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 9: Smooth Sailing

As the start signal sounds, some teams dash forward at full speed, while others progress more slowly, observing their surroundings. Each team begins action according to their respective strategies. The initial positions determined by lottery and the doors to the next layer randomly generated, exploring the vast dungeon is no easy task.

“Is it really okay to walk this slowly? Nin nin!” Ninoko expresses her anxiety.

“Of course, it is! Are you doubting what Shinya-sama says?” Shouta retorts.

“Oh, no, I’m not doubting him! Nin! It’s just that the RTA runs I always watch are done at an incredible speed…”

“S-rank might be like that,” Shinya responds seriously.

“But this time, including myself, there are many low-ranked individuals. It might take half a day if we make a wrong turn on the way to the fifth layer. The monsters get stronger and the terrain more complex as we go deeper. It’s not wise to exhaust ourselves early on.”

“I see! As expected of Shinya-sama! Nin nin nin!”

“No, I’m just stating the obvious—”

“That’s right! Shinya-sama is amazing! …But, Ninoko-chan, Shinya-sama is going to marry me, so don’t get too close, okay?”

“That’s right! Don’t interfere with Sakurako-chan!”

“…………”

What kind of hellish atmosphere is this…? Shinya wonders if a stream can really operate in such a condition, yet Sakurako’s concurrent viewers continue to rise.

〈Sak-chan is on her usual form today〉

〈Finally, we get to see Shinya-sama’s battle〉

〈But why isn’t Shinya-sama streaming?〉

〈It seems to break his concentration〉

〈As expected, his dedication is different!〉

With a stomachache from the tense atmosphere, Shinya continues to walk expressionlessly.

“Ah, a fork in the road, and there are three paths. Which way should we go, Shinya-sama? I always rely on my intuition when I stream RTAs, so I’ll leave it to you!”

Sakurako looks at Shinya with sparkling eyes. Internally, Shinya curses, “Like I would know,” but he carefully observes the surroundings.

“The first one, to the right.”

“By the way, nin! May I ask why?”

“It’s the surrounding terrain—the way the grass grows, the way the rocks crumble, the trail left by monsters. Doors tend to appear in areas where more monsters are sensed.”

Thanks to his experience evading monsters while mushroom hunting, Shinya has developed a far superior ability to read the terrain than other streamers. Following Shinya’s directions, it doesn’t take even 30 minutes before they find the door leading to the second layer.

“Amazing! Shinya-sama! To find the door to the second layer so quickly, as expected! I’m falling for you all over again! My heart’s fluttering, I think I might die!”

Overwhelmed, Sakurako throws herself into Shinya’s arms.

〈Sak-chan is totally smitten〉

〈But Shinya-sama’s judgment is spot-on, isn’t it?〉

〈He’s not just strong but also has great observational skills, why is such a person ranked F?〉

〈Shinya-style Kenpo is awesome!〉

Forgetting they are in a Real-Time Attack (RTA), after a lively exchange, the four of them proceed to the second layer. Currently, they are in the lead, a remarkable speed for their low rank, though it wouldn’t stand out on a global scale.

“I’ve never made it to the second layer this quickly before! Nin nin! And to think we’ve hardly encountered any monsters, it’s like a miracle! Nin nin nin!”

“Shinya-sama is truly amazing! He’s a real hero!”

“Hello to my future husband!”

The trio is exuberant, but Shinya primarily operates on the first layer. He has no idea if his knowledge will apply to the higher layers. After all, there’s a limit to how long they can avoid combat.

“Please don’t let any strong monsters appear…”

Shinya mutters quietly, hoping no one hears. As if in response, a monster appears.

“GYAAAAAAA!!!”

A huge monster resembling a medieval knight with a lance, a C-rank monster known as “Dead Knight.” Although low in intelligence, its combat ability is formidable.

“I’ll take this one down. Nin nin!”

Ninoko is the first to react.

“Ninoko’s ninjutsu sparkles today too! Take this! Ninjutsu Hellfire!”

While saying this, Ninoko forms signs with incredible speed. Her special suit reacts to this, replicating the ninjutsu.

“AAAAHHHHH!!!”

The “Dead Knight” bursts into flames and turns to ash in an instant.

“…Strong.”

Shinya inadvertently mutters, realizing that the girl is far stronger than he is. He decides to let her handle the combat from now on, making up some excuse.

“Still not as good as Shinya-sama, but it seems this ninja can fight.”

“Shouta-dono is not very strong, so I recommend hiding behind me or Shinya-sama in a fight! Nin nin!”

“Shut up! I’m a hero!”

“Is that so? More importantly, this ninja suit is packed with the latest technology from Kumiyama Industries! Everyone, please support Kumiyama Industries! Nin nin!”

“Don’t sell out to sponsors during an RTA!”

Despite the noise, the four continue to make good progress. However, after walking non-stop for over an hour, Shinya is reaching his limit.

“Let’s take a break here.”

He tells them, maintaining his usual cool demeanor.

“I’m still fine, though. Nin nin.”

“I’m still okay too.”

“I’m not tired at all yet!”

The other three seem to have plenty of energy left, but Shinya, knowing he needs a break before he shows any weakness, looks at them seriously.

“But the next layer is the third one. We might not have time to rest from here on. Pushing ourselves won’t shorten our time. We need a break.”

“…That’s so sweet! You’re considering our condition even though you’re still fine… As expected of Shinya-sama! I made a lunchbox for you, Shinya-sama, please eat it!”

Sakurako takes out a lunchbox from her item box and hands it to Shinya.

The item box is the only item provided by the Dungeon Association. It’s a small bag that can hold as much cargo as a large warehouse and doesn’t feel heavy. It has restrictions outside the dungeon but can preserve food from spoiling inside.

“Lunchbox… Well, thank you.”

Shinya, expecting a massive onslaught of food due to Sakurako’s usual behavior, is on guard. However, the lunchbox she hands him is of a normal size.

“It looks genuinely appetizing.”

As someone who cooks for himself, Shinya understands the effort put into the lunchbox. Despite her attitude, he feels a slight stir in his heart realizing she cares for him.

“…How easy am I to please?”

Shaking his head vigorously, he tries to clear his mind of any distracting thoughts.

“Is it tasty, Shinya-sama?”

“…It’s delicious. But… I mean, can we stop with the ‘Shinya-sama’ thing?”

“Is that a no?”

“It’s not a no, but it just… doesn’t sit right with me. Just ‘Shinya-san’ is fine.”

“…! Yes! I love you, Shinya-san!!”

Shinya doesn’t understand why such a small change makes her so happy, but he hopes adjusting these small things will get rid of some of the strange overestimations.

〈Is it just me or are things getting a bit romantic here?〉

〈Shinya-sama isn’t just strong, he’s kind too〉

〈Sak-chan looks completely smitten…〉

〈Don’t start getting jealous now lol〉

Comments continue to flow. The start has been smooth, but not everything will go so smoothly.

“…Boring tournament. Just found some easy targets, maybe I’ll mess with them a bit.”

Men hidden behind rocks laugh mischievously, looking forward to their next move.