Chapter 21
I look back to where I’ve already went to .
The location where I transferred first .
The place where I had been fighting for survival against the monsters .
The upper area,
The deserted area,
Area other than those are still unknown .
[I’m not sure since I haven’t marked the place, but I’m sure I didn’t go there yet...]
I walked on the rustling sands with caution .
Did I walk for about 2 or 3 hours?
I now stood before a huge, semicircular, distorted hole .
[...let’s go . ]
I step one foot forward .
Hyoooooooh...
The sound of wind?
I can feel the flow of wind passing through .
However, I don’t think it would be conveniently connected to the exit .
I have not encountered a monster so far .
It’s like there’s no sign of it anywhere here .
Is this an area where there are neither minotaurs nor birdheads living here?
I touch the black rock’s surface .
Pitttooo
It’s a little slippery .
The ground here is also pretty uneven .
The ash-like sand is scattered like a puddle of water .
While the rocks look like koi fishes that stand out as a monochrome .
It doesn’t look like the rocks that are lost in the snow .
As I went on, I found myself in a large open space .
[Wow...]
It’s like I’m in a large limestone cave .
As there was a swamp, I tried to get closer .
The water is tinged green .
Kopokopo,
pokopoko,
pokooooo...
Something is making the swamp bubble...
I have a feeling that this swamp is entirely made of poison .
This smell feels like they’re stabbing into my nose .
No matter how I think about it, I don’t think this water is drinkable .
If I had access to drinkable water, I’d be able to fill it in my PET bottle .
I look down towards the swamp .
[Hmm?]
I thought I had found something but... it’s just a skull .
It’s most likely a human skull .
Was there a guy who fell over the water?
However, this is also proof .
That someone came through the minotaurs and the birdheads .
There seems to be some of the other people that were disposed who struggled to survive .
I looked for the way to the next area .
[Oh...]
A gentle slope .
It’s like a spiral stairway who completely lost its color .
Or is it like crepe fabric that had been stretched thin?
In short, this was a gentle slope .
[Should I go up here . . ?]
It looks like a large limestone cave everywhere I look .
It doesn’t look like a dungeon anymore no matter how I look .
What exactly is this ruins?
Shortly after I began climbing the slope...
[This is–]
There is something that is sinking in the ground .
It’s a lot of bones .
And it’s clearly not just human bones .
Is this... monster bones?
This should be the minotaur’s bones?
And there’s also something that looks like the birdhead’s...
I took a deep breath .
Perhaps, here too...
There’s something here .
[...hmm? What’s that?]
I can hear something .
Something, like a cry–
Dooohhh, gwaaannhhhhhh!!!
A rock being crushed violently to pieces .
[Wha- What’s the heck is that!?]
I held my arm forward to protect my face .
A block of rock rolled heavily beside me .
I saw it at the end of my sight .
[...that’s huge . ]
There was a huge hole that sunk in the ground somewhere to my left in front of me .
Bechhiiinnn!!!
Footsteps .
Dorrroooo...
Pittooo, ppiiitttooo...
[This guy...]
I am looking up at a really huge sole .
With a sole this big, I can only imagine .
A head that looks like a dinosaur .
An eye socket as large as a cave .
It has sticky dark purple meat that smells rotten .
There’s a dim, orange light that runs through a line in the rotten meat .
The dim light has raised the silhouette of the sole .
The bare bones of the ribs is starting to show .
There’s some rotten meat to something that looks like the bone of its wings .
A winding pattern of half-meat, half-bone tail .
Huge pointed tails .
An extremely large body .
That thing opened it mouth .
[Hiiyooooohhhh!!!]
Some kind of skeleton type monster?
Or is it a ghoul?
Or probably this is the so-called—
[Kiiiaaaahhhhhh!!]
Dragon zombie .
Buwwwaahhhh!!!
The wind pressure of a shout .
A sour odor that pierce my nose .
[Giyyyooeee– Giyyyoo, giyoooeee- guuueehhh, guueeeehhh!!!]
Something is oozing out from its fangs .
Pota...
Pochaa...
Shuwashuwashuwa...
Is that acid?
[Fushiiiiiyuuuuaahhhhhhhh!!!]
The dragon zombie sticks out its long tongue .
It’s tongue is undulating like an earthworm moving in a fast motion .
It was clearly aiming at me .
In an instant, I feel paralyzed where I stand .
This large limestone cave-like area...
[Is this its nest?]
Then, those bones that were sunk in were the victims who were disposed .
The dragon zombie’s trash can .
I can feel it– this guy’s killing intent .
I raise my arms .
I have nothing but gratitude .
I’m thankful that’s it’s trying to kill me .
I can now, without worry,
Without hesitation,
-kill this thing .
And so, I’m grateful .
He went into the battlefield for survival himself .
The dragon zombie raises his forefoot .
Did it know that I’m paralyzed in fear?
It seems like it’s about to crush me into minced meat .
The dragon zombie’s intense appearance .
Its overwhelming impact .
When I saw it, I was certainly sweating heavily .
However, I could also feel joy springing up within me .
The new monster, Dragon Zombie’s EXP
[]
pikkkyyyiii~
piisshhhiiiii~
[Gi– !? Giihii... gyo... yo...?]
The dragon zombie’s front leg stop, raised in mid air .
[]
<strong>v</strong>
[It’s about time...]
The first gauge is almost depleted .
[]
A blue gauge appears .
After a while, the yellow gauge disappeared .
Doshhhaaaa!!!
The paralyzed dragon zombie fell down where he stands .
It looks like its legs were broken and could no longer support its weight .
The gravity generated abruptly crushed its previously intense appearance .
It’s eye socket is hollow and it’s difficult for me to understand what it thinks .
[It seems to be asleep . ]
I sat down in a cross-legged position .
In front of the huge dragon’s head .
The dragon’s bone changing its color
It’s now turning from white to purple .
Abnormal State Skill .
It seems it also works well for the so-called Undead type monsters .
[Zuuu... zuuuu... . ]
Is it really sleeping?
A sour odor .
The odor of rotten meat .
This greenish part should be— moss, huh .
There is no sign of it waking up .
Well, all I have to do now is wait for its death .
But I can’t let my eyes off of this .
I can’t cut the combo of paralysis and sleep .
[.........]
Should I check my status for the moment?
Status Open
I check my status while paying attention to my surroundings and the gauge on top of the dragon’s head .
Lv 501
HP: +1503
MP: +12403/16533
Attack: +1503
Defense: +1503
Physical strength: +1503
Speed: +1503
Wisdom: +1503
[I’m feeling a weird dreadness from the Lv501 . ]
However, aside from my MP... are my other status values high?
I had referenced it before, but Oyamada had a Physical Strength +500 while he is Lv 1 .
Of course, not all the heroes may have “initial value x Lv” status numbers .
If that’s the case, when Oyamada becomes Lv 4, he will be overpowered .
In another point of view, the growth rate of Touka Mimori is even lower than an average person .
I’m certain that’s what that sh*tty goddess said so .
Would you become a decent pawn if your level had risen dramatically? That might be possible .
[And if it’s so...]
It may be better if I don’t put much emphasis on the correction values aside from MP .
What’s important for me now is my reflexes .
The ability to activate my skill before the enemy is able to take action .
It’s also necessary that I’m able to react to sudden surprise attacks .
So if I can’t rely on the status correction here–
I would need to polish my own reflexes .
Well, I think I could train myself while I’m fighting on this ruins .
[And, the MP that has decreased–]
It’s the amount that I’ve put in the leather bag and I’ve used for the dragon zombie . .
I don’t think I should be concerned with my remaining MP .
This amount should be enough .
As for my skills...
MP-consumption 10 / Multi-Target Casting>
MP-consumption 10 / Multi-Target Casting>
MP-consumption 10 / Multi-Target Casting>
The multi-targeting ability is now available for all of my skills .
It also displays the MP consumed for every cast .
I see, if I level up, I can see that even the performance will increase .
[Though I say that...]
I put my hand over my mouth .
The MP consumption doesn’t change even if my level rises .
In terms of success rate and the duration of the current hundreds of casts...
[I would say it’s an extraordinary performance . ]
I can’t help but blurt it out .
E-Rank Hero .
The lowest rank .
[Is this really the skill of someone from the lowest...?]
Before being transferred to this place, I remember that Kirihara has questioned why the grade is in the alphabet .
[Well . But why is S the best?]
The goddess has replied,
[Because S stands for “Special” . ]
The alphabet grades that fit in our world .
[...english words . ]
My abnormal state skill .
If E is at the bottom, its performance is rather too great .
[Like for example...]
I had an abrupt thought .
It’s just a hypothesis .
I have no backing evidence .
It’s all just pure thought .
But what if E alone was different from the other grades?
A special meaning .
An extraordinary meaning .
An exceptional meaning .
In other words, it may also not mean the “failure group” .
The english words that have the initial <strong>E</strong> .
EXTRA
[It’d be outrageous if the acronym of E-Rank’s <strong>E </strong>is for Extra...]