C20 A Level Sss Mission

"Then what? After all that, it's just a story?"

Egerton's confusion was clear, and it drew an exasperated eye roll from Verl and the others who were captivated by the tale.

"Don't rush me. The reason this secret is considered legendary has everything to do with the backstory!" Bran said with a chuckle.

"Since then, incredible things began to happen. Within the Skyreach Spires across various duchies, strange phenomena would occasionally occur. Battle remains and ruins that seemed perfectly ordinary would appear in places they had no business being. Sometimes, with just a turn, a corner previously empty would be filled with bloodstained corpses."

"Many initially suspected the emergence of a new kind of magical creature. But upon investigation, it became clear that these random ruins and bodies bore a striking resemblance to scenes from battles the young adventurer had once faced."

"There were even cases of Adventure Teams vanishing mysteriously within the Skyreach Spire. At first, no one connected these disappearances to the incidents. That changed when a survivor emerged. An adventurer, having accidentally injured his eye in battle, retreated only to find his teammates had vanished. In his panic, he nearly became prey to a magical creature but was fortunate enough to stumble upon another Adventure Team. They followed his directions to his last location, only to find a gruesome scene of mangled corpses and the ghostly battle ruins. A theory arose that those missing adventurers had stumbled upon these ruins and been swept into another world, meeting their end there. The reason previous teams were only reported missing was that their bodies had been devoured by converging magical creatures. The discovery was made simply because they arrived swiftly."

"...This can't be real, can it?" Ngoh said, a shiver running down his spine as he forced an uneasy smile.

"I've heard this rumor too... An Adventure Team friendly with the Sunstriders disappeared just like that."

"Deputy Captain, could you offer us some reassurance?" Ngoh asked with a wry smile.

Verl, standing nearby, was visibly shaking with fear, wanting to move closer to Egerton but also fearing rejection, her endearing dilemma written all over her face.

"Can't you show a little backbone? Look at Egerton and Hankamer. Are they as spineless as you?" Macleay chided.

"Deputy Captain, Hankamer seems to have passed out," Egerton observed, glancing at the figure beneath the heavy armor.

"Holy smokes, is it really that terrifying?" Bran walked over to take a look and cried out in surprise.

"It's not about being scared. I always knew that Skyreach Spire was dangerous, but as long as you entered at the appropriate level, there usually weren't any problems. Now that you bring it up, I feel like death could be lurking around any corner," Ngoh said, shaking his head.

"If you're scared, maybe you shouldn't come to Skyreach Spire. Joining the military is another solid option," Egerton suggested.

Not every believer chooses the path of an adventurer. Apart from the convenience of their Class, joining the military, serving as a noble's attendant, or joining organizations like the Bounty Guild are all viable paths for believers.

"Enough already, it's just a legend. Besides, this legend is common across all seven duchies. The odds of us running into it are so slim it's almost laughable. According to those tavern folks, it's a big deal if it even happens a few times a year," Bran said nonchalantly.

"Even if we do run into it, it's not really a big deal," Egerton remarked casually.

"Don't make those kinds of jokes. If we actually encounter it, I'm afraid we might..." Ngoh shivered at the thought.

"We're not like other Adventure Teams. We've got Captain Macleay with us now. Even if we do run into trouble, it won't be easy for things to go south," Egerton reassured with a smile.

"Putting it that way does give me a bit more peace of mind," Ngoh admitted, glancing at Macleay and patting his chest.

"Speaking of which, shouldn't we wake Hankamer up? It's not great for him to be out cold like this," Bran gestured to the side.

"If you want to wake him, go ahead," Egerton responded noncommittally.

"Alright, let's do it. Haha, we've got to give him a good ribbing later. He actually fainted because I said..." Bran started to say.

"Why are you stammering?" Ngoh asked curiously.

Turning to look at Bran, Ngoh noticed that Bran had turned his head away, his face ashen and beaded with cold sweat.

A chilling premonition swept through them, accompanied by a sinister breeze, causing the remaining four to tense up.

"You, you, you, look at this. We've probably encountered it!"

"Encountered what?" Ngoh instinctively asked, his eyes following the direction Bran was pointing. He was immediately struck with horror.

Behind Hankamer, in the shadowy corner, lay two or three mangled corpses, some belonging to magical creatures, others to humans. But what terrified him even more was that as the corpses came into focus, the old, weathered walls began to morph into something else: walls of completely different colors, with irregular breaks and smeared with bloodstains of various hues.

Battle ruins!

That was the only thought that flashed through Ngoh's mind before a piercing pain erupted from deep within his skull.

"Ahh!!!" A shrill scream pierced the air as Verl flung herself into Egerton's arms, and in that instant, the group vanished within Skyreach Spire.

"Attention, attention, you have triggered a mandatory mission. Mission Level: SSS, Mission Difficulty: SS. Complete all of the Forgotten One, Elvin's memories. The reward is enigmatic, and failure will result in forced death." The familiar voice of the missionary system echoed in his mind, bringing not impatience but an odd sense of comfort.

"I let my guard down this time. I never expected the battle ruins to appear without any warning or signs. You can't see them unless you're up close. But with a mission of Level SSS and difficulty SS, it's no wonder everyone who encountered the battle ruins perished."

Level SS difficulty matched the prowess of Class 7, while the adventurers within Skyreach Spire generally possessed strength below Class 6, making an encounter virtually a death sentence.

"So the question now is, how can I, with my current strength, complete this mission?"

Reflecting on his Class 2 strength, Egerton couldn't help but smile wryly.

But the next second, he froze.

It wasn't just because his attire had changed, nor solely because the world around him had become unrecognizable.

It was the sudden realization that the power within him seemed to have transformed.

A slight smile curled the corners of his mouth as Egerton, filled with newfound confidence, glanced at the woman clinging to him. Even in her new, more vulnerable-looking attire, he could still tell it was Verl.

"How long do you plan on holding me?" Verl asked as she pushed Egerton away, her fair face flushing with a hint of red.

"Are we dead?" Verl looked around at the completely changed scenery, her voice tinged with unease.

"Go ahead and die on your own; don't involve me," Egerton retorted with irritation.

"It looks like we've entered a special space, probably the one related to the legend Bran mentioned. It seems safe for now, so let's try to find the others, shall we?" Egerton suggested, nodding toward a deep passageway.

They found themselves in a misty white world, with the outlines of an ancient corridor, reminiscent of the 100th floor of the Skyreach Spire, stretching out before them. Shadowy figures were visible in the distance, prompting Egerton's direction.

"Are the others still alive?" Verl inquired, her anxiety palpable.

"Could you not casually assume the others are dead?" Egerton chided, poking Verl's forehead.

"You're not angry with me anymore?" Verl's cheeks warmed as she spoke softly.

"At this point, and considering what's happened before, it's pointless to dwell on it. We might actually face death, as you suggested, so why bother with such concerns?" Egerton attempted to explain before swiftly changing the subject.

"Elvin, you finally made it. I was starting to think you and Reine were too caught up flirting to remember why we're here."

A few steps later, they encountered several unfamiliar adventurers who greeted them enthusiastically.

"Egerton, who are they talking about? Who are Elvin and Reine?" Verl asked, puzzled.

"They mean you and me. Is there anyone else here?" Egerton replied offhandedly.

"You know, I'd actually forgotten. What are we here for?" Egerton played along with the adventurers' mistake.

"Seriously, you're too distracted by women. We're here to rescue the duke's heir, remember? But I've just checked, and it's tricky. The heir is protected by two Class 5 Weapon Masters, yet the number of magical creatures nearby is overwhelming. There are nearly ten Level A Feltouched, and I fear the temporary defense will be breached in less than thirty minutes."

"Are we really enough to handle this many magical creatures?"

Egerton scanned the group, his gaze finally resting on the speaker, his eyes flickering with an odd expression.

A Level A Feltouched is on par with a Class 5 expert, and with a slew of other Level A magical creatures, there are over twenty entrenched here. Our team only has five Class 5 adventurers. Even with the support of a Weapon Master, it's like throwing eggs at a stone wall.

"Have you forgotten? Winterbloom and Stormrage are coordinating with us. They're positioned elsewhere, and you're the commander!" The speaker's face twisted oddly, eyeing Egerton with distrust.

It seemed he was the Adventure Team's deputy leader.

"What's their strength like?" Egerton asked, feigning ignorance of the tension.

"They're comparable to us, each with five Class 5s. There are also two Class 4 Adventure Teams. Elvin, you haven't lost your memory, have you? If that's the case, maybe we should just call it quits and let that cursed noble meet his end," the deputy leader remarked.

"Just double-checking. What's got you so on edge?" Egerton chuckled.

"If you weren't as composed as always, I'd be worried you'd been replaced by a Mirror Monster," the deputy leader said, relieved.