My Refrigerator Turned Into A Dungeon
Chapter 293

Kibi Dango Strategy

Today, I received a call from Unkai-san, and to my surprise, he was extremely angry on the phone.

"—Ugh, I was just yelled at by the higher-ups!!"

"Huh, did they find out you licked the hidden honey from the monk? If that's the case, you might as well lick it all, right?"

"No, that's not it! It's about the Self-Defense Forces! I was scolded terribly for doing something reckless while still in training…"

"Oh, the Self-Defense Forces people? Did they already go to the temple…?"

Hmm, it seems that the Self-Defense Forces personnel took something I said at the super sento seriously and stormed the temple where Unkai-san is.

"Right now, because of the disaster, the temple is very busy. And then, these suspicious people show up, so…"

"Suspicious? Aren't they the ones who protect the country from monsters? Also, temples and shrines fought armed against Nobunaga, right? To be able to fight against Nobunaga, that's pretty impressive, don't you think??"

"Who’s talking about the Warring States period!? Ahem, well, I guess in a way, it’s a little like that now…"

"So, what happened with the Self-Defense Forces guys?"

"They left with incredibly awkward expressions… They heard that there was a highly virtuous monk with skills, but when they saw that I didn’t have a single skill, they just left!"

"Oh… that's unfortunate. I only talked about how meditation and spiritual concentration can help with skill activation, though. But I get it now. I'll go meet Unkai-san."

…

Having arrived at a temple near the river where I first met Unkai-san, I found them waiting while sweeping the front gate.

"Egetsu-san!"

"Ahh, sorry about all the trouble I caused you earlier."

"Really, I can't believe what happened, how did things get that way?"

Unkai-san scolds me with an exasperated look, but it seems like they aren't as angry as they were on the phone. Well, it wouldn't be very monk-like to yell at someone who came to apologize.

"Well, you see, actually—"

I explained that I used my skill to help someone, and the Self-Defense Forces guys, seeing that, became very interested in my magic and skills, which led to trouble. I ended up asking for Unkai-san’s help because I was at my wit's end.

"I see. So, after helping someone, things just took an odd turn."

"Yeah, that's it. But I thought Unkai-san could work it out somehow since it seemed like some sort of strange fate. I didn’t expect things to move so quickly, though, so I should have talked to you about it first."

"Hah… If it started with helping others, I can’t be too angry."

"Really, I'm sorry. As an apology, though, I brought you something nice. Here, Unkai-san, please take this."

I handed Unkai-san the skill orb for [Space].

This was one of the results of my efforts to thin out the Stampede effects from the Refrigerator Dungeon.

"Is this…? Could it be that jewel with the skill power?"

"Yep. That one holds the [Space] skill."

Yeah, lately, I’ve been handing out a lot of skill orbs.

But wait. Don’t think I'm just doing this carelessly. I know that dungeon items and skill orbs are being traded online, and for quite high prices, too.

Even though I was in a position where I could easily obtain skill orbs, I didn't want to go down that route.

Because handing over skill power to someone I don’t know could be incredibly dangerous, right? That could end up threatening me or those close to me down the line.

Also, it seems like there’s a lot of shady scams going around. So, for now, I have no intention of going down that path. Of course, if I’m ever in serious financial trouble, I might reconsider.

But on the flip side, I’ve decided to actively give skill orbs to people I believe in and make them my allies.

Yes, I’ve named it the Kibi Dango Strategy! Also, there’s still so much we don’t know about skills. So the more people helping to analyze them, the better. It’s far more advantageous when information is shared.

"[Space] skill, huh?"

"Yeah, I think monks and the [Space] skill actually have pretty good synergy."

Unkai-san stared intently at the skill orb in their hand, deep in thought.

"Synergy…?"

"Yep, yep. In old stories and legends, some monks seal away yokai in rocks, right? That kind of power likely has some connection to spatial skills, too, don’t you think?"

"Ah, I see…"

"And also, like how they wrote sutras on Hoichi’s body to make him invisible to evil spirits, that’s a kind of barrier, right? I think that’s also a type of spatial skill. So, I think monks and the [Space] skill should work pretty well together."

"I… I see. Now that you mention it…"

"Well, I guess you might prefer a combat-related skill, Unkai-san. But I think this [Space] skill isn’t too bad, either."

"Yeah, you're right. If that's the case, I will gratefully accept it. So, how do I use this?"

"Just hold the skill orb in your hand and concentrate hard, and it’ll glow, and the ability will be transferred to you. You could try it now, if you want?"

"I understand. I’ll give it a try…"

With that, Unkai-san struck the pose of a monk going out for alms. Then, the skill orb in their left hand began to glow with light.

"Kyua~, pawawa~!"

"T-This is the light of a skill…!?"

"Congrats! Now Unkai-san has a skill! Check your status."

"…Ah, yes! [Space] has appeared!"

"Great, great! Now, do your best to create some amazing barriers!"

Alright! Now that Unkai-san can use the [Space] skill to make barriers, I’ll have to ask him to teach me some later.