Adventurers Don't Need Idiots

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

Watching the massive group of adventurers disappear before his eyes, the young swordsman Kuri wore an envious expression.

With the temperament of a teenage boy, he too wanted to venture deep into the dungeon's lowest depths, experience all kinds of thrilling battles, defeat powerful enemies, and protect treasure.

"Idiot. More like going there to die."

Beside him, the halfling girl Luna was toying with a dagger. A scornful look appeared on her cute face as she looked at Kuri as though he were an idiot.

"Bastard, Luna! You're the idiot!"

Seeing the contempt in his teammate's eyes, Kuri flushed red and shouted. His face was filled with displeasure toward this new teammate. It was as if the two of them were naturally incompatible; ever since she had joined, they had never seen eye to eye.

"Kuri, Luna is right this time."

At that moment, William, the team captain, stepped forward. Staring in the direction Norton and his group had left, 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 and asked, "But shouldn't the rookie killers in this dungeon 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, and during that time, the monsters that had killed the most newcomers were the Steel Slime and the Death Iron Skeleton.

After entering the dungeon, many adventurers from elsewhere encountered a Steel Slime for the first time. Because of their prejudice toward a monster that even children could kill, they were directly killed by a Steel Slime's Charge.

Even now, the receptionists at the Adventurers' Guild warned every newly arrived adventurer they met, but there were simply too many adventurers rushing over after hearing that a new dungeon had appeared.

Even farmers and freefolk from several nearby towns and villages came running into the dungeon wearing who-knew-how-many-times-used 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 lucky. As long as one wore armor and was strong enough, there was still a chance to survive an attack by a Steel Slime if their teammates promptly sent them to the church for treatment.

But if they encountered a Death Iron Skeleton, a monster clad entirely in steel armor that had been born purely for slaughter and battle—

Forget newcomers. Even adventurers who had learned supernatural skills could die in the dungeon.

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

"Kuri!" William sighed as he looked at the utterly innocent boy. He walked over and stared at him sternly. "Remember this: in 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 take out their possessions and equipment to sell."

"Remember this, Kuri. Never trust a stranger who is an adventurer!"

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

After hearing this, Kuri felt the image of adventurers he had learned about from bards and biographies continuously collapse. Finally, as though grasping at a lifeline, he looked toward William.

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

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

William kept a cold expression as he stated that cruel reality in an incomparably calm voice.

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

Luna stuck out her tongue and licked the tip of her blade. Her cute face, however, wore an utterly cold expression.

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

"All right, pull yourselves together." William patted the somewhat dazed boy on the shoulder and smiled. "Today's goal is to explore the second layer. Let's try to complete the Guild's mission early."

"Yes, Captain."

Kuri nodded mechanically, looking with complicated eyes in the direction Norton and his group had gone. So adventurers were not the heroes described in bards' tales and biographies.

Elsewhere, in the deepest part of the dungeon's six-layer ruins.

Luo Ao fixed his gaze on Norton and his group, who were leading a large number of adventurers toward the Fourth Layer. At the very front of the group, the burly Norton displayed the formidable strength of a Formal Professional.

As an Iron Guard who specialized in constitution and defense, Norton was like an impregnable wall of iron and steel. On the way to the Fourth Layer, no matter what monsters they encountered, he blocked them all by himself.

The other professionals around Norton also displayed considerable strength. With smooth, practiced coordination, they easily wiped out the Goblins, Gnomes, and Wolf Beasts they encountered. During the journey, the massive party was attacked by three Death Iron Skeletons and nearly ten Steel Slimes.

Yet relying on the great strength of Norton and the others, they still annihilated all the enemies, 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, a pained expression appeared on her small 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 front, using his tall body to shield them all behind him. He would rather be injured himself than let any monster harm his companions.

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

"Thank you." Norton accepted the healing potion and drained it in one gulp. Looking at the blushing 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 turned even redder. In the end, she lowered her head and hurriedly ran away.

"Captain, fooling little girls again?"

After the girl had run off, a man in red armor carrying twin swords came over. He gave a slightly frivolous whistle and smiled. "Want to stay here for the night? From my experience, as long as you wave at her, Captain, that girl will crawl into your tent herself."

"Shut up!" The honest smile on Norton's face instantly turned grim. He looked at the other man like a hungry wolf. "There'll be as many women as you want after we get out. Keep your lower half under control. If those newcomers notice anything..."

Though he did not finish speaking, Norton's murderous gaze already said everything.

"That guy really is talented. If I hadn't known beforehand, even newcomers would fall for his act every single time."

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

Luo Ao was still waiting for him to keep bringing new adventurers over to generate income for him.