Chapter 106
 

I left home to Nihonium. Today, I continued my usual routine by diving into the fifth floor and kept hunting for Red Skeletons.

Concentrating to the best of my abilities, I maintained my hit rate at a 100% and also rose my MP from B to A.

 

After checking my status at the K-I-A board, I returned to the city with a sense of fulfillment.

 

Shikuro is as lively as ever too.

There weren’t any Magic Storm, no Double Sun, no Dungeon Masters, it was just your average adventurers roaming around and fighting monsters in the dungeon.

 

My legs were naturally heading back home, but suddenly I stopped.

Emily said something to me before I was going out this morning.

 

[I will be maintaining my hammer today desu~] (Emily)

 

Emily • Hammer. A customized weapon that Smith the owner of the weapon shop offered to her.

The motive was similar to an athlete, where they sponsor a certain product to a famous adventurer, and the more active the adventurers are, the more they can sell that product. It was the so-called advertis.e.m.e.nt billboards.

Emily had been active recently. With her level being maxed out, she would head to Shikuro’s dungeon—–especially in a.r.s.enic where there were only rock type monsters, it was a huge success.

 

Being that active, I heard that nearly 70% of adventurers who dive into a.r.s.enic used Emily’s Hammer.

 

[It’s almost similar to Air Jordan.] (Ryouta)

 

That reminded me of the days when basketball shoes were the hype in my school.

Anyways, since Emily was busy all day with her maintenance, so I wouldn’t have any food to eat when I return home.

 

[Can’t be help, should I eat out then.] (Ryouta)

 

While taking a stroll through the streets, I tried to remember restaurants that were serving meals right now.

Then, there was a shop that sells something like ramen.

From the whiff I could smell what seemed to be tonkotsu or iekei, and the umami which made it seemed to be a wonderful ramen.

 

Suddenly missing those tastes, I tried entering the store.

 

Don!

 

I b.u.mped into someone just before entering the shop.

 

[Sorry——Eh?] (Ryouta)

[Eh……Ah…..I’m sorry……]

 

It was the guy from one of the pair of man and woman who was attached to the elderly man.

The elderly man had methods of brainwashing like people in cults or a black company by connecting words with their dreams and emotions.

He was that victim.

 

He……looked even worse than when I last met him.

 

[I’m sorry, I was sort of daydreaming.]

[That’s fine but….you alright?] (Ryouta)

[……]

[Oi.] (Ryouta)

[…….Eh? Sorry, I wasn’t listening.]

 

The guy was dazing while looking at the sky.

The heart wasn’t here……or not. He clearly was exhausted from rushing into dangerous situation.

 

[Then…….]

[Wait a mo.] (Ryouta)

 

I inadvertently detained the man from leaving.

If this goes any longer it’ll leave a bad taste to my mouth, as he reminded me of myself before I came here.

 

 

In the ramen shop, a man was having a look of surprise.

Flattening the 3rd bowl of ramen and stacking it on top of the first two, as well as devouring the fried foods I ordered from the side menu.

 

[Another one please——A

h, I’m sorry, I unconsciously.]

[It’s alright, I’ve already said that I’m going to treat you, so you don’t have to apologize and continue ordering more.] (Ryouta)

 

Thinking that he might refrained from ordering anymore, I opened my mouth and made an additional order.

I bought him in the store because I wanted to treat him as he looked like he was about to collapse at any moment. Although he refrained at the beginning, but soon he fell for the fragrance of the ramen in front of him and his instincts took over.

This amount of dishes…..was more than I expected.

 

By the way I could not eat it.

How do I put it, the seasoning made the taste too strong that it could not match with my tongue.

Though the taste itself shouldn’t be that bad, as the interior of the shop has grown pretty well and the surrounding guests were feasting it.

It’s probably…..the fact that my tongue had been fattened by Emily’s dishes.

 

I watched the man as he wolfed down the fourth bowl.

 

[Thank you for the meal.]

[Don’t mind. Uhmm…Aah, my name is Satou Ryouta, you can call me by either Satou or Ryouta.] (Ryouta)

 

Speaking of, we never knew each other’s name, thus I introduced myself from here.

 

[My name’s Cliff, thanks Ryouta.] (Cliff) (TLN: Another cliff?!?!)

[Was that enough? If it’s not I can order more again.] (Ryouta)

[It’s alright, but seriously thanks.] (Cliff)

[I see……anyways, what’s happening with you? Are you not eating enough?] (Ryouta)

 

I knew the reason…..but I decided to ask anyway.

 

[I wasn’t paid yet. So it has been three days of not having meals.] (Cliff)

[3 consecutive days? Doesn’t Cliff dive into dungeon and make money?] (Ryouta)

[We are….Oh there is one other friend but the money is under the control of the captain, so we get paid from him.] (Cliff)

[What about salary?] (Ryouta)

[Not enough.] (Cliff)

[How is it not enough? How much are you paid?] (Ryouta)

[If I’m not mistaken I was paid 30k Piros last month.] (Cliff)

[That’s the pocket money for a kid!] (Ryouta)

[Eh?] (Cliff)

[Aah, it’s nothing.] (Ryouta)

 

I accidentally tsukkomi myself, and Cliff seemed to be suspicious.

No wait, he had the face of weirded out.

 

This worlds currency, [Piro] is almost equal to [Yen].

Even the price for this ramen was similar, a normal bowl is worth 700 Yen and a large bowl costs an additional 100 Piro.

 

With such prices, he has a salary of 30k per month.

 

[Can you even live like this——-Ah, sorry.] (Ryouta)

 

When I saw Cliff looking at me with that expression, I apologized.

Because he can’t live like that was why he is like this right now.

 

[It can’t be help, we weren’t earning much.] (Cliff)

[Was it that bad?] (Ryouta)

[Plus we were also injuring ourselves and our weapons and armors would need repairs, so that amount would be deducted from the captain.] (Cliff)

[Hmm….] (Ryouta)

 

So consumable items and equipments are deducted too?

It seemed to be reasonable but somehow it was still strange.

It can’t be just 30k that less per month.

 

Cliff cast downwards, and was depressed.

 

[Sometimes I wonder, is this job not suitable for me?] (Cliff)

[Is that so?] (Ryouta)

[I think that there are other places where we can demonstrate our strengths, but if we were to tell that to the captain he would think we are amiable.] (Cliff)

[Well I don’t think so at all, I think it’s a great way of thinking.] (Ryouta)

[But that’s the truth.] (Cliff)

[Huh?] (Ryouta)

[When the captain picked me up, my status were awful, my ability was low, and my Drops, besides Vegetation which was E the rest was F.] (Cliff)

[Ah, I see.] (Ryouta)

 

It sounded similar to Emily when I first met her.

If that was it…..then he really had no choice.

 

[Did your drop not increase at all?] (Ryouta)

[Eh?] (Cliff)

[Eh?] (Ryouta)

 

Cliff was surprised, and I was too.

Why? Why did he responded with an [Eh?].

 

[What….do you mean by that?] (Cliff)

[What do you mean, it’s common sense though.] (Ryouta)

[Drops can grow?] (Cliff)

[Wait, isn’t that normal…..Since you can level up too.] (Ryouta)

[…….] (Cliff)

 

I was amazed as I thought this was common sense for everyone.

I opened my eyes widely, and I tried to open my mouth but I stopped and decided to keep quiet.

 

I remembered what I saw back when I was in the dungeon, the so called captain was spouting nonsense about being grateful and having dreams.

 

[Don’t tell me……he told you that drops can’t be increased at all?] (Ryouta)

 

Cliff nodded.

 

[It can….go up?] (Cliff)

[Well there are those who can’t increase, but never once I know it cannot be increased at all.] (Ryouta)

 

At least my friends had some growth before their levels maxed out.

 

Cliff was astonished.

After paying for the meal, I took him out of the store.

Walking through the busy streets.

 

[Why not check it for yourself?] (Ryouta)

[Because I was told by the captain that if I were to see my own abilities I would limit myself. The status won’t determine whether I’m strong or not, but whether I as a human being will be able to surpa.s.s my limits.] (Cliff)

[My G.o.d, this is a quibble.] (Ryouta)

 

Although that’s what he said, but there was no way to not check for it yourself.

Perhaps that elderly man was cleverly controlling Cliff, preventing him from looking at it and making him inferior about his Vegetation being at E.

This is really p.i.s.sing me off.

 

I brought Cliff to the tool store in the city.

I then bought a consumable item to check the status and give it to him. Even if you don’t go into the dungeon to check on the K-I-A board, there’s an item which can check it.

 

[Try using it.] (Ryouta)

[A, aah.] (Cliff)

 

Being told to use it, Cliff used it an his status was displayed.

 ――――――1/2―――――――Level66/66HPCMPCStrengthDEnduranceDIntelligenceBMentalityBSpeedFDexterityCLuckF――――――――――――――――

 

 

[Aren’t your level already maxed out! How much was he using you for!] (Ryouta)

[This is….my….] (Cliff)

[Besides being fairly strong, your your magic is stronger.] (Ryouta)

[Oh, is that so.] (Cliff)

 

Cliff was perplexed, but more than that.

 

[Onto the next, this is the deciding factor.] (Ryouta)

[O,ooh.] (Cliff)

 

I heard him drinking the consumable.

Then it displayed Cliff’s drop status.

 ―――――2/2―――――VegetationEAnimalFMineralCMagicFSpecial ItemF―――――――――――――

 

 

[…….Eh?] (Cliff)

[I told you so.] (Ryouta)

 

I let Cliff burned this into his memory, letting him remember the anger towards that elderly man.

 

[The numbers don’t lie, this place won’t be able to demonstrate your ability, but places like Indole.] (Ryouta)

 

Cliff was stunned.

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