Labyrinth Renovation – 018 | Sousaku – 創作

Episode 18 – Level Up!

After we cooled down, Fiona and I went back to the Hardware Store.

"Well, I'm glad it all worked out in the end. Now we've gone up three floors, so I think we might be able to find that transfer monument soon."
"I hope so, but the transfer monuments are often located every five floors."
"Is that so? Oh, if that's the case, it's probably just one or two floors away. "
"Maybe. Besides, there is also another possibility. I heard that in some large dungeons, there are transfer monuments every three floors."

Doesn't that mean it's completely unreliable……?
But well, ever since the dragon, we've been able to clear the floors with relative ease.
Above all, I like the fact that the monsters appear in single units. If a swarm of golems appeared, it would be game over.

"We're still in the middle of installing lighting in the gecko room, but I think we should call it a day for today. I'm exhausted."
"After all, the process of labyrinth acclimatization is so quick. But the real thing comes after you wake up."
"It feels like muscle pain……"

According to Fiona, you only realize that you have become stronger after undergoing labyrinth adaptation when you go outside, sleep, and wake up. Maybe magical things get accustomed to your body while you sleep.

"Well, anyway, today's a celebration. Let's eat to our hearts' content and then sleep like a log."
"Yay! I like that one. The onigiri."
"Then I'll make it with all my heart."

Fiona seemed to really like it when I made onigiri for her once before.
After all, you can make it deliciously with just the ingredients you can find at the hardware store. There is enough rice to sell, and it can be cooked. There's also dried seaweed, and the ingredients include salmon flakes in a jar, pickled vegetables, pickled plums, and tuna in a can.

I started by washing the rice and putting it in the rice cooker.
Since we've got electricity, it's so easy. It's just like being at home.
Well, my parents took me camping many times, so I can light a fire and cook rice in a pot. That said, I don't feel like doing it when I'm feeling tired.

I decided to prepare the side dishes while the rice was cooking.
I don't have a problem with just onigiri, but I also want miso soup.

Once the rice was cooked, I quickly formed it into onigiri.
Maybe because I've gotten acclimatized to the labyrinth, I don't feel the heat so much. I don't feel like my strength has increased much yet, but I wonder if I'll suddenly become like Superman when I wake up.

"Would you like to try it, Fiona? "
"Eh? Is that alright? "
"That's fine. Oh, make sure you wash your hands properly, okay? "

We made 20 small rice balls between the two of us and had them for dinner.
I have a clock, but I have no sense of time at all, so I don't know if it's really nighttime or not. But this has nothing to do with it. However, I am starting to miss the sun.
If the Hardware Store didn't have electricity, it might have gone crazy before I could even think about capturing it.
I'm so glad the lights are still working.

"The ones I made all ended up being perfectly round. Maho, how do you make such perfect triangles? "
"There's a trick to it. You can shape it by cupping your hands like shoosh shoosh."
"I don't understand the 'shoosh shoosh' part."
"Well, it's all the same once you've eaten it. All the same."

Strictly speaking, there are good and bad onigiri, but mine are not particularly delicious.
The ones Fiona made were delicious too. In fact, the ones I didn't make are tastier.

We ate until we were full, and put the leftover onigiri in the refrigerator. That's tomorrow's breakfast.
After dinner, I ate something sweet, brushed my teeth properly, took a bath, and went to bed.

◇◆◆◆◇

"Ohhhh!!! What the heck is this?! "
"G-good morning Maho. You're looking well today."
"What the heck is this? "
"This is called “labyrinth acclimatization”, remember? I told you yesterday."

I feel full of energy. It feels like I can do anything. I think I could probably lift a car now.
After a night's sleep, I woke up and felt like Superman, as if the power-up from the previous day had been nothing but a lie.
I can lift up an 18-liter oil can with such ease.
I think I probably increased my level all at once to the same level as Fiona.

“If we can get out of the dungeon, you can see how much acclimatization has progressed at the temple, you know? "
"Seriously? I guess it's like a level assessment."

I've got another thing to look forward to.
I decided to equip a hatchet, thinking that I would be able to wield at least one weapon now that I had been powered up.
The weapons you can get at a hardware store are axes, sickles, crowbars, and chainsaws.
You could make a spear with a knife, but it probably wouldn't be very effective.

“Maho, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but I don't think our strength is enough to deal with the monsters in this layer, you see……? "
"Of course, I know that! That's just now I feel."

It's better than having no way to fight back at all.
Even if it's just a useless attempt.

◇◆◆◆◇

"Well then, let's cheerfully carry the lights today too."
"Alright. I wonder if that monster is still around. "
"If it's there, I'll make it into experience points! "
In fact, the way to defeat the giant gecko has been established, so it's a bonus monster in reality.
The more it appears, the more we can level up.

While thinking about such things, I went up the floors and arrived at the gecko floor.
There, an amazing sight unfolded.

"――Are you serious?"
"Why? I've never heard of anything like this."
"Maybe it's because we beat the boss."

The gecko room, which had been pitch black, had become brighter.
The crack in the ground is still there, but unless you're a complete idiot, you shouldn't fall in.
There are glowing insects (technically, they're not insects, but some kind of spirit) flying around.

"I guess there's no need for lighting here. Let's go to the next floor."

◇◆◆◆◇

I first checked that there were no other geckos in the crack, and then moved to the door.
Up the stairs to the next level.

"Well then, let's see what's next. I definitely don't want there to be any more direct, violent monsters."
"If it was an ordinary layer, monsters would keep popping up."
"Is that so? That's really scary……"

If the dragon were to come back to life at this moment, it would be game over.
No, it's the same whether it's the poisonous weeds or the gecko.
I'm suddenly starting to feel uneasy. Will it be okay?

"Ahaha. It's okay, Maho. Because the special monsters in the labyrinth will never be revived again."
"Is that so? "
"Mm-hmm. Instead, they are very strong and seem to have names. I heard about it from an adventurer who was active in other dungeons. I heard that if you beat them, they won't come out anymore."
"Ohh. Well, come to think of it, it's a bit of a problem if they keep coming back again and again……"

You're supposed to explore the dungeon by going in and out repeatedly. After all the trouble you went to on the way there, the thing you defeated was back on its feet on the way home. That's just not fair.
I don't even want the weak monsters to come back.
Or maybe it's no good because you can't gain experience if the weak enemies don't come back to life. That's a tricky point.

While thinking of this, we arrived at the door.
I opened it a little and checked inside, and it was a lake.

"What the heck is this?! Dungeons are a treasure trove of surprises."
"There are water sources in dungeons, but this is a surprise. It's pretty clean."
"This is the scenario where a huge monster is lurking in the water, right……?"

Technically, it's not a lake, but it's completely covered in water except for a sort of pathway.
If you shine a light on it, you might be able to see what's going on down there, but I don't feel like getting too close. Something will definitely come up. I'm familiar with this setting.

"What should we do……? Do you have a boat? "
"There are some, but they'll be sunk immediately."
"So what are we going to do? "

It's obvious, isn't it?

"Bababam! We're going to drain all the water out of the dungeon! "
"Eh, EHHH……? "
"How cleverly they have arranged it so that the place to throw away the water is also on the lower floor. I've had enough of these water levels."

Big puddles are scary, aren't they?
I even feel an instinctive fear in places where there is a lot of water like this. It's already dim enough, and you never know what's lurking in the water.
Fortunately, the Hardware Store has enough underwater pumps and hoses to sell.
I'll drain the whole thing and if there are any fish, I'll make them into dinner.