Chapter 117: Devil’s Gate – Final Floor ⚪︎
Three weeks after starting the conquest of the Underground Labyrinth, Devil’s Gate, upon reaching the 77th floor, a pitch-black pillar and staircase made of something like obsidian appeared. Descending them led me before a door carved with a Dragon relief.
(It looks like a black version of Heaven’s Door.)
Just like that time, it seems detection Skills don’t work inside the room at all.
I gently opened the door and slipped inside.
Inside, the room was a plaza about 200 meters in diameter, just like Heaven’s Door. The difference was the large, pitch-black mass situated in the center. As I approached, that black mass slowly raised its body and looked at me.
Wait, was that supposed to be a joke? I answered seriously because I’m not an enemy. Hearing a joke from something with that appearance is a bit scary.
Race: Devil’s Gate Guardian
Name: Jabberwock
Rank: SSS
Level: 200
HP: 3250/3250
MP: 2944/2944
Attack Power: 3300
Defense Power: 3266
Magic Attack Power: 2915
Magic Defense Power: 2908
Agility: 2211
Skills
Telepathy
Life Detection Lv30
Magic Detection Lv30
Dark Magic Lv30
Fire Magic Lv30
Dark Absorption Lv30
Fire Resistance Lv30
Water Resistance Lv30
Lightning Resistance Lv30
Earth Resistance Lv30
Wind Resistance Lv30
Deadly Poison Resistance Lv30
Confusion Resistance Lv30
Paralysis Resistance Lv30
Charm Resistance Lv30
Sleep Resistance Lv30
Petrification Resistance Lv30
Curse Resistance Lv30
Roar Lv30
Flight Lv30
Oooh! Just as Zmey said, he’s stronger than Zmey… but, huh? At this rate, I might be…
I was just staring intently for Appraisal, why did it turn into this!? Is he a battle maniac? Just like he looks.
I refused firmly and clearly, but…
This damn Dragon doesn’t listen at all!
Despite my clear refusal, Jabberwock suddenly attacked. It’s a pain, but I guess I have no choice but to fight back. Getting hit looks like it would hurt.
Agility exceeding 2000, Attack Power exceeding 3000. A strike from such a Jabberwock was sharper and heavier than any Monster I had fought before.
However, my Agility exceeds 2900. My Defense Power is about the same. If it hit, it might be more than just an injury, but I don’t feel like it will connect. And regarding MP, mine exceeds 3500.
(I’m the one who should be holding back, right?)
I lightly parried Jabberwock’s greeting-like foreleg strike, moved a little faster, and took a position above his head.
Then, I swung my fist down intending to hit, but it only grazed the cheek of Jabberwock, who hastily dodged.
No, no, what are you misunderstanding? I’m the one holding back here. If I got serious, you would be… you would be? Oh? For some reason, Jabberwock-san is starting to look like Experience Points? How strange?
Jabberwock is Level 200. If I recall, Zmey was also 200. If I defeated them both, just how much Experience Points would I get… No, no! What am I thinking? What good would helping unseal the Evil God do?
Oh? Jabberwock is backing away for some reason. Did my killing intent leak out?
Still, he’s the one who started this fight. Even if he’s backing away, I can’t just stop on my own, right?
(Water Magic First Tier, “Tidal Wave”!)
What I unleashed was the Water Magic First Tier spell, Tidal Wave. A tidal wave easily surpassing Jabberwock’s large body surged towards him.
Perhaps realizing he couldn’t escape in time, Jabberwock charged into the wall of water instead. I see. The impact might be greater, but perhaps the damage is less than being swept away helplessly. However, that’s only if this Tidal Wave was a single shot.
The second tidal wave, unleashed without pause, swept away the Jabberwock who had lost his momentum.
Well, his Magic Defense Power is reasonably high, and his physical Defense Power exceeds 3200, so the damage probably wasn’t that great. Should I follow up properly here?
I approached the face of Jabberwock, who had been swept away by the wave and slammed against the plaza wall, and using Wind Magic, I blew the Miasma released from my palm onto him.
Oooh, it was more effective than I expected…
Jabberwock’s eyes rolled back into his head, and he collapsed, foaming at the mouth. So, if the resistance level is the same, Lv30, it can sometimes be overcome, huh? Or rather, he definitely fainted from the smell, not the poison’s effect. Miasma is terrifying.
Well, I released the Miasma as a sort of punishment, but waiting for him to wake up naturally is a hassle, so maybe I should just wake him up quickly.
I cast the Holy Magic Fourth Tier spell “Cure” on Jabberwock to remove the poison status, slapped him once across the face, and then cast Ex-Heal.
Safely? After explaining the situation to the now conscious Jabberwock, I apologized just in case. Before it turned into trouble. That said, since Jabberwock was the one who initiated the fight, he just gave a wry smile (I think) and said, ‘You got me.’ Though I can’t really read a Dragon’s expression.
Once Jabberwock had calmed down and things settled, I was finally able to get to the main topic.
When I told him about what happened at Heaven’s Door, he listened with a serious expression (I think) and promised to be vigilant.
While I was at it, I also asked about the races that had appeared as my evolution options.
Jabberwock said he seemed to recall hearing about them from the Goddess long ago, and told me…
True Dragonoid… The progenitors of dragonkin, directly created by the Goddess. Their physical attack power is extremely high, enough to reach even the gods.
Greater Demon… The progenitors of demons, directly created by the Goddess. Their Magic Attack Power is extremely high, their magic potent enough to threaten even the gods.
High Elf… The progenitors of the wind folk, directly created by the Goddess. Their intelligence is extremely high, their strategies capable of deceiving even the gods.
Elder Dwarf… The progenitors of the earth folk, directly created by the Goddess. Their hands are extremely dexterous, and the weapons they create can wound even the gods.
Pure Beast… The progenitors of beastkin, directly created by the Goddess. Their physical abilities are extremely high, their movements capable of baffling even the gods.
Neo-Human… The progenitors of humans, directly created by the Goddess. Their potential is extremely high, their growth rate astonishing even to the gods.
So he said. Wait, was choosing Neo-Human a mistake? No, does it mean I can become the strongest if I raise my level? I don’t really understand just from this, but can I take it to mean I can gain enough power to oppose the gods?
Alright, let’s stop thinking too deeply about it.
After answering my questions, Jabberwock gave me a pitch-black crystal. For a moment, I thought it was a crystal for zombifying corpses, but it wasn’t. It was a crystal that allowed instant teleportation from the entrance of this Underground Labyrinth to here.
Come to think of it, I received one at Heaven’s Door too. For some reason, I can’t teleport directly into this Underground Labyrinth, so this is helpful.
There was a pointless battle, but he listened to my warning, so I thanked Jabberwock and decided to spend the remaining week leveling up on the 76th floor.
Then, two days before the Martial Arts Tournament, I returned home, rested well overnight, and decided to teleport to the Royal Capital the next day.
Race: Neo-Human
Name: Mist
Rank: SSS
Level: 120
HP: 2943/2943
MP: 3436/3436
Attack Power: 3132
Defense Power: 3068
Magic Attack Power: 3696
Magic Defense Power: 3671
Agility: 3062
Skills
Special Evolution
Language Comprehension
Chant Revocation
Darkvision
Telepathy
Miniaturization
Item Box Lv30
Appraisal Lv30
Status Concealment Lv30
Thought Acceleration Lv30
Life Detection Lv30
Magic Detection Lv30
Hostility Detection Lv30
Danger Detection Lv30
Presence Concealment Lv30
Magic Concealment Lv30
Auto HP Recovery Lv30
Mana Auto-Recovery Lv30
Bewitchment Lv30
Paralyzing Evil Eye Lv30
Swordsmanship Lv15
Light, the All-Illuminator
Fire Magic Lv17
All-Encompassing Water
Wind, the All-Cleaver
Earth Total Annihilation
Thunder, the Annihilator
Holy, the All-Healer
Barrier, the All-Protector
Spacetime, the Time Stream Manipulator
Gravity, the All-Sealer
Deadly Poison Generation Lv30
Paralysis Poison Generation Lv30
Sleep Poison Generation Lv30
Confusion Poison Generation Lv30
Pain Resistance Lv30
Deadly Poison Resistance Lv30
Paralysis Resistance Lv30
Sleep Resistance Lv30
Confusion Resistance Lv30
Bewitchment Resistance Lv30
Holy Nullification
Dark Nullification
Light Nullification
Fire Resistance Lv17
Water Nullification
Wind Nullification
Earth Nullification
Thunder Nullification
Miasma Lv30
Hardening Lv30
Lightning Cloak Lv30
Titles
Reincarnator
Skill Collector
Evolver
Giant Killer
Assassin
Kin Slayer
Divine Protection Holder
Ancient Species