High School Hack and Slash Chapter 72 Part 1
What Fills the Missing One
※※※ Interface Compatible Start ※※※
――※ 127th interference confirmed
――※ Do you wish to terminate the external interference?
――※ Downloading analysis code from『LIBRARY (Akashic Code)』 with access privileges『Raijin』
――※ Utilizing fate altering device『Greed』
――※ External interference phase drive system『Rashomon』 has been temporarily frozen
――※ Adaptive mode has been deactivated
――※ Do you wish to change the adaptive mode?
――※ Not applicable
――※ Do you wish to create an adaptive mode?
――※ Utilizing the authority『World』
――※ Urgent request: Do you wish to acknowledge the authority of follower『Yuki』?
――※ A part of the jurisdiction of the authority『World』 has been delegated
――※ Adaptive mode creation complete
――※ Protocol has been changed to『Yuki Style』
――※ Resuming the encroachment of the world『Battle Nirvana』 on the『Cannibalism Mine』
※※※ Interface Compatible End ※※※
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――※ Countdown: 00:23:59:59 ――
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「Haa…. What a waste. This fire drake.」
Letting out a sigh, Otoha sat on the head of the dragon that was having its head chopped.
Even dragon species, which were classified as rare monsters in the Normal dungeon, lose their value when they appeared in such large numbers.
But the scales, claws, and fangs were first-rate materials for making equipment.
So the option to not take advantage of this opportunity was nonexistent.
Moreover, a separate team, the Black Honey Party, was also exploring the dungeon for the purpose of securing gourmet ingredients.
「Hey, Otoha, you’re in the way. If you’re free, why don’t you go over there and help with the treasure hunt?」
Kurumi, holding a knife, saw, and dismantling tools, looked back at the half-destroyed holy tower (Ziggurat).
The stripping of materials was the sole domain of Kurumi, who had the『Chef』 class plus the newly acquired『Creator (Fantasista)』 class, a special-type derivative class.
She was thoroughly dismantling monsters that were being knocked down and converting them into materials and ingredients.
「Dorm Leader Otoha, is something the matter…?」
Anzu tilted her head in a fluffy manner, but what she was holding in her hand was a huge scissor blade.
*Snap, snap* Not only the skin and scales, but she was cutting even the bones to pieces.
In order to process high-ranked materials, you needed suitably high-ranked tools.
In other words, it meant that the tools that Mikan and the others were making themselves were magic items on the same level as the equipment that Touma as well as Otoha and the others used.
「Ah, yes. I’m just thinking that here we’ve got dragon type monsters and all, but it’s such a shame that I can’t turn any into my『Cavalry Beast (Patriot)』.」
*Haa* Letting out another sigh, Otoha fell into a state of depression.
The second step class of the『Fighter』 branching, the『Knight』 possessed a special summoning skill.
As they were clad in the heavyweight equipment of heavy armor, the knight-type class had the weak point in the form of mobility.
What used in order to compensate for this was a skill called『Cavalry Beast (Patriot)』.
It was said to be mainly suitable for horse-type monsters, and if you turned into its superior class, it would be possible for you to employ even Pegasus or Griffon.
However, it was not a summoning like the『Materialization (Realize)』 skill used by the『Officer』-type class.
It required a certain ritual, a contract, and a target monster card.
「Well, to begin with, I’ve never really picked up a monster card, you see…. I thought card drops were no more than an urban legend.」
「Um, err…. Dorm Leader Otoha, you know…」
Monster cards were traded at hefty prices, but the price of cards in demand would skyrocket even higher.
Partly due to the fact the movement skill called『Horseshoe』 possessed by horse-type monsters was a popular enchantment for armor, many of those of the knight class obtained monster cards on their own.
「I mean, just how many hundreds of horses do you think I’ve hunted solo? What’s with them saying: the drop rate goes down when I’m in a party with you. I know that without needing them to tell me. And what’s with this『Maiden of Poverty (No-dropper)』, are you saying that I’m so unlucky to deserve to be labeled with such a Nickname….」
「Err, earth to Dorm Leader Otoha….」
*Fufu, fufufu…* The downcast Otoha floated a dark smile….
「Ah, geez, so gloomy. I’ll give you a snack, so go take a break with the exploration team first.」
「For better or worse, I’m here acting as your bodyguard, though?」
「There are no monsters in the surrounding area, and this stratum, or rather the area around the Holy Tower (Ziggurat) has already been cleared, right? So do go eat something sweet and heal yourself.」
Otoha, receiving the basket pushed to her by Kurumi, climbed the stairs.
「It’s at times like this that make you want a Cavalry Beast (Patriot), right…. Haa.」
The reason why Otoha’s『Dragoon』 was regarded as a strong class was also mainly due to it having affinity with dragon-type monster for its Cavalry Beast (Patriot).
Though, monster cards of dragon-type monsters, which were treated as rare monsters, were incomparably much more expensive than that of horse-type.
「Fufu…. Fufufufufu.」
「What’s the matter, Otoha? You seem to be in quite a good mood.」
Rinko, who was sorting through the collected items in the plaza at the top of the stairs, tilted her head slightly.
The items collected from the ruins of the Shrine of Ishtar were easily forming up a mountain.
As opposed to armor like what you’d find in the normal dungeon, these items were comprised of mostly ornaments, musical instruments, and coins with golden luster.
「What’s with… these gold and silver treasures?」
「I suppose there seems to be only a few magic items. Moreover, they seem to be of the hobby『Effect』 variety.」
「No, no, no, that’s not it.」
Rinko, who had been sitting on a fallen stone pillar and endeavoring in appraisal work, took off her glasses.
「With this much, they won’t be that valuable, right? Well, but Mai-chan’s eyes turned into ￥ mark, I suppose? Saying that she was going to take a bath of gold coins, I suppose right now she’s in the middle of another exploration, taking Seiichi-kun with her.」
「Rather, does that mean are we striking it rich and becoming crazy rich?」
Rinko picked up one of the gold coins that were forming a mountain.
「『Aureus gold coins』, looks like these are ancient Roman currencies. Even with the value of the precious metal alone, I suppose these would be worth a good deal of money if we brought them back to above ground. If the academy were to find out, though, I have a feeling they would confiscate them.」
「Isn’t it only a matter of course that we’re going to bring them back secretly?!」
「Well, I suppose Touma-kun’s Item Box would be able to fool even the check gate….」
Getting flicked with a clink, the gold coin spun around.
「If you’re the one doing the appraisal, Rinko, then these are the real deal, right? But isn’t you tension too low?」
「These are the real deal, I suppose? These are real antique coins created in the Roman era. But, in that case, where did they come from, I wonder?」
「Eh, from where…. Isn’t it just like the treasure chest in the dungeon?」
「The same goes for treasure chests, but the only metals you can find in the dungeon are materials that can be used for armor or magic catalysts, not precious metals with monetary value, you see. It’s just a hypothesis, but I think someone might have brought these into the dungeon.」
「By someone, just who are they?」
Shaking her head to imply「Who knows」, Rinko pulled out one piece of card buried in the mountain of treasures.
By any chance, so she had been thinking.
Though, she had never thought for there to actually be clues left to serve as proof.
Unassuming and imbued with no magical energy, it was just a card made of plastic.
「Ah. Isn’t that, that? The dungeon dive pass card we used when we first enrolled in the academy.」
Before the current electronic student handbook became widely used, barcode cards that identified one’s ID were utilized.
It was similar to a dog tag that contained your name, affiliation, portrait photo, blood type, etc.
「Nostalgic, isn’t it…. But it’s a bit old-fashioned, or rather isn’t the design also different?」
「I suppose. Looks like it’s not the pass card we used at Toyoashihara Academy.」
The issue date of the card was about twenty years ago.
In the monochrome photo, the figure of a female student was portrayed.
The name was blurry and unreadable, but the transcription on the class field was『Craftsman』.
「There seems to be hypothesis stating that dungeons are perhaps connected at a deeper stratum, but I wonder if that’s just how it is.」
The school badge engraved on the back of the card was of the design of a lion and a unicorn.
It was the symbol of Mercurius, who was said to be the founder of alchemy in Hermeticism.
In the past, there existed an academy in Europe named after『Mercurius』, the patron god of merchants and travelers.
『Mercurius Institute ［Mercurius Gymnasium］』.
It was an institute that was in possession of a dungeon.
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High School Hack and Slash
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