The Treasure Chest

The Treasure Chest

About thirty minutes after we began exploring.

"Hngh!"

I knocked aside the sword swung down by the Living Armor, then followed through by batting away the shield it had raised.

I stepped in and slammed my shoulder into it. Despite the full plate armor, there was nothing inside. Its iron boots left the floor far more easily than I expected.

The spear-wielder attacked in place of the one I'd sent flying backward. Instead of thrusting, it brought the spearhead crashing down from above.

But I could see it. Following the Magic Eye's precognition, I spun sideways to evade it. At the same time, I slammed my blade into the spear-wielder's temple.

The blade sank into its helmet, and I forcibly tore away the fastener at its neck. As the headless Living Armor crumpled, I looked toward the one I'd sent flying backward.

That one had already gotten back up and raised its sword. But the instant it started running, a bola wrapped around its legs.

The Living Armor toppled over with a spectacular crash. I ran up and stomped down on its head with all my might. With a crunch, its helmet caved in.

I immediately turned my gaze and sword toward Rosso-san. But she didn't seem to need any help. At exactly that moment, her great scythe caught the monster in the torso.

"Nnngh!"

With a hearty battle cry that was completely at odds with her appearance, she swung the great scythe through.

The Living Armor's torso was torn apart horizontally, and the spearhead carried by its momentum smashed through the wall.

With my back against the opposite wall, I glanced around. It seemed there were no more enemies.

"Phew..."

"Good work, Yahiro-san."

"Yeah. Good work to you too. And thanks for the support."

"You're welcome."

I picked up the bola along with the magic stone and handed it to Takanashi-san. It seemed to be the same one she'd used against the Crazy Boar. Apparently, she'd made another one since then.

Compared to that boar, the Living Armor had less raw physical strength. Perhaps because of that, the rope was still intact and looked like it could be used a few more times.

"Good work, everyone. Man, I haven't had anything to do."

Riko-senpai approached, scratching her cheek.

"Otaku-kun and Rosson are mowing down enemies without needing buffs or debuffs. What's this? It feels like we came somewhere below our recommended level."

"Is that so? I can definitely feel my spiritual rank filling with mana, though."

"So can I. Heh... This is another step on my path to becoming the king of the demon realm."

"For real? Hmm. Maybe it feels like less to me because I've been handling support this time."

"That's probably it."

Apparently, the three of us—Rosso-san, Riko-senpai, and I—were all exceptionally talented as ability users.

Apparently, the number of abilities a person possessed was an indicator of an ability user's talent. This theory was currently regarded as plausible online. According to Takanashi-san, it wasn't accurate, but it wasn't far off either.

Considering that, the three of us were quite talented. Ability users who possessed even a 'Unique Ability' were said to be extremely rare. Our growth rates shouldn't be all that different, either.

"Most likely, the physical abilities of Yahiro-san and Rosso-san are several levels above those of ability users with the same spiritual rank. I believe that is what allows you to fight at this speed."

Takanashi-san hesitated for a moment at Rosso-san's name before saying that.

It certainly sounded plausible. Still, nodding as though it were obvious would make me look conceited, so I refrained.

"So we're at the appropriate level, but overwhelming everything with our basic stats. I'll keep the buffs active during combat just in case, though."

"I appreciate that, but are you all right on mana?"

"For now. I might use my Unique Ability to recover eventually, though... Don't freak out when you see it, okay?"

Riko-senpai looked at me, seeming slightly awkward.

I responded by shrugging with exasperation.

"Compared to the things you say and do normally, that isn't really shocking anymore..."

"What'd you say!?"

"I agree with that."

"Even you, Rosson!?"

While carrying on that exchange, we collected all the magic stones and continued forward.

For now, we were aiming for the exit gate, but we took a quick look through the rooms along the way.

It was unlikely, but perhaps 'that' might be here. We couldn't help hoping.

"Still, don't dungeon stories and web novels usually divide dungeons and monsters into ranks when they appear in the modern world? Like A-rank and S-rank."

Riko-senpai suddenly muttered that while looking around us.

"Where did that come from?"

"I was thinking about what we said earlier about recommended levels. Wouldn't it be bad if someone who wasn't strong enough accidentally entered a dungeon above their level?"

"Well, yes..."

Now that she mentioned it, she had a point.

A clear indicator like ranks would certainly be helpful to adventurers.

The Spirit Affairs Agency's website did list what monsters appeared at each cordoned-off site. It also gave a rough indication of how strong they were.

But there was still a chance of misjudging the difference in strength or a bad matchup. In the first place, few people could accurately assess their own abilities. At least, I certainly couldn't.

We had no idea when we might make the same kind of mistake.

"Hmm... From something I saw online before, it seems there was initially a movement to establish ranks."

"Really?"

"Indeed. Though it was only an online rumor."

After that preface, Rosso-san continued.

"There was apparently an effort to compare testimony from the Self-Defense Forces, who had actually fought the monsters, with the ability values of ability users assessed at city halls and prefectural offices, in order to determine the danger level accurately."

She carried the great scythe on her shoulder and gave a small sigh.

"However, they apparently decided that assigning ranks carelessly while there was still insufficient data would only make things more dangerous."

"I get it. They were worried about accidentally pulling a rank scam, huh?"

"Ah..."

Going in expecting a low-rank dungeon only to find that its rank was inaccurate would be no laughing matter.

The government must have decided that it was better to warn people to be careful because they only had a rough idea of the danger.

"Even so, I believe ranks are necessary."

"Really? Why?"

"Isn't it obvious...?"

Rosso-san gave a fearless smile and dramatically swept her cloak aside.

"To make my strength known beyond all doubt! Rising to the highest rank in the blink of an eye and showing the common masses the difference in our standing is also a king's duty!"

"Oh. Okay."

"No... But if I did that, the 'Organization' might take notice of me. Perhaps I should be the highest rank in truth, but publicly appear to be somewhere in the middle..."

She began talking about something with a smug look, so I half-listened while continuing to search for enemies.

Right. I'd forgotten because the other clan members were so 'extreme,' but this person was pretty dangerous too.

"Yes, yes... You're being such an otaku-chan, Rosson...!"

Exactly. The other members were 'extreme' in the same way.

While I was fighting the urge to sigh, Takanashi-san continued navigating without a change in expression.

For various reasons, I couldn't look at her very much, but that was genuinely helpful.

It definitely wasn't because looking at her would make my brain glitch at the sight of that obscenely sexy body in that skimpy suit. Definitely not.

...That was what I chose to believe.

Repeating that to myself, I approached a door beside the corridor.

Given the fortress-like structure, there were rooms scattered everywhere. Most of them were empty, with nothing inside.

I listened carefully for sounds and used my Magic Eye to search for flows of mana. Neither revealed any problems, so I slowly opened the door.

The room was bleak, with broken barrels and empty shelves. I was about to close the door, thinking this was another 'dud,' when I noticed an object sitting in the corner.

"Huh? Is that..."

"What is it? What's up, Otaku-kun?"

"Riko-senpai, look at that."

I pointed to what I'd just found as Riko-senpai peered in over my shoulder.

There was───a wooden chest with a keyhole.

"Whoaaaa! It's a treasure chest!"

"Huh? Really!?"

At Riko-senpai's shout, Rosso-san let her normal self show as she peered into the room. Um, could you please stop pushing?

I entered the room cautiously, checking for traps. There was nothing strange about the floor, walls, or ceiling. Since the Magic Eye's precognition hadn't activated either, it seemed safe.

"At a glance, there don't seem to be any traps."

"Yes! A treasure chest! A treasure chest!"

"I never imagined they really existed..."

Rosso-san stared intently at the wooden chest, looking genuinely astonished.

'Treasure Chest.'

It wasn't necessarily filled with gold and silver, and it looked like an ordinary box. Adventurers simply called objects like the one in front of us that.

A dungeon recreated an area or lair where monsters had once lived. As a result, supplies from that time could sometimes appear inside. There were also cases where the monsters had created magic items or potions after returning to the modern world.

The Self-Defense Forces who first entered such places collected those items as samples.

But sometimes, new ones appeared like this. I didn't know whether that was part of the dungeon's self-regeneration function or the result of the monsters' efforts.

The details didn't matter right now.

How many things in this world could surpass the romance of finding something valuable in a treasure chest inside a dungeon?

I wasn't as excited as Riko-senpai and the others, but even my breathing grew heavier.

"So, what should we do about the key?"

"Why not smash the chest open?"

"That could damage the contents if they're fragile. We could insert a dagger through the gap and use leverage..."

Takanashi-san walked past me as I took out a dagger made of 'Spirit Armament.'

"I'll open it."

"Huh? You know how to pick locks?"

"Probably."

After giving a small nod, she knelt on one knee in front of the chest.

Then she took out a cloth tool roll. From it, she selected a small screwdriver and a piece of wire.

...I knew it was improper to think this way, but.

Even from behind, I could see Takanashi-san's sideboob as she knelt and leaned forward.

Her large breasts swayed slightly with her movements. Every so often, they touched her upper arm, and the enormous breasts covered in sheer material changed shape.

When I lowered my gaze, I saw large buttocks utterly disproportionate to her slender waist. Nearly half of them were also covered by sheer material, making the sight incredibly alluring.

Somehow, through sheer force of will, I tried to raise my eyes. Beyond her chest, I could see the back of her fair, beautiful neck where her hair was tied into a ponytail.

I'd never understood when celebrities and appraisers talked about the Edo-period painting of a beautiful woman looking back over her shoulder on television, saying things like, 'It's so provocative.' But now I understood it—not intellectually, but instinctively.

Takanashi-san had called me a 'legendary super-pervert,' but she was far more lewd from head to toe.

Maybe she should start calling herself 'the Sex Theme Park.'

I was thinking some truly awful things when...

"I'll be finished shortly, so please keep watch on our surroundings."

"Oh, right."

"O-okay-dokey!"

"Y-yes. No—very well."

The three of us turned around in unison.

Looking at Riko-senpai and Rosso-san's faces, I saw expressions I couldn't quite describe. I was probably wearing something similar, though my face guard made it hard to tell.

"...I'm looking forward to what's in the treasure chest!"

"Yes."

"Indeed."

There was no doubt that the two of them had been thinking, 'That's so lewd!' about Takanashi-san too.

Even two women with no interest in other women were reacting like this... Takanashi-san, you terrifying girl!

That aside, we seriously kept watch on our surroundings. Dungeons were dangerous places, after all.

After perhaps ten or twenty seconds, we heard a click.

"It's open. I don't think there are any traps."

"Oh!"

Riko-senpai turned around first, and Rosso-san and I looked toward the treasure chest as well.

Riko-senpai knelt beside Takanashi-san, who was putting away her tools, and looked from one of us to the next.

"Hey, hey! Can I open it?"

"I don't mind."

"Me neither."

"Very well."

"All right. Then... open sesame!"

Riko-senpai opened the lid with a click.

Inside were...

"...It's kind of a mess in there."

Knives and hammers had been tossed in haphazardly.

When we took them out, there were fifteen in total. They had no notable decorations and looked like practical tools.

"Hey, do you think these have any magic or enchantments on them?"

"No... I don't sense any particularly notable mana."

They weren't Magic Eyes of 'Mana Sight' or 'Appraisal,' but I thought I could at least tell that much.

Other than possessing mana, these were ordinary knives and hammers.

"Oh..."

"They're still more than good enough to count as treasure."

I shook my head at Riko-senpai, who looked slightly disappointed.

If these had been 'potions' or 'magic items,' each one might have been worth 100,000 to 300,000 yen. During our training, we'd even heard stories about adventurers who had found actual magic items.

But even mana-infused items should sell for around 10,000 to 30,000 yen. Fifteen of them would be worth at least 150,000 yen.

The reason they were priced at least as highly as magic stones was apparently to prevent adventurers from selling them on the sly without reporting them to their clans.

Some items could be extremely dangerous. As part of those regulations, even magical goods made independently by adventurers were prohibited from being sold... or so people said was one reason the relevant laws were taking so long to settle.

If that was the case, I wished the government would buy adventurers' handmade items too.

Anyway, it was a pretty good haul.

"Aw, it's plain, but it really is treasure! That's romance too!"

"Indeed! Indeed! Indeed!"

"Good work picking the lock, Takanashi-san."

"You're welcome. It had a simple mechanism."

She gave a small shake of her head with her usual expressionless face.

But somehow, she looked a little proud.

"All right! Let's stop somewhere on the way home today! It'll be a celebration!"

"Huh? What a pain... Ahem! I have much to study about the politics of the demon realm, so I shall decline."

"Oh, then I'll pass too."

"Then so will I."

"You guys are no fun!?"

I mean, I'd rather relax in my room than go to an after-party.

Ignoring Riko-senpai as she grumbled, we collected the contents of the treasure chest.

"With an adventurer's license, we're allowed to carry around a few bladed tools, right?"

"That is correct, I believe. However, we are required to report them at the cordoned-off site's reception desk. I hear they provide cardboard and packing tape then."

"Oh, right. We have to wrap them up all the way around, don't we?"

"Indeed. And if they are 'lost' along the way, one is fined. Quite heavily, too."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Aw... Miyucchi, comfort me. Otaku-kun and Otaku-chan won't be nice to me, and they won't let me be nice to them."

"Huh? What am I supposed to do when you say that?"

"Pat me on the head for now."

"I-I see."

"Riko-senpai, that's sexual harassment."

Takanashi-san awkwardly patted Riko-senpai on the head.

"Hmm... Not enough mommy vibes."

"Is that so?"

"What are you two even doing...?"

I didn't know which one of them I was supposed to retort to anymore.

Also, I didn't want to think about why Takanashi-san knew the term 'mommy vibes.' I had a bad feeling about it.

I pulled myself together and rested my sword on my shoulder.

"Let's resume exploring. If the map is accurate, we should be near the exit."

"Indeed. That is so."

"Sure thing."

"Got it."

And so, we continued through the dungeon.

Though we had a few battles along the way, we completed our exploration and returned safely.

We collected twenty-eight magic stones in total. That divided evenly among four people, giving each of us 70,000 yen in profit.

Of course, after taxes and adventurer's insurance were deducted, the actual amount would be around 30,000 to 40,000 yen.

But there were also the contents of the treasure chest. The clan would send those to the government office in a designated container according to the prescribed procedure, and we'd be paid once their value had been determined through appraisal and other processes. That would take a little longer.

It had been an extremely profitable expedition.

...Though it would be hard to say we'd achieved our main objective.

We hadn't been able to see the full extent of Rosso-san's abilities or Unique Ability.

Because of restrictions related to our adventurer experience, we'd been told we couldn't go to a dungeon with very high-level monsters. But the Living Armor hadn't been enough to draw out Rosso-san's 'true strength.'

We'd gone exploring around midday, so even without actually being exposed to sunlight, her condition shouldn't have been perfect. I had expected Rosso-san to give it her all for that reason, but...

Even with simple brute force, she was more than strong enough.

Considering how dangerous the 'Unique Ability' I'd heard about from Master was, it made sense that she had literally half-destroyed a fleet in the future.

Well, putting that aside.

"Rosson! Are you really not going to celebrate with us!? Come on, let's play!"

"Stop clinging to me! I'll report your outrageous behavior to Master!"

"Heh. Now that I think about it, the moment I forced my way into joining you, it became certain that I'd be scolded. In other words, there's nothing left for me to fear!"

"She actually decided to embrace it!?"

"Otaku-chan... Let's play lots and lots..."

"Eek!?"

Watching Rosso-san get entangled with Riko-senpai in the parking lot, I still couldn't think of her as a bad person. She was just a weirdo and a long-suffering person.

And she had an incredible figure. Riko-senpai's enormous breasts were pressed against Rosso-san's equally enormous breasts, deforming them both. I could practically see their softness.

My reason protested, 'Aren't you way too easy?'

My instincts retorted, 'You idiot! What high school boy wouldn't have his brain short-circuit at the sight of a busty beauty and a busty girl getting tangled up together?'

Amazing. My brain was incredibly simple. But I couldn't help it. I was a boy, after all...!

A high school boy naturally becomes favorably disposed toward beautiful women with great figures. That's simply how teenage boys work... though friendship and trust were separate matters.

"All right! Fine! Fine, just let go!"

Rosso-san shouted and pried Riko-senpai off her in apparent surrender.

"Yes! I got you on record! Then we'll go to my shop... No, I want to put off getting scolded by Grandma for as long as possible, so let's go to one of the other three's homes!"

"Huh?"

Was I getting dragged into this too?

"Then, considering the space available, perhaps my home would be best?"

"Huh?"

Takanashi-san was planning to join us? Seriously?

"But either way, we need to leave the treasure chest contents at the shop first, don't we?"

"Gweh!? B-but if I tell Grandma that I'm going to visit a friend's house afterward, she'll probably put off scolding me...! And she might give us snacks too...!"

"I hate to say this, but you're far too soft on her, Master."

Wait, were we really going to have an after-party now?

"Then let's get going, Otaku-kun!"

"...Okay."

As if to say she absolutely wouldn't let me escape, Riko-senpai placed a hand on my shoulder.

...Why did extroverts always want to gather people together and go play?

With a distant look in my eyes, I was dragged along by my senpai toward the bus stop.