The Bottom-tier Dungeon Streamer Meets a Famous Streamer by Misunderstanding His Strength and Using the Skill "Intimidation," and Becomes a Legend Without Realizing It?! - Chap 15: Secret

“Regarding your special skill, I’d like to talk about it a bit… Is that okay?” Suddenly, S-rank streamer Rinon appears. She mentioned something about a skill. Shinya, anticipating the worst, tries to maintain a composed expression as he responds.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“No idea? I find that hard to believe.”

“If I don’t understand, then I don’t. I’m busy right now. Sorry, but could you leave?”

Getting slightly agitated, Shinya glares at Rinon. His wish for her to leave, unfortunately, goes unheard.

“You’ve got quite a scary look in your eyes, don’t you? But unfortunately, it doesn’t faze me. Even if you wanted to scare me, a thousand tanks wouldn’t be enough.”

With a confident smile, Rinon intrudes into Shinya’s house without permission.

“Hey, don’t just barge in like that!”

The persistent girl, however, Shinya couldn’t refuse her. Rinon’s channel subscribers exceeded 10 million, and at times, her concurrent viewers reached nearly a million. If she were to reveal Shinya’s secret during her live stream, it would spread across the world in no time.

“Did my intimidation really get exposed? If it did, I need to find a way to keep her from talking…”

Preparing himself for the worst, Shinya stands in front of Rinon, who casually takes a seat on his sofa. She glances around the room as if trying to confirm something before speaking.

“I watched your stream earlier. It was entertaining, and your tactics were well thought out.”

“Well, thanks, I guess.”

“As a way to deal with those you can’t directly touch, there’s nothing more effective than what you did. In the end, there were no injuries. Sure, they were fighting each other, but it only resulted in minor scratches. You’re quite clever, aren’t you?”

“It was just luck.”

“Is that so? I think using ‘Summoning Bell’ to gather monsters shows a lack of confidence in your own abilities.”

“That place was only the first layer of the dungeon, and I knew the kind of monsters that would gather.”

“Even so, for just an F-rank to handle it alone, it’s not an ordinary scale. Your skills, your… that ability of yours is extremely intriguing. I was so interested that I even skipped my own live stream and rushed here.”

Rinon looks at Shinya with a childlike expression, like a child facing a new toy.

“……….”

And Shinya doesn’t say anything. He can’t help but think that even Sakurako should know better than to casually reveal someone’s home address. However, he can’t voice his thoughts.

Rinon did mention the skill, but she hasn’t revealed its details yet. So, saying anything unnecessary here would only dig his own grave.

Shinya remains silent, waiting for Rinon to speak.

“I guess you have no intention of sharing any unnecessary information. You’re quite cautious, huh? But don’t worry, I’m not here to devour you or anything like that.”

“Being wary of someone who suddenly visits your home without an appointment is only natural, right?”

‘You won’t be popular if you get angry over such a small thing, okay?　I’m not being sarcastic when I say …… to you. After all, you’re the famous Shinya-sama. It seems like you have a fan club or something, and people will laugh at you if you say you’re not popular. Well, you can’t compete with my popularity.”

Shocked by the mention of a fan club, Shinya is taken aback, but Rinon continues speaking.

“From what I saw, it seemed like you weren’t using any support items made by corporations or any relics from the dungeon. If you can deal with those monsters just by yourself, it’s only natural to assume you possess some special skill, right?”

“……….”

Skills in the dungeon are special abilities that humans awaken spontaneously while exploring the dungeon. The details are still unknown, but it’s as if they level up in a game and new abilities and their names come to mind.

The skill “Intimidation” is not a name that Shinya came up with himself. It just appeared in his mind on its own.

“So, I guess you have no intention of answering, huh? Well, with the current technology, there’s no way to find out what kind of skills someone has. If you stay silent, there’s no way to confirm it.”

“I see.” Shinya lets out a deep sigh, wondering if it means that his secret about being weak hasn’t been exposed after all. However, Rinon’s words are not over yet.

“But that’s actually quite frightening, isn’t it? Having the power to kill someone in an instant with a skill that leaves no evidence and can’t be detected by any examination. You know, like those guys, Mutou or something? If people with malicious intent start using skills for crimes, there would be no way to hold them accountable.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Maybe you still don’t know, but the Dungeon Association bestows the S-rank title only on individuals with such special skills. Up to A-rank, it’s determined by exam results and achievements as a streamer, but S-rank is different. It’s a rank the association created to manage individuals with abnormal skills.”

This is a fact that is not publicly disclosed to the general public. Rinon casually revealed something that only those appointed as S-rank would know. The implications of this revelation…

“Wait, are you telling me to become an S-rank?”

“Yeah. I appreciate you catching on so quickly. By the way, I’m feeling a bit thirsty. Can you make me some tea? Royal milk tea, please.”

“…”

Shinya thought about interrupting the conversation, but seeing how formidable Rinon seemed, he decided to comply and make the tea as she requested.

“Making royal milk tea is quite a process… Oh well, I have some instant ones here. That should do,” Shinya muttered to himself, pouring hot water and making the tea.

“Thanks.”

Rinon thanked him lightly and sipped from his teacup.

“This is instant, right?”

“It’s the only thing I have.”

“Well, it’s fine. The taste is probably the same anyway.”

As Rinon lightly thanked him, she took a sip from the teacup, seemingly content with the instant tea Shinya had prepared.

Rinon placed the teacup on the saucer and looked straight at Shinya.

“So, what about you? Do you have any intention of becoming an S-rank?”

“No, I refuse.” 

“Why? Becoming an S-rank would mean receiving full support from the Association. You could join the deep-level explorations they are promoting and make enough money to live a carefree life forever,” Rinon explained.

“I’m not interested.”

Becoming an S-rank might secure a comfortable life without having to go mushroom hunting, but for Shinya, it also means risking his life. S-rank streamers have the duty to explore the uncharted deep levels, where even his intimidation might not work on the monsters he encounters.

Besides, there’s nothing good about drawing more attention to himself. Shinya made up his mind and shook his head.

“Y-You’re refusing? After I personally came to invite you, you’re turning it down? …Huh, you really are brave, just as you appear.”

Rinon smiles a different, lecherous smile than she has ever smiled before. Rinon has been gaining viewers not only for her exceptional beauty, but also for her overwhelming power.

Queen of Killing.

That’s Rinon’s alias. Among the tens of thousands of dungeon streamers, she is known as the strongest girl, single-handedly.

“…………”

Confronted by such a girl, Shinya struggled to endure the pain in his stomach and managed to respond, “No matter what anyone says, I have no intention of becoming an S-rank.”

“Then try to stop me here. If the renowned Shinya-sama is up to the task, it should be easy, right?” Rinon said, even though they were not inside the dungeon, assuming a combat stance. Shinya, unable to do anything else, resorted to his last resort and activated ‘Intimidation.’

“──Back off.”

“……” Rinon momentarily gasped, fear that she hadn’t experienced in years arising within her heart. As a girl who could kill A-rank monsters in one breath, she was now feeling fear.

“…The rumors weren’t an exaggeration, I see,” Rinon said, giving a small smile as she returned to the sofa. “It’s alright, you don’t have to make that face. I was just joking. I have no intention of fighting you here. But, you truly are incredibly strong. To make me, an S-rank, feel fear… there are not many like you. I’ve decided. You deserve to be an S-rank. With your abilities, you’re suitable to be my partner.”

“No, you can’t just─”

“You have no right to refuse. Besides, this is a decision of the Dungeon Association, you know? As a mere streamer, there’s no way you can refuse.” 

“That’s… true,” Shinya admitted, unable to come up with a counterargument and falling silent.

“Aah, it’s sending shivers down my spine. To make me feel this way, it’s beyond my expectations. I may not know the details of your skill, but it’s certain that you possess significant power.” 

“No, it’s not like─”

Without a chance to breathe a sigh of relief that his weakness might not have been exposed after all, Shinya found himself being scrutinized by Rinon, who was visibly thrilled.

“You’re going to be busy from now on, you know? After all, you’re going to be my partner.” 

“No, I─”

“I think you’ll be summoned by the Association as early as tomorrow, so wait for that. Once you become an S-rank, I’ll personally collaborate with you. Hehe, I’m looking forward to it!”

Laughing with a childlike expression, Rinon gulps down the remaining milk tea and leaves the room. All that is left is the calm that seems to follow the storm.

“…I can’t take this anymore,” Shinya said in a trembling voice, collapsing onto the bed. 

He wondered if that peaceful and ordinary daily life would never return again, and he cried alone.