Itai no wa Iya nanode Bōgyo-Ryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu 507
Defense Specialization and the 4th Floor Area
One of the options was to wait until the equipment was ready. However, they also wanted to avoid fighting just in case. The two of them had come to a town in the 4th Floor Area, taking the time to check out the base in the area they hadn’t visited yet.
“Wow, it’s really different from what you see from the outside.”
“I wonder if it’s because of the barrier?”The sky the two looked up at when they left the Guild Home was a mesmerizing night sky studded with glittering stars.
It wasn’t always night on the 10th Floor, so from a distance, it seemed like a normal field of cherry blossoms.
However, once they entered the 4th Floor Area, the scenery changed entirely. What they could see from the outside turned out to be transitory. Inside, the two were greeted by a Japanese-style townscape at night, where monsters prowled as if it was another world.
“It is really amazing.”
“Beautiful, isn’t it? In this game, only this place and the 4th Floor have such scenery.”
As they were enjoying the Japanese-style area that they hadn’t seen in a while, their meeting partner, Kasumi, came over.
“I heard about it. It’s unusual for the two of you to retreat.”“I just thought that it’d be better to take on the challenge in our prime.”
“That’s right. You won’t be able to use [Piercing Guard] every time. Since the floor is split into 10 areas, there are more than just piercing attacks to be wary of. I’m starting to see Dispel Buff and Debuffs more often.”
“Is Kasumi’s operation going well?”
“Yes, it is. Also, because it’s the 4th Floor Area, I’ve been having a great time.”
“Is the way to progress with the quest also different here?”
“I guess so. While the quest itself does occur, rarely does it continue to the next related quest after you’ve cleared it.”
“Huh… Then what should we do?”
“You accumulate points by clearing a quest or reaching a specific area. I think the ultimate goal is to accumulate all of the points.”
Even if the player already explored a place, changes in states such as the amount of points, the number and types of areas, and the gold one has would trigger a quest.
Therefore, the search required a considerable amount of effort.
However, it didn’t seem to be an issue for Kasumi, who enjoyed the Japanese townscape. Not only did she explore every nook and cranny, she also kept an eye on the changes in the NPC’s reactions depending on the progress of the operation.
“I’ve heard about it. While you’re sightseeing, I’d like you two to help me conquer this town. There are some quests that could only be completed within the town.” [Kasumi]
“Let me take care of that!” [Maple]
“Besides, there’s a possibility that we’ll find another quest if we go there. Look, Iz also told me that they have various materials.” [Sally]
“I’m looking forward to that as well. There are probably things you can’t find if you’re alone.” [Kasumi]
“I’ll do my best!” [Maple]
“I believe in you.” [Kasumi]
By forming a party, they could contribute to the completion of the quest that their friend accepted. The two wanted to avoid fighting as much as possible right now, and were looking to provide help without having to leave town.
“It’s a simple but somewhat interesting quest. I’m planning on having the two of you do some shopping.. It would probably be faster if I let you take a look.”
First, Kasumi checked the map and entered the store a little further down the road to show them a sample.
“Excuse me…”
“Is this an Antique Shop…?”
The two of them followed Kasumi into the store, and what caught their eyes were the ceramics and weapons on display. Looking around the town, which had a different atmosphere than a normal NPC shop, Kasumi looked at all the items on the shelf and finally picked up a piece of pottery.
“Hm…”
“Are you buying that?”
Maple also checked the pottery, but the explanation column for effects, etc. were all blank. The item name was [Precious Pottery], so she didn’t know what kind of item it was.
“That’s right. This time, it’s this.”
After saying that, Kasumi interacted with the Shopkeeper NPC, and while the two of them were watching, she skillfully haggled and got it at an acceptable price.
“Both of you, look.”
The true name of the item would be revealed as soon as it entered the player’s inventory. The [Precious Pottery] had transformed to its proper name, [Demon’s Lantern].
“Oh, so we have to aim for authentic works, or something like that?” [Sally]
“As expected of you, Sally, you’re quick to understand. Yes, this time, the quest is to find and buy the required number of authentic pieces from the many antique shops in this town.” [Kasumi]
“Hmm, sounds difficult…” [Maple]
“I can do it alone, but there are too many of them. It would also be a nice break for the two of you.” [Kasumi]
“Indeed. As Maple said, it seems difficult… Even on the 10th Floor, the battles continue…” [Sally]
It wasn’t bad to take a break and use their brains to clear a quest. However, if they didn’t know how to tell the difference, it’d be extremely challenging.
“I have compiled some notes for myself. The characteristics of each piece are listed for every type of authentic piece. Of course, some parts still aren’t perfect, but this should make things a little easier.” [Kasumi]
“I see. Then, might as well…” [Sally]
“Yeah, let’s try it!” [Maple]
“I’ll give you the gold you need. Don’t sweat it, it was given to me when I accepted the quest. Besides, it can only be used on the quest.” [Kasumi]
“It seems that we can’t waste it, Sally…” [Maple]
“Of course, if you buy a fake, you’ll lose gold. Hehe, you need to look carefully.” [Kasumi]
After saying that, Kasumi shared the memo with the two of them. If they ran out of gold, they’d probably have to pay for it themselves. The two checked Kasumi’s memo because they couldn’t afford to make costly mistakes.
“Leave it to me… Eh?”
“There are so many!”
The two of them widened their eyes when they saw the number of pages in the memo they had been sent. It seemed that Kasumi made her current purchase after memorizing all of them. Meanwhile, the two were getting dizzy from looking at the number of characteristics they had to distinguish.
“Did you buy all of these and identified them?” [Sally]
“No, I borrowed the power of a library that exists in other towns. There was a book that gave tips on how to identify them. Thanks to Kanade, the usefulness of libraries was proven.” [Kasumi]
“I-I’ll do my best!” [Maple]
“You’re right. Even though we’re taking a break, it’s not good to keep making mistakes.” [Sally]
“I’ll look forward to the success of the two of you. The stores you’re looking for are marked around the town. You can get around easily by using a rickshaw.”
“It’s just right. I want to read the memo while we’re on the move.”
“Me too! As it is now, I don’t know anything.”
After parting ways with Kasumi, the two began touring Antique Shops in the 4th Floor Area.
