Chapter 7: A Brief Respite
The morning arrived, and after a long train ride, I found myself back at the Hellhound Dungeon.
Before heading into the Hellhound Dungeon, I stopped by Seizo-san’s house to drop off the White Evil Treant materials (with some help dismantling it thanks to the Swiftstrike Dagger). Today, my plan was simple: grind levels like there’s no tomorrow!
As I made my way through, I took out Kobolds I spotted with [Enemy Detection], collecting magic stones along the way. The earnings were pretty decent, too.
“If I keep this up, I’ll probably only get low-rank items that wouldn’t sell well compared to what I could handle before leveling up. Gotta make as much as I can while the going’s good,” I muttered to myself.
Sure, things might be different if I joined a company or a guild, but with my nickname “Guide” making me a bit infamous, I doubt anyone would pick me up. Even if they did, it’d probably just be to train newbies.
“Well, doing things solo at my own pace suits me just fine, so no complaints here,” I said with a shrug, pushing deeper into the Hellhound Dungeon until I reached the boss room.
Time to start the level grind.
“Hah!” I shouted.
“Gyaun!” the High Kobold yelped.
Sometimes, I faced the High Kobold head-on, clashing its claws and fangs against my Swiftstrike Dagger.
“Hyah, hyah!” I called out.
Other times, I stood outside the boss room, relentlessly firing [Magic Arrow] to take it down one-sidedly.
“Shi!” I grunted.
“Kyann!” the High Kobold whimpered.
Occasionally, I’d step into the boss room and fight it straight-up with my bow.
I could’ve sworn the High Kobold was crying at one point, but no way that’s true, so I ignored it.
And now, for the twenty-fifth time today…
“Hyah!” I exclaimed.
From outside the boss room, I shot my bow and took down the High Kobold.
By the way, with the Dragonwood Bow, it only takes three shots to kill a High Kobold.
This bow is seriously strong…
I entered the boss room through the opened door and collected the High Kobold’s remains.
“But with this, my [Item Box] is full…” I muttered.
As expected, between the stuff I already had before entering the Hellhound Dungeon, a few Kobolds, and twenty-five High Kobolds, my [Item Box] was completely packed.
“Guess I’ll head back to sell some materials…” I decided.
Today’s haul, including the Kobold materials, came to about 80,000 yen.
Surprisingly, no one bats an eye when you sell this stuff. They just buy it without asking questions.
And my level? It shot up by 274… That’s just insane!
＊ ＊ ＊
The next day was Saturday.
Saturdays and Sundays are when part-time explorers and newbie student explorers dive into dungeons, so I decided to take a break. Especially on Saturdays, the dungeons are packed with students who lack stamina and want to rest on Sunday, so it’s a total crowd.
“That said, what should I do today?” I wondered, glancing at my smartphone. “I’ve been so obsessed with leveling up lately that I’ve been diving into dungeons nonstop.”
I scrolled through my phone, thinking about what to do. I hadn’t really considered anything besides dungeons lately. Was there something fun out there? Hmm?
“Is that Rieshe’s video? And it’s from that time? She already finished editing it?” I said, surprised.
While looking for something interesting to do on my phone, I stumbled across a video Rieshe had uploaded recently. The title? “Epic Battle! The Mutant Boss Monster of the Helltree Dungeon!”
Helltree Dungeon. Mutant Boss Monster.
Yeah, that title hits way too close to home.
“…Might as well watch it. I’m kinda curious,” I muttered.
I hit the play button.
The screen switched, showing the battle in the boss room where I fought.
“Whoa! That’s me!” I blurted out, unable to hold back.
I mean, come on! They captured me fighting so clearly! It’s embarrassing as hell!
And those slightly cringeworthy lines I said back then? Ughhh! So embarrassing!
I glanced at the comments briefly, but they were too much, so I stopped looking.
The video even showed the moment I took down the boss with a single [Magic Arrow] strike. Thankfully, I confirmed that the audio didn’t include my [Lock-On] skill, so that’s fine.
“…I’m heading out. Staying home’s just gonna make me overthink this,” I said, standing up.
I stepped outside for a walk.
“Nice weather,” I murmured, looking up at the cloudless blue sky.
Days like this are perfect for outdoor activities, aren’t they?
“Well, not like I have any specific reason to be out here,” I added with a chuckle.
Staying home would just bore me, and messing with my phone would remind me of that video. A walk seemed like the best way to avoid dying of embarrassment—mentally, at least.
Oh, and that video? It was already trending on the rising ranks.
“Hmm, where should I go?” I wondered aloud.
For now, I just walked aimlessly. I didn’t have a destination in mind, so I’d go somewhere if it caught my interest, or I’d just head home if nothing did. Walking like this actually passes the time pretty well.
“…Oh, that’s nostalgic,” I said, spotting a shopping mall in the distance.
It was the mall I used to visit a lot with my old party members back in high school. I haven’t been back since I left the party, though.
“Alright, why not hit up the arcade?” I decided.
Since I was here, I headed into the arcade area. It was still before noon, so it wasn’t too crowded. Being a day off, though, there were a few kids playing claw machines, arcade games, and medal games.
“Oh, a gun-shooting game… It’s been a while, so why not?” I said, feeling a wave of nostalgia.
I decided to try the gun-shooting game, remembering the old days. I inserted a hundred yen and picked up the gun.
“Well, it’s a different weapon than I’m used to, but… let’s see if I can hit anything,” I muttered.
It had been a while since I’d been to an arcade, so I hoped I wasn’t too rusty.
As I thought that, the stage countdown began.
The moment it hit zero, I pulled the trigger.
＊ ＊ ＊
“…It’s been a while, but I’m still pretty good at this,” I said, staring at the clear time displayed on the screen.
Thanks to my leveled-up stats, my dynamic vision and reflexes were sharper, but I had to be careful not to break the gun. Still, I managed a decent time.
“Now, what’s next?” I wondered.
There were a few other things that caught my eye: medal games, rhythm games, fighting games, racing games, and claw machines.
“Hmm, maybe a claw machine,” I decided.
Without any particular reason, I chose to try grabbing a stuffed animal that caught my eye. It was a deformed, yet oddly adorable, white bear plushie.
“Here we go…” I said, inserting a hundred yen and moving the arm.
The first try, I used the left claw to nudge it closer to the exit.
Another hundred yen.
The second try, I used the right claw to lift it.
Another hundred yen (and so on).
On the third try…
“Oh, nice! Got it!” I exclaimed.
The third attempt lifted it perfectly and carried it to the exit.
“Sweet, nailed it!” I said, grinning.
I’m not exactly a claw machine pro, so getting it in one go is tough, but three tries? That’s some good luck.
“Phew… Guess I’ll head home now—huh?” I started to say.
As I stood up with the white bear plushie in hand, I noticed a girl in a hat and sunglasses glued to a claw machine a little ways away.
Okay, “glued” might sound weird, but it’s the best way to describe it. She’d been at that same machine since I was playing the gun-shooting game.
“…Is she still at it?” I wondered.
How much money has she sunk into that claw machine?
“Well, it’s none of my business,” I thought, standing up to leave.
That’s when it happened.
“Ugh… Ah!!” a voice cried out.
I turned around, wondering what was up.
The girl was walking toward me.
I kept watching, but when she got right in front of me, I quickly looked away and started walking.
“Wait, please wait!!” she called, running up and grabbing my shoulder.
Oh, this is bad. This feels like one of those inescapable battle screens in a game.
No choice now. I braced myself, ready to counter anything, and turned to face her.
“Uh, who are… Wait, huh?” I started.
The girl was hiding her face with a hat and sunglasses, but I caught a glimpse of blonde hair and blue-green eyes through the gaps.
I knew someone with those features. In fact, I saw her just two days ago.
“…Rieshe?” I asked.
“Yes! It’s been two days, hasn’t it, Onii-san!!” she replied cheerfully.
The girl grabbing my shoulder was none other than Rieshe, the one I fought the White Evil Treant with two days ago.
“Two days, huh, Rieshe,” I said. “But why are you here?”
“Why? Is it that weird for me to be here?” she asked, tilting her head.
“No, it’s not that,” I said, scratching my head. “It’s just… you uploaded a video today, right? Are you getting enough sleep?”
I mean, two days ago, she was exhausted from fighting the White Evil Treant, and now she’s already edited and posted a video. The quality of that video was insanely high—way too good to have been done in just a day or two. Yet, Rieshe didn’t have any dark circles under her eyes or look sleep-deprived. She probably didn’t pull an all-nighter… right?
“Oh, that’s what you mean?” she said with a laugh. “Don’t worry, I’m not the one editing the videos.”
“Huh, really?” I asked, surprised.
“Yup. I’m with a company, you know. They hire people to handle the editing, so I get plenty of rest. The editors are skilled and have [Magic Tool Creation] or something, so they’re really good,” she explained.
“Oh, wow, a company, huh…” I trailed off, then paused. “Wait, a company?”
“…Did I not mention that?” Rieshe asked, blinking.
So, Rieshe was with a company… That’s impressive.
Usually, explorers who join guilds or companies either pass a tough exam or get scouted. The exams are mostly for high-level explorers who’ve been at it for a while. No offense to Rieshe, but based on the level I saw yesterday, I doubt she’d pass that exam. Which means she was probably scouted.
Being scouted is rare. It usually happens to famous explorers or those with unique talents a company wants. Rieshe must have something special that caught their eye.
“Oh, first I’m hearing of it,” I said.
“Muu… You haven’t watched my videos, have you?” she said, giving me a half-lidded stare. “It’s written right there in my video descriptions!”
Whoops, maybe I was too honest.
“N-No, sorry,” I stammered. “I usually only watch videos about dungeons I’m planning to dive into.”
“Hmph, fine, I’ll let it slide,” she said, puffing out her cheeks. “Let me introduce myself properly, then. I’m Rieshe, an explorer with the company ‘Astral’! Oh, and my real name’s Yua Sakurai, so call me Yua from now on!!”
“Got it. Nice to meet you, Yua. I’m Kaede Amamiya. Call me whatever you like,” I said, returning the introduction.
It was nice to learn her real name, and Astral, huh? That’s a big name. They’re a company that’s been making waves lately, gathering all sorts of talent. They don’t just focus on dungeon activities but use dungeon data for various services. I think they made some big breakthroughs with potion-based medical treatments recently, though I don’t remember the details. To think Yua’s with a company like that… Honestly, I’m shocked.
“Alright, I’ll call you Kaede-san, then!” she said with a smile.
“Sounds good,” I replied.
It’d feel weird if I called her by her first name while she used my last name. Plus, it’d make me seem overly familiar. I appreciated her calling me Kaede.
“Anyway, Kaede-san!” Yua said, pointing excitedly. “That plushie you’re holding—it’s from that claw machine, right?!”
She was pointing at the white bear plushie I’d just won.
“Yeah, that’s right. What about it?” I asked.
“So, you’re good at claw machines, right?!” she said, eyes sparkling.
“I’d say I’m decent,” I replied cautiously. “Not amazing, but I can manage.”
I’m not some claw machine master, but I’m not terrible either. I can usually get something after a few tries, though I’m not good enough to nab stuff in one or two goes.
“Then, I have a favor to ask. Can you hear me out?” Yua asked, leaning forward.
“A favor, huh?” I said, already guessing where this was going. “Alright, let’s hear it. What do you need?”
As expected, Yua said exactly what I thought she would.
“Kaede-san, can you win that plushie for me?” she asked, pointing at the claw machine she’d been glued to.
The prize was a deformed penguin plushie—a big one.
“That one, huh?” I said, eyeing it. “Think I can pull it off? By the way, how much have you spent on it?”
“I plead the fifth!!” she declared proudly.
“…That’s not something to say so confidently,” I said, shaking my head. “But fine, I’ll give it a shot.”
“Thank you so much, Kaede-san! I’m counting on you!” she said, beaming.
She handed me a 500-yen coin, which I inserted into the machine. The plushie was already close to the exit, probably thanks to Yua’s efforts. I moved the arm like before, grabbing the plushie and lifting it toward the exit. It slipped midway but, thanks to its oval shape, it bounced and…
…Wait, did I get it?
“Whoa! You got it!!” Yua cheered.
“…Huh, yeah. Didn’t expect it to go that smoothly. Guess I got lucky,” I said, surprised.
I’d expected more of a struggle.
“But, uh… what do we do with the remaining 400 yen?” I asked.
“…What do we do?” Yua replied, tilting her head.
Yeah, what do we do?
＊ ＊ ＊
In the end, since both plushies were pretty cute, we used the remaining 400 yen on another stuffed animal in the same machine.
The result? We didn’t get the second one… but, well, getting one was plenty good enough.
Yua’s sitting across from me, happily hugging her penguin plushie, so I’d say it was worth it.
“Phew… today was fun, wasn’t it?” Yua said, her voice bright and cheerful.
“Yeah, it was,” I replied. “It’s been a while since I hit up an arcade, so I had a good time.”
“I’ve been so focused on filming videos lately, so this was a nice break. I really enjoyed it,” Yua added, beaming.
Right now, we’re in the food court of the shopping mall. It’s still just before noon, so it’s not too crowded.
We’re both munching on crepes. I got chocolate banana, and Yua’s got strawberry.
“Mmm, so good!” Yua exclaimed, pressing her hands to her cheeks with a blissful expression.
Seeing her like that… it’s kinda contagious. I can’t help but feel happy too.
“Hm? What’s up? Is there something on my face?” Yua asked, tilting her head.
“Nah, it’s nothing,” I said, quickly looking away to cover up how I’d been staring.
Yua gave me a curious look, but I brushed it off with a quick, “Don’t worry about it.”
“So, what’s the plan now? It’s still a bit early for lunch,” Yua said, glancing at her watch.
I checked the time—11:50 a.m. She’s right. We’re eating crepes now, so grabbing a full meal feels a bit off, both in terms of hunger and timing.
“Hmm, what to do…” I muttered, scratching my head.
“How about you hang out with me this afternoon, Kaede-san?” Yua suggested, her eyes sparkling.
“Sure, I’m in. I don’t have any plans anyway,” I replied with a shrug.
“Yay! Let’s go then!” Yua cheered, stuffing the last of her crepe in her mouth and hopping up from her chair.
Whoa, hold on—gotta pay first.
“Oh, Kaede-san, I can cover it!” Yua offered.
“Nah, I got this. Gotta show some guy pride here,” I said with a grin.
“Uh… okay, thanks!” Yua said, a bit flustered. “Thank you for the meal!”
“No problem, leave it to me,” I replied.
The total came to 2,000 yen. Not a big deal at all.
“So, where we headed?” I asked.
“That’s a surprise for when we get there!” Yua said mischievously.
We left the food court—and the mall entirely—and ended up at the Explorer’s Association.
“Whoa, hold up! Why here?!” I exclaimed, stunned.
“Hehehe, why not? Come on, let’s go inside!” Yua said, giggling.
“Hey, wait!” I protested.
Yua grabbed my arm and dragged me inside. Half-pulled along, I found myself in the weapon sales area—the same place where I bought the Swiftstrike Dagger not long ago.
“So… why are we here?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Well… my manager was like, ‘A new staff? Awesome! Now let’s make sure you’re ready for close combat, okay?’” Yua explained, scratching her cheek.
“So, you’re here to buy a weapon…” I said, nodding.
It made sense. Like me, Yua needed a weapon for close combat, though her reasons were different. That’s why she brought us here.
“…But why drag me along?” I asked, confused.
“Hehe, well, my attack stat isn’t that high, so I thought I’d use a dagger like you, Kaede-san,” Yua said with a grin.
“You want my advice, huh?” I clarified.
“Exactly!” she said, her eyes practically sparkling.
Ugh, those sparkly eyes… Fine, I guess I can’t say no.
It’s Yua’s request, so I’ll give it some thought. That said, I’m not exactly an expert. The Swiftstrike Dagger is my first blade, so I’ll have to rely on my experience training others and my [Appraisal] skill to help her out.
“Alright, let’s look for a dagger and go from there,” I said.
“Yes, please!” Yua replied, clapping her hands.
Now, which one would be good…
“Thanks so much, Kaede-san!” Yua said, gazing happily at the brand-new dagger in its sheath.
In the end, I recommended a safe, reliable dagger that seemed to have decent stats. Yua tried a few, and we settled on a plain one with no special effects. Still, she looked thrilled, so I guess it worked out.
“Glad you’re happy with it,” I said, smiling.
“All thanks to you, Kaede-san!” Yua said, flashing another bright smile.
I’d call this weapon shopping trip a success.
Still, I never imagined I’d be shopping with Yua at the Explorer’s Association like this. Not bad, though.
“We can totally handle it!” a loud voice suddenly shouted.
The yell came from a bit away, near the reception area where they handle material buybacks.
“What’s that about?” Yua asked, tilting her head.
“Probably someone waiting for a buyback, right?” I suggested.
“It didn’t sound like that, though…” Yua said, frowning.
Yeah, she’s right. That didn’t sound like a typical buyback complaint. It felt more like an explorer arguing about something.
With most explorers out in dungeons at this time, it’s surprising we could hear it so clearly.
“What’s going on?” Yua wondered.
“No idea…” I replied.
We exchanged a glance and tilted our heads.
“I’m gonna check it out, Kaede-san,” Yua said, jogging toward the reception.
“Hey, wait,” I called, but she was already off.
Curious myself, I followed her to the reception area.
There, I saw three girls and a male receptionist. One girl had red hair in twin tails, small and energetic. Another had wavy blonde hair. The third had brown hair tied in a ponytail, giving off a more mature vibe. The receptionist was the same guy who’d handled the Overseer issue before.
“Come on, we beat an F-rank dungeon boss! We can totally handle an E-rank dungeon!” the red-haired girl shouted.
“I get that, but… it’s not that we’re stopping you. Dungeon diving is at your own risk, but…” the receptionist said, sounding troubled.
“Rin-chan, he’s just worried about us. Maybe tone it down a bit?” the blonde girl said gently.
“Rin, chill. If all the Association’s explorers are out, there’s nothing we can do,” the ponytail girl added.
Guess it’s not a full-on argument, then.
“What’s going on?” Yua asked, turning to me.
From what I overheard—F-rank dungeon boss, E-rank dungeon, no Association explorers—it sounds like…
“They probably beat an F-rank dungeon boss and want to try an E-rank dungeon next,” I explained.
“Makes sense…” Yua nodded.
It’s not unusual. After clearing an F-rank dungeon, moving to an E-rank is the logical next step. I did the same back when I was in a party. But usually, newbies go with a veteran explorer from the Association for their first few E-rank dives. It’s to prevent overconfident rookies from dying in E-rank dungeons after getting used to F-rank ones.
Those girls likely wanted to use that system, but all the Association’s veteran explorers were out, so their request got denied. I used to do something similar, joining newbie parties to teach them the ropes.
“Hmm… but—oh!” the receptionist said, noticing us.
His eyes locked onto me like a hawk.
“Excuse me, please wait a moment,” he said to the girls, then hurried over to us.
He stopped in front of me, bowed deeply, and started apologizing.
“Amamiya-san, thank you for your help the other day. And I’m terribly sorry for interrupting your date!” he said earnestly.
“G-Girlfriend?! Date?!” Yua squeaked, her face turning bright red as she flailed.
Yeah, I get it. Being mistaken for my girlfriend must be mortifying. She’s a company-affiliated explorer, so rumors like that could cause trouble. Gotta clear this up for her sake.
“Uh, no, don’t worry about it. And she’s not my girlfriend,” I said quickly.
“Y-Yes, exactly!” Yua stammered, still flustered.
“S-Sorry about that,” the receptionist said, backing off. “My mistake.”
“N-No, it’s fine!” Yua said, waving her hands.
Looks like he’s satisfied, so we’re in the clear.
“So… what’s up?” I asked.
“Well, we’ve got a bit of a problem…” the receptionist began.
He explained the situation. Apparently, more rookie explorers have been clearing F-rank dungeon bosses lately, and the demand for veteran escorts has spiked. They’re short on available veterans, so those girls can’t get approval to dive into an E-rank dungeon.
“And you want me to…?” I prompted.
“I know it’s a lot to ask, but could you accompany them on their E-rank dungeon dive? As the ‘Guide,’ I’m sure you’d be perfect for it. Of course, we’ll compensate you,” he said.
The “Guide” nickname stung a bit, but basically, they want me to babysit these girls. No reason to say no, especially with a reward involved. The only downside is pausing my level grinding, but based on past experience, this shouldn’t take too long.
“Alright, I’m in,” I said.
“Thank you so much!” the receptionist exclaimed.
“Kaede-san, I can’t help out because of company stuff, but good luck!” Yua said, looking a bit disappointed but cheering me on.
“Thanks. I’ll handle it,” I replied.
“Oh, and one more thing,” Yua added as she turned to leave. “I heard the death rate for explorers in E-rank dungeons is a bit high this year, so be careful, okay?”
She gave me a worried glance before heading off.
Is the death rate that bad? Guess I’ll need to stay sharp.
“Alright, Amamiya-san, this way, please,” the receptionist said.
“Got it,” I replied.
Better prepare thoroughly and stay on guard.
＊ ＊ ＊
In a darkened room, with the lights off and curtains drawn, a man pressed a smartphone to his ear.
“Yeah… I managed to steer him. No idea why he was at the Association branch, but he said he’s heading to the Cavern Dungeon,” the voice on the phone said.
The man nodded in the dim shadows.
“Good,” he replied.
“Do it clean. If you screw this up, I’m getting dragged down with you,” the voice warned.
“No need to worry. I won’t fail,” the man said confidently.
He ended the call and slipped the phone into his pocket.
Everything was set for his revenge.
“Just you wait, Guide…” he muttered, his voice dripping with malice.
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