Chapter 7: Level Up
By the time the Magic Power Clock (from the Eeyon Explorer Beginner Set) showed 6:00 PM, I had caught 53 dragonflies and 83 grasshoppers.
I guess catching 100 grasshoppers in a single day was too much to ask…
I had 136 magic stones—calculating at 40 yen each, that’s 5,440 yen. In terms of net hourly wage, it’s about 1,200 yen.
At my previous job, if you factored in unpaid overtime, my hourly wage was around 700 yen.
Considering that, this is a pretty good haul for my first day.
No, more importantly than that…
“…That was actually pretty fun.”
As soon as I caught them, the insects would go poof! poof! and turn into magic stones. That was a satisfying feeling.
Towards the end, perhaps because I’d gotten used to it, I was able to catch dragonflies with just the fingers of one hand, or snatch grasshoppers out of mid-air.
I couldn’t do that when I was a kid. Is this what it means to become an adult?
I didn’t feel like I was hitting my physical limits, and I ended up catching so many insects it felt like overkill.
“Hm…?”
Come to think of it, I’d completely forgotten.
“Status, open.”
I displayed my own status.
Name: Natsume Kouichi
Level: 6
Experience: 29.5 / 162
HP: 32
MP: 10
Attack: 12
Defense: 11
Speed: 39
Intelligence: 10
Skill: 【Childlike Heart】
Special Ability: Monster Creature Encyclopedia
“Whoa!”
Checking it, I saw my level had gone up by 5 without me noticing.
The fact that it became easier to catch insects in the latter half was probably thanks to leveling up, not just getting used to it.
Only ‘Speed’ has increased disproportionately, but that might be due to my personal belief that being fast on your feet is cooler.
“Hey, with stats like these…”
If I remember correctly, the entry restriction for Ota Dungeon was a total status of 50 or more.
I clear that with plenty to spare.
“Haha…”
For ten years, ever since I took the National Dungeon Aptitude Test, I’d been constantly putting myself down.
My MP was zero, and all my other stats were at their lowest.
I thought someone like me wouldn’t be needed by anyone, whether inside a dungeon or out.
But that complex was dispelled in just half a day.
I had managed to obtain stats that would allow me to start as a normal Explorer.
Once this happens, I start getting greedy.
“I’d like to try going to a normal dungeon like Ota. It seems like it’d be fun with Otama-chan. But I don’t want to drag her down, so for now, I want to learn an attack skill…”
As expected, for the time being, my priority is to get stronger in this dungeon.
Today, I achieved this much just by walking around the rice paddies.
My HP has gone up too, so tomorrow I’d like to try going into the forest area.
I’m a bit worried about bees, but more than anything, I want to find some rhinoceros beetles.
☆★☆
When I stepped out of the dungeon gate’s door, it was pitch black outside.
The summer scenery inside the dungeon felt like a dream world.
Only the feel of the magic stones in my item pouch told me that what happened in the dungeon was real.
☆★☆
The next day.
I had come to the Eeyon Explorer’s Association to exchange yesterday’s magic stones for cash.
I could have waited until I’d saved up a bit more, but I figured I’d report my first day’s results to Yamada-san and see if I could get some advice.
When I went to the Association’s office, Yamada-san wasn’t there; only Otama-chan was.
“Yo. Where’s Yamada-san?”
“Mornin’, Ko-chan. Yamada-san’s off today.”
“Is that so…”
Truth be told, I’d been bothered by what Yamada-san said on the first day I discovered the dungeon: “What will you do if the dragonflies are poisonous?”
While I was cashing in the magic stones, I was thinking of telling her my current stats and asking if it would be okay to explore all over my Private Dungeon.
“What? Cashing in magic stones?”
“That’s part of it, but…”
I explained the purpose of my visit.
At that, Otama-chan feigned exaggerated surprise.
“Whaaat?! You’re already Level 6?! In a normal dungeon, even if you dived non-stop, that would take like 20 days!?”
“Is that how it is?”
“Well, a goblin only gives 2 experience points, and you can’t really push yourself too hard when your level is low…”
To think that one of those grasshoppers gives the same experience as a goblin…
My Private Dungeon seems to be quite efficient.
“Hey, hey, put your hand here for a sec.”
“What’s this?”
It was a device that looked like a black plate connected to a small display by a cable.
“It’s a Magical Status Measuring Device. I wanna see Ko-chan’s stats too.”
“Can’t be helped, I guess. Don’t misuse it, okay?”
“Ehehe, I’ll think about it after I see them.”
“Honestly…”
I placed my palm on the black plate.
The display showed the same stats I had seen in the dungeon.
“Whoa… you really are Level 6. I’m shocked~. You have no idea how much I struggled… Hey, how did you level up when there weren’t even any monsters?”
“About that…”
I took out a small bag containing 136 magic stones from my item pouch.
“I was catching insects in the dungeon, and before I knew it, my level had gone up. Catching a grasshopper gives 2 experience points. Apparently, it’s a perk of the 【Childlike Heart】 skill written on the display.”
“Ehh~… You should struggle more… You’re gonna make me cry, you know?”
“No, it’s too early to cry. Actually, I was planning to level up in the Private Dungeon again today.”
“Eh, no fair~”
“So, I was thinking of asking Yamada-san if it would be okay for me to wander around the dungeon from end to end with these stats. Oh, right. I have an antidote.”
“Hmm, hmm…”
Otama-chan nodded exaggeratedly.
“You know, this is on the premise that being an Explorer is your own responsibility, but… I’ll give you my opinion.”
“Thanks, I’d love to hear it.”
“…If you ask me, there’s nothing to worry about. Yamada-san was just trying to scare Ko-chan since you haven’t taken the training course.”
“Is that true?”
“Yup. You hardly ever see monsters with poison on the first floor. Besides, any creature that doesn’t trigger Yamada-san’s 【Presence Detection】 skill isn’t a monster. It’s something else, something safe, you know?”
“What do you mean, something else?”
“I don’t know about that, but… Well, I’m an Explorer too, you know. Trust an Explorer’s intuition!”
I didn’t quite understand her reasoning, but she declared it with such confidence.
“Haha…”
Well, it’ll probably be fine.
Today, I’ll try going to the forest area of my Private Dungeon.
☆★☆
—In the end, the買取 price for the 136 magic stones came out to 5,500 yen after tax.
That’s higher than I expected. Lucky me.
“Well then, I’m off to dive again today.”
As I said that and was about to leave the Explorer’s Association, Otama-chan spoke.
“Um, I have a favor to ask… Could you let me into your dungeon sometime…? To be honest, my growth as an Explorer has hit a plateau… I’m looking for a hint to get to the next stage.”
“Yeah, come over on your next day off. I’ll be waiting. It’s our Secret Base, after all.”
At that, Otama-chan smiled happily.
“Thanks, Ko-chan! I’m looking forward to it!”
And so, for the first time in a while, I made plans to hang out (?) with Otama-chan.