The Darkness Was Comfortable for Me

Chapter 158: Raising Level and Sticky Gaze

In the few days we had ordered our weapons, we went around the 2nd Floor together, and had Jeanne check the map from start to end.

I did participate in the battles on the way, Jeanne really is strong. She soon got used to battles against Ogres, and she is now able to hunt 2 weapon-wielding Ogres alone.

The only ones who can hunt 2 weapon-holding Ogres without any Spirit Abilities are intermediate rank or higher explorers.

She said it is because she has played a ton of games, but there’s no way one can become strong just from playing games.

It must be her own qualities at work here.

After confirming how far Jeanne could go on her own, Jeanne and Full explored the 2nd Floor together, and single-mindedly continued her battle training in the 2nd Floor.

If you have a scout with you, you can escape from a Mantis, and if it comes to the worst, she can use a Barrier Stone. There’s even the chance she could win.

At that time, I went around the 2nd Floor alone.

That’s because we two have reached the conclusion that we should prioritize raising our levels by defeating a whole ton of monsters.

(In a party with Jeanne, rather than teamwork, we both are more like soloers.) (Hikaru)

I think this while covering a group of Goblins in Darkness Fog and defeating them instantly.

There were many cases when Moapple-san of the Crimson Vials would slip past the group of monsters and defeat the ones that are deeper in the formation.

(The stronger I get, the more cards open.) (Hikaru)

Jeanne’s objective is to conquer the dungeon.

Conquering a dungeon that there’s no knowing of even how many floors there is would look reckless at a glance, but I am sure she won’t be giving up regardless.

She would rather choose death than give up…that’s the kind of determination she seems to have. I don’t want that benefactor of mine to die. The chances are low that we will be able to obtain something like the Resurrection Gem again. Once you die, it is over.

In order for it to not end like that, I would like to explore with enough of a safety margin.

What elevates this are the levels and equipment. Single-mindedly hunting monsters like this is the only way to solve both issues.

I assault the Ogre at the other side of the corner on the back and cut its Spirit Energy Vein in one hit.

In this way, by defeating an Ogre in just a few seconds and collecting the Earth Spirit Stone that comes out, you can get something worth 1 silver.

You could say I am already one of the explorers that is earning quite a good deal.

(I would say it is about time to make armor.) (Hikaru)

Right now, when it comes to armor, I only have the gauntlet that is the Present of the Divine Beast, and the mythril gorget plate that protects my Spirit Energy Vein.

I should be able to have special armor made that’s light and doesn’t make noise.

(Let’s go order it today.) (Hikaru)

I sprint at the Mantis that appeared at the deep end of the pathway.

I can now use both Darkness Fog and Shadow Bind to defeat the strongest monster of the 2nd Floor with just one hit right from the front.

My body moved as I wanted it to, and the shortsword that’s made of dense steel, I could swing it lightly as if it were a wooden sword.

I picked up the Wind Spirit Stone that came out from the Mantis that perished with one hit on its throat.

6 days before the completion of the weapons we ordered.

Honestly speaking, my hunts in the 2nd Floor fit my fighting style to the point that I don’t feel danger, but overconfidence can bring my doom.

On the other hand, with the 3rd Floor, I don’t know if Jeanne and I can defeat a Garden Panther if it were to show up. Moreover, I don’t even know if we could escape from it.

I should at least wait until our weapons are made, and get used to them to a certain degree in the 2nd Floor.

We have plenty of time.

◇◆◆◆◇

“Tadah~. How is it?” (Jeanne)

“Nice. It gives that feel of fanciness with metal carvings.” (Hikaru)

We finished that day’s exploration and went to the gorget plate store.

Jeanne had a full plate armor equipped, so I didn’t pay it much attention, but she didn’t have a gorget plate to protect her Spirit Energy Vein.

And so, I decided to come to the same place I came before with Rifreya.

“Is it to your liking? There’s a lot of gold explorers who favor that model.”

“Bought!” (Jeanne)

Jeanne makes instant decisions when she is buying. She has a lot of decisiveness.

“Thank you very much. Then, I will be doing the adjustments, so please wait for a bit.”

The shopkeeper takes the gorget plate and enters the workshop deep in.

What Jeanne bought was a pretty thick one, suitable for frontlines even within the mithril products. It has 3 layers of mithril, raising the endurance.

There’s metal carvings here and there making it look cool.

It is double the price of the one I bought; 2 gold.

“We managed to order your armor too, Kuro. Now we just have to wait for your weapon to be made.” (Jeanne)

Before coming here, we went to the dwarf blacksmith and ordered a mithril scale mail. The conditions were to be light, sturdy, and that it doesn’t make noise, so I thought it would be difficult, but orders like that are apparently made often, and he accepted it normally.

The problem is the price, but -to my surprise- it was 8 gold. Moreover, we had to pay in advance.

We are using money to an outrageous degree, but even so, in terms of exploring pace, it is bought normally, so that’s scary.

Jeanne’s sword was 8 gold and the gorget plate 2 gold.

My sword was 5 gold and my armor 8 gold.

23 gold in total.

Actually, I am currently missing a bit of gold for the sword at present, but if I can’t earn enough by that time, I can just sell the Chaotic Spirit Stone of the Mantis.

“10 days left before the 2nd group comes. I would like us to be armed by then. Complete equipment, and a high level body that’s hard to kill. For us Chosen, as long as we survive, we can manage somehow.” (Hikaru)

“We do have the Scrolls and the Barrier Stones.” (Jeanne)

It is unknown how the 2nd group will be interacting with us.

The message function is frozen, and we won’t be getting new information from Earth.

But the reality is that I am not that worried.

There was only me and Alex in this city to begin with. In other words, it is unpopulated.

There’s a dungeon, so I would have figured there would be more Chosen coming, but according to the map, most Chosen are concentrated at the south continent and the east continent.

Thinking of it in that way, the chances of the next Chosen coming here is low, and the chances of them going through the trouble of causing trouble for us aren’t high…no, they might get in contact with us, but the chances of them taking the risk to kill us is low.

Honestly speaking, with the messages freezing and being together with Jeanne, the time I forget about Earth has gotten longer.

I have a lot of viewers as always, but there’s no knowing if that’s because I am with the No.1 attention retainer Jeanne, or because I am still suspected as the killer of Nanami, but the reality is that Jeanne is a charming person, to the point that I would believe there’s viewers watching with jealousy.

Of course, I do have to be wary of the 2nd batch, but as Jeanne said, we are in the best dash start state, so if they were to come cause trouble, they must be quite the lunatics, and there’s an extremely low chance that such a person has been chosen.

When putting it like that, I do think that makes sense.

We chatted while we waited, and the shopkeeper came back after having done the adjustments to the gorget plate.

We finished paying and left the store.

“Speaking of which, you always have it on -that gorget plate.” (Jeanne)

“Yeah. It is a clear weak point, so there’s apparently a lot of people who have it on them the whole time. It felt off at first, but I have gotten used to it now.” (Hikaru)

“Did you get taught this by your girlfriend?” (Jeanne)

“Not my girlfriend, but…that’s right.” (Hikaru)

“Doesn’t matter which… Then, I guess I will have you put it on me too.” (Jeanne)

“You can put it on yourself though…” (Hikaru)

Even so, Jeanne would show this spoiled side of hers every now and then… I have understood this in the short time we have been together.

She is similar to Karen in these parts as well.

The gorget plate of Jeanne has several layers of mithril, so it is a bit of a pain to equip it.

I cover the back side of Jeanne with the plate, and fasten the clasps as if hugging her from the back.

You really would need to get a bit used to it in order to put it on alone.

It is an expensive item, so it might be made in a way that a person of higher class would need assistance to put it on.

“Muh?!” (Jeanne)

I put the gorget plate on Jeanne, and she suddenly turned around, looking at the surroundings.

“Was that my imagination…? I felt a gaze filled with killing intent…” (Jeanne)

“Killing intent, you say… The next Chosen have not come yet, right?” (Hikaru)

“Yeah, but…what’s with this damp and sticky evil intent…?” (Jeanne)

“I don’t really get it, but if you can tell that, we won’t have to worry much even if the 2nd batch comes.” (Hikaru)

“…Maybe. No, it might just have been my imagination.” (Jeanne)

The evening city was filled with people, so even if someone were watching us, we wouldn’t be able to tell.

Just that, it is not like me and Jeanne are famous in this city, and we barely have any acquaintances.

It must be her imagination.

“Oh well. This gorget plate isn’t that bad. Thinking about the fact that it is protecting my weak point, it gives me peace of mind. Armor really is a nice thing.” (Jeanne)

I am the type that seeks mobility in my battles, so I do end up thinking armor gets in the way, but for the battle style of Jeanne, they are a reliable partner. It might be a relationship like that with my Dark Spirit Abilities.