Chapter 22: Level Up (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 22: Level Up (2)
Library, get used to the city, and combat training.
Today, I skipped this daily routine I had been completing every day for the past month. That wasn't what an adventurer should be doing on the day the labyrinth opened.
[08:10]
As soon as I woke up, I skipped breakfast and ran to the meeting place I had agreed on with Ainar. I was running because I had been told I would have to wait several hours if I were even a little late.
"Here! Bjorn, son of Yandel!"
To my surprise, Ainar was there before me.
"...When did you get here?"
"You said you'd leave me behind if I were late, so I slept right here! Come on! We are first!"
"..."
Even though it was thirty minutes before opening, there was already a long line in front of the entrance. However, thanks to Ainar's dedication, we were able to enter the Adventurers' Guild as soon as the door opened.
"What can I help you with?"
"We have come to receive a binding spell."
"Are there two people in your party?"
"That's right."
"Please place your hands here."
When we followed the instructions, a faint greenish light emanated from the mana crystal.
"Two rank nine adventurers... The cost is fifteen thousand stones."
Fifteen thousand stones... If I hadn't made sure to budget my food money, things would have been a little tight. I obediently opened my stone pouch and paid the price.
It left a bitter taste in my mouth, but it was an inevitable expense. When someone entered the labyrinth, their starting point was random. But with this spell, we could at least spawn in the same place.
"How do you rank an adventurer?"
"It's measured by the total amount of essence engraved on their soul."
"I see. So does the cost of a bond increase as someone's rank goes up?"
"Of course."
Ha, now this part didn't have to be exactly the same as the game.
"All done. Please note that this will only last for the next twenty-four hours."
"All right."
It was a little past nine o'clock when we finished our business and left the Adventurers' Guild.
"Let's go back to my inn for dinner. The food is pretty good."
"Inn? The inn provides food?"
What kind of life has she been leading?
When I indirectly asked her this, Ainar's reply was nonchalant. "I usually buy the same bread I ate in the labyrinth."
Ah, the one that cost twenty stones each.
I had tried to do the same once to save money on food, but gave up after a while. I didn't know how it worked, but what had been quite edible in the labyrinth was hard as stone out here.
That's why it's even called stonebread...
But seriously, she had eaten only that for a month? I felt bad for her, so I ordered her both meat and a stew, and Ainar responded with an oath of allegiance.
"Bjorn! I will jump into a pit of fire if you ask me to! So don't leave me!"
After a tearful meal, we went up to the room and took time to organize our backpacks.
"Make sure you have everything. If we forget to bring something and end up needing it, it will be a problem."
"Don't worry! I have nothing to bring with me!"
Time passed surprisingly quickly as I inspected my equipment and put the adventuring supplies and consumables into my backpack.
"Let's get some sleep now, then."
"I have never seen such a soft bed. It looks wide enough for two people! It doesn't even smell!"
After organizing everything we needed to be able to enter the labyrinth at any moment, we lay down next to each other and went to sleep. But the bed was pretty cramped with Ainar next to me. When I lay down with Erwen, there was still room left.
"Even if you can't sleep, force yourself to get some rest. We won't be able to sleep properly for a while—"
Mm, what was I worried about again?
Rumbleee—!
Before I could even finish my words, there was a typical barbarian-style snore coming from beside me.
I smiled and closed my eyes as well. Time flew by.
[20:30]
We woke up a little early and had our last meal on the first floor of the inn, a special, luxurious meal of eight hundred stones per person.
"What is this taste?" Ainar, who had been fawning throughout the entire meal, took a bite of the cream pie that was being served as dessert and froze. "I-Is this magic? I cannot stop crying."
"Ah, that's called 'sweetness.'"
"I feel like I should work really hard in the future..."
It wasn't intentional, but I think the meal gave her the exact motivation she needed.
"Let's go."
As we grabbed our bags and headed out into the dark streets, we saw a lot of people walking outside, which was different than usual. Most were armed like me and carried a large backpack. But not everyone was like that, and there were also some barbarians with just a single weapon on their person. It seemed they had just finished their coming-of-age ceremony and arrived in the city today...
"Stop! I think we are lost."
"Unbelievable! We must get to the labyrinth within the set time!"
"Partun does not deserve to be the leader!"
So this happens every month, huh? How do these barbarians even get to the labyrinth every time?
I was seriously contemplating this when Ainar approached them and gave them advice.
"If you follow them, you will reach the labyrinth."
The young warriors looked at her the same way you'd look at a successful senior and thanked her.
"Thank you. We will definitely repay this favor!"
As she watched barbarians disappear into the distance, Ainar rubbed her nose.
"Haha... reminds me of how things used to be."
Please don't pretend like this is a thing of the past.
It seemed to me that nothing had changed since then.
"Everyone, back away!"
Thousands of people had already gathered in Dimension Square. As we sat in the crowd and waited for midnight to arrive, a light burst into life in the center of the square.
"Make sure you have everything. If we forget to bring something and end up needing it, it will be a problem."
"Don't worry! I have nothing to bring with me!"
Time passed surprisingly quickly as I inspected my equipment and put the adventuring supplies and consumables into my backpack.
"Let's get some sleep now, then."
"I have never seen such a soft bed. It looks wide enough for two people! It doesn't even smell!"
After organizing everything we needed to be able to enter the labyrinth at any moment, we lay down next to each other and went to sleep. But the bed was pretty cramped with Ainar next to me. When I lay down with Erwen, there was still room left.
"Even if you can't sleep, force yourself to get some rest. We won't be able to sleep properly for a while—"
Mm, what was I worried about again?
Rumbleee—!
Before I could even finish my words, there was a typical barbarian-style snore coming from beside me.
I smiled and closed my eyes as well. Time flew by.
[20:30]
We woke up a little early and had our last meal on the first floor of the inn, a special, luxurious meal of eight hundred stones per person.
"What is this taste?" Ainar, who had been fawning throughout the entire meal, took a bite of the cream pie that was being served as dessert and froze. "I-Is this magic? I cannot stop crying."
"Ah, that's called 'sweetness.'"
"I feel like I should work really hard in the future..."
It wasn't intentional, but I think the meal gave her the exact motivation she needed.
"Let's go."
As we grabbed our bags and headed out into the dark streets, we saw a lot of people walking outside, which was different than usual. Most were armed like me and carried a large backpack. But not everyone was like that, and there were also some barbarians with just a single weapon on their person. It seemed they had just finished their coming-of-age ceremony and arrived in the city today...
"Stop! I think we are lost."
"Unbelievable! We must get to the labyrinth within the set time!"
"Partun does not deserve to be the leader!"
So this happens every month, huh? How do these barbarians even get to the labyrinth every time?
I was seriously contemplating this when Ainar approached them and gave them advice.
"If you follow them, you will reach the labyrinth."
The young warriors looked at her the same way you'd look at a successful senior and thanked her.
"Thank you. We will definitely repay this favor!"
As she watched barbarians disappear into the distance, Ainar rubbed her nose.
"Haha... reminds me of how things used to be."
Please don't pretend like this is a thing of the past.
It seemed to me that nothing had changed since then.
"Everyone, back away!"
Thousands of people had already gathered in Dimension Square. As we sat in the crowd and waited for midnight to arrive, a light burst into life in the center of the square.
Although it was small at first, the glow quickly grew in size and rippled into the form of a sphere.
"You can enter now!"
When the guide shouted this, the adventurers in the surrounding area quickly threw themselves into the portal. I led Ainar to the outskirts to avoid the crowd.
"Bjorn, aren't we going in?"
"Just wait."
The adventurers gathered in the square disappeared by the dozen every second. But the square was still crowded because of the other adventurers who continued to arrive on time, one after another. Forty minutes after the portal opened, the crowded square had quieted down, and the line now consisted of seven to eight hundred people.
"...Shouldn't we go in now?"
The portal, which had already devoured tens of thousands of adventurers, was now smaller in size.
But I kept waiting.
Ainar picked up on my expression, and when she next spoke, her tone was different. "Bjorn, what are you waiting for?"
Mm, it's kind of a long story... and I don't know if it will work or not.
However, I decided to give her a brief explanation as we had quite a bit of time left.
"I plan to enter when the dimensional portal is unstable. The book says it only happens once in a hundred years, but if we take advantage of this phenomenon—"
"I don't know what that means, but I will follow your lead." I stared at her, and she added, "I have a feeling I won't understand your explanation anyway!"
I had honestly figured that would be the case. It was annoying that she was saying that after asking me first, but... Honestly, it was quite convenient not to have to explain my every action.
"The gate will be closed soon! Stand back!"
Eventually, the portal's light began to fade. There were no adventurers left at this point. Only then did I slowly walk toward the labyrinth with Ainar.
The guide spotted us and shouted, "It is dangerous to enter now!"
I pretended not to hear.
I don't know why they're saying it's dangerous.
I didn't understand why they thought that. Seeing that there were even published books with this information in them, others must have been aware of this phenomenon too...
"B-Bjorn! That official-looking person says it's dangerous! We have to move back!"
So why is no one taking advantage of it?
***
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
Mm, maybe counting down was pointless. When I got a strong feeling that it had been long enough—
"Now's the time. Let's go in."
Squeal.
I gave Ainar a shove in the back and entered the labyrinth.
Flash—!
A flash of light obscured my vision, and when I reopened my eyes, a thick darkness greeted me. This meant my plan had worked.
"See! I can't see in front of me! We should have listened to the official-looking person! Bjorn is foolish!"
"Ainar, calm down."
Ainar regained some composure when I hurriedly lit the torch I was keeping in my backpack.
"W-What's going on?"
Although it was small at first, the glow quickly grew in size and rippled into the form of a sphere.
"You can enter now!"
When the guide shouted this, the adventurers in the surrounding area quickly threw themselves into the portal. I led Ainar to the outskirts to avoid the crowd.
"Bjorn, aren't we going in?"
"Just wait."
The adventurers gathered in the square disappeared by the dozen every second. But the square was still crowded because of the other adventurers who continued to arrive on time, one after another. Forty minutes after the portal opened, the crowded square had quieted down, and the line now consisted of seven to eight hundred people.
"...Shouldn't we go in now?"
The portal, which had already devoured tens of thousands of adventurers, was now smaller in size.
But I kept waiting.
Ainar picked up on my expression, and when she next spoke, her tone was different. "Bjorn, what are you waiting for?"
Mm, it's kind of a long story... and I don't know if it will work or not.
However, I decided to give her a brief explanation as we had quite a bit of time left.
"I plan to enter when the dimensional portal is unstable. The book says it only happens once in a hundred years, but if we take advantage of this phenomenon—"
"I don't know what that means, but I will follow your lead." I stared at her, and she added, "I have a feeling I won't understand your explanation anyway!"
I had honestly figured that would be the case. It was annoying that she was saying that after asking me first, but... Honestly, it was quite convenient not to have to explain my every action.
"The gate will be closed soon! Stand back!"
Eventually, the portal's light began to fade. There were no adventurers left at this point. Only then did I slowly walk toward the labyrinth with Ainar.
The guide spotted us and shouted, "It is dangerous to enter now!"
I pretended not to hear.
I don't know why they're saying it's dangerous.
I didn't understand why they thought that. Seeing that there were even published books with this information in them, others must have been aware of this phenomenon too...
"B-Bjorn! That official-looking person says it's dangerous! We have to move back!"
So why is no one taking advantage of it?
***
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
Mm, maybe counting down was pointless. When I got a strong feeling that it had been long enough—
"Now's the time. Let's go in."
Squeal.
I gave Ainar a shove in the back and entered the labyrinth.
Flash—!
A flash of light obscured my vision, and when I reopened my eyes, a thick darkness greeted me. This meant my plan had worked.
"See! I can't see in front of me! We should have listened to the official-looking person! Bjorn is foolish!"
"Ainar, calm down."
Ainar regained some composure when I hurriedly lit the torch I was keeping in my backpack.
"W-What's going on?"
"Even if I tell you, you won't understand."
"...That's true!"
Having easily convinced Ainar, I slowly studied our surroundings. And, when I spotted a statue located in front of a dead end, I was overcome by a strange feeling.
It seemed that the dimensional instability phenomenon indeed strongly correlated with the time you entered the portal. That fact was both pleasing and upsetting. It meant that if I had decided to enter the labyrinth just a minute earlier during my first trip inside, I wouldn't have destroyed my leg and had to crawl on three limbs!
Whooosh!
As soon as I set my hand on the headstone, a beam of light burst out of it and turned into a circle.
"What is this?"
"It is a portal to the second floor."
In other words, we had skipped having to navigate with a compass, fight all the monsters we encountered, and wander our way through the dark. With this, we had saved at least a day or two.
"What?! The chieftain said it would take three days to find the portal! What magic have you used?"
Even if I tell you, you won't understand.
[You have opened a portal for the first time. EXP +2]
[You have leveled up.]
[Your soul power stat has increased by +10.]
[The maximum number of essences you can absorb has increased by +1.]
In order to become a pro, you have to take advantage of the bugs.
***
[Bjorn Yandel
Level: 2 (New +1)
Physique: 46
Spirit: 36
Special Ability: 4 (New +3)
Item Level: 202
General Combat Power: 136.5 (New +3)]
***
[You have entered the Goblin Forest on the second floor.]
I found myself hanging about ten feet in the air for a moment, but I quickly found my balance and landed on two feet.
Tap!
Yeah, I had practiced while wrestling the barbarians.
"Ugh!"
As I watched Ainar fall on her butt, I realized how far I had come and began to understand why Erwen had laughed at me.
"Ugh... my butt is numb."
It was pretty fun to watch. Well, with her reflexes, she'd learn to land properly soon enough.
"What is that?" she asked. "That disappointed expression on your face?"
"It's nothing."
Glossing over that question, I took out my watch and set it to 00:05. I should've done it the moment I opened my eyes, but I had forgotten to. Still, I set it five minutes faster, so there wouldn't be any issues down the line.
"...Ainar, can you feel it too?"
"What do you mean?"
"It feels like my heart is vibrating."
If I had to put it into words, it felt as if something dense had entered my veins and was now filling my body. It had been like that from the moment I had crossed through the portal, and now I felt it very clearly.
What could it be?
After explaining the symptoms to Ainar, she quickly came up with a diagnosis.
"Looks like the Dignity of Soul has increased! Congratulations!"
Ah, I'd leveled up.
Dungeon and Stone also had levels. Based on level, one's soul power—or MP, the resource required to use special abilities—increased as your Dignity of Soul did. This increased the total amount of essences you could absorb.
For example, at level one, I could only have absorbed one essence, but as I had now become level two, it was now possible for me to absorb a maximum of two. Well, either way, that only mattered if I had an essence to begin with.
"Interesting. You haven't fought any monsters, yet your Dignity of Soul has risen!"
"It's not a surprise. It's just that I achieved being the first person to open the portal."
Achievements were what gave you experience points in this world.
"Um, is that even an achievement?"
It was. Once you reached a certain level, speedrunning to get to portals as fast as possible was the easiest way to increase your experience points. That was because Dungeon and Stone was a game with a slightly unusual leveling system. You could only gain experience points from each monster once, and only for the first kill. Therefore, like filling out a sticker book, you could only level up by defeating different kinds of monsters.
Uh, wait, isn't this a bit dangerous?
"...Ainar, this needs to be a secret between you and me. Got it?"
"A secret? What's the secret?"
"That I was the first one to open the portal. This one thing. If anyone asks, say that it took us two days to get to the second floor."
The experience gained from opening a portal was only +2. In other words, it was only about the same as killing two rank-nine monsters, but...
Unlike monsters, you can collect EXP for this over and over again.
Therefore, adventurers who had reached a certain level ended up speedrunning because the monsters they had left to hunt were limited. This also depended on the nature of the god worshiped by a party's priest, how compatible they were with the monster, the area in which they were active, and the presence of a wizard. When faced with a wall, the only way to break through the wall was with backbreaking hard work. But was that possible as a newbie?
Only I could know this trick, because if it were common knowledge, it would definitely not end well for me.
"I swear on a warrior's honor."
Was the look on my face too serious?
Ainar's expression had changed, and, even though I hadn't asked for one, she had made me an oath. Thanks to this, I felt a lot better, but I knew we needed to move quickly.
"We should get out of here."
In a few hours, other adventurers would enter the second floor. And when they saw two beginners here, they'd start to have suspicions. 'Who are you that you got here earlier than we did?' Yeah, it was best not to be seen at all.
As always, I was more afraid of those asshole adventurers than the actual monsters.
"Even if I tell you, you won't understand."
"...That's true!"
Having easily convinced Ainar, I slowly studied our surroundings. And, when I spotted a statue located in front of a dead end, I was overcome by a strange feeling.
It seemed that the dimensional instability phenomenon indeed strongly correlated with the time you entered the portal. That fact was both pleasing and upsetting. It meant that if I had decided to enter the labyrinth just a minute earlier during my first trip inside, I wouldn't have destroyed my leg and had to crawl on three limbs!
Whooosh!
As soon as I set my hand on the headstone, a beam of light burst out of it and turned into a circle.
"What is this?"
"It is a portal to the second floor."
In other words, we had skipped having to navigate with a compass, fight all the monsters we encountered, and wander our way through the dark. With this, we had saved at least a day or two.
"What?! The chieftain said it would take three days to find the portal! What magic have you used?"
Even if I tell you, you won't understand.
[You have opened a portal for the first time. EXP +2]
[You have leveled up.]
[Your soul power stat has increased by +10.]
[The maximum number of essences you can absorb has increased by +1.]
In order to become a pro, you have to take advantage of the bugs.
***
[Bjorn Yandel
Level: 2 (New +1)
Physique: 46
Spirit: 36
Special Ability: 4 (New +3)
Item Level: 202
General Combat Power: 136.5 (New +3)]
***
[You have entered the Goblin Forest on the second floor.]
I found myself hanging about ten feet in the air for a moment, but I quickly found my balance and landed on two feet.
Tap!
Yeah, I had practiced while wrestling the barbarians.
"Ugh!"
As I watched Ainar fall on her butt, I realized how far I had come and began to understand why Erwen had laughed at me.
"Ugh... my butt is numb."
It was pretty fun to watch. Well, with her reflexes, she'd learn to land properly soon enough.
"What is that?" she asked. "That disappointed expression on your face?"
"It's nothing."
Glossing over that question, I took out my watch and set it to 00:05. I should've done it the moment I opened my eyes, but I had forgotten to. Still, I set it five minutes faster, so there wouldn't be any issues down the line.
"...Ainar, can you feel it too?"
"What do you mean?"
"It feels like my heart is vibrating."
If I had to put it into words, it felt as if something dense had entered my veins and was now filling my body. It had been like that from the moment I had crossed through the portal, and now I felt it very clearly.
What could it be?
After explaining the symptoms to Ainar, she quickly came up with a diagnosis.
"Looks like the Dignity of Soul has increased! Congratulations!"
Ah, I'd leveled up.
Dungeon and Stone also had levels. Based on level, one's soul power—or MP, the resource required to use special abilities—increased as your Dignity of Soul did. This increased the total amount of essences you could absorb.
For example, at level one, I could only have absorbed one essence, but as I had now become level two, it was now possible for me to absorb a maximum of two. Well, either way, that only mattered if I had an essence to begin with.
"Interesting. You haven't fought any monsters, yet your Dignity of Soul has risen!"
"It's not a surprise. It's just that I achieved being the first person to open the portal."
Achievements were what gave you experience points in this world.
"Um, is that even an achievement?"
It was. Once you reached a certain level, speedrunning to get to portals as fast as possible was the easiest way to increase your experience points. That was because Dungeon and Stone was a game with a slightly unusual leveling system. You could only gain experience points from each monster once, and only for the first kill. Therefore, like filling out a sticker book, you could only level up by defeating different kinds of monsters.
Uh, wait, isn't this a bit dangerous?
"...Ainar, this needs to be a secret between you and me. Got it?"
"A secret? What's the secret?"
"That I was the first one to open the portal. This one thing. If anyone asks, say that it took us two days to get to the second floor."
The experience gained from opening a portal was only +2. In other words, it was only about the same as killing two rank-nine monsters, but...
Unlike monsters, you can collect EXP for this over and over again.
Therefore, adventurers who had reached a certain level ended up speedrunning because the monsters they had left to hunt were limited. This also depended on the nature of the god worshiped by a party's priest, how compatible they were with the monster, the area in which they were active, and the presence of a wizard. When faced with a wall, the only way to break through the wall was with backbreaking hard work. But was that possible as a newbie?
Only I could know this trick, because if it were common knowledge, it would definitely not end well for me.
"I swear on a warrior's honor."
Was the look on my face too serious?
Ainar's expression had changed, and, even though I hadn't asked for one, she had made me an oath. Thanks to this, I felt a lot better, but I knew we needed to move quickly.
"We should get out of here."
In a few hours, other adventurers would enter the second floor. And when they saw two beginners here, they'd start to have suspicions. 'Who are you that you got here earlier than we did?' Yeah, it was best not to be seen at all.
As always, I was more afraid of those asshole adventurers than the actual monsters.