CH 18

Holding the center of the cane in my right hand, I walk in a way that stops my stride from getting too wide and keeps my center of gravity stable. I try to be always aware of my surrounding. Moreover, always ready to deal with anything that may happen.

As a basic rule, I should have always been walking this way, but before I knew it, I had stopped doing it.

It is not every day that I would suddenly need martial arts back in Japan.

That is why, when my need for the martial arts declined, I naturally stopped this habit.

In hindsight, I should have done more, but it is too late.

After that, I walked to the road on the other side of the crossroads, but it was a passage with a similar shape, and there was also a slime at the end.

The correct choice was the middle road, and in the end, this floor had an entrance staircase at the bottom of the “mountain” character and a staircase to the second floor. [T/N: This is the character “山” it is read as “yama” it means mountain.]

Now I am going down the stairs towards the second floor.

As I was filling out my map, I heard a voice saying “Guga!” from the front. Then the sound of something running was getting louder.

I hurriedly put the piece of paper and pencil in my pocket and held my cane.

I realize that there is a problem with [Light Source] in the dungeon. The range that this magic can illuminate is only about 10 m (33 ft.) from the center at best, and beyond the range, it is almost impossible to see. On the other hand, the monsters do not need light. In addition, they can see my light from the distance.

In other words, as long as we rely on our eyesight to search for enemies in the dungeon, the monsters will sense us first and take the initiative.

That is fine now. However, what if the other person has a ranged attack? If it hides outside the range of the light and shoots an arrow from there, there is no way for me to defend myself against that.

For the time being, I will deal with the current opponent and deal with that possibility in the future.

As the sound of footsteps approached, the outline of my opponent began to emerge.

The one that appeared was about 120 cm (47.25 in) tall, with green skin and a small rag hanging from its waist. In Japanese folklore, it looks close to a child “oni” or “gaki”. [T/N: So “鬼” or “oni” are Japanese terms for demons, spirits, and supernatural creatures. “餓鬼” or “Gaki” or starving demons are demons that are under constant suffering. They look very thin but have bulging stomachs. Google-sensei has more info.]

It is a goblin.

It does not have any weapons, and with its momentum from running, it charged straight at me.

“Guga!” (Goblin)

I parried its fist with the handle of the cane. Then while stepping on its throat, and pinning it down. I poised my cane and bashed its head.

The goblin could only make a muffled sound, “Guge”, and rolled on the floor.

“Did I kill it?”

I approached it cautiously, but I did not dare move it. The goblin seems to have been defeated without any problem.

However, I was able to defeat the goblin with one blow. Maybe I should be a little more confident about my situation.

Observing the defeated opponent again. Big ears and green skin. This is definitely a goblin. According to what I have heard in advance, slime and goblins should be the only enemies in this dungeon, and it is safe to conclude that.

While thinking, the goblin’s body begins to disappear and is absorbed by the floor, leaving a magic stone on the floor.

I saw it with the slime, but it was a liquid monster, so there was no discomfort, but when a monster with a solid body is absorbed by the floor, I cannot help but feel a bit creeped out.

When I tried to pick up the magic stone left behind, light swirled around my body.

“Uhhh!” I involuntarily released a groan and tried to jump back. Of course, the light followed me and soon entered my body.

At that moment, power sprung from the depths of my body and spread all over.

After the light disappeared, I remained vigilant and searched my surroundings with my cane ready, but there was nothing. There was no sign of any change in my body.

No, maybe. I am not sure what happened.

“… Is this… leveling up?”

There was no status prompt, and I thought it was a rather a more realistic world, but maybe there are more RPG tropes here.

However, I was still just a little relieved at this.

Until now, I could beat slimes and goblins with a single blow, so I got a little worried.

From the abilities of slimes and goblins here, I imagined the abilities of monsters at a higher level and thought about the possibility that I might not be able to deal with it.

No matter how much muscle training and sparring I use to improve my physical ability and skills, there are still limits. If analyze it using common sense, I should not get power beyond my limits, and so I will not be able to deal with strong monsters.

However, it is a different story if I can improve my ability with the mystery system that is familiar in the game called level up. I should simply raise my level.

I do not know exactly what kind of system this level up is, but if I raise my level, I might be able to gain abilities beyond the scope of what I had assumed.

I picked up the magic stone that the goblin had dropped and put it in my backpack as I continued on my way.

“It is getting a little bit more fun.”