Barbarian's Adventure in a Fantasy World-Chapter 46: Fame (3)

“Hmm,” Ketal stroked his chin, intrigued.

Rosa coughed awkwardly and shifted the topic with a cheerful tone. “And many more requests are now open to you! At C-Rank, you can take on practically any request. You could even tackle A-Rank Dungeons, as long as you form a party!”

Dungeon expeditions, exploring unexplored Dungeons, and a variety of other requests—all of it was now accessible.

Rosa scratched her head, looking a bit embarrassed. “But... since Lord Barcan’s estate is located in a remote area, there aren’t many high-level requests here.”

“Aren’t there unexplored Dungeons nearby?” Ketal asked.

“There are, but their difficulty is likely low. They’re unexplored not because the Dungeons are too dangerous, but because there hasn’t been enough manpower to investigate them.”

The unexplored Dungeon Ketal had cleared before was an unusual case. A-Rank Dungeons rarely appeared in a remote territory like this. Still, it meant there were no Dungeons in the area that Ketal couldn’t access.

“So, now I’m curious. How do you advance beyond C-Rank?” Ketal asked. He knew that the ranks above C were B, A, and finally, S. There were still three levels left.

Rosa began explaining. “To be honest, there’s not much difference in skill between C-Rank and B-Rank. The key difference is who vouches for you.”

“What do you mean? Isn’t that what the Mercenary Guild provides?”

“Not really,” Rosa said, scratching her cheek awkwardly. “To put it bluntly, mercenaries aren’t exactly a highly esteemed profession.”

Until E-Rank, mercenaries were little more than errand runners handling menial tasks. Even D-Rank wasn’t much different—it was simply the level reached after accumulating enough experience as an E-Rank mercenary. C-Rank, however, marked the point where a mercenary gained official recognition as a professional.

But even that had its limits. Due to the nature of mercenaries, the guild often included individuals whose identities weren’t entirely clear. If they proved their skills, they could reach C-Rank, but they wouldn’t necessarily earn the trust of nobles or religious orders.

No matter how much the Mercenary Guild vouched for someone, nobles and clergy still regarded it as an outside institution. To those who considered themselves inherently superior, such as nobles or clergy, personal vouches mattered more than skill alone.

Some mercenaries formed alliances with noble families or religious orders, earning their recognition and favor. Those were the individuals who advanced to B-Rank.

“I see.” Ketal nodded in understanding. “So, it’s like a second filter.”

“Something like that. Unlike C-Rank, B-Rank mercenaries can accept requests directly tied to nobles or religious orders. That’s the key difference. Though, there aren’t many such requests to begin with.”

In most cases, once a mercenary gained the favor of a noble, they joined that noble’s household. It was far more convenient to serve under someone else’s banner than to live like a wandering mercenary. For this reason, only a few rare eccentrics remained at B-Rank.

“And how about A-Rank? Are they the true elite of the Mercenary guild?” Ketal asked.

“Exactly. They don’t need anyone’s recognition—just their skills.”

Whether it was exploration, alchemy, deciphering mazes, or pure combat prowess, A-Rank mercenaries had mastered a specific field to its extreme. Even within the Mercenary Guild, their numbers were scarce.

Rosa’s eyes sparkled as she spread her arms. “Some of them are even Transcendents!”

“Is that so?” Ketal muttered indifferently.

Rosa flinched at his lack of reaction. “T-Transcendent-level! Do you not hear what I’m saying?”

Transcendent was a rare and exalted rank even within the kingdom. For such individuals to work as mercenaries was indeed remarkable.

Of course, Ketal remained unimpressed. So, there are more Transcendents than I thought.

Disappointed by his lukewarm response, Rosa pouted momentarily before regaining her composure and continuing. “Becoming A-Rank naturally comes with honor. You will even be able to take on requests from nobles.”

At that level, the mercenary’s abilities served as their certification. They no longer needed anyone to vouch for them. “Of course, there are some unique individuals even among A-Ranks, but that’s generally how it works. And the biggest perks of being an A-Rank mercenary? They gain the right to challenge S-Rank Dungeons!” Rosa explained.

“S-Rank?” Ketal’s eyes gleamed with interest. “What are those?”

“They are the most difficult Dungeons. No one has ever cleared them. Across the entire world, there are only about a dozen.”

Unexplored Dungeons were typically left unexplored due to manpower shortages, not their inherent difficulty. However, S-Rank Dungeons were a different matter. Even with all the resources thrown at them, no one had reached their end.

“S-Rank Dungeon exploration is entirely at your own risk,” Rosa said solemnly. “Neither the guild nor any institution takes responsibility for your survival. If you go missing, you’re simply presumed dead.”

“Hmm,” Ketal stroked his chin.”

“The most famous example is the Tower of Secrets. It’s an S-Rank Dungeon—a massive tower. No one has reached its peak. Many A-Rank mercenaries have attempted it, but none have succeeded. Some even went missing entirely.”

“I see,” Ketal’s lips curled into a faint smile. This world truly brought him joy.

That night, for the first time in a while, Ketal arranged a drinking party. The attendees were his former party members: the thief, the self-proclaimed paladin, and the priestess. The purpose of the gathering was to celebrate Ketal’s promotion to C-Rank.

This time, Ketal himself had invited them. Since much of the initial discomfort toward him had faded after clearing the unexplored Dungeon together, the group accepted without much resistance.

Alexandros, upon hearing about the confrontation with the demon, murmured with a grave expression. “Wow... I didn’t even know such an event occurred. Was everything resolved without an issue?”

“The demon had been defeated. The inquisitor personally confirmed that there’s nothing to worry about,” Ketal replied calmly. “I See. That’s a relief.” Alexandros’s face clearly reflected his sense of relief, so much so that it was obvious to anyone. He soon cleared his throat loudly and raised his voice. “It’s unfortunate. If only this paladin could have been there to smite the evil with my own hands!”

“Don’t kid yourself,” Cassan quipped, smirking as he looked at Hayes. “You must have had a hard time witnessing the clash with the demon.”

“Ah, yes...” Hayes flinched and nodded, her demeanor nervous. Her reaction seemed slightly unusual, but Cassan didn’t pay it much mind.

“Still... holding your ground against a demon? That’s incredible,” Cassan said, his eyes filled with genuine amazement as he looked at Ketal..

Holding one’s ground against a demon was no small feat. Even with the presence of the Inquisitor of the Sun God, it was an extraordinary accomplishment.

I knew he was strong, Cassan thought. But not to this extent.

It truly felt like Ketal came from another world.

“You must have had a hard time too. Standing against a named demon is no easy feat, Ketal,” Cassan said with respect.

“It was simply something I had to do,” Ketal replied matter-of-factly.

“Even so, defeating a demon is no easy feat. The Inquisitor of the Sun God must truly be formidable,” Cassan muttered, his voice tinged with awe.

Though he had heard of the inquisitor’s renown, even a named demon was an immensely powerful foe. To defeat such a being was a testament to the inquisitor’s strength. Alexandros nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Hayes was screaming internally. No, that’s not what happened!

When everyone else had fallen unconscious during the battle, she had not. Hayes had watched the entire fight between Ketal and the demon. That was why she alone understood the true extent of Ketal’s power.

Ashetiaar was a named demon. Although she held hostages to gain an advantage, she had been powerful enough to defeat Aquaz, the youngest inquisitor, without much resistance.

Yet, Ketal had defeated Ashetiaar. And the fight wasn’t even close, it was overwhelmingly one-sided.

Ketal had toyed with the demon as if she were nothing more than a plaything, crushing her skull, slicing her torso in half, and tearing her limbs to pieces.

Aquaz had only been there to deliver the final blow to a defeated opponent. Ketal’s strength defied logic. It felt as though he didn’t belong in this world. He possessed a power so overwhelming that one could mistake him for a dragon toying with its prey.

Respect and trust came naturally to those who were strong, but Ketal’s power surpassed what could be described as merely strong. At that level, he seemed more like an inhumane entity. More than that, there was Ketal’s peculiar set of values. Hayes found herself increasingly unable to understand him.

Cassan spoke again. “Now that you’ve reached C-Rank, what are your plans, Ketal?”

At that moment, the server approached. Though the server flinched at the sight of Ketal, she cautiously walked over and placed a dish on the table.

“Hm? We didn’t order this,” Ketal said, tilting his head.

“It’s... on the house. My brother was one of the guards who went with you to that village,” the server said, bowing deeply. “Thank you.”

“Ah, no. It was nothing. I only did what was necessary. You don’t need to worry about it,” Ketal replied, waving it off.

Still, the server repeatedly bowed before leaving.

Ketal chuckled. “Nothing has changed, Cassan. As a C-Rank mercenary and as the Demon Slayer, I will simply do what needs to be done.”

“Is that so?” Cassan asked, finding Ketal’s response somewhat curious.

The Ketal he knew didn’t seem like someone who cared about fame or honor. Yet now, he appeared to place significant meaning on the recognition he had received. It almost made him seem like an ordinary person. For the first time, Ketal began to look human to Cassan.

Don’t fall for it! Hayes screamed internally as she caught Cassan’s gaze. This man is a monster! Fame and honor mean nothing to him!

Hayes knew that if Ketal wished, he could destroy an entire kingdom. It was all just an act. No one could truly grasp the depths of his intentions—no one but Hayes.

And yet, she couldn’t say it aloud. The frustration was enough to make her feel like she might burst.

“What about you? What are your plans?” Ketal asked.

“Well, we’re still F-Rank, so there is not much we can do. For now, we will aim to become E-Rank and figure things out from there,” Cassan said, scratching his head. “To be honest, I originally planned to just scrape by day-to-day until I died. But after meeting you, Ketal, I’ve changed my mind. I want to put in some effort and live a little better.”

“I’ve always lived like that. How are you only realizing it now? You’re truly a lowlife,” Alexandros retorted, but Cassan ignored him entirely.

Ketal turned his gaze to Hayes.” And what about you?”

“W-what?” Hayes squeaked, startled by the sudden attention. She stiffened, her back ramrod straight.