000-020 · 016-ch13
Chapter 13: Passion for the Dungeon
"Even seasonings! You're amazing, John-san!"
"There aren't any down there. So I stocked up this time since the timing was right.
>>Did a cooking stream start?
>>He's fully prepared with cooking tools, that's too much
>>No but this is amazing, even though they're not fighting, this feels like what a dungeon really is
My stream's viewer count hasn't decreased after initially increasing, so it seems everyone who came to watch is still watching.
"Alright everyone! I'm going to cook a monster from even deeper than the deep layer! It's a deer-like monster. But compared to the Wild Deer in the upper layers, its hide and antlers are incredibly tough!"
"For real it was hard! Our knives couldn't cut it, you know! Can we bring back that hide and antlers?"
By the campfire, with the dismantled monster in front of them, Kanata-ojou and Akane-ojou are talking brightly to the drone. Apparently, even though it was trouble, since we got to go beyond the deep layer this time, as streamers they can't miss the opportunity to capture this.
I was watching thinking "Amazing," but then they hurriedly explained that they wouldn't cause me any more trouble than this. I already understood that from talking with them, so I wasn't really worried, and honestly I told them I didn't care as long as they stayed within the monster-repelling magic circle area when we weren't moving.
I was told to rest while they cooked, so I'm sitting on a nearby rock.
>>That's a streamer for you
>>The model streamer
>>John-san just sees us as people to talk to or something...
"I'm a beginner streamer too, give me a break."
>>Are there beginners like this?
>>No but, his exploration is insane but his streaming is beginner...
>>He'd definitely cry if he had just one viewer on his first stream
>>The stream title being "Exploration Commentary" is too much
"Well, that's why. Right now I'm just publicly showing the process of sending these two to the surface. Normally I do it seriously."
>>Seriously... seriously?
>>No but, he was properly explaining in the first half...
>>The content is so out there it takes time to understand
"Why!? I explained it because I figured everyone would definitely be curious!"
>>It's too sudden
>>First of all that. Everyone should assume we know about the Amamiya Kanata disappearance incident
>>You should explain it briefly first
>>Since the content was already "How did you find out!?" "How do you know!?" it was confusing
I know what the comment section is saying is reasonable. For them who only know up to the deep layer, the fact that there's another 100 layers below that is also questionable to them.
However.
"Well yeah. My common sense and surface common sense are different. Though I don't really care about that."
There's no end if I worry about things that far. I don't intend to give detailed explanations unless I think they're important.
>>He's given up and stopped caring!
>>It's frustrating that I found myself thinking "That's just like him"
>>No but, most of the knowledge this person has probably only this person knows...
>>If people increase, troublesome people will probably increase too
"If more viewers come, more troublesome people will come too, huh."
>>There'll probably be a lot of people saying "Unbelievable"
>>People who want you to join their favorite guild will probably come too
>>That's something John hates the most, right?
>>That's definitely no good
"Well, if it gets too noisy I might stop streaming, but basically I'll just ignore it so don't worry."
It seems my stream viewers are worried that I'll get annoyed and stop streaming.
>>Mood-dependent streamers stop streaming depending on their mood, so watchers are always on edge
>>There was someone before who was quite famous and suddenly stopped streaming, so everyone is pretty cautious
>>Guild forces aside, solo forces are light on their feet
>>They make decisions to retreat quickly too
While I was looking at the comment section and thinking about such things, I saw Robo sneaking up behind the two who were cooking.
"Robo! Wait! Until it's ready!"
『Gwurururururu, kuoooon』
"If you barge in while we're cooking, you'll knock it over!"
At Robo's sad-sounding voice, the two who were surprised look at him with eyes looking at a pitiful pet.
"John-san! Can we let this child eat first!?"
"Sure!"
"Thank you!"
With my permission, Akane-ojou takes the meat that was roasting on a skewer and puts it on Robo's plate after removing it from the skewer. Robo waiting for that is exactly like a dog being told to "wait" before food.
>>Hungry doggo
>>Hungry at that size but not scary
>>Rather cute
>>Why did you stop him just now?
"He sometimes barges into the pot while cooking and knocks it over. Even though he knows cooked meat tastes better, he can't wait for it to finish cooking."
I really don't know how many times he's knocked it over. Basically he has no patience. Also considering his original ecology, if you look at his mother or whatever, it wouldn't be strange if he were an even bigger glutton, but since he won't eat anything but cooked food, I think fundamentally the amount he eats is insufficient.
>>Lol
>>Can't wait, huh
>>Train him properly!
"Well, whatever's fine. I'm whatever too, after all."
Actually, the positional relationship between Robo and me is ambiguous. I'm only looking after Robo, and I'm not an owner like a pet owner. And Robo's original home is the wild, so I somehow feel that pounding human rules into him is also wrong in its own way.
"Ah, right, right. That reminds me, I forgot, Lonely-kun. Did you think of any questions?"
>>His name is already settled as Lonely-kun
>>Well, that's fine... I did think of one, but can I ask?
>>What? Questions? There were questions?
"I said I'd answer any questions I could answer when there's one viewer. I'm free now so I thought I'd have you ask."
>>Huh? I have plenty of things I want to ask too though????
>>So envious
>>He really is lenient with first-time viewers
>>Aaaah, if only I had found him first...!
"Well, that's true. We've been interacting for longer than with anyone else. Besides, if I started accepting questions from everyone it would never end. Today is only for the first one."
I could answer questions from everyone here if I wanted to. But considering how the cooking is coming along, that should probably be done from tomorrow onward.
"Go ahead, Lonely-kun. Anything."
"Then I'll ask. How strong are you, John-san?"
>>Pretty safe choice?
>>No but, naturally one would be curious
>>I thought it would be deep layer secrets or clearing methods
>>I really struggled with how far I could go with the question!
"Ah, I said I wouldn't answer anything that would be spoilers for other explorers. So no deep layer clearing methods or boss weaknesses. So, my strength, huh."
>>If he's going beyond the deep layer solo, isn't he pretty strong?
>>He might be strong at hide and exploration-specialized
>>There are various kinds of strength too
"Let me say this first: I have absolutely no intention of revealing everything about me. Is that OK?"
>>OK
>>OK
>>OK
>>OK
>>Normally people don't reveal everything even to guild members
"Well, with that in mind, if we go by my general fighting style and the evaluation of what level monsters I can defeat, I guess my type is like a magic swordsman. Magic swordsman, you know?"
>>A swordsman who fights while being a mage
>>There are almost none, you know
>>There aren't any
>>Since mages can be active enough on their own
>>There are people who use lower-rank magic skills as support, but on that side they're stronger with weapons than magic
>>Is there seriously no magic swordsman...?
>>Only a few in top guilds
"Ho, is that so. Well, yeah. You can manage without using both. Well, I'm that rare magic swordsman, and the strength I can defeat... to what extent can you imagine? Do you know about the deep layer area bosses?"
Apparently deep layer area boss raids are being streamed, at least for the first area if not the frontline, so it seems almost everyone has seen them. By the way, they say you can't imagine how strong they feel. Meaning everyone here is at best people who can challenge the lower layers.
"What was the deep layer first area boss again?"
>>Death Knight
>>Official name is Death Knight but appearance is Dullahan
>>Headless knight
>>More ghost-type Dullahan than zombie
>>Dullahan normally rides a horse so that's just a headless swordsman
"Ah, I remembered something. That, uh, ah, that."
I remembered. That thing was a monster with quite troublesome characteristics for the first one in the deep layer: with pure physical attacks you couldn't finish it off even if you scattered the armor and body that served as its vessel, and as long as the core, a mass of magic power, remained intact, it would revive no matter how many times you destroyed it.
To destroy the core, the nucleus, you need techniques derived from skills like martial arts or magic, and then there's the point that the armor and body that serve as vessels are extremely sturdy compared to the core.
"That, that was..."
>>Hmm?
>>Is something bothering you?
>>Can't remember?
>>It's been 10 years, after all
"No, I can remember. It's just that, that. That guy isn't strong, is he?"
>>Hah?
>>Hah?
>>What did you say?
>>What are you talking about?
At the comment section showing confusion, I hurriedly explained, understanding that my words were insufficient.
"Sorry, sorry. I'll explain properly. First, with completely physical attacks you can't finish off a Dullahan. And you can't defeat it without hitting the core, the nucleus, and the armor's wounds recover during that. Plus, the armor is ridiculously hard for that level range. About like that, right?"
Thinking I would get agreement with my careful explanation, when I looked at the comment section, I got a reaction I hadn't expected at all.
>>Huh, core?
>>Core? You mean weak point?
>>Dullahan has something like that?
>>Since you can't defeat it with physical attacks, don't you just pound it with magic firepower?
>>Physical was thought to be impossible because it's too hard
>>Wait, this is an amazing discovery, isn't it?
>>We figured out how to clear the deep layer boss
>>John-san, such common sense isn't circulating
>>Huh, eh? Really? Then what? Do you just keep hitting it with magic until the magic destroys the core by chance, or do you fire magic with enough power to certainly penetrate the vessel and swallow the core?"
>>Yeah
>>With 10 vanguards and 6 magic jobs, you hit it while the vanguards support
>>Fire power idiots are valued
>>You keep hitting it with magic until it's defeated. Thanks to that, no materials remain though
>>How does John-san defeat it?"
"Eh, seriously? I just normally slice the core in two and one-shot it, though..."
>>Eh... (cold reaction)
>>I don't really understand what you're saying
>>He really is a creature with different common sense from us
"No, seriously? Normally, wouldn't you look for weak points that can defeat it efficiently? Why do you aim for a wolf's neck or head but not do that for a Dullahan?"
>>Ah? Now that you say it?
>>Only upper layers can aim accurately for opponent weak points, you know
>>I just kept swinging my sword at a wolf today and ended up making its fur all ragged
>>Close combat is hard if you're not used to it
>>People these days don't do close combat
"Oh, I see. Try a little harder, explorers."
Without thinking, I ended up saying that impression honestly. I myself am self-taught. I just kept swinging my sword, thinking about the best way to swing to cut enemies. How to put in power. How to release power. I desperately thought about such things.
And I swung, failed, swung, failed, swung, failed. Trial and error is probably something normally impossible, but isn't there some way to do it somewhat? There should be at least iai sword cuts with real swords on the surface too.
(Accumulation of combat techniques, is it not happening?).
"The premise collapsed, but. Basically I wanted to say that since Dullahan's armor is hard, it's quite difficult for deep layer level explorers to deal with the armor physically, and even if they can destroy it, it takes time. And I wanted to explain my strength with the feeling that I can destroy that in one shot."
>>Stop coming out with common sense that's not common sense
>>Well, we certainly couldn't destroy a Dullahan's body physically
>>At most the armor got dented
>>Is it hard to explain when the level difference is too much?
>>The blade just gets deflected
"Well, it's fine if you can think I have no troublesome elements with Dullahan at all with my current self."
That might not even be an appropriate expression to show my strength, but I don't have words more appropriate than that to explain to them.
"Actually, there's an even simpler method to defeat a Dullahan. Well, probably nobody practices it though."
>>What?
>>Something like a special move?
>>When you say remove the core, we don't know what that core is or how to remove it though
>>If you're going to say something profound, say it quickly
"Well, I'll talk about the general outline. Or rather, I normally want you to do that much."
It's not that I'm in trouble if there are no other explorers. However, that world spreading below the dungeon is, to say the least, too vast for me to explore alone. Besides, even within the dungeon, there are layers that are entirely safe zones.
If such places could be turned into large bases and explorers are always there, I wouldn't need to go to the surface one by one.
Rather, I think dungeon clearing needs exactly that kind of thing. It's not enough to just defeat monsters.
People didn't just traverse nature. They opened it up, built homes, cultivated fields and gardens. They changed the land, which was part of nature, into human living spaces.
And they invaded nature that way.
Honestly, that's lonely. Before the dungeon opened, knowing that there were almost no places in Japan where one could live purely in nature, that there was no nature to adventure in, I felt lonely.
Even so. If people challenge the dungeon, they must open it up, conquer it, and create human land even in a corner. They don't need to dominate all of it like nature of old. But, I also dislike it when people don't dominate it at all.
That's why, I want other adventurers to proceed further ahead too.
"There's magic power, right? I think probably all explorers have it. One technique for handling this, you see."
>>Magic power
>>If you don't have magic or magic system skills, you basically don't use it
>>Most skills apparently consume magic power
>>Really? I didn't have the image of using it
>>Technique isn't magic, then?
"Anyway, I'm going to go all at once so listen properly, OK? Magic power is, let's say, amorphous energy. Different from electricity, too. More pure - not yet converted to heat or electricity, vibration, or light, just purely existing. Some kind of conceptual energy is magic power. And then using that converter called 'skills' to output it in various forms is magic, and other skills."
>>I, see?
>>Image of converting electricity to vibration or heat or light?
>>That's easy to understand
>>Ah, I get the feeling
"And then, as I said earlier, Dullahan has sturdy armor as a vessel, and the core is hidden inside. On top of that, the core itself is non-physical - it's something like a mass of magic power, so even if you penetrate the armor, you can't destroy it with just physical attacks. The reason magic can defeat Dullahan is because magic, which originates from magic power to begin with, deals damage by directly hitting the core. So for example, even if you can't defeat Dullahan with a Molotov cocktail or scientific flamethrower, with fire magic's Fire Ball you can destroy Dullahan's core. Well, there are various factors around there so I can't say for certain."
>>Flamethrower doesn't work?
>>For some reason guns and firearms can't be used inside the dungeon, and even if they could work they'd be baggage
>>In short, does it mean that the "element of magic power" is important?
>>Hmm, I don't really understand
"This means, thinking about it the other way, that destroying Dullahan's core doesn't necessarily have to be magic, it's fine as long as it's magic power. Since the phenomenon of magic among those interferes physically with the armor, and the magic power element deals damage to the core. Or rather, since basic attribute magic converts magic power into physical phenomena, it's inefficient as an attack against the core. Dullahan's core itself is fragile so if the armor can be destroyed you can probably defeat it, but. Saying this more simply, it becomes: 'If you utilize magic power without relying on skills, and hit Dullahan with it as an attack without converting it into any physical phenomenon or attack at all, you can defeat Dullahan without much trouble'."
>>N, I see?
>>I couldn't understand it in one pass so I'll ask again later
>>So you're saying to use magic power with methods other than skills?
>>I really understood you're a theory type
>>Moving magic power itself is impossible without skills from the start, right?
>>Without skills you wouldn't even think of moving magic power, or rather, you can't even perceive magic power in the first place
>>Is it different if you have magic system skills?"
"Well, I know it's not a simple story. I couldn't do it at first either. The first time I did it was, you know. When I was absorbing magic power from around me from enemy monsters' attacks. At that time I touched something like the flow of magic power. And then relying on that sensation, doing this and that, a post-acquisition skill called 'Magic Power Manipulation' manifested."
By the way, regarding this 'Magic Power Manipulation' skill, despite being a post-acquisition skill, for some reason it has skill classes like innate skills. I think this is the talent for 'Magic Power Manipulation'.
The 'Magic Power Manipulation' skill that everyone originally has but can't use, I have the hypothesis that it only awakens and appears as a skill when that person is conscious of the flow of magic power, perceives magic power spontaneously, and moves it.
In other words, while there is talent, not even a fragment of it is awake, not even one millimeter, so the skill itself is hidden.
Explaining such a hypothesis probably wouldn't be understood, so I explain it in a form that intentionally fudges it.
"Probably, like various resistance skills, 'Magic Power Manipulation' is also a skill derived from techniques that can be obtained post-acquisition. It's a special example where the technique comes first, and the skill appears as if to prove it. And if you have this, dungeon exploration becomes quite convenient."
>>It's a skill that can be obtained post-acquisition
>>That's possible
>>Should I try aiming for it?
>>Post-acquisition skills don't depend on talent
>>There are individual differences but anyone can get them
>>Clues are few but if it's usable should I try aiming for it?
>>Specifically how can it be used? Other than defeating Dullahan
"Well, the biggest thing is that by flowing magic power through your own body, you can get effects similar to strengthening skills. Like power or durability increases. For legs, running speed too. In exchange, unless you're quite proficient, magic power will leak out, so you consume magic power as long as you're using it. Other than that, applying that to weapons by flowing magic power into them, you can also enhance sharpness or durability. Besides that, like this --"
While saying that, I extend my hand in a hand knife shape in front of the drone, and at the tip of it I converge magic power into a blade shape. The magic power released with crackling sounds is roughly converged into a blade shape.
"Like this, by converging the magic power released outside your body, you can use it as a means of attack. By the way, this is super hard and consumes magic power ridiculously by deep layer standards and such, but if you can do it, it's like this."
Standing from the stone I was sitting on, I put the magic power blade on the tip of it. Without any apparent resistance, the stone was cut clean in two.
"I'll say this, but outputting magic power in any shape is super hard. Even making something like a blade as an extension of the body like this is pretty severe. For example, with this one, the blade might not become sharp or might be distorted, or might collapse when hitting an enemy. For this one specifically, it's not like "if you get somewhat capable you can do it" but "you absolutely can't do it if you're not super capable." By the way, I can also do things like this."
This time, instead of along the extension of my hand knife, I manipulate the magic power I output from my hand and create a single knife, firmly in a solid state.
"A knife made purely of magic power. By the way, I'm outputting this so it interferes with physical matter, but as I said earlier, if I output the blade portion as magic power that doesn't interfere with the physical, I can attack the enemy's magic power core or the like, ignoring all physical defenses. Well, below that, there are normally people who put up pure magic power barriers too."
>>This is already too amazing, I don't know what he's saying
>>My jaw dropped
>>You don't need weapons
>>This person is seriously something else
Swishing my arm and throwing the knife, it cleanly pierced all the way to the base of the rock that I had just cut in two.
"Well, I'm not saying you have to go this far. Honestly, I think I'm abnormal myself. But I want you to desperately acquire at least the flowing of magic power into your body to enhance physical abilities, and flowing it into weapons to enhance weapons. If deep layer level explorers can do this, they should be able to cut off a Dullahan's arm.".
It might also be that I was talking with the premise that I can do that. But, the fact that explorers challenging the deep layer can't destroy a Dullahan's armor with physical attacks - isn't that a problem in its own right?.
Fighting begins precisely because each can hurt each other. Against a Dullahan, deep layer explorers aren't even on the stage of fighting yet.
>>Hmm, but I can't feel magic power by myself
>>If I could use magic would it be different?
>>Even when using skills I don't really get it
>>Are there no hints?
"Hints, huh... Anyway, it's image. How does magic power move, how is it output. What is the magic power that should be dwelling in your body like. When you use a skill, what is being provided for the skill to be effective. What behavior is the magic power doing when chanting magic. Where did that energy come from. Even after you become able to perceive magic power. How does magic power move. What is flowing magic power into your body to enhance your body. How do you flow it when you flow it into your body. Do your limbs fill with magic power? Or does magic power wrap around your limbs? Use your thinking power and imagination to manipulate magic power that humans originally don't have and can't control on their own. Just imagine. Have images of various shapes. Then that will appear taking form.
Even when enhancing the body with magic power, it's like that. If you imagine covering your body with magic power armor, it leans toward defense power. If you imagine the vessels that are your limbs being filled with water that is magic power, it leans toward power. Or, if you can imagine magic power itself working as a gear, as a cogwheel, on your body's functions, it might lean toward speed increase.
"I said it earlier, right? Magic power is energy. How you use that energy. I, well, this might be a ridiculous story, but I think magic system skills and other skills are all tutorials. They're teaching us 'this is how you use magic power.' So conversely, if you master handling magic power, even without magic system skills you can use magic, and you might be able to reproduce the same effects as skills with just magic power. Do you entrust that energy called magic power to the system called skills and receive the results output from there? Or, do you manipulate that energy yourself and draw out the results you desire? Whether to escape easily is up to you.".
The comment section fell dead silent, but I can see that people haven't decreased. So, I speak my thoughts. To the viewers who just put into words that it's impossible, difficult.
Stand up and walk, babies.
"I'm not telling you to risk your life on dungeon exploration. In modern times, you can live without getting involved with dungeons at all. But, if you're going to get involved of your own will, why not try doing it with all your might within the range that doesn't risk your life? I said it earlier, right? Only upper layers can aim for monster weak points. But that, if you try to do it, anyone can aim for it, right? Whether you succeed or not is another story, but attempting it is something anyone should be able to do.
Your sword swinging too, it's not just swinging wildly, right? How to swing for it to be faster, sharper. How to swing more accurately. Where do you put power in your arms, body, where do you release power. Which way of cutting will connect to the next. Your posture when swinging, your center of gravity, your gaze. Let's make even those progress little by little.
You don't have to try it against monsters either. Straw effigies, mannequins, phantom magic are all fine. Have you ever swung a sword all day with just one hand? No, right? Let's try it. Swinging doesn't risk your life. Magic power manipulation is the same too. Try using the skills you have, imagine the flow of energy happening there, find magic power, an energy that doesn't exist originally. And train your imagination so you can use it. It might be far harder to understand than muscle training and training muscles. But the essence doesn't change. How to become able to use what you have. How to train what so that what becomes stronger how. Let's seriously try doing those things for once.
Otherwise, it won't end, you know?
"The dungeon is stacked with more than 100 layers below the shallows that you thought were the deep layer. If I put it harshly, you who intend to explore risking your lives in the deep layer are children playing splash-splash in the shallows. And beyond that, a world about as wide as Earth exists, and within that world, dungeons exist too. Honestly, I don't know how far it continues either. Also, dungeons aren't just one. I said earlier that skills are tutorials, right? Dungeons are the same. The four layers from upper to deep were open from the beginning for some reason, and you can skip upper and middle layers and challenge lower and deep layers. But beyond deep is blocked, and unless you properly clear the deep layer, you can't proceed below. I don't know if beyond that is the same in Shinjuku dungeon and other dungeons. Perhaps the place where you clear deep layer might be the starting line. What I know is only Shinjuku, and maybe below Kumamoto dungeon 200 layers are spread, or maybe below Sapporo dungeon there are only 10 layers. I don't know anything about all that right now.".
Such. After speaking my thoughts, I noticed the conversation had drifted and decided to correct it. I ended up getting heated without realizing it. Originally I'm the type who tries to do things with all my might when I do them, so in such places I get heated.
"Sorry, the conversation drifted. Well anyway, what was it... hints for magic power manipulation. First, feel magic power. It's not like you get a zap when you touch it like electricity, it's not cold like water or hot like fire. But, certainly when you use skills or magic, magic power is moving. First, find a way to find that somehow. And once you find it, next move it. Images are really different for each person, I think. There might be people who have the image of burning it like fuel, people who have the image of it flowing like electricity. You could even have the image of filling like water. Around that, let everyone do it, let everyone search for efficient methods. Techniques aren't things you stack up alone. Whether it's how to imagine moving magic power, or how to swing a sword. It's more efficient to search for the correct answer with a large group of people.".
From outside the soundproof barrier I had pasted so the sound of my speaking during the stream wouldn't leak, the two are calling out to me. It seems the cooking is finished.
"Well, whether you do it or not is up to you. I end up pushing motivation onto people when I talk as I like, so be careful if you watch streams from now on.".
Glancing at the comment section that remained silent, I folded the window. Even I can understand that looking at the comment section during the meal that was thoughtfully prepared would be tasteless.