Chapter 33
Metal monster researcher...... right?
"My name is Tetsuro Hagane (Hagane-yama Tetsuro)"
A name like he was born just to research metal monsters.
"Why is a human in a place like this?"
"You won't understand, an amateur like you. Hmm? Wait..."
Hagane suddenly puts his hand on his jaw.
"You, you're normally entering the dungeon? Why? It's difficult to even maintain life without being an explorer."
"Eh? Is that so? (※Just learned)"
"Don't play dumb. I get it. You, you're from the Dungeon Foundation! Kukuku, so, the Dungeon Foundation has finally found us 'Metal Shiba Inu Club'!"
"Um... this is getting long, so for now, can I just defeat the Metal Shiba Inu? I want the experience points. And I'm short on time."
"Hahaha, you fool, you don't know about Metal's defense? You don't know that ordinary explorers' attacks can't even scratch it~?"
Snap
The Metal Shiba Inu shattered.
"..................Eh?"
After absorbing a lot of experience points and feeling good-- but then, Shimaenaga-san jumps out again and steals the experience points.
"Chi~♪"
Ah, this is definitely on purpose, this Calamity Beast.
Hey! That's hey! You know.
"......impossible......impossible, to break my Metal Shiba Inu's defense......"
Hmm, is that Metal Shiba Inu this guy's monster?
"I don't know how much the Metal Shiba Inu's defense is, but my finger snap seems stronger."
"Who are you...... you...... who are you!"
He pulls a gun from his lab coat and points it.
Huh...... why a gun...... so, this guy is bad?
"Guns won't work. Probably."
"Shut up! I'm asking who you are!"
Even if you ask who I am...
Ah, wait. There's a good title.
He adjusts his sunglasses and places the puffed-up Shimaenaga-san on his fingertip.
"Me? I am...... Finger Man."
"Tch!!"
Hagane's expression pales.
His knees tremble, his fingertips convulse, and his teeth chattering make an unpleasant sound.
"Y-you, are...... that Finger Man......!"
"You picked the wrong enemy (or something like that? Hehe, that might be a bit cool. Plus, adjusting my sunglasses a lot is my cool point)."
"N-no, it's not......! I didn't know that was Finger Man's relative......!"
"You sound like you kidnapped someone. No, you did, didn't you?"
He snaps his fingers.
He blows up the wall next to Hagane's face.
Hagane moves like a rusty gear, jerkily turning his neck to see the destruction right next to him, and collapses in fear. The gun slips from his hand.
He's totally scared, so now he might listen to anything.
Alright, then, my demand is set.
"You seem to be able to control Metal Shiba Inu."
"W-what, what is your wish, Finger Man......"
"My wish is--"
(Daily Mission has been updated)
"Oh, excuse me. It's daily time."
"......Huh?"
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★Daily Mission★
Let's work steadily every day!
'Daily Workout: Push-ups Part 2'
Push-ups 0/1,000
Consecutive days: Day 55
Steady Rank: Gold Multiplier 5.0x
──────────────────
OK, understood.
"Hngh, hngh, hngh"
"...... (Why suddenly push-ups...... is he crazy!)"
"Don't move from there until I finish 1,000."
"Y-yes...... (What am I watching?)"
──────────────────
★Daily Mission★
Let's work steadily every day!
'Daily Workout: Push-ups Part 2'
Push-ups 1,000/1,000
★Today's Daily Mission completed!★
Reward: Wisdom of the Ancients B (50,000 EXP)
Skill Nutrient B (50,000 Skill EXP)
Skill Nutrient C (10,000 Skill EXP)
Consecutive days: Day 56
Steady Rank: Gold Multiplier 5.0x
──────────────────
Alright, done.
────
Hagane Tetsuro's perspective
Hagane was terrified by the incomprehensible situation.
(Finger Man, said to be a mysterious figure, but I never thought he'd be this incomprehensible! I can't read his actions at all......!)
Finger Man finishes his push-ups and exhales hotly, whoosh.
He wipes his sweat and takes off his coat.
Exposing his heated skin, veins bulging on his arms.
At the beginning of the year, the air is very cold.
In such conditions, he did 1,000 intense push-ups.
Because of that, Finger Man's shirt became wet and see-through with sweat, making his muscular build stand out.
Intense training, numerous mental disciplines, and dungeon life.
These stoic days have led Finger Man to a beautifully sculpted body like ancient Greek sculpture.
This Finger Man is too lewd.
"Well, let's talk."
"......Wh-what kind of talk......"
Finger Man unbuttons his shirt one by one.
Hagane understands the meaning.
He's definitely that way.
A man who eats men. His muscular build is proof (※Bias).
"Hiii!! Please, spare me, Finger Man......!"
"(Ah) Gather them, the hard ones (※Metal Shiba Inu)"
"'Gather the hard ones'......!? (Is he going to stuff me full of hard things and screw me?!)"
"My kid wants to grow. Look, it's white and puffed up (※Shimaenaga-san wants to level up)"
"Your kid?! (He's calling his own thing white and puffed up......! It's probably black and rock hard! What kind of mindset is this, what a pervert!)"
"You know what happens if not, right? (Gesturing with his index finger)"
(Now, I finally understand......! The alias Finger Man is probably because of his abnormal fetish of making men finish with just his black and rock-hard fingers, toying with them......! He's the SCCL-applied anomalous substance from the Dungeon Foundation, as rumored!)
"I won't be defeated...... After researching metal monsters for many years, deciphering their characteristics and understanding their mystery, I'll show the true power of a metal monster researcher...... Even if the opponent is Finger Man, I'll confront him with my intellect and stamina!"
Hagane took out a syringe.
"Don't underestimate the power of mystery, Finger Man!!"
He stabbed the needle without hesitation.
Gurgle, the silver liquid entered Hagane's body.
From the area around the injected neck, metallization began rapidly.
"Surely, if you use that drug, it will cause metallization or something......"
"Spot on! Ha ha ha! It's a prototype, but with this anomalous substance 'Metal Agent', you can gain 100,000 defense!"
"T-ten thousand, you say?"
"Scared now, Finger Man!"
Hagane, now metal and in high spirits, clashed his fists together.
Gachin! Gachin! A heavy sound echoed, and sparks flew.
"If you want to pass through here, you'll have to defeat me! More than that, dealing damage would be──"
"Excalibur"
An explosion assaulted Hagane's face.
The corridor wall shattered, and the swamp-like footing dried up in an instant.
However──
"Th-That tickles! It doesn't work at all! (Translation: I thought I was going to die)"
Hagane was standing.
"Fuhaha, that was an incredible attack, Finger Man. That must be your full power. It could slaughter an average resource boss in one hit. If I had taken it with my bare body, I would have been blown away without a trace."
"......"
"Be proud. Not many explorers reach that height. So, when I kill you, I'll do it respectfully and painlessly! Here I come, Metal Dash!"
Hagane dashed forward.
Metallization is often thought to make one sluggish, but in reality, it's the opposite; speed increases tremendously.
He quickly approached Finger Man and delivered a powerful strike: "Metal Punch!"
"Ha ha ha, this surekill fist has at least ATK 600!"
The metal fist was driven in.
Finger Man──caught it casually with a pat.
Hagane's level is '75'.
He's one of the top fighters in the Metal Shiba Inu Club.
However, at this point, Finger Man's level was '112'.
It's simply a level difference.
In terms of strength and reaction speed, Finger Man's base status far surpasses Hagane's.
"......Eh?"
"That was a Finger Snap with ATK 100,000, but it was completely nullified. In that case, I'll go with a bit more firepower next time."
"Eh, eh? Wait, no, um, that? Could it be you're capable of even more firepower...... Finger Man, sir......?"
"I've experienced up to about 1.4 million before."
"...... (Pale face)"
"For now, let's try knocking with about 150,000"
"...... (De-metallizing)"
"You can revert that?"
Hagane wore a dry smile and realized his defeat.
No good.
This is unwinnable.──And.
"Um, that...... I'm sorry for getting carried away...... You can go ahead......"
Hagane bowed repeatedly in apology.
"Do you think an apology will fix it? I hate irresponsible people like that (like bro). I'll make you take responsibility......"
"R-responsibility?! Pl-please forgive me, I'll do anything! Ah......"
"Hm?"
(I learned for the first time. When people face something truly terrifying, they end up saying 'I'll do anything'......)
"Now, you said you'd do anything......"
Finger Man approached quietly.
Hagane backed away, sensing hell.
It was obvious that the terrifying anomalous fetish user in front of him would toy with Hagane using his demonic fingers, make him writhe, corrupt his mind, and drive him mad.
He made a decision.
Rather than lose his human dignity, he'd lose consciousness right here......
(The Dungeon Foundation is terrifying. They were hiding such an anomalous fetish anomaly.)
He bit down on the feigned death drug hidden in his back teeth.
Immediately after, Hagane frothed at the mouth and lost consciousness.
────
──Akagi Hideo's perspective
Huh? Did he just faint or something?
Seriously? I was thinking of having him gather Metal Shiba Inus for me.
Take responsibility, man.
Well, I guess it's fine as long as I defeated him.
Wonder if there's anything valuable (looting bodies is standard).
Oh dear.
Isn't this the anomalous substance 'Metal Agent' he was just using?
I'll confiscate this.
He collected one syringe of 'Metal Agent'.
"Hm?"
Footsteps approached from somewhere.
Look, a large number of Metal Shiba Inus were coming.
There were at least 30 of them.
They must have gathered because their owner went down.
Anyway, they're walking experience points coming to me, so it's all good.
If I had to search for them on foot, it would take time, and if I wanted to defeat them without missing any, it might take a year or so in the outside world.
"This looks delicious."
"Chii-chii♪"
"Shimaenaga-san, since the owner is me now, can we split the experience 8:2?"
"Chii-!"
"......7:3?"
"Chii-!"
"......6:4?"
"Chii! Chii!"
"......5:5?"
"Chii~♪"
"I don't really get it, but anyway, Excalibur!!"
He gratefully turned them all into charred remains.
Pikon! Pikon! Pikon pikon pikon!
Pikon pikon pikon pikon pikon pikon!!
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Akagi Hideo
Level 128
HP 10,852/14,013
MP 1,323/2,493
Skills
'Finger Snap Lv4'
'Phobia Syndrome Lv3'
'One Strike'
'Steel Spirit'
'Probability Time: Coin Lv2'
Equipment
'Blue Blood Lv3'G4
'Proof of the Chosen One'G3
'Labyrinth Conqueror'G4
'Adolphene's Holy Shroud'G3
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Shimaenaga-san
level 18
HP 10/4,920
MP 10/4,023
Skills
'Blasphemous Morning Star'
'Blasphemous Pact'
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"Chi~♪"
"Heh heh heh, leveling up......leveling up......Ihihi"
mountain of experience points......a pleasant dinner.