I got a little scared, so I turned back. As soon as I did, I was able to see again.
Okay. Let’s just keep going then.
I breached the darkness once again. As I continued walking forward in the pitch-black corridor, I found that it quickly let up. I could see again.
That darkness had only seemed to last for about a block, so I guessed that this special zone was also attached to the blocks themselves.
One block later, I came upon another darkness zone. Figuring that this was just something that existed in this dungeon, I simply kept moving forward.
Light. Dark. Light. Dark. They alternate. What is this? As that thought crossed my mind, someone suddenly appeared.
“Oink!”
“Eeek!”
I’d ended up screaming reflexively, but when I took a second look, I recognized the face. Oh, so it’s just one of the armed pig-people. They were called orcs—incredibly rotund monsters with pink skin. There were five of them.
I think I saw them in the beginning during the not-explanation.
As for the orcs, they seemed incredibly surprised as well, as if they’d never expected someone to come out of the darkness. However, they also quickly realized I was a monster.
“Hello.”
“Oink oink oink!”
Yeeep, can’t communicate at all. Is there anything I can do about this? This is pretty sad when there’re so many allies in this dungeon.
“W-Well, do your best, you guys!”
“Oink!”
I tried raising my hand. They mirrored my action, and I felt like my intention to cheer them on got through to them. Yeah...
Ahh, but they should be careful of things coming in and out of that darkness zone. It seems like they could be caught off guard by adventurers the way things were going.
I passed by the piggies and continued northward.
“Oiiinnnk!”
After some progress, I heard the piggies screaming and squealing. I turned around, thinking that something had happened.
There were six adventurers—three warriors in front, and a thief, a priest, and a mage in the back.
The three warriors all attacked at once, instantly killing three of the orcs.
“I guess level 5 orcs would be easy.”
“Don’t let your guard down. Don’t forget we’re still new.”
“We managed to kill three thanks to our preemptive strike. There’s two, no...three left?”
Ah, looks like I’m included.
Then, the other two orcs were quickly cleaned up. Slatarou’s probably right. Monsters on the first underground floor can’t stand up to adventurers at all.
“So, what is that thing? A mimic? Well, a single level 10 should be easy.”
The adventurers all turned their eyes towards me. I was soon surrounded by the uncomfortable feeling of being Analyzed again. I guess it was just common sense for adventurers to Analyze everything.
Let’s see... Running would be easy, but I did cheer those orcs on. Even if we just passed by each other, I need to avenge them! Well, I guess that’s more of an excuse. Basically, I just wanna run some experiments on these guys—the type where I go all “Pow!” into their faces!
The warriors walked towards me with their shields raised.
3v1? How cautious. Anyway, time for the first experiment.
“Hiiiyaaah!”
I kicked off the ground with full power. That would’ve been enough to instantly send me crashing into the ceiling, but I was ready for that. Then, I kicked off the ceiling and launched myself towards the warriors!
*Kersplat!*
I started by squishing one of them.
Ha ha ha! Die from my treasure chest corners! Let’s see, why not call this move the Mimic Meteor?
“Wha—?!”
The adventurers gasped, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets. I slowly got up and approached a nearby warrior.
“Grah!”
The warrior swung his sword.
Time for experiment number two. It’s a bit dangerous, but I need to see how much I can withstand.
*Clang!*
From that test, I understood that attacks from beginner warriors did nothing to me.
I should’ve expected that. After all, I’m so tough that I completely managed to crush an armored human without a single scratch.
“What is wrong with this thing?!”
Ohhh, they’re panicking. They’re totally panicking! That’s understandable, though—anyone would after completely underestimating a mimic, only to find out none of your attacks work on it. All right, next is experiment three!
I wanted to use Explosive Legs, but there was something I needed to test first.
I got in between the party’s front and back lines, then I tackled one of the warriors. It didn’t matter that he’d blocked me with his shield—I just needed to separate him from the group.
I withdrew a bit, putting some distance between us, then...
“Explosive Legs!”
I launched a mighty kick at the warrior.
Now, if this is the same as before, then...
*KaBLAM!*
The warrior exploded.
That took about...five seconds?
Call it a hunch, but it seemed like they blew up where the kick landed. Well, the subject had been reduced to smithereens, so it was only a hunch.
“W-Waaaggghh!”
The remaining four adventurers fled. They ran back from whence they came, into the darkness zone.
It’s natural—one of their friends just suddenly exploded. Anyone would run away as fast as they could.
*Whoosh!*
I leapt forward, catching up to them almost immediately.
“Wha—?! Why?!”
The adventurers froze in shock. They thought they’d escaped, but I was there waiting for them when they emerged from the blackness. Yes, I’d gotten ahead of them!
“Ha ha ha! Didn’t you know? You can’t run from mimics!”
Ahh, well. Let’s end playtime here.
“Explosive Legs!”
I dashed towards the warrior at the front of the group, kicked them, then created some distance between us. Five seconds later...
*KaBOOM!*
The warrior exploded. The thief, who was nearby, also took grievous damage from the warrior’s bits-turned-shrapnel. After another five seconds had passed...
*BaBOOM!*
The remaining thief, priest, and mage all blew up at once.
Yeah... Looks like an explosion chain. The warrior I’d separated before only exploded once, so I wonder if the chain only activates within a certain distance between targets?
I’d been weirdly excited ever since I’d left the burial chamber, but after I managed to calm down and think things through, my first impression was...
Holy crap, am I just really freakin’ strong?!