arc01 · 002-ep2
Episode 2: Let's Beat Them With Physics
I'd made a big show of declaring my resolve, but now, sprawled across the bed in my room, my spirits were in free fall.
"…So, realistically, how the hell am I supposed to do this?"
The more I sorted through the information in front of me, the more this dead-end reality gave me a headache.
【Plunder】's success rate against anyone 3 or more levels higher is basically 0%.
And that applies not just to stealing skills, but to stealing weapons, too. In other words, even the hail-mary play of snatching a weapon off a stronger human or monster is off the table. And all that lives in the shallow layers are unarmed level 3–11 horned rabbits and giant centipedes.
Ideally, I'd have gotten some kind of combat skill—and honestly, even a completely useless one would've been fine. Compared to other rookies, my starting stats were pretty high. If I could just join a party, I could've pulled my weight just fine. But with 『Plunder』 in hand, a party was never happening. Things might've been different if I had close friends, but I was so obsessed with training all these years that I barely have anyone I could even call a friend…
"Can't steal weapons. Can't steal skills. My slot's already burned. Can't even join a party… It's checkmate, dammit!"
I writhed around on my bed in agony. These muscles and this agility, forged by pouring all fifteen years of my youth into training, were admittedly above the average person's—but with no skill bonuses to back them up, they were nothing more than 'plain, unbuffed fitness.'
…But there was no way I could just give up.
The next day. Armed with a work helmet, cut-resistant gloves, and a 'steel pipe' from the home improvement store, I showed up at the dungeon nearest my place—the same one I'd visited yesterday. I flashed my guild card at reception—an E-rank adventurer's ID, the mark of a genuine, certified newbie—and entered.
If I can't use skills, then my only option is to get down and dirty and beat things with raw physics.
"Fshaaah!"
A few minutes into the tunnel, a horned rabbit a good fifty centimeters long came charging straight at me. The sharp horn growing from its head gleamed dully.
"Ngh…!"
I swung the steel pipe on reflex, but the horned rabbit easily dodged my amateurish haymaker. Instead, its horn grazed my thigh, and blood spurted out along with a searing pain.
【HP: 85 / 100】
"Ow…! That hurrrts!"
Having a status screen doesn't make the pain go away. My legs threatened to lock up with fear.
But if I backed out here, those fifteen years really would go to waste.
"Don't you underestimate me…! I've spent fifteen years living for this day!"
I forced my aching leg forward and jammed the gap closed with my AGI-16 speed. The instant the horned rabbit coiled into another charge, I twisted my body with my natural-born reaction speed and brought the steel pipe down with everything I had.
BAM!
The moment I felt the impact, the horned rabbit crumpled and dissolved into motes of light.
『Experience points gained』
I slumped to the ground, breathing hard. One lone monster—the weakest one out there—and already my arms were shaking, my whole body drenched in sweat. The experience points I earned were a pittance. Guess I wasn't going to level up right off the bat.
"Haha… this is seriously hell."
Binding my oozing thigh tight, I laughed at myself.
I'd just pretend 【Plunder】 never existed in the first place. All I had was this body, forged over all these years.
"Just watch me… I'll grind my levels even if I have to drink muddy water, and one day I'm gonna stand at the very top."
I gripped the steel pipe again and set off once more into the blood-reeking darkness of the tunnel.
"…Whew."
Hands on my knees, I let out ragged breaths.
One horned rabbit down, and my heart was already pounding hard enough to burst. The musty cave air and the smell of blood stung my nose.
I patted the cloth bound tight over my aching thigh and muttered, half to convince myself:
"Don't rush it… one step at a time."
With 【Plunder】 useless, my tactics had to be simple: leverage my high AGI, strike once, disengage. Hit and run. That was all I had.
As I pushed deeper, an unpleasant rustling echoed through the darkness.
Clinging to the wall was a giant centipede over a meter long. Countless legs writhed, dripping yellow fluid.
"Nnngh—! What a revolting enemy…!"
Suppressing my goosebumps, I gripped the steel pipe in both hands and readied my stance.
The giant centipede lunged down at me from above.
"I can see you coming!"
I twisted aside at the last second and kicked off the wall. Using my high AGI to the fullest, I slammed the steel pipe—my full weight behind it—down onto the centipede's trunk in midair.
WHUMP!
A dull, heavy thud. But the carapace was harder than I'd expected, and a fierce numbness shot through my hands.
"Kchchchch!"
The crazed centipede's tail lashed out like a whip and grazed my arm. The cut-resistant glove split open, a red line welling up on my skin.
【HP: 68 / 100】
"Tch…! Tough shell, huh? Then I'm going for the joints!"
Ignoring the pain, I twisted my body and stepped in point-blank. Faster than the centipede could wind up its next attack, I drove the tip of the steel pipe into the gap in its carapace—the soft joints.
With a nasty crack, the status panel above my head shuddered.
『Experience points gained』
『Kobayakawa Takeru's level has risen to 2』
For just an instant, the fatigue blanketing my whole body vanished. I could feel a faint strength welling up from deep within.
【Name】 Kobayakawa Takeru
【Level】 2
【Status】
・HP: 120 / 120
・MP: 22 / 22
・STR: 18
・VIT: 18
・AGI: 22
・DEX: 17
・INT: 15
・LUK: 4
【Skills】
・Plunder
【SP】 1
With the level up, my wounds healed and my stamina fully recovered.
"Phew… so the full recovery on level up is real. What a lifesaver…"
I wiped off the sweat and stared down my battered steel pipe.
No skill-fueled rampage, no clean, smart victories. Just grimy, tightrope combat—cheating death again and again, clinging to life through the recovery each level up brings.
"But… it's working. As long as I don't die, I level up."
I picked up the magic stones left behind by the horned rabbit and the giant centipede and stuffed them into my backpack. I'd cash these in and buy myself a slightly better weapon tomorrow.
First target: level 10. Hit level 10, and I'd gain one more skill slot—enough to learn a new skill.
"Just you wait, level 10. I'm definitely getting there."
Toward the fresh monster presence drifting out of the depths of the dark, I planted my foot and strode firmly forward.