NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 16 – Demon Room
Another dead end…I have accidentally hit many dead ends. This time I arrived at the dead end that was located two meters after taking a left on a certain T-Junction.
I’ve repeatedly found many dead ends since a while ago…could it be that I’m going in circles?
The thought appeared in my mind, but only then I noticed that there was a difference. While a large wall stood in the way, looking similar to the normal cave walls--but there is a slight sense of incompatibility, something is out of place.
I approach the wall to investigate, straining my eyes in the dim light.
Suddenly, just as I get close to the ‘wall’, I hear a rattling sound and the wall slides down into the floor. A way through is revealed--a small room which was hidden on the other side of the wall.
There are people there, a party of 6 Knights, a badly balanced group--four of them are sitting, while two are sprawled out; one of the nights sitting down is the beautiful female Knight who gave me the bounty money.
As I entered, she glanced at me for a second, before looking back against the wall with an exhausted expression.
One of the sitting men stood up and approached me, it is the Apprentice Knight.
I wonder if they are all Knights from Vale?
“It is safe here.” He says to me.
“I see.”
What is safe?
Is it like a ‘Safe Room’ from books and certain games?
“Are you alone?” His next words make me tense--the stories Alan, the slave dealer, told me; sometimes Dungeon divers attack each other.
“That’s right.”
“You won’t be able to earn much money in this Dungeon.”
“Is that so?”
“If you go to the right side of the T-Junction, three intersections back, there seems to be an entrance to the second floor.” He nods to me.
“Thank you for the information.” I was over thinking things, he doesn’t seem to have any bad intentions.
When I looked at the others in the room, they seemed to be resting; the female Knight seemed to be looking in this direction--but when I saw her, her eyes darted back to the floor.
I should stop taking up their time, so I wish them good luck and apologize for disturbing them--the Apprentice Knight responded in kind. When I walked out of the room, the door rose back out of the floor behind me.
While following the road, I think about what the Apprentice Knight said, that earning money on the first floor would be difficult; I decided to turn right at the junction, heading for the second floor.
The Demons weren’t too difficult on the first, and I needed to push myself--but not be in too much danger--it was a thin line.
Along the way back to the aforementioned junction, I found other dead ends, so this time I decide to check them.
The first had nothing.
As for the second, the wall slid down and I could see a small room; so it seems I may have missed a lot more than I imagined.
I stepped into the room while thinking…and there it was--a green head and brown body; no, not only one, there is a group.
With a simple movement, I slashed from the shoulder to the waist.
It’s like a bush of Needle Wood--no, more like a forest.
While I was thinking, a blow came in from my right and I quickly stepped back a little--my years of martial arts was useful; allowing me to move without thinking.
Rising my right elbow slightly, I blocked another blow from the left using Excalibur--using the momentum to crush the head of a nearby Needle Leaf. I tried to use Dungeon Gate, to see if it could be an ace to use in an emergency…but it didn’t work; but I also expected that.
There are 10s of enemies, maybe dozens--a terrifying number, even if I can kill 1 in a single hit. It’s fortunate that I’m at the door, at least this way, I’m not surrounded.
It may be better to fight them, instead of running. I need to test my ability, and in the case of an emergency, I can still run.
I cut the Needle Wood that’s to my right, but taking the chance, the one to my left hit me…Damn that hurt, like a paintball to unprotected skin; it can’t kill me unless hit many times or to a vital area--but, I still don’t enjoy pain…
The entrance is quite wide, so, it will be impossible to block it alone. If they manage to get behind me, it is much easier to kill me…with a strong enough hit to the head, spine, or kidneys.
I should at least place a wall at my back.
Moving to the right, while using my arm and shoulder to block the Demon on the left, I muttered, “Overwhelming”.
All the Demons seemed to stop moving, and I felt a strange excitement or anticipation--it’s almost like this Skill also gives me some kind of battle lust, or blood thirst…which may be dangerous.
I cut down the Needle Wood to my right, then spun slightly and cut down another.
However, the slow-time has ended.
Luckily, I killed two--so the Mana cost didn’t make me depressed; and with one more step I killed a third.
Moving carefully along the wall, I only get attacked from 180 degrees; if I had a shield, it would be much better…When I get out--I need a shield.
It’s impossible to do now, but if I can make it to a corner, the fight will be easier.
For every Needle Wood I kill, another takes its place. There is a pile of wood on the floor, and methodical puffs of green smoke. My back is now to the wall--I am holding the sheathed scimitar as a makeshift shield…but this is slowing my swings a little; my left arm is getting numb from being hit.
Since it’s not one-on-one, there is no helping getting hit; luckily, the HP Absorption in Excalibur is repairing any damage I take, though it still hurts like hell.
Excalibur can also absorb Mana, so every 3 - 4 kills, I can use Overwhelming.
I have slowly been moving along the wall, hoping to make it into a corner.
Whenever Overwhelming runs out--the seesaw-like offense and defence starts again. I can seem to overcome the lost HP using Excalibur…but I can’t feel relieved because I can still make a critical mistake.
At present, a dangerous balance is being sustained, however, if I were knocked down by a Needle Wood…it would mean death.
It’s as though Death is standing by my shoulder and watching, ready to take me away. I am scared, but it isn’t as bad as I thought…I’m not trembling; is it because I’m fighting?
I’m still cool-headed.
Quickly slashing through a Needle Wood, I killed it.
Because of focusing so intently, I feel like all of the Demons are blurring together, I have no idea how many are left--but before I was aware, there were only two Needle Woods between me and the corner.
This is my chance.
Making sure I had the Mana, I used Overwhelming and killed one of the Needle Woods, stepping around the other and put my back into the corner, killing the second just as Overwhelming ran out.
Now I can only receive attacks from in front of me, and a little to each side--it would be very difficult to kill me when I am in this position.
Placing the Scimitar back into my Item Box, I took my stance with Excalibur, and focused back on the Demons. The number of enemies have been greatly reduced.
Only several more remain--so, was it actually necessary to forcibly secure the corner?
And so begins the final push, the Demons trying to kill me, and I try to survive.
Finally, only one remains--and it doesn’t seem intent on escaping.
I easily brushed off the incoming branch, and stepping forwards with my right foot--I deliver the final blow to its shoulder.
The Demon I just killed became smoke and disappeared, the final Demon was gone.
I sighed heavily, before taking a moment to catch my breath, and looking around the room.
There are many branches laying all over the floor, dropped by the Demons--but there is also something in addition to the branches; there is a leaf, well, three, ordinary leaves.
Is the leaf a rare drop?
There doesn’t seem to be any treasure chests or weapons--I made sure to double-check as I put all the loot into my rucksack.
While I haven’t tried fighting with a normal weapon, I am pretty sure I would have died without the HP/MP Absorption from Excalibur. This Dungeon, when entering alone, is more terrible than I imagined.
I also really need a shield; I wouldn’t had to use my arm and sheathed Scimitar to block, causing pain and bruising from the shoulder to the wrist.
I took one last look around to confirm that there is nothing left, and I looked at my Stats.
Name: Alex Conner
Age: 17
Sex: Male
Class: Villager, Hero, Explorer
Level: 14, 3, 14
I killed probably a hundred, or more, and got only a few levels in Villager…it seems that level 14 is probably the limit for gaining massive amounts of Experience from level 10 Demons.
But, checking my Character Screen, it seems that leveling-up didn’t fill my MP/HP; I also need some kind of Heads-Up-Display, it’s much easier than constantly opening my Character Screen--but it wasn’t worth wasting BP on.
Should I keep exploring the Dungeon, or save it for tomorrow?
Well, I am tired--not so much physically…but mentally. I need to sleep; so I will return to the Inn for the night.
Using Dungeon Gate, while concentrating on the Entrance Room, I entered the black wall that appeared. With a check around the small room, to make sure I was in the right place, I walked out through the rippling black wall which lead outside.
In an instant, I appeared outside the Dungeon--the sun has begun to set…I have spent almost the whole afternoon underground. It didn’t feel that long; maybe the Dungeon distorts your sense of time.
I stored Excalibur in my Ring, and opened the Item Box and took out the scimitar.
Huh?
There seems to be more tabs. There used to be the only one--but now, with a quick guestimate, there are somewhere between 10 - 15. If I were to guess, I got an extra tab for every level in Explorer.
While that is fascinating, I will think on it after a nap at the inn.