CH 29

We woke up earlier than usual and are getting ready to go to the dungeon in Tokyo.

Haru is working on engraving the Magic Circle on our weapons, and I’m checking what we need to bring with us.

I’ll bring an item pouch with me, but I can’t use it in public. The item pouch was attached to the top of my underwear like a secret pouch so that it would not come off. I took out all the things we didn’t need in the item pouch and packed the things we did need.

First, potions. The machete and iron pipe that we had used before were also spare weapons. And plates with garbage skills. There was no use for them at the moment, but if we used them with something else, there was a possibility that they could be useful. At any rate, the trouble with skills is that they usually only affect the thing they are attached to upon activation.

For example, the [Deodorize] skill I found yesterday. I am the one who triggers the skill, but it is the object to which the skill is attached that actually activates the skill.

As a result, only the object to which the skill is attached, the plate engraved with the word [Deodorize], will be deodorized.

And like this, there is no skill that can be used by itself among the garbage skills. Still, though, just in case. It doesn’t matter if we have all of them because they don’t weigh much.

“Okay, I’m done.” (Haru)

The sound of metal grinding in the basement stopped, and I heard Haru report that she was finished.

“Well, let’s finish up and get going?” (Kei)

The finishing touches are usually applied using [Alchemy]. I thought I’d put some trash skills on Haru’s tonfa for good measure.

And since there are a lot of trash skills, we don’t have to worry about the number.

For Haru’s tonfa, I used [Alchemy] to transfer the [Strong Slash] to a card, and from another card, I transferred [Shock Absorption] to the tonfa.

It takes a little more time, but yesterday I was able to move the skill by itself. When I  do that, the substance doesn’t change, and the material for the alchemy is not consumed. The skill is the only one used.

So [Shock Absorption]. It absorbs most of the impact that is applied, but of course, the impact that is absorbed and has no place to escape is fully contained within the object that has the skill.

In other words, it absorbs shocks that should have escaped to the surrounding area, resulting in taking in an abnormal amount of force during attacks. If the skill were to be applied to a piece of armor, it would be blown off in one shot. In fact, when I tried it once with a low-rank Wolf’s fur, it fell apart with a single blow, and the skills I had given it were lost.

So, this is the skill for a tough metal tonfa.

“Then, let’s go.” (Kei)

“Yup.” (Haru)

We put on our backpacks, Haru puts her weapon in her case and puts it in her backpack. I wrapped the scabbard with a piece of string to keep it in place, then wrapped a piece of cloth around it and tied it to the backpack.

Then we rode our bicycles to the nearest station and took the train to the nearest station of the Tokyo Dungeon.

“Hmm. There are a lot of people.” (Haru)

“I thought there would be fewer people since it was a weekday. There are a lot of people with weapons.” (Kei)

“A carry bag, a golf bag, a guitar case, etc. I want one.” (Haru)

“Maybe we’ll buy one when we have enough money.” (Kei)

While talking about such things, we entered the Guild and not the Dungeon Dam. The reason was simple.

“Please give me a permit to carry a weapon.” (Kei)

It was to apply for a weapon. In order to enter a dungeon, you have to carry a weapon, so you have to apply for a permit to carry your own weapon. I had a sword and six knives. Haru applied for two tonfas and a knife. We don’t have to give any details about our weapons, as it would be personal information and show our individual abilities.

“Yes, sir. I’ve confirmed it. If you use any weapons other than these in the dungeon, please be aware that you will be subject to questioning.” (Receptionist)

“Thank you very much.” (Kei)

I bailed out to the receptionist and started to enter the Dungeon Dam, but then I stopped.

“Haru. What’s that?” (Kei)

“Some kind of skill. I think it’s the kind of skill that can be used outside the dungeon.” (Haru)

At the entrance to the Dungeon Dam, there was a thin layer of magic swirling around. Only Haru, who has a passive [Magic Manipulation], can do such a thing without using any skill. In other words, that is the magical power of the skill. And,

“It means that there is a possibility it is something similar to analysis.” (Kei)

“So, I don’t think it’s necessary for the other party’s consent like my [Analysis] to take effect, regardless of anyone.” (Haru)

“Can you shoot magical power from here and hinder it?” (Kei)

“I think I can do it, but I’ll definitely look suspicious. Oh, it stopped.” (Haru)

The skill suddenly stops while we were talking not able to proceed. I wondered why it stopped for a moment, and I hurriedly looked at the clock. Just one minute, staring at the second hand. Magical power began to flow again.

I don’t know the active time, but I know that the cool time is one minute. In other words, if I entered at that time, nothing would happen to me.

We slipped into the Dungeon Dam at the moment when the next skill was not in effect.

We finished the procedures to enter the dungeon during the one minute when the skill was supposed to be interrupted. It only takes about 10 seconds to confirm your identity, though.

“Then we’ll go to the locker room to get our gear and put our things in the lockers.” (Kei)

I was a little worried about Haru, but I quickly went to the changing room. Then I take a look at the surroundings, this seems safe enough. There were quite a few security guards.

I go into the changing room and put on my gear, which is basically what I wore when I came here: a breastplate and a hoodie. I untied the cloth and string wrapped around my sword and attached the sword to my waist with a belt. The hoodie had lost its Velcro effect when I used [Alchemy] it, so I sewed a strong magnet to fasten it to the front.

On the back of the hoodie is a pocket where I keep two knives, one on each side, for throwing or reserve use. I kept one Black Wolf dagger and one Wise Wolf dagger on my waist.

I finished my preparations, grabbed my stuff, and went outside to find Haru standing in front of my locker. It seems that no one is trying to pick up girls this time. Well, everyone is armed, and there are quite a few guards, so any guy who tries to pick up people here are either is very courageous or just foolish.

“Brother, you’re here. It seems that lockers are rented, so let’s use one together.” (Haru)

“Oh, I understand.”

I put mine and Haru’s belongings in a decent-sized locker and took the key.

“Hmm? What about the money?” (Kei)

“I for paid it. You’ll have to reimburse it when we get home.” (Haru)

“OK. Then let’s go.” (Kei)

“Yup.” (Haru)

Before entering the dungeon, I looked around and saw a lot of people wearing helmets and hoodies. This way, we won’t stand out too much.

I looked at the map of the first and second levels that had been left at the reception desk and confirmed that Haru had memorized the shortest distance to the third level and the surrounding area, and then we entered the dungeon. I put on my hood, hiding my face to the most obscured and natural degree.

“Haru, take a route that is close to the shortest route, but not quite, to the third layer. From there, we’ll go incognito.” (Kei)

“Okay. Follow me.” (Haru)

I followed Haru as she walked, but there were too many people around. It’s like we’re passing people every ten meters or so.

There’s a lot of people around us with western swords, but we also see a few katanas here and there. I guess there are many people who use swords in the early levels.

The fastest people who started exploring in April apparently started exploring the fourth level yesterday, and from the third level on, you rarely see people, and you can find a lot of monsters that haven’t been killed yet.

From the third level on, we rarely saw people and found many monsters that hadn’t been killed yet, but before that, most of them had been killed by someone and we couldn’t find any alive. Either way, the monsters could be defeated without taking out our weapons, but since we had to worry about being noticed, we had to move slowly and deliberately, catching the enemy’s movements, slashing at them by missing their vital points, and slashing them several times before defeating them.

However, this was quite stressful. That’s why I would sometimes kill them instantly while using my skills making sure that no one was around.

In addition, when I moved to the lower levels, I did so when there were no or few people around. So, I was running around the dungeon at my normal speed, trying to avoid meeting other explorers by keeping track of the surroundings and perceiving them.

Even when we turned, we kicked the wall without slowing down, so there was no way those monsters could handle us. We run through three levels without even killing a monster.

“Brother, a few reactions disappeared in the distance. They didn’t seem to be fighting, so they probably went to the lower level.” (Haru)

“Oh, yeah. Then we should too.” (Kei)

“Yeah. This way.” (Haru)

Even though Haru’s [Detection] can’t probe the structure of the dungeon, it can probe people’s actions. And since you can not interfere between the levels in the dungeon, if a person does not respond without fighting, it means that they have moved between levels.

Even though we ran while avoiding people, we reached the stairs to the fourth level in no time. It was risky to be seen even after the fourth level. That’s why it’s necessary to go without being seen. Just,

“What should I do with that?”

“You can’t get out of it, right?”

There was a party sitting at the bottom of the stairs. I was on the lookout, so I didn’t get spotted, but I was in a hurry because I was at the point where the level changes, so our [Detection] and [Perception] weren’t responding.

“Hey, there’s a monster a little further away. Can’t you attack it?” (Haru)

“No, how could I? You mean use [Positioning]?” (Kei)

“Yeah. In the same way when I used [Analysis] on Rimdobmur.” (Haru)

When Haru grabs my hand, the sight that Haru receives through her senses flows into my head. She uses [Detection] and makes it easier for me to see the monster clearly.

“I found it. [Loss]” (Kei)

There were four goblins, and there was no such thing as magic resistance for enemies on this level. You can use any kind of magic you want, and it will have the maximum effect.

The [Loss] I had used was fully applied to all of them, and the goblins noticed us. The goblins noticed me, or perhaps I should say that they noticed some kind of interference from our direction, since I don’t think they were actually able to fully detect us. I can see through Haru’s [Detection] that the goblins are running straight towards here.

“Hey, you guys. Three goblins have arrived! Get ready.” (Leader)

“”Ou!”” (Other Explorers)

With the voice of the man who seemed to be the leader, the three of them spread out with their weapons at the ready. And then the battle begins.

“These guys have weak attacks.” (Explorer)

“It’s our responsibility. Let’s do it quickly.” (Leader)

The men were so excited to kill the goblins that they didn’t notice the two shadows that passed by them at high speeds.

“There are no people on the fourth level, as expected.” (Haru)

“It’s been nine days since it opened to the public. They can’t dive all the time like us, so if they go to the fourth level, they must be first class, and if they go to the third level, they must be veterans.” (Kei)

“That’s right. Well, there are no people within the scope of [Detection]. And the monsters’ searching ability is too weak. But there are no stairs.” (Haru)

As we ran through the fourth level, we looked for the stairs to the fifth level. We weren’t too fatigued, but there was a lot of space on the fourth level, and it was getting difficult to find the entrance to the next floor.

“We’ll just have to be patient. It’s been about 30 minutes since I came to this level. Haa.” (Kei)

“That’s right. Haa.” (Haru)

We both let out a sigh, there were no stairs. Haru remembers and leads the way, so we shouldn’t go down the same way and fail. After all, the floor is too wide. At least it’s bigger than the dungeon in our house.

“Oh.” (Haru)

After running for another 30 minutes, I suddenly found a staircase next to it.

“You finally found it?” (Kei)

“Yep, let’s go to subdue the 5th level boss for the time being.” (Haru)

“Yeah, let’s not just kill it, let’s wait and see.” (Kei)

“Okay.” (Haru)

I changed my weapon to my dagger, and Haru held her Tonfa and we went across the door.