Chapter 61
"Please wait, Chikusendou......"
"I won't wait, obviously."
"But please, wait......"
"......I'm going to keep listening like this."
Chikusendou kept her aim on Finger Man while casting a sidelong glance at Jigokudo.
"Chikusendou, you probably don't know this yet, but he might be one of us."
"Doesn't seem like Gakidou-sis gave any report like that, though."
"That's probably because Gakidou's bad at explaining...... and she doesn't know about the prediction from the 'World's End Scenario'......"
"So there was an addition to it?"
"Exactly, Chikusendou......"
Chikusendou lowered the muzzle of her gun.
"It was implied in the addition that he would fight the Calamity ones......"
"Are you sure it's not Finger Man who's the Calamity?"
"No, he's the one who's going to fight them......"
"But if that's the case, how do you explain the black dungeon factors?"
Jigokudo pulled a sample out of her pocket.
Chikusendou took the sample and tried to hold it up to the light.
However, the sample completely rejected sunlight, showing nothing but darkness.
Mixed within it were bluish streaks, which only made it seem more sinister.
"There's just no way this can be something good."
"I agree with that opinion too......"
"The Calamity's factor is the Proof of lineage from the rulers of the old world. When they eventually come to reclaim the surface, the Calamity ones will become the trigger for humanity's extinction...... and Jigokudo, you're the one who said that. That we have no choice but to kill the candidate destroyers without hesitation."
Chikusendou cast a reproachful gaze toward Jigokudo.
Six amethysts gleamed at her chest. They remain sober and protect true love.
Gems imbued with nobility and conviction.
Her eyes, the same deep purple as the jewels, stared intently, waiting for an answer.
That gaze was asking whether Jigokudo's decision was right.
"What if I said I wasn't as cold as I thought I was......"
"......"
"To be honest, I don't know what the black dungeon factors really are...... it's all just my speculation...... it's unreasonable to demand certainty about whether the 'old ones' who ruled the surface before human history truly have a connection to dungeons...... a scientist's speculation is nothing more than a logical word game, spun from numbers and letters, inorganically pessimistic......"
"You're using quite the roundabout phrasing today."
"I wanted to save him...... he's a strange person, but not a bad one...... that's how I feel...... he might become a Hero...... no, to put it more bluntly, I want to try believing in him, that's how I feel...... maybe Shurado felt the same way and that's why she likes him......"
"No one really understands what's going on with that one (Shurado), right?"
Chikusendou imagined Shurado's beaming "aha!" smile and made a weary face. Whenever they met, she got dragged into things, so she didn't have many good memories. Her irresistibly endearing personality was unfair, too.
That said, among the Outer Sea Six Paths Girls, Shurado's particularly special "eye for people" was something worth trusting.
Also, it couldn't be ignored that Jigokudo, who usually believed in logic, had for once used the soft word "believe" and spared a Calamity candidate.
Chikusendou removed the silencer from 'Apoptosis,' pulled out the magazine, extracted the bullet from the chamber, and tossed it into the glove box.
She sank deep into the backrest and let out a long sigh: "fuu—"
"Fine. I believe in you, and in Shurado too...... well, I believe in her as a comrade. So I'll believe in that man you all believe in."
"Thank you so much......"
"But when the time comes, I'll do what I must. Of course I will—because that's what I was born to do. I'm sure Gakidou-sis would do the same."
"Are you going to tell Gakidou about this......"
At Jigokudo's question, Chikusendou widened her eyes and laughed out loud.
"Gakidou-sis understands everything. That Finger Man has black dungeon factors. That he might've become a countermeasure in the 'World's End Scenario.' I'm sure she gets it all."
"As expected of Gakidou, the legendary super-elite agent...... Well then, with this, we've got agreement from me, Chikusendou, Shurado, and Gakidou. As long as the situation doesn't change, let's keep him alive...... I just hope he follows my instructions......"
"If he doesn't, I'll just shoot him. If he doesn't, that is."
Though Chikusendou said that aloud, she unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
────
——Akagi Hideo's Perspective
Jigokudo-san took care of the café bill.
Man, what a good person she is.
I even got to drink The End of Coffee for free.
If she was footing the bill, I should've ordered shortcake too. (Poor man's logic)
"Chii chii chii."
"Gii."
"Oh my, you two seem in high spirits. Don't tell me you think I'm not going to gain any more EXP?"
"Chii chii chii (Translation: Because you were warned, chii)"
"Gii (Translation: If you level up any further, won't it trigger a fall-to-darkness route, my liege?)"
"Don't underestimate me. Jigokudo-san's advice was probably based on the realization that pushing any further might be futile, right? But I'm going to do it anyway. I'll never give up on leveling up! (*Darkness route confirmed)"
"Gii (Translation: Beyond saving......)"
We returned to the hotel.
I took a shower in the executive room prepared for A-rank explorers.
"Shall I set up an entrance?"
I placed a "door" right next to the bed.
We're back at the EXP factory.
"Oh, the garden plot's growing nicely."
Looks like the Black Swamp monsters worked really hard.
A small sapling is firmly planted in the center of the EXP factory.
But it still seems a bit too small to bear any fruit.
It's only about knee-high. Let's wait a little longer and hope it grows larger.
"Hm? There's some kind of pattern on the surface of the water......"
The Black Swamp monsters apparently spotted something during their work and kept pointing at the water's surface, trying to convey a message.
Right beside the 'Tree of Experience Points,' there's something drawn that looks like a magic circle.
Kneeling down to examine it, I found it's apparently an anomalous substance (Anomaly).
It looks more like a pattern than a substance...... but I guess even things like this count as anomalous substances.
────────────────────
'EXP Amplification Magic Circle'
Created by the interdimensional artisan Morton
Doubles EXP when monsters are defeated within its area of effect
────────────────────
Hmm hmm.
Fantastic. The EXP factory's productivity has gone up yet again.
Thank you, Morton. You planted such a wonderful gift in the trap room.
────────────────────
Current production
────────────────────
'Metal Trap Room Lv2'
20 million / 24h
'EXP Production Facility ver2.0'
4.8 million / 24h ★Boost★
'Tree of Experience Points'
??? / 24h
'EXP Amplification Magic Circle'
20 million / 24h
────────────────────
Total: 44.8 million EXP
────────────────────
Platinum member bonus
44.8 million × 10.0 = 448 million
────────────────────
Total Production: 448 million
────────────────────
"Well done, Breakdancers."
Next up is that thing we talked about.
About an hour has passed, so let's check the 'EXP Enhancement Facility'.
I open the black container and peek inside.
Of the many ovens lined up, the second one from the left on the top row is glowing red and seems to be operating. Since the 'Golden EXP' set in the far-left oven has finished enhancing, it must have moved on to the second one.
"Oh, this is... a nice finish."
"Chii chii chii!"
"Hey, no sneaking bites."
When I took it out of the oven, the 'Golden EXP' was shining even brighter.
───────────────────
'Golden EXP Lv2'
If you want to grow stronger, devour it.
Gained 200,000 EXP
───────────────────
Huh. Not bad at all.
"If 'Mugen High-Load ver5.0' evolves anomalous substances using cost, then maybe the 'EXP Enhancement Facility' evolves them without cost, just takes time."
Isn't that insanely strong?
"Chi......"
Shimaenaga-san gazes at me with teary eyes.
Nope. No matter how cute that face is, no means no.
We're under economic sanctions, so I'm being strict.
"Take the 'Golden EXP Lv2' out of the oven, put it on the tray, load it in... and repeat that 24 times in 24 hours. This is more tedious than I thought."
I exit the container.
I happen to notice the Black Swamp monsters standing frozen around the sapling.
"Breakdancers, I'll leave the operation of the EXP factory to you."
Once the 'EXP Production Facility ver2.0' generates a 'Golden EXP', just take it out and load it into the 'EXP Enhancement Facility'. That's all you need to do.
Occasionally, check on the 'Tree of Experience Points' too.
────────────────────
Current Production
────────────────────
'Metal Trap Room Lv2'
20 million / 24h
'EXP Production Facility ver2.0'
4.8 million / 24h ★Boost★
'Tree of Experience Points'
??? / 24h
'EXP Amplification Magic Circle'
20 million / 24h
'EXP Enhancement Facility'
2.4 million / 24h
────────────────────
Total: 47.2 million EXP
────────────────────
Platinum member bonus
47.2 million ×10.0 = 472 million
────────────────────
Total Production: 472 million
────────────────────
I guess that's the current production capacity for now.
Defeat metal monsters with the magic circle, then roast and eat the Golden EXP chocolate.
Yep, perfect. No weak points in the early, middle, or late game.
"Let's wait until we have a certain amount of the final product, 'Golden EXP Lv2', before we distribute it. I don't want us fighting over who gets the first one."
"Chii chii chii."
"Gii."
"Alright, let's get back to our cheerful Dungeon Life today."
We left the EXP factory and stepped through the door to the 18th floor of the dungeon.
The moment we stepped through, I sensed something was off.
"What is this?"
The corridor on the 18th floor had deep cracks running through it, and the ceiling had collapsed.
It looked like this floor had been hit by utter chaos.
I turn one corner——wow, I may have just stumbled upon a critical moment.
Because right before my eyes, a monster with lustrous, steel-like skin was about to bring down its massive claws on a blood-soaked explorer——.