The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 47

Chapter 47   Skull Dragon

“Lady Jill. Let’s take a break around here.”

“Yes, that sounds good.”

Jill, progressing through the 11th level of the ‘Mine Dungeon,’ stopped along with her followers.

They were members of ‘The Golden Hawk’ who sympathized with Laurent’s faction and had gathered to support her.

For the Skull Dragon subjugation quest, they gladly agreed to assist Jill.

Jill, with her near-limitless stamina and endurance, could traverse the dungeon alone, but this time she was facing an S-class monster.

She wanted to fight in the best condition possible.

For that purpose, she had her followers handle potion and item replenishments.

“Here you go. A potion.”

“Thank you.”

Jill received the potion from one of her followers, Milko.

Milko had been assisting Jill ever since she became a senior member.

Jill treated him like a younger brother, and he looked up to her like an older sister.

When Laurent’s faction was formed, he was the first to come to support her.

“Sorry for making you do this, even though you’re not a professional item keeper.”

“No, don’t worry about it.”

“We must ensure Lady Jill succeeds in this quest, so Lucius can’t continue to have his way.”

“…Thank you.”

Jill felt the weight of their destinies resting on her shoulders.

If she failed this quest, they would likely be unable to remain in ‘The Golden Hawk.’

(I must succeed in this quest for their sake as well.)

As the group rested, they suddenly heard a loud rumbling from afar.

“What is that sound?”

Milko said, tilting his head.

“It’s probably the Skull Dragon.”

Jill said curtly.

She stood up and quickly took a battle stance.

“With the boss gone from the dungeon, the only thing that could make such a loud noise is the Skull Dragon.”

“That can’t be. According to the quest reception, the Skull Dragon should be on the 12th level. Why is it on the 11th level? Could it have descended?”

“Most likely.”

“No way, then the Skull Dragon is heading towards the town?”

“There’s a magic circle on the 10th level that leads back to town. If we don’t stop it here, the Skull Dragon will be unleashed on the town.”

At Jill’s words, the followers swallowed nervously.

For the past few years, no monsters had appeared in the town.

If the Skull Dragon were unleashed on the town, what would happen?

With no preparations against a giant monster, the town would become a scene of hellish chaos.

Suddenly, the intermittent footsteps they had been hearing came to a stop.

“Everyone, hide!”

Jill shouted.

They hurriedly dashed into a nearby tunnel, trying to find cover amidst their confusion.

A massive shadow quickly covered the ground.

Immediately, a rain of bone arrows began to pour down.

“Ugh, aah!”

One of the followers, who was slow to react, screamed.

Just as he braced himself for death, Jill stepped in front of him, using her shield and armor to block the bone arrows.

The five bone arrows bounced off her without leaving a scratch and fell harmlessly to the ground.

“Lady Jill!”

“Quickly, run!”

“Y-yes!”

As the earth shook, the skeletal dragon descended, folding its wings as it landed.

The five who had taken refuge in the tunnel hid themselves, peeking out to watch the Skull Dragon.

(It’s huge…)

It stood as tall as a tower, comparable to the Tower Golem.

But the Skull Dragon’s peculiarity wasn’t just its size.

It launched bone arrows as projectiles and had remarkable agility.

(The tremors seemed so distant just moments ago. It flew all the way here in an instant? With that massive body, at such speed…)

Milko felt a chill run down his spine.

There was no way to escape this monster.

If Jill were defeated, there would be no one left who could stand against the S-class monster.

They would all be annihilated.

“Heh, this opponent is worthy.”

Jill’s eyes sparkled with excitement at facing an opponent where she could finally go all out, one she wasn’t sure she could defeat even with her full strength.

The Skull Dragon, its gaze—or rather, the empty void where its eyes once were—fixed on Jill as if contemplating something, then momentarily stopped.

Jill raised her sword and shield.

In an instant, the Skull Dragon moved with surprising agility for its massive size, stepping forward and whipping its entire skeletal body like a lash, extending its remaining claws.

(It’s fast—can’t dodge it!)

Jill instinctively used her shield to block, but was blown away, slamming into a building wall.

The building shattered upon impact, the walls crumbling with a cloud of dust rising.

Milko and the others watched in stunned silence.

(No way… Jill took a hit in one blow…)

The Skull Dragon turned its attention to Milko and the others.

“Eek!”

“N-no way. This is a joke, right?”

As the Skull Dragon prepared to use the same attack on them, a red shadow danced above its head, striking down with a sword.

The Skull Dragon barely managed to block with its right wing.

However, its right wing was shattered by the massive sword.

“So hard…”

Jill frowned at the unexpectedly tough resistance.

(I thought I could slice through the wing in one blow. It only shattered slightly.)

“In that case—”

The Skull Dragon swung its claws at Jill, but this time, she deflected the attack cleanly with her shield.

(Got it!)

Jill let go of her shield and, grasping her sword with both hands, brought it down on the outstretched arm.

Bones shattered, scattering white fragments around.

(I felt that!)

Jill’s slash severed the Skull Dragon’s left wrist.

The Skull Dragon, unable to withstand the blow, leaped backward, creating distance between itself and Jill.

Jill didn’t pursue, instead maintaining a cautious distance that allowed her to narrowly evade the claw attacks that had previously sent her flying. She quickly retrieved her shield.

However, as she did so, the bones she had shattered and broken began to move on their own, reassembling and reconnecting in their original places on the Skull Dragon’s body.

In no time, the Skull Dragon had regained its former shape.

“Whew. As I thought, breaking bones is pointless.”

Jill’s eyes focused on the glowing purple core situated between the thickest bones, the ribs, and the spine—where the heart likely resided in life.

(I need to damage that core. It’s protected by the ribs, so I can’t break it in one hit. I need to land consecutive strikes.)

A dull pain throbbed in her chest.

(Damn. The earlier damage is taking its toll. My stamina is almost completely drained.)

Jill had to clench her teeth to avoid showing her pain.

(If I take another hit like that, I might not be able to stay on my feet…)

The Skull Dragon stepped forward, ready to attack.

Jill started running.

Her agility seemed impossible for someone wearing armor, but she barely managed to dodge the Skull Dragon’s attack.

The spot where Jill had stood moments ago was marred with menacing claw marks.

(If I let my guard down even a little, I’m done for.)

As Jill was facing the Skull Dragon, Monica, who had cleared the “Mine Dungeon,” woke up at the “Guardians of the Magic Tree” headquarters after twenty-four hours of sleep.

After having a light meal in the dining hall, she headed to the reception.

“Monica, you made it onto this month’s defeat ranking,” the receptionist said, handing Monica the ranking list published by the quest reception.

“Oh, thank you.”

Monica glanced at the rankings and saw her name, “Monica Velmare,” proudly listed in the first place.

(Yes, I’m in provisional first place.)

Monica made a triumphant gesture with one hand.

She was ahead of the second place by more than twenty defeated monsters.

(I might actually secure the first place in defeats this month. If I do, maybe Laurent will praise me a little. Hehe.)

“Congratulations on being in provisional first place.”

“Oh, Claria, thank you.”

“I’m sorry to bother you right after you woke up, but may I relay Laurent’s instructions to you?”

“Yes, please.”

Since Claria had become Laurent’s secretary, Monica often received messages and instructions from him through her.

Although Monica understood that Laurent was busy, she couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness.

“Laurent wants you to join the team returning from the ‘Demon Realm Dungeon’ if you have enough stamina. He also wants you to aim for the first place in defeats while conquering the dungeon.”

“Got it!”

(Laurent remembered the promise about being first in defeats.)

Monica felt elated just by that.

No matter how busy he got, Laurent still thought about her.

(Alright, time to give it my all.)

Monica renewed her determination.

In fact, she felt confident that she could achieve it.

Thanks to “Impaler,” Monica’s monster defeat count had reached unprecedented levels.

Despite diving into dungeons three times this month, she was not fatigued and still had plenty of energy left.

She likely had the highest dungeon exploration distance in town as well.

This should be more than enough to secure the top spot in defeats.

(Watch me, Laurent. I’ll definitely meet your expectations.)

Monica tightly gripped the “Silver Iron Breaker Bow” Laurent had given her.

“By the way, where is Laurent now? At the ‘Spirit Workshop’? Or at the quest reception?”

“Laurent went to the ‘Mine Dungeon.'”

Monica looked puzzled upon hearing this.

“The ‘Mine Dungeon’? Why? We’ve already cleared the ‘Mine Dungeon.'”

“An S-Class monster, the Skull Dragon, appeared.”

“The Skull Dragon!?”

“Yes, Jill went ahead…”

“Jill!? You mean Jill Irwin of the ‘Golden Hawk’?”

“Ah, yes, that’s right. Jill is now under the ‘Guardians of the Magic Tree.’ She’s participating in the S-Class monster subjugation. However, she entered the dungeon before the S-Class equipment developed by the ‘Spirit Workshop’ was completed. So, Laurent is currently in the dungeon to deliver the finished S-Class weapon to Jill.”

“Chasing after Jill…”

(I can’t get distracted. I have to focus on my mission. I need to aim for the top spot in defeats. I don’t have time to worry about Jill.)

Monica grabbed the chest of her clothes tightly to calm herself.

(If I get the top spot, Laurent will surely acknowledge me. Right, Laurent?)

Suppressing her anxiety, Monica headed towards the “Demon Realm Dungeon.”

Laurent paced restlessly in the hallway of the “Spirit Workshop.”

His face clearly showed signs of anxiety and irritation.

He was replaying his conversation with Daenna in his mind.

“Want to join the ‘Guardians of the Magic Tree’?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Deanna said with a bright smile.

“As for the job… well, I’d like to be your secretary,” she added with all the charm she could muster.

Laurent couldn’t hide his exasperation.

“Deanna, do you understand your position?”

“Yes, of course. I understand it well. I’m Lucius’s right-hand woman. If I join your side, wouldn’t that bring you immeasurable benefits?”

“A few weeks ago, perhaps. But now, the outcome is already decided.”

“I have a lot of information that could help you bring down Lucius.”

“We already know that Lucius is out of options. We don’t need your help to corner him.”

“Oh really? Then how about this? Jill is in danger.”

“…What did you say?” Laurent’s face tensed up.

“Seems like you didn’t know that,” Deanna said smugly.

“What do you mean? How is that possible…”

“If everything goes according to plan, Jill won’t be coming back from the dungeon.”

“Ridiculous. Jill wouldn’t be taken down by just any adventurer…”

“But, while fighting an S-Class monster, it’s a different story.”

“Tell me. What is Lucius planning…”

“Oh, but it wouldn’t be a negotiation if I told you that,” Deanna said, almost mockingly.

“If you want to know about the danger Jill is in, you know what you have to do, right?”

Laurent slammed his fist against the wall.

“Damn it.”

(Jill, please be safe.)

“Laurent, it’s ready. The S-Class adventurer weapon, ‘Dragon Slayer Hammer.'”

Charl and Daevin came over, pushing a cart with the S-Class weapon.

“Alright. Marina!”

“Yes!”

Marina, who had been resting on the sofa nearby, jumped up.

“You’re ‘Equipment Possession.’ Only you can carry this equipment.”

“Yes. I’ll take it… Ugh, it’s heavy. What is this? It’s using up almost all my storage capacity.”

Marina’s face turned pale as if she had swallowed something huge.

Though Marina was already an A-Class in Equipment Possession, it was still a considerable burden for her.

Nevertheless, Laurent, along with the struggling Marina and the hastily gathered B-Class adventurers, headed into the “Mine Dungeon.”

(Jill… please make it in time.)

Jill’s battle with the Skull Dragon continued.

How long had it been since the fight began? Probably about five hours.

They were engaged in a tense, nerve-wracking standoff.

Jill, moving with the speed of a leopard, tried to maneuver to the side of the Skull Dragon.

But the Skull Dragon was no slouch either.

It displayed agility that belied its massive size, narrowly dodging Jill’s slashes.

(Damn it. This distance is awful.)

Jill had been trying to fight within a range favorable to her, where she could narrowly dodge the Skull Dragon’s attacks and close in with a single burst of speed. However, the Skull Dragon wasn’t allowing that.

The Skull Dragon skillfully stepped around, showing surprising maneuverability for its size, and occasionally tried to circle around to Jill’s side.

(Damn it. You’re already big and strong, at least give me the advantage in agility!)

Jill aimed her sword at the tip of its wing.

But her step-in was too shallow.

The Skull Dragon moved into Jill’s blind spot and lashed out with its bony tail like a whip.

(This is bad!)

Jill sensed an attack coming from her blind side.

She rolled to narrowly avoid it.

Next, bone arrows flew towards her.

Several hit Jill’s armor.

(It’s fine. The armor can guard against bone arrows…)

A faint creaking sound of metal reached Jill’s ears.

(What?)

Jill quickly glanced at her armor and saw a crack.

(No way! My armor is already at its limit?)

The Skull Dragon promptly showered her with a barrage of bone arrows from its mouth.

“Damn.”

Jill quickly dodged.

(If my armor takes another hit, I’m in trouble. I need to use ‘Earth Stone’ somehow…)

However, the Skull Dragon did not let up its attacks.

The Skull Dragon had means of attack regardless of the distance between them.

(Ugh. If I stop moving, it’s over. But at this rate…)

Soon enough, Jill found herself cornered against a wall.

“Damn…”

The Skull Dragon prepared to spew bone arrows.

Jill leaned back, preparing for the impending attack.

(Dodge by breaking through the wall? No, it won’t make it in time.)

At that moment, a black projectile flew in and delivered a crescent-shaped slash to the Skull Dragon.

The head of the Skull Dragon was crushed.

The black-clad swordsman who delivered the slash landed nearby.

“Hah, made it just in time, huh?”

“You’re… ‘Crescent Knight’ Yugan!?”

“Hm? So, you’re Jill Irwin of the ‘Golden Hawk’?”

“Lord Yugan, why are you here in a place like this… could it be!?”

“Exactly that. I’ve come to subdue this bone lizard at the behest of Lucius. Now…”

Yugan swept away the bone arrows from the Skull Dragon with his sword.

The head that Yugan had crushed had somehow regenerated.

(Its head that I destroyed is back to normal. Guess I need to attack its heart directly after all.)

“This Skull Dragon is lively, huh!”

Yugan swiftly dove into the Skull Dragon’s bosom with extraordinary speed.

(Fast!)

“Gotcha.”

Yugan unleashed a thrust that pierced through the thick bones, but the Skull Dragon expanded its ribs to block.

Yugan’s thrust stopped short before reaching the heart.

“What!?”

The Skull Dragon purged its ribs and took flight while Yugan was off balance.

“You bastard. Get back here!”

Yugan hurriedly chased after it.

(Was I… saved?)

Jill almost collapsed right there.

Huff, huff, huff

Jill, who had been moving almost breathlessly until now, took deep breaths in a hurry.

(So this is an S-class monster. I’m managing somehow, but… it’s stronger than I expected.)

“Jill, are you alright?”

The attendants rushed over.

“Ah, yeah, sorry. Can you give me ‘Earthstone’?”

“Sure.”

One of the attendants tried to take out ‘Earthstone’ from their pocket.

“Wait. Start with the potion.”

Milko instructed the man who was about to take out ‘Earthstone’.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, you’re right.”

A potion was handed to Jill.

“Sorry. Thank you.”

Jill received the potion and drank it.

Her stamina recovered slightly.

That’s when she realized she was expending more stamina than expected.

“Sorry. Give me more potions.”

“Sure, here you go.”

Jill quickly gulped down another potion.

(I was too naive. No matter how much training I’ve received from Laurent, if I had continued fighting like that, I would have lost.)

“Are you okay?” Milko peered at her face.

“Yeah,” Jill replied as she got up.

Then, she immediately grabbed the sword that had been stabbed into the nearby ground.

“Wait, you’re not seriously going back into battle, are you?” Milko said, looking surprised.

The other attendants also tried to stop her.

“It’s reckless. Your stats must be depleted, right?”

“Do you understand? I have to fight both it and that Yugan,” Jill replied.

“I understand. But you don’t have to go alone,” Milko said.

(I have to prove it. Laurent’s strength. If I can do that, I won’t regret risking my life.)

“I’ve been significantly weakened, but I still have enough left. Once my armor is restored, I can still fight. Whether it’s the Skull Dragon or Yugan, I’ll defeat them,” Jill declared.

Everyone fell silent at the weight of Jill’s determination.

“Understood. If you’re that determined, we won’t stop you. But we’ll accompany you,” Milko said.

“Milko, but…”

“I understand. We can only carry potions for you. However, we don’t want to let Lucius have his way either.”

“Milko…”

“We’ll be cautious not to get in your way. But if things get dangerous, please retreat immediately. We’ll assist with supplies as much as we can.”

“Thank you. With you guys here, I can fight longer.”

Jill was about to use “Earthstone.”

“Wait. Before you use ‘Earthstone,’ there’s something the guild leader asked me to do…”

“The guild leader?”

“Yes, your assassination.”

Milko stabbed Jill’s side where the armor had cracked.

“What!?”

“Hey, what are you doing!?”

“Milko, what the hell!?”

The sudden action of Milko disturbed the other members.

Taking advantage of the confusion, Milko removed his armor, revealing his true identity beneath.

He was dressed in the garb of an assassin, suitable for a killer.

Milko swiftly attacked the other attendants with hidden weapons he had concealed, massacring them in an instant.

“Milko, you bastard!”

As Jill raised her sword, dizziness overcame her.

(My body won’t obey me. Is this… poison?)

Jill fell to her knees, collapsing face down.

With a smirk, Milko looked down at Jill from above.

“Hehehe. To withstand such a potent poison without dying, truly befitting of an S-Class knight. However, you won’t be able to move much longer. It’s a shame, isn’t it? Not being able to reach S-Class for Laurent’s sake.”

Milko now wore a callous grin, not bothering to conceal his true nature.

Jill glared at Milko, frustration evident in her eyes.

(Milko was the first to join me, to join Laurent’s faction. Which means…)

“I can’t believe… you were working for him from the start…”

“That’s right. I joined Laurent’s faction from the beginning to carry out spy activities. It was at Lucius’s request.”

“Urgh…”

“Now, be quiet.”

Milko stepped on Jill’s head.

“Argh!”

Jill weakly cried out as her face was pushed into the ground.

Milko unfastened Jill’s armor, leaving her with nothing but her undergarments. Then, he forcefully lifted her face by grabbing her beautiful hair.

Due to Milko’s actions, Jill’s face looked pitiful, with marks from being stepped on, cheeks dirty with dust, and blood seeping from her cut lips.

“Milko, do you understand? If you do this in the dungeon…”

“No need to worry about that. I’m an assassin. Killing people for money, changing names, wandering from town to town is my routine. As long as I get paid, I’ll be gone from this town in no time. However…”

With a lewd grin, Milko licked his lips as he looked over Jill’s lower body.

It was a sight he had long coveted, stealing glances whenever he could, a feast for his eyes.

“I should take my time and enjoy this first.”

Milko reached out towards Jill’s voluptuous body.

“Don’t touch me!”

Jill vigorously pushed away Milko’s hand with all her might and drew her knife to strike.

“Whoa!”

Milko jumped back in surprise, dodging Jill’s counterattack.

“Surprising. You can still move like that.”

A rumble could be heard nearby.

It seemed that the Skull Dragon was approaching again.

“Hmm, lingering here is not a good idea.”

Milko gazed at Jill with reluctance.

“Killing you was Lucius’s request. Well, you won’t last long in that state anyway. Now…”

Milko picked up Jill’s sword lying nearby and shattered it.

“No, no!”

(My sword… the one Laurent gave me…)

“Well, this broken sword should be enough evidence.”

Milko tucked the broken sword into his pocket and walked away.

“Wait, Milko!”

“I’ve been meaning to say this for a while, but you should learn to trust people less. See ya.”

“Wait, Milko, Milko!”

Jill desperately tried to chase after Milko, but her legs wouldn’t respond.

On top of that, her consciousness was beginning to fade.

“Damn it, this is no good. I still haven’t done anything.”

Jill gritted her teeth and tried to endure.

“I haven’t been able to repay him, to Laurent.”

But mercilessly, the poison continued to eat away at Jill’s body.

Finally, Jill couldn’t stand anymore and collapsed to the ground.

Soon, even breathing became difficult, and her consciousness began to fade away.

“Ugh, Laurent…”

“I’m sorry, Laurent. You’ve given me so much, yet I couldn’t give anything back.”

In her fading consciousness, Jill reflected on her memories with Laurent.

The first time they met, and he immediately recognized her talent.

Staying up late to train with her.

Buying her specialized equipment.

Advocating for her to participate in higher-level quests.

Amidst everyone in the ‘Golden Hawk’ abandoning her, he was the only one who recognized her talent.

“If only I had repaid him sooner. Laurent, I’m sorry.”

Jill heard someone calling her name.

“It seems it’s finally time to go.”

Jill waited for her soul to leave her body.

However, she didn’t depart for heaven no matter how much time passed.

Instead of feeling her strength leaving her body, she felt a surge of vitality.

Rather than fading, her consciousness was awakening.

“What’s this? I feel energized.”

Still, she heard the voice calling out to her.

The voice became clearer and louder.

“Jill. Jill.”

When Jill opened her eyes, she saw Laurent’s face peering down at her.

“Laurent…?”

“I’m glad. Looks like I made it in time.”

“It seems you’ve pulled through.”

Another voice was heard nearby.

Looking in that direction, there was a man dressed as a healer.

It seemed he had administered detoxification and recovery.

“Why are you here, Laurent?”

“Deanna told me. Lucius sent an assassin after you.”

“I see. Daenna…”

Jill felt her breathing returning to normal.

The air felt painful.

Tears welled up naturally.

“Jill?”

“I’m glad. Laurent, I thought I wouldn’t see you again.”

“…Yeah, I’m glad you’re safe.”

At that moment, a heavy thud broke the silence.

“Is that the sound of the Skull Dragon’s footsteps?”

Jill jumped up with a thud.

And immediately staggered.

“Ugh.”

“Jill, are you okay? Here, hold on.”

Laurent supported Jill by her shoulders.

“Laurent, what’s the situation?”

“The Skull Dragon is still around. Seems like it’s fighting someone.”

“Probably Yugan. I had a brief encounter with the assassin before being caught off guard.”

“Yugan!? The Yugan, from the ‘Crescent Knights’?”

“Yes. It seems he’s hired by Lucius.”

“I see. Lucius, that guy, he hired such a big shot?”

“Laurent, could you appraise me?”

“Huh!?”

“I need to know if I still have the strength to fight. What I should do to fight.”

“Wait, are you planning to fight the Skull Dragon now?”

“Of course. I cannot allow that man, who unfairly took credit from you and degraded you on Lucius’s orders, to take anything else from me. The title of S-Class belongs to me. For that reason, Laurent, please grant me the strength to fight just once more.”

“Jill…”

Laurent appraised Jill’s status once again.

【Jill Irwin’s Status】

Strength Power: 70-110

Endurance Toughness: 80-120

Agility: 70-105

Stamina: 80-200

(It seems like the poison has significantly reduced the status. Considering the average values, these are high enough stats, but it’s hard to call them S-Class. At best, they’re probably A-Class. But…)

“Jill… Your basic stats are all below 100 now. There’s no way you can handle the Skull Dragon.”

“That’s… impossible…”

“However, if only for a moment, it’s a different story.”

“Huh!?”

“Your stats are currently erratic. However, the maximum values still exceed 100. If you can harness all your strength in that brief moment, perhaps you can defeat the Skull Dragon.”

“A moment’s chance… unleash all my power…”

“Marina, the one we talked about!”

“Yes, sir.”

Marina took out armor and a sword from the item bag and dropped them on the ground.

With a heavy and unusually dull sound, the armor and sword sank into the ground.

Just from the sound, Jill could tell that this equipment was made of a material with unprecedented density and hardness.

“Laurent, is this…?”

“Yeah. It’s the S-Class weapon we made, the ‘Dragon Slayer Hammer.'”

“‘Dragon Slayer Hammer’…”

“Whether you can handle this in your current state… to be honest, it’s questionable. But if you can unleash the maximum value of your stats even for a moment… perhaps you can defeat the Skull Dragon. Jill, what do you say?”

Jill chuckled lightly.

“Laurent, if you say so, I’ll do anything.”

(Since the day I met you, I’ve followed your instructions and surpassed every limit.)

Laurent smiled wryly.

(It’s quite something to be blindly trusted like this.)

“Got it. Jill, go defeat the Skull Dragon. You can do it.”

“Yes!”