Tsutomu and the others returned to the guild and updated their status cards. Tsutomu is now level 10 and has a high heel skill, High Heel. He has learned the Raise, which revives PT members who died within 3 minutes of the death.

　After confirming this, Tsutomu went straight to the receptionist and asked to withdraw money.


It's a very good idea to have a top-quality medium magic stone with a withdrawal. Oh, please include the cash value. I've included the appraisal certificate with it.''
Yeah.


　Tsutomu told the man at the reception desk as he placed the status card on the counter, he took the status card and withdrew to the back.

　The guild also conducts business like a financial institution, where things and money are kept in a giant custom-made magic bag. Tsutomu, who had obtained a huge amount of money, couldn't carry it around with him, so naturally he used it.

　That service was essential for a searcher who might lose all but one thing if he died. Inside the guild, if something went wrong, the guild staff would take care of it, but outside, it wouldn't work that way.

　If you leave your equipment with the guild, even if you die in a dungeon, you can leave the guild in good condition, which is much safer than walking out with only your clothes on. Most explorers leave their equipment, magic stones and G (gold) in the guild.


Then let's go out to eat something delicious. Oh, I'll buy it for you.


　After receiving the 100,000 G from the receptionist, Tsutomu turned around and said so, and Amy jumped up and down like a cat that had been given a fish and was happy.


'Wow!　Tada-da-da-da!
...Tsutomu. Are you sure?


　Despite Amy's glee and singing, Garum was frowning at her. Tsutomu hid his voice so that Amy wouldn't hear him.


''We want to talk a lot about the dungeon exploration starting tomorrow, but from Garum-san's point of view, it might be outlandish. I thought a good meal would soften that.
...I see. Then feel free to accompany me.
How about the Hattei at Taru?
"He's banned from that place. For 100,000 G, well, how about the Uozumi Restaurant. They cook up live fish on the spot, so it's very popular with the cat people.
That's great. Let's go there.


　Garum gave a thumbs up to Tsutomu, who gave him a thumbs up as well, silently. And as Garum walked out to guide him, Tsutomu followed him, calling out to Amy, who was in a good mood.

　I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one. The ground, paved with stones, was paved with stones, and Garum was advancing without hesitation.


'Here it is,'


　Amy's body trembled in anticipation as she arrived at the Fishermen's Diner, a huge fish tank that could be seen from the outside, and her golden eyes sparkled in anticipation.


'That's the Fishermen's Diner!　Yay!　It's expensive here and it's usually occupied!
It shouldn't be that crowded yet at this hour. Let's go in.


　Garum enters the restaurant with Amy, who is frolicking like a child who has never been to a restaurant before. Tsutomu follows Garum, looking at the colorful fish swimming in the fish tank.

　Tsutomu and his friends are greeted by a fisherman with blue scales on his arms and legs. They were ushered into their seats at a round table with their thin, padded hands outstretched, and Tsutomu took his seat at a round table, though he was a little scared.

　When they were all seated, the large fishman handed out glass cups and chanted as if he were singing in a voice as gallant as Garum's. Then water swirled out of the empty space and poured out of the glass to fit into it. The fisherman man bowed to Tsutomu, who clapped unintentionally, and bowed to him, his fish-eye squinting with pride, and handed him the menu.

　Then Amy began to order what she wanted, leaving Tsutomu's order to Garum. And more and more dishes were brought in.

　Seaweed salad and black bread like a baguette. There were small fried fish that had been fried whole on a plate of colorful sashimi. The best part is the giant fish which is simmered in a form which can't be fit even if Tsutomu spreads his arms.

　When most of the dishes were on the table, Tsutomu urged her to eat them, and Amy began to put out her hand, as if to say the sooner the better. Despite wishing he had some soy sauce between his chopsticks for the sashimi, Tsutomu started the conversation.


'I'll be organizing the PT starting tomorrow, but I think I'm going to tank Garum-san.
Tank?


　Amy nodded her head as she picked at the giant figure boil with a knife and fork.


'Um, I assume you mean the role the tank plays as a shield for the PT.
Shield.　You mean, to protect Mr. Tsutomu?　That might be a good fit for your dog!　That's fine.
I don't mind.


　Amy said with a smile as she ate her crispy fried food. Garum, who had been told about the tank by Tsutomu beforehand, nodded in one reply.



'Hmm, I forgot to mention that I don't use it very often, but it has a hostile skill called Combat Cry. I remember there are a few other similar skills as well.
Garum-san should use his skills in addition to his normal attacks to collect as many of the monster's attacks as possible all at once. Garum has a high VIT (sturdiness), so she won't get hit so much. In the meantime, Amy will do her best to kill the monsters one by one. And I will recover the injuries and abnormalities that you have received in turn.
Yeah?


　Amy was about to stab the sashimi with her fork and put it in her mouth when her name was called and she stopped moving.


'That said, Amy, you don't need to change your standing that much. I'm sure she's done it before to focus on one fish.
'So I guess we'll just have to kill the monster like we've always done?　Ahmph!
'Yes. That's right. It's just that Garum-san won't be able to defeat the monster as much as he can now, so I'll have to ask Amy to take it out for that.
It's okay, it's okay.　If I'm here, it's a piece of cake!　I got it!


　Stabbing several pieces of sashimi roughly with a fork and popping it into her mouth all at once, Amy swallowed it quickly and slapped her thin, swollen chest as she did so. Tsutomu handed her a glass of water and gulped it down.


'Maybe Garum-san won't be able to catch the enemy well at first, and he'll probably take quite a few enemy attacks. This is the role that requires the most learning and strain in this group. I know it's going to be a lot of work, but I'm counting on you.
Well, if that's what you want to do, that's fine with me.
'Thank you!　I might make a mistake at first too and hit the enemy with my recovery skills. Let's practice on the grassland until we get used to each other's roles. Then, when we can work together to some extent, I'd like to move on to the forest and swamp.
Yes, sir.


　Garum, who had fish meat on a black baguette, threw it into his mouth with a particularly unenthusiastic expression.


''I'll tell you the rest of the story while we try it in the dungeon. Then let's eat for tomorrow!''


　Garum was firm as Tsutomu concluded, and Amy nodded halfway through the conversation with a mouth full of boiled fish.


　--Oooh--


Combat Cry!


　A wave of red qi manifested from his body at the same time as Garum's cry. The five goblins who received this stimulated their fighting spirit and rushed into Garum while raising their clubs with a grating voice. Unlike the previous day, Garum, who is wearing proper equipment today, tames the cudgel with the silver medium shield he holds in his left hand. He then poked the goblin in the gut with the long sword in his right hand.

　In the meantime, Amy shakes the half-armor she wears while Amy thrusts her twin swords into the goblin's neck from behind. After a light twist, she drew her twin swords and immediately slashed the next goblin as well.

　The five goblins quickly transformed into rubbish magic stones without Tsutomu's help against the goblins. Tsutomu has no work to do, so he picks up the magical stones and keeps an eye on his surroundings.

　Since there were no enemies, Tsutomu put the magical stone in his magic bag and continued on. Tsutomu's PT is now on his way to the ninth layer. And in the grasslands where you can feel the breath of nature. An unnaturally black gate exists in front of Tsutomu and his friends, as if it were splitting the space.


'Tsutomu~?　It's a portal to the tenth layer!
'Yes. Let's go the same way then.
Yes, sir.


　Garum nodded at Tsutomu's simple words and pushed open the black gate. Beyond the black gate was another grassy field, but in the center the grass had been cleaned out, and wooden huts stood irregularly scattered across the trodden dirt ground. When Tsutomu, the rearmost member of the group, entered, the black gate closed and disappeared from the scene.

　Then, starting with that, green-skinned goblins crept out of the hut. Clubs and small swords. About fifty goblins with bows and arrows. One of the blue-skinned, slightly built goblins shouted out, and the goblins all came towards Tsutomu and the others at once.


''Prote.''


　Tsutomu lowers his white cane and an ochre-colored air surrounds the three of them. Several running goblins turn their attention to Tsutomu, while the goblins with bows waiting behind him turn their arrows towards him.


''Combat Cry!''


　A red wave spread quickly around Garm and slammed into the goblins. Then most of the goblins charged at Garm, spurred on by their fighting instincts. A few arrows were also fired at Garum.


''Airblade.''


　Tsutomu points his staff at the group of goblins. An invisible blade slices through the legs of the leading goblins and sends them tumbling to the ground. While Tsutomu made sure that some goblins were caught in the fall, the arrows in the sky were also flicked by the wind blade.

　Then two pairs of slashes struck hard from the side of the goblins that had released the arrows. Amy, who was moving quietly, cut down the bow goblins in priority. As if shredding the grass with her hands, Amy scattered the lives of the goblins.

　The goblins that weren't caught in the fall of the airblade jumped on Garum one by one, but were split in the skull by a medium-sized silver shield and stabbed by the sword, turning them into scrap magic stones.

　But the sheer number is power. If you have ten goblins attacking you at the same time, including the goblins that got up, even Garum can't handle them. Garum took several blows to the silver armor, and the goblins tried to chase after it while laughing and snarling.

　The goblins, who were laughing and raising their clubs, were punched in the face with their shields and blown away, their bodies twitching as they turned into green particles and disappeared. Several of the goblins backed away as if they were frightened by the sight.

　Garum's VIT is B+. Even the Fire Dragon's Breath, the hierarchical lord of the valley, couldn't bury him with a single blow. Besides, Tsutomu's protection is also layered on top of that, and the goblin's blows are like a massage. Garum was playing a big stand-off against over thirty goblins, while only playing sharp weapons.

　In the meantime, Amy finished killing all the bow goblins and leapt at the leader, the blue goblin.

　The blue goblins are a little smarter and more powerful than normal goblins, but a blow to Amy's brain quickly transforms them into magical stones. Amy immediately went to cover Garum, who was taking on many goblins.

　In front of her was Garm. Behind her is Amy. The poor goblins and Tsutomu were mumbling in his mind, but he was still putting a leisurely heel on Amy, who was moving quickly, to pass the time.

　Then Garum stabbed the last goblin with his sword and transformed it into a magic stone, and poof!　Two black gates appeared after the sound of something shattering.


'Do we continue on?'
'Yes. Let's go as far as we can.


　On that day, Tsutomu had broken his own record of reaching the highest level of the dungeon to twenty-one levels.