Chapter 5 - Dungeon with Death 1 (1/2)

Chapter 5 - Dungeon with Death (1)

On the next day, the two of them were able to safely open their eyes. Artpe had been inwardly worried about a highly skilled adventurer or a thief, who could neutralize his perception, catching them by surprise.However, a refreshing morning arrived without the need for Artpe to use his contingency plan 1, 2, 3 and 4.Of course, they were in a Dungeon, so they couldn’t check whether it was light outside!

“Good morning, Artpe!”

“I don’t know if it is is morning yet, and I also don’t know if it is a good one, but hello.”

When Maetel opened her eyes, she had confirmed that Artpe was sleeping safely next to her.She let out a bright smile before she took stock of herself.Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Wow.We slept on floor, yet my body feels really great.”

“The Mana inside a Dungeon is extremely active.It has a positive effect on one’s vitals.However, we aren’t the only living being in this place, and that is a problem.”

Most monster, who entered a Dungeon, became much stronger.Of course, this increased the EXP one could gain.Still, it was scary to face these fortified monsters.This was why most adventurers and mercenaries was reluctant to enter a Dungeon.In truth, if one wanted to live a long life, it was best not to enter a Dungeon.

“Is this why you insisted on entering the Dungeon?Since we’ve slept and refreshed ourselves, can’t we just head out?”

“We could.However, the soldiers dispatched from the palace would have expanded their search radius by now.If we go out right now, we’ll be caught.We’ll be dragged back into the palace.”

“I don’t like tasteless food!”

She could deal with wearing shoddy clothes, and not being able to sleep.However, she wanted to avoid not being able eat good food at all cost.There were tears in Maetel’s eyes as she shouted those words. Artpe nodded his head in satisfactions, and he handed her the leather waterskin.

“All right.After we drink some water, let’s work hard to catch the monsters in here.By the time we are able to go out again, we’ll be stronger.When we exit the Dungeon, we’ll be able to easily evade the soldiers pursuing us.”

This was the cheapest part about being a hero.Maetel had been a normal child only a day ago.Before she became a hero, she had merely been the leader of a group of children, who she played with.If things continued as they were progressing right now, she would be more skillful than the soldiers that were being killed like flies in the current war.She would be able to look down upon them!

There was a common saying within the Demon world.Yesterday’s defeated hero will kill you tomorrow.Of course, the idiots within the Demon world ignored this saying, and they were killed and looted by the hero like clock-work.The biggest problem was the chef…

The Demon King was the biggest idiot amongst them!

“Do we have to fight those weird goblins again, Artpe?”

“No, we’ll be fighting something much weirder.They are also stronger.”

“Heeek!”

When she thought about the fight against the goblins yesterday, she shrank into herself.

However, Artpe had seen her remarkably learn four skills at once in yesterday’s battle.He thought about how she looked yesterday, and he gravely nodded his head.

“You are capable of fighting opponents that are 10 levels above you.If you aren’t careless, you’ll be able to win easily, so don’t worry too much about it.I’m also capable to a certain extent.”

He most definitely felt the difference in yesterday's battle with the goblins.When Artpe was part of the Demon race, it didn’t matter how great an ability he had possessed.He had a hard time distinguishing himself with his limited talent.Now he was born as a human, and he had acquired the Hero Class.His situation had changed drastically.

“In the Demon world, there are no weak monsters like this…..”

“You even know about the Demon world.Artpe is amazing.!”

“I read about it from a book...a book.”

The monsters from the Demon world were inherently outstanding at Mana detection, and they possessed a high Mana resistance.If one manifested Mana to attack those types of monsters, it wouldn’t work.Yesterday, Artpe had infused a portion of his Mana into a rock, and he had thrown it.He also used threads of Mana to detect the approach of his enemies.These methods would have never work against the monsters from the Demon world.

However, he was in the realm of the humans now.There were countless monsters here that could be killed using such simple methods.He didn’t have to level up, and acquire proper magic spells.Any magic spells that dealt with direct manipulation of magic could be mimicked with his control over Mana.He would be able to create a similar effect!

“Wow.Can all magicians do that?”

“They can, but they don’t bother using it.”

The reason being it looked cooler to chant a spell, and the destructive power one could inflict was higher with a spell.Of course, these weren’t the only reasons why Mana manipulation wasn’t used by others.If Artpe didn’t have his Innate Ability, Read All Creation, he wouldn't be able to figure out his opponent’s tendencies ahead of time.He wouldn’t be able to properly respond with his Mana.

Artpe hadn’t really given a detailed explanation about his Innate Ability to Maetel.Despite that fact, she passively accepted everything he said by saying, ‘Artpe is amazing!’This was why there was no need to give a more thorough explanation.If he said it, she believed it!

“It is scary, but I’ll do my best, Artpe!”

“Before we do anything...”

“Huh?”

While Maetel was tilting her head in confusion, Artpe unhesitatingly strode towards the bottom step of the stairway connected to the entrance to the Dungeon.He gathered Mana into his hand.

“Is there a monster there, Artpe!?”

“No.”

Artpe’s hand knocked on the riser of the bottom step.The stair reacted to the Mana, and it opened up like a drawer.A large wooden box appeared.Maetel’s eyes turned round.Artpe had a delighted expression on his face.He laughed as he turned to look at Maetel.

“However, there is a treasure box here.”

“Artpe is really amazing!”

“Yes, I’m amazing.”

As always, Artpe didn’t stop Maetel from giving him praise.

In the past, this single ability allowed him to rise to the seat of the Four Heavenly Kings!Artpe was feeling good, so he decided to be a little bit more kind in his explanation.

“Most Dungeons have something called a Starter Set.These are for the fugitives, who were chased into the Dungeons, without knowing anything about the Dungeons.However, these people are being chased.They don’t have the luxury to search for secret locations.”

“Still, if they are lucky, they might be able to find it.So who made these preparations?I’m sure it was a kind person, who doesn’t want unsuspecting people to die within the Dungeons.”

“Kind person?”

Artpe grinned.The hero’s way of thinking was still too soft.She was soft like a warm pudding that was freshly made!

“The beginner’s equipment isn’t called beginner’s equipment for nothing.It’ll break after couple swings.There is nothing here that can be used for the duration of couple days.On top of that, it is very difficult to acquire additional equipments in the Dungeon unless one is experienced in traversing such Dungeons.Usually, the people, who were lucky enough to find the beginner’s equipment, are more likely to enter the Dungeon in high spirits.It gives them a false sense of confidence.This is the reason why most of them die.”

“D...does that apply to us!”

“It doesn’t, because we are heroes.”

“I see!”

Artpe gave another explanation, and Maetel once again accepted that explanation.

This is why it is easy to have a dummy by one’s side!

“First, let’s equip you with all of this.This rusted steel sword will break after swing it exactly 186 times.Ah, that number decreases by half if you imbue it with mana, hit a monster with a level difference of five or hit a monster’s bone.You have to be careful.Moreover, this leather armor is useless if you take a hit from a monster with a level difference of 3.Otherwise, it can survive 20 cuts from the monsters before it becomes useless.”

“All right.I’ll be careful.!”

Artpe had given a pretty detailed instruction, yet she readily nodded her head.Of course, there was no way she was able to remember all the details.However, she simplified it in her head as ‘I have to avoid being hit, and I have to kill them with the least number of swings as possible!’

“Huh?Aren’t there any weapons here that Artpe can use?”

“There is no god in this world that would think a magician would come into a beginner's Dungeon like this one.”

Artpe used Mana so naturally that it was easy to forget that there were very few number of magicians in the human world.First, one had to be born with the constitution for magic.Secondly, one had to be smart.Thirdly, one needed an environment where there’s a specialized school, who helped a young magician in dealing with Mana.A very small number of people possessed all three requirements.

“Artpe is really really amazing…..”

“I know.I know.”

In the box, there were two daggers, three emergency potions and a little bit of ration.Artpe put the potions and ration into a bag.Then he equipped the daggers on his waist.

“Artpe knows how to use daggers?”

“I know how to throw them.”

Artpe had an exceptional talent of being able to find hidden stuff.He was also very talented at hitting targets with whatever he threw.In the past, he had grown up in the Demon world with nothing to his name.He didn’t have the money to buy proper weapons or magic scrolls.

Before he caught the eyes of the Demon King, he had to manipulate Mana directly or he had to infuse Mana into objects to fight.He had used these tactics to defeat threats to himself.

He had already mentioned this before, but his tactics didn’t work well against monsters in the Demon world.This was why Artpe’s childhood had been very difficult.Even now his eyes teared up just from thinking about that period in his life.

“The only thing left now….All weapons differ in weight and balance.If you swing the sword thinking it is the same as the wooden branch you swung yesterday, you might be killed before you can say ‘ah’.You should swing it about couple times to get a feel for it….”

Artpe was going through his ‘Fifty reasons why beginner adventurers die’ speech.He talked about information that was so obvious that people overlooked it.At that moment, Maetel swung the sword through the air, and she let out a bright smile as she let out a shout.

“Mmm, mmm.This will do!Weapons with edges are very scary!”

[Maetel]

[Level : 2]

[Swordsmanship Lv3]

“Ah, yes.”

He had been trying to give advice to a hero.It was basically akin to a little kid trying to lecture a court magician after reading a single tome of magic.After Artpe had this epiphany, he stepped forward.The hero grabbed him in surprise.

“You said there are monsters here!?”

“There should be none in front of us.I’ll be able to perceive everything.”

Normal monsters appeared in the beginner’s Dungeon, and the monsters couldn’t avoid his detection when he used the Mana threads.He was about to take another step with a leisurely smile on his face.However, he took a step backwards as his expression stiffened.

“....I guess not.”

In the first room of the Dungeon, an Elite Monster was waiting near the exit.The Elite Monster was positioned perfectly.It was poised to take off the head of the adventurer trying to exit the first room.If Artpe didn’t have his Read All Creation ability, he would have suffered the same fate as a regular adventurer!

“Why’s there a monster of that caliber inside the 1st room on the 1st floor of a beginner’s Dungeon!”

“There are strong monsters in there?”

“There's a level 10 Elite Zombie inside.It possesses a Stealth ability, and the Critical Hit Skill.It is the ideal monster to kill low level adventurers.”

“Level 10?”

It was seven levels highers than the goblins they faced yesterday.However, the concept of levels was foreign to Maetel.She didn’t have a point of reference for levels, so she had no idea how much stronger the monster was than her.She tilted her head in puzzlement.

“It is hard to feel the difference at the low levels, but the difference in levels represents the absolute power gap. Normally, one shouldn’t attack an opponent if there is a level gap of 5 levels.”

“Then we should run away immediately!”

“There was a king, who thought similarly.That bastard waged a war, but he failed spectacularly.”

“Who is it?”

“The Demon world’s greatest chef.”

Heroes always developed, while ignoring the level gap.This would be true this time around.Still, the Elite monster be too hard for a level 2.The hill was too steep, so Artpe formulated a plan to decrease the gradient.

“First, we have to kill all the monsters inside the room to increase our level.If we consider your Stats, even a single level increase will allow you to pierce through the Elite Monster’s defense.”

“What do I do after that?”