"Man, Mr. Masayoshi’s healing magic was really something."

"Yeah, who would've thought he'd be able to heal Nil from such severe injuries? Mr. Masayoshi, have you ever thought about becoming an adventurer?"

"I’ve heard that there are a lot of restrictions, right? If I couldn’t move freely because of emergency requests and such, that would be a problem."

"What a waste. With healing magic and ice magic as powerful as yours, you could become an A-rank adventurer in no time."

"Honestly, Elder Brother Masayoshi could go even beyond that. Even if the four of us, all A-rank adventurers, took him on together, we wouldn’t stand a chance."

"…Huh!? No way, you guys are joking, right? Not even if all of you fought together?"

"No, I don’t think we could even lay a finger on him. Besides, Master Masayoshi has already surpassed the Great Mage."

"T-The Great Mage!?"

"No, no, no! That’s way too much of an exaggeration!"

"…I had no idea I was speaking so casually to such an incredible person. I’m really sorry!"

"It's fine, I've already accepted your apology, so don't worry about it. By the way, was the Great Mage ever an adventurer?"

They’re probably saying I’ve surpassed the Great Mage because I took down a calamity, but in reality, I just used a bomb. I don’t even fully grasp my own magic yet, so there’s no way I’ve surpassed him.

"Nah, I don’t think the Great Mage was ever an adventurer. I heard he freely traveled between different countries. His descendants are still scattered all over the place."

Oh yeah, he did mention having wives in different places. Despite that, he built a house in the Forest of Ruin just to focus on his magic research. He must have been a really free-spirited guy.

"Speaking of the Great Mage, I heard someone calling themselves ‘The One Who Inherits the Great Mage’ has shown up recently."

"Cough! Cough!"

"Elder Brother, are you okay, nya?"

"I-I'm fine! Please, tell me more about this 'One Who Inherits the Great Mage'!"

The One Who Inherits the Great Mage? But I was supposed to be the one who inherited his power. Could it be that someone else was also chosen? Wait, does that inheritance magic work on multiple people!?

I step closer to Boris, the leader of the Swift Thunder Party.

"Oh, well, I haven’t seen him myself, but there are a lot of rumors about him in the neighboring country. They say his magic rivals that of the Great Mage himself.

Apparently, he can use Grand Magic, a type of spell that only a handful of people in history have been able to cast. That’s why people started calling him ‘The One Who Inherits the Great Mage.’ Some even say he’s the one who took down that calamity."

…So it’s not that he actually inherited the Great Mage’s power, but rather that his abilities are on the same level. Still, if he can use Grand Magic, he must be incredibly skilled.

"Sounds like a shady guy to me. Is he really that strong?"

"It's just rumors for now. He’s not affiliated with any adventurer’s guild, doesn’t give out his name, and just spends his time hunting strong monsters and challenging well-known fighters."

Is he just testing his own strength? He doesn’t seem to have any real connection to the Great Mage, so I probably don’t need to worry about it.

Still, maybe I should ask Gina about this next time I see her. That Great Mage fanatic probably knows everything there is to know about anyone calling themselves "The One Who Inherits the Great Mage."

"Hah! Even if he can use one or two Grand Magic spells, he’s got nothing on Masayoshi! He can come at us anytime!"

"That’s right! Elder Brother Masayoshi would make even a Great Mage look weak! Come on, drink up!"

"Thanks! A toast to Mr. Masayoshi!"

"Cheers!!"

…They’re totally wasted. Everyone’s been drinking a lot. I guess university drinking parties must feel like this.

Now that I think about it, this might be the first time I’ve talked with so many people at once. Surprisingly, it’s kind of fun to be part of all this chaos. I feel like I might be getting a little closer to being a normie.

"Well then, I’ll be taking my leave now."

"There was a lot going on, but I had a great time!"

"Let’s go on another adventure together, nya!"

"The dungeon was a lot of fun. I’d love to team up again sometime."

"Yes, please come back anytime. Lilith already mentioned it, but next time, be sure to meet Marie as well."

Oh right, I still haven’t met Marie, who was cured by that secret elixir made from dragon liver. She’s supposed to be a noble, but if Lilith and the others respect her, she’s probably a good person.

"Yeah, I’ll stop by again."

"Elder Brother, see you later!"

"See you! …Oh, and please give my regards to Lilith and Nonoh."

"Honestly, those two…"

Looks like Lilith and Nonoh drank too much and passed out. I offered to help carry them to the nearest inn, but for some reason, Rurune and Nena refused my help. …I swear, I didn’t have any ulterior motives.

I did drink a little, but I don’t feel sick or anything. My body just feels warm, and I’m a bit more hyped up than usual. If anything, I probably wouldn’t have been able to keep up with everyone’s energy without drinking.

"Alright then, until next time!"

The overnight dungeon expedition had its ups and downs, but overall, it was a lot of fun. The sudden appearance of 'The One Who Inherits the Great Mage' was surprising, but it doesn’t seem to be related to the Great Mage himself. If I do end up meeting him someday, I hope we can get along.