novelraw Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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★Today's Daily Mission★
Keep pushing forward steadily every day!
'Steel Mental Power'
Stop passersby by shouting "Power!" 100/100
★Today's Daily Mission Complete!★
Reward: Wisdom of the Ancients B ×3 (50,000 EXP)
Ancestral Wisdom C ×2 (10,000 EXP)
Skill Nutrient B (50,000 Skill EXP)
Skill Nutrient C (10,000 Skill EXP)
Consecutive days: Day 24
Steady Rank: Gold Multiplier 5.0x
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After finishing off the madman near the station, exhausted, I boarded the bus to the dungeon camp.
Sitting in a daze for a while, I used an item as if suddenly remembering.
Pikon!
Even the thrill of leveling up couldn't offset the losses. The mental damage was too much.
It was the worst quest ever.
Even though my parents raised me not to be a nuisance, here I am, forced to be this much of a burden.
"Explorers are amazing... they do these dailies as a must..."
One day, while digesting Calibur at the riverside, cops questioned me. Their gazes were lukewarm. Now I understand—explorers must seem like total weirdos to them.
That day, my mental state was completely wrecked, so I decided to rest at the hotel.
If I went to camp, I'd probably get side-eyed by those who heard about my antics. It was terrifying. I hated it.
"Agh! Agh! I could die. Easily die!"
Writhing, I rolled into the futon.
The next morning.
────────────────────
★Today's Daily Mission★
Keep pushing forward steadily every day!
'Steel Mental Power'
Stop passersby by shouting "Power!" 0/100
Consecutive days: Day 24
Steady Rank: Gold Multiplier 5.0x
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Just kill me already.
Please kill me.
──A few hours later
────────────────────
★Today's Daily Mission★
Keep pushing forward steadily every day!
'Steel Mental Power'
Stop passersby by shouting "Power!" 100/100
★Today's Daily Mission Complete!★
Reward: Wisdom of the Ancients B ×3 (50,000 EXP)
Ancestral Wisdom C ×2 (10,000 EXP)
Skill Nutrient B (50,000 Skill EXP)
Skill Nutrient C (10,000 Skill EXP)
Consecutive days: Day 25
Steady Rank: Gold Multiplier 5.0x
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Two days in a row? Seriously?
What do you mean, what did I do?
Please, answer me, Daily-kun—no, Daily-san—no, Daily-sama.
The next morning.
────────────────────
★Today's Daily Mission★
Keep pushing forward steadily every day!
'Steel Mental Power'
Stop passersby by shouting "Power!" 0/100
Consecutive days: Day 25
Steady Rank: Gold Multiplier 5.0x
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This world is broken.
There's no other explanation—this must be some fatal bug.
──A few hours later
────────────────────
★Today's Daily Mission★
Keep pushing forward steadily every day!
'Steel Mental Power'
Stop passersby by shouting "Power!" 100/100
★Today's Daily Mission Complete!★
Reward: Wisdom of the Ancients B ×3 (50,000 EXP)
Ancestral Wisdom C ×2 (10,000 EXP)
Skill Nutrient B (50,000 Skill EXP)
Skill Nutrient C (10,000 Skill EXP)
Consecutive days: Day 26
Steady Rank: Gold Multiplier 5.0x
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"Power! Power! Power! Hah!"
I was starting to enjoy it.
After three straight days of mental weight training, nothing scared me anymore.
Right now, I could probably sprint naked down Omotesando without hesitation.
The next morning.
Without checking the daily, I did 100 gratitude-powered "Power!" shouts.
────────────────────
★Today's Daily Mission★
Keep pushing forward steadily every day!
'Steel Mental Power'
Stop passersby by shouting "Power!" 100/100
★Today's Daily Mission Complete!★
Reward: Wisdom of the Ancients B ×3 (50,000 EXP)
Ancestral Wisdom C ×2 (10,000 EXP)
Skill Nutrient B (50,000 Skill EXP)
Skill Nutrient C (10,000 Skill EXP)
Consecutive days: Day 27
Steady Rank: Gold Multiplier 5.0x
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Knew it. Knew it.
Of course—this world's broken, haha.
It was always gonna be Power Daily.
Power is strength. Strength is power.
Power, power, power! Ehehehe!
(A new skill has been unlocked.)
Huh?
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'Steel Spirit'
The most terrifying enemy is one whose spirit does not break.
Passive skill. Greatly increases resistance to confusion, fear, madness, loss, and brainwashing.
Unlock Condition: Forge an indomitable spirit.
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I see.
So my power... powered me up, huh?
I sit on a park bench and gaze at the blue sky. Power.
Autumn has passed, and it's getting cold now. Power.
In another month, this year will be over. Power.
In the park, the children of Gunma draw patterns on the ground and play some mysterious game—hopscotch, perhaps. Must be a traditional pastime of the Gunma tribe.
Maybe it's the season, or maybe it's seeing kids happily playing in this empty park, but I'm feeling oddly pessimistic.
"Power made me strong. Thank you, Power. And goodbye, Power."
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Akagi Hideo
Level 107
HP 7,640/7,640
MP 1,391/1,391
Skills
'Finger Snap Lv4'
'Phobia Syndrome Lv3'
'One Strike'
'Steel Spirit'
Equipment
'Blue Blood Lv2' G3
'Proof of the Chosen One' G3
'Labyrinth Conqueror' G4
'Adolphene's Holy Shroud' G3
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Having overcome my trial and gained a new skill, I regained my confidence and stepped into the dungeon camp for the first time in four days.
The me of four days ago is gone.
The me who cowered under others' gazes is now a thing of the past.
With dignified steps, I walk through the heart of the camp.
The bustling crowd parts like a wave before me.
It's like the triumphant parade of a hero returning from war.
I walk slowly, deliberately, as if pressing my feet into the path laid out before me.
I've cast aside shame.
Such things are meaningless.
I'm past caring.
It doesn't matter what others think.
Let them say what they want.
────
People shuddered at the sudden return of Finger Man after days of absence.
Some screamed, some hurled insults, some fled.
If you listened closely, you could hear:
"It's Finger Man..."
"He's insane..."
"Mom, that's the guy who was yelling in front of the station!"
"Don't look! You'll catch his crazy disease!"
"I saw him screaming 'Power!' for days at the station too."
"Finger Man's lost his mind. Better stay away."
"No, look at him. That dignified stance. That clear gaze. No mere lunatic, pervert, or madman could have eyes that piercing..."
"C-could Finger Man have been acting for some unfathomable purpose...?"
"Even after being shunned, disgusted, and feared, he walks through the crowd like nothing. What kind of mental fortitude does that take?"
Finger Man strode boldly through the outer market stalls and stepped into the inner district.
As he passed, he greeted the police officers guarding the gate.
They forced nervous smiles and bowed stiffly.
They were afraid. Afraid of the enigmatic Finger Man they couldn't understand.
"Akagi! Long time no see! You were quite the sensation at the station! Why the eccentric behavior?"
"To forge a Steel Spirit."
Finger Man gazed into the distance with a self-deprecating smile.
Shurado sensed something immeasurable in his serene expression—unaware that he'd simply given up inside, knowing there was no turning back.
"Wait, did you acquire the skill 'Steel Spirit'?!"
"Huh? How'd you know?"
"I knew it! That's a rare skill you can't get through normal training! It's leagues above trash-tier skills like 'Finger Snap'! If skills were dishes, it'd be like comparing rotten sardines to a deluxe triple-cheese beef bowl with a poached egg!"
"So my finger snap was just rotten sardines..."
"And you got 'Steel Spirit' on your own?! That's incredible, Akagi! Even among monk-type explorers, no one pursues enlightenment like you!"
Shurado patted his head, praising, "Good job! Amazing!" That alone made Finger Man tear up—those four hellish days had been worth it.
"'Steel Spirit' is a supreme skill, the essence of humanity! Its mere existence is special!"
"Huh, does it do anything special?"
"Yes! Legends say it can tame the beast that ends worlds...!"
(Wow, that's impressive.)
"...or get you killed if you're unworthy."
(Killed...? That's scary... Wait. If even Shurado—who's practically a sage—is saying this, does that mean a trial is coming? Is she warning me to prepare?)
A chime echoed in the distance.
"Oh, it's lunchtime! Have you eaten, Akagi?"
"No, not yet."
Finger Man replied crisply.
Even if he had eaten, he'd probably still shovel down more food in his current state.
Beaming, Shurado invited the madman to a meal: "Then let's eat together! I'm starving!"
But Finger Man, too, was human.
He felt guilty—what if being seen with him now harmed this lovely girl's reputation?
"Shurado... why would you... with someone like me...?"
"What are you talking about? You're my friend! Come on, let's go to the cafeteria!"
Shurado ordered a 300g steak.
Since it wasn't 'Imitation Soup' today, Finger Man decided to get a steak too.
"Akagi, you put wasabi on your steak? Then let's swap! Mmm! Wasabi steak is so good! Swap again! Yeah! Mmm! Delicious! Another swap—"
"(Trading food at lunch... Feels like I'm living my youth... But, Shurado, you're swapping 'one bite of plain rice' for 'a slice of wasabi steak.' That exchange rate's unfair. Aren't you taking most of my steak? This isn't trading shrimp for bream—it's robbery.)"
In the end, Finger Man lost most of his wasabi steak.
But Shurado looked so happy that he was more than satisfied. The ravenous Shurado also seemed thoroughly content.
"Oh yeah! While you were gone, they formed a dungeon boss raid team!"
"Huh? The final battle's...?"
"They set out a day ago, so they're probably fighting the raid boss now!"
"I wanted to join..."
"It's too late to catch up, and way too dangerous! Raids involve hundreds of explorers of all ranks, but only because the route to the boss is set and they have numerical advantage! The boss room is on the 20th floor—getting there now would be suicide, and the raid's probably over by the time you arrive!"
"I see... Then I guess I'll have to sit this one out."
Finger Man said with reluctance.
On the other hand, he decided to think positively—since he hadn't joined the raid, he got to enjoy this fun meal with Shurado.