Chapter 34: Facing the Unknown

"Takayama Dungeon is basically all about food, right?"

"Well… yeah, pretty much."

As a student, Asakawa-san doesn't have much reason to explore dungeons outside of the Shibuya Dungeon, which is conveniently close to her home. Honestly, even if you're not a student, not many people have much connection to dungeons outside their immediate area. I noticed a few comments in the chat from viewers asking about different dungeons, so it seems like there's interest in hearing about them.

"What's the weirdest dungeon you've been to?"

"…?"

I'm not really sure what she means by "weird," but I'll play along.

Kisaragi Tsukasa Ch

: Weird as in what?

: The environment or something?

: Shibuya Dungeon is pretty standard, so maybe she means something like that?

"If you mean the environment… then probably the Nagoya Dungeon."

"Really?"

Kisaragi Tsukasa Ch

: Isn't Nagoya Dungeon just another dungeon?

: Oh, I've heard about that one…

: Isn't that the one where you can mine rare metals?

: You'll get it when you see it for yourself.

: I live in Nagoya. The environment in that dungeon is so harsh I gave up on becoming an explorer.

Asagao Ch

: Rare metals? For real?

: That sounds like a goldmine dungeon!

: The government should fully explore that dungeon.

: They can't, that's the problem…

: There's no way to clear that dungeon, it's too tough.

: Just send in the EX-rankers, they'll handle it.

"A lot of people don't seem to know about it."

"Is it really that bad?"

"You can find out for yourself if you do a bit of research."

I thought the harsh environment of Nagoya Dungeon was common knowledge, but apparently, not everyone's aware of it.

Of course, I've been to Nagoya Dungeon myself. When I reached the middle layers, all I could think about was how much I wanted to go home.

"We're almost there."

"Already?"

"Yup, just about."

I've been keeping track of every stair we've descended, so I know exactly which floor we're on. Right now, Kirin is racing through the 39th floor.

"Here we are, the stairs to the 41st floor."

"Wow… looking at these stairs reminds me of how I almost died here."

Asagao Ch

: Asagao-chan's trauma spot.

: If you're traumatized, you wouldn't come this far down again.

: This brings back memories of that legendary stream.

: Better turn back before another dragon shows up.

: Maybe we should just head back now.

Come on, she's been down to the lower floors with me plenty of times since that incident. Granted, I've never let her ride Kirin until now, but we've visited for training several times off-stream. Searᴄh the nôᴠel Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"And now, the real part of the stream begins."

"Just another training session… or maybe not. I'll be using the high-powered spells I've been working on, so I'll give it my all!"

Kisaragi Tsukasa Ch

: Go for it!

: You got this!

: This feels way too casual.

: Kisaragi doesn't seem tense at all about heading to the lower floors.

: Well, he's EX-rank, after all.

What do people think being EX-rank means? I'm still human; I get scared too. I can't even watch horror movies.

Think about it like this: even if a place is considered scary by others, if you're used to walking through it every day on your way to school, you don't get scared every time you pass by. The lower floors are just a route I take to reach the deeper levels of the dungeon. That's all.

"The 41st floor doesn't have too many tough monsters, so it's better to train on the 42nd floor."

"…Are you saying that to the viewers?"

"Yes. I think sharing information about the lower floors would be helpful for them."

"Hmm… there's a disconnect in how dangerous this place is perceived."

Kisaragi Tsukasa Ch

: I mean, most of us don't go to the lower floors just to train.

: Are you giving a tour of a suicide spot?

: Definitely a landmark…

: Training on the lower floors is just ridiculous.

: Don't treat the lower floors like a grinding spot in a video game.

"It's not me who's grinding for levels here."

Kisaragi Tsukasa Ch

: That's not the point.

: What…

: This guy is seriously out of touch.

: Well, he's EX-rank, so…

Why does it feel like there's a lot of misinformation about EX-rank explorers?

"Enemy ahead!"

"Hmm?"

As soon as we stepped onto the lower floor, a dog with two heads came into view down the corridor. With three heads, it'd be a Cerberus, but with two, it's probably an Orthrus.

Seeing that Orthrus made me think—maybe I should start summoning monsters from mythology, not just Japanese yokai. I'd need to study more to fill in the gaps in my knowledge, but it's something to consider.

"Is there any strategy for dealing with that dog?"

"This is my first time seeing it."

"Oh… wait, what?"

"Yeah, same here."

Kisaragi Tsukasa Ch

: Lol, seriously?

: You don't know either?

: What's going on here?

: So much for strategy tips…

: You've got to be kidding me.

I don't know everything about the lower floors. Compared to the deeper floors, my knowledge is limited. Sure, I know the environment and the routes downward, but new monsters pop up from time to time, even in the upper floors. It's pointless to try memorizing everything.

"O-Okay… I'll handle this somehow."

Asagao Ch

: You better!

: Protect her!

: You're the one who should be dealing with new enemies!

: Be careful, Asagao-chan!

As soon as Orthrus noticed us, it charged. Up close, it's surprisingly big, though not quite as large as an ogre. Despite its bulk, it moved sluggishly, with fire flickering in both of its mouths.

Still, with Asakawa-san's ability to sense magical energy, she'll be able to react to whatever it tries. I'm not too worried.

Kisaragi Tsukasa Ch

: I tuned in to watch Kisaragi, though…

: Well, it's the lower floors, so…

: It's his first stream, cut him some slack.

: I guess it can't be helped.

Asagao Ch

: She's gotten way stronger since last time.

: Must be the influence of that guy.

: That sounds kinda sketchy.

: Hard to believe she almost died down here before.

: The camera can't keep up with her movements—she's too fast!

Asakawa-san blocked Orthrus's initial fire attack with several layers of magical shields before firing a compressed lightning beam from her fingertips. She told me it takes a lot of concentration to compress the magic, so she can only deploy up to five at once, which is a downside. I never even thought of compressing magic like that.

Orthrus took the beam head-on, but its skin seemed incredibly tough—only a few scorch marks were left.

"This might be tougher than I thought."

Kisaragi Tsukasa Ch

: You're just watching, but shouldn't you step in?

: Are you gonna help?

: Nah, not yet.

: He'll step in when it's time.

"It doesn't help anyone if I'm too overprotective… oops."

A stray fireball almost hit me.

Honestly, that Orthrus doesn't seem like the kind of monster that should be appearing on the uppermost lower floors. Still, Asakawa-san should be able to handle it. If she can take it down confidently, she's beyond Rank C already.

Kisaragi Tsukasa Ch

: I underestimated her—Asagao-chan is legit monster class.

: The basic moves of both of them are so fast it's hard to follow.

: That dog is way tougher than it looks.

: Well, it's the lower floors.

: Asagao-chan can use magic while wielding a spear and still move at that speed?

"That dog—if I had to name it, I'd call it Orthrus—seems a bit slow. It's definitely strong, but I think a well-placed strike to a vital spot should take it down."

Kisaragi Tsukasa Ch

: Um, that's easier said than done.

: Where exactly is its vital spot?

: Too fast…

: "A well-placed strike" (Yeah, right).

: Where exactly is the vital spot?

"…The heart?"

Actually, where is it? If it were me, I'd aim to decapitate the two heads right off the bat. Sure, it's risky to get that close, but the reward is worth it. And if you're not in real danger, isn't that risk worth taking?