Isekai: With System, I will become powerful Z Ranker!

It was probably the second time Aizen had forgotten to give Shelly her flowers. He remembered them when he helped Boris's team battle wolves and noticed a few flowers here and there. He groaned. He had forgotten to give her flowers again.

"Something wrong, Aizen?" the healer, Ava, asked. She was a short woman with dark blue hair, brown eyes, and light skin. She wore a dress, leather boots, and a cloak. "Were you disappointed by the lack of challenge?"

"Haha! I wouldn't blame you if you were," Liam, the mage, said. "Even I'm disappointed." He had blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore a short, half-sleeved shirt and baggy pants. A staff rested in his hand, and a cloak draped over his shoulders.

Aizen stared at Liam's bare feet. "Uh, Liam, why aren't you wearing any boots?"

Liam smiled. "Because I don't like them, and I like grass."

Aizen blinked. Huh.

Ava chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Don't bother asking, Aizen. He'll just confuse you. But the truth is... he never wears boots. He likes walking barefoot. And, of course, he has spell protection on his feet—they won't get dirty or hurt."

"Oh, I see." There was a spell for foot protection? You didn't see something new every day.

"Well, at least the coast is clear—no more blocked paths!" Delta said, walking up to them. She was a female swordsman like Boris, with short green hair and golden eyes. She wore armor, a dagger attached to her hip, boots, and carried a sword. She glanced at Aizen before looking at Liam. "Did you put up a defense barrier?"

"Yup! I did." Liam looked around. "Still, I don't see any problem."

"It's better to be prepared for anything. Don't let your guard down, fool."

"Geez, don't be mean."

Boris walked over to them, smiling. "Now, now, Delta. You know Liam is always a step ahead of us. I'm sure he put up barriers the moment we arrived here to hunt those wolves. And I bet he already knows we aren't in any danger. Isn't that right, Liam?"

Liam grinned. "Hehe."

Delta crossed her arms against her chest and clicked her tongue.

Ava smiled wide.

Aizen awkwardly looked up at the sky, only to frown in confusion. "Uhh… do those clouds look funny to you?"

Everyone turned their eyes to the sky. The clouds were a mix of green and black, thunder rumbling faintly in the distance, approaching fast.

"What the... I've never seen clouds like that before," Liam said with a frown.

"Should we take cover?" Ava asked, looking worried.

Delta looked away from the sky and frowned. "We should find a cave or any kind of cover... These clouds mean business."

"Funny thing, I did find a cave," Boris chuckled and turned around. "Follow me."

"Wait, is it a normal cave or a dungeon?"

Liam scoffed. "Have we ever had a normal cave in this world?"

Ava sighed. "If such a thing exists, I'd be relieved."

Delta scowled. "Enough chatting! Hurry up!"

Boris led them deeper into the woods. The weather had worsened, and Aizen could hear the thunderclouds more clearly, making him tense. Something about those clouds made him nervous and nauseous. It was so strange.

I feel a chill… These clouds aren't normal, are they? Aizen thought.

Soon enough, they reached the cave, only to see a red glow emanating from within. Boris stopped and frowned. "This..."

"What is it, Boris?" Delta gripped her sword. "This isn't a normal situation, is it?"

Ava and Liam frowned.

Aizen pulled out his sword from his inventory and looked at the cave. "Are we going inside?"

"We don't have a choice," Delta said, scowling as she glanced at the sky and then back at the cave. "Besides, this isn't a dangerous cave..."

"Not dangerous?" Liam blinked. "You do realize caves don't normally glow red, right? Right?"

Suddenly, a green light struck down just behind them, hitting several trees and startling them. They turned around to find a few trees shattered into pieces. Aizen looked at Boris. "Well...?"

Boris grimaced. "Inside. Now."

"Agreed," Delta, Liam, and Ava mumbled.

Just then, a screen popped up.

[New Task]

Clear the dungeon – 3 floors*

Rewards: +300 points, 1,000 Gems, 1,000 Mana Stones, a Mage Staff, and a Spell Book.

Aizen's eyes widened. 1,000 Gems, 1,000 Mana Stones, a Mage Staff, and a Spell Book? What kind of dungeon was this?!

Another screen appeared.

[Mage Hideout]

Mage Hideout?

"Aizen, are you all right?" Boris placed a hand on his shoulder, noticing his expression. "Come, we can't stay here too long." He gently pulled Aizen closer and guided him into the cave.

Delta was already ahead, while Liam and Ava stayed close behind Boris and Aizen.

Aizen looked uneasy. Mage Hideout... is it some kind of haunted place?

The cave was illuminated, likely due to glowing crystals embedded in the walls and ground, emitting a soft white light. The red glow, however, came from deeper within. Everyone was tense. No one knew what lay ahead.

Delta suddenly stopped, causing the others to halt as well.

"What's wrong?" Boris asked, releasing Aizen's shoulder and walking up to Delta. He followed her gaze and froze. His expression turned grim.

"Oh no..."

"What's wrong, Boris? Delta? You guys are scaring me," Liam said, walking over to them. When he looked ahead, his eyes widened in shock. "N-No..."

Ava and Aizen, growing curious, stepped forward to see what had unsettled them. Ava gasped. "A floor dungeon?!"

Aizen's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. A massive chamber stretched below, with a stairway leading down to a vast floor. Dead skeletons, clad in armor and wielding swords and spears, wandered aimlessly. They looked like fallen soldiers. At the far end, a large door was shut tight, secured by iron bars.

"What is this...?" Aizen muttered in confusion before glancing at Ava, who looked terrified. "A floor dungeon? Don't all dungeons have floors?"

"The difference between a dungeon and a floor dungeon is simple," Boris explained. "A regular dungeon has a single floor or an underground structure. A floor dungeon, though… that's a different story. These places are haunted by those who claimed them as their own. For example, if a dragon lived and died here, its presence lingers, turning the dungeon into a dragon's lair. That means this place could hold the dragon's remains... and its spirit. These dungeons attract hordes of monsters—even ones beyond our level."

Liam looked shaken, sweat beading on his forehead. "What's even worse is that you can't tell what kind of dungeon it is until you're already inside. And now, seeing those knights… it's possible a troop came here and was slaughtered. Or worse… someone brought them back."

"Judging by their armor..." Delta narrowed her eyes. "They're from our kingdom. But their armor is old—no one wears that style anymore."

Aizen examined the skeletons' rusted armor, still holding together despite its decay. "It looks like normal armor to me, though..."

"Because it's metal," Boris said, rubbing his chin. "I don't sense any magic coming from that armor… which means it's just old. But we don't have a choice. We can't let these things roam around here. Any unfortunate soul who stumbles upon this place would be as good as dead."

"Boris, my man, I don't think we're up for this job," Liam said, shaking his head. "You're B rank, Delta is A rank, but I'm only C rank, same as Ava. And we've got a D rank here." He gestured at Aizen. "I don't think we can pull this off."

"Would you rather go outside into that storm?" Delta scowled at Liam. "An unknown storm we've never seen or heard of before?" She sighed. "I get it—this isn't easy. Floor dungeons are the most dangerous of them all, but Boris and I can handle it. Besides, you saw Aizen fight those wolves. Maybe he's stronger than we think."

"Aizen hasn't checked his rank at the temple," Boris pointed out. "His guild rank is D, but his actual rank is unknown."

"Wait, wait, wait." Aizen stepped forward. "What do you mean by that?"

Boris removed his glove and showed his right hand. "Look. It says B rank. This is my true rank. My power."

"You get quests according to your guild rank because of your experience and training," Boris continued. "Once you reach level 100, you go to the temple and pray to Alakazam. Your real rank then appears on the back of your hand."

Aizen didn't know what to say. He had misunderstood some things. Still, he had reached C rank, huh. Maybe he should ask Shelly to give him C-rank or even B-rank missions.

"Wait a minute," he said, realization dawning. "So when I ask Shelly for an upgrade to the next badge… it's not based on my actual rank but on my experience?"

"And your ability," Boris added with a smile. "If you complete at least 30 E-rank quests, you get a D-rank badge. If you complete 60, you move up to C rank."

"Ah." Aizen realized he had missed some things. Wait… level 100?

The others continued talking amongst themselves, giving Aizen a moment to look away and check his status. His eyes widened when he saw his level—380.

What does that mean?

"Hey, Boris," Aizen said, closing his status screen. "What happens if someone goes over level 100?"

"Oh, that?" Boris raised an eyebrow. "That's rare. If someone surpasses level 100, it means they've broken the limit."

"I see… thanks."

Aizen glanced at his status once more, noticing his rank was listed as C. Is it because of the system? Am I more powerful than them?

Damn… I'd better keep my mouth shut and learn more about these ranks before making any decisions. If I plan to travel, I might need to hide my abilities.

First things first, he opened his inventory and pulled out a ring—an Invisibility Ring. If activated while worn, it would make him invisible, perfect for sneaking up on enemies. He also retrieved a bracelet that increased his speed by 50%.

After that, he equipped Fire-Resistant Leather Armor and strapped it on. Lastly, he pulled out a dagger. The hilt was intricately designed with a snake pattern, while the blade itself shimmered in bright blue and black hues.

Now, he was ready.

"All right, everyone," Delta said, glancing at the group before nodding at Aizen, who stood prepared for battle. "Let's go. Boris and I will take the lead. Aizen, stay close. Liam and Ava, cover us. Understood?"

"Yes," they all responded.

"Good. Let's get this over with."

Aizen exhaled deeply, gripping his dagger before following them into the dungeon.