Chapter 58

As the time was running out, the five of us got into the car and started moving.

We deliberately entered a building that looked like a warehouse along the way and switched to another car there.

The driver became a member of the Self-Defense Forces.

I sat in the back of a small truck.

It felt like I was about to go to war.

I arrived at Tenshoga-ike, protected by the Self-Defense Forces—however,

"Huh?"

Tenshoga-ike was covered by a huge tent.

Despite being a fairly large pond, it was completely covered so that it couldn't be seen from the outside.

What's going on here?

The Self-Defense officers were waiting with swords, and those carrying supplies were all in camouflage.

"The dungeon is always set up like this when it's created. Just in case something happens," she said.

"What do you do if something happens?"

"All the Self-Defense officers here are Level 20 or higher explorers, so they can suppress monsters inside the dungeon."

"But the guns? They can't be brought into the dungeon, and they didn't work on the monsters, right?"

"Yes, that's true. But they've been improved. By changing the material of the bullets to something effective against monsters, they now have a slight effect."

Material effective against monsters?

You mean—

"Could it be, magatama!?"

"Exactly. It took a lot of effort to use magatama as bullets."

So that's why there was a market cornering and a large order for magatama.

Akihiko-san headed to a nearby tent to set up the dungeon distribution equipment.

The dungeon hasn't been created yet.

While the four of us were chatting, Milk noticed someone and looked in that direction.

When I shifted my gaze to where she was looking, there was a man in kendo attire, the only one dressed like that among us.

"Uncle!?"

"Huh? Oh, it's you, Milk. You've grown."

"It's been a while. I didn't expect to see you here, Uncle."

"I'm here on a government request. I've heard about Ushizou. Well, he's a man who can't be killed. I'm sure he's eating hamburgers in New York while slaying monsters in the dungeon."

He said this with a laugh.

It seems he knows Ushizou.

He looks to be around seventy years old. He clearly stands out from the others.

However, despite looking strong, his presence is the most faint.

He's also carrying a bamboo sword.

Why a bamboo sword in a place like this?

When I used appraisal to check—

【Golden Bamboo Sword: A bamboo sword said to be made from the golden bamboo in which Kaguya-hime slept. (※Special to Takeuchi Shingen)】

It was a unique item.

A bamboo sword made from the golden bamboo in which Kaguya-hime slept is quite a setting.

Wait, Takeuchi Shingen sounds familiar.

"Milk, if you know him, could you introduce us to this gentleman?"

"Ah, sorry. This is my father's mentor as an explorer, Uncle Takeuchi Shingen."

"Takeuchi Shingen—Japan's top explorer!? I apologize. My name is Oshino Hime."

Suddenly, Hime changed her attitude and bowed deeply.

Japan's top explorer...!?

I remember, the one who rarely appears on stage and dislikes the media.

I didn't know he was Ushizou's mentor.

"Yes, I know. Your father is one of the explorers I respect the most. Also, it seems he helped clean up the monsters we let escape from the Fuji dungeon. I'm grateful."

"No, I just did what I could. If you want to thank someone, thank that masked hero."

"Someone whose name I don't know. Yes, if I have the chance to meet him, I'll thank him then. For now, I'd like you to pass on my gratitude."

Shingen said this to Hime and looked at us.

Milk introduced us again.

"Uncle, let me introduce you. This is my childhood friend, Ichino Taira, and this is my classmate, Higashiyama Ayame. We form a party called Tenka Musou, an EPO corporation, with Hime and two others."

"I see. You're quite young, but you seem to have trained well. You have a promising future. However, Taira, did you say? I don't approve of appraising someone else's belongings without permission."

"---!?"

Caught!

Does he have a skill to see through appraisals?

"Well... I'm sorry. I just—"

"No, it's fine as long as you're careful in the future. You're leading three delicate ladies. It's only natural for a Japanese man to be cautious about your opponent's weapon."

He smiled and forgave me.

Hime whispered to me, "What are you doing?"

"You're exploring up to the 15th floor today, right?"

"「「「「Yes」」」」"

"Good luck. I'll go ahead and check up to the 40th floor. If it's different from a normal dungeon and dangerous, the investigation will be canceled. You should explore the dungeon as usual."

So the investigation wasn't just for us.

Of course not.

If it was just us, we wouldn't know what's below the 15th floor.

"Mr. Takeuchi—Minister Onematsu is on the phone—"

"Onematsu? I see, I'll go right away. Excuse me."

We bowed and saw him off.

He's amazing.

He remained calm until the very end.

He doesn't seem to be using any stealth skills.

That's what they call a calm and composed demeanor.

I can't do that yet.

"Amazing. How strong is he?"

"I can tell you his stats. Takeuchi-san used to publish his stats every January."

"Really?"

"Yes... We don't know the exact cash value, but it's a self-declaration. The fact is, no one has higher stats than this."

What are they like?

――――――――――――――――――

Takeuchi Shingen: Level 781

HP: 5271/5271

MP: 0/0

Attack: 3202

Defense: 2918

Skill: 2942

Agility: 2195

Luck: 300

――――――――――――――――――

They were literally in a different league.

Roughly ten times mine.

His level is about twenty times mine.

I only have higher MP and luck.

"Amazing."

"He's Japan's top sword saint. This is to be expected. However, his stats have been struggling to grow recently. There hasn't been much change since he was Level 500."

Hime compared the past records and said this.

I remember, Hime said that below the 20th floor, talent matters more than level.

The growth of stats is probably a type of talent.

I was impressed.

"Having a luck value of 300 is also amazing. Of course, Ichino is amazing too, but seeing Shingen's luck value in numbers is overwhelming."

...Huh?

"Yeah. I've heard that my father's luck value hardly increased from 150, so seeing 300 is really impressive."

...Huh?

"Milk, doesn't a higher luck value make it easier to increase?"

"Yes."

"Then, shouldn't it keep increasing steadily once it reaches 100?"

I asked casually, and Milk shook her head.

"Only up to the limit of talent. The human luck value limit is often said to be around 150. It's about the same probability as getting a treasure box from a mimic. Taira seems to have a high initial value, so he might reach Shingen's luck value."

"I recently learned this. The detailed stat limits aren't written in the explorer's beginner's guide, and there are restrictions on the internet because it might discourage beginners."

"By the way, the highest publicly known luck value in the world belongs to my dad, at 379."

Milk informed me, Ayame added more information, and Hime said proudly.

Wow, Ushizou's luck value stopped increasing at 150, Shingen's is 300, and King's is 379... Wow.

...My luck value is already 385... I'm already the world's top... Is this really abnormal?

Being above the world's top is like being the world's zero.