Episode 28.8 (1/2)
”I'm telling the truth.”
”Don't joke around 'bout that. Didn't ya two just start out exploring <Dungeon of Swords> yesterday?”
”Yes.”
”And yer' tellin' me ya got to floor 26 by evening the same day? Like hell that can be done.”
”Is that so. Well I merely answered you back, I don't mind either way if you don't believe me.”
Nark closely inspected Arios who said that while lightly laughing.
(Why'd he make up such a barefaced lie?)
(I thought this young man was among the more decent ones.)
Then, Arios's figure came up in Nark's mind.
His quiet standing stance in front of Hortis tree.
(No.)
(This guy's strength is the real deal.)
(Even reached a domain far beyond my ability to measure.)
(Have they really got to floor 26 on their second day?)
(No, impossible.)
(However...)
”What's the rat's name?”
”Come again?”
”What's the name of the rat you guys hired?”
”Ah, you mean guide. We're not hiring one. As we've no need for it.”
”What? How in the heck ya could explore a dungeon without maps or rats.”
”Please keep this a secret, Lecan-dono possesses an ability to locate where the stairways are.”
”What'd you say?”
He's never heard anything like that before.
Nark was bewildered.
And then he reached a bold conclusion at the end of his bewilderment.
(Suppose this guy is lying.)
(What's in it for them getting me to swallow such a lie whole?)
(Then I can just take his words for now?)
(No wait.)
(I don't hafta believe him.)
(Just gotta postpone deciding the authenticity, and keep the conversation going.)
”Sorry for deciding yer' lying outright. It's just that unbelievable a story. No, to be frank with ya, I still cannae' believe it. But looking at it again, I got no reason to doubt yer' story. So I'm shelving whether to believe or not fer' now. To start with, nothing in it for me anywa, no matter which floor ya two got. My bad for getting angry.”
”Oh no worries. It's nothing to get worked up about.”
”But dang, Middle Walkers on your second day eh.”
”Which floor does this middle layer start?”
”In Dungeon Tsubolt, Floor 1-10 are Upper Layers.”
”Ah, makes sense.”
If one has set foot on floor 11, they'll know how it's a whole different ordeal than floor 1-10. Hence Arios must have at least gotten to floor 11 from his reaction to that, thought Nark as he spoke.
”Floor 11 to 80 are Middle Layer, while Floor 81 to 100 are the Depths. You'd get called Upper Walkers, Middle Walkers, and Depth Walkers depending on which layer you've gotten to. Depth Walkers are pretty much first class stuff.”
”Huh? Doesn't this dungeon have 120 floors?”
”Rarely anyone's ever crossed over the floor 100 wall.”
”What do they call people who explore floor 101-120?”
”No particular alias, but those who manage to cross over floor 100 are heroes.”
”I see.”
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >
”Any sword drop?”
”Oh yes. Besides potions, we have gotten nothing but swords.”
”How many ya got?”
”Five swords.”