Shujinkou Janai! - CH 30

One of the reasons why people say that B&B is a difficult game is that it’s both an RPG and a resource management game.

The first and foremost resource that needs to be managed is “time”.

The player must defeat the Evil Deity within two years, and in order to do so, one must utilize their time efficiently.

The world is vast, and travel, especially to different “regions”, can take days of time.

In addition, difficult dungeons and special towns are often located at the edges of the world, and it’s only as the game progresses and the scope of the player’s action expands that the time limit becomes tighter.

Two years will pass in the blink of an eye if you don’t plan ahead and explore dungeons in the same area in succession whenever possible, or take Escort or Transport Quests along the route in batches.

The second most important resource that should be consciously managed to save time is the “monsters”.

There may be some people who are resistant to the idea of using monsters, the enemies of mankind, as resources.

However, if we replace “monsters” with “experience points”, many people will be convinced by this ideology.

In order to obtain experience points, one must defeat monsters.

However, in B&B, monsters don’t have an inexhaustible supply.

Once a monster is defeated, it’s replenished little by little when the date changes.

If only 1 or 2 monsters are defeated, they will be restored immediately, but if, for example, a dungeon is completely conquered, it usually takes about 10 days for all the monsters in it to be restored.

Therefore, if you stay in one place and wait for 10 days for the respawn just because it’s a good hunting ground, you will reach the time limit of 2 years in a blink of an eye.

At the very least, “Adventurers” in the game are like migratory birds, flying around in search of a suitable dungeon.

[And the stronger one is compared to their level, the more options they have for “hunting grounds they can use to level up”. That’s one of the reasons why I prioritize raising ability values over raising levels.]

In B&B, you don’t get many experience points even if you kill a monster that’s lower level than you are.

So, for example, if an average Lv 20 Adventurer wants to raise their level efficiently, they have no choice but to challenge dungeons of Lv 20 to 22, which are of the same or slightly higher level than them.

However, if said Adventurer is Lv 20, but they have the ability of a Lv 25, the dungeons they can conquer will expand to Lv 20 to 27.

That alone would increase the number of your options by several times.

As a result, the time and effort required to move around and wait for the next move are reduced, and the Adventurer can level up even faster.

[Well, this wo…… Erhem, most Adventurers don’t seem to know their own level though, so they may simply be going where it’s easier for them to conquer.]

When I explained this, Radd and the others’ eyes lit up.

Perhaps because they felt their own growth at the <Temple>, I think the newbie party, especially Radd who became a <Brave Leo>, reacted well to this.

To be honest, I had kept this a secret until this day, hoping for this kind of effect, but it seems that they have received it better than I expected, so I can’t help smiling.

(The Brave Sword has a requirement of 75 STR, so to be honest, he could have Class Changed three days ago.)

I’ll bring that secret to my grave though.

Direction is important to feel one’s growth, and all the more so that they would feel their motivation.

[Ah, but Old man! Wouldn’t that mean there are cases where you end up in a dungeon where there are no more monsters? How can you tell the difference then?]

[……Through Quests.]

Even when his mood got better, it seems like he still calls me Old man.

Even though I have a sour look at the way he called me, I answered his question.

[In order to eliminate such conflicts, Adventurers receive Quests related to that dungeon at the guild. That way, the guild would know that this dungeon is under attack. Well, there’s also the simple fact that the materials acquired from monsters are useful and can be used for various things.]

[Heehhh…… Various things, like what?]

[Blacksmithing, Alchemy…… all sorts of stuff.]

To be honest, I don’t know either.

I mean, even in-game, the flavor text only tells me that “they’re used for various things”.

I’m going to have to forcibly push through this topic and deceive my way out of here.

Urging him, I pointed Radd, who was still tilting his head, forward and spoke.

[If you grasp what I mean already, let’s go to the Guild and accept some Quest. Of course…… I’ll have you fully equipped for the adventure.]

At my words, Radd, who had been in a good mood, frowned.

※　※　※

When we entered the Guild, I could feel the stares from everyone in the Guild.

Moreover, it wasn’t the same mixture of good and bad as before.

Most of them were curious looks at Radd and the others.

……Well, I guess that’s something that can’t be helped.

The way Radd and the others are dressed, they clearly don’t look like they’re about to go on an adventure, no matter how hard you try to look at them that way.

His Spring-Loaded Armor creaking, Radd walked forward with weights all over his body.

Although his outfit isn’t so strange for a magic-user, Nuku, wearing spiral glasses, sometimes stumbles on his path.

Mana, wearing a triangular hat that looked like party goods, is hunched under her white robe.

Finally, my eyes met Prana, who was dexterously walking with her Iron Geta and rustic goggles.

Looking at her, I desperately tried to muster up my words.

[Ah. I think that fits you better than when you’re wearing those spiral glasses. You look cute on those.]

[Say anything more and I’ll shoot you in the face.]

Saying in a serious voice, Prana sped up her steps and left.

[……Haahhh……]

Even though I’ve been trying to be nice to her, she’s not very sociable.

As I let out a sigh about this……

[……I think that happening should be obvious.]

Taking up Prana’s previous spot, I heard a brusque voice call out from behind me.

It’s Resilia.

Incidentally, she is also dressed for an “adventure” today.

Even so, the fact that they’re surprisingly acting like normal makes me feel like they’re different.

[I properly praised her though.]

[The only people who would take that as praise were people with dead sensibilities or Nii-san.]

The words she uttered sting quite a lot.

In contrast to Radd and the others, Resilia’s mood doesn’t seem to be very good.

[If you have a complaint, you can just speak up, you know?]

When I tried to urge her, Resilia looked troubled.

[It’s not like I have a complaint. It’s not like I think there’s any unfair treatment or some sort of favoritism involved, and I think that was for the best. It’s just……]

[Just?]

After saying a string of noncommittal excuses, she answered in a small voice.

[……Even I have increased my STR to 130.]

[Unnn?]

After I thought about this for a few moments, unable to grasp what she meant, she continued.

[Whatever, it’s not like I said anything important. It was just a trick of the imagination.]

Resilia forcefully dismissed the subject and strode away, leaving only to say that she would see how things are going with the others.

[Hmm?]

I don’t really know what just happened, but if I had to guess, I’d say she’s feeling some sort of rivalry with Radd and the others.

I can’t say it’s not entirely true, but it feels different somehow.

(Well, she’s the one who’s been taking care of me the most since I came into this world. I suppose I should pay a little more attention to her.)

Making up my mind to follow up on this matter with Resilia, I followed her to check on Radd and the others.

Just as I approached the counter, Radd’s cheerful voice echoed from their direction.

[Errr…… You’re the D-Rank Adventurer, Radd-san, right? Your party name is……]

[<Brave Blade>!]

……Yes.

Coincidentally, Radd and the others had chosen <Brave Blade> as the name of their party, the same as the title of the game.

Radd laughed when I asked about this to him, saying “When we were thinking of a name for our party, the moment I heard that name, it just kinda have this spark and we settled on it”, but it’s a secret how I started questioning if he really is the Hero, getting the title card and all that.

[Fufu. Now, which Quest would the <Brave Blade> like to undertake?]

The receptionist in charge, seemingly moved by Radd’s nervousness, asked Radd with a smile.

Then, the commemorative first Quest for the reborn <Brave Blade> was spoken from Radd’s mouth.

[———–We will take the Quests for the <Seven-Colored Lava Cave>!]

As soon as this declaration echoed through the Guild, there was a moment of silence in the Guild.

Then, like ripples, various voices spread out.

[Lava Cave? Is he insane?]

[Yeah, he must have some death wish or something.]

[Nah, he’s probably just all talk.]

[H- Hey, I don’t really think you should go to a place like that?]

The only words whispered around were negative ones.

However, when one thinks from their perspective, I suppose it isn’t that strange.

The recommended level in-game for the <Seven-Colored Lava Cave> is Lv 15.

It’s a dungeon that a Mid-level Adventurer in this world would barely be able to conquer, and it’s not a place that a newbie would choose to go for their second exploration.

Erina, the receptionist in charge, had gone to great lengths to stop them, saying that this was no place for D-Rank Adventurers to fight, but Radd was adamant and wouldn’t change his opinion.

An Adventurer’s ranking is only a guide, and the receptionist doesn’t have the authority to refuse Quests that the Adventurers want to take.

Although it took them longer than expected, Radd successfully obtained the Quests for the <Seven-Colored Lava Cave>, and left the Adventurers’ Guild with the stares of his senior Adventurers at his back.

※　※　※

After leaving the Guild, I once again briefed them of the strategy in this dungeon and checked if they had their adventure necessities, before heading out of town for the <Seven-Colored Lava Cave>.

As we were walking outside, thinking that this had become a school trip led by a teacher, Radd anxiously spoke.

“”

[H- Hey, Old man. I wonder if it’s really alright for us to accept these Quests.]

I had explained the situation to them beforehand and they had agreed to it, but I guess his uneasiness returned when he heard all those people being opposed to this.

As we walked toward the dungeon, Radd looked at me with concern.

[There are naturally dangers in going to this dungeon. However, I’m sure that if it’s you guys……]

Just as I was about to reassure them, my right ear suddenly caught a strange sound.

[Dodge!]

[Nii-san!]

Prana’s warning and Resilia’s shout were almost simultaneous, and a few moments later, ice arrows rained down from the sky.

[Wha!?]

I stopped Radd, whose eyes widened in surprise, with my arm.

Though I say that, they probably didn’t intend to hit him in the first place.

The arrows rained down from the sky and pierced the ground one after another, seemingly blocking our path.

[Who is it!?]

In response to Prana’s questioning of the intruder’s identity, several figures emerged from behind a tree.

[———–I should have warned you already.]

Standing in front of us were three veteran Adventurers wielding weapons.

I hardly know any Adventurers in that town, but the man at the center of the group looks familiar.

[Verteran……]

When I spoke his name, the bearded man looked at me with blazing eyes and held up his sword.

His old greatsword, riddled with chips, is held up to me.

[Sorry, but this is the end of the road. I’m well aware of how illogical we’re acting. However, we can’t just stand by and watch youngsters die in vain because of some egotistical misunderstanding b*stard.]