"The dungeon's almost finished. Just the BGM, debugging, and... god's final check?"
"We still have more to do. We haven't placed the monsters, or should I say the 'staff,' yet."
"Ugh...!"
"Even if we're getting something other than Nukkonyan now, it's still the same old lineup."
"Exactly!"
"Nukkonyan still shows up the most though... Seriously, what's up with that?"
"Debugging even for dungeon creation, huh?"
"So far, we've got R-rank Nukkonyan, Poppo Hatopo, Watari Dorin, and N-rank Slime, Chunmarusan, and Minimanucco."
"Why is my gacha luck like this...?"
"Still, the names of every race except Slime are straight-up cursed."
"I've watched the other three streams, and they've got way more normal monster names."
"Why is Hijikata-san the only one stuck with the weird ones??"
"No idea."
"Probably because she pulled UR Oboro? Who knows."
"Poppo Hatopo = pigeon, Watari Dorin = migratory bird, Chunmarusan = sparrow, Minimanucco = regular-sized cat."
"Please, someone fix these names!"
"By the way, Nukkonyan appears most frequently, followed by Minimanucco. So, mostly cat-themed monsters."
"I could use DP to acquire monsters, but I don't want to use too much. The ones bought with DP don't have consciousness, so they'd just be dungeon placements."
"Sure, there are R-rank monsters that can talk, but they're rare. And if I want to get an SR rank with DP, the cost is pretty high."
Laying down on Hisui's soft belly fur, I opened the terminal to check the DP balance. There was still enough DP left to make some adjustments to the dungeon.
Looking at the list of monsters available in the 'conscious' category...
"Think I should risk it on a rare gacha?"
"Hmm. If you pull SSR or a spirit-type monster, it'd be worth it."
"Huh?"
I glanced at Oboro, who seemed to be okay with the idea.
"You know about Kondo's Oni, right? Any humanoid monster below SR rank and not a spirit-type comes out as a kid. Kondo's Ryuu took over a month to reach his current 20-year-old form. Even if you pull a staff member for the dungeon, you'll need to spend time and effort teaching them. It's a lot of work."
"Yeah, watching Kondo-san's stream, Ryuu did age up in two months, but who knows when the official release will be... Probably when Okita-kun and Saito-chan's creations are finished. I'd love to help, but I can't even get in touch with them."
"Maybe they need more tweaking?"
"Ah, the sound cut out again. Guess they're talking dungeon layout."
"Yeah, that always happens when they go into detail."
"I'm used to it by now. Every stream's the same."
"Hijikata-san seems worried about Okita and Saito."
"The mature ones make the younger pair's mess-ups even more noticeable."
"Mature...?"
"Let's just forget about the gacha luck for now."
"Focus on your own dungeon first!"
"Anyway, back on topic, I've got enough DP for a rare gacha 10-pull. Even if I tweak the dungeon afterward, there's plenty left."
"I'd recommend it more if your gacha luck wasn't so terrible. So far, it's been nothing but animal-based monsters and various slimes."
Oboro sighed as he looked over at Hassaku, who was hugging a warm red slime like a hot water bottle, and Sumomo, who was poking at a cool blue slime. He had a point, but with a higher chance of rare monsters in the rare gacha, it seemed worth a shot.
"All the free gacha monsters have their roles now. And if I don't get a humanoid, I can just place some emotionless puppets instead."
"That's another option."
"The sound's gone again. Guess they're back to dungeon layout."
"God's system is really something."
"Okay, I'm pulling a rare gacha 10-pull!"
"?!"
"The sound came back, and she's pulling a 10-pull?!"
"She's only done free pulls up until now!"
"Were you talking to Oboro while the sound was out?"
"Is this okay, though? Remember your gacha luck? Are you sure this is a good idea??"
"People are worried about your gacha luck."
"Shut up! I know it's bad, just leave me alone!"
Shouting as I opened the gacha page, I selected the 10-pull option without hesitation. With a deep breath, I clapped my hands together in prayer before pressing the button.
"Praying, huh? Sure worked last time when she pulled UR Oboro..."
"Kondo-san tried it too and pulled two SSRs. There's definitely something to it."
"Fuuuu... Here goes!"
"You're going all in, huh."
"LOL"
"Return of the Oboro pull reaction!"
"I'm dying XD"
"I laughed so hard I nearly choked!"
Ten capsules shot out of the gacha machine and floated in front of me.
"They're... floating?!"
"So, that's what happens with a 10-pull."
"Saw it on Okita-kun and Saito-chan's streams, but it's Hijikata-san's first time, huh?"
"Great reaction!"
"Exactly what we wanted to see."
"Up until now, the capsules would roll into the tray."
"Kondo-san had the same reaction."
"Which one to open first?"
"I'll start from the left. No particular reason."
I grabbed the first capsule on the left and twisted it open.
"Master? Are you okay?"
"Are you alright? Should I bring Minimanucco to comfort you?"
"Thanks... Yeah, I'm fine. You can hold Minimanucco, though..."
"So, five N-ranks, two R-rank Nukkonyans, a hawk-themed bird monster, an SR humanoid, and... an SSR humanoid."
"Whoa."
"That's an insane pull."
"Reminds me of Kondo-san's 10-pull the other day."
"It's gotta be because she prayed again."
"The hawk monster's rare, but the name is another bizarre one. Cool design, though."
The results were as follows:
N-rank: Green Slime / White Slime / Chunmarusan / Minimanucco x2
R-rank: Nukkonyan (Japanese cat) x2 / Takaan Taka
SR: Kitsune-girl (female)
SSR: Elf (male)
"Time to appraise... Let's start with the SR kitsune-girl, yeah?"
"Yes! Status is important! That's what the god said!"
I pointed the terminal at the young girl in miko attire—black hair, golden eyes, and a white and red outfit.
Name: None
Race: Kitsune
Gender: Female
Skills: Kitsunebi (Fox Fire) / Fire Magic / Curses (Weak)
Description: A 3-year-old kitsune girl with a fluffy tail and animal ears.
Still pure and innocent at this age. How she grows depends on her creator's skills. Kitsune excel at magic, and each has a different affinity. This one specializes in fire magic and minor curses.
"Curses?"
"Yes! But they're weak ones, like stubbing your toe on furniture or... losing hair."
"Losing hair might terrify some men."
"Stop talking about hair!!!"
"The hair jokes again..."
"I'm not bald! I have a full head of hair!"
"I'll curse anyone who bullies Master to go bald!"
"Thanks... I'll take your feelings for now."
"Picking baldness as a curse target, this little one's got potential."
"Why are you so impressed?"
The elf was staring at the kitsune girl in awe, but I pushed him aside and patted the head of the tricolored Minimanucco she was holding. Naming the N- and R-rank ones was going to be a challenge. I had run out of good ideas, having started with gems and plants, but now, it was tough.
I wondered how the other three creators handled naming.
"I'm a good boy supporting Hijikata-san! No worries!"
"This kitsune girl casually picking 'bald' as her curse is wild."
"Already bald people might be immune to that curse, no?"
"That's not the point!"
"Names... names... for the kitsune girl... Fox, miko outfit, divine messenger... Bow of Exorcism... Bow..."
"Her thoughts are jumping around now."
"Bet naming's getting tougher for her by now."
"Kondo-san gave up and just uses numbers. Only the leader gets a proper name."
"For his foxes, he named them Koichi, Koni, and Kosan, after numbers."
"Okay, Yuzuru. How about that?"
"Yuzuru! That's my name! Thank you, Master!"
Her ears perked up, and she flashed a bright smile. She was just too cute.
I only hoped she'd grow up straight and true, though I wasn't sure what kind of upbringing she'd get under a shut-in otaku like me. Looking at Kondo Shoji's Oni, Ryuu, who grew up into a fine young man, I prayed that Yuzuru would also thrive.
"Alright, next is SSR Elf. Time for an appraisal?"
"Go ahead. Also, I have a favor to ask later."
"Oh... sure, if it's something I can do."
Name: Ponponpain
Race: Elf
Gender: Male
Skills: Wood Magic / Light Magic / Archery
Description: Elf (Japanese-style).
Pointy ears, light-colored hair, and pale eyes—all typical elf traits.
But his outfit is based on a Shinto priest, reflecting the god's tastes.
He excels at wood and light magic, making him perfect for growing plants.
"Hey, God!!!!"
"...So you're a victim too, huh?"
"You as well?"
"...Yes."
"Ponponpain LOL"
"Guess God had a stomachache, huh? XD"
"This name is the worst yet."
"Makes Oboro's name seem almost normal."
"What kind of god would name an elf this?!"
"I know what your favor is. It's the name, right?"
"Exactly. Please change this awful name."
"Figured as much."
"I understand completely."
"God had a stomachache?"
The elf, whose gentle smile had vanished into a deadpan, nodded in agreement. The name was unanimously rejected.
It was the kind of bizarre name you'd see in an online game, but we weren't in a game. What was God thinking?
"Elf... forest folk... trees... deep forest... bear?"
"Where did that thought come from?"
"Sorry... uh... tree, plant..."
The thought of a bear in the forest made me think of a children's song, but Oboro bonked me lightly on the head, snapping me back to reality.
"Elf... European, but dressed totally Japanese... hmm."
"The god who made me was shouting, 'What's wrong with a Japanese elf?!'"
"So, the god's either a Japanophile or Japanese... well, whatever. Let's think of a name..."
I folded my arms and mulled it over. Yuzuru's name had come to me easily, but for the elf, nothing was clicking. I couldn't go the same route as with Oboro, since his name was a playful variation.
The elf's hair was pale gold, almost white. His eyes were deep green.
White-gold, like the moon... Japanese names for the phases of the moon...
"How about 'Sengetsu' (Faint Moon)?"
"Yes. My name is Sengetsu. Not the other one. Sengetsu. Nice to meet you as Sengetsu."
"LOL."
"He's repeating it! XD"
"Goodbye, Ponponpain, hello Sengetsu!"
"Why do I keep pulling these weirdly named monsters?"
"The only ones with normal names are the slimes. My true name is 'Old Man,' after all."
"Old man?"
"Old man?"
"I am Oboro. Though my appraisal calls me 'Old Man,' I am Oboro. Oboro, indeed."
Oboro repeated his name seriously as Sengetsu and Yuzuru gave him uncertain looks.
Shaking my head, I began naming the N-rank and R-rank monsters, introducing them to the group and helping them get acquainted with the other monsters.
"Sengetsu, you're good with growing plants, right?"
"Please, call me Sengetsu."
"R-right... That pressure, though. So, can you help me save some DP?"
"I can assist to some extent."
I wilted a little under his intense smile, but his response was reassuring.
"I can cultivate Earth plants and N- and R-rank fantasy plants within the dungeon. However, SR-rank and above are beyond my ability."
"Got it. I'll have you tweak the flora later to save some DP."
"Understood. Leave it to me."
"Master, what should I do?"
"Can you read and write, Yuzuru?"
"Yes! Curses use words, so I knew from the start!"
"Wow! That makes things easier. Can you do math?"
"I can add and subtract!"
"Okay. You're super capable."
I patted Yuzuru's head as she puffed out her chest with pride.
"I've heard foxfolk are intelligent. It seems she has more initial knowledge than other SR ranks."
"She may be a child, but among SR ranks, her intelligence is certainly at the top."
"Yuzuru, I'd like you to help out as staff in the dungeon. Think you can handle it?"
"Staff?"
"Yes. My dungeon has a guild, an infirmary, and even a cat café. I need staff to help visitors."
"Sure! I may be a kid now, but I'll be over 20 when I grow up, so I'll be fine!"
"Good girl, thanks!"
After thoroughly patting Yuzuru's head, I crouched down to be at eye level with Sengetsu.
"I refuse."
"Why are both the men always refusing to help?"
"I'm too shy to deal with a lot of people."
"Shy?"
"You?"
"Yes, me."
"That's a lie."
"It's true."
Sengetsu's calm smile remained even as Oboro, Yuzuru, and I gave him skeptical looks.
Despite the confident way he spoke, it was hard to believe he was shy. Still, I didn't want to force him, so I decided to respect his wishes.