Chapter 36: To the Red Zone

Original: Chapter 36: To the Red Zone

“Heeey there. It’s me, the Dungeon God. How’s it hangin’~? This time’s request is mineral gathering ☆ What I want you to bring back is a mineral that’s blue like the ocean, called Ocean Metal ◇. The area where you can gather it is waaay at the end of Passage 1, in the Woodland Zone~♪ It grows poking out from the roots of trees, so I think it’ll be easy to spot ◎ Bring back five of them, okay ☆ Pleasure doin’ business with ya~ ☆”

Thud.

I still can’t understand this energy of hers. I’m all pumped up, but it feels like all the strength is draining from my body.

‘Reward: 3500 Pon, 5 Skill Points (Everyone’s favorite Skill Points, get ’em ☆)’

It gives 5 whole Skill Points, so I think I’ll accept this quest.

‘Recommended Conquest Level: 40 ※ This is a quest from a Danger Zone (Red Zone), so be careful ♪’

This… is a Red Zone quest—

Thump. My heart pounded loudly.

For just a moment, my nerves tingled and it felt like all the skin on my body became hypersensitive.

I think my whole being is craving that life-or-death tension. I’m getting shivers, and I can’t help but grin.

“I’m looking forward to it. The Red Zone—”

Back when I first entered high school, I fled from there in tears, but now I’m actually looking forward to going. People really can change, huh.

“I’ve completely become a captive of the Dungeon.”

I can understand why a Dungeon Boom is happening all over the world.

That feeling of returning to the wild, exchanging life and death by instinct alone. How exhilarating it is, how endlessly it satisfies my heart.

“No Dungeon, No Life.”

A life without the Dungeon is unthinkable.

With a spring in my step, I pressed the button to accept the quest.

Before heading to the Red Zone, I want to stop by Miss Rilril’s place. I turned my steps towards the street stalls.

On the way, I spotted some unpleasant people.

I’d rather not have them in my field of vision. Those guys are my classmates, and their names are—um, what were they again? I forgot. Oh well. Anyway, they’re the people I was with the first time I came to the Dungeon, the absolute worst people who abandoned me in the Red Zone.

“Hmm… they’ve got some pretty nice Equipment…”

Even at a glance, you could tell their Equipment was impressive and looked expensive.

They wore metal breastplates over clothes that looked easy to move in, or sturdy-looking armor despite being light. That’s the getup of people who are seriously tackling the Dungeon.

Their Weapons are strong-looking things like Greatswords, too.

“But, that’s the wrong way.”

You only get truly fired up when you fight Monsters with just your body and one Weapon. If you fortify your Defense that rigidly, there’s no thrill or sense of wildness.

“They’re definitely people I could never understand.”

I already knew that, though.

Ah, ugh… how annoying… Their voices are so loud I can hear their entire conversation.

“The reward is 30,000 Pon. 30,000 Pon. You won’t find another quest this sweet.”

“But, hey, aren’t we totally under-leveled?”

“Our Equipment is strong, so we’ll be fine. I checked the Strategy Site too. It said it’s totally doable.”

“But we’re like 40 levels below the Recommended Conquest Level.”

“Totally fine, totally fine~”

“Ah, whatever. Let’s just try it. So? What are you guys gonna buy when we get the 30,000 Pon reward?”

“Me, a skin cream! The one that costs like 20,000 yen.”

“Ah, that one. I’d get some brand-name, high-end bra and panties.”

“You’re buying those again? You just bought some the other day.”

“You can never have too many, just in case something happens.”

“What do you mean ‘in case something happens’? You’re so gross.”

“Shut up. What about you?”

“Hmm. I wanna save up for a new smartphone.”

“How practical~”

They walked along, chattering and laughing gaily.

Hmm. Wanting to earn money is the same as me, but I guess that’s what modern high school girls want.

…Brand-name, high-end underwear, huh.

That might be kinda nice. If I wore something like that, I could confidently take off my School Uniform during P.E. changing time. Maybe I’ll add it to my mental wishlist.

“So? About that annoying girl you mentioned before, are you gonna mess with her if you see her?”

“Of course we’re gonna mess with her~”

“Out here, whatever happens is your own responsibility. No one’s gonna get mad at us.”

“If she gets eaten by a Monster or something, the title of school’s number one beauty will pass to me, right? Gya ha ha ha.”

“Gya ha ha ha. This one’s full of herself~”

“Ugh, so annoying~”

……?……?……?

I think I just heard something dangerous. Oh well. It probably has nothing to do with me. I hate those people anyway.

I thought they were going to enter Passage 1, but they stepped onto something that looked like a Magic Circle. And then, poof, they vanished. What was that? Did they warp or something?

I’ll ask Miss Rilril at the stall.

I told Miss Rilril what I had just seen.

“Ah, that’s probably a Magic Circle that lets you move far away in an instant.”

“So it’s like a Warp after all.”

“Yes. The Red Zone is far away, so walking there every day would be tough, wouldn’t it? That’s why Teleportation Magic Circles have been set up. Only people who have Cleared a Red Zone quest can use them, though.”

It seems I’ll be able to use that Magic Circle once I Clear this quest. A day’s time is limited, so that’s a super helpful Magic Circle.

However, if you want to Warp to the Red Zone in another passage, it seems you have to Clear a quest for that passage’s Red Zone first. I’ll work on that another time.

“Aren’t you going to the Red Zone, Miss Sayuki?”

“I just accepted a quest, actually.”

I explained the quest’s contents.

“I see. For gathering Ocean Metal, it would be good to take a Shovel.”

Miss Rilril lifted a Shovel from the ones lined up in her stall with both hands. It was metal and looked a bit heavy.

“I can give it to you, but do you need one?”

“No, I couldn’t. I always feel bad. Please let me buy it this time.”

“Speaking of today’s profits, I’m making a killing? I’m always indebted to you, Miss Sayuki, so please don’t hold back.”

Are Potions really selling that well?

“Even so, please let me buy it. I want to maintain a good relationship with you, Miss Rilril.”

Miss Rilril looked a little pleased.

“Then, how about 30% off? Is that okay?”

“Yes. That would be perfect.”

“That’s 1050 Pon.”

Huh, that’s cheaper than I thought. It’s a pretty decent-looking Shovel, so I thought it would cost more.

I completed the payment.

I put the Shovel in my backpack. It has a cover, so it should be fine to put it back in the backpack after using it.

“Well then, I’m off!”

“Yes, take care! Oh, that’s right.”

I had just started to walk away and stopped dead in my tracks.

“Did you get to eat something delicious?”

“Yes! It was awesome!”

I gave a thumbs-up with my right hand and showed her a smile.

Heading towards Passage 1 as Miss Rilril saw me off.

My heart is pounding. The Fighting Instinct sleeping deep in my heart feels like it’s itching to awaken any moment now.

I wonder what kind of adventure awaits. I walked on, full of excitement.