Let’s check the gear.
We brought back all the Goma equipment we could from that T-junction of carnage. With both me and Futaba-san, we used the stretcher I once made to carry her, to bring back a decent amount. I quickly decided on which ones to take by briefly looking if they’re usable, and upon coming back to this safe location, I took upon the talk of carefully sorting out which ones we’ll be needing for dungeon exploration from here onwards.
“I say that, but all I’ve got here’s dull blades and junk...”
Goma not carrying decent weapons, is but a well-known truth. Even for rusty knives, blades of iron would be their top spec.
Still, now when Futaba-san became a peerless Berserker, even these trashy weapons are better than being empty-handed. There’s meaning in picking out ones even a bit useful.
“Futaba-san can probably handle something a midge heavier, hmm, but lighter ones should be better for speed... No wait, high damage should be...”
So I’ve being deliberation like that groaning hmm, but thinking about it, being able to choose weapons like this could be said to be quite a luxury. Especially for my type of people who likes min-maxing with weapons in games, there’s a good bit of fun.
Incidentally, I’m here choosing Futaba-san’s weaponry only because she has left it to me. Her take on it would be that she hadn’t the slightest clue about these things. I mean, I can’t say I’m any expert in real battle though.
“Kay, let’s go with this”
Piling deliberation upon deliberation on my mind, I finally came to an answer.
First, the main weapon will be the axe she used just before. The handle being around a meter long, and furthermore, maybe because it’s built for combat, the blade is on the somewhat larger side. Looks to be a genuine battle-axe.
Comparing sizes and quality, the result was settled upon this being the closest to ideal size.
Next are the sub weapons. For this I chose a hatchet typically fashioned for chopping wood, and two simple single-edged knives. For the hatchet, the blade length would be 30 cm~12in
Sheathes are essential when venturing with blades. Even gradeschoolers understand the dangers of running around with a naked blade. Though they’re dirty and made of shaggy pelts, just having a sheath or not presents a big difference.
Finally, one more for emergencies, a small knife wrapped in cloth, I’ll put it in her bag.
Futaba-san’s equipment status: done. Next is me.
“Equipping myself won’t be of much use though”
Maybe because of that mindframe, I didn’t really care much and quickly finished choosing.
My main is a spear. Tree branch with a large knife tied on, hand crafted by the Goma. Compared to the merely sharpened branch tip I used to kill the Red Dog and Trap Goma, the one with a blade attached is clearly superior. What I fundamentally lack is physical strength, and though there was a surprisingly good-looking axe, I settled for the spear which was light and had better reach.
My sub-weapon, similar to Futaba-san, a single knife. This too had a sheath.
“Would’ve been great if I had bow or something long range”
No use demanding the impossible. And say I got a bow, without being an Archer, there’s doubts whether I can handle something like that.
If asked to prepare a long range weapon from the items in hand, there’s only stones. Using the pouches that the Goma hung at their waists, I’ll go ahead and gather some stones that look throwable. Maybe they’ll come in handy at some point, and carrying around a few won’t be cumbersome.
Now then, I’ve prepared two of these throwing-stone pouches, one for me and another for Futaba-san. But rather than these generic weapons, there’s others to think about. Gear, or rather these should be called Items I guess.
First, starting with Ointment A, a variety of meds. The existence of wound healing medication is practically our life-line in dungeon capture, and the area where I can truly show my mettle.
There’s probably more Fairy Squares dotted with some frequency, so I’ll produce an amount on the premise that I’ll be making more along that frequency. Thanks to beating all those Goma, small articles like pelt bags are aplenty, lots of room to store my meds.
Actually, amongst these meds, there’s that narcotic included too.
I found some when scavenging off the Goma. Bags with that white powder. A number of them were carrying the item, so we have plenty to go around.
However, using this raw would make Futaba-san rampage again, and there’s no telling if I can return safely from being high again.
So to safely make use of this drug, I’ll use the Blueflower with it’s antidote effect. Pertaining its usefulness in settling down the dependence factor and extreme high, I’m living proof.
Therefore, mixing this drug with Blueflower beforehand, inhaling once should make it usable while decently lowering the effects. In the case that Futaba-san goes rigid from fear, or even if you simply want to stop the pain, it has more than enough value.
I dub it Reagent X.
Having to use this would mean it’s a situation of great crisis, so I’m praying that we never end up in something like that.
For our belongings, these would be the things worth mention. The rest would be, yeah, I cut up some of the Gomas’ clothes into strips, maybe to use like bandage, and stored them in my bag.
Naturally, I don’t want to use things worn by such filthy Monsters as is, and they should be the worst from a hygiene standpoint as well. This too, I chose ones that looked relatively cleaner, and sent them to Futaba-san along with the laundry for cleaning.
“Momokawa-kun, I’m done with the laundry”
As I was doing gear selection, it seems Futaba-san has completed her job.
I look to find the articles of laundry hung to dry. Amongst the Gomas’ belongings there was rope, or better said, it’s more like a kind of plant ivy, well we found something like that.
Tying these vines to the Fairy Walnut trees lined up on both sides, we get an impromptu clothesline. There’s no wind here, and it’s not like the laundry’s been put through a dryer so it should take a while before they get dry.
“That soap, how was it?”
“I didn’t get many suds, but a lot of dirt got out”
The thing I called soap, correctly, it wasn’t soap.
According to the new updates in the information from the Note Circle, we were introduced to a plant that works in place of soap. [1]
I forgot it’s proper name, but this natural soap plant, it’s the size of a Fairy Walnut, and peeling away the blue husk reveals a banana-like white-ish interior. The appearance seems delicious, but there was a strong warning that it wasn’t suitable as food. Even my Intuition Pharmacy was like, You wanna blow bubbles and keel over, then have one, so I definitely stopped all thoughts of trying it.
Anyway, the high about of unique oil content in this white thing apparently works well in getting rid of dirt. Plus, this convenient soap can actually be found at a Fairy Square it says.
Searching under the trees as per the info, we certainly did find some. There’s not as many as the Fairy Walnuts, but there’s a decent amount scattered about. Seems like not all of these trees are of Fairy Walnut.
“Well then, let’s look for those Mimesis Worms.”[2]
The convenient resources don’t just stop at the Soap Fruits. Along with it, the Note Circle introduced us to another, this insect known as the Mimesis Worms. The proper name is redacted.
It’s outer appearance isn’t particularly different from a white caterpillar, but this insect sticks onto flora, or the ground, and there it makes a cocoon mimicking that surface. It wont become a chrysalis but will still make a cocoon. Anyway, the threads made for the manufacture of this mimicry, it could be called one of nature’s mysteries, as it perfectly dyes in the color of its surroundings.
Implying, if you let this thing cling onto a torn area on clothes, it’ll start making its mimicry on its own. Once the cocoon is complete, it’s a simple task to take the worm off the clothes, and it’ll look like a slight loose thread sticking out. Cut away that fragment of thread, and the clothes are good as new.
I personally have some suspicions concerning the existence of a worm so convenient for humans... but on this occasion, I’ll thankfully make use of them.
“Ah, Futaba-san, you the type bad with bugs?”
“Nope, I’m totally fine with them. I’ve made food with insects before, and eaten them too. They’re pretty good you know?”
I’d prefer not to though, insect cuisine. So that Futaba-san doesn’t get in the mood to make food using insects from this dungeon, I may have to politely hint at something like “I kind of don’t want to eat insects you see”.
“Hu-huurmm, that a fact—”
My soulless reply was suddenly Gukyuu~! interrupted by such a sound.
“Yup, let’s have some food then”
“U, Uu, uu... Sorry...”
Naturally it was the sound of Futaba-san’s stomach rumbling. That embarrassedly tearful expression looks much redder than when she was bathing. What’s the big deal?, is my thoughts but that must be because I’m a guy with only a half-baked recognition pertaining the delicacy needed towards women.
“You took some Power Seeds, so it’s no wonder your stomach’s empty”
“D-don’t Momokawa-kun... I don’t need that kind of gentle follow-through...”
It’s true though, the part on the Power Seed’s calorie expenditure. No, quite serious here, if you use those you need to have food as soon as you can. Even if it seems fine, and you think it gonna be fine, and keep popping them in, at some point, it wouldn’t be strange to suddenly suffer from malnutrition.
Anyway, leaving the mending of clothes to later, we need some eats.
Well, the clothes are gonna take a while, so let’s have a breather. Ah, just remembered, I got a CalorieMate, want some?
“I do! Thank you very much!”
With a momentum as if she’d go dogeza, I was taken aback and was a beat late to reply.[3]
“S-sorry...”
Before I could reply, Futaba-san’s sense of embarrassment from her own greed dyed her face red, and she said so as if wringing out the word.
“No, I don’t mind ok, really”
For now, so as not to further pile shame onto Futaba-san, I’ll cut the chit-chat and get done eating. My thanks to you Takashima-kun, your CalorieMate has been put to use as Futaba-san and my provisions to last another day, I’ll dine upon it graciously.
“Also, we should get our rest in while we can, and get ready... The area ahead, seems harsh”
The vigilance is totally called for. Since, as we go out from this Fairy Square, the dungeon goes into the biggest Forested Dome we’ve seen yet.
“Uwa-, Uwaa...”
The blatantly displeased groan of displeasure, is to be expected. I mean, I’m back at the closed space of Curse God Ruinhilde.
“Mine devotee, Momokawa Kotarou”
“G-ge-greetings, my Lord...”
In the bizarrely brightened empty universe-like space, stood the God who took the appearance of a Grim Reaper and I. Me coming here means, it must be that I’ll be getting a new Curse, but thinking about the damage from the previous times, I can’t be 100% happy about it. I sincerely pray, please don’t let it hurt this time.
“Ku ku ku, to have tamed the Berserker... We praise thee”
“T-thank you very much”
Berserker obviously means Futaba-san. I didn’t think making her an ally could get so many points. Maybe God realizes how easy it is for a Shaman to get isolated.
“We shalt grant a new Divine Protection”
Don’t let it hurt, don’t let it hurt, please don’t let it hurt, no seriously, I beg you my Lord.
“Reveal thine hands”
“Ye-, Yhess”
At this point, I’m practically almost crying. What is it this time, will it be tearing off the nails? Or is it the whole wrist? I know it’s a dream but, gimme a break here.
Like that, as if coming to an understanding of having given up, I lift my hands towards Ruinhilde-sama and spread my palms as if I’d be receiving a ball.
The attack, isn’t coming. Is it the teasing strategy?
“Know this. A Shaman dealeth not solely with death and agony”
On top of my palms, rests Ruinhilde-sama’s own large hands of bone. That action itself, doesn’t hurt. The feeling on my palms, is only one of chilled metal.
“Those hands, they posesseth the capability to further birth, new life”
“Uwah”
Ruinhilde-sama is likely in the middle of an important lecture, but I inadvertently let out my voice. At that moment, a lukewarm something, touched my palms... No, it felt as if the thing was sinking into my hands.
“But, ye mustn’t forget, that life too at it’s base, is but a mere curse”
I didn’t really get it. But the sudden drowsiness, marked the end of this dream.
Ah, I’m glad. It didn’t hurt this time.