THE ACADEMY DUNGEON 9 (FINAL)
My mood was renewed.
I break through the 37th floor by spending the items like hot water, doing that was so easy to the extent that I wonder why I have so much trouble on the 36th floor.
No, in fact, it was supposed to be difficult. You can tell by looking at the time it took me.
But I somehow don’t think that it was so difficult, it was like I was in a mysterious trance and my thoughts were numbed.
After I broke through the 37th floor, the 38th floor was really easy. The appearance rate of Harpia has significantly, on the contrary, the appearance rate of a slow cow-like monster has increased. It was like they were saying [I’m so slow, please run away].
The Harpia also gave me a tailwind when they call on those slow monsters.
What are you calling more of them for? They were so slow. I can just deal with you while leaving the cow alone.
It was around noon that I reached the 40th floor. It’s good that the harpies are still sp.a.w.ning on this floor since the number of the slow-moving monsters has increased. There’s almost no one that can give me a hard time on this floor.
However, I already ran out of sound magic stones.
With that said, I don’t have a use for them anymore.
I casually had my lunch at the magic circle before the 40th-floor boss. For some reason, the magic stone stove was in a bad condition, so I use a fire magic stone(Low-grade) to forcefully make the fallen tree sticks to burn. Now I can drink warm soup and pour myself a hot coffee.
I never use a fire magic stone to create bonfire before. I was panicked when the fire was too strong and made a mess out of the sticks I gathered. But I have a laugh at the sight of the burnt remains.
I felt great.
Now, there’s only one floor left.
What will I do after lunch? I’m going to lay down and take a break. I will challenge the boss with my best physical condition.
This 40th floor is not the normal 40th floor that normal students would encounter, it is a hidden boss that only show up only for the first solo capture.
—————-
The boss room is an arena that looks like the ruin you often see in Europe. Spectator seats surround an elliptical field where you would see the gladiators fighting. No one is sitting on those stone seats, there’s only me in this place.
On the opposite side of the field, there’s a ray of light. That light illuminated a single figure.
The man slowly descends from the sky. On his back is a pair of gray wings, he landed on the ground without flapping them. He is wearing ancient Roman armor with a sword which is around one meter in length hanging from his waist. On his arm is a circular metal shield.
His look my way while folding his wings which looks like an enlarged version of a swan’s wings.
His figure is very similar to an angel depicted in paintings.
But I know, this guy is not an angel.
“Hi, Icarus.”
Close enough I guess…..
Of course, he didn’t say anything in response. He is staring at me without moving his finely crafted face. I place my hand on my sword and increase the volume of magic power inside the stole. Then
I walk toward him.
Finally, he drew his sword.
Moving my body left and right to faint him, I swing third-hand to strike Icarus’s body.
I intended to forcefully strike him down but Icarus only lower his center of gravity and received the attack just by moving his shield. He wasn’t even slightly push away from his original spot.
Icarus swings his sword to counterattack so I moved fourth hand to the front to receive it. I was considering slashing him with my sword draw technique but…..
“I don’t think I can move my body……”
It would be bad if I haven’t noticed. His single strike was stronger even than that of the clambon. I abandon the idea of attacking immediately and focus myself on evading. Icarus continues to make his second and third attacks. Sometimes he used his sword, sometimes his shield and sometimes he’s even resorted to kicking.
Icarus was even faster than the harpies. Compared to the monsters I faced up until now, all of his abilities are far higher.
However, that was supposed to be the case. Icarus is not a boss you would normally encounter on the 40th floor. He is an opponent suitable for the strengthened character in the second run of the game, a [Deep Cla.s.s] monster.
If your party has a hard time on the 50th floor then they will definitely lose against him. If I come here without preparation then I’m sure I would lose too. Rather, even if I am well prepared, there’s a chance that I can still lose.
Icarus slowly float up to the sky and look down towards me. His sword is reflecting the sunlight and shining brilliantly.
I have a bad feeling.
The moment I thought so, Icarus points his sword toward me and dive down toward me while steadily accelerating.
The speed of a descending falcon was faster than a shinkansen. That thought suddenly popped up in my mind. At the same time, I felt something cold ran on back.
I can’t take that attack, my whole body screamed. I immediately started to run, I used both of my legs, third hand and fourth hand to avoid that attack with all my power.
Was that a missile?
If I take that directly, it seems like I will be blown away and if I’m unlucky then I might turn to pieces on the spot.
If I got hit by that even once then it would be my defeat. However, I already prepare a countermeasure for that.
“How many Knockers do you think I have to kill to collect all this?”
Icarus soar up to the sky again and dive down again. I avoid it with all my power. Maybe Icarus thought that his attack won’t hit, he chases after me while maintaining low alt.i.tude flight.
As he is following after me, I deliberately received Icarus’s horizontal attack. By using the force behind his attack to send myself flying sideways, I activate the fire magic stone (Intermediate level) and aim at his wings.
“————————”
Icarus’s weak point is fire. I think the developers were inspired by Greek mythology. The story about the man that got his wings melted after he flies too close to the sun was quite famous.
Seriously, I’m glad that this guy has such a weak point. If he doesn’t have one then I might even give up on solo capturing the 40th floor in the first place. (TLN: So it was your fault huh, Icarus.)
As his wings are melting he is screaming with indescribable voice while rolling on the ground. Since he directed a sharp gaze at me, I fire another shot at him as a get well gift.
I wanted to follow up right away but he rolled away from the spot.
There isn’t a shred of his previous angelic image left.
His splendid wings melted away into two white lines that ran on his back in place of his wings. His body was burned by the flame and turned red and black, it looks very painful.
But he wasn’t broken. He stood up and points his sword at me.
He kicks the ground with his feet and swings his sword. His power was a little weaker than before thanks to his burn and the lack of his wings. Seeing that his sword wasn’t effective, he immediately switches up his style and integrates the shield into his attacks while continuing his a.s.sault from all sides.
He got bolder even after he received a huge amount of damage.
Just how strong is he?
He is seriously amazing. Even when I took away his wings and burn his body, it wouldn’t be weird if he just crumbling down but he is still standing back up and counterattack with even more creative attacks.
Seeing him like that I thought.
What is the source of my strength?
Takioto Kousuke’s enormous magic power? My knowledge? The power that I gained through my efforts?
Maybe it is all of them.
But was that really all it was? Can I reach this 40th floor with that alone?
I can confidently say that it was impossible.
Why wasn’t I beaten? Why my spirit wasn’t crushed? I might not be able to beat the clambon and I might have lost to the harpies pack.
The power I got now is all thanks to everyone’s help.
If Claris-san didn’t spar with me every day, if Sempai never taught her technique to me, if Ludi didn’t help me with my special training, if Nee-san and Marino-san didn’t provide me with the place, tools and knowledge to capture this place then I would definitely have fallen somewhere along the way.
It was a strange feeling. For some reason, I can perfectly evade Icarus’s attack while my mind was occupied with such a thing.
The more I concentrate, the more I can see Icarus’s movement in slow motion……
How many encounters did I have since then?
Fighting with Icarus made me think of the training with Sempai. She patiently helps me with my training. After that, when Nanami saw me soaked in sweat she said [You want a towel? A bath? Or is it M・E?]. I wonder what would happen if I chose the [M・E] choice at that time.
After I got out of the bath, Ludi gave me a ma.s.sage although she was not used to it. Somehow she looked very motivated even though she wasn’t as good at it as Nanami or Sempai. Afterward, she demanded a cup ramen in return but I was cheered up after I saw the smile on her face. I want to see it again.
Let’s buy a cup ramen on the way back today.
I let out a small laugh while defending against Icarus’s attacks. I don’t know why but I don’t feel like losing at all.
Even Icarus has his limit. His attacks are getting faster but it also getting rougher. But those attacks are clearly visible to me. I defended with third hand and pretend to lose my balance.
Icarus must have thought that it was an opening. He pressed forward and tried to bash me with his shield. But I deflect it with fourth hand.
The me right now must be full of opening from his eyes. He made a big swing to strike me down. The moment that his sword was swung down while reflecting the sunlight, I draw my sword.
There’s a sound like something had fallen to the ground next to us.
It was Icarus’s sword.
I use fire magic stone (Intermediate level) on Icarus who had a shocked expression on his face.
As he groans while his whole body is burning, I draw my sword again.
—————
At the same time as his body turned into a fist-sized magic stone, a gorgeously decorated treasure chest appeared at the center of the arena.
I opened the chest, inside are small seeds that emitting a golden glow. I picked up those seeds and hold it in my hand.
I finally got it. The item that absolutely necessary for a sub-character to become the strongest.
The growth limit release item [Seed of Possibility].
In the game, the upper limit of all abilities can be removed by swallowing it, it gives you the ability to freely raise your status. By using this item with the items for an underleveled first-time player, you can raise your status to the limit. Not only that, for some characters, including me, it also has an effect of increasing the type of weapons that you can use.
It’s not something necessary for Iori or the developers’ favorite heroines. They already have enough possibilities as they are. Iori and the people of three committees can become a monster without something like this.
But this thing was absolutely necessary for me. The Seed of Possibility is literally a seed of possibility.
I can try to use various weapons from now on. If I were to have a mean of long-range attack, it’s best that I conduct special training for it at this point.
However, I also think that it is also fine to remain as I am now. It might be good to refine my attack and defenses on close-quarter combat and remain specialized. If the fight became ugly, when it came to the contest of the amount of magic power then there’s no way I could lose.
And I don’t have to challenge alone anymore.
“d.a.m.n, somehow….. I felt like I don’t really care about [The Seed of Possibility] anymore.”
Certainly, I am happy that I got the seed of possibility. No, I am really happy that I got it.
But there’s now more powerful emotion that welled up from inside my heart.
I want to meet them.
I want to quickly leave this place and meet them. Then I want to tell them.
They might think that I am crazy and think [What are you saying all of a sudden?]
But I still want to meet and tell them.
I put all of [The Seed of Possibility] into my bag and enter the return magic circle.