Level-up Maniac, Level up in Modern Dungeons - Episode 36

–Takeo-kun, I’m sorry, did you wait?”

“No, it’s okay.”

　After returning to the surface, Hinata-san and I sold our magic stones at the association, then changed in the dressing room and met up with each other in the lobby.

　All that’s left is to go home. We could have just split up after getting changed and not met up again, but Hinata invited us to go home together. We’ll be taking the train soon, but we’ll be going in the same direction for a while.

　Oh, by the way, the total amount of magic stones exceeded 3.29 million yen. In other words, each person earned more than 1.64 million yen just for today.

　Well, over 230,000 yen was deducted from my income in withholding tax.

　I was shocked. I never thought I would have to pay 230,000 yen in taxes.

　I thought the withholding tax was usually around 10%, but for some reason it was higher today. I secretly asked Hinata why, and she told me that for anything over 1 million, double the amount is deducted. That’s scary.

“Well then, let’s go.”

“Thin”

　And with that, I realized just how scary taxes are, as I left the association with Hinata.

　I exited the station and found myself in Shinjuku. It was now around 7:30pm. Naturally, there were a lot of people busily coming and going.

　We tried to join the flow of people and head to the platform,

“—-!”

“Hinata-san?”

　Suddenly, Hinata grabbed my arm.

　When I turned around, Hinata-san’s face looked tense for some reason and she was staring at a distance.

　I instinctively followed her gaze, but I couldn’t see what she was looking at. There were just other people there.

“What’s wrong?”

　When I asked him, he suddenly looked at me and then spoke in a slightly flustered voice.

“Ah, um, that’s it… You see. That’s right! Takeo-kun, aren’t you hungry!?”

“Your stomach? Well, it’s getting smaller.”

　Don’t underestimate the appetite of a guy who was a high school boy until just a while ago. I’ve been trying to eat a lot of lunch lately, but I’m already starving. To put it in the words of a certain salaryman, I’m starving.

“In that case! How about we have dinner together? I’ve earned a lot of money thanks to Takeo-kun, and I feel a bit bad, so can you let me treat you?”

“Hmm…”

　I pretended to be worried for a moment.

　This is a personal preference, but as a general rule, when a senior or older person treats me to something, or when I think I can get something in return, I don’t refuse.

　No, I think that would be more adorable than refusing. I’m always aiming to be a beloved junior.

　However, as Hinata-san had said before, saying something like “thanking someone for saving my life” is a bit heavy, so that’s a different story.

“But is it okay? I eat a lot.”

“Yes, yes! Of course, that’s fine! Well then, I’ll walk a bit from the station, is that okay? Oh, or Takeo-kun, do you want something to eat?”

“No, if you have any recommendations, Hinata-san, then that’s it.”

“I see. Well then, let’s go! This way!”

“Eh, Hinata-san?!”

　Hinata-san grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

　Ahhh…!! What’s wrong Hinata-san? You’re suddenly so proactive!!

　No, I’d be happy to walk around holding hands with a beautiful woman.

　Anyway, on this day, Hinata-san suddenly treated me to dinner. We ate together, and then we walked part of the way home together.

　…It didn’t have a particularly adult atmosphere or anything.

　●◯●

　A nightclub located in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo.

　At the back of the noisy basement dance floor is a VIP room.

　The room, where up-tempo music and the hustle and bustle of people could be faintly heard, was now filled with tension.

　There are three men in the room.

　One of them was sitting on a sofa, leaning his weight firmly against the backrest. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, with a well-trained body that would rival that of a martial artist, and large tattoos were engraved on his arms, back, chest, and neck, all of which were hidden by his clothing.

　This man, whose entire body seemed to exude a violent intimidation, spoke.

“A woman with healing magic escaped you? Are you guys stupid?”

　The other two men in the room were called out.

　Although he has a somewhat frivolous appearance, he is far from relaxed at the moment; rather, he appears extremely nervous and is covered in a cold sweat.

　They were sitting upright on the floor, across a low table from the man sitting on the sofa.

　If Hinata Mashiro or the viewers of her channel had been there, they would have been able to immediately guess the men’s names.

　Matsuda and Aoyama.

　When they encountered the Goblin Knight, the duo abandoned their party members, Gouda and Hinat, and fled.

“S-sorry!!”

“B-But Kanzaki-san! It’s really difficult to kidnap someone in a crowded place…!! Plus, she was with a pretty dangerous guy today, so it was even more difficult to attack her…”

　The man known as Kanzaki frowned in response to Matsuda and the others’ protests.

“Huh? A dangerous guy?”

“Y-Yes. Erm… It’s this guy.”

　Matsuda hands the smartphone he has been operating to Kanzaki.

　The smartphone he received was playing a clip from a video. It was a clip of the scene where the dancetuber Hinata was attacked by a goblin knight, and Samejima Takeo came to her aid.

　After watching it all, Kanzaki snorted and roughly threw the smartphone back.

“You guys, are you scared of this brat?”

“S-sorry. But…”

“But that’s not the case, you idiots.”

　Kanzaki suddenly grabbed the bottle on the table and stood up from the sofa, walking around the low table to stand in front of Matsuda and the others, who were sitting upright.

　He then tilted the bottle and poured the champagne over Matsuda’s head.

　Matsuda gets wet but doesn’t complain; he just accepts it.

“Even if this guy is stronger than you, small fry, that’s only inside the dungeon. If we attacked him outside, he’d be just a brat, huh? No matter how small fry you guys are, two of us can do something about it, right?”

“Uh, okay… Well, then, I’ll try attacking tomorrow.”

“Enough now.”

“picture?”

“I told you it was enough.”

“R-Really?! Kanzaki-san! We can do it properly!!”

　Matsuda, thinking he would be abandoned, clings to Kanzaki.

　Kanzaki kicked it violently.

“Guuuh?!”

“Don’t touch me. You’ll get wet.”

　Matsuda crouches down, clutching his stomach, while Aoyama’s face is pale and he’s trembling.

　Kanzaki looked down at the two of them, but spoke with a hint of kindness in his voice.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not getting rid of you guys. I still value your work, you know? Even if it was by chance, you managed to find a woman with healing magic that could be profitable.”

　–Healing magic.

　It was certainly a skill that could be learned through a skill orb, but that did not mean it was an ordinary skill.

To obtain the 《Healing Magic》 skill orb, one must be able to fight on a fairly low level, and the drop rate is extremely low to begin with. Skill orbs are rarely put up for sale, and even if they do appear on the market, they are priced at a price that only the wealthy can afford.

　That’s why people with healing magic remain rare, even now, more than three years after the dungeon appeared.

　However.

　Many people who were not explorers did not consider people who could use healing magic to be particularly valuable.

　There are two reasons.

　One is that it can be substituted with potions. Advanced heal potions and advanced cure potions can heal most injuries and illnesses, and are relatively easy to obtain. Although there is not enough supply to meet the demand, there is a reasonable supply. Of course, the price is eye-poppingly high.

　However, if you have the money, it’s not impossible to get it.

　And there’s another reason – healing magic can’t be used on land.

　Magic can only be used inside the dungeon. To receive healing magic, you must go to the dungeon. This means that if you need emergency treatment, you may not be able to get it in time, so it’s better to have potions on hand in that case.

　For these two reasons, there tends to be little interest in healing magic among people other than explorers.

　However, just recently, this perception has been changing, especially among those with an eye for it.

　This is because one of Japan’s top explorers, known as “Saint Belwood,” has succeeded in regenerating missing body parts (including organs that had been removed or excised due to cancer, etc.) and curing fatal diseases.

　The currently discovered heal potions and cure potions cannot restore lost body parts, nor can they cure fatal diseases such as terminal cancer.

　However, it had been proven that healing magic was possible.

　And it’s not just a cure: it regenerates organs lost due to cancer or other causes, or those with impaired function, restoring them to a completely healthy state.

　This had an enormous impact on the upper classes, who had an abundance of money and wanted health, longevity, and youth.

　Of course, to be able to regenerate defects or cure fatal diseases, one would need to reach a fairly high level, but if they had people with healing magic, they could raise their level and eventually reach that stage.

　If that happens, you’ll be able to do some “big business” using healing magic.

　It’s easy to make money by dealing with people with fatal diseases that modern medicine cannot yet treat, or with physical disabilities.

　The semi-criminal group run by Kanzaki had made this decision and were trying to get their hands on Hinata Mashiro.

“In the first place, I didn’t think you guys would be able to bring him.”

“picture”

　Matsuda couldn’t help but look up at Kanzaki at the teasing words.

“Okay, so what are we going to do…?”

“Of course they’ll attack in the dungeon.”

　Matsuda questions Kanzaki’s words.

　However, that question wasn’t about how they would attack the investigators if they had cameras. Matsuda and the others knew that wouldn’t be a problem.

“A-attack…? But, um, I can’t kill Hinata-chan, right?”

“Don’t talk nonsense, you idiot. What’s the point of killing him? It’s not like you’re going to gain anything.”

“S-sorry…!!”

“Okay? Listen carefully, you idiots.”

　Kanzaki explains.

　To use Hinata to make money, they need to get her to obey them. To submit to the rigorous level-up without complaint, to never run away from them, and to follow all their orders.

　Make them your absolute slaves.

　How to do this.

“It’s easy to get someone to listen to you, isn’t it? Especially when the other person is a woman, right? All　you need to do is take a photo or video and threaten her. Then you can get her addicted to drugs and turn her into your slave, right?”GangbangTurn

“”……!!””

　As Kanzaki spoke with a happy smile, Matsuda and the others shook their heads frantically.

“So, you guys, find out when the woman will next enter the dungeon.”

“Ah, in that case…”

　Aoyama replied.

　They were checking Hinata’s streams to see what she was up to.

“During today’s stream, he said that he would be diving into a dungeon again tomorrow morning. However… it seems that he’s at a party with that dangerous guy I mentioned earlier, and that he’ll be there with him too…”

“So what?”

“Oh, no! It’s nothing!”

“You think I’d lose to a brat like that…?”

“No, no, no!! No way, not at all!! If Kanzaki-san can come out, I’m no match for her!! I’ve got no problem with that!!”

　Aoyama and the others also saw Takeo fighting alone in the Monster Room during today’s broadcast. They also saw him encounter the Yakuza and his level being revealed by Mito.

　That’s why he was convinced that if Kanzaki and Takeo were to fight, Kanzaki would win.

　After all, Kanzaki’s level is 25.

　He was truly on a different level from Takeo.

　There is a difference of 100 in the status points that can be allocated between level 18 and level 25. This value can be further increased by using the 《Fighting Spirit》 skill.

　No matter what skills Takeo had acquired, there would be a hopeless “status difference” that would overturn it.

　And――

“Well then, let’s go to the dungeon tomorrow. Call out to the others and gather them. We’ll kill the brats and rape the women in the dungeon .”GangbangTurn

“Uh, huh!!”

　There’s no way Kanzaki would attack alone.

　While there are no people as high-level as Kanzaki in the semi-criminal group that Kanzaki controls, there are several who have already reached level 19.

　In addition, their numbers were overwhelmingly greater than Hinata’s.

　There was not even a single chance of failure.