Carefree Journey of the Fugitive Sage Candidates

Chapter 51, Just the Skin

Translator: Barnnn

The boar stew was indescribably delicious — a feast made all the more satisfying because they’d hunted the meat themselves.

Though Dungeon exploration hadn’t been a major focus of their journey so far, Ize and Hal began to wonder if embracing life as adventurers in cities with “tasty” Dungeons might not be such a bad idea after all.

Uplifted by this newfound prospect, their resolve for Dungeon exploration burned brighter than ever.

“All right, today we start from the eleventh floor,” Hal declared. “The notable residents here are Mister Goblin and Mister Orc. As you know, Mister Orc has been graciously contributing to our meals back at the inn.”

“I’ve always wanted to see what they looked like before being turned into bacon.”

“Oh, we’re hunting some of them down for ourselves, that’s for sure. Now then… all hail the Portal Room!”

“All hail the Portal Room!”

As they descended to the eleventh floor, their senses were immediately assailed by a pungent, all-too-familiar odor.

“Ah, the stench of a middle-aged man who hasn’t bathed for a week despite working through the summer heat,” Ize quipped, wrinkling her nose.

“You’re being kind, but there’s no warmth in that kindness,” Hal replied with a chuckle.

“Not like I was looking forward to this encounter. Two kilometers ahead — small group, large figure. Let’s cut through here to reach them.”

“Roger that!”

Hal swiftly dispatched the Goblins blocking their path, while Ize gathered the loot with practiced efficiency.

They pressed onward, deftly adjusting their route to avoid unnecessary skirmishes, until they reached their target.

“Eight Goblins up front, one Orc farther back,” Hal observed.

“I dub it an ‘Inner Orc’… you know, like in a noble’s inner chambers? …Actually, what DO female Orcs look like? Do they even exist?”

“I’ve never seen a female Orc in novels, even the classics… Maybe it’s a recent trend I’m out of touch with. So, what’s the plan?”

“I probably can’t take the Orc down in one hit, so I’ll distract it for you while clearing out the Goblins.”

“Got it. I’ll keep the Orc off your back. Once the Goblins are down, I’ll finish it with a big attack.”

“Deal. Let’s move.”

With that, Ize darted forward, becoming a blur of motion as she dispatched the first wave of Goblins before they even registered her presence. The others barely had time to react before another three fell in rapid succession. It wasn’t until then that the last of the Mystic Beasts finally recognized her as a threat.

Meanwhile, Hal focused on the Orc, hurling orbs of high-pressure water that clung to its face like leeches. The massive creature flailed wildly, slapping and even punching its own head in a futile attempt to dislodge the water orbs. As its movements grew more frantic, it began clawing at its throat, choking on air.

By the time all eight of the Goblins had been dealt with, the Orc stood alone, defenseless. Hal stepped forward and unleashed a torrent of wind blades into its exposed stomach.

BOOM! BOOM!

Heavy impacts echoed through the woods, lifting the Orc’s massive frame briefly off the ground before it crashed back down. By the time its body hit the floor, it had already transformed into loot.

Approaching the loot pile, Ize and Hal found a chunk of meat, its red and white marbling so pristine it almost seemed to glow.

“Hmm, this must be pork belly,” Ize remarked, examining the loot. “Nice — I could go for some braised pork.”

“Thin slices, wrapped around veggies and grilled… now that sounds incredible,” Hal added, his mouth practically watering.

Ize nodded thoughtfully. “We didn’t really think about it before, but do you think the loot changes depending on where we strike the Mystic Beast?”

“Good question. Other cuts would be loin or tenderloin, right?”

“Mm-hmm… the parts you’d use for tonkatsu.”

“Man, I could go for some tonkatsu. Should we test it? Try targeting specific spots and see if it changes what we get? I mean, earlier I aimed straight for the stomach, so…”

“I’m not exactly sure where the loin or tenderloin would be, though.”

“They’re both on the back,” Hal explained. “The loin’s closer to the surface, and the tenderloin’s beneath it. Tenderloin’s rarer, so we’d have to aim carefully — either a clean slice through or a heavy strike and hope for the best.”

“Hitting the back… feels a bit sneaky, doesn’t it?” Ize said, feigning reluctance. “Sneaking-neaking-neaking like I’m Snake…”

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re heartbroken about it.”

“Devastated,” Ize replied in a flat monotone.

As they scouted for their next target, several figures came into view in the distance.

They chose a path leading toward the stairs to the next floor, prioritizing Dungeon progression while planning their sneak attack.

“If I take out the Goblins first like before, the Orc will turn to face me…”

“Could you manipulate their formation? Maybe get them to line up?” Hal suggested.

“Hmm… I think I can manage that. I’ll give it a try.”

“Stay safe.”

With a small wave, Ize moved to intercept the group, signaling Hal once she was in position. At his count, she leaped into action, slicing through the Goblins with blinding speed. As their numbers halved, she maneuvered to position the Orc so its back faced Hal.

[NOW!]

The moment their line aligned perfectly, Ize darted to the side.

BOOM! BOOM!

The same heavy impacts reverberated through the chamber, but this time, the battle wasn’t over. Ize swiftly dispatched the remaining Goblins with her Fleet Foot-enhanced speed and returned to Hal.

“What’s the haul this time?” she asked.

“Take a look for yourself,” Hal said, gesturing to the loot.

Ize crouched down, her eyes widening. “It looks… redder than before?”

“Yep. My Appraisal says ‘Orc Shoulder Meat.’ That’s loin.”

“Wow, that’s awesome!”

Hal grinned. “How about we aim for tenderloin next?”

“Absolutely!”

By the time they reached the stairs, they’d taken down two more Prok… no — ORCS, securing more loin and belly meat, though tenderloin continued to elude them. The Brown Boar meat they’d hunted earlier had been perfectly good, but pork was the more familiar thing they could always fall back on. All things considered, the eleventh floor had proven to be a culinary goldmine.

Satisfied and eager for what lay ahead, they descended to the twelfth floor.

◆

The twelfth floor, in stark contrast to the excitement of the eleventh, was a bitter disappointment.

Packs of evolved wolves, reminiscent of those from the fifth floor, prowled the area — they dropped only Magicite, fangs, and claws. While these fetched decent prices as ingredients for Potions or arrowheads, there was no meat to be found.

Expressionless, Ize and Hal methodically carved their way through the shortest route to the next floor, their spirits dulled by the monotony.

The gloom lingered as they descended to the thirteenth floor. Here, snake-like Mystic Beasts roamed, their sinuous forms gliding through the shadows. Near a stream, they targeted a creature resembling an eel — the Velveteel — hoping for something more rewarding.

…But their efforts were in vain.

“Magicite…” Ize muttered, staring at the loot.

“And skin,” Hal added, his tone flat.

“That’s it!? Seriously!?”

“So this is the downside of loot drops…” Hal sighed.

“But what about our grilled eel!?” Ize raised her voice in frustration.

“Ehh, it’s just how things work. We only get full lootable corpses during a Deluge.”

“OR we could bring a whole eel to the surface while it’s still alive,” Ize said, her eyes narrowing, “…Would the Guild get mad?”

“Of course they’d get mad.”

“Ahhh!! EEL!!”

Ize snapped.

[I need something to STAB! NOW!]

Her darkened gaze fixed on the path ahead, and the Dungeon’s snake-like Mystic Beasts — whether camouflaging Assassin Snakes or ambushing Fly Snakes perched in the trees — became the targets of her wrath. She tore through them mercilessly, clearing the floor in no time.

“Haah… haah…” Hal gasped, leaning against a tree. “Ize… calm down. Let’s take a break. This… high-speed pace… is killing me.”

“Oh…” Ize paused, her breath steadying. “I’m sorry. I may have lost myself a bit.”

Reaching the stairs, Hal confirmed the area was safe before guzzling water from his bottle.

“Phew! I was looking forward to that eel too,” he admitted, wiping his mouth. “But did you really want it that badly?”

“Not being able to get something makes me want it even more,” Ize said, her tone matter-of-fact. “By the way, I have a question.”

“What’s up?”

“When we arrived in Jasted by horsebus, I noticed several shops selling fresh fish. There’s no sea nearby, so I figured it might’ve been Dungeon-sourced. But after today, that doesn’t seem right.”

“Good point… Maybe they have a way to bring dead Beasts back whole?”

“Without them turning into loot? I’d love to know how.”

“Would you try it with the Velveteel?”

“Of course.”

“Well, only if we could figure out how to do it. If not, you’ll have to give it up.”

“Mm-hmm…”

“Ize?” Hal said, his tone skeptical.

“Yes, yes, I understand,” she sighed. “I’ll give up.”

Stopping at the landing of the stairs, they set up a makeshift camp with a table, chairs, tea, and snacks. As they sipped and nibbled, they brainstormed ways to solve their eel dilemma.

If they could figure it out, they could at least enjoy simple grilled eel with soy sauce and wasabi, even if kabayaki was out of reach.

Hoping against hope to bring back a whole eel somehow, they trudged toward the fourteenth floor. A heavy sense of foreboding hung over them as they considered the Mystic Beasts waiting in the depths below.

◆

“It’s kinda dark, isn’t it?” Hal muttered, squinting into the gloom.

“It’s probably because of all the trees,” Ize replied. “Ah, I see something a few meters ahead.”

“I can’t see a thing. Should I blast some wind over there?”

“You probably shouldn’t,” she said, her tone cautious. “Feels like they’d all drop down from the trees at once.”

“Fair point. Let’s move in closer for now.”

Unease settled over them as they advanced, their footsteps muffled by the thick forest floor. Just as they neared the target area, something black and bulbous — about the size of a pumpkin — dropped from the branches above.

“Yaaah!”

“Hyah!”

“Jaaahhh!”

The object halted mid-fall, unfurling and swaying at eye level while emitting a threatening hiss.

Before the sight could fully register, Hal slashed at it with a blade of wind, turning it into a harmless loot item that clattered to the ground.

“Ugh, damn thing nearly gave me a heart attack!” Hal grumbled, rubbing his chest.

“Even when you know they’re up there, having them drop down like that is terrifying,” Ize said, shuddering. “And their size makes it extra gross.”

“I just want to get out of these woods already.”

“Should we stop and think about how to approach this?”

“Good idea.”

Hal scooped up the Magicite at his feet and began to think. The Mystic Beasts on this floor were spider-types, most of which favored ambush tactics, dropping from the trees like the Snakes of the previous floor. Walking beneath the dense canopy felt like braving a haunted house where they knew the scares were coming — but still jumped every time.

No matter how quickly they moved, the ambushes wouldn’t stop.

“What’s their weakness?” Ize asked, breaking the silence.

“Following insect logic? Fire.”

“And if our choices are water or wind?”

“Wind,” Hal said decisively. “If you can pinpoint their locations precisely, I’ll take them out with wind bullets instead of blades.”

“Got it. The next one’s about ten meters ahead.”

“We’re definitely going to run into these more often than the Orcs. Let’s proceed cautiously.”

Hal’s prediction proved correct. While Orcs had been spaced out over several kilometers, the Spiders were relentless, attacking multiple times within a hundred-meter stretch. Some spat poison or webs, but thanks to Ize’s Perception, they avoided taking any damage. Hal’s wind bullets dispatched the creatures quickly, each skirmish lasting only seconds. Yet, the sheer frequency of encounters slowed their progress to a crawl.

“What do you think we should do?” Ize asked after yet another fight.

“I want to face a stronger one, just once, then Stealth our way past the rest,” Hal replied. “Do you see anything like that around here?”

“Well, the strongest one I see is near the edge of my Perception Map, which means… it’s about four kilometers from here. I’ll put up Stealth until we get there.”

“Thanks. Let’s move.”

With their target decided, they picked up the pace, weaving through the forest under Ize’s Stealth barrier.

Their goal was a giant spider — a daunting thought, given the already large size of the regular ones.

As they pushed forward, the forest seemed to grow darker, the faint movements in the treetops an ever-present reminder of the waking nightmare they were tolerating.

Ize remained silent, but in her heart, she grumbled endlessly, imagining all the ways she’d take out her frustration on that oversized beast.