CH 227

I hadn't changed my weapon ever since getting <Firmament Sword> on my hands. And coming this far together with it, whom I had gotten from <Tutorial Dungeon>, this is the first time I have ever thought of changing my weapon.

The <Dinosaur slaying sword> is more heavy and broad compared to <Firmament Sword>. In a nutshell, it's similar to a broadsword.

Though it gave a slight sense of discomfort when I tried swinging it. Unlike how it was in game, the weapons give a different feeling changing it in reality. Well, this is also fun in itself.

"The Firmament sword looked cooler!"

"I think this weapon also looks good with its wild image"

"What a big sword"

"Yeah. I think this sword is actually oriented towards upfront battle. It should be more of a sword to fight against the monsters than people"

From the top, Lana, Sierra, Hannah and Ester spoke out their impression in turn.

Hey, Lana, you don't have to say that though. I mean, I also think that most will be shake their head in denial if I were to ask does dinosaur slaying sword looks more cooler than firmament sword but... the dinosaur slaying sword design

is also looks good, it's just the target of comparison is over the top.

Anyway, the gold chest dropped a powerful weapon that I can finally switch to. Until now, we were able to advance by leaps and bounds since there wasn't any opponent that could pose the problem to beginner equipment exclusive to <Princess job> or like <Firmament series> no matter how strong beginner dungeons were.

Not to say this is the drop from our first field boss. I couldn't stop myself from grinning thinking about the drop that the final boss has for us.

"Hm, oh, the place there's shining! What could it be?"

"Oh, that is the teleportation circle to go back outside. Conversely, you can also take a shortcut from outside to here directly"

"So that's what it is"

I found a familiar teleportation circle beside the entrance to the 11th floor when I turned to look there in response to Lana's exclamatory voice.

In contrast to how the final boss teleportation circle is one way only, the teleportation circle of the field boss is a two-way route to go and forth between. That's why it's slightly shining and looks a bit different.

And the most interesting part about it is that one cannot use that teleportation circle unless they defeat the field boss first.

It's possible to avoid the field boss if you can manage to get around and can proceed to the next floor without the need to fight. Though It wouldn't be possible to earn benefits like that so I tried fighting it.

"The path is clear, shall we proceed?"

"Of course!"

There's no need to stop at the 11th floor entrance since the boss has been defeated.

It's 2:30 p.m. right now and I think we will be able to reach 20th floor at this pace. Hmm, let's mark that as the ending point for today's exploration.

I even thought of fast-forwarding our way using Ester's carriage in case we had taken much longer to arrive here but for now, everything seems fine.

And so, we proceed to the next layer without any mishaps.

It was when our exploration had almost advanced to the middle of the 14th floor that I felt something wasn't right.

For some reason or another, my intuition is slightly tingling.

"How should I say, I'm feeling something different from the path ahead"

So mutters Lana. It seems she has also felt something just like me. That's strange, I'm sure Lana isn't holding any Intuition type skill though......

Nonetheless, if someone else beside me is also feeling the same thing, it shouldn't be my imagination.

"Everyone, be quiet. Don't let our any voice or move carelessly and crouch down"

"Huh, what?"

"Sssh, let's do just as Zephyr-kun has told, Lana-sama"

"G-Got it"

Everyone except Lana immediately acted when I ordered them quickly.

Though Lana blinked in surprise. Thankfully Hannah quickly supported the scene and asked the reason as she crouched down on the spot.

"Hey, what happened? Could it be we have encountered a wandering type field boss you have told us before?"

"No, it's something more valuable than that. I'm not sure but I think there's a rare monster behind that hill"

"... What? Really!"

"Hey-hey, don't shout out"

"I'm sorry. But is what you said true?"

"It's just my conjunction though"

A rare monster.

They began to appear from the Intermediate dungeon and is a general term for rare individuals who occasionally appear in normal floors.

It wouldn't be wrong to say they are the mini monster version of the rare bosses, no wait, they are even more hard to encounter than rare bosses so they are priceless.

They drop very useful items if you can defeat them.

Something like hugely expensive items or five times the experience value. Albeit latter is the no.1 failed drop.

Also, There are many cases where they dropped rare material that are important for production and weapon and armaments made from that drop item comes with skill attached so their rarity value is high.

Well some may think if it's that rare then we should quickly move to take it down right away but well, there are reasons why we're whispering to each other and trying not to stand out.

Rare monsters are different from rare bosses, they can escape. What's more, their fleeing speed is unbelievably high. Like a certain metal living in an ore vein.

So we ought to catch it by surprise attack before it can find us and take it down before it can run away. Haa, it's at that time I wish Karua was here.

However there are many times I felt the presence of rare monsters in the game <Dungeon Activity> when "Intuition" is activated, so my guess should be more or less on the mark. Rare monster will flee away when it notice us, so the Intuition skill can tell me when it hasn't noticed us to a certain extent.

Such cases are also the reason why I'm raising the Intuition skill level.

"So everyone, let's move slowly. Try not to make any sound as much as possible"

"Understood"

Everyone nodded at Sierra's response and moved till the hill. Then I slightly stuck out my head in a way that seemed like a peek onomatopoeia sound.

"There it is. That thing shining in golden light is the rare monster"

"Amazing, you did told us but it's really shining with golden light"

As expected, I discovered the rare monster. Lana's eyes sparkle when I tell her about it. Ester had to hold down on her as she looked ready to jump out at any given moment.

The game has rare monsters always equipped with golden effect so that you can tell they are rare individuals right away. Below our line of sight sprinkling its golden effect is a miniature dinosaur type rare monster, <Golden Topple>.

It resembles four legs Saugus but is quite smaller than that. Its size is the same as the stray cat if I have too compare.

Its escape speed is quite high, but the drop it gives when you defeat it is... Fuhahaha

"Hey, how're we going to defeat it?"

"Hmm, that's a bit problematic"

The problem is how to defeat it.

In fact, the rare monster has such a low HP that it would be done in just one or two blows but the question is how to make that blow.

It will run away if we get closer to it.

"Then isn't it fine if we attack it from the distance?"

"Magic are useless as rare monsters by default have <Complete invulnerability to magic>"

I know <Complete invulnerability to magic> sounds suspicious no matter how you think just at the Intermediate dungeon but the cases like this are more than just a few in the game. Like that metal in the ore vein.

Thus, the methods with which we can defeat are limited.

For example using long range normal attacks, long range skill attacks, approaching it while hiding your presence or like <star cat> by closing the distance in one breath and then defeating it. However, all of them are something we have no way to get our hands on at the present moment.

Thus, I called out to the only person who holds the key to defeat the <Golden Topple>.

"Come Hannah, it's time for you to shine. Defeat that with item"

"...... Fuee-?"

Apparently she didn't understand what I meant for a moment as she let out a surprised voice.

"I'm pretty sure we have blowgun-like item but not the type to blow. We will use that"

"What is a blowgun which isn't a blow type?"

Lana said something from the sideline but I act as if I didn't hear it and urges Hannah.

"E-Ehh? Are you really going to use my item? Zephyr-kun is going to do it?"

I assertively nodded at Hannah who was looking at me with doubtful expression.

"What are you saying, it's impossible for me to use emissions type items when I have never used them before. It's you who's going to defeat it"

"I-Impossible!"

"It's not impossible. Try to do it. There's no one beside you who can defeat it, Hannah. Just do it"

"Hii, it's absolutely impossible, I can't do it. What if I made an error or that my hand trembled from nervousness and attacked Zephyr-kun!?"

"Everyone says the same thing in the beginning. It should be all right if you do it like usual, Hannah. Just attack it how you unusually do"

"Y, you're not listening to me at all"

I was a bit rough in my persuasion but I somehow managed to convince her.

She took out the canon and set up, albeit looking a bit desperate. Its shape is like a rocket launcher. Though what it fire isn't a bomb, but a huge arrow. This is the <Tube canon - Spear> model.

The damage it deals is huge but it's a bit hard to use in actual combat since it's a single-shot at a time item. Its another feature is it doesn't make any sound at all so it can be used for snipping like now.

"Uuu. Don't complaint to me latter if I missed it.

"What are you saying? I am telling you it would be all right"

"Hiiii, Zephyr-kun kind of look like a demon"

It's a rare monster that's hard to come by. I don't want it to escape. Although Hannah said this and that, I know better than anyone that she's good at long range attacks. She has become good at it.

That's why I have confidence in Hannah. Go, defeat it Hannah!

"I, I'm doing it then. Goo!"

A spear was launched at the same as Hannah shouted with a faint air-tearing sound.

And then,

"Kree!??"

I heard the death throes of a rare monster from below.

See, wasn't I right, Hannah?