Chapter 97
“Alright… that’s enough for today.”
The artificial dungeon, Lindblum Lair.
Having defeated the guardian of the 40th floor -a massive bipedal lizard monster known as the Howling Lizard- I stepped into the return sigil that appeared.
Yes, with Melt away from home, I took full advantage of the chance to spend nearly the entire day inside the dungeon.
She departed for her escort mission this morning. And now…the day had already crossed over into the next.
In my current state, where fatigue doesn’t even seem to exist, I could keep fighting endlessly. But still, there’s another kind of strain…different from physical exhaustion…that builds up unconsciously.
More than that, I don’t want to lose the habit of sleeping properly in my own bed.
Besides, I’ve noticed that sometimes my stats tick up a little after I sleep. A sudden growth spurt, maybe?
“Phew…” (Shizuma)
I warped back to the Explorer Guild with the sigil. Strange… I’ve only been coming here for a few days, but the place already feels oddly reassuring.
Maybe it’s like a “safe zone” in a game.
I sat down on a bench in the guild’s waiting area before heading home, reflecting on today’s battles.
“…Maybe it’s time to rethink my gear setup…and even how I fight.” (Shizuma)
Up until now, I have been mowing down small fry with a brute-force style. But once I passed the 35th floor, that tactic stopped working.
Even the regular mobs’ endurance has been clearly ramping up. Sure, if I fight them properly, they’re still easy enough to beat…but efficiency is dropping.
“…I have gotten pretty strong though.” (Shizuma)
The other day, the clan Mantis Shrimp, who had come on an expedition from outside, ran into the 35th floor’s floor boss.
They said it was terrifyingly strong. But…I already took it down myself.
It was some apparently special kind of monster…close in nature to a Dungeon Master. But you know what? As Seimu, I had access to a Dungeon Master–slaying sword skill. And now I can actually use that.
On top of that, with [Appraisal Eye], I can see weak points and elemental weaknesses.
And on top of that, I can even use [Basic Enchant].
So yeah…race-specialized attacks + elemental weaknesses + targeting vital points. It went down in no time at all.
No doubt about it. If I can keep combining skills from different classes, my damage output already rivals other characters even at this stage.
…But I can’t get complacent.
Rolling up my sleeve, I checked the only injury I took today.
“…Still faintly visible.” (Shizuma)
Natural healing from [Gourmet] has almost closed it up, but my right forearm still bore a trace of the 35th floor boss’s strike.
In that instant, I instinctively knew: that one blow could have left me with a severe sprain…just shy of a full fracture. Somehow, I managed to keep fighting.
That was probably thanks to my boosted stats…
“…I want to clear this dungeon completely by tomorrow. Two days left…” (Shizuma)
No, wait. Since it’s already past midnight… that means tomorrow.
There might still be one day of leeway, but depending on timing, the knights could be ready earlier.
“Sleep now… Restart around noon tomorrow.” (Shizuma)
And with that, I returned home…to a house without Melt.
I couldn’t help but wonder what she was doing right now.
Even though it should be a good thing…that she’s gaining the strength to live independently…somewhere in me, it feels a little lonely. That’s just my selfishness, isn’t it…?
—————-
I must have fallen asleep instantly, because I didn’t even notice when it happened.
Woken by the irregular chirping of birds, I found sunlight pouring in through the window.
It felt almost accusatory, like the rays were saying, “It’s already noon.”
Maybe that’s just guilt talking…from having spent the entire night locked in the dungeon.
“Alright… Let’s rethink my equipment setup before eating.” (Shizuma)
It’s about time I ditched my low-performance starter and farming gear.
Originally, the point of wearing such plain gear was to avoid trouble…so no one would pick a fight with some “kid” flaunting expensive-looking weapons.
But now, rumors have spread among the explorers in Lindblum Lair: “That’s the guy strong enough to fight alongside Killcrawler.”
When did that happen…?
“Hmm… if I can use skills from all these different classes, then there must be builds far more efficient than the ones I’ve been running… Let’s see…” (Shizuma)
Before I knew it, I had gotten so absorbed that I forgot to eat breakfast.
Only when my stomach cried out in protest was I dragged back to reality.
—————-
[Assassin Master’s Dark Garb (top & bottom)]
Appears ordinary, but in darkness it turns pitch black.
Consumes MP while active; cannot be used in lit areas.
+15% evasion to all attacks.
+15% more while active.
[Cuffs of Silent Skeleton]
Invisible ear ornaments.
Enhances hearing when focused.
+50% detection range, +10% evasion to all attacks.
[Greaves of Flashstep]
+10% movement speed.
+20% physical evasion.
Dodges cause the wearer to briefly vanish.
[Ring of Mirage]
Dodges pass through enemies.
Passing through deals damage based on weapon attack.
Inflicts recoil damage, but restores 10% HP on defeating an enemy.
[Straight Sword of Malice & Left Arm of Despair]
A straight sword with unusual properties.
Usable by Swordsman, Warrior, Mercenary, ???, Hunter, ???, Thief, Dancer, Performer, ???.
Sheathed: boosts unarmed combat.
Drawn: increases skill activation speed.
Weak raw weapon stats, but heavy bonuses to attributes.
—————-
Right now, the skills I value most are [Gourmet] and [Rhythm Step].
And with me fighting basically as a frontline class, those skills shine even brighter.
Normally, gear is locked to certain jobs. But I can equip anything. That’s a massive edge I’d be a fool not to exploit.
Some job names are still hidden, though… Maybe they’re classes I haven’t fought with yet in this world.
Anyway, this is the build I arrived at after much thought.
“With all this combined, my total physical evasion rate actually breaks 100%… Of course, that doesn’t mean anything here…if I don’t move to dodge, nothing happens. Still…what would this feel like in practice?” (Shizuma)
On top of that, I’ve stacked bonuses to dodge mechanics… Sidesteps, swaying, twisting, all kinds of evasive motions.
I’ve already proven dodges cost no stamina, and there’s no post-dodge stiffness either.
Plus, my dodges themselves can deal damage now, counted as martial arts.
And if I wield a weapon that boosts martial arts performance… Well, my trampling strategy just got a massive upgrade.
In short, my current build concept is: A cheat build that combines insanely high evasion, lethal dodge-based counterattacks, and solid performance even in straight-up fighting.
As for my sword…it’s described as “low performance,” but think about it. In reality, you die if you get cut by a sharp iron blade.
So secondary effects are what matter most. Even my previous “low-performance” farming swords were in reality insanely heavy, destructive weapons.
This is the sweet spot where game mechanics and real-world logic intersect. And thanks to the many job powers I’ve inherited, it’s a setup that would’ve been outright impossible without cheats back in the game.
With this, I’ll blast through floors 41 to 50 in one push.
If all goes well, I’ll head straight to Marquis Alheus tomorrow. I don’t have the luxury of holding back anymore.
—————-
Just as planned, I arrived at the General Guild around noon, almost on the dot…biting into a Marumetano, a dish Melt was hooked on.
Delicious. Honestly, this rivals the sausages I had back on Earth. Seasoned perfectly to bring out the meat’s flavor, with well-balanced salt and sweetness, plus a thoughtful mix of spices and herbs.
The coarse grind, the way the fat and juices gush out…it all delivers a deeply satisfying “I ate meat!” feeling.
“…Feels like my food vocabulary has leveled up.”
Guess that’s Seira’s influence.
“Shizuma, that tasty?”
“Whoa!?”
A voice suddenly came from beside me as I ate on a bench.
Turning, I saw Livana-san sitting there, as if she’d been there all along.
I didn’t sense a thing… Was she sitting here first…?
“Answer. Tasty?” (Livana)
“Uh… yeah, it’s delicious.” (Shizuma)
“Understood.” (Livana)
With that, Livana-san got up and left.
…Well, I guess we’re at least acquaintances now?
“Look, look…that kid was just talking with the Killcrawler girl.”
“Wow… Amazing. Just goes to show the difference when you’re a real achiever.”
“Man, don’t you get hungry at night? I hear there’s a killer sausage stand around here.”
Ah! Those three again…the mysterious trio! Haven’t seen them in a while.
Come to think of it, I haven’t stopped by the Adventurers Lair lately… If I clear the dungeon early, maybe I’ll swing by for old times’ sake.
—————-
“Alright… Worst case, I was ready to fight a floor boss the moment I warped back in. But no problem this time.” (Shizuma)
When resuming from mid-dungeon, you always restart on a floor divisible by 5. If someone else is already battling the boss, you won’t warp in…but if unlucky, you might end up dropped straight into a boss rematch.
This time, though, the floor boss hadn’t respawned. So I headed down toward the 41st floor.
“…Now this has atmosphere.” (Shizuma)
Each time I defeated a floor boss, the dungeon’s design shifted. And now, the 41st floor screamed of climax.
A vast hallway stretched on endlessly, covered in crimson carpet.
The walls were adorned with exquisite craftsmanship, the kind that left me breathless.
Put simply…it looked exactly like a Demon Lord’s Castle.
Spacious…too spacious. The kind of place you’d imagine a giant Demon Lord inhabiting.
“…Perfect. Time to test my new build.” (Shizuma)
And in this fittingly final setting, the monsters that appeared were…
[Demon Drags]
A mutant strain of the dragonkin race, Dragonewts.
Having absorbed Dungeon-Master-tier power, they’ve half-transformed into demons.
To beat them as a human, one must strike their reverse scale with repeated ice attacks.
Being half-demon, they are also somewhat vulnerable to anti-demon prayers and magic.
They were the same terrifying monsters that had once forced that clan to retreat at the 35th floor.
But now? They were just regular mobs on the path forward.
…Actually, that’s crazy, isn’t it? Maybe no one has cleared this dungeon since it warped into this abnormal state.
Mantis Shrimp are most likely the deepest-diving explorers so far.
Killcrawler were just pruning misplaced high-level monsters in the lower floors.
“So this is basically an unexplored dungeon, huh…? Better keep a proper record.” (Shizuma)
Mapping? No need…it’s already displayed.
“…But monster types, strengths, maybe even unique appearances… Better sketch them.” (Shizuma)
I’m no artist, but I can manage basic drafts.
Pulling out the notebook I bought for writing practice, I began sketching the scenery.
Then, continuing through this dungeon floor that screams ‘last battle’…
—————-
“…So this thing’s a Gel variant too? Every monster here is abnormal.”
[Leonix Gel]
A Gel that has absorbed a powerful beast, learning from its data.
Has both top-tier beast strength and extreme physical resistance.
Considered a final evolutionary form that fulfills the Gel’s original role.
That explanation…felt unsettling.
So Gels aren’t just trash mobs…?
“…! Close one!” (Shizuma)
A massive semi-transparent beast lunged at me, and I barely slipped aside.
The broad corridors of the Demon-Lord-like castle, filled with hordes of translucent beasts, led by dragonkin with faint demonic traits.
A mixed army of Demon Drags and Leonix Gels.
Facing them, I steeled myself once again.
“…This will be the perfect test for how far this strategy can take me.” (Shizuma)
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