NOVEL WEB Chapter 213
Chapter 213. Enterprise
The group, including Shizuku, had returned, but with Sachi reverted to a little girl with her memories sealed, they were frustrated as they couldn’t complain to her. The little girl, with a blossoming smile, said,
“I’m going to get some cream puffs!”
She clutched the pocket money I gave her in her tiny hands and happily ran off. Whether she would return was uncertain; she was likely planning a snack party with her friends.
Well, I got the answers I needed, so it was fine. I composed myself and looked at the tired faces of the group. It seemed they had a tough time getting back from the trap.
“We’ve solved a decent amount of mysteries. Now, putting that aside,”
I gestured for them to place the box elsewhere.
“Putting that aside?”
“I intend to do what I want to do. First, it’s the new skill that appeared in the Level 6 Equivalent Exchange Store.”
While everyone was looking at me, I showed them the board of the Equivalent Exchange Store. Shizuku, Serika, and Yukihana looked on with interest.
There was an astonishing inscription.
[Small Business Establishment: Rare Monster Core B1]
“What a sarcastic skill name. Well, it probably means becoming independent from the dungeon.”
“There are only six employees. We can conquer the dungeon that sets business hours with magic users.”
“Can we conquer the dungeon with six people? Well, it sounds interesting. Let’s acquire it.”
Without hesitation, I pressed the [Small Business] button. When I tapped the floating, translucent board,
Zap!
A jet-black lightning bolt shot from the Equivalent Exchange Store and pierced me. It was a strange lightning that even barriers didn’t react to.
A sharp pain surged through me, and I clenched my teeth in agony.
In the next instant, I was in outer space. No, in a jet-black space.
There was no starlight, only a star the size of a red glowing sun in front of me. I didn’t feel heat, and my body didn’t burn.
However, my heart and soul were overwhelmed. I understood where I was.
This was outside the world of the living. It was chaotic, making my body tremble naturally. And this red star must be what brought chaos to the world.
It wasn’t a weak connection like a radio. Now, I was in front of the cause.
So, I…
“Hahaha. This is too cliché. Such a scene is something seen in stories, even if not from the old days.”
I laughed, clutching my stomach. Is this fantasy? The pattern Shizuku talked about. The cliché, huh?
“It’s not an original scene. Do all worlds think alike?”
I calmed my laughter and looked sarcastically at the red star. Normally, the protagonist would solemnly speak or do something with a serious expression, but I just mocked it in a hard-boiled manner.
While floating in the jet-black space, I leisurely continued to stare at the red star, and I felt a will that conveyed physical pressure.
[Become one with nature]
Like leaves blowing away before a storm, a gigantic will attacked me. If it were me from a while ago, my ego would have been erased by such a powerful will.
But I wasn’t the same as before. Too bad for you.
[Dark Mode]
Converting the life will stored in the Equivalent Exchange Store into power, I clad myself in a jet-black aura and easily nullified that will.
And then I grinned.
[Nature, huh? My natural state is to act according to my will. That’s what being natural means to me.]
I immediately responded to the overwhelming will that was speaking to my soul.
[So, an unmanageable life will is just a nuisance, right? From now on, I’ll manage it. This is what independence means, right?]
I wanted to become independent too. I’m establishing a new company to manage this jet-black energy. Even if you say no, I’ll manage the power entering the store. I won’t be under you anymore.
[By the way, what does ‘become one with nature’ even mean? Stop bothering me with mechanical, uninspired messages. Also, it seems like a fabricated will created by someone.]
The red star was surrounded by a faintly green ring, like Saturn’s rings. On closer inspection, I saw symbols resembling mathematical formulas.
As expected, someone had tampered with it. There’s a hidden history that Shizuku and the others don’t know, a history inconvenient for humans.
I thought it was strange from the start. ‘Become one with nature’—would someone who has become one with nature think of that? Nature doesn’t speak; it just shows phenomena. If it rains, would it say, “It’s raining.”, or greet us with, “I’ll be visiting as a typhoon tomorrow”?
Nature doesn’t demand anything from us or teach us anything. It just exists, and we are the ones who interpret and decide based on it. Nature is just there before us.
Whether dragons were the remnants of romantic ancient civilizations or gods, I don’t know. What I do know is that humans likely tampered with them, hoping to control the goose that lays golden eggs. If they could control it, they could rule the world. Naturally, humans would try.
[…]
The will speaking to me seemed slightly agitated by my words. I rarely sensed any emotion from it, but this time I did. …I have a bad feeling. It seems I said something unnecessary.
[Nature…]
That single word echoed, and then everything stopped. It was as if a faint emotion had mixed with the mechanical voice… Well, whatever happens, happens. I won’t think about it now. There’s nothing I can do anyway.
Then, the red star shone like a supernova, as if trying to erase me…
When I came to, I was back in the original world. Since Shizuku and the others said nothing, no time must have passed. I had quite a fantastical experience. Maybe I’ll tell everyone later.
More importantly, I acquired an interesting function, didn’t I? Whether it’s a grand will or a corporate dungeon, I managed to become independent and establish a small business. As a result, the displayed information was…
[The cost of chain store sales has been reduced from 1000 times to 10 times due to independence.]
Apparently, I hadn’t been operating independently until now. And while chain store sales required 1000 times the core, it was now a cheap 10 times. This means I can now sell expensive items too, like magic metals and materials.
[I have acquired the unique easy improvement. By using one rare core of the same rank or higher, you can improve skills and items.]
[I have acquired the special product creation. By using a special core of the same rank or higher, you can create something new.]
Establishing a business granted me some fascinating skills. It seems my desire influenced the creation of the small business skill. It would have been better if it weren’t “small.”
Being able to check the details of skills due to the business establishment is a subtle yet happy development.
“These skills seem interesting, although the conditions are strict. Rare cores and special ones, huh…”
I crossed my legs, leaned back on the sofa, and sighed.
“Indeed, it means we won’t get any cheat-like powers.”
“Sadly, Serika’s right… For now, we’ll look for specials. They’re probably in abandoned lands, so I’ll have the dark crows search. Let’s start by making mana potions.”
[Unique easy improvement]
[Using a rare monster core C to improve the initial potion]
Having defeated many Sahuagin Emperors, I have plenty of cores. When used, the improvement candidates are displayed. Increase the effect of healing injuries. Change to a mana-recovering potion. Add other corrective effects.
I’ll choose the mana potion.
[Initial potion -> Lower-grade mana potion, now salable for 10 D cores. Cooldown 24 hours. No disadvantages.]
“Oh! No disadvantages, that’s wonderful!”
“That’s because Sakimori-san created it! This mana potion hasn’t been exposed to the dungeon’s malice. The cooldown for lower-grade potions should be one hour. The initial mana potion had a ten-minute cooldown.”
Shizuku, eyes wide with surprise, added excitedly. There’s no guarantee that improvements will always be perfect, though. Well, mana potions are useful for dungeon conquests. It’s expensive at 30,000 yen, but considering it saves lives, it’s worth it.
Impressed by the skill’s power, I continued exploring various item combinations, realizing that unexpected items could be obtained.
“I’d like to include items different from the spices and sugars this skill can create. Magical spices and sweeteners.”
It turns out I can create magical crops. Products that don’t provoke the vested interests. Magical food seems like a good fit. Magical crops are like F1 hybrids; they last only one generation. Sounds fun, right?
Though I can’t create special products yet, I can still make interesting improvements. Spices that grant fire or ice resistance, for example. Food is consumable, so there’s no harm in making it.
Moreover, it seems I can solve a long-standing issue.
[Spring flower seeds -> Using 1 rare monster core C]
One improvement pattern displayed was this. I got the seeds I wanted.
[Balloon Flower Seeds: 1 Monster Core E. Creates a breeze barrier around the blooming flower. Cannot reproduce.]
[Balloon Flower: 1 Monster Core D. Creates a breeze barrier around the flower.]
Exchanging for a flower called Balloon Flower produced a semi-transparent, faintly greenish flower shaped like a balloon. A gentle breeze blew around it. A mysterious flower indeed.
When I lightly tossed a coin at the flower, the breeze slightly altered its trajectory, missing the target. This must be the wind barrier.
“Lower-level, low-stat long-range attacks miss 30% of the time, perhaps?”
“Thanks for the game-like explanation, Serika. This should help guard against goblin archers’ attacks.”
“I think we can make something better by processing this flower. Not quite arrow-proof, though.”
“The start of modern fantasy! This is getting interesting, Sakimori-san!”
With an amused expression, Serika began planning how to craft Balloon Flowers, and Shizuku, excited, pondered the future. Yukihana nodded in agreement.
Could I have escaped the clutches of the self-centered game master with no disadvantages?
Humanity’s defeat seems inevitable. Let’s overturn that fate as the world’s savior.
In other words, it’s the emergence of a rival company. Let’s strive together.
“There’s a soirée next week, so let’s create something interesting to wear with the dress.”
“That sounds like fun.”
Using this skill, I can improve various items. It seems the results depend on the cores used, and extreme improvements aren’t possible, but the inner-city folks will enjoy it.
While looking at the skills with everyone, we checked the Equivalent Exchange Store.
[Not nature…]
Something had sprouted outside the world’s logic. Something glowing red.
It was a flickering, almost vanishing light, but it was undeniably shining.
Responding to the jet-black being’s words.
It started pulsing like a heartbeat.