NOVEL NEXT Chapter 47:
Harusame Tempura Croquette Soba And The Sudden Rain Comes
"Hahaha! Whirling through the wind, (Baruu♪) Chop! Chop! Cho~op!!"
I was engaged in peculiar behavior on the 4th floor of the dungeon, wielding a bar and wearing a "Bug King" suit while singing and screaming anime songs, all while massacring giant slugs.
Ah, but don't worry. Rest assured. I'm fully aware that this behavior is strange. Even though I'm like this, I'm perfectly sane and sober. So, what am I doing, you ask? I've taken on the "Skill Orb Collector" role, and I'm relentlessly hunting down giant slugs, collecting their skill orbs.
Current Previous
Level: 37 36
Race: Human
Strength: 212 200
Stamina: 218 201
Intelligence: 215 202
Spirit: 240 220
Agility: 220 208
Luck: 133 103
Dexterity: 221 200
Skills:
[Acid 1.1], [Agility], [Disease Resistance 5], [Usurp], [Mucus 2], [Space 2], [Luck Enhancement 1.3], [Footwork]
Titles:
[Bug King]
My level hasn't changed. Once I reach my late 30s, it becomes difficult to level up. So, as stress relief and the idea of "if leveling up is difficult, let's strengthen my skills," I've been hunting down giant slugs that drop the [Mucus] skill orbs.
As for the singing, it's a way to release stress and boost morale, I guess? No one's watching, so it's fine, right? Besides, when I sing, the giant slugs also react to my voice and gather around me.
But somehow, I could acquire the skill [Footwork] without realizing it. Maybe, it was the condition of [Defeating a goblin with a weapon using Footwork] or being recognized for my Footwork proficiency by the three college girls who were guiding me. That's what I think.
"Deryaaaah!"
[Splash! Slishhh! (Squelch)]
I already know that a single strike with acid can take down the giant slug. So I practice tearing apart the body of the giant slug with both hands wielding the Excalibars, then delivering a finishing blow to its vital points.
It's because I witnessed a giant monster called the Cockroach King. "There's no way to defeat such a monster!" I thought while being chased, my heart pounding, and my jewels shrinking in fear.
However, if I continue to delve into the dungeon, I know I'll encounter such large monsters again.
That's why, in those situations, I must strike a single blow to the vital points while tearing through the flesh. Fortunately, acid was effective against the Cockroach King, but there may be monsters it won't work against.
[Kyuaaah! Powaaaah!]
Skills:
[Strong Acid 1.1], [Agility], [Disease Resistance 5], [Usurp], [Mucus 3], [Space 2], [Strong Luck 1.3], [Footwork]
"Hmm, it took me two hours of hunting since morning to finally get one… As expected, it takes time to defeat monsters that can't be taken down in one go. I wish I have a method like slimes where skill orbs drop easily…"
Still, I managed to reach [Mucus l3]. Even with my muscle training, I felt unsatisfied with [Mucus 2], so I want to increase my [Mucus] level more.
"Well, for now, let's return to the room and go sell the magic stones while grabbing lunch. The rain should have stopped by now."
It has been raining since morning today. That's why I've been exploring the dungeon since the morning.
……….
After showering to wash away the sweat, I changed my clothes and hopped on my bike. The rain had stopped, but the road was still wet, so I needed to be cautious. I rode safely to the dungeon shop, and along the way, I felt hungry and entered a standing soba noodle shop.
Standing soba noodles, cheap and convenient, were something I relied on a lot during my salaryman days.
(Mmm, such a tantalizing aroma!)
As I entered the shop, the sweet scent of dashi broth filled the space. Ah, why does the warm fragrance of dashi broth arouse such an appetite?
Now then, I approached the vending machine to choose my order.
(Simple soba noodles with garlic chrysanthemum and croquette. And inari sushi, no, maybe I'll go for curry here!)
Wow, what a luxury! Back in my salaryman days, I limited myself to only one topping, but now I ordered two toppings and even decided to get curry, which wasn't part of a set menu! The came-out food from vending machine tickets seemed to shine with divine light.
The food ticket was handed to the shop owner. I waited for a while.
"Here you go! Simple soba noodles with garlic chrysanthemum, croquette, and curry. Please enjoy!"
YES! It's mine! I received the tray with my order and headed to the dining area.
The soba noodles, soaked in the plentiful black dashi broth, were the refreshing green garlic chrysanthemum tempura and the cute oval-shaped croquette. And the curry emitted a delightful aroma, reminiscent of a soba noodle shop. Mmm, it looked incredibly delicious.
I generously sprinkled shichimi pepper over the soba noodles and started by savoring the black broth.
[Slurp… (Ahh~!)]
Mmm! The saltiness is still as strong as ever. This is a pitch-black dashi broth known as Kanto-style. It completely disregards low-sodium considerations, but that's just fine! This punchy flavor is what revitalizes the tired heart and salaryman's body.
[(Crunch…) Slurp, slurp. (Chew, chew) Munch, munch! (Crunch, crunch…!)]
And when the garlic chrysanthemum tempura's slight bitterness joins in, my slurping of the soba noodles becomes even more energetic.
(Ah, it's so good, isn't it garlic chrysanthemum tempura)
I never really experienced a sweet and sour youth. But the taste of the bitter Garlicky Chrysanthemum Tempura that I ate alone among the salarymen during my high school days seemed like a mature flavor encompassed both the sour and the sweet.
(And the croquette…)
[(Crunchy…crunch…) Zuzo, zuzo! (Munching…) Zubazooooo!]
The croquette on top of the soba noodles carries a certain gentleness and melancholy beauty. The crispy coating absorbs the broth and gradually crumbles, creating a bittersweet sensation visually and taste.
Even as an independent work of art, it's already splendid, but today, unbelievably, it comes with curry too!
[Kakka! (Munch…) Kakka! (sluurp…)]
How amazing! What have the people in India invented? And to think that it has traveled across the seas to Japan and evolved into a different taste, truly deserves astonishment.
Within me, a fusion of distant India and my homeland, Japan, intertwines and converges, reaching the pinnacle of deliciousness, ready to overflow from my mouth. And just as I'm about to experience this moment, my phone rings unexpectedly.
(Huh, Who could it be at a time like this?)
"Help me, Master! I'm about to be killed!"
(Gasp…!)
(What…!?)
It was an SOS from Serai-san.