The next morning, I woke up a little early to go slime hunting in my PD.
I decided that my quota for each round would be until a treasure chest appeared.
I’ve become more adept at handling a staff.
When I started feeling a bit tired, I rested in the room where Danpon stays.
Perhaps due to my increased level, my sleep quality has improved, and fatigue seems to recover faster than before I began leveling up.
Last night, I read an information summary about the Umeda Dungeon. It seems that after defeating approximately 500 slimes, a treasure chest appears somewhere within the dungeon.
This is a straightforward indicator.
Without clocks or smartphones, and with no sunlight penetrating the dungeon, my sense of time becomes distorted, and I could stay indefinitely. So having the goal of waiting for the treasure chest to appear provides a clear reference point.
The Umeda Dungeon’s first floor is approximately 250,000 square meters with 5 meter square blue sheets lined up to hold 10000 people. It is about the size of one Koshien Stadium.
While it’s not a perfectly square dungeon, you wouldn’t miss a treasure chest but it’s quite intricate. I feel like I’ve covered a significant area while walking.
Since I don’t know where the treasure chest will appear, and staying in the same spot to hunt slimes would reduce efficiency, I keep moving.
Unlike the Umeda Dungeon, which has maps, signs, and staff to guide dungeon explorers, in the PD, I need to memorize the map myself.
It’s quite challenging.
With these thoughts in mind, I continued hunting slimes until I finally found the treasure chest.
Today’s hunting ends here.
By the way, inside is—
「A crystal?」
It contained something resembling a purple crystal.
Could it be valuable?
As for details about the dungeon, I’m not particularly well-versed. I’ll look it up on my smartphone later.
-0-
After taking a short nap and bathing, I head to school.
My mother asked ‘Why are you sweating so much after such a short jog?’ but I brushed it off casually.
I attended my classes diligently, even though I still felt a bit groggy despite having taken a proper nap.
During lunch break, I caught up with Aoki to discuss yesterday’s dungeon exploration.
Aoki had apparently decided to quit being an explorer, which didn’t sit well with his parents.
「Why the sudden change? Weren’t your parents against you becoming an explorer?」
「Yeah. It took a lot of convincing. But when a man makes up his mind, it’s not easy to sway him back—thought I thought I would get beaten up by my old man.」
「But he didn’t actually hit you?」
「Nah, my dad’s level 32. He’s got some self-control. Apparently, it’s called anger management.」
While dungeon stats truly shine within the dungeon itself, they still have some impact outside. At level 32, Aoki’s dad’s stats must be quite impressive.
「Your dad’s a police officer, right? It seems high-level is a requirement for law enforcement these days.」
Since dungeons appeared and dungeon explorers multiplied, crimes committed by dungeon explorers also increased. Even police officers tasked with apprehending them needed higher levels.
However, outside the dungeons, the benefits of leveling were less pronounced. So far, we hadn’t encountered any heinous criminals capable of catching bullets with their bare hands.
「So, are you continuing as an explorer?」
「For now, I’m taking up part-time work. Saving up to go on a dungeon study abroad.」
「Dungeon study abroad? Sounds expensive.」
「True, but in a low-cost country, it’s still around 3 million.」
If I wanted to raise my level to 10 in a place like the Umeda Dungeon, it would take quite a while.
Considering safety margins, even with fewer people, it could take weeks.
However, some overseas dungeons lacked safety margins—meaning even at level 1, dungeon explorers could delve into deep floors. These dungeons had established safe methods for monster hunting, and that’s what we call ‘dungeon study abroad’.
In about two weeks, you could return home as a level 10 explorer.
「What kind of part-time work are you considering?」
「I’m still thinking about it. For now, anything related to dungeons next week seems good.」
「Well, good luck.」
As for me, I’ll continue selling slime sake to scrape together some earnings, but I can’t really spread that I have my own PD.
By the way, I wonder if this crystal can fetch a high price?
I take out the crystal I was planning to research later.
「Huh? You bought a streaming crystal? Wasn’t that expensive?」
「A streaming crystal?」
「Isn’t it? It looks like one to me.」
「What is it?」
「Don’t you know? It’s a tool for streaming within dungeons.」
Wait, isn’t live streaming usually done with smartphones or specialized equipment?
Ah, right. Dungeons have protective barriers, so dungeon explorers can’t bring in those devices.
Danpon used a computer, but that’s probably an exception.
So how do people manage dungeon streaming without those tools?
I’ve only recently started researching dungeons, so I wasn’t aware, but this streaming crystal must be the solution.
「This crystal allows you to transmit visual information from the surroundings within the dungeon to the outside. It’s not just for video streaming; you can also use it to receive necessary information externally. It’s like receiving text messages—well, similar to a pager.」
As for the data transmission method, I understand that too.
Yesterday, I noticed Danpon using a computer, which means there’s Wi-Fi or something similar available within the dungeon.
I search for video streaming crystals on my smartphone.
There they are—quite a few available for sale.
…Wait, they’re expensive!
The market price is 100,000.
「In dungeons, they’re quite common, but the demand is even higher. Wait! I’ve got an idea. I’ll become a dungeon video editor!」
「Huh? What about the part-time job?」
「Once I get the qualification, I’ll find editing gigs for dungeon streaming videos. I’ll apply right away.」
Aoki, whose actions and determination seem almost divine, promptly signed up for the training.
Curious myself, I looked into it, but the tuition fee was a whopping 90,000 yen.
How can anyone sign up for something like that without hesitation?
-0-
When I returned home, I immediately headed to the garden dungeon.
The Danpon was still playing on its Ga〇 Boy.
When it noticed me,
「Hello.」
I said, then
「Hello nano desu」
It replied.
Cuteee.
I received the staff I had entrusted to it and set off to defeat slimes.
I planned to stay overnight.
My goal: 3,000 slimes—equivalent to six treasure chests.
At my current pace, I can take down about 3 slimes in a minute. It’s a single strike to defeat them, but finding them takes time.
If I continue at this rate, I’ll reach 3,000 slimes in 20 hours.
Of course, I’ll need breaks, so it’s a full day’s work.
Each slime yields one black coin, equivalent to 50 yen.
That’s 150,000 yen for 3,000 slimes.
However, I’ll keep the D-coins for now, as promised with the Danpon. I won’t exchange them until this dungeon allows it.
Until then, slime sake remains my main source of income.
With 3,000 slimes, I can expect about 3 bottles of slime sake.
If I get streaming crystal from treasure chests like the first one, I could sell the second one onwards but that won’t be easy.
-0-
And so, I head out for some slime hunting.
It’s quite exhausting.
Waiting for the first treasure chest feels like an eternity.
Finally, it appeared and I got—a black magic stone the size of a ping pong ball. These magic stones are gaining attention as Japan’s decarbonized energy source. They’re a top priority for purchase. However, selling this magic stone will likely fetch only around 500 yen.
Yet, thanks to these magic stones, Japan’s electricity costs have significantly decreased.
The power output of thermal power plants worldwide is now less than 10% of what it was a decade ago—an incredible feat.
The coins and magic stones follow this order of value: black < white < yellow < red < blue < purple < copper < silver < gold.
Up to purple, it matches the hierarchy of the Twelve Level Cap and Rank System.
It’s rumored that there are medals even more valuable than gold, but they remain undiscovered for now.
According to hearsay, a gold magic stone of the same size can fetch a staggering 500 billion yen. That speaks to the immense energy it holds.
Subsequent treasure chests yielded mostly cheap items and junks.
The most valuable thing I can obtain now is the slime sake.
Despite the expected yield of only 3 bottles from 3,000 slimes, I ended up with 7 bottles.
I’m grateful for this statistical anomaly.
Now, how should I sell these?
There are three options for dealing with dungeon drop items:
1. Dungeon Trading Post:
– This place handles goods from dungeons authorized by the government.
– They’ll buy almost anything obtained within the dungeon, except outright junk.
– Some items fetch high prices.
2. Dungeon Auction:
– Held weekly at various locations, this auction deals in valuable items.
– Prices can range from several times the standard purchase price to no sale at all.
3. Exchange Office:
– Here, items are purchased at the minimum price.
– Even seemingly worthless junk can be sold.
– Items sold here are later auctioned through Danpon.
Regardless of the choice, income is tied to your personal information (no hiding income). However, selling multiple bottles of slime sake at the trading post or auction might raise suspicions about how I acquired them.
So, I’ll sell one bottle at the trading post and the rest through Danpon. As a high school student, a few tens of thousands of yen should suffice for now.
-0-
And so, the next day after school, I boarded the train to the dungeon trading post.
There, an unexpected reunion awaited me.
A girl with pale pink hair in a ponytail looked at me in surprise and exclaimed.
「Eh? Taira?」
「Milk?」
It was Makino Milk, who had attended the same middle school. By the way, that’s her real name.
We went to different high schools so we’ve grown apart.
「Hey, what’s with that hair color? Are you making your high school debut?」
「No, it’s my natural color. I awakened.」
「Eh? Seriously!?」
Awakening refers to awakening magic power.
When you approach eighteen, there’s a one-in-ten-thousand chance of awakening to magic power and gaining the ability to use spells. Sometimes, your hair color will be affected by your magic power.
Unlike me, who remains 0 magic power even after leveling up, Milk apparently had magic power from level 1.
「I never thought I’d meet you here.」
「Indeed. Our home town’s the same so we basically live close to each other but we hardly ever see each other. Oh, Taira, did you become an explorer? You were born in April, right?」
「Yeah, sort of.」
「Does that mean Aoki did too? I remember Aoki’s birthday is around April too.」
「Aoki gave up on being an explorer after just one day.」
「Haha, sounds like Aoki.」
「Is Milk already eighteen?」
「Don’t you remember my birthday? It’s May 5th—easy to remember.」
Ah, right.
She mentioned being born on Tango no Sekku.
So, she still doesn’t know what magic she can use.
You need to enter a dungeon to be able to use your magic, and your status won’t display until you’ve been inside.
「During Golden Week, my family is celebrating my eighteenth birthday by visiting the Stone Stage Dungeon.」
Stone Stage Dungeon? Wasn’t that the one where hotel guests had to pay a minimum of 1.5 million yen for a night?
Going there with the whole family—truly fitting for an ojousama.
「So, I’m thinking of buying a crossbow that can be used there.」
「Huh? Aren’t dungeon crossbows super expensive?」
「Yeah. I was surprised too. Even the cheapest one, which comes with thirty arrows, costs 5 million yen.」
In the dungeon, you can’t bring surface weapons, and there are no ranged projectiles in drop items or treasure chests.
But what about a crossbow?
Well, believe it or not, this crossbow is made from materials found within the dungeon, and it’s even crafted right here in the dungeon.
It’s made from branches, logs, and vines dropped by a tree monster called a ‘Treant’.
Processing Treant materials is quite challenging.
Since you can’t bring equipment into the dungeon, these crossbows are painstakingly handmade one by one. Despite their high cost, they’re popular among those who want to fight safely.
As a result, their prices have skyrocketed.
「But you bought one, didn’t you?」
「Yeah, my dad entrusted me with a card.」
And Milk showed me a black card.
The whole situation with my friend being a celebrity.
「What about Taira?」
「I’ve got this.」
And he pulled out a bottle of Slime Sake.
「Alcohol? No way! Even if you’re an adult, you can’t drink until you’re twenty!」
「No, it’s for selling.」
「Oh, you got it from the dungeon. Slime Sake, right? Wow, that’s like winning the lottery!」
「It’s not that big a deal.」
It’s only a 0.1% chance, right?
Saying that, I took it to the counter.
「Excuse me, I’d like to sell this.」
「Yes—eh? You’re the customer for this?」
「Yes. I defeated a slime in the dungeon and obtained it.」
「Um, please wait a moment.」
For some reason, the shopkeeper hurried to the back of the store.
And then, a man with a monocle appeared.
「Slime Sake… You want to sell it? How about putting it up for auction?」
「I need money right away. Can’t you buy it?」
「There’s no reason we can’t buy it… It’ll be approximately 300,000 yen per bottle. Is that acceptable?」
「Huh!? Isn’t it 30,000 yen per bottle?」
「That’s the usual purchase price. But right now, it’s scarce, so the price has soared.」
「Well, lucky me. I’ll take it then.」
The scarcity is causing the price surge, huh?
So, it doesn’t mean they’ll buy everything for over 300,000 yen if you bring in a large quantity.
Could it be that my father knew about this?
Is that why he was so surprised?
While waiting for the purchase process, I consider what to buy.
There’s also a magical tool that produces water. It’s a water flask that springs forth water when you insert a magic stone—though it costs a whopping 5 million yen per flask!
But that’s way beyond my budget, so I’ll settle for a regular water bottle. A sleeping bag and pillow are essential too.
And of course, I’ll need a backpack to carry all this.
These items aren’t drops from monsters; they’re manufactured specifically for explorers.
I’ll also purchase other useful things.
Despite being more expensive than usual, it feels light compared to the 330,000 yen I’m holding.
「Should I treat Milk to something next time?」
「Really? Then I want pancakes. Maybe on our next day off—」
As we chat, a blond guy in his twenties approaches with a friendly smile.
「Hey, you.」
「Huh?」
「That Slime Sake from earlier—would you sell it to me? I’ll pay 350,000!」
Did he overhear my conversation about selling the Slime Sake?
「Not a bad offer, right?」
「Wait a minute, oniisan. Personal trading of dungeon drops is prohibited. It’s fine if it’s between friends secretly, but this isn’t the right place for such a proposition.」
「Shut up! Mind your own business! Look, just nod, and you’ll make an extra 50,000 yen!」
「Sorry, but I agree with her. Even if you double the amount, I won’t sell.」
「You little—!」
Just as the guy starts threatening, security guards rush over, and he quickly backs away.
「What’s with that guy? Is he that desperate for Slime Sake?」
「Probably for resale.」
「Resale?」
「Since Slime Sake is scarce, selling it at an auction might fetch an even higher price, don’t you think?」
Indeed, the shopkeeper did recommend the auction option.
The formal appraisal is complete.
The purchase amount seems to be 310,000 yen.
A mere 10,000 yen difference is quite impressive.
I head to the table near the counter and fill out the purchase form.
Instead of cash, they deposit the money into my explorer authentication card. With that card, I can choose the items I want to buy.
The total comes to 70,000 yen, which would have shocked my previous self, but now it feels quite reasonable.
…Well, maybe I’m a little excited.
As I shop—
「Hey, you. You just got a slime sake, right? Sell it to me. I’ll buy it from your shop for 500,000 yen, how about it?」
「We’ve completed the purchase process, but there are still formalities before we can sell it.」
「You’re not planning to sell it to some other customer, are you? I’ve been here the whole time, so selling it to someone else is out of the question.」
The blond guy from earlier is pressing the shopkeeper.
It’s no longer my concern.
The selling price is 500,000 yen… If someone’s willing to pay that much, maybe I should have tried auctioning it?
-0-
I part ways with Milk here.
Before we say goodbye, we promise to treat each other to pancakes next Sunday at noon, right here.
And now, for my other objective, I head toward a specific location.
The central plaza in Umeda’s underground shopping area.
It’s a bit away from Umeda D.
There, I found a staircase leading to a dungeon.
Before going to the sales office, I had created the entrance to a PD here.
Despite the appearance of the staircase leading underground, no one seems surprised.
Some people even walk over the stairs.
It’s a reminder that this dungeon is visible only to me and accessible only by me.
Why did I create the PD entrance here?
The answer is simple: to connect my PD and Umeda D, allowing for the exchange of D Coins.
Since it should take about an hour, I’ve had enough time.
When I tried to turn off the PD, the staircase simply vanishes, returning to ordinary flooring.
Quite anticlimactic, really.
-0-
And so, after taking the train and returning home, I opened my PD in the garden once again. Then, I descended the stairs and approached Danpon.
「Danpon, how did it go?」
「Yes! I’ve exchanged them.」
Ah, it seems that I successfully converted my D-Coins into money.
Excellent!
「Using po〇mart!」
Danpon waved a communication cable as he spoke.
Ah, they must be discussing a game. It’s clear that Po〇mon is popular among dungeon explorers.
And, he also made sure to exchange the D-Coins properly.
――――――――――――――――――
Ichino Taira: Level 7
Exchange Amount: 4052 D (Ranking: 50k–100k [JPN])
Health: 37/37
Magic Power*: 0/0
Attack: 19
Defense: 15
Dexterity: 19
Agility: 17
Luck: 128
Skill: PD Generation
――――――――――――――――――
TN: Changed Mana to magic power. I thought I’ll use mana for this one for a change but I’m already used to translating 魔力 to magic power so I guess to avoid my confusion.
Oh, my ranking has improved significantly—from over ten million to within the top 100,000. Well, considering there are probably only around 10,000 people who can sustain themselves in the dungeon, it’s no wonder many gave up after attempting slime hunting. After all, it’s not feasible to hunt slimes as many as I want in a single day.
Especially when there are 7,000 of them.
Thinking about it, perhaps Aoki’s decision to quit on the first day was a wise one.
-0-
And there have been some improvements within the dungeon itself.
I’ve set up a makeshift sleeping bag and pillow for short naps.
The comfort level of this sleeping bag and pillow is surprisingly high—almost like I don’t need a mattress at all.
I could easily sleep and wake up here.
Additionally, I’ve brought emergency rations: CalorieMate and water.
The water is stored in a glass container that I can carry into the dungeon.
I bought it for 300 yen at the 100-yen shop (ironically not 100 yen).
With this, I can explore the dungeon for extended periods.
When I asked Danpon, he assured me that it’s fine to leave these items lying around since I’m likely the only one entering this dungeon.
However, he emphasized that I should securely deposit my weapons.
Why, you ask?
Because storage fees contribute to Danpon’s income.
The first three weapons are stored for free, but any additional ones incur a monthly fee of 10 D.
I wonder what D-Coins mean to Danpon.
-0-
I dove into the dungeon.
Today, my slime hunting is going well as usual.
But there’s another positive development: slime sake is appearing quite frequently.
It’s at a rate of one bottle per 300 slimes.
What happened to the one in a thousand rate?
The drop rate is quite skewed.
Carrying each bottle back home is becoming a hassle, even though I’ve been lining them up on the stairs.
Speaking of which, walking up and down those stairs is getting tiresome.
「Danpon… Can you buy these from me?」 I
「I’ll purchase the slime sake for 30,000 yen per bottle.」
That’s just a tenth of the price.
But selling it here means no one will question its origin.
Besides, I’ve heard that slime sake is scarce in the current market.
It’s a shame that people who want to drink it can’t find any.
Let’s try to get it out into the market as much as possible.
「Okay, let’s start with around ten bottles.」
「Um… I can only exchange up to 200,000 yen. I can’t borrow much money from my friends.」
「I see. In that case, why don’t you sell it and convert it to cash? List it for auction with a minimum bid of 30,000 yen plus commission, it won’t go below the minimum, right? Once it sells, you can pay me.」
「That’s a good idea. But why don’t you auction it yourself?」
「Because I can’t explain my PD’s skill to others.」
Revealing this ability would likely lead to jealousy.
At least until I become a renowned explorer, I want to keep it hidden.
The real test will be how strong I can become by the end of this year, considering I have to file my tax return.
「Got it. I’ll list it for auction. Leave the packaging and shipping to me.」
「Yes, please.」
「Also, earlier, your sword ownership application was approved. Here’s your Dungeon Firearms and Swords Registration Certificate. Always carry it if you take it outside the dungeon.」
Danpon hands me a card.
Interesting.
I accepted it gratefully, although I haven’t used the sword against any slimes yet.
Now, let’s continue the slime hunt.
――――――――――――――――――――――――――
【Thread for Sake Enthusiasts #29】
352: Anonymous Drinker
New information about slime sake is out.
353: Anonymous Drinker
Anyone who recommends alcohol to someone who can’t drink it should just disappear!
354: Anonymous Drinker
>>352
Is that the guy from the Umeda store? The persistent reseller that was causing a fuss in a video. The one who said he’d buy it for 550,000 yen.
355: Anonymous Drinker
If it’s 550,000 Zimbabwean dollars, I’ll buy it.
356: Anonymous Drinker
There were a lot in the auction—ten bottles at once. The minimum bid for each is 30,000 yen.
357: Anonymous Drinker
Areh? didn’t the resellers also bid? Their minimum bid was 600,000.
358: Anonymous Drinker
But why is slime sake so valuable? Even with a drop rate of 0.1%, there are around 50,000 people hunting ten slimes each in the Asakusa Dungeon every day. Shouldn’t that result in 50 bottles circulating daily?
359: Anonymous Drinker
The 0.1% assumes meeting the minimum luck requirement.
360: Anonymous Drinker
Monster drop items have a minimum luck value set. If your luck is lower than that, the drop rate significantly decreases. The minimum luck value for slime sake is 50. Unless you’re a veteran explorer, you won’t meet that requirement. And veterans don’t bother hunting slimes. So, slime sake is genuinely rare.
361: Anonymous Drinker
Lousy yellow pi〇s
362: Anonymous Drinker
Understood. Slime sake is seriously precious. I’ll become a veteran explorer and collect some too.
363: Anonymous Drinker
>>361
Go to the hospital because I suspect you have liver or biliary tract disease, gallbladder problems, and pancreatic sickness.
364: Anonymous Drinker
Potatoes are the best!
365: Anonymous Drinker
I checked it out. It’s true—the seller is Danpon. Seems like a collector passed away, and his clueless wife is selling it at the exchange.
366: Anonymous Drinker
>>357
The price is bound to drop. The resellers are in tears. Cheers to their misfortune!
367: Anonymous Drinker
>>360
Well, reaching a luck value of 50 is only possible for top dungeon explorers at level 200 or above, right? Stats other than magic power and luck increase as you level up, but luck depends on your initial luck value. Typically, when going from level 1 to level 2, the chance of luck increasing is around 3%. Why? Because at level 1, your luck value is low.
368: Anonymous Drinker
Let’s discuss dungeons in a separate thread.
369: Anonymous Drinker
If you want to be lucky, you need to raise your luck but if your luck is too low to begin with, it won’t rise so you need to be lucky to be able to raise it but your luck is low to begin with, so it won’t rise.
370: Anonymous Drinker
>>368
I apologize.
371: Anonymous Drinker
>>368
I apologize.
372: Anonymous Drinker
(>∀<)o(🍾) Cheers!
373: Anonymous Drinker
(>∀<)o(🍾) Cheers!
374: Anonymous Drinker
(>∀<)o(🍺) Cheers!
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