Chapter 21
The next morning.
Allen and Felicia headed to the weapon shop, carrying the broken steel sword.
It was the shop where I'd bought my steel sword for 98,000 Jenny.
I opened the door.
"Welcome—oh, it's you, kid."
The shopkeeper saw me and grinned.
"How's the steel sword? Easier to use than the last one, right?"
"About that..."
I placed the sword, which I'd wrapped in cloth, on the counter.
I unwrapped it.
"...Huh?"
The shopkeeper froze.
The blade was chipped in several places, and the sword itself was slightly bent.
There was even a thin crack near the base.
"What did you do to it?"
"I defeated an Iron Golem."
"An Iron Golem?"
"The boss on the tenth floor."
The shopkeeper looked at me.
Then he looked at the sword again.
"I heard one was defeated yesterday... So it was you."
"Yes."
"Well, I guess it makes sense that it ended up like this."
The shopkeeper picked up the sword and examined the crack.
"It's completely worn out. Don't use it anymore. You're lucky it didn't break in the middle of the fight."
"I thought so."
The shopkeeper glanced at the swords lined up on the wall.
"I'd normally recommend a Reinforced Steel Sword next, but..."
【Reinforced Steel Sword: 320,000 Jenny】
It was the sword I'd seen before.
The shopkeeper thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"No, forget it."
"Even a Reinforced Steel Sword won't do?"
"If I sold one to someone who did this to a steel sword defeating a tenth-floor boss, you'd probably break it again in no time."
"Then which one should I get?"
"The best one in my shop."
The shopkeeper took a sword from the back of the shop.
【Flamefang Sword: 1,280,000 Jenny】
"One million two hundred and eighty thousand..."
"It's the most expensive sword I sell."
Its blade had a reddish tint.
A small red magic stone was set in the center of its guard.
"It's a Flamefang Sword. The blade itself is tougher than a Reinforced Steel Sword, and it's fitted with a magic stone, too."
I gripped the sword he handed me.
It was a little heavier than the steel sword.
But I barely noticed the difference now.
"Do you have Magic?"
"Yes."
"Then you can use it. The magic stone draws the amount of Magic it needs. Try activating it while holding the hilt."
I did as he said.
The magic stone in the guard glowed red.
Fwoom.
"Whoa..."
Flames wrapped around the blade.
"It consumes Magic while the flames are burning. Use it as a regular sword most of the time, and only activate it when you're fighting a tough monster."
"Understood."
I deactivated it.
The flames disappeared.
Felicia was looking at the Flamefang Sword.
"Allen-san, this was here when we came before, wasn't it?"
"It was."
"What did you do then?"
"I looked at the price tag and left."
"That wasn't even that long ago, was it?"
"No, it wasn't."
Even buying a steel sword for 98,000 Jenny had been a major purchase.
Now I was about to buy a sword that cost 1,280,000 Jenny.
"I'll take it."
"You're deciding just like that?"
"I think this one will suit me better now."
"It's in a different league from a steel sword, that's for sure. Though I don't know what'll happen if you get outrageously strong again."
"I'll come back when that happens."
"I'll look forward to it."
I paid the 1,280,000 Jenny.
I sheathed the Flamefang Sword at my waist.
"All right, then—"
"Wait."
The shopkeeper stopped me.
"Is something wrong?"
"Not just you, kid."
His gaze shifted to Felicia.
"Miss, that's the armor you bought here before, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"The one that cost 36,000 Jenny, right?"
"That's right, but..."
"You're C-Rank now, too, aren't you?"
"I became one yesterday."
"And you're planning to go beyond the eleventh floor in that?"
Felicia looked down at her armor.
"It isn't broken, though."
"I'm not talking about whether it's broken. I'm saying it doesn't suit the places you'll be going now."
The shopkeeper went over to the section with the armor.
He returned a little later with a piece of armor made from black leather.
【Black Wolf Leather Armor: 980,000 Jenny】
"Nine hundred and eighty thousand..."
Felicia's voice dropped slightly.
"It's made from high-grade black wolf leather. It's much sturdier than ordinary leather armor. And it's still lighter than metal armor, so even a mage can move easily in it."
"That's more than twenty times what my current armor cost..."
"Think of it as the price of your life."
Felicia picked up the leather armor.
"Try it on."
A little while later, Felicia came back wearing the Black Wolf Leather Armor.
The black leather fit snugly around her body.
It was thicker than her old armor, but it didn't seem to restrict her movements.
Felicia rolled her arms.
Then she gave her body a light twist in place.
"It's easier to move in than I expected."
"That's what it's made for."
Felicia looked at the price tag again.
"Nine hundred and eighty thousand..."
"We earned 590,000 Jenny each yesterday, didn't we?"
I said.
"That's almost two days' earnings, isn't it?"
"My sword cost even more."
"If I use you as a reference, my sense of money is going to get all messed up, Allen-san."
Even as she said that, Felicia examined the leather armor again.
"...I'll buy it."
"Good choice."
Felicia paid for it.
The shopkeeper nodded, then took a knife from the shelf.
"And take this, too."
"A knife?"
【Mithril Knife: 220,000 Jenny】
It had a short, silver-colored blade.
There was no flashy decoration.
"Even a mage can have an enemy get right up close. It's dangerous to have nothing on hand if you don't have time to cast a spell."
Felicia accepted the knife.
"What's mithril?"
"It's a metal lighter than ordinary steel that conducts Magic well. You can use it to cut monster materials, too."
"Two hundred and twenty thousand..."
"If you don't like it, I've got cheaper ones, too."
Felicia thought it over for a moment.
Then she held the knife near her waist and checked how easily she could draw it.
"I'll buy this, too."
"Are you sure?"
"I've always been a little afraid of not being able to do anything if something gets close to me."
Felicia paid 220,000 Jenny from her own money.
With the leather armor, it came to 1,200,000 Jenny.
"I spent over a million Jenny, too."
"It's not much different from what I spent."
"And until yesterday, I was wearing armor that cost 36,000 Jenny..."
"It just means the places we're going have changed that much."
We decided to take her old armor back with us as a spare.
The shopkeeper looked at the two of us.
"If you're going to the eleventh floor in that gear, at least your equipment is better than before."
"Thank you."
We left the shop.
Felicia looked at the sword at my waist.
"Allen-san."
"Yes?"
"You look like you can't wait to try it out."
"Can you tell?"
"Very much so."
"Then, shall we go?"
"To the eleventh floor?"
"Yes."
Felicia smiled.
"I thought you'd say that."
◇
We stopped by the Adventurers' Guild and checked the board for C-Rank requests.
There were requests posted that we hadn't been eligible to take until yesterday.
I chose one of them.
【Subjugate Two Steel Lizards】
【Target: Belgrant Western Dungeon, Eleventh Floor】
【Reward: 220,000 Jenny】
I took it to the reception desk.
Our usual receptionist looked over the request form.
"...You're already going to the eleventh floor?"
"We just bought new equipment."
The receptionist looked at the Flamefang Sword and Felicia's Black Wolf Leather Armor.
"You only became C-Rank yesterday, you know?"
"We'll turn back if it seems too difficult."
"I feel like I hear you say that almost every day now."
The receptionist gave a wry smile.
"The monsters from the eleventh floor onward are different from those up through the tenth. Be careful."
"Understood."
◇
The dungeon's first floor.
We headed to the teleportation stone near the entrance.
The two of us touched the stone.
A pale blue light spread out.
For an instant, my vision turned completely white.
When I opened my eyes, we were in the small room with the teleportation stone on the tenth floor.
"...That really was instant."
Felicia looked around.
"This is convenient."
"It feels silly that we walked all the way from the first floor until yesterday."
"That's a bit of an exaggeration."
We left the small room.
We headed for the stairs leading to the eleventh floor.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
The two of us descended.
◇
The rock on the eleventh floor was darker in color than on the floors above.
Ore with a metallic sheen was exposed here and there along the passage.
After we'd gone a little farther, a large lizard appeared from behind a rock.
"It's a Steel Lizard."
Silver-gray scales covered its entire body.
It was a little smaller than a Grand Lizard.
But its scales looked noticeably harder.
"Grrr..."
The Steel Lizard kicked off the ground.
"I'll handle this."
I drew the Flamefang Sword.
I wouldn't use the flames yet.
I stepped in and swung the sword from the side, using the same motion I'd used with the steel sword.
Slash!
"...Huh?"
The blade didn't stop.
It cut through the tough-looking silver-gray scales and sank deep into its body.
"Gyaah!"
The Steel Lizard tumbled across the ground.
I was a little surprised myself.
"It cuts better than I expected."
"I don't think 'better than expected' quite covers it."
I closed in as it tried to get back up and struck its neck.
The blade cut through its hard scales again.
The Steel Lizard stopped moving.
【You acquired 800P】
【Total P Acquired: 18,800P】
【Your points: 9,090P】
I looked at the Flamefang Sword.
There wasn't a single chip in the blade.
"...It's completely different."
"It did cost 1,280,000 Jenny."
"It was worth the price."
We collected its magic stone and scales, then continued deeper into the dungeon.
◇
We found the second Steel Lizard.
"Want to try using the flames this time?"
"That's the plan."
I readied the Flamefang Sword.
I activated the magic stone in its hilt.
Fwoom!
Red flames wrapped around the blade.
"Graaah!"
The Steel Lizard charged at us.
I dodged to the side.
As it passed me, I swung my sword.
Sizzle!
The flaming blade cut into its hard scales.
"Gyaa!"
The cut went even deeper than the first one's.
Smoke rose from around the wound.
The Steel Lizard turned around.
I caught up before it could turn back.
I swung my flaming sword at its neck.
Slash!
Its huge body crumpled to the ground.
【You acquired 800P】
【Total P Acquired: 19,600P】
【Your points: 9,890P】
"The flames make a big difference, too."
"It uses Magic, but it seems useful against tough opponents."
I extinguished the flames.
We collected the materials from the second one, too.
That was the last of our targets for the request.
"Should we look around a little more?"
"Yes. But today, let's just get a feel for the eleventh floor."
"Sounds good."
We continued deeper into the dungeon.
After a while, two small monsters jumped out from behind some rocks.
They looked like large rats.
Only their front teeth were long and sharp as blades.
"Blade Rats!"
The two of them split off in opposite directions.
One came for me.
The other headed for Felicia.
"Magic Bullet!"
Felicia knocked one of them off course.
I cut down the one in front of me with the Flamefang Sword.
【You acquired 100P】
I immediately turned around.
The other one leaped at Felicia.
Felicia dodged to the side.
Even in her Black Wolf Leather Armor, her movements weren't slowed.
"Please!"
I closed the distance in an instant.
One strike.
【You acquired 100P】
【Total P Acquired: 19,800P】
【Your points: 10,090P】
"That was 200P in total."
"Shall we call it a day?"
"Yes."
We could fight on the eleventh floor, too.
Our new equipment was working just fine.
We returned to the tenth floor and used the teleportation stone.
We were back on the first floor in an instant.
◇
We returned to the guild and presented proof that we'd defeated two Steel Lizards.
"I've confirmed it. The request is complete."
【Request completion confirmed】
【You acquired 100P】
【P Acquired Today: 1,900P】
【Total P Acquired: 19,900P】
【Your points: 10,190P】
I stopped in my tracks when I saw the number.
"Allen-san?"
"I've saved enough."
"You mean...?"
"Yes."
We received the 220,000 Jenny reward for the request.
We also sold the materials from the two Steel Lizards and the Blade Rats.
The appraisal came to 580,000 Jenny.
That made 800,000 Jenny in total.
Split between us, that was 400,000 Jenny each.
◇
That night.
In my room at the Silver Wheat Inn.
I had Felicia come over, too.
I opened Membership.
【Your points: 10,190P】
I selected Unique Skill Purchase.
【Imbuement: 10,000P】
"You can buy it now."
"Yes."
I'd been saving up P for this the whole time.
I reached out toward the word Imbuement.
Total P Acquired: 19,900P