Episode 35: Two Equals S-Rank? ○
Having dispatched the Phantom Tiger, I ventured deeper in search of my next prey. By the way, even though I defeated a Phantom Tiger, which was A+ rank and around level 80, my level only went up by 10.
Well, I guess a 10 level increase is still pretty good, but ever since I became C-rank, my level hasn’t been going up as fast as it used to. When your rank goes up, your stats increase dramatically, but the experience points needed to level up also increase dramatically. It’s going to be even harder to level up when I become A-rank or S-rank.
Even so, as I continued to defeat A-rank and A+ rank monsters, my level gradually increased. After about two weeks, when I reached the 40th floor, my level had risen to 65.
Race: Assassin Cat (Mutant)
Name: None
Rank: C
Level: 65
HP: 505/525
MP: 613/710
Attack Power: 539
Defense Power: 460
Magic Attack Power: 699
Magic Defense Power: 695
Agility: 536
Skills:
Special Evolution
Language Comprehension
Chant Annulment
Night Vision
Item Box Lv24
Appraisal Lv24
Status Concealment Lv17
Thought Acceleration Lv25
Life Detection Lv25
Magic Detection Lv25
Hostile Detection Lv23
Danger Detection Lv21
Presence Concealment Lv17
Magic Concealment Lv17
Auto HP Recovery Lv22
Mana Auto-Recovery Lv25
Light Magic Lv22
Water Magic Lv26
Wind Magic Lv15
Earth Magic Lv15
Lightning Magic Lv18
Space-Time Magic Lv12
Gravity Magic Lv12
Venom Generation Lv21
Paralysis Poison Generation Lv17
Sleep Poison Generation Lv17
Confusion Poison Generation Lv17
Pain Resistance Lv18
Venom Resistance Lv21
Paralysis Resistance Lv17
Sleep Resistance Lv17
Confusion Resistance Lv17
Bewitchment Resistance Lv15
Water Resistance Lv16
Wind Resistance Lv16
Earth Resistance Lv16
Lightning Resistance Lv16
Miasma Lv16
Hardening Lv15
Lightning Cloak Lv18
Titles:
Reincarnator
Skill Collector
Evolver
Giant Killer
Assassin
Kin Slayer
So, that’s what it looks like when I’m not concealing my status.
By the way, I think the lowest floor of this Underground Labyrinth was supposed to be the 32nd floor. I’ve already passed it easily. Even though I look like a black cat.
Well, I’ve been doing well so far, but now I have a slightly formidable opponent in front of me. A wolf wreathed in flames and a wolf wreathed in ice.
Race: Flamehound
Name: None
Rank: A+
Level: 88
HP: 399/399
MP: 555/555
Attack Power: 432
Defense Power: 345
Magic Attack Power: 600
Magic Defense Power: 550
Agility: 488
Skills:
Howl Lv20
Breath (Fire) Lv20
Fire Magic Lv20
Fire Absorption Lv20
Wind Resistance Lv17
Lightning Resistance Lv17
Status Ailment Resistance Lv18
Flame Cloak Lv20
Race: Frozenhound
Name: None
Rank: A+
Level: 88
HP: 399/399
MP: 555/555
Attack Power: 345
Defense Power: 432
Magic Attack Power: 600
Magic Defense Power: 550
Agility: 488
Skills:
Howl Lv20
Breath (Ice) Lv20
Ice Magic Lv20
Ice Absorption Lv20
Water Resistance Lv17
Earth Resistance Lv17
Status Ailment Resistance Lv18
Ice Cloak Lv20
These two are both high-ranking A+ rank monsters, and it’s said that when they appear together, their danger level is comparable to S-rank. It seems that their high stats are not the only problem, but their teamwork is also troublesome.
(Let’s see how well they work together!)
The two of them are wary of me, and although they are growling, they are not moving from their positions, as if they are observing me. In that case, I guess I’ll attack first.
“Nyaa~”
In the dangerous zone of the 40th floor of the Underground Labyrinth, where A-rank and higher monsters lurk, a cute cat’s voice echoed.
However, only the voice was cute. In front of me, a mass of water with a drill-like shape was floating, rotating at high speed with ferocious destructive power.
(Go!)
I launched a Water Bullet, which had been slightly modified to increase its destructive power, towards the Flamehound.
The Flamehound, which had been observing me from a distance, seemed to have dodged the Water Bullet with ease, but how naive!
My Water Bullet is a special one, packed with a lot of mana. The water drill, which seemed to have been dodged, made a sharp turn and attacked the Flamehound from behind.
“Gaa!”
However, just before my Water Bullet hit the Flamehound, it was blocked by the Frozenhound, which had intervened.
(I see, so this is the teamwork that’s comparable to S-rank. Indeed, if you combine the two of them, they have resistance to all five major attributes. So, their strategy is to have the one with resistance defend against magic attacks.)
“Nyaa~ (But what if they’re separated?)”
Taking advantage of the moment when the two of them were focused on defending against the Water Bullet, I created an earth wall between them by casting Earth Magic 4th tier “Stone Wall”.
The two wolves reflexively took distance from the suddenly appearing earth wall. Hehehe, I managed to separate them as planned. Now, how will they respond to this?
I launched another Water Bullet at the Flamehound and a special, giant lightning spear at the Frozenhound.
The two of them tried to dodge the incoming magic in a panic, but too bad. My magic will continue to pursue them until it hits.
Having seen the previous Water Bullet, they probably expected it to pursue them, so they weren’t immediately hit, but as they continued to dodge, their movements gradually became sluggish.
If this continued, they would eventually be hit. The only option the wolves could think of was to…
(Of course, they’re coming at me.)
Their option was to defeat me, the caster, first. If they defeated me, the magic would disappear, and even if they didn’t, the earth wall would end at my position. They probably thought that if the two of them could reunite, they could defend against attacks again by having the one with resistance take the hit, and they could get through this unscathed.
But, things won’t go as they planned. Of course, if they come at me, I’ll just counterattack.
First, I used Lightning Cloak to cover myself in lightning. With a crackling sound, it was as if I myself had become lightning. At this point, the Frozenhound, which had no lightning resistance, stopped moving.
Then, I targeted the Flamehound that was coming at me and prepared Water Magic 3rd tier “Water Arrow”. Dozens of sharp, rotating water arrows, with even more penetrating power than Water Bullet, appeared, surrounding the Flamehound.
Furthermore, just before the Flamehound reached me, I created a Water Wall in front of it. The Flamehound collided with the water wall that suddenly appeared in front of it, unable to do anything. The flames covering its body exploded into a small steam explosion. Then, dozens of water arrows attacked its body, piercing it, as its movements stopped.
(One down for now.)
Having defeated the Flamehound, I immediately shifted my target to the Frozenhound. Judging that a direct attack on me, who was covered in Lightning Cloak, was impossible, it seemed to be attacking with magic.
(This is… Ice Magic 2nd tier “Ice Prison”?)
An ice cage was created in an instant, surrounding me. But, too bad. I have lightning magic, which is compatible with ice magic.
(Thunder Wave!)
Lightning Magic 3rd tier “Thunder Wave”. A wave of lightning spread out from me.
With a cracking sound, the ice cage that was trying to trap me shattered.
Now, it’s my turn! Still covered in Lightning Cloak, I charged at the Frozenhound like a bullet. The Frozenhound dodged in a panic. My agility was higher, but perhaps because there was some distance, my charge was barely dodged. However, this was fine. Because it barely managed to dodge, the lightning from my Lightning Cloak caught the Frozenhound’s hind leg. Lightning Cloak is the best!
I charged at the Frozenhound again, which had become sluggish due to paralysis. This time, it hit its torso squarely, and with the effect of Lightning Cloak, it seemed to have dealt a fatal blow.
(Phew, I’m glad my plan worked. Even if they’re said to be equivalent to S-rank as a pair, they’re just A+ rank if you separate them.)
I collected the Flamehound and Frozenhound, which were a bit battered, and after resting a bit to recover my mana, I continued deeper.