Strategy Guide Chapter 5

A man that can't even become a Level 3

The first thing that came into my eyes once I entered the Trade Department were cargo pants with a whole lot of pockets, a jersey made of wool, and a set of leather gloves and boots. 

They are all deep blue which is the color of the shadows in the dungeon, and the wool material has fireproof elements, so it can block the coldness of the dungeon and avoid getting your body temperature stolen away.

Boots can protect your ankle too, so I would like to buy this as a set. 

The leather jacket could also bring up my defence enough without going against the teachings of Master Tony. 

I decided to sell the material item called Magic Book that I picked up in the academy. 

That sold for 300 yen, so I bought the 240 yen set gear plus 160 yen for the leather jacket.

I spit out all of the money I looted, so I am now dirt poor again. 

Even though I only have a rented weapon, I have increased my armor to this extent. It makes me a bit uneasy. 

I don’t want to dirty my uniform more than it already is, so let’s just think of this as an unavoidable expense. 

I went to the cafeteria too after that, but there were so many upperclassmen with flashy equipment, and were doing things like bantering, flaunting their spells, and incomprehensible stuff which made me really uncomfortable. 

After I finished my meal, I changed to the new clothes I bought in my dorm room, and returned to my fixed location in the dungeon again.

The Slime still hasn’t respawned, so I began shooting Bolt on my own body again, but the success rate of the Perfect Evasion has finally hit a decent point.

Even my magic that only has 12 Magic Power is this difficult to avoid, so if I were to do this the normal fashion, I most likely wouldn’t have ever raised this hidden skill. 

I only got the evasion 1-2 times every 200 shots, but now I get the evasion once every 10 shots. 

This process apparently takes around 2-3 hours in the game, but this is reality for me, so it has already been 15 hours. 

Once the Skill is raised all the way to 100, the damage mitigation will activate 100% of the time, and after that, every level increases the damage mitigation by 1%. 

At this rate, the magic proficiency might end up increasing faster despite being harder to raise. My spells have failed less than before. 

The spells in this world apparently fail 3 times every 10 attempts in the beginning. 

Once your Magic Proficiency Skill reaches 100, every level after that will reduce the casting time by 1% and increase the damage 1% too.

The max Skill Level of the Hidden Stats is 150. 

This is what I noticed after doing this, but when I gather mana on my back where the Champion Crest is, I feel as if something will come out from my palm, and I managed to activate magic like that. 

I suddenly managed to use chantless magic, but this much is being done in my surroundings too.

My second dungeon day ended without any issues. 

Well, I am simply shooting Bolt once every 5 minutes on myself, so there’s no way something would happen.

I would like to increase my level quickly and get back at everyone else.

There will be classes tomorrow, and then 2 free days in the weekend, so I am thinking of raising my level then.

 

“You are still level 1?” 

The mohawk by my side said this as if telling me I have no progress.

He is technically younger than me, so him throwing snides at me really feels off. 

“I was shopping yesterday after all.”

“Just ask for help from Ichijou and his group already.” 

I said this baffled as if I am tired of telling him already. 

“No need.”

“Oi, I am simply giving you advice, so what’s with that attitude?!” 

He suddenly raised his voice hysterically, and that’s when I saw the face of the mohawk for the first time. 

Even though I am clearly showing in my attitude that I don’t want to deal with him…what a pain of a guy.

It hasn’t even been a few days since we enrolled in this academy. Are they already dyed with the academy view of the Status setting all the worth of the person?

I don’t have any intention of getting along, so I respond bluntly. 

“No need for advice. Worry about yourself.”

Even though he would be the lowest in this classroom if I wasn’t here, why is he giving me instructions as if mightier than thou?

That said, it is sad that I don’t think I would have a chance of winning against him if I were to end up fighting him.

We drew the attention of the class, so I was thinking of saying something, but our homeroom teacher showed up before that and homeroom class began. 

But even this homeroom teacher began talking about my level.

“It would be dangerous if you don’t get to level 3 as quickly as possible, you know. It is possible for you to die in the lessons. Everyone fights to get into the dungeon every year, so this is the first time I have had to say this though.” 

I ended up responding annoyed.

“Mind your own business.”

“Can’t do that. I have been entrusted with your lives. There may be cases where it can’t be helped, but having someone die when below level 5 would be an issue above that. Can someone help out Takasugi? Let’s see, how about Hanagasaki who is the number one ahead in level? Can you raise the level of Takasugi to 3 by monday?” 

“Understood.”

That light voice was heard from way to the front of the classroom.

The other men including the mohawk by my side clicked their tongues.

But I am the one who wants to click my tongue.

The information in the Strategy Guide is highly classified information, so there’s no way I can level together with someone. 

The troublesome part is that the mobile terminal has a chat and call function, and there’s even an app where you can roughly tell who is in the dungeon, dorms, or classrooms.

It is a game with Dating Sim elements, so it has functions like that.

Once homeroom is over, people with troublesome atmospheres gathered around the seat of the mohawk.

“What’s the matter? Are you fighting the guy at your side?” 

The one who said this was a brown long haired thuggish man.

“That’s not it, but he acts all condescending, you see.” 

The ones gathered here are technically what you would call the delinquent group, but even though they had no interest in me until now, I ended up gathering unnecessary attention because of the mohawk.

I really am unlucky despite not wanting to stand out. 

No matter how hard I work, there’s nothing I can do about unpredictable variables like this. 

I heard whisperings from the neighboring seats, and I could feel gazes on me, so this is uncomfortable. 

That uncomfortable time passed, and the practical skills class began. 

We went to the training ground of the schoolyard for magic training. 

I was thinking about how to increase my hidden stats while in class, but it is loud, so it doesn’t seem possible to do it without being noticed.

The worst thing here is that there’s only 5 targets, so the remaining students have to spectate.

Flashy sounds of destruction soon began to echo from the surroundings. 

My turn came, so I had no choice but to stand in front of everyone, and I shot the Bolt at the target. 

Even though my classmates were shooting magic without hesitation, I needed an interval every 2 shots. 

Moreover, the sound when hitting the target seems to be proportional to the Magic Power stat, so mine was so low that the sound of my spell didn’t even reach here. 

Hanagasaki by my side shot an ice bullet and hit the center of the target, making the spectators cheer.

It seems like she has trained her Magic Proficiency quite a lot. 

She is a noble, so she must have been entering the dungeon with a bodyguard even before enrolling in this academy.

That must be normal for a noble. 

There are even students in Class A that would dungeon dive with bodyguards as if normal.

I have seen people wearing coats with the same family crest entering the dungeon.

It is rumored that they are all retainers, and in order to succeed the family, they have to reach a deeper floor in the dungeon compared to their other siblings. 

It is apparently the duty of nobles to leave even more outstanding records than famous conquest guilds. 

Rising nobles have increased after dungeons appeared, so things have probably gotten harsher for the old nobles. 

“You need a break just from shooting an elementary spell like that? Even if you are a frontline, it is missing way too much power. If you pull our legs in the class battles, you will end up getting expelled.” 

The long-haired guy that’s the friend of the mohawk said that to me.

I have no interest in the class battles since I am fully aware that there’s no chance for Class D to win. 

“Isn’t it pretty impressive that it at least reaches the target? Hahaha.” 

The one who said that was the mohawk.

“Now now, we can’t tell at this point. There’s no need to bother him that much.” 

The one who went out of his way to cover for me was Ichijou. 

The long-haired guy frowned after seeing the face of Ichijou.

“You are way too soft.” 

With Ichijou stepping up here, the long-haired guy had no choice but to spit out that throw-away line and leave.

I feel like the hostility towards me has increased after getting involved with Hanagasaki.

Why do I have to be told that stuff from a guy that I haven’t even spoken to before? 

At any rate, my turn is over, so I sat on the lawn at the back, relieved.

When I did, my mobile terminal rang, notifying me of a message.

Sender: Reika

Wait for me in the classroom when the classes are over.

Hanagasaki was already taking a break, and it seems like she messaged me then.

This has become extremely troublesome. 

I immediately slipped out of the classroom once the class was over, changed in the dressing room, and headed to the usual location of the dungeon.

When I went to the usual place, Hanagasaki was already there in her uniform, and I was on the verge of screaming.

Her long black hair reminded me of a horror movie and I was honestly scared there.

But when I looked closely, there was a mesmerizing face that didn’t suit this dungeon.

“Why are you running? What do you find dissatisfactory about me?”

She said that in a bad mood.

But it is her usual expressionless face, so I can’t tell if she is angry.

That said, I have my own circumstances, so I can’t back down here.

“I want to do this at my own pace. I am dissatisfied with being ordered around.”

“I know what you are doing hidden here, you know. That’s why there’s no need to hide.”

Could it be that she acted as if she left yesterday but was peeking?

This is a dead end of the dungeon and people rarely come here, so I didn’t even try to confirm the entrance.

That’s why, there’s plenty of possibility that she actually did see me. 

But the hidden stats that I am raising should be numbers that the residents of this world shouldn’t even be able to see in the first place, so there should be no way for her to know what I am doing.

In that case, I should be able to talk my way out of it. 

“It is fine to do this while using Bolt on yourself. If you follow me, I can level you up to a point where there won’t be any risk to your body.”

I was wondering what to say for a while there before speaking. 

It seems like she is also in the dark here and was making a hard to describe face. 

“I can’t afford to level up just yet. I have to do something before that.”

Now then, how will she respond to that?

If she comes at me with force, I will have to run away with everything I have.

“Is that something you really have to do?”

Hanagasaki mutters this with an expressionless face I can’t read.

“I can’t prove it.” (Takashi)

When I said this, she made a gesture as if pondering. 

She already knows what I am doing, so I begin shooting Bolts on my leg. 

“Can I ask you why this is necessary?”

“To become the strongest.”

She opened her eyes wide for a moment there as if she had been caught off guard, but she soon showed a smile and moved her gaze away. 

I noticed faintly that she was making fun of me there.

But because it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that all the people in this academy are aiming to become the strongest, it isn’t something that can be easily accomplished.

It would be impossible not to laugh if people who know my Status were to hear this though.

“It is a wonderful goal. But that’s not something easy. This is not a game.”

“No, it is a game.”

I reflexively answered with that, but she probably would take that as me joking. 

In this game that has become reality, talent and all that stuff is necessary, so she probably wants to tell me I am not qualified to become the strongest. 

That can eat shit. 

“Is this the time to be joking when your life is at risk here? If you are stubborn here, even my own evaluation will drop.”

“Looks like I was a bit too easy-going in my answers.” (Takashi)

She didn’t seem to be angry at my words and was showing her usual expressionless face.

Even though my caution would lower a bit if she were to show a wry smile or something, her face is not even giving me a twitch.

“I see. Even if I were to force you, you would seriously run away. Fine. Let’s do this. It seems like you are waiting for your HP and MP to recover naturally, but isn’t that a hassle? I will lend you a necklace that will help you recover your MP. And then, I will heal the HP that you lose. You will be able to save time with that, so this shouldn’t be a bad offer for you at all.”

The waiting time was the roughest part about this, so this really isn’t a bad proposal.

I don’t have the money, so I couldn’t patch this up with gear, and was simply killing time in the corner of this dim cave. 

Now that it is known what I am doing, more secrets won’t be exposed here. 

“Not a bad proposal.”

“Then, I shall tag along with your self-mutilation kink until you are satisfied. After that, let me level you. If you form a party with me, it won’t take even 3 hours.”

I welcome that with open arms, but what benefit does she get from this? 

In this world, information to become stronger has as much worth as gold. 

But you would normally not think that you would obtain such information from the weakest man. 

Has she realized the existence of the Strategy Guide? 

But there would be no end in that train of thought, so I decided to accept her offer.

Even with the Strategy Guide, there’s no way to obtain the same necklace that she has. 

If she is going to lend that to me, I will gladly accept. 

The impression of the teacher towards her will get better if it goes well, and I will be freed from the painful process of increasing my hidden stats. 

“I shall borrow your necklace.”