CH 51.1

“Amazing, squeak! It’s moving, squeak! Pigya!” (Tamiko)

“Well. It is a bit shaky, but…” (Shuu)

Not just a little. It was shaking so unsteadily that it looked as if it were an attraction at a small local amusement park. If you try to speak carelessly, you might bite off your tongue.

Through the door, I could see what was going on outside. The gray surface of the rock continued for a long time, and then, just for a few seconds, we caught a glimpse of the metro level. The dungeon scene is familiar to my party, but it is refreshing to see the shadows of people in the vicinity.

“Um… is Auntie going to ride too…?” (Shuu)

“Eh, of course, right? I’m an elevator girl, you know.” (Auntie)

I wonder if I misheard her.

“What is it, are you new to this? When an elevator has a girl riding with you it is meant to keep away the plague of accidents that may occur. It’s a good luck charm, so to speak.” (Auntie)

She winked with a bang.

“It’s a dangerous job, but you know, in ten years I’ve never had an accident while I’ve been on board. You should feel like you’re on a big boat.” (Auntie)

“Thank you so much.” (Shuu)

Here, too, is a mysterious tradition of New Tokyo.

The violent shaking is making me feel a little sick. Tamiko on my shoulder looks as if she is having a hard time, and Noa looks pale. Only the veteran attendant, the auntie, is standing upright without a care in the world. She neither gripped the handrail nor leaned against the wall. What a powerful gut!

The torturous time felt like an eternity. I kept thinking, “Get up, get up, get up. Finally, the goal will come.” With a final loud shudder, the elevator comes to a standstill.

“Yes, we’ve arrived. How do you like it, don’t you feel safe with me?”  (Auntie)

“Thank you very much…” (Shuu)

Noa, who went out with a wobbling footsteps, crouched and vomited. Tamiko was clinging to my shoulder, frozen and quiet.

Even me who had a weak stomach on vehicles, was much better than them. Is it because my inner ears have been strengthened by my battle experience and I have level up quite high, or is it the effect of [Immortality]?

“You guys, if you need to go back home, use the commercial one. You’ll be charged if you have a lot of luggage.” (Auntie)

“Oh, yes.” (Shuu)

“Don’t work yourself too hard. I used to be a hunter myself, but those Rock Dolls are tough.” (Auntie)

The Auntie gets into the elevator again, it moves back up. After seeing her off, I rubbed Noa’s back while she was still on her knees.

“I wonder what powers that thing? I heard that electricity is not allowed in this country.” (Shuu)

“…I don’t know… but it’s a lever that activates something, and the gears start rattling…” (Noa)

“Thank you. Sorry, no need to talk.” (Shuu)

In ancient times, or even in modern times before the development of steam and hydraulic systems, it is said that elevators were operated by human power.

“Noa, are you okay? Do you need a break?” (Shuu)

“…No, I’m okay. Let’s go.” (Noa)

Noa stood up stoutly. Tamiko is also revived before I know it.

“…ugh, then let’s go.” (Noa)

Treasure that has yet to be seen – gold, silver, colorful gems, and mithril.

It is an adventure in the “Rock Doll Mine” of Ouji Metro.

Then, Tamiko pukes on my shoulder.

The rock wall is grayish. It reflects the light of the Firefly Moss, making it seem brighter than the Outsuka Metro.

We leave the elevator and follow the map to find the stairs to the bottom.

On the way, I see a group of half-naked men lying on the ground. I glance at them and they raise their hand in greeting. They close their eyes, turn over, and scratch their butts.

“The miners are mostly [Peasant], right? I’m getting nervous because they don’t seem to be in danger.” (Shu)

“I think there are almost no Metro Beasts on the tenth floor, except for the occasional golem.” (Noa)

“Is that so?” (Shuu)

“The normal Metro Beasts have been hunted down for so long that only golems can be found here.” (Noa)

They even brought in a civilized device like an elevator and did pretty much whatever they wanted to do. I can understand why the Metro-loving Church followers are upset.

“If they were normal, they wouldn’t be out there like that because there are no enemies except the golem. They walk around and search for minerals, and when a golem comes out, they get together and kill it. That is their job. They are workers, so they must know how to fight and what their weak points are, but they probably have accidents every once in a while.” (Noa)

“I see.” (Shuu)

Fighting miners, though they look like pandas in the late afternoon notwithstanding, they are a little bit cool.

“But that’s why. The remaining resources are decreasing, and the Church is also angry. If we don’t develop further, this town may eventually become unsustainable.” (Noa)

“It’s going to be just another hot spring town. That’s one thing.” (Shuu)

While we are talking like that, we find a staircase. The map is of great benefit to us. Attentively, there are signs “B10” and “↓B11″ hammered into the wall at the entrance and exit of the stairway. There is also a metal fence, perhaps to prevent Metro Beasts from coming up.

“From here on down, there are no ordinary people. There should be both reasonably strong golems and other Metro Beasts.” (Noa)

“Ok. So this is where we start our work.” (Shuu)

“We have my front teeth, squeak!” (Tamiko)

“Reliable.” (Shuu)

By the way, Tamiko has moved from the puke-covered right shoulder to the left shoulder.

There is also a fence at the end of the long flight of stairs.

Ouji Metro, eleventh basement floor.

At a quick glance, it looks almost the same as the tenth floor.

But it is quiet. I could hardly hear any sign of life, or even the slightest noise.

“I don’t mind moving forward, but for the time being, I’d like to try hunting golems.” (Shuu)

Noa had already given us an outline of what to expect, and the guidebook also included a map with some disturbing strategy information: “First Time in Ouji Metro: A Guide to Defeating Golem for Anyone”. However, I still wanted to try my hand at it once to get a feel for it. I wanted to see how the golem felt while it was in a shallow level, and before any strong individuals appeared.

According to the guidebook, the golem is “a type of tricky Metro Beast that pops up suddenly.”

Metro Beasts usually reproduce by having males and females take turns like beasts, forming families and colonies that increase and decrease as they win territory or are threatened by foreign enemies. The fact that there are no other Metro Beasts by the tenth floor means that they have been eliminated by humans.

Golems are said to be living creatures, so whether sexual or asexual, they are reproducing and increasing in number, and it seems that their numbers are not decreasing, no matter how much we hunt them. Golems are still springing up whether above or below the tenth floor.

“—Ah, there it is, Shuu-san.” (Noa)

“Eh?” (Shuu)

“There, that’s the mineral. You’re lucky, you found it in a busy place.” (Noa)

“…What… That?” (Shuu)

I crouched down and observed it intently. The mushrooms are about five centimeters in size and grow on the side of the road. Or rather, it looks like a stone in the shape of a mushroom.

“This is an Ore Fungus.” (Noa)

“Ore Fungus?” (Shuu)

I picked up the handle with trepidation. The base snapped off when I plucked it, and it was as heavy as it looked. If it were displayed at my front door, none would doubt that it was an ordinary object carved from stone.

“The mushroom’s reproductive body is like a flower for spreading spores, and the main body is the mycelium that is spreading in the ground. Ore Fungus is the same way. They are spread all over the bedrock of the Ouji Metro, absorbing minerals from the ground and producing crystallized reproductive bodies.” (Noa)

“That’s amazing.” (Shuu)

What kind of creature is that? What does it mean?

“We don’t know much about its ecology. It is the key to the distribution of metal products in New Tokyo. I believe that our frying pans and pots were originally shaped like this.” (Noa)

“I see. …Wow, New Tokyo…” (Shuu)

Mineral mining work means hunting fungus in the labyrinth. The Fungus Civilization has reached its peak.