Chapter 69
[Can’t you tell me about this first?]
[Ugh. I understand weapons and armors, but I should have packed some undergarments… If it is going to last a month, I’ll have period to deal with too…]
[Round 15, Day 0, 00:15]
The first thing I did when I entered the waiting room was check my newly acquired skills.
[Poison Energy (Lv.1)]
Description: Endows materialized mana with poison; a status ailment effect.
It was a simple skill, but it was also a good skill. Very good, in fact.
Regardless of what I swing, let it be my hand or a weapon, as long as it is wrapped in mana, it is going to apply poison.
Isn’t this too useful?
Its performance will vary depending on the poison’s effectiveness, but… Wait, I bet the poison’s effectiveness will increase with skill level.
Um…
There are so many ways to utilize this.
My greatest strength is my speed.
Speed means being able to strike preemptively. Plus, with Blink and the Wind Spirit’s Blessing, I can always run away from a fight.
Unless several hundred or thousand enemies surround me in a large formation like the 12th Floor’s orangutans, catching me is almost impossible.
I just need to poison the enemy and run.
Even if the enemy does not die, I should be able to kill it easily after the poison weakens the enemy.
Aren’t the uses of this skill practically limitless?
Increasingly petty and conniving ideas kept on forming in my mind.
"Keruk. It would be good for you to not rely on such methods."
"You are strong enough without having have to resort to such methods."
I get what you are saying, but…
Honestly, these underhanded methods and tactics really suit me.
I am like that when it comes to battles at least.
Instead of a heavy-handed frontal duel against the opponent, I always preferred exposing a gap in the opponent’s defense and shaking their mentality.
Of course, when I had the upper hand in strength, I would engage in an upfront fight.
Doing so had fewer variables.
"Keruk. Captain, if you correct that devious side of you in battles, you would really be perfect."
Hey, like I said before, being devious is not a bad thing.
I think that’s enough of checking skills. Let’s think about what to do from now on.
Normally, failing to clear the stage gives you something like a small amount of points or ordinary items.
However, I received Poison Energy, a new skill, after failing to clear the 12th Floor.
It might actually mean my play record was even better.
I went beyond just surviving in the jungle. I established a clear territory for myself and perfectly secured shelter and food.
I spent the remaining time on improving myself, so this could be considered as having exceeded floor’s objective.
If that is the case, will I be able to obtain more skills easily from each round by repeating the 12th Floor?
Most of the power skills I have are from additional rewards.
This is an intriguing possibility.
If I can gain ten useful skills from the 12th Floor, I don’t think I’d be having hard time clearing future floors.
Moreover, I really liked the lifestyle of 12th Floor stage.
The cave was comfortable to stay in, and it was far better than staying inside the desolate confine of the waiting room.
I could lead a refres.h.i.+ng lifestyle; even better, I could even comfortably obtain skills while at it.
Isn’t that just perfect?
"Keruk. Captain. Do not forget the time limit on the Dead Summon."
Um… Certainly, Idy does disappear when the time limit is up.
Also, I only have three more chances left for the Dead Summoning.
Without Idy, I wouldn’t be able to guarantee my comfortable lifestyle at the 12th Floor.
My bones ache at the thought of it.
Still, it is fortunate that the Dead Summon’s duration is quite long.
Let’s just try it out first.Read Tutorial Is Too Hard first on Lightnovelbastion.com (If you're reading this elsewhere, it has been stolen!)
I have to try hunting the bogus dragons anyway.
Making a place to stay at the 12th Floor and comfortably spending time on development is more than good enough on its own.
"Keruk. As for me, there is nothing bad worth complaining about. I even have a home on the 12th Floor."
When we go there again, that home will no longer be there.
The cave will still be there, but it will just be a cave where that weasel monster lives.
"It does not matter. I just need to create another one."
That’s true.
It looked like Idy really liked that home.
Now, well then.
It’s been a while since I inflicted self-harm.
"Captain, you really are insane."
"Still, it is the truth, Keruk."
It hurts even more because it is the truth.
Violence through facts… Don’t you know?
"I don’t know. Keruk."
During the nine days of the waiting period, I tried many experiments.
How to use the poison energy afterwards…Read Tutorial Is Too Hard first on Lightnovelbastion.com (If you're reading this elsewhere, it has been stolen!)
After completing experiments on how to use the energy, I tested its power.
Well, this is obvious, but the subject was my own body.
Because of the Great Poison Resistance skill and the waiting room’s auto healing effect, I struggled through the experiment.
The Poison Energy’s skill was at level 1. Using it
I tried to find a way, but I couldn’t think of a good idea.
So, I went on grinding as usual.
Throughout the day, I used mana wrapped with poison energy to poke at my palm as I sat down.
I had the Focused Effort skill, which increased the growth rate of the skill, allowing the Poison Energy skill to grow quickly.
[You acquired Poison Energy Lv. 4]
[You acquired Great Poison Resistance Lv.3]
These definitely were significant results.
Although I had been very diligent about harming myself, this result would have been absolutely impossible without the Focused Effort skill.
After the period of three days in the waiting room ended, as I got to spend time at the bonfire, the growth rate increased exponentially.
The growth rate at the bonfire room is also by far lacking in comparison to being inside a stage.
Anyway, dear G.o.d of Slowness, you are the best.
[G.o.d of Adventure is disappointed.]
It seemed someone was complaining somewhere. However, I ignored it and stretched as I yawned.
I feel satisfied.
I should test the level 4 Poison Energy skill’s power when I enter the 12th Floor’s stage.
"Keruk. Inside the 12th Floor stage, there will be plenty of prey you could catch and experiment on. It will be easy to test its power."
What are you talking about? Experiments should be done on my body.
"Keruk… Captain, are you really insane?"
"You will really die if you keep this up, Captain. Keruk."
"I won’t die. You think I have been doing self-harm only for a day or two?"
Having heard what I said, Idy raised both of her arms and double face palmed.
She sighed deeply. I grabbed her arm and pulled as I got on the portal.
Now, shall we get going?
[Round 15, Day 6, 03:30]
[Kyaaaaooooo-]
Two giant monsters the size of huge buildings, were jumbled up in a struggle.
The two monsters that appeared immediately after we entered the stage…
This is the same timing at the same exact spot.
Idy and I were already hiding at a place far away from the battle and watching their fight.
"Captain."
"The bogus dragons that you told me about before, are you talking about those?"
"They are size of mountains. How do you plan to hunt them?"
Kwwuuaaaaang-
Destructive sound echoed through the area, shaking the surroundings.
One of the monster used its fire breath.
Wow…
We are very far away. From this distance, it looks like just a flame that’s coming out of the mouth, but to see that such shockwave is emanates from it…
"Captain."
"To me, you sound like you are going to purposely get yourself killed during the next round. Keruk."
It’s all right. I won’t die.
I am going to run away if it looks like I’m going to die.
Idy still looked very anxious as she looked at me. I decided to bring up something that would cheer her up.
"Let’s go home first."
"Keruk."
As I expected, she quickly wiped away her anxiousness and smiled. She looked happy.
We found the cave that we used as our primary residence last time. From that point and on, we started our life at the 12th Floor for the second time.
The first thing to do was checking the Poison Energy Skill’s power, which had become level 4.
I had antidote potion ready and started experimenting on myself with the mana wrapped with poison energy.
After a few repeats, I felt symptoms of poison infection that I had not felt before.
The Poison Energy Skill finally broke through the Great Poison Resistance. It was finally having an effect of noticeable pain.
I could feel sharp and stiff pain at the site of the wound.
Oh, good.
It’s hurting my stomach too.
After a while, my respiratory track started to swell, making breathing difficult.
I could feel a strong headache. It was getting difficult to maintain clear vision.
It looks like my lung is still fine.
Now, the wound area is paralyzed. My senses are dulled there.
It’s not bad.
It’s just that the poison is spreading slowly.
Also, it is lacking in lethality.
There are many symptoms, including paralysis on the wound area, but this is not enough to cause death.
It’s only to the extent of being in extreme pain for a few days before recovering little by little.
Of course, I have the Great Poison Resistance. Still, even with that under consideration, I am a little disappointed.
That is from the personal experience of having been afflicted by it many times in the past.
After confirming the Poison Energy Skill’s power, I handled the hunting all by myself.
Idy, who had to recreate the home from scratch, gladly agreed to this idea.
Around the time Idy almost completed remodeling the cave, I completed my work.
Now, the Poison Energy Skill acquired a certain degree of lethality.
Next, I focused on Tracking Skill. Read Tutorial Is Too Hard first on Lightnovelbastion.com (If you're reading this elsewhere, it has been stolen!)
To lean back and chase after the prey that was infected by the poison, I needed tracking-type skill.
I thought my Detection Skill will cover this, but Idy said that it will be lacking in efficiency. Heeding to her advice, I acquired Tracking Skill and developed it.
Tracking Skill was not like the Detection Skill where it was all about operating the mana.
Idy said that mana operation will be required when the Tracking Skill’s level increased. However, I was not there yet.
I released a prey that was wounded and infected by the poison and tracked the prey afterwards.
As I repeated the process, my Tracking Skill developed quickly.
My skill’s mastery increased, but I also gained experience. With them, I gained a bit of confidence in hunting and tracking inside the jungle.
Like that, I spent the days diligently focusing on developing my skills. Before I realized, the preys around home were all gone.
It was not a problem in particular.
Not having any prey around home halted my growth, but I already more than succeeded in achieving the desired skill growths that I planned in the beginning.
Now, let’s put aside developments for a moment and really try making a move.
Let’s see. It’s been 11 days since I entered the 12th Floor stage.
As for the wind, it will be consistent until the rainfall a week later.
I could be certain because I thoroughly memorized the daily weather from the last time.
Kuuu. I’m so diligent about preparing.
"Idy. Starting tomorrow, I’m going to try going to farther places."
"Yes. I probably will have to go this far."
I opened the 12th Floor stage Ihaoi Continent’s map that I got from Lee Jun-suk and explained the location to Idy.
"Keruk. Isn’t that too far? It will take over nine days just to get there."
"Serious hunting?"
"Yes. First, I plan to set fire on this jungle with this."
From the dimensional s.p.a.ce backpack, I brought out a large bag of heat stones and explained.
I was aware that the inventory becomes inaccessible at the 12th Floor, so I placed all of necessary items in the large capacity dimensional s.p.a.ce backpack beforehand.
I had 800 heat stones. Tossing in just one was enough to sustain a fire for an entire day.
They were enough to burn down the entire jungle