ch21-ch40 · 027-ch27

Chapter 27: Dungeon Camp

After breaking through floors 12 and 13, I made it to floor 14.

I searched for the 'Gate to Floor 15' from the first high ground, but couldn't find it.

When I moved to the second high ground and looked around, there it was.

"Tents, huh. Those things."

Around the 'Gate to Floor 15' were several tents.

"A campsite? I heard that since floor 15 has become a hunting ground, people sleep on floor 14."

Cooking food attracts monsters with the smell, so apparently they cook and eat on floor 15, but sleep on floor 14.

Magic-using orcs appear from floor 16, so floor 15 has become the main hunting ground for solo adventurers.

Rushing from floor 1 to floor 15 took about 3 hours.

Even though it was before 5 PM, there were already tents set up.

Maybe they've finished today's hunting and are having a party on floor 15? There aren't many people around.

Probably thanks to that video 'Feeding Kensei-chan Orc Meat,' it seems to have become trendy among adventurers to eat orc meat as camp food.

"This high ground is too close, huh."

I decided to stop hunting in a position visible from the campsite and returned to the first high ground.

Leading the orcs that had already climbed this hill, I headed back to the first high ground.

"【Status】."

Name: Kasugano Haruki Job: [Charge Spearman] Lv: 15

HP: 280/450 MP: 25/225

Strength: 37 Endurance: 37 Agility: 30 Magic: 22

Skill: [Gate] [Charge・Spear] [Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear] [Charge・Spear・Strength Up] [Charge・Spear・Agility Up] [Charge・Spear・Aiming]

Skill Points: 6

I've reached level 15.

Maybe because of the good stat growth rate, I feel like I'm getting stronger and stronger.

As I progress through the floors, the orcs are getting stronger too, but I'm getting stronger even more than that.

Now I need to see if I can handle the magic-using orcs on floor 16.

And shield wielders and archers, too.

If things go well, I might even see floor 20.

Things are going too smoothly.

"Heey! It's getting dark, you should head back soon!"

A voice called from below.

It's the scout girl from this morning's 5-person party.

The other four are with her too.

They seem to be on a day trip, heading toward the 'Gate to Floor 13.'

"Thanks! I can run back since I'm alone, so I'll hunt a little more before heading back. Thanks for the warning!"

"Later!"

Is it because of my stats? My hearing seems to have gotten better.

I can hear the party's conversation as they're leaving.

"Seriously? Even if you say you can run back, that's quite a distance."

"That guy's only wearing a helmet for armor, is he going to be okay?"

"Once you get back to floor 9, it's just goblins. And if he's made it this far, he's probably at a level where he won't get hurt."

The swordswoman girl who mentioned "only a helmet" was wearing light armor on top but hot pants on bottom, and even with knee-high boots, her thighs were exposed.

...It seems my eyes have gotten better too, apparently.

"Now, what should I do?"

It's past 5 PM, but since my return trip is via the 'Left Gate,' I could probably stay another 2 hours or so.

The question is whether to go to floor 15, but it might be crowded and actually less efficient.

But if possible, I'd like to get through floor 15 and set up a 'Left Gate' on presumably unoccupied floor 16.

"Floor 16... that's it."

It suddenly clicked.

Currently, my stats are overwhelming the monsters.

Enough so that I could probably skip a floor.

Alright, I'll skip floor 15 and head to floor 16.

Passing through the 'Gate to Floor 15' that had become a campsite, I charged into floor 15.

It smells good.

It must be mealtime, as about 20 people were resting in front of the 'Gate to Floor 14.'

They glanced at me as I entered floor 15, but didn't seem to pay me any mind.

There were a few people guarding the floor 14 campsite, so they probably thought I was part of some party's rotation.

As I was about to quickly pass by, I noticed an orc's leg rolling under what looked like a cooking table.

Adventurers are terrifying.

But they look like they're having fun.

In my case, I have [Gate], so I can always do day trips, but I'd like to try having a barbecue inside the dungeon like this sometime.

If Soushi becomes an adventurer, dungeon camping might not be so bad either.

I had a few battles along the way, but found the 'Gate to Floor 16' without any problems.

There were a few parties on the high ground along the way, but there seems to be no one near the gate on this side.

Let's proceed to floor 16.

The sun hasn't set yet, but the eastern slope is dark in the shadow of the high hill.

I'll try to fight with the western slope at my back as much as possible.

After defeating several monsters, a staff-wielding orc came toward me.

Then it stopped in the middle.

"Come on, magic."

This is the first time I've actually seen magic in person, though I've seen it in videos.

The magic these orcs use is Fireball.

It's powerful, but the projectile speed isn't that great.

I should be able to dodge it even after seeing it cast.

The orc begins what seems to be a chant.

After a few seconds, it fires.

At that moment, I dodge with all my might.

The projectile hits the spot where I was a moment ago, about 5 meters away.

It bursts into flames.

As expected, it's not a problem if it doesn't become a chaotic battle.

Since I'm defeating the monsters climbing the hill one by one with basically single hits, it probably won't turn into a chaotic battle.

From now on, I'll finish them off before their chanting completes.