With my [Appraisal] Skill, I Became the Top of the Streaming World - Chapter 26
One afternoon, I received a call from Asada.
"I have a request. A new dungeon is being opened in Yokohama, and I’d like you to accompany us for the preliminary survey. Management Bureau staff will be there, but we need your eyes for appraisal."
"So a new dungeon appeared. In Yokohama?"
"It’s in the Minato Mirai area. It’s about thirty minutes from Shinagawa by train, and the reward will be the standard business trip survey fee. I don't mind if you stream it."
"Understood. When?"
"If the night after tomorrow works for you."
"No problem."
After hanging up, I thought about it for a moment.
"A dungeon in Yokohama, huh..."
It would be my first time entering a dungeon other than the one in Shinagawa.
◇
On the evening of the survey, I boarded the train headed for Yokohama.
The scenery flowing past the window pulled further away from Shinagawa. After one transfer, I hopped off at Minato Mirai Station.
I could smell the salt air coming from the harbor. It suddenly occurred to me that the Shinagawa dungeon didn't have even a hint of a briny scent.
The dungeon entrance was located in a corner of an industrial zone near the coast. Compared to the entrance at Shinagawa, it was smaller in scale, and the facilities weren't fully set up yet—only a few temporary lights lined the area.
Asada and another Management Bureau staff member were waiting for me.
"Thank you for coming. This is my colleague, Tamura."
The man in his 30s looked at me while tightening the straps on his gear.
"Nice to meet you. I’ve heard many rumors."
"Rumors, is it? Please don't rely on them too much. Good to meet you."
After introductions, we had a brief meeting in front of the entrance to discuss the order of movement and our roles, and then the three of us headed inside. The vanguard had already cleared out the monsters, so I was told today’s focus was primarily on checking the terrain and dropped items.
◇
The interior of the dungeon was distinctly different from Shinagawa.
The bedrock of the walls wasn't grey, but a bluish-green. It was damp, and the ground was a bit slippery. The sound of water dripping from the ceiling echoed through the tunnels.
"The environment is different from Shinagawa because it's so close to the sea."
"Apparently, the preliminary checks showed that the humidity and salt levels are much higher here than in Shinagawa."
"The flow of mana feels a bit heavy, too. It’s mixed with the moisture, making it feel more sluggish than in Shinagawa."
Tamura walked along, writing something on a recording tablet.
"Could you also check for contaminated items? We want to screen them at this stage as a precaution."
"Understood."
As we moved forward, I directed [Appraisal] at anything that stood out. For the first hour, nothing suspicious appeared. There were few installations and almost no dropped items; perhaps this is what a brand-new dungeon is like.
At that point, Asada spoke up.
"You’re free to start your stream now. It would be helpful to have it as a record."
"Thank you. I'll get started then."
◇
I started my 20th stream.
"Today, I'm not in Shinagawa; I'm at a new dungeon in Yokohama. I'm accompanying the Management Bureau on a preliminary survey request."
The comments flooded in instantly.
『Yokohama!?』
『First time seeing a place other than Shinagawa!』
『The atmosphere is totally different.』
『A dungeon near the ocean, huh.』
"The internal environment is quite different from Shinagawa. The walls are blue-green and the humidity is high. I think it's the influence of being near the coast."
I was careful to keep the two Bureau staff members out of the camera's view as we moved.
After about 30 minutes, I saw something stuck to the wall of the passage. It was a greyish-white clump with fine crystals glittering on the surface. It looked like seashells attached to a coastal rock.
"I’ve never seen a shape like this before."
I reached out to see if I could peel it off, and it came away relatively easily. I used [Appraisal].
Tide Magic Stone (Forming)
Rarity: B
Current Value: 40,000–60,000 yen
Notes: A material unique to coastal dungeons, formed by the long-term reaction between seawater and mana. Contains condensed salt-mana; in demand as a water- and moisture-resistant coating for magic tools. Though still forming, it already has sufficient density. Obtainable only in coastal areas.
"This is a material you'd never find in Shinagawa. It's formed over a long time by the reaction between seawater and mana, and it seems to be used for waterproofing. Each one is worth about 40,000 to 60,000 yen."
The comments surged.
『I never would have thought of that!』
『What drops really changes depending on the dungeon, huh?』
『Definitely feels like a Yokohama thing.』
"I think the drops change when the location changes. What I do stays the same, though."
I found two more in the same spot and removed all three.
As we continued, I spotted something like a rusted can lying in the corner of the passage. I couldn't tell if it was something an explorer forgot or just facility waste, but I used [Appraisal] just in case.
Metal Waste (Non-Mana Material)
Rarity: None
Current Value: None
Notes: General waste brought in from outside the dungeon.
"This is just trash. I’ll take it out and dispose of it properly."
『He’s even collecting that?』
『So methodical.』
『He really is a 'Scavenger' in every sense of the word.』
I tucked it into a trash bag.
We continued the survey for another hour after that. There wasn't a single reaction for contaminated items.
◇
Once the survey was finished, I ended the stream, and the three of us stepped outside.
"I'm glad there were no reactions for contaminated items."
"Yes. At least within the area we checked today."
"That’s enough. Thank you very much. If there’s another survey before the official opening, may we call on you again?"
"If it comes through as an official request, I'll be there."
Asada and Tamura gave a brief bow and climbed into the Bureau's car.
Walking toward the station, I opened my channel's comment section. The stream archive was already filling up with reactions.
『Great work!』
『I hope you do more expeditions.』
『Report back on how much the Tide Magic Stones sell for!』
『Glad there were no contaminated items.』
I sent a short reply: 『I'll report back once I've sold them.』
◇
I opened my phone as I walked toward the station and saw movement on the "Identity Thread."
『Sighting of the hooded man outside of Shinagawa. Post says he was seen near a dungeon in the Minato Mirai area. Same person?』
Opinions in the thread were split.
『Would a Shinagawa guy go all the way to Yokohama?』
『If he's capable of expeditions, his range would be wide.』
『Maybe it’s a different streamer?』
Before the movement to identify me could spread, the information itself was beginning to fracture. I hadn't intended it, but leaving Shinagawa had effectively acted as a distraction.
I put my phone away and boarded the train. Looking out the window, I could see the sea again. It was a bluish harbor landscape, slightly different from the familiar night view of Shinagawa.
Meanwhile, the archive of the Yokohama stream was growing at twice the speed of the Shinagawa ones.
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