Chapter 7: Freinir’s Past – 04
The next day, we continued our assault on the D-Class Dungeon.
We descended to the fourth floor without any significant issues (though we weren’t completely unscathed).
According to our guide, the number of Assault Tigers was supposed to increase, but thanks to Larni’s “God of Plague” Skill, we had already reached the upper limit of their appearances, and we never encountered more than eight at once.
A minor issue arose in front of the staircase leading down to the fifth floor.
“Hey, aren’t we at our material limit?”
Larni said as she set down her bulging backpack.
“That’s true.”
My backpack and Freinir’s were similarly stuffed to the brim.
This was a side effect of Larni’s “God of Plague” Skill, which caused monsters to spawn at nearly maximum capacity.
“From here on, we might have to give up on anything but Magic Stones. If any high-value materials drop, we should prioritize collecting those.”
“I wish I could carry a bit more…”
“No, Frei, it’s just not feasible given your build.”
Both Larni and Freinir had average builds for girls, which limited the size of the bags they could carry. It would be nice if we had something like a backpack frame… Maybe I should look for one at the tool shop next time.
“For now, our goal is to conquer this dungeon today. Let’s move on.”
“Yes, Soushi-sama.”
“Okay, let’s do our best!”
The D-Class Dungeon we were currently tackling had five floors, just like the previous ones. However, I had heard there was another D-Class Dungeon with fifteen floors, which would definitely require our party to have the “Item Box” Skill that I had heard about before.
In fact, the “Item Box” Skill could only be acquired in D-Class Dungeons or higher. I hoped my “Bad Luck” Skill would come in handy in situations like this.
The fifth floor was uniquely shaped, unlike the maze-like corridors we had encountered before. It featured wide passages that were over ten meters in height and width, extending deep into the dungeon.
The reason for this unusual layout was the monsters that appeared here. The newly emerging “Hunter Claws” were large, crow-like flying monsters.
“Finally, my ‘Jump’ Skill will come in handy!”
Larni exclaimed, her enthusiasm palpable. Indeed, there weren’t many opportunities for her “Jump” Skill to shine in a dungeon, and I wanted to make sure she had her moment to shine.
As we advanced down the corridor, ten Hunter Claws approached us.
Though they resembled crows, they began to hover in the air as we got closer, a typical behavior for dungeon monsters.
“I’ll cast Holy Light!”
With Freinir’s preemptive spell, two of the Hunter Claws fell from the sky.
The remaining Hunter Claws unleashed a barrage of feathered projectiles aimed at Freinir. They were a troublesome combination of flying monsters with ranged attacks.
“Frei, hide behind me. Larni, I’m counting on you.”
“Got it!”
“Leave it to me!”
While I used my shield to block the feather attacks, Larni activated “Swift Run” and “Jump,” launching herself into the air to swiftly cut down two of the Hunter Claws.
The remaining Hunter Claws spread out and launched their feather attacks, but my shield, mace, and the “Steel Body” Skill held firm against their onslaught.
As Larni continued her rapid jumps, she systematically took down one Hunter Claw after another. The last two, in a desperate attempt, charged at me. However, they met their end before my counter-mace, exploding into feathers.
“Great moves, Larni.”
“Thanks! All that practice paid off. With ‘Jump,’ I can handle flying monsters easily. It really is a rare skill.”
It seemed that Larni and the “Jump” Skill were a perfect match. It was definitely the right choice to let her use it.
After encountering a few more Hunter Claws, we progressed without any major issues, aside from me taking a few feather hits.
Eventually, we reached the innermost chamber, where the familiar door to the boss room awaited us.
“The boss is a Minotaur, right?”
“Yes, Soushi-sama. The guide mentioned that. It’s said to be a giant with a bull’s head wielding a large axe.”
This monster was also famous in the myths of my previous world. Standing at two and a half meters tall, it wasn’t the largest creature, but taking a direct hit from its axe would surely send anyone to the afterlife.
Moreover, there was something else we needed to be cautious about.
“If it’s an upper-tier species, we should also consider the possibility of multiple spawns. Either way, Frei, get ready with ‘Divine Light.’ Also, please prepare ‘Charge.'”
“Understood. I’ll get ready.”
In the boss room, we wouldn’t have to worry about being seen by other parties, so we would utilize our “Divine Attribute” to the fullest. While fighting a weakened boss might not be the best way to gain experience, we could worry about that later once we were more accustomed to the dungeon.
“Alright, let’s go.”
As we stepped through the door, we found ourselves in the usual boss room. However, the amount of black mist swirling around seemed unusually thick.
“Isn’t this a pattern where two appear? Lucky us!”
Larni’s optimistic remark was reassuring. Indeed, gaining two skills in a D-Class Dungeon would be quite fortunate…
“Soushi-sama, that Minotaur looks a bit different from the illustration in the guide…”
As Freinir pointed out, one of the Minotaurs that appeared was in a classic, bare-chested form, while the other was clad in dark armor, clearly an upper-tier variant.
I certainly hadn’t anticipated encountering both variations at once.
The two Minotaurs let out ear-splitting roars and charged at us, axes in hand.
“Frei, ‘Divine Light!’ Larni, draw the attention of the regular one. Focus on evasion and don’t push yourself.”
“Yes! I’ll cast my spell!”
“Understood, leave it to me!”
With a flash of “Divine Halo,” Larni used “Swift Run” to strike the Minotaur, drawing its attention.
So far, so good. The real question was how formidable the armored Minotaur would be.
I couldn’t let it get close to Freinir, so I positioned myself in front of the “Armored Minotaur.” The real concern was whether I could withstand its attacks, even if it was weakened.
Booom!
With a thunderous roar, the Armored Minotaur swung its axe down at me. I stepped back slightly and managed to deflect it with my shield. It seemed I could handle this much.
“Bring it on, one more hit!”
As I taunted it, the Armored Minotaur swung its axe horizontally. I stepped in and blocked it with my shield. The impact was tremendous, bending my shield and nearly sending me flying.
However, thanks to my “Stability” and “Herculean Strength” Skills, I managed to hold my ground and retaliated with a strike from my mace, aiming for its axe-wielding arm.
As my mace connected, the Minotaur’s arm exploded, sending splinters of its gauntlet flying. Blood gushed from its mouth as the shockwave coursed through its body. I was surprised by my own destructive power.
With the staggering Armored Minotaur reeling, I brought my mace down on its head, and the massive body collapsed forward.
“Soushi! I’m coming too!”
I turned to see Larni dodging an attack from the Minotaur and sprinting toward me.
“Soushi-sama, I can cast ‘Holy Light!'”
Freinir shouted. Perfect timing.
“Larni, jump to the side!”
“Got it!”
Larni followed my command and leaped aside just as Freinir’s “Ray of Holy Light” pierced the Minotaur’s chest.
Boooom!
The Minotaur let out a pained groan, collapsing to its knees.
Seizing the opportunity, Larni used “Swift Run” to slice through its neck as she passed by. Blood sprayed from its severed artery as the Minotaur crumpled to the ground.
“Soushi-sama, are you alright?”
Freinir approached me with a hint of concern. I had taken the hit directly on my shield, so it was understandable that she was worried.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Fine? Your shield is completely shattered!”
Larni looked at me with a slightly exasperated expression.
“I thought we didn’t have much time, so I went a bit overboard. But you both did great!”
In the end, it felt like we had won in an instant, but without Larni acting as bait and Freinir weakening the boss, it could have been a dangerous fight. I needed to analyze those aspects carefully; otherwise, we might face dire consequences in the future.
“Hehe, well, I knew you’d take one down, so it was easier to buy time.”
“Being able to focus on one Minotaur was a relief. Frei’s magic is as powerful as ever. Has ‘Holy Light’ gotten stronger?”
“Yes, it seems to have increased a bit more. I can still grow even stronger.”
When I praised her, Freinir’s face lit up with joy, like a blooming flower.
“The real question is what skills we’ll get! Since there was a Rare Boss… Oh! Here it comes!”
As Larni spoke, skills flooded into my mind.
One was the long-awaited “Item Box.” It seemed my “Bad Luck” Skill had done its job well.
The other was “Shockwave”… a skill that converts the destructive power of my weapon into a shockwave. I wondered what would happen if I used it with my mace; it could be quite explosive. I was looking forward to it.
“I got ‘Barrier Magic’ and ‘Dual Magic.’ This is amazing! It seems I can activate two spells simultaneously now.”
“Dual Magic” was likely the rare skill, and it certainly sounded powerful. Freinir’s presence would become even more significant, but using such skills in public might be risky.
“I got ‘Slash’ and ‘Space Kick.’ I really wanted ‘Slash.’ And what’s this ‘Space Kick’? It sounds fun!”
As Larni said this, she suddenly jumped up right where she stood. I thought she would just land, but she performed another jump in mid-air, as if she had executed a game-like “double jump.” This skill could be incredibly useful, especially when combined with “Jump.”
“Soushi has ‘Item Box’ now too!? Amazing! With this, deep dungeons will be a breeze. Our party is getting too strong!”
“As expected of Soushi-sama. I will train even harder to be of help.”
Both of their skills fit perfectly with our combat style. I wondered if my “Bad Luck” had influenced this, or if it was simply their own talents.
In any case, I felt like we had become significantly stronger compared to our current rank.