#1233 Momoko’s S-Rank Adventurer Visit Hopping: The Boy 

Hero Momoko in crisis! 

Standing in front of me is an S-Rank a dog-eared shota adventurer! 
The clash is seconds away from erupting into a full-blown battle! 

“I dislike needless bloodshed. But as one who bears the title of S-Rank adventurer, I cannot afford to go easy on my enemies. I will annihilate the enemies of the Guild with everything I’ve got!” 

In an instant, the dog-eared boy snaps into a battle stance. 
His aura is practically sizzling in the air between us. 

This intensity… no doubt, he’s worthy of being called S-Rank. 
Until just now, the whole situation was spiraling into a mess of misunderstandings, but now that it’s come to blows, my nerves have steadied.  

That’s right. 
From the start, I came here to prove my strength to an S-Rank adventurer. It’s not like this kind of situation wasn’t on the table. No risk, no reward. 

If this is just another trial I need to pass on the path to S-Rank... 
Then I’ll tear down any obstacle and toss it aside with a flick of my finger!!! 

“Hmm… Instead of hesitating, you're tightening your stance when facing a fight? You've got guts. Very well, I, S-Rank adventurer Corey, shall judge whether you're the real deal!” 

So, the dog-eared shota’s name's Corey, huh? 
From what I’ve heard, he’s a recent addition to the S-Rank roster who just passed the promotion exam not long ago. 

If that’s the case, he shouldn’t be stronger than Kato or Pink Tonton. 
This should be way easier than last time. 

Draw! Annihilating-Holy Sword Siebengrün! 

A single flash from this sacred blade can wipe out an entire army. 
Let’s see if a mere adventurer can withstand that! 

“Oho… Looks like you’ve got a fancy treasure there. You get lucky in a dungeon, score some rare loot, and then immediately lose it all in another dungeon... a typical adventurer story. That’s why I trust in my body alone!” 

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! 

Suddenly, something explodes from Corey’s body! 

What is this?!  
Ki? Aura? 
Wait, is this Nen?! The enhancement kind?! 

“This is the power I earned through backbreaking work in the development site! I may still be new to the S-Rank, but I’ll use this strength to support my seniors without dragging them down! Here I come!” 

Fueled by that insane aura, Corey launches straight at me. 
I barely dodge in time; just a tenth of a second later, the spot I’d stood is split open by a streak of blinding light that tears through the earth and sky alike. 

...A cold sweat slides down my forehead. 

“You dodged that? Not bad. You might already be above A-Rank.” 

Says the kid who's clearly well beyond what I’d call standard S-Rank! 

Don’t give me this “I’m still learning” stuff! 
You’re like some kind of super warrior! There’s no one like you in the Guild!! 

“Still, I won’t let up. I’ll finish this in one go! S-Rank Adventurer Beam Barrage!” 

Fugyawaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! 
WHAT IS THIS?! 

He’s shooting energy blasts from his hands like a character from a battle manga that’s gone way past its power ceiling! 
Sixteen shots in a row?! 

I’ve been through a lot as a hero, but never have I been under a hailstorm of laser fire! 

I know if just one of those hits me, I’m toast! 

The worldbuilding has been thrown off-balance! 
What kind of training lets you shoot beams like that?! 

“This is the power I gained by working hard every day in the settlement with everyone else! A living testament to the idea that nothing beats honest effort!” 

That’s not something you get from “honest effort” alone, and you know itttttttttt! 

I only expected a quick bout to prove my worth, not to be launched into deathmatch mode against a walking disaster. 
Now I’m backed into a corner, and my only hope is a counterattack. 

This sword isn’t for show. It holds legendary power!  
If I can deflect a few blasts and send a counter strike toward Corey, maybe I can break through his momentum! 

That said, it’s all one huge bet. 
I don’t have the stamina to keep dodging forever. 

Let’s go! 
Holy Sword Miracle Spaaaaaa-! 

“That’s enough! Stop this at once!!!” 

A thunderous voice echoes from the skies. 
Someone yells “Stop!” and I reflexively halt my strike, mid-swing, mid-shout. 
But I already shouted my move name! 

Meanwhile, a couple of Corey’s shots keep flying, and one smacks me hard, sending me flying. 

That’s not fair! 

“Both of you, stand down! A full-power deathmatch between S-Rank adventurers is strictly forbidden by the Guild!” 

Who even-?! 
Descending from the sky… is Silver Wolf! 

“Mr. Silver Wolf?! Why are you here?!” 

Corey instantly cancels his attack stance in shock. 

What’s up with that reaction?  
Is he Silver Wolf’s loyal puppy or something? 

No, more importantly, why is Silver Wolf here?! 
He’s supposed to be in the royal capital acting as Guildmaster! 
They sent me here to Okutama on my own! Huh? It’s not Okutama? 

It’s honestly a mystery how Silver Wolf managed to cover this insane long-distance journey instantly and descend from the sky like some divine being. 

But what’s even more baffling is that he's riding a horse and behind him, riding tandem, is the Saint. 

Yeah, something’s definitely fishy here.  

“Lord Saint showed up suddenly at Guild HQ and asked me to come right away. How could I say no to him?” 
“My Sakamoto can do a round trip from the Farm Kingdom to the capital in five minutes, easy.” 

Five minutes?! 
But it took me five days to get here! 

And I thought I made good time! 

“Sakamoto is a dragon-horse hybrid, so he can fly faster than sound without any air resistance!” 

Thanks for the science lesson??? 
You’re not just “modern knowledge cheat guy,” are you?! 

“Corey’s a good kid, but I figured only Silver Wolf himself could calm him down, so I went to get him.” 
“Yes! I deeply respect Silver Wolf!” 
“Okay, no need to yell that so cheerfully.” 

So that’s what happened... Right after Corey went berserk, the Saint vanished because he was off summoning Silver Wolf to put a stop to this madness. 

That means he assessed the situation instantly, picked the optimal solution, and executed it flawlessly. 
You might look spacey, but you’re sharp when it counts, huh, Saint? 

“Corey… it seems there was a miscommunication.” 
“Mr. Silver Wolf! Then she really is…?” 
“Yes. She’s currently the Guild’s top recommendation for the next S-Rank. We’ve sent her to visit various active S-Ranks as part of the vetting process.” 

Yes! Exactly!!! 
You’d think they’d have briefed people in advance about this! What’s going on with the Guild’s internal communications?! 

“I wanted to give her an official letter stamped with the Guild’s seal… but I suppose you charged out before that could happen.” 

Wait, really? 

Well... I was in such a rush to get recognized as S-Rank that I may have kinda-sorta… left early. 
Oops? 

“A classic case of skipping steps…!” 
“Is this sort of clumsiness something we should allow in an S-Rank…?” 

Uh-oh. This isn’t good. The tone’s shifting against me! 
Fine then, time to move things forward before anyone gets a chance to dig deeper! 

All right, Corey! 
Now that you know I’m officially a candidate for S-Rank recognition... 

You’re going to give your formal approval, right?! 

“Ah, yeah, no can do.” 

Whyyyyyyyyy?! 

“If someone like me can push you that hard, then… you’re still not quite there. You’re not ready for S-Rank just yet.” 

Really?! 

You do realize that you are ridiculously overpowered, right! 
Seriously, guys?! 
Are we just going to pretend like this level of strength is normal for adventurers?! 

Isn’t that setting the bar a bit too high?!