[Two Days Later – Grenz Town Guild Hall]
The newly minted Silver-ranked Truck Survivors were basking in their small-town fame.
Adventurers gave them wary looks. Some offered congratulations. Most gave them a wide berth after hearing how they 'cleared' Mistveil Mansion by literally driving a truck through it.
Takeshi was outside, polishing the Fuso Shogun 510 as usual, while the others sipped on cheap ale and counted their gold.
Hiroshi (grinning): "Man, we're finally Silver-rank. Feels good."
Rina (smirking): "We're practically famous."
Sho (proudly): "And nobody died yet! Except for… you know… the ghosts."
Suddenly, the guild doors burst open and a well-dressed man strode in, flanked by two nervous-looking attendants. He had the slick hair and arrogant chin of someone used to bossing around peasants.
Noble: "Who here commands the Truck Survivors?"
The hall quieted.
Daichi (stepping up): "That'd be us."
Noble (huffing): "I am Lord Gillian of House Vairne. I require your services. A monster caravan transporting rare beasts for the capital was ambushed outside Grenz Town. The cargo was lost. Retrieve it, and I'll pay you handsomely."
Mari (whispering to Ms. Sato): "How handsomely, I wonder…"
Takeshi (from outside, shouting): "DOES IT INVOLVE RUNNING OVER THINGS?!"
Lord Gillian (startled): "Er… yes? If necessary."
Takeshi (grinning, already starting the truck): "WE'RE IN."
[On The Road – Afternoon]
The convoy had been attacked near a forest trail. Wrecked wagons and scattered crates littered the road. No survivors, only a dozen angry, escaped monsters still roaming nearby.
Aiko: "Alright, teams — you know the drill."
Team 1 would handle the front beasts.
Team 2 secured the cargo.
Team 3, with Takeshi's truck, handled cleanup.
Backup Squad... guarded snacks.
Daichi (drawing sword): "Let's go!"
Battle erupted.
Hiroshi punched a wyvern straight in the jaw. Aiko unleashed a storm of ice bolts. Rina flipped over a giant mole rat and stabbed it in the back. Ms. Sato healed wounds as Ken dropkicked a chimera puppy.
Nobu (to Takeshi): "They've almost got it!"
Takeshi (revving engine): "Almost isn't good enough."
The Fuso Shogun 510 roared to life.
Aya (wide-eyed): "Wait, Takeshi, no—"
Too late. The truck barreled forward, smashing through undergrowth and trees like paper.
CRUNCH!
A massive ogre, cornering Team 1, turned just in time to catch a front bumper to the face. Its body ragdolled through the air and vanished into the woods.
Jun: "You just hit an ogre like it was a traffic cone!"
Takeshi (happily): "This baby's built tough."
The remaining monsters scattered. The adventurers cleaned up the stragglers.
[Aftermath]
Cargo secured, monsters defeated, no casualties.
Lord Gillian (handing over a pouch of gold): "I don't even want to know how you did it. Here. Just… please never drive that thing through my estate."
Takeshi (thumbs up): "No promises."
The Truck Survivors returned to Grenz Town, richer, a little more notorious, and even closer to their goal.
[Later That Night – Campfire Outside Town]
Daichi (grinning): "We're getting stronger."
Ms. Sato: "But we still have a long way to go."
Sho (serving stew): "We'll beat that Demon Lord one day."
Takeshi (raising his cup): "And until then… I'll drive over anything in our way!"
Everyone cheered.
Little did they know…
Far away, in a dark castle, another Heavenly Commander received a report.
Shadow Demon: "A… metal beast again…? That's the third one this month."
Demon Lord (roaring): "FIND THAT METAL BEAST!"