Yuto had decided to become an explorer, yet he had no idea where to begin. He went back to his small, cheap apartment and sat in front of his computer. He had no one he could ask for help, so he needed good information. His time as an SE (systems engineer) might finally be useful.
(First, I need to understand my situation.)
The guild had given him an explorer card. It had a small IC chip, and if he used a special reader, he could see his full status. The card readers were sold online for a low price, so he ordered the cheapest one he could find. It would arrive the next day, and that fast delivery felt like a gift.
While he waited, he looked at a few explorer boards to at least prepare himself. But all he found were threads full of sad stories about E-rank explorers.
(...Not funny at all.)
There were tales of E-ranks who tried a dungeon alone and never came back, and others who were treated like dead weight in a party, forced to work, given poor gear, and cheated out of rewards.
"E-ranks are food for the guild."
"If you only have trash skills, go do hard labor."
"I've never seen a solo E-rank return alive."
Many harsh words and shaky rumors filled the screen. They all seemed aimed at him, and his chest hurt a little. Still, he told himself he could feel down only after he knew his real strength.
(I still have to do this.)
He closed the browser and took a deep breath to calm down. He refused to let other people decide his worth. He had already suffered enough of that back when he worked at a company.
* * *
The next morning, the doorbell rang with a light "Ping-pong." The card reader had arrived. He opened the box at once and connected it to his computer with a USB cable. After waiting for the driver to install, he slowly placed his explorer card on the reader.
A short beep sounded, and a small window popped up on his screen. It showed his status.
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[Status]
Name: Tajima Yuuto
Rank: E
Level: 1
Job: None
HP: 70/70
MP: 30/30
STR: 12
VIT: 15
DEX: 25
AGI: 18
INT: 28
LUK: 10
[Skills]
[Sort]
[Keep]
[Break]
[Equipment]
None
========
(...This is bad.)
A dry laugh slipped out. He had seen average rookie numbers on a guide site, and even compared to those, his were low. His HP and MP were just above the bottom. One monster hit could mean a deadly wound. His STR and VIT were far below average, so he could not swing a heavy weapon or fight for long.
Only DEX and INT were a little above the middle. They fit his SE background, but they were not good for battle. As for his LUK of 10, it looked like the lowest. Rare item drops? He could forget that.
Overall, E-rank was a very fair grade for him. Going into a dungeon like this was close to suicide. Now he understood the cold look the guild worker gave him.
(But still...)
He scrolled down and looked again at his skills: [Sort], [Keep], [Break]. At the appraisal room, he had only heard a short, simple explanation. Here, he could read more detail. Yuto clicked on [Sort].
========
[Skill Detail: Sort Lv.1]
This skill lets you organize space, objects, and data to place and see them in a clear way.
• Makes the inside of your item box work better and hold more.
• Shows danger, traps, and useful items in your view.
• Shows complex info as a simple chart to help you understand it.
Cost: 5 MP each time
========
(Okay...)
It would not help him fight, but it could support his search work. The part that showed traps and items in his view might be a big help if he worked alone.
Next, he checked the details for [Keep].
========
[Skill Detail: Keep Lv.1]
This skill keeps the state of a target for a set time.
• Stops items from going bad or breaking.
• Holds small wounds at their current state to stop them from getting worse (does not heal).
• Saves and plays back a scene or info like a video.
Cost: 10 MP (changes by target and time)
========
(Not flashy, but it seems useful.)
Keeping food fresh was very important for long trips. The record and playback feature might help him make dungeon maps or study how monsters moved.
Last, Yuto opened the [Break] details.
========
[Skill Detail: Break Lv.1]
This skill takes a target apart into parts (materials or info).
• Pulls pure materials from monster bodies.
• Reads the design of tools or machines by looking inside them.
• Higher levels let you Break more complex things.
Cost: 15 MP (changes by how complex the target is)
Note: Works much worse on targets that resist.
========
(To make the materials more pure, huh.)
This could make money. On guide sites, he read that the price of monster parts changed a lot by quality. Many beginners damaged parts when taking them off, and the value dropped.
If he used this skill, he might always get the best quality. It was a clear edge that other explorers did not have.
"...I have no battle power," he said as he looked again at his numbers.
"But maybe... I can still earn."
He would never be the type of explorer who cut down monsters with big skills and got rich fast. That dream was not for him.
But if he worked steady, smart, and safe, then maybe he could make enough to live. If he used his skills well, he might manage.
(I must avoid fights.)
That was his first rule. With such low HP and VIT, a normal fight would kill him fast. So he had to find a way to move without fighting.
(Avoid traps, learn where monsters are, and study their power.)
The [Sort] skill should help with that.
(Keep food and info in good shape so I can stay inside longer.)
The [Keep] skill could do that.
(And when I beat a monster, I get the best parts for sure.)
The [Break] skill could give him steady income.
Alone, each skill looked like a simple task tool. But together, they formed a clear plan:
Low fight power, high efficiency, solo explorer style.
It was a survival plan for E-rank explorers that no one else tried.
(All right.)
Yuto stood up from his chair. Now that he had a plan, he had to move.
First, he needed gear. He had his small savings and the retirement money that would come. That was all he had for a first investment.
He pulled out the old hiking backpack he used in school. Inside were a headlight, strong gloves, a small survival knife, and a first-aid kit. At least he already had the basics.
But what about a weapon? With low STR, he could not use a sword or an axe. The guide sites said weak explorers should use a dagger or maybe a bow.
(A dagger, then.)
A bow needed training, and arrows cost money. A dagger could help him defend himself, and he might use it to cut up monsters too.
He checked his wallet and headed toward the street with shops for explorer gear.