The higher the difficulty, the more levels a dungeon had, and B-rank dungeons were no exception. Something about the formation of a dungeon meant it expanded outward as it spiraled deeper into the earth. The deeper the dungeon, the wider. Suzuka had a whopping fifty floors, and each one stretched for kilometers. It was so vast, it could take days to beat if I didn’t optimize my strategy.
Of course, I didn’t tackle the dungeon like a normal adventurer!
“It’s only been a few minutes, but I’m over halfway through!” I marveled, realizing just how far Dungeon Teleportation had taken me. I was on the thirtieth floor, which would’ve taken hours for other adventurers.
I was about to stop patting myself on the back and teleport to the thirty-first floor when I heard a loud, feral hiss. A skittering sound followed, drawing closer. My body shouted evade. I dodged just in time for something red to rush past me. With a whooshing sound, it zoomed back to where it came from.
I followed the motion of it with my eyes and saw it halt. Once it was still, I could take in that it was a large lizard with stony scales. I used Appraisal on it for the full story.
Rock Lizard
Level: 8,000
A lizard-type monster with scales made of rocks. The tough scales can repel blade and magic attacks.
“A level 8,000 rock lizard wants a piece of me, hm?”
Luck kept me from encountering any monsters thus far, but luck always ran out eventually. Time Zero was an option to sidestep it and beeline for the next floor, but something told me to stand my ground.
“Might as well fight it since I’m here.”
There came a point when a boss-battle-only diet was detrimental to my fighting experience. If an enemy wanted aggro, I would give it aggro in spades.
“Greed,” I commanded. The glittering short sword manifested from my Item Box.
Blade attacks weren’t the most effective against this monster, but it didn’t hurt to try. Besides, I had one other trick up my sleeve.
Nameless Swordsman
A title given to someone who relied solely on their blade and their own strength to overcome a difficult enemy.
When the owner of this title levels up, the equipped bladed weapon also gains extra features.
If the owner of this title possesses skills related to bladed weapons, the effects of this title will not manifest.
It was important to mix things up and let Nameless Swordsman affect my best weapons. Equipping Greed gave me exactly that.
“Here we go.”
I took a breath and burst toward the rock lizard. It hissed at my approach and fired its sharp spear of a tongue at me. It was so close, damage was unavoidable—but not for me!
“You’re late.”
At my level, attacks like this were no surprise. I swiftly stepped sideways and swung Greed. The lizard’s angry screech was cut short as I severed its tongue with one hit. Time for offense!
“Haaa!”
I couldn’t hack at the scales like an unskilled butcher. I had to aim for the space between them and cleave away with sharp, pointed attacks. My strategy paid off as my pinpoint blows cut deeply into its body and hewed the scales off. They went flying like debris off a gravel truck. My next goal was to target the exposed flesh. Unfortunately, a rock lizard wouldn’t go down that easily.
It spat another hiss and the remaining scales burst off its body as if a bomb had gone off inside it. Dozens of heavy scales came flying at me.
“Time Zero!” I shouted. I warped away from it in an instant, narrowly evading the attack. That was out of left field, but the lizard was naked without armor to protect it. One precision attack would kill it.
“…Oh?”
All at once, new scales sprouted across the lizard’s body, restoring its pebbly hide.
“Regeneration powers! Though maybe ‘regeneration’ is too generous, assuming the internal damage remains…not that it matters. If the scales grow back, I just need a new strategy.”
I returned Greed to Item Box and lightly punched my left palm with my right fist, raring for a fight. The sound of fabric on fabric was cathartic.
“If it can recover after losing its scales, lemme see how it likes a nice, firm punch,” I said. “Battle Barrier!”
The invisible barrier cloaked me. I used Time Zero again and reappeared above the rock lizard, where I shouted, “Take this!”
Fist-first, I collided with the lizard.
Wiser Wise Man
A title granted to those who complete the quest Wise Man’s War under particular conditions.
Grants 50% parameter increase to Attack, Defense, and Speed when no weapon is equipped.
With Wiser Wise Man powering my fists, the scales cracked and crumbled as I pummeled it, opening the lizard up like a juicy can of fish I could tear into.
“Yes!” I said after it finally collapsed. “I earned that win.”
After nudging it once more to confirm it wouldn’t regenerate, I collected its magic stone and continued my dive.