Chapter 3: The Dungeon of Children and Hellhounds
To increase the number of boss kills, I arrived early in the morning at the boss room of the Marsh Dungeon.
My level shot up yesterday, and I acquired the 【MP Boost】 skill, so now it’s just a matter of relentlessly defeating Mega Slimes.
With that in mind…
“Let’s do this!!”
Saying that, I made my way to the Marsh Dungeon, stepping inside and heading straight for the boss room.
Along the way, slimes pop out of swamps and puddles to attack, but with my level and stats boosted, I can easily dodge them now.
There was even a slime just sitting there, glistening vibrantly, but I ignored it and slipped past.
Unlike yesterday, no slime was blocking the staircase, so I reached the boss room without issue.
“Alright! Time for the boss fight! How many can I take down today!!”
I stride confidently into the open boss room.
I kept defeating Mega Slimes just like yesterday… but after about ten kills, a problem arose.
“My level’s barely going up.”
Even after defeating Mega Slimes, my level-ups have slowed down.
It’s probably because my level’s gotten so high that the required experience points have increased.
At first, killing one High Orc raised my level by 3, but now, I need to kill about twenty Mega Slimes for just 1 level.
“This is way too inefficient…”
Thanks to the 【MP Boost】 skill, I have plenty of MP, and since I only use one 【Magic Arrow】 per Mega Slime, MP isn’t an issue.
But I’m farming the Mega Slime boss to level up, and twenty kills for one level is just too low, isn’t it?
And it’s only going to get harder to level up from here, right?
“…Maybe it’s time to go back to an E-rank dungeon?”
To level up, it’d be better to move to a place with higher-level monsters.
…Also, besides the leveling issue, because of how I was defeating Mega Slimes, I couldn’t collect their magic stones for a while, so my earnings were low.
Luckily, unlike guns, I don’t need to worry about ammo costs with 【Magic Arrow】, so I’m not losing money. But I still have to make a living.
Yeah, it’s harsh, but that’s another reason to return to an E-rank dungeon.
No, wait… Hm.
“I’ll go to a D-rank dungeon.”
Instead of an E-rank dungeon, I’ll head to a D-rank one.
That’s two ranks above the F-rank dungeon I’m in now.
There’s a solid reason for skipping E-rank and going to D-rank.
When I first soloed a boss and defeated the High Orc, my level went up by 3.
If a single kill gave me 3 levels back then, even with the boss’s enhanced stats, as my level increases, I’d probably need to kill several to gain a level, just like with Mega Slimes now.
That’d just repeat the same issue I’m facing, so I’ll pass.
In that case, it’s better to go to a dungeon where the enemies are slightly stronger but easier to level up in.
I probably won’t be able to kill as many as I did with High Orcs at first, but that’s fine.
“Now, which dungeon should I go to… Guess I’ll head outside for now.”
I remember there’s no signal inside the dungeon, so I put away the smartphone I was about to pull from my 【Item Box】.
Yeah, there’s no signal in the dungeon, and I don’t need to kill more Mega Slimes, so there’s no point staying here.
So, less than an hour after entering the Marsh Dungeon, I retrace my steps and return to the surface.
Outside, the sky is cloudless as always, and with the sun rising, the bright sunlight beats down.
Shielding my eyes from the glare, I move to a spot where I can relax.
“Here we go. Now, which dungeon should I pick?”
I sit on a bench in the shade of a tree at a park near the dungeon and pull out my smartphone.
Hmm, D-rank dungeons close to here…
“Every single one has a tedious path to the boss room…”
D-rank dungeons are significantly tougher, with trickier monsters and much higher raw strength.
They’re still better than C-rank dungeons, where the difficulty spikes dramatically, but as a solo archer, the D-rank dungeons around here aren’t easy to clear. If I’m reckless, I could get overwhelmed by spawning monsters before reaching the boss room and end up exhausted—or worse.
“Well, I’d have to go to one eventually, so this is as good a time as any.”
With that in mind, I open a map app on my phone to search for my target dungeon.
The conditions are monsters with low defense that 【Magic Arrow】 can easily affect, making leveling up easier.
And to avoid being seen farming the boss, I’ll pick an unpopular dungeon—one with low ratings.
“Oh, found one.”
After scrolling through my phone for a while, I find a dungeon about an hour away by train that matches my criteria.
It’s a bit far from home if I keep going there, but that can’t be helped.
“It’s 10 a.m., so if I leave now, I’ll get there before noon.”
Plus, this dungeon is about a twenty-minute walk from the station, so it’s not too far.
That means I won’t waste too much time, which is a bonus.
It’ll take an hour to get there, so I’ll arrive around 11 a.m. Maybe I should grab something to eat there before entering the dungeon.
“Alright! Let’s get moving!!”
I spring up from the bench and head toward the station.
My destination: a D-rank dungeon… Let’s march!
“Phew, finally here!!”
An hour later by train.
I spent the ride sitting, researching the D-rank dungeon I’m heading to and watching videos, so I wasn’t bored. Still, an hour is a long time.
Sitting for an hour stiffened my body, and when I stretched, I heard a crack from my back.
“So this is the town with the dungeon…”
Right outside the station, I see a mountain covered in lush trees, with wooden houses lining its base—a small town.
I’m standing at the station, and just ahead, I can see a plaza with a large tree at its center.
Checking the dungeon’s location on my phone, there’s only one dungeon near the mountain, so this must be the town with the D-rank dungeon I’m aiming for.
“I see. The dungeon’s up in the mountains.”
I called it a town at first glance, but looking closer, it feels more like a village.
There’s a shop near the station, so I buy some onigiri and walk to the plaza.
From a distance, I saw some regular houses, but this village seems to have more fields and a lot of nature.
“It’s peaceful and nice~”
Maybe because I’ve spent the past year in the city, constantly fighting for my life in dungeons, this rural scenery calms my heart.
Plus, with all the nature, the air feels fresh.
It’s not that far from the city, so there shouldn’t be a huge difference, but the environment is relaxing enough to make me think so.
“This plaza is spacious, and the big tree in the center provides perfect shade. It’s great.”
I sit on a bench in the plaza, eating my onigiri while zoning out.
Yup, the onigiri I bought at the shop is way better than convenience store ones.
I got three with classic fillings: salmon, umeboshi, and okaka. The salmon onigiri has perfectly flaked salmon with just the right amount of salt.
The umeboshi has a pleasant tartness that stimulates the appetite and pairs well with the rice’s sweetness.
The okaka onigiri is simply seasoned with katsuobushi and soy sauce, complementing the rice perfectly.
The fillings are straightforward, which lets the onigiri’s deliciousness spread through my mouth.
“I should’ve come here sooner.”
My life as an explorer has been hectic for the past year. If I’d noticed this village earlier, I could’ve lived a more fulfilling life.
I can relax, the food’s delicious—nothing but upsides.
“Hey, hey, big bro!!”
As I’m chilling, someone suddenly calls out to me.
I turn to see a boy who looks like a lower-grade elementary schooler.
…No, maybe upper-grade, now that I look closer. What’s up?
“What’s wrong? Need something?”
“Yeah! So, um, I’m Aoi Shinoyama, and you’re dressed like an explorer, right!? If you are, take me to the dungeon!!”
“…Huh? To the dungeon?”
Whoa, that’s way too sudden…
He seems interested in dungeons, but Aoi-kun’s clearly a kid.
He doesn’t look anywhere near eighteen, so he probably doesn’t have a status or an explorer’s license. I can’t just take a kid without one into a dungeon.
I’d get arrested for violating dungeon laws!
“Please! I really want to go to the dungeon!!”
“Uh, sorry, but it’s too dangerous for kids to enter dungeons, so I can’t take you.”
“Come on, please! I have to go to the dungeon!!”
“…Why do you want to go to the dungeon so bad, Aoi-kun?”
When I ask, Aoi-kun suddenly falls silent.
But then he speaks up.
“Because I told my grandpa and mom I want to be an explorer when I grow up, but they said it’s too dangerous and told me no…”
“…”
“They said exploring is dangerous and that I should keep working in the fields! But I want to be an explorer!!”
“I see…”
This is a common story in this dungeon-filled era.
Kids who dream of a game-like world aspire to become explorers, but their parents, not wanting them to face danger, try to stop them.
My mom and dad were like that too.
They passed away in an accident before I entered middle school, but I vividly remember them desperately trying to convince me not to put myself in danger.
“Please, I’m begging you! Take me to the dungeon!!”
“Sorry, Aoi-kun, but I can’t take you to the dungeon.”
“…Why not!!”
“Because you’re still a kid. You don’t have an explorer’s license, and not having a status is just too dangerous.”
“That’s… true, but…”
“Besides, your mom and grandpa aren’t opposing you because they hate you. It’s the opposite—they love you so much that they don’t want you going into dangerous dungeons.”
At first, I thought my parents opposed me because they didn’t understand dungeons.
But in reality, they knew far more about dungeons than I did and were trying to protect me from becoming an explorer.
Well, I only realized that after they died and I started diving into dungeons.
“Please understand.”
“…Tch! Fine!!”
Hearing my words, Aoi-kun holds back tears and runs off.
“Sigh… I had to say it, but that was tough.”
I didn’t want to put it like that.
But I couldn’t take him, and I couldn’t not say it.
“If I were some famous guy used to being approached like that, maybe I could’ve handled it better.”
TV explorers or popular video streamers probably get asked stuff like this all the time, so they might know a smoother way to turn people down.
“Hm. Maybe I’ll take a page from their book next time.”
Thinking that, I take another bite of my onigiri.
Yup. Delicious.
Way better than convenience store onigiri.
“Excuse me.”
“Hm?”
While savoring my onigiri, an old man suddenly stands nearby.
His hair is white, and his knees and back are bent, but he stands straight and walks with vigor, looking plenty healthy.
“Sorry to bother you. May I sit next to you?”
…Well, no reason to refuse.
“…Go ahead.”
At my words, the old man thanks me and sits beside me.
“My grandson caused you quite a bit of trouble earlier. I’m terribly sorry.”
The moment he sits, he bows his head.
Uh… why am I being apologized to?
“Um, please raise your head. Your grandson… so you’re Aoi-kun’s…?”
“Yes. I’m his grandfather.”
I see…
The sudden apology startled me, but that explains it.
Now I understand why he sat next to me. Let’s get him to raise his head.
“So, why are you apologizing? I don’t think you did anything I’d need an apology for…”
“No, no. My grandson troubled you, didn’t he? Asking to be taken to the dungeon. We’ve told him countless times how difficult that is, but he’s fixated on becoming an explorer and defeating monsters…”
“Ah, I get it.”
It’s pretty common for kids below high school age.
At that age, they can’t be shown gruesome footage or descriptions, so they don’t fully grasp the dangers of fighting monsters or diving into dungeons.
“He lost his father to a monster stampede, so I understand his desire to become an explorer and defeat monsters. But neither I nor his mother… and surely not his late father, would want that for him…”
“That’s… well…”
I understand what the grandfather’s saying. Not wanting his grandson to become an explorer, constantly surrounded by danger.
A monster stampede—when monsters spawn endlessly and spill out of a dungeon—is like a natural disaster.
For Aoi-kun, “bad luck” doesn’t cut it when he lost someone to something like that…
“Of course, we’ll keep a close eye on him. But as you saw, it’s also true that he might slip past us and trouble you again. If that happens… I know it’s a lot to ask, but please, please look after Aoi.”
The grandfather bows his head again.
“Ah, please raise your head!! I understand! If it comes to that, I’ll make sure to handle Aoi-kun properly.”
“…Thank you. Truly, thank you.”
Raising his face, the grandfather looks genuinely relieved as he says this.
Well, that much is fine.
It’s not something worth refusing, and I’m not taking him to the dungeon.
“Boys around that age tend to get a bit rowdy, don’t they? It’s pretty typical for a boy.”
A kid that energetic and fearless is refreshing to see.
“Ho? …Hohoho, you’re right. He’s quite the spirited boy.”
The grandfather tilts his head for a moment at my words but then bursts into laughter.
? Did I say something weird?
“…Well, I should be going. It’s not fair to leave his mother to handle him alone.”
With that, the grandfather stands from the bench, bows, and walks away.
“Aoi-kun, you’re lucky. Your grandpa and mom really love you.”
Muttering to myself, I toss the last okaka onigiri into my mouth, throw the plastic container in the trash, and stand from the bench.
“Alright. Time to head to the dungeon.”
Aoi-kun was stopped not just by his mom and grandpa but by an explorer like me, so he’ll probably give up.
Plus, with his mom and grandpa around, living in this village with a dungeon, they must understand its dangers.
That’s probably why he asked me instead of sneaking into the dungeon himself.
And the direction he ran off in wasn’t toward the dungeon, so it should be fine.
With that in mind, I start walking toward the dungeon.
A few minutes from the plaza, the dungeon’s entrance comes into view.
The entrance looks like it was carved into the mountain, surrounded by trees. If there were a tree right in front, you’d barely notice it.
“This is the dungeon… Alright! Here we go!!”
My first solo D-rank dungeon. I’ll go in with zero complacency!
――――――
Kaede Amamiya
Level: 113
HP: 1150/1150 MP: 1085/1085
Attack: 185 (+52)
Defense: 135 (+12)
Agility: 185 (+57)
Dexterity: 290 (+152)
Mental Strength: 410 (+292)
Luck: 50
BP: 0
SP: 5
Skills: 【Magic Arrow Lv.10】【Archery Lv.5】【Hawk Eye Lv.2】【Item Box Lv.2】【Lock-On Lv.5】【Appraisal Lv.1】【MP Boost Lv.5】
――――――
“So this is the Hellhound Dungeon.”
The moment I step through the entrance, a scene unfolds before me.
It’s a cave-like area with rugged, exposed rock walls.
I’ve arrived at the D-rank Hellhound Dungeon.
This dungeon has fifteen floors to the boss room, far larger than F-rank or E-rank dungeons.
Even taking the shortest route, it supposedly takes two hours to reach the boss room, and the boss is an enhanced C-rank monster.
It’ll be my first time fighting a monster of this rank.
“Well, let’s get moving.”
With a notebook detailing the route to the boss room in hand, I start walking.
In F-rank and E-rank dungeons, the paths to the boss room were simple enough to memorize, but there’s no way I can remember a fifteen-floor route.
So, with notebook in hand, I proceed cautiously. Luckily, I make it to the fifth floor without encountering any monsters.
“Phew, so far so good.”
Holding the notebook means one hand is occupied, so I’ve been extra careful, but no issues have cropped up yet.
“Still, this dungeon is huge.”
The Hellhound Dungeon is vast and labyrinthine.
Without my notebook, I’d definitely have gotten lost.
“Oh?”
At the end of a straight corridor, I spot a monster standing on two legs.
Thanks to 【Hawk Eye】 boosting my vision, I can clearly make out the monster’s form.
“That’s a Kobold…”
The D-rank monster of this dungeon, the Kobold.
Kobolds are bipedal monsters with dog-like heads, attacking with their robust bodies, sharp claws, and fangs.
Their canine heads give them keen senses of smell and hearing, making them tricky enemies immune to ambushes.
Plus, their Attack and Agility stats are high, so they’re just plain strong.
The reason this dungeon is unpopular is that Kobolds often spot you first and catch you off guard.
But since I spotted it first, the Kobold hasn’t noticed me yet.
“First strike wins… 【Lock-On】.”
I quickly store the notebook in my 【Item Box】, ready my bow from my back, and nock an arrow created by 【Magic Arrow】.
“Shi!!”
I fire before it notices!
The arrow whistles through the air, heading straight for the Kobold’s neck… but it doesn’t hit.
“No way!!”
Incredibly, the Kobold notices my attack and swiftly dodges.
“Seriously…?”
I didn’t expect it to dodge an attack from that distance…
Worse, the Kobold, wary of neck attacks, lowers its head and charges at me.
But…
“My attacks don’t miss.”
From behind the charging Kobold, the arrow I missed with flies back.
With my 【Lock-On】 skill guaranteeing a hit, my attacks never miss.
Unaware of this, the Kobold takes the arrow to the neck from its blind spot.
“Gah…”
The Kobold lets out a short cry and stops moving as the arrow pierces it.
It’s not down yet, but I didn’t expect to kill it in one shot.
I fire another arrow at the now-stationary Kobold.
The arrow strikes its forehead, and this time, the Kobold collapses to its knees, finally defeated.
…Alright. No level-up, but I handled a D-rank Kobold.
Knowing I can kill it with two 【Magic Arrow】 shots is the best possible outcome.
“Hm. Still, I wanted to one-shot it like with F-rank or E-rank monsters.”
Oh well, I took it down in two shots without injury, so that’s good enough!
I collect the Kobold’s magic stone and resume my trek to the boss room.
When I encounter more Kobolds, I defeat them the same way, minimizing resource consumption until I reach the boss room.
“Finally made it…”
Even taking the shortest route, fifteen floors took a while.
But the door’s open, and even with my enhanced vision from 【Hawk Eye】, I can see the boss inside the room. No other explorers are present.
Well, I picked an unpopular dungeon, so that’s expected.
…Phew… I’m nervous.
My first D-rank dungeon boss fight.
And it’s an enhanced C-rank monster.
Honestly, I don’t think I’d win in a straight fight, but my win condition is using 【Lock-On】 and escaping the boss room.
“…Alright! Here we go!!”
I psych myself up and step into the boss room.
As always, the door closes automatically behind me.
This time, instead of moving forward, I stay near the door, ready to exit the boss room immediately.
The boss room is a wide space, similar to the Cavern Dungeon.
The difference is the lighting—natural light is replaced by torches on the walls ensuring visibility.
The boss of this Hellhound Dungeon is the High Kobold.
It looks like a Kobold but is only about half the size of a High Orc.
However, its smaller size makes it far more agile, launching swift attacks.
As a boss, its stats are enhanced, making it even harder to handle.
“GUOOOOH!!”
“【Appraisal】! 【Lock-On】!!”
As the High Kobold lets out a roar, I immediately activate 【Lock-On】 to track it.
Checking its HP with 【Appraisal】, it’s 1500, just as my research indicated.
Preparations complete.
“Shi!!”
I fire an arrow created by 【Magic Arrow】 at the High Kobold while retreating toward the door.
Being a rank above Kobolds, the High Kobold is faster and, with the distance between us, dodges the arrow once, but it loops back and pierces its back.
The High Kobold’s HP drops from 1500 to 1320.
“180 damage, huh.”
I’ve locked on and confirmed the damage.
This should work.
“GAH!?”
“Guh!!”
But the High Kobold, enraged by my attack, closes the distance in an instant and slashes with its sharp claws.
I narrowly dodge with a backstep and escape the boss room.
“…That was close!!”
That was seriously dangerous…
I barely dodged in time, but a split-second later, and I’d have been torn apart.
The High Kobold’s already high Agility stat, enhanced as a boss, produces insane speed.
If I hadn’t been leveling up like a cheat, I might not have even seen it coming. That’s the kind of opponent I’m facing.
“But this is my win!!”
No matter how fast or strong it is, as a boss, it can’t leave the boss room unless a monster stampede occurs.
That means it can’t attack me.
“Alright, let’s wrap this up.”
I ready my bow again, create an arrow with 【Magic Arrow】, and knock it.
Aiming at the door, I draw the bowstring with force.
Creak
The bow lets out a groan.
I’ve never heard that sound before, so my leveled-up stats must be pushing the bow beyond its limits.
“Use a weapon suited to your level.”
I never thought I’d realize that not because my level was too low, but because the weapon couldn’t keep up.
Well, it’s not something I can fix now, so I’ll just be careful while using it.
“Aim set… Shi!!”
My target is, of course, the door.
I fire the arrow toward the boss beyond it.
The arrow passes through the door and enters the boss room.
With 180 damage per shot and the High Kobold’s 1500 HP, one shot isn’t enough.
I keep firing.
One, two, three shots without pause.
And on the ninth shot.
This should do it, by my calculations!
『Level increased by 15』
The level-up notification sounds, and the boss room door opens.
I enter, store the High Kobold’s corpse in my 【Item Box】, and exit the boss room.
As I leave, the door begins to close.
“I won!!”
I collapse to the ground in relief.
I managed to win this time too!
It was dicey at first, but I pulled through.
“And 15 levels up… Soloing a C-rank boss monster really racks up the experience.”
To think defeating one High Kobold boosted my level by 15…
And with just nine 【Magic Arrow】 shots. I couldn’t have imagined this before getting 【Lock-On】.
If my MP recovers from what I used getting to the boss room, I can probably take it down four more times.
Alright, I’ll dump all the BP from this level-up into Agility.
That should let me dodge the High Kobold’s attacks with more leeway.
No more heart-stopping moments like earlier.
“Alright! One more go!!”
I enter the boss room again, challenge the High Kobold, and repeat the same strategy to defeat it.
『Level increased by 15』
『Level increased by 15』
『Level increased by 15』
『Level increased by 15』
Taking breaks in between, I defeat a total of four High Kobolds.
I could probably handle one more with my leveled-up stats and allocated BP, but I’ll stop here.
I need to save enough MP for 【Magic Arrow】 to make it back.
That’s it for today.
I leave the dungeon and head home.
Exiting the dungeon, it’s nighttime, and the village is completely dark, lit only by streetlights and house windows.
Taking in the scenery, I head to the station, board a train, and return home.
Sitting on the living room sofa, I pull up my status.
――――――
Kaede Amamiya
Level: 188
HP: 1900/1900 MP: 1460/1460
Attack: 260 (+52)
Defense: 210 (+12)
Agility: 460 (+257)
Dexterity: 365 (+152)
Mental Strength: 660 (+467)
Luck: 50
BP: 0
SP: 380
Skills: 【Magic Arrow Lv.10】【Archery Lv.5】【Hawk Eye Lv.2】【Item Box Lv.2】【Lock-On Lv.5】【Appraisal Lv.1】【MP Boost Lv.5】
――――――
“Man, this level-up spiked my stats like crazy.”
I gained a ton of SP—380, to be exact.
Plus, leveling up boosted my base stats, and allocating a bunch of BP made my stats skyrocket.
I poured a lot into Agility and Mental Strength, so dodging attacks is much easier, and 【Magic Arrow】’s attack power has increased significantly.
I plan to keep allocating stats to Agility and Mental Strength.
That way, my high-powered attacks will always hit, and I can zip around to dodge enemy attacks.
…I’d hate to fight someone like that.
I’ve never heard of anyone allocating stats this way, but considering my 【Lock-On】 skill, it makes sense.
“Now, onto skills…”
The skills I acquired or upgraded last time were 【Appraisal】, 【Item Box】, 【MP Boost】, and 【Lock-On】.
What should I do this time…
I want some new skills, and since I know 【Lock-On】 is a Unique Skill, I want to raise it to skill level 10.
Plus, other skills…
“…Alright! Decided!!”
――――――
【Lock-On Lv.10】: 200 SP
【MP Recovery Speed Boost Lv.5】: 80 SP
【Magic Arrow Lv.11】: 55 SP
【Item Box Lv.4】: 35 SP
――――――
Yes! Perfect!!
I left 10 SP unused since I had no immediate use for it and dumped the rest.
The new skill I acquired is 【MP Recovery Speed Boost】.
I got it to reduce the downtime for recovering spent MP.
The skills I leveled up are 【Lock-On】, 【Magic Arrow】, and 【Item Box】.
【Item Box】 is, like last time, for increasing capacity.
【Magic Arrow】’s Mental Strength × 0.5 multiplier increased to 0.6, boosting its raw attack power.
And finally, 【Lock-On】, being a Unique Skill, gained a new effect at level 10.
【Multi Lock-On】
・Ranged attacks on multiple targets are guaranteed to hit.
The effect guarantees ranged attacks hit multiple targets.
So, while I could only target one enemy before, I can now aim at two or more simultaneously.
Nice. This is a great effect.
Until now, I’ve only gone to dungeons with single-target monsters since getting 【Lock-On】, but some dungeons have multiple monsters spawning at once.
In those dungeons, this effect will be incredibly powerful.
I’m looking forward to it.
“All set! My skills are stronger, my stats are up, so let’s keep at it tomorrow!!”
――――――
Kaede Amamiya
Level: 188
HP: 1900/1900 MP: 1460/1460
Attack: 260 (+52)
Defense: 210 (+12)
Agility: 460 (+257)
Dexterity: 365 (+152)
Mental Strength: 660 (+467)
Luck: 50
BP: 0
SP: 10
Skills: 【Magic Arrow Lv.11】【Archery Lv.5】【Hawk Eye Lv.2】【Item Box Lv.4】【Lock-On Lv.10】【Appraisal Lv.1】【MP Boost Lv.5】【MP Recovery Speed Boost Lv.5】
――――――
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