Chapter 3

Kosei Hoshizora (27)

Gender: Male

Skill Points: 3

Evaluation: Swordsman

+ Vitality

+ Strength

+ Agility

+ Technique

+ Intuition

+ Special

"Hmm..."

Are these 3 points the initial points?

If so, will they gradually increase?

I still don't know how to increase them. I should probably check this carefully.

Next, the evaluation... Does this indicate my current overall strength?

"Is there no explanation? ...Oh!"

When I touched the evaluation, a small window floated up in front of me.

"Swordsman: A beginner who has learned how to handle weapons and attacks."

Isee, Hoshizora snorted.

From the explanation, it seems my guess was mostly correct.

My current evaluation is Swordsman.

Just a person who can handle a sword, I suppose.

If I get stronger, this evaluation will surely change.

It's helpful to have a way to gauge my strength, but it's not exactly clear...

Hoshizora touched the '+' to open the tree.

- Vitality

Stamina 0 (Increases endurance) MAX 30

Natural Recovery 0 (Increases the natural recovery speed of injuries and endurance) MAX 30

Isee, Hoshizora snorted.

The initial value is zero.

How much will the effect increase if I allocate one point here?

When I touch the skill, only one line of explanation appears.

The increase rate is not written.

- Strength

Strength 0 (Increases strength) MAX 30

- Agility

Burst 0 (Increases burst power) MAX 30

Dexterity 0 (Increases dexterity) MAX 30

- Technique

Weapon Proficiency

One-Handed Sword 0 (Increases proficiency with one-handed swords) MAX 10

Throwing 0 (Increases throwing proficiency) MAX 10

Light Armor 0 (Increases proficiency with light armor) MAX 10

Stealth 0 (Increases stealth ability) MAX 10

- Intuition

Detection 0 (Increases the ability to detect living beings and traps) MAX 10

"Stealth..."

It's probably a skill that blocks presence.

Approach a monster undetected and deliver a fatal blow!

It seems like a very cool combat skill.

But I'll pass on this one.

If I allocate points too easily, I might become invisible to everyone for life.

Even if I die in front of a crowd, no one would notice because of stealth.

I don't want that kind of ending.

The maximum value to which points can be allocated is slightly different.

This difference... is it due to basic physical abilities?

No, technique is MAX 10.

Does a new skill branch out when allocated to 10?

Does it total 30 points, or is technique a separate category?

There's no way to confirm this for now, but it's probably safe to assume that a new skill branches out.

I thought the explanation would be a template, but it's slightly different.

One-handed swords and light armor have specific types written, but throwing only says "throwing proficiency."

This is probably due to different restrictions.

One-handed swords and light armor have their own restrictions.

But throwing has no restrictions.

If I get this, I'm sure I'll be able to throw anything, whether it's a hammer or a pebble, with great skill.

"But... hmm..."

Looking at the unlocked tree, I realize something.

It's odd that weapon proficiency only includes one-handed swords and light armor.

In a normal skill tree, there should be options like great swords, bows, and shields.

"Maybe this changes according to individual aptitude?"

Some people might have great swords, and others might have special skills not listed here.

It's a reasonable assumption.

I'll try to see other people's trees next time.

Hoshizora kept this in mind.

Finally, the last one.

What does 'Special' refer to?

It can't be some unspeakable quirk or hobby...

But it would be embarrassing if the skill tree revealed some 'special' aptitude.

I don't want a (heart-breaking) magical device.

After a moment, Hoshizora tapped the 'Special' section and swallowed hard.

"Growth... Acceleration!"

- Special

Growth Acceleration 0 (Increases the power gained from defeating monsters more than usual) MAX 5

*

In games, growth bonuses usually start at 1%.

In sadistic games, they can be as low as 0.1%.

Hoshizora, overly excited, allocated all 3 points at once, and as he descended the stairs, regret started to well up.

He regretted the skill allocation.

When Hoshizora saw the explanation for 'Growth Acceleration,' he mindlessly spammed the skill-up button.

Skill Points: 3 → 0

- Special

Growth Acceleration 0 → 3

But as he calmed down, he began to think this might have been a mistake.

If the growth rate increases by 1% per point, then at skill level 3, Hoshizora would only gain the equivalent of 3 extra kills out of 100.

It would be much more beneficial to allocate points to a skill that improves hunting efficiency.

I probably made a mistake.

With a frown, Hoshizora cautiously descended the stairs, combat knife in hand.

As Hoshizora reached the first basement floor, his heart began to race.

The dungeon 'Chikaho' in Sapporo is no longer a dungeon in the true sense.

Diligent dungeon staff have used various methods to make the first and second floors almost safe to reduce the death rate of adventurers.

It's more like an attraction than a dungeon.

There's a reason the staff put so much effort into this.

Adventurers are the country's defense force.

In the event of a stampede, they can eliminate monsters.

There are also economic reasons.

Adventurers gather materials from dungeons that were previously unobtainable on Earth.

They actively spend the money earned from selling these materials, boosting the economy.

The spread of dungeons worldwide has ended globalization.

Capitalism, which relies on continuous economic growth, has been destroyed.

Japan, with its stagnant economy, is now heavily dependent on wealthy adventurers.

It's a problem if they die easily.

'Chikaho' is a very safe dungeon, but there's no adventure in it.

But this place is still not on 'Narou.'

It's not on the WIKI.

It's an unknown dungeon that no one knows about.

I'm about to embark on my first adventure here.

Thinking about it, Hoshizora's adventurous spirit, which led him to quit his job at a printing company to become an adventurer, starts to stir.

Finally, I can take my first step as an adventurer!

"Alright!"

With a determined shout, Hoshizora slowly advanced into the depths.

The dungeon corridor is wide enough for five people to walk side by side.

The ceiling is about three meters high. How can such a thing even exist underground?

Will it collapse?

A slight worry crosses Hoshizora's mind, but it should be fine.

A certain country once tried to suppress a dungeon with a nuclear missile.

But the dungeon only suffered minor damage, with the entrance slightly widened. (The country was later half-destroyed by a stampede.)

It probably won't collapse from an earthquake.

The interior is clay-like, but when Hoshizora stabbed it with his knife, it only went in about three centimeters. It seems to be reinforced with another material.

The inside is dim but not completely dark.

The walls emit a faint light.

It's great that you can explore without a lantern, but it feels unsettling, as if it's welcoming you for predatory reasons.

After walking for a while, Hoshizora heard a "rustling" sound.

Rustling... I imagine G.

There are G-type monsters in the dungeons of Honshu, but none have been discovered in Hokkaido.

It's probably not G.

Then what is this sound?

As he listened intently, the sound gradually grew louder.

Finally, it appeared in front of Hoshizora, who was holding his knife.

"Huh?"

Hoshizora was surprised to see a monster different from what he imagined.

It was about half Hoshizora's height, less than a meter long.

It had countless legs.

It moved forward with its antennae or legs extended, making a rustling sound.

"A centipede!"

It had many legs, but it lacked the distinctive fangs of a centipede.

So it's definitely a centipede.

It's more docile than a centipede and has only a slight venom.

At normal size, it's called a beneficial insect that eliminates pests.

"I thought it was a centipede. Well, well."

Hoshizora's lips curved into a smile, amused that his prediction was wrong.

The more his predictions are wrong, the more interesting it is.

Isn't that what adventure is all about?

However, at this size, it might cause physiological disgust and fainting in ordinary people.

But Hoshizora still faced the centipede with a smile.

"Ah, this is great..."

How is the centipede in the dungeon different from the one I know?

Fight and understand.

I can't wait for the future.

Information about the centipede is also on the 'Narou' WIKI.

[Centipede]

Relatively docile and slow-moving.

It has no killing power. If it wraps around you, it will only gnaw on your armor or clothes, not your flesh. It's a beneficial insect that eliminates pests.

The method to defeat it is simple: smash its head.

Its antennae serve as visual organs, so cutting them off prevents it from gnawing.

Once you learn the trick, it's easy to kill. For beginners, it's a bonus monster.

However, the physiological disgust it causes is indescribable.

It's one of the monsters with high mental attack power.

The sensation of its many legs brushing against your neck when it gnaws is also unacceptable.

You might want to ask why God didn't make this creature extinct.

Smash it as soon as you find it.

With plenty of experience, I recommend search and destroy.

Eliminate centipedes from Japan.

The editor's text probably reflects a deep-seated hatred.

"I think it's kind of cute..."

The way its legs move...

Not that I want to hug it.

It would ruin the armor I bought with my hard-earned money.

"Well, let's go all out."

He slashed at the antennae and stabbed the head with the returning blade.

Hoshizora visualized the movements described in the WIKI and sprinted forward.

Ten meters. Five meters.

The opponent still hasn't noticed.

Just as he raised his knife, the centipede finally noticed Hoshizora.

But it was too late.

—Got it!

He was sure, but the blade cut through the air.

The centipede's movements were more agile than Hoshizora had expected.

What do you mean by slow-moving!

He cursed and took a step back.

He narrowly avoided the centipede's charge.

"Whoa?"

Hoshizora exhaled lightly.

He had expected his charge to hit and had braced for impact, but it missed.

So, it's faster than expected, but not beyond my capabilities.

If I stay calm, I can take it down without a problem.

As soon as he realized this, his mind became calm.

"Good. Very good."

Excitement welled up inside him.

A safe and easy hunt is boring.

It's just one-sided violence.

There's no adventure.

No challenge.

But I'm not at a level where I can be picky.

It's just a weakling's whining. It's unseemly.

Focus.

Focus!

Hoshizora controlled his mind.

He lured the centipede, which was pointing its antennae at him, to the brink.

Contact!

Just before contact, he sidestepped.

The leather chest plate was grazed by the antennae.

He calmly slashed at the point of contact.

The antennae, cut by the knife, floated in the air.

At the same time, he kicked off the ground and spun around.

Hoshizora, who had kicked off the ground with all his might, stabbed the centipede with his knife.