With my [Appraisal] Skill, I Became the Top of the Streaming World - Chapter 27
In the morning, when I checked my phone, the numbers had grown.
It had been four days since the Yokohama Minato Mirai survey. In that time, the archive's view count had more than doubled that of the Shinagawa episodes. The comment section was flooded with posts like "I didn't know a dungeon like this existed" and "It’s totally different from Shinagawa." My subscriber count had reached 19,400.
I had received a message from Asada saying, "The next official survey by the Management Bureau won't be until next month or later."
The Minato Mirai dungeon wasn't open to the general public yet, but with a Private Appraiser certificate, one could obtain permission for individual solo exploration. I had already confirmed this with the Bureau during the previous survey.
Maybe I'll head back into Minato Mirai today. I was curious about the deeper areas I couldn't fully explore last time, and it was best not to let the momentum of the growing stream die down.
After finishing the paperwork, I hopped on a train just before noon.
◇
By the time I got off at Minato Mirai Station, it was already past midday. Tourists were taking photos, and a pleasant breeze blew in from the harbor.
Realizing I hadn't eaten lunch, I bought a sandwich from a convenience store and ate it while sitting on a bench. It’s only 30 minutes from Shinagawa to here. The distance isn't much, but even the same noon hour feels different when the location changes.
I stood up, threw away my trash, and headed toward the dungeon entrance.
◇
Presenting my Private Appraiser certificate at the reception, it took a little time for them to verify it, but I was cleared to enter without issue.
Upon entering, I was greeted by the same blue-green walls and the damp, salty scent as before. Since I was alone this time, I could move at my own pace.
I pulled out my phone and started streaming.
"I’m in Yokohama alone today. There was a spot I was curious about during the last survey, so I’m going to try heading a bit deeper."
The comments started moving immediately.
『Yokohama again!』
『Came here after watching the archive!』
『Are you alone?』
"Yes, I’m alone. I usually stream late at night in Shinagawa, but I came at noon today since it's an easier time to move around."
I passed through B4F, which I had checked last time, and headed for the lower layers. As I entered B5F, the passages became narrower. The ground was wet, the blue-green of the walls grew darker, and the number of lights decreased.
"This is B5F. The atmosphere is completely different from B5F in Shinagawa. The humidity feels strangely high here."
『It feels like the deep sea.』
『Is the footing okay?』
『Go for it, go for it!』
"I’ll move carefully."
After about 15 minutes, the texture of the walls changed.
The Tide Magic Stones I saw last time were stuck here and there. They were clustered together; some were as large as 5 or 10 centimeters.
"There are plenty of those Tide Magic Stones I saw last week here as well. They're larger, too. If I go deeper, I might find even bigger ones."
I followed the wall as I moved forward. The density of the stones increased. Small fragments were even lying on the floor.
Then, the passage opened up into a wide space.
The entire wall was covered in Tide Magic Stones.
The crystals overlapped, emitting a pale blue light from floor to ceiling. Countless stones, from small to massive, were clinging to the wall.
I caught my breath at the sight. As if in sync, the comments stopped; for a moment, no one wrote anything.
"...This is incredible."
I couldn't find any other words. After taking in the surroundings for a good while, I directed [Appraisal] toward the center of the wall.
Tide Magic Stone Matrix (Formation Core)
Rarity: S
Estimated Value of Extractable Part: 180,000–250,000 yen
Estimated Value of Entire Matrix: Difficult to calculate (High demand for industrial and research use)
Notes: A source of Tide Magic Stones rarely found in the deep layers of coastal dungeons. The mana emitted from this matrix continuously generates stones in the surrounding area. Extracting only a portion of the matrix is recommended—total extraction is discouraged to maintain its generative function. Reporting to the Management Bureau is strongly recommended.
"It’s a source for the Tide Magic Stones. Mana is flowing out of this wall and solidifying into stones. It’s Rarity S."
A delay followed, then the comments flooded in all at once.
『S?』
『First time seeing Rarity S!』
『The whole wall is made of that?』
"The appraisal says I shouldn't take the whole thing, as it would stop the generative function. I’ll take just a small piece home and report the location to the Bureau."
『Right call.』
『So it’s worth more left behind than taken.』
I carefully carved out a piece from the edge. It was about the size of my palm and felt quite heavy. The surface was slightly warm.
"I’m taking this back with me."
◇
I continued streaming as I headed back the way I came. When I climbed back up to B4F, a notification popped up on my phone. It was from DungeonTube.
『Congratulations! Your channel has reached 20,000 subscribers.』
"...I’ve reached 20,000 subscribers."
The comments exploded.
『Congratulations!!!』
『20k while on an expedition!』
『Achieving it in Yokohama is so poetic.』
『Glad I was here for this.』
"Thank you. I didn't expect to hit this milestone in Yokohama."
I watched the scrolling comments for a while. Congratulations were constantly being overwritten by new ones.
"Thank you, as always. I’ll keep going."
◇
Once outside the dungeon, I called Asada. When I told him about the location and state of the matrix, there was a brief pause on the other end of the line.
"That is... a very significant discovery. Can I send in a specialized survey team next week? If you could share the detailed location..."
"No problem."
"Mr. Makabe, you really are a lifesaver."
After hanging up, I looked toward the harbor. It was evening, and the sky over the sea was turning red.
I lightly gripped the fragment of the matrix in my pocket; it was still faintly warm.
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