Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, has a girlfriend.
His girlfriend is Suella Hendelberg.
Memoria Tris.
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time employee).
Magic Aptitude 8 (General Class).
Position: Warrior.
After the battle ended and we confirmed there were no more enemies, we began collecting the spoils.
I don’t know if it ate everything or if they escaped, but there’s no sign of life in the forest.
This must be what they call a blessing in disguise.
Thanks to that, we can sort our belongings in peace.
However, the quantity is immense.
Not only their bodies but also the amount of loot that was inside it was substantial.
I could tell that taking it all back would amount to a considerable sum.
Fortunately, we managed to stuff it all into our backpacks.
It would be more accurate to say we forcibly secured them with ropes rather than stuffed them, but as a result, I ended up looking like an old-fashioned peddler, completely unable to see behind me.
“Ugh, this is quite heavy.”
“Even if we divide it between two people, it’s like carrying an elephant.”
We shoulder the, by normal standards, truckload-worthy amount of goods, which would normally be absurd to move by human power alone, while checking our balance.
“Well, let’s escape before any more enemies come.”
“Right.”
Lingering is not wise. After confirming once more that everything was clear, we left the area.
We crushed the grass underfoot as we pushed through the trees.
“By the way, Senpai.”
“What is it?”
“Why didn’t you use that technique at first? If you had, it would have ended much faster.”
“That technique, ah, the final blow…”
As we walked through the forest, maintaining our guard, Kaido called out to me, and I answered without looking back.
The technique Kaido was referring to was probably the final severing attack.
“It’s not that I didn’t use it, it’s that I couldn’t.”
“Huh? Was there some kind of restriction? Like having to store up magic power?”
“No, I literally couldn’t use it.”
“Huh?”
“That’s why I just learned it.”
It’s not something to hide, so I answered easily, but Kaido was surprised and stopped in his tracks.
“There’s no particular reason to be surprised.”
“No, no, no, no, no.”
Kaido shook his head so much I was worried his head might come off.
“What are you talking about!? Are you saying it worked because you did it!?”
“Ah, it worked because I did it.”
“Don’t ‘ah’ me!! That’s impossible.”
“It’s a fact, I showed you right in front of your eyes, so it’s not impossible.”
“I thought we had a chance because you had that technique. The thought of being inside that monster’s stomach if you didn’t sends shivers down my spine.”
“If I couldn’t do it, I would have dragged it into a war of attrition and somehow managed. I’m not so foolish as to challenge a battle without a chance of winning, nor am I an idiot with a strong sense of justice.”
I turned back with a look of disbelief, as if to say I’m not so foolish as to charge in without a plan. Kaido let out a sigh of relief.
Simply put, being able to perform that slash attack only shortened the time; the outcome of the battle would have made no difference whether it was long or short.
If it came down to it, I intended to use the Ore Tree as a blunt weapon and turn it into mincemeat.
I decided it was better left unsaid.
More importantly, I wanted to go home and drink my coffee, so I started walking again.
“You’re amazing, Senpai. I thought ‘it worked because I did it’ was something out of a manga. By the way, how did you do it?”
“How…”
Once relieved, curiosity seemed to resurface, and Kaido asked for the trick to that slash attack.
I paused for a moment, wondering how to explain it, as I hadn’t done anything special.
However, upon reconsideration, the content wouldn’t change.
The explanation that came to mind was:
“Kaido, can you cut tofu with a 100-yen store knife?”
“Huh? Well, yes… what about it?”
“I see. Then, can you cut an iron pipe with the same knife?”
“Hmm, reinforcing it with magic… no, that’s impossible. The knife would just break.”
“That’s it.”
“No, what’s ‘it’?”
“You can cut tofu. You can’t cut an iron pipe. The reason I could unleash that slash attack was that I eliminated this difference in perception.”
“???”
My words were somewhat vague.
I wasn’t playing word games.
I was just stating common sense.
Normally, one wouldn’t expect to cut an iron pipe with a 100-yen store knife.
Even if magic were used to reinforce it and enhance one’s abilities, the result would either be the knife breaking or the blade chipping; you wouldn’t expect to cut through it.
However, this is also because, conversely, you’ve set limits in your mind, thinking “I can’t do that, it’s impossible by normal standards.”
You’ve decided it’s impossible because there are more suitable tools for cutting an iron pipe.
“It’s a ridiculous story. I abandoned the idea of giving up because it’s impossible. That’s all.”
I removed that common sense.
By simply focusing on cutting and self-suggesting that my opponent wasn’t hard, but a being that could be cut, I swung the Ore Tree, and that was the result.
“Ugh, if it were that easy, I wouldn’t be struggling. If I could just do it like that…”
“Perhaps.”
If you were to ask whether changing just one perception could bring about such a dramatic change, for me, nothing changed that much.
It simply removed the element of giving up, the thought that “I can do it this way.”
Also, this story isn’t a guarantee that others can do it just because I could.
However…
“Cheh, I thought I could get stronger if I learned that technique just now, but it’s not that easy, is it?”
I could do it.
I formed my hand into a chop, and magic flowed along it.
Then, I swung my hand towards the bushes ahead, and the branches were cut away without resistance, clearing a path.
I thought I could cut it.
That’s why it was nothing to be surprised about.
I passed through the path as if nothing had happened.
“This means I need to train too!! Like learning new magic!”
“Maybe.”
“Senpai~, you’re not even listening, are you?”
“You noticed that quickly.”
“That’s so mean!”
Well, I don’t know what this power will become, but I’m sure I’ve made progress.
That much I can be certain of.
Now, putting that aside, I wonder how much cash conversion we’ll get.
“Oh, we’re finally at the exit.”
“We took a lot of time, after all. Once we cash this in, we can call it a day.”
“Alright!!”
Beyond the forest, a single staff was stuck in the center of a stone circle.
Touching it activated the gate.
Slowly, a white light formed into the shape of a door, sliding sideways like an automatic door, revealing the company’s dungeon gate room.
Passing through the gate and confirming our return, we finally let out a breath of relief.
“Hehehe, I’m looking forward to cashing this in. Because there are so many jewels!!”
“Well, it’s definitely going to be a record-breaking amount.”
Perhaps it was because we were in a safe zone, Kaido’s excitement continued to rise, and we headed to the underground facility.
Honestly, I have no idea how much this sale will amount to, but I don’t expect it to be a regular price.
The weight in the leather bag translates to expected value.
Without even bothering to stop Kaido, who was clearly thinking about how he would spend the money, we approached Memoria’s store, where our usual transaction took place.
“Kaido, watch the luggage here. I’ll tell Memoria to let you bring it directly into the back warehouse.”
“Understood!!”
Kudos to Kaido, who saluted with the heavy load on his back. I placed my own load next to his and entered the store.
“Welcome.”
“It’s my usual, but today it’s a lot. Could you open the back?”
“That’s unusual.”
Upon entering the store, I saw Memoria reading a book behind the counter as usual. It’s a scene I’ve seen countless times, so I got straight to the point.
Normally, the amount would just fill the counter, but this time, due to the sheer volume, I mentioned bringing it directly to the warehouse. Memoria showed a flicker of surprise on her face and closed her book with a snap.
Then, she stood up from her chair.
“I’ll go unlock it. Please go around to the back.”
“Okay.”
I watched Memoria disappear into the back of the store and then went to retrieve my load.
“How was it, Senpai?”
“No problem. Let’s go carry it.”
“Roger.”
I picked up my load from beside Kaido, who was standing by the quiet shopping street path like always.
I didn’t carry it perfectly on my back, but rather slung it over one shoulder.
Walking a short distance into the alley beside the store, Memoria was waiting with the shutter open.
“This way.”
“Ah.”
Following Memoria, who led the way, Kaido and I entered.
A blanket was laid out on a blue sheet on the floor to avoid damaging the merchandise, and preparations for appraisal were complete.
“There’s an unusually large amount today. Did something happen?”
“I fought something a bit peculiar, and this is the spoils.”
“Peculiar, you say?”
As I unpacked, I arranged the items in order.
First, I laid out the most important items: the jewels.
I expected some reaction from Memoria here, but…
“…”
“Memoria?”
“Jiro-san, where did you defeat this monster?”
“Huh? In the Demon King’s dungeon, but…”
Contrary to my expectations, she ignored the sparkling jewels. Instead, she stared intently at the body of the defeated monster on my backpack, which had its cover removed.
She slowly poked it with her finger, as if cautiously checking, and after confirming there was no reaction, she touched it with her palm, and finally grabbed it, examining it in detail.
“…”
“?”
Seeing her like this, I wondered if something was wrong, but it didn’t seem like the atmosphere to speak, so I waited in silence.
“As I thought, it’s an Evol Eater. I wish I were mistaken.”
“Is it a dangerous one?”
“Yes. While it’s an achievement, you may have found something problematic.”
Memoria turned around after finishing her examination, her expression grave, as if announcing an emergency.
She put her palm to her ear, making a telepathic call, connecting to someone somewhere.
“This is Memoria. Please connect me to Evia-sama immediately. An emergency has occurred. We have discovered a prohibited species monster and are requesting emergency response class A.”
“Did something happen?”
“I don’t know, but it’s definitely something seriously dangerous.”
The person on the other end was likely a subordinate of the supervisor. Memoria’s voice was rougher and more urgent than usual.
That atmosphere permeated the place. Kaido, who had been excited moments before, now looked back and forth between me and Memoria with a worried expression, sensing the mood.
As for me, I only knew that what I had defeated was more problematic than I had imagined, so I couldn’t answer Kaido’s questions.
All I could do was wait silently for Memoria’s telepathic call to end.
It took about two or three minutes.
Memoria, having finished her report concisely, let out a breath and began driving stakes into the ground around the haul, focusing on the loot.
Memoria proceeded with the preparations calmly, unconcerned about the asphalt cracking.
Then, she dripped a drop of blood onto the stakes she had placed, flowed magic into them, and the loot was enclosed in a visible chain barrier.
“…Memoria, what in the world is this thing?”
“It’s an Evol Eater, a monster that simply grows larger by repeatedly evolving and preying.”
I seized the moment when she had finished and seemed calmer to ask Memoria, but her words and demeanor didn’t match.
She said “simply,” but why such an extreme level of caution?
“It’s just a creature that eats, right? Do we really need to be this cautious?”
Kaido, sharing the same question, asked Memoria.
“Due to its predatory nature, it does not accept magical control. It is a forbidden magic species created solely to prey on high-magic life forms. It once preyed upon the then-current Demon Lord. Fifty percent of the Demon Lord’s Army was annihilated, including generals and executives at the time. It was originally a creature created by extremists to be unleashed upon Isal against the Hero, but during the research process, it was discovered that control spells could not be embedded, and it went berserk… It should have been forbidden to create them afterward, but…”
“We have one right in front of us.”
“Yes.”
If dark clouds were to loom, this would be it. I never thought the opponent I fought was such a dangerous creature.
And my recently honed intuition tells me.
This isn’t the end.
Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, has a girlfriend.
His girlfriend is Suella Hendelberg.
Memoria Tris.
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time employee).
Magic Aptitude 8 (General Class).
Position: Warrior.
Quote of the day:
I wish my bad feelings would prove wrong, but they’re usually right.
That’s all for this installment.
Thank you for continuing to support this work.
