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Published at 4th of February 2019 03:01:40 AM


Chapter 6

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Translator : LN&WN Warrior
Editor : Starfinder

"Thank you very much!"

Said Yutsuki Akane, the red-haired clerk, while sending off an adventurer, who left the store shedding tears, with a big smile.

'Indeed, he is an easily deceived person.'
He got excited only because Akane made a slight impression.

'I could even sell a leftover mysterious item along with the armour.'

The mysterious item perhaps was a magical tool; it was like a shaman's mask.

It seemed like it would invite bad luck just by having it.
As the user might be cursed, the mask couldn't be worn for analysis.
Analysis by using machines has become a normal procedure.

It was a product of a dungeon which was sold at the lowest bid price as a substitute item in the auction.

'I thought it would be better to sell it for 500 yen, but no one bought it even if the price was cut.'

Well, of course.
The appearance was really like a cursed mask.
It was too creepy.

Everyone thought that was an item produced by a dungeon.
It was really cursed, wasn't it?

'I put it in the shop for 500 yen, but no one has ever tried to buy it until now.'

'This time it was sold for 500 yen as an armour purchase benefit!'

Despite the item being not popular, it was sold without cutting the price.
'Oh, what a wonderful ability.'

"As expected of me!"

Akane chuckled while praising herself.

'Our shop's rating for this term will rise as well.'

Since she was in her twenties, Akane has been in charge as the branch manager of Sapporo armour dealer.

All the shops she was in charge experienced an increase in sales.

It was easy for her to increase the sales to 150% compared to the previous year.
Some shops have an increased up to 300%.

A moment ago, Akane seized money from a customer, no, sold her items politely to a depressed adventurer who had left the shop.

Of course, she didn't swindle him.
Everything sold were good items; she only offered something that suits him.

In the beginning, the adventurers were discouraged about being squeezed out, but they realized her choices were no mistake immediately when they were inside the dungeon.
Those who have noticed it became regulars and spent even more money.

Akane called it "planting seeds".
She laughed loudly at harvest time.
Giggle.

Of course, Akane didn't have an intuition to serve customers.

First, she carefully read the blog of "Let's be an adventurer" and understood the needs of current adventurers.
Moreover, by conducting a personal investigation in a dungeon, she will experience where which weapons are needed.

Akane was able to improve the shop's performance because of her hard work behind the scenes.

How does Akane choose a weapon to satisfy adventurers need?
There were two standard criteria.

First, what kind of weapons they can equip.

Weapons made from monster materials were a good instrument to measure an adventurer's ability.
Adventurer's capabilities could almost be understood by only looking at the weapons which they can equip.

And the second one was the adventurer's IC card.

No matter how strong was an adventurer, you can't sell expensive items to solo adventurers.
It was professionalism to only offer armour in the price range that the adventurer could afford.

Adventurers could be assessed by using an IC card.

In accordance with the income for a year, its colours change in order according to the lowest income from bronze, silver, gold, platinum, to black.

Originally it seemed that the government wanted to use it as an adventurers' ability indicator, but it was hard to say that worked as well as a driver's license.

The card issued by that man was bronze.
It was the colour of a beginner whose total income was less than 2 million yen.

Therefore, Akane recommended a house centipede's crust leather armour that he could afford.

Originally, she wanted to offer higher rank equipment.

"Why was he a bronze adventurer...?"

The dagger he bought was made from the fang of Silver Wolf which appears between the 6th and 8th floors of the "Chika-ho".

Silver Wolf's fang was a relatively easy-to-obtain material.
If it was processed well, it would be a high-quality weapon that could be used in the middle tier.
It could be said to have high performance per cost.

However, bronze adventurers should not be able to use a weapon in that level.
Unless he was able to defeat Silver Wolf, it should be impossible to equip it.
But if he has reached that level, he would have an income of a silver card.

Did he reach that level after receiving the bronze card?

Since the beginning of the year until now, only about 2 months have passed.
He must have had an extraordinary growth rate if he started to become an adventurer since the beginning of this year.
He was supposed to have been an adventurer for 2 years because he nearly reached the Silver Card.

"Well, let's forget it"

'Let's keep his evaluation on hold.'
'As long as he continues to work in the trial ground, he would inevitably return to this shop.'

'I have time.'
'I could spend my time to figure out what kind of talent he is.'

"Nice! I achieved today's quota just before noon! Oh my, it's so difficult. It was hard to raise my ability so high..."

'I've worked hard; let's brag to the neighbouring shop, Mitsubishi Material Purchase Station.'
'While bragging my sales, I would laugh at the resentment of that big plain well-like branch manager.'

'Oh, what a wonderful day!'

Akane smiled oddly while watching the amount of money shown on the register screen.

*********

'Ah, that's right.
I never told her what I want from the beginning!'

Haruki was enticed by the red-haired woman to buy a protector made of monster skin for 50,000 yen.
In addition, she forcibly sold a mysterious mask for an additional 500 yen.

Besides when he held the IC card over and a "ding" sound began to ring, her calm atmosphere was drying like the sky in autumn.

As her tone become lighter, the contents of the wallet also dried out.

"I was scammed……"

'Or more precisely, I was deceived.'

Usually, Haruki who can't look away, would realize the difference when raising his voice, but "Could this be a fated meeting?" this thought was the cause of his defeat.

'Oh, I hate my past myself.'

"But what is this mask?"

[I think you need an item to protect your face.]
[And this is the item!]
[If you purchase this armour, I will add a big discount!]
[Only for 500 yen, you can purchase this magic tool which came from a dungeon!] said Akane.

Haruki also realized his need for an item that could protect his face.
'But this is.......'

"Is it not cursed?"

'Well everyone touched it, so it should be okay.'
'Why I don't you look for the previously mentioned opportunity to try my equipment.'

While having those thoughts, Haruki looked at the appearance of adventurers heading to the "Chika-ho".

"Oh, he is equipped with a Kawashima series' item!! Amazing......"
"What an unusual person, he is using a serialized equipment."

Or something.
Those who wear high-class equipment were admired.

That was what I believe, adventurers equipped with the same entry model would have their mysterious comradeship consciousness sprout.

"Let's do our best together!"

Beginner adventurers will always run out of money, but not for their equipment.

It was a pretty rare category to have an entry model for weapons and protective gears.

More people finally have a set of entry model armour when their weapons become middle-class.

"Could it be that I, who uses an entry model weapon and protective gears, am slightly standing out?"

[Is this a way out of the title of Air?]
He headed to the ticket gate with such expectation in mind.

To stand out a little more, he tried to swing his weapon.

However,

"............"

As usual, no one looked at him.

Well, I knew.
I knew it!

...ugh!

While shedding tears, Haruki went through the ticket gate of "Chika-ho".

"Chika-ho"'s progress has now reached thirtieth floors.
Naturally, the thirtieth floor is a lower tier - an exclusive place for senior adventurers, but the first and second floors in the upper tier could be easily captured even by beginner adventurers.

As evidence, as usual, countless adventurers gathered on the 1st floor of the dungeon.

If a monster appeared, adventurers would swarm and beat it like amateur soccer players.
The monster appearing would be killed in less than one minute.

You can't think of fighting properly here.
The most important was how quickly you could discover a monster and finish it in one move.
(That's why there were few beginner adventurers who have exclusive armour)

Furthermore, in the upper tier of "Chika-ho"

"2nd Floor. Straight ahead 100 m ↑"
"Hall. Turn right 50 m →"
"Three Way Fork Road. Turn left 90 m ←"

Those written signboards were installed on the ceiling.
It was like a visit to the sightseeing facility, but a dungeon should not be such a nice place.......

If ordinary signboards were installed, it would be absorbed by the dungeon.
But without those signboards, adventurers may get lost!

The official of town hall thought so, finally made a signboard using monsters material so as it not being absorbed by the dungeon.

When Haruki visited "Chika-ho" for the first time, 'what is all of this over here?' he was perplexed.
'Is this really a dungeon?'

Now he was already used to the signboards and adventurers who were fighting like a swarm of ants...

Anyway, this was such a place.

On the first floor where beginner adventurers gather, he would not be able to try it.
While glancing backward to adventurers who were swarmed and beat a monster, Haruki quickly advanced past them.

The other day, Haruki's magic tool - the skill board gained an additional point.
Which could be because he went to the second floor
or probably because he harvested nearly 100 onion monsters.
But until that day, hunting nearly 200 house centipedes didn't increase the points.
The possibility of level-ups giving points may be excluded.

I tried to go back and forth between the first and the second floor, but my skill points never increased.

From that fact, I realized "it might be updated every time  I unlock a new floor of a dungeon".
Haruki stepped in to see if this was the requirement to get a skill point.

Then, another question was raised.

'Can each highest floor reached in any dungeon get me an additional point?'

If so, a large number of skill points could be obtained only by visiting the 2nd floor of every dungeon.
Because there were more than 200 dungeons in Japan, so there were over 200 easily obtainable skill points.

'If I do so, it won't be a dream to maximize all the skills on the board.'

'If I have 200 points, what kind of skill will I max out first?'
'Just imagining, my dream is extended.'

Haruki, who was excited, lightly touched the pattern of the newly purchased dagger.

'I'd like to check out its performance as soon as possible.'
'While verifying it, I will see how far I can go today.'

Haruki, who descended to the 2nd floor, took out the skill board in a place where no one was found.

Could it not be taken out anywhere other than in his home dungeon? Even though he was afraid, the skill board
could be accessed without any resistance.

As long as it was in a dungeon, it seemed to work without problems.

About the skill board, Haruki made various tests in his garage's dungeon.
But the result was not very good.

There was only one new thing that he knew.
The skill board would automatically return to Haruki's chest when it was 10 meters away from him.

It was a valuable magic tool, so it was pleasant if there was no possibility of grieving over the loss.
However, the possibility that it could not be transferred to anyone has emerged.

Except for Haruki, the transfer could not be done even to the most useful person for Japan.
It could not be thrown away even if it became unnecessary.

Also, if the existence of the skill board was found out, the possibility of being targeted by a vicious party would rise greatly.

However, doubt remained as to whether it would be discharged from his body if he was dead.
Or, there was a possibility of using drugs to deprive his awareness only for the skill board.......

It was extremely troublesome.

There was a possibility that a bomb would be used if it was beyond the imagination.......
Haruki, while letting out a small sigh, looked at the skill board.

Skill Point(s): 1

"......it doesn't increase"

Unfortunately, the skill points remained at 1.
He updated the highest floor reached of "Chika-ho", but his points did not increase.

If so, there are two possibilities to increase the points.

First, the highest floor reached of all dungeons was shared.
Second, it only reacted to the highest floor reached in the dungeon at home.

It could be either one.

"Ah, is there a possibility if this dungeon is updated as the highest reachable floor of humanity...?"

If so, "Chika-ho"'s 29th floor, which has been captured until now, is needed. So, the skill points would not increase if the 30th floor wasn't reached.
As expected, the requirements to obtain it were too strict.

"Well, I don't know until I study it a bit more."

For now, Haruki decides to go further.

There were also beginner adventurers here; they were wandering like zombies aiming to cook the trapped monsters.
If you don't go down from the first floor, you would not be able to hunt properly.

"One more thing that has to be verified"

Could the skill board only develop Haruki's ability?

In order to solve that question, Haruki quietly sneaked into the group that is beating up a monster just now.

Thanks to his weak presence, nobody notices Haruki.
He secretly pulled out the skill board and activated it behind them.

However, the screen was only displaying Haruki's skill tree.

"Oh, I wonder if there is a way to change it"

As he swiped his fingers at various angles, the skill tree switched just like a smartphone home screen.

Shigezo Takenaka (87)     Gender: Male
Skill Point(s): 4
Class: Hammers Old-Man

+ Vitality
+ Strength
+ Agility
+ Technique
+ Intuition
+ Special

"Oooh"

'As expected, this magic tool seemed to be able to distinguish not only my skills but also the skills of others.'

'......hey, wait a moment.'
'Is there an old man who is 87 years old here?'

As he looked, an old man who was certainly pretty old was now knocking down the monster's head.

He wore a tank top on his upper body, and from there, his muscles which were not expected to be possessed by an old man could be seen.
Is he stronger than Haruki? His muscles were throbbing.

'Is he really 87 years old?'
Although it was doubtful if you look only at his body, but his sparkling head that would not be dimmed even under the underground's faint light and deep wrinkles engraved on his face as well as, his head, which was like a golf ball, were strongly affirming his senile nature. 

'There is no doubt. He is Shigezo Takenaka-san, 87 years old.'

'Those elders also became adventurers......'

While thinking seriously, Haruki opened the skill tree.

- Vitality
Stamina 0
Natural Recovery 0
Immunity 1

- Strength
Strength 0

- Agility
- Quickness 0 (TLN: I changed Instantaneous Power -> Quickness)
Dexterity 0

- Technique
- Armour Proficiency
Blunt Weapon 1
Light Armor 0
Tool Mastery 1

- Intuition
Detection 0

- Special
Lifespan 0

'As expected, the skill tree seems to have individuality.'
It was probably due to the person's suitability that he didn't have some skill possessed by Haruki, on the contrary, there were some skills that Haruki didn't have but he had.

Or, a skill was released after doing an action a certain number of times.......
The possibility of gaining immunity was quite reasonable.

Getting a small cold can be fatal for people raised in a clean room, but for a body grown in a harsh environment, it will not catch a cold even if a virus entered.

"Resistance status is listed" was its actual description.

'This immunity, why is there 1 point added!'
'Blunt weapon and tool mastery skill were also increased by 1 point.'

'Are there other people who have skill boards?'

'It is possible.'
'However, perhaps the skill will rise if the experience or proficiency exceeds a certain level?'

'If it is, I am convinced that few skill points can be acquired.'

If the added skill points were calculated, at most Takenaka-san has 7 points.
It was the points obtained when he reached the dungeon's 5th floor. (TLN: I think skill points added for Armor Proficiency are not calculated as the points gained from the dungeon)

But Takenaka-san didn't look like an adventurer who could go to the fifth floor.
After all, he was an elder.......

Then the answer was easy.

The skill's level would naturally rise if you gained experience.
And it was grown independent of magic tool's skill points.

And since Takenaka-san, who was on the second floor, had 4 points, the possibility of "updating this dungeon to the highest reachable floor of humanity" disappeared.

"Somehow it has begun to clear up"

Haruki murmured.

'Depending on whether skill acquisition conditions and natural growth are known or not, my future skill allocation will greatly change.'
'It is a very important piece of information.'

Next, "Can I add the skill points of others?" But...

'It would seem eerie if his body movement changed suddenly.'
'He may encounter various troubles.'

Troubled a little, Haruki tapped the screen continuously.
Then without resistance, he quickly increased Takenaka-san's skill.

That elder's physical condition has not changed.
His skill increase was certainly a hard-to-see part, but the question which seemed can be confirmed as the moment was resolved.

Haruki though while watching the elder's appearance.
'You are still living a long life, elder.......'

Shigezo Takenaka (87)     Gender: Male
Skill Point(s): 4 → 0
Class: Hammers Old-Man → Long-Life Hammers Old-Man

- Special
Lifespan 0 → 4





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