Finally, the 100th Underground Floor.
How long did it take to get here? As a child, I couldn’t even defeat small, animal-like monsters, and I was nearly killed countless times. I still remember desperately swinging a wooden stick I found lying around.
Back when the Village still existed, I was often told, “You’re a girl, so you can’t fight monsters,” and I wasn’t even allowed to leave the Village. I was just a child then, and it made sense to keep me safe from the dangers outside. But now, I can’t even imagine those days.
Since that day when the Village was burned down, I’ve been wandering aimlessly, and before I knew it, I was standing in front of this cave. If I think about it normally, I should have died long ago. I don’t really understand how I made it this far. Perhaps it was simply because I was desperate to survive.
At the bottom of these stairs awaits the one who will confront me. What kind of opponent will it be? The giant snake I fought on the 90th floor was terrifyingly fast. It spiraled around at high speed, devouring everything in its path, including the surrounding walls. Just remembering it sends shivers down my spine.
This time, my opponent might specialize in status ailments like paralysis and poison. Status ailments don’t scare me at all; they won’t affect me. The first piece of knowledge I ever gained, despite not being able to read, was about status ailments. I can’t remember how I learned about them.
“I never expected a human to come.”
At the bottom of the stairs stood an elderly man with a white beard. He looked surprised for a moment, but then he quickly squinted and smiled kindly. A human! There was a human here. It had been so long since I had spoken to anyone that I didn’t know what to say.
“You obviously don’t know me, do you? I’ve lost track of how long it’s been. After all, humans only live for about a hundred years.”
What is he talking about? More importantly, where is the floor boss? Usually, after descending a certain distance, a more powerful monster than the usual ones would appear. There should be one here too, but could it be…?
“Well, well, the detestable human who drove me to this pitiful state is no longer around. I thought it was about time. If I just waited a few hundred years, that Hero and his companions would have died of old age.”
The old man’s body began to grow larger before my eyes. Horns sprouted from his shoulders and head, and his skin turned a deep, dark hue. His thin arms swelled to the point where the veins bulged, and his eyes turned a sinister red. He transformed into a monster nearly twice my size.
With a roar, the wind pressure released by the monster blasted away the surrounding walls and pillars. For a moment, I felt like I might be blown away too, but I managed to hold my ground.
“I am Vandalsia, the King of Destruction. You must know that there was a time when I brought ruin to the world, ruling over it and showing despair to all living beings. The old man you saw just now was my form when I reigned as their king, building despair as a human.”
The King of Destruction took a step forward. I still had no idea what he was talking about.
“Did you think there was treasure here? How unfortunate.”
“Not really.”
“All that exists here is despair and death. But don’t worry; I’ll try my best not to cause you too much pain… haaaah!”
Vandalsia, the King of Destruction, cast Catastrophe!
Spheres of light appeared in the air one after another, swelling until they burst. It was more akin to erasure than an explosion. The spheres devoured the floor and pillars, obliterating everything in their path. As I tried to escape, more spheres formed behind me in a line, following me. Just as I aimed for Vandalsia, a sphere appeared right in front of me, blocking my path.
I attempted to roll under the sphere before it burst, but the King of Destruction wore a confident grin that sent a chill down my spine.
“What a foolish plan.”
As he flicked his fingers toward me, the sphere exploded. I realized too late that he could detonate them at will. The burst sphere tore into my shoulder, ripping away flesh. Blood gushed out, and pain shot through me.
Rua took 9321 damage!
Rua HP 31129 / 40450
Even though I had trained hard, those spheres could take everything without a care. I couldn’t afford to be paralyzed by fear; if more of those spheres appeared, I would have no escape.
“Sonic Ripper!”
Rua unleashed Sonic Ripper!
A single slash tore through the floor as it raced toward the King of Destruction. It was a ranged attack, so its power was somewhat diminished, but it was better than being on the defensive.
“Oh…”
He seemed somewhat impressed, but the King of Destruction slowly raised his hand and summoned a sphere to intercept my attack. The slash vanished with the explosion of the sphere.
However, Vandalsia, the King of Destruction, took no damage!
Vandalsia, the King of Destruction HP 320000 / 320000
This won’t do; I have to engage in close combat. I thought about trying out some of my magic, but I realized it would likely follow the same pattern and lead nowhere. Those spheres were incredibly powerful, but if the King of Destruction got caught in one, he wouldn’t escape unscathed either. So, in close combat, he wouldn’t be able to create those spheres easily. The situation was more serious than I thought.
If the damage I took had been to my dominant arm, I would have been finished. This boss at the very bottom was on a different level; I thought I could handle him since I had dispatched the boss on the 95th floor so easily, but this one was far stronger.
I glanced to my left. Just as I suspected, the King of Destruction summoned a sphere in that direction. Keeping my gaze fixed there, I decided to run in the opposite direction with all my might, even if it meant tearing my legs apart. The King of Destruction, anticipating my previous speed, was slow to react.
I thrust my sword forward, kicking off the ground to reach him. I managed to gouge into his side just as he tried to dodge.
“Ughhh!”
Rua’s charge attack! Rua dealt 128455 damage to Vandalsia, the King of Destruction!
Vandalsia, the King of Destruction HP 191545 / 320000
“Gu, guff…!”
The King of Destruction nearly fell to his knees but still attempted to retaliate, unleashing something from his massive arm.
Countless blades were released from Vandalsia, the King of Destruction’s hand!
If I fled now, I’d find myself in the same situation as before; I had no time to hesitate. I had to slash as much as I could while charging forward, bracing myself for the damage. The blades grazed my body.
Rua took 3292 damage!
Rua took 2010 damage!
Rua took 850 damage!
Rua took 1241 damage!
Rua HP 23736 / 40450
“Take this!”
With the sword I obtained on the 95th floor, I cleaved through the King of Destruction’s outstretched arm. Without missing a beat, I slashed at his torso.
Rua’s attack! Rua dealt 191546 damage to Vandalsia, the King of Destruction!
Vandalsia, the King of Destruction HP 0 / 320000
“I let my guard down… how could I, the great one… be defeated by a mere girl who isn’t even a Hero… ughhhhhh!”
From the gaping wounds in his arms and torso, light and a deafening explosion erupted. It seemed to be an additional effect of this weapon.
Vandalsia, the King of Destruction, has been defeated!
After the explosion, nothing remained. If I hadn’t stepped back, I might have been caught in it too.
“I-I won…”
Rua gained 999999 experience points!
Rua’s level increased to 2216!
“Ah, so that means…”
I had conquered the 100th Underground Floor. I couldn’t believe it myself. I didn’t know what the danger level of this dungeon was, but I had finally cleared a dungeon for the first time in my life. The dungeons I had only known from picture books as a child…
“I-I did it… I did it!”
I felt like jumping for joy. In fact, I did jump. My entire body ached to the point where I felt like crying. I was so elated that I didn’t even notice the treasure chest sitting quietly in the back. I wanted to show my father, my mother, and Kurinka.
But I knew all too well that it would never happen.