Chapter 28

Intermediate Dungeon, 95th Floor?

Boss Room?

What are these guys talking about?

"Haru, can we even reach the 95th floor, even if we're weak?"

When I asked Haru, the two apprentice swordsmen and whip users, who for some reason ended up being weaker together, complained: "Hey, we're not weak, I'm a first-class swordsman!" "I'm a first-class monster tamer!" "Together, we're second-class!"

Ignoring them, I waited for Haru's answer.

"Probably a parasitic registration."

According to Haru's prediction, we would be transferred back to town along with other adventurers who had reached the 95th floor, making it as if we had cleared up to the 95th floor.

In fact, it seems that some retired adventurers earn a little money through parasitic registration in the dungeon. This is apparently common in towns where there are transfer arrays in the dungeon.

"Can we defeat the boss on the 100th floor?"

"50-50, I think it's a dangerous bet. At least one of you, or possibly both, might die."

Haru said this, looking at Jofur and Elise. The two, hearing this answer, seemed to be blown by a cowardly wind: "Yeah, adventurers should go to places that match their abilities," "That's right, Jofur is someone who shouldn't die here."

I also thought the benefits of such a bet were low.

"So, it's impossible. Take us to a place where we can easily gain experience. I'll let you have the last attack on a few of them."

"No, we don't need the last attack!"

Jofur declared boldly.

"Because with our strength, we can even be killed by a nearly dead monster!"

The two, who are second-class together, seem to understand their own strength well. The line moved a bit forward, so we moved forward together.

"Alright, make us a provisional party."

"Yesterday's enemy is today's friend. Today's friend is tomorrow's enemy."

I ignored what Elise said. I have no memory of being enemies, and I have no plans to become friends. Rather, a provisional party?

"By the way, do you have a friendship ring?"

"…A friendship ring?"

It sounds like a very peaceful name for a ring. Jofur took out two golden rings.

"These rings, when worn by the leaders of two parties, allow the parties to be treated as one if the total number of members is six or less. It's a magical item developed by Daishiro-sama, and it's very valuable."

Daishiro here too. He's impressive. And why does this guy have such a valuable ring?

"Yeah, I got it from that Daishiro guy. About 12 years ago, as a thank you for guiding him through the forest. I was just a 10-year-old kid back then."

"Jofur was cool even back then."

"Elise was also super pretty."

"Jofur, you're so mean."

"Haha, you're blushing, aren't you?"

"---Slash!"

Even though I graduated from DT, my anger hasn't changed. Irritated to the limit, I instinctively used a hand slash to hit the ground between them. They got angry, but the crowd applauded.

"Alright, I'll take one of the rings."

"Yeah, it's important, so don't lose it."

"I won't."

I took the ring and tried to put it on Haru's finger---

"In such cases, which finger should I put it on?"

"For a friendship ring, it's customary to wear it on the left little finger. It's something friends wear."

Good, not the left ring finger. I definitely don't want Haru and Jofur to wear matching rings on their left ring fingers.

I put the ring on Haru's left little finger, and we entered the entrance of the dungeon. At the entrance, there were stairs leading underground and a glowing transfer array.

"Please wait a moment."

We waited for a minute. During that time, several groups of adventurers came out of the transfer array. It seems that the transfer array cannot be used while someone is using it, and it prioritizes those coming out of the dungeon. After a minute, it was our turn. Jofur paid one sense, and we entered the transfer array. It was a paid service.

The scenery changed instantly inside the transfer array. Green walls and a faintly glowing ceiling. We were inside the dungeon. We really teleported. We were told that if we didn't leave the transfer array quickly, we would return to the original location, so we immediately left.

Hmm, no sign of monsters.

"There seems to be an abnormal increase of Fish Lizards on the 56th floor, so let's go there."

Fish Lizards are not fish but lizards, and they are called Fish Lizards because the meat they drop tastes like fish. It seems that intermediate adventurers often defeat them.

"Wow, Jofur, you know a lot."

"Yeah, the Adventurer's Guild sent a request to exterminate them. Fish Lizards are F-rank when alone, but become more aggressive and D-rank when in a group. I accepted the request."

"Wait, did you plan to have me help with the request you accepted?"

They said they couldn't defeat them on their own. Typical scoundrels.

"No, I was serious about going to defeat the boss with beginners. I had completely forgotten about the Fish Lizard extermination."

"Yeah, I forgot too."

...Are these guys stupid? And how did the guild even let them accept the request? Haru seemed to understand what I was thinking and explained.

"Any member of the Adventurer's Guild can accept a extermination request, and there's no penalty for not completing it."

"Is that so..."

"Well, we just need the Fish Lizard scales for the extermination report, so you can keep the meat and magic stones."

It feels like we're just being used by these guys. But if we had stayed in line, we definitely wouldn't have been able to enter the dungeon.

"...Alright."

I muttered and headed for the 56th floor. On the 55th floor, we didn't see a single monster, which Haru said was unusual. We found the stairs leading to the 56th floor and went down. And what we saw there---

Numerous lizards, and a huge lizard swallowing an adventurer, armor and all.

"No... way?"

Intermediate Dungeon, 56th floor... It had become a hell of lizards.