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METRO LABYRINTH CHAPTER 112.1: FIFTEEN OF THE STRONGEST PEOPLE
A/N: This novel is fiction. It is not related to any real person, region, culture, or organization.
1/21: Changed from [True Machine] to [Magic Woman].
8/22: Noa’s Fungal Skill’s name was changed from [Binding String] to [White String].
“This is the list of the top 15 hunters in the country. It is announced every March, so this is last year’s list.” (Amoto)
She flipped through the list, folded the page, and held it out in front of me. The ranking, affiliation, and two names are listed.
1st, Meguro Headquarters
Kang Jubei, The Transcendent
2nd, Shinagawa
Nami Gabe, I Am Everyone’s Lizard [T/N: Movie]
3rd, Setagaya
Kojimai Kid, Ultimate Bullet Dancer
4th, Daiba
Hagiwara Daichi, Eternal Summer [T/N: Music Album.]
5th, Roppongi
Shiranui Kie, Blade Beauty
6th, Komagome
Hakuou Maria, Holy Silver Puppeteer
7th, Kourakuen
Ebuchi Mikio, King Tiger Hunter Connoisseur [T/N: Probably a game handle or reference to Yu-Gi-Oh!.]
8th, Akabane
Real name not disclosed, Dignified Fungal Testicles
9th, Senju
Hanabusa Raiden, Thank You Muscles [T/N: My Hero Academia voice actor reference?]
10th Suginami
Toda Smith, Gim Reaper
11th, Ichigaya
Takahashi Ango, Peerless Purgatory
12th, Meguro Headquarters
Real name not disclosed, Spooky [T/N: Probably a game handle.]
13th, Akihabara
Kobase Thatcher, Red Spider Lily Princess
14th, Akihabara
Takata Houdou, Ghost Slayer
15th, Setagaya
Guruko Sami, Setagaya’s Butt [T/N: I’m sure about this. Probably also a game handle.]
“It happens every year that the headquarters is strong, The Setagaya team did very well last year, as is the case every year. I’ll start from the first place and explain—” (Aomoto)
“Wait, wait. There’s something strange mixed in here.” (Jiro)
It’s mixed in with something like a game handle or from the late Heisei era.
“I’d like to make various comments, but for the time being, there is a misprint, isn’t it? The word “thread” is missing, isn’t it?” (Shuu)
“No, this is correct. It’s ‘Dignified Fungal Testicles’.” (Aomoto)
“Are you real?” (Shuu)
“Testicles! Testicles, squeak! Pigya!” (Tamiko)
The kid who likes dirty jokes, jumped up and down with delight.
“Akabane, like Nerima, was ruled by a female ‘Master Threadweaver’. So, women tended to have a strong position in the community and in the family. My mother’s side of the family is also from Akabane, and even my uncle becomes a weakling in front of my mother and grandmother.” (Aomoto)
The Shishkaba Sisters, the Amazoness-like sisters who fought together withus in Ouji, belong to the Akabane Tribe. Come to think of it, the elderly duo who confessed in a trembling voice about the tyranny of their ogre wives at the BBQ must also belong to the Nerima Tribe. I am sure that the old man and his wife were also members of the Nerima Tribe.
“Meanwhile, he—the eighth rank is trying to create a stir in the Akabane society with his title. In a guild where most of the staff are women, he does not allow anyone to address him by anything other than his title, and even ignores young newcomers until they reach a certain level of ability.” (Aomoto)
“That sucks.” (Shuu)
If this were the old world, he would be trashed on social media.
“He’s a scumbag of the highest order, but he’s also one of the strongest candidates for the top spot among all [Magicians] in New Tokyo and has the greatest annihilation ability of all of them.” (Aomoto)
“Seriously?” (Shuu)
The [Mage] is a higher rank Fungal Class of the [illusionist], which means that, as the name implies, the [Mage] is able to make full use of their sporangium. In game terms, he is the most powerful wizard in New Tokyo.
“There are other funny names, but I guess the more powerful a person becomes, the crazier they get. I’ve actually met a few of them, including ‘Testicles’, but they all have their own quirks and quirks, and it makes me realize just how boring I am, an ordinary person who is bound by conventional wisdom.” (Aomoto)
“I see.” (Shuu)
I turned to Tamiko, who was excited for the second time with the “Testicles”, as she kept shouting, “Testicles! Testicles!” I put aside the question of what was normal about this person who looking overly happy and excited.
I looked over the list again. I thought I could learn a little more about their characteristics and abilities from their two names, but there was almost nothing that would be of any use. What kind of hints should I find in “Eternal Summer”?
“If you were to list the best of these people in terms of combat ability – whether against humans or beasts, killing, wounding or subduing… I would personally rank them first, third, eighth, ninth, and twelfth are a cut above the rest.” (Aomoto)
“The reason why they are not simply ranked from first to fifth is that the ranking is based on the number of quests completed and the difficulty of the quests, not on the order of ability, right?” (Shuu)
“That’s a good answer. Of course, some of the rankers are monstrously strong. Reaching level 70, 80 or having a naturally higher rank Fungal Class.” (Aomoto)
“Whoa.” (Shuu)
I knew that, it was a big fish swagger for the master class.
“The top of those with the highest level of the higher rank Fungal Class can be roughly classified into two, it is according to the tendency to learn an ability. The two types are the general-purpose type and the specialized type. That’s not the official terminology, though.” (Aomoto)
An unfamiliar phrase appears. Tamiko and I just looked at her in confusion.
“The general-purpose type is literally the orthodox hunters. The versatility of the higher rank Fungal Classes allows them to respond flexibly to all kinds of situations. The first, fourth, and seventh rankers are like this. I think Mr. Giran and you are the same way. But only if they don’t have any secret hidden skills.” (Aomoto)
As she was staring at me with mischievous eyes, I smiled vaguely to brush it off. Thank goodness Ms. Kaike was not here.
“The most common type of hunter, including me, is the general-purpose type. On the other hand, specialized-type hunters are those with unique skills and powerful ‘Fusion Fungal Abilitiies’. Although they lack skillfulness and adaptability, they are able to push their luck with one trick or special technique. Although they are few in number overall, these types are inevitably concentrated in the top ranks. The fifth, sixth, and that girl named Toroko is also of this type.” (Aomoto)
“I understand unique, but what is Fusion Fungal Skill?” (Shuu)
I’ve never seen this word even in the Fungal Skill encyclopedia.
“…Fufu, you’re really quite interesting, especially with the imbalance between your ability and knowledge.” (Aomoto)
“My bad.” (Shuu)
“Sorry, squeak.” (Tamiko)
When my beautiful superior smiles at me looking up at my face, I can’t help but feel this way. Even if I know the other person is a crazed furball maniac, it feels alright. I know how how any boy would feel at this moment.
“Once you have mastered a Fungal Skill, its properties and effects can change later on. It is Evolution or Fusion. The former is, as the name implies, Evolved Fungal Skill is an event in which a Fungal Skill is reborn more powerful. For example, a [Fireball] becomes a [Large Fireball] or an [Giant Fireball]. This is a change that can happen even if you are not a Fungal Genius.” (Aomoto)
The growth and change of my [War Hammer], [Sensory Spores], and Tamiko’s [Squirrel Avatar] as the level increased changed, but this seems to be different from others.
“On the other hand, a Fusion is an event in which multiple Fungal Skills are combined to create a completely different Fungal Skill. The most obvious example of this is the ‘Poison Slash Whip’ used by ‘Blade Beauty’. This is a whip skill that combines a corrosive poison that melts bones and a sharpness that can cut through rock. She uses it in all directions, and her true strength is her one-versus-many battle.” (Aomoto)
“I didn’t know there are skills like that.” (Shuu)
When I imagine it, I am intrigued by the sense of awesomeness. It’s like, “Welcome to my realm.” I’m not sure I’d be able to master such a dangerous thing in real life.
“Certainly, there are many cases where the Fusion Fungal Skill is a powerful skill, but… It’s not necessarily always a benefit. The previous example is presumed to be a skill that fuses [Dagger] and [White Whip] or [White String]. But, you can’t use the original Fungal Skills individually. In other words, the number of skills you have will decrease. If it was something you were used to using, you would be in trouble, wouldn’t you? Even for an Evolved Fungal Skill, it could be irreversible as well.” (Aomoto)
“Hmm…” (Shuu)
It is true that it would be a problem if my frequently used [Katana] and [Fireball] could no longer be used. It would be nice if the ability could compensate for that, but that may not always be the case.