Chapter 17: Party Recruitment
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 17: Party Recruitment
“Lis. Iron-grade explorer, max floor reached is the 8th. As you can see, I’m a backline archer. I mainly use a crossbow.”
“Garond. Also Iron Grade, been as far as the 10th floor. Just so there’s no misunderstanding, I’m not some legend who survived a face-off with the 10th-floor boss. I made it up there without even catching a glimpse of the thing. I handle the frontline as a tank.”
“I’m Isolde. I have a sensitive hearing skill, so I usually act as a ranger, but I can hold my own in a fight. I’ve reached the 10th floor and have experience participating in a boss subjugation raid. Though, I was only part of the scouting party.”
“Yoo Eon. Iron. Max floor is the 5th. I specialize in melee combat.”
One frontline tank, one backline dealer, and one ranger for scouting and reconnaissance. And me… what exactly was I?
As the brief introductions ended, all eyes turned toward me.
“The 5th floor… that might be a bit difficult.”
“We’re aiming for the 8th floor, so I’m a little worried. If the 5th is your max, how did you reach Iron Grade?”
“I soloed a Direwolf Alpha on the 5th floor. They bumped me up to Iron right after that.”
“You soloed an Alpha? For real?”
“Yes.”
Garond, who carried a massive tower shield nearly as big as himself and a mace, stroked his beard and let out an interested grunt.
“Must have some good skills, then?”
“I’m not sure yet. They didn’t seem like much when I first got them.”
“Right, well, that doesn’t matter. For now… let’s lay out any curse skills we have that might hinder the party’s exploration.”
This was the moment most explorers found the most difficult: the time to form a party and share their negative traits.
Technically, this wasn't a formal party yet, but more of a meeting. If a curse skill seemed like too much of a liability, you’d be ruthlessly cut from the group.
“I don’t have anything major. I have a sleep-talking skill, but I usually just mumble quietly, so it shouldn’t be an issue.”
Lis, the female archer, mentioned her sleep-talking skill. Was that even a skill? Wasn't it just a habit? But since she called it a skill herself, I let it slide.
“I don’t have any curse skills. However, my gear is heavy and mostly metal, so stealth will be difficult. Just keep that in mind. Also, our clearing speed might be a bit slow.”
That was the fate of those clad in slabs of iron. It couldn't be helped. Still, looking at his bulk, he seemed like a reliable frontline, so it was a fair trade-off.
“I, I am…”
Isolde hesitated for a moment, then scooted her chair slightly to the right and whispered into Lis’s ear.
Upon hearing the whisper, Lis’s face suddenly flushed red, and she pushed Isolde’s face away.
“Wh-What?!”
“What did she say to make you react like that?”
“No, this girl just…”
“A-Ah, no! Don't!”
At Isolde’s frantic plea, Lis stopped herself and looked back and forth between Garond and me. Finally, letting out a deep sigh, Lis scratched her head and spoke.
“Sigh, fine. I can handle Isolde’s curse skill. She doesn't want to share it, so don't ask any further.”
“Are you sure? Verifying curse skills is the most important step for party cooperation.”
“I’m sure. Just don’t dig too deep.”
“I-I’m sorry! But it’s really not a curse skill that will cause problems…!”
“Then let’s leave it at that. It’s not like we’re heading into the deep strata anyway.”
Overall, it was an excellent party with no severe curse skills. Excluding me, everyone had reached the target 8th floor, and the role distribution wasn't bad.
“The name is… Yoo Eon? Well, it’s probably a pseudonym. Do you have any curse skills?”
“No. None. In fact, I only have one skill to begin with.”
“Really? What’s your record?”
“Eight dives. The first and second were in a party, but I’ve been soloing ever since.”
“Soloing up to the 5th floor? That explains it, then.”
I didn't exactly have a curse skill. Oh, wait. I should probably mention that.
“If we subjugate a particularly strong monster, how is the carcass distributed?”
“The carcass? If we catch something like a Wild Boar on the 8th floor, we haul it back, sell it, and split the gold. It depends on the contribution, of course.”
Lis stared at me as if I’d asked something incredibly stupid.
“Then, would it be alright if I took a portion of the carcass before the gold is split?”
“The carcass… why?”
“I have to eat it.”
“Um…”
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s because of my skill. I have to eat raw meat. It’s not like I enjoy it.”
“That’s… wait, isn't that a curse-type skill? Having to eat raw meat?”
Shit, I guess so. Eating raw meat was pretty revolting, but the return was guaranteed.
“Fine. We’ll deduct a portion of the carcass for you depending on the situation.”
And so, the party was formed without much trouble. We decided to meet at the guild tomorrow morning around 10:00 AM to depart.
Since it was only about 8:30 PM, I needed to head to the market district to gear up. I had originally planned to buy equipment tomorrow morning, but since we were leaving earlier than expected, I had to move now.
I needed to restock supplies before it got too late and stop by the appraisal office as well.
* * *
“Don’t get too cocky. You’re going to the 8th floor? Gauntlets won’t stop a Wild Boar’s charge.”
“I know. I’m not expecting that much from them.”
“Hmph. Look at the attitude on this brat. My gauntlets can block a Wild Boar easily!”
“What are you even trying to say?”
I bought a pair of metal gauntlets from the crazy dwarf who seemed to have a split personality. On top of that, I tossed my tattered boots and bought a pair of sturdy leather boots for a decent price from a merchant tanner, along with metal greaves to protect my toes and shins.
With this, the protection for my limbs had increased significantly. In the past, I might have hesitated because of the weight, but after putting on the gauntlets and greaves and switching to the Direwolf Alpha’s muscles, I could walk and run without any issues.
My strength hadn't just increased within normal human limits. Even with the heavy gear, I could easily manage a three-meter vertical jump.
And as for the sword…
“How much could your strength have possibly increased? If you suddenly switch to a longsword while wearing gauntlets you’re not used to, you might lose your sense of timing and get yourself killed.”
“I’ll figure it out as I go. Just give me a decent longsword.”
“Why does a guy who only ever held a one-handed sword suddenly want a longsword? Planning to look cool when you die?”
“Wait. Isn't a longsword a one-handed sword?”
Contrary to what I thought I knew, a longsword was a two-handed weapon. The one-handed sword I had been using was classified as an arming sword, while a longsword was a type of two-handed sword.
“Strong bastards can use them with one hand, but here. Try gripping this.”
“Whoa.”
Just by looking at it, it was much longer than my previous one. The blade alone looked to be over a meter long. Unlike my old sword, where the tip wouldn't touch the ground while I held the hilt, the tip of this one reached the floor even when gripped.
“Give it a swing.”
“Sure.”
It was a weight I could swing without much trouble even without transforming my entire arm. Of course, fatigue might build up if I swung it repeatedly, but I planned to transform my entire forearm into Direwolf muscles during combat anyway.
Ssshh.
I focused my mind and replaced my entire right forearm, which held the sword, with the Alpha’s muscles. The power surging into my grip was on a different level.
—Whoosh!
“This is actually pretty light.”
“Once you’re in the labyrinth, you’ll be swinging that thing a hundred times without rest. Anything feels light if you don’t account for that.”
The dwarf was right. If you had to do 100 sets of 100 lateral raises with pink dumbbells, even those would start to feel heavy because of the weight of your own arms. But my current strength was in a different league.
“No, even accounting for that, it’s light.”
“Bah, you brat! What, did you get some kind of Herculean Strength skill?”
“Something like that. This is good.”
“Urgh…”
I spent 70 silver from my remaining funds. 20 silver for the gauntlets, 10 for the greaves, and 40 for the longsword. It was an expenditure I didn't regret at all. This was the kind of armament that would make me look like a proper Iron-grade explorer.
“Oh, old man. Could you take a look at this?”
“What is it?”
I took off the ring on my left hand and showed it to the dwarf.
“Hmm, a magic tool? It’s an artifact. You’ll have to go to a magic item shop to get a proper look at it. I don’t deal with that stuff.”
“Then look at this.”
I put the ring back on, channeled mana, and summoned the shield.
“It’s a shield. Decently made, no major flaws.”
“I see. Alright then. I’ll be back.”
“Yeah, just try not to die. A brat who dies while carrying that masterpiece doesn't deserve to be alive!”
If you’re dead, you’re not exactly "alive" to begin with, are you? Dwarves certainly had a lot of confidence in their own weapons. Regardless… it was clear that it was a high-quality blade.
I kept my old sword instead of selling it, just in case.
Perhaps because I had two swords hanging on my left side, the pouch belt kept slipping down past my waist. I needed to do something about that. I headed back to the tanner.
“Want me to make it a harness?”
“Let’s see it.”
When a pouch belt gets heavy, it sags, and in the worst cases, it can even snap. To prevent that, the leather loops on the belt were removed and replaced with metal hooks.
Leather loops were essentially consumables; with long-term use, the surface would crack and turn to dust. It was a worthwhile investment for the future.
Then, two straps were added to loop over the shoulders, fixing the belt so it wouldn't slide down.
“That’ll be five silver coins.”
“Old man, after visiting other places, your prices feel pretty cheap.”
“You’re just realizing that now? What an absurd brat.”
It was the best satisfaction five silver coins could buy. The feeling of it resting firmly on my shoulders was great. It felt a bit like a chest rig.
The biggest problem was the gambeson…
“Just let it go.”
“Old man, I thought you were better than this.”
“Listen, kid. If there’s anyone who can revive this rag back into a gambeson, they’re not a weaver, they’re a mage.”
Without another word, the old man took my former gambeson—now a literal rag—and shredded it on a board bristling with needles.
“Fine, fine. I get it. Give me a new one.”
“You brought the money, I assume?”
“Of course.”
“I’ll give you a discount for the fabric.”
“What do you use that for?”
The gambeson he had shredded would be turned into low-quality stuffing for cheaper gambesons or washed thoroughly in hot water to be used for bedding.
“This one is thirty-two layers. It’ll be much sturdier than your last one.”
“Won’t it be too hot in the summer?”
“I guess you haven't been below the 10th floor, but from the 11th floor down, the sun doesn't reach, and it’s cool all year round.”
“Ah, I did hear something like that.”
I recalled hearing that from the 11th floor onward, the terrain turned into something like underground ruins—a true maze befitting the name "labyrinth."
“Haaa, my precious 30 silver. I’m a beggar again.”
Despite my words, I felt secure. With this, I should be safe even on the 8th floor.
I thought about stopping by the appraisal office, but I didn't feel the need to report every single successful skill use. I’d rest well today and prepare for the labyrinth tomorrow.