Mob
Kousei No Ore Demo Boukensha Ni Nareba Riajuu Ni Naremasuka: Chapter #2
Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain
Episode 2 Betting Life on a One Million Yen Gacha
After school. I declined an invitation from my friends to
hang out and went to the Adventurer's Guild at Hachioji Station.
Basically, labyrinths appear randomly without warning,
but statistics showed that labyrinths were more likely to appear in areas with
higher populations. In order to cope with that, the adventurer's guilds were
generally set up inside station buildings.
Especially in the metropolis of Tokyo, almost every
reasonably large station had an adventurer's guild.
The reason why I went all the way to Hachioji instead of
the Tachikawa Adventurer's Guild, which was the nearest station to my school,
was because the Tachikawa Guild was Minamiyama's home guild.
Furthermore, this one was also closer to my home, so it
was easier to visit on holidays.
As I exited the ticket gate, I began to see people in
uniforms and civilian clothes, mixed in with those wearing tactical vests and
military rucksacks, all dressed in somewhat stuffy outfits.
It was not some university survival game club.
Adventurers made this station their home.
The eyes of people who see others as adventurers can be
roughly divided into three at a glance: indifference, envy, and admiration.
Ten years have passed since [Second Angolmore]... The
damage caused by the disaster, which was supposed to never happen again, still
remains as a big scar in people's hearts. Among the
people who suffered damage from monsters, there were even some who avoided the
benefits of labyrinths such as potions and magic tools.
And the most prominent which seemed to be a nuisance to
them was the presence of adventurers who used card monsters to earn a lot of
money and gaining attention.
...That said, in general, adventurers are still a coveted
profession in the eyes of the public. In fact, even now, a handsome Johnny's-type adventurer was surrounded by several
high school girls and tried to talk to him.
At first glance, he looked troubled, but it was obvious
from the outside that he was not unhappy about the situation.
I watched him with envy for a while as he disappeared
into the coffee shop opposite the ticket gate as if he was being dragged along
by the high school girls, but then I regained my composure and started walking.
A minute or so after exiting the ticket gate, I saw a
large building attached to the station - commonly known as the Guild Building.
This building, which was built several years ago, had a
grocery store in the basement, a restaurant on the first floor, adventurer
goods on the 23rd floor, an adventurer's guild on the 4th floor, a card shop on
the 5th floor, and a city hall on the 6th floor. Adventurers were able to do
all their errands in one place.
It seemed that there were complaints from the labyrinth
haters—the ones who hated labyrinths, especially those who were particularly vocal—about
the fact that the adventurer's guild and the city hall were in the same
building, but the city continued to wave them away.
One of the reasons for the city's insistence was that
Hachioji Station was designated as an evacuation center in the event of an
emergency.
Even if there were some complaints, it cannot be replaced
by safety in an emergency...
"Welcome to the Tokyo
Adventurer's Association. How may I help you today?"
When I went up to the 4th floor, a male employee who was
standing idle near the door spoke to me with a smile.
"Um, to register as an adventurer..."
"Yes. Please take a numbered ticket from window
number 4 over there."
"Ah, yes."
After a few minutes of waiting in the chair and checking
the necessary documents and cash, my number was called.
"Hello, how can I help you today?"
"Hello, um, I'd like to register as an
adventurer."
"It's an adventurer registration. For registration,
you need a registration fee of 100,000 yen, a card of rank D or higher, an ID
card that can confirm your current address, and if you are a minor, you need
documents such as a consent form from your guardian. Do you have them with you
today?"
"I have everything except the card."
"In that case, you will have to purchase the card on
the upper floor. If you are not an adventurer, you will need a staff member to
accompany you to purchase the card. Is that okay with you?"
It's the same flow as I had researched on the internet
beforehand.
I gave a small nod.
"Then, I'll call the person in charge, so please
wait a moment."
"I understand."
After I nodded, the female employee began to make a phone
call in a familiar manner. Then, less than ten seconds after she put down the
phone, a middle-aged man appeared from the back desk with a smile.
“Nice to meet you, my name is Shigeno.
"Ah, yes. Thank you very much."
"Then let me show you to the fifth floor."
I followed Shigeno-san up the stairs in the back of the
guild.
There was no elevator or escalator on the 5th floor of
this building, so you can only go up the stairs inside the Adventurer's Guild
to get there.
There were guards wearing bulletproof vests standing in
front of the stairs, and no ordinary person was allowed to enter.
Unlike the quiet and calm atmosphere of the 4th floor,
the 5th floor was bustling with many adventurers.
The atmosphere was similar to that of a trading card
store. Inside the store, there were many boards with copies of cards on them,
and the adventurers were staring at them intently.
Shigeno-san was moving swiftly as if he was weaving his
way through the gap between these adventurers. While I was intrigued by the
spectacle, I used the space Shigeno-san had made for me so that I wouldn't get
lost and followed him.
"Excuse me, I'd like to rent a booth to guide this
person who wish to register."
When Shigeno-san reached the counter and said that to a
staff, we were guided to a space blocked by thin walls and ornamental plants.
"Please have a seat."
"Oh, yes"
"May I ask your name first?"
"My name is Utamaro Kitagawa."
"So it’s Kitagawa-san. Again, my name is Shigeno. Since
this is Kitagawa-san’s first time purchasing a card, I will give you a brief
explanation."
"Please take care of me."
“Yes. Well, first of all, as you may know, monster cards
are cards that contain the monsters that exist in the labyrinth. Adventurers
will fight the monsters in the labyrinth by materializing these cards. The
cards can only be used in the labyrinth, in spaces where special magic tools
are used, and in emergency situations such as Angolmor. Are we clear so
far?"
"Yes"
When I nodded, Mr. Shigeno gave a small smile, then he
straightened his face.
"From here on, it will be a little more important.
First of all, the monsters summoned from the card by the user... from now on, let’s
call it the Master, the monster cannot harm their Master. Don't worry, this
includes actions such as playing around and ignoring that the Master is harmed.
In the first place, the Master can channel the damage from himself into the
card. So, as long as the card is there, the Master's safety is guaranteed. ....But
that doesn't mean that the card is absolutely obedient to the Master."
"Eh, is that so?"
I asked back, surprised at the unexpected new
information.
All the cards I saw on TV were obedient to their Master,
so I subconsciously believed that the cards were exactly like that.
"Yes. Cards are just as varied as human beings, from
the quiet to the rebellious. Some become more and more obedient as they are
used, while others stop listening to commands. Worst of all, some have even
been found to renounce all combat except for self-defense. Cards have ownership
rights, and by relinquishing these rights, the card's level of strength and
memory can be reset so that anyone can use it, but even after resetting, the
card's personality is inherited. Some used cards that have been used by
incompatible owners have become irrepressibly rebellious, and there have been
many problems for masters who have grabbed such cards."
"I see……"
I crossed my arms and groaned at Shigeno-san's
explanation.
I've heard that cards had different personalities. This
was because there were many threads on the internet saying things like "My tsundere vampire-chan is so cute that I am anemic
every day" and "My nekomata-chan is too capricious and harsh".
However, it seems that the card's personality is actually
more important than I thought.
"I have one question, but what do you do with those
very rebellious cards? Even if people buy it, they can't use it, right?"
"Since we can't help it, we are selling them at a
somewhat reduced price. I will explain it later, but please understand that
there are plenty of uses for such cards."
"I understand."
"Then I will explain the various functions of the
card next."
————Several tens of minutes later.
“This is the end of the explanation. If you have any
questions, please feel free to ask at any time.”
"……Thank you very much."
I bowed to Shigeno-san after listening to various
explanations about the card's detailed functions along with adventurer's duties
and rights.
It was a much more in-depth lecture than a class at
school, but strangely enough, it got into my head without a hitch. Perhaps
because it was something that interested me, or perhaps it was because I felt a
comfortable heat in my head.
“Well, thank you for waiting. Now, let's move on to the
purchase of cards.”
"Ah!!"
Shigeno-san's words brought me back to my senses.
I can feel my heart beating faster and faster. Swallowing
my saliva, I nodded.
"Yes. Yes, please take care of me."
"You don't have to be so nervous. This is a list of
D-rank cards. The minimum price is from 1 million yen, but is your budget
okay?"
"Yes, it is okay……"
With a trembling voice, I took out a million yen in an
envelope from my bag.
It was the crystallization of my sweat and tears, which I
had earned from my part-time job and from the annual gift I had saved up since
I was a kid.
Shigeno-san glanced at it and took out the binder without
even confirming the amount.
"You can pay the bill later. Please take your time
and choose the card you want."
After saying that, Shigeno-san began to wait quietly.
I started looking through the binder list with a sideways
glance, but...
(As expected, all
the popular cards are expensive... especially the monster girl cards are over 5
million yen... What I can buy with 1 million yen... is only unpopular cards
like orcs and ghouls.)
I closed my eyes for a moment and made up my mind.
In the next few minutes, the efforts of the past few
months may be in vain.
But even so, I decided to go for it.
"Excuse me."
"Yes? Have you decided?"
"No, it's not a card, but I heard there's a million
yen card pack."
Shigeno-san clearly frowned at my words.
“…Certainly, we sell card packs containing ten cards,
but...”
"I'm thinking of buying them."
"Uh……"
Shigeno-san stammered for a few seconds, as if wondering
what to say.
"Kitagawa-san, regarding the card packs, I think
you've probably misunderstood."
“A misunderstanding?"
"Yes, I think you're probably talking about it after
seeing a post on the Internet that rare cards appeared when you bought card
packs."
"Yes."
"It is true that some packs contain cards of the
highest B-rank, but they have a very low probability of being included, just
like the first prize in a lottery ticket. The probability of finding a C-rank
card in a pack is less than 1%, and the probability of finding a D-rank card in
a pack is about 30%. It's not a sure-fire way to get your money's worth.”
"1% or less..."
"Yes. Kitagawa-san, this is your first time
registering, right? Your
budget is probably just one pack. If you don't get a D-rank card, you won't be
able to register. It's assumed that adventurers will buy the pack. Because of
that, the ratio is not assuming that a new person like Kitagawa-san will buy
it.”
"...It's okay. I accept everything."
When I quietly said that, Shigeno-san lowered his eyes as
if he was really troubled.
"...Kitagawa-san, did you save this money by working
yourself?"
I answered with a little puzzledness at the sudden change
in topic.
"Ah, yes. That is right."
Shigeno-san nodded deeply at my words.
It must have been really hard for a student to earn this
much money. I used to work part-time when I was in high school, so I
understand. ......I'd like you to keep this between us."
"Yes……"
“All the cards we sell are purchased from adventurers.
Cards with easy-to-use personalities and easy-to-use skills will be priced
appropriately and displayed in the stores. While cards that don't seem to get
many buyers even if they're displayed in the stores...
......We put them in packs to use as fishing bait.
The
price of a C-rank card ranges from 10 million to 100 million yen, and a B-rank
card can fetch up to almost 10 billion yen. For the average person or novice
adventurer, this is an unimaginable world.
If
people can get it for 1 million yen, it would be enough as a bait for...
fishing.
The
first thing you need to do is to make sure that you have a good understanding
of what you're getting into."
I bowed deeply to Shigeno-san and said,
“Thank you very much. But I've made up my mind.”
"......Yes, sir. Then I will bring the packs.”
Mr. Shigeno stared at me for about a minute, but before
long he let out a small sigh and left his seat.
"...fuuuuu"
I
leaned back against the backrest and stared at the ceiling.
There
is no turning back now.
But
even if I become an adventurer, it will be useless with a D-rank card, which
was the lowest rank.
A
C or D-rank girl monster card was the minimum I'm looking for. That's my
minimum requirement.
If
I couldn't get them, it's all the same.
"Thank you for waiting. This is the card packs."
What
Shigeno-san brought to me was a set of card packs that looked like something
you would find in a convenience store.
What
made it different from trading cards was that there were no glittering
illustrations at all, and the packs were completely painted black. They were
packed tightly in a box measuring 50 centimeters square.
These
are the a-million-yen-a-pack card packs.......
I
gulped.
"Please pick up any pack you like. It doesn't matter
how long you take."
"Thank you."
I lowered my head and stared at them. Of course I can't
see inside.
Among them, 30% will be ranked D, and 1% will be ranked
C. In other words, there is a 70% chance that my 1 million yen will become
garbage.
“…………”
The days of my part-time job for the past few months were
going through my mind.
I
worked at a supermarket on weekdays, and on weekends I worked without a break
at a moving job. Since it was my first part-time job, I was constantly scolded
every day on the first month. I was once caught with a sarcastic senior worker
who taught me falsely, and the manager was extremely angry with me. At that
time, I clenched my teeth so hard that my gums bled. I even went home and
cried. I often had to carry heavy things, so every day after work, I would eat
dinner, take a bath, and fall asleep like I fainted.
It was hard to persuade my parents. Concern for my personal
safety. Academic impact. The cost issue. I looked up all kinds of information
on the Internet, showed it to my parents, promised to keep my grades up, earned
the money myself, and finally got permission the other day.
All that effort might go to the 70% of the total
possibility.
How long will it take me to save another million? This
time, I have no New Year's gift and no savings. I worked every day after school
and earned a salary of about 100,000 yen. Simple calculation shows that it
would take about 10 months. Due to shifts, I can't enter every day, and I can't
continue mentally. It should be a year But if the next one doesn't work out,
will I try again for another year?
It’s impossible. High school life is only three years.
Spending it all on part times, it will be putting the
cart before the horse.
...then if this doesn't work, I should just give up.
No, that's better. Bet everything on this one shot. If it
doesn't work out, I'll spend the rest of my school life quietly without having
any unreasonable wishes. But if a D-rank or higher card comes out...
My chest hurts. My throat was so dry that I get a
tingling sensation just by swallowing my saliva. My body was drenched in sweat
and it was cold. My fingertips were trembling and it was hard to put any strength
into it.
The hustle and bustle outside the booth quickly faded
away. I was scared. My body feels fluffy, as if I am in outer space.
It's the first time I've experienced this. The moment
when all my extreme hard work is put to the test is this scary.
I wonder if those in the athletic clubs or those who are
at the top of their class feel this way during games and exams. Damn, I feel
like I'm starting to have respect for the baseball club's Takahashi.
Take a deep breath. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... exhale, 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9... inhale.
Okay, let's pull.
My fingertips naturally extended toward the right corner
of the box. The third row from the right end, the second pack from the back, my
hand reaches out as if it was attracted. There was no thinking, and it felt a
little better to just be straight.
"I will pick this"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
When I nodded, Shigeno-san nudged me with his hand.
"Then please open the package."
With a snap, I tore off the edge of the pack.
The first one, goblin, F rank. The second one, Kobold, E
rank. The third one……Coosie,————D rank!
Joy and disappointment struck my heart at the same time.
At least I broke the 30% barrier and now I can
register as an adventurer. But this is meaningless. This is not it...
Moreover, the fact that a D-rank card appeared at this
stage greatly reduced the probability that the remaining cards contained rare
cards.
In other words, I lost half the bet.
I bit my lip and turn over the rest of the cards.
Fourth, skeleton, F rank. Fifth, another goblin. Sixth,
zombie, E rank. Seventh, Roper, F rank. Eighth————.
"Ah!"
Ghoul... D rank card. Also, the illustration drawn was
that of a woman.
A ghoul with long blond hair and a buxom body of about
twenty years old. Just by hearing that, she seemed like an attractive woman,
but her skin had turned blackish purple, her eyes were so bloodshot that you
can't even see the whites of her eyes, and the drool that dripped from her
wide-open mouth showed no sign of intelligence.
She doesn't give off the slightest bit of cuteness,
though it was not that bad.
"Haha……"
A
self-mocking smile leaked out. The most important thing to remember was that I
can't get a better deal than this choice.
This
was the best way to get the most out of my money and to make sure that my money
was well-spent.
Maybe
it's a bit much to ask for a card of a pretty monster girl, or at least a 10
million C rank card at the lowest price.
Come
to think of it, I got two D-rank cards in one pack. I guess I'm lucky enough.
Then,
I guess this is good enough for me.
Thinking
like that, I randomly flipped through the remaining two cards--
“……Ah, eh?”
——I couldn't believe my eyes.
One was an ordinary Goblin card. But the other one...
What was drawn there was, unmistakably, the figure of a girl in a kimono.
Her black hair, which should have been neatly trimmed, was
jumping up in a punkish manner, and she put one foot on a ball (probably a temari *t/n: beautiful little thread ball), raised her middle finger, and stared at me.
For some reason, it was strangely bad, but... there was no doubt about it.
————Zashiki-warashi. It was a C rank monster girl card.
[Tips] Monster Cards
Mysterious
cards that rarely dropped by monsters in the labyrinth. The cards have
illustrations of monsters on them, and by registering as a master, you can call
monsters from the cards at will. The cards are indispensable in the labyrinth
because they take all damage to the master while the monsters are being
summoned. Monsters will basically listen to the master's commands, but if they
disliked it, they will stop listening to the master's commands since they have
feelings.
Weaker
cards have higher drop rates and are cheaper, while stronger cards have lower
drop rates and are more expensive.
And
monster girl cards are basically all traded at high prices due to demand.
***
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