Yudonia was a beautiful country. Located about six thousand kilometres north of the equator, the republic nation was brimming with verdant forestry and ample of mountainous terrain. In the blistering heat of summer, many trees blossomed under cover of the lush hills and mountains, creating its own gated community so that wildlife could thrive. Foxes jumped from burrow to burrow, and birds chirped happily under cover of the canopies.

Some may call Yudonia a second-rate country, and they would be mostly right. Unlike their capital city, Vecnost, the rest of the nation was underdeveloped, rife with natural terrain that supported wildlife instead of humans and rural populations that didn’t try to leave their mini-cities. As charming as that might be, it wasn’t sustainable for Yudonia to continue being run this way, especially since their neighbours such as Elfheim had been rapidly growing by the year.

So, the government had been taking significant strides to urbanise the population and invested heavily in their Ranker’s Association and military. Helicopters, tanks, submarines and even a fleet of battleships. Yudonia had been gearing up for an eventual conflict, and fortunately for them, the S-Class Dungeon had appeared when they were at their very best. If they conquered the dungeon, Yudonia would be able to display their might to the world, further elevating their status on the international stage.

Aria didn’t care much for all of those politics. As she rode on the twin-engined, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter, Aria looked down on lush mountains that flew on by. It was hard to believe that her landscape would change that drastically after just a half-hour flight. Seated next to her was the busty blonde elf, who was also fascinated by the beautiful natural land that wasn’t present in the urban panorama she called home.

“Yudonia really is pretty,” the elf marvelled. “We should really spend more time outside of our apartment complex. After the whole dungeon raid is over, why don’t we go on a picnic in the forest?” Yvette brought her hands together and smiled.

“And risk getting eaten by bears? No, thanks.” Snorting, Aria displayed her contempt for the outdoors. “Not to mention, it’s still the middle of summer. I wouldn’t mind if you said you wanted to go flower viewing in Spring. Going out now? Don’t make me laugh.”

“Hah, you really should learn to go outside more.” Yvette chuckled, ending the conversation altogether. The two S-Rankers had known one another for quite some time now. Yvette knew what hobbies her roommate had, and they were almost all exclusively performed indoors. Trying to get Aria out of her shell was like taking attempting to force a sloth to play baseball. It was near impossible.

The elven girl glanced around the extensive helicopter seats. Surrounding them were a plethora of elite S-Rankers, each one more spectacular than the other. A heavy-sized warrior, a ghastly magician, a thin yet dexterous archer… There were even famous faces that not even Yvette would get to meet daily. She only knew them because their faces were plastered all over Yudonia.

They would appear on television shows, billboards endorsing a particular product and sometimes even on the internet news. Take Rhykius, the Arcane Warlock responsible for leading Group C into battle, as an example. He earned millions being the face of five major brands in the country and was essentially a household name, matching that of major A-list celebrities. That was the power that S-Rankers had.

Though Aria and Yvette were both S-Rankers, they were much more reserved as compared to their compatriots. So, they were far less famous, but that didn’t mean that they wouldn’t catch anyone’s eye.

Both in their early twenties, the two S-Rankers were undoubtedly one of the younger members of the raid. Their pure demeanour, untouched by the menace of the dungeons, was a breath of fresh air for the S-Rankers whose bread and butter was to dive deep down into the dark catacombs, tasked to clean up the place before the deadly monsters within could destroy society.

Many eyes were looking at the blonde elf, who was also one of the top Healing Saints of the Ranker’s Association. Yvette was a rare sight for the predominantly human population. Her jaw-dropping elf-like features and busty chest that was fit for a wet nurse stimulated the imaginations of all the thirsty men surrounding her. But, the majority of the attention being sent their way wasn’t for the young elf. Instead, it was for her trusted partner.

See, Aria Saciustrum might not be a household name, but every single Ranker, whether they were F-Class or S-Class, knew of that black-haired maiden. Why? Because she was the only S-Class Archmagus in the entire country.

‘Tskkk, yet another reason why I didn’t want to come out today.’ Aria clicked her tongue and zoned out all of the stares by firmly directing her gaze out of the window.

An Archmagus was an extraordinary job. Unlike traditional progression paths, such as a swordsman promoting to a master swordsman, an Archmagus was a job that needed an array of skill sets to be unlocked. One had to be proficient in every single magic system that existed, must at least have the knowledge to create new magic for themselves and most importantly, they must have the mana capacity to back it all up. It was said that only one in every ten million magicians could potentially reach that infamous stage. In fact, it was so rare that only seventeen Archmagus existed in the entire world.

Aria didn’t really care for titles. Aria had been training under her master, a seasoned Archmagus as well, just because she was interested in pursuing the truth of magic and the world. Learning the spells and techniques that she had was just an added bonus that she didn’t care about. It just so happened that the stars were aligned and Aria woke up one day, finding out that she had gained the Archmagus title.

“You’re really famous, huh? You should go say hi!” Sensing the dread in her partner’s eyes, Yvette decided to poke a little fun.

Aria rolled her eyes. “Shut it before I get a lusty S-Class wolf to hit on you for hours.”

“Urghh… Don’t do that.”

That was all it took for Yvette to get off Aria’s case. Being an exotic woman from another country, there was no shortage of men chasing her in Yudonia. Dealing with those lecherous maniacs was already a pain in the butt. If it were an S-Ranker, who most likely had an ego the size of Mount Elmer, Yvette would probably have the worst morning of her life thus far.

[We’re approaching Mount Eiger, prepare to disembark. I repeat. We’re approaching Mount Eiger, prepare to disembark.]

A ringing announcement was broadcast through their wired headphones, prompting the S-Rankers to all glance out their windows. Five tall peaks, each one greened up with flourishing plant life stood at the heart of Yudonia’s nature land. Though, unlike the rest of the terrain that surrounded the five mountains, a large portion of the acreage had been cleared, leaving behind a moist, swampy contour. Hundreds of temporary camps and a thousand more soldiers marched the fields, each one armed with at least one firearm. Tanks and heavy artillery were put in place while airfields were built out of nothing.

Aria watched closely as their helicopter continued to be drawn onto the gigantic ‘H’ symbol on the asphalt flat ground. The Association President was waiting at a corner, his feet tapping to the rhythm of the spinning blades. Standing next to him was a bespectacled female secretary, who seemed no older than forty, holding up a clipboard in one hand and a pen in another. She was carefully examining the S-Rankers that came out from the helicopters, ticking their names off the list.

“Sir,” noticing an oddity, the secretary turned to the Association President, her pen circling around her rosy lips. “Why is Aria Saciustrum in Group D? An Archmagus like her would most definitely be best utilised in the front lines, where her magic can do the most damage.”

“You think I don’t know that?” The Association President gave his subordinate a scornful look, before turning his attention back to the helicopters. “An Archmagus like Aria is as powerful as Rhykius, who is an Arcane Warlock built for war. However, I know that stupid lass. She’s never going to go all-out in a dungeon. Aria would much rather spend her time twiddling her thumbs, sit back and watch the battle unfold.” A sigh escaped the mouth of the old man as his eyebrows twisted. “I’m just worried that she would wander off alone to sate her own scientific curiosity. Placing her in Group D is just an excuse for the elf girl to keep her in check.”

“Is she really that bad?” The secretary asked. No matter what, Aria was still an S-Class Archmagus. She should have some sense of decorum and poise for someone of her stature.

“Aria just doesn't care,” replied the man, his face haggard and dry. “She’s unlike all of the S-Rankers you have ever seen. Aria isn’t out for fame or glory. She’s just genuinely interested in pursuing the true nature of magic. They say that all geniuses are eccentric. Aria’s quirk is that she doesn’t care about social norms and does whatever she wants to do. Honestly, it’s a miracle that Yudonia still manages to keep her.”

Speaking of the devil, Aria stepped out of the grounded helicopter with Yvette not that far behind. She met eyes with the Association President once but quickly averted it, fearing that he would come and order her around yet again. The raid was beginning at noon, so Aria still had some time to navigate the area and familiarise herself with the surroundings. So, she did just that.

The air was much fresher in the mountainous region, so that was a plus for Aria. However, as she continued on walking, it became increasingly apparent that the wilderness wasn’t the place she ought to be. Mosquitoes now had a field day, swarming down in droves to drink on that sweet, sweet blood. And the summer heat didn’t help. Aria had been in the comfort of her home and office throughout the season, which meant that her complexion was as white as can be.

“I really can’t take this place.” Aria didn’t even spend five minutes in the region before she started to grumble. “We should just complete the raid in one day so that we can quickly return.”

“Haha! That I agree with!”

A shrill voice echoed out from their side, prompting Aria and Yvette to turn over. Two young men approached the maidens, grinning from ear to ear. One was about 1.7 metres tall, slightly below the average height of men in Yudonia. Not that it was a disadvantage in his case, though. The young man was one of the few S-Rankers below the age of thirty, a valuable asset to have in the dating marketplace. Not to mention, his green eyes and red hair were a stunning combination that attracted all sorts of maidens.

The other man was a little less handsome. However, what he didn’t have in looks, he made it up with his build. Standing at two-metres all, the young man was a behemoth, even among the gym junkies that he trained amongst. Bald and toned beyond belief, no one would doubt if the man claimed that he was part of the giant race.

Aria looked at the man who replied to her statement and chuckled as well. She recognised the pair. In fact, she knew them quite well. Back in the days where she was still under her mentor’s wings, Aria had partnered with those two young men to form an elite party that bulldozed through dungeons as easily as a child kicking sandcastles.

“Luke, Finn. Good to see that you’re well.”

“Nah, I could be better.” Luke, the shorter of the pair, cried out. “If the beautiful Yvette would agree to go out on a date with me, I would die a happy man.”

“Luke!” Finn immediately responded as a vein popped in his head. “You shouldn’t bother Miss Yvette like that!”

“No, no. It’s fine.” The elf girl’s heart warmed when the High Paladin stood up for her. Though, she really wasn’t bothered by Luke’s advances. Because, unlike the other men that approached her, Luke was doing so from a good place, and he often lightened the mood with his words.

“Haha! I’m just joking!” Luke slapped his partner on the back and gave a short bow to Yvette. “It’s good to see that the two of you are doing good. Especially you, Aria. When was the last time we went out for a drink? Two, three years ago?”

“Hmmm… That sounds about right.” Aria replied, stroking her smooth chin. “Well, if you really want to catch up, we can do so after this dungeon is conquered. My treat.” The Archmagus genuinely felt terrible for side-lining her former comrades. Fortunately, they had the opportunity to do just that.

“Well, that’s better!” Luke brought his right arm over Aria’s neck and nudged the crown of her head. Luke and Finn were twenty-six and twenty-seven, respectively. They both saw Aria mature into an adult and treated her as a sweet little sister that had to be protected, whatever the cost. And this dungeon was no different.

“Aria… If you are ever in trouble, just call us out.” Finn stepped forward and placed a transponder into the maiden’s hands. It was small and orange, capable of fitting into even a woman’s jean’s pocket. Based on the constant flashing light, Aria could guess that there was a tracking mechanism placed inside of the transponder as well. “Miss Yvette, you should do the same. Stay close to Aria, and if the two of you need help, Luke and I will come running.”

“Like I need you to protect me.” The maiden wanted to brush it off as an overprotective brother trying to look after his younger sister, but Finn’s face remained stone-cold.

“Aria… This is serious. Those stone golems give me an uneasy feeling. You know how accurate my instincts are.”

“...”

Finn was the tank of their party and the person most sensitive to his environment. Aria couldn’t count the number of times that she was saved by the sharp instincts of the bulky man. The hundreds of traps laid in the dungeons they conquered. The thousands of monsters with surprise attacks that would stun any veteran. All of them were seen through by the supernatural instincts of the High Paladin.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”