Awakening to a Special-Grade Explorer - CH 91

Chapter 91

There is a big difference between passive skills and active skills. Passive skills do not consume MP and have effects just by wearing them.

However, for now, there are no effects that have a 100% activation rate, and it seems that they are abilities that have a low probability of 10% or 20% existing in the same system. The passive skills that Tenji currently possess are ‘Drunkenness’ and ‘Explosion’, both of which are powerful abilities that exert their effects depending on the probability when attacking.

On the other hand, active skills consume MP. The skill ‘Power Guidance’ consumes 105 MP per use and can grant a 1.75 times attack power effect to the status for exactly 60 seconds. Duplicate activation is not possible. The other skill, ‘No Guidance’, puts a psychic-like power on the Hell weapon itself and has the effect of manipulating the weapon freely by consuming 5 MP in one second.

To put it simply, even if you don’t hold the weapon in your hand, you can spin it around in the air as you wish. It has been found that it can be controlled even if it is about 100 meters away.

Ordinary explorers distinguish this as “constant skills” and “activated skills”. The words “passive skills” and “active skills” are not used in the explorer community. It can be said that Tenji is the only one who knows the true name of the skill.

For higher-grade explorers, it is easy to combine these skills freely and further double the effect, rather than using them individually.

To become such a high-level searcher, there are certain basic skills that are most important.

[I’m getting used to MP control… Chigo-chan’s teaching was good and it is helping me a lot.]

It was around noon on a Sunday with no lectures.

Tenji was lying on his back on the grass in the garden, spinning the Red Demon’s Dagger above his head like a spinning top, without touching it at all.

He was training in the skill ‘Un-Guidance’ and simultaneously training to control MP.

[‘He who controls MP controls skills,’ huh? Chigo-chan was right.]

“In the world of explorers, there was a saying that “he who controls MP controls skills,” which was a remnant of the first dungeon era.”

It is true that the time from MP supply to activation can be significantly improved by seriously learning how to operate MP from a master, rather than just handling it casually and without understanding what it means.

“What is an MP in the first place?”

Many ordinary people have such questions, and many explorers who deal with MP cannot explain it. It is a technique that is closer to application than to basics.

“MP, which cannot even be sensed by ordinary people, was a unique and new type of atom that mixed into this planet 23 years ago, wasn’t it? … It’s still a strange feeling, as I have only recently been able to sense what an MP atom is.”

A different and new kind of atom, commonly known as the MP atom.

Even with the latest research, detailed clarification about this atom, nothing much has progressed.

In the first place, most researchers cannot even feel it. Even if they want to study it, the difficulty is that they cannot study it. If they want to advance their research, they must be someone who can feel MP atoms. Alternatively, they have to invest vast amounts of money to hire explorers.

The reason why a vast amount of money is required is that even among explorers, a very few can feel MP atoms.

It is said that even among professional explorers, only those who have acquired the skills and techniques of veteran third-grade explorers or higher can finally feel the existence of MP atoms, which are slightly cold like cold air.

Explorers below that level cannot sense the existence of MP atoms, even though they can use skills.

Even though they say they can use skills, those who can actually sense MP atoms say that their use of MP is highly inefficient. Some even go as far as to say that they can’t really use skills at all with such a low level of proficiency in MP usage.

The loss rate is said to be over 85%.

Despite this, major countries such as the United States and Russia invested vast amounts of money as joint research, and a decade ago, measurement of MP atoms became possible through research.

It was called a hybrid machine of dungeon items and modern science, and it was a groundbreaking invention that shook the world at the time, as reported in the news.

Even now, there are only a few hundred of them in the world, and they are called “Precision MP Atom Measuring Instruments.”

By measuring various items such as the concentration and density of MP atoms detected from the dungeon gate, it is possible to investigate the grade of monsters and the size of the dungeon.

The relationship between the eyes and grade of monsters was also revealed thanks to this precision machine.

It was also used to predict the future of magic ore. It was determined from the measurement that the cost performance and energy efficiency of magic ore were overwhelmingly better than oil and atomic energy, and that it did not cause environmental pollution.

While the effects of MP atoms are becoming clear in modern times, the root cause has not been clarified.

Regarding this, countries around the world are in the stage of desperately searching.

“Spinning, spinning and spinning.”

Recently, Tenji had introduced new training to improve his control over MP atoms. This was made possible by his level increasing to 2, allowing him to sense the coldness of MP atoms, as well as his acquisition of a new Hell Weapon.

Normally, guilds provide funds and items to support MP manipulation training, and it can be quite expensive. Veteran mentors within the guilds usually educate new members.

However, Tenji was lucky enough to be someone who didn’t require much money. He had acquired the perfect skill for the “No Guidance” training, allowing him to rotate his weapon like a spinning top without touching it. With Chigo around, he had an environment where he could ask questions anytime he was uncertain.

It was a situation where he could not afford to delay his training any longer. Thus, he dedicated as much time as possible each day to training.

“It’s still difficult. I wonder who the first person was to discover this technique. It’s amazing that someone came up with a training method that could produce such results. Respect to our predecessors.”

Tenji said as he activated his active skill, causing the red ogre necklace around his neck to absorb MP and emit a faint heat.

At the beginning of his training, he surrendered to the flow, trying to grasp the sense of manipulating MP. As he became more comfortable, he attempted to adjust the amount of MP flowing, either by reducing or increasing the amount.

Ultimately, he aimed to become able to manipulate MP atoms within his body without the help of the necklace. It was said that this was the gateway to becoming an advanced explorer.

“Well, Chigo apparently mastered it in about two weeks… but she’s a genius from another dimension, so I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

Tenji had been doing this training for nearly a month now and still could not manipulate MP atoms without the necklace’s assistance. Nevertheless, he was impressed by Chigo’s prowess in completing this training in two weeks.

It was during one of Tenji’s daily training sessions, as he looked up at the summer sky, that someone suddenly called out to him from outside the garden.

“You’re working hard at your training again today. Good morning, Tenji.”

“Oh, good morning. Fuyuki-kun.”

Over the past month, Fuyuki had started referring to Tenji as just “Tenji” instead of “Tenji-kun,” indicating that they had grown closer.

“What are you doing on your day off? You look like you’re concentrating hard.”

Tenji continued to rotate his weapon in mid-air while processing the conversation in his brain.

“That’s right, I had already decided to be lazy today, so when Fuyuki, the training baka, came, I was deeply disturbed.”

“Ahahaha, that wasn’t my intention though.”

“Really? You’re always asking me and Chigo-chan to train with you whenever we meet. I don’t remember you like this.” the boy retorted.

“No, no. Today, I’m off too.”

“Then did you come to invite Chigo-chan on a date?”

“Not just Chigo-chan… but also Tenji. Do you know him?”

“Probably not.”

“Well, that’s understandable. Tenji is known around school as a dungeon maniac to the point of being a rumor. School, dungeon, sleep, eat – that’s all he does. Even the teachers are worried about him.”

“Huh? Am I really being talked about like that? Lately, I’ve been taking rest days like today, although I won’t deny that I didn’t have them until recently.”

“Well, that’s beside the point… Do you know Dosu Sorupablo? Apparently, a famous Japanese sushi chef is opening a sushi restaurant there. The pre-opening is today… I got an invitation. Do you want to come with me?”

“Let’s go!”

Chigo, who wasn’t present at the time, smelled the delicious story and appeared energetically from the balcony window. Then, she perfectly harmonized her voice with Tenji’s.

“Sushi?! Really?”

In front of their insatiable appetite, Fuyuki took a step back.

“Fuyuki-kun! Where did you hear that from?”

“Ahahaha… you two don’t talk much with other teachers or students. It was already a rumor around school, but you two are always holed up in the dungeon whenever you have free time, so it’s natural not to know.” Fuyuki explained.

Tenji and Chigo couldn’t say anything in return.

It had been a month since then, and Tenji had been spending his student life completely holed up in the dungeon, even skipping lectures.

It was indeed true that he couldn’t utter a sound.

“Shall we go?”

Fuyuki always worried about the two and spoke up.

He was truly a kind older brother.

“Yeah, let’s go… I wonder when was the last time I had sushi.”

“Wait a minute! I’ll go change clothes!”

As Tenji put away his dagger, Chigo saw her disheveled outfit and hurriedly headed to her room on the second floor.

She had been lazing around in bed in her pajamas until lunchtime, so she wasn’t dressed to go out.

Chigo’s pajamas consisted of hot pants and a camisole as her standard equipment, but the two boys were already accustomed to the sight and didn’t even show any sign of looking away.

“Ah, then I’ll change into a new t-shirt too. I’ve been outside for a long time, so I sweated.” Tenji said.

“Okay. Then I’ll wait here,” Fuyuki said.

With his own clothes also sticky from sweat, Tenji entered the house through the balcony window.

Then, the three of them headed to a top-class sushi restaurant in the central city on the first level.

[Sushi that doesn’t revolve… Maybe it’s my first experience in life. I’m looking forward to it.]

Tenji felt somewhat fluffy about his first experience in life.

After realizing that their clothes were sweaty and sticky, Tenji and Chigo went inside the house to change. Once they finished changing, they headed to a high-end sushi restaurant in the central district of the first level.

Tenji was excited about trying non-conveyor belt sushi for the first time in his life. He felt a bit floaty due to this new experience, but wondered if it might also be because of recent events.

Thanks to being holed up in the dungeon, Tenji had leveled up to level 3 in less than a month. He had even managed to clear a Hell Quest right after that, ascending another level. Tenji was thoroughly enjoying his time at Mallorca, and felt like everything was going too smoothly.

[Name]: Tenji Amagi

[Calling] Hell Beast Summoning: (Lv.3/100)

[Skil]l: ‘Book of Enma’

Hell Granny’s Store:

・Physical Recovery Oni-Lantern (2 points)

・Mental Recovery Oni-Lantern (2 points)

・MP Recovery Oni-Lantern (2 points)

・Speed Increase Oni-Lantern (2 points) (NEW)

・Natural Water from the Sanzu River (2 points)

[Summonable Hell Weapons]

[Red Demon Series]

Red Demon Sword – 5th grade

Red Demon Dagger – 5th grade

<PASSIVE SKILL: DRUNK> 20% chance of putting the enemy into a state of drunkenness..

Red Demon Gloves – 5th grade

<PASSIVE SKILL: EXPLOSION> 10% chance to add Explosion (300%) to attacks.>

Red Demon Claw Sword – 5th grade

<PASSIVE SKILL: PENETRATION> 50% chance to ignore the enemy’s defense.

[Summonable Hell Equipment]

[Red Demon Series]

Red Demon Ring – 5th grade

Red Demon Bangle – 5th grade

<ACTIVE SKILL: FORCE GUIDANCE> Increases the user’s attack power by 1.75 times.

Red Demon Necklace – 5th grade

<ACTIVE SKILL: NO GUIDANCE> Allows the user to freely control Hell weapons freely.

Red Demon Earring – 5th grade

<ACTIVE SKILL: DRUM GUIDANCE> Increases the user’s total status values by 1.2 times.

All status values have increased by an average of 1000. The number of Demons in the Hell Realm has increased, and the number of Goblins has increased from 12 to 31.

In addition, there are now more items in the shop for ‘Attack Power Increased Demon Lamp’, and the ‘Red Demon No Claw Sword’ and ‘Red Demon Earring’ have been newly added to the summoner’s quota.

Tenji had steadily been accumulating power.