Chapter 106. Those That Climb the Dungeon (5)
Chapter 106. Those That Climb the Dungeon (5)
[Guooooooo!]
With an earthshaking roar, he charged forward. He was far faster than he had been previously, and taking his enlarged front paws into account, I could only barely dodge his attacks.
“Ruyue, focus on evading him. I’ll do the attacking!’
[Auuuu!]
Other than Floor Master skills, Elemental Blade was the only way for me to attack without taking any recoil damage. Being glad that I managed to obtain this skill, I called elementals into my spear blade again. Drinking Mana Potions as I used skills was now as natural as breathing.
[Kyaa, Prince-nim’s serious face! So cool!]
[When is the roller coaster taking off?]
[Where’s the seat belt? Do I grab the spear blade?]
[Ueee… I got on again, I’m going to throw up again!]
Ignoring the elementals’ voices, I swung my 10-meter long spear as I glanced past the Giant Wolf. Its colossal front paw was cut and blood spurted out like a fountain. The moment Ruyue landed on the ground, she ran. Immediately afterwards, the wolf’s hind leg stomped the area we landed.
[Aoooo!]
“It really is just like fighting a monstrous beast!”
I fixed my grip on Gluttony Spear and called the elementals again. With his size, it was impossible to take care of him quickly. I had already expected that the battle would drag out. Ruyue changed her direction and continued running. My target had not changed. It was still wolf’s giant front paws that had become easy targets!
[Guaaaaaa!]
[Front paw is coming!]
Looking at the Giant Wolf’s eyes burning with rage from the corner of my eyes, I raised my spear again. His giant front paw cut through the air and flew toward me. As I was sure just one hit would be enough to pierce my tough armor and deal a fatal blow, I laughed even louder.
“With just that… you can’t catch me!’
Ruyue jumped, and I jumped from Ruyue’s back. Unable to predict my movement, the Giant Wolf’s front paw only swung past my feet. At that moment, I struck my spear down with all the strength I could muster. The elemental spear blade easily pierced its leather, which had lost its defensive power. Digging deep into the front paw, the elemental blade then exploded.
[Critical Hit!]
[Kuooooooo!]
“Ruyue!”
[Auuuu!]
After recovering my spear, I landed on the back of Ruyue, who was waiting for me on the ground. However, I didn’t have the time to leisurely check the result of my attack. The Giant Wolf raised all the hair on its body with rage and was running toward me. I couldn’t let him hit me even once. I couldn’t waste a week because of something so stupid.
Raising my spear and striking down on the ground, I shouted.
“Outburst!”
Crack! The wasteland fissured and rock shards rose, flying toward the Giant Wolf, who was running towards me with vigor. Although it couldn’t be compared to when Dullahan used it, hundreds of flying rock shards hurtling towards the Giant Wolf was a sight to behold.
With the area I struck my spear down on as the center, the ground rumbled and large rock shards shot up, flying toward the Giant Wolf. They were fast, numerous, and strong. It was the second attack skill among Floor Master skills, and I had great expectations for it. Its strength was better than what I had imagined.
[Critical Hit!]
[Critical Hit!]
As the Giant Wolf was charging forward with great speed, it could not dodge the numerous rock shards and received them with his body. With his defensive power lacking from the skill he used, blood spurted out wherever the rock shards struck him. Now that I thought about it, as long as I wasn’t hit by him, there was no reason to fear his skill.
[Guaaaaaaa!]
Its dark red blood splashed on his already red fur, and dyed it in a darker red. However, it did not falter and continued charging. With how big it was, it had a frightening amount of life force. Any other Floor Master would have been in dire straits from the loss of blood, but he only looked slightly weaker. What was important in fighting a massive monster was continued concentration and patience to continue attacking him until he died. I learned something important.
“Ruyue, let’s go, cut off his front paw entirely!”
[Auuuuuu!]
30 minutes after that, the moment I was waiting for had finally arrived. As a result of focusing my attacks on it, its enlarged front paw had finally been severed from his body.
[Kuooooooo!]
He let out a heaven shattering scream and rolled on the ground. At the same time, his front paw disappeared into particles of light. With a grin, I fixed my grip on my spear. Having lost one of its front paws, he had lost both speed and strength. He could no longer even give a moment of thrill.
“Ruyue, let’s hurry up and finish this.”
[Auuuuu!]
Ruyue charged forward. As Ruyue and I already shared our thoughts, Ruyue brought me to the destination I desired without me having to tell her. I raised my spear and collected my energy. I woke up my sleeping muscles and squeezed out strength from them. The Giant Wolf was still struggling to raise its body. Using the white lightning that formed in my hand, I aimed at the Giant Wolf’s neck, the place I had drilled a hole in with Shadow Blink.
Then, I thrust forward.
[You became level 46. You obtained the qualification to advance to the 46th floor.]
[You obtained 5 bonus stats.]
[You became Silver rank 2.]
[Amazing! You are the first in First Dungeon’s history to succeed in soloing the Giant Wolf on the first try! The dungeon will remember you as a Great Explorer. You obtained 2 skill point as reward. Gods that love battles and wars begin to become interested in you. Remaining skill points: 18]
[You obtained the title, ‘Giant Wolf Master.’ All stats increase by 2. This effect will apply even if the title is not equipped.]
[You defeated the Giant Wolf alone. You obtained the special reward, ‘Giant Wolf’s Blood Hat.’]
[You obtained 200,000 gold.]
[You received the only reward left hidden for the First Explorer. Congratulations! Your luck stat increases by 1.]
[Secret. Giant Wolf’s Tattoo]
Really, compared to the Grim Reaper, the Giant Wolf was laughably easy. The Grim Reaper had several attacks that could hit me in ways I least expected, but for the Giant Wolf, there was nothing I had to be afraid of other than this body enlarging skill and skill that turned his defense into offense. I would remember him as the easiest boss along with the Wraith Queen.
As always, I asked message noona to open the message log and read the list of messages. There were two noteworthy things. First was that gods who liked battles and wars began to grow interested in me. Did this mean I was close to getting another god’s true name? Hermes’ Talaria was already very useful. No, did I even have the capacity to accept the power of another god’s true name?”
I thought seriously for a while, but realized there was no need to worry about something that would happen in the future. In fact, I might be completely mistaken. I decided to consider the matter later, and moved on to the next matter.
The secret reward, Giant Wolf’s Tattoo. It was clearly not a magic or a skill. Since experiencing it would be faster, I reached forward toward the reward. At that moment, something emanating a blue light flowed into my arm and traveled down to my legs. I hurriedly took my armor off and checked my legs. Runic patterns were engraved from my thighs to my calves, glowing with a blue light.
[You obtained Giant Wolf’s Tattoo. You speed increases by 15% and increases the attack power of all charge type skills by 50%.]
“Wow…”
Although I didn’t even have any rush-type skills, I would have a 110% attack power increase with Crimson Dragon Scale Armor’s 60% increase. Now that things had come to this, I would really need to look around to see if I can get myself a charge type skill. Plus, there was the 15% speed increase! It was equivalent to the effect of my god’s true name! Of course, 15% speed increase wasn’t the only effect Hermes had, but I was surprised nonetheless.
But damn, I would not be living in a world 30% faster than everyone else. Just the first 15% was hard to get used to, but I had gotten another 15%… It would be troublesome to get used to it.
I complained in complete happiness and left the Floor Master room. Behind the Floor Shop counter, Loretta, who was lying on the bed she prepared and reading a book, got up slowly after seeing me, and greeted me.
“Oh, you’re already here?”
“Loretta does things I can’t even imagine so easily. It makes me tremble, though, not in respect.”
“I’m thinking about building a portable house. By the way Shin-nim, your body’s balance seems a little off.”
When I told her the effects of Giant Wolf’s Tattoo, she stared at my legs, as if to see through my armor, then nodded her head.
“I can’t see it, so take it off and show me.”
“I won’t show you! What are you asking for so naturally!?”
“Tsk, he almost fell for it…”
Loretta clicked her tongue as if she was close. Then, after a dry cough, she advised me.
“If you want to obtain a charge type skill, why don’t you try looking for it at the Residential Area? Not all skills are automatically acquired like the Floor Master solo rewards. The skill books that Event Dungeon bosses drop or given from quest rewards are exchangeable. Shin-nim, you’re overflowing with gold anyways, right? You don’t buy anything from the Floor Shop other than potions, battle vouchers, and Party Member Scarecrows… I came all the way here to support Shin-nim, but you don’t use me very often. I’m sad.”
“Potions, battle vouchers, and Party Member Scarecrows, that’s a lot. I’m using tens of thousands of gold per day… Anyways, I’ll be off.”
“Take me with you! I’m bored.”
Loretta flapped her ears and jumped out from the bed, locking her arms with mine. I tried to ignore Loretta’s fragrance and the shocking sensation in my arm, but it wasn’t easy.
“It’s hot, so get off.”
“I know you’re not hot, so let’s go like this. Come on!”
“This person, there’s no sense of distance these days…”
Now that Loretta had stuck onto me, there was no way to get her off. I resigned and went to the Residential Area. When I arrived at the entrance of my mansion, I saw the corpse of the Giant Iron Boar, which was still left neglected on the garden. I’m sorry, Giant Iron Boar. I want to eat you, but I’m busy finishing the melting tunas in my inventory…
While I was silenting looking at the Giant Iron Boar, Loretta let out an exclamation of surprise and knocked on the Giant Iron Boar’s metallic legs.
“It’s the type that got stronger after death. Do you have a necromancer friend, Shin-nim?”
“Huh? What?”
“You’re fermenting it, right? It was originally weak, but a strong lightning energy was imbued into it the moment it died. Not to mention, this place is where the entrance to Fairy Garden is, meaning it’s full of elementals. Lightning energy is building up in its body, compressing its body and amplifying its energy. If you leave him like this, he’ll become a great undead for sure. One that’s much stronger than he was when he was alive.”
“…”
No, it said it wouldn’t rot, so I was just storing my food supply here… Not that I could tell her that. Now that I looked at it, its 70-meter long body length was now about 60 meters long. Its hair that was burnt black also seemed to be flickering with sparks…
I smiled nonchalantly.
“Hahaha, let’s go out, Loretta!”
“So it was a coincidence…”
Maybe I’ll learn necromancy later! I passed it off as something trivial for now and dragged Loretta outside the mansion to the Residential Area. Left behind in the garden was the Giant Iron Boar’s corpse, admirably fermenting itself.
Author’s Note:
Alright, let’s go! With this spirit, we’ll quickly clear the 50th floor!