I passed through a pitch-black void for a fleeting moment before emerging on the other side.
The space I arrived in was a small chamber, somewhere between a cave and a man-made room. It was roughly square, about four or five meters on each side. Though not bright, the entire area gave off a faint, ethereal glow.
So, this was the inside of the Labyrinth.
Paths branched out from the small room: one to the front, one to the right, and one to the left. Behind me stood a black wall. That was likely the entrance I had just stepped through.
The tunnels extending from the room were dim, shadowy spaces, barely three meters wide. They felt relatively cramped, and the lack of light made it impossible to see very far into the distance.
The path straight ahead reached a crossroads almost immediately. The layout seemed quite complex. I hadn't made any preparations for mapping, and I found myself wondering if I’d be alright.
For that matter, what had I even intended to do if the Labyrinth had been pitch black?
Well, those six people from earlier hadn't been carrying lights either. I supposed there was always the possibility that a Mage could use illumination magic.
Regarding the mapping, I decided to keep it simple: I would always keep the wall on my left side as I moved. In a maze, if you stick to one wall—left or right—you’ll eventually find your way back to your starting point, even if you get turned around.
I turned down the path to the left. It branched again just ahead, and beyond that, I could see another turn. Both the walls and the floor felt solid underfoot. When I stepped on the ground, the floorboards—or whatever they were made of—glowed faintly where my feet touched.
It seemed I wouldn't need a light source after all. The Labyrinth was surprisingly convenient, though I had a nagging suspicion that this glow might make me an easy target for monsters.
After walking for a bit, I heard a sound from behind.
I turned to see a section of the wall in the starting room turn black, and a group of people stepped out. It was the same six-person party: five Knights and one Explorer. They marched straight into the black wall at the entrance and vanished.
As I thought, that black wall was the exit.
I pressed on.
The question was: what would I do when a monster actually appeared?
Since I had acquired the Chant Shortening skill, I wondered if I could make use of my other abilities. I checked my Job Settings to be sure.
Explorer: Lv 1 Effect: Small Stamina Increase Skills: Item Box Operation, Party Formation, Dungeon Walk
Wait, what? When I checked my Job Settings, I saw my options had expanded.
Explorer. I supposed that meant anyone who explored Labyrinths gained the job automatically. It seemed I didn't need to join a guild to qualify.
I’d gained the Thief job when I stole the sandals and the Hero job when I protected the village. It stood to reason that simply entering the Labyrinth had unlocked the Explorer job. To gain a job in this world, you had to perform actions consistent with its role.
I tried fiddling with the settings, but I couldn't set it as my First Job. My only options for that slot were still Villager Lv 3 or Thief Lv 3.
It was just like before; I couldn't set Hero or Explorer as my primary job. Left with no choice, I kept my First Job as Villager Lv 3.
Thinking back to the Intelligence Card, it was definitely better not to have Thief as my First Job. Since the card reflected whatever was in that primary slot, having "Thief" displayed would lead to some very uncomfortable questions if I were ever inspected.
I left my Second Job as Hero Lv 1 for its powerful effects. Its unique skill was Overwhelming. Right, that was the one.
Finally, I set my Third Job to Explorer Lv 1.
I immediately tried to chant the new skill.
"Item Box Op—"
Before I could finish the phrase, a box-like object manifested near my hand.
It was less of a box and more like a portal. Viewed from the side, it was just a flat opening with no depth at all. This had to be space magic.
I’d intended to chant "Item Box Operation," but the portal had appeared halfway through the words. That had to be the effect of Chant Shortening. Even with the skill, it wasn't as if the shortened versions of spells just popped into my head; the magic simply responded faster.
I wondered what would happen if the words "Item Box" came up in casual conversation. I might have discovered an unexpected weakness of Chant Shortening, though perhaps the magic wouldn't trigger unless I actually intended to cast it.
I unbuckled the scimitar from my waist and tried sliding it into the portal. It went in without any resistance.
When I let go, the entrance vanished. I chanted "Item Box" again, and the portal reappeared. My scimitar was sitting right there inside.
From the look of it, the Item Box was already full with just that one sword. I wanted to test its limits, but performing experiments in the middle of a Labyrinth seemed like a bad idea. I didn't want to be caught off guard by a monster.
I closed the Item Box and tried the next skill. Party Formation was useless since I was alone, so I moved on to the last one.
"Dungeon Walk."
As I chanted, I felt a mental prompt requesting input. It wanted to know where I wanted to go. I pictured the small entry chamber I had just left.
The right wall of the cave turned black. I stepped through the dark surface.
I found myself back in the starting room. The exit wall was right there. The black portal I had just emerged from faded back into a normal wall as soon as I was through.
I see.
As long as I could clearly recall a location, I could move there at will. Given the name, I assumed it was restricted to locations within the Labyrinth. So this was the local version of movement magic.
Wait. Come to think of it, I’d seen a black wall at the entrance to the forest before I even entered the Labyrinth. That was the wall the party of six had emerged from.
"Dungeon Walk."
I chanted the skill while picturing the trees outside in the forest.
The wall in front of me turned black, but I couldn't step into it. So it was useless outside the dungeon. I supposed traveling between locations in the overworld required a different type of magic.
Still, this meant I didn't have to worry about getting lost anymore. Mapping might actually be a waste of time.
"Dungeon Walk."
I chanted again, intending to return to the path I had been exploring. I pictured the spot and reached for the black wall that appeared, but I couldn't go through.
Another failure? Why?
Was it a lack of MP? No, that wasn't it; the wall had manifested. Maybe the locations I could travel to were restricted to specific landmarks, like these entry rooms.
Since I couldn't teleport back, I had to go on foot.
Something squirmed in the shadows further down the path.
I used Appraisal. It was a Needle Wood Lv 1. It was a spindly monster that looked like a cross between a person and a plant, with a brown body and a green head. It wasn't particularly large.
I wanted to see how I stacked up against it. I gripped Durandal with both hands and sprinted toward the creature.
"Overwhelming!"
I swung the blade along with the shout, cleaving the monster diagonally from its shoulder. Its brown body slumped to the ground.
Hmph. One hit.
From an outsider's perspective, I probably looked pretty cool. Like I’d just unleashed a ultimate finishing move. I could almost imagine myself as a legendary warrior slaying a god-tier monster.
Of course, the reality was that it was a single blow solely because of Durandal.
Nothing else happened. Nothing changed.
Was the skill useless? No, that couldn't be it.
I realized I didn't have enough MP. The skill’s true effect likely hadn't manifested because I was low on energy. Since I’d learned Overwhelming at Lv 1, I should have been able to use it with my current stats, but I had probably wasted too much MP on my Dungeon Walk experiments.
Furthermore, I had assumed this was a combat skill, but I had no real proof of that. For all I knew, it could be a passive ability. But then again, if I didn't have Chant Shortening, it would have required a full incantation.
The smoke billowing from the monster faded, leaving a small twig behind. Appraisal identified it as a "Branch." This was apparently the drop item for a Needle Wood.
I tried to put the Branch into the Item Box, but it wouldn't fit. The space was completely occupied by my scimitar. What a uselessly small inventory. I stuffed the Branch into my rucksack instead.
I moved on, looking for my next target.
Durandal had MP Absorption in addition to HP Absorption. I should have recovered a little from that kill, but I wanted to hunt a few more just to be safe. It was incredibly frustrating not being able to see my exact HP and MP bars.
I approached the next monster. As I drew near, the Needle Wood twisted its body, preparing to lash out with its branches.
I was faster. I cut it down in a single stroke from shoulder to hip.
The monster dissolved into smoke, leaving another Branch. I stuffed it into my bag and kept going.
I slaughtered one more and took a left at the next fork. There was another party ahead, a group of people surrounding a single Needle Wood and pummeling it.
I decided to leave them to it and went straight instead. My "always turn left" rule was officially broken, but it didn't matter. With Dungeon Walk, I could return to the entrance whenever I wanted.
I reached a four-way intersection and pressed straight ahead. Something was moving in the distance. I had to stay sharp; the faint glow from my footsteps might be a disadvantage if the monsters here relied on sight.
"Overwhelming."
I chanted the skill as I charged.
Nothing. Still nothing.
No, wait. Something was different.
The monster's movements slowed down. For a split second, it looked as if the creature was moving in slow motion.
In that window of time, I closed the distance. A wave of negativity washed over me—a sudden, crushing feeling that I didn't want to do anything at all—but I pushed through it and swung Durandal.
I wasn't sure if the monster had slowed down or if I had simply sped up. Either way, I cut down the Needle Wood before it could even begin to counter.
As the monster vanished into smoke, my mood stabilized.
The skill’s effect seemed to be some form of acceleration or time dilation. Either that, or it was just a massive boost to my Agility. Regardless, it allowed me to move far faster than my enemies. It was an incredibly potent ability.
As for why my mood had crashed and then recovered... it had to be the MP. Something similar had happened when I used the Flame Sword skill. It seemed that when my MP hit a critical low, I fell into a temporary depression. The skill must have drained a massive amount of MP, which was then partially replenished by Durandal's absorption effect.
My emotions were swinging like a manic-depressive on a roller coaster. It was exhausting. If I kept this up, I’d probably end up with a permanent mental disorder. I decided to avoid using Overwhelming too often until I had a larger MP pool.
I calmed my breathing and focused Appraisal on my own arm.
Michio Kaga < Male, 17 years old > Villager: Lv 4, Hero: Lv 1, Explorer: Lv 1 Equipment: Durandal, Leather Armor, Sandals
Only my Villager level had gone up. Hero and Explorer remained the same.
How many of those things had I killed? If my 1/5 Required XP and 5x XP Gain were both working, that should be twenty-five times the normal experience. I should have been gaining levels as if I’d killed a hundred monsters. Leveling up in this world was clearly no easy task.
I got the impression that levels generally didn't get very high here. It made sense; unlike a video game you could beat in a few days, people here probably spent their entire lives steadily grinding. Defeating twenty monsters wasn't going to cut it.
Or perhaps the twenty-five-fold experience boost wasn't being applied properly. With three jobs equipped, maybe the experience was being split between them. Or maybe the sub-jobs only received a fraction of the total.
Man, I really wished I had a strategy guide.
I shoved another Branch into my rucksack. Then, I willed a "Character Reset."
Since Villager had leveled up, I had one Bonus Point left over. It was a great system—the higher my primary job level, the more points I had to play with. I removed the Critical Rate Increase and selected Chant Omission instead.
I didn't really see the point of the critical rate boost yet. I hadn't fought enough for a five-percent chance to be noticeable, and since I was one-shotting everything anyway, a critical hit was overkill.
My Bonus Points dropped back to zero, and Chant Omission became active.
Chant Shortening cost one point, and Chant Omission cost two. For a total of only three points, I had gained the ability to cast magic without speaking. This system was almost too good to be true.
With Chant Shortening, I still had to say the skill name. With Chant Omission, I assumed I only had to think it.
I tested it. I thought the words Item Box, and the portal appeared instantly.
I went back to hunting.
I wondered if Needle Woods were the only monsters on this floor. The Explorer at the entrance had said the first floor was "Needle Woods," so it was a safe bet. With Durandal, I was essentially untouchable here.
After another hour of hunting, I decided to test the Thief's Bandana. I had to change my job to Thief for it to work. I tried to set it as my First Job... but I couldn't.
Why not? I’d been able to swap between Villager and Thief earlier.
Then it clicked. I was Villager Lv 4 now.
I’d solved the mystery. Currently, I was using 102 Bonus Points: 63 for Weapon VI, 15 for 1/5 Required XP, 15 for 5x XP Gain, 3 for the Third Job, 3 for Chant Omission, and 1 each for Appraisal, Job Settings, and Character Reset. That 102 was the sum of my original 99 points plus the 3 points I’d gained from reaching Villager Lv 4.
I couldn't "unequip" Villager Lv 4 because I was currently using the points it provided. When I was Lv 3, I could swap to Thief because the point total remained the same.
I willed a Character Reset, removed Chant Omission to free up 3 points, and then opened Job Settings. Now I could set Hero Lv 1 as my First Job.
It was a brilliant system, but it had its quirks. If you spent the bonus points you gained from a level, you couldn't lower that job’s level or swap it out. It was only fair.
I set my First Job to Thief Lv 3.
I wondered if the Thief's Bandana was actually boosting my stats. I felt a bit lighter, but it might have been a placebo effect. It was hard to tell. In this world, leveling up didn't come with a sudden burst of energy or a clear physical change.
Since I could already kill a Needle Wood in one swing, I had no way of measuring a slight increase in strength. And I definitely wasn't going to try fighting them without Durandal just to test a theory.
Besides, I didn't want anyone to see me wearing the bandana. I took it off and reset my jobs to their previous state. I used my 3 spare points to reacquire Chant Omission.
I’d been in the Labyrinth for a little over an hour. At least, that’s what it felt like. I could have kept going, but I decided to call it a day.
Not yet is already, and already is not yet. Usually, when you think you can keep going, you’re already past your limit. This was my first time in a dungeon; my nerves were fried, and I was physically tired. Durandal could heal my body, but it couldn't fix mental exhaustion.
I pictured the entry room and used Dungeon Walk. I stepped through the black wall and emerged at the start. With this skill, getting lost was a thing of the past.
I’d fought about twenty battles, all against lone Needle Woods. Twenty kills in an hour. Traveling on foot in the real world took time; it wasn't like a game where you could just spam encounters. Even with one-hit kills, finding the monster, charging it, and looting the drops added up. At least I didn't feel like I was in any real danger.
Villager hadn't leveled up again, but Hero and Explorer were both now Lv 2.
I used Character Reset to hide Durandal, then opened my Item Box to take out my scimitar.
Wait.
There was a gap in the space where the scimitar had been. It looked like I could fit something else in there. Had it always been like that?
I took a Branch from my bag and tried to store it. It went in. In fact, I could fit two Branches in that slot. I tried to add a scimitar back into the same slot, but it wouldn't fit. However, when I removed the two Branches, the scimitar slid in easily.
The slots were apparently size-restricted. But more importantly, there were now two slots available.
My Explorer level had gone up, so the Item Box capacity must have increased. At Lv 1, I could store one item of one type. Now that I was Lv 2, I could store two types of items, with a quantity of two each. That seemed to fit the data.
I’d have to confirm it once I reached Explorer Lv 3. If my hypothesis held, I should be able to store three types of items, three of each.
I tucked the scimitar into my belt and stepped through the exit portal.
Outside the Labyrinth, I made my way back to Vale. The sun was beginning to set. I’d thought I was only gone for an hour, but it seemed I’d spent more time in the dungeon than I realized. I’d have to be more careful about my sense of time.
The market was still bustling. I headed toward the center of town, browsing the stalls along the way. Before heading to the inn, I stopped by the Adventurer Guild. Alan, the slave trader, had told me where it was.
The Adventurer Guild was larger than the Explorer Guild, resembling a post office in a mid-sized town. There were about half a dozen people inside, and the layout featured the same counter-style setup I’d seen before.
"I have some items to sell," I said, stepping up to the counter after activating my 30% Purchase Price Increase. I wanted to see how the guild’s buying process worked.
The clerk was a woman in her late twenties or early thirties. She was a Villager, and she was reasonably attractive—as long as I didn't compare her to Roxanne.
"Please place them here," she said, sliding a large tray toward me.
I unloaded twenty-one Branches from my rucksack. Every monster I’d killed had dropped exactly one.
"Understood. Please wait a moment." She took the tray and disappeared into the back.
I looked around the guild to kill time. Suddenly, the left wall turned black. A portal formed, and two people stepped out.
Was that Dungeon Walk? Could you use it outside of a Labyrinth? The two people who emerged were Adventurers, not Explorers.
"Anyone need a one-way trip to Tahera Town?" one of them called out.
No one responded. The Adventurer mumbled a spell, a black portal reappeared, and they vanished back into the wall.
I was pretty sure they’d said "Field Walk," not "Dungeon Walk." So it was a different skill.
I remembered the black portal I’d seen on a tree near the Labyrinth entrance. Just as Explorers had Dungeon Walk for movement within a dungeon, Adventurers had Field Walk for travel between towns. Those two must have been heading back to Tahera.
I wondered why they’d come here in the first place. Just then, another portal opened, and six people stepped out—including one of the Adventurers from before. They immediately marched out of the guild.
Well, whatever they were doing was beyond me.
"Thank you for waiting. This is your total," the clerk said, returning to the counter.
She placed two silver coins and a pile of copper coins on the tray. There were seventy-three coppers.
Two hundred and seventy-three Nahl for twenty-one Branches. That worked out to thirteen Nahl each. Normally they were ten Nahl, so the thirty-percent bonus was working.
It was a pitiful amount, even for the first floor. I’d spent roughly two hours in the Labyrinth to make that much. At that rate, I’d have to kill a hundred monsters just to make a thousand Nahl. Earning two gold coins a day was a pipe dream. Even if I pushed myself, I was an entire order of magnitude away from the twenty thousand Nahl a day I needed to buy Roxanne.
Maybe things would change if I could reach the deeper floors.
My inn stayed cost three hundred and twenty Nahl a day, including meals. That meant I could at least earn enough to survive. I suppose that was the baseline for a beginning explorer.
"By the way, how do I join the Adventurer Guild?" I asked.
"The requirements are simple: you must be an Explorer Lv 50 or higher. If you meet that criteria, I can take you to the registration desk."
"Oh, no, I was just curious."
I beat a hasty retreat and left the guild. So Adventurer was an advanced job that required fifty levels in Explorer. I wasn't sure if you had to actually join the guild to get the job, but I’d been able to become an Explorer without any paperwork. I could probably become an Adventurer the same way once I hit the level cap.
Joining a guild seemed like a hassle anyway, especially since it probably meant I’d be forced to sell my loot exclusively to them. I needed to be careful about where I signed my name.
Alan had mentioned that the two guilds didn't get along. It made sense. If you needed fifty levels of Explorer to become an Adventurer, the Adventurers were essentially poaching the best talent. From the Explorer Guild's perspective, their members were either future Adventurers or the "leftovers" who couldn't make the cut.
I swapped my 30% Purchase Price Increase for the 30% Discount and went shopping for clothes. I bought socks, underwear, a spare shirt and trousers, and a cloak.
The underwear was a pair of "pumpkin pants" that tied at the waist and knees. The shirt, trousers, and cloak were clearly used, but that seemed to be the norm here. I picked out a dark, hooded cloak. It was chilly in the mornings, so it wouldn't look out of place, and the hood would be perfect for hiding my Thief's Bandana if I ever needed to go bounty hunting.
By the time I was done, the market was starting to wind down. I headed back to the inn with my purchases. The owner, the Lv 28 Lodge Keeper, was at the desk.
"Welcome back," he said. The place didn't exactly have the vibe of a five-star hotel.
"My key, please."
He handed me the key for 311. I dropped my stuff off in my room and went back down.
"Is it too late for dinner?"
"Nah, go ahead. Just pick what you want from the display in the dining room."
"I’d like some hot water after I eat."
"That’ll be twenty Nahl."
Wait, what happened to my discount? It didn't seem to be working here. I grumbled and handed over twenty copper coins.
I went into the dining room. Four different meals were laid out on a table near the entrance.
"Please choose one of these for your dinner," a woman said, gesturing to the spread. She was likely the one in charge of the kitchen.
Instead of a menu, they used a physical display—probably because so many customers couldn't read. I noticed characters written on the table next to each dish. They matched the characters on my room key. My key said 311, so I pointed to the dish with the character for "One."
"I'll have this one."
"Understood. And for your drink?"
Dammit. I’d hoped she’d say "Number one, coming up," so I could confirm the characters, but she’d just ignored them. My plan had failed.
"What do you have?"
"Beer, wine, or herb tea. Slime wine is extra."
"Herb tea, please."
I’d had a bit of alcohol back in Japan, but I didn't know my limit here, and I didn't want to risk it while carrying thirty-three gold coins.
I sat down, and the food arrived almost immediately. It was bread, a cup of soup, vegetable stew, and roasted meat. The portion was huge, probably because people only ate twice a day here. The bread was soft, and the stew was delicious. The meat tasted like beef and was well-seasoned with pepper. I’d assumed pepper would be a luxury, but maybe it was common here.
The food was good enough that they could have charged for it in Japan. I was glad I’d opted for the meal plan.
After finishing, I went back to my room. The sunset was casting a red glow through the wooden window. There was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
"I’ve brought your hot water, sir."
A man I hadn't seen before brought in a basin of steaming water. He set it on the floor, draped a towel over it, and left without a word. Apparently, no tipping was required.
I stripped and wiped myself down. Since neither the Chief’s house nor this inn had a bath, it seemed they weren't very common in this world—or they were strictly for the rich. Twenty Nahl for a basin of water wasn't cheap, but I couldn't stand the thought of going to bed covered in sweat.
After cleaning myself, I washed my old underwear in the leftover water. There was no soap, so it was a simple rinse. I hadn't seen any at the market, so it might be another luxury. I made a mental note to look for soap, a toothbrush, and toothpaste next time.
I pulled on the new pumpkin pants. They were crude, with no elastic and rough stitching, but wearing them made me feel like I was finally becoming a part of this world. I climbed into bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
When I woke up, the room was still pitch black. I’d been dreaming of Roxanne. On only my second day here, I’d already stopped dreaming about Japan.
Roxanne was tangible, whereas Japan was gone. She was stunningly beautiful—the kind of girl who wouldn't have given me the time of day back home. And those dog ears were incredibly cute. I remembered the way her chest had swayed when she served me tea.
I had to have her. I was all alone in this world, and having someone like Roxanne by my side would be invaluable. She could teach me the common sense of this world. Even if I had to push myself to the limit, I had to make enough money to buy her. She was my only anchor.
I sat up and took a deep breath. I’d gone to bed early, probably around seven. There was nothing to do once it got dark anyway—no TV, no internet, no books.
I supposed I could have gone to a bar to gather information, but the thought of it was exhausting. I’d been bullied my whole life; I wasn't exactly a social butterfly. Besides, wandering around a dangerous neighborhood with thirty-three gold coins was suicide. That was enough money to live on for three years. In Japan, that would be like walking into a shady bar with ten million yen in your pocket.
Plus, I didn't know how alcohol would affect me here. I couldn't risk getting drunk and blabbering about being from another world. And what kind of "information" would I even find in a bar? It would probably be a trap or a scam. To people in a place like that, I was just a fat mark with a bag full of gold. It was safer to just stay in bed.
I’d slept with my scimitar tucked under my arm like a body pillow. I felt refreshed, even if it was still only about three in the morning.
I went to the bathroom and then poked my head into the lobby. A few lanterns were burning, providing just enough light to see the stairs.
"Off to the Labyrinth?" a voice called out from the darkness.
"Whoa! Oh... yeah." My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
The owner was standing behind the front desk.
"Be careful out there."
"Is it okay to go out this early?"
"Of course. Plenty of people hunt at night. This town’s Labyrinth isn't too crowded yet, but during the day, it can get pretty busy."
That made sense. Inside a Labyrinth, it was always the same dim light regardless of the time.
"Must be tough for you, staying up all night."
"We’re Emallo. Our people are a bit unique; we don't need much sleep. Or rather, it's hard to explain to other races, but we can sleep with half our brain at a time."
"Half at a time? Like, alternating between the left and right hemispheres?"
I remembered learning about that in biology. Dolphins did the same thing so they wouldn't drown.
"You actually understand?" The owner looked surprised.
"Sort of."
"That’s the first time a human has ever grasped the concept." He looked genuinely pleased. I supposed the concept of "hemispheres" wasn't common knowledge here. Maybe the Emallo had evolved from some kind of sea creature. They had two legs, though.
"Anyway," the owner continued, "Emallo don't like to settle down. Most of us take the Lodge Keeper job and work in guild-run inns. It suits us perfectly since we can transfer to different towns whenever we want."
I handed him my room key. I had my rucksack with me, and since I had nothing better to do, going back to the Labyrinth seemed like a good idea.
"You don't need a lantern?"
"I'll be fine," I said, trying to look cool as I stepped out into the night.
...I was not fine. It was pitch black. I couldn't see an inch in front of my face. There was either no moon, or it was hidden. The stars were brilliant, but they did nothing to light the ground.
As someone who grew up in Tokyo, this level of darkness was terrifying. I considered going back for a lantern, but the thought of ghosts or monsters lurking in the shadows made me hesitate.
Then I remembered my Bonus Spells. I didn't have Field Walk, but I did have Warp. Meteor Crash had been too expensive, but Warp might be manageable now that I’d leveled up and had a full MP bar.
I used Character Reset to hide the discount and equip Durandal, then swapped Job Settings for the Warp spell.
I faced the direction of the Labyrinth and thought the word Warp while picturing the entry room. My hand passed through the air as if the inn’s wall wasn't even there.
It worked. I had actually succeeded.
But as soon as I stepped through, a crushing wave of depression hit me. Instead of being happy about the success, I was suddenly overwhelmed by a profound sense of misery.
I emerged in the dim light of the Labyrinth’s entry room, wondering why I’d even come here. I never wanted to use Warp again. It had to be even more taxing than Overwhelming. My mood had plummeted into a dark pit where everything felt pointless.
The only way to fix this was to use Durandal to absorb some MP. I forced myself to walk into the tunnel, fighting the urge to just curl up on the floor.
When the first Needle Wood appeared, I suppressed my desire to run and cut it down. Before the swing, I was convinced I would lose, but of course, it was a one-hit kill.
"Phew... man, that’s rough."
The MP absorption kicked in, and I finally felt like myself again. That mental drain was no joke. I really needed to avoid Warp until my stats were higher.
I spent the next few hours hunting. It took about ten minutes of wandering to find each monster, so I was only averaging about six kills an hour. By the time I had twenty more Branches, the sun was beginning to rise.
I didn't want to use Warp to get back, so I used Dungeon Walk to return to the entry room and walked home. The timing was perfect; the town was waking up as I returned.
I had breakfast at the inn. This time, there were only two choices. I picked "Number One" again, confirming that the character matched my key. It was another hearty meal, which I appreciated.
Back in my room, I checked my Job Settings.
Villager Lv 5, Hero Lv 2, Explorer Lv 3, Thief Lv 3, Warrior Lv 1, Swordsman Lv 1, Merchant Lv 1.
I had a bunch of new jobs. I’d gained levels in Warrior and Swordsman from the combat, and Merchant from my shopping spree. It seemed that reaching Villager Lv 5 had unlocked these basic classes.
I decided to make Explorer Lv 3 my primary job. I kept Hero Lv 2 as my second, and for the third, I chose Warrior.
Warrior: Lv 1 Effect: Small Stamina Increase, Tiny HP Increase Skill: Rush
The stat boosts were better than Villager. Swordsman and Merchant were similar, but Alan had said that leveling Warrior was the path to becoming a Bounty Hunter.
With Explorer Lv 3, I wanted to see if my Item Box had expanded. I tried to put my entire rucksack inside, but it wouldn't fit—likely a size limitation. I tried a smaller bag, but that didn't work either. It seemed the Box only accepted loose items.
I put in a Branch. Then another. I could fit nine in one slot now. I tried coins next. I could store three gold coins in a slot, then three more in another. Silver coins worked too, but I couldn't mix gold and silver in the same slot.
It seemed the capacity was indeed three types of items, three of each.
Finally, I looked at the new skills. Warrior’s Rush and Swordsman’s Slash sounded like combat abilities. When I tried to trigger Rush, I felt a prompt to select a target. Since I was already one-shotting monsters, I didn't see much use for them yet.
Merchant had a skill called Calc. I equipped Merchant and tried to use it. Nothing happened at first, but then I thought about a math problem: 224 times 365.
Suddenly, the number 81,760 popped into my head.
Calc was a passive calculation skill. Two hundred and twenty-four Nahl a day times 365 days times sixty years... that was 4,905,600. So, if I had five hundred gold coins, I could stay at this inn for the rest of my life.
Wait, was that math right? One hundred times one hundred is ten thousand... okay, that works. A million times a million is...
Yeah, never mind. I had no idea if it was actually right or not.