Episode 30.4

It's the 25th of month 1.

That morning, at first Lecan was going to the Mediation Office but he stopped short.

To begin with, he dislikes the facilities here.

The reception and information desk with those bombastic stone buildings.

A really large-scale trade and marketplaces.

And above all, the row of lodgings.

From the very cheapest to the unbelievably luxurious inns, it's got it all neatly lined up.

That in itself is not a bad thing, but Lecan couldn't help but feel revulsion when he first saw it.

They're treating adventurers like slaves.

You may get good plentiful meals and luxurious bed if you work for it, but how they're being managed and made to work is akin to slavery.

Lecan himself had no clue what made him feel that.

It might be because the way those staff members efficiently and casually handle crowds of adventurers looks like a livestock pen to him.

Of course those adventurers come here and explore the dungeon on their own volitions. That may be so, but seeing the staff manages how those adventurers proceed and the items they got in a mechanically sweeping manner just doesn't sit well with Lecan.

Lecan also loathes stone buildings. No way he could have a good rest in one such place. It was the reason he chose <Rafin's Rock Terrace Inn> even though it costs a bit more and is located slightly afar from the dungeon, and he has no regret.

So what about Mediation Office then.

It appears that trying to organize a cooperative diving with another random party by chance proves difficult in this dungeon. A party who wants to explore with another party will go to the Mediation Office. While a party who goes in the dungeon without looking for another party is a party who never plans to work together with another in the first place.

It's impossible to go on deeper floors without having the mediation office find you a matching party.

But Lecan just doesn't like how it works.

Besides, that official's gonna catch him if he goes there now.

For now he's decided to push through a few more floors with Arios.

The two <Warp>ed to floor 86, but instead of going straight to the boss room, they went in a normal room.

Five <Black Body> and four <Red Body>.

That's the enemy's composition in all floor 80s.

Just like yesterday, Lecan shot out a <Flame Spear> to signal the start of the fight. He made a <Flame Spear> that specifically focused on impact than piercing power. The magic looked more like a battering ram than a spear.

Afterward, Lecan would kill the <Black Bodies>'s mobility while Arios focused on disposing the <Red Bodies>, the battle would end before long.

Not sure why, all four <Red Bodies> would focus their attention to Lecan if he hit one of the <Black Body> with <Flame Spear> in the beginning, affording Arios plentiful opportunity to nicely get into position. And once Arios starts attacking, the nearby White Spectres would turn their attention to him, splitting up their aggro well.

One of the <Black Body> had a curious-looking weapon. Four blade claws furnished with wrist-straps that are used by gripping it with your hands, they're quite heavy and long. And it's also a Grace Gear. Arios didn't mention that it was one during the fight. Meaning Arios's insight on Grace Gear doesn't work too well on non-sword weapons.

Lecan involuntarily let out an 'ah', as he appraised the Grace Gear.

"What's the matter?"

"This weapon is called <Mount Raking Claws (Shelgragin)>. They pack some serious offensive power. The Grace is <Power Boost>, but with a stupid amount of boost multiplier. Think more than ten times."

"Eeeh."

"That's not all. These things' also got <Arm Break> Grace that has a chance of destroying any weapons that comes into contact with the claw parts at 1/3 probability."

"Ah. That kind of Grace has its effect manifest or not depending on where it sits in the hierarchical order."

"Hierarchical order?"

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"Grace Gear cannot affect another Grace Gear of higher order."

"Grace Gear of higher order?"

"Yes. But we're on floor 80s of a dungeon after all. I don't believe your average Grace Gear can stand up to this weapon."

"How do you even tell apart hierarchical orders between different Grace Gear?"

"I'm not sure. But <Appraisal> should be able to do that."

Lecan took the <Life Drain Sword> they got on floor 50s and then cast <Appraisal> while focusing on comparing the orders between Grace Gear. He did the same to the claws.

"Hou. These claws are of higher order."

"You can tell?"

"Had no idea about this <Appraisal> trick. That was informative."

"It's some real nice weapon we got this time."

"Yeah but I can't use these things. Guess it's straight to bargain bin."

"Eeeh?"

"You wanna?"

"I'm good."

"See? Ah, yeah."

Lecan tried comparing between <Sword of Rusk> and the claws with <Appraisal>, focusing on their hierarchical.

"How is it?"

"I know it's different but no way to tell."

"Is that right. But I believe the Grace <Arm Break> will work on any weapon that has no Grace."

"Really."

Its 1/3 probability means that you've got to consider the other weapon will be broken within three exchanges of blows.

<Sword of Rusk> is a good sword. A sword with the soul of its maker beaten into it. Lecan could only see it as unreasonable for a Grace Gear found in a dungeon to easily destroy it.

They conquered two other normal rooms afterward. Got no Grace Gear but a high quality ordinary long sword.

They had a meal in a vacant room. Some adventurers came by in the room when they were still eating, but those adventurers left immediately without saying anything once they saw Lecan and Arios.