arc1 · 008-ch8

Episode 8: Status

　Suzuka watched as the Drunken Sheep turned into black smoke. That smoke came toward Suzuka, but without resistance he accepted it and it was absorbed into his body. Confirming the smoke had vanished, Suzuka collapsed on the spot.

"Haa, haa, finally took it down...! This is way too exhausting..."

　His breathing was rough and ragged as if he'd sprinted at full speed, his whole body soaking wet with sweat. Perhaps because he hadn't swung a bat in ages, fresh blisters had burst and skin was peeling on his hands. He'd kept jumping sideways and bracing himself to swing the bat over and over, so his legs and hips were twitching with spasms.

"Water first, anyway... My backpack... damn it! Who put the backpack in a place like that!"

　He regretted having placed his luggage far away to avoid getting in the way of the battle. Cursing, he lifted his body and stood up like a newborn fawn.

"Oh? Level went up?"

　Despite being covered in wounds and exhausted, his steps felt lighter than before. While feeling this mismatched sensation, he took out his water bottle from his bag and replenished lost fluids. Taking deep breaths to regulate his breathing, he calmed down. Now that he was calm, it was time to confirm the battle results.

"Status open"

　It's not like he needed to actually say anything since it would appear just by thinking about it, but atmosphere is important. When Suzuka spoke these words, a translucent window appeared before his eyes.

　Name: Suzuka Jozenji

　Level: 2

　Vitality: 14

　Magic: 12

　Attack: 17

　Defense: 12

　Agility: 18

　Dexterity: 16

　Intelligence: 15

　Storage: 6

　Ability: -

"Whoa, these went way up..."

　The displayed status showed increases beyond Suzuka's imagination. Here's the comparison with his status at level 1.

　Name: Suzuka Jozenji

　Level: 1 → 2

　Vitality: 4 → 14

　Magic: 3 → 12

　Attack: 7 → 17

　Defense: 3 → 12

　Agility: 8 → 18

　Dexterity: 6 → 16

　Intelligence: 5 → 15

　Storage: 2 → 6

　Ability: -

　It has been discovered from vast survey data that normally status at level 1 is in the range of 1-10, with an average of 5. Since Suzuka's average slightly exceeds 5, he'd be in the upper-middle category. With particularly high Attack and Agility, these were initial stats that could handle the role of a front-line attacker.

　While relieved to be above average, he was lightly shocked that Magic was low. Since Magic and Intelligence stats are needed when casting magic, he wasn't a magic type with his initial stats. However, after looking it up he learned that magic-related skills could sometimes be learned as levels increase, so he cheered himself up that there was no need to be that pessimistic.

　Storage is exactly what it reads - it shows the number of items that can be stored. The final Ability column with nothing written in it is the skill column. Unfortunately, Suzuka didn't seem to learn any skills either at initial status or at this level up. However, it's rare for anyone to have learned skills at level 1, and it's said that if aiming to be an explorer, learning one skill by level 10 is considered good enough.

　And looking again at this status increase rate, the average is over 9. Most categories increased by 10. This can be considered a quite excellent result. You see, status increase values at level up occur in the range of 1-10. In other words, Vitality, Attack, Agility, Dexterity, and Intelligence - all five categories increased by the maximum value of 10.

"Does this mean the strategy worked well?"

　It's known that status increase values are influenced by the process up to leveling up. In other words, if you take it easy your status increases poorly, but if you defeat strong enemies your status gets boosted. And no matter how many weak enemies you defeat that are lower level, you won't level up. Even with 1 experience point, continuing to hunt infinitely won't result in infinite level ups. You must continue challenging enemies equal to or above your level to level up. And to get good quality status, you needed to place yourself in equal battles. This is why Suzuka chose a metal bat instead of a gun.

　At training facilities that support leveling up, using guns is standard practice. With guns you can safely and easily defeat monsters from long distance to level up. Naturally, the status increase rate becomes worse.

　With level up using guns, the status increase amount is said to average 2. On the other hand, when defeating through close combat like Suzuka did, or when fighting properly even with guns by imposing some kind of restriction, the status increase value is said to average 5.

　If both raise to level 10 in that state, training facilities result in an average increase of 18. Level up through combat results in an average increase of 45, creating quite a difference. With the training facility method, due to status differences you eventually become unable to defeat enemies in the same level range. If that happens, it's checkmate, and that person's level limit is decided.

　It's not that you can defeat enemies forever just by using guns - as monsters level up, their defense becomes higher, and they become unable to be defeated without attacks accompanied by magic. Up to level 10 is considered the safe line where guns can defeat them.

　Still, many people attend training facilities because they aren't aiming to be explorers to begin with. If not aiming to be an explorer, safely and easily having status increase by 18 is nothing but appealing. After all, by level 10 you can boost to nearly four times your initial stats.

　It's important that status doesn't only provide benefits for dungeon activities. If status rises, the body becomes sturdier, making it harder to get injured, preventing colds and making cavities a thing of the past, making health maintenance easier.

　Not only that, changes also appear in appearance according to status. The body firms up, and skin doesn't receive UV damage so spots and such don't appear. If body shape changes, the face changes too. Though not that you become a completely different person. It feels like it improves based on that person's face. Perhaps like getting closer to that celebrity person people say "You look like [celebrity]!" to.

　These body changes are said to stop around level 10. It's unfortunate that they don't keep improving indefinitely. However, thanks to that, this world seems to have many handsome men and beautiful women.

　I feel like facial attractiveness values have risen by about 10 overall. The class hunks and beauties feel like they're proliferating like mob characters. When Suzuka woke up in this world and his mother came to wake him, he mistook her for wearing makeup - this was partly due to youth but largely due to status benefits, and his mother at that time was bare-faced.

　Of course, appearance changes also vary according to the status growth rate up to level 10. Actors and idols belonging to talent agencies are said to level up on their own without using guns until level 10, despite it being harsh.

"Since status more than doubled, I wonder if I've changed quite a bit?"

　Since he didn't bring a mirror, he won't know if there were changes to his face until he exits the dungeon. To express Suzuka's appearance straightforwardly, he's a short, pale-skinned slim young man. His face is neither ugly nor handsome. Looking at his arms, they don't look like they've gained muscle, still white and thin arms as always.

"Still, this is tough. More than I imagined. I thought I was going to die."

　Suzuka recalls the earlier battle. It went mostly according to strategy. Dodge the charge, attack. Repeating this to defeat it. On DanChuTube, a dungeon streaming site, he had studied the battle against Drunken Sheep, so he was able to defeat it. However, it was a battle closer to the edge than imagined.

"That guy's too hard. He just doesn't die no matter how long it takes, and I thought my attacks weren't working. I almost cried."

　Perhaps due to level difference, the streamer would dodge attacks several times and then defeat it in one hit every time. While I didn't expect to defeat it in one hit, I thought I could defeat it by hitting it 5 times. After all, the enemy is a level 1 beginner-target monster. In the manga Suzuka read, it was supposed to be slime-level. With slimes, one-hit kills are standard.

　But reality was different. If he let his guard down for even an instant, he would've taken a charge. While there was no running start so bones wouldn't break, if he took damage his movements would lose sharpness and there was risk of receiving attacks in succession. Furthermore, because they exchanged offense and defense for what felt like an eternity, his legs and hips screamed in pain, and countless times he almost fell from lack of strength. After all that, the status increase value finally exceeded 9. If aiming for explorer top, it seems he'll need to maintain this level of fighting continuously.

　Since level is low, the sight still looks cute. However, as level rises monsters naturally get stronger too, and one mistake could mean instant death. To stand at the explorer top, he must survive in such an environment continuously.

"Man, this is tough."

　Well, I can do it. It's the beginning anyway. That's how sweetly he thought. If anything, he was concerned about the aversion to hitting living things with a metal bat. Can I attack properly? That's what he thought.

　But opening the lid and looking, it's a fierce battle with a beginner-friendly monster. Can I keep going at this level?

　One mistake literally becomes fatal. If aiming to be an explorer, this will continue forever. No, this is from the very start. From here on, there will probably be many even harsher battles.

"Fufufu... hahahaha! A-HAHAHAHA!!!"

　Despite that, Suzuka starts laughing happily.

"It's fun!! It's really fun!! It's been ages since I felt this sense of accomplishment... no, is this the first time!?"

　Whether due to fatigue reaching its peak, relief from surviving a battle where he might have died, or perhaps due to innate temperament. Suzuka was laughing happily, but those brilliantly shining eyes looked like he'd been possessed by a demon.

"It's a game, a game! To be able to feel growth this obviously!!"

　The increase in physical ability felt when level rises. Looking at status, his own efforts are clearly reflected.

　With studying, if you work hard test scores go up and you can raise your desired school level. With sports too, if you practice hard the possibility of winning matches increases. Not limited to dungeons, many things are mastered according to effort.

　Because Suzuka's level is low, dungeon results appear easily and are easy to feel. With games or anything, when you first start it's interesting and it's like you can absorb many things.

"I fully understand it's a first-time bonus... but it's too fun! Being an explorer is the best!!"

　How happy it is to encounter something you can throw yourself at fully. Suzuka, who had aged without anything he wanted to do, knew this. That's why he decided to follow the feeling he has right now.

　This was the first battle of the man who would later be called Mad Demon Suzuka.