Chapter 5:
Bloodlust Eater
WITH THE LIGHTNING BEAST’S massive body still sprawled at my feet, I opened my stats display and found that I’d broken level 10,000.
“Can’t believe I reached this milestone…” I said, amazed. “I’m a long way away from becoming top-ranked, though.”
Time felt like the main obstacle, which was natural. With the way the system worked, the ones who had the most time on their side became the strongest. However, little by little, I was catching up.
“Hey, shouldn’t I receive some level-up rewards for defeating the whole tower? If not, this will feel super underwhelming.”
As if hearing my griping, the system rang out.
“Conquest of extra dungeon: Remote Magic Tower has been confirmed.”
“Now dispensing three conquest rewards.”
“First conquest reward: the ‘Battle Barrier’ skill.”
“Battle Barrier skill?” I repeated.
Huh. My first reward was a new skill, then. I opened my stats display and checked Battle Barrier’s effects.
Battle Barrier LV 1
By draining MP, this skill creates a mana barrier around the target. (Note: The strength and duration of the effect changes according to skill level.)
Cooldown time: 60 seconds.
“Is this like the barrier the lightning beast used?” I pondered. If it was, this skill was an excellent one, and it matched my fighting style too.
Lots of protective skills that boosted Defense and Resistance parameters existed, but they only decreased damage. They didn’t prevent pain or stop enemy attacks from staggering an adventurer’s fighting stance and creating vulnerabilities. Battle Barrier could solve both problems for me.
“Based on what I saw from the lightning beast, the Battle Barrier totally blocks damage until the barrier breaks. That means it would be safe for me play around more with high-risk, high-reward gambits! This expands my battle options a ton!”
I punched the air enthusiastically.
Oops. Couldn’t get lost in my excitement just yet. “I’m supposed to receive three rewards, aren’t I? The other two ought to be on par with this one.”
I waited with excitement while the system spoke again.
“The second reward shall be determined based on analysis of the conqueror’s stats and the methods used to defeat the Remote Magic Tower.”
“Conqueror analysis complete.”
“Authorized classification: Bloodlust Eater. Odds of acquiring this classification are 0.1%.”
“Now manifesting qualifying item.”
“Uh, ‘Bloodlust Eater’…?” I echoed.
The unsettling term had to take a backseat while glowing white mana gathered in front of me. A few seconds later, the vague shape of an item appeared within the light.
“…Is this the second reward?” I tried to activate Appraisal immediately—but an unusual phenomenon beat me to the punch. An ear-grating bzzzt sounded.
“Wh-what the heck?!”
I covered my ears, but it didn’t help because the system spoke directly to my mind. What was happening here?
“Error detected.”
“The conqueror has not met all conditions to receive the third reward.”
“The third reward cannot be granted.”
“What?!” I screamed in frustration. I worked so hard to defeat the Remote Magic Tower, and the system was telling me I couldn’t receive every reward?
“Hey, System! What’s this about?” I yelled. “Are you mad I bent the rules midway through? I’m sorry, okay? Can’t I have my third reward since I apologized? Hello?!”
My voice echoed into silence. Just when I was about to give up, the system continued as if offering an olive branch.
“A consolation prize will be granted instead.”
“The consolation prize will be information about the dungeon.”
“Conqueror will receive information deemed most valuable to them based on analysis of their data.”
“What kind of information about the dungeon?” I asked.
No way the system would respond to me directly, but this was an unexpected turn of events. A modest hope welled in my chest. I knew certain dungeon secrets that no one else knew—the existence of the Dungeon Traveler title, the purpose of the Remote Magic Tower—but there was an overwhelming amount of unknown information about dungeons in general. What dungeons were, why people were given levels and skills, the mechanisms behind their appearance twenty years ago…so many questions remained up in the air. I might get a peek beyond the tip of the iceberg.
“Conqueror analysis complete.”
“Consolation prize will be awarded.”
Before I could even hold my breath in anticipation, a rectangular hologram materialized in front of me. Curiously, it looked like I’d get the information via an image.
“Okay, what’ve you got for me?” I asked, expectant. A picture formed inside the rectangle, but the sight it revealed was the last thing I predicted. My eyes widened and I blurted, “What?!”
✦ ✦ ✦
A few hours earlier.
“Why isn’t he back?!” Hana shouted at the empty living room.
It was several days since Rin left, and he still hadn’t contacted her, which thoroughly soured her morning. Her cheeks puffed into a pout. She couldn’t help herself. After all, it was the day she had dungeon practice.
“I know he said he might not make it, but I never thought he really wouldn’t. He hasn’t even called! Jeez, he left me in a pickle.” It was already time to go. “I’ll send him a text for now, but once he gets home, I’m gonna go off on him, for real.”
Hana grabbed her things in a hurry and left for Sumifuku Dungeon, where the group was scheduled to meet.
✦ ✦ ✦
Once at Sumifuku, Hana noticed a much smaller group had gathered than the last time. Those who’d failed to obtain stats had been plucked out of the class like dandelions. Most of those who made it had brought escorts. The rest of the people at the dungeon were normal adventurers going about their everyday dives. The dungeon wasn’t reserved for trainees like her.
Hana stood a short distance away, where she could see the new tower encroaching on the city skyline. It scraped past the clouds, so high the tip was hidden from view.
“That’s gotta be a dungeon too,” she mused. The tower had shot up out of nowhere just days ago within walking distance from Sumifuku. Experts suspected it wasn’t a dungeon because they couldn’t locate a Gate, but their research hadn’t progressed far enough to say one way or another.
“I’d better worry about myself first. I need to put my best foot forward if I’m going to defeat a real monster today.”
While Hana psyched herself up, a shadowy figure approached behind her.
“Good morning, Amane-san,” the figure said. She turned.
“Oh! Umm…” She hesitated. She recognized him as the Dungeon Association staff member she’d met last time, but she had to search the corners of her memory for his name.
I remember!
“You’re Yanagi-san, right? Nice to see you again,” she greeted.
“Yeah. It’s good to see you. Are you alone today?”
He probably wanted to know whether Rin was there. Hana smiled ruefully and nodded. “Yeah, I’m on my own. My brother’s been away for a few days now, but he did teach me a lot before this, so I should be fine on my own!”
“I see… That’s such a shame, isn’t it?” Yanagi asked.
“Uh, yeah…?”
The conversation held a weird charge she couldn’t quite explain, so she nodded again to confirm that yes, Rin wasn’t there. During their exchange, the other Dungeon Association staff member—Katagiri—arrived to address the group. He and Yanagi were the only two staff members that she could see. With the number of participants so much smaller, they required less supervision, she supposed.
“We’re about to begin the practice session, everyone,” Katagiri said. “Unlike last time, the monsters on the deeper levels are stronger, but you have no need to worry. We’ll be with you, so just relax and do your best.”
He ushered trainee after trainee into the Gate, like ants scurrying into a hole. Hana hustled over so she wouldn’t fall behind.
“It really is a shame…” said Yanagi behind her. But he said it so softly that the words never reached her ears.