Chapter 48
The Milestone in Sight
and the Drawn-Out Power
While regularly exchanging magic stones for cash, I single-mindedly
continued to dive into the Kagurazaka Dungeon day after day without
resting. To polish my combat techniques, I put effort into evasion and defense,
which I hadn't paid much attention to before, and instead of just defeating
enemies with a single blow, I continued to act while thinking about landing my attacks
exactly where I aimed, with the intended power, and at the intended timing.
I also constantly stay conscious of combinations using the hammer in my
right hand, the throwing axe in my left, and kicks from my boots. I also swap
the weapons in my right and left hands at regular intervals. Because I take
much more time to defeat monsters than before, my subjugation speed has dropped
sharply, but considering the future, there is no loss in doing this.
For the sake of the transcendentally cool Sub-class I'll get someday,
and the Advanced Class. Compromise is not allowed. Because I'm serious,
you see.
Thinking back, when I was doing things haphazardly, I was able to defeat
over 100 monsters every day. Since monsters appear in groups on the Seventeenth
Floor, normally I could have aimed for over 200, but by daring to take my
time fighting, the number I defeat doesn't even reach 100.
Thanks to that, I now feel a considerable response. I have the real
sensation of absorbing the combat technique assist function of the Ring of
Seoritsuhime as my own.
I feel like I might be pretty strong even without the support of my
equipment. Or rather than pretty, in my own way, I've started to think,
"Aren't I quite strong?"
Besides, though I had never been conscious of it before, recently I can
clearly feel that I'm able to draw out the power of the huge numerical values
added as positive corrections to my base stats. Along with the improvement of
my combat skills, I think my body and senses have finally caught up with my
status. Probably, up until now, far from half of the correction values, I
hadn't even been able to exert half of that power. If I can exert even
half of that potential-like power, of course I'd be strong.
Fight, fight, and fight like crazy. Every day, fighting vigorously and
energetically. Beating down monsters as naturally as breathing. I must already
be a nightmare for the Skeleton-kuns.
Undaunted by the excessively strong monsters that occasionally appear or
the weird monsters that spawn infinitely, I fought, fought, and fought like
crazy. The infinitely spawning monsters didn't drop magic stones, so they were
truly the worst. What the heck was that, I never want to fight them again.
I'm probably fighting with the first or second greatest momentum in the
world. It's good to have a goal. I don't get bored at all. Or rather, is it
fun?
「Whew, doing
all this and I'm finally only Level 15, huh. Still quite a ways to the
Sub-class~.」
Thanks to defeating monsters with a momentum that even I think is a bit
crazy, I was finally able to reach Level 15.
More than two weeks have probably passed since I went to Higashi-Nakano
to sell magic stones at Level 11. The number of magic stones I've sold off
easily exceeds 4 digits. In terms of money, it means I've earned over 50
million yen in profit. Combined with my savings up to now, it's about 80
million. The major milestone of 100 million is coming into sight.
By the time I reach Level 17, the appropriate level for the Seventeenth
Floor which I use as my daily earning spot, I expect to reach that
milestone. Truthfully I could proceed to deeper floors, but since there are
many monsters on the Seventeenth Floor, it pays well in terms of both
magic stone quantities and combat experience.
When I went to the Twentieth Floor as a test, it felt like there
were decently strong single enemies from the Eighteenth Floor onwards.
If that's the case, I can say the Seventeenth Floor is superior in terms
of money, experience points, and combat training.
I'll decide whether to proceed onward based on how the efficiency of
combat training and leveling up becomes once I surpass Level 17. Until then,
I'll do my best here. I'm still gonna keep at it.
Anyway, I wonder how much experience I earned today. Time to check my
status.
■ Memories of the Star Soul
Name: Nagakura Aoi Scarlet
Level: 15 (Experience required for level up: 1,040,789)
Class: Stray Bandit
Vitality: 42 (+1,200)
Spirit: 42 (+1,350)
Attack: 42 (+1,500)
Defense: 42 (+1,200)
Magic: 42 (+1,275)
Resistance: 42 (+1,125)
Destiny Power: 558
Skill:
·
『Ultra Hard Mode』 (Imposes trials. Increases Dungeon
difficulty, increases reward acquisition rate according to difficulty, growth
rate changes proportional to difficulty) :
·
『Solo Dungeon』 (Allows entry into an exclusive Dungeon) :
·
『Martial Soul Resonance』 (Equipment binds with the user and
grows according to level) :
·
『Poison Attack』 (Inflicts poison damage upon
attacking) :
·
『Star Thread Spinning』 (Visualizes details of the Star
Soul Crest) :
·
『Status Ailment Resistance』 (Grants resistance against status
ailments) :
·
『Rock-hard Armor』 (Summons a Rock-harding shield) :
·
『Twinkling Hammer』 (A twinkling hammer performs an
additional attack) :
·
『Life Force Absorption』 (Absorbs a little bit of vitality
from the target depending on the damage dealt when attacking) :
·
『Telekinesis』 (Interferes with objects through concentration) :
·
『Healthy Body』 (Stranger to illness)
Class Skill:
·
『Restraint Destruction』 (Can easily destroy restraints)
·
『Intimidation』 (Instills fear in the target of intimidation)
Blessing:
·
Blessing of Benzaiten (Increases Charm,
Artistic Ability, and Financial Fortune. Proof of being acknowledged by Benzaiten
for solo subjugating the Five-Headed Dragon)
·
Blessing of the Yakubyogami (Returns calamities
and imparts bad causes and bad results. Proof of being acknowledged by the Yakubyogami
for solo subjugating the Smallpox Evil God)
Looking at it again, I somehow feel like my status growth has gotten
better. When my level was in the single digits, it only increased by 1 almost
every time I leveled up. To think that from Level 11 to 15, each status has
grown by 19; that's an amazing growth rate.
It's a shame that I've become less likely to learn skills instead, but
since I already know a lot, it would be a luxury to complain. Besides, all my
skills seem excellent.
「Alriiiight,
my goal for now is Level 17.」
Instead of rushing to earn experience points, I'll continue fighting
with an emphasis on improving my combat techniques. While improving my skills,
I'll build up the strength to perfectly draw out my status correction values.
Just continuing this. Probably, to raise my level by 2 more, I'll need to
defeat a considerable number of monsters in terms of required experience
points—surely numbering in the 4 digits. Let's expect that by then I'll be
strong enough to have confidence.
Setting a goal and fighting without slacking off, another few days
passed. Even though I've concentrated and worked hard these past few days, my
level still hasn't gone up. Even so, the numbers required for the next level on
my status are steadily decreasing, so I'm grateful that it's hard to feel
stressed.
It's thanks to the effect of the skill 『Star Thread Spinning』. This is
extremely helpful for my mental health.
「Heeey, I'm
back again~.」
The Higashi-Nakano Dungeon Administration is deserted again
today. Especially since the wind and rain are strong today, they must have had
nothing to do all along.
「'Sup, Aoi-chan.」
「Looks like
you have free time here again today~.」
「It can't be
helped in this weather. There were few people during the day, and right now no
one is inside the Dungeon.」
No one at all, that's amazing. Nakano Ward is supposed to have a
relatively large population, though. What kind of depopulated area is this.
「Hmm. But if
it's that unpopular, won't this Dungeon get closed down or something?」
「It's not in
the red, so it's fine. Besides, thanks to you, Aoi-chan, this Dungeon
Administration's business performance has vastly improved compared to the
previous term. Thanks~.」
「Naah, don't
mention it.」
Casual banter sure is comfortable. At the Kagurazaka Dungeon
Administration, the receptionists look busy and it's definitely not an
atmosphere where you can have idle chatter. I do want to become good friends
with at least one person there, though.
After quickly finishing the magic stone cash exchange, it's chat time as
usual.
「Ah, come to
think of it, Aoi-chan, have you tried the punching machine?」
「Where did
that come from all of a sudden?」
「One was
installed near the Dungeon entrance recently, haven't you seen it? There
should be one in Kagurazaka too.」
「Was there?
Ah, in my case I turn it into a 『Solo Dungeon』 with my skill, so if it's near the entrance, it
probably vanishes.」
The soul's power on the status opens up starting from the zone around
the Dungeon entrance. Since I always activate my skill and enter my
exclusive Dungeon when entering there, extra foreign objects end up
ceasing to exist.
「So that's
how it is. Then why don't you try it out a bit? I'm free even if I stay at the
reception desk anyway, so I'll go watch too.」
No matter how much free time she has, this Onee-san is finally
planning to abandon the reception desk. Though I have absolutely no interest in
a punching machine.
Well, since I have the chance, I might as well give it a try. I'll send it flying!