ch241-ch260 · 248-ch248

Chapter 248: It Is a Dungeon, After All

"Next up, 【Claw Striker】! Though I've heard of it showing up, I don't think I've ever heard of anyone actually TAKING it?"

The conversation moves right along as if nothing happened.

With master detective Aikawa Natsuki on the case, any mystery gets filed away into the labyrinth.

It IS a dungeon, after all!

Who would ever suspect the detective herself was the culprit......

Come to think of it, is there something like a 【Detective】 job?

"Indeed. I hear it has a high probability of appearing for holders of the 【Beast Transformation】 special skill. However, given how 【Beast Transformation】 works—transformed, it keeps consuming MP—it can't be used casually, which is why people tend to avoid it."

Well, enhancing your claws in human form only gets you so far, after all.

"Nobody holding it means nobody knows its stats, right? So there's a chance it's secretly strong, no?"

Soushi says that, but the main job can only ever be changed once.

Wagering that one chance on a gamble is way too big a risk.

"Can't use it casually, but maybe that comes with extra strength tacked on? Like Haru-kun's 【Charge Spearman】."

"There is a similar job, 【Fist Striker】—the 'fist' kind of fist-striker. The line has 【Fist King】 confirmed, so I would not raise your expectations too far."

If there are 【Claw King】 and 【Claw Saint】 above it, then 【Claw Striker】's stats would be kept modest, huh?

Well, the sword-line 【Sword Master】 is in the strong class, you know?

"I seeee. When we're digging out golems, 【Partial Beast Transformation】 claws dig faster than using a weapon, see. It's fair play if you say it's fair play, but—this one's on hold. I'll dig for info online later."

I wasn't watching, but so THAT'S what she was doing.

【Partial Beast Transformation】, 【Weapon Enhancement・Dance】, and 【Body Enhancement】—three weapon-enhancement buffs, plus dance stat-ups on top—would make single hits seriously strong, huh.

Come to think of it, stacking more synergy on doesn't sound bad at all.

With an upper-tier claw-enhancement buff and a claw attack skill on top, the offense would be super-strong.

"Good idea. I'll look into whether there are overseas cases as well. Next is......"

"【Illusionist】! The one that can use the Shadow Clone jutsu!"

My recommendation.

"Shadow Clones are illusions, so they have no substance, right? Pointless. And it's a scout job anyway. Rejected! Rejected!"

Oh, come on.

Well, it IS a scout job, so I knew she wouldn't take it—but there's no need for THAT tone, is there?

【Illusionist】 is, as the name says, a job that creates 'illusions' indistinguishable from the real thing.

Apparently it can make illusions not just of yourself but of nearby objects, and move them freely at that.

Throw on a hood and multiply yourself, and that's a ninja, plain and simple.

Well, since it's a scout job, maybe going full support is the stronger play.

"Illusions DO have their uses! Like making a Soushi and taking your stress out on it. You can even Russian-hook-kick it, y'know? And Soushi, you'd be happy with more Aikawas running around too, right?"

More Soushis AND more pandas, you know?

"Uh, sure."

"I would OBVIOUSLY know which one's real if I made the illusion myself! Not happening. Next! Next!"

"Lots of Haruki-san......"

Kasumi-san murmurs something, but I'll pretend I didn't hear it.

"Ahh, 【Idol】, huh. So it showed uuuup."

Aikawa looks a little pleased with herself.

Didn't you just say general-class means no thank you?

"So it derived from the dance skills, huh. By the way—has anyone actually taken it?"

"Not to my knowledge. What kind of job it even is, we don't know."

Even Kasumi-san doesn't know, huh.

Naturally, neither do I.

It's probably shown up before, but when you ask whether someone who climbed all the way to Floor 30 would deliberately take it......

"Going by 'idol'—it'd buff allies with song and dance, but be weak itself...... That kind of thing?"

Soushi's guess, but it sounds about right.

Something about the phrasing "weak itself" is SO very 'idol'—it stirs a certain melancholy, you know?

"What do you think, huh, huh? Maybe this is my true calling? One of those 'the dungeon willed it' cases?"

True calling—the job best suited to you, the one you're born with......

Well, it's not impossible.

Nobody knows the truth, so the case goes into the labyrinth, unsolved.

It IS a dungeon, after all!

As for the answer to Aikawa's question—that's Soushi's to give, not mine.

Someone show her reality, please......

"Aikawa, your dancing's gotten really good lately, so honestly I can't call it either. Then let's hit karaoke today. Let me hear the singing half too."

"Good idea. I don't really know any idol songs, but maybe I'll sing my heart out today?"

Hmm-hmm-hmm.

Lovers' flirting, then NIGHTLIFE? I object!

Kasumi-san, say something to them too......

"Aha! Love songs at the summit! That could actually work for leveling. I'll have a guitar ready by next time, then!"

Huh?

"No, I can't play guitar or anything, so......"

"I see...... What a shame......"

Kasumi-san wilts.

Guess I'd better practice singing......

"Well, 【Idol】 is general-class, so IF you take it, it'd be at Floor 40. And that depends on whether your next job even comes up or not......"

Aikawa, already taking Floor 40 completely for granted, is the real deal here.

Which I suppose means she's trusted that much, huh.

And then, the last job on Aikawa's list......

"【Prima Dancer】, huh......"

Considering 【Dancer】 showed up for her at Floor 10, this is the obvious true calling.

But if she doesn't take 【Prima Dancer】 at 30, she'd take 【Idol】 at 40.

That's what her earlier remark meant, probably.

Sounds like she could take both, though.

"I wonder what the upper-tier dance skills are like, huh?"

"Hmm. What I want is an attack skill. Like, charge up as you dance, or one of Haru-kun's one-hit-kill type skills."

You mean like 【Spinning Naginata User】?

If that existed it'd be called something like 【Charge Dancer】, so I'm pretty sure it doesn't?

"She's a buffer, you know. Pining for attack skills gets you nowhere. Stat-wise, wouldn't she stay about the same balance as now?"

"High Agility, low Endurance, huh—. But if I'm fighting in the back line while guarding Soushi, I want a bit of attack AND defense too, y'know."

Oh—she IS properly thinking about Soushi.

"She IS an upper-rank job. In 【Partial Beast Transformation】 state, attack and defense should be more than covered. And if Mia-san designs gear suited to the job, I believe she could fight quite adequately even in the 30s floors."

Even Soushi's long-handled kitchen knife—a weapon that's just a knife with a longer grip—explodes with strength when it fits the person, after all.

But what WOULD suit a dancer as a weapon, I wonder?

"Right—so 【Prima Dancer】 is the leading candidate. I'll sleep on it tonight, just in case."

Thank goodness she didn't start declaring "I'm becoming an IDOL"......

"Oh, it's already this late? Gotta head home. You lot—no gallivanting at night. Do your job research properly, got it?"

It's past curfew, huh.

I want to 【Gate】 straight home too.

"Yes, yes. Off you go, already."

"Thank you for your hard work today, Haruki-san. Please give my regards to your mother, won't you?"

I'll be sure to give a proper re...... report that the Chikuzen-ni did get served, too.