Then let's check the treasure chest. ...... can't be a trap again, can it?"

You just have to be careful and find out."

　Elmore and I approached the treasure chest. I decide to let Elmore open it. I stand back and watch as Elmore opens the box.

　When Elmore opened the lid, he found two loquat-like fruits inside. I thought they might be fruits of talent, so I checked them out with the monocle. The fruit was labeled as "fruit that pushes the limits of what is possible.

　This "Limit Breakthrough Fruit" is said to be used to break through the magic level raised to the limit. The shelf life, or rather, the expiration date, is said to be three days.

He said, "Oh, the expiration date is three days. I wonder if they rot after three days. Métis, have you ever heard of 'limitless fruit'?"

'I know. In a way, it's an item that produces the same result as the fruit of talent.'

　According to Metis' explanation, eating the fruit after raising the magic level to the limit has the effect of increasing magical talent.

Does that mean that if my magical talent is a 'C,' that makes me a 'B'?"

No, it's a little different from increasing talent. It seems to me that by forcibly raising the magic level limit by five levels, the level will go up, but it will be harder to raise it.

　I heard a detailed explanation. The story goes that it takes about three times as much experience to raise the magic level as usual. It seems that many adventurers have actually eaten this fruit and raised their magic level.

I don't see any of my magic being pushed to the limit," he said. It's not possible to raise the level to the limit in the next three days, so I'll have to ask my lovely apprentices to confirm it for me."

　With an expiration date of three days, it will be difficult to sell it. That demon prince is a mid-boss, so he will revive someday. If he does, we may be able to get our hands on the "Limit Breaking Fruit" again.

　Putting the two berries in the magic pouch, which has a slow time lapse, we left the middle boss room and proceeded down the passageway. As we walked out of the exit, we saw a view of a mountainous area with a series of mountains in front of us.

　The middle boss room appears to be on the mountainside at the back of the area. Looking at the next mountain, I see the entrance to a similar passage. I let Elmore hide in the shadows and flew to the next mountain with my combat wing.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

　Enter through the entrance of the passageway and go to the back. At the back is a door, and on the door is the figure of a man with a fox's face, which was inscribed on the front of the coin that was triggered in the four-layer trap.

Is this the transfer room?

　I take out the coin for the transfer gate key and press it against the door. The door opened. I entered and found a transfer room similar to the Narukami dungeon.

The transfer gates that can be used are the first and fifth layers.

I've never been to the fifth level, but it works? Seems a little different than the Narukami dungeon."

　The rules for using the transfer gate were written on the wall of the transfer room.

　The transfer gate in the Narukami dungeon was that you could use a transfer gate to a level you had been to, but the transfer gate here seems to determine which transfer gate you can use based on how far you have reached.

　I choose the fifth layer and step into the transfer gate. The next moment, I was moving to the transfer room on the fifth level. I pulled Elmore out of the shadows. Looking at his cheek, the wound seems to have healed a little.

'It looks like I'm finally going home.

'Yeah, I guess so. I'm curious to see who got the gifted fruit, but frankly I'm tired."

'I'm sure it is. It's already dated, isn't it?'

　I took out my watch and checked it. It was 3:00 am. I had thought that I would reach the fifth level by 4:00 p.m. when I reached the fourth level, so someone like Bhagwan the Wise or Takase must have already arrived at the fifth level and defeated the tree dragon.

What do you think? How about we spend the night in this transfer room and then explore the fifth layer?'

　My head feels a little tired. If I continue on this path, it will not end well.

He said, "All right, I'll sleep here for four hours. Let's sleep here for four hours and then move on."

　I ate, then got out my outdoor folding bed and blankets and went to bed.

　The next morning, when Metis woke me up, I was exhausted. I ate breakfast and refreshed myself with a "puppet wash".

　Preparing to leave, I left the transfer room on the fifth level and found a dimly lit passageway. It was a maze, and the Vermilion Steel Golem was wandering around.

　It seems that these sturdy demons are tough for offensive magic users and magic-armor wizards. However, since living wizards have crash magic, they can defeat them with relative ease.

　Again, when I encountered the Vermilion Steel Golem, I used "Crash Ball" to finish it off. Only once did I sense that someone was fighting it, but I did not encounter it. After that, I wandered around in the maze for two hours, finally finding a way out and escaping.

　The place we escaped to was the Middle Boss Room. It was a vast room, large enough to have a field day inside. Four adventurers were resting there.

　I spot Takase among them and approach him.

Thanks for your time."

You came from the maze, did you go to the sixth level?"

No, I was wandering the maze. Did you discover a stairway to the sixth level?"

　Takase nodded.

Yes, I heard that Mr. Montaner had discovered it."

　Was that the Montaner who was always nagging me about being in the top 100? Seeing my reluctant face, Takase laughed.

Is Mr. Montaner not good at this?"

I don't mean that I'm not good at it. But she has a way of discriminating based on rankings."

You're number eighty-three on the list," he said. You have overtaken Mr. Montaner. You can say what you want to say with pride."

　I nodded and asked what was on my mind.

Who defeated the tree dragon?"

　The fact that Takase and his team are relaxing in the middle boss room means that the tree dragon has been defeated and the fruit of his talent is in the hands of the one who defeated him.

I think the sage has defeated him. He was so happy to get the book of magical technology that he wanted.

　Naturally, Bhagwan must have obtained the fruit of his talent as well. In the middle boss room, there is a passage leading to a room with a talent fruit tree. It seems that only those who have defeated the tree dragon can enter that entrance.

By the way, what are you going to do now, Mr. Takase?

We're going to explore the sixth layer."

　What about me?　I have the matter of the "Limit Breaking Fruit" to deal with, so let's go back to the ground and report back to them.