Chapter 86
Well, the repayment was pretty rough, but I ended up with more levels than I expected.
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★Daily Mission★
Let's keep at it, little by little every day!
'Repayment'
Deliver EXP: 66.3 trillion / 66.3 trillion
★Today's Daily Mission Complete!★
Reward: None
Consecutive Days: Day 108
Steady Rank: Platinum Multiplier 10.0x
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No way...... What kind of mission gives no reward?
──────────────────
★Daily Mission★
Let's keep at it, little by little every day!
'Repayment'
You only returned what you borrowed
Don't be soft
★Today's Daily Mission Complete!★
Reward: None
Consecutive Days: Day 108
Steady Rank: Platinum Multiplier 10.0x
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Daily-kun is as strict as ever.
"Finger Man, isn't it about time you told me about this black thing?"
The Doctor is poking at the 'EXP Production Facility' container with a greedy look on his face. Come to think of it, I'd kind of left him alone since we escaped to the EXP factory.
Originally, the plan was to let the Doctor observe the evolution, transformation, and synthesis using a ton of crystals and 'Mugen High-Load ver5.0', and let him collect raw data. I totally forgot thanks to all the chaos.
"That thing is called 'EXP Production Facility ver2.0'."
"Ooh! So it really is an anomalous substance! Wait, huh? EXP... Production Facility...? You mean it creates EXP......?!"
Poison dude's getting all excited.
Hey, old man, don't just go poking around inside without permission.
And stop messing with it like that. I'll turn you into EXP, I swear. (Threat)
"Chii chii chii"
"Gii"
"See, Doctor, look at them. They're super strict about EXP. It's dangerous to get too close to the machine."
"Chii chii chii!!"
"Especially Shimaenaga-san is very strict. About other people gaining EXP."
"Gii!"
Shimaenaga-san pecked the Doctor's scalp with their beak.
"O-okay, I'll back off, I'll back off, just spare me!"
"Chii (Translation: If you don't want to be turned into EXP, don't come near again, chii)"
"Still, this 'EXP Production Facility'......"
"What? Got a problem with it or something?"
"You also get pretty aggressive when it comes to EXP, don't you...... Well, no matter. About this machine, it seems like serious overtechnology."
"Overtechnology?"
"Indeed. Creating EXP is something even the Dungeon Foundation is actively researching, but they haven't succeeded yet. I'm no specialist, so I don't know the details, but apparently the only way to intentionally produce EXP is by setting up treasure chests in artificial dungeons."
Come to think of it, Shurado said something like that.
She said treasure chests found in dungeons are repurposed for research and development.
"By the way, with a Small treasure chest left in a dungeon for 10 years, you can only generate about 10,000 EXP. How much can this machine produce?"
"'Golden EXP'—two sheets per hour. It's boosted."
"So you can gain EXP every hour? That's insane."
"And each of these gold plate-looking things gives 100,000 EXP."
"......Huh?"
"If you bake it in this 'EXP Enhancement Facility' microwave oven, it evolves into 'Golden EXP Lv2' and becomes 200,000 EXP."
"......"
"And with the Platinum membership multiplier of 10.0x, that means it's worth 2,000,000 EXP right now."
The Doctor made a grim face and started massaging his temple with his fingers.
"Did I mishear? I thought you said 2 million EXP......"
"Yeah, and what about it?"
"Are you sane......?!"
Whoa, suddenly, he grabbed me by the shoulder with a firm grip.
"Y-you're producing 2 million EXP every hour......?!"
"That's not quite right."
"Phew, so I misheard then."
"The total daily output is 372 million EXP, so if you break it down hourly...... it's about 15 million, I think? (My IQ goes up when it's about EXP)"
"F-fifteen million......?! ......What in the world... What kind of anomalous substance have you uncovered...... Between this pocket dimension and the equipment...... It's completely unhinged."
The Doctor's eyes were wide open, and he weakly shook his head side to side.
Judging from the way this old man's freaking out, EXP production really isn't a common thing.
"If the existence of this anomalous substance becomes known to the world, it could cause just as much chaos as the revival-type anomalous substances."
"It's that serious?"
"It is. If people know EXP can be produced, it means humanity as a whole can be fundamentally strengthened. You'll see fake explorers crawling out of the woodwork."
"Didn't they say explorer talent only shows up in one out of every thousand people?"
"True, but absorbing EXP to grow stronger is something anyone can do. Since you can't access EXP without entering a dungeon, level-ups through EXP are tied to explorers by default."
I see. Yeah, that makes sense.
"Finger Man, you're not planning to start a war or anything, are you?"
"No way. Can you even get EXP from war?"
"No, defeating ordinary humans wouldn't mean anything. ......It's kind of a morally bankrupt argument, but well, I'm glad you're not into that."
"What do you people even think of me?"
"You're the guy who caused city-center-level destruction on par with a tactical nuke."
"Oh come on, you're exaggerating. I just misjudged my strength a little, that's all."
I never thought the civic hall would get blown away, seriously.
It's all the Daily Missions' fault.
Or to be more accurate, it's because Dr. Shita Chichigasky is doing shady stuff.
In other words, I'm not to blame!! ......That's how I've decided to frame it.
"So, what do you call this space again?"
"EXP factory."
"Looking at this space really shows how abnormal you are."
The Doctor tapped on the equipment a few times and clicked his tongue in awe.
"Hmm, if we had a 'Mugen High-Load' big enough to house this equipment, maybe it could evolve...... Could we increase the production volume? Hmm, might be worth trying."
"Doctor, come over here."
"What is it now? There's more?"
"Yup, actually I turned about 10,000 monsters into charred remains over here."
"Yeah, I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I'm saying I did my 'stash away 10,000 monsters' routine and became Charred Remains Old Man. Why don't you get that?"
"Because that's not something you can just say and expect people to understand."
Man, seriously. This is why EXP-ignorant amateurs are the worst.
Everyone knows that the proper place to kill monsters is on top of a magic circle.
"W-what is this...... this mountain of crystals......!"
"Like I said, I turned about 10,000 monsters into charred remains right here. I converted monsters from floors 1 through 21 into EXP using this magic circle."
"......Has anyone ever told you you're completely insane?"
"Nope."
"I see. Then I guess I'm the first. You're completely out of your mind."
You think so?
I don't really think it's that weird, though.
"I brought the Doctor here because I wanted to show him how I use these crystals to power up like crazy. On the way, I ran into some scumbag named Shita Chichigasky, so I beat him up."
"Ah, so that's why you came to the civic hall. I'm grateful you're willing to show me. The more data, the better, after all."
I set the wreckage of the Mugen High-Load ver5.0 down at the foot of the mountain and sat down.
The Doctor sat down beside me.
"Huh, what is this......"
"It got wrecked. It took a hit from Bullet Rain when Shirokko shot me."
"Yikes...... You wrecked it big time again, huh."
"Can you fix it?"
"It'd probably be better to just use a new one."
"That's no good for me."
"Why's that? Wouldn't a new one be better for you too?"
"This is the Mugen High-Load ver5.0, you know. Doctor, you can only make up to ver4.0, right?"
"Wait, what? It's been upgraded without my knowledge......?! What happened behind my back?!"
"You absolutely have to fix it."
"......I-I'll give it my best shot."
And so, we decided to return to the dungeon camp to repair the Mugen High-Load ver5.0.