Read Novel Full Chapter 56, Whittling It Down
Chapter 56, Whittling It Down
Translator: Barnnn
Progress through the previously cleared floors was swift and uneventful.
Even the Twisthorn Deer posed little trouble, thanks to Ize’s newly acquired gloves. Their reinforced grip minimized the recoil from hitting bones, making it easier to attack the creature’s legs and joints.
At one point, they stumbled upon a group of adventurers locked in battle with a Queen Arachne. Slipping into the shadows with Stealth, they observed the group unnoticed.
Their impression: primitive.
The adventurers had surrounded the Mystic Beast and were hammering away at it with brute force. A few of them had been taken out of commission — ensnared in webbing or paralyzed by venom — turning the fight into a drawn-out, clumsy affair.
And for all that effort, their spoils amounted to nothing more than a Magicite and a disappointingly small venom sac — no precious silk.
Whether they had been expecting something more or were simply furious at the meager rewards, the adventurers erupted into curses, kicking up dust in their frustration.
Ize, watching the scene unfold, murmured, “…So this is just a rumor, but I’ve heard that the way you deal damage affects both the quantity and quality of the loot.”
“Not just the amount, but the quality too?” Hal asked.
“Did you see how tiny that venom sac was? Maybe it’s because they made the Arachne spew too much venom during the fight.”
“And the silk?”
“It’s like… the difference between taking it down in a single clean strike and the mess they just made of it.”
“So the way you whittle down its ‘HP’ actually matters?”
“Exactly.”
When they had fought a Queen Arachne themselves, the battle had ended in minutes. These adventurers, on the other hand, had spent nearly twenty — blundering through with no plan, no finesse.
It stood to reason that such a reckless approach wouldn’t yield high-quality loot.
“With Orcs, the cuts of meat we get change depending on where we strike,” Hal noted. “Looks like the way we fight has a bigger impact than we thought.”
“Now that you mention Orcs… we still need to figure out how to get fillet cuts.”
So far, they had only managed to procure belly and loin. Fillet remained elusive. Was it simply rare, or were they missing something? With their limited experience in the Jasted Dungeon, there was no way to know for sure.
For two days, they continued their expeditions, followed by a day of rest.
On the rest day, they visited the Guild to exchange loot for coin, gathered information on floors up to the twentieth, delivered boiled chestnuts to Origin of Thievery, and scoured the city for promising new restaurants.
◆
“The sixteenth and seventeenth floors are pretty underwhelming. Same with the eighteenth… aside from the bamboo shoots,” Hal muttered, popping an out-of-season mizumanju into his mouth.
Across from him, Ize, craving something salty, crunched into a piece of cucumber kimchi.
“So… more disappointments?”
“The sixteenth floor has upper-tier goblins. Mages, Soldiers, sometimes even Generals. But no Kings.”
“So they do exist, just deeper in?”
“Yup. Something to look forward to, I guess. Heh…” Hal smirked. “Seventeenth floor’s a swamp. Full of Poison Snakeheads.”
“Snakeheads? That’s… fish, right?”
“Yeah. They’re called Raigyo in Japanese. And, as the name suggests, they’re poisonous Mystic Beasts. The floor also has all sorts of toads.”
“Toads! Are there Milk Toads?”
“Not according to the records.”
“Too bad.”
“So yeah. Pretty underwhelming, right?”
Hal washed down his snack with a sip of now-cold green tea.
Ize had been excited at the idea of hunting Milk Toads, but then she pictured the ones sold on skewers by the street vendor.
If they were already cooked and ready to eat, great. But going out of her way to collect slimy, sticky things herself? Not so much.
“…You know what, Hal? I’ll pass on the toads.”
“Glad we’re on the same page. Now, moving on to the eighteenth floor… The Bambush is a Mystic Plant, but aside from that, it’s mostly ants. Soldier Ants, Queen Ants…”
Ize grimaced. “I can already picture them swarming in massive numbers.”
“Yeah. Some adventurers run into hordes of hundreds — sometimes thousands.”
“What is this, Indiana Jones!? That’s gotta be instant death for just the two of us!”
“I don’t think even a party of three would stand a chance, so Fieda wouldn’t be much help there.”
“How do other adventurers deal with them?”
“They run like hell.”
“…Really? That’s it?”
“Some even lure them toward other parties on their way out.”
“Oh, fantastic. Griefers…”
“Other than that, some teams set up near the nests and take them out little by little. But Ant-type Mystic Beasts aren’t exactly profitable to hunt.”
“Ughhh…”
The eighteenth floor sounded hellish.
Could they really afford to be casually hunting bamboo shoots in a place like that?
The thought of being chased by an endless swarm of ants sent a shudder down Ize’s spine.
“Maybe the bamboo shoots aren’t quite worth the risk after all.”
“Maybe, maybe not. It’s probably because so few adventurers are willing to go there that they’re considered a rare ingredient.”
For now, their priority was safely clearing the floor. Only once they had secured a reliable route would they consider accepting the material-gathering request from the Origin of Thievery shopkeeper.
◆
“Gyaaahhh!”
“Hah!”
“There!”
The Queen Arachne’s enraged screech echoed — only to be met with Hal and Ize’s oddly carefree battle cries.
This was their fourth time fighting one. By now, they knew its weak points well enough to aim with precision.
“Wind strike incoming!”
“Pulling out!”
Perched atop the Arachne’s head, Ize had been relentlessly attacking its eyes. The moment Hal called out, she leaped away — faster than the wind itself.
Swish!
Blades of air tore into the soft flesh inside the Arachne’s gaping maw.
“Giiiiiihhh…”
Its screech choked off into a feeble rasp before its massive body disintegrated into thin air.
Hal exhaled. “Whew… Silk again this time. Nice.”
“Twisthorn Deer antlers and this silk fetch a good price. A solid income source.”
“For big teams, though, rare loot means a pretty low payout per person.”
“That’s the advantage of a small party.”
“Yeah. True.”
Next, they would head down to the fifteenth floor, where they planned to take a two-hour walk in the grass, fighting Blood Bears along the way. Their goal was to get at least ten kills within the day.
Tomorrow would likely be their last Dungeon run before Fieda joined them.
But until then, they would hunt, and hunt, and hunt — for lots of delicious meat.
“Mystic Beast meat!”
…For delicious Mystic Beasts.
◆
Today marked ten days since Fieda had left the Border City.
The weather lately had been stable, with no reports of storms or delays. If all went well, he should arrive in Jasted by this afternoon.
Ize had been restless since the moment she woke up — pacing the room, sitting down, standing up, then pacing again. Watching her, Hal couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Ize, it’s still a bit early for that.”
“I know, I know…”
“Good thing today’s a rest day. You’d be a liability in the Dungeon like this.”
“…I know.”
Hal chuckled again. “So, what do you want to do today?”
“You’re letting me decide everything?”
“Sure, why not?”
Ize took a deep breath, trying to settle herself as she mulled over where to go to take her mind off things.
“First, we cash in our loot at the Guild.”
“Okay. Then?”
“Then… I want to stop by the Archive.”
“All right.”
“After that, how about Soup-er Pasta for lunch?”
“Sounds good. I was thinking the same.”
“And then…”
“Yeah?”
“…What should we do next?”
She looked up at Hal, brows furrowed, lips pressed together in uncertainty. Hal had to press a hand to his mouth to keep from laughing.
“How about we check out the fishmonger?”
“Fishmonger? There’s one around here?”
“Yeah, along the main road from the gate to the Guild. I want to ask about eel. Might as well stop by.”
“The road from the gate…”
“Yeah. And who knows? Fieda might pass through there on his horse.”
“Then we might see him?”
“No guarantees. But with your Perception skill, we’ll have a better chance of spotting him.”
“Th-that’s true! Yeah! And it’s not like I like the idea of having a better chance of spotting him or anything! We absolutely need to figure out how to transport eel properly!”
“…Did you just turn tsundere on me?”
“I AM NOT TSUNDERE!”
With that, Ize bolted out of the room.
Still chuckling, Hal locked up and followed. At the stairs, he found Ize waiting for him.
“…Uh, should I tell Fieda?”
Hal tilted his head. “Tell him what?”
“About… why I have trouble with stairs.”
He studied her expression for a moment. “What do you want to do?”
“I’m scared to say it myself. But he’ll probably notice when we’re out exploring or even while staying at an inn.”
“Yeah. He’d at least be able to tell that something’s off.”
Ize stared at the staircase ahead, struggling for words.
It was ridiculous — she knew that. She hadn’t even died, and yet every time she faced a flight of stairs, it felt as if something unseen was waiting, ready to reclaim the life she had been spared.
She was getting better. Step by step, she was reclaiming her confidence.
But she needed a little more time.
“…Can I be selfish and ask for a favor, Hal?”
“Go ahead.”
“Can you tell Fieda for me?”
“Sure.”
“That easily? Really?”
“Of course. Ize, rely on me more.” His voice was lighthearted but firm. “Besides, Fieda’s going to be so shocked by everything else, one or two extra surprises won’t even register.”
“…Hearing it that way, now I feel bad for him.”
“Haha! Right? Me too! Here, take my hand. Breakfast is getting cold.”
“…Orc bacon is waiting.”
“Yep. And buttered rolls, too.”
Ize clung tightly to Hal’s left arm as they made their way down the stairs.
She had long since graduated from the train game method.
Now, she was a tiny monkey hanging onto his arm.
The first time she had talked about changing the way she descended stairs, Hal had simply smiled.
Then, as he ruffled her hair, he had said it again and again.
“I’m proud of you, Ize.”
“You’re doing great.”
“It’s okay. I’m right here.”
Whenever shame crept in — whenever she started sinking into self-loathing — Hal never said a word.
But when she tried to move forward, he would be there, waiting ahead. And when she took that step, he would celebrate with her.
Not because Hal told her to. Not because anyone told her to.
But because she had decided to take that step herself.
Because every step forward was proof — proof that she could live in this world.
At the bottom of the stairs, Ize looked up at Hal.
And she smiled.