Chapter 8 Physical Reinforcement
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
…… Day 2 of the tester life. Test Dungeon, 1st Floor, Main Plaza. Sanada Yakumo……
Upon exiting My Room¹, I discovered a large throng of students congregating by the plaza’s fountain. Some, clad in dress shirts or athletic jerseys, were cupping the water in their hands to splash their faces; others were busy brushing their teeth, using cups to scoop water and rinse their mouths.
In a space further removed from the fountain, several groups of armed students were huddled in a circle, munching on sandwiches. Peering closer, I recognized a few faces I had encountered yesterday.
As they moved to depart, several of those students shot me a leering grin, thrusting their hands forward and jerking them back toward their hips in a rhythmic, suggestive motion. They had likely made use of the Wall-Butt. The reactions among the crowd varied—some looked as if they had partaken as well, while others, unaware that such a service even existed, were visibly kicking themselves with regret.
Perhaps having overheard the chatter, the eyes of the weaponless bystanders nearby suddenly flared with a sharp, desperate intensity.
”Tonight’s Wall-Butt service is going to be a madhouse. I wonder if there’s a waiting list,” I muttered to myself while making my way toward the dungeon entrance. Standing beside the gate, a group of six teachers and external coaches recruited for the sports clubs stood clustered together, weapons in hand, deep in conversation.
They were dressed in suits and jerseys. I wondered if their attire had been reinforced as well. Just as the thought crossed my mind, one of the teachers caught sight of me and shot me a piercing glare.
Talk about being the most hated man on campus, I thought, offering a dry, mocking smile.
My academic record, my looks, my habit of reporting bullying, and the fact that I’d neutralized a pack of delinquents they couldn’t handle. Then there was the way I’d stonewalled monster-claimant parents and apprehended a stalker. Because of those actions, my standing had soared—not only with the Principal and Board Chairman but even with the young female teachers and coaches who had initially looked down on me.
The hatred they harbored was purely a matter of pride; I had made them lose face. It was nothing more than petty jealousy and baseless grudges.
Well, do your best to earn and protect the girls. I’ll do my part in protecting them too. I’ll protect them, sure. Though, let’s be real—once you’ve bought them, you’re bound to lay a hand on them anyway.
They could afford to play pretend for now; they still had some mental breathing room. But in a high-stakes environment where lives were on the line, I was curious to see just how long they could maintain that ‘noble educator’ facade. Having lived in that kind of world for years, I knew the truth.
I strolled past their withering stares with a composed expression and stepped into the dungeon.
I hadn’t ventured far into the dungeon before a Horn Rabbit² lunged at me. I shifted my weight, dodging by a hair’s breadth as I brought my Machete³ down in a swift arc across its neck. I retrieved the Magic Stone⁴ and pushed deeper into the abyss.
* * *
”Something’s off…” I said quietly.
After thirty minutes of advancing and clearing several skirmishes, I stopped to look down at my hands. I thought it might be a placebo effect at first, but my body felt remarkably light. No, it wasn’t just my weight—my reflexes had sharpened significantly. I was slaughtering Horn Rabbits with far more ease than I had yesterday.
Is it possible… did I level up? And if so, did my Mana Capacity⁶ expand?
Curious, I attempted to trigger my Physical Reinforcement⁵ magic.
”Whoa!” I shouted.
The moment I felt the sensation of Mana Capacity draining from my core, a vivid surge of power galvanized my entire body.
”Did I actually pull it off?”
I gave the Machete a test swing. The blade cut through the air significantly faster than before. I tried some rapid side-steps right where I stood. Swish, swish, swish—my movement speed had seen a massive jump. For the next ten minutes, I experimented with jumping and sprinting until the power suddenly ebbed away.
”I see. The effect lasts about ten minutes. It feels like a 1.5-times multiplier to my base strength,” I noted.
I swung the Machete again. Even without the buff, it felt noticeably lighter and swifter than it had yesterday. Yeah, I’ve got the gist of it now. Since I felt so nimble since morning, my level—or rather, my Mana—likely increases while I sleep. That would explain why I couldn’t activate Physical Reinforcement yesterday.
As Mana Capacity grows, my base physical Ability scales up with it. Activating the magic simply stacks another layer of power on top. That’s the most logical conclusion. Honestly, it would be a lot simpler if I had a status screen showing numbers for strength and agility. Though, I guess that raises the question of how you’d even quantify them.
Like, how would you measure HP where reaching zero means instant death? The way monsters vanish makes it feel like a game, but this is cold, hard reality. Since the Appraisal⁷ only displayed a value for Mana, that has to be the primary metric for strength. I’ll run a scan on myself once I get back.
”If I can use it back-to-back, I could probably manage twice… maybe three times? My reserves likely replenish over time, so I’ll just have to wait for the cooldown,” I muttered.
When I activated Physical Reinforcement, I realized that roughly a third of my total Mana Capacity—which I’d only vaguely ‘felt’ since reading the manual—had vanished. It was only after spending it that I could finally grasp my total volume. At this rate, three consecutive uses would tap me out. It’s not an issue right now since my current targets are pushovers, but I’ll definitely need it when the big game shows up. If I run into a mob of elites, three charges might not cut it.
”Basically, I need to grind more monsters and rank up my Mana,” I said.
Having concluded my little experiment, I turned back toward the dungeon’s heart and resumed my hunt.
* * *
”Daaaah! This place is endless!” I groaned.
Reaching yet another dead-end at a fork, I slumped against the wall and vented my frustrations. This dungeon is freaking massive! I’d deviate from the main path I scouted yesterday into a side tunnel, hit a wall, double back, and try another skip only to find it looped right back to where I started. Then I’d head back to the main drag and try a different tunnel, only to hit another dead-end. I’d been doing this for six hours straight, lunch break included. The other students were still hugging the main passage by the entrance; it didn’t look like they were even trying to find the stairs. They seemed content just farming Horn Rabbits. For now, their priority was clearly scraping together enough DP⁸ to survive. Consequently, I hadn’t run into a single soul in the side tunnels. The downside was that I wouldn’t know a path was a bust until I’d walked the whole length of it.
Well, it wasn’t all for nothing. Even in the alcoves near the entrance, Horn Rabbits started appearing in pairs, turning it into a total feeding frenzy. I’d already unearthed five treasure chests. The loot consisted of: a Club x1, a Grade 5 Potion x1, Large Copper Coins x4, Small Copper Coins x16, Leather Trousers x1, and Leather Greaves x1. I didn’t care much for the club, but the leather gear was a win, and the coins alone would pay for a night with the Wall-Butt. It was a classic ‘first-mover advantage.’ That said, the tunnels were tighter than the main corridor, and with the rabbits jumping me in pairs, the difficulty was definitely ramping up.
Oh, that reminds me—the very first side tunnel I explored, just a few minutes from the entrance, didn’t have any Horn Rabbits at all. In fact, there weren’t even any burrows for them to hide in. It just ended abruptly after a minute’s walk. No treasure, no nothing. Total mystery what that was for. A rest area? If so, it’s way too close to the start. Whatever, doesn’t matter now.
Man, I’m beat. I can feel my base Ability and stamina have increased, but the combat frequency is much higher today. Searching without a finish line in sight is a mental drain. There’s got to be a staircase to the next floor around here somewhere. Thinking back to yesterday, the main passage still had plenty of large openings I hadn’t checked. Do I seriously have to crawl through every single one? I half-wish someone else would just stumble onto it already. But then again, there’s the shower room incident. There might be another ‘First Clear’ bonus for reaching the second floor. I’ll just have to suck it up and find the damn thing.
That said, it was nearly 16:00. Given my fatigue and the two-hour hike back to the surface, I should probably call it quits for the day. And to top it all off, despite the exhaustion, that persistent ache was back between my legs. Did my libido spike because my Mana and stamina went up? It’s a real possibility. Maybe that’s exactly why they offer the Wall-Butt service. I logged the dead-ends in my notebook, hauled my heavy ass off the floor, and started the long walk home.
* * *
Dragging my weary bones back to the plaza around 18:00, I saw armed students everywhere, busy divvying up Magic Stones and loot. The number of people brave enough to enter the dungeon had grown significantly since yesterday. Even so, if you tallied the ones I saw this morning, the ones in the main passage, and the ones here now, it only amounted to maybe a hundred people. Were the other two hundred still playing it safe? Or had they just given up and locked themselves in their My Rooms?
I get it; this is a brutal reality for people who grew up in a peaceful society. The athletes and martial artists have the stamina and confidence to move early, but the library types are in for a rough time. It’s a lot to ask of someone who’s never thrown a punch to pick up a blade and butcher monsters. Then again, I was forced into much worse when I was only eleven. They might just need a little more time to find their resolve. Well, once their DP runs out and the hunger sets in, they’ll fight whether they’re ready or not. Some people only move when they’re backed into a corner.
Personally, I don’t give a damn what happens to them, but if there are students who are truly lost, I might throw them a bone—just as a courtesy for being the school guard. It’d be a massive headache if we ever made it out and I got blamed for not lifting a finger. With a passing thought for those still hiding, I pushed open the door to My Room and stepped inside.
* * *
Once inside, I dropped my gear and leaned my weapons against the wall. I peeled off my sweat-soaked clothes and headed straight for the shower. I’ll need to wash the guard uniform pants soon. I can use the leather trousers I found today as a backup. I’d done a quick fitting during a break; they were a tad short, but not enough to mess with my movement. I’d love to wash the jacket too, but I’ve got no spare. Maybe a leather jacket will drop from a chest soon. Until then, I’ll wear this one until the stench becomes unbearable. If all else fails, I’ll just buy one at the Shop. It’s 2,000 DP, so I’d much rather find it for free.
After finishing my shower and giving my persistent, half-cocked ‘son’ a thorough scrub, I dried off and sat down at the desk with my backpack. I was dying to call for a Wall-Butt soon, but first, I had to settle up.
I touched the Magic Crystal⁹, pulled up the ‘Buyback’ icon, and selected [Magic Stone Buyback]. I followed the prompt to dump my haul onto the Magic Circle on the floor. I pressed the button, the circle flared with light, and the stones vanished. (215 F-Rank Magic Stones. Total: 6,450 DP. Confirm? Yes/No).
”Damn, I knew I worked hard today, but that’s even better than I thought,” I said.
I’d been at it longer, and the rabbits were spawning in pairs. Plus, having the side tunnels to myself meant a non-stop feeding frenzy. Satisfied, I tapped (Yes). Next, I sold the copper coins for 560 DP, identical to yesterday. My total balance hit 8,040 DP.
With yesterday’s leftover 1,030, today’s profit was 7,000 DP. 70,000 yen in a single day! Solo play is where the money is. I could technically just farm Horn Rabbits forever if I just wanted to survive, but I’d never be able to afford a 1st-class slave at that rate. It’d take a year just to save up.
Besides, the Succubus Queen’s words were stuck in my head: “Show me the Ability of humanity. If you gain enough power to earn my respect, I shall let you leave this place alive.” This ‘Ability’ she mentioned had to be Mana Capacity. Slay monsters, grow your Mana, gain power. If I didn’t, I’d likely never see the sun again. Can I even reach that level just by killing rabbits? I remember a manga about a witch who hit max level killing slimes for 300 years, but I don’t have three centuries. I’d go mental long before then. That’s strictly fiction.
In reality, I need to hunt bigger, badder monsters that yield more experience if I want to get strong fast. Slaves, Wall-Butts—it’s clear the Queen wants us to be active testers. If I fail her expectations, I’ll probably be purged like the older guards. I don’t know exactly what level she’s looking for, but the only way is forward. As long as I keep moving, I stay useful. I’ll take the lead and hunt the strongest things I can find to survive.
It’s no different from my Child Soldier days. At least my targets aren’t shooting back this time. I’ll sit on my DP for now since there’s nothing I desperately need. Well, I want magic, but 30,000 DP is a steep price. Oh, wait—maintenance tools. I wonder if they have those?
I scrolled to the bottom of the [Weapons & Armor] list and found ‘Maintenance Kit – 500 DP.’ I hit buy, and a set of three whetstones, oil, a wire brush, and some rags appeared. They didn’t sell this at the school store; they probably just replicated stuff from the janitor’s closet or the kitchen.
The stones ranged from coarse to fine. Sharpness was fine for now, and thanks to the ‘game rules,’ the blade didn’t get gummed up with blood and fat since the monsters vanished. God bless game mechanics. The real worry was a chipped blade. If it was minor, I could grind it out, but anything major and I’d be forced to shell out 5,000 DP for a replacement. I oiled my Machete and my unused knives—a routine I could do in my sleep.
Finally, it was time to check the numbers. How much had I actually grown? With a pulse of anticipation, I tapped ‘Appraisal’ and then [Mana Capacity Measurement]. (Please place your hand on the Magic Crystal).
………………
Sanada Yakumo
Age: 25
Race: Human
Mana Capacity: F
………………
”…Figures,” I said.
I was G yesterday, so killing 140 rabbits on day one bumped me up one rank while I slept. Usually, you level up faster at the start, but I guess it takes a lot to move the needle. I slaughtered a lot more today, so maybe I’ll hit E tonight. That would mean more uses for Physical Reinforcement. I’ll check again in the morning.
”All right then,” I muttered.
That was everything. It was 19:00. I was starving, but the urge between my legs was far louder than my stomach. I’ll empty the tank, get my head clear, and then eat. Curious to see who I’d get tonight, I pulled up the [Slave Purchase]¹⁰ menu, selected <Wall-Butt Succubus>¹¹, and tapped —Chest-Down Exposure¹² with a practiced flick of my finger.
—
Summary:
Yakumo reaches Mana Rank F and confirms the efficiency of Physical Reinforcement magic. After a six-hour solo exploration of the side tunnels, he returns with a massive haul of 7,000 DP and rare equipment. His survivalist mentality pushes him to prioritize rapid growth to satisfy the Succubus Queen’s demands.
—
T/L:
Notes:
• Yakumo – A 25-year-old human male. He has facial scars, stab wounds, and gunshot scars from his time in a war zone. He works as a school guard.
• Succubus Queen – The sovereign of the Succubus race and servant to the Demon God Zazard. She possesses a voice described as蛊惑的 (alluring/bewitching) and maintains a stance of absolute superiority over humanity.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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