Alright, let’s ask President about something while I remember, now that Kadomi-kun, who lost at Rock-Paper-Scissors in Ketorami Riding, has gone.
“Hey, President, what is the ‘Azure Sky Seed’ originally used for?”
“The ‘Azure Sky Seed’, you ask? That is quite a peculiar, or rather, a strange gem. It’s quicker to show you.”
President went into the opened laboratory for a moment, then came back with a single ‘Azure Sky Seed’.
“Watch this.”
Then, he buried it in the ground.
“Wow.”
Instantly, a blue flower sprouted from that spot, bloomed, and then withered away in a moment.
What remained afterward were 7 or 8 ‘Azure Sky Seeds’.
“It… it multiplied…!”
“That’s right. The ‘Azure Sky Seed’ is a gem that multiplies when buried and given magical power. That’s why even if you get a bag of them for free, they are still cheap enough that a jewelry store won’t go bankrupt.”
Well, that makes sense. If it multiplies, it’s not surprising that it doesn’t have much value.
“And the other uses?”
“Considering the fact that the temple is keeping it a secret that they’re using the ‘Azure Sky Seed’, as well as stories from heroes, it’s presumed that using the ‘Azure Sky Seed’ turns the root cause into a monster, and by defeating it, the root cause can be eliminated.”
Hmm, I see.
So, the method the temple has for eliminating the root cause is the ‘Azure Sky Seed’.
Right, that makes sense. After all, the only people who can eliminate the root cause are heroes, so for everyone else, the ‘Azure Sky Seed’ is just a gem that multiplies.
“That’s why, if they are multiplying it in the temple, that makes sense to me.”
I see, I understand.
So, it means that only when the High Priests of several generations brought it back were they able to eliminate the root cause.
That means, the High Priest of that generation went to the abyss to search for a way to eliminate the root cause.
After a while, I received a somewhat cheerful report from Kadomi-kun.
[I found something like an oil storage. Also, I acquired ‘Motion Sickness Resistance’.]
…Finally, a skill from Ketorami Riding!
For now, I used “Teleportation” to join Kadomi-kun.
“I’m not getting sick anymore.”
“…That’s good to hear.”
Kadomi-kun, who seems a bit proud of himself, and Suzumoto-kun, who probably desperately wants that skill, looks a bit conflicted.
…So, the oil storage is the only entrance we know that is half underground in our school.
“What should we do? Shall we go in now?”
“If that’s the case, I will be-“
“On standby.”
“Right!”
Darn, I have to stay on standby again with Ketorami.
By the way, we left Glida and Hunter at the place where the gymnasium group lives.
…You see, they are not exactly combat-experienced. So, having strong monsters as allies is reassuring for them.
…Moreover, Hunter is in the pet category. I guess it’s fine as long as Hunter is content. That creature seems to be very skilled in being pampered.
“Then, contact me if anything happens.”
“Roger that. Take care!”
So, after watching everyone open the door to the oil storage and enter the mysterious space beyond, I returned to doing household chores and waited.
While I was busy dismantling and organizing the meat and fish that had been caught and left unattended, and producing in bulk things like tomato sauce, jam, and consommé which are better made when there’s a good chunk of time, lunchtime arrived.
Hmm, no contact yet. I was just thinking of checking in when I got a timely message.
[Maito-san! Can you come over here?]
That was the message, in a slightly excited tone from Katori, which brought a trace of worry. I folded up the classroom and teleported with Ketorami.
…As expected, the abyss is dark.
There’s no sky, just rocks. It’s like an incredibly high-ceilinged cave, with the upper parts shrouded in darkness.
Yet, there are light sources in this world.
These include faintly glowing minerals in the rocks, plants and mushrooms crawling on the ground emitting small lights, and insect-like creatures that flutter around the abyss like fireflies.
These combined provide just enough light for one’s eyes to adjust and see the surroundings without much trouble.
…Leaving the abyss review there, let’s move on to the situation of everyone else.
What I saw was… a rather exhilarating sight for the oppressive atmosphere of the abyss.
“What is that, Kadomi-kun?”
“I tamed it.”
Kadomi-kun looked incredibly happy. He was riding something like a cool pterosaur.
“How did that happen!”
Wow, this is cool! I’m so jealous! What is this! What is this!
“After defeating some flying creatures, my job finally changed.”
Kadomi-kun dismounted from the pterosaur and showed me his dog tag.
Looking at it… it said “Dragon Knight.”
Wow, congratulations! Kadomi-kun has finally changed his job!
“So, now that I’m a Dragon Knight, I can ride things like dragons.”
I see, that’s… really enviable. Well, it makes sense for a Dragon Knight. It would be odd if you couldn’t ride them.
“…Can it fly?”
“Yes, it can.”
Oh, the romance!
As soon as he said that, Kadomi-kun mounted the pterosaur, gave it a light tap on the back, and it took off.
…It’s flying.
Really flying!
“Flying used to be mine and Suzumoto’s exclusive thing.”
“Never thought it would turn out like this.”
Kadomi-kun flew around the area and then came back down.
“That’s so cool, dragon.”
“…I always thought it was unfair how Maito kept having monsters as companions.”
Well, is that so? But flying is kind of special, isn’t it?
“The abyss is full of cliffs and such, so it would be difficult to move around with Ketorami Riding. This seems just right.”
Looking around as Suzumoto said, indeed, there were needle-like rocks stretching out… and huge stalagmites, cliffs, and such everywhere.
This wouldn’t suit Ketorami Riding.
“I can handle it easily.”
Yes, it’s not so much a problem for Ketrami, but for the people riding him!
“…Maito, can you make a saddle?”
Right now, Kadomi-kun is riding the pterosaur bareback, which does look a bit uncomfortable.
…Hmm. I might need to cooperate with Hariu and others, but it’s not impossible.
Let’s give it a try.
So, after having lunch and while the others went outside for combat and riding training, I worked with Hariu to make a saddle.
I handled the leather and fabric, while Hariu took care of the wood. Yeah, it’s best not to let me handle woodworking.
After some trial and error, we managed to make something that looked like a proper saddle, so I went to deliver it to Kadomi-kun.
“Hey!”
He was about 50 meters up in the air, so I called out to him, and he noticed and came down.
He seemed to have gotten the hang of it, making sharp turns and maneuvers effortlessly.
Ah, the romance of it.
Once he landed, I quickly set about fitting the saddle onto the pterosaur.
The pterosaur was calm, patiently standing still while being saddled.
It turned out later that this calmness was due to its absolute loyalty to Kadomi-kun, who had defeated it in battle.
So, I attached the saddle and reins and had Kadomi-kun do a test run.
…Since Kadomi-kun doesn’t talk much, it’s hard to tell, but judging from his flying, it seemed like there were no problems.
Well, yes, up to that point, everything was fine. But then…
Suddenly, he performed a stall turn. Just when I thought he was descending gently, he went almost vertical… and then, making a knife-edge ascent, he made a sharp turn and ascended. Right after that, he executed a loop while flying upside down.
…Watching from the ground, my heart nearly stopped!
I mean, that’s a living creature flying with just lift and flapping, not an engine-powered vehicle! How is it doing a knife-edge ascent? It’s baffling!
After a while, a very pleased Kadomi-kun landed.
The pterosaur seemed proud too, as if it was basking in the joy of its master, whom it had acknowledged.
“…It was fun.”
I bet it was fun for him!
“Stop it, will you! It’s scary when you suddenly stall or go vertical!”
Hariu, who had been watching beside me and turned pale, quickly snapped at him. Good, let him have it.
“I can’t reach that speed, but I can do a power dive on my own.”
Suzumoto chimed in, trying to compete. That’s not the point.
“A knife-edge ascent is so romantic, isn’t it?”
Katori went over to Kadomi-kun with a smile to shake hands. No, that’s not it either!
“How does that work? That flying clearly defies the laws of physics.”
President seemed concerned about the same thing as me.
Then, Kadomi-kun said something to the pterosaur,
[Kyuu.]
“…Wind magic?” he translated.
…Apparently, like me and Ketorami, Kadomi-kun and the pterosaur can communicate.
“By the way, aren’t you going to give a name to that dragon?”
“…Ah, right.”
Right, it’s hard to call it without a name.
“…Pochi.”
“Stop that.”
That’s just too pitiful, no matter how you look at it. Oh, wait, Ketorami! Don’t look at me like that! I’m sorry!
“…”
After a long period of contemplation, Kadomi-kun finally came to a decision.
“Tera.”
…From Pteranodon, Tera, I guess?
So, with the addition of the pterosaur, now named Tera, our exploration of the abyss continued.
…Well, I’m actually on standby.
Oh, no, it’s not just me. Everyone except Kadomi-kun is on standby.
…Tera is just too capable. But still, “Dragon Knight” is one of those dream jobs, isn’t it? Seriously cool. I wish… I wish I could at least ride Ketorami…
So, thanks to Kadomi-kun being able to fly through the abyss, our exploration progressed at a considerable speed.
…One of the discoveries was a door, of sorts.
Entering it apparently led out near the east of Deichemoore on 1F South… in the school’s terms, somewhere around the staff room. This means there was a door leading underground in front of the staff room. And from this, we can infer that all doors or similar entries are connected underground in this abyss.
The abyss, it seems, is somewhat akin to the relationship between the 1F and 2F we’ve known up to now.
“Even so, this place feels really oppressive, doesn’t it?”
Hagasaki-kun, having quickly finished his game of Uno and seemingly at a loose end, gazed out the window and murmured.
“Still, it’s better than having no light sources at all, right? The visibility isn’t too bad. That’s my draw.”
President also began observing the scene outside.
“People with claustrophobia would probably go crazy here, huh? Draw two.”
“I actually kind of like it here. The light sources are pretty, and I prefer confined spaces. Draw two.”
The lights weren’t just white but varied in colors like firefly hues, light purple, and even pinkish tones. It had a certain charm, but I guess it might seem eerie to some people.
“Hmm, it might depend on whether or not you have ‘Night Vision.’ Draw two more cards.”
“It’s probably just Maito-san, President, and Hariu who find it beautiful here. I’ll add a ‘Draw Four’ on top.”
“Ah, sorry, another ‘Draw Four’ for me.”
“…Hey, how many cards is that now?”
“Between me, Maito-san, and Toriumi, it’s four ‘Draw Twos,’ and with Katori and Kariya, two ‘Draw Fours,’ making a total of 16 cards. Your move.”
“There’s no way I can win this now!”
Hahaha, when playing Uno with this group, the draw cards are basically just counters!
For dinner, we had a stew with meat that I couldn’t quite identify.
…Well, you see, if an animal has a goat’s head, a cow’s body, and horse’s legs, what kind of meat do you call that? Beef?
[The abyss is vast.]
So, while eating dinner, we decided to listen to Kadomi-kun’s report.
[…I think the scale is different from the 1F.]
By scale, it’s a bit odd to say, but this world has the same classroom layout as the school.
However, the distances are vastly different. A classroom next door could be more than 10 kilometers away, which is a common occurrence.
And this difference in distance seems to be even more exaggerated in the abyss.
For instance, the distance from the oil storage to the front of the staff room, which would be roughly the distance from the temple to Deichemoore on 1F, was clearly not the same.
Hmm, this makes Tera’s participation even more reassuring.
“Looks like we’ll rely on Kadomi-kun again tomorrow. Are you okay with that?”
“Yeah.”
In the obstacle-filled abyss above ground, the most efficient method is having Kadomi-kun explore while riding Tera.
I feel sorry, but Tera doesn’t seem to want to carry anyone other than Kadomi-kun, so it looks like this will be our approach for a while.
Alright, let’s ask President about something while I remember, now that Kadomi-kun, who lost at Rock-Paper-Scissors in Ketorami Riding, has gone.
“Hey, President, what is the ‘Azure Sky Seed’ originally used for?”
“The ‘Azure Sky Seed’, you ask? That is quite a peculiar, or rather, a strange gem. It’s quicker to show you.”
President went into the opened laboratory for a moment, then came back with a single ‘Azure Sky Seed’.
“Watch this.”
Then, he buried it in the ground.
“Wow.”
Instantly, a blue flower sprouted from that spot, bloomed, and then withered away in a moment.
What remained afterward were 7 or 8 ‘Azure Sky Seeds’.
“It… it multiplied…!”
“That’s right. The ‘Azure Sky Seed’ is a gem that multiplies when buried and given magical power. That’s why even if you get a bag of them for free, they are still cheap enough that a jewelry store won’t go bankrupt.”
Well, that makes sense. If it multiplies, it’s not surprising that it doesn’t have much value.
“And the other uses?”
“Considering the fact that the temple is keeping it a secret that they’re using the ‘Azure Sky Seed’, as well as stories from heroes, it’s presumed that using the ‘Azure Sky Seed’ turns the root cause into a monster, and by defeating it, the root cause can be eliminated.”
Hmm, I see.
So, the method the temple has for eliminating the root cause is the ‘Azure Sky Seed’.
Right, that makes sense. After all, the only people who can eliminate the root cause are heroes, so for everyone else, the ‘Azure Sky Seed’ is just a gem that multiplies.
“That’s why, if they are multiplying it in the temple, that makes sense to me.”
I see, I understand.
So, it means that only when the High Priests of several generations brought it back were they able to eliminate the root cause.
That means, the High Priest of that generation went to the abyss to search for a way to eliminate the root cause.
After a while, I received a somewhat cheerful report from Kadomi-kun.
[I found something like an oil storage. Also, I acquired ‘Motion Sickness Resistance’.]
…Finally, a skill from Ketorami Riding!
For now, I used “Teleportation” to join Kadomi-kun.
“I’m not getting sick anymore.”
“…That’s good to hear.”
Kadomi-kun, who seems a bit proud of himself, and Suzumoto-kun, who probably desperately wants that skill, looks a bit conflicted.
…So, the oil storage is the only entrance we know that is half underground in our school.
“What should we do? Shall we go in now?”
“If that’s the case, I will be-“
“On standby.”
“Right!”
Darn, I have to stay on standby again with Ketorami.
By the way, we left Glida and Hunter at the place where the gymnasium group lives.
…You see, they are not exactly combat-experienced. So, having strong monsters as allies is reassuring for them.
…Moreover, Hunter is in the pet category. I guess it’s fine as long as Hunter is content. That creature seems to be very skilled in being pampered.
“Then, contact me if anything happens.”
“Roger that. Take care!”
So, after watching everyone open the door to the oil storage and enter the mysterious space beyond, I returned to doing household chores and waited.
While I was busy dismantling and organizing the meat and fish that had been caught and left unattended, and producing in bulk things like tomato sauce, jam, and consommé which are better made when there’s a good chunk of time, lunchtime arrived.
Hmm, no contact yet. I was just thinking of checking in when I got a timely message.
[Maito-san! Can you come over here?]
That was the message, in a slightly excited tone from Katori, which brought a trace of worry. I folded up the classroom and teleported with Ketorami.
…As expected, the abyss is dark.
There’s no sky, just rocks. It’s like an incredibly high-ceilinged cave, with the upper parts shrouded in darkness.
Yet, there are light sources in this world.
These include faintly glowing minerals in the rocks, plants and mushrooms crawling on the ground emitting small lights, and insect-like creatures that flutter around the abyss like fireflies.
These combined provide just enough light for one’s eyes to adjust and see the surroundings without much trouble.
…Leaving the abyss review there, let’s move on to the situation of everyone else.
What I saw was… a rather exhilarating sight for the oppressive atmosphere of the abyss.
“What is that, Kadomi-kun?”
“I tamed it.”
Kadomi-kun looked incredibly happy. He was riding something like a cool pterosaur.
“How did that happen!”
Wow, this is cool! I’m so jealous! What is this! What is this!
“After defeating some flying creatures, my job finally changed.”
Kadomi-kun dismounted from the pterosaur and showed me his dog tag.
Looking at it… it said “Dragon Knight.”
Wow, congratulations! Kadomi-kun has finally changed his job!
“So, now that I’m a Dragon Knight, I can ride things like dragons.”
I see, that’s… really enviable. Well, it makes sense for a Dragon Knight. It would be odd if you couldn’t ride them.
“…Can it fly?”
“Yes, it can.”
Oh, the romance!
As soon as he said that, Kadomi-kun mounted the pterosaur, gave it a light tap on the back, and it took off.
…It’s flying.
Really flying!
“Flying used to be mine and Suzumoto’s exclusive thing.”
“Never thought it would turn out like this.”
Kadomi-kun flew around the area and then came back down.
“That’s so cool, dragon.”
“…I always thought it was unfair how Maito kept having monsters as companions.”
Well, is that so? But flying is kind of special, isn’t it?
“The abyss is full of cliffs and such, so it would be difficult to move around with Ketorami Riding. This seems just right.”
Looking around as Suzumoto said, indeed, there were needle-like rocks stretching out… and huge stalagmites, cliffs, and such everywhere.
This wouldn’t suit Ketorami Riding.
“I can handle it easily.”
Yes, it’s not so much a problem for Ketrami, but for the people riding him!
“…Maito, can you make a saddle?”
Right now, Kadomi-kun is riding the pterosaur bareback, which does look a bit uncomfortable.
…Hmm. I might need to cooperate with Hariu and others, but it’s not impossible.
Let’s give it a try.
So, after having lunch and while the others went outside for combat and riding training, I worked with Hariu to make a saddle.
I handled the leather and fabric, while Hariu took care of the wood. Yeah, it’s best not to let me handle woodworking.
After some trial and error, we managed to make something that looked like a proper saddle, so I went to deliver it to Kadomi-kun.
“Hey!”
He was about 50 meters up in the air, so I called out to him, and he noticed and came down.
He seemed to have gotten the hang of it, making sharp turns and maneuvers effortlessly.
Ah, the romance of it.
Once he landed, I quickly set about fitting the saddle onto the pterosaur.
The pterosaur was calm, patiently standing still while being saddled.
It turned out later that this calmness was due to its absolute loyalty to Kadomi-kun, who had defeated it in battle.
So, I attached the saddle and reins and had Kadomi-kun do a test run.
…Since Kadomi-kun doesn’t talk much, it’s hard to tell, but judging from his flying, it seemed like there were no problems.
Well, yes, up to that point, everything was fine. But then…
Suddenly, he performed a stall turn. Just when I thought he was descending gently, he went almost vertical… and then, making a knife-edge ascent, he made a sharp turn and ascended. Right after that, he executed a loop while flying upside down.
…Watching from the ground, my heart nearly stopped!
I mean, that’s a living creature flying with just lift and flapping, not an engine-powered vehicle! How is it doing a knife-edge ascent? It’s baffling!
After a while, a very pleased Kadomi-kun landed.
The pterosaur seemed proud too, as if it was basking in the joy of its master, whom it had acknowledged.
“…It was fun.”
I bet it was fun for him!
“Stop it, will you! It’s scary when you suddenly stall or go vertical!”
Hariu, who had been watching beside me and turned pale, quickly snapped at him. Good, let him have it.
“I can’t reach that speed, but I can do a power dive on my own.”
Suzumoto chimed in, trying to compete. That’s not the point.
“A knife-edge ascent is so romantic, isn’t it?”
Katori went over to Kadomi-kun with a smile to shake hands. No, that’s not it either!
“How does that work? That flying clearly defies the laws of physics.”
President seemed concerned about the same thing as me.
Then, Kadomi-kun said something to the pterosaur,
[Kyuu.]
“…Wind magic?” he translated.
…Apparently, like me and Ketorami, Kadomi-kun and the pterosaur can communicate.
“By the way, aren’t you going to give a name to that dragon?”
“…Ah, right.”
Right, it’s hard to call it without a name.
“…Pochi.”
“Stop that.”
That’s just too pitiful, no matter how you look at it. Oh, wait, Ketorami! Don’t look at me like that! I’m sorry!
“…”
After a long period of contemplation, Kadomi-kun finally came to a decision.
“Tera.”
…From Pteranodon, Tera, I guess?
So, with the addition of the pterosaur, now named Tera, our exploration of the abyss continued.
…Well, I’m actually on standby.
Oh, no, it’s not just me. Everyone except Kadomi-kun is on standby.
…Tera is just too capable. But still, “Dragon Knight” is one of those dream jobs, isn’t it? Seriously cool. I wish… I wish I could at least ride Ketorami…
So, thanks to Kadomi-kun being able to fly through the abyss, our exploration progressed at a considerable speed.
…One of the discoveries was a door, of sorts.
Entering it apparently led out near the east of Deichemoore on 1F South… in the school’s terms, somewhere around the staff room. This means there was a door leading underground in front of the staff room. And from this, we can infer that all doors or similar entries are connected underground in this abyss.
The abyss, it seems, is somewhat akin to the relationship between the 1F and 2F we’ve known up to now.
“Even so, this place feels really oppressive, doesn’t it?”
Hagasaki-kun, having quickly finished his game of Uno and seemingly at a loose end, gazed out the window and murmured.
“Still, it’s better than having no light sources at all, right? The visibility isn’t too bad. That’s my draw.”
President also began observing the scene outside.
“People with claustrophobia would probably go crazy here, huh? Draw two.”
“I actually kind of like it here. The light sources are pretty, and I prefer confined spaces. Draw two.”
The lights weren’t just white but varied in colors like firefly hues, light purple, and even pinkish tones. It had a certain charm, but I guess it might seem eerie to some people.
“Hmm, it might depend on whether or not you have ‘Night Vision.’ Draw two more cards.”
“It’s probably just Maito-san, President, and Hariu who find it beautiful here. I’ll add a ‘Draw Four’ on top.”
“Ah, sorry, another ‘Draw Four’ for me.”
“…Hey, how many cards is that now?”
“Between me, Maito-san, and Toriumi, it’s four ‘Draw Twos,’ and with Katori and Kariya, two ‘Draw Fours,’ making a total of 16 cards. Your move.”
“There’s no way I can win this now!”
Hahaha, when playing Uno with this group, the draw cards are basically just counters!
For dinner, we had a stew with meat that I couldn’t quite identify.
…Well, you see, if an animal has a goat’s head, a cow’s body, and horse’s legs, what kind of meat do you call that? Beef?
[The abyss is vast.]
So, while eating dinner, we decided to listen to Kadomi-kun’s report.
[…I think the scale is different from the 1F.]
By scale, it’s a bit odd to say, but this world has the same classroom layout as the school.
However, the distances are vastly different. A classroom next door could be more than 10 kilometers away, which is a common occurrence.
And this difference in distance seems to be even more exaggerated in the abyss.
For instance, the distance from the oil storage to the front of the staff room, which would be roughly the distance from the temple to Deichemoore on 1F, was clearly not the same.
Hmm, this makes Tera’s participation even more reassuring.
“Looks like we’ll rely on Kadomi-kun again tomorrow. Are you okay with that?”
“Yeah.”
In the obstacle-filled abyss above ground, the most efficient method is having Kadomi-kun explore while riding Tera.
I feel sorry, but Tera doesn’t seem to want to carry anyone other than Kadomi-kun, so it looks like this will be our approach for a while.
