Volume 2 Chapter 4 Clearing The Dungeon And The Compass Eye
After a fierce battle with the Queen Spider that lasted for a whole 3 seconds, I emerged victorious. The Queen Spider's body was shattered into pieces in one blow, becoming a stain on the wall like a mural. I waited for a while, but there was no sign of movement.
"Eh, no way. Is that it?"
Honestly, I hadn't even entered the boss room yet. I just tried sending out a shockwave from outside the room as a warm-up, and somehow I ended up defeating it.
But, if I defeated the boss, then that means I've "cleared the dungeon," right?
"Eh... I cleared it?"
'Alright, the dungeon is clear! Yeah! Three backflips of joy! Whew! Hey, you do some backflips too!'
"Sorry. I can't keep up with your excitement."
Before I could even feel happy or anything, I felt no sense of accomplishment at all. I didn't feel like I had conquered the dungeon; I only felt like I had walked down a bunch of corridors. I felt more accomplished when I completed the menu at the local diner.
And yet, this was my first time clearing a dungeon in my life.
'Well, let's check the treasure chest anyway.'
"Oh, right."
That's why I came to this dungeon. I shouldn't be thinking about the Queen Spider who has become a mural.
I walked deeper into the boss room. From the door at the back of the boss room, I could go to the treasure room and get a treasure.
Speaking of which, the treasure room of an unconquered S-rank dungeon... How many treasures could be hidden there? I bet the whole treasure room is filled with gold and silver.
With my chest pounding with anticipation, I opened the door to the treasure room.
Inside the treasure room... there was only one treasure chest, sitting there all alone.
"Eh, what's this?"
No matter how many times I rubbed my eyes, there was only one treasure chest.
Did I enter the wrong room? I went back to the boss room just in case, but there was no other door-like thing. This must be the treasure room of this dungeon.
"Umm, is this some kind of prank using the whole dungeon? Or was the person who made this treasure room a minimalist expert?"
One treasure chest at the bottom of the dungeon? That's too cruel. It's like they're mocking the adventurers who risked their lives to get here.
"Where can I file a complaint about this? The dungeon manager? Or the Queen Spider?"
'No, calm down. There's only one treasure chest because your luck is 0.'
"Oh, yeah?
'Look, my equipment cost is 'Luck = 0', right? If you have bad luck, it's harder to get money and items, right?'
It's true that bad luck makes it harder to get money and items. It also makes one more susceptible to status ailments and somehow makes enemy attacks more likely to critical hit.
"So, you're the culprit, huh?"
'Eh, no... but, you know? There's also the advantage that bad luck makes it easier to draw cursed equipment... oh, and I think bad luck makes you more aware of the wonders of life!'
Juju mumbles excuses, but I'm not really mad. I just wanted to know why there was only one treasure chest.
'Well, let's open the treasure chest, shall we? If the contents are good, then everything is okay?'
"Yeah, I guess so"
What I'm looking for right now is quality over quantity.
I just hope the contents are good.
With that in mind, I opened the lid of the treasure chest. I thought for a moment that it was empty when the lid lifted, but on closer inspection, I saw a crystal ball rolling around in the corner.
A small ball in a big box.
It's so unbalanced, I feel like I'm getting ripped off.
"Um, is this a jewel? I just hope it sells for a lot..."
'No, it's cursed equipment'
"Eh, but there's no black smoke"
Cursed equipment often has black smoke. Without the black smoke, it should be impossible to tell if it's cursed equipment at a glance. At least one need to use appraisal equipment.
'Well, it looks like the black smoke is hidden'
"How do you know?"
'I can see "cursed equipment". It's like a connection between cursed equipment. Well, I don't really see it, but I feel something strange. It's like when you look at someone and think, "Oh, that's a wig."'
"Hmm, wigs aside, that sounds useful."
'By the way, I can also kind of understand the nature of the curse. It's like when you look at someone's wig and think, 'This person's wig is the latest spring model, but that person's wig is an old model."'
"You're really obsessed with wigs."
'Anyway, my eyes that can see curses are super cool.'
Juju puffed out her chest proudly. When she acts like that, I lose the urge to praise her sincerely. But well, if we're going to be dealing with cursed equipment, Juju's special ability will be useful.
"So, is this cursed equipment okay?"
'Well...'
Juju jumped off my shoulder and into the treasure chest. Then she picked up the crystal ball that was rolling around in the corner of the chest and looked at it closely.
'Hmm, it seems to be a high-ranking cursed equipment, but it doesn't seem to be too dangerous. It's like a "latest model wig that's easy to sweat in but doesn't slip."'
"You're determined to explain everything with wigs."
I took another look at the crystal ball that Juju was holding.
When I looked closely, I saw that there was a round, gold-colored part embedded in the crystal ball that looked like a tiny compass. On the pattern that looked like a compass dial, a magnetic needle was spinning around. Behind the eye, there was a bundle of threads that looked like plant roots hanging down... and it looked kind of like a freshly pulled out eyeball.
Somehow, I couldn't take my eyes off the crystal ball.
"...It's cute."
'Huh?'
Juju raised an eyebrow at the words that slipped out of my mouth.
'What do you mean, cute? Me?'
"No, that ball."
'Um, what's cute about this disgusting eyeball thing?'
"Well, if I had to say, everything. The color and shape are cute, and the droopy root-like part is really cute. I wonder what it would taste like if I licked it. Or rather, I want to marry it already."
'...Seriously? You haven't drawn your Bloodsucker Blade yet? Are you not going to go berserk?'
"Yeah."
'Then, just to make sure, I'll ask again. What's so cute?'
"Those eyeball-like things."
'Okay, I get it. Your sense of aesthetics is definitely fatal.'
"Is it? Well, I guess I think most equipment is cute."
'Speaking of which, I heard you're called an equipment nerd.'
"I'm not that much of a nerd. This is pretty normal."
'If you're normal, humanity will perish.'
"Isn't that an exaggeration?"
'Or rather... I haven't even been called cute yet.'
Juju pouts her lips like she's upset. Even though she only does things like an unsuccessful comedian, she seems to want to be thought of as cute. As usual, I can't understand her childlike heart. But for now, let's just compliment her. It's free to compliment her anyway.
"No, I think you're cute... second to Bloodsucker Blade."
'Eh? Am I losing to a sword in terms of cuteness?'
"...It can't be helped. The appearance of equipment is something you're born with."
'Wait, am I being comforted? Or rather, I can't accept this. Can I go out and take a survey of 100 people on the street?'
"Then, I guess I'll equip this eyeball now."
'Eh, ignore me? Hey, isn't my treatment a bit harsh?'
Juju grumbled stubbornly, but I ignored her and touched the eyeball.
Being cursed equipment, the forced equipment process began as soon as I touched it. After a unique sensation like being struck by lightning, the root-like part attached to the eyeball covered my left eye――.
"Guh!? "
Something pierced, crushed, shook, extracted, and chewed on my left eye...
After that, I couldn't understand anything because of the intense pain.
By the time the storm had subsided, the equipment was complete, and the eyeball was completely embedded in the place where my left eye used to be.
And then, as usual, information about the equipment flowed in.
- Compass Eye (Ra Shingan)[Curse]
...a golden prosthetic eye with a built-in compass. It tells you the direction of the thing you're looking for, but if you can't find it within 7 days, the eye will eat your brain.
Rank: SSS
Type: Accessory
Effect: Compass (You can find the direction of the thing you're looking for)
Cost: Loss of one eye. If you find the direction of the thing you're looking for, you will die if you can't find it within 7 days.
'Noroa, are you okay?'
Juju patted my head and I came to my senses. I realized that Juju was looking into my face with concern.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It hurt a little, but I'm glad I'm one with my equipment. I can't stop shaking yet."
'...You don't look okay'
Juju backed away from me with a grimace.
'Well, whatever. So, what kind of equipment is that?'
"It's called Compass Eye, an equipment that tells me the direction of the thing I'm looking for. But I'll die if I don't find it within 7 days"
'Hmm, it's an appraisal-type equipment. If you pay the Cost when you use it, it's safe as long as you don't make a mistake in using it'
"That's true"
Which means I should only use it to find things that I can find right away. If I know the location of anything I want, I'll be tempted to find out where the "most wanted thing I don't know where it is" is, but I just have to resist that temptation.
――And when we meet again someday... please, help me?
Suddenly, that voice echoed in my mind, but I quickly shook it off. I guess I could use the Compass Eye to find out which direction the voice is coming from. But I can't risk my life just to find out the direction. I have to hold back here.
The Compass Eye doesn't have a Cost when it's not in use, so if I use it wrong, I'll die in one shot.
'It's a shame it's not armor, but it's not a bad piece of equipment. Let's try it out'
"Yeah, first... show me the location of the 'Cursed Doll'"
When I gave the oral instruction, the needle in my left eye spun around in all directions. As it spun, a sharp pain like my eyes were being stirred ran through the back of my eyes, but it wasn't unbearable.
The needle on the compass pointed towards Juju and stopped.
"Yeah, it's working!"
'I wonder if we can specify the search area.'
"Oh, that's a good idea. It would reduce the risk of missing something."
I tried saying, "Show me the location of treasure chests within a radius of 3 meters," and the compass pointed to the only treasure chest nearby.
'I think we can also use it to check for nearby monsters or traps. We might even be able to tell where an attack is coming from.'
"It seems like we can use it for a lot of things."
After experimenting with the Compass for a while, I got hungry and decided to go back to town.
Unlike the journey in, the return trip was instantaneous. I could teleport to the dungeon entrance from the magic circle in the treasury. This is a privilege for those who have cleared the dungeon.
"Alright... teleport"
I chanted the spell and teleported to the dungeon entrance.
But I was so focused on the Compass that I completely forgot that this was an unexplored S-rank dungeon, and I had no idea what time it was.
"""What the...?!"""
"Huh?"
As I teleported into the dungeon entrance, I was met with a lot of stares. The source of the stares was a group of adventurers who were about to enter the dungeon.
...Before I knew it, I was standing out in a big way.
Noroa Rator
Adventurer Lv 39
HP: 114
MP: 43
Attack: 37 (43,137 when unsheathed)
Defense: 40
Agility: 52
Magic: 52
Luck: 0
Equipment Slots = 9999
- Weapon
Right hand: Bloodsucker Blade[Curse] (Attack +43,100)
-Armor
None
-Accessories
1: ■■■■ [Curse] (Equipment Slots = 9999)
2: Cursed Doll [Curse] (Luck = 0)
3: Compass [Curse]
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