Chapter 58: Troublesome Challenger

Next, Mallow wanted to get the metal material.

For that, she had to go to the dungeon and mined the materials there but… there was one problem.

Unlike lumbering, there was no status point specifically needed for mining.

What was important to increase mining speed were titles and skills.

But there was a certain status that affected the quality and quantity of items obtained from mining.

DEX.

Yes, it was dexterity point.

The more DEX points you have, the more items with better quality you can get.

And Mallow never put a single point on DEX.

She was done for before she even started.

It was impossible to get the finest guitar if she played solo.

Thusー

「O, Mallow-chan. It’s been a day, ‘sup」

「Hello~ Buncho-san」

The day after defeating Alter・Monster Tree, Mallow visited Buncho’s Store again.

Buncho didn’t look very surprised. Maybe she had a feeling Mallow would come back to her store.

「Hmm, Mallow-chan… I can guess you’ve encountered a problem right away」

「Yeah… So you knew, huh」

「Well, it’s difficult for a combat class player like you to get a good metal material」

「Right… I need to rely on a craftsman class player after all」

「I knew it’d turn out like this」

Buncho nodded.

「So, you want me to help you?」

「I’m sorry for asking your help all of a sudden, but that’s why I came」

「It’s fine, it’s not sudden. Because I had a feeling you’d probably come to ask for my help since you came and crying for guitar yesterday. That’s why I’ve finished my preparation as well」

「So, you willー」

「Yeap. Let’s go to the dungeon and mine metal materials for your guitar!」

「Aye ayeー!」

Mallow couldn’t hide her joy and answered cheerfully.

Right after thatー

Clang-clangー

The bell on the store’s door rang.

It seemed someone entered the store.

Though this store only had few visitors, there was a player who visited at a time like this?

Who the heck was that?

After looking back to confirm who that was, Mallow was surprised.

Because she knew well who the guy standing behind her was.

「Hamgoro-san?」

「Hm? Oh! Mallow!」

Hamgoro waved his hand and smiled while approaching Mallow.

The barrel of the rifle carried on his back shines brightly reflecting the lights.

(Hamgoro)「What are you doing here? Ah, sorry for a lame question, of course because you have a business here, right?」

(Mallow)「Yeap. Well, this time, I didn’t came for shopping but I have a personal business with Buncho-san」

(Hamgoro)「You came for Buncho?」

(Buncho)「She needs help from a craftsman class player for mining high quality materials. That’s why she came for my help」

(Hamgoro)「Aah, I see」

Understand the situation, Hamgoro nodded.

(Hamgoro)「If that’s the case, I bet you wanna make the newly added musical instrument weapon, am I right?」

(Mallow)「Y, You have a good hunch」

(Buncho)「You know, despite his wild and reckless personality, he actually has a good hunch and is also smart」

(Mallow)「R, Really?」

(Hamgoro)「Oi oi, you too overestimate me. I’m just a trigger-happy PK player, y’ know?」

(Buncho)「That’s just an outer appearance, right? Well, leave that aside, why you come here?」

(Hamgoro)「Ahh, I have a little business with you too but… I think it’s okay to postpone it」

(Buncho)「Huh?」

Hamgoro looked away from Buncho, who tilted her head, and stared at Mallow.

Suddenly stared at, Mallow wondered what was going on, and took a step back.

But, because it was a small shop, she could only do half a step.

(Hamgoro)「Speaking of which, I just remembered. Mallow, we haven’t added each other as friends, right?」

(Mallow)「……Come to think of it, we haven’t」

(Hamgoro)「Let’s do it now. So that it becomes more convenient ‘for later’」

(Mallow)「Alriー wait… Hamgoro-san… could it be, you just wanna…」

(Hamgoro)「Oh? So you’re the type with the good hunch too?」

(Mallow)「Because, Hamgoro-san, you’re the most duel fanatic player I’ve ever met in this game, you know……」

Mallow looked at Hamgoro with scornful eyes.

(Mallow)「No need to guess, I know you wanna duel with me right now」

(Hamgoro)「Bingo!」

(Mallow)「But, why now?」

(Hamgoro)「Because, don’t you think it’s strange that we didn’t do it until now? When we first met, that stupid Owata Samurai stopped us halfway. And we didn’t have a chance at the battle royale event since I was killed by Bolg. 」

(Mallow)「I heard about that from the person herself. But… you really wanna do it now…?」

(Hamgoro)「Alright, how about thisー」

Hamgoro gave Mallow a proposal.

(Hamgoro)「I’ll also go with you and escort Buncho while we’re in the dungeon. It’ll be better with two people escorting her, right?」

(Mallow)「That’s… you’re right tho」

Mallow thought for a moment.

She was calculating the merit and demerit of fighting Hamgoro from now on.

The merit wasー Buncho could be escorted to the mining site more safely.

The demerit wasー wasting time.

However, considering if Buncho was dead, the loss of time was the same in both cases.

And Mallow’s answer wasー

(Mallow)「………Alright, I’ll fight you. But just once, okay?」

(Hamgoro)「Nice! As expected, you’re such an understanding person!」

Hamgoro laughed in excitement.

Mallow was kinda annoyed to do exactly as he wanted, but this was for the sake of the guitar.

She reluctantly sent him a friend request, and Hamgoro immediately accepted it.

After that, she received a duel request from him, pushed the OK button, and the countdown appeared above their head.

(Hamgoro)「Well, sorry Buncho, we’ll be back soon」

(Mallow)「Really sorry, Buncho-san….」

(Buncho)「Nah, it’s okay. I have a feeling it’ll turn out like this」

Buncho couldn’t help but sigh and shrug her shoulders.

(Buncho)「Make it quick, okay?」

(Hamgoro)「Don’t worry, I set up the time limit」

(Buncho)「That’s not what I mean」

(Mallow)「It’s okay Buncho-san, I’ll charge from the very beginning and try to finish him off in less than a minute」

(Hamgoro)「Hoo, as I expected from Mallow! But I wonder if you can do that!」

Hamgoro smirked like a ferocious beast.

And just before the countdown hit 0, he saidー

(Hamgoro)「I also will kill you as fast as I canー!」

The vision turned white.

And what appeared before them was blood red soil area where there was no cover at all.

In Mallow’s sight, was Hamgoro who held a rifle while shouting.

(Hamgoro)「Ora oraー! Here I comeー!」