ch421-ch440 · 423-ch423

Chapter 423: Nerfing the Cheat

"Dance—here we go!"

At the far end of the camera, Aikawa calls the start, and the five of 'Blue Ocean' begin dancing.

A box step, facing the camera.

Kasumi-san has her visor down, just like she said—she was embarrassed.

This video will get published later, after all.

But the footing in the desert is terrible.

That might be part of why Mami-tan's group struggled on the way here.

When you step in, your foot sinks, and you can't put your weight in the way you want.

Even so—Quadruple adventurers really are built different. They dance it flawlessly to the end.

Ta-dah—the finishing pose devised by a famous choreographer.

Ao-san really is 'Japan's number one streamer'; even the details get attention.

It seems the 'Rampaging Mia-san Pose' will not, in fact, be spreading across the world.

"Support skills coming too."

Ao-san sends a glance our way.

The signal for Soushi to use his fujutsu too.

"......"

Soushi uses his skill without a word, then makes a "b" with his hand as the all-clear.

"Three, two, one—here it comes!"

One minute.

The boss spawns.

This dungeon's Floor 30 boss is a giant scorpion called the Scorpion King.

Plus an entourage of about a hundred one-meter scorpions.

Same type of boss room as the Chiba Floor 30 ogre: a hundred scorpions arrayed in a circle around the King.

'Sword Saint-chan'—Chiharu-san—dashes straight in and starts cutting down the scorpions placed nearest.

Mami-tan's group had to aim for the joints because their blades wouldn't bite, but for her that's irrelevant.

Like cutting through butter......

People say that, but the butter in my fridge sets rock-hard, so "hard thing" is my image of butter?

Well, anyway—scorpions they may be, Chiharu-san cuts the entourage down one after another like a mantis on the hunt. Though she never turns toward the Scorpion King.

Running through the space she opens up: Kasumi-san and Aikawa.

Of the four who caught up, Ao-san and Yukiya-san also go for the attendants, same as Chiharu-san.

This video's selling point is showing the viewers what those two can do.

Kasumi-san looks strong from the job name 【Spear King】 alone, but unknown Aikawa has been catching real criticism.

When we're filming, the plan prioritizes giving Aikawa the fights.

"Hah!"

That said—worrywart Kasumi-san.

On the pass-by, she lops off the Scorpion King's tail, then keeps running to take out the scorpions deeper in.

So cool.

She's gone off on her own, but Kasumi-san's armor carries upper-tier 'Armor Enhancement,' so the attendants' tail strikes won't get through.

No need to worry.

What I AM worried about is that knowing her, she's quietly aiming to out-kill Chiharu-san.

"Yah! Kuh! Take—this! Ei! Doryaa!"

Aikawa had a harder time than expected.

She didn't take the full two minutes of dance time, but the footing, maybe—she couldn't fight cleanly.

Maybe the weapon's wrong for her.

With 【Partial Beast Transformation】 and 【Body Enhancement】, Aikawa is secretly a power type—a club would suit her better than a sword.

But Bear Ossan used a long hexagonal club, so she'd hate having the same thing.

If she loves the sword, have Mia-san make her a great big one?

Though she couldn't dance while holding a long spear, either.

Moderation matters in all things.

"Splendidly done. We're finished over here too. I'll go collect the camera, so break down the King's body and carry it to the 'Gate to Floor 31.' We'll process it over there."

The King went down in two minutes; the entourage was wiped in under five.

Ao-san comes back and collects the camera—and us along with it.

"Pretty hard, this stuff. Couldn't you make armor out of it?"

Yukiya-san says it, hefting what must be the hardest part—the pincer.

"Looks promising, but what job would even handle this material? Not 【Leatherworker】, surely?"

It's not leather.

Feels like iron, but it's not quite rock either.

It's a carapace, so... a "Carapace Crafter"?

Does a job like that even exist?

"There's one called 【Armor Smith】—a job with a skill that can make armor out of anything. Turns anything into armor, really. It'd make good video material, so maybe we'll gift this to that person."

Ao-san answers my question.

As expected of a ninja—knows everything.

I wonder—could it turn a diamond into armor too?

"Then I'll take this tail back as a souvenir for Dr. Amamiya."

"Mmm-mmm-mmm."

Oh—did Kasumi-san lose the scorpion kill count to Chiharu-san?

"Amamiya? The glasses lady doctor? No woman on earth would be happy getting THIS."

Maybe not happy, but it's useful for research.

If she knows where Umemoto-san is, her poison research should move faster too.

"Right—on to the next floor, then."

We take the King's pincers and tail, plus the magic stone, and head for Floor 31.

I went out last, for form's sake, but there doesn't seem to be any five-person limit on the way out.

Even the dungeon didn't see this coming, maybe?

Will the goddess scold me for it later?

No—the one who made a skill like this is the one at fault, right?

"Whoa, climbing, huh. Ao, which one's the right one?"

The 30s floors continue the desert, but now with sand dunes added to the terrain.

"Hmm... probably that dune. Everyone, check this photo. That's the one, right?"

The 'Gates to the Next Floor' sit on top of dunes, invisible from below.

You have to find the right one among all these dunes and climb it.

"Even if you guess wrong, climb any dune and you can see the tops of the others. One climb down and you'll know where the 'Gates' are."

That's the orthodox way.

Climb the tallest dune and look for the 'Gate to the Next Floor.'

"What a pain... Who's got the best eyes here? Oh, and for the record, I don't have 【Hawk Eye】."

Everyone looks at me.

"Haruki, probably?"

"This side has Haru-kun. How about over there?"

For simply seeing far things, it comes down to Endurance, maybe?

In this group, that's me.

Dynamic vision would pull Agility in too, so then it'd be Ao-san.

"Right. Haruki, you climb up first and check whether the 'Gate' is there. If it is, signal us to come up; if not, find the 'Gate to the Next Floor' before coming down. Whether we all go or you go alone, your climbs stay the same, so—"

"Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm."

I see.

True—my climb count doesn't change either way.

Huh? But it doesn't have to be me, does it?

Oh—right. It does have to be me......

"No, no—monsters spawn too. I can't send anyone up alone."

"It's fine. Off I go."

"Sand Cobras hide in the sand, so the three of us—me, Yukiya, and Haruki-kun—should form three groups and rotate...... Eh? Hold on......"

At this distance one 【Gate】 jump won't do it, so I set the 'Right Eye Gate' on the edge of a suitable dune.

The 'Left Eye Gate' goes right beside me.

Then, from the dune's top, I stab my spear down into the Sand Cobras hiding in the sand.

And one more.

Sand Cobras are exactly what the name says: huge snakes hiding under the sand.

Being cobras, their heads are flattened, and they carry monstrous venom.

The venom's too strong—this dungeon will never open to the public.

"Come on through."

I stick my head into the 'Right Eye Gate' and wave everyone in.

"You—this is against the rules, you know. I had no idea it could even be used like this......"

"Easy-peasy♪"

"No kidding. And that was supposed to be a joke, too...... Isn't that just too cheaty?"

The 'Right Eye Gate' had been left on Floor 1 of this dungeon, you see.

In the room Chiharu-san had been using to dream in.

So the walk home was already decided—but we might need it at Floor 40, and there's the Floor 41 survey too.

Now that I can use it without holding back, I'll call the safety rating improved.

"Fufun♪"

"Haruki, next one's over there."

"Let's see... Oh, wow, there it is. Haru-kun, next dune— that one!"

Our members are seasoned hands; they spotted the 'Gate to Floor 32' before I did.

"Haruki-kun, this is very hard to say, but......"

No, no—more praise won't get you anything, you know?

"What is it?"

But let's hear it.

"We have to film the survey video too......"

I beg your pardon?

For the sake of filming, use of 【Gate】 is hereby banned.