Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: [Abyss Miner] Backstabber
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The next morning.
I woke up, splashed some water on my face, and headed straight outside.
Normally, I'd roll around in bed for a while before leisurely making my way out, but today I had something to take care of.
A task to handle before returning to reality and devouring some fried chicken.
'Better settle it before I forget.'
That's just how people are.
Put things off until later, and they end up fizzling out.
Especially if I head back to reality, stuff my face with chicken and cola, and laze around—I might completely forget about stuff here.
Then, when I returned to the Abyss Mine later, Erika might end up keeling over while swinging that cheap longsword forever.
My future bus driver and heroine? I couldn't just sit back and watch that happen.
The moment I stepped out of the inn, a familiar silhouette came into view.
Her long straight hair swaying as she paced in front of the inn.
"Erika."
"Ah! Lee Jun! Good morning!"
She spotted me and came bounding over like an excited puppy.
She was clutching that chipped longsword.
To think she'd tried piercing a second-floor iron-shell crab's shell with that—truly touching dedication.
"You're out early. Heading out to hunt?"
"Yeah, I'm determined to take down at least one iron-shell crab today. What about you, Lee Jun?"
"I've got somewhere to go too. Thought I'd tag along with you."
"Huh? W-With me?"
Erika's eyes went wide.
"What? You don't want to?"
"No! No way! I'd be honored to go with you! But I'm so weak, I'd just drag you down..."
"Drag me down? Nah, it's just a casual stroll. First floor, so no real danger."
"Oh, a stroll... Yeah! Sounds great!"
Erika nodded enthusiastically, beaming at me.
With her favorability at 'trustworthy person,' she didn't harbor even a speck of suspicion.
We set off side by side, leaving the village behind and heading toward the mine entrance.
We entered the first-floor tunnel together.
Damp air and the scent of earth.
I've smelled it so much, it's more familiar than my own bedroom now.
"Lee Jun, where are we headed on the first floor?"
"There's a sealed-off tunnel at the eastern end. Wanted to check it out."
"A sealed tunnel? Isn't that blocked off because it's dangerous?"
"It is risky, but I heard there's good stuff in there. Like mid-grade iron ore scattered everywhere."
"M-Mid-grade iron ore? For real?"
Erika's ears perked up.
To a broke newbie hunter, mid-grade iron ore was like hitting the lottery.
Mine it, sell it, upgrade gear, buy potions—the works.
"Yeah. And apparently, there's some old sword stuck in there too. It's become a bit of a legend."
I casually dangled the bait.
"A sword? Did someone discard it?"
"Who knows. It was so rusted it looked like scrap metal."
"That's intriguing. How'd you even hear about a place like that? You only roam the second floor and below, right?"
Sharp question.
But I had my excuse ready.
"You know that family in sector five—Hans and little Lisa?"
"Oh, yeah! Of course. I've even brought food over to Lisa a few times. And that's the house you've been helping out with lately!"
"Anyway, they told me. As thanks for the help last time."
"Ah, Lisa... Guess doing good really pays off. Look at these blessings coming your way for your good deeds."
"Yeah, something like that."
I brushed it off, using Lisa as my scapegoat.
Sorry, Lisa.
Big bro will treat you to something tasty later.
We walked for a while, and soon familiar jelly blobs appeared ahead.
Step, step.
Chatting away, we'd reached the eastern sector of the first floor before I knew it.
Hardly any people came here, so monsters were plentiful.
Squish, squish.
Ahead, green jelly blobs blocked the path.
Only one type of jelly shows up on the first floor.
The first-floor mascots blinked their round eyes and bounced around cutely.
They always look adorable, no matter how many times I see them.
"Oh, slimes. I think this every time, but they're so cu—"
"Die!"
I uncoiled the chain from my morning star slung over my shoulder and swung it.
Whoosh—!
The iron ball smashed into the center of the slime cluster with a vicious whoosh.
Splat—!!!
The sound of jelly exploding echoed through the tunnel.
The slimes burst without even a scream, splattering everywhere in unrecognizable mush.
"...Crabs appeared."
Erika's voice trailed off.
She seemed about to say something just now.
"Huh? What? What were you gonna say?"
"N-No... It's nothing..."
"Alright. Let's keep moving."
I scooped up moss stones from the slime remnants.
I've killed so many, I probably have over 700 back at the inn.
It's a MacGuffin that never showed up in the original story, so I have no clue what it's for, but collecting them feels good anyway.
Like Lisa's favorability shooting up with every one.
No practical use for the kid, though.
We pressed on.
Along the way, I spotted iron ore embedded in the wall.
"Hold up, let's mine that."
"Huh? It's just low-grade iron ore."
"Every little bit counts. And you—your back's too stiff when you swing the pickaxe. You'll tire out fast like that."
I demonstrated.
Snap using waist torque and shoulder rotation.
"Watch. Mining isn't about brute force. Read the ore's grain, aim for the gaps, and tap it clean."
Clang!
A clean chunk of iron ore broke free.
"Whoa..."
"Your turn."
Erika gripped her pickaxe and mimicked my stance.
She hesitantly struck the rock.
Clang!
"Oh, it really works? Barely any effort and it comes right off!"
Of course it does.
I'm a guy with the Mining skill.
E-rank, at that.
Sure, my trait lets me pick up skills easily, making E-rank Mining seem worthless.
But in reality, hunters shell out big bucks for skillbooks from dungeons or towers, or grind weeks to years in training to acquire them. Skills are a pain to get.
E-rank Mining means veteran status—at least a few years of serious mining.
Not something to scoff at.
"Told ya. It's all about technique."
"You're amazing, Lee Jun! Great in a fight, mining pro—you can do anything!"
Admiration dripped from Erika's eyes.
Praise like that makes my shoulders puff up.
This is why you raise newbies.
Chatting idly and giving mining tips, we soon reached our destination.
The entrance to the collapsed tunnel.
A narrow gap below—just wide enough for one person.
"Here. Let's go in."
I went first, with Erika following.
Inside, Erika let out a gasp.
"Wowww...!"
Red ores embedded in the cavern walls.
Mid-grade iron ores twinkling like stars in faint light.
"Real mid-grade iron ore! So many!"
Erika bounced with excitement.
Eldorado for a penniless newbie miner.
She looked ready to charge in with her pickaxe.
But ore wasn't my goal.
"Check that out."
I pointed to the center.
A lone, rusty katana stabbed into a massive rock.
[Legendary Sword: Hakunakiri Maru]
"That it? The sword you mentioned."
"Yeah."
Erika approached.
Rusted red, wrapped in spiderwebs—a total junkyard reject.
"It looks ancient. How long has it been here?"
"Beats me... But Lisa said it's some legendary blade passed down from antiquity. Pull it out, and boom—jackpot."
Sorry again, Lisa.
Borrowing your name one more time.
I've bought you plenty of meals.
"Hmm... Really? Hard to believe. Lisa said that?"
"Can't judge a book by its cover. True treasures hide in plain sight."
"Heh..."
"I tried pulling it last time—didn't budge."
Pure lie, of course.
I never even tried.
System-locked for the owner only.
"Erika, wanna give it a shot?"
"Me? M-Me?"
Erika flailed in panic, eyes bulging like a rabbit.
"You couldn't pull it. No way I could."
"You never know. Maybe you're the owner."
"Nah, no chance."
Erika smiled shyly.
Dusty cave or not, her smile lit up the place.
She's seriously gorgeous.
Luna's the flashy beauty type, but Erika stirs up that protective instinct with her pure charm.
'What a shame.'
If it were Lisa—no, if Erika or Luna had hit 'person I like' favorability, I'd have made some progress.
We might be flirting right now instead of me heading back to reality.
Hell, maybe even gone all the way.
'Wait, that's not cool.'
Thinking of Lisa's beaming face every time she sees me made me feel guilty.
Kid or not, having those thoughts about someone who likes me...
I shook my head to clear the stray thoughts and nodded at the sword.
"Worst case, nothing lost. Give it a grab."
"B-But..."
"Hurry up. I'm dying of curiosity here."
Urged on, Erika hesitantly climbed the rock.
"W-Well then... Excuse me."
Excuse me to whom? She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped the hilt.
That instant.
Sching.
A clear metallic ring.
"Huh?"
Erika hadn't even pulled hard—the sword slid out on its own.
Fwoosh—!
Blinding light burst from the blade.
Red rust flaked away like powder, revealing its true form.
A translucent silver blade like polished moonlight, cherry blossom crest on the hilt.
The blade from the original story—I'd seen it countless times.
Erika's signature weapon: swing it casually, and it unleashes ranged slashes like sword beams. Total cheat item.
"W-What...?"
Erika stared blankly at the sword.
She'd pulled it herself but looked utterly shocked.
I feigned exaggerated surprise.
"Erika! What are you? How'd you pull that?!"
"I-I don't know. Just touched it, and... Look! The sword changed! And weird text appeared saying I'm registered as Hakunakiri Maru's owner..."
"Whoa, so its name's Hakunakiri Maru. News to me."
"No way..."
Erika still looked dazed at me, but gazed rapturously at the sword.
A high school girl making that face over a katana...
Even in the original, it was a bit cringy.
But she's pretty, so it works.
'Perfect. Handed over Hakunakiri Maru.'
Back on the original story track.
With that sword, Erika will steamroll ahead.
She soloed the eighth floor with it—attack power's no issue.
I can handle sixth floor solo now, so with my support, we could hit seventh right away...
Nope, can't.
Gotta spend quality time with the succubus peeking from there. Erika might despise me if she saw.
Tch, what a shame.
'Hold on.'
Something felt off.
In the original, right after pulling the sword, there was an event.
'Right, the yokai.'
A yokai sealed in the sword.
I hadn't recalled it immediately because it barely appeared—just a brief flashback from Erika later.
Moments later, red smoke began rising from the hole in the rock where the sword had been.
Sinister aura creeping out.
'Here it comes.'
Per the original lore, Hakunakiri Maru sealed a yokai.
The 'Haku' in Hakunakiri is the yokai's name.
It cleaved the yokai Hakuna, hence the name.
In the story, it popped out right after Erika pulled the sword. She swung instinctively in shock, and the blade sliced the oni like tofu. End of sword backstory.
No clue on further details.
Like I said a million times, the mangaka abandoned it mid-run.
Fucking asshole.
Wanna track him down and can his ass.
Shoooosh!
The red smoke coalesced instantly into a massive oni's form.
Horned head, blazing red eyes.
Claws dripping blood, sharp and crimson.
It raised its hand behind Erika.
Now she just needs to slice it...
Wait.
Hold up.
"Lee Jun, look at this! The blade is so beau—"
Erika was still engrossed in the sword, oblivious to the rear.
Worse, she was facing me.
Butterfly effect from my interference.
Alone in the original, she'd react instantly to the emerging mist.
But with me here, she wanted to show off the sword first.
Damn it.
"Erika! Behind you!"
"Huh?"
As Erika tilted her head, the oni's claws slashed toward her back.
"Fuck!"
My body moved before my brain could catch up.
Body Enhancement (E)
Temporary stat boost
Boom—!
I kicked off the ground and launched myself toward Erika.