CH 116

The appearance of the Hero Party standing on the stage had changed drastically from before. The equipment was flashy but did not interfere with the fight, and the defensive power was high.

There are a lot of people between the Hero Party and us, so we can’t reach them and use [Inspection], but there is such a thing as equipment that you can tell just by looking at it. This is the equipment that enemies drop in dungeons.

Compared to the past, the quality of equipment made by humans has improved greatly. With the advent of more and more explorers, more and more details about skills, magic, and unusual ways of using them are revealed. The next step is to establish a technique for making equipment using dungeon items.

Equipment made from dungeon items with proper technology and skills can surpass the performance of stab-proof and bullet-proof clothing that was made before the dungeon appeared, but only in the dungeon will those be useful.

However, even such equipment pales in comparison to the equipment that rarely drops from unique monsters in dungeons.

Most of the equipment dropped by unique monsters is flashy, as if they ignore usability and durability. The equipment of the heroes’ party is different, shining with gold, sprouting spurs, or looking like bare tree roots. If this were any ordinary explorer, I would have guessed that they were wearing strange equipment to stand out, but it would be meaningless for the Hero Party to do such a thing.

“Brother, the Hero Party are amazing. The quality of their equipment might be better than ours.” (Haru)

“We’re just improving the ones we bought. Their base stats are low.” (Kei)

The only disadvantage we have over the Hero Party is our numbers.  No matter how fast we defeat monsters, unique monsters will not always appear. Also, defeating a unique monster doesn’t always drop equipment, and even if they do, it’s usually something we can’t use.

“I remember you dropping a sword before. Why didn’t brother use it?” (Haru)

“That sword is too long. It’s almost ten centimeters longer than my current one. It would have been a hindrance in a fight.” (Kei)

“I have a tonfa, you know. I’ve never seen a tonfa as a drop. I guess equipment that isn’t common doesn’t get dropped in dungeons either.” (Haru)

Most explorers get equipment from dungeons and sell it if it’s not for their use. Basically, explorers who use dropped equipment sell a lot of their own unused equipment and use the money they save to buy equipment that other people have put up for sale.

In our case, we don’t get much money because we choose to save the quantity and quality of the equipment we sell. Of course, we can’t buy equipment that other people have sold, so we have to put up with it by improving our own equipment.

On the stage, the progress of the dungeons and explorers up to today is shown on the screen as a video.

The dungeon appeared, and the exploration began. Ordinary people were able to dive into dungeons. A way to make potions was found, and a technique to make equipment was found. But when you think about it.

“But when you think about it, it hasn’t been that long since the dungeons appeared.” (Kei)

“I thought so too.” (Haru)

The video that started with the first stampede ended up showing the car we were looking at and then disappeared with a single sentence.

“Starting now, our Investigation about Dungeons is just about to begin!”

“It’s just the beginning, isn’t it?” (Kei)

“Starting now.” (Haru)

The events that happened in the hidden room came to Haru and my mind. And also our old man’s words.

“The dungeon’s development is still in its infancy, and problems will occur in the future.” (Kei)

“In the first place, we’ve had too many problems to begin with.” (Haru)

The Stampede, the Gan Ceann, the Chimera. The dungeon often poses a threat to us. It’s a natural disaster, and it’s our own weakness that causes us to get hurt, and it’s our own fault for choosing to become explorers.

However, the hidden room raises the possibility that the stampede was the result of human malice. New things are created, and many people gather. As time goes by, some people will try to do something. And one day, some people will succeed in their schemes.

Both explorers and dungeons alike.

“What about dungeons?” (Kei)

Something stuck in my mind. What I had experienced in the dungeon, what my father had told me, what I had seen on social media. A lot of information rushed through my mind.

“Haru, there’s something I want to look into when we get home.” (Kei)

“What?” (Haru)

“I’ve got an idea about what our old man was talking about.” (Kei)

Haru turned to me and tilted her head with serious eyes.

“It’s not that I hadn’t noticed it, but I hadn’t thought about those.” (Kei)

I wasn’t sure about both the maid and the Demon King. I don’t even know what he meant by those. But I think this is something that my old man wondered about.

“Why is the slime a slime.”

Only the slime is both a weird living creature and a monster.