а∨天堂入口

Chapter 023 – Red Light

I exited the hotel and immediately warped to the labyrinth using the wall next to the entrance way.

Finally, I made good progress on the exploration of the second level.

As soon as I entered the labyrinth, I came across a small room that should be next to the boss room.

Perhaps because it’s late at night, there aren’t any people waiting for their turn.

When fighting the boss, I think I should use Durandal.

I took out Durandal, replaced “Mp recovery rate x5” with a fifth job, and approached the room in the back.

My equipped jobs are Warrior and Swordsman.

If I only equipped three jobs, I could equip “10x decease in required exp tnl”, but I gave up on it.

Because it’s a boss battle, it’s better to focus on safety than the experience value.

Magic or Rush might be useful for something.

The back door immediately opened.

I braced myself and entered the neighboring room.

Smoke gathered and a demon appeared.

White Caterpillar Lv 2

As the name suggests, it’s a white species of green caterpillar. Just one size larger.

The first floor’s Udo Wood was the same. I wonder if variants of the monsters that appear on the level become the boss?

While I was thinking, an orange magic formation appeared underneath the caterpillar’s chest.

Crap. It’s going to spit out thread.

Since it’s a different type of demon from the Green Caterpillar, it might have a different special attack, but it’s likely going to spit something out of its mouth since it’s a similar caterpillar.

While watching the demon’s mouth, I prepared my firewall.

White Caterpillar has used String Shot.(TN: lit. spit out string) It’s still just string.

Immediately after the caterpillar spit out its string, I created a wall of fire in front.

The string that was supposed to cover me was burned in the fire wall.

The sound of burning string echoed faintly.

Magic was already useful.

If I switched out the third job, Wizard, for Warrior, what would have happened?

I moved to the side and attacked using Durandal.

Even with pursuing with Rush, another magic formation appeared.

I take a step back and prepare my fire wall while watching the demon’s movements.

Stupid. How many times is it going to repeat the same actions?

Though, I am just one person.

Because it’s a boss battle, it’ll probably become a drawn out battle.

The enemy’s aim is to spit out thread and seal my movements, which is a good strategy.

Conversely, it would be terrible for me if I got constricted.

I’d likely be bashed, if I was unable to move satisfactorily.

I’ll defeat it before that happens.

I moved to the side and swung Durandal.

With my sword overhead, I used Rush and slashed at the monster.

Durandal struck against the monster’s head.

It hasn’t died, yet?

As expected, is it because the boss is lv 2?

It pulls back at once, and a magic formation can be observed at its feet.

However, the White Caterpillar tries to ram me instead of shooting its string.

I hurriedly tried to avoid it, but my right elbow got hit.

Enduring the pain, I swung Durandal through the monster’s flank.

Finally, my sword tears through the monster. The White Caterpillar lay defeated.

Silk Thread

The demon disappears into smoke and only a shiny thread remains.

This thread might just be a luxury item.

The White Caterpillar seemed to be quite intelligent.

It first carried out a strategy of trying to seal my movement and switched to direct attacks when it lost room.

Is it intelligent?

However, it’s likely to be just a simple program.

It’s difficult to understand with Durandal, but the Green Caterpillar might have a similar behavioral pattern.

Can you even call that intelligence?

Also, the special attack, which I nullified with the firewall, was done twice.

Or after using it twice, it realized it was useless and switched to physical attacks?

I looked around the room.

There is nothing in particular.

The party that passed through before me managed to avoid being destroyed.

I went into the next room and moved to the third floor.

The small room that is the entrance to the third floor is almost the same as on the first and second floors.

There is a black wall behind and the path extends in three directions.

The second floor’s boss room had a shortcut back to the entrance, after all.

The first floor was on the right and the second was in front.

Then, the third floor should be on the left.

With Durandal in hand, decided on three jobs and entered the left passageway.

Needle Wood Lv 3

The first monster that appeared was a Needle Wood.

Is the third floor level 3?

I rush over and throw out Durandal.

With Durandal, even a Lv 3 only takes a hit.

Assuming the level 3 monsters are stronger, because I’ve been raising my own level this much isn’t a problem.

Kobold Lv 3

Next, a kobold appeared and seems to be the monster of the floor.

It’s a dark blue midget. It has big eyes, pointed ears, and fangs sprouting up. Its face is huge. It’s two heads tall and its face is about half its body.

It has a knife in its right hand. Isn’t that a weapon?

I’m afraid of the knife.

Although the damage from the monsters bash attacks disappeared from Durandal’s HP Absorption, would cuts disappear as well?

It might be alright to be cut, but what about how I’m cut?

Losing an arm would be terrible, but a finger might be alright.

Or, if my organs were gouged out?

If a nerve is cut?

Is the lost blood replenished by the HP absorption?

These various questions made me anxious.

Of course, I don’t want to try and see what happens.

The victory goes to the one who makes the first move against an enemy with a weapon.

I prepared Fireball.

A ball of fire appeared overhead.

Slow.

The movements of the kobold were sluggish.

It wasn’t even able to take three steps till the ball of fire closed the distance.

The confused monster was caught in the fireball.

The kobold is wrapped in flames and collapsed.

Weak!

The kobold went under with a single Fire Ball

So weak. Kobolds are weak.

I thought one hit of Fireball wouldn’t be enough.

In comparison, the Green Caterpillar Lv 2 took two hits and the Needle Wood Lv 2 took three.

Kobold Salt

When the kobold dissolved into smoke, it left behind a white fang.

White fang sounds nice, but isn’t it just ordinary salt like the name suggests?

Since my level rose, I can afford to stick it into the item box.

I took out the item box while making sure no one was around.

Now, there are 33 gold coins and 21 silver coins put in the item box.

Putting it in my item box should be safer than the rucksack on my back.

Because it’s troublesome to cast the spell in front of people, I might not be able to use the silver coins.

I want to think there isn’t magic to steal the contents of my item box.

Before dealing with the enemies of the third floor, I thought I would need Durandal, but if these weak kobolds are the opponent, it won’t be necessary.

I put Durandal away.

I kept the third job and equipped 5x Mp recovery speed.

Green Caterpillar Lv 3

Kobold Lv 3

Next ones to come out were companions. That’s convenient.

The same time I discovered them I cast Fire Storm. Sparks attacked the two monsters.

The kobold fell with that alone.

I threw a Fireball at the remaining Green Caterpillar.

The monster endured the inferno.

The level two caterpillar died with two shots, but that doesn’t seem to be enough for a level 3.

As expected, it seems to get stronger from Lv 2 to 3.

I sent a third one to the approaching caterpillar.

If the first blow that attracted it wasn’t Firestorm, I could have fired three shots with room to spare.

The Green Caterpillar falls. Leaving behind thread, it disappeared into smoke.

Kobolds are weak.

They’re weaker than the caterpillars on the second floor.

It might be that I shoot strong magic, but even the knights and hotel guy, treated it as a disappointing monster.

Isn’t it a monster for beginners that should normally appear on the first floor?

Although I don’t know whether there is a reason it appeared on the lower floors, since it’s so weak.

Because there isn’t a reason for them to appear, there might be no reason.

The reality might be that.

And speaking of my limited experience, I think it’s fine for kobolds to be on the third floor.

Even though kobolds have big blue face, it leaves a bad taste since they’re similar to humans.

If you had a demon-like human in your party from the beginning, you might have lost your composure.

Needle Woods are clearly plants and Green Caterpillars are caterpillars.

Gradually you become accustomed to the difference, would they then be unable to cope with the kobolds?

Also, kobolds are holding knives.

When facing an enemy holding a knife, after all it will create a sense of fear.

Only after being gradually accustomed to the labyrinth, monsters, and leveling up, was I able to shake off that fear.

If kobolds were the first floor monsters, I don’t know what would happen.

When the time came, I might have been fine.

Kobold Lv 3

It’s also possible that the fire element is its weakness. Next, I tried using water magic to see.

But it only took a single hit with Water Ball as well.

Since they’re so weak, the experience gain will be less as well.

There’s a problem of efficiency.

Jackknife – One-handed Sword

When the kobold fell, it dropped the knife it was holding this time.

It seems to be a folding knife.

I feel frightened when an enemy holds it, but it is a small knife.

I put away the folded blade.

While fighting, kobolds would often drop the jackknife.

Needle woods’ probability to drop the leaf is about a tenth and the jackknife’s probability of dropping is a third.

It seems the probability of the item dropped depends upon the monster. Green Caterpillars only leave behind thread.

I don’t know how much the jackknife will sell for.

It shouldn’t be too high.

It’s just a common knife, as well as a drop from a kobold.

If drop item from a weak monster was worth a lot, it wouldn’t be a disappointing monster.

It turned out as I thought when I went to the adventurers’ guild.

After returning to the inn and eating breakfast, I went towards the adventurers’ guild.

“Do you buy kobold salt?”

I tried to ask the older woman at the counter.

However, if you look at the items I come here to sell, the progress of my labyrinth exploration is leaked to the guild.

At present, I’m not particularly troubled by it.

“Yes, I can do it. Out of the items purchased by the guild, it has the lowest sale price.”

“Specifically?”

“Four nars for one.”

Cheap.

Upon seeing the depressed me, the woman smiled.

That smile’s priceless.

“Yeah.”

Since, there isn’t any use for it, all of the kobold salt was put on the tray.

If I sold it in units of five, I could gain a profit of 1 nar with the 30% discount, but still it’s only a nar.

I don’t have enough energy to do that.

“The guild also purchases jackknives.”

The guild woman told me.

Is my situation being leaked?

There might be many adventurers, who bring kobold salt and jackknives together.

“I’ve heard it’s worthless equipment.”

“Among equipment, I’m only allowed to handle jackknives. Because there are so many, they are melted down and used as an ingredient in copper coins.”

Jack Knifes are usually not brown but a silver color. I wonder if it’s made out of copper?

“By the way, the price is?”

“Ten nars for one.”

Cheap!

Well, they’re small, but even 100 or 200 copper coins could be made from a single jackknife.

Is the price really like that?

“I understand. 800 *mumbles* Item Box Open”

So the woman wouldn’t hear me, I pretended to turn to the side and cast the spell in a low voice.

Rather than the 800 coins, I’d like easy ways to make money.

I took out the jackknives and place them on the tray.

“Then, please wait a moment.”

After a little bit of time, the woman returned with 808 nars.

Is it really just 800?

As expected of their weakness, kobolds won’t make me money.

Its three characteristics are being slow, weak, and cheap.

At the same time, a red light was lit on my ability to prepare the money to buy Roxanne.

I judge that it’s impossible to acquire the funds for Roxanne from the dungeon.

It’s obvious the main monster of third floor, kobolds, won’t make money.

If you should say I should advance to the lower floor, it isn’t that promising.

Though half of the third floor is kobolds, Needle Woods and Green Caterpillars show up also.

If the first floor’s Needle Wood appeared on the third floor, the third floor’s kobold should appear on the fourth and fifth floors.

Even if I cleared a floor every two days, I’d only advance to the sixth floor by the deadline.

And kobolds are certainly there to stand in my way.

It’s hopeless to make easy money in the labyrinth.

There is the option of paying an explorer to take me deeper into the labyrinth.

However, even if I went to a lower floor, there isn’t any guarantee I’ll be able to earn enough money to buy Roxanne.

First, the expectation that you’ll earn more money the deeper the floor level collapsed with the appearance of the kobold.

Second, when I think about the danger I can’t just take a leap of faith.

Because the Green Caterpillar became stronger from level two to three, it’s pretty much certain the monsters will get stronger the deeper I go.

I may lose my advantage in the fourth or fifth floors.

Third, as of three days ago the exploration only covered up to the fourth floor, so even if I advance, I would only be able to go that deep.

I better think of methods outside the labyrinth to make money.

I should concentrate my efforts on that.

I thought about a method using the leaf, but it’s probably impossible.

Antidotes sell for 25 nars and ten would be 325 nars with the 30% increase in sale price.

The price of the leaf at the guild is 80 nars and the woman told me the market price is double the amount, so I can buy it for 160 nars. Since 10 antidotes are generated from one leaf, it becomes a profit of 165 nars.

If more than a hundred are collected in a day, it’s easily possible to earn no less than a gold coin.

But from what I heard from the guild woman, it seems you can’t buy the leaves at the guild.

Not only from the adventurers and explorers guild, it isn’t possible to even put up a purchase request.

It seems they made a contract with the pharmacists’ guild to send them medical ingredients.

And then, the pharmacist guild will distribute to its members.

So, it’s worthless.

Even if I join some guild, I won’t be distributed 100 items in one day.

If the herbalists were distributed 100 per day, every one of them would be rich.

Well even if I become a herbalist guild member and put out a purchase request, I lose control over the situation.

By creating barriers to enter, newcomers won’t be able to profit.

The world is well-made.

It seems impossible to make money using the leaf.

If it’s not possible to earn money using the labyrinth or leaf, what should be done?

The choice was there from the beginning.

It was bounty hunting.

In the morning, I decided to walk through Vale instead of entering the labyrinth.

I checked the job of everyone I saw.

Using judgment makes this so easy.

Because, I can tell who’s a thief by looking at them.

Honestly, I’m not interested in bounty hunting.

I don’t want to do it, but I have no doubt the judgment skill is a huge benefit in this business.

From those leaving the town, there weren’t any thieves.

They don’t seem to be walking downtown in the morning.

But what should I do if I find a thief?

I have some resistance to killing a person.

I’ve gotten accustomed to killing demon, but they only disappear into smoke and this is different.

Of course, I have to do it if I want the reward money.

I’ll move to the slums in the north and look there.

The south and central parts of the city are lined with large, clean buildings, but the farther north you go, the buildings become worn down.

It smells of poverty.

I don’t see any difference from the slums and here.

No………

I found out by taking one step inside.

It’s clearly different.

From here on, it’s the slums.

The smell is different.

The people are different.

The air is different.

The building got even dirtier and an oppressive air hung around the area.

There are even homeless people.

A child is standing in the street.

It isn’t doing anything, looking at any place, just standing there blankly.

Rather than playing in the street, they’re more like a kind of street child.

This place is horrible.

I may just think so because it’s my first time, but my sixth sense is sounding the alarm bells.

This atmosphere is perilous.

It is absolutely dangerous.

An older guy, squatting alone in a convenience store parking lot, smoking, is adorable compared to here.

I turn right around and leave the slums.

I quickly took refuge in a place I considered safe.

I turn back a little and go around to the east side.

There seems to be a brothel in the east.

Although it’s a brothel in the slums, it wouldn’t be strange for a guy to exit.

On the way there, there was a crowd.

A lot of people were assembled on the street.

What’s going on?

I joined the group as well while using judgment.

Why do I want to line up whenever I see a line?

People are lined up along the road.

There was a vacant lot across the road and someone lay fallen.

Leather Chest Armor

When I use judgment, instead of their name and job, it was their equipment.

……….In other words, they seem to be dead.

I can’t appraise a dead body.

“That’s a thief, right?

“Why do you think that?”

Within the left crown, an older adventurer and merchant were having a talk in the Brahim language.

“The left hand was cut off. It hasn’t come out after 30 minutes.”

I don’t feel like seeing it, but it appears the fallen person has no left hand.

Was the intelligence card the mark?

Intelligence cards are naturally expunged thirty minutes after death.

I also thought it could be used to hide the victim’s identity, but that probably goes without saying.

“Please let me through.”

I think someone said. An order of knights arrived there.

A beautiful knight and an apprentice were there.

It seems the knights are tasked with maintaining public security.

“Is it a thief? You, take the corpse to the mortuary.”

“Yes!”

The beautiful knight ordered after taking one glance at the corpse.

Even though it’s a murder case, is that all you’re going to do?

That’s way too careless.

“It’s a thief. Everyone dismissed.”

The beautiful knight told the onlookers while raising and shaking her left hand.

The onlookers scattered, but a large amount returned.

Do they know the drill?

When the pretty knight left, the hustle and bustle returned to the noisy onlookers.

“Is it a bounty hunter?”

“I wonder. Oh, couldn’t it be a falling out?”

The merchant and older adventurer resumed their conversation.

Even if a thief takes an intelligence card it can’t be converted into money, and you need a story if you ask someone else.

If it’s the homeless people in the slums, they would be glad to work with you.

“The thieves that were kicked out of town seem to have come back for revenge.”

While listening to the conversation of the merchants, I heard someone speaking in the back.