ch301-ch320 · 306-ch306

Chapter 306: The Surprise, Continued

"Mia-san, did your job list come up? Mia-san?"

"P-Pye."

It's fine.

That was a killing blow.

But just in case......

(【Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear】【Charge・Spear・Magic Up】【Charge・Spear・Endurance Up】【Charge・Spear・Strength Up】【Charge・Spear・Agility Up】)

Hyper mode once more.

Cautiously, I walk over to the tail and sever it from the body.

Mia-san might want to examine the corpse later, after all.

Satisfied that all is well, I release the shield-side charge too.

"Haruki is back, so it looks like we're fine. We're done—Mia-saaan."

"Pye."

Hmm, was it too much stimulation for her?

It was all over in about a minute, though......

"She says thank you. So—onward to the next one! Next!"

Aikawa, holding Mia-san, volunteers as interpreter.

She clearly said nothing of the sort.

This one just wants to get to the next thing ASAP.

What matters is having Mia-san take an upper sub-job, after all.

Another round would leave my MP on fumes, so I'd rather call it a day today, but......

"I'm so glad you enjoyed it!"

"I'm NOT enjoying this—! I told you surprises are banned! And what's this "next"? There's more? I'm going hooome—!"

Mia-san's retorts come back to life against Kasumi-san's smiling face.

"Mmm-mmm-mmm. You did not enjoy it? But fear not. Just in case, I have prepared a second arrow."

"Pye. No! Going home!"

Mia-san flails about, but Aikawa has her locked firmly in her arms—no escape.

"Now, now, don't say that. In any case, if you won't choose your job, we'll simply have to fight the Manticore here one more time, you know?"

"Grrrnnn. Well, I'll take the job. ......Honestly. Mmm-hmm. The list has grown, but—【Namer】, right? There, taken."

That's the one Mia-san was torn between at Floor 30—this or 【Master Artisan】.

"Congratulations. With this, you are without question Japan's number one smith—Japan's number one production job."

"Congratulations—!"

"Uhh, well, I guess that's true. Well...... thanks. So, shall we head home......"

Japan's current number one production job is the person who holds 【Namer】—the very job Mia-san just took—as their main job, after all.

【Naming】 is a skill that consumes massive amounts of MP to give a name—and thus meaning—to arms and armor.

Depending on the other support skills, you can make things like demon swords or signature weapons.

You can only name things you made yourself or worked on, but the fact that its holder is called Japan's number one on that skill alone means it's definitely powerful.

That person is Triple-Rank, so Mia-san, holding two upper jobs, should be able to make even stronger weapons.

"What are you saying—next up, let's go! Next! It's today's main event. Ah, but first, let's go take a look at the Manticore, shall we?"

Mia-san tried to slip away home, but failed.

For the record, despite what Aikawa says, the main purpose was getting Mia-san her upper sub-job.

"No—wa—y—. Pye—is this thing really dead?"

"Last time we came, we thought it was dead—until the tail-snake moved—"

"Pyeeeh!"

I cut it off properly just now, so we're fine.

"A single strike to the chest from the front. The blow that shattered the magic stone passed clean through its back. As expected of you, Haruki-san."

Sasa-Haru—.

Kasumi-san seems to have recovered her usual self.

Sorry, Mia-san, but for me, this was the main event.

"So it really was one strike. Amazing. Next time it's my turn. This time for sure I'll take it down in one!"

"No. You—wiiill—not. We—are—going—hooome—"

"Fufufu—not today's talk. There was a chance this surprise would put Mia-san in a bad mood, so I have prepared an event to lift her spirits afterward. First, then—please examine the Manticore's remains. Is there any part that might be useful?"

Well, I'm looking forward to that event too, honestly.

I only gave the corpse a quick check on Saturday......

"Really? You won't do anything dangerous? Hmm. ......There's plenty that looks usable, but nothing I can do anything with. The fangs and claws I got before were bad about skills taking to them too. And this thing's hide is crazy hard, right? I think it'd take those two. But then it becomes a question of where it came from......"

"Those two" would be the needle and scissors ladies.

Most of the production-job folks who took part in that operation said they'd rent shops in the Chiba branch and start businesses—but what became of those two afterward?

"Not right away, I'm afraid. I'd need to think up a clever excuse...... Understood. Let's give up on it this time. Though this problem will hound us afterward too......"

True—how am I supposed to explain where I got it......

"Hey, hey, tell me where we're going next already. Surprises are banned, remember."

"Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm. I was working so hard to please you, in hopes of lifting the surprise ban...... Well, I suppose this once is enough. Our next destination is Floor 41. You will examine the weapons we pick up. You like that sort of thing, don't you?"

Yes—on Floor 41, we beat skeletons and collect weapons.

Then Mia-san repairs them, and if she throws a 【Naming】 in too, nothing could be better.

Which weapons are easy to repair is something Mia-san should see and pick for herself.

"I see—skeleton weapons, huh. I do love those, but...... Oh! The workshop area! I want to go there. Would an anvil fit through your 【Gate】, Haruki?"

The 40s floors are castle sieges.

The 'Gate to the Next Floor' sits at the castle's center.

Well, on Floor 41 it's still more of a fort—but somehow there are lived-in facilities too, like a well and a kitchen.

I haven't checked, but there might even be smithing equipment somewhere in the fort.

"Decided, then. Shall we go?"

Aikawa walks off toward the cliff.

"Huh? Hold on—where are we again? No golems around, right? Where's the 'Gate to Floor 41'?"

"Where? At the bottom of the cliff, obviously—"

"Huh? A cliff? Ah—p-Pye—t-tall—Pye. Wait wait wait. We're going DOWN this? No no no! Absolutely not! Put me down—pu—t—me—down—"

"Huh? You want me to put you down? Here we go—!"

"Huh? No, not like that! I want to be put down, but not like THIS! Soushi, help—! You're the only one I can count on!"

"Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm. Aikawa-san is quite something."

Aikawa's in top form.

Still, for Mia-san to rely on Soushi instead of me......

"I'll go ahead and secure some space, so come down when I signal."

I move to the cliff's edge and indulge in a little mischief.

"Huh? Space? You want me to jump down THERE? No no, I'd absolutely die! Nooo! Somebody—anybody—"

"【Gate】."

"Huh?"

I place the 'Left Eye Gate' on the 'Gate to Floor 41' at the bottom of the cliff.

Then dismiss it once, and......

"【Gate】."

I turn around and put up the 'Right Eye Gate' on the clifftop.

The express line is complete.

The 'Hand Gates' can only be placed right beside me, but the 'Eye Gates' have quite the long range.

Anywhere I can see properly.

My eyesight is raised by stats, so with nothing in the way, I could probably reach 200 meters out.

Though at longer distances there's a pause while my eyes focus.

Luckily the golems have gathered right at the base of the cliff, so nobody's around the 'Gate to Floor 41.'

I step into the 'Right Eye Gate' and wave up at the clifftop.

"Huh? Huh?"

Looking bewildered, Mia-san—still in Aikawa's arms—vanishes toward the 'Gate to Floor 41.'