(Monster Eater)
(Episode 1: Miasma Scavenger)
Adventurer Rule Number Five,
"Never consume monsters".
Eating monsters is equivalent to ingesting mana.
Once a human with magic power absorbs mana,
the following symptoms will manifest.
The signs of the first stage are
"intense excitement"
"and a significant boost in physical abilities".
The second stage involves
"severe headaches and nausea"
"and abnormal states like intoxication".
And in the final stage,
"one either turns into a monster or dies from bodily disintegration due to mana corrosion".
Then... I'll make it back alive.
No way.
Darn it.
I must
survive!
Border City Barona.
In this territory dotted with numerous dungeons,
there's one known as the "Miasma Maze".
The miasma enveloping the entire dungeon
continuously weakens adventurers who enter the maze.
This place has been avoided by adventurers at all costs,
yet I keep venturing inside.
At some point, people started calling me the Miasma Scavenger.
Good... they've grown quite a bit today.
This is miasma grass, which purifies miasma.
For me, it's an irreplaceable source of income.
I can't harvest too much.
I just take what I need.
So I can get by for three days.
Miasma Rat.
Monsters dwelling here mostly use miasma or toxins,
so it is another reason adventurers steer clear of this dungeon.
But for me,
it doesn't work.
Fireball!
It missed.
Didn't I tell you to get closer before attacking?
They're the guys I often see at the Adventurer's Guild.
Sorry, you're Rudd, right?
It looked like you were struggling, so I thought I'd lend a hand.
I appreciate your kindness,
but a heads-up before jumping in would've been better.
I did yell "Fireball"!
Hey.
There really is a patch of miasma grass here.
Lucky us.
You guys aren't after my gathering spot
and followed me here, are you?
Ha?
We're just adventurers entering this dungeon to make some money,
happened to run into you, and saved you in the process.
Can't you even thank us, Miasma Scavenger?
Sorry, I shouldn't have doubted you.
Thanks for helping out.
Get out of here, Miasma Scavenger.
That stench you bring makes the food here hard to swallow the moment you step in.
Haven't you figured it out yet?
An adventurer
is someone who can take monsters down.
Who do you think you are?
You're just in that stinking Miasma Maze
picking up worthless grass.
How come you dare call yourself an adventurer?
My innate skill,
"Immunity to Abnormal State",
pairs perfectly with the Miasma Maze.
It nullifies miasma
and allows for long exploration sessions.
For an adventurer, the most crucial thing is fighting monsters,
but my innate skill is useless for that.
Someone like me, without combat skills,
obviously gets no party invites.
I can only scavenge for items on the lower levels of the Miasma Maze,
viewed as nothing but a Miasma Scavenger.
To put it bluntly,
I'm a useless adventurer with a worthless skill.
Honestly, at my age,
I still have to risk my life against mere rats.
Will I die a pathetic Miasma Scavenger?
While I've still got money left from yesterday,
I need to find the next patch fast.
What's going on?
The guild is unusually loud today.
Hello.
Yes?
Has a high-paying request come in?
Oh, it's the Miasma Scavenger.
A new dungeon has been discovered.
A new dungeon?
No wonder everyone's so excited.
A dungeon that hasn't been picked clean yet
is still slumbering with treasures and magical items.
For adventurers, it's a chance to strike it rich overnight.
Does that mean I'm already too late?
By the way,
about the miasma grass you bring here all the time,
their purchase price will be lowered starting today.
What... Why?
The Miasma Maze has been unpopular.
Everyone will probably just flock to the new dungeon from now on.
So naturally, there's no demand for it anymore.
But if the new dungeon happens to be full of miasma,
maybe the price will go back up.
So for now, you're better off selling something else.
No way.
By the way, where is the new dungeon?
The new dungeon is located in the Aberio Mountains.
But you can't go there.
Wh... why do you say that?
The exploration requirement for the new dungeon is Rank D or higher.
As a Rank E, you aren't qualified to enter.
Please.
I really want to explore the new dungeon.
Isn't there any other way?
We need to obey rules.
Besides, even if you went, you'd just get killed.
How could this...
Actually, even the Miasma Maze is a bit much for you, isn't it?
I think it's best if you calm down first and reconsider later.
Can't you make an exception?
Since you're so eager to go, how about
joining my team as a porter?
Meeting you has been a huge help.
I needed someone to help carry items obtained from the new dungeon.
But I couldn't find anyone who is willing to help.
Given how things were going earlier, I probably wouldn't have been able to set foot there.
So really, you saved me.
Thanks.
But hey.
Why did you specifically pick a Miasma Scavenger to explore with us?
Wasn't there anyone more suitable?
Don't say that.
He's a fairly seasoned adventurer.
More reliable than a complete rookie, right?
We should be grateful for this encounter.
Allow me to reintroduce myself properly.
My name is Bayer.
I'm the leader of Crimson Sword.
Those two are Sasha and Rick.
All three of us are Rank-D adventurers.
I'm Rudd, a Rank-E adventurer.
Nice to meet you.
Yeah, likewise.
Before we enter the dungeon, I'd like to confirm your abilities.
Could I see your Adventurer Card?
Okay.
Adventurer Card, open.
RUDD, RACE: HUMAN, STATE: NORMAL, STATUS: STAMINA 22, MAGIC POWER 9
Your innate skill is Immunity to Abnormal State.
I see. No wonder you frequent the Miasma Maze.
You can also use fire attribute magic?
Just barely, but it's very weak.
It's practically useless in combat.
At best, I can use it for lighting or starting fires.
That alone is plenty helpful.
I'll be counting on you this time, Rudd.