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High School Hack and Slash Chapter 3 Part 3

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Pasifista

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「Hmm, looks like it’d be better for me to confiscate it. It’s also originally a part of the dungeon system, after all…. But it’s more or less been used, and the ownership of drop item is a privilege granted to the challenger, isn’t it?」

　Even if I don’t know what it means, I can understand it as a word, but her manner of speaking that’s similar to the dialect typical to a certain region which I can’t tell is a total mystery.

　The boarding students assembled from all over the country seem to have this kind of confusing and mysterious dialect.

「In that case, let’s do this. I’ll buy that netherworld garment and give you a rare item in exchange.」

「Yes, ma’am.」

「… You sure have agreed to it so easily there. Netherworld garment is a pretty super rare cheat item, though.」

　She suddenly becomes like that of a tenement house madam that appears in period dramas, but it’s not like I’m attached or obsessed with it.

　Rather, when I put it on, I feel chilly and end up being strangely in high tension, so I want to part with it at once.

「Ufufu, I quite like you. How about this one, then? It’s called Ame-no-Ohabari, a divine sword imbued with Raijin-san’s power.」

　From behind the counter, she casually pulls out a sword and shows it to me.

　It is a straight sword with no scabbard and a bare blade.

　It doesn’t seem to be made of iron or bronze, has a double-edged blade similar to those displayed in museums, and the way it’s forged as one from the point of the sword until the pommel, I wonder if this is the so-called ancient sword.

　It looks like a dull imitation sword used in rituals, but its aura, or perhaps its presence, is giving off extraordinary pressure.

「Of course, this is not the real thing, and just a copy conceptually forged in the dungeon. Since this is a copy of its mythical heyday, I think it’ll be more beneficial to you than the original.」

　I feel that the day I wield such an item, the sea would part and a new island would be born.

「I think you’ll be able to use it, but if you end up being able to use it too much you might cease being a human, huh…. Its status has considerably degraded, but what do you say about this Lightning Edge? It’s a SSR item that contains the power of lightning and can unleash a billion volts of electric shock.」

　It’s so awesome that I think it’s not an item to be acquired at the beginning of the adventure.

　It’ll be like speedrun mode after clearing the game, restarting from the『beginning town』 with the strongest equipment you’ve obtained.

　If this is a degraded one, I wonder what kind of rare category the first mysterious divine sword is.

　I sure am intrigued by this lightning edge, resting in its vermilion-lacquered scabbard, or rather at oodachi in general, but it’s definitely beyond me.

「I’m really sorry, but I’d prefer something a little more on convenient level.」

「I’m a spirit that’s bound to the principle of trade, you see. It’s not good if the transaction is not equal…, ah right.」

　With her interposed palms slanting forward, she beams with a merchant-like smile.

「In the dungeon there are conceptual skills that are just newly born, how about I teach you those?」

「In other words becoming a guinea pig, right? I understand.」

「Iyahaha. They say overly perceptive gentlemen are not too well liked, you know.」

　What is offered to me as she says so seems to be so-called skills that I’m familiar with in a way, and have no particular need to be explained.

         Spatial storage (Item Box)

         Information inspector (Interface)

「It’s probably because of the influence of web novels nowadays. Item box is simply so convenient that I can’t even begin to estimate how much its equivalent value is. It may only be in small amounts, but you’ll be able to own space, which is one of God’s authority. Then the so-called cheat skill named『Appraisal』, this is something that has existed since the olden days of the age of gods. It’s an authority to peruse Akashic Records, though. Moreover, there’s individual limitation on how much the accessing reader could understand, so I think the idea of turning it into a global quantification is simply groundbreaking. As for interface, this is the first time in my life I’ve ever seen such a bizarre system. This is clearly the product of perverts known as computer OS and environmental simulator creators. Living beings from other worlds would rather temper with their own bodies than create something like this. The infinite possibilities spreading on the raging cyberspace namely Internet are—」

　I totally get that this so-called spirit-san, who secludes herself in this dim dungeon, is an internet addict hikikomori.

　When I take another look at the four-and-a-half tatami mat wide store, I can see a computer, as well as entangled cords inconspicuously stationed in the corner of the counter.

　I wondered if that is a LAN cable.

　I can’t help but wonder if this really is just a large-scale attraction facility after all.

　She mentioned web novel, so it must be able to connect to the WWW.

　Incidentally, the computer is a fairly new model.

　Spirit-san’s recital is opened with a passionate praise of the Internet, and closed with a complaint about the stereotyped otherworld reincarnation and transfer in web novels.

　I also read through some of them in my spare time, but I’m not as invested in them as Spirit-san.

　Ninety percent of it is incomprehensible otaku talk, but I can make out from the fragments of her speech that Spirit-san is bored due to being unable to get out of the dungeon.

　Japan, or rather this world, is able to offer the best killing time, so she seems to be intending to hang around this level for a while.

「It sucks. Other primeval worlds are crazy boring. And the number of challengers who challenge the dungeon have also greatly decreased over these hundreds star periods. Well, the store is operating automatically 24/7, but that’s where I have to stick on with guts.」

「I see.」

　I don’t get it at all.

「Being able to chat with an intellectual being after a long time, it was fun. Now then, give me your hands, please.」

　I hold Spirit-san’s hands, which are held out on the counter with both palms facing upward.

　My hands, which before I know it are no longer in pain, are connected to Spirit-san’s hands.

　If I were to use a computer analogy, I suppose the feeling is akin to downloading a program from an uploader.

　It feels like I’m being subjected to sleep learning in a lucid dream state.

　Reading the code written inside me, I distract my consciousness from this meticulous and enormous information.

　It’s a code that is way more elaborate, sophisticated, and even artistic than the strings of letters, numerical formula and squares and circles I visioned when passing through Rashōmon.

「Well, that’s about it. Even so, it’s not like I’m using it because I understand it. Description formula of all creation, the most fundamental language – Origin Code. Just like a computer, you can use it even if you don’t understand what’s going on inside. By the way, the volume is a bit too large to be put in the soul domain. And as it’s just right, I installed it as an authority of sky divinity.」

　Spirit-san taps my hands with the fingers of her hands.

　And then, the rustling and shrinking black rag is undone from my hand and body.

「Item box is somewhat similar to the one appearing in web novels. You can’t tell what’s going on inside, so I don’t recommend storing organic matter into it. It’s probably a space of nothingness inside, so if you store living beings into it, they’ll die. Dungeon monsters for example, even if you store them in there alive, they’ll probably be dead the moment you take them out in the outside world. If you store a lunch box in there, it will surely spoil either due to it being dried up or frozen.」

　What a dangerous and extreme space.

　Rather, in the typical setting of this sort of item box, isn’t being unable to store living being the stereotype, I wonder?

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