第３掘：鍛えるとはすなわち 己に勝つこと
3rd Dig: Training Means Overcoming Yourself
Training means overcoming yourself.
My smartphone alarm blares. As usual, I push myself up to get ready for work...
"Oh, right. I came to another world... For real?"
It seems there was no cliché about waking up to find it was all just a normal day.
Or rather, am I currently asleep or in a psychiatric hospital, and I haven't actually gone to another world at all?
I try thinking that, but even if this is a dream or a delusion, I have no intention of running wild. I have my own ethics and pride.
Well, enough escapism. Let's get on with managing the dungeon.
However, the only thing I can do is improve my subordinates—the Goblins and Green Slimes—by teaching them tactics.
Sadly, it seems this isn't a kind system where DP is replenished just because a day has passed. Apparently, mana generated by dungeon subordinates or things produced within the dungeon cannot be converted into DP.
Speaking of which, regarding how to obtain DP: the purpose of this dungeon is to circulate mana. In other words, only mana taken in from the outside is converted into DP.
Yes, from the outside. This means that even if the MP of subordinates leaks out and circulates through the dungeon, it's consumed by their own maintenance costs.
I'm told that if someone has an extreme amount of MP, they can intentionally inject it into the Dungeon Core to convert it to DP, but honestly, I'm not sure about that. I don't know when my life might be in danger, so I'm not inclined to convert my own MP—which serves as a lifeline—into DP.
Furthermore, as a sort of relief measure, the conversion of MP to DP at the Dungeon Core is only one-tenth. My maximum MP is currently 690, so even if I poured it all in, I'd only get 69 DP. Honestly, that feels like something I should only do if I'm shut in and no one comes for about a year.
So, the easiest way to get DP is to lure enemies into the dungeon and kill them. Taking an enemy's life converts their HP + MP into DP. Well, I haven't actually killed anyone yet. I'm the type who won't be convinced by things without data, even if they're written in a tutorial.
Next is the enemy's MP usage. In other words, making them cast magic. Since the enemy's MP disperses within the dungeon, I gain DP equal to the MP used.
Finally, the least efficient method, but the easiest way to gain DP in the long run.
If a living being stays in the dungeon for more than an hour, their MP is naturally absorbed and turned into DP.
The conversion efficiency is 1 DP per hour. It increases for powerful mages or Heroes who unconsciously leak a lot of MP, but generally, it's 1.
My future strategy is to gather humans and such inside the dungeon to build a town and earn DP semi-permanently.
But this is difficult. Dungeons have been considered "gateways to death" until now, so humans living here is a long way off. Wild animals would work, but that's a bit underwhelming.
Returning to the start, that's why I must now build a fighting force to defeat the hostiles who come to the dungeon and collect DP.
According to Luna, the Goblins and Green Slimes currently under my command are unusually strong.
She suggested it might be because of me, coming from Earth, but I can't feel at ease at all.
No matter how strong they are for their race, it doesn't mean they can defeat a Level 100 enemy. Personally, I'll only feel safe when I have monsters that can beat down Heroes or Demon Lords without a worry.
In light novels and manga, having a monster stronger than average become an ally is synonymous with having a reliable partner, but you can only be complacent like that within those stories.
That's why I'm using the weapon called the internet to help my subordinate Goblins and Slimes...
"Listen up, I'm going to train you starting now!! This is training to strike down enemies, but in reality, it's different. The true goal is to surpass your current selves!! You don't understand? No, with your intelligence, you should!! In the end, the one you're always fighting is yourself. In other words, suppose you defeat an opponent tomorrow that you couldn't beat today. That doesn't mean you beat the opponent; it means you beat the 'you' of yesterday who couldn't win... You beat yourself!! Don't be conceited. Learn, and become strong, so you don't lose to the 'you' of yesterday!!"
I give a random speech, and while I can't tell if they understand or not, I convey the training details to them.
"First, form teams of five, decide on a leader and sub-leader to make a squad, and undergo combat training as a unit... You will learn CQB—Close Quarters Battle!!"
We don't have firearms, but this is quite significant. The difference between the coordination of a civilization equivalent to medieval Europe and our proud modern combat techniques is vast. Both technically and mentally.
By the way, if you're worried that teaching human tactics to Goblins is pointless, don't be.
I posted on a message board asking how to optimize and teach CQB to Goblins and Slimes, and everything from hilarious opinions to solid solutions came up. It's useless to compare the level of a message board where modern intellectuals gather to exchange opinions with the closed-minded information exchange of the Middle Ages.
However, training alone isn't enough; they must become strong through classroom learning as well. Therefore, I'll explain the dungeon as we go.
First Floor:
An orthodox maze. A stone-built dungeon. Here, they will use tactics utilizing the traps laid throughout, as well as ambush operations from narrow passages specifically for Slimes. This is a place where they can demonstrate the true value of CQB aimed at indoor combat.
Second Floor:
A field battlefield utilizing grasslands and forests. They must make everything around them their own, creating traps as needed to throw the opponent into confusion.
Third Floor:
The final defense line, the floor where my room is located and where the Dungeon Core is enshrined. If so, use that to corner the opponent. Teach them that negligence is the greatest enemy.
I trained the Goblins and Green Slimes as much as I could think of.
The results:
Name: None (Evolution to a customizable Unique Monster starts from 10 DP)
Race: Goblin
Status: Dungeon Defender -> Dungeon Soldier
Gender: Male
Job: Goblin -> Goblin Army Captain
Age: 1
Lv. 9 -> 15
HP: 400 -> 800
MP: 100 -> 250
STR: 90 -> 190
DEF: 72 -> 130
INT: 92 -> 100
AGI: 72 -> 173
LUK: 22 -> 30
Skills:
Unique Skill: Breeding (Can impregnate humanoid females with their own race), Dungeon Master's Blessing
Skills: Dagger Lv. 1 -> 3, Shield Lv. 1 -> 2, Group Action Lv. 2 -> 3, Archery Lv. 1 -> 3, Small Unit Tactics Lv. 2 (NEW), Commander Lv. 2 (NEW), Indomitable Heart Lv. 2 (NEW) (Stronger against mental stress and abnormalities), Stealth Lv. 2 (NEW), Optimal Action Lv. 2 (NEW) (Faster movement in known battlefields)
Name: None (Evolution to a customizable Unique Monster starts from 10 DP)
Race: Green Slime
Status: Dungeon Defender -> Dungeon Intelligence Department
Gender: None
Job: Green Slime -> Green Slime Army Secret
Age: 0
Lv. 11 -> 16
HP: 320 -> 620
MP: 120 -> 260
STR: 81 -> 130
DEF: 220 -> 400
INT: 70 -> 81
AGI: 40 -> 120
LUK: 20 -> 25
Skills:
Unique Skill: Malleable Body (Cuts physical damage by 50%), Dissolving Body (Can be activated at will), Body Manipulation (Can consciously transform body, e.g., tentacles), Dungeon Master's Blessing (Stat boost)
Skills: Spear Lv. 1 -> 3, Tentacle Lv. 2 (NEW), Small Unit Tactics Lv. 2 (NEW), Commander Lv. 2 (NEW), Indomitable Heart Lv. 2 (NEW) (Stronger against mental stress and abnormalities), Stealth Lv. 3 (NEW), Group Action Lv. 2 (NEW), Optimal Action Lv. 2 (NEW) (Faster movement in known battlefields)
Intelligence and Luck only went up slightly, but the others are abnormal. No, I mean, even I think it's abnormal, so is this a "whoops, I overdid it" situation?
Maybe only these two went up too much. So, let's see, that regular Goblin soldier over there...
Name: None (Evolution to a customizable Unique Monster starts from 10 DP)
Race: Goblin
Status: Dungeon Defender -> Dungeon Soldier
Gender: Male
Job: Goblin -> Goblin Army Sergeant Major
Age: 1
Lv. 7 -> 13
HP: 320 -> 930
MP: 100 -> 220
STR: 90 -> 220
DEF: 72 -> 160
INT: 92 -> 120
AGI: 72 -> 123
LUK: 22 -> 25
Skills:
Unique Skill: Breeding (Can impregnate humanoid females with their own race), Dungeon Master's Blessing
Skills: Dagger Lv. 1 -> 3, Shield Lv. 1 -> 3, Group Action Lv. 2 -> 3, Archery Lv. 1 -> 3, Small Unit Tactics Lv. 2 (NEW), Commander Lv. 1 (NEW), Assistant Commander Lv. 2 (NEW), Indomitable Heart Lv. 3 (NEW) (Stronger against mental stress and abnormalities), Stealth Lv. 3 (NEW), Optimal Action Lv. 3 (NEW) (Faster movement in known battlefields)
Pfft!? Oh, come to think of it, Sergeant Majors are often veterans who handle the training, aren't they!?