Tag: Dungeon

“(Even if we’ve got a guaranteed way back, it’s obviously better to land the reward without getting teleported…)”

Satsuki-chan muttered something under her breath as she took her stance—her left foot forward, left arm bent in an L-shape and eyes locked on the target.

I didn’t quite catch all of it. I am terrible at darts, so I left the throwing to her.

“Alright… here I go.”

We only had one shot.

The dartboard stood about two and a half meters away. There is even a neatly drawn throwing line. Setting it up like this was all some kind of sick game. Honestly, the tiny white spot in the center looked so small, the odds of hitting it felt less than one in ten thousand. Even a pro would struggle with that.

Maybe I should start preparing myself for the worst.

“…Fuu.”

Just before she threw, I thought I saw Satsuki-chan curl her lips into a fearless smile.

“Direct Hit—activate!”

With a buzzing sound like the beating of insect wings, a faint glow wrapped around the dart board Satsuki-chan had been aiming.

That light… was it magic?

> Oh, Satsuki can use a Direct Hit skill too?

> Didn’t think of that

> With that, it’s gotta be 100%, right?

> Man, I kinda wanted to see the Nether-Class dungeon

> You guys really think it’ll go that smoothly?

> That Space-Time Rabbit’s got a nasty personality

> If I remember right, then this is probably…

Among the comments from the now 4,000-plus viewers, a few ominous ones stood out.

Honestly… I’d already gotten the feeling that rabbit had a terrible personality. It reminded me of my old boss back when I was still a corporate slave—the kind who loved throwing his weight around and dishing out power harassment.

Same vibe. The kind of guy who never told you anything important, then blew up at you when the results weren’t up to his expectations. Just remembering it made my blood boil.

It was one of the reasons I quit that job in the first place.

“I’m throwing!”

The dart pin flew the instant Satsuki-chan released it, cutting a perfect straight line through the air—heading directly for the center of the board.

Oh—! That looks good, doesn’t it?

The rabbit didn’t seem to interfere at all.

Maybe I’d been overthinking things. Guess I shouldn’t judge someone based on appearances and vibes alone.

…Sorry, Rabbit.

—

“Ahh… you’ve gone and done it now.”

The dry thunk of the dart pin hitting the board was drowned out by the rabbit’s exasperated voice.

I looked up at the board. The dart pin had landed… just slightly below the center—on one of the black sections.

“…We missed!?”

Satsuki-chan couldn’t hide her surprise.

The dart pin, which had seemed to fly perfectly toward the white spot, appeared to slightly veer off course just before hitting the board.

“Explorers really can’t help but cheat, huh? If you’d thrown normally, it would’ve hit the center no problem.”

The rabbit shook its head with a weary, tch-like gesture.

Whether true or not, it claimed that it had rigged the board so that any dart thrown without a skill would always hit the white center. In other words… using a skill had been deliberately designed to make the dart miss.

> So that’s how it is

> That rabbit never gives rewards for free

> The whole game’s a farce

> If you throw normally, it just complains: “Impossible for an explorer to throw without using a skill”

> Your destination was probably set from the start

> That rabbit is a con artist

“Too bad. Well then, let’s see where you’re headed.”

The rabbit pulled the dart board toward itself and stared at it intently. The board was completely blacked out, and from a distance, there was no way to tell what was written—though, knowing this rabbit, it was probably another sham.

Most likely… there was nothing written at all.

Yep, this rabbit was terrible. I might as well rename it “Boss Rabbit.”

“Hm-hm… congratulations! And now, your teleportation destination has been decided—you’re heading to the Nether-class dungeon’s, floor fifty!”

“No way!”

Watching Satsuki-chan’s stunned expression, it was clear she hadn’t realized this game was meaningless. This was probably her first time encountering it for real.

“Then, allow me to guide you!”

The rabbit traced a figure-eight pattern in the air with its cane. The dart board vanished instantly, and simultaneously, the air around us warped like a spiraling drill. True to its name, the Space-Time Rabbit clearly possessed some ability to manipulate the very fabric of space and time.

> Space-time gate, open!

> Nether-Class Dungeon, floor fifty! Can’t wait!

> Don’t let it be an instant death on arrival

> Don’t come back immediately, alright?

> At least hold out for a minute

> Hide as soon as you get there

> You and Satsuki can do this!

The viewers, as always, were having the time of their lives.

Meanwhile, we were risking our lives here. Damn it!

“We… we don’t really have a choice, do we…”

“Well, it’ll be fine. I set it up so we can come back anytime, at least.”

“Daishi-san… please, you have to protect me, no matter what…”

“…You’re asking a beginner to do that?”

“I-I’m really scared, honestly…”

“Getting all timid, huh? You know, I actually think that makes you even cuter.”

“Ah… geez! What are you saying at a time like this…”

“I’ll protect you.”

“Huh?”

“I will protect you, Satsuki-chan! So don’t worry—just trust me!”

“Y-yeah!”

Satsuki-chan’s eyes were glistening, on the verge of tears, and I deliberately put on a confident, upbeat front to give her some courage.

Sure, a lot of terrible things had happened, but in moments like this, the adult in me had to step up. You can call it maturity, I guess. Of course, a part of me was still nervous—but there was no point dwelling on that now. Sometimes, baseless confidence is exactly what it takes to push through a crisis.

I’d survived plenty of rough patches during my corporate days that way, and it had even helped boost the morale of new recruits. At least, that’s how I saw it.

It’ll be fine. We’ll manage.

“Oh, and when ten minutes pass, I’ll pull you back here automatically. That counts as mission complete, and I’ll give you a super rare item as a reward. But the contents are a secret.”

…Really giving it to us?

Well, chances are slim we’ll clear it anyway, so it doesn’t really matter. For now, surviving even just one minute would be a win.

Wait… am I actually kind of looking forward to the Nether-class dungeon?

“Alright then! Good luck, and may fortune favor you!”

The vortex of space-time began to spin at a dizzying speed.

Satsuki-chan and I were drawn toward its center, as if the very pull of the spiral was dragging us in.

My consciousness started to blur. The next thing I knew, I would probably be right in the heart of hell itself.

《Burial Skill【Return (LV2) 】 has overwritten space-time interference performance. 》

《Randomness and space-time functions of the Unique House have been restricted. 》

《The 【Unique House】 has been fixed to Room 2, Basement Floor 1, Fourth Beginner Dungeon, West Tokyo. 》

The usual monotone, mechanical voice whispered directly into my mind, trying to explain something I couldn’t begin to comprehend.

But honestly… I didn’t understand a word.My awareness slipped away completely, fading into nothingness.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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“Alright then, I’ll explain the rules right away.”

The rabbit lightly flicked its cane and raised it into the air. A floating display—like a status screen—materialized before us.

“Today’s space-time mission is… this!”

With a sharp motion, the rabbit pointed the cane at the screen. A string of words appeared across it.

“Space-time… darts… journey?”

“Exactly! From here on, you’ll be playing these space-time darts. Wherever the dart lands, I’ll teleport you to a certain floor within that dungeon.”

“…Ah??”

“And once you’re there, you’ll complete the mission I assign.”

Teleport…?

“Here’s today’s dartboard!”

With a sweep of its cane, the empty air warped—and out of nowhere, a round dartboard appeared.

No, wait—it was completely pitch-black. Every part looked exactly the same.

Where the hell was I even supposed to aim?

“Look closely. Here—right here.”

The rabbit tapped the center of the board with its cane.

Squinting, I could just barely make out a faint white dot.

“If it lands here, there will be no teleportation. Mission complete, and I’ll grant you a reward.”

“And if it lands anywhere other than the white spot, you’re off to some part of a Nether-class dungeon—GoGoHeaven! Oh, and that includes the lowest floor, so… I’ll be rooting for you not to hit that.”

Heaven? Yeah, right. Didn’t sound heavenly at all…

“Nether class…? If we end up in a place like that, even the upper floors would probably be a death sentence…”

“Is it… really that dangerous?”

“Dangerous doesn’t even begin to cover it… Even SSS-rank explorers haven’t managed to clear the lowest floor yet. There’s no telling how many skilled adventurers have lost their lives in that dungeon!”

> Even the upper floors are a dead end unless you’re top-tier SS-rank

> Wasn’t the Hero’s party’s best around the 80th floor?

> No, I think it was the 78th

> The lowest floor is level 100, right?

> Difficulty: SSS. One of the world’s three great abyssal dungeons

> Divine-class, Nether-class, Abyssal-Sea-class, right?

> Most explorers drop out around floor 50

> The mid-boss is completely broken

> Wasn’t it the Nether Dragon King, Ades?

> Yeah… judging by how many explorers it’s wiped out, it’s probably the deadliest mid-boss ever

The chat erupted again, this time buzzing with talk about Nether-class dungeon. Even just skimming the comments flashing past, one thing was painfully clear—that is not a place people like us should be setting our foot in.

So no one had ever even reached the lowest floor…?

From what is currently known, every possible destination sounded like a nightmare—but if there is one place we absolutely had to avoid, it’s the fiftieth floor. Hit that, and it’s game over. No exceptions.

“Just so you know, opting out of the mission isn’t allowed.”

“And if we refuse?”

“You won’t be able to.”

“…That’s not an answer.”

“Once you run into a Unique House, you’ve basically got no choice but to give up…”

Satsuki-chan let out a long, exhausted sigh, her shoulders slumping as the last of her energy seemed to drain away.

“It’ll be fine! This time, your mission is just to survive for ten minutes on whatever floor you’re sent to. And if things start looking bad, you can use an escape item to come right back. Though, of course, that won’t count as a clear.”

“Wait—you’re giving us escape items?”

“Nope. Those are on you.”

We don’t have any!

Neither Satsuki-chan nor me has one.

“Daishi-san, hey—Daish-san.”

Satsuki-chan leaned in and whispered softly into my ear.

“What is it?”

“Couldn’t you use your [Return] skill somehow? It seemed like a teleport-type ability, right? If that works, then maybe we won’t need an escape item.”

“Oh… that’s actually a great idea.”

The last time I tried using [Return] to go back home, it got canceled because I hadn’t set a designated point. In that case, why not set this place as the return point? If anything went wrong, I could just come straight back.

“Hey, Rabbit.”

“Call me the Space-Time Rabbit.”

What a pain.

“…Space-Time Rabbit, then. We don’t have any escape items. Would it be okay if I used my own teleportation skill to get us back instead?”

“Hm. Your teleportation skill, you say…—wait, a teleportation-type skill!?”

The rabbit suddenly started freaking out for some reason.

“Yeah. So, from everything I’ve heard, I really don’t see us clearing this. I want to set it up so we can return to this spot if things go south… would that be okay?”

I hadn’t used [Return] yet, so I couldn’t say for sure if I understood how it worked. But if I had to guess, I could probably only set a designated point from my current location. Which meant… this place should be valid.

“Teleportation-type skills are supposed to be extremely rare…. Only certain, highly specialized explorers can use them. This guy’s clearly a beginner… and a cleric, no less…”

The Space-Time Rabbit kept muttering to itself.

So which is it—yes or no?

“Ahem… well, if you can use it, then I guess I don’t mind. If you really can, that is…”

Still doubting me, huh?

…Just watch.

“Return! Set designated point!”

Last time, it had refused to activate because no point had been set—so this time, I invoked [Return] while clearly intending to establish one.

Just like before, a string of text appeared before my eyes. I followed the prompts, making a few adjustments so that I could come back to this exact spot. Just in case, I tried to see if I could set my home as the return point—but as expected, that wasn’t possible.

《 Understood. Setting return coordinates to: Room 2 【Unique House】, Basement Floor 1, West Tokyo 4th Beginner Dungeon. Proceed?  》

“Yes. Do it.”

《 …Designation complete. Configuration done.》

The text flickered—and vanished.

…That’s it?

It felt almost too simple, like I’d missed something—but, well, it should be fine.

“Alright! Then let’s get to the darts, Satsuki-chan!”

With that safety net in place, a wave of relief washed over me.Shaking off the lingering anxiety, I called out to Satsuki-chan with renewed determination.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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“Ahhh… mgh… gulp…”

My body moved on its own. Forced to chew, forced to savor the taste.

One bite. Two bites.

And then… I swallowed it.

Huh? This is…

“—It’s delicious!”

It was insanely good.

> No way lol

> Your taste buds are broken lol

> What does it taste like? C’mon, tell us!

> Even his tongue’s bugged now

> Room-temp entrails would make me puke

There was no way I could do a proper food review. All I knew was that this far surpassed the taste of raw liver I used to eat regularly at that old yakiniku spot. I savored it, letting the rich flavor seep through every fiber of my body. It was pure bliss.

《 Burial threshold break confirmed. Some restrictions on ability use lifted. 》

《 Daishi can now allocate surplus stats. 》

《Use the designated operations on the status screen to convert surplus points into other abilities.》

Strings of text appeared in my vision, one after another. I didn’t fully grasp all the details, but I interpreted it as confirmation that what I had tried to do earlier is now possible.

…Was that raw liver prepared just for me?

I couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy—it was almost too convenient, like the story itself had been stitched together for this moment.

“Daishi-san… your stomach isn’t hurting, right?”

“Nope. Totally fine!”

“…Tch.”

Satsuki just clicked her tongue, didn’t she? She definitely just did.

“More importantly, can you undo the skill already?”

“…Maybe I should just leave you here like this…”

“Eh?”

“Ah, no, just kidding! Totally joking! Ahahaha…”

…That didn’t sound like a joke.

Is she for real?

“Release!”

“Oh—finally, I can move!”

“Sorry for freezing you like that out of nowhere. But I really wanted you to get stronger, Daishi-san…”

Her eyes glimmered with emotion as she spoke—but I wasn’t falling for that trick again.

> Hey, did you get stronger?

Right. Time to follow the earlier instructions and check the status screen.

Looking at the usual full-screen display, a new “Next” button had appeared at the very bottom.

Without hesitation, I pressed it.

――――――――――― Surplus Burial Points: 243 HP:      33 (0)  [－＋] Max HP: 63 (0)   [－＋] MP:        0 (0)  [－＋] Max MP:   80 (0)   [－＋] Strength: 11 (0)   [－＋] Endurance: 8 (0) [－＋] Agility: 6 (0)       [－＋] Intelligence: 16 (0)   [－＋] ―――――――――――

I couldn’t help but throw my fists up in triumph.

A screen I’d seen plenty of times before, familiar and full of promise. This is definitely the interface for stat allocation! No explanation needed!

Alright. Time to start distributing points using the + buttons.

――――――――――― Surplus Burial Points: 0 HP:     100 (＋67) [－＋] Max HP:   100 (＋37) [－＋] MP:      100 (＋100) [－＋] Max MP:  100 (＋20) [－＋] Strength: 30 (＋19) [－＋] Endurance: 8 (0 [－＋] Agility:   6 (0) [－＋] Intelligence: 16 (0) [－＋] ――――――――――――

Yes! Hit the confirm button—stat allocation complete!

《 Once confirmed, changes cannot be made. Are you sure? 》

Yes! Absolutely!

《 Allocating surplus Funeral Points… complete. 》

The status screen vanished as soon as I pressed the finish button.

For a moment, I wasn’t sure how this would turn out—but in the end, restoring my MP was a huge relief. Of course, I know it’s ideal to focus on raising other stats too. But desperate times call for desperate measures. Just like Satsuki said earlier—without MP, I’m nothing more than just an ordinary old man.

“What are you grinning about while staring at your stats?”

“Ah, well… after eating that liver earlier, I am able to redistribute my points.”

“Whaaat!?”

“I refilled both my HP and MP to full, raised their maximums too! And I upped my Strength a bit, so I can at least handle some physical combat now!”

I explained to Satsuki—and to the viewers—how the liver had affected me.

> You could’ve had Satsuki-chan heal your HP instead.

> What a waste.

> Why Strength?

> Think a bit more before allocating points next time.

> Next level-up might not increase Funeral Power.

> It’s already maxed anyway.

> MP boost is understandable, I guess

Before I realized it, the viewer count had surpassed 3,500, and a lively debate about my stat allocation was breaking out—at least, that’s what it felt like.

The comments were flying so fast now that I could barely catch anything beyond the general vibe.

“A-anyway, now we can move forward with peace of mind! That’s a relief.”

“Yeah… well, honestly, I’m still a little uneasy, but there’s nothing left for us here. Let’s keep going.”

“Let’s go!”

We passed through the exit at the far end and continued down a corridor lined with stone tiles and flickering torches.

Occasionally, gargoyle statues were placed along the way, which made me jump a little, but nothing attacked us suddenly, so we pressed on. After a short distance, we came across an old iron door.

There was no lock. With a screeching, grating sound, I pushed it open and stepped inside.

“Congratulations! You’re very lucky!”

I spotted it immediately upon entering.

At the far end of the cramped room stood a suspicious-looking rabbit, dressed in a tuxedo and holding a cane, waiting for us.

“…Great. Another massive crisis.”

When I muttered that and glanced at Satsuki-chan, I saw her breaking out in a cold sweat. Her reaction wasn’t like anything I’d seen from her before.

This rabbit… is it really that dangerous?

> Unique House…

> Time-Space Rabbit…

> What the hell is going on there… really?

> This is probably it… they’re done for…

> I wonder were they are going to be sent

Even the viewers’ reactions felt different from before.

So… the level of threat is on an entirely different scale.

The rabbit spoke, “Hmm… Today’s mission might be a little too difficult for you two.”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Amidst the lively and rapid-fire chat, one particular comment from a viewer caught my eye.

> Hey Mister, couldn’t you allocate that to other stats?

Now that he mentioned it, it does seem plausible. The way it’s written as [243] almost looks like it’s just a temporary placeholder, depending on how you interpret it. Maybe—just maybe—if I fiddle with the status screen somehow, that viewer’s flash of insight could actually be put to use.

…Though honestly, I doubt it’ll be that simple.

Still, there is no harm in trying.

For now, let’s take another look at the full screen.

――――――――――― Name: Daishi Ajiri Class: Cleric Level: 8 HP: 33 / 63 MP: 0 / 80 Strength: 11   Endurance: 8 Agility: 6   Intelligence: 16 Burial Power: 999 [243] Skills: 【Retribution (LV1)】 【Requiem (LV1)】 【Return (LV2)】 【Cremation (LV2)】 【Clairvoyance (LV3)】 ―――――――――――

“…Hmm. Yeah, doesn’t look like it’s possible after all.”

I fiddled with the interface every which way, but no matter what I tried, I couldn’t bring up any sort of screen that would let me reassign my stats.

What a letdown.

“Well, it’s not going to be that convenient. More importantly, Daishi-san—”

“Hm?”

“When you used Clairvoyance on that treasure chest earlier, didn’t one of them glow blue?”

“Oh—now that you mention it, yeah… that one chest did seem kind of bluish…”

Saying that, I pointed toward the treasure chest.

Even when I checked again with [Clairvoyance], it was still the only one glowing blue. Meanwhile, the other chests—the ones that had turned out to be mimics—now appeared completely colorless. Most likely, they were empty.

“Blue means there’s an item inside. At the very least, I hope it’s an MP recovery potion.”

“My MP’s completely drained, so a recovery item would really help.”

“After all, without skills, Daishi-san is basically just a regular old guy, you get that right?”

“R-right…”

Satsuki-chan flashed a bright smile as she said that, but there was something faintly venomous lurking beneath that sweetness.

…Yeah, her pride was hurt after all, wasn’t it?

> Just a regular old guy lol

> A pig that can’t fly is just a pig huh.

> Wait, Satsuki didn’t bring any MP potions?

> It’s a beginner dungeon, she probably underestimated it.

> Even if you’re in a hurry, you should at least bring that.

> Hey, don’t go talking trash about Satsuki-chan!

Whoa, whoa. Harsh, guys. Seriously, can we not start fighting in the chat? It’s a pain to deal with.

“For now… I’ll just open this.”

The chest was right there within reach, so Satsuki-chan stepped forward without hesitation and flipped it open in one swift motion.

“Ugh! W-what is this…?”

Something was definitely inside—but instead of picking it up, Satsuki-chan froze, leaving the chest wide open. Judging by her reaction, it had to be something so unpleasant she didn’t even want to touch it.

> So what was the treasure?

> Satsuki’s frozen lol

> Definitely not a recovery item

> A cursed item?

> Hurry up and show us!

I was just as curious, so I stepped around behind Satsuki-chan who’s crouched in front of the chest and peered inside.

“…Ugh.”

Disgusting looking. Just what the hell is that?

> Looks like something raw…

> Red, smooth and shiny

> Are the brown part rotten?

> That’s an internal organ, man…

> It’s all slimy

> Is that really an item? Looks like garbage…

> Maybe Clairvoyance is bugged

No—there’s no way. The chest itself had clearly been glowing a vivid blue. If anything, I could just check again.

“…Hm? Oh?”

When I focused [Clairvoyance] directly on the organ-like thing inside, this time it wasn’t a color that appeared but actual text began to float into view.

Alright, let’s see… what does it say?

【 Raw Liver of the Underworld King 】 (Ultra Rare) Consuming it allows the latent power of burial power to seep through your entire body. Season it with sesame oil and salt for easy eating.

…It really is liver. It even went out of the way to add the seasoning for it.

“Daishi-san… were you just checking the item details? You used Clairvoyance just now, didn’t you?”

“Eh!? Uh, well…”

“What did it say?”

“Ah… well…”

Yeah—this is bad. Seriously bad.

If I explain it, I’m definitely going to be forced to eat it. And somehow, the description feels a little too relevant to me right now. There’s no way something like raw liver, left sitting at room temperature, isn’t spoiled. If I eat that, it’s going to taste awful—and I’ll definitely end up with a stomachache.

“No, uh… I think I must’ve misread it. This is just… garbage—”

“Puppet Skill, activate!”

“Ghk—!”

H-Hey, hey, hey—what are you doing, Satsuki-chan!?

I can’t move!

“Lying isn’t good, Daishi-san. I told you, didn’t I? My appraisal skill can’t determine authenticity—but it can read item information.”

This girl is seriously ruthless!

“Everyone watching! This ‘raw garb—’ I mean, ultra-rare item is apparently something incredibly valuable that can grant Daishi-san new power if he eats it!”

Don’t egg them on!!

She totally finds me annoying, doesn’t she!?

“Everyone, you do want to see Daishi-san get stronger, right?”

> Eat it! Eat it!

> C’mon, old man, eat up

> Hurry it up

> A true streamer eats anything!

> A little stomachache won’t kill you

> If your stomach hurts, Satsuki-chan will heal you anyway

The chat had already swelled past two thousand viewers, all chanting in unison:

> Eat it! Eat it! Eat it!

…Is this hell?

“It looks like the viewers are in complete agreement. So—here you go! Say ahh~”

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!!”

Against my will, my mouth began to open on its own.

Using that pinched grip—thumb and forefinger shaped just right for picking up something you absolutely don’t want to touch—Satsuki Amane, that devil, tossed the ultra-rare item straight into my mouth.

Faced with this utterly humiliating ordeal, I was overcome by the deepest despair I had felt all day.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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《 HP +10 MP +15 》

《 Strength +3 Endurance+2 Agility +2 Intelligence+4 Burial Power +666 》

《 【Return】 Lv +1 》

“…Huh? That’s it?”

I was checking the breakdown of my newly increased stats on the floating screen, but something is missing. The usual message—《 Daishi has learned a new skill!》—didn’t appear.

Up until now, I’d gained a new skill every level, so not getting one this time was a bit disappointing. Well… the pace at which I’d been acquiring skills before was just abnormally fast. Things couldn’t always go that conveniently.

But more than that…

Even now, that familiar absurdity in my stats was on full display, once again off the charts.

Anyway, I decided to check how my overall stats had changed.

――――――――――― Name: Daishi Ajiri Class: Cleric Level: 8 (+1) HP: 33 / 63 (+10) MP: 0 / 80 (+15) Strength: 11 (+3) Endurance: 8 (+2) Agility: 6 (+2) Intelligence: 16 (+4) Burial Power: 999 (+423) [243] Skills: 【Retribution (LV1)】 【Requiem (LV1)】 【Return (LV2)】 【Cremation (LV2)】 【Clairvoyance (LV3)】 ―――――――――――

Even after taking down that many mimics, I’d only leveled up once. But my Burial Power seemed to have hit the cap again. Still completely incomprehensible.

And now, my MP was finally at zero.

“Daishi-san!”

In the sudden silence in the Treasure House, Satsuki-chan’s voice echoed as she called out to me. She came running up, small, quick steps carrying her across the floor.

“Ah… Satsuki-chan. Are you okay?”

“In a way… I’m not really okay.”

Her expression was unusually serious.

At first glance, there were no signs of blood or torn clothing.

Maybe she’d hurt herself somewhere invisible? A sprain, maybe?

> She means mentally, probably.

> Even an S-Rank explorer would be completely overwhelmed by that.

> Old man’s too strong.

> He might even be stronger than Satsuki now.

> SS-Rank? I’d believe it.

Yeah… the viewers were right. If a low-level rookie like me can just shatter all the rules with some incomprehensible power, it’s no wonder that even the hardworking S-Rank explorers might feel completely outclassed.

I felt something similar back when I was a salaryman—seeing a new recruit casually surpass my sales record was humiliating. I get it. That feeling exists.

…But right now, my life’s on the line. So, it’s not really the best time for philosophical debates.

“Honestly, Daishi-san, what’s happening with you is just… a bug. So it’s fine.”

Though… her expression didn’t exactly look like she thought it was fine.

“It’s just… that power of yours is too abnormal. I hope there aren’t any side effects later.”

“Side effects…?”

“Yes. I just remembered that I met an explorer who was clearly low-level, but incredibly strong… and it felt… unnatural.”

Apparently, Satsuki-chan had actually encountered an explorer with a nature similar to mine, and she briefly recounted what had happened.

…Honestly, it was the kind of story I wished I hadn’t heard.

> Ah… yeah, there was that guy.

> He wasn’t as strong as the old man, but he was pretty tough too.

> I watched his final stream.

> Me too. It was pretty traumatic.

> It just suddenly happened, like a splat wasn’t it?

> Hey, don’t remind me!

> I got chills just thinking about it.

> That was a broadcast disaster.

> Everyone watching the live stream screamed in terror.

From what I’d just heard, the guy died suddenly due to his power going out of control, and apparently his final moments were horrifying.

…Seriously, that’s terrifying.

“That’s why I said you should probably have the Guild Headquarters take a look at this.”

“Ah… I see. Maybe I should head back now.”

“It’s too late.”

“…Huh?”

What did she just say?

“Didn’t the Guild tell you? You can only turn back while you’re still above ground. Once you descend into the dungeon, you can’t warp back to the surface.”

“Whaaaat!!?”

“Normally, you bring an item to turn back, but since we were in a hurry today, I didn’t bring one.”

“Seriously…?”

“So, that means you’re coming with me all the way to underground floor 10. Whether you like it or not. Got it?”

She should have told me while we were still above ground. I realize it now… she knew this all along and brought me down here anyway. S-Rank explorers are cunning indeed.

> Just give up already, old man.

> Whoa, the viewers just passed 1,000!

> That’s amazing.

> Things are probably going to get crazier once you hit the bottom floor.

> Assuming they survive to get there, that is.

> Anyway, Mister, you leveled up, right?

> Show us your stats!

“Things like that…”

Well, I guess I just had to accept it and keep moving forward. For better or worse, the live stream was doing well, and that alone was something I could genuinely be happy about.

“Alright… my stats are…”

I had almost forgotten after hearing that horrifying story, but then I remembered—I’d actually entered a whole new tier with my stats.

I carefully explained the details to Satsuki-chan and the viewers.

“999 is the maximum value. At this point, that doesn’t even surprise me anymore…”

But Satsuki-chan’s gaze wasn’t on the capped numbers.

It was on the [243] displayed at the far right of my Burial Power. Apparently, this was another one of my unique quirks, and even the viewers were completely baffled.

I just stood there, staring blankly as everyone reacted with curiosity and disbelief.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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When I opened the chest, it was completely empty. At the same time, I thought I heard a click, like a hidden switch had just been triggered.

“The yellow chest is a trap! Get out of there, quickly!”

Wait…what!?  It wasn’t gold?!

Crap. I needed to get out of here immediately.

But strangely, nothing shot out—no poison darts, no hidden spikes. Instead, a strange clattering noise began echoing from all around. It grew louder and multiplied. All the chests that had been glowing red—the mimics—were stirring.

And this… was the trap I had just triggered.

It seemed that what I had triggered was…

> Oi oi oi

> He opened all the chests!

> It’s over. All the mimics activated at once!

> That’s a formidable enemy!

> The old man can handle it.

> Strike first!

> But mimics have high fire resistance, right?

> Cremation might not do much damage.

> Watch out for instant-death magic.

> Even a normal attack could be fatal with the old man’s HP.

The 657 viewers watching live were spamming comments with advice, warnings, and explanations of the situation.

And yes… I was facing the biggest crisis of the day.

Within this graveyard-like chamber, there were roughly ninety-eight mimics. One hit from any of them, and it sounded like it would be game over instantly. The exit is not far, but the problem is that I am all the way in the far-right corner of the room. At the very least, I had to deal with the three mimics right in front of me that are already baring their jagged teeth and practically radiating murderous intent, before I could get out.

Satsuki-chan is still near the entrance, and there’s no way she could come to my aid immediately.

“Daishi-san! Just be extremely careful of the enemies’ attacks and make your way to the exit! One hit and you’ll probably die!”

Her voice rang out over the clattering of countless mimics, almost like it was trying to drown them out. Even though she isn’t that far away, it felt like she’s light-years from me.

“I’ll get over there as fast as I can! This many enemies is way too dangerous!”

If even an S-Rank explorer is panicking, then this is seriously bad.

Time to clear a path.

Fortunately, none of the mimics had attacked me yet. Even if they were highly resistant to fire, the sheer power of Cremation should at least stop them in their tracks. Rather than risk being hit while running blindly, attacking deliberately would give me a higher chance of avoiding damage.

Alright… here goes.

It’s okay. I can do this… I have to!

“Cremation!”

I visualized the skill in an instant, raised my staff, and activated it. In previous battles, this would have incinerated enemies or dealt severe burn damage without fail.

But this time…

“……Katakatakatakata!!!”

The mimics’ clattering only grew louder, turning the Treasure House into an unbearably noisy chaos. The three mimics directly in front of me blackened and stopped moving, but the further the mimics were from my position, the weaker the damage became. Worse, the partially damaged mimics became even more aggressive, and I could tell from here that they had now locked their sights entirely on me.

“Run to the exit quickly! Most of them are still alive!”

Satsuki-chan’s voice rang out, weaving through enemy attacks while she took down some of the weaker mimics, clearly worried about my safety.

I couldn’t help but glance at the blue-glowing chest that might be valuable, but there was no time to open it now.

For now, survival had to come first.

> Instant-death magic incoming!

> Run, run away quickly!

> Uwawawa

> This is bad!

> Can’t you do something using that [Retribution] thing?

> There’s no time to reach the exit! Just try it!

> Does he even have enough MP?!

> Just do it—NOW!”

The remaining mimics began to glow with a dark aura. They were probably casting an instant-death spell, and it would be unleashed in just a few seconds.

Even if I ran to the exit, I’d likely get hit—every surviving mimic had me squarely in their sights. Satsuki-chan is also fighting desperately to thin them out, but it probably wouldn’t be enough in time.

If the spell hit… it was game over.

No time to think.

I activated Retribution.

The wall of light was easy enough to visualize—I just had to hope it could block it.

Please… let my MP hold out!

“Retribution!”

Whoooosh!

“Katakatakata-ka…ta….”

The instant-death spell unleashed from the mimics’ mouths and the wall of light from my staff—Retribution—seemed to have erupted almost simultaneously.

“…”

Satsuki-chan’s hands froze mid-attack. She stood silently, frozen in place.

And I could feel it too—my senses were intact. Nothing hurt.

The mimics…

> Huh? Eh??

> What? How is this happening??

> They all turned back into normal chests, lol.

> Silence lol

> Unlike Cremation, Retribution is subtle, huh.

> So that means it reflected everything back?

> Mimics are supposed to be immune to instant-death, though.

> That’s how Retribution works—returns the cause.

> Retribution is way too OP, lol.

It seemed I had done something impossible by normal standards.

Yes. The swarm of mimics had their instant-death magic completely reflected by the wall of light I had desperately conjured—and they were now all frozen in place.

According to the viewers’ comments, mimics are immune to instant-death. So logically, being reflected shouldn’t have affected them at all. But my Retribution ignored that rule entirely and it even neutralized the threat.

Well, whatever—it worked out!

The important thing was… I survived.

Seriously… I thought I was dead for sure!

《 Daishi has leveled up! 》

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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I cautiously made my way down the narrow spiral staircase, moving slowly in the dim lighting. Ahead of me, Satsuki-chan walked first, her steps steady and practiced, descending without hesitation as if she had done this countless times before.

After several minutes of going down—

A wide, open space suddenly came into view, far brighter than the cramped stairwell above. We had arrived at the first basement floor of the beginner’s dungeon.

“…I’m not going to be surprised anymore.”

Satsuki-chan, who had arrived ahead of me, muttered those words as if trying to convince herself. It was the first thing she said after seeing the sight spread out before us.

“…Whoa…”

A moment later, I stepped into the chamber myself and let out a rather foolish sound as the full scene came into view. This room was nothing like what I had imagined while descending the stairs.

“…What is this place?”

From the entrance all the way to the exit at the far end, a straight path of stone paving stretched clearly forward. But on both sides of that path were small square sections, five on each side.

Inside every single one of them sat a treasure chest. They continued in the same neat pattern all the way to the back—about ten sets in total. A perfectly arranged row of treasure chests.

For some reason, it gave me the strange feeling of standing in a modern cemetery, the chests lined up with almost unsettling precision.

> That’s a Treasure House, right?

> Can’t believe our luck.

> Already at the very start…”

> There are way too many chests, lol.

> Looks like there’s at least a hundred of them.

> Kinda like a perfectly arranged cemetery.

> Let’s open them all!

Once again, I noticed a word I didn’t recognize from the viewers’ comments.

Treasure House?

“Satsuki-chan, this place…”

“I think… it’s a Treasure House.”

Though her voice carried some uncertainty, she and the viewers were on the same page.

So this is… essentially a room full of treasure chests, right?

Judging from everyone’s reactions, though, it probably doesn’t appear in a regular dungeon. And that made sense. I’d never even encountered a room in a game with chests arranged so perfectly and evenly spaced like this.

“This is kind of creepy….”

I couldn’t disagree. The place practically screamed ‘trap!’, and the very thought of it gave me the chills.

> So, how many of these are real treasure chests?

> Feels like more than half of them are mimics.

> I can almost smell traps on them.

> Maybe they’re all empty.

> Start from the front, old man, and open them one by one.

> Can’t you use Clairvoyance to tell, at least a little?

> I’d really like some armor or healing items.

Clairvoyance, huh…

I wondered if that skill would even work on treasure chests.

“Probably a lot of traps and mimics in here… but with my appraisal level, I can’t really tell which ones are real.”

“Do you want me to try?”

“…Huh?”

“I can use something like an appraisal skill too.”

“Eh? Really?? Oh… are you talking about Clairvoyance?”

“Yeah. I’ve had it from the start.”

“From the start huh. I can’t really believe it…”

Her stunned expression was, as always, adorably blank. She had claimed she wouldn’t be surprised by anything, but apparently seeing a low-level cleric start with an appraisal-type skill was enough to shock her.

And from our last battle, my appraisal—or rather, Clairvoyance—skill had already reached Level 3. Maybe… just maybe, I could put it to use here.

“Alright, I’ll take a look.”

“O-okay…”

“Clairvoyance”

The chant wasn’t really necessary, but she was staring at me so intently that I got carried away.

Well… whatever. Time to see if I could actually sense anything.

“Whoa…”

T-This…

> Hey, hey, what does it say?

> What did you see?”

> Any chests you can open?

> Can you really tell with Clairvoyance?”

> It’s such an unknown skill, I don’t get it at all.

“….”

“Um, so… what do you see?”

“Well…”

I focused on the treasure chest closest to me, examining it carefully…

“The surface is just glowing red, kind of hazily. I can’t see what’s inside.”

“Oh… so it works normally, huh?”

“Eh? Really?”

“Yes. The red glow means it’s a mimic.”

Oh, really? I thought you could see the mimic’s stats and even what’s inside. Turns out… it wasn’t that impressive. Still, even just knowing whether it’s dangerous or not is a huge help.

Looks like we shouldn’t open this one.

“Alright, let’s check the others.”

With about a hundred chests in here, at least ten of them should actually contain something. I raised my head, ready to move along the row from right to left, using Clairvoyance to scan each chest as I went.

“Huh? Wait a sec.”

I didn’t need to move so leisurely. Looking around the room, almost every chest in view was glowing red.

“Damn… almost all of them are mimics.”

But the second chest from the passage in the far-right section glowed blue. And the chest in the far back corner…

“Gold! That’s definitely rare!”

Gold always meant valuable loot.

Yes! Even if there’s just one good chest, that’s enough. That one is surely a rare item!

I never imagined I’d get treasure this early in the dungeon.

All the effort so far… it finally feels a little rewarding.

“W-wait, Daishi-san! That’s not gold, it’s yellow…”

“Oooooh!!”

I sprinted to the chest, barely paying attention to anything else, grabbed it, and opened it immediately.

Then, one of the comments popping up from the chase camera caught my eye:

> It’s over. LOL

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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S-Rank Explorer Satsuki Amane Live Thread — Part 72

56

Why is Satsuki heading to such a lame dungeon?

57

Don’t tell me you don’t know the Guild HQ just issued an emergency quest.

58

Quest: Investigation Request [Emergency] ★5~

Client: Explorer’s Guild Headquarters

Location: West Tokyo — 4th Beginner Dungeon

Overview:

An abnormally high concentration of magical energy far exceeding the standard threshold has been detected within the target dungeon.

To determine the cause, explorers are requested to submit an investigation report summarizing the internal conditions of the dungeon, along with recorded footage.

Reward:

Lapis Jewel — awarded to one explorer who significantly contributes to identifying the cause.

59

If it’s ★5, that means it’s limited to S-rank explorers and above, right?

60

If you’re going solo, it has to be S-rank or higher. Not sure how it works if it’s a party, though.

61

Since the request is coming from Guild Headquarters, apparently explorers with a bad reputation don’t even get the offer.

No idea what the exact criteria are, though.

62

Isn’t the West Tokyo 4th Beginner Dungeon meant for newbies?

63

Its deepest point is Floor 10 underground.

Mostly just weak mobs spawns there.

64

It’s basically one long straight path—nothing interesting about it at all. The only viewers who watch streams there are weirdos who enjoy seeing beginners panic and stumble around.

65

Yeah, it’s basically a tutorial dungeon.

66

So it’s just an investigation quest, huh?

Kinda boring.

67

Have there ever been cases where a beginner dungeon showed abnormal activity like this?

68

Never heard of one.

69

Someone go look it up for us.

70

Oh—Satsuki-chan just entered the dungeon.

71

She’s in a huge hurry, lol.

72

Well, obviously she is.

It’s not written in the description, but apparently emergency quest rewards are basically first-come, first-served.

73

That reward is insanely good, though. Seriously.

74

Isn’t the Lapis Jewel a rare drop from Divine-Domain-class dungeons?

75

That’s ridiculously generous for a ★5 quest reward.

76

But if you look closely, there’s a “~” next to the ★5, lol.

77

Maybe it means ★5 or higher?

I mean, the cause is unknown, so the real danger level is anyone’s guess.

78

I hope Satsuki-chan will be okay…

79

>> @69

I checked it out.

Here: https://danjon.net/test/read.cgi/npick/2154852/

80

So there’s only been one case, five years ago.

And the cause turned out to be a malfunctioning detector.

81

It’s the same location as before.

West Tokyo 4th Beginner Dungeon.

82

That’s… ominous.

83

Stuff like that probably happens all the time without the public hearing about it.

Nothing to worry about.

84

Still, it’s pretty suspicious that Guild Headquarters issued an emergency quest rated ★5 or higher.

85

True.

86

Maybe there’s actually another reason behind it.

87

Lol, Satsuki just picked up some old guy.

88

Beginner, maybe?

89

Black robe, wooden staff… looks like guild-issued gear, so definitely a beginner.

And he’s a cleric, too.

90

He’s not in a party?

91

A healer going solo? Now that’s ridiculous.

92

Didn’t he get the guild briefing?

Is the guy trying to get himself killed?

93

Satsuki really is kind.

Helping heal some random old man she just met.

94

How many viewers does Satsuki have right now?

I’m not watching the stream live.

95

>> @ 94 Almost 10,000.

96

The comment section is absolute chaos, lol.

97

Who even is that old guy?

98

Wait… what?

Did an orc appear in the first room?

99

Huh?

No way that’s possible.

100

Bones are flying everywhere, lol.

101

Did the old guy defeat it?

No way.

102

I watched the footage.

He one-shot it. It was an instant kill.

103

Apparently the skill is called “Cremation.”

104

Cremation, lol.

105

Did that thing just burn?

106

More like it evaporated.

107

Yeah, more like it got incinerated out of existence.

108

What insane firepower.

Actually… not even sure if “firepower” is the right word.

109

Wait.

Isn’t that old guy supposed to be a cleric??

110

I’ve never heard of a skill called Cremation.

111

More importantly, a beginner cleric instantly killing an orc is impossible.

112

Hey, investigation squad. Time for you guys to get to work.

113

Magical power??

114

Funeral Power huh

115

Apparently it’s not magical power, but funeral power.

He originally had magic power, but it disappeared when he leveled up.

116

That old guy sounds completely insane in more ways than one.

117

Ajiri Daishi.

He’s a brand-new newbie who just registered today.

118

No wonder no one’s heard of him.

119

It’s not even a unique class or anything.

Definitely a bug.

120

Honestly, I hope the bug stays.

121

This is getting really interesting.

122

I just subscribed to his channel.

123

I’m going to follow this in real time.

124

Monster House, lol!!

125

Wait—seriously?

A Monster House in a beginner dungeon?

126

And right at the very start, too.

127

Looks like even Satsuki got startled.

128

Her scream was adorable, lol.

129

There are at least fifty monsters in there.

130

Satsuki should be able handle it easily though.

Just slimes, goblins, skeletons…

131

Yeah, looks like a bunch of weak monsters thrown together.

132

No orcs in there.

133

She rushed in so fast she ended up almost in the middle of the room.

134

Ah—

the entrance just got blocked.

135

She’s surrounded…

Is she really going to be okay?

136

Yeah, she’s totally fine.

137

Hey, wait—lol.

138

Ah.

139

The old man has arrived, lol.

140

Idiot! LOL

141

Why the heck did he follow her in?!

142

The old guy’s in trouble immediately.

143

Tch. Why’d you save him, Satsuki?

144

Yeah, fighting while protecting that old man would be a pain.

145

Even if Cremation is insane, there’s no way a beginner can handle this many monsters.

146

He almost got taken out right away, too.

147

Oh—

new skill.

148

Huh?

149

Mr. Skeleton looks like he’s about to cry, lol.

150

Whaaaaaat?!

151

He passed on wrapped in kindness, lol.

152

All the undead monsters got wiped out.

153

Holy crap, lol.

154

Where the heck did a Goblin King come from?!

155

Wait, what?

A Goblin King showed up too?

156

>> @155

Yeah, Satsuki is facing it right now.

157

Looks like the old guy has to fight on his own now.

158

There are still about thirty monsters left.

159

Simultaneous attack.

160

The monsters are pissed.

161

He did it again, LOL!

162

Cremation is insane.

163

It’s basically a Bone Festival now.

164

Even the Goblin King is staggering.

165

Did they get it?

166

Nice one, Satsuki!

167

For a second I thought Satsuki got burned too.

168

Complete victory.

169

Seriously, who the hell is this old man?

This is way too weird.

170

He basically suppressed the Monster House almost by himself.

171

Shouldn’t someone report this to Guild Headquarters?

172

Huh? Satsuki’s taking the old man with her?

173

When she makes that little devil face, she’s definitely plotting something.

174

She may not look it, but Satsuki is pretty greedy.

175

She’s totally planning to snatch him up.

176

But can she even catch him?

This cleric is way too cheat-level.

177

Anyways, this is insanely entertaining, so I’m going back to watch the stream!

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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【Retribution】: Returns cause and effect with a special wall of light

> Retribution? What’s that?

> Is it like karma?

> The explanation is way too simple, I don’t get it

> And… isn’t Burial Power stat way too high?

> Mm. It makes no sense

> Feels like it might hit the max level any second

As I explained my new skill and updated stats to the viewers, the comments flew by so fast it was almost impossible to read them all. It seemed like everyone was confused as there were just too many unknowns to process.

“…I can’t just let this slide.”

Satsuki-chan had also heard the breakdown of my newly increased stats and skill descriptions. Her expression was serious, clearly showing that her focus and concern were on me, rather than the chaotic excitement of the viewers.

“Eh?”

“This dungeon aside, you… you’re completely abnormal, too.”

The words of an S-rank adventurer carried serious weight.

“…Yeah. At this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising if an emergency capture quest gets issued for you at any time.”

Satsuki-chan spoke that ominous prediction in response to her viewers’ comments.

Hey… give me a break. I just became an adventurer, and now I’m being treated like some kind of freak. Sure, my abilities are… unusual, to say the least, but so far I haven’t caused anyone any real trouble. I’d really rather not become the target of a quest and end up hunted by every adventurer out there.

> With the viewer count skyrocketing, that’s actually possible

> Don’t you dare report him to headquarters

> Satsuki Channel alone has 10,000 concurrent viewers

> Looks like the old man’s getting pretty famous

> The SNS feeds are already buzzing

> A few threads have popped up too

> Highlight clips will probably spread fast

> Widespread sharing is inevitable

The concurrent viewers finally exceeded 100. And just as they’d said, my heroic rampage through the monster house—obliterating everything with [Requiem]—was probably captured perfectly on Satsuki’s channel.

…Yeah, I might have seriously messed up.

“…Change of plans.”

“Huh?”

“I was in a hurry before, but we’re changing the plan!”

Uh… I got a very bad feeling about this….

“This beginner-level dungeon normally goes down to the tenth underground floor. Once you reach there, you can use the warp point to return to the surface.”

“O-oh.”

“So, how about we go there together for now?”

Well… I kind of expected her to say that.

“But… I’m just a beginner. I’d probably just slow you down.”

“You’ve been far too flashy for that excuse to hold.”

“That was just… luck…”

“There’s no such thing as a beginner who accidentally wipes out an entire monster house, let alone the monsters in one blow.”

Yeah… I don’t think I can refuse her. That smile… it’s way too genuine. And cute.

Great… I’m doomed.

“And… I’m a little worried, too. Running into a monster house and the Goblin King this early… I don’t even know what’s ahead. I really shouldn’t go alone…”

I thought, “Well, then we can just turn back.” but that thought only lasted a moment.

Satsuki-chan’s eyes were glistening as she grasped my hand while saying that.

And so just like that… I was already caught in her trap.

She probably wants to complete her dungeon exploration quest, but at the same time, she’s plotting to capture me immediately if an emergency quest to capture me is issued and hand me over to the guild headquarters.

Having lived a little in the real world, you start to get a feel for what other people are thinking. My former corporate life’s sales skill—“Understanding Customer Needs”—was apparently functioning perfectly.

But even if the logic is sound, emotions are another story entirely. Especially when a cute girl’s bare skin touches yours, all the reasoning an old dude has painstakingly built up can be obliterated in an instant.

“…Okay. I’ll do my best.”

“Yey! Thank you, Mister!”

Satsuki-chan swung my hand that she’d grabbed up and down, feigning excitement.

I knew I was being fooled by her bursting smile, but… I didn’t mind it one bit.

“By the way, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m—”

“You’re Amane Satsuki, right?”

Well, the viewers already told me.

“Come on! Isn’t it a rule of thumb not to say anything even if you know? That’s the thing about you…”

“You think I’m old? Well, I am older than you are, so I guess it can’t be helped.”

“That tone… like you’re some sage or something… it’s not cool at all, you know?”

I wasn’t trying to act cool… but I guess that’s how I must look. Maybe this is the very first step of “old man vibes.”

“I’m Daishi. Ajiri Daishi.”

“Can I call you Daishi-san?”

“Ah… yeah. And… can I call you Satsuki-chan? Is that okay?”

“Yes! That’s perfect!”

Yeah… I guess that was the right call. I really don’t understand the way young people think these days.

“For the first floor of this dungeon, normally there should only be two rooms—the one we just came from and the monster house. If we follow the corridor ahead, we should reach the stairs going down.”

The room where I’d fought the orc and the monster house seemed to follow the same basic layout. So I understood that the passage Satsuki-chan was pointing to led further in.

Aside from knowing that the West Tokyo 4th Beginner Dungeon is for absolute beginners and goes down ten floors, I didn’t know anything else. Thanks to the viewers and Satsuki-chan, I could piece together some of the situation, but beyond that, it was completely uncharted territory. I had no idea what might be waiting for us.

“Well then, shall we go?”

Honestly, all I felt was anxiety—but I had no choice but to follow along.By now, the number of viewers had risen to 202.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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> Amazing!!!

> Undead monsters annihilated instantly!

> Mister’s skill is on another level lol

> And it’s only Skill Level 1! Ridiculous, right?

> It’s not over yet!

> Aren’t all the enemies glaring at the old man now?

The sheer unexpected range and power of 【Requiem】 had obliterated every undead monster in the monster house. And as a result, the surviving creatures’ expressions changed instantly.

“Mister!”

Satsuki-chan shouted.

It seemed that almost every remaining monster in the monster house had now set their sights squarely on me. Blaring snarls and growls echoed through the enclosed space, spreading discord like a storm.

“I don’t really know, but there’s a really strong enemy! I can’t come help you right now, so hang in there!”

Satsuki-chan’s gaze was locked on a monster that radiated an entirely different presence from the others. That had to be the boss of this monster house.

It looked like the monsters had split up their roles strategically.

> That thing Satsuki’s facing… isn’t that the Goblin King?

> A mid-boss from an advanced dungeon!

> Why is it here?

> Are we sure this is a beginner dungeon?

> Even for an S-rank, instant-kill would be impossible.

> This is seriously bad, isn’t it?

> The old man’s constantly in danger.

So basically, Satsuki-chan was tied up with the boss and couldn’t come help. That meant I had to handle the rest of the monsters on my own.

…Fine. Bring it on.

Since I’d already wiped out the undead skeletons with 【Requiem】, by my rough estimate, there were only about thirty monsters left to deal with. And just as I expected, 【Requiem】 didn’t affect the other goblins or slimes. But since my HP had been restored earlier, I could probably take a few hits without dying.

Still… even with my level increased, all my stats except Burial Power were too low to fight effectively in physical combat.

That meant I had no choice but to rely on skills.

Right now, 【Cremation】is the only effective option, but the raw power it had displayed earlier was insane. Against enemies this weak, it should be more than enough. I just had to dodge carefully and spam it efficiently.

【Cremation】seemed designed for single-target attacks, but if the monsters clustered close together, the flames might spread and take out multiple foes at once.

“Gushaaaaa!”

“Shaaa—!!”

“Gurruaaaah!”

“Sheeee—!!”

No way! Seriously?! They all came at me at once!

Front! Side! Above! Even behind me! It’s a full 360! How the hell are these guys coordinating that?!

My entire field of vision was completely filled with monsters.

Screw it! Let whatever happens, happen!

Focus on the enemies right in front!

Burn them down quick and push straight through!

“Cremation!”

I pictured the flames surging with maximum power, raised my staff, and unleashed the skill. I had planned to take out two or three at a time, carve a path back to the corridor near the entrance, and deal with the rest one by one in the narrow space.

Sure, I’d probably take some damage, but that seemed like the safest way to survive.

…But once again, things didn’t go according to plan.

> LOL wut

> Huh?

> NO WAY!!!

> What the-?!

> What the hell is happening?

> And you say this is only Skill Level 2?!

> Full-circle mass cremation lolol

It seemed like every single monster that had charged at me had been incinerated without exception. The charred remains of goblins were scattered carelessly across the floor.

“Grbububu…”

And…

Even the Goblin King that Satsuki-chan had been facing appeared to have taken some damage. A few meters ahead, I could see its back scorched blackened.

Wait—

I couldn’t see Satsuki-chan… I hope she’s okay.

She didn’t accidentally get caught in the flames, did she?!

“Got you!”

I heard her voice, still full of life.

Good—she’s fine.

“Haah!”

Seizing the brief moment while the Goblin King staggered, Satsuki-chan delivered a dazzling strike, cleaving the boss in two. The Goblin King disintegrated into dust, and it seemed that all remaining monsters in the room were eliminated.

“Mister!”

Satsuki-chan rushed over immediately.

Thankfully, the aftereffects of my skill hadn’t harmed her at all. The system apparently handled ally-and-enemy distinctions automatically.

“Honestly… even after seeing that footage, I couldn’t believe it… Who are you, really?”

“Eh… I-I’m just a beginner cleric…”

“That’s impossible!”

She raised her eyebrows and spoke a little louder, flat-out denying my explanation.

Uh… am I getting scolded?

She seems a little hot-tempered.

> You basically did it almost entirely alone

> Monster house handled with no problem

> Kinda gave me goosebumps

> The strongest cleric is born

> S-rank adventurers got nothing on this lol

The chat speed was skyrocketing. Before I knew it, the number of simultaneous viewers had reached 89.

《 Daishi leveled up 》

《 HP +20, MP +30 》

《 Strength +5, Endurance +3, Agility +2, Intelligence +6, Burial Power +444 》

《【Clairvoyance】Lv +1 》

《 Daishi learned a new skill 》

Hmm, it seems that levels only increase once a stage or encounter wraps up. Maybe it’s evaluated per encounter?

I hadn’t checked my status at all while I was absorbed in battle.

Alright, let’s take a peek.

By the way, I learned another new skill, but honestly… I’m starting to give up on recovery.

――――――――――― Name: Daishi Ajiri Class: Cleric Level: 7 (+2) HP: 33/53 (+20) MP: 6/65 (+30) Strength: 11 (+5) Stamina: 8 (+3) Agility: 6 (+2) Intelligence: 16 (+6) Burial Power: 576 (+444) Skills: 【Retribution (LV1)】 New 【Requiem (LV1)】 【Return (LV1)】 【Cremation (LV2)】 【Clairvoyance (LV3)】 ―――――――――――

MP is looking really bad.

Let’s see… earlier I had 13 MP left. 【Cremation】costs 2,  then 【Requiem】is… 5?

I don’t know the exact cost of the other skills, but at least 【Cremation】 can be used three more times,【Requiem】only once before MP runs out.

Guess I’ll need to head back soon, or I’ll get worn down.

Ah… but still.Burial Power… isn’t that insane?!

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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