Chapter 7

After a three-second battle with the Queen Spider, I triumphantly claimed victory. The Queen Spider disintegrated with a single blow, leaving behind a stain on the wall like a mural. Even after waiting for a while, there was no sign of movement.

"Eh, really? Is this it?"

Honestly, I hadn't even entered the boss room yet. I just sent a shockwave from outside the room, and somehow managed to defeat it.

But if I defeated the boss, that must mean I "cleared the dungeon," right?

"Uh... I cleared it."

"Yay, you cleared the dungeon! Yay! Triple backflips of joy! Phew! Come on, you do backflips too!"

"Sorry, I can't keep up with your enthusiasm."

Honestly, I felt no sense of accomplishment. It felt more like I had just walked through a bunch of corridors. I had more of a sense of achievement when I conquered the menu at the local diner. This was technically my first dungeon clear, though.

"Well, anyway, let's check the treasure chest."

"Oh, right."

I came to this dungeon for that. I shouldn't keep thinking about the Queen Spider, who had become a mural.

I moved to the back of the boss room. There was a door at the back that led to the treasure room, where I could get the treasure.

Still, this was the treasure room of an unexplored S-rank dungeon... how much treasure could be in there? It must be filled with gold and silver treasures.

With such expectations, I opened the door to the treasure room.

Inside the treasure room... there was a single treasure chest, sitting all alone.

"Eh, what's this?"

No matter how many times I rubbed my eyes, there was only one treasure chest.

Did I enter the wrong room? I went back to the boss room, but there were no other doors. This must be the treasure room of the dungeon.

"Is this some kind of prank using the entire dungeon? Or maybe the person who made this treasure room is a minimalist expert?"

Having only one treasure chest at the end of the dungeon is too cruel. It feels like a complete mockery of the adventurers who risked their lives to get here.

"Where do I file a complaint about this? The dungeon manager? Or the Queen Spider?"

"No, calm down. The reason there's only one treasure chest is because your luck is zero."

"Eh, really?"

"See, the cost of equipping me is 'luck = 0.' With low luck, it's harder to get money and items, right?"

Indeed, with low luck, the chances of getting money and items decrease. Additionally, you're more likely to suffer from status ailments and critical hits from enemies.

"So, you're the culprit?"

"Eh, no... but, you know, having low luck has its benefits too. You're more likely to attract cursed equipment... and, um, with bad luck, you might realize the beauty of life more!"

Jujyu mumbled excuses, but I wasn't really angry. I just wanted to know why there was only one treasure chest.

"Anyway, let's open the treasure chest. If the contents are good, everything will be fine, right?"

"Yeah, that's true."

Indeed, what I needed was quality, not quantity.

I hoped the contents would be good and opened the treasure chest. At first, I thought it was empty, but upon closer inspection, I saw a crystal ball rolling in the corner.

A small ball in a large chest. It felt so unbalanced and made me feel like I had lost out.

"Is this a gem? I hope it sells for a good price..."

"No, this is cursed equipment."

"Eh, but there's no black mist."

Cursed equipment often emits a black mist. Without the black mist, it's impossible to tell just by looking. You'd need an identification item.

"The black mist is hidden, it seems."

"How do you know that?"

"I can see 'curses.' It's like a sense of camaraderie with cursed equipment. Well, it's more like a feeling of something being off... like when you think, 'Ah, this guy is wearing a wig.'"

"Wow, wigs aside, that's convenient."

"I can also sense the nature of the curse. It's like when you think, 'This person's wig is the latest spring model, but that person's is an old one.'"

"You're really fixated on wigs."

"Anyway, my ability to see curses is super powerful."

Jujyu puffed out her chest. Her attitude made me less inclined to praise her, but if I had to deal with cursed equipment in the future, her skill would be useful.

"So, is this cursed equipment safe?"

"Hmm..."

Jujyu hopped off my shoulder and entered the treasure chest. She picked up the crystal ball and examined it closely.

"Hmm, it seems to be high-ranked cursed equipment, but it doesn't seem too dangerous. It gives me the impression of a new model wig that's easy to wear but prone to sweating."

"You're determined to explain everything with wigs."

I looked at the crystal ball in Jujyu's hand again.

Upon closer inspection, the crystal ball had a round, golden part embedded in it, like an eye. It looked like a tiny compass, with a needle spinning on a patterned surface. On the back of the eye, a bundle of threads, like plant roots, dangled... it looked like a freshly plucked eyeball.

For some reason, I couldn't look away from the crystal ball.

"...Cute."

"Huh?"

Jujyu frowned at my unintentional comment.

"Cute? What's cute? Me?"

"No, the ball."

"Um, what's cute about this creepy eyeball thing?"

"Everything, I guess. The color and shape are cute, and the dangling root-like parts are really appealing. I wonder what it would taste like if I licked it. Actually, I want to marry it."

"Are... are you sane? Did you take out Blood Licker? Are you going berserk?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Then, just to be sure, what's cute?"

"The eyeball-like thing."

"Okay, I get it. Your sense of cuteness is fatal."

"Is it? Well, I do think most equipment is cute."

"You were called an equipment otaku, weren't you?"

"Not to that extent. This is pretty normal."

"If this is normal, humanity is doomed."

"Isn't that a bit extreme?"

"By the way... I haven't even been called cute yet."

Jujyu pouted. Despite her constant complaints, she seemed to want to be called cute. Dolls are still hard to understand, but I decided to praise her. It's free, after all.

"No, I do think you're cute... second to Blood Licker."

"Eh? I'm less cute than a sword?"

"Well, you can't help it. The appearance of equipment is something you're born with."

"Wait, are you comforting me? And I don't agree. Can I take a survey of 100 random people?"

"Then, let's equip this eyeball."

"Eh, you're ignoring me? Hey, why are you treating me so badly?"

Jujyu grumbled, but I ignored her and touched the eyeball.

Since it was cursed equipment, it started to force itself onto me as soon as I touched it. A unique sensation, like being electrocuted, spread through my body, and the root-like parts of the eyeball covered my left eye—

"Ow!?"

Something pierced, crushed, shook, and pulled out my left eye, and then it was chewed...

After that, the pain was so intense that I couldn't think.

When the storm subsided, the equipment was complete, and the eyeball was embedded where my left eye had been.

As usual, information about the equipment flowed into my mind.

* Compass Eye [Cursed]

...A golden prosthetic eye with a built-in compass. It shows the direction of lost items, but if you don't find them within 7 days, the eye will eat your brain.

Rank: SSS

Type: Accessory

Effect: Needle Eye (Shows the direction of lost items)

Cost: Lose one eye. If you don't find the lost item within 7 days, you will die.

"Norua, are you okay?"

Jujyu tapped my head, and I came to my senses. She was looking at me with concern.

"Ah, yeah, I'm fine. It hurt a bit, but thinking about becoming one with the equipment makes me happy. I'm still excited."

"You don't seem fine."

Jujyu's face twisted, and she slowly backed away from me.

"Well, what kind of equipment is it?"

"It's called a Compass Eye. It shows the direction of lost items, but if you don't find them within 7 days, you die."

"Hmm, an identification-type equipment. If you only use it for things you can find quickly, it's safe as long as you don't make a mistake."

"True."

In other words, I should only use it to find things I can locate quickly. Knowing the direction of the "most desired item" is tempting, but as long as I resist the temptation, I'll be fine.

—When we meet again... please, help me.

That voice suddenly echoed in my mind, but I quickly shook it off. The Compass Eye could tell me the direction of the voice's source, but I couldn't risk my life just to know the direction. I had to be patient.

The Compass Eye only has a cost when used, so a single mistake could be fatal.

"Too bad it's not armor, but it's not bad. Let's try it out."

"Sure. First, show me the location of the Jujyu doll."

I gave the verbal command, and the needle in my left eye spun in all directions. The sharp pain in my eye was intense but bearable.

Eventually, the needle pointed at Jujyu and stopped.

"Yep, it's accurate."

"Can we specify a range to search?"

"Good point. That would reduce the risk of not finding anything."

I tried saying, "Show me the location of the treasure chest within a 3-meter radius," and it correctly pointed to the nearby treasure chest.

"We could also check for hidden monsters or traps. It might even show the direction of an attack."

"Looks like it has many uses."

After experimenting with the Compass Eye for a while, I decided to return to town since I was hungry.

The return trip was instantaneous. The teleportation magic array in the treasure room could instantly transport me to the dungeon entrance, a privilege for those who cleared the dungeon.

"Okay... teleport."

I chanted, and I was teleported to the dungeon entrance.

At that moment, I had completely forgotten that this was an unexplored S-rank dungeon and what time it was.

"Wh-What!?"

"Huh?"

When I teleported to the dungeon entrance, I was greeted by a large number of gazes. The people looking at me were adventurers about to enter the dungeon.

...I had somehow become very noticeable.

---

**Norua Leeta, Adventurer, Level 39**

**HP:** 114

**MP:** 43

**Attack Power:** 37 (43,137 when unsheathed)

**Defense:** 40

**Speed:** 52

**Magic Power:** 52

**Luck:** 0

**Equipment Slots: 9999**

- **Weapon:**

Right Hand: Blood Licker [Cursed] (Attack Power +43,100)

- **Armor:**

None

- **Accessories:**

1: ■■■■ [Cursed] (Equipment Slots: 9999)

2: Jujyu Doll [Cursed] (Luck = 0)

3: Compass Eye [Cursed]

**Ranked 2nd Overall Daily and 1st in Category Daily!**

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