Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, has a girlfriend.
Girlfriend: Suella Handelberg
Memoria Tris
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time employee)
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class)
Position: Warrior
I gaze at the great results achieved through sheer recklessness. The sight of two Evol Eaters, large enough to be called monsters, lying dead is truly overwhelming. The fact that I could defeat one of them at full strength will boost my confidence moving forward.
Meanwhile, two colossal figures lie silently in front of me, their massive bodies not even hidden by the rising sandstorm. The surrounding battlefield is also gradually being secured.
“Haa.”
The Evol Eaters that have lost their heads no longer function as a pack. They are no match for the coordinated movements of the Oni, who are fighting as an army. Seeing the Evol Eaters fall one after another, as if a cleanup operation were underway, I sensed that the safety of the area was secured. My body naturally went limp, and I found myself sitting down on the spot.
“Hahaha, I can finally catch my breath… Haa, I have no strength left.”
I sit cross-legged, leaning against an Ore Tree. The feeling of having completely expended the magic within my body leaves me so drained I can do nothing, yet it also fills me with an indescribable sense of exhilaration. How wonderful it would be to have a smoke right now, but…
“Well, it’s probably melted away.”
My current state is such that only my pants miraculously remain. Everything else I was wearing has melted away. My chest pocket, where I kept my cigarettes, has vanished along with the cigarettes. I should have realized this the moment I was bare-chested, but the dissatisfaction of not being able to smoke when I want to is strangely pathetic.
“Haa, it’s completely gone. I’ll have to buy new gear… I wonder if I’ll get compensation for the equipment?”
I crunch the numbers in my head, realizing it would be a painful expense if I don’t. Just as I resolve to beg the instructor if necessary, the very person I was planning to beg appears.
“Cough.”
However, they don’t walk from the front; they descend from the sky. To be precise, they land a mere meter in front of me, and the sheer mass of their colossal body, combined with the acceleration of their fall, creates a magnificent roar. I, sitting directly in front of them, am doused in a cloud of dust, causing me to sputter. I wanted a smoke, but I certainly didn’t want to be covered in dirt. I know perfectly well that such complaints would be useless against the being before me.
“You seem to be doing well, Instructor.”
“You look completely spent, Jiro.”
I suppose a little light sarcasm is acceptable. I was indirectly implying that I’m tired and deserve more care, but of course, that message wasn’t conveyed. The instructor walks closer and unceremoniously claps me on the back.
“Well, you did good.”
“Cough, cough, thank you.”
He looks me straight in the eye and praises my achievements. As I choke, the words of gratitude I manage to utter feel clumsy. Internally, however, I’m experiencing an unnamable itchiness, like being praised by my parents for the first time. That’s why my words became so short.
“But how did you survive? I was planning to rip a big hole in its belly to save you, but honestly, I figured you’d be lucky to be alive.”
“You’re pretty heartless to your student, even if it was under advisement. Are you an Oni?… Oh, you are an Oni.”
“That’s right, I’m an Oni among Oni. So, how did you do it?”
“I thought so myself as I was saying it… Surviving was pure luck. Truly, pure luck.”
As I recall the scene after being eaten by it, I can confidently say that if I had made even one wrong judgment, I wouldn’t be sitting here now.
“I desperately resisted inside its stomach, and when my last desperate struggle failed and I was about to become its nourishment, this thing saved me.”
I still need to investigate what that awakened state was earlier, but for now, I gently stroke the blade of my sword, as if to thank my quiet partner. The cold, smooth feel of the metal naturally instills a sense of reliability.
“If I hadn’t received the magic accumulated in this thing, I would have become its nourishment as you imagined, Instructor. I’m truly glad I bought this.”
I smile, grateful for the encounter and my decision at that moment.
“Don’t be a fool. True strong ones attract even luck. You survived, and that’s reality. Everything else is just talk. Be proud that you survived.”
“Yes.”
I can’t help but laugh at the instructor’s outrageous logic. Yet, that theory is incredibly reassuring. That’s why I can answer him sincerely.
“Alright, if you can laugh, you have enough energy to stand up, right?”
As I chuckle softly, the instructor turns his usual menacing smile towards me. Just as the instructor said, thanks to resting for a bit, my magic has recovered slightly, and I can stand and walk without issue.
“Yes, I have no problem moving around.”
“Good. Then let’s go.”
“Go where?”
“It’s obvious, to get you treated. You used your magic recklessly, didn’t you?”
I flinch at the instructor’s suddenly serious gaze. There’s no need to ask how he knew. My current state of exhaustion probably gave it away, and from the instructor’s perspective, I’m undoubtedly a mess.
“That’s why your magic isn’t flowing properly. Your magic flow is disturbed, putting a strain on various parts of your body. That’s why you can’t muster any strength… Honestly, you call this a state for a banquet? Hurry up and get yourself treated. Hey! You there, take him to Evia and get him treated!”
“Yes, sir!”
The Ogre, who happened to be nearby and received the instruction, is a master of their craft. Perhaps they are knowledgeable about the body’s structure, or maybe they are used to injuries. I suspect the latter. The Ogre immediately lifts me onto their shoulder.
“What about you, Instructor?”
“I’m going to cause a bit more trouble. Get yourself healed by the time I’m done. We feast once you’re recovered.”
The instructor, without looking back, gives me a thumbs-up and walks into the now quieting battlefield. He’s probably going to handle the aftermath. There’s no point in me staying here and getting in the way of the cleanup, so I’ll obediently let the Oni carry me. I considered using the emergency escape function, but that has no point unless you’re about to die once. Who would willingly want to die? If I can just get to a nearby gate, it’s a straight shot to the infirmary.
Though it’s unavoidable, I sigh at the thought of being lectured by Suella and Memoria again. The only consolation is that I made it back alive. The Oni carrying me is walking fast, likely eager to return to the battlefield. It’s definitely faster than my leisurely pace home.
Feeling the wind rush past me and the scenery blur like I’m in a car, we arrive at the nearest gate in no time. I activate the gate and escape. Then, the Oni sprints through the company again. For several minutes, I’m subjected to the curious gazes of employees who turn to see what’s happening. I pass a few acquaintances, but for some reason, they give me understanding smiles. It’s baffling.
“Urgent case, I need treatment.”
While I’m feeling a bit uneasy, wondering if strange rumors will start circulating tomorrow, we arrive at the infirmary. The familiar medical staff greet me with wry smiles, and all I can do is bow my head in acknowledgment. I’m laid down on a bed, and I thank the Oni.
“Thank you for saving me.”
“I saw your heroic deeds. Oni respect the strong. Don’t worry about it.”
“Heroic deeds” probably refers to defeating those monsters. I bump fists with the Oni, who gives me a thumbs-up, and he grins before returning to the battlefield. Finally, I can relax back here in the peaceful company. Releasing my magic body, I feel even more fatigued than before. The weight of the pendant that appeared around my neck when I released my magic body feels cumbersome. However, it’s insignificant compared to the relief of breathing out and relaxing onto a bed for the first time in days.
As I lean back, the staff busily examine my body with magic. Usually, they’d move on to appropriate treatment, but…
“No way.”
“Is there some mistake?”
“The data from three staff members is the same. It shouldn’t be a mistake.”
“?”
Unlike usual, the treatment isn’t starting. Did they find a serious injury? I didn’t feel any symptoms, but I was almost digested. Perhaps I injured a vital organ. Maybe my stats have significantly decreased. At worst, I might have become unable to fight for the rest of my life. One of the Dark Elf medical staff stumbles out of the room in a panic, further fueling my anxiety.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, we need to investigate a bit more thoroughly, but…”
When I ask the Lizardman staff member who approaches me, I receive a vague and unconvincing answer. “Ah, so I’ve finally messed up, huh?” If only I could have said, “Don’t worry about it, just tell me,” but I’m too shocked to say anything. I just reply, “I see,” and fall silent.
Then, an awkward silence ensues, or rather, I’m the one feeling awkward. The staff continue to examine my body busily. The occasional healing magic they cast is probably them trying their best.
“Could it really be…”
“If so…”
It seems the end of their efforts is in sight. Their work comes to a pause as two staff members, holding a medical chart, exchange looks of astonishment and furrowed brows. I’m completely left out of the loop. Is my body really that bad?
“Um, is my body that bad?”
“Huh? Oh, your body is fine. The wounds have been treated, and internally you’re just feeling sluggish from using too much magic. It should recover in two or three days.”
“Oh, I see. I was worried because you were all looking so serious and the treatment was taking so long, I thought something had happened.”
“No, about that… it’s not that nothing has happened.”
“What?”
I replied with my honest feelings, but the Lizardman medical staff didn’t seem offended. He slowly holds out a tablet in front of me.
“It’ll be faster if I show you than if I explain. Please activate the examination app.”
“Haa.”
The model is the same as the one I use, so I’m familiar with it. I activate the app I’m used to. The “Examining” message appears for a moment, and then my status is displayed without any errors.
“Whoa, they’ve all increased a lot.”
It seems to be the result of defeating a big boss right at the end. The increase is greater than ever before. The number of enemies defeated and their quality are both exceptional. It’s not unreasonable for my stats to increase this much.
Status
Strength: 4203 -> 8983
Durability: 5059 -> 10174
Agility: 2744 -> 6663
Stamina: 3336 (-5) -> 7456 (-5)
Dexterity: 1988 -> 4541
Knowledge: 96 -> 96
Intuition: 455 -> 889
Luck: 5 -> 4
Magic Power: 1897 -> 4878
Condition
Nicotine Addiction
Lung Contamination
Skills
Monkey’s Roar
Slash Attack
It’s not unusual, but…
“…They’ve increased too much.”
That’s my honest impression. How much effort would it take to increase them this much? And from tomorrow, I’ll need to be careful when holding chopsticks. I have a feeling I might accidentally break them if I sneeze. My thoughts are going in strange directions due to the overwhelming status increase. However, that doesn’t mean these stats are abnormal. You can probably find stats like these if you search.
“They have indeed increased too much, but there’s nothing else unusual.”
“Ah, I want you to look at the upper part.”
“The upper part?”
The upper part of the status usually just displays my profile… As I scroll down, my affiliation within the company, name, date of birth, blood type, and so on are displayed. Race… Luckily, I’m still human. Even though the Ore Tree sent roots into me, I didn’t turn into something spirit-like. Well, considering Suella and Memoria, I should probably stop being human soon, but… I’ll do it after I’ve made up my mind a little more. Then again, I do feel like my stats have already surpassed human limits, but I won’t dwell on it.
“There’s nothing particularly unusual…”
As I look from top to bottom, there’s nothing out of the ordinary so far. If it continues like this, I’ll move on to the stat section… Ah, there’s Magic Aptitude. Well, that’s supposed to be fixed from birth anyway. It probably hasn’t changed.
Magic Aptitude: 9 (Quasi Demon Lord Class)
“There it is.”
“Yes, we couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw this result.”
I can’t believe it either. Something that should fundamentally never change, being determined by one’s innate talent at birth, has changed.
Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, has a girlfriend.
Girlfriend: Suella Handelberg
Memoria Tris
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time employee)
Magic Aptitude: 9 (Quasi Demon Lord Class)
Position: Warrior
Today’s Word: I unknowingly took a step towards becoming something non-human.
As the year draws to a close, it occurs to me that it’s almost the end of the year. This will be the last update for the year. The next update will be released on New Year’s Day. Thank you for your continued support of this work. Happy New Year.
