Overloaded With Attributes Chapter 39

Wandering the Facility 

I decided to just ignore Shizuka, who was still zoned out and panting, even though I hadn't done anything. (If anything, I was the one who got 'assaulted'.)

"So, we've got free time until our permits are issued... Is there anything to do here at the Osaka Second Labyrinth?"

"I can't really answer that if I don't know what you're 'looking for'... but, yeah. It has all the basic facilities an Explorer needs."

And with that, the five of us started to wander around. ...Hm? Wait, aren't there four of us? Me, Shizuka-san, Atena, and Tiara-chan?

No, no, no, there have been five of us from the start. Ever since we got on the bus, 'she' has been here, applying silent, murderous pressure with her eyes.

First-years in the Labyrinth Department are apparently required to form five-person parties. When we were deciding on our last member, Tiara-chan's friend—the one who sits in front of me—ended up joining. She's the "kuro-gyaru" (dark-skinned gal) who isn't conventionally "beautiful," but has this... 'lived-in' quality... this "dangerously realistic" sex appeal.

Her name is Akiyoshi Eris. ...That's right. That Eris. As you can see, she's a little "off" and really hates my guts, probably because Tiara-chan has taken a liking to me. ...Anyway, let's ignore the crazy, psycho-lesbian stalker for now.

The Osaka Second Labyrinth—and apparently all six of the LAB-managed dungeons in Japan—are built pretty much the same way.

"So that giant-ass dome in the center... that's the dungeon, right?"

"Yeah. From the outside, it just looks like a dome, but inside..."

"It's a defense facility," Shizuka cut in. "The dungeon gate is at the center, surrounded by a circular barrier shaped like a coliseum's seating."

Apparently, if the general public could see the gate, they'd be too scared to live here. The dome is to prevent that.

"Yeah, but... I mean, Goblins and Orcs are one thing. What if a dragon or a demon lord pops out? A little wall isn't gonna do jack."

"Most of the monsters that overflow are 'Green Ogres' or 'Boar Ogres.' They're numerous, but not that strong. The wall is more than enough for them... or so it said somewhere."

"However," Shizuka added, "Yuugiri-kun's worry isn't baseless. During the 'Great Stampede' in 'Shin,' there were reports of giants and even dragons."

"Isn't that a special case, though?" Atena said. "The gate opened in a bad location and expanded to an abnormal size." ...I see. Makes sense. A normal creature can't get through an exit smaller than its body.

"Wait, what's 'Shin'? A place? A country?"

"You... I know we don't have much interaction with other countries, but... you should have learned this in history class. 'Shin,' written with the character for 'Star.' It's the dynasty of the neighboring country that came after the Qing."

What the hell? That's not my history. And 'Shin' (Qing) was followed by 'Shin' (Star)?! Could they make it more confusing?!

"...Anyway, ancient history doesn't matter. We can't go in the dungeon without a permit, right?"

"Glad to see you have that much common sense. ...And just so we're clear, even after we get the permits, we're not allowed in today."

"...Eh, really?"

So, we moved away from the main dome and into the surrounding area. "What is this... a shopping mall?"

"Well, you can shop, there's a food court, and there are entertainment facilities. So... you're not wrong."

"Though it's not a place civilians would ever visit," Shizuka noted.

"(They only sell weapons and armor. Normal people don't shop here.)"

Adjacent to the 'Dungeon Dome' entrance was the buy/sell counter, where Explorers trade in their items. You can also get items appraised here (for a fee). To the left was the corporate wing, full of warehouses for 'Diggers' to store and ship materials. Nothing to do with us. To the right were the locker rooms, baggage check, and the 'Equipment Rental' counter. Explorers Gold-rank and below aren't allowed to carry their gear in the city, so they have to check it here.

Obviously, students like us don't have our own gear, so we'll be living at the rental counter. It's a paid service (a monthly subscription for Labyrinth Dept. students) and it's all "durable, but not high-quality" B-to-C-grade junk.

"We can't rent anything until we get our permits, so... 'next time'."

...This is... a lot of red tape... just to get in the dungeon. It's kind of a drag.

There was also a food court, a break area, and (obviously) a hospital. There were shops for weapons, armor, and potions, and even a "blacksmith-like" place that did adjustments and simple repairs. Not to mention the LAB admin offices and a standby barracks for the Defense Force.

"They also have rental conference rooms, a hotel, a spa, and a gym," Shizuka added.

"They've really thought of everything..." ...Of course, the real reason for all this is probably "to keep Explorers contained so they don't cause trouble outside." A less-than-noble motive. We'd been wandering around for two full hours, not just one, when we finally got the alert that our permits were ready.

...I wasn't just lazing about, by the way. After Shizuka, I secretly 'Appraised' Atena, Tiara, and even Akiyoshi-san. Not a single one of them noticed. It worked. Seizing the opportunity, I started 'Appraising' every Explorer I passed, to get a baseline for this country's power level.

For the record, their stats:

• Atena: "66"

• Tiara-chan: "61"

• Akiyoshi-san: "59"

...Isn't that weird? We're all Level 0, so why is everyone stronger than me? And Atena's 66? That's way out of line. ...Although, when I checked other Level 0s, they were mostly in the mid-50s or low-40s. So my "58" isn't that bad, I guess. Maybe it was the time of day, but I didn't see many veterans. The highest-level person I found was "Level 28" with a "Combat Power of 182."

I don't know the growth rate, but at least I confirmed that leveling up does raise your power. That's a relief.

After that, we gathered at the parking lot. The teacher confirmed we all had our permits, and it was time to get back on the bus...

"I really don't want to get back on that bus..."

"Ah, Kashiwagi-kun, you can have the entire back row to yourself to avoid getting sick. You can't recline, but you can lie down... maybe? Oh! Or, if you'd like, you can use the teacher's lap as a pillow..."

"Old woman, be quiet," Shizuka snapped. "That's harassment. I'll report you to the board. ...Yuugiri-kun, please, feel free to use my thigh."

"...Akashi-san, you don't need to lift your skirt for a lap pillow! Yuu! C'mon, over here!"

"(I'm too late?! Then Tiara will... 'sleep beside him'...)"

"...Tiara's mine... Tiara's mine... Tiara's mine..."

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