Chapter 12

(How did it come to this...)

I, Miku Makino, was standing in the third level of the dungeon, holding my breath and regretting my actions.

Today, on May 5th, I turned eighteen and went into the dungeon for the first time in my life.

However, the morning session was only a dungeon tutorial.

It was a beginner's tutorial, and I was first taught how to read my status.

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Miku Makino: Level 7

Cash: 0D (Ranking: -)

HP: 30/30

MP: 52/52

Attack: 18

Defense: 16

Skill: 18

Agility: 16

Luck: 5

Skill: Flame Stone Magic

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I started at Level 7.

I had heard that some awakened people start at a higher level.

My friend Ayame started at Level 15, so starting at Level 7 wasn't unusual.

This means I'm already ahead of Taira.

Today in the afternoon, Taira, who is not an awakened person, was going to the dungeon with me.

I think his level is still only 2.

He is more likely to be at Level 1.

I was a little disappointed that we couldn't level up together.

The tutorial continued after that.

Then, the instructor, an explorer, brought in a large bag.

Inside were slimes.

"Alright, everyone, let's defeat these. We'll aim to reach Level 4 by noon."

He distributed cudgels and placed the slimes.

When a slime was defeated, another one was placed.

It was like a never-ending cycle.

Is this what the dungeon is like?

I looked around at the other participants.

A woman around Miku's age.

An elderly couple who were entering the dungeon for the first time.

A man in a suit, who looked out of place in the dungeon.

They just kept hitting the slimes placed in front of them, over and over again.

It felt like a strange world.

"Hey, there's a yellow slime."

This was said by a woman in her thirties with heavy makeup.

When I looked in her direction, a yellow slime was slowly crawling towards us, separate from the ones placed.

Slimes are usually blue, but this one was yellow.

Wait, yellow slimes... Miku tried to recall, but before she could, the slime sprayed some liquid at the nearby woman.

Her face immediately melted.

She didn't even have time to scream.

"Oh, it's an Acid Slime! Everyone, run!"

The instructor shouted, and everyone fled.

I and the others ran towards the exit, but the moment the instructor passed through the door, an Acid Slime appeared in front of it, creating a pool of yellow liquid.

An acid pool had formed.

The Acid Slime moved slowly.

If you ran, you could escape.

You might get burned on your legs, but with shoes on, you wouldn't die.

The man in the suit must have thought the same and ran.

His shoes melted instantly.

Then his feet melted too.

He fell over.

And the Acid Slime pounced on him.

He was being eaten.

I don't want to describe what happened next.

I realized we couldn't escape.

The only exit was blocked.

And more Acid Slimes appeared near the exit.

They were dissolving and eating anyone who tried to escape.

Some people managed to escape outside.

The Acid Slimes can shoot acid, but it's not fast.

However, the acid toxins were spreading throughout this level.

If we stayed here, we would be paralyzed by the toxins.

I thought,

"Everyone, run to the back!"

I ran in the opposite direction of the exit.

If we couldn't defeat the Acid Slimes, we could buy time.

If we did, help would surely come.

I found a staircase leading to the second level.

A staircase that only people Level 10 and above were supposed to be able to descend.

But I decided to take a chance and go down.

The black dungeon created by Dampul is said to have no safety margin.

If the appearance of the Acid Slimes was due to Dampul, there might be no safety margin, and I could descend regardless of the level restriction.

And my hunch was right.

I was able to go down to the second level.

"Everyone, evacuate to the second level—"

No one followed me.

No one had the time to listen to my words.

I hesitated about going back to help, but then shook my head and went down to the second level.

The enemies on the second level of the Stone Stage Dungeon were supposed to be terracotta figurines and walking mushrooms.

I should be able to defeat them at Level 7.

There was no smell of the Acid Slime's acid.

I felt a glimmer of hope.

But that hope turned to despair.

A wolf appeared, one that shouldn't be on the second level.

(Wait, a Bite Wolf!? Why is a Level 30 equivalent monster here...)

The Bite Wolf was very fast and had a keen sense of smell.

If it spotted me at this distance, I couldn't escape.

I readied the staff I received from my father and cast a spell in a panic.

"Release: Heat Stone Bullet"

The stone bullet hit the Bite Wolf's face.

But it only lightly injured its right eye.

The Bite Wolf might have staggered from a concussion.

Milk decided to run while it was dazed.

There was a breeze in the dungeon. If I was going to run, I should go downwind.

Unfortunately, the place I found was not a good hiding spot but a staircase leading to the third level.

If I wanted to seek help, the nearest people were the explorers in the dungeon.

I had heard that a group of explorers over Level 50 was exploring.

It was likely that someone who had escaped to the hotel had contacted them using a communication crystal to request help from the surface.

If that was the case, it would be faster to join them underground.

The enemies on the third level might be tough for me now, but it would be better than facing the Bite Wolf on the second level.

She went down the stairs.

A Kobold appeared.

Compared to the wolf, it was like a small puppy.

But I couldn't engage in close combat in my current state.

"Release: Heat Stone Bullet"

I cast the spell.

The Kobold didn't fall.

I readied the crossbow my father told me to bring and fired an arrow.

The arrow hit the Kobold, and it fell.

(Thanks, Dad)

I was saved by the magic recovery potion I brought, thinking I wouldn't need it.

Using magic consecutively made me feel sick.

I could probably only use it three times in a row.

Given this, going to the fourth level would be dangerous.

I thought about this while looking for a place to rest.

In a dead-end corridor.

The Bite Wolf from earlier was heading towards the first level.

I hoped it would give up chasing me and go to the first level.

But if it came down here, it would be the end.

She bet on the Bite Wolf not coming this way.

My luck with lotteries wasn't very good.

I had just drawn a bad omen in a lottery a few days ago.

(Come to think of it, Taira has always had good lottery luck)

Even in a situation like this, I thought about my childhood friend.

His lottery luck was so good that he always drew prizes, and the old lady at the candy store accused him of cheating.

(Taira might not remember, but after that, he stopped buying candy with prizes)

I started to calm down.

How much time had passed since I fled here?

It could have been an hour or just five minutes.

I had a good sense of time, but in a life-or-death situation, it was impossible to tell.

(If the Bite Wolf had been chasing me, it would have caught up by now. It must have gone to the first level. It won't come here)

I tried to stay as calm and optimistic as possible while still maintaining a sense of crisis, waiting for help to arrive.

During this time, I thought about what would happen if I was saved.

(It's okay. I'll be fine. Someone will come to help, and we'll escape safely. My mother will cry and hug me, and then I'll complain to Taira, who I think is waiting outside. My father will rush from Mount Fuji to join us, and we'll eat a big birthday cake together. I'll laugh and complain about how much I'll eat)

I also remembered my friend Ayame.

Ayame was recently attacked by an Evil Oger in the Expo Park Dungeon, a monster she couldn't possibly defeat.

She was saved by a boy her age.

The Evil Oger was stronger than the Bite Wolf.

If she could be saved, I could be saved too.

I told myself this.

(Ayame fell in love with that boy at first sight)

Just as I was thinking about this, I heard a sound.

The sound of someone running, out of breath.

It was getting closer.

I hoped it was someone coming to help.

If it was a monster, I would cast a spell.

I could defeat a third-level monster.

If it was the Bite Wolf, I would cast spells consecutively and run.

I thought.

But the result was the worst of all possibilities.

It was the Bite Wolf I had cast a spell on earlier. The proof was the scar on its face.

I tried to cast a spell immediately, but reality was worse than my worst imagination.

There were six Bite Wolves.

At that moment, I understood.

The Bite Wolf hadn't chased me because it was hunting people on the first level.

It had gathered its pack to ensure it could catch me.

Wolves, whether wild animals or monsters, hunt in packs.

I had forgotten this obvious fact.

Still, I cast a spell.

"Release: Heat Stone Bullet"

The heat-infused stone missed the Bite Wolves.

They jumped to avoid it.

I tried to fire the crossbow.

I thought it couldn't be dodged in mid-air.

But the Bite Wolf bit through the arrow and attacked me.

(I'm done for...)

I braced for death.

At that moment, time seemed to stretch.

It was the feeling of seeing one's life flash before their eyes.

'Ayame fell in love at first sight. I hope it works out for her.'

'Yeah, I hope so too. By the way, I'm going to the dungeon with my childhood friend soon.'

'He's not like that. He's just a childhood friend.'

'But you might feel differently after going to the dungeon together.'

'Even if he saves me from a slime. But if he appeared like a prince and saved me—'

Just as I recalled this, the stretched moment returned to normal speed.

I was supposed to die at that moment.

But the feeling of death didn't come.

Because—

"...Phew, I made it just in time."

The voice came from a boy who shouldn't have been there.

It couldn't be.

Was I still dreaming?

I thought this, but my heartbeat told me it was real.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Miku."

He was standing there, striking the Bite Wolves with his sword.

At that moment, I felt my face turn red.

"I'm glad you're safe. Now we can fulfill our promise to enter the Stone Stage Dungeon together."

He said, and then—smiled at me, showing his teeth.

'If he appeared like a prince and saved me—I don't think I could like anyone else.'

Taira, just in time.

And,

'The Low Fantasy Daily Ranking #1'

I was able to achieve this thanks to everyone's support. Thank you.

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