“Fufufu…”

Ten minutes have passed since then.

I sold all the scales, bones, and fish meat I had and returned to the beach after buying another worn-out rod.

I also bought some bait this time. In exchange, my entire fortune has sunk to a mere 65 Serin.

Anyway, I will definitely eat that fish! I’ll have you know that I’m the type to hold onto his grudges.

Even in competitive games, I get hot-headed, and I often play them with Tsumugi, but unfortunately, my winning rate is not very high. That girl is good at competitive games. She’s strong enough to have won the tournament that awarded the participation ticket for this game. Her best games were FPS, and she was at a level where you could say she was born to fight wars.

Still, I myself think that a girl who fearlessly laughs at the sea is kind of weird.

Well, whatever. I decided to catch that fish… “Nushi(temporary name)”. That may be the reason for my being in this world.
#Note: 「ぬし/主 Nushi」 Ruler, Leader, King, Master or the like. In this case, referring to “boss animal that is living in the area”.

It is kind of a shabby reason, but there’s no way I’ll stay still and let it get away with it!

“Alright, attach the bait~”

I put bait on the fishing hook that had nothing on it previously. The bait is made of boilies rather than earthworms. It can’t be helped since it’s the bait that was the cheapest. I’ll buy a better one once I’ve saved enough money. I’ll just have to bear with it for now.

They also sold things like lures, by the way.

I cast my line onto the surface of the sea and concentrated on the tip of the pole.

Like hell, I can stare blankly at the clouds! I don’t have time for that!

“Here it is!”

[Acquired A ‘Herring’]

It might be the effect of using bait, but it did feel like the hook got a much better bite than before.

Well, it may be that there aren’t many stupid fish that get caught without bait. I had 30 baits in stock. Guess I’ll have to go to the tool shop again once I’ve caught 30 of them.

However, the moment the rod started pulling, I felt something different than usual.

There may be some mechanics that I’m not aware of. It may just be me imagining things, but let’s be more conscious while fishing. It’ll be a big discovery if it affects the quality of the fish I can catch or the value of the catch.

There is definitely a quality value to them, by the way.

When I sold the items at the tool shop, each of them had a different price. All of them were small fish, so the selling price wasn’t that high, but there was a difference. It varied from 1 to 3 Serin for small ones, and 10 to 30 Serin for large ones.

Once my Energy Production reaches III, acquiring Fishing Mastery is a must.

“Here it comes…”

I’ll try to see how it goes without pulling it right away. Indeed, there is something different. The pull is becoming stronger and then weaker.

An indescribable ebb and flow, akin to the feeling of aura, was transmitted through the rod and then into my hands.

It is very slight, but the amount of time it stays strong is shorter than the amount of time it stays weak.

“NOW!”

[Acquired A ‘Sardine’]

I may have only caught a sardine, but it is the biggest sardine I have ever caught.

There has to be some kind of detection for it, that feeling of being able to discern the freshness of the fish amidst fishing.

Game mechanics like this really get me going.

“Oh?”

It’s not comparable to the “Nushi(temporary name)”, but it’s not as weak as the ones before it, as shown by how much the rod bent from the strength of the fish’s pull.

… Well, it might be because the specs are too low with the pole being so worn out as it is. It would be a waste if I let it escape. So I consciously pulled around the time when the fish’s pull was stronger, just like I did previously.

[Acquired A ‘Killer Fish’]

I wonder what’s with the sudden appearance of a monster-like fish. I’ve been catching herring and sardines so far, so I thought it was just real fish here, but it seems to be different. In addition, Mr. Killer Fish was moving his mouth with sharp fangs when I was putting him in the item column. No matter how you look at it, that’s a monster.

Depending on the area, this guy would very likely appear as a normal monster.

I’ve somewhat gotten the hang of it for now. Let’s keep up the momentum and catch more fish!

As a result, 30 baits were consumed and 26 fish were caught. Four of them escaped while I was adjusting to the strength of the pull. I think the time it takes for each kind of fish to escape is fixed.

I caught 14 herrings, 6 sardines, 3 horse mackerel, 1 killer fish, and 2 bonefish. No matter how I look at it, the last two were monsters. The bonefish’s body was literally made up of bones. I was surprised when I caught it for the first time.

Or rather, the thought of something with nothing but bones like this living in the sea creeps me out.

“Well, let’s dismantle all but one herring.”

There’s something I want to try. Whether or not the dismantled remains can be sold for more Serin.

Either way, I am going to have to do it in order to acquire the dismantling skill anyway, but there shouldn’t be a problem with having a lot of money.

I then carefully aimed the Beginner’s Dismantling Knife at the loot.

†

“I’m hungry…”

Since then, I have been in an infinite loop of fishing → dismantling → selling → buying bait → fishing for several hours.

In short, I came to the conclusion that the yield was higher when I dismantled them.

I also bought higher-grade bait, earthworms.

Above all, the number of fish I caught exceeded 100, so if it’s just the condition, I can get Fishing Mastery II. It’ll be later after I rank up my energy production.

As soon as I got enthusiastic about fishing like this, I got hungry.

As a Second Life project, there must be a feeling of hunger.

It’s like when you suddenly realize you’re hungry at 2 a.m. in the middle of the night in real life.

“I guess I’ll go eat something.”

Fortunately, my pocket is relatively full. I don’t know if the restaurant’s prices are moderate, but I don’t think they will charge high prices in the first town.

I put the fishing rod back in the item column and left my camp on the bridge to go to the town’s center.

Some of the fish have not yet been dismantled, but I can do that later. I want to eat food now.

“Oh.”

Ahead of the course, you can see the square where the players first appeared. Compared to the beginning, the crowd of people is small, maybe 10 or 20 at most. A human and a jewel appeared to be negotiating items among them.

I wonder if business can be established even though it hasn’t even been a day since the game started. I casually approach the distance where I can hear the conversation.

“5 copper is 375 Serin.”

“Thank you. The shop sells them expensively, you really helped me.”

Both are in initial equipment, so it’s hard to judge, but the one who sells it seems like a merchant, and the one who buys it seems like a blacksmith. That’s the atmosphere I got.

“Ah, little lady!”

The moment I was about to pass by the two who finished the negotiations, the merchant came this way.

I look back, thinking about what he is talking about. Hey, there’s no girl.

“No, I mean you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. So you’re a girl using ‘ore’ to refer to yourself?”
#Note: ‘Ore’ is a Japanese first-person pronoun with an extremely rough image. Often used by men.

To think of it, I was a female character.

The voice, which felt so wrong at first, became normal before long, and I had completely forgotten about it.

“No, I’m just using a female character for certain reasons.”

“I see. So you’re an open nekama? Isn’t that fine?”

Nekama… Well, it’s literally a man in real life, but it’s a word that refers to someone who uses a female avatar on the internet. Open… That is, someone who professes to be a nekama. There is no discriminatory meaning because there are people who just find the woman’s avatar visually pleasing.

So, the avatar of the merchant who called out to me was a cool-looking, handsome boy.

He is taller than me. If it were me in real life, I would be able to figure out how tall he was. But in the game, I don’t know my height, so I also can’t measure his height. Anyway, what caught my eye when I looked up was his hair. The color is a dull gold, a color that somehow seems to really exist.

“So, what do you want?”

“No, I smelled the sea, so I thought you might have some seafood items.”

“It smells?”

I smelled myself, but I can’t really tell. Since I fell into the sea once, I may smell.

“It seems like you do. I went to the grassfield once, and it smelled like grass.”

“Oh…”

I thought it was just the smell of the sea, so they replicated the grassfield as well? It’s pretty detailed, huh? Well, they used a lot of money for this project after all.

“So, do you have any fish or shellfish? I know a child who wants to improve his cooking skills, so I’ll buy it at a higher price than if it were sold at a store.”

“Hmm…”

I put my right hand to my mouth and thought.

About 50 fish that have not been dismantled are stored in the item column. Well, most of them are herring, sardines, and horse mackerel.
However, since the dismantling skill has not yet appeared, I would like to sell it after dismantling it, even if it sells only a little higher.

“I’m sorry. I also planned to use it. I’ll pass this time.”

“I see. I’m Alto, and when you want to chat with me, send it to ‘Altorese’. I can’t buy that much right now, but I’ll buy anything if it’s an item.”

“Okay. I’ll remember. But, can you even establish a reseller business this early?”

“Well, yes. Buy it cheaply from those who are fighting on the front lines, and sell it to those who want it at a cheaper price than the store. Then, I make those who fight on the front lines bring some potions and sell them at a higher price than in the town at the hunting ground. Just like that, I now have 8000 Serin.”

“Wow, you’re like a real merchant.”

Meanwhile, I only had 2700 Serin at the moment.

If I sell the fish I have now and deduct the cost of the bait, I should be able to get 4500 Serin. Even so, getting 8000 Serin just by reselling items, he’s amazing as a merchant.

“Hahaha. If you need anything, go to Altorese Company! Just kidding.”

“Then, sell me some good fishing rods. It’s okay once you get one.”

“Fishing rod, hm? That’s a tool, then. We can make one if we have the materials. I have an acquaintance, you want me to introduce you?”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course! But on the promise that if you don’t have materials, you’ll buy them from me.”

He’s really good at business. It’s interesting because it’s like watching a real merchant. It’s kind of a role-play thing.

“Then please.”

“Thank you very much for the business.”

That’s a magnificent way of using language. It’s refreshing to hear that.

Unexpectedly, maybe he was doing customer service work in real life.

“Is that some kind of performance?”

“That’s right. My favorite manga character acts like this.”

“I see.”

It’s way off of my guess. When I thought that, Alto opened his mouth with a good look and a hand gesture.

“Then I’ll contact him, so please wait a moment.”

“Ah, then there’s something I want you to tell me while I’m at it.”

Alto tilts his head with a wondering look on his face.

I had completely forgotten during the conversation, but when I heard the word “wait”, I remembered.

“You know where the restaurant is?”

†

My first meal since coming to Dimension Wave was horse mackerel and herring.

I gave the fish to the child who learned the cooking skill and had it grilled.

I gave away 10 herrings for free because the big ones I caught, which the kid cooked, were delicious.

By the way, I gave Alto 3 herrings as a referral fee, and he was happy.

Herring is now an ambassador of friendship. In terms of life, I think I should learn cooking skills too.

“Alto, you sure have a wide range of friendships. Are you one of those beta testers?”

I remember seeing that the company was recruiting for the beta test.

“No, it seems that beta testers are intentionally being left out this time.”

Alto says that the beta test is to fix the game’s balance and make sure that the event will happen correctly. Other than that, it will be the same from start to finish as the official version.

It lacks equality to throw beta testers, who know the contents of the game, and players who participate for the first time together. Therefore, perhaps because of the management’s intention, it seems that the game will start with all players as beginners.

“I see.”

“It seems that there were information leaks, though.”

“I heard that too, but I don’t know the content.”

Because it was against the Second Life project’s contract, some beta testers who revealed a portion of the game on an anonymous message board faced legal action. I saw that article on the internet, but I didn’t see the leaks, so I don’t know what kind of information was specifically leaked.

“So what information was leaked?”

“It’s pretty well known. They say that the Spirit race is too weak. If you want to learn, you can acquire unlimited skills, but your status is the lowest among all races, I think.”

“Is that so…?”

“Come to think of it, what race are you? I’ve never seen one like you.”

I look at myself uncomfortably.

Occasionally becoming semi-transparent, that is the characteristic of the Spirit race.

“That very Spirit race you’re talking about. I knew it wasn’t a strong race because it’s a rare type.”

“Oh. So, how is it being a Spirit?”

“Hmm. I’ve been fishing for a long time, so I don’t know, but so far, I haven’t had any problems.”

Since the stats are unified as energy, even a trivial mistake could lead to a fatal weakening, so it makes sense that they are weak as a race.

However, I think it would be a good match if you mainly do fishing or manufacturing in the town as your main jobs.

Energy Production and Mana Production are like getting experience points without doing anything.

Well, in Dimension Wave, it seems that combat classes are the main focus in terms of its content.

“I see. Let me know if you know how it feels to use it. I think there are quite a few people who want to know, since there are only a few spirits because of the information leaks.”

“Sure, if I feel like it.”

“Then I’ll be on my way. If there’s anything you want me to buy, feel free to contact me.”

“Yeah.”

I waved back to Alto.

After bowing once, Alto turned on his heels and walked away.

“Sigh…”

After letting out a sigh, I turned to look at the fishing rod that Alto’s friend had made in the item column.

Wooden Fishing Rod +2

A pole made from Flexible Branches, Common Worm Thread, and Copper Fishing Hooks. It seems that the source to acquire each of them is different, so I’m really glad to know Alto.

Alto said it was just luck to be able to get to +2, but I don’t think so. It’s most likely the level of skill and ability of the person who made it and the quality of the materials.

The Flexible Branches, Common Worm Thread, and Copper Fishing Hooks used to make the rod were the good looking ones I selected from the inventory shown to me, so it probably is right.

Also, the total is only 700 Serin. I think it’s better than buying a 600 Serin Worn-out rod, including the performance. Since it’s a rod that someone made, let’s be careful not to let fish take it away this time.

Oh, maybe it’s about time I got more energy and mana.

Name: Kizuna†Exceed　Race: Spirit
Energy: 1320　Mana: 60　Serin: 2000
Skill: Energy Production II Mana Production II

Energy Production II → Energy Production III
Produce 200 energy per hour → Produce 400 energy per hour
Required mana for rank up: 50

Since I have enough mana, I upgraded my Energy Production to III.

After two hours, I’ll be able to acquire Fishing Mastery.

“I’ve upgraded my skill, gotten a new rod made, and filled my stomach. Let’s go to the second round… oh!”

I got a flash of inspiration. Isn’t the fish you can catch during the day and at night different?

Since there is a mechanic such as hunger, there must be sleepiness as well. If that’s the case, when fishing at night, I may get sleepy and be unable to go. It’s a little early, but should I take a nap at the inn?

In that case, it would be better to send a message to my sisters…

I select the chat column from the cursor menu. I inputted [Tsumugi†Exceed] and sent a chat.

For a while, a ringing sound resounded in my ears, like a phone system sound.

“Kizuna-onii-chan? Did something happen?”

“Yeah, I’m thinking about going to sleep today. I’m thinking of contacting you just in case.”

“Are you going to bed already? Isn’t it too early?”

“No, I wanted to find out if there was a difference in the fish I could catch during the day and at night.”

“I see. I understand. I’ll tell Kanade-onee-chan.”

“Yeah, thanks. By the way, how about you?”

“Hmm~ fighting normally,”

“Hey hey… are you okay?”

“Ahaha, I’m just surrounded by five monsters~”

To think about it, my younger sister used to talk to Nee-san while playing FPS. I was on the very same battlefield, so I kept it a secret that I was a little irritated.

Moreover, it’s unpleasant that her KDA was the highest.

“Hey, concentrate!”

Beep! I closed the chat.

Come to think of it, it was Tsumugi who got the right to participate in the Dimension Wave in the first place. If it’s only about 5 monsters, it might really be okay.

… I’m not really sure about that, but I guess I’ll look for an inn now.

Call up the map from the cursor menu and search for an inn. Choose five inns that look good.

Well, since it’s a game, there probably isn’t that much of a difference, but the prices differ depending on the inns.

In the end, I chose an inn in the middle, neither cheap nor expensive.

“─It’s 150 Serin per night.”

A woman who seems to be the owner of the store, and this is also the voice of a female voice actor I heard somewhere.

I pay 150 Serin for the room, get the key, and head to the room.

In addition, it seems that the inn can be used 24 hours a day as long as the money is paid. In other words, you can go shopping after resting at the inn. I feel like I’m on a trip.

Anyway, I look at the interior of the inn. There are no customers. Well, on the first day of the game, there aren’t many people who book an inn this early.

Among the inns I checked, it felt like a normal hotel. The cheapest place had cracks in the wall.

“Here?”

I insert the key into the door keyhole with the same number “101” as the key and open the door.

The room was a normal room. It’s a little narrower than a real hotel, but it’s within what I had imagined.

I sit on the bed. It’s as soft as a bed in my room. If I put it in a bad way, it is not soft enough for a hotel bed.

“… For now, let’s sleep.”

I hesitate to sleep with my clothes and shoes on because of my lifestyle.

I put my shoes on the side and took off my clothes. Then, a little girl in underwear appears.

“─Oops, taking that off is out of the question!”

The devil hit me. To put it simply, I couldn’t strip off my underwear. Well, there’s no reason for a game for all ages to have such an obscene system built in.

“Tch.”

It’s not that I’m particularly concerned about it, but I click my tongue halfway as a joke and lie down on the bed as originally planned.

When I closed my eyes with a blanket that was as warm as my room, I became sleepy as if I had taken sleeping pills. Maybe the system makes it easier to fall asleep. Even in real life, it would be easier if I could sleep as well as this.

When I was thinking about it in my vague head, my consciousness was completely cut off before I knew it.

†

“Yawn…”

I was in a deep sleep. How long has it been since I slept so well? Even though it’s in-game, if you can sleep so comfortably, isn’t it possible to make a business out of it?

How long have I been asleep?

Looking at the clock attached to the menu cursor, it was displayed as 22:07.

I calculated that I slept for about six hours. When I looked out the window, the sun had set and it was getting dark outside.

“Now then, let’s acquire Fishing Mastery!”

Name: Kizuna†Exceed　Race: Spirit
Energy: 2820　Mana: 70　Serin: 1850
Skill: Energy Production III Mana Production II

Fishing Mastery I
Adds 10% bonus to all actions using the fishing rod
Consumes 100 energy per hour
Required mana for acquiring: 30
Acquisition conditions: Acquire more than 10 items with a fishing rod
Rank up condition: Acquire more than 100 items with a fishing rod

I acquired Fishing Mastery I. Then 100 energy were consumed, and the total amount of energy became 2720. Also, 60 mana is required to reach Fishing Mastery II. I only have 40 now, so it’s not enough.

Anyway, I was able to acquire Fishing Mastery I. I can expect some results from this. Well, I don’t think that I can easily catch that “Nushi”.

“… I’m hungry.”

I feel as though I just ate before going to bed, but it’s been six hours, so it’s understandable that I’m hungry. For the time being, let’s eat the leftover grilled fish that the kid made for me.

I took out the grilled herring fish from the item column and put it in my mouth.

“Since I’ve eaten, let’s go fishing. I think the clothes are around there.”

There they were. I left them there with my shoes.

I immediately changed my clothes and took out the Wooden Fishing Rod +2 from the item column, and I was ready to go. I leave the inn.

At the front of the store, the clerk NPC was saying things like ‘Have a nice day’.

Outside, the town is quite dark. It’s quiet, and no one is walking.

It’s unknown whether they’re all tired and asleep, or if they’re still working on leveling up.

“Or rather, it’s dark. I can’t see well ahead.”

There are no electric lights or torches, so it’s pitch black.

I call up the map from the cursor menu and check my current location while heading to the same bridge as during the day. I also stopped by a tool shop on the way, since I forgot to buy bait. And it’s open for business. It’s a service mentality that even real private shops can’t match. I guess it can’t be helped since it’s the game system. It’s like a convenience store…

Anyway, I’ve now arrived at the bridge.

Unfortunately, the sky is cloudy and the moon is hidden. Therefore, although you can tell it’s the sea from the sound of the sea breeze and small waves, it’s so dark you can’t see clearly. I might need a tool like a lantern.

For the time being, I squinted my eyes and attached the bait I bought in bulk to the Copper Fishing Hook.

I pricked my finger three times. 10 total damage. When I drop the thread on the surface of the sea, I feel a different pull than before.

Strong, I think. But what is it? This monotonous pull. Anyway, I pulled it up with all my strength.

[Acquired A ‘×××’]

Hmm? It’s so dark that I can’t see the letters. I’m not sure, but I’ll put it in the item column. I’ll know when the sun rises.

Then I attach the bait again and drop the thread.

[Acquired A ‘×××’][Acquired A ‘×××’]

Oh! I hooked a fish the moment I dropped the thread. That’s so fast. I bought nearly 300 pieces of bait, but it may not be enough.

All right! I’ll keep fishing, fishing, and fishing!

†

… It’s morning now. I’m on my knees with my hands on the ground and my head down.

As for the results, I caught close to 200 fish.

It would be more correct to say “they’re caught” rather than “I caught them”.

[Acquired Item List: 137 Empty Cans 2 Boots 1 Medium crystal (unidentified) 40 Herrings 25 Sardines 12 Sea Bass 4 Common Darkfish 3 Zombie Fish]

“What!?”

Literally, what is this!? It’s mostly empty cans!

Give me back my happiness for thinking I caught many fish! In the first place, did you guys really put empty cans here, in such a world!?

It turned out that there was a change in the fish that can be caught during the day and night, which was my original purpose, so let’s say it’s good.

I won’t say impolite things like “How much trash is thrown into this sea!?” But, really… And I’ll ignore the last one. No matter how you look at it, it has an immortal attribute.

I’m sure if I dismantle it, it will become material for something. I mean, please.

With such a desire, I started dismantling the fish I caught with the Beginner Dismantling Knife.

And, I guess, those empty cans cannot be dismantled.

†

It took two hours to dismantle everything.

The dismantling skill still doesn’t appear yet. What are the conditions?

When I made grilled fish on my own while dismantling, the cooking skill appeared first.

Cooking Skill I
Adds a 10% correction to all actions related to cooking, and increases the number of cooking recipes
Consumes 100 energy per hour
Required mana for acquiring: 30
Acquisition conditions: Process more than 10 items with cooking equipment.
Rank up condition: The number of items processed with cooking equipment exceeds 300

Perhaps the dismantling skill’s unlock condition is to fight with dismantling weapons or something like that? I plan to go fishing for a while, so I won’t try it.

I was able to dismantle an amount of items proportional to the time I spent. As expected, dismantling weapons is convenient.

This is just a hunch, but it should work for other things than fish. If I have a chance to fight monsters, I’ll try it.

“Well, I guess I’ll sell items.”

I check the clock. It shows 09:27.

It’s Alto, who had a strong business spirit. He must have already woken up.

I’ll try to send him a chat. [Altorese] was it?

I remember the line ‘Alotrese Company’ and that was strangely stuck in my ears.

I waited for Alto’s reply while listening to the phone ring, just like when I sent a chat to Tsumugi.

“Yes, this is Altorese.”

It’s a voice with good feelings and a sense of ambition. I guess he’s all business today as well.

“Hey, it’s me.”

“That voice… isn’t it the girl from yesterday? Eh, you were just using a female character, weren’t you?”

“Yes, that very Kizuna.”

“Ah, so your name is Kizuna? I forgot to ask your name yesterday.”

Come to think of it, that’s true. I heard Alto’s name, but I didn’t tell him my embarrassing name, [Kizuna†Exceed]. I think I didn’t say it on purpose.

Well, when I sent the chat, my name was revealed.

“So what do you want today?”

“Oh, I want you to buy items. Is it okay if it’s only fish?”

“Of course. Where are you now?”

“It’s on the right side of the bridge by the sea on the map─”

†

We told each other where we were, and ended up meeting at the same place as yesterday.

I thought I had rushed off the bridge, but Alto was already there.

He was wearing the initial equipment yesterday, but it’s now new. It seems that his business is going well.

“Hey, Kizuna. You said fish, but how many are there?”

“Ah, this much.”

I accept the exchange window Alto sent me.

You can hand it over normally, but according to Alto, it’s better to do it when you’re negotiating a large number of items.

I put the dismantled scales, bones, meat, head, fangs, dorsal fins, etc. on the exchange window.

“Some of it’s already cooked, but there are surely quite a lot of them. I’m surprised.”

“Cooked?”

Isn’t it ‘Dismantled’? I was about to say that, but Alto spoke first.

“Yeah, using cooking skills and kitchen knives to process fish will increase the number of items.”

“Oh…”

Are kitchen knives also a category of dismantling weapons? No, I think it was in the cooking equipment category.

It felt like the wheels of the conversation were slightly out of alignment. I haven’t learned any cooking skills, yet I can dismantle it. When I made grilled fish, I didn’t get any extra items. I should purchase a kitchen knife and verify whether it is the same as dismantling or not.

“That means that you’ve also acquired the cooking skill, Kizuna? If you need some materials, shall I sell them to you?”

“Alto, changing the subject, what effect does dismantling weapons have?”

“Huh? I’m pretty sure the weapon does more damage to certain races. However, few people use it due to its low basic attack power. Though the basic attack power is low, so there are only a few people who use them.”

“I see…”

“Also, when you defeat the monster specified, you’ll sometimes get unusual items.”

… Maybe it’s something about which the facts have not been clarified yet.

As far as I know, if you dismantle the fish carefully, you’ll get scales, meat, etc.

However, it seems that this information can be substituted with cooking skills, and that seems to be seen as more effective.

Then, if I keep quiet, I can use it to earn money. Of course, it will become common knowledge sooner or later, but this kind of information can be used to make a lot of money before it is widely known. It’s a common story when starting an online game.

“So, what happened to the dismantling weapon?”

“Oh, it’s the weapon I’m using. So it’s a weapon specialized for specific races?”

“I see. Kizuna, you sure really like unusual things.”

“Well, yeah.”

“Then, this is the number. How about a total of 6,000 Serin?”

“That much?”

Naturally, Alto said it. Yesterday, he said 8,000 Serin was his total wealth, but it looks like he made a lot of money while I leisurely spent my time.

“Cooking skill takes time, doesn’t it? This is what the hourly rate is. Besides, the amount is large, and it’s a little cheap at the current market price.”

Buy low and sell high. The resale method you mentioned yesterday, huh?

Okay, then. It would be nice if it were much more expensive than selling to NPCs.

I selected [OK] at the exchange item agreement and received 6,000 Serin.

“Thank you for the business. Call me anytime if you have any items to sell.”

“Yeah, I’m counting on you next time too.”

Well, I look at the remaining empty cans in the item column.

To be honest, even if there are 137, it’s just a problem. Even when I showed it to the NPC, it was 1 and 5 Serin. The difference is because there are two types: aluminum and steel.

Wait? Aluminum and steel?

“Hey Alto. I want to ask you one more thing. How much can empty cans sell for right now?”

“Empty cans? Unfortunately, it’s a trash price. It would be better to sell them at the store.”

“I see… I’m curious, but empty cans are aluminum and steel, aren’t they?”

When I lowered my voice to convey my meaning, Alto made a surprised face.

“… I see. Maybe we can turn it into an ingot in a blast furnace!”

“Is there a blast furnace?”

“Yeah. There’s something in the manufacturing system that melts the ore and turns it into an ingot.”

“I don’t know if it can be done with this, but could you please check it out? If it’s really possible to melt it into aluminum and iron, I’ve got plenty left.”

I open the exchange window again, and hand over 5 aluminum and 5 steel cans.

If empty trash cans are useful for something, what a godsend.

Even if we were unable to make it into an ingot, they are only worth a small amount of money. There is nothing to be considered about.

“Thank you, Kizuna! Maybe it’ll be a great, profitable method!”

“Yeah, if it hits, let me bite into one portion of the profit too.”

“Of course! Then I’ll hurry up and find out!”

Like a fish out of water, Alto energetically waved his hand as he ran away. I’m sure he’ll let me know the results in less than an hour.

“I’ve got a lot more money. Shall I buy some equipment?”

If the cans can be made into iron, I’ll ask him to make weapons as well for the information, so maybe I’ll buy armor now.

I think that light clothing is fine because I obviously have no combat skills at present.

As for shoes… I have boots. Can I equip? I take out the boots from the item column. Then, I took off the initial equipment shoes I was wearing now and stuck my feet into the boots.

“I never thought I could actually equip it…”

A little girl in boots was born here. I would be perfect with a raincoat and a yellow umbrella.

I suppose I’ll seek out an armor shop or a player who sells clothing.

I started walking around with my boots on.

†

Let’s talk about what happened after that.

My instinct was spot on, and the empty can turned into an ingot of aluminum and iron.

The management might have assumed it was steel when it wasn’t.

Alto and the blacksmith hide the information. I secretly fish for empty cans and repeat the action of handing them over without being noticed… I spent my time earning money.

†

…The day after I started selling empty cans.

Kanade and Tsumugi met at the hunting grounds and talked about what they thought of the weapons they had just bought.

“Hup!” Tsumugi performs a trial cut against the attacking Dark Porcupi.

“Oh… Only in one normal attack! It’s more than double the attack power of every weapon I have so far!”

“I am surprised that the performance is higher than the bad drops, putting aside the bronze equipment sold in the store. I was right to buy one.”

“You secured one too, Kanade-onee-chan?”

“Yeah, it’s a little pricey, but I think it’s worth the price.”

“The craftsman player said that the quality is low, but it has enough performance to be used.”

“Yes.”

When Kanade and Tsumugi were having a chat, each of their parties were attacked by Ad Balloon, a large, balloon-shaped monster that was said to be a formidable enemy in the nearby field.

“Wind Slice!”

Tsumugi swings the Iron Sickle, and Kanade repels the Ad Balloon’s bite with her sword.

Slash! Then the Ad Balloon was cut and torn apart, and it flew off.

“So they’ve already found a mine with iron. I wonder where it is?”

“The craftsman said he didn’t know that either. Some players have irons, but they won’t tell.”

“Ah…I think I heard that. Well, I guess it’s because it’s first come, first served around here.”

“But… the player who was gathering information from the NPCs said that the iron series was supposed to be sold in the second town. I heard there’s an NPC who is a source of information who said that.”

“If I remember correctly, someone has to clear the unlock quest to enter, right? I challenged the boss too, but I got beaten… it’ll be tough if I don’t raise my equipment and level a little more.”

“It’s a raid boss. There’s no doubt that we’ll all be able to fight together and defeat him somehow.”

“I guess so. I wonder who will defeat it… First come, first served.”

“Of course!”

With that, Kanade and Tsumugi finish testing out their newly acquired equipment.

“The monsters are getting weaker and lukewarm in this hunting ground, so I’m thinking of going to a new place.”

“I thought that as well. Well… this is amazing. How far can we go with this equipment?”

“There are some people who are trying to challenge the next town unlock quest that they couldn’t do anything about, so I think we can go that far.”

“You think so too? Ah, right, there’s a field that appears only at night, but with this equipment, do you think it’s relatively easy to go there? I think the next good hunting ground will be over there.”

“Yeah… I think there was a girl over there who used a fan as a weapon. She was fighting well with bronze equipment. I think she’s trying to challenge the unlock quest with the drop over there.”

“Ah, maybe I’ve seen her before! She was a Japanese-style and beautiful player, wasn’t she?”

“We can’t lose either.”

“I won’t lose to Kanade-onee-chan.”

“That’s also my line.”

“Kizuna-onii-chan, I wonder what he’s doing now?”

“We’re talking about that kid, probably still fishing as declared.”

“Yeah. Kizuna-onii-chan is obsessive after all. I’ll have to invite him to hunt when we’re more stable over here.”

This child believes she has poor athletic abilities, so we must teach her how to play the game properly.

“Yeah! Ah! Boss reappearance confirmed!”

“Wait a minute! I’ll take preemptive action! Fast Bash!”

Kanade succeeds in a preemptive attack against the beetle boss, who uses a musical instrument called a violin beedle as a weapon.

When the counterattacking Violin Beedle’s attack was deflected with a shield, Tsumugi joined the battle with an Iron Sickle.

“Kanade-onee-chan, you’re so cunning! Even though I was aiming for it.”

“I’m also aiming for it! This guy’s boss drop headgear can be sold at a high price!”

“You won’t equip it!? Even though it’s cute!”

“Even though the game has just started, why are you prioritizing your appearance? I agree that it has excellent equip effects, though.”

“There’s a chance! Wind Slice! Wind Slice! Windmill! Everyone! We’ll take the drop right away from Kanade-onee-chan’s party!”

Tsumugi’s comrades half nodded at Tsumugi’s words and charged at the Violin Beedle.

“Ah! Everyone! If we lose to those girls, we’ll lose the money we spent waiting here! Let’s go all at once!”

“Of course! Everyone, follow Kanade’s lead!”

Kanade and Tsumugi’s party heated up with boss hunting.

“Horray! Hehe!”

With the emerald ribbon that Violin Beedle headgear drops and ties around her hair, Tsumugi strikes a pose.

After the item dropped, a rock-paper-scissors tournament was held, and that was the result of winning. People around her applauded.

“Really… I was deprived of the right to pick up drops this time, but if it happens again, I won’t give you any mercy.”

“Of course! If we meet next time, we won’t lose either!”

“Everyone! Let’s go next time! Use the money you earned from this hunt to solidify the iron equipment that has started to circulate!”

“”Yeah!””

After exchanging information, Kanade and Tsumugi headed off on their hunt.

Five days later, the quest to unlock the second town was completed by a group of people with a good supply of equipment, and it was discovered that the iron ore could be mined at the quarry beyond the field via the second town.

†

I made a lot of money by selling empty cans, but after five days, they finally found a place where they could mine iron ore.

Of course, the quality of the ingots made from empty cans was not very high, so the profits naturally began to decline, and after consulting with Alto, the empty can business was terminated.

Anyway, it is also true that I earned a considerable amount of Serin as a starting point with the empty can commercial method. Alto and I even registered as friends because of that connection.

While I was at it, I purchased a kitchen knife to see if I could do some dismantling using it, but even if I dismantled it without mastering the cooking skill, I could only produce fish slices.

It appears that similar, but different processes are occurring.

“If you have another profitable idea, please tell me,” he said to me, so I think he has taken a liking to my idea.

For unknown reasons, empty cans can only be caught at night.

Later, as the irons fell, Alto released the information to the public. It would soon be used as one of the money making schemes by those with fishing skills who were in financial difficulties and those with blacksmithing skills who could use the blast furnace.