Chapter

arc1 · 004-ch4

Chapter 4: Obtaining Status ②

"Whoa. It's a completely different place. It's huge."

"When you actually see it with your own eyes, it really hits you. We really are in a dungeon."

Looking around the grasslands as if moved, Ina says that.

I can relate. As knowledge, I knew about it, but experiencing it like this makes me think that the fantasy called dungeon has finally become real.

To us, who were mesmerized by the scenery, a man approached. Early twenties male. He doesn't seem that different from the college students who came to take the training course.

"Thank you for your hard work. Are you Kobata-san, Kawabe-san, and Ina-san?"

"Ah, yes. That's us. Are you the escort?"

"Yes. I'm Higashi, assigned to be in charge of you today. Please take care of us."

To Higashi-san, who bows, we also bow our heads.

"Likewise, please take care of us."

"Right. Then regarding the schedule after this, we'll walk around and fight a monster together as a trio the moment we find one. If you can defeat it safely, you can obtain your status, and once that happens you'll be free to go home for the day, ending the session. Any questions?"

"No, none. However, I'm anxious about whether we can do it well."

Three exercise-deficient middle-aged men, after all. It's questionable whether we can fight properly.

When we honestly express our anxiety, Higashi-san laughs lightly and says.

"It's fine. Everyone's the same. If it actually becomes dangerous, I'll protect you, so go ahead with the mindset that you might fail. However, you must defeat it yourselves. I'll stay with you until the end, so no matter how long it takes, it's fine."

Party size is six people. Up to this number, it's been discovered that you can fight together and grow. However, it seems that if people with too large a difference in ability are mixed in, even if you respect the number of people, no one can grow. There's probably a system like level limits in games.

What Higashi-san is saying is probably what's necessary to avoid that. Although, of course, you can't do that unless you have at least that much skill.

Higashi-san is carrying a bow on his back, but other than that he's dressed almost exactly like us. To be that lightly equipped and still have this composure must mean he has that much confidence.

And the fact that he's not wearing Self-Defense Forces uniform means――

"Is Higashi-san an Association staff? Or an explorer?"

"I'm an explorer. Usually I dive into dungeons with my comrades, but today I received a request from the Association. Honestly, the reward is low, though. Once you reach a certain level of strength, you're occasionally forced to take this kind of request. Ah, by the way, I'm level twenty."

Level twenty! Not quite the front lines, but someone with mid-tier strength.

"Level twenty. That means an annual income in the tens of millions...!"

"To let someone like that waste their precious time on people like us, I'm truly sorry..."

Hey, stop it, you idiots! That's rude!

But well, I agree about the precious time part.

"Sorry. We'll try our best to finish as quickly as possible."

"Ahhahahaha. No, really, don't worry about it. It'll actually end right away, and if you're humble people like this, I can work comfortably too. If anything, if we finish early, how about I give you all sorts of advice?"

"Is that okay!? That would be appreciated! Please, by all means!"

Advice from an active level twenty explorer would be far more accurate than online information. An unexpected stroke of luck.

"But really, is it okay? We won't be a bother?"

"No no, it's really fine so please don't worry.... Rather than brats who won't listen to what I say just because we're close in age, or old men who act arrogant as soon as they see I'm younger and do whatever they want. Yet when they get hurt it's my responsibility, I seriously want to kill them, you know."

"Ahh, that certainly does..."

Even I would feel murderous intent.

"Compared to that, all three of you have a polite attitude toward me, aren't you decent? I want to help people like that, and I should actively build connections with them."

"That's appreciated, but can we be of use to Higashi-san? We don't know if we'll become as strong as Higashi-san after all."

After all, we're like the enjoy-seekers type with the goal of earning only to the extent of not dying. I feel like we'll end up parasitically relying only on his side. That's honestly something I feel sorry about.

"No, Kabata-san. I'll give you advice right away. It's better to have close relationships with explorers you can trust, even if you're weak. Surprisingly, there are few decent people among explorers. Even though the people who help you in dungeons are exactly those people."

"...I see. I'll keep that in mind."

Saying that with a more serious face than I expected, Higashi-san said it.

It's a serious problem, huh....

"Then let's go right away. I'll find prey, so for now please just follow me."

Saying that, Higashi-san starts walking without hesitation.

Not to fall behind, we follow after him, and when Higashi-san casually checks our movements, he starts looking around restlessly.

As far as the eye can see, it's a grassland, and looking into the distance you can see a forest and a river. But, the figure of a monster is nowhere to be seen.

Is there really a monster? Or do we have to go to the forest side for them to be there――

"Ah, found one."

Huh? Really?

There's nothing resembling that anywhere.

I question it, but Higashi-san stops and points.

Looking intently in that direction, there certainly is something there. Hiding in the grass shade, a brown thing is staying still. However, it's at the very limit of visible distance. If I hadn't been told, I absolutely wouldn't have found it.

"Ah, it's true. But it's far."

"I wouldn't have found it if not told. Higashi-san really found it well. Is this also experience?"

"Ahhahah, no it's not. I'm a <Hunter> so I have the <Presence Detection> skill. That's why I knew."

<Hunter>! And <Presence Detection>!

I see, it's a combination I've often heard of, but seeing it appear in reality like this, it's incredibly convenient.

"You're lucky. It's a Horned Rabbit. The easiest to defeat."

"Horned Rabbit? I read online that it runs away immediately."

"That's after I've become somewhat strong. For the three of you now, it'll actively come to kill you instead, so it's a chance. If I approach it runs, so from here it's up to the three of you. I'll help you if it comes down to it, so please do your best with a light mindset!"

A light mindset? Toward an opponent that comes to kill you?

Why can this person say that while smiling? Perhaps explorers are somewhat unhinged after all.

"...I understand. Any tips?"

"The horn is short, but if it pierces deeply you'll die. Be careful."

Who asked about cause of death!? I asked about tips! Tips!

The advice that there are few decent people among explorers might be right after all. Since the person himself is like that.

Fearfully, the three of us close the distance to the Horned Rabbit. And as we approach, its outline becomes clearly visible.

――No, it's huge?!

The shape is certainly a rabbit everyone knows. And on the head, a small horn like an extra. But it's really huge. It's about waist height. Is the total length about one meter?

Rather than a rabbit, it's the size of a large dog or something. No matter how much it's a rabbit, if it's that big you feel fear.

We need to proceed carefully. Thinking that, I was about to hold a strategy meeting, but it seems it was too leisurely.

The Horned Rabbit was already catching us.

"Wh――!"

The moment our eyes met and the Horned Rabbit's hair puffed out, my body stiffened. My throat tightened and I couldn't even make a sound.

This, could it be bloodlust? Just being glared at and my body won't move...!

This is bad. Calm down, become calm. If I panic now, it really becomes irrecoverable.

I make eye contact with Kawabe, and we nod. Good, Kawabe seems okay. Then, matching the timing――

"――Ugh, uwaahhhh!! Hya?!"

Ina!? Hey, wait!

Did he lose to fear? Ina charges in with his butt dragging and tries to thrust his spear. Naturally, something like that won't hit. The Horned Rabbit hops to the side and dodges, and Ina, who lost his balance, flops forward and falls.

Ina's going to die! Thinking that, my body moved.

"――Oraaaaah!"

Shouting as if to distract from fear and charging in, perhaps thinking I was dangerous, the Horned Rabbit charges toward me.

I want to hit with the mace for sure. Thinking that, I try to stop my movement once and put my shield forward.

"Goh――!?"

I tried to receive it, but with unexpected strength I failed to catch it, and was pushed back along with my shield and blown away.

While coughing, I look and see that there's a big dent in my shield, and even a small hole opened. It should be able to stop bullets, but if the horn had been just a little longer... I feel a chill run down my spine. Just as the Horned Rabbit was trying to deliver a follow-up attack on me, who was carelessly staying still, Kawabe, who came out late, struck it faster than that.

"Thi――Aaaah!"

Goh! The staff catches the head. Maybe the hit was good, the Horned Rabbit, which had taken distance, wobbled and stopped.

This is the only chance. If we miss this, we'll have no chance of winning on our own. I have that intuition.

But with such a decisive chance, anyone could do it.

――That's right! Ina!

"Uwaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!"

――Swish!

You missed!? In this flow where it should be decided!? Where was the element to miss?!

Throwing away the shield in a panic, I start running. I won't say something greedy like the head! Wherever's fine, just damage!

I swing down the mace as if carrying it on my back with both hands. Just before, the Horned Rabbit seems to have regained its senses, but it's a bit slow.

My mace caught the Horned Rabbit's butt deeply, and I felt the sensation of breaking something with a crunch.

"Buuuuu! Bu, bu――"

Screaming, the Horned Rabbit wobbles.

Good! Probably the waist or the back leg bone is crushed! With this it won't be able to move proper――

"Buu――Bu, bu! Bu――"

"Hit, hit, hit! This guy's still moving!? Just hit it!"

"Orah! Orah――Ouch! Don't let your guard down! It's still counterattacking!"

"Aaaahhhhhh! Die! Die! Die, die, die, die, die, dieeeeeeeee!"

"Ina, calm down! Don't stab us!? Just the rabbit!"

Probably the two of them also felt that if we miss this it's bad. Us, with impossible expressions from our usual appearance, simply continued to torment the Horned Rabbit with a ghastly spirit.

I keep swinging the mace, and when my arms no longer go up, I catch my ragged breath. There lay a lump of meat with its head crushed and contents spilling out, everything dyed bright red.

It's a level of grotesque image that makes one recoil, but instead I realize I'm becoming calm looking at it. The body heat like boiling gradually goes down.

"Haa, haa... it's over. It was scary..."

"Yeah. Not joking, I thought I was going to die..."

"Guh, hih...! Fuu, fuuuh! Fuguuuuuu..."

Kawabe is just stunned, but Ina is seriously crying. This is what elementary schoolers are like when they get into a fight and can't handle their emotions.

But, I don't feel like teasing him. I understand the feeling. I too am in the mood to cry without worrying about people's eyes. It was just that genuinely scary.

"Good work everyone. Noー, better movement than I expected. Especially the mercilessness at the end was wonderful. Not missing the chance and pressing on. There aren't many people who can do that from the start!"

Approaching leisurely while laughing, Higashi-san says that. Where's the interesting part, you brat...!

Perhaps that emotion showed on my face, Higashi-san deliberately raised his voice tone and said.

"How is it? Isn't the magic power getting used to your body by now? Haven't you obtained your status?"

At that content, I simply forget the resentment toward Higashi-san.

Is that so, with this I should be able to obtain status. Magic power gets used to your body... I didn't notice right after fighting, but come to think of it, I felt my body getting hot. Could that be it?

"Ah, it's true. Amazing, somehow I can understand my own status! I'm level 1 <Warrior>, it says! ――Hah!? <Warrior>? Why!?"

Kawabe confirmed it faster than me. But he didn't seem to get what he wanted.

Higashi-san, who doesn't understand the situation, innocently offers celebratory words.

"Oh. <Warrior>, is it. Congratulations."

"No it's not a congratulations! I was hoping for <Mage>!?"

"Is that so? Your movement was pretty good, I think it suits you?"

I think so too. This time's MVP is definitely you. At this rate, aim to be a first-class warrior.

"How about Ina-san? What did you get?"

"Guzu, zuzu――――it's <Mage>."

"Hah!? Haaahhhh!? Hey, that's the one I can't accept the most!?"

No, I can accept it.

With that movement, if he got a vanguard-type job, that would really be a what-are-you-doing case.

"Damn it, why? I wanted to become <Mage>. Even Ina would have preferred <Warrior>, right? Right?"

"No, I prefer <Mage>. This is the job that suits me.... Good."

"Good!? You said good right now!? You're twisting it! Ahh damn it why! I'm properly holding a staff! This guy's using a spear! Where's the <Mage> element!?"

"Even though it's a staff, your way of using it was that of a <Warrior>. Also, it's just that job acquisition by equipment tends to be biased, but it's normal to get completely different jobs too. Ina-san... were you thought to be very unsuited for <Warrior>?"

"Thank you, Dungeon Master. I'll never forget this favor in my life."

"Don't screw with me Dungeon Master...! I'll never forgive you...! I won't forget this grudge..."

Toward the Dungeon Master who may or may not actually exist in this world, Ina clasps his hands in prayer, and Kawabe leaks a voice of resentment. What do I do, honestly it's funny. This is hilarious.

"How about Kabata-san? Did you get the job you hoped for?"

"Right, Kaeta. Then it's your turn. What did you get? Tell me!"

"Calm down, I'm checking now."

Honestly, just because you didn't get what you wanted, please stop taking it out on me――

"――――Huh?"

"Oh, what's that reaction. You're curious too, right. Tell me quickly."

"Eh, ah, no..."

It's not that I'm trying to be mysterious, but I was so surprised that my voice leaked.

The moment I became aware of my own status, the word that floated in my head was this.

Level: 1

"...<Alchemist>?"

<Alchemist>――Production job?

Eh, seriously? ...Why?

●　　　●

【Exploration Hints! #3】

The first evolution that occurs by absorbing magic power of a certain quality and quantity.

Humanity's first magic power evolution begins with acquiring level and job.

Level is a measure of the elevation of species as a result of absorbing magic power.

And job indicates the direction of the acquirer's growth.

Of these, job acquisition reflects the acquirer's desires. Changes in status are the process of evolution caused by the influence of magic power, and what is instinctively felt necessary affects the human body as evolution in an appropriate form.

Magic power responds to people's desires of "I want to be like this" and "I want to do this," and the job with the highest possibility of being granted is acquired.

Therefore, it is certainly not wrong to prepare equipment beforehand to bias initial job acquisition to what you hope for. It is a conclusion reached through logical thinking, that the person themselves has genuinely accepted and reached.

Nevertheless, the fact that you acquired a job you didn't desire means, in other words