ME c0001

Hi treasured reader! I stumbled upon this series when I was looking through new releases on Syosetu. This series is reminiscent of Growth Cheat I did awhile back, with the status pages and high-fantasy weak to strong growth. It got on Syosetu’s quarterly rankings even though the first chapter was just released on 31st March 2023. I didn’t read that far ahead but I’m hoping its a pleasant read!

 

Chapter 0001 Miasma Scavenger

Translator: Tseirp

 

This is Barona, a small city on the frontier of the Ludias Kingdom, located in the east of the continent. On the 6th floor of the Miasma Labyrinth there, I hunt weak monsters and gather materials to earn a living.

 

This labyrinth is filled with miasma. All floors are covered in a purplish miasma, and as long as they are living beings, they cannot escape from the miasma.

 

Just breathing will put you in a miasma state and your status will drop. Not only that, negative conditions such as nausea or drunkenness would worsen, and unfavorable battles with monsters were unavoidable.

 

In the midst of all this, the reason why I could remain calm in this labyrinth is because I have a unique skill called [Nullify Abnormal Status].

 

For that reason, for me, this labyrinth is a delicious place to earn money because I don’t receive any decline in status or condition.

 

“… Good good, I collected a lot today too.”

 

A vague jade light in a small hall covered with purplish fog. In the labyrinth infested with miasma, the only place that emits normal air is near a grass called miasma grass that can purify the miasma.

 

If you have miasma grass, even in an environment covered in miasma like this labyrinth, it will reduce the decline in status and ease the deterioration of conditions. That makes it a very popular material for adventurers exploring hostile environments.

 

If you sell 10 bundles at the Adventurer’s Guild, you’ll receive 6,000 Regins.

 

With that, I should be able to have a warm meal in the roofed inn again for three days.

 

After collecting fifteen bundles of miasma grass, I headed back up the passage to wrap up the day’s collection.

 

“Chu-Chu!”

 

Then, three miasma rats appeared at the end of the passage.

 

They are common low-rank monsters in the upper floors of this labyrinth.

 

However, from my point of view as a low-level adventurer, they were very troublesome monsters.

 

 

Name: Lude

Race: Human

State: Normal

LV7

Stamina: 22

Strength: 18

Tenacity: 16

Magic: 9

Spirit: 7

Agility: 15

Unique Skill: [Nullify status ailments]

Skills: [Swordsmanship] [Martial Arts]

Attribute Magic: [Fire Attribute]

 

 

That is my status.

 

It was only thanks to my Unique Skill that I could dive up to the 6th floor, and in the first place, an adventurer at my level isn’t meant to explore a floor this deep.

 

A level of at least 10 is required to come here, and the monsters you encounter all have higher stats.

 

Even if it was an ordinary low-ranking monster, there was no way I could let my guard down.

 

As long as the opponent’s status value is higher, you can’t escape. There was no choice but to fight.

 

I immediately switched my mind to battle and readied my sword to face the miasma rats.

 

“Chu!”

 

One of the miasma rats shook its body and shot the miasma wrapped around it.

 

A normal person wouldn’t want to fall into a miasma state and would probably take defensive or evasive actions.

 

However, since I have a unique skill that nullifies the miasma, I plunged into the miasma regardless and cut off the head of one miasma rat.

 

“Chu!?”

 

Even if it’s a monster that lives in this labyrinth, they probably didn’t think that an ordinary adventurer would calmly plunge into the miasma. The remaining two miasma rats showed confused looks.

 

Without delay, I slit the throat of one of the confused miasma rats. However, my body was then blown away by a bodyslam from the remaining miasma rat.

 

With a total length of over 30 centimeters and a higher status than mine, the impact was tremendous.

 

Even so, cowering would cause the miasma rat to intensify its attack, so I quickly regained my posture while enduring the dull pain in my side.

 

A miasma rat with burning anger in its eyes after its two companions were killed, and an adventurer desperately holding his sword.

 

When I was young, I admired sword-wielding adventurers and legendary monsters such as dragons, but in reality, I had trouble dealing with three low-ranking rats.

 

How unsightly.

 

If you were to tell me that when I was a kid, I would be sure you were disillusioned.

 

“Fireball!”

 

While I was thinking about something that was somewhat self-deprecating, a voice suddenly resounded in the passage.

 

Having a bad feeling, I fled the area by throwing myself to one side.

 

Then, a sphere of flame rushed through the place where I was just moments ago, and hit the miasma rat.

 

Enveloped in blazing flames, the miasma rat let out a death throe and stopped moving.

 

“Uhaa! I missed!”

 

“Hahahaha! You missed.”

 

“That’s why I told you to go a little closer before firing.”

 

When I turned around in a daze, I saw adventurers coming from the end of the passage with vulgar laughters.

 

They’re the ones I’ve seen many times in the adventurer’s guild.

 

If I remember correctly, their names are Magnus, Rondo, and Rigurdo.

 

It seemed that they were the ones who interfered.

 

“Ah, I’m sorry. Is it Lude? Are you okay? You looked like you were struggling so I gave a helping hand.”

 

Magnus, the magician who shot the fireball, smiled unnaturally and reached out with his hand.

 

……I’m amazed he can say that with a straight face with the habit of aiming and shooting at me.

 

“I’m grateful for your concern, but if you’re going to support me, I’ll be thankful if you called out first.”

 

“Eh? That’s why I said fireball, right?”

 

I said as I stood up without his help and Magnus showed a dissatisfied face.

 

Isn’t that a chant rather than calling out?

 

I would like to complain head-on, but with the fact that I was actually having a hard time, it was not a good idea to start a fight with the three of them.

 

 

“Hey! Look! After all, there’s a colony of miasma grass!”

 

After taking a deep breath to calm myself down, Rondo let out a gleeful voice.

 

The colony was the small hall where I was collecting miasma grass until a while ago.

 

“Oh, it’s true! As expected of a miasma hunter!”

 

“It’s good we didn’t waste time in the upper floors of the Miasma Labyrinth!”

 

Listening to their voices, I was able to understand why they were here.

 

“You guys… you didn’t follow me to target my gathering place, did you?”

 

“Huh? Don’t say such words that can be misinterpreted.”

 

“We just entered the Miasma Labyrinth to earn our daily income as adventurers. That’s when we happened to meet Lude, who was in the same industry and helped him. That’s all, right?”

 

“Or rather, how about someone who doesn’t show any gratitude for our help, been complaining since a while ago, and treats us like hyenas?”

 

When I pointed it out clearly, Magnus, Rondo, and Rigurdo replied with barbed tones.

 

While picking miasma grass, they had their hands on their weapons. They appeared willing to use force.

 

The three of them have miasma grass in their breast pockets, reducing the miasma in this labyrinth.

 

They were not able to completely nullify the status ailments as I do, but it’s clear that these guys have a higher level with the magic power contained in the fireball. I couldn’t fight them.

 

“I’m sorry for doubting you. And thank you for helping me just now.”

 

“Ou, it’s fine as long as you’re aware.”

 

“Adventurers help each other!”

 

“Tell us if you have any trouble again, okay?”

 

After lowering my head and apologizing, the three of them withdrew their barbed air and smiled with satisfaction.

 

Scums…….

 

Seeing the backs of the three people who were engrossed in collecting the miasma grass made me irate, and I decided to end the day’s collection.

 

 

After returning to the city of Barona from the Miasma Labyrinth, I headed to the adventurer’s guild to cash in the miasma grass.

 

Entering the guild entrance, I headed to the subjugation assessment counter on the left instead of the quest and reception counter in front.

 

The counter was packed with adventurers who lined up with the materials they have collected and materials from monsters they have subjugated, just like me. Many of them form parties of threes and fours. I was the only one standing alone in line.

 

Then, the female adventurers lined up in front of me turned around.

 

A natural action to see if the person in line behind them was an acquaintance. It had no particular meaning.

 

If they weren’t an acquaintance, it was normal to just bow and avert her gaze, but the woman opened her mouth with a nasty grin.

 

“Does it smell strange?”

 

“Oh, it’s because of [Miasma Scavenger], right? I can’t help but smell the miasma since just now.”

 

“Seriously, it’s impossible though.”

 

Miasma Scavenger… it’s the nickname given to me, who repeatedly dives into the Miasma Labyrinths to gather materials.

 

Of course, as you can tell, it doesn’t come with a good connotation.

 

Partly because my level is low, but because of this nickname, I can’t form a decent party.

 

There’s no way I’ll smell of miasma just because I’ve been in the Miasma Labyrinth, but it can’t be helped that I’m hated for diving into the loathed labyrinth for a long time.

 

I closed my eyes to shut out the nasty grin and sarcasm.

 

 

After selling the miasma grass at the guild, I returned to the inn called ‘Manpuku-tei’ where I was based. (TLN: Manpuku-tei literally means Full-belly Restaurant/Satiated Pavilion, both of which don’t sound nice)

 

The reason I chose this inn is because the meals are cheap and filling.

 

The flavor is also good enough for ordinary people.

 

Even adventurers who eat a lot will be full if they order a meal worth 1,000 Regins here, so you can understand how hearty is the food served. I always liked to eat, so I ordered a lot, time to eat.

 

“You’re eating more than usual today!”

 

Seeing how much I ate, the waitress girl called out to me.

 

“Because I got extra income. It’s a reward for myself.”

 

“I see. Well, keep the orders coming!”

 

“Sure! Ale please!”

 

“Okay~!”

 

I acted like I was doing well, but the price of the miasma grass was about 7,000 Regins.

 

The accommodation fee at Manpuku-tei is 1,500 Regins per day. Considering the maintenance of equipment and the replenishment of tools, I couldn’t go on a splurge, but I wouldn’t sacrifice treating myself with food.

 

Because of the trio of adventurers who appeared in the Miasma Labyrinth, that gathering place was no longer a location only I knew. Their collection methods were so messy that they didn’t even think about the next collection.

 

They probably thought that if that gathering place dried up, they could follow me and find another delicious gathering place.

 

“… Damn it, what can I do.”

 

I cursed to relieve my anxiety, but my unique skill of disabling status ailments seems to completely nullify even the intoxication caused by alcohol, so I didn’t even get drunk.

 

I remained sober, even after drinking many cups.

 

“I can’t even escape from reality by getting drunk.”

 

Speaking of my Unique Skill, it sounds good, but in reality, it’s just an outlier skill.

 

It just nullifies status ailments and other than that it’s useless.

 

In the first place, the total number of monsters that launch status ailment attacks is small, and my current situation was that I won’t even encounter them during normal adventures.

 

“… If I was getting a Unique Skill, I should have gotten a better one.”

 

My words, which were muttered with a clear consciousness, melted away in the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria.

 

Previous | Main | Next

If you liked my translation, please support me on Ko-fi or Patreon!