novelraw Chapter 168
Chapter 168
Chapter 168
We've descended to the twenty-first floor.
Well then, let's ride Norn and get back to conquering. Gahaha.
Huh? You're asking if we're not going back to the surface?
Or if it's tough not eating anything?
I've been returning the rice ball and miso soup bento sets to Jiu-san and getting new ones made, so I'm living it up without a care.
Don't worry about it. Honestly, I might be slacking off the most.
I keep it a secret from the other explorers since I'd feel bad. Yeah.
——120 hours since dungeon entry
Since Happy-san is a girl, she returns to the Kyoto inn once a day via the EXP factory for body maintenance. Personally, I think it's fine to skip the bath for like five days. But when I said that...
"That's kind of gross."
she said with a straight face, so since that day, I've been going back for a bath every day.
No, it's not like I'm bothered or anything. Totally different. A true explorer wouldn't leave the dungeon just to bathe—that's weak. But, I mean, not like I'm actually bothered or anything, but if there's an easy way to exit the dungeon, I might as well use it. That's all.
——150 hours since dungeon entry
Reached the twenty-seventh floor.
The monsters' strength isn't really a problem.
Generally speaking, you can defeat them by ringing the weakest Calibur with ATK 10,000 and HP 1 four times.
"Excalibur, Excalibur."
I think my manual Excalibur execution and accuracy have both improved quite a bit.
I'm delivering nearly ideal damage.
"Hey, what's that Excalibur thing?"
"It's a chant. Saying this increases its power (not true)."
"So cool... Maybe I'll try saying it too?"
"Trust me, don't. It's not worth it."
I'll keep practicing, of course, but there's something else I want to raise my proficiency in.
Lately, I've been getting my skills sealed pretty often.
So I think I should come up with a countermeasure for when that happens.
For that reason, I already have the perfect skill.
That's right—'Living Blade'.
According to Jiu-san, it's a type of swordsmanship skill.
It's a rare skill, so there aren't many users, but the effect itself isn't that rare—it's a passive skill that gives you sword proficiency.
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'Living Blade'
A sword that preserves life
Allows you to wield a sword like a master
Proficiency 453/10,000
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Once proficiency hits 10,000, something is bound to happen.
Probably a skill level-up.
It's better to have more tactical options. It's like counterthrowing when someone baits you. So I'm going to keep carving up French bulldogs for skill growth.
Alrighty, let's keep carving them up~ slice and dice~ (grin)
——180 hours since dungeon entry
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★Daily Mission★
Let's keep working steadily every day!
'Daily Swordsmanship'
Kill with a sword 1,000/1,000
★Today's Daily Mission completed!★
Reward: Skill 'Double Slash'
Consecutive days: Day 150
Steady Rank: Platinum Multiplier 10.0x
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Defeated 1,000 dungeon French bulldogs with a sword and mission complete.
Looks like the reward is a skill. That's rare.
Still a Platinum member even after 150 days, huh.
I guess it's safe to assume the next membership rank is at 200 days.
What a brutal trial.
(A new skill has been unlocked)
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'Double Slash'
A flowing two-hit combo attack
Delivers greater damage in an instant
MP Cost 4 ×2
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Hmm.
I mean, could you not hand out super weak-looking skills at this point?
MP cost 4? Even if you hit twice, that's 8 MP.
Am I ever going to get a chance to use this thing?
Well, I am happy to get something like this right after starting sword practice, though.
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★Daily Mission★
Let's keep working steadily every day!
'Better Safe Than Sorry'
Just do it
Consecutive days: Day 150
Steady Rank: Platinum Multiplier 10.0x
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Talk about a demon coach.
Better safe than sorry, huh. I guess I'll believe it's for my growth and keep at it.
Not just a makeshift skill—I think they want me to legit master a full-fledged swordsmanship skill.
Are they seriously trying to train me to a level where I could become a swordsman... I just wanted some basic emergency-use sword skills, though.
But now that Daily-kun's all fired up, I guess I have no choice but to go along.
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Akagi Hideo
Level 292
HP 1,403,741/1,434,400
MP 256,140/261,000
Skills
'Finger Snap Lv7'
'Phobia Syndrome Lv10'
'Surekill Lv10'
'Steel Spirit'
'Probability Time: Coin Lv2'
'Super Metal Assault Lv8'
'Blue Pulsation Lv4'
'Black Swamp's Severer'
'Super Catcher Lv4'
'Until the Very End Together'
'Silver Shield Lv9'
'Living Blade Lv2'
'Summoning Art——Statue of the Abyss'
'Double Slash'
Equipment
'Ring of Cthurnia' G6
'Mugen High-Load ver7.5' G5
'Adolphene's Holy Shroud Lv6' G5
'Blue Blood Lv8' G5
'Proof of the Chosen One Lv6' G5
'Metal Trap Room Lv4' G5
'Labyrinth Conqueror' G4
'Bloodstained Comrade' G4
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"Kyukyu (Translation: I fully support Hideo-dono learning swordsmanship-kyu! A dragon's friend ought to be a cool sword-user-kyu!)"
"Gii (Translation: The intent of the Daily Mission is unclear, but it's good to gain more skills.)"
Well, I got it as a reward, so I might as well practice.
Oh, right—'Living Blade' has Evolved into 'Living Blade Lv2'.
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'Living Blade Lv2'
The path of the blade that preserves life
Enables you to wield the sword like a master
Proficiency 1,520/20,000
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So the theory that it levels up at 10,000 proficiency was correct.
Where exactly to position the sword's center of gravity on your body, how to swing to maximize force, how to keep your core stable while swinging, how to cut your target efficiently, how to maintain the right cutting angle... and so on.
Every last bit of sword theory is seeping into me.
Learning swordsmanship.
It doesn't only apply to when you swing a sword.
Studying the principles is ultimately learning how to move your body.
And at the same time, it strengthens the mind.
I feel like I've grown more as a person than ever before.
——216 hours since dungeon entry (9 days)
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★Daily Mission★
Let's keep up the steady effort every day!
'Daily Swordsmanship 3'
Kill with sword 1,800/1,800
★Today's Daily Mission completed!★
Reward: Skill 'Thrust'
Consecutive days: Day 152
Steady Rank: Platinum Multiplier 10.0x
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As usual, my swordsmanship grind continues.
After swinging my sword for nearly 100 hours a day, I've gotten completely used to it.
────────────────────
Akagi Hideo
Level 292
HP 1,433,120/1,434,400
MP 255,120/261,000
Skills
'Finger Snap Lv7'
'Phobia Syndrome Lv10'
'Surekill Lv10'
'Steel Spirit'
'Probability Time: Coin Lv2'
'Super Metal Assault Lv8'
'Blue Pulsation Lv4'
'Black Swamp's Severer'
'Super Catcher Lv4'
'Until the Very End Together'
'Silver Shield Lv9'
'Living Blade Lv4'
'Summoning Art——Statue of the Abyss'
'Double Slash Lv3'
'Counter Slash Lv2'
'Thrust'
Equipment
'Ring of Cthurnia' G6
'Mugen High-Load ver7.5' G5
'Adolphene's Holy Shroud Lv6' G5
'Blue Blood Lv8' G5
'Proof of the Chosen One Lv6' G5
'Metal Trap Room Lv4' G5
'Labyrinth Conqueror' G4
'Bloodstained Comrade' G4
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'Living Blade' is now Lv4.
'Double Slash' is now Lv3.
'Counter Slash' is now Lv2.
And I just obtained 'Thrust'.
Just when I thought I've gathered a decent set, the Norn cat taxi I was riding arrived at its destination. For the record, Happy-san is currently back home.
"Happy-san, Happy-san, we've arrived at the boss room."
I go via the EXP factory to the long-standing inn where Happy-san is staying, and gently wake her as she sleeps soundly on the tatami mat.
Still mumbling in her sleep, Happy-san says, "Coming now," and I wait at the EXP factory. Two hours later she arrives, and I'm reminded again how long it takes girls to get ready.
We return to the dungeon.
Happy-san is now fully composed and battle-ready.
"Let's beat it together."
"You can handle it by yourself too, Happy-san."
"Well... maybe. But it is the 30th floor's floor boss, right? ...Yeah, together's better."
"Understood. Then I'll land the first hit—if it's still alive after that, I'll leave the rest to you."
We pass through the road paved by the kneeling Black Fingertips and arrive before the heavy iron door.
In the white mist covering the iron door, the words 'Floor Boss: Composer of the Abyss' float into view.
I trace the white letters with my finger. The letters slowly turn black.
"Nn."
A melody can be heard from the other side of the iron door.
A distinct tune woven by someone with rare musical talent.
Passing through the white mist, I open the door and enter the boss room.
A deep, oppressive bass echoes through the abyssal dome.
A massive instrument that shakes the air and exudes overwhelming presence.
Was it called a pipe organ? Said to be the largest instrument in the world, typically installed in churches or concert halls.
A pale-skinned phantom with long, unkempt hair plays it with wild motion.
It looks human, but on closer inspection, its proportions are all wrong.
It must be around 3 meters tall. Its long, slender limbs are anything but normal.
I snapped my fingers.
Instantly, the music stopped.
The performer—no, the Composer of the Abyss—looked our way.
"Nice performance. But if you keep going, you'll end up as charred remains."
I ignited the golden flame on the Chtorunia Ring.
A soul sword appeared in my hand.
As I came to understand swordsmanship, its form was optimized.
Now, it's a large straight sword roughly 100cm in blade length.
I gripped it tightly and firmly.
——BAAAANNNGGG!!!
The keys were slammed wildly with both hands.
A massive bass note gave birth to a scream.
The organ's guttural wail created an invisible gravitational pull that yanked Finger Man violently.
He was hoisted up all at once with a loud whoosh.
Finger Man was slammed into the dome's ceiling at incredible speed.
It was a supernatural, transcendent, unavoidable blitz attack that allowed no resistance.
"Finger Man!? That guy!"
Trigger Happy was stunned by the boss's trickery, surpassing her imagination.
She quickly opened fire on the organist with Silver Cord and Fleischkugel.
But the bullets didn't reach. They stopped dead a few meters in front of the performer.
"Tch."
——BAAAANNNGGG!!!
Once again, the keys were struck with violent force, like a roar given form.
In that instant, invisible gravity surged, and Trigger Happy was flung at incredible speed, crashing into the dome wall.
"This thing... is strong...!"
Happy spat blood in response to the overwhelming threat and cloaked herself in blue lightning, ready to go all out.
Meanwhile, the Black Fingertips began to move as well.
They spread out, brandished their spears, and surrounded the performer in a wide encirclement.
The performer shook their head wildly and began a crazed first movement of a rhapsody.
Even though countless enemies surrounded them, they stayed seated, manipulating the pipe organ without pause.
Each echo of sound triggered invisible phenomena.
The heavily armed Dragoon Breakdancers tried to evade the unseen attacks with blinding speed, leaving no shadow behind.
One of the Breakdancers suddenly froze mid-motion.
It seemed to have been caught by the invisible force. Its body began to float into the air.
It was gripped tightly, creaking and on the verge of being crushed.
At that moment, the fierce general Dark Knight of the Black Fingertips hurled the Twisted Black Spear into the air. It flew above the pipe organ and pierced something invisible, erupting in blue blood.
The captured Breakdancer struggled and writhed—and at the last second, broke free and fled to the rear of the Black Fingertips.
The Black Fingertips realized the enemy's position and prepared to attack following Dark Knight's lead.
But Dark Knight raised an arm sharply and stopped them.
The Fingertips immediately halted their attack.
Dark Knight had conveyed their master's will.
He understood that the master wanted no assistance.
Happy gasped and looked up at the ceiling.
From a deeply caved-in hole in the dome's high ceiling, Finger Man climbed out.
He landed gracefully on the ground.
"......Hmm."
Cracking his neck as if still unsatisfied, he adjusted the position of his sunglasses.
He tossed the duralumin case held in one hand, bent his knees slightly, and vanished in the next moment.
A dazzling light was born in the dark dome of the Abyss.
A golden trail.
It was the remnant of a heroic destructive strike——
The slash mark, extended to several dozen meters, cut clean through the pipe organ, the performer, and the invisible entity above it all.
'Absolute Sword Excalibur Lv7' ATK 10,000: HP 1
Roughly poured in 1,000,000 HP to unleash an attack power of 10,000,000,000 (ten billion).
The destructive blow was amplified by the golden flame enhancement of the great relic.
How many people actually witnessed the moment he swung his sword?
A fleeting attack—one single slash that cut through everything.
Time resumed. Golden flames began to pour from the slash mark.
The gold exploded into a vision of the end of a star.
CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK—intense cracks spread across the dome of the Abyss.
The boss room was exposed to extreme heat, becoming a boiling blaze.
The fact it barely avoided collapse proved that Finger Man had learned from past experience.
The energy was unleashed solely to prevent spread and erase the target's existence from the world.
"At this level, the boss room can take it, huh."
Saying that, Finger Man clicked open his lighter and collected the experience points.
"Forty billion and 74.52 million. Nice haul."
Finger Man swung his sword, dispersing it into particles of light, then turned around.
Standing against the golden scorched earth, Finger Man. Trigger Happy regretted even slightly worrying about him. There was no way this man could lose.