Chapter 32: The Boss at the Bottom of the Hole
Two months had passed since Listol’s attack.
The explanation to the school was long over, and based on the testimonies of those around, it was quickly recognized as legitimate self-defense.
At first, I wondered if things would truly be alright, but in the end, nothing happened. The classroom returned to being a peaceful space, and I spent my days holed up alone in the Dungeon.
Since that incident, Riana-san and I no longer went to the Dungeon together.
She didn’t even ask for copies of the Gun.
It was convenient for me, as I wanted to earn evaluation points, but it was glaringly obvious that the events of that time were still casting a shadow.
It’s disheartening to think she might have distanced herself after seeing that side of my personality.
Well, I only killed a guy who was trying to kill me, so I have no regrets. And I only tormented him because he’d done things to deserve it.
However, I can also understand the revulsion one might feel towards the cruelty of killing a man who had been beaten senseless and was begging for his life.
So, although it’s lonely, I’ve concluded that it can’t be helped and decided not to dwell on it.
And so, while thoroughly enjoying my solo life, I descended deeper and deeper through the Floors.
It seemed I’d gotten considerably stronger thanks to that battle in the deep Floors.
I was strong enough to easily handle being a frontline fighter with just a sword, even down to the twenty-fifth Floor.
Just how deep was that place?
My cheek twitched at the thought, but more than anything, I was grateful I’d become stronger.
Because I could descend Floors so rapidly, I was able to repay my debt instantly, and money has been accumulating at a good pace.
I have to work hard and save money so I can take Raku with me when I graduate.
With that goal in mind, I bring back my spoils every day.
I’ve increased my carrying capacity even further, and now I make two round trips a day.
It’s about time I’ll have saved enough money to take Raku.
Wanting to know when I might be able to take the graduation exam, I had come to Mr. Owen’s place early in the morning.
“What? You plan on graduating early by skipping grades!?”
“Um, well, yes. If I have enough evaluation points…”
“You’re about to accumulate enough points, but the exam is incredibly tough. No, honestly, it’s impossible.”
He puffed out his chest, saying, “After all, I’m your homeroom teacher.”
When I tilted my head in confusion, it seemed that “defeating one instructor” meant defeating one’s own homeroom teacher.
“Are you strong, Mr. Owen?”
“Of course. Even I was granted the title of Knight for my strength, and then climbed all the way to Baron.”
Huh?
That means he’s absolutely, insanely strong. Impossible, right?
“…Why is someone like that working as a teacher!”
“Adults have their circumstances. By the way, even though it’s safe now, you’re not teaming up with Hiroki or Ami, are you?”
Huh, why bring up their names now? Well, it’s true Hiroki disliked Mr. Owen to a surprising degree… Thinking that, I asked for the reason.
“Well… it’s, uh, that. They caught me… being intimate with their mother.”
“Whaaaaaat!? What the hell are you doing!!”
O-of course they’d be angry! Even I’d be like “Uwaaah!” if I saw my mom sleeping with some guy I didn’t know!
“Wait, it’s not a fling. We’ve promised to marry once they’re independent. Us… including Hiroki and Ami’s late father, we used to be in a party together a long time ago.”
Mr. Owen said wistfully, “We go way back.”
I wanted to say, “So what?” but if they love each other and are getting married, that’s a good thing.
However, if that’s how they first learned about the relationship, they probably wouldn’t be able to accept it.
“Well, enough about me. I don’t intend to back down no matter what they say. More importantly, what Floor are you on now? I hear you’re earning so many evaluation points that some suspect cheating…”
Huh?
I’m being suspected?
When I inadvertently raised my voice, he said that such talk had come up a little in the staff room, but the suspicion was cleared after it was confirmed I was bringing large quantities of Monsters to the Dismantling Yard every day.
I let out a sigh of relief and answered his question.
“I’ve descended to the twenty-fifth Floor now. How far do I need to be able to go for it to be a possibility?”
“Heh, not bad for a student. Well, it’s true you wouldn’t accumulate points unless you were at that level. But, were you really weak when you enrolled?”
While retorting that he was being persistent, I affirmed it and repeated my question.
“Precise strength can’t be measured by Dungeon Floors, but if you can’t clear at least forty, it’s not even a discussion. Let me tell you upfront, don’t even think about trying to beat me. It’s a matter of how many years I’ve spent holed up in the Dungeon. Ah, has it been over twenty years already? I’ve gotten old… Well, it means I’ve done enough that someone of student age can’t surpass me, no matter what they do.”
“W-when you put it like that, yeah, I guess so.”
He’d probably tell me not to underestimate him.
Still, I’d like to at least be allowed to try.
No, honestly, I want to be allowed to change my opponent.
“Hey, if I earn a ton of evaluation points, would you let me fight a different teacher?”
“Huh? There’s no way I can decide something like that. Well, I can ask the principal for you, but it’s probably impossible.”
“Oh! You’ll ask for me? Thank you, Mr. Owen!”
“…This much is fine. I did do you wrong, after all.”
Ah, the Karl matter, huh.
I’m not bothered by it anymore, but I’m grateful he’ll ask.
“Well then, I’m off to do my best today!”
“I’m just asking. Don’t get your hopes up too much.”
“Understooood!”
And so, with a sliver of hope in my heart, I headed to the Dungeon.
I hurried down the Floors, and when I reached the eleventh Floor, a strong internal conflict arose.
If I want to get strong quickly, I should go there.
There are still fifteen Giant Magic Stones left, and there’s also the matter of the hardening disease.
Even though I think so, it’s incredibly scary.
It’s a world where death awaits if I miss a single shot.
But, to earn a large amount of evaluation points in a short time, rapid growth is essential.
Just as Mr. Owen said, enough to reach the fortieth Floor.
Should I take the risk, or proceed steadily?
After much deep thought, I came to the conclusion that even if I don’t go now, with over a year remaining, I’ll probably end up going there at some point.
According to Riana-san, there’s a high probability the war will resume within a year.
Because of that, I’ll get worried, want to go to Yuri’s place, want to graduate, and end up going into the hole.
That pattern is absolutely going to happen.
In that case, it’s better to go now when I’m not that desperate, so I decided to go.
And so, I arrived at the large hole at the dead end.
First, I had to check if it was at the landing spot, so I created a telescope and peered down, and saw something strange.
Huh? What is that…
I could see something that looked as if a rose-shaped Japanese sweet had been enlarged to the size of the room.
Wait a minute. I can’t find the Magic Stones I left behind either.
Then, as I slowly observed from corner to corner, I saw just one Magic Stone.
In the center.
Yeah, well. I knew it, but that’s a Monster, isn’t it.
Should I try to snipe it from here?
If I’m going down, I have to defeat that thing first, or it’s impossible.
While I was thinking that, an Ape Monster entered and, without any caution, tried to bite the Monster, but in that instant, the floor folded in half, and the Ape Monster was swallowed.
The flower Monster, in its bud state, chewed for a while, then suddenly stopped moving, and its edges froze over.
I know that.
As I glared, determined not to forget, I remembered the white breath the Ape exhaled and shivered.
Afterward, the Ape crawled out, shattering the ice, but it was terribly battered.
Its face was discolored as if poisoned, and it had taken so much damage that its legs and arms looked like they were about to melt off.
But, far from fleeing, the Ape bit into the flower-like Monster on the spot.
Then, the Ape’s limbs, which had looked like they were about to melt off, were instantly restored to normal.
“Huh? What’s going on? Does it fully recover when it levels up or something?”
I voiced such a strange thing but immediately denied it.
First, it hasn’t defeated it yet, and I’ve never heard of such a thing.
The most likely possibility is that the Monster’s body is a material with strong healing properties.
Various verifications are needed, but if it has such high healing effects, I definitely want it.
At that level, it could instantly heal even severed limbs.
A subtle problem is submitting it to the school, but if I don’t sell it for consumption, I’m free to bring it back to the dorm.
Things used in the Dungeon should also be fine.
I could probably store it in a freezer until graduation.
While I was thinking about such things, the situation changed.
The Monster spread its Petals wide again and began to glow reddish-purple.
The light grew stronger and stronger, but the Ape was still biting into the Petal.
The moment the room filled with light, the light was absorbed into the ground, and a Magic Circle I had never seen before emerged.
Excited by seeing a Magic Circle for the first time, I instantly tried to copy it, but it activated before I could finish.
So close. Just a little more, but before I could even think that, I was startled by the light and rolled away.
The surfaces of the Maso I had prepared around the hole, where the light hit, were cleanly gouged out.
“If I were nearby, I’d definitely die.”
While voicing such an impression, I finally understood why the ceiling was gouged out.
When I checked what happened below again, not a single fragment of the Apes remained; only the flower Monster, which had taken damage in places, was left.
It was then I understood. These guys fight and die on their own, that’s why so many Giant Magic Stones were dropped down there.
However, thinking about it that way, something else occurred to me. Considering the number that had fallen, it seemed likely someone had gone to retrieve them.
Since it had been sealed off with a steel plate and marked “No Entry,” I knew the existence of the hole was known, but I hadn’t thought anyone had actually descended to the bottom.
The fact that there are people who can fight those Apes without a Gun means I’ll have to raise my vigilance even further regarding participation in the war.
Be that as it may, I wondered if another Ape would come. I wanted to see that Magic Circle again.
With that in mind, I aimed my rifle down the passage and fired, making a sound.
Sure enough, drawn by the sound, Apes arrived. This time, there were three of them.
They were caught by the green Tentacles, and the places they touched became discolored, but the Apes continued to survive by constantly eating the Petals.
They weren’t swallowed, nor did they breathe icy breath, but after waiting a short while, the red glow began again, and the Magic Circle started to be drawn.
I immediately began to imitate it, creating the same Magic Circle. This time, because I focused on copying the Magic Circle from the start, I was able to complete it.
Just like last time, a strong light surged upwards. Its power still looked dangerously potent.
Well, the fact that the Apes were turned to cinders was already abnormal, though.
Peeking down again, I could see the flower Monster, covered in wounds.
As expected, it hadn’t healed itself. If this continued, it would probably be defeated by the Apes.
That would be a waste of experience points.
That thing is probably a Boss.
Normally, only one should spawn on the lowest floor, but considering the size of its Magic Stone, I can’t imagine it’s a regular Monster.
No, whether it’s a Boss or not, given the size of that Magic Stone, there’s no doubt the experience points it gives are insane.
“Whether I can defeat it or not is another matter, but I have to try.”
I don’t even know what kind of attacks it has.
But with this much distance, I should be fine, I thought, a smile playing on my lips.