Otoko Nara Ikkokuichijou no Aruji o Mezasa Nakya, ne? Chapter 279

Towards the 10th Floor 4
Year 7446, Month 10, Day 29

In the end we decided to stay in the teleport crystal room of the 9th floor and take look in the 10th floor before defeating the Minotaurs by attacking them from behind when they resp.a.w.ned. I thought all 9 of them would resp.a.w.n at the same time but that wasn't the case, first off 7 of them resp.a.w.ned with only a few minutes difference between, and then when the remaining 2 finally started to resp.a.w.n the fog just started whirling around where they would have been and there's no sign of them appearing. For over 30 minutes it continued in that state just like that so we attacked the 7 that did resp.a.w.n from behind and finished them off instantly.

After I tried Identifying the corpses all of their levels were 8 or 9 in the single digits.

They weren't quite to the level of wazamono, but even then we obtained another 7 high quality weapons and it was before the mana recovered in Ralpha's bracelet so we couldn't help but drag the corpses behind the pillar and pile them up there.

Here I ended up having to go into thought again.

The first skilled Minotaurs that Angela the others and I fought against, mine was level 32, and Angela and the others was level 30. In all of the monster groups that we've fought against up until now there's never been a level difference this big. Even when it comes to the resp.a.w.n of monsters the only ones I've directly observed were a few types of room bosses on the 1st floor. Whether it was slimes or giant spiders, in a group or otherwise, the levels were all either the same or only 1 level difference.

Certainly while the sign of them resp.a.w.ning, the fog appears at the same time, there was a vague difference in the time they actually appear but it was at best several seconds to at greatest a few minutes so I just thought it was a measurement error or that amount.

What I can think of here is that maybe the levels of the monsters have relation to the resp.a.w.n.

I guess it would be proper to think that the higher the level is the longer it takes for them to resp.a.w.n.

Though in order to verify the theory it would require a maddening number of samples of them resp.a.w.ning. It's necessary to keep the theory at nothing more than a theory and guideline.

Also, in regards to the 10th floor we took a look at but just from a glance it doesn't seem any different from the 8th and 9th floors. Since the 2 remaining Minotaurs still haven't resp.a.w.ned we decided to just take a peek and then immediately went back.

...........................

Year 7446, Month 10, Day 30

Already, we're reaching the limit of our stock in emergency use preserved food.
Let's head back today.

The same as usual the fog that appears when the Minotaurs are resp.a.w.ning is still whirling around.
On the side of that the other 7 Minotaurs resp.a.w.ned again. It can't be helped worrying about it.
There's no accomplishment to it but we ended up finis.h.i.+ng them off by attacking them from behind again.

Along with the corpses from yesterday Ralpha changed 14 Minotaur corpses into water and then we decided to take another look at the 10th floor.

I wonder if more crabs and crickets and what-not will come out? It's fine to use the spell {Audible Clamor} to lure over monsters but sometimes it might be good to move around a bit. Since we've just been sitting in the teleport crystal room waiting for the Minotaurs to resp.a.w.n walking around should be fine.

I return my feelings to the initial resolution and we carefully advance forward.

"Something is coming! One..It's fast!"

Bel gave out a warning and prepared an arrow on her bow.
Everyone went on guard with their weapons at the ready.
I started looking further down the cave with {Identify} vision as well.

..What is that? Just from a glance it looks like a 4 meter or so lizard but the shape of it's legs are almost like an insect and it even has six legs. Along with the noisy rustling from it's legs it's heading towards us.

【】
【Male/1/12/7444.Lesser Yowie】
【Condition: Normal】
【Age: 462 Years Old】
【Level: 11】
【HP: 603 MP: 1(1)】
【Strength: 21】
【Speed: 35】
【Dexterity: 18】
【Endurance: 55】
【Special Skill: Poison Breath】
【Special Skill: Vibration.Sensing】

"{Arrowhead.One}!"

Just as I shouted that I fired off a {Fire Arbalest Missile}..It was deflected!?
Seeing that everyone raised their voices in surprise.
The flaming arrow flew off in a different direction scattering as it hit the wall of the cave.
It seems it was deflected by the fine scales covering the surface of the monster's body.
I wonder if the angle it hit was shallow?
Otherwise they're considerably tough?

Immediately after I fired off a {Stone Arbalest Missile} which is acknowledged for it's piercing capability(or at least in my mind), this time while I lowered the speed a bit, I fired it off almost vertically from right above it's back.

As expected this splendidly pierced through it's scales and after deeply stabbing through it was stuck to the ground almost like a specimen!

"s.h.i.+gyaaaa~!!"

While it was letting out an unpleasant scream a {Fire Javelin} and arrows someone fired off stabbed into it's mouth.
There's fangs all lined up inside of it's mouth and just that almost resembles an alligator.
Following that I used the spell {Grow Spike} and gave it the gift of being skewered from below.

"Ge..Gyabu!!"

While letting out it's voice in agony the insect lizard spit out some poisonous looking brown liquid like it was choking but it was almost no momentum and didn't fly any further than 5 meters. Obviously there was no damage on our side.

And then, Zenom's axe went flying with a spin and after stabbing into it's head came back.

This, if in just a matter of seconds..if you don't have a magician who can use {Missile} at a speed of less than 3 seconds you would struggle quite a bit with it.

Zulu collected the magic stone by further cutting open the holes my spells made.
The value of the magic stone was roughly 60,000. If we sell it then it'll be over 400,000 Z.

Just like this, other than the Lesser Yowies, we killed off Blue Battle Crabs and Killer Mantis which were of a different color and even more ferocious while advancing, and after all, or I guess you could say just as expected we discovered a teleport crystal.

I guess we'll return here this time.

...........................

"Ah, master! I'm glad you're safe!"

Afte returning to the teleport room on the 8th floor and Giberuti greeted us so pleased that he might start crying at any moment.

"Sorry about worrying you. I'll talk about the details later. Make us something to eat."

Since we had been holding out by eating preserved foods we devoured the potofu made with carrots, cabbage, and baldoggie, along with bread until we were full.

Furthermore, in his spare time Giberuti finally manage to complete what could be called the prototype for the hardtack. The recipe itself is just a biscuit that you cook twice so it's not all that difficult after all. It seems it was worth it teaching him the method for the flame to pa.s.s through better when you open needle holes and add things like hops, sesame seeds, sugar, salt, before boiling it in lard a number of times, filtering out the impurities and adding things of a higher quality.

"I think the taste was decent. It's light and easy to carry around so I'll make a lot of them for everyone during the next days off rather than stocking up on more preserved food that you ate this time."

After I gave it a pa.s.s Giberuti happily declared that to me. I think the 7 cm or so long and wide square baked hardtack certainly had a decently good taste to it. This, somewhat decent taste is actually important. No matter how skillfully made they are hardtacks must not be too delicious. Since you'll end up eating them normally. Well, if it ends up being that good then even that's fine so we can start selling them as sweets though.

Since b.u.t.ter is an ultra expensive luxury item there's not many delicious sweets. Obviously these don't use any b.u.t.ter so no matter how much effort is put into them they won't get that delicious.

"Ah, in regards to the recipe for this "hardtack". If you make something that you can consider perfect then make sure you properly write it down."

Later on it's fine if I buy it from Giberuti and depending on the case it's fine to start selling it as something that personally belongs to Giberuti himself as well. Of course it's a matter for after I have my territory though. If I remember right this guys dream was to own his own restaurant after all.

Of the remaining stuff, we just brought along the vegetables and such that expire quickly and returned to the surface.

...........................

"..And, just like that we somehow were able to clear the 9th floor. The 10th floor had a similar feel to the 9th floor but it seems like there's a number of new types of monsters and we still haven't tried going to a monster room so I don't know what kind of room bosses there may be."

I gave a simple report of how we arrived at the 10th floor to the {Butchers} and {Exterminators} and displayed the items we obtained from beat down the guardian Minotaur.

"If you want to use it then I'll lend it to you. Though it'll be after I report to the King. I think he'll probably return it though."

After I said that Kevin wanted to use the {Single-Edge Bardiche}. Oh~ as expected he has a good eye. I thought it was a waste not to use the {Double-Edge Battleaxe} we obtained previously so in the end I let Rodrick's combat slave Karimu use it.

Since Kevin said he was going to use one, everyone got excited seeing all of the high quality wazamono weapons and ended up switching out with quite a few of them.

Ginger was greatly interested in the {Cross Spear} and Jeru requested using the {Reverse-thorn Trident}. For Kimu as expected the handles were too long compared to the one she's using now and there were no good subst.i.tutes so she had to give up on them.

Ruttsu ended up changing from just a simple spear to the {Pole Voulge} and my combat slave {Rubi} took the {Bloodpoint Halberd}, and I ended up loaning the {Ribbon Partizan} to Jesu.

Rodrick's combat slave Denda who uses the war hammer didn't seem to want to change weapons for some reason. The {Glaive} ended up being leftover but whatever. Basutoral said that he preferred the spear he was used to using as well.

After that I said would be gone for a short while in order to report to the King so while it wasn't a break for the {Slaughterers} overall but the {Slaughterers} don't have me so they're taking a break(it's too frightening going to a new floor without me) but they still wanted to dispatch leaders to the {Exterminators} and {Butchers} just the same as until now so I gave permission for it when they enter the dungeon again in another 3 days.

...................................

Year 7446, Month 11, Day 3

"..These are the items that we obtained from defeating the group of Minotaurs that were the guardians of the 9th floor."

I showed off the items we obtained while also handing over the magic stone. This time I'm in front of the King, first Queen her highness Morairu, as well as his highness Richard the prince who was acting as a bodyguard from the first knight group.
Huh? Putting that aside, the {Refrigerator} that's in the corner of this audience room..I feel like I've seen it before?

【Refrigerator】
【Beech Wood.Iron】
【Condition: Normal】
【Manufacture Date: 18/7/7444】
【Value: 12800000】
【Durability: 465(492)】
【Ability: Internal Temperature 4 Degrees;1489 value/1 day】
【Effect: Able to refrigerate goods stored inside for preservation. No humidity control function.】

..I see now.

"..Certainly...It seems you cleared the 9th floor, Greed. That's quite something."

Morin said in admiration. His highness Richard opened his eyes wide as he checked the status of the weapons and magic stone I handed over along with his parents. Hmhmph, how's that?

"What's so amazing about it? In the end he wasn't able to obtain anything decent so he's just covering it up with things like this."

Ke...and the King said as if he was spitting it out but I'm sure he's just bitter that I surpa.s.sed the achievements of his ancestor. As proof of that he was scolded by her highness Morin and his highness Richard for his att.i.tude.

"By the way, putting that aside, why did you come to report on it this time following the last time? Last time I can understand because it was unprecedented achievement but.."

Morin said curiously.
Something like that, even if I say to the world that we "went to the 10th floor" there's no way to prove it was true, so it's only obvious I wanted it to be formally proven to be true. Or at least that's the official reason.

"Ah, I see now."

Even though she asked the question, it seems Morin immediately understood the reason.
No, you know, I can't just say it's because I wanted to be praised or wanted to change their opinion for the better right. It seems I'm still a brat after all~

"Da~hhahaha! He was told it, this brat! That's exactly right! What? Did you want to be praised? Eh? Yes, that's right how amaching~ you are~ As expected of the number one adventurer in Baldukk right~ You shhure did give it your bescht. How great of you~!"

The King turned bright red and held his stomach while laughing out loud. s.h.i.+t, he saw through it. This is seriously embarra.s.sing.

"Ah..That is, a midway progress report for his majesty.."

I wonder if my face is red?

"Buhya~ a midway progress report~!?"Just leave it at that already."

Morin said in amazement cutting off the King. It sounded like she might be a bit angry at the King as well.

"Greed. It's good to be proud of your own achievements. Furthermore it's reaching the 10th floor that his majesty George.Rombert the First couldn't reach, it's truly a magnificent deed. You should be very proud for the sake of those who accompanied you as well. It's because only we can officially acknowledge that right?"

Morin smiled lightly while saying. I'm grateful that you're willing to accept the formal reason as the formal reason.

"Wa~ha."

I couldn't do anything but fall prostrate.

"Just the same as last time, the royal family will announce the great achievements you've done."

Last time, soon after that the Royal Family sent out an official notice saying, "The 8th floor of the Baldukk dungeon was cleared by the adventurer Alan.Greed and his party. He's arrived at the 9th floor. This royal family gives praise to this honor." Thanks to that the face value of us {Slaughterers} was even greater than up to now in the town of Baldukk. Though even more riffraff than ever came wanting to join the {Slaughterers} as well. It was around that time when the {Verdure.Brotherhood} and {Black.Topaz} started to push themselves as well.

"Wa~ha..I'm very grateful."

That's right, I didn't want to be praised.
I just wanted the achievements of our party to be recognized not just my own.
I'll think of it that way.

.........................

Year 7446, Month 11, Day 4

Yesterday on my way back from the royal castle, I stocked up on iron ores from a blacksmith.
Additionally, I went to a specialty company to put in a order to periodically purchase large amounts(around 10kg) of freshly picked raw cotton that hasn't been processed yet.
Also, I went to the dyed goods shop and purchased some yellow dye.
Yellow dye has a history being made from the primary ingredient for DDNP(Diazodinitrophenol), picric acid.
If the yellow dye of Orth is made from picric acid then it's an easy profit.

In my room in an inn of the capital I placed some iron ores in a bucket and used {Trans.m.u.te.Rock.To.Mud} to change it into mud. After that I used sorting to take out the iron and while separating it molded the shape as well. Hmm.

...

......

First off is just the receiver of something like the simplest revolver. Giving up on the mechanism for the cylinder to automatically revolve around(It's necessary to rotate the cylinder around with your hand every time you fire it. It heats up so gloves are necessary.), it's a very simplified version. Adding to that even the grip is just an iron plate. I'll use a vise or something to fix this into place and then attach a string to the trigger in order to fire it from a distance. It would be best to test out the bullets like this and raise the completion rate of it. It uses gunpowder so it's necessary to take safety somewhat into consideration after all.

Other than that, including the bullet I produced a large number of sh.e.l.l cases and parts of the primer.

During the process of selection and molding I ended up having to remake it a number of times to get a feel for it but since I somewhat got a hold of the trick to it while making the meat mincers, I was quickly able to make them all at exactly the same size. For the time being I made the rifle sh.e.l.l cases in the bottleneck form like general rifle bullets.
I'm sure the net shooter will need a reasonable amount of propellant after all.

After that, while the gunpowder is already fine, it's necessary to produce the primer with the detonation powder packed into it.

Author's Note: (TL: bunch of notes on how new monsters resp.a.w.n in the general area when other monsters are defeated and there's some amount of randomness to it. If the group isn't completely wiped out a new group won't resp.a.w.n, though altar rooms are different.)

Chart of resp.a.w.n times:
Level - Seconds/Minutes/Hours/Etc
1　1
2　2
3　4
4　8
5　16
6　32
7　64
8　128
9　256　4.2 minutes
10　512　8.5 minutes
11　1024　17 minutes
12　2048　34.1 minutes
13　4096　1.14 hours(68.2 minutes)
14　8192　2.25 hours(136 minutes)
15　16384　4.55 hours
16　32768　9.1 hours
17　65536　18.2 hours
18　131072　36.4 hours
19　262144　3 days
20　524288　6 days
21　1048576　12 days
22　2097152　24 days
23　4194304　48 days
24　8388608　97 days
25　16777216　194 days(0.6 years)
26　33554432　388 days(1.08 years)
27　67108864　776 days(2.157 years)
28　134217728　4.315 years
29　267435456　8.59 years
30　536870912　17.26 years
31　1073741824　34.52 years
32　2147483648　69 years
33　4294967296　138 years
34　8589934592　276 years
35　17179869184　552 years
36　34359738368　1104 years
37　68719476736　2209 years
38　137438953472　4418 years
39　274877906944　8837 years
40　549755813888　17674 years