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Translator: TipToe
Translator (September 29, 2024 Version): Barnnn
Tsutomu and his companions returned to the Guild, where they updated their Status Cards. Tsutomu had reached level 10, unlocking the more advanced healing spell, <<High Heal>>, along with the revival spell, <<Raise>>, capable of restoring a fallen comrade so long as it was cast within three minutes of death.
With these updates confirmed, Tsutomu made his way directly to the reception desk, intent on a withdrawal.
“I’d like to withdraw one top-quality Medium Magic Stone — converted to cash, please. The appraisal certificate is stored alongside it,” he said, laying his Status Card on the counter.
“Got it,” the receptionist replied, taking the card and vanishing into the back.
The Guild functioned much like a bank, providing Explorers with a secure place to store both money and belongings within custom-made Magic Bags. Given the substantial fortune Tsutomu had acquired, it was only natural to rely on the Guild’s services, rather than risk carrying such a sum on his person.
For Explorers, who could lose everything but a single item upon death, this service was a lifeline. Within the Guild’s walls, any trouble would be swiftly handled by the staff, but beyond them, no such assurances existed.
By entrusting their equipment to the Guild, Explorers could avoid the fate of leaving the Guild with just their underwear after dying in the Dungeon. Consequently, most entrusted their armor, Magic Stones, and Gold to the Guild’s safekeeping.
“Now then, how about we celebrate with something good to eat? My treat,” Tsutomu said, turning to the others after receiving his hefty withdrawal of 100,000 Gold.
Amy’s face lit up with delight, her joy nearly tangible, like a cat offered fresh fish.
“Yay! Free food, free food!” she sang, her excitement bubbling over.
Garm, meanwhile, frowned at her exuberance. “Tsutomu… are you sure about this?”
Lowering his voice to keep Amy from overhearing, Tsutomu leaned in and said, “I wanted to discuss our plans for tomorrow’s Dungeon exploration. But I figured it might come across as too abrupt, so I thought some good food might ease the conversation.”
“…Ah, I see. In that case, I’ll gladly join you,” Garm nodded in understanding.
“How about the Barrel Hat Inn?” Tsutomu suggested.
“Amy’s banned from there. But with 100,000 Gold to spend… how about the Seafood Dining Hall? Fresh fish, prepared on-site, is their specialty. It’s quite popular with Aelurkin like her.”
“That sounds perfect. Let’s do it.”
Tsutomu flashed a thumbs-up, to which Garm responded with a silent nod before leading the way. After calling out to Amy, Tsutomu followed the tall dog-man through the streets.
The sun had nearly set by the time they stepped outside. Twilight bathed the streets in a soft, fading light, while lanterns powered by Fire Magic Stones began to flicker to life, casting a warm glow on the cobblestones. Garm navigated the streets with certainty, his stride unbroken by hesitation.
“We’ve arrived,” he said, stopping before the entrance of the hall.
Amy’s eyes sparkled with delight as she gazed at the enormous fish tank marking the entrance of the Seafood Dining Hall.
“Wow, great choice! It’s so expensive — and always packed — I can hardly ever come here!”
“At this time, it shouldn’t be too crowded. Let’s head in,” Garm said, pushing open the door and striding inside, leaving Amy practically bouncing with excitement.
Following behind, Tsutomu admired the vibrant fish gliding gracefully in the tank before stepping into the restaurant.
They were greeted by a Merman whose shimmering blue scales glistened under the light. His webbed hands spread wide in a welcoming gesture as he escorted them to an open seat. Tsutomu, slightly unnerved by the man’s presence, slid into his seat at the round table.
A second Merman, tall and commanding, approached with empty glasses. His deep voice murmured softly as he performed a chant, summoning streams of water that swirled from the air and filled their glasses. Tsutomu clapped softly in appreciation, to which the Merman responded with a satisfied smile, his fish-like eyes narrowing as he handed them the menus.
Amy wasted no time in ordering her favorites, while Tsutomu left his choice to Garm. Soon, the table was brimming with dishes: a seaweed salad, dark bread reminiscent of baguettes, an artfully arranged sashimi platter, whole fried fish crisped to perfection, and finally, a colossal boiled fish that dwarfed even Tsutomu’s arms.
With the table laden with food, Tsutomu invited everyone to dig in. Amy needed no second invitation, eagerly helping herself as she determinedly claimed the first bites. Just as she popped a slice of sashimi into her mouth, Tsutomu decided to broach the real topic at hand.
“So, about tomorrow’s party setup… I’m thinking of having Garm as the Tank.”
“Tank?” Amy tilted her head, mid-bite, as she sawed into the giant boiled fish with knife and fork. “What’s that?”
“Well, simply put, a Tank’s job is to protect the party,” Tsutomu explained.
“Protect the party? Sounds perfect for the little pupper! Sure, let’s go with that,” she replied with a cheeky grin, crunching through a piece of fried fish with unrestrained enthusiasm.
Garm, already familiar with the plan and the concept of Tanking, simply nodded. “I’m fine with it.”
“As a Knight, Garm, you’ve got skills that can attract the enemy’s attention, right? Like a taunt of sorts?”
“Mm-hmm… I don’t use it often, but I have a skill called <<Combat Cry>> that stirs up hostility. I should have a few others that work similarly, too.”
“Perfect. I want you to use those skills to pull as many enemies to you as possible. With your high VIT, I doubt you’ll go down easily. Amy,” Tsutomu continued, turning to her, “while Garm draws their attacks, you can focus on taking down enemies one at a time. I’ll handle healing and dealing with status effects.”
“Hyuh?” Amy froze, her fork halfway to her mouth at the sound of her name.
“Don’t worry, Amy. You won’t need to change much. I mean, you’ve always gone after one target at a time, right?”
“Yep! So, I just keep taking out monsters like I’ve been doing? Got it! Easy-peasy!” she said, proudly puffing out her chest in triumph as she shoved a pile of sashimi into her mouth.
“Just keep in mind that since Garm won’t be dealing as much damage, you’ll need to pick up the slack.”
“No problemo! I’ve got this! With me around, it’ll be a piece of cake!” Amy declared confidently, tapping her chest with a grin before swallowing her food.
Tsutomu handed her a glass of water, which she downed in one gulp.
“Garm, you might face a steep learning curve at first — I think it’ll be difficult to pull all the enemies, and you’ll probably take a lot of hits. I’ll be worth it though — trust me. Your efforts won’t go unappreciated.”
“…If this is what you want to try, I’m all for it,” Garm said calmly, placing a piece of fish on his bread and eating without a hint of worry.
“Thanks! I’ll do my best too, but I might slip up and heal the wrong target now and then. We’ll practice in the Grasslands first, until we’ve got the hang of things. Once we’re comfortable, we can move on to the Forest or the Swamp.”
“Understood.”
Garm nodded and took another bite of bread.
“We’ll make adjustments as we go. For now, let’s enjoy the meal and focus on tomorrow,” Tsutomu said, signaling the end of the discussion.
Garm responded with another firm nod, while Amy, her cheeks puffed out with fish, raised a distracted thumbs-up, clearly more absorbed in her feast than the details of the plan.
――▽▽――
“<<Combat Cry>>!”
At Garm’s bellow, a crimson wave of energy burst from him, rippling through the air. Five Goblins, caught in its surge, had their primal instincts ignited. With wild screeches, they brandished their cudgels and charged at him. Unlike the previous day, Garm was fully equipped, his silver buckler raised to meet the first strike. With a fluid motion, he parried the blow, then drove his longsword forward, the blade sinking deep into a Goblin’s gut.
As Garm held the line, Amy, clad in her half-plate armor, slipped behind the Goblins. Her dual blades gleamed in the sunlight as they sliced through the air, severing the neck of one Goblin with ease. With a flick of her wrist, she withdrew the blades and drove them into another, ending its life in a swift, fluid motion.
Within moments, the five Goblins were nothing more than Magic Stone Scraps scattered at their feet. Tsutomu, with little to do during the skirmish, busied himself gathering the stones while keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings.
Seeing no further threats, he pocketed the stones into his Magic Bag and signaled for the group to press on. They had made it to the ninth layer of the Dungeon, where the serene beauty of the Grasslands was marred by an ominous black gate — an element as unnatural as a tear in the fabric of reality itself.
“Tsutomu!” Amy called out, her voice tinged with excitement. “That’s the gate to the tenth layer!”
“All right, let’s proceed as planned,” Tsutomu said calmly.
“Understood,” Garm nodded and strode forward, pushing the Black Gate open.
Beyond the gate, more Grassland stretched before them, though the terrain had shifted. The ground ahead was flat, patches of earth exposed between randomly scattered wooden shacks. As Tsutomu, taking the rear, stepped through, the gate closed behind them and vanished.
Almost on cue, Goblins poured from the shacks — fifty, perhaps more. Their green skin shimmered in the dim light, some wielding cudgels, others short swords, a few with bows drawn. In their midst, a hulking Goblin with blue skin bellowed, and the horde surged toward the party like a living wave.
“<<Protect>>!”
With a sweep of his White Staff, Tsutomu cast a protective spell, enveloping the trio in a shimmering, earthy-yellow aura. A few of the Goblins, eyes gleaming with malice, glanced at him, and the archers among them drew their bows, arrows aimed in his direction.
“<<Combat Cry>>!”
Garm’s voice thundered again, and a fresh burst of red energy rippled out, dragging the Goblins’ attention away. Their instincts flared, and they redirected their assault, surging toward him with wild abandon. Arrows streaked through the air, targeting Garm.
“<<Air Blade>>!”
Tsutomu, not staying idle, aimed his staff at the advancing Goblins. Invisible blades of wind tore through the front ranks, severing legs and sending them sprawling to the ground. As others tripped over the fallen, he found his opening, deflecting the arrows mid-flight with another blade of wind.
From the side, Amy moved like a shadow, her dual blades cutting through the archers with deadly precision. They didn’t stand a chance — each Goblin fell like weeds, their bodies reduced to Magic Stone Scraps with scarcely a sound.
Meanwhile, the Goblins that avoided Tsutomu’s spells lunged at Garm. But his silver shield met their attacks with deadly efficiency — each swipe of his sword claimed another life, skulls crushed or bodies skewered, leaving nothing but Magic Stone remnants in his wake.
Yet, even Garm couldn’t fend off all at once. The sheer number threatened to overwhelm him, and several cudgels found their mark. Though his silver armor absorbed most of the blows, a few struck true, and the Goblins cackled in glee as they prepared to press their advantage.
But before a Goblin could bring its cudgel down, Garm’s shield crashed into its face, sending it flying. It twitched once before dissolving into green particles. The other Goblins faltered, some backing away as fear crept into their ranks.
Garm’s VIT, ranked at B+, made him nearly invincible by this layer’s standards. Not even the breath of the Fire Dragon, the boss of the Valley’s deepest layer, could bring him down — at least not instantly. With Tsutomu’s <<Protect>> spell still in effect, the Goblins’ attacks were barely more than a mild nuisance — no more painful than a back massage. Despite being surrounded by more than thirty Goblins, Garm stood firm, holding them at bay.
In the meantime, Amy dispatched the remaining archers and turned her attention to the blue-skinned Goblin leader. While stronger and smarter than the average Goblin, it was no match for Amy’s speed. Her blade struck its skull with a clean, decisive blow, and the creature crumbled into a Magic Stone. Without pausing, she dashed back toward Garm, prepared to assist with the last of the Goblins.
The battlefield was theirs. Garm at the front, Amy sweeping through the rear — Tsutomu mused to himself, [Poor Goblins,] as he idly cast a <<Heal>> shot at Amy, keeping her in peak condition.
At last, Garm thrust his sword into the final Goblin, and it, too, dissolved into a Magic Stone. Silence fell over the clearing — broken by a sharp crack and the subsequent materialization of two Black Gates before them.
“Shall we continue?” Garm asked.
“Yes, let’s see how far we can push today,” Tsutomu replied.
That day, they shattered their personal best, pressing forward to the twenty-first layer of the Dungeon.
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