Adventurers Don't Need Idiots

"Great, we can go straight to the Fourth Layer. That's the deepest level explored in this Dungeon."

Watching the imposing group of adventurers disappear before his eyes, the young swordsman Kuri showed a hint of envy.

Young at heart, he also wanted to venture deep into the Dungeon's lowest depths, experience all kinds of thrilling battles, defeat powerful enemies, and protect precious treasures.

"Idiot. More like you're going there to die."

Beside him, the halfling girl playing with a short sword heard that and wore a disdainful expression on her cute face. The way she looked at Kuri was as though she were looking at an idiot.

"Dammit, Luna, you're the idiot!"

Seeing the contempt in his teammate's eyes, Kuri flushed red and shouted. His expression was full of displeasure toward this new teammate. Perhaps the two were simply born to clash; ever since she had joined, they had never seen eye to eye.

"Kuri, Luna is right this time."

At that moment, William, the captain, stepped forward. His eyes remained fixed on the direction Norton and his group had gone, and he said gravely, "If we're not mistaken, that Norton is probably a rookie killer."

"Huh? A rookie killer?" Hearing his captain's words, Kuri looked confused. "But aren't the rookie killers in this Dungeon supposed to be the Steel Slime and the Death Iron Skeleton?"

It had been nearly ten days since this Dungeon had appeared. The terrain of the first three layers had long since been thoroughly explored by adventurers swarming like locusts. During that time, the monsters that had killed the most newcomers were the Steel Slime and the Death Iron Skeleton.

Many adventurers from elsewhere, upon seeing a Steel Slime for the first time after entering the Dungeon, were killed outright by its Charge because of their preconceptions about a monster that even children could kill.

Even now, the Adventurers' Guild receptionists warned every newly arrived adventurer about them, but there were simply too many people rushing over after hearing that a new Dungeon had appeared.

Even farmers and freemen from several nearby towns and villages had run into the Dungeon wearing who knew how many generations of secondhand adventurer gear, dreaming of getting rich overnight. As a result, newcomers died at the hands of Steel Slimes every day.

In fact, encountering a Steel Slime was already considered good luck. As long as one wore armor and was strong enough, there was still a chance to survive if their teammates promptly sent them to the church for treatment after a Steel Slime attack.

But if they encountered a Death Iron Skeleton, a monster clad head to toe in steel armor, one born solely for slaughter and battle...

Forget newcomers—even adventurers who had learned supernatural skills could die inside the Dungeon.

"You're really adorably naive, little boy Kuri." Luna, standing nearby, mocked him again without surprise.

"Kuri!" William sighed as he looked at the innocent-looking youth. He stepped forward and stared at him solemnly. "Remember this: inside a Dungeon, danger doesn't come only from monsters. It also comes from adventurers. Sometimes, they're even more dangerous than monsters."

"And that Norton just now is exactly that kind of adventurer. He gathers a large number of newcomers and sends them into the Fourth Layer, using their lives to gather all kinds of information about it. Once they die, he can also bring out and sell their belongings and equipment."

"Remember this, Kuri. Never trust a strange adventurer!"

"B-but Captain, if that's the case, why doesn't anyone stop him?"

After hearing all that, Kuri felt the image of adventurers he had learned about from bards and biographies constantly crumbling apart. In the end, he looked at William as if grasping at a lifeline.

"The Adventurers' Guild—right, why doesn't the Guild stop him from doing this?"

"Because the Guild needs information about new layers too."

William's face turned cold as he stated that cruel reality in an utterly calm voice.

"Idiot Kuri, let me teach you something. Adventurers don't need idiots."

Luna stuck out her tongue and licked the edge of her blade. Her cute face bore an incomparably cold expression.

In this world, there was no shortage of idiots who had been swept away by adventurer stories.

"All right, pull yourself together." William patted the dazed youth on the shoulder and smiled. "Our goal today is to explore the second layer. Let's try to finish the Guild's task early."

"Yes, Captain."

Kuri nodded mechanically, his gaze complicated as he looked toward where Norton and his group had departed. So adventurers were not the heroes from bards' tales and biographies after all.

Meanwhile, in the deepest part of the Dungeon's six-layer ruins.

Lucifer's gaze was fixed on Norton and his group as they led a large number of adventurers toward the Fourth Layer. At the very front of the group, Norton's burly frame displayed the formidable strength of a Formal Professional.

As an Iron Guard specializing in physique and defense, Norton was like an Ironclad Bastion forged from steel. On the way to the Fourth Layer, no matter what monsters they encountered, he held them back alone.

The other professionals beside Norton displayed considerable strength as well, effortlessly cutting down the Goblins, Gnomes, and Wolf Beasts they encountered with smooth coordination. Along the way, the massive group was attacked by three Death Iron Skeletons and nearly ten Steel Slimes.

Yet relying on the strength of Norton and the others, they still wiped out every enemy, though not without paying a certain price.

"Captain Norton, how are your injuries?"

At the entrance to the Fourth Layer, a petite girl squeezed her way to Norton's side. Seeing the various wounds covering his body, pain filled her little face as she took out her only healing potion.

"Captain, this is a healing potion I bought from an alchemy shop. Hurry and drink it."

Along the way, she had watched Norton stand alone at the very front, his tall body protecting them firmly behind him. He would rather suffer injuries himself than allow any monster to hurt his companions.

Norton's reassuring back had silently taken up residence in the girl's heart.

"Thank you." Norton accepted the healing potion and drank it in one gulp. Looking at the flushed girl before him, he smiled and raised a hand to stroke her soft hair. "I'm the captain. Protecting you from getting hurt is my duty."

"Captain~"

Feeling the warmth of that rough palm atop her head, the girl's face grew even redder. She finally lowered her head and hurriedly ran away.

"Captain, are you deceiving little girls again?"

Once the girl had run off, a man in red armor carrying twin swords came over. He gave a somewhat frivolous whistle and smiled. "Want to stay the night? In my experience, if you just crook a finger, Captain, that girl will crawl into your tent herself."

"Cut the crap!" The honest smile on Norton's face instantly darkened. He stared at the man like a hungry wolf. "There'll be as many women as you want once we're out. Keep your lower half under control. If those newcomers notice anything..."

Though he did not finish his sentence, the killing intent in Norton's eyes said it all.

"That guy really is talented. If I hadn't known in advance, newcomers would really fall for it every single time."

Having watched Norton's every move from start to finish, Lucifer had to admit that the man was indeed talented. He quietly placed a mental mark on him. Such talent could not be allowed to die so easily.

Lucifer was still waiting for Norton to continuously bring new adventurers in and generate income for him.