ch1-ch20 · 010-ch10

Chapter 10: The Highest Reached Floor is Floor 49

The current highest floor reached in the dungeon is the 49th floor.

This isn't just for Japan's dungeons—it's the record for the entire world, every single country.

Every military force on the planet has made it to floor 49, but no one who's gone to floor 50 has ever made it back.

In the dungeon, there's a boss every ten floors.

Each of those boss floors spans the entire tenth floor, and you can't leave until you defeat the boss.

Nobody even has information about the floor 50 boss.

"But what if I used my [Gate]?"

The whole world wants that information.

It doesn't matter if I can't defeat it.

I mean, there's no way I could beat it anyway, but if I could just see what it looks like and bring back that intel, that alone would make me a hero.

First, I'll aim for floor 10.

Before fighting the boss there, I'll test whether I can escape from a boss floor using [Gate].

I'm still on floor 3 right now.

I found the 'Gate to Floor 4' earlier, but I haven't leveled up since arriving on this floor.

Still at level 3.

Once my level matches the floor I'm on, I'll move to the next one.

I'll stick with that strategy until the combat gets too tough.

There's a term called 'party.'

In the dungeon, it means companions.

Usually, five companions form one party and progress through the dungeon together.

The reason it's five people is because boss floors only allow up to five people to enter every ten floors. Once five people enter—or one minute passes after the first person enters—the 'Gate to the Boss Floor,' also called the 'Gate to Floor 10,' located on each ninth floor, sends subsequent entrants to a separate boss floor.

(Incidentally, if you try to go back from floor 11, it connects to floor 9, so what you find on floor 11 is the 'Gate to Floor 9.')

Normally, a party of five with levels matching the floor are considered to be at the appropriate level.

In other words, if I keep going down like this, I'll be below the appropriate level and also missing four people.

"But I can't stop."

This is different from before.

It's not that I need a reason to quit and can't find one—it's that I don't want to stop, so I can't.

If I had to compare it to something, before it was like pulling a gacha and not getting the character I wanted, being unable to quit until they showed up.

But now, it's like I got the character I wanted and can't stop because I want to test their performance.

"There you are."

While resting in a forested area, a goblin came walking down an animal trail.

I hide behind a tree and wait for it to pass, then aim for its heart from behind.

"Guh."

One hit.

Even if I fought head-on, it'd still be one hit, but since I'm leveling up, I figured easier is better, so I went with a surprise attack strategy.

"...But didn't Watanabe-san say to try various things?"

After extracting the magic stone, I hum and think it over.

"Leveling up alone won't get me far."

Guess I'll try that parrying thing or whatever next time.

From a ready stance, I swing the butt end of the spear horizontally behind me and push forward.

"Oh? [Status]."

Name: Kasugano Haruki

Job: [None]

Lv: 4

HP: 19/40

MP: 2/40

Strength: 4

Endurance: 4

Agility: 4

Magic: 4

Skill: [Gate]

I thought the swing felt strangely fast—turns out I had leveled up after all.

My stats are all at 4 now, and I can feel my physical abilities have improved significantly.

I try a light jump on the spot.

I feel like I can jump higher than usual.

"...I don't normally jump, so I have no idea how much I've actually improved."

I'll try parrying on floor 4.

Thinking that, I head for the 'Gate to Floor 4.'

The monsters on floor 4 are spear-wielding goblins.

The goblins themselves are just as strong as before.

They're equipped with spears—sticks about 120 centimeters long (the same height as the goblins) with sharpened stones attached to the ends.

The increased reach should make them more troublesome.

Thinking about such things, I pass through the 'Gate to Floor 4' on floor 3 and arrive at floor 4.

"Can't really call this the plains area anymore."

On floor 2, trees were scattered about.

On floor 3, there were forested areas here and there.

On floor 4, the moment you step through the gate, it's a forest.

"It's not quite a full forest though. More like a woods area. It's strangely quiet, though."

At this stage, each floor only has one type of monster.

Here, it's spear-wielding goblins.

There aren't even birds, let alone insects, so it's quiet.

Since anything that falls on the ground gets absorbed by the dungeon, there are no branches or fallen leaves beneath my feet, making my own footsteps quieter—I'll count that as a plus.

Still, I can hear the goblins' clomping footsteps.

I wait in a slightly open area.

When I spot one, I strike the ground to let it know where I am.

"Come on."

The goblin that spotted me charges forward with its spear thrust out.

Different movement from the goblins I've faced before.

But...

"Too slow!"

I move my body out of the charge's path while swinging the butt end of the spear horizontally across as it comes forward.

A sickening thud.

The stone butt of the spear hits the spear-wielding goblin's head squarely and sends it flying.

"Weak."

No, it's because I've gotten stronger from leveling up.

The movements of goblins whose raw strength hasn't changed since floor 1 felt like slow motion.

"If only I could keep this pace all the way to the boss floor."

It's 3 PM now.

I'll push through until 5 PM, then head outside once.

If it seems like I can continue, I'll rest and keep going.

When I go outside, I should call to let them know I'll be home late and that I don't need dinner.

What should I do for dinner?

Maybe I'll try eating a different kind of monster meat at that restaurant from earlier.