The next day, Aki sends me a message with information about a dungeon she recommends.
I follow that information, and end up in the dungeon association branch of the number 525 dungeon, a dungeon I know.
Number 777 is a cave dungeon in the foot of a mountain, but the entrance to this one suddenly appeared on a street of a business district all of a sudden, leading underground.
There was quite a bit of panic when it appeared in this densely populated area, but it died down pretty quickly, because it only has ten floors total and low level monsters, so it was deemed to be easy to conquer.
Nowadays it’s popular due to being a dungeon that’s simple for beginners.
It’s close to my house, but I’ve only visited it once before. Although I’ve come to this association’s shop quite a few times to get equipment.
After all, the 777 branch doesn’t have a place that sells items or anything…
“I wasn’t expecting to get a letter of introduction. I really can’t thank Aki enough.”
If an adventurer allows it, their information can be transmitted from a branch to the main office, so every branch can consult it. Stuff like my face, name, and stuff like my level are public, but my level went down…
Going down in level is usually unthinkable, so I should probably make my level hidden. I’m sure Aki won’t ask about it.
I’m getting off track.
The letter of introduction carries that information, but it’s like a title a receptionist bestows upon an adventurer. Like that adventurer is her top recommendation.
With this, if an adventurer moves to another dungeon, they’ll get preferential treatment to a certain extent.
“I really have to thank her for being this kind to some random adventurer.”
I think as I enter this branch, and one of the receptionists immediately talks to me.
“Good morning. Are you Shouta?”
“Ah, yes. I came from the 777 branch. My name is Shouta Amachi.”
I feel a murmur in the room.
People look at me with curious eyes when they hear me reference the 777 branch, and start whispering.
“Hey, did that guy just say 777 branch?”
“Is that the slime hunter?”
“I’ve seen that boring face before.”
“I heard about the dropout that’s been hunting only slime for ten thousand years.”
“Can a guy like that even beat other monsters?”
Sneers and shady eyes are directed at me.
Well, this is like a baptism that happens nine times out of ten in a different branch than usual.
Anyone can see public information, and since photos are included, it’s not strange for them to know my face. Also, I didn’t really know about this sort of thing in the beginning, so I had my stats and weak growth rate posted there too… I made it private right after Aki told me about it, but that information had already made the rounds, and now everyone knows how weak I am.
But judging by the information they had at the time, it’s easy to infer that even if I passed level thirty, I’m still weaker than an average level ten. Others also say I’m a crazy person that keeps hunting slime because I like it.
And that brings us to this situation.
“…Shouta, come here to the private room in the back.”
“Excuse me. Hum, can I ask you your name?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Aki’s younger sister. You can call me Maki.”
Unlike Aki, she has a short and neatly trimmed bob cut. That Aki has such a polite younger sister? Did she serve as a bad example…
◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇
Apparently Maki heard about me from her older sister multiple times. She apologizes for what happened earlier, and gives me handy information about the dungeon. She’s just like Aki in that she’s caring.
First, I get a map to floors one through three. Then a distribution map of the monsters found on each floor. Lastly, she tells me about the rules for when I meet other adventurers in battle.
Then we chat, and I stop by the shop to use the money I got from minuscule magic stones to get new equipment.
My current equipment is like this.
『Weapon: Iron longsword』 Fifty thousand yen
『Armor: Iron light armor』 Forty thousand yen
『Armor: Iron gloves』 Thirty thousand yen
『Armor: Iron grieves』 Thirty thousand yen
I said I got new equipment, but all I did was replace the old one that I had been using for a year.
It’s all common iron stuff, but this is enough for the entrance of a low tier dungeon.
I also get three healing potions just in case. Even if what I’m about to fight is weaker than me, you can never be too careful.
When I leave the store, scornful laughs reach my ears again.
“Look at that guy, wearing all iron at level thirty.”
“That’s about all he can get with his slime hunter pay.”
“Hey, don’t laugh. Slime only drop minuscule magic stones. The best you can do with that is about a thousand yen a day.”
“Haha, guess you’re right!”
Yes, that was how much I made.
But that was only in the very beginning. After I started raising my Luck as a part of my investigation, I felt the difference in the drop rate. The money I made doubled, then tripled, and now it’s tens of times more than it was.
Even though I send money back home, I still have some nice savings. But people say that equipment that doesn’t fit your stature will ruin you, and I don’t want to attract attention from weird people either, so this all iron outfit still suits me.
I ignore the voices and eyes of disdain, and enter the dungeon.
◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇
“A popular dungeon like this really is packed.
Everywhere I look there’s people.
I figured it would be like this when I saw the map, but this first floor spreads out like an ant’s nest, and becomes like a maze.
But the path to the second floor is straight ahead, so that’s where the wave of people is going.
And so, I head to a corner of the map with few people.
After walking a few minutes, the voices are gone. And now that I don’t feel anyone around me, a monster appears.
“Ah, a goblin.”
“Gigigih.”
Goblins haven’t changed since the last time I saw one three years ago. It has green skin, the body of a small person, a knife in hand, and only clothes around its waist. And an ugly face filled with hostility towards humans.
Who would’ve thought that such a classic creature of fantasy fiction actually existed? I don’t feel even a bit of the fear I felt the first time I faced a goblin, to the point where I even wonder if they were always this weak.
“Appraisal.”
＊＊＊＊＊
Name: Goblin
Level: 3
Equipment: Iron knife
＊＊＊＊＊
“…That’s it? Is it because of the level of the skill?”
Slime are slime, so I figured there wasn’t any point in using it on them, but… I guess being level one means I can only see a little bit of information.
“Gigiih!”
I mumble to myself without a care, and the goblin gets impatient and attacks.
But its movements are too simple and straightforward. I can easily avoid it, and counter with a swing of my sword.
Slash.
The goblin’s neck is cut, as lightly as when I took down slime.
The goblin dies instantly, and disappears after being covered in green smoke.
And it drops a minuscule magic stone and an iron knife.
“Weak. Why did I struggle so much back then…”
I can fight them no problem.
But as I think that, another thought pops into my head.
“Would something else appear if I took down a hundred of these?”
And so, I start hunting every goblin I come across.
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