Chapter 1 - Skill Hunt ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ (Part 1)
Return the time, soon after the end of the B-Rank Adventurer Selection Exam’s Second Examination.
ーーa red-haired girl suddenly appearing in front of Junpei and left like a storm.
While looking at the direction where she left to, Junpei whispered to himself.
「Dragon species……what the heck in the world are they……that loli granny……」
When he noticed it, the headache that he had disappeared as if it never appeared.
「Even so……」
Release of part of the memories……huh.
I thought of the announce that came inside my brain earlier.
Thinking of it normally, it should literally mean that I should remember something that is very important, but……
「U〜n……I have no idea at all」
That’s right. Even though he was told that a part of his memories would resurrect, he cannot feel anything about it at all right now.
He cannot remember anything.
“For example……”, Junpei thought.
Let us say that I had remembered 500-1000 English words in my high school life before. Even if I remembered that word on some kind of timing, would I be like “Damn, I finally remembered that word! Shit! I’m so cool!”.
Most probably, no.
Meaning, there is the possibility that I had remembered it, but I don’t know about it specifically.
……well, I should find out about it later on
Junpei thought like that with a sigh, and turned his thought to the next matter in question.
ーーExtreme Skill【Trash Box】.
Gaining this made it possible for him to freely throw away the skills that he loaded.
Up until now, both outside of the labyrinth and inside, Junpei had killed monsters and humans that have skills.
And every time, he had seen many kinds of skill cards.
For example, normally thinking, the skills of the group of S-Rank Adventurers that he met inside the labyrinth is something that most would wish for.
-Dragonoid Transformation (Master Class) ーーーーー boosts the defense powers by four times in an instant.
-Swordsmanship (Master Class)ーーーーーonly about mastering attacks that seem to be after the opponent’s but reacting first (後の先)
-God’s Protection (Master Class)ーーーーー passive skill that makes the defense power and attack power x1.5 during battle.
However, that hellish labyrinth cannot be conquered by normal means. On top of that, his status was originally shitty, so if he had used his skill slots with proper skills……that would really be The End. That’s why he gave up and threw them away.
However, if he would be able to have a selection or choice, the story would be completely different.
He felt bad for the skills that he threw away up until now……but he let go of those thoughts.
There’s nothing that can be done thinking of the past.
It was very important for him to use the perfect means that is needed for the situation.
After all, after a few months, Junpei would once again be thrown into that labyrinth of despair.
ーーthere are so many people in the outside world that possess useful skills.
For example, S-Rank Adventurers. Or maybe, Demon King-class monsters.
“Honestly speaking……”, Junpei made a sly smile.
ーーevery one of them is just ridiculous small fries.
If so, hunting a lot of skills is possible.
“I should hurry up and have an advanced job and use the rest of the time to steal skills……”, Junpei’s lips curved.
Fortunately, the ability of the skill hunt had increased, and he is now able to get the skill cards with just neutralizing the enemies without killing them.
Thinking of the recent case, kicking his enemies’ asses and binding them tightly with a rope would be enough to steal their skills.
If so, there would be no need for him to receive useless damage from killing people for his own good.
Well, he didn’t want to become such a low-life.
Normal skills are very precious because it would be gained as the result of unimaginable training and effort.
For example, exchanging a swordsmanship skill from a sword saint who have lived all his life only for the sword with a thank you note would make his heart ache after all.
That’s why, Junpei plans on choosing the people who he would steal the skills from.
And fortunately for him, the people in this world was normally scums.
「If that is so……I could get all that I want huh. Well, anyways, that’s great for me」
After he whispered that, Junpei rolled his eyes and laughed.
「To think that the day that I would be thankful for this dumb shit world would come」
“Although……”, Junpei thought.
The words “repeating life and death” that the dragon species girl left.
And, the announcement inside his head saying that a part of his memories was revived.
He could not make anything out of it, but the situation didn’t change.
“Leaving that on the side”, Junpei regained himself and made a huge nod.
「At the least, gaining the extreme skill makes a drastic change in the situation. Since I gained a skill like this……I can do all that I want in the outside world. After a few months, even gathering all of the S-Rank adventurers, they might not be my match」
After letting out a light sigh, Junpei returned to the shade of the tree where he was sitting on earlier.
He sat leaning his back to the tree, and took the paper bag that fell sideways.
And then, he took out the remaining sandwich in the bag, and opened his mouthーーーーhowever, he should his head lightly.
He was starving, but cannot feel hunger.
Well, having that kind of thing happening in an instant, he cannot be blamed……
And when he just thought of that, a cheerful voice called out to him.
「Ohh〜! Isn’t that a delicious looking sandwich?」
The same age with Junpei. A short black-haired girl wearing leather shorts and tank-top that shows a lot of skin.
「……yeah, not only looks, but it’s really delicious. It can’t be compared with the proper bread shops in our world before……but it’s still even with those lined up in the convenience stores」
Well-trimmed brows, and light make-up. Excluding nobles and prostitutes, she could be described as well groomed in this world.
「Eh?! Are you serious?」
Meeting her in the second examination, the teleporter that came through a different route with Junpei and the othersーーSakaguchi Ami let out a dumbfounded voice with the words “even with those lined up in the convenient stores” that Junpei used.
「Yeah, I’m serious alright?」
「You, if you’re really saying that it’s even with the convenience stores……that’s very well a miracle in this world you know?」
“Well, that should be the case”, Junpei thought.
The pepper and spices that were carelessly lined up in Japan could be traded in this world with the same weight as gold.
In this world, the description of “delicious in the level of convenience store food” is in fact, the best kind of compliment in this world.
「Well, the food made by the female owner where I’m staying at is actually miraculously delicious after all」
「Fu〜n……」
Ami opened her mouth with wistful eyes.
「And then, so, why are you putting that sandwich that is super delicious……inside that bag? Are you full?」
「Yeah, I’m full, or you could say, I’m not hungry. That’s why right now, I’m actually putting it back inside the bag」
「No, you, from how the conversation went, shouldn’t you ask me something like “Then, if you want, would you like to have it?” right around now?」
Bending her brows in the shape of へ, Ami made a frowning face.
Looking at that face, Junpei snickered.
「Then, it’s half-eaten, but if you really want it?」
After putting the sandwich in the paper bag, he hands it to Ami.
Nodding her head very quickly, Ami received the paper bag.
She opened the bag, and Ami happily ate the sandwich.
「I mean, it’s really my leftovers though……you didn’t had any hesitations. You’re quite a glutton huh……」
Ami raised her thumb towards Junpei who was rolling his eyes while making a dazzling smile.
「If you start worrying about such a useless thing in this world, you won’t survive you know……I mean, this……it’s really delicious」
「Didn’t I say that, Okami-san’s food is really delicious」
「I see. If that is so, take me to your inn next time. I would really like to eat different dishes」
「Ah〜……if you’d only told me earlier, I could’ve just ordered food, but, the inn I’m staying at is quite expensive you know?」
“That, well”, Ami then said while smiling.
「Isn’t it normal for a guy, to treat a girl?」
Junpei couldn’t help but make a wry smile.
「Okay〜. If the two of us passes successfully, I’ll take you there for celebration」
「Eh? I said it as a joke though……in the first place, you don’t have any reasons to treat me」
Towards Ami who made a surprised face, Junpei shrugged.
「Let’s not then?」
*BunBun*, Ami shook her head.
「No, my motto in this world is take everything that I could get even if it’s garbage after all!」
Junpei stared intently at that expression of Ami.
「By the way……」
「n? What?」
「You……you didn’t fix your make-up or anything right?」
「When did I get the time to do that?」
「Well, that’s true though……」
In the next instant, Junpei, unconsciouslyーーsaid some strange words.
「Hey, you……were you really……this beautiful?」
Originally, Ami’s facial features were very good.
There’s no doubt that she is a beauty……but when they had first met, that was all of the impression Junpei had on her.
“However……”, Junpei thought. For some reason, he could see her as a matchless beauty right now.
He doubted that it might be the kind of skill like【Mimicry】or【Charm】, but that is impossible in this situation.
If there were a difference before or after lunch, it would be the chance meeting with the dragon species, gaining an extreme skill, and release of a part of his memory.
ーーrelease of a part of memory?
Junpei felt that he was catching on something in his headーーhowever, Junpei could only click his tongue, unable to reach what it was.
On the other hand, Ami’s reaction was, her eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed with red.
ーーwhat a slip of the tongue. Why did I say something like that. T-This is bad……
Although Junpei thought like that, he could not come up with words to say.
「……」
「……」
With her cheeks red as an apple, Ami agitatedly said.
「……what are you saying?」
Junpei scratched his cheek with a finger.
「No, don’t mind it」
「No, I really mind it?」
「……no, that’s why I’m saying, forget what I said just now」
「……no, that’s why I’m saying, I can’t forget what you said?」
While shaking his head, Junpei made a bitter expression.
「It was just a slip of the tongue. A shocking thing just happen earlier……so my spirit was just a little unbalanced」
Junpei stood up as if to brush it off.
「Well then, the lunch break will end soon……let’s go?」
“Un”, she nodded, and Ami stood up.
「……why are you holding my hand?」
「Although I’m like this……I’m quite, an active type you know?」
After mischievously smiling, Ami shows her activeness by tightly gripping Junpei’s hand.
「……please, just don’t mind what I said earlier」
“Yareyare”, Junpei shrugged his shoulders, and took off his hand from Ami’s.