I've hit a roadblock. Just when I thought things were progressing in a great direction, they suddenly took a turn for the worse. I stared up at the blue sky while my mind raced with thoughts. Currently, I'm at home in the backyard, sitting and enjoying some green tea and snacks.
Over the past week, I've made sure to put in a lot of effort, working hard until I was able to save a substantial amount of money. I managed to earn 500,000 eris by selling my spoils. If I continue on this path, reaching a million should be within reach.
Seeing the numbers in my account feels surreal because not too long ago, I was just a broke solo adventurer risking my life in dungeons to level up. Gaining the "Dungeon teleport skill" truly felt like a blessing from the gods.
Today, I want to take it easy and relax. I need to give my muscles a rest and come up with a plan for my next dungeon dive. The experience required for me to level up has become quite high. I managed to level up to 180 easily by defeating those orcs, but after that, things became more challenging. Monsters on the lower floors were quickly wiped out. This was to be expected after the collapse of the Black Forest Dungeon. Many adventurers shifted their focus to Serdin. Low-level adventurers could enter Serdin if they formed a party with higher-level adventurers, utilizing the shared experience system. The lower-level adventurers gained experience simply by being present and witnessing the battles.
This became a thriving business for adventurers who were level 100 and above. Lower-level adventurers eager to become stronger were willing to pay them just to accompany them on dungeon dives.
If this continues, I won't be able to find monsters to fight and could end up stuck at my current level. Not only that, I won't be able to earn any money.
"What should I do now?" I asked myself and took a sip of my green tea.
Reaching level 200 allowed me to upgrade my skills. Both my mapping and calm mind skills have proven more useful than I initially thought. Mapping skill helps me detect nearby treasure chests, while calm mind skill enables me to think more clearly in any situation. I decided to allocate a significant amount of skill points to enhance my fire magic. Fire is undeniably the most destructive element, and there's very little in this world that is fully resistant to its effects.
"The reward for capturing the Serdin boss monster dungeon was at level 50. However, I'm not yet strong enough to defeat that boss monster. There's an attack pattern posted online, and I could use my day off to practice and prepare."
"I'm home."
Kagari just returned home. She was out this past week looking for a part-time job.
However, judging by her sulky expression I guess I already know what happened.
"Still, no luck… They told me that I had to be at least a high school graduate. Others told me that kids are not allowed in their company and they can't force child labor."
Kagari angrily ranted.
Kagari sat down next to me to take some of my snacks. The way she angrily peeled the plastic wrapper and angrily bit down the rice cracker was so cute.
Even though she is angry she's still cute.
"Kagari shouldn't be pushing herself too much. I'm going to charge you for anything in this house so don't worry." I said.
"I appreciate the kindness, but I don't want to be a burden… Even you don't think I was a burden. I still feel that I am. Also, it's boring… If every day is a day off. The meaning of day-off already lost its purpose."
I concur. Humans need work. It's more like a necessity for them. People who don't work are most likely to be depressed. But choosing work is not just for the sake of earning money. One must choose a work that their interested in so that they won't end up wasting their life.
Above 50% of one's life will be poured down into working after all. Spending life with work you decided and doing it the right way. Finding a balance between working and having fun.
In my case, I don't really know what I want to do in my life besides the fact that I want our dream to be fulfilled.
"You're a healer, right? Healers are considered rare and you can easily find a job in a clinic or hospital." I suggested.
But Kagari became more sulky. Pouting her cheeks like she remembers something very awful.
"True… But I hate to bump into some people I don't want to see anymore…"
"I know that feeling. On other days, I bump into adventurers that I recently teamed up with… They look decent before until they use me as bait."
My experience is very traumatizing for me. I end up being a loner and not trusting other adventurers looking for party members. At that time I simply thought it was better to do my job alone.
"We're the same… Maybe, that's the reason I'm not feeling nervous talking to you." Kagari said and then continued. "In upcoming Saturday… Let's dungeon dive in Serdin's dungeon together."
"But serdin dungeon required level 100," I responded. Also, I don't know if I could protect her from a horde of monsters If I'm with her. My play style is more into solo plays. Last Saturday, I refused because of the same reason.
I don't feel confident enough at all. Especially, that I'm struggling to level up.
In a scenario when a monster surrounded us and I wasn't able to protect her. I might end up cursing myself and probably…
Luna's smile appeared in my head.
I might lose another smile in my life.
"But you told me that you will protect me… If you don't want to go with me then I'll go alone." She exclaimed with a pissed tone.
I did promise that I'll go with her.
I cast my eyes down for a second and then turned toward her. Poke her cheeks with my finger and said:
"Serdin is currently crowded with adventurers. I'm struggling to get loot myself because most of the floors were already cleared up."
"I already have a plan… Then, let's go in a time when there are no people yet in the dungeon."
"What do you mean?"
"Did you know that monsters respawn at midnight? The walls break, and the monsters appear. It's a different phenomenon from irregular monsters entering other dungeons. So, the perfect time to go dungeon diving is around 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM or 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM when adventurers are usually too lazy to get up. If there are adventurers with the same plan as us, they are fewer than the adventurers appearing in the daytime."
That makes sense.
By applying that method, I could focus on killing monsters on the lower floors every past midnight. That would solve my struggle in leveling up. There were only a few people in the dungeon during that time, so I could easily sneak in using my Dungeon teleport skill.
"You're a genius."
"You think so? I think it's obvious."
"Then, I think I'm just an idiot."
"If you are worried about me… Worry not because. I have barrier skills, water magic, enhancement skills, and healing skills. I'm not a combatant, but my water magic has an offensive application I can use… Like this…"
Kagari gestured her hand like a gun pointing at the treed backyard.
"Water bullet!"
A bullet entirely made of water appeared on the tip of her finger and shot at incredible speed. The water damage to cut down a branch.
"Looks weak but I could pour an enormous amount of MP to make It powerful enough to pierce through monsters…"
Kagari proceeded and opened her status using her phone.
The status screens only appeared in the adventurers' vision and other people cannot see their status screens. However, an adventurer could register their stats on the adventurer association to get their adventurer card. Adventurer cards serve like a license in dungeon diving.
Right now, adventurer cards can be digitalized. Similar to Kagari. She presented me with her level.
For myself, I am not able to update my level in the adventurer card yet. Adventurer license is not very useful after all. Anyone whose brave enough to enter the dungeon is allowed to enter the dungeon. That's the only rule.
"Kagari is level 105."
"Yup, believe it or not, I was recruited by an awesome guild before… But they are rotten and I hope they all die the next time they dungeon dive."
Kagari does have some evil side making her fun to converse with.
Kagari is basically saying: Don't underestimate me. I can survive in I dungeon alone.
I guess it's wrong of me to think that she cannot protect herself.
"Then, next Saturday we'll be dungeon diving together."
"Hoo-ray! I can finally get another adventurer. I'm sure it will be lots of fun."
"You're not worried at all."
"Why would I? I have someone who would look after my back. I'm more at ease when I'm with you."
She said and got up. It's already noon time after all and she has to prepare lunch. She happily goes to the kitchen and cooks.
She really does look like a wife in training.
As if she will become my wife. Someday I know Kagari will find someone who will protect her, someone she will love. Before that day came she was stable enough to sustain herself. I'll let her sleep in my house.
The man Kagari will be marrying is a very lucky guy.
…
At midnight, I tested out Kagari's plan and entered Serdin's dungeon. Just as Kagari said, there were almost no people around. There were some noises coming from certain areas on the first floor, indicating that we weren't the only ones with this idea. But it was easier to dungeon dive now.
I immediately went to the third floor where the monsters were about five levels below me. They were weak, but the experience points they were giving weren't too little or too much. It was just the right amount, and their strength was somewhat easier for me to handle.
There was a horde of them, and I could see other monsters emerging from the walls' cracks.
"So this is how monsters are born... But I don't have time to feel awe. I need to go and kill these bastards before they all stand up and fight back."
After five days of doing the same thing, my level had risen to 280.
The high-speed leveling continues!
A robotic sound of the system echoed in my head.
"Achievement unlocked."
Orc slayer. Fire mage.
"Status open."
Name: Rin
Level: 280
SP: 30
MP: 3220/5420
Skill: Teleport level 10, Body reinforcement level 10, Elemental magic level 10, Appraisal level 10, Boost level 10, Sword skill mastery level 8, Poison resistance level 10, Sturdy body level 10, Magic resistance level 10, Stealth level 6, Advance sword mastery level 10, Mana recovery level 10, Health recovery level 10, Switch level 10, Calm mind level 5, Mapping skill level 6, Martial arts level 4. Sharpening level 2.
Unique skill: Dungeon transport
Sword skill tree: Crescent slash level 10, Cutter level 10, Cross slash level 8, Blade of judgment level 7, charge slash level 6.
Orc slayer: Adventurer damage increased by 30% if their target was an orc variant.
Fire mage: Fire-based skills damage increased by 50%.
…
Achievements grant a permanent buff that doesn't require any MP to activate. This is incredible; it will make defeating Orcs much easier. After all, most of the monsters on the lower floors of the dungeon are orcs.
I'm filled with excitement and want to keep grinding, but I need to head home now. It's already 4:00 a.m., and Kagari might grow suspicious if she doesn't find me back home. Tomorrow is Friday; I should take the day off.