Chapter 9
It was impossible. In fact, he had never seen a number like it before.
A person’s Level increases by one for every 1,000 points of a value called 【Experience Points】.
Experience Points are generally gained by defeating monsters, training, undergoing mental changes or growth, or experiencing physical growth.
The quickest way to gain Experience Points is to defeat monsters. However, there’s a limit to how much experience you can get from them. For example, you can only gain Experience Points from a Green Slime up to Level 3.
That’s because Green Slimes are Level 3.
Anyone could figure that out by using the 【Spectacle】, an item sold by the quest-issuing guild that lets you check a monster’s Level.
To gain Experience Points, you have to defeat higher-ranking monsters with a Level equal to or higher than your own.
Your Level won’t rise no matter how many weak enemies you defeat. Nor will you gain experience by relying on someone stronger to help you defeat an enemy equal to your own Level.
Experience Points are, as the name implies, simply a numerical measure of experience.
Even in a party, Experience Points are only awarded according to each member’s contribution when the party defeats an enemy that its highest-Level member can gain experience from.
Therefore, while a Level 1 person can certainly gain experience by joining a party with a Level 70 person, they would gain more by defeating a Green Slime alone than by defeating a Blue Devil alongside someone at Level 70.
Naturally, if a Level 1 person could defeat a Blue Devil alone, they would gain extra experience based on the Level difference. But in general, a Level 1 person has no chance of defeating a Blue Devil. The difference in power between Levels is that absolute.
And even if you’re in a party, you won’t gain experience if you do nothing.
Since supporting allies also earns experience, support Jobs like Priest can gain it easily in a party. Otherwise, you have to endure an opponent’s attacks or deal enough damage to count as a meaningful contribution.
That’s why almost no low-Level people join parties with high-Level members and risk their lives. And few high-Level people bring dead weight along and share their Experience Points with them.
Some people will take payment to provide protection, hunt monsters for their drops, or help someone level up by staying out of the fight and stepping in only when their life is in danger. But all of that is only possible for the wealthy.
Normally, people form parties with others around their own Level, or level up for a special purpose, as with the Hero’s party.
Villager is the weakest Role. If a Level 3 Warrior fought three Level 3 Villagers, the Warrior would win.
If you asked who would win between a Level 30 Villager and a Level 15 Warrior, the Warrior would still win. That’s how weak Villagers are. They’re so weak that people avoid partying with them, and even raising their Level doesn’t make them strong.
It’s common for a Villager who has come into money to pay someone to raise their Level enough to at least protect themselves. You often hear stories of someone whose relative had a different Role and helped them level up.
But Rex had never seen a Villager above Level 30. No matter how high their Level got, Villagers were worthless in combat.
To raise their Level beyond 30, a Level 30 Villager would have to defeat monsters at Level 30 or higher, despite having less combat strength than even a Level 15 Warrior.
Who would risk death at a far greater rate than people in other Roles just to raise their Level?
And yet, the Villager before him had a Level of 999.
“I... I... That’s impossible.”
Everyone who saw Kagami’s number agreed with Rex, whose words came out trembling.
It was impossible. The legendary Hero said to have reached the highest Level in history and driven the Demon King to the brink had been Level 253.
And yet the man before them, who was about their age—and, moreover, a Villager, the Role with the greatest risk of death—was at a Level far beyond that record-holder’s.
It would be impossible even if heaven and earth were turned upside down.
“How did you do it? What did you do to reach that level?! You, a mere Villager! How? Answer me... Answer me!”
By then, Rex had already forgotten all about the holy sword.
Ever since he was five, Rex had believed he was special, born with everyone’s hopes and expectations resting on him.
He had a mission only he could fulfill. He had to do what no one else could, so he’d kept striving to become stronger. He’d kept fighting.
And yet the man before him had shown him a number that far surpassed all his efforts.
He couldn’t accept the fact that this man had reached Level 999 in a Role far harder to level up in than the one he’d been granted as a Hero.
He had surpassed Rex despite being at a disadvantage. Rex couldn’t accept someone who so far surpassed the person who was supposed to stand at the pinnacle: himself.
“Maybe because I fought monsters every day?”
While Rex’s heart churned with turmoil, Kagami answered with a yawn, as if he couldn’t care less.
That only dealt another blow to Rex’s pride.
“I did that much, too! Even if that’s true, that number is... impossible.”
“If all you’re doing is killing monsters, maybe.”
“Just killing monsters, you say? Don’t mess with me! I’ve defeated more monsters than anyone, and I’ve done plenty of training on my own, too...!”
“Shut up already! I don’t care how I leveled up or what you’ve been doing all this time! This is reality! That’s all!”
Kagami realized that if this went on, he might not be able to leave without telling them his life story, so he snapped at them and tried to leave.
“Come on, sis. Let’s go.”
“Huh? Uh... oh, okay.”
Everyone besides Rex had plenty of things they wanted to say and ask.
But they couldn’t decide what to ask first or what to say. All they could do was silently watch Kagami lead the demon girl by the hand as he tried to leave the room.
“Wait... With that kind of power, what are you doing? What are you living for? You could... even defeat the Demon King!”
But as the Hero, there was something Rex had to ask. Setting aside his pride and personal feelings, he voiced the question. He had to.
“Huh? I’m just living a normal life while making money... I don’t care about the Demon King or anything. Leave that kind of thing to the Hero-sama. It’s not like the Demon King being around causes me any trouble.”
The next moment, Kagami said something that seemed to deny the very reason for the Hero’s existence. In truth, to Kagami, the Demon King was nothing but a boon, creating monsters and bringing him money.
Kagami had no particular reason to defeat him, even if the monsters were harming people.
But 【if the Demon King was defeated, that was fine too; he didn’t care either way】.
“...W-what kind of reason is that?!”
Disappointment, anger, contempt, and a sense of defeat churned inside Rex as he looked at someone with that much power doing nothing.
But at the same time, he couldn’t say anything. A Hero had no right to force a Villager he’d looked down on to fight simply because that Villager had power.
His pride and his sense of morality as a person stole the words from Rex.
Seeing Rex like that, Kagami passed him and said,
“You still... don’t understand how this world works.”
He murmured it softly, so quietly that only Rex could hear.
Rex didn’t understand what those words meant.
He immediately turned toward Kagami, intending to ask what he meant, but at that moment, he found himself unable to say anything.
It was because Kagami’s expression was so sorrowful and bored, as if he knew everything and had been disappointed by it.
What had he learned to make him wear such an expression?
What had he learned after reaching that height?
Rex couldn’t bring himself to ask. He was afraid to.
“By the way... the holy sword belongs to the royal family...”
At that moment, Kururu brought up something she, too, needed to ask before they left. As soon as she did, Kagami stopped in his tracks and bowed at the waist at a ninety-degree angle.
“I’m seriously sorry about that.”
Kagami had been hoping to take the opportunity to run away, but he immediately apologized.