DCFM – Chapter 027: Great Spirit Dungeon and Trash Cleaning

After passing by the side of a number of monsters, we went up the stairs to the 1st Floor. 

The 1st Floor is structured like a city, so there’s a lot of rooms that no one comes to. 

“It should be fine here. I would like to ask you a few questions as the price for that potion. Is that okay?” (Hikaru)

“Nya… I don’t mind that… Onii-san, are you a Spirit User? I haven’t seen an ability like this before.” 

“Are Dark Spirit Abilities rare?” (Hikaru)

In the point exchange, fire, earth, water, light, and darkness had the same price. 

I don’t think darkness is especially rare or anything though.

“I don’t think there’s any around-nya. I have seen a number of Light Users every nyow and then though… Maybe it is just me not knowing about it-nya. Can’t really say for sure…” 

Fumu. In that case, would it be better not to show my abilities that much? 

As someone who wants to avoid standing out, this is information I am glad to have stumbled upon.

I asked the questions I wanted to know from the cat beastkin while maintaining the darkness, and the cat beastkin seemed to be unexpectedly knowledgeable, she told me about a variety of things.

Putting it all together…

First, the dungeon.

A dungeon is a warp in space that is born at the center of a location where more than 3 Great Spirits are gathered at and positioned in a certain manner, and this city had a pretty big dungeon that was made by gathering 4 types of Great Spirits. 

On top of that, because a dungeon city has Great Spirits, chances of an invasion are lower and it is safe.

That’s why people would gather from the surrounding settlements, and it would steadily get bigger.

“Then, that means there’s Great Spirits in this city?” (Hikaru)

“There’s the Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth Great Spirit-samas-nya. My objective is to save money and make a contract with the Wind Great Spirit-sama-nya.” 

“Hmm…” (Hikaru)

I knew there was a method for someone to be able to use Spirit Abilities in this world, and it seems that method is to make a contract with a Great Spirit.

Well, that’s already none of my business, and I’ve got no good memories of a Great Spirit, so let’s not get close to one.

“What was that about the Hungry Beasts Underground Prison you were talking about before?” (Hikaru)

“The nyame of the 2nd Floor-nyan. I don’t know who was the one who gave the name, but that’s what it is called.” 

“Then, what about the 1st Floor?” (Hikaru)

“The Dusk Hades Street.” 

They are probably taking the traits just like that and turning them into names.

Is it easier to understand than calling them 1st Floor and 2nd Floor? I can’t really tell.

“And so, why were you barefooted?” (Hikaru)

I had that question on the tip of my tongue and ended up asking. 

Did she not have the money to buy shoes?

“A scout myust erase the sound of their footsteps or there’s no point. But the 2nd Floor is dark, so there’s times when one can get cut by things on the ground…” 

“Aah, so it was to erase the sound of your footsteps, huh…” (Hikaru)

Of course, it must also be in part because she is a cat beastkin.

But whichever the case it is, the fact that cutting your feet means the end for you just doesn’t sound like it is worth the trade.

…Well, she must be going barefooted while still understanding this, so there’s no need for me to say it out loud myself.

“You should properly choose the people you team up with from now on. You simply were lucky I was around that time.” (Hikaru)

“We are hired scouts, so we are nyot in a position where we can choose our customers.” 

“What a harsh world…” (Hikaru)

It is to the point that you suddenly get dismissed in the middle of a dungeon, so I could tell she had a low position, but even if that’s the case, that’s just cruel.

This time around she was saved by me coincidentally passing by. Cat beastkin being sacrificed like that might actually be an everyday thing.

After that, I heard information about dungeon exploration from her. 

It was apparently basic knowledge that you must have before entering a dungeon, so she was surprised I didn’t know anything at all.

It might be lucky of me that I managed to get this information while not revealing myself. 

I managed to avoid standing out as being strangely ignorant.

Info like people only leave Spirit Stones and their bodies disappear when they die in a dungeon, how Spirit Energy tends to become a spiral and goes underground in a dungeon, and how monsters get stronger the lower the floor is.

The fact that ‘monsters’ show up in dungeons.

Monsters are different from animals in that they are beings that have taken form from Spirit Energy. 

About the fact that monsters don’t leave a body and only leave a Spirit Stone. 

However, monsters that come out from dungeons gain flesh and can become Monstrosities.

Explorers sell Spirit Stones to earn money. 

The ‘excavation’ of Spirit Stones is managed by the country. 

The explorers are mostly in charge of the excavation of Spirit Stones.

It was mostly information I could assume was the case, but being able to check answers here is important.

“…But nyot knowing things like this…are you not an explorer, Onii-san?” 

“Secret.” (Hikaru)

“I see. Then, you might nyot know this either, so I will be telling you this as well. Even if someone finds a treasure, you definitely must not take it away from them-nya.” 

She said with a slightly strong tone.

Taking away treasure. Is it that much of a taboo? Is it an issue of ethics?

“Treasures are something that are given to a specific explorer. It is said that Lilimuph won’t forgive the ones who have stolen those-nya.” 

“Who is Lilimuph?” (Hikaru)

“A Divine Beast-nyan.” 

In other words, the treasures one gets in a dungeon are something that a Divine Beast gives to the explorer themselves. It is apparently okay to give them to others after getting out of the dungeon, but doing so inside the dungeon is dangerous…

This taboo has spread quite a lot, and there’s apparently almost no one who has seen the Divine Beast show up though.

“Got it. Well, I haven’t seen a treasure, but I will be careful.” (Hikaru)

“A treasure is round in the dungeon, and when you get out, it turns into its true form-nya. You will be able to tell as soon as you see it.” 

“Is that so.” (Hikaru)

There’s the chance I might have found a treasure while scavenging corpses, but if she says it is shaped like a ball, then I just gotta avoid that.

I heard quite the important information, so I escorted her to the entrance of the dungeon.

“See ya. Don’t get injured again, okay?” (Hikaru)

“U-Uhm…!” 

“What’s the matter? Is there still something else?” (Hikaru)

“I am Grapefull. The Lynx Grapefull. Can you please tell me your nyame?!” (Grapefull)

“…No, we probably won’t see each other anymore. Ah! Don’t tell anyone you met me, okay?” (Hikaru)

I don’t know what might happen, so I am at least going to keep her from saying anything. 

I didn’t get out of the darkness even once since meeting Grapefull, so she hasn’t seen how I look. She won’t be finding me with just my voice alone.

My earnings today are still zero. 

I turn back and head to the 2nd Floor…no, to the Hungry Beasts Underground Prison.

(Now that I look closely…there certainly is a lot of trash here.) (Hikaru)

Staying in place while inside the darkness is fine and all, but now that I think about it, the viewers can’t see inside the darkness. In that case, that means they won’t know what I am doing inside of it. 

Remembering the pitiful sigh of Grapefull having her leg injured, I somehow ended up beginning to clean the things that were on the ground.

Stuff like the fragments of equipment, pointy stones, and splinters were lying around here and there.

There’s also Spirit Stones laying around every now and then, but those were things that explorers forgot to pick up after defeating monsters, or were left behind because they couldn’t find it in the darkness. For someone like me who has Night Vision and Dark Vision, this is important income. 

Even though the air is filled with death, there’s no bones lying around.

In a place where people and monsters turn into stones when they die, it might be hard for bones to exist. 

In the 1st Floor -the Dusk Hades Street- the skeletons turn into stones when they die, so it is not like bones are left behind. 

(The Shadow Bag is handy at moments like this.) (Hikaru)

There’s no need to gather them with my hands. 

If I open the Shadow Bag below the junk, it gets stored by itself. 

I have been finding Spirit Stones at a decent pace, so it might not be bad as a part-time job.

While I was walking for a while, I found the shadow of what were once explorers.

(Aah, karma.) (Hikaru)

The explorers that left Grapefull and went ahead have all turned into Spirit Stones. 

They were most likely avoiding the dangerous monsters when they had a scout. When they move ahead without one, this is what happens.

There must be quite the mastery in order to come to this floor with only 3 people. The biggest group I have seen until now was a group of 20 monsters.

I silently store their belongings and their Spirit Stones. 

My condolences for dying, but 3 people’s worth of belongings is big. 

Also, if I think about them being the bunch that abandoned their comrade, I can escape the guilt.

On that day, I didn’t find any other explorers that died aside from them.

I spent almost all my time walking around cleaning the dungeon, and I think it has gotten pretty clean, if I say so myself.

It was weird of me to find this fun.

I left the dungeon before the sun rose. 

I headed to the morning market, and after filling up my stomach a bit, I returned to the inn and slept. 

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59 thoughts on “DCFM – Chapter 027: Great Spirit Dungeon and Trash Cleaning”

  3. I dub thee the title of dungeon cleaner, you gain the repsect of me and moms who have seen you clean since their children (most of them) won’t clean up their rooms unless told.

  5. What a nice guy..so sad he had to go through all that before..
    Umm..3R? Reduce, reuse, recycle.
    And pick up all the garbage at the park. Oh, I meant dungeon. Is there any difference?

  14. The names of catfolk are a little… Well, now that you have seen one, you’ll have an idea of what others might be named. I don’t want to spoil too much about them, but there is an awesome catfolk character who will show up, but that’s still a ways off for.

    Oh, and the detriment to “loved by the spirits” is a lot….. Well, let’s just say you may or may not be expecting it when it gets revealed.

  16. Being the evasive shady shadow guy who sells the possessions of missing adventurers on the black market seems like a recipe for getting yourself stomped into wine cooler by the local authorities.

  20. Thanks for the chapter!
    grapefull, then? The tlm used something like grapeflue, which was honestly quite upsetting… she is so cuuute!
    Sorry, my bad, I have a spot for fluffy things

  21. The turtle has arrived! Slow as always but grateful for your work as always, I suposes no major rant today as the story is doing well establishing Hiraku’s routine and his mental adjustment. I also have to be awake in 5 hours so I should sleep but…
    Ba, Ba Ba Baa!
    Turtle question corner – since my last question on the shadow storage versatility in attacking is unanswered lets look at expanding our thoughts, namely the manly romance skill of rocket fist! or er Trash shot..? well close enough to give the image I hope! Thats right today’s question is, “Can trash be launched from his shadow bag?” Even if not at great speeds Hiraku could use it as a sound lure to bring monsters into traps without being close. The one other maybe silly thought is if our gal Grapefull is a beastkin then does the darkness skill block scent? Maybe being to close for so long earned you a companion after all Hiraku hehehe…
    🐢🐢🐢

  22. Thanks for the chapter.

    At least Hikaru has found something to help occupy his thoughts for the moment.

  23. Grapefull? The heck kinda name is that?

    Well we at least got a bit of information about dungeons. That they’re essentially special pocket dimensions made by 3 or more Great Spirits, that any people that die in there turn into spirit stones and their bodies disappear, that you can acquire special treasures in the shape of balls that you don’t know what it is until you take it outside the dungeon like some sorta gatcha prize ball and that you can’t steal the treasures from other people because it will make some divine beast not forgive you. I wish he’d asked a bit more about Great Spirits. Like how exactly you form a contract with one and can you form multiple ones? Also are their any dangers to it or is the Great Darkness Spirit a possible exception?

    Welp those guys are dead. I honestly expected that Hikaru would end up confronting them at some point and they try to rob or kill him. Either in the dungeon because of some dispute or outside at a later point after he teams up with the catkin and they turn out to be racist bastards. Well they got what they deserve for abandoning their scout. I really was expecting he would at least team up with Grapefull but at least he hasn’t turned out to be so broken that he can’t hold a conversation and he is conscientious enough to start cleaning the dungeon floor so that other scouts like Grapefull won’t injure their feet.

    1. In the description of spirit ability it was said “You can only make a contract with 1 Spirit Ability” (checked in the skill chapter) so if I understand it right, only one spirit can be contracted and Hikaru know that. Asking for the dangers would have been nice though.
      With his broken heart may have developped agoraphobia (fear of crowds) and scopophobia (fear of being stared at) and Grapefull the gratefull cat may be different enough from humans to help him speak freely to her?

  25. So, if he wasn’t wary of great spirits, could he been able to make a contract with more than one? Like a fire and darkness spirit user? He could’ve become a Balrog!

    Also, this chapter proves that he is not so broken, he still can have some decent conversations with people.

    Thanks for the chapter btw!

    1. He is not mentally broken per se but just depressed and extremely traumatized because that which was keeping him moving forward and was the only ray of hope turned out to be people looking out to see his doom in its all glory.
      He saw human malice directly targeted towards him and that from about 1 billion people at the same time.

      1. He may have developed agoraphobia and/or scopophobia with the fact of being stared at by malicious peoples in the hundreds of millions if not billions. Let’s hope his trauma didn’t reached that point (having both), scopophobia is the most likely with how he described malicious stares in a previous chapter the moment he tried to fight a monster.

  27. Dammit! I’m late! No notif was send to me (T^T)
    Thanks Nepu!
    　　　　 ∧,,_∧
    　　 ⊂（´・ω・)つ-
    　 ／／/　　 ／::／
    　 |::|/⊂ヽノ|::|」
    ／￣￣旦￣￣￣／|

  28. Imagine trying to convince people that a guy who spends his time cleaning streets for litter is a crazy murderer. I mean you could easily insult him, but anyone should be able to tell that he’s a fairly conscientious person.

    Thanks for the chapter!

  33. RIP. No new party member. Please work harder on your Chuuni spirit. This isn’t Solo Leveling. At the minimum, you must pet their fluffy ears.

  34. “…No, we probably won’t see each other anymore. Ah! Don’t tell anyone you met me, okay?” (Hikaru)
    That, my friend, is what you call a flag xD
    Thanks for the chapter ~

    1. Well I mean those guys were assholes who fired Grapefull on the spot and abandoned her with an injured leg and left her to die. Why should they deserve any sympathy?

    1. This would turn out a little bit political. If the government knows that some spirit (mc on darkness skill) is talking to individual adventurers without a name and being no knowledge in this world, then they would take it as a another spirit. The problem is how would they view the darkness spirit. Was it a taboo? Do the nobles had a grudge on dark spirit users? MC’s worry might be added in the future

      2. Dark spirit users seem to be pretty good at covering things up. Hypothetically Dark spirit users would be the most discreet and therefore least heard of.

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