Chapter 18
If it were true that a character called a "mob," who lacks levels and isn't meant to fight, challenges the boss at the deepest part of the dungeon, it would be no surprise if they were called reckless. Losing would be expected.
Emerging from a space that makes you question whether a safe zone is even necessary in a dungeon filled only with non-active monsters, I choose to proceed further inward rather than retracing my steps.
As I walk normally, I come across a large wooden door that seems out of place in a cave.
"This must be it."
The boss lies ahead.
Safe zones are set up to allow rest before a boss battle.
As your class level increases, the dungeon's area expands, and the number of safe zones increases. However, beyond a certain difficulty threshold, the number of safe zones decreases.
But even in such high-difficulty dungeons, a safe zone is always set up just before the final boss to allow for proper rest.
In other words, there's no doubt that this is the boss room.
My heart races.
For a moment, I think I'm nervous.
But then.
"I don't dislike this feeling."
I quickly realize it's something else.
I'm recalling the excitement I felt when I first touched FBO.
What kind of game is it? What enemies are there?
It's more accurate to say I'm reminiscing about the thrill I felt back then.
It's fine; the opponent isn't an unbeatable monster.
It's a monster I can defeat if I deliver the right results.
"Now, let's take it on!!"
I was worried if a child's strength would be enough to open the door, but it swings open smoothly. I close it behind me and step inside.
In lower-class dungeons, escaping from the boss is allowed.
Specifically, this applies to bosses up to around mid-tier Class 3.
So, as long as you keep the door open, you can escape from the boss.
However, fulfilling a certain condition makes escaping from the boss impossible.
That condition is closing the door.
It also signifies an unwavering resolve, but doing this slightly improves the rewards after the boss battle.
"There you are, Kagami Mochi!"
Since I have no intention of running, I prioritize the bonus without hesitation.
Upon entering the boss room, I see a monster resembling a Kagami Mochi (a traditional Japanese New Year's decoration made of stacked rice cakes) sitting in the center.
No, not just resembling—it looks exactly like a Kagami Mochi, and its name is Kagami Mochi.
The bottom layer is the largest rice cake, and as they stack up, they get progressively smaller.
At the very top is an orange-colored rice cake.
A total of four rice cakes stacked together: three white and one orange.
This is the boss of the weakest dungeon, Kagami Mochi.
I ready my bamboo spear and take a step forward, and Kagami Mochi moves toward me.
As expected, a boss monster isn't a non-active monster.
This is the first active monster I've encountered since coming to this world.
It moves faster than the regular rice cakes and feels more substantial due to its size.
The bottom rice cake carries the weight of the three above it without issue and charges toward me.
"Strike first, strike hard!"
Kagami Mochi's attack patterns are limited.
The first move is always this body slam!
So, my target is the largest rice cake at the bottom!
Using the reach of my bamboo spear, I sidestep slightly as the rice cake charges at me and take a step forward.
"Hah!"
Even with a child's frail body, the repeated motions allow me to execute this attack without issue.
My target is the bottom layer!
At first glance, Kagami Mochi appears to have combined HP from all four rice cakes, but that's not the case.
Each of the four rice cakes has its own HP, with the bottom one having the most.
And if I attack the bottom Kagami Mochi with a certain amount of force as it charges at me...
"Got it! It's down!"
It collapses, scattering across the front.
"Now, just reduce their numbers!"
I haven't taken down the bottom rice cake yet.
But the most troublesome part of Kagami Mochi is its numbers.
"First, you!"
I target the top orange rice cake.
This one is Kagami Mochi's command center.
When scattered, it retreats to the rear and directs the white rice cakes to attack.
If I switch targets during the brief moment they're immobilized and stab the orange rice cake with my bamboo spear...
"Kyu!?"
The bamboo spear pierces the center of the orange rice cake.
A cry echoes, and I feel the satisfaction of a one-hit kill.
With the bamboo spear's maximum power, this is possible.
As the orange rice cake turns into black ash, I quickly turn my attention to the largest rice cake while checking the remaining three.
The second and third layers have stopped moving.
The fourth layer is still attacking me, so it continues to charge.
Good, this is the ideal situation!
This time, I retreat.
I position the second and third layers behind the fourth, and as the fourth layer moves forward, I thrust my spear. After that, I retreat regardless of whether the attack lands.
Given the opponent's numbers and weight, it's better for me to retreat than to try to knock them back.
The boss room is slightly larger than the previous plaza.
Seeing the fourth layer under attack, the second and third layers start to move, but I can guide them in a clockwise direction by slowly pulling them.
The most important thing is to avoid being surrounded and to keep all three in my line of sight.
By repeating these small, precise attacks, the second and third layers gradually move forward.
Even if the second and third layers overtake the fourth, my strategy remains the same.
I continue to lure them in circles, walking backward while attacking, ensuring I don't get caught or cornered.
And then.
"Two down!"
First, the second layer, which has the least HP, falls.
"Three down!"
Then the fourth layer, which I've been attacking all along, falls.
"Last one!"
Finally, the third layer turns into black ash and disappears.
And then.
"Skill: Spearmanship acquired."
"Yes!!!"
A neutral voice announces in my head, and I raise both hands in celebration of my victory.
"Since you acquired a skill at Class 0, stat restrictions have been lifted."
Another announcement follows.
"Alright, alright, this is just like the game!"
Normally, you wouldn't gain stats without leveling up.
But in the game, defeating a boss at Class 0 with no levels guarantees you acquire the passive skill of the equipped weapon.
This bonus disappears once you level up.
When this was discovered, even I was genuinely furious.
FBO limits the number of skills you can acquire.
We called these "skill slots."
In reality, when you gain levels, you're initially granted an empty slot, and from there, you can embed various skills using different methods.
That's why the earliest players focused on leveling up to acquire skills as quickly as possible.
As the game progressed, the maximum number of skill slots was frequently updated, and eventually, it was discovered that you could acquire skills at Level 0.
I have to bow my head to the analysis team for that.
By the time FBO's service ended, a total of 50 skill slots had been discovered.
Two of those were discovered at Class 0.
And when the 50th skill slot was discovered, the official announcement confirmed that the total number of skill slots was 50.
"Status open!"
It's like a reward for fully discovering everything, as all players received various perks at that time.
Lost in nostalgia, I chant the long-awaited phrase.
"Liberta, Class 0/Level 0.
Basic stats:
HP 0, MP 0,
BP 0.
Skill 1/Skill Slot 1.
Spearmanship Class 1/Level 1."
"Yes! It's there!"
The earlier announcement wasn't a dream—I've truly gained power.
I can't help but strike a triumphant pose, I'm so thrilled.
Still riding the excitement, I tap the skill section of the status screen.
"Spearmanship, Class 1/Level 1.
Activates when equipped with a spear.
- Spear attack power increased by 0.01%.
- Spear skill attack power increased by 0.01%.
- Spear attack accuracy correction increased by 0.01%."
"Good, it's the one I know."
It only activates when equipped with a spear, and the increase is so minimal that others might call it negligible.
But considering the future, I can confidently say this is fine.
"Now, what's next..."
The status section isn't the only thing. The status screen has tabs labeled "Status" and "Equipment." Tapping the "Equipment" tab reveals:
"Equipment:
Head: Cloth Bandana.
Body: Cloth Clothing.
Right Hand: Weakling's Bamboo Spear.
Left Hand: Weakling's Bamboo Spear.
Lower Body: Cloth Pants.
Feet: Leather Shoes.
Accessory 1: Training Bracelet.
Accessory 2: Training Bracelet.
EX Slot: Empty."
This shows which weapons and accessories are equipped and active. In my case, the only empty slot is the EX Slot, which is for exceptional equipment, probably including duel pieces.
"Alright, there's not much to see here."
The system also allows you to tap on equipped items to see their details, and it works perfectly.
"But why is this so similar to the game?"
There are similarities and differences, things that are the same and things that aren't. There's plenty to nitpick, but seeing this system screen makes me even more puzzled about what this world really is.
"Well, there's no point in worrying about it."
It's not like I can do anything about it.
It just adds to the list of suspicious elements.
All I can do is enjoy the process of steadily growing stronger.
"Now, now, let's check the final reward."
After acquiring the skill, checking my stats, and confirming everything, it's finally time to check the boss's reward.
The boss is no longer in the room, replaced by a grand treasure chest in the center and a glowing magic circle behind it.
"Just one wooden chest? What's going on with my real-life luck since coming to this world?"
The magic circle at the back is for dungeon exit, and the chest in front contains the boss's reward.
"Well, I won't know until I open it."
Boss chests come in several types, starting from the lowest-tier wooden chest, up to bronze, silver, gold, and rainbow. The higher the chest, the better the items inside. Rainbow chests can even contain rare and useful items.
Sometimes, multiple chests appear. My earlier resolve to close the door was also to increase the chances of that happening.
"...Yeah, I get it. It's the bare minimum guarantee, huh?"
My efforts weren't rewarded, as the chest contained only one slightly larger magic stone. Suppressing the urge to complain about why it even needed a chest, I gently pick it up and place it in my leather pouch.
This magic stone is from the boss. Naturally, it's better than the ones dropped by the regular rice cakes wandering around.
It's worth about 10 zeni if sold, and it's a guaranteed drop from the boss.
Having a guaranteed 10 zeni periodically is a big deal.
Plus, with skill development now in play, I can actively take on more boss battles.
"Hmm, one run takes about 30 minutes efficiently. Including dungeon recast time and rest, it's about 45 minutes. I've finally broken the 1,000 zeni per hour mark."
Gradually increasing my income is honestly satisfying.
Calculating daily, with eight hours of work, I can challenge the dungeon about ten times, so 100 zeni is a solid goal. That's assuming my stamina holds, but it's still better than relying on random drops from the hills.
"Now, I'll check if the recast time has passed and if I can use it again..."
Once the chest is emptied, it's just a regular box. It doesn't disappear, and it's firmly fixed to the ground, so I can't take it with me.
So, I have no further business here.
It's time for the grind.
I head toward the magic circle behind the chest and step onto it.
In an instant, my vision turns completely white.
"The loading time is shorter here."
In the game, the transition took a bit longer, so the fact that it's almost instant here is a pleasant surprise.
"Alright, it seems I can't use it immediately."
I organize the contents of my leather pouch.
The magic stones I picked up go into the basket, and I also toss in some herbs.
Since the loot is meager, organizing doesn't take long.
I spend the remaining time checking my status to kill time.
"Good, it's working fine."
The dungeon key is ready for the next run.
"I can tell if the recast time is up by checking if it's slightly glowing. Well, if it's activated, I might as well not waste time and get to it!"
Making excuses in my mind, I end up staying up a bit later than usual tonight.