Shujinkou Janai! - CH 50

[We will now challenge one of the . However, our objective for the time being isn’t to conquer the ruins. It’s to gather rare items.]

Up until now, Radd and the others have become strong by running through the shortest distance.

While their ability levels were low, they raised their Status through training.

At Lv 4, they Class Changed to a Second-tier Class, dived into a higher-level dungeon, and quickly crossed over the Lv 10 mark.

After that, they continued to grow steadily, and most of the party members had now reached their Fourth-tier Class, which is considered the highest Class tier for normal Classes that you could obtain before Lv 15.

This time, through the infinite grind system, their levels were raised to Lv 30.

[However, this marks the end of the shortcut.]

At least, I haven’t found a good grinding spot in the later content that would destroy the balance of the game, and all the Classes with tiers above Fourth-tier are “Unique Classes” with special conditions.

The advantage they have earned up to this point will not disappear, but their growth rate will certainly slow down.

Moreover, the more the game progressed, the more the difficulty of B&B increased at an accelerating rate.

Up to this point, the game has used methods that can’t be called straightforward to enhance one’s strength, but the devs allowed for those kinds of secret walkthroughs to appear to some extent, so I think they’ve set the difficulty level based on that.

This world is a nuzlocke that doesn’t allow do-overs.

This isn’t a situation where I can just relax yet.

[The more difficult the is, the more rewarding it’s expected to be. With the way you guys are now, even your base stats can probably allow you to wear equipment with a B-Rank Equipment Restriction, and with Enchantments, you can probably even wear A-Rank gear. If possible, I hope we can acquire useful Unique Equipment……]

[W- Wait a moment, Old man! What are those B and A Equipment Restrictions?]

I started explaining to them in detail, but then Radd asked to wait and asked a question.

[……Ahh. Speaking of which, I haven’t talked about the Evaluation Ranks before.]

It seems like I’m getting a little ahead of the explanation.

I’ve got the specifications of the game so much in my head that I tend to talk to other people on that basis, which I suppose is one of my definite flaws.

[There is a standard for measuring the strength of each ability called . The ranks are progressively raised with 1 to 4 being Rank E-, from 5 to 14 being Rank E, from 15 to 29 being Rank E+, 29 and above being D-, so on and so forth. That’s right. As for you guys right now……]

Taking out my notebook, I found the ability values of Radd’s party and added the Evaluation Ranks to it.

———————————-

Radd

STR – 284 (B)

VIT – 297 (B)

MGC – 105 (C-)

MND – 227 (B-)

AGI – 218 (C+)

FOC – 183 (C+)

Rank Total – 57

———————————-

[It goes something like this.]

When I unfolded my notebook, Radd and the others all came to take a peek.

Nuku nodded his head in understanding.

[I see. With this, we can see more clearly what we’re good at and what we’re bad at than we could with just numbers. That’s why it’s called an “Evaluation” Rank, isn’t it?]

[Yeah. If you want to measure your general strength, this might be easier for people to understand.]

I’m more of a data guy, so I prefer seeing the actual number values, but I suppose this would be a matter of taste.

[And so, the equipment’s Ability Value Restriction is determined based on this rank. For example, the that you’re carrying right now has the Equipment Restriction of “D+ STR” which means that you will not be able to use it until you have  75 STR.]

[For this sword to be actually structured like that……]

Realizing something he didn’t know all this time, Radd stared at the Brave Sword in his hand.

[In fact, the effectiveness of training and the amount of EXP required to level up is also calculated based on this Evaluation Rank, not the ability value itself. Considering the Equipment Restrictions, it would be better to have a higher rank, but raising it too high is also a problem.]

[Ahh, I remember that! The less you have in your unneeded abilities, the faster it will be for you to level up!]

[Well, that’s what it all boils down to.]

Incidentally, the higher the Evaluation Rank, the more ability values are required to raise the rank, so even if the Rank Total of ability values are the same, the Rank Total is usually lower when the total value of the abilities is raised inclined to a certain direction in mind.

Using Rex as an example, where all ability values are raised perfectly evenly……

———————————-

Rex

STR – 200 (C+)

VIT – 200 (C+)

MGC – 200 (C+)

MND – 200 (C+)

AGI – 200 (C+)

FOC – 200 (C+)

Rank Total – 54

———————————-

Despite the large difference in my combat power from that of Radd’s, the difference between our Rank Total is just 3.

Furthermore, if we look at Prana, who has the most extreme Status among Radd’s party……

———————————-

Prana

STR – 248 (B-)

VIT – 150 (C)

MGC – 124 (C-)

MND – 124 (C-)

AGI – 248 (B-)

FOC – 388 (B+)

Rank Total – 54

———————————-

Her ability values were clearly higher than mine, yet the Rank Total is exactly the same as mine.

This means that the EXP penalty on her will be the same as mine.

I hate being confronted with Rex’s misfortune once again, but I’ll just leave it at that.

[As I said before, if you’re keeping your eyes to the future, it will be more efficient to improve your strong points while the Magic-users suppress their , and a Warrior suppresses their , as well as their and . Some of the rare equipment may increase certain aptitudes while decreasing others, so those equipment will be one of our goals for this Item Gathering.]

With this, I told them everything about the next adventure.

Well, that’s what I was thinking, but Radd seemed to still have something more to say.

[……I understand what our goal would be. It’s just, the is the front line for Adventurers, right? I’m not really sure if that’s a place we could fight in right now.]

Even as muscleheaded as Radd is, it seemed like being told to fight in that place had scared him.

Seeing him acting like that though, I exaggeratedly sighed.

[You know, how about you look at your Status one more time.]

[Eh? Y- Yeah, unnn.]

When he’s caught unprepared, he’s always been quite obedient.

As he looked at the page with his Status on it, I spoke.

[You can tell, right? If it’s just Status alone, you’re already more powerful than me.]

[Ah……]

Seeing Radd seemingly realizing that for the first time, I grinned.

[You should be confident. There aren’t many people who have better Status than an A-Rank Adventurer. You’re not just a novice anymore. You could already be considered as one of the town’s aces.]

[I- I am……]

Radd muttered in a daze.

Well, of course, you wouldn’t really feel it when someone suddenly says “You’re our ace” after only two months as an Adventurer.

However, compared to a certain Japanese commoner who suddenly became an A-Rank Adventurer in one day, I think his transition is a rather quiet one.

[Old man, let’s do this! With the power I got from the Old man, I’ll do all I can!]

[Haha! Well, I’m going to participate in this exploration this time. Dungeon enemies are first come, first serve. If you just look at them in a daze, everything might end with you not doing anything, you know?]

[Heh! Like hell I’m gonna let an old man beat me!]

I exchanged banters with Radd, who had regained his composure.

As I thought, it feels more reassuring if Radd is back to his old cocky self.

[Well then, let’s go.]

[Yeah!]

Leisurely calling out to everyone, we set off.

This is the first time we would be conquering one of the since I came to this world.

There, in the , the evilest Boss I’ve ever faced awaits, along with vicious rare items.

※　※　※

It was about 30 seconds after we entered the dungeon.

[……Something’s coming.]

Prana, the one with the best hearing among the group, detected the presence of a monster behind the corner.

[Finally.]

Radd looked a little nervous as he held up his sword, but I slightly poked him in the head.

[O- Ouch!?]

[I told you not to worry. You guys will be alright.]

[E- Even if you say that……]

Even though you look really displeased, I’m sorry to say this, but Radd really doesn’t get it.

There’s really no need for Radd to be nervous or worried here at all.

After all……

[I’m not gonna give any of them to you guys.]

[……Ehh?]

As soon as I see the monster, I swing out the Metallic King’s Sword held in both hands.

[————-!]

My body, which had gained a Speed Buff from the effect of the Art, ran as if I’m hovering above the ground, and approached the enemy with a snap.

[Wha, Old man!? H- He’s so fast!]

I felt Radd chasing me from behind, but there was no way he was going to make it in time.

The speed correction due to the AGI stat is generally capped at 200.

In that case, the rest could be compensated by Arts, but Radd still hasn’t mastered many Rush Arts that are useful for movement.

(Two groups of 7 Zombies. Let’s start with the left one.)

When I could clearly see the enemy, Radd and the others who were lagging behind me completely disappeared from my mind.

Adrenaline took over my mind, only the intoxication of battle and the combos I’d built up throughout the years of gaming were running through my mind.

[————-.]

I swung the first blow, and without stopping on my feet, I held a nukiuchi stance……

[————-!]

In just an instant, I invoked an overhead Battou Art.

Even though I was double-handing my weapon, which isn’t even a katana, but a sword, all that difference was meaningless in front of Manual Arts.

(First would be you!)

In place of a greeting, the blow, combined with the second strike of my Gale Sword, decapitated the head of the leading zombie.

※　※　※

The are part of the main objective of B&B, containing the main content of its story.

They’re dungeons prepared for the “Hero”, and unlike other dungeons, NPCs were basically never able to clear this dungeon.

The difficulty level is naturally adjusted accordingly, and even in its initial state, the Ruins are at a level where even the Top Adventurers in each town and city, in other words, characters like Verteran, will have a hard time.

That is to say……

(Hyaaaahhhaaa!!! This’ll be a massaaaaaakkaaaaarrrrr!!!)

There’s no reason for me, who has stronger base stats than Verteran and has superior equipment and Arts at my disposal, to struggle here.

To begin with, the initial level of monsters in the Ruins was Lv 25.

With the way they are now, they aren’t the kind of opponents that Radd’s party would have a hard time with, and on the contrary, fighting them wouldn’t bring them much EXP.

That’s why……

(I don’t have to be so reserved in fighting them!)

I can fight them without being concerned about efficiency!

(Next!)

With the momentum from my Movement Arts, I ran past the fallen Zombies and activated my next Art.

[!]

I swung my sword toward three Zombies in one strike.

The blow accurately hits the three Zombies but……

(Tsk, it’s too shallow.)

As expected, the firepower of a single Art isn’t enough.

Immediately deciding to stack for my Over-Art……

[————-!]

I slew the three Zombies with my sword.

(With this, on to the remaining four Zombies.)

My lips naturally lifted up in delight at the pleasure of slaughtering monsters so quickly.

Bluntly speaking, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t fight here, but I actually don’t have any reason why I should fight either.

That’s why, honestly speaking, this is just me relieving my stress.

Of course, I certainly like those close fights against formidable enemies in games, but I would like to excuse myself from “battles that would be risking my own life” in the real world.

However, I don’t know if it’s something I should say is quite fortunate or not, but I have a very bad personality.

That’s why……

(———-I really love using my overwhelming power to trample down enemies to my heart’s content!)

Shouting inwardly, I performed intricate movements to counteract the momentum of my brandished sword……

[————Divine Stinger!]

With my usual combo, I pierced one of the Zombies that had finally started to move.

And then……

(Alright! On to the final seven!)

It was just as I was aiming my sword at the last horde……

[————.]

A cool voice echoed from the depths of the darkness.

[ .]

The head and torso of the Zombie I was aiming for were simultaneously cut in two.

The monster crumbles and disappears, and from behind it, an indifferent mutter resounds.

[————-That’s eighth.]

When I hurriedly looked to the right of that voice, I saw that the other horde of monsters, which should have just been there, had already completely disappeared.

I shuddered.

(Of course, when I said it’s first come, first serve, there’s no way she wouldn’t come out.)

I turn my gaze once again at the back of those disappearing monsters.

There, just as I had guessed, was the person I had expected would appear……

[————-That ends it, right? Nii-san.]

Calmly sheathing the two ninjato in her hands was my little sister, a cheeky grin on her lips.

———————————-

Resilia

HP – 638

MP – 187

STR – 382 (B+)

VIT – 274 (B-)

MGC – 142 (C)

MND – 254 (B-)

AGI – 525 (A+)

FOC – 209 (C+)

Rank Total – 64

———————————-