is a Japanese light novel series written by KaitÃ
 and illustrated by Almic. It began serialization online in April 2019 on the user-generated novel publishing website ShÃ
Âsetsuka ni NarÃ
Â. It was later acquired by Hobby Japan, who have published thirteen volumes since July 2021 under their HJ Bunko imprint. A manga adaptation with art by Terio Teri has been serialized in Akita Shoten's seinen manga web magazine Dokodemo Young Champion since August 2021 and has been collected in six tankÃ
Âbon volumes. An anime television series adaptation produced by Gekkou aired from July to September 2024.
Premise
In an alternate version of the modern world featuring fantasy dungeons and other role-playing video game mechanics, Kaito Takagi is a high school student who hunts weak slime monsters on the first floor of a dungeon as a part-time job. One day, he defeats a golden slime that drops an extremely rare Servant Card, allowing him to summon Sylphy, a Valkyrie with powerful magic.
Characters
Main protagonist of the story and a low level adventurer who remains on the first floor after hearing his two male friends from school explain how they quit after running into a goblin on the second floor. He remains happy on the first floor, killing slimes and makes it up to 999 slimes. His 1,000th slime is a golden slime that drops a summoning card for a Valkyrie. He later finds and defeats a silver slime that rewards him with a Demon.
A Valkyrie who is rewarded to Kaito after killing his 1,000th slime and earning him the title Slime Slayer. She is a short statured young woman who resembles an older child. She wears silver armor and she has blue hair with blue eyes. Her main skills are offensive lightning and a defensive barrier that she can create. She often shows jealousy toward Luceria and is very sensitive and encouraging to Kaito. Kaito eventually gives her the nickname Syl.
A childhood friend and neighbor to Kaito. She often discourages Kaito from going to the local dungeon. Her father helped to inspire Kaito to go down to the dungeon and become an explorer.
A demon summon rewarded to Kaito after killing a silver slime. Unlike the more reserved and nurturing Syl, Luceria is blunt and at first bemoans being the summon of Kaito. Like other summons, she requires the crystals dropped by monsters, but she has a habit of always asking for more crystals despite her workload. She has dark hair and resembles an older child. Kaito eventually gives her the nickname Luce. Her skills involve strong fire magic and disintegrating ability.
A female adventurer who Kaito meets in the dungeon along with her two female party members. She uses a naginata and has trained in her family dojo to use it as she dreams of becoming a hero. This dream is one she shares with Kaito. Eventually Kaito joins her party so they can clear more levels in the dungeon. She is a first year in college and attends the college that is the first choice for Katsuragi. She becomes infatuated with Kaito the more time she spends with him.
Media
Light novel
Written by KaitÃ
Â, A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero began serialization on the user-generated novel publishing website ShÃ
Âsetsuka ni NarÃ
 on April 9, 2019. It was later acquired by Hobby Japan which began releasing it in July 2021 under its HJ Bunko imprint with illustrations by Almic. Thirteen volumes have been released as of January 30, 2026.
Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Terio Teri began serialization in Akita Shoten's seinen manga web magazine Dokodemo Young Champion on August 24, 2021. Its chapters have been collected into six tankÃ
Âbon volumes as of March 2026.
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced in December 2023. It is produced by Gekkou and directed by Tomoki Kobayashi, with Kazuyuki Fudeyasu handling series composition, Shoko Yasuda designing the characters, and Keiji Inai composing the music. The series aired from July 6 to September 21, 2024, on Tokyo MX and other networks. The opening theme song is "Up Start" performed by Amatsuki, while the ending theme song is performed by May'n. Crunchyroll streamed the series. Muse Communication licensed the series in Southeast Asia.
Episodes
See also
Notes
References
External links