kscans

Chapter 59 - Kyouta-Style Leveling

A hard sensation, katsuri, transmitted through the soles of my feet.

The floor and walls were made of bone-white stone. Roots as thick as an arm had broken through them in various places, and from those points, vines crawled across the surroundings.

The SDF had given up on installing lights on the plant-infested walls, and the dungeon's interior was pitch black. The only sources of light were the LED lantern hanging from my waist and the light attached to Busujima-san's helmet.

It had been about two months since I'd last come here. I still remembered my exploration of this place well.

"Erina-san, please keep watch."

"You can count on me."

I took out Byakuren's head and placed it on the floor with a transmutation circle. It took about ten seconds to form the golem body. I then attached a penlight and a hand mirror.

"So this is Yagawa's golem."

Ooyama-san stared at `Byakuren` with interest.

"Its dedicated body isn't finished yet, so this is just a makeshift one, but it has enough defensive power for the monsters here. If you feel you're in danger, hide behind `Byakuren` at any time."

I had the golem shoulder my backpack while I did a quick survey of the area.

"Erina-san, sorry for the wait. The golem I entrusted to you for Busujima-san and the others."

"Okay. Alright, Kyō-chan, a drumroll!"

"Not gonna happen."

"Aww."

Her lips pouting, Erina-san took a golem out of her Item Box.

With a heavy thud, its steel-covered feet landed on the stone floor.

"This is the golem I'm giving to you, `Mokuren`."

At first glance, its appearance was similar to an 'armored knight.'

I modeled the helmet after a bascinet. It had a visor that extended forward like a beak, which was detachable.

The neck was covered by a chainmail coif, and below that was plate armor. It was equipped with a one-handed mace in its right hand and a round shield eighty centimeters in diameter in its left.

"It's equipped with armor I transmuted from steel plates, which is also detachable. There's cotton padding underneath, which should reduce the damage from most attacks. The main frame is made of processed wood. This is the key to attach and detach the flask in its head."

With that, I handed a small key to Busujima-san.

"...Is the armor black to hide the flaws?"

"Yes. As I explained in the email, I'm not a specialist in armor making. This is something I've included as a service, so feel free to remove it and replace it with something else."

"...No, it's not bad. I'll use this until it breaks."

"Is that so."

Ooyama-san looked `Mokuren` up and down, scrutinizing it.

This `Mokuren` was created based on the data from Byakuren's dedicated body, which I was currently building.

However, all the materials were purchased at a home improvement store. I hadn't used a single dungeon material due to the budget.

Also, while I had sacrificed fuel efficiency in `Byakuren` to forcibly increase its output and make its mobility equivalent to something made by a 'skill user,' with `Mokuren`, I had lowered the output to a certain extent to improve its fuel efficiency.

I couldn't equip it with a Magi Battery like the `Alchemy Enthusiasts Club` could, so desperate measures like this were all I could manage. As a bonus, the shoulder and hip joints are detachable, making it a bit of a hassle but still possible to carry.

I handed Busujima-san a manual I had written that included all of this, as well as maintenance instructions.

"This is the instruction manual, so please read it carefully later. If you find any defects, I will address them immediately."

"Thank you very much, Yagawa-san. We will use it with care."

"Not at all. In fact, please treat it roughly in battle."

"Pardon?"

Busujima-san tilted her head in confusion.

This was irrelevant, but the light on her helmet was a bit glaring.

"`Mokuren` is just a doll. Its purpose is to be a wall, a pack mule, and, in a pinch, a means to stall for time. Use it to its fullest to protect yourselves."

"...Understood. Still, I will take good care of it."

"I'd appreciate that. It puts my mind at ease as the creator."

As we were having this conversation, Ooyama-san was already putting her own backpack on `Mokuren`. Since her equipment suggested she would be on the front lines with the golem, it would be easier for her to offload her luggage.

Just in case, I had also told Busujima-san via email, 'If it comes down to it, abandon the gear you're carrying and run.'

I felt like I was acting way too much like a senior, which was embarrassing, but since I was responsible for their lives, I had to say it.

After confirming that `Mokuren` didn't lose its balance even with the backpack on, and that Busujima-san had put the key and manual in her own pack, I looked at Erina-san.

She gave me a nod, so I touched my earring.

"Aira-san, preparations are complete. We're moving out."

'G-Got it. P-Proceed with caution.'

"Roger."

"O-kay."

I turned back to Busujima-san and the others and gave a small nod.

"We will now begin the exploration. I and `Byakuren` will take the lead, you two and `Mokuren` will be in the middle. Erina-san will take the rear. Let's go."

"Right."

"Y-Yes. We're in your hands."

With Ooyama-san acting natural and Busujima-san looking tense, I turned my back to them and started walking slowly.

Our formation was longer than usual. Erina-san's position felt a little far, which was a strange, new feeling.

After a short walk, I found an SDF paint mark. I reported it to Aira-san and had her navigate.

After about two minutes of walking, a warning came from Erina-san through my earring.

'Footsteps are getting closer. Around the corner ahead, three of them.'

"Roger. Halt."

I raised my left hand slightly, stopping Busujima-san and the others.

In the direction illuminated by the penlight attached to Byakuren's head, I, too, began to hear footsteps.

'Gigi...'

A strange voice, like the scraping of branches. From around the corner, a monster that looked like a tree stump with arms, legs, and a face appeared.

Lesser Treant.

Among F-Rank monsters, it boasted exceptional toughness and attack power. Personally, I found it more troublesome than some E-Rank enemies.

Staring at us with hollow eyes, the monsters let out a roar and started running.

"Eek!"

Behind me, Busujima-san let out a small scream.

As Erina-san had warned, there were three of them. That was a bit much.

I threw a knife with my left hand at the one in front. Unlike last time, its stump-like body was easily gouged out, and it fell silent.

The remaining two Lesser Treants ignored their fallen comrade and pressed on. Their spear-like arms shot out with momentum, but they were too slow.

I slipped between them, getting behind the two.

Then, from behind, I grabbed the Lesser Treants' heads. My fingertips dug in, securing a firm grip. I lifted them up.

'Gi!? Gii!'

'Gigigi!?'

The Lesser Treants struggled desperately, but it was no problem. My strength was overwhelming, and as for the mass, I was holding my body in place with wind.

"Erina-san, any other enemies?"

'Don't hear any other footsteps.'

"Understood. Then, let's proceed with the leveling."

I reported as such into my earring and took a few steps closer to where I had been.

I held up the flailing Lesser Treants for Busujima-san and the others to see.

"Alright, you two. Please defeat these."

"Y-Yes."

"...Right."

This was their 'leveling' method.

According to the Dungeon Law, even with a D-Rank adventurer accompanying them, F-Rank adventurers could only enter F-Rank dungeons. This was the same for all ranks.

Power-leveling at this rank would take a considerable amount of time.

But with these Lesser Treants, it should be a bit better.

Their boss monster was the `Treant`, a D-Rank. If we assumed that boss monsters were generally one rank higher, then the Lesser Treants should be E-Rank.

In fact, there were rumors online that their rank might be changed soon. That's how many adventurers thought they were deceptively strong for their rank.

But for now, they were just right. Perfect for Busujima-san and her friend to level up.

Ooyama-san brought her warhammer down on the Lesser Treant I was holding. I felt the impact, but that too was no problem.

The Lesser Treants' arms weren't that long, so as long as they were striking with a weapon, they wouldn't enter the monsters' range, making it safe.

"Um... is it alright to shoot?"

"No problem. With that arrow, even if it hits me, it won't penetrate my skin."

"...Understood."

Busujima-san aimed carefully and fired her crossbow. With a sharp thwack, an arrow pierced the Lesser Treant's body.

'GIGIGIGI!!'

"...Somehow, well. I feel a bit guilty."

"That is an unnecessary emotion to have toward monsters. Please leave it here."

I might have sounded harsh, but it was my honest opinion and advice from someone with a bit more experience.

Certainly, the optics of this leveling method were terrible. But since the opponents were monsters, it wasn't a problem.

In manga and stuff, the kind of guy who says things like this usually ends up in a lot of pain, but... if we're talking about physical pain, I've already been there. The Orc Champion broke my arm, and Lefcourse gouged my shoulder.

Fighting monsters is a dance with death. The standard procedure is to fight lower-level opponents dispassionately, as if it were just a job, but when something like a stampede happens, you can't afford that luxury. You have to fight enemies of the same rank or higher.

In those moments, to increase your chances of survival even a little, and to prevent 'accidents' during normal explorations, sympathy for monsters is unnecessary.

In fact, when I remembered the mountain of corpses I saw during the stampede, I really couldn't feel any sympathy at all.

"...I understand."

With a stiff expression, Busujima-san loaded another arrow into her crossbow.

...Now that I think about it, isn't it hard to defeat a Lesser Treant with her weapon?

Hmm. Erina-san had told me that Busujima-san was a 'magic user.'

"Busujima-san. You can attack with magic if you like. I'm sturdy enough that I won't die even if you misfire."

"Huh...?"

Busujima-san looked a little surprised, and Ooyama-san's hand paused.

Just then, Erina-san called out.

"Ā-chan."

"Erina-san..."

"It's okay, Kyō-chan can handle it."

At her smiling declaration, Busujima-san thought for a few seconds.

She switched the crossbow to her left hand and drew a knife with her right.

The overly ornate guard and hilt were ill-suited for a proper sword fight. Strange characters were carved into the blade, and its tip was pointed at the Lesser Treant.

I see. That knife wasn't a melee weapon, but a 'wand.'

"..."

Busujima-san was chanting in a low voice, but I couldn't make it out. However, I could read the movement of mana with my Spirit Eye with each word she spun.

Then, she glared at the Lesser Treant in my right hand.

"[Cursefire]."

The moment the incantation was complete, black flames ignited on the Lesser Treant's body.

I was a little surprised, but I had heard beforehand that it was 'that kind of magic,' so I suppressed my unease. I would absolutely not release my grip.

'Gi, gigigigigii!?'

The Lesser Treant let out a loud scream.

The black flames gave off no heat, slowly burning through the monster's body.

No, on closer inspection, it wasn't burning. It was desiccating it. Wherever the flames licked, the monster's body crumbled and decayed.

`Cursed Poison Magic`.

I had heard rumors about it. As the name suggested, it was a type of magic that created poison from mana or directly cursed an opponent. It was rare.

And so, the attacks from outside the Lesser Treants' reach continued, until they finally turned to salt, trickling through my fingers.

"Ah!"

Just then, a warhammer swung with too much force was caught in my palm.

---THUD.

"!? S-Sorry!"

"No, it's fine. Being decisive is important, so please keep this up next time."

"R-Right... Are you really, okay?"

"Yes. Unscathed."

A dull sound had echoed, but there was no pain. The impact of the hammer alone was E-Rank equivalent. As expected of a dwarf. If it had hit a spot without armor instead of my gauntlet, it might have left a bruise.

Busujima-san and the others were looking at me like I was some kind of strange creature, but I think everyone becomes like this when they level up. No, seriously.

I released my hand from the warhammer and picked up the coins. After blowing off the salt with wind, I handed one to each of them.

"Here you go. The drops from the monsters you defeated."

We had decided beforehand that any drops we got here would be theirs. Excluding the test, this was their first real battle.

Being able to take home drops would boost their motivation, and motivation is crucial for leveling up. Well, the compensation for these drops was included in my payment anyway.

While they accepted the coins with some confusion, I collected the drops from the other monster. Just as I handed them to Busujima-san, a quiet telepathic message came from Erina-san at the rear.

'Kyō-chan. The next monsters seem to have been drawn by the noise. There are two of them.'

"Roger. You two, the next ones are here. We'll do it the same way as before, so get ready."

"Y-Yes!"

"...Right."

With Busujima-san and the others hastily readying their weapons again behind me, I faced the approaching Lesser Treants.

They were opponents that had given me trouble when I had just become an adventurer, but now they were easier to handle than stray cats. I just had to read their movements with my Spirit Eye, evade, get behind them, and lift them up.

"Alright, let's continue leveling."

With this method, they probably wouldn't learn any 'combat techniques.'

But the request was for 'safe leveling' in the first place. Besides, martial arts aren't something you can learn overnight.

We didn't know when the 'threat' they spoke of would come, so gaining power quickly was the priority. As a bonus, it would also erase any hesitation they had about hitting an enemy. Two birds, one stone.

Besides, in an Awakened Person's battle, skill is of course important, but stats and skills carry more weight. I realized that when I saw Miyoshi-san's castle wall get pulverized in two hits by Lefcourse.

'Grind levels and hit them with raw power.' This phrase, often used in the gaming community for攻略, was now applicable to reality. How strange.

For the next hour and a half, we explored the dungeon.

Thanks to this being a relatively unpopulated dungeon, it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Partway through, Busujima-san's mana started running low, so I lent her my longsword and had her slash at the Lesser Treants.

Intuitively, it seemed that just because she was using my weapon, the experience points didn't flow to me. Thanks to its sharpness, Busujima-san was able to defeat the monsters faster than Ooyama-san the dwarf, which was surprising.

If this was the case, maybe I should have lent it to her from the start.

On the other hand, the fingers holding the Lesser Treant were a little scared. No, I knew her physical strength couldn't break through my gauntlets, but, well, seeing it from the front, it had a pretty good edge, so...

Wait, I usually swing this thing around...? I really need to be careful not to accidentally cut an ally.

"Hah... hah...!"

"Sorry... need another break..."

"Yes, that's fine. I'll keep watch, so please sit down and rest."

Also, their physical exhaustion was quite surprising.

But on second thought, maybe this was normal when your stats weren't developed yet. I had my Sage's Nucleus, and according to Aira-san, Erina-san was a physical elite.

So this was what a 'normal adventurer' was like. It might sound a bit condescending, but I think I learned something.

While they rested, I crushed the Lesser Treants that came along, nodding to myself internally.

And so we continued, but then...

'...Kyō-chan, I hear a loud noise from the room up ahead.'

"Other adventurers?"

'Nope. Probably a Treant.'

A Treant... the boss monster here.

'What do you want to do? Take it down?'

"...No, let's follow protocol and head back."

'Okay.'

We had beginners with us. I didn't want to set a bad example and distort the basic rule of 'if you find a boss monster, run.'

"Hey you two, there's a boss monster up ahead, so we're heading back!"

"Huh?"

"...Got it."

While Erina-san was talking to Busujima-san and the others, I kept my guard up. This kind of thing was more mentally exhausting than I thought.

I glanced back at the self-proclaimed ninja. I usually left most of the scouting to her, but I was reminded of how grateful I was for it...

Thinking about it this way, I might have gained quite a lot from this request.

We passed through the gate Erina-san opened and teleported near the exit. We reported the discovery of the boss monster to the SDF personnel there and withdrew.

In the rest area of the store, Busujima-san stared at her own hands and muttered in a daze.

"...I can't believe I reached Level 3 in a single day."

"In exchange, my arms and legs are like jelly."

Busujima-san and Ooyama-san were slumped in their chairs. If it weren't for the fatigue problem, they should have reached Level 5 today, so we were actually a little behind schedule.

I would have to rethink my approach on that front. I needed to get back in touch with how it felt before I Awakened.

"Good work, you two! That's all for today's leveling! Hooray! Yay!"

Following Erina-san's applause, I clapped my hands a little too.

I was finally free. There was no reason not to celebrate, except for the stares from those around us...!

"...Erina-san, Yagawa-san. Thank you so much for today. We look forward to working with you again next time."

"We're counting on you."

"Leave it to me!"

"...Yes."

I sounded like a mosquito. My work mode was reaching its limit.

But just a little longer. A little longer, and I would be free...! I could go home and enjoy the rest of my day off...!

And I wouldn't forget to crush Aira-san, who had turned into a car navigation system partway through. That woman really had no intention of joining the conversation.

"Alright, now that the dungeon exploration is over--- "

I wonder if we could just dismiss here. I really want to just run home by myself.

"---let's head over to Shī-chan's house!"

"Right."

"Yes."

Wait, what?