Level Down 18 (Patreon)

Volume 1 Chapter 18 - Treant Floor

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“Uwah, those ‘ding’ ‘ding’ are so noisy!” (Nick)

“Aa─h, well, I guess that's what happens if someone with a single-digit level defeats a treant.” (Allen)

Allen laughed as he watched Nick wince at the continuous sound in his head.

Treant is a monster that mid-level adventurers who just come out from being beginners deal with. As for its strength, a party of around level 70s can consistently defeat it. Nick just defeated it, so it was only natural that his level would continuously rise.

As the sound stopped, Nick called out his status and his eyes opened wide.

“...Level 16? Are you for real?” (Nick)

“Ooh, it's risen quite a bit. It would have been easy if I had been able to raise my level like this.” (Allen)

While taking a sidelong glance at Nick, who was impressed by his own status, Allen recalled his old days with a distant look in his eyes.

Allen became an adventurer at the age of 12, but there was no way any adventurer would be crazy enough to try to recruit him as a companion, so Allen worked alone to steadily raise his level by taking on goblins and the like. The number of times he almost died at that time can’t be counted even with all his fingers in his two hands.

(Well, I guess you could say that's why I've gained so much experience as an adventurer. This method only increases your level after all.) (Allen)

While thinking that in his mind, Allen waited for Nick to calm down, and when Nick excitedly said, “Let's go to the next,” he smiled wryly as he watched him, and started walking.

As the two of them walked through the forest looking for a treant, Nick calmed down a little and opened his mouth.

“Still, if the treant’s that weak, why did my level rise?” (Nick)

“That guy’s only attack method is swinging around its branches. So if you get rid of all of them first, it'll become just a tree that can't attack or move. Normally, it's a pretty strong monster, so don't get too complacent.” (Allen)

“O-ou.” (Nick)

Nick couldn't help but choke on his words when Allen pointed this out while facing him with a sharp gaze. Seeing this, Allen was relieved, thinking that ‘if he’s like this, he should be okay’.

It was because, even though it's safe now, it’s because Allen has set it up perfectly, if Nick tried to do it alone he would definitely die. Nick is not an adventurer, and he had easily raised his level, so it’d be meaningless if he became complacent and died as a result.

After a while, the two found another treant and defeated it in the same way as before. Nick's level steadily rose together with the satisfying sound his axe made.

Just as Nick begins to think ‘isn’t this just a woodcutting now?,’ it was time for lunch, so the two sat down in a slightly open area and began preparing a simple meal.

“Hmm, it tastes bad. I shouldn’t have left it to Allen and get my lunch box made as usual.” (Nick)

“Don't complain. It's got nutrition.” (Allen)

While looking at Nick who was putting the portable food that caters to adventurers into his mouth as if it really tastes bad, Allen also put it into his mouth as well. The reason he doesn't mention taste is because Allen himself thinks the same.

That said, this portable food also has its advantages. As Allen said, it's rich in nutrients and has a long shelf life. Because you can eat less, you can reduce the number of trips to the bathroom where it’s easy to let your guard down, which can be fatal.

The only flaw it has is that it tastes bad.

“Still, I’m already level 32, huh. My stats have risen quite a bit too, now I understand why Allen doesn't recommend the level-up trap.” (Nick)

“Well, only when you're at a low level though. Once you reach a certain level, you won't be able to do something like this. Also, your stats have increased drastically today, so you might not be able to use the right amount of force, be careful.” (Allen)

“Really?” (Nick)

Allen nodded with a solemn look on his face as he heard Nick's words. His nod was accompanied by a sense of reality, as his experience of failing repeatedly due to not being able to use the right amount of force was fresh in his memory. At that reply, Nick scratched his head while looking a little troubled.

“Carpentry is a service business after all. Even if I want to check it out beforehand, I'll have to wait until I get home... Aah, there’s some good stuff around, isn’t there?” (Nick)

Tossing the remaining portable food into his mouth, Nick stood up and started walking while Allen followed him with his gaze. Nick stopped right in front of the treant he had cut down earlier. Nick tapped its trunk with his fist and smiled in satisfaction.

“It’s like I heard, after you defeat it, it really loses all its moisture. I won’t have a problem with this guy. Allen, I'm going to practice adjusting my strength on this guy, so give me about an hour.” (Nick)

“Roger.” (Allen)

When Nick took out the carpentry tools from the backpack he was carrying, Allen thought in his mind, ‘are you for real?’, but he didn’t say it out loud. Because he remembered that he actually told him what to bring, but he didn't say he couldn't bring anything else.

This was because Allen assumed that he wouldn't bring anything they didn't need for exploration, ‘Without realizing it, my standard sure has become adventurer's one,’ Allen keenly realized

.

.

.

Nick was concentrating on carpentry work, so Allen has had some free time. The only monster that appears on this 9th floor is treant, and no other monsters exist. Treant is a monster that doesn't move, so if you stay where you are, this floor can be said to have very little danger.

Well, there is a possibility that troubles related to other adventurers may occur, but that is the same on any floor.

Allen watched Nick work while sitting in a log chair made from the cut off end of a treant trunk. At first, he seemed to be a little perplexed by the difference in his senses, but Allen noticed that he had already corrected his movements to be no different to the one he had seen before, or rather, his movement had already become better than that.

The peaceful time passes, with only the sound of Nick's work being heard. Perhaps, that's exactly why.

(Sound of fighting?) (Allen)

Allen's ears picked up the faint sounds of battle. That in itself is not strange. Even on the unpopular 9th floor, there might be adventurers who, like Allen, were helping someone raise their level, and there might be others who were taking advantage of the fact that there were few people around to train.

However, what bothered Allen was not the fact that he heard the sounds of battle.

(Long. Are they struggling?) (Allen)

What bothered Allen was the duration of that battle. It's already been about 30 minutes since he started hearing the sound. Allen couldn't imagine that a battle against a treant would go on for such a long time.

Judging from the continuous irregular sounds, it was clear that the battle was continuing normally, and it wasn't just that they were taking a long time cutting it down.

(If they’re having a hard time, they could just run away, do they have some circumstances? No, maybe it's a unique monster!?) (Allen)

Treant is a stationary monster. Even if one fell into danger, if they just get out of its attack range, they could safely escape. But the sound of battle is continuing. So there must be a good reason for this, that’s the only thing Allen could think of.

The unique monsters that came up in Allen’s mind are monsters that are not supposed to be on that floor, or monsters that have unique strengths even if they are of the same type.

Allen had never heard of a unique monster appearing on this 9th floor, but considering the current situation, he judged that it was not impossible.

Looking at Nick who was continuing to process the treant, Allen reconfirmed his surroundings, then quietly stood up.

“My bad, I'm stepping out for a second. Definitely don't move from here until I get back.” (Allen)

“Bathroom?” (Nick)

“Something like that.” (Allen)

Without even looking at Allen, Nick waved lightly, and told him to go. Allen lightly waved back, and quietly moved away.

After confirming that he was far enough away, Allen increased his speed all at once. He kept running at such a speed that a treant he passed by couldn’t react, and he soon arrived at the scene.

What Allen saw there...

(That’s, was that Iseria?) (Allen)

Was the figure of the female adventurer he met when he cleared the Demon Dungeon as Nera.

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