Kono Sekai ga Game da to, Ore dake ga Shitte Iru (WN) – Chapter 24

The specifications of “Train Mode” were largely understood through experiments in the grasslands.
Based on those results, I intended to try something new, but for that, I needed to enter a high-level area.

It would be suicidal to challenge it without any preparation.
Train and I decided to stop by the town’s item shop and gather the necessary items.

“Oh, what’s this…”

The first thing that caught my eye was the “Level Appraisal Paper.”
It’s an item that reveals the name and level of anything attached to it. Frankly, in the game, it was a useless item, but in this world where I can’t open the menu screen, it seemed quite useful.
At a reasonable price of 10E per sheet, I decided to purchase about 10 of them, even though they had nothing to do with the current experiment.

I immediately obtained permission from the shopkeeper and tried it on myself.

“Whoa!”

Characters instantly appeared on the paper I pressed against my arm.

[Soma Sagala: LV13]

It seems my level is still 13.
I had quite a few battles in the “Demonic Seal Plateau,” but even against enemies with a significant level difference, fighting weak monsters for an hour or two wouldn’t result in a substantial level-up.
In that case, it’s highly likely that “Train Mode” is the key to leveling up.
It seems even more necessary to have high expectations for future experiments.

However, what surprised me more than seeing the appraisal paper was the name.
I should have been playing with kanji characters as they were in “Nekoneko,” but it seems in this world, they were automatically converted to katakana, and the given name came before the surname.
It doesn’t really matter, but it made me feel like I had truly arrived in another world.

“Soma-san?
The gems are over here?”

Train, who was with me, looked at me with a puzzled expression as I started using the appraisal paper on myself.

(Oops, that was close.)

It’s better to keep my level 13 a secret for now.
I shoved the appraisal papers into my bag and hurried over to Train.

After browsing the store, besides the Level Appraisal Paper, I bought magic gems and darts, which were our main objective for the experiment, emergency potions, and on the side, a clock and a shovel.
The gems and darts were for the experiment, but the clock was for myself, and the shovel was to give to the innkeeper.

Still, I never expected this shop to carry clocks and shovels.
Even in the game, the item shop had all sorts of miscellaneous items, but looking at it again, it felt more like a town general store than an item shop.

At any rate, the preparations were now complete.
Honestly, I wanted to peek into the accessory shop and weapon shop next door, but I should prioritize Train right now.
Suppressing my urge, I left the town.

Our destination was northeast.
The “Trial Cave,” famously known as “Nekoneko’s premier Ghost Dungeon,” would be the stage for this experiment.

The “Trial Cave” is a dungeon with exceptionally high-level enemies around Ramur Town, said to be over level 70.
There are no events or treasure chests; all the monsters that appear are of the Armored Knight type, with no substance.

Armored Knights, while not very fast, are tough, strong, and extremely difficult to defeat.
However, in return, they boast an experience multiplier that can be called exceptional.

Therefore, they are both a major obstacle for players and a great opportunity for growth.
It is a difficult dungeon, but one that allows players to grow significantly upon overcoming it.
That is the “Trial Cave.”

Or, it was supposed to be…

“Um, are you really going to do it here?
This place is famous as a dungeon with nothing in it…”

In reality, the “Trial Cave” never really helped players grow.
The fact that it’s called a “Ghost Dungeon” is a kind of irony; due to a slight oversight in the settings, almost all the monsters are dead whenever you visit.
Furthermore, the respawn time for enemies in this dungeon is the longest among all monsters: 255 hours.
Waiting for more than ten days is out of the question, so people would normally give up on encountering monsters here.

However, I have Train now.
I carefully chose my words as I began to persuade her.

“No, that’s precisely why this is an experiment.
Um, actually, there’s a rumor that monsters can be made to appear immediately under special conditions, and I’m trying to confirm that.
I want to conduct an experiment using that again this time…”

If Train realized that I possessed the power to summon monsters, she might become dejected immediately.
It pains me to deceive her again, but I explained it evasively.
However, Choro-in-chan didn’t doubt me in the slightest and latched onto the idea with unexpected enthusiasm, her eyes shining.

“Ah, so that’s why the goblins suddenly appeared on the plains that time!
Soma-san, you’re amazing!
Is that perhaps knowledge passed down from the ‘Guardians of the Seal’!?”
“…No, you can forget that term.”

Why does she have to pinpoint my dark past?
No, it’s my own fault.
I pressed my hand to my forehead and continued my explanation.

“Anyway, it succeeded in the grasslands last time, so I want to try it on the enemies here this time.”
“Ah, I see!
So, you’re trying it in a dungeon this time, not the field!?
That sounds exciting!”

While calming the excited Train, I explained the plan.
First, since the inside of the cave should be empty, we would proceed without doing anything until the middle of the dungeon.
Then, if we waited for two hours, “Train Mode” should activate.

“If my prediction is correct, enemies should appear then.
They’re strong, but slow.
With your speed, you should be able to escape.
If possible, I’d like you to hit each appearing enemy once with a dart as you proceed further in.”
“In other words, you’re counting the number of resurrected monsters using the darts.”

Darts are offensive items.
They deal a fixed 1 damage to any enemy, making them a trump card against tough enemies like metal-type monsters, and they can also serve as markers when many of the same enemies appear.
This time, I bought 50 of them.

“No, you don’t have to force yourself to use the darts.
The enemies are level 70.
Prioritize escaping, and only use them if you have the余裕.”
“Yes!”

Her reply was good, but I started to feel a little uneasy.
The enemies are level 70, and even compared to enemies of the same level, their attack power would likely be on the higher side.
I’m still lending her Mithril equipment, but it’s just shop-bought equipment from Ramur Town.
It’s insufficient to face Armored Knights.

A sense of weakness crept into me.
I started to think maybe I should just stop.

“To be blunt, this experiment is quite dangerous.
You don’t have to go along with it if you don’t want to…”
“I can do it.
Our levels are completely different, but I’ve fought Armored Knights before.
Just running away is easy!”
“But you see…”

Conversely, Train was full of enthusiasm.
As I hesitated, she said,

“Because… this is necessary, right?”

At those words, I momentarily stopped breathing.

“…Yes. It is necessary.”

When I resigned myself and nodded, Train smiled.

“Then, I’ll do my best.
…For Soma-san’s sake.”

I almost corrected her but stopped myself.
There was no point in dampening her newfound resolve.
Instead, I continued with the explanation.

“This ‘Trial Cave’ has a circular structure.
The entrance, where we are now, connects to the deepest part.
So, if you keep going deeper… you’ll emerge over there.”

As I said that, I pointed to the cliff face in front of me, above.
It must have been dozens of meters high.
From here, I could only vaguely see the top.

“That’s where this comes in handy.”

What I took out was a gem imbued with the “Feather Fall” magic.
Gems are consumable, but they can activate the magic contained within them once.

“Feather Fall” is a magic that reduces falling speed.
For one minute after use, the speed and impact of the fall are reduced.
I had already given Train a similar one.

“If you can traverse the cliff, the return trip will be a significant shortcut.
While escaping from monsters, use this and jump down from up there.
Then, you can rendezvous with me waiting here, and the experiment will be over.”
“Understood!”

Her reply was excellent as always, but I was still worried.

“Are you sure?
You know how to use the gem, right?
You won’t just jump down without doing anything?”

When I asked, Train replied with a smile.

“You don’t have to worry that much.
It’s a cliff that high, it would be impossible to just jump down without thinking.”
“Right… yes, indeed.”

She herself didn’t seem particularly nervous.
Was I overthinking things?

Then, we confirmed the precautions once more, I handed over the healing items I had bought, and after reminding her not to be reckless, it was finally time for her to depart.

“Then, I’m off!”
“Ah, ah. Be careful.”

Watching her walk off confidently, I couldn’t suppress my lingering anxiety.

And so, I spent two hours filled with apprehension.

Actually, the attempt to revive monsters in this dungeon using Train had been tried even in the game.
Leveling up using Train had been researched extensively, and she would indeed appear in this dungeon if one persisted.
However, unfortunately, this endeavor never took root.

–Because in most cases, “Train, accompanied by monsters, would fall off the cliff and die.”

Of course, it was the NPC Train who died in the game, but since she died in the game, I couldn’t be entirely sure the same wouldn’t happen here.
That’s why I had prepared two magic gems.

(In the worst-case scenario, I’ll cast “Feather Fall” on myself!)

I had never cast magic on someone mid-fall, but it should be the same as always.
Targeting a fast-moving object was something I was used to in the game.
If necessary, I was determined not to fail.

Eventually, the clock ticked past the two-hour mark.

(Coming soon, perhaps?)

I stayed alert, ready for Train to fall at any moment.
Then, about ten minutes later.
Just as I was starting to worry if something had happened to her,

“Soma-saaan!!”

A voice descended from above.
Simultaneously, I spotted Train’s figure.
Although she looked like a tiny speck from this distance, it was undeniably her, leaping off the cliff as if to outrun a pursuing shadow.

(…Was my foreboding unfounded?)

The moment she jumped off the cliff, my heart leaped with an ominous feeling, but Train seemed to have used Feather Fall properly.
She was descending towards me slowly, as if she were a feather.

“Soma-san, I did it!”

As I waved back to Train, who was waving her hands, I noticed something.

“Behind you!!”

I shouted.
But it was too late.

“Eh?”

By the time Train looked back, it was already too late.
One of the Armored Knights who had jumped from the cliff, perhaps pursuing her, had coincidentally fallen near her.
The spear of the falling Armored Knight struck her!

“–!”

With a voiceless scream, Train writhed in pain.
Hit by the spear, she was blown away with tremendous force, perhaps due to the side effects of Feather Fall.

“Ngh!”

The ground was already close.
I immediately activated my skill.
With Godspeed Cancel Movement, I closed the distance and caught her body.

Perhaps it was the magic’s effect.
Her body felt as light as a feather.
For some reason, that made my anxiety flare up.

“Ngh! Right, healing item!”

In my incompetence, I had frozen for a moment.
Realizing this was not the time, I quickly retrieved a healing potion from my pouch.
I didn’t have time to have her drink it.
After a moment’s hesitation, I immediately splashed the healing potion onto her body.

A light effect and a delayed sound effect.
Her HP should have recovered.
It should have.

“Hey, are you okay?!
Snap out of it!!”

She didn’t respond to my calls.
In a panic, I took another healing potion from my pouch and was about to throw it when,

“I’m alright.”

Her small hand stopped me.
Looking down, I saw that Train had her eyes open and was looking at me.
Her complexion also didn’t look bad.
It seemed she wouldn’t die like this.

“…Haa.”

I might have had the closest call since coming to this world.
I let out a deep breath.

“Let’s move, for now.”

I didn’t want another Armored Knight falling from above.
Ignoring the roar behind me, I quickly carried her away from the spot.

I tried to use more healing potions on her afterward, but Train stubbornly refused, saying they would be a waste.
Still, after about five minutes, her stamina had recovered,

“Ah, hey.”

Breaking free from my embrace despite my protests, Train stood on her own feet.
Then, facing me directly, she said,

“I let my guard down a little at the end, but… I did it properly.”

She said that and smiled proudly.
Then, like a puppy waiting for praise from its owner, she asked me,

“Was I able to be of use to you, Soma-san?”

She seemed overjoyed to be able to help a companion, and her anticipation for affirmation was plain to see.
However, I shook my head.

“I’m sorry, but this experiment wasn’t for me.”
“…Huh?”

To her stunned expression, I pressed a small piece of paper into her hand.
Then, waiting for the letters to appear on the paper, I said,

“Congratulations on your level up.”

To her wide-eyed surprise, the paper pressed into her hand simply stated:

[Ena Trail: LV57]

–And so, Train graduated from being a novice adventurer on this day.