"Whoa, that was close."


    I had my sword ready to finish it off quickly, but the moment the crab saw me, it spit out a high-pressure stream of water. The pressure was so intense that it could easily slice through steel, leaving the floor split wide open. Still, the crab''s movements were predictable, so I wasn''t too concerned.


    This monster, while appearing on the 57th floor, is just as strong as the creatures found in the deeperyers of the Shibuya Dungeon. Plus, its sheer size makes it a bit tricky to deal with.


    "Raijuu."


    This crab is incredibly resistant to physical attacks, but it''s vulnerable to magic. Instead of relying on brute force, I''ll have Raijuu assist with lightning.


    As soon as Raijuu was summoned, it dashed off at a speed that left sound behind. The crab had no way to keep up with it. In fact, it seemed to give up on trying to react, relying on its sturdy shell to protect itself.


    "Time to use the magic I developed during my chunibyo phase. Take this!"


    I feel a bit embarrassed admitting that, but it''s the truth. Since the crab''s shell is almost impervious to regr attacks, instead of shing it directly, I''ll infuse my sword with magic and unleash a magical sh. Basically, it''s a flying magical sh.


    The crab must have realized its prized shell had taken some damage because it raised its ws and tried to intimidate me, showing its side as it quickly advanced and swung its massive w down at me. Of course, it''s not that easy to hit me.


    The crab seemed ready for a follow-up attack, but Raijuu, who was zipping around, struck one of the crab''s legs, causing it to stumble and wildly il its ws. Well, if it gets flipped onto its back, it''s game over for the crab.


    "Inmou-rokki."


    I sent Inmou-rokki flying from behind to breathe fire on the crab. After all, you''ve got to cook a crab before you can eat it. Real snow crabs are usually soaked in clean water to remove any mud before cooking, but I doubt this one has any mud inside, right? Anyway, I''m not the one who''ll be cooking it, so it''s fine.


    Despite losing its bnce due to Raijuu and being roasted by Inmou-rokki, the crab still fought back by spewing more water. It''s a pain when it starts firing those high-pressure water cutters in all directions, so I should finish this soon. First, I''ll target the leg that Raijuu damaged with a flying sh to deepen the cut, then I''ll strike down with my sword to sever it.


    "Gashadokuro."


    The crab wasn''t too fazed by losing a leg, but it''s currently feeling the danger to its life and is thrashing around. So, I''ll have Gashadokuro pin it down.


    I summoned Gashadokuro at a sizeparable to the crab''s, and it grabbed the crab''s ws, preventing them from opening, just like how you''d handle a crab before cooking it. I didn''t specificallymand it to do that, but this skeleton creature is surprisingly smart, despite having no brain.


    With its ws restrained, being roasted by fire, and pinned down by Gashadokuro, the crab''s belly was wide open, so I stabbed it with my sword. The remaining five legs tried to strike back, but Raijuu deflected them all.


    I channeled magic into the sword, causing a controlled explosion inside the crab''s body. If the explosion is too strong, the crab would scatter into pieces, ruining the meat, so I kept it to a moderate level—just enough to ensure its death. After some final thrashes, it went still.


    "Mission aplished... Now, how do I get this thing back?"


    For some reason, probably because it''s a boss monster, the crab doesn''t disintegrate into ashes like other monsters, leaving its massive carcass behind. This makes it edible, but also a hassle to transport. Dragging this huge thing back isn''t ideal, but chopping it into pieces to carry is even worse.


    "Well, let''s just drag it back."


    Deciding not to overthink it, I dismissed Inmou-rokki, Gashadokuro, and Raijuu, and summoned Gyuuki to haul the crab. I''ll keep Tsuchigumo on guard in case we get ambushed on the way back.


    "Tsuchigumo."


    A massive spider, several meters tall, emerged from the shadows. The Tsuchigumo was named after a derogatory term used for those who defied the ancient Japanese imperial court, but I reimagined it into a yokai that spreads diseases. In this case, I''ve simplified that into a poison that causes severe bleeding.


    Originally described as having the face of a demon, the body of a tiger, and the limbs of a spider, this yokai was tooplex for me to visualize, so I just made it a giant spider instead. If it''s hard to imagine, I can''t summon it.


    "Keep us safe."


    I could have gone with Gozu or Mezu for the guard duty, but the twisted paths of Takayama Dungeon make Tsuchigumo''s less direct attack style more suitable. Not that it really matters who does it.


    "Whoa!"


    "What the hell is that?!"


    As I headed back, I started encountering explorers around the mid-tier floors. None of them failed to be startled by the sight of a massive crab being dragged by Gyuuki, escorted by Tsuchigumo.


    "Is that... a crab?"


    "Is that UNKNOWN?"


    "No way, is that the real one?"


    Yes, it''s the real deal. I''ve be quite famous without realizing it. Maybe I should start being more cautious when heading to Shibuya Dungeon or even just taking the train to school. It would be a pain, but I guess I''ll have to. On the bright side, it means I can start my streaming career without worrying about causing any more of a fuss. Time to think positively, I guess.


    "I think it''s time for a lunch break..."


    : Watching this is exhausting.


    : Asagao-chan, the endurance beast.


    : This is basically a dungeon endurance stream.


    : Thement section is just people passing out.


    : A few hours of gaming, sure, but a few hours of dungeon streaming? Insane.


    : I''m out.


    Feeling tired of walking, I decided to ride Kirin while keeping an eye on Asakawa-san''s stream, just as she was about to take a lunch break. Even though she called it a break, she kept the stream going as she nibbled on what looked like a sandwich, all while staying alert in the dungeon. You could just exit the dungeon or cut the stream, but no, she''s a full-on dungeon fanatic.


    "Well, since I''m eating and have some time, let''s do a Q&A."


    : A girl having a Q&A session while eating in the mid-tiers of a dungeon.


    : Reminds me of those British soldiers having tea during battle.


    : This is too much; I can''t even think of questions.


    : What are you eating?


    "Just a convenience store sandwich. Picked it up at Shibuya Station."


    : Lmao.


    : For some reason, that''s hrious.


    : What about the lower tiers?


    : Is Kisaragi-kun not there?


    : Chilling in the mid-tiers, like a boss?


    "The lower tiers are on hold for now. As for Tsukasa-kun... I think he said he was at Takayama Dungeon?"


    : Takayama Dungeon?


    : Why go all the way out there?


    : For food, obviously.


    : Traveling that far just for food is dumb.


    : When''s Tsukasa-kun''s stream starting?


    : What''s the n for the afternoon?


    : Are you going to college after high school?


    "He''s there for a mission, you know? Being EX is tough. As for his stream... probablyter this month? For the afternoon, I''ll keep exploring the mid-tiers... As for after graduation...


    I''m not sure yet."


    She''s streaming so casually. Should I be impressed that she''s be confident enough to be this rxed in the mid-tiers, or should I admire her dedication as a streamer? Well, given that she can handle multiple wyverns at once, Asakawa-san should be fine now.


    Meanwhile, just watching her eat lunch makes me hungry too. I should hurry and deliver this crab to the Association so I can grab a nice, slightly expensive lunch with the agent who drove me here. That sounds like a n.


    And maybe, just maybe, after this mission, I''ll take a break and check out some of the local delicacies. High-end cuisine isn''t something I indulge in often, but after handling a mission like this, I think I''ve earned it. I mean, how often do I get to handle a giant crab and then feast on gourmet food? Not often enough, that''s for sure.


    As I finally make it to the Association, the crab still dragging behind me, I can''t help but think about what''s next. Will I finally get around to starting my own stream, as everyone seems to be expecting? Will I be able to keep up with the increasing demands of being an EX-ranked explorer while maintaining some semnce of a normal life? Who knows.


    But one thing is certain: today, I''m going to enjoy a well-deserved meal. And maybe, just maybe, I''ll figure out where this crazy life of mine is headed next.


    But for now, all I can focus on is the delicious meal that''s waiting for me after this. And honestly? That''s more than enough.