We were able to subdue all the centipedes and come to the place where I had broken the crystal earlier.
However, the crystal had been smashed to pieces and there was not a trace of it to be seen. …… so I decided to try to bring back just a piece of it, since it might have had some important function.
The crystal had been causing so many monsters to spring up for a long time, so it might be useful in some way.
It may be something that is limited to this dungeon. ……
After Alena completed the map of the fifth floor, we finally made it down to the sixth floor.
The path to the sixth floor was a relatively straightforward slope, so we were able to descend to the sixth floor without any problems.
“It’s cold. ……”
“We can’t use the fire, …… please bear with it …….”
“Ugh~…….”
More than a little, all of us are dirty from all this battle.
The splashed blood of insects was really disgusting, but I couldn’t leave it alone, so I washed everyone off with my infinite water manipulation.
Still, we were in a cave.
It was cold.
There was no sunlight, of course, and not much fire was being used.
I knew there was a lot of oxygen in this dungeon because after diving so deep, I didn’t feel suffocated, but I was still hesitant to make a fire in the cave.
I wished we had some kind of skill to keep warm, but alas, we had no such skill.
“Hmm?
” Is there something wrong?”
“No, …… this floor is …… very short.”
A quick check of the surroundings revealed that there was nothing on this level except a narrow road and a large open space.
There was one more thing that caught my attention: there was a single hill in this large open space.
It was not a very big hill, but it was clearly an unnatural, pointy mountain.
The fact that it did not move at all suggests that it might be an object of some kind.
But would they put such an object in such a place after coming all this way?
“At any rate, there seems to be no enemies other than those in this large space.”
“Are there any enemies in there?”
“Not sure. There is something that looks like it, but …… it’s not moving, so there is a possibility that it’s not a living thing. Reizen. Can you take care of the front?”
“Leave it to me!”
For the time being, we walked in a lineup with Reizen as the vanguard, Alena as the second vanguard, and me as the middle position, with Uchikage as the rearguard.
Alena is still making a well-mapped map, but I wonder if …… she won’t get bored of it.
If it were me, I would get bored very quickly.
But then again, I don’t need a map at all, so I may not even hold one. ……
As we continued on, we came to a large space.
We were not attacked by anything on the way there, but I was convinced when I saw a pointy mountain in the wide space.
“There’s an enemy there.”
“Do you think it”s trying to hide with that thing ……?”
“Maybe that’s exactly what they mean when they say, [Hide your head, but fail to hide your but].”
(Similar to : You can run but you can’t hide?”
“What does that mean?”
“It’s called a proverb.”
I’m surprised that there is a similar proverb in this world,…… but let”s focus on something in front of us now.
It looked like a brown pile, but if you looked at it, it was obvious that it was part of something.
There were streaks of red blood running through the pointy mountain, and it seemed to be pulsating in a steady rhythm.
And it was clearly breathing, with white smoke spewing out at regular intervals as well.
This monster, …… why it gave an obvious sign there?
Couldn’t you have hidden it a little more?
I mean, what kind of evolution does it take to arrive at such an extraordinary shape?
“What should we do with it?”
“So big. I wonder which part is that?”
“Is it the back? I mean, isn’t it …… kinda big?
It was big enough to be called a hill, and it was barely tall enough for five people to line up vertically.
This cave is a much higher space than that, so it seems that there is no problem for this monster to move, but even so, I was a little wary of this size even though it was only part of it.
Now, the problem is …….
“How do I wake it up ……”
“Wanna punch it?”
“Will that wake it up?”
“Perhaps. Since I haven’t been very active in this dungeon, I’ll go.”
It was true that Uchikage seemed to be behind most of the time this time.
And the fact that he was not doing anything must have been bothering him.
Well, Uchikage is a Oni, and he must have confidence in his strength.
It would be easy for him at this point –
“FHH!”
“!? Reizen! Barrier!”
“Ueh!”
Uchikage disappeared in an instant.
And that was when Uchikage seriously got up to speed.
That means …… what comes next is …… a horrifying impact.
Although Uchikage is an Oni that specializes in speed, he is still an Oni.
The description [the mountain was obliterated] would be the most appropriate in this situation.
I know I said that Uchikage should hit it, but I didn’t think that he would really hit it that hard.
Well, Oni don’t seem to be able to show their true power very much, so I know they’re filled with frustration… but I don’t want them to get serious in a place like this.
Somehow, Reizen managed to create a barrier to protect us, so we were able to get through it without any problems, but… stone fragments were flying all the way here.
I’m not sure about Reizen, but …… me and Alena are gonna take some damage, so please be careful.
I’ll warn him later.
“The ground is being gouged out!”
“Whoa …… the blow from Uchikage must have forced him to dig it up.”
It was probably hiding in the ground after all.
Although we still can’t see the full extent of it due to the dust,…… that pile was apparently its back, and we can see what appears to be a broken part of it.
And the creature that came out of it is …….
Extremely disturbing.
The creature that emerged was shaped like a crab, but the parts that would become its legs and arms were all wriggling around like tentacles.
“KYAAAAAAAAA !!!!!”
“Shut up!”
“NOOOO!!! 【 Heavy Weight】 !!!!”
“Ah, wait a minute! Uchikage is still out there!”
No, I know it’s disgusting!
I think you’re being too paranoid, Alena!
“ZIJIJIJIJIJIJIJIJI!!!”
All the tentacles slammed into the ground.
It seemed to be trying to get up somehow, but Alena’s skills seemed to be more powerful and it showed no sign of getting up.
When I confirmed this, Uchikage appeared near the barrier in an instant.
“Phew. …….”
“Oh, Uchikage is alive.”
“I heard Alena’s voice, so I knew it wouldn’t be …… good for me to be that close.”
Well, anyone would have noticed if she screamed that loud.
I never thought …… Alena hated worms.
I don’t know if that is a crustacean or a mollusk, but I would say that it is more of a creature that is closer to a mollusk.
…… Hmm?
Maybe, though, it’s my fault that Alena doesn’t like worms?
I think Alena fainted when I …… turned into a Daftworm.
Yes …… it’s totally my fault.
“*tremble tremble tremble…!”
‘Uh, uhmm, Alena? Alena? Isn’t it enough already? It’s totally my fault. ……,okay? Hey!”
Alena refuses to relax her hand at all.
The opponent should be completely knocked out by now,…… but apparently she keeps repeating to re-apply the …… effect of the skill when it wears off.
It is not necessary to go that far. ……
The ground dented as I was pondering this.
“Ehh?”
As I watched, the area where it was located continued to cave in, and finally made a sickening sticking sound.
As if that sound was a signal, the effect of the heavy weight finally seemed to wear off and the place became quiet.
It seems that the weighting is automatically cancelled when the target of dies.
“Whew …… good!”
“Alena’s skills are hella strong~……”
It seems that most of her MP has been used in the previous attack, and her forehead is oozing sweat.
But since she is showing a very good smile as if she has accomplished it all, let’s not say anything for the time being.
However,…… when I look at the enemies she defeated in this way,…… I don’t feel good at all
It is a pity that we could not see its strength very much thanks to Alena’s skill, but it is good to avoid unnecessary battles.
The next time an enemy like this appears, we will handle it on our own without relying on Alena.
“Hmm……… why is this place the only one built like this?”
“It is indeed strange, isn’t it, that there is an enemy waiting for us only here, when the path has been so long so far?”
“I wonder if it was on purpose……”
“Um, …… maybe it’s a floor boss or something like that.”
“What is that?”
I don’t know what a floor boss is.
There must have been games like this in my previous life, but the fact that I don’t have that kind of knowledge probably means I wasn’t interested in games.
I think Reizen seems to know more about this than I do.
I’ll let Reizen tell me about this floor boss thing.
“Reizen, can you tell me about it?”
“Huh? You don’t know? Floor bosses are powerful enemies at each level of the dungeon. It may be a subtle six levels, but it’s normal for dungeons to have bosses.
“Is it common knowledge ……?”
“Maybe it is …….”
At any rate, since there was a floor boss here, it is safe to assume that there are floor bosses on other levels as well.
The reason why powerful enemies are rising in the upper levels is probably related to this floor boss.
“Well, anyway. We’ll be fine if we defeat all the enemies that appear. Okay, Alena, help me dismantle-“
“Absolutely not !!!!!”
She rejected me in the loudest voice I’ve ever heard.
It can’t be helped …… Let’s just do it by ourselves.