The recently discovered dungeon was classified as A-Class based on the calculated threat level of the beasts appearing within. Haise was tasked with surveying up to the 60th floor, after which the dungeon was opened to the public. Up to that point, everything followed standard procedures. But what happened afterward was unusual.”

Geist glanced at Haise as he spoke.

“The floor boss of the 60th floor, the Tyrant Bomber, was sighted on the 10th floor. Not just that—monsters usually confined to floors 40 to 50 began appearing on the lowest floors. Meanwhile, the beasts that originally occupied the lower floors were being pushed out of the dungeon entirely.”

“… Textbook signs of a stampede.”

Jonathan, an S-Class Adventurer and the clan master of ‘Barbarian,’ one of the top five clans in the capital, clicked his tongue. Geist nodded in agreement.

“Exactly. At the dungeon’s deepest level, the dungeon boss is likely reproducing.”

The idea of a dungeon boss reproducing.

Dungeon bosses have lifespans.

As the core of a dungeon, their death spells the dungeon’s demise. Before dying, they create a successor by expending their life force to generate monsters.

These monsters, born as by-products of the boss’s reproduction, are the dungeon’s creatures.

The number of creatures born depends on the boss’s strength.

When a stampede occurred in a C-Class Dungeon, 20,000 monsters emerged.

This time, it’s an A-Class Dungeon… The scale is unpredictable.

“There is only one way to stop a stampede.”

Barbaros’s voice carried weight as he declared this. Geist nodded and addressed everyone present.

“Exterminate all monsters that emerge during the stampede. That is our only option at the moment.”

“Tch…”

“Figured as much.”

Jonathan and Mamacha grimaced. Both had experienced the C-Class Dungeon stampede in the past.

“Excuse me!”

Sasha raised her hand, catching Geist’s attention.

“What is it?”

“What about entering the A-Class Dungeon and defeating the dungeon boss at the lowest level? Couldn’t we eliminate the successor as well?”

“That’s reckless, missy.”

“… What?”

The speaker was Chaos, clan master of Judgment, one of the capital’s top five clans.

He leered at Sasha with a mocking gaze.

“You’re still basking in the spotlight of being a newly minted S-Class, huh? You don’t understand the terror of a stampede. Enter a dungeon showing stampede signs, and you and your team won’t make it past the fifth floor before being torn to shreds. Didn’t you know? Monsters in stampede dungeons have an average threat level two tiers higher than usual.”

“… Oh.”

“Just stay quiet and leave the fighting to us. You can focus on comforting us exhausted adventurers after the battles. Heh, you’ve got some assets for that, after all.”

He laughed crudely, his gaze fixated on her chest.

Sasha blushed deeply and hung her head… when—

“How pathetic.”

“… What did you say?”

“You’re a coward. If you’re scared, stay at the back and keep quiet. Sasha proposed a proactive solution. Dismissing it outright makes you nothing but a spineless fool with no right to insult her.”

“You little—!”

“There might be a way to stop the stampede if we explore our options. If you can’t even consider that, just shut up, you coward.”

“… You brat.”

Chaos stood, but Haise merely glared sharply at him.

“Enough! This is the presence of the king!”

Bonnet’s authoritative voice silenced both Haise and Chaos.

“I understand Sasha’s point, but Chaos isn’t wrong either. All we can do is eliminate the monsters as they appear. Geist, send requests for aid to the adventurers’ guilds in neighboring nations. Bonnet, prepare our troops.”

“Understood.”

“Adventurers, mobilize your clans for the monster extermination. The kingdom will cover all expenses.”

The clan masters were stunned by this statement, realizing the gravity of the situation.

“This is an unprecedented crisis. If we do not unite, this kingdom will fall… I’m counting on you, adventurers.”

Thus, the meeting concluded, and the clan masters quickly departed.

◇◇◇◇◇◇

The last to leave the room, Haise leisurely exited the castle.

At the main gate, Sasha was waiting.

“Haise…”

“…”

“I wanted to thank you.”

“Sure.”

With that, Haise walked past her.

Sasha stepped in line with him, walking beside him.

“They may have said otherwise in the meeting, but I still think there’s a way to stop the stampede.”

“By reaching the dungeon’s lowest floor?”

“… Yeah.”

“You’ll die.”

“…”

“I get it. But don’t. The only thing we’re allowed to do is kill the monsters spilling out from the dungeon.”

“Haise…”

“If you die, everyone will be devastated. You’re a symbol of hope for young adventurers.”

“… …”

“Sasha.”

“… Huh?”

Hearing her name, Sasha looked up in surprise.

“Get back to your clan and report. Assemble your best team and prepare for battle.”

“… What about you?”

“I’ll do what I always do—work alone. It’s easier that way… You’re the one who taught me that.”

“…!”

With that, Haise disappeared into the town.