Chapter 151 End of the 1st Lap and New Magic
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Day 57 of the Tester Life. 12:00 AM, 12th-Floor Urban District. Sanada Yakumo (Yakumo Sanada).
It was the fourth day of our 12th-floor expedition.
As usual, we left the Magic Tent ¹ around 9:00 AM and headed down the district road.
Yesterday, after a quick, rough session with Sayaka during our lunch break, we managed to clear the seventh and eighth settlements. Sanada Sanae had been in a fantastic mood the whole time; she’d picked off the Orc sentries from the watchtowers with her bow, making the suppressions look easy. Everyone praised her, and she was in high spirits throughout.
Rock and I have finally found our rhythm in the skirmishes. We held the gates without breaking a sweat, largely because Sayaka’s team has gotten terrifyingly fast at wiping out the Green Wolves. The moment the clearing started, Sayaka’s magic was already flying over our shoulders to provide cover.
Despite the smooth combat, the loot was a massive letdown. We didn’t find a single pass fragment in the last three settlements. In fact, after pulling that black iron cleaver from the sixth village, the seventh and eighth didn’t even have chests. Three villages, one chest, zero fragments.
That leaves us with five chests and two fragments across eight settlements. Mathematically, that’s a 63% chest drop rate and a 40% fragment rate. Those are brutal odds. At this pace, clearing the 12th floor is going to take us ten days or more.
When I brought this up over dinner, Sanada Karen just shrugged it off – she’s lived through enough grinding games to know the drill. Sanae, still riding the high of her archery performance, was practically vibrating with energy, claiming she’d tear through as many villages as it took. Karen’s optimism makes her an invaluable mood-maker for the group. As for Sanae, she’s simple; you just have to keep the compliments coming.
Sheena and Sayaka are different. They don’t complain. If I say we’re moving, they follow. Even if they’re bored out of their minds, they’d never let it show. Truly, they are top-tier women.
Once the third day wrapped, we all hit the bath together. I spent myself twice with Sheena and Karen in the water before sending them off to bed early so I could focus on Sanae and Sayaka in the bedroom.
There’s something special about the way Sanae completely loses it after being teased with a blindfold. She’s usually passive, but in that state, she seeks me out like a starving animal. It’s a hell of a sight. Ever since she hit E-Rank, she’s stayed conscious even after I’ve finished inside her five times in a row. If I don’t mind her getting a little unresponsive, I can push for three more. Having her handle eight rounds on her own is a godsend.
As a “thank you,” I used a marker to write Yakumo’s Private Dump across her backside. She was so far gone she just whimpered and giggled with joy, saying “Ahih! Ah, ya, nnn!”
And the next morning.
It’s today, the 4th day of the expedition, but no particular signs of fatigue can be seen on everyone’s faces.
All of this is likely thanks to the Magic Tent. It’s certainly worth being an item that costs 500,000 DP. If we were roughing it in standard gear – cooking over open fires, no baths, and using the bushes for a toilet – we’d be exhausted. I wouldn’t have been able to use the Wall-Butt ² girls, and the burden would have fallen entirely on Sayaka and the others.
To prevent that from happening, I probably would have used the Medal of Return midway. And then we’d have to proceed from the start of the town/street road again.
Well, once a settlement is taken down, even if it respawns, there probably won’t be a treasure chest, so we can ignore them, but even so, the time taken for one lap would have become more than 1.5 times.
I believe the Magic Tent said ‘1/5’ in the notice when I received it. That means only the first five parties to clear the 10th-floor Area Guardian got one of these from the Pearl Chests. The larger groups, like the Baseball Club, are going to struggle. I’ll have to tell them to buy one, even if it breaks their bank.
Then again, a bunch of guys sharing a tent sounds like a nightmare. They’d be fighting over the Wall-Butt girl rotation all night. I suppose they could just summon six of them to the living area and get it over with, but most of them aren’t that shameless yet. I’m lucky my time as a child soldier got me used to group dynamics like that.
Thinking about such things, we arrived at the ninth settlement. Sanae dropped the watchtower Orc, and Rock and I charged. While we held the line at the gate, Sayaka’s team finished the wolves and moved in. Sheena, Karen, Lucy, and Saizou joined the fray, and we wiped the place clean.
Inside the largest hut, Karen let out a yell. “Found it!”
She was pointing at a chest in the middle of the room. Sanae looked like she wanted to do the honors, but I stepped in to open it myself to avoid the inevitable shouting match.
”Nice. A pass fragment,” I said.
The chest held a Grade 4 Potion, a Grade 4 Status Recovery Potion, a pouch of silver, and the fragment. That’s three. The loot was mediocre, but the fragment made it a win.
”Yes! More than halfway there!” Karen cheered.
”Is that our first Grade 4 Status Recovery Potion?” Sanae asked, tilting her head.
”I think so,” I replied. “Maybe we’re about to run into Orcs with poison arrows.”
”Orc Archers almost always use poison,” Sheena added.
”So they’re coming up in the next few settlements or the next floor, then,” I muttered.
The dungeon usually telegraphed hazards like that. We saw the same thing with the Goblin Assassins and the traps. These potions cost 10,000 DP, so I should probably stock up. Even if we find more in chests, they aren’t a waste; I’ve heard they can cure a common cold instantly.
After lunch, we hit the tenth settlement. It sat at the end of a narrow trail branching off the main district road.
”So, ten settlements per floor, just like the 11th,” I noted.
”After this one, we have to start the loop again, huh?” Karen sighed.
Like the previous floor, there was a gate at the back of the village with a path leading into the woods – likely the way to the Teleportation Array and the Black Gate. Back to square one. I was hoping for one more fragment here so we could finish this in one more lap.
We cleared the tenth village with a bit more caution, but it was business as usual: fifteen Orcs and six Green Wolves. Inside the main shack, another chest was waiting for us.
”Two days of nothing, then two chests in a row today. The system is playing with us,” I said.
”Classic RNG,” Karen laughed.
”As long as there’s a fragment inside, I don’t care if it’s mocking us. Sayaka, you open this one.”
I figured I’d let our Lady Luck ³ handle the finale.
”Oh! Okay. I’m actually a little nervous,” Sayaka said, smiling. She always seemed to enjoy the gamble of opening these. “Here goes.”
She flipped the lid. Inside was a brown leather-bound grimoire.
”A magic book! Jackpot, Sayaka! That’s huge!” Karen screamed.
”As expected of my best friend,” Sanae bragged.
”Lady Luck Sayaka-sama and the Jinx, Sanae. Sayaka-sama, we really must discuss your choice of associates,” Sheena remarked.
”Hey! Who are you calling a jinx?! Ah! Wait – nnn!”
I reached into Sanae’s shirt and pinched her n**ips to shut her up before the bickering escalated.
”Was there a fragment?” I asked Sayaka.
”No,” she replied, ignoring Sanae’s knees buckling beside her. “Just the book.”
”Figures. Can’t win ’em all.”
That brought the tally to seven chests in ten settlements, with three fragments total. A 70% chest rate, but only a 35% fragment drop. At least the chests were frequent.
”What kind of magic is it?” Karen asked, leaning in.
”The cover makes it look like spears coming out of the ground,” Sayaka said.
”That’s Stone Spike ⁴,” Sheena explained. “It’s a basic spell that summons stone shards up to calf-height. When I fought human mages using it, the range was small – about three meters – so it was easy to dodge, but it’s a nightmare if it catches your feet.”
”So it’s like a magical bed of nails,” I said. “I’ll take it. It’ll be perfect for hobbling Orcs.”
If I dropped that in front of a gate, it would create a perfect bottleneck. Like my Impact skill, it was the perfect tool for a dirty fight.
”Agreed,” Sheena said. “Green Wolves are too fast, but Orcs are heavy and slow. It’ll be effective.”
I took the book from Sayaka and opened it. It dissolved into ash and light.
”I see… I can trigger it through the soles of my feet,” I murmured. As long as I was touching the ground, I could fire it off. It was seamless.
”I’m so glad,” Sayaka said, pulling me into a hug. “That will keep you and Rock-chan much safer.”
I wrapped an arm around her waist and led the group out of the shack. We followed the trail through the trees until we hit the familiar clearing with the Teleportation Array and the Black Gate. The number ‘2’ glowed on the stone. There was an invisible wall blocking us from turning back; the only way was forward or out.
”Alright, let’s head back. We’ll take tomorrow off and start the second lap the day after,” I announced. We needed the break at the isolated island before the grind started again.
”Yes! Vacation!” Karen cheered, grabbing Lucy’s paws. “Beach time, Lucy!”
”Woof-woof!”
”I’m going to train with Rock and Saizou,” Sanae said, looking at the two beasts. “You guys in?”
Rock barked, and Saizou gave a sharp, loyal chirp. Sanae’s success with the bow had clearly lit a fire under her.
”I suppose I can at least respect her work ethic,” Sheena sighed.
”What do you mean ‘at least’?! I have plenty of good qualities!” Sanae barked.
”Oh? Name one,” Sheena challenged, her face perfectly blank.
”Well… uh… hey!”
”It’s okay, Sanae,” Sayaka giggled. “You have lots of good points.”
”See? My best friend gets it. You just haven’t known me long enough, Sheena.”
”Is that so? Sayaka-sama, could you be specific?” Sheena asked.
”Well,” Sayaka said, tapping her chin. “She always says exactly what’s on her mind regardless of who’s listening, she never lets anyone change her mind, and she’s incredibly stubborn.”
”So… she’s socially tone-deaf, inflexible, and pig-headed,” Sheena summarized. “Are you sure she isn’t just a male Beastman in a wig?”
”You’re making it sound horrible! You’re so mean, Sheena! I’m a woman!”
”Alright, knock it off,” I laughed, pulling both of them close. I kissed Sanae on the forehead to stop her pouting. “It’s getting dark. Let’s go home.”
Sanae turned bright red and beamed, while Sheena looked smugly satisfied with her teasing. Sayaka just watched us all, giggling softly as we stepped onto the array.
—
Summary:
Yakumo’s party finishes their first full circuit of the 10th floor’s settlements. They face low drop rates for necessary pass fragments but manage to obtain a new ground-based magic book. The team decides to take a rest day at their isolated island base before starting the second circuit.
—
Trivia:
- The Magic Tent was a limited reward given only to the first 5 parties to clear the 10th-floor guardian.
- Pass fragments have a roughly 35-40% drop rate from treasure chests.
- Yakumo’s ‘Wall-Butt’ skill is used for stress relief but requires the tent’s privacy.
- Sanae has significantly improved her archery skills since reaching E-Rank.
- Status Recovery Potions can cure common colds in this world
—
Character Insight:
Sanae shows growth in her combat utility and confidence, though she remains the group’s comedic foil. Sheena’s sharp wit and role as the ‘logic’ of the group are reinforced through her banter.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The author notes a temporary break to build up chapter stock, teasing a major conflict involving ‘the Queen’ in upcoming chapters.
—
TL Notes:
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.
• Sana – Black ponytail, hooded/sharp eyes, kyudo practitioner, average height.
• Sayaka – The academy’s premier beauty and a member of the swimming club. Currently classified as a Rank 1 Slave. She is seventeen years old and a virgin. E-cup. She has blue, short, boyish hair. Her best friend is Sanae.
• Sanae – She struggles with the sexual training and often shows frustration. Vice-captain of the Archery Club. Described as tall with a model-like build and sharp features. She has approximately C-cup breasts and is ranked as a 1st Rank Slave. She is Sayaka’s best friend. Black ponytail, hooded/sharp eyes, kyudo practitioner, average height.
• Rock – A male Kobold summoned from a Magic Sealing Crystal. He has grey fur, round eyes, and a face resembling a Shiba Inu. He wears a leather jacket and a pilot’s cap
• Karen – An international student from America who often runs to school late with bread in her mouth. Considered a ‘main target’ by the protagonist. Voice acting major, huge breasts, same height as Sana.
• Sheena – Beastman Soul-less Doll with rabbit ears and a large chest. Flawless face, approx 165cm height, F or G cup, narrow waist, large hips, and a fluffy tail longer than a rabbit’s. Now, her ego is back.
• Saizou – A newly summoned Goblin. Intelligent with a small horn on his forehead and jagged teeth. Wears ninja-style clothing (shinobifuku) and uses poison daggers/knives.
• Lucy – A female Kobold familiar resembling an American Eskimo Dog. Now, she evolves into a Kobold Thief. Her height increases to approximately 140cm, her limbs become sturdier/leaner, and she retains a cute face. She wags her tail when happy.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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