Awakening to a Special-Grade Explorer
Vol. 4 - Ch. 157 - Whether to fight or not

In the eyes of the world, Chariot was still a fledgling guild when compared to other high-ranking guilds.

Kujou had created it eight years ago when she was in college. In fact, she had personally handpicked the talent she had wanted and met them in-person to invite them to her guild, gradually expanding it. The starting was very rookie-ish guild-like, but the turning point for Chariot came when Honnou Itagaki joined them, which had finally gave them the push they needed to jump into the rank of professionals.

Eight years ago. Honnou Itagaki was still one of the world renowned explorers that he was now. He was quite the attraction magnet back then, and while there had been various reasons for that, the aspect that was the hot topic was his lone-wolf personality. Cut to the chase, it was like someone had opened the floodgate once Honnou Itagaki joined Chariot. Like a deluge, there was no end to the candidates hoping to join them, and the same momentum then carried them to Japan's top 10 guild list list.

It appeared fine and dandy on surface, but deep down, Chariot had become butt of the joke for others. Rumours like “Did you hear? Apparently that noob guild only had two people—the star Honnou Itagaki and their leader Kirie Kujou—that are carrying the guild on their back” had spread out. Perhaps it was the influence of this that big jobs often come around to Honnou or Kujou, while rest of the guild members were left with mundane tasks to tackle on. However, even if for argument’s sake, the two were carrying the guild, they still weren’t seen in the positive light that they wanted. The gaze of the surrounding was still the one that never recognised their achievement, in contrast to the treatment that Russia's dreadest guild <Pravirna> received. The reason was fairly simple, Pravrina was a mammoth of a guild that didn’t lack explorers on par with Commander Kujou and Honnou.

Compared to the elephant in the room that was Privirna, Chariot's action were like a monkey trying its best to gather some attention.

Well, it was a problem that an uprising guild usually faces. All that Chariot needed was the explorers who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Kujou or Honnou. It wasn't as if they had no professional explorers, but—Achievement. It was this single aspect that—the lack of achievement under their belt—had been becoming the roadblock. They weren’t lacking in ability, but they did severely lack the achievement for the guild as a whole that put them on a much lower pedestal than others when you compare.

They only had to break that ice and they would truly be considered a comparable guild. As if in response, a surprising, yet an extremely important, mission knocked on their door. The reward was nice, they were receiving equal treatment and any achievement they earned here could easily propel them to be the star of everyone’s eye—they couldn’t have asked for a better combo deal than that!

Though, it was also a mission that came with a grim con of death probability. However for Kujou, she couldn’t and didn’t want to step back when the thing they sought for was right before their eyes.

But little did she know Limey's plan was another ballpark.

It turned out all the goodwill and treatment etc that Chariot was subjected to was only to serve as an support for Fuyuki Kuro and Tenji Amagi, the two Japanese affiliated to Mallorca Esquela.

Fuyuki Kuro was the cream of the crop talent in Japan. In fact, he had the connection with all the top 10 guilds. And if rumours were to be believed, he even had deep connection with <Loafers> that Leon was affiliated to. But, Tenji Amagi was the polar opposite of him. The only guild he ever had connection with was just <Loafer> and <Chariot>.

This was why Chariot was giving preference here. However the thoughts and circumstances were in the backscene, Kujou knew this was their chance. She didn’t care if they were just the wheels, as long as she had this chance, and promptly accepted the arrangement.

"Great, let's disband for now if no one has any objection---except Illonica, Chariot and you three. I will fill you in about the strategy."

Once President Limey's instruction flies out, the rest of the explorers swiftly leave the tent in a stream. On their way out, quite a few of them didn’t miss the chance to take a better look at the newcomers.

The journey to the 75th floor wasn’t a child’s play, even gruesome for a multitude of explorers. For them, and students no less, to reach here was the concrete proof of their extraordinary skills. Perhaps, they would still carve their way to prominence if tossed in any of the top guilds with swarming professional explorers.

How could they not take interest with such diamonds in front of them? Their eyes clearly gleamed with the shine of a recruiter. But then again, they weren’t at the top for nothing. They had the discretion to figure out what they needed to prioritise at what moment. They would have plenty of time for their scouting game after the battle, and deciding on that, they left the main tent.

In the end, there were just a few people left behind in the tent.

Illonica Monmon, who is scheduled to command this operation, Ursula Limey, scheduled to join the frontline, and Chariot's commander Kujou and Itagaki Honnou. In addition to them were the three newcomers—Tenji Amagi, Fuyuki Kuro and Chisato Shiranei.

The first to speak was Limey, who had plotted out this scene a long time ago.

"Now, sorry for skipping various explanations. I'll explain in detail from now on. After hearing which, I want you three—Tenji, Fuyuki and Chisato—to decide if you still want to participate in this battle. I may have said as if it was a matter of course for you all to join earlier but take it with a pinch of salt. In fact, we have the luxury in this battle to not force this choice on you.”

Limey spoke, her eyes coloured with strong assertiveness, and slowly began to talk about the flow of events that led to this situation, and how she had requested the services of professional explorers from around the world.

Tenji listened carefully and thought about it.

What had moved Tenji's heart in Limey’s explanation was was her prediction that "the monster in black cocoon might be stronger than the Petrification Witch."

The Petrification Witch was already labelled as a zero-grade monster in textbooks. Just how strong the about-to-be-born monster had to be? Maybe, the monster might as well happened to be a <Special Grade>.—A monster with "white eyes."

Tenji had heard from Kaidou, who let it out in a slip of tongue, that there was once a monster that even Leon couldn’t win against.

Tenji had no proof, but a nagging feeling that perhaps he was going to meet a similar monster here. He wanted to see and feel that monster directly with his eyes and skin. And thus, his decision was—

"I will fight.”

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