Chapter 15: Encounter 08
At last, it was the final day. We had swiftly progressed through to the twentieth floor of the Dungeon.
The formidable foes we faced included the superior breed of Orc known as the Orc General, the massive horse-like creature with two mithril horns called the Mithril Bicorn, and the shadowy, flame-wreathed spirit monster known as the Shadow Flare. While these appeared as mere minions, the real nuisance was the Shadow Flare, which was immune to physical attacks.
Fortunately, my accessory imbued with Water Attribute +3 rendered it a non-issue.
“Lord Soushi, you’ve finally mastered magic attacks as well,” Freinir remarked, her expression tinged with concern, likely fearing she would become obsolete.
“Your magic is far more powerful, so nothing has changed,” I reassured her. Still, it might be wise to remind her that she was needed for reasons beyond her abilities.
The door to the boss room was a towering structure, fitting for the lowest level of a B-class Dungeon, standing at least ten meters high.
As we stepped inside, a vast expanse unfolded before us, easily the size of a soccer field. The ceiling was equally high, and it was no wonder—the boss here was the legendary Hydra, renowned even in myth.
Emerging from the thick mist was indeed a colossal serpent with nine heads, its length easily exceeding thirty meters. It was a formidable adversary, boasting an incredibly powerful Regeneration skill and deadly venom.
The initial casting of Divine Halo seemed to have little effect.
The Hydra advanced toward us at high speed, unimpeded by any tricks. Sfenia and Shizuna unleashed around fifty Flame Bolts, striking true and incinerating two of its heads.
“Goodness, it’s already begun regenerating!” Shizuna exclaimed, and rightly so; the charred remains of its head burst apart, new heads sprouting forth in a grotesque display.
I stepped forward alongside the two Spirits, bracing myself to absorb the Hydra’s biting attack head-on. The massive serpent’s jaws, wide open, were shattered one after another by my mace. However, they regenerated at the same speed, making little progress. Larni and Mariane attempted to sever heads from the sides, but the same fate awaited them—the heads regrew almost instantaneously.
“Hey, Soushi, is this really the only way to do this?”
“It seems so. We have to keep this up until its Regeneration slows down,” I replied.
According to the guide, there was no specific strategy to defeat the Hydra; we could only continue severing heads and wait for its regenerative abilities to weaken. Fortunately, as long as it wasn’t biting us, its attacks posed little threat. After all, my mace easily obliterated its heads.
Shizuna’s Spirits were holding their own against one of the heads. When Mariane’s spear struck true, it was evident that the Hydra’s movements had slowed significantly. Its regenerative power seemed to diminish rapidly.
“It appears the Poison is taking effect. Let’s finish it off!”
Upon hearing Mariane’s words, we launched a fierce assault. The Hydra’s regenerative abilities waned further until it could no longer regenerate, collapsing to the ground, its massive body devoid of all heads.
“Phew, this is the longest I’ve ever fought a boss,” Shizuna said, sitting down to catch her breath. It seemed the continuous use of magic had drained her stamina.
In contrast, Freinir, who appeared physically exhausted, showed no signs of fatigue. Despite her relentless barrage of spells, she had become quite dependable.
“But I feel like my skills have grown stronger because of it. I used a lot of magic,” she replied.
“Not many opponents allow us to use this many skills, so in a way, it was a good boss fight,” I mused, my mind momentarily drifting into a gaming mindset as I felt the sensation of skill acquisition.
I had gained the core enhancement skill Steel Core, evolving into its advanced form, Adamantine Core. It seemed to bolster both my offensive and defensive capabilities.
Freinir had leveled up her Dual Magic by five levels. While not as easy to level up as resistance skills, magic-related skills also took time to grow. If she aimed for higher-tier skills, she would need to reach the level cap, making this a valuable gain.
Larni acquired the skill Flying Blade, which was similar to what Karma used to launch slashing attacks. She was quite pleased, though it seemed to consume more stamina than expected, making it difficult to use in quick succession. An increase in stamina would soon be necessary.
Sfenia had finally obtained the Dual Magic she had long desired. When combined with First Strike and Charge, she could unleash powerful magic as a preemptive attack, but it would also significantly drain her stamina and extend her cooldown times.
Mariane received Space Kick, the same skill Larni possessed. This allowed her to perform a double jump, enhancing her ninja-like agility.
Shizuna acquired Range Expansion, a skill also held by Freinir. When she tested it with Flame Bolt, instead of the usual ten fiery spears, fifteen arrows of flame spread forth. This would be particularly effective against the horde-type monsters we had encountered several times.
In any case, we had successfully conquered our first B-class Dungeon. The Soul’s Guidance had proven to enhance our individual abilities and foster excellent teamwork, making the entire experience feel remarkably safe. Honestly, I had been holding back quite a bit, so as long as I remained vigilant, I felt confident that we could handle any Dungeon challenges ahead.
Now, with nothing left to do in Oz, it was time to set off toward the Inner Elf Village.