The World's Strongest Rearguard

Plot

The series follows Arihito Atobe, a salaryman who is killed in a bus accident. After being reincarnated into another world, he is asked to pick a job class. He picks being a rearguard, which turns out to be a powerful class that no one before him had been. Armed with his new powers, he help his party members explore labyrinths, as their bonds grow over time.

Characters

Arihito (アリヒト)

Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka

Arihito was a company businessman until he died from a bus accident along with his boss Kyouka Igarashi. After reincarnating into the Labyrinth Country, Arihito accidentally gained a powerful Rearguard Class which granted him unique skills. Arihito eventually created a party with Theresia who he bonded with, along with Kyouka, Elitia, Suzuna, Misaki, and later Madoka and Melissa.

Theresia (テレジア, Terejia)

Voiced by: Aoi Koga

Theresia is a young lizard Demi-Human girl who was originally a human until she died in one of the labyrinths and was reincarnated as a Demi-Human. She was Arihito's first companion and eventually grew closer together, Theresia does not hesitate to protect Arihito and cares deeply about him. It is hinted that Theresia has gained feelings for Arihito and gets embarrassed when she recalls their intimate moments.

Kyōka (キョウカ)

Voiced by: Sakura Nakamura

Kyouka in her previous life was Arihito's boss at the company that they both worked at. After being reincarnated into the Labyrinth Country, Kyouka had chosen to be a "Valkyrie" and joined another party. But after she was abandoned by them, she joined Arihito's party after he saved her life. Kyouka is hinted to have feelings for Arihito and attempts to flirt with him but fails due to being interrupted by the other girls.

Elitia (エリーティア, Erītia)

Voiced by: Yui Ishikawa

Elitia is a veteran Labyrinth Seeker who was the given the nickname "Death Sword" as she wields a cursed sword that can cause her to go berserk if she gets blood on any part of her body. She first formed a party with Suzuna, but eventually joined Arihito's party after he helped rescue her, Suzuna, and Misaki. In the past, Elitia was part of the "White Knight Brigade", a group who is known for using and possessing cursed weapons. But Elitia eventually quit the group after they abandoned her companion in a labyrinth and decided to find new companions who could help rescue her captive friend.

Suzuna (スズナ)

Voiced by: Saori Hayami

Suzuna was a passenger on the same bus that Arihito was on and reincarnated into the Labyrinth Country as well. She chose the job "Shrine Maiden" and agreed to join Elitia's party, however after Arihito helped save her and Misaki, they all joined Arihito's party. Suzuna's skills help heal the party from ailments and she is shown to be proficient at Archery.

Misaki (ミサキ)

Voiced by: Kaede Hondo

Misaki was a passenger on the same bus that Arihito was on and reincarnated into the Labyrinth Country as well. Misaki chose the job "Gambler" as she believes in luck and eventually accompanied Suzuna and Elitia into a Labyrinth. But she was taken hostage by some despicable seekers and was eventually rescued by Arihito and joined his party. Misaki is extremely mischievous and makes a lot of mistakes that inadvertently helps the group discover new areas and treasures.

Madoka (マドカ)

Voiced by: Kanon Takao

Madoka was a merchant in the labyrinth country until most of her valuables were destroyed during a Monster Outbreak. However, Arihito allowed her to join his party as he realized just how useful her skills were.

Melissa (メリッサ, Merissa)

Voiced by: Yūka Aisaka

Melissa worked as a Monster Dissector with her father, she was seen every now and again when Arihito killed new monsters. In the past, her mother had died during a labyrinth expedition with her father. After her mother was reincarnated into a Demi-Human, it was revealed that she was pregnant and eventually gave birth to Melissa. As a result, Melissa has abilities of a Demi-Human despite having a human appearance. She eventually joined Arihito's party to hopefully help cure her mother and turn her back into a human.

Media

Light novel

Written by Toowa, The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker was originally posted as a web novel on the online platform Shōsetsuka ni Narō on April 27, 2017. The series was later published by Fujimi Shobo and released as a light novel under their Kadokawa Books imprint, with the first volume released on November 10, 2017. Nine volumes have been released as of September 2025. The series is licensed in English by Yen Press.

Manga

A manga adaptation illustrated by Rikizo began serialization on Kadokawa Corporation's ComicWalker service on March 30, 2018. The first tankōbon volume was released on September 22, 2018; ten volumes have been released as of January 2026. The manga adaptation is also licensed in English by Yen Press.

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced on September 8, 2025. It is produced by Maho Film and directed by Yūji Yanase, with Deko Akao handling series composition, Eiko Yanagimoto designing the characters, and Hinako Tsubakiyama and Fuwari composing the music. The series aired from July 5 to September 20, 2026, on Tokyo MX and other networks. The opening theme song is "License", performed by Redhair Rosy, while the ending theme song is "Owaranai Yoru no Mamori-kata" (終わらない夜の守り方; How to Protect the Endless Night), performed by Inner Journey. Crunchyroll is streaming the series. Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia.