Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Volume Seven: Those Who Cast Sparks, Those Who Nurture Them
Chapter 97
“Alright… that’s enough for today.”
In the artificial dungeon known as the “Lindworm’s Nest,”
I had just defeated the guardian of the 40th floor, a bipedal giant lizard monster called a Howling Lizard, and stepped into the teleportation crest that appeared for return.
Yes, taking advantage of the fact that Melt wasn’t home, I had spent most of the day inside the dungeon.
She had departed on a bodyguard mission earlier that morning. As for the current time… it’s already past midnight.
Even though I’m in a state where fatigue essentially doesn’t exist, there’s still this subtle kind of mental exhaustion—different from physical tiredness—that makes it hard to keep going.
More than anything, I don’t want to forget the habit of sleeping properly in my own home.
Besides, I sometimes notice a small stat boost after sleeping. Maybe it’s some kind of physical growth mechanic?
“Phew…”
Using the crest, I returned to the Explorers’ Guild.
Even though I’ve only been coming here for a few days, I already feel strangely comforted being back.
Maybe it’s like a “safe zone” in a game—that kind of subconscious relief?
Before heading home, I sat on a bench in the guild’s waiting area to review today’s battles.
“…Maybe it’s time to reevaluate my equipment loadout… and change my fighting style too?”
Up until now, I’d been steamrolling through weaker enemies with brute force, but around the 35th floor, that approach started losing effectiveness.
The trash mobs clearly had higher endurance. Sure, if I fight them properly, I can win easily, but it’s just not efficient.
“…I have gotten a lot stronger, though.”
The clan Mantis Shrimp, which had come from outside on an expedition, had reportedly encountered the floor boss on the 35th level.
They said it was terrifyingly strong, but I’ve already taken it down solo.
Apparently, it was a rare race, something akin to a dungeon master… but I, Same (in-game name), can now use a sword skill that’s especially effective against dungeon masters.
On top of that, with my Observation Eye skill, I can identify weak points and elemental weaknesses.
And I can even use Beginner Enchantment Magic now.
That’s race-specific damage bonus + elemental weakness + anatomical weak point. No wonder the boss went down so quickly.
No doubt—if I can mix and match techniques and skills from various classes, I can already output firepower that rivals other characters at this stage.
…Still, I can’t afford to get cocky. I rolled up my right sleeve and checked the only injury I’d taken today.
“…There’s still a faint mark left.”
It’s mostly healed thanks to the Gourmet class’s natural regeneration, but I’d taken a hit to my right forearm from the 35th floor boss.
I instinctively knew it nearly caused a severe sprain or even a fracture, but I somehow managed to continue fighting.
That’s probably due to my improved stats… I guess.
“…I’d like to clear the rest tomorrow. Only two days left… huh.”
Wait, it’s already past midnight, so… technically, just tomorrow remains.
I might have another day of leeway, but if the knights complete their preparations early, things could move faster.
“If I sleep now… I can resume before noon.”
With that thought, I returned to my house—without Melt in it.
I wonder what Melt’s doing right now… I keep thinking about her.
It makes me happy that she’s learning how to survive on her own, but it also makes me feel a little lonely… I guess that’s just my ego, huh?
I must have fallen asleep instantly, not even realizing when it happened.
I woke to the irregular chirping of birds. The sun was already up, and light was shining in through the window.
For some reason, it felt like the sunlight was blaming me—”It’s already noon!”
Maybe it’s because I feel a bit guilty about spending the entire night holed up in a dungeon.
“Alright… let’s review my equipment before breakfast.”
It’s probably time to graduate from beginner gear or farming sets with low stats.
Originally, I wore plain-looking gear so as not to attract attention or trouble for looking too flashy.
But apparently, I’ve already gained a bit of a reputation among the explorers in the Lindworm Nest as “the insane guy who fights alongside the Killcrawler.”
When did that happen…?
“Hm… If I can use skills from all sorts of classes, there’s probably a more efficient build than what I’ve been using so far…”
Then, I must’ve gotten completely absorbed in planning—forgot to eat breakfast.
Only when my stomach let out a painful growl did I finally snap back to reality.
[Current Equipment Details]
“Dark Garb of the Assassin Master” (Top & Bottom)
- Looks like ordinary clothing, but turns pitch black and blends into darkness
- Consumes MP per second while active (cannot be activated near light sources)
- +15% evasion rate to all attacks
- +15% additional evasion while active
“Silent Skeleton Cuffs”
- Invisible earpiece accessory
- Enhances hearing when focused
- +50% detection range, +10% evasion to all attacks
“Boots of Flashstep”
- +10% movement speed
- +20% physical attack evasion
- Brief invisibility during dodge moves
“Ring of Mirage”
- Can phase through enemies during dodge moves
- Deals damage based on weapon’s attack power when passing through
- Reduces own HP when dealing damage, but restores 10% HP upon enemy defeat
“Shortsword of Killing Intent – Left Arm of Despair”
- A straight sword with unique properties
- Usable by: Swordsman, Warrior, Mercenary, ???, Hunter, ???, Thief, Dancer, Performer, ???
- While sheathed: boosts unarmed melee performance
- While drawn: improves skill activation speed
- Low weapon stats, but high stat bonuses
Currently, the skills I rely on the most are Gourmet and Rhythm Step.
And I, who now functions like a front-line class, can use both.
Of course, equipment usually has class restrictions—but I can ignore those and equip anything. That’s a huge advantage I need to make the most of.
Some of the class names are still hidden… which probably means I haven’t encountered or fought as those jobs yet.
Anyway, this is the build I came up with after much thought.
“If I total everything up, my physical attack evasion rate exceeds 100%… Of course, in this world, that doesn’t mean I’ll dodge unless I actually move… I wonder how this will turn out.”
In addition to that, the performance of evasive actions—such as stepping, twisting, or bending the body—has also been improved.
It’s already been proven that dodging doesn’t consume stamina, and that there’s no post-dodge stiffness either.
And now, dodging can deal damage—this is classified as a “martial art” skill.
By equipping weapons that enhance martial arts performance—wouldn’t that make trampling enemies even more efficient?
In other words, my current build concept is:
“An overpowered cheat build that overwhelms enemies with ridiculously high dodge rate and superior evasion skills, while still being strong in regular combat.”
Also, the sword I’m using is described as “low-performance,” but think about it logically:
If you get slashed with a real iron sword with a sharp edge, you’d die—plain and simple.
So it’s fine to choose weapons for their secondary effects. Even the weapons I’ve used so far, though labeled as low-performance and more for farming experience, were still massive, heavy, and incredibly destructive in reality.
Thanks to the alignment between game-era mechanics and real-world practicality, combined with the powers I’ve gained from various professions, I’ve created a build that would’ve required cheats to pull off in the original game.
With this, I’m going to storm through the rest of the dungeon—from floor 41 to 50—all in one go.
If things go well, I might even head to Marquis Allheus as early as tomorrow.
I no longer have the luxury of holding back.
Right on schedule—almost exactly at noon—I arrived at the headquarters of the Explorer’s Guild. On the way, I bit into a dish called “Malmetano,” which Melt had become obsessed with.
Yep, just as I thought—it’s delicious. It doesn’t lose to the sausages I used to eat on Earth. The flavor brings out the meat’s richness, balanced with just the right amount of saltiness and sweetness. The spices and herbs are well thought out and perfectly blended.
It’s slightly coarse-ground, and the way the meat juice gushes out along with the fat—it really satisfies your appetite.
It gives you that pure “I just devoured meat!” sensation.
“…I feel like my food vocabulary has increased.”
Must be the influence of spending time in Seira.
“Shizuma, is that tasty?”
“Wha?!”
Suddenly, a voice came from right beside me as I sat on the bench eating my Malmetano.
When I turned my head, there was Rivana-san, sitting next to me at some point.
I seriously didn’t feel her presence at all… Wait—was she already sitting there before me…?
“Answer me. Is it tasty?”
“Um… yes, it’s delicious.”
“I see.”
Saying only that, Rivana-san walked off toward the exit.
…Well, I guess this means we’re on at least “acquaintance” terms now, right?
“Hey, look, look… that kid was talking to Killcrawler’s girl!”
“Woah… That’s nuts. Just goes to show the guys making waves really are built different.”
“Man, don’t you get hungry at night? I heard there’s a good sausage stand nearby.”
Ah! There they are—the mysterious trio! Haven’t seen them in a while. I was wondering where they went!
…Come to think of it, I haven’t been to the Adventurer’s Den lately either.
Maybe once I clear the dungeon, I should stop by again.
“Alright… I was prepared to fight a floor boss immediately on resuming, but looks like there’s no problem.”
When resuming a dungeon midway, you automatically start from a floor that’s a multiple of 5. If someone else is already fighting the boss there, you won’t get teleported.
But if you do get teleported and your luck is bad, you might restart right in the middle of a boss fight.
Fortunately, the floor boss hadn’t respawned yet, so I descended toward Floor 41 without any issues.
“…It’s starting to feel climactic.”
Each time a floor boss was defeated, the interior design and theme of the dungeon changed. And now, it clearly gave off the atmosphere of approaching the final stage.
A vast hallway with red carpet stretched endlessly, just like the interior of a castle.
The walls were adorned with beautiful decorations and intricate carvings, as if crafted by master artisans—so impressive it took my breath away.
…To put it simply, it looked exactly like a “Demon Lord’s Castle.”
It was enormous—so massive that calling it the fortress of a giant demon king wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
“…Perfect. Time to test my build.”
And in that looming final stage, the monster that appeared was…
Demon Drag
- A mutated variant of the “Dragonewt,” which is an advanced species of Lizardmen.
- It has absorbed a power equivalent to that of a Dungeon Master, and has partially transformed into a demonic entity.
- To defeat it as a human-type, you must aim for its weak point—its reverse scale—and continuously strike it with ice-type attacks.
- Because it is half demon, it’s also somewhat vulnerable to anti-demon prayers and magic.
As the floor boss of the 35th layer, it had once forced even Killcrawler to retreat—a truly powerful entity.
And now, it was just another regular monster, appearing along the way like any other.
…When you think about it, that’s not normal. Could it be that no one has actually cleared this dungeon since this whole abnormal situation began?
It’s likely that Mantis Shrimp—the group—are currently the deepest any human has ever gone.
Killcrawler was probably only clearing out creatures that were overpowered for the lower floors, nothing more.
“So this is essentially an unexplored dungeon… I’d better make sure to document everything.”
Mapping probably isn’t necessary. After all, the entire layout is already being displayed.
“The types and strength of monsters… maybe even their appearance is something unique to this place. Might as well sketch them.”
Even if I’m not an artist, I can do basic sketching.
Using a notebook I had originally bought to practice writing, I begin drawing the surrounding scenery.
And so, I continued venturing deeper into this area that truly looked like “the final stage.”
“…This thing’s a variant of a Gel too? Only abnormal creatures show up here.”
Leonics Gel
- A Gel that has absorbed a powerful monster and learned from its data.
- It possesses one of the highest levels of strength among quadrupeds, along with massive physical resistance.
- A final form that fulfills the Gel’s original role to the fullest.
The description felt… ominous to me.
Gel… wasn’t that just a basic trash mob?
“Tch!—Whoah!”
I narrowly dodged an incoming strike from one of the semi-transparent beasts.
In this vast corridor, adorned like something out of a demon king’s castle…
There was a swarm of semi-transparent beasts, as if to completely fill the path. Among them, a bipedal dragon-like being with demon-like traits appeared to be leading them.
A mixed unit of Demon Drags and Leonics Gels stood before me—and I braced myself.
“…This strategy—this’ll be a good test to see how far it holds up.”