Chapter 111. Requirements of a Dimensional Mercenary (4)
"The 50th Floor Master is weaker than the Grim Reaper, so I"m sure you can defeat him easily."
49th Floor Shop. I narrowed my eyes at Loretta"s words.
"I just gave you 50,000 gold for the information on the boss, right?"
"And I told you that you can easily step on that weakling."
"Who"s the one that said it was the simplest, yet most difficult, method?"
"I meant for the other explorers. There"s no way Shin-nim would lose to that fur ball."
Loretta spoke as if it was obvious, and lay on the bed she prepared behind the Floor Shop"s counter. Even though she was clearly lying down, a certain part of her was shooting up… I quickly turned my gaze. Thankfully, it seemed Loretta didn"t notice me.
"So hurry up. If your vitality hits zero, you should you won"t be able to save your friend, right?"
"That only adds pressure without helping!"
However, if Loretta said it was easy, it truly was easy. I doubted whether her words were worth 50,000 gold, but considering that she usually gave me huge discounts, I only complained a little before climbing to the 50th floor.
The earlier I could become a Dimensional Mercenary and head to Luka continent, the better it was. The key to victory was to attack the enemy when their forces were weak! When I arrived at the 50th floor, I immediately materialized Ruyue and put a Mana Potion in my mouth.
[Uhuhu, what a wonderful human.]
[Come play with me.]
On the 50th floor, a strange monster other than ice worms, frozen pengs, and frozen bears appeared. It was the snow woman from j.a.panese folk tale. As I observed them, I wondered if a monster like Korea"s dokkaebi would appear on higher floors. They were all wearing white dresses, had long hair, and were showing off their beautiful appearances.
[You defend against the "charm" status effect.]
[You defend against the "charm" status effect.]
Even though I didn"t do anything, loud alerts were ringing in my ear. I was wondering why they were just standing there, but they were using status effect attacks! For a second, I questioned how father got through this floor and thought I may need to tell mother about it. Then, I pierced the frozen pengs and frozen bears that approached me with my spear.
[That man is strong.]
[But I, I like that man!]
[The skill, Succubus" Pupils, reflects the status effect back. The snow woman has been charmed.]
[Child, why don"t you play with me? Come! Hey, you guys, stop trying to get in my away!]
[Her eyes are completely gone! Defend!]
While the snow women were dealing with each other, I leisurely cut down the other monsters, then pierced the snow women afterward.
[Kuk, you killed us without hesitation!?]
"Sorry, but appearances don"t shake me anymore."
Although the snow woman was charmed, it was a status effect. As she wasn"t tamed or anything, the status effect would eventually run out. As such, I killed all the snow women and advanced forward. Although I felt dirty as it felt like I was cutting human beings, I had long since pa.s.sed the stage where something like that bothered me greatly.
The 46th through 50th floors were made of snowy fields. As such, explorers had to care for the environment along with the monsters they had to fight. However, because of my contract with Ruyue, the environment caused little issue for me. However, the 50th floor was strange. It became colder the further I walked.
[Shin, are you okay? I"ll try harder!]
"No, Ruyue. I don"t think it"s your fault."
Was it because of the battle room where the Floor Master was waiting…? Or was it some other reason? I tightened my grip on Gluttony Spear. For an instant, a chill swept over us. If I, who contracted Ruyue, could feel chill, it only made one thing.
[The blood on your spear. It comes from us snow women.]
"Are you the snow woman captain?"
I raised my spear and aimed it in the sky. Thousands and thousands of black hair filled the sky, like the night had just arrived on the snowy field. Floating in the center was an incredibly gorgeous woman.
[Conceited Human who dreams of land beyond this place, I will collect my fellow snow women"s cost of blood… Kuk!]
"Sorry, but I don"t have time to be listening to you monsters!" Using Divine Speed, I ran forward and drilled my spear into the snow woman"s chest with Heroic Strike. Divine Speed, which multiplied my speed, had greater effect the faster I was. As my speed had increased 45% by now, I moved like I was teleporting when I used Divine Speed. A mere 50th floor named monster could not block my attack.
[Kuk… s-strong… you, Her….!]
"Sorry, I don"t have time to listen to your last words either."
I slashed her neck without a shred of hesitation. A small fanfare rang out, indicating that I had killed a named monster. Before that, however, a message that alerted the increase of my skill level rang out.
[Divine Speed became level 6. By using 15% of your mana, your speed is multiplied by 700% for 1 second.]
"Divine Speed"s become level 6 now…"
700% for 1 second. With my basic 45% speed increase, I could move for 1015% of my speed when I activated Divine Speed. Perhaps I should focus more on my Divine Speed skill. In any case, I had received something in my inventory.
[You obtained Snow Woman"s Breath-imbued Ice Crystal (Unique).]
[Snow Woman"s Breath-imbued Ice Crystal (Unique)
Activatable by hitting the target with it. Completely ignores the target"s resistance and freezes the target. After 5 seconds, the target may become unfrozen, depending on the resistance.]
As it seemed like a complete cheat item, I enshrined it in my inventory and kowtowed to it. Then, I walked to the Floor Master battle room with vigor. The temperature had also gone back to normal, so I was able to arrive at my destination in just a few hours without much trouble.
The door was made out of ice. I could feel a large, ferocious aura leaking out from it. It seemed to be giving a warning, as if I shouldn"t think about challenging it alone.
I slammed open the door without any hesitation.
"Fight me!"
[Guoooooooo!]
The Floor Master room did not betray theme of 46th through 50th floor, as it was also a snowy field. I saw trees and boulders covered in snow, and even the ceiling was missing, as snow was falling from the wide-open sky.
Most importantly, I saw the large creature roaring from beyond the hill in the distance. It was a giant that was at least 7 meters in size. It had desiccated skin pulled tightly over its bones, pale ash gray skin, and a large head that did not match its body. Its eyes were pushed back deep into their sockets. Looking at its b.l.o.o.d.y lips, I realized what it was.
"Wendigo!"
It was a creature of legends from Canadian and American Indians" folklore. It was known for its cannibalistic nature. Was there a well-known method of fighting him?
No.
[Guooooooo!]
The Wendigo charged at me with an incredible speed. Although it was gaunt, its large size was enough to shake the earth and cause snow to fall from the snowy mountain.
I fixed my grip on my spear and glanced at him from top to bottom. Where was the most effective place for me to attack? What kind of special abilities would it have? What were its weapons?
"Hu, first, let"s fight! Thunder Spear!"
Peika, who was getting stronger by the day, created a spear of lighting in the air, sending it flying toward the Wendigo. Surprisingly, the lightning spear struck its forehead. The Wendigo"s evasive ability was c.r.a.p! Only it"s running speed was fast.
[Guoooooo!]
"Come!"
I also rushed forward on Ruyue. I had first met Ruyue in a snowy field! She could bring out her ability to the fullest in this environment. Her speed became faster and faster, and when we neared the Wendigo, she had long pa.s.sed the Wendigo"s speed.
[Guoooooooo!]
The surrounding mana began to shake when I neared him. At the same time, frost appeared on my armor. In other words, it had an absurd ability of freezing anyone that approached it!
[Auuuuuuu!]
However, it had met the wrong opponent. Ruyue was an ice elemental! As the Wendigo poured out more freezing energy, Ruyue became bigger and her energy became stronger. The frost that bloomed on my armor had also disappeared before I noticed it.
[I feel full of strength! Why are you giving me strength?]
[Guooooooo!]
The Wendigo seemed to be fl.u.s.tered when we weren"t frozen, as it raised its large arms and swung them down toward us. However, it was my turn to attack him.
"Ruyue, can you focus on defense? Peika, we"re going full strength!"
[Okay!]
[Understood, Master!]
I decreased the amount of mana I gave to Ruyue, and poured more into my spear, which Peika was infused in. Wendigo"s large face was glaring at me. Its arms missed me and hit the ground, creating a small snowstorm around us, but I calmly stared back at its face.
[Guoooo…!]
"Sorry, but I don"t have the time to play with you slowly. I"m in a hurry, you see."
I smiled. The spear I held became a white bolt of lightning and radiated dazzling light in the completely white snowy area. It pierced the Wendigo"s eye and became even bigger.
"So let"s wrap this up! Dark Thunder Explosion!"
Before it could see the white aura in my spear and say, "What, this guy was the Hero?", I went all out.
Enjoy this festival of lighting strengthened by the power of a lightning elemental!
B-B-B-B-Boom!
[Kuaaaaaaa!]
Admiring the Wendigo"s scream, I continued with White Lightning Consecutive Strike. My goal was its right arm! The best way to deal with large monsters was to disable their limbs one by one. With that, not only would they be unable to attack me, their HP and resistance would also decrease, making it easy for me to cut their heads off. It was something I learned from fighting the Giant Wolf.
[Guaaaaaa!]
"I! Won"t! Stop! Hitting! Until! You! Die! White Lightning Consecutive Strike!"
In exactly 26 minutes since I entered the Floor Master battle room, the Wendigo fell helplessly without even using all of its abilities. It had ended so quickly that it did not even use even one of Floor Master-specific skills. This guy was just too weak…
[You became level 51. You obtained the qualification to advance to the 51st floor.]
[You obtained 5 bonus stats.]
[You became Gold Rank 9. You became a Gold ranked explorer! You can now appoint an additional person to be an explorer. You can strengthen your current cla.s.s and you can obtain another subcla.s.s!]
[Amazing! You are the first in First Dungeon"s history to succeed in soloing the Wendigo on the first try! The dungeon will remember you as a Great Explorer. You obtained 2 skill point as reward. You can choose G.o.d"s true name that matches your league! Current skill points: 20]
[Your league of existence became higher, strengthening Hermes"s authority. Talaria"s duration increases to 30 minutes per day. You obtained a new authority of Hermes, Caduceus.]
[You obtained the t.i.tle, "Wendigo Master." All stats increase by 2. This effect will apply even if the t.i.tle is not equipped.]
[You defeated the Wendigo alone. You obtained the special reward, "Wendigo"s Fur Hat."]
[You obtained 250,000 gold.]
[You received the only reward left hidden for the First Explorer. Congratulations! Your luck stat increases by 1.]
[Secret. Dimensional Travel Magic Book
[You can choose one of two G.o.d"s true names. Choose the desired true name: The G.o.d of Thunder, Thor, or the Sky G.o.d Zeus. Once chosen, you cannot obtain the other"s true name, so choose carefully!]
… Eh? What was that?
"… A new G.o.d"s true name!?"
Author"s note: N/A