Chapter 24: The Bottom of a Deep, Deep Hole
I felt a strong wind pressure on my back. Looking up, the ceiling rapidly receded and grew smaller in an instant.
I was falling with tremendous speed.
My instincts screamed that this was bad, and I instantly created a large umbrella.
I decelerated sharply, and the force, now with nowhere to go, swung me around like a pendulum. But since I’d created it as an extension of my equipment, there was no fear of being thrown off.
It seemed I wouldn’t take any damage from the fall this way.
But before I could even feel that sense of relief, a sharp pain shot through my chest.
This is bad. A really, really bad kind of pain.
Panicking from the intense pain that threatened to make me lose consciousness, I created a Healing Magic Circle and kept casting it at full power. My only thought was to escape this pain.
But at that moment, I had forgotten something crucial.
The worst possible fact: that all this time, I was still descending through the Dungeon floors.
While falling for a long time, swaying left and right, I continued to cast healing magic. By the time my body had healed and my breathing had calmed, I hit the bottom with a thud.
In that instant, I remembered.
――――――――Just how far did I fall from the eleventh Floor?!
I was aghast at the reality that I must have fallen at least several dozen Floors. If that was the case, I couldn’t afford to stand around.
Confirming the pain had subsided to some extent, I stopped the healing magic and stood up.
“This is bad. If I don’t get up immediately, I’ll die.”
For now, there are no Monsters in sight.
Calming myself with the thought that it would be fine if I left this place immediately, I pondered a way to ascend.
I’m confident in my Mana Manipulation, but even so, I can’t keep an object created with magic in a distant place. Twenty-five meters is about the limit.
So, even if I tried to extend a rod and climb up by holding onto it, once it exceeded the manipulation limit, the materialized rod would dissipate from the point beyond my Control Range.
Even if I extended it sideways to hit the wall, it wouldn’t catch and stay fixed.
I tried creating a grappling hook and striking it against the wall, but it didn’t embed itself deeply enough to support my weight.
That said, I couldn’t just stay here thinking indefinitely.
First, I needed to hide. Knowing it was impossible to go all the way up, I created a platform and ascended about ten meters, then widened the footing.
It was like standing on a Platform with ridiculously long legs.
This way, if I lay prone, my figure, and even the support pillar, would naturally be invisible from the passage.
“With this, my Magical Power is almost zero, leaving only enough for one Backpack.”
I used the contents of the remaining Backpack, and my Magical Power was refilled to full, which gave me some relief. However, that enormous Platform had consumed most of my Magical Power.
Well, it’s not like it’s gone for good, as it’ll return when I dispel it.
I can’t hear any footsteps for now, so I should still be okay.
As I took a breather, my anger towards Listol flared up again.
“That bastard… I’ll definitely kill him.”
He was ordering his lackeys and had retreated, so he probably wasn’t caught in the Firestorm.
If I die like this, he’ll end up participating in the tournament with Yuri-san.
My own life is more important, of course, but I absolutely hate that idea too.
So, I have to survive and get out of here, no matter what.
But if I can’t get up from here, there’s nothing I can do.
If there were any protrusions on the wall, I’d have plenty of options. But for some reason, it’s a surprisingly smooth, vertical wall.
I don’t intend to give up without trying, but climbing it seems difficult.
If getting out from here is impossible, then I’d have to go up the Dungeon stairs, but that’s even more impossible.
Based on the sensation of falling, somewhere below the fiftieth Floor seems reasonable. There’s no way it’s around the thirtieth Floor.
Considering the time I was falling, it wouldn’t be strange if I were even below the seventieth Floor.
I tried to recall things like how long I was casting healing magic mid-air, but because I was panicking from the strong agitation and pain, I couldn’t even remember how long the scenery had been rushing past.
I pondered for a while, but then stopped, thinking that even if I remembered, it wouldn’t allow me to accurately determine the Floor.
More importantly, I should be thinking about countermeasures against Monsters.
Luckily, there weren’t any in this room, but they could show up at any time.
A normal Gun definitely wouldn’t work.
I should assume they wouldn’t die even from magic at full power.
Even if a surprise attack succeeded and I landed a hit, if I couldn’t defeat it, that would be the end.
Thinking about it that way, the odds are too stacked against me.
No, wait…
If I increased the Gun’s power to its absolute limit, wouldn’t there be a chance?
If I use that prototype from back then…
That’s right. When I was creating Guns, I once tried to make a giant version to increase its power.
That one, which I had to shelve due to Magical Power consumption issues, might just…
Alright, I’ll make it right now.
I’ll keep it on hand for now and think of a way to get up from here.
There’s no telling when a Monster might come here.
And so, I created a large-caliber Gun.
A version even larger than the previous prototype.
I’m not skilled enough to create it instantly, but I’ve made it several times before, so it was easy to produce.
What I ended up with was something whose bullets were as large as bottles—it could only be called a cannon.
The base was thickened to withstand the explosion, and the gunpowder content was also proportionally increased significantly.
A creation I rejected because, while its power was immense, its Magical Power consumption was too large to be practical.
I could only test it once due to the excessive noise, but this further enhanced version should definitely be effective.
I tried creating a version two sizes larger than the one that would have drained all my Magical Power in a single shot back then.
Thanks to the Backpack, I have several days’ worth of Magical Power, but I can probably only fire about five shots.
Well, that’s because most of my Magical Power is tied up in this platform I created.
If I dispel it, I should have enough to fire over twenty shots with ease.
Twenty shots.
Thinking about it that way, if I can shatter its Magic Stone in one hit, I feel like I could at least defend this spot.
I’m confident in my accuracy. As long as I can get a preemptive strike, I can hit it.
“It’s okay. I can do this, I can do this, it’ll work out, it’s okay.”
I muttered this to protect my heart, understanding it was just speculation piled on speculation.
Honestly, I’m scared. Terrified.
But I can’t think about it.
Because I understand that if I let this fear consume me, I won’t be able to move.
Wait, why am I thinking on the premise of fighting?!
This is insurance, right?!
That’s right. Thinking of a way to climb up comes first…
After that, while continuing to scout with Enhanced Hearing, I kept intently thinking of a way to ascend.
Creating suction cups to stick and climb. Driving stakes to use as footholds to climb.
I considered various things like these, but they were impossible.
The suction cups wouldn’t stick. The stakes would crack the wall before they could be fixed, and they would inevitably make noise.
It would be easy if I could extend a rod with Mana Manipulation and climb, but that’s also impossible.
That’s right, unless I can create a foothold somewhere every twenty-five meters—my Mana Manipulation limit—it’s impossible to climb up.
It’s no use. I’m panicking, and my thoughts are looping.
Just as I was despairing, I heard footsteps.
With Enhanced Hearing, I could barely hear them, so they were still far away, but they were definitely getting closer.
A continuous “pata pata pata” sound, like someone walking barefoot, kept ringing out.
To hide, I changed the top of the Platform into a box shape and concealed my entire body.
I made a hole in a position where I could aim at the entrance to this room, passed the Gun through it, and sealed the hole, leaving only a slight gap that allowed me to aim at the entire passage.
Since the scope needed to pass through to the other side, from the outside, the Gun barrel would look like it was protruding quite a bit.
It was unstable, so I extended a support rod to the wall and also widened the Platform’s legs to stabilize it.
I was worried it might notice me and pounce immediately, but it would likely be defenseless the moment it entered the room.
The focus of the sights was also a concern, but the distance was so close, it would surely be fine.
Pata pata pata. Pata pata pata.
So slow. If you’re coming, then come quickly!
My heartbeat thundered so loudly I thought it was noisy.
It was definitely getting closer, but because I had cranked up the output of my Enhanced Hearing, I’d noticed it too early.
I felt like I was going to break from the tension.
Having hearing that’s too good is actually painful at times like this.
And then, the sound finally started to reach me directly.
Thinking it was about time I’d see its feet, I peered through the scope and focused.
A mere distance of just over ten meters.
I absolutely will not miss.
The target, of course, is its Magic Stone.
If I can just shatter its Magic Stone, I can definitely defeat it.
The material is the same, so it should shatter. It’ll be fine.
Dammit, I can’t escape, so hurry up and come!
In that instant, I saw feet shaped much like human bare feet, but with the next step, I saw calves covered in white fur and regained my composure.
Then its chest came into view, and I saw its Magic Stone.
There it is!
ZDOOOM! A tremendous explosive sound echoed, and a strong impact hit my body.
An impact so strong it felt like my body would be blown away even though it was enhanced. If I hadn’t attached the support to the wall, the entire Platform would have undoubtedly been blown away.
I hadn’t felt like test-firing it while holding it, so this was an unforeseen situation, but I somehow endured it.
More importantly, the Monster?!
An Ape-like Monster with a hole in its chest lay on its back.
Staring at the chest of the fallen Monster with wide eyes, I saw that its Magic Stone was indeed shattered.
“Yes! Alright!”
I let out a cry, but the next moment, I heard the pitter-patter of running footsteps.
It wasn’t just one set of footsteps.
Unlike with Yuri, I couldn’t tell how many there were, but I could tell the sounds were coming from various places.
“Damn, quite a number are coming. It’s to be expected after making such an explosive sound, but…”
Seriously…?
A cold sweat trickled down.
Given their numbers, I can’t shoot unless I chip away at my foothold, but not shooting isn’t an option.
“The problem is whether just chipping away at the foothold will be enough, huh…”
While I was thinking that, the next one came.
This time, it was running towards me.
The time I had to aim for the Magic Stone was just an instant.
If they get inside the room, I don’t know what will happen next.
If they were to attack the supports of my foothold, it would be game over with a high probability.
Before that, even if I can’t see them, they might detect me and attack here in a single leap.
Even though I’m on a ten-meter high platform with no ladder, I feel nothing but anxiety.
My eyes glinted with the determination that I absolutely couldn’t afford to miss.
The sound was approaching at an incredible speed.
…Judging by the speed at which the sound is approaching, isn’t this thing insanely fast?
The moment I thought I saw its body, I put my finger on the trigger, intending to shoot the instant I saw something black, but my shot went wide.
The Monster’s speed was just too fast.
I had gotten used to aiming at moving targets, but its speed greatly exceeded my expectations.
Damn it, I missed!!
This is bad, bad, bad!
I thought I had to shoot again and shatter its Magic Stone, but it had fallen face down, its head split open.
“Huh? Did I… take it down?”
It was quite unexpected.
There’s no way my attacks would be properly effective against a Monster from such a deep Floor.
That’s what I thought, but if hitting the head is good enough, then the difficulty is low.
“Maybe they aren’t as tough as I expected for this Floor?”
I calmed down a little and felt a sense of relief, but many more were still coming.
As the next one approached, I chipped away at the platform to recover Magical Power, took aim, and this time, I shot, aiming for the head from the start.
The bullet cleanly pierced its head and lodged into the ground.
It’s okay. I can do this.
If it’s this easy, I might be able to reduce their numbers and then take my time thinking of a way to head up.
Is that kind of thinking too optimistic?
No matter how I look at it, I’ll run out of Magical Power before that…
Right, I’m continuously firing such large projectiles. It was obvious I’d run out of Magical Power quickly, even without my Maso equipped.
If only I could retrieve the bullets, it would be fine, but continuously fighting within twenty meters on a Floor like this is just suicide.
Well, this time I had no escape route, so I am fighting at quite a close range, though…
The moment I thought that, a bullet entered my vision.
It was a bullet that had pierced a head and was stuck in the ground.
“Ah, I see. Because I’m shooting downwards from close range, it’s within my control range, huh.
With this, I can retrieve them as much as I want!!”
Come to think of it, since they were sticking to the passage wall and hiding, they were quite close.
Apparently, the angle is such that they pierce the ground, and they all conveniently remain right there.
I was too panicked, so it had completely slipped my mind.
While still aiming my Gun, I converted the bullets lodged in the Monsters and the ground back into Magical Power from above and retrieved them.
“Seriously!? They seem to stop at the entrance, and if so, as long as I don’t miss, I can do this, can’t I?”
That’s right, they stopped once in the same spot to check inside, making them easy to target.
At the very least, as long as I don’t miss, I’ve bought myself time to keep thinking of a way to climb up.