Living My Third Life In Danmachi

Chapter 3: Dungeon Exploration

"Gather all the glasses moe lovers!"

—The Last Storyteller

"Men don't discriminate when it comes to traits!"

—The Deranged Ruler of Nature

"...Is there no glasses moe other than this guy?! Damn it!"

—The Last Storyteller

...

When I saw the house Susanoo-san had rented, I was amazed. It was so impressive that calling it a mansion wouldn't be an exaggeration.

"We'll be using the second floor. The problem is that while there's a bathroom, there's only one bath. We'll have to schedule times to share it with the landlord. I'll also tell you a few rules to follow if you want to live here, so make sure to remember them."

"Of course, living in a place like this, it's only fair. By the way, where's the landlord?"

"Oh, we'll be living with the landlord."

"That might be a bit of an issue."

Not just a fellow tenant, but the actual landlord? That makes them the one in charge. This could lead to all sorts of complications.

When we entered the house, I was greeted by an elf with short, pale green hair. The next thing I noticed was her beauty.

In my entire life, even including my previous lives, I'd never seen such beauty. I was utterly entranced…

SMACK!

Or rather, before I could fully process it, my instincts took over, and I reflexively punched myself in the face.

Blood started dripping from my nose as I hit it squarely. The pain and the injury snapped me back to reality.

"For a second there, I thought a succubus had appeared. Damn it, my nose."

"What the hell are you doing? Why'd you punch yourself out of nowhere?"

"Ah, well, let's just say I've been through some rough situations. Losing focus could've meant death, so whenever I feel myself zoning out, I've trained myself to snap out of it like this."

But to think someone's beauty almost made me lose my senses… What is this? I thought a goddess had shown up.

I need to get used to this quickly, or it's going to be a problem. Otherwise, I'll end up punching myself every day, constantly bleeding from my nose.

"Pfft! Hey, Susanoo-sama, you weren't kidding when you said your Familia member was unique. I've never met anyone who punches themselves after seeing my face before."

"Glad you like him. Seems like you two might get along, huh?"

"Well, it's not like being friendly with a beauty is bad… Uh, wait… Actually, it could be bad. Very bad."

The elf landlord flashed a smile that could charm even gods and extended her hand to me. A handshake—a gesture of goodwill.

"My name's Riseria. As you can see, I'm an elf. I like you."

"Luke Blade. Fourteen years old and a rookie adventurer. Looking at your face is a treat for my eyes, but not so much for my poor nose. Could you go easy on me?"

"Don't worry. I rarely leave my room anyway."

Well, that's a relief. Hang in there, my nose!

"Oh, right. Susanoo-san, I did a light run up to the third floor today. I think I took down about 50 monsters. Can you update my status?"

"At this rate, are you going to ask me to update it every day?"

"A good gamer always saves often. It's basic strategy."

"More like you're trying to achieve daily milestones than save progress."

I took off my shirt and turned my back to him. If my stats had increased even a little, it made sense to update them.

While larger Familias might struggle to do this frequently for all their members, we were a Familia of just two. Being small had its perks.

"What, updating your status already? Should I step aside or something?"

"It's written in hieroglyphs anyway. Normal people can't read it."

"I've picked up a bit of hieroglyphic reading, so it's not a problem for me."

"Well, as long as you don't peek at the skills section, there's no harm. Honestly, I don't mind if you do."

"Well, I've hidden that part pretty carefully, so I guess it's fine."

With that, Susanoo-san began updating my status. I felt a faint, prickling sensation, followed by a flash of light. Strength seemed to course through me, subtly but noticeably increasing.

"Oh, not bad," I remarked.

Susanoo-san wrote down my newly updated stats and showed them to me.

...

Luke Blade

LV.1

Strength: H 140

Endurance: H 166

Dexterity: 179

Agility: H 113

Magic: 10

...

"Wow, that's quite a boost," I said, impressed.

"It's probably a mix of your natural skills and the fact that beginner adventurers like you gain status faster. On top of that, most adventurers spend time harvesting magic stones and other materials, so they can't kill as many monsters as you in the same amount of time. Early on, your stats will increase pretty quickly."

"Beginner bonuses are amazing. It's like I've been chugging some growth potion. Guess I'll make the most of it while I can."

"Even if you don't need armor or weapons, having basic tools would make things easier, right? I'll give you 10,000 valis—use it to rent or buy some gear from the guild."

"Wow, as expected of a god, you're so generous! Want me to pick up some booze if I have any change left?"

"Don't forget some snacks to go with it."

Riseria, who had been quietly listening to my conversation with Susanoo-san, let out a deep sigh with a somewhat perplexed expression.

"As unique as you are, it's still strange. I've never seen a god and their follower talk so casually. What's the deal with you two?"

"Honestly, our relationship is more like that of friends than god and follower."

"I'm not the type of god who looks down on or dismisses humans, either. Especially since I've known some humans who are scarier than most gods."

"What on earth have you been through?"

Stop staring into the distance with that wistful expression. If you wrote it all down, it'd probably turn into a whole series of novels.

"Anyway, how about we hold a Familia founding ceremony today? Since there's still time, why don't we go out for a meal somewhere?"

"Finally, a chance to sink my teeth into some meat!"

"I'll pass. I only go out when it's absolutely necessary."

"Must be tough being a landlord with a face like that," I remarked.

Seriously, with looks like hers, I can't even imagine what kind of bloodline she has.

Sure, taking care of your appearance is important, but you can't beat natural features.

Judging by her personality and experiences, she doesn't seem like the type to maintain her looks deliberately, yet she could charm anyone regardless of gender.

She's practically a walking catastrophe in the best and worst ways.

"Hmm, but it's the founding ceremony. Wouldn't it be better if more people participated? Instead of eating out, why don't we just grab some food from the stalls and eat here? It'd be nice if you joined us, too."

"...Is it really okay to be this friendly with someone you just met today?"

"If I'm not good at making connections, I might as well be a corpse. Live long enough, and you just get easygoing like this."

In the end, we decided to keep it simple—buy some food and have a small ceremony at home.

Susanoo-san handed me some money, and I went to the nearby stalls to pick up some food. Since the area had large Familias, the marketplace was thriving.

As for the menu? Appetizer: meat. Main course: meat. Dessert: more meat. Nutrition balance? Forget it. If you're a man, it's all about the meat.

To be honest, the reason I chose meat is that it's the highest in calories, which is perfect for building up my body.

But since the landlord is an elf, maybe I should pick up something other than meat as well. Maybe some potato dishes? Fried snacks? They look like treats, but they seem delicious, so I'll grab a few.

Snacks are covered, so next up is alcohol. I can't afford the expensive stuff, but since this is a city of adventurers, even the cheap options should be decent.

With my arms loaded with food and drink, I returned to the house, only to be greeted by an absurd sight—far more food than three people could possibly eat piled up before me.

"This is way too much for just the three of us."

"So what? My stomach doesn't have a limit anyway," Susanoo-san replied nonchalantly.

"Wow, Susanoo-san, having a godly body must be convenient. I can activate some metabolic tricks to eat beyond my limits, but it's not the same."

"…I can kind of understand the god, but what are you? You're clearly human, but you're downright strange."

Good thing I've put my skills from my previous life to good use.

Thanks to that, I can stuff myself once and go without food for days. It's like I've turned into some Toriko-style gourmet hunter.

Speaking of Toriko, this is a fantasy world, and I've started encountering supernatural abilities.

Maybe I could eventually pull off techniques like the ones from that parody senior of mine.

Something like, "One thousand punches? I know it!" and unleash skills straight out of a manga.

Sure, I'm a melee DPS and tank hybrid with all my stats poured into Strength, Endurance, and Agility, but if I continue honing my body, I might be able to pull off moves like Nail Punch or Rokushiki from CP9.

"Alright then, to celebrate the founding of the Susanoo Familia—cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"…I guess I've ended up with unnecessarily cheerful housemates. Whatever, cheers."

And that's where my memory cuts off. Did I drink too much?

...

The next morning, I woke up in what seemed to be my room, lying on a bed.

Surprisingly, I didn't have a hangover. It had been a while since I drank enough to blackout, but thanks to my good liver function and a long sleep, it seemed to have worn off.

Feeling refreshed, I decided to hit the dungeon hard again today.

I got out of bed, tidied up my bedding, and went downstairs. Skipping breakfast since I'd eaten plenty the day before, I planned to head straight to the dungeon—or rather, stop by the guild first to grab some basic supplies.

"Oh, you're up?"

"My noooose!"

The moment I saw Riseria calmly sipping tea, I reflexively punched myself in the face again. That face of hers should honestly be considered illegal.

Even after reincarnation, I've seen plenty of handsome men and beautiful women, but her level is just… Oh, wait, there was that buxom lady who taught me to fight. She might have come close, but back then, I was too young to notice.

Now here I am, starting the day with a bloody nose because of her. That face is truly unfair.

"When will I ever get used to this? Anyway, I'm heading to the dungeon. Let Susanoo-san know when he wakes up."

"You're treating the landlord like your errand runner… Fine, I'll let him know. What about breakfast? There's still some leftovers from yesterday."

"I'll skip breakfast today."

With that, I stepped outside. Time to enjoy another productive day in the dungeon. And earn some money while I'm at it—that'll be my secondary goal.

I began sprinting toward the dungeon. It served as both a warm-up and light exercise.

The streets were crowded, but weaving through people without bumping into them was part of my training. No breaks, just sharp reflexes.

In my past life, there was even a football player who wore eye shields to enhance his field vision. Come to think of it, I have tried moves that felt like something out of a manga before.

"Excuse me, excuse me—ah, coming through, excuse me!"

As I dashed through the crowd, startling people along the way, I made sure to apologize to everyone I passed. Then, ahead of me, I saw a blonde girl walking toward me.

I decided to dodge to the left.

Just as I was about to shift my stride to the left, the girl unexpectedly moved to her left (my right) even faster.

It's one of those awkward situations—you try to step aside to avoid someone, but they step in the same direction, resulting in an unintentional dance.

It's rare, but it happens. Unfortunately, it just had to occur while I was sprinting full speed.

...She's clearly more experienced than me. Definitely more talented and probably has far more adventuring experience than my single day.

At this rate, we were bound to collide. But luckily, I had one trick up my sleeve: Devil Bats 4th Dimension

A quick, seamless step back that slows down just enough, combined with a hurricane-like spin, allowed me to pivot around her naturally, leaving her behind without any contact.

"Sorry, miss! My bad!"

Well, if she lives around here, I'll probably run into her again sometime.

...

When I arrived at the guild hall, I spotted the young elf girl from yesterday. Her name was… Eina Tulle, I think?

Hmm, I've only seen two elves so far, but Riseria's ears are noticeably longer than hers. Are they the same kind of elf? Or are there different types?

"Ah! You! From yesterday!"

"Does working at the guild let you talk casually to adventurers?"

"It's fine since you're younger than me! Anyway, come here for a moment!"

Yesterday, when I brought in a few magic stones for exchange, she'd freaked out because of the monster blood on me.

Even though I'd punched most of them to death, and the blood wasn't much per monster, fighting that many meant I was pretty soaked—my shirt was practically dripping.

"What on earth! I heard you only recently received a blessing (Falna), and it was your first time in the dungeon? What if something had gone wrong, and you'd died yesterday?!"

"If I die, I die. Worst case, I'd just run away before that happens."

"I can't take this anymore!"

From my past life experiences, I've learned a few things—chief among them is that retreating to survive is never shameful. Other lessons I've picked up include:

•The real winner isn't the one who lands the final blow; it's the one still standing at the end. No matter the means, if I kill my opponent and survive, it's my victory. If I die, I lose.

•Anyone ready to kill should also be ready to die. If they aren't, they're nothing but trash.

•Killing an opponent barehanded is the least and final courtesy I can offer them.

•If I don't need to kill someone barehanded, they're not worth my time—just a small fry.

•You don't need a reason to save someone, but you always need a reason to kill them.

"And other things, here and there."

"Hey, you're making this distant yet terrifying face right now."

"Ah, I hear that a lot."

Mostly in my previous lives. Looks like I'm destined to be haunted by my past selves forever.

"Anyway, I'll help you as much as I can to make you a proper adventurer—and to keep you from dying. So please, don't do anything reckless."

"But even if I do seem reckless, why are you so concerned about me?"

"Well... because you're the first adventurer I've registered."

If that's the case, it makes sense. Losing your first registered adventurer would definitely leave a sour taste.

"Advisor registration... You probably don't know anyone else, right? Should I do it for you?"

"Not sure what that is, but sure."

"Alright, then I'll loan you some basic equipment. But since it's guild property, it won't be free."

"Oh, right. I left in such a rush that I didn't bring any money."

I was supposed to get some from Susanoo-san, but he's probably still asleep. Honestly, I only have about 10 valis on me right now. Barely enough for a snack like a potato skewer.

"That's fine. The guild offers loans for that too. The interest is minimal, as part of our program to support beginner adventurers."

"That's... not bad."

For a moment, I thought the guild might be running some shady loan business. I almost assumed this place was profiting off adventurers in a sketchy way.

"Alright, then I'll take a dagger, a pouch, and the thinnest leather armor that's easy to move in."

"A dagger? It's not great as a weapon, though. Why not start with a longsword? It's a popular choice, so if you meet someone experienced, you could ask them to teach you how to use it."

"No, it's for harvesting magic stones."

"...Wait, are you saying you fought monsters barehanded? Even yesterday?"

"Yup."

I've been a pure hand-to-hand fighter my entire life. If this were Dragon Ball, I'd be one of those guys who can't even use Ki. Man, if I ended up in that world, I'd be a total background character forever.

"Maybe you can handle things barehanded for now, but as you go deeper, you'll face enemies you can't fight unarmed. You really should start using weapons—"

"Weapons are just self-defense for women and kids!"

"You idiotttt!"

Dodging Eina's fury, I bolted toward the dungeon. She's fun to talk to, but dealing with her can get exhausting.

...

Once inside the dungeon, I caught the faint smell of blood, a scent that somehow felt familiar.

...This can't be good. Feeling at home with the smell of blood is a pretty clear sign I'm far from normal.

Anyway, how far down should I go today? They say the difficulty increases with each floor, so I'm not about to recklessly descend floor by floor every day. I'll take my time.

Come to think of it, I have no idea what kind of monsters appear on each floor. So far, the strongest monster I've encountered is a kobold. I guess I'll keep going until I see something new.

Wait a second… shouldn't I at least know what kinds of monsters appear on the upper floors? Having that knowledge would make preparing for them much easier.

Ah, who cares. I'll figure it out as I go. Most of the strong opponents I've fought in my previous lives didn't have detailed knowledge about their enemies either. Surely, they wouldn't throw something completely unbeatable at me right at the start.

Armed with a borrowed dagger and pouch—basic beginner tools—I was already getting better results than yesterday.

I rarely left behind magic stones now, only keeping those from monsters stronger than goblins.

By the time I reached the sixth floor, I had already added stones from lizard-like creatures and a cyclopean toad to my pouch.

Dissecting monsters was awkward at first, as I wasn't used to cutting into animals—especially magic stone-bearing creatures.

I wasted a lot of time fumbling, but eventually, I got the hang of it. My old skills at gutting humans, unfortunately, seemed to translate well.

After all, humans are animals too.

Still, there was no way a little toad monster could pose a challenge to me. I've fought far stronger enemies and come out on top. No way this thing could stop me.

Judging by the monsters I've encountered so far, it seems like level-1 monsters are no match for me. Of course, that's assuming I have even a fraction of my past life's strength.

"Huh? What's this guy? He's... different."

The creature before me was pitch black, with hands that looked like they had daggers for fingers. Its height was about the same as mine, but its bulk and menacing aura made it far more intimidating.

For the first time, I was facing an opponent that wielded a weapon—or at least had sharp, weapon-like body parts.

I was unarmed, but my opponent had lethal, cutting weapons.

This was a clear disadvantage. The gap between us was undeniable, and I was approaching a situation where I'd hit my limit.

But I wasn't going to back down.

"Come on. I've taken down guys with guns before. You think I'm scared just because you've got blades?"

If you hesitate when facing an armed opponent barehanded, you've already lost. Weapons have limits; they can only move within the range and angles their user can manage.

Moreover, a swinging attack creates an opening right after the swing. If I can spot that gap and either counter with an opening move or stall for time, I can win.

Of course, if three or four of these black creatures swarmed me at once, finding an opening would be much harder and far more annoying.

But even then, no matter how tough the odds, there's always a least common denominator to exploit. Drag things out long enough, and a weakness will always show itself.

With my pouch now heavy to the point of affecting my movements, filled to the brim with magic stones, I figured it was time to head back up.

"Huh?"

Just as I was about to head back up, I caught the faint sound of movement.

Other adventurers? That's interesting. I didn't see anyone yesterday.

Well, it's true I was staying in the uppermost levels, and the timing was probably off.

The group appeared to consist of four adventurers: two human men, a cat-person woman, and a small Pallum. They seemed to be hunting monsters as they descended to floors below the sixth.

Not really my business, though.

Shrugging, I continued on my way out, satisfied with the haul I'd earned today.

...

"LUKE!!!!"

"Geez, you're gonna blow out my eardrums! If you keep whining like that, even if it sounds cute, guys won't find it attractive."

"Wh-whining?! Who's whining?! I'm saying it's dangerous to charge into the dungeon without any prior knowledge!"

"Sure, some creepy black creature did show up, but it was an easy opponent, so don't worry."

"Wait, you fought a War Shadow?! And you've already made it to the sixth floor after only two days in the dungeon?!"

So knowing what monsters show up on which floors does help, huh? Maybe I should learn about that after all.

Partly due to Eina's nagging and partly out of my own curiosity, I asked her if I could borrow a bestiary or something similar for the dungeon monsters.

Hearing my request, Eina finally let out a huge sigh of relief, as though she'd been holding her breath this whole time.

Then, she piled several books thicker than a dictionary on the table in front of me, stacking them neatly in order.

"...Wait, what is this?"

"I was so worried that I gathered every single book I thought would be helpful for you! If you read these, dungeon exploration will be so much easier!"

Did I just make my own life harder?

A chill ran down my spine as I stared at the mountain of books.

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