Chapter 13: To Oz – 03
The next day, we set off towards the D-Class Dungeon.
Lady Shizuna followed us without showing any signs of fatigue. Although she was E-Rank, which made this dungeon a higher tier for her, I believed we could manage as long as we supported her.
The D-Class Dungeon in Barbadoza was a grassy mound type, and the first monsters we encountered on the underground floor were Orcs.
Since Lady Shizuna expressed her desire to fight, I let her take the lead. The summoned Spirit’s rock golem seemed to have grown slightly larger than the one from yesterday.
Thanks to the effects of the Herculean Strength and Steel Body skills I acquired yesterday, the two rock golems held their ground against the Orcs in close combat. Lady Shizuna’s Fire Bolt and Water Spear spells were powerful enough to take down the Orcs in a single strike.
“It seems that even in a D-Class Dungeon, we can hold our own,” she said cheerfully, gaining valuable experience as we reached the fifth floor in about four hours.
As expected, we entered the boss room without any issues, and the creature that awaited us was a Rare Boss: an Armored Minotaur.
“I’ll take the hits, so Lady Shizuna, please attack with your magic,” I instructed.
“Understood!” she replied.
This was a perfect opportunity to test out the Immovable Fortress Wall. I retrieved my shield from the Item Box, braced myself, and activated the Provoke skill to draw the Minotaur’s attention.
The Minotaur swung its massive axe down at me. When I blocked it with my shield, the blade crumpled under the impact. The Minotaur continued to strike with its axe, but the Immovable Fortress Wall remained unyielding. While my strength played a part, the shield itself was extraordinary.
Meanwhile, Lady Shizuna’s magic struck the Minotaur several times, but it still wasn’t enough to deliver the finishing blow. I seized the moment when the Minotaur charged at me, countering with my mace and obliterating its upper body in one powerful strike.
“Your blow was incredible, Soushi-dono!” Lady Shizuna exclaimed.
“Well, I am B-Rank after all,” I replied, glancing at my shield. To my astonishment, it bore not a single scratch. Just how tough is this Orichalcum?
“Soushi, that shield of yours is amazing. Just holding it is impressive, but it doesn’t even budge under that kind of attack,” Lady Shizuna remarked.
“It seems to be entirely made of Orichalcum. I believe it could be considered a national treasure, and with you using it, its value might increase even more,” Larni and Sfenia chimed in, nodding in agreement, while Freinir looked pleased.
Now, onto the treasure chest. As expected from a Rare Boss, it was a rare silver box.
“May I open it?” Lady Shizuna asked.
“Of course,” I replied.
When she opened the box, a short staff emerged. It looked more like a metal club than a proper staff.
Mariane used her Appraisal skill and identified it as the Staff of Might. It had a Herculean Strength +2 effect, making it a staff suited for mages that also enhances the power of spells.
Only Sfenia could use the short staff with Soul’s Guidance, but her staff was for C-Rank users, suggesting that the Staff of Might was superior in terms of pure staff power. Thus, the conclusion was clear:
“That staff should be used by Lady Shizuna.”
“Is it truly alright for me to take it?” she asked.
“Yes, it should be in the hands of someone who can use it effectively. With the Herculean Strength +2 effect, your Spirits will become stronger, making it a weapon better suited for you,” I explained.
“Hmm, to receive such a gift after all the help you’ve given me… I must repay you someday,” Lady Shizuna said, and I noticed Larni seemed eager to say something, but I decided to move on before she could start her usual haphazard recruiting.
“Alright, let’s proceed to the tenth floor without delay. Stay alert,” I instructed.
We passed through the boss room and made our way down to the sixth underground floor, skipping the safety zone.
The weaker monsters we encountered were just higher-tier Orcs, Assault Tigers, and Hunter Claws, with nothing particularly new. I did notice that the Hunter Claws had developed a poison attack, but they were swiftly eliminated by magic, arrows, and throwing spears before they could strike.
As for Lady Shizuna, the rock golems enhanced by the Herculean Strength +2 effect had significantly powered up, taking down Orcs larger than themselves one after another. My ability boost from the Vessel of the Commander likely contributed, but she seemed to have already reached D-Rank level of capability.
After about four hours, we arrived at the boss room again. It had become routine for us to enter the room as a group of six.
“Hmm, could this be a Rare Boss?” Larni speculated.
The creature that emerged was supposed to be a Grand Tiger, and from the black mist, a massive tiger with black fur and red stripes appeared, looking quite impressive. Its body length was around five meters, just from its head and torso. As Larni suggested, it was indeed a Rare Boss.
“I’ll hold it off, so Lady Shizuna, please attack with your magic. Let’s have the Spirits do their best as well,” I instructed.
“Understood,” she affirmed.
The boss looked formidable, but honestly, if the members of Soul’s Guidance were determined, it could be taken down in an instant. I stepped forward and activated Provoke, drawing the attention of the Black Tiger.
Grrr!?
Unfortunately for it, my Adamantine Body was impervious to its claws and fangs. I seized its head firmly, rendering the Black Tiger immobile.
The rock golems pummeled its sides while Lady Shizuna unleashed fire arrows onto its back, quickly bringing the battle to a close.
Sfenia remarked, “That was a bit cruel to the poor thing,” indicating that it might have been a bit one-sided from an outsider’s perspective.
“Oh, I feel like both my adventurer level and skill levels have increased,” I said.
“Rare Bosses might offer easier leveling opportunities,” Lady Shizuna suggested.
As we celebrated, I realized that our strength had a secret tied to the high encounter rate of Rare Bosses, which provided us with a significant advantage.
After a moment, we felt the sensation of acquiring new skills. It seemed that all six of us had gained something.
I received a skill called Plunder, which had an unsettling name. Rather than stealing treasures from monsters, it appeared to allow me to interfere with others’ Item Boxes and retrieve items from them. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how to use it effectively, but perhaps there were monsters with the Item Box skill. However, it seemed that a considerable power gap was required to interfere with someone else’s Item Box, making it a skill that suited me in a peculiar way.
Freinir acquired Penetration, which would likely enhance the penetration power of the Ray of Holy Light for now. The Range Expansion of Holy Light was already quite powerful, but increasing its potency could be terrifying.
Larni received Swift Runner, a skill that Mariane already possessed, which increased running speed. Unlike Swift Run, this skill was suited for long-distance running, and those who had it often found themselves acting as messengers or couriers.
Sfenia obtained the Charge skill she had been wanting. This skill extended the mental concentration time, thereby increasing the power of magic. When combined with First Strike, it became an incredibly powerful skill. However, it seemed that the stamina consumption and waiting time would more than double, so caution was advised in its use.
Mariane gained the Jump skill, further enhancing her ninja-like abilities. It seemed she would soon acquire the Space Kick skill as well.
As for Lady Shizuna, it appeared she had gained the Enchantment Magic skill, which Larni also possessed. However, in her case, it seemed the target of the enchantment would be the Spirits’ Yorishiro rather than weapons. Perhaps she was destined to grow in a direction that would strengthen her Spirits.
“Hmm, with Herculean Strength, Steel Body, and now Enchantment Magic… This may be a whisper from the Spirit Queen urging me to strengthen my Spirits,” Lady Shizuna mused.
“The Spirit Queen?” Freinir echoed, intrigued.
Lady Shizuna nodded solemnly. “She is the queen who governs the Spirits. Only the High Priestess of Oz Country is permitted to communicate with her, and she graciously informs us of natural disasters and such.”
“So, you can actually hear her voice? Is it similar to the divine revelations of the Arshuram Religion?” Freinir asked.
“I’m not sure about that, but it likely bears some resemblance. However, I feel significantly stronger over these past two days. Mariane, do you think it would be alright to promote me to D-Rank?” Lady Shizuna suddenly proposed.
Though her request was rather bold, Mariane responded without a hint of surprise. “I’ll check with the guild when we return. If the conditions are met, a promotion may be possible. However, this dungeon exploration was merely a guest participation, so it’s uncertain how much of your achievements will be recognized.”
“I see… Since I am E-Rank, I cannot truly be a member of Soul’s Guidance,” Lady Shizuna acknowledged.
Hearing this, Larni seemed ready to jump in, but I grabbed her shoulders from behind to stop her. When she turned to look at me, I silently shook my head. She briefly wore a dissatisfied expression but ultimately complied and stepped back.
In any case, this was as far as we would go in Barbadoza. Tomorrow, we would take a well-deserved rest before heading to Bartran next.