Tag: Male Protagonist

《 HP +40 MP +50 》

《 Strength +4 Vitality +6 Agility +3 Endurance +8 Burial Power +1998 》

《 【Clairvoyance】Lv +1 》

《 Daishi has learned a new skill. 》

“Daishi-san! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Satsuki-chan, who rushed forward, reached me in a small sprint. Once close, she began inspecting and lightly touching me, checking my physical and mental state.

I wasn’t injured at all.

Hmm? Isn’t she… a little too thorough?

Hey! That’s ticklish!

“I’m a little tired, but I’m fine! Wait, I just leveled up and I’m checking my stats—give me a moment.”

I gently pushed Satsuki-chan back and returned to examining my status screen.

I couldn’t help but be curious about the new skill I had just learned and the massive surge of Burial Power.

I wanted to see what came next—now.

――――――――――― Name: Daishi Ajiri Class: Cleric Level: 10(+2) HP: 100 / 140(+40) MP: 90 / 150(+50) Strength: 34(+4)   Endurance: 14(+6) Agility: 9(+3) Intelligence: 24 (+8) Burial Power: 999(+1998) [1998] Skills: 【Burial Fist (LV1)】 New 【Retribution (LV1)】 【Requiem (LV1)】 【Return (LV2)】 【Cremation (LV2)】 【Clairvoyance (LV3)】 ―――――――――――

I hadn’t defeated the Nether Dragon King, but at least I earned experience. My level had gone up by two, and the new skill I’d learned was [Burial Fist].

Fist… wait. Is this—physical?

I better check the description.

【Burial Fist】: Delivers the hammer of heaven to the target with a burial strike.

Yep. Definitely physical.

Judging by the name and description, this skill probably scales with both Strength and Burial Power.

If that’s the case… well, then my path forward is obvious. I’ve always admired muscle, after all. My stat allocation plan practically wrote itself.

No time to waste—let’s get to the main event: distributing my stats.

――――――――――― Surplus Burial Points: 1998 HP:     100 (0)  [－＋] Max HP:   140 (0)   [－＋] MP:      90 (0)       [－＋] Max MP:  150 (0)  [－＋] Strength: 34 (0)     [－＋] Endurance: 14 (0) [－＋] Agility:   9 (0)      [－＋] Intelligence: 24 (0)  [－＋] ―――――――――――

With practiced hands, I opened the stat allocation screen.

Hmm… the interface hadn’t changed since last time.

But this time, with 1998 excess points, my excitement was off the charts.

Alright! Let’s do this…

Move this here… and like this… perfect!

――――――――――― Surplus Burial Points: 0 HP:     100 (0)           [－＋] Max HP:   350 (＋210)    [－＋] MP:           200 (＋110)  [－＋] Max MP:  200 (＋50)      [－＋] Strength: 999 (＋965)     [－＋] Endurance: 400 (＋386) [－＋] Agility:   180 (＋171)       [－＋] Intelligence: 130 (＋106)  [－＋] ―――――――――――

I slammed the confirm button.

Yes! I am ridiculously strong now!

I can’t wait for the next battle!

Comments exploded in the chat:

> Hey Mister, why are you enjoying this alone?!

> You were just leveling stats, weren’t you?

> Consult us first!

> You didn’t invest in current HP, did you?

> Balance is important—BALANCE!

> No, defense should come first.

> With your skills, do you even need Strength?

> You at least maxed your Max HP, right?

> Can you explain quickly already?!

Viewers’ various ideas on how to allocate stats are flying around in the comments section. Some even suggested I didn’t need Strength at all.

“I maxed Strength. It seems perfect for the new skill I just learned.”

I replied, explaining my stats and skills to the camera as usual.

Meanwhile, the comment section kept buzzing with opinions. My eyes were already starting to hurt, so I decided to take a short break from reading them.

“Looks like things have gotten even weirder again, huh, Daishi-san…”

“I wonder… what’s going to happen to me now…”

“Who knows…”

“Um, excuse me!”

As Satsuki-chan and I exchanged awkward smiles, Mina-san, the late-arriving member of the SS-class adventurer party, cut into our conversation.

She probably felt fine after Satsuki-chan healed her.

Mina-san looked energetic and unharmed.

“Oh, um… Mina-san, right?”

“Huh? How did you…? Oh! The viewers told you, didn’t they?”

“Sorry about that. My viewers seem to know everything. But what about your companions?”

“My brothers? Don’t worry—I healed them properly. They just exhausted themselves a bit too much, so they’re still resting over there.”

Mina-san lightly gestured behind her.

Sure enough, Slay and Jan—her brothers—were sleeping peacefully.

…Wait, they’re siblings?

Forming a party from the same bloodline and climbing to SS-class? That’s insane. Elite lineage for sure. A little enviable.

“Thank you so much for saving us back there! But…”

Mina-san’s gaze turned sharp, locking onto me directly as she spoke, even while offering thanks.

I couldn’t tell exactly how much of my fight she had witnessed, but I was certain she knew something unusual had happened. Her stare made that meaning clear.

I met her gaze in return.

And… wow. This Mina girl… she’s stunning. Different from Satsuki-chan’s type, she’s a more classic beauty. Her nose line is sharp and elegant, leaving a strong impression.

“I watched part of your fight. I’ve also heard the circumstances from Satsuki. There’s a lot I could say… but—”

Mina-san’s words carried weight, even in their subtlety.

No matter how beautiful she is, she’s a SS-class adventurer, and every syllable she spoke radiated power. I had no idea what she was about to say though.“For now, just one question: Ajiri Daishi… are you really human?”

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

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The fiftieth floor of the Nether Class Dungeon had a high ceiling, but its depth was surprisingly shallow. About twenty meters ahead stood the imposing throne of the Nether Dragon King.

Above the wall behind it, a massive image appeared: an elderly man with flowing white hair and beard, his deeply chiseled, sharp features radiating authority.

“N-Nether King!”

Ades’s body, which had been dissipating into mist, returned to its original form before my eyes.

The Nether Dragon King, who was the first to notice the image of the Nether King, quickly descended to the ground and prostrated himself before the image on the wall.

I didn’t know how it had happened, but it seemed this “Nether King” had used some inhuman technique to restore Ades’s body. Though clearly only a projection, my skill combo had been rendered useless.

“So… you’ve been thoroughly beaten, haven’t you, Ades?”

“There is no excuse. I am ready to accept whatever punishment you see fit.”

“No, no. Your feat in repelling those SS-class experts with the strength to clear the Nether Domain was impressive. They were a group of explorers on par with the hero party that recently conquered the Divine Realm. Well done.”

“T-thank you for your generous words!”

The Nether Dragon King remained prostrated, bowing deeply.

Yeah… this old man is definitely Ades’s superior.

He even actually acknowledged his subordinate’s achievements—maybe he wasn’t such a bad boss after all.

“So… it was this one who ate my liver.”

“Yes. That shameless old man over there.”

Wait—how does this guy already know that?

Had Ades been filing daily reports or something?

No, hold on—hey, old man!

Don’t go treating me like I’m an old man too!

Do you want me to get flattened next, too?!

“Boy… what is your name?”

“Huh? If you want my name, you should introduce yourself first, old man.”

This guy was probably overwhelmingly stronger than me. My instincts screamed danger from deep within my body.

Yet… I didn’t feel particularly afraid. Not that I had an iron will, but bowing here wouldn’t necessarily earn me any special favor either. Might as well just stand my ground and speak boldly—what could go wrong there, right?

“Hahaha! You do not flinch in my presence! What an interesting young man!”

“Just introduce yourself already, old man.”

“I am the Nether King.”

“Huh? That’s your name?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been called the Nether King ever since I was born.”

I didn’t detect any hint of lying in his voice.

…Guess that’s just how things are in dungeons.

“I’m Daishi. Daishi Ajiri.”

“I see… an unfamiliar name, but a fine one.”

“So? What now? Do I have to fight you, old man?”

Honestly… I didn’t want to fight.

The outcome was as obvious as day. There is no way I could win. But what would happen next depended entirely on how this old man chose to proceed. At the moment, I lack the power to take control of the situation.

“No, no. That would be breaking the rules. If you wish to fight me, you must enter properly from the dungeon entrance and make your way down to the hundredth floor. Only then will I consider entertaining you, boy.”

The old man, the Nether King, grinned slyly as if to provoke me.

…No thanks.

Comments flooded in:

> Did he just say he is the Nether King?

> First time we’re hearing that.

> So the boss of the hundredth floor is the Nether King?

> He looks so weak.

> Unbelievable!

> He just instantly healed the dying Nether Dragon King, though.

> The hero party already dropped out at the seventy-eighth floor, so you can guess the rest.

> How did the hero party even get past Ades?

> Wait, they actually cleared the Divine Realm?

> That info hasn’t been officially released yet.

> Tomorrow’s newspaper is going to be packed with new info!

> This is going to be trending worldwide online.

By now, the viewer count had finally surpassed 100,000. Occasionally, comments in foreign languages appeared, leaving her slightly bewildered.

Could it be… this was becoming a worldwide sensation?!

“Don’t get cocky, Daishi. Defeating a hollowed-out Nether Dragon King is nothing. Right now, he hasn’t even reached a tenth of his true power.”

I see.

So he had already used almost all of his strength before facing me. There must have been a fierce battle in the Nether Domain.

Ades’s little rebellion? That was mostly their doing, too.

No wonder SS-class people were so impressive.

“Then…”

“You’re nothing more than a pitiful adventurer who happened to wander here on a whim, like some temporal rabbit. Return to your original dungeon when the time comes, and all will be well.”

“You’re not mad that I ate your liver?”

“Hahaha! Normally, anyone who eats my liver wouldn’t survive. They’d instantly explode into dust.”

“Wait… really?”

“Indeed. You appear to be a rather extraordinary adventurer. Perhaps one day you may surpass even the heroes themselves. Until that time, I suppose my liver shall remain in your care.”

Uh…This sounded like it was going to be troublesome.

I could just return it now…

…No, wait. If returning it means I’d be eaten in the process, then forget it.

I wasn’t aiming to become a famous adventurer anyway.

When I was first transported here, sure, I was a little excited. But honestly… I don’t have any real desire to conquer the Nether-Class Dungeon. I’m perfectly content just grabbing treasure from easy dungeons and selling it to make a living. That’s enough for me.

Ah, and of course… I’m counting on some streaming revenue too!

“Farewell, little monk. I look forward to the day you reach the hundredth floor of my Nether Dungeon before the hero party does.”

The image on the wall vanished, and both the Nether King and the Nether Dragon King departed from the scene.

Too bad… I’m not going to live up to the old man’s expectations. Once I clear that beginner dungeon, I just want to explore dungeons at my own pace and take it easy.

Still… since stat-raising is fun, I’ll gratefully hold onto the liver for now!

“Daishiii—saaan!!”

I turned around and heard Satsuki-chan’s voice coming from the opposite side of where the Nether King had disappeared.

I could see her running toward me, and it finally felt like this brutal mission was over.

I took a deep, satisfying breath and let my true feelings slip out.

“Ahhh!! I am so exhausted!!”

And, as usual, the familiar notification appeared before my eyes.

《 Daishi has leveled up. 》

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

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> Eh?

> Eeeeeeeh?

> He’s giving some kind of lecture lol

> The opponent is the Nether Dragon King Ades!!

> He’s not just some random weakling

> I don’t get it lol

> The old man is a god

> lol

> Who the hell is that old man lol

The auto-tracking camera hovered near me, capturing every second of my confrontation with Ades. The comment stream was scrolling too fast to read properly, but the reactions were clear—chaos, disbelief, and awe.

“Oi. Don’t put them in front of me where I can’t heal them. Over there… gently, got it?”

“Eh? I… understood…”

Ades extinguished the black flames from his hands and, still swaying slightly, began to move the two unconscious explorers toward where Satsuki-chan and I were hiding.

Placing them in front of me, someone without a healing skill, wouldn’t help anyone. With those absurdly long tails of his, he might as well reach over to them directly.

“T-there. Is this satisfactory?”

“Mm. Well done.”

The Nether Dragon King, begrudgingly obedient, had at least complied—for now. The tension remained, but the first step toward saving the others had been taken.

The Nether Dragon King didn’t ignore orders. As instructed, he carefully placed the two of them before Satsuki-chan and Mia-san, setting them down with deliberate slowness. Once the task was done, he neatly retracted his tail.

At least, it seemed he had withdrawn all murderous intent—for now, that was a relief.

“Um… are you… perhaps a relative of the Nether King?”

“The Nether King?”

Nether King… what was that? Was this his superior?

I’m not sure, but the thought of answering incorrectly here made my stomach twist. One wrong word, and he might attack without warning.

Better to bluff my way through…

No, wait. Come to think of it, before coming here…

“…I might’ve eaten him.”

“Huh??”

“The Nether King… I might’ve eaten him.”

“W-what did you just say!?”

“Well, there was something in a treasure chest labeled ‘Nether King’s raw liver’. I ate it.”

This was bad. I had just spoken the unvarnished truth. Come to think of it, I had never been good at lying.

“…I see. So that’s what happened.”

“Huh?”

“Just the other day, the Nether King lamented, ‘One of my organs has gone missing recently…’”

I had no idea how an organ could go missing, but apparently, the raw liver I had eaten was that very organ.

“You have incorporated a part of the Nether King into yourself, haven’t you?”

The expression of the Nether Dragon King shifted, and his aura changed. The malevolence that had waned when they first met was returning, regaining its original, ominous weight.

Wait—no, this is bad!

No, don’t flinch! Keep up the bluff!

“That’s… so what!? I-it’s fine, isn’t it!?”

My words betrayed my panic. My vocabulary failed her utterly.

“My eyes were deceived. Your aura… it matches the Nether King’s, and it unsettled me slightly.”

Ades’s dragon tail twitched again, moving in jagged, unpredictable patterns.

It’s definitely aimed at me. Right?

It had become painfully clear that words alone could not resolve this.

“I understand now. If you have absorbed a part of the Nether King, then by consuming you, the Nether King should restore the lost organ.”

…Ah. That made sense.

Wait—this was not the time to be rationalizing!

Ades’s two dragon tails writhed once more, aiming with terrifying precision.

One tail pointed at me… the other… was aimed at Satsuki-chan and the others!

“You, too, shall serve as the Nether King’s sacrifice, alongside that priestess over there…”

“Cremation!!”

“Guwaaaaahhh!!”

It worked.

My bluff had failed completely, so I struck first, igniting both of Ades’s tails with my Cremation skill. I had used it countless times before. Now, a mere thought was enough to trigger it.

Ades had looked momentarily enlightened, but don’t get the wrong idea, old man. I was just scared to see how you’d react because fighting would have been a pain.

The fact remains that you are a weakling in my eyes!

“My… my tail—AAAHHHHH!”

The Nether Dragon King’s anguished roar echoed across the fiftieth floor of the Nether Dungeon.

For now, both of Ades’s interfering dragon tails had been incinerated.

Perhaps because my Burial Power was maxed out, the tails had burned down to ash, scattering like smoke through the air.

“FOOLISH MORTAL!!!”

Ades shot upward toward the ceiling with terrifying vertical speed.

Simultaneously, he raised both hands, concentrating his magical energy. Black flames, far more malevolent than before, surged toward her with deadly intent.

“Black flames! Burn the unholy with the fires of hell! Purgatory Nether Dragon Fireball!”

“Retribution!”

“Ughhhhhh!!”

He shouted some over-the-top, dramatic spell name—but I simply reflected it back using my [Retribution] skill.

Even Ades own black flames had scorched him a little. But he is still alive.

Well… there was no way I could take him down this easily.

Alright then, time for round two!

Since he had “Nether” in his name, he might be some kind of undead-type… maybe this will work!

“Requiem!”

Without missing a beat, I raised my wooden staff and unleashed the next skill.

The dim cave, lit only by the flickering torchlight, is suddenly bathed in the brilliant radiance of Ascend, revealing solemn rows of carved statues and intricate reliefs. The temple seemed to regain its divine presence, the light gently illuminating every corner of the sacred space.

“I… I’m disappearing…!? Could it be… I… am losing…?”

Ah—this seemed to be working.

Ades’s massive form began to crumble, turning gradually into white dust.

I might actually have won.

Comments exploded in disbelief:

> Whoa… he is actually going to win?

> The Nether Dragon King is… vanishing…

> Unprecedented!

> ….This! The first and probably the last!

Even the spectators were dumbfounded.

I hadn’t really felt the thrill of battle—but if this ended it, I’d call it lucky.

“This… this can’t…be….. to this old human!?”

The death throes of the Nether Dragon King echoed out.

Seriously, he was the old man here!

What a rude fellow.

Go on, vanish into the light already.

“I cannot simply overlook this, you little brat!”

Suddenly, from somewhere I couldn’t quite place, a voice even older than Ades’s rang out.

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

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“I have little desire on soiling this ground with the impure blood of humans.”

Ades murmured those words in a voice even lower and heavier than his appearance suggested. Using its two dragon tails extending from its hips, it lifted the two unconscious explorers by their legs. The two men hung limply in midair, showing no sign of waking up.

It seemed they had completely passed out.

“A reward for breaching the Death Layer of the Nether Realm. At least I shall spare them suffering… reducing their bones to ash in a single instant.”

With that, Ades lined the two upside-down explorers before him, summoned black flames from both hands, and assumed a stance to deliver the finishing blow.

If things continued like this, there was no doubt—their lives would end here, in this very moment.

> Isn’t that girl collapsed over there the High Priestess Mina?

> Then the two guys must be Slay, the Great Swordsman and Jan, the Flash.

> The young hopes…

> Those SS-rank explorers chasing the Hero Party in both fame and skill…

> They don’t stream, so no one knew they’d even come to a place like this.

> They actually had the strength to reach a Nether-Class dungeon.

> Oh no, they’re about to get wrecked.

> Old man, do something!

> Even you won’t be able to handle this, though.

Yes. I have to help.

I can’t just stand by and watch.

“No. They’re doomed! There’s no way we can win!”

“But we can’t just leave them like this!”

The two were being tormented by the Nether Dragon King before the throne. The throne is about twenty meters ahead of the massive pillar behind which Satsuki-chan and I were hiding. It had been too dark to see before, but after they appeared, the light sources embedded in the walls gradually flickered on, illuminating everything.

I took a step forward, ready to dash out from behind the pillar to save them—but Satsuki grabbed my arm and held me back.

If things continue like this, those two are going to die!

“…I won’t… let you!”

The other explorer—not caught by Ades, the woman the viewers had called High Priestess Mina—staggered to her feet. She had been flung right in front of us, yet she didn’t seem to notice Satsuki-chan and me hiding behind the pillar.

“Hmph. It seems you are slightly different from the others, High Priestess. To maintain consciousness even after taking that much damage in that other dimension… impressive.”

“Eh? That girl… could it be…?”

Satsuki-chan murmured, as if she had realized something, watching Mina-san struggle to stand.

“All… Heal…”

As a High Priestess, Mina-san must have been preparing to activate her full-party healing skill. A faint green light briefly seemed to envelop her and the two male explorers, bathing them in a gentle glow.

But only for a single, fleeting moment.

“Hngh!”

“Kahhh!”

When Ades lightly lifted his left foot, Mina-san let out a groan of agony and collapsed back to the ground, her healing spell interrupted. From where I was, I couldn’t make out what kind of attack she had taken.

Wind pressure?

Some kind of shockwave, maybe.

“Do not waste your efforts on healing. Remain still and obedient. You may yet prove useful… I shall keep you alive a while longer.”

Ades spoke with utter calm, his composure unshaken.

He still hadn’t noticed our presence.

“Mina!”

“Ah… Satsuki… it’s… been… a while…”

“Quick, heal…”

“I… it’s fine… please… help… them…”

Satsuki-chan’s voice barely carried from behind the pillar, loud enough for Mina-san to hear, but not enough for Ades to detect.

Mina-san responded faintly, entrusting her hope to us, and then immediately passed out again.

Satsuki-chan’s friend? An acquaintance?

If that’s the case… there’s no way I can ignore her plea.

“Daishi-san!”

“Satsuki-chan, stay with Mina-san and make sure she’s safe!”

“You can’t! If you go out there, you’ll die for sure!”

Satsuki-chan’s eyes were glistening with tears. The grip on my arm tightened. So much was happening at once that she must’ve been a little overwhelmed.

“That girl… she’s your friend, right?”

“Friend… or rather… well, let’s say it’s a long-standing bond, I guess.”

“Well, a friend’s friend is also my friend. So that makes her my friend too, right?”

“Wait… are you saying you and I are friends?”

“Ah—I just assumed that on my own, I guess.”

“No, that’s not really—”

“But it’ll be fine! Didn’t I say I’d protect you, Satsuki-chan?”

“But—”

“Leave this to someone older and more experienced!”

I didn’t know why, exactly. All I knew was that my baseless confidence had skyrocketed. Maybe my senses were all out of whack.

But still… even looking at Ades, I felt ready. No, that’s not entirely true—I probably shouldn’t feel this way—but I resolved to throw myself into the fight.

“All right, I’m going!”

Seizing the moment when Satsuki-chan’s grip on me loosened even slightly, I shook off her hand and began walking steadily toward the Nether Dragon King.

“Very well… then I shall proceed with a grand incineration ceremony… hn?”

“Uh, excuse me… could you maybe let those people go?”

I stepped unarmed right up in front of Ades and made the request lightly.

“I had suspected a few scuttling vermin might have infiltrated. But you—where did you even spring from…!!?”

Ades froze, finally fully registering my presence.

“(What… what is this man!? How can such a fragile, human exude such a wave of despair!? This sensation… it’s almost like that person…)”

I had no idea what he was rambling about.

Seems like he did notice us the whole time—he was just pretending otherwise. And since he didn’t deny my words outright, yeah… he is definitely Ades.

“You… who exactly are you!?”

Even with black flames crackling in both hands, the Nether Dragon King began to retreat.

Huh? Is he… panicking?

Is he scared of me?

“I—who I am? I’m just a cleric.”

I don’t know why, but I didn’t feel an ounce of fear toward this old monster at all.

If anything…

Ah! I can’t believe I’m thinking this… but he looked like a complete weakling!

And in this moment, I realized how infuriating that made me feel.

How dare he talk to me as if we’re on the same level?

You’re being too arrogant, old man.

Ah! This damn old bastard is so irritating!!

“Enough! Get that filthy tail of yours out of the way and release those two! You worthless piece of trash! Want to end up as ash?!”

“Y-yes!! I-I’m sorry!!!”

The image of me suddenly transforming and hurling foul insults at the Nether Dragon King Ades, forcing him to apologize, was firmly imprinted in the minds of the more than 40,000 viewers.

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

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“……-san! Daishi-san!”

A voice called my name from somewhere far away.

A woman’s voice.

Even in my dazed state, I could feel a faint sensation of someone shaking me gently.

“Daishi-san! Wake up!”

Gradually, my consciousness sharpened.

This voice… it’s Satsuki-chan’s.

“Hurry and wake up! You’re going to die!!”

Huh? Satsuki-chan sounds… really panicked.

Oh, that’s right!

My memories started coming back in sharp relief.

I had been in the [Unique House] of the Fourth Beginner Dungeon in West Tokyo, encountered the Space-Time Rabbit, thrown the darts… and then flung through the space-time vortex into another dungeon.

The Nether-class… floor fifty!

This is bad!!

I can’t just keep dozing off now!

“Daaaahh!”

To jolt my sluggish brain awake, I unconsciously triggered a habit I’d picked up back in my corporate days—shouting loudly while swinging my body upright.

“Ungh!”

“Hey, quiet down! We finally got somewhere with no one else here!”

Satsuki-chan instantly clamped her left hand over my mouth, while making a ‘shhh’ gesture with her right hand. Her face is too close… I felt a little flustered.

No, I don’t have time to be flustered.

> …Wha… a…ppened…?

> …ly… coming…

> …connected!

> I can see!

> Whoa! So this is Nether-Class Dungeon, floor fifty!

> Incredible… first time seeing it.

> Just as the stories said… what a malevolent-looking temple.

> But it also kinda looks like an ancient Greek temple.

> It’s so dark. I can’t see ahead.

> Is there a boss?

> Good thing we teleported behind that massive pillar.

I felt a twinge of anxiety, but it seemed the streaming camera had teleported along with us, which was a relief. The signal had been a little shaky, but the comment feed had recovered, and the equipment appeared to be working fine. From a few of the viewers’ comments, it looked like we had been lucky enough to land in a safe zone—so we weren’t suddenly thrown into a boss fight. That was a huge relief.

“Eh? Daishi-san, you’re streaming right now?”

“Ah… yeah. Everyone seems to be able to see it fine.”

“My feed isn’t connecting. I thought you needed a special ultra-rare antenna to connect in Super-Class dungeons and above…”

I leaned closer and whispered to Satsuki-chan, regaining a sense of caution.

Huh? Is my equipment special?

I’m only borrowing it from the guild, though. Did they accidentally give me the right one by mistake?

“Well, anyway. As you probably gathered from the viewers’ comments, we’re currently near the entrance of Nether-Class Dungeon, floor fifty, hiding behind one of the massive pillars.”

“Y-yeah…”

“It’s been about a minute since we teleported. I used my Detection skill to scan the area, and at least within a fifty-meter radius, there’s no sign of any enemies… for now.”

I’d always thought Satsuki-chan is amazing—she could pull off all sorts of little tricks. As an explorer, she must be really exceptional. And it seemed the target one-minute mark had already passed.

“By the way, Satsuki-chan… how were you able to move immediately after teleporting? You didn’t lose consciousness or anything?”

“Don’t underestimate me. I’m still an S-rank explorer, you know. I’ve had my fair share of teleport experiences.”

Oh. So with enough experience, you can handle even that without panicking huh.

> Satsuki-tan, you okay?

> Ah, I can see her just fine.

> This really does feel like Nether-Class.

> Don’t get so familiar with Satsuki-chan!

> Old man, get away from her!

> Leave that old man behind!

> Hope the old man gets taken out by Ades!

Huh… the low-quality comments suddenly started standing out more. Looks like fans of Satsuki-chan are flooding in at an incredible rate.

Well, that makes sense. They probably can’t watch on Satsuki-chan’s own channel, so they migrated to my stream to check on the situation.

Which means… my viewer count must have skyrocketed.

Let’s see… how many viewers do we have now…

“Eh? T-twenty thousand?!”

“Geez! Daishi-san! Don’t shout so loud!”

“S-sorry…”

I was completely stunned by how fast it had grown.

Even the increase just a moment ago had been abnormal, but this… this was on a whole different level. Twenty thousand concurrent viewers—this was the level of a top-tier streamer.

Not because of me, but Satsuki-chan’s sheer skill as a streamer hit me all at once. No wonder she boasts half a million subscribers.

“Let’s just stay put for now. We might even be able to clear the mission like this.”

“Yeah…”

“But we can’t know when or what might attack us. Daishi-san, make sure you’re ready to use [Return] at any time.”

“Ah… yeah.”

I don’t really know how to prepare [Return], but at least I can keep it in mind and stay aware.

“Alright, that’s enough talking. Let’s try to stay completely still and—”

It happened suddenly.

Without any warning, the space around us split open. The once-clean air immediately thickened with malevolence, making it hard to breathe. The darkness that had obscured my vision tore apart, and space itself warped.

“Ah…”

“Satsuki-chan!”

She must have used her detection skill and realized the full horror of what was coming.

The light in her eyes… it was gone!

Whatever she sensed was so terrifying, she couldn’t even cry out.

Something is coming!

“Gwaaaaaaah!”

“Kyaaaaaah!”

“Ughh!!!”

Three figures were violently hurled from the rift in space.

The source of the female scream landed right beside us. The two male voices came from slightly farther ahead, barely within sight, groaning as they hit the ground.

Another explorer party had been fighting in a separate pocket dimension, and somehow, they had now been thrown back into this place. The exact sequence of events was unclear, but they were suddenly here again.

“Hmph. Not bad at all. The last explorer party to escape my Death Layer, the Nether Realm, was the Hero’s group.”

From the rift in space, it slowly descended to the ground.

Despite its malevolence, the dark aura it radiated was oddly bright, allowing me to clearly make out its form. An abomination shaped like an elderly gentleman, its malevolence pushed beyond the limits of imagination.

Long, razor-sharp fangs extended from its mouth. A dragon’s tail—completely out of place—slithered along the ground with a sickening, undulating motion.

…No doubt about it.This is the Nether Dragon King—Ades.

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

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[Breaking] Live Thread Covering the ‘Cleric’ Guy Rampaging in West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon – Part 3

34: Nanashi-san

Feels just like a graveyard.

35:

All these treasure chests lined up… It’s spectacular.

36:

5×10×2… exactly 100 chests.

37:

Are Treasure Houses usually like this?

38:

Never seen anything like this before.

39:

Every element is bugged with this guy.

40:

So… what happened to his healing skill again?

41:

Amane Satsuki doesn’t even get a chance to appear.

42:

Clairvoyance is insane. Can it really tell fake from real with just level 3 skill?

43:

>>@40

Still haven’t memorized it.

44:

Thought it was on par with appraisal skills, but seems more like an upgraded version. Clairvoyance is OP.

45:

Mimics everywhere.

46:

Wait… being able to scan the entire area and judge at once? Isn’t that crazy? Way too high-performance.

47:

He’s judging everything at once.

48:

If  his skill got to Lv.5, he could probably see into the future.

49:

Whoa, lol.

50:

It’s not gold, lol.

51:

Choosing the trap himself… the streamer’s a genius.

52:

Beginner adventurer is showing through, lol.

53:

Trap activated.

54:

Mimic festival begins!

55:

That’s not okay, lol.

56:

Even Satsuki couldn’t handle this many.

57:

Old man… you’re done—

58:

What’s he gonna do now, lol.

59:

He didn’t have much MP either. Is he screwed?

60:

With the mimics’ strong resistances, [Cremation] probably won’t work well. And [Requiem] only affects undead.

61:

I think their fire resistance was around 500.

62:

But his Burial Power is 576, so maybe it’ll pierce a bit?

63:

…That’s if you convert the stat to magic power, though.

64:

Oh, he used [Cremation]!

65:

Whoa, lol. Three down already. Still can’t comprehend that kind of damage.

66:

But yeah, taking out all of them was impossible.

67:

Mimics chanting instant-death spells…

68:

And they’re all focusing on him again. Isn’t that insane?

69:

It’s kinda cute how quickly monsters start hating him.

70:

It’s over…

71:

Ah, something’s glowing! That must be the [Retribution] skill that he just learned.

72:

Wait—

73:

Huh?

74:

What even is that, lol?!

75:

No way… lololol.

76:

Instant kill again, lolol!

77:

So that’s how Retribution works, huh, lol.

78:

No way, no way—instant death shouldn’t even affect mimics.

79:

Looks like it’s not just a simple reflect-type skill.

80:

At this point, the whole concept of “skill” is broken.

81:

Honestly, the dungeon itself is already broken, lol.

82:

Nah, the broken one is this old man, lolol.

83:

He’s not a cleric anymore—he’s a “Funeral Cleric.”

84:

But surely his MP must be gone by now. Cremation, Retribution—he used them back-to-back.

85:

He might even be below 0 MP.

86:

With this guy? Definitely possible.

87:

That’s basically infinite, lol. No way that’s real.

88:

Look. Amane Satsuki is a little jealous, right?

89:

She’s got her S-rank pride, after all.

90:

Completely losing to a beginner like this.

91:

If it were me, my spirit would be broken for sure.

92:

Satsuki’s saying something… just sour grapes, I guess.

93:

Oh yeah, that one… the explorer who lost control of their ability and died. Their situation kinda mirrors this old man.

94:

Nah, this old man is way more abnormal.

95:

A cost, huh… Well, considering he’s anything but normal, a proper sacrifice makes sense.

96:

Was there an archive for that explorer?

97:

>>@96

Nah, everything’s been deleted. Only those who watched the live stream remember it.

98:

>>@96

Better not know the details. I saw it, but just remembering makes me feel sick.

99:

Looks like quite a few people watched it back then.

100:

They’re probably the type who enjoy overpowered, completely unfair streams anyway.

101:

>>@100

You too, lol.

102:

This old man is a total beginner. Doesn’t even know he can’t come back once he hits the lower floors.

103:

Is his MP really going to hold up?

104:

If it hits zero, he can’t use skills anymore.

105:

Without skills, he’s just a normal old man. With those stats? No chance in battle.

106:

If that happens, this stream’s boring. I’ll stop watching.

107:

I can just watch Satsuki’s channel anyway.

108:

Oh, stats explanation starting.

109:

Learn an MP recovery skill!

(Oh…There isn’t one.)

110:

Burial Power maxed, lololol.

111:

And he’s got leftover points? What the heck, lol.

112:

You don’t get extra stats, lol.

113:

Wait, can he even allocate stat points? I thought dungeon explorers’ stats were fixed.

114:

>>@113

Nope, that’s not a thing.

115:

Oh, he’s trying it anyway.

116:

See? Just a display bug.

117:

With this guy, anything’s possible… but looks like he can’t actually do it for now.

118:

Treasure!

119:

After all that effort, it gotta be a rare item.

120:

Oh, Satsuki opened it.

121:

What’s inside? What’s inside?

122:

Satsuki froze, lol.

123:

Lololol.

124:

A raw item, lol.

125:

That’s basically garbage, lol.

126:

What the… can’t use Clairvoyance here?

127:

Old man’s being controlled like a puppet! Satsuki-chan can use puppet skills too—what a versatile player.

128:

What’s going on? Team fighting?

129:

That liver-looking thing is a super rare item?

130:

Wait, lol.

131:

Are you seriously going to feed that to him, Satsuki?

132:

S-rank explorer pride completely shredded.

133:

Satsuki-chan and the viewers are cruel as hell, lol.

134:

Well… in this scenario, eating it is the only choice. Streamers naturally has to entertain.

135:

He said it was delicious, lolol.

136:

Old man’s tongue is bugged too, lol.

137:

Satsuki is pure sadistic, lol.

138:

“Wanted him to get stronger”? Yeah, right, lol.

139:

She just wanted to heal him while he suffered to feel superior.

140:

Hm? Old man’s starting to manipulate stats.

141:

Did something change?

142:

Whoa… what a convenient turn of events.

143:

Feels like that raw liver was placed expecting him to eat it.

144:

And he actually did it, lol. Allocating stats.

145:

Raw liver of the Nether King, lolol.

146:

Exactly as it looks, lol.

147:

Don’t heal HP by allocating stats, lolol.

148:

MP… well, that’s understandable.

149:

He allocated points instantly. Use your brain more, beginner.

150:

I wonder what happens when he levels up next. Exciting.

151:

Can’t even imagine.

152:

And now… the Unique House.

153:

Eek! First time seeing a Space-Time Rabbit!

154:

Now, where will we be sent…?

155:

Come to think of it, are there even other explorers in this dungeon?

156:

Good point… anyone here?

157:

It’s mostly unknown beginners who enter this dungeon, so probably not.

158:

And no explorers arrived after Satsuki either? There should be far stronger ones.

159:

Ah—apparently, the dungeon’s entrance is sealed with a powerful barrier, so no one else can get in.

160:

Even the S-rank channels I was watching were talking about this.

161:

Because of that, Satsuki and the old man’s viewer count is apparently skyrocketing.

162:

Rumor has it the guild headquarters is starting to take notice too.

163:

Looks like this is about to get really serious.

164:

We won’t be able to take our eyes off this!

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

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“(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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