Chapter 259
With Class 5 leveling complete and all possible skill leveling done, we immediately moved on to Class 6 leveling.
The skill proficiency grind was truly exhausting, but the daily conversations and shared activities—things that weren't possible during my time as an NPC—made the effort feel worthwhile.
"Wind Dragons, huh? It's been a while."
Both mentally and physically prepared, we're now tackling Class 6. While the experience efficiency is lower compared to the previous enemies we fought (who were the same rank), this monster is the most efficient for meeting the EXBP conditions, so we have no choice but to level here.
Looking up at the soaring figures in the sky, I can't help but smile wryly.
The dungeon where Wind Dragons reside is a canyon-type dungeon, similar to the one for Wyverns.
But its scale is incomparable to that of the Wyvern dungeon.
Vast natural cliffs.
Narrow paths barely wide enough for one person.
Even the occasional rest-area-like open spaces aren't sufficient for proper combat.
And the monsters flying in the sky aren't Wyverns but Wind Dragons with emerald green scales.
Every enemy that appears in this space is a Wind Dragon; every monster we face until reaching the boss area is a Wind Dragon.
All I can do is let out a dry laugh.
Normally, avoiding battles with flying units is better for combat efficiency, but considering the Class 6 EXBP acquisition conditions, fighting same-rank Wind Dragons is better than challenging higher-level monsters.
Unlike before, we've leveled properly this time, so it should be fine. Myself, Nell, Claudia, and Ingrid—the frontliners—are all equipped with dragon-slaying weapons for this leveling session.
Our armor is the Sunlight series, so it should handle Wind Dragon magic and breath attacks sufficiently.
"I can't summon Golems here."
However, not everything is perfect.
"Please hold off on summoning Golems until the boss area. Until then, Amina, we'll be moving on foot. Don't fly recklessly, okay? The Wind Dragons will swarm us.""O-okay."
The first issue is that Amina can't use her usual combat style.
In narrow-path dungeons, large Golems are unusable.
Neither the Angler nor the Turtle Golem can be used, so Amina will participate on foot, with her song buffs kept to a minimum.
"I'll take the front, followed by Ingrid, Amina, Lady Esmeralda, and then Claudia. Nell, you handle the rear guard.""Leave it to me!"
Ideally, I'd want high-damage dealers like Nell and Claudia at the front, but in this dungeon, enemies can flank from the air even from behind. So, I'll take the front since I can handle vigilance and countermeasures, place Lady Esmeralda in the center for buffs and magic, and have Nell and Claudia at the rear to handle surprise attacks and catch up quickly.
Until we reach our destination, we'll be fighting without a tank, making Lady Esmeralda, who can shoot down aerial threats, a valuable asset.
"We can't level properly on the way. First, we need to quickly reach a safe combat location."
We'll ignore all dropped items until halfway and charge forward.
Although we're currently Class 5, defeating Wind Dragons will bring us into Class 6. As long as we meet certain conditions, fighting Wind Dragons normally isn't an issue.
After a rallying cry, we proceed deeper into the dungeon.
From the entrance, the canyon scenery reveals which pattern we're dealing with.
Occasionally, there are feints with similar scenery leading to different routes, but our target is a dead end that exists in every pattern.
"As expected, we're found quickly."
We aren't using encounter avoidance items.
Or rather, we can't.
This time, the EXBP acquisition prerequisites include a prohibition on using encounter avoidance items.
Additionally, like last time, there's a skill class total requirement, set at 100—double the previous amount.
It's a classic trap: players assume Class 5 means 50, then guess 60 for the next, only to find their leveling stagnates completely.
By this point in development, players might suspect something is off—"60? That feels wrong"—and easily reach a total of 100 without much issue.
"Can we even fight here?""As long as we manage Air Step usage and recast times, it's fine. We'll run to the next open area, intercept once there, and move immediately after defeating them.""Understood."
Such veterans wouldn't fail to devise efficient ways to conquer this dungeon.
"Opening breath attack pattern, huh? The most troublesome."
On narrow paths, Wind Dragons attack from the air with ranged attacks. Among them, they unleash their highest-damage breath attacks—clearly leveraging their strengths.
However, this pattern is so familiar to experienced players that they've seen it more times than they can count.
As we calmly watch the Wind Dragons charging their breath attacks before us, Lady Esmeralda, already activating skills behind us, moves.
"Activating Revolver Spell!! Followed by Hound Lightning!!"
Lightning with high homing capabilities is unleashed—not just one bolt.
Three Wind Dragons hover, mouths agape, ready to unleash their breath.
Normally, Hound Lightning can only target one enemy, making it unable to stop multiple breath attacks. But three thunderclaps resound.
Moreover, they're fired at a rapid-fire rate that shouldn't be possible given recast times.
Three bolts of lightning streak forth at light speed.
They strike the Wind Dragons' heads perfectly, interrupting their breath attacks. Momentarily stunned, their flight is impaired, and their altitude drops sharply.
"Mirage Phenomenon."
Using Air Step, I dash into the air, splitting into three clones.
"Neck Hunt."
Before, it took multiple attacks to defeat them.
But our firepower is incomparable to before.
The scythes of my three clones cleanly strike the Wind Dragons' necks.
"Tch, only one instant kill."
The clone on the left turns one Wind Dragon into black ash.
Even after severing over 70% of its neck, it's still alive—I can't help but click my tongue in frustration.
But seeing two figures soaring into the air after me, I trust they'll handle it and prepare to land after passing the Wind Dragons.
"Severing Sky Battle Axe!!""Dragon Slayer Palm!"
The voices of Nell and Claudia echo from behind.
Followed immediately by the sounds of slashing and impact.
Glancing back, I see Nell swinging her halberd sideways with a clear trajectory, and Claudia, using Air Step, delivering a powerful palm strike mid-air.
Did Nell's strike, aimed at the right Wind Dragon and specialized for severing, gouge out the neck wound I made and completely bisect it?
The central Wind Dragon was finished not by neck damage but by a skill attack targeting the reverse scale at the base of its neck, dealing extra damage to dragons.
Their massive bodies mean a correspondingly large amount of black ash when they fall.
Not wanting to cough, I cover my mouth with my collar and land, checking for pursuers. Only Wind Dragons circling in the sky remain, with no intention of approaching.
"Ah! The scales!!""Don't worry, we'll collect so many later they'll rot."
Since we defeated them mid-air, drop items naturally appear in the air.
Using Air Step simultaneously, considering recast times, we can't retrieve them, and the drop items plummet straight into the canyon.
I smile wryly at Nell, who reaches out to grab them. Ingrid, the only one not using Air Step, follows my orders, staying vigilant and conserving Air Step.
The key to conquering this dungeon is skills like Air Step that allow aerial movement.
Items can substitute, but most are consumables.
Rechargeable aerial magic items are Class 9 territory; making them now is fundamentally impossible.
I plan to create intercontinental transport vehicles eventually, but who knows when that will be.
Transfer Pendulums can only register visited locations and have limited registration slots.
I'd like to secure multiple soon, but they just don't drop.
Could Dark make one?
No, probably lacks materials.
"Let's move to the base before more come. Today, we'll go there and set up camp."
For now, moving forward is more important than such thoughts.
Staying idle here will only attract more Wind Dragons like before.
Using skills, we can methodically defeat them.
I briefly check my status, but perhaps due to insufficient EXP, my class is still 5.
Three Wind Dragons should give more EXP than the previous enemies, but without the higher-level bonus, leveling is slower than before.
I feel nostalgic for the days when levels rose quickly.
With that thought, I recall memories, intercepting Wind Dragons one by one on narrow paths and slightly wider platforms.
"Our altitude keeps dropping.""I heard the destination is deep in the canyon, but the sky is getting farther away.""It's getting dark.""That's because we're heading toward an area the dungeon boss avoids."
We're descending deeper into the canyon.
Open-field dungeons have roaming bosses, but they don't patrol every area.
They have designated areas, and places they avoid do exist.
"We'll be holed up in this dungeon for a month, so we can't have the boss showing up. Going to a safe leveling spot is essential.""But will Wind Dragons even come here? The deeper we go, the fewer encounters we have."
We call such spots "hidden gems," and this is one of them.
"Don't worry, they'll come. Even without Amina's song, a certain number will be here."
It makes sense that flying monsters avoid descending deeper into the canyon.
The canyon narrows the deeper you go, restricting free flight.
The canyon walls make flying difficult and limit movement range.
Would enemies willingly come to such disadvantageous terrain?
"We're entering here.""A cave? Could this be a Wind Dragon nest?... I smell water?""That's further in; it's not here."
After descending the canyon for half a day and proceeding along a dim path shaded by cliffs, we arrive at a cave.
Quite large for people to pass through, Nell uses her beastkin's keen sense of smell to check inside but, unsurprisingly, detects no Wind Dragon scent.
I enter without hesitation, and the others follow.
Taking a lantern from my bag, we proceed through the cave for a few minutes, covering about a hundred meters.
"Ah, an exit."
Seeing light ahead, knowing it leads to our destination, I continue.
"Wow! It's huge!!"
Amina exclaims in delight upon seeing what lies beyond.
"This is the hidden gem where we'll hunt from today onward."