Ordinary Person × Modern Dungeon × Summer Vacation Life = Rise to Success!? 〜A Private Dungeon Was Made at the Remains of a Secret Base From Childhood〜 - Episode 9: A Lap Around the Dungeon

Episode 9: A Lap Around the Dungeon

The magic stone I got from the Golden Dung Beetle was heavy and solid.

“I wonder how many grasshopper stones this is worth… Could be about 10,000 yen if I’m lucky.”

My heart was pounding.

I kind of understand how those people feel when they bring scrolls onto the appraisal shows on TV.

I need to be careful not to drop and break it.

I put the magic stone into the item pouch on my waist.

Alright then.

“Let’s keep going like this.”

The small beetles and other bugs that had been on the tree earlier all seemed to have fled during the grasshopper attack.

Time to continue exploring the forest.

I walked down a narrow path between the trees.

☆★☆

After a while, I started to hear a rustling sound.

This is…

I stepped off the path and headed deeper into the woods.

And then—

“Whoa…!”

Beyond the trees, a beautiful stream flowed.

Sunlight poured in. It made the splashing water sparkle.

The water was as clear as could be. And I could see the shapes of the round stones on the bottom.

Only the slightly deeper parts of the stream reflected the blue of the sky. It was turning a clear blue color.

—This must be the “river” terrain that Yamada-san from the Explorer Association mentioned during the dungeon hazard assessment.

I tried dipping my hand in the water.

“Whoa, it’s cold!”

When I dipped in my wrist, I could feel my overheated body temperature gradually cooling down.

Maybe because of the sunlight, the temperature around the river was slightly warmer than inside the forest.

It felt like it would be really nice to get in.

“No one’s around, so why not.”

I took off my shoes, socks, and long pants, leaving only my underwear. I then stepped into the stream.

“Yahhooo!”

I shouted for no reason.

Why is it that people always get overly excited when they jump into cold water in summer?

It’s one of life’s great mysteries.

Splashing water everywhere, I made my way downstream.

Yeah, this feels great.

Back when I was working in Tokyo, I never felt this kind of freedom.

It might be pointless, but it makes me feel alive.

“Phew…”

After playing around for a bit, I put my hands on my hips and let out a satisfied sigh.

Man, a private dungeon really is the best.

I could keep playing here, but my goal today is to explore the dungeon.

Guess it’s time to wrap this up.

I splashed my way back to where I left my shoes.

I didn’t bring a towel.

So, I sat down on a round stone by the river and decided to relax until my feet dried.

“Ahh, this feels so good.”

With the difference between the water and air temperature, I could feel the bl00d rushing to my toes.

It was like the feeling you get after stepping out of a sauna.

I leaned back on my hands and looked up at the sky.

Beyond the gently swaying leaves, I saw distant cumulonimbus clouds.

Even after watching for a while, their shape didn’t change.

It was as if time itself had stopped.

“When I was working, I never took time to just look at the sky like this…”

I almost felt nostalgic for the time I got fired.

In fact, I even started to pity the people still working at that company.

“No way I could ever work at a place like that again. Not sure if that’s a good thing or bad though…”

Looking down, I noticed another stone next to the one I was sitting on—just the right size.

Without much thought, I flipped it over.

Underneath were about five pill bugs.

“Whoa, nostalgic. I used to catch these all the time when I was a kid.”

I picked them up one by one, turning them into magic stones with a soft *poof* sound.

The Magical Creature Encyclopedia appeared beside me. It opened on its own.

Encyclopedia No. 31/251 

Name: Magic Pill Bug

Rarity: 0

Capture Skill: Defense +1 (First-time bonus)

Capture EXP: 1

Drop Item: Magic Stone (Tiny)

(I’ve decided to not write the description when they’re just like bugs from outside the dungeon.)

(Note: That one is from the Author not me, the TL, okay?)

Encyclopedia No. 32/251 

Name: Magic Sow Bug

Rarity: 0

Capture Skill: Speed +1 (First-time bonus)

Capture EXP: 1

Drop Item: Magic Stone (Tiny)

“Alright, let’s catch these too while I’m at it.”

*Poof!*

Encyclopedia No. 1/251 

Name: Dungeon Ant

Rarity: 0

Capture Skill: None

Capture EXP: 1 (0.1 if player level 3 or higher)

Drop Item: Magic Stone (Tiny)

Encyclopedia No. 2/251 

Name: Dungeon Winged Ant

Rarity: 0

Capture Skill: Attack +1 (First-time bonus)

Capture EXP: 1

Drop Item: Magic Stone (Tiny)

“…Alright.”

The magic stones were all tiny like grains of sand. But I managed to log them in the encyclopedia.

I don’t quite understand what the “first-time bonus” for capture skills means. But it’s definitely a plus for me.

Anyway, my feet are dry now.

“—Time to go.”

I put my shoes and clothes back on and returned to the forest.

I might be simple-minded, but I already felt like a full-fledged explorer.

I walked along the path between the trees.

☆★☆

After a while, a red torii gate came into view.

(Note: You know, the only “gate” you think of when speaking about Japan. A popular site for photos in shrines.)

“Whoa, I didn’t know this was here.”

It wasn’t mentioned in the Explorer Association’s report.

Beyond the gate was a small wooden shrine. And behind that, a massive old tree that had to be over a hundred years old.

“This feels kind of comforting…”

There may be no gods or Buddhas in the dungeon, but I felt like something was watching over me.

As I slowly approached the tree, I noticed—as usual—bugs gathered around the sap.

There didn’t seem to be any rare ones. But I saw a small stag beetle and something like a scarab beetle that I missed earlier.

“Might as well catch them…”

*Poof!*

Encyclopedia No. 56/251 

Name: Small Stag Beetle

Rarity: 0

Capture Skill: ??? (Condition: Capture 3 types of stag beetles), Attack +2 (First-time bonus)

Capture EXP: 100

Drop Item: Magic Stone (Small)

Encyclopedia No. 67/251 

Name: Indigo Scarab Beetle

Rarity: 0

Capture Skill: Defense +1 (First-time bonus)

Capture EXP: 70

Drop Item: Magic Stone (Small)

“…Alright.”

Looks like beetles give more EXP than grasshoppers or dragonflies.

There might be other rare types. So I’ll focus on the forest for now.

I went back through the torii gate and returned to the forest path.

As expected of rarity 0 creatures, the small stag beetles and scarabs were clinging to trees here and there.

Naturally, I caught them all.

Eventually, I reached the end of the path. And I could see the farmland near the dungeon entrance through the trees.

That’s when I happened to spot a cicada resting low on a tree trunk.

*Miiin, minminminmin…*

It was definitely within arm’s reach.

“…Alright, let’s do this.”

I crept up to it like an assassin and quickly reached out.

*Poof!*

The cicada turned into a magic stone. It was about the same size as the scarab’s.

“Yes!”

Still got the reflexes.

“Hmm…?”

At that moment, a voice echoed in my head.

[Achievement: “Log 10 Magical Creatures in Encyclopedia” complete. Skill Unlocked: Magical Creature Capture Net (Lv. 1) available for use.]

Just like the encyclopedia, a net suddenly appeared out of thin air and settled into my right hand.

It was made of magical energy. The netting was a transparent purple color.

“Whoa…”

I was hyped.

—With this new tool in hand, I continued exploring the dungeon until I ran out of stamina.

I couldn’t wait to trade everything in at the Explorer Association.

==================

[Supplement: Other Notable Captures Today]

Encyclopedia No. 81/251 

Name: Minmin Magic Cicada

Rarity: 0

Capture Skill: Sleep Immunity

Capture EXP: 75

Drop Item: Magic Stone (Small)

Encyclopedia No. 82/251 

Name: Abura Magic Cicada

Rarity: 0

Capture Skill: Speed +1 (First-time bonus)

Capture EXP: 70

Drop Item: Magic Stone (Small)

Skill: Magical Creature Capture Net (Lv. 1)

Consumes 1 MP per swing.

Depending on the strength of the target, the net may break.

However, since it is made of magic energy, it repairs itself automatically.