I have breakfast while fiddling with my smartphone, taking up time unnecessarily.
I get that, but I can’t stop for some reason. I don’t feel like stopping either.
I should focus on the food, but I feel fidgety when I’m not doing anything. Am I addicted to my smartphone?
A dungeon junkie addicted to his smartphone. If I add alcoholism, I’ll be done for.
I drink a blend of ant queen nectar with killer bee honey while evaluating myself like that.
Yep, this doesn’t work. It’s like they kill each other’s qualities into something that’s only a little sweeter than regular honey.
Adding something sweet to something sweet doesn’t necessarily make it twice as good.
I put them in the Storage Space, and decide not to do it again.
◇ ◇ ◇
I sold most of what I got from my exploration to the guild, but I kept some of the honey for myself.
After taking down the giant green slime, only a big green stone dropped, but it actually sold for as much as the honey, so this exploration was more profitable than I expected.
Speaking of green slime, portacool seems fine after being smacked away by it.
It fell over, but got back up on its own and followed me.
It’s tougher than I thought.
◇ ◇ ◇
“Your weapon’s crying. Take better care of it you idiot.”
Says the weapons shop owner when I bring in the equipment I used and he sees the greatsword of fortitude.
No no, what could I have done? If I didn’t push it too far, I wouldn’t have beaten that monster.
I tell him that, and he says if the weapon ended up like this, I should’ve ran away.
I guess that’s how strong that green slime was.
But could I have escaped that space? I feel like it was a different space than I was before, and I couldn’t run away.
I tell him I’ll do that next time anyway, and ask him to take care of the equipment.
With that done, I’m about to leave, but my eyes stop on an old flier.
‘I process materials.
From regular to special processing.
Fee negotiable.
*Depending on the materials, it will take some time.’
That reminds me of something I haven’t touched.
The giant spider I came across on the seventeenth floor.
It’s still in the Storage Space, because the guild didn’t want it, so it’s been taking up space because I have no use for it.
I do a U turn and ask the owner of the store about the flier.
He says they’re still accepting things, so if I have something, to bring it in quickly.
And so, I take out the giant spider’s body, and he looks really troubled.
Can you process this?
How about extracting string to make spare armor.. Is that possible?
Eh? It’s cursed?
What is?
This giant spider is cursed?
…So what does that mean?
According to him, cursed materials produce cursed equipment, so they need to be handled carefully.
Curses include inability to be worn, vitality absorption, recovery inhibition, attack debuff, among many other unfortunate effects.
He asks if I really want armor made from something that tricky to use, and I tell him to take it.
Needless to say, he gets mad and tells me to take it with me.
◇ ◇ ◇
The twentieth floor.
I hunt giant spiders as I find them.
I’m not picking on them, I’m taking down others too, but there’s a lot of them.
Oh, that dark place over there must have more.
Now I know why the guild wouldn’t buy that extra large giant spider. Actually, if they knew it was cursed, why didn’t they tell me? Now I have to find somewhere to dispose of it.
I’m heading to a corner of this floor, where no seekers go.
And I meet the harem party for the first time in a while.
Ou, it’s been a while.
What a coincidence! What are you up to?
You’re going to take on the boss of the twentieth floor? Good luck!
What am I doing?
Fuh, burying something that could bring a calamity upon this world.
What? I’m a calamity?
Oh, okay. I thought I heard something ominous from the little one. I must’ve imagined it.
The trolley behind me? What about the portacool?
A company asked me to use it. It avoids obstacles and it’s sturdy, so it’s pretty good.
Will I sell it?
It’s going to be sold eventually. I don’t know how much it will cost, so ask Honto. They should have more information. Probably.
Good luck! I’m sure you can do it, but be careful!”
I say goodbye to the harem party, and move out.
◇ ◇ ◇
…Why are you looking back so much?
Why am I following you?
I’m not, I’m just going in this direction.
Eh? This is where I came from?
…I forgot something.
I did! Look! Monsters!
That’s the long way around. Right is closer.
Take a left next. If you go straight from there, you’re at the boss room.
I’ll take care of the weaklings, save yourselves for the boss fight!
Hn? What? What is it?
“Tanaka, we’ll do it, so please stay quiet.”
…Yes.
Hino, their leader, admonishes me with quite a bit of intensity.
Sorry, I guess.
◇ ◇ ◇
The harem party has grown.
Their moves are sharper and their attack power has gone up compared to when they had trouble with rock wolves.
They changed some equipment. The archer girl now carries a sword, and the girl at the back of the line has a big shield.
Hino has a different sword too. Every time he swings it, it paints a shining light. I think the more lights, the stronger it gets.
Maybe it has an effect like my greatsword of fortitude.
What stands out to me the most is the girl who uses a sword. Her moves are a step above the others’. Hino isn’t bad at all, but her swordsmanship and agility are on a different level.
Then there’s the mage girl. She uses earth and wind well. She can use earth to keep skeletons in check and wind to cut kobolds and giant spiders with blades.
She needs some time to activate her magic, but if she improves on that, she’ll be a scary mage.
We encounter monsters twice more on the way to the boss room, but they go down without an issue.
The harem party is now stronger than seekers I see on the twenty-first floor.
◇ ◇ ◇
Do you have potions? Are you okay with magic potions?
Ah! Take this. It’s called mister move suppressor. It’s a really strong restraint, so I’m sure it’ll help.
You only have a potion each? I have extra potions and magic potions, don’t worry.
It’s okay.
I’m fine. My magic energy isn’t a problem. Do you want me to come along?”
“Tanaka, it’s okay. Calm down.”
O-oh, okay.
I see the harem party off.
When I return to the surface an hour later, I learn they cleared it without a problem.
And I completely forgot to dispose of the giant spider.
Join my patreon to support me and read ahead.
<<Previous Chapter Index Next Chapter>>
