Chương 50: Chapter 13 Knowledge Worth More Than Gold(Part 3)

Akamine's demonstration left the dojo buzzing. Officers immediately began testing their own theories, trying to push the limits of their newly acquired Classes. Some swung invisible swords. Others attempted impossible jumps. Everyone seemed eager to discover what they could become. Chiyoda watched them for a moment before turning back to me.

"So, what should we do next?"

"For now, you've confirmed what you wanted to know." I folded my arms.

"Though there is something else I'm curious about."

"Oh?"

"Do you have any production-type Classes?" I recalled several names from the Class list. Blacksmith. Jeweler. Caster. And various other craftsmen. Chiyoda sighed.

"Production Classes are unpopular."

"Not surprising."

"Most people assume they'll be fighting monsters. Naturally, they choose combat-oriented Classes."

"A few people did become craftsmen, though?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"They all complained about the same thing." He opened his notebook.

"Lack of materials." I frowned. That could become a serious problem. Especially if Akihabara Gate developed into a long-term operation. Weapons broke. Armor wore down. Supplies ran out. Without craftsmen, every expedition would eventually stall.

"Akamine, you were inside the Gate this morning. Did you notice anything?" He scratched his head.

"Not really. We mostly ran the first five floors repeatedly." A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"So anything useful would probably be deeper?"

"Probably." I turned toward Chiyoda.

"Anyone reach Floor Six yet?"

"Not in Japan." His answer surprised me.

"However..." He pulled out his phone.

"Someone overseas did." A video began playing. The footage came from a head-mounted camera. GoPro, probably. The opening showed a Gate entry. The speaker was using English. I could follow spoken English reasonably well. Reading it was another story. The footage skipped ahead. Floor Five. The explorer reached the next Gate. Instead of selecting the exit, he chose the other option. The scenery changed. I stared.

"... A safe zone?" Sots had actually kept his promise. The landscape stretched into an open field. Strange grass swayed beneath a gray sky. Creatures resembling horses ran through the distance. The system identified them as StrangeC003. Trees grew throughout the area. Twisted trunks. Drooping branches. Fruit resembling pears. Everything looked almost beautiful. And completely alien. The explorer ran through the grassland. Occasionally kicking butterfly-like monsters out of the air. Then something strange happened.

The language became understandable. The man's frantic shouting gradually transformed into Japanese. Maybe the Sage Class was doing its work again.

"What is this place!?" The man shouted.

"I thought leaving Floor Five would take me outside!" His breathing was ragged.

"God! I don't want to die!" Then he screamed another name.

"The First! Damn you, First!" I rolled my eyes. Blaming other people was easy. Taking responsibility was harder. The explorer continued onward. Then he did something I never wanted to do myself. He ate one of the creatures. Back on Floor Six, he had killed a horse-like monster and stored it inside his ring. Several floors later, he finally reached a breaking point. The footage showed a campfire. A crude cooking setup. Branches. Charcoal. A fire starter. A slab of meat roasting over open flames.

Fat dripped onto the coals. The sound alone was enough to make someone hungry. Unfortunately, I knew where the meat came from. The man stared into the camera.

"To anyone watching this." His face looked exhausted.

"If I die here, then Gate creatures aren't safe to eat." He pointed at the meat.

"The First!" His voice cracked.

"Ask the First!" Apparently my reputation was becoming increasingly strange overseas.

"If that con artist knew enough to guide me here, then she knows something!" I rubbed my forehead. Wonderful. Now I was a prophet and a fraud simultaneously. The man lifted the cooked meat.

"I'm eating it." His hands trembled.

"I'm eating it and surviving." Then he looked directly into the camera.

"My name is Seth." A deep breath.

"Seth Hamilton." He bit into the meat.

"If this kills me, then humans can't live here." The video cut forward. Seth was lying on the ground afterward. Resting. Recovering. Chiyoda advanced the footage. Seth sat up and looked directly into the camera again.

"I don't know how long I slept." His watch had apparently been destroyed during combat.

"I'm Seth Hamilton." He gave a tired smile.

"The man who went farther than the First." That part earned an eyebrow raise. Bold claim.

"I'm alive." He checked his body.

"No sickness."

"No poisoning." He stood.

"I'm heading for Floor Fifteen." Then his expression hardened.

"If I die, at least this video will prove I existed." The footage resumed. Seth entered another Gate. The deeper levels contained creatures I'd never seen before. That information alone made the recording valuable. Then the next segment appeared. And the atmosphere changed immediately. Seth looked terrible. Blood covered his clothing. His face was pale. His breathing uneven.

"... This might be it." His voice shook.

"My arm." He looked downward.

"No. My shoulder." The camera tilted. My stomach tightened. The entire arm was gone. Severed at the shoulder.

"I recovered it." His voice cracked.

"I used a potion." Blood soaked the ground.

"But it was cut clean off." He slammed a fist into the dirt.

"What was that pig-faced thing!?" His breathing became ragged.

"I dodged!" His eyes filled with tears.

"Why was my arm still cut off!?" For several seconds he simply sat there. Then his voice became smaller.

"Mom..." The word hung heavily in the air.

"If I die..." Silence.

"... who's going to take care of you?" Nobody spoke inside the dojo. Even Akamine watched quietly. Seth's vision eventually blurred. The camera tilted sideways. Then darkness consumed the screen. He had lost consciousness. I looked toward Chiyoda.

"... Did he die?" Chiyoda shook his head.

"No." A pause.

"He survived." I exhaled. The room collectively relaxed. The video resumed once more. Seth sat upright. Moving his shoulder experimentally. Rotating it. Flexing it. The arm had returned. Completely restored.

"No aftereffects."

"No pain." He laughed. Then laughed again. The sound bordered on hysteria.

"My arm is back." He stared into the camera.

"If these potions were sold outside, they'd be worth fortunes." His expression darkened.

"The First is absurd." I decided to take that as a compliment.

"Her potions are probably even better." Then Seth pointed ahead.

"There are two Gates." His voice sharpened.

"Two." Apparently he had made a mistake earlier because he couldn't understand the writing. The realization clearly haunted him. He looked directly into the camera.

"To everyone coming after me..." His voice became serious.

"Watch the archives." The room fell silent.

"Watch the First's broadcasts." He nodded firmly.

"Your chances of survival will improve."

"If you ever meet her..." Another nod.

"Learn from her." He took a deep breath.

"For anyone traveling through the Gates..." His eyes hardened.

"That knowledge is worth more than gold."