The Upcoming Calamity: An S-Rank Dungeon

In an office, a man sat in a fancy chair, reading reports on his tablet.

"It has been two years, but these dungeons and monsters haven't stopped appearing. How much longer are we going to deal with this?"

Just then, someone knocked on his door.

"Yes, come in."

A refined woman entered, dressed in a sharp, office-siren-like outfit.

"Chairman, I'm here to report another strange incident."

The man in the office turned his chair to face his secretary.

"Oh, it's you, Aoyama-san. What is it this time?"

"Chairman, it's about the ghost town, Hiroo. Players near the area received another notification about a monster break, but when they arrived, all they saw was a scene of devastation—no monsters in sight."

The chairman frowned, looking both confused and concerned.

"What is really going on in that area? That town became a ghost town due to frequent monster breaks, yet we never see any of the monsters causing the destruction..."

"I think it's time to focus more on that area. What do you think, Aoyama-san?"

"Yes, Chairman. Although it seems someone is dealing with the monsters, it's best to investigate and find out what's really happening there."

"You're right. Let's ask the other guilds to patrol the area."

"Understood, Chairman Hayashi. I will announce it right away."

The scene then focused on a nameplate on his desk:

CHAIRMAN HAYASHI of the TOKYO GUILD ASSOCIATION

A former general of the Japan Defense Force, he now served as the acting chairman of the Tokyo Guild Association.

"Ah, wait."

Hayashi called out, stopping his secretary just as she was about to leave.

"Yes, Chairman?"

"Regarding the guild I want patrolling that area—can you contact OrthrusAzure Guild?"

"Yes, I will reach out to their guild leader."

"Oh, and also… can you get me an iced latte?"

"Yes, Chairman. Just give me a few minutes."

"Thanks, you're really reliable."

Meanwhile, at Yuu's house, Yuu and Ryo had been playing Black Diablo Online for a while. Both of them were fully immersed in the game. Even Ryo, who was just a newbie, had already adapted surprisingly fast.

"Yuu-sama, I need some heals! This boss is so freaking strong!" Ryo shouted.

"You don't have to worry, I'll keep healing and buffing you. But can you stop calling me Yuu-sama? Just 'Yuu' is fine." Yuu responded.

"Yes, sensei." Ryo replied.

"I said just Yuuuu!~~~~"

But Yuu got distracted.

Ryo's character was suddenly one-shot by the boss.

"Hah?! I told you just keep healing me!" Ryo yelled in frustration.

Yuu, feeling guilty, looked like a scolded puppy and apologized.

"Ah, sorry! Don't worry, I can revive you."

Then, Ryo's character was revived.

"Wooo... that's awesome! Your character is really cool—aside from being a loli character."

Yuu twitched in annoyance and, as revenge, stopped casting healing on Ryo's character.

"Aaaah! What the hell?! I got one-shot again!" Ryo screamed.

Yuu burst out laughing.

"Hahaha! Your character looks so cool but is actually so weak! Hahaha!"

Ryo was pissed.

"Of course, I just started! I'm still low level, and you dragged me into a high-level dungeon that's not even recommended for me!"

Yuu smirked.

"Yup, my character may be a loli, but it's the strongest! Hahaha!"

Then, suddenly, another player appeared and landed the final hit on the boss, stealing the kill.

PIRATE KING ROGERS HAS BEEN SLAIN.

"WHAT?!"

Yuu, who had been distracted while making fun of Ryo, was shocked by the sudden KS (kill steal).

Both Yuu and Ryo instantly transformed into keyboard warriors, furiously typing out trash talk to the player who stole their boss.

---

Pentakiller (Yuu): Hey, fuck you! Stealing our boss like that?!

Sakura1Fanatic (Ryo): You damn ass! How dare you steal our reward?!

Pentakiller (Yuu): Do you have no shame? Get your own damn boss next time!

Sakura1Fanatic (Ryo): Bet you're one of those losers who waits around just to KS others.

Pentakiller (Yuu): Hope your luck runs out and you never get good drops again, you scum.

Sakura1Fanatic (Ryo): Yeah, enjoy your stolen loot, you skill-less coward!

---

Then, the KS player finally responded.

Dreadknight: What a bunch of weirdos. It was a field boss. Everyone can participate. You two are probably just some loner NEETs stuck in your house.

Yuu froze. That insult hit hard—it described him too well.

Furious, he furiously typed back.

Pentakiller (Yuu): Says the guy who has nothing better to do than stalk fights and steal last hits like a rat.

Pentakiller (Yuu): You probably can't even kill a boss on your own. Must feel great leeching off others, huh?

Dreadknight: Whatever, weirdos.

Then, he teleported away, leaving Yuu and Ryo fuming.

Still pissed off, Yuu teleported his character to a nearby town to take another hunting quest.

Suddenly, Ryo spoke up.

"Ah, Yuu-sama, I'm going to do my main quest first. I think the story is really cool! My character is like a hero in a prophecy or something—I kinda like it."

Yuu, uninterested and getting annoyed by Ryo constantly calling him Yuu-sama, responded.

"Yeah, go ahead and do your main quest."

Then, in a fading tone, he muttered,

"That main quest is actually the same for all characters. It's basically not that important... I mean, I just auto-quested through it back then."

But Ryo was too immersed in the main quest. He felt like he was the protagonist of the game.

But before Ryo could fully enjoy playing, a system notification popped up.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

A RANK S DUNGEON WILL SOON SPAWN

DUNGEON SPAWN COUNTDOWN:

7 Days - 0 Hours - 0 Minutes

REMAINING TIME:

167:59:58

Ryo was shocked.

"A Rank S dungeon? This is only the second time an S-rank dungeon has spawned!"

He quickly turned to Yuu.

"Yuu-sama, are you joining the raid?"

Yuu responded casually,

"I can't. I have an appointment next week."

Ryo looked confused.

"What do you mean? I'm pretty sure if you joined the raid, it would be easy."

Yuu shook his head.

"I really can't. I have a very important appointment next week."

Ryo felt a bit hopeless. It seemed like he couldn't convince Yuu to join.

"If you change your mind, just join us. We really need you. Also, we're in a party, right? We're a team!"

Yuu gave a small smile.

"Of course we are." (Yuu was still referring to them as an in-game party.)

"We still have a week before the dungeon spawns. How about we focus on grinding?"

Ryo misunderstood Yuu's words. When Yuu said "let's grind," Ryo thought he meant they needed to train hard in real life to prepare for the upcoming raid.

"Yeah, that's right, Yuu-sama! You really are awesome!"

Yuu smiled slightly, a bit shy.

"How about we conquer another dungeon?" (Referring to the game.)

"Yeah! Let's go and defeat some monsters!" Ryo excitedly accepted Yuu's invitation.

At the same moment the system notification popped up,

Chairman Hayashi stared at it with full focus and seriousness.

"Rank S? This will be another bloody raid..." he muttered.

His secretary, Miss Aoyama, stood by his side.

Chairman Hayashi then gave a command.

"Call the S-rank players from different guilds. They are the only ones who can deal with this."

"Yes, Chairman."

A telephone rang in another office.

Ring, ring, ring.

A slightly clumsy office worker was startled by the sudden call and quickly picked up the phone.

"Hello, this is GriffinReds Guild. How can I help you? Huh? You need to speak with the guild leader? Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't realize you were from the Guild Association."

He then glanced at his boss.

"Leader, someone from the Guild Association wants to talk to you."

A man wearing a red suit, with fiery red hair, picked up the phone.

"Yeah, yeah, I know why you're calling. I'm joining the raid along with my other S-rank members," he said in a cocky tone.

---

Meanwhile, in another guild...

A massive, bulky man rushed through the office halls, taking up nearly all the space as he passed. Reaching a door, he threw it open with such force that it nearly broke off its hinges.

"Oy... Master! We're joining this raid, right?" he asked eagerly.

The "Master" he was addressing was none other than the guild leader of OrthrusAzure.

A man with white hair and ocean-blue eyes sat behind a desk, smirking. Calmly, he replied:

"Of course. It seems an S-rank dungeon is about to spawn."

He leaned back in his chair.

"This is a good opportunity to showcase how strong our guild is. But… could you be a little more gentle when entering my office?"

With at least four of Japan's top guilds, all with S-rank players, preparing to participate in the upcoming raid, the stage was set for a massive battle.

A few days later...

In front of the Tokyo Guild Association, the entrance now resembled a movie premiere rather than a government building. News vans lined the streets, while the crowd filled the area. Only the barricades placed side by side provided a small pathway as the Guild Association's guards struggled to control the growing commotion.

With the media swarming the entrance, the area buzzed like a beehive, filled with murmuring speculations. Some reporters were already live on the air, broadcasting the event.

"They're supposed to arrive any minute now, right?"

"Yeah, I also heard that four of Japan's top guilds are set to participate in the upcoming raid."

"Someone tipped me off that a total of six S-rank players will be joining forces."

"Are you sure? From what I heard, they're still holding a strategy meeting to decide which guilds will participate. But if they're forming an alliance, that's huge."

"I think they're assembling an S-rank party, especially since this upcoming raid involves an S-rank dungeon."

A cameraman signaled an okay sign to a reporter adjusting her mic.

"Ah, ah, ah... Is the mic working?"

Then, the live broadcast began.

"This is Kana from JNewsTV, reporting live from the entrance of the Tokyo Guild Association. Following the system notification of the upcoming S-rank dungeon spawn, the Guild Association has summoned Japan's top guilds for a strategy meeting. As you can see, we're currently awaiting their arrival. Rumors suggest that a total of six S-rank players will form a raid party for this high-stakes mission."

At that moment, a red sports car pulled up, immediately drawing a wave of flashing cameras and microphones.

As the man with fiery red hair stepped out of the sleek car, a confident grin spread across his face. He waved to the reporters, his red suit gleaming under the bright lights. Removing his sunglasses, he casually handed them to his assistant—a fierce and elegant young woman in a striking red office outfit.

"GriffinRed is ready to conquer this dungeon!" he declared, his booming voice cutting through the crowd. "We'll show everyone why we're the best!"

The reporters wasted no time, immediately making headlines:

"GriffinRed's Guild Leader, Kagami Reiji, Arrives and Declares His Intention to Conquer the Dungeon!"

Kagami Reiji, an S-Rank Player, is ranked number 2 in the Players Registry. He is one of the 12 S-Rank players in Japan.

At his side is his secretary, Fujiwara Yurina, an S-Rank Player ranked number 9 in the Players Registry. She is also one of the 12 S-Rank players in Japan.

Following them is a clumsy-looking man wearing a slightly untucked long-sleeve shirt and thick glasses, giving off the appearance of a nerdy office worker.

That man is Kurosawa Obito, an S-Rank Player ranked number 12 in the Players Registry. Despite his appearance, he is still one of the 12 S-Rank players in Japan.

"What? Is this GriffinRed? All of their current S-Rank members are participating?"

"Wait... that nerdy guy is also an S-Rank? Seriously?"

As Kagami Reiji struck another pose for the cameras, he smirked confidently, flexing his looks like a model.

Sigh

"Leader, that's enough already. Let's head inside," Yurina said, trying to push him forward, clearly done with his cockiness.

Meanwhile, Obito was covering his eyes from the camera flashes.

"Gyaa—!" he yelped in surprise.

"Ahh, my eyes! It stings! Let's just head inside already, Leader!"

Then, a sudden gasp rippled through the crowd.

"It's him!" a reporter shouted.

In an instant, the sea of microphones and cameras shifted focus.

"Is that the Rank 1 S-Rank Player?"

As a sleek black limousine pulled up, a man emerged. With white hair, ocean-blue eyes, and a perfectly tailored blue suit, his presence exuded an aura of calm power—a stark contrast to Kagami Reiji's flamboyant display.

"Wah… that's right! It's Arashi Aqua!"

The media frenzy intensified, reporters shoving microphones forward and shouting questions.

"Guild Leader Arashi! Is it true that you're going to join forces with other guilds for this raid?"

"Will your guild be the only one attempting to conquer the dungeon?"

"GriffinRed is also participating—are you really working together?"

Aqua raised his hand, signaling for silence, his expression serene.

"We are here to assess the situation," he stated calmly. "I mean, I wish we could handle it ourselves, but this dungeon seems more dangerous than usual, so having a few extra hands won't hurt."

His words were precise and composed, yet to Kagami Reiji, they sounded like mockery.

"Huh? You could handle it yourself?" Reiji stepped forward.

"Like I said, our guild can deal with it. There's no need for your guild to interfere," Reiji continued.

Aqua smirked.

"The safety of the city is our primary concern. I'm not here to compete—just calm down." He then leaned in and whispered, "Rank 2."

Reiji's face twisted with anger as he grabbed Aqua's collar.

"What did you just say?"

Camera flashes flickered, capturing the intense moment.

Yurina and Obito immediately stepped in, pulling Reiji back with all their strength.

"Leader, calm down! The media is watching!" Yurina pleaded.

Reiji finally released Aqua's collar, clicking his tongue in frustration.

"You're lucky there's media around."

Meanwhile, Aqua casually adjusted his collar, his expression still calm and composed. He smirked—he found the whole exchange rather entertaining.

Arashi Aqua, an S-Rank Player, is currently ranked number 1 in the Players Registry. He is one of the 12 S-Rank Players in Japan.

Behind him stood a massive, muscular man with a buzz cut, his clenched fists trembling as he struggled to hold back his anger.

"Leader, are you really okay? This brat is really pissing me off," he growled.

Aqua turned to him, still composed.

"It's fine. Just calm down—your aura is leaking. You might accidentally harm the civilians, Ginoo."

Ginoo took a deep breath, exhaling sharply.

"Yeah… I'm sorry. I'll calm down."

Ikari Ginoo, an S-Rank Player, is ranked number 6 in the Players Registry. He is also one of the 12 S-Rank Players in Japan.

Before the conflict could escalate further, the Guild Association's guards quickly stepped in to assist the leaders in entering the building.

Each guild leader was escorted inside by the guards.

As other guilds arrived, the Guild Association immediately assisted them in passing through the crowded entrance.

Following them, A man in a sleek black suit suddenly appeared out of nowhere, as if he had teleported to the location. He looked drowsy, his sleepy eyes half-lidded as he let out a yawn.

"Who is that guy? Where did he come from?"

A Guild Association guard approached him, suspicious of the man who had seemingly arrived out of thin air.

"Hey, you're not allowed to enter here. Leave now."

But the man simply gazed at the guard with a menacing look, clearly annoyed. The guard suddenly fell backward, as if overwhelmed by sheer intimidation.

The other guards rushed to help their fallen comrade while trying to identify the person he had attempted to stop.

"Man, are you crazy? Do you even know who you're talking to?"

One of the guards immediately bowed repeatedly in apology.

"I'm so sorry, Guild Leader Sato. It seems he didn't recognize you."

The man, now revealed as Sato, simply nodded.

"It's fine. I did appear out of nowhere. He was probably just surprised."

"Thank you for your understanding, sir. Please, this way."

The media had already captured the scene, cameras flashing intensely.

"I didn't expect Black Hydra Guild to participate in this raid. They usually just do whatever they want."

"Yeah, they're the last guild anyone would expect to get involved."

Soon after, a white limousine arrived.

A female reporter gasped.

"Aah!! It's Kanzaki Leon!"

"Whoa! It's actually Kanzaki Leon, the leader of Golden Pegasus!" a male reporter said.

"Ahh!! Kanzaki Leon!"

A female spectator screamed in excitement.

"You're so gorgeous!"

Another female reporter shouted, her voice filled with admiration.

"Leon-sama! Look this way!"

"I'm your biggest fan! You're absolutely stunning!"

"Marry me, Kanzaki-sama!"

The crowd of female reporters and spectators continued to cheer wildly, some even holding up signs with Leon's name written in elegant cursive. Camera flashes illuminated the scene as fangirls swooned over the charismatic guild leader.

As the man stepped out of the limousine, his presence exuded grandeur and elegance. His long, straight pink hair flowed gracefully in the wind, making the moment feel almost cinematic. Clad in a striking yellow suit, he looked like a model straight out of a magazine. Instantly, all eyes were on him.

He then reached out and gently took the hand of a female reporter, striking a princely pose as if proposing.

"You're so beautiful. Would you like to go on a date with me?"

The female reporter immediately fainted on the spot.

The crowd went wild, especially the female spectators, their cheers growing even louder.

The guards hurried to escort him inside.

"Sir, let's proceed to the building."

However, instead of simply following, Leon took the guard's hand, treating him the same way he had treated the female reporter.

"You're quite handsome yourself. We would look great together. Shall we?"

The guard, utterly caught off guard, unconsciously reacted like a blushing princess.

"Gyaaah!~~~"

"Wait… was that a squeal?" one of the other guards thought in confusion.

With the four guilds now assembled at the Guild Association, the strategy meeting was about to begin.