Chapter 22: Urgency

Word count 2500

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-Nouflex POV-

'It's great to have an S rank summon but... What is this system update?' I thought to myself looking at the timer on the system panel.

'Well, it doesn't really matter. I was doing very well up until now, even without new system missions, and I got an S rank summon, so it's a win.' He smiled while placing his hand on his chin.

'But I will not be spinning it now, I will keep it for necessity.' He decided, standing up from his chair. Ringo quickly followed him to assist if he needed anything.

"Oh, Ringo, there is no need for you to come. I will just go out and check how it is going in the adventurers guild. Maybe have a drink or two, then come back." Nouflex waved his hand, showing that everything would be alright; he did not need her assistance for now.

"As you wish my lord." She respectfully bowed her head.

The morning sun greeted me as I opened the big double door of the mansion and prepared to head out to the Adventurer's Guild like usual.

"Good morning Lord Nouflex, should I prepare the carriage for you?" The coachman of the house, Jaden, greeted me like usual. He is the one assigned for my travels along with that beautiful wooden carriage.

"No need Jaden. I would like to take a walk and appreciate the nice weather." I nonchalantly replied as the guards opened the gate for me.

"As you wish, have a great day my lord." I could hear Jaden's voice.

Fubuki had already left to attend to some other matter, so it was just me, alone, walking through the bustling streets. As I approached the guild, I noticed something off, the assistants were rushing around inside, moving documents, and speaking in hurried tones.

The air was thick with tension.

'What's going on?' I tried to give it a guess, but it's better to know directly from someone.

As soon as I entered, one of the assistants, a young woman with wide eyes and a face full of panic locked eyes with me. Her relief was immediate like a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She quickly scurried over to me, catching her breath.

"Sir Nouflex! You're here just in time." She said, trying to compose herself. "We were about to send someone to look for you!"

I raised an eyebrow. 'Since when do they need to send someone to look for me?' I thought, curious but maintaining my calm exterior. "Looking for me? Why? What's going on here?" I asked, scanning the room where other assistants were still in a frenzy.

Papers and documents were being piled up, some maps even fell to the ground as one assistant tripped over her own feet.

"The situation is... urgent." The assistant replied, her tone serious now. "All the high-ranking adventurers, B rank and higher are being summoned across the entire country. We're in a state of emergency."

'A state of emergency? If it's really urgent why is it only now that I heard about it? Could it be that the guild is trying to keep this under wraps to not cause fear and panic among civilians?"

I crossed my arms, my expression not giving away the irritation I felt. 'And here I was, thinking today would be just another routine day. So much for laying low.'

"I don't suppose you'll tell me what this emergency is about?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral. But I was already running through the possibilities in my head.

If it was bad enough to pull every B rank and higher into this kind of panic, it had to be something big, something that couldn't be ignored.

She shook her head. "I'm not allowed to disclose the details, but there's a meeting being called right now, and they'll explain everything there. All the top adventurers in the country are gathering."

I frowned slightly. 'A gathering of the top adventurers, huh? Whatever it is, it must be serious.'

"Fine," I said, glancing around one more time at the guild in disarray. "Lead the way. I'm always down for some fun."

She nodded, still looking visibly relieved that she'd found me. "Yes, they're waiting for everyone to arrive. Please follow me to the meeting room."

I followed the assistant as we headed toward one of the guild's largest rooms.

The large meeting room was packed with people, at least fifty, maybe sixty adventurers. It seemed like everyone from B rank and higher in the country had been summoned. But it seemed weird. 'Is this really everyone we have in the country? If it is the case then it is not that much.'

Ignoring the numbers, I made my way in taking note of the mixture of expressions, some curious, others grim.

Just as I was about to find a spot, a voice from the front of the room cut through the murmurs. "We don't have any time to waste." One of the guild's senior staff said, his tone sharp. "The situation is critical, and we need to start the meeting now."

'So much for a quiet entrance,' I thought. The urgency in the air was real, but before I could focus on that, something caught my eye, or rather, someone. I scanned the room and froze for a moment when I spotted a familiar face.

Ayanokoji.

'Koji... he's here?' I blinked in surprise, my thoughts racing. 'He's been gone for two months. Almost three. And now he's here, in a gathering for B-rank and higher?'

I felt a rush of excitement. 'This means he's at least B rank now. That's... incredible.' I knew Koji was a prodigy, but seeing him reach this level so quickly... Well, I couldn't help but feel like I'd made the right decision giving him time to train on his own. His growth speed was nothing short of impressive. 'He really is the perfect human, after all.'

The man standing at the front of the room cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention to him once again. He was tall and lean, wearing a crisp uniform adorned with various badges, signaling his rank and authority.

His sharp eyes scanned the room, assessing everyone present. He exuded confidence, and it was clear this man was used to speaking before a crowd of adventurers.

"My name is Ethan Valor." He began. "I was assigned by the guild master, Lady Lana Rose herself as the Head of Strategic Operations for the Adventurer's Guild. I handle the tactical planning of missions that go beyond the scope of typical contracts." He paused, allowing the weight of his position to sink in.

"Today, I'll be briefing you all on a very serious matter that concerns the safety of Daloria and its surrounding territories."

The room fell silent, with every pair of eyes fixed on him. The urgency of the meeting became more palpable.

"I assume all of you have heard of the monster nest." He continued, his gaze sweeping across the room.

I frowned slightly. 'Monster nest?' I had no idea what he was talking about.

I glanced around and noticed that nearly everyone else was nodding as if this was common knowledge. 'Great. Just what I need—another thing I missed out on while laying low. Even Ayanokoji is nodding...' I thought sarcastically, but I kept my expression neutral.

Luckily, Ethan kept talking, filling in the gaps. "For those of you unfamiliar with the details, the nest is located approximately 25 kilometers north of Daloria. It's a massive area where monsters have been gathering for centuries. The nest has been under the control of a dragon who took up residence there over 200 years ago."

That caught my attention. 'A dragon?'

"For the past two centuries, the dragon has amassed a horde of monsters in that region." Ethan continued, his tone serious. "However, the kingdom chose not to interfere, as the dragon showed no signs of hostility. It simply stayed there, dormant, gathering more and more creatures under its control."

I narrowed my eyes. Paying even more attention to his words.

"But that's not the only reason we've left it alone, dragons are known for their immense pride and strength, and no kingdom wants to risk provoking one without cause. So, for centuries, we've monitored the situation without direct intervention."

"But things have changed. Recently, some of the monsters from the nest have started making their way toward Daloria. At first, the monsters were weak, and easily dealt with by the city guards and local adventurers before they could even reach the walls. But with each passing day, more monsters appeared, and the waves have become more frequent, especially in the last week."

The murmurs in the room grew louder. Everyone understood what this meant.

Ethan's voice grew harder. "We believe the dragon is no longer content to sit idly by. These monsters are likely moving under its command, and if that's true, Daloria is in serious danger."

I leaned back slightly, processing everything he'd said. A dragon controlling an army of monsters... 'Interesting!'

Ethan looked around the room, his expression growing even more serious as the adventurers continued to murmur among themselves. He raised his hand to silence them.

"This is why the king himself has deemed this a threat that needs to be dealt with immediately. He personally ordered this gathering and has instructed us to eliminate the monster nest before it becomes a greater threat to Daloria and its people."

I raised an eyebrow at that. 'The king? So things have escalated to that level?' I thought, intrigued. This wasn't just some random mission. If the king was getting involved, then I cannot expect this to be easy.

"The king's involvement is why we've called for all high-ranking adventurers." Ethan continued. "For this expedition, there will be one S-rank adventurer accompanying us, and he is with us in this room right now."

That caught the attention of everyone present, and I felt a wave of excitement ripple through the room. An S-rank adventurer was no small thing. They were the best of the best, individuals with strength and abilities that often rivaled entire armies.

I glanced around the room, curious. 'Who could it be?' My eyes settled on a few figures who seemed to stand out from the rest, but no one made a move just yet.

Ethan pressed on, laying out the details of the operation. "In addition to the S-rank, we've already received confirmation from other adventurers. As of now, we have 56 B-rank adventurers, 13 A-rank adventurers, and, of course, the S-rank I just mentioned.

Additionally, the king's elite soldiers will also be joining the mission. The military will provide full support, ensuring that we have the necessary manpower to take down the nest."

I nodded. 'This is a full-scale operation.' With that many adventurers and military personnel, this wouldn't be a simple fight, it would be a coordinated assault on the nest.

"And." Ethan said, his tone shifting as he tried to appeal to the adventurers' interests. "For those who choose to participate in this mission, the king himself has promised substantial rewards. You will be handsomely compensated for your service, and the opportunity for glory and recognition is not to be underestimated."

The room buzzed with energy as the adventurers considered the offer. I could see the fire in their eyes. Some of them were driven by the promise of gold, others by the chance to increase their status, and a few simply wanted to test their strength against a dragon-controlled horde.

'He's smart,' I mused. 'Appeal to their greed and ambition, and they'll be more than eager to join the cause. Still, there is something's off...'

As Ethan prepared to continue speaking, my voice cut through the air, loud enough to bring the attention of everyone in the room.

"Everything you have said so far is interesting and everything, but I do have a question." I said, making sure my tone was calm but firm.

Ethan glanced at me, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Nouflex, A-rank, The Shadow Monarch, right? Go ahead please."

I stood there for a moment, gathering my thoughts. "I believe there are ranks higher than S-rank. SS, SSS, and even the legendary EX rank for instance. If this operation is as dangerous as you say, why are none of them present? Why aren't they being called in for something like this? I don't see how mere B or A ranks can handle a monster nest, let alone a dragon."

The room went quiet. A few adventurers exchanged uncomfortable glances, while others narrowed their eyes, clearly not liking the implication of my words. I could practically feel their irritation, but I ignored it. I was speaking the truth.

Even I, newly reincarnated in this world, had heard about how terrifying dragons were. The stories of their immense strength, their ability to wipe out entire armies and kingdoms. If even half of those stories were true, we were going to need more than a handful of B and A ranks to take one down.

I could hear a few people muttering under their breath, but none of them dared to speak out against me directly. They knew I was right, after all. They knew what kind of power dragons possessed, even if they didn't want to admit it.

Ethan sighed, rubbing his temple before answering. "The ranks you mentioned, SS, SSS, and EX... They do exist. But adventurers of those ranks are often busy with even more dangerous and important matters, tasks that are far beyond what we face here."

I could feel the tension in the room as the adventurers listened closely to his explanation.

"Some of them have contracts worth millions or even billions of gold coins with the most powerful nations in the world. They are loyal to those contracts and would not get involved in such things, except if it a request from their contractor."

He paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the room. "As for the more... cold-blooded among them, they simply don't care. Whether a million people die tomorrow or a kingdom falls, it doesn't matter to them. They don't get involved unless there's something in it for them, and a dragon threatening a single city in a single kingdom isn't enough to grab their attention."

"I appreciate your honest answer." I leaned back against the wall, my arms crossed. 'Interesting answer... So what you mean is that you are desperate.' I thought.

'If this is the case then I will be making the most out of this. On god I'm milking the shit out of the royal family from everything they have.' A wide grin couldn't help but spread on my face.

TO BE CONTINUED --->

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