The SSS-rank Guide Doesn't Need Saving

”Noted.”

To prevent anyone from entering the high-risk zone, it was necessary to place a blocking barrier around the area. It also served as a warning that an activity done by the Association was happening and any disturbance was a sign of an attack that would result in an arrest or immediate execution.

”Should I order someone to send your permit to the Chief Master?” Ares asked, tugging on his battlesuit and ensuring no gap could be seen.

Upon hearing his question, Zeke’s finger twitched.

Then, he shook his head. ”There’s no need.”

”Hm, are you sure?” Ares found his response strange.

The Admiral usually would readily give the permit to the Chief Master since it was the only permit in the world that had all access to everything in the Association. All Supreme Commanders of the Association could only have it. And it was the Chief Master’s duty to safeguard the permit in case of a mission that would bring the Admiral to an unreachable place, preventing anyone from getting it.

And Zeke had never missed a time when he didn’t give it to the Chief Master...

For someone who knew him so well, Ares found this really unsettling.

But Zeke had already moved close to the entrance of the contaminated zone.

What Ares and anyone in that place did not know was that the permit was no longer in his hand.

Zeke had given that all-important permit to Aisha.

Though he didn’t have to worry about it falling into the enemy’s hands. Zeke thought that there was no way Aisha would know its uses other than an unlimited access to the Teleportation Array.

Surely, she wouldn’t come close to a contaminated zone, right?

”Everyone, prepare to head inside the zone.”

It was time to go inside.

***

No one really knew what they were going to see once they entered a contaminated zone.

So far, no contaminated zone possessed any similar environment. They were always different from each other despite some of the corrupted monsters possessing similar genetic makeup and appearance.

And entering a zone required specialized clothing that could prevent extreme miasma exposure inside. Though, it needed a Guide’s regular care since there was still no ultimate cure to prevent miasma from deteriorating it.

Most Sentinels would go for a battlesuit forged from segments of Silverstone plating. However, Zeke’s armor was different. Glowing filigree of molten gold and white pulsed through the seams of his armor. Across his chest, a reinforced mesh panel exposed his chest and abdominal muscles slightly, leading to a split, heavy-armored kama that flared out like a dark trench coat behind him. The entire armor fitted his body perfectly well that it mapped out his muscular build.

”Scan the area inside the zone,” Zeke ordered.

Behind him, over a dozen people had also entered the zone. When he ordered, two of them stepped forward and held a scanning device.

From outside, this stretch of contaminated zone looked like a jungle that seemed to have no end, and it was unknown how wide an area it covered.

When they entered earlier, the sun was still high up in the sky and was very bright. However, the environment in the contaminated zone seemed to be a different world compared to the outside world.

They could see the top of the zone being shrouded in gray mist. Bolts of lightning flickered softly within the dense mist, illuminating the ground with a ghostly bluish glow momentarily.

Beep, beep.

A minute later, they returned to their group and reported what had come out of their scanning device.

”It matches the reading outside the contaminated zone.”

”The type of Miasma inside the zone is a mixture of two.”

Both reported what they got and glanced at each other.

Hearing that there were two types of Miasma present inside the zone, the group broke into a low murmur. The worry in their faces could not hide from the new recruits. They had never come across another type of miasma despite hearing about it. This would be the first time they’d even entered a zone with this kind of situation!

”Wh—what type of miasma is it?” A new recruit asked, his voice trembling at the end.

Zeke’s gaze fell on the soldier who scanned the type of miasma.

The soldier said, ”It’s Type 4 and Type 5 miasma.”

”Type 4?!”

”Are you sure you scanned it properly?”

A commotion arose from the group. A Type 4 miasma was twice as dangerous as Type 5 miasma. It’s vicious and extremely potent that their battlesuits would be rendered useless in half of their effectiveness.

The new recruits panicked, while the veterans didn’t change their expressions.

Although Type 4 miasma was more dangerous, that didn’t mean they’d be at the mercy of it.

”Stop being flustered and panicking. You just need to follow your orders and listen carefully.” A veteran soldier glared at the new recruits. He moved to stop beside their Admiral and said, ”Sir, I think it’s best that the new recruits fight at the front. We’ll all stay at the back as supports. They need to be trained and gain some experience in dealing with a new type of miasma.”

Zeke glanced at him, considering his suggestion for a moment. He knew what the veteran soldier, Cavendish, was thinking. The Association usually sent out newly appointed soldiers to a contaminated zone to test them and make them rack up experience points.

However, Zeke couldn’t shake the feeling of uneasiness. It was something he’d learned to trust after years of battling inside a contamination zone.

Finally, he nodded, but added more instructions. ”Cavendish, you go with the new recruits and see that they don’t end up dying. We will commence the mission starting now. Kill as many corrupted monsters as you come across and report any abnormalities. Secure any survivor once sighted.”

Cavendish had no problem with that. Though he knew that the chances of sighting a survivor was clearly down to a negative. He turned around and rounded up the new soldiers and told them to start the assault on the monsters inside the zone. If there were anyone who showed hesitation or dillydallied, he’d kick them and give them a good beating.

”Either you kill those monsters or get killed by me, you weaklings!”

As the group continued to go further into the zone, more monster corpses littered the ground. Zeke eyed each one of his men and the monsters alike before he fell silent.

An hour later.

”Whew! I thought this was going to be a difficult mission, but it seems we were worried for nothing!”

Just as the new soldiers were excitedly shouting their triumphant victory against the corrupted monsters, one soldier staggered and fell on his butt.

His fearful expression was clearly drawn on his pale face, his finger shaking as he pointed in front of him.

”S—sir! There...there’s a big hole here!”