《I Found Tiny Dungeon That Can Only Produce Metal Slime》 CH 1 Act 1 ¨C Smallest Dungeon in The World Chapter 1: Your every day¡¯s Dungeon ¨D¨DHow did it come to this? The creature before him had a metal body that was jiggling non-stop, an ultra-rare ?Metal Slime¡å. And standing before this so called ultra rare ?Metal Slime¡å was just your regular youth in his sophomore year of high school, Mitaka Yuuma. In his hands carrying a normal torch and hammer that you can buy from any Walmart in the city center. Yuuma was currently right inside the hole that he found in the corner of the garden of his family¡¯s house. The hole was only one meter deep, the space inside probably wasn¡¯t even enough to cover one tatami mat. He was currently in a predicament that betrayed his normal, everyday life, stooping forward as he glared at the metal slime. The slime just kept bouncing around, as if it was ready to pounce at him at any given moment. Yuuma who thought of that in his heart¡­ clasped strongly at the hammer in his hand with a rather bewildered look on his face. Let¡¯s rewind the time to few minutes ago¨D¨D ¡ºThe government has dispatched an investigation team to the cave-in passage that appeared near Harumi wharf. There¡¯s a chance that it might be a small dungeon but¡­¡» ¡ºYeah, that might be true. Up to this point, there¡¯s already five dungeon found all over Japan but, two years after the exploration of these dungeons, the number might increase to six this time.¡» ¡ºThat should be a good news right?¡» ¡ºWell, I can¡¯t deny that there¡¯s a scary impression about dungeon not too long ago. but now no one can¡¯t not admit that it is truly an important place to gather resources.¡» ¡ºIs there any possibilities of them increasing in number?¡» ¡ºIt most likely going to happen. Seeing that the number of ¡°Explorers¡± from the civilian side has increased by days, let¡¯s assume that as the sign of the advancement of the captured floor. I guess we can only get used to this situation as soon as possible.¡» ¡ºYou¡¯re right, thank you very much. And that¡¯s the explanation from dungeon¡¯s specialist, Professor Hashida. Now continue to our next segment, the weather prediction. Mana-cha~~~n!¡» It was the daily news on the TV. The topic around dungeons that aroused my curiosity amongst the people some time ago had now become a normalcy. One of these days during the summer vacation, Mitaka Yuuma was lazying around in the living room that was equipped with an air conditioner. He was lying down on the sofa, operating his phone in one hand, seemingly having no intention to watch the TV. He wasn¡¯t doing anything special, just slacking around. Yuuma who had too much free time in his hand was currently watching you*sube from his phone. And the trending topic on the search function was video related to dungeons. ¡ºYo Guys! Please take a look, this is the ?White Dungeon¡å in Sapporo. It¡¯s currently explored up to the 18th floor. And the majority of the monster inside is Fairy-type monster.¡» The man with dreadlock hair was currently taking the video while standing on top of a cliff. Even though it was supposed to be inside a cave, the area was as bright as outside during the day. Since the very beginning, the dungeon had its own light source, the scenery found inside wasn¡¯t that much different from the world outside. The camera then moved on toward a flock of something that was flying in the air. At a glance, it seems like a flock of birds but in reality, it was not. It was a flock of clione-like creatures with a semi-transparent body. They passed by the man¡¯s side and rose up to the sky. They drew an arc in the air and dived down again. ¡ºFyoooh, in spite of their adorable appearance, they were quite a belligerent creature! But, ain¡¯t gonna be scared from something like that. BEHOLD!.¡» The man pointed his five fingers toward the clione-like creatures. Pale lightning sparks gathered from the tips of his fingers and blasted off toward the creatures. The clione-like creatures that got hit by the lightning fell down one after another. ¡ºHahaha, see, my ?Thunder Magic¡å is awesome, right? At least it¡¯s strong enough to take care of these monsters!¡» The man fired his ?Magic¡å again, taking down another batch of clione-like creatures. And then¨D¨D ¡ºAah! Everyone, Look! Look! The monsters had dropped a magic gem. It¡¯s the ?Moonstone¡å that can be sold for 1,4 million. Woohoo, lucky me!¡» The man¡¯s video ended with such a happy scene. The number of viewers of his video had crossed 1,2 million. ¡¸Humph, worthless!¡¹ Yuuma closed the video site with an annoyed look on his face. He cast his smartphone aside and looked up to the ceiling. Seven years had passed since the first appearance of the dungeon. At first, the appearance of underground dungeons caused fear and anxiety to many people but now it was somehow generally accepted by society as part of a massive industry. Even if Yuuma hadn¡¯t been interested in it, he was still bound to hear one or two news stories about it. The unknown creature that live in the dungeon produced ¡ºMagic Gem¡», and one could use magic because of the ¡ºMagic Gem¡». People who got rich in the dungeon just like the man in the video appeared one after another but¡­ ¡¸Uu~~~, woofwoof! Woofwoofwoof!!!¡¹ Suddenly, a dog¡¯s bark came from the garden. ¡¸Now what¡­?¡¹ Yuuma got up lazily from the sofa and looked at the garden. His dog, Mamezo, who had always been quiet, suddenly barked at something. I wonder what he found over there? was what Yuuma thought as he put on his sandal on the veranda and went down to the garden. Although the house was rather small, it was built on a 150 m2 plot of land, so the garden was really big. Mamezo, who was left to play in the garden, was glaring and barking toward the place where the shrubs gathered. ¡¸Is something the matter?¡¹ Yuuma kept walking till he arrived near the shrub while feeling rather perplexed. Under the blazing sun that was flooding down incessantly, Yuuma was feeling really bored. Even if something as unrealistic as a dungeon suddenly appeared in front of him, he knew that only a small percentage of people enjoyed its benefit. These people were called ¡°Seeker¡± and were usually raised by a big companies. The government acknowledged these people with high physical ability. In the first place, not everyone who had a high physical ability would be sponsored by a company. It¡¯s still the popular one who would get one. He knew that only those people above gained the profit from the dungeon. Society was as unfair as ever. A normal person like him wouldn¡¯t get a chance at all. Thus, Yuuma spent his daily life lazily while cursing at reality. Until he found a mysterious hole behind the shrub in the garden of his family¡¯s house. CH 2 Chapter 2: There Was a Hole in The Garden ¡¸What the hell is this? Seems like a cave-in¡­¡¹ Yuuma held the barking Mamezo with his hand as he squatted on the ground, peeping into the slightly gaping hole. It was a round pit around one meter deep. It looks like a small cave-in. Just when he thought that hole was deeper than he expected, he saw something wriggling inside the hole. ¡¸Uhm? What in the world is that?¡¹ He brought his face closer to get a better view. alas, it was too dark inside. Yuuma returned to his house while muttering ¡¸Can¡¯t be helped then¡¹, and returned outside after taking out the flashlight from the top part of his drawer. He entered the hole and switched on the flashlight to get a clear view of the situation. Inside the hole was a small cave with less than one tatami mat space, and a dead-end one on top of that. It has enough space for an adult man to enter if he was stooping down. And then, the thing he was looking for was right inside that cave. Its size was a bit smaller than a handball, it was a grey-coloured creature that moved around as its body jiggled non-stop. ¡¸What the¡­ hell is that?¡¹ Though it looked like a mysterious creature, Yuuma felt that he had seen that creature before. Thus, he returned to his house in a hurry, and went back with his smartphone. He was looking at the site that published dungeon¡¯s monster. ¡¸Found it! It¡¯s this guy.¡¹ Yuuma found the creature in ¡ºSlime¡»¡¯s entry. It was a monster that often appeared in the game but the slime in the site¡¯s database had a far eerier appearance. Its dimension was around sixteen centimetres, pretty much the same as the slime in front of him. But, it was clearly different from the other slimes. Originally, slime was supposed to have light, transparent colors such as ¡ºBlue¡», ¡ºPale Blue¡», ¡ºRed¡», or ¡ºGreen¡». The slime in the cave wasn¡¯t transparent, and its colour was grey. ¡¸Is this not¡­ A slime?¡¹ Yuuma tried to search for more information about the monster before him on the internet. And then, his eyes stumbled upon one particular article. It was the article about ¡ºMetal Gray Slime¡» witnessed in Amerika¡¯s dungeon. ¡¸Metal Gray Slime?¡¹ The article was writing about another slime species found in a mid-sized dungeon, ¡ºH211¡» dungeon which is located in the western part of Central America. That metallic slime was so fast to the point that it had already vanished the moment it saw the eyewitnesses. The leader of the exploration team that found the slime, Eric, also couldn¡¯t tell about the details since the image that captured the new slime species had a blurred picture. When Yuuma tried to search for more related information, he found another article about the aforementioned slime found in Italy. An Italian explorer, Rossini told the story about his encounter with slime that looked like it was made of metal during one of his explorations in a large-sized dungeon in Italy. Rossini tried to attack it with his sword but its body was too tough, he couldn¡¯t even leave a scratch on it. But, many people believed that it was just BS since there was no evidence in the form of a picture, it was just a testimony. ¡¸There is too little evidence but, it seems to be a slime.¡¹ Yuuma frowned. If it really was a slime, it means that the hole in the garden of his family house had really become a dungeon. How did such a dungeon appear in the vicinity of a private house? He tried to find more information as he thought so. It was an era in which you can search for information that you don¡¯t know about on the internet. After he entered the keywords, he found news of several cases about privately owned land, houses, or companies turned into a dungeon. ¡¸Well, it looks like a paranormal situation such as a dungeon is unrelated to privately owned land.¡¹ In the case that privately owned land is turned into a dungeon, the owner seems to report their finding immediately to the local government or nearby police station. After that, the government would send their investigator, and the dungeon itself would be acquired by the country. There was no description of the matter related to the warranty or procedure of handing over the land. ¡¸Sounds like troublesome after all¡­¡¹ He couldn¡¯t accept the fact that a stranger would suddenly intrude into his family¡¯s garden. Because when that happens, Mamezo would also lose his playground. Yuuma was looking at another article on his smartphone. Up to this point, none of the witnessed ¡ºMetal Slime¡» has been defeated. So if the creature inside the cave is truly a metal slime¡­ Doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m the first one who killed it? At that moment, such a thought crossed Yuuma¡¯s head. CH 3 Chapter 3: Hammer VS Metal Slime From the very beginning, he was never interested in dungeons. Though he knew that a civilian could gain a lot of money by becoming an explorer of the dungeon, the dungeon itself was filled with danger, only an oddball would try to enter such a place. There were still many prejudices about the explorer¡¯s occupation. And Yuuma happens to be one of those people. But then, he found an extremely rare monster right inside the tiny dungeon before him. He thought that defeating it might earn him a magic gem. Since it was a rare monster, it should¡¯ve dropped a rare magic gem too. Some of the magic gems were traded for hundreds of millions. Thus he was wondering something along the lines of ¡°Is this my chance?¡±. He was painfully aware that using his brain wasn¡¯t his forte, nor did he have a special talent. Even if he could enter an F-grade university, his life wouldn¡¯t amount to that much. But, his life might change for the better if he could get a large amount of money at once¡­ That kind of ambition suddenly crossed his head. It took only a moment for Yuuma to make a decision as he ran back to his house immediately, rummaging in the cabinet for something that he could use as a weapon. According to his research on the site, slime was so weak to the point that there was no need to worry about injury when facing them. Since they¡¯re not dangerous, Yuuma had no reason to hesitate. He took out the hammer that was brought from the home centre from inside of the cabinet. It was the mighty 1280 Yen worth of hammer, he went back for the third time in the hole after he found what he was looking for. He stepped carefully into the hole while illuminating the inside with his flashlight. Mamezo could only look at Yuuma with a curious look on its face. ¡¸Uwaa! It¡¯s really narrow.¡¹ Inside the cave was barely enough for an adult. There wasn¡¯t even enough space for him to raise his hammer, he could barely move around inside. But, the same could be said for his opponent. The slime couldn¡¯t escape too. The slime raised its vigilance and stayed at the edge of the cave the moment they detected foreign existence entering the cave. Yuuma crouched down and glared at the slime with a turtle-like pose. With a pose that allowed him to raise his hammer, he raised his hammer and swung it down toward the slime. But, the hammer got repelled along with a dry metallic sound as it hit the slime. ¡¸S-So tough!¡¹ The slime turned out to be harder than he expected. Though it looked like metal at glance, at first he doubted whether it really was metal. But after trying to hit it, he realized that the slime body was really that of metal. It was as if he tried to hit tough steel with his measly 1280 Yen hammer. Can I defeat such a thing? was what he thought a moment before he saw the slime moving at fast speed. Though it couldn¡¯t escape in such a confined place, he couldn¡¯t hit the slime with his hammer either. ¡¸Dammit! It keeps moving around.¡¹ Yuuma couldn¡¯t move very well either due to the confined space. When he was distressed by such a situation, the slime suddenly leapt toward him. He was really surprised when the slime struck his knee. ¡¸OUCH!!¡¹ It was so painful as if a metal ball just struck at his knee with tremendous speed. ¡¸D-DAMMIT!¡¹ He swung his hammer again but the slime dodged it easily this time and sprung toward Yuuma¡¯s arm this time. Yuuma ended up dropping his hammer after the slime slammed onto his right arm. The slime isn¡¯t dangerous!? No need to be afraid of injury when facing them? They must be kidding me! Yuuma crawled out from the cave in a hurry as he cursed in his mind. When he raised his face up as he tried to stabilize his rough breath, his pet dog Mamezo was approaching their master with a worried look on their face. They raised worrying cries as they licked Yuuma¡¯s cheek. ¡¸Haah, haah¡­ No good, Mamezo¡­ The one inside turned out to be an atrocious monster¡­ It¡¯s dangerous, so you mustn¡¯t approach the hole carelessly next time.¡¹ Yuuma could barely brace his feet as he stood, walking back to his house. He took out an ice pack from the freezer and put it on the bruised part on his knee and right arm. ¡¸Ouch¡­ That¡¯s a painful experience indeed.¡¹ He heaved a sigh as he sat on the sofa, holding on to his smartphone while placing an ice pack on his knee. He tried looking for more information about the dungeon monsters on the internet. The information about slime was pretty much the same. According to his findings, slime was an extremely weak monster that could be defeated even by a kid. Something along the line of its movement being far slower than human, and not dangerous. ¡¸THIS IS PURE BS! METAL SLIME AIN¡¯T LIKE THAT AT ALL!¡¹ For weak monsters in the shallow floor of the dungeon, it seems they could be defeated with punch alone. But that kind of method wouldn¡¯t work on monsters on the deeper floor. According to the article that he found on the internet, they¡¯re getting stronger and stronger the deeper the floor. Even metal slime wasn¡¯t defeated with his blow. ¡¸So that metal slime is actually a powerful monster huh? Even though it appeared in shallow floor.¡¹ But according to the article, even strong monsters could still receive indirect damage from magic. Magic was a special power that could only be used inside the dungeon but it had confirmed that magic such as fire, water, or thunder could be used in the dungeon. ¡¸Indirect attack¡­ Metal¡­ Since that¡¯s the case¨D¨D¡¹ Yuuma was looking at the shrub in the garden again. ¡¸I might be able to defeat that fu*cker if I burn it¡­¡¹ CH 4 Chapter 4: Gas Burner We should have a lot of kerosene stock to be used in winter. If I set a fire in that hole¡­ No, forget about it, it was too reckless and might have ended up burning the entire garden. I mean, can we even do that in a dungeon? It was truly a troublesome matter. Since that was the case¨D¨D Yuuma went back to his house, rummaging through the cupboard in the kitchen for something. ¡¸That thing that used during our family barbeque should be he¡ª FOUND IT!¡¹ The thing that he found was a torch burner. It was a household gas burner equipped with a torch, it could spray flame like a jet. Yuuma then went back to the hole in the garden of his house. The metal slime was staying still inside the hole. Since the inside was dangerous, Yuuma only entered the hole with one leg first before going down, and pointing the nozzle of the gas burner toward the slime.Seeing that the other party was metal, he guessed that they couldn¡¯t resist heat. He pulled the ignition lever, and sprayed the jet flame. The flame burner reached the surface of the metal slime. And the metal slime who noticed the unusual phenomenon was starting to move inside the cave again. ¡¸AH! STOP MOVING ALREADY, DAMMIT!¡¹ Yuuma was trying to move his arm to follow the movement of the slime and yet, the metal slime that had been jumping around rammed their body on his leg. ¡¸OUCH!!¡¹ Yuuma jumped out of the hole the moment he felt pain running down into his leg. He was rolling around on the ground for a while while holding on his ankle. ¡¸AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Dammit all. THIS FELLA IS TOUGH NUT!!¡¹ Let¡¯s just seal this damned hole with a board or something was what Yuuma thought as he ran back into his house for the nth time. He had enough of it. He started to regret his choice since he wouldn¡¯t have to suffer the pains had he not tried to defeat the slime. Yuuma was grumbling while rolling on the sofa. And yet, his mind couldn¡¯t help but worry about the hole in his garden. Could it be that I¡­ used the wrong method? I mean, there was another method such as trying to suffocate the slime by filling the hole with water. Yuuma¡¯s head couldn¡¯t help but think about the way to defeat the slime. But then, he realized that slime might not have a respiratory organ. And due to their small size, he might¡¯ve a hard time finishing them if he fills the hole with water. Yuuma was trying his best to find the solution. But he ran out of ideas since he never dived into a dungeon before. ¡¸If only I could stop that guy from moving arou¡ª¡¹ That moment, Yuuma got a flash of inspiration. He was familiar with ¡ºJust stop it from moving around first¡» phrase. It was the famous catchphrase of a spray type insect repellant commercial that he saw on TV. The fast moving c©–ckroach would stop moving at once the moment they used £­85¡æ cooling spray. As long as it stopped moving around, exterminating it was a piece of cake. Wasn¡¯t this method applied to the metal slime too? since it could move so fast despite being a metal, it might be in fact, a liquid metal. Since that was the case, it should be weak against cold. Yuuma stood up from the sofa, went to his room on the second floor and opened his closet. He took out the cardbox in which he crammed miscellaneous stuff and started rummaging into it. ¡¸FOUND IT! This item should solve the problem.¡¹ He was holding onto cold spray. His father brought the item for him a long time ago when he entered the soccer club. He never got the chance to use it since he literally gave up on the club activity on the third day but he never expected that the item would play an important role today. He descended back to the 1st floor and took the gas burner that he left on the table along with him. Yuuma who dual wields a spray can in each hand then heads toward the garden again. Stopping its movement alone won¡¯t be enough to defeat the metal slime. But, I wonder what would happen if I used a gas burner on it after that? He heard about this somewhere before(In school to be exact). Metal that had been cooled down would become really brittle when it was exposed to extreme heat immediately, or vice versa. It should be called thermal expansion or so on the TV but, well that¡¯s a trivial matter. Yuuma stood in front of the hole again, taking a few deep breaths. ¡¸If this fails too. I¡¯LL STOP ONCE FOR ALL!¡¹ CH 5 Chapter 5: Heat And Cold¡¯s User When he peeked into the hole, he saw that the metal slime was staying still in one corner of the cave. Its position was a little bit too far for the spray to reach. In the end, Yuuma had no choice but to go inside the hole. Yuuma entered the hole, stretching his hand slowly so as to not stimulate the slime and causing another dangerous runaway. ¡°I just need to get the hell out of this hole the moment that slime rushes toward me.¡± Was what Yuuma thought in his mind. The distance between the slime and spray can had finally reached 30 centimeters. And then, the moment Yuuma pressed the spray button, cold air assailed the entire body of the slime along with the ¡°Psssh¡± sound. As for the slime, maybe because it had no idea what was happening to itself, its body just shook lightly as if to show its bewilderment. But then, it tried to escape the moment it noticed that they¡¯re under attack. ¡¸UWAA!¡¹ Yuuma was really surprised but he could see the slime¡¯s movement with no problem now. The cold spray did work on slowing it down. ¡¸GREAT! Now¡­¡¹ Yuuma approached the slime again and sprayed another dose of cold air on it. The slime body slowly turned white. As if it was frozen. After confirming that it couldn¡¯t move anymore, Yuuma leaned forward in a turtle-like posture again to enter the cave. He tried to poke the slime with his fingers but it didn¡¯t react at all. ¡¸Chance!¡¹ He placed the cooling spray on the ground and took the gas burner. The blue flame that jetted out from the gas burner when he pulled the ignition button quickly enveloped the slime¡¯s body. ¡¸WAAAH!¡¹ The flame spread on the ground, burning vigorously. Though he was curious about what just happened, he didn¡¯t waste any time reading the burner¡¯s explanation on its can. It was written there that the can contains highly combustible gas. ¡¸So that¡¯s the reason eh¡­ I guess I have to be very careful next time.¡¹ Nevertheless, he felt it was a good thing that the flame was burning brightly. And for some reason, the flame and gas stayed inside the hole. Thus, Yuuma took some distance from the fire and looked at the situation. A while later, the slime¡¯s body turned bright red and it started moving again. But¨D¨D Cracks started to appear on the surface of the slime¡¯s body. Even if it could move again, it wasn¡¯t as fast as before. It was clearly suffering from damage. ¡¸YEAH, I DID IT!¡¹ Thus, after the flame died out, Yuuma used the cold spray on the slime again. Since the metal slime was really hot, freezing it again wasn¡¯t as easy as before, but Yuuma kept using cold spray on it. Soon, the slime stopped moving again as its body was covered in white mist again. ¡¸Now¨D¨D¡¹ Yuuma pulled the ignition lever again and brought the gas burner close to the slime. After baking in blue flame for a while, the body of metal slime slowly turned red again. The change is accompanied by cracking sounds on its body. Does this mean that the surface is brittle enough already? Then hammering it right now definitely breaks it! He had such conviction but now he remembers that he had nothing but cold spray and gas burner with him. And when his hand was groping around to find a rock, his hand touched something hard. ¨D¨DAH, IS THIS BY CHANCE!? Yes, it was the same hammer that he dropped when he escaped from the metal slime before. Yuuma wasted no time to grab the hammer, swinging it down toward the slime who tried to escape from him. The hammer that could only swing lightly inside the small cave struck the body of metal slime. The body of the metal slime was smashed apart by the hammer along with the loud sound of metal clashed resounded in the cave. ¡¸YAY!¡¹ The broken pieces of the slime then crumbled down into black ashes and vanished. The way it vanished was the same as the vanished phenomenon of the monster inside the dungeon that he saw before. I see, so they really vanished huh? Yuuma was looking carefully into the cave with his flashlight, making sure that he didn¡¯t miss ¡ºMagic Gem¡» that might be dropped by the slime. ¡¸Well, that¡¯s it I guess. I heard that probability to get a monster is really low after all.¡¹ Yuuma quickly abandoned his search and crawled out of the hole. He then shouted ¡¸Mission complete! The target has been dispatched.¡¹ While being watched by Mamezo. Anyhow, the monster had already gone. The end. Yuuma brought large cardboard from the house to cover the hole. He didn¡¯t forget to put a medium-sized stone that he found nearby to pin the cardboard. That should be enough to take care of it. What an exhausting day, I don¡¯t feel like doing anything after this. ¡¸It¡¯ll take some time to fill this hole so let¡¯s postpone that for tomorrow, this should be enough for now. Right, Mamezo?¡¹ ¡¸Woof!¡¹ Yuuma returned to his house to return the gas burner, cold spray, and hammer back into the cabinet. That time, he was convinced that the problem had already been solved. Until he came back the next day¨D¨D CH 6 Chapter 6: Infinite Slime The next morning, Yuuma was awakened by Mamezo¡¯s barking which came from the garden. ¡¸What¡¯s now¡­?¡¹ Yuuma hurriedly rose from his bed and opened the curtain that covered the window of his room. The morning sunlight that pierced his room made him fully awake. ¡¸The heck! So noisy!¡¹ Since Yuuma¡¯s room is located on the second floor, he could see Mamezo in the garden. When he looked down to the garden from the window of his room, Mamezo barked toward something. Yuuma reluctantly descended into the first floor and walked toward the garden that was connected right beside the living room. ¡¸Yuuma, can you take a look why Mamezo barking so early in the morning?¡¹ Yuuma¡¯s mother, who made breakfast in the kitchen, asked with a curious tone. ¡¸I¡¯m about to do so.¡¹ Yuuma arrived on the veranda, put on his sandals, and walked until he arrived at the same hole that he covered with cardbox yesterday. Strangely enough, Mamezo was barking toward the very same place. ¡¸As I thought, this hole eh¡­¡¹ Yuuma lifted the stone that pressed the cardbox, and set the cardbox aside. When he tried to look into the hole, he saw something moving inside the hole. Yuuma didn¡¯t waste his time going back to his house, taking the flashlight from the cabinet, and returning to the hole in the garden again. When he illuminates the dark hole, he sees the very same being from yesterday appear in the hole again. ¡¸They appeared again. The metal slime!¡¹ I did hear before that the dungeon monster respawned but, to think that the same phenomenon happened in the tiny dungeon that is only enough to house a monster eh¡­ Honestly I find the fact that a monster will always appear in my garden is pretty annoying but, isn¡¯t that mean killing it is meaningless since they¡¯re just gonna respawn tomorrow? Yuuma got really annoyed but he also noticed a certain fact. ¡¸Wait a minute! If I keep defeating one slime per day, won¡¯t that mean they¡¯re going to drop ¡ºMagic Gem¡» someday? And knowing that they¡¯re rare monsters, the price unit for their ¡ºMagic Gem¡» must be millions.¡¹ He did hear that the drop rate of a monster was only around 1%. Since that was the case, they should be dropped around one ¡ºMagic Gem¡» if he keeps going on for a hundred days. Thus, Yuuma returned to the house with a slightly elated feeling. When his mother asked ¡¸What happened to mamezo¡¹ with a worried look on her face, Yuuma just run back into his room while saying ¡¸He¡¯s okay, nothing to worry about.¡¹ to his mother. He took out the gas burner and cold spray that he used yesterday from his closet and went down toward his garden again. He pushed his arm into the hole while glancing at the barking Mamezo. When he sprayed the cold spray on the metal slime, they tried to jump up to dodge it but their movement slowed down due to the cold. When its body turned white, it became frozen solid, and completely stopped moving. Yuuma nodded in satisfaction upon seeing that, and then quickly grabbed the gas burner, and pulled the trigger. The blue flame jetted out from the gas burner and heated up the body of the metal slime. The body of the slime turned red and once its body thawed, the slime started moving again. After repeated use of superheating and cooling a few times, cracks started to appear on the metal slime body. ¡¸AH! I forgot the hammer¡­¡¹ He looked around and found a small stone nearby. He hit the metal slime with a stone in his hand. That moment¨D¨D The slime¡¯s body broke apart. ¡¸YAY!¡¹ The fragments of their body turned into black sand and vanished. And just like yesterday, Yuuma was searching around the hole to see if the metal slime dropped off something. ¡¸Uhm, miss again¡­¡¹ He failed to find ¡ºMagic Gem¡». Yuuma then gets out of the hole while thinking that getting a drop wasn¡¯t that easy. ¡¸Mamezo, I¡¯ve beaten the evil monster. They might appear again tomorrow too though¡­¡¹ After brushing the whining Mamezo, Yuuma went back into his house. Doesn¡¯t this mean that I struck gold? Suppose that I defeat one metal slime per day, wouldn¡¯t I be able to swim in money sooner or later? Seeing Yuuma grinning out of nowhere, even his mother was starting to worry about her son. === TN: Next Release 30/08/2022 (~¡¯.¡¯)~You Can Read The Advance Chapter by Clicking the Image Below and Become My Patron~(¡®.¡¯~) My Regular Release Schedule : -Thursday :- I Found Tiny Dungeon That Can Only Produce Metal Slime Available for 10/$10 Bonus Release: -Tuesday CH 7 Chapter 7: 46th day Since that day, Yuuma has been fighting the slime every single morning. He woke up as soon as he heard Mamezo bark in the garden right in the morning. Armed with a golden trio of hammer, gas burner, and cold spray, he peeked into the hole when his dog barked in the morning. And just like before, the familiar metal slime has been waiting for him. ¡¸Great, now I just need to like usual¡­¡¹ First, he used cold spray until the slime stopped moving, then grilled the frozen slime with a gas burner. The surface of metal slime would start to show cracks after he repeated that process around two or three times. ¡¸Lastly, it¡¯s this fella¡¯s turn¨D¨D¡¹ A clear metallic sound rang inside the hole when Yuuma struck the slime with his hammer. The body of the metal slime that had turned brittle due to thermal expansion then broke apart, crumbled into sands, and vanished. It was a simple operation but he had to buy a new gas burner and cold spray when the last one was exhausted. Yuuma was looking into his wallet and heaved a deep sigh. ¡¸At this rate, my already small amount of pocket money will vanish if I have to buy them on my own.¡¹ Buying something has always been the biggest bane of a high-school student¡¯s wallet. Day after day, after such process repeated over and over, then come the 46th day¨D¨D ¡¸Fuuuuuuuuudge! It won¡¯t come out!! The magic gem doesn¡¯t come out at all!!¡¹ Yuuma, who just got out of the hole or zed as soon as he stepped on the ground. His pet, Mamezo, was brushing their nose at him with a worried look on their face. ¡¸I failed, Mamezo¡­ Even after close to two months, no magic gem ever dropped. I¡¯m tired of this.¡¹ Mamezo was licking Yuuma on his face as the latter complained about the dungeon. ¡¸U~hm, you¡¯re right. For one hundred million. Even if I have to wake up in the morning, even if I have to spend my pocket money like there¡¯s no tomorrow, I have to endure this hardship for the sake of one hundred million.¡¹ Yuuma brushed the soil on his clothes and took care of the hole. When he brushed Mamezo¡¯s head, the latter¡¯s tail wagged happily. ¡¸It seems you¡¯re in a good mood after the slime is gone huh.¡¹ Yuuma returned to the house while smiling wryly upon seeing the lively Mamezo. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Summer passed and autumn came, he brushed his cheek which cooled down due to the weather. Along the way to the high school, Yuuma had been pondering about how many slimes he had been defeated until now. ¡¸Sup! Morning!¡¹ ¡¸WAAAH!¡¹ He almost jumped up when someone suddenly called him out from behind. When he turned around, he found out that the one who greeted him was one of his childhood friends, Ichinose Kaede. Though they were in different classes, their houses were close to each other, thus they often met along the way to school. ¡¸Even though you used to barely arrive in time, you seem to arrive earlier lately.¡¹ ¡¸W-Well, I just happen to wake up a little bit earlier lately.¡¹ ¡¸Hu~m, is that a sign of the change in your mental state?¡¹ Kaede brought her face closer as she teased him. Her short bob hair is bright in the smell of her shampoo. Even though she looked like a legit boy in their childhood, she had already transformed into a proper girl. Yuuma¡¯s heart was beating even faster when she looked at him with her usual lively smile. ¡¸Have you finally been self-conscious since next year is the last year of our high school?¡¹ ¡¸No~pe!¡¹ He unintentionally averted his gaze from Kaede¡¯s innocent smile. ¡¸Hey, have you heard about what Rui doing nowadays?¡¹ ¡¸Rui? Come to think of it, what he been doing lately?¡¹ Tensawa Rui was Yuuma¡¯s other childhood friend. Though they used to be hanging around together pretty often, they rarely do that nowadays after they got separated due to class change in high school. ¡¸He¡¯s completely engrossed with dungeon right now, and currently studying about it.¡¹ ¡¸Dungeon!?¡¹ Yuuma was dumbfounded for a while upon hearing an unexpected word. ¡¸I mean, he wants to find a job in the company related to dungeons in the future after all. It seems he went to various dungeons during the holiday.¡¹ ¡¸E-E~h, is the dungeon-related business profitable? It seems pretty unstable but still¡­¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Have you not heard about that matter, Yuuma? Dungeon-related enterprises are growing rapidly recently. I hear that even medical treatment has entered the business too.¡¹ According to Kaede, of the few types of dungeon, the ¡ºWhite Dungeon¡» was the most important one. It was a place that produced clear, transparent magic gems, which had a magical effect on ¡°Heal Illness and Wound¡±. It has a vast array of uses since it could even heal the illness or wound that was deemed to be impossible to heal by modern standards before dungeons appear. For that reason, vast amounts of money circulating around dungeons, some news even stated that the amount of money that was equal to several billion yen circulating around the dungeon-related business in foreign countries was the norm. ¡¸I have no idea about that. How did it come to that¡­¡¹ ¡¸Rui is amazing, right? He already know what he wanted to do in the future.¡¹ Yuuma had mixed feelings in his heart upon hearing Kaede muttered so with so much admiration right by his side. Rui¡¯s life has been influenced by the dungeon too, just like me. Well, considering the future prospects in this business, he¡¯s being realistic I guess¡­ A great difference from me who spends day after day hammering down metal slime. ¡¸Yuuma, what are you going to do in the future?¡¹ ¡¸Eh?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t know¡­¡¹ was his answer when Kaede suddenly threw such a question at him. CH 8 Chapter 8: FINALLY HIT THE JACKPOT! Around three months later. It was right in the middle of winter, and though there was no snow around the area Yuuma was living in, the cold weather was still biting into his skin. It happened in the early morning on such a day¡­ Yuuma was complaining like usual as he headed toward the hole. The sky was still dark. The action of freezing followed by burning the metal slime while illuminating the dark cave had already become part of his daily life. When he was about to leave the hole after confirming that the slime had already been destroyed, he noticed something unusual. When he turned around in hurry to illuminate the hole, he found something dropped on the floor of the cave. Though it looked like a pebble at glance, the pearl black stone was clearly different from the other people around. Yuuma stretched his trembled arm toward the stone and picked it up. Its surface was smooth and cold. ¨D¨DNo doubt about it. ¡¸Came, IT CAMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!¡¹ Since he suddenly shouted loudly while raising half of his upper body from the hole, Mamezo flinched away from him due to surprise. Yuuma cheerfully raised his right hand that clenched on the gem. ¡¸Finale¡­ After 121 days, IT FINALLY CAME!!¡¹ Yuuma patted Mamezo who barked lightly while saying ¡¸I¡¯ll treat you to nice, expensive dog food once I get the money¡¹ before he ran back to the house. He was observing the stone that was ¡ºProduced¡» in the hole under the light in his room. And finally, he noticed something strange about it. ¡¸Eh?¡¹ No matter how smooth the surface of the stone, it didn¡¯t look like ?Gem¡å to him. It looked like black iron. ¡¸What is this? Is this really a magic gem?¡¹ Yuuma tried to get more information by entering the keyword into the search engine. ¡¸Drop¡­ Iron¡­ Not gem¡¹ Thereupon, after opening several articles. He read one particular page¡­ ¡¸Black dungeon¡­ Magic ore?¡¹ It was a special article about a black dungeon. Different from ¡ºWhite Dungeon¡», the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» was rarely researched, and quite unpopular on top of that. One thing confirmed about it was the fact that when the monster was defeated in the black dungeon and left a drop item, it wouldn¡¯t be a ?Magic Gem¡±, it was something commonly known as ore and since it dropped in the dungeon, it then referred as ?Magic Ore¡±. Though the research indicated that this ?Magic Ore¡± raised one¡¯s physical abilities, since the raise was quite insignificant, many people said that doing muscle training was much faster. For that reason, Yuuma could only heave a deep sigh upon seeing that the price of ?Magic Ore¡± was really insignificant. ¡¸The hole in the garden was¡­ Black Dungeon, eh¡­¡¹ Yuuma tried to confirm that matter in the article about metal slime that he found months ago. Upon reading carefully, he confirmed that the metal slime was found in the black dungeon. He felt as if power was sapped from his body, and collapsed in the bed. ¡¸After spending my pocket money for months¡­ it turned out to be not worth the effort.¡¹ He suddenly lost all his motivation and didn¡¯t feel like doing anything at all. Reality is¡­ Really cruel. That was what Yuuma thought as he discovered the bitter reality of the black dungeon. Since today was Saturday, Yuuma wanted to sleep all day but then, he pumped himself up as he had to finish another job. He took out a working scoop from the storage room and went toward the garden. ¡¸WOOFWOOF!¡¹ Yuuma ignored Mamezo who was running happily toward him, dug the soil from the garden and used it to fill the hole. ¡¸THIS HOLE IS SUCH A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT, MAMEZO!! IT CAN¡¯t PRODUCE MONEY!¡¹ He furiously shoved the soil to fill the hole. And twenty minutes later, the hole had completely filled up. ¡¸I! AM! DONE WITH THIS HOLE!!¡¹ Yuuma struck on the filled-up hole to harden the soil, venting his rage. ¡¸Okay¡­ I¡¯ve been wasting my time and money for months. You can sleep peacefully from tomorrow onward, Mamezo!¡¹ ¡¸WOOF!¡¹ Yuuma, who felt slightly relieved upon seeing Mamezo happily wagging their tail, then returned to his house with a scoop in his hand. He placed the black magic ore on top of his desk. Yuuma grabbed the magic ore and threw it into the drawer. ¡¸I guess it¡¯s useless since it isn¡¯t worth a penny!¡¹ And just like that, he sprawled in his bed while gazing at the roof of his room. ¨D¨DI guess I can wake up much later starting tomorrow. Today is the final day of my chasing after a futile dream. I even forgot to think about what I wanted to do in the future. Suddenly, he recalled his childhood friend, Rui. Rui had already known what he wanted to do in the future and rushed straight forward toward his goal. Even Kaede ended up attracted by it. ¨D¨D I¡¯m really envious of Rui I guess¡­ Was what he thought but, he shook off such idle thoughts that had nothing to do with him. That day passed in a flash as he spent the rest of the day doing nothing. CH 9 Chapter 9: Resurrected Nightmare The next morning, he heard Mamezo¡¯s shrill bark again. It had already become part of his daily life but, Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but wake up with a frown on his face. ¡¸¡­ Strange. I should¡¯ve filled up the hole yesterday.¡¹ After reluctantly rising up from his bed and wearing his down coat, Yuuma went down to the garden. And just as he expected, Mamezo was barking in the direction of the hole. ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, Mamezo? Did you find somet¨D¨D¡¹ That moment, the scene that appeared before him caused Yuuma to feel dumbfounded. The reason was the hole that he filled up yesterday, had appeared again like the original. ¡¸OI, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?¡¹ Yuuma hurriedly peered into the hole and just as he expected, THAT guy was here. The jiggling Metal Slime. ¡¸ Does that mean the filled-up hole going to reset every day!? Seriously. All my effort to fill it up is just futile¡­¡¹ Yuuma orzed right where he stood upon realizing the bitter fact. Since the dungeon couldn¡¯t be filled up, it meant that it would stay like that forever. Yuuma picked up Mamezo who kept barking non-stop as he ran back into the house. But, even that didn¡¯t stop Mamezo from barking. Even when he brought Mamezo to the living room or his bedroom, Mamezo kept barking non-stop. The same goes even when he brought Mamezo to the backyard, Mamezo kept barking as if his life depended on it. Does that mean that slime released some sort of aura that can only be felt by Mamezo? And a really dangerous one on top of that? ¡¸WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? MAMEZO¡¯S BARKING IS DISTURBING OUR NEIGHBOR!¡¹ Was what his mother said while making breakfast, thus, Yuuma decided to resume the slime hunt. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸DAAAAAAAAAAMN!! WHY DO I¡¯VE TO DEFEAT THIS SLIME THAT WON¡¯T GIVE ME ANY MONEY EVERY DAY!?¡¹ Yuuma felt really frustrated as he lay prone on his desk, he couldn¡¯t come up with any other method to stop Mamezo from barking. He suddenly opened the drawer of his desk while feeling such frustration. He took out the drop item he got from metal slime, ?Magic Ore¡å, and raised it right in front of his eyes to observe it. Its diameter was around 2 cm, and upon a closer look, it was actually an ellipse rather than a sphere. ¡¸If I¡¯m not mistaken, its effect should be something along with physical strengthening¡­ Since I can¡¯t sell it, I might as well use it.¡¹ But then, since he had no idea how to utilize the magic ore, he searched for it on his smartphone like usual. ¡¸¡­ Since the article says ¡ºcan be swallowed after some cleaning¡», does that mean I literally need to swallow it?¡¹ It seems the magic ore or magic gem would decompose in the body, and enable the one who swallowed it to use magic. But, another paragraph written below caught Yuuma¡¯s attention. ¡ùReminder, the human who swallowed the magic gem must¡¯ve a higher ¡ºMana¡» than the magic gem¡¯s mana value. When one¡¯s¡ºMana¡» lower than that of the magic gem¡¯s mana value, the magic gem wouldn¡¯t decompose inside the body, it would be excreted instead. ¡¸?Mana¡±¡­ I¡¯ve heard about that term a few times but, could hardly understand what it means.¡¹ Yuuma typed ¡ºDungeon and Mana¡» into the search engine again while scratching his head. ¡¸ Let¡¯s see, ¡°Regarding The Discovery of Mana and Structure of Dungeon¡±.¡¹ There was a literal text wall in the article regarding the research about dungeons. Yuuma skimmed through most of it since it contained jargon that he couldn¡¯t even understand. And then, after he summarized the contents of the article¨D¨D Dungeons suddenly appeared all over the world around seven years ago, thus the army of each country was dispatched to explore the dungeon. In that place, they saw various creatures that never existed outside the dungeon and were extremely belligerent on top of that. The first exploration team often clashed with them. The one thing that could be understood after one year of the investigation was the fact that the defeated body of the unknown creatures broke down into something akin to sand and vanished without traces. And then, they would leave behind a ?Gem¡å on very rare occasions. The unknown creatures were also unable to leave the dungeon. The lower they go down into the dungeon, the stronger the unknown monster would be waiting for them. The phenomenon that gained special attention was the fact that the body of the member of the army who had spent a long time in the dungeon. Though the amount was minuscule, their bodies emitted something akin to electromagnetic waves. Since the same electromagnetic wave existed in the dungeon too, it was safe to assume that the body of the soldier who stayed for a long time in the dungeon had been affected by it. But then, after further investigation, it was confirmed that the electromagnetic wave had nothing to do with the amount of time spent inside the dungeon. It was actually related to the amount of unknown creatures defeated by each individual. The soldiers who defeated a lot of unknown creatures or the ones who defeated stronger unknown creatures had been confirmed to have a high density of electromagnetic waves released from their bodies. When this news was announced, it literally broke the internet with many claiming it as ¡ºGaining EXP in the game.¡». But then, it was also discovered that the electromagnetic wave had no effect-whether it was good or bad- on the body regardless of the density. Though many people were disappointed by that discovery, a certain incident changed everything. It happened three years after the appearance of the dungeon. CH 10 Chapter 10: Mystery of Power After its safety was guaranteed, the shallow floor of the dungeon was opened to the public, and people who tried to get profit from selling ¡°Gem¡± dropped by the defeated creatures in the dungeon started to appear one after another. The worded ¡°gem¡± produced in the dungeon was named after a natural gem since they also have electromagnetic waves in them, it was sold in accordance to their rarity. On a certain day, when some civilians brought back ¡°Gem¡± harvested from the dungeon to the surface, they were attacked by a dog-like creature, and accidentally dropped the gem they carried with them. When they gathered the scattered gems in hurry, the dog jumped in again and ate one of them. And then, a change happened immediately. The dog opened its mouth and spewed blazing flame from its mouth. The civilians were dumbfounded upon seeing that. The reason being the gem eaten by the dog was a ¡°Gem¡± dropped from a fire-breathing lizard. That was the first time humankind discover the fact that they could gain mysterious power by consuming ¡ºGem¡». And that strange power was the one widely known as magic. Conjuring flame, controlling water, giving a rise to wind, created roaring lightning. Something that was supposed to exist only in fantasy had become reality in the dungeon. And though magic was only limited in the dungeon, it was proven to be effective toward creatures in the deep floor who were impervious to physical attack. Before long, the knowledge about the fact that you need ¡ºMagic Gem¡» to use magic became known to the public. And ¡ºMonster¡» become the official name for all unknown creatures that dropped a magic gem. ¡ºSeeker(explorer)¡» becomes the official job for the human who entered the dungeon to get money. Anyhow, the most important fact was added, later on, a fact that one had to increase the amount of their electromagnetic wave by defeating monsters to be able to use ¡°Magic¡±. This electromagnetic wave was then called ¡ºMana¡» by an Australian scholar who found it first. It was a word that represented mysterious power in ancient religion. The digitization of mana is come to known as ¡ºMana Index¡», and the requirement to use ¡°Magic Gem¡± was the mana index of the person had to be higher than the mana index of the magic gem. ¡¸Uhm, in short, I can¡¯t use it unless I¡¯ve got this ¡°Mana¡±¡­ Since I defeated a lot of metal slime, my mana index should be pretty high, right?¡¹ But then, Yuuma couldn¡¯t be too careless without confirming it first. When he searched for ¡ºMana Index¡», he found out that he could buy ¡°Measuring Instrument¡± from general stores. ¡¸Let¡¯s take a look¡­ Today is Sunday after all.¡¹ ¡ó¡ó¡ó There was a huge electronic store around twenty minutes away from Yuuma¡¯s house by bicycle. Though they mostly sold general electric appliances, it was the first time in a long time since the last time Yuuma visited this place. Yuuma parked his bicycle in the parking lot and went up into the store. He was looking around as he walked along the line up of a lot of electric appliances for a while before his line of sight stopped at one corner of the store. ¡ºGO HERE, a wide array of dungeon-related products!¡» Various colourful displays were set right above that corner. A special compass to point the direction inside the dungeon. Stun guns to defeat weak monsters or electric batons. ¡°Wait, the torchlight aside, why do they have camping gears that had nothing to do with electronics too?¡± That was what Yuuma thought as he looked at that corner. And then, the item he was looking for¨D¨D ¡¸This is a mana measuring tool huh¡­ they have various types.¡¹ Speaking of measuring tools, they had cylindrical-shaped or even dryer-shaped ones. The price goes from 40k~120k yen. And just as expected, when Yuuma felt it was too expensive for him, he noticed the second-hand goods section in that corner. The price ranged from 10k~30k yen, far cheaper than the new one. Yuuma then called the employee of the store who wore a jumper suit with the store logo on it. ¡¸Excuse me. Is this second-hand measuring tool can still work properly?¡¹ Despite the slightly rude question from Yuuma, the plump employee replied with a gentle smile on his face. ¡¸Yes, it can work properly. Though it might be an old model, it is still working properly. The performance is quite lagging behind the new one though. Look here, it even comes with a written guarantee.¡¹ Thus, Yuuma decided to buy a second-hand measuring tool. But then, since he was worried about its performance, he chose the dryer type which priced 19800 yen(including tax). ¡¸This one, please.¡¹ === TN: Next Release 07/09/2022 (~¡¯.¡¯)~You Can Read The Advance Chapter by Clicking the Image Below and Become My Patron~(¡®.¡¯~) My Regular Release Schedule : -Thursday :- I Found Tiny Dungeon That Can Only Produce Metal Slime Available for 10/$10 Bonus Release: -Tuesday CH 11 Chapter 11: Mana Index Measuring Tool After leaving the electronic store, Yuuma opened the box containing a mana measuring tool as soon as he arrived in his own room. He installed two 3AAA batteries into the tool and turned it on. Let¡¯s start with this ¡°Magic Ore¡±. He pointed the dryer-shaped tool toward the ore, and pressed the switch. It was more similar to using a speed gun rather than a dryer. The tool had a display that would display a certain value. According to the explanation, the display would show measured ¡ºMana Index¡». In the case of a weak monster, it would display one digit, a slightly stronger monster would range between ten to hundreds, amongst the magic gems dropped so far, the highest record was two thousand. Though Yuuma had been wondering just how big the mana index for ¡ºMagic Ore¡» dropped by rare metal slime, the display didn¡¯t show any numerical value no matter how much he has been waiting for it. It only displayed the number zero that kept blinking repeatedly. ¡¸Eh? That¡¯s strange.¡¹ He tried to measure the mana index again, alas the result was still the same. ¡±Why?¡± That was what he thought as he tried to measure his own mana index. And yet, just like before, the result didn¡¯t come out. He reread the explanation and tried again, but the result was the same as before. ¡¸¨D¨D The heck! This tool is broken!!¡¹ The enraged Yuuma took the receipt with him, stuffed the mana measuring tool into his bag and left his house. He rode his bicycle toward the electronic store again. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸Eh? Broken?¡¹ The eyes of the plump shopkeeper who dealt with him before opened wide. ¡¸Yes! It doesn¡¯t work no matter how many times I tried it.¡¹ ¡¸That, that¡¯s definitely a great inconvenience to you. Our deepest apologies. I shall check the tool immediately.¡¹ After the shopkeeper said so, he went to the back of the store along with the measuring tool. ¨D¨DGood grief, it might be a second-hand item but how dare they sell broken items! Despite his indignation, the shopkeeper returned in just a few minutes. ¡¸Thank you for the waiting, dear guest.¡¹ He was smiling gently despite sweating from his forehead. ¡¸I¡¯ve tested it but, it doesn¡¯t seem to be broken.¡¹ ¡¸Eh?¡¹ ¡°It isn¡¯t broken?¡± in front of a dumbfounded Yuuma, the shopkeeper took out several gems. Green, yellow, and blue. ¡¸This is a real magic gem. This one is aquamarine 1 carat, this is topaz 2 carat, and this one is peridot 3 carat. The mana index is as follows, 1, 2, and 3.¡¹ The shopkeeper took out Yuuma¡¯s ¡ºMana Measuring Tool¡» and pointed it toward the aquamarine. After pressing and holding the switch for two seconds, it let out a soft ¡°Pi¡± sound. And sure enough, when the shopkeeper showed the display, it displayed the number ¡º£±¡». Moreover, both topaz and peridot were also showing their result. The result was ¡º£²¡» and ¡º£³¡» respectively. It was just as the shopkeeper said. ¡¸As you can see, the measuring tool is working. My apologies for asking this but, may I ask what are you trying to measure, dear guest?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Ah, I am actually trying to measure magic ore. It¡¯s as big as this.¡¹ When Yuuma showed the size of the ore with his finger, the shopkeeper nodded in understanding. ¡¸I see now¡­ Though I only know a little bit about magic ore, I heard that their mana index is quite low.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? Then why this tool can¡¯t measure their index?¡¹ ¡¸This measuring tool can only measure the index above 1, it won¡¯t display anything below 1¡¹ ¡¸W-Wait a minute! I tried to measure my mana index too but, the result is zero too. Is that mean my mana index is below 1 too?¡¹ ¡¸My apologies before but, have you defeated a dungeon monster before, dear guest?¡¹ ¡¸W-Well, more than a hundred of them in fact.¡¹ Yuuma replied with a slightly proud look on his face. ¡¸How amazing! What kind of monster did you defeat?¡¹ ¡¸Slime. Slightly stronger slime.¡¹ But, the shopkeeper smiled lightly the moment he heard that the monster was slime. ¡¸Ah, I see now. Well, we might have a bit of misunderstanding.¡¹ ¡¸What kind of misunderstanding?¡¹ ¡¸Though it¡¯s true that defeating many monsters can raise mana index, that isn¡¯t always the case.¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Why though?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, you can only take a portion of mana from the opponent that you defeated. In short, it feels like defeating a monster with a mana index of 100 will only allow you to raise your mana index by 1.¡¹ ¡¸SO LITTLE!?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. That¡¯s why many has also recognised that your mana index won¡¯t increase no matter how many slimes you¡¯ve been defeated¡­¡¹ And I defeated all those metal slimes every day without knowing about that. ¡¸So, does that mean both my mana index and the ore are¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes, unfortunately¡­ Since this tool isn¡¯t broken, we can¡¯t reimburse you. My deepest apology for the inconvenience.¡¹ Though the shopkeeper was bowing politely to Yuuma, his face clearly telling the latter ¡°Since there¡¯s no problem with the tool, get the hell out of here¡±. Yuuma wanted to say his objection but, he really couldn¡¯t find a decent argument. ¡°I understand. Sorry for the trouble¡± Was the only thing that he could say as he left the store. === TN: Next Release 09/09/2022 (~¡¯.¡¯)~You Can Read The Advance Chapter by Clicking the Image Below and Become My Patron~(¡®.¡¯~) My Regular Release Schedule : -Thursday :- I Found Tiny Dungeon That Can Only Produce Metal Slime Available for 10/$10 Bonus Release: -Tuesday CH 12 Chapter 12: Blue Dungeon After arriving in his room again, Yuuma threw away the bag containing the measuring tool at the edge of the room. He sat on the chair of his study desk and hung his head low. ¡¸DAMMIT ALL! I SPENT 19800 YEN FOR NOTHING!¡¹ Though Yuuma was really pissed off right now, he had no idea how to vent his anger. Though the shopkeeper of the electronic store had told him that his mana index wouldn¡¯t rise no matter how many slimes he defeated, the monster that he defeated wasn¡¯t your average slime. It was the rare, metal slime. ¡¸LIKE HELL MY MANA INDEX IS ZERO AFTER I BEAT BUNCH LOADS OF THEM!¡¹ But, he couldn¡¯t use the ¡ºMagic Ore¡» unless he know his mana index. Yuuma then tried again to search how to measure the mana index with 0.1 accuracy. ¡¸U~hm, a precise measuring instrument can go up to 100k yen huh? Even the second-hand one is 70k yen¡­ truly out of my reach.¡¹ If he swallowed the ¡ºMagic Ore¡» without knowing his mana index, there was a chance that it wouldn¡¯t disintegrate and come out with fe*es. Yuuma took an even closer look at the magic ore in his hand. ¡¸It¡¯s really big. My a*ss definitely going to be screwed if this magic ore isn¡¯t disintegrated in my body¡­¡¹ Yuuma shuddered upon imagining that kind of situation. The reason being no one wanted the iron ball with a diameter of around two centimetres coming out from their a*ssh*ole. Yuuma continued to look for another way to measure his mana index. Thereupon, he stumbled upon a certain article. ¡¸There¡¯s a measuring instrument in the dungeon?¡¹ He read that particular page on the homepage of dungeon management in Tokyo. ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡» which is located in Musashino city was a popular spot whose shallow layer was safe enough even for children. It said on the homepage that everyone could measure their mana index for free as long as they paid the entrance fee. ¡¸THEY¡¯VE SOMETHING LIKE THAT!? AND MANA MEASURING TOOL WITH HIGH PRECISION ON TOP OF THAT¡­ THIS IS IT!¡¹ Though Yuuma¡¯s family house is located in Tokyo, it is on the outskirts which is far away from the centre. He would arrive in Musashino city in ten minutes by train. Yuuma leapt out of his room again, taking only his wallet with him. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Yuuma who came out from the train in Musashino ward station then left looking around restlessly after he left the station. ¡¸Over there huh?¡¹ After walking while following the GPS of his smartphone for a while, he finally saw a white, dome-shaped building. Yuuma quickened his pace. That was the facility built around a small park, it was 3000 square meters in size. Though the building felt like the downsized version of Tokyo dome, it was covered by a bulky wall on four sides to prevent any intruders. Yuuma registered at the front desk and went through the automatic door. Since today was Sunday, the facility was more crowded than on weekdays. Yuuma called out to the female receptionist. ¡¸Excuse me. I want to enter the dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸Is this the first time you¡¯re visiting this place?¡¹ A beauty in her twenties asked so with a gentle smile on her face. ¡¸Yes, this is my first time. I hear that I¡¯ve to pay, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, there¡¯s an entry fee. A normal citizen can enter up to the third floor, which floor you¡¯re going to enter?¡¹ It seems there¡¯s a different fee depending on the floor. Well, the 1st floor should be enough for now. ¡¸First floor, please.¡¹ ¡¸Okay. The entry fee for the first floor is 1000 yen. Ah, we also provided a student discount if you are one, do you bring your student id?¡¹ Yuuma rummaged through his wallet and took out his student id card, thus he only needed to pay 800 yen after the discount. ¡¸This is the entry proof. Please go ahead, the entrance of the dungeon is right at the end of the passage.¡¹ ¡¸Uhm, I want to measure my mana index too¡­¡¹ ¡¸Mana measurement room is on the right. You¡¯ll know once you enter the passage.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, thanks.¡¹ A while after he went into the passage, he saw a billboard with bold ¡ºMana Index Measurement Room¡» written on there. Though some people were lining up to use it, the number wasn¡¯t that much. Yuuma received his number and decided to wait in the sofa provided along the corridor. After waiting nervously for around ten minutes. ¡¸Number 286, Please enter the room.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹ Yuuma walked into the mana measurement room with his entry number in one hand. CH 13 Chapter 13: Ultra Precision Mana Measuring Tool Upon entering the room, two men wearing nurse-like white uniforms had already been waiting for him. ¡¸Please sit over here.¡¹ said them as they asked Yuuma to sit in the chair in the middle of the room. There was a CTscan-like machine at that place. There was a ring-like device that descended from above. ¡¸We¡¯re about to start the measurement, please stay still for a while.¡¹ When one of the staff said so, the other staff had already been operating the machine, it took only for a moment for the machine to start moving. Yuuma¡¯s face twitched a few times. The reason being him never expected the measuring tool to be this big. I see, this is clearly on a whole nother level compared to the dryer type measurement tool sold in the electronic store. Thus, Yuuma feels reassured. Now he could finally measure the exact amount of his mana index. The ring descended until his feet then went up slowly. ¡¸Okay, you can move again.¡¹ After the measurement that ended unexpectedly quickly, Yuuma stood from his chair again. The staff then took the A4 paper that came out from the printer at the side of the room. ¡¸The results just came out. There you go.¡¹ Though there were several entries written in the paper given to him, all of them showed zero. Thus, Yuuma frowned upon seeing that. ¡¸This is¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes, your mana index is zero. Since this machine can measure up to 0.01 units, there¡¯s no mistake in this result.¡¹ The result was the same as the one from the dryer-type measuring tool. It seems the metal slime was really so weak to the point that it didn¡¯t have mana at all. ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹ said Yuuma as he left the room. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸That child just now seems to come since he thinks that he has mana.¡¹ The two staff in the mana measuring room spoke with a light smile on their face. ¡¸Well, there are many kids like him nowadays. A greenhorn who thinks that their mana index might¡¯ve risen after defeating a weak monster on the shallow floor.¡¹ ¡¸Well, your mana index won¡¯t change no matter how many slimes you have defeated in this ¡°Blue Dungeon¡± though¡­ I really can¡¯t tell him that since he seems to be disappointed already.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha, I can see that.¡¹ As they were having such a conversation, the staff who were tuning the measuring tool suddenly noticed that something was amiss. ¡¸Uhm? Eh¡­¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s the matter?¡¹ ¡¸No, this is strange. Is the machine in bad condition¡­ It won¡¯t move at all.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? This tool won¡¯t break that easily right? Why would it break out of nowhere?¡¹ The two tried to fix the mana measuring tool in a hurry but the tool, which cost not less than a few hundred million yen, refused to budge. Colour drained from the two staff¡¯s faces upon discovering such an unexpected situation. Meanwhile, Yuuma, ignorant of such an event had already stood in front of the entrance gate of the dungeon. ¡¸Since I¡¯ve come this far, let¡¯s try to enter this for now.¡¹ He went into the gate. The huge dome-shaped roof was made from semi-transparent glass, that¡¯s why the sunlight should be able to come inside. Nevertheless, the entire space was dark, and what came from the hole on the floor was jet-black darkness. Yuuma gulped his spit. ¡¸Ye~s, this is the entrance to the dungeon! Make sure you¡¯re fully prepared before you come inside.¡¹ The female staff waved her hand to guide him. The pair of parents and children who heard that then descended into the hole. Yuuma followed behind, he stepped onto the staircase that descended below. He ended up becoming scared when he tried to see below. ¨D¨DIs the dungeon really that big? Bigger than the one in my house garden. ¡¸Is this the first time you¡¯re visiting this place?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Yes.¡¹ The female staff greeted Yuuma upon seeing the latter looking nervously. He was acting like a suspicious person from the onlooker¡¯s perspective after all. Yuuma then showed the entrance proof for the 1st floor. ¡¸I see, it¡¯s an entrance permit until 1F. It¡¯s okay, there¡¯s nothing dangerous in there. By the way, did you bring a weapon to defeat the monster?¡¹ ¡¸N-No, I come unprepared.¡¹ He forgot to bring a weapon to beat the monster since his main reason for coming was to mana measuring tool. Seeing Yuuma scratching his head awkwardly, the female staff then pointed at the wagon on the side. Weapons such as hammers, daggers, axe or clubs were lined up inside the wagon. ¡¸Please take one of these items since this is for lending.¡¹ ¡¸Are you sure?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, there¡¯s no problem as long as you returned it.¡¹ Seeing the female staff replied with a smile on her face, Yuuma took the hammer. Thus, fully equipped-With hammer-, Yuuma stood on the staircase again, taking a deep breath, and descended slowly along the staircase. === TN: Next Release 13/09/2022 (~¡¯.¡¯)~You Can Read The Advance Chapter by Clicking the Image Below and Become My Patron~(¡®.¡¯~) My Regular Release Schedule : -Thursday :- I Found Tiny Dungeon That Can Only Produce Metal Slime Available for 10/$10 Bonus Release: -Tuesday CH 14 Chapter 14: International Dungeon Research Organization This place was a cave illuminated with pale blue light. There was a huge, rugged rock surface around the size of six tennis courts. Though there was a saying that the inside of the dungeon was as bright as day, this place was on a darker side. Nevertheless, the reason why it gave uplifting feelings was that it was filled with humans. Couples walking side by side with a smile on their face or family taking a stroll, students or group of friends. That scenery was exactly the very definition of a sightseeing spot. The people who came alone like Yuuma belonged to the minority. Every single one of them was wielding a weapon while scanning their surroundings. ¡¸Everyone is busy looking for a monster eh.¡¹ Yuuma also started looking for a monster but, just when he was worrying about whether he could find a monster or not with so many people inside¨D¨D ¡¸OH!¡¹ He located something hiding behind the rock. When he turned around, he found a quivering, semi-transparent blue slime behind the rock. ¡¸So this is how a normal slime looks like eh.¡¹ It was moving really slowly, far cry compared to metal slime. Yuuma squatted down and swung down the hammer in his hand toward the slime. The slime who received that strike stopped moving soon. Yuuma swung his hammer again, this time the slime popped off, and vanished without trace. ¡¸WOAH! NORMAL SLIME IS THAT WEAK HUH!?¡¹ I¡¯ve been fighting metal slime every day, and those fellas were hella strong, thousands of times stronger than this one. And yet, I got no mana from defeating it at all¡­ Yuuma heaved a really deep sigh upon recalling the tragic state of his mana index, there was nothing he could do about that, nor did the slime that he defeated just now drop a magic gem. ¡¸Great, no drop huh¡­¡¹ He knew that the drop rate of weak monsters was really low. On the other hand, he would have to risk his life to hunt more powerful monsters, thus he had no choice but to hunt weak ones. After that, Yuuma began walking around the first floor of the dungeon and managed to defeat a total of six slimes. ¡¸None of them dropped magic gems but¡­ Well, it really can¡¯t be helped.¡¹ When he turned around and was about to leave, he heard a child¡¯s voice from a slightly separated place. ¡¸Yaaaaaaaaaay! Got Blue magic gem!!¡¹ When he turned around, he saw a kid who came with his family raised his hand as he raised a cheer. ¡¸Good job, Masashi! Let¡¯s see, aquamarine is around 0.2 carat huh. This can be sold for two thousand yen.¡¹ ¡¸No! I want to use magic. I will use it for myself!¡¹ ¡¸But, you can¡¯t use magic outside of the dungeon you know. Are you sure about this?¡¹ ¡¸ABSOLUTELY! I¡¯ll dive into the dungeon every day.¡¹ ¡¸I see, okay, I understand.¡¹ The father brushed his son¡¯s hair as he said so. ¡±Even though you wouldn¡¯t be able to use magic no matter how many slimes you defeated¡­¡± That was what Yuuma was thinking about as he left the dungeon. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Jerusalem, Palestina¨D¨D The international organization in this city, ¡ºInternational Dungeon Research Organization¡», is otherwise known as IDR. Researchers from all over the world were gathering together in the world¡¯s largest and deepest dungeon in the world which is in Jerusalem. Amongst the people who got the authority to conduct their research in this dungeon, there was the figure of a physicist from Australia, Ethan Noble. He was still a young man in his thirties with long silver hair and wearing thick-rimmed glasses, his colleagues called him an oddball amongst oddballs, in fact, he was also the first person who found the phenomenon called ¡ºMana¡». ¡¸Looking at this report, this matter has basically set in stone.¡¹ In one of the research rooms, Ethan muttered as he cast his gaze down. The reports from every research institution in every country were scattered on his desk. His assistant who stood by his side frowned upon hearing Ethan¡¯s muttering. ¡¸Then, that matter is really¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes, the ¡°Mana¡± is slowly but surely leaking out from the dungeon toward the ground. And their density only increased as time passed.¡¹ ¡¸THAT WOULD BE A HUGE PROBLEM RIGHT!?¡¹ Ethan only looked calmly at the reaction of his assistant Clark while sipping the coffee in his cup. ¡¸Well, you¡¯re right. Previously, monsters are trapped inside the dungeon since there was no mana above the ground. If this phenomenon keeps up, it is only a matter of time before the monster comes out from its dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸How can you act like this isn¡¯t your problem!¡¹ Seeing Ethan stating that fact with a composed face as he sipped his coffee, Clark couldn¡¯t help but frown as he voiced his complaints toward the former. ¡¸Calm down, even if I say that monster is going to come out from the dungeon, it is still limited to weak monsters from the shallow floor. They won¡¯t cause the particular problems you see.¡¹ ¡¸Then, it means that we¡¯re safe, right?¡¹ Clark was older than Ethan but he respected Ethan since the latter held the authority for dungeon research despite his younger age. Thus, although he was worried about the situation above the ground when he asked whether it was going to be okay¡­ ¡¸But, there¡¯s another report about the rise of the concentration of mana in the shallow floor. If that report is accurate, it¡¯s only a matter of time before a monster from the deep floor went up to the shallow floor. ¡¹ ¡¸NO WAY!¡¹ ¡¸Calm down, Clark. This has yet to be confirmed, and the rise of mana concentration is just a little bit. I think there won¡¯t be any problem for now.¡¹ ¡¸I, I see. Then, I guess we¡¯re safe for now but¡­¡¹ Ethan let out a chuckle upon seeing Clerk heaving a sigh of relief. ¡¸Nevertheless, we have another problem to face for now.¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Another problem?¡¹ ¡¸The matter about ¡°Mana¡± overflowing outside the dungeon¨D¨D¡¹ Ethan returned his cup back to the table and then showed a serious look on his face. ¡¸Means that magic can be used above the ground too.¡¹ === TN: Next Release 15/09/2022 (~¡¯.¡¯)~You Can Read The Advance Chapter by Clicking the Image Below and Become My Patron~(¡®.¡¯~) My Regular Release Schedule : -Thursday :- I Found Tiny Dungeon That Can Only Produce Metal Slime Available for 10 chapters/$10 Bonus Release: -Tuesday CH 15 Chapter 15: Magic Ore TN: Yuuma ¡°Stark¡± Mitaka === Yuuma, who had returned from the blue dungeon, was currently sitting in his chair while crossing his arms. ¡¸Uhm, what should I do now¡­¡¹ Yuuma was staring at the ¡°Magic Ore¡± on his table. ¡¸I want to try this but, my mana index is zero.¡¹ The ¡°Magic Ore¡± before him couldn¡¯t be measured with a mana measuring tool in the dungeon. If there was mana in it, Yuuma wouldn¡¯t be able to use it. ¡¸Even that weak normal slime left behind aquamarine of 0.2 carat.¡¹ When he tried to search on the internet, it seems that an aquamarine of 0.2 carat precisely had the mana index of 0.2. Since that was the case, logically speaking, the magic ore¡¯s mana index should be higher than that. And yet, when he examined the mana index of magic ore, it turned out to be zero. ¡¸Could it be that I can use it even if my mana index is zero too?¡¹ It was something that he got after 121 days of long work. It was only natural for him to want to use it. In fact, all he needed to do was swallow it if he wanted to use its power, but there was a chance that it wouldn¡¯t be digested and excreted out of his body. Thus Yuuma conducted various research about toilet¡¯s matter with the internet. In the end, he found there was no problem even if he failed. ¡¸Since that was the case, it¡¯s safe to swallow this magic ore.¡¹ Yuuma put on his determination before he swallowed the magic ore. He sterilized the ore with alcohol before putting it into his mouth. After he swallowed it, he gulped it down with tea from the PET bottle. ¡¸Uhm¡­ that¡¯s it?¡¹ He felt nothing after he swallowed the magic ore. And just when he felt dejected, he felt a heat running in his abdomen. ¡¸This is¨D¨D¡¹ The heat was coursing through his entire body. It was something that he never felt before. And yet, he felt neither discomfort or fear. He felt something clicking in his head instead. Thirty seconds later, the strange feeling subsided on its own. ¡¸Was that¡­ Because I swallowed the magic ore?¡¹ Yuuma clasped his hands, trying to move his body to detect any abnormalities. According to his research, magic ore was supposed to enhance his physical abilities.Yuuma descended to the first floor, put on his sandals, and ran out to the garden. The outside was cold, his breath created white air. Just when he thought it was too cold to go outside with just his sweatshirt, Mamezo ran toward him. ¡¸WOOFWOOF!¡¹ ¡¸Okay calm down now, I want to conduct a little test.¡¹ Though he wore sandals, Yuuma tried to jog lightly around the garden. A while later, he realized that nothing had changed. The result when he tried shadow boxing with footwork was the same as before. ¡¸Could it be that the change in physical abilities is too insignificant?¡¹ Yuuma whose hope got crushed again could only slump down in dejection. And just when he was about to return to the house, Mamezo¡¯s attitude suddenly changed. ¡¸Uuuu~~~¡¹ ¡¸Uhm? Is something the matter, Mamezo?¡¹ ¡¸WOOFWOOFWOOFWOOF!¡¹ Mamezo suddenly barked loudly. When Yuuma tried to approach Mamezo, the latter retreated. But, Yuuma¡¯s bewilderment didn¡¯t stay for too long when he saw his outstretched arm. The colour of his arm was pitch black. ¡¸WHAT THE HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECK!?¡¹ He then noticed that both his arms were pitch black. Seeing that, Yuuma turned around to see his entire body in a panic. ¡¸Geez, is something the matter, Mamezo?¡¹ Yuuma¡¯s mother who heard Mamezo¡¯s barks in the garden came out and called Mamezo. ¨D¨DOH CRAP! I can¡¯t let her see this strange form. Yuuma ran into his house in a hurry, almost bumping on his mother below the stairs. ¡¸Haahhaah¡­ That was so close¡­¡¹ Yuuma entered his room and locked the door, then sat down right there. He walked up, and looked at his reflection in the mirror. And just as he expected, his face was also pitch black. Though he was truly speechless by the sudden transformation, upon a closer look, his colour was closer to metallic grey rather than black. ¡¸This colour¡­ Is similar with metal slime huh?¡¹ His hair, literally every single strand of them turned into ultra-fine metal thread, even his eyeballs turned into metal. When he tried to strike his arm, he could only hear the sound of metal colliding against metal, and yet he didn¡¯t feel pain at all. ¡¸ Does that mean the ability of this ¡°Magic Ore¡± is¡­ Turning my entire body into metal? Wait, how am I to cancel it then? Will I stay in this state forever?¡¹ Yuuma anxiously poked his own cheeks. Even though he chanted ¡°Return! Return to normal!¡± repeatedly in his mind, he stayed in that way. ¡±Will my state return to normal as time passes?¡± This was what he positively decided to think but, he decided to take the gas burner, cold spray, and hammer that he always used. ¡¸Let¡¯s do a little experiment.¡¹ First, he held his hammer and swung it down toward his arm. The collision only resulted in a clear metallic sound, Yuuma himself didn¡¯t feel anything. It stayed the same no matter how hard he struck his arm with a hammer. Thus, he moved to the next one, he pulled the trigger to ignite the gas burner. When he brought the blue flame to his metallic arm, ¡¸OUCH! Yup, it is weak against heat¡­ Just like metal slime.¡¹ He then tried the cold spray but it just felt cold. Thus he concluded that his body was only impervious to physical attack. Right after that experiment, Yuuma¡¯s body returned to a normal state. ¡¸Around five minutes, eh¡­ Well, I¡¯m glad that it returned to normal though.¡¹ Magic ore that transformed his body into metal belonged to the strengthening type. ¡¸Is this even useful?¡¹ === TN: Next Release 17/09/2022 (~¡¯.¡¯)~You Can Read The Advance Chapter by Clicking the Image Below and Become My Patron~(¡®.¡¯~) My Regular Release Schedule : -Thursday :- I Found Tiny Dungeon That Can Only Produce Metal Slime Available for 10 chapters/$10 Bonus Release: -Tuesday CH 16 Chapter 16: Red Dungeon The following day, Yuuma woke up thinking that he had used the ¡°Magic Ore¡±. ¨D¨DSo it really wasn¡¯t a dream. He wanted to know whether he could use ¡¾Hardening Transformation¡¿ again but, today was Monday. He had to go to school. ¨D¨DI might be in huge trouble if the transformation was permanent. ¡°Well, let¡¯s try the transformation ability again after school.¡± That was what he thought after he finished his daily metal slime slaying and preparing to go to school. On the evening of that day, Yuuma went up to his room, locked the door of his room, and then stood in front of the mirror. ¡¸Become hard, become hard, become hard!¡¹ After he wished inside, a black metallic colour started to appear on his hands and face and then spread to his entire body. ¡¸¡­ Cool.¡¹ Yuuma was in awe of the power of the magic ore in the dungeon. And just like yesterday, his transformation came undone after around five minutes. ¡¸Haha, Interesting. Can I do this again I wonder?¡¹ But then, no matter how much Yuuma wished for his body to become hard after that, the transformation didn¡¯t happen again. ¡¸So I can only use it one time for one day huh¡­¡¹ Though it had some cons such as the transformation being limited to five minutes per day, or a limited number of uses, it didn¡¯t change the fact that it was a cool ability. Yuuma was thinking about how to utilise his abilities properly while still in awe of the said abilities. ¨D¨DIt¡¯ll be a badass ability when I use it in a quarrel against some thugs. Their punches and kicks wouldn¡¯t do any shit to me, while my punch was akin to hammering them. That was already a huge advantage. Yuuma was imagining such a situation but in fact, he actually never been involved in such trouble until now. He ended up feeling dejected since the situation that he imagined only happens in drama and anime. ¨D¨DIf that¡¯s the case, how¡¯s its effect in the dungeon? Since I can literally make an enemy¡¯s attack invalid, I can play more roles if I dive in the deep floor¡­ Yuuma¡¯s dream expanded again. He heard that monsters from the deep floor of the dungeon had strong resistance against physical attack. Even the army¡¯s bombardment couldn¡¯t leave a scratch on it. Thus, the ¡°Magic¡± that allowed the explorer to defeat such monsters was truly convenient. Something like punching with a metal fist was akin to a physical attack. Moreover, the most troublesome fact about monsters on the deep floor of the dungeon was the fact that they can also use ¡°Magic¡±. Dragons could breathe fire, a mystic bird could create wind, an ogre¡¯s body clad in electric static, and there was even a spirit who could manipulate water and ice. In short, fighting against those monsters with his metalized body which is weak against cold and heat was dangerous. ¡¸Hard body alone ain¡¯t enough¡­¡¹ Yuuma hung his head down as he sat in the chair. The ¡°Magic Ore¡± that he got from metal slime after months of effort was dirt cheap, nor did it was useful for him. ¡¸A~h dammit! Should I just stop hunting metal slime every morning? Not that there¡¯s any merit in doing so!!¡¹ Yuuma went as far as considering the option of reporting the dungeon in the garden of their family house since he didn¡¯t want to bother with it anymore. But, due to regulation, he had no idea whether ¡¸I found it just now!¡¹ would pass as the reason. Once before, his mother found out about the hole in the garden and asked Yuuma about it. Since he had already defeated the slime by then, all that was left was the hole but, Yuuma lied to his mother with ¡¸The hole has collapsed. So it has filled up.¡¹ If his mother shared that story outside, it might resolve Yuuma¡¯s problem. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s just focus on defeating those jiggling slime from tomorrow!¡± Was what Yuuma thought as he made such a resolution. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Nine months later¨D¨D Japan¡¯s deepest dungeon in Ibaraki, ¡¾Red Dungeon¡¿. An event happened on the 3rd floor. That day, a big company whose business related to dungeons, ?DeNA Elcid¡å opened a hands-on experience of dungeon diving for their future applicant. Properly speaking, normal civilians weren¡¯t allowed to enter the ¡¾Red Dungeon¡¿. But, thanks to their connection with the government, Elcid received a special permit to do such an activity. There were twenty people led by five professional ¡°Seekers(Explorer)¡±. Their objective was to hunt lava turtles which could be found on the 3rd floor. Though it shell could generate heat, its movement speed was slow, so the degree of danger in hunting it was really low but¨D¨D ¡¸KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹ A woman who fell on her rear raised a scream. Before her was a huge lizard. The lizard spewed flame from all over its body. The monster who shouldn¡¯t be found on the shallow floor, ¡°Salamander¡± was eyeing her. The woman¡¯s body stiffened, and she raised a short scream since she couldn¡¯t move from there. An explorer who noticed her predicament didn¡¯t make it in time to enter in between the two. When the woman shut her eyes, waiting for the last moment of her life to arrive, the salamander suddenly raised an agonizing scream. When the woman opened her eyes again, the first thing she saw was the back of a man. Before anyone realized it, a knife stabbed into the giant lizard¡¯s head, and the man¡¯s fireproof clothes protected him from the flame spewed by the lizard. The knife which was enchanted with water magic dealt tremendous damage to the lizard. The lizard lost its power and died. ¡¸Are you okay!?¡¹ Several explorers rushed in to approach the two. They were worried about the man who defeated the salamander but, ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m safe.¡¹ ¡¸Just to be sure, let¡¯s check your vital signs. Can you tell us your name?¡¹ The explorer took medical equipment from their base in the back. The man showed his entry ID to answer the explorer¡¯s question. ¡¸Amasawa Rui, a 3rd-year high school student.¡¹ CH 17 Chapter 17: Super Rookie An Explorer approached the salamander and confirmed its wound. The ¡ºDagger of Watervein¡» loaned by the government had pierced the vital spot of the monster. It was a display of brilliant skill that could even gain the approval of a veteran explorer too. The body of the monster started crumbling down and turned into grey ashes. The only thing remaining from its corpse was a shiny gem. ¡¸This is¨D¨D¡¹ The veteran Explorer who picked it up was looking at the high school student who undergoes a vital check. The youth look like any high school student that you could find anywhere else. The veteran Explorer then walked up to the youth with the drop gem in his hand. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸Are you really okay? The vital check showed that you¡¯re fine but still¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes, thanks for your worries but, I¡¯m alright.¡¹ Amasawa Rui stood up to show he was okay while thanking the Explorer who was looking at him in worry. At this moment, Rui finally realized that the salamander had already vanished, and another Explorer was walking in their direction. When that Explorer arrived before Rui, the latter found that the Explorer that stood in front of him was around 180 cm tall, with a muscular build and carrying various weapons in the huge backpack on his back such as a huge electric baton, hammers, or maybe knives. Appearance-wise, he looked like a trained soldier. ¡¸You¡¯re Amasawa Rui-kun, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m the person in charge of today¡¯s event, and the leader of the five Explorers who are protecting this event, Ishikawa. Allow me to express my gratitude for saving that girl in our place.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, I just do something that I should do.¡¹ ¡¸Nevertheless, that¡¯s a splendid show of skill. Your dagger accurately pierced the salamander¡¯s artery, its vital spot. Are you deliberately aiming for that spot?¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡­ Since I¡¯ve been studying dungeons for a long time, I¡¯ve memorized the vital spot of the variously known monster.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­¡¹ Ishikawa then presented the small gem in his hand to Rui. The red shiny gem was a magic gem, ¡¾Ruby¡¿. ¡¸This is the drop from the salamander. You have the right to obtain it.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!!? Are you sure?¡¹ Though Rui was truly surprised, the other Explorers-aside from Ishikawa himself- were equally surprised. ¡¸A-Are you sure about this, Ishikawa-san!? That¡¯s a ruby, it¡¯s 0.7 carats you know!¡¹ Ishikawa grunted upon hearing his comrades¡¯ remark. ¡¸It¡¯s clearly written that the ¡°Magic Gem¡± of the defeated monster in this event belongs to the one who defeated it. So don¡¯t hesitate, this is yours. Take it.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes! Thank you very much.¡¹ After Rui received the magic gem from Ishikawa, he kept observing it. The mana index of ¡¾Ruby¡¿ of 0.7 carats was 700. Its selling price was more than 14 million yen. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸A~h, so sleepy.¡¹ Upon approaching autumn, the temperature in the morning cooled down. When Yuuma went to school like usual while yawning widely, he saw a big commotion in front of the school gate. ¡¸What¡¯s happening?¡¹ He saw numerous wagon cars lining up in front of the school gate carrying people with various electronic equipment inside. ¡¸Morning, Yuuma!¡¹ ¡¸Oooh, it¡¯s Kaede huh.¡¹ The one who called out to Yuuma from behind was his childhood friend, Kaede. ¡¸Do you know why they make a such huge ruckus in the morning?¡¹ ¡¸Aah¡­ It might be related to THAT!¡¹ Kaede pointed at the gate of the school while muttering. The place she pointed at was where there was a crowd. The people holding a microphone or camera were surrounding someone. Upon a closer look, Yuuma knew that the people surrounded a youth with flowing light brown hair who was answering the questions with a refreshing smile on his face. ¡¸Is that¨D¨D RUI!?¡¹ ¡¸He contacted me yesterday, saying that he found a rare magic gem in the dungeon. There¡¯s even hot news about him doing so while saving a girl.¡¹ ¡¸He~.¡¹ Though he was really surprised upon finding that Rui received that much attention, Yuuma had a slightly complex feeling upon hearing that Rui had contacted Kaede. The two of them then went closer to see the situation. ¡¸I heard that you saved a girl from a monster attack. Aren¡¯t you scared?¡¹ Rui was scratching his cheek awkwardly upon hearing a female reporter ask that question. ¡¸N-No, actually I¡¯m quite a at loss myself during that time¡­ But, I¡¯m glad that the girl was uninjured.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s a powerful monster, right? Elcid company¡¯s Explorer themselves are quite surprised when they realized that a mere high school student has actually single-handedly killed a powerful monster.¡¹ ¡¸W-Well, a salamander who resides on the ten floors is a powerful monster but, the reason I can defeat it is mainly that the quality of the weapon lends by Elcid company to us.¡¹ ¡¸Indeed but then, the monster you defeated turned out to be dropped ¡°Magic Gem¡±. You can sell it for 14 million yen! The question is, are you going to sell it?¡¹ ¡°¨D¨D14 millions yen!?¡± Yuuma was completely at a loss for words. Rui had actually acquired such treasure. ¡¸No, since I¡¯m going to become ¡°Seeker¡± in the future, I decided to use it for myself.¡¹ ¡°You¡¯re not selling it? It¡¯s 14 million yen, you know?¡± Was Yuuma thought upon receiving another shock after hearing such a declaration? When the headmaster who stood beside Rui heard that declaration, he couldn¡¯t hold back his grin. ¡¸Well, Amasawa-kun, you can actually choose to enter college too with your good grades. but, since the person himself wants to contribute to the world¨D¨D¡¹ ¡¸It seems the headmaster has a good impression of him too!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, naturally! He actually wants to find employment in that famous Elcid company after all!¡¹ Yuuma frowned the moment he heard the headmaster¡¯s remark. ¡¸What is this Elcid company they¡¯re talking about?¡¹ Kaede made a dumbfounded look on her face the moment she heard Yuuma¡¯s question. ¡¸You don¡¯t know about them? They¡¯re the biggest dungeon-affiliated company in Japan, you know! It¡¯s the first company that Rui wanted to enter but, he is actually being scouted to join them now!¡¹ ¡¸Oh, I see.¡¹ Seeing Rui speak with an enthusiastic smile on his face, Yuuma felt a pang of pain in his chest. His childhood friend was sparing no effort to chase after his dream at full speed. And yet, he was still¡­ Yuuma left Kaede behind and entered the school on his own with an awkward gait. === TN: Next Release 21/09/2022 (~¡¯.¡¯)~You Can Read The Advance Chapter by Clicking the Image Below and Become My Patron~(¡®.¡¯~) My Regular Release Schedule : -Thursday :- I Found Tiny Dungeon That Can Only Produce Metal Slime Available for 10 chapters/$10 Bonus Release: -Tuesday CH 18 Chapter 18: Variant KANKANKAN Early in the morning, a loud sound resounded from the corner of the garden. Yuuma was currently giving his all, hammering the metal slime that had already been frozen with cold spray. His pet dog, Mamezo, was looking at him with a curious look on its face. ¡¸Rui has beaten a strong monster in ¡°Red Dungeon¡±. And yet, why do I have to hammer this lump of metal every day!?¡¹ He then grabbed the gas burner by his side after he vented all his rage. After the jet flame heated up the metal slime, he stopped and grabbed his hammer and started hammering the metal slime again till its body broke down into fine dust. He had been defeating metal slime in his garden for 392 days straight. Yes, he kept doing it for more than a year. Another two black ¡°Magic Ore¡± dropped during that time, making three in total with the one he ate before. He tried to eat the newly gained two magic ores and found out that there was no problem with his body and the ores were digested. The metallization effect went up to fifteen minutes and he could cancel it every five minutes. As useless as usual¡­ Yuuma then crawled out from the hole, returned to his house, prepared to go to school and then ate his breakfast before he went to school. It was the same everyday life. Yuuma had already made the decision to go to university after he graduated from high school a few months later. But he couldn¡¯t help but ask himself whether it really was what he wanted to do. It happened till a change happened on a certain day. When he went to the hole dungeon in his garden like usual, he placed aside his gas burner and cold spray to see the inside of the hole first. That action had already become his routine. He had already become too accustomed to this particular routine but then, something was different today. ¡¸Uhm?¡¹ The metal slime was shining brightly. At first, he thought it was a reflection from his flashlight but upon closer look, he realized he was wrong. The colour of the slime was simply different. ¡¸GOLD!? IS THIS GOLDEN SLIME?¡¹ Though he first doubted his eyes, he was convinced a while later. Yuuma then entered the room to stop the movement of the slime with his cold spray. The golden slime sensed the danger in its life immediately and tried to escape, hopping back and forth. ¡¸Dammit! It keeps moving around.¡¹ Somehow, he felt that the cold spray was less effective compared to when he used it on the metal slime. When the cold spray was emptied, Yuuma ran back to his house and returned with a few cold spray and gas burners. ¡¸KILLKILLKILL!¡¹ He knew that the golden slime he fought right now was different from its peers. So if it left a drop, it should be a valuable ¡ºMagic Ore¡». Yuuma held dual cold spray in his hands, clearly getting fired up and started to unleash double spray on the golden slime for double the effect. And just as expected, the slime¡¯s movement slowed down. When it stopped, Yuuma tried to poke it with his finger. The texture was similar to previous metal slime. ¡¸¨D¨DIs this golden metal slime¡­ A variant?¡¹ He then stopped and turned on the dual-wield gas burner, spraying double jet flame on the frozen slime. The frozen slime thawed and started moving erratically. He then sprayed it with dual cold spray again but, different from the usual metal slime, it felt like it wasn¡¯t damaged at all. Yuuma persevered and repeated the superheating and supercooling process several times. After repeating the process around six times, cracks started to appear on the surface of the golden slime¡¯s body, and it became tattered and crumbled down easily on his seventh attempt. ¡¸Did I do it?¡­ I ended up using a lot of cans to defeat this guy tsk.¡¹ Yuuma raised his small hammer and started hammering on the golden slime. The golden slime¡¯s body finally broke and turned into ashes. ¡±So it really was a metal slime.¡± That was what Yuuma thought when he noticed that the slime had left something behind. He used his flashlight to illuminate the hole and took the drop. ¡¸I-Is this¡­ a magic ore!? A golden-coloured magic ore!!¡¹ It was an ellipse diameter of around two centimetres. Its golden hue felt similar to the black magic ore he found from the blackish metal slime. He returned to his house immediately and started observing the ¡ºGolden Magic Ore¡» in his room. The first thought that came into his mind was selling it, thus he searched for a way to do so on his smartphone. ¡¸Black dungeon¡­ Golden, magic ore¡­¡¹ Thus, no matter what he tried, he found nothing, NOTHING AT ALL. It seems that golden magic ore had never dropped before in ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». He tried to use the ¡°Mana Measuring Tool¡± that he brought a long time ago alas, the result was ¡ºZero¡». ¡¸This one is zero too huh, I guess I can use it too. Moreover, I might be able to sell it as ¡°Gold¡± to jeweller¡­¡¹ Yuuma suddenly turned his head, looking at the clock. It was already time to go to school. He decided to postpone his decision after school. Thus, he kept the ¡ºGolden Magic Ore¡» in his drawer and left his room. Unknown to him, this seemingly trivial event had caused a huge uproar on the other side of the earth¨D¨D === TN: Next Release 23/09/2022 (~¡¯.¡¯)~You Can Read The Advance Chapter by Clicking the Image Below and Become My Patron~(¡®.¡¯~) My Regular Release Schedule : -Thursday :- I Found Tiny Dungeon That Can Only Produce Metal Slime Available for 10 chapters/$10 Bonus Release: -Tuesday CH 19 Chapter 19: Orpheus Slate The deepest dungeon located in Palestine, ¡¾Orpheus¡¿¨D¨D In the white dungeon, Orpheus had a unique trait that no other dungeon has. The Explorer who investigated the dungeon found a ruin with letters written on it in the middle layer. The letters were written in ancient characters that resembled that of hieroglyphs from ancient Egypt, it was considered letters left behind for humanity. Researchers around the world had been working non-stop to decipher the letters and managed to decipher most of them. The content of the letters was mainly about magic or monsters. There was also the situation of humankind who received the influence of the dungeon in ancient civilization and sneak a peek about the history of humankind in regard to the dungeon. The most important part about the ruin was a three meters high, two meters wide giant slate. There were six crystals lined up on the top part of the slate, right below that were twelve crystals, and below the twelve was twenty-four crystals. Lines of hieroglyph-like characters were written below the crystals, the empty part. The staff of IDRO(International Dungeon Research Organization) designated the slate as the most important part of the ¡ºDungeon Ruin¡» and assigned many researchers to do their research on this floor. The slate was protected by tempered glass and leaned on the wall. Ethan Noble, the holder of the authority of dungeon research stood in front of the slate with a daring smile on his face. ¡¸Just when I was wondering why in the world the other researchers are making a ruckus, it turned out to be this.¡¹ Ethan¡¯s assistant, Clark who stood beside his boss was looking at the slate with a puzzled look on his face. ¡¸A duke-class monster has been subjugated eh? This was already the third case. I wonder who did it this time?¡¹ The two men were looking up at the slate before them, three from the twenty-four crystals lineup on the slate had already been shattered. ¡¸And the shattered one this time was a ?Black Crystal¡å huh, interesting.¡¹ Ethan muttered with an interesting look on his face. Clark nodded and then added. ¡¸It seems we need to tell the country all over the world. The fact that an army or some clan out there has defeated a duke.¡¹ ¡¸Fufu¡­ That makes you curious about the identity of the weirdos who dived into the deepest level of the black dungeon which is famous for its lack of monetary value, right? ¡¹ ¡¸Speaking of research about the black dungeon, is it the university in England?¡¹ ¡¸If I¡¯m not mistaken, that place has published research about ¡ºMagic Ore¡» but, I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be an Explorer who can dive that far.¡¹ ¡¸What about the other countries then?¡¹ ¡¸Well, speaking of countries with huge ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡», it will be India, Russia, Australia, and Brazil.¡¹ Ethan placed his hand on his chin, pondering for a while as he muttered ¡¸A~h, come to think of it.¡¹. ¡¸If I¡¯m not mistaken, there¡¯s one in Japan too. But, the possibility for that to happen in Japan is quite low since the investigation of ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» over there isn¡¯t that advanced.¡¹ Amongst many researchers who raised arguments as they looked up at the slate, Ethan was the only one who turned around to leave with Clark following from behind. Clark heaved a sigh upon seeing Ethan return to his own office while humming by himself. As if the matter of duke-class monsters being subjugated wasn¡¯t that important to him. After the two left, the giant slate just stood eerily in its place. Orpheus slate¨D¨D That was the slate that recorded special monsters, including the strength of their rank. The six on the very top was ¡ºKing¡»ranked, the twelve below it was ¡ºLord¡», and the twenty-four was ¡ºDuke¡». The researchers found during their research, the fact that those monsters were called unique monsters. Two dukes and one lord had already been defeated. Now that another duke had been defeated, that makes a total of three dukes and one lord. There was a reason why each country or IDRO(International Dungeon Research Organization) had to keep watch on their subjugation. The reason is the description written below the crystals. ¡ºWhen all monsters recorded on this slate are defeated, a great change will happen to humankind.¡» The problem was no one knew whether this change was good or not. But, Ethan didn¡¯t care about such matters. For him, the most important things were research. That was his only reason. CH 20 Chapter 20: Golden Magic Ore After the end of school, Yuuma went home, changed his clothes and started researching while lying in his bed. He was looking at the store that was doing transactions with precious metals and tried to call the store from the number written on the site. ¡ºHello, Tanabe store Here~¡» The voice of a graceful woman came from the other side of the phone. ¡¸Ah, hello, u~hm, can I ask for an appraisal of gold?¡¹ ¡ºYes, we can appraise your gold. Are you going to sell it?¡» ¡¸Yes, I want to sell it¡­¡¹ Yuuma really wanted to sell the ?Golden Magic Ore¡å. Since its mana index was zero, that golden magic ore was literally no different from a piece of metal. Though he had to make sure that it was a real ¡°Gold¡± first, since its weight was only around twenty grams, which means around 140K yens, it was far cry from his original target. He had to make sure that the gold was truly a present from god. Yuuma really wanted to make money from selling the magic ore. ¡ºUnderstood. I think now is the right time to sell gold since the market price for gold is rising.¡» ¡¸Is that so¡­ Well, what should I do to sell it then¡¹ ¡ºWe¡¯ll need to verify your ID and then the place where you find the gold¡­ By the way, is the gold have a carved seal?¡» ¡¸Carved seal? What¡¯s that?¡¹ ¡ºIt¡¯s something like a mark that showed the value of gold. It should be there when buying gold.¡» ¡¸Is that mean I can¡¯t sell it without the carved seal?¡¹ ¡ºEven without that, we can buy it by looking for the item¡¯s purchase history.¡» ¡¸I see. By the way, can a minor sell it by themselves?¡¹ ¡ºA minor huh¡­ That¡¯s impossible. You need to come with your guardian¡­¡» ¡¸I, I see~¡¹ ¡°I¡¯ll ask my parents then.¡± said Yuuma as he cut the call. ¡¸As I expected.¡¹ He heaved a sigh. His parents would surely ask him where he got the gold if he really asked for their permission. Anyhow, there was no way the gold from monster drop had a ¡°Carved Seal¡± or even a Certificate. Thus, he heaved a sigh since selling the gold was pretty much impossible. Yuuma then looked at the ¡°Golden Magic Ore¡± on the desk. ¡¸Let¡¯s just use it¡­ I¡¯ve no idea about what kind of ability I can get from it though.¡¹ He then moved to his second plan, using it for himself since it had the same zero mana index as the ¡°Black Magic Ore¡±. Yuuma took wet tissue and wiped the magic ore. He had nothing to lose since even if the magic ore¡¯s mana index wasn¡¯t zero, it would be just expelled from his body tomorrow. After preparing himself, Yuuma swallowed the magic ore and washed it with water. He then waited for a while. ¡¸I-It¡¯s gonna be safe right?¡¹ Though he knew the way to use black magic ore, this was his first time swallowing the golden one. There was nothing wrong with his body, but he couldn¡¯t help but worry about his condition. He already imagined his body shining with golden colour. The moment he thought so, he felt his abdomen become hot. ¡¸Finally! Here it comes!¡¹ The sensation was then followed by something akin to an electric current which ran through his whole body. He had experienced this sensation so many times before when the black magic ore was digested by his body. Now he was convinced that he already got the ability of the golden magic ore. After the sensation settled down, Yuuma checked his body and limbs. ¡¸Nothing¡­ Has changed. Is this another transformation ability again?¡¹ Yuuma tried to flex his body, hoping for another change to happen while praying in his heart. Thereupon, his body turned into metallic black and expected the colour to change to gold after this and yet, nothing happened. ¡¸That¡¯s strange. I had no idea what was happened.¡¹ He tried various methods after that but nothing seemed to happen. ¡¸The heck¡­ I should just sell it.¡¹ Yuuma sulked, and went to bed immediately. The next morning¨D¨D He went down toward the garden like usual and went to defeat the metal slime after brushing Mamezo¡¯s head. One night of sleep made him recover from the shock of being unable to find the effect of ¡ºGolden Magic Ore¡», so Yuuma was really lacking the motivation to do anything right now. After he heaved a sigh and was about to go up from the hole, he noticed that the metal slime he just defeated dropped black magic ore. ¡¸Ah! It dropped magic ore huh.¡¹ He picked up the magic ore while thinking that he was quite lucky to get another black magic ore in less than two months. Another magic ore dropped the next day after he defeated the golden slime. Yuuma was really surprised since two drops in a row had never happened before. Yes, magic ore dropped twice in the span of two days. ¡°Something is strange¡­ This is definitely an abnormal situation.¡± this was what Yuuma felt, he then recalled the golden magic ore that he swallowed last evening. ¡¸No way¡­¡¹ === TN: Next Release 27/09/2022 (~¡¯.¡¯)~You Can Read The Advance Chapter by Clicking the Image Below and Become My Patron~(¡®.¡¯~) My Regular Release Schedule : -Thursday :- I Found Tiny Dungeon That Can Only Produce Metal Slime Available for 10 chapters/$10 Bonus Release: -Tuesday CH 21 Chapter 21: Special Ability After the magic ore dropped again the next day, Yuuma tried to see the situation for another two days. And just as he expected, another magic ore dropped from the metal slime. ¨D¨DNo doubt about it. ¡¸Maybe that ¡°Golden Magic Ore¡± gave me a 100% drop rate of magic ore. Is this called the ¡ºLuck¡» factor? Well, this sounds like an amazing ability!¡¹ But there was a problem. He had no idea whether the drop rate was only affecting the magic ore or also affecting the magic gem. If it was affecting the magic gem, it would be his chance to get more riches. With a 100% drop rate of magic gems, he didn¡¯t have to worry about money anymore. He might even be able to get a more amazing ¡°Magic Gem¡± than the one obtained by Rui. Yuuma couldn¡¯t suppress his excitement. Tomorrow is Saturday, let¡¯s use this chance to test it¨D¨D ¡¸There¡¯s only that place.¡¹ ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Blue Dungeon¡± is located in Musashino. Yuuma¡¯s figure could be seen on the first floor. Today, he brought his own hammer and carried a rucksack for a magic gem with him, just in case. Though it was as crowded as before, Yuuma ignored that fact and went to search for a slime immediately. He found slime in less than five minutes. It was a normal slime, not the metal one like the one that appeared in his garden. Yuuma had already seen that slime as a treasure trove. Yuuma swung down his hammer with a beaming smile on his face. Yuuma had already subjugated three slimes in the span of one hour. And the drop of the magic gem was¨D¨D ZERO! So it really wasn¡¯t that simple eh¡­ Yuuma was sitting on the rock he found nearby with a dejected look on his face. He just received another huge shock. Maybe due to his pale face, the people who passed by him were looking at him with a worried look on their faces. His hope was betrayed again. The reason was the effect of ¡°Golden Magic Ore¡±¡®s ability was limited to magic ore. Meaning that the ability was pretty much useless outside of ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». No matter how much ¡°Magic Ore¡± dropped, it was meaningless since they had no value at all. Even the ¡°Black Magic Ore¡± that can make one¡¯s body as tough as steel, using it two or three times was plenty enough. Yuuma then looked around him with a pale face. There was a pair of father and child enjoying slime hunting, he even saw a couple flirting as they were hunting down a slime. He looked at all of them with an envious look on his face. He was envious of Rui who received recognition from his surroundings. Very envious. He thought that he might be able to catch up with Rui if his newfound power was a dream-like power that granted him a 100% drop rate of magic gems. Maybe I was just too cheeky to always compare myself with Rui. Yuuma stood with an unsteady gait, even though he had defeated three slimes, no ¡°Magic Gem¡± dropped. Yuuma was cursing the golden magic ore nonstop as he left the ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡». ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸Ha~h¡¹ Yuuma was looking at the ¡°Black Magic Ore¡± dropped in the dungeon in his garden. He heaved a bored sigh. The day after the despair he felt during his visit to ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡», another magic ore dropped from the dungeon in his garden for ten consecutive days. ¡¸I¡¯ve had enough of this.¡¹ Mamezo brushed its head on Yuuma as if trying to pacify its master¡¯s sadness. Yuuma picked up the magic ore, washed it with water in the kitchen, and swallowed it as it was. He already regarded it as some sort of supplement. After swallowing fourteen magic ore, Yuuma could maintain his ¡°Metallization¡± state for 1 hour and 10 minutes. It was a good thing that he could finally maintain that state for a long time but it was still useless in his opinion. He returned to his room and started the preparation to go to school. According to what he heard from Kaede, Rui had been receiving special training so that he could join Elcid company as soon as he graduated from high school. He heard that Rui¡¯s initial annual income would be around twenty millions yen, and once he finished his initial training, he could gain an annual income of more than fifty million yen as an active Explorer. Though Yuuma had managed to pass the entrance exam for college, it was just a third-rate college. The possibility of him getting a job after graduating from college was really low. Rui¡¯s future had already been laid out. Yuuma on the other hand was really resigned about his own future. ¡±When did this difference start?¡± asked Yuuma to himself as he went to school. CH 22 Chapter 22: Heat Resistant? That day, it rained heavily in the morning. Yuuma took an umbrella with him as he headed toward the hole in the garden like usual. Though he hates to subjugate the slime when it rains in the morning, there was one good thing about that. It was the fact that the hole wasn¡¯t filled with water even if it was raining outside. As if it was protected by some sort of invisible barrier. This miraculous phenomenon helped him a lot when it was raining outside. He left his umbrella on the side of the hole, and descended into the hole with his trusted cold spray and gas burner. Yuuma switched on his flashlight to illuminate the inside of the hole. That moment, he felt something was amiss. ¡¸AH!¡¹ He received another surprise like the time when he found golden slime. The one that appeared before him was a bright red slime. Or so he thought at first, upon closer look, he realized it was actually metallic red. It was as if the metal slime turned into an angry metal slime. ¡¸Is this guy another colour variation?¡¹ When Yuuma was pondering about such a question, the red slime suddenly moved. It rushed toward Yuuma, hopping in a zig-zag pattern. He had already known that metal slime was fast but the red slime could move even faster. ¡¸UWAA! WAIT, TIME OUT!¡¹ Yuuma left the hole in a hurry. When he looked down into the hole under the rain, the red slime kept twisting its body as if yelling ¡¸Hey, come back down here!¡¹. ¡¸What in the world is wrong with this guy!? They¡¯re too belligerent.¡¹ Yuuma was really surprised by the red slime¡¯s hostile nature but he also had pent-up emotion for having to hunt metal slime every day. ¡¸YOU BAST*RD! BRING IT ON!¡¹ Yuuma focused his power on his entire body. At that moment, black marks appeared on his face and hands then spread to his entire body. In just a few seconds, his entire body turned metallic black. Metallization¨D¨D The only ability available for Yuuma. He took the gas burner and cold spray and jumped down into the hole again. The red slime rushed toward him as soon as his feet landed on the ground. It rammed toward Yuuma¡¯s arms, abdomen, knees, or feet in quick succession, but Yuuma was unperturbed and the collision only caused clear metallic sound to resound in the hole. Yuuma looked at the red slime with a nonchalant look on his face. ¡¸Hahaha, it isn¡¯t even itchy! Your physical attack doesn¡¯t work against this metallic body.¡¹ He thrust the nozzle of the cold spray and started barraging the red slime with cold air. Though the red slime was rolling around in panic, its movement became slower, and finally stopped. ¡¸Great, now is the gas burner¡¯s time¡­¡¹ He pulled the trigger and burned the slime with jet flame. But, he noticed something was amiss as soon as he did so. ¡¸Eh? Something is off.¡¹ Normally, the body would turn bright red as soon as he burned the slime with the jet flame and yet, now it didn¡¯t show any of that sign, only the frost melted due to the heat. At that moment, the slime was jiggling again. Could it be that the colour was distinguished since its original colour was red? Since that was the case, let¡¯s use the cold spray again. Thereupon, the slime movement slowed down again after dozens of seconds, and frost started to appear again on its body. Seeing that, Yuuma frowned again. When he tried to freeze the warmed-up slime that had been burned by the gas burner, it took longer since its body became even hotter than before. And yet, as soon as it froze¡­ ¡¸It won¡¯t get hotter at all! Do I need to heat it even longer!?¡¹ Maybe it has some sort of special ability since it has a different colour. The matter about it being quite resistant to fire is really troublesome. Yuuma repeated the process of superheating and cooling a few more times but the fire wasn¡¯t effective at all. After pondering for a while, Yuuma ran back to his house. He was looking for another way to break metal with his smartphone. Thereupon, he found a few ways to cause rust to appear on the metal. ¡¸Making it rusty eh¡­ I see¡­ The problem is whether I can apply that or not.¡¹ He doubted whether the fire would really work if the surface became rusty. But, Yuuma stopped thinking and moved to execution immediately, he had nothing to lose anyway. Fortunately, today was a holiday and his parents had been preparing to enjoy their time together. Yuuma took Mamezo out for a walk and went toward the hardware store along the way. He took various things from the shelves that would serve his purpose. When he returned, his parents had already left. ¡¸Great¡­ Now I can work in peace.¡¹ He placed a bucket on the side of the hole, the contents of the basket was acidic detergent he brought from the hardware store. The smell of acidic detergent filled the hole immediately. Yuuma, who was prepared for that had already worn a mask and gloves, he also made sure that Mamezo was away from the hole. He then activated his ¡°Metallization¡± and jumped into the hole. The red slime didn¡¯t even wait for a moment and rushed toward Yuuma like a raging flame. Its charging attack wasn¡¯t that painful but it was enough to force him to take a step back. ¡¸Dammit! What a belligerent guy.¡¹ For the first time in a while, Yuuma used a dual wield of cold spray again. After confirming that the slime had become frozen stiff, he took the bucket he left outside of the hole into the hole. ¡¸Is it really going to work?¡¹ Yuuma plunged the frozen slime into the bucket while wondering if the method he learned from the internet was correct. After dipping the slime into the acid detergent, he left it alone for a while. If the frost on the slime thawed again, he would use cold spray on it again. He expected that making it rusty wasn¡¯t a simple matter but, the metal slime was definitely weak against indirect attack. ¡°Could it be that the slime might get rusty far easier if it¡¯s the usual metal one?¡± For six hours after that, he kept repeating the process of ¡ºDipping¡», ¡ºFreezing¡», and ¡ºLeave it on its own¡» twenty times. ¡¸U~~~hm, when will it become rusty I wonder!? It hard to know that since its colour is red.¡¹ He started to doubt the method but he kept looking at the slime to confirm the change in its colour like before. When he thought it was already long enough, Yuuma took the gas burner and turned on his ¡ºMetallization¡». And then¨D¨D ¡¸AH!¡¹ The slime¡¯s body shone red. It was proof that it generates heat. The slime who regained its freedom then got away from Yuuma immediately and charged at him at lightning speed. Yuuma took out the cold spray he prepared outside of the hole while enduring the barrage of the slime¡¯s attacks. He kept repeating the process of using cold spray and gas burner again and again. And then, something happened after repeating the same cycle for sixteen times. ¡¸So tired¡­ How about this!¡¹ When he heated the slime with his burner again, cracks appeared on the slime¡¯s surface. ¨D¨DBut, it was far from enough. The surface of the red slime had finally crumbled down after Yuuma repeated the process for three times. ¡¸Great, almost there.¡¹ Yuuma then take the hammer to finish off the red slime and¡ª- crack¨D¨D The metallic red body had finally crumbled to pieces when he landed an attack with his hammer. CH 23 Chapter 23: Red Magic Ore ¡¸Fuuh, what a troublesome opponent.¡¹ When Yuuma illuminated the hole with his flashlight, he found a red shining ore left behind by the red slime. ¡¸So it really is a 100% drop rate in the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡».¡¹ He picked up the red magic ore and examined it for a while. Its shape and weight were about the same as your average black magic ore, the only difference was its vivid red colour. Though it wasn¡¯t a gem, the colour was indeed beautiful. After he tidied up the empty trash can, Yuuma went back to his own room. ¡¸Well then, now let¡¯s see the effect of this fella¡­¡¹ Yuuma folded his arms as he observed the ¡°Red Magic Stone¡± on his desk. Though he already decided to use it himself since he knew that he couldn¡¯t sell it, the problem was what kind of ability he would get from it. When he moved his line of sight toward the window in his room, he realized that the sun had already inclined to the west. Yuuma heaved a sigh, it turned out he spent a whole day trying to defeat the slime. ¡¸The problem is still the ability that I¡¯ll get from consuming this though.¡¹ He might get special abilities like the one he got from golden magic ore. He felt that the ability wouldn¡¯t do any harm to him either but¡­ The golden magic ore gave him a 100% drop rate in ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». So he thought that the red magic ore might give him a 100% drop rate in ¡ºRed Dungeon¡». If that were the case, he would be grateful since red magic gems could be sold for a higher price. But, Yuuma didn¡¯t forget just how many times his expectation had been betrayed before. He then recalled that something dropped by a monster was usually related to the monster¡¯s ability to some extent. If that was truly the case¨D¨D Yuuma wiped the ¡°Red Magic Ore¡± with wet tissue, swallowed it, and chased it down with tap water. Upon feeling the usual heat running through his body. He confirmed that he had already gained the ability from red magic ore. When he was checking his body, he found no abnormalities. ¡¸So it really is THAT.¡¹ Yuuma took the gas burner. After rolling up the sleeve of his left arm, he held out his right hand while holding the gas burner. He lit the flame and brought it close to his left arm. ¡¸OUCH!!!¡¹ He received a shock when he felt the heat of the flame. ¡¸Eh? Was I mistaken?¡¹ Since the red slime had fire resistance, he thought that he would get the fire resistance too, and yet¡­ ¡¸Could it be¡­¡¹ This time, Yuuma invoked his metallization. And brought the fire closer to his metallic left arm again¨D¨D ¡¸WOW! IT ISN¡¯T HOT AT ALL!!¡¹ Forget about warmth, he didn¡¯t even feel the heat when he used the jet flame from the gas burner. And it was just as he expected, the red metal slime had ¡ºFire Resistance¡». ¡¸Since ¡°Fire¡± is the weakness of metal. It can be said that I¡¯ve conquered my weakness.¡¹ The ability wouldn¡¯t manifest unless he activated metallization, though it was a rather questionable ability, Yuuma was still happy knowing that he had another ability nonetheless. But, he still had no idea. He had no idea whether his new ability was ¡°Resistance¡± or ¡°Invalid¡± type. ¡¸I guess I don¡¯t have to examine that part.¡¹ After he was done with that, Yuuma decided to take a bath. The matter of him entering the dungeon and fighting against red slime for a day wasn¡¯t a big deal for him. It was just the usual uneventful day for him and he slept just like usual. ¡ó¡ó¡ó The next day, in contrast to yesterday, Yuuma headed toward the hole in the garden like usual. He patted Mamezo¡¯s head like usual, after he placed the spray can beside the hole in the garden, he illuminated the hole with his flashlight. In there, another metal slime had been waiting for him but Yuuma ended up frowning. ¡¸This fella¡­¡¹ It was a blue slime. Its surface that reflected the light from his flashlight was ¡°Metallic Blue¡±. It kept twisting its body, ready to fight. ¡¸Are you kidding me? Another variation in just one day!?¡¹ ¡°What kind of ability does it have?¡± was what he thought as he tried to use cold spray on it from afar. But, even after he emptied the spray can, the ¡°Blue Slime ¡± seems just fine. ¡¸No way, could it be this guy has¡­ ¡ºCold Resistance¡»!?¡¹ CH 24 Chapter 24: ¡ºColorful¡» Slime Yuuma was really dumbfounded. If the red slime from yesterday had ¡ºFire Resistance¡», he pretty much figured out that the slime before him had ¡ºCold Resistance¡». But, if the cold spray didn¡¯t work on it, it means that it wouldn¡¯t stop moving even after being exposed to cold air. It was even more troublesome than resistance to fire from before. ¡¸Uhm, what should I do now?¡¹ Seeing that he had no solution for this, Yuuma invoked his ¡°Metallization¡± and jumped into the hole to see the situation. Just like yesterday, the slime leapt toward him the moment his feet landed on the ground. And collided with Yuuma¡¯s metallic body, causing a clear metallic sound to resound inside the hole. Thus, Yuuma thought that the ¡ºColoured¡» ones are more aggressive. When he tried to hit it with a gas burner, it moved so quickly all over the place. ¡¸Yup, it hates fire.¡¹ After such confirmation, Yuuma jumped out of the hole. He couldn¡¯t do anything since the cold spray and gas burner couldn¡¯t hit it. But, he knew that he needed the power of ¡°Flame¡± to defeat the slime. ¡¸The fire will be a little bigger but, I¡¯ve had no choice.¡¹ After five minutes, Yuuma¡¯s ¡°Metallization¡± expired and his skin colour returned to normal, he ran toward his house and returned with a bucket. He poured water on the ground around the hole to prevent the fire from burning the weeds around the hole. And then, he brought kerosene for the heater during the winter season from the storage room. ¡¸Please~ make it wo~rk, I¡¯ve no other way left if this method isn¡¯t working after all.¡¹ After making sure that Mamezo was in a safe place, Yuuma poured the kerosene into the hole. The blue slime seems to be bewildered the moment unknown liquid poured into the hole. Yuuma used a lot of kerosene and dumped newspaper to make sure the inside of the hole was burning properly. Lastly, he ignited paper with a lighter, and dumped the ignited paper into the hole. The paper fell slowly and finally landed on the ground of the hole. The fire spread inside the room at once. The hole was instantly engulfed in a blazing flame, giving rise to a fire pillar. Since there was a lot of smoke coming with it too, Yuuma was actually pretty nervous, praying desperately for his parents to miss such a scene. No matter how much the blue slime moved around, it couldn¡¯t come out to the ground. And just like that, it was baked alive. Ten minutes later¨D¨D When the flame had settled, Yuuma tried to peek into the hole and saw the slime scorched till black in the corner of the room. It lost its shape, its surfaces were shivering like normal slime. Yuuma jumped into the hole, stooping forward and bringing down his reliable hammer. The slime was crushed to pieces and turned into sand. ¡¸Fuuh, I managed to defeat it somehow.¡¹ Upon a closer look, he discovered a blue ore left where the slime died. Yuuma picked it carefully but the ore was unexpectedly cool. When he used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe the ore, its bright metallic blue colour became quite imminent. Yuuma went to the kitchen immediately, washed the ¡°Blue Magic Ore¡± with water, and swallowed it. ¡¸I guess the effect is just as I imagined.¡¹ He brought Mamezo back to the garden, tidying his monster-slaying ¡°Weapon¡±, returned to his room and then invoked his metallization. When his skin turned metallic black, he tried to use cold spray on his arm. ¡¸As expected, it doesn¡¯t feel cold at all!¡¹ His metalized arm didn¡¯t feel the cold. Thus, he confirmed that he gained cold resistance too. Heat and cold were the number one enemy of metal, doesn¡¯t that mean I, who conquered those two factors, was invincible in a metallic state? Yuuma prepared to go to school while thinking about such things. Since it took a lot of time to defeat the blue slime, he might be late if he didn¡¯t run toward the school. ¡°Since it¡¯s happened twice in a row, another ¡ºColor¡» might appear again tomorrow¡± Was what Yuuma thought as he left his house. And he knew that he was right the next morning. ¡¸Oooo!? Is this, golden slime?¡¹ No doubt about it since he had seen metallic gold slime before. And just when he felt slightly disappointed, he noticed that something was off. ¡¸Wait a minute, is this¡­ Yellow?¡¹ After careful observation of his flashlight, he noticed that the colour was slightly different from gold. ¡°So it was actually metallic yellow eh.¡± was what he thought as Yuuma invoked ¡°Metallization¡± and jumped into the hole, trying to defeat the yellow slime with the usual combination of cold spray and gas burner while enduring the attack from the slime. There was no problem so far. But, after repeating the seventh and eighth cycle the surface of the slime¡¯s body had yet to show a crack. ¡¸Is that mean this yellow slime is as strong as the red and blue one?¡¹ But, it didn¡¯t persist for too long as cracks started to appear after he repeated the process even further. And Yuuma didn¡¯t waste his time swinging his hammer, killing the tattered slime. And just like before, it left behind a magic ore. He picked up the magic ore and confirmed that its colour was different from ¡°Golden Magic Ore¡±. At this stage, Yuuma didn¡¯t care about such matters and swallowed the magic ore after he washed it with water. Yuuma tried to confirm his ability but failed. In the end, Yuuma had no idea what kind of ability he got from the yellow slime. CH 25 Chapter 25: Mystery of Green and Yellow When Yuuma peeked into the hole the next morning, ¡°THAT¡± appeared again just as he predicted¨D¨D ¡¸So it¡¯s the green one this time!¡¹ Vivid metallic green slime was wriggling around inside the hole in his garden. This time, Yuuma had already prepared a lot of gas burners and cold sprays. ¡¸Bring it on, I¡¯m ready!¡¹ Yuuma invoked his metallization. Jumped into the hole, and facing against the green slime. Though the slime was moving cautiously inside the hole, it rushed toward Yuuma the moment the latter used cold spray on the latter. Though Yuuma staggered due to the slime¡¯s body blow, he braced his leg and kept using the cold spray on the slime. Although he had a hard time since the slime was moving really fast, he kept using his cold spray till the hole filled with cold air. The lowered temperature started to affect the speed of the green slime. Yuuma on the other hand could move freely thanks to his ¡ºCold Resistance¡». ¡¸Yes! I just need to stop it when it looks like it¡¯s about to move next time and this game will be mine.¡¹ After using more cold spray on the slime, it finally stopped moving. Now, Yuuma held two gas burners in his hands and sprayed the slime with jet flame. He raised the slime temperature at once to inflict much damage to the green slime. And just as he expected, the slime sprung as soon as their body thawed by the head but, it didn¡¯t really matter since it couldn¡¯t hurt Yuuma in his metallised state. Since his defence was perfect, he could focus entirely on the offence. After repeating the superheating and cooling a few more times, he brought down the hammer to finish off the tattered green slime. Naturally, he didn¡¯t forget to take the ¡°Green Magic Ore¡± dropped by the green slime and stopped for a while to examine it. It had a beautiful, emerald green colour with metallic lustre on its surface. He didn¡¯t hesitate to swallow the magic ore after washing it with tap water. And just like before, a familiar heat spread in his entire body. Though he found out that it didn¡¯t give any particular ability, Yuuma suddenly recalled the same case with yesterday¡¯s ¡°Magic Ore¡±. ¡¸Well, let¡¯s verify this after I go back from school.¡¹ Yuuma started his preparation before going to school and went to school like usual. ¡ó¡ó¡ó On the way back from school. Yuuma is looking for more information about magic ore in his smartphone. ¡¸U~hm, must be this one.¡¹ It was written on a site which explains the characteristics of the dungeon. There were six types of dungeons, meaning that there were six types of magic gems that can be collected in there. White Dungeon(White, or maybe, transparent magic gem. Allow its user to use healing magic.) Red Dungeon(Red magic gem. Allow its user to use fire magic.) Blue Dungeon(Blue Magic Gem. Allow its user to use water magic.) Yellow Dungeon(Yellow Magic Gem. Allow its user to use lightning magic.) Green Dungeon(Green Magic Gem. Allow its user to use wind magic.) Black Dungeon(Magic Ore. Strengthen its user¡¯s physical strength¡­ Maybe.) Referring to those traits, from the ¡ºColorful¡» magic ore I got recently, the red one gave me ¡ºFire Resistance¡», and the blue one was ¡ºCold Resistance¡». Could it be that the yellow one gave me ¡ºLightning Resistance¡», and the green one was ¡ºWind Resistance¡»? Was the result of his investigation but he had no way to prove it. After arriving at his home, Yuuma went into his room, changed into his daily attire, and went out with his bicycle. His destination was the electronic store from which he brought his Mana, Measuring Tool. He parked his bicycle in the parking lot, went up to the stair, heading toward the corner which sold ¡ºDungeon Related Item¡». He looked at the item lining up on the shelves and stopped upon seeing an electric baton and stun gun. Since he couldn¡¯t try the goods, he had no choice but to buy it. The most expensive one went up to tens of thousands of yen while the cheapest one, a stun gun, was available for 4980 yen. Thus his choice was obvious for the cheapest one. He went back home after he bought the stun gun, opened the box, and then installed the huge rectangular battery into the stun gun. ¡¸I should be able to use this.¡¹ A Blue electric spark appeared from the stun gun¡¯s nodes when he switched it on. Yuuma invoked his ¡°Metallization¡± and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt. Then he brought the stun gun in his right hand toward himself. Metal was supposed to be a conductor. That was what he thought as he pressed the stun gun onto his arm, preparing himself for failure.[TL: WARNING! GOOD KID SHOULDN¡¯T TRY THIS AT HOME!! THE SAME GOES FOR BAD KID TOO!!] ¡¸OU¡ª Wait, it¡¯s not hurt!?¡¹ I¡¯m not zapped at all, I really get a ¡ºLightning Resistance¡». Yuuma was really delighted upon finding that his theory was spot on. Thus, he concluded that the green magic ore definitely gave him ¡ºWind Resistance¡». He heard that an adept wind magic user could slice steel in two. Meaning that the wind magic might be Yuuma¡¯s greatest nemesis. Yuuma¡¯s body trembled imagining his body sliced in two if he had no wind resistance. Nevertheless, he had no way to test his wind resistance. ¡¸Anyhow, doesn¡¯t that mean I get the resistance for attack magic of ¡ºFire¡», ¡ºWater¡», ¡ºLightning¡», and ¡ºWind¡» attributes magic!? This is pretty amazing right?¡¹ Yuuma was really excited but then, he noticed a fact immediately. The fact that such abilities were useless in daily life. CH 26 Chapter 26: IDR Emergency Meeting Meanwhile, at the HQ of the International Dungeon Research Organization, the researchers were holding an emergency meeting. Amongst the participants was James Bright, a physicist from America. Achmad Taher, an archaeologist from Egypt. Li Haoran, a biologist from China. Ethan Noble and six other scholars for a total of eleven people. They sat around a huge round table. Since everyone in the meeting had their own independent research on the dungeon on their own, they rarely met each other aside from their regular once-in-a-month meeting. Senior researcher of Palestina who led the meeting, Maya Belga broke the awkward silence. ¡¸My deepest apologies for the sudden call for an emergency meeting. I think you¡¯ve already known about the situation but let me elaborate on you once again, something unprecedented happened.¡¹ Maya, an old lady of the age moved as she spoke with an elegant manner and speech. Everyone in the room already knew what she meant. The reason being it had already become hot news for the last few days. Ethan read the material that was distributed to everyone. Written in there was the information regarding the strange phenomenon that happened to ¡ºOrpheus Slate¡» over the last few days. ¡¸Unbelievable, four lords have been slain in mere four days.¡¹ Maya massaged her temple as she spoke with a bewildered look on her face. ¡¸That matter side!¡¹ The one who raised his voice was America¡¯s scholar, James. He was a tall man with a burly body, a considerably rougher temperament compared to the other scholars, and a person who preferred to get to the point when talking to someone else. ¡¸The problem is, we have yet to know who does that! Which country launched large-scale mobilization of Explorers?¡¹ James glared at Li Haoran, the scholar from China. Li Haoran who noticed that glare raised his glasses as he glared back at James with a displeased look on his face. ¡¸Stop having such strange misunderstandings. Our country has already sent in all the information about that to IDRO. We want to cooperate with other countries in this matter too. We definitely not hiding any information!¡¹ James harrumphed upon hearing that. The air in the room became strained when the two of them were glaring at each other. The one who separated them was Achmad, the archaeologist from Egypt. ¡¸Well, calm down, no need to get worked up. The red, blue, yellow, and green crystals broke one after another in the last four days should be equivalent to the capture of four dungeons, right? For what reason they did do that?¡¹ James was smiling lightly as he looked at Achmad. ¡¸I don¡¯t know the reason but, America and China are the only countries with the Explorer that are strong enough to accomplish such a feat. Seeing that it isn¡¯t America, by elimination, China is the only suspect left.¡¹ "" Li Haoran¡¯s eyebrows twitched upon hearing such baseless accusations. ¡¸How can you say that America isn¡¯t the one who did that? You might¡¯ve been simply hiding the information, right!?¡¹ ¡¸How dare you!!¡¹ The other scholars around James tried their best to prevent James from blowing his top. During such uproar¨D¨D ¡¸May I say something?¡¹ The scholars then focused their attention on Ethan Noble who raised his hand. Agewise, Ethan might be the youngest amongst the scholars who gathered in this place, but it shows that his abilities as a scholar weren¡¯t just for show. ¡¸Surely, mister James has a point in his claims, there¡¯s some Explorer out there who can capture four dungeons up to the deepest level in mere days. The problem is, is that even possible?¡¹ ¡¸What do you mean!?¡¹ James frowned, and then asked Ethan again. ¡¸Previously, the lord that was discovered in America is being subjugated by the combination of efforts of fifteen Explorers. Amongst them are the strongest Explorer in the world, ¡ºFlame Emperor¡» Albert. And yet, even with him in the team, seven of those Explorers died. Not to mention that the lord is found on the 200th floor. Even if America and China combined their strength and tried to subjugate four of such dungeons at the same time, I¡¯ll say that it¡¯s literally impossible.¡¹ ¡¸Then why did those crystals break!? We want an explanation!!¡¹ Seeing James ask irritatingly, Ethan smiled gently. ¡¸Don¡¯t you think that we might be thinking with the wrong assumption?¡¹ ¡¸Assumption?¡¹ Maya also responded to such remarks. ¡¸The crystals are lining up systematically in Orpheus¡¯s slate. We might end up thinking that each crystal represents a dungeon. In fact, the duke and lord that was defeated in the past were found in the dungeon which colour similar to the broken crystal.¡¹ ¡¸Since that¡¯s the case, it showed in which dungeon the subjugation happen, right!?¡¹ ¡¸Nope.¡¹ Ethan straight out denied James¡¯ loud opinion. ¡¸What if the lord that was subjugated this time isn¡¯t in the same dungeon? A black crystal that broke two weeks ago represents a subjugated duke. Considering the timing, someone might be trying to capture the black dungeon. Needless to say, the reason being it is still pretty much an unknown dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸Humph! We¡¯ve already investigated the black dungeon. Especially the magic ore¡¯s circulation, they¡¯re strictly controlled. Let¡¯s ban every country from entering the black dungeon, and make that only those with a special permit can enter the black dungeon.¡¹ Ethan shook his head lightly. ¡¸The registered dungeons, that¡¯s it.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!?¡¹ The atmosphere in the room changed with that remark. CH 27 Chapter 27: Chance Meeting ¡¸No way¡­ Do you mean, it might happen inside a new, unregistered dungeon?¡¹ James frowned. ¡¸That¡¯s right. There¡¯s a case in which the new dungeon isn¡¯t reported to the government, or the dungeon simply has yet to be found. Someone might happen to capture one of those undiscovered dungeons rights?¡¹ ¡¸Please wait a minute.¡¹ This time, Maya raised her voice. ¡¸Ethan, even if we consider that what you said is correct, where do you think you can find ¡ºSeeker¡» who can dive until the 200th floor? Not to mention that the kind of Explorer who can accomplish such a feat is under the management of the country or the army. And we do not receive any report about them making their move.¡¹ Maya¡¯s argument was valid and reasonable. It took a lot of budget and time to train a strong Explorer. It was common sense shared by everyone in this place and the other people outside too. But, that common sense didn¡¯t cloud Ethan¡¯s judgment. ¡¸Your argument is valid, but let¡¯s think about this matter with the consideration that there¡¯s a powerful seeker out there, unknown to any governments in the world. That person entered the newly born black dungeon and subjugated a duke. And then, he keeps advancing deeper until he finally subjugates the lords in quick succession.¡¹ ¡¸THAT¡¯S ABSURD!¡¹ James spat such a remark. ¡¸I know that this is just mere speculation of mine. But, we are left with no choice but to use such speculation. They had already defeated four lords after all. We still have no idea whether it was done by a single person or a group. But they¡¯re definitely small in number. There should be information leaks if the one who makes a move is a large-scale clan. What I want to say is that there¡¯s an even stronger clan than the one who has ¡ºFlame Emperor ¡»Albert¨D¨D It should be more logical to think that way, right?¡¹ The conference room was enveloped in an eerie silence. Though the chance for that to happen was close to impossible, there was not enough information to deny that. ¡¸And, if my guess is correct¨D¨D¡¹ The other scholars gulped their spit, waiting for Ethan to finish his words. ¡¸There¡¯ll be a huge change in the near future.¡¹ ¡ó¡ó¡ó The day after Yuuma defeated the four ¡ºColorful¡» slimes, he came out of his house in the morning in an elated mood. Red, blue, yellow, green, and if his guess was correct, the next one should be white. Though he was doubtful if there was any use in the resistance of healing magic, he knew that it was just another slime with a different color. When he was about to reach the hole, Mamezo barked even louder than usual. ¡¸Calm down Mamezo, I¡¯ll kick their ass immediately!¡¹ After making sure that Mamezo had already retreated to a safe distance, Yuuma illuminated the inside of the hole with his flashlight. Though his feeling was rather complicated if white slime really did come out, it was only for a moment whether white or not, he still had to defeat the slime. And Yuuma who observed the hole like usual got surprised by something that he would never expect to see. ¡¸EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!?¡¹ He ended up looking at the object with a dumbfounded look on his face for a while after that. The one waiting in the hole was a black metal slime. Yes, it had the same colour as the normal metal slime, but that wasn¡¯t the problem. The problem was the slime¡¯s size. It was at least five times bigger than normal metal slime. Since the slime was staying still, the already tiny hole looked even smaller than before. ¡¸What in the hell is this big guy!? Are you telling me that this guy is the boss of the metal slime?¡¹ As if it came to avenge its fallen henchmen, it stood still in the hole, unmoved like a giant boulder in a small hole. ¡¸I guess I have to beat this guy too¡­¡¹ Yuuma slapped his cheeks to restore his weakened fighting spirit and ran back to his house. He dumped a lot of cold sprays and gas burners into a card box and returned to the garden again. He placed the cold sprays and gas burners right outside of the hole. After he completed his preparation, he was ready to go all out to defeat the avenger who was waiting for him inside the hole. Lastly, Yuuma invoked his ¡ºMetallization¡» and jumped into the hole. The giant metal slime before him approached quickly the moment his feet landed on the floor. It released a pressure that he never felt before. Yuuma didn¡¯t hesitate to use a dual cold spray to welcome the avenger. That moment¨D¨D Something moved. And by the time he realized that the spray can have already been ruptured. The cold air was released from the hole of the ruptured can. ¡¸What happened just now?¡¹ From the cold sprays that fell on the ground, he knew that it was just sliced off by something. When Yuuma raised his face, he saw two tentacles coming out from the slime, wriggling eerily in the air. The tip of the tentacles was shaped like a sharp blade, pointed right toward him. ¡¸Oioioioi! Are you kidding me!?¡¹ The situation beyond even his wildest dream happened right before him. CH 28 Chapter 28: Life and Death Battle in the Morning ¡±This guy is truly bad news!¡± The moment such thought flashed into his mind, the two sharp feelers had already rushed toward Yuuma. ¡¸UWAA!¡¹ He reflexively moved his arms to protect his head. And though the sharp feelers struck him, it was repelled along with a clear metallic sound. Yuuma, whose body transformed into that of metal due to metalization, had easily deflected the giant slime¡¯s attacks. ¡¸My heart skipped a beat there¡­¡¹ ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I can rest assured and subjugate it normally.¡± Was what he thought as he took two cold sprays from the outside of the hole. And when he pointed the nozzle of the spray to the giant slime, something unbelievably happened right before him. Numerous feelers grew from the slime¡¯s body. The tips were taking the form of edge tools, hammer, ax, morning star¡­ and many others forms of weapons. ¡¸Wait a fri*Cking minute! Time out!!¡¹ But, it was all hopeless, dozens feelers had already rushed toward him at once. Yuuma stooped forward to protect the spray can. Numerous blows from various kinds of weapons rained down to his shoulders, back, and head. It was the scale of attack that would surely turn a normal living creature into a beehive. And yet¨D¨D ¡¸I¡¯VE TOLD YA! IT¡¯S INEFFECTIVE RIGHT!!¡¹ Yuuma brushed off the feelers, raised his arms and then sprayed the slime with cold spray. No matter how much they tried to attack him, Yuuma in his metallization state completely invalidates physical attack. And then, cold air filled the hole. Unlike Yuuma who was unaffected by the cold air, the giant slime¡¯s movement was clearly slowing down. This advantage had already decided Yuuma¡¯s victory. The moment Yuuma was convinced of his victory, the giant slime retracted their feelers. Just when he relaxed his vigilance, thinking that the slime had finally stopped moving¨D¨D ¡¸Eh!?¡¹ Numerous thorns grew from its entire body. The slime now looked like a sea urchin. And the momentum behind the thorn was really strong to the point that Yuuma was sent flying till his back crashed against the wall of the hole. And yet, his body was safe and sound. Thus, he realized that the slime¡¯s attack couldn¡¯t pierce through his metallic body. Yuuma didn¡¯t waste more time and grabbed another cold spray the moment he realized that his enemy couldn¡¯t do a sh*t toward him. The spray can that pierced before kept releasing cold air in the hole, dropping the room temperature even further down. Now he wielded another can of cold spray, doing his best to stop the metal slime¡¯s movement. A few minutes later, he had somehow managed to freeze the metal slime. ¡¸Haah, haah¡­ Dammit¡­ Even stopping this bast*rd¡¯s movement takes so much effort.¡¹ Upon a closer look, he realized that his clothes had already been shredded to pieces. Fortunately, the one he wore was old clothes, not that he felt delighted seeing his old clothes in such a tattered state. And now, Yuuma dual-wielded a gas burner and pointed its muzzle toward the slime that had already frozen stiff. He heated the slime bit-by-bit with the jet flame. ¡¸It would be much easier if it¡¯s not moving at a~ll¡¹ His wish was dashed since the slime started moving again after a few minutes, this time, it used more than twenty feelers to attack Yuuma. Though the attack was ineffective against him, no one liked being beaten senselessly. Moreover, he couldn¡¯t help but to worry about the stock of his cold spray and gas burner since they kept being sliced open by the slime. He repeated the superheating and cooling process. The reason being he had no other means to attack the slime. It took a lot of time and he was already late to come to school. Yuuma started to worry that her mother, who didn¡¯t see him coming down for breakfast, was looking for him in his room. Unfortunately for her, she couldn¡¯t find her son who was in the middle of a life-and-death battle right now. One hour after the start of that crazy battle, when Yuuma had already down to his last gas burner, cracks finally appeared on the giant slime¡¯s body. ¡¸Finally, let¡¯s finish this¡­¡¹ He hit the giant slime¡¯s body with his hammer and yet, only metallic sounds rang in the hole, the slime was completely unscathed. And though the giant slime looked really exhausted right now, it could still conjure sharp feelers from its body. While it look like a futile resistance in Yuuma¡¯s eyes, those feelers still struck at Yuuma¡¯s right hand¨D¨D And right at that moment, Yuuma realized that something flew from his right hand. The handle of the hammer was sliced off, its head fluttering in the air for a second, and fell to the ground. It was a 1280 yen hammer that had been used by him for more than one year to slay the metal slime. And yet, the hammer that he already regarded as his personal weapon had finally fallen at the last minute. ¡¸How dare you¡­¡¹ Yuuma clenched his fist, and punched the giant slime. His punch bounced back along with a clear metallic sound. It seemed that punch wasn¡¯t enough to finish off the giant slime. Since he had run out of cold spray and gas burner, he had no choice but to use brute force now. The tattered giant slime couldn¡¯t conjure either feeler or spike anymore. But, the same could be said about Yuuma¡¯s stamina. He was almost running out of breath. And yet, he kept punching the giant slime like an obsessed madman. ¡¸JUST DIE ALREADY~~~~!!¡¹ He focused all his power into his fist and slammed his fist onto the giant slime. Crack¨D¨D Along with the cracking sound, his fist pierced the metal body. The giant slime¡¯s body then turned into sand. The sands sparkled for a moment and then vanished to nothingness. ¡¸I, I did it¡­¡¹ Yuuma plopped on his rear as he spoke. It was the first time he experienced such intense exhaustion. After he adjusted his disorder¡¯s appearance, he looked at the thing left behind by the giant slime. It was a magic ore. Yuuma stretched his hand and grabbed the magic ore. ¡¸This one must¡¯ve some sort of special ability too¡­ Well, let¡¯s confirm that later.¡¹ Yuuma crawled out of the hole, and back to his house. Though his mother was really surprised upon seeing the exhausted Yuuma, it lost to her scream the moment she saw Yuuma¡¯s tattered attire and soiled appearance. Yuuma barely managed to avoid a sermon after he told his mother that he went too far when playing with Mamezo CH 29 Chapter 29: Untrodden Area Yuuma who returned from school was currently looking at the ¡°Magic Ore¡± on his desk. It was black magic ore whose size, colour, and shape were similar to the one from a normal metal slime. The only difference was the mark on its surface. It looks like a relief of an ornamental white flower drawn in a circle. ¡¸What in the world is this?¡¹ Yuuma took his mana measuring tool, pressed the switch and directed its nozzle toward him. He thought that the magic ore might have ¡°Mana¡± since it dropped from a fairly powerful monster. He then looked at the display of the measuring tool and found a big zero. ¡¸¡­ Tch, the heck. After all those hardships.¡¹ Despite his complaint, he pointed the tool toward the magic ore this time. And just as he expected, another zero. ¡¸This one is zero too huh¡­ I can use this one too I guess.¡¹ Yuuma went to the kitchen, washed the magic core with water, and swallowed it like usual. A while later, he felt the familiar heat running through his body. He was already used to this sensation but something felt different from this one time. ¡¸Eh? What the hell with this heat?¡¹ The heat that ran through his body was incomparable to the one he felt until now. Just when he started to regret his act of eating the magic ore, the heat started to subside. ¡¸Haa~h¡­ that scared me for nothing.¡¹ Yuuma went to the garden since he was pretty curious about the ability that he would get from the magic ore. He sent a sidelong glance toward Mamezo who was barking toward him, and then invoked ¡ºMetallization¡». Though Mamezo ended up shrinking in fear upon seeing Yuuma¡¯s metallized state, he patted Mamezo¡¯s head to reassure the latter. ¡¸Well then, there¡¯s the possibility of that giant slime¡¯s ability is the one that I get but¡­¡¹ He recalled the giant slime that he met this morning. No matter what he thought about it, its feelers¡¯ strike was really terrifying. He tried to change part of his body into a weapon. If he could do that¨D¨D The moment he thought about that, the shape of his hand started to distort. That moment, he tried to imagine his hand turning into a weapon. Thus his hand transformed¡­ Into kitchen knife. ¡¸Oooh¡­ Awesome! I really can do this.¡¹ Yuuma was really elated. Thus he tried to change his body into various shapes. When he tried to change his hand into a hammer and a metal ball, he realised that his body could transform into everything he imagined. The speed of the transformation was completely dependent on the structure of the item he wanted to transform into. And the most terrifying thing about this ability was¨D¨D ¡¸Ooh, I can do this too huh! This ability is awesome.¡¹ Yuuma tried to turn himself into a spherical metal slime. He had never expected that it really was possible until he tried himself. He then frolicked with Mamezo while jumping up and down. Though he really enjoyed playing with Mamezo in that form, his gaze suddenly caught his own reflection in the glass window of his house. What he saw was a figure of slime with several feelers coming out from its body, hopping up and down while using its feelers to play with Mamezo. At that moment, Yuuma felt cold water pour on his head. ¡¸No matter how you look at it¡­ This definitely looked like¡­ A monster right?¡¹ ¡ó¡ó¡ó That day, the International Dungeon Research Organization(IDR) experienced turmoil that was never seen before. Numerous researchers gathered in front of ¡°Orpheus Slate¡± which was located in one corner of the research facility. Ethan Noble was amongst the surprised figures of researchers who looked at the slate. ¡¸ETHAN!¡¹ His assistant, Clark, ran in a hurry toward him. ¡¸What caused this commotion, Ethan!?¡¹ Clark was looking around dumbfoundedly. Many researchers had no idea about the situation since it happened so suddenly, causing so much confusion among them. Seeing the panicked Clark, Ethan revealed a smile as a light chuckle escaped from his mouth. ¡¸That is what attracts everyone¡¯s attention, Clark.¡¹ Ethan¡¯s forefinger pointed at the top part of ¡°Orpheus Slate¡± while leaning on the wall. It was the place where crystals of various colours lined up together. ¡¸What now? Is it the news about the subjugation of another duke or lord!?¡¹ ¡¸Nope¡­ You¡¯re only half correct, Clark. No one going to be surprised by that anymore.¡¹ Clark frowned upon seeing Ethan¡¯s daring smile. ¡¸Take a look at the topmost part of the slate.¡¹ Clark followed Ethan¡¯s advice and looked at the topmost crystal, and found out that one of them had already broken. It was none other than the topmost crystal that had never broken until now. ¡¸The highest ranked monster recorded in the slate, one of the six kings¨D¨D¡¹ Ethan looked at the topmost part of the slate, and a smile formed on his face. ¡¸The ¡¾Black King¡¿ had been subjugated.¡¹ CH 30 Chapter 30: Future Option TN: Sorry for the delay, my laptop has been fixed! Enjoy the release! TN of TN: Kind warning! This act will give you a harsh reality of job hunting since it¡¯s also remind me of my time during the job hunting period. What? Metal Slime? you won¡¯t see them after this. === The day after he defeated the giant metal slime, Yuuma was troubled. ¨D¨DHe used up all his cold spray and gas burner to defeat the giant slime yesterday. Thus, when he was wondering what he had to do to defeat today¡¯s metal slime¡­ He went down to the garden to do his daily slime slaying. And then, he noticed that something was amiss. He couldn¡¯t hear Mamezo¡¯s usual bark. When Yuuma walked toward Mamezo¡¯s kennel, the dog leapt toward him, its tail moving around non-stop. ¡¸Is something the matter, Mamezo?¡¹ When he brushed Mamezo¡¯s head, he realized that the hole in the garden that was still there yesterday had already gone. ¡¸Eh?¡¹ He was truly perplexed. Yuuma went and looked carefully while muttering ¡°The hole, is gone?¡± with a disbelieving look on his face. And yet, he found no trace of that hole, there was only normal soil right there as if the hole had never existed before. The tiny dungeon that kept tormenting Yuuma for more than one year with its weird metal slime had gone. It was gone, leaving none of its traces. ¡¸Eeeh!? Why it¡¯s suddenly gone?¡¹ In contrast to bewildered Yuuma, Mamezo looked really delighted. It happily ran around the garden. It seems the dungeon has really gone. ¡¸Well, now I don¡¯t have to wake up early in the morning anymore, Mamezo won¡¯t be disturbed by the strange fella too.¡¹ ¡¸Woof!¡¹ Yuuma returned to his own room and then prepared to go to school. Since he woke up early and didn¡¯t have to do his usual slime hunting, he ended up having a lot of spare time at hand. Yuuma left his home faster than usual. ¡¸Nothing can beat a morning without a metallic sound!¡¹ He was convinced that the disappearance of the hole in the garden was a good thing. And yet, for some reason, he felt as if there was a gaping hole in his heart. He felt as if he lost something precious. Is it because I¡¯ve been getting used to doing that? Even though he wished so much for the hole to disappear after he discovered that the hole wasn¡¯t a profitable dungeon. Come to think of it, why does it suddenly vanish just like that? Is it really because I defeated that giant slime? Is that giant slime some sort of dungeon boss? When he pondered about such things, someone tapped his shoulder from behind. ¡¸Morning! You¡¯re pretty early huh.¡¹ ¡¸Uhm? Ah, it¡¯s just Kaede huh. Morning.¡¹ All kinds of matters he was thinking about were blown away when he heard Kaede¡¯s gentle voice. Is it just my imagination or did she become more adult-like as of late? ¡¸I heard that you¡¯re late yesterday, is that true? Are you playing games till late at night and ending up oversleeping?¡¹ ¡¸No~pe!¡¹ ¡¸Well, I guess you¡¯re right since you¡¯ve been awfully early the last one year.¡¹ ¡¸Please stop speaking like my mother! I just happened to oversleep yesterday. Well, it won¡¯t happen again though.¡¹ Yes, with the disappearance of the dungeon, he lost the reason to come late too. ¡¸I see¡­ By the way, is it true that you¡¯ve passed the university entrance exam? Congrats! Your campus live will start from April next year.¡¹ ¡¸T-Thanks. Well, it¡¯s third-grade university though.¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu, but you¡¯re still going to experience campus life, you know. For me who is going to find employment, it¡¯s the life that I¡¯ve dreamed about.¡¹ ¡¸E-Employment!?¡¹ Yuuma couldn¡¯t hide his shock upon hearing Kaede¡¯s remark. Because he was convinced that Kaede would enter university. ¡¸Even though you can enter any college of your choice since you¡¯re so smart!¡¹ ¡¸You overestimate me. I¡¯m not that smart, and my family is pretty poor. That¡¯s why I want to reduce my parents¡¯ burden as fast as possible.¡¹ Yuuma knew that Kaede¡¯s family was a family of a single mother. But, he never heard about not entering the university because of financial reasons. ¡¸Have you decided which company you¡¯re going to work for?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. In fact, I got an offer from the company side and would start working from the spring of next year.¡¹ ¡¸S-Seriously!?¡¹ Yuuma tried desperately to hide his shock upon hearing about his childhood friend throughout preparation. ¡¸W-What kind of company you¡¯re going to work for?¡¹ ¡¸Medical venture-type company called Med Iris. And I¡¯m going to work as a receptionist or do an office job.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­¡¹ ¡°That was a solid company¨D¨D¡± was what he thought before Yuuma recalled that the name of the company sounds familiar. ¡¸That company sounds familiar, could it be¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s a dungeon-related company. In fact, I managed to get the interview thanks to Rui¡¯s introduction.¡¹ ¡¸Rui!?¡¹ Yuuma couldn¡¯t hide his shock upon hearing Rui¡¯s name come out of nowhere. CH 31 Chapter 31: My Forte ¡¸Rui already knew that I¡¯ll be looking for a job after graduation, that¡¯s why he tried to ask someone¡¯s favour from the Elcid company. I refused at first but then, he told me that finding employment with a high school diploma might be a bit too hard¡­¡¹ ¡¸That fella is worrying so much huh?¡¹ A complete difference from him who knows nothing about Kaede¡¯s trouble. Most of all, he was truly surprised to find out that Kaede consulted her problem with Rui. ¡¸That¡¯s why I accepted his help. Thus, the Med Iris company called me for the job¡­ Since its welfare program is clear, my mother is also delighted by it.¡¹ ¡¸I see.¡¹ Seeing Kaede¡¯s pure smile, he had no other thoughts than happy about her finding a good employment place. Thus, Yuuma¡¯s feeling in this matter was rather complicated. ¡ó¡ó¡ó After returning from school, Yuuma was sitting at his study desk. Both Rui and Kaede didn¡¯t hesitate to choose their future path. Yuuma had also decided to go to college but it wasn¡¯t his own choice, nor was it the path he wanted to take, it was simply because he had nothing he wanted to do in the future. And since he had nothing he wanted to do in the future, he just took the college exam as an alternative while following what his mother told him. "" For Yuuma, it was nothing more than filling his spare time. ¡¸Can I¡­ Really keep doing this¡­¡¹ Yuuma never had anything he wanted to do, not even a dream for his future. That¡¯s why he never questioned the option of going to college. But now¨D¨D Yuuma took out an A4-sized note from his desk and opened the page with nothing written inside. ¨D¨DI want to become an Explorer. Him from before would never think about this option. But the current him had realized that he really wanted to become an Explorer. Is this Rui¡¯s influence? Well, that might be the case. But, his experience of slime slaying in the tiny dungeon in his garden was the last push for his decision. Not to mention that he had a special power to do the job. And he knew that special power would be a huge plus for his job. Yuuma then wrote his forte in that note. First was needless to say, his ¡ºMetallization¡»¡¯s ability. At first, he could only use it for five minutes but now, he could maintain his ¡ºEnhanced¡» form for as long as one hour and ten minutes with every five minutes as a cancellation window to undo his transformation. During his ¡ºMetallization¡» state, he was impervious to physical attack. On top of that, he also had ¡ºFire¡», ¡ºWater¡», ¡ºThunder¡», and ¡ºWind¡» resistance. £¨I don¡¯t know the limit of my resistance thought.£© In regard to defence, he might be invincible during his transformation. The second was the giant slime¡¯s ability. The ability to transform part of the body into a weapon was something that he only saw in manga and anime. The other Explorer might not be able to do that too. Moreover¨D¨D Yuuma stood from his chair and tried to put more power into his body. Soon, his ¡ºMetallization¡» got invoked, and his whole body turned metallic black. After that, when he imagined it, the shape of his body started to change, turning into a gelatinous, jiggling substance on the floor. And then, he turned into slightly bigger metal slime. Since his clothes were taken into his body, there was no need to worry about the change of clothes beforehand. ¡¸Oopsie, I forgot about the eyes.¡¹ Thus, two huge eyes appeared on the surface of the slime. His body then wiggled around his own room in his slime form. He could move quite fast and change the shape of his body to enter a narrow place. And as long as he wished to go back to his human form, his body would go back to his original human form, complete with his clothes. What a convenient ability. He referred to the ability to transform his whole body as ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡». When he cancelled the transformation, Yuuma added ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡» in the note under his ¡°Forte¡±. It was a truly convenient ability that allowed him to freely change the shape of his body and enter narrow places. Isn¡¯t this literally the most useful ability to explore a dangerous dungeon? He even sees the possibility of becoming a top-class Explorer if he could use his ability wisely. When that happens, he could surprise Rui and Kaede too, get millions, or even hundreds of millions of annual income too¡­ And with the widespread £Æ£É£Ò£Å(Early Retirement) trend, he could retire earlier and spend the rest of his life doing nothing while enjoying the money from his job as an Explorer¨D¨D Yuuma unintentionally let out a creepy smile. But snapped out immediately. ¡¸Next is my demerit.¡¹ First was the fact that he had no other ability than ¡ºMetallization¡». And no matter how suspicious-looking he was, he had to wait for five minutes before he could cancel the transformation. The problem was the fact that ¡ºMetallization¡» clearly belonged to physical reinforcement ability. In short, the fact that he used illegal magic ore from ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» would be exposed. After a little bit of investigation, Yuuma discovered that for some reason, the black dungeon¡¯s security was higher than the other dungeon. Trespassing it without permission was a crime, and even though he was the one who found it, it could be said that he already violated the trespassing rule. Moreover, it was already approved and applied. Thus, the violation of the rules was a heavy crime. That was even more reason to hide his abilities. The ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡» was out of the question. The other Explorer might mistake him for a monster and attack him. But then, if he only limited his ability to ¡ºMetallization¡», he could at least hide it with a hoodie, hat, and mask. His second demerit was the fact that he couldn¡¯t use magic. It was a well-known fact that monsters in the deep floor dungeon couldn¡¯t be defeated without magic. Fighting with only his limbs was limited to the shallow floor. He also heard that bullets from the JSDF weren¡¯t working on the monster from the deep floor. In such a way that makes the monster from the deep floor seemingly invincible. Thus, he thought that steadily raising his ¡°Mana¡± and learning magic was the surest way. ¡¸And the third problem¡­ This is actually my biggest problem.¡¹ "" It was an absolute requirement to become a professional Explorer. In the first place, an individual couldn¡¯t enter the lower floor of the dungeon by themselves. The only one with permission to enter the lower floor of the dungeon was the organization or company that received permission from the country. They¡¯re also full-time service engineers who received such permission, or more stabilised financial affairs foundations or others which require strict evaluation. The dungeon which had shallow floors open to the public such as the ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡» was on the rare side. The reason being most dungeons, even the shallow floor, was dangerous place. That kind of environment would become the biggest obstacle for him to earn money. He might be able to slip through the inspection gate if he used his liquid metal transformation but there was a time restriction and he had no idea whether he could return properly or not. It would surely turn into a huge problem once his attempt got discovered. The Explorer¡¯s activity was mainly centred on the public and private organizations, or a company that received permission from the country. Even the dungeon tuber was also contracted to a famous company. Moreover, the company was also doing their best to raise more powerful Explorers through combat training for monster subjugation, lectures around dungeon capture strategy, to boot ¡°Magic Gem¡± were provided free of charge. For Yuuma, those conditions are like killing two birds with one stone. ¡¸Uhm, joining a company is the only way after all.¡¹ Rui raised his mana index by taking the personal experience program sponsored by some companies. He did things properly. Since both of us were in the same line of work now, I couldn¡¯t afford to fall behind either. ¡¸Alright. I¡¯ll do it, my way.¡¹ Yuuma decided to tell his parents about his resolutions. CH 32 Chapter 32: The First Step ¡¸Is something the matter, Yuuma?¡¹ His mother, who was sitting in the living room, asked with a worried look on her face upon seeing Yuuma coming down from his room. Yuuma¡¯s parents who were sitting in front of him made a dumbfounded face upon hearing that Yuuma had a request. Yuuma then started talking. ¡¸Is something the matter?¡¹ His father asked with a worried look on his face. Yuuma¡¯s father had a gentle personality, never once was he angry toward Yuuma. But, he was a respectable man with long years experience working in the post office. So Yuuma expected his father to scold him for being so selfish and naive. Nevertheless, Yuuma resolutely told his parents. ¡¸It¡¯s about me entering the college but¡­¡¹ ¡¸Is something the matter with the college?¡¹ Yuuma¡¯s mother asked with a nervous voice. Feeling the depressing mood, Yuuma gulped, and nodded to his mother. ¡¸I, want to find a job instead of going to the college.¡¹ His parents look even more surprised upon hearing Yuuma¡¯s opinion. ¡¸Job¡­ Do you have a company you want to work for?¡¹ His mother asked with a serious look on her face. ¡¸Rather than company¡­ It¡¯s more like an occupation that I wanted to do.¡¹ ¡¸What kind of occupation is that?¡¹ It was a natural question but Yuuma was still at a loss for words. He was wondering what kind of face his parents were gonna show him once he told them that he wanted to become an Explorer who subjugates monsters in the dungeon. The problem here isn¡¯t the occupation. But, are they going to allow me to do such a dangerous job? Yuuma opened his mouth timidly. ¡¸I-I want to find employment in a dungeon related company. I¡¯ve been starting my study for that too.¡¹ ¡¸Dungeon company¡­ Can you wait to do that after you graduate from college?¡¹ His father who watched quietly finally opened his mouth. ¡¸To be honest, I chose to continue my study in a college not because I want to, but because I don¡¯t know what to do after graduating from high school. And now, since I decided that I don¡¯t want to go to college, I might as well as not waste my time and money by going there.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­¡¹ His father didn¡¯t say anything after he said so to Yuuma. Instead, His mother looked like she wanted to say something but she decided to wait first. Finally, his father continued. ¡¸Until now¡­ You never express what you really feel. This request took your father by surprise. I was worried that you might be an apathetic person.¡¹ It was inevitable for his father to feel that way. Yuuma himself was aware of that fact. ¡¸That¡¯s why your father is really delighted to see you expressing your own thoughts. If there¡¯s something that you want to do, don¡¯t hold yourself back.¡¹ ¡¸Eh, are you sure?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, submit a report of temporary absence to your college first. Tell us once you managed to find employment so we can submit the report of you dropping out of the college.¡¹ Yuuma¡¯s mother who heard their conversation also nodded in agreement. Even though doing that would mean that the examination fees, and part of tuition fees were bound to be lost. Thus Yuuma decided to do as his father said while feeling nothing but gratitude toward his kind parents. ¡¸Thank you! I¡¯ll do my best in job hunting.¡¹ Thus, Yuuma went back to his room on the second floor, Took his smartphone and sat in the bed. He started job hunting for real. Now it is still October. Though it was a little bit too late for a high school student to start job hunting, a dungeon affiliated company opened their recruitment all year around. That includes employing the ¡°Explorer¡±. Aside from Explorer, the dungeon-related company also accepted engineers, sales, or general business staff. They also recruited researchers, nurses or doctors in the medical field. According to his investigation, only Explorer and researcher that was recruited all year long. Could it be that the reason is because of the dangerous nature of their job, which limited the number of candidates despite the high salary? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll have plenty of chances. Thus, Yuuma sent applications indiscriminately to all major companies. ¡¸All that left is waiting for them to call me¡­¡¹ Two weeks later¨D¨D ¡¸WHY!? WHY WOULD I FAIL AGAIN!!¡¹ Yuuma was at his wit¡¯s end. He received a notice of rejection from eighty percent of the company to which he sent his application to. ¡¸Oioioi, they are seriously going to spam me with this best wishes mail! Are Explorers actually a popular job!? I mean, getting a job is really tough¡­¡¹ Yuuma started to regret his naivety. Nevertheless, he never complained about this failure. He decided to entrust his fate to the interview with the company which somehow passed his application. Most of them were middle level companies but, at this point, he couldn¡¯t care less about that. Thus, Yuuma prepares himself to face the interview. CH 33 Chapter 33: Self Appeal A certain major company in Tokyo. One of the dungeon companies, ¡ºGIG¡» located in this place. Donned in the formal outfit for an interview that he received from his mother, Yuuma went into the building of the GIG company. ¡¸Calm down oh me¡­ Well, this is my first experience after all.¡¹ After entering the building, he went to the 5th floor, the floor in which the GIG company was located. Though it was a stylish building with glass panels, the building itself wasn¡¯t that big. Thus, GIG company which is located in a corner of that building was naturally not a big company too but¨D¨D ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹ The room that Yuuma tried to enter was overflowing with students. Everyone has black hair, wears the same kind of suit as him, and is waiting for their turn. ¨D¨DSO MUCH!? He thought that the number was so much because this time happened to be one of the two recruitment sessions namely spring(April) and fall(October) but, even Yuuma realized that the number was way too much. What was even more surprising was the fact that even though it was recruitment for ¡°Explorer¡±, the number of women was overwhelming. ¡¸Seriously¡­ It¡¯s a world apart from my expectation.¡¹ "" Yuuma was sitting in the chair prepared in front of the interview room, waiting restlessly for his own turn. The students sitting by his side were clearly college students. And their mood seems to be really bright on top of that. Yuuma snapped out and then drove such a useless train of thought. He remembered again that this was the interview for ¡°Explorer¡±. It wasn¡¯t an interview for a clerical position. Five names were called at once, and everyone was sitting next to each other. Before them were three interviewers. Their age ranged from around forty to fifty years old. They wore neat suits, and unleashed an intimidating presence which was completely different from the school teacher, making Yuuma even more nervous than before. ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s begin the interview with a self-introduction. Please start from right to left.¡¹ The interviewer who was sitting in the middle broke the ice. Yuuma guessed that the person in the middle might be the one with the highest status among the three. Thus, the introduction starts from a woman. ¡¸I¡¯m a 4th-year student of Olbat girl college, my name is Kousaki Miyoshi. I¡¯m really impressed by the spirit of your company and wanted to help those with terminal illnesses. Currently, I have been certified with the state qualification as ¡º2nd Class Dungeon Medic¡». Best regard.¡¹ The female college student bowed deeply after she finished her introduction. Yuuma couldn¡¯t hide his shock upon seeing such a level-headed self-introduction. ¨D¨DDo I¡¯ve to say something similar? And what in the hell is ¡ºDungeon Medic¡»? Do you need a qualification for that? ¡¸Thank you for your self-introduction. Next person please.¡¹ When Yuuma was still bewildered, the next college student stood up. His height made him look like a sporty type of college student. Since it was Yuuma¡¯s turn next, he really feels nervous. ¡¸I¡¯m Yuumine Yujiro, 4th year college student of Itsutsubashi college. I belong to the department of dungeon study in the university. I¡¯ve had the experience of participating in a total of forty dungeon explorations sponsored by Elcid company or Izarth company! Thank you so much!¡¹ ¡±Seriously! Itsutsubashi college is supposed to be an elite school right! He should try a bigger company.¡± Was what Yuuma retorted inside but, he snapped out and hurriedly thought about his own appeal. ¡¸Hahaha, it¡¯s good to be lively. But I see, dungeon study at Itsutsubashi college huh¡­ That¡¯s quite a famous place. How¡¯s Professor Nakane doing lately?¡¹ ¡¸Yes! He is still teaching even now.¡¹ ¡¸I see, it¡¯s good to hear that. Thank you. Next person please.¡¹ It was finally his turn. Yuuma took a breath and then stood from his chair. ¡¸I-I¡¯m in my 3rd year of Ootori high, Mitaka Yuuma. I applied to your company because I want to contribute to society. I¡¯ve no special knowledge or qualification but, I¡¯ve been diving numerous times in the dungeon and want to make full use of those experiences.¡¹ He declared so assertively, barely managing to squeeze his voice in the last seconds. ¡¸Ooh, high school student huh. I can feel more motivated since the majority of people who come to the interview are either working adults or college students. By the way, you said that you dive a lot into the dungeon, how many times exactly?¡¹ ¡¸M-More than a hundred times and defeating a monster on top of that!¡¹ ¡¸Ooh! That¡¯s amazing.¡¹ ¨D¨DI¡¯m definitely not lying here! The one I defeated was metal slime though. ¡¸Does that mean you have a considerable amount of ¡°Mana Index¡± as well?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? ah, to be honest¡­ No, my mana index is zero but¡­¡¹ ¡¸Could it be that by ¡°Entering into the dungeon¡±, you mean the shallow floor which is open to the public?¡¹ ¡¸U~hm¡­ Yes.¡¹ Yuuma heard a stifled laugh from his side. The female college student who introduced herself first tried her best to cover her lips. The other students were also holding back their laughs. Seeing that, Yuuma feels really embarrassed and wants to find a hole to hide. CH 34 Chapter 34: Setback and Determination ¡¸U~hm, a dungeon that opens for public use are no different from a recreational facility. That¡¯s why it can¡¯t be considered as an experience. Yes, thank you. Next person please¨D¨D¡¹ Although he felt like the examiner had said something, Yuuma¡¯s memory of what happened after that was really hazy. After leaving the company¡¯s building with unsteady gait, he flopped down on the nearby bench. One thing for sure, he just fell flat upon his first interview. ¡¸Haah¡­ This interview turned out to be really difficult¡­ I guess I¡¯m too naive.¡¹ He suddenly feels exhausted when he falls down like that. He hence thought that this might be the reason why his father told him to take a break instead of directly dropping out of college. He realized that his father had far more experience in society compared to him. He might be already anticipating the situation in which Yuuma had a hard time finding a job. ¡¸Maybe I should just go to college¡­¡¹ Yuuma muttered with a feeble voice but he quickly shook his head. Nope, I have already told my parents that I want to find a job, it was still too early to give up. And giving up now will look so bad. Yuuma wanted to find employment no matter what. But then, the him back then was simply too naive. And when he thought about that¨D¨D ¡¸WOAH!¡¹ Suddenly, he felt the cold canned coffee touch his cheek. When he looked up, he saw a slit-eyed man with pudding hair standing in front of him. ¡¸Well, this might be just a can of coffee but, try it! You make the face of someone who wants to die you know.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, thank you.¡¹ Yuuma expressed his gratitude even if he had no idea why he got the canned coffee from the man. ¡¸I also received an interview invitation from GIG company. But well, I flopped it too I guess. When I¡¯m on the way back, feeling down from the failure, I saw you, a student who look more depressed than me. I know you¡¯re nervous but, don¡¯t worry okay, drink this coffee and calm down first.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, yes¡­ Are you by chance, come from Kansai?¡¹ ¡¸Nope, I¡¯m from Chiba.¡¹ ¨D¨DSo you¡¯re a fake Kansai huh! Was the retort that Yuuma instantly came up with. ¡¸You¡¯re a high school graduate, right? It¡¯s amazing in how you try to find a job in dungeon related company at this age.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes but¡­ I never expected for it to be this difficult. I mean, I know that the acceptance rate will be higher since it¡¯s a dangerous job but¡­¡¹ ¡¸A~h, well, that¡¯s already an obsolete story. Now along with the advancement of dungeon research, weapons used to beat monsters have also been created. Together with more safety, the number of students who are attracted by the huge reward has also increased. In fact, I¡¯m also one of them.¡¹ ¡¸I see now¡­¡¹ "" ¡¸That¡¯s why don¡¯t feel down, okay! By the way, my name is Tennouji Akito. If both of us are lucky enough to find employment, I hope we can meet again in the dungeon. What¡¯s your name?¡¹ The man called Tennouji asked with a refreshing smile on his face. Which in turn made his slit eyes look like nothing more than a line. Even though the man before him was rather unusual, Yuuma felt some sort of affinity with him. ¡¸Mitaka Yuuma.¡¹ ¡¸Yuuma eh. Then Yuuma, let¡¯s meet again in the dungeon.¡¹ Tennouji left after he said that. Yuuma knew that Tennouji most probably passed the interview after seeing the other party¡¯s transcendental communication prowess. Thus, Yuuma stood up and decided to go home. On the way to the station, his eyes fell on a big bookstore. ¨D¨DCome to think of it, all the dungeon-related information that I know is from the internet. Since I¡¯m going to go all out, I should buy a dungeon-related book to get more information too. ¡¸A short visit I guess.¡¹ Yuuma passed the automatic door, and entered the bookstore. The book store was huge. He could easily find the dungeon corner he was looking for immediately. The dungeon corner was really easy to find thanks to the rise of the popularity of dungeon related matter nowadays. ¡¸Uhm, let see.¡¹ When he looked at the book on the display, he saw various titles. ¡ºTop Class Explorer Teaching The Know-How of Monster Subjugation¡» ¡ºSimple and Useful Tricks in The Dungeon. How To Raise Your Profit With Magic Gem From Shallow Floor.¡» ¡ºMonster Picture Book~Extremely Rare Creature~¡» ¡ºHow To Transform Novice Explorer Into A Rich Explorer¡» ¡ºJob Hunting At Dungeon Affiliated Company. How To Get Hired¡» ¡ºCarrier Consultant Teaching, A Way To Get Hired By Dungeon Company¡» ¡¸Woow, they even have job hunting book.¡¹ Yuuma scans over the page of the book in his hands. It was crammed with information that he couldn¡¯t get solely from the internet. Most of all, the origin of the information was really logical. It was different from the vague information found on the internet. Thus, he decided to buy three books. His option was, naturally, a job hunting-related book. ¡¸I won¡¯t embarrass myself again in the next interview.¡¹ CH 35 Chapter 35: The Birth of Dungeon Business After he arrived at his home, Yuuma took out the books he had just bought and lined them up on the table. He threw his rucksack, hung his suit on a hanger to prevent wrinkles, and then sat on the chair as he opened one of the books. It was the book that described the birth of a new business, the dungeons. ¡¸Yup, when I open the book, it doesn¡¯t feel like when studying lesson.¡¹ Yuuma opened the ¡°Table of Content¡± and inserted a bookmark in the page that he deemed as interesting. In that section was the story about the use of dungeon magic by a big company and the development of a medical treatment business. There were five types of magic found in the dungeon. One healing magic and four attack magic. Naturally, the focus of the company was ¡ºHealing Magic¡». Healing wounds or incurable disease up to that point was the dream of humanity. And that is only possible thanks to the appearance of the dungeon which is filled with the unknown. But, there was a problem. To use magic, one had to enter ¡ºWhite Dungeon¡» and gained the magic gem. In addition, the ¡ºWhite Dungeon¡» was the most difficult dungeon to capture amongst the six, even an army armed to teeth couldn¡¯t breakthrough the deep floor. Thus, the existence of four attack magics come into play. The four of them were¡ºFire¡», ¡ºWater¡», ¡ºWind¡», ¡ºThunder¡» hailed as four primary magic, they were really effective against the monster in white dungeon. Especially ¡ºFire¡» and ¡ºThunder¡»magic, they¡¯re the most effective one in capturing the white dungeon. But, it doesn¡¯t mean the problem was solved. The ¡ºFire¡» and ¡ºThunder¡» magic can only be gained by diving into the red and yellow dungeon respectively. But then, those two places were filled with frenzy monsters. When the monster used magic in that dungeon, the magic they used were mostly the deadly ones. In the beginning, the study and research around the dungeon didn¡¯t see any progress for that very reason. Though many people were at their wit¡¯s end, a breakthrough was found a while later. The correlation of magic had been confirmed by the researcher from Australia, Ethan Noble. The ¡ºFire¡»magic is weak against ¡ºWater¡», ¡ºWater¡» is weak against ¡ºThunder¡». The ¡ºThunder¡» is weak against ¡ºWind¡», and ¡ºWind¡» is was weak against ¡ºFire¡». For that reason, the monster in the red dungeon with fire attributes could be easily defeated with ¡ºWater Magic¡», the monster in the yellow dungeon with thunder attribute could be easily subjugated with ¡ºWind Magic¡». It then became the job of small and medium companies to gather ¡ºFire¡» and ¡ºThunder¡» ¡°Magic Gem¡± and sell them to a big company. Meanwhile, the big company trained their Explorer to use ¡ºFire¡» and ¡ºThunder¡»magic to capture ¡ºWhite Dungeon¡». This was the current business model. With a clear division of the companies, dungeon capture had advanced favorably but it didn¡¯t mean that was the end of the problem. The thing that made the company worry nonstop was the ¡°Special Property of Mana¡±. Taking in a magic gem into one¡¯s body would consume mana index, thus preventing the consumption of other magic gems. For example, someone with mana index of 100 could take in magic gem of ¡ºFire¡» with mana index of 100, or if they want the combination of ¡ºWind¡», they could consume magic gem of ¡ºFire¡» with mana index of 50 and magic gem of ¡ºWind¡» with mana index of 50 too, making it 100 in total, the same number as the person¡¯s mana index. But, the latter method was half-baked, resulting in either magic becoming mediocre in attack value. The current mainstream was for the Explorer to focus on one type of magic. The true problem was training the person to use healing magic. At first, they¡¯re told to learn offensive magics, subjugate monsters, and raise their mana index. But to subjugate many monsters, they first had to learn powerful attack magic. On the other hand, learning attack magic means that they would use most of their ¡°Mana Index¡± and leave none for healing magic. In short, the difficulties of training the Explorer which could use healing magic was far more higher than the seeker who used attack magics. Now with the appearance of an enchanted weapon which is enchanted with the effect of magic-, the situation has become easier than before. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t change the fact that securing a healer was really difficult. One could perform advanced healing magic with a mana index of 1000. And Those people were called ¡°Messiah¡± instead of ¡°Explorer¡±. To give birth to a Messiah, one needs the support from many Explorers to raise the mana index in the dungeon. There was a rumor that the cost to give birth to a messiah could reach somewhere between a few hundreds millions to a few billions. ¡¸Fu~h, so ¡°Mana¡± is simply that important huh¡­ If only I have mana¡­¡¹ Yuuma grumbled on his own, knowing very well that he really couldn¡¯t do anything about that. CH 36 Chapter 36: A Leaflet Yuuma closed the book in his hands with a snap. As someone without ¡°Mana¡±, he had to be really prepared when trying to find employment in a dungeon-related company. He knew that the other job-hunters not only had academic background but also experience. Thus, he who had no advantage at all had no choice but to increase his knowledge. Yuuma then reached out to the rest of the two books. ¡¸Anyhow, let¡¯s increase my arsenal when I have some free time now¡­ The worst thing that can happen is failing all of the interview.¡¹ That day, he stayed up until late at night. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Yuuma¡¯s battle truly starts from the next day. From all the job applications that he sent, only four of them managed to reach the interview stage. If he somehow failed again¡­ ¡¾1st Company¡¿ ¡¸Ma~n, we did say that we opened our door to any applicant but¡­ When it comes to someone without any academic background, qualification, or even experience¡­ It¡¯ll be too much even for us you see~¡¹ ¡¾2nd Company¡¿ ¡¸Most applicants with a high school background should have some amount of ¡°Mana Index¡± but, mana index zero is a bit¡­ Legally speaking, there¡¯s no requirement for mana index but, realistically speaking, it¡¯s really difficult if you don¡¯t have one too.¡¹ ¡¾3rd Company¡¿ ¡¸Nowadays, even an Explorer needs an academic background and qualifications. It used to be different in the past but now, the company has been getting more and more responsibilities along with the increased amount of laws and regulations in regard to dungeons. Basically, all companies need someone who¡¯s ready for combat. That¡¯s why our deepest apology.¡¹ ¡¾4th Company¡¿ ¡¸HAHAHA! Come again after you graduate from college.¡¹ The result was total annihilation. Yuuma sat on the bench in the park with a blank look on his face, as if his soul was about to leave his mouth. ¡¸Aah¡­ What should I do¡­¡¹ He realized that he was too naive, he never expected to suffer from this kind of setback. He even started to consider the option of bowing to his parents¡¯ choice which made him go to college again. But then, that was the last of the last options. The reason being he only applied to companies within the metropolitan area of Tokyo that give generous salaries. Now he intends to increase his range of options. Yuuma stood up from the bench and walked toward Hello Work with staggering steps. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸U~hn, Explorer¡¯s recruitment, is it?¡¹ On the 2nd floor of the job centre, Yuuma was in the middle of a consultation with the young male staff of Hello Work before him. When he told the staff that he wanted to become an Explorer, the staff frowned. ¡¸As I thought, it really is difficult right?¡¹ ¡¸Well, it¡¯s not actually impossible. The majority of the company who offer the jobs are micro, small to medium companies, and the thing is that it¡¯s whether you can satisfy their requirement or not¡­¡¹ ¡¸Uhm, since I know that I don¡¯t have that many requirements, can you help me introduce a company that will give me an interview?¡¹ He really had no way out. Thus, he thought that he really shouldn¡¯t raise his bar too high. ¡¸I see¡­ Since you¡¯re still young, there¡¯re many companies that are willing to accept you. And if we increase the scope of the occupation¨D¨D¡¹ ¡¸No, please keep it to the company that offers a job as an Explorer!¡¹ ¡¸Well¡­ I understand.¡¹ The staff then operate his PC, looking for a company that fulfill Yuuma¡¯s requirements. He seems to be reluctant to introduce Yuuma to such a high-risk job. The staff printed out who knows how many jobs offer were available for Yuuma. After looking at the employment condition, the form of employment, or place of employment, he stood up from his seat and thanked the staff. "" When he was about to leave the room, the rack lining by the corner of the room caught his attention. ¡¸Excuse me, what are those?¡¹ ¡¸Uhm? Ah, that¡¯s help wanted advertisement brought by the company who needs more manpower. It¡¯s a kind of job advertisement. Some of them are located in Tokyo.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ May I take those?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, sure.¡¹ Yuuma took a few sheets and left the room. Yuuma sat at his desk after he returned to his room. He looked at the leaflet and the list of job offers he got from Hello Work. ¡¸The working conditions aren¡¯t that bad. Only for the job chosen by the staff. The one from leaflet is honestly quite tough.¡¹ He brought five leaflets. Every single one has their own illustration of offering a job for an Explorer. Then he took one of them. It was a leaflet with graffiti like characters which read ¡ºLET¡¯S WORK TOGETHER!¡» Since it was really standing out, it piqued Yuuma¡¯s interest, so he confirm the name of the company. ¡¸D-Minor Ltd¡­¡¹ CH 37 Chapter 37: D-Minor Ltd. He had confirmed the company working conditions but, honestly speaking, it was by no means good. Not only was the welfare program only at the minimum, the base pay was also cheap too. The selling point was the reward and risk as an Explorer. No one is going to apply at that company that offers such horrible conditions. Was what he thought but, Yuuma suddenly got a flash of inspiration. ¡¸Wait a minute¡­ If it¡¯s this company.¡¹ The working condition was bad but that also means there was less competition. Could it be that I made a mistake by choosing from the company with the best condition first? Or rather, with my qualification, I had a better chance if I started from below¡­ Thus, Yuuma, who wanted the job offer, made his bet on it. He sends the application to the companies with the cheap payment and will choose the one that gave the best employment condition amongst the ones that passed him. He confirmed again for the second time. The base payment was low, but it was written that the bonus from exploration would be paid properly according to the result. In short, his salary was completely dependent on how hard he worked. ¡¸Their address is Chiba prefecture¡­ Let¡¯s try sending my application for now.¡¹ ¡ó¡ó¡ó "" Chiba prefecture, Kashiwa¨D¨D When Yuuma made a call to the D-Minor Company Ltd, he was told to go to the company to have an interview. Yuuma, who donned his suit, fastened his necktie as he came down from the train in Kashiwa station. When he followed the map application in his smartphone, he ended up lost in a deserted shopping district. ¡¸Uhm, it should be around this area.¡¹ After coming out of the shopping district, he entered an even more deserted alleyway and finally arrived in front of a slightly old office building. It was a long and narrow, five-storied building, even as a compliment, the building was by no means a pretty building. ¡¸Is this¡­ The place?¡¹ Yuuma opened the front door and entered the building. The dim lights gave the office a gloomy atmosphere. ¡¸Excuse me, this is Mitaka who came for the intervie~w¡¹ No one replied even though he called out with such a loud voice. When he was looking around, wondering if his voice wasn¡¯t loud enough, he saw a phone on the wall. There was a notice ¡ºFor Guest!¡» beside the phone. ¡¸Should I take this?¡¹ When he took the phone from its stand and placed it on his ear, he could hear the ringing of a ringtone from the other side. It seems the phone automatically connected to the other side once the guest took off the phone. ¡º¨D¨DCling. Yes, who might it be?¡» Coming from the other side of the phone was the voice of a young girl. ¡¸It¡¯s Mitaka Yuuma, I¡¯m coming for an interview.¡¹ ¡ºA~h, yes. Sorry but, can you leave the building and go to the back of the building for now? That¡¯s where our entrance is located, you have to go up to the third floor after that!¡» ¡¸Ah, I understand.¡¹ Thus, after he placed the phone back to its stand, Yuma went out of the building and went around to the back of the building. Thus, he found out that the entrance was really over there. After entering, he found a steep stairway, it kept onward till above. Thus he went up to the third floor while wondering how the stairways were made that way? ¡¸Huff¡­ Huff¡­ That¡¯s tough.¡¹ After adjusting his disordered breath, Yuuma opened the door before him. There were numerous disordered items scattered around. Though he understood if it was placed on top of the desk, had no one told him that this place was an office, he might have mistaken this place as a storage room instead. ¡¸Excuse me~, I¡¯m Mitaka~¡¹ ¡¸Oka~y, please wait a minute~!¡¹ A young girl came out from inside the office. Her age was around the first half of her twenties, she wore an overall khaki combined with a tank top, and long brown hair. But, she didn¡¯t feel gaudy at all. Rather, it gave her a serene impression. ¡¸Sorry for our messy workplace. Please come in!¡¹ Yuuma entered after the young woman said so. There were four desks inside the room. The thing stacked up on the table was something like a book or documents, or odd-looking items for which he had no idea what it was for. ¡¸President, wake up! The kid who applied for an interview has come!¡¹ When the young woman said so, Yuuma could hear groans from the sofa inside the room. ¡¸U~h, what? It¡¯s already time huh¡­¡¹ The man called president rose lazily from the sofa, he scratched his head as he let out a huge yawn. He stood up and walked right in front of Yuuma. His height alone might be more than 180 cm tall. The bulging chest muscle peeked out from his T-Shirt and his muscular arms already spoke of the man¡¯s strength. Albeit the president was muscular, it wasn¡¯t to the point of being overly muscular like a bodybuilder. It was more like a martial artist¡¯s muscle. ¡¸Ou, ¡®elcome. Well, you may sit down for now.¡¹ The president told him to sit down for now. He could smell the trace of sake from the president¡¯s breath. ¨D¨DHe drinks during the day!? Is this person really okay¡­ After Yuuma sat down on the nearby desk and chair, the president had also secured a chair on his own and was sitting in front of Yuuma. Somehow, he felt it didn¡¯t seem to be like an interview at all. CH 38 Chapter 38: Interview of Real Intention ¡¸I¡¯m the president of D-Minor, Kanzaki Kotaro. This girl is my daughter, Kanzaki Maika. She¡¯s the one who handles all kinds of administrative jobs.¡¹ When Yuuma turned his line of sight to the young woman, Maika waved her hand toward Yuuma with a smile on her face. ¡¸There¡¯s another employee but he¡¯s out right now. So, e~hm¡­ What¡¯s your name again?¡¹ ¡¸Ah, it¡¯s Mitaka. Mitaka Yuuma. I¡¯ll take out my CV right now.¡¹ Yuuma took out an envelope with his CV inside. And gave it to Kenzaki in front of him. [TL: How nostalgic, job hunting.] ¡¸High school graduate eh¡­ Most applicants are coming from college or working adults lately. Is your ¡°Mana Index¡± high enough?¡¹ ¡¸N-No¡­ My mana index is zero.¡¹ ¡¸I see.¡¹ Kenzaki touched his chin, and looked at Yuuma¡¯s CV with wrinkles on his eyebrows. Yuuma was honestly feeling nervous, wondering if this company was also taking the importance of ¡°Mana¡±. ¡¸Uhm, I-Is it really that hard to find a job if you don¡¯t have ¡°Mana¡±?¡¹ Kenzaki¡¯s eyebrows rose up to a notch upon hearing that, and then he looked at Yuuma. ¡¸Nope, the mana index is something that will rise as long as you do your job after all. I don¡¯t really care about such things.¡¹ ¡¸I-I see.¡¹ When Yuuma heaved a sigh of relief, Kenzaki throw Yuuma¡¯s CV on the desk as he said ¡¸MORE THAN THAT!¡¹. ¡¸Motivation is essential! Mitaka. Why do you want to become an Explorer? Is it money? Is it an honour!? Or fame!? I¡¯ll see whether you¡¯ll be accepted or not depending on your answer!¡¹ Kenzaki looked at Yuuma with a sharp glint in his eyes. Although Yuuma was a bit faltered by the guy¡¯s sudden reaction, he couldn¡¯t afford to fail anymore. Should I answer with a counter-plan answer that I prepared before such as ¡ºTo contribute to society¡» or ¡ºFor self-fulfilment ¡»? No, I feel that such a shallow answer won¡¯t move this person¡¯s heartstrings. Then his only choice was to express his real intention¨D¨D ¡¸I-I want to become an Explorer to earn a lot of money. I want to earn much more than my peers, and then¡­¡¹ ¡¸Hou, and then?¡¹ Yuuma took a deep deep breath, ready to throw out the desire that he buried in the depth of his heart. ¡¸£Æ£É£Ò£Å(Early Retirement), and then living the rest of my life with dignity! Since I hate working, I want to retire as early as possible!!¡¹ He already said all he wanted to say. When he raised his face, he saw President and Maika looking at him with a dumbfounded looks.. ¨D¨DOH SH*EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! I SCREWED UP FOR SURE THIS TIME! I DEFINITELY LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO DOESN¡¯T WANT TO WORK AT ALL!! ¡¸Uhm, I guess I said too much.¡¹ ¡¸OI, MITAKA!!¡¹ The President was looking at Yuuma with a serious look on his face. Yuuma gulped his spit as he replied in hurry. He definitely will shout at me¨D¨D The moment he thinks so. ¡¸Nice answer you got there! You have a clear goal. And I¡¯m pleased with your motivation!!¡¹ ¡¸Eh?¡¹ ¡¸Well, honestly I¡¯ve had enough of that cr*p about contributing to the society that is often said by young people nowadays! Honestly, I¡¯m gonna give you a piece of my mind if you spat out the same cr*p as them but, I see £Æ£É£Ò£Å(Early retirement) is it¡­ TRULY A NICE GOAL!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes! Thank you very much.¡¹ As it turned out, the President was pleased with his answer. Yuuma heaved a sigh of relief but Maika who sat behind President Kenzaki made a dumbfounded face instead. ¡¸Wait a minute, President. He said himself that his goal is early retirement you know? Isn¡¯t that mean he will retire as soon as he earns a lot of money!?¡¹ ¡¸FOOL, THINK CAREFULLY! HE CAN WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY WITH SUCH CLEAR GOALS! In fact, I hate to go to work every day too. That¡¯s why I work my ass off since I want to retire as soon as possible. You know, We-are-like-minded-fellow.¡¹ Maika heaved a sigh with a resigned look on her face upon hearing her father¡¯s remark. ¡¸Anyway, you pass. You can start working tomorrow!¡¹ ¡¸Eeh!?¡¹ ¡¸Wait a minute, President!¡¹ Maika interrupted in place of the bewildered Yuuma. ¡¸Mitaka-kun has sent an application to another company. We¡¯re among them. There¡¯s no way he can decide to accept our offer or not without seeing the other company first!¡¹ ¡¸The heck, so that¡¯s the case eh?¡¹ The President asked with a frown on his face. ¡¸Well, actually¡­ I still have scheduled interview with the other company.¡¹ ¡¸The heck, that¡¯s boring man! You must decide right now!¡¹ ¡¸Stop! I don¡¯t want our company to become a bad company that forces youth to decide on the spot. We¡¯re not looking for trouble!¡¹ The President had finally given in after being reprimanded by Maika but he still looked at Yuuma with a serious look on his face. ¡¸Well, anyhow, take this as an unofficial offer from us. We welcome highly motivated youth like you after all. Come again when you¡¯re ready to accept our offer!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes! Thank you very much.¡¹ Yuuma thanked the President and left the company in high spirits. The reason being this was the first time he received an unofficial offer. ¡¸Nevertheless, the term of employment of this company is the worst one. Let¡¯s take it as a backup plan if the other company rejected me.¡¹ Yuuma returned home in high spirits. And then, he sent job applications to other companies too. He wanted to find a better working place after all. CH 39 Chapter 39: Anxiety And Welcome Yuuma went all out in sending job applications after he got the unofficial job offer. He declared that he would send it to every single company. And the result was¨D¨D A crushing defeat. It was a total failure. ¡¸A~h, I failed agai~n¡­¡¹ Since there were so many companies with tough working conditions, he thought that he could land at least three job offers. Yuuma was lying down on his bed, looking at the ceiling. He suffered from a huge emotional damage. ¡¸In the end, I only received a job offer from the D-Minor huh¡­¡¹ But then, he couldn¡¯t help but to worry whether it was really alright for him to join that rather unusual company. Which unfortunately was also the only company that gave him a job offers. He couldn¡¯t help but hesitate about entering the company or bowing to his father to follow his choice to continue with his college instead. But then, deep inside, he already knows his answer. Yuuma roused himself from his bed and clapped his cheeks to cheer himself up. That night¨D¨D Yuuma talks to his parents after dinner. ¡¸Uh~m, it¡¯s about the matter of me looking for a job¡­¡¹ His mother who was about to tidy up the rice bowl stopped moving. ¡¸Is something the matter with you trying to find a job, Yuuma?¡¹ He had no choice but to tell his parents about the overall situation in his job hunting. In fact, that alone was enough to make both of his parent¡¯s faces pale. ¡¸That¡¯s why I decided to report the fact that I found a job.¡¹ And then, the expression of the two turned into that of surprise which was followed by a smile. ¡¸I see, you¡¯ve finally accepted huh! Well, mother is really worrying about you but¡­ I see, so you¡¯ve been accepted huh.¡¹ ¡¸So, what kind of company accepted you?¡¹ His mother asked with a slightly excited look on her face. ¡¸It¡¯s a company in Chiba called D-Minor.¡¹ His father nodded upon hearing that, ¡¸Chiba huh, nice, it isn¡¯t that far to commute from home to that place.¡¹ His mother also agreed with him. Yuuma heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing both of his parents look delighted by his news. Later on, if he couldn¡¯t get along with the people in the company, he could resign immediately. The next day¨D¨D He called Maika and told the latter that he¡¯ll accept the job offer, and then went to Chiba to complete the various procedures. ¡¸O~h, I¡¯ve been waiting for you, Yuuma! Took you long enough eh!! HAHAHA!¡¹ Upon entering the office, President Kanzaki clap Yuuma¡¯s back hard while laughing heartily. It was painful but, Yuuma somehow endured it and replied with a wry smile. But then, he wondered if it was really okay since the President had the smell of sake just like the first time they met. ¡¸My apologies. My father is an overly-familiar person. He¡¯s really happy when Yuuma-kun applied for this company since there¡¯s no young people applied to our company even after we submit job offer.¡¹ ¡¸No, I¡¯m really grateful in the fact that this company accepted me.¡¹ ¡¸Ah! Can I call you ¡°Yuuma-kun¡± too? Mitaka-kun is really difficult kanji after all.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, yes, no problem.¡¹ When he entered the room following the president and Maika, he saw another person that he didn¡¯t see when he came for the interview. The other party was a plump middle aged man. He wore glassess, and the top part of his head was bald but, from his mild expression, he looked like a gentle person. ¡¸Ah, let me introduce, his name is Tanaka-san. Former veteran accountant and working for us as seeker cum accountant.¡¹ Tanaka then stood up and nodded to Yuuma as he said ¡¸Hello, my name is Tanaka¡¹. ¡¸And, as I¡¯ve been introduced before, my name is Kanzaki Maika. I¡¯m doing a general affairs job and various other duties. Well, I also went to dungeon sometimes as the Explorer too.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? Maika-san is an Explorer too?¡¹ ¡¸In my case, I act as support. Our main force is over there!¡¹ Maika pointed toward the president. ¡¸Exactly! I¡¯ll introduce myself again, I¡¯m the president of this company, and my name is Kanzaki Kotaro. I do president jobs and seeker. Since I¡¯m among the first to enter the dungeon when it¡¯s open for the public, you can definitely say that I¡¯m a veteran.¡¹ Sure enough, the tall and muscular physique of the president matched very well with the image of an Explorer in Yuuma¡¯s head. On the other hand, the middle-aged plump man called Tanaka seems to be ill-suited for the explorer job. ¡¸Now Yuuma, it¡¯s your turn to introduce yourself to everyone!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹ Yuuma straightened his back, and took a deep breath. ¡¸My name is Mitaka Yuuma, a 3rd-year high school student. I¡¯ll be working in this company once I graduate from high school. It¡¯s nice to meet you all.¡¹ The three people clapped their hands when he bowed to them. ¡¸Okay then! That¡¯s it for the greeting, let¡¯s hold a welcome party for Yuuma. Let¡¯s go to a yakiniku restaurant!¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? A welcome party already?¡¹ The president sent a glance at Yuuma from his shoulder, joyfully took the car key on his desk and put it into his pocket. ¡¸Wait right there, president! You actually just want to use the welcome party as an excuse to drink sake right!?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay, this is a moment worth of such celebration after all.¡¹ ¡¸Stop making such excuses! You literally drink sake every day!¡¹ ¡¸Just be quiet and follow me! Yuuma, you can eat yakiniku as much as you want. Don¡¯t worry about the money, it¡¯s my treat!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, thank you very much!¡¹ Thus, the company that Yuuma decided to enter, D-Minor, was having a welcome party with all of its members, or more like a drinking party for the president of the company. CH 40 Chapter 40: The Internal Situation of The Strongest Clan Tokyo, Otemachi. One of the huge company buildings in the centre of that district. This place was the location of the headquarters of DeNA Elcid, the biggest dungeon company in Japan. Two men were walking in the corridor of the 8th floor of the building. One of them was Honda, the chief of the main HQ of Elcid. He wore a neat suit and his gray hair was swept back. He was the textbook example of a neat and experienced office worker. The one who followed Honda was a high-school student, Amasawa Rui. After formally signing the agreement to join the company after graduation, he was currently visiting the company to confirm his schedule. Honda spoke to Rui as they walked. ¡¸How high is your current ?Mana Index¡å?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ve raised it until 321.¡¹ ¡¸Hou, it¡¯s really rare for third-year high school students to have that much mana index. Is it still colourless mana?¡¹ ¡¸Nope, I¡¯ve dyed around 50. I planned to use the rest for later.¡¹ ¡¸Uhm, you save it for the ruby magic gem huh. But, you need to dye it a bit more to raise your mana index more efficiently.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll leave that decision for my trainer. I believe in Elcid know-how training after all.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha, that¡¯s a wise decision.¡¹ Honda stopped, and then placed his ID card into the card reader installed right beside the door in front of him. The gate then opened up along with the unlocking sound. Upon entering the room, three people turned out to have been waiting inside the room. They wore the official Explorer uniform, chatting merrily with each other as they sat on the sofa. Upon seeing the arrival of Rui, one of them stood from his seat and walked toward the two. He was a short-haired man wearing sports sunglasses with a mirror lenses. His peculiar slit eyes could be seen once he took off his sunglasses. Despite his slender figure, he didn¡¯t seem like a thin person. His limbs had well-toned muscles devoid of unnecessary fat. An ideal figure of an athlete. ¡¸Sorry for calling you guys right before the exploration.¡¹ Honda smiled apologetically to the man. ¡¸It¡¯s not a big deal. I also want to meet the super rookie.¡¹ After a firm handshake with the man, Honda turned around toward Rui. ¡¸Let me introduce to you, He is¨D¨D¡¹ ¡¸Of course, I know him!¡¹ Rui stepped forward with a gleaming look on his face even before Honda finished speaking. ¡¸Mana Index 3957. Japan¡¯s strongest Explorer, the ?Thunder Beast¡å, Tennouji Hayato-san! I¡¯ve never missed the news about your exploration in the magazine. ¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha, I¡¯m honoured to be recognized by you. So you¡¯re the rumoured super rookie eh.¡¹ ¡¸I feel honoured too!¡¹ Rui stretched both of his hands for a handshake with Tennouji. ¡¸Since you recognise me, does that mean you recognise them too?¡¹ Tennouji pointed at the other people sitting on the sofa behind him with his thumb. ¡¸Of course! Anyone who is aiming to become an Explorer will naturally know about the member of Tennouji-san¡¯s party, the ¡ºHowl of Thunder Beast¡».¡¹ The two people who sit on the sofa then walk up toward Rui and co. The one who came first was a tall, brown-haired woman, she observed Rui and then opened her well-shaped lips. ¡¸Hee, does that mean you know about me too?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Mana index 2549. User of the Radiant enchanted sword, Misaki Bluewell-san. As the same fire user, you¡¯re my target of admiration.¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu, thank you, I¡¯m honoured to hear your praise.¡¹ Rui¡¯s face was beaming with a smile as he shook his hands with Misaki. ¡¸Oi, don¡¯t forget about me.¡¹ The smile on Rui¡¯s face broadened the moment he saw the man with the biggest physique. ¡¸Of course, I won¡¯t forget about you! Mana index 3077. Japan¡¯s second strongest Explorer is also known as the ?Railgun¡å, Taizen Akira-san!¡¹ ¡¸I see, you¡¯ve remembered all of our latest data huh, interesting!¡¹ Rui did a solid handshake with Taizen. Tennouji was smiling pleasantly upon seeing that situation. ¡¸We¡¯re about to depart to the ¡ºWhite Dungeon¡» in Hokkaido. The other members had already stood by over there. We¡¯ll stay in there for few weeks¡­ or should I say, for the exploration.¡¹ ¡¸That sounds¡­ Tough. I will pray for your safe return.¡¹ ¡¸Hehe, thanks. You should raise your strength quickly to help us too. Well, you¡¯ve decided on ¡ºFire Magic¡», right?¡¹ ¡¸Yes! That¡¯s my intention.¡¹ ¡¸Are you aiming to surpass ?Flame Emperor Albert¡å?¡¹ Rui¡¯s face flushed red upon hearing Tennouji¡¯s question. ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ It might sound absurd but I want to become the best in the world. Mana index 8211, Albert Muller-san, I shall surpass him.¡¹ ¡¸Great! It¡¯s nice to see our super rookie have such a high goal. I look forward to your future.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ After exchanging pleasantries with Honda, Tennouji and the other two left the room. ¡¸Well then, how¡¯s your first impression about our Explorer best team ?¡¹ ¡¸I was really nervous.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so? You look like really relaxed from my perspective though.¡¹ ¡¸No way, I¡¯m really nervous a while ago.¡¹ Honda let out a smile upon seeing Rui¡¯s humble reaction. ¡¸This will wait for after you graduate but, I planned to have you to go to Fukuoka right after your graduation.¡¹ ¡¸Fukuoka? Then¨D¨D¡¹ ¡¸Yes, you¡¯ll go to the ¡ºGreen Dungeon¡». I want you to train and raise your mana index in that dungeon. The seeker clan will give you undivided support.¡¹ ¡¸From Fukuoka¡¯s branch huh¡­ Thank you very much but, are you sure that I¡¯m not going to be a burden for them?¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha, the man who scouted you, Ishikawa said that you have a higher potential than even Tennouji.¡¹ ¡¸How can someone like me have more potential than Tennouji-san¡­¡¹ ¡¸If you really feels that way, then you must break the wall of mana index and become stronger as fast as possible, Amasawa Rui.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes, I¡¯ll do my best!¡¹ Rui could feel the expectation placed on his shoulder. "" He renewed his determination to do his best to answer the expectation placed on him. CH 41 Chapter 41: First Day of Work March¨D¨D It was finally time for the graduation ceremony at the high school that Yuuma went to. There were so many guests watching the inside, the ceremony began with the speech from the headmaster. Naturally, Yuuma, Kaede, and Rui had also attended their graduation ceremony; it was an emotional, last special event of their high-school life. Thus, the ceremony went without a hitch. Yuuma left the school as soon as the ceremony had ended without going into the class to meet his classmates. He felt the gentle breeze caressing his cheek. The sakura trees planted on the roadside that he saw from faraway had yet to bloom in its full glory. In one of Yuuma¡¯s hands was an exaggerated, A3 size high school diploma, he looked up with an emotional look at the school building in which he spent the three years of his high school. ¨D¨DI¡¯ve finally graduated from high school eh¡­ When he was immersed in such nostalgia, someone tapped his shoulder from behind. ¡¸Yuuma!¡¹ When he turned around, he saw the figure of Kaede, and Rui walking to his direction. ¡¸Going back already? We¡¯re going to have a tour and take photos with the teachers and everyone, do you want to come with us, Yuuma?¡¹ ¡¸Sorry but, please spare me from such troublesome activity.¡¹ He politely rejected Kaede¡¯s invitation. The truth was, he wanted to follow them along but he was too embarrassed to say that. Rui who arrived behind Kaede who puffed her cheeks opened his mouth. ¡¸The same as ever, eh.¡¹ ¡¸Rui! It should be enough for you, right? I mean, you love this kind of activity after all.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right¡¹ said Rui with a light smile on his face. ¡¸GEEZ!¡¹ Said Kaede the only one who got angered by the situation. ¡¸I heard from Kaede that you¡¯re not going to continue your study in university if you find a job, is that true?¡¹ ¡¸Uhm? Ah, yeah.¡¹ It¡¯s been a long time since he had a proper conversation with Rui. Even though they were often chatting about a lot of things and playing around in the old days. Though their friendship remained the same as before, their conversation became rather awkward. ¡¸I also heard that you¡¯re accepted by the dungeon-affiliated company, is that true?¡¹ ¡¸Uh, well, it just as you heard but¡­.¡¹ The reason he didn¡¯t want to tell Rui about this matter was mainly due to Rui¡¯s influence in this area. ¡¸I was really surprised. I mean, I never know that you were actually interested in the dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸Well, I guess the high-paying salary truly interested me. That¡¯s why after much consideration, I decided to find employment in a dungeon-related company. Honestly, it is also an unexpected decision on my side.¡¹ He spat out such a lame excuse but Rui just smiled wryly as if he had seen through the truth behind Yuuma¡¯s remark. ¡¸Yeah. But still, I¡¯m really happy. I mean, I¡¯m also accepted in the dungeon-related company, which means we can have a mutual exchange of information later on!¡¹ ¡¸U-Yeah. But, that have to wait until I can work appropriately, so I¡¯ll make the full use of the first year to gain experience and become a full-fledged Explorer.¡¹ Compared to Rui who found employment in Elcid, the biggest dungeon-related company in Japan, D-Minor company that accepted Yuuma was only a micro company among micro companies. Yuuma didn¡¯t want to meet Rui for the first year of his job until he became a full-fledged Explorer. Despite such petty pride, his inferiority complex toward Rui wasn¡¯t that big a deal. ¡¸Uhm, sure enough, even though I don¡¯t know the basis for that claim. Let¡¯s meet again once you become a full-fledged Explorer, Yuuma!¡¹ ¡¸Ah.¡¹ The two did a handshake as each of them acknowledged the other¡¯s departure to a new page of their life. ¡¸I found employment too though!¡¹ was what Kaede said with a pouty look on her face. After seeing off the two returning to the school building, Yuuma heaved a sigh and left the school. The new page of my life started the moment I stepped out of this gate. I wouldn¡¯t be able to meet them with a smile on my face if I failed to become a full-fledged Explorer in my first year. Yuuma pondered as he turned around to see the building of his high school. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸Yo~~~sh! This is the first day of work for Yuuma. Let¡¯s kick in the high gear!¡¹ The loud voice of the President resounded in the office. Yuuma came to D-Minor¡¯s office in Chiba. And just as the President had said, today was going to be his first day at work. Yuuma was really nervous since this was his first experience at work. ¡¸Well, even if I said job, what we did are more simple.¡¹ The President plop himself into his own chair in the innermost part of the office, crossed his leg, and lit his cigarette. ¡¸Tanaka-san! Please explain the job to Yuuma.¡¹ ¡¸Okay.¡¹ Tanaka carried the material on his desk and walked toward Yuuma. He was still the same gentle-looking uncle but his bulging stomach was still swaying along with his step. Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but worry if it was really okay for this senior to work as an Explorer. ¡¸Nice to meet you again, Yuuma-kun. I¡¯m Tanaka, I¡¯ll be in charge of your training.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to working with you!¡¹ ¡¸The first thing to do is raise your ¡°Mana Index¡±.¡¹ ¡¸Raising¡­ My mana index?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I will have you fight the monster to raise your mana index. Finally, we¡¯re going to dive into the ¡ºRed Dungen¡».¡¹ ¡¸The Red¡­ Dungeon.¡¹ When Yuuma gulped his spit upon hearing Tanaka¡¯s remark, the President who enjoyed his cigarette opened his mouth. ¡¸In short, we¡¯re a sub-contractor to merchants, our company¡¯s main job is supplying the bigger company with magic gems. Our main commodity came from the red dungeon. The ¡°Fire Magic Gem¡±.¡¹ According to the President, they need ¡°Water Magic¡± to defeat the monster in the red dungeon more efficiently. For that reason, his first job was to dive into ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡» in Musashino, defeat the monsters in there, and collect the dropped magic gem while raising his mana index. ¡¸If it¡¯s the ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡» in Musashino, it¡¯s closer to my home!¡¹ ¡¸Is that so? Then does that mean you¡¯ve visited that place before?¡¹ Hearing the President¡¯s question, Yuuma opened his mouth with a proud look on his face. ¡¸Yeah, I went there twice to defeat slime.¡¹ Seeing the proud look on Yuuma¡¯s face when he said those words, the President, Maika, and Tanaka couldn¡¯t help but to giggle at him. CH 42 Chapter 42: Enchanted Armament ¡¸Well, let¡¯s start with your weapon. Come with me, Yuuma.¡¹ The president left the office and went down the stairways. Yuuma and Tanaka followed him from behind in a hurry. When he asked Tanaka¡¸Where are we going to?¡¹, the latter replied with ¡¸Warehouse on the 2nd floor¡¹. He thought that they only used one floor as their office but, D-Minor seems to use the 2nd floor too. The president opened the door of the 2nd floor, and went inside. Yuuma and Tanaka followed him from behind. The inside of the room was gloomy since the window was blanketed with a dusty curtain. There were various tools left in a disorderly manner. Something like a sword, or club was leaning against the shelf. There was also something like a helmet or head protector. The president took one of those and patted the dust off them. ¡¸Cough, everything here isn¡¯t used¡­ Yuuma, you can choose your own gear from these.¡¹ ¡¸You mean, my own weapon and armor?¡¹ ¡¸The weapon for the dungeon is a bit special. Take this for example¡­¡¹ The president took the club leaning on the shelf. That club was a bronze-coloured club with a solemn atmosphere. ¡¸This is ¡¾Water Vein Club¡¿, an enchanted armament made by Elcid. The club itself will radiate pale blue light unique to water when you inject your mana into it while we¡¯re inside the dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸What is enchanted armament?¡¹ ¡¸Eh, you don¡¯t know about enchanted armament? Well, it might be useless for you with your lack of mana. There¡¯s this thing called ¡°Colorless Mana¡±. You see that you need to swallow magic gems to use magic, colorless mana will decrease as much as the amount of the mana index of the magic gem. That phenomenon is called ¡°Dyeing Mana¡±.¡¹ ¡¸Dyeing¡­ Mana.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, the dyed mana become what you call ¡°Magical Power¡±. And the size of magical power is equal to your strength.¡¹ One could use ¡°Magic¡± only after mana changed into magical power. Though Yuuma read about those in the book, it was easier for him to understand after hearing it from a pro Explorer, the president himself. ¡¸Well, only qualified Explorers can use magic and fight monsters. Most Explorers ain¡¯t got enough ¡°Magical Power¡± to use magic. That¡¯s why this enchanted armament never goes out of this place. These fellas can deal a crazy amount of damage with a bit of magical power. In short, it¡¯s kinda like a weapon that has a magic-like effect. It has a unique trait, namely the ¡°Magic Gem¡± embedded in its core.¡¹ ¡¸Do you mean that Elcid also created something like this?¡¹ ¡¸They¡¯re actually world-class makers of dungeon weapons. Elcid Company makes most weapon or armament in Japan.¡¹ Yuuma received the club from the president and examined it. The president told him that it wasn¡¯t made from metal, it was made from some kind of ceramic. ¡¸You can use it as long as you charge it with 70 magical power. Though it¡¯s possible to ask the third party to charge it with magical power, it isn¡¯t as efficient as using your own magical power.¡¹ ¡¸Hee.¡¹ ¡¸The place we¡¯re going to visit is ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡». Since it¡¯s pretty stupid to use a water attributes to attack monsters who can use water magic, we¡¯re going to use this.¡¹ The president then pointed at the shelf beside the current one. Lying over there was another weapon but it was clearly different from the one he held in his hand. ¡¸And this is?¡¹ ¡¸This isn¡¯t an enchanted armament. It¡¯s kinda like a stun gun. It¡¯s electric-charged-type stun gun can discharge electric shock with a press of a switch.¡¹ ¡¸Electric charged type!?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, electrically charged battery. It¡¯s much weaker than thunder magic but it still works against monsters with water attributes. You can choose whichever you like.¡¹ ¡¸Even if you say whichever I like¡­¡¹ Yuuma looked around the shelf. And saw a weapon like a long pole on that shelf. Yuuma put the electric baton and dagger in his hand on the table. He grabbed the pole, and when he tried to press the switch around the hilt, he saw some electric discharge from its tip. Though it was one of the popular stun gun type weapons, Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but feel dejected to see that even pro Explorers using this kind of stun gun. When Yuuma felt that he had no other choice but to use a weapon that substitute the effect of magic as someone who had yet to be able to use magic¨D¨D ¡¸Eh? This, could it be¡­¡¹ He noticed something at the edge of the shelf. At first, he thought it was a stick but then, he was apparently mistaken. He took it and wiped the dust that covered it. It has a long and slender hilt and a huge piece of metal on its tip, the weapon looks like a hammer. ¡¸That weapon huh. How nostalgic. I used it a lot in the past.¡¹ ¡¸Is this your old weapon?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s among the first models of dungeon weapons made by Elcid. I love its solid and heavy features though. It¡¯s already become an obsolete model after the more user-friendly stun gun and short sword type were produced.¡¹ Tanaka also nodded along with the president¡¯s story, it seems he also had a nostalgia with the weapon. ¡¸I think you should use a user-friendly weapon too, Yuuma-kun. That¡¯s especially the case since you¡¯re a beginner. How about this short sword? Though there¡¯s no strong monster in a place where we¡¯re going to visit after this, we have to be efficient in defeating them too.¡¹ Tanaka gently suggested the short sword for Yuuma. It was the advice from a pro-seeker. But, maybe because of his habit of using a hammer to defeat the metal slime, the weapon with long and small handles felt better in his hands. ¡¸My apologies, Tanaka-san. I¡¯m going to use this.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so? Well, I guess it really can¡¯t be helped if you prefer that, Yuuma-kun.¡¹ The president looked at their interaction with a smile on his face. ¡¸Well, the best weapon of choice is the one that feels the best in your hand. You can always choose another weapon if that one somehow doesn¡¯t feel right in your hand.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, thank you very much!¡¹ ¡¸Indeed¡¹ said Tanaka as he showed a look of agreement along the president¡¯s remark. CH 43 Chapter 43: Latest Model ¡¸By the way, Does this weapon have a name?¡¹ ¡¸Uhm, it did have a long-ass official name but¡­¡¹ The president said so with wrinkled eyebrows while scratching the back of his head. ¡¸Ain¡¯t remember its official name. I called it ¡°Pickel(ice ax)¡± though.¡¹ ¡¸Pickel?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s a tool used for mount climbing. We call the weapon pickel since its shape resembled one. Right, Tanaka-san!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, I also can¡¯t remember its other¡¯s name.¡¹ ¨D¨DPickel¡­ Yeah, I like that name better. Let¡¯s hunt a lot of monsters with this. ¡¸Next is the protective gear.¡¹ The president took a helmet and placed it on Yuuma¡¯s head. ¡¸Put this on.¡¹ ¡¸Is this, a special helmet for dungeon exploration?¡¹ ¡¸Nope, it¡¯s just your average helmet for a construction worker.¡¹ ¡¸Construction worker¡­¡¹ The president ignored Yuuma¡¯s frown and took a pair of black leather boots. ¡¸Hoi, put this on.¡¹ ¡¸Could it be that this is¡­¡¹ ¡¸Naturally, your normal boots for construction workers. Well, no worries, this is the safest one.¡¹ ¡¸Ha~h¡­¡¹ ¡¸And next is¨D¨D¡¹ The president went deeper into the room, opened the locker and took out something. He came back and placed the item before Yuuma. ¡¸Use this too. Rubber glove.¡¹ ¡¸Rubber glove?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s important protective gear since you¡¯re going to use a stun gun in a dungeon with a lot of water. Rubber gloves and leather boots are important to protect yourself from electric discharge!¡¹ ¡¸No, well, you¡¯re right about that but still. Is this really protective gear?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s splendid protective gear!¡¹ ¡¸By the way, is this rubber glove for construction workers too?¡¹ ¡¸Nope, this is for home use.¡¹ ¡¸For home use?¡¹ ¡¸Okay, let¡¯s head out¡¹ said the president, ignoring the still dumbfounded Yuuma. Since it couldn¡¯t be helped, after getting all the necessary equipment, he went to ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡» along with Tanaka. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Fukuoka Prefecture, Onojo¨D¨D Five years ago, ¡ºGreen Dungeon¡» appeared in Onojo¡¯s integrated park. A huge office building was built on top of a hole. It was the office of various dungeon-related companies. DeNA Elcid was one of those companies. The entire 4th floor of the building was rented for the Fukuoka branch of Elcid. ¡¸Over there. Amasawa-kun.¡¹ Following the beckoning of Yoshioka, the Explorer of Fukuoka branch, Rui entered a black door with the faded tag ¡ºArmory¡» written on top of it. Upon entering, he saw various armaments made by Elcid. ¡¸Hahaha, amazing right? Everything is the latest equipment. Maybe only the Explorer of Elcid could use something like this hot stuff.¡¹ Rui was also smiling happily following Yoshioka¡¯s hearty laugh. Just as Honda had said, Rui went to Fukuoka right after he graduated from the high school to train in the dungeon. Today¡¯s schedule was looking for suitable armament for him to use during the exploration. ¡¸Yeah, everything here is top quality. I¡¯ve only ever seen them in the magazine.¡¹ ¡¸Well, Elcid won¡¯t be stingy when it comes to training their own Explorer.¡¹ "" Yoshioka, who stood before Rui, was the leader of Exterminator, Fukuoka branch¡¯s Explorer team. Though he was by no means tall, his body was really muscular. He looks more like a proud craftsman thanks to his crew cut. ¡¸Let¡¯s start with protective gear. The suit you¡¯re wearing right now is a stab-proof suit but that¡¯s not enough. You still have to wear another protector on top of that.¡¹ Currently, Rui wore a tight suit with a base colour of grey and white. Though he had no idea what kind of materials it was made of, there was no doubt about its robustness. Yoshioka took an order-made protector for Rui from the locker and placed it on top of the long desk at the centre of the room. His knees and shin, chest, spine and back, inner pants, shoulders and elbows, literally covered almost all parts of his body. There were also white gloves and boots, and the last thing Yoshioka took out was a helmet. The helmet was a full-faced type of helmet coloured in black and white. ¡¸That¡¯s all for now. Everything is stab-proof and heat-resistant. Since there are many monsters who could use wind magic in the green dungeon, it¡¯s also slash-resistant.¡¹ ¡¸This helmet is¡­¡¹ ¡¸Oh, you know about it eh. This helmet is a lump of the latest technology. Communication function aside, the visor is also equipped with night vision and lenses for farsight. You will receive support from the AI too since it¡¯s connected to the internet. That¡¯s why this helmet is¡­¡¹ Yoshioka took the white glove and showed it to Rui. ¡¸You see the LCD over here right? it¡¯ll monitor your vital sign and time. Physical management is part of the job after all. You should tell me as soon as you feel something is off.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, thank you very much!¡¹ ¡¸Next is the weapon. I¡¯ve a recommendation but¡­¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll follow your instructions, Yoshioka-san. You¡¯re a specialist among the specialists of this ¡ºGreen Dungeon¡» after all.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha, I see! Then I¡¯ll recommend this one for this dungeon.¡¹ Yoshioka took out an unsheathed red katana from the shelf. CH 44 Chapter 44: Subjugation Task ¡¸This is the latest model of enchanted weapon ¡¾Blazing Katana Mk III¡¿. Although this is just the prototype, its fire magic conduction has been greatly enhanced.¡¹ Rui received the blazing katana and then looked at its sharpened blade. The length of the blade was around 79 cm, it looked like a katana without an armguard. Its sword¡¯s blade was red with a beautiful ripple pattern on it. ¡¸The monsters that came out in the green dungeon are mainly the ¡°Insect Type¡± monster. Since they¡¯re weak to ¡ºFire¡»type magic, this katana should be able to damage them.¡¹ ¡¸But, my fire attribute magical power is only 50. Can I really use this?¡¹ ¡¸No problem!¡¹ said Yoshioka as he took a black case from his pocket upon hearing Rui¡¯s question. When he opened the lid, there was a red gem inside of the black case. ¡¸This is 0.7 carat, ?Red Spinel ¡±. Your fire attribute magical power should rise by 70 when you eat this. Altogether with your previous 50, the total of your fire attribute magical power after you eat this should be 120. That much should be enough to allow you to use ¡ºBlazing Katana¡».¡¹ Rui took the case and then received the magic gem, ¡°Red Spinel¡±. Since Yoshioka gave him a PET bottle on top of that, the meaning was clear, so he nodded and then swallowed the magic gem with the aid of the water in the pet bottle. ¡¸How do you feel? Are you okay?¡¹ ¡¸No problem. I feel the heat in my abdomen, I managed to absorb it.¡¹ Said Rui upon hearing Yoshioka¡¯s question. ¡¸Great! We¡¯re going to enter the dungeon after measuring your mana index with mana measuring tool.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ ¡¸Since it¡¯s the instruction from above. We will give you our all-out support to raise your mana index which is going to make It a hellish schedule. Then, are you ready for that?¡¹ Rui¡¯s lips formed a whole-faced smile, his eyes gleaming so brightly upon hearing that. ¡¸OF COURSE!!¡¹ ¡ó¡ó¡ó Tokyo, Musashino city. There was the figure of Yuuma and Tanaka in the 12th floor of ¡ºRed Dungeon¡». ¡¸As I thought, going all the way down to the 12th floor is tough¡­¡¹ Yuuma muttered as he tried to adjust his ragged breath. ¡¸Well, the way down to the lower floor isn¡¯t a straight road, after all, it¡¯s pretty much impossible to walk straight from one end to another.¡¹ Tanaka said so with a gentle smile on his face. Yuuma was really surprised to see Tanaka was fine even after walking for so long. ¨D¨DAs expected, pro seeker are on a whole nother level. ¡¸D-Minor¡¯s license only allows us to descend until the 20th floor but, let¡¯s go to the 14th floor for now.¡¹ ¡¸Is there something in that floor?¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s just the right monster to raise your mana more efficiently on that floor. Well, just look forward to it. Fufufu.¡¹ Yuuma continued to go down while feeling baffled upon seeing Tanaka¡¯s daring smile. Though he met a reptile-like monster along the way, they opted to escape instead of fighting it. The monster around this area wasn¡¯t that powerful. ¡¸Is there no vehicle that we can use to go down more efficiently?¡¹ ¡¸Well, using a car is impossible due to the narrow passage and vicious scaffolding. Even riding a bike is dangerous since a monster might suddenly pounce on you out of nowhere. So the safest way of movement is by foot.¡¹ ¡¸I see now.¡¹ Yuuma quickened his pace while heaving a sigh. After walking for around forty minutes, they finally arrived at their destination. ¡¸Is this the place?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, this is the place.¡¹ When he was looking around, the area was composed of rugged rock with puddles of water of all sizes over here and there. Some sort of creature was hopping around those puddles of water. ¡¸Could it be¡­ THAT?¡¹ The creature that Yuuma saw was a huge, deep blue frog. It raised cries peculiar to that of usual frogs. Its body was clearly bigger than 15 cm. Even though Yuuma wasn¡¯t afraid of frogs, their sheer size was big enough to make him falter. ¡¸Their official name is Blue Frog. Well, they might look dangerous but, they¡¯re not, they¡¯re just the right monster for beginners to raise their mana index.¡¹ ¡¸Just the right monster huh¡­¡¹ Yuuma frowned upon seeing the monster who approached them while raising a cry. ¡¸NOW! TAKE THEM DOWN WITH YOUR PICKEL!¡¹ Said Tanaka when Yuuma was still in daze after seeing the huge frog for the first time in his life. Yuuma readied himself. He raised the pickel in his hand and swung it down toward the frog. ¨D¨DMEKYA! It is then followed by an unpleasant, slick sound. The frog sprayed a lot of liquid from its body and mouth. ¡¸UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! W-WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!? IT¡¯S STICKING ON MY CLOTHES AND TROUSERS!!¡¹ It wasn¡¯t your average liquid. The body liquid of the frog was sticky. ¡¸Yes, Bullfrog will scatter their body liquid when they¡¯re in danger. And then, they¡¯ll use the ensuing confusion to escape.¡¹ Just as Tanaka had said, the frog hopped carefreely from Yuuma. ¡¸Yuuma-kun, you won¡¯t be able to zap it if you forgot to press the switch you know.¡¹ ¡¸AH! I forgot about that.¡¹ Yuuma went after the frog again and attacked with his pickel again but the frog dodged so easily and jumped into the puddle beside it. ¡¸GODDAMMIT!¡¹ ¡¸U~h, it escaped eh. Well, don¡¯t worry about it, this is your first experience after all.¡¹ ¡¸Now I¡¯ll show you the way to do it¡¹ said Tanaka after he encouraged Yuuma. He then took out a short sword from his pocket and went to the nearby bullfrog right beside the puddle. He leapt at once and stabbed his short sword toward its body, giving it no chance to react at all. The frog raised a warcry and scattered its body fluid. Tanaka didn¡¯t hesitate to press the switch on his short sword, zapping the frog in an instant. The frog raised death throes before it turned into sand. ¡¸Fuuh, that¡¯s how you do it.¡¹ Tanaka stood up again, covered in mucus. Yuuma was at a loss for words, wondering whether he really should do that while looking at Tanaka who was still smiling gently despite being covered in mucus. CH 45 Chapter 45: The Whereabout of Mana Yuuma was struggling against the frog while receiving instruction from Tanaka. He kept chasing after the hopping frog with pickel in his hands. Swinging down his pickel, pressing the switch on its handle when the frog discharged its bodily fluid and finally watching them die by the electric shock. In this regard, Yuuma received some tips and tricks from Tanaka as he told him that he only needed to press the switch when his attack hit his opponent to save his battery power. Since he used a pickel with a long handle, he was in a much better situation than Tanaka who used a short sword with short range but his body was still sticky. ¡¸Tanaka-san¡­ Are we going to do this every day?¡¹ ¡¸Well, just get used to it.¡¹ He left the ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡» with Tanaka who was smiling cheerfully. Yuuma went straight to his home after parting ways with Tanaka in the small park when the day almost ended. Well, that¡¯s the conclusion of his first day working as an Explorer. He kept doing the frog hunting in the dungeon for three days after that. ¡ó¡ó¡ó "" ¡¸This is¡­ Strange indeed.¡¹ In the morning of the fourth day. Maika spoke with a frown on her face in front of Yuuma who just came to the office. ¡¸So it really is impossible, is it?¡¹ Maika groaned while pointing the ¡°Mana Measuring Tool¡± for commercial use toward the bewildered Yuuma. ¡¸U~hm¡­ You should¡¯ve killed more than twenty bullfrogs, right?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, I defeated tons of them with Tanaka-san but¡­¡¹ ¡¸Then your mana index should¡¯ve been raised. Defeating a bullfrog should¡¯ve raised your mana index around 0.2~0.3, so defeating twenty of them should raise your mana index to 4~6.¡¹ The president came from behind Maika with an equally puzzled look on his face. ¡¸What¡¯s the matter?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s a strange case indeed. Yuuma-kun¡¯s mana index is still zero.¡¹ ¡¸Eh? It should¡¯ve risen a bit after three days right?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, completely strange indeed.¡¹ ¡¸Is that thing broken? It¡¯s an early model after all.¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s try it¨D¨D¡¹ Maika pointed the measuring tool toward the president and pressed the switch. And then, when she looked at the display after it released a clicking sound, ¡¸£±£±£°£·. The number is correct.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s correct.¡¹ Maika then pointed the tool at Tanaka who was working on his desk. ¡¸Let me measure yours next, Tanaka-san.¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Ah, sure.¡¹ She pointed the measuring tool to Tanaka¡¯s abdomen and pressed the switch. And then, they looked at the number displayed after some clicking sounds. ¡¸£¶£²£³¡¹ ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s still good.¡¹ The measuring tool displayed the correct number for both the president and Tanaka. Seeing that, the president scratched his head with a troubled look on his face. ¡¸So the tool isn¡¯t broken.¡¹ Yuuma looked anxiously at the president and Maika who discussed this matter. ¡¸Uhm¡­ Could it be that it¡¯s really hard to raise my mana index?¡¹ The president and Maika exchanged glances upon hearing Yuuma¡¯s question. ¡¸Well, sure enough, there¡¯s a hypothesis about different individuals raising their mana index but¡­ That¡¯s a really rare case.¡¹ ¡¸Yes! Such a case is close to impossible. That¡¯s why I think there¡¯s no problem with you.¡¹ The president and Maika revealed a troubled looks on their faces. Yuuma on the other hand was worried that defeating too much metal slime had caused this adverse effect on him. ¡¸Anyhow, let¡¯s see the situation a while longer. Even if it turned out that your mana index isn¡¯t raised even a bit later, we can still think of another way.¡¹ The status quo was maintained by the president¡¯s single order. Yuuma and Tanaka headed toward the blue dungeon again to defeat the bullfrog and tried to raise Yuuma¡¯s mana index. And then, two days later¨D¨D ¡¸U~hm.¡¹ In the president¡¯s room, the president and Yuuma were sitting in front of each other on the sofa, they hung their heads down with serious looks on their faces. The president closed his eyes, folding his arms with a troubled look on his face. ¡¸Yup, not having your mana rose after all those effort is strange indeed.¡¹ ¡¸Does that mean there¡¯s a problem with my body?¡¹ Both of them were at their wit¡¯s end. Even the president with his wealth of experience was troubled since he had never seen such a case before. ¡¸Maybe. I¡¯ve never heard about a body constitution that makes it harder to raise mana their index but, I can¡¯t say that there¡¯s nothing like that either. Let¡¯s try to examine it for now.¡¹ ¡¸Examining it? What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸I have an acquaintance researching the effect of mana in the human body. Let¡¯s t ask for that person¡¯s help.¡¹ The president stood up, then took the phone on his desk to make a call to someone. Yuuma also stood up and walked back to his own desk while scratching his head. His situation was rather unusual. He thought that his mana index would rise as long as he defeated a slightly stronger monster in a deeper part of the dungeon. And yet, reality said that his mana index didn¡¯t rise at all. At this rate, he would stay as a mana-less person, and that would mean the end of his career as an Explorer. Meaning that he might be fired too. Being fired from this company means that there would be no other company willing to accept Yuuma. Yuuma sat in an anxious mood, Tanaka who was sitting at the desk beside him then called out to Yuuma. ¡¸Are you okay? How¡¯s it going?¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re going to investigate the reason why my mana won¡¯t increase¡­ It seems the president going to ask for his scholar¡¯s acquaintance¡¯s help.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, that person huh.¡¹ Tanaka let out a smile as if he knew the said scholar. ¡¸You know about that scholar?¡¹ ¡¸Of course. That scholar-san sometimes makes a request for us. And that person is a woman.¡¹ ¡¸He~, I see.¡¹ It seems the scholar was Tanaka¡¯s acquaintance too. Tanaka let out a weird laugh while Yuuma pondered about the said scholar. ¡¸I-Is something the matter?¡¹ ¡¸Well, Yuuma-kun. The truth is¡­¡¹ Seeing Tanaka beckoning at him, Yuuma brought his ear closer. ¡¸That scholar-san is in fact our president¡¯s ex.¡¹ ¡¸Eeh!?¡¹ CH 46 Chapter 46: Rogue Scholar Yuuma was really surprised by the unexpected information. ¡¸I heard that they¡¯re classmates back in college. From their previous conversations, I have no idea whether they¡¯re actually just friends or not, to be honest, I want to know too. Ah, that¡¯s all I can tell you!¡¹ ¡¸A-Ah¡­¡¹ Yuuma was really surprised to find that the other party was the president¡¯s ex but he was even more surprised to find that Tanaka was actually a big gossiper. Just like the middle aged auntie who loves gossiping in the complex. ¡¸Oi, Yuuma! That person already agreed, we¡¯re heading to her place right away. We¡¯ll take a break from dungeon diving today.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹ The president took the key card on the desk and put it into his pocket. ¡¸Tanaka-san, I¡¯ll leave the preparation for tomorrow¡¯s exploration to you.¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ ¡¸Maika! I¡¯m out till the afternoon. Check and replace our broken equipment in the meantime.¡¹ ¡¸Roge~r.¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Yuuma.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Both of them went down and boarded into a grim looking jeep in the parking lot, and then directly headed toward the aforementioned research institute. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Tokyo, Ota city. There were many small manufacturing companies gathered in this district. But, due to fierce competition with foreign companies and the shortage of manpower, many of those small companies went under. The research facility that Yuuma and co are heading to is located in a corner of this city. After he came out from the jeep parked in the parking lot, he looked up at the building. The name of the company was written with paint that had already torn off, leaving the name of the company as a total mystery. The galvanized iron used for the outer wall was already in a tattered state. All those signs were definitely the last thing he expected from the research institute. ¡¸Is this the research institute?¡¹ ¡¸Despite its appearance, this is the research institute of the ¡°Rogue Scholar¡± who got expelled from the university.¡¹ The president went past the front shutter, and opened the door on his left side. Yuuma¡¯s nose was assailed by the smell of oil and metal as soon as he entered the building. Since the lighting inside the building was poor, he walked carefully so that he wouldn¡¯t stumble upon various tools scattered on the ground. The president went up to the second floor as if he was used to this situation, and went straight to open a door there. Upon entering, Yuuma saw the only room with proper lighting in the entire building. In the innermost part of the room was a woman with long hair, clad in white robe, facing a PC. ¡¸Oi, I brought him! Start the examination right away.¡¹ ¡¸Give me a minute!¡¹ said the woman with a rude tone without even turning around to see the president who spoke to her. Maybe because he was used to that kind of attitude, the president just smacked his lips, leaning on the wall as he closed his eyes. It seems they had to wait for the woman to finish her business. Thus, Yuuma had no choice but to wait for the woman in white robe to finish her business too. ¡¸President, just what kind of scholar is this woman?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Ah, she could be said an eccentric biologist who researches ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» since the old days. She has a good head on her shoulders but she quarreled with too many people. As a result, she is oscatrized by the college or research institute.¡¹ Hearing that, Yuuma was worried if it was really okay to entrust his examination to such a person. "" A while later, the woman spoke in a small voice. The woman in white robe struck the ¡°Enter¡± key in her PC¡¯s keyboard and then opened a browser. She then stood up from her chair, facing toward them. She wore black pants and white blouse. Her long black hair was hidden beneath her white robe. She was a woman in her forties. Yuuma felt that her expression was really dignified. And yet, the deep shade under her eyes had completely spoiled her beauty. ¡¸Sorry to keep you waiting. Is that the child in your story?¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹ The president replied curtly while scratching his head. Seeing their interaction, it doesn¡¯t seem like they have a good relationship. The woman then touched her chin, pondering about something for a while. ¡¸Uhm¡­ Constitution that can¡¯t accept mana huh. I¡¯ve never heard about such a case but, let¡¯s examine him first. Follow me.¡¹ When he looked at the president, the latter nodded at him. So Yuuma followed the woman. Thereupon, the woman looked at Yuuma¡¯s face, grinning as she did so. ¡¸Your name?¡¹ ¡¸Ah¡­ Mitaka¡­ Yuuma.¡¹ ¡¸I see, well then, Mitaka-kun. My name is Aisha Kisaragi. Worry not, I¡¯ll do various examinations on you after this. I¡¯m a pro, I¡¯ll know immediately if there¡¯s something wrong with your body.¡¹ Aisha spoke as she let out a smile. ¡¸Y-¡­ Yes.¡¹ Said Yuuma loudly. She really was a rather unusual person. Aisha then looks at the president upon seeing Yuuma¡¯s anxiety. ¡¸Kotaro! I¡¯ll remember this debt. Make sure you pay it back along with the previous debts!¡¹ ¡¸Will do¡¹ said the president with a sour look on his face. ¡¸Follow me!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹ They followed Aisha to leave the room, and entered another room. There were various instruments and something like medicines lining up along the shelf. ¡¸First, we will try to check if there¡¯s any abnormality in your body. Sit over there.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ "" Yuuma looked around and finally chose to sit on the stool. Aisha then sat in the chair before him, holding something in her hands. ¡¸Let¡¯s start with a blood test, give me your arm. I¡¯m going to collect blood sample from you.¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡­¡¹ Aisha sprayed alcohol to desinfect Yuuma¡¯s arm, and then confirmed the position of his blood vessel. She unfastened the cap of the needle to draw blood and combined it with an empty syringe. That moment, a question flashed in Yuuma¡¯s mind. Previously, he heard that Aisha was a biologist but he wondered if she was a doctor too. ¡¸Uhm, excuse me¡­ The only one allowed to draw blood should be a nurse or doctor right? Do you have the license to do that, Aisha-san?¡¹ ¡¸O~h, I¡¯m surprised to hear that you know about such trivia. Worry not, everything is for science. There was no need to worry about something trivial such as law.¡¹ ¨D¨D Eh!? What in the hell is this person talking about? Was that meant she didn¡¯t have the license? The worried, and dumbfounded Yuuma couldn¡¯t do anything but watch as Aisha drew his blood. CH 47 Chapter 47: Body Measurement Following that was various check-ups such as checking the blood pressure, ECG (heart¡¯s rhythm and electrical activity), height, weight, urine and others. The examination was something akin to a normal medical check-up. Yuuma¡¯s eyes opened wide the moment he was brought to the last room. ¡¸This is¨D¨D¡¹ Sitting in that room was a huge instrument. There were various duct pipes and cables connected to the instrument which look like a hollowed kiln. The mechanism parts were laid bare without cover; Yuuma was convinced that the instrument wasn¡¯t your average instrument. Aisha operated the PC that connected to the instrument with cable, the front hatch of the instrument then opened up, and rose upward. Inside was a chair big enough for one person. ¡¸Now sit in that chair for now.¡¹ ¡¸W-What is this?¡¹ Aisha humphed when Yuuma asked that question in a timid voice. ¡¸My homemade ¡°Mana Measuring Tool¡±. Its precision is worlds apart from the other tools out there. It can measure mana index up to 1/10000 since it can measure minute differences between electromagnetic waves. With this, we might be able to find out the reason why your mana index doesn¡¯t rise.¡¹ ¡¸A-Ah¡­¡¹ Yuuma then looked back at the instrument. Then he realized that it had a quite similar form to the mana measuring tool he saw in the ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡». Thus he couldn¡¯t help but worry since the person herself said it was ¡°Homemade¡±. ¡¸Is¡­ Is this thing safe? It look a bit scary though.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s safe. It¡¯s made by this genius me after all. Although It¡¯s still a prototype, this is the safest and most efficient among the existing mana measuring tools. Its patent is still in process. Now you can feel at ease and enter the instrument!¡¹ Yuuma sent a glance at the president who followed from behind. The president who noticed Yuuma¡¯s pleading raised his thumb as if he was encouraging Yuuma. ¨D¨DThis person is too irresponsible! Yuuma who felt unwilling yet couldn¡¯t refuse timidly entered the instrument. The hatch then shut down while making a suspicious crank sound. He could hear Aisha¡¯s voice from the outside, telling him to stay still in the chair. And then, the instrument started making all kinds of sounds that made him more and more anxious, and scared. The blinking light inside the instrument looks like an alarm for him. Cold sweat started appearing from his forehead. The light and noises then settled down around five minutes later, the hatch opened up again after the instrument had completely stopped. ¡¸Okay! You may come out now.¡¹ Yuuma heaved a sigh of relief after he came out from the instrument, finally feeling safe and sound. ¡¸How¡¯s the result of the measurement?¡¹ Aisha shook her head with a tired look on her face when the president asked that question. ¡¸This is still a prototype, the result won¡¯t come out immediately. I¡¯ll send the result of the measurement along with the other tests later by email. That¡¯s enough right?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, as long as we know the reason why Yuuma¡¯s mana index won¡¯t rise.¡¹ When the president was about to open the door, Aisha called out to him. ¡¸Ah, I¡¯ll send it along with the next exploration schedule.¡¹ ¡¸Got it.¡¹ Said the president as he left. Yuuma thanked Aisha and bowed to her before he followed the president from behind. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸Maan, she really is an eccentric woman.¡¹ Yuuma let out such grumbling once he entered the car. "" ¡¸Well. I might¡¯ve been mingling with her for quite a long time but, even I can¡¯t deny that she¡¯s rather eccentric person.¡¹ Yuuma laughed inside since even her long-time acquaintance, the president himself, agreed with him. ¡¸Nevertheless, her skill as a biologist is definitely top notch. That¡¯s why it should be alright with her.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ ¨D¨DIt seems he doesn¡¯t doubt Aisha-san¡¯s ability. Now I understand why Tanaka-san said that he had no idea whether their relationship was good or bad. ¡¸Anyhow, you¡¯re going to come with us to ¡ºRed Dungeon¡» in Ibaraki tomorrow!¡¹ ¡¸Eh!!? Are you sure?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, the truth is I want to take you after you learn ¡°Water Magic¡± but, I guess the magic have to wait after the examination result come out.¡¹ ¡¸Won¡¯t I become a hindrance for you?¡¹ ¡¸Hahahaha, worry not, Tanaka-san and Me aren¡¯t amateurs. We have no problem with escorting a person. Not that we¡¯re going to dive into deep floor either.¡¹ ¡¸I understand. I¡¯ll do my best to learn the knack for becoming a better seeker!¡¹ ¡¸OU!¡¹ The president started the engine and steered the car backwards while confirming the situation behind the car from the mirror. After the car passed the narrow road, he stepped on the accelerator. ¡ó¡ó¡ó The morning next day, the president¡¯s jeep wrangler went straight toward Ibaraki¡¯s ¡ºRed Dungeon¡». Maika was sitting in the passenger seat. Yuuma and Tanaka sat in the back seat. In short, everyone in D-Minor would dive into the dungeon today. They¡¯re going north to the Joban expressway, entering Tsukuba city. And finally arrived right in Ishioka city where the dungeon was located. ¡¸Yuuma-kun, I made a lunch box today. Look forward to it.¡¹ Maika who sat in the passenger seat turned around and spoke brightly. ¡¸Yes, thank you very much! Are you going to dive into the dungeon too, Maika-san?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m also an explorer after all. While I can¡¯t dive too deep, it won¡¯t be a problem to provide support within the shallow floor.¡¹ The president who touched the steering wheel opened his mouth. ¡¸Since Maika can use water magic, She has more combat potential than the current Yuuma. Her job today is to protect Yuuma.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? To protect me?¡¹ It was really a critical blow for Yuuma, as a man. ¡¸Geez, you¡¯re exaggerating things. The reason I come along today is that Tanaka-san has to support the president diving into the dungeon, there¡¯s no special reason at all.¡¹ Though Maika denied that with a smile, the fact that Yuuma felt useless since he couldn¡¯t use magic was real. Though he could protect himself if he used ¡°Metallization¡±, it wasn¡¯t something to be used in public. Their destination came into view as they had the conversation. ¡¸That¡¯s¡­¡¹ CH 48 Chapter 48: City of Seeker A distinct structure appeared out of nowhere amidst the tranquil landscape. With a giant white dome as its centre, there were various buildings such as hotels or large apartment complexes around it. It looked like a compact city the size of one kilometre square. ¡¸That¡¯s the ¡ºRed Dungeon¡». The building around it is either a research institution or exclusive lodging for Explorer.¡¹ The president explained as he lit his cigarette. Only to get scolded by Maika, and get both his cigarette and lighter confiscated till they arrived. ¡¸Is that the city which builds to capture the dungeon?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. It¡¯s the deepest dungeon in Japan after all. It took a lot of time and manpower to build this city. The government also tried to decrease most of the lodging and shopping facilities as much as possible to the point of some buildings have both of those facilities.¡¹ ¡¸Hee, that¡¯s amazing.¡¹ There was a gate at the entrance of the city, the gate only opened up after the president showed the entry proof to the guard. After arriving inside, he parked the car in the dedicated parking lot. It seems that each dungeon-related company had their own dedicated parking place. After coming down from the car, they took out their luggage from the suitcase. ¡¸The building that we, D-Minor, rented is the 3rd floor of that building number 04. Let¡¯s carry our luggage until there!¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Each of them divided a large amount of luggage to carry to the said building. Yuuma¡¯s breath was disordered when they arrived. ¡¸This is our room¡­¡¹ The place was rather similar to a studio apartment. The arrangement of the room was to make the room look bigger, the furniture had a unified white colour. They carried their luggage to the living room, and then looked at the scenery outside of the window. ¡¸There¡¯s surprisingly a lot of people. Are they seekers from the other company?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, only personnel of dungeon-related companies or government officials can enter this place. Most of them are people in the same trade as us.¡¹ The president also looked at the scenery of people heading toward the white dome below the window. While Yuuma and the president were having such a conversation, Maika placed the basket she brought with her on the table in the living room. ¡¸Let¡¯s have early lunch. Everyone, wash your hands!¡¹ ¡¸Ooh! Yuuma, get some food to eat while you can since we only enter the dungeon after the afternoon!¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Yuuma and the president wash their hands and sit in their seats immediately. ¡¸Tanaka-san, you¡¯re coming too~!¡¹ ¡¸Ye~~s.¡¹ Tanaka who was tidying up their luggage on the shelves came when Maika called him. After everyone sat together, Maika opened the lid of the three baskets. ¡¸Oooh! It looks delicious!!¡¹ Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but praise her. The reason is the variety of food lined up inside the basket. Ham and egg sandwich, coupled with fruit salad. There were assorted rice balls, wiener, omelets, and fried chicken. Yuuma¡¯s drool almost dripped from his mouth seeing those assorted foods. Everyone then clapped their hands together and said, ¡¸¡¸¡¸Let¡¯s dig i~n!¡¹¡¹¡¹ Yuuma took the side dishes with a chopstick in his hand. The president also took a lot of side dishes onto his plate, and both of them ate quite a lot. Tanaka, who looks like the type that eats a lot, is surprisingly a light eater. ¡°His plump figure was just a false impression huh.¡± Muttered Yuuma in his heart. Yuuma, who felt satisfied with the delicious lunch box made by Maika, finished the lunch with a satisfied look on his face. He even overeats a little bit. He never expected to have such cosy, family-like lunch. ¡¸This will be the base that we¡¯re going to use to dive into the dungeon for the next three days. Yuuma, you¡¯ve brought enough change of clothes right?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I¡¯ve brought enough. But, What are we going to do about meals in the next three days? Is maika-san going to cook for us every time?¡¹ When Yuuma looked at her, Maika shook her head with a frown on her face. ¡¸Well, it¡¯s impossible to cook every time. There¡¯re many restaurants in this city, we¡¯re going to use that. I¡¯ve made the lunch box today to save our food expenses as much as possible.¡¹ ¡¸I see.¡¹ ¡°It really was a city for Explorers huh.¡± Thought Yuuma as the president stood up and took a toothpick to clean his teeth. ¡¸Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re heading to the 10th floor first, I want to return as early as possible after all.¡¹ Yuuma and co then left the room with the necessary luggage and headed toward the dome-shaped building. ¡ó¡ó¡ó When they arrived at the white dome¡¯s base, Yuuma was almost overwhelmed by its size. The outer wall was almost twenty meters high. Though not as high as the Tokyo dome, it was pretty close. The entrance was shut tight with heavy metal doors, and guarded with tight security, armed to the teeth. It was a world apart from the treatment of ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡». ¡¸It has really strict security huh?¡¹ The president replied with ¡¸Yeah¡¹ while showing his entry pass to the fully armed security. The heavy, metal door opened up, allowing Yuuma and co to enter. ¡¸This is the deepest dungeon in Japan, it¡¯s filled with fire-attributed monsters. The entrance was sealed with a heavy metal door to prevent the small chance of monsters from the deep floor being released outside of this dome.¡¹ ¡¸Eh, there¡¯s no such thing as a monster coming out of the dungeon right?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, there¡¯s none. But, this city was built when dungeon research has yet to progress that much. Thus, the government who was making a fuss about the possibility of an unknown monster coming out from the dungeon sealed the dungeon with this giant white dome, and its entrance with a heavy metal door.¡¹ Yuuma understood what the president meant. It was only natural for everyone to raise their vigilance seeing the dungeon that appeared literally out of nowhere. The place they¡¯re walking right now resembles a huge entrance hole. Many tall Explorers with fit bodies or businessmen in business suits could be found talking in the white dome. ¡¸This dome itself is kinda like a ¡°Cage¡± to trap monsters. Being useful aside, it¡¯s at least increased the sense of security for the people who live around this city.¡¹ When the president continued his introduction, the people wearing grey and white uniforms approached from the front. For a moment, Yuuma thought they were special forces since it felt like he could see special effects behind them. ¡¸Oh, if it isn¡¯t Kanzaki!¡¹ At that moment, the president stopped talking. The reason the one who called out to him was the muscular man who led the group of people wearing uniforms. On his chest was the logo of ¡ºDeNA Elcid¡». CH 49 Chapter 49: Scorching Hot Labyrinth ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s you, Ishikawa.¡¹ ¡¸What a fine greeting you got there. Are you going to dive with everyone here today?¡¹ The man called Ishikawa by the president spoke with an intimate tone. ¡¸This is the first time I saw the youth over there. Is he your new employee?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. He¡¯s our new super rookie. I brought him today for a field trip.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha, that¡¯s great then. You¡¯ve been lamenting for the lack of applicants after all. Yet now you got such an admirable youth over there.¡¹ ¡¸Oh shut up! What about your place? You should have a super rookie entering this year right!? It¡¯s truly big news on TV after all. I mean, it almost like back then with Tennouji!¡¹ Ishikawa squinted his eyes, letting out a smug smile as he heard those words. ¡¸Ah, you actually know about that kid too huh? Actually I¡¯ve got this feeling that kid will become our next ace.¡¹ ¡¸Humph! If the demonic instructor of Elcid himself said so, I guess we can expect his future. Not that it¡¯s related to us though.¡¹ Said the president with a sullen look on his face. ¡¸Oh right. Sorry for overlooking you. May I hear your name, boy?¡¹ Ishikawa then turned his head and looked at Yuuma. Yuuma was at a loss for words since Ishikawa¡¯s question came literally out of nowhere. ¡¸Ah, em¡­ My name is Mitaka¡­ Mitaka Yuuma.¡¹ ¡¸So it¡¯s Mitaka-kun. Then let me tell you, this Kanzaki over here is pretty blunt with his words but his ability as an Explorer is actually top notch. That¡¯s why please be patient with him.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes, I understand!¡¹ This man turned out to be a nice guy. ¡¸It¡¯s none of your business!¡¹ Said the president grumpily but Ishikawa just dismissed it with a light smile. ¡ªThese two, are they actually good friends? ¡¸Maika-chan, just tell me if you have enough of his company. I¡¯ll introduce you to a better company, a good girl like you should be able to work anywhere.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, thank you for the offer, Ishikawa-san.¡¹ ¡¸So noisy! Get out of my sight already~!¡¹ shouted the president angrily but again, Ishikawa just parried it aside with a small laugh. He then bid his farewell and left the place with his team. ¡¸Is he your acquaintance, Maika-san?¡¹ Maika made an impish smile on her face the moment she heard Yuuma¡¯s question. ¡¸Well, the number of Explorers back then is a lot fewer than now. That¡¯s why we have many acquaintances among the people who have been an active Explorer since back then.¡¹ ¡¸I see.¡¹ ¡¸Oi! Let¡¯s get going!!¡¹ The president shouted angrily when Yuuma spoke to Maika about that matter. It seems he was really pissed off. Maika followed after the president while humming lightly, Tanaka on the other hand just smiling wryly as he told Yuuma that it was just their usual banter. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸Here is the entrance of the red dungeon¡­¡¹ Before Yuuma and co was an abyssal hole which looked like the jaw of a giant creature. The size of the entrance was much bigger than the blue dungeon, when he peeked into the hole, he saw a stone staircase continued down into the abyss. And since they¡¯re inside the hole, he felt the temperature rise quickly. They¡¯re currently at a dome-shaped building, there are a few SDF personnel wearing camouflaged attire stationed inside, they look really strict. "" The difference with blue dungeons was so big, like the difference between a child and adult. Yuuma ended up gasping, feeling the intense atmosphere. ¡¸Is something the matter, Yuuma? Feeling nervous now?¡¹ Asked the president who stood beside Yuuma. ¡¸No¡­ It just feels¡­ Completely different compared to the blue dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha, what are you talking about? They¡¯re absolutely the same. Let¡¯s go!¡¹ The president descended the staircase with a quick and light gait. Maika and Tanaka followed him from behind. Yuuma took a breath, and then followed the three of them. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Red dungeon, 1st floor. At the base of the staircase was a short tunnel, upon leaving that tunnel was an area overflowing with light. Yuuma used his hand to protect his eyes from the sudden burst of light while marveling at the scenery before him. ¡¸Hoe~¡­ So this is the deep floor¡­ of the red dungeon!¡¹ It was a world overflowing with crimson-coloured ground as far as he could see. The ceiling was plastered with blue sky, and he felt the heat of the scorching sunlight on his skin. ¡¸Just like what I saw on TV. Is this what they call a dungeon¡¯s illusion?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. In fact, you¡¯re going to hit a rock wall after walking around a hundred meters ahead but, you won¡¯t notice that since this is just a mirage unless you walk that far.¡¹ When it happened on the deep floor, it was called with another name, ¡°Dungeon Mirage¡±. There was no clarification yet for this phenomenon that could alter reality. ¡¸Well, it¡¯s a good thing since the inside of the dungeon becomes pretty bright even without illumination. Making our job more easier.¡¹ Said the president as if those phenomena had nothing to do with him while picking back the huge bag pack that he dropped a while ago and carried over his shoulder again. ¡¸We have no business on this 1st floor. Let¡¯s go straight until the 10th floor!¡¹ The four of them walked on the scorching hot ground, heading straight toward the stairs to the next floor. It felt like the temperature around them was easily over 40 degrees Celcius. Though it felt like an illusion, the heat was real. After walking for a while, they arrived at the cave on the rugged rock wall. When Yuuma tried to peep into it, there was nothing like a staircase from before, so going down will be pretty hard due to the rough scaffolding. CH 50 Chapter 50: Monster of Fire Attribute After they arrived at the 2nd floor there was no longer a cave, it went straight to the 3rd floor. Since some floors had a troublesome nature, simply passing through took a lot of time and stamina. They met fellow Explorers every once in a while. But, it seems most Explorer prefer the deeper floor, so the appearance of SDF in the shallow floor was really conspicuous. After walking for quite a while, fire attribute monsters such as fire breathing lizards, or turtles with blazing shells started to appear. They ignored those monsters. The group had finally arrived at the 10th floor dozens minutes later. The area that could only be described as a crimson ravine spread before them. ¡¸Okay, let¡¯s begin!¡¹ The president dropped the huge bag on his shoulder and took out the dismantled weapon from inside. Maika and Tanaka also took out their own weapon from the bag. Tanaka used his usual short sword and helmet, he added sporty glasses and wrapped a towel around his head. He is already sweating profusely despite doing nothing but walking. Maika combined the pole that separated into three parts to form a long pole. Seeing how she was accustomed to do that, Yuuma guessed that Maika specialized in using poles. Though the president¡¯s weapon was also reassambled, the finished form was a huge hexagonal club. ¡¸That weapon look really solid.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s an order made by my acquaintance. It lack precision but, this kind of weapon suit me the most.¡¹ The president then took a short sword from the back. The same as the one used by Tanaka, it seems to be an enchanted armament. When the president gripped the hilt of the sword, pale blue light started to appear in the entire part of the sword. It¡¯s as if the sword had tiny, blue coloured blood vessels. After it shone for a while, the president gave the sword to Yuuma. ¡¸Okay, I have charged it with the magical power of water attribute. Use this for self-defense during emergency.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? You can inject magical power?¡¹ Since there was a limit to the amount of magical power, it would be used up if someone with magical power kept using magic in the dungeon. ¡¸Are you sure? I mean, using your precious magical power for someone li¡ª¡¹ ¡¸This amount is nothing for me. It will disappear tomorrow if you¡¯re not using it. but it should be enough for up to thrice attacks. In case you¡¯re attacked by strong monster, use this sword to protect yourself!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹ Yuuma kept the sword on his belt. Though the chance for powerful monsters to come out was next to nothing on such a shallow floor, there was nothing wrong with being too prepared. ¡¸¨D¨DSo, did you bring that guy?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s here¡­¡¹ Yuuma dropped his bag, and took out something from inside. It also separated into three pole, but it wasn¡¯t a long pole. It would became Yuuma¡¯s beloved ¡°Pickel¡± once he reassembled it. ¡¸I hear that there¡¯s ¡ºSalamander¡» in the innermost part of this 10th floor but, there¡¯s no strong monster aside from that. So your normal weapon should be enough to take care of the other monsters.¡¹ The president shouldered his huge, hexagonal club and looked around as he walked. ¡¸Oh! There you are!¡¹ The ground on which the president looked at had a bump. The president hummed as he raised his club, and struck the ground. Yuuma was really surprised when he saw something fly off from the bump. ¡¸WHAT THE HECK!?¡¹ It was a small creature around twenty cm long. It had long beard, slit and deteriorated eyes. Yes, it was¨D¨D ¡¸Fire mole. They can only breath small flame but, they¡¯re pretty tough.¡¹ The president swung his club lightly, and struck the fire mole. The fire mole raised a brief shriek before it turned into dust. The president heaved a sigh, and turned around to Yuuma. ¡¸Well, that¡¯s how you did it. Listen Yuuma, we¡¯re a pro Explorer. We can¡¯t just hunt any monster. To raise our efficiency in getting magic gems, we have to hunt specified monsters. In short, we subjugated monster that can easily make money.¡¹ Since that was only natural, Yuuma easily agreed with the president. ¡¸And the most efficient monster on this 10th floor is the fire mole. It¡¯s less dangerous and easy to beat. Its location is also easy to find. And most of all, it has a better drop rate compared to the other monsters in this floor. Yuuma, your first real job is to hunt them.¡¹ ¡¸I understand, leave it to me!¡¹ ¡¸Take it easy. Maika will teach you the know how.¡¹ When he looked at Maika, the latter smiled as she muttered ¡°Leave it to me¡±. ¡¸Tanaka-san and I will go further down to get a magic gem. The two of you can hunt the fire mole around this floor during that time.¡¹ ¡¸Ye~s, leave it to us, president!¡¹ ¡¸We will do our best!¡¹ After seeing Yuuma and Maika reply cheerfully, the president headed toward the lower floor along with Tanaka. ¡¸Okay, let¡¯s get started.¡¹ After saying so, Maika started looking around their vicinity. She then told Yuuma that she found several moles nearby. ¡¸To know if there¡¯s a fire mole inside these mounds or not, we can only guess by hitting it. The mole would jump out of the hole due to shock once we hit the mound.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹ ¡¸Take a look at me doing it first. I can¡¯t guarantee if I can do it better than the president though¡­¡¹ Then, Maika struck at the mound with the club in her hands. She raised her club again and struck at the fire mole who came out from their hole with superb accuracy. When the fire mole leaped in the air, Maika held her club firmly, aiming carefully till the best height. That moment, the hilt of Maika¡¯s club shone faintly¨D¨D It was water magic. The pale blue light enveloped the entire club. Maika swung her club lightly, and the fire mole which got hit by that strike turned into dust immediately. ¡¸See! It¡¯s that simple.¡¹ Yuuma was dumbfounded when he saw Maika¡¯s bright smile as she said those words. CH 51 Chapter 51: Talent of The Seeker TN: Ko-Fi Exclusive Project for $10 Supporter Is Available for Monthly Subscriber Here === ¡¸Well then Yuuma-kun, let¡¯s start from around this area.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹ Yuuma followed Maika around to look for more fire moles. Although the fire mole looked somewhat easy to find based on what had been told to him¡­ ¡¸Ah!¡¹ He moved slightly closer to a mound that seemed to have a mole in it, raised his pickel overhead, and swung it down as strongly as he could. Puchi! ¨D¨DHow about this!? The mole¡¯s head popped out from the ground and it looked around. And then, just as he was about to raise his pickel again, the mole went back into its mound. ¡¸Ah!?¡¹ Yuuma hit the ground around the mound again but the mole seemed to have escaped underground. ¡¸Too ba~d. But don¡¯t worry, this is your first time after all. Let¡¯s go find the next one!¡¹ After getting encouraged by Maika, Yuuma started looking for another mole. But, even when he could find one, they quickly escaped before he could beat them. ¡¸DAMNIT, THAT¡¯S SO CLOSE!!¡¹ Yuuma hit the mound hard from which the mole escaped to vent his frustration. ¨D¨DSigh, I can easily kick their asses as long as I use the liquid metal¡­But like hell I can do that in front of Maika-san. He clicked his tongue in frustration, but then the fire mole¡¯s head suddenly popped out from its mound. ¡°Da faq?¡± That was what he thought the moment he saw the fire mole¡¯s eyes, and his reaction delayed a beat when the fire mole leapt out from its hole and fired the fire breath at Yuuma¡¯s face. Yuuma ducked his head, getting startled as he faced the unexpected situation. ¡¸Y-YUUMA-KUN!?¡¹ Maika rushed in a hurry. Yuuma fell on his rear, covering his face with his hands. ¡¸AH¡ª-¡¹ Upon a closer look, it could be seen that it was just a light burn. His ¡°Fire Resistance¡± didn¡¯t show its effect unless he used the ¡°Metallization¡± ability. So his skin got burned as per normal. ¡¸Are you okay!? Fire mole¡¯s attack is weak but, it can still scald your skin if you take it to face¡­¡¹ ¡¸Let me have a look.¡¹Asked Maika as she looked at Yuuma¡¯s face. Yuuma was flustered when Maika suddenly brought her face closer to him. ¡¸Please hold on for a moment, I brought some ointment for this kind of injury with me.¡¹ Maika¡¯s hand rummaged through her bag and took out a small cooling spray. ¡¸Stay still!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹ With the sound of the cold air spraying on his cheek, Yuuma felt his scalding cheek cooled down. ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ Yup, there¡¯s no burning scar left. That¡¯s a relie~f.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, thank you Maika-san.¡¹ Yuuma stood up and dusted his pants. The fire mole that had given him a ¡°sneak attack¡± from before had already escaped. He barely encountered a few fire moles since he came but killed none of them. When Maika asked if he wanted to leave to have some rest, he refused and started looking for the fire mole again earnestly with renewed vigor as he wanted to get revenge. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Five hours later, Yuuma had somehow defeated three fire moles but none of them dropped a ¡°Magic Gem¡±. Meanwhile, Maika took down twelve fire moles and got two magic gems. ¡¸It¡¯s 0.4 and 0.5 garnet. These two can be sold for 18k yen.¡¹ ¡¸Wow¡­¡¹ ¡¸You also managed to defeat three by yourself, Yuuma-kun! Since the drop rate for fire mole is so low around 10%, you can probably get it after defeating some more. So, let¡¯s do our best tomorrow as well!¡¹ ¡¸Understood!¡¹ The president and co then returned while they¡¯re having such a conversation. It seems that they managed to defeat a few monsters on the 15th floor. Though they strike as one by being nonchalant about it, they actually gathered more than ten red spindles. Yuuma let out a voice of admiration when he saw the magic gems in the case. ¡¸Well, the value might be around 1.4 million. Not that much but, let¡¯s dive even further down tomorrow.¡¹ Yuuma was once again forced to reckon the awesomeness of pro Explorers while marveling at the amount of money they got in one day. After the day¡¯s job ended, everyone returned together to the company¡¯s room. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸In short, there are some obstacles to the ability¡¯s growth too.¡¹ At night¨D¨D The four of them who had just returned to the room in building number 04 surrounded the dining table as they enjoyed their take out dinner. Yuuma listened to the discussion about Explorer between Tanaka and the president. ¡¸In the beginning, I also raised my mana index in the same way as other Explorers by defeating the same monster. My mana index rose really quickly and then stopped after reaching a certain point. I¡¯ve been wondering about that matter for a long time but, I guess it can¡¯t be helped!¡¹ ¡¸Is that what everyone calls as ¡°Wall of Mana¡±?¡¹ Hearing the president¡¯s fervent speech, Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but ask. It was the words that caught his eyes when he read the book about the dungeon exploration. The requirement to become a first rate Explorer was to break through the so-called ¡°Wall of Mana¡±. It was written in the book that one needs inborn talent to achieve that. ¡¸Well, yeah. It¡¯s different cases for each person. There are walls of mana when someone¡¯s mana index reaches 1000, and another one when their mana index reaches 2000. Then 3000, 4000 and so on. I crossed the 1000 mark but my mana index barely grew after that. Still, it¡¯s pretty high considering my career.¡¹ ¡¸But I haven¡¯t even reached the 1000 mark!¡¹ said Tanaka with a wry smile on his face when he heard the president mulling over the growth of his mana index. === CH 52 Chapter 52: Deep Floor of The Dungeon ¡¸Maika, I can at least drink one can of beer right!?¡¹ ¡¸No means no! That¡¯s what a heavy drunkard always said at first, dad! I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ll lost control once you drink a can and keep drinking till you passed out and woke up noon next day, you won¡¯t get even a drop of liquor until we finish this job!!¡¹ ¡¸The heck, my daughter is such a demon!¡¹ The president made a face as if he just swallowed a fly while grunting in frustration. Thus, the president had no choice but to give up due to Maika¡¯s insistence. ¡¸Yuuma! You seem to have a lot of worries about not being able to raise your mana index but, that might be a blessing in disguise, you must have great potential. I¡¯m sure that soon enough, you will become as famous as ¡ºFlame Emperor Albert¡» and ¡ºThunder Beast?Tennouji¡»! I have a high hope on you.¡¹ The president laughed heartily but Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious since his ¡°Wall of Mana¡± might be even less than 1. They decided to hit the bed right after dinner. When they go up in the next day, they resumed their activity of diving into ¡ºRed Dungeon¡», subjugating monster, and collecting magic gems. The president and Tanaka gathered a lot of magic gems in the three days they dive in the dungeon. The total value was no less than six million. Maika had also gathered around twenty magic gems from the monster that she defeated. The amount she gathered was close to hundreds and thousands yen. Compared to them, Yuuma had only got three magic gems from the monster that he defeated. ¡¸Getting three magic gem right off the bat when this is your first time working like this is amazing you know!¡¹ Though Maika praised him, the value of his three magic gems were less than 100k yen, there was a huge gap between the value. On the way back to their lodging, the president tapped his shoulder. ¡¸Well, tomorrow is your holiday. You¡¯re going to raise your mana again in ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡» from the day after tomorrow. Just focus on that for now!¡¹ ¡¸A-Ah¡­¡¹ ¡ª¡°That means I¡¯m gonna be drenched in frog¡¯s bodily fluids again after tomorrow¡± Thought Yuuma, but he knew the president was right, raising his mana index was his top priority. ¡¸Okay! Now that¡¯s our job has ended, let¡¯s have a barbeque party~~~~~~~~~~!!¡¹ ¡¸Wait now, Dad! No liquor, you still have to drive the car back to home after all!¡¹ ¡¸WHAT!? I¡¯ve endured it for three days, please let me drink today!¡¹ Maika and the president started their usual quarrel about drinking liquor. Yuuma was getting flustered since their argument started to heat up but Tanaka goes in between them, to calm them down with a calm look on his face. ¡¸Since I¡¯m not drinking the liquor, let me drive the car. That way the president can enjoy his boozes.¡¹ ¡¸OOH! Good job, Tanaka-san. Okay, let¡¯s go to Izakaya. Izakaya here we come!¡¹ In the end, they went to Izakaya in the ¡ºCity of Explorer¡» along with the president who had whole face smile on his face. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸CHEEER~S!¡¹ The president didn¡¯t want to seem like he was drinking alone, so he raised his beer mug for a toast before he drank the beer. ¡¸Puha~~~, that¡¯s hit the spot. You guys don¡¯t hold back, eat to your fill!¡¹ ¡¸Please keep it in moderation dad.¡¹ Said Maika with a rather helpless look on her face. Yuuma whispered ¡°I¡¯ll dig in¡± upon the feast before him. There was assorted sashimi, sushi, hot pot, and yakiniku before him. They were currently inside the biggest Izakaya in the city of seeker, ¡°Yamayama Dining¡±. The huge shop which was filled with the people who just came out from the dungeon was bustling with life. Seeing Yuuma seemingly worried about which food he was going to eat, the president who was in a good mood after being able to enjoy booze again called out to him. ¡¸What do you think, Yuuma? The deep dungeon is different from ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡», right?¡¹ "" ¡¸Ah, Yes! Especially the ¡°Dungeon Mirage¡±, it¡¯s so amazing. Did all deep dungeon gave that kind of feeling?¡¹ Seeing Yuuma ask that question while eating the tuna sashimi, the president bottomed up the beer in his mug at once. After that, he placed the empty mug on the beer coaster with a satisfied look on his face. ¡¸Well, not all of them. Different dungeon has different unique trait, ¡°Dungeon Mirage¡± never happen in the other dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸Is it true that the only deep dungeon in Japan is the ¡ºRed Dungeon¡»?¡¹ ¡¸No, there¡¯s another one, the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» in Yokohama. It should have around 150 floor.¡¹ Yuuma read in the book that the red dungeon in Japan had 180 floors. And according to the information in the same book, a dungeon with more than 150 floors was also categorized as a deep dungeon. In short, the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» just barely qualified to be called deep dungeon. It didn¡¯t close the possibility of some dungeons appearing in some deserted place which had yet to be found somewhere in Japan. And that was exactly what Yuuma worried about. ¡¸Come to think of it, how did they know the number of the dungeon¡¯s floor even though no one had ever reached its deepest floor?¡¹ ¡¸That matters huh. I¡¯ve also investigated that matter in the past. Maybe you can call it that I investigated about this matter while playing bowling.¡¹ The president stuffed the meat before him heartily and spoke as he munched on the meat. ¡¸Bowling?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­ Ah, wait a minute.¡¹ The president ate the remaining meat before he continued his explanation. ¡¸I don¡¯t know about the details but, it¡¯s possible to examine the number of the floor of the dungeon by digging a really deep hole into the ground beside the dungeon to obtain their geological formation. That¡¯s the usual method used to measure the number of a floor in a dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸Hee.¡¹ Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but admire the people who dug maybe thousands of meters underground to measure the depth and number of the floor of a dungeon. ¡¸Then, speaking of the deepest dungeon in the world, it must be¡­¡¹ ¡¸Naturally, the white dungeon in Palestina, ¡ºOrpheus¡».¡¹ CH 53 Chapter 53: Elevator ¡¸Orpheus¡­¡¹ Yuuma had often heard about that dungeon before. It wasn¡¯t simply a deep dungeon, it was also a special place due to various ruins found inside. ¡¸That place should have around 300 floors. Well, the raid never goes beyond 100th floor though.¡¹ The president ordered a second serving of beer while enjoying the boiled edamame. ¡¸Not much information is known about the deep dungeon. In fact, there¡¯s no seeker who ever stepped into 82nd floor of the ¡ºRed Dungeon¡». Because from that point onward is the territory of powerful monsters such as ¡°Dragon¡±.¡¹ ¡¸Dragon huh¡­ I do hear it exist in the deep floor but¡­.¡¹ ¡¸Well, I know what you want to say. Some experts says that powerful monster such as dragon usually resides on 100th floor and above but, basically it has nothing to do with minor company like us.¡¹ Said the president as he drank his second mug of beer. After he was done, his face flushed red in satisfaction. ¡¸Say, what is the other famous dungeon aside from Orpheus?¡¹ ¡¸The other famous dungeon? Uhm, let see¡­¡¹ The president frowned as if he tried to recall something while eating his edamame when Yuuma asked him that question. ¡¸America¡¯s yellow dungeon, ¡º£Æ£Ä£²¡». German¡¯s green dungeon, ¡ºOdin¡». Russia¡¯s red dungeon, ¡ºSvarog¡». Chile¡¯s blue dungeon, ¡ºTlaloc¡». Those are the list of famous dungeons with more than 200 floors.¡¹ Yuuma reached his hand toward the karaage while thinking that such a dungeon existed. ¡¸Which remind me¨D¨D¡¹ Tanaka, who picked up the mini hotpot, suddenly joined the conversation. ¡¸There¡¯s another one at the south pole. Ice dungeon Or should I say part of blue dungeon but, I hear that it¡¯s too cold for any living being for safe exploration.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, that one huh! So it¡¯s a deep dungeon too.¡¹ ¡¸I think it has around 190 floor.¡¹ ¡¸Is it some sort of rare dungeon?¡¹ Yuuma unknowingly leaned forward when he heard about this kind of dungeon for the first time. ¡¸Well, the one they found in south pole doesn¡¯t have ¡°Dungeon Mirage¡±, it¡¯s world of ice for as far as you can see.¡¹ ¡¸Hee, there¡¯s such dungeon too huh.¡¹ ¡¸This is just a tiny parts of it!¡¹ said Tanaka with a delightful look on his face as he saw Yuuma get hooked into that topic. It seems that Tanaka also loves this kind of topic. ¡¸I mean, a dungeon with the entire ground covered with flowing lava, a dungeon with a complicated route like that of a labyrinth, or a dungeon which showed the illusion of women must be really interesting right? ¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, there¡¯s that kind of dungeon too.¡¹ said the president as he laughed heartily with a slightly flushed face to see Tanaka spoke with such zeal. ¡¸But the rarest one can only be THAT.¡¹ ¡¸THAT?¡¹ Tanaka cuckled happily seeing Yuuma became more curious. ¡¸The elevator type dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸E-Elevator type dungeon?¡¹ Yuuma became even more puzzled the moment he heard such a strange name. ¡¸Yes, I don¡¯t know whether this kind of dungeon really exist or not since I only know from hearsay but, someone claim to find this kind of dungeon in UK.¡¹ ¡¸What kind of dungeon is that?¡¹ ¡¸Well, there¡¯s this Explorer who found a small cave inside the forest. The moment that person saw a monster inside the cave, they knew immediately that the cave was in fact a dungeon but, that dungeon was different from the normal dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸How are they different?¡¹ ¡¸A normal dungeon usually has a staircase in the innermost part which is connected to the floor below right? And yet, that dungeon has none of that. The dungeon doesn¡¯t disappear even after the Explorer defeats the monster inside of it. That¡¯s why they got really curious about that dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸E-Ah, I see¡­¡¹ Yuuma felt a chill running down into his spine. ¡¸The Explorer got curious about the mysterious dungeon and came again on the next day, only to find another monster in that cave. And since the monster popped out after one day, they concluded that it¡¯s definitely a dungeon. The said Explorer then decided to defeat the monster which appeared in the dungeon while watching over the situation.¡¹ The president and Maika were busying themselves with the food, and Yuuma was the only one who focused on Tanaka¡¯s story. ¡¸The next day, the monster appeared again, and that phenomenon continued. The Explorer felt that the monster became more robust with each passing day. And then, on the 18th day, a really powerful monster appeared in the cave. It was a grey-coloured bear-like monster with a huge and ferocious-looking sabertooth. That Explorer knew that he can¡¯t defeat that monster by himself, so he called his comrade.¡¹ ¡¸W-What happened after that?¡¹ Yuuma leaned even further as he asked. ¡¸They defeated that mighty monster. But, strange things happen after that. The next day, the dungeon vanished!¡¹ ¡¸Vanished!?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, there¡¯s only one reason for the dungeon disappearance. It¡¯s because the boss monster on the lowest floor has been defeated. That¡¯s the feature of the dungeon.¡¹ Yuuma shuddered. Because the ¡ºTiny Dungeon¡» that appeared in the garden of his house sound similar to that. Was that meant that the dungeon was an elevator dungeon!? ¡¸In short, it means that the floor will advance further as the monster in the previous floor gets defeated. The dungeon vanished after the Explorer defeated the monster in the last floor.¡¹ Yuuma fell into silence. If that story was true, then he had a huge misunderstanding about that tiny dungeon. ¡¸Hahaha, what a nostalgic story. It¡¯s like a rumor spread around the Explorers!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s just a rumor though.¡¹said Tanaka as he agreed with the president who drank first but Yuuma felt a sense of urgency in his heart. CH 54 Chapter 54: The Turning Cogwheel Yuuma and co rode the jeep driven by Tanaka all the way from ¡ºCity of Explorer¡» to Chiba. It was already 9 PM. ¡¸Aah, I¡¯m really burn out. Tanaka-san, I¡¯ll leave Yuuma to you.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, leave it to me.¡¹ The president and Maika came down from the car and went back to their home. After seeing them off, Tanaka drove the car backward, and then stepped on the car¡¯s accelerator, heading toward the highway. ¡¸Sorry for troubling you to escort me home too, Tanaka-san.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about that. My house located in Tokyo too, so we¡¯re actually heading to the same direction.¡¹ Tanaka winked at Yuuma before he turned the steering wheel. He passed by the old Mito highway before entering the 6th national highway, heading south toward Tokyo. Even during that time, Tanaka was a talkative person. Though it was the first time they were left alone with just the two of them, Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but feeling grateful toward his kind and considerate senior. It was already late at night when they arrived at Yuuma¡¯s house. Yuuma came down from the car and looked at the driver seat. ¡¸Thank you very much, and sorry for troubling you to drive me home this late, Tanaka-san.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay. See you again the day after tomorrow, Yuuma-kun. Have a nice sleep.¡¹ ¡¸Back at you, Tanaka-san.¡¹ After seeing off the car, Yuuma closed the door of his house. After entering the house, he told his mother to wake him up at noon since he was really exhausted, and went up to his room immediately. He locked the door of his room as soon as he entered. He dropped his bag, opened the drawer of his desk and took out a notebook from inside. ¡¸If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­¡¹ He sat in the chair and flipped through the page of his notebook. Yuuma started to read the recorded situation at that time, the day after he discovered the tiny dungeon. He stopped doing that a while later but the date of his first subjugation was recorded in that note. ¡¸Found it¡­ The first time that metal slime came out was¡­ 2nd August the year before the previous one.¡¹ And then, he also recorded the date of the appearance and subjugation of the mega sizes slime boss, it was 19th september last year. Yuuma confirmed this matter with the calendar. Even though he didn¡¯t record the details, he kept a record of the date of appearance of metal slime since they started to appear. If beating one slime is considered as clearing the floor, it means that the tiny dungeon was a really deep dungeon. After confirming the number of days since the first appearance of the metal slime, he counted the total number with a calculator. Yuuma gasped the moment he saw the result. ¡¸413 days¡­ A dungeon with 413 floor¡­¡¹ It was far deeper than even the current deepest dungeon in the world, Orpheus. ¡¸No way¡­ Could it be¨D¨D¡¹ ¡ó¡ó¡ó When president Kanzaki returned to his home and just about to open a canned beer. ¡¸Da~d, make sure you take a bath properly!¡¹ ¡¸Okay.¡¹ His daughter, Maika who was tidying up their luggage came nagging at him. Kanzaki opened his canned beer while wondering whom Maika would take after. He drank the beer, sitting on the sofa, took the tv remote control and turned on the tv.. "" Just when he was about to lean on the sofa, his smartphone which he placed on the desk rang. When he wondered who called him this late in the night, it turned out to be Aisha. ¡¸Ou, what make you call me this late?¡¹ ¡ºAah¡­ My bad, Kotaro. I have urgent news for you.¡» ¡¸What kind of urgent matter is this?¡¹ ¡ºI can¡¯t tell you about this matter by phone. Can you come at my laboratory right now?¡» ¡¸HAAH!? Are you kidding me? It¡¯s already late at night! I¡¯m also just returned from expedition and am completely exhausted right now.¡¹ ¡ºI see¡­ But, you still have to come. Can you do that?¡» Kanzaki ended up speechless since this was the first time he heard such a tone from Aisha, as if she would force him to come no matter what. ¡¸Can I just come tomorrow? My car isn¡¯t with me right now!¡¹ ¡ºI prefer you to COME ASAP. Use taxi, the fare is on me, just come here ASAP.¡» After being acquainted for a long time, Kanzaki realized that this wasn¡¯t a trivial matter. Kanzaki heaved a sigh and then told Aisha that he would head to her place in a minute. Kanzaki reluctantly stood up from the sofa since he already agreed to come to Aisha¡¯s laboratory. ¡¸Maika, I¡¯ll leave the home for a bit.¡¹ ¡¸EH!? Where are you going to at this kind of time?¡¹ ¡¸To Aisha¡¯s place. Maybe I¡¯ll be back tomorrow morning.¡¹ ¡¸Dad, wait a minute!¡¹ When Maika looked at the entrance in hurry, her father had already left. ¡ó¡ó¡ó 3 AM. As soon as the taxi in which Kanzaki was riding arrived at Tokyo, Ota city, he disembarked while scratching his hair. The taxi fare was really expensive. After he paid the taxi fare, he planned to ride the first train to go back home after the meeting with Aisha. He had to suffer such long journey right after he arrived from expedition, completely exhausted and planning to lazing around during the holiday. Kanzaki entered the laboratory which was made from galvanized sheet iron with a foul mood. ¡¸Oi! I¡¯m here!!¡¹ Kanzaki rudely opened the room that had always been used by Aisha. The room was dark without lighting, the only source of light came from the PC used by Aisha. Aisha was currently sitting in the chair in front of her PC, crossing her long leg while sipping the canned coffee from her hand. Kanzaki pressed the switch beside the entrance door to turn on the lighting. He had already come to this laboratory a really long time ago, thus familiar with the laboratory itself. The electric light let out several crackling sounds before the light turned on and illuminated the entire room. Even then, AIsha¡¯s gaze never moved away from the PC¡¯s screen before her. ¡¸So what kind of business you¡¯ve for me this time around?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ It¡¯s about Mitaka.¡¹ ¡¸Mitaka? So it¡¯s a matter of Yuuma, have you found his problem?¡¹ Kanzaki had finally remembered that he brought Yuuma to this laboratory for a check-up the day before the expedition. ¡¸No way, could it be that he has some sort of illness!?¡¹ ¡¸Nope, he¡¯s healthy¡­ Too healthy if I have to add.¡¹ ¡¸The heck, you almost got me there! So what¡¯s his problem then!?¡¹ ¡¸Do you remember that I also measured his mana index?¡¹ ¡¸Uhm? Ah, that stupidly oversized measuring device huh. Yeah, I remember.¡¹ ¡¸The result just come out.¡¹ ¡¸Eh¡­ Is that so? Did he have ¡°Mana Index¡±?¡¹ When Kanzaki asked that question, Aisha placed her canned coffee on the desk, and turned her chair around to face Kanzaki. ¡¸The result is positive, he DID HAVE ¡°Mana Index¡±.¡¹ ¡¸Oh, I see! So he did have mana. I mean, there has never been a case in which someone can¡¯t raise their mana index at all before.¡¹ ¡¸So, how much is his mana index?¡¹ Added Kanzaki. But instead of replying, Aisha fell into silence as if contemplating on something. When Kanzaki wondered what happened to Aisha, he heard Aisha mumbling something. ¡¸¡­ £´£¶£µ£²£°£°¡¹ ¡¸Uhm? What?¡¹ ¡¸Mitaka Yuuma¡¯s mana index. There are some decimals but let¡¯s forget about that for now. His mana index is 460K.¡¹ ¡¸EH!? What in the hell are you talking about?¡¹ Kanzaki was bewildered seeing Aisha start talking using unknown jargons. But then, Aisha raised her face and started looking properly at Kanzaki. ¡¸It was the measuring result with my homemade mana measuring tool. There¡¯s no need to doubt its accuracy.¡¹ ¡¸ARE YOU FUC*KING KIDDING ME, YOUR MACHINE MUST BE BROKEN! 460K!? Even the strongest seeker in the world ¡ºFlame Emperor Albert¡» only has an 8200 mana index. Are you sure that you¡¯re not sleepy and mistaken the number?¡¹ ¡¸My measuring tool is the current most accurate measuring tool in the world. Nor did I sleepy and make a mistake with the number¨D¨D¡¹ Aisha rose from her chair, and stared straight into Kanzaki¡¯s eyes. ¡¸Mitaka Yuuma¡¯s ¡ºMana¡» is the biggest in the world, so big that he literally thousands of leagues ahead of the other Seekers!!!¡¹ CH 55 Chapter 55: Aberration Though Aisha looked serious, Kenzaki had yet to be able to accept the reality. ¡¸Oi, are you serious?¡¹ ¡¸I am.¡¹ ¡¸I know that your ability as a scholar is top notch, even according to world standards, but that remark just now sounds too good to be true. Your measuring tool might be broken. If that¡¯s the case, worry not, I¡¯ll be back after you repaired the tool!¡¹ ¡¸Wait!¡¹ Said Aisha, she stopped Kanzaki who was about to leave. When Kanzaki stopped and turned around, he saw Aisha looking at him. ¡¸Let me ask you something.¡¹ Aisha walked closer toward Kanzaki with unstoppable momentum, and grabbed him by his collar as soon as she arrived in front of him. ¡¸FROM WHERE DID YOU BRING THAT ABERRATION!!¡¹ ¡¸Aberration!?¡¹ Kanzaki unfastens Aisha¡¯s hands from his collar, and then heaves a sigh. ¡¸HAH! How dare you say that! This is so fu*cking stupid that my intoxication vanished right away.¡¹ Kanzaki opened the door right away and left. ¡¸Kotaro.¡¹ ¡¸What now!? Do you still have something to say? Just to be sure, I don¡¯t wany to to hear another stupid joke again!!¡¹ Aisha let out a light smile when Kanzaki said those remarks. ¡¸Well, I guess it¡¯s only natural that you won¡¯t believe it. I actually feel the same, this is just absurd.¡¹ ¡¸Of course it is! Who in the world gonna believe such absurd story!!¡¹ ¡¸Since that¡¯s the case, let Mitaka-kun use magic.¡¹ ¡¸Ah?¡¹ ¡¸He has such a gargantuan amount of mana. His mana should¡¯ve overflowed outside of his body. When that happen, he should be able to use magic outside of the dungeon.¡¹ ¡¸Humph! What a joke.¡¹ Kanzaki closed the door and left the room. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Kanzaki, who had finally arrived at his home the next morning, fell asleep immediately till the evening and only took a bath after he woke up. After spending his time for a while doing nothing in particular, Maika who finished cooking the dinner called out to him. Though Maika asked ¡¸What did you do yesterday?¡¹ or ¡¸Did something happen?¡¹Kanzaki only gave vague replies. That night, he slept with various kinds of worries in his head. The next morning, Yuuma had arrived for his work just as he enjoyed his cigarette on his desk. ¡¸Good morni~ng.¡¹ After exchanging greetings with Tanaka and Maika, Yuuma came to Kanzaki. ¡¸Good morning, President.¡¹ ¡¸Oh, morning.¡¹ Yuuma then placed his luggage into the locker before sitting in his chair. A while later, he already chatted with Tanaka, whose desk was beside him. "" Kanzaki was sitting in his chair, reading the newspaper. But, none of the content of the news in the newspaper entered his head. Though Aisha¡¯s remark sounds like impossible, he couldn¡¯t help but be curious about it. Kanzaki stood from his chair¨D¨D Finally decided to test it out. ¡¸Yuuma.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ ¡¸You still remember that we went to measure your ¡°Mana¡± at Aisha¡¯s laboratory few days ago, right?¡¹ ¡¸Ah, yes, we did that.¡¹ ¡¸She contacted me, telling me that the result has come out. The result is, you have mana.¡¹ ¡¸EEH!? Really?¡¹ Yuuma¡¯s eyes opened wide due to shock. Tanaka who sat beside him was also smiling when he heard the result. ¡¸You did it, Yuuma-kun! That¡¯s truly a relief.¡¹ ¡¸As expected, I mean, not having mana after all of those monster that you killed is really strange after all.¡¹ "" Maika had come to congratulate Yuuma too. Everyone in the company was actually worrying about Yuuma. ¡¸You¡¯ll hear about the details from her later, the most important thing is, you have no need to worry about not having mana anymore.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ So that means the total amount of my mana has yet to be calculated.¡¹ ¡¸Well, we¡¯ll know about that soon enough. Maika, bring me that.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, right away!¡¹ Maika went to the safebox at the corner of the office, turning the dial to unlock it. And then took out a small metal case from inside the box. ¡¸There you go, President.¡¹ The case given by Maika had a lustrous black color, and upon opening it, Yuuma found a lot of ¡°Magic Gem¡± inside of it. It was filled with glittering ¡ºBlue Magic Gem¡». ¡¸Maika, what¡¯s your estimation about Yuuma¡¯s current mana index?¡¹ ¡¸Uhm, considering the number of monster he subjugated so far, I can say that he have more than 10.¡¹ ¡¸I see.¡¹ Kanzaki then took one of the gems from inside the box. ¡¸Yuuma, this is ¡ºIolite¡», magic gem of one carat. Its mana index is 10. Try to eat this one for now.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!!? Are you sure?¡¹ Seeing the shocked Yuuma, Tanaka who sat beside him explained to him. ¡¸Yuuma-kun, this is one of the welfare program of the company.¡¹ ¡¸Welfare program?¡¹ ¡¸Reward outside of your salary. Especially the ¡ºMagic Gem¡», it¡¯s needed for your job after all. No need to worry, just take it.¡¹ ¡¸I see.¡¹ Seeing the president nodded in agreement, Yuuma took the magic gem as he thanked the former. After Maika wiped the magic gem with wet tissue, Yuuma swallowed the ¡°Iolite¡± with a cup of water he got from Maika. ¡¸How do you feel?¡¹ If the AIsha¡¯s measuring tool was really broken, the result would be Yuuma had no mana at all. Even if Yuuma had no mana, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal since the gem would be excreted out of the body but, the moment he thought about that¡­ ¡¸Ah! I feel the heat in my abdomen.¡¹ ¡¸Yup, that¡¯s the sign that your body has taken in the power of the magic gem. That¡¯s a relief right, Yuuma-kun.¡¹ Tanaka felt equally delighted. Maika also heaved a sigh of relief. But, Kanzaki felt worried instead of relieved. Aisha is right, Yuuma had ¡°Mana¡±. ¡ºLet Mitaka use magic.¡» Suddenly, Aisha¡¯s last remark echoed in his head many times over. CH 56 Chapter 56: The Common Sense Using magic outside of the dungeon? Like hell he can do that. A while later, Maika went out to prepare for something, and Tanaka went down to the lower floor to prepare some equipments that they¡¯re going to use for diving into the ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡»later. There was only Kanzaki and Yuuma left in the office. Kanzaki took out a decorated ashtray from inside his desk. Long time ago, it was some sort of decoration in the office but he had already forgotten about it. ¡¸Yuuma¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ ¡¸Since you have ingested the magic gem, how about you try to use magic?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? But magic should be unusable outside of the dungeon right? I do want to try it later in the ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡» but¡­¡¹ Yuuma showed a troubled look on his face. ¡¸Well, that¡¯s natural I guess.¡¹ Kanzaki then placed the fancy ashtray on Yuuma¡¯s desk. ¡¸This item is a specially made item that allows you to use magic around it. How about you try it out now?¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? I have no idea that such wonderful item has been developed!¡¹ Yuuma looked at the ashtray in awe. Naturally, the matter about the special item was a big fat lie. Such an item had never existed. But still, Kanzaki felt that he still had to prove Aisha¡¯s statement. ¡¸As expected of a pro Explorer, they even have something like this.¡¹ ¡¸Well that matter aside, I think you can start with conjuring a bit water for now.¡¹ ¡¸Yes president!¡¹ Without even a shred of doubt at Kanzaki, Yuuma tried to put more power into his arms as he raised a groan. ¡¸Try to focus your magical power into the tip of your finger for now. You should be able to conjure a tiny water ball by doing so.¡¹ ¡¸Fingertip huh, okay!¡¹ This time, he stretched his index finger, focusing his power into it. ¡¸Uuuh¡­ it won¡¯t come out¡­¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha, well this is your first time after all. Worry not, it will be a lot easier once we¡¯re inside of the dungeon!¡¹ Kanzaki heaved a sigh of relief and returned to his desk as he confirmed that Yuuma couldn¡¯t use magic. Magic couldn¡¯t be used outside of the dungeon. Kanzaki and his peers had already confirmed this matter when they tried to use magic outside of the dungeon. The result of their trial was negative, no one among them could use magic outside of the dungeon. It was already impossible even in the vicinity of the dungeon¡¯s entrance. Magic could only be used after they¡¯re completely inside of the dungeon. Later on, there was a clarification of this matter, the fact that magic could be used inside the dungeon was because it was brimming with ¡ºMana¡», that¡¯s why magic couldn¡¯t be used outside of the dungeon which lacked mana. ¡ºMagic can¡¯t be used outside of the dungeon.¡» That was another widely known common sense in the world after the appearance of the dungeon. Yuuma being able to use magic on the ground far from the dungeon would literally overturn common sense. Kanzaki wondered if Aisha had actually forgotten such common sense. ¡¸Ah!¡¹ Kanzaki turned around as he heard that loud shout, and saw Yuuma¡¯s eyes open wide. Just when he wondered what was the matter, he saw the thing appear on Yuuma¡¯s fingertip. ¡¸President, I did it! I conjured a water ball!!¡¹ A small water ball DID appear on Yuuma¡¯s fingertip. Although the size was really small, it didn¡¯t change the fact that Yuuma just used magic outside of the dungeon. It was a phenomenon that no one had ever heard of or saw before. The universally acclaimed common sense just got destroyed right before his eyes. ¡ó¡ó¡ó The afternoon of that day, Kanzaki drove his car straight toward Aisha¡¯s laboratory. ¡¸OI!! AISHA!!¡¹ He threw his manner aside and rudely opened the door. Aisha was currently leaning on her chair, massaging her glabella. ¡¸HE REALLY CAN USE MAGIC!! WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW!?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ I¡¯ve told you right, that man is an aberration.¡¹ ¡¸W-What should I do now? Such a gargantuan mana index will spark a war between companies!¡¹ Many big companies were nurturing their personnel to have ¡°Colorless Mana¡± as much as possible to allow them to use ¡ºWhite Magic¡». But, raising the mana index for someone who couldn¡¯t fight wasn¡¯t an easy job, that was the main source of trouble for every company. ¡¸Fool, how can it be that simple? Do you think it¡¯s gonna end with something as simple as a battle between companies? Let me to tell you then that this matter can potentially trigger another world war.¡¹ ¡¸International problem, that¡¯s kinda over exaggerated¡­¡¹ Aisha laughs scornfully. ¡¸Try to think about it carefully. We¡¯re talking about 460k mana indexes, you know? With that much mana index, he can literally use all the highest-grade magic gems, the ¡°Diamond¡±. As much as he can on top of that.¡¹ ¡¸Diamond¡­¡¹ ¡¸Moreover¡­ There¡¯s a rumor about mana leaking out from some dungeon. If that¡¯s true, it¡¯s only a matter of time before mana covered the surface of the earth.¡¹ ¡¸THE HECK!? This is the first time I have heard about this matter!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s a hot topic among scholars. I have no idea if it¡¯s true or not but if that¡¯s true, the army will be equipped with magic. When that happens, Mitaka Yuuma will definitely receive the brunt of it.¡¹ Kanzaki scratched his head. He had no idea what he had to do since he never expected that his new employee who was rejected by every company aside from him was in fact mankind¡¯s absolutely strongest Explorer. ¡¸This is beyond what I expected. I mean, the person himself only wants to make money as an ordinary Explorer¡­¡¹ ¡¸Too bad then, you have another matter to worry about.¡¹ ¡¸Seriously!?¡¹ ¡¸Yup, this matter is even bigger trouble for you.¡¹ ¡¸EEEEEEEEEEEH!>¡¹ CH 57 Chapter 57: Possibility Seeing Kanzaki was trembling in fear, as if expecting even greater bad news, Aisha gave him a piece of paper. ¡¸This is the detailed data of Mitaka Yuuma¡¯s ¡°Mana Index¡±, it records two different kind of electromagnetic waves.¡¹ ¡¸S-So, what¡¯s the matter with that?¡¹ ¡¸Take a look by yourself.¡¹ When Kanzaki looked at the paper, he saw an unknown graph in there. ¡¸What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡¹ ¡¸This is a data which showed the composition ratio of mana, and this white graph represents the ¡ºColorless Mana¡».¡¹ ¡¸Uhm yeah¡­ So?¡¹ ¡¸Look at this part.¡¹ Aisha¡¯s finger pointed at the graph with a different color. ¡¸The gray coloured area represent dyed mana.¡¹ ¡¸Eh?¡¹ ¡¸In short, on the whole of 460k¡¯s mana, not all of it is colorless.¡¹ ¡¸Hey, wait a minute! Are you trying to say¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Mitaka Yuuma should¡¯ve already eaten an attribute magic gem! He has already started dying his mana.¡¹ ¡¸He can¡¯t even fu*king use magic! And he doesn¡¯t seem to be lying about that. As a matter of choice, he should¡¯ve said it during the interview if he can use magic, right?¡¹ ¡¸There must be a special reason for that. But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that he had already dyed his mana. Or maybe, he simply doesn¡¯t recognize that as magic.¡¹ ¡¸How much¡­ of his mana that has been transformed into ¡°Magical Power¡±?¡¹ ¡¸Looking at the overall ratio of this graph¡­ It should be around 100k mana has been transformed into magical power.¡¹ ¡¸O-One hundred, and thousand!?¡¹ Kanzaki directly dismissed Aisha¡¯s statement since he knew that the cost of a magic gem to convert such vast amounts of mana into magical power was simply astronomical, not something feasible for an ordinary high school student from an ordinary family. ¡¸I don¡¯t know from where did he get the supply of magic gems. Kotaro, have you seen Mitaka acting strange?¡¹ "" Kanzaki pondered silently upon hearing Aisha¡¯s question. The Yuuma that he knew until now was just your average youth who for some reason couldn¡¯t raise his mana index. But, Does it mean he kept the fact that he could use powerful magic as a secret? ¡¸He said it himself that when he measured his mana index on his own, the result was zero. Does that mean he lie to us!?¡¹ Upon hearing his remark, Aisha touched her chin, pondering for a while. Then opened her mouth. ¡¸Nope, a normal mana measuring tool can¡¯t measure the amount of his mana. In a certain meaning, he did tell the truth about his mana index.¡¹ ¡¸Then how did you manage to measure his mana with your measuring tools.¡¹ Aisha smiled impishly as she explained the situation to Kanzaki. ¡¸It¡¯s simply because of the difference in the structures. The normal measuring tool is a delicate instrument which measures the miniscule amount of mana inside the body. But, Mitaka¡¯s mana is literally overflowing throughout his body. That¡¯s why commercially available measuring tools can¡¯t measure his mana. It is just like how the tool which is placed in the dungeon doesn¡¯t work when it is filled with mana.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s¡­ Also one of the possibility.¡¹ ¡¸On the other hand, my home-made measuring tool is basically to be used for measuring the mana inside the dungeon. That¡¯s why I made it in that shape in order to isolate the target inside the sphere. It can work just fine even in a place overflowed with mana.¡¹ Kanzaki frowned as he saw Aisha¡¯s triumphant look on his face. But he really had to thank her since her mana measuring tool did measured Yuuma¡¯s mana, albeit the scale of his mana was leagues ahead of the entire world. Aisha then mumbled something as she paced around the room. ¡¸But then, why did Mitaka eat magic gems even after knowing that his mana index was zero back then? He shouldn¡¯t be that stupid to not realizing such obvious fact.¡¹ ¡¸Humph, doesn¡¯t that mean he simply have no idea that he can¡¯t eat magic gem without sufficient mana?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t think so, that matter isn¡¯t a secret and he can easily find out about it with his smartphone. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s such thoughtless person.¡¹ Aisha pinched her chin, fell into a deep silence as her brain worked at full throttle. It was her particular gesture when she was completely immersed in her own world. ¡¸Hmmm, do you think that there¡¯s a magic gem¡­ with mana index zero? But he should¡¯ve known by a simple survey on the internet that all magic gems have a mana index¡­ Since that¡¯s the case¡­¡¹ Aisha¡¯s brainstorm suddenly came to a halt. ¡¸No way¡­ is it a magic ore?¡¹ ¡¸What the heck is that?¡¹ ¡¸If we¡¯re talking about magic ore, some of them do have zero mana index. That matter is also open on the internet. The truth is, the mana index of those magic ore is too high for commercially available measuring tool.¡¹ Aisha was visibly becoming more and more excited. Only scholar specialized in ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» would react to the term such as magic ore. ¡¸Maybe, Mitaka Yuuma is related to the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡»¡­ Nay, it¡¯s definitely! I guess it¡¯ll be faster to ask the person himself¨D¨D¡¹ ¡¸Wait, time out! If the person himself keep that matter a secret, there¡¯s no way he¡¯s going to tell us that easily.¡¹ ¡¸Uhm? Ah, come to think of it, you¡¯re right. I have to make proper preparations¡­ I definitely can¡¯t afford to lose the best lab rat due to some sort of misunderstanding. Fufufufu¡­¡¹ Kanzaki who looked at Aisha who mumbled an eerie laugh couldn¡¯t help but worry about Yuuma. ¡¸Kotaro! Bring Mitaka Yuuma to this place the day after tomorrow. I¡¯ll handle the negotiation with him.¡¹ ¡¸The day after tomorrow? Not tomorrow?¡¹ ¡¸I need some preparation to secure my subjugation, that¡¯s why you just need to bring Mitaka to this place and leave the rest to me. Kukuku.¡¹ Kanzaki became even more worried about Yuuma as soon as he heard Aisha¡¯s declaration. CH 58 Chapter 58: Suggestion From Aisha Early in the morning, Yuuma, who was riding the train to work, was holding on the pole near the door while looking at the scenery outside of the train window. Yuuma was looking at the flowing scenery outside the windows from the rather crammed train while pondering about his recent situation. ¨D¨DWell, no one is gonna believe that the deepest dungeon appeared in the garden of my house anyway¡­ Both the president and Tanaka-san had also told me that elevator type dungeons are just a rumor in the wild. In the first place, the fact that I defeated monsters in such a deep dungeon seems to be too good to be true. That matter aside, the most important thing was magic. After I used magic in the office, I went to ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡» with Tanaka-san and confirmed that I really can use magic. Just as the president had said, magic was easier to use inside the dungeon. Tanaka-san even praised my mastery of magic. He added that he¡¯s gonna teach me more about the know-how to use magic tomorrow-which means today- when we¡¯re visiting the dungeon again. It seems I¡¯m still lacking magical power since all I can do right now is changing the size of the waterball, conjuring and erasing the waterball seems to require a lot of training. Though, I really enjoyed those processes a lot. Nevertheless, when I told Tanaka-san that I used magic in the office, the latter immediately dismissed that story, smiling as he told me that was impossible. Does that mean it requires some sort of talent? Oh whatever, it seems I can use enchanted armament if I raised my ¡°Magical Power of Water¡± a bit more and help the company to hunt more monster in the ¡ºRed Dungeon¡». Yuuma got out of the train when it reached Kashiwa station, while revealing a rather weird smile on his face imagining his future adventurer. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸Yuuma, come with me to Aisha¡¯s laboratory!¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Aisha-san¡¯s laboratory?¡¹ The president unexpectedly had another plan for Yuuma who just arrived at the office. Naturally, his original plan was going to ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡». ¡¸The result of your physical examination from a few days ago has come out. She asked us to come together since she seems to be wanting to talk something with both of us.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, it¡¯s the result of the measurement huh.¡¹ I see. Surely, the president doesn¡¯t tell me the details about how many mana indexes I have yesterday. Did she call us because it isn¡¯t that easy to raise my mana index? Or is it simply because my mana index is hard to measure? That matter was still a mystery. I would be grateful since she would tell the details. ¡¸Understood. Let¡¯s go!¡¹ Yuuma agreed immediately. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Since the company is located in Kashiwa city of Chiba, they need to drive for around one hour via the 6th highway of the capital to arrive at the laboratory which is located in Ota city of Tokyo. After the car stopped around the laboratory, Yuuma came out from the car and looked up at the building. The laboratory which used to be an old factory looks as dilapidated as before. Yuuma entered with the president and went up to the second floor via the stairs. ¡¸Aisha, I came with Yuuma.¡¹ ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹ When they entered the room, Aisha had been waiting for them. Her hand was inserted into the pocket of her white robe, standing silently as she looked at the two men. Seeing her like that, Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but agree that she had a slender and well proportioned body along with a well-ordered face. Though the dark circle under her eyes was a huge minus to her beauty, her sunny smile gave Yuuma a different impression compared to when they just first met. ¡¸I¡¯ve been waiting for you, Yuuma-kun.¡¹ Yuuma who is still bewildered by the change in Aisha then follows her gesture to sit on the sofa. Aisha was sitting in front of him, and the president was sitting beside her. The president looked rather restless since a while ago, then he cleared his throat with a cough as he started speaking. ¡¸Yuuma¡­ Have you been hiding something?¡¹ ¡¸Eh?¡¹ Why did he suddenly ask about something like that!? Said Yuuma to himself since the question clearly came out of nowhere. ¡¸N-No, I haven¡¯t hiding anything though.¡¹ What¡¯s happened? Do they find something strange in my body!? Was what Yuuma wondered in his head. Seeing that, Aisha took her turn this time. ¡¸In fact, I found something strange after seeing the result of your examination.¡¹ ¡¸S-Something strange?¡¹ Yuuma gulped his spit when Aisha told him so. ¡¸You¡­ Ate magic ore, right? And not in small number on top of that.¡¹ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! MY SECRET GOT EXPOSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!! T-This is bad. I¡¯ve to deceive them somehow. ¡¸W-W-W-What are you talking about? I really have no idea about it¡­¡¹ He felt really scared right now, he was sweating like a waterfall from his forehead. But, it wasn¡¯t the kind of secret that he could tell to others since once he told the other people about it, he might get arrested. ¡¸Oi, Yuuma¡­ You see~¡¹ ¡¸Wait.¡¹ When the president was about to say something, Aisha glared at him, telling him to stop. ¡¸Can you let me to take care of this matter?¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes ma¡¯am¡­¡¹ The silent pressure emanating from her body forced the president to obey her. ¡¸Yuuma-kun, you must have a reason for keeping this a secret from everyone. I know that asking you to reveal your secret is an extremely impudent request.¡¹ Aisha spoke gently to Yuuma. But, Yuuma somehow felt like he was a frog being watched by a snake. ¡¸Since that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s only natural for us to bear the risk.¡¹ ¡¸R-Risk?¡¹ Yuuma had no idea what Aisha was talking about. The president who was sitting beside her was equally surprised. ¡¸You must be hiding something related to the dungeon. But as a researcher, I want to know that. That¡¯s why¨D¨D¡¹ Aisha took a piece of paper and placed it on the desk. ¡¸I¡¯ve got a proposal for you. Mitaka Yuuma-kun¡¹ CH 59 Chapter 59: NDA ¡¸What is this?¡¹ ¡¸Non-Disclosure Agreement [NDA].¡¹ ¡¸Non-Disclosure¡­ Agreement?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, it is used in many contract and joint agreement but, we¡¯re going to use it in order to to keep the secret between the three of us.¡¹ Aisha explained the content of the document in detail while explaining the terms one-by-one. ¡¸This is prepared by an official lawyer. If we leaked your secret to the third party, we have the obligation to pay a remuneration for you.¡¹ ¡¸Obligation huh.¡¹ ¡¸By the way, the amount of the compensation is one hundred millions.¡¹ ¡¸O-One hundred million!?¡¹ Seeing the shocked Yuuma, Aisha¡¯s line of sight scanned her room. ¡¸This place is my property. The building is worn out but the land itself is quite a valuable asset. Combined with my savings, the amount is exactly one hundred million. Moreover¨D¨D¡¹ Aisha took the ballpoint from her chest pocket, and pointed at the president. ¡¸Hey, sign it already.¡¹ ¡¸THE FUCK, ME TOO!?¡¹ ¡¸Of course you are. Are you going to reveal his secret?¡¹ ¡¸Like hell I¡¯m going to do that! I ain¡¯t the kind of bastard who can¡¯t keep the secret of the other!¡¹ ¡¸Then you got no problem with this NDA.¡¹ ¡¸Geh!¡¹ Said the president, he then took the ballpoint from Aisha and gave his autograph on the NDA. ¡¸You bring your seal right?¡¹ ¡¸Is this the reason why you told me to bring my seal too!?¡¹ The president reluctantly took out his seal from his pocket and stamped on the document. ¡¸With this, none of us are going to reveal your secret to the third party. Properly speaking, the exception can be included when it¡¯s related to crime but, I¡¯m not including that into this NDA. In short, you have no disadvantage at all in this NDA. If you doubt it, I don¡¯t mind if you bring back this document and confirm it with your lawyer.¡¹ ¡¸N-No, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡¹ Yuuma was worried since this matter inflated into a scale beyond his imagination. He knew that he could trust the president, and as the president¡¯s acquaintance, he naturally felt the same way for Aisha. But, it didn¡¯t mean that they absolutely wouldn¡¯t reveal his secret. ¡¸Uhm¡­ Actually, I don¡¯t think that my secret is a pretty big deal though¡­ Are you sure that this isn¡¯t some sort of misunderstanding?¡¹ Seeing Yuuma still trying to feign his ignorance, president Kanzaki heaved a sigh. ¡¸Yuuma. I¡¯ve told you to use magic with the box that I show you back then at the company¡¯s office right?¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yeah, I mean, you told me that tool will allow me to use magic outside of the dungeon. So I tried but¡­¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s a Bullcr*p.¡¹ ¡¸Eeh!?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s just a somewhat fancy ashtray, it doesn¡¯t have such an effect! Though I feel bad for lying to you, I do that to confirm Aisha¡¯s statement about your ¡°Abnormal¡± mana index. But, I didn¡¯t expect that what she said to be correct.¡¹ ¡¸N-No wa~y¡­¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s why just give it up and tell us about your secret! Though I lied to you the day before yesterday, I will absolutely protect your secret this time. Your secret will be known only to the three of us. Maika and Tanaka-san won¡¯t know about this matter either!¡¹ The president declared without averting his gaze from Yuuma. Sure enough, the President is a man of his words. Aisha-san also prepared this document just for this occasion to show that she¡¯s completely prepared. I don¡¯t want to tell anyone about this matter but, can¡¯t be helped I guess¨D¨D ¡¸I understand. But, I beg you to not tell any soul about this.¡¹ ¡¸You got my words.¡¹ ¡¸Naturally.¡¹ Yuuma heaved a sigh and then readjusted his sitting posture. ¡¸The truth is¡­ This matter began around the summer two years ago.¡¹ ¡¸Around the summer two years ago, huh.¡¹ Aisha leaned her body forward. Her eyes were glittering with the color of madness¨D¨D Seeing her made Yuuma wondering if she was alright. ¡¸¡­ I found a hole in the corner of my house¡¯s garden. When I looked into the hole, I found a monster inside.¡¹ ¡¸Is it a dungeon!?¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes¡­¡¹ Aisha mumbled something after that as if she was trying to digest Yuuma¡¯s story. ¡¸I see, dungeon in the garden¡­ Does exist. There¡¯s a lot of precedent about dungeons appearing on private property. But then, dungeon in the garden huh¡­¡¹ ¡¸Uhm, can I continue my story again?¡¹ ¡¸Ah? Aah, my bad. Please continue.¡¹ ¡¸That dungeon is really small.¡¹ ¡¸Small? How small it is?¡¹ The president who was sitting beside her was dumbfounded seeing her interrupting Yuuma¡¯s story again. ¡¸The depth is around one meter, the size is around one tatami mat.¡¹[TN: 0.9 x 1.8 meter] ¡¸Ah, wait a minute! I need to take a note about this.¡¹ Aisha took out a memopad from the desk in a hurry. After opening the memopad and holding the ballpoint in her hand, she urged Yuuma to continue. Yuuma took a deep breath, and started talking again. "" ¡¸When I illuminate the hole inside¨D¨D¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s the shape of the hole?¡¹ ¡¸Eh, the shape? Let¡¯s see¡­ It¡¯s a round shaped hole, with a tunnel at the bottom of it¡­ Yeah, just like shoes.¡¹ ¡¸Shoes?¡¹ ¡¸And then, inside that tunnel wa¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Is the inside of hole made from soil? Or a wall of rock? O¨D¨D¡¹ ¡¸SHUT U~~P!!!¡¹ The president had finally snapped and interrupted Aisha who kept interrupting Yuuma¡¯s story. ¡¸JUST SHUT UP FOR NOW!¡¹ He blocked Aisha¡¯s mouth and then looked at Yuuma, ignoring Aisha who mumbled something. ¡¸Okay Yuuma! Now finish your story.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹ Despite being quite bewildered seeing the struggling Aisha, Yuuma continued his story. ¡¸When I looked inside the tunnel, I saw¡­ a ¡°Metal Slime¡±.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Metal Slime?¡¹¡¹ Both Aisha and the president¡¯s voices overlapped. === TN: Congratulations Yuuma, you got NDA for valentine! CH 60 ¡¸What is this ¡ºMetal Slime¡» you¡¯re talking about?¡¹ Aisha asked curiously. Yuuma then went on to explain about the monster, about the item drop which is magic ore, and about the dungeon which had suddenly vanished more than half years ago. ¡¸¡­ I see. The rumored metal slime really does exist huh. I see now¡­¡¹ Aisha nodded delightfully. ¡¸So, can you use the ¡ºMetallization¡»ability that you acquire from the magic ore right now?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, no problem.¡¹ ¡¸Alright, you can show it to us then.¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ Yuuma then stood up from his chair and focused on his mind to activate the ¡ºMetallization¡». The next moment, his body from the tip of his hair all the way down to his feet transformed into a black steel. ¡¸AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! THIS ¡ºMETALLIZATION¡» ABILITY IS REALLY AWESOME!!¡¹ Surprised by the transformation brought by the ability, Aisha started touching Yuuma¡¯s metallized body with an entranced look on her face. The president who directly stood up behind her was staring dumbfoundedly at Yuuma. ¡¸I see, this body is as tough as steel and yet elastic at the same time. I¡¯ve been researching the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» for so long and yet this is the first time I see a magic ore which caused such drastic transformation.¡¹ Five minutes later, Aisha was still touching Yuuma¡¯s body which had already returned to normal with the same enthusiasm as before. ¡¸I see now¡­ So, have you encountered any other type of monsters in that dungeon?¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s only metal slime but, some variants with different color does appear.¡¹ ¡¸Variant with different colors? What does that mean?¡¹ ¡¸As I keep defeating the metal slimes, the metal slime with different color appeared, ¡ºGold¡», ¡ºRed¡», ¡ºBlue¡», ¡ºYellow¡», and ¡ºGreen¡» in turn of their appearance.¡¹ ¡¸I see, they does sounds like variant indeed.¡¹ Aisha then continued to take a note upon Yuuma¡¯s explanation in the memo in her hands. ¡¸And what makes them different from the normal one is basically their color. Oh yeah. They¡¯re really tough nut, and because of that color difference the ability acquired from their ¡°Magic Ore¡± is different too.¡¹ ¡¸The ability of their magic ore is different!?¡¹ Seeing Aisha¡¯s hand stopped writing in the middle as she brought her face closer to him, Yuuma continued his story. ¡¸The red one gave me ¡ºFire Resistance¡». The blue, yellow, and green each gave me water, thunder, and maybe wind resistance respectively.¡¹ ¡¸Element Resistance huh¡­¡¹ Aisha then stands up and walks back and forth as she mulls something. She seems to be thinking about something important. ¡¸I see¡­ then the reason why magic hardly works on the monster of ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡»¡­ Is because of their resistance. Since that¡¯s the case¨D¨D Mumblemumblemumble.¡¹ ¡¸Ano, excuse me!¡¹ Aisha only snapped out of her own world when Yuuma called out to her. ¡¸Alright, back to the topic. The first thing I thought of what I should use to defeat the ¡°Variant¡± slime was also through using some kind of fire and thunder based attack. And it did, it really worked on the monster of the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» like it did on the monster of the ¡ºWhite Dungeon¡». But it doesn¡¯t work that well for some of them because they have the elemental resistance. Well, that might be one of the reasons why they¡¯re keeping their distance before attacking.¡¹ ¡¸But¡­ If what you say is correct, then some monster does have resistance. Truly interesting.¡¹ ¡¸A-Ah yes¡­¡¹ ¡¸So, what about the effect given by the magic ore from the ¡ºGolden Slime¡»?¡¹ ¡¸Well, I¡¯m not really sure but the effect seems to be making the drop rate in ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡»100%.¡¹ ¡¸Huh?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, the effect is allowing me to get every magic ore dropped from the other colored monsters in the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» that I defeated¡­¡¹ ¡¸Uhm? Eh? Eh? What are you talking about right now? Magic ore¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ ¡¸£±£°£°£¥ drop rate?¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ ¡¸Are you serious?¡¹ ¡¸I am.¡¹ Aisha looked up at the ceiling for a moment and started walking in a circle. Yuuma and the president, who had no idea what she was thinking about, were equally puzzled. Aisha suddenly stopped walking, rapidly approached Yuuma, and then grabbed his shoulder. She brought her face closer, looking at Yuuma with a dead serious face. ¡¸ReallyReallyReallyReallyReally, Are you serious about the 100% drop rate!?¡¹ ¡¸Y-Y-Y-Yes, I¡¯m serious.¡¹ Aisha¡¯s current state had truly scared the sh*t out of Yuuma. ¡¸Kukuku¡­ If that¡¯s the truth, there will be tremendous progress in the research about the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». Truly the supreme ability in this world. The drop rate of magic ore is slightly lower than magic gem after all. a 100% drop rate is just like a dream comes true. Well, we can confirm about that later on. Right, Yuuma-kun?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Yes.¡¹ Although Aisha said herself that it was a supreme ability, for Yuuma, it was just the skill to get worthless magic ore. ¡¸Is that all variant of metal slime you see in that dungeon?¡¹ ¡¸Nope, the last monster that appeared before the dungeon disappeared was a huge metal slime. It should be the boss because it¡¯s super strong and I barely managed to beat it.¡¹ ¡¸A huge metal slime? Is it just because of the size?¡¹ ¡¸Nope, it can change form too. That¡¯s how I feel from the ability of its magic ore.¡¹ ¡¸Magic ore that can change form¡­ Can you show it to me?¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ Yuuma invoked ¡ºMetallization¡» again, and then followed by ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡», he transformed himself into the figure of a gelatinous, gray coloured metal slime. He didn¡¯t forget to add a few feelers to his body. ¡¸Like this¡¹ Said Yuuma as he turned around, only to see both the president and Aisha stare at him with a gaped mouth. CH 61 Chapter 61: Lies and Instruments ¡¸Nononono, this is a literal freaking monster!¡¹ The president shouted with a dumbfounded look on his face. ¡¸Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful, Yuuma-kun!¡¹ Aisha on the other hand was squatting down with a beaming smile on her face, patting Yuuma¡¯s body which had been turned into metal slime as if she was patting her dog. ¡¸Truly interesting! To think such ability would exist!¡¹ ¡¸A-Ah,yes.¡¹ Though feeling bewildered by Aisha¡¯s reaction, Yuuma replied casually as he returned to his human form. Thus, Aisha took Yuuma¡¯s hand immediately. ¡¸The research about ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» will advance at rapid pace with your help! You absolutely have to go into the black dungeon with me, will you?¡¹ ¡¸Eh,¡ºBlack Dungeon¡»? But, I hear that the entry to the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» is extremely restricted¡­¡¹ Hearing that, Aisha revealed a smug expression on her face.then with a harrumph she said. ¡¸I¡¯m one of the small number of researcher with permission to enter the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». But alone, I can¡¯t go too deep into the black dungeon. That¡¯s why I also have the permission to appoint any Explorer to accompany me entering the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». So, there¡¯s no problem right?¡¹ ¡¸D-Definitely.¡¹ ¡¸D-Minor will submit the request to explore the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». That¡¯s why you must accompany me at all cost, Yuuma-kun!¡¹ ¡¸Eh, but, I think the one who can decide that is the president¡­¡¹ Yuuma sent a glance at the president who had yet to recover from his state of shock. ¡¸Kotaro! Give him permission. You still owe me the promise to explore ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» from before after all. So You¡¯re going to come with Yuuma!¡¹ ¡¸Eh? B-But¡­¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s no but! Think about how much debt you¡¯ve had on me until now. It¡¯s time to repay them all!!¡¹ ¡¸Uh¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡¹ Ignoring the speechless president, Aisha then looked at Yuuma with a beaming smile on her face. ¡¸Just as I promised, I¡¯ll keep your secret. Instead, I need your cooperation for my investigation. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not a tough request.¡¹ ¡¸Well¡­ I understand, I supposed.¡¹ ¡¸Well, does that mean the dungeon has vanished after you defeated that giant slime?¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹ ¡¸How many days have passed since the first time you find that dungeon till it vanished?¡¹ ¡¸Around 413 days. I just checked on my note after I heard from the president and others about the elevator type dungeon, so it comes to me that tiny little slime dungeon might be one too¡­¡¹ ¡¸Elevator type dungeon¡­. Sure enough, there¡¯s a rumor about that. Well, those rumor mostly fake though.¡¹ Aisha smiled wryly, rubbing her chin as she looked at the window. On the other hand, the president looked at Yuuma now. ¡¸What the heck, does that mean the rumor is true? I mean, it sounds like a hoax.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yeah.¡¹ Aisha then called out to the bashful Yuuma. ¡¸Ah, I almost forgot about it, Yuuma-kun. As promised, I¡¯ll give the detailed explanation about the result of your check up.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹ Yuuma straightened his posture when he heard that. ¡¸Let¡¯s skip the hassle explanation and straight to the conclusion, Your ¡°Mana¡± has a property that makes it almost impossible to be measured. This might be the result of you subjugating special monsters, the metal slime and co.¡¹ ¡¸I see, now that make a sense.¡¹ ¡¸My home made ¡ºMana Measuring Tool¡» can somehow measure your mana but, even that isn¡¯t perfectly measured. Currently, there¡¯s no real mean to accurately measure your mana.¡¹ ¡¸Huh?¡¹ muttered the president with a dubious look on his face. But Aisha ignored him and continued on with her explanations. ¡¸So far, the measured amount of your ¡°Mana Index¡± is around 200.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? So much?¡¹ ¡¸Of course. Unfortunately, only my home made measuring tool can measure your mana index for now.¡¹ Contrary to Yuuma who raised his arms in joy, the president glared at Aisha. ¡¸What¡¯s the meaning of this? You say that the resu¨D¨D¡¹ Aisha¡¯s elbow mercilessly sunk into the president¡¯s flank before he managed to finish his sentence. Aisha then grabs the president by his collar and drags him out of the room. ¡¸What¡¯s matter?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, just wait for a while¡¹ said Aisha to Yuuma who was puzzled by his two senior¡¯s antics. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸Oi! What the heck with that mana index 200. That¡¯s a big fat lie!!¡¹ ¡¸You fool, do I have to tell him the truth then? Do you know what will happen once we tell him the truth?¡¹ ¡¸The heck¡­ What do you think he¡¯s going to do then?¡¹ Hearing that, Aisha heaved a sigh. She folded her arms as she leaned on the wall. ¡¸Try to think about it. What do you think Mitaka is going to do once we tell him that his mana is 460k? Realistically speaking, he¡¯ll just directly move to a bigger company okay.¡¹ ¡¸Bigger company¡­ But you say that only your ¡ºMana Measuring Tool¡» can measure his mana right? Ain¡¯t that equal to him unable to proof his huge mana index?¡¹ ¡¸Too naive. Think about it, just how much do you think the way to measure his mana is? The easiest way to prove that is to make him use magic outside the dungeon. You¡¯ve told him how to use magic right?¡¹ ¡¸Ah¡­¡¹ ¡¸What do you think is going to happen if he goes to the interview of a big company knowing about his mana index? He¡¯ll simply cause a ruckus, and the company will do anything and everything to measure his mana index. Preparing special mana measuring tool is a simple matter for big companies!¡¹ ¡¸Uh¡­ Damn, that¡¯s too logical.¡¹ ¡¸Understand! You mustn¡¯t tell Mitaka the truth. He¡¯ll bring a huge profit for your company, and I get the best test subject. You absolutely must not let him go!!¡¹ Aisha¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, as if carrying madness inside. ¡¸I¡¯ll kill you if you dare to interrupt my research on Mitaka.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes ma¡¯am¡­¡¹ Thanks to being acquainted for a long time, Kanzaki painfully understands that Aisha would really kill him if he was daring enough to tell Yuuma the truth. Hearing that, Aisha revealed an eerie smile and went back into the room with a light gait. ¡¸Sorry to keep you waiting, Yuuma-kun.¡¹ Seeing Aisha acting soft-spoken like that, Kanzaki promised in his heart to never make an enemy of her. CH 62 Chapter 62: Dungeon in Yokohama ¡¸Yuuma and I will dive into ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» starting from tomorrow.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? Why are you in such hurry?¡¹ President Kanzaki who returned to the office told Tanaka and Maika that he already received an official commission to investigate the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». ¡¸You have investigated that place few times in the past but, why are you suddenly bringing Yuuma there?¡¹ Maika asked curiously. Kanzaki prepared to answer her with the answer that was prepared beforehand to avoid telling them the detailed situation. ¡¸It¡¯s for efficiency. The younger Yuuma whose ¡°Magical Power¡± still low is the most suited one for this case.¡¹ Seeing his daughter¡¯s expression, Kanzaki knew that Maika isn¡¯t truly convinced by his answer but, ¡¸U~hm, I see¡­ Physical strength is more important for defeating monster in that place.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yeah, it¡¯s just as you say, Tanaka-san!¡¹ ¡¸Okay.¡¹ "" Tanaka who was sitting at his desk stood up and trotted toward them. ¡¸While Yuuma and I go to Yokohama, Tanaka-san and Maika will dive into the 20th floor of ¡ºBlue Dungeon¡» to gather ¡°Iolite¡±.¡¹ ¡¸A~h, the magic gem commissioned by the ISAS company huh. Understood. By the way, president, I actually doesn¡¯t want to pry too much into it since it¡¯s a commission from Aisha-san but, why are you willingly agreeing to it?¡¹ ¡¸Uh¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡¹ Previously, their company investigation of the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» had been postponed due to some reason. But since both Maika and Tanaka were aware of that, Kanzaki was troubled in how to answer the question, ¡¸It feels like if I refuse her request again this time, she¡¯s going to kill me for real¡­ I¡¯m serious.¡¹ ¡¸A~hahaha, yeah, she might really do that. I mean, you always gave her your promise to help her investigation and neglecting it until now, she must be really pissed off this time.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yeah. Hahaha.¡¹ ¡¸I understand. Leave the gathering of ¡°Iolite¡± to Maika-chan and I!¡¹ ¡¸Thanks, sorry for the trouble then.¡¹ Kanzaki heaved a deep sigh of relief as he sat back in his chair. Upon a closer look, Yuuma seems to have a pleasant conversation with Maika and Tanaka about the expedition into the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». ¨D¨DIs he really the owner of the biggest mana index in this world? I hardly believe it even now. That alone didn¡¯t equal him being the strongest seeker in the world. But, it literally allows him to use all four prime elements along with recovery magic, and still enough to push them to the highest limit. The current strongest healer in the world was a woman from India, Gaurika Naidu. She was hailed as a messiah, they said that she could cure any sickness or Injured person that was already on the verge of death, the people in her country called it god¡¯s miracle. But, her treatment fees were ranging from hundreds of millions to billions. There was even a rumor that a certain multi billionaire from somewhere paid her trillions. And her mana index was only 4800. Some scholars even come up with a theory that it might be possible to revive a dead person if the user of healing magic has more than ten thousand mana index. I had no idea whether he really had 460k mana index or not but, if that was the truth even if just around 100k had already been coloured, the rest was more than enough for the other magic. When that happened, he literally had become a god-like existence. Was that even possible? I guess this exploration was the best chance to check up on that¨D¨D ¡ó¡ó¡ó The next day, Yuuma and the President¡¯s figure could be seen in Yokohama station. The ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» that appeared in the form of cave in near Yokohama station, the downtown, became a huge news due to huge number of victims caused by that incident. The country quickly mobilized its authority to build the facility to seal the entrance of the dungeon from the general public and announced the event as the mark of national disaster. Now, the grim fortress built by the ministry of defense was enshrined as a landmark in front of Yokohama station. ¡¸It really is in the middle of city, eh.¡¹ Muttered Yuuma as he looked up to the huge building before him. ¡¸Well, inside is the dungeon that caused the biggest damage in Japan after all.¡¹ The president who spoke from behind Yuuma had also looked up at the building. ¡¸Oi, what are you waiting for? Come here!¡¹ Aisha walked casually toward the entrance of the building as she waved her hand to them. She was apparently in high spirits, which was quite obvious from the huge rucksack she carried on her back. Her current appearance was the exact opposite of the image of her as a gloomy researcher. ¡¸You¡¯re going to enter the dungeon too, Aisha-san?¡¹ ¡¸Well¡­ That¡¯s the reason for my investigation after all.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to become a hindrance?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Stop being so blunt like that.¡¹ Apparently, their job was clearing the floor of the dungeon while escorting Aisha. The president nodded with a rather unpleasant look on his face. After passing the exaggerated concrete door and entering the building, the JSDF personnel with uniform came to them, asking them to finish their procedure registration. Aisha then showed her entry permit and appointed Yuuma and the president as her escort. They were then guided by the JSDF personnel further inside. After passing who knows how many huge concrete doors, they had finally arrived at the dome-shaped building. In the middle of that dome-shaped building was a giant hole. CH 63 Chapter 63: Showdown, VS Iron Armored Dumpling Insect ¡¸Welcome to Japan¡¯s ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡», The Abyss.¡¹ Said Aisha jokingly with a mischievous smile on her face. ¡¸¡±Abyss¡±? Is that the name of the dungeon?¡¹ Though it wasn¡¯t a rare case to give a name to a deep dungeon, Yuuma never heard about a dungeon in Japan having a particular name. ¡¸I named it just now. It gave you a sense of belonging right?¡¹ Hearing that, the president and Yuuma heaved a sigh as they followed Aisha as she happily descended the staircase. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸President, you¡¯ve been visiting this place few times in the past right?¡¹ ¡¸Uhm? Yeah, three times to be exact.¡¹ The trio were currently exploring the 1st floor of the black dungeon. It was a cave with a rugged rock wall. The area had bad lighting, causing them to only barely manage to see the vicinity. It should be a deep dungeon and yet, the phenomenon called ¡°Dungeon Mirage¡± didn¡¯t happen in this place. ¡¸Faster guys! The sun will set soon if you don¡¯t walk faster!¡¹ Aisha walked in front of them in high spirits. Yuuma was really bewildered to see her act like that. ¡¸Is it really okay for a non-Explorer like Aisha-san to walk on the front like that in the dungeon?¡¹ ¡¸Well, we¡¯re still on the shallow floor after all. There¡¯s no dangerous monster around this area but¡­¡¹ The president tapped his hexagon staff on his shoulder as he grumbled with a bored look on his face. Yuuma was also holding on to his pickel as he looked around restlessly. The only thing he saw was a dumpling-like insect that crawled on the ground. It was bigger than a normal insect but it didn¡¯t seem to be that powerful. ¡¸Till which floor we¡¯re planning to dive today?¡¹ ¡¸U~hm, according to Aisha, we¡¯re going to dive until the 10th floor.¡¹ ¡¸How powerful are the monster in there?¡¹ ¡¸Well, rather than strong, it¡¯s more like the majority of the¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» monster is tough. I mean like their body made of rock or metal.¡¹ The president replied with a grim look on his face as if he recalled something unpleasant. ¡¸By nature, ¡°Fire¡± and ¡°Thunder¡± magic should be working better against monsters in this place just like the ¡ºWhite Dungeon¡». By the way, there are also many monsters which are resistant to those attributes. They have tough bodies and are resistant to magic, that¡¯s why you need to be quite skilfull to dive in the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». Not to mention that the dropped magic ore is worthless, and the drop rate is even lower than magic gems compared to other dungeons. In short, it¡¯s the worst dungeon!¡¹ ¡¸So that¡¯s why it¡¯s not popular.¡¹ ¨D¨DNow I know why this dungeon is unpopular. But, why did Aisha-san fuss over such a dungeon? ¡¸Aisha-san should be researching nothing but the black dungeon, right?¡¹ ¡¸This fella is an oddball. She¡¯s the only one who is researching the black dungeon. Take a look around carefully!¡¹ Yuuma looked around and saw no one but the three of them. ¡¸It¡¯s truly deserted.¡¹ ¡¸Of course it is! We¡¯re the only oddballs who enter this place. Please do forgive me for dragging you into this mess.¡¹ The president muttered irritatingly and yet, he could only look helplessly at Aisha. ¡¸Nevertheless, her research result about black dungeon is world class.¡¹ "" ¡¸Eh? That¡¯s awesome.¡¹ ¡¸The government is still paying her even when that oddball hasn¡¯t made any breakthrough with her research. Ain¡¯t that already an awesome testament of her abilities?¡¹ After walking for around two hours while talking with the president in a small voice, they arrived on the 8th floor. ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s start from this place.¡¹ Aisha finally stopped, and turned around at Yuuma. ¡¸You can find a lot of weak monsters of different varieties around this floor. So Yuuma-kun, I want you to beat them.¡¹ ¡¸Me!?¡¹ Yuuma was really surprised by the unexpected situation. ¡¸Yes! I have to confirm your 100% drop rate for now. Kotaro will act as your support.¡¹ ¡¸Kaykay, Understood.¡¹ Thus, Yuuma had no choice but to look for a nearby monster. He found out in mere minutes that Aisha was right about the number of the monsters in this floor being much higher than the 1st floor. Among them were dumpling-likr insects, worm-like monsters, or armadillo-like monsters. Yuuma decided to start with the dumpling insect. He raised his pickel overhead. ¡¸HA!¡¹ And brandished it. High pitched metallic sound resounded as his pickel got repelled by the hard surface of the dumpling insect. ¡¸Eh!? It¡¯s so hard!¡¹ Yuuma was dumbfounded. It wasn¡¯t as tough as metal slime but it was still tougher than he expected. As if the dumpling insect wore iron armor. ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, Yuuma? Got cold feet? You¡¯ve to brace yourself!¡¹ The president cheering him up. Meanwhile, Yuuma keep brandishing his pickle again, and again. And yet, it was useless, the dumpling insect was still alive and kicking. Though it wasn¡¯t that fast, it¡¯s tough body could make the pickel to slip. ¡¸FU*CK!¡¹ ¡¸Haah, good grief! Step aside, Yuuma, I¡¯ll beat it for you!¡¹ The president approached the dumpling insect, and brandished his heagon staff without hestitation. The dumpling insect crushed under the hexagon staff and turned into ashes right after. ¡¸Look, it¡¯s easy right?¡¹ ¡¸A-Ah¡­¡¹ Indeed, the difference between their physical strength was obvious. When Yuuma was admiring the president¡¯s strength, Aisha approached from the other direction. ¡¸Oi!¡¹ She grabbed the president by his collar and glared at him. ¡¸Who ask you to defeat it!? There¡¯s no point in this investigation unless Yuuma-kun defeated it by himself right!!¡¹ ¡¸Ah¡­ You¡¯re right¡­¡¹ The president finally realized that he really was in the wrong this time. CH 64 Chapter 64: Image And Transformation Yuuma then resumed his attempt to defeat the dumpling insect a few more times after that, alas it was also a failed attempt. Even when he changed his target to the earthworm-like monster, its tough skin could easily block his pickel again. He then tried the armadillo, only to encounter an even more hopeless situation. ¡¸Huff¡­ Huff¡­ President, I¡¯m so dead tired.¡¹ ¡¸What? Tired already? Get a grip on yourself, young man!¡¹ The president shrugged his shoulders and picked up a dumpling insect. ¡¸Oi, Yuuma. I¡¯ll give this guy enough damage for you to finish them off.¡¹ ¡¸Yes! Please do so, President.¡¹ Yuuma decided to agree with the president since he knew that the one who delivered the finishing blow was the one who got the most mana from the monster they killed. The president stepped on the dumpling insect and struck lightly with his hexagon staff. Crush¨D¨D ¡¸Ah!¡¹ The insect ended up squeezed to death. ¡¸You muscle brain!! So you don¡¯t even realize that you can¡¯t even adjust your own strength!?¡¹ ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Said the president as Aisha strangled his neck which made the situation quite comical. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸But, this is a troublesome situation indeed. We met a stumbling block as soon as the experiment to confirm the drop rate of ¡ºMagic Ore¡» began.¡¹ Aisha grumbled as she saw Yuuma and the president¡¯s struggle. ¡¸Yuuma¡¯s lack of physical strength is worse than I expected. Really, young people nowadays¡­¡¹ Yuuma on the other hand was also feeling vexed since it seemed like the president used himself for the standard of a normal Explorer which actually quite a problem itself. ¡¸My strength alone isn¡¯t enough to defeat it.¡¹ Aisha touched her chin, seemingly pondering about something, and then her expression brightened right in the next moment as if she just realized something. ¡¸Ah right! Yuuma-kun, use your ¡ºMetallization¡».¡¹ ¡¸Metallization?¡¹ Yuuma was bewildered by her sudden suggestion. ¡¸Yes, if two metals were to collide, the less tougher one would be crushed. And since no one else is in this place but us, you don¡¯t have to worry about your secret being discovered. Try it out for now.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ Then let¡¯s do it.¡¹ Yuuma then clenched his fist, transforming his body into metal. His body color turned metallic black and it probably won¡¯t hurt even if he struck metal with his own fist. ¡¸That¡¯s really awesome ability no matter how many times I see it.¡¹ The president spoke in admiration. Yuuma, whose mood got better after hearing the president¡¯s praise, caught a dumpling insect immediately. ¡¸By the way, do you know the official name of this dumpling-like insect, Aisha-san?¡¹ ¡¸Well, the monsters in the other dungeons might have their own name but many monsters in the black dungeon don¡¯t have an official name. Personally, I called them dumpling insect, earthworm, and armadillo.¡¹ Even Yuuma ended up getting himself dumbfounded upon hearing that. He somehow got the feeling that the dungeon itself suffered from the same case since they literally got called by colours. He then lowered his gaze at the dumpling insect beneath his feet. He clenched his fist, and punched down at that insect. Though he had some expectations as the sound of metal clashing against each other resounded in the cave, the said dumpling insect turned out to be still alive and kicking. ¡¸Aaa~h, failed again¡­¡¹ He then caught the dumpling insect that managed to get away, observing it. He saw cracks on the insect body but his punch was still not strong enough to kill it. ¡¸U~hm, So it¡¯s really lacking strength huh.¡¹ Even Aisha looks rather dejected seeing the result. ¡¸Now we can hardly confirm the 100% drop rate of magic ore.¡¹ Even though Yuuma felt sorry for Aisha, he then tried to change the topic by looking at the dumpling insect. And right at that moment, he felt something click in his head. ¡¸Oh right. If that¡¯s the case¨D¨D¡¹ His metallic hand wobbled as he imagined the image of ¡ºShort Sword¡» that he was familiar with, and his hand really did transform into a short sword. He placed the dumpling insect on the ground and stabbed from above with his short sword hand. Thunk¨D¨D Yuuma¡¯s short sword hand sliced the iron shell of the dumpling insect as if it was made of tofu. The insect¡¯s legs twitched for a second before it turned into sand. ¡¸OOOH, AWESOME, YUUMA-KUN!¡¹ ¡¸You did it, Yuuma!¡¹ The two seem to be really surprised seeing how easily Yuuma defeats the dumpling insect. Aisha hurriedly approached and touched Yuuma¡¯s transformed right hand, observing it really carefully. ¡¸I see¡­ The slashing attack works better than the blunt attack if it¡¯s from tougher material¡­ That makes sense.¡¹ ¡¸E-Eh¡­ Thank you.¡¹ ¡¸But, the sword¡¯s blade isn¡¯t smooth. Is your imagination not strong enough?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, that seems to be the case.¡¹ ¡¸You might be able to create an even sharper and smoother edge if you have a proper image.¡¹ Aisha was grinning ear to ear as she spoke. It seems she become more and more interested on Yuuma¡¯s body. At that moment, the president noticed something rolling under Yuuma and Aisha¡¯s feet. "" ¡¸Oi, look at your feet!¡¹ Both Yuuma and Aisha looked down at their feet. And saw something hidden within the sand. It was a tiny metal ball around 1 cm in diameter. CH 65 Chapter 65: Metal Coating ¡¸AAAAAAAAAAAAH¡­ It really dropped a magic ore¡­¡¹ Aisha picked up the metal ball with a trembling hand. ¡¸No doubt about it. It¡¯s a magic ore of ¡ºIron¡»element.¡¹ Aisha was grinning nonstop as she looked at the magic ore in her hands. ¡¸Fufufufu, things are getting more and more interesting. Okay then, KILL, KILL, KILL, LET¡¯S KILL ALL THESE MONSTER!¡¹ Yuuma and the president ended up flinching back, seeing her maddening smile. Though they were quite scared of her, they knew that it was already impossible to stop her at this point. Having no other choice, Yuuma and the president kept hunting monsters after that. For the dumpling bug, Yuuma could kill them in one strike if he happened to hit their weak point, or around twice or three hits if his attack missed their weak point. Though the earthworm-like monster could still move for a while after he sliced and diced them, they eventually died after he trampled on them. The most troublesome opponent of all was the armadillo one. It was tougher than Yuuma¡¯s sword hand. No matter how many times he struck at the armadillo¡¯s shell with his sword hand, it just couldn¡¯t pierce through their shell. It seems the quality of his sword transformation was quite bad since he didn¡¯t really have a good image of the sword, causing its edge to be ¡°Blunt¡±. ¡¸Yuuma-kun, can you put coating on your pickel?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Coating?¡¹ Yuuma frowned for a moment upon hearing such an unexpected suggestion. He already knew that ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡» had extremely wide range of usability but, he only come to realize that it might be possible to put coating onto his weapon too after hearing this suggestion. ¡¸I¡¯ll try it.¡¹ He picked up pickel that he dropped on the ground, he imagined his liquid metal flowing on its surface. Thus, the metallic gray metal started moving and covered the surface of the pickel. It took a few seconds for the entire surface to be covered by it. ¡¸DONE!¡¹ ¡¸Yup¡­ The current pickel should¡¯ve turned into a tougher version of weapon than the monster. Can you make the angle of the head part of the pickel steeper that a pick, and bigger?¡¹ ¡¸L-Let me to try it.¡¹ The next moment, the metal liquid on the head part of the pickel started to move again and changed the shape of the pickel. "" The head part became twice as big as before and the sharp point became similar to a pickaxe. And since the base for that was pickel, it was easier for Yuuma to imagine the shape. ¡¸That¡¯s enough, now try to hit the armadillo with that.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Yuuma raised the pickel overhead, and brandished it with its tip toward the armadillo. The tip pierced the armadillo¡¯s shell as if it was made of tofu since he gave it his all when he swung it down. The armadillo raised a death wail and then turned into fine sands. ¡¸YAY!¡¹ ¡¸Now then Yuuma, go and defeat all the monster in the 8th floor!¡¹ ¡¸Aye aye, Boss!.¡¹ Yuuma replied happily and went into a frenzy hunt with the president. Since there was a time restriction for metallization, Yuuma canceled his transformation every five minutes to be able to hunt as much as possible. That¡¯s why Yuuma and the president were running all over the place to catch the earthworm or dumpling insect and gather them in one place for the sake of efficiency. After they felt that they gathered enough, Yuuma used his ¡ºMetallization¡» and exterminated the gathered monster along with his transformed pickel. The pickel which weight and quality had increased due to liquid metallization, easily crushed those monsters. It was the most efficient hunting method so far. Since even the hard shell of the armadillo could be pierced so easily by the transformed pickel, Yuuma felt like he became a machine whose job was stamping down those monsters to death with a push of a button. And then¨D¨D ¡¸OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH, WONDERFUL! SO MANY MAGIC ORES!! IT SEEMS YOUR 100% MAGIC ORE DROP RATE IS REAL!! WONDERFUL!!¡¹ AIsha screams in delight as she throws the magic ore scattered on the ground with gusto. ¡ºIron¡»of dumpling insect, ¡ºCopper¡» of the earthworm, ¡ºChrome¡» of armadillo. Altogether, there were around forty of them. ¨D¨DI¡¯ve never seen Aisha-san look this happy before. Yuuma then dropped pickel and sat cross-legged on the ground. He was sweating a lot, it seems today hunting really did tire him out. ¡¸President, I¡¯m so tired.¡¹ ¡¸No wonder, you defeated that much monsters in the span of a single day after all.¡¹ The president took a sports drink from his bag and handed it to Yuuma. ¡¸Thanks¡¹ Said Yuuma as he pulled the pulltab of the sports drink and bottomed up the contents of the can. He felt as if the refreshing drink seeped into his tired body. ¡¸Ha~ah, I don¡¯t even have the strength to swing pickel anymore. I think I¡¯ll have a severe muscle pain tomorrow.¡¹ ¡¸How pitiful. Me back in my youth can fight monster non-stop for a whole day!¡¹ ¡¸Time changed, President. The current trend is work-life balance.¡¹ ¡¸The heck is that work-life balance! Stop using that difficult english words!¡¹ Though the president looked rather furious, maybe because he also knew just how much Yuuma worked today, he also sat by Yuuma¡¯s side. ¡¸Well, I guess I¡¯ll forgive this much for today but we still have one month to go. I¡¯ll be shouting at you starting from tomorrow if you become tired just as easily!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I guess I¡¯ll do my best in this entire month!¡¹ Aisha was staring at the two who had such a conversation with a dumbfounded look on her face. ¡¸What the heck you two are talking about? We still have to descend to the 10th floor after this and continue our hunt.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Eeh!?¡¹¡¹ The two exhausted men could only look dejectedly at Aisha who said those words as if it was natural, without a hint of exhaustion on her face. === TN: I¡¯ll take a break from 13-19 march 2023 for rehabilitation of my neck(due to wrong sleeping posture) CH 66 Chapter 66: A Lot of Magic Ore Yuuma and co then descended to the 10th floor and defeated around four metallic snake-like monsters and metallic centipede-like monsters before they returned to the surface. After coming out from the dungeon, the three of them headed toward the business hotel that they reserved beforehand. After checking into the hotel, Aisha went into her single room, Yuuma and the president went into their double room to refresh their exhausted body and mind. ¡¸U~h, I¡¯m so tire~d.¡¹ After coming out from the bathtub, Yuuma pressed the compress on his body. He felt as if his whole body was screaming right now. Finally, he rested his dead tired body, sprawling up in his bed. ¡¸Are you alright, Yuuma?¡¹ The president asked with a worried look on his face as he drank from the beer can in his hand. ¡¸Exhausted. Are we going to do this everyday, president?¡¹ ¡¸Well, that was sparta. You¡¯ll get used to this pace in no time though¡­¡¹ President might be okay since his body was so bulky but, my body isn¡¯t that strong you know? Yuuma fell asleep with such a depressed feeling. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s do our best today too!¡¹ The next day, both Yuuma and the president walked behind Aisha as they entered the dungeon with a weary look on their faces. ¡¸Are we going till the 10th floor again, Aisha-san?¡¹ ¡¸Nah¡­ We¡¯re going to 20th floor today.¡¹ Yuuma and the president could only heave a sigh upon hearing that. After descending until the 8th floor, Yuuma defeated the monster just like yesterday. Since Yuuma had a hard time moving due to his sore muscle, the president gathered monsters in one place for Yuuma to kill in the end. In this way, they managed to collect the same number of magic ore as yesterday. But just as expected, even the president with his tremendous stamina ended up exhausted after doing so for half-day. That situation kept going on for one week after that. The three of them gathered a lot of magic ore while making numeros round trips between 10th-20th floor. When they descended below the 10th floor, there was a new monster type called ¡°Golem¡± made from either soil, stone, or metal which he barely managed to defeat. And then, on the weekend night. The three of them gathered in a single room¨D¨D ¡¸Well, Look at deez! We have gathered lots of wonderful magic ore!!¡¹ Aisha placed a steel case loaded with a lot of magic ore on top of the table and showed the contents to Yuuma and the president. ¡¸This is ¡ºIron¡», this is ¡ºLead¡», this is ¡ºCopper¡», the other are ¡ºChrome¡», ¡ºKalium¡», ¡ºAluminium¡»¡­ For total of 421!¡¹ Seeing the delighted Aisha, the president just gave perfunctory reply. ¡¸That¡¯s amazing. Are we still going to gather magic ore even after we gather this much?¡¹ When Yuuma asked that, Aisha shook her head with a wry smile on her face. ¡¸Nope, I¡¯m going to the research institute at once and continue my research with parts of this magic ore.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ What are we going to do next then? Can we take a rest during that time?¡¹ Aisha looked at Yuuma with a dumbfounded look on her face when the latter asked so. ¡¸What are you talking about, Yuuma-kun? You¡¯re the vital part in my magic ore¡¯s experiment.¡¹ ¡¸Eh, why me!?¡¹ Yuuma couldn¡¯t hide his shock hearing the talk that came out of nowhere. ¡¸Because I need you to eat these magic ore for me to check the change in your physical abilities after you ate them.¡¹ ¡¸Eat¡­ All of these? May I ask how many of these I have to eat?¡¹ ¡¸All of them.¡¹ ¡¸ALL OF THEM!?¡¹ Yuuma received the greatest shock in all his life today when hearing those heartless words. He wasn¡¯t so insane as to think that he really will be alright once he eats all 421 of those magic ore. Yuuma turned to look at the president but the president leisurely drank from the can beer in his hand, obviously trying his best to avoid Yuuma¡¯s gaze¨D¨D Which made Yuuma realize that the president had abandoned him. Thus, Yuuma tried to persuade Aisha to give up. ¡¸But well¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be fine after eating all of these 421 magic ore.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay. It is safe to drink since they would literally be dissolved in your stomach.¡¹ ¡¸But well, the problem is my mana index which only around 200, I will literally lost the chance to use ¡°Magic¡± if I ingested magic ore you know!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯ll be okay. The ¡°Mana Index¡± of magic ore is really low. I mean, they¡¯re literally on decimal points. Not to mention that your mana index must¡¯ve risen since you keep hunting monsters. You don¡¯t have to worry about your mana index allocation, I¡¯m a pro in this department.¡¹ ¡¸But sti~ll¡­¡¹ Yuuma was really confused to see Aisha grinning ear to ear. He thought that it would be fine to eat around ten or twenty magic re. He was less reluctant to do so since he had already ingested metal slime¡¯s magic ore before. But like hell I want to eat 421 magic ore! I mean, I can¡¯t help but worry about my body!! ¡¸It¡¯s okay, Yuuma-kun. Properly speaking, I, as the one who give this commission,own the retrieved magic ore but, giving it all to you doesn¡¯t seems to bad too, right?¡¹ ¡¸W-Well, you¡¯re right but still¡­ What would happen if I ate all of those? Will my body become like that of body builder?¡¹ ¡¸Nope, you ate a lot of magic ore before and confirmed yourself that there¡¯s no such obvious change in your body right? Generally speaking, the effect of magic ore is miniscule. Your ¡ºMetallization¡» is just like exception among exception in magic ore¡¯s case.¡¹ ¡¸I see now.¡¹ ¡¸Moreover, I¡¯ve already got Kotaro¡¯s permission for this.¡¹ ¡¸Eeh!?¡¹ Yuuma looked at the president the moment he heard that, alas the president averted his gaze. ¨D¨DH-He sold me already¡­ Yuuma could only heave a sigh, knowing very well that the president couldn¡¯t bail him out of this since the latter couldn¡¯t go against Aisha. === TN: I¡¯ll take a break from 13-19 march 2023 for rehabilitation of my neck(due to wrong sleeping posture) CH 67 Chapter 67: Physical Strengthening Ability Monday, the beginning of the week¨D¨D Yuuma and co were currently in Aisha¡¯s research institute in Tokyo, Ota city. Since the 1st floor of the research institute was a factory, there was so much empty space for them. Considering that the inside had only several light bulbs for lighting, it was somewhat faint inside. There were several pieces of machinery placed inside the factory. Yuuma and the president followed Aisha into the inner part of the factory while looking around restlessly. ¡¸Uhm¡­ What is this place?¡¹ Aisha stopped typing on her PC and then turned around at Yuuma. ¡¸It¡¯s the tool for physical measurement. First, I need to measure your physical abilities.¡¹ ¡¸O-Oh¡­¡¹ Aisha skillfully adjusted the measuring instruments, and then advanced the preparation. ¡¸President, do I really have to do this? I think you¡¯re more suited for this measurement though.¡¹ ¡¸Well actually¡­ My physical abilities and physique are far above the average. That¡¯s why it¡¯s much more easier if you¡¯re the one who undergoes this measurement. Moreover, there¡¯s nothing wrong with having a bit too much physical strength. You¡¯re bound to meet a lot of monsters with strong physical strength in the future!¡¹ Though the president spoke with quite an indifferent voice, Yuuma had yet to be convinced. ¡¸Well then, Yuuma-kun. Everything is ready, time to start the measurement!¡¹ Seeing Aisha¡¯s expression, Yuuma could only resign to his fate. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸Okay, now put your strength into i~t.¡¹ ¡¸Huuumph!¡¹ Yuuma gripped the hand dynamometer in his hand as strongly as he could. ¡¸OK, that¡¯s enough.¡¹ The thing that he gripped right now was a digital hand dynamometer for precise measurement. Aside from that, they also measure Yuuma¡¯s physical strength with digital measurement from his vertical jump. The other measurement was side jump, 20 meter shuttle run. ¡¸For now, this should be enough for physical abilities measurement.¡¹ Yuuma sat on the nearby bench after Aisha told him to take a rest. ¡¸Here, wipe your sweat with this¡¹ said the president as he gave a dry and clean towel to Yuuma. ¡¸Thanks¡¹ said Yuuma while receiving the towel from the president. And just when he felt so dead tired, Aisha came again with a huge grin on her face. ¡¸Now Yuuma-kun, eat this while you¡¯re taking a break.¡¹ Said Aisha as she presented the metal case with a lot of magic ore inside in front of Yuuma. ¡¸This is¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡ºIron¡» magic ore from the dumpling insect. This one is supposed to enhance physical strength. Let¡¯s start from this.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹ Yuuma smiled wryly as he received a PET bottle from the ever smiling Aisha with his left hand while holding on to the magic ore with his right hand. There was around 72 of iron. Yuuma heaved a sigh as he threw the ore into his mouth. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸U~hm, I see now.¡¹ Said Aisha as she inputted data into her PC with a beaming smile on her face. After he ate all the iron ore and recovered enough, the examination began again. And strangely enough, even though he ate so much ore, his stomach didn¡¯t bulge. Instead, his stomach was filled to the brim with water. Since he got exhausted after the test, he thought that they would continue the test tomorrow.¨D¨D ¡¸Well then, Yuuma-kun. We¡¯re going to test ¡ºLead¡» next.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? ¡ºLead¡»!? We¡¯re not done yet!?¡¹ ¡¸But of course. ¡ºLead¡» is also the magic ore that reinforce physical strength. Collective examination is more convenient after all.¡¹ ¡¸Are there other type aside from enhancement of physical strength?¡¹ ¡¸Of course. Some raised eyesight, some raised agility, some raised stamina. We¡¯re going to do this for the next few days.¡¹ The moment he heard that, Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but look at the horizon, he felt that he might die at the end of the examination. The examination on this day had only ended after Yuuma ate 54 ¡ºLead¡» magic ore, and measure his physical strength again. From the next day onward, Aisha had mercilessly forced Yuuma to undergo a series of physical strength measurements. She measures his reflex with PC, kinetic vision with vision training, or eyesight. At first, Yuuma was really glad that he didn¡¯t have to move around as much as yesterday until Aisha brought batch of ¡ºAluminium¡» magic ore. The examination that day had only ended after Yuuma ate around 100 magic ore. Even more hellish examination was waiting for Yuuma on the next day. To measure his stamina, a long-distance race or lung capacity examination was needed. He was left in a tattered, and exhausted state after the morning test. ¡¸Well then Yuuma-kun. Now eat all of this.¡¹ This time, Aisha brought a total 200 of ¡ºChrome¡» and ¡ºCopper¡» magic ore. ¡¸Fufufu, eat it up since I¡¯m going to make you run the same distance as in the morning.¡¹ At this point, her smile had already turned into that of the demon lord¡¯s officer. The examination ended on the third day. The night of the third day, Yuuma and the president both got called by Aisha to her office on the second floor. ¡¸Haah, I¡¯m popped up! Since the result of the analysis has been out, I¡¯ll tell you guys the result of the examination.¡¹ Yuuma looks like a certain boxer who died after losing his last legendary match even though Aisha speaks cheerfully while holding a black file in her hands. ¡¸The result is wonderful!¡¹ ¡¸Does that mean Yuuma¡¯s physical abilities goes up?¡¹ The president who sat in the pipe chair asked with a curious look on his face. ¡¸Of course! It rose even more than I expected.¡¹ Even Yuuma raised his face in anticipation. He didn¡¯t feel like he became stronger but there was nothing wrong with rising physical abilities. Aisha then opened her black file and read it out aloud. ¡¸Listen well, Yuuma-kun! Your physical strength rose by 1.2%, Eyesight rose by 0.4%, Kinetic vision rose by 0.7%, agility rose by 1.1%, And lastly, your stamina rose by 1.5%!! ¡¹ Yuuma fell into despair upon hearing Aisha¡¯s announcement. He felt like he just got scammed upon knowing that the improvement was so little despite the large number of magic ore that he consumed. CH 68 Chapter 68: Email From IDR ¡¸That¡¯s¡­ that should be the error range of the measurement right?¡¹ ¡¸What are you talking about? It¡¯s a fact that your physical strength has been enhanced!¡¹ Aisha spoke while closing the black file with a snap. With such insignificant increase after eating 421 magic ore¡­ Meaning that muscle training was more effective in this situation. ¡¸Okay, let me fix your misunderstanding, Yuuma-kun. This physical enhancement is another type of magic. In short, you can¡¯t use it outside of the dungeon. Even the current data is unrelated with actual data when you¡¯re inside the dungeon. The fact that we can do these simple examination can be considered as wonderful.¡¹ ¡¸Ha~h¡­¡¹ Yuuma didn¡¯t feel delighted even the slightest after being praised like that. ¡¸We¡¯re going to enter the dungeon again starting tomorrow. This time, we will aim for the 50th floor!¡¹ ¡¸50TH FLOOR!?¡¹ Yuuma¡¯s eyes opened wide in shock. The 50th floor was considered to be a fairly deep floor. ¡¸Oi, that¡¯s almost impossible feat with just Yuuma and me alone you know.¡¹ ¡¸And it¡¯ll be your job to achieve that! I¡¯m expecting you to do this, Kotaro.¡¹ Aisha left the room after she said so. Yuuma and the president heaved a deep sigh at once. ¡¸President, are we really going to dive into the 50th floor?¡¹ ¡¸Well, it¡¯s the demand from the one who gives the commission after all. Legally speaking, we can¡¯t refuse her demand. That¡¯s why we have no choice but to do as she says.¡¹ The president stood up from his chair and then looked down at Yuuma who was still sitting in his chair. ¡¸Yuuma. I¡¯ll give you CQC training starting from tomorrow to raise your physical strength too.¡¹[ED/N: CQC stands for Close Quarter Combat] ¡¸Eh, CQC training? Can you do that, President?¡¹ ¡¸Of course! I¡¯ve been training in various martial arts since a tender age. Karate, muay thai, boxing, kung fu, judo, even wrestling.¡¹ ¡¸Awesome.¡¹ ¡¸You want to become stronger too right?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Please train me!¡¹ Then the CQC training from the president started the next day. They changed into jerseys the moment they woke up and did a light stretching. ¡¸First, let¡¯s start with karate-style¡¯s straight punch.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ ¡¸Open your leg until it is as wide as your shoulder and place your arms perpendicular on your flank. Let your shoulders to lose, close your armpit tightly.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Yuuma followed the president¡¯s instruction to take a stance, he took a breath and loosened his shoulder. The president also took the same stance, and gave an example of a straight punch to Yuuma. ¡¸1, 2, 3, 4, 5!¡¹ The president punched forward with both fists as he started to count. It was an example of a good punching form. ¡¸Do the same as me.¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ Yuuma mimicked the president, he used his waist as a fulcrum and then punched forward. ¡¸Put more power into your waist! You have to put more focus on your waist rotation and the shifting weight on your leg!!¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Yuuma, who had never experienced CQC training before, punched forward in high spirit since he knew that this training would boost his overall strength as an Explorer. ¡¸Listen, Yuuma! I can¡¯t carry both you and Aisha all the way until the 50th floor by myself. We need to cooperate. For that reason, I need you to be able to at least fight as the vanguard along with me.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I¡¯ll do my best!¡¹ ¡¸Anyhow, your first training menu is straight punch till you get the perfect form! Make sure your power transmitted properly from your leg to waist, from waist to arm!!¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Black Dungeon, 30th Floor¨D¨D ¡¸UWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!¡¹ ¡¸UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹ The president and Yuuma, both of them were running away from the rock monster that was rolling on the hill. The outer appearance of that huge rock monster was akin to a ball. They would surely get crushed to death if they got run over by the monster. ¡¸Ah, Yuuma! Use your ¡ºMetallization¡» and try to punch that monster!¡¹ ¡¸Right now!? That¡¯s going to ki¨C¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re invulnerable to physical attack in your metallization state right? Try it first, you¡¯ll be fine even if you fail!¡¹ ¡¸Ah, you¡¯re right! Okay!¡¹ Yuuma then invoked his metallization that turned the color of his skin to metallic black. He stopped and stood in front of the rolling rock monster, trying to stop it. ¡¸Come at me dammit!!¡¹ Yuuma set his stance, clenched his fist, ready to unleash ¡ºStraight Fist¡». The rolling rock then bounced up. Yuuma glared at the incoming rock monster, and unleashed a straight punch. The sound of their colission reverbrate inside the cave. Yuuma felt a reaction but, at that point, he was already thrown back into the air. ¡¸NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?¡¹ Yuuma got sent flying by the rock, tumbling on the ground, crashed against the wall behind him, and then fell like a puppet with its string cut, completely stopped moving, not even a twitch. ¡¸YUUMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! Are you okay!?¡¹ The president rushed at him, grabbed his shoulders and shook him a few times. At that moment, Yuuma¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡¸HAH!? What a surprise. I thought I really died a while ago!¡¹ Yuuma stood up again as if nothing happened. ¡¸A-Are you alright? I mean, I almost thought that you got isekaied by that colission just now!¡¹ ¡¸A~h, well, I¡¯m perfectly fine. I mean, it doesn¡¯t even cause any physical damage to me.¡¹ Even the president ended up getting himself dumbfounded by the toughness of Yuuma¡¯s body. Aisha, who came a bit later than the president, came and checked the condition of Yuuma¡¯s body immediately. And then heaved a sigh of relief after confirming that Yuuma was truly unscathed. The exploration continued after that as if nothing happened and they reached the 32nd floor by the end of the day. They¡¯ll continue the exploration tomorrow but Yuuma and the president felt that they couldn¡¯t advance any further. ¡ó¡ó¡ó That night, in one of the rooms in Yokohama¡¯s business hotel. Aisha was touching her chin as she stared at the PC before her. She read the email that she received. She was grinning alone while sipping on her favorite canned coffee. The email from IDR(International Dungeon Research Organization) was sent to every single researcher in the entire world. The content was about the change in the ¡°Orpheus Slate¡±, and also asking for the information about newly appearing ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». "" It was an email that she received around half a year ago. Aisha forgot about this email since she was only interested in the research about the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡», thus she was only reading this particular email around this time, half year after she received it. But then, she recalled about this unread email again after she heard about ¡ºTiny Dungeon¡» in the garden from Yuuma. ¡¸The date in which he defeated those ¡ºColoured Slime¡», and then the date of him defeating the ¡ºHuge Slime¡» that appeared last is coincided with the date of the subjugation of the duke, lord, and king.¡¹ ¨D¨D On top of that, there¡¯s that abnormal ¡ºMetallization¡» ability. ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡» which made him even more abnormal, and that aberrant amount of ¡ºMana Index¡» which allow him to use magic on the ground¡­ No doubt about it. ¡¸He¡¯s the seeker who subjugated the ¡¾Black King¡¿¡¹ CH 69 Chapter 69: Trump Card For Capturing Floor The International Dungeon Research Organization(IDR) urged anyone who had a clue about that matter to send a report immediately but she had zero intention to report about her finding. ¡¸Like hell I¡¯m gonna let go of such wonderful research subject to those fools! If I use it myself I might be able to use him to break the mystery of the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡».¡¹ Aisha then looked at the small box beside her PC. ¡¸And best of all, he might be the only person who can use this magic ore. I really can¡¯t help but enjoy this advantage. Fufufu.¡¹ Her eerie laugh resounded in one room of the hotel. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸Oi, Yuuma! Your arm isn¡¯t bending properly. And where¡¯s your spirit!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes President!.¡¹ Early in the morning, Yuuma and the president were doing push-ups in their room. The president told him to start his training starting from today, the menu for the first day was three sets of fifty squats, fifty sit ups, and fifty push ups. He had a hard time since this was the first time he did this kind of muscle training. ¡¸Ok, that¡¯s the end of push ups. We completed the morning training. Since we¡¯re going to run to the dungeon soon, the real thing is just about to begin!¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡­¡¹ Yuuma¡¯s lips twitched upon recalling that the president was already over fourty years old and actually more lively than him. After wiping their sweat with a dry towel, they went to Aisha¡¯s room. Right after the president knocked on the door of her room, they heard her voice telling them to enter. Aisha¡¯s room had the same design as their room and she was currently sitting on the sofa beside the bed. ¡¸Yahoo, sorry but, I want to talk with you for a little bit.¡¹ Aisha leaned back on the sofa, crossing her leg as she greeted them. She wore her usual attire of white robe, white blouse and black pants. ¡¸What are you going to talk about? Aren¡¯t we going to explore the dungeon?¡¹ ¡¸Of course we will, but it has to wait after this.¡¹ Said Aisha as she saw the frown of the President¡¯s face. ¡¸Kotaro, what do you think of yesterday¡¯s progress? It¡¯s very tough right?¡¹ ¡¸Of course it is! I¡¯ve told you since the very beginning right!!?¡¹ The president replied with an annoyed look on seeing Aisha asked with a huge smile on her face. ¡¸Normally, we have to prepare a group of five to eight Explorers if we want to explore until the 80th floor. Going with just two Explorers is plain stupid!¡¹ Despite the president¡¯s outburst, Aisha¡¯s face didn¡¯t even twitch. ¡¸Yeah, I know that. That¡¯s why I will tell you my plan before we start today exploration.¡¹ ¡¸The heck, what kind of plan it is?¡¹ ¡¸If Yuuma-kun become stronger, it¡¯ll reduce your burden right, Kotaro?¡¹ ¡¸Well, that¡¯s right¡­ But it ain¡¯t gonna that simple for sure!¡¹ The president was right. Even though he gave me physical training and martial arts training, the result could only be seen one year later, or a few months at the fastest. Since the enhancement effect of the magic ore was insignificant, I definitely wouldn¡¯t become stronger overnight. That was what Yuuma felt as he looked dumbfoundedly at Aisha. And yet, Aisha still had that fearless smile on her face. ¡¸I¡¯ve prepared some plans for that of course. Now wait a minute.¡¹ She stood up from the sofa as she spoke and then took the Boston bag that she placed in the corner of the room. The bag was clearly in a tattered state. She took out fist sized white tube and a metal apparatus from inside the bag. Aisha began lining up the white tube on top of the table with a huge grin on her face. ¡¸W-What the hell is this?¡¹ The president asked Aisha in bewilderment. ¡¸Fufufu, it¡¯s processed nitroglycerin.¡¹ ¡¸Hah!?¡¹ Though he doubted his ears when he heard a certain ¡ºWord¡», he was convinced that Aisha was telling the truth. So Yuuma looked timidly at the president. Coulour had already drained from the president¡¯s face. ¡¸You showed me Yuuma¡¯s ¡°Pickel¡± back then at my research facility right? This is the apparatus that I made to match his weapon.¡¹ ¡¸Nitro!? You mean the kind that explodes? Are you going to break the law!¡¹ The president¡¯s yell was completely ignored by Aisha. ¡¸Use it as you will, it¡¯s included in my research expenses after all. Yuuma-kun, give me your pickel, I¡¯ll attach this to your pickel.¡¹ ¡¸A-Ah¡­¡¹ The president who looked at that spectacle was truly flabbergasted. Yuuma had no choice but to abide Aisha and took out his pickel and gave it to Aisha. Aisha then installed a metal apparatus on the head part of Yuuma¡¯s pickel with a delighted smile on her face, and inserted a white tube into that apparatus. ¡¸Yuuma-kun, this thing is going to give out an explosion effect when it has a strong enough impact. Make sure to use it when we encountered powerful monster.¡¹ ¡¸Eh¡­ If it¡¯s exploded from close up, wouldn¡¯t that literally put me in danger?¡¹ ¡¸Uhm, there¡¯s no problem as long as you use it during ¡ºMetallization¡».¡¹ Aisha gave such advice with a nonchalant look on her face, and then turned around to pick something. ¨D¨DThis is too much. Doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m gonna blow up along with the monster!? How can this person give such dangerous advice with a nonchalant look on her face!? When Yuuma felt that kind of resentment toward AIsha, She brought out a box with a daring smile on her face. She placed that box on the table and sat back on the sofa. ¡¸What is this box?¡¹ Yuuma asked, and he got the feeling that it was another dangerous item. As if replying to Yuuma¡¯s question, Aisha opened the box and showed the contents to Yuuma. It was a magic ore. Is that a magic ore? What is that red coloured blood vein-like line on its surface? ¡¸This is the magic ore that was discovered three years ago. This magic ore is the main reason why there¡¯s extremely strict regulation on ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» and also the reason why many researcher stopped studying about the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡».¡¹ Aisha took out the magic ore from the box and placed it on the palm of her hand, letting Yuuma and the president look at it from close. ¡¸Its name is ¡¾Bloody Ore¡¿.¡¹ CH 70 Chapter 70: Forbidden Magic Ore ¡¸Bloody Ore?¡¹ Even the president was bewildered since those were unfamiliar words for him too. ¡¸This is something from quite a while ago.¡¹ Said Aisha as she sat back on the sofa, crossing her legs facing the two. The president and Yuuma exchanged glances, both were equally puzzled by Aisha¡¯s remark. ¡¸Around three years ago, A few professional Explorers entered ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» located deep in the mountain in Kyrgyzstan. It wasn¡¯t a deep dungeon but they met a rather unusual monster in the middle layer of the dungeon. They have thick limbs and tough, steel-like skin. At glance, their appearance resembled that of a gorilla. Later on, that monster officially called as ¡°Vali¡±.¡¹ [TL: ¥ô¥¡©`¥ê¥ó/Vali: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vali_(Ramayana)] ¡¸Never heard of that. Though it¡¯s rare for monster in black dungeon to get official name like that, does that mean the monster is really a rare monster?¡¹ ¡¸Nope, they aren¡¯t that rare. Many witnessed them inhabiting most of the middle layer of the black dungeon. They have terrifying physical strength but, it¡¯s easy to beat them with range attack from thunder or fire magic.¡¹ ¡¸The heck. Does that mean the low drop rate of their magic ore made them extremely rare?¡¹ ¡¸Nope, the drop rate of their magic ore is the same as any ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡»¡¯s monster. Their magic ore itself appear in the market every now and then.¡¹ The president became even more confused hearing that fact. ¡¸Ain¡¯t that even more suspicious! How can a pro Explorer like me never heard that kind of monster or magic ore before?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s only natural. It¡¯s simply because IDR and the government of each countries has been concealing this fact.¡¹ ¡¸Conceal!?¡¹ The president and Yuuma had no idea what Aisha was talking about. Why would the government conceal the news about the magic ore and the monster? ¡¸When this magic ore was discovered, the researcher naturally tried to test its effect. They made the test subject eat the magic ore and observe the effect it caused in the test subject body. They then moved to the experiment phase. And then, the effect shown by the magic ore is truly dramatic. The physical strength of the human who ingested the magic ore literally shot through the roof both in speed and strength. They gained the strength of a superman.¡¹ ¡¸Oh, awesome!!¡¹ The president¡¯s eyes shone in excitement. His interest got picked up as soon as he heard that it could make him stronger. ¡¸Such a simpleton. The problem happened after that.¡¹ ¡¸The problem?¡¹ ¡¸When the effect of the magic ore stopped after three minutes, the test taker who was moving like a fierce god until then suddenly stopped moving, and vomited blood. He bleed from all of his orifices, and died.¡¹ ¡¸Oioi, that¡¯s¡­¡¹ ¡¸After the autopsy of his corpse the researcher found that his bones had already broken in many places, his blood vessels ruptured, his muscle and tendon torn apart. In short, his body couldn¡¯t withstand the power of the magic ore.¡¹ The president and Yuuma couldn¡¯t hide their shock at hearing that. Reason being the ¡°Magic Gem¡± or ¡°Magic Ore¡± harvested from the dungeon was commonly known for their safety without any side effects. ¡¸In short, this is the first ¡°Harmful¡± magic ore¡­¡¹ Seeing the president asked with a frown on his face, Aisha gave him a scornful smile. ¡¸Harmful, is it? Well, a test taker did died after all.¡¹ ¡¸Why are you having such dangerous magic ore then!?¡¹ ¡¸Easy, it¡¯s because I¡¯m a researcher of the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». How can I not be interested in such interesting magic ore.¡¹ ¡¸I-¡­ Interesting?¡¹ The president glared at Aisha with a rather dumbfounded look on his face but, Aisha blatantly ignored his glare and continued on. ¡¸Well properly speaking, there should be an announcement about this matter the moment they found out about it but, the dungeon related business is just on the right track at that time. The government and the company spent a lot of money to make the dungeon related business walk on the right track and finally succeeded back then. If there¡¯s another dangerous ¡°Magic Gem¡± found in the other dungeon, it might affect the dungeon related business. So the government had to make a choice.¡¹ ¡¸Is that why they concealed this fact!?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. But thanks to that, the dungeon related business took flight safely and became a mainstream business all over the world. You also tasted the profit from that business right?¡¹ ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹ The president could only grit his teeth, unable to retort to Aisha¡¯s remark. ¡¸And then, the government strengthened the regulation to prevent anyone from learning about this fact. Namely narrowing down the number of of researcher of the black dungeon, and regulating the traffic of the black dungeon. It seems there¡¯s no particular opposition from the researcher side since the black dungeon isn¡¯t popular to begin with. The Japanese government has also gave a strict warning to me about this regard in exchange for providing research funds for me.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t tell us about that then dammit!¡¹ ¡¸Fufufufu¡¹ Aisha stood up slowly and walks into the inner side of the room. ¡¸But. I always wondered all these years about the reason that makes this magic ore so dangerous. So I performed trial and error.¡¹ ¡¸Stop, no matter what you think, that¡¯s way too dangerous!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s just as you say. No one is going to use magic ore which brings certain death after use. It should be a useless magic ore, even though I had already given up on this. But then¨D¨D¡¹ There was a strange light dwelling in Aisha¡¯s eyes as she spoke. And the direction of her gaze was none other than Yuuma. ¡¸What¡­ If there¡¯s a human who can turn his muscle into steel?¡¹ CH 71 Chapter 71: Streak of Blood Vessels Yuuma swallowed his spit the moment he heard Aisha¡¯s remark. ¡¸C-Could it be¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Yuuma-kun. I want you to use this bloody ore!¡¹ ¡¸NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!¡¹ Yuuma denied the suggestion right away on the spot. ¡¸Why do I have to eat such a dangerous thing! No, absolutely NO!¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s only possible since you have ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡», that ability literally turn every single part of your body, be it muscle, bone, blood vessel even the internal organ into metal. In short, your body can withstand the load from this ore¡¯s ability in that state. It really is a superb ability!¡¹ Yuuma flinched away upon witnessing another maddening side of Aisha. ¡±F*ck, this ain¡¯t joking matter. I refuse to become your guinea pig!¡± Roared Yuuma inside his head. ¡¸It¡¯s fine, you should know how I am, I won¡¯t tell you to keep going till your body breaks down alright!? In case my initial assumption is wrong, I will tell you to stop right away!¡¹ ¡¸You already know from my previous explanation that the effect of this bloody ore is only three minutes. The interval limit of your ¡ºMetallization¡» is around five minutes, right? Then it should be okay!¡¹ ¡¸No, absolutely no. This can¡¯t even be called research anymore right? I mean, you are literally telling us to break law here!¡¹ ¡¸Then we¡¯ll regard this as research from this point! With you as the subject of research!!¡¹ Oh crap, this person is really bad news. ¡¸NO! I REFUSE!!¡¹ ¡¸Cut the crap already, Aisha! My employee ain¡¯t your lab rat.¡¹ Said the president who couldn¡¯t bear to see Aisha¡¯s madness anymore. The two of them stood up from their chairs and just as they¡¯re about to head toward the door, Aisha¡¯s voice resounded from behind. ¡¸I never told you to do it for free, Yuuma-kun. I naturally have already prepared suitable bonus for you.¡¹ ¡¸Eh?¡¹ Yuuma frowned for a moment, and turned around immediately. ¡¸I¡¯ll pay you one million for this. What do you think?¡¹ ¡¸Please don¡¯t joke around, this isn¡¯t a matter of money!! My life is at stake here!¡¹ ¡¸How about five million yen?¡¹ ¡¸F-Five million?¡¹ Said Yuuma, he stopped right before his hand touched the doorknob, turned around and walked back toward Aisha. ¡¸Huuu¡­Let¡¯s hear the details.¡¹ The president was truly dumbfounded to see Yuuma easily give in before the temptation of money from the mad scientist called Aisha. ¡ó¡ó¡ó The three returned to Tokyo, they decided that it was safer to try consuming the bloody ore in Aisha¡¯s research institute. In the first floor of the institute that was already filled with measuring instruments, Aisha gave the magic ore to Yuuma. ¡¸I¡¯ll be responsible for monitoring your physical conditions. You can be at ease since I¡¯ll stop the experiment the moment I see abnormality in your condition.¡¹ Aisha gave a 500 ml PET bottle of water to Yuuma with a smile on her face. Yuuma received the PET bottle while looking at the magic ore in his hand. Honestly speaking, he was unwilling to eat the jet-black ore with crimson blood vessel like pattern on its surface. Though he honestly regretted the fact that he readily bit the bait when Aisha offered money, he still hesitated a little to eat it. Aisha who stood by her side was akin to a devil who whispered into his ear to eat the poison. Thus, Yuuma could only grit his teeth and swallow the magic ore at once and washed it down with water from the PET bottle. ¡¸H-How do you feel?¡¹ Aisha asked curiously. There was no particular change in his body. But right in that moment, Yuuma felt a weird sensation running in the entire part of his body. It was different from the sensation when he ate the ¡°Magic Gem¡± or ¡°Magic Ore¡±. Thus he decided to take a deep breath and wait till the weird sensation was over. ¡¸¡­ It¡¯s okay.¡¹ ¡¸Ooh, that¡¯s a relief.¡¹ Aisha heaved a sigh and then made a note on the A4 paper clipped on the clipboard. ¡¸Then, let¡¯s initiate the experiment. First, invoke your ¡ºMetallization¡».¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ Yuuma clenched his fists, trying to invoke ¡ºMetallization¡». He was worrying about the effect of the bloody ore for a moment but his fear turned out to be a needless one since the color of his body was still metallic black. It seems he could still use this ability properly as long as he had the proper image. The president, who looked from a slightly separated place, couldn¡¯t help but worry about Yuuma instead. ¡¸Well, the next step is invoking the bloody ore¡¯s ability. Try to draw the image of enhancing your strength and speed.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Yuuma closed his eyes, he tried to draw the image of bloodstream in his body boiling up and raising his overall abilities. At first nothing happened but then, steam rose slowly from Yuuma¡¯s body. Thin red streaks started to appear along Yuuma¡¯s limbs, head, and face. The blood vessel-like streaks that appeared on his body started to let out dim red light. ¡¸Somehow¡­ I feel that I become stronger!¡¹ ¡¸OOOOH! It¡¯s a hit. You definitely managed to invoke the ore¡¯s ability. Now let¡¯s measure your enhanced strength.¡¹ Aisha quickly took the digital dynamometre. ¡¸Grip it with everything you got!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹ Yuuma clenched the hand dynamometer as strongly as he could. A moment later, an unpleasant sound resounded from the direction of his hand. When he looked at his hand, he saw the broken part of the grip. The digital dynamometre broke without even managing to show the enhanced strength of Yuuma. ¡¸Ah!¡¹ ¡¸AHAHAHAHA, HOW AMAZING! WONDERFUL, TRULY WONDERFUL!!¡¹ ¡¸Okay, moving to next¡¹ Added Aisha as she happily torn off the chain part of the broken dynamometer from Yuuma¡¯s hand, seeming not giving a sh*t about the broken instrument. They moved to test vertical jump, and he ended up jumping to a height beyond measurement level. ¡¸Wonderful. How¡¯s the condition of your body?¡¹ ¡¸Eh, yeah. I think it¡¯s alright.¡¹ In the blink of an eye, three minutes passed as they measured Yuuma¡¯s enhanced abilities, thus the red streaks also vanished. ¡¸It really raises your power. I mean, this is the first time I see such drastic increase in strength!¡¹ Even the president was praising Yuuma while looking at the latter¡¯s condition. And yet, Aisha is filling in something on her clipboard with an anxious look on her face. ¡¸AAA~H, THERE¡¯S NOT ENOUGH TIME! I need more data. Let¡¯s end today experiment!¡¹ The ability of the magic ore could only be used once, and once it ran out, it couldn¡¯t be used until the next day. Thus, Aisha had no choice but to end the current experiment. Yuuma heaved a sigh of relief since there was no abnormality in his body when he released his transformation. CH 72 Chapter 72: Challenge The Middle Layer ¡¸I only have that one bloody ore with me. But, the data that I need is much more than that¡­¡¹ Seeing Aisha spoke with the distressed look on her face, Yuuma opened his mouth, ¡¸W-Well, it can¡¯t be helped if you don¡¯t have it. Let¡¯s do it bit-by-bit, once per day and ther-¡¹ ¡°There is no need to be in such a hurry¡± that was what Yuuma about to say but¨D¨D ¡¸Let¡¯s go get some.¡¹ ¡¸Eh?¡¹ ¡¸This magic ore was dropped in Vali, and they can be found in the 56th floor of the black dungeon. Yes, all we need is to dive till that far.¡¹ ¡¸Wait a minute, 56th floor!? Are you serious!? Do we have to go that far for a single magic ore!?¡¹ The 56th floor was way too deep, completely different from what you say about eating a lot of strange magic ore. Yuuma tried to refuse but¨D¨D ¡¸We still need more bloody ores. Moreover, prolonging the duration of bloody ore¡¯s effect means more time to gain the data. Don¡¯t worry, you got my support!¡¹ ¡¸But still¡­¡¹ ¡¸Worry not, Yuuma-kun. You have already proven with your body that your ability is compatible with bloody ore. The next thing to do is to prolong the effect of bloody ore. Well, leave that matter to me!¡¹ In the end, with the president being powerless in front of Aisha, and Yuuma who couldn¡¯t refute Aisha¡¯s sound argument, they returned to Yokohama¡¯s ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» again. ¡ó¡ó¡ó By the time they arrived at Yokohama, it was already 6 PM. They decided to dive into the dungeon tomorrow and rest in the hotel in Yokohama that day. And then, right on the next day¨D¨D ¡¸Are you ready, Yuuma?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m ready.¡¹ Yuuma replied to the president as he carried a huge rucksack on his back. The rucksack was stuffed to the brim with nitroglycerin bomb. ¡¸Where in the world did Aisha-san manage to get this much nitroglycerin?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t know where it originally came from but it definitely came from an illegal route. You better not know about it.¡¹ "" Though Yuuma was really scared about carrying so many explosives in the rucksack on his back, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether it was really enough until they reached the 56th floor. The middle layer of black dungeon was filled with monsters far more terrifying than explosive after all. Yuuma had no choice but to carry on. The president and Yuuma met up with Aisha and left the hotel together. The three of them stood before the heavy gate that blocked the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». The capture of the middle layer would start from today. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸DORYAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹ The transformed Yuuma swung his pickel. It was then followed by a loud metallic sound and spray of rock splinter in all directions.The pickel got blocked by a thick arm, preventing the former from destroying the head. The one who stood before the three was a towering, more than three meters tall rock golem. The color of its rugged body was dark indigo with a pair of shining red eyes. It was the biggest golem among the ones they saw until now. ¡¸DAMMIT ALL!¡¹ Even now, the president tried to attack it with his hexagonal staff. Alas, all he managed to do was make the golem flinch for a moment. "" The golem raised a thunderous roar which made the ground somewhat vibrating and then rushed at the president. It raised its thick, round arms and swung it down at the president. The president blocked the overhead blow with his staff but he was forced to go down on his knees due to the difference between their weight. Nevertheless, he managed to force the golem to step back with his hexagonal staff. ¡¸Kuh! Yuuma, use the explosive!! We can¡¯t beat this fella with normal attack.¡¹ ¡¸O-Okay!¡¹ Yuuma lowered his rucksack and took out the metal utensil and the tube filled with nitroglycerin from inside. The bloody ore¡¯s ability couldn¡¯t be used until they reached the 56th floor. Since the ability could only be used for three minutes, they saved it for when they fought against Vali. Yuuma installed the metal apparatus on the pointed end of the pickel and inserted the tube in it. He used ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡» to wrap the entire part of pickel, including the apparatus, leaving only the tube in its original state. ¡¸President, it¡¯s ready! Get away from that monster.¡¹ ¡¸I can protect myself with ¡°Water Magic¡±. Don¡¯t worry about me and just blast this guy, Yuuma!!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹ Yuuma rushed toward the golem, pickel raised high in the air. The president used his strength to push back the golem. Yuuma saw through the opening and swung his pickel at the head of the golem. The moment his pickel hit the golem head, his vision was overflowed with light. The tip of the pickel exploded, smashed the head of the golem with the explosion, spraying rock¡¯s splinters around. The president used the ¡°Water Barrier¡±, protecting himself from the splinters of rock. On the other hand, Yuuma got sent flying by the shockwave of the explosion, and crashed on the rock wall behind him. ¡¸Ooof¡ª-¡¹ Yuuma shook his head. Though the explosion from point blank range almost made him faint for a moment, his body was unscathed. It seems his body was really sturdy. Yuuma stood as soon as he finished checking his body condition and looked at the golem. The golem that lost its head raised a smoke, and crumbled down on the ground. ¡¸We¡­ Did it.¡¹ The golem then turned into ashes as Yuuma looked at its last moment with relief. ¡¸Are you okay, Yuuma?¡¹ The president came to Yuuma¡¯s side and asked about his condition with a worried look on his face. ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m okay. What about you, president?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about me. Despite how I look, I¡¯m still a veteran Explorer!¡¹ When Yuuma and the president were having such a conversation, Aisha had already crouched down in front of the remains of the golem that had already become ashes. From there, she took a tiny, silvery ¡°Sphere¡±. ¡¸Both of you, look.¡¹ ¡¸Uhm?¡¹ Yuuma and the president turned around upon hearing Aisha¡¯s call. Aisha placed the silver sphere on her palm and showed it to both of them. ¡¸This is ¡°Pure Silver¡±, a rare magic ore.¡¹ === Yuuma and his personal weapon(The Hammer) CH 73 Chapter 73: Advance, Retreat, And Then¡­ ¡¸Pure Silver?¡¹ The president raised his brow as he asked. ¡¸It¡¯s one of the rare ores. It¡¯s a magic ore that rarely drops from the golem. They¡¯re the strongest kind in regard to physical strength reinforcement. Their effect are quite significant despite their small size.¡¹ ¡¸Oooh, that sounds like a good thing! Since that¡¯s the case, let Yuuma to eat it.¡¹ ¡¸The heck you¡¯re talking about! I have to prepare necessary experiment and place to gain the data for this rare article before Yuuma ate it!¡¹ ¡¸The heck you¡¯re talking about! It¡¯s just deadweight if we don¡¯t use that now when we need it the most!!¡¹ The president and Aisha started their quarrel in the dungeon in which they had no idea when the monster was going to attack them. Yuuma was looking dumbfoundedly at the two but then, the president put an end to their quarrel by wresting the magic ore of ¡°Pure Silver¡± from Aisha¡¯s hand. Aisha who couldn¡¯t beat the president could only sit on the ground, hitting the ground beneath her to vent her frustration. Though Yuuma was worrying about her, the president approached him with a smile on his face. ¡¸Oi Yuuma, eat this! This will make our battle much more easier.¡¹ ¡¸A-Ah¡­¡¹ Yuuma took a glance at Aisha. She looks like a crybaby whose candy was just robbed by her childhood friend. ¡¸Leave her alone! Raising the efficiency of dungeon capture is far more important than worrying about this selfish fella.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yeah.¡¹ Yuuma received the ¡°Pure Silver¡± from the president and swallowed it. He had no trouble swallowing it thanks to its small size. That moment, he felt the familiar heat in his stomach, which spread to his entire body. It was the feeling of digesting the magic ore that he was already familiar with. And yet, he felt nothing had changed than usual even after he tried to move his limbs. ¡¸How do you feel, Yuuma?¡¹ ¡¸Well¡­ Doesn¡¯t feel like I become stronger.¡¹ The president then glared at Aisha who walked with tottering steps toward them. ¡¸Oi Aisha! How much is the reinforcement effect of this magic ore?¡¹ Hearing that, Aisha heaved a sigh, shook her head sulkingly. ¡¸If we¡¯re referring to the overseas research in the past, that magic ore should¡¯ve reinforced stamina, agility, and physical strength. If that ¡°Silver¡± is big, the increase should be 10% for physical strength, 7% for agility, and 6% for stamina.¡¹ ¡¸The heck, another small increase.¡¹ Aisha¡¯s brow furrowed hearing the president¡¯s remark. ¡¸SMALL YOU SAY!? IT¡¯S LITERALLY THE SAME AS RAISING THOSE THREE STATS BY 10%!! Don¡¯t you understand just how rare is such amazing magic ore!?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah yeah, I understand.¡¹ The president went ahead while giving such a half-hearted reply. When advancing beyond the 40th floor, the resistance of the monster became more and more fierce. The president could barely fight back, and while Yuuma could somehow defeat the monster with explosives, he had to protect Aisha too. Nevertheless, they managed to arrive at the 56th floor. ¡¸Yuuma, how many minute left you have for your ¡ºMetallization¡»?¡¹ ¡¸Around ten minute I guess.¡¹ ¡¸How many of the explosive we have left?¡¹ ¡¸Just thirty.¡¹ The president and Yuuma had such a conversation while hiding in the shade of a rock. There was a monster resembling that of an iron monkey on top of a rock or a steep cliff. They¡¯re walking while looking at their surroundings with both their hands on the ground, just like monkeys. ¡¸So that¡¯s the monster called ¡°Vali¡±.¡¹ Rather than a monkey, its behavior was similar to that of a gorilla. On top of being exhausted, their magical power was also nearing the limit. And even with their last trump card, Yuuma¡¯s ¡ºMetallization¡», the activation time was nearing its¡¯ end. More than 150 explosives had already been reduced to just 30. ¡¸Oi, Aisha! We¡¯re almost at our limit. We¡¯ve to go back and return tomorrow.¡¹ ¡¸What in the world are you talking about! You¡¯re telling me to return empty handed after we arrived at this point! We have to secure two bloody ores at least!¡¹ The president and Aisha started another bikering session. Yuuma agreed with the president that they had to go back but he was too tired to join the two. A while later, Aisha spoke again. ¡¸Kotaro¡­ It¡¯s just two. It will make the dungeon capture become more easier later.¡¹ ¡¸If you really need it, you can still get it from your own ¡°Channel¡± right?¡¹ Aisha shook her head as if to answer the president¡¯s question. ¡¸Bloody ore is only available for minorities among the researchers, it isn¡¯t available in the market for obvious reasons. Since there¡¯s strict regulation for transferring it to other people, the easiest way to get it is from a dungeon. That¡¯s why I leave this matter to you, Kotaro. This is our only chance.¡¹ The troubled president looked at Yuuma. ¨D¨D If possible, I want to go back to the surface but¡­ We might not be able to reach the same place even if Aisha commissioned us again. ¡¸Let¡¯s try it president, I have yet to use bloody ore either, so I think it should be doable with the two of us¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡­ I see, since that is your decision.¡¹ ¡¸Okay, let¡¯s do it, Yuuma.¡¹Said the president as he was facing forward, his previous hesitation had already gone. ¡¸Yuuma, I¡¯ll draw their aggro, use that chance to unleash your power at once to crush them! We will retreat as soon as we retrieved the dropped magic ore!!¡¹ ¡¸Understood!¡¹ ¡¸Okay, let¡¯s go, guys!¡¹ Said Aisha happily upon seeing the president and Yuuma reached an agreement. === Metal Slime CH 74 Chapter 74: The Steel Monkey, Vali ¡¸Yuuma, ready for battle.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Yuuma installed the white tube into the metal instrument attached to pickel and invoked his ¡ºMetallization¡» again. After his body turned into metal, he used ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡» to coat the pickel, and turned its form into that of hammer. ¡¸£Ï£Ë, I¡¯m ready.¡¹ The president was observing the situation around them from the shade of the rock. One of the Vali was loitering nearby. And another one behind the rock. Since there were so many Valis on top of the cliff, the president who wanted to bait those two Valis out of their crowd picked up a pebble around him and threw it at the pointy rock near him. ¨D¨DClank. The small sound resounded as the pebble hit the ground. The two Valis who heard the sound went toward the rock while surveying the surrounding area. Yuuma and the president exchanged glances and nodded at each other. The next moment, the president went out from the rock and ran toward the two Valis. ¡¸OVER HERE, LOSERS!!¡¹ The Valis finally noticed the president, and ran all four toward him. Seeing that, the president came to a stop, readied his hexagonal staff. ¡¸YUUMA, DO IT!¡¹ Yuuma also jumped out of his hiding place and invoked the bloody ore¡¯s ability. Yuuma¡¯s hand gripped on the grip of the pickel and swung it toward the Vali, crimson streaks ran on the surface of his body, shining dimly in the dim dungeon. ¡¸UWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!¡¹ Yuuma put his entire weight on as he swung down his pickel. The Vali couldn¡¯t react in time for Yuuma¡¯s surprise attack. ¨D¨DTAKE THIS! The tip of his pickel hit Vali, and exploded. The sound of an explosion resounded inside the cave. The shockwave from the explosion sent Yuuma¡¯s body flying to the opposite direction, but he managed to land on his feet and then looked at the Vali who took the explosion head on. "" It was a direct attack right on its head. Yuuma was convinced of his victory but then, when the smoke cleared up, the said Vali was still alive, albeit losing its left arm. They looked angrily at Yuuma. ¡¸Did I miss it!?¡¹ It seems the Vali reacted fast enough to block the pickel with their left arm. The Vali raised a warcry and rushed at Yuuma with an enraged look on their face. The other Vali who noticed the commotion ran down from the rock. ¨D¨DDammit! I have no other choice but to fight them now!! I won¡¯t make it in time to install the explosive. I guess the only option left is fighting with pickel coated with ¡ºLiquid Metal¡». Yuuma raised his pickel that had already turned into a hammer and swung it down toward the one-armed Vali. But¨D¨D ¡¸Eh!?¡¹ The Vali caught the handle of his pickel and Yuuma couldn¡¯t take it back. At that very moment, he recalled that bloody ore originally came from Vali. Meaning that he wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat Vali in the contest of strength. When Vali pulled his pickel with all their strength, Yuuma¡¯s body got dragged in, and even floated in the air for a moment. And just like that, he got knocked to the ground. ¡¸¡­ GAH!¡¹ That attack was by no mean painful for the current Yuuma but, the ¡ºLiquid Metal¡» coating on the pickel ended up came off. When Yuuma¡¯s hand let go of his pickel, the Vali then threw the pickel that they managed to snatch from Yuuma. Yuuma stood up on his feet again and raised his face. One-armed Vali on the front, and another Vali rushing toward him from the side. Yuuma, who lost his weapon, Pickel ended up standing dumbfoundedly, having completely no idea about what to do now. That moment, the president shouted from behind the one-armed Vali. ¡¸DON¡¯T FALTER, YUUMA! Just do the usual synchronization movement. Beating the crap of them is piece of cake!!¡¹ Yuuma snapped out of his daze in that instant. Synchronization movement was the basis of a martial art that was beaten into him so thoroughly by the president but the only one he could use was ¡°Straight Thrust¡±. He had no idea how to properly utilize that move at this moment but he decided to follow his instinct. The Vali had already arrived before him. Yuuma opened his leg at shoulder length, raising his left hand forward, pulling his clenched right fist on his waist as he lowered his stance. He adjusted his breath, opened his eyes and took a step forward. From leg to waist, from waist to shoulder, from shoulder to arm. His power transmitted like a series of perfectly interlocking gearboxes. When his body and mind were in a complete synchronization state, the crimson lines on his skin glowed even brighter than before. Even the president who stood in a separate place noticed that strange phenomenon. ¡¸What the¡­ Hell is that?¡¹ The Vali tried to catch Yuuma¡¯s punch with his right hand but Yuuma warded it with his left arm and clenched his right fist even stronger than before. ¨D¨DStraight thrust. It was a basic form of punch that I drilled into me again and again.[TN: Straight Thrust¨CCool Version] The rotated fist landed straight on the defenceless face of Vali. Crack¨D¨D The sound of cracked metal resounded in the area. The punched Vali got sent flying with its head bent back in an unnatural direction. It landed heavily on the ground and rolled once before stopping. ¡¸W-We did it¡­!¡¹ The happiness only stayed for a moment, the other Vali had already rushed from the side. But Yuuma didn¡¯t lose his cool, he warded off the Vali¡¯s hand with his stretched right arm, and took a stance with his left arm this time. ¡¸Here it come!¡¹ Yuuma¡¯s ¡°Straight Thrust¡± clashed with Vali¡¯s punch head on. The clash of their fist created a shockwave which was followed by a thunderous sound. Since both had metal fist, they should be equal in power but¨D¨D ¡¸GUGYAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹ The one who got its fist smashed was the Vali. Yuuma was just standing on his original stance, pulling back his fist. That Vali fell to the ground, holding on to their right arm as if they were writhing in pain. Yuuma did it, he defeated Vali with his own strength. That moment, the red lines on Yuuma¡¯s skin vanished so quickly. ¡¸Eh? W-what¡¯s happening here?¡­ Three minutes has yet to pass!?¡¹ As if not caring about Yuuma¡¯s question, the Valis on top of the cliff jumped down in succession. ¡°I ran out of power.¡± Just when Yuuma worried about this matter, the president rushed at him. ¡¸YUUMA! RETREAT!!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹ Yuuma and the president are looking around to find an escape route. But, they had already been surrounded by Valis. === Metal Slime: Kaede(Who will get more screentime) CH 75 Chapter 75: The Most Sturdy Metal ¡¸Crap¡­ With this number of monsters¡­¡¹ The president grit his teeth. The dozens Valis that came from four directions had blocked their retreat path. ¡¸Yuuma, can¡¯t you use that power again?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ I can¡¯t. I think I already used it up!¡¹ The Valis stood on their way. At this rate, everyone was going to be killed. ¡¸Yuuma, lead the way from that direction. I¡¯ll follow you from behind while protecting Aisha.¡¹ ¡¸Understood!¡¹ The Valis moved at once. Yuuma and the president are moving in two groups. The president pulled Aisha¡¯s hand, hiding behind the rock. Yuuma slipped in between two Valis before him. He had to admit that Vali was an extremely powerful monster, albeit rather slow. He could run as long as he didn¡¯t get caught. Was what Yuuma thought but¨D¨D ¡¸Gah!?¡¹ Something hit his head. He squatted unintentionally upon receiving a strong impact on the back of his head. ¡¸¨D¨DWhat¡¯s now!?¡¹ When he looked around, he saw a splinter of the rock rolled on the ground. When he turned around, he saw the surrounding Valis raised rock above their head. ¡°They¡¯re quite smart huh.¡± That was what Yuuma felt as he tried to stand immediately to run again but he felt as if his feet were rooted on the spot. His feet were caught by one of the Vali, and another one pinned his shoulders and arms. He couldn¡¯t even shake them off since they¡¯re so strong. ¡¸D¡­ Dammit! Let go off me!!¡¹ One Vali rushed forward and went all out to attack Yuuma. His body bent due to the impact of the attack. He couldn¡¯t move since the Valis were already locked on his limbs. Another Vali approached from behind, trying to bite his shoulder. Though his steel body didn¡¯t get damaged, it was only a matter of time before his ability was put on cooldown. The moment his metallization wore off, the Valis would tear his body from limb to limb. Imagining such an end alone was enough to send chills running down into Yuuma¡¯s spine. ¡¸Yuuma!¡¹ The president who had almost reached the entrance of the floor returned while raising up his hexagonal staff. But he couldn¡¯t win against the Valis by himself. Nevertheless, the president didn¡¯t flinch at all. His hexagonal staff glowing with blue coloured light, the sign of the invocation of water magic. ¡¸HANG IN THERE, I¡¯M GOING TO SAVE YOU NOW!!¡¹ The president swung his staff at Vali. No matter how tough a monster, they would still stagger back after receiving a strong hit loaded with so much magical power. That attack also unleashed water spray on the surrounding area. ¡¸UWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!¡¹ The president brandished his hexagonal staff again. But, his second attack failed since the vali caught his staff, and their physical strength was far above the president. ¡¸Dammit!¡¹ The president punched Vali right in the face. Alas, it was ineffective against monsters with a body of steel. On the other hand, the president almost broke his knuckle since he literally gave his all to punch such a steel-like skin. Seeing the president¡¯s pained face, the Vali tried to catch him this time. ¨D¨DOh no, at this rate, the president is going to die! Something, I need to do som¡ª Yuuma who saw that was feeling desperate. He wondered if he could do something about this situation with his remaining power. He kept thinking in the seemingly prolonged time but, he really had no idea what to do in this situation. And just when he was about to reach his limit, he suddenly recalled that giant slime. ¡°I should be able to become much more powerful if I used the power of that giant metal slime¡­¡± That was what he thought as the figure of that giant slime reappeared in his mind. ¨D¨DOh right. If that¡¯s the case I can use my whole body to attack the valis that held me back.¡± That was what Yuuma¡¯s felt as his body started to undulate, as if his whole body turned into liquid metal. ¡¸TAKE THIS!!¡¹ It was an all out attack using his whole body. Yuuma unleashed countless long and sharp thorns from his whole body like some sort of sea urchin, pierced through the body of the valis who held him on the spot. The Valis that held him raised a death throes. They released Yuuma while spitting some blood from their mouth, staggered back one to two steps. Yuuma pulled back his thorns, and transformed his right hand into a short sword. Since the current him could easily imagine the image of a sharp blade, the result was a sharper blade than when he tried it out for the first time. ¡¸UWAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹ Yuuma chased after the vali who staggered back. Pushing his right hand that transformed into a short sword, and plunged the blade into Vali¡¯s chest. ¡¸GAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹ Yuuma¡¯s body was that of metal slime, the monster with the toughest metal body. That¡¯s why the ¡°Sword¡± made from such metal could literally tear through almost all material. His sword hand pierced through Vali¡¯s steel chest, and through their heart. Seeing the monster groaning in pain, Yuuma transformed his left hand. He imagined a tekkou with a long sword growing from it. [TL: Êּסª The thing that Yuuma made is something similar with Velvet Crowe¡¯s gauntlet blade] Thus, a long sword formed from the center of the tekkou. Yuuma used that long sword to decapitate Vali¡¯s head. Blood-like liquid sprayed as the vali lost its head, and fell on their back before they turned into sands, and vanished from this world. There was an alternate method to beat them aside from using brute strength. A ¡°Magic Ore¡± falling on the place where that vali just fell. Yuuma picked that up and ran toward the president immediately. Two valis were rushing at the president. Yuuma used his right hand sword to slash on one of the vali on their flank. And pointing the five fingers of his left hand to the other vali. His fingers elongated, turned into long and thin five spikes, and stabbed on the back of the other vali. The monster raised a howl and turned around to see who dared to hurt them. Yuuma¡¯s fingers that had already returned to normal became tekkou with a long sword growing from its center again, and he used that sword to cut the vali¡¯s throat. That moment, the president who gained some leeway used his hexagonal staff to beat the second vali. The monster staggered backward as metal splinters burst out from their body. ¡¸Yuuma!¡¹ Yuuma noticed something when hearing the president¡¯s voice. When he turned around, he saw the one armed vali from before rushed at him. But, Yuuma remained calm and composed despite the fast approaching vali. He crouched down with his right hand on the ground to dodge Vali¡¯s attack. The moment that one armed Vali¡¯s upper body was right above him, he unleashed hundreds of sharp thorns from his back. The vali whose body got stabbed by hundreds of sharp thorns couldn¡¯t do anything but wailing in pain. And fell powerlessly on the ground when Yuuma extracted his thorns. As finisher, Yuuma used his right sword hand to stab into that vali¡¯s chest, and cut its throat with his left tekkou blade. That one-armed vali shed a lot of blood before turning into sand, and vanished. ¡¸I did it¡­¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s escape!¡¹ Said the president to remind Yuuma after the former picked up the falling magic ore and ran toward the entrance. CH 76 Chapter 76: Superpower¡¯s Experiment ¡¸Huff¡­ Huff¡­ That was a close call.¡¹ Yuuma leaned on the wall of rock behind him while adjusting his disordered breath. They managed to escape from the 56th floor, the floor in which the valis reside and are currently resting to adjust their breath in the 55th floor. The president was also plopped on the ground, sitting cross-legged as he was as exhausted as Yuuma. At this point, Aisha had literally been sprawled on the ground, and also ran out of breath. Since she was originally indoor type, it was only natural for her to be exhausted first. ¡¸Yuuma, did you take the magic ore?¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡­ Only two though.¡¹ Yuuma replied to the president, taking out two magic ore drops from Vali that he kept in his pocket. ¡¸Ooh, good job Yuuma-kun!¡¹ Aisha came closer on all fours with gleaming eyes. ¡¸There are other Valis that I defeated but¡­ I¡¯m completely focusing on escaping back then.¡¹ ¡¸No worries, two is plenty enough.¡¹ Aisha was smiling happily as she took the two magic ore from Yuuma¡¯s hands. Seeing Aisha like that, the president finally raised his voice. ¡¸Oi! Escaping from the dungeon as soon as possible is more important than those stones. Yuuma¡¯s¡ºMetallization¡» can¡¯t be used anymore for today, and my magical power has already running out too. Safe your laugh for later!¡¹ Aisha just huffed her nose hearing that. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re going to use the explosive on the way out of the dungeon.¡¹ Aisha spoke with a confident voice nevertheless, Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but doubt her statement. ¡¸Aisha-san. Despite what you say about using explosive, I have to tell you that I dropped my pickel in the 56th floor, and I can¡¯t use ¡ºMetallization¡» anymore, needless to say about bloody ore.¡¹ Despite hearing Yuuma¡¯s worries, Aisha was unperturbed at all. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about that, Yuuma-kun. Now gimme your rucksack.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes¡­¡¹ Yuuma gave his explosive-filled rucksack to Aisha. Aisha then took out duct tape from her waist pouch, and stone that she could find nearby. Lastly, she took out the white tube from Yuuma¡¯s rucksack, placed the stone that she picked up on the cap of the tube to act as a detonator, and tape them together with duct tape. ¡¸What are you doing? We¡¯re about to be surrounded by monsters!¡¹ Unable to understand the meaning behind Aisha¡¯s action, the president stood up to warn her while scanning their surroundings. In fact, there was already a rustling sound coming from the shade of the rock nearby. But, Aisha didn¡¯t seem to be flustered at all. ¡¸Kotaro, throw this in the opposite direction of our current position. Throw it as high as possible.¡¹ The president received the handmade dynamite, furrowing his brows as he looked at the dangerous goods in his hand. ¡¸What do you mean by throwing this?¡¹ ¡¸Just do it, you¡¯ll know the reason immediately!¡¹ ¡¸Okay.¡¹ Replied the president with a blunt voice, and then he threw the handmade dynamite. The tube spun in mid air, and fell down head first from the stone that taped to the cap due to the stone¡¯s sheer weight. The moment the stone fell to the ground, it became the detonator that triggered the explosion. The monsters that approached Yuuma and co turned around and ran toward the direction of the explosion. ¡¸NOW! RUN TO THE ENTRANCE!!¡¹ That moment, the president realized Aisha¡¯s intention and replied with a stuttered voice as everyone ran toward the stair to the upper floor. After that, they used more than twenty explosives on the way back, they literally slipped through the floor without having to fight the monsters inside, and when they arrived at the shallow floor, the president wielded his hexagonal staff to crush the incoming monsters. And then¨D¨D ¡¸WE ARE OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT!!¡¹ As they climbed up from the first floor, they had finally returned to the area under SDF¡¯s management. Looking at the tattered state of Yuuma and co as they climbed up from the dungeon, the SDF¡¯s personnel stationed in that place rushed in hurry and carried them to the medical ward immediately. Yuuma heaved a sigh of relief having survived such a tumultuous exploration day. ¡ó¡ó¡ó The day after they returned from exploring the 56th floor of the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». Yuuma woke up in his hotel room in Yokohama. He returned to his room yesterday night after receiving treatment from SDF¡¯s doctor in the medical ward. Though he didn¡¯t suffer from a big injury, when he discussed with the president whether they should take a break from today¡¯s exploration or not, Aisha intruded into their room. ¡¸OKAY, TIME TO DIVE INTO THE DUNGEON AGAIN!¡¹ Unlike Yuuma and the president who was obviously still exhausted from yesterday¡¯s exploration, AIsha was the only one who was still as lively as before. ¡¸Let us take a break, will ya?¡¹ Ignoring the president¡¯s dumbfounded question, Aisha broke into the room and took Yuuma out. Thus, the president and Yuuma had no choice but to dive into the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» again. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸¨D¨DWell then, let¡¯s start with ingesting the bloody ore that we acquired yesterday, Yuuma-kun!¡¹ Once they entered the 1st floor of the dungeon, Aisha gave Yuuma two magic ore and a PET bottle. ¡¸Eh? A-Are you sure about this? I mean, I¡¯m starting to worry about my physical condition¡­ I mean, that magic ore is-¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be alright. You have no problem so far even after ingesting that magic ore, right? No need to worry about the side effects of the bloody ore as long as you use it in your metallization state. It¡¯s absolutely safe!¡¹ Honestly speaking, Yuuma felt that her persuasion was quite over the top but, Yuuma also couldn¡¯t deny the fact that ¡ºSuper Strength¡» and ¡ºMetallization¡» was a match made in heaven. He knew that he could become stronger with this power. Thus, Yuuma decided to eat the magic ore. He took the bloody ore, fully prepared to die, swallowed it and washed it down with water from a PET bottle. It took only a moment for him to feel the familiar heat spreading in his body. ¡¸It seems I gained the ability.¡¹ ¡¸Okay, let¡¯s confirm immediately. Use your ¡ºMetallization¡».¡¹ ¡¸O-Okay.¡¹ Yuuma invoked his metallization. Naturally, it didn¡¯t mean that he had no worries at all but¡­ ¡¸First, let¡¯s start with the strange even that happened yesterday, the fact that the effect of bloody ore wore off in less than three minutes.¡¹ Yuuma nodded, he agreed with Aisha about that matter being so strange. The reason why Yuuma and co fell into such a predicament was that his ¡ºSuper Strength¡» ability wore off faster than estimation. He completely forgot about that matter yesterday due to panic but, now that Aisha reminded him about that matter, it was indeed a huge, hidden problem. ¡¸Indeed, it wore off faster than it was supposed to be¡¹ Said the president, agreeing with Aisha too. ¡¸The bloody ore basically enhanced your abilities by around five times. I couldn¡¯t say for sure since there is no way to measure it precisely.¡¹ ¡¸FIVE TIMES!? That much huh¡­ But, what we saw yesterday seems to be even stronger than that.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s why we¡¯re going to investigate that matter today. Yuuma-kun, invoke your ¡ºSuper Strength¡» and punch this rock wall.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹ Yuuma invoked the bloody ore¡¯s ability. Thus, glowing red lines resembling that of blood veins appeared on the surface of his body, he felt that his body was overflowing with strength. Aisha took out a stopwatch from her pocket and pressed the switch. Yuuma went all out and punched the rock wall, his fist sunk into the wall along with the thunderous sound of the crumbling wall. ¡¸Done¡­¡¹ ¡¸Once again.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹ Yuuma did the same punch again and again till three minutes had elapsed and he felt the sense of overflowing with ¡°Strength¡± left his body. ¡¸Now invoke your ¡ºSuper Strength¡» again, Yuuma-kun. This time, punch the wall while focusing on increasing your strength more than before.¡¹ ¡¸O-Okay¡­¡¹ Yuuma invoked the bloody ore¡¯s ability again, focusing his mind as glowing bloodvine¡¯s red lines appeared on his skin. He recalled the time when they fought Vali yesterday, it was the moment when his concentration rose to its limit. When he tried to remember the feeling from back then¨D¨D He remembered that at that moment, he put more power into his punch, more focus in his mind, a more complete body and mind unification. That moment, the glowing red lines on Yuuma¡¯s skin intensified. ¡¸THIS IS IT!¡¹ Aisha¡¯s eyes opened wide as she raised delightful voice. At that moment, Yuuma took a stance, he pulled his arms on his waist, stepped forward and transmitted his power from leg to waist. Going up from waist to shoulders, from shoulder to arm, and lastly, as he felt torrent-like power in his arm, he spun his fist and nailed a punch into the wall. The impact and sound of this punch was incomparable to his previous punch. His punch literally pierced through the wall as if it was made from tofu, cracks spread in all directions with his punching points as its starting line, and the wall finally crumbled down. The three of them could only look dumbfoundedly at such unworldly destructive power. CH 77 Chapter 77: Confirmation of The Current State ¡¸Hahahaha¡­ Amazing.¡¹ Yuuma couldn¡¯t help but mutter out such words. He was really happy to see that the power of his attack was beyond his imagination, and quite frightful at the same time. After that, they kept destroying the dungeon¡¯s wall to test his power. But then, the effect of his power ended in just one minute instead of three minutes. ¡¸So that¡¯s really the case¡­¡¹ ¡¸What do you mean by ¡°That¡¯s really the case¡±?¡¹ asked the president who happened to overhear Aisha¡¯s mumbling. Aisha instructed Yuuma to repeat the same thing as before, completely ignoring the president¡¯s question. Thus start, the third vandalizing act of Yuuma to the dungeon by destroying its wall with his enhanced ¡ºSuper Strength¡» . In this test, Yuuma¡¯s ability ceased after one minute too. ¡¸What¡¯s the meaning of this, Aisha?¡¹ Hearing the president¡¯s question, Aisha pondered for a while before a grin appeared on her face. ¡¸It might be possible to regulate the ¡°Output¡± of the power.¡¹ ¡¸Output of what?¡¹ Asked the president with a frown. ¡¸When invoking the bloody ore, Yuuma¡¯s base abilities increased by five times. That goes for his reaction speed too. But, when he increased the output even further, which showed by the brilliance of the red lines on his body, his abilities were enhanced even further. Considering the fact that the activation time got shortened to a third of the normal, let¡¯s say that his abilities are enhanced by three times in addition to the five times. Since there¡¯s no accurate measurement, his abilities should be increased by fifteen times of the his base abilities in his second stage of enhancement.¡¹ ¡¸F-Fifteen times!?¡¹ The president was really shocked since that kind of enhancement was simply crossing the limit of humanity. ¡¸Surely, no normal human body can handle that kind of output.¡¹ ¡¸Well then, we¡¯ve already used up the activation time of bloody ore for today. Let¡¯s move on to the next test, Yuuma-kun!!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹ ¡¸If my memories serve me right, you¡¯re using some sort of thorn to attack the Valis from yesterday, right? Tell me more about it?¡¹ ¡¸Ah, that¡¯s actually¨C¡¹ Yuuma explained to the president and Aisha about the combat tactic of the giant metal slime that he met a long time ago. ¡¸I see¡­ So its body created countless thorns and became something like a sea urchin when its defense mechanism activated¡­ Or should I say, porcupine.¡¹ Aisha was smiling delightfully as she spoke. ¡¸It¡¯s truly interesting, Yuuma-kun. Can you to show me that again?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Sure.¡¹ Yuuma crouched on the ground and imagined a sea urchin or porcupine in his head, and then opened his eyes. That moment, countless thorns grew at once from his shoulder, back, and head. Aisha raised a voice of admiration as she looked at that spectacle. ¡¸Wonderful! With the conjuring speed of these thorns, you can actually skewer any kind of monster that is charging at you. This is truly a killing move-like counter skill!¡¹ ¡¸Ah, yeah, maybe.¡¹ ¡¸The thorn¡¯s thinnes increased its¡¯ penetration power even further. But it might not be enough to give a fatal wound to a bigger monster, or humongous monster¡­ In that situation¡­ hmmm hmmm.¡¹ Aisha was walking in a circle while muttering something on her own. She was already lost in her own world. ¡¸Uhm, excuse me¡­¡¹ ¡¸Uhm, ah, sorry, Yuuma-kun. Let¡¯s set a goal for you after this.¡¹ ¡¸A goal?¡¹ Yuuma anxiously asked Aisha who said such thing with ease¨D¨D ¡¸Let¡¯s dive into the 56th floor again to harvest another batch of bloody ore. The number we need this time should be twenty.¡¹ ¡¸Hah!? Twenty? What in the hell was that for!!?¡¹ And just as expected, even the president was pissed off after hearing Aisha¡¯s remark. ¡¸To capture an even deeper floor of course. We can defeat normal monster much easily if we have that much bloody ore, right?¡¹ ¡¸DON¡¯T SCREW WITH ME!! HAVE YOU ALREADY FORGOTTEN WHAT HAPPENED TO US YESTERDAY!?¡¹ ¡¸Pipe down already, Kotaro. I understand more than you two as I¡¯m the weakest one among us.¡¹ ¡¸Then why did you suddenly tel us to get another twenty of that magic ore in that god forsaken floor that almost killed all of us!?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s why we need proper preparation this time. We won¡¯t do such reckless driving anymore, we will return in piece this time.¡¹ ¡¸What are you going to do then!?¡¹ Aisha ignored the enraged president and patted Yuuma¡¯s shoulder with an impish smile on her face. ¡¸First, let¡¯s understand our current situation. We ran out of explosives, and Yuuma-kun dropped his pickel too. In exchange, we got two additional bloody ore and another way to utilize Yuuma-kun¡¯s abilities.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s why I ask you what are we going to do?¡¹ The president asked with a rather irritated voice. ¡¸I mean, the rest is depending on your skill, Kotaro.¡¹ ¡¸Eh!? Me? Why is my name coming out of nowhere!?¡¹ ¡¸I need you to train Yuuma-kun in the next one week. Train him to the point that he can beat the Valis in the 56th floor with ease.¡¹ ¡¸Just one week?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. My contract with D-Minor is only for one month after all. And it ended exactly one week later. That¡¯s why I want to let him to show a result before that.¡¹ ¡¸That ain¡¯t gonna be that easy! Like hell he can become that strong in just one week!!¡¹ ¡¸He can.¡¹ Aisha was smiling fearlessly as she spoke. ¡¸Think carefully. The bloody ore¡¯s ability is literally a ¡°Physical Reinforcement Magic¡± that raised his base strength. Meaning that Yuuma can become even more powerful simply by raising his physical strength. Not to mention that we¡¯re currently in the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡».¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s why I asked you ¡°Why me¡±?¡¹ ¡¸Seriously, you can¡¯t even understand such simple matter.¡¹ Said Aisha, heaved a deep sigh of amazement upon seeing the president asked with a sour look on his face. ¡¸This place is a literal haven to get the magic ore that enhances physical abilities. Even if the effects of each of them are insignificant, by consuming a lot of them, and combining with Yuuma-kun¡¯s physical abilities, the result is simply unfathomable. And I don¡¯t have to worry about his combat prowess either since there¡¯s a muscle brain like you who can teach him martial arts while looking out for him as his senior.¡¹ ¡¸Who¡¯s ¡ºMuscle Brain¡»!!¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu¡­ Well, if I see that the improvement after one week is below my expectation, I won¡¯t force you to do the impossible either. That¡¯s pretty good condition, right?¡¹ ¡¸Uh¡­ Well, that¡¯s a good condition indeed bu-¡¹ ¡¸Then it¡¯s deal!¡¹ Though he got the feeling that he had been dancing around on Aisha¡¯s palm, the schedule for the next week had already been decided, it¡¯ll be hell¡¯s training with the president. CH 78 Chapter 78: The Beginning of Hell Training ¡¸So that¡¯s the gist, Yuuma. Be prepared since the training starting from today going to be even tougher than before!¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yeah¡­ I¡¯m prepared but, where are we going to start from?¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s get out of the dungeon and return to our hotel first.¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re¡­ Leaving the dungeon?¡¹ The president walked toward the entrance of the dungeon. When Yuuma looked at Aisha, he saw her giggling behind them. Thus he concluded that the matter of his training was truly entrusted to the president. Thus Yuuma chased after the president and just like that, they left the dungeon. ¡ó¡ó¡ó Once they returned to their hotel room, Yuuma saw the president write something on the paper. ¡¸Okay, done!¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s that?¡¹ ¡¸Your training menu. We have no choice, we received the commission from AIsha and her next order is hell training.¡¹ Yuuma received the paper from the president and read the content. The content as follow: ¢ÙOne set of 100 push up, 100 sit up, 100 squat, three times a day. ¢ÚMorning and evening jogging, 5 kilos each. ¢ÛTwo hours of martial arts training everyday. ¢ÜDaily combat training against monster from 20th until 30th floor. ¡¸E~~~h¡­ Are we really going to do all of this in one day?¡¹ When Yuuma asked anxiously, the president nodded with an expression that said it was natural. ¡¸Well, there¡¯s more depending on your condition but, this is enough for now. Be prepared, the training will get harder and harder though.¡¹ Hearing that, color drained from Yuuma¡¯s face. He started to wonder if he could survive until the end of the contract with Aisha? Thus began the hell training. When Yuuma was trying to adjust his disordered breathing after finishing one set of the hell menu, the president brought something like punching mitt for martial arts from somewhere. ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s go to the dungeon, Yuuma!¡¹ They left the dungeon immediately. Seeing the president¡¯s figure, Yuuma had been wondering if it¡¯s just his imagination that the president seems to be enjoying this situation? Upon arriving on the first floor of the dungeon, the president¡¯s martial arts training began. ¡¸Let¡¯s start with one-two punches. Punch this mitt!¡¹ The president wore the punching mitts on his hands, ready to accept Yuuma¡¯s punch. Thus Yuuma had no choice but to punch the mitts like a boxer but¨D¨D ¡¸What the heck with that weak ass punch! Come on, give me your best!¡¹ That day, Yuuma was forced to undergo more than four hours of martial arts training instead of the planned two hours, while enduring the shouting from the president which reminded him of a certain sergeant from hell. In the end, when he was completely exhausted he was dragged by the president by the time they¡¯re on the way back to the hotel, ¡¸Yuuma, we shall return to the hotel after five kilometers of jogging to end the day. I¡¯ll run along with you!¡¹ Hell was still looming over him. The next day was also another hell training day. Once he was done with the muscle training and jogging, they moved on to martial arts training. Yuuma raises his leg to step forward and delivers a right punch at the same time. ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s ¡°One Punch¡± in kempo. It¡¯s different from boxing or karate ¡°Two Punch¡±.¡¹ ¡¸Is this something like the kempo version of ¡°Straight Thrust¡±?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. It has minimum pre-motion since it¡¯s main goal is to strike faster than your enemy!¡¹ After that, the president had also instructed Yuuma to use a middle kick and low kick. In the afternoon, they went into the dungeon to hunt some monsters for Yuuma¡¯s live combat training. Though his hunting efficiency dropped without the reliable pickel in his hands, he used that chance to use variety of weapons by using his ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡». ¡¸Yuuma, let¡¯s go!!¡¹ In the 22nd floor of the dungeon, they fought an agile monster walking on four limbs. The monster¡¯s back was covered in a hard shell like that of an armadillo. Yuuma in his ¡ºMetallization¡» state stood before the monster, hoisting his left arm forward. Thus, his left arm wobbled like a jelly, changed its shape and then covered in another layer of liquid metal. His left arm that transformed into a gigantic axe had already been waiting above the monster. Thus, Yuuma swung down the axe as the monster entered its range. It was a one-shot-kill¨D¨D His axe cleaved the hard shell of the monster as if it were made of tofu, almost without resistance. Red blood spilled from the cross-section of the dissected monster. ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯m starting to get used to this!¡¹ ¡¸Yuuma, let¡¯s keep this pace.¡¹ ¡¸Yes President!¡¹ Thus, Yuuma keeps defeating the incoming monster along with the president, finishing up with jogging on the way back to the hotel. By the time Yuuma had arrived at the hotel, they were already running for more than ten kilometers, thus completely exhausted. The next day, they did the usual muscle training and martial arts training under the president¡¯s coaching, and then called Aisha, asking her to give them her opinion about Yuuma¡¯s metallization. ¡¸The limit of liquid metal transformation ability, is it? Try a simple transformation for now.¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ Yuuma took his clothes into his body as the surface of his body became smooth. ¡¸Ooh! Such minute transformation is also possible huh.¡¹ ¡¸Well, it¡¯s possible for minute transformation in accordance to image.¡¹ ¡¸I see, maybe you can add ¡°Armor¡± for slight advantage.¡¹ ¡¸Armor¡­ Is it?¡¹ Yuuma followed Aisha¡¯s advice and imagined samurai¡¯s armor and western knight¡¯s armor. He imagined himself wearing armor on his limbs, and rugged armor on his chest. Lastly, he added a horned helmet on his head. ¡¸Ooh! Good job, that¡¯s quite intimidating for sure!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, it look like something geared for combat!¡¹ Said the president, apparently agreeing with Aisha. The elated Yuuma transformed his armor even further. He added a spike on his fist to raise the destructive power of his punch, twisted the horns on his helmet and changed its¡¯ angle to acute one. With that, his headbutt could literally kill his opponent. Naturally, he added a spike on his shoulders armor, he also added a mask to cover his face. His current form was the very definition of ¡°Metal Armour Form¡±¨D¨D When he looked at his own appearance in the reflection of the mirror in the room, he saw the figure of a grim warrior clad in black armor. He looks like the intimidating last boss from the sentai series. Yes, not the sentai side, it¡¯s the last boss of sentai series, the big bad guy. And then, the sword on the back of his hands was also ready to be deployed at any moment. The silver lining of his current transformation was those swords; it looks very much like the extremely cool looking hero weapon in the anime. Yuuma was diving into the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡» again while thinking about such thing. CH 79 Chapter 79: Silver Magic Ore and Growth ¡¸Yuuma!¡¹ ¡¸Alright! I¡¯m coming.¡¹ After dodging the attack of the rock golem that came from above and closing in. Yuuma, who had already transformed into his ¡°Metal Armour¡± form, punched the golem right on its face. Thanks to the additional spike on his fist, he literally smashed the golem¡¯s head. Evn the body of more than two meters of golem shook with his punch. But it refused to fall, both of its hands gripped on Yuuma¡¯s arms with vice grip. Yuuma crouched down and pulled his arms, he stiffened his body. That moment, hundreds of long and sharp thorns grew from his back and his head, pierced through the golem¡¯s body. At that moment, the inorganic monsted look like they¡¯re groaning in pain. Yuuma retracted his thorns and returned his body to normal. The golem looked like it was trying to use one last all out attack to ram their body on Yuuma. But then, its body crumbled down in the middle, raising a cloud of dust. After the cloud of dust had settled, when they tried to go back on their feet, Yuuma had already ridden on its back, raising his right arm and transforming it into a sword. He pushed his sword into the golem¡¯s throat, and used his weight to push it even further down. The golem¡¯s hands that tried to pull Yuuma stopped moving. The next moment, the golem¡¯s body started to crumble, turning into black ashes. ¡¸You did it, Yuuma.¡¹ The president rushed to Yuuma. They were currently on the 36th floor. It was the place that gave them a hard time before and they could only pass by using Aisha¡¯s explosive. But now, the two of them could literally breeze through the floor without using explosives or ¡°Super Strength¡±, and defeating the golem that gave them a hard time before with ease. The president was also really delighted seeing this result. ¡¸Yuuma look, it dropped a magic ore!¡¹ ¡¸The same ¡ºSilver¡» magic ore as before. This will raise physical strength.¡¹ ¡¸Not bad result I think. Let¡¯s bring it back and show it to Aisha. She must be itching to examine this one.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. The ashen golem that dropped ¡ºSilver¡» is quite rare monster after all, not to mention that the previous one got taken forcibly by you, president.¡¹ Thus, they ended today¡¯s training and left the dungeon together. Naturally, by jogging. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸OOOH! Another silver magic ore, that means you defeated that golem again eh.¡¹ After they returned to the hotel and showed the magic ore, Aisha took it from the president¡¯s hand with a beaming smile on her face. ¡¸Well then, try to confirm the enhancement rate of this thing.¡¹ Aisha left the room immediately to take the necessary measurement tool. Yuuma and the president were smiling wryly upon seeing that. ¡¸That fella always acting like a kid whenever it comes to the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». I¡¯ve no idea what so fun about it though¡­¡¹ ¡¸Agreed.¡¹ Ten minutes later, Aisha had finally returned to the room along with measurement tools and some sort of mysterious machine. ¡¸There¡¯s three measurements. Physical strength, agility, and stamina. We can only perform simple examination since we¡¯re inside the room but, still much better than no data at all.¡¹ The things she brought with her were hand dynamometre, back muscle strength measuring tool, and a huge running machine with PC installed on it. ¡¸Let¡¯s start with physical strength. Try this, Yuuma-kun.¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ He put his strength into the grip of hand dynamometres as it is. ¡¸Uhum, let¡¯s see, 48.5 huh¡­ Next is back muscle strength.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Yuuma followed Aisha¡¯s instruction in using the back muscle strength measuring tool. Meanwhile, AIsha jotted down the result in her notebook. Next she booted the PC and started the measurement with a running machine. ¡¸Please press this when the color of the circle has changed.¡¹ Yuuma frowned after seeing that game-like examination. ¡¸Can we understand agility with this?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s to measure the speed of the transmission of electric signals from eyes to brain, and then brain to finger. Your impulse, or should I call it agility can be measured by looking at the electric signal.¡¹ ¡¸Ha~h¡­¡¹ ¡¸But then, there¡¯s no way to measure it properly with equipment in this place.¡¹ The examination for Yuuma¡¯s impulse ended five minutes later, Aisha jotted down the result in her notebook. ¡¸Lastly, stamina. Wear this device.¡¹ ¡¸What kind of device is this?¡¹ He was standing before a measuring machine placed on the rack and running machine. It had an oxygen mask along with an oxygen tube attached on the side. ¡¸This is for what they call gas exhalation analysis. Humans used oxygen to produce kinetic energy. The reason why our body takes oxygen is related to the stamina of our whole body. Namely the length of time which we can use for exercise. This machine is an instrument to measure that.¡¹ Yuuma, who couldn¡¯t say anything since the instruments before him sounded like a big deal then started to wear the necessary apparatus for the measurement before he started. He wore the oxygen mask and started running on top of the running machine. Forcing himself to keep running at full speed was the hardest exercise he did so far. The load gradually built up in his body, only when it reached to a certain degree did the greatest amount of oxygen intake could be measured. ¡¸OK! That¡¯s enough.¡¹ Yuuma took off the oxygen mask as soon as he got Aisha¡¯s permission. He was holding on to the handle bar of the running machine, breathing heavily. ¡¸Let¡¯s take a one hour break. Yuuma-kun, eat ¡°Silver¡± magic ore during that time.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yesh, will do.¡¹ Yuuma did as instructed, he swallowed the silver magic ore, and then laid down on the bed to get some rest. Meanwhile, the president was smoking by the window while looking at Yuuma who was sprawled on the bed. ¡¸That silver magic ore seems to be bigger than the one we got from before. Are you sure it¡¯ll have the same effect?¡¹ Aisha who happily recorded the measurement result while tinkering with the machine on the rack nodded lightly. ¡¸Well, maybe. Basically, the effect should be the same as long as they¡¯re the same mineral and have the same weight. That should be common sense. Fufufu¡­¡¹ The president heaved the cigarettes¡¯ smoke outside the window while looking at Aisha ghastly laughing. CH 80 Chapter 80: Additional Weight ¡¸Well, the break is over! Let¡¯s start the examination again.¡¹ Thus, Yuuma repeated the same physical strength measurement again in accordance with Aisha¡¯s instruction. The measurement ended around thirty minutes later as she got all the data she needed. ¡¸How¡¯s the result?¡¹ Aisha replied to the president¡¯s question with a satisfied smirk on her face. ¡¸Physical strength rose by 8%, Agility by 6%, and stamina by 5%.¡¹ ¡¸The heck, it¡¯s even less than I expected. The silver magic ore from before raising his ability by around 10% right?¡¹ ¡¸Nope, this is already good enough, Kotaro. This result had proven my previous hypothesis.¡¹ ¡¸What hypothesis?¡¹ The president frowned as he asked. ¡¸It¡¯s well known that magic ore strengthens physical strength, but there¡¯s no details about how much it strengthens one¡¯s body. There¡¯s two controversy in this regard, one insisting on ¡ºMultiplication¡», the other insisting on ¡ºAddition¡».¡¹ ¡¸Addition? Multiplication?¡¹ Hearing Yuuma unintentionally mutter those questions, Aisha then started to explain with a beaming smile on her face. ¡¸Just as I¡¯ve told you before, this physical strength reinforcement is another type of ¡°Magic¡±. That ability will be invoked passively inside the dungeon. Oops, Yuuma-kun has invoked it even above the ground.¡¹ Aisha continued on as she let out a chuckle. ¡¸Now it comes to the calculation method of physical reinforcement. It¡¯s been a debate among many researchers whether the increase is by ¡°Percentage¡± or by ¡°Plus ¦Á¡±. No one know the answer of this problem yet.¡¹ ¡¸I see now.¡¹ ¡¸But Yuuma-kun! Thanks to you I might just get the data I need to know to find the answer!!¡¹ ¡¸Eh, me?¡¹ Yuuma was quite bewildered when the topic suddenly shifted to him. ¡¸I knew from the current measurement that there¡¯s a chance for the effect of the magic ore to be weakened after the first use. Do you know why that happen, Yuuma-kun?¡¹ ¡¸Eh? Even if you ask me that question¡­¡¹ Yuuma was racking his brain trying to find the answer alas, it was futile. ¡¸It¡¯s actually a simple addition problem when consuming the same type of magic ore. For example, supposing that your base strength is 100, the increase of 10% will raise your base strength to 110. If you consume the same magic ore for the second time, the result will be 121 but this is the result of using 110 as the base for the second one. Now if we¡¯re using addition, it should be 10% plus 10%, meaning 20% added together to base strength of 100, resulting in 120. In short, the difference came out when there¡¯s two different results, 120 and 121. Now we come to my conclusion. I think the increase rate for base strength in case it¡¯s the same type of magic ore is multiplication of base strength added up(1st case), for the different type of magic ore, it¡¯s multiplication for each(2nd case). Do you understand now?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Nope, it¡¯s too hard for me.¡¹ Yuuma replied that while looking at the day after tomorrow, the president on the other hand was looking at the scenery outside of the window, clearly not interested in this topic. ¡¸In short, thanks to you that I can finally get the data to prove my thesis, and publish it.¡¹ ¡¸Aah¡­ I¡¯m happy to be able to contribute.¡¹ Yuuma, who felt his brain was about to be fried due to the stream of unknown jargon gave such a perfunctory reply. ¡¸Well enough about difficult topics. Yuuma-kun, there¡¯s something that I¡¯ve been wondering about.¡¹ ¡¸What is it?¡¹ ¡¸Please wait a minute.¡¹ Aisha ignored the bewildered Yuuma and brought a weight scale from inside his room. A smile bloomed on her face as she placed the weight scale right in front of Yuuma ¡¸Can I measure your weight?¡¹ ¡¸S-Sure.¡¹ Yuuma stepped on the weight scale. The result came out immediately on the screen. ¡¸61.2 kg¡­¡¹ Aisha recorded the result in her notebook. ¡¸Next, use your ¡°Metallization¡±.¡¹ ¡¸O-Okay.¡¹ Though Yuuma had no idea what Aisha trying to do, he invoked his ¡ºMetallization¡», and used ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡» to transform even further. Aisha letting out a voice of admiration upon seeing his grim looking transformed figure. ¡¸As expected, I can feel the pressure when looking at you from this distance. Then try to measure your weight again in that form.¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡­¡¹ Yuuma stepped on the scale in his metal armor state. ¡¸Uhm, I see¡­ 83 kg huh.¡¹ ¡¸Eh?¡¹ The president almost couldn¡¯t believe his ears hearing Aisha¡¯s remark. "" ¡¸83 kg, are you telling me that his weight is¡­ Increasing?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Yuuma-kun¡¯s body after he equipped his metal armor looked one size bigger after all. That¡¯s why I¡¯m wondering if it¡¯s affecting his weight too.¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s the meaning of this? Are you telling me that ¡°Magic Ore¡± can do something like that?¡¹ The president asked Aisha while looking at Yuuma. ¡¸No, it¡¯s normally impossible. Yes, normally, that¡¯s it.¡¹ After saying such a profound remark, Aisha nodded on her own while muttering ¡¸I see now, so that¡¯s the case¡¯.] ¡¸Well then¨D¨D¡¹ Aisha looked at the president, there was a sharp glint in her eyes. ¡¸Today is the promised week. Kotaro, let me hear the result of your training. Can Yuuma-kun dive until the 56th floor and secure around 20 magic ore?¡¹ Hearing that question, the president extinguished the cigarettes in his hand with his portable ashtray, and puffed the smoke outside of the window. ¡¸Well, the one week training period is too short for a seeker to get that much abilities, I¡¯s even considering the option of refusing your request but¡­¡¹ ¡¸Turned out the result is outside of your expectation, right?¡¹ Aisha asked with a huge grin on her face. ¡¸I can guarantee that the current Yuuma-kun can easily accomplish that request.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s decided!¡¹ Aisha looked at Yuuma. ¡¸Tomorrow, we¡¯re going to dive into the 56th floor to get 20 bloody ore. Let¡¯s set an additional goal to dive even further down if we have leeway to do so. Is that fine with you?¡¹ ¡¸Understood!¡¹ ¡¸Ain¡¯t have any other choice but to do that eh!¡¹ Aisha nodded in satisfaction hearing Yuuma and the president¡¯s reply. And then come, the next day¨D¨D The three of Yuuma, the president, and Aisha stood in the 56th floor of the ¡ºBlack Dungeon¡». CH 81 Chapter 81: Steel Iron Monster vs Steel Warrior Yuuma was hiding in the shade of a rock amidst the loitering Valis, a monster with a steel-like body. ¡¸We somehow managed to go this far.¡¹ The president muttered while looking at the monsters around the area, tapping the shaft of his hexagonal staff on his shoulder. Yuuma nodded in agreement hearing the president¡¯s remark. ¡¸Right. Furthermore I still have forty minutes left for my ¡ºMetallization¡», and since I have yet to use the power of bloody ore, we still have some leeway.¡¹ ¡¸Yuuma, it¡¯s time to go all out! Go and defeat those monkeys, leave the retrieval of the dropped magic ore to me. Remember, your only duty is to defeat all of those monsters, so leave the rest to me.¡¹ ¡¸Understood!¡¹ Seeing Yuuma readied himself, Aisha also opened her lips. ¡¸Use your ¡°Super Strength¡± if you feel the need for it. Don¡¯t worry, we can prolong the activation time with the newly retrieved magic ore. Our goal is to get twenty of them now.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Yuuma leapt from their hiding place. He invoked his ¡ºMetallization¡» as he ran toward the monsters, turning his body into metal armor. By the time he did that the several nearby Valis finally noticed Yuuma¡¯s presence. The monsters then rushed toward the direction of the uninvited invader. ¡¸COME AND TAKE THIS STRIKE!¡¹ Yuuma took a stance. He invoked the ability of bloody ore, making glowing, red coloured blood vessel-like lines appear on his skin. And unleashed a straight thrust right on the face of the incoming Vali. His fist nailed straight on Vali¡¯s steel-like body, sending the latter flying back before it fell on the ground, rolling a few times, and finally stopped unconscious. Another two Valis who were behind the first didn¡¯t stop their advance as they kept rushing at him. Seeing that, Yuuma crouches down with his hands on the ground. When his muscle tensed, countless long and sharp thorns unleashed from his head, shoulder, arms, and back. The two valis couldn¡¯t dodge the thorns that came in a flash, and got skewered by dozens of them. When Yuuma relaxed his muscle, the thorns pulled out from the valis and returned his body to black armor figure, the valis who just got skewered was staggering. But Yuuma didn¡¯t waste such an opening, he nailed a kick on the front most Vali. That kick sent the said Vali flying, only stopping after it was ¡°Planted¡± into the rock wall. Yuuma adjusted his stance again, pulling his fist on his waist. The monster who stood before him was already drenched in their own blood. He stepped forward, transmitting his force from leg to waist, from waist to shoulder, shoulder to arm. It was the reproduction of a basic martial arts move that he learnt from the president. ¡¸UWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!¡¹ It was a perfect straight thrust that utilized the muscle in his body but the Vali managed to raise their arm to block the punch. Nevertheless, Yuuma¡¯s punch broke through Vali¡¯s guard, and sent the latter flying behind in a straight line. The poor Vali landed on the ground while raising a roar. He managed to incapacitate three Valis in less than ten seconds. ¨D¨DFuuuuu~ Good, It¡¯s connected. My power, it feels like I can wield it as I imagined! ¡¸Yuuma, don¡¯t let your guard down! Those guys are still alive!!¡¹ Sure enough, the Valis had yet to become sand. Yuuma approached the closest fallen Vali to finish them off while marveling about the other party¡¯s toughness. The Vali with a broken right hand barely managed to stand on its own. It raised a bestial roar and rushed toward Yuuma again. Yuuma parried the incoming left fist, stepping into Vali¡¯s bosom, and unleashed a storm of punches. Face, chest, flank, he could feel that his punches caused a lot of damage. Those punches caused the Vali to stagger, Yuuma didn¡¯t let go of that chance and pursued the staggered Vali. He transformed his right hand into a sword and pointed the tip on the monster. The red, glowing lines on his body shine even brighter, his all out stabbing attack pierced through the steel monster. The Vali had finally raised a death wail as the sword pierced its chest. The monster hung their head down as their body turned into sand. ¡¸I did it¡­¡¹ Yuuma came to the point where he could freely adjust the output of bloody ore. Yuuma felt that this power could become his trump card during the critical moment to turn the table against powerful monsters. ¨D¨DFirst one down. There¡¯s two left¡­ After finishing off the first vali, he approached the other vali, still with the transformed sword-hand. But then, the other Valis inside the cave had already come down from the cliff due to the previous commotion. He was soon surrounded by more than ten valis. ¡¸Dammit!¡¹ He had no time to defeat each one of them. Yuuma clicked his tongue, wondering if there was a way for him to defeat Vali in a single strike. He was looking for an opening to launch a counter while dodging the incoming attacks from the valis. ¡¸Dammit, there are too many of the¡­.¡¹ The moment Yuuma frowned, something at the edge of his field of vision caught his attention. It was the ¡°Pickel¡± that he dropped under the cliff. ¨D¨DTHAT¡¯S IT! Yuuma slipped through from beneath Vali¡¯s arms, he ran until below the cliff and picked his reliable partner, the pickel. He turned around facing the incoming valis as he felt the comfortable handle of his ole partner. At this point, his mastery of ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡» was much better than before. That¡¯s why he¨D¨D Held the pickel aloof in front of him. The liquid metal was flowing from his hand, enveloping the pickel, gathered on its tip. It then transformed into a giant hammer. The pick part¡¯s angle became steeper, the blade part transformed into surface area that could be used to smash his foes. [TL: It¡¯s a hammer, commercial one.] Yuuma swung down the transformed head of his pickel to smash the head of the incoming vali. The pick easily pierced through the metal head of vali, killing them in one strike. He used the head part of the hammer to hit the flank of the two incoming valis. The two valis sent flying, only stopped after crashing into the rock wall. He raised his pickel overhead, swinging its blade down to the head of another vali who managed to barely dodge the blow with back-step. Yuuma¡¯s blow smashed the vali¡¯s head along with their body. Another one turn kill. ¡¸HELL YEAH!!¡¹ Yuuma revealed a smile as his reliable partner returned in his hand. CH 82 Chapter 82: War God Fighting against the Valis from four sides, Yuuma swung his Pickel to the side, spinning around like a tornado by using the centrifugal force of the pickel with him as the center. When he reached the maximum turning speed, he released his hands from the pickel. The giant hammer flew at terrifying speed, striking the vali right on their face. The poor vali raised a death throes before turning into black sand. There was a string formed from ¡ºLiquid Metal¡» clung on the handle of the pickel. When Yuuma pulled that string, the pickel returned to his hand. He then turned around and brandished the pickel to the side, toward the vali that came from behind. The sharp pick pierced Vali¡¯s metal abdomen as if it were made from tofu, the monster turned into black sand as it raised a death throes. When he was about to unleash another deathly blow, one of the valis grabbed the handle of his pikel. ¡¸Eh!?¡¹ The pickel refused to move since its handle was grabbed by a strong arm. The other valis rushed at once when he was still trying to release his pickel from the hand of the vali that grabbed its¡¯ handle. ¡¸FU*CK OFF!¡¹ Yuuma unleashed the maximum power of bloody ore, making the skin of his body covered by numerous brilliant, red lines. He unleashed a left hook on that vali¡¯s face. The monster was blown backward as it vomited blood, yet the hand wouldn¡¯t let go of his pickel. Yuuma then released his hands from the pickel, and then unleashed his transformed sword-hand. He didn¡¯t waste any second and pierced that vali¡¯s chest with his sword. Though that vali had already been vomitting blood like crazy, stabbing a sword into their chest alone was far from enough to kill them. Another vali was about to grab him from behind. Yuuma pulled his sword out and shook the vali¡¯s hand with a backhand chop. He raised his right-hand sword overhead, and swung it down toward the vali. The vali raised their arm, trying to block his sword, alas Yuuma¡¯s sword was thruss into their arms with ease. But then, it resulted in his sword locked into the vali¡¯s arms. While Yuuma was trying to pull his sword in hurry, the other valis around him was rushing one after another. ¡¸UWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!¡¹ Yuuma went all out and pushed his sword. The moment he managed to slice off the vali¡¯s arms, he nailed a powerful kick on the abdomen of the monster that was wailing in pain. The vali fell to the ground as it turned into black sand. When he turned around, his ¡°Pickel¡± had already dropped beneath the feet of the incoming valis. Yuuma stretched his three fingers like a thorn, and intertwined it around the pickel. Thus the pickel returned with a snap of his wrist. He grabbed the handle of his pickel, and swung its hammerhead toward the incoming valis. The feeling of crushing Vali¡¯s steel-like body, bones, and internal organs were transmitted to his hands. The monster fell to the ground in prostated position, and turned into black sand. The moment he thought ¡°I did it!¡±, the bright red glow on his skin vanished. ¡¸Ah!?¡¹ It was a time out. He had used up the entire three minutes of bloody ore¡¯s ability. Yuuma¡¯s face frowned seeing that there was a lot of valis left but¨D¨D ¡¸YUUMA, OVER HERE!¡¹ The president whose job was to retrieve the fallen ¡°Magic Ore¡± from the place where the vali died then called out to Yuuma. Yuuma ran toward the president while trying to hinder the incoming valis. ¡¸I¡¯ll try to buy sometime, use those moment to digest these magic ore!¡¹ After Yuuma received seven bloody ores from the president, the latter then ran toward the valis who came after Yuuma while raising his hexagonal staff. ¡¸COME ¡®ERE, YE OVERSIZED MONKEYS! YER OPPONENT IS ME!¡¹ Four valis stretched their hand toward the president. The president parried their incoming hands, and then poured his Water element magical power into his hexagonal staff. "" He wields his glowing blue coloured staff to land swift strikes on Vali¡¯s hand and abdomen. His strikes send a spray of water. Thanks to the president¡¯s showy display of skill, the valis finally moved their attention from Yuuma. ¡¸Now¡­¡¹ Yuuma opened his mouth, which had already transformed into an alien-like creature due to metallization, and swallowed the seven bloody ores in one go. It was something that he realized a while ago, the fact that he could even transform his original body during metallization thanks to ¡ºLiquid Metal Transformation¡». They had already done the experiment before to see if he could digest magic ore in his metallization state, and the result was positive. After he swallowed the ores, he felt his abdomen become increasingly hot. Meaning that his body could take in the additional bloody ores. He snapped out immediately and when he looked around, he saw the president had already been surrounded by valis. Yuuma clenched his fist, red lines started to appear on his skin again. Then he ran off with his all to save the president. ¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡¸DAMMIT! THESE FU*CKERS ARE TOO DAMN TOUGH!!¡¹ President Kanzaki swung his hexagonal staff to keep the valis at bay. Even though his weapon was an enchanted weapon which allowed him to use water magic, it couldn¡¯t even leave a scratch on valis¡¯ skin. Kanzaki was sweating profusely from his face and forehead since his foes were simply too tough. ¨D¨DYuuma had actually fought against this kind of monster in close combat, eh¡­ These guys are definitely not the type that should be fought in close combat. As the president was getting more and more cornered, something suddenly approached from behind the valis at breakneck speed. In the dim cave, it looks like a flash of red lightning. ¡¸PRESIDENT!¡¹ ¡¸Yuuma!¡¹ Yuuma didn¡¯t waste his time and brought down his hammer of judgment to strike the back of the vali. It is then followed by a deafening sound. The vali crushed under the hammer and turned into black sand. Yuuma twisted his body immediately and swung his hammer toward another vali. The monster blasted into the rock wall, and turned into black sand. When another vali rushed in, he swung up his pickel from below. The sharp edge of the pickel pierced right into the vali¡¯s jaw. Sent their body flying in mid-air before it crash landed again due to gravity. This strike was another instant kill. Everything happens in the span of five seconds. When Kanzaki was looking at those spectacles dumbfoundedly¨D¨D ¡¸PRESIDENT, LEAVE THEM TO ME! YOU IMMEDIATELY RETREAT FIRST TO A SAFE PLACE!¡¹ ¡¸U-Understood.¡¹ Kanzaki passed by Yuuma¡¯s side, and returned to where Aisha was hiding. The Yuuma that he saw in the following battle was the very definition of a War God. He knew that Yuuma didn¡¯t need his assistance anymore. Reason being the current Yuuma was too overpowered.