arc03 · 058-ep52

Episode 52: Let's Walk Home

I used 【Plunder】 like a man out to hunt Floor 6's monsters clean off the map, but sure enough, one day wasn't getting me anywhere near a further enhancement.

The proficiency it nets is genuinely a drop in the bucket, so this is going to take a serious amount of time.

Even so, I'm freed from the old state of affairs where my chances to use it were limited, so it's a considerable step forward. And as a plain debuff, it's strong, too.

That said, it only activates when I properly know the target's held skills, so from Floor 11 on there'll be plenty of moments where I can't use it on the spot. If I just had the 【Status Appraisal】 skill, that problem would clear right up—but that eats a skill slot of its own, and even going the SP route is moot unless the skill actually turns up in my learnable list. Level 30 is drawing near too, so it's skill-choice headache season all over again.

Now then—one piece of good news on that skill front.

Would you look at that—【Movement Arts】 has gone and hit Lv. 4!

So it's not 【Plunder】 that rises first—it's THIS one, huh!?

Well, if movement-type actions are what builds its proficiency, then in my case the numbers would be absurd……

Mine's longer than my sleep at this point, after all.

By that logic, 【Movement Arts】 might just come to leave 【Martial Arts】 and 【Plunder】 eating its dust. That inexplicable power of its—yeah, this skill is straight-up against the rules.

As for the effects themselves: I can now chain multi-jumps in midair, and use instant burst-speed movement like 『Shunpo』 or 『Shukuchi』. Each seems to consume MP, but that's no real burden—recovery while moving covers it comfortably.

Ahh, but still—to think I can finally move through the air.

At this rate, plain old walking on air might be next. Looking forward to it.

I tested multi-jumps and 『Shukuchi』 and the like, and once I'd had my fill, I headed back.

◇

Late at night, as usual—but when I got back, Sakurai-san was still at reception.

"Good work today, Takeru-san. I'm relieved you're back safe. Will you be cashing anything in?"

"Ah, yes, please. ……By the way—were you, by any chance, waiting up for me to return? You're always working overtime, but……"

"……I am, technically, genuinely busy—but I can't claim that side of it doesn't exist. Of course it's none of your doing, Takeru-san. I'm simply the worrying sort, so think nothing of it."

"No, no—I'd feel bad about that, so, um, let's see…… From now on, I'll check in regularly on the 【Comm Stone】."

"……I'm sorry—I'll take you up on that. It would help a great deal."

Sakurai-san—her face doesn't show much, but she seems to worry a tremendous amount.

She does so much to make things easy for me; I won't have that kind of weight piling on her. Regular reports from inside the dungeon should lighten that worry of hers.

Oh, right—I had something I wanted to ask.

"Anyway—completely different subject, but are appraisal-type magic items limited to the 【appraisal orb】? If there's anything that can appraise a monster's stats, I'd love to get my hands on it."

"A status-appraisal item…… There is no lack of such a thing, but each guild holds exactly one, kept under each guildmaster's management. It is a truly precious item—even the guild struggles to secure them. Even if a surplus ever surfaced, I expect it would go first to S- and A-rank adventurers, so obtaining one would be quite difficult for you, Takeru-san. I'm sorry I can't be of help."

"Ah—so it really is that precious a thing. Can't be helped, then. If anything, thank you for telling me."

"Not at all. If anything else comes up, feel free to consult me anytime."

Daaamn. So it really was a rare item, huh.

Seen that way, anyone who drew 【Status Appraisal】 as their starting skill is a genuinely rare breed.

They'd have a hard time getting strong and might never climb very high—but to a guild or a clan, they might be exactly the talent you'd give your right arm for. All the Floor-1-through-10 info spreading around the net right now, we only really know it thanks to people like them, after all.

With the cashing-in all done, my reception turned out to be the last of Sakurai-san's shift as well.

"Shall I drive you home again today?"

"Ah—no, thanks. Aizawa was with me that time, so I took you up on it, but today it's just me. I'm good."

"There's truly no need to hold back, you know?"

"Well, I am, technically, a guy—you'd best watch yourself, is what I'm saying?"

"My, so you do have interests beyond the dungeon, Takeru-san."

"What do you take me for?"

"Hehe, no. My apologies—I was teasing you a little."

"Good grief…… well, in any case. You be careful going home too, Sakurai-san."

"Yes. Then, until tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow."

I walked her as far as the parking lot, playing at bodyguard, and we exchanged our farewells.

◇

The last train's long gone, so I walk home.

The days have been turning hot, but at night the cool air feels wonderful.

The area in front of my local station was still plenty lively—first day of a long weekend for you, huh—was what I was thinking when I spotted a familiar face.

"Huh? Kobayakawa?"

"Oh hey. What're you doing out this late, Ogi? You'll get hauled in by the cops, y'know?"

"Coming from you, same age as me, that rings a bit hollow."

"Ahaha, so THIS is Kobacchi's real character, huh~"

"At school you're always asleep or zoning out, so color me surprised."

"Rude. That's meditating. Med-i-ta-ting."

"That just raises the question of what you're doing during class, man."

"Ahahahaha."

A group of my classmates—Ogi and company.

Three girls, outgoing ones included, and four boys, Ogi included. Ahh—so this was THAT class get-together, was it.

"We're just heading back from the get-together's after-party~"

"There were way more of us during the day, and we got wild at karaoke and everything. Would've been nice if you could've come too, Kobayakawa."

"Ooh, big success, huh—good for you. Like I said before, if another chance comes up, I'd love to join. Well—if I can make it."

"Is the adventurer life really that busy?"

"Hm? Nah, it's just that I put it first—it's not like I'm swamped."

"Hmm. Dedicated, huh. If you'd pointed that passion at track instead, you could've been a great rival of mine."

"Sorry, man—this has been my dream since way back."

"Oooh~ kinda cool, Kobacchi."

"Right? Right? I'm actually a cool guy, see."

"Wooow, and there goes the cool, all at once."

"Uwahahaha."

So THIS is what the outgoing crowd is like.

If I didn't have my past life, they'd probably have overwhelmed me.

"Well, like I said before—it's pretty late, and it's dangerous, so you should all head home soon."

"Yeah, that's the plan. We're about to call it."

"Most of us live the same direction, anyway, so we're all walking back together with the bike crew."

"Ah, so that's the setup. Then I was butting in for nothing."

"No, no—having someone around to give that kind of level-headed take is valuable. Appreciate it."

"Right, right~ Left alone we'd just chat forever and the time would slip right by~"

"Kobayakawa, if you're headed the same way, walk back with us."

"Ah…… well, sure. Every now and then, this isn't bad."

A fine chance to get closer to my classmates.

And if something happened to these guys, it'd sit badly with me.

And so, chatting all the way, I saw every one of them home, then set off for my own door.

An unexpected encounter, sure—but a thoroughly fun end to the day.

I suppose this, too, counts as another page of my youth.