The Earth-san Has Leveled Up!

1-5. Got a Job

Since there happened to be a treasure chest nearby, Meiko decided to take a break inside it.

The grass around her might be hiding snakes, so sitting out in the open wasn’t an option. The empty box turned out to be surprisingly useful.

Sitting compactly in the box in a curled-up position, Meiko rolled a candy made from synthesized grass around in her mouth.

She looked just like a puppy placed inside a box.

If a man came across her now, he’d surely misunderstand.

“Found a monster girl in a dungeon treasure chest—cue the start of a rom-com life!”

Since doing nothing wasn’t ideal, Meiko decided to try using her synthesis and appraisal skill on the Sacred Sword Ortina.

According to the appraisal, the Sacred Sword Ortina’s enhancement value was 0/125.

This was the same as a grimoire, so it was likely of similar rarity.

Incidentally, the sword’s name seemed to have been given by someone here. If there were a weapon appraisal skill, it would probably show up as something like “saber” or “military sword.”

Fortunately, she still had plenty of springs obtained on the first floor, hanging from her pouch.

The string to hang them was crafted using a sewing kit she’d bought in an effort to boost her “girly power.”

The result was a barbaric-looking decoration of spoils, making one question what “girly power” even meant.

Meiko snapped off one of the springs and synthesized it with Ortina. Naturally, she didn’t forget to mark it as a favorite.

Sacred Sword Ortina 7/125

“The improvement rate is low. As expected, items of high rarity don’t enhance much.”

She synthesized all but two of the remaining springs, keeping a couple in case they might come in handy.

Ultimately, Sacred Sword Ortina reached 24/125.

Meiko gritted her teeth at how heavy the enhancements felt.

Next, she decided to check her status for the first time in a while.

―――――

Hitsujiya Meiko

15 years old

Job: Changeable

Karma: +1316

Level: 4

Mana: 13/30

Skill: [Synthesis Enhancement]

Titles: [The One Who Congratulated Earth-san] [First-Floor Solo Clearer]

―――――

“Hmm!?”

Her eyes widened. A lot had changed.

The decrease in magic power was due to using [Synthesis Enhancement].

Currently, each use reduced her magic by 5.

It regenerated naturally at about 1 point per minute.

She’d used it four times and regained 3 points over time.

Well, that was fine.

The new title was another matter.

By strongly wishing to know its meaning, she could understand its effects.

―――――

[First-Floor Solo Clearer]

Awarded to those who clear the first floor of a dungeon solo.

You’ve taken your first step into the world of adventure.

Effect: Nullifies one instance of significant damage from an enemy.

―――――

“Hoho, now that’s reassuring.”

This title’s effect allowed her to negate severe damage once.

Perhaps it was to support those venturing solo into the second floor.

Either way, she decided to cherish it as a good-luck charm.

Lastly, there was the biggest change of all.

Her job was now changeable.

She considered the possible reasons: reaching the second floor, reaching level 4, defeating a certain number of enemies, or the time spent in the dungeon…

Well, she decided to leave such speculations to the experts.

When Meiko focused intently on the idea of jobs, a new window appeared before her, and the rules of jobs seemed to slam into her brain.

The phenomenon was similar to when she’d realized her synthesis skill hours earlier.

Even as the new window displayed information, Meiko stared blankly, lost in thought.

First, the rules of jobs:

―――――

Jobs reflect the individual’s connections or repeated actions within the dungeon.

Once a job is taken, it cannot be changed for 24 hours.

Taking a job grants associated Job Skills.

Changing jobs results in losing the previous Job Skills.

By training in a job, its skills can be permanently acquired as personal skills.

Permanently acquired skills remain beneficial even after changing jobs.

Jobs may undergo class changes.

Those with low karma cannot take jobs.

―――――

“For people with low karma, this seems pretty harsh. Well, serves them right. Oh, that’s so karma-like—it’s hilarious!”

Despite her outwardly sympathetic appearance, Meiko had a surprisingly dry sense of humor.

Next, what jobs were available to her?

The new window displayed a list of options, presumably reflecting jobs Meiko could currently take.

―――――

High School Girl—Full of dreams.

Loli High School Girl—Overflowing with cuteness.

Apprentice Dagger User—An introduction to dagger techniques.

Apprentice Synthesis Enhancer—Specializes in [Synthesis Enhancement].

Apprentice Recorder—Capable of keeping various records.

Apprentice Grimoire User—Specializes in combat using grimoires.

Apprentice Berserker—For beginners.

―――――

“Who’s a loli!?”

Frustrated, she pounded the bottom of the treasure chest in protest, curled up inside like a proper loli.

Setting that aside…

“There’s no Apprentice Swordsman.”

Even though she’d obtained a sword.

As the rules stated, job options reflected actions taken within the dungeon. Since she’d only struck a cool pose with the sword, its absence made sense.

Instead, Apprentice Dagger User was available, likely because of her use of scissors.

That wasn’t the right fit either.

She could only glean limited details about each job.

Focusing intently on a job brought up a description in the window.

Apprentice Recorder must have appeared due to her map-drawing and photo-taking.

Apprentice Synthesis Enhancer and Apprentice Grimoire User were self-explanatory.

After some thought, Meiko chose Apprentice Grimoire User.

Despite obtaining a sword, she still trusted her grimoire the most.

Besides, the magical phenomenon of a floating book was utterly fascinating to her.

She wasn’t in a position to pick eccentric options, and Apprentice Berserker seemed terrifying. Its “For beginners” label felt like a warning not to knock on that door.

“Sometimes weird options turn out to be strong, but oh well.”

Meiko changed her job.

The moment she became an Apprentice Grimoire User, another surge of knowledge overwhelmed her. This time, it was intense.

Mouth agape like a cat reacting to something odd, Meiko stared blankly while something incredible unfolded in her mind.

Having grasped the details of her new job, Meiko was ecstatic.

“This is the moment Meiko-chan levels up!”

She wondered if she even needed a sword anymore.

The job’s abilities were compelling enough to make her feel that way.

Her updated status looked like this:

―――――――

Hitsujiya Meiko

15 years old

Job: Apprentice Grimoire User

Karma: +1356 《Got a job +40》

Level: 4

Mana: 19/19

Skills

[Synthesis Enhancement]

Job Skills

[Grimoire Release]

[Grimoire Slot +1]

[Magic Attack Up (Small) when Grimoire Equipped]

[Grimoire Operation Boost (Small)]

[Grimoire Creation: Beginner Edition]

[Grimoire User’s Insight]

Titles: [The One Who Congratulated Earth-san] [First-Floor Solo Clearer]

―――――――

A new category, Job Skills, appeared in the status window, packed with newly unlocked abilities.

Thanks to the earlier Pishagoon moment, Meiko already understood what these job skills did.

The highlight was [Grimoire Release].

This skill was incredible. As an Apprentice Grimoire User, Meiko could cast magic directly from a grimoire.

The magic was limited to what was stored in the grimoire, and each use consumed mana.

Additionally, [Grimoire Slot +1] allowed her to equip two grimoires.

At last, the spare grimoire she’d kept was going to shine.

[Grimoire User’s Insight] apparently nurtured her body as a grimoire user.

It didn’t seem to have immediate effects.

“Huh!?”

Meiko froze in shock.

For some reason, her maximum mana had drastically decreased.

You’d think a job like Grimoire User would boost mana, yet here it was, inexplicably lower.

It had dropped by a whopping 11 points.

She worried about whether she’d be okay, but there was no undoing what was done.

She’d simply have to manage with what she had.

And so, Meiko decided to let her grimoire cast magic.

“Water Shot, activate!”

She commanded one of her grimoires.

Just like the magic books on the first floor, the grimoire rapidly flipped its pages.

Moments later, a sphere of water formed. At that moment, she understood that she could choose when to fire it and adjust her aim.

With no target in sight, she fired it at random.

To Meiko, it looked like an unbelievably fast fastball streaking down the corridor.

If there had been a speed gun, it would have clocked 170 kilometers per hour.

It was even faster than the magic from the monster book.

“Whoaaa!”

Meiko’s excitement soared.

She slapped the edge of the treasure chest, bubbling with glee.

Indirect as it might be, she had just used magic.

The era of Legendary Magical Girl Meiko was officially underway.

She tried using magic with the other grimoire too.

Because the grimoires she acquired came from water-elemental magic books, both could only perform either Water Shot or create about a bucket’s worth of water.

Still, that was more than enough.

“I can’t let this chance slip! Fusapoyo, today is the day you meet your end!”

Meiko clambered out of the treasure chest, but just as one foot touched the ground, she paused and pulled it back.

She remembered using mana.

Checking her status window, she saw her remaining mana was down to 9.

Factoring in natural recovery, she guessed that each spell cost her 5 mana.

Meiko decided to wait until her mana replenished.

While waiting, her smartphone vibrated weakly.

Its battery had finally died.

A beginner to smartphones, as she’d only recently gotten one for starting high school, Meiko didn’t own luxuries like a portable charger.

Regrettably, her photography session came to an end.

Stowing the phone in her pouch, Meiko settled in for a boring wait.

She gulped down the last sips of her bottled tea and rubbed her eyes.

Having spent roughly seven hours exploring the dungeon, Meiko was more fatigued than she realized.

The moment she stayed still, drowsiness gently embraced her.

She fought to stay awake, checking her mana in the status window.

Still stuck at 11, not quite full.

12… 13… 14…

The number hit 14, and Meiko finally succumbed to sleep.

Having seen snakes climbing walls earlier, Meiko unconsciously closed the treasure chest lid with a soft pat.

Meiko’s fortune that day lay in the treasure chest having a keyhole and tiny gaps for air.

Had it been more airtight, she might have suffocated.

Thus, the first person to spend an entire day in a dungeon was born.