Maybe some parties don't deserve to be in S-Rank.

The Kingdom of Aetherion is home to the Adventurers' Guild, an organization that ranks adventurers from F to S according to their quest completions, dungeon victories, and overall success.

Unfortunately, the magical ranking system has one glaring flaw: it measures victories better than individual competence. As a result, some adventurers climb the ranks through sheer luck or by relying on stronger teammates.

Nobody embodies this problem better than the Crownless, an infamous A-rank party nominated for S-rank promotion despite their questionable abilities.

Their leader, Garrick Vane, is an exceptionally powerful swordmaster whose black armor, dark hair, and exhausted expression reflect years of carrying his teammates through dangerous encounters.

Ophelia Wren, a lavender-haired mage with amber eyes and spectacles, is an enthusiastic spellcaster whose magical accidents somehow produce miraculous results.

Alistair Bellamy, a beautiful, champagne-blond male healer dressed in immaculate white-and-gold robes, is a snooty narcissist who considers himself the party's most indispensable member.

Finally, Tessa Briar, a freckled blonde archer, has somehow reached A-rank despite possessing questionable archery skills and an almost supernatural amount of luck.

Their achievements have earned them fame, fortune, and the attention of Dahlia Crowe, a formidable spear fighter who believes the ranking system has become a joke. Disciplined and fiercely competitive, Dahlia despises adventurers who benefit from others' accomplishments, and she considers the Crownless living proof that the guild's rankings cannot be trusted.

Now, the party faces its greatest challenge yet. Their S-rank promotion requires individual evaluations, meaning each member must demonstrate their own abilities rather than relying entirely on collective victories.

That includes you too.