"Well, that is an S-Rank for you! I never doubted you for a second. Hahahah!" John's booming laughter shattered the heavy silence that had settled over the dunes.
His outburst seemed to act as a signal for the others to let go of their suspicion. Elias and Eliza exchanged a look before simply nodding, deciding that it was better to roll with the situation than to question a man who had just deleted a mini-boss with a broken polearm. After all, I hadn't shown them any hostility, and they were smart enough to realize that getting on my bad side would be a disaster for them and the 'Atlas' Guild.
With the misunderstanding cleared out of the way, we resumed our trek toward the blue pillar of light. I didn't bother explaining my Skills or my sudden display of power. In this world, the law of the jungle was the only one that truly mattered: the weaker bow to the stronger. Using my S-Rank status as a shield against their curiosity was much easier than crafting a lie.
Interestingly, John's behavior shifted after the fight. He became more energetic, almost as if he was trying to prove himself as the party leader. He handled the navigation and the minor monster encounters with a renewed vigor, leaving me with a very laid-back workload.
"[Notice: The Individual 'John Snow' feels great admiration towards you!]"
I glanced at him and sighed inwardly. So that was it. By showing him a glimpse of a technique that far surpassed his own, I hadn't just intimidated him; I had gained a fan. Sword maniacs like him are always a handful once they find someone they consider a 'Master', but since he was being useful, I didn't mind the extra attention.
"[Time Remaining: 0 days 9 hours 34 minutes 03 seconds]"
As we neared the blue pillar, the environment grew strangely quiet. We didn't encounter any more 'Desert Sentinels', only a few weak mobs that John and the others cleared without a second thought. Our questions about the lack of monsters were answered the moment we crested the final dune.
Ahead of us, the sands were being torn apart by a high-level battle. I didn't even need to use my special eyes to recognize the two figures at the center of the storm.
On one side was a beautiful blonde woman clad in radiant armor that shimmered with the golden light of 'Divinity'. That was Jean D'Arc of Amsterdam, England's 4th S-Rank, leading the elite European Guild 'Slayer'. Clashing with her was a tall Asian man with long hair tied back in a neat bun. He wore a classic red and black imperial robe that billowed in the wind as he moved. There was no mistaking Zang Wilong, our country's 7th S-Rank.
It appeared they had already eliminated the other smaller parties and were now locked in a stalemate. Technically, anyone could clear the Floor as long as the tokens were collected, but the system was tricky. The actual clear rewards would only go to the specific party that held all three Sun-Tokens.
"[Notice: Currently the Party 'Atlas' possesses one Sun-Token. The Party 'Slayer' possesses one Sun-Token. The Party 'Reaper' possesses one Sun-Token.]"
The situation was clear. Zang Wilong was representing the 'Reaper' Guild, and each of the three major powers on this Floor held exactly one piece of the puzzle. To move forward, we would eventually have to take the tokens from the others.
My party didn't need me to explain the danger. They could see the notifications and recognized the legendary figures trading blows in the distance. We were now the third factor in a very dangerous equation.
"Let's wait and see," I whispered, signaling the group to stay low.
There was no point in jumping into a chaotic battle between two S-Ranks while they were still at full strength. We watched from the ridge, waiting for the perfect moment to intervene.