Level Eater-Chapter 223

After satisfying their hunger, they returned to discussing the items they had obtained.

"For now, let's divide the large amount of cash we got into seven parts."

"We don't really need money."

"Peewee~"

"Neigh~"

"I don't need it either."

"I already received 3 million Shis."

"Since we have a system and all, you should keep it. It's not like it'll hurt to have it, and it's pointless if only we keep it."

Tatsuro and Ai somewhat forcefully distributed the seven shares of cash.

Then they moved on to examining the equipment they picked up.

Most of them appeared to be personal belongings, and while the dirt had been cleaned off, there were signs of use and some even had names engraved on them.

Among such emotionally difficult-to-use weapons and armor, and items that didn't fit anyone's size, they found several big wins.

The first was a Celestial equipment fan made of a smooth leather-like material in navy blue with beautiful red flower embroidery.

The second was a Celestial equipment hammer with a handle less than 20 centimeters long but a striking part of 30 centimeters.

The fan could release slashing attacks in different locations from where it was swung, and the hammer could freeze whatever it struck.

The fan was named after the embroidered flower (a rare and hard-to-obtain flower that, when powdered, dried, and its smoke inhaled, causes strong euphoria and hallucinations) as Leah explained.

The hammer had no particular information, so Ai named it Kachikachi-kun.

While they would share these items, basically Ai would be the primary holder of these.

And the third item. There were four thrust weapons made from the fangs of a beast-type monster called Guzan, which was relatively easy to hunt due to its weakness to light and cold, and was overhunted for materials. It's now said to be extinct.

These were likely the belongings of a beast arts user, and while the grip showed signs of heavy use, they were first-class weapons.

Furthermore, these weapons had a special ability derived from the original fang's owner, a monster that liked to drink blood.

This ability would disappear unless crafted by a skilled blacksmith.

Fortunately, the blacksmith who handled these was first-class and had properly transferred the ability.

That ability was said to evolve into higher-quality fangs each time they were bathed in blood.

When Leah examined their current state, she could see they had absorbed quite a lot of blood.

So their ability as weapons had evolved far beyond comparison to the level one dragon fang that Nana was currently using.

Leah said that if these were put up for sale in the modern world, they would fetch a considerable price on their own, and people would want them no matter how high the price was set.

However, they decided that Nana would use these instead of selling them.

While they had no intention of selling them, Nana's puppy-dog eyes and the fact that they couldn't be sold anyway sealed the deal...

The fourth item was a glass-like object about three centimeters in size with a reddish-black color, which would turn into a golem about fifty centimeters tall when Earth magic power was stored in it.

The hardness changes depending on the level of earth magic stored, and its combat ability isn't particularly high, being limited to body slams or swinging its arms to strike.

However, its feet are surprisingly fast, able to move faster than Tatsuro running at full speed.

It also has more strength than Leah, so it can be used for carrying luggage or as a decoy to lure out monsters.

However, it's apparently quite a rare item, and it would be a waste to use it as a decoy and let it be destroyed. Plus, just possessing it increases Earth magic power.

So, for now, Tatsuro would keep this.

The fifth item was a completely clear dagger and its sheath with no cloudiness.

However, it has zero attack power and would collapse if even a little spirit power flows into it.

What it does is gradually absorb and store the owner's magic power, which can be used as an external battery when magic power is lacking.

Normally, only the person who stored the power can use it, but the Magic creatures like Cardina are an exception, as they can incorporate Tatsuro's magic power.

Since it also slightly increases magic-related stats, it was decided that Tatsuro would basically keep it.

Finally, the sixth item.

This was the magical equipment that Tatsuro was personally most pleased with, and its shape could best be described as a slime made of water, slightly over fifteen centimeters.

To use it, first, you press it against the clothes you're wearing—in Tatsuro's case, his coat that also serves as armor—while channeling water magic power.

Then the slime seeps into the coat, spreading throughout it until it becomes completely invisible to the eye.

After that, you channel water magic power into the coat where the slime has seeped in.

This creates a net-like pattern of water spheres connected by thin water vessel-like tubes around Tatsuro.

This is the fully prepared state.

"Here I go~!"

"Yeah. Please start at a moderate speed~"

In the state where water spheres were deployed, Ai lightly threw a soft earth ball (modified with dark magic to not hurt when hit) from a short distance away.

Though "lightly" still meant a fastball that would make pro baseball players pale in comparison.

Normally, Tatsuro would easily get hit by such a pitch, but before it could hit him, sharp spine-like slimes shot out from the water spheres all at once, automatically destroying the earth ball.

"Oh~ That's cool~!"

"The automatic part is nice. Even attacks I can't react to myself, this will handle them."

Furthermore, people who can use water magic can freely control this themselves.

Additionally, as water magic skill level increases, reaction speed and attack power also increase, making it an excellent item.

Currently, Tatsuro's water magic level is at the upper limit of 10, so apparently this slime will automatically eliminate ordinary monsters just by him standing still.

By the way, it can also be switched to non-lethal mode and can take a defensive form by creating water walls instead of attacking, making it extremely versatile.

"Plus, it has great compatibility with this coat."

"Indeed. When the slime activates, magic power flows through the entire coat, so even if something manages to get through the water barrier, it automatically hardens to strengthen the defense."

Yes. Until now, Tatsuro had to time the hardening of his coat himself, but with this, the slime judges and activates automatically.

It was truly killing two birds with one stone, strengthening defense while gaining a new method of attack.

By the way.

This magical tool was a special product created by the dungeon itself.

However, because it was created only considering increasing energy consumption, it greatly exceeded the regulations for a Level 7 dungeon.

Therefore, it couldn't be placed inside the dungeon or given as a drop item, making it quite notorious.

If it had been kept within regulations, its power and reaction speed would have been fixed, blindly attacking with limited versatility, and unable to be strengthened based on water magic level.

Actually, most items known as Celestial equipment or powerful magical tools that make it into the world are things accidentally created by dungeons that happened to fall into human hands.

Yet humans gratefully accept these as gifts from heaven, which is quite ironic.

While there were other pieces of equipment, according to Leah, in terms of both usefulness and asset value, these six items were about all that could be considered big wins for Tatsuro and the others at their current level.

After finishing most of the examination, they distributed and equipped other items that could be immediately used.

First, for Tatsuro, boots that increase speed when worn and a belt that increases durability when fastened.

Gloves that increase strength when worn, and ten staves with attribute corrections for all elements except fire and wind.

For Ai, equipment items that could persistently compensate for weaknesses: a circlet, earrings, three rings, and a pendant that increase magic resistance.

For Cardina, a ten-centimeter diameter jewel that increases magic power when held.

Three staves with corrections for dispel magic, earth magic, and water magic.

For Jeanne, three swords and one spear to be used with wood magic, two shields, and two staves with corrections for wind magic and wood magic.

For Nana, a necklace that increases magic power, a small hat (probably for small races) that increases all magic-related stats overall, and—

"You'll need staves too, right? The ones with curse magic and life magic corrections—"

"No, I don't need staves."

"Eh? Why's that?"

"I have Mr. Frog staff! It's invincible!"

"No, no, it's not invincible."

"Hmph."

Tatsuro patted Nana's head as she cutely puffed her cheeks, wondering what to do.

True, while it did have magic-related corrections like a staff, it wasn't as good as staves specialized for specific purposes.

That's why he wanted to give her specialized staves.

"Well, if you don't need to focus that much on strengthening and you're fine with it, then it's fine."

"Cheating is bad!"

"Yeah, cheating is bad~"

"Yeah, that's not good."

Both Tatsuro and Ai could understand that point, and more importantly, if she had decided to use it with such dedication, they thought that might be fine after all.

"I pretty much understand Mr. Frog staff's structure, so if you'd like, we could modify it when we have free time?"

"Modify...? Could it be, that my Mr. Frog staff will become Mr. Frog staff - Kai!?"

"Well, that's quite literal."

"Yes. If that's okay with you, we can also add curse magic and life magic corrections to it."

"That's great. Good for you, Sister Nana."

"Indeed~!"

For some reason, Nana was patted on the head by her younger sister Athena as she dreamed about the yet-unseen Mr. Frog staff - Kai.

While such digressions occurred, they continued distributing equipment, giving Leah a ring and gloves that increase strength.

A pendant that increases magic resistance, boots that increase speed, and an inner wear to be worn under light armor that increases durability.

Finally, for Athena, two staves with corrections for lightning magic and wind magic.

A choker and earrings that increase magic power, bangles that increase durability and speed.

Two spare scythes were given, completing the distribution of all found items.

There were several other useful items, but Tatsuro took responsibility for keeping them so everyone could share them.

With the equipment distribution largely settled, they had all become somewhat stronger overall.

However, none of the equipment with added effects they found this time had ever been seen in any of the shops they had visited before.

Particularly, if items that increased magic resistance had been available, Tatsuro would have bought them first thing and given them to Ai.

"That's to be expected. Even among blacksmiths, you need above-average skill to add effects on top of the equipment's basic effects. So they don't often appear in stores catering to the general public."

"With that level of skill, they could probably run their own shop."

"Yeah. I see, so blacksmiths can do it. Come to think of it, Leah, your blacksmith level has exceeded 5, right?"

"Yes, I'm currently at 'Blacksmith Level 6.' I think I can get about one more level by myself."

Tatsuro and the others don't realize it, but frankly speaking, reaching this level at this speed is abnormal even with the influence of [Earth Spirit Blessing +8].

The reason for this lies in the [All-Seeing Eyes].

The experience points needed to raise blacksmith level are determined by how advanced the materials processed are.

Normal blacksmiths study one material at a time, understanding them and learning processing methods, gradually moving on to more difficult techniques.

However, thanks to the [All-Seeing Eyes], Leah could handle high-difficulty tasks from the start through material understanding and processing method imitation and application.

That's why she could progress at such an abnormal speed.

"So. I remember you saying that with blacksmith skills, you can choose a specialization after exceeding level 5. Have you decided on that yet?"

"Ah, you mentioned that. If I remember correctly, you become better at whatever you specialize in than other things, right?"

"About that, when I looked earlier, there was an interesting option."

"What kind of interesting option is it?"

"—Magic Brain."

"What's a magic brain? Is it something famous in this world?"

Everyone except Leah had question marks floating above their heads, and Athena straightforwardly asked for an explanation.

"No. I've never seen or heard of such a term before either. But probably, I think it's the endpoint of the artificial intelligence research I'm mainly conducting. The research has progressed quite a bit after seeing so many heavenly equipment and rare items."

"Hmm. So this magic brain thing might be like a computer."

"Computer?"

"Yeah. In terms of things familiar to us, like smartphones. Look, like this."

Since Leah had a question mark floating above her head, Ai took out her long-dead smartphone and handed it to Leah.

Receiving it, Leah immediately activated her [All-Seeing Eyes] and began analyzing it with her sky-blue eyes.

"—! A-amazing! Using electricity to... Oh, oh! This is it! C-can I borrow this?"

"Sure. It's fine. It's not like I can use it now anyway."

"Then, want to take mine too? More samples would be better, right?"

"That would be helpful!"

When given Tatsuro's smartphone as well, Leah immediately took out paper and pen and began compiling research materials.

Seeing that this would likely take a while, Tatsuro decided to check with the manager of this place just in case.

"Hey~ Dungeon~"

[Do you need something~?]

"Leah's gotten like that, but is it okay for us to stay here?"

[Yes, that's fine~ Even if you force open the doors, you can't take out what's inside anyway~]

"By the way, do monsters appear here?"

[They don't come frequently, but they do appear occasionally~ Actually, this place can be reached randomly, so it's one of the floors~]

"Can people who randomly came here take that challenge from earlier?"

[No~ Only five of these countless doors are unlocked, so if they can find even one of them on their own, they can proceed to the next floor~]

"Find on their own, from all of these?"

[Yes~]

Just one side extends endlessly with doors packed densely on the wall.

And there's another wall just like it behind that one.

The probability of finding just five winning doors among all these is something he didn't even want to imagine.

"How many days would that take..."

[Even the most persistent people gave up after 3 years~ They ran out of food and went home~]

"What a nightmare..."

Just imagining people searching for doors with unknown chances of success for three years made them feel miserable.

[But some people found them in ten minutes~]

"That's... something else entirely."

Tatsuro felt gloomy again at the cruel irrationality of luck.

"Well, as long as we watch out for monsters, we can stay here. The point to go to the next layer won't disappear, right?"

[I could make it disappear, but I basically don't plan to until you enter~]

"That's good then. We'll stay here a bit longer."

[Please do~]

Tatsuro had planned to stay for just a few hours.

However, because Leah got more absorbed than expected, at this point they had no idea they would end up staying here for a week in this world.

In other words, twelve days.