Chapter 18: Imperial Capital – Martial Arts Tournament – 23
The next day began on the 16th floor.
The path to the 20th floor was the same as yesterday, so there were no issues. The boss battle on the 20th floor, against the “Ogre Champ” and his army, was a breeze; I managed to blow away about ninety percent of them with my “Shockwave.”
The gruesome splatter that erupted with each swing of my mace made me question my own sanity, but thanks to my mental skills, I didn’t suffer much psychological shock. I did feel a twinge of guilt for the “Ogre Champ,” who was reduced to mere pieces along with the other ogres.
From the treasure chest, I obtained the “Champion’s Headband.” It granted “Immovable +3” and “Steel Core +3.” After some deliberation, I decided to equip it on Shizuna, considering the enhancement of her “Spirit.” The headband itself was just a plain white band, but it suited Shizuna’s black hair quite well.
Now, as we moved on to the 21st floor, we encountered a vast area filled with “Mithril Golems,” “Orichalcum Golems,” and the pesky “Night Stalkers,” who were notorious for their status effect attacks.
With their upgraded weapons, Larni and the front-line fighters easily sliced through even the “Orichalcum Golems.” The undead “Night Stalker” fell in a single blow from Freinir’s True Holy Magic, “Ascension.”
After a brief rest in front of the door to the final 25th floor, we opened the door and stepped into the boss room.
What awaited us was supposed to be a “Dark Demon,” a creature with the head of a goat—
“Are those two rare bosses? Lucky us!” Larni exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
As she pointed out, two black goat-headed demons emerged before us. When we fought them in the dungeon of the Royal Capital, I had dubbed one “Satan,” and that name had since become official within the guild.
“Watch out for their advanced magic. Freinir, use ‘Divine Light,’ and Geshura, disrupt them with lightning magic. I’ll take on one, but they’re quick, so Sfenia and Shizuna, I need you to hold it down. The other one, let’s take it down together as a group. With Larni and the others, we shouldn’t lose in speed.”
Issuing my commands, I dashed toward the one on the left. I hoped it would come within range of my “Shockwave,” but being a rare boss, I figured I’d need to close in to about ten meters to land a one-hit kill. Larni and the others possessed the “Swift Run” skill, and especially Larni and Mariane were faster than “Satan.” If we could corner it four against one, victory was all but assured.
The “Satan” I pursued maintained a cautious distance, firing off magic attacks in the form of fiery spears and rocky projectiles. It was clearly wary of me getting too close, showcasing its intelligence.
However, in its eagerness to evade me, it failed to adequately respond to the area attacks from Sfenia and Shizuna, as well as Freinir’s “Range Expansion” magic, allowing damage to accumulate. Eventually, its escape speed faltered, and it could no longer evade my “Shockwave,” sealing its fate.
Meanwhile, Larni and the others had surrounded their target, maintaining a constant advantage in the fight. With the rapid-fire attacks from the speed-oriented duo of Larni and Mariane, “Satan” had no chance to cast its spells. Of course, Karma delivered heavy blows, while Sakurahime danced gracefully, relentlessly pressuring “Satan.”
In the midst of this, Mariane landed several strikes, inflicting the “Paralysis” status ailment with her “Status Ailment Infliction” skill, causing “Satan” to freeze momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Sakurahime’s naginata, “Blizzard,” severed its head, bringing the short but intense battle to a close.
“Phew, even an A-Rank boss is easy when the numbers are in our favor. I started to feel a bit sorry for it halfway through,” Larni remarked.
“Well, we’re all strong here. Having Larni and Mariane, who can keep up in speed, makes a huge difference,” Shizuna added.
While the two beastkin chatted, Freinir was busy casting healing magic. Although we had won comfortably, we still sustained some damage.
“Oh, it seems skills have come in,” Shizuna noted. “I’m looking forward to the skills from two A-Rank rare bosses.”
At her words, everyone began to quietly check their new skills.
I had acquired the top-tier defensive skill “Divine Steel Body” and the advanced version of “Provoke,” called “Absorption.” While “Divine Steel Body” was straightforward, “Absorption” was an incredible skill that forcibly drew projectiles and spells toward me after they were launched. Combining this with my defensive capabilities and the “Immovable Fortress Wall” would yield terrifying results.
Freinir gained the advanced healing magic “Life Magic” and the higher-tier skill “Multiple Magic.” “Life Magic” could even regenerate lost body parts, and only about five adventurers across the continent could use it. “Multiple Magic” allowed her to cast multiple spells simultaneously, but with increased casting numbers, stamina consumption skyrocketed, making it a skill not to be used lightly. Nevertheless, the boost to her combat capabilities was significant.
Larni was thrilled to have obtained two advanced skills: “Adamantine Body” and “Flash Step.” As a speed-oriented attacker, her enhanced defense and explosive power were highly beneficial. Given her high injury rate, I was particularly pleased that she had acquired “Adamantine Body.”
Sfenia received “Area Focus” and “Major Consumption Reduction.” “Area Focus” concentrated magic into a single point to enhance its destructive power, making it particularly effective against high-defense bosses. Meanwhile, “Major Consumption Reduction” significantly lowered stamina costs when casting spells, making it invaluable for Sfenia, who often layered her skills. She was already a formidable sorceress, and this enhancement would only increase her prowess.
Mariane obtained the advanced version of “Vital Strike,” called “Vital Pierce,” and the higher-tier skill “Precognition.” “Vital Pierce” allowed her to identify and attack weaknesses, and it seemed to be a powerful skill that could deliver one-hit kills on critical hits. “Precognition” enabled her to anticipate enemy attacks, and combined with her reflexes and speed, she would become a terrifying force. Mariane had already developed a ninja-like presence, and this only heightened her capabilities.
Shizuna acquired “Advanced Fire Magic” and “Spirit Resonance.” She was quite pleased to finally gain advanced magic. However, her joy was even greater with “Spirit Resonance,” which increased the number of “Spirits” she could summon. For now, it was only one additional spirit, but having “Spirits” as rear-guard protection was incredibly useful, making this enhancement significant for our party.
Karma received the advanced version of “Steel Core,” called “Adamantine Core,” and the skill “Lion’s Roar.” The core enhancement was subtle but effective for both offense and defense. “Lion’s Roar” temporarily boosted her physical abilities by rallying herself, akin to my “Excitement” skill. Although Karma was already quite powerful, any temporary boost to her abilities was formidable.
Sakurahime gained “Adamantine Body” and “Great Severance,” two advanced skills. She already possessed unique skills like “Phantom Blade,” which increased her slashing attacks, and “Dance,” which boosted her attack power through consecutive strikes. With the acquisition of “Great Severance,” her attack power soared even higher. There was no doubt that she had achieved A-Rank strength.
As for Geshura, she didn’t gain any clear skills, but she felt her magical power had increased. As the leader, I was relieved that our efforts in the dungeon hadn’t gone to waste.
On our way to the teleportation room, Mariane approached me.
“With this, ‘Soul’s Guidance’ means we’ve conquered two A-Class dungeons. This is quite a rare achievement, so please keep it in mind, Soushi.”
“Does that mean we’ll have another celebration?”
“No, there are enough conquerors of the A-Class dungeon in the Imperial Capital that it won’t lead to that. However, the evaluation of ‘Soul’s Guidance’ within the guild will rise even higher.”
“I don’t intend to get cocky, but if my evaluation increases, I doubt my response will change.”
“That may be true. However, it could be one reason for you to rank above A-Rank.”
“Now that you mention it, I recall such discussions. It would be helpful if Princess Marishielle could take the lead on that. It would be good news for the Empire as well.”
“It seems the Grand Master plans to make some moves during the upcoming martial arts tournament.”
“Ah, that timing does seem fitting.”
Though I was already being hailed as a “Hero,” officially, I was just one of the many A-Rank adventurers. However, if I were to rank above A-Rank, my name would undoubtedly become even more well-known.
While I had somewhat resigned myself to the idea of fame, I didn’t actively seek to become famous, leaving me with mixed feelings. If it were Larni or Karma, they would likely exclaim, “We’re getting closer to becoming legendary adventurers!” and celebrate.