The Dungeon Seeker

Guild Regional Headquarters.

An unbounded, cheerful spirited voice echoed throughout the small meeting room.

「And so, it’s the final exam okay〜☆」

There are only eight who remained in the final examination.

Soon after the fourth examination ended, several examiners that Judy led from the Guild Headquarters came.

They gave the final situation with fairness, and it resulted to this.

「However……」

She looked at those that remained with exasperatingly.

「Death toll, zero. Rape, zero. Consensual s.e.x, countless times……John Burg, dropped out early on……」

She continued her words as if to spit them out.

「It’s not fun for Onee-san at all!!」

“Who gives a d.a.m.n care.” must be the common thought of everyone.

Nevertheless, no one can oppose this woman at least until the examination ends.

“By the way……”, Judy preluded, and pointed straight towards Junpei.

「……fufu. It looks like little boy became a man?」

Junpei got silent for a while.

There were situation confirmations held to give a verdict to the examination results.

After that, an open hearing of actual witnesses to prove the existence of murder.

Furthermore, an open hearing of the big and small crimes done in this examination.

Not to mention rape, they were also asked about consensual s.e.x for some reason thoughーーand, Junpei looked at Ami.

And sure enough, Ami put her hands together and bowed her head to say sorry.

「……so what? Does that have anything to do with the examination?」

「Fufu, how cute」

After saying that with a vulgar smile, *Pan*, Judy clapped her hands.

「And so, I shall start explaining the final examination’s rule. The rule is simple! Let’s leave all the troublesome thingsーーin short! It is a tournament!!」

「Tournament?」

One of the examinees asked with a dumbfounded voice.

“Un, un”, Judy answered happily while nodding many times.

「That is right. A tournament. It is completely a head-on battle. The conditions for winning is to either let your opponent show the will to surrender, or be judged unable to fight objectively」

「How would we decide who’d be our opponents?」

One of the examinees asked.

「We will be fair here, and draw lots」

But towards that, complains came out of the examinee’s mouth.

「What fair! Doesn’t that depends on the opponent. At worst, I failed, but someone weaker than me pa.s.sed. That’s, also possible」

「What are you saying after all this time? First and foremost, aren’t you who is weaker than John Burg remained? I’ll just say this, but there is no consolation match. Luck is also needed to become an adventurer. If you fail, then just come again next year」

The male examinee shuts his mouth after being talked into like that by Judy.

“There is a point with what Judy’s saying”, Junpei thought. And to prove that, Ami who is inferior in terms of skill was able to remain up until now by partnering with him.

「……and so, how far can we go in terms of mercilessness?」

Judy answered Junpei’s question cheerfully from the bottom of her heart.

「Accidental deaths……shall be treated as an inevitable accident. However, even if there was an intentional action that would end to putting you to death, Onee-sans cannot help you」

「I see」

Junpei looked at Ami.

She thoughtlessly stared at one point and desperately endured something.

What she’s enduring is fear. To not let others find out about her disadvantage.

In the first place, her job is a Thief, and it is hopelessly unfitted towards melee head-on battle or magic battles.

For Ami, she also thought of tagging with Junpei with the final examination too……or at least she had that calculation. If so, it can be said that it is a completely unexpected situation.

「Oi, Examiner?」

Junpei asked.

「Is there anything?」

「Is it possible to bring weapons or items?」

「Yes, not to mention weapons, there is also no limitations on bringing items. Rare items are something like a proof of an adventurer’s strength. It is the history of that person, coming from numerous adventurers after allーー」

And there, “Un”, Junpei nodded.

「It’s enough as long as I got that as an a.s.surance」

「Ufufu……」

「What?」

「Because you became a man?」

「What are you talking about?」

「You’re so cute getting so enthusiastic? Well, little boy has an unmeasurable strength, so you might be thinking of using a strong supporting skill, or maybe use your powers directly in the shadows」

Junpei shrugged his shoulders as if to show that he does not plan on replying.

Judy seemed to get more interested seeing that Junpei, “kusukusu”, she started to laugh.

「However, whatever little boy does, it’s better to think that it won’t go that well」

「You’re saying?」

「Right now, starting from this instant, I’ll strictly restrict attacking the other partic.i.p.ants under the cover of darkness, and there will also be other high-ranked adventurers refereeing other than me. Therefore, it’s better to think that it is hopeless to give support during the fight. Additionally……there is no way that an item that would overturn a significant difference between strength would even exist in the dungeon that you guys who have yet to become a B-Rank Adventurer can enter」

“Hmph”, Junpei harrumphed after hearing that.

「Really……you’re such a deviant. And then, when are we going to start the exam?」

「Right now, there is a special venue under construction in the guild’s courtyard. Let me see……let’s start at twelve noon」

「Got it. Oi, let’s go?」

Junpei said and stood up while gesturing Ami to leave with him.

After Ami and Junpei had left the Guild Regional Headquarters, the went towards the middle of the town.

When they reached the main street that showed heavy congestion with stalls lining up, they immediately entered an alley and went through a zigzag route.

Right, left, right, left, left, right, right.

Right, left, right, left, left, right, right.  

Ami asked Junpei who had come and go, pa.s.sing through the alleys and the main street many times.

「Hey, Junpei? Are we lost or something?」

「Nope, we aren’t lost」

「U〜n……then let me change my question. Where are we going?」

「What do you mean? Though, it feels like we’re walking left and right so busily……」

Junpei nodded.

「We were being followed earlier. There was four of them at the start, but they dropped out starting from the weak ones」

「……eh?」

Junpei continued his words without taking notice of Ami’s surprise.

「And of them, there are two examinees. And the other two are probably Judy’s instigation」

「I didn’t notice at all, though……if you say so, then it’s probably true. But……why?」

“Yareyare”, Junpei shrugged his shoulders.

「The two examinees probably came to investigate us. The examiners were probably marking them and us」

「Since everyone knows that we annihilated John’s group in the first day, they want some information huh」

「We shut ourselves inside the cave, but it was quite a scene outside, and it seemed like it was an exchange of intelligence battle that is full of truth and lies and sneak attacks」

Suddenly, Junpei took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and slowly exhaled.

「Hey, Junpei? What are you doing?」

Junpei answered to Ami while closing his eyes.

「n? It’s reconnaissance?」

「……reconnaissance?」

「I can tell pretty much if it’s within a few hundred meter」

After a moment of silence, Ami said with a pale face.

「……you said it so casually, but……that’s ridiculous, right?」

「Well, I’m pretty much aware that I said a ridiculous thing casually」

Ami almost collapsed after hearing Junpei say it inattentively.

「My job is Thief, and what I’m good at is reconnaissance and things like that, but……something like an high-performance radar……I think that it’s impossible, even for S-Rank ninjas」

「He〜, well that’s amazing」

Ami tilted her head towards Junpei who was impressed.

「What is it?」

「Even with just S-Rank status……reconnaissance is possible as long as there’s a skill huh. I heard a good thing」

「You……what are you, really……」

Junpei said to refresh the conversation without waiting for Ami to finish her words.

「And, well, leaving that aside, we lost everyone following us. I checked it; there’s no doubt」

And, he gestured Ami to follow him.

After walking for a while, the place where the two arrived at wasーーa graveyard.

There was no one although it was daytime, and there is also no need to worry about ears in the walls or eyes in sliding doors.

「And so, if this goes on, you will lose the first fight」

「I guess so」

「If I’m correct, you……you have the skill【Throwing】right?」

「Un. Well, at least」

「I’ll just confirm this, you won’t……show me your status plate right?」

Ami mischievously smiled.

「It’s okay if you’d show me yours? I mean, since you’re an adventurer as well, isn’t it common sense to not show your status plate even if you are parent and child or husband and wife?」

「Well, I don’t mind showing mine, but……」

Junpei silently whispered that Ami would not hear.

「What?」

「No, it’s nothing」

Because of the【Mimicry】that is super-cla.s.s, it is easy to fake something like a status plate.

However, I don’t want to lie to Ami with such a useless thing.

「I got it. Well……it’s alright to say that your skills are that of a higher C-Rank Thief that barely reaches B-Rank right?」

Ami puffed out her cheeks.

「……as I’ve thought……what an annoying man」

「n? Why?」

「You haven’t seen my status plate, but why are you able to guess so accurately?」

Junpei made awkwardly smiled wryly.

「Well, that’s of course, I can tell just by looking」

「……well, whatever. The sun would set if I get surprise with each of every thing you do. And then? What’s up with the【Throwing】skill?」

「And……so. Your【Throwing】’s skill level is skilled cla.s.s……it’s between beginner cla.s.s and master cla.s.s right?」

「It’s exactly how I told you before in exchange for you telling me your beginner cla.s.s【Monster Tame】skill. It’s not like I lied at that time」

“Yosh”, Junpei nodded with satisfaction.

「Starting now……I’ll give you a sure-win plan」

「……sure-win?」

Junpei puts his palm on top of Ami’s head while she was surprised.

「The man that we met at the pub also said so, but swordsmanship, archery, and throwing skill’s proficiency not only adds bonus on the skill to use the weapons or accuracy and evasion, but it also has bonus to the attack power of the weapons itself right?」

He was surprised after hearing about it specifically from Ami, but depending on the proficiency of the weapon arts skills, there would also be multipliers on the weapon equipped just like the following.

1.5x for Beginner cla.s.s

2x for Skilled cla.s.s

2.5x for Master cla.s.s

3x for Heroic cla.s.s

4x for Super cla.s.s

For example, Cerberus’s Canine has the rarity of Mythological cla.s.s, and has an amazing special ability of dealing damage whatever the opponent is, but its pure attack power is 250.

In this world that S-cla.s.s rarity would make unimaginable commotion, Junpei himself had doubts about the Cerberus’s Canine that is mythological cla.s.s since, although it is unprocessed, it has only 250 attack power. However, those doubts finally disappeared here.

Whether it is Short Sword Arts or Knife Arts, if it were super-cla.s.s, the Canine’s attack would become 1000, changing to a true mythological item. In short, although it natural, it just means that weapons would only show their true value by having weapon arts type of skills.

「Oi, Ami. For the meantime, I’ll hand this four to you」

Junpei took out knives from his pocket and pa.s.sed it to Ami.

「Johnny the Macker……an item for Thief that’s about D-Rank to C-Rank huh. Although it is at the best quality for a general use item, its price is reasonable……but, why four of them?」

「It’s for throwing. You spent five whole days with me eating and sleeping and you didn’t notice? I have 50 of them hidden all over my body」

Ami dropped her jaws open to those words.

「I won’t do check another person’s equipment without permission since it would be rude. I mean……this knife? It isn’t something cheap that should be used for throwing knives you know?」

「Well, leaving that aside……」

Furthermore, Junpei took out five vials and handed it to Ami.

There is dark-black liquid inside.

「This is……blood?」

「Don’t ask about the details」

Did she feel something from Junpei’s words? Ami only nodded and did not ask furthermore.

「……how’s it used?」

「Before the fight starts……smear about half a vial for each knife. I don’t care whether it is for throwing or for melee, but anyway, if you were able to deal a scratch to your opponent using that, you can disable him paralyzed」

「……that’s ridiculous. Isn’t that unbeatable? Well, I’m a Thief, and……my accuracy and evasion status is very high you know? One hit as long as it hits……? What kind of magic item is that?」

「Haha, well, I also think it’s ridiculous」

「But, if that’s true, if only a little scratch is neededーー」

Junpei said to Ami who started to have hope as if to restrain her.

「Just, use that sure-kill combination of knives and vials as a last resort……for example, when you felt danger after someone closed down on you」

But towards that, Ami replied with a dissatisfied expression.

「No, if I fought properly, in most of the cases, it would be my life in danger though?」

「Ahh, I didn’t explain it properlyーーthat right now is an underhanded sure-win method just for insurance. And, right now, I’ll give you a proper sure-win method」

Junpei puts his hand into his pocket while winking, took out a certain item, and handed it to Ami.

「Eh……?! This is……」

Ami raised a pure voice of surprise after receiving that thing from Junpei.

「If you have【Throwing】skillーーyou’re undefeatable if you use this」

Ami distorted her lips to a grin after understanding the meaning of Junpei’s words.

「Well, yeahーーit’s surely undefeatable」

Ami kept that thing in her pocket and was unable to hold back her smile for a while.