Chapter 6 Submission

Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, single, no girlfriend, occupation: Dungeon Tester (full-time employee)

Magic aptitude: 8 (General class)

Position: Warrior

"Too many facilities, man."

After the orientation ceremony, we were told we could move around on our own judgment, but it was definitely still working hours. Despite this, I returned to my room under the guise of gathering information for preparation, only to notice an unusually thick booklet in my mailbox. Recalling that they mentioned something about opening facilities during the orientation, I skimmed through it, which led to my earlier comment. The list of facilities was endless: restaurants, medical institutions, weapon shops, armor shops, tool shops, training facilities, entertainment venues, and more. If I were to list the names of the stores, it would take the whole day. If these facilities were all set up by the company solely for conquering the dungeon, they were so comprehensive that there was hardly any need to go outside. On the last few pages, I even saw izakayas and nightclubs, which were essentially off-limits to minors.

I might be reacting correctly as a man if I were to get riled up by this, but fortunately, I'm the type who separates work and personal life. I decided to enjoy such things in my private time and then refocused.

"Now, this is what I need."

"Modern-born fantasy, this place makes a period drama village look like nothing."

All the stores lined up were entirely fantasy-themed. The displayed food samples were all things I had never seen before, and the clothing was mostly a mix between cosplay and everyday wear. The swords, which were almost indistinguishable from props, were openly challenging the gun control laws. The prices varied widely, but the variety was vast. Although I was skeptical about using Japanese yen for fantasy items, if that was acceptable, then there was no problem. After understanding and accepting this, I started walking towards the commercial facilities that spread out like a subway station in the basement of the company. The number of customers was sparse, with only us testers and employees, but I imagined this was an investment with the expectation that the number would gradually increase. While thinking this, I began my first-ever fantasy window shopping, feeling that the stores were too quiet.

"...Surprisingly expensive."

The iron double-edged sword I was holding was well-made and cost 140,000 yen. I wasn't sure if this was expensive or cheap, but it was undoubtedly a bit pricey even for someone who saves money. Glancing at the items in the showcase, the cheapest one was an order of magnitude more expensive than this sword, and of course, there were even more expensive ones.

"Ah, I need to make up my mind."

I steeled myself to dip into my savings and recalled the points that needed improvement. During the training, I realized my lack of offensive power. Now, it's a laughing matter, but I remember struggling to take down a Komodo dragon-like creature and then being attacked by multiple ones, which left a deep impression. It might have been due to insufficient stats, and indeed, Instructor Kio was laughing while destroying metal armor with his Chanbara Blade. However, stats don't improve overnight, so the next best thing was to improve my equipment. Even if it was a wooden sword with an iron core, it was excellent as a blunt weapon, but it was somewhat inadequate for killing living beings. My confidence in my physical toughness, thanks to the instructors, meant I prioritized a weapon over armor. That's why I was visiting several weapon shops, hoping to find something suitable, but I couldn't find anything that felt right.

"Can I try cutting with this?"

"Sure, if you can buy it back if the blade chips."

"Are you a demon?"

"I'm a giant, actually."

"That explains why you're so tall."

"Actually, I'm on the short side."

"Really?"

Thanks to the quiet store, I could banter with the clerk sitting at the counter. He was over two meters tall, which made him look big to me, but I was curious about the average height of the giant race, which he classified as small.

"Do you have any recommended weapons?"

"There's a magic sword for 30 million yen."

"That's way over my budget."

"How about a 60% discount on the magic sword? Of course, we can do it on a loan."

"The original price must have been astronomical. I get that it's a recommended weapon, but I can't tell if the performance is as impressive as the discount."

Unfortunately, what I needed was a weapon that matched my level. No matter how high-performance a weapon was, if I couldn't use it properly, it would be a waste, and I might even mistake it for my own strength, leading to my downfall. It's best to gradually upgrade to better weapons. For example, I was looking for a mass-produced car, not a high-spec F1 car.

"The performance is guaranteed, but the problem is that the magic sword enhances your body to superhuman levels and makes you swing a master-level sword technique indiscriminately at friends and foes alike."

"Sure enough, a magic sword has a fatal flaw. It could make even a pervert pale in comparison."

These are not the specs you'd expect from a holy or divine sword. In a negative sense.

"Guess not. I thought someone who wants to get stronger would want it."

"Only destruction awaits. Oh, what's this?"

"That? It's something our young apprentice forged. I think it's usable."

"Just usable, huh."

From the looks of it, it was a clearance item. The way it was stuck in a wine barrel suggested rough handling. The length, shape, and type of sword varied, but the price was the cheapest in the store.

"Surprisingly, it's all 19,800 yen. People say you shouldn't skimp on tools, but it makes you want to find a good deal."

I decided to look through them, even though I wasn't sure if I would buy anything. After a thorough search:

"Guess there are no good deals here."

Reality is harsh, and a low price has its reasons. There's no such thing as a hidden treasure in a clearance sale. According to the clerk, these were not high-quality items, and the one I tried was the same type as the iron sword I held earlier. I could immediately tell the difference. The handle that felt right before now felt just okay. I couldn't trust my life to such a weapon. After looking through everything, I didn't think I would find a better sword, so I decided to move to another store.

"I'll look at other stores too. Thanks for the explanation."

"Sure, come back even if it's just to browse. I'm too bored."

"Is it okay to just browse?"

Although this time it didn't work out, I liked the clerk's friendly demeanor. I thought I might come back, but decided to check out the high-end weapons as well, so I headed towards the glass cases instead of the exit, looking through them as I walked out.

"Wow, these are in a different league."

As expected, the items in the glass cases were all top-notch. The explanation plates, written in Japanese, included prices and brief descriptions, which were like settings from novels or manga. I started comparing the prices with my savings, but when I tried to suppress my desire to buy, something caught my eye.

"What's this, an iron plate?"

It was a simple iron plate shaped like a single-edged longsword, with no embellishments and a handle wrapped in cloth. It didn't seem like something that belonged in a glass case.

"It's a sapling of a mineral tree."

"A sapling? So it's a plant?"

I had been looking at it for a while when the clerk, who had been sitting at the counter, stood next to me.

"Yeah, if you stick this in a magic-rich soil, it will absorb the magic and grow roots like a plant. It's definitely metal, but it's a special kind of metal. After a thousand years, it becomes high-quality steel."

In other words, it's a metal that grows.

"So, is this for materials?"

If so, it made sense to be in a weapon shop. It was probably for custom-made weapons. The price was around the same as a new car, but it was likely due to its high-quality material.

"No, it's definitely a weapon."

"Huh? It's a sapling, right?"

"It has another name, 'Blacksmith's Bane.'"

"Blacksmith's Bane?"

"Yeah, if you stick it in the ground, it grows like a tree and produces seeds. See, the round thing at the end of the handle?"

The clerk pointed to a black sphere at the end of the handle.

"Normally, it would become a new mineral tree if left in the ground, but if you keep pouring magic into it, it turns into a long iron plate. That's what this is, after being processed into a sword shape."

"From what you've said, why is it called Blacksmith's Bane? Is it because it's too hard to process?"

"No, at the sapling stage, it's only slightly harder than iron."

"Then why?"

The explanation was too roundabout. If there was something difficult to say, they wouldn't display it so prominently.

"Well, the reason it's called Blacksmith's Bane is that if you use it in battle without sticking it in the ground, it gradually grows into a sword shape."

"Grow, like this?"

"Yeah."

The sword looked blunt and seemed unusable.

"It grows according to the user's magic. No hammering or fire is needed; it grows on its own. Some have even become legendary swords."

"So, that's why it's called Blacksmith's Bane."

A material that becomes a legendary sword on its own is indeed a material that would make blacksmiths cry.

"By the way, does it always become a legendary sword?"

"No, most end up being blunt."

"Hey!"

"Didn't I say? Blacksmith's Bane also means it can make you cry with laughter. It's just a rare material that brings in money. If there was a material that almost always became a legendary sword, blacksmiths would be unnecessary, and the store would be full of mineral trees instead of weapons. But this is the first time I've seen one, and it's in a not-so-prominent spot in the glass case. So, it's a high-stakes gamble. If you're lucky, you might get a legendary sword at a bargain price, but it's a blunt weapon."

"Only one in ten thousand becomes a legendary sword. I've been a blacksmith for a long time, but I haven't heard of such a case recently."

Following the clerk's advice to buy a normal sword would be the smart choice. But I thought it would be boring. I was in my late twenties, and even if I could see the failure coming, I felt that the usual path wasn't right for me.

"Clerk, I'll buy this."

"Did you go to an ear, nose, and throat doctor today?"

"I'm not hearing things."

"Hey, as a customer, I'm worried about your mental state. Are you sane? Did you hear what I just said? Are your ears just for show? This is just a money pit. Even if you plant it in the ground later, it won't be worth much for a thousand years. Unless you're a long-lived species, you're human, and even if you live a long life, you won't recoup your investment in sixty years."

This clerk seemed genuinely concerned about me. I decided to return a defiant smile to reassure him.

"I have enough savings to buy this. Of course, I'll pay in full."

"...Ha! There's a fool! Sure, if you can pay, you're a customer! Unlike some stubborn dwarves, we giants give weapons to those who seek them! Hoarding is out of the question! If you can pay the price, we'll give it to anyone! A weapon is a weapon! It's meaningless if it's not used! Here, pay up!"

"You're energetic."

"Of course! A laughable fool has finally come! Trying to grow a legendary sword from a weapon that might end up blunt. In a way, you're in the same business as us! What kind of giant would not enjoy this!"

Who's the fool, I thought, as I was already way over budget. I withdrew money from an ATM and placed it on the counter without a word.

"By the way, how will you carry this weapon?"

"Well... in my hand?"

"Idiot, are you always going to carry a weapon? Here, this is a weapon holder. It's magic stone-powered, so you can fix it in place or remove it as needed!"

"Wow!!"

I thought the clerk was friendly, but he was even more helpful. An unexpected bonus from a bulk purchase, like getting a car navigation system with a car.

"I'll let you have this for 100,000 yen!"

Correction, he was a shrewd businessman, not just friendly.

"You're charging for it?!"

"Ha! Of course! Giving away my work for free is like smearing it with feces!"

Life isn't that easy. I understood his point, but it didn't sit well after spending a large sum. I looked up at the clerk's stern face with a deadpan expression, but he only smiled and jiggled a seemingly good-quality belt holder without saying a word. The mineral tree, now a longsword, was slightly longer and twice as heavy as the wooden sword I used before. Even with my enhanced body, carrying it constantly was impossible.

"Remember, the mineral tree grows if you polish it and pour magic into it! Come back if you have any questions!"

In the end, I bought the holder, and my savings took a big hit. The maintenance tools I bought as a bonus were also a significant expense.

"Next, armor and medicine."

For now, I was wearing a suit with a long, single-edged iron sword on my back. I couldn't explore a dungeon in such an outfit, and the equipment provided by the company was already in tatters. The armor I was given was repaired by Sue every time during the training, but it finally broke on the last day of the training, shattered by a magic sword (Chanbara Blade). Instructor Kio said I had become strong enough to make him slightly miscalculate, but being forced to spend a lot of money on repairs made me feel bittersweet. This was reflected in my choice of armor.

"Excuse me, do you have armor that's easy to move in and protects the vital areas? I'm looking for something affordable."

I entered the store with a basic plan in mind, recalling that I tend to buy strong weapons and neglect armor in RPGs. I compared prices while browsing several stores. Honestly, I couldn't afford the same purchase as before, so I ended up browsing a few stores. But I had to be thorough because I didn't have the money.

"Honestly, I don't know."

"If you knew, we wouldn't be necessary."

Seeing me struggle to find something within my budget, a clerk from a quiet store, like the weapon shop, approached me.

"Is that how it works?"

I decided to be honest and ask for help. In games, anime, and novels, the protagonists easily choose equipment based on the strength of the metal, the rarity of the monster's hide, or the effects of the gem. They must have a good eye. I could only judge by price.

"Most of the materials here are from Earth, so your judgment is useless. While the methods and designs might be inspired by Earth, the materials are completely different."

That explained why there were outfits that looked like special forces gear. If the equipment on the mannequin was within reach, I would have bought it. Given the nature of the job, I wanted to look as normal as possible, even if I had to accept the cosplay-like outfits. It felt ridiculous to wear a game-like, eye-catching fantasy outfit in my late twenties, after being a salaryman until recently. It would be like a party trick. I chose this store because it had more modern-looking outfits compared to the previous three stores. A colleague was happily choosing equipment at the previous store, but seeing the group of college-aged men and women excitedly choosing outfits made me feel a generational gap.

"At least, don't think that price equals strength. Some are rare and effective for certain races but useless for others. It's best to ask a professional."

The clerk was right, but blindly trusting her would be like a sheep being led to slaughter. I needed to compare prices and do my own research.

"Don't worry. We don't rip off customers unless they're special."

"...Was it that obvious?"

"You're so honest. I like that. You can use that tone with me. Don't worry, you seem experienced, so it's not obvious. Just be more careful with your eyes next